Saturday 23 February 2013

Target Kite project - part 3

Following on from a successful test flight with a larger, stronger frame, the next stage in my Target Kite project was to add a keel and rudder. As always, pictures of the building process can be found here. So here's the rudder on the kite on the ground:


And here it is working in flight!


And finally, a video, first showing the rudder working close-up, and then showing the kite flying with a working rudder.


In case you're wondering: as far as I can tell, the rudder does not have a major effect on the control of the kite. Flying a Target Kite with rudder didn't feel very different to me compared to flying one without. Can't say I'm very surprised about this, as the steering is mostly by pulling on one wing or the other, and the effect of the little piece of plastic on the tail of the kite is bound to be small. And you may have noted that on my kite the rudder is larger relative to the keel than on the original Target Kite ... Did it really have a significant role in steering the original Garber Target Kite??

So what's next? Make another keel + rudder for the Target:FW kite, and the Target Kite project is completed!

4 comments:

  1. It is so inspirational that you have dedicated yourself to completing this kite - very cool!

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    1. Thanks Marcy! Can't wait to see both of them fly together to music.

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  2. I had not idea these even existed until today. What a fascinating piece of history, and what's even cooler is that they exist again, thanks to you. Cooooool!!!!

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    1. Glad you like them! Stay tuned for the second kite; hope to make a start on the rudder tonight ...

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