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A technique for creating different types of flying kites with a guarantee of successful launch. DIY rokkaku kite DIY flyable kite

How wonderful summer is! Sun, heat, swimming, wind! Wait, wait – what does the wind have to do with it? Yes, despite the fact that with its help we will be able to launch into the air one of the oldest aircraft - a kite. Kites came to us from China - this, by the way, explains its name - we are all well aware of the craving of the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire for all sorts of dragons and snakes. As early as two centuries BC, the Chinese army used kites for combat purposes. But there is reason to believe that snakes appeared even earlier. Later, kites conquered the European skies. And in the 18th and 19th centuries, scientists even began to use them for meteorological research. So the history of the kite goes back at least two thousand years. Let's take advantage of the vast experience accumulated by mankind and make a simple kite, which, nevertheless, will help you have fun and bring a lot of pleasure from launches.

In general, there are quite a lot of varieties of kites. But, as I already said, we will try to make one of the simplest designs - a flat kite. When making it, we will need the simplest materials and a minimum of time - we cannot waste the summer. Therefore, let's quickly get down to business and move on to launches! In the second part of the article, the curious will be able to find out why snakes fly and how to make the right kite using science. You can use my instructions one-on-one and get a fully functional flying pet. But this instruction is not a rule. You can deviate from it at any time and use your own materials and technical solutions.

To make a kite we will need:

Wooden slats. I used window glazing bead - it is a fairly light and affordable material. You can use bamboo sticks or even carbon fiber. When using wooden materials, make sure that there are no knots on the sticks, otherwise the stick may break in these places when flying the kite.
Nylon thread. You can use thick fishing line.
Regular sewing thread.
Polyethylene film. You can use tracing paper, but I prefer film because... it is more elastic.
Adhesive tape, also known as scotch tape.
PVA glue.

Here is the circuit diagram of the kite. I’ll tell you what kind of letters and numbers they are during the course of the article.

First you need to decide on the size of the kite. I will tell you how to calculate the size of a kite for a certain wind force in the second part of the article. And at this stage you can either use my dimensions or proceed from the aspect ratio a=3/4b (see diagram), i.e. side a is 3/4 side length b . My dimensions are: side a = 84 cm, side b = 112 see. We can immediately cut the bar L1 length 84 cm.

Planks L2 And L3 identical and equal to 140 cm. If you are making a kite according to your own dimensions, then you will need to calculate your dimensions of the slats L2 And L3 . To find out their length, we use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the legs. If we speak in relation to our kite, then the calculation will be as follows: the legs are known to us - these are 84 and 112 cm. This means that the hypotenuse (i.e., the diagonal bar of the kite) will be equal to the square root of 84 2 + 112 2, i.e. 140 cm. Don't panic! These were the most difficult calculations! Then it's just assembly. Cutting off the slats L2 And L3.

You can already estimate the size of our kite.

We take two long planks and connect them exactly in the center. You can use tape for this, but it is better to make the connection using thread and glue. To do this, tightly wrap the area to be joined with thread, and then coat the thread with glue.

We attach the horizontal bar in the same way.

Now we stretch a nylon cord around the perimeter of the kite. To keep it on the lower ends of the kite, small notches can be made on the slats.

The cord should not sag, but you shouldn’t pull it too hard, otherwise, if you pull a little more on one side than the other, you can get a skewed structure. In principle, you don’t have to tighten the cord around the perimeter, but it’s still better to do this to ensure greater rigidity of the structure.

You can also skip the next step, but if you have a couple of extra minutes of time, it’s better to complete it. Using a nylon thread, pull the top bar a little like a bow. This will add stability to the snake when flying.

This is what our frame should look like.

Now we measure and cut the film. You need to measure with a small margin of 5-6 cm per hem.

We secure the film to the frame using tape. It's done like this. The film is spread on a flat surface, then the kite frame is placed on it. Wrap the strip or thread in film and seal the seam with tape.

Now we need to make slings c1 And c2 (see picture). Sling c1 tied to the upper ends of the kite so that its top reaches the central crosshair of the frame.

Sling c2 one end is tied to the central crosshair of the frame, and the other end to the center of the sling c1 . In this case, its length should be equal to the distance from the center of the kite to its upper bar.

The end result should look something like this.

Take the production of slings seriously, because... errors at this stage greatly affect the kite's flight performance. Make sure that the sling is c2 was secured exactly in the middle of the sling c1 . To the formed connection point of the slings we tie a line - a nylon thread (or fishing line) with which you will hold the kite. We do the same with the tail line. c3 . We tie its ends to the lower ends of the kite, and its length should be such that the top reaches the center of the kite.

We attach the tail to this very top g (see picture).

