The middle stage of a Marie-type mode launcher is configured by sliding together a pair of reusable multi-wedge shaped mandrels which, when placed together in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the launcher, form a compound mandrel from which a TE.sub.20 rectangular to crossed TE.sub.20 rectangular stage may be electroformed. One mandrel has a first double wedge-shaped section that tapers from a rectangular open end (that joins with the rectangular output end of the first stage) to an edge that is effectively diagonally located between opposing vertices of intersecting surfaces of adjacent pairs of four tapered sections that form the `X`-shaped open output end of the middle stage. The taper of the first section is a dual taper, in directions parallel with the sides of the rectangular input end of the middle stage. The second mandrel is comprised of four symmetrically arranged multi-tapered finger sections each of which has a rectangularly-shaped open output end from three sides of which extend planar surfaces respectively tapering effectively to points that are coincident with the longer ones of parallel sides of the open rectangular end of the middle stage.
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