52larry52

My Feedback: (1)

rcworld2000, Gray beard covered a lot of good points. The reason I questioned your choice of the Elder for your first kit build is that it requires several building skills and techniques that you likely haven't been exposed to yet,.You said first kit and this is the beginners forum so I am assuming a simpler build such as the Sig four star that G.B. suggested or a simple box fuselage trainer type plane would give you a better chance for completion and success with the build. Sorta of taking it in EZ steps so you don't bite off more than you are ready for. Kit building can be frustrating and a lot of kits get started and never completed. The specific areas in the Elder build that could give a first time builder fits are:1) the cowl area requires soaking and warping sheet balsa to a compound curve to create the cowl and the transition from it to the fuselage sides,2) the open framework at the rear half of the fuselage is a hardwood that is is difficult to get any glue to "bite " into for strong joints. It requires accurate angle cutting for the joints and is harder to work with than a balsa framework, 3) the main landing gear is made up of two or three pieces of wire that must be soldered together using the wire wrap technique, 4) finish shaping the fuselage/cowl requires sanding, shaping, and filling skills. There is no "rocket science" to any of what I just pointed out , just skills and techniques that may be new to you, and you may want to learn one or two per kit not all at once. The Top Flight Elder kit has great instructions, photos, and good plans. This is the type of kit brand that is great to learn on because of the check list type instructions that they provide. Other manufactures of equal quality kits and with good EZ to follow instructions would be Sig, Great Planes, and Balsa USA . Balsa USA has a high wing trainer with an old timer type style, not a box with wings, that is tailored just for first time builders and should be considered. If I have sold you short on skills for your first build that's not my intent. I want you to try a kit but I also want you to successfully complete it and fly it. That first flight with a kit build plane of your making will be much more satisfying to you than any ARF no matter what the subject of your build is. If you are sure you can handle the Elder build, go for it. However if after reading the Elder build posts in the kit building section and thinking about it you are not sure then hold off on this kit and practice your wood working skills on a little easier first project. This might give you a better quality Elder when you do build it. In either case the guys here on RCU will help when needed. And yes, I have built the Elder and a few of my posts are in the Elder build thread but several went before as well as after me on that thread all adding good information. Search it and read it all! Good luck