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Posted by Bob Cotsford on 10/08/2020 12:51:46:

I've got a RocHobby V-Tail waiting for a maiden. It goes together well and the reports on RCGroups are quite favourable. The Multiplex models fly well eg Heron, but are pricey for a chunk of foam.

Thanks but I'm not a fan of foam i prefer to build and fly.

Dave

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Posted by Dickw on 10/08/2020 15:32:29:
Posted by David Still 1 on 10/08/2020 13:09:45:
...........................................

Thanks but I'm not a fan of foam i prefer to build and fly.

Dave

have a look at the Hyperflight website. There are some possibilities there that might suit your requirements e.g. the Picares Longears.

Dick

Thanks I've had a look at that and the introduction unfortunately they are both light breeze models below 10mph again.

I have been given the suggestion of a plan Pete Kessell' Apollo so I'll have a look at that.

Dave

Edited By David Still 1 on 10/08/2020 18:52:53

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Hi David

Take a look at Brian Austin’s designs Watts Up and Watts New. I’ve built both and if you like building they are great projects. The Watts New is RES the Watts Up is a potentially competitive F5j machine you build yourself.

Brian can be found on the BARCS site if you know about this.

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Hi David

Take a look at Brian Austin’s designs Watts Up and Watts New. I’ve built both and if you like building they are great projects. The Watts New is RES the Watts Up is a potentially competitive F5j machine you build yourself.

Brian can be found on the BARCS site if you know about this.

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Posted by David Still 1 on 10/08/2020 12:47:58:

I'm looking for a plan or kit for an electric glider I need it to be able to handle a breeze my 2m RES glider struggles above 10mph which is a regular accurance on our field.

Dave,

I have been considering the same question. Having built 3 light weight, unpowered, flat field gliders I find myself limited to the few days when winds are not gusting above 10mph at ground level. The answer seems clear, a bigger glider strong enough to handle heavier wing loadings when ballast is added. I also want to move to electric launch. There are many expensive moulded carbon models that address the requirement. What has surprised me is the absence of plans/kits for the home builder. Any number of floaters for 'those warm evenings', nothing for my typical day of variable breeze with a surprise when you climb above the tree line!

If adding a motor to a 3m RES sailplane, I fear that motor plus optional extra ballast may leave an airframe that is not strong enough.

The other complication is airfoil. An electric launch RE glider sounds great but for penetration into the wind a relatively thin, low camber, airfoil may be needed, but then variable camber for extra lift becomes desirable and the wing build just got complicated.

My number of own design builds to date is zero so any feedback from your efforts would be of interest.

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Posted by Martin_K on 13/08/2020 17:13:50:
Posted by David Still 1 on 10/08/2020 12:47:58:

I'm looking for a plan or kit for an electric glider I need it to be able to handle a breeze my 2m RES glider struggles above 10mph which is a regular accurance on our field.

Dave,

I have been considering the same question. Having built 3 light weight, unpowered, flat field gliders I find myself limited to the few days when winds are not gusting above 10mph at ground level. The answer seems clear, a bigger glider strong enough to handle heavier wing loadings when ballast is added. I also want to move to electric launch. There are many expensive moulded carbon models that address the requirement. What has surprised me is the absence of plans/kits for the home builder. Any number of floaters for 'those warm evenings', nothing for my typical day of variable breeze with a surprise when you climb above the tree line!

If adding a motor to a 3m RES sailplane, I fear that motor plus optional extra ballast may leave an airframe that is not strong enough.

The other complication is airfoil. An electric launch RE glider sounds great but for penetration into the wind a relatively thin, low camber, airfoil may be needed, but then variable camber for extra lift becomes desirable and the wing build just got complicated.

My number of own design builds to date is zero so any feedback from your efforts would be of interest.

The airframe I have has a glass fuselage my dad gave it to me he had cut the nose off for conversion but thats as far as he got.

I posted in the BARCS forum and the guy that built the glider in 1992/3 replied which was good the airframe is approximately 2.2lb and has ballast tubes in the wings so as long as the motor i have ordered gets it in the air fingers crossed I'll have a cheap entry to windy gliding.

If all goes well I'll be looking to build something more like the Inside but heavier.

 

Dave

Edited By David Still 1 on 13/08/2020 17:40:16

Edited By David Still 1 on 13/08/2020 17:43:08

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I'm mostly into slope soaring but do dabble with electric gliders from the flat and like most of you have found that balsa or foam models are usually only good in a light breeze up to 10mph, and so as most of the time in S. Wales we have a breeze greater than 10mph I usually find myself on the slopes.

So recently I wanted a new electric powered glider that could fly in a bit more breeze from the flat but could also cross over to the slope on marginal wind days and days when the breeze doesn't exceed about 15mph, when my regular slope gliders will give me better action.

I knew I'd struggle to find a foam or balsa model to do the job so I decided to break the bank and spend some PPI money on the D-Power Streamline 350 which is a arf electric powered glider with composite fus & veneered foam wings of 3.5m. A fully moulded F5J model was just going to cost way too much and I couldn't justify spending that much cash on this type of model. I'm still putting it together, progress has been slow due to a lack of time on my part but I'm hopeing it'll be finished next week.

Streamline 350

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Posted by Martin Hodgson on 17/08/2020 11:37:30:

These guys have a good reputation

http://rs-aero.com/

Thanks for that.

I also found the Modellbauservice Schuster WoodRay, which with the rs-aero Rock4K shows there are designs for wood gliders more dynamic than a 2m RES sailplane. Both suppliers look like tiny (one man?) operations. German language sites, without a full on-line store, so not found with a casual web search.

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