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The feather glider, shown in plate, if made according
to directions, will be both sturdy and easy to fly. Launching the
glider by shooting it up with a rubber band provides plenty of power.
Feathers
The first thing to do is to provide
the feathers. In most cases these large turkey feathers may be secured
at the meat or poultry markets, at least during the holiday season.
Only large, even-shaped feathers should be chosen. If necessary,
the shape may be changed by pressing the feathers with a hot iron.
Three of these large feathers will be needed for this plane.
Keel
With the feathers provided, the next
thing to do is to shape up the keel according to the sizes shown
in plate. The material should be some light, tough wood, such as
white pine or basswood. The length of the keel should equal the
combined length of the two wings when fastened in place. Painting
or staining the keel a bright red or yellow before the wings are
fastened in place will greatly add to the appearance of the finished
plane.
Wings
The two longest feathers that form
the wings of the plane are held in place by the tin clips shown
at A in plate. This clip is cut and shaped so that the quills of
the two long feathers fit tightly in their places. The clip is held
in place on the keel by wrappings of fine thread. After wrapping
the thread evenly it should be covered with a light layer of glue
to keep it from unwinding.
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