cpc625

Back in the '70s there was a construction article for a glider called The Plank. I thought it was in RCM, but I have been unable to find any reference to this glider. Anyone remember this?

I believe there was also a follow-up called a Plank II.

Thanks

Charlie


I found the info. I had the name wrong. It was "Little Plank". Now to find my copy of the magazine.

Tinkrerpilot

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Since you found the the LITTLE PLANK 5 #492 5/72.
There is also the Standard Plank, STANDARD PLANK 5 #605 7/75.

http://www.rcmmagazine.com/store/sto...sQ8K3YrCY3p5V6


Have fun!!

tink

cpc625

Tinkrerpilot,

Thanks. I went to the attic, found my issues of May & June 72 RCM, with the Little Plank and Windfree, ran the scanner and am ready to plot.

It's back to the attic to get the July '75 issue of RCM.

I built one of the Little Planks back in '72 and had a ball. I still have the fuse but threw out the wing a few years ago because it had developed a very bad warp that I could never remove.


Thanks again

Charlie

P.S. The Standard Plank is in the scanner.

Tinkrerpilot

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Very nice! Do a build for us and let us watch the progress as you go. Built one years ago. Had a blast with it. if only I had more time....................
will be watching, if ya do the build log.

Pilon_1

CRG

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That's a sweet looking Plank. I just ordered the plans for it last week, going to build one to surprise my Dad when he comes to visit in April. When I was a kid I'd go to the slope with him and watch him fly his Plank and Gryphon, he loved them both. Got a Gryphon sub-kit too.

foodstick

It seems like only yesterday these kits /plans were out, and the local hobby shop had a klingberg wing on the shelf, heck they had two hundred kits on the shelf...

Tinkrerpilot

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Pilon_1

Great looking model. ANymore information on the motor, battery, esc setup that you can tell us?
Uncle does great work. Really like the fiberglass fuselage. How about a flight report?

Lyle

Pilon_1

After a few flights getting the CG and trim set the Little Plank flew like his original one. The plane is very responsive and surprisingly aerodynamically clean, give yourself a long approach when landing. Power is supplied from a Grayson's GH2212-10 with an 8x6 APC pusher prop and a 3cell 1200 lipo. Even with the extra wingspan this thing literally flies out of your hand while launching. The plane seemed to come out on the tail heavy side and nose weight had to be added, the fiberglass fuselage moves the motor back adding to the problem of tail heavy. I think when I build min I am going to shorten the rear motor mount and actually run a little smaller motor to save weight.

CRG

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Got my plans last week, and ordered wood today. Will be non-motorised, and will stick with the original span. Materials cost was about $35.

Pilon_1

The stock wooden fuselage was originally built to support the older servos and mechanical mixer for elevons. By moving the servos out in the wing the fuse can be narrowed allot to reduce drag. Our original fiberglass fuselage had no motormount and was fitted with a towline hook for our wench. There seems to be an almost never ending thermal a our new flying site. We were thermaling Slow Sticks last weekend!

CRG

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Was debating whether or not to do that. Will only have a 1600mah pack and AR6200 in the fuselage, but am tempted to keep it original just for the sake of it. Will be a game-time decision...

Tinkrerpilot

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Pilon_1

Thermaling Slow Sticks. Been there don that. Its a hoot. Sounds like you have a good flying site.

CRG,

Please do a build thread when you get ready. It has been awhile since mine and would be great to follow along.
Will be interesting to see what you decide to do on the fuselage. If you don't need all the extra room for the old style gear, thinking it would be a benefit to lose some of the extra weight in the long run. Matter of choice. Lets see which way you go.

CRG

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Got started on the LP this week. So far have made a few small changes, nothing major. For some reason my rib template is a little longer than the plan, by maybe 3/16 inch or so. Must have happened when I copied the plan, I make a copy of the rib then stick that to a piece of thin ply to cut out the ribs. Won't make much difference except I'll have a tiny bit more wing area.

