Our Biggest Catapult Glider Ever (Tornado 36 - "F3")

[@bobkelley8291]

My Friend Bobber built what he called blizzard busters. As he flew them during Minnesota blizzards from a large mall parking lot. About the only difference from yours is his were six inches long and with a wing span of about 4 and a half to five inches. He launched them the same way as you guys. And his went over 125 feet pretty much straight up into the blizzard winds. He said flying was not just a summer sport. People would tell him them will never fly as the wings are to short. And replied they will in a blizzard. The amazing part was they flew rather well. Some needed a few adjustments and then flew better.

[@joshuawfinn]

Huh... methinks this could lead to something of an arms race. Well I didn't buy that 48" balsa plank for decoration!

[@NighthawkGliders]

Ok... yeah! Say, Josh... you got a young‘n on the way. How will you even find the time? 😀

[@joshuawfinn]

Nighthawk Gliders, I dunno... manufacture more hours in the day? Somehow I pulled it off with Caleb... we'll get creative again. ;) Hope is due 10 August, so not much longer!

[@geebee3d]

joshuawfinn....congrats Josh and Hope. Looking forward to seeing you at West Baden in March. ~Chris from Cleveland.

[@sweenybuilt8202]

Nice work and beauty flights. I am inspired by you guys yet again. I also think that you may soon hear reports of a tornado touching down in Southern California. Good job guys.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yeah, perhaps we should do some sort of mass launch and set record for most “Tornado touchdowns” spotted here in the states. 🤔 Now you’re inspiring us! 😝

[@plasticbutcher]

Great job guys, your builds bring back lots of great memories thank you Rick B aka Plastic butcher

[@NighthawkGliders]

That’s great!!! We appreciate the views and we hope to keep the entertainment (and memories) coming! Thanks!

[@plasticbutcher]

Nighthawk Gliders, I may have to try building one of those, it's raining here today so I have time and supplies. really enjoy all your videos, keep up the great work and thank you Rick B aka Plastic butcher

[@mattnsim]

Is there a plan available for the 12”? (I loved the big one by the way)

[@NighthawkGliders]

No we don’t , sorry, Matthew... but please stay tuned. We hope to give our subscribers something they have been asking for! Hope all is well with you in Australia! Thanks for liking and commenting! 😊

[@robedmunds7163]

Smallest one works best for me, best bang for your buck.

[@terryboehler5752]

Built the kestrel 12. Very impressed with the balsa quality. Got it trimmed out in the yard. Waiting for a suitable day to try the catapult.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Thanks for buying one! 😊

[@stevecordle9842]

where do I get full size plans for this!!

[@kenkingsflyingmachines2382]

Currently building a Thermic 36. Good to see someting that big fly! I just found you guys and subscribed.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Awesome! Thanks for stopping by giving us a notice! Appreciate the sub! 👍😀

[@billmoxon9506]

Wow, you guys have voice control gliders?? "Stay away from those bleachers!" "Don't hit the tree! " Very fun! Lol

[@NighthawkGliders]

Lol. I speak to my gliders like they are my children! 🤣

[@willwinn8559]

That was SUPER COOL. 😎👍

[@NighthawkGliders]

Thanks! We love this thing. It still flies! 😀

[@paulpaulsen7309]

... maybe you should try to start "Daddy F3" by tip launch, maybe you've already tried ... ? Great behavior of the "F3" in the air ...

[@GrandadIsAnOldMan]

Brilliant video and great flights but definitely a two man launch unless you hammer a post into the ground :-)

[@joshuawfinn]

GrandadIsAnOldMan we actually used to do just that at our monthly club contests!

[@GrandadIsAnOldMan]

Hi Josh, yes I was thinking hammering a post into the middle of the football field might be an issue 😊🤣😜

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yeah, it seemed a bit sketchy. A high-speed piece of wood zinging by our heads is probably not the best idea we came up with! We need a launching stooge and preferably a non-human one. Lol. 😂

[@powerhousepaperairplanesrogers]

That was better then sex. Great job guys keep up the great work.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Um... I think Josh is going to retaliate! So, stay tuned! Lol! 😝

[@sadskytristeciel1439]

I really would have tought more wingspan would fly longer...