For test runs, I decided to use a thread as a tail, at the end of which I attached a weight. This was a wrong decision. Don't do that. A snake without a normal tail will not fly. The kite's tail serves as a stabilizer and prevents it from spinning in the air. So it’s better to immediately give him a normal tail. Well, for example, from a thread 4-5 meters long, on which paper bows are tied. Unfortunately, I forgot to capture the stage of making such a tail. But the tail will be visible in the launch photos.

If it’s easier for you to understand the video, you can watch a video about assembling a kite from our youtube channel :

Well, that's all, you can go launch your reptile. But before you do this, it is worth reminding that there are some safety rules to follow when starting:

Do not fly a kite near runways, airfields, roads, or railways.
Do not fly the kite in crowded places, because... If a snake falls, it can cause injury.
Don't fly a kite in a thunderstorm.
When starting, use a reel and/or gloves to avoid damaging your hands in case of sudden unwinding of the line.

Well, a few words about the launch technique. To fly, you need a wind speed of 4-6 meters per second. With less wind, only light kites will fly, and with more wind, it will be difficult to launch it. When assessing the wind, you can rely either on the weather forecast or on your own feelings. If the wind sways the branches on the trees, then it means the kite can be flown.

It is best to fly a kite together with an assistant. One person faces the wind and raises the kite above his head. The second person, unwinding the line, moves away 10-15 meters. If there is a good wind, just let go of the kite and it will take off. If there is not enough wind, you may have to run a little to get the kite to gain height and catch the upper air currents. For this reason, it is best to fly a kite in open spaces: fields, meadows, where there are no buildings, trees that block the path of the wind and twist the air flow.

Well, in general, describing the launch of a kite is much more difficult than doing it in practice. After two or three launches, you will already understand how best to fly a kite.

It happens that the kite does not want to fly. He is spinning, and he tends to plop onto the ground with a bang. If we ignore such obvious reasons as unstable and gusty wind, then first of all you need to check whether the line is exactly in the middle c1 sling attached c2 . You also need to check that the tail g was secured exactly in the middle of the sling c3 . And at the end there is a short video with a kite flying, the making of which was described in this article.

Good luck with your flights!

Good day everyone! Today I want to show you how to make a cool kite.

And let's start with a brief theory and a list of terms so that you can understand everything during the manufacturing process.

So. Rokkaku is a traditional Japanese kite. Kite lovers call them Rockies for short. This type of kite differs from others in its very high stability in the sky, good aerodynamics, ease of manufacture and design itself. As well as great lifting power and the ability to fly into the wind. This kite also does not need a tail, but in strong winds the tail will add stability. It is precisely because of such a large number of advantages that this kite is used for aerial photography and video filming, fixing the camera on a special suspension. It's called Kaping.

Let's take a closer look at the design of the kite. The basis of the frame is the ridge. It must be strong and unbending. The best material for the ridge is fiberglass tubes. Two ribs are attached to the spine: back and front. The ribs are curved (the back is more curved than the front). It is these curved fins that give the kite better aerodynamic properties compared to other flat kites. The best material for fins is carbon tubes. But of course, the entire frame can be made of wood (and this article is about this option). A sail is stretched over the frame (without it the kite would not be a kite). You can use film as a sail. Like all snakes, Rokkaku is launched on a leer (long rope).

The most reliable lifeline is a fishing rope, but this is too expensive. You can also fly kites on a thick fishing line, or, in extreme cases, on a synthetic rope. The kite is attached to the rail using a bridle. It consists of a front beam, a rear beam and a middle beam. A very cool improvement is the rubber compensator (we'll talk about it later). And of course, you can add a tail (for beauty and better stability).

Let's move on to production!

We will make snakes from pine planks. As for sizes, they can vary as long as the proportions are maintained.

We will make a kite with a height of 120 cm. From the proportion we find the width and height of the rectangular part. We cut the frame elements a centimeter longer than the calculated ones (this is necessary for attaching the guy wires).

At the ends of the ribs, use a hacksaw to make cross-shaped cuts and a few more notches. At the ends of the ridge we make one cut and notches.

Next we need a rope (you can use this one, it is sold at any hardware store).

To fasten the rope we will use various self-tightening knots. The main knot is a regular loop with a fixation (figure-of-eight knot) at the end.

This loop is put on the edge of the bar and tightened on the notches, and the free end is threaded through the groove.

The ribs need to be bent. It is dangerous to bend dry pine planks (they break immediately). Therefore, they need to be steamed over boiling water, and only then bent.

We thread the rope into the opposite groove and wrap it along the notches, then fasten the free end with a couple of ordinary knots. This mount is very reliable.

Ready! Now you need to fasten the ridge with the ribs. We fasten the ribs to the ridge with a loop, and then wrap the connection as tightly as possible with a rope.

