Gizmodo
Andy Woerner and his crazy rocketeer friends have built a 21-foot long X-Wing model that can actually fly. Yes, this is a real X-Wing powered by four solid-fuel rocket engines complete with radio-controlled moving wings. It blasts off in California next week, and we talked with Andy about the project, and how they expect it will do. All the details and a full construction gallery after the jump.
[UPDATE: Check our full video feature of the X-Wing launch here.]
The X-Wing model is huge. At 21 feet long and with a wingspan of over 19 feet it is, in fact, big enough to fly a kid in. However, knowing that it will be powered by solid-fuel rockets, they wouldn't put a kid, dog, monkey or Gizmodo editor inside, even if it uses three full parachutes to land.
After drawing the plans using CAD software, Andy's team and his friends at Polecat Aerospace (with the help of RMS Laser and Aerotech Consumer Aerospace) used laser cutting to make the pieces out of Baltic Birch wood. They also used solid aluminum for some parts, like the rods which are the pivot point for the wings.
Why solid aluminum rods? For the most impressive part of the project to work, not only does the axis have to be strong enough to support the stress of the launch but also it has to allow the wings to change position from folded to open while in flight—or, in the words of Red Leader, putting them in attack position, the X that gives the Rebel aircraft its name.
The wings, including the root sections and the outer panels are about 8' long and weigh 60 pounds a piece, including the motors. The motion mechanism had to be able to move all four of these simultaneously, while keeping them in position relative to each other. Additionally, the motion hardware had to be strong enough to keep the wings in position once they were at the extents of their travel.
They used an electric motor from a RC helicopter, reducing its 40,000 revolutions per minute to generate enough torque to move those massive wings. Still, the wings will take 35 seconds to travel from open to closed. Hopefully, they will be able to change before the flight ends, so they can get the full effect in the air.
The wings also hold the engines. Andy told us they are using "four solid rocket motors which are Class M, the kind that produce a red flame"—which as you probably know, it's also the same color of the X-Wing engines' glow.
Even with the aluminum rods, however, there's the possibility of structural damage. We asked Andy about how he expected the flight to go: "it's likely we will have a structural failure in the wings, but we are hoping it will hold."
If it holds, the X-Wing will be fully recoverable. It won't land on its own, but Andy pointed out that they "will use parachute recovery, with three man-rated chutes which will have radio control deployment," like the wings position control.
When I first learned about the project there was one thing that didn't click for me: why the X-Wing? It doesn't seem to have the right shape to be a rocket. Maybe a better option would have been an Y-Wing or A-Wing. But an X-Wing? Well, according to Andy, "it was the one design from Star Wars that made the most sense to try to scale for rocket power." And on top of that, it just looks cool. I completely agree.
The X-Wing will launch next week, on October 6, and we can only wish the project the best of luck. Godspeed Andy and friends, godspeed. [Polecat Aerospace - Thanks Andy for your time and Anthony for the heads up]
Comments
Ever notice how much a SW X-Wing looks like a BSG Viper?
Why not make the model look NOT shot to hell?
And, there better be a video of it flying soon.
yup... good luck on this. i see it blowing up and becoming a hit video on youtube.
@gary_slamson: Your optimism shocks me...but you're probably right.
@schrosa: Other way around.
BSG was actually sued over it at one point.
(As if a Viper could compare to an X-Wing anyway.)
No, they wouldn't.
I gotta agree with him. They made it out of wood... That's just asking for it to crash, smash into pieces and explode in a ball of fire.
Also, why's the paint job so terribly done?
Part of me is sure that it will either blow up or crater, but another part of me wishes that I was a midget so that I could ride in this sucker.
i love how cynical the comments are. "it doesnt look exactly like an x wing, man they are total idiots, they dont even have the R2 droid online yet"
for making this out from scratch they are doing a great job
@lafond66: They make it with wood precisely because they want it to fly successfully and because it's cheaper. These guys are rocket model experts. Every year they do a giant project. Last year it was a N1 Soviet rocket, the equivalent of the american Saturn V. It was made of wood and the launch was fucking amazing. It worked.
