i was just given a nosen aeronca champ 9' wing span 1/4 scale kit by a neighbor and he says its all there and it looks like a challange and i want to build it as ive never attempeted building something of this magnitude. the issue is that i have no idea where to start or what to do. the kit came with 2 blue prints. one of fusalage and one for the wings. no instructions. any help would be appreciated. very curious and a little intimidated.

PikinovPixels

I see that you just recently joined RCU. Does that mean you are new to the hobby?

If so, well, I would think that you may want to put that aside and get a trainer to build (kit) or assemble (ARF or RTF) and learn to fly. A quarter scale plane is not something that is for a beginner.

If you are interested, look here

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm

And take a look at the models in that "collection".

CGr.

i wouldnt recommend a Nosen kit to a first timer..... welcome to the wonderful hobby!!!!!!!

yeah i looked at some trainers. i am new to this and like i said it was given to me and really caught my attention. seems doable. i dont know though. your prob right. maybe ill try to sell it..lol. ive already constructed most of the center wing section but ran into confusion with the bottom sheeting as it asks for w23 and w24 plus 3/32" sheeting. nothing labeled w23 or w24. looks like it just more sheeting butwhy the numbers? everything else seems in order. the over all frame work seems do able with time and patience and a lot of internet searching. do you know of maybe someone who would want to trade my kit for a nice trainer? maybe ill just post for a trade. id like to learn to fly rc but i just dont see myself completing this montrosity anytime soon and actually getting it in the air....

It shouldn't be hard at all to swap that plane for a trainer ready to fly. You might even get a radio too. Just make sure the batteries are good by getting someone to cycle them for you.

CGR, Ken's list of models hasn't kept up with times. Although it was updated about two years back, probably 50% of the listed planes are no longer avaiable, and for Goldberg, Sig, Lanier, and some of the other "names" in the hobby, the number approaches 100% no longer avaiable.
Don

Don,
The list has been updated. The biggest problem wasn't that they weren't available any longer, but rather the links had changed. Anyway, I've updated the list and everything on it is available.

If there are planes that fit the list that I don't have on there please send me a link and I will gladly get them added.

Ken
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Keep this kit, carefully pack it up and store ,you will be glad you did at a later date when you will appreciate what you have. Meanwhile hang out in the kit building forum and ask if anybody has the instructions for this kit. Its great that you want to build, start with a trainer,find a local club, learn to fly and enjoy. Welcome to the addiction!

Don't sell that kit! But do put it away and start with something easier. SIG kits are very easy to build, I built a Kadet LT 25, 4 Star, Mid Star and Something Extra with no help but the instructions and they all fly very well.
I have just bought a Balsa USA stick 40 plus which is also easy to build and a good plane to learn on.
Once you start building your own kits there is no turning back, you will be addicted and eventually ready for that big plane of yours.

Ray

May as well put it away for the future, once you start knocking out parts and gluing a kit it's worth almost nothing. Go look at Kens site and find something more at your level.
Building is more fun to me then flying, most the time. You just need a bit of that learning curve before you tackle that Champ. After you have built a couple of smaller planes you will understand a lot more. Maybe by then even have some of the gear you will require for a plane that size. Bigger the plane the bigger the money in most cases.

A year and a half after I started flying, I decided I wanted to build. I found myself hooked up with a 70's era pattern ship called a Dash 5. Now it did have instructions BUT, they were all in Japanese and I'm a little rusty with that. Anyway, I had never built anything before and another year and a half later.........it was finished! Loved every minute of beating my head against the wall and for my second build, I now have a 92" Extra short kit. Gonna order up some balsa soon and put it on the table this winter.

How does that fit this question, here's my opinion.........find a set of instructions and go for it. If you're in a rush, put it up but if you have time to spend and want to learn about the construction of what we fly and how it all works, build it and they will come. The neat part about building is that if you find you make a mistake, it can be fixed. Not having any building skills when I started my kit, and not having a clue how to read Japanese, it was kind of like the same situation you're in and I found the challanges of figureing out some of my own engineering and redesigning to fit my particular needs to be the most satisfying.

Once you do build it, get it all set up and take it to the field, you'll be nothing but smiles after you see you're creation in the air for the first time. I had a friend of mine offer to maiden mine but I declined as I figured that if this thing was going to crash for some reason I caused building it, then it was gonna be me that took it in!

Find yourself a set of instructions and go for it. Since it was given to you, and since you've found yourself interested enough in building to start it, what do you really have to loose?

Spend time while you're building to prepare youself to fly it. Use a sim and spend time behind the sticks of a tx bound up to a plane that you're abilities are up to. When it's done and ready, move up to flying the Champ.

Just my .01 cent.

Ken thanks for the update. There are two ARF's you need to scratch from the list, the Sig Kadet Senior and the Sig Kadet Lt-40. Both show no longer available on the Sig site. It's good to see more of the Sig kits available again though.

I haven't had hands on on the Phoenix ARF, but their Fun Star is one of the best quilt ARF's I've had my hands on. I would expect near the same quality from their trainer.


Don

The Sig Kadet Mark 2 is a great and easy trainer to build, its still avaliable, around $70, Don't be discouraged about building, it does take some skill, but all that will come in time. there is alot of guy's willing to help, join a local club and you will see for your self.Learn to fly, with one of the many guy's at your club, get a sim, don't have to be real flight, there are a lot on rcu,cheap and hardly ever used. you can learn alot on that sim. just keep crashing till you get it right,then reset. no money waisted, or bad feelings. If you ain't crashing , you ain't flying. I personally learned the hard way, no help 30 years later, still learning and using a sim to keep the skills sharp. I would definately put that plane on hold for awhile to your confident enough, and have a plane or two under your belt. You can find the instruction book on the net , someone has built this plane. Good luck and keep on trying.

I may be wrong but both the Kadet Senior and the Kadet Lt-40 show on www.sigmfg.com under KITS and the Lt-40 is also available as an ARF.
Am I looking at the wrong web address?

If you click on the ARF, it will show "Sorry, This item is No Longer For Sale"

Go to
http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmar...FV5.html?E+Sig

On the left side, click "Aircraft" Then Click "R/C ARF &amp;ARC", then click "Trainers"

Select a plane and then scan to the bottom of the file for that plane. Almost every ARF in all categories shows first, " this item is temporary out of stock. Please check back soon for delivery information." Then below that is the statement "Sorry, This item is No Longer For Sale"

The only Sig ARF still availablethat I could findis the Messerschmitt. The kits all look like they are available. This is consistent with the rumor mill about Sig and it's new owners.

Don

I also agree on keeping the kit for later.

Thanks Don,

I guess I didn't dig deep enough.
The kits should suit the OP though as they will teach him how to build and fly.

TZ, the listing is somewhat confusing. First the temporary unavaiable then the no longer for sale.

The sig kits are nice kits. I'm glad they are gong to still produce them.

I see that you are from the left coast.  Never get there myself but I would bet that there are alot of swap meets out there.  You could go to one of those with that 1/4 scale and trade it for TONS of stuff.