Welcome! Please join the fun of 'no manjha, no cutting' fighter kiting, the ultimate fighter kite experience! North American fighter kiting is an updated faster version of fighter kiting. These agile single line North American fighter kites provide the basis for a wide range of fast, action packed, fun filled combat and non combat styled aerial games! Please visit our website for more free information, plans and instruction. fighterkites-na.com/ and also visit our facebook page and join our group facebook.com/groups/210872273917481
This design we call it field kite because it like delta design but have faster movement when fighting... kite maker always making design that have balanced without tail , fast move and can make acrobatic move...
Very interesting, it makes sense, and thanks for sharing that with me, I appreciate it! Where are you located where they describe the kites that way? Bruce
Several years ago I lived in Yakima, small world;o) If the buka you plan to make is 10"x15" or very close to those dimensions, either a 1.3mm or 0.05" diameter carbon fiber rod works best. I typically use 0.05" for all the spars. I have also made them using a 1.5mm diameter rod for the leading edge spar when I plan to fly it in stronger winds. Hope this helps. Bruce
What flat carbon spine size? If bamboo spine ,how thick ? What carbon bow size? If bamboo bow what thickness? And flat batten specs? Thanks for thenvideos!
flat carbon spine is 1mmx4mm, if i used bamboo, i would make it about 3/16" wide on the skin side and make the portion between the nose and the wingtip to wingtip line smaller in cross section by about 5-10% than the portion below the wingtip line. for the bow in the video the carbon is 1.5mm and for bamboo, i would make it so the tension/stiffness was between a 1.5mm & 0.06" diameter carbon rod stiffness. since each variety of bamboo is different, it's very difficult to make a suggestion for the bow cross sections.
Nice video! Man! I made a rookie mistake on your buka plans. I did the tensioner line on the LE , then made the bridle. Dotted the bridle points with super glue and realized I tied the tension line inside my bridle. HAHAHA. I have a BASF skin on deck.
Mi permetto un ulteriore consiglio. Per rinforzare il tratto tra il naso e la punta di uscita dell'ala (leading edge) senza aggiungere peso, se questo si fa come suggerisci piegando il materiale su se stesso, è utile inserire un filo di nylon sottile come il filo da cucito legato da punta a naso e poi dal naso all'altra punta, così come si fa negli aquiloni di carta. Il filo incollato dentro rende molto più difficile la rottura del bordo e non pesa nulla.
You're correct and thanks for mentioning it. I've never added a thread to the fold line as added strength without added weight, but it is a good idea if you think the nose leading edge could become damaged without it.
Greetings from the edge of Africa. I have been making kites for 3 year odd years now and I am totally hooked. Finding your channel is a treasure trove. I flew my Reddog (bamboo and Ripstop) off Saunders Rock In Bantry Bay across the rough Atlantic for hours a few days ago. Thank you for sharing this knowledge sir, you have flattened my learning curve substantially and I am loving the little fighters by the way. Take care and I look forward to your next video. Best and regards from Cape Town South Africa. Louis
Such great news about your Reddog Louis! And tons of thanks for your generous kind words, I appreciate it! If you are not subscribed to our facebook page, please consider it, I think you'd enjoy participating and we'd love to have you! facebook.com/groups/210872273917481
The facebook page is all about North American fighter kiting. And so is our website fighterkites-na.com/ it has lots of info, plans, templates, and much more........all downloadable and free.
Q on a Hummer by MATMAC plan. I'll use same film as your vid, but the plan has a template for the nose to reinforce it. Would that be another layer of film or just packing tape or the like?
