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Where Have All The Kits Gone ?

Old 06-09-2018, 01:30 PM
  #1101  
clockguypete
 
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I would like to see a list of kit suppliers for 1/4 scale and up size kits. I am trying to decide on one for a 1/4 scale Stearman. I have an OS fr5-300 radial in need of a plane.
Old 06-09-2018, 09:41 PM
  #1102  
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Default I can reproduce most of the Pica and Royal kits

I can reproduce most of the Pica and Royal kits and many others with laser cutting and I just finished building a large (24 X 36) vacuum-forming machine. The kits are exact duplicates, many with cockpit kits available, and prices are reasonable. If interested email me at [email protected]
Old 06-10-2018, 08:05 AM
  #1103  
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Horizon is killing off airplane kits. Great Planes and Top Flite will be gone in the very near future unless someone steps up and purchases the rights from Horizon.
Horizon purchased the rights for GP & TF but not the manufacturing portion. I don't know who actually owns that part.
See here, posts #444 thru #447
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...usiness/page30
For further proof go to the Tower website and pull up airplane kits.
They are selling off the kits they had in stock then nixing them.

Last edited by DBD1; 06-10-2018 at 08:08 AM.
Old 06-10-2018, 11:37 AM
  #1104  
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Oh, I think not that it is not that Horizon wants to kill of the kits. Rather, it is that overall, kits no longer had the volume sales they had in the past and therefore not considered profitable enough to continue. Remember, Tower Hobbies bankrupted by not selling enough to make a profit. So, the decision to discontinue, inasmuch as we may not like the result, was influenced by the bottom line.
Old 06-10-2018, 03:15 PM
  #1105  
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I am concerned with the direction SIG is going. It is a safe bet that SIG will never produce another new kit, and pretty much guarantee that when a kit sits on a shelf too long, they will discontinue it. Their focus is on ARF.

Last year at the Toledo show, they had debuted a new ARF, 1/4 scale T-Clips. I asked if they were going to kit it as well and was pretty much told they don't wish to spend R&D time on kitting a new plane. I know I would buy a 1/4 scale T-Clips kit, but not an ARF. I don't get it though, they have the laser cutting all figured out, so how difficult would it be to put together a manual and plans?
Old 06-10-2018, 03:44 PM
  #1106  
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I would rather build a kit then assemble an ARF. But I do have some ARF's so I understand there place in the hobby. I don't know why they can't make an ARF and offer a kit of the same plane. It has to cost less to produce a kit. There already making the parts for the ARF.
Old 06-10-2018, 08:54 PM
  #1107  
Telemaster Sales UK
 
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I don't think that the situation is as bad as all that!

True, the big kit producers of yesteryear, the Goldbergs and the Top Flites, have gone or appear to be going, but there have been plans for decades so it's always possible to build a model from a plan if you are determined enough.

However, the kit manufacturers only produced a limited range of kits. If you wanted to build a Spitfire, P51D or Piper Cub you were well catered for but if you wanted to build any WW1 two-seater aircraft, a Soviet WW2 fighter or even something as iconic as a Hawker Hurricane, the choice was much more limited.

Those big manufacturers are being replaced by a cottage industry, kit cutters with lasers. They will produce the Cubs, Spitfires and P51s but today, if you wanted to build that Brewster Buffalo, Spirit of St Louis or Hawker Tempest you simply send off the plan to a kit cutter and for a fee you can have your own unique model aircraft kit accurately reproduced.

We've never had such choice.

Mind you, when we've all gone up to that great flying field in the sky, even the laser cutters will have to shut the doors.

Last edited by Telemaster Sales UK; 06-10-2018 at 08:57 PM.
Old 06-11-2018, 02:12 AM
  #1108  
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Originally Posted by Telemaster Sales UK
I don't think that the situation is as bad as all that!

True, the big kit producers of yesteryear, the Goldbergs and the Top Flites, have gone or appear to be going, but there have been plans for decades so it's always possible to build a model from a plan if you are determined enough.

However, the kit manufacturers only produced a limited range of kits. If you wanted to build a Spitfire, P51D or Piper Cub you were well catered for but if you wanted to build any WW1 two-seater aircraft, a Soviet WW2 fighter or even something as iconic as a Hawker Hurricane, the choice was much more limited.

Those big manufacturers are being replaced by a cottage industry, kit cutters with lasers. They will produce the Cubs, Spitfires and P51s but today, if you wanted to build that Brewster Buffalo, Spirit of St Louis or Hawker Tempest you simply send off the plan to a kit cutter and for a fee you can have your own unique model aircraft kit accurately reproduced.

