I am about to cover the wing on my LT-40. I would like to try the two color scheme, i.e. Black and White. I will cover from the main spar to the TE with white, then from the Main spar to the LE with BLack. My question is this, should I join the two pieces of Monokote before applying, or apply the white then the black. If the latter, any advice on maintaining a straight seam.

Also, when bubbles form, is there some way to get them out?

May I make a suggestion on your color choice, stick with brighter colors, red, yellow, orange. Black and white suprisingly look the same at a distance. Oh and use one color on top and a contrasting color on the bottom.

I thought about that, but I like the color scheme that SIG shows. I figured that I could add checks to the underside to aid in deermining the position of the plane.

Covering is applied from bottom to top, rear to front of the plane. That way all seams face down and to the rear of the plane.

So bottom white, bottom black, top white, top black.

Or bottom white, top white, bottom black, top black

Both methods are basically the same thing in this case.

For some complex schemes with multiple colors, you can join the Monokote pieces on the bench. A large piece of glass works nicely.

When you apply the Monokote to the structure, pull out as many wrinkles as possible as you tack it down around the edges. Lift and restick where necessary.

When it comes to shrinking, use a piece of wet, rolled-up paper towel over the joint, and it won't come apart when you get near it. Real careful work will produce a dazzling result.

If you're talking about bubbles over a solid surface use a wood pecker first and you won't have a problem.

Actually, I did use a woodpecker first. Unfortuatly, I had a temporary brain malfunction and sealed the perimeter before i finished sealing the solid surface. Ended up with one bubble mid way along the aileron. That will teach me to try and talk to the wife and work on my model at the same time.

I am covering a LT 40 for a friend actualy

for the wings I use a two color scheme, the color transition is done at the main spar.
I don't recomend you to seal your two covering pieces together before aplying on the plane.

. first apply the lightest color, then the darkest one and use the all surface of the spar for the seal.
cover the the two wingtips first (like the book call for)
when I have bubles i simply use a pin to make a hole in the buble and then i iron the area

my suggestion is to first iron the bottom of the wing and then the top.

Here is a logical order of putting on the covering.

I wish I could make drawings like you minnflyer

your drawing reveal exactly what I try to explain with my poor english

You've received some good advise here, but the black & white covering worries me.

It always looks good in photos, but when it's up a few hundred and out the same, it tends to all look the same.

Here's what I do to my wing bottoms to help. The top/fuse/tail feathers still look like the magazine, but when it's up, you can really tell what it's doing.



Put some color on the bottom, I think it will help.

As far as the bubblies...I just pop them with a pin and iron them down....looks good from a few feet away!

I have black on one wing and white on the other. As long as you know which is which you can see it a long way off.

http://www.airfieldmodels.com/my_stik_30.htm

Now if it's on the same with as trim, then I would see that as a problem.

Yea, I don't have a problem with black & white either. To me it's way more important to have contrasting colors, and there ain't much more contrast than B&W.

I've seen white planes look black against a flat gray sky. Today my yellow plane looked black at one point because of a slightly over cast sky.

rc_sport - Almost any color can blend in depending on what the sky is like on any given day. I don't think there is any color that will always be highly visible in the sky. You just have to choose what will be visible most of the time.

Sometimes white looks invisible as you say, but if there is a contrasting color you should be able to see it and know the invisible part is the rest of the model.

PS. A lot of times there is no way I would know which way the plane was going if it weren't going the way I told it to. At that point I just have to trust it's going where I commanded it.

You took the words right outta my mouth. In fact, my next plane is going to be mostly B&W with some Metallic Gold, and the top will be almost identical to the bottom. If I didn't know that it would be where I put it, I'd be in trouble. It's definitely NOT a beginners color scheme.

I'll post pics in about a week of the real thing, but for now, here's what I'm doing.

MinnFlier, I notice there is very little difference between the upper and lower wing, won't it be difficult to determine the orientation of the plane in flight?

I question this, as I wanted to make my upper and lower wing black and white but feel that perhaps there should be some difference between the two. I used to fly alot when I was younger, and am just getting back into the hobby with my son. I am sure he will see the plane fine, but my eyes are not what they used to be

Yes, they SHOULD be different in most cases. I was pointing out the fact that, (like CafeenMan said) I know which way my plane is going, because I put it there.

Most of my planes are not "Self Correcting" they go where I point them, and I have been flying long enough to be constantly aware of what attitude my plane is in because I know where I pointed it so to speak.

This color scheme is not good practice, and I would strongly discourage a novice from using anything similar, but this is going to be a "Mascot" type show plane, and after months of working on variations of my regular scheme, (which is highly visible) I decided to throw caution to the wind and go with this design simply because it worked well with the theme.

On scheme to avoid is the up-down checkerboard.

By that I mean let's say you decide to make one wing Blue and the other Wing yellow. Very easy to see right? Well, don't make the bottom of the blue wing yellow and vice versa. if you do that you won't know which side is up. Yes, a plane can be inverted and other than the fact it's diving for the ground, it can be hard to tell at even a moderate distance.

For a trainer, all that glinty stuff and stripes don't really help much. I recommend you make one wing a darker color and the other wing a lite color - same color top and bottom.

Problem with stripes and such all over the wings is that it looks like it should be visible but it usually all blends together in the air.

Hope all that made sense. If not just say so and I'll try to explain it better.

Here's one of my favorite color schemes. It has good contrast of both top and bottom as well as contrasting colors on each side.

That is... the top is mostly white with a broad blue band and red wingtips. This can be seen for miles.

The bottom also has the red wigtips with some white inboard of them so they stand out, but the bottom is mostly blue, so you can easily distinguish the top from the bottom.

My favored color scheme (for sailplanes) is transparent yellow with a red-orange left wingtip and a green-blue right wingtip. Sailplanes can be specked out and this color scheme is very visible (the trans yellow looks almost fluorescent at altitude) and the red/right wingtip helps with orientation. It also helps to put the aluminized mylar holographic tape on the leading edge; the flash helps to spot the bird while circling in a thermal.

For my powered planes, I tend to like a yellow wing top with a red or blue wing bottom. Contrast is the key. I tend to favor yellow because it is "minus yellow" on the color wheel.

I appreciate all the input. You all make very good points, and I believe that I will find good contrasting colors to do both the top and bottom of the wing.

MinnFlyer, your color schemes look great, but a bit too complicated for me at the moment. Just getting back to kit building, and this is my first time using Monokote. I am not doing too badly, but for a couple of bubbles on the stabilizer and one aileron, I am pretty pleased with my first attempt. It is a bit easier than covering with tissue or fiberglass and resin they way I did when I was a kid.

Also, I must say that this forum has been a great help. I have learned alot and hope to continue my education. I can't wait to get in the air, but Have alot to go before I do. Don't want to rush the build out only to have the plane re-kit itslef on the maiden voyage.

VK, next time, use Ultracote. It's much more user friendly.

MinnFlyer,

I am also attempting my first covering job.

The scheme you posted above, do you cover the entire surface in white then place trim over that or are the areas of trim(blue and red) actually placed on the wood structure? I'm finishing a Venture 60 and the wing is mostly not sheeted so I'm not sure where the covering would then be attached.

Also, in covering the wing, should I run the iron over each rib after shrinking or will ironing at the periphery and subsequent heat gun and glove be enough?

Thanks