Flying watermelon?

I am thinking of designing a flying object in the shape somewhat like a watermelon with and open front end and the rear end. Install an electric brushless motor inside with a 10 inch prop. By tilting the object at an positive angle with the built in elevator, lift with be produced, like a flying box kite.

There will be two swept back short spanned wings (for the lack of suitalble term) I will call them winglets with ailerons for lateral stability. Up and down pitch will be provided by a large "elevator" inside the rear opening. That is by tilting the oblect up slightly.

The air flow comes in from the open front end. And the inside mid mounted motor's airflow will be straightened by cross dividers inside, turning the prop twirled air so a somewhat straighter airflow will go out the jet-like rear opening.

I have not seen anyone attempt anything like this before, so it may be difficult to visualize and may be even more difficult to understand. I have thought about a molded watermelon balsa shell to keep it light.

When finished the flying object may look a fat short "Mig" with a large fin but no elevator. The prototype will not have landing gears. Please read carefully and see if you find any unclear descriptions.

I believe it will fly.

Opinions? suggestions? Or pitch the idea?

Wan

Reply to
wanjung
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Wan: A pretty close approximation to what you're describing would be the 'Flying Cube', an RC model introduced a few years ago. It is a hollow cube rather than a cylindrical 'barrel', though. Do a Google under 'Voltaire Flying Cube' and there's some good info and vids of it flying. It's actually a powered RC box kite, and steering is done by a servo swiveling the entire motor/prop.

Bill(oc)

Reply to
Bill Sheppard

I've seen a "Flying Cube" which is similiar to what you describe except it's square. There is a kit on the market. I also have plans for one. It's completely controlled by rotating the motor left or right. Altitude controlled by throttle. Visualize half a box kite.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Day

Thanks to both Bill and Ken, I conducted a search and found on ezone photos and flying accounts of the Flying Cube. Also, kits are available, prices around $200 or so. I may be able to use the idea of pitch control by turning the motor. From what I read the Flying Cube is quite capable for slow indoor flying. Amazing and fun, in fact.

I hope to be able to fly outdoors reasonably fast and with enough power (perhaps an AXI 2212/34 or 2212/26) to perform loops and rolls. Somewhat like a conventional RC model. My design is different, streamlined with ailerons, articulate rudder and an elevator, hopefully will fly. It will be experimental. As I "fly" the prototype, improvements will follow. May attach a landing gear with ground control for take offs and landings.

However, I would like to get the plans for the Flying Cube from you, Ken. If you would tell me the cost plus shipping, I will send my mailing address.

Wan

Reply to
wanjung

Sounds similar to the C/L Flying Stove Pipe my uncle used to fly when I was a kid. It was a large coffee can with a wire undercarriage. The motor was mounted on an airfoiled piece of hardwood mounted cross ways in the front of can and there was an elevator in the back of the can. It was fast!

Dave

Reply to
David Bacque

Dave,

This is very interesting and encouraging. If your uncle's design can fly, so should mine. Can you recall if your uncle's Flying Stove Pipe was able to do loops? I know the control lines keep the pipe laterally stable so I have to figure out how large the "winglet ailerons" should be to keep the tendency to torque roll in check. (Torque roll may be minimized by straightening the air flow before going out the rear) (?)

Also, could you remember if the "pipe" could land without ground looping?

I hope to mount the electric motor about 1/3 aft of the front intake and take care of final balancing by moving the battery which should be attached to the bottom of the barrel-like fuselage. (?)

I plan to build a very large tail fin and rudder to enable visual orientation so as to see whether my "Flying Watermelon" is inverted or not. This is a question (?).

I also plan to have a large elevator inside for pitch control. How large to make the elevator is another question. (?)

Now I hope to use a 9-inch prop so as to make the "fuselage" not overly "fat" What is a proper pitch for an AXI 2212/34 or 2212/26? (?)

I really don't expect you, Dave, to answer most of these questions except for the looping in the air or on the ground.

I am hoping someone out there may have some answers. As I have said, this is experimental and your input may make the unseemly possible.

Thanking you all in advance,

Wan

Reply to
wanjung

Been a long time, I just remember the thing going round and round, I don't know how much control it had. I do remember that the prop was cut down and set inside the can, an early ducted fan. I also remember it having a long roll out as it landed fast, but no ground loop problems. The wire under carriage was wide and had 4 balloon wheels.

I think it was based on plans published in Popular Mechanics in the late

50's or early 60's and that's where the name Flying Stove Pipe came from. But I think the published version was tether flown, no control, just a single line staked to the ground and it buzzed round in a circle.

Dave

Reply to
David Bacque

Thank you, Dave

Reply to
wanjung

Wan: Back around 18 years ago there was a construction article (in M.A.N. in believe) for a "Flash Gordon Rocketship". It was not hollow like a barrel but closed on both ends, and shaped like the classic 'rocketships' of the '30s movies, with a pointy nose and fins on the back. It was about 48" long, consisting of a shell of built-up balsa for very light "wing loading" considering that there were no wings(!). It had standard music wire/wheels landing gear, and a Cox .049 on the nose which pulled it thru the air on lift generated just by the shell itself. RC gear controlled rudder/elevator via the tail fins (don't remember if it had throttle or not). Initially it had very poor roll stability which was difficult to tame. So a couple of lengthewise 'strakes' were added along the underside for better roll stability. Your 'barrel' project will probably need some similar measures for roll damping. Needless to say, the 'Rocketship' had a very poor glide if the engine quit! Your barrel will no doubt have similar glide performance.

Bill(oc)

Reply to
Bill Sheppard

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is like you describe. "The World's Strangest Aircraft", by Michael Taylor, says that it flew very well, and the fuselage produced more than 1/3 of the required lift.

Reply to
Marche

Marche,

Thanks for the link. The photos and drawings showed a real plane quite like my proposed design. I hope to have the motor mounted inside and an enclosed elevator. The swept wings will be further back with ailerons and a huge verticle fin and rudder for visual orientation.

I will study the diagrams for more ideas. after awhile I will have the "plane" built.

Wan

Reply to
wanjung

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