Sršeň

Forty-two centimeters of wingspan for school clubs

Among the small hand-launched gliders of this brand this model is one of the larger ones. A wingspan of 420 mm and a fuselage length of 455 mm make it a machine that behaves considerably more calmly in the air than models of half the size. The lowest weight given is fifteen grams. The difference tells mainly in a light breeze, when smaller machines start to be unpredictable.

The manufacturer names it as a simple school glider and aims it at modelers who are still learning. The point is to go through the whole chain from opening the box through gluing and balancing to the first launches, and to learn along the way why the model behaves the way it does. According to the manufacturer it flies very well and its flight is long and stable, which on a beginner type matters more than it seems: a model that sticks into the ground right after the throw puts people off before the builder has managed to learn anything. The way from opening the box to the first launch can moreover be managed in a single afternoon at a club.

The parts are cut by laser and come into the package sorted, so there is no puzzling out what goes where. A higher degree of pre-working means less cutting and more time for what matters, that is for accurate gluing and for finding the right center of gravity. Color coding of the bags helps to keep track when several pieces are being built at once.

For the build prepare liquid wood glue and a fine abrasive. The surface finish and launching aids are not included in the package. Before the first launches it is worth checking whether the wing has any twist.