USS Andromeda, 29mm Upscale (10' tall) (ORK)

[stormbringergrey]

So, the Semroc Andromeda, as nice as it is, just isn't big enough. I did this design as an arm-chair exercise, I have no intention of actually building it, and have nowhere to fly it if I did. At over 10' it just isn't practical. I plan to redo the design based around a 24mm motor mount, looking for something in the 5 to 6 foot range that will fly on a G. which my daughter and I might actually big Weight & drag are good things (within reason), my preference is for big, low, and slow with as much white smoke as possible.

Note: The ORK file does not include the antenna array or diagonal support struts, I couldn't figure out how to add them to the model. If I do the 24mm version I will add those components and probably more details than the original during the build.

 

[tsmith1315]

Welcome to the forum!


Love the Andromeda, it was such a futuristic design! One of these days I'll build a 1:1, my original was never finished.

But, for an upscale ...

https://wildmanrocketry.com/products/andromeda-3x-glass-fins?_pos=1&_sid=da340b665&_ss=r

 

[neil_w]

Fun! Should be a very impressive model and a challenging build.

A few notes on the ORK file:

1. The little side tubes in the back should be done with tube fins, not body tubes. Body tubes are not expected to have airflow through them. You'll need to put phantom body tubes on the pods to mount a single tube fin to each. That is why you're currently getting the warning "Forward end of airframe is open".
2. The diagonal struts are just fins. I would include them with the forward fins that anchor them. Just edit the freeform fin set and add a big old skinny extension of the correct length and position. OR will probably complain about jagged fins.
3. The antenna array (never knew that's what it was, but makes sense) is implemented as fins-on-fins. See my pods tutorial, which explains how to do this sort of thing, and come back and ask questions if it's not clear. https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/openrocket-22-02-a-very-quick-introduction-to-pods.171298/

For this design I modeled the spars as separate fins:

Here's the shape of the spar in the freeform fin shape editor:

 

[stormbringergrey]

I have seen the Wildman version but to be honest, in my opinion, the elliptical shape of the nose cone is a central feature to the look of this model and it has been my experience that finding a commercially available match is difficult (short of 3D printing).

I was having a similar conversation on FB and a user by the name of Val Derkach (he's probably on here somewhere) shared the following. Way to much rocket for me these days, I will focus on my 24mm build.

 

[stormbringergrey]

Tube fins and fins on fins! Thank-you very much! I saw the error condition but I thought it was triggered by the blunt end of the main reactor tube, I forgot all about the thruster tubes. I also would have never thought about treating the spar as just another fin. As tempted as I am to fix this file, I will more likely concentrate on the 24mm version I intend to build. Aside from being too big, the nose cone I spec'd is sketchy and I have the crew/passenger compartment configured as thin-walled BT reinforced by couplers to accommodate the nose cone. I'm thinking of doing some quick calculations for size if I start with a BT80/Big Berth NC and scale everything from there.

 

[mikeyd]

or you could get a bigger kit.
https://wildmanrocketry.com/search?q=andromeda

 

[PhlAsh]

My WildMan Andromeda (and old Navy bud, Rick, minding my table)
I had 3" Big Bertha from which I scavved the nosecone and I didn't like the way the fins were shifted to the front of the 3" aft section so I changed it up (well, down).