Grosse Winkler (oz8562)

About this Plan

Grosse Winkler. Towline glider model.

German slope glider, originally from 1938. This is a more modern drawing, dated 1999 drawn by Jim Adams and shows RC conversion.

Scan from DBHL, cleanup by theshadow.

ref DBHL-5091.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 11/7/2025: Added original kit instructions, 8th edition, from 1942, thanks to AxelVPF.

Update 20/8/2026: Added later article, from FMT 7/2001, thanks to AxelVPF.

QUote: "Vintage Glider Using CNC Technology: Wolfgang Kassebeer. The Grosser Winkler.

Silently, a shadow glides over the bare crest of the vineyard. People in their gardens at the foot of the slope pause in their work and gaze in wonder at the silver bird; carried by favorable winds, it lands in the shrubbery of the nearby cemetery after a flight lasting nearly three and a half minutes. It had been a late night, 4 am, and his mother was furious about the smell of dope filling the house; as for the result of the Latin test during the second period, the less said, the better. But none of that mattered today, for the 'Grosser Winkler' was flying, and the effort of the past few weeks had paid off. This scene played out in the early summer of 1940 and was experienced by my father.

Today, 60 years later, the kit for the Grosser Winkler lies before me on the table, CNC-milled and of the highest quality. It is made from the same materials used back in 1939: top-grade 1 mm birch plywood for ribs and formers, and selected pine strips meeting aviation standards, meaning at least ten growth rings per centimeter. The components are neatly sorted by assembly group and sealed in plastic bags. Covering paper of varying weights and strengths is also included. The rolled A0-sized plan presents a comprehensive view based on the original 1938 blueprints.

The kit is manufactured and distributed by the company AEROPLAN in Mettingen. Its managing director, Mr Kaufmann, aims to use this glider to raise the profile and popularity of vintage model flying in Germany. The plan features a presentation style that differs somewhat from what we are accustomed to today. All views are drawn at a scale of 1:2.5; the individual parts are shown at 1:1 scale and are dimensioned.

For experienced modelers only: The first step is to study the original 1938 assembly instructions, as they contain many tips and tricks that contribute to the successful assembly of the model.

The glider can be built in four different versions: with a full fuselage or flat fuselage, with wingtips or a thermal wing. So there's something for everyone. Due to the slightly higher weight of the building materials and the remote control, I chose the thermal wing with a full fuselage.

The concise building instructions from AEROPLAN are aimed at the experienced model builder and essentially point out a few construction steps that must be observed for the successful construction of the model.

All dimensions are very precise. Since pine spars and stringers have tolerances, all grooves should be checked and, if necessary, adjusted to the pine spars before starting assembly.

The full fuselage version: The fuselage is assembled upside down. It should be noted that the wing mounting bracket, made of 5 mm plywood, is initially fully integrated into the fuselage. Installing the support strips for the fuselage support board is somewhat tricky, as it can only be installed after removing the wing mounting unit. Parallel pieces must absolutely be used as spacers here. If the required distance of 2 mm (or better yet, 2.3 mm) is not maintained, the fuselage and wing will no longer fit together precisely.

Bending the strips: The keel strap is manufactured in one piece and must be bent sharply at the front. For this, the front part of the strip must first be thoroughly soaked in soapy water, and the area to be bent must be pre-softened with steam..."

Supplementary file notes

Article (FMT 2001).
Instructions.

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