flymeaway

My Feedback: (6)

I'm trying to plan my winter build for a high wing scale older era general aviation model I can throw a 26 - 40cc in and have a good flying plane mainly for touch and go's, puttsing around, and mild aerobatics (not looking for an all out performer, that's what I have an Extra for ).

I've built six or seven kits over the years but still don't consider myself a seasoned builder by any stretch. I'm not afraid of the work since the building is nearly as enjoyable to me as flying. I was going to go the scratch-built route and build a Hostetler Champ, or a Rearwin Cloudster, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a project of that magnitude so I thought a kit may be a better way to go for this project giving me more experience for a scratch built the next time around.

So I've narrowed it down to two kits - the Lanier Taylorcraft and the Ikon NW Aeronca Champ. I've read mixed opinions about the IkonNW kits and haven't really been able to find much current info out here on the Lanier kits, or the Lanier Tcraft.

Any advice on either kit, plane, or other suggestions that I may have overlooked to fit what I'm after?

Thanks.
Bob

jeffo

My Feedback: (68)

Bob,
I'd stick to a Sig or maybe a Balsa USA kit.They are great kits.I'm a big Sig fan.I've built Sig's Cub,4* 60,Hog bipe and now I am building their 1/3 spacewalker.I've been building for 20 years and for the value Sig can't be beat.Lanier and I'kon do not get very good reviews.Just my 2 cents.
Jeffo

do335a

Bob,
there's a world of difference between a Taylorcraft and a Champ.

The Taylorcraft has a semi-symmetric airfoil. The Champ's is flat bottom. So you can at least do a few things with the Taylorcraft while the Champwill sort of stooge around in comparison.

In the past, I had several Ikon kits for evaluation. They were all bad. Ebvery one had parts missing, including plans in one of them. Ikon promised to send the missing parts - several times - but eventually never did. They also used crappy mahogany door skin plywood where aircraft grade ply should have been used. Accuracy of parts to plans was also poor. This was the case with the 5 kits whic I had for the evaluation.

I also had an Ace Taylorcraft for evaluation. That was a very difficult build and you really were on your own to figure things out. It turned out great but I gave it away before ever flying it and I don't know what happened to it from there.

Last year at Toledo I saw the Lanier Taylorcraft, which they claim is laser cut. There are very few parts which are pre-cut, since you make most of them yourself. It's basically stick construction. And there is no harware. So that's an expensive project.

Neither the Ikon kits or Lanier Taylorcrft compare to the Sig kits for completeness, hardware and overall good impression. Sig actually includes hardware that you will use. There is some which could stand to be replaced, particularily if you are a hardware junkie. But overall, there is much better valkue with Sig.

The only snag is that the Cubs are flat bottomed wings. So they willnot have the aerobatic ability of the Taylorcraft. Mind you, the clipped wing Cub will be better than a Champ.

I had a Sig 1/4 size clipped wing cub mon wheels and floats. It was a great flyer. And it flew better on the floats than on wheels, especially when doing inverted flight. It was very agile but would always fall out of outside loops about 3/4 of the way through.

If you go with Sig, the Spacewalker is capable of outside manoeuvres since the wing is not flat bottom.

Good luck with whichever you choose!

DANCAPO

WHAT A SHAME I JUST TOLD MY WIFE TO STICK MY OLD TAYLORCRAFT ON EBAY (ARF)