Rear motor rocket gliders

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gary

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Who has a lot of experience with rear motor rocket gliders? I like the idea of sending up a glider that does not eject a pod or change configuration in order to transition to gliding flight. This is a difficult design criterion to satisfy. If anyone has experience/knowledge that might be helpful during the design phase I would appreciate any input/advise you can give.

Gary
 
Originally posted by Gary
Who has a lot of experience with rear motor rocket gliders? I like the idea of sending up a glider that does not eject a pod or change configuration in order to transition to gliding flight. This is a difficult design criterion to satisfy. If anyone has experience/knowledge that might be helpful during the design phase I would appreciate any input/advise you can give.

Gary

I've got some (very) old magazines with some RG designs. I'll see if I can scan them and upload them. If they're too big I might have to email them to you.

Check JimZ's web site for plans (https://www.dars.org/jimz/rp00.htm). I know the Estes Space Plan RG is there.
 
gary:
I'm no expert but I can point out a few resources for you to consider which should help:

Technical Report on Boost Gliders

https://www.esteseducator.com/Pdf_files/2266.pdf

also see TR-4 Rear Engined Boost Gliders in the Classic Collection:

https://www.esteseducator.com/Pdf_files/1976clas.pdf

also as Dynasoar pointed out the JimZ site will have most of the commercial rear engine designs down through the years, like the SPace Plane, the SkyDart, the Scissor wing transport which will be re-released this Fall, the Crusader scissor wing, all rear engined boost gliders......

Some or most rear engined boost gliders eject a engine pod as the model needs to have a farther forward CG during Boost as opposed to during Glide..although with elevons you could leave the engine in place and just vent the ejection charge gases...or you could consider a canard rear engined glider.. I think Edmonds Aerospace may have some rear engined canard gliders

HTH
 
Originally posted by shockwaveriderz
Some or most rear engined boost gliders eject a engine pod as the model needs to have a farther forward CG during Boost as opposed to during Glide..although with elevons you could leave the engine in place and just vent the ejection charge gases...or you could consider a canard rear engined glider.. I think Edmonds Aerospace may have some rear engined canard gliders

HTH

I'm thinking in particular of an R&D contest winner in the Estes Model Rocket News, circa 1965. It was for an "activator tube", essentially an empty engine casing that was kicked forward by the ejection charge. The mass shift changes the CG, and the kinetic energy can do work, like flip flaps, etc.

I thought there was a TR specifically for rear boost RG, but couldn't find it.
 
I saw the Geminee fly this weekend at our launch. The guy had it *dialed* in and both gliders went forever after launch. I was totally floored. It is a great little rocket.

Edward
 
Yes I love my Giminee's. Would they be considered RG or BG's?? The engine is retained, but they separate and come down as two parts. I have an 18mm clone Giminee, it is fun to launch it on different delays. Longer delay and it separates in a "downward bomburst" fashon, often with the front glider looping. (B4-2 separates upward or at apogee, B4-4 is downward burst, Longer delay = heartache)
 
Orbital Engineering's VMX series are outstanding rear engine rocket gliders. They currently have the VMX-2 (18mm) and the VMX-12D (24mm).

You can see them on and buy them from DeepSkys web site.

I'm at work and very pressed for time right now. I'll try to add more to this when I get home this evening.
 
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