dbcisco

I agree highstrut. Repair shops often have better mechanics and tehnicians than a factory.
I wanted the poll to spark discussion about what everyone is doing. The poll itself is very flawed and limited.
I just got tired of the threads about flying, Muncie and the FAA.
I wondered what the AMA members are doing in other areas of the hobby.

dragonov3

My Feedback: (3)

I mostly build from kits. I assembled a few arfs in my time when i didnt have enough time to build and just purchased plans for the Sun Ray from RCM. My current build is a CG Super Chipmunk. Just finished covering it, all I need to do is put the radio gear in it and run the engine. I love threads like this, when my wife says I spend to much time and money on my planes, I just have her read these type of threads and she quiets right down, lol. I have over 30 NIB kits and a couple of ARFS stashed away. My next build, which I hope to start next week is a Bruce Tharpe Flying King. I can't wait to get started. My favorite part of the build is when I first open the kit box, the smell of balsa wood and all the fun possibilities that I envision. Couple of Pics if anyones interested.

davidhand

A long time ago in a different life when I was a pre-teen, a relative gave me an ED Bee 1cc diesel. I went to the hobby store to buy a kit and couldn't afford one, so I bought a bunch of balsa and all the other stuff one needs and proceeded to design my own control line trainer. It flew, however I didn't know about planking to get a curved surface so I just bent some cardboard, also the fuel tank leaked because my soldering skills were lacking. I took some ribbing at the flying field because the plane got heavier every week as the fuel soaked in. I had quite a few planes over the next few years, no kits all my own design, in those days you could build from scratch for about a third the price of a kit.
Eventually I tired if model planes and became a design engineer by profession. I have designed everything from remote controlled devices at Three Mile Island to fifty foot high spillway gates for hydroelectric projects.
I am now retired and a couple of years ago I thought I would try RC aircraft. I have several ARF's, several I have designed myself, and one kit built. The kit built didn't give me a lot of personal satisfaction as it took time to build and I didn't feel that I had really created anything. I feel however ARFs have a definite place especially for a beginner as you don't feel so great a loss when you crash one. I also have a lot of respect for all you guys out there who learned to fly before the days of flight simulators.
By the way dragonov3 I really like your pictures.

David Hand PE

rambler53

My Feedback: (494)

How many real "re-builders" would tackle a crash this extensive?

barchiola

My Feedback: (6)

sums it up. prefer to build but love them all.

hairy46

My Feedback: (1)

That is a wonderful job on the airplane! looks like even one I could see in the air, what covering did you use on it? looks great!





My doctor told me I would need allot more therapy, so I bought more planes!

bcatone

Kits mostly, some scratch. I have never owned, flown, or considered buying a plane pre-built...Over half of the enjoyment of this sport is building for me.

lkruse

My Feedback: (42)

In reply to the question about all plans offered by AMA being published in Model Aviation. Yes, with the exception of the John Pond Collection which went to the AMA from his estate. The Pond Collection is very eclectic, but has mostly R/C Old Timers and free flight plans.

Stickbuilder

Ummmm, When you consider that the plans were drawn by me, the patterns were drawn by me, and cut by me, how do you get that its so easy? When you have to compute each station, and the compound curves of the scale fuselages, it gets to be downright tricky. Ribs? Decide on which NACA airfoil that you want to use, and then compute the length and height of the rib at its apex. Common sense and experience dictate spar placement. The tricky part comes when you decide not to use the, "D" tube design, and go with something that is true to scale, with the internal wing braces, complete with turnbuckles, so that you can trim and tune the wing. Now you're talking scale.

Bill, AMA 4720
Waco Brother #1

dragonov3

My Feedback: (3)

It is covered in Black and yellow monokote. This is the second Chipmunk I've built with this color scheme. I built this one for a friend. The first one I built around 1989 after a chipmunk i saw at the Redding Ca airshow.

Vinnie6

I agree!

dbcisco

Scale is whole 'nother ball game, Stickbuilder. Wish I was that good.

Stickbuilder

Those of us who do build scale were not tagged at birth to do so. A fairy did not hit us with their wand and tell us to build scale. In order for you to be able to do so, you have to dedicate yourself to doing it, and doing it right. Look at what Graeme Mears is able to accomplish. No magic there. He just kept on trying until he learned how to do it.

Bill, AMA 4720
Waco Brother #1

LADDIE

Bill, HIGHSTRUT does not know what he is talking about. Obviously he never took clean sheet of paper and drew the plans for any model. Other vice he would know that HE has to draw the shapes of the ribs, formers and lot of other details before he can start cutting to build.
Laddie.

HIGHSTRUT

rambler53
Thanks for proving my point with the picture of the crashed model. If it's a scratch or kit model you have the plans and patterns to rebuilt your model,( that's easy). Now if it were an ARF without plans and patterns to follow,(that's not easy, if even posssible).

Thanks again

ArcticCatRider

My Feedback: (6)

I like building kits....I like Goldberg, GP, and Midwest kits the most.

I don't have anything against ARFs except that there are 4 of the same at the field sometimes. Scratch building I haven't really considered...and I'm not exactly long on time so I doubt I'll be doing it anytime soon.

Hossfly

"HIGHSTRUT", you do have some points, however there are many kinds of building. Sometimes that "plan" is just in the noggin as a vision.

