Sparrow MK1 (oz14945)

About this Plan

Sparrow Mk1. Radio control glider model. Wingspan 1400 mm. Balsa construction with a foam-core wing.

Update 24/11/2023: Added article, thanks to George.

Quote (google-translated from the German): "A sparrow for aerobatics. By Marc Avondet.

The Sparrow (Sperling) is a small acro-suitable slope soarer of mixed construction: the fuselage and tail units are made of wood, the wing is made of a planked polystyrene core.

The objective when designing this model was to achieve a robust design and excellent flight characteristics with minimal construction effort. The robust design requires, in addition to an appropriate construction, a low mass of less than 1 kg. This can be achieved relatively easily given the small span. I'm lucky enough to live right next to the Swiss Alps, so a small mass and wingspan are a good prerequisite for regular excursions to higher mountain regions. Fortunately, many good slope airfields in the Alps are still not accessible by car or cable car, but instead involve a longer walk at the beginning and end of the fun, which can be managed much more easily with 'light' luggage .

The only disadvantage of a small glider is the poor visibility at long distances, but the Sparrow is better suited for actions on the edge of a slope anyway, so that problem doesn't really arise.

Although very simple to set up, this glider is only intended for experienced pilots. The control takes place via two axes (across and elevation), the maneuverability is very good at higher flight speeds. Thanks to the relatively low wing loading, the slow flight behavior is extremely good-natured. Aerobatics are somewhat limited by the lack of rudder control, but with the pronounced differentiation of the ailerons, tight circling in thermals is also possible without any problems. The speed range is large, from stealthy flight in thermal tubes to vertical dives at top speed, everything is possible.

Fuselage construction: The hull consists of a simple box construction. The construction begins with cutting the two side walls (1) from 2 mm balsa. The 4x4 mm balsa LE strips (3) are glued to the side walls as corner reinforcements. The reinforcement parts (2) made of 1 mm plywood are then glued to the inside of the side walls. The contour of the reinforcement parts is partially marked on the plan with arrows.

After drying, the holes (3 or 4 mm) for the tenons of the frames are drilled on the inside. The holes are coated on the outside with a little thin liquid..."

Supplementary file notes

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