cheep tissue

Those cheaper tissues use the cheapest dyes, which are not sunlight stable. For wrapping presents, use as a covering in decorator bags holding gifts, making temporary flowers, they work great.

I learned early on as an adolescent in the superiority of Japanese Esaki tissue for covering rubber powered models. It was uniform in shrinking. Brushed with clear dope, had a certain beauty of appearance that was harder to mimic with the other tissues. Nearly all the U.S. rubber kits came with the cheaper flower making tissue. I could make it work, but it was nothing when compared with the Esaki.

That is why when Peck Polymers (the first owners) had the standard cheaper tissue, I bought 2 sheets of each color for future use. But, when I could, I would also buy the Esaki. In college I made the Guillow 18" Fokker DVIII and covered it in orange Esaki. After a water spray to tighten, then a light spraying with clear dope thinned 50-50, it was my display showpiece. Don't know whatever happened to it, probably a victim to a move.

Comet for some odd reason in the mid 1960's came with random tissue colors in the rubber power stick and tissue kits. Sometimes it was a nice medium green. Other times sky blue. But it seemed that at least half of the kits came with black tissue. I guess the factory must have gotten a bargain sale large quantity of black.

I finished a number of models in black, one their 15" $0.69 kit, the Ryan ST low wing cabin. I also covered a 32" Sparky in black. Nowadays, it seems that black is in vogue.

known that this is cheap alternative.

and i prefer the white to the red/green dyed

as you all know, Esaki is no longer available. Easybuilt has nice article about it here:
https://easybuiltmodels.com/Esaki_v_MT_Fuji.htm

there are alternatives and last stocks out there
EasyBuilt - $1.25/sheet - https://easybuiltmodels.com/ebl.htm#gsc.tab=0x
Peck - $0.50/sheet - https://www.wind-it-up.com/collections/peck-tissue
RetroEC has old stock Esaki $10/6 sheets - http://retrorc.us.com/esakitissue.aspx
Volare has some -- prices vary, but not cheap - https://volareproducts.com/blog/?product_cat=esaki

Doculam, Mylar, etc, is good covering

However, if you are cheap, and you need tissue to cover a model - and you don't like "plastic planes"
this stuff is cheap, works, has grain, and holds dope well.

Next week I am gonna experiment with some surgical grade silk I found at a surplus shop.

Nobody mentioned Doc-Span...aka Doctor's Office Exam Table covering. In particular, Tidi-brand Everyday Crepe 981002/981004. The problem is finding it "buy the roll," instead of "buy the box."
Look on StuntHangar or RCGroups for some chatter. It has been discussed here before, but not as heavily covered (yes, double entendre ).

is it this stuff?

how well
does it work?

https://www.amazon.com/TIDI-Exam-Table-Paper/dp/B018SVSC66?th=1

Charles,
I used it on my Scientific P-40 (the "big" one), and my Scientific Red Tiger turtle-top (the "small one") quite successfully.
Find them both here.

Also find my Brown-Novotnik Mini Mossie on RCGroups. That one shows how agressive shrinkage can be IF really leaned on with lots of dope and a hairdryer...ouch!

If you monitor StunHangar, find this discussion...it is what sold me on it:
https://stunthangar.com/smf/open-forum/world-shortage-of-silkspan-ended-frank-d-nominated-for-'hero-of-the-reich'/

PM your physical address...I'll mail you a sample big enough for a 1/2A wing. That is, if you are mainland USA.

I tried testing on a couple of projects to prolong my supply of Esaki and dope….And just to experiment…..The red and blue is Hallmark tissue…. The yellow is dollar store special …. Both were applied with white glue and water….. Then coated with Helmsman spar varnish which is UV resistant…. And seems to withstand fuel well too….The red/blue hasn’t seen a lot of daylight but the yellow has and is holding up OK….The varnish will darken a bit over time but doesn’t bug me too much….

RDW,
Both of those planes are smooth knocked out of the park. Reading that spar varnish appears to be fuel proof is exciting to me.

Charles...yes, your link is the right stuff. When I pull up your link, Amazon shows the optional 981004 too. The only difference is the width of the roll, and price. Note that is for 12 rolls! This stuff shows up on eBay as damaged goods occasionally...for a good bit less. I seem to remember it being a bit tighter "weave" than Guillows' tissue in their larger models (B-25, Liberator, PBY, etc), and about the same weight. The other threads (SH, RCG) indicate about the same as old K&S mid-weight. Dan McEntee gave me my test sheet...now I pay it forward while I can. I will say deep ribs should have stringers over the high point of the ribs. Otherwise, this stuff, if pushed hard, will shrink between the leading edge and trailing edge enough to swag way down between the ribs (lots of dope/hairdryer=bad). Moderately managed will appear like a classic, old school dope and silkspan. You have to try it to judge it.