Lee Liddle building instructions for the Falcon SSC, provided by
John Vaught, all photos taken by Johnny.
Building the Nose Assembly
1. Glue two pieces 3/16 x 2 x 4 plywood together to make 3/8 motor tongue (or use 3\8 ply)
2. Glue nose block to tongue. Rear of nose block should be flush with edge of tongue
3. Using the Carbon boom for alignment, glue the spar joiner to the rear of the nose block/tongue assembly. DO NOT
glue the boom in at this time.
4. Install four drywall screws into the assembly. Put 2 screws up from the bottom and 2 from the back. Drill 3/32 pilot
holes and countersink a recess with a 5/16-drill bit.
5. Make sure screws will go in flush. Remove screws and run thin CA into holes and then replace screws.
6. Front of tongue can be tapered to 45 degrees angle. This is good for an
extra 10mph top speed-J
Spar Assembly
1. Butt glue the spars together at the root.
2. Apply one 10" piece of glass cloth to the center of the rear side of the spar assembly
3. Drill the 5/16 hole for the boom 1 + 1/16 down from the top of the spar on the centerline.
4. Using 15 minute epoxy or slower, glue the nose block assembly to the front side of the spar assembly using the boom
to align the holes. Pull the boom out as soon as you have assembly clamped or held in place.
5. Cut two 9" strips of glass cloth. Install glass cloth to the front of each side overlapping it onto the spar joiner piece
about one inch. I do this by spraying a light coat of contact cement (3m 77 or similar) onto the glass only. While its tacky
I stick it in place. Then coat the glass with lots of CA. Sometimes I spray a little kicker to help it cure better.
6. Smooth up the glass cloth after the glue has set. 80 grit sandpaper works well.
Final Assembly of Wing
1. Sand a half round groove along the centerline of the root of the rear portion of the wing cores.
2. There are three small holes in the root. These should be the centerline of the groove.
3. Use apiece of ¼" dowel with course sandpaper wrapped around it to sand the groove. Hint: make light passes until
you get it going and then you can finish it. At this time, cut a small groove in the center of the Left wing core (white one)
at the front for the antenna wire. Use a Dremel tool to cut a 1\8" groove all the way to the end of the wing tip and later,
you can join it with the rectangle for the receiver \battery cut out to run the antenna down.
4. Slip the boom into place and trial fit the rear cores. If everything looks good you are ready to glue. The cores should
fit together and fit the spars with a little pressure needed to make a good glue joint.
5. Put a little Probond or similar polyurethane glue on the front of the boom and slip it into place.
6. Spray 3M77 or 3M 8074 on rear of one half of spar and front or the corresponding rear core. This should be just
enough to cover the surface. Do not get a thick build up. Run a bead of Probond down the groove in the core root.
7. Put the core in place while the glue is still tacky. This would be with in the first minute of spraying.
8. Spray the other core and spar. Also spray the roots of both cores and run a bead of Probond in the second core.
9. Tape all this stuff together with masking tape. Stretch the tape tightly across the root joint to hold it together.
10. Make notches in the Leading edge to clear the spar joiner pieces. Glue the leading edge in place by spraying 3M77.
Use Probond at the root to nose block joint. Stretch masking tape across the LE to hold in place.
11. Trim the rear edge of the wing cores by measuring back from the rear edge of the spar 10" at the root and 5"at the
tip. Trim with a straight edge and Xacto knife.
12. I use a 3\16" wood dowel for the Trailing Edge. Use White Glue ( Like regular Elmer's ) to install the T.E. and hold
it in place with masking tape. If the dowel is warped, and most are, glue it so the warp is straightened out by the foam.
Make sure the dowel doesn't cause the foam to warp up or down.
Finishing the Wing
Now is a good time to do some light work that will save you time at the end. If you use a Mag .15 engine, I suggest
cutting the holes for the servos a couple of inches forward of where shown on the drawing. Don't go so forward to get
into the spot for the Bladder on the right wing. Lay out all the holes in the wing and look it all over to check your layout.
Cut all the holes in the wing at this time. You will need 2 tight fitting spots for the servos. Lay your servos on the wing,
drew a fine line and cut 1\8"� INSIDE of that line. Cut the rectangle for the Receiver \ Battery and the slot for the
Bladder. Only make the rectangle for the rec\bat as deep as needed for your equipment ( the foam in the bottom gives
you some more strength in that area.)
Cut slots (small Xacto knife blade slots) joining the servo box to the radio box for the wires to run thru.. it is easier to do
now instead of after all the tape goes on put your servo in the wing before adding tape you can always put a small cut in
the tape if you need to change out the servo.
