Torus34
11-30-2012, 09:02 AM
The Quetzalcoatl design, downloadable on this site, blew me away when I first saw it. It's a delight for the eyes and got me thinking about paper HL gliders in general.
In traditional rubber-powered 'stick and tissue' flying models there's an old adage: build to minimum weight and then add in lightless. With that as a guide, some 65# card stock and some glue I've been working toward maximizing time of flight. The results thus far have none of the aesthetic appeal of Quetzalcoatl [A tribute to it's designer's eye,] but I've got wing loadings down to 1/3g/sq.in. Wing spans are in the 12-15" range, though I'm working toward increasing this as my skills and designs improve.
I'm presently using a triangular x-section body and single-surface center dihedral wings stiffened by a crease at the 1/3 chord point and a leading edge 1/4" glued fold-over. Tail feathers are folded-up fins* at the ends of a stab mirroring the wing construction. Weight is the old stand-by: modeling clay.
Has anyone else mucked about in this particular playpen? Wanna join in?
* A simple 90 degree fold's more than a little floppy. I increase the stiffness with an Ambroid(r) fillet. The fin must be supported as the glue dries.
In traditional rubber-powered 'stick and tissue' flying models there's an old adage: build to minimum weight and then add in lightless. With that as a guide, some 65# card stock and some glue I've been working toward maximizing time of flight. The results thus far have none of the aesthetic appeal of Quetzalcoatl [A tribute to it's designer's eye,] but I've got wing loadings down to 1/3g/sq.in. Wing spans are in the 12-15" range, though I'm working toward increasing this as my skills and designs improve.
I'm presently using a triangular x-section body and single-surface center dihedral wings stiffened by a crease at the 1/3 chord point and a leading edge 1/4" glued fold-over. Tail feathers are folded-up fins* at the ends of a stab mirroring the wing construction. Weight is the old stand-by: modeling clay.
Has anyone else mucked about in this particular playpen? Wanna join in?
* A simple 90 degree fold's more than a little floppy. I increase the stiffness with an Ambroid(r) fillet. The fin must be supported as the glue dries.