LC-90 Need some help designing my jet.

[Uriah]

Hello everyone, my name is Uriah and I am fully designing and building a RC Jet nicknamed LC-90 for a highschool metal/woodshop project.

I have never done anything like this before, but having a brain has helped in the process. ;) Any way, I have figured out a lot of stuff on my own but don't want to spend money I don't need to.

The first model I am building will be simple. Just a prototype made to test aerodynamics and other basic actions. This one is what I will mainly need some help with. Once I get it flying the second model should be a sinch.

I am posting a pic of my design. If anyone sees any problems that may occur please speak up. :)

It is a Blended Wing Body (BWB) tailless aircraft with with double aft jet engines. I really don't know much about the dynamics of engine placement. Will the positioning of the engines create any problems???

There might not be enough control surface so I am debating adding canards like on the X-36. I'll need an experts advise with that problem though...

It is a tailless aircraft so I needed some way to stabalize it. I reasearch those types of planes and came up with the B-2. Its trailing edge has tree triangles designed into it. Visit Saga of the Hang-gliders Northrop (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.jp-petit.com/Ailes_volantes/Northrop.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3DLa%2BSaga%2Bdes%2BAiles%2BVolantes%2B Northrop%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff) to read more about this development.

The second model's frame will be made of 1/4 inch Xomite. A chemical ceramic which is very light and extremly strong. If I shot it with an assault rifle little damage would be visible! :eek: The Leading Edge will be an Aluminum alloy, for electrical reasons.

I have a ton of questions that need answering but not enough info to present them and get the correct answers.

More to come...

[Uriah]

I have recently found the perfect turbine for my jet, check it out at M-DOT AEROSPACE Microturbine (http://www.m-dot.com/page8.html). It is amazing. I will have more info on it shortly.

Has anyone ever integrated a electrical turbine or any kind of onboard power generation unit into a RC plane?

Also here is a 3-View picture of the LC-90 w/ its logo.

[Uriah]

Here is were I am at with the building of the aerodynamic test model... :cool:
Expect to see a lot of pictures for this project...
I almost want this thread to be a guide for anyone who wants to design and build their own airplane and doesn't know were to begin...
I will be adding tips I find around the internet and from contacts. As many pictures as I think will be educative... and of course the progress of my plane! :D

1st tip.
On C/G (Center of Gravity)

As a rule, your C/G is about 1/3 away from the leading edge. However, in many cases, the only thing left after that is a LONG boom and the obligatory rudder & horz stabalizers. Not much weight there. We all can only take an educated guess and move it a little farther to the front - in small increments.

Make yourself a small jig that will allow you to balance the plane when it is all finished. Take 4 --- 1/2" hardwood dowel rods cut about 12" long. Connect the two together in parallel - flat on the work top. (far enough apart to accommodate the width of the FUSELAGE).

Take two long pencils (unsharpened) and drill a hole in the top of the assembly. (both sides) Make sure that the rubber erasers place under the bottom of your wing. Balance your plane with and without a full tank of fuel. ("YOU WILL FIND A DIFFERENCE") Aim towards the empty tank. This way you should still have control when you're getting low.


for now i'll be getting back to work...

[Uriah]

sience most of the ppl using this forum seem to be viewers not helpers i have swiched to rcgroups.com...
you can check out my thread there for more progress on my project.
LC-90 VTOL Jet (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=419140)