I feel that R/C flyers of vintage models have tended to neglect gliders, in particular the ‘Nordic’ class A/2 designs of the late 1940’s to early 1950’s.
The class rules produced models around 60″ to 74″ wingspan, 15 ounces minimum weight, and a body of 5 square inches minimum x-section.
The nice thing is that they can be built exactly as the originals, with plenty of room to fit 2-channel R/C in the original fuselage.
They were quite strongly designed air-frames to take the knocks of flying in European contest weather, but of very high performance.
With their high lift airfoils it is difficult to get much height for HLG, but a very light bungee works fine on flat fields and they only need light thermals to go up.
As wing loading is around 7 ounces/square foot, slope flying in light winds is no problem.
The photo shows a ‘Snark’ designed by Dick Twomey in 1952. This particular model is over 20 years old and still flying well.
There are literally a hundred designs available, most of which haven’t ever been built for R/C.
Nice looking Snark.
My favourite of 70 years of modelling, so stable and beautiful and I miss those free flight days. Radio robbed us of many joys. Of course I could run like a Greyhound in those days
Very nice plane , can i buy a plan ?
To Hans Bakker
A plan and reprint of April 1952 Aeromodeller write up in PDF is available FREE from
http://www.outerzone.co.uk
I still fly my own Snark, now about 30 years old, and have had many people say how well and stably it flies.
Best wishes Roy