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Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/10/2008 4:15 PM  1 votes
RACE 66


 

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From: BELLINGHAM, WA, USA
Status: offline 		This is for general discussion. I've got a few years of modeling under my belt, and I recall when ARF's were the rarity, example: Lanair's models, Jesters, etc. and kits abound of the balsa type. Now, because of "change" the opposite is true. Less kits verse's many ARF'S, ARC'S etc. availible.

Now my point of the discussion, It's hard to find a relative complete source for kits. You have to hunt and pick for viewing. My question, has someone assembled a resource of kits, kit cutters etc on the web where you can go to one resource or several, rather spending allot of time "surfing"- "window shopping" ? Yes I know I am asking for the "golden ring", but I gotta ask. Thanks for any suggestions.

< Message edited by MinnFlyer -- 11/10/2008 7:41 PM >

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/10/2008 5:32 PM   
MinnFlyer



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From: Willmar, MN, USA
Status: offline 		I'll tell you what, why don't we use this thread for people to list KIT suppliers.

Once we have a good list, I'll make a "Sticky" to put at the top of the Kit Building forum and list all of the links.

A few that come to my mind are:

Goldberg

Top Flite

Great Planes

DynaFlite

SIG

Balsa USA

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Ultra Sport Brotherhood #2 - Waco Brother #188 - Cub Brother #2

"Those are my principles. If you don’t like them, I have others." - Groucho Marx

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/10/2008 5:42 PM   
CrateCruncher



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From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Great idea Minn. If you like kits of sleek 70's pattern ships here are a couple I've come to like:

http://www.bridiairplanes.com/

http://www.eurekaaircraft.com/

My all-time favorite scale kits supplier:

http://www.proctor-enterprises.com/

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/10/2008 5:43 PM   
Deadeye



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From: Dutton, MT, USA
Status: offline 		Here's some more:

Top Notch Model Products

Tower Hobbies

Bruce Tharpe Engineering

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Theres no such thing as too much power. Member, Club Saito
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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/10/2008 6:33 PM   
abufletcher



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From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: online 		My current favorite!

http://www.cdscaledesigns.com/


And of course no WWI (or WW2) fan should miss:

http://www.mickreevesmodels.co.uk/

http://www.flygtm.com/




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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/10/2008 6:35 PM   
abufletcher



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From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: online 		And here's a DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMENDED for Arizona Models (no link necessary).

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/10/2008 6:37 PM   
abufletcher



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From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: online 		And for electric WWI fans there's tons (well, maybe ounces ) of great kits at:

http://www.aerodromerc.com/

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/10/2008 6:38 PM   
abufletcher



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From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: online 		http://www.funaero.com/ also has some fun scale WWI kits.

And here's an English source in Japan for Tettra kits which build into some very nice looking models. I've seen the Me-109 at my field and it looked great.

http://homepage1.nifty.com/ishiimokei/english/air/airplane/te_all.htm

And Flair models in the UK (with some availability through US distributors like Hobby Lobby).

http://www.flairmodels.co.uk/

< Message edited by abufletcher -- 11/10/2008 7:05 PM >

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/10/2008 7:26 PM   
iron eagel



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quote:

ORIGINAL: MinnFlyer

I'll tell you what, why don't we use this thread for people to list KIT suppliers.

Once we have a good list, I'll make a "Sticky" to put at the top of the Kit Building forum and list all of the links.

A few that come to my mind are:

Goldberg

Top Flite

Great Planes

DynaFlite

SIG

Balsa USA


Another great idea from Mike!


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RE: Where Have All The Kits Have Gone ! - 11/11/2008 6:50 AM   
RACE 66


 

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From: BELLINGHAM, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks so much for everyones input. Hopefully those individuals reviewing this and have not expeirenced the satisfaction/agony of kit building, bashing etc. will get enthused with all the different types of models from basic to advanced. Along discovering skills they knew they DIDN'T have, and how it (kit building) brings into a whole new dimension to aircraft theory,flight and repairing and IDEA'S ! Again thanks for the input.

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/11/2008 7:06 AM   
draftman1



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From: Strathmore, CA, USA
Status: offline 		House of Balsa still makes kits

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/11/2008 9:22 PM   
abufletcher



Posts: 13835
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From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: online 		http://www.tdmsoftware.com/tdmmodels/

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/11/2008 10:21 PM   
Trax540


 

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From: Willowbrook, IL, USA
Status: offline 		http://www.hobbyhangar.com/test/kits.htm

The SE-5A Wasnt a bad kit. I cant speak for the rest of them but they are mostly Ziroli, and Rich Uravitch designs

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/12/2008 4:12 AM   
Scar



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From: Peoria Hts, IL, USA
Status: offline 		We might want to keep an eye on

http://www.skysharkrc.com/

SkyShark stopped making kits for a year or so, but has introduced two of them. Perhaps they'll find a market, and bring back more.

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/12/2008 9:14 PM   
JamesDL


 

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From: Coram, NY, USA
Status: offline 		www.wingsontheweb.com

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/12/2008 10:05 PM   
cold_reboot


 

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From: Eustace, TX, USA
Status: offline 		If Skyshark had released a German kit I would have already bought it. Allied kits are over represented as it is (who DOESN'T make a P-51). Give me a FW190, ME109 or Zero. If a company offers a model that is commonplace at the airfield..no one gets too excited... if they offer something hardly anyone is doing..they create thier own demand. Although I have wanted a Hellcat for a while...may pick that one up. Anyone know if it has flaps and such?

