ORIGINAL: BMatthews
Wow... so those kits came with a built in blast tube?!?!?! For a rubber model that would be a huge advantage. A fuselage construction jig and rubber motor blast tube all in one. I'm agog at the pure brainiac'ness of the Comet designers...
Yes, BM, they were genius. I didn't appreciate it much until the supply of Comet models dried up and I had to use Guillows. I still remember my very first plane I built when I was 8 years old was a Comet Aeronca. I remember as if it was yesterday sitting in the basement working over an old kitchen table listening to the new group ABBA singing SOS (you peg the date), not realizing that the simple balsa and tissue kit I was putting together would affect my life so much. Yes, it flew, and flew very well I might add- another testiment to the brilliant design that even an unskilled 8 year old, without supervison, could build and fly the kits. The instructions were fab.
Hundreds of planes later, I still look back with fondness on the Comets I built and make mental comparisons to what is offered today. I think $12 for a DR1, missing parts or no, is a deal at twice the price.