This article describes step by step the creation of a simple glider for younger children. school age. It can be made in a couple of hours, and the materials used are the most affordable.

Materials:
- ceiling tiles
- plywood 4 mm
- bamboo skewer
- sushi stick
- rubber band for money
- threads
- cardboard

Tools:
- cutter
- pen
- ruler
- scissors
- ceiling adhesives and PVA
- jigsaw
- sandpaper
- brushes and paints

Step 1. Drawing and templates.

The drawing was made directly on a sheet of cardboard so that templates could be cut out of it later. All part sizes are indicated. From the nose, 75 mm is the distance to the leading edge of the wing and the boundary along which the plywood nose piece will be measured.

We cut out the part templates with scissors.

Step 2. Cut out and glue the model.

If the drawing was drawn on thick cardboard, then the details on the ceiling can be cut out directly according to the templates rather than drawn. Tail internal part I cut out the ceilings from the remains, so it is in two parts, but you can make it one-piece.

We cut out the bow part from plywood and make a cutout in it for bamboo stick, which will be in the model with a hook for an elastic band.

We glue the fuselage parts together by gluing the plywood and tail parts between the intact fuselage sides.

If for some reason it is not possible to make a plywood part, the nose can be weighted with a coin by gluing it between the sides, but the weight will have to be selected so that the centering is suitable.
We sand the edges of the fuselage and glue the wing to it.

Then we glue the stabilizer.

The model is ready for painting.

Step 3. Painting the model.

Before painting, it is better to first draw the contours with a pen for greater accuracy, or even paint the parts first, and only then glue them, but this is more convenient for everyone.
If you don’t have acrylic paints, you can paint the model with felt-tip pens and even cover it with colored tape.
In this case we use acrylic paints- blue and orange.

The wing and stabilizer can be painted only on top, leaving the bottom white.

We draw the contours of the cabin in the bow with a pen or felt-tip pen.

Step 4. Making a starting device.

Essentially, the launcher is a kind of slingshot to launch a higher model.
To make it you will need an elastic band for money and a sushi stick (or any other strip).

Using threads and PVA glue, we attach an elastic band to the end of the stick.

People have always had the desire to fly through the air, it seems, and it was this that prompted scientists to create many wonderful aircraft, but not all of them were safe and could fly long distances. Among them is such an amazing device as a glider, which is still relevant today. It gave rise to a whole sport within which competitions are held. Many have heard about it, but have no idea what it is.

What is a glider?

This is a kind of non-motorized weight which is much heavier than air. Movement in it occurs under the influence of its own weight. The glider makes its flight using aerodynamic force air flow on your wing. It's like he's floating in the air. Available various models of this device: by quantity seats- single, double and multi-seat; by purpose - educational, training and sports. There is no glider engine; this is the simplest aircraft.

For takeoff, a towing aircraft is used, which attaches it to its side using a cable. After the towing vehicle rises into the air, the glider also takes off. Then they unhook the cable, the device flies alone. Many people note that flying on a glider is simply great, because everything happens in silence, without the annoying hum of the engine. Once a beginner learns in practice what a glider is, he wants to fly it again and again.

There are two variants of flights on this device: soaring and gliding. Gliding is a glider flight with a descent, which is very similar in sensations to a rapid descent on a sleigh or on a cart. steep slope. Hovering involves the use of a device that is created using air flow and supports the aircraft while moving in the air.

A little history

It was the flight on a glider that opened up new possibilities for soaring in the air for humanity, because the invention of the airplane was still very far away. These aircraft previously had neither cockpits for pilots nor retractable landing gear. In some models, the pilot simply lay on the platform or controlled the aircraft while standing on his hands using movements own body. Of course, this caused certain inconveniences during flights. These aircraft have been able to maintain their relevance to this day.

Many amateurs are thinking about how to make a glider with their own hands. It would be nice to have a similar device in your arsenal for personal flights. Children will be very happy with this invention and will find it a good toy. And flying on a real-sized glider can give you a lot of wonderful sensations of lightly soaring in the air.

Choosing the right model

A homemade device must certainly have some important qualities, which can be found out by studying suitable option in the shop.

What will the glider look like? For a beginner in this business, it is often difficult to achieve the correct design, which is why it is so important to adhere to the general rules.

For those with minimal design experience, it will be quite difficult to make a model, so it is recommended to choose something lightweight, but no less elegant than store-bought counterparts. There are only two main designs of this aircraft, the creation of which does not require special effort and costs. It is for these reasons that they will be the most optimal choice.

The first option is based on the principle of a designer; it is assembled and soars into the air right at the test site.

The second option is prefabricated, has an integral structure and is stable. Its creation is quite painstaking and hard work. Not every glider pilot is able to make one.

Airframe drawing

On initial stage you need to make calculations and think everything through carefully. Those who want to make a glider with their own hands should look at the drawings of the finished plan. It is also necessary to decide in advance on the materials that will be used in the future design.

For different models gliders require a completely standard set of resources: small blocks of solid wood, twines, high-quality glue, ceiling tiles, a small piece of plywood.

The size of the first model

The first design of the airframe will be quite light; its components are held together using conventional stationery erasers and glue. It is for this reason that precision in design is not necessary here. You need to adhere to a few basic rules:

• the total length of the glider should not exceed 1 meter;
• The wingspan is a maximum of one and a half meters.

Other details are at the discretion of the glider pilot.

