Wizard (oz14028)

About this Plan

Wizard. Radio control slope soarer model. Wingspan 48-1/4 in, wing area 384 sq in. For 2 channels.

Quote: "A vest pocket slope soarer. Wizard, by Bob Cook.

WHEN I set out to design and build the Wizard, I had many specific goals in mind. The most important of these was to make a glider that would build easily in a minimum of time. Next it had to be very inexpensive, using few parts and simple construction techniques. At the same time, it was to offer high performance in all areas of slope soaring. I wanted a 'one-design' plane for club events, which might consist of ribbon-cutting combat, pylon racing, aerobatics, or whatever one's imagination can dream up. The glider would have to be strong enough to withstand the rigors of the many demanding aspects of slope soaring. With such a small investment of time and money, I hope to interest many of the thermal pilots in giving slope gliding a try.

The use of foam wings makes construction fast, while the all-balsa fuselage and tail parts keep the assembly easy. With its 4-foot wingspan, this is a relatively small glider that's easy to transport. A low-cost two-channel radio is all that's required and there's ample room for standard-size servos. Some 1/8 balsa sheet stock is used to make the most of the parts, so it's not necessary to buy a lot of sizes of wood.

Construction: Before I get into the step-by-step procedure, I'd like to go into a few construction notes.

The glider builds quickly. An adept modeler should be able to complete it over the weekend, while an average builder will be in for no more than a week's work.

If you have access to a foam cutter, by all means make up a set of templates and cut out your own wings. This will really keep the cost down since the required foam costs only about fifty cents! You should expect to pay from ten to fifteen dollars for commercially cut wings.

I suggest that you make cardboard or See-Temp templates for all of the wood parts to facilitate easy replacement in the event of damage. The serious slope flier might consider building two or three Wizards at the same time, so a spare plane is always handy at the slope in the event of a mishap. The radio gear can be easily transferred from one plane to another in a matter of minutes.

In a further effort to save money, the entire glider can be painted with any paint you have around. The plane is going to take a beating, so don't waste extra time or money on the finish. Any of the plastic coverings can also be used as a finishing material. These look good but can cost a bit more than paint. Either way, use bright colors for good visibility and use a pattern that will make it easy to distinguish the top of the plane from the bottom.

Now let's get into the wing construction:

1. Make airfoil templates and cut out the wing cores. (You can have the wing cores made commercially.)
2. Butt-join the wing skins to make sheets that are wide enough to cover the foam wing cores.
3. Bond the wing skins to the wing cores using a suitable adhesive. (Some adhesives will damage the foam.)
4. Epoxy the wing halves together. There is no dihedral.
5. Glue on the leading edge pieces and carve and sand to shape.
6. Glue on the wing rear cap pieces and sand to the airfoil contour.
7. Prepare the torque tube linkages and install them along with the center trailing edge piece..."

Wizard, MAN, July 1985.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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