Yes, the structure is shaky, but now we will strengthen it. We attach a loop to one end of the frame and begin to go around all the other ends of the frame in a circle, each time securing the rope with a couple of turns along the notches, and then thread it into the groove again. Watch the rope tension! And so that the frame is even (all corners must be right).

Great! The result is a fairly light and durable design. Now we will attach the sail. We will use a 160-liter garbage bag as a sail. We cut it lengthwise and then carefully tear off the bottom. Should get a hefty sheet of cellophane.

We put the frame on it and start with the long part. A small strip of the bag needs to be folded around the rope and then sealed with tape. Carefully, maintaining the tension of the sail and avoiding folds, we go along the perimeter, cut and bend all six sides of the sail to the ropes. It is also advisable to glue the sail to the ridge with a couple of pieces of tape.

The kite is almost ready! Now you need to tie the bridle.
The beam lengths are very easy to select. The front and rear beams are equal to two kite heights, and the middle beam is one height. You can make the arms half as long, but with a long bridle the snake behaves more stable.

We will attach the front and rear rays to the centers of the halves of the ribs, or a little further from the center (using the already familiar fixing loop).

It is better to use a thick rope for the bridle, because thin rope tends to get tangled, but such problems do not arise with thick rope. Now we make holes in the right places of the sail, thread the end of the rope there, knit a figure eight at the end and a loop around the rib. Now we make the middle beam by tying a figure eight loop at both ends. This is how the middle beam turned out (from loop to loop is equal to the height of the kite).
The middle beam is attached to the front and back using a regular cowhide loop. We secure the ends of the front and rear beams to the ribs. Why such difficulties? This bridle mount allows the middle beam to be moved left and right, making it possible to secure it exactly in the center.

The handrail is attached to the middle beam at a distance of one third from the front beam. At the found distance we knit a small figure eight loop. Now you need to configure the mount. We go out into the wind and look for a point on the middle beam, when held by which the kite behaves stably. And now we attach a rail to it.

Kite- this is one of the favorite toys and outdoor entertainment of our parents, as well as grandparents, who for obvious reasons did not have all kinds of gadgets and expensive toys. Simplicity of design and availability of materials made the air (or paper, as it is also called) snake making is a common pastime; in the old days, every boy knew how to do it. The time has come for us to get acquainted with its simple device. Indeed, despite the huge number of well-known models of various sizes and shapes (not to mention colors), they are all based on one aerodynamic principle.

A little history

The first recorded mentions of kites date back to China in the 2nd century BC (that’s 22 centuries or two thousand two hundred years!), only then they were called “dragons”. There they were mainly used by troops for the purpose of transmitting information (signal function), as well as to intimidate superstitious opponents.

And only one and a half thousand years later, the invention, brought to the highest technological level of those times, came to Europe, where for five hundred years it had no better use than as a toy. The simple design of the kite was accessible even to children from the lowest and poorest strata of society and served as one of the few joys in their difficult lives.

The situation changed when kites came to the attention of scientists and then the military in the mid-18th century. The ability of these aircraft to rise to great heights served the development of meteorology, the birth of aviation (the famous experiments of A.F. Mozhaisky),

the matter of studying the properties of thunderstorms and protection from it (Benjamin Franklin thus found out the electrical nature of lightning and invented a lightning rod, and Mikhailo Vasilyevich Lomonosov, too, it seems, in parallel with his American colleague and independently of him, came to the same conclusions); one of the inventors of radio, A.S. Popov, raised his first radio antennas with kites.

The military use of the device we are interested in was quite developed, mainly in the navy: a reconnaissance aircraft lifted into the air on a structure of several box-shaped kites could observe the movements of enemy ships at distances unthinkable at that time of 35 miles or more, while remaining unnoticed due to its convex shape earth's surface. In land military operations, kites were used less frequently.

Wikipedia illustration

Today, kite flying is an exciting and spectacular sport: controlled 2- and 4-rail devices are even capable of performing aerobatics! Kiting is another sport using a controlled kite, but as a propulsion force, like a sail. By the way, a kite sail, used on cargo ships as an additional propulsion device, allowed saving about 30% of fuel during the voyage!

Well, all we have to do is make a simple kite and go with it to an open area to catch the breeze and enjoy the view of the descendant of the ancient “dragons” soaring at a height. Who knows, maybe this innocent fun will become your great hobby for life, and in making kites you will become a real master, mentor and example for other enthusiasts.

It must be said that, since 1985, every second Sunday in October (regardless of the date that falls on that day) is celebrated as World Kite Day!

Kite designs

The entire variety of kites today is represented by several main types, depending on their design features. There can be many options for coloring, coloring and stylization, depending on the imagination of the designer: the main thing is that the correct ratios of the main elements are observed, which we will discuss below.

