Home made tail protection covers

F3X competition planes are sometimes damaged during transportation, especially because we let the V-tail in place.

Tail covers provided with the glider, or bought as an option, a nicely made, but appears to not fully protect from shocks and prints.

I'm now using home made covers using a 2.5 thick foam called "Isolene". This foam has on one face a thin aluminuim sheet.  It costs around 5€ per square meter, given thatt he roll is 1.5m large.

Icut at the shape of the tail with a 1.5cm margin all around the tail.

Then I glue using hot glue, but proceeding 20 to 30 cm at a time, let dry, and continue. Then, with scissors, I cut the excess (around 5mm).

The covers are staying perfectly in place and are never sliding. They also keep the control surface aligned.

The density of the foam is protecting well the surface, and the 1cm excess all around is a good shield against unwanted shocks while manipulating.

I recently found in the same shop a even more dense foam, all white this time, called Isol'choc. Price is a bit more expensive (7€ per square meter). I haven't try yet to glue them, but I think it should worl the same.