RCU Forums - ARF vs Kit

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- - ARF vs Kit (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/arf-rtf-75/8250852-arf-vs-kit.html)

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ORIGINAL: Stickbuilder

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ORIGINAL: Bob Mitchell

I gotta tell ya....when I found out that I was going to have to hinge the surfaces on the Sig, and solder the control rods I almost boxed it back up and returned it. :D

Personally,

I wish that you had done that very thing with the first one that you bought. Just think, you could be out playing golf or some other diversion.[>:]

Bill, AMA 4720

Nice, Bill.

I hope you have a good day too.

ARF, Kit, or bought someone elses plane ready to go it really doesn't matter so long as it fits your needs and skills. Take your model and just have enjoyment flying it.

I could get more interested in ARFs if they were made in the good old USA. I donated the only two ARFs I had to my RC club and I’m not buying any more because I don’t like my hard earned US dollars supporting China. We are limited with some things like radio equipment because most of it is made in Taiwan (not exactly fully China) but there are many good USA kit solutions for airframes. So support your USA manufacturers and you’ll be happy you did and they will be happy you did.

Does anyone know if any ARFs are made in USA?

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ORIGINAL: Kemosobie

ARF, Kit, or bought someone elses plane ready to go it really doesn't matter so long as it fits your needs and skills. Take your model and just have enjoyment flying it.

Oh...I do. :) The cold weather and the time change has put a damper on things, though. We had moderate temperatures this past Sunday, but the winds were 25-30, gusting to 40.

The Cessna is sitting up in the bonus room on the pool table just waiting for radio and servo's. It's never been flown, and the original owner went so far as to install servo's and linkages, then stripped the servo's before selling it. The engine only has an hour or so on it. All I need to do is install the servos, linkages, finish the cockpit and balance it out. I've got about 200 hours full scale in 182's and it's really calling out to me. [8D] It's got a little over 2' of wing more than either of my other planes, and looks huge next to them. From what I've read they fly and land really well.

I started out back in the late 1970's. There were just a few ARF s back then they were extremely expensive. Most people, incuding myself couldn't afford them. And I do mean 99% of us couldn't afford them. 300 bucks for a 40 size ARF back then was like paying 1200 bucks now.

Over the years, however, the ARFs have gotten cheaper and cheaper. The quality of some of the ARFs was questionable for a while, but most of them seem pretty good now. In fact, I am building an Aeroworks Edge 540 ARF now and I think the quality is remarkable. It is an American made ARF.

I do still build kits. But I only build OOP vintage scale kits. If I'm going to go to all the trouble of building the entire airplane, I want it to be something pretty special and unique. My aerobats are all ARFs. Fly those like you stole them!:D

Are you missing out on anything by not building ? That depends on the person. Some love it and find they have a real talent for it, a gift. Some folks just make a mess and get frustrated and hate it. I started building models when I was 6. Plastic cars and airplanes. Then came model railroads. At 18, I stumbled across an RC field. Wow, you mean other people get to see your models ? It was nirvana. I loved it all. Still do. But I might go a year without building anything. Or a project might set idle for a year sometimes. I only build when I feel like it. And frankly, without other builders around to egg me on, I do find it difficult to finish a project sometimes. Back in the day, all your buddies would raz you until you finished. It helped somehow. And in a way, you built for them. I won't say it was a competition. At least I don't think it was. But, we would, as a group venture into a particular aspect of aviation together. We would all build float planes or pylon racers, or STOL airplanes. So, there was the experience that you weren't alone. And there was this artificial deadline. Oh God, don't let them be out there having fun without me. Finish this thing.

Thats the way it was. Some people miss it and blame the young for dropping the tradition. It isn't the same hobby. Its a different hobby now. Its still good. Maybe better in some ways. We are a little less connected as people. But the stuff is better.

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ORIGINAL: PilotFighter

But I only build OOP vintage scale kits. If I'm going to go to all the trouble of building the entire airplane, I want it to be something pretty special and unique. My aerobats are all ARFs. Fly those like you stole them!:D

I find myself doing just the opposite...:D

I think I may be hooked on Ugly Stik type models, I've even gone so far as to build "production fuselage fixtures" so I can knock out more than one at a time. I've even had a guy at work that runs the wire EDM machine to cut out stainless steel templates for bulkheads, ribs,etc.

Now I'm fooling with Polycrilic and silk span and just bought ten packs of "Perfect" cloth hinges in order to try and speed up the hinge process...........:D

Some of the first ARF were Lanier. I knew a flyer who loved the JESTER he had two or three of them always ready in the late 70s.
This winter's project will be a Pica Duellest kit. Found it last winter NIB. Two OS 55AX and retracts. Last winter was a Goldberg Skylark ARF .40. Looks and flys great w/OS 46AX.

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ORIGINAL: PilotFighter

I started out back in the late 1970's. There were just a few ARF s back then they were extremely expensive. Most people, incuding myself couldn't afford them. And I do mean 99% of us couldn't afford them. 300 bucks for a 40 size ARF back then was like paying 1200 bucks now.

Over the years, however, the ARFs have gotten cheaper and cheaper. The quality of some of the ARFs was questionable for a while, but most of them seem pretty good now. In fact, I am building an Aeroworks Edge 540 ARF now and I think the quality is remarkable. It is an American made ARF.

I do still build kits. But I only build OOP vintage scale kits. If I'm going to go to all the trouble of building the entire airplane, I want it to be something pretty special and unique. My aerobats are all ARFs. Fly those like you stole them!:D

Are you missing out on anything by not building ? That depends on the person. Some love it and find they have a real talent for it, a gift. Some folks just make a mess and get frustrated and hate it. I started building models when I was 6. Plastic cars and airplanes. Then came model railroads. At 18, I stumbled across an RC field. Wow, you mean other people get to see your models ? It was nirvana. I loved it all. Still do. But I might go a year without building anything. Or a project might set idle for a year sometimes. I only build when I feel like it. And frankly, without other builders around to egg me on, I do find it difficult to finish a project sometimes. Back in the day, all your buddies would raz you until you finished. It helped somehow. And in a way, you built for them. I won't say it was a competition. At least I don't think it was. But, we would, as a group venture into a particular aspect of aviation together. We would all build float planes or pylon racers, or STOL airplanes. So, there was the experience that you weren't alone. And there was this artificial deadline. Oh God, don't let them be out there having fun without me. Finish this thing.

Thats the way it was. Some people miss it and blame the young for dropping the tradition. It isn't the same hobby. Its a different hobby now. Its still good. Maybe better in some ways. We are a little less connected as people. But the stuff is better.

Actually Aeroworks outsources to china as well. They used to be built here. I really do not care where things are made. There are too many variables and reasons why companies outsource. Maybe if it was not so expensive to do business in this country, so many companys would not look to go somewhere else. And I am not talking about labor costs. That is a small part of the equation.

Your reply certainly made me chuckle,HAhA. Old timers??? Well I'm 83 and started in RC way back in single channel rudder only. So gues I qualify as an old timer. I have of course built many kits as well as scratch built and designed several. Nowadays I love the ARF's partly because my patience is not what it once was and mainly for lack of workshop space. Anyhow as has been said there's a place for all of us in this hobby. I wonder how many out there would be satified with and stick to it if all we still had was single channel radios on 27 meg?

Not only was it single channel but just one feq at 27.255 mega cycles. That was before they invented Mhz