Here is a photo of 4 hand launched model gliders. In a way, they represent many decades of aeromodelling between them. Anti-clockwise from the top right: - 20" span vintage HLG by Bowers from the 1930s. This is the oldest polyhedral design HLG that I'm aware of. This one has a drinks can aluminium side flap dethermaliser (DT). Build information is shown elsewhere in this blog. Since then, I've maxed it (>60s) a number of times.
- 14" span vintage HLG from a range of books entitled Newnes Pictorial Knowledge. This seems to be from the 1940s and is a good basic all balsa design. I found it in a SAM35 year book.
- 8" span HLG based closely on Kevin Moseley's excellent LET'S ROLL design (bamboo "kebab skewer" fuselage instead of carbon fibre and dihedral angles are slightly different). This one flew out of sight on its maiden flight (literally the first hard throw). It was found months later many miles away - always write a mobile phone number on your model! When I picked it up the wing was fine and it still flew, but the tail needed replacing.
- 36" span tip launched glider LIPZOID. Its design and build is shown in this blog below. It follows the recent discus launch developments and I suppose represents the modern era of chuck gliders.
No comments:
Post a Comment