X-Wing Glider. Experimental Canard maiden flight.

[@SlopeRCGliders]

This own-design model was made using two sets of old foam veneer wings, given to me by a friend. The ailerons are on the lower wing only to give roll control but also the correct yaw. I was a bit worried about the wings on landing so held them in place with elastic bands, so they had some 'give' in them. However I was able to slow the glider down enough to just flop it in.

[@associatedblacksheepandmisfits]

A veritable flying optical illusion!

[@associatedblacksheepandmisfits]

Good camera work 👌

[@nickholt8036]

Simply stunning do you have plans available or is It a bit of a fee?

[@wisedupearly3998]

@@associatedblacksheepandmisfits My thoughts as well.

[@simonhewitt9805]

Love this ! Very cool. Looks really stable. Sometimes difficult to judge its orientation when turning though. Is it all-flying front elevator John ?

[@thermalascension]

That's something you don't see, everyday! Excellent

[@drexxsuma1749]

Star war has that right?

[@anonanon5146]

I'm working with them every day now. It's called Lancet anti-khohol drone

[@thermalascension]

@@anonanon5146 I think I've had enough of beer , and waiting to die. You have been there the whole time. I ..

[@OldMtnGeezer]

I am continually amazed, John, not only by the beautiful models you create & the skill with which you fly them, but by the sterling camerawork of your ace videographer! All around excellence!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you. I am very lucky that my wife is good with a camera.

[@SuperRnine]

@@SlopeRCGliders More like lucky that she let's you play with toys. 🤣

[@PhilbyFavourites]

@@SlopeRCGliders I would say fortunate not lucky. Please allow me to give her direct praise in her eye for the shot and incredibly steady tracking and composition skills. A great pair who provide marvellous entertainment 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@matthewmargetts8516]

Superb. Not easy to see why it flies so well but evidently it does. So stable and graceful. Wonderful design.

[@martinlauer7837]

It uses the force 😂! Awesome design Sir and flying

[@JustaNaughtyBoy666]

@@martinlauer7837 Nice one 🤣

[@camsmeltzer9388]

Ha! Mr. Woodfield takes the bottom end of a table assembly and makes it fly!!! lol. Beautiful job!!

[@pscott000]

Looks very much like a dragonfly to me and it flies beautifully.

[@gfbprojects1071]

Very responsive, fast, and stable. Bert Rutan would love this one.

[@robertrodriguez2073]

One of the best parts of the video the reaction of John when he turns to see camera guy… John smile like a kid enjoying his toy. :)

[@kenschulman-specializedend6061]

Wow, now that is cool and very stable….. I was waiting for “the catch” and then there was the gentle landing…. Awesome!

[@Mike88Actual]

Absolutely stunning airmanship and craftsmanship…the adage “if it looks good, it flies good” certainly applies here. Bravo!

[@davidpiper3652]

Pushing the envelope out a long way with this one John. X wing and Canard. Looks brilliant!

[@nullcircuit]

It looks incredibly stable. I loved the way it would do tail-heavy drifts. I could imagine this being a fun platform for drone races even? I was getting major Wipeout vibes.

[@K3Flyguy]

Rock solid flight characteristics! Very unusual but looks very good in the air! Thanks for sharing!

[@index7787]

If you get the X angle (the wing to wing angle) perfect, it spreads lifting/turning forces evenly in a bank, you can do tight turns and still get one mostly flat wing with max lift. I made a similar design and it thermal'd really, really well bc of that after I found a good angle for it. Not sure if it's quite worth the weight, but mine was ultralight w/ballast anyway so it def works there.

[@hersheykiss9500]

@@index7787 cool. what would you say the drag penalty is for an xwing (same tip to tip horizontal span)? like 40%?

[@quietdominator666]

Looks so stable in the air! Great design.

[@docwunder1628]

Great. May the force be with you. 👍

[@evangray3866]

And also with you

[@EssentialRC]

Wow! So unique. George at 4-Max sent me this. Great to see something unique and what an epic location to fly. Brilliant work JohnW 😎

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@Mark-Dibble]

Awesome design! Looks even better in the sky!