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yeah, many factors can impact a glider’s flight time… for example, how high was it launched? Did it transition quickly into a glide? Did the glider get help from a thermal? Was the glider heavy or light? Did it have a large or small wing area? The last two questions might be the most important. But, how do you say the glider was “too heavy” or had “too little of wing area?” These are relative terms. So, therefore, we can calculate the potential lifting performance of the glider (called wing loading) by taking the overall Weight of the glider divided by the Area of the wing. e.g. L = W/A. The smaller this number, the better. Let’s do some math: Our 12” Tornado has a weight of around 8 grams and a wing area of 23.6 in^2. Its wing loading = 8g/23.6 in^2 (0.34 g/in^2) Our 36” Tornado has a weight around 50 grams and a wing area of 127.25 in^2. Its wing loading = 50g/127.25 in^2 (0.39 g/in^2) So, even thought our 36” glider has a wingspan 3x longer than the 12” glider, the ratio of weight to wing area is almost the same as the 12” glider- and slightly worse. Theoretically, in perfect conditions, if these two gliders were flying side by side, the smaller glider would have a slower sink rate and better flight time. In conclusion, an increase in wingspan does not guarantee an increase in flight time. Instead, calculate its wing loading for a better indicator of potential lifting performance of the glider. I appreciate your comment! 😊

[@sadskytristeciel1439]

@@NighthawkGliders Oh boy man, what a generous answer! Thank you so much! I will copy-paste this. I'm planing on making my own rc rubber sail plane! Be safe. o7

[@sadskytristeciel1439]

@@NighthawkGliders Also, I subscribed!

[@AeroCraftAviation]

Nice work and nice flying my friends! I wonder though.. how much did you airfoil that wing? By the way it's flying, it looks like it could use a little more taper.

[@NighthawkGliders]

Perhaps... the wings may be a bit thin. They were made from 3/16 Balsa... probably should have used 1/4 for more camber. 🤔

[@russellmoore1533]

Interesting that the little guy stay up longer

[@Georgeolddrones]

Thanks for the video guys love it. George in England uk

[@k6lsn]

Man, I remember buying balsa, dowels, and putty when I was a kid and that was right when hot glue started coming out :) was called hot glue with an orange label..lol You guys got a couple really good flights there too. That was a blast, subd :)

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yeah, how about them flights? We were happy as punch that day! F3 was built with balsa, CA, and modeling clay for ballast! That’s it! Hope you are still in the hobby. Thanks for the sub and keep building, our friend!

[@debbiramsey4603]

And don't forget all it had to go straight and level as far as it could, I can still see it going on it's intended and hoped for path. . It did.

[@JohnBorlaug]

Time for the F3RES highstart! :D GG guys!

[@NighthawkGliders]

Looks like we need some more mods for a model down the road. Lol! Fun stuff! 😀

[@DarcyWhyte]

is that in montreal?

[@NighthawkGliders]

No, sorry. Just a park in a suburb outside of Indianapolis, IN.

[@billkuhl442]

I would try the hi-start with this one but you would probably lose it in small park.

[@trackie1957]

I have to wonder where the point of diminishing return is reached with solid wood gliders. At some point, you get better performance from stick and tissue or other construction. But, hey, experimentation is part of the thrill!

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yes, you’re right, experimentation is part of the thrill! 😀

[@lindamcentaffer5969]

As an "Old Timer," it looks like the Hand-Launched Glider is a lost art. Those are the ones that typically had a wing span of around 18" and you launched them similar to a Baseball pitch. Build accuracy on those was crucial, as was Launch Technique. So, if you could throw a Baseball above 75 mph or so, you could do well.

