COLIN LAMB wrote:
If a wing is replaced by a rotating cylinder, with the forward surface
rotating upward, lift will be produced. The local air velocity is high on
top and low on the bottom. This upward force is known as magnus effect.

The information above comes from my helicopter handbook. The theory is used
to explain some helicopter principles, but caused me to wonder more about
it. Has anyone every produced an airplane using the magnus effect? If the
cylinder is rotating faster, I would expect that lift would be increased.
Does anyone know if there have been any writings and/or test aircraft? Not
much use with a glider, for obvious reasons - but the answer would make me a
bit smarter. I was not able to find much on the internet.

Thanks, Colin N12HS


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It's possible to use the effect in an airplane, but
there is no concept of an angle of attack and the
L/D ratio is quite bad at low RPM.

You don't even neet an engine, the spin can be self-sustaining.
Experiment: Trow a strip of cardboard trough the air. If you get
it right, it will start to spin and glide at a L/D of about 1-2.

Regards,

Iwo