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Old 03-27-2004 | 01:05 PM
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BMatthews
 
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Chilliwack, BC, CANADA
Default RE: Flying wing designs

ORIGINAL: canadianice

...I do have 5/16 washout in tips
That'll help but most flying wings use a lot more than that. The real Komet had the tips washed out about 5 or 6 degrees IIRC.

But what about some description of the airfoil? When I look at the picture shadow and highlights on the upper surface seem to show a high point back quite a ways. If you made this model with a symetrical airfoil then it's not a problem but I can tell you that if you made it with a flat bottom shape and the high point is that far ahead I see nothing but problems in your future. Flying wings are very sensitive to airfoil shape when it comes to the camber line shape. If you don't know the camber line is the imaginary curved line that runs half way between the lines of the upper and lower surfaces. On all the self stable or low pitching moment airfoils this camber line has the high point further forward than on "regular" airfoils and then the camber line reflexes up again at the trailing edge. That reflex is what you're adding when you reflex the control surfaces upwards to change the shape of the airfoil. You can always add more reflex to make it fly but at some point there will be so much reflex that the model won't be all that happy about the whole thing. Symetrical airfoils or those that are close to being symetrical (low camber %'s) don't suffer from this problem as much. The Zagi airfoil is an example. It's not stable by itself but it's got a low camber value so a little reflex on the control surfaces that are always tacked onto the rear does the job.

Can you take some more close up pictures of the wing root upper and lower sides? Try to use an angled light as well as the flash so we get more of a 3D look to it. Depending on where you wing section fits into the above we may be able to help more.