You'll fall in love with the Dyke Delta

Buckle up and learn about the diamond-shaped Dyke JD-2 Delta, an audacious homebuilt born in a visionary’s basement in Ohio. Designed in the 1960s, the Delta was never mass-produced and presently few remain in airworthy condition, but its owners / builders feverishly defend the type’s reputation as one of the best aircraft they’ve ever flown.
The Delta also lays fame to claim as one of the first aircraft ever to include a feature built into its design that could have revolutionized airplane ownership as we know. Enjoy the video!
HUGE thanks to the tribe of Delta owners who contributed to this video, especially Linda and John Dyke.
Full construction plans and 3-view drawings for the Dyke Delta are available for purchase! Email [e-mail] to order yours.
Join the Delta group for more info and connect with Delta owners and builders:
aviation.groups.io/g/DykeDelta
Another big thank you to Dillon Hopson and Jim Maher who contributed his time to educate me on his wonderful machine and share their footage with me.
Dillon Hopson: / @dillonhopson4367
Jim Maher: / @flyingdeltawing7639
I don't own these clips. All rights are reserved to their respective owners. Creative common videos are also utilized. If your clip is included and you'd like it removed, please email me, and we'll address the matter right away. [e-mail]
Some of the clips used:
• Rotary Dyke Delta Stro...
• Pt1. Experimental Delt...
• Pt2. Experimental Delt...
• Dyke Delta N11XD First...
• 1st Taxi Test
• dyke delta oshkosh 1987
• Dyke Delta Gear retrac...
• Dyke Delta John Dyke I...
• Dyke Delta N1261B
• 002 Dyke Delta Learn...
• Dyke Delta Airplane
• Oshkosh Dyke Delta, T...
• Homebuilt Aircraft Sho...
• Dyke Delta, Bearhawk, ...
• Dyke Delta JD2 stability
• N71AW Dyke Delta taxi ...
• OSH Fly by 2018
• Homebuilt, Vintage, an...
• Little Overview of N805DH
• KGCY Pass
• Yarn and tape results ...
• Rotary Dyke Delta wing...
• U.S. Jet Fighters and ...
• USAF Aircraft of the 1...
• Wright-Patterson Air F...
• National Museum Of The...
• Convair B-58 Hustler t...
• Convair F-102 Delta Da...
• SAAB J-35 Draken | MAS...
• Delta Wing research wh...
• Free Stock Footage - C...
• Mechanic repairing a c...
• Cessna Aircraft Wing...
• 1940s CIVIL AVIATION F...
• 1940S and 50s General ...
• 1950s Aviation - Flyin...
• Beechcraft Bonanza 35 ...
• CFD analysis for airplane
• 33cc 1,7hp Propeller B...
• ENGINE INSTALL IO-360...
• Zenith CH650 Rear Lowe...
• Zenith CH650 Front Fus...
• Video
• Building the Zenith CH...
• The Construction of a ...

[@dillonhopson4367]

Very good, I'm very fortunate to have my Delta. And its nice to see them get the attention they deserve as well as John and the builders

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Hoping this video provides them the exposure they deserve! Thanks for your time in sharing the info on your plane.

[@garrykennedy5484]

I've hand crafted quite a few RC planes just coming up with my own designs. But the most picky on CG mixed with the center of lift changing at different speeds due to the reflex needed for proper elevator trim, yet, when right, the delta is the most stable except for yaw. Nearly impossible to stall a wing. Kind of like a canard??? maybe but better???? I'm not sure that yaw scales up to the full size though. I doubt it because the wing loading of the smaller ones is much less. I've learned to appreciate a heavier wing loading for stability.

[@tbas8741]

@@garrykennedy5484 RC planes scale up almost 1:1 to full size planes. If you can build RC version of something you can build a full size version of it, provided material science is right eg, you can easily build an RC ornathopter but a full size one is impossible to build due to lack of strong enough materials for 15ft flapping wings and the forces involved. IF an RC wing make 1KG of lift, then scaled up by 10x would more 10KG of lift or 100KG if 100x same with drag.

[@pcka12]

​@@tbas8741what about 'the cube rule'?!!

[@garrykennedy5484]

@@tbas8741 Thank you for your response. There has to be a way with recent CAD and such that could take these plans and optimize them? Seems to me that there's a LOT of over construction in the wing design limited by the lack of a spar! I don't know because I haven't looked into the full design. But I think this design should be revisited by someone that could make an honest attempt at doing this. I hope!

