I AM NOT SELLING A KIT NOR MODELS, only new, full-size PLANS of Jasco & Jetco THERMIC hand-launch gliders & numerous vintage "how-to-build-and-fly-them" articles of the hand-launch gliders shown in my pictures and many more.

For decades after World War II, youngsters like Pop, with the help of their dads, built the Frank Zaic glider designs manufactured by JASCO & later JETCO. They all flew---and some flew out-of-sight on a hot rising thermal air current.

Pictured are 7 recently built THERMIC gliders and I offer the PLANS to eleven that were kitted back then. I get nice emails back from happy dads & granddads all over the world. I show the different PLANS in pictures 3, 4 & 5. 

I AM NOT SELLING A KIT NOR GLIDERS, only PLANS & articles on how-to-build and how-to-fly hand-launch balsa gliders.  

You will get a set of plans for the JASCO THERMIC 18, 20, 30, "B", TRIO & ROG + a few more. Each plan has full-size patterns for wings, stab and rudder. My favorites are the THERMIC "B" & THERMIC 20. They always fly just great. 

I produced full-size patterns set for the "B" (including the fuselage), on an 11 X 17 sheet so you can run copies to give to the kids in your local 4-H or Cub Scout group. I include early and later versions of many of the designs. I recommend using dihedral rather than the polyhedral on the wings for THERMIC "B" models. Mine launched better with straight dihedral.  

I also include biographies of FRANK ZAIC, who designed all of them, as well as an old personal letter Pop received from Frank. Also articles on how to glue up a wing, how to design your own and how to carve and sand everything out are included. 

The wood is available from SIG and others. You just need a tapered board 2", 3", 4" wide and in varying thicknesses to make as many as you want. SIG, in their 2007 catalog, shows on page 125 "Airfoil Shaped Sheets" 36" in length, 3/16 x 3 x 36 SIGB111; 1/4 x 3 x 36 SIGB112; and 1/4 x 4 x 36 SIGB 113. These might be fine for the THERMIC 30. I prefer to use their tapered sheets because some of the wing chords on these old glider designs are 2" and trying to cut a 3" pre-shaped airfoil down to a 2" might not work very well. Their tapered sheets were on page 127 of my SIG catalog and listed as: 1/4 x 3 x 36 SIGB430 and 1/4 x 4 x 36 SIGB431. 

I'M NOT SELLING KITS OR MODELS, ONLY A COLLECTION OF FULL-SIZE PLANS.

YOU ARE PURCHASING A FUN PACKAGE OF ALL OF THE PLANS FOR THE GLIDERS YOU SEE IN MY PICTURE PLUS OTHER PLANS FOR DESIGNS SUCH AS THE THERMIC TRIO, THERMIC DART AND ROG, AS WELL AS ARTICLES ON TRIMMING OUT YOUR GLIDERS, PUTTING DETHERMALIZERS ON GLIDERS AND ARTICLES ON HOW TO CARVE THE WINGS AND SAND THE AIRFOIL ETC., ALL STUFFED INTO A BRIM-FULL MANILA ENVELOPE.

Everything you would need in the way of plans or instructions to really enjoy old time hand launch gliders is in my packet. I so much enjoy the e-mails I get back from customers telling how many memories my packet brings back of their fun-filled childhood.

"Thank you so much. This is a Christmas gift for my almost 91 year old dad that keeps telling us the story of how he built either a Thermic 18 or 20, as a young boy. It went out of sight and his biggest regret was that he didn’t have his name and information on it. He wants to build another one so I’m hoping this will help him do so. I’m so excited to have found this for him. Again, thank you!" ~ Julie G. Spring Green, WI

“Very pleased, excellent seller, item better than expected.” ~ Norbert G. Andover, MA

“The most complete collection of Zaic gliders I have ever seen. The extra construction literature is nice. Can’t wait to start building and flying.” ~ Coleman B. Auburn, CA