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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> "1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes >> H.O.B kits any good?
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H.O.B kits any good? - 5/25/2008 6:24:25 AM   
skyraider71


 

Posts: 250
Joined: 5/6/2008
From: mount washington, KY, USA
Status: offline 		Has any one built the H.O.B. Spacewalker or Decathelon? Did ya like it?
I'm looking for small sporty model in .09-.15 size.

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 5/25/2008 5:18:18 PM   
mtntopgeo


 

Posts: 179
Joined: 2/21/2004
From: Superior, MT, USA
Status: offline 		Bought the Spacewalker kit. Opened it up & started to put stuff on the scale. Guestimated that the completed plane (with Enya .09 power) was gonna be 32+ OZs. Put the stuff back into the box, & the box far back up on the shelf. It's too easy to just order another Mini Super Sportster. (About 19+ OZs with the .09). ....................... George K.

< Message edited by mtntopgeo -- 5/25/2008 11:35:54 PM >

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       Post #: 2

RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/1/2008 3:59:42 AM   
rbeluche


 

Posts: 30
Joined: 6/11/2007
From: metairie, LA, USA
Status: offline 		I built the Force One many moons ago and I liked the kit. It went together well and the die cutting was great. It was not too heavy, but then the balsa in the kit was not flimsy either. It flew very well with an OS 40 bushing motor. Had to have the stock muffler pointing towards the nose of the plane as it requires a pusher configuration, but no problems with performance, just a bear to fight ground effect upon landing, which needed to be slightly on the hot side. Originally had an airtronics 4ch but someone talked me into using a FUTABA, PTUI,PTUI. INterference caused a tragic attempt at boring a hole to China. SOB, sniff BOO HOO!!!
Frank

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/1/2008 2:03:27 PM   
LaCerne



Posts: 222
Joined: 9/14/2002
From: Bartlett, TN, USA
Status: offline 		House of balsa kits are great and fun to build. Balsa USA kits are nice too, just finished a Force One, but HOB kits are from a different company. I've built the Chea-Pass Float plane .10, Chea-Pass Stick .10, and the PT-19, with Saito 30. All fly very well and none are heavy. I've also got the Spacewalker in kit form as well as the P-51 .25, and a 2x2 glider. All of their kits are very well made and designed. The instructions tend to be good if you've built other kits before.

Have Fun!
Larsen

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/1/2008 6:14:17 PM   
rainedave



Posts: 5014
Joined: 7/21/2005
From: Greensboro, NC, USA
Status: online 		The old HOB kits are what Sig would call "Craftsman Kits." The boxes contain a bunch of balsa blocks that must be shaped my hand. Personally, I love creating mounds of wood shavings on the floor. But, if you want a quick build the Ace Simple Series is probably a better choice.

Here's a HOB ad from the 12/79 RCM; the kits have been around for a while.

David

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/1/2008 8:51:33 PM   
fritzke


 

Posts: 837
Joined: 1/3/2002
From: Saint Paul, MN, USA
Status: offline 		Dave,
Thanks for reminding me that I am missing that Pete kit!
I'm with you, love to carve them blocks of balsa! Beats vac-formed
plastic any day. Of course, the fuselage tops of all those warbirds
ARE vac-formed plastic.
Dave

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       Post #: 6

RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/1/2008 9:36:35 PM   
rainedave



Posts: 5014
Joined: 7/21/2005
From: Greensboro, NC, USA
Status: online 		That's right, I almost forgot about the fuse tops. I liked the way they printed plans on both sides. My Chipmunk had the Bonanza plans on the back. I sold it before ever even starting it. Now, I wish I still had it.

David

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/1/2008 9:51:59 PM   
longdan



Posts: 478
Joined: 10/18/2006
From: Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Status: offline 		Those wing loadings are quite high compared to what we would consider a 'normal' 1/2A loading for a .049 today. I guess the RC gear of the day is to blame for the excessive weight. I'm sure the same kits would turn out quite a bit lighter with micro RC gear.

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/1/2008 9:56:18 PM   
eroc144



Posts: 431
Joined: 10/4/2004
From: Downingtown, PA, USA
Status: offline
quote:

Of course, the fuselage tops of all those warbirds ARE vac-formed plastic.


I never liked that detail - kinda hard to sand plastic so the joint has to be absolutely perfect. Luckily it's an easy task to cut replacement formers out of balsa, then sheet and sand it to a smooth finish!

EG


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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/1/2008 11:36:53 PM   
rainedave



Posts: 5014
Joined: 7/21/2005
From: Greensboro, NC, USA
Status: online 		The only rc kit I've ever started and didn't finish was a Lanier Stinger .10. Man, I hate vaccuform parts.

Two of my most used tools:

David

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/2/2008 2:12:22 AM   
combatpigg



Posts: 9573
Joined: 11/22/2003
From: arlington, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I just finished a HOB P-51. I also just added an inch to my biceps. If you want a good workout, these kits are great.

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/2/2008 3:34:53 AM   
build light


 

Posts: 1356
Joined: 11/30/2005
From: Crete, NE, USA
Status: offline 		My only HOB kit was the ME 109 when they had the special Norvel combo deal.
I was used to the simpler kits like the Ace series.
Boy was I surprised how full that box was and all the balsa! First thing I noticed was the plastic cowl was missing! Of course it wasen't missing once I looked the plans over.

David, nice ad for thr HOB planes.
Anyone have the ad HOB ran for the Norvel combos? Was it just the warbirds in that promo?

Robert


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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/2/2008 12:51:57 PM   
cortacesped


 

Posts: 213
Joined: 9/13/2003
From: Puerto San Martin, ARGENTINA
Status: offline 		I´m building the HOB Beechcraft Bonanza form plans. A lot of work in the wings, but they look very good. I stil don´t know what to do with the vacuum formed canopy (maybe 1/32 balsa sheeting), but let´s go step by step.

Claudio

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       Post #: 13

RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/2/2008 4:32:06 PM   
airraptor


 

Posts: 264
Joined: 1/26/2004
From: fairfield, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I am doing a Decathelon right now. teaching my girls on how to build them. these kits have great laser cut wood. the fus is laser marked where all formers go and bits of wood has a line to glue down to make sure everything is correct. this balsa isnt anywhere near contest grade at all. but the kit will be very strong. it has bass wood dowls for leading edge and a two piece solid spar that the ribs glue all laser maked for correct spacing. there is allot of design that went into these kits.

If you want a really light kit call them to see if they will cut you one out of some contest grade balsa. the only thing i will change on the balsa for this kit is one of the fus sides is made out of 8-10 pound balsa and the other is out of 14-16lbs stuff. I will use a OS 30 FS or a Saito 40.

the warbird plane all do very well with OS/magnum 15 in the nose and theHOB 20 size mustang will easily handle the OS32 size engines. A good engine for the 20 size stang is a webra .36 Hint Hint

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RE: H.O.B kits any good? - 7/2/2008 6:34:39 PM