Confessions of a Glider Groupie – my Glider Collection

Part 4 – Segler quercus robustus

Today I am featuring my biggest glider, the monstrously huge Segler quercus robustus, also known as the Bruiser of the Sky.  This glider has no pretensions of beauty or elegance, but what he lacks in style he makes up for in sturdy robustness.  He has a wingspan of about a meter, and is made, believe it or not, of solid oak!  Not hollow, not veneered, no, solid oak all the way through.  He weighs a lot, obviously.  I paid twice in shipping what I paid for the glider himself.  I discovered him in Germany, in a junkshop masquerading as an antiques dealer on Ebay.  He came wrapped totally inadequately, just shoved as he was between two pieces of cardboard loosely taped together – both his wings stuck out!  But if anyone could handle such slapdash treatment it was this glider, which was build to last.

 

I rather suspect he was made in the 1930s as a toy for children, rather rambunctious high spirited ones, who were hard on their toys and destroyed them as like as not.  Perhaps a doting grandfather, intent on raising his grandchildren to be good glidermen, carved this sturdy sailplane for them to play with.  And play with it they did, for the Sky Bruiser is pitted with any number of bumps and scars, and even lost the top part of his tail.  Perhaps he was painted at some time, a few remnants of yellow paint remain on the wings. 

At first I considered sanding him down and effecting a few repairs, but then decided to just clean him up a little and give him a polish with Danish oil.  He is what he is, and has nothing to be ashamed about.  His scratches and holes are come by honourably, and bear witness that he gave good sport to his little owners who liked to play rough.  It would be nice to restore the missing tail portion, but I am worried to do it wrongly, so have done nothing about it so far.  Perhaps one day MDL can be prevailed upon to heal this injured old trooper – he has worked miracles on far more damaged sailplanes.

But damaged or not, the Sky Bruiser is very welcome to his spot in the ceiling of my Nostalgia Studio.  I like to imagine that he has a gruff but chivalrous nature, and should any intruder ever menace me in that room I have no doubt that my Segler quercus robustus would slip from his harness and impress my hapless assailant with his stout oaken nature by braining him!