Ground Effect Glider - (WiG Glider, Ekranoplan)

thingiverse

Please post your makes, I'd love to see them! Especially any power-ups ;) *Final Update*: Check out my new design: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5277982 *Update 3*: Rev 2 has Airfish-style winglets. It should pitch the weight forward and hopefully get just a little more lateral stability, untested. *Update 2*: I have posted the .3mf file that shows the print orientation. This revision is currently on the print bed: fingers crossed! There are new holes for some future skis. *Update!* It works better without the tail :) (I have also uploaded a file with a reinforced tail-hole) **Demonstration Flight**: https://youtu.be/-44PWMik5YE **Full-Size Demonstration**: https://youtu.be/ooFrRBWvK9Q see also: - **Happy Sled!** https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5179270 - **Simple Sled**: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5176954 - **New Ekranoglider** https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5216161 - **Even Newer Ekranoglider** https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5277982 <h1>About the Design</h1> I saw this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvxzGERqDXI and wanted to make my own! It took, me much, MUCH more energy and time than I had planned, but here it is: my Ekranoplan! (The first anyway :P ) The nose bulb is made so the weight & centre of gravity is adjustable. I had to put it close to the end. It scoots a tiny distance above the ground on a cushion of air. Try it out someplace with a lot of space, like a gym, concrete basement, a frozen lake, or something. Apparently these work fine even if the bottom surface is scratched, so it should be fine for a paved area as well. The tail is a SPICA airfoil at a 9-degree angle-of-attack (relative to the ground), for those interested. It takes a bit of practice to get the push speed right.