SAILPLANES HAVE a certain
grace and beauty that is
recognizable from more than one
vantage point. In the air, soaring
like eagles, they master lift using
the natural elements. On the
ground, the beauty of their
construction elements can be
realized without the expense of
composite materials and high-end
radio equipment.
Leon Kincaid designed the Back
to Basics to be both simple to build
and fun to fly. It has a 78-inch
wingspan, functions on rudder and
elevator, and has a flying weight of
just less than 2 pounds, giving it a
low wing loading.
The model’s one-piece, flatbottom
airfoil is held on with
rubber bands, using forward and aft
hold-downs. The battery can be
accessed without removing the
wing, because the canopy is
removable. It also provides access
to the receiver.
The Back to Basics was featured
in a construction article that was
published in the August 1998 MA.
Members can access the
magazine’s Digital Archives on the
Academy’s Web site to read it.
This design is AMA Plans
Service listing 858C, and it is
available for $15 plus shipping and
handling. See page 175 or go to
www.modelaircraft.org/plans.aspx
for ordering information. M
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 117