Turbine powered space shuttle
#26
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: willow springs , IL
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes
on
14 Posts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=mDxLu0Hu8ds In 1997 I built its little brother and dropped it 100 times off the back of a Byron pipe dream. Flying the pipe dream with a Q 35 on it was the challenge. The Shuttle flew well but you had to put the nose down to get it to glide anywhere.
#27
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: willow springs , IL
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes
on
14 Posts
Here is a pic. of the two shuttles………. Back in the day I even purchased an official shuttle pilots uniform. I only wore it a few times flying the shuttle. I will have to find it and put on for a picture.
#28
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Orangeville, ON, CANADA
Posts: 8,658
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
A scale planform will glide and fly just fine, so long as you keep the wing loading down. No need for a flying brick. What a scale version does have is a pile of drag from the blunt rear end, but that is just the way it is.
#31
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Curitiba, Parana, BRAZIL
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes
on
11 Posts
a byron pipe dream! never seen one of this flying.. very cool.
I bought in my visit to cape kennedy a patch of the 100th shuttle flight some years ago. I saw the uniform in the tourists shop but guessed that my wife wouldnt allow me to use it..LOL
I bought in my visit to cape kennedy a patch of the 100th shuttle flight some years ago. I saw the uniform in the tourists shop but guessed that my wife wouldnt allow me to use it..LOL
#34
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: willow springs , IL
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes
on
14 Posts
I replumbed the fuel tank with some Viton tubing. The regular old neoprene was starting to get hard. The fuel tank is a 1 gallon syrup jug. It is thicker than a dubro tank. All the hoses are friction fitted through the tank.
#35
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: yorkshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
It was my shuttle that Gaspar & John Wright mentioned. The model is as scale as I could find drawings for except the fuselage is 25 mm too narrow. Flies very well now the CG is fixed, & aileron throws reduced. It uses a Super Sport engine & the U/C is positioned in a position to allow take off (the scale position is way too far back)
The following users liked this post:
DST-Engines (09-19-2023)
#36
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: willow springs , IL
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes
on
14 Posts
Here is how i came up with my shape. It is all foam cut except for the nose. Bulkhead A and B cut out a mail box shape, ( the cargo bay area). Bulkhead C and D made a loaf of baked bread shape( the engine compartment). The wings , leading edge extensions, and vertical stab. were straight forward foam cut parts. The foam parts in the picture were from the first one I cut out in 1997. It was hand launched to figure out the CG.
#38
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: yorkshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
My model is 'Lite ply' balsa fuselage with foam wings. Span is 1220mm (48"). Controls are: ailerons outboard, elevators inboard, engine speed, retracts & brakes, opening cargo doors by radio. Some years before, I made a 24" span model to be carried 'pick-a-back' on various models, this flew dozens of times at various shows in the UK.
First pic with chuck glider to find CG. 4th pic shows turbine model & pick-a-back model. 5th pic shows dummy tail pipes & open cargo doors.
First pic with chuck glider to find CG. 4th pic shows turbine model & pick-a-back model. 5th pic shows dummy tail pipes & open cargo doors.
The following users liked this post:
DST-Engines (09-19-2023)
#41
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: willow springs , IL
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes
on
14 Posts
I hope everyone keeps flying their model space shuttles. We can keep it alive in our own little way. It was so sad to see the program end. I could not understand when people were cheering as the remaining shuttles were piggybacked to their final resting places. I was thinking " We have no more manned space program". It is even more of a joke needing to rely on the russians for a ride to the ISS…………………Anyways I finished the battery trays so they come out with one screw.
#43
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: willow springs , IL
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes
on
14 Posts
Thanks for the offer. I will try manually starting the engine for the time being. Are there any issues with using a 2S lipo on the ECU? The old AMT nicad was leaking so I got rid of it.
The following users liked this post:
DST-Engines (09-19-2023)
#48
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: willow springs , IL
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 0
Received 25 Likes
on
14 Posts
I flew the shuttle this past Thursday. The mercury came out and I installed a Swinwin 80. The all up weight was 27 1/2 pounds. A little heavy for a four foot wing span. It was nose heavy and took every bit of 400' to get off. you can't see the landing very well but I slid it in.It came down fast when I reduced the power. A gallon of fuel is too much. I stripped everything out and will reset the CG with 60 oz of fuel, move the engine forward, and eliminate whatever i can along with some nose weight. I am closing the air intake on the bottom and will move them to the sides. Maybe put some blow in doors on them eventually. Sorry about the rotated video. I will try to get better video on the next flight.