I had an electric one a few years ago. Best glider I ever owned. Put flaps on it. I called it my dream ship. Because it was like living in a dream when i flew it. It just did what you told it to do.
Beautiful model, simple and strong construction, back in the 80s propelled him with a babe bee .049, the last model that my father gave me before dying, thank you for waking that memory
What a gorgeous and well built machine. I must say your choice of colors makes that baby explode in flight. Wonderful well skilled work bro. Spectacular model!!!
I had one in 1979 with spoiler and curved tips...gave away in the mid 80's...boy was that dumb of me. I want it back! For fun I'd hand toss it and fly 3 circles around me before catching it. It would when everything else was grounded.
New sub. Nice flight. Those classic sailplanes are so easy to electrify. Thirty-five years ago I motored up a Paragon and offered it to Hung. I do need to get another one.
With a max rearward C/G location for fast pitch response (almost neutral stable position) I always had one 64 gram lead fishing weight just behind the original battery tray location and another 4 oz at least up front with a 93.5g 1200 mAh NiMH battery but the flat stick-on lead weights were on the fuselage sides giving the battery room to move forward/aft for final C/G trim (my notes are "somewhere" but that's the minimum needed with stock tail using nyrods and Monokote) and found the sink rate actually stayed about the same with a heavier rearward C/G in normal thermal conditions as you end up with adding a battery and ESC because the slight increase in max L/D from reduced tail drag due to a rearward C/G seemed to balance out the loss in sink rate and let me move around the sky better especially when coming through a turbulent rotor to land. So with a 3S 110 g 1300mAh battery and 40-50g motor and 20g ESC replacing a 93.5g battery I can't see you losing anything noticeable due to weight and agree set up right the added weight is a plus (with rearward C/G) and only in very rare standing wave conditions at the beach did I ever lighten it up. The only real loss would be the added drag from the prop and it looks like you kept the wing polyhedral fairly flat which IMO is more important that adding a little weight. But I did notice something that makes me wish I could read this when my Oly2 was new as it only has one noticeable visual flaw up close using transparent Monokote. The original front dowel location to hold the rubber band puts constant rearward pressure on the wing and pulls the wing back and chews up the trailing edge of the wing as well as the fuselage. I see you made you first fuselage repair just like I did and I'm sure you used some CA like I did. The next repair without even crashing is the wing's center trailing edge unless you glassed it, but even then using 4 oz cloth the lip the wing is pushed against wins after enough repairs. The fiber glassed center section protects the wing from the rubber band pressure and friction over time but it also battles with the lip in a never ending battle and when it loses it can split the trailing edge which is what mine did. The original wing mounting with the trailing edge pulled down tight enough to keep it pushed up against the fuse sheeting lip without sliding up over it also locks the wing in place and does not let the wing release when it should twist the band off the front dowel or a rear force when the glider spins around and needs the thinner soft trailing edge protected by the rubber bands releasing at the front. I eventually got tired of the design flaw and drilled new front dowel holes further forward so the rubber bands create less drag, adds a tad bit of dirty lift from the foil angle of the band created, but mostly to stop the rubber bands from trying to pull the frickin wing back ALL the time and let it release better while allowing far less pressure needed to mount and hold the wing in place on a VERY light weight glider that can loop all day with just one good #64 rubber band holding the wing on if you stretch it across front and back. But not all rubber bands are created equal and I generally use 4 #64's but never cross them to reduce drag as when using the right size bands with the correct friction mounting there's no need to add more rubber bands and I want the wing to let go if need be. The only time I ever cross them and use 6 is flying with other gliders where a side impact could occur in the air off a cliff where there's no chance of recovery. In almost 40 years of weekly use averaged out with thousands of hours because it was my safest "beach glider" for when the waves got blown out by onshore winds I never broke or even dinged the hard but thin leading edge because of setting the wing mounting pressure in scale to it's true weight. I'm not saying you can't break it, just that it's exceptionally forgiving when attached properly so