Should rib tapes be semi-transparent?

apauling · 1 January 2010, 11:45 AM

I was looking at the stark contrast between the rib tapes and the dark camoflage on the top of my WNW LVG and it got me thinking....if plain linen is saturated with dope and pressed against another surface, shouldn't it become partially transparent? sort of a wet T-shirt effect? Would the tape on the uppersurfaces be darker than on the lower surfaces just because of what is underneath? Would the colors show through individually, or would it just be generally darker? Would this effect lessen over time as the surface weathers?

I've never seen the top of a real german WW1 plane--I don't know what to think. Any ideas?

albatros1234 · 1 January 2010, 12:55 PM

good question I'm not sure try Dan San Abbot, send hima message he seems to know the answers to weird little inquiries like this. linen is much thicker than t-shirt material so I doubt it but, who knows

Hans · 1 January 2010, 01:19 PM

No, no wet-t-shirt-effect. I had the opportunity to look at an original LVG stabilizer still in his original "clothings". The tapes are from inbleached linen and they are completely opaque.

H

Bill McGill · 1 January 2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apauling

I was looking at the stark contrast between the rib tapes and the dark camoflage on the top of my WNW LVG and it got me thinking....if plain linen is saturated with dope and pressed against another surface, shouldn't it become partially transparent? sort of a wet T-shirt effect? Would the tape on the uppersurfaces be darker than on the lower surfaces just because of what is underneath? Would the colors show through individually, or would it just be generally darker? Would this effect lessen over time as the surface weathers?

I've never seen the top of a real german WW1 plane--I don't know what to think. Any ideas?

As Hans said, not like a wet t-shirt at all.

See this image from Wingnuts website...

....if this link doesn't work it's in the color photos section from the LVG.