September 1, 2008

Collapsible Airplane Wings Are Made of Rubber Tubing (Feb, 1931)

Filed under: Aviation — @ 9:34 pm
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Feb, 1931
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Collapsible Airplane Wings Are Made of Rubber Tubing
AIRPLANE wings that may be folded up, when the ship is stowed away in the garage for the night, and pumped up again in the morning with a tire pump, are the invention of three Washington men. Three large rubber tubes, covered with fabric, form each wing. At present they have been developed for glider use only, reducing weight.

7 Comments »

1. Imagine trying to get FAA certification for this sort of contraption?

   Comment by Eliyahu — September 2, 2008 @ 10:12 am

2. Imagine pumping it up?

   Comment by slim — September 2, 2008 @ 11:49 am

3. At least if you fall on water, you could keep floating in that

   Comment by JM — September 2, 2008 @ 12:23 pm

4. I’m picturing myself with my trusty Rema patch kit, out on a wing…

   Comment by Toronto — September 2, 2008 @ 2:00 pm

5. Inflatoplane?

   Comment by Kent — September 2, 2008 @ 6:04 pm

6. Dear Mythbusters:

   I saw a photo of a glider made of inflated rubber tubes covered with fabric.
   I doubt it would be possible to achieve an air pressure high enough to keep the wings rigid.
   Without killing yourself or Kari, can you recreate this improbable AIRcraft?

   yours

   Comment by jayessell — September 2, 2008 @ 6:43 pm

7. Here you go.

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodyear_Inflatoplane

   Comment by slim — September 3, 2008 @ 8:04 pm

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