• Wing Span: 59 in (150 cm)
• Wing Area: 422 sq in (2723 cm²)
• Length: 34 in (86 cm)
• Weight: 20.5 oz (.6 kg)
• 2 Servos required

The Schweizer 1-26 foamie hand launch glider (HLG) from Dave's Aircraft Works was chosen as the first experience with R/C aviation. The kit consists of expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam wing panels with pre-cut spar slots and end bevels, machine cut EPP fuselage, Coroplast corrugated plastic pre-hinged stabilizer and fin, basswood spars and dihedral braces, and balsa sub-trailing and trailing edge stock. Also included is a pretty complete hardware package for 2 or 3 channel set-up, including the pushrods, a block of scrap EPP foam for construction and repairs, and a very comprehensive instruction manual including CAD figures, taping diagrams and instructions for either polyhedral or aileron wing setup.

Construction was fast and pretty straightforward. Even a beginner should have no trouble getting something airplane-like in about twenty hours, five (5) of which is covering, which is harder than it might seem. The wings were built in the optional polyhedral configuration. The foam is not sheeted, so the surface does not look very smooth. This one looks worse than those of most experience builder but it still has very few wrinkles and no bubbles.

The only real problem with this model is getting the tail surfaces attached. The Coroplast just does not take epoxy well even after removing the mold-release agent. UFO CA runs through thin pieces of EPP foam so badly that a good joint just is not possible. The surfaces have been reattached once and will probably have to be done again in the future. At that time, screws will be used to attach the tail surfaces.

A Hitec Focus II AM radio was received as a birthday gift and was installed in the Schweizer with the HS-300 standard servos that came with the radio. The servos are larger than the recommended servos which results in the 1-26 being overweight. The servos and receiver are powered by four alkaline AAA batteries, which are housed in the nose. The receiver bay is kept closed by a piece of glass tape. There is no switch, so the hatch is opened and the batteries are plugged into the receiver before each flight. The radio components were placed in the nose to get the center of gravity at the appropriate point without adding weight. Too much control was set and is being reduced with each flight but it still pretty touchy. The next step is to swap the servo positions.

As this was a first airplane, the effort was not made to make it look like the box art. The whole model is covered in Carl Goldberg midnight blue Ultracote #885 except for the tail surfaces, which were left the original white, and the cockpit, which is defined by Top Flite jet white Monokote trim #21104. The fuselage edges were not rounded so this one has a more boxy appearance than it should have. Still, it looks pretty good in the morning sunlight. At 20.5 ounces without the power pod it is a bit over the maximum recommended weight and is probably too heavy for the polyhedral configuration.

Since there are not a lot of good soaring areas, a Norvel Start'Up .061 with a Grish 6x3 three blade Tornado prop were mounted on a Power Pod (SH-660) which was attached the airplane using glass tape. After a season of hard landings and subsequent repairs to this fragile pod, it was replaced it with a plastic Cox power pod #105 bolted to a piece of scrap plastic.

This engine is really nice. It has plenty of power using 10% nitromethane fuel. It is so quiet, that over 100 feet away, it is difficult to tell if the motor is still running. With the engine mounted so high and the muffer pointed up and to the right, it lands very gently.

The name 'Blue Hoot' was given to the 1-26, which deserves a little explanation. On the maiden flight, Glenn, a flying buddy, took the controls. He flew it to about 150 feet before the fuel ran out, and then he brought it back quickly. Once it landed, he started laughing uncontrollably. When asked why, he said, "That was a real hoot!", and the name stuck.

This model has not yet been hand launched so no knowledge of its qualities as an HLG has been gained but there are a few things that have been gained from the 1-26. Foam is the only way to go for a beginner. Dings and dents pop right out with a night under a hundred watt bulb. The polyhedral configuration is touchy, even under power, and if the airplane comes out heavy, it has to be allowed to dive occasionally to regain airspeed. Simply, the 1-26 is an acquired taste.