Hello Texan,

I want to state up front that I am a CJM rep and factory demo pilot. I have flown the factory He-162, F-104 and turbine Mig-15. They all fly well! The He-162 is tricky on crosswind takeoffs, but ROCK solid in the air. The F-104 flys like a Yellow scale wing A-4 with a LONG landing glide. The Mig is smooth and solid on AMT Mercury power. I unfortunately crashed the turbine Mig on final approach at FJ 2000, totally pilot error. After a smooth flight, I got too deep on downwind and too slow in the final turn.....classic approach turn stall.

I think CJM kits represent excellent value for the money. They are craftsman's kits, very much like the higher quality kits of some years past. You will need to do some filling, sanding and adjusting. The glass work is excellent, as are the presheeted foam components.

CJM kits are NOT mega-prefab, but they're listening and taking steps in that direction (re; the Talon). They are also not BVM, which I consider the highest quality kits on the market. But you will not pay BVM prices, either.

What CJM has going for it are the neat designs. They've got something from every era of the jet age; Cougar, F-105, A-7,
F-15, A-4 and the sport turbine Talon are some highlights. If you are looking for a kit that falls together as you pour it out of the box, look elsewhere. If you want a neat design that will go together with some work on your part and will fly well, CJM represents a good value.

Call Bruce and ask him for a copy of the Cougar flying video. The plane performs beautifully on AMT Mercury power with solid flying, slow landings and no gear problems. I will warn you that if you are thinking of buying the Cougar, be prepared to do so once you've seen the video!

Good luck, I hope I've been of some assistance.

Tom