It just amazes me how easily anyone can dismiss the hard work of other people sitting on their lazy ass, flicking through sites on the Web. Geezuss.
They've had small model rocket X-Wings for decades.
There's no reason to think this wouldn't work if they're careful.
A couple of canards wouldn't hurt for atmospheric flight though.
I hope the video is posted either way.
@schrosa: Actually there is a very good reason for this. The original design for the X-wing eventually melded into Ralph McQuarrie's later designs of the Viper.
Other interesting concepts that went from one to the other
1) The original Vipers McQuarrie designed but was tossed out became Buck Rogers ship in the 80's series.
2) The Star Destroyer actaully came out of a design for the never produced Star Trek movie "Planet of the Titans" Take a Star Destroyer, shrink it, cut off the bridge, and add a saucer and two engines to it and you will get what the original redesigned ship was to look like before the original Enterprise designer Matt Jefferies stepped in and gave us a design much closer to the movie version of the Enterprise as we know it. Jafferies version of the refit can be seen at a Planet Hollywood further redesigned to look closer ot the movie version for distance shots (though the two have much differences in them)
3) Much of Ralph McQuarrie's stuff for the Star Trek movie that never was eventually turned up in Star Wars.
I think "actually flies" is a bit of an overstatement. Yes, it will shoot in the air. Yes, supposedly the wings will change position. Other than that, from what I can tell there will be zero control over this thing. It's like a giant Estes model rocket.
Why solid fuel? Why not actual engines so it can fly and land on it's own?
@LoganSix: Have you even SEEN the movies? :P
I don't think any X-wing in history has ever looked pristine. Every model I ever made had burn marks, hell even the toy I had that had a blue button in the back that made the light on the front fire had stickers to look like scorch marks.
I am totally split whether I want this to be a stunning success or an udder failure. Not because I wish them ill-will... this project is AMAZING, but explosions are just cool.
Either post a video or TFSU
Hey ummm guys, I think you're taking this article a little too seriously. I mean, they didn't ask him many questions about flight mechanics so... none of us really know what he has in mind.
Except me of course. He's my cousin.
It works on magic.
Wow.... Although I have to say that it does not exactly look flight worthy. After all, this craft was designed as a space craft.
"Godspeed Andy and friends, godspeed.". WTF? Your geek license is hereby revoked, when you should be saying things like "May the Force be with you".
I'm in the "stop the hater-ation" camp here.
Let's stop with the senseless critism already.
Except for the cruddy paint job, that's bogus
@jetexas: Funny, that's exactly what Chuck Yeager and his mates at Muroc/Edwards said about Project Mercury. People making fun of rockets then too: "you only have to push a button" and "even monkeys can fly one."
Yes, I know that it is not comparable, but you get the idea. To me, if it goes into the air, it's a flying machine.
I wish I had the time and ability to do something like this.
*sigh*
My kingdom for a hobby.
If only a person could fly in this... then they would be able to fufill their life long dream of burning to death in an X-wing-shaped fireball/deathtrap.
I give it an A for effort, and it if blows up, even better. Good work.
Oh, and the scortch marks... c'mon, that added to the realism in the movies, gives this one an air of authenticity. Part of the reason the new ones sucked so bad (for me) was that none of the stuff look liked it'd been into/out of space (scortches) or seen any action.
@Falconfire: Interesting. Any links to photos?
No reason at all this couldn't go up like a rocket and come back down with a bit of parachute and gliding.
I salute these heroes.
If you look carefully behind the cockpit, there is a hole for what looks like could fit R2. Looks like the ship is still in the "finishing" stages, ergo, "not finished". We will all see what happens on the 10th.
I aint tapping that without an R2 droid unit.
They should tie mini TIE fighters to it and have it all end in a giant explosion.
"Why's the paint job so terribly done?" Um... Because they are frickin' aeronautical engineers not Liberal arts majors, perhaps?
