eggic

ive wanted to get in to building kits latly but i know its going to be harder than it seems so i would like to know if there are any good beginer kits not as in flying experience but as in building exsperiance thanks for all your support =]

Bill Diedrich

Sig 4-Stars, Something Extra, Mid-Star
Great Planes Sportster 40, all build easy and fly
great.

Alex7403

Welcome eggic,

If you are good in following instructions and kind of understand why RC airplanes fly and also built/fixed things in the past you should be OK, you will find alot of help here.

I agree with what BillDiedrich said, I started with [link=http://www.sigmfg.com]Sig[/link] midstar as a first build because the instructions are written for a beginner builder.

search for the airplanes build threads BillDiedrich mentioned in this forum and also look at this thread [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3439708/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm] Pay It Forward Build Thread!! Sig LT-40 build[/link], it will give you an idea what it takes to build from kit (you dont need the metal building board).

Alex

carrellh

Even if you sell it or give it away as soon as it's built, I believe the absolute best first kit is a trainer.

There there are several trainer kits available.
Great Planes PT-20, PT-40, and PT-60.
GP Goldberg Eagle 2 and Eaglet 50
SIG LT-25 and LT-40, and numerous other Kadet models

The PT-60 was my first kit so I'm biased toward it. The LT-40 would be my other choice, mostly because of the build thread that RCKen did.

LargeScale88

I would have to go with one of sigs kit. It depends, have you been flying before? If you have not flown, go with the sig kadet lt 40 kit. Not only is it easy to build, but easy to fly. I built one 7 years ago, and still flying today. I don't fly it, but still alive in my hangar today. Ive built about 9 kits of sig, and they are the highest quality ive seen. I even went and toured there factory here in iowa, and everything is just so clean and neat, says alot about the company. GOSIG!!!

DeferredDefect

Agreed - get a Sig kit.

Best quality wood and other materials, and they fly awesome!

Thank you

Graeme

Insanemoondoggie

I'll also recommend a Sig kit. Lt40, Midstar or the 4* .40 or .60. Not all Sig kits are a good first build , some require alot of work, , like the Senior, very nice trainer, but a lot of sticks to glue together. Sig has the best wood in their kits and their customer service is the best I've had to deal with.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Another good one for the experienced flier is thr Goldberg Super Chipmunk [sm=thumbup.gif]

stevenmax50

My Feedback: (1)

I too am biased toward the Great Planes PT-60 as it was my first trainer. I was actually doing some work to it last night getting it ready for the season. I needed to replace the nose gear as I had bent the original back too many times so I had a nose down attitude sitting on the ground. I could have bent it back but I just wanted a more heavy duty gear as well. Nothing wrong with the stock gear. Mine is just 8 years old and as such has alot of hangar rash.
For you the bottom line is how easy is it to build. I havent built the other kits mentioned so I cannot compare apples to apples. What I can tell you is the PT series planes are very easy to build.
So good luck and welcome to kit building. Take your time. Going slow and thinking each step thru will give you a model you will be proud to show. Regardless of which one you chose.
Keep us all informed and consider opening a build thread. With LOTS of PICS.

I also wanted you to know Ipersonally chose the 60 size just so Ican see it better in flight. As far as Iknow the flight characteristics of the 40 and 60 size are the same.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I tell people to pretty much pick the plane you want/like. There are some kit makers that have designed there products to go together straight and easy and some that are harder to build. SIG is a good one and so are the Great Planes kits. If you want a warbird then the Top Flight Golds are a good place to start. The GP kits have great instructions with a lot of photos so they are really easy to follow. People put a lot of effort into there first few builds, the frame up seems to always come out very well, it's the covering that usually puts a crimp in the finished product but even that can be easier with the choice and type of covering used. If you know another builder that can help you out then it's even easier then you think.

eggic

WOW thanks so much guys!!!!!! great sugestions =]

gunneredwards

My Feedback: (4)

I agree that a trainer will go together easier than most sport planes, but if you can already fly and have made repairs to other planes, pick out the plane you like the most and go for it. The biggest thing I can recommend is take your time, read the instruction manual though at least two times before even looking at a bottle of glue. If you don't understand any step, contact the manufacturer and they WILL talk you through it so you understand and that way you will have it built correctly, and it will fly good. A plane put together sloppily will not fly right.
dan

