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Chapter 2

High Flyer No. 1 High Flyer No.2 Hexagonal

High Flyer Kite No. 1

There are very good reports of the flying performance of this kite. It will readily attain a good height, and being strongly made will withstand fairly rough weather. The framework is constructed of split cane throughout to give maximum strength, and the two-piece bridle and tail improve stability.

To make the kite you will require three pieces of split cane, A, B, and C, all about 1/4 in. thick. The backbone A, is 2 ft. 6 in. in length, and the crossbars, B and C, are each 2 ft. Make shallow grooves at the end of all three pieces, and assemble them in the pattern shown in Fig. 4. The angles between the framework pieces must correspond on each side of the backbone, otherwise the kite will not balance well. Join the framework pieces together with glue and fine string. The joint thus made comes at the centre of the backbone and crossbars. Make sure that this joint is strongly made, otherwise the framework will be in danger of collapsing when the kite is in flight.

The bracing strings are added next. Begin with the inner one. Take a length of thin strong string, and tie it to the top half of the backbone, exactly half way between the end and the centre joint. From there, take it to one of the crossbars, at a point which is half way between one end and the centre joint. Bind the string round the crossbar once or twice and tie with an overhand knot. Smear the binding with glue to prevent it slipping. Repeat the procedure until the inner bracing is completed. Add the outer bracing string in the same way, making use of the grooves which have been cut at the ends of the framework. The bracing strings should be taut, in order to keep the kite in its proper shape.

The cover is made from lightweight cotton material, such as cambric, or very fine calico. Lay the framework on the material, mark the shape with a pencil, allowing an extra 1 in. all round for overlapping, and cut out. Paint a simple design in bright colours on the cover, using fabric painting oil colours. Pin the cover to a board while this is being done.

Now attach the cover to the outer bracing strings. Fold the margin over these and stitch it neatly in place. Try to get an even tension on the cover, which should also be smooth and free from wrinkles.

Fig. 4. High flyer (No. 1)

The next thing to do is to add the bridle strings. Take a piece of strong string, which is 3 ft. in length and tie it at a point which is 6 in. from the bottom of the backbone. Pierce the cover here, and thread the string through. A second piece of string, which is 4 ft. 6 in. in length is tied in the form of a loop to the top ends of the crossbars. Tie the bottom string to the centre of the loop and the bridle is complete. Attach the kite line to the bottom bridle string by means of a reef knot and a bowline knot, which will permit the line to be adjusted in order to obtain the best angle for flying the kite. See Chapter 7 on knots, under the heading 'Methods'.
 
The tail is formed by three pieces of fine string. Two pieces, each 2 ft. in length, are tied to the bottom ends of the crossbars. The third piece, which is 5 ft. in length, is tied to the bottom of the backbone. Lay the kite on a table, pull the bottom tail string tight and tie the other two strings to it, so that they too are taut. Thread a number of thin cardboard discs on to the tail string, by means of four holes punched in the discs. Make these discs in different colours, or glue metallic foil paper to them so that they will glitter in the light. Position them about 6 in. apart on the line and tie the latter in a bow at the end.

If desired, a pennant may be flown from the top of the backbone. See 'Accessories' in Chapter 7 for making these. Altogether this is a strong and attractive kite, with a good performance. An alternative conventional tail is shown in the illustration.

High Flyer No. 2

Here is another easily made kite with a good flying performance. Like the High Flyer No. 1 the framework is formed of split cane, about 1/4 in. thick, because of its lightness and strength.

First cut the horizontal bar, A, which is 2 ft. in length, and the crossbars, B and C, which are each 2 ft. 8 in. in length. Make shallow grooves at the ends of these pieces, and assemble them, following the pattern shown in Fig. 5. Note that the bottom ends of C and B are in a straight line with the ends of A. Make the joint secure with glue and bind round with thin string.

Next, add the bracing string which should be fine and strong. Tie a length of this to the end of one of the framework pieces and then take the string round to form an outline, making use of the grooves provided. The string should be taut and firmly tied.

The cover is made from cambric or very fine calico. Lay the framework on the material and mark out the shape, allowing an extra 1 in. all round for overlapping. The marking is made easier if the material is first pinned to a board, and whilst it is pinned, it may also be decorated, if desired. Choose a simple design and execute it in bright colours, using fabric painting oil colours. Allow sufficient time for the colours to dry.

Now attach the cover to the bracing string. Fold the margin over this and sew it down. The cover should be as smooth and firm as possible. Glue strips of cloth to the cover and over the ends of the framework pieces B and C, thus providing extra security for the cover.

Fig. 5. High flyer (No. 2)

The bridle is formed in the manner shown (Fig. 5), and tied at the places marked with an X. A piece of strong string, 3 ft. in length forms the bottom bridle loop; and a piece which is 2 ft. in length is used for the top loop. Tie the bottom loop at positions which are about 7 in. from the bottom of the crossbars and the top loop about 3 in. from the top of the crossbars. These loops are connected by means of string which is 2 ft. 10 in. in length. Tie the kite line to this by means of a bowline knot and a reef knot. Take another piece of string, 2 ft. 9 in. in length and tie it in the form of a loop to the bottom of the crossbars. A tail, about 5 ft. in length, is tied to the centre of this loop.

