Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite article includes applying at least one resin impregnated fiber sheet to an inner surface of a forming mold, applying a predetermined mass of a syntactic foam mixture on at least a portion of the resin impregnated fiber sheets, closing the forming mold and heating the mold, the resin impregnated fiber sheets and the syntactic foam mixture to a predetermined temperature for a time sufficient to fully cure the resin impregnated fiber sheet and the syntactic foam to form the composite article. The syntactic foam mixture is formulated so that during the cure cycle, the syntactic foam gels, expands, and starts to cure before the resin impregnated fiber sheets of the outer shell. The expansion of the inner core of syntactic foam forces the fiber sheets of the shell against the inner surface of the mold to accurately reproduce the mold contours.