"The holy grail" KIT
 

I need some help on this one, I recently bought a kit- really,really old kit.
It is a Debolt livewire "supercub" from 1957 to 1959.
The kit is in excellent shape and the parts and the paperwork has never been opened up until last night.
The wing span is 56 or 59 inches from what the box says.

So here lies my question to all- should I build it and enjoy some history or sell? I was thinking about tracing the ribs and making a copy.
If I sold it, what would it be worth? I will get some pictures up this weekend.
When I found it I was looking for a top wing for a OS 25. so it would be a great plane for that.
I have looked every where and cannot find hardly anything on this plane.
Thanks, Jason

I wouldn't have a clue what it's worth, however I would trace the parts, copy the plan and put the kit on the shelf.

Here is a bit of info you may not have seen http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/gold...-pictures.html

wow! now that is history, I think your right. Thanks for the pictures, I have some pictures of the kit. There is a separate plan to describe how to make from scratch the electronics and batteries. The kit is in fantastic shape.
Jason

I never hesitate to build from an old kit if it's one I want to build. There's no point in preserving an old kit for the purpose of letting it sit on your shelf. What will eventually happen to it? Your descendents will throw it in the trash, or someone will put it on their shelf. Or maybe someone will build it. In which case, why shouldn't it be you?

I have copied some old kits before. Like you said, trace the patterns, formers and what not, build it and put the parts back in the box. Take the plan sheet in and have it copied so that you can preserve the original. Then you can decide to shelve or sell the kit. Just my .02cents
Steve

Build it and enjoy it, that's what it was made for wasn't it?
Just make sure as with any kit, old or new, that you have a drawing of each part just in case repair is necessary.

If you do build it, don't expect to use CA glue. The wood is usually too dry in older kits to kick it off. I say build it.

It's now common practice to draw templates of all the parts and have Kinko's make a copy of the plans and instructions of any discontinued kit. Then you can cut you own kit and build the plane. Then if you like you can sell the kit to a collector that would love to have it. The plans and templates can also be shared with others on sites like RCU that would enjoy building the plane. It's how we keep these old planes flying. How many of this plane have you ever seen at a club being flown.

Kork, While your purchase of the Debolt Live Wire Cub is a good find, I don't think it quite makes it into the "Holy Grail" catagory. I also have an interest in some of these long gone classic kits and have been able to get two of Debolts Live Wire kits off "fleebay" auctions. I paid well less than $100 each with shipping so don't expect this kit to replace your 401K. On a good day you MIGHT get a collector to go at the most $200 for your Live Wire Cub kit and in the big picture $200 isn't much. Build it and enjoy flying it. Make copies as others have suggested if you want, but if you enjoy gentle sweet flying planes then build it and fly it. That's where the most value is, your enjoyment. Of the two Live Wire kits I bought, one is built and flying ( that's the Live Wire Champ) and the other is waiting in line ( that's the Live Wire Sonic Cruiser). There is a modern kit company that is reproducing some of the Live Wire kits (can't remember the company name right now) and I know the Champ that I have is one of them, not sure if the L.W.Cub is done or not. My understanding is the L.W. Champ and the L.W. Cub used the same wing, just a slightly different fuselage to create two different airplanes. These are by no means scale airplanes by today's standard but still when finished and trimmed out give the impression they are Cubs or Champs when they are 50 or 100 feet in the air. I even kit bashed my Champ into a 4 ch by adding strip ailerons and cutting the dihedral in half. Enjoy it!

Bork, I forgot to mention that my L.W. Champ is powered by an O.S. 25 LA. If that is the O.S. you have, it will fly the L.W.Cub quite well and scale like. If your O.S. is the 25 FX it will probably hover!

I thank you all for your comments and I do plan on building and flying this fine bird. I still am impressed how back then they had to build all servos and flying electronics. What a feeling of accomplishment when they finally got them in the air.
Jason