Low voltage means high current, high current means thick wires, thick wires means...

If you could build a 10 ounce plane you'd need 70W on average to fly it with a brushless.  At six volts, that works out to over ten amps, which is going to call for at least 26 AWG lines -- and that's just for lines that don't melt, not lines that don't drop more voltage in the lines than in the motor.

I think we're stuck with ESCs and LiPos -- besides, a cheap brushless motor plus a cheap ESC works way better than a cheap brushed motor.  I don't even know if Astro Flight or anyone else still makes the super-zoot brushed motors with rare-earth magnets.

Not that motor -- but you still have a problem with the lines being way big for the plane.

32" depron model with 60W motor will work on 800mah 2 cell on board battery and fly whole program .. there is no reason to make simple thing too complicated :-))

Power down the lines won't work - see what Tim said above.  Besides Hobby King has really cheep stuff   

power down the lines DOES work.

however, it IS cheaper and easier to not go that way

Google   Stevens AeroModel for a simple small electric airplane.   Keep wanting to get one for the kids, but things keep happpening.

The Moons have flown a very small e power Furias behind the hotel in Muncie. I think that model had power through the lines.

I don't understand why it won't work thru the lines.  It seems to me I saw more than one design for this type o9f thing way back in the model mags.  Anyone else remember these?

I guess the bottom line is that it can be made to work through the lines - however define working.  If you want to just fly around it can and has been done.  If you want to do stunts it is very diffcult.  Once again Tim above laid out the math.  It takes power to fly.  The insulated lines has resistance so you lose power down the lines.  Of course you can strap on a big battery on your belt so you have plenty of power.  For a down the line system the battery can be big and heavy (and expensive).  But to me with $10 speed controllers and $6 to $10 motors available  It seems like a lot of work to design a down the wire battery system.  However having said all this it could be a fun project so go for it!