I like what Patrick said.

In my opinion, hobby is supposed to brings happiness, not stress to us. Hobby can be expensive, but it does not have to.

Similar to what Patrick said, a 100" wingspan warbird with all the scale features can be built for under $2,000. The following is a list of thing YOU DON'T NEED but many people put them in their giant scale warbirds: digital servos, dual receiver, dual battery, carbon filber propeller, Glennis wheels, new engine, new retracts, fiber-glass fuselage, canopy, scale pilot, scale cockpit, decals, etc.

A good giant scale warbird, in my opinion, should be something that shows your talent and workmanship, not something that shows how much money you spent (a lot of people are proud of how much money they are willing to spend. Not me.)

I use standard high-torque metal gear servos on all my giant scale wards. I buy retracts from Ebay or RCU. I don't use dual receiver / dual battery reduntant system because I take good care of my single receiver and single battery. I use wood propeller and Du-Bro wheels.

I use a new engine on my Ziroli P-40, but a used G-62 or Quadra 75 can fly that P-40 just fine. I don't buy figer-glass fuselage. I just build it like it supposed to. I bought canopy, fiber-glass cowl, scale pilot, and scale cockpit for my Ziroli P-40. But I can make all these things myself if I wanted to. I use paints from Home Depot, and I paint all my marks and nose arts.

Three reasons that a high quality giant scale warbirds get expensive: (1) people like to buy the best and the latest parts that they don't need, (2) people don't know how to build, (3) people forgot what SCALE building is all about (make your own scale parts.......).

I don't know if "money can buy anything" is true or false. But I do know one thing money can not buy: scale warbird.

Onewing