Most likely body plan for a Dragon

[Corva]

No magic allowed. These Dragons have to stay up in the air via the laws of Aerodynamics alone.

Given that, what body shape would be most likely? It would need large wings, but they have to be lightweight, so the wings would probably be a membrane stretched over a bone frame. The body has to be light, long (to accomodate the wings), but muscly, so a long body would probably be required. Any other thoughts?

[Falconer]

Some kind of splayed skin, fan, or other such thing at the end of the tail for steering.

[Blue Tiger]

The dragons of Reign of Fire were very well drawn. Also, the Ring Wraith Dragons were pretty much perfect as far as being able to fly realitically.



See? The wings are huge, and they attach further down the body. The long tail, a perfect rudder.



And here, this is them folded up. The whole construction really works well. These dragons have no front legs, they crawl like bats.



Now these are much the same, but the wings are a bit larger, but still, the same bat like appearance. Very believable.

Draco however, from "Dragon Heart", his wings were big, but his body was huge, bulky and heavy looking, so not too good there...

[alondor]

I really think we must look to the bird for inspiration seeing as something that size would have to have hollow bones like a bird

[vampirehunter42]

I would think a "small" lightweight body. The hollow bones would be of great help, but the main outlook would be for the muscle system to work very well. And it may need outside help like some birds use with moving into the wind to add lift. My main thought will be the makeup of the wing itself. The shape, how it it attached to the body, any extras they may have to help flight, and things like that.

Just think about it just because something has wings that does not mean it will fly.

[Blue Tiger]

No, but the wing construction in both types of dragons I showed in my last post look like they really would support their weight. Obviously if you add hollow bones and cartilage philanges, it would make the whole creature lighter and therefor more likely to fly.

The reign of fire dragons were based on bats, so that was a really good start.
One thing im not sure on is the actualy "flying arm fingers". Somewhere I heard that they would have no joints because that would be more complex with the muscles for them and add more weight to them etc, but I think the wing would look very strange without joints, and also, if the wing was an evolution of an arm, im sure the joints would not just dissapear.

[vampirehunter42]

My main thought is on how the "shoulder" connects to the body. The stuff I was reading was showing that the three main vertebrates who can fly have different connections for their wings at the shoulder area. This will have to affect on how the dragons ground movement would be.

But I do agree, the bat-like wings are the best hope for now.

And what I meant is some birds just can't fly because their wings are too small for their body weight. (even with hollow bones)

And I still think it will be helped in flight with light winds, and up drafts to help with flying height.

[Drakel]

I like the idea of a scaily body on the dragon (hard scails, but some how light). Also dragon wings are not like that one picture with the dragon on a plate. Dragon wings are yes long but not connected like that. They have more strong and leather like wings. I will agree tho a hollow bone structure. Dragons are muscular, long and real flexible. muscular couse if you read every religion it ses they are strong. Long couse duh anyone knows that lol. Flexible for better air move ment.Yes I was studying Dragons for a long time and almost got evry thing figured out. So I think I know what i am talking about. Yes there are mysturys to be know. Yes we might never know what a dragon realy is like.Yes there is a 10% chance we will fined a dragon alive. 5% chance we will fined REAL life dragon bones. The only way we will ever know is if we dig up our world. Just have hope and mix the logic, science and the storys/ fables to what we know and we will see the truth. That is all i have to say right now.

p.s. Dragons are realy clean creatures.

Frome
One of the best dragonologests

NOT E. DRAKE

pss. I don't think E. Drakes book is realy accurate.

[Drakel]

No, but the wing construction in both types of dragons I showed in my last post look like they really would support their weight. Obviously if you add hollow bones and cartilage philanges, it would make the whole creature lighter and therefor more likely to fly.

The reign of fire dragons were based on bats, so that was a really good start.
One thing im not sure on is the actualy "flying arm fingers". Somewhere I heard that they would have no joints because that would be more complex with the muscles for them and add more weight to them etc, but I think the wing would look very strange without joints, and also, if the wing was an evolution of an arm, im sure the joints would not just dissapear.

I agree with bat like wings but I also like the idea of what a dragon looks already in the eye of history, the ppl, and the basics. All you guys got to do is put your science, with my logic, and the historic eyes. Then you gotta make it eassy to understand for the ppl, and put it all together. what do you all think you will get. the best idea of dragons + the ppl to help us prove we are right. 1/10 of the world already thinks we are right but do you realy think that is enough ppl to start looking. And I bet you all for got that all of the storys has a slayer and a protector of dragons. So yes if we add the idea of dragons to ppl we would have a 25% increace on slayers who think we are looking for deamons. when this happens then that means we are close to fineding a dragon dead or alive. but untill this happens all we can do now is gang up with one another! argue about who has the best idea of dragons and let the idea fade away frome the ppl untill there is nothing left of the idea but a fire monsture in a game.