I know what you mean about ARF survivability. Some of the prettier semi-scale ARF's use tricks like printed coverings and such that are virtually unreparable. I guess they figure no one actually repairs ARF's -- just runs to the hobby shop to get the next one!

I'll admit though that I'm on the opposite end of the Scale -- Flyable continuum. I'm willing to give up some flyability for a bit of scale looks. But then WWII warbirds aren't really my thing and so it's really just a novelty.