Mini Whippet (oz11268)

About this Plan

Mini Whippet. Hand launch glider. Wingspan 50 inch.

Quote: "Chuck it and see with this Scottish Nats-winning hand launched glider. Mini Whippet, by Brian Johnson.

Foreward: In common with many others, I have been impressed by the performance and versatility of the radio controlled HLGs flown by Geordie soaring enthusiasts Brian Johnson and Brian Anderson. One particularly memorable demonstration involved slope soaring the front of the single story pavilion building at Radioglide '85 for several minutes. The less than 4:1 aspect ratio and 14 inch wing chord may seem odd, but as a logical scale-up of free-flight HLG practice there is no doubt that this design works very well indeed. For this reason I suggested to Brian J that he might like to offer the plans to RM, since I am sure that many people will want to put in the small effort required to build this model. Those doing so will be rewarded by a portable soarer which, besides being very competitive in the HLG class, can also function as a highly enjoyable sport slope soarer and even perform from the tow-line if required. Good chucking! George Stringwell.

As you will see from the following inane scribblings, I have never written an article for a magazine before. However, I have been requested to do so, and this is it, folks! Just a little story and a small construction article, the man said, but I've used more paper getting this far than I did drawing the plan of the aeroplane (so that's what it's all leading up to!) in the first place.

It all started because of the British Nationals in 1984 when I had intended to use my 100S model in the 'chuck' glider event. However, the rules in use for the competition made it seem like a waste of time, so I resolved to build a 50 inch purpose-designed HLG. Time marched on without any progress being made, and then late last year, when I should have been building an Open model for the new season, I started to build the thing. My main aim was to compensate for my bad building, so the following items were considered to be important:

1. Relatively easy to build.
2. Cheap.
3. Big enough to ensure a light wing loading.

The wing section is scaled up from my F/F chuck glider, because that flies well in all kinds of weather, and often disappears upwards in friendly air (only friendly to the model, though, chasing the thing nearly kills me!). Not a lot of wood, but a lot of dust and shavings later the Mk. I appeared; this had a 2 inch rib spacing, heavier spars and the tailboom only came 1 inch forward of the rear wing bolt. It flew, and still does, very well - so well, in fact, that Brian Anderson, with whom I travel to BARCS thermal soaring competitions, asked for the plan. Instant problem - I was flying the plan!

Well, never mind, I had decided that some modifications were called for (1 inch rib spacing, lighter spars and a tube that came forward so that the wing was bolted directly to it), so I built another one and drew the plan at the same time... I had to build it to draw it! The plan was passed to Brian, and despite muttering something about the inadvisability of drawing on woodchip wallpaper, he promptly produced a model from it.

The carpentry bit is not half as difficult as it looks (especially if you were brought up on real aeromodelling KK scale kits and the like!) and a model can be produced very quickly; it's also very small until the wing parts are joined together. I never use anything other than cyanoacrylate for building these days, but attention to making good joints is very important on this model. My only concession to other adhesives is for the pod doublers, when an impact adhesive is used. The points which need special note during construction are mentioned as we go along - enough ranting, it's time to be serious, although that may not be so easy when you are building one of these!

The wing: This is much easier to build than to write about. All the spars except the full depth one are spruce, the latter being hard 1/16 balsa. The trailing edge is constructed from medium hard balsa and 1/16 inch spruce and is sanded to section before fitting..."

Mini Whippet, Radio Modeller, June 1986.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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