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About Airplanes & Rockets

Kirt Blattenberger, Webmaster - Airplanes and Rockets

Kirt Blattenberger

BSEE - KB3UON

My Engineering Web: RF Cafe

Carpe Diem! (Seize the Day!)

Even during the busiest times of my life I have endeavored to maintain some form of model building activity. This site has been created to help me chronicle my journey through a lifelong involvement in model aviation, which all began in Mayo, MD ...

Airplanes And Rockets Copyright 1996 - 2026

All trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other rights of ownership to images and text used on the Airplanes and Rockets website are hereby acknowledged.

My Main Modeling Websites

Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) - Airplanes and RocketsAcademy of Model Aeronautics

Tower Hobbies logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Tower Hobbies

Horizon Hobby logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Horizon Hobby

Sig Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Sig Mfg

Brodak Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Brodak Mfg

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit on eBay - Airplanes and RocketsBack in the early 1970s when first entering the realm of radio control, I loved sailplanes (aka gliders) because of their graceful appearance. Gliders were also the only reasonably priced models with long wingspans, so there was that, too. My first glider was a Sterling Cirrus (87" wingspan), which was not meant for R/C other than a very compact and lightweight escapement system with a single channel on rudder. I made the tragic decision to install two servos from my newly acquired, used OS Digitron DP−3, 3-channel radio. It made the model so heavy that the thin wings could barely support it. About three or four flights did it in. From there I graduated to a Marks Models Windward (72" wingspan) glider, then to the Windfree (99" wingspan). My ultimate experience was with an Airtronics Aquila sailplane (99" wingspan) with a third channel operating wing flaps.

This Cirrus model by Graupner, with its amazing 3,000 mm (118") wingspan and an ABS molded plastic fuselage was one of the kits that was not within reach of my meager budget. At the time (c1976) the retail price was somewhere in the $60 range, which in today's highly inflated dollars is the equivalent of about $285. Judging by what a Graupner Cirrus glider kit sold for on eBay in 2018 ($2,500), I should have worked a second job to buy one back then and put it in storage to sell today. It would represent a 750% ROI in inflated dollars, and a whopping 4000% compared to the original $60 price!

Here are some of the images that accompanied the listing. It looks a lot like the Aquila, except the nose is narrower. There appears to be a molded plastic power pod that would insert between the wing halves. Maybe that is why there was a fuel tank included in the sale.

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (box top) - Airplanes and Rockets

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (box description) - Airplanes and Rockets

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (hardware packages) - Airplanes and Rockets

Kraftstofftank fuel tank

These images were posted on eBay

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (parts in the box) - Airplanes and Rockets

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (parts out of the box) - Airplanes and Rockets

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (molded plastic parts) - Airplanes and Rockets

These images were posted on eBay

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (partially built) - Airplanes and Rockets

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (inside of ABS plastic fuselage) - Airplanes and Rockets

Graupner Cirrus Glider Kit (specifications on box) - Airplanes and Rockets

These images were posted on Worthpoint

 

 

Posted April 2, 2023

Drones - Airplanes and Rockets