[@Rudy32225]

Amazing. In level flight there are dihedrals, and in a turn a set of wings are level. Coupled with the canard looks like it is stall-spin proof.

[@stevo43068]

Quite literally a X-plane. Great flight!

[@FSDraconis]

This was a stunning view of the wind from that beach front to power a very crisp build with perfect colors. Thank you for sharing this.

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you for watching. So glad you enjoyed it.

[@mike20sm]

Interesting flight characteristics. A successful design in my estimation.

[@MusicByJC]

I am not really into RC planes, but enjoyed watching you fly it. I love the way it can just hover in the wind. Very nice.

[@wylchyl]

Absolutely brilliant, and I'm confident it's Skywalker approved John!! 🙌💖

[@charlesdudek7713]

Looks like the Star Wars X-wing fighter! 😉 Very nice.

[@bokusimondesu]

X`elent. John, you and your X look good together! That thing really had my directional awareness on overtime. Wauw!

[@SC-nw7nj]

So maiden flight of a self made prototype and it does a loop in under 2 minutes of flight! Looks insanely stable? I'm guessing the pilot! Thanks again!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@alanwomack5055]

I want one , make that TWO !

[@nickmaclachlan5178]

I'm no aerodynamicist, but I think the differing lift directions, from the two sets of wings, cancelling each other out is probably was causes that equilibrium and stability. I may be completely wrong though....... this is the internet, so an expert will be along in a second to belittle me.........

[@sledawgpilot]

@@nickmaclachlan5178 🤣

[@Saltiumine]

@@nickmaclachlan5178 Actually no, you see the wings actual purpose are to create lift by working in unisom to support the back frame of the aeroplane by using a 4 wing lift system to compensate for the weight and placement of the wings and create stability. It only works due to the position of the front wing as well as the small center body.

[@andrewnielsen3178]

That one is a definite winner John. You could add twin wire whiskers to the nose as landing gear. As always I am very envious of your flying slope. Uninterrupted smooth ocean breeze.😃😊

[@lentrautman]

Wow! How? Why? Will it fly? So many questions. Nobody ever asks "Will it fly?" when Sir John is involved! That is a foregone conclusion. But this one is stunning. And fly it does! Exceptionally well. Awe inspiring performance. Brilliantly filmed as we are accustomed to as well. I was initially speechless, but as you can see, shifted into babble mode rapidly. This one is extra impressive!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you so much. To be honest, I was a bit worried as I threw it off for the first time.

[@strictnonconformist7369]

@@SlopeRCGliders if that was the first time, eek! It’s an acrobatic design, and while fun to watch, I immediately was thinking: yikes, landing seems to be a big reason to worry. Are you considering putting wheels/landing gear on this (which this doesn’t seem optimal to do) or will it remain this way?

[@SlopeRCGliders]

@@strictnonconformist7369 I’ll leave it how it is. Landing gear wouldn’t really help where I fly as I’m normally landing in thick heather.

[@strictnonconformist7369]

@@SlopeRCGliders ok, in that case, landing gear seem more probable to get snagged and cause more potential damage, while also negatively affecting flight characteristics. Have fun!

[@frankienv3906]

While other RC pilots avoid windy days to fly, your the only one I know that uses the wind to your advantage when flying any of your models 👍

[@pavlovsk]

To fly in wind on a slope is a verry widespread hobby. I also do it.

[@FinnWest69]

Wow! Amazing maiden flight, awesome design and so cool up in the air!

[@edwinrodriguez-gs8cv]

Omg its so freaking awsome on how it glides without any sudden drops it just takes advantage of the flow of the wind so elegantly and without hesitation...👏👏👏congrates to the developer and designer of this masterpiece.

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you

[@mikeupton5406]

WHOA!! With that paint/ covering it looks like a high tech target drone going about the business of aggravating fighter aces.... Really cool design.

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@vardfriki7274]

Astonishing wide envelope! Remarkable!

