Firewalkerd1

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I'm getting back in the hobby and would like find the old vintage kits like Buzzard Bombshell, Quaker, the gull wing three ch slow flying old time kits. Not as sharp as once was and need to slow things down. There use to be several but can't seem to find any maker for these planes. Can someone one help.

Gollywock

Bob Holmon has the best laser cut short kits http://www.bhplans.com/ The plans are updated and drawn by Jim O'Reilly. You'll not be disapointed. Klarich Kits http://www.klarichkits.com/ is another outstanding source. Jim

CoosBayLumber

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Looks as though you are interested in the free flight conversion era. Not in the early to classic radio control era that is rapidly becoming popular. S.A.M. is quite dominent in the era and aircraft you mentioned. There are numerous S.A.M. chapters around the U.S.A. and is best for you to contact and make friends with a couple of their members. If you go to the web site address of www.antiquemodeler.org you can find a chapter local to you.

As for the aircraft, most every one of those you wrote of is in some way being reproduced today. The new kits vary quite widely as to quality, size and ease of building. And sadly, there are a few well known reproductions still being marketed that are every well as poor quality as for the original. If the original kit had printwood sheets, which required you to knife out all the parts, that is the price you then have to pay. If the original kit had ill fitting parts or an error in the plan sheets, the reproductions often keep those problems hidden with the note that "everyone who built these in the past knows all about it before beginning".

There are a few folks like Tom Hunt and Jim O'reily who have discovered the errors, and corrected them with a new set of plans to the outlines of the old. The plans will come as "original" and as "popular" now. The "popular" set is by all means the best sellers, as there are already improvements noted for radio gear, and late model glow engines. The popular plans are the way most folks go today after considering their total intentions. However, again, there are a few original reproductions in which no improvements are shown on the plans or included in the kit, and thus you need to be creative, throw away part of a good kit and do those modifications yourself.

Lastly, by far the most popular old time A/C now being reproduced are the "Semi-s" which are not full boxed kits. You generally get a modern drawing of an old plan, and several slabs of laser cut balsa wood. Thus you can pop out the parts, and glue up a wing in one evening, not spend the time cutting out a printed wood kit, or sanding to shape. On the "Semi-" you must supply your own standard fractional sized square or rectangular strip wood. As you know these generally cost a few cents, but it costs more to box and mail, so they are left out, reducing overall costs, and up to the purchaser to supply. A friend of mine is well known in S.A.M. and has available a host of the aircraft reproductions you noted. You should first visit his web site at www.bhplans.com and look through what is available. If you do not see a particular aircraft, write him an e:mail as only the most popular sellers are listed, otherwise he will inform you just who to contact to obtain one.

The safest way here is to initially make contact with a member from a locaL S.A.M. group. Then after expressing your interests, obtain his opinion about a reproduction as mentioned above. This makes it a multi-step process, and avoids you getting into a project that causes problems, or takes a long time to complete. Do far the members are generally thrifty and will aim you to places of equal quality at lower prices. It is always best to express your interests to an old timer and to talk to someone of his age group that may be handy, as some of the old timer designs were a pain to build, and some could easily be done in one week.


Wm.

Dsegal

Go to Bob Sliff's Model Service at http://home.comcast.net/~bsli40/cover.html and click on Old Timers.

Firewalkerd1

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Thanks to all for the wealth of information. This should get me started. I live in KY. couldn't find a S.A.M. chapter here. Thanks again.

50%plane

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Firewalkerd1,
I have been pleased with Bob Holmans laser cut short kits, but on my Comet sailplane, the wing tips were not cut out right. I would rather build the Laser cut kit as opposed to the printed one( I'm not going to cut out all those ribs).

Firewalkerd1

My Feedback: (1)

What are short kits?

Dsegal

Now that there is no longer a mass market to support the production of complete kits many cottage suppliers of kits produce short kits. The contents vary with each supplier but basically include the plans and all parts that must be cut to shape such as ribs and formers. Some hardware, such as landing gear, may or may not be included. You then buy all of the straight wood stock- sheets and sticks. This reduces the inventory and overhead of the supplier and helps to keep them in business.

moozie41

You might like to have a look at the selection on the Florida based and curiously named www.myunclewillies.com It is also quite entertaining to read about the skull-duggery that exists in the "re-drawn" plans market !

SST

My Feedback: (2)

Ben Buckle kits are still available. And there's a 80" Tyro Playboy Senior going up on eBay tonight...

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

Uncle Willie's website there is just STAGGERING.
The incredible hypocrasy of what he is saying is beyond beleif.
He never drew ONE of those plans.
He has made tens of thousands of dollars on ebay selling COPIES of plans that DID NOT BELONG TO HIM.
Not ONE.
He claims to have "re-drawn" many of them. How would YOU like it if you, as a designer, had "uncle willy" REdrawing YOUR designs, making "improvements" and such? And the REASON so many of them need to be "restored" is that he just photocopied them out of a magazine, or otherwise started with unlicensed copies he did not pay for.
He's not doing anybody any favors, he's just a huckster making some money. Don't belive a thing he says.
Man, sorry to rant, but to hear HIM, of all people, complaining on a website that people are copying HIS stuff, that's unbeleiveable. Just incredible.

propjaw

My Feedback: (19)

Try Penn Valley Hobbies in Lansdale, Pa. They have a website. The owner is really into the old timer free flighters and the old timer r/c planes. They cut their own kits. http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomfr...e%2Fshowme.htm

dicknadine

hows your progress on the Flying Qaker project? have my plans for the 14 footer down to the 24" on floats if your still interested. dick

dicknadine

here's the photo of the 24" on floats, yesterday morning. Dick

50%plane

My Feedback: (5)

That looks good! I might have to try a Flying Quaker some time.

vtx1800

I have purchased several plans from uncle willies. They are of very good quality, often he reprints the reverse wing ( helpfull for undecambered wing building) and using cad he moves parts that are overlaid ( difficult to trace and confusing) to other locations for the ease of the builder.

I have seen some of his competitions plans( skystone1) and they really are poor in comparison.

I am sorry to see willie go as his wife has passed away.

I just finished a Sal Taibi Powerhouse from his plans, I added aielerons ( a bit too small) but it flies terrific. flies at 1/3 throttle with an enya .91 fs. A nice Sunday putter.

Anyone around here built the 14 foot Quaker?
What did you use for power?

Mike Denest

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Willie must have had a chage of heart as I no longer see his notices in his ads. Sorta like the furniture and carpet wearhouses that pop up and disappear overnight. [sm=tired.gif]

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

The electronics store down the street from me has been "going out of business!" for about ten years now...

Don't believe a thing Willie says.
My dog is sick, please buy my plans...
He blows me away.
"I'm not giving up my copyrights," he says...
Jeeezus. Neither did all the people you STOLE them from!

Yo, Mike D., hope all finds you well.

Modocv1

I'm seaching for a "Berkley Seacat" Kit, vintage 1959/60 or?
If you have one or know someone interested in selling one, please contact me at "[email protected]"
Many thanks,
Bob...