I am new to this hobby. I have often wanted to get into this hobby, but have either been involved in too many other things or not had the time oir a combination of the two. I am very experienced in auto body and custom car building. I was into custom cars and street rods for a good while. I now have no garage and no place to work on my cars. The model airplane hobby has always grabbed my interest. I have always loved the WWII planes. My great uncle flew with the unit that succeded the Flying Tigers. I am a teacher and a history fanatic. I would love to get into this hobby, but have some questions.
Some of the "ARF" models I see seem to have tail fins slightly askew. Is this a photographic misnomer or a typical problem with "ARF's"? What kind of money whould I look to spend on a flight ready plane ( in giant scale? Would it be better to build a plane from scratch? My uncle flew in a B-17 (not typically associated with the Flying Tigers, but , as I said, he flew with the unit that succeded them, though he did know Claire Lee Chenault) I have always loved the P-47, but have also always had a fondness for the B-25 Mitchell. My all-time favorite-un biased WWII plane has always been the P-51 D Mustang....I know....I know....This is probably everyone's favorite, but I always liked the design and performance. So, someone tell me what I'm in for, getting into this hobby...Please!

well I would

1 find a local club
2 get some simulator time
3 get some high wing trainer time
4 maybe then move into that p51/trainer
5 then if you are still having fun, you have a knack for flying,,,,and don't mind the work and money risk... start looking at a bigger nice flying warbird.


It all really depends person to person, but the first few steps are probably going to determine if you stay in the hobby or not. There are some nice arfs available now, but I imagine you may end up being a builder from the sound of it..Thats as much fun as flying to many people. That way you have hundreds of hours of bench flying in before hitting the field.

The main things are fun and safety...

A lot of the ARF's do have their tail fins askew but I wouldn't expect to see that in an advertisement for them.
With any ARF, expect to spend some time making sure that things like the tailfeathers are straight and adding some glue ar other strengthening to various places.

foodstick is 100% right
go for some high wing trainer time, then get a Hangar 9 PTS Mustang - They are a good trainer. (Maybe buy the mustang as the RTF version - that way you'll also get a reasonable radio with it).
A few people try to start of with inappropriate planes and end up disapointed. Don't fal into that trap. Find your local club and listen to their advice - Aeromodellers are generally great peoplewho are more than willing to help out. (like all sports, there are exceptions)

At a guess, I'd say you'd be looking at around US$450 or so to get started and can end up spending anything up to $10,000 for a Giant Scale Warbird or $25,000 for a top end turbine - those last two figures are very much the very top end of the market though.


Welcome to our addiction.

should I star with an electric model? I would really love to build my own "bird" and there is nothing that i could not build. Has anyone ever tried to build a skeleton out of brake lines? I have a really extensive building experience with cars...chopping, recessing firewalls, making my own floor pans, body panels, etc., doing frame modifications, rebuilding engines, anything you can imagine with custom car building. There has always been the hated time associated with my "mistress" when working on projects. Should I start with a smaller wingspan or certain model? I could give lessons on custom car building, but I am a bit bewildered in this new arena.

Welcome!!!

As a beginner, you should invest in a trainer aircraft. These can be had for $200-$300 as ARF's. The issue you bring up must be a photographic trick, I have never seen this issue.

If you are interested in warbirds, the Hangar 9 P-51 Mustang PTS would be a good fit for training.

You ought to join AMA and find a club and talk to the instructors there; they will be more than happy to assist you!

Thanks for the response guys! The street rodd venue was a really friendly one. People who didn't know you from Adam would offer you the shirt off of their back. I was one of them. I have a building gene that demand that I do something with my talents and this would seem to be a less space consuming, time consuming, money consuming venture for my addiction. You should see some of the pictures that my uncle has of China. He has albums made of shell casings and window "glass" from the side gunner's portal. I would love to get my hands on them! HE, unfortunately died a few years ago and his new wife will not part with his albums. Nonetheless, his stories are extraordinary!!!

I would buy a ready to fly trainer from one of the reputable manufacturers. This will give you what you need for basic flying experience. In the mean time, buy a kit or two and start building. It sounds like you'll take right to it and you'll learn a little about airplane construction. From there, the possibilities are endless. You can build from plans, etc.

Like the others have said, join a local club. Find warbird and other events in your area and attend. You'll have a blast and learn a lot. One good thing about this hobby is that it has something for everyone. In our club you'll find guys strictly into WW-I scale, WW-2, pattern, 3D, racing, jets, whatever you can think of. There are guys who can barely assemble an ARF and there are others who design and build their own aircraft. Everyone enjoys it just as much.

Welcome aboard! You found the best learning tool on the net right here. These forums will have you going in the right direction, and having tons of fun, and meeting some very nice people in no time at all. Good luck!