RC Rocket Gliders?

[Crashin J]

Has anyone here ever flown a RC Rocket powered Glider? I'd love to try and I'm lookin for info. Any help out there?

Crashin J :kill:

 

[shockwaveriderz]

Crashin' J:

The person that you need to get in contact with is probably George Gassaway...he's been flying RC BG/RG for at least 20 years......unfortunately, right now hes in the Czech republic for the World Spacemodeling Championships.....he may be flying FAI S8E which is equivalent to E RC BG.....

Another person that might be able to answer your questions is Chris Taylor of GRRR RC BG fame ( or he may be infamous for it ......Both frequent RMR

You might also do a groups.google search on the RMR newsgroup ONLY and you may be able to find comments GG has made in the past in relationship to how he flyes RC BG, especially on boost....

He once said that D7's were excellent 1st engines for practice during boost ....then graduate to D12's. They ususally use E6 and F10 low thrust long thrust engines. I do believe they launch these RC BG at rather severe angles of attack (+30-45) compared to typical rockets and they use up-elevator duing the initial boost as the Cuda has a nose down tendency due to the -2 negative thrust line of the engine, to prevent looping....and then as it gets higher up you lower the up eleavtor....Once it gets in the air, its basically a RC HLG or thermal soarer....George used to have a futaba 8U (?) which is a $300-500 computer RC unit.......
https://www.futaba-rc.com/radios/futj80.html

now obviously you would not need this to start get started with....

more info:
https://www.s8alex.mcmail.com/rcrg/rcrg.html
https://members.aol.com/GCGassaway/rcgliders.htm

shockie B)

 

[rstaff3]

Search this site for 'radio control'. Carl Tulanko has a very detailed account of his construction of a rocket powered WattAge F22. Very cool is all I can say. I bet he and other chime is as they pick up on htis thread.

 

[MarkABrown]

One of our moderators, Ken Parker, is the resident "expert" on R/C Boost Gliders. Ken has flown the SR-71 numerous times and has converted several electric powered R/C planes to Boost Gliders. They sure are beautiful to watch fly.

 

[KenParker]

Crashin J:

I'm at work and I don't have much time right now, but RC BGs are a major part of my fascination with rocketry. I currently have 3 that are in flying shape:

Hobby Lobby SR-71
Wattage Mirage 2000-5
MultiPlex Pico Combat Jet

The Hobby Lobby SR-71 is no longer manufactured. Every once in a while one will go up for sale on eBay. I have about 15 flights on it.

The Wattage Mirage 2000-5 is a converted electric RC ARF (Almost Read to Fly) plane. On it's second flight, we had a mishap, and it has been rebuilt and is now awaiting a chance for a test flight.

The Combat Jet is also a converted electric RC ARF. It has been my best RC BG. I fly it on F40's and F37's. I have about 15 flights on it.

I have an Estes StratoBlaster kit, an Estes AstroBlaster kit, an Aerotech Phoenix kit, and I am also working on a Wattage F22 Raptor conversion like Carls, and I have a few others "waiting in the wings." Don't really want to talk about the "waiting in the wings" ones here, as I like to surprise folks every now and then. (I don't want to reveal *all* my stash of kits)

I have also flown an Estes StratoBlaster, but I foolishly put an F24 in it on its 5th flight and it couldn't take the stress. It was quite an exciting flight while it lasted -

At any rate, assuming that I get home at a decent time tonight I'll try to add some more to this. What "info" are you looking for? Suggestions on a good first RC BG model? BTW - do you already know how to fly RC planes? Because, if you don't, that's the first thing you would have to do - learn to fly RC planes. You don't even want to try RC BG unless you are already an accomplished RC plane pilot. Trying to deal with the idiosyncrasies of an RC BG while siimultaneously trying to learn to fly RC....... that would be very frustrating and VERY costly.

Anyway, let me know what it is you want to know, and I'll try to add more to this later.

- Ken

 

[n3tjm]

Hi,

As far as I know, currently there are no commercial RC rocket gliders in production. Back in the 96 era, both Aertoech and Estes had a selection of RC gliders. Estes had three, the Astro Blaster, Strato Blaster(?). and the Sweet V. These gliders flew on Estes D11-P and E15-P motors. Aerotech had the Phoenix, which used an Reloadable 32mm motor, and flew with F13T, F16J, F23W, and G12T reloads, and could also be flown with F14 and F24 29mm motors.

