That is a genuine question:

Why everybody offer the same few planes over and over again ? Avond f16, after the Spiderjet, Aviation Design and maybe some I forget. Now I read that Yellow could offer an f15, after Avond, JHH, and whoever else.....

But there is still no one offering a gruman f11 tiger, there is no Dassault Etendard, there is no F 84, no mig 17, 19, 21.... There is quite a bunch of perfectly "modelisable" jets, that absolutly nobody make a kit for, while some jets are offered simultaneously by 3 or 4 brands. What do I miss here ?

Bernard

Well, I would think that the companies look at what MOST people want. The odder the aircraft, probably the less that will buy it. Just a thought.

Sure a lot 'o T-33's and P/F-80 Shooting Stars out there.

And the F9F Panther is "Taking off" due to turbine power.

The Mig 15, 17, and 19 can be found at:

http://www.goldenwestmodels.net/main/home.htm

But I agree to many manufactures make the same kits. I prefer to fly something different at the shows, but it is hard to do if you don't want to build from scratch.

To really have something unique, scratch building is the way to go. Unfortunatley, it seems to be a fading skill set here is the U.S.. That too bad.

Century Jet Models has some interesting kits though.

http://www.centuryjet.com

Well, the more it goes, the more I am leaning toward scratch building, but it's a quantum leap and it's not an easy decision ! Right now I feel that I need to build one or 2 more kits, to gain a bit more experience in both construction and flying, but still....it's a big step !

I have looked at century offer many times, but have always wondered why I do not see them in jet meet....Which is obviously the best reason to always see the same kits builts.... cat chasing its tail... That big Cougar must be real nice....

Bernard

As a product goes one of the things that companies look at big time is how much profit can we make vs what they have to develop themselves. I have looked at kitting several planes and the one big hangup is landing gear, A few of the planes that you listed have gear that would be costly to develop as the production numbers would be low. When a machinist sets up a mill or lathe they like to run as many parts as possible without having to change the setup. I bet that you will find if you look real hard that other than BVM and Yellow everyone else has someone like Robart or springair make their gear. Knowing that those companies need to work as subcontractor suppliers to the kit company. They are going to look real hard at what they can take out of current stock or design and use or modify to make the gear you would want, it's just good business. We as modelers will need to either pay the price for low production numbers, custom gear or develop it ourselves if we want planes that will require new gear to be developed. I for one have been studying the F-84 for a few months and the nose gear is the big thing. Take a good look at the length of the nose gear strut and the angle that it will travel. There is nothing stock about either the strut or the retract unit that will need to be made for it to work correctly. Bottom line is the current planes for the most part are the Cubs and P-51's of jets, everybody likes them and there are several different sizes and levels of quality available.

Aw Ron,

The F-84 gear is simple , I've always liked the F4U Cutlass myself. Have you ever seen the landing gear on that plane? Man, In a 1/7 scale rendering the nose gear must something like 2 feet long. The mains aren't any fun either.

Someone in Texas has a B-58 Hustler with scale landing gear. I would really like to see that plane fly.

Rich,
It's a F7U Cutlass.
Jon

I was interested in getting into the kit business, before I wised up, and one thing a very successful manufacturer told me was this: You can make all the Kawanishi flying boats and Supermarine Spitefuls you want, but you had BETTER make a CUB and a MUSTANG if you want to even THINK about surviving!
All the jet manufacturers make all the same planes because they are what SELLS. There will always be fifty F-15's bought for every F7U Cutlass.

It really depends about what kind of kits you want to produce and who you target... Looks to me like BV is surviving pretty well, have not seen a Cub and a Mustang on his list, nor an F-15, yet

Proctor does not have either one of these planes, as quite a few other companies offering kits or ARFs and seeming to be quite successfull ( look there for example http://www.3seabees.com/planes.html ) without the eternal Cubs and Stangs...

If you target to be just yet another great planes, the advice is right, but wanting to do something a bit different is not necessarly doomed....

Bernard

Jon,

F4U - F7U, one little slip of the finger on the keyboard. I knew there was suppose to be a F & U in there someplace.

Thanks for the correction.

I'm a salesman by trade and I can tell you first hand, don't hand me a product that 250 people, IN THE WORLD, will buy. Bad economics, bad business. As much as we ALL would like that one special plane to be kitted up nice for us we have to consider the very REAL WORLD facts that there are just not that many people out there that share our passion and are willing to spend oodles of cash on an "obscure" subject. I've heard so many people complain about this subject that I start to wonder just how many really understand business!!! This is what we have, deal with it! And, while you're at it, gather the "gumption" and build what you want for yourself!!!

All the best!!!

LOL Kram....spoken like a true New Yorker!

Amen. Like Ron Stahl said above, the F16 and F86 ARE the Mustangs and Cubs of the jet world. People buy them, so everybody makes them.
There definitely are some interesting kits out there from the smaller guys, though. Mick Reeves is a perfect example. If you poke around the web for a bit, you will find all sorts of stuff...two kits of the F4D Skyray, a Fiat G91, two Venoms, a R5C Vigilante, two F8 Crusaders, an IAI Lavi, an F106, a HAL H100, a BIG F84...but all from the smaller outfits.

I have looked at century offer many times, but have always wondered why I do not see them in jet meet..

Same as scratch building??????

Dude.. just scratch built it your self.. You get much
more satifaction when its your own design, even
if it comes in last place.

There are a lot of people on line that will help you
with any question you may have on GC, how much glass
ect..

With big risks come big rewards...

Eddie Weeks

Country raised, city bred, I'm afraid! Unfortunately we have a system called Capitalism. Manufacture and sell what the masses want . . .or get on the unemployment line!

Sad but true.

Eddie,

I agree 100% ! problem is..... time... ! I don't know how you do, but I need to sleep at night...... ;-)

Bernard.

Just another thoght:

Sometimes three manufacturer are doing the same modells. But they need different time to get ready

But to be in a situation to sell any jet you produce, like BV does, it is a long way to get the reputation he has. There are a lot of guys who build a BVM-jet, just because it is good bvm-stuff.

@easytiger: there are two different Crusader-kits? Where can I just get one? I am looking for a cruze-kit now for a long time...


David

Can't knock BVM. He's sort of a special case! I think what you are saying is some people, like me, have BVM planes not because they love the subject so much, but because they love the way they fly! Anyway...
Two Crusaders. One is the JD Enterprises one. I have one, just about finished with a major rebuild and turbine conversion. The other is the Werner Krantz one. I do not have a contact for him in Germany, but I'm sure someone will chime in...

I know the Krantz-Jet. A buddy of mine flies it. But it is a A-7 Corsair II. What about JD-Enterprises. Do they have a webside? I am really interested. I like the variable wing-incidence on it. If it works, it is a real show-stopper!

Thank you,

David

Try this link:

http://www.jdenterprise.net/

Very nice!

Just a little bit small for a P-120 and scale wing-movement.

Maybe for a MW54. I am thinking of buying a turbine-kit of it. Just to have a home-build turbine and a small every-day jet...

Greetings,

David