On average, how much heavier is a competition-quality foam wing than a competition-quality built-up wing of the same size, percentagewise?
Thanks.

650 to 700 SQ is approx 1 oz difference. Almost not worth it. I do like foam wings for the durability and ease of finish.

I think it is a little more than 1 oz. What is the lightest foam wing you have ever built. Fully sheeted, wing tips, leadout slider, tip weight box, bellcrank, horn, flaps, and trim tab?

I have a built up wing in my shop for a Dreadnought I will tell you what it weighs after I hear a couple foam wing weights. Bob Hunt should chime in here, he probably has built some really light ones.

Derek

I think it is a little more than 1 oz. What is the lightest foam wing you have ever built. Fully sheeted, wing tips, leadout slider, tip weight box, bellcrank, horn, flaps, and trim tab?

I have a built up wing in my shop for a Dreadnought I will tell you what it weighs after I hear a couple foam wing weights. Bob Hunt should chime in here, he probably has built some really light ones.

Derek

Bob and I have discussed this and I thought we came to agreement its about 1 OZ. Please chime in Bob.

Bob and I have discussed this and I thought we came to agreement its about 1 OZ. Please chime in Bob.

I don't think it is much more than 1 oz. maybe 2 to 2.5 oz. Just seems like my foam wing planes always come out heavier.

Derek

All wings need a trim tab or adjustable flaps. All of my wings are straight but that does not mean they will always fly straight.

Derek

The Dreadnought wing with everything in it ready to cover is 10.75 oz.

My Cutlass XL wing was 11 oz.

Derek

There  is not much weight differance between built up and foam after they are finished, I have built 2 EXCEL SV type planes , both the same basic plane with the same wing, They both finished at 59.5 ounces 675 sq in, 60.5 in span, The foam, done properly will be about an ounce heavier befoe the finish stage, but will be almost the same weight finished, It is easier to sand the finish flat and thin on a sheeted foam wing, rather than a built up.
Also there are many advantages to foam, they are quieter, they are stiffer normally, they are more warp proof, they are easier to repair, easier to sand, easeir to buff, easier to polish...etc...
My best SV wings of the same size are 12.5 to 13 ounces built for foam, and 12 to 12.5 for built up, that is covered with covering, at least 2 coats of dope , all flaps, tips, horns, hinges, bellcrank, leadouts..etc are included. and the weights are at that stage ready to slide into the fuse

Randy

It seems that my efforts are less than worthy, then.

My latest (foam)Dreadnought wing weighed 14.8 ounces with everything installed but not covered.  My first Dreadnought's wing weighed 18 ounces at that stage.  Here I thought I was making progress.

You are making much better progress, almost 4 ounces from your posted weights, and Your only 1.5 to 2 ounces from my best ones, With your weights you can build a 61 to 63 ounce SV, that IS  LIGHT and will fly very well at that weight.  Remember Bill had one that weighed 74 ounces in the Top 5 Flyoff years ago, and it did everything well.

Randy

Yes, come to think of it, I have a Jamison (built-up wing) old timer with a wing that is dead nuts straight (and no other misalignments I can detect with eyeball and ruler) that flies as if warped.  I would be curious to hear from Stunt Hangar's esteemed faculty of lovely and talented aerodynamikul injuneers as to what they suspect might cause such a phemommymom.  Might it be advisable to steam a warp INTO the wing in the opposite direction?  Eegad already.  Phil Cartier and others say that trim tabs are band-aid solutions that provide good trim only part of the time.   

It could be something as simple as a warped flap, unevenly hinged flaps, wings and stab not perfectly aligned, the list goes on and on. Phil and others are not wrong but some things have to be fixed after the fact, thats life. I would not recommend having a trim tab at a 45 degree angle, if that is the case you may want to go back and fix something but for small trim adjustments I use the trim tab.

Derek