EPP CL Trainers?

[Dennis Adamisin]

While flying sailplanes the slope soarers and later the thermal guys got into "unbreakable" EPP sailplanes.  EPP is that soft flexible foam that shows up in heavy electronics boxes with your new TV set.

Gets a bit complicated when you put an engine on the front, but can't help wondering that id should be possible to build a really robust, really durable and really ugly but virtually unbreakable CL BASIC trainer using the stuff.

I probably missed it, but has anyone tried?

[Jim Thomerson]

Dennis, what is needed is a full fuselage, attractive, modular EPP foam electric trainer.  "Excellent Control Line Airplane, All You Need In One Box,  $59.95."  The local source, or on line, has replacement parts, and you can get a hop-up kit which converts the trainer to a full-pattern capable airplane.  Once something like that becomes available at the usual outlets, control line will boom.  If Topflight can make money with CL ARF's, then someone will figure out how to make money with such a product.  Until then fly all you can, because the circle is going to get crowded.   

[Wynn Robins]

We have a couple of these  down here in NZ - they fly pretty good and sure take a beating

[Dennis Adamisin]

Jim T
That sounds like the proverbial mousetrap with the word beating a path to who ever's door it leads to.  With all the emphasis on schoolyard RC it seems a schoolyard CL would be an easy winner!

Wynn:
Can you share any particulars about the layout of these EPP birds?  Are they "normal" airplanes with EPP wings & fuselages?  Wood or plastic tails?

[Glen Wearden]

Maybe something like the Cox plane, that I can't remember the name of anymore (Viper, Super Viper?), could be made as a "foamie", electrified, and sold as a "ready to fly" package.  As I recall from what I read, it was a pretty good flying stunter.  Glen 

[captcurt]

Have you seen Igor Burger's indoor electric projects?  Seems they would be very similar.

I think they are slight modifications to the ARF foam flat-wing 3D electrics that are so popular for indoor.

Curt