I found out today that Popular Science put all of their issues going
many years back into Google Books, available for free. I was just
browsing Jul 1948 issue when I found this article there that talks
about the soaring in 1948 and Robinson "Rate of climb" instrument. Man
we have it easy these days. Except of course fine sailplanes don't
retail for $3000 anymore.

http://tinyurl.com/yb7vtz2

Limus