Peter - or those to planes you have pictured finished using the print-to-foam method?

Yes, printed foam and Plantraco gear. Nothing new or innovative, but I enjoy drawing them up. I built (?) a Wildcat, the Dr.1, DVII, Nieuport 11, Waco SRE and an F3F-3 and have various other drawings at assorted stages of completion.
I like the simple construction and the way it results in a low cost, small hall flier. I wasn't so keen on the cost of Plantraco equipment, but with Nano Stik spares available that's no longer a problem. The whole set-up, motor, gearbox, prop, receiver, actuator and battery costs about 3/4 of what I was paying for a Plantraco receiver.

Here are a couple if anyone is interested. I suppose they're pretty old hat by now, but I like them.

Pete

This might be useful too. I didn't get as far as preparing one for the F3F-3.

Originally Posted by PeteSchug

There's a thread about an Albatross 4 IR model that has stirred the urge to get glue on my fingers ..

I read that as "..the urge to glue my fingers together" which would be a fair description of me!

For me the main motivation to build own designs is to have something that doesn't already exist, but manufacturers are plugging those holes fast.

Why spend considerable effort building a micro WWI biplane when you can order FlyZone spare parts from Tower Hobbies for pocket money, and the electronics from Hobby King with spare change from the other pocket?
One enjoyable evening of assembly and you have a fine flying Albatros, Fokker Dr I, Nieuport 17 or SE5a.

As it happens I'm doing the Nieuport tonight (my night off!)
You retired guys have it good, being the dad of a 1.5 year old seriously cuts into my building time.
Even then there's room for innovation, the other day as I was feeding my daughter I made motor noises when putting the spoon in her mouth. Being the bright and fast learning child she is, she made motor noises too, covering the kitchen in a fine mist of tomato sauce.

Which got me thinking: where can I find a non-toxic, foam compatible paint?
Fruit flavoured if possible.

In other words you're going to build a model from a kit of parts and install your own radio gear. Sounds fair enough to me, and set me thinking. I love the little N17, but don't want the radio gear that comes with it. I fly mode 1 and it's far too costly to go the Anylink route. Paying £100 ($150) for a model I need to dismantle, change the gear and reassemble seems quite expensive. However, if you consider the cost of all the parts to be pocket money, you obviously get more pocket money than I do - lucky beggar.

Pete

The Foam/plastic for a N17 is about $35 (if you make your own gun/decals). Add a Champ Fuse with electronics for electronics/pushrods and its another $38, so it costs about the same as the Flyzone model but is native DSM2 and you get to build, modify and decorate it yourself.

Originally Posted by Pouncer

[snip]
For me the main motivation to build own designs is to have something that doesn't already exist, but manufacturers are plugging those holes fast.
[snip]

True if you look at light planes or war birds from any war, but there is only one sailplane available currently, which is the ASK-21. Looking back into the recent past I can only think of the Scorpio Habicht and beyond that nothing.

There are interesting sailplanes that have never been modeled at any scale and I'd really like to make a few.

This forum has seen a few profile indoor gliders and one very fine Grunau Baby made of foam that included some interesting scale details, like wing ribs pressed into the foam.

A while back I set out to model the Vampyr but managed to make the fuse just a little too small for my AR 6400 gear TWICE,

I've got enough depron to make a slightly bigger one and the chord of the wing is such that it will actually fly in a better Reynolds number range than the ASK-21. I've had a lot of time to think about the design and my only worry is how flexible the wing will be.

Anyway, I just want to point out a fertilie and under utilized area for exploration that ought to be opened up since the introduction of a fairly popular RC micro glider and tug.

Pete

My problem is when I start to design/build something, I'm so slow that a MFG will come along an make exactly what I drew up in autocad (the new SE5a from flyzone is even the same size of my drawings), only way better, before my bits are even assembled... which is why I have to start working on that 20" Stuka.

Originally Posted by PETERRAKE

.. if you consider the cost of all the parts to be pocket money, you obviously get more pocket money than I do - lucky beggar.

As UNGN pointed out:

Stock Number Product Description Stock Status/Quantity Extended Price
The following shipped from Champaign, Illinois
Estimate of when you will receive your shipment: 7 to 14 days
LXCNPH Flyzone Tail Set Micro Nieuport 1 $5.49
LXCNPT Flyzone Decal Set Micro Nieuport 1 $4.49
LXCNPL Flyzone Landing Gear Set w/Wheels 1 $6.99
LXCNPU Flyzone Cowl/Engine Micro Nieuport 1 $5.49
LXCNPF Flyzone Wing Set Top & Bottom Mic 1 $6.99
LXCNPG Flyzone Fuselage Micro Nieuport 1 $7.49
LXCNPJ Flyzone Wing Strut Set Micro Nieu 1 $3.99
Order Summary In-Stock Subtotal:
INTL SMALL PACKET AIR:
Total Current Charges: $ 40.93
$ 13.67
$ 54.60

That's roughly £34 delivered to your door, less if you forego the decals (I didn't since I'm very good at being terrible at doing roundels).
The way I see it I'd spend more than that on a evening out with the boys, so whenever I stay home instead, I've earned myself a kit.