[@neilfoster814]

What an absolute beauty! Carries 4 people, goes like stink, tows behind your car and fits in the garage. Wow.

[@ezragonzalez8936]

fisher price fighter jet! lol

[@gregdowd939]

Too bad you gotten spend thousands on the pilots license....more than the cost of the delta

[@AweHeckNah]

@@gregdowd939 - It's an "experimental" aircraft. You don't need a license to fly it.

[@Cotz95]

@@AweHeckNah that is incorrect. Part 103 ultralights are the only aircraft that I know of that do not require a license in the US

[@Jianju69]

@@gregdowd939 Funny thing, a medical degree is more expensive than a stethoscope!

[@TEXAS2459]

bro 45 gallons for 740 miles is actually AMMAAAZZING ECONOMY for a flight!!

[@christophergagliano2051]

Well I don't think 16 mi per gallon is very good. But apparently if your time is more valuable than fuel savings it could be considered acceptable.

[@Kopie0830]

@@christophergagliano2051 I think he was being sarcastic, I'm not sure though lol

[@christophergagliano2051]

@@Kopie0830 maybe you're right, but he got 17 thumbs up so I don't know if those thumbs up are for being sarcastic or maybe people think 16 mi per gallon is "AMAZING ECONOMY". Of course what makes aircraft efficient is a slippery airframe and going point to point something that a car just doesn't have going for it. I've designed an LSA that gets over 30 miles per gallon at a cruise speed of 118 knots at 8000 ft. So good MPG is achievable, you just have to select the correct trade-offs. And yes back in 1966 I bet avgas was under $0.35 a gallon. 😆

[@Kopie0830]

@@christophergagliano2051 Crazy how time flies.

[@jokedog]

@@Kopie0830 i dont think he's being sarcastic guys. Boeing 747 is 5 gallons per mile! A Chevy Tahoe is 15mpg and Cessna all get 11-15 mpg.

[@danolson3996]

That's a young me, at 10:00 mark, giving my U-control JD-2 model to John at Rockford in 1967.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

That's cool!

[@fukhue8226]

Wow! I remember that like it was "yesterday" (lol). So I was 9 and into the space program while you guys were trying to build the worlds best small plane. Too bad they didn't make these things the standard. They were #1 for a while and there has to be a reason why NASA chose the Delta Wing Configuration for the Space Shuttle. That should tell you everything you need to know. If you guys could have gotten the funding, materials and engineering needed behind you I think you could have developed this configuration all the way to a launchable space vehicle that could reenter and fly back to it's destination.

[@pieterbezuidenhout2741]

Something special about that time , same age and also into design and build of planes and speedboats. Those were the days.

[@Kyanzes]

Great! Did you pursue flying at all?

[@danolson3996]

@@Kyanzes yes, for a while. In High School I took 8 hours dual from a friend of my Dad's. He had his instructors license and I was his first pupil, at no charge. I only paid for gas and oil. Then, he moved to San Diego and that was the end of that. Never went any further.

[@yhsbu]

I used to see him and that Delta over at Greene County Airport. Also, he hopped on my bicycle and rode it by sitting backward on the handlebars and riding it around like that, lol.

[@PapaDutch]

This design desperately needs a re-visit with modern technology and manufacturing taken into account

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Agreed! (and many others here in the comments think so too)

[@fredEVOIX]

that would be freedom we don't have that anymore

[@keithwilliams6007]

No. It really doesn't. Modern CFD software vividly illustrates why so many delta-wing aircraft crashed. A delta-wing is extremely mushy to handle during any sort of stall recovery maneuver, very inefficient at sub-sonic velocities, and difficult to manage during the transonic realms. We can solve the instability issues with modern fly-by-wire, but physics still dictates a very inefficient aerofoil so we'll never see this sort of design in commercial small-body aircraft due to immense fuel consumption wrt available payload and, relatively-speaking, much longer take-off/landing runway requirements. At most, a revisit would yield a ramp-toy that's fun in a straight line speed-run, but horrid in any mandatory IFR conditions akin to a Rutan Long-EZ, but without its cruise efficiency.

[@liam3284]

This cruises at 150 knots, certainly subsonic. Though given the body produces lift, it is more like a flying wing.

