My 17 year old son wants to build his first kit. I have experience and will be helping, but here is the question.
Going to build. 40 size cub, and we have access to great planes, sig and Goldberg kits. Which you you recommend and why?
Thanks.

For ease of building the Great Planes. For a stronger and more scale the CG. I don't recall ever building the SIG?? I may have, just can't remember so I can't say anything about it.

I will have to vote for the goldberg cub, first plane I built, good design, and tough. It went through a lot of abuse between me and my son learning about tail draggers Still going strong eight years later

My third build was a Goldberg Cub. Good kit, though not especially scale. I'd recommend the clipped-wing version, which flies better.

I just finished building the CG Cub for a friend not too long ago. Due to the fact he owned a nice OS .91FS and it is also being used as a float plane I added in even more reinforcement to places like the fire wall and LG block. It's really built like a tank, very strong wing. The wings on the GP Cub, not so much. My own GP Cub I used an OS .70FS and it was a bit over powered for the wing. It tended to flex a lot at full throttle. The CG was more scale then the GP but as stated by TG, it isn't real scale either, just a bit more so.
The fellow I built it for also bought the fiberglass cowl and one piece LG from Fiberglass Specialties. That was a nice touch. I installed a pull/pull rudder and used two servos for both the elevators and ailerons. It was CGed center as to the plans and required zero trim on maiden.
My hope is to see some photos of the finished SIG in this thread too. I think I only have one photo of the owner and plane I just built for him. He covered it and used Solartex Cub Yellow. We are both happy with his new plane.

I have built the CG Cub and the Great Planes Cubs and started a Sig Cub. The Sig Cub is a builders kit with lots of small parts to put together and would not recomend it for a first time builder. The Goldburg Cub is a good build and a good flyer. As mentioned, I would build the clipped wing version as it flys better than the full wing. The Great Planes Cub is also a good build with a great instruction manual. It also flys extremley well and I would lean towards it if I build another one. It is hard to miss with either one, Good Luck, Dave

I'm going to go with David on this one. The GP Cub is a great first build with good instructions and comes out looking good. I've had mine for 10 years on floats with an OS .91 4-stroke up front. The extra power is needed at 5500 feet. No problem with wing strength.

The GB Cub would be best. The ailerons can be shortened without harm to flying qualities and the stab-elevator span could be reduced likewise. If you fly on asphalt then sheet the bottom of the wingtips. That will keep the covering intact when dragging a wingtip from time to time. The gear needs a little strengthening, too! Just add a rear leg to 'complete the triangle'. It's a great flying airplane long or short wing.

Thanks everyone, well sounds like I've eliminated the Sig kit.
Well in looking at the manuals GP looks top notch, Cg not bad, so may lean towards cg for its durability.

The SIG kit is the best flying and most 'scale' Cub IMHO. Just more work to build. Y'all have fun!

I agree about the landing gear, I put Dural .40 size on mine, lots better! was not worried about the looks so much, as durability. also added a fiberglass cowl, the one provided with the kit did not fair too well.

The CG Cub I just built was also used for parts to repair another one so it was a lot more work for me to make up new parts but it came out very well. The cowl was missing so the owner went to FGS for the glass cowl and LG. I made up new windows but he also bought a new set from Tower. The cowl was great, it had one engine molded in, very high quality. The LG was a little heavy but fit perfectly and looked good. So far it hasn't flown off of water, the pontoons are being installed right now. Other then the normal over controling ground loop it's a perfect flying machine. Looks scale in the air but you can go nuts with it due to the .91. Other ten building ease I don't think you can find a Cub that will fly any different then any other kit. The wing on the CG is just a bit more work then the GP, bigger parts count.

I had him go online and look at the manuals, he said he could handle either one so i think I'm going with the CG, kit.
Next question. Will eventually fly it off water and snow...being from MN and al! But I have a line on a saito. 56. Will that be enough umphhhh for this kit

I never flew off of water, can't honestly comment on having enough power for that, but you will have plenty of power for all other applications. Running a .52 magnum in mine. It will take off at half throttle or less,rarely over half throttle during flight, depends on what mood I am in

I wouldn't put a .56 four stroke in her for use as a float plane. I'd advise a .72 even though I assume you're at approximately sea level. But that's just my 2 cents.