Originally Posted by
daddyrabbit1234
I don't know much about theses kit's other than what I have researched and read here and on other forum's. I would safely say that 70% of people who have written review's on these kit's sounded like horror stories with the poor quality of wood and part fitment and most of all the lack of clear build instruction's on the plan's. Now the worst part is if you have a problem you can't call Ikon to help like you could back in the day.
I found a master builder here on RCU that's printing the original Ikon Curtiss plan's for me. He added that he had traced in missing part's and it would come with a revised instruction sheet to make the build process go easier. If I were to take a notion to build one of these from scratch I'd use the revised plan's and find someone to select my wood and cut my part's for me then I might be able to build one.
The original kit's make some of the nicest planes on the field but it takes an above average builder to complete one.
I've been reading those rants for years. I get a chuckle out of them. The kits are head scratchers, for sure. They aren't for everybody.
Many builders are used to step by step instructions with illustrations, to show them what to do. IKON never had this feature. Emil expected you to know what you were doing when you bought one of his kits.
20 years agom th Stinson SR-8, and maybe a couple other IKON kits, ran close to $400.00. Thas big money to spend, if you don't know what you are doing.
You're right. They are among the nicest models at the field.