How did I miss this Lidl glider???

[Hondo76251]

I'm not exactly up to speed on a lot of what goes on in this world, but I like to think I somewhat have an ear to the ground when it comes to the RC Hobby world... but I sure missed this one!

I've been building RC Planes from gliders since... well... I was probably 10 and I glued a servo from a broken rc truck to a dime store Styrofoam plane...

Lately I've been building a lot of planes from the HiTec Hawkeye (the old one) but they quit making them about the time I had my conversion technique perfected so I've been looking for a replacement airframe for a while.
I found these little guys...

but soon found they were much better for the kids than for RC. The foam, while durable, is much softer and more pliable than the hawkeye. I had mild success with one build but by the time you get the wings reinforced and all the gear on it has such high wing loading that its not much fun... fast, sure... but not what i'd call and enjoyable experience...

I still have hope for this one...

(but thats a story for another time)

Then I found this...

Its a straight up Lidl knockoff!

It's not cheap, espcially by "hung lo Charlie" standards but I was paying almost $20 for the last few Hawkeyes I could snatch up so for a plane thats 50% bigger I guess i didn't mind!


So, to get to the point of my rambling story, I somehow missed all the hubbub about the Lidl gliders (probably came into the spotlight a little over a year a go, near as I can tell) Of course I live in the states so I never would have seen one in the wild but I've spent countless hours on YouTube watching different RC build videos but somehow the benevolent gods over at Google didn't see fit to show me ANY Lidl gliders in all of my internet wonderings...

So here it is, even though I'm late to the party...

My take on the Lidl Glider Rc Conversion:
I'll have her turned into a rippin little sub 250 FPV blaster in no time!

 

[kdobson83]

Can you post a link to where you bought it? Please.

 

[Mr.Grinch]

$27.99
https://m.banggood.com/33Inches-Big...53706.html?rmmds=rmmds=detail-bottom-alsolike

 

[Captain Video]

Found another source for the glider
https://www.readymaderc.com/products/details/rmrc-freefly-mini-glider
These guys are in Columbus Ohio. They fill my order quickly.

 

[CarolineTyler]

Found another source for the glider
https://www.readymaderc.com/products/details/rmrc-freefly-mini-glider
These guys are in Columbus Ohio. They fill my order quickly.

These are quite a bit smaller than the Lidl ones

 

[Captain Video]

I have one of these and modded it. I have yet to maiden it. I did not realize it was smaller.

 

[CarolineTyler]

I have one of these and modded it. I have yet to maiden it. I did not realize it was smaller.

They have a 19" wingspan, the Lidl glider is 34"!!

 

[kdobson83]

Found another source for the glider
https://www.readymaderc.com/products/details/rmrc-freefly-mini-glider
These guys are in Columbus Ohio. They fill my order quickly.

They have this exact glider at $5 below for $3 each. I bought 3 of em. Wating on the rest of my electronics in the mail before I can start the build. My son is one of the lucky ones and got a Hi-Tech Hawkeye before they discontinued them. Now I just gota tech him to fly RC so he'll let me convert it over. Lol

 

[kdobson83]

Ok, this thing is asking to be converted into RC.

The $$$ is the only thing making me second guess ordering one. Looks awesome tho. I can picture putting a 3D printed pod on top, kinda like the FT Sea Otter.

 

[Hondo76251]

Found another source for the glider...

Yeah, I've ordered some of those with plans to convert them. They're nice but like was said above... 19" instead of 34" the Hawkeye is 24"

 

[Hondo76251]

The $$$ is the only thing making me second guess ordering one...

I don't do this because its cheap! I do it because its fun! Lol

Ive got a glider I paid almost $30 for (when some of you lucky ones can get it for $10) with a $60 receiver!

its more about the challenge of the build for me... In fact...

I think I'm going to order one of those!

 

[Hondo76251]

My son is one of the lucky ones and got a Hi-Tech Hawkeye before they discontinued them. Now I just gota tech him to fly RC so he'll let me convert it over. Lol

Thats how I got started with them! lol, I thought they looked cool so I got them for the kids... then had to go get another for dad!

More by luck than plan, I live a long way from any towns so when I find something like that I usually just buy them all... had I known I wouldn't be able to get any more I'd have found more while I still might have had the chance!

 

[Hondo76251]

Well, it was a bit windy today but I couldn't resist...

Stayed up late last night playing with the AS3x and felt like I had a pretty good tune on it so I couldn't wait to try it out!

 

[Hondo76251]

Found another source for the glider...

I actually just got my shipment in from them today myself... Some misc parts... A few props...

And also confirmed that, yes, it is in fact the same glider as the banggood one... Albeit with less shipping "warpage" lol

 

[Hondo76251]

$28 (£22) isn't a bit of cheap fun/challenge for me, finding a £3 glider in a local discount store and having fun converting it is one thing but ordering somthing costing more than a cheap rc version makes no sense to me lol you're all nutters.

Well, my other hobby is guns... If I head out to my range its never less than $100! (And thats just the ammo) LOL

I've converted most of the gliders available around here already. I feel I've fulfilled that challenge. I enjoy designing and building my own little foam board planes from crashed toy drones as well as the building the flite test designs. What's most fun about the flite test planes, however, is that you can see how others are doing it and share in more of a community experience than you do building your own designs. That my friend is the true, "Why" of the Lidl glider here... Since this is a popular conversion, building one and sharing it is joining in a shared experience with others even if I can't go fly with them. If it costs me a bit more to play that's not a big deal to me...

 

[Hondo76251]

No worries partner! I didnt take it that way, I was poking fun at my $100 toy glider too! The big thing for me is that I live way out in the boonies, not exactly a lot of rc fliers around here! Lol In fact, nearest place I can even buy a foam glider is 100 miles from me... So I've got you all to keep me entertained!

 

[PsyBorg]

Sounds like me here. Surrounded by dairy and corn farms and not a one of em remotly interested in rc anything.

 

[Hondo76251]

Sounds like me here. Surrounded by dairy and corn farms and not a one of em remotly interested in rc anything.

Just like so many things in life. Theres always a tradeoff! I can fly planes, ride dirt bikes, shoot guns and not worry about bothering anyone (except maybe the wifie... Lol)

 

[Brett_N]

Check your local dollar tree - they have chuck gliders in stock for summer. I'll measure the wingspan when I get home.

 

[Hondo76251]

Check your local dollar tree - they have chuck gliders in stock for summer. I'll measure the wingspan when I get home.

I was able to swing in the other day (my "local" one is only 45 miles away... lol) but only thing they had didn't look that great....