Sheilagh (oz1718)

About this Plan

Sheilagh. Towline glider. Model Aircraft, November 1949.

Quote: "THIS model was designed for competition flying with the following points in mind.

1. To take advantage of every available inch of the towline.
2. To be very slow flying for thermal catching.
3. To try the effect of a wing designed to be flexible on the towline.
4. To be as light as possible but strong enough for all normal strains.

When first tested out, apart from a slight doubt about the wings. everything was as expected. The wings were improved on later models and will now stand any strain except that experienced when young children 'fetch' it! It has proved a consistent thermal catcher and great care has to he taken to keep it for more than two flights! Here is where the detherrnaliser comes in. Normally the tailplane is arranged to tip up 45 deg, but this is only effective in light thermals. When the model must be got down eg in contest flying; a really effective method is to release the tailplane and attach it to the rear of the fuselage by a piece of cotton. This has never failed yet! Strong cotton is needed, as, although it has never happened to me, I have seen many a modeller come back minus a tailplane!

Fuselage. Use hard balsa for the longerons and medium hard for spacers. The two sides are built on top of one another and allowed to dry. Cut out top and bottom spacers for x and the nose. Join the two sides together at x1 and x2. Leave to dry. Fix into position the nose spacers and glue the tail together with a block of 1/4 in x 1/4 in balsa between the longerons.

Now cut out the other spacers two at a time, measuring them from the fuselage and not from the plan. This ensures a perfect fit. When all of the spacers are in place. the nose and the wing position should be sheeted in. The towhooks are now bound into position with strips of Jap tissue soaked in cement. The nose block is carved from very hard balsa and made detachable for easy access to the nose weight.

Wing. The spars should be very carefully selected from white, straight-grained very hard balsa. The wing ribs are cut out and pinned together so that the slots for the spars can be cut. Nos 1 and 2 ribs have no undercaniber in order to provide a firm seating on the fuselage. No. 3 rib has only half full under-camber. This aids covering..."

Supplementary file notes

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