The pix should show the construction of the wing. I had in "inside edge" and an "outside edge" and connected them with radial sticks. (see the top pic) Then I made a hoop shaped "Spar" that had the exact average diameter of the two edges. I glued this to the radial sticks so that it  formed a high point  1/3 of the way back at the front and the rear. I glued in some over sized ribs and sanded them to shape by eye. (see the bottom pic)

Bill Warner built several of these. A construction article for a much more detailed electric one along with a  3Vu can be found in Model Aviation Jan '83

Daniel Hartstein built a pistachio version that has done 70sec! .  A picture and a couple of leads can be found on his web site. CLICK HERE  to go to his home page. Click on the "photo album" and it's half way down the page.
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For a similar  but more sophisticated realization if the same aerodynamic thinking check the Ace Of Diamonds page and the attached More on the Ace Of Diamonds page

I'd like to thank  Risto Hurmalainen for the use of his fine photograph of  Blickling Hall that forms the backdrop for the first picture. Many such pictures of British Castles and Stately Homes  can be found at Risto's Web site.
Thank you Risto.

This fascinating and seldom seen Douglas Rolfe picture raises many more questions than it answers.. I found it in an Oct '48 Air Trails. The caption reads..
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"1933 ANTES ANNULAR WING MONOPLANE An ambitious project which did not get beyond the small scale model stage. Though these flew well"

That's all I know about it. Perhaps some passerby can enlighten me. Or maybe someone has nine electric motors.....

Rubber powered design has flexible paper-covered wing with stiff outline and flexible wire cable drive formed as stretched-out turn of a corkscrew. Drive is by set of gears.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Gas powered ornithopter below utilizes  a Diesel engine which drives an oscillating slot on the leading edge by means of horn an connecting  rod- the latter attached to flywheel.

Look what found it's way into my e-mail

It was sent to me by Jurij O. Druzhinin.

He writes that it  was invented and built by Alexander Iwanowitsh Boldyrew an engineer of the Moscow Aircraft Institution (~Moscow Aircraft Technical University) in  1946 - 1947,   , In 1946 - 1951 he built and tested some other models of ornithopters. Probably the mystery ornithopter was one of his models.

The three view is from  Vadim Borissowitch Shawrow's  "History of Construction Aircraft in USSR 1938 - 1950". Jurij sends the accompanying text which is in Russian. When I get it translated I'll post the good stuff.

Thank you-  Jurij