it can come off or (mostly) just twist a little on impact and the release of energy protects the fuselage and tail as well as it creates an energy release system I've seen protect the fuselage and wing many times landing hot carrying an amazing amount of energy for such a lightweight glider. Most of my landings are in my hand to save on Monokote as the beaches in Hawaii are filled with little pieces of sharp coral and lava rock everywhere. However in fair warning if you ever fly in Hawaii... after the video recorded was invented... an amazing device right up there with the 8 track tape machine, someone invented the "G string" that can cause a crash without even looking. I'm still working on it's relationship to gravity....;-) BTW: I also widened the sides of the thin fuselage wing mount area using 1/4in triangle soft balsa sanded to match the wing dihedral adding almost no weight but allowing Dubro's black "slightly sticky" wing foam mounting tape to work as designed which makes a HUGE difference from a slick surface or any other type of wing tape I've tried in getting the right amount of friction. And I can tell by looking at your glider you'll like it especially with the front dowels mounted forward. Right now you have the wing sitting down with the trailing edge locked into the square edge of the balsa fuselage sheeting with the rubber (thick!;-) bands putting constant rearward pressure on it pushing the wing rearward up off the lip holding it back where you don't want it. Slightly rounding the sharp edge of the fuse sheeting as it needs to be to let the wing slide over it and not let either get torn up will let the wing slide back easier and need even more rubber bands for more friction that will push it back even harder in a vicious cycle. Using the Dubro wing mounting tape will raise it up level with the lip but still allow the front canopy area keep the wing straight and friction will stop it from sliding back even with the rubber bands trying to pull the wing back but you will still need to put pressure on the wing to hold the wing in place while putting on the rubber bands... errr! I remember doing that over and over and after a while you rip up the Dubro wing tape which is very soft but why it works so well. I waited over a year to drill two new holes and widen the wing seat area so the wing tape fit correctly and lasted longer and had I done that when the glider was new the wing's center section would still look like new and my initial enjoyment of the glider would have been much better without constantly messing with the wing needing to be in one place but constantly pushed in another even when flying. I finally fixed mine when the wing jumped back in flight moving the C/G way forward and I landed with limited back stick. So when I saw your new glider and the scuff marks on the wood I had to come back and say something.
I was given one of these kits recently- NOS, and it did not come with a set of plans, only directions. Does anyone know of a source where I can purchase a set? Thanks
Hallo kiruba, For the Olympic II, the airfoil is listed as 10% thick, flat bottomed. You can also find more info here (and buy the kit!!): www.skybench.com/index.html?www.skybench.com/sloly.html Bye from Switzerland, team flying4nature
I'm sorry but this hard core slope soaring advocate just can't imagine being in Switzerland and putting a damn propeller on a sailplane ha just joshing you (mostly). Seriously though, Oly ll my first glider, lots of good memories (on the slopes lol)
Hi Robert. I'm the owner/pilot in the video and this is indeed my only fan assisted glider. I am a real purist and much prefer sloping with 'real' gliders but this classic bird came up for sale and I had to have her for lazy afternoons in the sun when the wind isn't blowing. She's different to the others but very rewarding indeed!
siggy101 Cool, yeah just razzing you a-bit. I figured that you had to be into sloping but if not I wanted to plant a seed so to speak. Yep the Oly ll is perfect for electric, I'd of bought it too. Currently I'm into the Le Fish; totally amazed with it. Happy New Year
![Sansibear "Bubble Surfer [Django BS]" - Hovering in the Wind and Thermaling in almost Dead Air](/img/1.gif)
Very nice sailplane and video!
I flew an Olympic ll in the early to mid 80s Greta flyer. Back then it was launched off of an electric winch.
I had an electric one a few years ago. Best glider I ever owned. Put flaps on it. I called it my dream ship. Because it was like living in a dream when i flew it. It just did what you told it to do.
Beautiful model, simple and strong construction, back in the 80s propelled him with a babe bee .049, the last model that my father gave me before dying, thank you for waking that memory
What a gorgeous and well built machine. I must say your choice of colors makes that baby explode in flight. Wonderful well skilled work bro. Spectacular model!!!
