I'm on a roll with FG models. This time I made the Colditz glider, with the intention of it being a flying model.
For those who don't know the story, the glider was built in the attic of Colditz Castle during WW2. Colditz was a prison for allied servicemen who were prone to escaping from other POW camps.
The prisoners made the glider under the noses of the German guards. It was made from wood from bed frames and from wherever it could be scrounged.It was covered with prisoners sleeping bag covers, hence the colourful pattern.
The glider was completed just before the end of the war, but never flown, as the allies were close and freedom was assured.
After the war the glider disappeared.It is believed it was broken up for fire wood by the locals during the bleak winter that followed the end of the wall.
A replica was flown from the castle for a TV show a couple of years ago. It managed to fly across the river and crash in a field on the other side.
I made this using the large model file. It prints on three pages. It is a very straight forward model to make.
I took extra care to keep everything straight so it would glide straight. I ended up with the tail end of the fuselage a little twisted so I made a small cut to get it straight.
I made the wing with a flat bottomed aerofoil. Wing and tail incidences are as designed. The wing has a very tiny positive incidence, though this could be down to the way I glued it together.
It has a 40cm/15.7" wing span and ready to fly weighs 26g/1oz. The balance point is a little behind 50% of the chord of the wing. I had to add weight to the nose to get a level glide.
It doesn't glide very far, maybe 10 to 15 feet but the glide is level and the glide slope even.If I could glide from the side of a hill I think it would glide a fairly long distance.
In the pictures below of it gliding, the wind was a little gusty and it got good lift with one throw, but once the gust disappeared it stalled and landed very quickly. I put some thick card reinforcements on the side of the cockpit opening as it was bending at this point when it landed nose first.
The pictures look a little photoshoped, but I think this is due to the grey sky and the dark purple edges of the glider.
Robert
For those who don't know the story, the glider was built in the attic of Colditz Castle during WW2. Colditz was a prison for allied servicemen who were prone to escaping from other POW camps.
The prisoners made the glider under the noses of the German guards. It was made from wood from bed frames and from wherever it could be scrounged.It was covered with prisoners sleeping bag covers, hence the colourful pattern.
The glider was completed just before the end of the war, but never flown, as the allies were close and freedom was assured.
After the war the glider disappeared.It is believed it was broken up for fire wood by the locals during the bleak winter that followed the end of the wall.
A replica was flown from the castle for a TV show a couple of years ago. It managed to fly across the river and crash in a field on the other side.
I made this using the large model file. It prints on three pages. It is a very straight forward model to make.
I took extra care to keep everything straight so it would glide straight. I ended up with the tail end of the fuselage a little twisted so I made a small cut to get it straight.
I made the wing with a flat bottomed aerofoil. Wing and tail incidences are as designed. The wing has a very tiny positive incidence, though this could be down to the way I glued it together.
It has a 40cm/15.7" wing span and ready to fly weighs 26g/1oz. The balance point is a little behind 50% of the chord of the wing. I had to add weight to the nose to get a level glide.
It doesn't glide very far, maybe 10 to 15 feet but the glide is level and the glide slope even.If I could glide from the side of a hill I think it would glide a fairly long distance.
In the pictures below of it gliding, the wind was a little gusty and it got good lift with one throw, but once the gust disappeared it stalled and landed very quickly. I put some thick card reinforcements on the side of the cockpit opening as it was bending at this point when it landed nose first.
The pictures look a little photoshoped, but I think this is due to the grey sky and the dark purple edges of the glider.
Robert
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