Thermic 100 plans?

[Bill Harris]

I'd like to build my first glider again, but make it R/C and high-startable. Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the plans to a Frank Zaic Thermic 100 (or, alternatively, a Thermic 50)?

--Bill

[Feodosia Flyer]

You might try here -
http://www.freeflightmodels.com/pages/aerodyneproducts/old_timer_gliders.htm

I've gotten plans from here before -
Although there might be a bit of a wait to get them because I think the son has taken over the buisness and it's sort of a second job for him now.

[Bill Harris]

Thanks, that is a good resource for thos plans. I'll call them.

--Bill

[mmartin55]

Hey, I'm kind of late in posting this, but I have just about all of the thermic plans if anyone is looking for them. Even if not listed on one of our web pages under www.tmrcsailplanes.com/old-time-plans_3.html, I probably have them and a whole lot more classic and vintage plans and laser cut kits.

I also offer precision laser cut short kits for the Thermic 50 and the Thermic 50X and will soon be doing the little handlaunch gliders as well.

Here is a nice line drawing of what the Jasco Thermic 100, 72 and 50X pod and boom gliders look like in flight. Can you spell SWEEEEEEET!

Tom

[mmartin55]

Here's a list of Jasco or Jetco plans with patterns, more helpful than my web pages which are in need of updating:

Thermic B
Thermic C
Thermic Trooper
Thermic 18
Thermic 20
Thermic 36 (orig hand launch stick fuse)
Thermic 36 (built up fuse)
Thermic 50
Thermic 50RC
Thermic 50X
Thermic 100
Thermic 100 Post War
Thermic 100 modern wing plan

Zaic was a master and for free flight models, his are the best and most complete line of vintage gliders you will come by.

Tom

[coosbaylumber]

J.A.S.CO. and Jetco are not necessaritly the same hope you know. Junior predates Jetco by numerous years. I have the plans for the Thermic 72 to which much of the designs originated, and were copied, and altered into radio uses.

If you plan on flying radio, skip the earlier J.A.S.CO. plans as they were for free flight, and instead go directly to Jetco or preferably late Jetco plans.

Although it may state different, the cover of the Zaic model is actually the Thermic 72 as it flew very well for a free flight model. Has been much said about Frank Zaic at RCU last year.

Wm.

[silvaire]

There are some old posts on RCU regarding the history of the Zaics and Jasco and Jetco if you want more info on this subject.

From my understanding, the basic story is something like this:
Frank and John Zaic started Jasco before WWII. During the war while Frank and John were in the military, their sister Christine kept Jasco operating. Sometime after the war Christine and her husband ended up with control of the company and it was renamed Jetco. John worked as a designer for other model airplane companies in the New York area. Frank moved to California and continued his authorship of the Model Aeronautic Yearbooks. Frank retained ownership of the Jasco name and kitted some R/C gliders in the 60's and 70's (Metric G-80, G-110, Traveler, some small catapult gliders, and probably many more designs I don't know about). They never had the distibution or popularity of the Jetco kits though.

So, we have both prewar and much more modern kits labled as Jasco, with Jetco in between and partially overlaping. Confusing the subject further is that there was an unrelated English company in the 1960's also named Jasco that produced model kits - many of which were gliders!

Arlen

[silvaire]

Here's a list of Jasco or Jetco plans with patterns, more helpful than my web pages which are in need of updating:

Thermic B
Thermic C
Thermic Trooper
Thermic 18
Thermic 20
Thermic 36 (orig hand launch stick fuse)
Thermic 36 (built up fuse)
Thermic 50
Thermic 50RC
Thermic 50X
Thermic 100
Thermic 100 Post War
Thermic 100 modern wing plan

Zaic was a master and for free flight models, his are the best and most complete line of vintage gliders you will come by.

Tom

Don't forget these other Thermic series designs.

Thermic 70 (Jasco kit, IMHO the most beautiful of the Thermic Gliders)
Thermic 72 (Jasco and Jetco, Dihedral and Polyhedral I think)
Thermic C (There are 2- Jasco kit with V tail, and the later conventional tailed Jetco)
Imperial RC-100 (Perhaps this one shouldn't be mentioned here - a 1962 Jetco powered glider design by Don "lots of parts" McGovern. It is my choice for the the ugliest design ever kitted. It was a gross rework of the post war Thermic 100, and thankfully, the Thermic designation was dropped from its identity.)