[@jtjames79]

​@@liam3284 I want one half that size that's inflatable. And a detachable recombinant e-bike as the power supply. Nitinol wire bracing/morphing for control. Nvidia Jetson AI autopilot.

[@ziocasta4ever]

if this thing has such impressive performance with 50 years old technology, I can only imagine what can be now with 3d printing, carbon composites materials, new engine and so on...

[@corinneyeager]

W O W ‼️‼️‼️YEAH‼️‼️‼️want the UP GRADED plans🥰

[@aiflix]

You don't have to imagine: Airbus Maveric

[@cave.dweller.mediocrates]

I was just thinking weld the cage up from aluminum, and frame and skin it in carbon and kevlar, and a nice single-piece polycarbonate frozen turkey resistant windscreen. The windscreen seems the hardest piece to engineer, with my current skill-set. I'm trying to figure out how to make one float without the prop going under water, aside from having the prop above the canopy... Just a thought, but I like small amphibious planes.

[@AtimatikArmy]

@@cave.dweller.mediocrates As for the polycarbonate windscreen, heat up sheet until malmble then vacuum form over old.

[@mutteringmale]

I noticed another, probably the real reason, why the plane is slanted upwards. Not for take off, but to give ground clearance for the prop.

[@christophergagliano2051]

This aircraft would be very easy to design and build using modern composite construction. I would say you could get it done in less than 700 hours. Also with the use of CNC machining all the complicated bits can be easily replicated with a much higher accuracy of construction.

[@davidkottman3440]

After spending tons of time reworking the designs for your new materials to meet the same stresses & strengths & programming the machines. If the plan is to build 1 plane, it's probably more timely to just get started with the hacksaw and welder.

[@christophergagliano2051]

​@@davidkottman3440Well it's pretty obvious that the design is a failure as it is not very popular because of the long build time. The way to do this is to announce that it will be a quick build kit, and builder assist will be available. Make it clear that you will launch the project if you got 50 people to sign up for the kit. Once you have 50 pilots signed up, they will need to put down a $500 refundable deposit. If you get 50 pilots to sign up I'm sure you'll be able to sell a 10 to 25% equity investment position in order to start building tools and developing the required infrastructure.

[@Aristocrafied]

@@christophergagliano2051 it's a long build time because there's no parts you don't have to make yourself. Maybe if you'd take it upon yourself to make the kit 😜

[@christophergagliano2051]

@@Aristocrafied Well I'm currently involved with a new LSA design and I have made master tooling to include plugs, molds and parts made from the molds. The first task would be to create of a computer model of the aircraft's OML (outside mold line). From that you could machine from tooling foam the three plugs. One for the left wing and left fuselage, one for the right wing and right fuselage and one for the vertical fin. From the three plugs, you would make two molds from each plug so you would have a total of six molds. Six molds would make six actual aircraft parts that will be bonded together. This process is well known throughout the model airplane and full scale sailplane manufacturing community. The new lancer aircraft being manufactured in uvalde Texas also uses this technique, but they use carbon fiber in their construction and that makes it horrifically expensive to do. This design would not need much carbon fiber maybe some around the cabin door for added stiffness.

[@safurian]

totally agree with you. Get a modern computer program to calculate the needed stability and use modern material (Carbon and Aluminum-alloy) to redesign the internal structure. It might get lighter and safer. I totally want such a plane... 🤩

[@stevenlitke7720]

I knew John when I lived in Ohio. Not only a great mechanic, but a truly great person. I'm glad to see him getting recognition for his awesome airplane design.

[@GutGrinder00]

The 50's was in my opinion, one of the most interesting era for aviation, military aircraft had litarelly days of service before becoming outdated in US at least, loads of odd shapes and just different ideas, everybody just wanted to do something new. Crazy times lol

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Crazy in the sense of danger too, so many pilots lost as they pushed the boundaries beyond what the plane was capable of doing. But I agree the 50s/60s were the most exciting times in aviation, both military and civilian.

[@AnthonyTolhurst-dw1nc]

Moneymen had cash to spend. And The Complex was in situ.

[@SirGregoryFamilyYouTube]

Crazy times indeed, but I wasn't laughing out loud.

[@nicholasklangos9704]

Danger maybe, but that’s the FUN!! Otherwise it’s boring!! Pushing the envelope being the best crew chief in the USAF is how one of many reasons I got a ride in the backseat of my F4E Phantom flew in the Edwards AFB and China Lake ranges did a Mach run thru Death Valley and took the controls pulling 7.5 +Gs -4 Gs and did acrobatics that almost made my own F4 pilot sick!!!! Fun times indeed!! Oh but that was in 1992 just before they closed George AFB Ca!

