The Prophet

[dprod]

Does anyone have any information on the Joe Ruth "Prophet" 2-meter sailplane that was produced back in the late 80's or early 90's, it was a great thermal machine and later Joe made a 100" model. Any help would be appreciated. I'll probably post this on the general sailplane page also, just to make sure I cover all the bases. Thanks

[John Gallagher]

Here's a photo of my 98" Phrophet.

http://www.sjsf.org/prophet.jpg

The fuse from the trailing edge of the wing forward was replaced after I bought the entire glider for $30. I didn't know what the original fuselage looked like. It had been repaired so many times by the pour-epoxy-over-the-pieces method that it's original shape was lost, so I just made a guess as to what it was supposed to look like and built a new forward fuse.

I don't know how similar the 98" span version was to the 2 meter version. The 98" version has an all flying stab and have heard that this glider was fairly successful in competition in the early 90's.
It features spoilers, rubber band attached wings with extreme polyhedral and extreme washout. There was also facility to add ballast in the fuselage directly over the tow hook. I've heard two stories concerning the wing airfoil. One was that it is an Eppler airfoil and another said that the airfoil is actually a NACA airfoil.

John

[Hawksnest]

Originally posted by John Gallagher
Here's a photo of my 98" Phrophet.

http://www.sjsf.org/prophet.jpg

I've heard two stories concerning the wing airfoil. One was that it is an Eppler airfoil and another said that the airfoil is actually a NACA airfoil.

John

I have a friend who knows/flys the airplane, and he said the airfoil is an E-193. Bill G.

[kingbee]

I posted this on the Sailplane Talk forum:


The Prophet was originally published as a 3 article series in Model Airplane News. The construction article was in the Feb '82 issue. Ruth produced kits for a time, then Ted Davey started producing them. It was after Davey began producing the kits that the standard class version (Prophet 941) appeared; I don't know whether Mr. Ruth had anything to do with that one.

I built one from a Davey kit in the mid '80s, and I still have it and flew it quite a bit last summer. It's a great flyer, very strong and durable for an all wood plane.

I'm sure the plans are still available from M.A.N.


Regarding the airfoil, here's how the designer described it in the Jan. '82 issue of M.A.N.: "For you math types out there, it is a highly modified NACA 4410 with a 5% surface drop from 40% of the chord to the trailing edge."

Evidently that was too much to put on a box label, so when Davey kitted them, he called it a "modified NACA 4410 (E-193)" So what is it really? Who the heck knows? I know mine doesn't look much like an Eppler 193. Still flies great though.

Cheers,
Dave

[dprod]

Is Davey still in bussiness? Does anyone have his website or address? That 2-M was quite a glider. Thanks to all for your info, have a great Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

[GYROGEARLOOSE]

I built one of the original 2-meters kitted by the designer, Joe Ruth. The first few kits came with an engraved serial number plate to be inset in the nose. Mine is serial No. 3. In this kit's instructions were some designer notes concerning the overall design criteria in which Joe mentioned the airfoil as being an E-193. This was the first "fast" sailplane I built which could range far out and make it back. I won a few back in those days. Maybe one day I'll dig it out and re-cover it. ~gyro~

[mugs]

I have a 2 meter and a 941 prophet kit (100 inch span). I got them back when they first came out to add to my collection of kits. Then I got interested in collecting Airtronic wood kits and they kinda got lost until now. Maybe I'll have to put one on my list to build, if I live so long!

[macr]

We have a few in our club:
http://www.rebelflyingclub.com/photos/RFC/gliders/2003-08-00/daves_prophet.jpg
http://www.rebelflyingclub.com/photos/RFC/gliders/2003-08-00/prophet_detail.jpg
http://www.rebelflyingclub.com/photos/RFC/gliders/2003-08-00/prophet_detail1.jpg
http://www.rebelflyingclub.com/photos/RFC/gliders/2003-08-00/another_prophet.jpg
http://www.rebelflyingclub.com/photos/RFC/gliders/2003-08-00/prophet.jpg

[dprod]

macr thanks for the nice pics, I especilly like the details and that last pic of the prophet from underneath, that is a beauty. Do you fly one? How does it seem to do in competition?

[Ed Franz]

The Prophet is a great flying 2-meter. I got my first contest win with one. I still have it hanging in the rafters, brought it all the way from California to Kentucky when I moved. I have not flown it in years, still looks as good as the day finished it. I remember it had a very strong wing, no worries on launch.

Ed Franz

[macr]

I do not own one, but all the people that do are really happy with it. I have not heard of any bad tendancies and are fairly predictable. I think, you should get in an make one :P

[oracle_9]

Any photos of the prophet 2m or plans?

[portfoxdesign]

contact soar_dude, when i was looking he had copies of the plans, but was in the US, so i decided not to go ahead(shipping costs)

[DrFragnasty]

Hi Guys,
I've still got both the 2-meter & 941 versions. The 2-meter is a beautifully balanced glider...the moments must be spot-on or something because it is the best rudder/elevator aeroplane I've owned. I won a state champs a while back age 17 and still have the original wing. The spars were canadian spruce with a half-d-box...top half fully sheeted, bottom had full-length cap-strips. I built-in a lot of washout (probably 1 1/2" each tip) which made it stable at all speeds.

Speaking of which, I was showing off to a mate & dived from 150ft to blade-of-grass level; must have been doing 70mph & hit a rugged looking thistle. Thistle stood firm & Prophet did a spectacular quadruple flat spin before settling back to earth. I've since fixed it & kicked the s@!#! out of the thistle.

941 is cumbersome in comparison. It's OK & can fly in most weather but I enjoy the 2 meter more.

Hope you end up sourcing the plans, the plane builds up into a viceless enjoyable thermal ship.

regards,
DrFragnasty.

[JC Fardo]

Hi

Can anyone inform if wings of Prophet 2meter version are plugged in?

Thanks to all

JC

[kingbee]

The 2-piece wing is joined at the center with a steel rod, then the whole thing is rubber banded to the fuse.

Cheers,
Dave

[Soar_dude]

The 2-piece wing is joined at the center with a steel rod, then the whole thing is rubber banded to the fuse.

Cheers,
Dave


not exactly the wings are joined with a off center joiner so that the center of the wing is solid so that the rubber bands would not try and split the wings. When I looked at the plans the first time it struck me as being unusual. I have not seen another plane with this setup.

Soar Dude

[JC Fardo]

Thanks for replies. What I mean is if like Paragon I can split the wing or even the tips for transportation.

Again thanks to all in advance

JC

[kingbee]

Not to split hairs Soar_Dude but my Prophet wing IS split right in the center, and joined with a typical steel wing rod. I put a strip of tape on the joint to hold it together and keep the rubber band from separating the halves. My plane is built from the DSC kit, and the M.A.N. plans show the same. Maybe the Prophet 941 is different?

In any case, the plane is easy to transport, with the two-piece wing and removable stab halves. I've often thought about making a fitted case for it so I could take it on trips. My wife would be thrilled :D

Cheers,
Dave

[Soar_dude]

I have the plans for the series 4 prophet by Davey systems has the wing joiner off to the right of center. So that is probably the difference.

Soar Dude

[JC Fardo]

:) :) :) :) :)

Jc

[oracle_9]

The prophet 941, (100") plans show a two piece wing, joined with a steel rod in the center. And the wings rubber banded to the fuse, as Kingbee states. Imagine like how a Gentle Lady's wings is rubber banded to the fuse, except this is two piece wing.

[JC Fardo]

Got it, Oracle9

Thanks again :)),
JC