Second model format

Here it is really worth thinking about the quality of the model. It is very important that all details are calculated down to the millimeter. The glider drawing must correspond to the created model, otherwise the structure will not fly into the air. This model must have the following parameters:

• maximum aircraft length - up to 800 mm;
• wing span width is 1600 mm;
• the height, which includes the dimensions of the fuselage and stabilizer, is up to 100 mm.

Once all the necessary quantities have been clarified, you can safely begin modeling.

Training is half the battle

Before you start constructing real flying units, you can practice and build a glider out of paper. You can make it from a small sheet of paper and a match, it will fly perfectly. You just need to adjust the small plasticine weight on the model’s nose. For this simple design you will need notebook sheet paper, scissors, matches, a piece of plasticine.

First you need to cut out the body of the glider according to the template, and then bend the wings upward along the dotted line. Next, carefully glue the match onto the inside of the model so that the head of the match protrudes beyond the nose of the center of the wing and has no protrusions at the back. After the glue has dried and the match has been fixed, the process of adjusting the airframe begins. You need to select a plasticine weight for it in such a way that it regulates the flight process. This balance is attached to the edge of the match.

A simple type of glider

The base for the glider (its wing-shaped part) is cut out of ceiling tiles. After this, create rectangles from similar material. This is done in such a way that there is enough for all the parts: the wing should have dimensions of 70 x 150 cm, the horizontal stabilizer - 160 x 80 cm, and the vertical stabilizer - 80 x 80 cm. It is necessary to cut out the main parts extremely carefully.

The perimeter needs to be trimmed toilet paper so that everything is extremely smooth and there are no jags. Each narrow and thin edge needs to be rounded, this can give the structure a little elegance, and its aerodynamic properties will also improve. Ribs can be created from simple wood chips, just carefully sharpened and given the desired shape in advance. After all these manipulations, you need to carefully glue the piece of wood to the middle of the wing so that it does not extend beyond the edges. The main part is almost ready.

Now you need to start preparing the body of the glider; this design is quite simple and consists of a thin stick and small stabilizers. The rounded squares must be glued together to form something resembling the letter “t” in three dimensions. It is attached to the tail section. With the help of such manipulations you will make a frame; all that remains is to attach everything using ordinary rubber bands. A glider drawing will come to the aid of a novice designer, based on which everything can be done efficiently.

Complex aircraft model

Creating a children's glider is not difficult for beginners. But more serious models require special efforts and much more time for construction. Therefore, people who are wondering how to make a glider on their own should study the process of building an aircraft in more detail. This will help create reliable design. Having finished model, beginners will be able to evaluate in practice what a glider is and what advantages it has.

Toy model with small motor

The fuselage of this model is made from finely planed matches and is covered with ordinary cigarette paper. A piece of plasticine for adjustment is placed in the nose of the model. The wings, stabilizer and keel are cut out of thick cardboard paper. Anyone who knows what a glider is may be overcome by doubt when this “squiggle” appears in his hands. However, the work is not yet completed.

Now all that remains is to spread the cardboard wings and attach a little plasticine to the nose. After this, you can test in practice how this model flies.

The capabilities of this match structure are very limited; it flies with descent and may require constant adjustments in the air. It is much more interesting to launch gliders into the air that are capable of floating in the air on their own, so you can additionally add a rubber motor to them. For the production of this important detail it takes no more than half an hour. To do this, you need to carefully make small recesses in the fuselage from matches into which the front propeller bearing and rear hook will be inserted. Both of these parts are created from ordinary soft wire. The latter must be carefully wound with thread only at the junction with the fuselage. These connections are carefully coated with glue.

After this, you need to cut out a motor screw from the rack with a knife, the length of which is 45 mm, the width is 6 mm, and the thickness is 4 mm. In the center of the screw you need to pass a wire axis, the end of which is bent with a hook for the future rubber motor. Two threads pulled from a clothesline can be used for a rubber motor; they need to be wound at 100-120 revolutions. A device with such a simple engine will take off into the air very quickly.

After a beginner makes a glider with his own hands, more complex drawings will no longer seem so complicated to him. Good luck!

Which boy doesn't admire structures like airplanes? Do-it-yourself aircraft models made from ceiling tiles are an excellent gift for children who are interested in aviation. Especially if they took part in assembling the airframe. The article will tell you how to make ceiling tiles simple model airplane.

Aircraft modeling

Model airplane construction is a popular technical sport that is of interest to schoolchildren, students, workers and engineers. At the same time, everyone chooses for themselves a class of aircraft models that suits their interests.

In aircraft modeling there are three fairly large groups of aircraft models, presented in the table:

Model class	Peculiarities
	In such models, designer intervention is impossible during flight. All adjustments and settings of the aircraft are completed when it is launched. They can be: - non-motorized - gliders; - with a simple, very small engine internal combustion, which is attached to the body with an elastic band. The motors on the models work for several seconds to throw the light-winged structures up to a hundred meters up, and then they smoothly descend. Timers or special clock mechanisms are used to turn off the engine and switch the steering wheel to planning.
	With such models, the athlete controls wire threads, which are called cord. The devices fly in a circle with a diameter of approximately 40 meters. The “pilot” is located in its center with the control stick. When you pull the handle towards yourself, the elevator deflects, and the device obediently flies up. And moving the handle away from you causes the model to descend. The devices are: Aerobatics, capable of performing all aerobatic maneuvers. High-speed ones, reaching speeds of up to 300 km per hour. Racing, combining efficiency, reliability of engine starting, ease of maintenance and high quality in flight.
	Controlled remotely, wirelessly. For this purpose, there is a set of radio equipment, which includes a transmitter, in the hands of the operator, and a receiver with steering control mechanisms, mounted on board the model.