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

For a first time builder, a Sig kit is the way to go with Great Planes running a close second.

eggic

is there any way to convert the great planes pt-40 to electric?

eggic

and also where do you post a build thread? thanks sorry im new to rc universe still geting used to it since people at rcgroups are so fixed on grammer i cant post anything there withought geting a you spelled this wrong lol you guys seem to be alot more tollarable to grammer mistakes =]

capt17

The Midwest Aerostar 40, hands-down. Easiest and fun to build

This plane has got a great manual written for beginners, with great illustrations,

Let's put it this way: I built this kit 15 years ago as my first kit. I was 14 years oldand my parents had absolutely nothing to do with it except kept driving me to the LHS! It's still flying today,

Link http://shopmidwestproducts.com/-strs...del/Detail.bok

Better hurry though. This kit version is being discontinued. I believe in this kit so much I bought 2 more for my kids to build someday.

eggic

thanks man =] ill give it some thought

ArcticCatRider

My Feedback: (6)

I would say the Carl Goldberg Eaglet 50, or the Goldberg Protege.

Two discontinued, but very fine kits, that will not only render an enjoyable and rewarding build but will also "bring you back" to when modeling was real. These are considered to be "heyday" kits, and will offer a glimpse into yesteryear when kits were king, and ARFs were Bubba Spivey's experimentation.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

And you can post a build thread right here in the Kit Building forum - with or without spelling mistakes

stevenmax50

My Feedback: (1)

I dont know about convering to electric.  I personally love a glow  engines sounds and smells.  Of course im kinda nuts.  I worked on the flight line for 31 years and I loved the smell of burnt jet fuel.  But what I can tell you is what I read is electric has advanced to the point that it can power a 40 size plane easily.  Im sure someone in one of the electric forums can help you with a conversion.  It really shouldnt be too hard.   

twn

I too love the smell of burnt nitro, smells like soap!

Electric power is beyond nitro power. MY reactor has a power 15, which is suppose to be equal to a quality 15 size glow. NO WAY. my power 15 turns a 12-8 with authority and my 2.5lbs reactor has rediculous, bordering on stupid power. 15 size glow won't even come close... Plus electrics (that is quality brushless outrunners and inrunners ie eflite, axi, hacker have insane imediate torque, something that nitro doesn't have until you start using high nitro in 4 cycles like saito and ys)

I have a buddy who is running a power 25 with a 4 cell on a 13-5apc and that is beyond stupid. I asked him to do a pull out from a hover, he did a tail touch and then blasted out like a shot gun. Not kidding the pull out was like releasing a sling shot. No exageration, 0 to 50mph in a half second straight up! Show me a 25 size nitro that can do that with a 2.5-3lbs plane...

eggic, the sig midstar is a very easy build and you can do lots of mods to it later as you progress. The midstar flies great with power from a 30 size 2 cycle right up to a 60 size 2 cycle and up to a 90 size 4 cycle.

Another good plane is the sig somthin extra. it is a good "fun" plane but it is habbit forming. But you can do LOTS to this plane in the build. as you can see in the pic below...

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Pretty much anything you see can be converted to electrict, you just leave out the glow engine and fuel tank and add a motor/ESC and battery pack then make sure you open up enough air holes so the gear all gets cooled down. I just built my first electric plane, an old Hobby Shack Little Gasser that was designed for a 1/2A glow engine. I'm having a ball with this little plane!!! I have two batteries for it and get 15 minute+ flights with it. Only problems with electric is waiting for the batteries to recharge. I went to WattFlyer on the bottom of the forums and joined up, I got all the help I needed there. I still have almost no clue what I'm doing with electric but all the info I need is there. Peeking into the dark side is a lot of fun.

eggic

wow thanks guys so much for all of your replies =][8D]

LongIslander

If you have the space, both in your build area and car, then a Sig fourstar 120 is a great first build. The pieces are big enough to work with easily and sig kits go together well. I can't wait to maiden mine on the next nice weekend.

twn

Not all sig kits are easy builds. Older Sig kits like the kobra, kougar and king kobra are a "builders kit" they require a fair amount of experience and their instructions are limited and in places very vague. But the 4-stars, mid star, kadets are easy builds designed for beginers....