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RAF 100: Aiming for Awesome celebrates the centenary of the RAF and explores its engineering achievements over the last 100 years. There are 10 resources, each covering a different decade of RAF history. Each resource allows Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils to explore, through hands on activities, the applications of the knowledge they learn in science, design and technology, mathematics and computing.

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Teacher guide Student guide

1918-1928 Aircraft design

The aim of this resource is to give students the opportunity to investigate the STEM behind aircraft design. Students will explore the forces acting on an aircraft during flight and use the iterative design process to design and improve the perfect paper aircraft.

Student activities

Time To Think:  What forces are acting on an aircraft when it is in flight?  Initial activity - draw arrows on the aircraft images supplied to show the direction and magnitude of the forces on an aircraft when it is: a) moving at constant speed, b) accelerating, and c) decelerating.

  1. Make a paper aircraft to be launched through a paper aircraft launcher.  What was observed about the design of the aircraft that went the furthest?
  2. Use learnings from Activity 1 to design and make an improved paper aircraft and launch it.  Did the aircraft go further than the first attempt? What are the differences in the design from the first to the second?
  3. Use the templates to make a paper aircraft and launch it. How is this aircraft different from the original designs?  Which design traveled the furthest and why?

Duration

The activities are expected to last 60 minutes.

What you'll need

Aircraft design examples

Gloster Gauntlet

In 1931 the Air Ministry issued a requirement to the aircraft companies of the UK for a fighter aircraft to replace the aging Gloster Gauntlet. The Gauntlet was a Bi-plane that first flew only two years earlier in January 1929.

Avro Lancaster PA474

Avro Lancaster PA474 was built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd in 1945 and was to be part of the British Tiger Force for strategic bombing in the Far East. PA474 is one of only two Lancasters in flying condition in the world.

ZJ911 eurofighter

ZJ911 eurofighter was built in 2005 as a Typhoon F.2, the aircraft was assigned to 29 Squadron of the Royal Airforce on Following it's Top Gear appearance, the aircraft was transferred to 3 Squadron.

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