Awesome school project

[Viggen 644]

My CAD teacher gave my class the introduction for a project on Friday. We're building our own balsa wood gliders, starting off with just three sheets of balsa and a blank slate. Aside from the physical model, we also have to build a 3D model of it on the computer and write up a report. Finally, we get to fly them, but not after testing our design on some software. This is one of the only projects I've ever had that's interested me. A good way to graduate, I'd say.

 

We can either reverse engineer the model of an actual aircraft or make our own design. Because I have little to no creative talent, I'm going to base my model on a U-2. I'm a little worried about the Dragonlady's tail. I may not have the amount of balsa needed to built it. So I'm going to improvise, probably with an F-104's tail. With any good size scrap pieces, I may build a MiG-21 or Mirage III, just to see how useless the principles of a delta wing are in gliding.

 

If any one is interested, once the physical model is built, I'll take some pictures.

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

Interesting project. Also, screenshots of the 3D model would be nice, if you do that before the real thing.

 

Funny, the MiG I-224 prototype seems to have a niche in powered model aircraft, as it was a stratospheric interceptor prototype with very high aspect ratio wings -- think Ta~152H -- so its a good model flier, even to scale.

 

MiG-21 type glider might work, and if it does, it may show high speed, which was the whole idea.

 

If you had to do a comparative model, U~2 and F-104 would be a nice pair indeed.

[JediMaster 451]

The problem with jet fighters is most of them have their CoG shaped by their engine. That means a glider model will need a lot of ballast to get its CoG properly placed, which drives up the weight.

[firehawkordy 34]

Interesting project, I hope you have fun with it. The comparison of the U-2 vs F-104 would be a good extra credit project since it was rumored that the U-2 was simply the Starfighter with long straight wings and a non afterburning engine.

 

Your assignment reminds me of Jr High, I spent a half semester building gliders and rubber band powered aircraft. Our final project was to be the students choice, most of my classmates tried building a paper and dope covered plane I chose to make the fastest glider I could. I spent three weeks of designing, building wind tunnel and flight testing before I got what I wanted, very stripped down, small delta wing and empenage with enough weight to carry it's momentum after a slingshot launch. All the designing was done on paper and I used A LOT of balsa before I got the thing right. I managed to get it to fly straight for 150+ feet at a launch angle of 20 degrees give or take a few. Best part was the it took little time to cover that distance.

I would have gotten a better grade than a B except I used my creation to take down this big hulking stick and paper glider that belonged to a guy that had been making fun of my dart.

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

fw::

I would have gotten a better grade than a B except I used my creation to take down this big hulking stick and paper glider that belonged to a guy that had been making fun of my dart.

Take down? Sounds like some more story telling is needed here.

 

To paraquote Mark Twain: The Story of the Old Dart.