[@claysmoker1]

Luke Skywalker would be thrilled! Very nice John!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you.

[@stm22]

It's magical to see such unusual design flying so well!

[@jacobgreenspan697]

Congrats with this one! What an amazing model! It seems to defy all logic and flies brilliantly!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@Пульсар-ц3ч]

Это чудо инжинерной мысли! Автору этого шедевра, низкий поклон.

[@Fifisissi]

Stunning flight John! Thanks for always innovative presentations, always a joy to see them fly so good!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you. I really wasn’t sure how this one would fly. But it came home in one piece.

[@jimnunya1253]

Shocked at the take off and stability of this thing. Beautiful work.

[@alanc5398]

Amazing, John! As I said earlier, your videos always make me smile, and this is no exception! Congratulations on the CG calculation!?!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thanks Alan. I’ll probably upload the 3D printed plane next, then I’ll do the two Ocean Breeze’s. Thanks again for a great day!

[@Geordie-Geordie]

The sky's the limit with this one. Prototype, Full-size, Jets - four perhaps, Test pilot - of Corse. Has Mr Lucas seen this. Outstanding-excellent. Camera work good too

[@RcAircraft]

WoW that is crazy looks like something out of star wars. 👍I got disorientated flying my Candoo god knows how you get your head around that one 🤯

[@stebstebanesier6205]

I would be so mesmerized watching this craft fly, I would probably walk right off of the edge.

[@dfgivens]

Awesome project! This flies as I expected. The tilted wings dampen the lift in level flight, but since there's 4 you're in great shape. In banks, the wings actually are super efficient! Nice smooth transitions too. If evenly balanced, canard planes should all be this well behaved. ...You might be onto something here!

[@nscyam]

Looks insanely stable at a broad range of air speed. It is so maneuverable that I assumed the ailerons were on the canard but then there would be no yaw control...

[@leonscheepers5350]

The bottom two wings have ailerons - seems the canard is the trim

[@fraserwhite73]

Well that made me smile. Fantastis slow speed flight characteristics. What a beautiful thing you've created. Futuristic, unorthadox and stunning Kit it !

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@Crunklefloop]

That's brilliant! Looks and flies superb!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@alexsanders2423]

That was strangely one of those relaxing videos I have seen in a long time. That X-wing is amazing!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@mjproebstle]

This is so brilliant, it’s beyond words. Cheers!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@eveningstarnm3107]

Wonderful. Magnificent. Inspiring. Astounding. And omg it was the pilot's "maiden" flight with it, too. Absolutely fabulous. I have to watch it again. I didn't know that was possible.Thank you!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you very much!

[@gerstmanndavid]

This craft seems to have some exceptional flight characteristic. I wonder how an aircraft like this would perform if it were scaled up and under powered flight? I wish I could have seen the glider up close so that I could see where the control surfaces are located. This was impressive, well done!

[@savagedabs8536]

He said they were on the lower set of rear wings and the front canard as you already know.

[@petethewrist]

Who in their tiny little mine would want to scale it it. It is just a very ineficiant bit of fun for the maker. There are some out their making house brick fly. But that all it is is fun

[@astralpx]

Nose gear would be like 20 ft lol

[@gerstmanndavid]

@@petethewrist; some little minds can't spell or form a sensible sentence. Some little minds have no imagination either.

[@gerstmanndavid]

@@astralpx lol! I hadn't thought of that.

[@carfvallrightsreservedwith6649]

THAT'S IMPRESSIVE! Stable, responsive, smooth inputs. GOOD JOB!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you very much!

[@Klangraum]

I'm seeing something like this fly for the first time, not just as a trick in a movie.

[@mystyguitarmusic]

Looks like it flies beautifully.... really makes me miss slope-soaring near Rhonert Park, Ca. back in the day. ☺

[@solarsnap]

Wow, that is so interesting to look at and watch fly. It looks very aerodynamically efficient too. Thanks for sharing that!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you for watching!

