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Blended wing bodies and sailplanes...?



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 22nd 03, 07:18 AM
Robert Bates
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Default Blended wing bodies and sailplanes...?

Watched a few shows on Discovery Wings this weekend that were discussing the
superior lift and handling of a blended wing body (BWB) design over a flying
wing and traditional wing/fuselage design. Superior lift? Hmmm...

Does anyone know of a BWB sailplane out there, or any research on one? Did
a Google search and found nothing... Figure with the amazing weight savings
composite sailplanes out there like the SparrowHawk have demonstrated, a BWB
could probably be designed that would not have the weight penalties a larger
lifitng body would require using traditional sailplane materials like
aluminum or fiberglass.

Just curious...

--

==========
Robert Bates
Austin, Texas - USA
http://home.austin.rr.com/robsplace


  #2  
Old December 22nd 03, 10:46 AM
John H. Campbell
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perhaps the Burnelli and Bowlus troup carrying glider projects of WWII.


  #3  
Old December 22nd 03, 04:16 PM
JJ Sinclair
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The concept sounds interesting. By blending the wing into what would otherwise
be the fuselage, the wing/fuselage interference is eliminated and thereby
saving considerable drag. The glider trailer would be something to behold
though, with a height of say, 10 foot? Note, the Genesis fuselage is 15 foot
long. BWB assembly / disassembly, anyone?
JJ Sinclair
  #4  
Old December 22nd 03, 05:23 PM
chris
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"Robert Bates" wrote in message ...
Watched a few shows on Discovery Wings this weekend that were discussing the
superior lift and handling of a blended wing body (BWB) design over a flying
wing and traditional wing/fuselage design. Superior lift? Hmmm...

Just curious...


My guess is that a Blended Wing Body is a superior trade off if you
have a huge fuselage - as is the case for a large cargo jet such as a
C-5 or a big passenger jet. This allows the huge fuselage to also
generate lift, it appears to have a lot more wetted area.

chris
  #5  
Old December 22nd 03, 05:45 PM
Bob Kuykendall
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Earlier, "Robert Bates" wrote:

Watched a few shows on Discovery Wings
this weekend that were discussing the
superior lift and handling of a blended
wing body (BWB) design over a flying
wing and traditional wing/fuselage design...


The way I understand it, BWB works best for carrying payload that you
are at liberty to distribute spanwise. I think that glider pilots
generally prefer to be more discrete...

Bob K.
  #6  
Old December 22nd 03, 06:31 PM
J.M. Farrington
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Look into the ships built by the Horton Brothers.

John

"Robert Bates" wrote in message
.. .
Watched a few shows on Discovery Wings this weekend that were discussing

the
superior lift and handling of a blended wing body (BWB) design over a

flying
wing and traditional wing/fuselage design. Superior lift? Hmmm...

Does anyone know of a BWB sailplane out there, or any research on one?

Did
a Google search and found nothing... Figure with the amazing weight

savings
composite sailplanes out there like the SparrowHawk have demonstrated, a

BWB
could probably be designed that would not have the weight penalties a

larger
lifitng body would require using traditional sailplane materials like
aluminum or fiberglass.

Just curious...

--

==========
Robert Bates
Austin, Texas - USA
http://home.austin.rr.com/robsplace




  #8  
Old December 22nd 03, 10:12 PM
Nyal Williams
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At 18:12 22 December 2003, Bruce Hoult wrote:
In article ,
(chris) wrote:


NZ's CT/4 Airtrainer is a 2-seat piston powered basic
trainer reputed to
get something like 20% of the lift from the cockpit
canopy. It's in
service in NZ and Australia and also Hong Kong and
Thailand.

http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/atrainer.html

Wow! At what price in drag??????????



  #9  
Old December 23rd 03, 10:34 PM
Mike Borgelt
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On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 07:00:59 +1300, Bruce Hoult
wrote:

In article ,
(chris) wrote:

My guess is that a Blended Wing Body is a superior trade off if you
have a huge fuselage - as is the case for a large cargo jet such as a
C-5 or a big passenger jet. This allows the huge fuselage to also
generate lift, it appears to have a lot more wetted area.


NZ's CT/4 Airtrainer is a 2-seat piston powered basic trainer reputed to
get something like 20% of the lift from the cockpit canopy. It's in
service in NZ and Australia and also Hong Kong and Thailand.

http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/atrainer.html

Those who were at the '95 Worlds in Omarama may recall an aerobatic
display by an RNZAF team in CT/4s.

-- Bruce



The BD4 we fly gets 13% of its lift from the fuselage which just
happens to be about what the missing bit of wing would produce.

Mike Borgelt
 




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