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Created on Saturday, 28 February 2009 20:42

Last Updated on Sunday, 01 March 2009 14:05

Written by Emil Weiler

Windrider Bee Construction

Article by Emil Weiler

1) Splitting the spar in two is easy.	2) Cut spar slot with razor blade.
3) Widen slot with piece of 4-40, push down with stick. Thin CA in place.	4) Servos in place.
5) Radio gear and battery layout - this is on the bottom side of wing!!	6) Servo cover spacers.
7) Trailing edge tape.	8) Taped per Karl's "Bee Build".
9) Laminating film for top - 5 micron.	10)
11) Tape elevons on 45 degree angle down - tape goes on top of wing.	12) Pushrod exit.
13)	14)
15) Brush in 5200 for hinge.	16) Tape elevons at zero degrees overnight.
17)	18)
21) Finished top side	22) Finished bottom side

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Created on Wednesday, 08 October 2003 09:00

Last Updated on Saturday, 19 January 2008 12:37

Written by Michael McKibben

Is That A Mirage?

I fell in love with the Mirage years ago — 1984 to be exact. I needed to replace my second RC glider, a well-worn and always reliable Gentle Lady. I had been sizing up the Sagittas, the Oly II, the Windfree, and so on, but I wanted something different, something that no one else had. And I wanted a standard or open class glider at a “low” price. Just so happens that my local hobby store had a Hi-Flight Model Products’ Mirage for about $45, as I recall, which fit into my budget perfectly, so I bought it.

Building my first Mirage was a challenge for me as a relative newcomer. This is a big glider made almost entirely from balsa with bits of spruce and plywood. Dutifully following instructions, I built the Mirage to the best of my ability, added transparent red Monokote™ with white trim and installed the Airtronics four- channel radio from my old Gentle Lady. My Mirage flew like a dream and opened up a whole new soaring experience for me. Flying my new sailplane was a joy as I watched it dance on the rising air. My landings became less worrisome and more consistent. I felt like I had been flying for years and could hardly wait for the weekends to hunt thermals with my new Mirage!

Blaine Rawdon’s New Design

At this time, Airtronics models and a few others like the Paragon, Oly II, and Bird of Time dominated RC soaring. The Mirage introduced a design philosophy already being tested in freeflight models. Blaine Rawdon's i innovative Mirage coupled a lightly loaded wing with an airfoil designed for a wider speed range then offered by most floaters. This required a departure from conventional construction techniques. The three-piece wing was planned to minimize weight while maintaining “just enough” strength to be durable. Wing sheeting was minimized, as were tip details. Lightweight wing tips meant reduced inertial yaw and allowed nimble turning. The fuselage was kept extremely light by using balsa sides strengthened by a balsa doubler. Keeping the fuselage wide at the rear gave the stabilizer a strong base. An offset rudder is aligned with the left side of the fuse to provide a firm connection to the fuselage tube and to provide a straight and rigid pushrod run to the rudder horn. Only the right side of the horizontal stabilizer has an operating elevator, the left side is fixed. While helping to decrease the overall weight, the fixed stabilizer has an added benefit of less drag.

The result? Blaine said, “The Mirage came out very light, and the light air performance was better than hoped for. The goal of a wide speed range was realized too. An unexpected benefit of the light structure was very nimble handling. Even today, the plane is a pleasure to fly in thermals because it is so easy to maneuver into position and so easy to read. Despite a delicate appearance, the original two Mirages still fly on occasion with Bill Watson’s guidance. Simple construction and ease of repair are the keys to longevity for this design.”

The model proved its versatility and success among modelers on the West Coast. Blaine said, “The Mirage became popular for contest work… My best remembered win was Dave Thornburg’s 1979 hand launch contest at SULA’s field in Carson, CA. I think that this was the last time I beat Joe Wurts.”

Sadly, almost as soon as the Mirage came on the scene, the newer composite gliders overtook the all-wood models and pushed them aside. The Sagitta, Oly II, Paragon, and Mirage became relics. Today, however, the popularity of RES and nostalgia class models has created a resurgence of interest in “built up” gliders and once again the Mirage is in the mix. This begs the question; can a new Mirage compete against the RES type gliders of today?