Each kite maker seems to treat the nose reinforcing a little differently. What I do is use a stiffer piece of mylar or similar and either double side tape or glue it to the leading edge area of the nose. I do this before I cut the sail out so I can easily cut away any that may have been on the outside of the nose leading edge line on my sail. If you have a tape that is substantially stiffer than the film for the sail, it would be a good and easy choice. Packing tape is perfect for strengthening, but doesn't do much for stiffening. Most kite makers prefer the nose leading edge to be both stronger and stiffer than the rest of the sail.. Hope this helps. Bruce
Another way to treat the nose leading edge is to change the shape of the plan at the nose leading edge by adding a hem and use the nose leading edge line as a fold line. Then just fold over the nose leading edge hem and glue it or tape it down with double sided tape. Bruce
The template for the nose reinforcement is a good general shape, but it's not necessary to make it exact to get the results of a stronger stiffer nose leading edge.
Hi Bruce I learned about fighter kites from your videos 15 years ago . Thank you for introducing me to such a wonderful hobby. I enjoy building fighter kites and flying them . Kayla
Hmmm...? I wish I could tell you of several choices, but I'm unaware of fighter kite availability in Europe or Denmark. I know there are active fighter kiters in France and The Netherlands, but don't have any contact info. I will do some searching to see if I can find more info for you. Bruce
Thanks! I go through blank periods. When no ideas come for new or relevant topics or topics that may be of interest to fighter kiting fans. Sometimes it's a comment or question that triggers an idea for a video.
Hi, and thanks for your request. The Indonesian fighter kites I'm familiar with are diamond shape using bamboo for the spine and bow with paper for the sail, often a glassine type of shiny paper. Is this the kite you are asking about? If it is, there are already many youtube videos showing the making of these kites. I am primarily interested in North American fighter kites which are made to fly on shorter flying lines and fly faster and maneuver much more quickly than an Indonesian fighter, and the North American fighter kites don't use manjha or any cutting line. Bruce
You are very welcome!! Where in France? Are you new to fighter kiting? Do you fly with a few other fighter kite fans? Do you make your own kites? Have you subscribed to the 'fighterkites.na' facebook group? If not please take a look. facebook.com/groups/210872273917481
Thank you for sharing your insights and passion for fighter kites! It’s wonderful to hear from someone who appreciates this fascinating hobby. Let’s dive into some of the points you’ve raised: Paper Kites and Maneuverability: You’re absolutely right that paper kites tend to be lighter and more maneuverable in the air. Their lightweight nature allows for better control during flight. When it comes to flying kites, maneuverability is key, especially in competitive scenarios or battles. Glass-Coated String: Glass-coated kite string can indeed sound intimidating, but as you mentioned, the powdered glass used is super fine and resembles baking soda. In high-quality Indian fighter kite strings, you won’t even notice the glass when you touch it. The combination of glass coating and thinness contributes to the string’s strength and performance. Environment-Friendly Aspect: It’s heartening to know that Indian fighter kite strings are made of 100% cotton. This makes the sport environmentally friendly, which is crucial in today’s world. Being mindful of our impact on the environment is essential, even in seemingly small hobbies like kite flying. Drag and Wind Speed: You’ve hit the nail on the head! Regardless of the materials used, every kite and string combination has a minimal wind speed requirement to keep the line taut. When the wind speed falls below this threshold, the line slackens, affecting the kite’s stability. Understanding these dynamics is essential for successful kite flying. Large Open Spaces and Retrieving Cut Kites: Flying kites in spacious areas not only provides more room for maneuvers but also allows for exciting battles. If a kite gets cut during a battle, having ample space ensures that it can be retrieved. And you’re absolutely right-flying at higher altitudes (beyond 100 or 200 feet) opens up a whole new world of fun and challenges. Hope to Meet Someday: It would be delightful to meet fellow kite enthusiasts! Perhaps our paths will cross at a kite festival or event someday. Until then, happy flying, and may the winds be ever in your favor! 🪁✨
Thanks for your comment. Although there are some places in the USA where manjha is used, generally speaking it is banned in every USA city because of it's potential danger to animals and bystanders. The North American style of fighter kite flying provides a different experience, a much faster paced aerial game, requires quicker maneuvering and different strategies, all creating more fun and it's safe.