I decided to use all the same ribs, and cap strip the ribs that aren't sheeted. Used to build wings that way years ago and it seems odd to have just bare ribs under the covering. The trailing edge stock that came was the wrong size, so I mounted it flush to the upper surface of the rib and will add a trailing edge strip of 1/16 inch sheet. The strip will be a little narrower than the TE stock and the rib cap strip will continue over the TE piece a little. Servos will be in the wings, and I'll bolt the wing on. Also toying with some kind of plug-in system for the fin rather than gluing it on.

I ended up reducing the fuselage width by about 3/8 inch. Any more and it might start to look a little too tall, it's supposed to be round at the back of the nose block. Could have reduced the depth also but am trying to keep it looking somewhat original.

All the 1/16 inch balsa sheet I have on hand is too soft for wing sheeting so I have to order some before I can go much further.

Tinkrerpilot

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Thought of this web site a little to late, since you already have the fuselage already built up. Would have saved some time.
Still psot it though for the other that mey venture into the Plank flying wings. The website is worth looking over. Look forthe one called The Board (Little Plank to us). Note the RCM sticer on the tail.

http://www.modellbau-steinhardt.de/

I know a few of the guys have oreder from here and te quality is pretty good for the most. They list what is available for the whole project.

Another site to cruise through too.

http://neckar-verlag.de/index.php?id...&tx_edshop_pi1[obj]=prod&tx_edshop_pi1[cmd]=detail&tx_edshop_pi1[uid]=144

Tinkrerpilot

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CRG

Your build is looking great. Any problems noted other then the capstrips on the ribs?
Almost forgot how much balsa went into the making of the fuselage. I used a lot of laminated wood to gain some strength
when I built mine way back when.

CRG

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No real problems, and the capstrip thing was just a change I decided to make, no issue with the design. Will be a couple of weeks before I get the wing sheeting, but I hope to have it finished before too long. Fuselage is about shaped, and ventral fin installed. I inset a thin strip of ply into the fin to strengthen it a little.

FLYBOY

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I still have one floating around somewhere. they were fun on the slope. Haven't been able to do that for years. Will have to try it again.

soaredg

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HeyGuys
Here's a picture of my original design Plank FW loosely modeled after Dave Jones 2M Raven. 100" span- 2Ch (rud & elev)- built up wood with 1/2" carbon tube spars-glass fuse-over 75 flights off a winch.
Ed

Tinkrerpilot

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soaredg ,

Great looking model. I can see the slight variation in the model. I built a Raven back '73. Used the split rudder for a speed brake more then spoilers. Think if it was todays option, it would be the split rudder and spoilers in the wings. Should slow things real quick. Thanks for posting the picture.

Are the plans still available??

Lyle

CRG

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Making some more Plank progress. Hoping to be done for my Dad when he gets here, which is less than two weeks. Am getting close.

Had to abandon my bolt-on wing plan, went with dowels and rubber bands. I am keeping the fin removable. Rather than use regular extensions between the wing and fuselage I mounted a 6-pin connector in the wing, it's flush to the lower skin.

Still have to glass and paint the fuse, and cover the fin and elevons.

skybill

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Hi Guys,
Flying Planks!! Yahoo what fun! 'Brought back memories of my own "Plank" from back in the early 80's at Estancia Bluffs Costa mesa CA. Troops were taking old control line kits and "Bashing" them! Top flite "Flight streaks" and the like making 2ch. slope machines out of them. The Riley Wooten VooDoo made a really nice "Plank!!" 2ch. aile-elev and GO!! That thing would turn on a dime and give you 9cents change!! Flew the plane for a couple of years at Estancia and Back Bay until Larry White center punched it with John Raleighs' Shadow!! All I have left is the VooDoo logo from the wing and the twin rudders.

Blue skyz,
Bill Deli, (skybill) AMA-87838

Tspin

Im looking for the plans for the "Little Plank" glider, any help would be appreciated.


[edit]

I think I found the source

https://www.rcmplans.com/index.php?m...ort=20a&page=5

Tinkrerpilot

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Yup! You got it.

BMatthews

The RCM plans service is run by an older woman that is likely the widow of one of the old RCM staff. She gets the orders out but sometimes it takes a while. Be patient and give her a reminder if you don't see your order in a couple of months. But I gather you'll get the plans eventually.