Semroc - Space Shuttle

[aerostadt]

 

[RocKiteman]

Nice.

I have a question about this model: HOW are the booster & orbiter fastened together?

I have looked at the Centuri plans - downloaded from JimZ - but I CANNOT quite "grok" how they are held together. I have never seen one of these in person, just photos in print or online.

{Thanks in advance....}

 

[aerostadt]

A person almost needs to build this model to see how the pieces go together. I modified my model to fly on an Apogee 18 mm composite motor and extra lead weight on the motor tube assembly. I don't think that I would recommend doing this because the motor mount assembly ends up falling as a fast lawn dart. I also shaved down the wood dowels that act like pins on the large glider. There are 2 aft pins and 1 forward pin. I also put 2 small balsa pieces on top of the large glider soda straw fixture so that the small glider was not so loose. With all that in mind the model consists of 3 basic pieces: (1) the motor assembly, which is ejected, (2) the small glider, (3) the large glider.

 

[aerostadt]

The motor mount assembly will fit into the small glider separately, but this is not how the model is prepped for flight. The user actually has to assemble all 3 pieces at the same time, because the front small glider lug has to engage the large glider forward pin at the same time that the motor assembly 2 aft lugs engage the large glider aft pins.

 

[RocKiteman]

Thanks for the comments!

I ordered the space shuttle kit from eRockets last night. I also ordered a kit of "The Point". I have been sort-of fascinated with that one since I first saw one in a Centuri catalog DECADES ago.

I want to try building an X-24 Bug as well, but I'll use the JimZ plans. I have the tattered remains of an X-24 that I built from a kit waaaaay back. It is NOT flyable, but I liked it so much I want another one...

 

[RocKiteman]

Thanks for the comments!

I ordered the space shuttle kit from eRockets last night. I also ordered a kit of "The Point". I have been sort-of fascinated with that one since I first saw one in a Centuri catalog DECADES ago.

I want to try building an X-24 Bug as well, but I'll use the JimZ plans. If have the tattered remains of an X-24 that I built from a kit waaaaay back. It is NOT flyable, but I liked it so much I want another one...

 

[Starsky]

Just finished painting this beauty, waiting for the custom Space Force decals on back order. The color scheme was loosely based on the old General Dynamics YF16 prototype. This was a clever and fun build. I added balsa cockpits and stiffened the rear flaps with a cardstock insert.

The desert just won't cut it for testing this one. I'm waiting for a nice soft LZ!

 

[Scott_650]

Thanks for the comments!

I ordered the space shuttle kit from eRockets last night. I also ordered a kit of "The Point". I have been sort-of fascinated with that one since I first saw one in a Centuri catalog DECADES ago.

I want to try building an X-24 Bug as well, but I'll use the JimZ plans. If have the tattered remains of an X-24 that I built from a kit waaaaay back. It is NOT flyable, but I liked it so much I want another one...

The Point is a deceivingly complex build - not hard, exactly, but not as simple as it looks. Don’t go crazy with glue amounts or you can get puckering as it dries. I built the Squirrel Works version of the X-24 very early in my BAR career - flew my original until it caught on fire during launch. 11 year old me thought it was awesome watching its smoldering remains spiral in. I keep meaning to clone up a Centuri Vulcan, there are various .pdf files of the shroud and fins out there on the web.

 

[DWonders]

I built this kit in 1975 when it was a Centuri offering. I was to chicken to launch it so I donated it to our Rocket Club advisor. He launched it himself and he said it flew fantastic.
I just ordered another last week to add to my "rockets I had as a kid" collection.