Now that you have a semi finished wing , you need to decide how much Armor you are going to use and how are you
going to cover the wing
Covering and Armor
If you want a very stiff wing, first cover it with thin paper, similar to lightweight Christmas wrapping paper. Apply this
with either thinned down wallpaper paste or the spray contact cement. This step is not really needed for SSC.
Do use Bi-directional filament tape. 3m calls it extra strength and it is sold at Office Depot. It is in the shipping box and
tape area, not the regular glue and tape area.
Use it on the Leading edge, Trailing edge, and wing tip. Clean the cores and blow off all dust. If you have a problem
with the tape sticking, shoot a mist of 3m 77 on the cores. It helps the tape stick. Lay out the tape on the top and fold it
down to the bottom in a nice, clean motion. I use a couple of rows on the Leading edge. One row on the Trailing edge.
Lay a couple of rows across the center section , top and bottom and make sure to get the trailing edge across the back
as this prevents the cores from separating in a sudden stop. This tape across the center sections don't have to be but 8
to 12 inches long¦
To fuel proof, use either econocote type covering or Zaggi tape. Any of the low heat foam safe coverings will work. You
could also cover with Rip Stop Nylon applied with water based polyurethane but it adds a couple of ounces to the total
weight of the plane. Cover it with any process that gives you the fuel proofing you need and some color to aid in seeing
your plane. Zaggi tape can be heat shrunk with a heat gun or iron. This stiffens the wing and smooths the covering.
Elevon Hinge and Fin Installation
Hinge the elevons with very sticky clear packaging tape, Zaggi tape or Bi- Directional filament tape. I center the hinge
instead of using the zaggi type hinges which only use the top surface of the wing. Use the tried and true monocote
hinging method only with tape this is a drawing of its use on a aileron use it on your elevons
Fin Installation
The tip fins are installed just like a Zaggi. That procedure is as follows: With 3\4" strapping tape (filament tape), run a
piece thru the slots in the fin and wrap onto the top and bottom of the wing.
The top slot in the fin lines up with the top of the wing. Line up the front of the fin with the Leading edge of the wing.
Add one more piece of tape to the front of the fin, wrapped from the Leading edge to the fin, pulled tight.
The center fin is assembled as follows: Remove one flute from the bottom of the fin as shown in the drawing. Use 3 or 4
small wire ties to secure the fin to the aluminum tube. Leave about 3\4" of the tube extending in front of the fin. Rough
up the aluminum tube with rough sandpaper so that glue will stick to it. After the wire ties are secure, run some thin or
medium CA on the joint between the fin and the tube. Make sure you don't get any glue in the tube.
Make 2 thin slots in the front of the tube about 3\4" long with a Dremel cut off wheel or something similar.
Use a small #4 hose clamp to secure the fin assembly to the carbon boom on the wing.Do Not over tighten the clamp
and crack the boom.
Note to original instructions: Lee has suggested putting another carbon shaft into the larger carbon boom to keep it from
cracking or breaking off in a Mid-Air or crash. If you can't find a carbon shaft, a wood dowel will work. Insert with a
little epoxy or pro-bond polyurethane glue.
Radio Installation
I use a removable antenna that stays with the plane .. If you don't have one of those.. Join the slot you cut in the front of
the Left rear wing core to the receiver \ battery box and run your antenna out the left wing , all the way to the tip.. pull it
out and lay it on top of the wing before you tape the fin on put the antenna right behind the spar for added protection.
Put several layers of Bi-directional tape underneath the radio cut-out to protect the RX and Battery.
Make a cover for the RX and Battery out of 4 mill coroplast and mount it flush with the wing, mount the switch in the
center of the cover. Hold the cover in place with clear tape or filament tape.
The RX and Battery sit side by side with the servo wires coming out the back of the radio box.
The servos are mounted flat on their side. I cut the mounting lugs off the case and just use a tight fit and tape to hold in
plane. You can leave on the lugs and cut slots to fit them. If they loosen up, I use a pop-sickle stick or a small piece of
basswood to shim them tight. ¦Tape back over them with clear tape or Zaggi tape.
Balance points and Control Movement Measurements
The CG should be between 2.25 and 2.5 inches back from the LE of the Wing. Any further back than that , and you are
on your own. Beware that wings get very pitch sensitive with far back CG measurements so make sure you are capable
of handling the plane safely.
Set the Elevons in line with the bottom of the airfoil for neutral.
Control movements for Roll should be about 40 degrees total.
Control movements for Pitch should be lots less, about 5 to 10 degrees, total.
This will vary according to where you have the cg placed, more forward cg means more pitch control is needed, reverse
applies to rearward cg placement, less pitch throw is needed.
I set mine up where it will do 2 to 3 full control loops before it stalls and mushes out. If set up correctly, this plane will
never have a snap roll. It just mushes out and quits flying until you let go of the sticks and let it get some speed back
again.
