Adding fittings to make a folding wing

For the technical discussion of aircraft design to include engineering practices, design techniques, questions, and recommendations.

Post Reply
Digicorinc

Adding fittings to make a folding wing

Post by Digicorinc »

Do any of you guys have specific plans, pictures, diagrams, instrucions or other ideas to help me to add folding fittings or otherwise hinged apparatus to a tube and fabric plane (Buttercup) in order to make the wings fold for storing and trailoring?  I figure if the military did it on many large planes for storage on an aircraft carrier, then it should be simple to do it on a relatively liteweight two seat sport plane.  I am not an engineer, so I hope some of you that are can give me proven techniques to accomplish this without sacrificing strength of course.  If nothing else, some ideas that get me thinking in the right direction would be a help.
trackwelder
Forum Regular
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:03 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Adding fittings to make a folding wing

Post by trackwelder »

If you wanted to make major changes, the wings could be folded, I would say you would have to pass on the leading edge flaps, You would have to line up the rear spar with the strut mounts and make clearance behind the rear spar carrythrough so that it would clear the wing, take a look at the Avid or Kitfoxes and you should be able to see how it is done. The spars could actually be made from tubing to make it easier the Pursang or fat Avid had a gross weight above the Buttercups and used 2 1/2 inch .063 to.085 6061 t6 aluminum, You wouldn't have a Buttercup when you were done, but you would have a plane. the 2 1/2 inch .063 with a 36 inch wood spar stiffener was able to take a load of up to 1500 lbs with a 6 g load, Just Aircrafts Highlander also Has a similar style spar and folding wing mechanism. I would love to get better pictures of their leading edge flaps because I would like to try and copy those wings for the Buttercup, I would be willing to make a second copy of the wings to try that.
Post Reply

Return to “Aircraft Design”