PA44Capt

I have an extra 300 that has a built up wing that is sheeted from the spar forward but has open bays behind the spar. I much preferr the look of sheeted wings when they're all finished. Can I simply take 1/16" ply and cover the wing on both sides? If so, what is the best method for making the curve around the leading edge? Would the best method simply be to soak a portion of ply and bend it around the curve? Thanks for your suggestions.

seanreit

My Feedback: (60)

Bad idea to sheet with ply. What exactly are you haveing a problem with with the open bays? It's not that it's a problem sheeting the whole wing, but typically not needed with plastic covering. As far as the leading edge, typically you need to put a big honking thick piece of balsa stock up there and sand it to shape.

See this thread on a jet I recently built:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_20..._isobar/tm.htm

seanreit

My Feedback: (60)

Oh, and if you decide to sheet the whole thing and the plane is small, use very thin balsa, like 1/16 by 3". Got any pictures?

saramos

You can sheet the wing if you want, but 1/16" ply would not be a good sheeting material for several reasons. First, it is a heavy material. Second, it is more difficult to sand. It is also more difficult to work with. If you are really set on using ply, use 1/64" ply.

Overall, balsa is a better choice for sheeting. It's light and easy to work with. 1/16" balsa is a good choice for sheeting wings. Glue 3" sheets together to make a sheet large enough for the area you are sheeting and sand the sheet smooth before attaching it to the wing. If your wing is designed for capstrips, and you want to sheet instead, choose a balsa that is the same thickness as the original capstrips and omit the capstrips. If your wing is not designed for capstrips, you will need to find a way to accomodate the thickenss of the sheeting without changing the shape of the wing. Most planes that have sheeted wings will have a fiberglass and paint finish instead of plastic covering.

The choice of sheeted wings is more common on scale aircraft where the scale finish is more important than weight. Sport planes use open bays to keep weight down and performance up.

Scott

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

The easiest thing to do (If the wing uses Cap Strips) is to sheet with the same thickness balsa as the cap strips (Instead of using the cap strips)