Aircraft dope is a plasticised lacquer that is applied to fabric-coated aircraft. It tautens and stiffens fabric stretched over airframes and adheres and protects fabric applied to other skin material.
Typical doping agents include nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate butyrate. Liquid dopes are highly flammable; nitrocellulose, for instance, is also known as the explosive propellant "guncotton". Dopes will often include colouring pigments to facilitate even application. The colour will usually be red or silver.
Dope has been applied to various aircraft fabrics but typically to Madapolam or fabric with similar fine weave and absorbent qualities. In model aircraft it is often applied to tissue paper.
Non-shrinking dopes (eg banana oil) also exist for uses where tautening is undesirable.
External links
- http://www.auf.asn.au/scratchbuilder/fabrics.html A scratch-builder's guide to fabric-covered aircraft
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