[@markholm7050]

Maybe some spring wire skids that hang below the lower wingtips a bit so that on landing the wingtips slide rather than snagging on vegetation?

[@davidlang4442]

We made these as kids back in the late 50s as gliders. Grandfather showed us the basics. Bala wood was hard to come by though. So not many died in crashes.

[@0688tc]

Wow! Master, builder, designer, pilot, you got it going on, an this was a very KEWL build! Thanks for sharing

[@pedrorebasacladera3548]

Es asombrosa la suavidad de maniobra. Es, evidentemente, un "bicho raro" pero su vuelo es magnífico. Enhorabuena a su autor y piloto.

[@thomasseeley8124]

It looked kind of odd from the thumbnail but beautiful once i saw it in the air. Very graceful. Amazing job!

[@mgondim2007]

Great flight! Nice X-wings! Seems very stable

[@aaronbustillos8047]

Wow between the music and how this x wing flies,I was mesmerized, and had to watch it to the end,👌

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you.

[@chrisoosthuizen5197]

Unusual craft and beautiful in flight

[@spiritzweispirit1st638]

Holy schmolies! That Is a Stable mable! Amazing future shape! Great Flying! Thank You !🛩

[@HyperJoe]

Landing Gear is a little unusual, but man that Grace in Flight, spectacular! 👍🤠

[@stargazeronesixseven]

The X~Wing Canard Glider! This is exhilarating indeed! 🙏 Thank You So Much Sir for the efforts & for sharing! 🌷🌿🌍💜🕊

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you for watching!

[@Danger_mouse]

I was not expecting that to fly so well! 👍👍

[@theverseshed]

Stunning and absolutely faultless flying skills to both master and make use of the updraghts.. A true thing of beauty - much more interesting to watch than a traditional glider by virtue of its unusual design. At 2.13 I thought you were about to float it back straight into your hand. Wonderful. Bell rung

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you so much. So glad you enjoyed the video. They are always good fun to make.

[@yobrojoost9497]

Wow! What a design! And it flies so well! (and you're some pilot, John! Kudos to you!)

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@LOVE2Flute]

Took my breath away. Your smile says it all! 😊

[@johne1083]

Looks like it flies beautifully. Very nice :-)

[@direktorpresident]

I can see that you went for canard on that one, now just a Star Wars colour scheme....fantastic effort

[@patfranks785]

That thing is amazing. It's like a helicopter fighter hybrid. I find it hard to believe that was it's maiden flight. You should patent that design immediately.

[@kevinmencer3782]

Disney would sue him for calling it an X-Wing.

[@astircalix4126]

All that said: Superb designer and the best of all pilots. You have the gift mate! Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@celiosilva4519]

Parabéns, sensacional me faz lembrar de um conterrâneo chamado Alberto Santos Dumont. Seria pedir demais que nos enviasse os planos desse projeto?

[@captainemeritus5927]

Well done! A wonderful spot to play with the wind! Very interesting machine. Congratulations!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@LotharArt]

👍sehr schön und auch sehr gut vorgestellt 👏👏

[@johnsmithfakename8422]

This is something I didn't expect to exist. I am impressed.

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you.

[@orvjudd1383]

The most unusual thing about this design is that with an xwing design, when you are in a rolling turn there are still two wings providing full lift. Very stable. Normally when you are in a 45 degree bank one wing is nearing stall. In this configuration under the same conditions another pair of wings still providing full lift. Amazing.

[@leonscheepers5350]

That is def part of the stability, you're right. CoG must be tricky.

[@jetplaneflyer]

No, in a banked turn, even in a hard bank both wings (even on a normal plane) still lift equally, but the lift vector is tilted in toward the centre of the circle. that's what makes it actually turn.

[@leonscheepers5350]

@@jetplaneflyer yes, but the wing that is not banked gives actual lift (the 'fall out out the sky' kinda lift). That's why she's so stable in turns, even slow turns .....

[@jetplaneflyer]

@@leonscheepers5350 trust me, it really makes no difference in a normal coordinated turn. It will fly the same as a conventional biplane (where the wings are flat and parallel). Only time it would make a difference is in you attempted knife edge flight, but i dont think that would be possible anyway with the control configuration of this model.

