Master (Gabris) and Spirala (Herber) - Plans?

[John Park]

Folks:

I'm an old C/L flier who's built nothing but small rubber models for years, and now I'm retired I'm thinking of circulating again (as long as I don't get dizzy and fall over, which seems highly likely until I get used to it again).  There are two .35-powered classics from the days of my youth that I'd love to build, and I've been hunting everywhere I can think of for the plans: they're the model with which Josef Gabris won the 1958 Criterium of Europe, called, I believe, "Master", and a design by Miroslav Herber called "Spirala" (of which a small three-view appeared in the 1956 Aeromodeller Annual).  They're both flapped stunters with parallel-chord wings and upright, uncowled engines, nice and simple and just right for somebody who hasn't built a model over 30" span for fifteen years.
"Master", if that's the right name, is very probably the forerunner of Gabris's famous "Super Master", and "Spirala" is a neat-looking design with twin fins and a trike U/C (as we say in England - trans. 'landing gear').
If anyone can point me in the direction of plans for either of these, I'd be very grateful.

Regards
John

[Andrew Tinsley]

I too have been looking for the Gabris Master design. The Super Master plans are readily available from numerous sources, but the Master seems a rare beast as far as plans are concerned. The only mention that I have seen for the Spirala was your cited Aeromodeller reference. if you do find a Master plan, please let me know, it is one of a list of old designs I would like to build!

Regards,

Andrew.

[Bill Little]

Hi John,

Tug Wilson published the Master in England maybe 5 or so years ago.  IIRC, it was in the English equivalent of PAMPA. ??  Tug powered his with an OS .46LA.  The  original was powered by a MVVS special RISE stunt .35.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

[John Park]

Folks:

Many thanks for the replies - Andrew, I'll certainly share anything I'm able to come up with.  BB, thanks for the tip about Tug Wilson - I'll see if the CLAPA website can throw any light on the matter.  If I can't find either plan, I may have to raise my sights a notch and build Louis Grondal's AMA Special for an LA 46.  I got the plan from Derick Scott's 'Model-Plans' site a while ago, and keep getting it out to gloat over!

Regards
John

[Bill Little]

Folks:

Many thanks for the replies - Andrew, I'll certainly share anything I'm able to come up with.  BB, thanks for the tip about Tug Wilson - I'll see if the CLAPA website can throw any light on the matter.  If I can't find either plan, I may have to raise my sights a notch and build Louis Grondal's AMA Special for an LA 46.  I got the plan from Derick Scott's 'Model-Plans' site a while ago, and keep getting it out to gloat over!

Regards
John

Hi John,

I couldn't think of "CLAPA" and that is exactly where it was published.  If you contact Ian Russell he can patch you through to Tug.  Tug is highly helpful concerning this model.

I have a set of laser cut ribs for Mr. Grondal's AMA Special.  I had the great fortune of speaking with him several times before his untimely death.  He told me that he built it from a '57 Green Box kit.  The early Paul Tupker plans show this very well as you can see where many of the Green Box parts were used.  He flew a Box stock Green Box AND the AMA Special at the '60 Worlds which he won.  The AMA Special was used for the single flight which used the AMA Pattern.

Bill

[John Park]

Bill:

Ah, so that's why it's also called the Grondal Nobler!  I recall Tom Jolley did much the same thing to produce a good-looking Midget Mustang (which I believe was actually published in one of the US magazines - don't know which one).

Regards
John