I have been looking at the Potez wing tip all day today. Since it is of a very distinct shape, it proved very difficult to draw it right. In the end I had an epiphany: By looking at the wing tip shape from above, i.e. the tip shape on the top view drawing, it is possible to calculate backwards and get the wing rib profile. It is kind of lofting in reverse.

This has profound implications, as most 3-views always contain good wing-tip details, but there rarely are any information regarding the wing profile available.

On the Fieseler Fi-167 I effortlessly got the correct wing tip shape. It must have meant that I got the wing profile right when I was studying old photos and comparing them to wing profile tables on the net. I just did not pay any attention to it at the time, but I was, in fact, just lucky.

Now, on the Potez, the wing tip shape was completely wrong, no matter what I did. In hindsight, it meant that the wing profile I got from the 3-view was totally wrong. I just didn’t realise the connection between wing tip shape and wing profile at the time. Now that I understand how it all fits together, I will redraw the Potez wing with the correct profile.

The exciting bit is that, in the future, being able to calculate the wing profile from the shape of the wing tip, is going to be a really powerful tool, and something I will have to do every time I start on a new model aircraft.

I am very excited!!!