Colibri (oz16463)

About this Plan

Colibri. Catapult lanch glider model. Wingspan 14 in.

Quote (google-translated): "The Colibri is a model glider for hand or slingshot launch. It's extremely simple to build and especially suitable for beginners who have never built a flying model before. In less than three hours of easy work and without having to spend a lot on the necessary materials, anyone can have this interesting glider ready for flight.

To build the Colibri, all you need is a 1.5mm thick medium balsa board and another 4mm thick hard balsa board. With this material, you can naturally build at least four models like the Colibri; the excess balsa will be used for subsequent models.

Following the preliminary advice already given in the introductory notes, begin building the Colibri by first tracing the model's five key parts onto the balsa and then cutting them out: the fuselage F, the two wing halves A and B, the horizontal rudder C, and the vertical (or rudder) D.

Parts A, B, C, and D should be cut from 1.5 mm thick balsa board, while the fuselage F should be cut from 4 mm board. The dihedral adjuster H should also be cut from 1.5 mm board; however, you can omit it if desired, as explained later.

Finish the various pieces with the sandpaper block to eliminate any cutting imperfections. In particular, slightly round the outer edges of the two wing halves A and B as shown in the drawing, and do the same for the horizontal rudder and rudder.

On the horizontal rudder, about a centimeter below the dotted line indicating the centerline, there is a line T that must be cut along its entire length with a razor blade; this will provide the rudder with a moving part that is very useful for all centering operations.

The fuselage has two noteworthy features: the slingshot hook G, located on its lower section, and the horizontal rudder support L, located on its rear section. Hook G is very simple to make and, according to the advice given in the introduction, can be reinforced with a pin.

As can be seen from the drawing, the support line L is slightly downward and represents the exact inclination of the rudder relative to the wing. Because of its crucial role in achieving a good final result, the support must be cut with great care and precision.

The assembly of the model starts from the wing, gluing the two half-wings in the centre and placing the two wings at the end..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

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