John Vaught, all photos taken by Johnny.
Building the Nose Assembly
1. Glue two pieces 3/16 x 2 x 4 plywood together to make 3/8 motor tongue (or use 3\8 ply)
2. Glue nose block to tongue. Rear of nose block should be flush with edge of tongue
3. Using the Carbon boom for alignment, glue the spar joiner to the rear of the nose block/tongue assembly. DO NOT
glue the boom in at this time.
4. Install four drywall screws into the assembly. Put 2 screws up from the bottom and 2 from the back. Drill 3/32 pilot
holes and countersink a recess with a 5/16-drill bit.
5. Make sure screws will go in flush. Remove screws and run thin CA into holes and then replace screws.
6. Front of tongue can be tapered to 45 degrees angle. This is good for an
extra 10mph top speed-J
Spar Assembly
1. Butt glue the spars together at the root.
2. Apply one 10" piece of glass cloth to the center of the rear side of the spar assembly
3. Drill the 5/16 hole for the boom 1 + 1/16 down from the top of the spar on the centerline.
4. Using 15 minute epoxy or slower, glue the nose block assembly to the front side of the spar assembly using the boom
to align the holes. Pull the boom out as soon as you have assembly clamped or held in place.
5. Cut two 9" strips of glass cloth. Install glass cloth to the front of each side overlapping it onto the spar joiner piece
about one inch. I do this by spraying a light coat of contact cement (3m 77 or similar) onto the glass only. While its tacky
I stick it in place. Then coat the glass with lots of CA. Sometimes I spray a little kicker to help it cure better.
6. Smooth up the glass cloth after the glue has set. 80 grit sandpaper works well.
Final Assembly of Wing
1. Sand a half round groove along the centerline of the root of the rear portion of the wing cores.
2. There are three small holes in the root. These should be the centerline of the groove.
3. Use apiece of ¼" dowel with course sandpaper wrapped around it to sand the groove. Hint: make light passes until
you get it going and then you can finish it. At this time, cut a small groove in the center of the Left wing core (white one)
at the front for the antenna wire. Use a Dremel tool to cut a 1\8" groove all the way to the end of the wing tip and later,
you can join it with the rectangle for the receiver \battery cut out to run the antenna down.
4. Slip the boom into place and trial fit the rear cores. If everything looks good you are ready to glue. The cores should
fit together and fit the spars with a little pressure needed to make a good glue joint.
5. Put a little Probond or similar polyurethane glue on the front of the boom and slip it into place.
6. Spray 3M77 or 3M 8074 on rear of one half of spar and front or the corresponding rear core. This should be just
enough to cover the surface. Do not get a thick build up. Run a bead of Probond down the groove in the core root.
7. Put the core in place while the glue is still tacky. This would be with in the first minute of spraying.
8. Spray the other core and spar. Also spray the roots of both cores and run a bead of Probond in the second core.
9. Tape all this stuff together with masking tape. Stretch the tape tightly across the root joint to hold it together.
10. Make notches in the Leading edge to clear the spar joiner pieces. Glue the leading edge in place by spraying 3M77.
Use Probond at the root to nose block joint. Stretch masking tape across the LE to hold in place.
11. Trim the rear edge of the wing cores by measuring back from the rear edge of the spar 10" at the root and 5"at the
tip. Trim with a straight edge and Xacto knife.
12. I use a 3\16" wood dowel for the Trailing Edge. Use White Glue ( Like regular Elmer's ) to install the T.E. and hold
it in place with masking tape. If the dowel is warped, and most are, glue it so the warp is straightened out by the foam.
Make sure the dowel doesn't cause the foam to warp up or down.
Finishing the Wing
Now is a good time to do some light work that will save you time at the end. If you use a Mag .15 engine, I suggest
cutting the holes for the servos a couple of inches forward of where shown on the drawing. Don't go so forward to get
into the spot for the Bladder on the right wing. Lay out all the holes in the wing and look it all over to check your layout.
Cut all the holes in the wing at this time. You will need 2 tight fitting spots for the servos. Lay your servos on the wing,
drew a fine line and cut 1\8"� INSIDE of that line. Cut the rectangle for the Receiver \ Battery and the slot for the
Bladder. Only make the rectangle for the rec\bat as deep as needed for your equipment ( the foam in the bottom gives
you some more strength in that area.)
Cut slots (small Xacto knife blade slots) joining the servo box to the radio box for the wires to run thru.. it is easier to do
now instead of after all the tape goes on put your servo in the wing before adding tape you can always put a small cut in
the tape if you need to change out the servo.
