Space Shuttle heads into orbit
Luther Hux had considered building an aircraft to ride on his Snapshot Twin since he had built the Twin. He would primarily use it in his show team performances.
Building the Space Shuttle so that it could survive a hard landing, but still be ready for the next demonstration, Luther used lightweight, all-balsa construction and hollowed out the blocks. The unpainted, empty weight was only 3½ ounces. Flying weight needed to be less than 10 ounces for the modeler to fly the Space Shuttle. Luther noted that a transmitter mixer was best for radio installation for the lightest possible model.
Because this aircraft was intended for presentation, some of the detail was eliminated. The most noticeable change was the increase in the dihedral. This extra dihedral provided a natural horizontal stability to quickly upright the Space Shuttle. Control surfaces were simplified into strip elevons and hinged in a straight line. The rudder was fixed in the brake position.
Although the model looked better in flight using skids, Luther preferred using wheels on paved runways and recommended that the landing gear be eliminated if a 1/72-scale model was built.
For the Space Shuttle’s paint markings, Luther used photos from Time magazine of the Columbia with more black on the top of the wing’s LE and more black at the top of the rudder than earlier shuttles. He used satin-finish paints for a more scale appearance. He borrowed the decals from a plastic kit, but said that the builder could take his or her best shot at freehand lettering.
The launch frame was made from wire and designed to plug in with the wing bolts or strap on with rubber bands as were the wings. The release tab was a nylon control horn. By chopping the throttle of the Snapshot Twin in level flight, the Space Shuttle could be released two seconds later. Both models would coast, with plenty of airspeed for the Space Shuttle to lift off.
Luther wished readers good luck on their own Space Shuttle’s first mission.
The Space Shuttle was featured in the September 1981 MA as AMA Plans Service listing 347 and is available for $5 plus shipping and handling. The Snapshot Twin was featured in the August 1982 MA as AMA Plans Service listing 375 and is available at a special price of $19 plus shipping and handling. AMA members can access the Digital Library on the MA website to read more about both models. See page 159 or go to www.modelaircraft.org/plans.aspx for ordering information.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
