Drawing winglets

 From:  Michael Gibson
4042.2 In reply to 4042.1 
Hi Curt, one possible method is to use the Sweep tool to build a wing like that.

You'd do something like have some kind of profile curve like this:



Then draw some rail curves that come away from that profile and swoop upwards and also backwards as well, like this:



Then you can select the profile, and then run the Construct > Sweep command, and then pick those 2 up-swooping curves as the rails. That will basically create a shape by dragging that starting profile between those rails, giving you a result like this:



I've attached a 3DM file with those curves in it if you want to take a closer look at them.

One trick is building the swoopy curves, since they kind of bend around in 3D and are not just 2D curves. One method for constructing curves like that is to start out with a curve that you draw in the Front view that has kind of a basic 90 degree bend in it, then turn on the control points (select the curve and push the "Edit > Show pts" button) and select these points here:



And then switch to the Top view and drag just those particular points backwards to give it some of the 3D bending shape. You may also make some adjustments to just 1 particular point a time. But basically switching to a different view and then dragging some points around is a pretty good method for making curves shaped like that.

Hope this helps get you started,

- Michael

EDITED: 10 Feb 2011 by MICHAEL GIBSON