Although the Mirage qualifies for the nostalgia sailplane class, with a few fairly simple modifications it can also become a potent competitor in the RES category as well. So, let’s consider a few basic changes:

1. Replace the rubber-band wing mount with a bolt-on method.
2. Add carbon-fiber caps to the center wing panel spars.
3. Beef up the shear webs in the center panel.
4. Add spoilers. This is allowed by nostalgia rules as long as you maintain the overallstructural design of the original.
5. Wrap the joiner and joiner boxes with Kevlar.

Making these five modifications to the original Mirage design can significantly increase its strength without sacrificing the light wing loading. In addition, spoilers increase the control needed for the precision landing tasks in RES contests. You can find out more about the “Nostalgia” rules by logging onto Ray Hayes’ web site at www.skybench.com, and clicking on the “RES & Nostalgia” link.

A New Mirage Kit

Mark Millerii of Isthmus Model Company, www.isthmusmodels.com, has produced a “short kit” of the Mirage. The kit includes laser cut parts such as the ribs, wing joiner parts and fuselage sides, the canopy tray and bulkheads. A plastic canopy is included in the kit along with a list of materials needed to complete the Mirage. To obtain the full-size plans and building instructions, Click on the “Mirage Plans” link on the Isthmus Model Company web site and look for plan set #753.

Although the Mirage is easy enough to fly and its construction is trouble-free and conventional, I would not recommend it as the first project of an absolute beginner. Its optimized structure is “just enough” and will not tolerate building errors or a major crash. Assuming the builder understands conventional balsa construction, I will by-pass that and focus instead on the following modifications.

1. Spar; laminate .007” x .375” x 48” carbon fiber to the bottoms of both top and bottom spars of the center section for a little extra strength. Carefully increase the depth of the main spar slots of the ribs to allow for the increased spar height.

2. Spoilers; place immediately behind the main spar and between the three bays just inside of the outer bays of the center panel. Use 1 1/4in x 5/16in trailing edge stock and carefully recess only the necessary ribs. In keeping with the AMA rules for nostalgia, we want to maintain the open structure of the wing design as much as possible. Use the cord and lever method for activation of the spoilers. One servo mounted in front of the main bulkhead will pull on the cord to activate both spoilers. The cord exits the bottom of the center panel from either side of the center most rib. The cord is kept in one piece to form a loop around a ball link on the servo. Punch 1/8in holes through the necessary ribs to allow for a nylon antenna tube to run the cord. Frame up the spoiler bays with 1/8in x 1/4in spruce to the rear and 1/4in x 1/4in balsa on the outside left and right of each bay. Carefully shape the top of the spoilers to match the profile of the airfoil.

3. The wing mount; split the center rib at the spar and install a 1/8in plywood joiner laminated between 1/8in vertical grain balsa for a 3/8in joiner sheer web combination. Add 1in trailing edge stock under the trailing edge sheeting of the center panel for a firm foundation for the hole required for the ¼-20 nylon bolt. The bolt is threaded into a piece of 1/4in plywood epoxied to the fuse just in front of the rear most bulkhead. Make a duplicate of the forward half of the center rib and glue both into position to create a 1/4in space that will hold a 1/4in hardwood dowel for the leading edge portion of the wing mount. After the center panel is sheeted, positioned the wing carefully and cut a 1/4in hole into the leading edge using a sharpened brass tube and the hole in the main bulkhead as a guide. Use epoxy to glue the dowel (and fill the void) in place after making sure the wing is seated perfectly and aligned. Allow the epoxy to cure fully with the wing in its correct position. The only real change in the fuselage is the main bulkhead. Create the bulkhead from 1/4in plywood. Trace its profile 1/8in shy of the canopy outline shown on the plan’s cross section. Cut 1/4in holes for the wing’s mounting dowel and spoiler cord with two 5/16in holes for the pushrods.

4. The shear webs; increase the shear web widths in the center panel. Use 3/8in vertical-grain balsa for the next three bays adjacent to the center bay. Use 1/4in for the next three bays adjacent to that and finish off with 1/8in shear webs.

5. You should make pushrods out of 3/8in balsa per the instructions. They are lighter and will not lose trim settings as temperature and humidity change. In a pinch, you could use 1/4in hard wood dowels.

6. The only change I would make to the wing’s center panel construction would be to make the turbulators out of good quality 1/8in x 1/8in spruce instead of balsa.

