This year’s winter build competition is the Indoor Scrap-box Glider Challenge .
The idea of the challenge is to build a small chuck/catapult glider, using materials that you have in your scrap-box or recycling bin (ie not specifically purchased), and fly it (or them) in an indoor competition for the usual comestible prizes. The event will comprise what has come to be our usual winter indoor flying challenge format. Clearly, the main objective is to have fun, but it’s also an opportunity for those who haven’t attempted to design and/or build a simple model to give it a try.
The flying part of the challenge will take part on Wednesday 18th February 2026 at Begbroke Village Hall. The intention is to hold a light-hearted indoor flying competition which is easy to take part in, and to challenge experienced flyers while giving beginners a good chance of success. The rules are simple, and the models easy and inexpensive to build – indeed, ideally, they should cost virtually nothing!
You have from now until 18th February Begbroke meeting to build your Scrapbox Challenge Glider, it can be from one of the plans you can download below or to your own design. Let you imagination run riot
The rules are simple:
– Materials should come from your scrap-box, recycling bin etc – ie not specifically purchased for the purpose (of course, we can’t tell!)
– No remote control
– Pure gliders only
– Catapult launches are permitted
– Maximum flying mass is 40g
– Gliders must be capable of wing-borne flight (ie no darts, arrows, balls etc). Any model that CD considers to be ballistic in nature, and/or likely to cause a hazard to spectators, will be disallowed.
– The CD’s decisions are final!
– Entrants may use up to three different gliders for the challenges. Only those gliders flown in at least one of the ‘challenges’ are eligible for the non-flying prizes. There are no size limitations; however, at least one of the ‘challenges’ probably dictates a wingspan of no more than 20″.
Proposed Challenges:
Flying:
1. Duration – longest total flight time wins (3 flights total)
2. ‘Fly Through the Hoop (30″ diameter hole)’ – 3 timed flights permitted. Launch from behind a start line. 15 seconds added for each time the model passes through the hoop.
3. ‘Spot Landing’ – land on a ‘runway’ with pre-marked scores. Launch from behind a start line 3 attempts: total score counts.
Non-flying:
1. Best looking model (in the judges’ opinion)
2. Most innovative model
Other prizes might be awarded at the Chair’s discretion.
All club members are most welcome to attend. If you have any questions about this please don’t hesitate to contact me at:
Bob Lee’s Bill Deans F4D Skyray. Built from foam(Depron & Vectorboard) it weights 10 grams and with its huge wing area it floats across the bedroom.
Here’s a few plans you can download to get your imagination started
Each opens as a PDF
Enjoy your building and see you at Begbroke on February 18th 2026
