FREE MODEL GLIDER PLAN! Tiny glider, 8 inch Catapult Launched Glider (CLG)

If you downloaded this plan before 28 February 2009, please discard that copy and use this version instead - some important details were either wrong or missing Sorry!

As you can see from earlier blog posts, I've been playing with Charlie Sotich's simple 8" CLG. Necessity really, after the original 1/32 thin wings - as per his plan - shredded on launch.

So here is my "re-mix" of his design. Main changes are conventional HLG style wing, three panel instead of V-dihedral, a slightly longer nose and some mods for a stronger wing fuselage joint.

Sotich named many of his designs [SOMETHING] DIP. For example, his famous 48" glider was called LIL DIP. Since this 8 incher is intended for the Tiny Gliders postal event, I called it the TINY DIP, but I don't know whether he ever made a design with that name.

I hope you enjoy the plan - drawn with a smile on my face and a bit of tongue in cheek. An easy build, lots of fun, pretty in the air and satisfying performance (right click on the plan and select Save Image As). Try a 3/16" rubber loop for the catty. You can use kevlar tow instead of CF. Fix to the model's balsa sides with CA glue. Note the washout on both tips and the washin triangular wedge on the left wing only. There is a slight incidence (decalage) in the design. I visualise it as the bottom of the fuselage being horizontal, and the top line of the fuselage a slope, taller at the front. The closer you get to 0-0, the straighter and higher the launch, but stability decreases. Too much decalage, then the climb becomes a height-sapping spiral (or worse, gets loopy).

Photo below of the TINY DIP glider (4.1g ready to fly).

Source of Vintage (Old Timer) Plans and Articles

There's an excellent new source of information on "vintage" model gliders and free flight aircraft. The POPULAR SCIENCE magazine series has been digitized and is now available on the internet via Google Book Search.


Screen shot of an article by Frank Zaic on the THERMAL HUNTER rubber model is shown left. It also includes building instructions, tips and drawings.

I had a look through some issues for articles and this is just a selection of the gems that I found:

1. New Thermal Hunter Plane Model, Frank Zaic, August 1936, p60
2. International Contest Flyer, Frank Zaic, June 1940, p150
3. Model Fuselage Building, Edwin T Hamilton, July 1931, p110
4. Give your model the right propeller, Edwin T Hamilton, July 1930 p96
5. From ten parts you can build twenty model planes, Edwin T Hamilton, August 1931, p72
6. Model-Airplane Short Cuts, Frank Zaic, September 1941, p170
7. Test Flying Model Airplanes, Frank Zaic, June 1942, p196
8. Gas Models and Towline Gliders, Frank Zaic, September 1942, p.HW230
9. Novel Inventions aid Model-Plane Champions [no author indicated] November 1939, p67
10. The modern 300 incher, Zaic, Aug 1942, p.HW174
11. Hints that will help you build airplane models, Edwin T Hamilton, January 1931, p116
12. Miss Science (gas model), Frank Zaic, September 1939, p142
    

Happy reading!

Tiny Gliders Postal 2009

Alexandre Cruz has created a fabulous blog for the Tiny Gliders postal event this year. Please do enjoy building some 6" and 8" gliders and fly in it. It's a lot of fun and easy to join in! It would make a great club event too, or activity for the kids. There's no excuse....

Left, a photo of my 6" DOGEAR hlg.

Thanks Alexandre!