Down Draft Dodger (oz12857)

About this Plan

Down Draft Dodger. Hand launch glider.

Quote: "This hand-launch glider gets its winning performance by design, finish, trimming, and practice, not from just a mighty heave. Down-Draft Dodger, by Kit Bays.

Of all the free-flight events that beckon the trophy-seeking contest flyer, handlaunch glider undoubtedly offers the greatest penny-for-penny reward. For the beginning flyer, HL glider also provides more practical experience in the basic mechanics of flight trim than any other type of model. In trimming a free-flight model, the beginner is faced with a barrage of technical jargon - moments of inertia, decalage, wash-in, wash-out - the list is endless. But these seemingly obscure concepts take on real meaning when the neophyte is challenged with adjusting the most basic type of free-flight model for consistent stable flight. The bounty of experience gained in flying HL glider is directly applicable to the more "sophisticated" types of free flight. And the experienced contest flyer who pooh-poohs HL glider as somehow not worthy of his time, might be better advised to take advantage of this staple of basic free-flight knowledge.

The Down Draft Dodger is the latest in a series of designs dating back to 1959. Over the years many combinations of size, weight, airfoils, etc. have been used in the attempt to develop a design that would •ombine the virtues of easy adjustment and onsistently high contest performance. Many have been built and the design has been quite successful in the hands of both experienced flyers as well as relative novices.

Construction is relatively straightforward but a few critical points warrant mention. Wings: Light quarter-sawn wood is a necessity, preferably stock of 4-6 lb/cu in density. It is frequently impossible to get this quality of wood in 4 inch widths, so it may be necessary to join 1 and 3 in widths with white glue. After cutting the blank to the proper outline, glue the MG X IA6 spruce leading edge after tapering the edges as shown so that they may be fashioned to the tip shape.

Before shaping the airfoil, trace the highpoint line on the blank with a soft dull pencil being careful not to score the wood. In carving and final sanding, be certain to maintain this high point consistently throughout the span. Check this airfoil frequently when sanding - a sanding block is indispensible.

Putting in the dihedral breaks is the most critical step in the operation; the need for exact alignment cannot be overstressed. Again use a sanding block with medium grit paper to bevel the joints..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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