Here is an old time "Fun Fly Model" that I built in 4 days for a weekend competition "Fun Fly". Started on a Tuesday, tested on Friday and flew in the event on Saturday. It is a very smooth flier, but has not been flown for some 10 years. The model is still in my barn and will soon be 15 years old. The only "PLAN" was the airfoil shape and a simple wing outline. The airfoil was very scientific, I simply placed my right foot sneaker on some paper, drew an outline of the right side, doubled it over and the deed was done. I decided a 60" span and some 600 sq. ins. would do the trick so my pencil outline was set to provide such. The famous but top secret , , airfoil was adjusted to provide an 18% +/-, section inboard half then tapering to 12% +/- outboard.
The fuse. was formed from one piece of Foamboard, and backed up by 1/4" balsa stringers, with 1/16" ply doublers from mid wing forward. No plans needed, just cut to fit what was cut and fitted before. The tail feathers are foam board with 1/4" outline balsa, and they were left square. Ugly but I was in a hurry.
I have built many models in the same fashion. It's not bragging, just fact! I have rebuilt some ARFs that crashed due to structure failure of the original. I have finally learned to provide adequate restructure prior to first flights of any ARF especially if over .25 size. The GP Tony in my first pictures was a crash-ready, waiting to happen, machine on the front end. It has flown a lot after I rebuilt the front end. Power is ST .90.

So, I say Thanks Much to "dbcisco" for opening this thread, and I am happy to see so many presenting pictures of so many fine models.
Does it really matter how each individual gets his machine to the flying stage? IMO each of us has certain talents, certain lifestyles, certain outside family/personal responsibilities, and a host of other considerations. Is there any real reason for us to fight within the ranks, when there are so many problem-items existing on the outside that tend to restrict our opportunities for having a place to fly, build, and/or hanger our hobby-sport machines? Is it not better to just present our own specific likes and accept other's likes as a learning opportunity? Just because one does not do as someone else, doesn't mean that either is right or wrong. Just means that we enjoy the freedom to be different.
Heck, I love steak and fish. Doesn't mean that some chicken, or pasta doesn't also need to be thrown in there every so often.

Just think about it.

hairy46

My Feedback: (1)

Made so great points! Thanks HOSSFLY! bottom line is I love to fly, I have seen many of the same ARF's at the field at one time, and like to build kits because you can put your own finishing touch on them and know the glue is there, I have fixed crashed planes making allot of the parts by hand, But that said I want to go to the next step and trace the next kit and make the parts for another one, then from there learn to scratch build, I just have to learn it one step at a time! I have been into the hobby for about 27 years but I started and the woman I was married to made it imposible for me to do anything with it, I built back then a PT-40 and she treatened to smash it all the time. She was the one that bought me the kit for my birthday! Then she left me and my daughters when the youngest was just 5 weeks old, so I had to put away the RC dream for some time while I raised my four daughters. But for birthdays and Christmas I would get something RC planes related and would buy a kit on ebay and stick it in the closet or under the bed and when my daughters started to move out I started back into the hobby and I know that I am now a lifer, I love this hobby and I eat sleep and dream of my next build! I am in no way in the league that many of you are, But I do enjoy where I am at and want to go as far as my time I have left will take me! This is not just a hobby to me its a dream come true. A dream I had since I was a kid and walked into a hobby shop for the first time. I just bought my 54th airplane a few days ago, I have airplanes hanging in every room but the bathroom and it may get one in there soon, I am here to stay! And the folks I have met at the field are 2nd to none, we sit around flying day and just talk airplanes, And now my grand kids are taking to it, Life is great!


My doctor told me I would need allot more therapy, so I bought more planes!

loser

My Feedback: (37)

WOW....very suprised at the poll results. based on what i see when i attend fly-ins and contests or visit other clubs....i would have thought at least 50% or more like 70-75% ARF's??? At least thats what I see..... I'm about 50-50 split myself....

runwaypete57

My Feedback: (16)

I love to build. When I was young I use to build plastic model cars. I picked up this hobby about 15 years ago when I built my first trainer from a kit. I was hooked. Then I started to buy ARF's. Now I'm back to building again. It's great theropy. Time is a premium but I try to build at least one kit every year. I have plan built a extra 230 40 size with sheeted foam wings but have not flown it. Mostly I kit build. There is nothing better then seeing what you have built in the air. I still fly ARF's but it's not the same satifaction as the ones I build.

Pete

coachdavis10

I bought a couple of ARFs when I got to started back in the hobby about 5 years ago, but now I pretty much build everything I fly... Kits or plans... full or short kits preferred cause my cutting skills arn't the best

dbcisco

Definitely! That is why am not that good.....yet

Radical Departure

My Feedback: (13)

Mostly ARF's but learning/doing some building.

garfred-RCU

Here, Here. I agree very much

Stickbuilder

Chances are if it were either Kit built or Scratch built, it would not have come apart in the air, or the control surfaces would not have failed, causing a catastrophic loss. You seldom see such a crash with a Scratch build, but when you do, its normally associated with a set of dumb thumbs. Been there, done that. I have models that are over 15 years old, and still are very airworthy. One has logged more than 1300 documented flights.

Bill, AMA 4720
Waco Brother #1