The Condor IV Flies David Goldsmith

The Condor IV, D 8306 that is now in Australia was owned by Jochen Kruse. It was Schleicher built in 1954.
In July, 1989 at a field southwest of Hamburg, it was flown by two friends. While entering the pattern for landing, and turning with more rudder than aileron, it went into a spin from low altitude. The Condor IV hit left wing first and then nose and then upside down. It was extensively damaged, with some parts a virtual write-off. The wreckage was later bought by a Mr Honda, no relation to the car manufacturer but a highly respected collector of vintage gliders. The Condor IV was taken to Japan, where it was rebuilt by Ohno Masami with some helpers.
Owing to problems getting approval for a Japanese Certificate of Airworthiness, it was brought to Australia for the completion of the rebuild, covering and painting. This was undertaken by Mike Burns at Tocumwal, NSW, with assistance from Ingo Renner. Unfortunately, Mr Honda, who was suffering from lung cancer, succumbed before the first flight was to take place. The date for the re-born first flight was set down for 29 April, 2008. With registration VH-YSH and a permit to fly, all was ready by the planned date.
A contingent of eight glider pilots and associates of the Honda family - Ohno Masami and his daughter Ms Junko Huruya, Ryoji Mori and his wife Junko, Minoru Kubota, Tadashi Tanokura,  Atsushi Sugiyama and Kenichi Ueyama -  made the journey from Japan.
Fortunately, they were also able to spend two days at Vintage Gliders Australia's "Schneider Glider Rally and Kookaburra Konvention", hosted by the Wagga Wagga Gliding Club.
Kenichi Ueyama owns a Slingsby T21B and an Olympia based at Tocumwal. Arrangements for the trip were made by Atsushi Sugiyama, the president of AeroVision.
The morning of Tuesday dawned fine and cool after a cold and cloudy Monday. The wind was from the south at about five knots. A large contingent of interested persons assembled at the threshold of runway 18. Many members of Vintage Gliders Australia and the Australian Gliding Museum Inc were present, as well as local and visiting pilots and friends. The press and television news were well represented.
The crowd was warmed up by flying activities including the T21B, Leigh Bunting's Grunau Baby, Jenne Goldsmith's Ka6 and the local Bocian and Blanik. Also impressive was Mike Burns' other project, a Caproni sailplane with a jet engine installed behind the cockpit, taking lucky pilots for an introduction to the future under Ingo's instruction.
Approaching 2:00pm, the beautiful Condor in its original scheme of white with blue trim was readied for launch, with Mr Honda's photograph gracing the rear cockpit bulkhead. Ingo carefully took his place in the front seat, as the crowd moved back to clear the takeoff path. The canopy was lowered, and pilot Eddie Madden lined up in the Maule towplane.
Full power and the Condor was away! The lightly loaded two-seater balanced on wheel and nose skid for a brief second or two, the nose was lifted and the aircraft returned to its element in barely 30 metres. Beautifully stable behind the towplane, she climbed into the sky without a tremble, her 18 metre gull wings revelling in their element.
Up to release height, circling above the crowd, her translucent wings and tail surfaces revealing the intricate pattern of ribs and structure. On release, nosing her way towards the scattered cu, almost silent and losing little height, her appearance taking us back 54 years to the days of stately sailplanes of wood and fabric. A thermal, majestically soared by the master pilot, flying the precision machine of days gone by. Some slow flight, a stall, and up to her fastest, she is under control. And then, a textbook circuit and landing, greeted with the delighted clapping and cheering of the enthusiastic onlookers.
There was nothing more beautiful....
Next Mr Ohno joined Ingo, and one can only wonder at the pleasure he enjoyed as he sampled his workmanship. As the afternoon progressed, the gossamer sailplane thrilled more sky riders, until finally the sun dipped below the horizon and she was gently returned to her hangar. The spirit of Mr Honda will continue to fly and his vision will delight many in future times. The festivities lasted long into the night as food, wine and saki were enjoyed by those who shared this wonderful day!
Special thanks to all participants and Robert Gaines.

Memories of the Condor 4
by Ken Caldwell
Hearing about the Condor 4 brought back memories of a business trip to Argentina 35 years ago. While there I visited the gliding field at Merlo, a suburb of Buenos Aires. I was able to get to the field by taking a suburban electric train to Merlo station and the rest of the way by foot.
I have refreshed my memory by consulting my logbook and find that I had a 60-minute soaring flight with a member of the Albatros Gliding Club on Sunday, 25 February 1973 in an all metal two-seater of Czechoslovakian origin. We took an aerotow to 2000ft and reached 3000ft. The view from the air was amazing. On one side it was built up all the way back to the River Plate. On the other it was flat grazing land to the horizon.
You could look down on the Moron airbase (maybe their equivalent of RAAF Richmond) some five or six kilometres away and easily see Ezezia International airport about 15km away.
A pilot I spoke to told me he had flown the Condor to Gold height over Buenos Aires itself drifting well out over the river as he climbed. He considered a downwind dash to Uruguay across the river (from memory about 18km wide at that point) but in the end landed back at Merlo.
I asked about airspace restrictions but was led to believe that there were none, but maybe they got lost in the translation!

The Albatros Gliding Club clubhouse

The Super Albatros

The Condor 4