I am sure there are others to add to this list, but these were all that came to mind right now.

Arlen

[silvaire]

I'd like to build my first glider again, but make it R/C and high-startable. Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the plans to a Frank Zaic Thermic 100 (or, alternatively, a Thermic 50)?

--Bill

Bill,
If you get serious about building a Thermic 100 to actually fly, I would suggest trying to find an old Hobby Horn short kit or the plans from the same. I think someone is still producing this kit, but under a different name. The issue is the spar used in the original Thermic 100 designs. It is a partial depth solid spar and is not up to loads imposed by winch or highstart launches or R/C in general. The later redesign uses a built up I-beam spar.

Arlen

[Norm Furutani]

Check out Jim O'Reilly's offerings- plans and laser short kits. Good stuff and great service! (I believe the kits are done by Bob Holman)

http://www.jimoreillymodelplans.com/AMAMISC..htm

- Norm

[Chas]

I have a three-view of the Thermic 50 which I could e-mail you when my scanner is back in action (after decorations).

C

[lymon]

those wings would sometimes fold on towline launches; the spars need to be reinforced/enlarged for r/c

[mmartin55]

I have the Jasco Thermic 72 now and it has been CADed and kitted. Here is a thread of the build of it and the 50-X by Don Bailey and Fred Guilfoyle at RC Groups: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=523134

Enjoy,

Tom

[Martin Lassman]

Here's a list of Jasco or Jetco plans with patterns, more helpful than my web pages which are in need of updating:

Thermic B
Thermic C
Thermic Trooper
Thermic 18
Thermic 20
Thermic 36 (orig hand launch stick fuse)
Thermic 36 (built up fuse)
Thermic 50
Thermic 50RC
Thermic 50X
Thermic 100
Thermic 100 Post War
Thermic 100 modern wing plan

Zaic was a master and for free flight models, his are the best and most complete line of vintage gliders you will come by.

Tom

:confused: I really angry about Tom's business. In May I send 65 $ receved nothing. No answer of my E-mail, nobody on the phone. This is not fair!!!

Martin

[bob2005]

Hey, I'm kind of late in posting this, but I have just about all of the thermic plans if anyone is looking for them. Even if not listed on one of our web pages under www.tmrcsailplanes.com/old-time-plans_3.html, I probably have them and a whole lot more classic and vintage plans and laser cut kits.

I also offer precision laser cut short kits for the Thermic 50 and the Thermic 50X and will soon be doing the little handlaunch gliders as well.

Here is a nice line drawing of what the Jasco Thermic 100, 72 and 50X pod and boom gliders look like in flight. Can you spell SWEEEEEEET!

Tom
Where can I get a copy of Ziac's 1944 book on Glider Design?
Bob

[Dsegal]

There are four copies of Zaic's book available at http://www.abebooks.com/

[Dsegal]

You can order the Thermic 100 plan from the AMA plans service.

[tinkrerpilot]

Also available from Bob Holman Plans

THERMIC 100 POD AND BOOM
PLAN $25., PARTS $75.00
PARTS INCLUDE ALL THE RIBS AND MUCH
OF THE POD. YOU WILL HAVE TO SUPPLY
SOME BALSA BLOCKS FOR THE POD

http://www.bhplans.com/OTGPg1.html

[tinkrerpilot]

Where can I get a copy of Ziac's 1944 book on Glider Design?
Bob

Bob,

Just do a google search and you will find it. There are some on E-bay from time to time. I got my copy from Hannah's Runway. Some of the Hobby shops will carry them too. Just got to look for them. $10-$15 if you look around.

Lyle

[mmartin55]

:confused: I really angry about Tom's business. In May I send 65 $ receved nothing. No answer of my E-mail, nobody on the phone. This is not fair!!!

Martin

I am sorry for the long delay Martin. As you now know we suffered a pretty upsetting flood which wiped out our basement and my office and shop last spring. You should have your kit by now and I hope you enjoy the build.

I've spent the last month reformatting my files and have sent them all to Alex at AK Models http://www.ak-models.com who will now be taking care of all of our ordering, production and fulfillment.

Hey, post some pictures for us!

Tom