Model aircraft structure

Tip: Before you make an airplane from ceiling tiles, you need to become familiar with its design.

The design of all models is very similar. The main components of the radio-controlled airplane model are shown in the photo.

This:

• Fuselage. This is the basis of the entire model on which the following are mounted:

1. bearing structures;
2. tail section;
3. chassis.

Installed inside:

1. engine;
2. aircraft control equipment: receiver, steering controls, batteries.

• Wing. Serves to create lift. The wing keeps the model in the air.
• Ailerons- control surfaces located at the rear end of the wing and deflected up or down in antiphase. They allow the plane to tilt left and right.
• Tail. It consists of a vertical part - the keel, and a horizontal part - the stabilizer. This device provides stability to the aircraft so that it can fly straight and level without tumbling in the sky, randomly changing the direction of its movement.

The rudder is installed at the rear end of the keel.

• Chassis. Allow the model to take off from the surface and then land on it.

Advice: If there is no landing gear, the model should be launched by hand, and the plane should be landed “on its belly”.

• Engine. Creates movement for the model, allows her to type the desired height, and then maintain the set speed.
• Tank. Serves for the fuel needed to run the engine.

• Receiver. Receives the transmitter signal, amplifies it, and processes it. And then it transmits to the steering gears.
• Steering cars. The signal coming from the receiver is converted into moving the model's rudders through the connected rods.
• The receiver and machine are powered from the on-board battery. Usually these are four “finger” elements.

Model selection

Advice: When choosing to make an airplane from ceiling tiles with your own hands, you need to ensure, first of all, that it is reliable to take off and land, and then that it satisfies aesthetic needs.

The aircraft model must have the following properties:

• Be stable: stay in the air well without much input from the pilot.
• It is easy to repair, which is ensured by aircraft models made from ceiling tiles.
• Sufficient strength, but without compromising flight qualities: withstand hard landings and fly well.

We do it ourselves

To work you will need tools and materials:

Making any design, including an aircraft model, with your own hands begins with the development of drawings. To do this, you can use the services of specialists or copy them from websites, print templates on a printer or draw them according to size.

After the printer:

• Printouts on A4 sheet formats are laid out on flat surface By serial numbers. The result should be a life-size image of the aircraft elements.
• All necessary sheets stick together.
• When gluing sheets without disturbing the dimensions and geometry of the future aircraft.
• Cutting lines are drawn by connecting special crosses drawn at the corners that define the boundaries of the image.
• The resulting airplane drawings from ceiling tiles are combined with structural fragments, glue is applied to the uncut edges of the sheets, and all parts are carefully glued together so that their joints coincide very precisely.

• This way all the fragmented elements of the model are glued together.
• Paper templates are cut out with scissors.

Manufacturing of blanks

Blanks for assembling the aircraft are cut from ceiling tiles using prepared templates.

Tip: To prevent the sheets from moving from the tiles, they must be fixed to the surface of the material with glue. After marking is completed, the glue does not have time to dry and the paper is easily removed without damage for further use.

• To mark a simple part with straight lines, it is enough to pierce all its corners with a needle.
• Remove the stencil and, using a ruler from adjacent puncture points on the tile, cut through the material with the tip of a knife.
• The ruler is shifted to the next adjacent points until the complete cutting of the part is completed.
• Blank complex shape, having rounded sides, can be completely cut out according to the template.

• It is advisable to mark each part to facilitate its purpose, according to the assembly drawing.

Airplane assembly

Before you start assembling all the parts, it is better to watch the video.

The aircraft assembly technology can be roughly described as follows:

• Double partitions consisting of several parts are glued together, which increases their strength. For example, fuselage partitions.

Tip: For work you should use Titan glue, its price is the most affordable for beginning modelers. It is more convenient to apply glue with a syringe without a needle, using it as a dispenser.

• To ensure that the ends of the cut parts are smooth, they are sanded with sandpaper.
• The side of the fuselage is placed on the table to front side was outside the plane. All mounting holes are cut out on it.
• Using this part, the same holes are made on the second half of the fuselage.
• Glue is applied to the glued side of the front compartment partition blank and the part is pressed into place at the installation site. After spreading the composition on the mating part, the workpieces are separated and left for the glue to partially dry for about 30 seconds. The parts are connected again and pressed with force for about 10 seconds.
• When assembling an aircraft, it is necessary, if necessary, to adjust the dimensions of the battery compartment, constantly checking with a square or ruler the perpendicularity of the parts being joined.
• This is how all the fuselage partitions are gradually assembled.

• After installing all the partitions, the second side of the fuselage is glued.
• The nose of the aircraft and the mounting of the frame for the engine are being completed.
• Installed top part fuselage.
• The tail blanks are glued together. In this case, reinforced tape fittings are immediately laid to fix the rudder and toothpicks for rigidity.

• The gluing is clamped with a board and clamps, which will ensure evenness of gluing.
• The tail is glued into place.
• The verticality of the elements is controlled and strictly maintained.
• The elevator parts are glued together. In this case, a bamboo skewer and tape are placed inside to fix the steering wheel. To ensure reliable gluing of the ceiling halves, the tape can be perforated with holes.
• The elements are compressed with a board and clamps, and left for about a day until completely dry glue.
• The edges are ground down with sandpaper or a stone at an angle of 45°, which will allow them to not rest against each other when the planes of the model are tilted.
• The wing is assembled, lines are marked on it for gluing stiffeners, ribs, and spars.

