Righton Big Wing
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| Big Wing | |
|---|---|
 The partially disassembled Righton Big Wing, circa 2015 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Glider |
| National origin | New Zealand |
| Manufacturer | Douglas Huntly Righton |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1960s |
The Big Wing was the name given to a large glider designed and built by Douglas Huntly Righton during the 1950s and 60s.[1][2]
Righton was a farmer from Ruawai in Northland, New Zealand. In 1931 he had been granted a patent for a variable incidence wing design.[3] Design of his glider is believed to have begun in the early 1950s, with construction lasting through to the late 1960s.[2]
The glider was a cantilevered parasol-wing monoplane of conventional configuration, notable for its large wingspan of 22 m (72 ft). The incidence of both the main wing and the tailplane could be adjusted in flight.[1][2] The fuselage was a simple slab-sided design and had a box-like cross-section. A long boom, extending from the nose of the glider, was fitted with a movable counterweight, allowing the glider's centre of gravity to be adjusted in flight.[1][2]