Capt. Crackup

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Hey Guys, I have aquired a Senior Telemaster from a friend and it is currently being "rebuilt". I have experience with both Monokote and Solartex fabric. I like both but prefer the Solartex. I heard that the senior Telemaster (95 inch) needs film to make it more resistant to twisting in flight. Is this true? Thanks alot in advance. Also feel free to suggest schemes.
Skip D

Safebet

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Solartex will shrink to the extent that it will crush some structures. I think it adds to the structural soundness. I would think that Solartex would be great. A lot easier to work with than the films, and you can order a variety of colors.

Jim

Don41

I'm presently at the covering stage on my Senior Telemaster and much to my regret I started covering using Sig Monokote. I decided to use the Cub Yellow (I had lots of it on hand already) but that turned out to be a BIG mistake. The stuff is practically see thru. Deciding to make the best of a bad situation I tried painting some of the wood surfaces with their Lustrekote primer and cub yellow spray. It's advertised as matching but that's bull. The paint over primer is far deeper yellow than the film. Grrrrrr.

It seems like the pit just keeps getting deeper and deeper.

At the moment I'm considering going to Koverall then painting it. Any experience with that material?

Capt. Crackup

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Thanks Jim. I said that I was experienced with solartex, truth is I have only covered one plane with it. It was a 1/3 scale Sopwith Pup. My experience untill that point was Monokote, Econokote, and Towercote. The Solartex in my opinion was awesome stuff. Thanks again...Skip D

Rodney

I have built several of these and you were told correctly, DO NOT USE A FABRIC COVERING as you do need the film for stifness. Now if you add a lot of X members between the uprights in the fuselage, you can do the fabric. However the wing will be very flexable and difficult to trim out unless you also stiffen it up with cross members and a D leading edge sheeting back to the main spar. In short USE FILM unless you do the stated modifications.

Capt. Crackup

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Thanks Rodney. I thought that I had heard that somewhere. Well I guess the bright side is I'm experienced with Monokote, Of the ones you have built, do you recommend wing struts? Thanks Skip D

mishal

Any one can tell us what is the adv. & disadv. for both of Monokote and Solartex fabric ? (in points)

Thanks

Rodney

Captain Crackup, yes, I'd suggest you use the wing struts if you build it per plans. Be very careful to get them well attached at both ends and make sure that they are each a proper length or else you will warp the wing when you attach them. Properly fitted and attached, they keep the wing in alignment and will make the plane more pleasant to fly. On most big planes I'd use the Solartex as it goes around compound curves better than the films and adheres to itself much better plus you get a bit more on each roll than you do with the films. Solartex is also much stronger than the films with very little increase in weight. However, on the Telemaster, use one of the films for the reasons I stated above.

Capt. Crackup

My Feedback: (1)

Hey Rodney, Thanks for the info. I won't be building per plans, as I don't have any. The Senior Telemaster was already built. It was in sad condition. Also it has not flown for quite a few years. I have stripped the covering, and I'm checking glue joints, added 1/4 x 1/4 diagonal bracing, doing a bolt on wing mod. The wing is 95" and did not have struts. I have a hard time seeing that big of a wing without struts. Also, I have a OS 70 Surpass with low run time and is in need of a home. Any more advice would be appreciated.
Thanks Skip D