Aeroic Stormbird Forza 100 Moulded Glider
Stormbird Forza 100: The next generation high performance 2.5 metre model from successful Aeroic designer, Dr. James Hammond.
Philosophy:
With a new and highly experienced manufacturer, and continuing technical development of previous designs which have gained him a worldwide following, Dr. James Hammond is very pleased to announce Aeroic’s latest entry into the high-end sports sailplane market; the Stormbird Forza 100”
James specifically designed the now very popular Stormbird as a more modern, and higher performing replacement for the ever-popular Typhoon – arguably the best selling all–moulded 2M ever, that he designed over a decade ago. Now it has been stretched and optimized into the higher aspect ratio Stormbird Forza. Stormbird Forza 100 incorporates all of the great things about the original design – but with a turbo added!
The proof of the Pudding – chuck it and see:
From the very first flight the Forza has surprised us.
With its massive carbon joiner and a completely new and higher aspect ratio wing planform, newly smoothed aerofoils, and the game-changing sine wave spar, the new “Doc J” Forza is extremely fast - really fast some have said - and like all Aeroic thoroughbreds its highly aerobatic but lands like a Gentle Lady. Its faster than its smaller brother in acceleration and top speed, slower in landing mode, and with its lower wing loading can fly in lighter winds than the original model.
Now here’s how:
Overall design:
James has always had an eye for a cool design – if not color – he admits to being “Chromatically” challenged. Stormbird has a highly optimized wing and new and smoothing improved wind tunnel tested aerofoils. The layout has enough room to allow plenty of ballast in the fuse and has ballast tubes in the wings too. The slip on nosecone makes it all easily accessible
Aerofoils:
The sections used are the most developments from James’s highly successful original aerofoil designs: Dial in a millimeter of reflex and see what happens – but don’t forget the replace the battery in your pacemaker first, or drop the flaps to 80 degrees and find you are walking faster than your model.
Wings:
Completely different from the previous design, and made possible by the revolutionary Sine Wave Spar that is now a feature of all Aeroic planes, the optimized and now stretched wing planform has undergone a series of changes throughout the development and testing of the model resulting in the somewhat “radical” shape that we now see.
The reducing thickness, optimally cambered sections will let you go from really slow landing speeds with the flaps down to heart thudding passes with a little reflex, yet despite its ability to carry heavy ballast loads, the airframe will thermal with the best of them. Large ailerons, large flaps and the stretched wing planform each add to the overall performance of the airframe.
Like all Aeroic planes, the “standard” wing is carbon type.
Horns are factory fitted with well thought out geometry to allow flush servo installation using 10mm servos for flaps and the new 8mm type for the ailerons, though maximum servo thickness is 13mm in flap bay making a huge range of servos possible. Using conventional linkages, you can get a clean, practical and most importantly serviceable wing installation optimized to use full servo travel to give high torque and low slop.
Ballast tubes in the wing add to the flexibility.
Aeroic Sine Wave Spar:
Used in several military aircraft, (Doc J’s designer background) the Sine Wave Spar (SWS) has been adapted for the first time to make up the heart of a model sailplane wing, and has frankly amazed us with its low weight, and ultra high strength. Unlike a conventional “Box” spar the Sine Wave Spar adds terrific torsional stiffness and yet actually weighs considerably less than the older conventional spar types. Now used in all Aeroic airframes, the Sine Wave Spar is lighter and far stronger than “conventional” spars and raises the overall performance level another few notches.
Fuselage:
The practical but curvaceous fuse is strong, light, and stiff with Carbon/Kevlar reinforcement and gives far more strength to the boom than most 80” models. Electronics area is 2.4 GHz friendly with access to the radio and ballast through a slip-on nose cone. The long nose area accentuates the rakish lines but also provides plenty of space to easily balance the model without resorting to shoehorning lead in every available crevice!
Snakes and/or rear mounted direct servos can be used for Rudder/Elevator control. These are all positioned to take the ‘head scratching’ out of installing the radio gear. The fuselage ballast tube allows the use of standard 19/20mm round ballast slugs, 8 of them if you need them, which added to the optional ballast in the wings allows nearly 1kg (2.2Lb) capability.
Wing stub fairings with location dowel holes finish the fuselage with recesses for “green” Multiplex type connectors to connect the electronics pre-routed.
Tailplane:
As normal the aerofoils were specifically designed for Aeroic sailplanes and optimized for maximum control response with minimum deflection. At 10%, the tail aerofoil section is thicker than is the norm but the infinitesimal increase in drag is easily offset by the increased control response for less deflection.
To further increase the efficiency, pitch control is accomplished by using an elevator not a wobbly all-moving tailplane. The elevator is directly driven by a servo placed in a hatch in the fin to give solid elevator control.
Joiner:
Like all Aeroic planes, the Forza has an impressive joiner that can now hold ballast slugs – if you ever run out of ballast space with this airfame!
Massive is the only way to describe this part. Measuring 35 x 12mm, the length has also been increased by over 100mm (4”)
It’s as big if not bigger than those used in most 3m competition airframes!
Production:
The Stormbird Forza 2M has been designed with far greater capability potential than any average sports model, and this, coupled with the fact that like all Aeroic sailplanes the pre-production models underwent thorough testing, not only in flying performance, but also in making the installation straightforward and practical, leads to an airframe that is a snip to fit out, and flies like the true thoroughbred it is.
Colour schemes, photos and model versions:
From November 2019 all Aeroic models will be available in sports or WMD layups.
From mid 2020 all models will have an electric fuselage option available.
For colour schemes and colour available plus photos please contact me.
Technical specs:
Span: 100” (2.5M)
Length: 48.5” (1.23M/2)
Wing area: 723.3Sq” (46.66dm/2)
Wing aerofoils: JH3680, JH3675, JH3670
Tailplane aerofoils: JH10SYM
Ballast (Fuselage): 3/4” (20mm) round slugs
Ballast (Wings) 7/16” (12mm) round slugs
Controls:
Ailerons, Flaps, Elevator, Rudder