Well exactly like the title says, what do you think is the best kit for your money is it worth the money and what is the quality of the kit

Preferably id like trainers but 2nd and up are fine ,since im trying to cater to new members.
Since everyone's being a bit frugal I think it would be good to have a database of all the planes that you think are the best of value (balancing out quality and price and why is it better than the ARF(if applicable)).

Also I don't just want to compare planes id like also to compare parts like wheels,retracts engine/motors and servos and maybe radios
and hopefully this will be of some help to newcomers

Prices from Tower Hobbies

Trainers :


2nd+ planes :
Great Planes uproar - discontinued
Great planes Fun 51 - $49.99


Sport :
Great Planes Ultra sport 60 - $124.99

Maybe the GP Up-Roar and Fun 51. I have never had or flown the ARF Up-Roar so I can't compare. These are two very easy to build kits and they are both great little flying machines. Did I mention CHEAP!!! Very tough little planes and they both fly great with .46 LA engines. The Ultra Sport 60. A bit more money but I love old style pattern planes and this is a good looking plane with some good improvements. This is one I haven't built or owned myself but I have been known to build a few Bridi kits. Speaking of Bridi you can still get his kits too, as I recall, his son is making them now but I can't remember the name of his company. Bridi designed some outstanding flying machines!!

I love finding bargains. There's just one problem. What consumers see as bargains, corporations see as leaving money on the table. Moderators, please delete this thread before any distributors see it!

Hey Sharku,

You already mentioned what I would suggest (that's if you can still get one. I think Great Planes has quit making them again). IMHO, It's the best "Sport" plane out there and there are quite a few RCU members that would agree with me....

I'm just finishing my telemaster 40. I got from aerocraftrc. It was alot of wood for $89.00. Supposed to be a heck of a trainer.

And here we were just talking about the Up-Roars this weekend. Three of us soloed on a Sr. Telemaster that I built for my first club. It is a great kit for the price!! Trainer?? Does everything really well except when it comes time to land, the Telemasters like to stay in the air once they have left mother earth!! It's really a fun plane to fly!!![8D]

Price, well how do you evaluate time spent on sanding and preparing every part?
not in particular but its a factor many forget when it comes to price.

IMO the best kits are SIG, laser cut perfect fit, spare parts availability, hardware and most important flight characteristics.
and the best second plane is Sig Four Star or a mid star.

There is a list of good 1st and 2nd planes ARF's and Kits: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm

Sharku,

The best value kit that's currently available (IMHO) is the SIG 1/5 scale Cub. It's laser cut, well engineered and looks very scale when it's done. Big enough to see in the air, yet uses a readily available 2 or 4 stroke engine of your choice. Alex is right about SIG. They make great kits.

On a par with SIG is Balsa USA, especially their WWI planes. While not totally scale, they certainly look the part and fly extremely well. They're surprisingly easy to build (if you follow the extremely well-written instructions) and their die-cutting and wood quality are both excellent.

Have fun!

papermache

For overall value, I would have to agree that Sig is a good general value, with good kits, good quality wood and overall fit and finish. I have built the Kadet Mark I, Kadet Mark II and will be shortly starting a Kobra. I have also built a Balsa USA swizzle stick (can't comment on the flight characteristics as it was too long ago), but it was a very inexpensive buy, with most of the wood being in the wing.

I have a fondness for Pilot kits (long since out of production). I am just finishing a QB-40S (stands for "Quick Build, 40 size, shoulder wing), which I started at some point in the 90's.... (So much for Quick Build!)

I have a Spit Mark II and a Hurricane Mark II (both Pilot kits) that I haven't started yet, but are very impressive looking kits.

I have built the old Midwest line of foamies, including Cardinal and Attacker, which were good prices, but hard to fuel proof. I still have the 20 size chipmunk, but probably don't have the skill to build it. (the Attacker, with a 40 in it was very high performance - just a rocket!)

All of that being said, I would put:

Total overall price value for trainer - Balsa USA Swizzle stick - mainly due to its simplicity.
Best first build value - trainer - I'd go with Kadet Mark II (although others may prefer the LT-40) - helps with the building skills yet still rugged and you want to keep it longer than your first few flights.

When in doubt, I'd choose a Sig kit.

Anyway, these are my thoughts....

Yesterday I picked up a Great Planes Dazzler kit at my LHS for $49.99. It looks like a fun little plane, and the kit quality seems good. It lists on Tower for $10 more, which means it was probably sitting on the shelf since before the latest price increase.

I like the Sig Large Scale Cub kits and the Balsa USA line. Also don't forget the Dynaflight series, tough to narrow it down as a lot of fine kits can lead the way. So little time and so many great airplanes to model.