semroc Hawk

[mach7]

I just finished my Semroc Hawk build. Still have to airfoil the wings, and give it a coat of dope.

The wing join is different. It leaves a gap but seems to work well.

A quick build. Lots of lumber, but it goes together easy. Hand tossing gives nice glides.

I'll post photos as soon as I take them.

Mark

 

[lessgravity]

I've been flying many gliders recently. It would be great to hear your launch report and pictures of the final bird when you are done.
This is one on my build list.

 

[foose4string]

Mine's built also. I plan on painting it, so it's got a coat of primer ATM. Been too cold to proceed.

 

[tbzep]

The Hawk just might be the easiest rocket I've ever built...and definitely the easiest glider outside of those little 25 cent ones in the toy section when I was a kid.

 

[mach7]

Yup,

Went together easy. Waiting for the glue to dry was the longest.

It's 14 deg and we are getting our weekly snow storm so it will be a while before I can launch it. I have been gliding it around my basement. Glides real nice!

Mark

 

[Boosterdude]

I have one of these to build as well. It's a neat looking glider.

 

[vmf-214]

I just finished mine last week went together real easily, Just to much snow on the ground to test it.

 

[mach7]

I took a few photos of the Hawk.

As said, kind of a simple bird, seems to glide real well.

As we are in the middle of a 4-8 inch snow storm, it will be some time before I can get it launched.

Mine needs no trimming so far. It's probably more luck than skill.

Mark

Edit. Man I forgot the photos. It's not that early this morning. I better get another cup of coffee!

 

[Gillard]

I'm about to put an order in for three of them for me and two friends, mainly as they are on EMRR's super Hit list, and the 2009 challenge has started.

 

[foose4string]

Mark,

Nice looking Hawk. It looks almost identical to the old Astron Falcon. I think I remember someone saying the only real difference is the Hawk uses thicker balsa for the boom.

I have a Falcon clone but I'll probably get one of these too. My experience with the Falcon is 8 built and 6 fly-away's so having an extra would be a good thing.

Looking forward to seeing it at an upcoming CMASS launch.

Which reminds me, I forgot I had an extra one of these that came as a freebie. Wife informed me it's still in my stocking.

 

[mach7]

Bob,

Good to see you online.

It's the AMROCS version of the Estes Falcon according to the Semroc instructions.

Major changes are thinker balsa and a hardwood nose cone.

The Semroc version is back to a balsa cone.

Mark

 

[mach7]

Nope,

No weight added for or aft. Just built straight out of the bag.

I have not finished it yet, but I do have most of the filleting done. I have to glue the nose cone on.

Glides great, Don't know how it will boost.

 

[Carl]

The AMROCS version had a hollowed-out hardwood cone. Reports are that the walls were very thin, so the weight would have been closer to the balsa cone. Estes had a NCW-1 lead weight with theirs, but AMROCS did not. I do not think either would have ever required that much weight.

 

[Boosterdude]

After seeing the completed model, I've got to get started on mine.

 

[mach7]

You know,

It glides real nice, I wonder if I was to stick a small electric motor/prop in the
Front on the body tube....

 

[Pantherjon]

After seeing it built I guess I better get going on mine!

Sheesh! So many kits, so little time!

 

[Micromeister]

After seeing it built I guess I better get going on mine!

Sheesh! So many kits, so little time!

I'd had awful luck with my various Falcon B/G builds until Bunny told me about adding 2° of down incidence to the forward edge of the wings. On both a full size and micro Falcon they have flown great.
Thanks again Mr Bundick for the tip, it sure made a huge difference from my first couple staight up and straight down Falcon BG
you should be able to see the little 2°slivers in the last pic below.
Hope this helps.

 

[Buzzard]

Micro,

Your post says 2 degrees negative incidence, but the photo shows 2 degrees positive. Which is higher - leading edge or trailing edge?

This is one of the models in the quque once I get some final painting done on other models.

FWIW, I do have one of the AMROC's hardwood nose cones...hhmmmmm.

 

[Micromeister]

Micro,

Your post says 2 degrees negative incidence, but the photo shows 2 degrees positive. Which is higher - leading edge or trailing edge?

This is one of the models in the quque once I get some final painting done on other models.

FWIW, I do have one of the AMROC's hardwood nose cones...hhmmmmm.

\

The leading edge is 2° down (large part of the wedge sliver goes to the forward end of the wings), forcing the leading edge down. Sorry for the confusion... leading edge down to me is negative incidence...someone correct me if thats wrong???