We've never had such choice.

Mind you, when we've all gone up to that great flying field in the sky, even the laser cutters will have to shut the doors.
That's true. I was looking at build a few kits that are no longer available but now I'm looking into building a Ziroli PT-17. Doesn't mean I'll build one but at least I'm looking at it.
BTW if you haven't noticed HH started cleaning up the tower site. Lots of out of stock top flite kits and arf's have been removed.
Old 06-11-2018, 08:08 AM
  #1109  
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Originally Posted by smkrcflyer
BTW if you haven't noticed HH started cleaning up the tower site. Lots of out of stock top flite kits and arf's have been removed.
Yes, thanks for pointing this out. A lot of discontinued kits no longer show up. Following is their current updated status:

Airplanes > Airplane R/C Kits

AVAILABLE NOW:

LXKAR5 $53.99 Dumas L-19 Bird Dog Kit 40"
LXLSS0 $54.99 Dumas Waco YMF-5 Biplane EP Kit 35"
LXPCA7 $47.99 Dumas Taylorcraft Kit 40"
LXTKS4 $56.99 Dumas de Havilland DH-89 Dragon Rapide Kit 42"
LXWGP6 $52.99 Dumas Erco Ercoupe Park Flyer Kit 36"
LXYXF4 $99.99 Great Planes Goldberg Eagle 2 Trainer Kit .29-.45, 63"
LXAEY0 $139.99 Great Planes RV-4 .40 Sport Kit .40-.52,54.65"
LXJ581 $189.99 Great Planes Ultimate Biplane 40 Kit .40-.46, 43.4"
LXYXF7 $129.99 Great Planes Goldberg Tiger 2 Kit .35-.45,61"
LXYXF9 $159.99 Great Planes Goldberg Tiger 60 Sport Kit .45-.65, 70"
LXJ571 $159.99 Great Planes P-51D Mustang .40 Kit .40-.46,57"
LXJ572 $149.99 Great Planes F4U Corsair Kit .40-.46,56"
LXJ569 $249.99 Great Planes Piper J-3 Cub 60 GP Kit .60-.90, 90"
LXBSB8 $119.99 Top Flite Elder 40 Kit .40-.46,65"
LXHU97 $279.99 Top Flite Douglas DC-3 Twin GP Kit .25-.40 (2), 82.5"

(LISTED AS KITS BUT ARE FOAM ARFS

LXZWL8 $119.99 Multiplex FunCub Kit 55"
LXBVCR $94.99 Multiplex Easy Star II Kit 54"

AVAILABLE SOON:

LXNHY4 $49.99 Dumas Tiger Moth Kit 35" (Mid Jun - Back Order)

UNCERTAIN (Order Pending - Back Order):

LXWH72 $99.99 Great Planes Pete 'N Poke Sport .40 Kit .40-.46, 59.5"
LXEZHK $99.99 SIG Kadet Senior Kit GP .29-.40,78"
LXEZHR $114.95 SIG Four-Star 40 GP Kit .40-.45 59.75"
LXEZHS $118.99 SIG Astro Hog Kit GPM .40-.60,71"
LXEZHW $179.95 SIG Hog Bipe Kit GP .60-.65,54.5"
LXJA52 $49.99 Tower Hobbies Uproar 40 GP Airplane Kit .32-.40, 48"
LXJA64 $55.99 Tower Hobbies Fun 51 Kit .35-.50,44"

DISCONTINUED:

LXRB44 $109.99 Great Planes SlowPoke Sport 40 Kit .32-.46, 61.5"
LXJ579 $139.99 Great Planes Extra 300S 40 Kit .40-.51, 58"
LXNW26 $99.99 Great Planes ElectriFly ElectriCUB EP Kit 58.75"
LXHU83 279.99 Top Flite P-40E Warhawk Kit .60-.91, 64" (Not Carried)
Old 06-11-2018, 08:12 AM
  #1110  
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The SIG kits are still available, just not via Tower(HH). all four listed can be had direct through Sig or Sigplanes.
Old 06-11-2018, 08:28 AM
  #1111  
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Originally Posted by acdii
The SIG kits are still available, just not via Tower(HH). all four listed can be had direct through Sig or Sigplanes.
True, or through hobby dealers that carry their items; I noticed that Tower's current list is very brief, only 4 kits, no longer lists many of Sig kits they used to carry.
Old 06-11-2018, 09:03 AM
  #1112  
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Bet they were just clearing stock on hand, and these are the last 4 to be removed.
Old 06-17-2018, 07:06 AM
  #1113  
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Rumor has it that SIG has warehouses full of kits. If there is a kit from the past that you don't see on their website you may want to E-mail or call them. They may still have it (NOS) in one of the warehouses.
Old 06-17-2018, 09:59 AM
  #1114  
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Thats a rumor for sure. Been asking if they had a Liberty Sport way back years before Mike Gretz passed, and they didn't have one. They did a warehouse cleaning at the past fly in with boxes of small parts, but no old kits.
Old 06-28-2018, 02:26 PM
  #1115  
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Originally Posted by pilotdude57
I can reproduce most of the Pica and Royal kits and many others with laser cutting and I just finished building a large (24 X 36) vacuum-forming machine. The kits are exact duplicates, many with cockpit kits available, and prices are reasonable. If interested email me at [email protected]
Good to know.....
Do you have a list, or website?
Old 06-28-2018, 09:35 PM
  #1116  
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Default I do not have a website yet. I will provide a list soon.

You can ask me about a particular kit you are interested in and I will let you know if I can do it. I can also change the size of the kit to your specifications easily in my CAD program and on the laser cutter. I will soon put out a 104" wingspan B-17, for example, based on the Royal and/or Guillows kit.
Old 06-29-2018, 10:12 AM
  #1117  
I-fly-any-and-all
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Here is my Royal B-17 I'm restoring it I bought it at a garage sale I've got for OS 20 4-stroke engines and also my 150% and large Royal B-17


engines for it
Old 06-29-2018, 10:20 AM
  #1118  
I-fly-any-and-all
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Default More of my Royals








Old 07-02-2018, 06:32 AM
  #1119  
FlyerInOKC
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I have done some snooping and this is what I found out. While Horizon bought all the lines they didn't purchase Great Planes manufacturing where the kits were made. Most of the equipment was out dated CNC machinery with proprietary software. When Great Planes starting manufacturing to get away from Die Crushed kits CNC was the technology that was available. It would be more cost effective for Horizon to farm out the work to commerical laser cutters or setup their own laser cutting operation with new equipment and COTS applications.
Old 07-02-2018, 03:20 PM
  #1120  
acdii
 
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Originally Posted by FlyerInOKC
I have done some snooping and this is what I found out. While Horizon bought all the lines they didn't purchase Great Planes manufacturing where the kits were made. Most of the equipment was out dated CNC machinery with proprietary software. When Great Planes starting manufacturing to get away from Die Crushed kits CNC was the technology that was available. It would be more cost effective for Horizon to farm out the work to commerical laser cutters or setup their own laser cutting operation with new equipment and COTS applications.
Now if the owners of SIG were smart, they would make an offer to the rights on the kits and produce a few to sell though HH. They have all the laser gear already and CNC converts to laser will little work.
Old 07-02-2018, 04:16 PM
  #1121  
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Originally Posted by acdii
Now if the owners of SIG were smart, they would make an offer to the rights on the kits and produce a few to sell though HH. They have all the laser gear already and CNC converts to laser will little work.
Or subcontract for HH to make the kits or just cut the wood for them and let HH handle the retail end of it.
Old 07-02-2018, 06:13 PM
  #1122  
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Originally Posted by FlyerInOKC
Or subcontract for HH to make the kits or just cut the wood for them and let HH handle the retail end of it.
Thats kind of where I was going with it, but to have the rights to also produce under their own label as well.
Old 07-03-2018, 05:03 AM
  #1123  
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Or be allowed to retail them along with Horizon would be just as good without the need to purchase the rights. You could even go with a cut on demand/order business model and just stock the oddball plastic parts. Both companies stock the bit and pieces needed to complete the kits so that isn't a problem. Use generic boxes and just label them according to contents. Likewise the plans can be printed from electronic copies only when needed. No huge back stock of kits needed. It would allow for adding some discontinued kits back in the line with minimum investment.

Last edited by FlyerInOKC; 07-03-2018 at 05:09 AM.
Old 07-03-2018, 06:31 AM
  #1124  
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It's too bad SIG is focused on ARF these days and forsaking the true builders for the instant gratification crowd. Maybe Balsa USA could do it.
Old 07-03-2018, 06:42 AM
  #1125  
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Originally Posted by acdii
It's too bad SIG is focused on ARF these days and forsaking the true builders for the instant gratification crowd. Maybe Balsa USA could do it.
They have enough of the wood in stock and their attention to detail would be a big plus in the laser cutting.

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