New Guillow kits! Electric ARF's

Xanadu · Post by **Xanadu** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:21 pm

Any one else seen/heard about Guillows getting into the arf/electirc market?

Tower Hobbies is preselling a couple of different ones, but very limited info.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wt ... LXUSX6&P=0

SteveM · Post by **SteveM** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 10:44 pm

I heard some scuttlebutt about Guillow's getting into ARF but this is the first I have seen of what I consider proof. Since they are on 27 MHz and only cost $45 I wonder if maybe they are more of a toy than a "parkflier" in the traditional sense.

I'm not a fan or ARF or RTF (though I respect the choice those that like them) and am certainly not excited to see Guillow's do ARF. But if this line of planes makes them money and that helps them keep making old stick and tissue kits then I say go for it. I also wonder if they will be made in the USA like their other products, kinda doubt it though.

dbcisco · Post by **dbcisco** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:30 pm

They look like the toy foamies from radio-shack where I got a similar twin engine "stealth fighter" for $9. $45 can get a nice ARF 3 or 4ch plane. I got my eye on the Eflight SE5a and Jenny.

dbcisco · Post by **dbcisco** » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:25 pm

I just can't wrap my brain around a Guillow's RTF let alone a 2ch foamie. No disrespect to Guillow's intended. Its like Mercedes was selling VW's.

kittyfritters · Post by **kittyfritters** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:08 pm

dbcisco wrote:I just can't wrap my brain around a Guillow's RTF let alone a 2ch foamie. No disrespect to Guillow's intended. Its like Mercedes was selling VW's.

Mercedes sells you Freightliner trucks and the SmartCar so what's the problem?

As is says in How to Succeed in Business, Without Taking Up The Game of Golf, "You find out what the customer really wants to spend their money on, and sell them more of it." Guillow, as with any business with a survival strategy, will sell whatever keeps them in business. While the model airplane kits, made in the USA, are a matter of pride, the toy airplanes are more profitable.

From what I have been given to understand, many strategies have been discussed and experimented with to keep the model lines alive and even improve them. I have a business, and believe me, it's not easy. If I knew how to make big money in the model airplane business I would be competing with them.

dbcisco · Post by **dbcisco** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:50 pm

I fully understand why. It is just that after 50 years of Balsa kits, it is just difficult for my mind to grasp.

kittyfritters · Post by **kittyfritters** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:00 am

Here are the URLs for the other ones:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wt ... LXUSX7&P=0

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wt ... LXUSX8&P=0

Somewhat puzzling choice of subjects although there are quite a few Piaggio P.180 Avanti executive turboprops flown out of Van Nuys and Burbank airports and I've thought that it would make an interesting, but challenging model. Apparently, not so challenging as a foamie.

The absence of movable control surfaces indicates that these are motor control only which explains why they are all twins and the low price.

dbcisco · Post by **dbcisco** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:39 am

They are probably 27Mhz 2ch.
After the kids break all the foam gut them for converting peanut and walnut scale to electric.
I'm still waiting for a couple similar foamies to fall apart but the darn things are so durable!

Now that I think about these fit in with Guillow's line, A bit pricey for a 2ch foamie though. I'ld rather get another balsa kit.