worst kit youve ever built
07-22-2019, 10:07 AM
#127
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Allen,
TX
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wow - old thread. The worst kit I ever assembled was a Top Flite Nobler in the blue box. Much of the wood was bad (tapered when it shouldn't have been) right out of the box. I've had one other Top Flite kit and wood was better, but I think the kit was earlier than this Nobler.
08-27-2019, 07:05 AM
#128
Worst kit was the Hal DeBolt Patternmaster. The wood was ok but the construction methods were sadistic! Before starting the kit you had to construct several assembly jigs and fixtures. The stab was a little wing itself. The instructions had you glue balsa cradles onto the fixture, then mold the sheeting the cradles. The ribs were then glued onto the sheeting, etc. The wing was built full span upside down using more cradles on a building board you had to make with 4 degrees of dihedral. Insane!
I also have bad memories of the PT40 by Great Planes. Construction was fine but it needed constant fiddling: big flat bottom wing, tons of downthrust, etc. I hated flying it so much I flew it into a barbed wire fence.
My best experience to date was the Proctor Nieuport 11. There were a million parts and it for together like a Swiss watch. Very therapeutic.
I also have bad memories of the PT40 by Great Planes. Construction was fine but it needed constant fiddling: big flat bottom wing, tons of downthrust, etc. I hated flying it so much I flew it into a barbed wire fence.
My best experience to date was the Proctor Nieuport 11. There were a million parts and it for together like a Swiss watch. Very therapeutic.
08-28-2019, 08:36 PM
#133
My Feedback: (19)
Over the years I built a lot of Sterling kits. Many were actually quite good compared to some others available at the time. I just call them normal kits for the years they were popular.
For me, the one word for bad kits would be “Goldberg”! While I’ve built some good Goldberg kits, especially some of the later offerings, some of their 60’s and early 70’s offerings left much to be desired. Even as an eager builder in those days, a few of those kits were just trashed and declared unbuildable. Mostly horrible cutting and very bad wood. These kits encouraged me to be a scratch and plans builder.
For me, the one word for bad kits would be “Goldberg”! While I’ve built some good Goldberg kits, especially some of the later offerings, some of their 60’s and early 70’s offerings left much to be desired. Even as an eager builder in those days, a few of those kits were just trashed and declared unbuildable. Mostly horrible cutting and very bad wood. These kits encouraged me to be a scratch and plans builder.
Last edited by Truckracer; 08-28-2019 at 08:38 PM.
01-09-2020, 01:30 PM
#135
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Built a Thunder Tiger (chinese) Eagle 40 kit. ply for fuselage doublers was so warped I scrapped it and re-cut new parts. Mis-matched weights for many parts - re-cut those, too. replaced the plastic wing tip pieces with balsa blocks. no instructions - just a box of parts and set of plans, which weren't too bad. cheap mounting bolts that twisted in half before they got tight enough to hold the parts in place, and wire LG so soft they spread with the softest landing. Fuel tank leaked - never could get it to seal. Tossed it for a Du-Bro tank. Surprisingly, it flew pretty well.
As a youngster in the 60's, flying CL - anything by Veco was to be avoided. Balsa the same weight as oak that split when you looked at it.
As a youngster in the 60's, flying CL - anything by Veco was to be avoided. Balsa the same weight as oak that split when you looked at it.
01-09-2020, 02:16 PM
#136
Built a Thunder Tiger .... Eagle 40 kit .... ply .... so warped .... re-cut new parts .... Mis-matched .... parts - re-cut .... replaced the plastic wing tip pieces with balsa blocks .... cheap mounting bolts .... wire LG so soft .... Fuel tank .... Tossed it for a Du-Bro tank. Surprisingly, it flew pretty well .... in the 60's, flying CL - anything by Veco .... Balsa the same weight as oak ....
01-09-2020, 03:04 PM
#137
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Like gunny Highway, we learned to improvise, adapt, and overcome - it was necessary in the pursuit of the hobby. As a result, we learned a craft. Unlike today's instant gratification of the ready-built plane, there was something magical about the time and process of building what you flew.
01-10-2020, 02:47 PM
#140
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
can't really say you built those. Did seem to spend a lot of time trying to build them, though. Which is worse, die-crunched wood or trying to cut blurry former lines?
