I'll be happy to play with a Smartbird while waiting for Robert's

Oh yea that one will be cheap...... Please post photos....

On second thought give me a call when you have it ready and I will drive up and take the photos!!!!

You are on Larry, actually, I'll let you to fly it as well. Cheers

Thanks LJ, I'll keep that in mind ...

Good luck with the build ,,,I'm looking forward to seeing it coming to life

Khaled

Originally Posted by LifeisGood

You are on Larry, actually, I'll let you to fly it as well. Cheers

Hi LIG...

You sound so mysterious ... you are full of secrets I suppose .. Hehehe..

Khaled

Originally Posted by Larry Jolly

Khaled,
Roberts birds are not for sale, to my knowledge. I based that price on looking at what was involved in producing the prototypes, and the low volume of sales potential.
I would not pay that kind of money unless, I was representing a Museum or a wealthy patron and wanted to preserve one of his models as a Vanguard of ornithopter flight. And believe me We are in this economic mess together, We are all nervous and worried about what could come in this crazy world. My advice is hang in there and fly what you have and when you have time start to experiment and build your own designs. You are then the master with a complete understanding and ability to fly what you want. LJ

IMO
i agree totally experimentation is the key to it all and will add mechanical ability helps a great deal as well .Then when its all done the hours and the hard work gives you a great deal of self satisfaction and pride in what you have created any how thats my 10 cents worth
regards Brian
just visualize something and build it .I based my own bird on sk design with a different shape wing which people said wouldnt produce much thrust but IMO produces more thrust than my lazy hawk cause it has a different front spar less rigid than the LH.

http://www.pteroworks.com/ptero_52.htm just thought i would add this looks like a great build

Paul MacCready pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus Northropi QN RC ornithopter

Paul MacCready pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus Northropi QN RC ornithopter (0 min 21 sec)

to my knowledge that bird never produced enough thrust to fly under its own power but a very impressive looking ptero i am surei will be corrected if i am wrong regards Brian

That's the first time I have seen it flap. The flapping doesn't look natural at all to me. The tips seem too rigid. That's disappointing.

And no, it never sustained flight from it's flapping power.

This one flies
but needed more learning from you guys to make it flapping
and....needed fancy gears
regards
Sam
198203425_x

Here is how it is made. Velkov will be surprised.The drive unit looks like pantograph mechanism. Interesting is the control strategy :"The twisting of the wings was controlled by servos and the flight attitude was stabilized by backward and forward motions of the wing tips and nodding motions of the head"
http://www.ornithopter.de/daten/maccready_pm.pdf

Some interesting pictures and better quality video
http://ovirc.free.fr/McCready.php

did a little more on the vulture setup the cf though the wings for the forward wing tip feathers which are the alerons need to sheet the bottom of the wings at the front then cover the wings and body with film and a few finish touches like mount the feather blocks so on so on cheers Brian

Nice work Brian..I like your thoughts on construction. LJ

just a pictures of the wing ready to sheet the leading off and mount the servo cheers Brian