Edit: Take Impscale for example, a lot of plane kits no one else offers and he's backlogged 18 months when I talked to him a week ago. I wanted to build his 80+ ME109. He told me the best way to go about it was to buy the plans and have a third party cut it.

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/12/2008 10:06 PM   
fordboy76


 

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From: Peyton, CO, USA
Status: offline 		Here are a couple from my neck of the woods

Stevens aero

and
Mountain Models

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/13/2008 7:05 PM   
CrateCruncher



Posts: 942
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From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		And now for something completely different.........
RC Pterodactyl Kits

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/14/2008 2:53 PM   
carl01


 

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From: Methuen, MA, USA
Status: offline 		One of the reasons for less kits is no one has time to build, and in my opinion some of the kits need to bo updated. Ive built a few kits and enjoy the building proccess but im in the middle of a balsa usa 1/4 cub and it's by far the worst kit ive built there was a lot of wood missing and the plans and directions are wrong in some areas. I called them and they were very nice and offered to send out the missing pieces but when your half way thru that particular area its just easier to go to your LHS and buy the wood, Several of the sections in the directions are just flat out wrong or omitted and could have been an easy fix by just adding an extra page with the corrections...If a new builder was to get this plane with these kind of issues well then I can understand why ARFs look good.... Carl

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/16/2008 3:56 PM   
fockewulf37


 

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From: kannapolis, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Here I have a couple kits and also some "How to Videos"

http://tysplanes.com/

Ty

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food for thought:''''If the enemy is in range, so are you..''''''Tracers work both ways.''''

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/16/2008 7:15 PM   
foodstick



Posts: 3875
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From: ankeny, IA, USA
Status: online 		Some of us are hording them in the basement.....

Attachments
Click to see fullsize image.
Click for fullsize


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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/16/2008 8:17 PM   
MinnFlyer



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From: Willmar, MN, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: carl01

One of the reasons for less kits is no one has time to build, and in my opinion some of the kits need to bo updated. Ive built a few kits and enjoy the building proccess but im in the middle of a balsa usa 1/4 cub and it's by far the worst kit ive built there was a lot of wood missing and the plans and directions are wrong in some areas. I called them and they were very nice and offered to send out the missing pieces but when your half way thru that particular area its just easier to go to your LHS and buy the wood, Several of the sections in the directions are just flat out wrong or omitted and could have been an easy fix by just adding an extra page with the corrections...If a new builder was to get this plane with these kind of issues well then I can understand why ARFs look good.... Carl

I know what you mean Carl, I built that kit too.

But back in the 60's and 70's, that's how kits were. You got a box of sticks, a set of plans, and a basic set of instructions. In fact, back in those days, most of us designed and built our own planes. It was just as easy as building a kit and you had the pleasure of saying "It's my own design".

Nowadays, kits are engineered MUCH better and the manuals (In most cases) have improved a thousand fold. But there are still a LOT of "Builder's Kits" out there and you need to know what you're getting into before you buy. People are so accustomed to the newer kits that they assume ALL kits are that easy to build. And the Sig 1/4 Cub is particularly frustrating because so many of Sig's kits are so outstanding that people think, "Well, it's a Sig kit, so it's gonna fall together in a week".

When I wanted a 1/4 Cub, I had the BUSA ans Sig to choose from. I knew the BUSA was a Builder's Kit, so I got the Sig. But it was also a builder's kit.

In fact, the Sig 1/4 Cub's plans and manual shows Kraft Servos!

_____________________________

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Ultra Sport Brotherhood #2 - Waco Brother #188 - Cub Brother #2

"Those are my principles. If you don’t like them, I have others." - Groucho Marx

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/16/2008 9:02 PM   
smithcreek



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From: Westerly, RI, USA
Status: offline 		Whenever I hear the "people just don't have time to build" argument I have to wonder what people think life was like 20-30-40 years ago. Do they think people sat around saying, "wow, I have so much free time on my hands I think I'll build a plane." I doubt it, more likely they didn't have 60" plasma flat screen TVs and pay over $100/month for cable so they can spend hours mindlessly flipping around the channels. Sorry, but I just doubt life was any easier than it is nowadays. It might have been simpler, but I'm sure people worked as much or more and had less free time. People just have to choose to spend their free time building a plane.

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/16/2008 10:13 PM   
AviationNut


 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: smithcreek

Whenever I hear the "people just don't have time to build" argument I have to wonder what people think life was like 20-30-40 years ago. Do they think people sat around saying, "wow, I have so much free time on my hands I think I'll build a plane." I doubt it, more likely they didn't have 60" plasma flat screen TVs and pay over $100/month for cable so they can spend hours mindlessly flipping around the channels. Sorry, but I just doubt life was any easier than it is nowadays. It might have been simpler, but I'm sure people worked as much or more and had less free time. People just have to choose to spend their free time building a plane.


Amen, brother! I built my 1st kit when in college - talk about not having time! It took quite a while, but I was able to eek it out since I was motivated and spend most of my limited spare time on it.

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RE: Where Have All The Kits Gone ? - 11/17/2008 3:10 AM   
captinjohn


 

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From: Hesperia Michigan, MI, USA
Status: offline 		I have been helping my Grandson re-do a ARF. His Freind is fixing up a Kit plane I gave him. They are both getting interested in building a complete airplane from a kit. With the price of ARF type of airplanes going sky high....maybe kits will start selling better. I sure hope Sig and Carl Goldberg will have more kits in the future. Capt,n

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