7. I encourage everyone to taper the trailing edge of the tips per the plans. The key to the Mirage’s maneuverability is lightweight wing tips. The plans also show scallops on the trailing edge. This is optional.

8. Move the bulkhead that forms the front of the servo bay forward 1/4in to make room for the addition of the spoiler servo. You can move this bulkhead around to make room for your particular servo arrangement.

9. Wrap the joiner and joiner boxes with Kevlar string for a little added strength.

10. The plans call for glassing the forward third of the fuselage. I opted for a technique that I really like. I used 1.5oz fiberglass cloth wetted out with water based poly-acrylic. I add 8 drops of yellow food coloring to every once of acrylic to get a match for my transparent yellow Monokote™; it takes about 5 or 6 coats to fill the weave of the cloth. This method is lighter than glassing but not as durable. But when you get a ding—and you will—just fill it in, brush on a little colored poly and it looks good as new.

Having followed the plans and added the modifications, I had only to add the radio gear and balance. I installed Hitec HS81 servos for the elevator, rudder and spoiler control, with a Hitec 555 receiver and an 1100 mah battery pack. I like a lot of control throw on my gliders, so my throws for the rudder are 2” in each direction and 1” up and down for the elevator. With all of my gear installed, I needed about 3 ounces of nose weight to balance the Mirage on the plan’s CG. I suggest you use this CG as a starting point. You can shift the balance point around after you get familiar with your new sailplane. This new Mirage is significantly stronger and ready to fly at 37.5oz. That is just 4.5oz over the typical original giving me a wing loading of 5.9oz/sq ft.

First Flight

Finally the good stuff! I brought my new Mirage to the field trimmed and balanced, gave it a once over that included a range check. Satisfied that everything was ready, I faced into a wind of 8 to 10 mph and tossed it straight and level. The Mirage quickly climbed out to about 15 feet. I needed to push the nose down to avoid stalling, but nevertheless it flew well. I adjusted the trim for the windy conditions and turned to my hi-start.

With absolute confidence in my new light air machine, I hooked my 37.5oz Mirage up to my new NSP Pinnacle L Hi-start and gave it a light toss. That first launch was like a rocket straight up as high as the line allowed! I was surprised and unprepared for the speed of the launch. At altitude my chute slid away and I headed off into the wind, rock solid and steady with very little trim adjustment necessary to keep my heading.

My 2002 Mirage is just as fun to fly as I remember. The most impressive thing about this glider is its maneuverability. The Mirage is really light on its feet. The response to control input is immediate and it telegraphs lift in classic fashion. It can fly fast to cover ground and yet fly slow enough to thermal effectively. Turns are its best feature. Stand the Mirage right up on a wing tip and pirouette around as tight as you can imagine without fear of tip stalls. You will find this ability incredibly helpful when coring a tiny thermal at low altitude. This is one glider you can safely bank hard at low altitudes. One note of caution, it is very sensitive to wing warp, especially in the tip sections. If you find that you need a lot of rudder trim to keep it flying straight, check your wing and make sure it is aligned accurately. I do like to use 1/8in to 3/16in of washout in the tips for stability in turns. If you fly a Mirage too fast, the wingtips may flutter at around 60 mph. Avoid hard launches from your hi-start and go a little easy on your winch pedal. The Mirage achieves outstanding launches without much effort.

If you are looking for a great open class Nostalgia or RES type glider, Mirage may be for you. Its light air performance is unmatched by most, and yet it is a floater with legs. You may be surprised at how it moves out when you put the nose down. The cost for most modelers will be about $110 to $120 depending on where you buy your additional balsa, less if you already have an extensive balsa collection started.

Good Luck!

