Nike Herc & BB Zero 2x

[stevem]

I just completed a couple more scratchbuilds - a 38" long Nike Hercules, roughly 1:12 scale. Now for you scale guys please note that this is more like a semi-scale. I took a lot of liberties to make it easier to build. I used the info from yellowjacketsystems.com to get proportions and some marking details.

I also just completed a 2x Blue Bird Zero. 72" tall and just under 1lb. I really tried to keep it light.

Haven't flown either of these yet.


Nike pic 1...

 

[stevem]

business end of Nike , 4 engine cluster - what else ya gonna do with it?

 

[stevem]

2x Blue Bird Zero built using plans from Jim Z's web site (thanks again Jim!)

The 1 lb weight I mentioned is without any motor mount installed. I still haven't decided how to power this one.

 

[Fore Check]

I'd outfit that BBZ with a 29mm mount interchangeable with a 3 x 24mm mount. Give it a BT70 motor can and this will work great.

G power on composites, 3 x E power on BP (or 3 x C11 power, if you want)

 

[Johnnie]

Strevem,

Very nice work on the Nike Hercules and The BBZ...was there any room left to stage the Hercules???

(4) E9's would make for a nice smokey ride.

Excellent work!

 

[stevem]

I thought about staging the hercules at the beginning but as I started to think it through I decided that it was too much for my skills right now. I haven't tried any gap staging yet and was just not sure how to work it all out with a 4 motor cluster.

I may try the hercules again down the road and make it stage.

I am sure most of you have seen Wedge Oldham's web site about his huge Nike project. If you haven't seen it check it out. Very inspiring!
Wedge Oldham's web site

Forecheck - great idea!
does anyone sell a 29mm motor mount kit that you know of?
thinking about to make interchangable motor mounts now - could a guy make one that fit into the body and was held in place by hooks that are basically large motor mount hooks?

 

[Micromeister]

Great job on both Steve! I especially like the upscale bluebird-zero. outstanding!

Personally I think you made the correct decision on NOT staging the Nike-Herc. I've seen many, clustered-staged nike-Herculese attempts, with only one successful flight. When it take that long to build a model, a single flight just doesn't do it justice I sure you'll be much happier with many single staged clusted flights of that pretty bird

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by stevem
I thought about staging the hercules at the beginning but as I started to think it through I decided that it was too much for my skills right now. I haven't tried any gap staging yet and was just not sure how to work it all out with a 4 motor cluster.

I may try the hercules again down the road and make it stage.

I am sure most of you have seen Wedge Oldham's web site about his huge Nike project. If you haven't seen it check it out. Very inspiring!
Wedge Oldham's web site

Forecheck - great idea!
does anyone sell a 29mm motor mount kit that you know of?
thinking about to make interchangable motor mounts now - could a guy make one that fit into the body and was held in place by hooks that are basically large motor mount hooks?

Is your BBZ based on a BT80 airframe? If so, here's the plan:

Get some rings to center a BT70 in a BT80. Most likely, you'll have to tell BMS to make them for you. Install the BT70 in your airframe like you would a standard motor mount, complete with engine hooks on the outside of the tube (I reccommend using 3 equally placed around the perimeter. Pit a ver short, thin "thrust ring" at the top of this tube.

Now, build some motor mounts that will fit in the BT70. Install the motor mounts in the the BT70 like they are "engines" being installed in a smaller motor mount. You can build a 3 x 24mm cluster can, a 29mm mount, and other 24mm mounts (1 or 2).

Think about it, review what materials you have available, and I'm sure you can come up with something that will suit you. I bet if you asked 5 different folks about how to build interchangeable mounts, you'd get five different answers.

 

[Karl]

Yep the Nike clusterd-gap staging would of proved a difficulty , take this scene : One motor lights before the rest , so as it's getting near burnout , the motor that lit first lights it's sustainer motor and throws off the booster section without lighting any of the other motors Thats to say your staging it to another 4 motors
-Karl

 

[Johnnie]

No way to gap stage the Nike, you would definetly need a timer to ignite the sustainer, then things get to be complicated...

 

[stevem]

thanks for the idea for the engine mount Fore Check - that's a great solution!

you guys have confirmed my suspicionss on gap staging the nike hercules. glad I didn't do it. It would be a good future project tho, for now I am not quite ready to get into electronics.