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Old 04-14-2006 | 06:16 AM
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mesae
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From: Edmond, OK
Default RE: My next project


ORIGINAL: Sky Dart1

Thanks for all the advice again guys. While I am thinking that what I have might fly, and well, the basic idea has great potential, so I am thinking that a harsh revision may be in store. Before I start rolling again, 1)what do you think about a polyhedral wing in comparison to dihedral? 2)What do you think of a plane this big without ailerons? 3)How hard do you think it would be to build an undercambered wing on a building board without a jig, or should I bite the bullet and just build a jig? I've never used a wing jig before, so I don't know much about them. And while I'm taking suggestions, 4)what do you think about rib construction: Balsa sheet, Built up balsa rib (which I've never done before, and would really like to se some pics and oppinions), or foam ribs? I know, lots of questions, lots of possibilities, and thanks again.


Edit: This is Steve, AKA Lomcevak Duck. I have gone home for the Easter weekend, and didn't think to change screen names before I posted
Polyhedral is fine. I'd want ailerons for sure, even if they were only on the inboard section, which wouldn't give them ideal leverage, but you could make them flaperons and save the weight of the extra servos for separate flaps. I'd stick with the Clark Y idea for simplicity - you can use wing area for more lift if you need it, instead of undercamber. Built-up ribs would be great, but a whole lotta work. Foam is decent at resisting compression, but lousy at buckling and bending, so I'd be careful about foam ribs, but they might be OK if well capped and thick enough.

I don't know how light they would be--you would have to use a lightweight adhesive, but I wonder how well a foam rib/balsa sandwich (and capped on the edges in the open bays) would work as a rib. That would take full advantage of foam's compression resistance, and be simpler to build than built-up ribs. You could still put lightening holes in them. 1/32" balsa on each side should add tremendous strength to the ribs, and they would be very stiff because of the thickness of the foam (1/2"? 3/8"?).