Dear kite maker, thank you for the interesting and informative information on fighter kites production, especially about your Buka kites. I am an English man living by the coast in the SW of England where the wind is normally quite strong which can be a problem. I took up kite fighting back in 1984 when I moved to the Netherlands as my then girlfriend's father grew up fighting kites. The Dutch have a long history of kite flying due to trading with the far East for hundreds of years. (think, East India Company) I mostly made Japanese Hata kites , but would now like to try some other designs. I have not made a kite in 35 years but after finding quite by chance, your posts on RU-vid I fancy having a go again. Thank you. There is one point I don't understand, and I hope I don't some rude or arrogant in asking this question. Butwhydkyoucall your kites North American? The kites are mostly biased on India, and that areas designs, the materials you use have been used, certainly in Europe for many year. My girlfriends father told me they were using Mylar as far back as the late 1950''s, early 1960's with bamboo. I don't know when glassfiber and carbon was fist used but I'm sure it was long ago. I personally was using ripstop nylon and carbon fiber for my fighters in the early 1980's following other fliers designs. So I cant see why you should call your kites exclusively American? There is one thing you do that I've never heard of before and you might be able to call your own, and that's your game if line touching. It sounds good and I look forward to trying it. Please keep up the good work, tight lines! Nigel Shinn Esq. ?
Many thanks Nigel for your interest and your many kind words, I appreciate it! Let me start by inviting you to join in a fighter kite zoom chat that is held every other Sunday at 10am Pacific time. It's announced on the facebook page facebook.com/groups/210872273917481 . Next I love your question about why I call these kites North American...a great question because as you point out, these fighting kites have been around for 100's of years. The North American fighter kite is a kite generally made of synthetic materials such as carbon fiber and polyfilm and are not designed to cut or be cut or be damaged by playing various aerial games. They are flown with no Manjha, only plain line. And they are designed to be faster, quicker to maneuver than the typical paper bamboo kite. They need the extra speed and maneuverability to be competitive in the game of line touch, which is the most fun aerial combat game on the planet! There is all sorts of additional information for free including plans and full sized templates, step by step construction info, plus more details about line touch all at fighterkites-na.com/ . Bruce
my guess is the bridle line may be very slippery or the larkshead knot is not locking as it should. here are some suggestions, i hope one will cure your issue. change the tow loop to a different type of line from the main bridle line and apply either beeswax or paraffin wax to the line used for the loop as well as applying wax to the main bridle line. you could change the knot you use for the tow connection part of the bridle from a larkshead knot to a prusick knot, a prusick is like a larkshead, but double the number of wraps around the main line, here's a link showing it www.netknots.com/rope_knots/prusik-knot if neither of these ideas work, please let me know and i'll try to think of other possibilities for you to try. Bruce
On my youtube channel here, I have one or more videos about launching and flying in light to no wind. here is one that may help ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u317LV5SbV4.html When flying in zero wind, and assuming the kite you've selected can fly well in ultra light wind, all I do is just toss the kite in the air and begin manipulating the flying line to create some wind for the kite. In zero wind or indoors, you are the only source of wind for the kite, so learning to manipulate the flying line to be able to produce the wind needed is all you can do. It usually requires some slow walking around along with manipulating the line. Of course it also helps if the kite is adjusted correctly for flying in zero or ultralight winds.
Flat carbon fiber strips like I use for the spines of many of my fighter kites can be bought at most online sources of carbon fiber rods. However, I buy mine from www.aliexpress.com here's a link to one of the suppliers I buy from, www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804215307785.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1.63df3ef4JMrepc&algo_pvid=d2e4cdbb-1be9-41f8-8d9e-b5ab9a4e6d7b&algo_exp_id=d2e4cdbb-1be9-41f8-8d9e-b5ab9a4e6d7b-0&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2110.56%216.34%21%21%2110.56%21%21%402101fd4b17034740230912902e5fb5%2112000029047523240%21sea%21US%21103557156%21&curPageLogUid=LRXnCFjBK3OJ but there are many options on aliexpress. But....because they all come directly from China it takes about 3 weeks for it to arrive and the longest lengths are 500mm, about 19". Since I use them only for spines and cross spars in a buka, that is a perfect length for me. I hope this helps. Bruce
hey! I am ready to make some documentation on a fighter kite including BOM etc, know any cool designs I can work off of to make this hobby more accessible to the public?
