On Feb 6, 9:07*am, "Bill Daniels" bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote:
"Ian" wrote in message

...





On 6 Feb, 00:13, Andy wrote:

And if you built a new one with modern adhesives the near infinite
fatigue life would be of some value. *Many of the older wooden gliders
were retired because the glue holding those wonder composite
components together gave up the ghost.

As far as I know, the only major glueing problems have been with pre-
war gliders made with casein glue. Just about everything post-war used
urea-formaldehyde (cascamite) which is effectively eternal. My club is
happily using a Ka2 from 1955 which has had no glue problems.

That's wood-wood glueing, by the way. I know there have been problems
with the Oly wood/metal composite spars.

Ian

There's no simple way to categorize wooden gliders. *Bad glue is bad, good
glue is good etc... *The condition of an older wood glider depends heavilly
on the love and care it has been given. *A wood glider is a high maintenance
mistress.

What I haven't seen discussed here is the sound of wood. *If you whack
fiberglass with your hand it just goes "whack", metal sounds like a tin can
but, a wood glider sounds like a fine musical instrument. *The acoustic
characteristics of wood shapes airflow sounds into changing musical chords
in a most pleasing way. *The sound is addictive - once you have heard it,
you want to hear it again and again.

Bill Daniels- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I like the RIDE of wood wings. It's unique and very pleasing like a
fine luxury car.
MM