The Resurrection of the Wayfarer

Who remembers the Svenson Wayfarer made in Belgium in the late 1970s? I particularly like its timeless look, which is unlike anything else. I bought it 26 years ago. My Wayfarer, which was almost finished back then, has been through 10 moves… how many times was it crushed between two suitcases? Despite everything, it survived… In 2010, I decided that the Wayfarer had to fly, and I had to finish it!

This model—which was, of course, originally designed for a combustion engine—has been converted to electric power. It’s covered in Oracover of an indefinable color (beige) and hand-painted white on top and purple on the bottom, with a patchwork pattern on the fuselage that further enhances its blizzard-like appearance. It has retained a wood-like appearance that gives it an eco-friendly look... The wings are attached with rubber bands... Oh, those rubber bands that snap all the time! I had to find a solution… elastic from panties would do the trick; I cut and sewed a sample to the right size, took it to a seamstress who made 20 pieces for me. And there you have it! It holds perfectly!

With no benchmarks to go by, I had to reinvent everything from scratch: center of gravity, control travel. It flew like a roller coaster for a while until I found the right settings. After about ten flights, the beast has been tamed and is starting to reveal its true nature. Docile, pleasant, and easy to fly. It’s worth noting here that this plane’s main strength is its sturdiness! Because despite all the impacts it’s taken, it’s never broken! Well, that’s thanks to the quality of my homemade glues… not like some RTFs! →

Winter break is just around the corner, and it pains me to put it away because I was really starting to get the hang of my Wayfarer… Here’s a solution: fit it with skis! True to my principle of upcycling, I found some electrical conduit covers in my junk pile… these will do just fine—cut to length, rounded at the front, bent in hot water, with a homemade attachment, and there you go. On a beautiful Sunday in January 2011, a thin layer of snow covered the ground. The sky was a beautiful blue, the sun was shining, but an icy breeze kept my hands tucked in my pockets… But when you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go! I set the plane down on the snow, open the throttle, and it slides, slides, slides… and takes off… What a joy! Everything goes smoothly on landing, so I do it again. My friend Alex, president of the AMJD club, is with me to take photos; he snaps away, and here’s the result!

To everyone, I wish you endless enjoyment with model aircraft, and I look forward to seeing you throughout the four seasons of the year.

Laurent Hirt, Moutier