Paper Circus (oz15658)

About this Plan

Paper Circus. Free flight glider model. Wingspan 6 in.

Quote: "This Paper Circus is certainly one that the famed Red Baron would not recognize. However, his arch rival 'Snoopy' would recognize it, I'm sure. These gliders have provided me with many hours of fun, all on very short notice. A rainy afternoon could be used to build a whole squadron or your own flying circus, what's more, they fly pretty well, even inside the house.

BUILDING MATERIALS: Let's begin by finding a supply of the proper type of cardboard or stiff paper needed for the wing and tail. Where to look? Start by digging out that stack of old Christmas cards stowed in the hall closet. Maybe Uncle George works in an office, he could bring home some of those old file cards and folders that are usually thrown out. Check the magazines around the house (the covers of some are made of stiff paper and many contain subscription cards that are just right).

Got your cardboard? OK, next we need some glue. The white liquid glue is perfect. This comes in many brand names. Eimer's Glue-All, Sear's Craftsman, and Titebond are some names that come quickly to mind. The regular model airplane Cements will work just fine even though they do smell up the house. The cements made for plastic models are probably a poor choice. If in doubt, Just give it a try.

Now we need some wood for the body or fuselage. A nice clean popsicle stick or a tongue depressor will supply enough stock for two or three gliders. Balsa wood can be easily sanded to shape, but my favorite is a strip or two of spruce from the local hobby shop. Just one thing more - we need some ballast or weight for the nose. The old standby is a glob of clay. I like to wrap a piece of solder around the nose. No clay or solder handy? Well you could use a bobby pin or maybe a wire brad could be held in place by wrapping it with thread and glue. Be careful though or your glider could become a dangerous dart. Always keep the nose well rounded. Safety first of course.

BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS: STEP NO.1: it is important to keep the grain of the cardboard in line with the arrows on the plans. There is a simple way to check which way the grain runs in a piece of cardboard. Fold the cardboard. A smooth crease or fold means that the grain runs in the direction of the fold. A rough crease shows that the cardboard was folded across the grain instead of with it. Mark the cardboard with an arrow if you like.

STEP NO.2: Place the cardboard under the pattern for the wing. With a straight pin, punch little holes through the wimg pattern into the cardboard. Mark each corner and the center line. These holes can now be connected using a ruler and a pencil to draw the wing outline. Cut out the wing. Don't cut the center line. The dashed line shows where to fold the wing. The tail is made the same way. This method is a good one for transferring patterns of any future models..."

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