RCU Forums - Monocoque

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- - Monocoque (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/questions-answers-154/11643022-monocoque.html)

How much weight does a non-clear plastic monocoque add to the total weight of a rc plane?

Way too little information. What material/thickness? What type of plane and how big?

Suspect OP means the Top Flite covering material called "Monokote" not the term "monocoque".

Quick on-line definition of monocoque came up with:

an aircraft or vehicle structure in which the chassis is integral with the body.

My own interpretation: a vacuum-formed part or perhaps even a plastic, static display airplane would be an example of a monocoque structure - i.e. no internal support structure.

Performed on-line search using key words: "comparison of model aircraft covering materials by weight" came up with:
WEIGHT COMPARISON OF COVERING MATERIALS FOR MODEL AIRPLANES, https://www.homefly.com/reference/Co...%20Weights.htm, and Model Aircraft Covering Weight Comparison - Airplanes and Rockets among others.

If you can estimate how much surface area needs to be covered, you can multiply it by the unit of measure found in charts to get your answer which could, in fact be 4.7...

Carbon and fiberglass fuselages would be an example of monocoque construction in RC planes. But yes, the OP probably was asking about iron on film covering.
If that's what he means, there is no way really to determine the answer since designs vary so much. A good rule of thumb is that most .40 size planes need 1 1/2 rolls of covering, .60 size need 2 full rolls usually, and so on. So the weight of that much covering minus just a bit of waste is the weight gain.

Thank you yes I meant monokote. Excuse me Im new at this world.