Rutan ProTwinUs

[Tophe]

Having deep trouble with the XP-77 canopies for the XP-7117, I turn to something else before loosing my modeller enthusiasm... In my cave was the Unicraft 1/72 resin model of the Rutan Proteus, this will be the next one.
Well, I see this one more as a triplex boomer than a twin-boomer: the short front wing is almost a canard foreplane, a tail ahead, not supported by lateral booms but by the fuselage that is not only a pod. I prefer another layout, without tailplane but with a giant TT tailplane...

Refusing to build a different layout, I am not a fastidious guard of holy orthodoxy, not at all. Twin-boomers are freaks indeed, while they are not the only ones, and they are my favourites, simply. What-ifing, there are millions of possibilities, even billions, while trillions would be too much for me...

[Tophe]

I have started separating parts, and having them in hands, they are too big for me, I would have prefered 1/144... Most probably, I will truncate the fuselage length, and not use the external wings (outside booms) or have them fixed as biplane like on my Go 241 - yes with dihedral upwards outside of the upper wing, that may be funny...

[Tophe]

probably, I will truncate the fuselage length

The first step is half done (starboard half fuselage).
A big rear part (red arrow) of the front fuselage is removed, truncated, so the aft part (on the right below, holding normally the rear wing), will be moved forward much. The wing will be moved even further.
Slowly but surely, almost...

[Tophe]

The little ProTwinUs is taking shape... as a tribute to Burt Rutan, that is building scale 1 twin-boomers again and again while I do it scale 72nd...

At last, I have reverted the fins upside down to have straight support for the tailplane, that makes the attitude funny, tail up and nose down (there will be no landing gears), but it was sure from the beginning that the attitude would not be horizontal as the Proteus have a front fuselage curved down, for a nose down, I am just exaggerating a little more...
Concerning size: the 1/72 basis would have been (span x length:) 39x24cm =15.3"x9.4" while I would have preffered 1/144 (19,5x12cm=7.7"x4.7"); with my truncating, the '1/72'  size is about 19x15cm (7.5"x6.0")...

[Tophe]

Just to compare more easily, here is the JMN's Proteus source:

from http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Newsroom/X-Press/...03/new_dsa.html

[Tophe]

Here is the weird attitude of my ProTwinUs: nose down, like for a Muslim prayer...

And there is also my unfinished Bell XP-7117: the vacform canopies were so awful, I add a lot of putty, and they were so fragile, they were torn, so even more putty, I hope I will be able to finish someday...

[Tophe]

The task is finished, as a success (according to my low standards). From the Scaled Composites/Unicraft Models Proteus, here is the Scaled Resin/Tophe Models Protwinus .
First, I put it horizontal, with a strange aspect, nose down , then I installed it as a tailsitter, stable and more original ^_^ ... even Burt Rutan would not have dared .
While for stability this H shape on the ground may be better than the classical X (Pogo etc): that is another good-reason to be twin-boom...

[John Howling Mouse]

Looking very sleek, my friend.
That's a very good kitbash you have accomplished and in RESIN, no less (I would not be so brave as you!).

So, what would be the purpose for this aircraft?
Experimental?
Pleasure-flying?
Business-flying?
Observation?

What is propulsion? Would there be props at the front of each nacelle?
Or glider?

Fantastic!  My favorite picture is the one where it is in progress and facing mostly toward the camera.

     

[Brian da Basher]

Mon dieux Tophe! Tres excellent! I just love it! The gold paint makes that one a real eye catcher!

Brian da Basher

[Tophe]

Thanks a lot, dear Barry and Brian...
Notes:
* RESIN gives no problem with super-glue (and at the poor level of details that is right for me). I have bought many resin kits to support Igor of Unicraft Models, and I plan to build them. This 1/72 Proteus was just too big for me, I had to cut and truncate, and now that you what-ifers have helped me feeling good inventing, I have done it with pleasure. Thanks!
* The gold COLOUR is due to my wife preferring your shiny colourful models than my sky-bue pure shapes. So thanks for the result, too, coming from you somehow (I shyly tried to reach your pleasant creations status...)
* Concerning the PURPOSE of the Protwinus, it is very simple: this is a little desk model whose goal is to look like a weird aircraft. I hope the mission will be accomplished... But thanks to suggest me flying goals possible without killing, I will remember your nice list: Experimental, Pleasure-flying, Business-flying, Observation ^_^ I may add Agricultural, Holywood Airliner with windows replaced by a 16/9 movie screen (explaining the rear seats in high position like in a movie amphitheatre), Civil-radar calibration (opposite to stealth, explaining the layout with so many sharp angles...) etc. B)
* PROPULSION of the Protwinus is very special and unusual: it is powered by mind. Let you imagine the Protwinus flying, and... she is flying (in your mind). Simply. And noiseless if you decide it! Engineers have never designed something like that, maybe I should patent this process, no?    
Below is another view, featuring the giant T-tail for Barry, and showing the sad sky-blue company of my last other models...

[Tophe]

What could be done with the same kit, in a more serious way (from the gallery at http://www.unicraftmodels.com/ )...: - what-if USAF or RAF half-serious versions are also possible, of course :

[Briar]

It doesn't have any engines... does it just glide?

[Tophe]

Yes, or propelled by "mind power" (very effective in dreams, you know)

[PR19_Kit]

It doesn't have any engines... does it just glide?

Yes it has, there's two pods above the rear wing root. Unless you expand the piccie they're difficult to see.

[Tophe]

Maybe I was too lazy to remove these pods, but I swear this was not a powered machine, but a dreamy bird without flapping wings...