cvause

It looks like Great Planes / Tower has discontinued the Skybolt kit.

I'm pretty glad I bought a kit in December and didn't wait too long.

scottm50

is there any old stock lying around? i have a kit i'm just starting but might just stock up

cvause

Neither Tower or Omni are showing any stock. Maybe time to check the LHS or other outlets.

dbacque

My Feedback: (3)

About two ago there was a rumor here on RCU that this was going to happen soon. I'm glad I went ahead and bought one to put in my closet.

Dave

NoOneFlysAtMyClub

My Feedback: (32)

The Tracer is gone too!

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

If you see a kit that has been turned into an ARF you may want to stock up on the kit because in time it is going to go away. Nothing really new there, been watching it happen over the years. This one I have been waiting for and it looks like it finally happened.

flygilmore

A real shame to see another kit that is no more...I hate to see this happen!

GaryHarris

That makes no bussiness sense. Why would a company discontinue a kit, when they would send the same box of sticks to Asia for ARF assembly?

Confused in Texas.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Last time I asked GP that question I was told it was cheaper for them to have the ARF built and covered, even cheaper then just a RTC plane?? It didn't make sense to me but if they are set up in China to build ARFs and the kit is cut in the USA I can understand that. Why they just can't put the parts in a box and send them over here is a mystery to me but it is what it is.
Another one bites the dust!

ChuckW

I hate to sound like the mfg's rep but the answer is simple. Nobody buys the kits. It is unfortunate and sad but I think it may be the reality. Just go to your club and see how many kit-built planes show up. Not many I bet and most of those were probably built a few years ago, very few recently. That's how it is around here anyhow. Kits and scratch building will probably end up being a niche part of the hobby with a few specialized suppliers but definitely not the mainstream. I could be wrong but that's what I see. Too bad though; it seems like nobody knows how or is willing to create anything anymore.

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

The kit and ARF are very different planes as far as design and construction go. The fuse on the kit is die cut 1/8" balsa and doubler, the ARF is laser cut lite ply. The kit has a rounded bottom made with 1/8" balsa sheeting and lots of carved 1/2" balsa. The ARF has a flat bottom. The ARF is designed for mass production, the kit has way to much carving. Simply put, the ARF is a much more typical lite ply box with a turtle deck.

I'd bet all the parts for the ARF are made in China. It wouldn't make any sense to do it here in the US, they have lasers there too. There's got to be a few kits around, I was never under the impression it was a big seller.

Deadeye

Crap. I love my Skybolt, and would really hate to see her go in now, with no replacement to build. I better get me another GP Extra 300 .60 kit before they take that away too. Curse the darn ARF's! Doesn't anybody take pride in what they take to the field anymore?

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

I haven't been flying very long, so I'm sure there are lots of people around here that remember this first hand, but a friend of mine showed me a video from his club about 10-12 years ago. At least 80% of the planes were kit, plan or scratch built, and it was great to see all the interesting planes people were flying. Huge variety of planes, and even if there were two of the same plane, they were finished different. Now I go to the field and there are three 60 size Pulses in the air, 3 U Can Dos and every new guy arrives with a Nextstar. Boring.

HFrank

If you haven't noticed yet, the CAP 232 has gone too ... []

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Pretty much right Chuck. The ARFs are cut in China, the kits are cut here but I have some that were cut in Mexico too. Like Smith stated, they are different planes too so it's apples and oranges.
How about this for your wish list. Why can't the manufactures draw up the plans for us like the magazine plans for builders and sell us those?? Problem solved, it isn't like the idea would cut into there ARF sales or anything. After I have all my wood in stock it takes me a few hours to cut a kit then it's just a straight build from there on. Magazine plans all have a few mistakes on them, just the nature of the beast but a better set of builders plans from places like GP should be able to cure that little problem.
I hate to see good kits go but I have been building from plans for a long time so it hasn't cut into my building at all, well, not very much anyway.
As pointed out, when I go to the field I have planes that no one else has and I'm always asked, Who Makes That??
I don't think asking for builders plans from places like GP is asking too much and it would keep the kit built planes in the air, not many but some.
Gene

GaryHarris

Well dang. All we can do is support the kit makers as well as we can I guess. I have an SSE on the bench right now and 4 others kits waiting on me. I do have an ARF on the way though.

