Wants to start with stick & tissue model. Any suggestions for a good kit, say 12 to 18 in wingspan, not too difficult (don't want to kill his interest before he gets "hooked")? Control line or R/C. He wants gas engine, not electric.

Originally Posted by jfredmoran

Wants to start with stick & tissue model. Any suggestions for a good kit, say 12 to 18 in wingspan, not too difficult (don't want to kill his interest before he gets "hooked")? Control line or R/C. He wants gas engine, not electric.

you could look in the vintage plan forum that might get his juices going for a type of plane then use the parts list to get material needed and start there

jim

My suggestion is to buy a rubber motor free flight kit and a RC computer simulator. Use the kit to learn the basics of airplane parts and building. And the simulator so you don't waste money on a RC model that will crash on the first flight. Most RC hobby shops have free use of the good simulators in their store. Buy a RC kit or plane after you can reliably take off, fly a few circuits, and land with out crashing. Also find a local RC club to join and find a mentor. : )

About the only way you'll get something around that size with a glow (not gas) engine is to build a Control Line trainer but most of those are solid wood not stick and tissue and the small engines they use are getting hard to find.

BTW for more definite suggestions it would be useful to know how old your grandson is and where he lives....I know what I'd suggest here in the UK but that probably won't help you.

Steve

Thank you, Steve. He's 12, & we live in New Hampshire, USA (It was 13 degrees F, here yesterday). Right, I should have said "glow", or maybe "fuel", not "gas".

How are things in AZ, Leaktech. Went there a few years ago (Sedona & Grand Canyon) - loved it. I am in NH (cold here); grandson is 12. I have a very old Guillow Great Lakes kit suitable for 1/2 A. I thought maybe control line for now; give him a chance to learn how to build, how to deal with engine, deal with radio later. Not sure if Guillow kit will be rugged enough. Also have a Ringmaster kit. Never built one like it though.

A bigger plane will be easier to learn on if you are going the RC route. Maybe a great planes PT-20. I would go with a 4 channel set up. Is there a club in the area where you can get some advise?
I just bought my son who is 8 a Guillows Javelin. Rubber powered free flight.
- Dirk

Originally Posted by jfredmoran

Wants to start with stick & tissue model. Any suggestions for a good kit, say 12 to 18 in wingspan, not too difficult (don't want to kill his interest before he gets "hooked")? Control line or R/C. He wants gas engine, not electric.

"Stick and tissue" doesn't do well in a small glow powered control line model. The better trainers for this style of flying are all solid sheet or even made from corroplast plastic.

For RC "stick and tissue" sort of works but you'll want to go a lot bigger than 12 to 18 inch span. Something more around 36 to 40 inch span for an .049 glow engine.

The only sort of kits that are stick and tissue in the 18'ish inch span range are only going to work well for rubber power.

If you're after a balsa project for the control liner option there's a number of plans around but if I may toot my own horn for a moment check out the Cadet over at www.smallflyingarts.com in the free plans download area. It's not a kit but with an all sheet model like this you don't need to buy much for balsa and there's not much cutting to do to make a "kit". If you really want a kit and want it to be a control line trainer then check out www.brodak.com .

If it's really a 1/2A size C/L kit you want then I'd suggest that Black Hawk Models are probably your best bet:
http://www.blackhawkmodels.com/catalog.html

Steve

What I did. I got them a cheap simulator transmitter and downloaded the free simulator called RC Desk Pilot, so get the feel of R/C, and I them the key to the simulator is land the model back on the runway, consistently . Next, we are building small FF gliders and Stick-Tissue FF rubber power models, to get their feet wet.

Going RC or Control line is to large of a commitment, I have gone twice down that road it has been a waste of money

You need to see the spark of enthusiasm and drive-the want to "do the hobby"

We made F.F. 12" poly dihedral gliders from 9" foam party plates and scrap wood from my kits. Glued everything with a hot gun. Flew the gliders indoors.

This weekend we are doing FF simple stick tissue rubber power, and being built with slow curing carpenters wood glue-The hobby demands patience. Buying a pre-built ready to fly models do not promote any pride. They must be "hand created".

Take a look at this thread, and look at the squirrel plane

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1563381

Hope this works,

Martin

Originally Posted by jfredmoran

How are things in AZ, Leaktech. Went there a few years ago (Sedona & Grand Canyon) - loved it. I am in NH (cold here); grandson is 12. I have a very old Guillow Great Lakes kit suitable for 1/2 A. I thought maybe control line for now; give him a chance to learn how to build, how to deal with engine, deal with radio later. Not sure if Guillow kit will be rugged enough. Also have a Ringmaster kit. Never built one like it though.

Hi Fred, It's very warm here last few days. Shorts and tee shirts. I thought you were a new RC'er when I read your tag line below your avatar. Sounds like you have a good handle on teaching your grandson some RC skills. I have some neighbor kids that visit here on no school days. Luke is the builder he is eager for RC. His dad is willing to send him over so we build from scratch simple models and then fly. I forgot how good the freeflight gliders go.

James

Fred, you might take a look at Easybuiltmodels.com. I would favor rubber power, free flight, and laser cut. Maybe a high wing monoplane such as a cub or aeronca.

That's what I was thinking mcg. Start with a small stick fuselage rubber model and let his enthusiasm carry him forward. Here's a link to Easy Built's site. www.easybuiltmodels.com

Here's a link to a nice first model http://www.easybuiltmodels.com/ff83.htm