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old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 2:39:28 PM   
tich


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 12/21/2004
From: oxford, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		I dont know what to do with some old kits I have just brought. My initial thought is to build them eventually but on the other hand they may not be particuarly good models or are so rare that they are better being preserved (seems a waste to me). So over to you guys- what would you do with the following kits
1) Untouched Graupner Kwik fli 111 kit
2) An orignal 1970 Top flite RC Nobler
and finally
3) A florio Flyer stunt wagon

       Post #: 1

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 3:55:18 PM   
Dr1Driver



Posts: 3589
Joined: 7/25/2002
From: Spartanburg, SC, USA
Status: offline 		1) Untouched Graupner Kwik fli 111 kit
2) An orignal 1970 Top flite RC Nobler
and finally
3) A florio Flyer stunt wagon

You have three excellent planes/kits!

The Kwik Fli makes a VERY NICE sport plane. It was originally designed as a "pattern trainer", and I believe actually won many pattern events.

The Nobler is possibly one of the best control line stunt planes ever designed.

The Stunt Wagon (I had one) was designed at the onset of competition fun fly. Build this one light and don't under-power it.

All three planes have possible collector's value (What someone who doesn't want to buy will pay to someone who doesn't want to sell).

To keep or build is your choice. If you build properly, you'll have three nice planes in your hanger.

Dr.1

_____________________________

There's a Hun in the sun!

(in reply to tich)
       Post #: 2

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 5:02:59 PM   
KenD



Posts: 33
Joined: 12/9/2001
From: Rome, NY, USA
Status: offline 		I have a Graupner Kwik Fli III that is still flying! Excellent flyer! Build it and fly it

I also have the Nobler kit that I purchase in 1970 and started building and still building it. One of these days I may finish it!


(in reply to tich)
       Post #: 3

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 5:35:25 PM   
CHassan



Posts: 1230
Joined: 8/26/2002
From: Beavercreek, OH, USA
Status: offline 		A plane in the air is worth 3 on the bench! Build them! Fly them! Enjoy them!


_____________________________

The knack of flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.
--Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy--

(in reply to KenD)
       Post #: 4

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 6:00:52 PM   
tich


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 12/21/2004
From: oxford, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Well after posting this I went out to work on an ARTF and as usual decided that I didnt like the way thinkgs were done. I guess I prefer to build as you can do thinngs the way you want rather than bodge somone elses ideas into something acceptable. I guess I am old fashioned in that I enjoy building and these old kits will give me hours of pleasure.

(in reply to CHassan)
       Post #: 5

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 8:03:24 PM   
Stickbuilder



Posts: 5606
Joined: 11/20/2005
From: leesburg, FL, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: CHassan

A plane in the air is worth 3 on the bench! Build them! Fly them! Enjoy them!



Extremely well said. Model airplane kits are not collector's items. They were kitted to enjoy, and as such, need to be built and flown. I get a lot of my WACO kits from so-called collectors. They are just people who are missing out on one of the greatest aspects of this hobby. Building and flying the models that were kitted long ago. Just my opinion...ought to be yours.

Bill, AMA 4720

_____________________________

It's easy, just glue all the pieces together, and sand off everything that doesn't look like an airplane.

(in reply to CHassan)
       Post #: 6

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 11:20:02 PM   
8178



Posts: 3093
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: online
quote:

ORIGINAL: Dr1Driver

The Kwik Fli makes a VERY NICE sport plane. It was originally designed as a "pattern trainer", and I believe actually won many pattern events.

Dr.1


Yes, it won quite a few, including its designer Phil Kraft, flying it to top position in the 1968 WORLD championships. Thus, I guess you would say it was designed to win the world championships and not as a "pattern trainer"!

(in reply to Dr1Driver)
       Post #: 7

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 11:22:22 PM   
APIA


 

Posts: 302
Joined: 8/27/2004
From: Roanoke, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I originally thought that this was what this hobby was based on... Build it and fly it. I have an ARF or two (that were saved from the dumpster) but the best way for me to unwind from a day at the shop is "to the shed" for some modeling" My wife cannot understand why I work on full sized airplanes all day and go "play" with my airplanes after work... I guess she just does not understand the sickness...
-Tom

< Message edited by APIA -- 7/25/2006 11:23:15 PM >

(in reply to Stickbuilder)
       Post #: 8

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 11:28:55 PM   
8178



Posts: 3093
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: online
quote:

ORIGINAL: tich

I dont know what to do with some old kits I have just brought. My initial thought is to build them eventually but on the other hand they may not be particuarly good models or are so rare that they are better being preserved (seems a waste to me). So over to you guys- what would you do with the following kits
1) Untouched Graupner Kwik fli 111 kit
2) An orignal 1970 Top flite RC Nobler
and finally
3) A florio Flyer stunt wagon




The value of the Kwik Fli III kits are going up fast. The last Graupner Kwik Fli III sold on eBay for around $335 and some Top Flite kits have gone for over $400. You might want to keep the Graupner kit and build a reproduction Kwik Fli III kit. This kit is done very well and flies great http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4221047/tm.htm

< Message edited by 8178 -- 7/25/2006 11:31:00 PM >

(in reply to tich)
       Post #: 9

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/25/2006 11:59:04 PM   
aerowoof


 

Posts: 1942
Joined: 6/11/2006
From: pembroke, NH, USA
Status: offline 		what I do not understand is why people pay that much for a kit.The design is what flies and if I can get the plans I will build it for a lot less and can pick my wood.I saw a mach 1 sell last week for over $300,having built one back in 74 I do not understand why.An awful lot of carving and shaping has to be done to build it right.M.A.N still has the plans and that is the way I would do it again .Cost of materials including cores would be under $100.once built and finished the scracth built looks identical to the kit built plane anyway.Or do people buy the kits because they can't build from plans?

