Ascender (oz9035)

 

Ascender (oz9035) by Dave Hughes 1970 - plan thumbnail

About this Plan

Ascender. General purpose thermal soarer model.

Quote: "Interest in 'flat field' soaring certainly seems to be on the increase, judging by entries in this year's main events. And judging, too, by the number of enquiries coming in about Hi-start launching, kit models - and thermal soarer plans.

As we have only one of the latter in our range to date, I thought I would make a 100 per cent increase by adding my own model, which seems to be a reasonable sort of tow-line glider (albeit originally a 'bitsa') and while doing nothing outstanding has managed to put up a fairly respectable and consistent performance.

Ascender tows up very well on the line (so I'm told, by those who have done all the towing - I just stand still and steer it up!) and managed to place sixth in the 1970 South Midland Area Championships, out of 29 entries, with its first three flights...

The aerofoil section is Gottingen 532, which worked very satisfactorily on my first r/c glider. Silent Knight (1963), and the polyhedral also seemed a good idea. The huge rudder is (hadn't you guessed?) borrowed from the Soarcerer (oz8762) where it has amply proved my point about 1/3 fin and 2/3 rudder being the best proportion for use in all conditions, with proportional control..."

Ascender, Radio Modeller, October 1970.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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Ascender (oz9035) by Dave Hughes 1970 - model pic

Datafile:
  • (oz9035)
    Ascender
    by Dave Hughes
    from Radio Modeller
    October 1970 
    86in span
    Glider R/C
    clean :)
    all formers complete :)
    got article :)
  • Submitted: 02/08/2017
    Filesize: 668KB
    Format: • PDFbitmap
    Credit*: Circlip, RFJ
    Downloads: 1426

Ascender (oz9035) by Dave Hughes 1970 - pic 003.jpg
003.jpg

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User comments

I built this model for 'bang-bang' single channel in 1971. It was my first attempt at slope soaring, about which I knew next to nothing. The subsequent learning curve was very steep. Before my first flight I did not see how it could stay up, but by the end of the flight I discovered the real problem was getting it back down. Eventually the wings broke flying heavily ballasted in a gale over sea cliffs where the sudden changes in vertical wind speed proved too much. A decision was then made to build a proportional kit as I was bored with the limitations of single channel after 10 years. The kit cost £70.00 which was a fortune in 1971 and the build was fiddly, the servos being particularly difficult with all discrete components, but it worked for many years.
Fergus Foster - 23/05/2019
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