Ducking! [X(]

I'm one of those guys who built kits for fun long before I ever tried flying though. My Grandson is only a year old right and one day I hope to build a kit with him.

GaryHarris

Update. My ARF just showed up. Itll be my last ARF. The monokote covering looks like my ex mother in laws face. The glue joints are hit and miss and there are some gaps where wood should meet wood!

My last ARF was the Sig Kadet LT 40 and it was built better than I could build it myself. However, this Big Stik 40 needs some work. I am not impressed at all.

Sorry GP. After my last attempt to build a PT-20 kit and what I now have sitting in front of me, no mas!

Ed Smith

The Super Skybolt is a very pretty airplane.

Unfortunately the GP kit was abominable. The quality of the wood was awfull, especially the 1/16 sheet. It was like blotting paper, if anybody can remember that stuff. The fit of parts was disastrous. I had to perform major modifications to the cabane strut set up to get the top wing alignment correct. There was a 2" difference from tip to tail using the supplied parts. The incidence was 5 deg the wrong way. As for shaping the fuselage front end, good luck putting compound curves in 1/4 sheet. Just "Hold in place with masking tape" Yeah Right! Fortunately I am bloody minded enough to not be beaten by junk. The wings are now finished and covered, The fuselage is primed ready to paint.

See the picture for the wing set up. And that was for just one strut mount. I think they were made from door skins!

Ed S

Oly

Does anyone remember what the Tower price was for the Super Skybolt kit?

Thanks,
Oly

jmwright75

I believe it was $189 if my memory serves me right. It was on my tower wish list.[] Should have bought it sooner.



john

Sandmann_AU

I love my Skybolt kit built, and I'm proud of it whereas my other two (ARF) planes I just consider knock-abouts and hardly ever fly them. My 'bolt's survived a major crash (nose dive) a high speed dead stick that flipped it, and two broken horizontal stabilisers (now reinforced with carbon fibre tubes) and is currently motivated by a twin cylinder 1.60ci 4 stroke with a 3 blade 14" prop. I was going to sell the plans for my 'bolt to a friend (who wanted to upsize them to 1/3 scale for a gas engine) but I might just keep them now the kit's no longer available.

I found the kit to be a little challenging but it went together fairly easilly without too much drama and the wing alignment almost fell together on mine. No idea what happened to Ed's but it wasn't my experience. I wonder if it's possible to have one of the smaller kit makers do these kits now that GP's dropped them, since GP obviously don't feel they're financially viable.

CrateCruncher

My Feedback: (1)

I haven't built one yet but I've read through a couple of threads. This kit isn't like slapping together a stik. Looking through my kit I was impressed with the die cutting and the quality of wood. Unfortunately I received 3 rh pant halves and 1 lh from GP but thats minor I guess. I also got twice as many spars as required so I guess it evens out(!).

I'd rather have the challenge of building the kit but I can understand why a guy with a 45 hour a week job etc would just buy the Skybolt ARF. I have enough kits and plans. I don't care if they stop making kits. One thing I'm not going to do is buy any ARFs unless they improve the construction. They're too delicate, difficult to repair and the build quality is pretty crappy even when you spend serious money. The fellas at my field all fly ARF's and they are constantly getting destroyed by something that would barely damage a kit built plane. When I suggest how to reinforce landing gear etc after they crash they say its easier to just buy another.

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

You can be proactive and add your names to my petition to Hobbico to bring back the Goldberg Extra, Bucker Jungman, and Lanier Stinger. Bax has said he is monitoring the post for interrest. RCKen suggests a goal of 300 people. This is one way to start bringing back kits.

Here is a link to my petition. I hope you'll consider it and sign.

Brian



[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8994041/tm.htm[/link]

arfajrc61

Greetings,

How much did you buy it?

I have just got one from a friend of mine. He does not remeber its price.

Thank you...

carrellh

They don't send a 'normal' kit to China to be built into an ARF. According to GP, the Skybolt ARF is almost a full pound lighter than the kit. To do that, they had to redesign the model to use less wood. That cuts cost, and they probably sell many more ARFs than kits.