Space Shuttle (oz15467)

About this Plan

Space Shuttle. Radio control scale model.

Quote: "Here's an RC version of the world's first orbital airplane that flies better than the real thing! The author of the Summer Breeze Balloon, ParaCraft and Snapshot flying fantasies turns his mind spaceward, and tells you how to build a workable model of Space Shuttle Columbia. You can sling it into the air from a Senior Falcon, and do your own approach and Landing Test. Rocketry power may be in the future. Space Shuttle, by Luther Hux..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 11/8/2024: Added article, thanks to Pit.

Quote: "I had considered an RC model of the Shuttle to ride on Snapshot Twin ever since the Twin was completed. The cargo-carrying appearance made Snapshot Twin a natural for the Shuttle, in spite'of the the fact that a 747 was the actual aircraft used. The project remained just a few sketches until the excitement of landing set the idea in motion. The next morning I went to the gift shop at Goddard Space Flight Center for information and a model kit. I also purchased a patch for the Columbia flight like the one worn by the crew.

By that evening the sketches of the Shuttle were being transferred into construction drawings. Since the prime use of the model would be for the show team I belong to, I used a very hefty all-balsa construction that could survive 'a hard landing and be ready for the next show. One team member nicknamed it the Flying Armadillo. However, by using very light balsa and by hollowing out all the blocks, unpainted empty weight was only 3-1/2 oz.

Once the basic model was completed I could no longer contain my curiosity. Would it fly like an airplane or a brick? I had heard a lot about the glide of the full-scale Shuttle. The raw balsa nose section was wrapped with foam rubber to protect my hard work, and the fuselage doors were taped shut. Then I went out to the front yard to see if it would perform. The front yard was a perfect test ground, as I had not mowed the grass recently. The tall grass would help cushion the landings - or the crashes. I chose to launch from my neighbor's yard since it was about three feet higher than, my own.

Fred, my neighbor, was probe. bly used to my unusual experiments, especially with my repeated tests on the ParaCraft chute almost every evening, but I should mention here' that I was making my first test launch at midnight. If the police saw this, I would have to try and explain why I was standing in my neighbor's yard throwing something into my yard by the faint light of a distant street lamp.

What little I could see of the model in flight I could hardly believe. The guessed-at CG seemed.to be perfect, and the model would settle in for a beautiful landing every time. Well, most every time. I had expected a deadly sink with the small wings, but found it would glide all the way to a distant tree. It definitely put that foam padding to work. Since there is nothing to hold to launch the model, some of the launches were terrible, but the Shuttle corrected the bad angles and settled in for level landings..."

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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