- #1
boab
- 15
- 3
For some time I've been thinking of making a round disk shaped model aircraft that would appear to have low drag, maximum internal carrying space, and maximum load carrying ability. As you can guess, there is little available on such a design, other than the Pancake, built at the end of WWII. Which seemed to fly fairly well from the web reports.
I was thinking of using a laminar flow airfoil, as thin as possible that would create the require lift. And yet, there seems to be a serious problem with this round aircraft design, as the design hasn't been further developed, or for that matter researched, since slightly after WWII.
However flying wings are in great favor now, (apparently after control problems were solved) after being ignored for 40 years. Can anyone tell me what the drawback is that I'm not seeing, or aware of to a round shaped aircraft? You know, so I don't totally waste my time trying to make something that doesn't work, yet should. Any insight would be appreciated.
Boab
I was thinking of using a laminar flow airfoil, as thin as possible that would create the require lift. And yet, there seems to be a serious problem with this round aircraft design, as the design hasn't been further developed, or for that matter researched, since slightly after WWII.
However flying wings are in great favor now, (apparently after control problems were solved) after being ignored for 40 years. Can anyone tell me what the drawback is that I'm not seeing, or aware of to a round shaped aircraft? You know, so I don't totally waste my time trying to make something that doesn't work, yet should. Any insight would be appreciated.
Boab