Scale Soaring UK

Hi Folks,

I am thinking about buying an OldGliders Petrel kit. However, I keep looking at their ribs and wondering if there would be any strength issues as a lot of the centre area is removed. Also not sure if they are balsa or ply?

I am looking at this kit as you can order everything needed, rather than having to keep sourcing various pieces of balsa and spruce etc.

Any comments please?

Ken

Just remember if you get a kit from them you will have to pay import duty.

We saw this version of the kit at our local patch the last time we were able to fly...

https://lasercutsailplanes.co.uk/produc ... les-smits/

The ribs are all cut from liteply....no balsa.....balsa sheets are used to skin the whole aircraft..... whether you buy the balsa sheets from them or source them yourself it’s still going to be more expensive than the laser cut kit from Cliff that uses mostly plywood for sheeting. And your thoughts about the ribs are correct.....the larger models I have seen that where built from their kit the builders added intermediary supports to the ribs.

I have just received a 1/5 scale Mucha standard from oldgliders, the wing ribs are all lite ply as mentioned before and seem more than strong enough, once sheeted I think the wing will be as good as a balsa ribbed wing of the same size.

Hope this helps

Rob

Well I have an Old Gliders Petrel and there is nothing wrong with the ribs, they are perfectly strong enough. I also have two other of their gliders and there is nothing wrong with the strength of these models at all.
On the third flight of my Orlik 2 someone flew his model into my Orlik. It hit the starboard wing about midway out on the outer panel. The other glider was also a built up model turned instantly into a snow storm. The Orlik carried on as it nothing had happened despite the fact that I could see damage along the LE. On landing I saw that the leadingedge was smashed in along 4 rib bays, but it stopped at the spars. These were extemly substantial hardwood flanges top and bottom, and infilled with vertical grain balsa. The whole lot is cord whipped to make it anti-burst. It does not actually have Vickers Shipbuilding stamped on the spars, but I think it should have.
A few days balsa bashing and the wing was as good as new.
Traditional building techniques produce strong models. The other model was a modern quick build design ARTF from the far east. There was literally nothing left of it.
No need to worry about importing if you buy from the UK dealer: https://jettstreamuk.co.uk/kits/slingsb ... el-135-kit
John

OK John, so an unbiased opinion then?

VinceC wrote: ↑09 Mar 2021, 12:18 OK John, so an unbiased opinion then?

Yes Vince,
As unbiased as other opinions on here. I have described my own personal gliders from this manufacturer. I was merely trying to answer the OP, from a point of view of actual experience of owning some of these models. Vince, do you have something constructive to add to answer the OP question?
John