MAAA Wingspan

38 WING SPAN NOVEMBER SAMBA MODELS’ PIKE DYNAMIC GLIDER FOR OPEN THERMAL, F3J & F5J REVIEW BY MIKE O’REILLY product review: samba models Samba Models are a small manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. They are a true family-owned and run cottage industry located in the small town of Pardubice. Since their first serious thermal glider- the Pike Plus was released in 2002, they have been world leaders in the production of fully moulded composite gliders. They make a range of very competitive gliders for Open Thermal, F3B, F3J, F3F and the new and increasingly popular F5J class. Our very own MAAA member, David Hobby, won two World F3J Championships in 2004 and 2006 with a Pike Superior and Pike Perfect from Samba Models. The Pike Plus was followed by the Pike Superior, then the Pike Perfect, the Pike Perfect ET, Pike Perfection and now the Pike Dynamic. They also make the Pike Precision 2, which is the model used to win the last World F3B Championships. Samba models certainly have a great pedigree. So what does their latest creation, the Pike Dynamic, offer? Compared to the Pike Perfection, the Dynamic has a slightly reduced wingspan at 3680mm but the same wing area. It features a thinner airfoil and a smaller cross section fuselage. New construction techniques for the stabiliser and fin/rudder assembly have reduced weight at the rear end, minimising the need for extra nose weight to achieve the optimal CG. The model is fully moulded from carbon fibre with the exception of the nose area to allow 2.4 Ghz reception. The Pike Dynamic is available in a number of different layups that give a flying weight from 1300 gm for the Extra Light F5J version to 2200 gm for the Extreme F3J version- for use in windy weather. And that is exactly the version that Nick Chabrel used at the recent 2018 Wentworth Open Thermal competition-hosted by MAAA club Sunraysia Aeromodellers. For the last 18 years, RC glider pilots from Victoria, NSW, SA and Tasmania have flown in this event. It always presents challenging conditions, with large areas of very strong sink and small areas of equally strong lift. This year saw temperatures in the high 20’s and winds varying from 6 m/s to 10 m/s. Samba Models gliders dominated the event with Pike Dynamic’s claiming first and second, a Pike Perfection in third and all six of the top ten flew Samba gliders.