j.m.
Aug 29, 2009, 02:57 PM
I've always liked the look of a composite d ox wing with a thin carbon trailing edge. I have never flown or built anything like this, but from what I have read they rival bagged foam ships.
I have been searching over the internet for construction methods, and have only found dated techniques. I round a few articles in the late 1995-early 1996 Quiet Flight Int'l magazines on spar and rib construction for a composite d box wing, as well as multiple methods for making the actual d box. These methods were nearly identical to the methods used here>
http://www.gregorie.org/freeflight/cf_wing/cf_wing.html
These methods certainly appear to make a nice wing, but I would like to put some ideas forth that use more 'conventional' construction materials and techniques that should result in a structure with the same or more strength, and considerably less weight.
I have noticed that in both articles above, the balsa ribs were simply butt jointed to the spar with little reinforcement. I would think this would be a weak point in the wing if it were to be winch launched because the wing area supported by the ribs is far greater than the d box, and the load from the ribs would need to be transfered to the spar throuhg the weak butt joint.
My idea is to use a vertical grain foam (hi load 60, spyder foam) with carbon spar caps and slots in the shear webs for the ribs to be continuous from the LE to TE. This way the butt joint would be eliminated. It the spar assembly was then wrapped in kevlar tow, I am certain it would be lighter than a conventional vert grain balsa shear web spar, and most likely stronger too. (this spar design is basically identical to Mark Drela's Supra spar, except without the composite sock.)
I would like to construct a 2m RES wing with 1/8" contest balsa ribs spaced every 4" with a thin carbon trailing edge.
Any thoughts or comments on these methods/ ideas?
Jon McLendon
I have been searching over the internet for construction methods, and have only found dated techniques. I round a few articles in the late 1995-early 1996 Quiet Flight Int'l magazines on spar and rib construction for a composite d box wing, as well as multiple methods for making the actual d box. These methods were nearly identical to the methods used here>
http://www.gregorie.org/freeflight/cf_wing/cf_wing.html
These methods certainly appear to make a nice wing, but I would like to put some ideas forth that use more 'conventional' construction materials and techniques that should result in a structure with the same or more strength, and considerably less weight.
I have noticed that in both articles above, the balsa ribs were simply butt jointed to the spar with little reinforcement. I would think this would be a weak point in the wing if it were to be winch launched because the wing area supported by the ribs is far greater than the d box, and the load from the ribs would need to be transfered to the spar throuhg the weak butt joint.
My idea is to use a vertical grain foam (hi load 60, spyder foam) with carbon spar caps and slots in the shear webs for the ribs to be continuous from the LE to TE. This way the butt joint would be eliminated. It the spar assembly was then wrapped in kevlar tow, I am certain it would be lighter than a conventional vert grain balsa shear web spar, and most likely stronger too. (this spar design is basically identical to Mark Drela's Supra spar, except without the composite sock.)
I would like to construct a 2m RES wing with 1/8" contest balsa ribs spaced every 4" with a thin carbon trailing edge.
Any thoughts or comments on these methods/ ideas?
Jon McLendon