Soarcerer

[PaulJ]

Soarcerer was the first slope soarer I ever built back in the early 70s. Back then I lived near the South Downs and it led to several years when I built and flew nothing but gliders. So I have long felt the need to build another, and I have finally got round to it.......

Designed by Dave Hughes and published in Radio Modeller in 1969.

So much sweeter lines than it's contemporary, the Impala, don't you think?

The only problem is that I now live in Suffolk where there ain't no hills, so the next little project will be a power pod.

Paul

[Martin]

Very nice.
Coincidentally, I have my much thumbed ancient copy of Dave Hughes excellent Radio control SOARING book out on my desk at the moment, having recently re-read it. Still a great book with lots of useful information, even though it's forty-seven years old.

[PaulJ]

Martin, yes an excellent book, I still have my copy too.....

Paulo

[Spike S]

Paul, there must be a slope of some sort nearby. You could always take a short trip up North of Yarmouth to soar off the Waxham sand dunes. I also flew a Soarcerer [on Reeds] back in the '60s and it is a rugged design that can cope with anything from a light breeze to a howling gale.

From previous experience with small gliders, I would imagine that adding a power pod would kill its soaring ability. I would favour hiding an e-motor in the nose (useful ballast) with a folding prop then you can always remove the prop blades for 'true' soaring when conditions are good. Ignore the purist police - if a spinner and 'moustache' is good enough for Chris Williams' scale gliders who cares ?

Who needs big sites ? I built its little brother the Soarcerette to take on Cornwall holidays in the 1980s with handy cliff sites adjacent. That one died during a house move. I built another in 2012 that is still going strong. The Soarcerette can use ridiculously small sites- sea front defences, weapon storage bunds, hangar roofs, ant hills etc.

[Phil_G]

Lovely job Paul, nice to see one in its original 2ch configuration
I remember flying with Dave back in my yoof, he was a really nice bloke. He used to come up to our SSA 2-day comps.
Dave could make his Soarcerer do almost everything Ken could do with the Suzy Q, both highly aerobatic rudder-elevator models

[leccyflyer]

Paul

Your Soarcerer is a real beauty, I love the colour scheme that you have chosen. Would she stand a bungee launch off the flat, in lieu of a local slope?

[RON]

Hi Paul

Very nice job on the Soarcerer, When I built mine it was a toss up to do it blue or red, Yours looks great in blue.
I built the ordinary dihedral wing like you but I also built the aileron wing for 3 channel, both flew really nice.
There's just something about a soarcerer that shouts out retro slopesoaring. I covered it in solartex.
PS I also have that book and that was the inspiration to build one originally.

Here's a few pics of mine

[PaulJ]

Thanks Ron, Soarcerer obviously looks good in Red too! I remember you posting yours when you built it, which I think was on the old forum. I think that was what planted the seed in my mind that I needed to build another...... Mine too is covered with Solartex on the wing and tailplane and tissue on the fuselage. The rudder is tissue over mylar.

"There's just something about a soarcerer that shouts out retro slopesoaring."....... Yes, I think it is the "Slingbyish" tailfeathers that does it!

Paul

[Shaun]

As a yoof my model shop sold a basic kit with a glass fus and foam wings made by a local modeller; the rest you supplied. They flew extremely well in light winds even though heavier than the original. Best thing it could be started on Monday and flown on Saturday easily without burning the midnight oil.

Paul... I'm afraid no comparison. Impala wins every time and it has nothing to do with Phil Smith (designer) being a friend who made me one as a birthday present many years ago.

Shaun

[PaulJ]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Shaun.....

Paul