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At last a decent set of pictures of these little known Rutan Aircraft Factory designs has been released by NASA.
MODEL 58 :
MODEL 59 (presumably):
The whole series can be downloaded in high resolution here:
http://crgis.ndc.nasa.gov/historic/Additional_Photos_for_12-Foot_Low_Speed_Tunnel#Joined_Wing_Model
More on the Model 58:
The concept of joining tandem wings is not a new one. It was originated in the 20's by Norman Warren and Rex Young of England. Wind tunnel tests were later done by Darroll Stinton and Warren using the concepts earlier proposed. Dr. Julian Wolkovitch, an aerodynamist from California, had crash resistance in mind as a primary design objective when he first pursued the joined wing as a sport glider prototype in 1974. He proposed several configurations of wing joining, to make maximum use of the structural benefits of the bracing achieved with large dihedral angles.
In 1979, Wolkovitch approached Joseph L. Johnson, Assistant Head of the Dynamic Stability Branch, with a request for a cooperative wind-tunnel test of an advanced joined-wing general aviation airplane designed for aerial applications, which Burt Rutan had designed. Known as the Model 58 Predator, the design had come out of a feasibility study done by RAF for David Record of Advanced Technology Aircraft Co., Ltd. (or ATAC). The requirement was for an efficient, high-capacity aircraft using the PT6-34 turboprop engine. The span had to be long for maximum swath width. Stall/spin resistance, visibility and pilot crash protection were also prime considerations...
Read the whole article on my website:
http://stargazer2006.online.fr/menu.htm
under OTHER PROP AIRCRAFT > Predator: Model 58 (project)
MODEL 58 :
MODEL 59 (presumably):
The whole series can be downloaded in high resolution here:
http://crgis.ndc.nasa.gov/historic/Additional_Photos_for_12-Foot_Low_Speed_Tunnel#Joined_Wing_Model
More on the Model 58:
The concept of joining tandem wings is not a new one. It was originated in the 20's by Norman Warren and Rex Young of England. Wind tunnel tests were later done by Darroll Stinton and Warren using the concepts earlier proposed. Dr. Julian Wolkovitch, an aerodynamist from California, had crash resistance in mind as a primary design objective when he first pursued the joined wing as a sport glider prototype in 1974. He proposed several configurations of wing joining, to make maximum use of the structural benefits of the bracing achieved with large dihedral angles.
In 1979, Wolkovitch approached Joseph L. Johnson, Assistant Head of the Dynamic Stability Branch, with a request for a cooperative wind-tunnel test of an advanced joined-wing general aviation airplane designed for aerial applications, which Burt Rutan had designed. Known as the Model 58 Predator, the design had come out of a feasibility study done by RAF for David Record of Advanced Technology Aircraft Co., Ltd. (or ATAC). The requirement was for an efficient, high-capacity aircraft using the PT6-34 turboprop engine. The span had to be long for maximum swath width. Stall/spin resistance, visibility and pilot crash protection were also prime considerations...
Read the whole article on my website:
http://stargazer2006.online.fr/menu.htm
under OTHER PROP AIRCRAFT > Predator: Model 58 (project)
