Space Shuttle America - A Redux Scratch Build

[lakeroadster]

@Ez2cDave posted a photo of the 1980's COX "Space Shuttle America" on this thread today.

1st time I have seen one of these... are you kidding me, a Red, White and Blue dual space shuttle post on the 4th of July.

So I fired up Open Rocket and took a stab at making a model and simulation.

The main fuselage is BT-188 based, and the shuttles are BT-50H. Power is via 24mm motor.

The main fuselage will have scallops to cradle the shuttles and when the main fuselage nose cone slides out of the BT-188 the shuttles are released and glide / tumble recover.

Should be a fun build.

​

 

[Daddyisabar]

The fins are real wings! No lexan needed. The Spirt of America, taking me back to the new hope of the Bicentennial! Gotta have those Estes Shuttle kits, so cool! Coolest kid on the block if I can get one. Gas up the mower!

 

[lakeroadster]

So why not make it a triplane?

​

 

[Daddyisabar]

The more the merrier! A full on airshow!

 

[Saluki]

I like both designs but I like the two gliders the best.

 

[BABAR]

It’s a wonderful design, it has been done in some manner with MOC LunarPatrol, the Squirrel Works DogFight, and Edmonds Deltie AirShow, Twinsee, and The most like yours the Geminee

https://www.rocketreviews.com/edmonds-aerospace-geminee-thunder--by-hank-helmen.html
If you can come up with a design that locks the forward and rear ends of the glider fuselages but reliably releases them you will likely have a more reliable boost.

Gonna need at least three good spotters.

 

[Hobie1dog]

Your OR skills are EPIC

 

[lakeroadster]

The above design is for a BT-188 main fuselage. For me and the manufacturing methods I use, big is better. I took a look at some upscales, a 3" and a 4".

I looked at a "Heavy Lift" 3" version...

​

And then a ramjet boosted version with the shuttle wing dihedral pitched down instead of up, which makes the profile a bit tighter of the assembled rocket. I'll admit I'm not a glider guy... but I'm envisioning the shuttles peeling off and flipping over. Last glider I flew was probably 1974, one of those dime store balsa deals.

​

 

[lakeroadster]

Your OR skills are EPIC

Thanks... but what I've learned is the more you use it, the easier it is. It is an awesome program.

 

[BABAR]

all are good.

suggestion. Your first design has two side pods (ramjets?) on each side. If you displace these on each side, one up, and one down, you can provide a relatively “flat” contact surface area for the glide wings. The more surface area, particularly LATERALLY, you can get between Glider and Booster, the steadier the gliders will ride on boost.

you can of course get the same effect from right and left sided vertical “pylons”, the mid portions affixed directly tangentially to the Booster.

 

[lakeroadster]

all are good.

suggestion. Your first design has two side pods (ramjets?) on each side. If you displace these on each side, one up, and one down, you can provide a relatively “flat” contact surface area for the glide wings. The more surface area, particularly LATERALLY, you can get between Glider and Booster, the steadier the gliders will ride on boost.

you can of course get the same effect from right and left sided vertical “pylons”, the mid portions affixed directly tangentially to the Booster.View attachment 590533

Thanks @BABAR

What I've model in Open Rocket is the main fuselage (BT-300) has scallops cut out of it, these scallops cradle the shuttle bodies. Nearly 180 degrees of each of the shuttle BT-55 body tubes sit in the cradle.

For shuttle retention during flight (similar to the COX Space Shuttle America):

Front: There are 1/4" dowel rods glued to sides of the BT-300 nose cone. These rods slide into holes in the nose cones of the shuttles.​

Rear: The rear bulkhead of the BT-300 has extensions that have centering rings that engages the BT-55 shuttle body tubes at the rear of the shuttles.​

​

At motor ejection the BT-300 nose cone comes of the fuselage, which pulls the dowels out of the nose of the shuttles, the shuttles then pivot off the rear rings and glide / tumble recover.​

​

The main fuselage recovery is via parachute.​

​

​

​

​

​

 

[Ez2cDave]

And then a ramjet boosted version with the shuttle wing dihedral pitched down instead of up, which makes the profile a bit tighter of the assembled rocket. I'll admit I'm not a glider guy... but I'm envisioning the shuttles peeling off and flipping over. Last glider I flew was probably 1974, one of those dime store balsa deals.

