Space Shuttle (profile model)

[RandyL]

I am new to this forum but thought I would share my newest project build. It is a profile

shuttle made from Dollar Tree foam with the paper removed. Power will be the Stem EZ 2chl power pack when it arrives. I was very impressed with the power system when I saw it on a model last week. I hope to get flyable results. Specs on the airframe are 13inch wide, 18 inch long, 21 grams as it sets..painted and with 1/32 ply nose doublers. The doublers added 4 gram but I went with it on this test bed for strength. Power system and flight soon.

 

[Ryan O.]

I am new to this forum but thought I would share my newest project build. It is a profile View attachment 205060 View attachment 205061 View attachment 205062 shuttle made from Dollar Tree foam with the paper removed. Power will be the Stem EZ 2chl power pack when it arrives. I was very impressed with the power system when I saw it on a model last week. I hope to get flyable results. Specs on the airframe are 13inch wide, 18 inch long, 21 grams as it sets..painted and with 1/32 ply nose doublers. The doublers added 4 gram but I went with it on this test bed for strength. Power system and flight soon.

Nice plane, and welcome to the forums. How did you design the plane (tracing, freehand on posterboard, CAD, etc.)?

 

[RandyL]

Thanks Ryan. I took a 3 view from the Internet and blew it up to the size I wanted. I then used 3m77 to glue it to some old blue fanfold foam which I cut out to make my pattern. I measured down from top of fuse at several places and cut a straight line front to back so I could glue the parts together. I have done similar in the past with a much larger size, it flys well and looks impressive on the glide slope for landing. Hope this works out. Great fun!

 

[Ketchup]

I see you didn't add any dihedral, do you think the 2 channel power pack would be able to stabilize it?

 

[RandyL]

Good question, but I do believe so. My backup plan is to score the wing outside of the motors and add dihedral out past mid-wing. I will also have the knife ready to add a bit of up elevator out at the tips also. I don't know my way around this forum yet, but, look for a post by Tc concepts. He used a FT chuck glider to do this and it flew really nice. I fly with him on weekends and told him of my idea for a shuttle...he will be my test pilot! His model is red and white if you can locate it here. I don't know what heading it is under. He was at Flite fest and came up with his idea.

 

[RandyL]

About ready for the weekend launch. Gotta finish the battery extention is all.

 

[RandyL]

The Shuttle made it to the field Sunday. It did not fly. My test pilot informed me that the circuit board was mounted upside down. I did not know it made a difference. He said that the switch and LED had to point down for it to work properly. Took it back home and remounted things for later test. It did glide very nice after moving the battery around a bit.