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How to Repair & Correct a Glass Fuselage in a Model Airplane

Fiberglass fuselages are used in model airplanes for their strength and lighter weight. These fuselages are very resilient and can be easily repaired after a crash. The challenge is getting the fuselage back to its original shape and looking as good after the repair as it did before the crash. While fiberglass is easier to repair then balsa construction, care and concentration are needed to produce excellent results.

Things You'll Need

Epoxy
Fiberglass resin
Sandpaper
Gel coat (optional)
Fiberglass cloth
Paintbrush
Tape measure
Tape
Respirator

Instructions

- 1
  Clean up the repair site with sandpaper. Remove any loose fiberglass and debris before starting the repair.
- 2
  Fit the broken pieces together and get the best fit possible. Tape the pieces together and measure the distance between the wing tip and the edges of the elevator on each side of the plane. These measurements need to be exactly the same or the fuselage will be skewed to the shorter side.
- 3
  Cut a piece of fiberglass cloth large enough to cover the break by an inch in each direction. Epoxy the two pieces together before adding new fiberglass, this will strengthen and stabilize the broken area.
- 4
  Apply fiberglass resin to the fuselage where the fiberglass cloth will be applied. You are just looking for a skim coat to help hold the cloth in place.
- 5
  Apply the fiberglass patch to the break on the inside of the fuselage, if possible. Allow the resin to soak into the weave. Apply more resin to the cloth using a small paintbrush. Saturate the path with resin completely, and allow the resin to dry.
- 6
  Sand the patch to remove any stray fibers. If needed, apply some gel coat to the external portion of the fuselage.
- 7
  Fill any low spots on the outside of the fuselage with small fiberglass patches. Sand the break after it dries to ensure that the fuselage has been brought back to its original shape.

Aviation