Sci-Fi Cylinder Pusher - Should I Attempt Such an Undertaking?

[smithhayward]

OK, anyone interested in this here's an update (plans no real progress):

1. I'm going to try to model this in Phoenix RC as a pusher with the propeller seated firmly in the cylinder. I figure if I can get it to fly virtually there's at least a SHOT of getting it to fly in reality.

2. I have come into possession of 3 EDFs that run on 3s. Two are matched (~3600kv) and one is similar in duct size (63mm) with a 5000kv rating. I may try to design something in reality (i.e. not a simulator) that puts a the pair of them side-by-side in the cylinder. I'm also toying with putting the third one inside the fuselage to pull air in through the front. If the 3 of the motors were perfectly matched I was going to try to put them in a triad formation with their thrust washing over each of the 3 control surfaces.

 

[FoamyDM]

After looking through this I was eager to see if there was any attempt to fly.

This is like me with my builds. so close, looks great....

Any progress or a pic?

 

[smithhayward]

Nothing Yet...

Hey FoamyDM! Thanks for the shoutout! Unfortunately nothing yet. I still have the prototype "air"frame, but it's got severe hangar rash since I built it over a year ago and it's been around the house, garage, storage area, etc over that time period. The only pictures I have you've seen in the first few posts.

I think it's going to need to be much larger scale than I have build so far (I think double the diameter of the cylinder) to make it so that it has a high enough lift-to-weight.

I have NOT lost interest in it though. I've said this on a few other threads, but I'm moving into a new house in late-July and I'll have my own 1-car garage-sized workshop all to myself (I share with cars now, and nothing can happen because we're selling this house so it has to remain "clean").

I will be hopping round-robin through all of my open projects for some time to come, so stay tuned. I'm still not 100% sure that it will ever fly, but we'll see.

Do you think I should try to take of vertically (on its butt) or put wheels on it and try a traditional takeoff?

 

[Hai-Lee]

When you build it be aware that the propeller shroud will generate lift and so the CG will be effected.

In level flight it could/should perform like a tandem wing with tail.

have fun!