Belair Thermalist Glider Issues

Belair Kit of a Thermalist Glider - September 2019

I purchased a Thermalist glider from Belair Kits after seeing the great videos and pictures posted of John Woodfield's Thermalist glider that he had built from a Belair kit.

After reading carefully the advert displayed on the Belair website and seeing the very impressive pictures of John's newly built thermalist glider, I decided to purchase the model.

It took about two weeks for the kit to arrive. On opening the box I found that the rolled up plans where slightly damaged but no big issue but veerything else was nicely packaged.

The first thing I did was to un-roll the plan on my large building bench where It was apparent that the plan was of the original free flight model and didn't in anyway detail the model as it was being sold online. I called up and it was confirmed the plan was of the free flight model. I asked how I was going to be able to build the model as per the two channel model that was advertised. I was told that pictures would be sent to me that would explain what was need to adapt the kit.

The pictures where emailed over to me which included pictures of the John Woodfield model before covering and pictures that showed a few balsa pieces located on the plan.

Now I've been building for a few years now and have many years experience of flying model gliders. I am capable from building from a plan and I think I have the ability to look a plan and be able to understand what is needed but having a free flight plan that does not contain any information on how to make the required changes on how to adapt what is a free flight glider into a two channel glider (as the one I ordered). I need to make it clear the kit I was sent did include all laser cut parts apparently to build the model as a two channel glider but it was the lack of information / up to date plan that I have a big issue with.

I do think the Belair website should have explained on the Thermalist glider page that you will receive an outdated plan detailing the free flight version of the model and not the two channel glider as that is supplied (as they have done with other models they are selling). Also I was told that the pictures detailed on the website of John's Woodfield 's model is different to the one I would build with the parts supplied. So why use these images without any written explanation of the facts. Apparently John has used his extensive knowledge and skills to alter the tail plane and rudder to meet his own requirements. I assumed that I would be purchasing the glider as displayed on the website.  I was told John had built his with a all moving tail plane and not the same as Belair parts supplied. 

So why wasn't this information provided on the website? I should have been made aware of these facts before I purchased the model. If the model was detailed exactly as what I would be receiving especially regarding the outdated free flight plan and total lack of instructions that are needed to make the relevant changes then I personally wouldn't have purchased the kit in the first place.

I wrapped the model back up in it's original packaging and paid for the the model to be sent back to them. A full refund was eventually issued so thanks to Belair Kits.