Wright Flyer Here You’Ll Learn About the Creation and Development of the Wright Flyer Built by Orville (Left) and Wilbur (Right) Wright!
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Wright Flyer Here you’ll learn about the creation and development of the Wright Flyer built by Orville (left) and Wilbur (right) Wright! Beginning: The Wright brothers became interested in flight when their parents gave them a toy helicopter model in 1878. The brothers played and experimented with the helicopter and eventually built their own larger versions. The Wright brothers also experimented with kites to better understand flight. Eventually, the brothers became inspired by glider pioneer, Otto Lilienthal, and decided to build their own aircraft. The brothers contacted the Smithsonian and asked for any aeronautical research it could offer to them. Soon the brothers began building and designing. Bicycles: The brothers opened a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio in the 1890s. In 1895, the brothers began designing their own bicycles. In 1897, the Wright brothers moved their bicycle shop to 1127 West Third Street. This is where they would begin building and experimenting with aircraft. Working with bicycles taught the brothers about steering, balance and control. They also realized the important of lightweight structures. These ideas would help them build the Wright Flyer. The Aircraft : The Wright Flyer is a biplane with one 12-horsepower Wright horizontal four-cylinder engine. This engine drives two pusher propellers using a sprocket-and-chain transmission system. The Wright Flyer has no wheels, instead its uses skids for landing. The Flyer’s wings are covered in a natural colored fabric. There was no sealant or paint used on the Flyer. The Flyer’s frame is made of wood and weighs 605 lbs. The Flyer is 9ft 4 inches tall and 21 ft 1 inch wide with a wingspan of 40 ft 2 inches. Flight: Eventually, the brothers experimented with full-sized, man- carrying gliders. The brothers also investigated the effects of wing- warping, climb, and descent. Finally, after years of tinkering, the brothers were ready to test the 1903 Wright Flyer in Kitty Hawk, NC. On December 17, 1903 the Wright brothers made four test flights. The Flyer took off for its first flight with Orville at the controls. Orville flew the Flyer 120 feet in 12 seconds. On the fourth flight, after 59 seconds, Wilbur landed the Flyer 852 feet from the starting point. The brothers had achieved the world’s first successful flight of a controlled, sustained flight of a powered flying machine. 1 Source Link: https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/1903-wright-flyer/nasm_A19610048000 Build the Wright Flyer! Description We just learned about the Wright Flyer and now you are going to build your own! Note: this model is not meant for flying. Materials • Foam plates/trays, or cardboard • 40-50 toothpicks • 2 popsicle sticks • Hot glue gun (ask for parent’s help!) • Scissors • Black marker • Ruler • Balsa wood, straws, (or any other material) • Clear plastic sheet or piece of paper • Printed 1903 Flyer Template: https://wright.nasa.gov/ROGER/1903_template.pdf • Printed 1903 Skids Template: https://wright.nasa.gov/ROGER/1903skidsprop.PDF • Source Link: https://wright.nasa.gov/ROGER/1903model.htm Time: 60 min Instructions 1. Print the templates (links provided above) 2. Using the 1903 Flyer Template, trace these shapes onto your carboard or foam plates/trays 3. Use scissors to cut out the template shapes from the 1903 Flyer Template 2 4. Using a marker, ruler, and the 1903 Flyer Template as a guide, mark the location of the rib lines (shown on the template) on the tops and bottoms of each wing and elevator. 5. Glue the wings together as shown. You should end up with 2 sets of wings. A lower wing and an upper wing. 6. Using the 1903 Flyer Template and toothpicks, mark the holes on the top surface of the lower wing. Dip the toothpicks into glue and set them in the holes you’ve just made. Do not push them too hard or you will poke a hole all the way through your wing. Let the glue dry. 3 7. Now turn the lower wing upside down and insert the toothpicks into the underside of the upper wing. Use glue to help hold the toothpicks in place. Do not push too hard or you will poke a hole in your wing. 8. Cut 8 toothpicks in half. Ask for parent’s help. Using the 1903 Flyer Template, mark the location of the rib lines (shown on the template) on the tops and bottoms of both elevators. Mark the spots for the holes. 