The main classification of kites looks like this:

Frame:

Frameless:

Kite - used as a traction propulsion device in the sport of kiting mentioned above.
Parafoil - the principle of operation is to fill special internal cavities with wind through air intakes. Parafoils are often made in the form of various animals, dragons and birds.
Flowform - differs from parafoil in that the air entering the front air intakes exits through the holes at the back and bottom of the kite, providing a more stable position in the air, therefore they are often used for photo and video shooting.

Almost everyone is familiar with the concept of a kite. You immediately imagine a string on which is attached an object that is moving through the air. In fact, the world of kites is much more diverse. There are many different types of kites. They differ in size, design, and purpose.

People have long been interested in the abilities of flying kites. They were widely used in life. And now, it’s no secret that designing and flying a kite is one of people’s favorite pastimes.

How pleasant it is to experience the ease of flight when launching a kite into the sky, to feel like you are part of this aircraft. Especially if it is made by yourself. You put part of your soul into it when creating it, and when you see it rise into the heavens, you feel joy for your justified and rewarded work.

Since 1985, International Kite Day has been celebrated around the world on the second Sunday in October. On this day, various competitions and master classes are held. There are kite festivals all over the world where every amateur or professional can fly their own flying kite into the air.

Such an extraordinary and unique activity as creating a kite with your own hands and flying it is available to everyone. You just need a little time and desire.

The history of flying kites

A flying, or otherwise aerial, kite is one of the most ancient flying structures. Its origin is attributed to countries such as China and Malaysia. It is believed that it was in these countries around the second century BC. e. The first mention of a kite appeared. So, for example, in China a similar design resembled a snake with the head of a dragon.

This is where the name snakes come from, which continues to this day. The very idea of creating a flying kite was taken from nature. In order to say how and under what circumstances this happened, there are many stories, but none of them has exact confirmation. The significance and popularity of this invention has overshadowed the details of such things.

Application

From the very beginning of its development, the kite found application in such areas as military affairs, everyday life and ritual activities. In warfare, kites were used to measure the distance of enemy territory and objects when planning military operations, as well as to demoralize enemy troops by intimidating them with such aerial structures. Since the mid-18th century, flying kites have found practical use. So, they are beginning to be used in the scientific field when conducting experiments. Lomonosov, Euler, Newton are among the many who used kites in their experiments. Kites have found application in research in areas such as meteorology, terrain photography, sports and many others. For the development of the wings of the first aircraft, valuable material was the information obtained in the process of studying the aerodynamics of flying kites. Now the kite is mainly used for sports (for example, kitesurfing) and entertainment purposes.

Techniques for making different types of kites

Flat kite "Monk"

This type of flying kite is the simplest. To directly obtain the required design, you need to cut a square sheet

Necessary materials:

A4 paper (a sheet of newspaper, polyethylene, nylon is also suitable),
thread 30 cm long, ribbons, threads (both regular and wool).
Threads or strips of some fabric will be used to make the tail of the snake.

Kite making technique:

Prepare a sheet of A4 size, and the paper should be thick. Then position the bottom right corner of the sheet so that it touches the largest left side, which in turn aligns with the smaller left side. Thus, if we do not take into account the upper strip, we get the figure of a double expanding triangle. After the top rectangle is cut off, you will be able to achieve an even square sheet.
Draw the axis of the square with a pencil or pen, connecting its two opposite corners with a line.
Position the right and left sides of the square so that they are adjacent to its axis. And like an accordion, bend the corners up twice.
Get the so-called “bridle” by gluing a 30 cm long thread into the middle of the accordion. Moreover, this is done on both sides of the accordion.
Prepare a rope to launch and control the kite. You need to tie a rope in the center of the bridle.

To make a tail for a kite, you need to follow these steps:

Achieve a length of threads of at least 50 cm. This is approximately what is needed for a medium-sized kite. If the threads are ordinary, then you need to make 20 pieces; if they are wool, then 6 will be enough.
Connect the prepared sections and tie them closer to the end so that you get a tassel, or you can also make a pigtail. To make the snake more colorful, you can add some bright objects to the tail. They can be cut out of paper.
Attach the tail directly to the kite. You need to insert the tail prepared according to the previous point through the hole made in the lower part of the kite. Then glue it with glue or tie it in a knot.

“Russian” kite made of paper, fabric and wood

The design of this kite has some complications and also requires more materials.

Necessary materials:

Two notebook sheets
thin wooden slats 3 pieces, two of them are 60 cm long, and one is 40 cm long,
fabric of any color,
strong nylon thread,
scissors,
glue,
small file,
ruler for ruling,
pencil.

