Bede BD-5, BD-5J, BD-10 etc..

[Weaver]

Here's another mad possibility: a rocket-powered 'BD-5R'.

Fit two hybrid rocket motors: one in place of the normal jet nozzle and one at the bottom of the tail, both fed from the same liquid oxygen tank to make sure they cut out at the same time, thus avoiding power-off pitch-up. Hybrid rockets are throttleable, restartable, and are one of the safest rocket technologies around. They're also relatively simple and reliable, and have even been proposed for a civilian rocket-racing league. Virgin Galactic's Spaceship One used a hybrid rocket.

All you have to do them is paint it up in Me 163 colours.... 

If you're going to model this, don't forget the white condensation on the fuselage where the cryogenic LOX tank lives...

Alternatively, if you want an even more authentic Komet experience, you could use HTP as the oxidiser, using it as a monopropellant to run it's own turbopump. If you don't fancy getting popsicled by a LOX leak or melted by an HTP one, you can also use Nitrous Oxide, which makes leaks both much less lethal and much funnier... 

Hybrid rocket motors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid-propellant_rocket

[JayBee]

OK concerning the wings, Weaver is correct in that there are four different wings.
Janes World Sailplanes and Motor Gliders (1978) gives the span of the BD-5S as 27'10" (8.48m).





The quoted span looks like it fits with the photo.


Here are a couple of photos of my BD-5S that has been under build for longer than I can remember.
The new wing is a single piece of plasticard worked down to the correct (close enough) profile. One shot showing the u/c arrangement.









Finally a shot showing the different wings of the BD-5, BD-5B and BD-5S.






Yes they have all been under build for a long time.

[Air21]

https://easttexas.craigslist.org/for/d/single-seat-airplane-kit/6498250755.html

There's a kit in East Texas if anyone is interested 

[Weaver]

OK concerning the wings, Weaver is correct in that there are four different wings.
Janes World Sailplanes and Motor Gliders (1978) gives the span of the BD-5S as 27'10" (8.48m).

That figure seems a lot more believable.

Nice models!

[kitnut617]

Seems a bit ironic that we've got a BD5 thread going and some chat about C-5 Galaxys' on another thread or two, so here's a couple of pics of them together, both 1/72 scale

[Weaver]

LMAO - reminds me of the old airshow tannoy announcement:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please note that if the weather takes a turn for the worse, the flying display will continue inside the C-5..."

[zenrat]

I have a 1/72 resin copy of one of these some nice person here sent me in with some parts.  I want to say it was Kiwizac and apologise most profusely if I have mis-remembered.
I was thinking of making it into an air launched cruise missile.

[Rick Lowe]

I have a 1/72 resin copy of one of these some nice person here sent me in with some parts.  I want to say it was Kiwizac and apologise most profusely if I have mis-remembered.
I was thinking of making it into an air launched cruise missile.

Ooh - how about a modern version of the Ohka Piloted Rocket Bomb?   

[Weaver]

I have a 1/72 resin copy of one of these some nice person here sent me in with some parts.  I want to say it was Kiwizac and apologise most profusely if I have mis-remembered.
I was thinking of making it into an air launched cruise missile.

Well given that the SMART BD-5Js are actually used to simulate cruise missiles, that seems like an excellent idea.

Air-launching a manned one seems like good sport too...

[Rick Lowe]

I have a 1/72 resin copy of one of these some nice person here sent me in with some parts.  I want to say it was Kiwizac and apologise most profusely if I have mis-remembered.
I was thinking of making it into an air launched cruise missile.

Well given that the SMART BD-5Js are actually used to simulate cruise missiles, that seems like an excellent idea.

Air-launching a manned one seems like good sport too...

*PULL!*

[Burncycle]

The LH-10 Ellipse is a perfect spiritual followon to the BD-5, we just need a jet powered version! 





There's even a proposed armed version!





Now imagine one with laser-guided 120mm Mortar Rounds as baby laser guided bombs

There was also a Hellfire II IIR Proposal (The IIR hellfire could be self-designated like the Maverick missile).  Except then the armament would cost more than the airplane!

Add some stingers, and mount it on a ZELL Launcher, and you have a manned SAM with no runway needed