Did you ever notice how light plank on bulkhead wooden ship models are?

Sort of like balsa flying model airplanes,  The basic structure is so light and flimsey.  Then you apply the tissue paper covering, and all of a sudden it is strong, yet not much weight was added.  I guess that is what they mean by the term "stressed skin"

Even with using basswood and hardwoods, they can finish up pretty light. My 56" long, 1:12 scale Tango boat still needed 20 lbs. of ballast to float even close to design waterline.

missileman2000

Sort of like balsa flying model airplanes,  The basic structure is so light and flimsey.  Then you apply the tissue paper covering, and all of a sudden it is strong, yet not much weight was added.  I guess that is what they mean by the term "stressed skin"

 

 

Bill