01-10-2020, 09:29 PM
#142
Yup, back in 1965 as an 11 YO I built Ed Lidgardś Sparky. It was print wood then. Ditto with Comet's P-51B. I'd use my dad's used razor blades to cut balsa. Learned to snap double blades to have a single cutting edge. Snap the end with a set of needle nose pliers to make a pointed tip for cutting tissue.
Remember that those kits did not come with decals? You had to cut them out from the plans. They weren't in color, only black print. But what the hey, Comet kits were very cheap. 30" Sparky was like $1.25 then. the P-51B was like only $1.00. The die cut smaller 16" Bellanca Jr., Porterfield 65, Curtiss Robin, Ryan SC, 12" Fokker DVII, Spad were only $0.69. (I know, in today's dollars would be $10.21, $8.17, $5.63 respectively.)
Seemed back then the tissue with those kits were black or green, basically lower quality wrapping or gift decorating tissue. I'd opt for the higher quality Eseki from the hobby shop. I learned to clear dope the tissue, it drew taut and looked nicer when doped.
Remember that those kits did not come with decals? You had to cut them out from the plans. They weren't in color, only black print. But what the hey, Comet kits were very cheap. 30" Sparky was like $1.25 then. the P-51B was like only $1.00. The die cut smaller 16" Bellanca Jr., Porterfield 65, Curtiss Robin, Ryan SC, 12" Fokker DVII, Spad were only $0.69. (I know, in today's dollars would be $10.21, $8.17, $5.63 respectively.)
Seemed back then the tissue with those kits were black or green, basically lower quality wrapping or gift decorating tissue. I'd opt for the higher quality Eseki from the hobby shop. I learned to clear dope the tissue, it drew taut and looked nicer when doped.
Last edited by GallopingGhostler; 01-10-2020 at 09:32 PM.
01-11-2020, 07:33 AM
#143
Yup, back in 1965 as an 11 YO I built Ed Lidgardś Sparky. It was print wood then. Ditto with Comet's P-51B. I'd use my dad's used razor blades to cut balsa. Learned to snap double blades to have a single cutting edge. Snap the end with a set of needle nose pliers to make a pointed tip for cutting tissue.
Remember that those kits did not come with decals? You had to cut them out from the plans. They weren't in color, only black print. But what the hey, Comet kits were very cheap. 30" Sparky was like $1.25 then. the P-51B was like only $1.00. The die cut smaller 16" Bellanca Jr., Porterfield 65, Curtiss Robin, Ryan SC, 12" Fokker DVII, Spad were only $0.69. (I know, in today's dollars would be $10.21, $8.17, $5.63 respectively.)
Seemed back then the tissue with those kits were black or green, basically lower quality wrapping or gift decorating tissue. I'd opt for the higher quality Eseki from the hobby shop. I learned to clear dope the tissue, it drew taut and looked nicer when doped.
Remember that those kits did not come with decals? You had to cut them out from the plans. They weren't in color, only black print. But what the hey, Comet kits were very cheap. 30" Sparky was like $1.25 then. the P-51B was like only $1.00. The die cut smaller 16" Bellanca Jr., Porterfield 65, Curtiss Robin, Ryan SC, 12" Fokker DVII, Spad were only $0.69. (I know, in today's dollars would be $10.21, $8.17, $5.63 respectively.)
Seemed back then the tissue with those kits were black or green, basically lower quality wrapping or gift decorating tissue. I'd opt for the higher quality Eseki from the hobby shop. I learned to clear dope the tissue, it drew taut and looked nicer when doped.
01-12-2020, 05:40 AM
#144
The Sig Kougar still has printed parts you have to cut out. Great building and flying plane though.
Back in the day, the kits that were the worst were the ones that had poor die cutting of really hard balsa. The ACE 4-60 bipe was the worst one I ever built. It had multi spar construction and all those little notches for the ribs just crumbled when I tried to get the ribs out of the sheets. What a mess. The wing wasn't all that stout and looked horrible after it was built and covered. This is as opposed to your typical D tube construction with partial sheeting and rib cap strips. However; that old 4-60 bipe flew fanstastic.
Carl
Back in the day, the kits that were the worst were the ones that had poor die cutting of really hard balsa. The ACE 4-60 bipe was the worst one I ever built. It had multi spar construction and all those little notches for the ribs just crumbled when I tried to get the ribs out of the sheets. What a mess. The wing wasn't all that stout and looked horrible after it was built and covered. This is as opposed to your typical D tube construction with partial sheeting and rib cap strips. However; that old 4-60 bipe flew fanstastic.
Carl
