Gull wing

Gull wing (English: gull wing, French: aile en mouette - each in German: gull wing ) are a type of aircraft in which the wings - seen from the longitudinal axis - on both sides of the fuselage has a kink.

Design variants

• In the basic variant, the two outer wing sections usually run more or less horizontally, the relatively short inner wings form a "V". One example is the DFS Habicht.
• The Puławski - wing, which can be found at the PZL P.11, represents a special form of gull wing design, in which the structure is designed as a high-wing monoplane.
• Another design variant has the hull downwardly inclined inner wing, that is, they form an inverted " V". The outer wings are almost horizontal ( Chance Vought F4U ) or rise toward their ends back significantly on ( Ju 87).
• The wing position with horizontal inner wings and relatively short, bent upwards outer wings have the classic light aircraft company Yodel as the Jodel D140 and derived models such as the Robin DR 400

Not to be confused with the latter variant is the winglet, which occasionally also occurs at the end of an articulated wing. This is the case for example in the FA emerald.

Benefits of articulated wings

Gull wing should give a higher transverse stability of the aircraft, particularly in cornering. Other reasons for the use of articulated wings in conjunction with different arrangements of the height of the wings can be better visibility, shorter landing gear or higher up motors ( in seaplanes ). Occasionally, a slightly elevated body is called ( the " inverted V " ) to improve the safety of the passenger cabin in a belly landing ( Bartini Stal -7).

Historical development

The first use of a gullwing in the glider world sailors led in 1921 to the Rhön in a fatal crash due to surface rupture due to a faulty design (see flyer monument (Wasserkuppe) ). After this construction was not pursued until they (engine aircraft of Zygmunt Puławski ) and then in Germany ( Gliders by Alexander Lippisch ) was picked up again late twenties in Poland. The highlight of their dissemination experienced the for that time relatively elaborate design in the thirties and forties. The first successful German aircraft with articulated wings was the high performance glider Fafnir, the most famous was the dive bomber Ju 87 With today's computing and manufacturing methods are much more elaborate wing shapes can be produced.