Sky Bench's partial kits are Laser cut Balsa Wood and Plywood parts only. Most, but not all, include the plans, some include the kit build instructions. There is no hardware, sheet, stick or block parts included. Wing rod and brass tubes are purchased separately. Kit details are displayed for each kit.

See the Sky Bench Links page for wood sources.

Convert these designs easily to electric power.

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING CATAGORIES OF PARTIAL KITS FOR PHOTOS AND INFO

Merlyn

Merlyn Partial Kit
Includes Laser Cut parts only
$169.95 ... SH ... $22.00

Two wing joiner rods and brass tubes ... $26.95
Shipping included when ordered with partial kit
Order construction plan #354 and build instructions from AMA Plan Service (web) or (email).

Changes Made by Sky Bench

Full kit available

3M Scooter

designed by Leon Kincaid, July 1991

The Scooter has a long history of competition victories to it's name including six Nats wins a Tangerine win and many State championships. The Scooter is a three meter built up aircraft for rudder, elevator and spoiler. The wing carries optional ballast tubes for very windy flying conditions. A construction article was published in July 1991, plans and instructions are available from AMA Plan Service.

Laser cut parts only .... $94.95

Wing Rod and brass tubes .. $18.94

Windrifter

Laser Cut Parts include: wing ribs, plywood wing root caps, re-designed fuse rmers that have tabs, and fuse sides that have corresponding slots, fuse top and bottom, plywood hatch, and bottom and 1/64" ywood fuse doublers that were not part of the original kit as produced by Craft Air.

No leading or trailing edges, spars, wing joiner parts, no hardware or ick/sheet wood for the wing, rudder and elevator are furnished.

Partial Kit as shown with
plans and building instructions ... $88.95

Hi Ray,
I know this picture doesn't do it justice, but this is my newly finished Windrifter from your short kit. Just a little more tinkering and it's ready to fly. I'll let you know how the maiden goes and send a better picture at that time.
Tom

Jim Velleman's Windrifter, ready for Wood Crafters 08.

Cal Posthuma and his brand new Sky Bench Windrifter built from our partial kit.

Hi Ray,

Thought you might like to see how the windrifter turned out.

I have attached a photo of my original model that I build in 1976 which is still going strong, still has original covering and servos.

The Orange and white one with the spoilers is the one I have just completed from your partial kit.

Regards
Ross

Viking MK I and MK II partial kit

Includes plans and instructions, laser cut fuse and former parts, wing ribs, stab root parts and wood stab bell crank. Needed parts to finish kit are: spars, wing sheeting, 1/8 sq spruce wing turbulators, leading and trailing edge, push rods, stab and rudder balsa, wing joiner rods and brass tubes.

Partial kit $99.95

Both Wing Rods and Brass tubes kit .... $28.50

Click here for Viking info.

Paragon

Span 118" - Wing Area 1080 sq. in.
Wing Loading 6.4 oz/sq.ft. - Flying Weight 48 oz.

Paragon Laser Cut Parts


PARAGON CANOPY AND FRAME

Partial kit ... Includes laser cut parts, plans and canopy
Download Ed Slobod's instructions

Partial kit ... $110.00

Full Kit Available

Pierce Arrow

Another famous design by Ed Slobod. This was the forerunner of Ed's Paragon and has now become a popular conversion to Electric by adding three more ribs in each center wing panel to extend the wing to 91 inches.

This laser cut kit includes the six extra ribs.

Specifications:

76" wing span, 500 sq. in., 24 oz. flying weight shown on Ed's construction plan. Extra six ribs adds 112.5 sq. in. wing area.

Partial Kit Only, Laser cut parts include:

Beautifully accurate laser cut wing ribs, plywood wing joiner braces, balsa tips and center section of stab and plywood canopy pieces.

Fuse sides and formers, strip wood, spars and tail stick stock not included.

Partial kit price including plans and instructions $46.95

Gulf Coaster

Don Harris has been flying his Gulf Coaster in the Nostalgia event for several years with great success. Don built his GC from scratch.

Now you can have this great flying old timer from an easy to build laser cut kit with an accurate Clark Y airfoil.

Wing span 108" ......... Easy to install Electric
Partial Laser cut kit, parts shown in above photo.

Kit Price ........................................ $ 99.95
Steel Wing Rod and Brass Tubes.... $ 18.50

Gulf Coaster Building Tips (PDF)

Purchase Plans and Instructions from Air Age

Ray launching his Gulf Coaster

Don's success in the Nat's Nostalgia events with his Gulf Coaster was the motivation to kit the design. The Clark Y is a very competitive airfoil to use in Nostalgia designs, I flew mine in the very high wind conditions at the 2010 AMA Nostalgia Nats with 9 oz. of ballast and finished 4th even after losing 1000 points for missing the landing box. Kits available from Sky Bench finished 2nd thru 7th at the 2010 Nostalgia Nats, a very enjoyable event regardless of where you place.

Ray's Gulf Coaster, Maiden Flight, LOFT Field, 6-23-08

Placed fourth in the 2010 AMA NATS Nostalgia, so what is the big deal about that ? Considering I had a zero flight, the Gulf Coaster did very well. Don Harris also had a zero score with his Gulf Coaster and finished 7th. Don and I love to compete with with this design. Ray LSF 803

Gene North's electric version.
See power system details on the Electric Sailplane page.

Windlord for Electric or Winch

Ken Bates assembling his Windlord at Wood Crafters

Superior Flying Wing performance designed by Ken Bates

Semi Kit includes: Laser cut parts as shown in photos.

Partial kit ... $89.00
5/16" Wing rod - brass tubes ... $18.95

See Ken's build thread on RC Groups

Windlord Laser Cut Parts

Carl Lorber's Thermal Queen

144" wing span Eppler 385 airfoil
Nothing floats as good as this one.

Laser cut plywood and balsa wood parts only $85.00

Partial kit includes: Wing, stab and rudder ribs, fuse formers and crutch, plywood wing dihedral braces and 1/64 plywood fuse side doublers.

Order the plans and instructions from
Flying Models Magazine 1-888-526-5365

Carl's construction article appeared in the November 1970 issue of Flying Models magazine. The laser cut wing ribs have been modified from two bottom spars to two top and two bottom spars, this allows the builder to fill between the spars with vertical balsa shear webs and shear webs on the sides of the spars. I built a Thermal Queen in the early seventies and will build another one from this Sky Bench kit. Watch for my construction photos.

Fly the Queen after dinner, it will go up in the slightest of rising air. Building this kit is simple for me, but I have over sixty years of building experience and don't need instructions to build any woody sailplane. If you're an instruction word by word, step by step builder and haven't learned how to "read" a construction plan, forget this kit.

Thermal Queen Instructions
Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Carl Lorber never had this in mind when he designed his great flying Thermal Queen. Installing e power in RC Sailplanes is very, very popular these day's. Bruce built his TQ from a Sky Bench kit and reports the design is a real floater.

Carl Lorber with his Prancer

Standing with Carl is Dwight Hartman, original mfg. of the fiberglass fuse mold.