Where's the B-Wing love?
I don't think you should constitute solid-fuel rockets as flying, a brick could "fly" if you put enough juice behind it. I give it an "A" however for aesthetics alone. If they really want to impress me get cracking on the damn light sabers.
WoooohooooO! Now explode this thing and go home!
my bet is the entire front section acts like a canard wing, producing lift to stabilize flight.
but hoping to get four solid rocket engines to produce the same amount of thrust over the burn
is like asking for this thing to fly like a sycamore seed.
I...wow.
That's like almost every non-Slave Girl Leia Star Wars fantasy I've ever had coming to fruition.
May The Force be with you, intelligent and resourceful Star Wars nerds!
Although I'm sure cost was the gating factor I can't believe they expect wood to hold up to rocket stresses. Granted their brains are much bigger than mine, but if wood was such a strong option the aerospace industry would not have abandoned it 60+ years ago.
I expect it will do down in a blaze of glory, but oh what a spectacular sight it will be. The Jedi fan in me is certainly hoping for success against all odds but the realist who operates day-to-day certainly things differently...
[wave]
These are not the droids you're looking for.
I want to see the vid, but I'll bet is has a good chance of crash and burn (in the atmosphere that is - if they launch in space no problem :-).
(p.s. i'm liking the new profile thumbnails i see here - a new trend?)
No laser beams = fail.
Where is yoda to pull it out of the swamp when you need him?
The question is does this guy have enough mediclorines to pull this thing off the ground?
@schrosa: [www.ralphmcquarrie.com]
[www.ralphmcquarrie.com]
[www.ralphmcquarrie.com]
[www.ralphmcquarrie.com]
Mc Quarrie's site in particular [www.ralphmcquarrie.com] is a wonderful collection of his work. Some of the concepts for Trek and Wars where so unbelievably cool its a shame we never saw them.
@Vagabum:
wood is a very strong material. actually new composite materials are kind of like 'artificial' wood. The reason wood was abandoned by the aerospace industry was its short lifespan due to rotting.
There is no way this can NOT be awesome.
"It just amazes me how easily anyone can dismiss the hard work of other people sitting on their lazy ass, flicking through sites on the Web." - JesusDiaz
Ever watch CSPAN?
The model may not be, but the losers who built it are full-size.
I'd like to see him make a big mean B-Wing fly... THAT would be something.
@EvilJ: call me porkins and strap me in.
Good on ya, guys!
Now let's see one Full Scale... [oh, and I want a ride on it when you do..]
ok, firstly, I think the paint job is fine, it is supposed to look gritty.
second, lets not get stuck into being pedantic about if it is really "flying"
and finally, yes, lets hope it launches fine, opens its xwings in all of its glory, then explodes into itty bitty bits all captured in HD.
Great project guys, looking forward to the video.
@schrosa: You think THAT is a Viper? There is another craft in the Star Wars universe (mostly X-wing v. TIE Fighter games) called the Z95 Headhunter. It has the basic structure, but only two fixed wings instead of four moving wings.
its just going to fly straight up like a rocket. I dont think its going to actualy fly like a jet.
Wow. Nerds never cease to amaze me.
Star Wars was the first movie to "weather" and "age" their space vehicles unlike the pristine look of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The X-Wing fighter should look "used".
Also, making sure the 4 rockets are sync'ed up is a lot more complicated than "strapping a rocket to a brick". I suppose if they can modulate and control each individual rocket, they can actually steer it (in theory).
This project looks awesome nonetheless.
Guys, this thing will fly, and will do so admirably. You know why?
Wedge is the pilot.
Yes, you heard right. The guys at Polecat Aerospace decided to put together the replica of Star Wars' most loved spacecraft for the movie's 30th anniversary. The 21 feet long fighter is unmanned (and remote controlled) and runs off four Class M rockets, for an authentic red glow.
Of course it will fly. Even a brick will if a big enough rocket engine is attached to it.
The space shuttle flies, right?