HM14/360 covering
This is how you use Diatex fabric
In the summer of 2005 I planned to recover my HM14/360 wings. I
took the opportunity to share this experience with several Flying
Flea fans. It became a small gathering.
We use a fabric of type "dacron". The firm that made the type of
dacron I use is DIATEX (situated in France). I hope that these
pictures will help you to avoid making the mistakes we did. All
mistakes were luckily not so bad. The finished set of wings is a
true pleasure for the eye. Euh .. for my eyes anyway.

step 1: preparing the wood



step 2: placing the fabric on the structure





step 3: fixing the fabric to the wood


step 4: cutting the left-overs away





step 5: tension with hot iron





step 6: the sides






step 7: the upperside







step 8: the second hot iron pass
This time with the high temperature. DON'T TOUCH THE GLUED PARTS
NOW! If you would do this step before both sides are covered you
create the possibility to bend your wing!
step 9: the reinforcement band

Step 10: protecting the holes













step 11: tension liquid or "dope"


Final warning!
You need to dope both sides of the wings quickly behind each
other. If you just use the liquid on one side, the forces are that
strong they can deform your wing!
I once say a picture of a wing with a strange dihedral and washout.
Seemed that that wing was intended as a straight wing! I never
estimated it was that strong, that dope.
OK, your covering is done.
We covered for the first time and we did most of the work in two
days of 6-7 working hours. After that weekend only the
reinforcement bands and the dope had to be placed on four parts.
Two parts (rear wing wingtips) still needed all the work.
I like to thanks all persons who were here that weekend.
Guys, it was a joyful weekend. I hope we all learned a lot from the
experience.