A question frequently asked on the flying field is about my choice covering material for rubber model fuselages. It’s not surprising because silk is an attractive medium with a slightly mythical status. Oiled silk was a covering of choice in a bye-gone era, later replaced by tissues like modelspan and jap, which in turn were outmoded by a variety of junk-spans that, for the most part, seem singularly unsuitable for rubber models, relying as they do on a tight covering to sustain torsional strength.

This is not the first time the Meniscus Doping Method has been explained on the digital highway but perhaps not in this detail. It is pretty much as I learned it from Mike Kemp who first wrote about it in the August 1984 Sam35Speaks Rubber Column. Mike learned it from Peter Michel, who learned it from David Baker who learned it from Danny (two e's if you please) Sheelds who learned it from ….

And now everybody can learn the Meniscus Method of doping from here. I would add however that yours truly does not expect too many of our fraternity to actually try this method as there seems to be less and less interest in these esoteric art-forms. However, included in the process is an amazing secret that one can only share, in reality, by following the process and waiting several years. Confused?

Then read or download a PDF about the process from here (123kb).