This handlaunch link thread is a reboot of my Hand Launch Links - Updated thread, inspired by (and originated from) Adam Neat's Hand Launch Info thread. Thanks Adam for the great idea! The list has evolved due to helpful suggestions from RCGroups users: please let me know of additions, dead links, or errors. I'd let the list go dormant for a while, let's see if it's still useful.

As before, I'll try to keep the list short enough to be meaningful and useful. Therefore, I'm listing only only suppliers, build logs, plans, building supplies or reference materials related to handlaunch / discus-launched RC gliders. New links/recent changes are highlighted with a big red *New* or *Updated* etc. "Source code" of this post, and my reasons for archiving it, are at this link.

Thanks,
Hal

Legend: Colors denote Kit or Scratchbuild, all others are ARF

Handlaunch Planes:


Airfoils Thread ; Links to the Edge, Synergy, Zone, and Zone V2 (corrections welcome)
ArmSoar ; Arctus, BAMF, Go, Go Mini, Vibe
Aloft Hobbies Hawk, Longshot 4, MAAT 1 & 3 *Updated*
Art Hobby ; Nice selection of HLG's
BLH ; ASPI 97 (in French)
Charles River RC; Online plans for the SuperGee II, Apogee, Terminator HLG
Claus Thiele Modellbau ; Falke, Keibitz, Milan, Weihe, and others (in German)
CLM-Pro ; Trotter
Dave's Toys; Aus supplier for Vladimir's Models: Blaster, Elf, Snipe...
Decker Planes; Spinnin Birdy (in German)
DeX SAL ; DeX 0.77m SAL
DJAerotech/; Chrysalis traditional built up HLG. Also their "Ask D&J" has lots of good info.
Dr. Chucho; Dr. Chucho SAL Glider
Dream Flight; Libelle
Dyne-o-mite; Dyne-o-Mite 1M SAL Glider
Edge; RC Groups thread on the Edge Airfoil series - refer to the top post for links to designs buried deeper in the thread
European Top Planes; Tweagle
Fliegenbar Gmbh; Azurreich *New*
Flightcomp ; Vortex, Fireblade, Brko, MAAT, Strike 3 Mini
f3x ; SALpeter, Aspirin, RAD2 and Stobel
Flightpoint; Hawk, Iago, Shaka
graham1234's planes : Designs by RCG user graham1234: Storm, Blackjack, Karisma,
HJZ ; Predator II
HobbyKing ; Raven PNP *Updated*
Hobby Club ; Blaze, Rubi
Hokusei model shop ; Chinese Mini DLGs similar to Apogee Sport
Horizon Hobby (UK) Dee-L-Gee 995mm PNP
Hyperflight ; UK supplier of Mini Vick and Big Vick, Alt, Schloiderding V2, Spinnin' Birdy RE and Aileron, Elf, Malibu Pro, Hawk / Light Hawk, Strike 2 and 3, Dream Flight Alula-Trek and Libelle, Stiletto Lift 1.2m, Flipper 1.25m, Blaster 2, 3, and 3.5, #Boom F3K, Stark 2017 and Pro, Smile F3K, Snipe SN, SNT and 2
ICare ; Osiris, Gladiator, Sailfish
Icarus; Icarus 1.2m DLG
Kennedy Composites ; Blaster 2, Blaster 3, Blaster 3 ST, Elf, Snipe
Manta; RC Groups Thread on the Manta - built-up Drela DLG
MiMi
Modelflight ; AUS supplier of Long Shot
Modellflug-Technik ; K-wing
Momentum Model Technologies ; Arctus, Polaris
Nano
Oleg Golovidov ; Hawk, Flitz2&3, Stream NXT, Falcon, Flitzebogen, Stream, Concept CX4-TD, Validol *Updated*
PCM ; Fireworks, Flow
QSC; QSC 32 inch (80cm) SAL
Skybench Aerotech; Lil' Bird, Sunbird
SoaringModels Kite, Dart
SoaringUSA ; Athena, Boom, Brko, Catia, Chicco, Chili, Concept CX5, Fireworks IV Carbon, Miras, NRJ, Stiletto Lift, Strike 3, Vice, Vortex 3&4 *Updated*
Stratair ; Athena, Bat, Chili F3K, Risk, Steigeisen, Ultegra, and X-Ray Micro.
Tralla la; Tralla la 80cm DLG
Vick Models Vick, Alt
Vladimir's Model Yoda, Snipe, Elf
Wright Brothers RC; Gambler AG


