2003 Large Scale Circle/Annular Plane

[adamalbert]

Hello,

I enjoyed Flite Test's large scale circle wing video.

I wanted to share our non-RC version flown by my wife.

It was construction on hardware store foam ribs, PVC tubing spars, 1/8 plywood, and heat shrink boat wrap.

It's one and only flight was about 60 feet with a 30 mph headwind, for a glide ratio of about 2/1

The first two pictures are the first design which was discarded due to lack of control.

In the final design the front wing was replaced with a canard control surface.

The flight video is at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPJcWdG4Ws8

The flying starts around the 22 second mark. I apologize for the first 22 seconds, a 'show' was required by the contest

 

[RAM]

lol I enjoyed the first 22 seconds

The rest looked just like most of my maidens flights.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Flite Test needs to enter this!

 

[earthsciteach]

Fred, WE need to enter this!

 

[earthsciteach]

Looks like it needed a tad more nose weight and certainly more speed at launch. Can't you hook up to a steam catapult on that deck? LOL!!!

 

[adamalbert]

The current distance record is 258 feet, built by an aviation firm in northern California
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUlZQ3JyrBM

Their method of increasing take off speed was brilliant: they were flying at the end of the pier. Prior teams have had to trade altitude for speed .

FYI,
What we have done is other Flugtags
https://www.facebook.com/SfFlugtag

 

[NatefromOgden]

Years ago when I built model rockets, I had a plan to build a rocket with a large circular ring attached to a central power section. It basically would have been a rocket with 4 short fins inside a larger ring. I was pretty certain it would work but I never did build it to try.

 

[jhitesma]

Totally forgot about the flugtag, glad to hear it's still going. And love the human rideable circle/annular plane!

Nate - I actually built a couple of models like that in my rocket days. I did one with three nested rings - but it added so much weight to the rear I had to add a BUNCH of ballast to the nose. It flew, but was so heavy it didn't fly very well

There were even a few commercial models. Here's one I found in an old hobby shop and built a few years ago...can't remember the name of the manufacturer or model off the top of my head though:



It's not purely annular, the ring is mostly for looks since it's got nice big fins inside it and that second set of little fins. Flies well though.

Fliskits currently offers a couple of annular fin models:
Buckshot:
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/micromaxx/kit_detail/buckshot.htm

Trifecta:
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/trifecta.htm

Their Celtic Thunder takes ring fins to another level:
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/celtic_thunder.htm

They offer a special model called the "Overdue" that's only available free when your order is late - but they also have a "long overdue" for sale which is a bigger version with the same ring fin design:
http://fliskits.com/products/01prod_fs.htm

They have a number of other ring fin models as well. They remind me a lot of FT as well, small company with an emphasis on getting kids involved and creating low barriers of entry to get people involved. They even use foam and hot glue ... though they tend to use foam cups rather than foamboard:
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/uffo.htm
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/decaffeinator.htm

The world needs more ring wings/fins

 

[NatefromOgden]

Totally forgot about the flugtag, glad to hear it's still going. And love the human rideable circle/annular plane!

Nate - I actually built a couple of models like that in my rocket days. I did one with three nested rings - but it added so much weight to the rear I had to add a BUNCH of ballast to the nose. It flew, but was so heavy it didn't fly very well

There were even a few commercial models. Here's one I found in an old hobby shop and built a few years ago...can't remember the name of the manufacturer or model off the top of my head though:

View attachment 51298

Fliskits currently offers a couple of annular fin models:
Buckshot:
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/micromaxx/kit_detail/buckshot.htm

Trifecta:
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/trifecta.htm

Their Celtic Thunder takes ring fins to another level:
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/celtic_thunder.htm

They offer a special model called the "Overdue" that's only available free when your order is late - but they also have a "long overdue" for sale which is a bigger version with the same ring fin design:
http://fliskits.com/products/01prod_fs.htm

They have a number of other ring fin models as well. They remind me a lot of FT as well, small company with an emphasis on getting kids involved and creating low barriers of entry to get people involved. They even use foam and hot glue ... though they tend to use foam cups rather than foamboard:
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/uffo.htm
http://fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/decaffeinator.htm

The world needs more ring wings/fins

These are so very cool! I've too many hobbies already so I can't afford to start back into rockets but I do still have a couple in a closet that should be exhumed and displayed. One of them is even a boost glider I think.