Mirage Specifications

Photo furnished by Blaine Rawdon. All rights reserved. 

i Blaine Rawdon grew up in Southern California where he started flying U-Control models at the age of eight, flying with the neighbors in San Fernando Valley’s Sepulveda Basin. U-control and free flight competed with slot cars until leaving for Amherst College in Massachusetts. There he earned a Bachelor of Art degree in Physics. He then returned to southern California to earn a Bachelor of Science in Architecture at USC. Blaine took up RC soaring and joined the San Fernando Valley Silent Flyers. There he met Bill Watson and this friendship led to work on Paul MacCready’s Gossamer Condor and Albatross as a builder and crew and then to a design position on the Solar Challenger. From there it was on to McDonnell-Douglas as a structures designer and then as an aircraft configuration designer. Blaine is now a Boeing Technical Fellow in the field of aircraft configuration design. His key accomplishments include configuration design work on the Blended Wing Body and the Pelican Ultra Large Transport Aircraft.

ii Mark Miller has played an essential role in the Mirage’s revival. I met Mark through our club, the Minnesota Radio Control Soaring Society and we have become great friends. Mark, who lives in Madison, WI, was up to our club field in Blaine, MN on a warm Saturday afternoon late last year for a little visit and some thermal duration. Mark and I started talking about the availability of built-up sailplanes and our mutual desire to see more of this type of sailplane in the market. The subject of the Mirage came up and we found that we have a similar interest in this simple and elegant glider. To my surprise, Mark took it upon himself to produce parts for a new and improved Mirage. I pestered him often and we started a collaboration o f sorts that would produce a new Mirage for the new millennium. Mark did all of the hard CAD work and research himself but he did give me the opportunity to build his first production of the Mirage short kit.

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Created on Monday, 14 January 2008 06:19

Last Updated on Friday, 18 January 2008 00:20

Written by David Engleson

DFS-Reiher III Reference List

November, 2007

LET Models (Czech Republic)
Scale - 1:3.5 Wingspan - 15’6” Weight -19 lbs Length - 7’-4”
For aero-tow and slope soaring

Fuse

• Fiberglass with white gel coat - Special bracing at wing joiner tube and bottom of fuse at skid.
• Removable 1/4” plywood radio gear and battery tray
• Formed lead nose weight
• Hitec eight channel receiver (HFD-08RD)
• Charge switch with on-board battery checker (MPI)
• Removable 1/4” plywood rudder servo tray
• Tow release mechanism
• (1) HS-81 servo for tow release (Standard servo would be better)
• Multiplex plug in five-pin connector for elevator (male)
• Six-pin connector from Radio shack
• 3,500 NiMH battery back
• Aluminum skid (16 ga. x ½” wide) Seven Corners Hardware, Saint Paul

Rudder

• Built up balsa rudder covered with Ultracote
• Snap in place removable rudder
• Aluminum control horns for “pull-pull” system control (Hobby-Lobby International, Inc.)
• Symmetrical airfoil (CompuFoil 2000 program)
• (1) HS-475HB servo mounted in fuse tray.
• Kevlar thread pull-pull control

Elevator Stab

- Balsa sheathing (1/16”) on foam cores. Symmetrical airfoil (CompuFoil program)
- Covered with Ultracote
- Hard balsa spar
- (2) HS-85MG servos mounted in Hitec servo cans
- Two piece elevators
- Robart pin hinges (4 each elevator)
- Multiplex plug in five-pin connector (female)
- Two nylon bolts to attach to fuse

Wings

• Balsa sheathing (1/16”) on foam cores. Modified M-Q3.0 airfoil (CompuFoil 2000 program)
• Covered with Ultracote
• Plywood and basswood spar (basswood top & bottom spar members, 1/8” plywood vertical spar continuous web
• (2) ¼” plywood root ribs
• Basswood leading and trailing edge spars
• Hardwood dowel alignment pins
• Tape hinges
• Fiberglass spar tube formed over carbon fiber joiner rod
• Groupner double high spoilers (Hobby-Lobby International, Inc.)
• (2) HS-81 servos for spoilers (1 in each wing of course)
• Balsa ailerons
• (2) HS-85MG servos mounted in Hitec servo cans near center of aileron length

PVC Work Stand

• ¾” I.D. PVC parts from Menard's and Home Depot
• Foam pipe insulation to protect fuse

PVC Dolly for Aero-towing

• ¾” I.D. PVC parts from Menard's and Home Depot
• Foam pipe insulation to protect wings
• Plastic wheels from Ax-Man supply
• Carriage bolts for axles

Wing & Fuse Protective Bags

• Any fabric store
• Velcro – (Not the sticky stuff)

General Supplies & Stuff

Balsa Sheathing – www.balsastore.com

Batteries – www.cheapbatterypacks.com

Charge Switch, servo leads, and much more – MPI www.maxxprod.com

Express Composites, Inc. Minneapolis (612) 789-8621 OR www.cstsales.com/
AdTech Epoxy Resin & Hardener, different weight fiberglass, kevlar, and carbon fiber cloth, Mixing accessories, cups, sticks, & gloves for working with epoxy. Good people.