What sort of documentation are you planning? Here is a website with tons of info about North American fighter kites, include many excellent plans, templates and detailed instruction on building, tuning etc. fighterkites-na.com/ There is also a site that has consolidated many good plans of fighter and other kites it's www.kiteplans.org/cat_1/sub_16/ I hope this helps, if you want more specific info, please let me know. Bruce
@@bruce.lambert Hey Bruce! looks like you already have all the documentation, what kite(s) would you recommend to be used in a competition scenario but is not over complex and easy to mass produce?
The most successful commercial North American fighter kite was the 'Vic's Fighter Kite'. It was similar in shape made with similar construction to this plan northamericanfighterkites.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/1-step-by-step-gooddog.pdf There is currently a new commercial fighter kite called the Wind Warrior, that is made with similar construction, but with a sail of ripstop rather than mylar and because of the sail being a fabric, it is stitched together rather than taped or glued. In case you want to get in touch with the owner of Wind Warrior here is his facebook info facebook.com/groups/210872273917481/user/1337127879 maybe the two of you could come up with a grand plan. Hope this helps. Bruce
I spent some of my childhood in Nepal. These kites were extremely fun to use combined with a decently sized spool. My first impression long ago was that they were unstable, imperfect, inconsistent. I realized that’s why I like them. Maneuvering them with control is in itself a fantastically entertaining skill to learn.. if only I had someone else in the middle of nowhere who wanted to fly with me. My last memory was sending a kite far down the notch of the valley with Khasa looking down it far in the distance. To see how far I could reel out the spool, only to realize I wasn’t actually controlling it anymore… some other kids in a village almost a kilometer away must’ve grabbed the dangling string. I probably should’ve attempted to make friends in retrospect.
Fully agree, an attempt at making friends would have been a great idea! To really gain all the enjoyment fighter kite flying offers, it does take at least one other person to share it with!!
As a starting point, I like to set the bridle tow point so the nose is slightly up, as you mentioned. Then, after flying the kite, I'll make adjustments to the tow point location based on how the kite is performing in the wind I'm flying in.
I had a kite out yesterday because of a kid at Church & soon realized how much I missed flying . I have to regroup & set some goals to enjoy these Cold Months ahead .
The website says 2.50 each not 1.50 like you. Stated The sizes are far from large even for an Indian fighter kite .. these are the sizes the kids under 10 fly.... If you want to see what the adults fly in India Pakistan Afghanistan and so on u gotta find at least 3 tawa kites/patangs/guddis
Sir. When U EMail me the Order. You will State $1.50 The Website Price is Changed to $1.50 But I do the Adjustments, when I send you the Payment Request.
saudações desde Brasil ha muito tempo nao via o canal de nafka e vim ver uma burka e vi que ha um mes esta esse video. abrazo e que pensa dos pipas ou kites brasileros ? ja voou um exemplar brasilero?
Thanks for your comment! Yes I have made and flown Brazilian kites. I like the way they fly. However, for the aerial combat game of line touch, I prefer a North American fighter kite because it is quicker to maneuver and has faster forward speed.
I tried some experiments like this back in the 80s. I also added a front sail (like a Marconi kite) that overlapped the main sail, doing something similar to your turbo tunnel. In the end I found it was not worth the complexity.
Apache Junction isn't far from me, I'm in Green Valley, AZ, about 30 miles south of Tucson. Should fly together sometime! Do you fly with Gary Goodenough, he's near Apache Junction.
Bruce - you are a star !! 24 years ago I was given a fighter kite as an English man in Australia - ever since, I have wanted to have another fighter. Today, after a few attempts, having watches your 3 part series, I have succeeded !!! I just had an excellent few hours on the field, looking forward to flying it tomorrow morning !
