Adding working rudders for the Versawing?

[Eagle Flight]

I am considering scratch building a Versawing. Not totally understanding the aerodynamics of a flying wing, I was wondering if adding rudders to the vertical fins would help or hinder maneuverability. Maybe doing hammerheads with a wing?

Any thoughts here would be helpful - Thanks!

 

[Corbarrad]

The FT crew did a video quite some time ago on why rudders don't have much of an effect when put ont the ends of a wing. You really need the leverave a tail boom offers for them to work. if you want to control the yaw on a wing you'll have to put some kind of air brake on the wing tips and steer by differential braking.

 

[TehMaxwell]

Rudder control would probably be best achieved on a wing by differential thrust, using the motor to act as a rudder by directing it. It would take more work but if you really wanted rudder this is probably the best way to go. As Corbarrad said control surfaces for rudder on wings don't tend to work, as FT proved. They just don't have the leverage (I think it's to do with the distance from the moment, but don't take my word for it) to give a strong enough yaw effect, so you would end up with a wing just wobbling from side to side.

If you are looking to do manoeuvres like hammerheads then generally anything with rudder can do them, but a plane like the FT3D would probably be a good bet.

Hope this helps!

 

[Balu]

The FT crew did a video quite some time ago on why rudders don't have much of an effect when put ont the ends of a wing. You really need the leverave a tail boom offers for them to work. if you want to control the yaw on a wing you'll have to put some kind of air brake on the wing tips and steer by differential braking.

 

[Corbarrad]

Thanks for looking that up. I thought aboit adding the vid to my post when i got home, since it's a little hard to do from my phone. One less task for tonight, I guess. maybe I'll even get to build something...