Covering and Painting Weights
Here's a table of, purported, covering weights originated by Fritz Bien,
Charles River Radio Controllers, December 1996,
with other contributors (August 1995 Flying Models article, Herm Perez,
adding covering data, and Radio Control Soaring Exchange [RCSE] articles):
| Covering | Color | Weight [gm/sq ft] | Comments |
| Monokote | Red | 5.8 | circa 1996 |
| Monokote | Yellow | 7.5 | circa 1996 |
| Monokote | Metallic Platinum | 6.0 | circa 1996 |
| Monokote | Red | 7.1 | circa 1971 |
| Monokote | Black | 6.0 | circa 1985 |
| Monokote | White | 7.3 | circa 1990 |
| Monokote | Transparent Red | 5.5 | circa 1988 |
| Monokote | Orange Florescent | 9.4 | circa 1996 |
| Ultracote | Dark Red | 8.5 | circa 1996 |
| Ultracote | Cub Yellow | 6.6 | 0.002 in thick |
| Ultracote Plus | Pearl Yellow | 8.2 | 0.0022 in thick |
| Ultracote | Transparent Yellow | 5.0 | 0.0015 in thick |
| Ultracote | Transparent Yellow (lite) | 3.4 | 0.001 in thick |
| Century 21 Fabric | White | 10.4 | Heavy! |
| MicaFilm | Yellow & Red | 4.0 | Needs Balsarite |
| MicaFilm | Preprimed | 3.9 | |
| MicaFilm | Transparent White | 2.2 | Needs Balsarite |
| Sig Koverall | White | 4.3 | Needs dope or paint |
| Sig Supercote | Silver | 4.8 | |
| Esaki Light Silk | Clear | 0.97 | REALLY Hard to put on |
| 5/8 fiberglass/paint | clear | 3.9 | Needs filler and color |
| Japanese Tissue | all colors | 0.65 | The lightest! |
| Nitrate Dope | clear | 1.0 | 2 coats/ 50-50 thin |
| Dope, gloss finish | all colors | 7.0 | 8 clear, 4 color, 1 clear coats |
| Dope, over silk | all colors | 2.0 | |
| Polyester Dress Lining | All colors | 4.2 | Needs Balsarite & dope |
Want a fancier weight conversion calculator? Click here for a Java-based conversion calculator.
If you want to read what Russell Bennett has to say about weight and coverings,
click
here.