Foam:

• Brock White - Plazamate
• Home Depot - Foamular 250
• Menards - Foamular 150 or 250

Foam cutting wire: www.skykingrcproducts.com
Stuff – Ax Man on University in Saint Paul
AEI Electronics Hwy 55 and Douglas Drive – Golden Valley

Graupner products – www.hobby-lobby.com/

Hitec – www.hitecrcd.com

Let Models – www.letmodel.cz

Lost Model Locator – www.skykingrcproducts.com

Miscellaneous supplies - Hobby Warehouse, Richfield MN

Model Sailplanes and parts – www.icare-rc.com

Radio Gear and more - www.hobbypeople.net or www.servocity.com

Radio Shack – Six-pin connectors, solder, and more. Good service.

Servos - www.servocity.com

Servo Cans from Hitec – MPI www.maxxprod.com Hitec part number 56307

West Systems Epoxy Resin & Hardener, plywood, and more – H.U.B. Hobby Centers

Youngblood Lumber (North Minneapolis) – Basswood & other hardwoods OR www.aircraftspruce.com

Plymouth Foam

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Created on Thursday, 15 November 2007 23:06

Last Updated on Friday, 04 January 2008 13:14

Written by Michael McKibben

2003 Mirage Construction Notes

A short kit offered by Isthmus Model Company. The Mirage is Blaine Rawdon's original and innovative design, first published in RCM Magazine's February 1979, Issue.