[@mutteringmale]

Then the lawyers and politicians destroyed the industry, and innovation. Think Hotel chains trying to destroy AirBnB.

[@JazzbLu]

I am actually kind of mad at John for not allowing his aircraft to become mainstream. It's more efficient, comfortable, faster, lighter smaller, everything a small plane should be, but can't cause he won't let it.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I don't know enough to say that he "wouldn't allow anyone", all I know is he didn't pursue manufacturing nor kit-building, and quite possibly no one really approached him to buy out the design. Keeping in mind also that in the 60s there were practically no kit-built planes either, so what he was selling was the norm for those times.

[@Electrocycle300]

And why hasn’t velocity become more popular either? That’d be an excellent instrument trainer. No wing stall

[@jamesw.6931]

I can only speculate; however, I will take a guess about liability and funds to begin the manufacturing of the kits? PS My brother has a Lance Air, which is a good modern kit aircraft.

[@davehyde6207]

Inspirational people come along once in a while that just make their ideas work and let the professionals scratching their head in awe..

[@somenamelessdude8095]

What an awesome aircraft. The landing gear is perfection, no stuck gear ever

[@Chuckles..]

Wow he built a tiny delta wing plane with a 180hp engine from scratch. Absolutely amazing.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Right?!

[@xfire7]

Every now and then you see something amazing, this is one of them . Only drawback I can see is access to the cab .

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

It's a little awkward but how much worse can it be then a Mooney or Piper (with its single door)

[@hokehinson5987]

The kind of plane that is heirloom. Some lucky family member is bequeathed as pilot gets to old to fly. An amazing success story of a very talented gentleman! Thanx😊

[@baydrixnewzealandwarrobotf2681]

The man! Inspiring.. this is the america i use to love.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

It's still out there, amidst all the noise with social media.

[@pilot3016]

I remember this aircraft! But then, I'm now 73. (I also went into Soaring with a 15 meter wing span. (50 ft) with oxygen onboard).

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Damn! I did some soaring myself when I was young but not that high!

[@pilot3016]

@@aircraftadventures-vids 21, 200 feet over Minden Nevada was pretty sweet. (H-301 Libelle).

[@zheta42]

I guess this was what the whole Delta Flyer arc of ST:Voyager was about xD

[@sgtgunfodder9263]

While I do think it would have been a nice homage, I don't think the connection is more than the word Delta. The writers probably took delta from the series itself as Voyager was stuck in the Delta Quadrant.

[@nicholasklangos9704]

Actually if you look at the Delta Flyer it does look very similar to this aircraft. So both statements may be true.

[@RuralTowner]

Been ages since seen STVoy but does seem to click together. Tom did enjoy flight & was the primary designer iirc.

[@Alexander-the-ok]

I’d never heard of the Delta before. What a fascinating video! It seems like it was ‘half way’ between the Nasa lifting bodies from the 1960s and a conventional aircraft.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

That certainly was the idea. Thanks for watching!

[@nicholasklangos9704]

Yes it had inspiration from the NASA H10 lifting body. I remember seeing the kit ads and articles in various mags as a kid and dreamed of building one, since my older brother was a certified Master Welder and both of us mechanically inclined unfortunately life got it the way as I was an USAF aircraft crew chief on Phantoms and he had his welding business. He is now working with the US Navy and Edison Welding Institute creating a new welding university to train and certify 300,000 new welders desperately needed over the next 5 years!! So if people want a very lucrative career opportunity they need to keep their ears open searching as this program is ramping up fast!!

[@tomthompson7400]

what an amazing design , and such a cute aircraft.

[@davidmcintosh7563]

Great video showcasing a really innovative and groundbreaking design. You’ve got to wonder if someone could take the concept but use composite or carbon fibre to make a new delta-wing homebuilt.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Absolutely! I've spoken to someone recently who discussed launching that concept. (not sure how far they are from that)

[@chrispekarik3889]

I have a set of plans for this little beauty. My retirement project!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Let me know when it's done!

[@hodge6459]

Where’d you get the plans? I’ve got some interest as well.