Thank you Joseph. Look also to our Website flying4nature.com for the complete plane review. Greetings from Switzerland
And her rate of climb under power is spectacular as well. I bet you can get to 300 feet within seconds. Wonderful beautiful model bro!!!
Mine had the classic curled wingtips and spoilers.
I had one in 1979 with spoiler and curved tips...gave away in the mid 80's...boy was that dumb of me. I want it back! For fun I'd hand toss it and fly 3 circles around me before catching it. It would when everything else was grounded.
Wunderschönes Modell !
New sub. Nice flight. Those classic sailplanes are so easy to electrify. Thirty-five years ago I motored up a Paragon and offered it to Hung. I do need to get another one.
Hi James, thanks. We try to get some new videos of this plane soon...
With a max rearward C/G location for fast pitch response (almost neutral stable position) I always had one 64 gram lead fishing weight just behind the original battery tray location and another 4 oz at least up front with a 93.5g 1200 mAh NiMH battery but the flat stick-on lead weights were on the fuselage sides giving the battery room to move forward/aft for final C/G trim (my notes are "somewhere" but that's the minimum needed with stock tail using nyrods and Monokote) and found the sink rate actually stayed about the same with a heavier rearward C/G in normal thermal conditions as you end up with adding a battery and ESC because the slight increase in max L/D from reduced tail drag due to a rearward C/G seemed to balance out the loss in sink rate and let me move around the sky better especially when coming through a turbulent rotor to land. So with a 3S 110 g 1300mAh battery and 40-50g motor and 20g ESC replacing a 93.5g battery I can't see you losing anything noticeable due to weight and agree set up right the added weight is a plus (with rearward C/G) and only in very rare standing wave conditions at the beach did I ever lighten it up. The only real loss would be the added drag from the prop and it looks like you kept the wing polyhedral fairly flat which IMO is more important that adding a little weight. But I did notice something that makes me wish I could read this when my Oly2 was new as it only has one noticeable visual flaw up close using transparent Monokote.
The original front dowel location to hold the rubber band puts constant rearward pressure on the wing and pulls the wing back and chews up the trailing edge of the wing as well as the fuselage. I see you made you first fuselage repair just like I did and I'm sure you used some CA like I did. The next repair without even crashing is the wing's center trailing edge unless you glassed it, but even then using 4 oz cloth the lip the wing is pushed against wins after enough repairs. The fiber glassed center section protects the wing from the rubber band pressure and friction over time but it also battles with the lip in a never ending battle and when it loses it can split the trailing edge which is what mine did. The original wing mounting with the trailing edge pulled down tight enough to keep it pushed up against the fuse sheeting lip without sliding up over it also locks the wing in place and does not let the wing release when it should twist the band off the front dowel or a rear force when the glider spins around and needs the thinner soft trailing edge protected by the rubber bands releasing at the front.
I eventually got tired of the design flaw and drilled new front dowel holes further forward so the rubber bands create less drag, adds a tad bit of dirty lift from the foil angle of the band created, but mostly to stop the rubber bands from trying to pull the frickin wing back ALL the time and let it release better while allowing far less pressure needed to mount and hold the wing in place on a VERY light weight glider that can loop all day with just one good #64 rubber band holding the wing on if you stretch it across front and back. But not all rubber bands are created equal and I generally use 4 #64's but never cross them to reduce drag as when using the right size bands with the correct friction mounting there's no need to add more rubber bands and I want the wing to let go if need be. The only time I ever cross them and use 6 is flying with other gliders where a side impact could occur in the air off a cliff where there's no chance of recovery. In almost 40 years of weekly use averaged out with thousands of hours because it was my safest "beach glider" for when the waves got blown out by onshore winds I never broke or even dinged the hard but thin leading edge because of setting the wing mounting pressure in scale to it's true weight. I'm not saying you can't break it, just that it's exceptionally forgiving when attached properly so it can come off or (mostly) just twist a little on impact and the release of energy protects the fuselage and tail as well as it creates an energy release system I've seen protect the fuselage and wing many times landing hot carrying an amazing amount of energy for such a lightweight glider. Most of my landings are in my hand to save on Monokote as the beaches in Hawaii are filled with little pieces of sharp coral and lava rock everywhere. However in fair warning if you ever fly in Hawaii... after the video recorded was invented... an amazing device right up there with the 8 track tape machine, someone invented the "G string" that can cause a crash without even looking. I'm still working on it's relationship to gravity....;-)
