Progress to date. Very well designed. The wing spar/attachment is very nice. Have had the kit for 10 days at this point.
The wingspan is actually 96". The web site lists it as 91-1/2".

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=TAOfO1RrESw

They also have several construction videos. Nice job Hobby Lobby!!!

Looking great Rod, AL

Have a few projects to finish building, then i have a tm40 to build.

Looking forward to building this one as well.

Have been unsuccesfully looking for more photos and info, but a Virginia based flier showed up at a VA electric meet with the big TM a couple of years back. It flew very well - no surprise - in the way you'd imagine such a 'balsa overcast' would perform.

The cutest shot that's so far escaped my searches is of the model packed in the back of the builder minivan. He took the two wing panels off, and removed the tail planes and fin/rudder, and it still took up the back of the van!

A great model, but not for those who drive a Mini or FIAT 500, I fear

D

I take it this is a larger version of the one you had out at the field.?..hope things are going good for you. myself i have 2 1/2 more weeks here in the big sand box of Saudi Arabia.. hope to see you at the field when i get back.

Originally Posted by randynsaudi

I take it this is a larger version of the one you had out at the field.?..hope things are going good for you. myself i have 2 1/2 more weeks here in the big sand box of Saudi Arabia.. hope to see you at the field when i get back.

The one I've had at the field is the 40 size with a 73" wingspan.

looking good! What do you think of the kit? I seen on the Hobby Lobby site that the kit cost more than the ready built older Sr TM. What motor are you putting on it?

I agree. The cost is way too high. In my opinion the improvements to the kit don't justify the over $100 price increase from the original kit. What are they thinking?

Originally Posted by LarryB26

I agree. The cost is way too high. In my opinion the improvements to the kit don't justify the over $100 price increase from the original kit. What are they thinking?

They're thinking that its either too much trouble or expense to get the kits made and shipped from China.

I'd be thinking 'If the BARF is the same cost as a kit, how well is it assembled, and do I want to put my expensive gear in one?'.

Must confess that, with the lack of flying practice I live with these days, have thought of an aileron rigged high winger until I can get back up to speed. It would be either a Telemaster or a Sig Senior/Seniorita. The plan for either offers an easy route to an airframe I can trust to stay together

Regards
Dereck

I’m sorry I did not mean to start a Hobby Lobby bashing trend. A person has the right to build anything they chose and there is not a lot of kits to chose from any more. The setup to build a limited number of laser cut kits must be expensive. Keep posting the build photos, I have always wanted to build the big Telemaster.
Might start another trend about the Telemaster vers Sig Senior/Seniorita. I have had a Seniorita, big slow floater, wonder how it compares to the Telemaster.

When you consider the number of model aircraft kits that can be sold in a year vs the number of 'ready made products', it is hardly surprising that kits are so expensive.

That's also a harbinger of what readymades would cost if the Chinese business model of cheap everything went away and hobby buyers had to buy US made readymades

On the whole, it says plenty for the TM and Sig's Kadets that they are still around. How many similar models aren't? Having seen both fly - though more Kadets than TMs - they are both good, solid fliers that deliver. The major difference is the TM's airfoiled tailplane section vs the Kadet series' flat plate tailplanes, best I've been able to figure.

Purely personal, but I tend to change so much during a build that a plan is a better place to start for me than a kit, any day. I prefer the taildragger gear on the TM over the Kadet's more typical trike gear - though Sig got it together with the LT-25 - but that's because I'm too tight to buy three wheels and a nosegear

D

More photos on the build! What moter?

I've found the fus tail is to skinny and weak. Planked the tail sides with Obechi after it busted.

I much prefer the Sig Senior. Plans are cheap direct from them. If you want a larger plane have Kinko's blow then up a bit. A heck of a lot cheaper too. No laser means more work. though.

The Kadets, Senior and 'Rita, have about the easiest fuselage frames to make.

Cut a strip of balsa to length, glue it to another strip of balsa. Repeat until you run out of places to stick pieces of strip.

What's hard about that?

I think I'd stick with a 'Rita - for getting it from workshop to field, a blown up Senior would be a PITA .

Sorry

D

Originally Posted by Dereck

The Kadets, Senior and 'Rita, have about the easiest fuselage frames to make.

Cut a strip of balsa to length, glue it to another strip of balsa. Repeat until you run out of places to stick pieces of strip.

What's hard about that?

I think I'd stick with a 'Rita - for getting it from workshop to field, a blown up Senior would be a PITA .

Sorry

D

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Your right , my plane is a Kadet. Duh on my part. Built it years ago for electric. Super easy to scratch build. Sig has some really nice planes cheap if your a builder.