(in reply to 8178)
       Post #: 10

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/26/2006 12:57:26 AM   
FLYBOY



Posts: 8692
Joined: 1/7/2002
From: Missoula, MT, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: tich

I dont know what to do with some old kits I have just brought.



Send them to me!

_____________________________

Fly it till the wings come off.

(in reply to tich)
       Post #: 11

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/26/2006 11:16:42 AM   
tich


 

Posts: 42
Joined: 12/21/2004
From: oxford, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		I am very pleased with the level of response on this question has raised. It seems to me that as a builder I should build them and enjoy them. I flew an Astrohog a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a strong desire to build other classic models as a break from modern models. My limited experience of some of these classics is that they are still very good models to fly and much more durable than some ARTF bashed out in china.

I guess the good news really is that many of these old models are still available either as plans or limited edition kits. In some cases the building has been improved by using modern methods to produce the kit. That said I started by building stick and tissue models in the late sixties and learnt a great deal which has stood me in good stead ever since. Recent ARTF builds have left me appalled at the poor standards of instructions and the amount of remidiable work needed to correct errors in the kit. How's this for an error- I am building a small artf Ultimate and the elevators are in two parts witha joining link. Okay so far but the two halves have a seperate drive as well. The real sad part is that both halves are driven from the opposite side of one servo- thats right one side would try to go down while the other goes up- shame really as the basic model is really nice. To correct this I cut the fuselage and added seperate mini servos as direct drive. I cant remember ever having such issues with older model which were often very well proven before the was produced.

SO what engine for Kwik fli- It was an old style 60 so either something like a HB61 or a modern 50 sized motor would appear to be ideal.
I have an OS Max 61Vr with the rear exhaust. I dont gthink this is really thhe right motor for the kwik fly so I may have to build a later pattern model to use it.

In the UK we recently had a TV programme on old toys. The presenter went to an auction and outbid the collectors on a mint boxed train set. He then through the box away took the train set home and played with it. I bet he had more enjoyment that any collector. Seems a good idea as anything preserved in a collection is missing its original purpose.


(in reply to FLYBOY)
       Post #: 12

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/26/2006 12:23:51 PM   
Dr1Driver



Posts: 3589
Joined: 7/25/2002
From: Spartanburg, SC, USA
Status: offline 		You're right, 8178. There were several other planes at that time that were termed "pattern trainers". The Kwik-Fli was a winner.

I have a strong desire to build other classic models as a break from modern models.

You'll enjoy people coming up to you at the field and asking, "What is it?" Then an old-timer will chime in and reply, "Why, that's an old XXX. I flew one back in XXX when I was XXX."

if I can get the plans

That's the problem. Paper plans are sometimes hard to find.

I saw a mach 1 sell last week for over $300,having built one back in 74 I do not understand why.

The buyer either badly wants to build and fly the plane, or he's gonna put it on a shelf for another 25 years and resell it, hopefully for a profit. Since the copyright/patent may have run out or be cheaply bought, he may want to kit the plane himself and needs the kit and plans to start that process.



An awful lot of carving and shaping has to be done to build it right. Or do people buy the kits because they can't build from plans?

I think that's it many times. A builder may not have the skill or time to cut their own kit from generic sheet and stick wood.

Dr.1

_____________________________

There's a Hun in the sun!

(in reply to tich)
       Post #: 13

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/26/2006 2:39:34 PM   
flyfisher431


 

Posts: 125
Joined: 2/4/2006
From: Chugiak, AK, USA
Status: online 		Build them. I am new to this game but once I got started the wife thought I had an addiction. I have bought several old lots of Guillos and Sterling models as well as a couple of Bud Barkley Giant Scale Tiger moths. My intent is to build and fly every one of them. I even got my wife interested and she built a 20 year old Guillos Cessna 185 kit and won our club's pretty plane contest. Build them, fly them. That's why the companies made the kits in the first place.

(in reply to Dr1Driver)
       Post #: 14

RE: old kits- what to do with them? - 7/26/2006 7:28:15 PM   
HighPlains


 

Posts: 2715
Joined: 3/2/2003
From: Over da rainbow, KS, USA
Status: online 		I think it depends on WHAT the kit is. I'm building a original Goldberg Falcon 56 kit right now from the late 60's. These are as common as '57 Chevy's or fleas on a dog, so no loss to any kit collector. But I also have a early 60's VK Models Mach 1, which is a bit on the very rare side. So when I build one, I will refer to the kit and plans while keeping the kit intact.

Of course, if the Falcon 56 was the first edition version...it is a bit rare now with the narrow fuselage for smaller engines.

(in reply to flyfisher431)
       Post #: 15