What got you in to balsa aircraft?

[P-51]

I was just woundering how ever one got in to balsa aircraft. Me I have been building since I was about nine just the plastic stuff sixteen now. Have got the bug after watching my dad build Guillow's aircraft to just had to try one and love it.

[Dick]

When I started building planes there weren't any plastic kits.

[Revelations]

About 10 years ago a friend of mine gave me the Supermarine Spitfire because it was just sitting there for like 6 or so years. He figured I was good with hobbies, so he just gave it to me to build with the understanding that once it's built I would have to show it him. Well 10 years later I'm still building . By the way I will be 32 in November.

[Wings]

Well about 4 years ago my dad brought a balsa model called (westwings olympian) i watch him build 50% of the plane and then i got interested helping him and making my own. now i love making rubber powered models

[PaulHigg]

I'm 46 now and I've been building them since I was about 9 or 10. I have built every kit at least twice, sometimes three times. I grew up on Boston's Logan airport, read zillions of books on aviation, was an avionics tech on F-111's in the Air Force for 8 years, work for Delta Airlines as an avionics A&P, flew hot air balloons in Boise, and I have been to just about every air show in the Air Force and the states I have lived in. I guess you could say I have aviation in my blood.

There's just something FUN about building their kits. What I like the MOST about them is they take TIME to build. It is a labor of love, and with patience they will come out perfectly.

Paul

[EddieB]

My first model was the Comet 54" Taylorcraft with my dad and I was like 5 or 6 at the time. I still have the board we used, that he had as a kid, for cutting and pinning models together. I think up until I was about 16 I had built about 2/3 of both Guillow and Comet balsa models, along with dozens of plastic planes and I would guess at over 100 model rockets. It is a lot of what my brother and a neighbor kid friend and I did I guess. At 40 I am only just drawn back into this for about 2 years now, aside from a 4 to 5 year stint in my late 20s with IC R/C planes. A friend saw some of those R/C planes I still had around and convinced me to build him a 1/16 scale He-111 and he would paint and detail it. My part is done. So anyway I am back building again, parkflyers really now though, and looking to do small r/c conversions of Guillow models. Will have to see how many years I go this time through.
EB

[calvin]

i built my first plane when i was 10 and now im 14. i dont biuld alot because the wills hobbies is so far and my dad said its a wast of time biulding stuf while i can study.

[Dick]

Calvin: Maybe you'r not "studying" but you are learning:
Aeronautical engineering.
Model Construction techniques
Materials and fabrication techniques
Aircraft design
Physics of flight
Chemistry of glues
Fine painting techniques
History of aircraft and their role in the world
and
Patience
(and probablly a lot more I can't think of right now)

You never know where your interests in these things will take
you.

Dick

[EddieB]

Calvin: Maybe you'r not "studying" but you are learning

I'd second that sentiment in a heartbeat. The range of skills you learn "hands-on" and the self-esteem you can build along with them are hard to compete with, especially at your age. Studying IS very important, but just being book smart is not always so smart in the real world. It is unfortunate but it sounds like perhaps your dad did not have the opportunity to build a few more models as a kid himself, or he might better understand that concept.
EB

[Flyguy172]

When I was 3 me and my dad built plastic aircraft, by 10 I was building them my self, and just last year (2005) I got my first guillow balsa wood aircraft. What made me want to go balsa you ask? Well a number of things. 1 was you can't make the aircraft fly by holding it (the wheels brake off on the take off and landings). 2 thay do not fly. 3 the plastic parts don't always fit (a BIG pain ). And 4 they don't make (or I have not found) any GA (general aviation) aircraft . I also like to see the wing put to gether with the spars and stuff. It is all very cool because that is how you would make a real airsrafts wing . I like to build aircraft. I get it from my grandpa, he likes to build his own aircraft and when I visit him I get to help build the plane . He is building a Ultralight bi-plane right now. And after I get my Private Pilot Certificate I will build my own aircraft . This has been more of an introduction than how I got into balsa aircraft. Oh well, this is my first post (surprise surprise) , so hi every one I'm 13 and still on my first build (I take my time). -Michael

[GUI]

For my 8th (?) birthday, my grandpa gave me two Guillow's kits. I seem to have only built one of those, which I don't have anymore, and lost several parts of the other one.

[tinkerman]

When I started to build kits you had only wood or card board types, so it was a no brainer. I think I started building Comet kits when I was about 7. I remember building a Guillows Piper Cub that had a three foot wingspan. I was in High School at the time and had just discovered girls so that was one of the last ones I did for a long time. As I recall I built mostly WW1 models. Now I am doing WW2 stuff. Still enjoy doing it and now have all the toys to do it with, heh.

Tinkerman

[Goindwnswingn]

[quote="P-51"]I was just woundering how ever one got in to balsa aircraft. Me I have been building since I was about nine just the plastic stuff sixteen now. Have got the bug after watching my dad build Guillow's aircraft to just had to try one and love it.[/quote] I've always enjoyed building model airplanes as a kid and now as a father I am showing my kids how. Well, once I started I was more interested than them. I am a retired pilot by trade and never have built anything on this scale before. I have worked on airframes of full size but I am sure I am in for some interesting stuff here. Beings I am laid up with an illness I thought a wood airframe aircraft would be perfect and I also wish to make it into an RC. I am going to start with the giant scale F4U-4. So any input from any of you builders will be greatly appreciated. My next one to build will be the, I believe it is the 62" wingspan. These things facinate me.

[Dick]

I only build for display and install movable surfaces and the Corsair ailerons at the gull wing dihedral were pretty tough, so if you're going to build to fly this will need some thought.

I lived in Hartford CT (post WWII) and about five miles away was Pratt and Witney Aircraft, the engine builders, and nearly every day there were flights of planes, testing I presume - Mustangs, Corsairs, later F-86s. In the post war environment there was great interest in the military, and some of our neighbors were veterans, so interest in planes was a natural.
A slighly older friend of mine started me into building when I was about 9 and several other friends also built at one time or another. My planes once won the top prize in a hobby show and the prize was suupposed to be a big hunting knife, but they thought I was too young so they gave me $5.00, in change, instead!!!! I guess they took up a collection at the last minute to get up the prize money.

The most interesting plane I saw was the experimental B-17 with a single big prop up front in the nose but the prop wasn't turning the day I saw it.

Dick

[iacchus]

I started building cars - revelle, testors ect.... Although they were fun, they didnt offer much of a challenge. Then one day I saw a model kit for a plane from Guillows and Dumas. I was immediately hooked and ordered 2 models.

My first was the 1903 Wright Flyer followed by the Spirit of St. Louis. I completed the Wright Flyer in 2 months and was extremely pleased with the outcome - however I goofed on the fusilage of the Spirit (when i get some more balsa, I'll start over).

Since then, I'm almost done with the Fokker DR-1 and am extremely pleased with the overall work and appearance.

Building balsa planes have many challenges and just as many rewards - I havent wanted to build a car in quite some time, and I do not forsee building another - well not untill I'm done building the list of planes I've made!!

For me wood planes offer everything a builder is looking for; challenges, headaches, excitement and a whole lot of creativity - not to mention the overall satisfaction of accomplishment when completed.

Happy building,
Dave