Best kit ever?
 

So what's the best kit you ever built? Not necessarily the coolest model but just the most enjoyable build. Why did you like the kit? What's your idea of the "perfect kit?" Personally, I haven't built that many kits (I've only got about four builds under my belt), but I've enjoyed The CDScaleDesigns Snipe for its scale accuracy and efficient design. The Flair Puppeteer is also clearly a "mature" kit and most of the kinks have been worked out.

In general I like a kit that I can bash a bit. The Proctor museum scale models are wonderful but would feel more like I'm putting together and elaborate 3-D puzzle where the finished product will look just like everyone else's finished product. So in other words, I like a kit that doesn't do everything for me, one that provides a couple degrees of freedom.

How about you?

RE: Best kit ever?
 

The absolute best kit that I have ever built was the Venture 60 from Bob Tharpe. The parts were perfectly cut, and the model damn near built itself. Zero alignment problems, and it flew very well. It's a shame that Bob discontinued it, but he offers other kits.

Bill, AMA 4720
WACO Brotherhood #1

RE: Best kit ever?
 

Sig 4 Star 40. (Designed by Bruce Tharpe) By far the best kit I have come across. Almost builds itself. A great second plane also.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I second the 60 Venture by Bruce. I know he's busy, but I would think that that kit was a revenue generator. Bring it back Bruce!!

peace

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I'd also go with the Venture 60. This is the level of quality that all kit manufacturers should aim for.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

The best kits I have built have been designed by Dave Platt. His Zero and Jungmeister are great looking and flying. I would consider the FW-190 and ME-109 if I had more time and space.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

Jensen Ugly Stik. I think it gave beginners a plane that could equal an experienced person, and it could be used from anything from a trainer to anything. To bad they dont make it any more; the copies just not the same. As for scale planes, anything offered is appreciated if it is in the ball park. I think the Proctor planes offer the best chance for a world class model, but if you are not up to it, you can make one of these pretty bla or fall apart because of bad craftsmanship. I bet less than 10% get finished and flown.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

My favorite Kit is the Great Planes Ultra Sport. Like you said, it's a kit that doesn't do everything for you and gives you room to customize a little.

Some people prefer to build something like a 4* where it's all done for you, but I like a kit that requires a few more building skills - but I don't care to do everything as most "Builder's kits" have you do.

The Ultra Sport gives me just the right amount of "Creative work" to keep the build interesting and allows the builder's personal artistry to shine through.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

My favorite kit is the SIG Kougar; built four of them and ordered my fifth kit a while back to build this winter. Builds up nice and FLYS GREAT. Was never disappointed in the finished model.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

My favorite build so far is the Proctor Nieuport 11 (which still isn't finished btw). Although it framed up beautifully (practically built itself) I still changed the structure to be more scale. They leave out the cockpit detail so theres a chance to go wild scratching all that. Go on Abu, you know you want a Proctor. The Jenny is 1/6, and nobody I can think of would do it better justice.

Edit: added a pic of the N11.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

Tough question!! Some of my best flying planes were from kits that I would swear at A lot during the build, I hated them but was thrilled with the end result. I really don't know!! The only kit that really rings A bell, more like A cannon going off in my head, was the Percision Balsa 66 inch SCALE Tiger Moth made some years ago in the UK. The blue prints were like looking at A full scale and the instructions???? You think Chinglish is hard to follow, try reading english writen by the English. This one got some very blue language spoken to it during the build and there were times when I wondered if it would get done. When it was in the bones I was so proud I almost didn't want to cover it. Flying was another story, perfect from the get go!! Odd thing is that today I keep my eyes opened for any of there kits at auctions and enjoy building them?? Go figure.
I have always been A big fan of the Goldburg kits, just wish they would use real fiberglass parts instead of plastic. Wish they would come back out with there Sukhoi too!!!

RE: Best kit ever?
 

My favorite kit is the one that I'm building at that particular moment. Right now, an Ace Taylor Craft. The two previous years, a Ziroli Stuka. Next month, a Sig Spacewalker.

