Rare Vintage Sailplanes flying in Mount Isa in the 60s to 70s...

[winsor68]

I just got this finally digitalized on Youtube... Some of the Sailplanes shown flying here are truly rare... the Kangaroo was one of only two built... and if you can spot the even rarer Australian built Sailplane let me know because I am not 100% certain of its name and origin.

 

 

 

[Exadios]

I just got this finally digitalized on Youtube... Some of the Sailplanes shown flying here are truly rare... the Kangaroo was one of only two built... and if you can spot the even rarer Australian built Sailplane let me know because I am not 100% certain of its name and origin.

These movies are great. If you have any more you should not procrastinate. Digitize them now!

 

 

[Virago]

Great footage ... thanks for posting this! The glider shown in the opening clip is an ES52 Kookaburra. My earliest flights (in the early 60's) were in one of these at Cunderdin in W.A.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Do a Google search for ES52kookabura... very interesting.

 

Alan.

 

 

[winsor68]

Recreational Flying IMO owes so much to Edmund and Harry Schneider... they were Australia's first recreational aircraft factory.

 

http://www.glidingcaboolture.org.au/gq60/schneiders.htm

 

 

 

[kaz3g]

Great footage ... thanks for posting this! The glider shown in the opening clip is an ES52 Kookaburra. My earliest flights (in the early 60's) were in one of these at Cunderdin in W.A.

Mike Valentine loved his Kookaburra and I did many spins in it!

 

kaz

 

 

[Exadios]

Mike Valentine loved his Kookaburra and I did many spins in it!kaz

Any of those spins intentional? :)

 

 

[kaz3g]

Any of those spins intentional? :)

You know how it is

 

It actually rotated quite quickly as I recall. And Mike loved his Kooka.

 

But the Bocian... now that was something else.

 

The lovely long sigh as nearly 30 feet of inboard wing dropped away until it went over the vertical . The creak of ply straining against glue. The incredible sight of the ground seemingly rotating above your head when sitting in the elevated rear (instructor's) seat! Not quite as good glide performance as the dear old Blanik but 26:1 got you around ok.

 

I remember....

 

kaz

 

 

[winsor68]

The Mucha in the old footage is the single seat cousin to the Bocian I believe... Sailplanes stopped having any real character after 1968ish IMO.

 

The other real shame is there is no Ra-Aus comparable category for simple sailplanes... Wouldn't it be nice to have a Modern Grunau Baby equivalent on a trailer to tow behind your car... which you then use to auto tow your sailplane.

 

 

[rick-p]

Once again a great video you have posted, keep it up.