drorso

Looking for reccomendations on covering 1/4 scale Balsa USA Sopwith Pup. Balsa USA reccomends on SOLARTEX. Are there any alternatives?

mogman

You can cover it in anything you wish. Plastic covering(monocote etc.) does not look right on a WW1 plane. I would go with solartex or coverite and paint, or Nelson lite fabric, etc.
Solartex will req. a coat of clear to stop it from staining etc. from oil and fuel

Cheers, Dave.

Panzlflyer

My Feedback: (15)

somethings up with coverite these days...try one of the others imo

Safebet

My Feedback: (12)

Solartex is very user friendly. It goes on easily around curves, shrinks well. Can be purchased in different colors. I like and use Solartex.

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

I second Safebet on Solartex. Not only is it easy to use, but it will take any kind of paint or dope you like. Top notch stuff.

papermache

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Solartex is great. Looks good, easy to apply. My second choice for any plane.

My first choice is Koverall/ dope. Can't beat it.

sscherin

My Feedback: (1)

I've had good luck with polyester dress lining.. it's 45" or 60" wide and $2-3$ a yard depending on what kind of sale you can find.

Attach it balsa rite, stix it, dope or Minway Polycryllic.. whatever method works best with your finishing system.

It shrinks with heat and goes around almost any curve.

If you go with Polycryllic wet out an inch or two of any edged to be trimmed so it won't fray when you cut it.. then iron down the cut edge.. after a few more coats of poly you won't know the edge is there.
It will sag between coats of poly but a little heat after it dries brings it right back.

Mode One

There is nothing wrong with Super Coverite! It is cheaper then Solartex and maybe only very slightly less easy to use. Although I have never used Solartex, Super Coverite is so easy to use and goes around compound curves so easily I will not believe Solartex to be that much better. Super Coverite is only avalible in the Antique Linen color which closely matches the natural undersides of the wings on a British aircraft of the Great War (The Pup). A couple coats of nitrate dope and it is ready for paint.

I think Solartex has dropped the PC-10 color (which didn't look very PC-10 to me anyway) so, even if this is what decide to use, you will be left with painting.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Solartex is outstanding to use. Easy to work with and after I finish the plane I set it out in the sun for an hour or two then bring it back inside and tighten it back up then do it again. After that I like to put on the clear coat. By doing that it never sags or wrinkles out in the sun or heat. Really good stuff!!!!!!!

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

Ditto!

robert85614

I was given a covering cutter (used) topflite Smartcut.
How does it work?

ecmiller

Here is a picture of my 1/3 scale Pup covered in Olive Drab Solartex. You cannot beat the stuff. Excellent adhesion to the under camber of the wings.

bps

My Feedback: (3)

I am using Sig Koveral and love it on my 1/4 Cub. It is the easiest covering to use I have ever tried. Just finished a Dr-1 with Solartex and acrylic latex and that was great. Using the Koveral, a latex wood sealer and Sig Stickxit is a wonderful way to finish a plane. I can give more information when I return from a trip to Tulane this week if you would like.
JEB

CanDo

I agree, Solartex is a "Safebet"...sorry! I've used Monokote, Towerkote, Ultracote, tissue, polyspan, etc and nothing is easier to use than Solartex. It works great on my Pup! After covering, I sprayed Minwax Polycrylic "clear satin" over the entire plane, including the decals for easy clean up.

Mode One

All of the top experts are in agreement. Solartex is the ONLY stuff to use!