In rec.aviation.owning Justin Case wrote:
I don't know! $300K for a plastic airplane is a bit much for me.
After all, you see what happened to the wing of the Discovery when
they shot the foam at it? I've got to doubt that there will be many
plastic aeroplanes around that are 50 years old. But that's what they
similarly said when aluminum replaced tube and fabric.

The shuttle is metal, not fiberglass. The abative tiles are sintered silica.


--
Jim Pennino