Last week De Agostini UK Limited launched a build your own radio controlled Spitfire. It was a tenth of the size of the original and could fly at 70mph. De Agostini UK Limited asked the BMFA (British Model Flying Association) to endorse the model plane. The BMFA refused, but the magazine was launched anyway. Richard Holmes, a model aircraft enthusiast, thinks De Agostini UK Limited are behaving irresponsibly. He says the Spitfire is an incredibly difficult plane to fly and is totally unsuitable for a first-time flyer.
De Agostini UK Limited say that they are advising would-be fliers to take lessons first and to buy appropriate insurance.

With thanks to Watchdog (consumer protection program) British Broadcasting Company.

John [8D]

What on earth is this going on about? Of course a Spitfire is not a beginner plane. Are we going to get a warning about every Spitfire, Mustang, Corsair, etc (especially in the park flier sizes) that a beginner might choose to buy and try flying?

You have missed the point Chuck, this post is aimed at Europe where this company Agostini UK Ltd operate. They are advertising this model on Nation Wide Television as a beginner’s model, and in view of this new comers to the hobby may well appreciate a friendly warning.
John. [8D]

Not withstanding the irresposability of Agostini UK Ltd, this model can only be built by buying the magazine and each part is being included in the issues as you buy them. This model would work out at over £600 + you end up with a useless pile of magazines . I saw the TV ad the other night and the first time round it was difficult to work out that they do not endorse this product as NOT for the beginner. I also believe it is irresponsable of the Spitfire kit manufacturer to allow such a model to be sold in kit form with a magazine, but then again money talks.

Well that explains it. If you get a piece every time the new issue comes out, it could take a long time to complete the plane. Then by the time the plane is finished, he probably has lost interest in the magazine anyways. Whoever is the editor of that magazine must be one of "Trumps- your fired!"

there was a thread in the clubhouse about 1 week ago about the same thing. some guy was asking UK flyers if they were going to build it and what they thought. the same thing you mentioned about the BMFA was brought up. I wouldnt worry about it, how many do you think will get built? NOT MANY. to build this thing you have to buy the magazine every week and every time you buy it you get 1 part of the kit. this magazine came with a prop that looked like crap (real brittle)

Yes i had the same concerns as you guys myself when i first saw this advert. There are a lot of people with no flying experience whatsoever who would think that this is a good first model and will build this plane and try to fly on there own. P.S I think that the quality is also going to be very suspect and what sort of radio gear are you going to get??? Heres a link to there webpage www.deagostini.co.uk/spitfire

Wow thats one of the more un-ethical advertisments I have ever seen. You can't even find out how much this thing is going to cost until you give them your personal information. Besides what a dumb idea anyways while it probably true that rc flying is a more popular hobby in the UK than in the States the target audience, the number of people that would even consider buying this thing is still going to be very small. Besides there are many Spitfire ARFS and kits for that matter that are resonably priced and could be at your front door in a few days.

I think that on a % basis there is a greater number per populus total. But I think that your quoted statements detracts from the fact that if sold in this manner in the US the Mag would lose more $ in litegation than it would make from the Spitfire sales. Not only from a personal objective but from a commercial one as well. If in the US you can win a case for selling hot chocolate that is too hot then fileing against a Mag that sells a potential hazard to life would be easy.

* De Agostini strongly recommends that inexperienced model-plane flyers take lessons before flying their model Spitfire.


I found that at the very bottom of the "Construction and flying" part of the site. They should make it more prominent then that. Going through the pages and watching the videos, it does seem like the magazine is aimed at people who don't have model knowledge. Thats sad.

Sean

Sean, I missed that statement !!! I bet they dont say that the modeler will have to fork out for a trainer, BMAF insurance, club fees and all the ancillery equipment that goes with this hobby, even after forking out £600 for the model they can't fly legaly or safely.