• A wooden axle or spar can be made from a wooden ruler 50 centimeters long.
• The spar rail is glued.
• The joint in the center is reinforced with two small slats.
• Foam plastic neurites are glued in.
• The desired shape of the wing plane is set. To do this, the substrate or ceiling material is rolled onto a piece of pipe.
• Glue is applied to all mating elements and final gluing is performed. Wing for setting time adhesive composition fixed by any in an accessible way: weight, clothespins, tape.

• Small dents caused by clothespins are sanded with sandpaper.
• The cavities in the center of the wing are closed and inserts are glued.
• After the glue has dried, the ailerons are marked. In this case, it is necessary to additionally look at the assembly in the light so as not to get on the partition.
• They are cut through on both sides with a cutter, and the finished aileron is removed.
• Opened cavities are sealed with strips of tiles.
• The ailerons can be glued immediately with reinforced tape or later, before the main fitting of the aircraft model.
• The front part of the wing can be reinforced with reinforced tape.
• The entire model is covered with tape, which serves for beauty, and most importantly gives the structure greater strength, which will allow the product to withstand impacts from falling.
• The adhesive tape is smoothed with a warm iron, which will finally attach it to the ceiling tiles.
• A slot is made in the body of the aircraft into which the wing is installed.
• Servos are installed on the wing. To do this, the elements are applied and outlined with a marker, and a seat is cut out.
• The wires are pulled with a homemade wire hook.
• On the contrary, hogs are installed on the ailerons and connected to the servos with a rigid wire.
• Two servos are installed in the aircraft fuselage, for the rudder and the elevator.
  For fixation it is better to use Double-sided tape, glued to all contact areas of the servo.
• The elements are installed in place and the supporting walls are additionally glued. The rods are laid from rigid wire to the rudders.
• A frame is made to mount the motor.
• It is glued on the motor mounting side thin plywood, bolts will be screwed into it for fixation.
• The frame for the motor is glued into place.
• The motor driver is mounted at the front of the fuselage, and the wires are brought out through the ventilation window and connected.

Car modeling, motor glider, foam planes. Motor installation

• The direction of rotation is checked.
• The fairing is put in place and secured with tape.
• To strengthen the installation site of the wing, it must be secured by gluing plywood or thin shingles.
• The receiver is installed, and all the wires from all the electronics are collected together.
• The bottom of the fuselage is glued, a hatch is cut for mounting the battery.
• The total weight of the model is approximately 450 grams.
• You can fly over a model airplane. The video will show you how to do this.

Assembling airplanes from ceiling tiles is the simplest option, which a novice aviation enthusiast can do if desired. The main condition is to do everything carefully, adhering to the assembly technology, and it is better to take the advice of a specialist.

Here's what we did (video)

People, it seems, have always had a desire to fly through the air; it is this that prompted scientists to create many wonderful aircraft, but not all of them were safe and could fly long distances. Among them is such an amazing device as a glider, which is still relevant today. It gave rise to a whole sport within which competitions are held. Many have heard about it, but have no idea what it is.

What is a glider?

This is a kind of non-motorized aircraft whose weight is much heavier than air. Movement in it occurs under the influence of its own weight. The glider makes its flight using the aerodynamic force of the air flow on its wing. It's like he's floating in the air. There are various models of this device: according to the number of seats - single, double and multi-seat; by purpose - educational, training and sports. There is no glider engine; this is the simplest aircraft.

For takeoff, a towing aircraft is used, which attaches it to its side using a cable. After the towing vehicle rises into the air, the glider also takes off. Then they unhook the cable, the device flies alone. Many people note that flying on a glider is simply great, because everything happens in silence, without the annoying hum of the engine. Once a beginner learns in practice what a glider is, he wants to fly it again and again.

There are two variants of flights on this device: soaring and gliding. Gliding is a glider flight with a descent, which is very similar in sensations to a rapid descent on a sled or on a cart along a steep slope. Hovering involves the use of lift, which is created by air flow and supports the aircraft while moving in the air.

A little history

It was the flight on a glider that opened up new possibilities for soaring in the air for humanity, because the invention of the airplane was still very far away. These aircraft previously had neither cockpits for pilots nor retractable landing gear. In some models, the pilot simply lay on the platform or controlled the aircraft while standing on his hands using the movements of his own body. Of course, this caused certain inconveniences during flights. These aircraft have been able to maintain their relevance to this day.

Many amateurs are thinking about how to make a glider with their own hands. It would be nice to have such a device in your arsenal for personal flights. Children will be very happy with this invention and will find it a good toy. And flying on a real-sized glider can give you a lot of wonderful sensations of lightly soaring in the air.

Choosing the right model

A homemade device must certainly have some important qualities, which can be found out when studying a suitable option in the store.

What will the glider look like? For a beginner in this business, it is often difficult to achieve the correct design, which is why it is so important to adhere to the general rules.

For those with minimal design experience, it will be quite difficult to make a model, so it is recommended to choose something lightweight, but no less elegant than store-bought counterparts. There are only two main designs of this aircraft, the creation of which does not require much effort or expense. It is for these reasons that they will be the most optimal choice.

The first option is based on the principle of a designer; it is assembled and soars into the air right at the test site.

The second option is prefabricated, has an integral structure and is stable. Its creation is quite painstaking and hard work. Not every glider pilot is able to make one.

Airframe drawing

At the initial stage, you need to make calculations and think through everything carefully. Those who want to make a glider with their own hands should look at the drawings of the finished plan. It is also necessary to decide in advance on the materials that will be used in the future design.

