Full Size Printed Plan A/2 Freeflight Wingspan 72” "Tumbleweed" simple glider for the inexperienced Nordic

Full Size Printed Plan & Building Notes

No materials. Plan only

"Tumbleweed" A/2

Plug·in type wings allow for easier carrying, faster tows.

Streamlined! The installation as described in the text lasts well, is easy to make.

Full Size Plans Printed on a 40” x 29” Sheet

Six page article with building notes and photos

"TUMBLEWEED" CONTEST RECORD

2nd, Odessa, Texas, 1967 AAA Prop Buster's Annual

2nd, Wichita Falls, Texas, 1967 AAA Red River Valley:

2nd, Tulsa, Okla. 1967 AAA Glue Dabbers Annual

2nd, Bryan, Texas, 1967 AA

1st, Dallas, Texas, 1967 AA Cloud Climbers Fall Rally

2nd, Bryan, Texas, 1968 AA •

2nd, Odessa, Texas 1968 AAA Prop Busters Annual

1st, Dallas, Texas, 1968 AA Cloud Climbers Fall Rally

1st, Fort Worth, Texas, 1968 AA Plainsmen Annual

A/2 Freeflight

Wingspan 72”

Dick Mathis

I've presented the "Tumbleweed" as a simple glider for the inexperienced Nordic flier. It is ideally suited for this. I now use it as a back-up for my "American Crow", which is better suited to good weather conditions. At the same time, several U.S. Nordic team members, and virtually all of the top fliers around these parts know the "Tumbleweed" is hard to beat in any competition. You need not be ashamed of it because it doesn't look like the world champion's. Don't be fooled by elliptical tips, high aspect ratios, flimsy structures, and long tows. The "Tumbleweed" is a winner, too—even if it is ugly enough to derail a train.   

  My primary objective in building the "Tumbleweed" was to have a maintenance-free glider that would stay in trim regardless of conditions. Flying three or four events in a single day means you can't spend much time testing at a contest, so you must sacrifice some performance for reliability. Strangely, everytime I think I'm doing this, I end up with better contest times. There must be a moral there somewhere.

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