Reconsidering The Monterey
06-22-2008, 12:34 PM
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Reconsidering The Monterey
Way back when, Bob Boucher designed the Monterey.... featured in a magazine construction article. It was a super looking plane intended for Speed/Distance events. Given the somewhat lenghty engineering discussion in the article, I'd say the design was well thought out. Which brings me to wonder how it's unique design actually panned-out in practice.
For those familiar with the design, you'll recall that it was a sort of modified spar/D-tube design sans main spars. That is, what served as a spar was only a 3/32" shear web running the length of the wing. The forward 1/3 of the wing was sheeted per conventional D-tube manner. No cap strips were used. The system appears to be absolutely as light as is possible to construct a wooden wing.
So, it gets me to wondering if Its' wings actually lived up to their 16G design limit?????
For those familiar with the design, you'll recall that it was a sort of modified spar/D-tube design sans main spars. That is, what served as a spar was only a 3/32" shear web running the length of the wing. The forward 1/3 of the wing was sheeted per conventional D-tube manner. No cap strips were used. The system appears to be absolutely as light as is possible to construct a wooden wing.
So, it gets me to wondering if Its' wings actually lived up to their 16G design limit?????
06-22-2008, 03:10 PM
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RE: Reconsidering The Monterey
I don't remember anyone saying the wing was weak, BUT if you give it to someone who is used to today's sailplanes it would last about 2 seconds on a winch before it broke. The wing made good use of the wood in the wing, but it's wood not CF so you are talking orders of magnitude difference in strength.
06-28-2008, 09:12 AM
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RE: Reconsidering The Monterey
susquach,
The Montery did have a spruce spar on the top with no spar on the bottom only the sheeting. Wood is many times stronger in tension than in compression. I'd have to agree with Soarrich in that this was designed for high start and the old 6 volt winch of the 70's. I haven't flown sailplanes since about "82" but I did attend a local contest just to see what was happening and the speed and power of the newer 12 volt winches just sent chills up may spine.
The Montery's little brother the Malibu did not have any spars. It had only the sheeting and shear webs. After this kit came out AFI modified the design by extending the sheeting behind the D-spar further out towards the tip. I'm using this wing to put together a little electric powered sailplane.
Good luck
Mark
The Montery did have a spruce spar on the top with no spar on the bottom only the sheeting. Wood is many times stronger in tension than in compression. I'd have to agree with Soarrich in that this was designed for high start and the old 6 volt winch of the 70's. I haven't flown sailplanes since about "82" but I did attend a local contest just to see what was happening and the speed and power of the newer 12 volt winches just sent chills up may spine.
The Montery's little brother the Malibu did not have any spars. It had only the sheeting and shear webs. After this kit came out AFI modified the design by extending the sheeting behind the D-spar further out towards the tip. I'm using this wing to put together a little electric powered sailplane.
Good luck
Mark
07-07-2010, 06:29 PM
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RE: Reconsidering The Monterey
Both Malibu and Monterey are for sale
Come and get them
Malibu http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemID=649098
Monterey http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemID=649101
Don
Come and get them
Malibu http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemID=649098
Monterey http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemID=649101
Don
07-08-2010, 09:46 AM
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RE: Reconsidering The Monterey
12-volt winches were commonly-used in the 70's. The flyer just pulsed the pedal to moderate the power. Modern winches are also using different motors that really pull current from the battery, and so apply more pull to the glider. You can fly an old, "vintage" glider off a modern winch, just don't stomp and hold the pedal down. Tap it, and you'll get the model up.
07-08-2010, 04:43 PM
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RE: Reconsidering The Monterey
ORIGINAL: Bax
12-volt winches were commonly-used in the 70's. The flyer just pulsed the pedal to moderate the power. Modern winches are also using different motors that really pull current from the battery, and so apply more pull to the glider. You can fly an old, ''vintage'' glider off a modern winch, just don't stomp and hold the pedal down. Tap it, and you'll get the model up.
12-volt winches were commonly-used in the 70's. The flyer just pulsed the pedal to moderate the power. Modern winches are also using different motors that really pull current from the battery, and so apply more pull to the glider. You can fly an old, ''vintage'' glider off a modern winch, just don't stomp and hold the pedal down. Tap it, and you'll get the model up.
Agreed. Both my Malibu and Monterey were winched. tap tap tap all the way up and no zooming at the top...good to go. Gentle as a high start.
Don
07-09-2010, 09:38 AM
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RE: Reconsidering The Monterey
Get the wrong hi-start, and you can pull the wings off of many a glider. There have been a variety of rubber sizes used so that different-size gliders can be launched. If you launch a light 2-meter floater with a hi-start intended to launch a large, heavy glider, be prepared to get a bunch of sticks to take home! BTDT.
08-18-2010, 10:19 PM
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RE: Reconsidering The Monterey
I have good memories of the Monterey. It was my second glider, built from the AFI kit in 1978. It was really beyond my abilities and understanding at the time- I was always trying to drag it around the sky like an Oly, when I should have been letting it run. The thin airfoil worked better when it was moving a bit. I did catch my first thermal with it, an experience I'll never forget.
Some years back I pulled out the plans and scratchbuilt another. On the first flight I realized what a sweet plane it is. Had many long flights that fall and the next summer. It's been put away for the last 3 or 4 years but it's still flyable, I just haven't been devoting any time to soaring lately.
The original RCM plan did indeed have NO spars, just the 3/32" balsa sheeting. The AFI kit used a 3/32" spruce spar on top only, as noted above. When I built my second one, I used 1/8" spruce top & bottom, and beefed up the center section a bit also. I don't have a winch, but I feel better even when using a hi-start. It's fun watching the wings flex on launch!
It's one of my favorites, and a real beauty in the air. I probably have some pictures of it around, maybe I'll post a couple.
Cheers,
Dave
Some years back I pulled out the plans and scratchbuilt another. On the first flight I realized what a sweet plane it is. Had many long flights that fall and the next summer. It's been put away for the last 3 or 4 years but it's still flyable, I just haven't been devoting any time to soaring lately.
The original RCM plan did indeed have NO spars, just the 3/32" balsa sheeting. The AFI kit used a 3/32" spruce spar on top only, as noted above. When I built my second one, I used 1/8" spruce top & bottom, and beefed up the center section a bit also. I don't have a winch, but I feel better even when using a hi-start. It's fun watching the wings flex on launch!
It's one of my favorites, and a real beauty in the air. I probably have some pictures of it around, maybe I'll post a couple.
Cheers,
Dave
