I thought I would post some pictures of a rather unique aircraft. This is the Midjet. Designed and built at Linköping University (Sweden), as a project within the master’s program in aeronautics. I had the privilege to lead this project and I'm very happy with what we managed to achieve. I will write more about it later, but lets start with the pictures

/David

Looks nice. What was the aim of the project??

Well theres nothing wrong with that!! Looks fantastic! Must go like stink... Have you maidened it yet? What engine...

Really nice design there..

That is awesome! Kinda has a BD5 feel to it.

Yep...

Neat looking jet. Something different is always good.


Are the pictures deceiving... or is it very small? (like Kolibri small)

Looks like toucan bird in flight

looks very nice
what is the wingspan / length of the model and weight ?

Looking at the Eurokit nose leg and Sprint type main oleo legs I'd say its P-60/100size, 1.6m span

The purpose is primarily educational. In the end of the student’s aeronautical education (master’s degree) they do a project course where they get to apply their gained theoretical knowledge into an airplane design challenge. In this we often have a practical part where they have to transform their design from the drawing board and into a scaled down RC demonstrator. This way we sort of compresses the long and complicated process of designing and building a “real” aircraft into a few months. The student get to taste all disciplines of aircraft design and the associated problems in each area. It is highly appreciated by the students and I think there is no better way to teach aeronautics then to engage the students in an exciting real project.

The Midjet is the result of the student project we had during 2013. Thomas W you are right about the BD5 feel. The background is that I have always been very fascinated by the BD-5j, but that is now an over 40 year old design and nothing nearly as cool has been made since. For a couple of years I have had a growing idea in my mind to design a single seat “sport jet” using modern technology and equipment. For 2013 I brought on this idea to the student project course. Basically we gave the students an engine specification and asked for BD5j like performance, aerobatic capability, CS-23 compliance, stunning looks, all composite design and forgiving flight characteristics (unlike BD5).

We had a good team of competent students and the result is the Midjet. The RC demonstrator is in 36% scale and is 1.9 meter span. It’s powered by a Funsonic 70N turbine that we had lying around from an old project. I don’t have the length in my head. Weight is about 9kg. I think that what our students came up with is a fantastic looking design! I’m proud of their/our achievement. Best of all it flies just as good as it looks. I have my RC roots deeply into F3A and when I have flown RC jets before I have never gotten really excited. Even though they have an awesome sound and smell the ones I have flown have had severe secondary control effects and a ruder/knife-edge authority so weak that it’s like missing a dimension of flight. The Midjet is not like that. It handles just like an F3A model. I love it!

So where do we go from here? The initial purpose has been fulfilled already, but we are hoping that it will not stop here. The long term goal is full scale! We have the motivation and competence to build a real mini jet in collaboration with a couple of partners outside of the university. If we manage to get such a project going the experience gained from the midjet design will be a stepping stone towards the dream!

/David

Actually the nose gear is hobby king
...We had a tight budget.

Was it a "One-Off"... or did you make molds? I know your target is a full scale... but it would be nice to pull a few if the molds were made.

+1 with Tony, i love the bd5 and the midjet is just as cool an exciting! I would love to get my hands on one.

May I ask what airfoil you used and what the specs on the wing planform are? If it's not confidential that is. Is it a critical airfoil? Been fascinated with pattern performance out of jets and was wondering where designs were headed. Looks like, as opposed to most current models, you've brought the cp of the fuselage way forward- like very close to the wing cp.

Very impressed- thanks for sharing.

Agreed. Kinda like a modern BD5

Hi,

From the sound of the title, I thought someone was welcoming a new baby to the world...

Very nice project and good to see a fresh design.

I have to compliment whoever painted your Midjet. Beautiful work!. Definitely not low budget..

It's basically a one off. We do have moulds in polyurethane but they are not good for more than prototyping. Parts such as hatches, inlet etc were built up with a 3D printer. It’s just too much of a prototype to do any kits from it. We actually have a video on the tube summarizing the project and in which some of the manufacturing can be seen. http://youtu.be/rkdh2GYgnd4 for anyone interested.

I’m however glad to hear your interest and I would definitely be positive to find a way for the model to live on if there would be a serious interest in it.

/David

Thank you Roger! That's actually my work . With the students we had no time to finish it other than with grey primer. After the course ended I thought it would be a shame to leave it like that so I put this paint scheme together and spent a lot more time than I would like to admit on realizing it.

/David

I sent you a PM David

Ahhhh, but time well spent. Painting your own models is almost a lost art.. You are obviously no stranger to an air brush and fine line tape!!

Here is a fresh video clip of a demo flight we made with the Midjet this summer

http://youtu.be/Kis63PTyGQ0 Best viewed in 1080 HD

/David