Construction and modifications notes by - Michael "Augie" McKibben

	The Wing Parts This photo shows the laser cut ribs from Isthmus Model Company. I have laid out all of the ribs and separated them by panel location. This helped to locate the ribs that I wanted to modify by adding spoilers and an improved wing mount.
	The Fuselage Parts Perfectly cut fuselage parts, ready to assemble. Also shown are the plywood sides for the wing tip joiner boxes and the joiner blades.
	Modifying the Ribs I decided to install spoilers on my Mirage. This photo details the ribs that I modified to accept a 11/4" x 5/16" spoiler blade. The recess must allow the spoiler blade to stand just above the surface of the ribs. Later, carefully sand the top surface of the spoiler blades to match the wing's airfoil.
	Modifying the Ribs Continued Here are the modified spoiler bay ribs with their neighbors, in order of construction. I have added a 1/8" x 1/4" spar slot at the rear of the spoiler bays to accommodate a spruce sub-spar that will back up the spoiler bays. The sub-spar must be even with the airfoil surface.
	Modifying the Ribs Continued This is a photo of ribs with the addition of a 1/8" hole towards the trailing edge. This allows me to install the tubes that will house the spoiler cords. Also, I have increased the depth of the center section's main spar slots, top and bottom, allowing for .007 thick carbon fiber laminated to the bottom side of both spars. I used 220 grit self adhesive AR sandpaper, stuck to a piece of spar material to achieve the proper depth. Note: You will need to make a duplicate of the two center ribs. This new rib will be split at the spar and a duplicate of the forward piece will need to be made as well. This will be installed later.
	The Spars Here, the finished spars are ready for construction of the center section. The main spars are made from 3/8" x 1/8" x 48", good quality spruce laminated on one side, to a piece of 3/8" x .007 x 48" pre-preg carbon fiber. I used West Systems Epoxy and clamp my assembly to the table against a straight edge. Note: Make sure that there are no knots or cracks in the spruce you select for these spars. All of the strength for the wing is designed around a strong center section.
	Strengthening the Center Section The center section is going to have an improved wing mount design, replacing the original rubber band style mount. I wanted to strengthen the center of the wing to accommodate the new design. I beefed up the center shear web by using 1/8" birch plywood, laminated with slow cure epoxy, between 1/8" vertical grain balsa shear webs. I used slow cure epoxy to glue the new shear web to the top side of the bottom spar as well as to the adjacent ribs.
	Shear Webs This photo shows the placement of ribs and shear webs. I used aliphatic resin to glue the ribs and shear webs to the top side of the bottom spar. Working from the inside out, glue rib, web, rib, web and so on. I increased the thickness of the shear webs incrementally from the center out. I used 3/8" vertical grain balsa from either side on the center bay, three bays out. I used 1/4" shear webs in the next three bays and finished off with 1/8" shear webs, stopping at the wing tip joiners. Test fit the top spar. Make sure that it makes contact with all of the shear webs and is even with the top of the ribs. Sand with a piece spare scrap and sand paper until satisfied with the fit. When you have a good fit, use slow cure epoxy to glue the top spar in place and weigh it down until fully cured. Clean up all excess epoxy before it sets up. Note: I like to pre-cut my webs to the correct width and use them to set the appropriate distances between the ribs. This is usually a more accurate way to set ribs. Relying on your plan set is problematic at best because paper expands and contracts with its environment.
	Joiner Box Construction Using a piece of scrap plywood the same thickness as the joiner blade to fill the joiner box space. Use slow cure epoxy and clamp the joiner box side to the top and bottom spars. Use epoxy sparingly here. Too much epoxy oozing into the joiner box will make a good panel fit very difficult. Note: The joiner box sides are angled on one end. Be sure that the angled end is toward the outer rib of each panel. This helps ensure the correct dihedral for the wing tips. Use the same method as above for the tip panel joiner boxes. Note that the sides of the tip panel joiner box are made of 1/64" plywood. Use some scrap material on the outside to spread your clamp pressure evenly across the 1/64" plywood side as well as inside to insure the correct joiner box width.
	Spoiler Bay Construction Here are two photos showing the spoiler bay detail. I positioned the spoilers just behind the main spar, one bay in from the outside edge of the main panel and backed it up with a spruce sub-spar. I stiffed the sides of the spoiler bay with 1/4" x 1/4" hard balsa. The balsa is also needed to give the Monokote™ a good contact surface. The spoiler cord tube is held in place under the sub-spar with a piece of scrap spruce with a recess sanded in its top to accept the tube. Note: The spoiler actuation that I used has one long cord attached to one spoiler, traveling down the tube and exiting the bottom of the wing, through the main bulkhead and is looped around a ball joint mounted to a servo arm, then back around and through the main bulkhead, into the other spoiler cord tube, through that tube and attached to the spoiler on the other side of the wing. After I have the correct length, I wrap a little thread around the cord just behind the ball joint and tie a knot. A drop of CA will hold it in place.
	Wing Mounting Detail for the Center Section This photo details the additional rib in the center bay, the installation of the turbulators, the top main spar and the bottom center sheeting. Install the lead edge material, the bottom turbulators (only) and the bottom center sheeting. Install some ofthe trailing edge material on top of the bottom sheeting, in front of the trailing edge, between the two center bay ribs and flush with their top edge. Take your duplicate rib and split it at the spar joint. Make a duplicate of the piece that goes in front of the spar. Remove the necessary material to fit the rear half of the new rib between the trailing edge material and the spar. Make sure you are centered and glue in place. Install the two forward rib halves between the front of the spar and the lead edge. They should be 1/4" apart and centered. This void will accommodate the 1/4" hardwood dowel used as part of the wing mount. Note: I suggest that you substitute the 1/8" x 1/8" balsa turbulators, in the center section only, with good quality spruce or even basswood. Use balsa for the tip panels per the plans. The success of the glider depends on light weight tip panels.
