Well, IK did a bit of looking on the Internet. I imagined the wing as a scalene traingle (ie, no sides or angles in the triangle are equal) and tried to find somewhere that would calculate lengths of eaqch side iven the area. Time was I could've done it myself, but when the Internet provides, why use brain and memory?
Anyway, the formula is Area (K) = (base x height) divided by 2. ONe calculator suggests that a 1.5m base would need a 9 metre length! This would certainly suit an archangel appearing as a giant Old Testament character with flaming sword and mien of vengeance, but perhaps not so good for tete-a-teteing at the Hagia Sofia.
But bearing in mind that flapping the wing gives more thrust and allows for a smaller wing. The bulk of the energy is expended at take off and from there theyu can soar like agles, flapping very little and using little energy.
But they're archangels! The wings are more cosmetic, or histrionic than practical.
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Date: Fri, Jul. 8th, 2011 07:16 am (UTC)Anyway, the formula is Area (K) = (base x height) divided by 2. ONe calculator suggests that a 1.5m base would need a 9 metre length! This would certainly suit an archangel appearing as a giant Old Testament character with flaming sword and mien of vengeance, but perhaps not so good for tete-a-teteing at the Hagia Sofia.
But bearing in mind that flapping the wing gives more thrust and allows for a smaller wing. The bulk of the energy is expended at take off and from there theyu can soar like agles, flapping very little and using little energy.
But they're archangels! The wings are more cosmetic, or histrionic than practical.