ORIGINAL: Guillermo Ibanez
ORIGINAL: invertmastTo the OP..Take your money and dont buy a $4-5000 total cost airplane/Now, go buy a kit.. build it. Then paint it, then buy all the "little" stuff for it, then buy the landing gear, then the wheels, then the brakes, then the servo's, then the extensions, and all of the other stuff that it takes to finish it. And you will quickly realize that the asking cost for alot of the used Big jet models is very reasonable.I will admit. i had NO idea how people could ask $10,000 + for a "model" jet. THEN i purchased a Yellow Aircraft F-18 twin kit. I invested over $600 in JUST the air system alone, and i used the old school valve/servo route, i didn't do any of the new electronic valve stuff. Then i had to buy the fuel system.. Put down another $1000. Then extensions, yea those were about $400 total. I got a Great deal on the plane used w/ the gear, wheels, brakes and door cylinders already installed at $2500. Oh tailpipes and bypass's add another $800..The "BIG" Jets have ALOT of stuff in them. And 50% of it is all the "little" odds and ends that most dont think about unless your building it (T fittings, air line, valves, etc etc etc). When you build one of these big turbine jets, you gain a WHOLE new impression and respect for all the big money jets that are for sale.Now, there are some new build jets in the classifieds that i think are over priced and the owner/seller is trying to get money for their time, but 90% of the jets on there are very reasonable in cost.Now if i just had that $600 to buy that hanger 9 PTS F-22 ive always wanted i could die a happy man!
As per Invertmast said above, this is my Skymaster F-16 - 1/8 total cost invested between October 07 to August 08:
F-16 ARF Plus Kit USD 3.195,00
Shipping Cost to Miami USD 345,00
Jetcat P80 Turbine USD 2.545,00
FOD Screen P-80 USD 29,95
Shipping Cost to Miami USD 60,00
Air Gauges (Pair) USD 29,50
BVM Air Micro Switch USD 25,00
Tamjets Landing Gear Fail Safe System USD 109,95
Robart Variable Rate Control Valve USD 29,95
Tamjets EZ Extension Safety Clips (Package of 10) (3) USD 18,87
ED 48" Buffered Extension (3) - Futaba J USD 21,00
ED 36" Buffered Extension (4) - Futaba J USD 32,00
ED 24" Buffered Extension (1) - Futaba J USD 8,00
ED Sun-Vis Basic Tx Conrolled System USD 119,00
ED Sun-Vis Battery Pack USD 18,00
ED Sun -Vis White Landing Lamp (5 additionals) USD 99,75
ED Sun-Vis Red Navigation Lamp (2 additionals) USD 39,90
ED Sun-Vis Green Navigation Lamp (2 additionals) USD 39,90
ED Sun-Vis White Navigation Lamp USD 19,95
ED Sun-Vis Red Strobe USD 29,95
Additional ED Dual RC Switch USD 29,95
Additional EDR 117 D$ 4 way distributor (2) USD 25,90
EDR Cable Extension (6) USD 35,70
Electrodynamics EDR 124 Batmon Lite 6.0V - Futaba J USD 14,95
Electrodynamics EDR 124 Batmon Lite 4.8V - Futaba J USD 14,95
EDR 118 Regulator Pro USD 32,95
Shipping Cost to Miami USD 10,00
Clips for 6mm tubing and Tygon Fuel Tubing (3) USD 12,00
Jetcat Smoke Pump System (Inyectors for P-70) USD 249,95
Sanyo 3600 Ni-MH ECU Battery Pack USD 69,99
Sanyo 3600 Ni-MH ECU Battery Pack USD 69,99
Airwild Aluminum servo arm for Futaba 9152 elevator (2) USD 60,89
Tamjets Ordinance Kit USD 350,00
Shipping Cost to Miami USD 10,00
Servos Futaba (Ailerons and Rudder) USD 257,00
Shipping Cost to Miami USD 10,00
Futaba 9152 elevator servos (2) USD 219,98
Futaba Servo for retract USD 14,00
Shipping Cost to Miami USD 10,00
Epoxies, Cyanos, Finishin resins, fuel lines, etc. USD 150,00
Shipping Cost to Miami USD 10,00
Hobbico 6.0 V 4.200 mAH (Include shipping) USD 73,98
Futaba 2.4 Ghz 12FGA 12 channels transmitter/receiver USD 1.200,00
Fuel accesories USD 100,00
Futaba 12FGA Trainer cord USD 40,00
Shipping Cost to Miami 10
Eagle Tree Pro Telemetry System USD 500,00
GPS Expander USD 150,00
Jet ECU Expander USD 25,00
Shipping Cost to Miami USD 25,00
Total USD 10,597.85
Plus: Shipping to from Miami to Colombia: USD 300.00
Plus: Assemblying USD ???????
If you want a Jet, it will cost a lot (this is only 1/8 scale. 1/6's will be more money) and if you fly RC, you know you can lose a lot in a crash as it happened to me. And I don't feel bad... is my hobby, is my dream and I will continue to fight to get it.