For different models of gliders, a completely standard set of resources is required: small blocks of solid wood, twines, high-quality glue, ceiling tiles, a small piece of plywood.

The size of the first model

The first design of the airframe will be quite light; its components are held together using ordinary rubber bands and glue. It is for this reason that precision in design is not necessary here. You need to adhere to a few basic rules:

• the total length of the glider should not exceed 1 meter;
• The wingspan is a maximum of one and a half meters.

Other details are at the discretion of the glider pilot.

Second model format

Here it is really worth thinking about the quality of the model. It is very important that all the details of a homemade aircraft are calculated down to the millimeter. The glider drawing must correspond to the created model, otherwise the structure will not fly into the air. This model must have the following parameters:

• maximum aircraft length - up to 800 mm;
• wing span width is 1600 mm;
• the height, which includes the dimensions of the fuselage and stabilizer, is up to 100 mm.

Once all the necessary quantities have been clarified, you can safely begin modeling.

Training is half the battle

Before you start constructing real flying units, you can practice and build a glider out of paper. You can make it from a small sheet of paper and a match, it will fly perfectly. You just need to adjust the small plasticine weight on the model’s nose. For this simple design you will need a notebook sheet of paper, scissors, matches, and a piece of plasticine.

First you need to cut out the body of the glider according to the template, and then bend the wings upward along the dotted line. Next, carefully glue the match onto the inside of the model so that the head of the match protrudes beyond the nose of the center of the wing and has no protrusions at the back. After the glue has dried and the match has been fixed, the process of adjusting the airframe begins. You need to select a plasticine weight for it in such a way that it regulates the flight process. This balance is attached to the edge of the match.

A simple type of glider

The base for the glider (its wing-shaped part) is cut out of ceiling tiles. After this, rectangles are created from a similar material. This is done in such a way that there is enough for all the parts: the wing should have dimensions of 70 x 150 cm, the horizontal stabilizer - 160 x 80 cm, and the vertical stabilizer - 80 x 80 cm. It is necessary to cut out the main parts extremely carefully.

The perimeter needs to be trimmed with toilet paper so that everything is extremely smooth and there are no nicks. Each narrow and thin edge needs to be rounded, this can give the structure a little elegance, and its aerodynamic properties will also improve. Ribs can be created from simple wood chips, just carefully sharpened and given the desired shape in advance. After all these manipulations, you need to carefully glue the piece of wood to the middle of the wing so that it does not extend beyond the edges. The main part is almost ready.

Now you need to start preparing the body of the glider; this design is quite simple and consists of a thin stick and small stabilizers. The rounded squares must be glued together to form something resembling the letter “t” in three dimensions. It is attached to the tail section. With the help of such manipulations you will make a frame; all that remains is to attach everything using ordinary rubber bands. A glider drawing will come to the aid of a novice designer, based on which everything can be done efficiently.

Complex aircraft model

Creating a children's glider is not difficult for beginners. But more serious models require special efforts and much more time for construction. Therefore, people who are wondering how to make a glider on their own should study the process of building an aircraft in more detail. This will help create a reliable design. Having a ready-made model, beginners will be able to evaluate in practice what a glider is and what advantages it has.

Toy model with small motor

The fuselage of this model is made from finely planed matches and is covered with ordinary cigarette paper. A piece of plasticine for adjustment is placed in the nose of the model. The wings, stabilizer and keel are cut out of thick cardboard paper. Anyone who knows what a glider is may be overcome by doubt when this “squiggle” appears in his hands. However, the work is not yet completed.

Now all that remains is to spread the cardboard wings and attach a little plasticine to the nose. After this, you can test in practice how this model flies.

The capabilities of this match structure are very limited; it flies with descent and may require constant adjustments in the air. It is much more interesting to launch gliders into the air that are capable of floating in the air on their own, so you can additionally add a rubber motor to them. It takes no more than half an hour to make this important part. To do this, you need to carefully make small recesses in the fuselage from matches into which the front propeller bearing and rear hook will be inserted. Both of these parts are created from ordinary soft wire. The latter must be carefully wound with thread only at the junction with the fuselage. These connections are carefully coated with glue.

After this, you need to cut out a motor screw from the rack with a knife, the length of which is 45 mm, the width is 6 mm, and the thickness is 4 mm. In the center of the screw you need to pass a wire axis, the end of which is bent with a hook for the future rubber motor. Two threads pulled from a clothesline can be used for a rubber motor; they need to be wound at 100-120 revolutions. A device with such a simple engine will take off into the air very quickly.

After a beginner makes a glider with his own hands, more complex drawings will no longer seem so complicated to him. Good luck!

I had a drawing of this model for several years. Knowing that it flies well, for some reason I could not decide to build it. The drawing was published in one of the Czech magazines in the early 80s. Unfortunately, I was unable to find out either the name of the magazine or the year of publication. The only information that is present on the drawing is the name of the model (Sagitta 2m F3B), the date - either of construction or production of the drawing - 10.1983 and, apparently, the first and last name of the author - Lee Renaud. All. No more data.

When the question arose of building a glider more or less equally suitable for flying in both thermals and dynamics, I remembered a drawing that was lying idle. One careful examination of the design was enough to understand that this model is very close to the desired compromise. Thus, the problem of choosing a model was solved.

Even if I have a ready-to-use drawing of a model at my disposal, I still redraw it with my own hand, with a pencil on graph paper. This helps to thoroughly understand the structure of the model and simplifies the assembly process - you can immediately develop the sequence of manufacturing parts and their subsequent installation. So construction started from the drawing board. Minor changes were made to the design of the airframe, which made it possible to fearlessly tighten the model both on the rail and on the winch.