[@JL-tm3rc]

Wow do you know where i can also get a blueprint

[@chrispekarik3889]

@@JL-tm3rc might still be available from John or his family, Fairborn OH

[@xpose5309]

@@JL-tm3rc There was contact information for the plans in the description under the video. Hope that helps. I got to fly in one of these, maybe even with the guy that invented it. I was a radio personality in Dayton, OH in the 80s. The station did a remote at an airshow somewhere near Dayton. I got to interview the man who built the plane, which was red, white and blue and looked just like one of the planes in the video. He offered to take me for a ride. It was fabulous. A Thank You God! moment.

[@patrickwebster3318]

Excellent video on a lesser known plane!! The Delta is super high on my photography list!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Hope you get to see one!

[@lmether]

Thanks for the inspiring video! As someone who is stubbornly persistent with trying to bring my own innovations to the world, it's encouraging to see a story about someone who never gave up and built something that was well loved. Even if he chose not to make it into a commercial success, he still saw it through and made his dream reality. A lovely story.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@1950rdb]

He also had a wife who was into it and tolerated him living in the garage when he wasn't working. Those are far and few between unless they are pilots themselves. I have the skills and equipment/money to build one of these, but 2,000 hours is one full year of 40 hour weeks in addition to your regular life, so for most people, the time required is prohibitive unless you can hire help. I think they quoted 6,000 hours to build this one.

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

In the early 2000s I was at Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville,Ga to take a flight in the B17 named Aluminum Overcast. Several GA planes flew in for an EAA event. One of the planes was a delta. It was likely one of these. The pilot said his father built it.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I'm sure it was, there's really nothing else like it. I've seen them at Oshkosh too a couple years back, the design was always in my mind (hence the video)

[@T.Watts89]

I live next to briscoe field!

[@wickedcabinboy]

@@T.Watts89 - I flew out of Brisco Field many times as a flight nurse.

[@T.Watts89]

@@wickedcabinboy Very cool!!! Thank you for the no doubt many life saving and life changing things you've done for people in need!! I appreciate you!!! 😊

[@frankzardini6224]

What a fantastic airplane! Kudos for perseverance to John and kudos to @aircraftadventures for the amazing and enthralling video!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you Frank! Means a lot

[@muzmason3064]

Wow, how did I miss this in my 60 years? I want one 😂

[@furmanmackey5479]

The first and only homebuilt that I ever wanted.....And still do.

[@Darkmouse20001]

What a remarkable man and remarkable aeroplane! It genuinely looks like a delight to fly.

[@Wrongway1965]

Very Cool Plane that I've Never Heard of or seen .. Thanks so much for showing this

[@stanley1554]

7:30 WHAT!!!?? that is Amazing!! I love this guy.

[@doncoday4775]

You have filled a great number of dreams.outstanding job John.

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

So glad to see this video 😅 I really really like how it gets 50% of its lift from the fusilage, cause that's the high bit😮 a very long and tall curve, would love to build a RC model of this awesome plane😅every horizontal surface creates lift

[@WarDog793]

What an innovative new design! To quote Tony Stark, "I want one." And I've never even piloted a plane! But some close friends of mine have. They'd love to fly it.

[@Thousand_yard_King]

I never really liked light commercial airplanes, I was always in love with military aircraft, with the exception of this aircraft. I always wanted one of these

[@martyn6792]

What a brilliant guy and design

[@-FreudiansLip]

What a fascinating story! Thanks for sharing.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thanks for watching!

[@cargopilot747]

Great presentation. When I first saw the design decades ago, it looked really beautiful. But one additional downside is that is requires a long runway. Some pilots got into trouble because they weren't expecting that.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Yeah, it truly has to be handled like a little fighter plane. You wouldn't want to take a dassault mirage into tiny strip either.

[@Primus54]

I thought the video said 1,000 ft takeoff roll?

[@mikegirard4388]

@@Primus54 Maybe that’s pilot and a light fuel load? Seems like fully loaded that wing would have a relatively high stall speed and the angle of attack on retake off means a lot of drag trying to gain speed.

[@tcav3556]

Wonder what would be needed to reduce the take off requirement, increase range and performance and maybe make it easier to build. If I had the resources I'd love to see this replace modern small planes.

[@cargopilot747]

@@tcav3556 Some carbon fiber or other composites might help. As the video mentioned, the builder would have to weld, weld, and weld. About the only ways to reduce stall speed would be to increase the wing area, but that might detract from the elegantly beautiful design, or reduce weight. Great idea though. What a marvelous design for the early 1960s.