I picked up an Albatross for $40 during the Black Friday sale at Tower. It even came with the anylync module. It's a great time to fly micro's, not long ago (less than 10 years) i got a 72 mhz actuator 4g 3 ch rx for $100 and considerd it a good deal.

Fritz

As I said, you get more pocket money than I do. Evenings out out, what are they?
I agree that it's better than buying the whole thing, but by the time duty is added, and the post office charge for collecting the duty, there's very little change, if any, from £60. I can build several models for that. Even just the duty and charges would pay for at least two similar size foamies.
I agree it's a valid way of getting a particular model, and does give me something to think about, but bemoaning my poverty stricken status wasn't the point I was trying to make. I actually enjoy the thinking through an idea, drawing it up and building it. I don't need inspiring to lust after another RTF, that comes naturally. Then I start thinking how to produce similar results myself, without it becoming too technical - or too heavy. For me, it isn't the flying that is important, it's the getting there. I just love playing around building things. And, of course, I'm very mean about how much I want to spend doing it. It isn't that these RTF models are expensive, just that I resent spending money that could be used to build models from which I'd get more pleasure.

Pete

For me, it's the flying. It's always been the flying or fantasy of flying that got me to either build or buy.

For some reason I always liked small models. I was sort of astounded and dismayed when I first saw a full house reed RC model. I built a few small planes and carved a glider to fit a Citizenship SE-2 escapement. Solid balsa hollowed out using bent halves of stainless steel double edged razor blades. (Wilkinson Sword) Air foiled sheet wings and a V tail. Probably just a bit bigger than the ASK-21.

So I build if there is nothing that I can buy to match the picture in my head, but as Pouncer said the RTF suppliers have most of the bases covered. I'd have to go a long way to build something better than either the MiG 15 or Spitfire from Horizon, or, for that matter the ASK-21, except that I don't think they've got a lot of gliders in the queue so that's what I'll be building if anything. That and a '32 Ford roadster body sans wheels and fenders for my mQX. (With FPV in the driver's seat) just a day dream.

I'll add that nothing I've ever flown is quite like the MiG once it builds up a head of steam. The Spit is no slouch either despite it being 1S. It's the best looking over the counter RTF I've ever seen.

Pete, who always liked the small stuff.

BTW, I'm not rich, but this is the ONLY thing I spend money on.

Originally Posted by PETERRAKE

As I said, you get more pocket money than I do. Evenings out out, what are they?

Don't ask me, I'm the one with a 18 month old child, I don't get to have evenings out!

I agree that it's better than buying the whole thing, but by the time duty is added, and the post office charge for collecting the duty, there's very little change, if any, from £60. I can build several models for that. Even just the duty and charges would pay for at least two similar size foamies.

I've noticed that if the declared value is small enough it'll slip through (the Nieuport did) and Tower Hobbies are happy to ship even small orders. But perhaps the British Customs are more zealous than the Swedish?

I agree it's a valid way of getting a particular model, and does give me something to think about, but bemoaning my poverty stricken status wasn't the point I was trying to make. I actually enjoy the thinking through an idea, drawing it up and building it.

It might not seem it but I'm much the same; but in my case the constraint is time, which I lack. I have ample time to think about projects, worrying every little detail and occasionally find an original, sometimes even elegant solution, but there simply isn't any time for me to sit down and get to it.
It's frustrating to say the least to carry a couple of finished projects in your head and not be able to materialise it.
Which is where the spare-parts-as-kit comes in, one evening of glueing my fingers together and I let out some steam and have a model to show for it.
Not that I have time to fly it..

UK Customs seem to target specific countries. Items from China glide through, but anything bought in the US seems to get hit. I once bought £40 worth of Durabatics, that attracted £20 worth of charges - mostly for the post office to collect the duty. Takes all the fun out of it.
I have a little Durabatics and ifoam left, then it will have to be 1 mm Depron. Unfortunately, the Depron is a little stiff for my printer (90 degree feed) and just a shade thick to run through without marking. Consequently, I'm leaning more to designs that use thicker foam and painted finishes. Like the Dr.1 file I first posted.
However, under pressure from the wife to hurry up and choose what I wanted for Christmas, I ordered the Axion Polikarpov I-15. I figured I'd attempt to convert the Tx to mode 1 and, if that failed, swap out the receiver for one that matches my DX5e. (Yes, sometimes the wife is richer than I am - probably because she doesn't have to keep her in clothes. I'm a soft touch when it comes to her but I think she's worth it.)

Pete

Originally Posted by PETERRAKE

However, under pressure from the wife to hurry up and choose what I wanted for Christmas, I ordered the Axion Polikarpov I-15. I figured I'd attempt to convert the Tx to mode 1 and, if that failed, swap out the receiver for one that matches my DX5e. (Yes, sometimes the wife is richer than I am - probably because she doesn't have to keep her in clothes. I'm a soft touch when it comes to her but I think she's worth it.)

Pete

You must have been a very good boy this year to rate the Bristol Scout and Polikarpov for xmas.

Any plans to do more than the SE5 in the 18" span range?
scrubs