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Nearly 30% lighter than the stock glider, the orange glider (above left) is made entirely with very light balsa. The thin-wall carbon tail boom makes an enormous difference, cutting weight from the tail area and therefore


saving on nose ballast as well. The author’s glider sacrifices some stiffness in the tail boom by using basswood (above right). A selection of the modified gliders ready for flight (below).


for an even better version of the Sting 18. This glider incorporates the same outline as the other gliders but substitutes all the wood for much lighter balsa. The tail boom, too heavy on the standard glider and too flexible on my version, was made of a thin- wall, tapered carbon fiber tube (available from A2Z). Much stronger than wood and lighter than any previous tail boom, this tube saved even more weight by signifi- cantly reducing the amount of ballast need- ed in the nose. Other modifications included reinforce-


ment of the nose pod with fiberglass and moving the finger grip forward to stretch the catapult further back on launch. These improvements made for an 18.5 gram glid- er; that’s 7.5 grams lighter than original and almost 30% weight savings! This glid- er was almost lost on a first flight when we gave it a casual launch but neglected to set the DT timer. It was mercifully released from the small thermal and did come down, about three and a half minutes later. Enjoy constructing and flying your own catapult gliders and remember to have fun and never be afraid to experiment your- self.


These catapult gliders are perfect for an afternoon at the local school field (above); just don’t forget to set the DT! Author Jonathan Nuñez stretches out for a full power launch (at right). The simplicity and fun of a catapult glider makes them a great way to introduce others to the hobby.


FLYING MODELS 41


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