Home speed demon, aka MT.21.2, car model with a 15-inch walk-behind tractor
Content
Today's "In the Workshop" is a description of the assembly from scratch, perhaps the fastest vehicle that has ever moved in your house! Although our magazine has featured air-driven models many times (see box), this will be the first jet car in the series. Pneumatic drive is also one of the cheapest and safest ways to propel not only models. See how easy it is to prepare for speed records without even leaving your home!
Apparently nothing, and that's how it began ...
Records have always fascinated people. This is no different from car field. one of the most desired features of vehicles was maximum speed. No wonder (nomen omen) the competition for the title of the owner of the fastest wheeled vehicle quickly began! Cars quickly appeared, for which the conquest of this trophy was the main goal even at the design stage.
1. The first record holder (Frenchman Gaston de Chasselou-Loba), the second record holder has a car (GCA Dogcart) - rushes with a devilish (!) speed of 66,66 km / h!
2. With this electric "rocket" (known as the Eternal Disgruntled) in the 100th century, the Belgian Camille Genatsi overcame the magical XNUMX km/h!
3. And this is our (and not only) inspiration - Blue Fire from 1970 - the record holder and founder of the 1000+ Club 🙂
4. Aussie Invader by Antipodes - Definitely a recent clubber - new technology, but also an homage to the old school.
The first official speed record (all 63,15 km / h) was set in 1898 and it fell to a French Gastonovy de Chasselou-Laubatoviwho bets on electric drive (undefeated for the next 5 years when the pair only won once because petrol engines took the podium right after him). When speeds of more than 1963 km / h were reached in 400, it became clear that here the era of jet engines. Today, the fastest wheeled jet cars reach 1228 km/h (this record was set in 1997 - but new challengers are already sharpening their teeth to overtake the record).
5. Okay - let's see what we have. The key issue is the availability of the launcher and mechs. Diameters can be
different, but probably the most popular, are diameters similar to the marker thickness - approx. 15 mm - it will be easy
also add "pump" to it.
6. What do you need? A bag of thicker foil (you can also stick it with tape), light 3mm plywood from throwing boxes, some sponge, some flexible hose that fits the launcher - plus the usual tools (a hair saw can even be replaced with a wallpaper knife).
Blue flame - old, but spring!
The current world speed record holder (TrustSSC) is geometrically quite difficult to use for amateur modeling - so the championship is representative blue flame since 1970 (1015 km/h). The simple high-rocket system used in it had (and has!) Quite a lot of followers (). We will use this concept to create the simplest possible model for less advanced DIY enthusiasts, especially those who work mostly at home.
Work
Since this is, strictly speaking, a model of a launch vehicle, it is worth taking advantage of the experience and suggestions of our cosmonautics (see the sidebar “Archival materials…”).
The author's archival materials on pneumatic models
• 2008/01 Missile MT-08 (cal. 15 mm)
• 2008/12 Rocket of Ivy
• 2013/10 Tread rocket launcher (cal. 25 mm)
• Stomp rocket 2013/11 (cal. 25 mm)
• 2017/01 Straw rocket (cal. 7 mm)
At the beginning, it is worth browsing the available materials and accessories to decide on the diameter of the launcher and the model's caliber.
7. Two tiles separated by an elastic sponge (and while there are gray cuboids - left from a matching suitcase) - you don’t even need to glue it on both tiles. You put them compressed in a bag and then they stay on their own.
8. A fairly flexible tube should come out of the bag (otherwise it will be more difficult to adjust the height, the model may jump when taking off) - but most of all, the connection should be airtight. If hot glue is not at hand, you can make a longer collar and tighten it with elastic bands.
– the same can be done for vehicles. However, the most popular so far caliber 15 mm is the diameter of pipes for fax machines, markers, electrical pipes, etc. - so, as with rockets, let's get creative rocket cars.
9. Example of “stomprocketcar” factory solutions – interesting, inspiring – but quite expensive and a bit difficult to recreate in home covid conditions (unless someone also prints in 3D).
While missiles could be launched from oral launcher, in which case it would be more convenient to have step launcher (for example, press with your foot). You can customize pumps, pears, etc. flexible chambers - but it is relatively easy to build a quite nice launcher completely from scratch, from foil, plywood, an ordinary sponge and a piece of flexible tube of the appropriate diameter.
10. We glue the basic fuselage. From the left, a pipe with a diameter of 15 mm, 105 mm long (made of fax paper - a used marker can be an equivalent cut), a sheet of paper (ordinary printer) 60 × 105 mm, a template for rolling (the same tube + tight wrapper made of self-adhesive foil).
11. The wheels have already been cut and painted, but if we stick to the idea of a three-point chassis (well, we won’t make a twin on such a scale in front), then we will have to deal with an additional chassis chamber. There is already a camera grid on the white cardboard with the front wheel axle holders. The smaller circles on the same cardboard will be the frames, allowing the shape to match the adjacent parts (tail and nose of the fuselage). The wheel arch lining will be made of black cardboard - since it is made of thicker paper, traditional plywood sheets will be used instead of binding (photos 13-14).
Attach one or two slightly smaller rigid plywood (for example, from abandoned citrus boxes) with fragments of a light springy sponge to a ready-made (or well-adhered with adhesive tape) foil bag. The whole thing is covered with hot glue and finished off by attaching the launcher (eg to duct tape).
