Always a great flight with that aircraft. So glad you build these models from the ground up and make your own changes. With foam airplanes this skill is going away. Thanks for bringing it back out and the history.
I think it's one of the best looking gliders around and to have first been designed in '79 is amazing. Also really appreciate the background and wind conditions, definitely adds to the video. Thanks for sharing.
I just LOVE these videos. They're so inspiring on a number of levels - building, flying, video-photography and editing. I especially appreciate, as a long-time modeller, the simplicity of the 2-channel control system - using nature to induce roll and making lovely turns. I'll be ordering an Elan from Cambrian once they're back in stock - in the meantime I'm using Lockdown to get all my other modelling tasks finished so there will be no excuses for getting on with THAT build.
Love the way she holds in the turns. Also, she accellerates well when you put the nose down. I'm still working on mine. There's a lot of sanding on a 3-meter wing, not to mention all the carving and whittling on the fuselage, trying to turn a box into the shape of a baseball bat...essentially.
Despite sloping isn't my particular cup of tea I watch all these videos right through. The models and flying are perfection - plus you married the right cinematographer. Laminated balsa is something I use myself - there's a lot of mileage in it. Keep posting and we'll keep enjoying. The intros are significant added value.
Great video to start the day. Another kit in my attic waiting for assembly. Along with the kit, the seller included a hand typed letter from Dave Thornburg indicating he was no longer cutting the BoT kits himself. Quite a character! Anyway, thanks for motivation. 👍
I have the ARF and use a high start over very low rolling hills. Longest flight 1 hour 40 minutes on a 110 deg F day. Better therapy than my Rx meds for peace and tranquility. Rebuilding HoB 2x4 for the spring winds, and running out of time.
Beautiful aircraft ! I just picked up the ARF version motorized version. With Spring coming up, hard for me to get the time to put anything together RC wise. I will get there.
A great flying glider. I have never built one but I may have to now, though I am not to keen on some of the newer kits on E-bay, some of the balsa they have used seemed very frangible. It turns nicely and put the nose down and it really takes off, but without losing a lot of lift.
Not only is this a classic, beautiful lovely flying glider this spot over looks one of myself and my other half’s favourite spots in Perranporth, perfection John, simply perfect, Jim
You did a great job with the plans, modifying plans to suit your flying needs is something that is an art, I have the dynaflite bird of time and got it as a arf in my early flying days and added the motor myself as at that time the EP version wasn't available, but can imagine the all up weight is considerably higher than your balsa fuse creation, the model in any case even in EP just floats and floats, hit a thermal and you can't get it down, Stay safe.
That is a beautiful glider, amazing. I really must build one. Interestingly at 1:53 exactly you can see the fuselage/tailplane is twisting quite a lot as you turn.
Interesting that you built it very light... it was originally fairly light, but designed for F3B with winch launching and quite high speeds, before the advent of composites and zoom launches. Although composites had appeared in 1979, it was in 1981 that the Canadians appeared at the World Championships in California with.... 36 volt winches and kevlar speedsters capable of 150 lb or more launching stress, which so terrified everybody that the rulebook was re-written, winches limited to 12 volts and a whole new class (F3J) invented to supposedly restore sanity (ha! ha!). The Sagitta came in 1981, but the day of woodies in FAI F3 was done. The BoT represents the high point of woody design, art least aesthetically if not quite in performance... it's allowed in Nostalgia Class, the Sagitta is not.
These modern, composite gliders have no soul. I have zero interest in them. The great thing about the wooden ships is they make great sport flyers, as well as competitive machines in RES and the like. I'm putting the finishing touches on my Bird of Time right now. I just need to paint some trim colors, double-check the balance and the throws, and we're good to go, just in time for spring. Hi-start only. AUW, 3lbs, 5oz. including 8oz. of lead in the nose. Spoilers added 'cuz, you know. P.S. My kingdom for an original Airtronics kit of a Sagitta 600, or 900. Green air!
This is one of my most favorite wings, it is just beautiful. I have the fiberglass fuse version and it is one heavy son of a gun, but it thermals very well!
I built a Wanderer 99 back in the early 80's. The most fun with virtually zero wind off the slope I ever had. Converted it to electric power assist for thermal work. Excellent model.
Absolutely wonderful! Nothing beats a Bird of Time with breakfast. Can’t wait to get my Spectra up in the air! Have you ever had to make a trek down those cliffs before?
John Have you flown it in just thermal yet? "In the day" they used to say it had to be flown fast enough to get on step. I flew my friends and found it didn't like to fly really slow like most of the USA thermal ships of the time, it really fell out of the sky, but if you speed it up a little the L/D went way up. I think it was some sort of laminar separation bubble problem. It was said the wing used an E-193 airfoil, but it wasn't, it was Dave's own airfoil. I put spoilers in my friend's Bird, three bays out near the poly break was plenty. Dave wrote for a Mag back then, (MAN?), two articles are must reads if you can find them, "Sharks fly better" and "River in the air". The first is about building smooth filleted planes, the second was on thermal flying.
Before I moved next to a slope, I did do a bit of flat field flying. I was never any good at finding thermals but it’s an amazing feeling when you do! My best flight was 12 minutes using a DLG but it felt a lot longer.
It would be a great benefit for all of us to see your methods and techniques for glider covering. Please include the covering brands you like using. In another video, it would also be fantastic to see your build techniques. I love to build gliders from balsa during our cold winters in Canada. We have a lot to learn from you John.
Hi John - I love this film! Technical question - where do you have the CofG on your BoT? I have mine at the designer's suggested 100mm from the LE, and it doesn't quite fly right yet. I built the Dynaflight kit (not ARTF).
@@SlopeRCGliders Nice, man, I'm so hyped. You are the first youtuber who answered me,lol. Im On my last steps on the model. Where should I send through?
It’s not a classic first build but certainly not impossible. Unfortunately kits are quite hard to come by. I built mine from free plans downloaded off the Outerzone website.
John Woodfield RC Gliders thanks for your reply: I bought a Multiplex Easyglider ten years ago and it’s still sat in my attic! Going to attempt to build it soon... I also have s Staufenbiel Fox Pro but again I’m daunted by the build even though it’s ARTF. Did contact a local model club but may have to wait until next year for advice
I regularly fly a motorized Bird of Time for the past 11 years. It comes down no problem without spoilers. I have seen gliders that need spoilers to land effectively but this is not one that needs it, in my opinion. Spoiler servos, hardware and wires will just add weight.