Intensive use of the glider in the summer of 2003 showed that it is distinguished by predictability, stability and, at the same time, agility - even without ailerons. The glider behaves quite satisfactorily both in thermals, allowing it to gain altitude even in weak currents, and in dynamic conditions. I note that the model turned out to be too light, and sometimes additional loading of the airframe is required - from 50 to 200 grams. For flights in strong dynamic currents, the glider has to be loaded more - by 300...350 grams.

The model can be recommended for beginners only if the training is carried out together with an instructor. The fact is that the model has a relatively weak tail boom and bow. This does not cause any problems if you at least know how to land a glider, but the model may not withstand a strong impact with the nose on the ground.

Characteristics

The main characteristics of the airframe are:

Materials required for manufacturing:

• Balsa 6x100x1000 mm, 2 sheets
• Balsa 3 x100x1000 mm, 2 sheets
• Balsa 2 x100x1000 mm, 1 sheet
• Balsa 1.5 x100x1000 mm, 4 sheets
• Duralumin plate 300x15x2 mm
• Small pieces of plywood 2 mm thick - approximately 150x250 mm.
• Thick and liquid cyacrine - 25 ml each. Thirty minute epoxy resin.
• Film for covering the model - 2 rolls.
• Small pieces of 8 and 15 mm balsa - approximately 100x100 mm.
• Pieces of textolite 1 and 2 mm thick - 50x50 mm is quite enough.

The production of the glider takes less than two weeks.

The design of the model is very simple and technologically advanced. The most complex and critical components - the attachment of the consoles to the fuselage and the rocking of the all-moving stabilizer - will require maximum care and attention when building the model. Carefully study the airframe design and assembly technology before starting its construction - then you will not waste time on alterations.

The description of the model is intended for modelers who already have basic skills in building radio-controlled models. Therefore, constant reminders “check for distortions”, “carefully do [this]” are excluded from the text. Accuracy and constant control are things that go without saying.

Manufacturing

Please note that unless otherwise indicated in the text, in all balsa parts the fibers are located along more long side details.

Fuselage and tail

Let's start building the glider with the fuselage. It has a square cross-section; made of balsa 3 mm thick.

Take a look at the drawing. The fuselage is formed by four balsa plates 3 mm thick - these are two walls 1, as well as the upper 2 and lower 3 covers. All frames 4-8, except frame 7, are made of 3 mm thick balsa.

Cutting everything out necessary details, let's tinker with making frame 7 from three- or four-millimeter plywood. After this, having installed the frames on the drawing covered with transparent film, we glue the walls to them. Having removed the resulting box from the drawing, we will glue the bottom cover of the fuselage, and then we will lay down the bowdens 9 for controlling the elevator and rudder (and, if desired, a tube for laying the antenna).

Let's work on the forward part of the fuselage. We will make the bow boss 10 from scraps of thick balsa, the removable canopy will be made from balsa 3 (walls 11) and 6 (top part 12) millimeters thick. We are not installing the control equipment yet. The only thing you need to do is try it on in place. If necessary, you can remove frame 6, which is more of a technological element than a power element.

We move on to the middle part of the fuselage, to which the wing is attached. We have to make a plywood box 13, which ties together the wing spar, the fuselage itself and the towing hook. The details of the box are shown in a separate sketch. It consists of two walls 13.1 and a bottom, represented by plywood from parts 13.2 and 13.3. We stock up on two-millimeter plywood, a pair of jigsaw files, and get started.

Having assembled the box "dry", we adjust it to the inside of the fuselage, and then glue it in. We will make cuts for the connecting guide of the consoles later, locally. Other holes in the box are also made locally.

After installation, the box can be glued top cover fuselage 2.

One of the most difficult stages of fuselage assembly begins - manufacturing, fitting and installation of the fin and stabilizer rocker.

As we can see from the drawing, the keel (it is very small, since the rest is the rudder) is formed by a frame of the front 14, rear 16 and top 15 edges, made of two-millimeter balsa and glued between the sides of the fuselage.

The stabilizer rocker 17 is mounted in the frame, and then the side lining is glued to the frame - the keel walls 18 are made of 3 mm thick balsa.

The removable halves of the stabilizer are mounted on a power pin 19 made of steel wire with a diameter of 3 mm, and are driven by a short pin 20 (steel wire 2 mm), glued into the front part of the rocker. The rocking chair is made of textolite 2 mm thick, or plywood of the same thickness. Thin washers are installed between the rocker and the walls of the keel, mounted on a power pin.

It looks simple - we cut out all the parts and put them together. Be extremely careful!!! Once the frame that forms the keel is assembled and the lining is glued to one side, you will begin to install the elevator rocker, connect the bowden to it and get ready to glue the keel wall to the other side.

This is where the main ambush awaits you: if even a drop of thiacrine gets on the rocking chair, which is installed between the walls of the keel without large gaps, all is lost. The rocking chair will dry tightly to the wall, and the keel assembly will have to be repeated again. You should be especially careful when gluing the power three-millimeter steel pin - cyacrine can very easily get inside the keel along it. Use thick glue.

After assembling the keel, do not forget to glue the textolite pads 21, which secure the power pin from distortion.

Finally, we will install fork 22 and sand the fuselage.

Assembly of the rudder and stabilizer is so simple that it does not pose any difficulties. I will only note that the holes for the power pin in the halves of the stabilizer after drilling are impregnated with liquid cyacrine and then drilled again.