[@ChrisA7X89]

Thanks for making this video, Richard! 😊

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

My pleasure, and tx for checking it out!

[@Sheilagene2]

I use to always see these at Oshkosh every year. I went every year 98-2018

[@user-bl5lm9mu8k]

Thanks for sharing, great research work.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Togidubnus]

Never seen this plane before. I love it! I can see many ways it can be updated, and most of the welding eliminated, probably even save some weight by using composites.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

A lot of talk here in the comments on that, and I agree

[@smile768]

What a fantastic little plane. I have never heard of this before, but it looks ideal.

[@linguist2k]

Quirky looks? No. Cool looks! Love this plane!

[@shaunolinger964]

I got my first piece of a.... tail... under one of these in my dad's barn/hanger. It was a lot of fun to fly too... maybe that's what got that young lady interested. Like any delta wing, it has some interesting stall behavior. That's how my father got ahold of it... it was stalled on threshold final and pancaked into the runway hard enough to drive the nose wheel straight up into the airframe. I helped him rebuild it. Lots of fun.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thanks for sharing your Delta story! (and whatever else that got you, lol)

[@thomasrose7713]

Love the sound of the engine! That is, do it yourself good old fashion, American ingenuity, right there ladies and gentlemen👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

When built with the short stacks, they sound pretty sweet.

[@petriepretorius4085]

The stuff true artists are capable of... With enough creativity you can overcome any hurdle, and build something as beautiful and competitive like the JD... Mr. John, you are an Artist of magnificent qualities... Thank you for this inspiring video...

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I agree 100%, and thank you for watching!

[@petriepretorius4085]

@@aircraftadventures-vids 🫡😁

[@SilvaAdventures]

Great presentation and well researched! Thanks for putting this together for us to enjoy.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you! You've got a great channel too, love your content. One day I'll muster the courage to appear on camera too...maybe..

[@richardike2342]

I am a delta wing fan myself. This plane is incredible.

[@russotragik]

Thank you for this video, I really appreciated the effort put on history telling! This reminds me of the WainFan Facetmobile, Stout Batwing Limousine, Arup S4, Westland Dreadnought, Baker Delta Kitten, Verhees Deltaplane, Vought 173 Flying Pancake, and let's not forget about the Nemeth Parasol!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you! And that list brought to mind another crazy looking postwar twin but the name eludes me. It was an odd design built from a Cessna Bobcat, that Howard Hughes tried and failed to buy, so he sued the designer. Ugh, can't remember the name now.

[@spudeleven5124]

Wow. I've been an aviation enthusiast for over half a century, yet I have never seen this before. Perhaps this video will renew interest in this fascinating machine. Imagine such a design as a kit but using high-tech materials such as carbon composites, CNC, glass cockpit, etc.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you enjoyed it! And that was my intention, to bring this obscure design to light.

[@spudeleven5124]

@@aircraftadventures-vids It would be wild if someone could put a turboprop on one of these bad boys 🤩

[@tachyon5321]

I knew Gary, John's son. But lost track of Gary after he went into the navy. Remember seeing the plane sitting in the driveway(Fairborn, Ohio).

[@repairdroid77]

Fantastic design. I'd love to see a turboprop version.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Now you're talking! 😎

[@429thunderjet2]

zoom zoom

[@HarmonRAB-hp4nk]

the airframe's max speed is 200mph :-(

[@429thunderjet2]

@@HarmonRAB-hp4nk huh! Of course, never thought of that.

[@plektosgaming]

@@HarmonRAB-hp4nk You would indeed need modern materials to increase the speed, but that's simple to do as this was designed in a garage way before the era of even personal computers. A monocoque body would easily be doable with modern materials, as would simulating a wind tunnel and various ways to strengthen the design. CNC milling and fabrication could result in assembly times for a kit in the order of a few hundred hours, if that. I'm personally intrigued by a modern re-design of this idea.

[@sagittarius_]

As a boy i Sweden I grew up seeing the deltawinged interceptor fighter SAAB Draken fly many times. So I know this is an awesome idea of an airplane concept.

[@Lardzor]

Thank you. If I hadn't read the title of this video, I would have had no idea whatsoever that this tiny plane design rocked the aviation world.

