Wing Thickness

[Ken Culbertson]

What is the average thickness of wings now days?  I am thinking 17% t 20% including flaps.  I don't get much on a search.  Anybody have a link to some recent discussions?  I tried posting this in the Design Forum with no luck.

Thanks

[Randy Cuberly]

Some guys were saying they like the older designs better because, they cut through the wind real good.

Most of the "Newer Designs cut through the wind "better" if you power them properly!

In other words there's a lot more involved than the thickness of the airfoil!  Larger "tail volume is one of the important ones.  Most of the "older designs" are a little "short" in that requirement!

Randy Cuberly

[Brett Buck]

Some guys were saying they like the older designs better because, they cut through the wind real good.

   If all you have is a Fox 35, that might be a good plan.

    Brett

[Ken Culbertson]

Some guys were saying they like the older designs better because, they cut through the wind real good.

Somehow I don't remember all of those old designs cutting through the wind all that well back when they were new designs.  The planes flew maneuvers well in wind but they bounced around like corks on a choppy pond in level flight.  It was the norm so judges did not take off as much as they would now.  The older designs with the older engines, even with modern controls, are no match for the newer designs and engines but I really miss the looks and diversity of the 60's and 70's.

[Don Jenkins]

Somehow I don't remember all of those old designs cutting through the wind all that well back when they were new designs.  The planes flew maneuvers well in wind but they bounced around like corks on a choppy pond in level flight.  It was the norm so judges did not take off as much as they would now.  The older designs with the older engines, even with modern controls, are no match for the newer designs and engines but I really miss the looks and diversity of the 60's and 70's.

Get a set of plans for your favorite plane of the 60's and 70's and scale it up as necessary to get the nose and tail moment along with the air foil and tail volume of a modern plane and power it with a PA or ST. 60 or a Stalker .66 (or a thing that runs on a battery) that will pull a 65 ounce plane through the pattern.  Then have fun with it!

Don