Please note that the front parts of the rudders are made from solid pieces of balsa (8mm thick on the rudder and 6mm thick on the stabilizer). This significantly simplifies the process of assembling the model, but does not add unnecessary weight, because, as already mentioned, the airframe is already too light.

Having assembled and profiled the rudders, we’ll “roughly” hang them in place and check the ease of movement. Everything is fine? Then we’ll remove them, put them away and move on to the wing.

Wing

The wing design is so standard that it should not raise any questions at all. This is a stacked balsa frame with a forehead 8 sewn up with balsa 1.5...2 mm thick, ribs 1-7 made of two-millimeter balsa with flanges made of balsa 1.5...2 mm thick, and a wide rear edge 11 (balsa 6x25). Spars 9 are pine slats with a section of 6x3 mm, between them a wall of balsa 10 with a thickness of 1.5...2 mm is mounted.

It should be noted that the spar, in general, will be flimsy for such a scope - in case the airframe has to be tightened with a winch. Its strength is quite sufficient for manual tightening.

To avoid “firewood”, I had to glue strips of carbon fabric onto outer side each of the spar flanges. After this improvement, the glider allowed itself to be pulled on a modern winch for F3B class gliders. The consoles, of course, bend, but they hold the load. At least for now...

Wing assembly begins with the manufacture of ribs. The center section ribs are processed in a “package” or “bundle”. This is done like this: let's make two rib templates from plywood 2...3 mm thick, cut out the rib blanks and assemble this package together using M2 threaded pins, placing the templates along the edges of the package. After processing, this solution will provide the same profile along the entire span of the center section. In the drawing, the center section ribs are numbered "1", and the ear ribs are numbered from "2" to "7".

We will do things differently with the ribs of the “ears”. By printing them on laser printer with maximum contrast, we will attach the printout to a sheet of balsa from which we will cut the ribs. After this, with a fully heated iron, we iron the printout, and the images of the ribs will be transferred to the balsa. Just remember that the paper needs to be placed with the image on the balsa, and it is better to first sand the balsa itself with fine sandpaper. Now we can start cutting out the printed parts. At the same time, prepare the details of the lining of the forehead 8 and the center section 12, cut strips of balsa for the flanges of the ribs 14, prepare the blanks of the leading edges 13 and the walls of the spar 10, profile the rear edges 11. Please note that the walls of the spar 10 have a different direction of the wood fibers from other parts - along the short sides. Upon completion of preparation, we can begin assembling the wing without being distracted by the manufacture of the required parts.

First we make the center section parts. We attach the lower flange of the spar to the drawing, install the ribs on it and install the upper flange of the spar. Then we glue the walls of the spar made of three-millimeter balsa 15, located in the root part of the wing. After this, we wrap the resulting box with threads. Let's coat the threads with glue.

We will carry out a similar operation on the other side of the console - where the “ear” will be attached. Only the walls in this case will be made of two-millimeter balsa. Having glued the balsa walls of the spar, we wrap the resulting box. In the future, it will include a guide for attaching the “ear”

Please note that the root rib adjacent to the center section is not installed perpendicular to the spar and edges, but under small angle.

The next step is gluing the back edge. Needless to say, this operation, as well as the next one, is also carried out on a slipway.

Assembling the front part of the wing. The order is as follows: the bottom lining, then the top, then the spar wall made of 1.5 or 2 mm thick balsa. Having removed the resulting console from the slipway, we glue the leading edge 13. Notice how the torsional strength of the wing sharply increases after the “closure” of the forehead.

The final stage of assembling the center section is gluing the flanges of the ribs and the balsa lining of the root part of the wing (three central ribs).

The ear assembly is completely similar to the center section assembly and therefore is not described. The only thing worth noting is that the rib adjacent to the center section is not installed vertically relative to the plane of the wing, but at an angle of 6 degrees - so that there is no gap between the “ear” and the center section. We again wrap the root part of the “ear” spar with threads and glue.

Now let's take a long narrow knife and a file in our hands. We have to make holes for the center section guides 15 and the “ear” 16 in the boxes formed by the spar and its walls - two in the center section and one in the “ear”. Having cut through the balsa end ribs, use a file to level them inner surface boxes We don’t glue the “ear” with the center section yet. We assemble the second console in a completely similar way and proceed to the manufacture of guides.

The center-section guide carries the entire load applied by the handrail to the model when tightened. Therefore, it is based on a strip of duralumin 2…3 mm thick. It is processed so that it fits into the box designed for it without effort or play. After this, a similar-shaped plywood overlay is glued to it with thirty-minute resin, one or two - it depends on the thickness of the duralumin and plywood used. The finished guide is processed so that both consoles fit onto it with little effort.

The guides intended for attaching the “ears” to the center section parts of the wing are made from three pieces of two-millimeter plywood glued together to obtain a total thickness of 6 mm. Once you have made the guides for the "ears", the "ears" can be glued to the center section parts. It is best to use epoxy resin for this.

All that remains is to glue in the “tongues” 17 and the console fixing pins 18. Two-millimeter plywood is used for the “tongues”, and beech, birch or thin-walled aluminum or steel tube is used for the pins.

That's all, actually. All that remains is to cut out windows for the guide and “tongues” in the center section of the fuselage and drill holes for the wing fixation pins. Keep in mind that here it is necessary to control both the absence of mutual distortions between the wing and stabilizer, and the identity of the installation angles of the left and right consoles. Therefore, take your time and take your measurements carefully. Think: maybe there is a technology that is convenient for you, allowing you to avoid possible flaws when cutting out windows?

