Navy18

My Feedback: (4)

I would like to hear from all the "experts" on which Great Planes kit is their favorite. Please respond in terms of kit building satisfaction and flight performance. I have built quite a few and will say the Ultimate40 is by far the best flying plane I've had in the 40 size...... the kit was nice, wood average, engineering excellent and flying excellent. There is no better bargain out there; I fly it with an OS 70. I am considering another (maybe Giles) but want to hear what others think.

50%plane

My Feedback: (5)

My favorite that I built was the Decathlon. The parts were a good fit, the plane was very strong, and flew great. The worst plane they ever made was the slowpoke.

Navy18

My Feedback: (4)

I agree about the slowpoke; saw two of them and neither one flew well..... tried to help another flyer with it and barely got it down myself. Don't know about the decathlon.... I'll look into it..... thier kits are good values but some use 1/16 skins over the ribs which makes for a weak structure. If your looking at a good bipe, try that Ultimate40.

CRFlyer

I have built several GP kits, but by far the best one yet was the Super sportster 60. Easy building kit that goes together well, and produces a very nice flyer. The 60 size is an older kit and requires a fair amount of sanding and shaping, but still the kit is fantastic. Other kits I have built are the F-15 and the cap 232. Also, just finishing an ultra sport plus.

Navy18

My Feedback: (4)

Fill us in on the UltraSPort Plus and the Cap 232..... are they thin skinned? How was the build and flying characteristics?

CRFlyer

I have not flown the ultrasport yet however it builds nice and is sheeted over the stringers. Should get to fly this one in another week or two. The cap also builds easy and is sheeted over the stringers. (Both use light ply for fusalage sides). The cap fly's well but I lost mine after I repaired a hard landing and ended up tail heavy. The cap is fast (I had an o.s. 50 sx on it) but flys very well. However it is a cap so you should have some previous experience with tail draggers and low wing planes.

Dennismate

For me it has to be the Ultrasport 60 (no longer available), tail dragger with retracts... simply superb!!!

Navy18

My Feedback: (4)

Does anyone have experience with the Giles 202? Everyone seems to like the planes that are no longer available..... I built the Extra300 (60 size) and lost the plane to an early snap..... that was after I poked my thumb through the wing sheeting about 6 times; I am looking for a solid single winger that is as much fun as the Ultimate40

Kaos Rulz

DITTO - DITTO and DITTO!!

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I've got to agree on the Ultra Sport 60!! Best flying plane ever IMHO. It's not the easiest to build though. Basically, you attach a bunch of balsa blocks together, start sanding, and when you are ankle deep in balsa dust your are done!!!

I'll disagree on the Slow Poke. I just finished a Slow Poke 40, with an OS 52 4-stroke, and I am having the time of my life flying it. It's a blast to fly. I love putting down the field at a speed pretty close to what I can walk at!!!

I've got an Ultimate 40 on the board now. Hopefully I'll have it finished before too long. Can't wait to fly it.

Navy18

My Feedback: (4)

You will not be dissapointed with the Ultimte40... best flying, bang for the buck, fun plane that I have ever had; and that includes a few Goldberg kits.... I can fly that thing around with a 70 on it and make it do just about anything.... except 3D. You will love it.

50%plane

My Feedback: (5)

This was the origional kit built slowpoke. The center section of the wing warped right off the building board and it went downhill from there.[:'(]

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Sorry to hear that. Mine is the kit too. I haven't had any problems with it at all.

daney

super sky bolt os120 rock and roll soled

JRFisher

Is there a reason you are limiting yourself to Great Planes?

There are a lot of great kits out there.

Any interest in a profile? OMP and Paul Swaney make some great ones.

50%plane

My Feedback: (5)

RCKen,
You said that you have the Slowpoke sport .40 Probably the kit( since this is the kit building forum). I have the origional slowpoke .15-.25 size plane. They don't compare. I haven't ever built the .40, but from the pictures of the plane I can easly tell that it has a lot better construction.

GRANT ED

I have a bunch of GP planes. I have built two kits, the RV-4 and the Ultimate bipe. My fav plane is the ultimate but the RV is a very good model too. The quality of both kits is very good, no complaints here.

Paternguy

My Feedback: (1)

Great Planes Tipoaire, one of the best flying planes I have ever had, YS 60 Fire and retracts. To bad they killed it.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I've never been dissapointed with a GP kit. The Ultimate 40, Ultrasport 40 and Skyboly are my favorites, but the Extra 300 (60) was another excellent plane.

I would love to try out their US40+. If it's anything like the original, it has to be a winner!

Navy18

My Feedback: (4)

We need to get the "skinny" on that new UltraSport Plus..... who's built and flown one??

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

I have built many Great Planes kits, however my favorites have to be the F-14 Tomcat and the Cap 232. My son and I have built dozens of Great Planes kit's. The new Ultra Sport is one of the best planes on the market. We have built The 40 size Cub, the Giles 202, the F-15 eagle, the PT 40, the Cap 232, the Corsair, the P-51, 2 F-14 Tomcats, 2 Ultra Sports, (the new one's) and I am sure there are a few more. I am as we speak building the 15 size Slow Poke and with my beleif in Great Planes quality, I have to say that this kit is disappointing. The die cutting is miserable and there are issues with the firewall and the fit to the fusealge as well as the front end doublers. I hope it fly's. Good Luck, Dave

50%plane

My Feedback: (5)

Add ailerons to the slowpoke and reduce the dihederal. It's a necessity.

Navy18

My Feedback: (4)

DavidAgar,
I would love to get your impressions on the UltraSport+; you built 2? Also, what was your impression of the Cap232? Which of the 2 was the better plane? Thanks.

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

It would be hard to chose between the 2. The Ultra Sport is a very precise flying plane and goes just where you point it. With a 46 on the nose they are close to being a pattern airplane. I have been able get mine to hang on the prop for a few moments, however the rest of the 3D manuvers are really not possible with it. The Cap is a sweetheart. It is not as fast as the Ultra Sport and I have an OS 70 Surpass on mine. It does all the manuvers much slower and not quite as crisp, but it does make them look more realistic. Good Luck, Dave

ksechler

RV-4 hands down. It's not the easiest to build (not the hardest either). It looks great and is a very solid performer.

Other GP kits I have built:
Ultimate - also a favorite
Decathalon - Fun to fly but a NASTY snap
.20 Cub - also enjoyable