www.mountainmodels.com

Has anyone built any of the mountain models kits? How is the quality? I am somewhat interested in the cub. It looks like they have all of the parts on their site to complete the plane.

I've built the Flashback and Switchback. Both very easy to build and well designed. Can't vouch for the Cub. Take a look at ezonemag.com for lots of info on MM.

I've built a couple of the Switchbacks. Great kits. Mostly just lay out the parts which are laser-cut and hit 'em with CyA. My son has built the other kits, says the same is true of them all.

What is a good covering to use on these? I was thinking about Sig's aerokote lite? Has anyone used it? Is solite good? The color options seem to be limited with solite.

I've used Solite. It's easy to use if you're careful not to let it double back on itself - it clings and it's hard to get unstuck. Other than that it goes on easily and shrinks up well.

Don't know anything about Aerokote light.

As to Mountain Models kits, I've built the Dandy with the sport wing, the GT wing for it, and the foam wing for it. I'm currently building a Magpie AP. I have nothing but high praise for their kits and manuals.

BobbyG

I assembled their Dandy GT kit, it came with clear covering material and was the first "kit" I put together. It was a well layed out kit, easy to follow instructions and great phone support. Hope this helps with your decision, be well.

I'll echo the other posts on covering. Solite has the consistency of Saran wrap. Very thin and almost translucent; you can see through the opaque colors to some extent. I've also used Ultracote Lite and like it. Any "Lite" covering should work just fine.

does any one know where to get doculam? I have heard it works well for the light/electric type models. The only problem there is you wouldn't get to choose your color.

Don't know if it's still the case, but Mountain Models used to send enough doculam to cover a model with each order. The company has changed hands since then, so I don't know if that's still the case. I believe doculam can be painted.

I opted to go with Solite anyway. I had not covered a model since the old tissue and dope days when I flew control line as a kid. I had read that Solite is hard to work with. Don't believe all you hear. It's not as thin and clingy as Saran wrap - but if you get careless and let it get static and start clinging to itself you'll have a tough time.

I took care to work with it when I was free of static, not rubbing it too much to get it charged up. I also cut what I needed and laid it flat, color side down, with the backing still on it.

Once it was flat I peeled the backing off and left it laying flat. Then I'd lay the piece to be covered over it and start tacking one edge. After that it's easy to pick it up slowly and let it drape itself over the piece, to be handled with care and tacked in place the rest of the way.

Read some of the threads on it - there's one for the "Solite impaired." Look for posts from Martin Hunter who has done some absolutely masterful designs with it. It's good stuff. A Cub should look good in it, even if it is a bit translucent.

Hope this helps,

BobbyG

As far as I can tell, Mountain Models is a real favorite among those who want to build a "parkflyer size" plane out of wood. You do not hear negative comments about them...