Model Aircraft Covering Materials: Films, Fabric, Tissue and Foam Finishes
The covering on a built-up model aircraft closes the open balsa frame, takes the air loads and adds a lot of the stiffness. Most modellers today use iron-on heat-shrink film because it is quick and needs no paint; heat-shrink fabric is tougher and suits scale models; tissue with dope stays the lightest for small free-flight and indoor models; and sheeted or foam airframes are finished with glass cloth, paint or tape instead. Which is best depends on the model’s size, weight and use.
By Kyle HilsonUpdated: October 20264 min read
Covering materials compared
| Material | Weight | Strength | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron-on polyester film (e.g. Oracover/UltraCote type) | Light to medium | Good | Most sport and ARF balsa models |
| Light films (lightweight Oracover type) | Light | Moderate | Gliders, park flyers |
| Heat-shrink fabric (Oratex, Solartex type) | Medium | Very good, puncture-resistant | Scale, vintage and large models |
| Tissue + dope | Lightest | Low | Free-flight, small rubber models |
| Silk/nylon + dope | Light-medium | Good | Vintage builds |
| Glass cloth + resin or water-based finish | Medium-heavy | Very good, hard surface | Sheeted balsa, foam wings |
| Paint, tape, laminating film | Light | Moderate | Foam models |
Relative ratings; exact weights per m² are in the makers’ data sheets.
Iron-on film
Film has a heat-activated adhesive on one side. You tack it on with a covering iron at a low setting, then shrink it tight with higher heat or a heat gun. It is coloured, fuel-proof and needs no paint, which is why most ARF kits use it. Drawbacks: it can sag in hot sun and a dent shows. Step-by-step in RC airplane covering.
Heat-shrink fabric
Fabric resists punctures and hangar rash better and looks like a real fabric-covered aircraft, which makes it the choice for vintage and scale models. Some fabrics are pre-coloured; others are painted. It costs more and needs a bit more care to iron in curves.
Tissue, silk and dope
The traditional method: paper tissue or silk stuck on with dope or glue, water-shrunk, then doped to tighten and seal. Tissue is unbeatable for light rubber and small free-flight models. It’s fragile and dope fumes need ventilation; water-based alternatives exist.
Foam and sheeted surfaces
EPO, EPP and Depron models aren’t covered with film in the usual way; they are painted with foam-safe paint, taped at edges, or laminated. Sheeted balsa or foam-core wings get glass cloth with resin or a water-based finish for a hard, paintable surface. Foam choice is covered in best foam for RC planes.
Tools you need
- Covering iron with a sock and a heat gun (film and fabric).
- Sharp blades, straightedge and trim tape.
- Sanding block: covering shows every bump in the frame.
- Dope, brushes and ventilation (tissue).
- Thermometer or iron with temperature scale: each film has its own temperatures.
Which covering for which model
- Balsa sport plane or trainer: standard iron-on film; easy to repair with a patch.
- Thermal glider or light park flyer: lightweight film, to save grams on big wing areas.
- Scale or vintage model: heat-shrink fabric for the look and toughness.
- Rubber and free-flight: tissue and thin dope.
- Static display model: tissue or silk under paint; strength hardly matters.
- Foam-core wings: glass cloth or a laminating film.
Colour also matters in flight: a dark underside and bright top help with orientation, and translucent films let light through and make a model hard to see against the sky. Plan the colour layout before cutting, since overlapping trim colours adds weight. The technique for older-style kits is in covering balsa wood model airplanes.
FAQ
What is the lightest covering?
Tissue with thin dope, for small models.
What do most RC planes use?
Iron-on polyester film.
Best covering for a static wooden model?
Tissue or silk with paint; strength matters less, finish matters more.
Can I cover foam with film?
Only low-temperature films; normal irons melt EPS and EPO.
More on this topic: the complete RC Airplanes guide covers the basics behind this article.
About 20 years in RC. Mostly boats in the NAVIGA Mini Eco Expert class, with many self-made parts; also a King Motor Baja 5B, a home-built electric plane, home-built nitro planes he has flown, and an RC helicopter. More about SwellRC
