Retroday 2025: Urs Leodolter presents one of his latest achievements: The PRIMERO 120 by Hanno Prettner.
Hanno Prettner built 2 different model constructions for the 1991 F3A World Championship in Wangaratta.
One is the Primero 120 and the other is the Mystic 120.
Urs now asked Hanno Prettner exactly why 2 different flight models were used in the preliminary planning for the World Championship 1991.
Here is Hanno’s answer:
Hello Urs,
Yes, you got it exactly right.
Primero was a prototype project based on the Dalotel and I/we built 3 of them; 2 were ready to fly and the 3rd was built as a reserve in the finished, sanded shell. The flight characteristics were as good as Mystic 120 but for calmer weather with less wind, almost like a jumbo jet.
Primero 1 is in your possession, Primero 2 was sold to Vienna and unfortunately crashed due to battery failure, but the owner was so enthusiastic and said that he wanted to buy the shell and finished it. I don’t know the fate of Primero 3, mine is still in a private collection.
EZ/PILOT favoured the Mystic 120 because of the undivided wing area and also because storms and high air density were to be expected in Australia and the Mystic 120 flew faster; but it was also a strategic branding decision….. So I flew Mystic 120 and had 2 of them, in balsa/rib construction. Pilot then produced the Mystic 120 as a wooden kit and sold it mainly in Japan and Asia.
So far some brief information
Servus Hanno
Urs got this Primero in a roundabout way.
Urs completed the aeroplane. The result is impressive.
Images: Johanna Huang