I thoroughly enjoy the larger Sig kits. They go together well, and easily lend themselves to modification/detailing.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

Writer Dorothy Parker has a famous quote, "I hate writing, but I love having written" which I will paraphrase:

I hate building, but I love having built

RE: Best kit ever?
 

Not me, Minn. I love to build. I start a new kit almost as soon as I finish one. I seem to have something on the building board at all times.

I have 3 kits on hand. Ordered another, yesterday.

I need to fly more, in order to reduce my inventory. :D

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I'd say the GP Ultimate Bipe 40. Not for its great quality as a kit, but the end product is an outstanding flyer and great looking.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

Hey, Tom.

I ordered items for the Spacewalker II from Sig a month or so back: plans, gear and misc. bits. Will cut my own wood parts. Chose the Spacewalker II so I could put a figure of Joyce (my Joyce ;) ) and me in the model. Took a look at my kit stash and I counted 20. I REALLY need to fly more!!! Still like the Sig Kougar the best...putting an O.S. 55AX on it and perhaps an F-4ish scheme with anhedral stab...

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I enjoyed building the Sig Something Extra, one of my first kits. Great instructions, and love tab and lock contruction.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

for all around flyability, and kit bashing its hard to beat the Ultrasports, and the four star and midstar variants.. However the four star wing is much harder to hide in a bash than the ultrasport. I wish they would do a release of ultrasport 120s, as I tend to build bigger these days.
I always mounted my landing gear in the wings of the four stars, I think it actuall lands better..

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I was giving it some thought today and it hit me, any of Joe Bridi's kits were A pleasure to build. Nothing hard, just something you could kick back and drink A beer while building. When it was over you always had A super flying machine unless you over did the barley pop. :) Wood selection was second to none.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

Best and easiest kit build ever - Sig LT-25. I've seen people say of various kits that it falls together in your lap, but this kit is 100% laser cut and if you can read, you can assemble it, regardless if you've ever had experience putting a kit together.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

In terms of scale modeling, I'm leaning ever more towards scratch-building. Partly this is a matter of subject choice, most kits (for example ALL of the Proctor kits) are of hugely overmodeled aircraft. I don't care if I ever see another Albatros DIII or Fokker DVII. Luckily Chris at CD ScaleDesigns shares my preference for less frequently modeled planes so I'm set for the next couple of years with his upcoming Albatros CI and a DH2 after that (and who knows what after that). And I see myself going the "full-on miniature replica" routine on some model sometime.

But there's just something about a kit. I've been building them since I was a kid doing Guillow's WWI kits. That box of balsa just seems to hold so much potential. And there's a certain satisfaction about seeing the box get emptier and emptier. In terms of quality, people have always said great things about the SR Batteries Eindecker kit. But it's a bit too ugly to my eyes.

I think as I move more and more towards scratch-building, I need less and less of a kit. For example, for most models, I'd be happy with a "kit" that included little more than a set of ribs and formers. So maybe the my next step towards scratch-building will be the kit cutter thing.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I have built a "LOT" of kits since the early 1960's, and I think one the best quality kits, with the least amout of grief, I ever built, has to be the Adrian Page Gee Bee R-2. I still need to cover it, so I cannot say how it flies, but it sure went together "smoooooooooooooth". Parts fit was perfect and the wood choice was excellent.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I really enjoyed my first kit- Sig Senior. Excellent instructions and a big box of sticks! Flies great and learned a lot from that build.

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I really enjoyed building my GP Patriot , all was OK manual , instructions , quality wood etc .

I'm building a Shrike 40 with alot of mods. and I need to say I hate the instructions [:'(] , it's nothing compared with Great Planes but what else is on the building board already [&:] .

RE: Best kit ever?
 

I have a soft spot for the Great planes RV-4 40 size. This was the first kit I built by myself and it showed me that there is nothing to fear when it comes to kit building. It went together very well and I finished with a great flying model.