Now that you have a semi finished wing , you need to decide how much Armor you are going to use and how are you
going to cover the wing
Covering and Armor
If you want a very stiff wing, first cover it with thin paper, similar to lightweight Christmas wrapping paper. Apply this
with either thinned down wallpaper paste or the spray contact cement. This step is not really needed for SSC.
Do use Bi-directional filament tape. 3m calls it extra strength and it is sold at Office Depot. It is in the shipping box and
tape area, not the regular glue and tape area.
Use it on the Leading edge, Trailing edge, and wing tip. Clean the cores and blow off all dust. If you have a problem
with the tape sticking, shoot a mist of 3m 77 on the cores. It helps the tape stick. Lay out the tape on the top and fold it
down to the bottom in a nice, clean motion. I use a couple of rows on the Leading edge. One row on the Trailing edge.
Lay a couple of rows across the center section , top and bottom and make sure to get the trailing edge across the back
as this prevents the cores from separating in a sudden stop. This tape across the center sections don't have to be but 8
to 12 inches long¦
To fuel proof, use either econocote type covering or Zaggi tape. Any of the low heat foam safe coverings will work. You
could also cover with Rip Stop Nylon applied with water based polyurethane but it adds a couple of ounces to the total
weight of the plane. Cover it with any process that gives you the fuel proofing you need and some color to aid in seeing
your plane. Zaggi tape can be heat shrunk with a heat gun or iron. This stiffens the wing and smooths the covering.
Elevon Hinge and Fin Installation
Hinge the elevons with very sticky clear packaging tape, Zaggi tape or Bi- Directional filament tape. I center the hinge
instead of using the zaggi type hinges which only use the top surface of the wing. Use the tried and true monocote
hinging method only with tape this is a drawing of its use on a aileron use it on your elevons
Fin Installation
The tip fins are installed just like a Zaggi. That procedure is as follows: With 3\4" strapping tape (filament tape), run a
piece thru the slots in the fin and wrap onto the top and bottom of the wing.
The top slot in the fin lines up with the top of the wing. Line up the front of the fin with the Leading edge of the wing.
Add one more piece of tape to the front of the fin, wrapped from the Leading edge to the fin, pulled tight.
The center fin is assembled as follows: Remove one flute from the bottom of the fin as shown in the drawing. Use 3 or 4
small wire ties to secure the fin to the aluminum tube. Leave about 3\4" of the tube extending in front of the fin. Rough
up the aluminum tube with rough sandpaper so that glue will stick to it. After the wire ties are secure, run some thin or
medium CA on the joint between the fin and the tube. Make sure you don't get any glue in the tube.
Make 2 thin slots in the front of the tube about 3\4" long with a Dremel cut off wheel or something similar.
Use a small #4 hose clamp to secure the fin assembly to the carbon boom on the wing.Do Not over tighten the clamp
and crack the boom.
Note to original instructions: Lee has suggested putting another carbon shaft into the larger carbon boom to keep it from
cracking or breaking off in a Mid-Air or crash. If you can't find a carbon shaft, a wood dowel will work. Insert with a
little epoxy or pro-bond polyurethane glue.
Radio Installation
I use a removable antenna that stays with the plane .. If you don't have one of those.. Join the slot you cut in the front of
the Left rear wing core to the receiver \ battery box and run your antenna out the left wing , all the way to the tip.. pull it
out and lay it on top of the wing before you tape the fin on put the antenna right behind the spar for added protection.
Put several layers of Bi-directional tape underneath the radio cut-out to protect the RX and Battery.
Make a cover for the RX and Battery out of 4 mill coroplast and mount it flush with the wing, mount the switch in the
center of the cover. Hold the cover in place with clear tape or filament tape.
The RX and Battery sit side by side with the servo wires coming out the back of the radio box.
The servos are mounted flat on their side. I cut the mounting lugs off the case and just use a tight fit and tape to hold in
plane. You can leave on the lugs and cut slots to fit them. If they loosen up, I use a pop-sickle stick or a small piece of
basswood to shim them tight. ¦Tape back over them with clear tape or Zaggi tape.
Balance points and Control Movement Measurements
The CG should be between 2.25 and 2.5 inches back from the LE of the Wing. Any further back than that , and you are
on your own. Beware that wings get very pitch sensitive with far back CG measurements so make sure you are capable
of handling the plane safely.
Set the Elevons in line with the bottom of the airfoil for neutral.
Control movements for Roll should be about 40 degrees total.
Control movements for Pitch should be lots less, about 5 to 10 degrees, total.
This will vary according to where you have the cg placed, more forward cg means more pitch control is needed, reverse
applies to rearward cg placement, less pitch throw is needed.
I set mine up where it will do 2 to 3 full control loops before it stalls and mushes out. If set up correctly, this plane will
never have a snap roll. It just mushes out and quits flying until you let go of the sticks and let it get some speed back
again.