9. Glue the toothpicks into the holes. Let dry. 4 10. Attach the top elevator to the bottom one using glue. 11. Build the Skids – Using Balsa wood, a straw (or other material), toothpicks, and glue, create the skids. 12. Connect your chosen materials using the glue to fit the shape of the skids on the 1903 Skids Template. Only create “A” and “B”. “B” should be made with toothpicks, “A” can be made using Balsa wood, a straw (or other material). Repeat these steps to create the second skid. 13. Turn the elevator assembly over and poke a hole through the lower elevator midway between the front and rear spars of the pairs next to the center pair of spars. Push the top of the skid through the hole you just made. Add glue as needed. Next, stick the skid into the upper elevator. Repeat with the second skid as shown. 5 14. With parent’s help, using a ruler and scissors, cut the pointed ends off three toothpicks so that they are 4.5 cm in length and place them as cross-braces across the skids as shown, one at the right angle (base), one at 7 cm from the right angle, and one at 9 cm. 15. Complete your skids by making “E”, “F”, and “G” – With parent’s help, use the 1903 Skids Template, a ruler, and scissors to cut 2 toothpicks to a length of 3 cm. Glue them to the skid as shown on the template for "E" and "F", pointed ends up. Now measure and cut another toothpick as the rear brace "G" and glue it in place. Repeat this step for the second skid. 16. Using the 1903 Skid Template, with parent’s help, cut 2 braces (using Balsa wood, a straw, or other material) to create "C" to go from rear skid support up to elevator support. Glue them in place. 6 17. Turn the wing assembly over and press the skid assembly into the center of the lower wing. Attach the skids to the bottoms of the wings and elevators. Do not push them too hard or you will poke a hole. Add glue to secure where needed. 18. Using the 1903 Skid Template, with parent’s help, cut 2 braces (using Balsa wood, a straw, or other material) to create "D". Cut two pieces at 10cm in length each. Glue one end under the leading edge of the upper wing between the center and next-to-center toothpick and then glue the other end to the bottom skid. Repeat on the other side of the skid. 19. Create the rudder - Using the 1903 Skid Template, with parent’s help, cut Six 2 cm. rudder braces. Cut them from three toothpicks as shown. 7 20. Dip the braces in glue, insert them into the rudder and then turn the assembly over and insert it into the other rudder. Add more glue to help secure. To attach the rudder to the flyer, make two sets of V-shaped braces by gluing together two toothpicks. Glue the V-shaped braces to the rudders. Once the glue is set, turn this over and glue on the other brace. 21. Stick the upper brace ends into the rear edge of the upper wing and add glue as needed to secure. Glue the ends of the lower brace to the rear of the skid so that the rudder is vertical. 22. Create the propeller supports - Using the 1903 Skid Template, with parent’s help, cut 2 braces (using Balsa wood, a straw, or other material) to create the propeller supports. Cut 5 toothpicks for each. Try to keep the assembly flat as it is glued. 8 23. When dry, glue each propeller support to the lower wing 5.5 cm. from the center, in line with the back struts. Turn the Flyer over and glue to the top wing so that the support is vertical. Add extra hot glue where needed to secure. 24. Create the engine - With parent’s help, cut 2 small rectangle using foam or other material to measure 2cm x 3 cm. Glue these together along the long edge. Next, cut another rectangle to the size of 1cm x 3 cm. Glue this to the top of the other two larger rectangles. Finally, trace a penny or dime to create a small circle. Glue the circle to the front end of the rectangles you just created. Finally glue the engine to onto the lower wing just to the right of the center line. 25. Create the propeller - Using a ruler and scissors, trace and cut two 7.2 cm. circles out of clear plastic or piece of paper. Make a small hole in the center of each circle with a toothpick. 9 26. With parent’s help, cut a thin craft stick or Popsicle stick to match the diameter of the plastic circle. With parent’s help, poke a hole in the center of the craft stick or popsicle stick. Make two of these. Mount the plastic circle and then the propeller on the end of the propeller support and add glue.