This kite may be readily dismantled if the two crossbars are joined together by means of a nail which acts as a pivot. The horizontal bar is held in place by means of string, bound round, which on being untied, permits the bar to be withdrawn and the crossbars to be folded together. The cover may then be rolled up round the crossbars, and tied with a piece of tape.

The Hexagonal Kite

This is a simple flat wing kite, which can be readily adapted to different sizes. It has a lively performance, and does well in a gentle breeze. It is one of the class which is not bow shaped. This bow shape forms what is called the dihedral angle, and as we have seen in the comments upon the Tonking kite, dihedral improves stability. On the face of it, therefore, it would seem that the Hexagonal kite will not be so steady in flight as those which are bow shaped. But the reader will observe the way in which the bridle is tied. The purpose of this is to provide some stability in flight. This stability is further improved by the use of a flexible tail.

The framework is formed by three pieces, A, B, and C. These are 2 ft. 6 in. in length, and are cut from 3/8 in. square stripwood. Slightly notch the ends of the pieces, at D (Fig. 6). These provide a seating for the string bracing. Make halving joints at the positions indicated (E, Fig. 6). These joints will have to be made with care, so that the saw cuts do not go too deep, and the pieces fit snugly. Use a fretsaw with a fine blade for this. Join the pieces with glue, after smoothing them thoroughly with fine sandpaper. It is recommended that cross-shaped strengthened, cut from 1/8 in. plywood, be fixed over these joints with glue and thread, as shown at F (Fig. 6). The completed framework should be smooth, firm and straight.

Next, add the bracing. Use thin strong string, which must be quite taut. To achieve this, make a temporary support as shown at G (Fig. 6), and lash it to the framework. Now tie the string to the top left-hand strut. Take it to the top right-hand strut, bind round and tie. From there, in the same manner, take the string to the other ends of the framework, and complete the bracing by tying at the point where you started. Remove the support. The bracing needs to be carefully and neatly done, to maintain the framework in the right shape, and to provide a firm support for the covering material.

The cover is made of unbleached greaseproof paper. It is chosen for its strength and lightness—very important factors. The paper is generally obtained in sheets measuring 20 in. x 30 in. so two of them will have to be joined together to give the required width. Lay the framework on the paper and mark the shape of the kite with a pencil. Add a margin of 11/2 in. all round for overlapping, and cut out. At this point the cover may be decorated. A simple design is suggested at H (Fig. 6). Strips of coloured paper of the same kind and glued on, may be used. Other designs are given in 'Accessories'.

Attach the cover to the framework. Apply glue to the outer half of the margin, fold this over the strings and fasten down. Please note that the cover, in order to be perfectly flat, is fixed to the framework on the reverse side of the cross-shaped strengthening pieces. Cut 3 in. wide strips of paper and glue these to the inside of the cover over the framework. They will help to strengthen the cover against the pressure of the wind.

Pierce the cover at the centre, so that the bottom bridle string can be threaded through. Cut a hexagonal-shaped piece of thin cardboard, pierce it through the centre, and glue it to the centre of the cover. Take a 3 ft. length of strong string and tie it securely to the centre of the framework, passing it through the cardboard shape.

A loop of string completes the bridle. For this use a piece 4 ft. 6 in. in length, and tie it to the top ends of the vertical struts. Tie the bottom string to the centre of the loop. The kite line is attached to the bottom string by means of a bowline knot and a reef knot.

An alternative method is shown at I (Fig. 6). Cut a 3 in. diameter circle from 3/16 in. plywood. Drill holes through it at the positions shown. Thread the top loop through the top holes, and tie the kite line to it. Thread the other bridle string through the bottom hole and knot it, using a bowline knot. This will permit of adjustments being made, by lengthening or shortening the bottom bridle string.

The tail which is 6 ft. in length is attached to a loop of string tied to the bottom ends of the vertical struts. A paper tassel can be fitted to the end of the tail.

Further decoration may be in the form of fringes cut from paper 12 in. wide and folded and pasted together to form a double thickness. These are fastened over strings tied in the positions shown. The colour of the fringes should match the general decoration scheme.

By way of further comment it may be said that this kite should take-off successfully from the hand, without outside help. Success in flying depends upon the right amount of tail. For example, if the kite moves unsteadily, then the weight of the tail must be increased by adding extra paper pieces. On the other hand, if it does not lift, and tends to drag down to the ground, then the tail must be lightened. The position of the kite line is important. Generally it is tied a little above the centre of gravity. This centre may be ascertained by using the method described in Chapter 8, and also mentioned in the instructions for the Pegtop kite. A little practice will soon show what adjustments to make.

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