Hey Guys! Here we are at the start of another year and decade! Happy New Year to All! It seems it was just yesterday that we were worried about Y2K. There sure are a lot of other worries out there today that make Y2K pale in comparision.

I got a NIB Top Flite Taurus kit under the tree which was one heck of a big surprise! Earlier this year, I was talking to one of our club members about old kits and he said that he had a NIB Taurus but wouldn't sell it. Well I told my wife about it in passing and then let the subject drop. I guess my wife got in touch with this guy and convinced him to sell the kit to her. It had to be a really sweet deal or she wouldn't have bought it (my wife hates the fact that she'll buy a kit as a gift and then it sits unbuilt for several years). Well this is one kit that'll get built! Now I know that there's collectors out there that will cringe at the thought of building this kit, but I'm a builder, not a collector. And the Taurus is one that I've wanted to build for many years. The build will kinda be old school, as it'll be built as kitted. I'll be using old school type cement (Sig-Ment), Titebond and epoxy were appropriate, CA adhesives are not allowed! The trim scheme will be the traditional red, white and black colors that the Taurus is so famous for. I haven't decided yet on the type of finish to be applied, but rest assured, it won't be an iron-on film. The build will probably progress at a moderate pace until I get to all of the heavy shaping and sanding; that'll be done outside on warmer days. I'm really going to enjoy this!

Anyway, I have a tradition of starting a new build on January 1, and being this is the year of the Taurus in the Vintage R/C Society, what better reason to get started! Here some pics of the kit. All parts are accounted for, except for the Taurus decal which is missing. For a kit that's over 40 years old, it's in remarkable shape. All parts are still in their carrier sheets, and for the most part, the die cutting is OK. There is some crunching on the thicker parts. Tune in later today as I'll start on the fin and stab first. It's been far too long since I've built a kit.

FB