Does foam float your boat?

A new poll from David Pearce's question! - Does foam float your boat?

I prefer wood - I have foam models but I put them in the 'disposable' bracket - they just get hangar rash way too easily for my liking.

I build predominantly in foam and my best models are Foam not Wood!!!!!!!!!

I predate foam, and have never bothered to acquire a foam build skill set. Don't mind small ARTF foamies though, hard work in wood. Look good.

Having been a so-called traditional modeller since '69 I quite like the variation that foam models offer and particularly like learning new techniques associated with constructing/repairing the different types of foam. Also, in some cases, Foamy ARTFs offer a huge time saving in construction (and value for money) with some of the more complex models.

Take the FMS 1400mm P-51 Mustang V9 series as an example; How long (and how much) would it take (and cost) to make that particular model in wood, complete with flaps, retracts (inc. tail wheel) and door sequencing, nav lights, sliding canopy etc? The purists may scoff that it's made of foam and is electric powered, but when it's actually in the air and flown in a realistic manner, I defy anyone to tell it apart from a trad built version. I'm not knocking built up models (God knows I've built dozens over the years), but foam does offer a relatively cheap and quick way into the air with the time and money saved put to other uses.

Wood.

Foam......YUK

ernie

Now that I think about it, the blue stuff can easily be formed to say a glider pod. Covered in glass and acrylic, and then the foam melted out. But as for the wee toy things again YUK

ernie

Each to his own ... I prefer foam

I fly both foam and wood models.

I think each has its merits depending on the situation. One could debate ad infinitum as to which may or may not be superior to the other, but as avtur says, each to his own.

I also fly both, but for my "serious" models, (SebArt Angel 50 for aero comps, decent sized glider tug etc,), I prefer wood... Much stronger where larger motors are concerned.

Wood has no place in a slope racer or Hotliner, only composites and foam will do, timber just doesn't cut it!

Never foam, wood always for me.

For looking at - wood, building - wood, but I like my foam Cub

I've got a coupe of the multiplex foam models and find them good for a fun chuck around. They do suffer hanger rash easily , but a dab of hot glue can often sort out a bad arrival.

I'm not a fan of a foam training plane tho, I find them to twitchy in all but the lightest of winds.

I enjoyed Trebor's Fun Cub, hope he lets me fly it again soon

Edited By Justin K. on 20/06/2015 17:53:41

You can fly it anytime, it was up again this morning.

I like wood, but foam is cheaper & flying is more scale like as it's slower & lighter.

I like both balsa, and foam, (mainly Depron). I scratch build a lot, and Depron is so much cheaper than balsa, though I still use some balsa where needed.

I'm sure there are plenty of modelers, who dislike this or that, generally things they probably haven't tried properly.

Whatever the model is made from or powered by shouldn't really matter, likewise whether it is built, assembled, or comes out of the box ready to fly. It's all a personal choice.

Some people disagree with ARF, (Almost Ready to Fly), type models, yet most of the large IMAC competition models are ARFs. Many of the lareger 1/4 and 1/3 scale models are ARF, scale turbine models are ARF.

What about the glass fuselage and sheeted foam core wing models, are they also disliked by the balsa only fliers ?

Personally I don't care what people fly, I worry more about how they fly.

Well said!