The wedges are glued under the body spar "T" with the top of the wings resting on the bottom of the wedge. Hope that make sense.

 

[Boosterdude]

I finished my Semroc Hawk this weekend. The kit is excellent, and the wood chosen was perfect for the intended use. The glider is very easy to build, although some of the steps in the instructions are out of sequence in my opinion, very minor.

#1 Gluing the rudder on the bottom of the keel/fus on step 14. For alignment it much easier to glue the rudder prior to step 6 when you attached the fuse bottom to the fuse top. You can lay the fuse bottom down flat, glue the rudder on, and sand the joint while the alignment will be perfect.

#2 Step 16 has you rounding the edges, and sanding the airfoil in the wing. It's way better to sand the edges round on the parts prior to gluing everything together. Sanding the wing to an airfoil can really only be done accuratly prior to gluing the wing on the fuse.

I test flew in the front yard and it seems to be a little on the nose heavy side, and flew dead straight everytime. So this afternoon I will hollow out the cone a little, and induce a slight turn and try it again. Semroc puts an awesome kit together, and the Hawk is no exception. It's a fun build, and I sure would like to see them release more gliders.

 

[hcmbanjo]

I flew my Semroc HAWK this weekend at our Orlando R.O.C.K. section launch.
I traded out a 3 pack of C6-5s for some 1/2 A6-2s. The first flight had the Estes shotgun ejection. It had a nice flat glide for 18.5 seconds before we lost sight of it in the tall brush.
I found it and tried another 1/2 A6-2. Straight boost again but the ejection was so strong it broke the body close to the stabilizer. This is not the fault of Semroc, the ejection was just too strong.
The third shot shows the repair, I cut and glued toothpicks to the underside of the "T" shaped boom. Should be plenty strong now.
I should add, my Hawk was nose heavy, I added clay weight near the tail. The small addition of the toothpicks may cut back on the amount of clay weight needed.

Hans "Chris" Michielssen
Old/New NAR # 19086 SR

 

[mach7]

Wow. Stinks about the ejection. Same thing happened to my Space plane.

I put a coat of dope on my Hawk, too much winter to launch, but it glides well
in my basement! No trimming needed yet.

 

[Boosterdude]

Wow, the ejection charge knocked the whole tail off. Great repair, and it solves you nose heavy issue.

Mine seems to be slightly nose heavy as well. I got it gliding really decent yesterday although I'm having an issue trying to get a nice turn in the glide. It almost where I want it, but overall it really seems to be a nice flyer.

As to the ejection charge, would it help to add some holes right by the nose cone to decrease the pressure. It might help to decrease the force the spent casing has when it exits the glider. What do you guys think?

 

[mach7]

As to the ejection charge, would it help to add some holes right by the nose cone to decrease the pressure. It might help to decrease the force the spent casing has when it exits the glider. What do you guys think?

On my next Space plane I was going to try a 1/4 in hole to vent some of the ejection charge. Might be a good idea for this one.

 

[Blades]

Glides great, Don't know how it will boost.

If it's anything close to mine, it should boost very straight. I tend to have bad luck with nose mounted gliders, but I put mine up a couple of days ago on an A8-3 and I was very happy with its performance. Like yours, mine didn't need any trimming to glide. It's a slick little BG.

 

[Boosterdude]

Here's mine, I got it trimmed and ready to go. This seems to be a really nice flying design, can't wait to launch it.

 

[Gillard]

built mine in about 10 minutes yesterday.
flew her naked twice today an A8-3
i was inpressed with how straight and fast she took off the pad, and on the accelrtation when the ejection charge goes off.
mine was slightly nose heave, got i have not finished her yet - probably a light coat of paint.

 

[Gillard]

Brother flew his Hawk today, om the second flight the ejection charge from the Estes A8-3, ripped the motor mount part from the fuslage. It was a balsa failure and not glue. estes shot gun ejection charges strike again.
i think i'm going to drill a hole in my motor mount to release some of those gases -like edmonds gliders do.

 

[o1d_dude]

I'm thinking a small hole punched on either side of the motor tube (horizontally inline with the wings) about 3/4"-1" back from the nose cone. Saw this on one of George Gassaway's Edmonds gliders.

 

[Gillard]

added paint - son wanted it orange. and drilled a hole in the side - which would have been easier before built the glider!