Kite making technique:

First you need to assemble the frame. In order to do this, you need to follow these steps:

We take two slats, each of which is 60 cm long, find the middle in them and put one on top of the other in the middle area. The middle can be marked with a pencil. We secure this position with a rope in the middle.
We place a 40 cm long slats so that its ends touch the two ends of the other slats, that is, at the very edge, so that a triangle is formed. We secure them with rope at the points of contact.
We take the thread and tie it around the remaining perimeter, slightly pulling it, so that a closed square is formed, and inside it there are intersecting diagonals in the form of slats of 60 cm each.

Afterwards the fitting is done using the steps below:

We take two notebook sheets and glue them along the edge of the larger length (the unfolded side).
We place the previously prepared frame on top of the glued paper and cut the paper to the size of the frame, leaving 2 cm from the edge of the frame for folding.
We fold the paper along the edge of the frame and glue it with glue.

To make the paper cover taut better, you can spray it with water and leave it to dry.

We take a pin and stick it where the slats intersect. We tie one of the ends of the thread to one of the upper ends of the frame. We wrap a thread around the pin and then tie it to the other upper end. We mark the place where the thread touched the pin and remove the pin.
Now we use the second thread of the bridle. We turn the kite over, placing it on the tight cover. We tie a thread to the intersection of the slats in the center.
In the center where a pin or nail was inserted, depending on what you used, make a small hole. You can use scissors for this. Through this hole we pass the thread obtained in the previous step.
We draw this thread to the upper border of the kite and at the very end, where the thread reaches the rail, we make a mark on it with a pencil.
We place the thread under the first part of the bridle, which interacted with the upper ends, wrap it around and make a knot, tightening it so that it is tied at the place of the pencil mark from the previous step.
We find another mark on the first thread and move the knot to this mark, tying another knot for strength. The knot should be exactly in the middle of the structure.

To make a tail, you need to perform the following sequence of actions:

We take a thread 60 cm long, tie it to the lower edge of the frame, then to the second lower end to make a semi-arc.
Set the frame aside. We make strips of any fabric 7-8 cm wide.
We tie the strips together with ordinary knots until we get a tail length of 4 - 4.5 m. A loop is made at one end of the tail, but it is not tightened to the very end. Next, take a thread 15 cm long and pass it through a loose knot, tie the thread well and make a strong knot.
We take the kite and create a loop right along the central part of the tail frenulum, make a knot and connect it to the thread at the tail. The snake is ready!

Polyethylene triangle kite

This is also a flat kite design, but requires a lot of effort to make. The kite will be obtained in the shape of a clear triangle and will look very beautiful when using bright materials. It turns out to be more durable than a paper kite, and, therefore, will last longer. Such snakes are unpretentious to the weather and are easy to disassemble.

Necessary materials:

A polyethylene bag of any color and dense in structure,
4 slats,
rope or fishing reel.

A triangular, or in other words, delta-shaped kite consists of four elements: two side slats, a central rail, and a transverse one. It is better to make such a snake according to the drawing. The dimensions are also calculated from the drawing; first you need to take some part, for example, the length of the central rail, as the base one and start calculating all other dimensions from it.

Kite making technique:

Take the prepared package and, looking at the drawing, cut out the snake.
Prepare 4 slats, the size of which is calculated in accordance with the drawing: a long longitudinal one, a short transverse one, two side ones, the size of which is the same.
First, glue the side slats on the sides. Then glue the longitudinal part along the central part. At the very end, use glue to secure the central cross section. Attach the keel along the middle part of the kite with tape.
Insert the tail into the hole made in the central part of the bottom of the canvas. The tail is constructed from pieces of bags obtained by trimming.
Tie along the fishing line to the corners. Then tie them together with a knot.
In order to launch and control the kite, it is necessary to connect a fishing line with a reel to the “bridle” made.

This type of flying kite is similar in design to a triangular kite.

Necessary materials:

A rail with a length of 60 cm
rail with a length of 30 cm,
scotch,
polyethylene bag,
fishing line

Kite making technique:

First, you need to arrange the slats in a cross in such a way that a 30 cm long slats can intersect a 60 cm long slats at a height equal to one-fourth of the total length.
Afterwards you need to bandage the slats in this position using tape. Place the resulting cross on the prepared plastic bag.
Then cut out the canvas, shaped like a diamond, leaving some margin.
Stretch the resulting fabric onto a cross of slats. As for the stock, it must be tucked and hemmed or glued with glue.
Tie one fishing line both to the corner at the bottom of the diamond and to where the sticks intersect. It’s good to secure all this with a few turns.
Get a bridle. To do this, you need to connect the fishing line with a knot. Don’t forget to attach the fishing line and reel to the knot.
The last thing to do is attach the tail with tape to the end of the axle stick. The tail can also be cut out of cellophane.

You can achieve better kite flight if you maintain the following proportions: the size of the kite's tail is 10 times larger than the size of the base.

Kite in the form of a bird

This type of kite actually resembles a bird due to the resulting design effect. The result is a kind of wave, similar to the flapping of a bird's wings. Special cuts in the form of feathers on the wings also help to see the bird.