12. The middle and tail parts of the fuselage are already glued together. In the holes of the cardboard intended for the wheel axle (drilled, but you can also pierce them before cutting), the whole is visible with a toothpick - a convenient level indicator - the rear axle still needs to be glued.
13. A useful trick - not only when assembling rockets. If, instead of cutting individual cloves of plywood, we extend them over the edge of the template, and then ...
14. ... we press it to the table at an angle of about 45 degrees and turn it - we get a tied pipe (as it is professionally called) and save a few - ten minutes of work.
15. When forming the nose cone, a piece of crayon is useful - the thicker the better - the main thing is that it be round and well sharpened.
The easiest way to adjust the height of the launcher above the ground is by using a thick sponge or foam with an asymmetrically made hole. By properly twisting the foam, it will be possible to achieve different heights. How to prepare an example launcher from scratch - the photos show in details.
16. When gluing, it will also help to press the plywood.
17. Although the model initially planned a simple stabilizer (as in typical rockets of this type), in the end the single-module concept prevailed - probably worth considering, because the best is often the enemy of the good ...
Significant model body (with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the launcher) is quite standard. From plain paper (approx. 80-100 g/m2 - it can be painted, printed, redrawn graphics from some magazine) we wind the tube on a template (i.e. the launcher is covered with two layers of adhesive foil - this will give the desired distance on the target launcher). For gluing paper parts, it is best to use Magic type glue (POW - fast wikol).
18. When the robot arrived at the workshop - and the robots somehow accelerated 😉
19. Getting ready to install the axis ...
Since our inspiration has a nose landing gear in the fuselage, you will need to prepare cardboard pendant (or choose a front axle with twin wheels close to the fuselage - this is the version for the smallest). In the prototype described above, I used a lightweight 1,5 mm cardboard to mount the front wheel, which will also be used to make cardboard frames that cover the landing gear chamber (the rear one is also needed due to the closing of the pressure chamber). All circles can also be cut out of the same cardboard. If this typical architectural paperboard is not available, a double-sided drawing block back cover or any heavy carton can be used.
20. Recent agreements with the pilot, who is already trying to get into the cockpit and glue the axles after we put the car on the blocks (and on the axles - so that they line up!) ...
21. Variable launch tube height can be implemented very simply - a non-axial hole in the sponge or foam is enough (in the case of round foam, the launcher installation height can even be adjusted steplessly).
The front landing gear chamber is glued to the additional front part of the fuselage (here from a black technical block - weight approx. 160 g/m2), glued according to the template, but with a front cutout for the protruding wheel axle and bearings. In its front part there is a trapezoidal plywood for the nose cone, and the rear part of the frame is pushed back a little to make room for the tightened (crumpled into a frill) edge of the main fuselage. The front wheel (with a slightly larger hole) should rotate freely on the axis of the toothpick (do not cut it, but glue it before gluing the rear axle - it will help keep the level).
22. Start configuration and countdown to kickoff! I disappear in the blink of an eye! As long as you don't go astray...
23. Still sweet... (come back!) - salty on a white background (like on the track in Bonneville!).
vertical fin in this prototype, it was made of cardboard as a large overlay for the tail part of the fuselage - but in the next models it will be a ballast glued exactly as we usually glue rockets - on four plywood feet directly to the fuselage.
Rear chassis on an axis of 2 mm (toothpick or knitting needle, the length of the piece of wood is not so limited) rotates in a plastic or paper tube glued to the body with hot glue (for example, for lollipops, from Bowden modeling). Bristol cardstock reinforcements can be glued to it - although this solution is no longer used in new designs (Aussie). When sticking the rear axle support, it is worth preparing two racks (made of screwdrivers, plugs, blocks, etc.), thanks to which the long front axle will be flush with the rear axle.
The clear windshield can be found in first aid kits - other blisters (here from the glue gun package) - you can also use the cockpit of an airplane model or engrave it from scratch (this is for more insiders).
The model can be supplemented with a driver's head in the model's cabin - from minifigures of popular blocks, a suitable bead, a ball of salt mass - or a micro photo of the designer. You can also use paints, markers, stickers, etc. to decorate the model.
Gentleman, start the engine!
Before takeoff, install suitable launcher height (foam adjustment) and carefully place the model on the launcher. After vigorously pressing the flexible chamber of the launcher, the model will fire from the tube. It is worth making sure that there are no eyes (sister, dog, cat, etc.) on the possible path of its movement, because in such a configuration the car will usually not move in a perfectly rectilinear motion. In larger models of this type - especially z rocket propelled - cable guides are used with guides under the body of the models (see the “Worth Seeing” box) - but in home models at the beginning this is more of an option for another - larger and more advanced project, which we will return to when the world wants to return to its pre-pandemic state.
In the meantime, we wish all creative readers the pleasure of building and having fun with the rocket car model!
There is a competition - there are prizes!
Show us your models of this type. Within a month after the publication of the issue, the first three authors of a photo report from the construction of the “king to stomp rockets” on the pages of “Young Technician” on Facebook or three mini-robots designed by the author of this article (like, judging by the photo, although they are assembled on their own) are waiting for them. Good luck and see you!
Also worth a look:
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• – Blue flame
• — Aussie Invader
• – models of rocket cars
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• – movie rocket models
• – role models
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