What wing shape is best for a glider?
Elliptical planform is always best. Elliptical lift is optimal for induced drag, but pure elliptical wings are structurally inefficient and have poor tip‐stall behavior. Modern designs achieve near‐elliptical lift with taper, twist and airfoil variation. The basic elliptical wing shape has disadvantages: The almost uniform lift distribution of a constant-aerofoil section elliptical wing can cause the entire span of the wing to stall simultaneously, potentially causing loss of control with little warning.
What is the best angle for glider wings?
A dihedral angle of 5o will provide your glider with sufficient lateral stability. An angle of 5o equates to a height at the wingtip of 2. The wing types were tested with balsa wood gliders, and performance was assessed through the categories of distance traveled, air time, and aerodynamic stability. The dihedral wing design had the best statistics with averages of 46.