Necessary materials:

8 sticks, the diameter of which is less than 1 cm and the length is 30.5 cm,
3 sticks with lengths equal to 91.5 cm,
3 sticks with lengths of 150 cm (sticks can be made, for example, from pine).
You will also need fishing line
polyethylene film,
coil.

Kite making technique:

First you need to arrange the 150 cm rods in parallel.
At a distance of 59.75 cm (counting from the edge) place a stick with a length of 91.5 cm. This must be done across.
Tie the stick with threads. Moreover, between the first two slats the distance should be equal to 30.5 cm, between the second two it should be 61 cm.
Then make an indent of 30.5 cm in the larger direction. Attach another stick, the length of which is 91.5 cm.
Place 4 short slats at a distance of 30.5 cm from each other. They need to be placed at an angle, which would allow them to converge into a triangle at the bottom.
Get a “manger” attached to the central part of the kite structure. Place the last strip on the meeting ends of the short planks. The length of the slats is 91.5 cm. And then tie everything together with threads soaked in glue.
Moisten the ends of long sticks in water and connect them. The wetting procedure is carried out so that they do not break when they begin to bend.
Pull the fishing line between the tips of the resulting “wings” of the kite.
To construct the body of the kite, you need to cut a piece of fabric shaped like a pentagon. Moreover, the top side should be 30.5 cm, as well as the bottom, height equal to 91.5 cm + 2 cm for tucking. You also need to make a square in the middle with a side of 30.5 cm.
Measure 59.75 cm to the left and right sides from the bottom corners of the square. And stretch the sections from the end of both the upper and lower sides of the pentagon-shaped piece of fabric to the points marked after this, which will result in a fabric with a cutout in the center.
Sheath the wooden rod of the kite. Also use glue to glue the rod.
You will need to cut out 4 more inserts. Their size should be 30.5 x 30.5 cm for the “nursery”. Place them in the cutouts and glue them.
Then you can make a tail out of rope. Also, some leftover fabric can be used to create the tail. And finally, attach it to one of the sides of the “manger”.
You also need to make a bridle from connected fishing lines and tie a thread tightly to them. (Thread with a rope).

A box kite is no longer a flat kite, but a three-dimensional one. Unlike flat kites, it has more lifting force. The design of such a kite has a body, a fetter and a cord. This snake has no tail.

Necessary materials:

Reiki 4 pcs. 100 cm each,
slats 6 pcs. 60 cm each,
garbage bags (preferably large ones for 60 liters or more) or cotton or silk fabric,
nylon harness on a reel,
scotch,
ruler straight and with an angle,
scissors,
glue.

Kite making technique:

The frame of the kite should be made in the shape of a parallelogram, the term box shape is often used. The sides of each rectangular face are proportional in size as one part to three parts, or one part to four parts. The shape of the box is created using slats.
It is also necessary to install diagonal slats in the body of the lower and upper edges. The dimensions of the slats must match. Slats with both round and square cross-sections are suitable; there is no fundamental preference.

But it would be better if all the slats were of the same section and not bent.

The slats are connected to each other in such a way that the ends of the slats protrude 5 cm from the place of its attachment with another slat. To make this possible, each slat is made 10 cm longer than the intended size. The slats must be tightly connected to each other, usually the place where one slat is placed on top of the other is tied with a rope or strong thread, and can also be additionally secured with glue.
After the body of the kite is ready, it needs to be covered with fabric or film, depending on what materials were prepared, but not completely, but only the lower and upper parts, leaving the middle uncovered. For strength, secure the sheathing with glue or sew. It is not necessary to make the kite frame in the shape of a parallelogram; it can also be made in the shape of a rhombus, that is, the body must be made in the shape of a parallelepiped.
To improve flight performance, you can also add wings to the side surfaces of the body. The wings are cut from the same material from which the body was covered, in the shape of a right triangle. The dimensions of the wing are determined according to the fact that it must cover the entire side to which it is attached, and in span extend to a length equal to the length of the kite frame. They are also attached to the side with glue and threads.
Attaching the kite to the cord is made of two lines, which are connected together with a knot or ring. If you use a ring, then it is easier to attach a cord to it for starting. The dimensions of the attachment to the cord do not depend on the chosen frame shape.
Since this type of snake does not have a tail, for convenience, the lower skin is taken for the tail. When flying a kite, they try to regulate its position in the air masses, creating a balance between the upper part of the skin and the lower part - the tail. But balance is not so easy to achieve! It is necessary that the kite is positioned at the desired angle in the air masses. The desired angle will not be obtained immediately; it must be adjusted when launching the kite, changing the position of the kite fastenings, that is, the lines, and their length.
There are several nuances that can tell you what to do with the kite mounts. For example, if a kite does not take off at all or flies at a low altitude and does not rise higher in any way, then this means that the constructed kite has too massive a lower skin, that is, a tail. In order to correct this situation, it is necessary to either replace the lower fastening strap with a longer one and adjust the new connection point of the slats, or replace the upper fastening strap with a shorter one. You may have to do this several times until the kite starts to fly normally. Another example. If the kite twists too much in the air, this indicates that the lower skin is underweight, too light. In this case, the opposite is done: the upper line is taken longer or the lower one is replaced with a shorter one.
The larger the box kite, the more lifting force it has. But to launch a larger kite, it is better to use a light cord or fishing line.

