Decided to see if possible to loose weight by using regular "copy" paper to make model. Plan was to use double layer of cardstock in certain places for support.
What really happened was using 1/16" balsa wood to stop the sides from drooping and try to minimize the warping of the model's fuselage. Lots of extra gluing for internal supports as the following photos show.
Tried to use cardstock to stiffen front & tail-end of model. Fuselage before inserting rubber band tube:
Here is photo showing internal balsa supports and the carbon fiber wing spar. Ribs are 110lb index cardstock. Plan is to slide the already glued wing skin over the ribs and insert tabs into fuselage like the normal build would be done, before gluing:
Right wing slid on real easy, only thing had to pop open the end of the envelope so it wouldn't distort the paper skin. Still had issues doing it this way with paper:
Couple shots, sorry about the bright light washout, only photos tonight before batteries died, re-charging now:
Paper did not work so well. With all the added extras it weighs more than the 2.5oz of the original, new one weighs 2.9oz.
Phase Three this weekend.
Thinking of using my balsa stripper and creating a wing spar the exact height of the highest point on the symmetrical airfoil the model uses.
Ordered some rather large Rubber band propellers, now need to fit a model to them....Enlarging the model from 24" wide wingspan to 30" wide the next build will use cardstock for the fuselage with balsa support for the wing and fuselage connections. This will drop all needs for cardstock internal support, the balsa is measurably lighter, and is 20-times stronger.
With the much larger model plan to use biggest rubber band size available to power, taking off from the ground won't happen, but looking to see if it will fly at all with rubber band power.
Mike