Hi All!

After the success of the Basic Glider Workshop, I started thinking about the next step. A Tow Line glider seemed to be a good idea, after all, my first balsa and frame construction was the Magpie tow line glider. I wanted to design something that had 3 aspects :

a. Easy / Quick construction
b. Pleasant aesthetics
c. Can take punishment / easily repaired

I had some Coro lying around and some Semul wood dowels. That made up 90% of the construction! I finished making it in under 2 hours + time for the glue to set. This Glider (shall we call her Canary?) can be dismantled into 4 pieces for easy transportation, even on a bike. Remember that this is for students, most of whom don't have access to a car.

Specs :

Span : 36 inches
Length : 30 Inches
Weight : 212 grams

Gull wings created by inserting copper rods into the wing flutes and bending them so as to create gentle bends on the wing surface. Balsa formers mounted at the wing roots give the wing an aerofoil shape. Wing is attached using rubber bands. Tail section can be removed, so that students can experiment with various tail section designs like the V tail on the same airframe.

40 grams weight in ball bearing balls are inserted into the nose. The entire nose assembly can be dismantled for adjusting the weight during flight testing. The nose tube has built in heavy duty thermocol shock absorbers.

Materials used:

Coroplast, soft wood dowels ( 1/2 or 3/4 inch dia) , PVC pipes, rubber bands, balsa / soft wood for the wing mount ( 6" X 4"), Bamboo sticks for the rubber band anchors, Thermocol scraps, Dendrite, Fevicol, Quickfix and Cycle ball bearings.

Estimated cost of construction:

Less than Rs.100/- !!!!!!! (I had a guest over this evening and he was impressed with this baby. He asked me where I had got it from. I lied to him that it was from Bangalore and that I had paid Rs. 750/- for it. He immediately wanted one for himself. When I told him the truth, he refused to believe me! I had to show him my study/workshop to convince him. Now I have to make him one next week - the price has not been negotiated as yet!)

Will try and maiden her tomorrow, glide tests in my back yard have been satisfactory. Wish me luck!

Cheers!

VC

Some more pics...........

VC what you have created is absolutely marvelous. 
Especially I am impressed with the design of your wings.

With only a slight modification to the fuse you can add motor control electronics and surely make it a powered RC glider.

please post us with updates of its flight video please.

Colonel Sir, that is exactly what I had in mind. Thanks for supporting me. I have a Futaba Attack 2 Ch Tx and Rx unit and I intend to modify this baby into a RC Glider. I'm sure it will work.

Regards,

VC

Thats great VC,   

Please upload video of maiden, once it is done.

Thanks

Thanks RC! You have taken the pains to comment and encourage me at 2:31 Am IST.  It means a lot to me.

Cheers!

VC

This is the "KISS" design !! 

VC ,
Nice  glider ,  as for achieving the angle for the polyhydrals or gull wing  instead of copper rods you can  use the aluminum coat hanger or cycle spokes  as well  and   for the  formers instead of Balsa I normally use  Bio Foam  strung along a central carbon rod  they work equally well.

Sai

Thanks Sai. How do I use the cycle spokes to run all the way through the wing? Do they have to be welded together?

Chintan, I Googled "KISS Glider" and only found Hang Glider designs. Could you please elaborate? Thanks.

Regards,

VC

 

you don't need to run them the whole length  just 1~2 " long bent at the center , each side is cynoed into the flute

Sai

Some Photos  Subu uploaded on the MOSs Thread

Here are some of the experimental Tail sections of the Canary. Each one will push fit into the fuselage for easy replacement. Maiden flight, hopefully, tomorrow.

Cheers!

VC

i think the v tail surfaces should have a larger area

Maybe you are right. My flight tests will confirm. Will post details.

i think the surface should be 1.5 times or so more than the surface of the elev. and here it seems to be the same

PS: VC sir i have send u a pm please check it

"i m sure as the surface should be 1.5 times or so more than the surface of the elev. and here it seems to be the same"

Don't understand what you mean. Maybe the photos don't show the correct perspectives. Anyway, theory be damned as she glided beautifully with the V Tail when I tested her  .  Rest can be confirmed only after I put her through field trials.

Will keep you posted.

nice and clean VC.
my best wishes for the maiden
ashta

VC, your glider is awesome ... I looks like it was manufactured in a factory !  I am very impressed and inspired... Specifically, the Balsa used the center of the fuselage to provide the airfoil design was very creative... I plan to improvise my slow stick glider and incorporate some of the design features from your Canary !

Is it possible you can provide some close-up pictures of the wings? Specifically, where you add dihedral. Just curious, what is your dihedral angle?

Approximately 10 - 15 degrees. I can't tell you exactly as I can't seem to find my protractor now!!!

VC, thank you for your input...

As mentioned, I am reworking my slow-stick... I gave it the curved airfoil shape using thermocoal on the fuselage (then curved the coroplast wing with a rolling pin  ) and added about 3 inches of dihedral on both sides... Thought, I should share a few pics !

I am currently using 1/2 inch aluminum channel, but it feels a little wobbly... So, will try to procure the PVC pipe that you have used... (did you get this at a plumbing supply store or an electric supply store)... to make it a strong built...  Eventually, I intend to make it into a 3 channel glider...

Neat!!!

Any electrical store will have it.

All the best!

VC