Righton Big Wing
| Big Wing | |
|---|---|
| The partially disassembled Righton Big Wing, circa 2015 | |
| Role | Glider |
| National origin | New Zealand |
| Manufacturer | Douglas Huntly Righton |
| Introduction | 1960s |
| Number built | 1 |
The Big Wing was the name given to a large glider designed and built by Douglas Huntly Righton during the 1950s and 60s.[1][2]
Design and development
Righton was a farmer from Ruawai in Northland, New Zealand. In 1931 he had been granted a patent for a variable incidence wing design.[3] Design of his glider is believed to have begun in the early 1950s, with construction lasting through to the late 1960s.[2]
The glider was a cantilevered parasol-wing monoplane of conventional configuration, notable for its large wingspan of 22 m (72 ft). The incidence of both the main wing and the tailplane could be adjusted in flight.[1][2] The fuselage was a simple slab-sided design and had a box-like cross-section. A long boom, extending from the nose of the glider, was fitted with a movable counterweight, allowing the glider's centre of gravity to be adjusted in flight.[1][2]
Operational history
The Big Wing was never completed and did not undergo any flight tests. The glider had been stored in a series of rural barns and only came to public attention in 2015 when it was offered for sale through an online auction website. Its current whereabouts is unknown.[1][2]
Specifications
Data from VGC News[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: two
- Wingspan: 22 m (72 ft 2 in)
Performance
References
- ^ a b c d e Brown, Roger (Summer 2017). "From another age? NZ's 1950s 22-Metre Big-Wing" (PDF). VGC News. No. 150. Fleet, Hampshire, UK: The Vintage Glider Club Ltd. pp. 47–48.
- ^ a b c d e "Righton Big Wing". J2mcL Planeurs (in French). 12 June 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
- ^ US 1,857,694, Douglas Huntly Righton, "Aeroplane", issued 10 May 1931