Final operations

Now you need to make the cover of the center section of the fuselage compartment 23. It is made of balsa or plywood. The method of attaching it is arbitrary; it is only important that it is removable and firmly fixed in its place. After the lid is made, drill a hole with a diameter of 3 mm in it and the connecting tongues. A pin with a diameter of 3 mm, then inserted into these holes, will not allow the consoles to move apart under load.

To increase the strength of the fuselage at the point where the wing guide is attached, we will have to make another one structural element 24, formed by four struts inside the fuselage, made of three-millimeter plywood. Having inserted guide 15 into the holes prepared for it, we will glue these spacers close to it. We got a kind of “channel” for the guide. It will prevent it from moving too freely in the holes and at the same time add rigidity to the fuselage. Glue the fifth piece of “three rubles” approximately 100 mm closer to the tail. It turned out that the balsa fuselage in the center section was reinforced with a closed box made of plywood. This scheme has fully justified itself in practice.

Now is the time to glue and process the ends of the “ears” 19. After this, you can start balancing the model and check whether one of the consoles is overweight.

Covering the airframe is not too difficult. If this is your first time, read the instructions for using the film. It usually describes in detail how to use this particular film.

Installation of radio control equipment should not cause any special difficulties - just look at the photographs.

Don't forget that the stabilizer on the model is all-moving. Its deviations in each direction should be 5...6 degrees. And even at such costs it may turn out to be too effective, and the model may be “twitchy”.

The rudder deflection angles should be 15...20 degrees. It is advisable to seal the gap between the rudder and the keel with tape. This will slightly improve the steering efficiency.

Towing hook 25 is made of duralumin angle. Its installation location is indicated in the drawing.

We will cut weights from lead plates about 3 mm thick - they should be shaped like the center section of the fuselage. The total weight of the “sinker” should be at least 150 grams, and better – 200…300. Based on the number of plates in the fuselage, you can adjust the model to different weather conditions.

Don't forget to center the model. The location of the CG on the spar will be optimal for the first (and not only) flights.

The airframe described here was manufactured without ailerons. If you feel like you can’t live without them, install them. If it doesn’t seem like it, don’t fool yourself, the model is controlled quite normally by the rudder.

However, the drawing shows the approximate size of the ailerons. You can think about the fastening of the aileron steering gears yourself. Of course, from the point of view of aerodynamics and aesthetics, it is best to use mini cars.

Flying

Tests

If you assembled the model without distortions, then there will be no special problems with testing. Choosing a day with a steady, gentle wind, go to a field with thick grass. Having assembled the model and checked the operation of all rudders, take a running start and release the glider into the wind at a slight descent angle or horizontally. The model must fly straight and respond to even small deflections of the rudder and elevator. A properly configured glider flies at least 50 meters after a light hand throw.

Start on the rope

When preparing to launch from the rope, don’t forget about the block. The glider is quite fast, and in light winds problems may arise with the lack of speed of the drawer, even when tightening with a block.

The diameter of the handrail can be 1.0…1.5 mm, length - 150 meters. It is preferable to place a parachute at its end rather than a flag - in this case, the wind will pull the line back to the start, reducing the distance you or your assistant runs in search of the end of the line.

After checking the functioning of the equipment, attach the model to the rail. After giving your assistant the command to start moving, hold the glider for as long as you can. Meanwhile, the assistant must continue running, stretching the rope. Release the glider. At the initial moment of takeoff, the elevator must be in neutral. When the glider gains 20..30 meters of altitude, you can slowly begin to take the handle "on yourself". Don't take too much, otherwise the glider will leave the rail prematurely. When the model reaches its maximum altitude, vigorously push the rudders down, putting the model into a dive, and then towards yourself. This is the so-called "dynamo start". With some practice, you will understand that it allows you to gain a few more tens of meters in height.

Flight and landing

Keep in mind that when the rudder is sharply applied in any direction, the glider is prone to some directional swing. This phenomenon is harmful because it slightly slows down the model. Try to move the rudder stick in small, smooth movements.

If the weather is practically calm, the glider may not be loaded. If you have problems flying against the wind or entering thermals, add 100-150 grams to the model. The ballast mass can then be selected more accurately.

Planting, as a rule, does not cause any trouble. If you have built a glider without ailerons, try not to make large rolls low above the ground, because the model will respond late to rudder deflection.

Interestingly, additional loading has virtually no effect on the model’s ability to soar. The loaded glider holds up well even in relatively weak updrafts. The longest flight time in thermals achieved during the operation of the model was 22 minutes 30 seconds.

And the same additional load is simply necessary for flying in dynamic flows. For example, for a normal dynamo flight in Koktebel, the glider had to be loaded to the maximum - 350 grams. Only after this did he gain the ability to move normally against the wind and develop amazing speeds in a dynamic flow.

Conclusion

Over the past season, the model has shown itself to be a good glider for amateurs. However, this does not mean that it is completely without shortcomings. Among them:

• profile too thick. It would be interesting to try using an E387 or something similar on this airframe.
• lack of developed wing mechanization. Strictly speaking, initially the airframe contained both ailerons and spoilers, but in order to simplify the design and develop precision landing skills, it was decided to abandon them.

However, the rest of the airframe is designed “excellently”.

An electric glider based on the described model is currently under construction. The differences are in the reduced wing chord, modified profile, presence of ailerons and flaps, fiberglass fuselage, and much more. Only the general geometry of the prototype has been preserved, and even then not everywhere. However, the future model is the topic of a separate article...