How to protect your foamies from the sun while at the field.

[BILLY BOY]

Are there any ideas some of you might have to protect my aircraft from gatoring in the hot sun? I know that I should keep them out of the direct sunlight. The only ones that seem to be in danger are the very dark colored ones. I am thinking of just spreading a white sheet over my pick up bed to shade them while at the field. I have a small inexpensive 800 mm that was somewhat damaged last week but I really don't want any of my prize planes to be sun damaged. I usually fly early morning so I am out of direct sunlight. Any suggestions without buying expensive airplane covers?

[fhhuber]

some form of shade.

Paint the aircraft in light/reflective colors

Those are really the only defenses. "gatoring" is due to the sun heating the paint.

[hotrod23t]

These seem too work up too 1400mm 8$ banggood or or those other guys HH

[Aros]

It's the age old issue with foam. Anytime your plane is out in the Sun for more than a few minutes, you risk gatoring.

I was shocked when I flew my 90mm Phantom the other day...The Sun was out but the temps were totally mild. Like upper 60's mild. Yet there were portions of the top of the fuse getting gatored! Ugh. It's just the nature of the material. I hope we can get the technology soon to combat that.

[Hoomi]

Have you looked at something like this? Just position it towards the sun, and park the plane in the resulting shade. Folds down when you're done, and travels easily if you're flying someplace else.

[CFIT rob]

I bought a quality high thread count white wallmart sheet ($15 ?). Has some weight to it so a breeze doesnt blow it around. You can buy a cheap snap kit (the type of snaps that are used on boat covers) at west marine or amazon and self drilling male snaps as well on amazon. All stainless steel so you can screw them into the bed for windy days and not worry about rust. You can also make half a tonneau cover if you dont mind screwing them into to top bed rails. Works well to provide temporary sunshade on my cargo van windows and a curtain of sorts split down the middle across the back so dont have to screw with the doors taking planes in/out.

[BILLY BOY]

I bought a quality high thread count white wallmart sheet ($15 ?). Has some weight to it so a breeze doesnt blow it around. You can buy a cheap snap kit (the type of snaps that are used on boat covers) at west marine or amazon and self drilling male snaps as well on amazon. All stainless steel so you can screw them into the bed for windy days and not worry about rust. You can also make half a tonneau cover if you dont mind screwing them into to top bed rails. Works well to provide temporary sunshade on my cargo van windows and a curtain of sorts split down the middle across the back so dont have to screw with the doors taking planes in/out.

I am going to try a white beach towel and see if it works. I do like the sheet idea.

[JFandL]

Clear coating helps, dust with lacquer clear coat, four coats of (DUSTING) dusting will help the

gator effect . I know I really hate foam aircraft due to this. Cox's had a few foam aircraft that did not gator( 20 plus years ago mind you and with Nitro .049 engines.) So they could do it now. Look up the Cox's 210 Cessna.

[rifleman_btx]

You are correct, however repairs are more expensive being you have to use foam safe glues. Otherwise I like the idea

[xviper]

Have you looked at something like this? Just position it towards the sun, and park the plane in the resulting shade. Folds down when you're done, and travels easily if you're flying someplace else.

I really like that idea. If only my car wasn't already stuffed to the brim with planes and other necessary items.

On sunny, hot flying days, I use a big towel and a big fitted bed sheet to cover the darker parts of the planes, especially the cockpit. However, there are certain planes that, no matter how much I try to keep them in the shade and/or covered, the interior of the cockpit (black areas) and other parts will gator and blister anyway just from taxiing and flying for those few minutes at a time. I've taken to cutting some slits in the forward part of the windshield and again in the rear so that air can flow through. This helps a little but 100%. It's just the nature of things made of foam and painted dark. I also try not to buy dark colored planes anymore if the same model can be had in a silver or lighter color scheme.

[Ole-Timer]

I’m fortunate to have a cap on my truck with curtains that do a great job keeping the sun out. But, like Xviper has said, just pulling a model out and flying when the sun is high in the sky will bake it.
During the very intense May, June, July...
I only fly in the morning or evenings to avoid the excessive UV. Even on covered plywood and balsa models, the covering will get all wrinkly in noonday sun which does not help the structural integrity at all.
A couple of the crowd use EZ-UP canopies to hang all day at the field and those do work great. I prefer to fly early, break for lunch, come back around 5pm...

[BILLY BOY]

I’m fortunate to have a cap on my truck with curtains that do a great job keeping the sun out. But, like Xviper has said, just pulling a model out and flying when the sun is high in the sky will bake it.
During the very intense May, June, July...
I only fly in the morning or evenings to avoid the excessive UV. Even on covered plywood and balsa models, the covering will get all wrinkly in noonday sun which does not help the structural integrity at all.
A couple of the crowd use EZ-UP canopies to hang all day at the field and those do work great. I prefer to fly early, break for lunch, come back around 5pm...

Today I tried something different. I took my dark corsairs and placed them in the pickup cab after I was done flying them. My windows are tinted and I too, only fly in the early morning hours when it is calm. I have a tonnau cover on my truck bed, so I can pull that down as needed for shade. I am toying with the idea of taking our patio table umbrella along one of these days and see how that works. Peace

[Grossman56]

The sheets with the elastic corners work well, crib sheets would fit most airplanes. A clear coat such as Minwax Spar Urethane or Varathane Spar Urethane will help because they have a UV protectant in them. You can't beat shade though!
The P-40 came with an elastic cover that FMS makes, but any kind of blanket or sheet will do just as well.

Grossman56

[Pauly]

I really like that idea. If only my car wasn't already stuffed to the brim with planes and other necessary items.

On sunny, hot flying days, I use a big towel and a big fitted bed sheet to cover the darker parts of the planes, especially the cockpit. However, there are certain planes that, no matter how much I try to keep them in the shade and/or covered, the interior of the cockpit (black areas) and other parts will gator and blister anyway just from taxiing and flying for those few minutes at a time. I've taken to cutting some slits in the forward part of the windshield and again in the rear so that air can flow through. This helps a little but 100%. It's just the nature of things made of foam and painted dark. I also try not to buy dark colored planes anymore if the same model can be had in a silver or lighter color scheme.

Yeah Vipe, unusually anything with the plexiglass or windows as you stated a cockpit will do the gatoring effect first pretty quick.