This is undoubtedly going to be the most difficult of all the planes I have built, and I expect the most frustrating. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.
There have been some successful VTOL planes. Most have not been taken up by the masses probably because they are very complicated to build and maintain, and I expect are also, (like the Harrier) very difficult to fly. Rather like combining a helicopter with a fixed wing plane. Both are difficult to fly and combined they are even more difficult.
Here is an outline sketch, which is heavily influenced by existing designs. However, I want to use the principles of the current fun-fly designs, ie light construction, for the wings, tailplane, fins, rudder. I am still undecided how to lift the engine, but I have two alternative ideas.
|
Here is my latest idea for a VTOL design - does it look familiar? As I have just bought two OS Wankel engines, I think that this is the design I will finally build.
You can see, (I hope) from the plan, I now have firm ideas how to lift the engines, and will use a switchable gyro to stabilise the model in hover. It will have full span flaps, and the engines will act as ailerons when the model is in horizontal flight. I was also pondering the need for retractable slats, but have discarded the idea as being too complicated.
Whilst I don't have a very fancy computer radio, I do have a Hi Tech Prism 7, which has rotary controls for two channels. This will allow me to rotate the engines to any angle within the 90 degrees the servo arms normally move.
 |
Click the link for details
Raptor 30
VTOL LINKS