The concept of the “Kite Train” was introduced by Sergei Alekseevich Ulyanin, who created a design of 7-10 kites connected into one flexible system capable of lifting four observers. Such designs began to be actively used in military operations in order to land one’s own man or conduct a reconnaissance operation on enemy territory without incident, since when one of the components failed, there was only a decrease in lift and a decrease in altitude, and not a collapse of the entire system.

To make a “Kite Train”, you need to make several flying kites, not necessarily of the same shape or size, there is room for your imagination to run wild, and connect them into a single system. Then you will get a composite structure, consisting of flying kites in a row, connected as one whole.

Successful launch of a flying kite

To fly a kite into the air, much preparation and special skills are not required. The main thing is to find the right place and the right wind.

As for the location, it should be an open space without any objects that could interfere with the successful launch. Obstacles can include trees in which the kite can get stuck, buildings, hills, etc. The most suitable places to fly a kite are fields and coastlines. Also, as a rule, cities have specially designated places intended for launches. They bring together all amateurs and professionals who want to fly their kite into the air. Typically, an area of 1600 square meters is sufficient for kite flying. m.

As for the wind, it should be from 3 to 4 m/s. If there is too much wind, there is a risk of putting yourself and others in danger, as well as damaging the kite itself. It is important to take into account such a wind parameter as its direction. It is recommended to place the kite in front of you, and keep your back to the wind.

There are several types of successful kite flying:

So, the first includes a regular launch, which involves two people and a flying kite of any type. In this case, one launch participant will hold the kite, and the second will unwind approximately 20 meters of the line, maybe less, but not more. The latter should position himself with his back to the wind, and facing the kite, carefully pulling the line. Next, the person holding the kite runs up and launches it into the air. If the wind strength is not enough or the kite begins to sink to the ground, losing height, then the participant with the lifeline will need to run back until the kite flies higher, catching the wind.
The second method of launching a kite is called “Hand Launching”. For this type of launch, one participant is enough to launch the kite without a bridle or with a short bridle. The launcher holds the line next to the kite and pulls towards himself, slowly lifting it off the ground. As soon as the kite rises into the air, it is enough to unwind the line. With a properly constructed kite there should be no difficulties.
The last type of launch, “Pull-up and release,” involves a small space for flying a kite and either one participant or two. This method is especially convenient when it is not possible to fly the kite over a large space, since it does not require running up to increase the kite's position in the air. The launch begins similar to a Hand Launch or with a line that is unwound as much as possible and a kite held by a second participant. The first participant goes back, the rope does not unwind. The kite is raised to the maximum height, taking into account the length of the line, and then, lowering the line, he ensures that the kite completely lowers the height, thereby unwinding the line. By repeating this sequence of actions, it is necessary to raise the flying kite to a height with an acceptable wind for the kite to be lifted into the air on its own.

Safety precautions

In order to fly a kite and protect yourself from injury and death, as well as not cause inconvenience to anyone, you must follow the following safety rules:

Do not fly a kite near power lines, railroads, airports, or near highways.
Make sure the kite design is correct and durable
Avoid launches during storms and thunderstorms
Observe airport flight rules
Do not fly the kite near, behind or over people
Do not fly a kite near large animals, such as horses.
When operating a kite, use a reel or gloves to avoid injuring your hands.

Creating a kite and flying it is an amazing activity that will bring only the warmest and most joyful emotions to you and your loved ones.

A DIY kite will bring you much more pleasure than a purchased one. Because the process itself is not only very exciting and creative, but also simple! And such a snake will definitely be exclusive.

The first to invent kites were, as usual, the Chinese somewhere in the 6th century BC. Their use was purely practical - with the help of a kite, ropes were thrown across rivers and deep ravines, along which bridges were then built.

And the cunning Chinese commanders were even glorified with their help! One of them launched a kite that could make sounds over the enemy camp in the night. Some believed that they were attacked by demons, others that their guardian spirits were warning them of danger. By morning the army fled.

Another general flew a kite during the day, over the palace of an evil ruler. Using the length of the rope, he calculated the distance to the palace and ordered a tunnel of the required length to be dug. One night, with a small detachment, he passed through this tunnel and easily defeated the enemy.

