Windsong (oz4467)

About this Plan

Windsong. Radio control 2 meter class sailplane.

Quote: "A high-performance sailplane for the Two-Meter Class. Windsong, by Bruce Abell.

All through my 30-plus years of aero-modelling, I have almost invariably been attracted to the small model in preference to the large one, but only recently have I come to realize the reason why. The small model poses a far greater challenge in many ways - in order to compete with larger models on anything near even terms, one has to develop design and construction techniques that give exceptional performance. Windsong is my first attempt to put all these techniques together in one model, and early indications are very encouraging.

Another plus for the small model is that a lot of beginners (regardless of age) are reluctant to try their hand at competitive R/C Soaring because of the high cost of a really high-performance Open Class ship with spoilers, ailerons, etc; so the smaller, cheaper, simpler(?) Two-Meter Class ship becomes much more attractive.

Construction. Begin with the fuselage. Two side frames are built as per plan, taking care to build right and left-hand sides (the arrangement of the diagonals is different). Join the sides with the main formers, and then cement the rudder post and the nose former in place. Cement a couple of temporary cross braces in place halfway between the wing mount formers and the rudder post, and cement in the diagonal braces. Remove the temporary cross braces when the diagonals are set and cement the remaining diagonals in place.

Fill in the sides with sheet where shown, being careful to run the grain as indicated; complete the underside sheet-ing and fit the tow hook. The doublers are now cemented in place inside the nose compartment and the fuselage put aside until the wings are completed.

The wing panels can be built in any of the following ways:

(1) Undercambered, with the tip panel changing to a flat bottom reflex section at the tip and all panels sheeted with 1/32 balsa on the undersurface.
(2) Similar to (1), but with 2/32 sheeting on the undersurface only back to the spar and 1/32 cap strips from the spar to the trailing edge.
(3) Undercambered all the way to the tip, with 1/8 in wash-out built into the tip panels and the undersurface treated as for (1) or (2).
(4) Flat bottom section with 1/4 in wash-out in the tip panels and the undersurface treated as for (1) or (2).

Method (4) with (2) treatment of the undersurface is the easiest, and this I recommend for a beginner, who can then graduate through (3), (2), and finally to (1), which is by far the best wing for all conditions up to 10 mph windfs. Then (4) with (1) undersurface treatment would be the better proposition.

Construction of the wing panels is fairly conventional for the basic framework, but care must be taken..."

Quote: "Steve, I am a regular visitor of your wonderful site. Attached is a scan of the WINDSONG plan and article that appeared in the February 1980 issue of Model Airplane News."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics.

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