Spinner (oz10779)

About this Plan

Spinner. Hand launch glider. Class B record breaker.

Plan shows parts to make both a Class A (12in span) and a class B (18in span) model.

Quote: "Here's a glider with an enviable contest record - yet it is so easy to build that you won't even have to enlarge the plans. Spinner, by Bill Fletcher.

The Spinner is, in our opinion, the ultimate in hand-launch glider design. It lists among its achievements seven official national AMA records, held during a five-year period: 1943 to 1948. Scaled to four different sizes, it has performed well in each. As a 23 square inch Class A model, flown by Warren Fletcher, it won twelve consecutive times in contests sponsored by our club, the Prop Spinners of Elmhurst, Long Island.

The Class B version flies best, averaging 40 to 50 seconds. The records held by Warren Fletcher (3 :50 in the Junior class) and Lenny Kendy (8 :52 in the Senior class) attest to this fact. Best unofficial time was 11 minutes, made by Bob Hatschek.

Bob Horak set a record with a Class C Spinner version of 100 square inches. His best recorded time was 2:50. Bob also set another record of 7 :01, with a Class D version of the Spinner, of 150 square inches. Three more Class D Spinner records were set by Warren Fletcher, Dick Knauss and myself.

CONSTRUCTION: The plans are drawn to the convenient scale of 1/2 in to 1 in. All you need do is to mark off the wood to the dimensions indicated and cut out. It is not necessary to enlarge the plans. How-to-build data given here is for the Class B Spinner - the Class A version is made in similar fashion, as indicated on the plans.

The wing should be made from 3 in Jasco tapered stock. If this is not available, lay out wing dimensions on 3/16 x 3 x 18 inch medium soft sheet balsa. Cut tip taper with a razor blade and finish rough airfoil with a wood rasp or rough sandpaper. Thin out the tips to 1/8. Finish off the airfoil with progressively finer sandpaper to 10/0.

Block the wing tips up to 1-1/2 in; then trim the dihedral joint to a flush fit. Cement both tips to the center panels. When completely dry, join the panels at the center dihedral break in the same fashion. Block up 3/4 in on both sides.

The stabilizer is very simple. Cut it from 1/16 medium sheet balsa and sand smooth. Work in a reverse airfoil, by sanding the bottom of the stabilizer leading and trailing edges but not the top. Cut half-way through at the center and crack for anhedral. A small ainount of cement will suffice until the stab is ready for attachment to the fuselage. The rudder requires a little more work..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 07/01/2019: Added article, thanks to RFJ.

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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