Bfan479

My Feedback: (46)

I'm researching a few Sailplanes and would like to hear from anyone that has experiance with this plane. I have hear it's a good one!

da Rock

It's an excellent floater. It'll survive on slopes but not really suited for that.

A great thermal floater.

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

Take a look at
skybench.com
for a nice laser cut version Ray the guy that owns it is a thermal airplane nut ( in this case "nut " is very good!) and nice guy to work with. It will be a MUCH nicer build than an old die cut kit. I bought his Big bird XL.

MrMulligan

My Feedback: (314)

This is probably the greatest of the RES floaters. RES for rudder, elevator, spoilers. The old Airtronics kits were really beautiful, with some of the best wood I have ever seen. I admit the modern laser-cut ones are probably better, but at the time they were wonders. It tells you something that an aircraft like this is still in production somewhere. I have an Olympic 650 that I won't part with or electrify.

Bfan479

My Feedback: (46)

Thanks for the info! I have been looking at the big bird today. How do you like yours? Did you use a motor in it? If so, which one? Thanks...

HankTurner

I have an Airtronics Butterfly which is essentially an Olympic III wing with a modified fuselage and landing gear for motor gliding. About 15 yrs ago, I mounted a OS 30 on the front and used it to take aerial photos for the city of Corpus Christi’s engineering dept. in TX. I built the fuse a little wider and beefed it up a bit to house the camera. Even with a 3 lb camera I would still used the spoilers on approach. The Olympic III wing is very strong and light.

Hank

Bfan479

My Feedback: (46)

Wow! A 3 Lbs camera and it still flew OK. I bet you could pickup some big time speed at that weight! I'm looking at a few different models at this time but I think I going to go with the OLY IIS and add a motor to it. Still have a lot to learn about EP motors and all the goodies that go with them. And I haven't built a Kit since 1980 so I got my work cut out for me! Thanks...

shreve

MOTOR!? Bite your tongue!

Seriously. it's a great design that has stood the test for time for many years. Mine is many years old, and still goes up on a histart like it's on rails. Just rudder/elevator for me. Floats like a butterfly.

ray foley

hi there from Toledo

My OLY II was built in 1976 from an original airtronics kit and still flies great. Last year I lopped off the nose block and lead weight, refit the first former and resculpted the front end for an Aveox inrunner and maxon gear box with a 14-9 cam folderprop. Then added a CC phx 45 esc and a 3s 4000mah lipo pack under the wing. Half of the battery capacity usually gives about a 1.5 hour flight with 85 degree up angle climbs, yeeehaah! My longest flight since electrofying has been 3.5 hours and I used about 80%of the battery capacity. I used to be a glider purist but i got over it.

I plan on keeping the OlyII for many more years.

ciao -rjf

dbarrym

My Feedback: (47)

It's an excellent flying plane and the kit is dirt simple to build. I had several of them back in the day, even won the AMA Nats with one (1977 AMA Nats in Riverside, Jr. Mod. Std.), as well as doing my 8 hour LSF slope flight with it. You will love it.

FWIW, the old Airtronics kits were not die-cut, all the parts were machine "cut" using band saws, routers, and belt/disc sanders. That is why the parts were also so nice and crisp. Disclaimer - I was sponsored by Lee Renaud (Airtronics founder) and may be a bit biased!

I have not seen the Skybench kits but have heard good things. There is not much, if anything, that would need improvement in the original design. You can sheet the LE and add some Philips entry for a bit of improvement (or just step up to an Aquila if you want "all out" classic glider performance?).

Have fun -

Barry

jollyroger

My Feedback: (6)

I've been trying to decide whether to get the Oly II with the semi airfoil or the Viking with semi airfoil. Both of these Skybench kits look great and since it's quite easy to electrify either one, it's probably going to come down to tossing a coin.
Both of these gliders have a long pedigree and to me, seem to look more graceful in the air than those high tech Cf composites.
To me the sight of a glider with its wings covered with a transparent film against the sky looks beautiful.
With the choice of electric motor combinations, it is easier than ever to power one of these to altitude as qickly as you want.

mred33

I am about to order the Oly III from SkyBench and put a motor in it. I loved the Oly II that I had years ago and would like another one, but I think I will go with the III instead. I have the motor on order now and as soon as it comes in I am going to order the glider. I love big gliders. They are so much easier to see and this one flies GREAT.
Ed

skybill

My Feedback: (6)

Hi JZ,
Oly II, GREAT!!!! Got a built one (no spoilers) from a guy at work in '85. It was kinda beat up and needed re covering so I re covered the wings and tail feathers with some Solartex (from Hobby Shack) I had and dope and paint on the fuse. Flew it on hi-start and slope (Estancia Park in Costa Mesa CA ) and Back Bay in NewPort Beach CA (before the condos!!) I flew it and flew it and finally it fellapart. That plane would thrmal on the heat from a lighted match!! Got another kit orig Airtronics Oly II on the shelf with a gazillion other planes. You want to do an Oly? DO IT!! You won't regret it, they are great flyers with or without spoilers.