[@Bluelightning23]

People looking at it from a distance probably thought it was a UFO.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

So I read an article where a Delta flew over the concert, and the singer looked up and went "Oh look, a flying guitar pick"

[@Bluelightning23]

@@aircraftadventures-vids lol

[@gtpyyz]

Thumbs up! Great video..

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you very much!

[@billynomates920]

superb channel. very pleased to have found it - the just right level of detail and running time for me. thanks!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Awesome, thank you!

[@mikeh2520]

This was great to watch. What a well thought out design! Last summer I was in Oshkosh for work and heard an airplane fly over and from below it looked like a fighter jet but it flew too slow and sounded like a piston engine. I'd wondered about that plane ever since. Now I know what it was and I am impressed.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-ev8tv1qe1z]

FYI CANADA HAD BUILT THE AVRO ARROW IN THE 1956 BUT WAS TOLD BY US MILITARY TO STOP FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS. IT WAS THE FASTEST JET OF IT'S TIME!

[@Thousand_yard_King]

Canada should stop listening to the fascist U.S. Government!

[@mattgraham4340]

Some would say it's more of a flying diamond wing, than a typical delta wing. Typical delta aircraft have a longer root chord, and a more distinct fuselage.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

That's true, it's not 100% technically a delta I guess. But, that's the name it got.

[@robertmatch6550]

Very nice informative video about a great design. Thank you!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@doitnow3291]

I crewed the F-102 for many years in the 60’s and 70’s-- great aircraft!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Wow!

[@trabi601enjoyer]

Delta my Beloved! Love you make such great vids on oddball planes, really sparks engineering inspiration!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you! I've been on a hiatus for a while, but hoping to squeeze in another video soon before my june retreat. I love making these videos.

[@steveasher9239]

I have (or had) a set of those plans. Just don't know where they are. Loved the idea of that plane. Just knew I couldn't build one.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

It's a longer commitment than a marriage! (almost)

[@steveasher9239]

@@aircraftadventures-vids Longer than any marriage I've had. And I'm old.

[@severpop8699]

find it and let me know, I am willing to have a look into it and re engineer it for modern tools like TIG, 3D printing and similar, and yes, I am old too... lol

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I just wanted to drop in a comment to apologize for my lack of clarity in defining what the "wing stubs" were, those were part of the folding wing mechanism. I guess I glossed that over so it's seems reasonable that many wouldn't have got that part.

[@Jesters-Jinx]

Great, another airplane added to my list of "must haves." Thanks A LOT!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you liked it! My list is pages deep

[@chipcook5346]

The subject reminds me of the days when people just did things, DIY, like Popular Mechanics and Popular Science showed us. You know, the 70s. Also, I enjoy your delivery very much. This video has the best mix of A-roll and B-roll footage I have seen in a very, very long time. I would be quite surprised if you auto-produced this video with AI. Thank you (and your team?) for the serious work that went into this. Couldn't help but subscribe.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Hey Chip, thanks! Means a lot to me. I put a ton of time in production, and honestly I kept tweaking the thing to death over the past few weeks, so obviously still wasn't 100% happy with the final product (but I never am, lol). My "team" is me and myself, I'm self-taught in production and still learning (the curve is super steep too). Really no ai involved, just old fashioned research and writing. Guess I'm a relic in that way.

[@heidisparklebottom]

What a beautiful lil plane, and a great vid!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thanks a lot! Much appreciated

[@kentwright5346]

Really great video on many levels! Thank you very much for telling this story and inspring everyone that is working on a project.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you enjoyed it! Happy to see many are discovering this amazing plane

[@RamPMonyPers]

I'm really impressed!

[@glennandrews7689]

Spectacular design; considering it was nearly 50 years ahead of it's time! Love these planes, and yes, John was right...they DO fly the way an airplane should fly; just ask the F-22 pilots today! :)

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Well said!

[@googleyoutubechannel8554]

Nice... I have to wonder though... what is it's stall speed? and what is it's landing speed?

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

I would like to know that as well 😅

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

It was about 60 kts, you had to bring in quite a bit of speed for landing so yes it required a generous amount of runway.

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

What an awesome little plane, that's some good old fashioned American ingenuity right there! Modern design, manufacturing & materials could make it a lot more accessible nowadays.👍👍

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Yes indeed! Hope someone can run this design once again.

