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Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:51 am

Re: Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:03 pm

My friend's old man ( now deceased ) was part of that project. Another innovative ahead-of-its-time British invention that mysteriously had the plug pulled on it, nothing to do with the Americans of course ... :roll:

Re: Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:05 pm

Hi PoundShopPeter - and welcome to the forum.

Re: Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:15 pm

Indeed welcome PoundShopPeter :D

A true Coventry-sounding name if there was one :lol:

Re: Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:27 pm

Thanks chaps, nice to find a viable alternative to that other board. :thumbsup:

Re: Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:21 pm

There is no real mystery as to why the "wing" was shelved. it suffered all the problems that swept wing aircraft usually suffer but many times worse. Because of the varying lift along the span, there is a tendency for the wing to twist. If you consider the forces needed to control pitch without any rear flaps, which normally use the length of the fuselage effectively as a lever, it leaves you with a craft on which you can not control pitch and yaw at the same time.
However, it was a brave attempt, but one has to ask whether a fuselage is a real disadvantage.

Re: Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:31 pm

Hi and :welwave: to the fourm Rojwhittle.

It's great to have another aircraft enthusiast on board :D

Some of us already know you from the Historic Coventry forum of course.

Re: Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Wed Sep 28, 2011 11:19 pm

Thank you Dutchman, it's nice to see you here too. Lovely to have two excellent sites to play on.

Re: Armstrong Whitworth flying wing

Sun Oct 09, 2011 10:41 am

rojwhittle wrote:There is no real mystery as to why the "wing" was shelved. it suffered all the problems that swept wing aircraft usually suffer but many times worse. Because of the varying lift along the span, there is a tendency for the wing to twist. If you consider the forces needed to control pitch without any rear flaps, which normally use the length of the fuselage effectively as a lever, it leaves you with a craft on which you can not control pitch and yaw at the same time.
However, it was a brave attempt, but one has to ask whether a fuselage is a real disadvantage.


I believe the instability led to another first ...

The first use in anger of the ejector seat to save Joe Lancaster the pilot.
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