[@leonscheepers5350]

@@jetplaneflyer mate, at that speed, from what we are all observing, it seems to make a difference

[@DouglasJMark]

Use the Force John. I love your co-pilot at the end!

[@vt500ft]

In theory since there are effectively two wings, could they not be significantly shorter? That might help with landings, too. Replaceable wing tips on the bottom, maybe? Also, why only control surfaces on the upper wing? Really interesting design, beautiful in flight scenery and footage... And remarkable piloting, as always. Great job! 🙂

[@fins59]

I understood the video introduction and pinned comment to say that the X-wing control surfaces are on the lower wings. I like the idea of making the X-wings shorter.

[@jamesfrost7465]

That is wonderful! At first I thought the video was running backwards. Good job Sir. I really enjoy your videos, thank you.

[@johnw5734]

Just goes to show you, anything will fly at the slope. Just kidding, it's beautiful. I wish I had one.🙂

[@ThirdDegreeWitchExplores]

Is there NOTHING you cant design and breathe life into ? Much Respect

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@claudiomenesesc]

Stunning!

[@josch614]

It could hardly get any cooler, than this Xwing!

[@iskraivan7431]

Bravo Johan!🇸🇮❤️❤️❤️

[@23849228]

John Bravo! 🇺🇦❤️🖤❤️

[@vnelson000]

Looks super stable by the maneuverability. Way to go.👍

[@garyrobinson312]

great job as usual - read everyones comments and questions but have one myself - how did the lower wing not smack you in the back of the head on launch?

[@christopherestrada8576]

Absolutely thrilling! It looks like it should be impossible and yet it’s another work of aeronautics genius and functional art! That aircraft should be the pride of anyones fleet! Cheers and stay safe!

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@gormauslander]

The most important question: does it demonstrate any promising handling characteristics? I'd love to see this developed into full size vehicles

[@dandaniels851]

Wow, I love this beautiful design. Well done sir👍🏻 I live for the day someone builds a full size personal version 🙏🏻

[@phildelrosario8398]

the take off and the flight is so smooth

[@StrangerInAStrange]

Amazing little aircraft John! Wonder how many people see it and think, "OH MY GOD! DRONE STRIKE!!!"? 😆

[@marksellers4875]

What a little beauty! Beautiful in form and function. So graceful...

[@SlopeRCGliders]

Thank you!

[@snowgorilla9789]

Even with the great camera work it is hard to tell weather it is coming or going

[@jimpatterson3457]

I like your design. I have had mine for 40 years. My model was a dump one but flew well anyway.

[@debrainwasher]

As a graduated engineer, I feel, your concept of this plane (refined with with folding wings) is perfectly suited as a platform for long range loitering munition and cruise missiles, since the canard-X-wing configuration promises a very high flight efficiency (lift-to-drag-ratio). The reason is, wake turbulences from the canard do not degrade lift provided by the X-wing, like in the Switchblade 300/600. Additionally, an X-wing configuration provides a very small RCS (Radar Cross Section). Propelled by a rear propeller-engine and equipped with cameras and a warhead could be nightmare for Russian tanks and gunships in the ongoing war for Ukraine. You should contact AeroVironment, or the Ukrainian embassy.

[@philpeko1796]

I wonder if this designer thought of military use, I admit this glider made me think of the "Blade drone", but you went straight to the subject! And you may be right...

[@sergeyogurtsov2869]

Ты совсем кукухой поехал!

[@debrainwasher]

@@sergeyogurtsov2869 Да, конечно

[@XamaX666]

Yay! Weaponize it so it can harm/kill. You sir, are what is wrong with the world....

[@malinkobay]

Ça pourrait servir de suppositoire au Nazi Zelensky !

[@sam23696]

Awesome design. Looks like a perfect design for a cyberpunk/dystopian drone system.

[@taxiart8363]

Лети Ланцет, лети)