[@NighthawkGliders]

The older we get, the harder it is for us to throw. Probably why CLGs are our favorite. Respect to anyone who can throw HLGs that hard! 👍

[@trackie1957]

This might be why discus launched gliders were developed, but those are RC

[@heshamtawfik5471]

Great glider ....can you put the plans ?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Thanks for commenting! Unfortunately, we do not have plans for this. Who knows... maybe down the road we will revisit larger-scale catapult gliders! 👍😀

[@geoffreydowen5793]

watching this in January 23’ great to see a new one get air in her wings;

[@aravindkramesh]

*Old people feel like kids again with balsa wood gliders.*

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yeah, balsa gliders makes my mind forget how old my body really is. Also, getting outdoors, breathing fresh air, and chasing gliders is good exercise for “old” folks like me. I encourage anyone to go to NighthawkGliders.com and buy some of our very inexpensive “exercise equipment!” 👍😊

[@aravindkramesh]

@@NighthawkGliders Where are you guys from?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Indiana

[@gcoutdoors904]

I think the wing would benefit from a thicker piece of balsa and an airfoil. Especially at that scale

[@NighthawkGliders]

Perhaps it could! We were more than surprised it didn’t disintegrate on high-speed launch!

[@gcoutdoors904]

Haha I was waiting on someone to get knocked out on launch. Just subscribed! Thanks yall

[@timurzarifov]

1:30 заметно кабрирует, а это снижает время полёта, центр тяжести стоит немного сдвинуть вперёд.🤔 4:07 тоже кабрирует, центр тяжести надо двигать вперёд.

[@w19761]

Could you show the design please?

[@debbiramsey4603]

I wish I'd of had your field.

[@goldenfish77]

Very nice launches! You are a great team! :) Did you try F3 to launch with hand? (HLG)

[@NighthawkGliders]

No, we haven’t. Don’t think we have the arm strength to hand launch this! 🤔

[@goldenfish77]

Nighthawk Gliders I think You should try it. I have also a similar large "pilican" HLG. The little gliders can fly with this launch method. :)

[@NighthawkGliders]

Ok, yeah! You have good HLGs. 👍😀

[@friarrodneyburnap4336]

Can these planes be launched by Rocket motor?

[@NighthawkGliders]

No, sorry. That takes a special kind of build made specifically for rocketry. If you like that sort of thing, we suggest you check out our friend (the rocket expert), Joshua Finn: kzbin.info

[@debbiramsey4603]

Oh it it matters excus me but we always hand threw from the inside open window of the third floor. Fat us it measures almost right at 25 fee off a bit. But like I was surprised too, but it was a perfect door and no wind. It was a dream and late in the afterrnoon, any wind had quit too, just luck. I reallu like your field. Excuse me I'm 69 and rambling.

[@debbiramsey4603]

Around 78 Or 9 I built a balsa with that extra span piece about twice as more span as yo,urs show. and it broke the glide distance we d always we d always hoped to match. It was no dihedral an the slightest flaps down on that piece. I love aerodynamics since college, I'm 69"

[@NighthawkGliders]

Wow! And no dihedral? That’s impressive. 👍😊

[@antok.juni.beonehousehotel5249]

Good sports

[@NighthawkGliders]

Thanks!

[@rileyhowe9610]

That’s amazing guys great job could it go bigger (64)

[@NighthawkGliders]

Hmmm.... maybe someday we’ll go even bigger. Absolutely! 👍😝

[@AeroCraftAviation]

I like to see a built up balsa and covering version. That'd be cool. :)

[@tricenexequillemendoza521]

you twins?

[@NighthawkGliders]

Nope, brothers, but not twins.

[@debbiramsey4603]

I remember that plane. A friend all the way from pine bluff and we both made the same. I adapted His to the extra down flap piece probably within a week. I went back on the other side of the mall there and that job flue and flu on a perfect calm day. Hand thrown. Rc stupid. Poor.

[@antok.juni.beonehousehotel5249]

I am like your glider ohlg can fly in the Air , hecker computer, balsa hand Made glider ohlg

[@NighthawkGliders]

Yes, 100% Balsa and Handmade by Bruce! We love this crazy thing!

[@alfredlebeau3137]

😳😁😂🤣 wao is a tornado wit esteroid was it good flygh

[@NighthawkGliders]

It was awesome! Thanks!

[@alfredlebeau3137]

🤔mmmm i imagin tha exparimato glider wit yuo maket in this sides?

[@NighthawkGliders]

The “experimental” glider is now called the “American Kestrel.” Maybe someday we will have to try to make it larger.

[@alfredlebeau3137]

🤔Well is time creat a catapul wich loucheg tha american kestrel like super carrier cataul in Hangul at 45*degrid or mor

[@debbiramsey4603]

I'm 69"

[@1971Flieger]

Bad performance.