Large Model Association Forum

need help on this what kind is common ply that u all LMA usa for ribs fuseledge etc it is liteply? or an normal 3 ply that is avail at building merchant nearby my place Huw gray fitlock I have a small piece of liteply and took it down to that place and there is same peice which the chap says most joiners use to skin cabinets etc so I took a peice (free) home and cut both liteply and 3ply same size and weight it and both were same weight and strength would LMA inspector permit a plane to be build for a normal 3 ply ?? any issues ?

Well,

In my personnal opinion, Lite Ply is Alright... But it has its down falls due to the balsa inner core...

Plywood is just heavy..

Richard at Falcon Aviation has a nice 3mm Ply Wood.. Its not liteply, nor builders ply, its a spanish wood i believe, and i will be using this in future for all my projects as it is a nice wood, and very very strong

yeah this is 3mm too there is 4mm too but i reakon 3mm is good enough with few spars etc i have 4 planes to build by march yikes!! hehe but rest assured three of them will be all balsa for my local club flying field all will be done by xmas easily it is the large one i wanna build it from ply and proskin epoxy sheets etc i might try the genesis rc model as my first one etc and then build my first big large 14ft plane for the shows etc

i am just trying to get the cheapest 8x4 sheet etc tight git am i

Sounds Fun :0

Just a word of warning with proskin..

I was going to use it on my 60% Yak 54.. after many calculations, me and my dad worked out that proskin on this model was going to add 30lbs to the auw of model if we went down that root ( it would have weighed 145lbs).... but with the balsa instead.. We came out at 115lbs..

The trouble with proskin is that you need to add balsa wood under the skin other wise it flex's really bad, ( ask Dave Johnson),, Dont get me wrong, you wont break it with out the balsa under it.. but it will wobble...

Personally, I would go down the root of a proper construction plane ( Balsa and ply)... and maybe use the proskin in certain areas where strength is needed ( Like around wing joins in fuselage (inside))..Just a bit of food for thought

Ahh the good old genesis.. I like that plane.....flew it enough this year inverted at 2 inchs off the floor.. .... If you want it to be more responsive ( Like the one i flew) Increase all the surfaces ( Ailerons, Elevator & Rudder) By 20 - 25%.... and make sure that it is built as light as possible, so do away with alot of the back end sheeting...... so a zenoah 38 will really pull it around the sky ( Or even better put a 45cc in her)

Ha ha I flew the same way years ago with a 48 inch wing prescent funfly as soon I take off it as inverted and skimming along the grass before pressing down elevator to climb vertical !! Crazy man !!! He ge. I gather Alec has now brought that plane out with ribs rather foam wings. So u design in 2 d for plans ready to be cutted mmm I might use your service in near future mate

Proper Liteply is made from 'poplar' and does not have a core of balsa. It has a finer grain than the ply you would buy from a DIY shop or a builders merchants which is very splintery with unbonded pockets within,and is on the whole is much lighter. Much nicer to work with as well.

Guys thnaks for the help to different the ply with liteply "poplar" guess I will have bite the bullet and order those from richard or from my local modeller shop Hobbies Corner good shop there. I just will have to ration the brandy and coke for my missus in order to pay for the liteply sheets but increase my beer! hehe

anyone got the plans for genesis??? I might go genesis or double the size of an Presceant Funfly mid wing which Slec now makes them. thanks again. can't wait to start on cutting all those balsa and liteply and glue them all shortly