Data Sheet

Actual
size
5-hole dual rod with
dowel holder peg
A
A
B
C
ALL ABOUT
WING DESIGN
GEEK
OUT!
The effectiveness of a wing depends
on many factors including its shape,
area, the shape of its airfoil, its angle of
attack, special features (like spoilers,
flaps, slats, ailerons), the speed of the
plane, the weight of the plane, and the
density of the air (the altitude of the
plane). Here are five wing designs.
1. Straight wings are stable, good
for low-speed and smooth flying,
inexpensive, and lightweight.
However, they create a lot of drag.
2. Delta wings come in two types: A
simple delta wing is a triangle with
straight edges. A complex delta wing is
a triangle with curved edges. They are
used in very high-speed jets, like the
supersonic transport Concorde.
3. Sweepback wings are used for most
high-speed aircraft. They create less
drag but are less stable at low speeds.
The wings on commercial jets have a
lower sweep than those on high-speed
fighters.
4. Forward-sweep wings are very
experimental, very unstable, and not
used in mass produced airplanes.
5. Swing-wings are wings that swing
backward from a straight wing at low
speed to a sweepback wing at high
speed. They take advantage of the
benefits of both types of wings.
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