On Friday morning I covered the Presto much to the amazement of most of the people observing. I covered it with a domestic tissue of a type that would have been available in 1945. Esaki, that I would normally use, definitely would not have been available in 1945. The contest rules did not require that it be that authentic, but I decided to do it anyway. I applied the tissue with glue stick and trimmed it with 220 grit sandpaper.
On Saturday, I used rubbing alcohol to shrink the tissue, then misted it with UV resistant Krylon fixative. I made up a nose block with a 5-1/2 inch North Pacific prop. The wheels are 3/4 inch diameter, Guillow's wheels of the same type used in the 600 series kits. The cabin windows are 0.005 acetate.
This isn't the neatest covering job I've ever done, the leading edge has some obvious wrinkles, but this doesn't seem to effect the flying at all. I trimmed it out at El Cariso on Saturday night and it flies amazingly well. It's a bit heavy for a model with such a small wing, 15 grams including rubber, (no ballast required) so I had to use 3/32 inch rubber, to get it to R.O.G., but it floats around the room in a rather sedate manner that belies it's somewhat clunky looks. All up, including the time spent trimming, I have about seven hours into it.
I'll try to get some "in flights" at the contest on Wednesday morning.