[@hinduwarrior123]

Fantastic ❤❤❤

[@Gizmo4PS]

I'ts gorgeous! I love this diamond-winged aircraft. Btw, I met her thanks to your IG account!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thanks for the IG and YT visits 👍

[@Cruiser777]

I saw one of those at Sun and fun.A few years ago. It was pretty cool.😅

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

You saw the one at the museum? Or it was as the airport and part of the event?

[@Cruiser777]

I saw the one flying it was yellow. I should have taken a picture of it, but I had no camera. This was a good thirteen years ago.

[@Cruiser777]

@@aircraftadventures-vids As a matter of fact, it had a 4 sale sign on it.

[@danedewaard8215]

So beautiful!!!!

[@Celacantospin]

Nice

[@dmacpher]

Those fight club 1 frame cuts though lol

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Sadly I just caught some video rendering errors which I should have spotted before I published it. Oh well, lesson learned.

[@flamingoaviation]

Richard, great video. Wonderful story.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you Peter!

[@harleyclawson7639]

Such a pretty plane! I’d never heard of it! Thanks!!!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you liked it!

[@voornaam3191]

He should have called Ruton. They did exactly the same. Design fast planes for people who were not billionairs.

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

Totally agree 😅

[@severpop8699]

Burt Rutan was a toddler at the epoca... lol

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Rutan began his aviation journey 20 years later. Rutan could have consulted with John!

[@RagingGeekazoid]

Doesn't look very beginner-friendly.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

No planes were back in the 50s/ 60s. No kits available, all were plans-built.

[@tatojanc]

Wow, what a great video 👏👏 I've never heard about this airplane before I wish one day I could see one of those in person.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thanks, Tato! They are pretty incredible, I saw one at Oshkosh a few years ago.

[@10RRASK]

Always one of my favorites to see at Oshkosh every year

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Mine too! It was what inspired the idea for the video.

[@Guds777]

Put a small turbofan on it and let it rip. Someone must be converting a small hobby size jet engine into a turbofan. Found it, Williams EJ22 will do nicely...

[@airspyware20]

Sounds interesting

[@FarmerFpv]

The SAAB Draken is inane looking. The Dyk is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing with us. Truly enjoyed this.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

My pleasure! Both marvels of engineering.

[@BrianUretsky]

I saw one of these at the EAA Museum at Oshkosh. Awesome little thing! Great video

[@dillonhopson4367]

That one is the prototype John flew 50 some years, 2000 plus hours, and no telling how many rides. I have pictures of several of us together with John and the prototype in the museum

[@groupeSHININGMINIATURE]

Nice plane well built

[@timothyhannon605]

Bleeding edge? How about leading edge.

[@christophergagliano2051]

I don't think you get the joke my friend, back then experimental aircraft we're very dangerous so lots of bleeding went with this type of activity. Also years ago they didn't call it "state of the art" It was more like "start of the art"

[@randal_gibbons]

Cutting-edge technology has been tested and proven effective, while bleeding-edge technology remains in developmental infancy. Risk levels also vary; cutting-edge technology presents lower risks due to its proven effectiveness, whereas bleeding-edge technology bears higher stakes as it remains untested.

[@saucernut2]

Great job, these are fantastic 'little personal planes', we should all have one of these babies in our home garage right next to our car or truck, I would own one myself for great personal convenience.

[@dadautube]

beautiful! lovely! want one!

[@hokehinson5987]

An amazing story of shear determination showing real intelligent from experience than from having a sheep skin denoting intelligence. Such a wonderful aircraft! Certainly one that would be heirloom quality bequeathed thru family. This gentleman was far ahead of his time. Agree with other posts regarding use of modern materials & CNC equipment the construction could be significantly reduced. Yet not to many home builders have CNC at their finger tips...would enjoy a much simpler version built for 2...smaller scale....

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I agree, it's an amazing saga and very few stories like this in this day and age. (not to take away from modern builders like Patey and such)

[@soggybottom3463]

Educational and really entertaining...Outstanding 👍👏👏👏

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you!

[@tomcrosby6332]

Very cool. Thanks for the post.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@mikemiller5985]

I member it as a kid at Rockford. I fell in love with the delta because it was soooo unconventional. Wish my life took a different path I would own one today

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Plans still available for sale. Do it!

[@jiml.4280]

I once knew an ER doc in Fernandina Beach, Florida that had one in the mid '80's. Interesting aircraft.

[@RealMe55_]

A Perfect Electric Plane!