Reichard Model Gliders

Looking to purchase a Reichard Glider, not sure which one at the moment.

Anyone know if they are well made and of decent quality ?

Yes, that would describe them exactly, though definitely not cheap. Had a couple myself, not a huge amount of work to get ready to fly. Neither of mine were exactly floaters but flew beautifully if set up "as per", and just looked the business in the air. Some of the Reichard gliders are a fair size, and may not be exactly light weights, so don't try launching yours on your own until you've got to know one another! Fastish and level is the way to go but once she's climbing away you'll see why I've had two.

I have a Reichard Variant II which performs much better then some of the fully moulded gilders at our patch which cost twice as much although I did have to reduce the incidence on the tailplane to increase the speed range.

I had a Reichard Baracuda for many years. It flew very nicely, initially as a slope soarer and latterly as a thermal soarer with electric motor conversion. I only sold it as it was a bit big to transport & rig and it was much easier to chuck a Multiplex Heron in the car.

The wings were great, foam covered with a layer of glass cloth and then balsa, tough as old boots if a little heavy. Good quality fibre glass fuselage & balsa empennage. The downsides were inadequate canopy fixings, fiddly wing joining & unsatisfactory elevator control, as designed.

The elevator was operated by a thin piano wire pushrod in an unsupported tube down a 1 meter long fuselage & through an 80 degree turn up the fin, which led to considerable free play & false neutrals. I replaced the arrangement with a slim servo in the fin.

If my experience is anything to go by, be prepared to do the last 10% of the development yourself & you then end up with an excellent long lasting model.

downed my barracuda so new fuz needed ,anyone have one for sale