​

View attachment 590524​

The gliders don't have Anhedral ( "downward dihedral" ) . . . They are, basically, a "flying-wing" design . . . I think that the use of Anhedral might make them glide upside down and, since they have a "turned-up elevator / elevon" they would go into an inverted dive.

 

[lakeroadster]

The gliders don't have Anhedral ( "downward dihedral" ) . . . They are, basically, a "flying-wing" design . . . I think that the use if Anhedral might make them glide upside down and, since they have a "turned-up elevator" they would go into a dive.

View attachment 590542

Thanks @Ez2cDave ... I'm trying something different.

I'll build them, free flight test them, and make adjustment at that time.

As I stated earlier... I'll admit I'm not a glider guy... but I'm envisioning the shuttles peeling off and flipping over. Last glider I flew was probably 1974, one of those dime store balsa deals.

 

[lakeroadster]

Fuselage Nose Cone Turning

I used a pine 4 x 4 to make the 3" nose cone. There was some tearing of the wood adjacent to some of the wood grain. CWF will make quick work of that.​

​

12.8 ounces raw weight.​

​

 

[lakeroadster]

Ram Jet Nose Cones and Glider Nose Cones

Fired up the lathe and knocked out the remaining cones. Still need to cut the Ram Jet cones down to 220 degrees and drill one for the launch lug.

​

 

[lakeroadster]

Ram Jet Nozzle Cutting, Tube Cutting and Centering Ring Cutting

Cut and sanded the Ram Jet Nozzles, Body and Coupler tubes and the Centering Rings.

​

 

[lakeroadster]

..

 

[NTP2]

..

You ok @lakeroadster?

 

[lakeroadster]

You ok @lakeroadster?

Upload was slow and I hit post reply... but was still slow... so I hit post reply again. When it finally loaded... double post. ​

 

[NTP2]

Upload was slow and I hit post reply... but was still slow... so I hit post reply again. When it finally loaded... double post. ​

Good to hear all the rocket building hasn’t made you start seeing things… ps I once had a dream where my rocket hit Daffy Duck.

 

[BABAR]

Good to hear all the rocket building hasn’t made you start seeing things… ps I once had a dream where my rocket hit Daffy Duck.

I bet Daisy wasn’t a happy camper. And I doubt your NAR insurance would cover the bill.

gotta stop eating those brownies before bedtime.

 

[NTP2]

gotta stop eating those brownies before bedtime.

brownies… they taste so good

 

[KenECoyote]

gotta stop eating those brownies before bedtime.

(Muppets Christmas Carol )

 

[lakeroadster]

Here's the finished rocket. More build data here: Lakeroadster's Rocket Shop

 

[Daddyisabar]

So Purdy it could fly nekkid. True, high end model rocket porn.

 

[lakeroadster]

I learned that motor mount wood glue fillets take a few days to actually dry. The glue is trapped in a closed space. Typically this isn't an issue since there are no loads on the mount until launch.

I built a display stand for this rocket and I used it to hold the rocket while the motor mount dried inside the rocket. The motor hook engages into the display stand. The motor mount actually slid up into the rocket and I didn't even notice it until a few days later.

Before (Note Location Of Motor Hook)

I actually injected the wood glue into the cavity with a syringe.​

​

After (Again, Note Location Of Motor Hook)

I had to cut the motor hook extension lip to actually install the 29mm motor. I'll likely bolt a metal plate across the bottom for motor retention.​

​

 

[Daddyisabar]

Injecting wood glue with a syringe is ... Bitchin'!


"Honey, why is my hairdryer turned on low, clamped and pointed at the hind end of your latest scratch build?"

 

[lakeroadster]

Injecting wood glue with a syringe is ... Bitchin'!


"Honey, why is my hairdryer turned on low, clamped and pointed at the hind end of your latest scratch build?"

I've used a small fan to blow air into a rocket body tube to aid in glue drying... and it was suggested by... my wife.​

 

[lakeroadster]

CWF, Altimeter Bay and Primer

I applied CWF to the nose cone, built a altimeter bay, and then shot the 1st coat of primer.​

​

​

 

[lr64]

This is a great project, but I think you will need 3 pairs of eyes to keep track of it. Maybe paint the gliders different colors so you don't get both people watching the same one.
---------
For the next version, you can get the ramjets working. But then you'll need an altitude waiver. ;-)