AMA's Space Shuttle Exhibit
By Luther Hux
As this article was being prepared, we learned of the tragic loss of Space Shuttle Challenger and its seven crew members. After the first shock diminished, we debated whether to hold up shuttle-related stories or proceed. Man has been hurt by his inventions before but usually has learned from his losses and pressed on. The shuttle program had been so successful that many of us had become somewhat complacent; others had always worried about each launch. We present this story in honor of those who helped make the space shuttle dream a reality and in memory of those we have lost.
The Recent Acquisition
The Smithsonian Institution’s donation of the full‑scale Enterprise has reminded us of the AMA Museum’s space shuttle/747 exhibit. The AMA models were prototypes for the full‑scale Enterprise and its air carrier.
The full‑scale counterparts visited the Washington, D.C., area twice in recent years. In June 1983 Enterprise landed at Dulles International Airport, and aerial photos were taken from a Snapshot model (covered in the May 1984 Model Aviation). In November 1985 NASA announced Enterprise would again land at Dulles; this was to be its last ride before going into storage while the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex at Dulles was completed.
Placing the space shuttle piggyback on a 747 was NASA’s least expensive way to move shuttles several thousand miles from landing sites back to launch sites. An early question was whether a 747 could be used as an airborne launch pad to test‑glide a prototype orbiter.
Model Construction and Testing
John Kiker, a NASA engineer at the Johnson (Houston) Space Center, tackled the project goal of creating radio‑control models as near to scale as possible of the proposed release of the full‑size Enterprise. The test was a private venture, not NASA‑sponsored. Most equipment was purchased by John or donated by friends. The project had strong PR value for NASA, and agency engineers were very interested in its outcome and in any input that might help safely launch the full‑scale orbiter from a 747.
Owen Morris, also a NASA engineer, joined the project, and many local RC club members became involved. John and Owen were both AMA members and RC pilots. Construction began in January 1976 and the models were flown that summer. A good contemporary source of details is the November 1976 Model Airplane News article “Launching a Space Shuttle”; an April 1976 MAN story covered earlier smaller models.
The orbiter models were made of fiberglass using one of NASA’s 1/40‑scale test molds. The castings were modified to accommodate radio gear and control surfaces. Although often thought to be wind‑tunnel models, John says the originals were used at Langley’s towing facility to test emergency water landings.
The 747 fuselage, constructed mostly by Owen, was a balsa box shaped with foam and sheathed in fiberglass for strength. The wings, built largely by John, were foam cores sheeted for structure and contained much of the radio gear. K&B donated two .40 engines with pumps to draw fuel from a single fuselage tank; these provided ample power for the two heavy models.
To give an idea of the challenge: a fun‑to‑fly shuttle of similar planform (about 242 sq. in.) might weigh less than 1½ pounds. To match scale weight, John and Owen’s orbiter weighed almost four pounds. The twin‑engined 747 model weighed over 11 pounds. Retractable landing gear donated by Carl Goldberg Models added realism and held up under the 15+‑pound takeoff loads.
Radio interference between the two models was a problem at first. The solution was to keep the shuttle’s radio turned off until separation; a switch triggered on release turned the shuttle’s radio on.
Owen usually piloted the 747 while John flew the shuttle. On two occasions the 747 flew with an engine‑out condition and still performed well. One engine‑out occurred before a planned landing with the shuttle aboard; John and Owen chose not to attempt such a landing and proceeded with a launch instead. There were scratches and repairs on the way to success: the fast‑landing 747 once ran out of runway and cartwheeled in the weeds, but the models proved durable.
Both models were fast and challenging to fly, as shown in the AMA film Those Marvelous Miniatures (the shuttle is not in the shorter promo version). John reports that the 4‑lb. orbiter did glide, though its glide was brief and demanding.
Release Procedure
The release technique developed by the team and later adopted for some NASA glide tests proceeded roughly as follows:
- After the 747 reaches release altitude it dives briefly to pick up speed. The carrier then rotates from the dive to a climb and back to a dive in a smooth roller‑coaster pattern. As the two aircraft pass the top of the last arc and go through a brief zero‑G point, the shuttle is released. At that instant the two aircraft are flying in very tight formation.
- The shuttle is mounted at a higher angle of attack than the 747 so it is closer to its glide attitude at release. The 747 is more nose‑down than the orbiter and descends more rapidly; the 747 also goes to a “dirty” configuration to slow down while the shuttle moves ahead. The differing attitudes create increasing separation as both aircraft descend.
After release the shuttle turns away from the 747 and, after a short period in a relatively flat, slow attitude, drops its nose and begins a high‑speed glide toward the runway. The landing requires a one‑shot, high‑speed rotation onto the runway; during rotation the cockpit feels as if the center of rotation is at the nose, with the rest of the orbiter lowering behind (as astronaut Robert “Hoot” Gibson described from experience).
Following the successful full‑size Enterprise glide tests, John Kiker and Owen Morris received commendations from NASA for their model‑aviation contributions. NASA later compensated them for some costs from the best‑suggestion awards fund.
Models, Markings, and Donations
John and Owen built three different shuttle models, which explains differences in markings seen in the AMA Museum exhibit, the 1976 Model Aviation article, and the AMA film. One was a lightweight version flown at airshows for large audiences. The earliest test model had a red underside and white top to aid orientation; later models adopted the now‑traditional black‑and‑white scheme.
John donated the 747 and one shuttle model to the AMA around 1980, shortly after his retirement from NASA. They were kept in storage until 1982 when they were displayed at Dulles Expo ’82, and they were placed on display in the newly completed AMA Museum in 1983. John still owns the other shuttle models; he modified one to test the idea of adding a forward canard control surface.
Rocket Booster Demonstrations
John’s next model project was a rocket booster. With help from NASA engineer Kirby Hinson and input from AMA model rocketeer Doug Pratt, he assembled a booster containing 24 model rocket motors and launched the shuttle vertically. The booster was mounted at the external‑tank location (without the large side solids, so not full scale in appearance). Flashbulb ignition ensured firing of all 24 motors simultaneously.
The result was lots of smoke, noise, and an impressive sight. The rocket‑boosted model veered off course only once; it had sufficient speed to allow John to correct using the shuttle’s control surfaces. Compared to the manned orbiter, the model accelerated much faster; the full‑size shuttle’s 3:1 lift ratio limits its acceleration.
Where They Are Now
Both John Kiker and Owen Morris live in the Houston area and have retired from NASA. They remain active in aviation projects—mostly full‑scale aircraft development and testing—and try to fly RC for fun when time permits. Owen has been working on a full‑size Long‑EZ homebuilt for several years.
Robert “Hoot” Gibson, who visited the National Center for Aeromodelling in 1984 and is an occasional RC pilot, flew one of the full‑size Enterprise test glides developed with input from his RC colleagues and served as a chase pilot during many Enterprise landings. Hoot is an AMA member who has since landed several shuttles returning from space.
The AMA Museum
Curator Hurst Bowers has received and displayed hundreds of models representing much of model aviation history. The AMA Museum has requested nearby modelers’ help with labeling and maintaining exhibits; the author plans to adopt the shuttle exhibit. Modelers everywhere are invited to participate in the AMA Museum Patrons’ Program (see page 95 of the February 1986 Model Aviation for details).
Thanks to Hank and Hugh of Dulles Operations for allowing access for photographing the Enterprise.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
