Styling a Mugi Coroplast RC Plane

This instructable will show you how to use colored packing tape to style a coroplast RC plane. Coroplast is a twinwall polypropylene fluted plastic kind of like corrugated cardboard except made of plastic.

This was my first Mugi style attempt and it took me about five hours including the time to photograph, expect a 10 hour commitment over a few days though. I've since added tape to the bottom of the model to make it easier to see in the air. The coroplast I used is translucent so LEDs can be added for night flying. It is possible to find all colors of coroplast but watch out for the thickness, get it too thick and it will be heavier and will require a larger model. I used 2mm coroplast I bought from the Mugi people.

If you are interested in Mugi planes check out mugi.co.uk, they are super helpful and cool to deal with. There is also a strong community of friendly people willing to help out with questions you might have. Search for them on Yahoo groups.

This is my first RC plane and although it is hard to fly it's darn near indestructible. I bit it hard from 300 feet and the Mugi stuck nose down in the dirt. It was ready to fly again as soon as I pulled it out of the ground! My first time out I crashed it so many times my motor shaft bent but the plane was fine. Get lots of extra props, they seem to break easily.

Step 1: Create a Design

Using your favorite graphics program create a design. Make sure the color pallet you use matches the tape colors you are able to find. I ordered my tape online from FastPack and got a roll each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, and white for about 20 bucks. Make sure you are using packing tape as other tapes are thicker and add weight to your plane model. Make sure you are not using duct tape! It is not suitable for coloring a Mugi.

Step 2: Light Your Work Area

Properly light your work area. This means a LOT of light, especially if you are a night owl like me.

Step 3: Supplies

Make sure you have all of the supplies you need to style your plane.

Keep fresh blades around. Also I cannot stress enough the importance of a proper cutting board

Step 4: Cutting Packing Tape

Packing tape can be temperamental stuff.

Rotate board as you cut to match your most comfortable position

Step 5: Peeling Cut Tape

Be gentle when peeling up packing tape, it likes to split

Step 6: Placing Pieces

Use a steady hand and don't be afraid to peel up sections that are not placed on the plane correctly the first time. Be sure to use a dull blade to peel anything off the coroplast so you don't cut the plastic by accident

Step 7: Save Your Cut Template Pieces

We'll use these left over pieces as guides for cutting the patterns for the other wing (if your design is symmetrical)

Step 8: Print Your Templates

Set up your design document to match the size of your model. This Mugi is 80cm (about 32 inches) from wingtip to wingtip. Matching the document size to your model size makes it really easy to crop out sections and print them. The prints should match the size of the model so you can cut on the print lines and have the edges all match up. The model is not flat though so your tape cutouts won't line up exactly. There will be small gaps and overlaps of the tape and that's ok.

Step 9: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 01

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 10: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 02

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 11: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 03

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 12: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 04

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 13: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 05

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 14: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 06

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 15: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 07

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 16: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 08

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 17: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 09

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 18: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 10

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 19: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 11

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 20: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 12

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 21: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 13

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 22: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 14

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 23: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 15

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 24: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 16

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 25: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 17

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 26: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 18

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 27: Cutting and Applying the Tape - Step 19

Template, Tape, Cut, Peel, Apply

Step 28: Cutting the Hatch

Cut the hatch for access to the battery and electronics

Step 29: Coloring the Fins

By now this should be easy

Step 30: First Time Out

This is me launching my Mugi for the first time at Apollo field in the SF Vally, CA. I had a friend on the controls to take it up then pass the transmitter to me so I could learn how it moves in the air. This did not stop me from mashing it into the ground for the entire first day. I love how resilient this plane is, any other material and it would have been dust.