Hi there! I've been looking for a kit that builds fairlyeasily but still yields a great plane. Are the Top-Flite kits too advanced, or are they easy enough (no carving required is always a plus).

Thanks!

Can you narrow that down a little?

Trainer?
Sport?
Scale civilian?
Scale Warbird? WWI or WWII?
Pylon Racer?
3D?
Pattern?
Glider?
Electric?

Help me out, guys, what did I miss?

Dr.1

About the most idiot proof kit out there is the Sig Somethin Extra.
Its almost impossible to build it wrong and the kit produces
an excellent flying airplane.

Mike Hammer

This is about as easy as they come, and they fly great "SIG Somethin' Extra" I see idiots fly them all of the time.

Somethin Extra or any of the 4 star line

Just build an ugly kit. Then no one will know if you screwed it up.

I would go with the Sig 4* over the SE as the 4* doesn't have a wing tube to mess with. Other than that, I would say that they are both prettymuch idiot proof.


Woops

Actually, PilotFighter, that's not a bad idea. A trainer plane is in for some rough handling and it gets knocked around a lot. Not crashes, necessarily, but hard landings, ground loops, hanger rash, etc. I always tell newbies to not spend too much time on maknig their first trainer look too good.

Dr.1

Good advice. Obsessing with perfection is a major cause of uncompleted projects and airplanes that the owners won't dare fly.
Idiot proof? Don't underestimate the ingenuity of idiots!

When manufacturers build idiot-proof planes, people will build better idiots.

Dr.1

You took the words right outta my mouth Dr1

There are no "Idiot Proof" kits. But you will find that the more basic the plane, the easier it's building techniques are. This is one reason I like to avoid ARF's in the early stages. If you don't aquire those building skills early, it's tough to find an advanced plane that's easy to build. Of course there are still some advanced planes that are easier than others - Like the SE, but generally it's good to start with the easier stuff.

For an advanced flier that's looking to start building, two of the things I like to recommend are the Sig Wonder or the Sig Ultimate Fun Fly. Both planes are easy to build and will give you tons of building experience without putting a big dent in your wallet.

They are a Blast to fly too!

Hello; I have built Goldberg, Sig, Great Planes, Ikon NW, and other kits, and would recommend Sig kits as the most "idiot proof" builds. I didn't have any real problems with any of them, but the Sig line seem to fly well, no matter how I managed to screw up, or how "funny" they look. Now I build without using the instructions, and still get great results. Now if I could only learn how to cover and make it look good.

I second the recommendation on SIG, I have built the 4*60 and are currently building the SSE, both are super easy to assemble and the quality of the kit is outstanding.
I have a GreatPlanes kit as well, but it's not as well cut and there's more to do with it.
Not necesserly harder to biuild, but it's not the same jig saw puzzle as the SIG kits are.

What level are you "flight wise"?
If you're a beginner I would recommend the SIG LT40, if you can fly already and want an easy to build sport plane the SIG SSE or 4*40 would be a good choice.

I already fly a .60 P-51D and a 1.20 Giles G-202. I know Sig makes a Piper Cub kit, which I've always wanted to try, but is it tough to build?

Sig makes a 1/6 scale Cub and also a 1/4 scale Cub. Both kits are very scale in outline and detail. They are "builders" kits in that there are a lot of sticks to glue together. However, the Sig plans and instructions are MOST EXCELLENT. You shouldn't have any trouble.

There's also a new 1/5 scale Cub, but I don't know anything about that one.

Dr.1

[&:] Like others have said, any Sig kit is going to be good. 4 stars series and the Somethin Extra do lead the pack. Have fun.

JLevin, While most of Sig's kits go together very easily, their Cubs (as DR1 said) are "Builder's Kits"

Unless you are a VERY competent builder who likes bending wood and then carving and sanding it to shape I strongly advise you to stay away from these.

I believe that they're 1/5 scale cub may be the exception to this, but I bought their 1/4 scale cub a few years ago expecting a relatively easy build and I was very disapointed. I can build "Builder's Kits" and when I'm ready to tackle one I love it. But when you're expecting a regular kit and you get a "Builder's Kit" it can really tick you off.

Not only is it a Builder's Kit, but it was engineered back in the 60's (The planes even show Kraft Servos) so the engineering is nowhere near what it is today. It DOES produce a beautiful plane IF you are a VERY good builder, but if you're just looking to build-and-fly, Avoid it!

Doesn't anyone make a Cub kit that doesn't take superlative building skills?

How's the Great Planes Cub
Thanks!

Just in case note: Unless you are familiar with the way Cubs fly, you may not like what you get. A Cub requires deft use of the rudder. Banging the ailerons around makes a Cub look very sloppy. It should fly very slow. A full-size J-3 Cub is hard pressed to break 75 or so mph. If you want an aerobatic model and still want a Cub, you'll do better with a clipped-wing version. If you want a really aerobatic plane, look elsewhere.

Goldberg had a Cub kit that got high marks from a lot of people. I think the SIG 1/5th scale is laser cut and more sheet/former/stringer than the old kits. It should be pretty straightforward to build.
http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmar...FV4.html?E+Sig
But a Cub, with the struts, cloth covering, complicated landing gear, big windows, engine detail, and large cockpit can't be a simple build and still look like a Cub.

From what I read in the Model Aviation review of the Sig 1/5 scale cub, It looks like similar construction to the SE, though it might be a tad bit harder to build the fuse since it doesn't have slab sides.
http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmar...FV4.html?E+Sig

Woops

I love Sig kits. I'm building thier old Bonanza kit. The box says its a "craftsman" kit. Boy, that word will make you stop and wonder what you are getting into. But it turns out, it is a dream of a kit.
I guess I had their Colt and Kadet Jr. I have a Komander in the box. I've seen just about all of thier kits and flown a bunch of them.
Sig kits go together just a little bit differently than other kits. Generally the builder cuts a few more peices for himself with a Sig kit. You aren't trying to fit a box full of die cut pieces together like most kits. You are cutting pieces of stock yourself and gluing them together and then sanding them smooth. Chances are that no two Sig models will be identical. But both will be nearly perfect. The customized parts you cut give the model that old world fit and finish that was the norm in modelling years ago. They aren't harder to build. They just fit together better.

If you dont like sanding stay away from TF kits. I have built almost every TF Gold edition kit and i can say without a doubt I HATE SEEING THE WORDS "SAND TO SHAPE"!!!! No kit is idiot proof. Just read the instructions and make sure you understand them. That will save you from being a idiot. Most of todays kits from the more popular manufactures come with great instructions,Laser cut or decent die cutting. Most little mistakes can be sanded out or builtup. Take you time covering the plane. For 99% of the people the covering job is all they see and is what gets the complements at the field. My first plane was a plans built P-51. Turned out fine. Second was a TF Cessna ,Turned out fine. Just read the instructions and understand them. Trial fit the parts first before glueing. You can build about any kit you want with good instructions,taking your time. I would vote for a Sig Senior Kadet as a first kit. That takes lotsa building(good practice) and little sanding(unlike alot of kits)
Pat