| Orbital Engineering |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Now available - Flying, rocket powered models of the VMX fleet! Unlike many rocket gliders, these have been carefully designed and tested and improved over many years, and more importantly, actually look like SSTO spacecraft! Great fun to build and fly, these kits will expand your experience, whether you are a model aircraft flyer thinking about rocketry, or a rocket flyer interested in aircraft. A VMX Spaceplane fills the niche between the two and lets you explore your own high-speed X-plane research program! |
| What's in a VMX kit? First-rate components from the best manufacturers around. Extremely high quality balsa and outstanding CNC cutting. |
| They may be a little more expensive, but our kits are made with top quality materials to be a more robust airframe than any other rocket glider kits on the market to protect your investment in time and money. Designed with a full size Spaceplane in mind, which would have to endure extreme flight envelopes, these light but strong airframes have survivability built-in. The balsa is carefully selected and beautifully cut by a top manufacturer to give you a head start in constructing a superb Spaceplane. Careful, detailed instructions take you through every aspect of building, finishing, test gliding and flying. A very stable aircraft at high (launch/boost), mid (transition) and low speeds (glide recovery), the VMX Spaceplane concept is designed to give consistent maximum altitude launches and long gliding flights, and will open your mind to the possibilities of single stage to orbit spacecraft. We never stop researching improvements in the VMX fleet. As enhancements and developments become available from our research team and test pilots, suggestions will be made on our website as to how to upgrade your own craft to improve its flights. |
| The Vector is the backbone of our fleet and has been flown successfully all over the world. It began life as a conceptual test bed for our early experimental flights over 10 years ago and that legacy has produced one of the most reliable airframes available in service today. Utilising reusable rocket motors and advanced aerodynamics, it's systems remain innovative even to the present day. |
| Length: 21.5" (55cm) Wingspan: 14.5" (37cm) |
| Meticulously designed to combine low drag and in-built stability, the eye-catching straight-up boost phase is designed to claw every foot of altitude from a "B or C" motor burn. The innovative elevon system then transitions the VMX-2 to glide mode without a mechanical system reliant on the motor ejection charge, negating any possibility of terminal flight failure due to ejection charge problem or ejection residue build up. Ideal for plugged motors, there is also an option for a vent, to release an unplugged motor ejection charge, incorporated within the kit. Great fun to build, thorough instructions take you over every aspect and option of the kit, with "test pilot tips" from our own test pilot team to help make things even easier. |
| Suggested Retail Price 53.00 |
| Intended to be the workhorse of the OEL Spaceplane fleet, the Vantage is capable of heavy lift cargo, or higher altitude tasks. Due to the modular arrangement of the Vantage's internal space, operators may make the most of this exceptionally large area to chose between cargo, science or passenger pods (possible "lifeboat" application for spacecraft/space station evacuation) or to utilize the space instead to load a larger rocket fuel cell for faster, higher missions (for instance, satellite insertion). |
| Length: 28" (70cm) Wingspan: 19.5" (50cm) |
| An upscale of the VMX-2, the VMX-12-D is a "D" powered rocket glider that roars it's way to massive altitudes with a neck snapping launch, then settles into a lazy glide that the VMX Spaceplanes are famous for. With a wingspan of over 19" and 28" long, this striking craft will turn heads at any launch site! |
| Suggested Retail Price 67.75 |
| Launching your VMX Note underside of VMX towards any wind, angle at around 15 - 20 degrees. This allows the VMX to go into its "zoom climb" at the end of the boost phase without looping back too close to the ground. Unless conditions are very windy (in which case the VMX should not be launched), separate "stabilising" launch rods under the wings (as shown below) are usually not required. |
| 2 |
| Perfect |
| 1 |
| VMX-2 Project "Vector" |
| VMX-12 Project "Vantage" |