great photos Doug:) love that first one.

Great stuff! I think I recognise that Gigant from here: http://www.aeronutz.flyer.co.uk/ . I'd love to build a very tiny RC plane, they look like mounds of fun! Those little things are a bugger to photograph without proper equipment.

Hehe. Thought you'd like that Gigant. The same crew flew a beautiful Lockheed Electra too but I messed up the shot.

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Various types of blue & white (polyeurythane) foam are becoming very popular these days. It has the advantage of being very light & relatively easy to work with. One of my old friends makes complete models out of ordinary foam packaging like egg boxes. It doesn't come any cheaper than that. This obviously requires different techniques from the traditional forms of aeromodelling. That beautiful dragonfly is a remarkable example of traditional modelling skills & quite wonderful to see in the air with the wings flapping lazily.

There's a good article on modern building materials on the site from Chomp's link. http://www.aeronutz.flyer.co.uk/materials.htm

PS. I have seen R/C indoor models but everything here today was free flight. Rubber, CO2 or electric powered like the Gigant.

Hi Rotty. I'm not familiar with this particular kit & probably not the best person to give advice. I haven't done any modelling for several years so I'm out of touch with the latest materials. Also - the coverings available in the US most likely have different names to the ones I use. I would say that one of the modern heat-shrink coverings would be ideal providing the structure is strong enough to take it. Ordinary heat-shrink film is strong, waterproof & clean to work with as it doesn't need doping. Some types are probably as light or lighter than heavyweight tissue. You would need a proper sealing iron & heat gun to make a decent job of it. Some of the modern paint stripping guns used for home decorating are apparently suitable but I would be very wary of using one myself. Despite what the instructions say on the packaging I wouldn't recommend shrinking the film with an iron.

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No problem there then. Commercial heat guns are more powerful but I used my modelling heat gun for a similar job when I set up our hose manufacturing shop at work many years ago. The covering was the same type used for electric harnesses but it was the first time we had used it & the job had to be done quickly. We obviously bought the special tools afterwards.

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::wincing:: i wouldnt recomend useing heat shrink film for thim modle for a few reasons. having builtthis modle myself (very easy to put together) i have noticed that it's airframe is not the strongest in the world. heat shink coverings like monocoat shrinks alot more than you think and it will easily crush you pride andjoy into a pile of toothpicks...just thought i'd warn you before you find this out for yourself

If you are talking of building the stock Guillows kit, from all my experience with this type of kit, most freeflight specialists would recommend substituting almost all of the wood in the interest of building a flyable model....generally they are very heavy(highly loaded) and short on areas on the back end......even with using the absolute best balsa, (4-6 lb/cu ft) it will take quite an accomplished modeller to get some satisfaction flying one of the Guillows line.........
I can post some shots of some of my older stuff if it will help.......
I have a 22" J-4 Cub which weighs in the order of 13-14 gms before rubber and although its almost 15 yrs old now, its still a winner any time I bring it out........tissue covered of course, it was build fram a Canadian kit manufacturer called Easy Built. Flies almost two mins ( 1:45-1:50) with a plastic prop.......not strictly indoor, but does its best there........