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| General RC Aircraft Discussion Discuss anything RC related |
Topic Review (Newest First)
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| 11-20-2010 02:31 PM | ||
| Nuker |
Re: Model kits Well it's swap meet season and there always seem to be some kits for sale at them. Many times the owner has too many kits and realizes they'll never get built or they just don't have enough time to spend. Some charge a great deal but others are much more reasonable; doesn't hurt to ask. There are even several laser companies out there willing to supply out of production short kits. With a little work and a little luck, there are still some great, hard to find, kits out there. According to my wife, in 20 years I'll be at a swap meet selling some of my collection. (naw, she's dreaming) I'd love to see a Sportster Bipe .40 kit come back out. I have a used one and definitely one of my favorites, though it is starting to show some age, kinda like the pilot.  Don't give up on kits, they are around though the marketplace appears ot be shrinking a bit. Bob |
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| 11-20-2010 01:40 PM | ||
| JohnM |
Re: Model kits This is good topic - lots of hints and ideas. Personally, I have not built a plane for a few years now and am starting to get the itch back. Was surprised to learn there are quite a few "cottage industry" kit suppliers out there. Cheers |
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| 11-20-2010 02:30 AM | ||
| Wheels_78 |
Re: Model kits I designed a profile plane in autocad last year........ then I dropped my laptop. Sorry OP, getting way off topic here...... but I think the thread indicates... kit building isn't dead an I think if you do some online searching you'll find there's lots out there. |
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| 11-19-2010 11:08 PM | ||
| russ |
Re: Model kits Quote:
As far as kits go I'm not entirely convinced the market is dead. I think custom laser cutting is causing it to change. I'm looking forward to the day when I design & build my 1st plane from the ground up using a CAD program. |
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| 11-19-2010 11:02 PM | ||
| HalfaStrut |
Re: Model kits Hi We live in a world of instant gratification. People say they are just to busy to spend the time it takes to build...........anything. I worked part time in a hobby shop for 5 yrs, 5 yrs ago. And in that short span the kit section went down by 45% and the RTR went up as much. It got to the point where people not only wanted them RTR but pre painted, pre detailed, and pre weathered as well. I have not been back in RC aviation very long (3yrs) and I see the trend is the same, more ARFs and RTFs than kits . Hopefully there some Dads and Grand Dads out there that will try to intrest the young in the joys of building again............... HOPEFULLY ! Thanks Pat |
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| 11-19-2010 10:44 PM | ||
| Helno |
Re: Model kits I have bought kits from these guys http://www.stevensaero.com/ They make nice laser cut kits and don't seem to pricey. |
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| 11-19-2010 10:22 PM | ||
| Wheels_78 |
Re: Model kits HAM is not dead because you can't buy transistors, check out a site like digikey.com you can get anything you want and likely cheaper (relatively) than you've ever been able to get it before. HAM is dead because it's been replaced by the technology you used to make your post. Internet and cellular communication make HAM radio look ancient, unreliable, and tiny in scope. When I want to write a note I don't use a bottle of ink and a feather, and it's not because I couldn't find a bird if I needed one. We aught to be trying to see things in that light, we should realize that change does not mean we lose out on what came before (last time I was in a major hobby shop they still had a good sized section of free flight kits guyl), it means we have multitudes of previously unavailable opportunities. |
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| 11-19-2010 10:18 PM | ||
| Cougar429 |
Re: Model kits If you're looking for a good selection, both Sig and Balsa USA have quite a few. I just built 2 BUSA Northstars and have a BUSA EAA Bipe going on the build table this winter. Currently flying the Sig Skybolt and had their Smith Mini Plane kit, but sold that last weekend at the London Swap Meet. Too many other projects and the EAA Bipe is a better match for my 4-strokes. Luckily, I still have a Goldberg Super Chip kit that has been in storage for 20 + years. Also sorry to see Goldberg go as they were great kits. |
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| 11-19-2010 09:29 PM | ||
| fsone |
Re: Model kits Alot of good info and discussion on this topic.Keep it going guy's and thanks again. |
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| 11-19-2010 09:17 PM | ||
| guyl |
Re: Model kits It is now a well known fact.....you do not have to build a kit plane to fly. For the past 10 years or so ARFs have jumped into our little domain. Well known USA kit producers to survive had to jump into the ARFs market. This hobby of ours has gone from builders of model airplane kits, flying scale or good flying models who did enjoy building them and were satisfied to see them fly for once or more if that lucky. Then came radio controlled models... WOW now we can save them from flying out of sight, etc. Today, out of China comes jig built models, built to fly and not to crash. Some of them are excellent performers. I see them at the field, young guys who have never built a model airplane are excellent flyers. It is now no longer a builders hobby but a flyers hobby. BEWARE... What will happens when they get tired of flying the same Extras, etc all the time....will they switch to something else? Meanwhile what will happen to balsa suppliers and other materials for you to scratch build something? Amateur Radio....Ham Radio was once a hobby where you had to build all your receivers, transmitters etc to enjoy your hobby. Now there are no electronics stores to sell you what you would need to build anything. Then in the 70s a miracle did happen.....some company from Japan came up with a Black Box which could do everything your expensive radio amateur stations could do for less the cost and time you had spent on it......SO....so most of the Radio Amateurs bought the cheap box and used it for years. Now Amateur Radio is almost dead, no electronic suppliers, nobody on the radio ham bands are knowledgeable with electronics anymore, conversations are boring, old foggies are talking about their sicknesses and young guys if any around are talking about something else. I have seen beautiful model airplanes 30% + scale ATFs selling for upwards of $10k or more and Jets Turbines +++ It is all marketing. You would say get the young ones interested in Park Flyers (cheap foamies) Yes I agree, how about teaching or learning aerodynamics of flight by building, trial and error. Or am I too old for this and missing something...tell me. |
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