Yeah, Larry Niven used Bussard ramjets all over the place in his stories. In fact, aren't the rim motors on the Ringworld Bussard ramjets? Or am I totally misremembering that?

Yeah, Niven seems to have had an obsession with Bussard ramjets in his early novels, not that I can blame him. When the concept first came out, it seemed to provide a realistic method of interstellar travel for the near future. Later, as more detailed analysis of the theoritical performance came out, his interest waned. He is in a tie for first as my favorite science fiction author with Heinlein and Poul Anderson.

Joe W

Jay,

sweet design! Is that a custom turned nose cone, or a BMS special?

Later,
EV

Don't forget one of "our boys"...G. Harry Stine, aka "Lee Correy", the founder of the N.A.R. His "Starship Through Space" remains my favorite hard SF novel of all time, and "Rocket Man" isn't shabby, either.

Someone in WOOSH built a Fafnir (one of GHS's designs), I believe...and I've got a USS Latona (another GHS design) on the drawing board...a classic "50's cigar shape". :)

Seriously, if you've never checked out either story (or any of GHS's works)...I highly recommend them. In fact, in a cool bit of synchronicity, GHS and his wife were friends with Bob & Ginny Heinlein...they dedicated books to each other (Heinlein's "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" is dedicated to GHS & his wife, GHS's "Starship Through Space" is dedicated to the Heinleins). :)

(GHS also wrote for many of the pulp mags of his day...read anything you can of his...the science is always accurate --- or as accurate as they knew about in the 50's and 60's) ;)

Custom SEMROC Nose Cone
 

Dear Eric,

Thanks, yes, and no. :eek: ;)

I tried to piece two Semroc parts together: a BC-1052 nose cone, and a BR-710 reducer (transition). Unfortunately, I didn't get them perfectly aligned (the tip of the nose cone makes a 1/2" circle when you rotate the cone at the base), so I shot off an "Emergency!" e-mail to Carl McLawhorn. He was kind enough to turn me a couple of them. :cool:

The first picture is a blurry close-up, but you can still see the seam where I glued the two pieces together.

Wondering about the off-center toothpick? After applying wood hardener, I stick my balsa nose cones into the styrofoam block I call my "Nose Cone Forest," in picture two.

Shot number three shows how the wood hardener expands the balsa grain, as well as any flaws in the balsa, which can show through even a coat of primer. I'll need to putty the holes, sand them, and hit the cone with more primer before painting.


Cheers,

--Jay

Body Tubes and Fins
 

I have to admit, the main body tube and inner fins assembly in the first picture looks like... *not* a whole lot. But I discovered with this particular design that when you take a bunch of little "differently" shaped sections, they really do contribute to a very different "overall look."

Picture two shows the inner fins masked for painting. The outer edges will be glued to the inside of the outer ring fin, so I didn't want paint *there!* :eek: :o I left a gap of 1/16 to 1/8 inches "out beyond the fin" on the body tubes. I'll sand down the edge of the paint away from the fins, and then re-mask directly on the fins for a different body tube color.

The third shot shows the inner fins painted, while the fourth picture is the ring fin and outer balsa fins.

Is Carl going to be adding this cone to his parts list?

About that nose cone...
 

I've been thinking I need to suggest that he do just that. :o

At NARCON, he said, "I was going through my nose cone designs, and I found one marked BC-763CG, and went, 'Oh, I remember that one.'"

I replied, "Oh, yeah, 'CG.' -- 'Custom Goemmer.'" ;) :D :cool:


Cheers,

--Jay

Is that pronounced "Gamer"? :eek: :rolleyes: ;) :D

"Say *what?!?*"
 

Only if you pronounce your last name "Gable"... and your first name isn't "Clark." :eek: :mad: :rolleyes: :D :p