(edit 09 May 2012)
I'm having second thoughts on whether to bother with a DS plane or not.
In the UK it feels as though speeds will be limited as onlooker safety will always be paramount and even in the typically poor weather that comes with wind, there are always onlookers at DS sites as they are great sites for walking.
I am thinking that I might create a moulded plank instead. I miss flying my M60 and was a little disappointed with it's performance as it got tatty towards the end of its life. Something very similar made from glass/carbon would definitely float my boat, which is what this sloping thing is all about really.
I think I will stick with the name Funnel-web though cause I likes it I does!
More as the idea develops.
(edit 2 June 2012)
Well I've had more ideas and the plan has changed a little bit more!
The Funnel-web will now be a 2.6m span, hollow moulded plank designed for F3F racing, Sports flying and DS with F3F being the main use. I spent a couple of hours playing with 'paint' on the laptop tonight and have come up with this:
I will be using the TP100 (not PW51) profile and am not too sure on the look of the fin yet, but the general idea is there.
There was some discussion about weight limits for F3F the other day and I have chosen to design this plank to be able to weigh the maximum permissable weight of 5kg at the maximum permissable wing loading of 75g/dm2 having a total surface area of 66.666dm2.
To start with, I will be making a vac-bagged version to test the idea and work out the fine-tuning so that the moulded version will have everything in the right place straight out of the mould.
(Edit 16 August 2012)
As you can see in the picture, I was thinking of using crow/butterfly braking. I am now not going to bother with flaps and will utilise a split fin braking set-up to slow it down for landing. Not sure how it will work for 'Crow-throughs' though.
I've just done some pricing up on the glass, carbon, resin etc that I'll need to get started on this project and don't think I'll be too far away from starting! Pretty excited! I also think I would like to make the wing shape a little more 'pretty' as the shape is very plain in the photo.
November 18 2014
I've done some more thinking over the last two and a half years (Time flies!!!) and have modified my plans again.....
I'm reverting back to a 60" plank and will build a vac-bagged version, an EPP version and hopefully a moulded version.
The tail in the picture above is horrendous and the lack of fuselage aft of the wing is a concern too. A total redesign is happening soon as I want to have a vac-bagged version in the air before I have an EPP60 version ready for the EPP60 nats that are taking place in May 2015!! Very exciting! Better pull my finger out!
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