rsabast

Eindekker -

For scale planes of 1/5 scale or larger I have been using the pink hairsetting tape with good success. The surface finish is a little 'bumpy' - but a couple coats of nitrate dope with light sanding between coats fills it in nicely and looks right.

I think the British WWI planes of that era used tapes with frayed edges - cut from fabric with the long direction threads pulled out - like a rug with a open yarn end. For super-scale, you could do this, but I think it would be a real challenge. I have also used strips of tracing paper or silkspan tissue, cut with the serrated cutter from a Saran or foil wrap box. Mount the cutter on a stick of wood and pull the paper up - making finely pinked edges. Those smaller pinks look more scale, even on 1/4 scale planes. I dampen the tissue before doping in place - makes it snug down over the stiches better.

In the past I've had good luck with two methods for making stiches. You can apply small stiches of RC-56 or yellow glue with a syringe. I use a flexible ruler and mark the locations on each rib with a pencil, then apply the little dashes of glue. The hairsetting tape goes over that.

For undercambered ribs I have used a long needle and heavy thread and actually stiched the fabric to the wing rib. Down through the top and up from the bottom. A dot of thin CA locks the stiches and knots in place. Again, I use a ruler to mark off where I want them.

I agree with mudpup, it does look good when done.