Currently none of these gliders are available at the moment. However, Estes has been working on releasing an ARF version of thier formal Astro Blaster, called the i28 Impulse and the Strato Blaster called the T25 Centurian. These gliders will fly on D11-P and the new E9-P motors. You can also use the Aertoech RMS 24/20-40 RC motor, which gives you the D7T, E6T, E7T, and E12J RC motors. I plan to fly mine with a regular RMS 24/20-40 motor with D9W, E11J and F12J reloads. This is doable because the extra inch of space in the motor tube for the E9 gives the forward closure of the 24mm reloadable motor plenty of room.

 

[matt_taylor]

hey guys
my local hobby shop has a Strato Blaster kit for $55 or somthing like that, i have a 2 chanel RC controler is $55 a good price to pay for it?



thanx
matt

 

[sandman]

matt,

YES!!! buy it!!

sandman

 

[crashinj]

Matt --- YES YES YES! What are you waiting for? Buy it!

CrashinJ

 

[matt_taylor]

why how much is it worth??

thanx
matt

 

[Austin]

It's only worth about $75, so you are saving $20 ...not very big, but a savings none the less. The big thing is actually finding one...although the value is not like an AT Phoenix, it is a very good flier and a good find if you wish to try your hand at Rocket Gliders.

Carl

 

[matt_taylor]

cool, also Carl what is the AT phoenix worth anyways as i can get one of them too

matt

 

[Austin]

Matt...the AT Phoenix I have seen sell on ROL over $200...the problem is finding one...You make is sound like thay can be store bought, unfortunately they have been discontinued for many years and are a collectors item, not a builders item.

I figured you would want to buy rockets you can build instead of collectors.

Carl

 

[n3tjm]

I have an Aerotech Phoenix. I thought about cloning it.... the wings would be the hardest part because they are foam, and not a standard airfoil.

 

[matt_taylor]

Carl my local importer has a few i not sure how much hes selling it for, im going over to pick some stuff up i see what hes got
in NZ we have tons of old kits i can post a list if anyone is intersted

i will buy the glider in a few weeks, got no money now
thanx
matt

 

[MrCoffee]

I had no idea that the RT Phoenix would become a collector's item. I wonder, though, how much they were selling for when new? Sometimes, I wish I had more foresight when they were available....

As for the Strato Blaster, I'm willing to bet that it's only a matter of time before they up in value too.

MrCoffee

 

[KermieD]

Doug,

If you could get me a set of plans, including a traced cross-section of the airfoil where it meets the body and at the wingtip, I'd be eternally grateful. My brother made a foam cutter for his R/C planes and I'm sure he'd love the challenge of making that work.

 

[powderburner]

Originally posted by matt_taylor
in NZ we have tons of old kits i can post a list if anyone is intersted
matt

Matt,
We would be very interested indeed,
please post what you can find

 

[matt_taylor]

ok here and the links
MRC kits estes kits OOP Estes kits

if you see anything you like please email me

thanx
matt

 

[sandman]

WOW! What a list!!!

I wouldn't be able to leave that place without spending a few hundred US dollars!!!

My advice is, buy buy buy!

Some of the items of note. BNC-20B and BNC-50Y. These are the balsa nose cones for the "Orbital Transport".

PNC-50SP Buy it! This is the nose cone for the Argosy/Transglobal Interceptor!!

Estes Strikefighter...Really cool kit...sorta like the X-wing but more stable and an earlier design.

GeoSat...I'd like one of those!!! Woukld make a neat cluster. So would the Greyhawk!

Jupiter C BUY IT!!!

sandman

 

[n3tjm]

Originally posted by KermieD
Doug,

If you could get me a set of plans, including a traced cross-section of the airfoil where it meets the body and at the wingtip, I'd be eternally grateful. My brother made a foam cutter for his R/C planes and I'm sure he'd love the challenge of making that work.

Sorry this took so long... I had a little trouble getting this ready.

Wing Tip Chords

Wing Plans

Note on the plans the "Initial Wing Trim Lines," These lines are the edges of the styrofoam. The edges are 23 7/8" from each other. Is this what you need? If you can send me a sample, I can compair it with the orginal to see if it matches.

The instructions for the plane can be downloaded off of the Aerotech website.

 

[matt_taylor]

hi guys
is anyone interested in buying one? i will sell it for $190 its has never been opened and the box is in good condition, also $130 for a estes Sweet V+shipping same conditon as the Phoenix

thanx
matt