[Frank Colver]

I've known John since the early days of HG in the 1970's. I had only seen him flying his Kilbo Kite and did not know about his experiments with his hang glider design he named the Blackbird, until recently. I was talking with John at an RC electric model flying field and he told me about the Blackbird. This was a swept forward wing with a close coupled V-tail. i've copied his e-mail correspondence with me about the glider and attached his drawing and article photo.

Frank Colver


PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE FROM JOHN ANDERSON ABOUT BLACKBIRD ETC.
January 27, 2017

Hi Frank,
Good to see you yesterday. I'm looking forward to the meet in May.
and your email notice.

Attached is an article and sketches of my "Blackbird:
It flew very well except as noted - the landing flare.
I still have my original homemade "Kilbo Kite"
but I also have about 35 extra pounds to lift.and no car rack.
Glad to see that you are still enjoying and innovating model aircraft.
Lets meet and catch up over coffee?
John

Hi Frank,
Post it? Sure. I'm honored.

The top sketch shows the actual glider (the inset photo shows the real thing launching from Irvine Coast Pelican hill)
The sketch below shows what was to have been the next step (ran out of time)

That design featured tensile trailing edges with plug-in/out folding ribs- allowing the fabric to be rolled into
the d-tube leading edges which then folded together for storage and transport (similar for v-tail).
A single movable control bar was attached directly to the stab - passing thru a rubber grommet encased bearing.
wherein the t-handled control bar could be levered up/down (pitch), side-to-side (yaw) and rotated (stab-tilt roll).
The nose nacelle was open at the bottom to allow for foot launch and then legs up flight.
As we discussed, a further refinement would have been anhedral v-tail (Predator).
I built CO2 powered ff models of same - flew out of sight at Mile Square (still have design plans). Ah those were the days!
Meanwhile I have some interesting new membrane wing designs. Lets have that coffee chat when your back.
John

Hi again Frank,

Regarding my "Blackbird" - now that I recall more, I neglected to mention that:
1. The name comes from the heavy black polyethylene covering machine sewn by my wife in our front driveway.

2. The design evolved from a line of paper gliders. The final design was constructed from a 7-inch paper glider
which set the dimensions and angles. all the rest was based on sketches of various construction and rigging details.

Nonetheless it flew right of the drawing board (although there never was one). As noted in our conversation, my concept
was that according to WWII German designs, a swept-forward wing will turn into the wind as during take-off/landing.

3. I reluctantly scrapped the Blackbird when my wife and I separated for a time...probably because of all that sewing!
But I remain convinced that it had considerable promise.

Thanks for your interest!
John