Righton Big Wing

The Big Wing was the name given to a large glider designed and built by Douglas Huntly Righton during the 1950s and 60s.^[1][2]

Big Wing
The partially disassembled Righton Big Wing, circa 2015
Role	Glider
National origin	New Zealand
Manufacturer	Douglas Huntly Righton
Introduction	1960s
Number built	1

Design and development

Righton was a farmer from Ruawai in Northland, New Zealand. In 1931 he had been granted a patent for a variable incidence wing design.^[3] Design of his glider is believed to have begun in the early 1950s, with construction lasting through to the late 1960s.^[2]

The glider was a cantilevered parasol-wing monoplane of conventional configuration, notable for its large wingspan of 22 m (72 ft). The incidence of both the main wing and the tailplane could be adjusted in flight.^[1][2] The fuselage was a simple slab-sided design and had a box-like cross-section. A long boom, extending from the nose of the glider, was fitted with a movable counterweight, allowing the glider's centre of gravity to be adjusted in flight.^[1][2]

Operational history

The Big Wing was never completed and did not undergo any flight tests. The glider had been stored in a series of rural barns and only came to public attention in 2015 when it was offered for sale through an online auction website. Its current whereabouts is unknown.^[1][2]

Specifications

Data from VGC News^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: two
• Wingspan: 22 m (72 ft 2 in)

Performance