Building Supplies:

Aerospace Composite Products
AeroMarine Products; Resins and Molding Rubber
Aircraft Spruce; Full scale aircraft supply but has lots of stuff a hobbyist could use
AMT Composites; South African Composites Supplier
Balsa USA
Balsa Wood Inc *New*
Composite Structures Technology (CST)
Core Cutting; CNC foam cutting by RCG user
Traian
Discount Composite
Fiberglass Supply
FibreGlast
Goodwinds Kites; Tailbooms
National Balsa
Soller Composites
Specialized Balsa*New*
Sig Balsa*New*
Sweet Composites
Thayercraft; Glass Cloth
US Composites

Reference/How-to/Inspirational:

Everything; SensibleNick's "Everything" thread, now being curated by Plane_Tech - references to lots of how-to
Airfoil Programs Thread
FAI; Contest rules
Foam Properties
How to Transport your Handlaunch; Links to examples of transport boxes
Molding / Bagging Threads
Radio Carbon Art; Videos on building and flying handlaunch
Radio Controlled Soaring Digest; Check out the Archives especially March-October 2006 which documented the build process for Maple Leaf's Encore
Reese Productions; Lift Ticket videos
SAL Glider Yahoo Group; Good historical info but activity there all but ended in 2007
SuperGee Thread; Go here to get a full education on building and flying foam-core composite DLGs, centered around Mark Drela's seminal design, the SuperGee.
Switchjacks; SwitchJack and Wiring Harness Links
Tailwind Gliders; Calc tools and instructional vids
Vacuum Bagging and Molding; Phil Barnes Techniques
Vacuum Free Tail Surface Glassing How-to on producing glassed tail surfaces without vacuum-bagging equipment


Old or Dead Links:

Planes -
Bowman's Hobbies; Javelin - dead link as of mid- 2018
Bug Yahoo Group; Bug - Yahoo Groups shut down December 2020
Canterbury Sailplanes ; Eagle - dead link as of mid- 2018
Crazy Canuck Gliders ; Vortex - dead link as of mid- 2018
Dave's Aircraft Works; Hosted by SkyKing RC Products; Dragonette, Schweizer 1-26 - dead link as of mid- 2018
CS Flugmodellbau ; KiSal - dead link as of mid- 2018
Davy; Scratchbuilt micro-HLG plans in DXF format - dead link as of late 2016
Enduro Composite Models ; Apogee Elite, Apogee Sport; Link is apparently dead as of 8/12
Edge RC ; MiSAL - dead link as of mid- 2018
Falken ; RC Groups Thread on the Falken - no activity since 2010
Great Planes ; Fling DL
HKM ; Concept Xtreme 2, 3, 4 - dead link as of mid- 2018
Isthmus Models; Zephyr traditional built-up HLG, others - dead link as of October 2022
Jones' Prototypes ; Vandal - Link is dead as of 1/14
Liftworx ; Swyft - No longer taking orders as of May 2013
Little Nipper Yahoo Group; Grandfather of the Seeker / Swyft - Yahoo Groups is gone
Merlin Hobbies ; Ice Fire II reseller - dead link as of mid-2016
Miniplumes ; Topset II - dead link as of mid- 2018
Mistra - not on site as of August 2021
Modellbau Bichler ; EU supplier of Horejsi Joy and Longshot II, Valenta Apache, Huron and Baby Fly - Dead link as of October 2022
The MONSTR Shop; US Distributor of TopSky - dead link as of mid-2016
Mountain Models/Laser Arts; Boomer, Quickflick II kit and short kit, DL-50, Supergee II short kit (templates), Spinner XT EPP Kit - dead link as of October 2022
http://nqrc.com/; Quickflick Kits, plus DLG onboard electronics solutions: apparently closed
Pacific Glider Works ; Arrow 5 and Arrow Pro 5 - dead link as of mid-2018
Peak Hobby ; Binary, Binary 900 and Ice Fire II Manufacturer - dead link as of October 2022
Possum Works ; Avenger 3 - No activity since 2012
RC Builder ; Lighthawk, Lightspeed, Blade, Razor - dead link as of mid- 2018
Rocky Mountain Soaring Association ; Old school javelin HLGs "Aspen Leaf" and "Soarcerer" - main rmsa site is live but the listings for these HLGs is a dead link as of mid- 2018
Skip Miller Models ; Ultegra, Steigeisen, Super Freak - dead link as of mid-2018
Sklep Modelarski Exspert ; Comet - dead link as of October 2022
SkyHighHobby ; Micro 21" - dead link as of mid-2018
SMT Solinske Modelltechnik ; YASAL - dead link as of October 2022
Spritz ; Spritz Molded DLG - dead link as of mid-2018
Steelhead Products; Fry and Fry MKII ; Link is apparently dead as of 8/12
Top Soaring ; Top Sky 2.0 and Mini Top Sky Manufacturer - dead link as of mid-2018
TUD Modelltechnik ; Manufacturer of Aspirin and SALPeter - no longer on site as of August 2021
Twister - no activity since 2013, Atlanta Hobby no longer distributing
YPSI; Fenix (in Czech) - dead link as of August 2021
Zaerotech ; Zip 33 - dead link as of mid-2018

Reference -
Fiberglassing without vacuum; Wax Paper / Weights method for tails - dead link as of mid-2018
Hilaunch; Reflective tape, hinge tape - dead link as of mid-2018
Polecat Handlaunch University - dead link as of mid-2018

Suppliers -
Cheap Battery Packs - dead link as of mid-2018
Clarasonic; US and China Supplier of Rohacell - dead link as of mid-2018
Compufoamcore; CNC foam cutting by Laszlo Horvath - dead link as of mid-2018
Lonestar Balsa; Back in business as of 2/2009, dead link as of mid-2016
Stealth Plane Works; CNC foam cutting by Anker Berg-Sonne - dead link as of mid-2018

I continue to receive excellent pointers to links to add, and with this help the list continues to grow! This list has continued to evolve largely due to the collaboration of so many RC Groups members. Thanks everyone for your help.

I've been maintaining the top post with all the current information. Followup posts, after the link suggestions have been added to the list, I've been pruning out of the thread after letting them stand for a few weeks or if a flurry of comments starts to stack up. I hope that no one takes offense at that, I'm just trying to keep things quick n' clean.

An additional note: I'm trying to focus this thread to be about the list of HLG and DLG models and related supplies and references. Posts with reviews, criticisms, complaints, or praise of various vendors, I'm also going to be pruning out after a few days. A better location for those types of posts might be Vendor Talk.

Suggestions for new links are always welcome. Furthermore, notification about bad or obsolete links is very welcome - I no longer check them on any regular basis.

Regards,
Hal

Ray at Skybench has passed away, according to this post:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...5&postcount=11

Archived copies of some of these dead links can be found by searching for them at archive.org, aka the Wayback Machine. For instance:
https://web.archive.org/web/20150910.../DAW_kits.html

After a haitus from RC Groups, I'm now back and have gone through and scrubbed the list to remove dead links, and I've added a few balsa suppliers. As always, any updates you may want to provide are always welcome.