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[Motorman]

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[Paul Taylor]

Polyspan on open bays silkspan on the rest.

[Alan Buck]

or carbonfiber .02oz

[Larry Fernandez]

Medium K&S silkspan and dope. And a lot of sandpaper

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[RandySmith]

00 silkspan and  000  silkspan.  Glass on the nose, CF mat on some parts such as flaps Stab, Fuse doublers

[Steve Fitton]

silkspan and dope.  Monokote falls apart after about 6 or 7 years.

[john e. holliday]

Larry they told me you were a MonoKote man!!!     Don't worry, I use a lot of Monokote and SLC.    But, yes on my better planes I use Poly-span.   Sometimes even cover the whole plane with it, using up all he little scraps.  Finish is mostly dope and some automotive colors.

[Larry Fernandez]

Larry they told me you were a MonoKote man!!! 

Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear   

And never, I mean never believe believe Eric Rule or Elliot Scott. I think those guys have had it in for me since day one. 

Truth be told, the only time I have every used Mono-Kote, was on my sons Skyray.

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Randy Cuberly]

I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around all that work on a thin paper covering. I'd be afraid of it being easily damaged.


MM

Well actually medium weight silkspan with about 15 total coats of dope etc is pretty tough.  No it's not as puncture resistant as monokote but it's much more durable in terms of heat and sunlight.  Monokote coverings deteriorate very quickly and if not carefully protected, look years old after only a month or two of heavy use.  Especially the trim looks tacky very quickly.

Polyspan is pretty tough stuff and has puncture restance many times that of silkspan and actually rivals monokote and doesn't peel off after a hundred or so flights.  Painted trim on silkspan or polyspan is permanent and doesn't need to be replaced every year like heavily used trim on monokote.

Both types of covering have their uses and draw backs but for the best finish in competition or just pride of worksmanship nothing beats a silkspan, or polyspan and dope finish with an auto clearcoat like two part polyurethane or dupont chroma clear.
If you're a sport flier that wants to get in the air quickly and have an easily repairable finish then nothing beats the film coverings.  Excellent for practice airplanes also.

Randy Cuberly

[Bill Little]

For my "best planes" I use polyspan on open bays.  On foam/sheeted wings I use silkspan.  I use to use silkspan on all my open bays but you have to be ultra careful to not get punctures.  The polyspan cuts down on those "accidental" punctures.

Dope build up on all surfaces then either a dope finish or a two part auto paint finish.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

[Phil Bare]

Silk and dope after the airframe is filled with nitrate and sanded. Apply the silk with nitrate and do the first two or three coats with nitrate and then switch to nontautening buytrate, normally about six coats. Sand with 1000 grit and apply color butyrate. Four coats. Sand and buff after about a months drying time.