maxburg96

My Feedback: (1)

im wanting to make some skins and cover my balsa airplane. do i need to use balsa or can i use ply, basswood, etc. also is it better to use the thinnest stuff you can find like 1/32 as opposed to 1/16.

CafeenMan

What you use depends on how much strength the sheeting needs to contribute to the wing, whether the wing is foam core or balsa ribs and if ribs, how far they are spaced. Also depends on what size the plane is.

My preferred method is lots of closely spaced ribs and sheeted with contest balsa.

More details about what you are doing will get you a better answer.

FHHuber

Depends totally on what aircraft and how you plan to use it.

I took a slope glider, intended to have 3/32 balsa skin n the foam core by the kit instructions, and replaced the skin with 1/32 aircraft ply. (thinnner wing for more speed, stronger, same weight. I was happy)

I have seen a wing skinned in mohagany... BEAUTIFUL with the clear paint.

You just have to use the right thickness of the chosen material to get the necessary strength. (but the weight may be a problem... if you chose the wrong material...)

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

What are you building and is it inteded to fly? That would help to know. If you want to fly it, it has to be light and strong. Otherwise, it doesn't matter.

maxburg96

My Feedback: (1)

it is just a little 1/8th piper cub. its my first balsa airplane and im just experimenting. it is not going to fly, just sit there. i know that your not supposed to skin a cub but im gonna.

greenboot

My Feedback: (1)

For the best scale appearance, a Cub fuselage should not be skinned. There is no way to make balsa sheets form the complex curves of the steel tube truss which the Cub has.

Tom
Man WAS meant to fly. That's why we have credit cards.