Khamseen (oz1771)

About this Plan

Khamseen. 40in span international A1 class glider, from Aeromodeller November 1955.

Quote: "Follow the A/1 leaders with this high performance contest design. Khamseen, by Derek Illsley.

THE ENTHUSIASM with which the model clubs have received the A/1 glider class, after mention in our June issue and subsequent publication of the 'Golden Wings' in July, has made it evident that this size of model is becoming very popular. In the main, the class has been adopted for local events, and for the encouragement of novices. The model is of handy size for transport, can be built for only a few shillings expenditure on wood, tissue, cement and dope, and is most rewarding with a good flight average of up to 1 min 45 secs duration.

Our own Golden Wings contest (see pages 590/591) has already introduced more than a thousand young enthusiasts to the delights of flying one of these easy-to-build small gliders, and now we introduce a somewhat contrasting design as its stable companion.

A stick type fuselage, pylon mounted, almost flat wing, large endplates and undercambered tailplane, will immediately label the Khamsecn as a strictly 'performance' design. Yet it is still simple enough for any beginner to tackle, providing patience is exercised when covering the undercambered surfaces - the only item likely to offer any difficulty.

Corporal Illsley has been stationed in Germany with the army and had the good fortune to be able to fly on Essen-Mulheim airfield each weekend. The local lads there have been flying A/1's for some years, so it was only natural that Cpl. Insley should try the class for himself. Choosing the name of a warm wind of the Middle East for his effort, Khamseen was soon created, and the first two models disappeared with uncomfortable rapidity when launches were made without lighting the dethermaliser fuse! There's a moral there somewhere.

The third of the series includes all the detail improvements shown necessary in the first two prototypes, and is as drawn on the reduced scale plans show.

Construction should start with the pylon outline, which is from 1/8 in by 1/2 in, stripped down from hard balsa sheet. Whilst this is drying, cut out the 1/16 in sides and sundry fuselage spacers..."

Update 17/05/2020: Replaced this plan with a clearer copy (essentially redrawn from scratch), thanks to TonyP.

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