Real Rubberized Airplane Fabric

In my project of building a 1912 Martin Pusher, I have come to discover that the original wing covering was probably Goodyear No. 7, or perhaps No 10 rubberized linen or cotton.
Does anyone have any references to Goodyear Fabrics of the Pioneer era and how they were made?
Does anyone know of any companies that actually make replica rubberized fabrics?
Ed

Hi

You might try contacting the people at NASM about their experience with rubberized fabric. If my memory serves they had it made for the Fowler-Gage biplane restoration a number of years ago. Unfortunately, especially for a museum restoration intended to last for a considerable amount of time in a controlled environment, it did not work out. The fabric color deteriorated in a rather short period of time and had to be replaced with something else. Please keep the rest of us informed of you efforts and success, these fabrics were used on quite a few pioneer aircraft and are of interest to all of use who study them. Good luck.

Pete T.

[Roundel]

If you're looking for rubberized fabric, you might try contacting the builders or operators of today's blimps and balloons.

Goodyear's rubberized fabric was at one time required for United States Army planes in the pre-WWI era. Goodyear made it at least in part using know-how obtained from the North British Rubber Company in exchange for some tire patents.

[cfgray]

Hello, Ed and All,

I have a small sample of "GoodYear" (as they called it then) No. 10 rubberized fabric and have given it a fairly close examination. On the sample I have, two layers of thin lightweight fabric (linen, cotton or even silk, on special order, as was used by Tom Baldwin on his Red Devil Biplanes) sandwiched a layer of a rubber compound which, in a semi-liquid state, was forced under pressure into the weave. The result was a waterproof smooth fabric which was tear resistant and didn't sag, even when wet. These qualities made it No. 10 the covering of choice for many Pioneer Era aeroplane builders.

I haven't been able to locate a sample of GoodYear No.7 but as I understand it, No. 7 was a single layer of fabric impregnated with rubber, and so was lighter in weight but was not as resistant to sagging and water as was No. 10.

Another popular fabric for Pioneer Era aeroplanes was "Naiad" which was not rubberized. "Lumina" was a rubberized and aluminized fabric used on most Wright Model B biplanes.

Ed, are you building the "Sonora"? If so, looking at photos of it I'm fairly certain that the "Sonora" was covered with "GoodYear" No. 10 as opposed to No. 7, since in those photos the covering has a decidedly sturdy look to it.

Best,
cfgray

Originally Posted by cfgray

Hello, Ed and All,
Ed, are you building the "Sonora"? If so, looking at photos of it I'm fairly certain that the "Sonora" was covered with "GoodYear" No. 10 as opposed to No. 7, since in those photos the covering has a decidedly sturdy look to it.
Best,
cfgray

I am building the Sonora. I recently found a very good image with a reasonable close up of the wing fabric. The fabric is held on with rattan strips nailed to the ribs, much like the Curtiss Triad.
I will post the new images I've found and some progress photos.
I think you are right. The flyable Tirad replicas I've seen use Dacron with a dope to make it look rubberized. I may have to do this if I can't locate a source.
Ed

Originally Posted by Ed bertschy

I will post the new images I've found and some progress photos.
Ed

http://www.securaplane.com/esite/replica.html

Originally Posted by Ed bertschy

http://www.securaplane.com/esite/replica.html

Page is fixed.