	Completed Center Sheeting This photo shows the completed sheeting over the center of the main wing panel. This is the only sheeting for the entire wing. The tubes for the spoiler actuation cords run out of the bottom of the center sheeting. They exit either side of the center rib and just behind the spar, about 1/2".
	Joiner Box This photo shows the completed joiner box for the center section. Note that end rib has not been opened to reveal the joiner box just yet. Do that after sanding the panels to just about finished and ready to cover. Be sure that you glue the end ribs in at the appropriate angle to ensure a good fit.Check this angle while sanding the ends and fine tune as necessary.
	Joiner Box Detail These photos show the completed joiner boxes. I have wrapped the joiner boxes with Kevlar tow for a little additional bursting strength. Note that the panels are sanded to near finished before completing the joiner blade fitting and installation. The fit of the joiner blade is important. You do not want any slop up or down. If you find that you have sanded too far, you can build up and edge or side of a blade with a thin skim of epoxy and slowly sand back down to a better fit. Note: It is a good idea to add a locating pin, made from a 1/8 dowel, toward the trailing edge of the wing joint. This will help with any twist themight occur during heavy loads.
	Fuselage Construction This photo shows the assembled fuselage sides with their doublers. I have three words for you, aliphatic, aliphatic, aliphatic. Use aliphatic resin when and where ever it is possible. Its dry weight is only 20% of wet weight, it sands nicely and the set up time is only about twenty minutes. Full cure over night. The key to making a really nice Mirage is low weight, so take the little extra time needed for aliphatic resin.
	Antenna Tube This photo shows the addition of an antenna tube. The tube allows for a cleaner radio installation and the extra weight is negligible. I have run the tube under the stiffeners that run vertical from the doublers to the tail.
	Bulkheads This photo shows the bulkheads in their appropriate positions. I have moved the F2 bulkhead forward to allow for the additional spoiler servo. I moved mine up 1/4". I could have gone a little more and still had plenty of room for the battery and receiver.
	Everything in it's Place All of the bulkheads and cross members have been installed. Time to start closing it up. I still need to cut the stringers and square off the tail. That will be done after the tail feathers have been tested for fit.
	Modified Bulkhead I created a new F3 bulkhead for my forward wing mount. I traced the bulkhead off the plans so that the top is a half circle that is just 1/8" from the inside of the canopy outline. I cut it from 1/4" birch plywood. The forward wing mount, is a 1/4" hole drilled just above the center of the wing's lead edge, per the plans. The three holes running across the bulkhead are for the pushrods on either side while the spoiler cord access is down the center. These three holes are 5/16". The pushrod holes are roughly in the same positions as the original holes with the spoiler cord access running down the center. Also, I installed a 1/4" birch plywood plate between the sides of the fuselage and under the trailing edge of the wing for a wing bolt mount.
	Canopy Tray The canopy tray needs to be fit just a bit. You will need to sand it down to fit. The sides should be about 1/32" short of the fuselage sides to allow for the thickness of the canopy.
	Wing Mounted These photos show how my wing mount fit together. First, make sure that the wing's center section sets correctly on the fuse.Sand the sides to achieve a good fit. It is important to keep the appropriate angle of attack. Temporarily mount the wing in its correct position and hold in place with rubber bands and tape. Use a long, sharpened 1/4" OD brass tube to drill a hole through the lead edge of the wing using the 1/4" hole in the bulkhead as a guide. The hole will open up into the1/4" wide void that was created in the center section of the wing by the two half ribs. Temporarily install the 1/4" wing mount dowel in the lead edge of the center section and put back on the fuselage. Install your tip panels and check the wing alignment. Make sure that the trailing edges of your wing tips are equal distance to the rear of the fuselage.When you are all lined up, take a piece masking tape and place it across the back of the center section down to the top of the fuselage to mark and hold its position. Drill a hole to accept a 1/4-20 bolt, through the wing and the mounting plate,in front of the trailing edge stock and down the center line. Remove the wing from the fuselage and tap the plywood mounting plate for a 1/4-20wing bolt. Carefully enlarge the hole in the wing so that you can push you wing bolt through the wing without having to work too hard. It is better to have ita little tight than a little loose.
	Wing Mount Dowel This is what your dowel should look like installed in the wing. Now that you have the mounting plate tapped, its time to glue in the dowel. Fill the 1/4" void in the center section with epoxy and micro balloons. Wrap plastic-wraparound your wing. This is to keep the wing from getting glued tothe fuselage. Push the dowel into the epoxy filled void. Some epoxy may ooze out through cracks.This is why you need to wrap your wing. Put the wingback on to the fuse and bolt it into position until the epoxy has set up. After the epoxy has set up, remove the center section and clean up any excess epoxy.
	Tail Grouping The construction of the tail is pretty straight forward. Use aliphatic resin to keep it light. It wouldn't be a bad idea to use some hardwood across the center spar of the stabilizer. Or, find some really hard balsa. Do not be afraid of the off-center tail and elevator. IT WORKS GREAT AS IT IS! I know it is hard to believe for some, but it flies beautifully the way it was designed. Keep it simple, keep it light, and you will have a great flying model that will last you for years to come. Good luck and good lift!