Can anyone find those 10$ Walmart Gliders these days?

[CustomRCMods]

I have seen them in stores a few years ago, but they seem to be pretty tricky to locate now. can anyone help me out? Here is the FT Video for reference:

I am working on a hi start Glider and this seems like a decent airframe.

 

[Paracodespoder]

Hobby lobby always has them, they also have a smaller version.

 

[PsyBorg]

Walmart here usually has them mid spring right around easter time. They sell out fast. You coukd always poke the local store manager to order some and set a few aside for you.

 

[kilroy07]

I second Hobby Lobby, you can get them for just over $8 with the coupon.
(I'm not a fan of Wally World.)

 

[Crazy Goats]

They show up in lots of stores including grocery stores come summertime. I've seen them in walmart, carrs, and fred meyer.

 

[jack10525]

I just saw them the other day (like 3 days ago). I think they put em out at a certain time a year even though I live in South Fla!!!! It was a display near the entrance not really near the toy section.

 

[Brett_N]

My Dollar Tree has the little ones. just came in stock.

They're seasonal - so give it a couple more weeks and walmart may have the big ones.

 

[kilroy07]

The coupon almost makes up for shipping
https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Hobbies-Collecting/Gliders-Planes/Raptor-Glider/p/146225

 

[sprzout]

Also try Jo-Ann. I remember my dad and I seeing them in there maybe 2-3 weeks before this video aired, and my wife had joked to my dad and I whether we could make it fly...They had a bunch for summertime/4th of July picnics.

 

[Mr.Grinch]

Hobby Lobby seems to have them pretty consistently. I duplicated Bixler’s build and it really did fly and especially glide very well.

 

[kilroy07]

Another idea (shameless plug) 😉
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.p...you-use-the-40-coupon-from-hobby-lobby.57929/

 

[Hondo76251]

Michael's, Hobby Lobby, sometimes Target. My Local (meaning 100 miles from me) Hobby store

But Honestly, Buying a kit or scratch building is almost always easer (this coming from someone who's a big fan of chuck glider conversions)

I fell in love with the HiTec Hawkeye when they came out, I've built a dozen into RC, but I can't find one anywhere now! I'm going to give the Chinese knock off ones a try soon as I'm down to my last few airframes I've hoarded away... I see them on sights like Banggood for dirt cheap quite often....

 

[earthquake]

I was at a local Walmart today in Las Vegas and they had them so I picked up two to put away for future projects.
They were in the "Spring time fun" area up front by the registers, I had walked all through toys and on the way to check out I looked through the front and low and behold a box full of them. They are made by "Sky Raider", they have about a 48" wing span and believe it or not they say Made in the USA! I was thinking with a couple of bamboo skewers and a couple of #64 rubber bands you could hold the wings on.

Casey

 

[Hondo76251]

I was at a local Walmart today in Las Vegas and they had them so I picked up two to put away for future projects.
They were in the "Spring time fun" area up front by the registers, I had walked all through toys and on the way to check out I looked through the front and low and behold a box full of them. They are made by "Sky Raider", they have about a 48" wing span and believe it or not they say Made in the USA! I was thinking with a couple of bamboo skewers and a couple of #64 rubber bands you could hold the wings on.

Casey

Sky Riders, or Sky Raiders?

I did a few builds a LONG time ago with the Air Hogs Titan gliders but they they discontinued them, couldn't get them anywhere...

Then I found the Sky Raiders, bought a couple but I found out they sucked... nowhere near as good as the Air Hog. Gave up on chuck gliders for a while, worked on scratch builds, then I found the HiTec Hawkeyes... but now they're hard to find too... :/

Not too long ago I came across the Sky RIDER at Michael's (Also Made in USA) its very similar to the old Air Hogs Titan glider, I was pretty happy, picked up a few for future projects... and a few for the kids to play with

 

[Mr.Grinch]

I’ll try glueing the wings in place on the next one, after I get new motors.

 

[earthquake]

You are right Hondo,
They are "Sky Riders" not Raiders, I just glanced at the name.

Casey

 

[earthquake]

The wings seem pretty flimsy, I have some thin red 4" wide tape that I think I would cover the wings with to stiffen them up.
Has any body tried cutting out the molded in ailerons out of the wing and fit a Dobro hinges in for the pivot? And maybe make the tail a true "Flying Tail"?

Casey

 

[Hondo76251]

That's pretty much how I did it, packing tape on the wings, cut on the aileron lines, used reinforced packing tape (with the nylon strings in it) for hinge. Cut the elevator and rudder in similar fashion to both the Comet micro and the hawkeye build videos I posted.

I used the factory wing slots with a little Velcro in them. I also had plugs on my aileron servos that disconnected easily so they would come apart when the wings separated in a crash. (Was still crashing a fair bit back then lol)

 

[kilroy07]

I’ve been playing around with these a lot lately from my 3D printed power pod, to the $11 tiny trainer.
Soon I’ll share a couple more takes on these gliders.

Just recently I laminated a pair of wings and cut ailerons into them. There’s still a bit of flex (although MUCH better than without) so I am wondering if there will be some deflection in hard maneuvering.... not that... I’ve “tried” to snap the wings off of one... or anything....

I used nylon hinges, I’m on the road for business or I could post pics.
I found a covering iron could be used to gently melt the bevel in the mating edge.

 

[Fidget]

@Hondo76251 ReadyMadeRC has these EPP gliders pretty consistently: https://www.readymaderc.com/products/details/rmrc-freefly-mini-glider
They're pretty similar to the Hawkeye in size & shape. I haven't converted one nor weighed it, but they glide well & the price is great.