Huma 1/72 Grunau Gr 9 & Schneider SG 38

HUMA 1:72 GRUNAU GR 9 & SCHNEIDER SG 38
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Carlos Giani (carlos_giani2002@yahoo.de)

Kit: Huma 1/72^nd scale Grunau Gr9 + Schneider SG38 (Kit N° 2505 ). Produced in Germany.

Aircraft: At the beginning of the German gliding era in the 1920´s glider enthusiasts trained on simple hand gliders. As flying with this sort of glider was somewhat dangerous, stable biplane gliders with the pilot seated were developed. The biplane glider, however, proved to be highly labour consuming as two sets of wings had to be manufactured. Consequently, development changed over to monoplane training gliders, making good use of knowledge already gained from Harth-Messerschmitt gliders.

The first suitable training glider became available in 1923 when Alexander Lippisch presented a design which went under the provocative title of „to hell with it“. With slight alterations, this glider proved its worth under the new name of „Zögling“ (“pupil”) until withdrawn in 1937. At the same time, 1924, Espenlaub developed the Grunau 9 „Schädelspalter“ („skull splitter“), so called because of the strut located directly in front of the pilot's head which could cause more than a nastily headache in the event of a heavy landing. This glider, nevertheless, served well until a replacement appeared in 1938.

The „Zögling“ and the Grunau 9, however, could only be used as hang gliders. As a result, Segelflugzeugbau Schneider , together with the design engineer and instructor pilots Rehberg, Schneider and Hofmann set to work on the “Schulgleiter SG38”, the number indicating the year of design. Unlike its predecessors, the SG38 training glider could also be used for winch launch from flat ground. For this reason semi monocoque fairings were attached to the bracing pylon by means of screws. The SG38 offered a maximum of safety and even in a stall its flying characteristics were of forgiving nature. Construction was kept as simple a s possible, so as to allow its building and assembling by smaller glider clubs and associations. In all, about 5000 gliders were built, a great part of the production taking place in Austria and Holland.

Parts: In a top-opening box too big for it you find one small sprue of creamy-colored styrene containing only 25 parts for two gliders (including options and a trolley!). This is no surprise, since the subjects are really simple. Quality is mid-level short run, that means there's some with-the-knife cleaning work to do. Detail and surface quality are acceptable and there are, of course, no panel lines (since there are no panels!); fabric surfaces are well represented.

In both cases the „fuselage“ consists of a frame with some fabrics on the rear and integrated tail fin, to which you glue the wing(s) (one piece for the Gr9, two piece for the SG38), a stabilizer, a seat and pedals. Further, you have the possibility to use a two-piece „pilot's cabin“ (the SG38 having two different ones). The last step is to build a six-parts trolley. That was it!

Instructions: A 6 pages, A4 folder , well conceived and of very good printing quality on glossy paper. Page one brings extensive history and technical data in German. Page two shows 7(!) real-scale diagrams for the SG38´s rigging, the Gr9 being covered the same way on page four. Page three shows three B&W photos and the painting diagram in colored views. Page five has a sprue diagram, another B&W photo and the building instructions for both subjects, just one exploded view for each one (it's enough). Finally, page six brings the history and data in French and English.

Versions:

Gr9:

without fairing, unknown location/year
with fairing, Trebbin 1935
with fairing, Nürnberg 1935, Luftfahrtlehrgeschwader Nbg. 13-239

SG38:

without fairing, Österreich 1935, OE-0097
with German fairing, location/year unknown, VII-329
with German fairing, location/year unknown, XIV/III 13 LF+XL
with French fairing, Le Bourget 1986, 31 HS (restored)
without fairing, Frankfurt 1986, D-7051 (restored)

Decals: A little sheet containing the codes for all versions, quality seams O.K. No insignia are needed.

Detail: Good enough, since there's no much detail possible on such simple subjects. Very welcome are the tiny holes for the rigging, since they can easily be drilled out.

Options: Both subjects can be build with or without monocoque „cabin“.

Impressions: Another great hit from Huma, again covering important-but-always-neglected-ones. It's very possible that guys like Hartmann, Barkhorn, Galland, Graff, Nowotny and others made they first-ever flight in such a training glider. Instructions are outstanding.

Recommendations: Very quick and easy build; time is needed for rigging. Buy it and put some spice (I'm not meaning the gas from Dune!) on your collection!

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