Well, it can be pretty warm right after it's dropped

Actually, squabs don't fly! They do poop, however.

Alright, alright, which of you techie types is going to design a heat/poop seeking missile?

And, who is going to do the research to determine the "heat signature?"

Hands up!

Some scientist decided it would be worthwhile to see which animal had the biggest balls for its size. Turns out it is apparently a cricket which would be the equivalent of us walking around with two tires between our legs. See. Worse experiments than poop seeking missiles

Michelin? Nunc est bibendum!

There are a lot of laser-cut kit and short kit model plane designers and kit suppliers mostly online. Local hobby shops seldom stock builders kits anymore. The hardest part is getting additional building materials, covering materials, bagged accessory items, music wire, paints and adhesives from local hobby shops which now find it more profitable to sell ARF etc foam and wood based models. If you spend the time to stock up on necessities, you can produce some wonderfully flyable scale and sport models from designs intended for electric powered or IC powered RC models.

Getting the even a few ARF model flyers motivated to try building is another story.
I have been one of the few builders in our local flying club for many years. Many consider assembling an ARF foam or wood based "kit" to be more than enough of a challenge and get their kicks out of getting ARF's to fly. Many who have tried building a Comet stick and tissue kit in their youth were disappointed with the looks and flyability and don't want to "fiddle" with covering a model without wing warps and wrinkles. Others are intimidated with choosing and getting the right motor/battery pack, speed control, receiver and servos, etc. Lastly, building a model from a kit and buying all the trimmings can be considerably more expensive than simply buying an ARFin a big box with everything in it, made in Asia, by cheap labor. They would rather take on the hassle of out of stock, back orders, delayed shipments, missing or defective parts, and unavialable replacement parts after "rough landings", and poor after sale support, than building a model.

"Murocflyer" is trying to find and help would be builders get started: The Scale Electric Plane forum here on RC groups features a lot of build threads. Pat Tritle's website "Pat's Custom Models" has a catalog of his designs and building tips with links to detailed build threads in the RCG Scale Electric Plane forum.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1720205

I've been lucky that the local hobby shops have had what I needed as far as building. Just thinking I haven't seen any kind of balsa kits at any of the hobby shops except for the usual Guillows stuff. I think there are quite a few online sellers though now. Especially with the laser cutting.

I've been saving all the parts not needed, off crashed planes, wrong purchases etc. and has been pretty nice when I need something now I almost have it without having to run to the hobby shop.

I'm doing a build on the 29th in Murocflyer's thread. Doing Pat Trittle's Fleet 2. What about you are you joining in?

Robert

I'm looking forward to 3 days of rain. My plan is to build an A-10 using our UMX MiG-15 fans. Should be fun.

Andy

Model building is a little slow here in My shop with summer weather and the next two weeks of events happening. Three day event at our home club http://www.vrcas.org/ officially starts today but we have 30 on site campers since Monday and they along with the weekend arrivals starting today will be here till this coming Monday Sept 3rd when we all migrate to the Shuswap Fall float Fly that runs till next Sunday Sept 9th. Both events are at the least 80% giant scale wet fuel with maybe 30% ARF. Lots of talented builders here in the Central Interior and the Pacific North West.
Camera is in the truck and I am heading to the field for some early photos.

Brian T.

I think that the reason that there is less interest in building is that youth don't build anything anymore... in the 70's, when I was 14, we built everything, all our fun stuff. Tree Forts, Push Carts, Boomerangs, Control Line Models, Skateboards, Waterskis, One Man Hydroplanes (Sea Fleas) "MiniMost" Boats. Skate Sails, Kites. We would run model airplane engines without the plane just for kicks.

I rarely see kids in the neighbourhood build anything, couldn't pick up a hammer... I think that our current culture has not helped with kids, even thinking that they can. Most kids think that they can't. How was it that we thought the we could and did build stuff. I guess it's just a sign of the times that technology has robbed kids of their understanding that "They Can" and we are not helping.

Get your youth off the digital gadjet and hand them a hammer and make everything look like a nail...

Cheers

Bruce Feaver
Hip Pocket Aeronautics

Is it technology that has robbed the kids of their chance to develope skills or is consumerism, where it is easier to buy the finished product than to imagin the part and build it. And when they do build it it does not look like the picture and are therefore disappointed in their efforts. I suppose what kid want is instant reward rather than working towards it as a project, ie a plane build.

I just watched a news program where they announced that automotive mechanics are dwindling down,as the new generation has no interest in repairing anything anymore.

It's such a 'throw it away,trade it in' generation,there's no reward for applying yourself.

We builders still have a passion for making it happen....they don't.

I remember the Mini-Max boats -2, 4 x 8 sheets of 1/4 " plywood,and a 12' 2 x 8.

Remember????
Click on My name and look at My blog. I built that one from experience in 2005 and still play with it now. I'm only 63 and my knees are still good for a couple of laps.

Brian T.

Originally Posted by GBRellic

Remember????
Click on My name and look at My blog. I built that one from experience in 2005 and still play with it now. I'm only 63 and my knees are still good for a couple of laps.

Brian T.

Oh Yeah!-I raced inboard hydros in the late '60's-44 ci Crosley engines-"T" class,then to the 150's with Ford Engines.
Built my own boats and modified my own engines..Building's in my blood !

Originally Posted by bruce feaver

I think that the reason that there is less interest in building is that youth don't build anything anymore... in the 70's, when I was 14, we built everything, all our fun stuff. Tree Forts, Push Carts, Boomerangs, Control Line Models, Skateboards, Waterskis, One Man Hydroplanes (Sea Fleas) "MiniMost" Boats. Skate Sails, Kites. We would run model airplane engines without the plane just for kicks.

I rarely see kids in the neighbourhood build anything, couldn't pick up a hammer... I think that our current culture has not helped with kids, even thinking that they can. Most kids think that they can't. How was it that we thought the we could and did build stuff. I guess it's just a sign of the times that technology has robbed kids of their understanding that "They Can" and we are not helping.

Get your youth off the digital gadjet and hand them a hammer and make everything look like a nail...

Cheers

Bruce Feaver
Hip Pocket Aeronautics

I think you hit the "ole nail right on the head" with your statement to days kids are very lazy and want everything handed to them " Right Now " No questions asked ... I know you can't judge them all that way but I would bet it's a vast majority of them