As an update, I suggest you take a read of the April 05 edition of the BMFA NEWS,(British Model flying Association), their comments re the Spitfire as below, quote:

''Whilst building and attempting to fly a model such as the Spitfire as an introduction to aeromodelling is definately not something we would endorse, it may entice people into the hobby that can be educated and steered down the trainer and club route.
Several comments have centred around safety but in fairness to De Agostini they have taken this aspect on board, the first issue does contain safety advice and they have assured us that furure issues will expand on this.
Remember, the avenue for individuals to purchase a completely unsuitable model and attempt to fly it has long been in place via the ARTF (almost ready to fly) route and also via outlets such as E Bay with no commitment or effort on the individuals part at all''.

You heard it from the horses mouth!

It looked like it flew nice.... Then again it wasn't a beginer flying it. The only good part about it is that since it was a kit the person will know how to put it back together after 30 sec of flight.

HMMM! Now that sure is interesting!! If you subscribe to the big print version, do you get a 1/3 scale spitfire? just asking!

Seems even the incorruptible can be corrupted, the only aspect Agostini ever take on board is profit maximisation

They would make a bigger profit if it came out in Dec. Think of all the little kids who be asking their parents for a Spitfire for x-mas....

Know what you mean, it is interesting though dont you think, makes me wonder if the BMFA just dont want to get involved!

Just thought i had to reply to this debate, i am one of the beginner's who is currently collecting the spitfire mags with parts on a weekly basis.

I have no flying experience what so ever, and it was this advert that really caught my imagination. I did do my homework though and after surfing the net for R/C stuff i soon realized that i had two hopes of flying that spitfire as a newbie.

Ive currently invested in a trainer 40 ARTF and am at present building up my stuff i need to get it airbourne.

It remains to be seen how good a quality the spitfire will be when built but i am enjoying it as a project and yes it may be dear but i cant afford to go out and get a kit like that with all the trimmings so I'm doing it the littlewoods catalog way, paying off a bit at a time.

Hopefully by the time its built i would have clocked up enough hrs at the club i intend to join, so that i can handle it with some degree of competency. I can see your lots points of views regarding this but i think that not all newbies are totally lacking in common sense and that if you do your homework as a newbie then you would very quickly realize the spitfire is not for the likes of newbies but would make a good 2nd or 3rd plane.

But hey um a newbie so what the hell would i know, thanks for listening and yes i guess i do get on my soapbox quite a bit.

Westy

LOL, sorry to go slightly astray from the topic here, but I just took a look at that page and had to wonder how many others noticed this... Bit of an oxymoron isn't it???

Fully comprehensive.... 16 pages? Wow... that's impressive... [sm=bananahead.gif]

I would not put a 70 mph WARBIRD as a 2nd or 3rd plane. MAYBE a 4th plane, but a much higher probability of a 5th plane.

A second plane is normally a low wing aerobatic trainer. It flys a little fast than the high wing trainer. The 3rd plane normally is flying faster than the 2nd plane is is an actual aerobatic plane, not a trainer. Now throw in things like tip stalling, a faster flying speed again, having to fly the plane in to land it and landing the plane (to many people) hot.

A 4th plane, MAYBE. A 5th plane there should be no problem.

Just my $0.02 worth.

yep point taken CAMPY alls im saying is that im going about it the right way and not just trying to jump in at the deep end and fly a spitfire

cheers mate

westy

guys i was collectiong the doegistini plane building it up and thought darn ile buy one tyhats ready so i gt the ripmax spitfire ..put a brushless motor in it 40 speed controler and my first time ever flying a plane and it was great and ive been doing it for days ...u dont have to be einstein or anythingf to fly my plane ...its fun and easy...u talk as if your a fighter ace ...ITS EASY!!!!

Nice troll--wonder if you'll get any bites????
Not me, I'm passing

Seen these advitised in Australia also. Checked with the newsagent and found out that there are 102 parts to the series. At $19.95 a issue that's one hell of a lot $$$ for a little model.

Cheers

Where would you put a SHRIKE ? I am just curious to where I stand on this 1st - 10th plane level.

As far as the this deal with the magazine, the RADIO alone turns me off look at it ,lol GL UK and work on keeping peace on the soccer fields. [:-]