Wonderful hobby and beautiful pictures. Do you draw plans for them?
My late father told me about large string launch gliders he made from scratch. The rudder should turn on release when the string peg drops but on his best flight (hill launch) that failed. He said it was a wonderful sight but sadly rather than circling it headed off over the horizon. He told me another one was modified with a rocket by an evil uncle (who later became a policeman!), A mixture of distance and disintegration lost that one. There is something very evocative about a free flight model under its own control and the detail on yours look amazing. Have you got any YouTube videos? Out of interest is long grass a friend or foe for landings?
Yes, I do draw plans for them. I also build from plans created by others. and kits.
And yes, long grass can present several hazards: first you can lose a smaller ship in deep grass, and second, if it a biplane with rigging, the grass can get all caught up in the rigging. A pair of scissors allows one to cut the grass and free the ship.
Your dad lost his glider, OOS (out of sight)! That is indeed a hazard of building and flying these birds Free Flight. I lost a Sopwith Triplane to a thermal,getting sucked up into a cumulus cloud And love the story of the rocket propelled glider. Putting "Rocket" and "Glider" together in the same sentence usually means exciting times for any Pilot....
Here are a few videos:
Northrop Gamma "Sky Chief" built from a set of plans drawn by a friend
Mitsubishi "Dinah", Japanese reconnaissance ship, my own design:
A three plane mass launch one evening:
Some evening flights: B-24, Curtiss Twin Jenny, Taylorcraft
Three plane mass launch, Nicholas Beasley NB-3 (With on-board micro videocam)
Focke Wolf Mowe, Aeronca Chief.
To learn more, visit
flyingacesclub.com
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