Mini X-15 Delta R/C rocket glider

[burkefj]

Here is another I just completed. I used to do a kit of this larger with 9mm depron for wing stiffness, but since I can't get that any more I downsized it for 1.6" tubing and 18mm D2.3 motors. 22" long, 12.5" wingspan, really nice flyer even in the wind. 5.18 oz ready to fly painted with motor/battery. Liberties taken with wingspan to give enough wing area and length for light weight and CG, but it captures the spirit. I'm really liking these little models.

 

[burkefj]

The rest of the build photos

 

[alexzogh]

You always make the builds look so easy. In the video, it looks like you took control of the rocket before motor burnout - is that right? I tried doing that once..... without success.

 

[burkefj]

Thanks. I'm controlling the model at all times, there are always minor adjustments and wind.

You always make the builds look so easy. In the video, it looks like you took control of the rocket before motor burnout - is that right? I tried doing that once..... without success.

 

[tab28682]

Frank, I noted your use of 9mm Depron on the larger Vulcan.

My Athena is about the same size and I did it in the current 6mm Depron, with one 1/8" span wise carbon tube spar and two smaller carbon tube spars that parallel the wing leading edge.

I think that would work on the BT-80 size Delta X-15 if you used 6mm Depron.

I have also been thinking about laminating new style 6mm and 3mm Depron with some light weight spray contact glue for some projects, with the carbon buried in the 6mm, before laminating the two sheets. I like the surface and edge quality of the new Depron. The 9mm is "grain-ier" and you can sand foam particles off the edge with your fingers. Moot point, since 9mm is unavailable, but I still.have two sheets.

 

[burkefj]

Tom at the time I discontinued the larger jayhawk and delta I didn't have the new 6 mm depron but had depron aero which isn't as stiff as original depron. Even with the new depron with the wider span I've seen some Wing flex in a Komet I did in a similar span with 3 1/8" spars so I just wasn't comfortable with that 8n the Vulcan, especially in a kit where you're making a couple of cuts to allow it to fit into a box. For the x-15 Delta and the jayhawk the problems are the wingtips I've tried angling them in slightly but in the thinner foam I've seen flutter caused by the wingtips and 1 one of the wingtips came off on one of the large thinner wing prototypes so the thicker 9mm foam was to stop that which it did. The smaller sizes with the new 6mm depron it's not an issue and I think the little Vulcan is less expensive and cheaper to fly and flies just as nicely as the bigger one so I'm going to stick with those for kits.

I've done the same kind of laminations you're talking about with 6 mm and 3mm with buried tubes spars in my larger 6 ft tall x-15 profile that I did back in the day so I know that will work.

In any case you can do all sorts of things to stiffen the wings as you're talking about but for me it was a matter of cost is simplicity in making a kit which brings into consideration other things. One of my customers built an astron space plane in standard 6 mm depron in a large E6 powered size and he had flutter and it came apart I'm not sure what kind of lamination or reinforcement he did.

Frank, I noted your use of 9mm Depron on the larger Vulcan.

My Athena is about the same size and I did it in the current 6mm Depron, with one 1/8" span wise carbon tube spar and two smaller carbon tube spars that parallel the wing leading edge.

I think that would work on the BT-80 size Delta X-15 if you used 6mm Depron.

I have also been thinking about laminating new style 6mm and 3mm Depron with some light weight spray contact glue for some projects, with the carbon buried in the 6mm, before laminating the two sheets. I like the surface and edge quality of the new Depron. The 9mm is "grain-ier" and you can sand foam particles off the edge with your fingers. Moot point, since 9mm is unavailable, but I still.have two sheets.