In the late 1980's, I remember seeing one of Steve Helms's Auroras up close and inside. The finish was immaculate and the fuse appeared to be made from a molded balsa shell. All of the inside parts were sanded smooth and coated so that the interior of the fuse was just as impressive as the outer finish. At the time, I think he said they cost around $2,300 to 2,800 each. Very professional!

I've been pricing out various paint systems, and now I see why film coverings and ARF's are so popular! I can buy the ARF Intruder for little more than it will cost me to paint the Tipo with some systems! Ed has a good point about planes accumulating hangar rash, etc. Still, we do this hobby/sport for a number of different reasons. Sometimes, the important thing is just to have something that flys, other times, there is a lot of satisfaction in the craftsmanship and individuality that goes into a good painted finish. I love to eat out. Sometimes I feel like fine dinining and wine, sometimes I feel like babecue and beer. Both are great, but different. One thing I don't like about film finishes is that the balsa surface is still soft. I almost feel like the plane gets dented every time I pick it up, unless I'm extremely careful. Also, the edges always start peeling up after a while. The auto enamel and epoxies make beautiful finishes, but seem difficult to touch up when dinged. Old fashion silk/dope was so easy to fix.

I think the bottom line is, results depend on the builder and his/her talent and experience with the materials being used.

Anyone used the Nelson Hobbies system? Sounds good, with water thinning and clean up. www.nelsonhobby.com