3D Vertigo build, any interest in a build?

[-Rick-]

Covered a complete fiberglass fuselage with Monokote back in the day.
Unpainted
Must be polyester not epoxy
Iron on high heat
Start in middle and iron in a circular pattern working your way to the edges.
Pull the snot out of the covering while iron, use stretch rather than shrink.
When my old friend ask me to cover his fuselage with Monokote, I laughed and said it would never work, then he took me to a booth at Toledo where they had several covered with Monokote, pretty sure the company was from Ohio, maybe AHS or something like that. They had a whole line of glass fuselage/foam wing airplanes, his was 1/4 scale Laser. Had to be before 1994.

You were right, high heat and pull like crazy! Almost like you have to preshrink the covering before you lay it down. But once it is down it won't pull off. It's on there really good!

 

[-Rick-]

Well got the cowl covered. Hated the way it came out so pulled the covering off and plan on changing the scheme. It was so bad I would not take a picture of it from embarrassment, it was that bad. And generally I am very good with monokote covering, I have worked with it for around 40 years.

Because of the contours of the cowl I could not get it lay right unless I pieced it. I believe if it had of been a simpler cowl it would have works but the Vertigo cowl has to many inside bends as well as outside bends.

But it did stick really well and it was a b*tch to pull off.

 

[Snoopy1]

You are having as much fun with your cowl as I am with mine. Was the cowl Fiberglas and if so when covering how did you deal with the air bubbles.
Do fly at the 400 club

 

[-Rick-]

The air bubbles were part of my problem, I used a pin or #11 blade slid in sideways but it was still a mess. Sometimes I had to pull so hard that the covering became thin and it would show. The cowl is fiberglass but very thin. They really kept it lite for this plane.

The 400 club, I have had many invites but have never flown there. It is about two hours east of me.

 

[-Rick-]

The covering has begun.

 

[TonyHallo]

I see the cheeks on thecowl, understand why it would be difficult to cover with monokote. Looking good.

 

[-Rick-]

I see the cheeks on thecowl, understand why it would be difficult to cover with monokote. Looking good.

Yes the top of the cowl was the only piece that turned out well. I will take some pictures of the cowl in a bit to show the contours I was fighting with.

 

[-Rick-]

The problem cowl. Now painted.

 

[-Rick-]

The plane is now an ARF!!! With the motor on, the two battery's and all servos. 14.5 pounds!

 

[Snoopy1]

Nice looking plane the cowl is different never seen anything like that . Is it a scale plane or just good looking 3D plane.