X-24B lifting body

[shrox]

I have built another SHX-24B, this one is about 18" long and will fly on a D motor. Does anybody have or know a diagram of just where the CG is on the X-24B?
I have found alot of photos and drawings, but I can't find any location of the CG.

shrox

 

[shrox]

Anybody have any info on the CG of the X-24B?

shrox

 

[powderburner]

but I have not found any data yet on that particular vehicle. I have one more trick up my sleeve: I can call my co-workers out at Edwards and see if they can dig up anything. Give me a week or two and I'll see what I can find.

 

[shrox]

Way cool powderburner! Thanks.

shrox

 

[shrox]

This has been a pretty difficult bird to get to fly right. The nose is all muddy from getting the trim just right. I am guessing it will flip around a few times after release from the booster before it will level out.

Here is what the launch vehicle will look like, I have it almost ready for painting as well:

The cones are layered paper on the strap-ons, the nose is cardboard with a small balsa nosecone on the tip. The engine nozzles are some extra SaturnV parts I had from Apogee.

I am thinking an E motor kight be good for this.

If this were a kit it would be skill level 11!! You'd get a free aeronautics degree if you completed it...

shrox

 

[shrox]

Here is a photo of the booster and the glider together. The whole thing is about 34" long.

If the weather drys out tomorrow I'll get a few coats of primer on.

shrox

 

[Micromeister]

Way Kewl Shrox! Great looking combo!

 

[shrox]

I am going to build another glider with more dihedral on the underside, it tends to wobble, then nose-up and stall. Right now it is at 15 degrees, I am going to increase it to 20 degrees.

By the way, this is kind of a "development" thread I guess, I thought some people might enjoy seeing how I design and build a complex model. Calling them SHX-planes instead of X-planes gives me a littlle leeway in making an idea work, without adhereing to exact scale.

shrox

 

[powderburner]

I thought we might have a copy of an old weight-and-balance report at work for the X-24B, but I have not found one yet. What I have collected so far is an assortment of old open-source information, some of which you may already have. I will be happy to stick this into an envelope and mail it to you---if you would like it then send me a mailing address. If I find any further info I will email or mail it also.

The only center of gravity data I have found so far is pretty simple, and only describes the c.g. in gross terms. The vehicle longitudinal c.g. is at approximately 65 percent of the body length. It is at 66 percent at launch weight (13800 lb) and at 64 percent at landing weight (8500 lb). The reference length on which the c.g. is measured apparently extends from the rounded nose (not including the pitot-static probe) to the trailing edge of the body flaps (not including the tips of the vertical tails).

A balance point of 65 percent of vehicle length is pretty far aft for something using conventional stability (not being flown by a computerized flight control system). On the full-size vehicle, I am sure that stability margins and handling qualities were a bit dicey. On the size model you are working with there could be some severe Reynolds Number effects, and you may well end up with something that does not want to behave. I will be very interested to see how well your model glides, especially since the target value of L/D for the full-size vehicle was something like 2 (it comes down nearly as fast as it moves forward). Take lots of pictures!

 

[shrox]

Thanks powder, I emailed you with my address.

shrox

 

[slim_t]

Man Shrox, that thing is awesome.
I wish you were going to offer it as a kit.
Please post lots of pics so we can copy it.

Tim

 

[sandman]

No kit???

How about some plans??

Plans would be nice.

sandman

 

[shrox]

Shhh! Stop talking about kits, or the mod might move this thread to Vendors! Arrgg!!! (Actually, AARG. I think I am still a member...)

shrox

 

[shockwaveriderz]

hey shrox:

I dare you to make a boost glider out of the X-24B by itself.....where it boosts under its own power and then glides down?

 

[shrox]

I could do that, I just have to get the glide part in there first, this one is troublesome.

shrox

 

Hey Mr. Shrox,

Great looking rocket and I have even more appreciation for your graphic pics. I have always wondered what program you use to create those cool graphics.


James Pierson
Manager
Rocketry Preservation Soceity
https://groups.msn.com/ROCKETRYPRESERVATIONSOCIETY/_whatsnew.msnw

 

[dvldrmmr]

I was wondering the same thing as R.P.S. What program do you use? Rockets and Computers are two of my favorite hobbies. All the rockets I've seen of your's (Shrox) have been really cool. Keep up the good work. One question though - how do you attach the glider to the rocket?

dvldrmmr

 

[Karl]

Nice rocket , must make one of those some time!
-Karl

 

[shrox]

I think I found that info on the CG I was looking for. This table has info on several X-planes, it is for a flight sim.

https://jsbsim.sourceforge.net/MassProps.html

shrox

 

[powderburner]

I don't have a clue how you found that website, buy my hat is off to you! The data included for X-24B longitudinal c.g. matches the other data I had seen. If I come up with anything else I'll send it to you.

 

[shrox]

I don't remember how I found it, must have been about 3 AM when I was looking around.

The program I use is Lightwave 3D, it is a high end modeling, animation and rendering package. It is about $2000. Here is their web site. https://www.newtek.com/

shrox

 

[KermieD]

Fear not. This is clearly a scratch-built at this point. Even if you discuss putting a kit out from here on in, it won't get moved (please, PLEASE put a kit out when you get the glide down!!).

 

[shrox]

So, you all want to see this X-24B thread get really wild? I warn you, it will have little to do with rocketry, but is flight related, and ridiculously cool. And it will cost lots and lots of money, but less than a car...

shrox

 

[shrox]

Hey powder, I got the x-24 info. Thanks, it is really fun to review these studies. It was mostly hardware rather than software in those days.

shrox

 

[powderburner]

I am happy to help (I hope it was helpful)----keep us posted on your progress

 

[KermieD]

Originally posted by shrox
So, you all want to see this X-24B thread get really wild? I warn you, it will have little to do with rocketry, but is flight related, and ridiculously cool. And it will cost lots and lots of money, but less than a car...

shrox

BRING IT ON!!!

 

[shrox]

Well, since my computer died tonight I can't post any pictures, so I will wait until tomorrow (or whenever it's up) to tell what it is.

shrox

 

[shrox]

New motherboard, new processor, new WindowsXP. Got it running, shut it off and start it up and it is back to being dead! Of course it's Sunday and they are closed until Monday...sigh. At least the hard drive with the SHX-24 models is OK.

shrox

 

[powderburner]

I have often been infuriated by mine, but I think it would maybe void the warranty if it accidentally fell through the wall?

 

[shrox]

Geez, one thing or another!! After I get these SHX-15B's out I'll be getting back to this SHX-24B thread.

shrox