After snapping the wing tip off on a bad bungee launch, I decided to have a thorough overhaul of this lightly built ship. Now that I've flown it a bit, I know that it will be a dedicated slope ship, so I'll make it more durable this time around.

Kent

The more I fly out in Big Sur, the more I like it. It would be nice to have a glider that I can SEE. My Horti 2.0 is way too small. On a good day. the killer thermals out there will take the heaviest glider up to the heavens. Andres's Beluga plane with it's thick airfoil was the inspiration for this glider.

Cast your vote !
for a new Nurflügel forum

I've put in a request to create a new forum for Horten style aircraft.
please see this link to learn more and to cast your vote.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1547670
The rules are that 50 replies are needed to get things started.

Thanks,
Kent

Edit: The new Nurflügel forum is up and running here

Today's practice with the ultra draggy on board video configuration on the Baby Bowlus. Lift conditions were not great so landing pattern had to be on the money. Hard base leg turn proved to be a challenge with this big heavy wing.
First Flight

Bowlus on board video - first flight (5 min 2 sec)

Valley of Death
...Continue Reading

Thinking about the Horten 10v, 3.75m, again. Only loosely based original design drawings. Thinking of adding flaps.

Uwe's little thermaling Horten. It's the best rudderless flying wing that I've ever flown.
Kent

This plane will most likely never be done.

Just finishing up my first 1/4 scale build. What a beating. Looks like this one will live with a weak spar due to poor grading on the spar caps. Word to the wise, don't trust the supplier. Check the slope of grain on spar caps.
Flies nice.
Kent

The original All Moving Tail became stiff so off it came for the 2010 version. Video here.

This project is a semi-scale slope glider. The wing will be vacuum bagged foam and the fuse will be a laser cut framework with fiberglass and lots of auto body filler.

Currently I am considering MH60 at the root and SD8020 at the tip with 6 degrees of linear twist. I would use 2 panels per side with a wing twist distribution that more resembles a bell shaped lift distribution if I had more knowledge of the subject. Does anyone have a suggestion before I fire up the hot wire?

Kent

After a few days of flight testing, the tip stall is tamed by proper CG placement. The short tail is adequate and needed to carve turns. Pitch is sensitve, but generally stable. At high speed there is a quick pitch oscilation. It's like a flutter, but I think that this wing is too stiff to flutter. More testing to follow.
The nose pitches up noticeably in lift. It's a good thing.

This prototype project is primarily for testing flight characteristics of the real project, which is an all wood Horten 10-c. It is a bagged foam wing with a MH60 out to half span, then transitioning to SD8020 with about 6 degrees of twist. The tip rudders are removable. I consider them "training wheels". I've yet to build a swept flying wing that does not have a "interesting" tip stall. this one is no exception. The tip stall, although manageable, is a problem. So far I have tested various CG locations and have found a happy compromise. Too far back, it tip stalls severely. Too far forward, it is stable but performance is poor. It is as if you have full spoilers deployed. Having a in flight adjustable CG, coupled to "up elevator" would indeed act as an effective glide path control.

Next up, fine tuning CG and flight testing as pure flying wing without tape on tip rudders.

I went thermal flying in the old Fort Ord property today for the first time. Some nice meadows out in the sun. Looks promising if the wind ever dies down.

Here the spoilers are rough out for a 1/4 scale Baby Bowlus. Testing linkage and return spring.

Spoiler linkage - testing (0 min 6 sec)

...Continue Reading

This is my first plane designed and drawn on the computer then laser cut. Really a lengthy process at the keyboard but worth it. Every rib (per half span) is different with a lot of washout build into the whole wing (including the elevons). About a 7 week build.

I guess this is what is call rapid prototyping.

Now this is a floater.

Here's some images from my ancient version of Rhino 3D....Continue Reading

the flying wing's final incarnation. On it's way to ridge soar in Big Sur.

Here's a prototype flying wing to test some features that are new to me. Specifically, how flaps affect a swept flying wing. Also construction techniques for swept wing configuration and flutter control.