BAe HOTOL

[Hobbes]

the one item I'm after is a good 3-view. Does the brochure contain that?

 

[Orionblamblam]

the one item I'm after is a good 3-view. Does the brochure contain that?

It does not. My copy comes from another researcher, so I'm hesitant to post high-rez, but this gets the idea across.

 

[TsrJoe]

HOTOL as it was born

does anyone know of any ga drawings or dimensions for the initial HOTOL design

cheers, Joe

 

[Orionblamblam]

does anyone know of any ga drawings or dimensions for the initial HOTOL design

This'n?

 

[TsrJoe]

Spaceflight News ...

 

[flateric]

sure! please!

 

[TsrJoe]

HOTOL. size comparison (a metre long in 72 scale) ...

 

[Archibald]

Me want too

 

[Thumblegudget]

Hi everyone.

I just wanted to say a big thanks as this thread has proved to be an amazing resource for finding some rare images for a couple of videos I made recently.

Links to the videos below if anybody is interested:

 

[asiscan]

I have an original of this if anyone wants scan copies

is that offer still open?

 

[TsrJoe]

Il dig it out again, meanwhile iv copies of the pages posted on the IPMS. Project Cancelled Facebook page

 

[asiscan]

thanks TsrJoe

 

[hesham]

From, Faster Than Sound The Story of Supersonic Flight.

 

[Thumblegudget]

Hi everyone. I've made another video about HOTOL, this time about the engine.

 

[jrcgarry]

What was the point of the small fin on the nose?

To steer it.
It was thought, at the time, that weight savings could be had by having a forward vertical stabilizer, rather an aft-mounted one.
However, shock-on-shock interactions made it less viable (modelling suggested it would burn off)
Which was a problem.
<I used to work on Interim-HOTOL>

 

[jrcgarry]

Images of HOTOL and the Antonov An-225 with HOTOL.

That third picture and the fifth is the Interim Hotol with the Antonov 225 first stage. I remember the day that a large wooden crate arrived at the Atrium of BAe Stevenage - we levered it open and were greeted by half a dozen of those models ensconced in shredded packing paper. I've still got mine and will post some details tonight.
<fifth pic by Mark Hempsall who worked in Future Projects>

Those models are pretty sturdy, and apart from some of the decals peeling, are really well-made. Resin and odd lengths of metal for the struts between the AH-225 and the orbiter. The paint's doing well too. No recollection as to who made 'em and I've seen the odd one on eBay over the years.

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

What was the point of the small fin on the nose?

To steer it.
It was thought, at the time, that weight savings could be had by having a forward vertical stabilizer, rather an an aft-mounted one.
<I used to work on Interim-HOTOL>
[/QUOTE]

It was know that with the delta wing there was a significant Cp shift afterwards with increasing Mach number so a bit of leverage was required to counteract it;- hence some feathers upon the nose. However when they did the high speed wind tunnel work it was discovered the original estimates were wrong by, well, a lot. To address this a high lift system was proposed for the wing consisting of both flaps and droops. This put the weight up to such a degree there was no payload, apparently the comment was made that “HOTOL was a means to transport a complex wing high lift system into orbit”.

Ultimately this was the reason for the delta wing/aft engine being dropped and replaced by the Skylon’s short mid wing and tip mounted engines.

 

[jrcgarry]

Zero payload to orbit was a rather common situation.
I used to run a few thousand lines of FORTRAN (written mostly by Steve Kemble) on a MicroVAX II - and direct-descent optimization was *sloow*.

 

[jrcgarry]

And for the truly dedicated, some cross-sections of Interim HOTOL (ie, carried aloft by dear old Mria: Antonov's modified AH-225), version 68c.
<yes, for they were legion in their numbering>

The dedicated might want to whizz this up into a modern CAD program.
The less dedicated might still appreciate that this was a 'chonky boi' (as the kids say these days).

 

[Thumblegudget]

There's a model of HOTOL at the British Interplanetary Society. They let me film it.

 

[Archibald]

Hazegrayart last masterpiece.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpdJtE4Sl7U&t=153s


Geez, now MUSTARD, HOTOL and Skylon can be flown side by side, split-screen style. God save the queen.

2:48 All hail the Union Jack drag chute ! It has James Bond or Austin Power vibes.

 

[flateric]

From ePay

 

[Archibald]

I keep forgetting ebay still exists. Amazon surely bet them into a pulp...

 

[flateric]

VINTAGE LARGE MODEL AIRCRAFT PLANE – ANTONOV 225 WITH HOTOL SPACE PLANE | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VINTAGE LARGE MODEL AIRCRAFT PLANE – ANTONOV 225 WITH HOTOL SPACE PLANE at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[stevegilkes]

I am joining this incredibly late. At risk of breaking some law of other, I worked on HOTOL as the performance engineer in the later stages. I am dreadful with remembering names so I wonder if any here recall mine?

Steve Gilkes

 

[flateric]

wow

 

[stevegilkes]

Earlier contributors to this thread may be interested to know that the final change of geometry, shown in the Flight International magazine with Bob's own painting, was the result of finding an error in the hypersonic drag calculation in the mission optimisation software. I found it when reviewing the software as part of my job as the performance engineer. The tapering shape was important in that calculation; it also shifted the hypersonic centre of lift back. I think I sketched the curve through the segments given by the software.

I have a copy of the painting signed by all the team members as a leaving gift. Somewhere.

 

[flateric]

...

 

[Hobbes]

I am joining this incredibly late. At risk of breaking some law of other, I worked on HOTOL as the performance engineer in the later stages. I am dreadful with remembering names so I wonder if any here recall mine?

Steve Gilkes

Most of us are not in the industry, just enthusiasts.

 

[flateric]

1:7 scale exhibit HOTOL model by Space Models Ltd from https://www.facebook.com/spacemodelsltdstory/

 

[flateric]

Later iteration HOTOL model from the Space Models in workshop
Source: https://www.facebook.com/spacemodelsltdstory/