Packable DAW 2-meter 1-26 Modifications

prepared for SkyKing RC Products website
by Dave Garwood SEP 5, 2004

The DAW 1-26 2-meter sailplane is so versatile that I bring it along on most slope soaring trips. To make travel and storage easier, here are two modifications to make the plane pack smaller: a two-piece wing, and a removable horizontal stabilizer.

Packable DAW 1-26 sailplanes flown over Wilson Lake KS by three amigos: Joe Chovan, Rich Loud, and Joe Hosey

Traveling DAW 1-26 sailplanes flown over Wilson Lake KS by Joe Chovan, Jim Harrigan, Joe Hosey, Rich Loud, Greg Smith and Wayne Rigby.

1. TWO PIECE WING

Replace the center wing joiner wood with a joiner made of brass tubing and steel rod. I use 12-inch long 1/4 inch diameter piano wire from the hobby shop, and the size of brass tube that just slips over it. Epoxy the brass tube to the back of the spruce spars at the time you would normally join the wings. I add a little milled fiberglass to the epoxy to strengthen the bond.

Work carefully here, because this is when you set the wing dihedral. I mount the entire length of brass tube, let the epoxy cure overnight, and separate the halves with a razor saw after the epoxy cures, as this makes the alignment of the parts easier.

Servo connector wiring is the same the same as in the kit instructions: run a Y-cable for the ailerons from the receiver to the front of the fuselage wing slot, just as shown on the drawings in the kit. There’s no difference for one-piece or two-piece wing.

To assemble the sailplane in the field, I put the wing-joiner rod through the fuselage and slide the wing halves onto it. The pre-cut slot in the fuselage for the wing is cut to just the right size, and the EPP-foam is "springy" enough that it holds the wing in place without any adhesive or hardware needed. This is the way the original one-piece wing mount works, and it works just as well for the two-piece wing. You may have to straighten the wing a little after each landing, but this method of mounting the wing works fine.

2. DISMOUNTABLE STAB

My horizontal stabilizer is mounted with two small bolts, which go through the stab from the top and thread into "blind nuts" or "T-nuts" under a small piece of plywood. The plywood plate is mounted to the fuselage with Goop™ glue and strapping tape, then covered with heat-shrink film with the rest of the fuselage.

Dave’s packable DAW 1-26, closer view of bolt-on removable horizontal stab.

With these mods, a DAW 1-26 will fit back into its original kit shipping box. With a slide-on protective outer wrapper, I’ve shipped mine via UPS, checked it as luggage on an airline, and tossed it the back of the car with other planes.

Dave’s packable DAW 1-26 showing two-piece wing and removable horizontal stab.

Relaxed light lift formation flying with the versatile DAW 1-26 2-meter. Pilots L-R: Wayne Rigby, Joe Chovan, Rich Loud, Jim Harrigan, Alden Shipp, Greg Smith.