Story so far: Meghnath and his brothers have learnt about various wing shapes from their grand-uncle Prahasta and are sitting in their vimanas, waiting to hear the whistle that will signal the start of their contest.
Prahasta: For the next eight hours, Sukracharya will control all five elements in the flying area. You know how he is when it comes to assessments. So be prepared for anything in terms of the weather.
The boys look at each other confidently. Meghnath hugs his younger brother, Akshayakumara, and takes the pilot’s seat in the cockpit, with Trishira as his co-pilot. In the other vimana, Atikaya is having a discussion with his team.
Atikaya: Even though Meghnath is strong, he will underplay his strengths today. We are basically fighting Akshayakuamara and Trishira. We need to play to our strengths. I will take care of the aircraft’s movements and speed. Narantaka, you keep an eye on the human area (that is the ground level and up to 12km). Above that, Devantaka, it is your responsibility. In case of any conflict, I will take the final call.
Devantaka and Narantaka agree. Devantaka sits in the pilot’s seat with Narantaka as his co-pilot. Prahasta orders the engines to be started and begins a countdown. As he counts, the bright weather suddenly becomes windy and the sound of thunder is heard. It begins to rain. Only Meghnath is not surprised at the mysterious weather change. Worried for his brothers in the other vimana, he wonders if he should ask the clouds to be gentle with them.
Akshayakumara: They are our competition.
Meghnath decides to leave it to Prahasta. Their grand-uncle gives the command to launch.
Atikaya: Devantaka, keep it at high wing so that we can lift off quickly. Once we reach the 3km mark, shift to mid wing
Devantaka presses high wing and the vimana lifts off but the speed is less.
Akshayakumara: Meghnath, keep it at low wing. Let’s hover with the ground effect (gaining the air cushion effect due to airflow below the wing and less clearance to the ground). Once we gain speed, we can lift off.
Atikaya’s vimana has risen very fast but not covered much in terms of distance. Akshayakumara’s craft has covered more distance without gaining height.
Atikaya: Narantaka, shift to mid wing.
Narantaka obeys but speed doesn’t cross 340m/s (subsonic or slower the speed of sound)
Atikaya: Make it swept back. The straight wing cannot go supersonic.
Devantaka follows his order and the craft begins to cruise at high speed and crosses the other vimana.
Akshayakumara: Meghnath, increase our speed slowly – straight wing to swept back to delta to reach hypersonic speed (more than five times the speed of sound)
Meghnath smiles and obeys. Prahasta claps and the wind becomes turbulent, hitting the vimanas from all directions. Both planes begin to lose balance.
Atikaya (shouts): Dihedral...
Akshayakumara: Meghnath, what should we do now?
Meghnath: Dihedral for balance; then make it high straight wing for lateral stability
Though Atikaya’s vimana is flying faster with a certain level of stability, it seems half balanced. Akshayakumara’s vimana suddenly drops speed from delta to high straight wing. But both crafts manage to stabilise during the turbulence. Prahasta claps and normal wind conditions are restored.
Then, he claps again and a huge flock of birds appears, blocking the light from the sun and flying towards the planes. Before the boys can react, the birds hit the wings of the aircrafts. Atikaya stares blankly at them.
Devantata (shouts): Lift up! Majority of the birds cannot fly above the 12km height.
Akshayakumara: Meghnath, turn back and raise the speed. Trishira, keep an eye on me.
He jumps out holding on to a rope. Standing on top of a wing, he fights the birds with a sword. As Trishira — with his three heads allowing him a 360-degree vision — relays his movements, Meghnath carefully balances the plane, trying to avoid bird hits.
When Prahasta claps once more, the birds disappear. Atikaya’s plane has not suffered much damage but Akshayakumara’s vimana has been badly hit.
Prahasta: Take a five-minute break before the next level.
Meghnath jumps out, takes his tool kit and starts to fix the damaged body while Akshayakumara and Trishira look on sadly.
How to make a tapered swept-back wing plane
Step 1 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 1: Take an A4 size paper and fold the two ends to form a triangle.
Step 2 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 2: Fold the paper from the right to form a right-angle triangle.
Step 3 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 3: Repeat the step from the left. You will now have a triangle on top with tapered sides below.
Step 4 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 4: Fold the paper into half along the centre line of the triangle to make the fuselage or body of the plane
Step 5 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 5: Turn the paper horizontally and fold the top half back.
Step 6 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 6: Flip the paper and repeat the step from the other side.
Step 7 (top) and Step 7a (bottom) | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 7 and 7a: Open out the folds, you will see a line down the centre and along the two sides at the bottom. Lift the top part of paper at the bottom left and fold to create sharp knife-like structure towards the tail end.
Step 8 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 8: Fold back the wings to get a knife-like fold in between the wings. Make a small fold in the edge of the wings on both sides.
Step 9 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Step 9: Your plane with tapered swept-back wings is ready.
The author is the founder and CEO of Vaayusastra Aerospace, an IIT-Madras incubated ed-tech startup that offers Air Science workshops for children between five and 14 years.
