{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets: CC BY 4.0. Standard and published-size files: CC BY 4.0. Xem Studio's own designs (files_license = Xem Studio Design License): free to use and sell things from, not to redistribute as files — https://xemstudio.com/license/. Other publishers' files: their own license, linked beside them.",
 "slug": "delta-wing",
 "name": "Delta wing",
 "kind": "standard",
 "category": "Aircraft design",
 "group": "Wing planforms",
 "year": null,
 "question": "Why use a delta wing?",
 "tags": [
  "vehicle design",
  "wing planforms",
  "rc design",
  "aerodynamics"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "delta wing",
  "delta wing rc",
  "delta wing design",
  "delta wing vortex lift",
  "triangle wing",
  "delta wing aircraft",
  "delta wing stall angle",
  "foam delta wing",
  "delta wing cg location"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": null,
  "width": null,
  "height": null
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 1,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/delta-wing/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/delta-wing/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": null,
   "width": null,
   "height": null
  },
  "notes": [
   "A delta wing is a triangular, low-aspect-ratio planform; Leishman notes it approaches the optimal shape for sustained supersonic flight (ERAU).",
   "At high angle of attack a sharp-edged slender delta builds steady leading-edge vortices that add lift: on NASA's ogee test aircraft the vortices stayed steady to 25 deg AoA, though induced drag rose and approach L/D fell from about 5 to 4 (NASA Ames). Concorde's lift kept increasing up to about 40 deg before vortex breakdown (Heritage Concorde).",
   "Deltas behave like swept wings in roll, with a stable dihedral effect that rises quickly with lift coefficient (Kitplanes). Slender deltas stall later (34 deg, CLmax 1.26) than non-slender ones (21 deg, 0.99) (Frontiers WIG review).",
   "Used on: Douglas F5D Skylancer, Concorde.",
   "The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above. Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "parameter",
    "value or range",
    "source"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "F5D basic LE sweep / AR",
     "52.5 deg / 2.02",
     "NASA Ames (Drinkwater & Rolls)"
    ],
    [
     "Slender delta stall / CLmax",
     "34 deg / 1.26",
     "Frontiers 2022 review"
    ],
    [
     "Non-slender delta stall / CLmax",
     "21 deg / 0.99",
     "Frontiers 2022 review"
    ],
    [
     "Approach L/D, sharp-edged ogee vs basic",
     "about 4 vs about 5",
     "NASA Ames"
    ],
    [
     "Reference build",
     "span 600, root 580, LE sweep 52.5 deg",
     "computed (F5D sweep)"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Delta wing — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/delta-wing/  (sheet CC BY 4.0; files Xem Studio Design License, https://xemstudio.com/license/)\nBasis: Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nSizes: see table below\n- A delta wing is a triangular, low-aspect-ratio planform; Leishman notes it approaches the optimal shape for sustained supersonic flight (ERAU).\n- At high angle of attack a sharp-edged slender delta builds steady leading-edge vortices that add lift: on NASA's ogee test aircraft the vortices stayed steady to 25 deg AoA, though induced drag rose and approach L/D fell from about 5 to 4 (NASA Ames). Concorde's lift kept increasing up to about 40 deg before vortex breakdown (Heritage Concorde).\n- Deltas behave like swept wings in roll, with a stable dihedral effect that rises quickly with lift coefficient (Kitplanes). Slender deltas stall later (34 deg, CLmax 1.26) than non-slender ones (21 deg, 0.99) (Frontiers WIG review).\n- Used on: Douglas F5D Skylancer, Concorde.\n- The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above. Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle.\n\nparameter  value or range  source\nF5D basic LE sweep / AR  52.5 deg / 2.02  NASA Ames (Drinkwater & Rolls)\nSlender delta stall / CLmax  34 deg / 1.26  Frontiers 2022 review\nNon-slender delta stall / CLmax  21 deg / 0.99  Frontiers 2022 review\nApproach L/D, sharp-edged ogee vs basic  about 4 vs about 5  NASA Ames\nReference build  span 600, root 580, LE sweep 52.5 deg  computed (F5D sweep)\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- Embry-Riddle (Leishman), Introduction to Aerospace Flight Vehicles: Wing Shapes and Nomenclature — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://eaglepubs.erau.edu/introductiontoaerospaceflightvehicles/chapter/wing-shapes-and-nomenclature/\n- NASA Ames (Drinkwater & Rolls), AGARD Report 538: Flight Experience with the Ogee Wing at Low Speed (1966) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19670020235/downloads/19670020235.pdf\n- Heritage Concorde: The Wing — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.heritageconcorde.com/the-wing\n- Kitplanes (B. Wainfan): Wind Tunnel: Roll's role in lateral stability (2008) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.kitplanes.com/wind-tunnel-135/\n- Frontiers in Aerospace Engineering (2022): Review of ground-effect experiments on rectangular, reverse-delta and delta wings — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aerospace-engineering/articles/10.3389/fpace.2022.975158/pdf\n\nFree files (Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 1 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/delta-wing/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=delta-wing\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "Embry-Riddle (Leishman), Introduction to Aerospace Flight Vehicles",
   "title": "Wing Shapes and Nomenclature",
   "url": "https://eaglepubs.erau.edu/introductiontoaerospaceflightvehicles/chapter/wing-shapes-and-nomenclature/",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "NASA Ames (Drinkwater & Rolls), AGARD Report 538",
   "title": "Flight Experience with the Ogee Wing at Low Speed (1966)",
   "url": "https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19670020235/downloads/19670020235.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Heritage Concorde",
   "title": "The Wing",
   "url": "https://www.heritageconcorde.com/the-wing",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Kitplanes (B. Wainfan)",
   "title": "Wind Tunnel: Roll's role in lateral stability (2008)",
   "url": "https://www.kitplanes.com/wind-tunnel-135/",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Frontiers in Aerospace Engineering (2022)",
   "title": "Review of ground-effect experiments on rectangular, reverse-delta and delta wings",
   "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aerospace-engineering/articles/10.3389/fpace.2022.975158/pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "rectangular-wing",
  "tapered-wing",
  "elliptical-wing",
  "swept-wing",
  "forward-swept-wing",
  "cranked-double-delta-wing"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "Why do deltas land nose-high?",
   "a": "Their lift comes partly from leading-edge vortices that need high angle of attack (NASA Ames; Heritage Concorde)."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": {
  "name": "Xem Studio Design License",
  "holder": "Xem Studio",
  "url": "https://xemstudio.com/license/",
  "note": "Xem Studio's own design: free to use, print, modify and sell things made from it; not to be republished or redistributed as files."
 },
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "delta-wing-wing",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/delta-wing/delta-wing-wing.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/delta-wing/delta-wing-wing.stl",
   "note": "delta planform: span 600, root 580, tip 0 mm, LE sweep 52.5°, dihedral 0°, NACA 0012"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/delta-wing/index.md"
}