Turn Your RC Glider into a Rocket Glider

[wunkus]

I had an idea last year while trying to design a dedicated composite Rocket Glider: why not turn my current glider into a Rocket Glider? And why not switch it back to a normal glider when I'm done? So I bring you the Tee Minus removable Rocket Pod. This pod will be able to accept standard sized rocket motors with or without an ejection charge. My plan is to have three sizes: the Wee Minus, Tee Minus, and Tee Minus Plus to fit 18mm, 24mm, and 29mm rocket motors respectively. This first prototype is a crude proof of concept to show that it will indeed work. I'll have to learn composite techniques if continuing to use carbon fiber, as I currently do not have much experience doing so. The next pod will be built for and tested on a DLG. Here is a video of the first test using the pod on a 60" slope glider and an Estes F-15-0 Rocket motor:

-Will

 

[mikec]

Looks great! BTW, the S8E community has been turning DLGs and HLGs into RCRGs for a long time, see https://www.nar.org/contest-flying/fai-spacemodeling/fai-events-for-wsmc/s8-rc-rocket-glider/ for a taste.

https://www.nar.org/safety-information/radio-control-rocket-glider-safety-code/ says you have to launch no more than 45 degrees from vertical. If you don't fly at a NAR launch this doesn't apply.