A model plane with feathers!

[ted hughes]

I thought this might be of interest:https://youtu.be/Vgtdg1ClLzg

Edited By ted hughes on 23/12/2016 21:21:09

[Bob Cotsford]

That's an interesting take on variable geometry, thanks Ted

[Peter Miller]

Very interesting idea

[Colin Leighfield]

I've seen this recently. If you go back to Barnes Wallis' original ideas behind the Swallow project he was thinking the same thing. People think about that as being a pioneering idea in variable wing sweep, but it was far more. There were no control surfaces, the three main components, I.e. central "fuselage" section and wings were moved to alter the aerodynamic profile to the optimum for the intended manoeuvre. For a change of attitude, the wings would sweep forwards or back together. For a banking turn, one wing would sweep forward and the other back and so on. In some ways movable control surfaces are quite crude, changing the shape of the whole "aerodyne" as I think he called it. Daft though it might seem now, the practice of warping wings in the early days was based on the same thinking, but it introduced structural complexity and weight and drag because of all of the external bracing wires etc. With modern materials and control systems these ideas are going to become more practical.

[Peter Miller]

One of the most complicated aircraft which employed a bird type wing was the Bonney Gull

**LINK**

IT didn't work

[ted hughes]

Posted by Peter Miller on 24/12/2016 12:25:56:

One of the most complicated aircraft which employed a bird type wing was the Bonney Gull

**LINK**

IT didn't work

It looked promising at first.It flew fine, it just crashed after stalling.

[Colin Leighfield]

It looks as if it was completely unstable in pitch. I can imagine how many letters were in the last word that he ever said.