Flying Pterodactyls
A.TINO
From mar...@hplabsb.UUCP (Peter Marvit):
>Last night I saw a short documentary on the fabrication and flight of a
>reconstrcution of the largest known flying creature in history: the extinct
>pteradactyl. The model, designed and built by the inventor of the Gossamer,
>Albatross, and other pioneering ultralights (name?), will be on exhibit
>at the Smithsonian Air&Space museum later this summer, accompanied by a
>*large* screen movie of the beast and its flight entitled "On the Wing" (due
>to open in June?).
> ....
>Does anyone have refrences to this pteradactyl' origins and reconstruction?
>I am especially interested in its natural history and general redesign
>process, rather than detailed aerodynamics (although works written for laymen
>would be interesting). Please feel free to post to net, but e-mail me a copy;
>I am a sporadic reader of a few groups. Thanks and enjoy the creature!
_______________
The designer/builder of the giant pterodactyl (and the Gossamer Condor)
is Paul MacCready, chairman of AeroVironment, Inc. The company's address
is
Myrtle Ave
Monroville, CA 91016
_______
Al Tino
!hou2f!tino
Dave Hsu
>From mar...@hplabsb.UUCP (Peter Marvit):
>>Last night I saw a short documentary on the fabrication and flight of a
>>reconstrcution of the largest known flying creature in history: the extinct
>>pteradactyl. The model, designed and built by the inventor of the Gossamer,
>>Albatross, and other pioneering ultralights (name?), will be on exhibit
>>Does anyone have refrences to this pteradactyl' origins and reconstruction?
>The designer/builder of the giant pterodactyl (and the Gossamer Condor)
>is Paul MacCready, chairman of AeroVironment, Inc. The company's address
>Al Tino
First off, the pterodactyl wasn't the largest known flying creature in
history; they found those pteranosaur(?) bones in the Texas desert some
years back and my memory vaguely remembers that THAT creature had a
wingspan greater than a DC-3. I think.
If you hadn't heard yet, the flying model crashed last week during
celebrations down in DC, after 21 or so successful flights. Somewhere
around here I have the Smithsonian's press kit (I think) and I'll try
to fish it up later. BTW, one item there was a reprint of a Caltech
newsletter from last winter, I think, so that may be the place to start.
The model's refinement went in stages from small crude gliders to small
detailed gliders, to the final full-scale model. I recall they had a
lot of trouble initially because the pterodactyl's head served as a
vertical stabilizer and the early models weren't refined enough to fly
stably.
-dave
--
David Hsu (301)454-1433 || -8798 <UM doesn't claim anything I do>
Communication & Signal Processing Lab / Engineering Computer Facility
The University of Maryland -~- College Park, MD 20742
ARPA:h...@eneevax.umd.edu UUCP:[seismo,allegra,rlgvax]!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu
"You know, guys, people say your music is loud, obnoxious, and lethal to mice.."
lad...@kestrel.uucp
> > The model [...] will be on exhibit
> >at the Smithsonian Air&Space museum later this summer
Unfortunately, the pterodactyl crashed and burned on its
last flight at Andrews AFB. McCready seemed quite
philosophical about it.
Peter Ladkin
lad...@kestrel.arpa
The Mysterons
> From mar...@hplabsb.UUCP (Peter Marvit):
> >Last night I saw a short documentary on the fabrication and flight of a
> >reconstrcution of the largest known flying creature in history: the extinct
> >pteradactyl.
> The designer/builder of the giant pterodactyl (and the Gossamer Condor)
> is Paul MacCready, chairman of AeroVironment, Inc. The company's address
> is
> Myrtle Ave
> Monroville, CA 91016
It's Monrovia, CA 91016
The Mysterons