Hi guys,

Having just finished my first year in RC, I had a question on covering an SE5a kit I am ready to build. I am new to the hobby, but have been building wood and plastic models for years. The kit is from HobbyHanger and I'd like to cover it with something that looks like canvas. I read somewhere about a covering that probably would fit my bill. I just can't remember what it was called. This is a semi-scale kit and will be for me to fly for myself. It doesn't have to be "show quality" covering, just something fairly easy to deal with.

I think I found the one I was thinking about. Hobby-Lobby Int.'s SuperFabric. Has anyone used this? Can it be painted?

Perhaps Super Coverite (from Hangar 9)????

Jerry

Thanks Jerry, I check that too. Have you used it?

Yes, and it gives the plane a nice fabric appearance. A bit slow to apply as the covering material keeps the heat (and therefore the glue doesn't cool as fast as other iron-on coverings. Takes a lot of heat to shrink....but is well worth it (IMHO)....

Jerry

That's what I needed to know. That sounds like what I will use.



Thanks again for the tips!

Claude" Hopper" Christ

Take a look at SolarTex (sold by Balsa USA http://www.balsausa.com/ ). The adhesive is excellent and it is noticeably lighter in weight than Coverite. This is a low temp fabric that goes around wing tips and other curves very well, comes natural or prepainted with fuel proof paint and any overlap seams are a lot less noticeable than with many other fabric coverings.

The only drawback I find to Solartex is the cleaning. SolarTex states that the covering can be cleaned by scrubbing. I can not get it as clean as I would like. What I do is to give it a clear coat of waterbase polyurethane to seal the weave.

Hi!
You mean Solartex or Oratex ...the first one from Britain, second from Berlin, Germany.
Solartex has been around for 25 years and is much better than Super coverite.
Oratex (same manufacturer as makes Oracover (Ultracoat to you Americans) is more modern and even better than Solartex.
Regards!
Jan K
Sweden

I'll also vote for Solartex (really any of the ****tex such as Colortex, Worldtex etc.) as being one of the best, at least better than Super Coverite. You can also use Ceconite, an unpainted but good fabic covering but it is not self adhesive--you need Balsarite or similar put on first.

I'll vote for Solartex. Any WWI aircraft should be covered in a fabric material. I've used Coverite, Coverall and Solartex. Easiest to apply and most durable.

I just bought a used (5 flights) Hanger 9 100" Cub covered with WorldTex. The previous owner did not seal with clear. I don't have any experience with fabric coverings. Would like to clean and seal now. How do you clean the fabric? What would be the best sealer?

Thanks,
Richard

I answered this in another forum. In case you missed it,

Use a good quality clearer such as Simple Green and a "fingernail" brush to scrub the covering. After it is cleaned, reapply any decals and/or detailing, then clear coat with a water base polyurethane. The poly is good to 15% nitro, will seal the weave to make cleaning easy and will not yellow with age. If you need to do any touch up, get some latex custom mixed to match what you need (about $10 per quart) and apply it prior to clear coating.

You probably wouldn't concider the option but I'd recommend tearing it off and recover it with 21st century fabric cub yellow, already sealed and fuel proof, just put it on

What about gasoline? I have the same cub with a G26 and it gets a little messy breaking in the enigne.

It will be hard to beat one of the "*****tex" coverings clearcoated with Nelson cross-linked water-based clearcoat. If you have the surface clean, this stuff should take care of future cleaning problems. It's available in gloss and matte finish and can be very nicely applied with a foam brush. Good luck, Dzl

I bought a used plane covered with super coverite and would never have another. It was eternally sticky and could not be cleaned up. I finally covered it with a coat of clear dope which worked ok but by this time it had many blemishes on it that would not come off and were trapped in the dope. Looked terible but now was dry to the touch.

Thanks. I will try it. How water based poly found at home depot?

Century 21 is very heavy!

Who you are responding to? This thread was started four years ago. I doubt the guy really cares any more.