Blue skyz,
skybill

mred33

The one thing I didn't do to mine was put spoilers on it. If I had it to do over again, I would put them on. I will with the Oly III I am getting. Makes the landing much easier.
Ed

mred33

By the way, the motor I ordered for mine was an AXI 2820/14 and it finally came in after being on backorder from Hobby Lobby and on sale for $69.00. Couldn't pass that one up. Should be a good match for the Oly III I am about to order. In the mean time, I am going to use it in my Spirit 100 and fly it till I get the Olly III built.
Ed

GLASTRON1

HI ME A NEW MEMBER I HAVE AN OLD OLIMPIC II THAT DOES NOT FLY THE BEST I THINK ITS A BIT HEAVY I ALSO HAVE A NEW ONE IN THE BOX BUT HAVE NOT BUILT IT BUCAUSE THE FIRST ON WAS A LEAD BALLOON DOES ANY ONE NO WHAT IT SHOULD WEIGHT I BROUGHT IT SECOND HAND IT COULD HAVE A LOT OF EPOXY HIDING IN IT ?

mred33

If that thing is heavy, you need to find out where he put the led. That glider is a floater and just wants to go up.
Ed

MATT-1965

Does anyone have the plans and manuals for the Airtronics Olympic II? If so would you be insterested in selling them? A friend gave me a kit of this plane but he had lost the plans and manuals. I do not want to attempt to build this kit without the plans or manuals. The box end number is No. 208. Any help will be appreciated.<colgroup><col width="71" style="WIDTH: 53pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 2596"></col></colgroup>

mred33

http://www.skybench.com/index.html?h...om/slnost.html

Try this place. He has a very nice line of laser cut kits for the whole Olly line and if you ask him real nice he may sell you just the plans.

http://www.rcmplans.com/index.php?ma...oducts_id=1461

You can also get them here at RCM. I have been ordering plans from them for quite awhile and while they have stoped the mag, the plan service is still going strong.

Ed

MATT-1965

Thank you mred33. I checked out the links and rcm plans has them. Again,, thank you so very much!!!!!

heavy metal thunder

The Oly II has a very good basic design. My Oly II is modified with ailerons mixed to also act as spoiler and flaps. I really don't use the ailerons for turning as the rudder works better, but I use it to flatten out the turns and to take full advantage of any lift and to assist in my spot landings. Because the ailerons are taped on they can be cut and removed in a few seconds if I want to go back to it's originally configuration.

Brian Patrick

Someone mentioned the Aquila above. Is it available in kit form anywhere? Anyone know?

rc_flyboy1

I built an Olly II this past spring. It was an original Airtronics kit. I have to say that after flying 2 meter birds that this one really surprised me. I knew that it was a floater but I didn't think that I would have to use the spoilers every time just to get it down! Great sailplane! I use a power pod to fly mine. That way I still have the option to use a hi start or slope. I'm using a Cermark Neodym 480 1100 for power and I have to say that it's more that enough! If anyone wants to use a power system but not sure you want to get away from hi starts, I recommend using a pod. It can be set up as a pusher with a folding prop or a puller with a standard prop like mine.

John Cole

My Feedback: (4)

There's no doubt that the Skybench kits are well done. But I have to make a comment here regarding the Airtronics kits, especially from the Renaud era. These kits were never die-cut, the parts were machine cut VERY accurately, superb wood used, and were absolutely class acts as far as kits go. I think even by today's standards, they are still really good.

Anyway, I don't often take a stand or throw out my opinions on modeling matters, but I've always held Airtronics kits in high regard, and deservingly so.

Either one you choose will be great.

John

HelloScott

Is there a more recent Olympic II thread?

I'm building one of the vintage Airtronics kits. Well, half kit, half scratch. The one I bought on ebay was very inexpensive because the fuselage pieces were missing. But the wing and tail feather pieces where all there.