Sloworm (oz9369)

About this Plan

Sloworm. 1/2A power model. Wing area 253 sq in.

Quote: "Full size plans! Dave Hipperson's SLOWORM one of the 'winningest' 1/2A power models ever!

WHAT might be called the first of the Sloworm series was built at the start of 1962 and was on the lines of the popular trend at that time, ie a small wing 200 sq in and flat bottom section. This gave a fast climb, but a very poor glide in still air. However, many more were built, ten in fact, over '62 and half of '63. They varied between 180 and 220 sq in, some having flat bottom Conover wing sections and others my own undercambered section - the less said about that section the better.

Many of these models had quite a great deal of success, as can be seen from the results list. The big step, however, was still to be taken and that was to obtain a really good glide which, by halfway through '63, looked as if it was going to be needed because of the increasing competition.

The answer came in the form of Sloworm 11, at 242 sq in, which was built rather more as a joke than a contest model. It had lines similar to that of my PAA-load model, which had exhibited an extraordinarily good glide, using a Davis section. After Sloworm 11 was built in June '63, it was not flown due to insufficient time.

Five more small jobs were made and suddenly they just didn't win anymore. The bigger A models had a great advantage in the still air of the autumn and my jobs just couldn't beat them.

My thoughts returned to No. 11 and I tried it. Right from the very first flight it was quite obvious that this was it! The climb was a good deal slower than I was used to, but the glide was nothing short of fantastic. Comp after comp it did a full house and was in all the fly-offs at the end of the season. Very soon another one was built, No. 17, slightly stronger, and this proved to be identical in performance to No. 11.

The model presented here is No. 18, stronger than 11 or 17, and a 2 in increase in span giving a 253 sq in area. It has already quite a number of wins to its credit and, along with No 11, 17, 19 and 20 (two later models of the same design) it has accumulated the contest record listed..."

Scan from DBHL, cleanup by theshadow.

ref DBHL-7900.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Planfile includes article.

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