[Guest]

I got unto this topic at lunch today when one of the co-op students got talking about his hobbies and recreational activities and I mentioned model aircraft. He very quickly progressed to stating that he'd seen planes on YouTube that cost tens of thousands of dollars to build. He even said that he'd seen one that cost 200,000 to build.

I did get him nailed down on one specific airplane and he phoned one of his buddies to verify the price: Chris Golds turbine B-52 was suppedly 60,000.00 (assuming US dollars).

My off-head-top guessimate came up with 16 thou for the motors (probalby discounted or loaned by Wren from the get-go since this was advertising for their product), plus another 5 thou for the plane and fittings, but 60???????

I did tell Ivan that the Internet in general is rife with exaggeration, and YouTube is Boast-Central.

I have seen some big and probably expensive models, but ones that cost 200 thou??????

Better yet, has anyone got Chris Golds' e-mail address of RCGroups name so I can get the facts on what that project actually cost?

Me? I've never had a project go over a couple hundred, and the last one that did was my first large electric plane (.45 trainer conversion with AXI 2826/10, CC Phoenix 45, and Polyquest 3300 4S 20C), still have everything but the trainer in the basement going into a Sig Kougar.

[waylander]

I think that if you go big and realistic enough scale you can get into the really high numbers.

[AJCoholic]

Well, considering there are "regular joes" here in Canada flying relatively small turbine models that cost $20K - getting together a jet model that costs $50K or more isnt very hard. There is a large scale F86 that I believe costs upwards of $40K US for just the airframe.

Wren most definitely did not discount the engines for the large B52 - they dont need to advertise, they cant keep up with orders as is...

With some of the large aerobatic IMAC planes (built from all stock kits, engines and hardware) coming in at $8K to $10K Canadian, its not unreasonable to get a model that costs a lot more IF you are getting custom made stuff like retracts or other machined components.

Also, what about radio gear? A simple 1/3scale aerobatic plane like the Sukhoi Su26 I just put together had only 5 8711 servos that cost $1000 right there. Radio gear was well over $2K by the time you add a few battery packs, a single receiver and a few extra parts... a l;arge model using multiple receivers, power distribution system and multi battery's, many high power servos (something like an 8711 at $200 doesnt take long to add up the $$'s) and you may have $10K just in flight gear!

This hobby is great because you can have fun with a $15 stick and tissue model, or a $100 foamy, or a $300 .40 size sport plane all the way up to a multi-$k model and everything in between... Its all about what you want to get in the air and how much you can afford to lose in a crash.

AJC

[yakityyak]

Talking with a gentelman at the Weak Signals show last year in front of his F16, I bet he listed over 80k in parts alone. Custom turbine and components including auto start, full hydraulics-not air- oil system for the retracts and operational sliding canopy, gear doors and all the actuators, full lighting system with strobes and nav lights, functional dash lights and controls that move with the controls, ect ect ect. I seem to remeber the 100k number thrown around but I'm pretty sure that wasnt including the man hours, so yea. I'd say it can get pretty high. He was from Ontario actually too, Ottawa area??? I have a poor memory, but I will look into it!

[Mike Emilio]

Originally Posted by AJCoholic

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Also, what about radio gear?
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AJC

And then there might be the exhorborant few, that can afford all the live telemetry and autonomous electronic stuff, which might alone be maybe $10,000!

[planecrazy]

Originally Posted by yakityyak

Talking with a gentelman at the Weak Signals show last year in front of his F16, I bet he listed over 80k in parts alone. Custom turbine and components including auto start, full hydraulics-not air- oil system for the retracts and operational sliding canopy, gear doors and all the actuators, full lighting system with strobes and nav lights, functional dash lights and controls that move with the controls, ect ect ect. I seem to remeber the 100k number thrown around but I'm pretty sure that wasnt including the man hours, so yea. I'd say it can get pretty high. He was from Ontario actually too, Ottawa area??? I have a poor memory, but I will look into it!

That was Graeme Meers, and yes he's Canadian.

[747drvr]

The ill fated B-52 wasn't Chris Gold's plane . I believe the builder/pilot was Gord Nichols .

Marc

[ronnieo]

The most expensive heartbreaker I know of is the guy who had the British Airways Concorde at Toledo 4 years ago with 4 turbines and a complete interior with cabin lights, retractable nose,expensive landing gear and it came with it's own trailer for hauling...the asking price was $85000 US and he huffed it in the ground three months later, and his wife left him over it...as reported the next year at Toledo....OUCH!!!


I got pics of it somewhere on a disk here...intact!!

[scott H]

HIS WIFE LEFT HIM. hmmmm. where can i get one of these jets. just kidding couldn't resist.

[moo]

Still cheaper than golf