BTW: I also widened the sides of the thin fuselage wing mount area using 1/4in triangle soft balsa sanded to match the wing dihedral adding almost no weight but allowing Dubro's black "slightly sticky" wing foam mounting tape to work as designed which makes a HUGE difference from a slick surface or any other type of wing tape I've tried in getting the right amount of friction. And I can tell by looking at your glider you'll like it especially with the front dowels mounted forward. Right now you have the wing sitting down with the trailing edge locked into the square edge of the balsa fuselage sheeting with the rubber (thick!;-) bands putting constant rearward pressure on it pushing the wing rearward up off the lip holding it back where you don't want it. Slightly rounding the sharp edge of the fuse sheeting as it needs to be to let the wing slide over it and not let either get torn up will let the wing slide back easier and need even more rubber bands for more friction that will push it back even harder in a vicious cycle. Using the Dubro wing mounting tape will raise it up level with the lip but still allow the front canopy area keep the wing straight and friction will stop it from sliding back even with the rubber bands trying to pull the wing back but you will still need to put pressure on the wing to hold the wing in place while putting on the rubber bands... errr! I remember doing that over and over and after a while you rip up the Dubro wing tape which is very soft but why it works so well. I waited over a year to drill two new holes and widen the wing seat area so the wing tape fit correctly and lasted longer and had I done that when the glider was new the wing's center section would still look like new and my initial enjoyment of the glider would have been much better without constantly messing with the wing needing to be in one place but constantly pushed in another even when flying. I finally fixed mine when the wing jumped back in flight moving the C/G way forward and I landed with limited back stick. So when I saw your new glider and the scuff marks on the wood I had to come back and say something.
What engine and propeller do you use?
Complimenti per l ottimo veleggiatore vintage bellissimo!
Grazie Eugenio, a presto!
Hi, where can I get the plan for this Olimpic, thanks
I was given one of these kits recently- NOS, and it did not come with a set of plans, only directions. Does anyone know of a source where I can purchase a set? Thanks
Mark, did you ever get your build guide? They are available on OuterZone: file:///tmp/mozilla_jt0/Olympic_II_RCM-643_oz5116_instructions.pdf
Amazing plane.
sir i want to what type of NACA series airfoil section used by your plane
Hallo kiruba, For the Olympic II, the airfoil is listed as 10% thick, flat bottomed. You can also find more info here (and buy the kit!!): www.skybench.com/index.html?www.skybench.com/sloly.html Bye from Switzerland, team flying4nature
Mine needs to teach yours how to loop and do back flips
Nice, we would like to learn it! Where are your videos?
Glider good hand Made to flying in the sky
I'm sorry but this hard core slope soaring advocate just can't imagine being in Switzerland and putting a damn propeller on a sailplane ha just joshing you (mostly). Seriously though, Oly ll my first glider, lots of good memories (on the slopes lol)
Hi Robert.
I'm the owner/pilot in the video and this is indeed my only fan assisted glider. I am a real purist and much prefer sloping with 'real' gliders but this classic bird came up for sale and I had to have her for lazy afternoons in the sun when the wind isn't blowing. She's different to the others but very rewarding indeed!
siggy101 Cool, yeah just razzing you a-bit. I figured that you had to be into sloping but if not I wanted to plant a seed so to speak. Yep the Oly ll is perfect for electric, I'd of bought it too. Currently I'm into the Le Fish; totally amazed with it. Happy New Year
Hi, I am presently assembling an Oly II and would like to know what size motor and props you could recommend.
Thanks,
David
I miss my Oly II. This was shot waaaaaaay back in 1982 while I was launching with a Hi-Start: imgur.com/Hnj3xSR