Fig. 34. The Malay Kite.
DIHEDRAL ANGLES.—This is a term to designate a form of disposing of the wings which has been found of great service in the single plane machines. A plane which is disposed at a rising angle, as A, A, Fig. 35, above the horizontal line, is called dihedral, or diedral.
Fig. 35. Dihedral Angle.
This arrangement in monoplanes does away with the necessity of warping the planes, or changing them while in flight. If, however, the angle is too great, the wind from either quarter is liable to raise the side that is exposed.
THE COMMON KITE.—While the Malay kite has only two points of cord attachment, both along the vertical rib, the common kite, as shown in Fig. 36, has a four-point connection, to which the flying cord is attached. Since this form has no dihedral angle, it is necessary to supply a tail, which thus serves to keep it in equilibrium, while in flight.
Fig. 36. Common Kite.
Various modifications have grown out of the Malay kite. One of these forms, designed by Eddy, is exactly like the Malay structure, but instead of having a light flexible cross piece, it is bent to resemble a bow, so that it is rigidly held in a bent position, instead of permitting the wind to give it the dihedral angle.
THE BOW KITE.—Among the different types are the bow kite, Fig. 37, and the sexagonal structure, Fig. 38, the latter form affording an especially large surface.
_Fig. 37. Bow Kite.-
Fig. 38. Hexagonal Kite.