Later, kites helped people achieve amazing success in the conquest of the air and the study of natural phenomena.

Nowadays, it serves as a fun place for groups of all ages. And the process itself at home will help you understand aerodynamics, mechanics and design.

Types of kites

Depending on the design there are: simple kite, box and compound trains. By the way, in English-speaking countries, a kite is called a “kite,” and flying such a kite is kiting, which has long become a sport.

A simple kite differs from a box kite in that it lies in the same plane. This is the easiest kite to make. A kite train consists of several kites of a simple or box-shaped design, flexibly connected to each other - such a design will remain in the air even if a couple of links are lost.

There are quite a few models of each design (top, box, smile, box-shaped diamond, etc.), but since we want to make a kite at home, only the simplest designs will be considered here.

Necessary materials

Snakes come in completely different shapes and materials. To make any design we will need:

For frame slats you need to take light, durable and slightly elastic materials. Frames for professional kites are made from carbon tubes and rods, but at home you can also make them from wooden twigs.

Paper kites are the most short-lived, but this material is much easier to obtain than lightweight nylon, which does not allow water to pass through and does not fade in the sun.

Its thickness is no more than 1 mm, so nylon mesh is added for greater strength.

If you are lucky enough to find nylon fabric somewhere, then when cutting, place the patterns diagonally - then it will be easier to pull it onto the frame and it will have better aerodynamic properties. The bridle and straps to protect the joints of the elements are best made of leather.

Before choosing a kite and its size, review these tips:

Snakes of simple designs are unstable in the air; controlling them requires a great deal of skill. Therefore, don’t be lazy to spend a little more time - then playing with such a kite will be more interesting.
It is important to follow the proportions indicated in the diagrams. It may not fly if you have not carefully studied the drawings before making it.
Heavy and large kites are more difficult to fly if you are inexperienced.

Simple single-plane kite "Monk"

The design of this paper kite is extremely simple; you can make it in 15 minutes. Ideal if you need to keep a group of children or adults occupied for a short time.

M Materials and tools: thread, A4 sheet of thick paper, scissors, PVA glue.

You need to make a square from a sheet of paper and cut out the excess part with scissors.
Carefully bend the edges along the axis as shown in the first diagram.
Fold down the corners of the paper. The angle may be slightly smaller than in the diagrams - whatever is more convenient for you.
We bend the edge of the bent corner again so that we get something like an accordion or spring.
We make a “bridle” - cut a piece of thread about 30 cm long and glue it into the resulting paper pockets. The thread needs to be glued exactly along the fold, held for a while with your fingers and allowed to dry.

While the snake is drying, prepare its tail. This is important, the kite will not fly without a balancer.

For a kite of this size, the tail should be at least 50 cm, depending on the strength of the wind outside. It can be made from the same thread as the bridle, but it will be more beautiful to take other colors and thin threads for knitting.
For ordinary sewing threads we take about 20 pieces of 50 cm each, for woolen threads – 5-6 pieces.
We put them together and tie them into a tassel near the end of the tail.
We cut out a triangle from scrap paper and glue the tail to the kite as shown in the diagram.
Tie a skein of regular thread to the bridle. The snake is ready.

Sail

This snake is most often depicted in books and shown in films. It looks like a rhombus with one shortened axis. Done in a couple of hours.

The materials you need for a quality, durable kite will depend on the region in which you live. If there are strong winds in your region, the structure, naturally, should be more durable. If the winds are weak, then a powerful kite may not take off.

The “sail” consists of two slats connected by a cross and a canvas stretched over them. In light winds, you can use a plastic bag or a garbage bag as a fabric. You will also need tape, scissors, a meter, fishing line or strong thin cord and superglue.

Simple manufacturing steps:

Diamond Kite "Potter Design"

No, not Harry, but this box kite flies just as well if it's done right.

Materials:

wooden slats (8x6) or carbon tubes (d=7) length: 1 m – 7 pieces, 1.5 m – 1 piece, 0.6 m – 4 pieces;
scarves made of plywood 1 mm thick or connectors for pipes - 16 pcs;
squares from the same plywood for crosses - 2 pcs;
the fabric is durable and light; in areas where there is no strong wind, you can take garbage bags and durable films;
glue, wood nails;
threads

Assembly steps:

Cover and openers:

The box kite is ready! It can also be decorated with a tail and designs on strips of fabric.

Starting safety

Do not let small children fly kites themselves if the structure is large or the wind is strong.

There are many cases where the kite had so much resistance that children were lifted into the air. This usually results in injury, but there have been deaths.

The fishing line or twine must match the size of the structure, otherwise it will be very disappointing when the kite flies away.

Do not fly kites near power lines. In addition, to fly particularly large kites in some countries you must contact the police for permission.