Free Flight Resource List by Bob Clemens
Vendors
Updated January 2008
Thanks to the dedication and hard work by several hundred dedicated entrepreneurs around the country, an amazing array of free flight necessities are readily available. Sadly, most of their products cannot be found in hobby shops or other retail outlets and can only be obtained via mail order using catalogs or the Internet. The following is a basic list of some of these “hidden” resources (there are many more), and is aimed primarily at newcomers and “returnees” to the hobby of free flight. Those vendors highlighted in yellow offer many model kits suitable for inexperienced firt-timers.
Please feel free to copy and distribute this list, and understand that merchandise availability, prices, e-mail addresses, and web site URL’s are subject to change without notice.
Bob Clemens, WNYFFS Rochester, NY
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Campbell's Custom Kits
P.O. Box 3104
Muncie, IN 47307 (765) 289-7753
E-Mail: thermalpiglet@comcast.net
Web site:http://campbellscustomkits.com/
Lee Campbell, a veteran free flight competitor, is the proprietor and kit maker. His inventory includes lots of gliders: at least 14 hand-launched models, three catapult types, and several towline designs. All this plus rubber-powered duration models, power models, and scale kits keep Lee busy cutting the top-quality balsa wood he puts in his kits. He also sells kits and accessories from other manufacturers. He’s always adding new merchandise.
Diels Engineering, Inc.
P.O. Box 263
Amherst, Ohio 44001
E-Mail: ddiels@mrdoc.cc
Web site: http://pageproducer.acninc.net/dielsengr/
Dave Diels offers lots of excellent stick-and-tissue kits, many of pre-WWII and WWII military aircraft with vacuum-formed canopies where needed and great decals. Lots of plans, too, if you like to pick your own wood and tissue for scratch building. Send Dave $2.00 for a copy of his ever-growing catalog, or check his web site. Not recommended for beginners.
Easy Built Models
P.O. Box 681744
Prattville, AL 36068-1744
E-Mail: daveann@easybuiltmodels.com
Web site:www.easybuiltmodels.com
Easy Built models offers a staggering number of its own kits, plus balsa, tissue, a unique magnetic building board, rubber winders, propellers, and other supplies. Many of the kits are laser cut. Proprietor Dave Niedzielski is an experienced free flight modeler and supporter of the Flying Aces Club (see glossary). His web site is a must visit.
F.A.I. Model Supply
P.O. Box 366
Sayre, PA 18840-0366 (570) 882-9873
EMail:faimodelsupply@cqservices.com
Web site:http://www.faimodelsupply.com/
FAI sells more than 100 free flight kits, and the list keeps growing and includes three excellent ready-to-fly indoor rubber models plus kits and materials for the Wright Stuff Science Olympiad event. FAI carries a great selection FF supplies and accessories, including Tan Sport and Super Sport rubber strip that is the performance standard of the hobby. John Clapp is the proprietor. His catalog is $2.00, a must for both beginners and experts.
Flying Aces Club
3301 Cindy Lane
Erie, Pennsylvania 16506 (814) 833-0314
Web Site:http://www.aeroaces.com/flyingaces.htm
The Flying Aces Club is an informal, nationwide group of model airplane hobbyists who love to build and fly stick-and-tissue model aircraft of all types, especially rubber-powered scale models. Membership includes a subscription to their newsletter, the FAC News. Each issue comes with several full-size model plans, modeling news and tips, model photographs, contest results and announcements and club news. Their national contests are held in Geneseo, New York, each July and are the premier free flight scale meets with nearly 200 fliers competing. Annual membership fee is $15. If you enjoy free flight scale, the FAC is for you.
Golden Age Reproductions
P.O. Box 1685
Andover, MA 01810 (978) 687-0024
E-mail: garepro@aol.com
Web site:http:// www.goldenagereproductions.com/
Looking for model plans? GAR has hundreds of Comet, Peerless, Megow, Scientific, Ace Whitman, and other reprinted plans from the 1930's and 40's rubber-powered scale kits that those of us over 60 fondly remember. They also have over two dozen excellent rubber scale kits, most updated versions of those same old models, some of later design including the Curtiss Robin, P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, and Messerschmitt BF-109E of WWII fame. Their catalog is $3.00, a must for rubber scale fans. Proprietor of GAR is Jim Fiorello.
HiLine
P.O. Box 11558
Goldsboro, NC 27532 (919) 778-6653
E-mail: daverees@coastalnet.com
HiLine sells a variety of small electric motors for free flight and small RC models, plus chargers, battery packs, and plans for electric as well as rubber-powered models. There's also an excellent 10:1 rubber winder called the Scale Winder. Proprietor Dave Rees is a nationally known free flight scale designer and competitor. He sells an informative video on electric-powered free flight. The HiLine catalog is $1.00.
A.A. Lidberg Model Plan Service
1030 E. Baseline Road, Suite 105-1074
Tempe, AZ 85283
(480) 839-8154
E-Mail: C
Web site:http://www.aalmps.com/
Al Lidberg offers a most interesting and extensive selection of plans and kits. He has profile ("no-cal") scale plans, peanut scale plans, 16 larger size rubber scale plans, plus a growing number and variety of kits. Al is a master draftsman and his plans and kits are excellent. Check his offerings at his well-illustrated web site.
Midwest Products Co., Inc.
Educational Products Division
400 S. Indiana Street, P.O. Box 564
Hobart, IN 46342 1-800-348-3497
Web site:http://www.midwestproducts.com/
Midwest offers a number of model kits through its Educational Products Division. Ideal for beginners, they are avail be both as single kits or “class kits” for school or other group programs. Included are some gliders and four rubber-powered models plus teaching texts, wood, tools, and adhesives. The rubber models include a Delta Dart (similar to the AMA Cub); a larger Super Delta Dart; a 12” Shoebox R.O.G. (“Rise Off Ground”); and the Right Flyer, a robust 19” R.O.G. Both of these are capable of flights of well over one minute in a 20 ft. gym. Pictures of all their models can be seen on their web site.
The Ornithopter Zone
582 Laurelton Road
Rochester NY 14609 (585) 482-3481
E-mail: nathan@ornithopter.org
Web site:http://www.ornithopter.org/
Ornithopters are aircraft that fly by flapping their wings. No propellers! Nathan Chronister is the proprietor of the Ornithopter Zone and offers four ornithopter kits designed for easy building and great flying. He also has some conventional model plane kits and flying toys. Check out his web site for details and information on this fascinating aspect of free flight modeling.
Peck-Polymers
A2Z Corporation
1530 W. Tufts Avenue
Englewood, CO 80110 (720) 283-7200
Web site:http://www.peck-polymers.com/
Peck-Polymers, under new management and location since early 2007, has loads of kits, plans, supplies, CO2 & electric motors, select balsa wood, and tools of all kinds for both beginners and experienced modelers. Their peanut scale kits now feature laser cut parts. Check their illustrated web site, which now includes Indoor Model Supply with kits and supplies for lightweight indoor flying, including Science Olympiad kits. They take phone orders and accept Visa, Amex, MasterCard, & PayPal. Tim Goldstein is the proprietor.
Penn Valley Hobby Center
837 W. Main Street
Lansdale, PA 19446 (215) 855-1286 (215) 368-0770
Web Site: http://www.pennvalleyhobbycenter.com/
Penn Valley offers free flight kits from many of the U.S. vendors shown elsewhere on this list, and at discount prices. They also have their own unique line of rubber scale kits, authentic reproductions of those pre-WWII kits so fondly remembered by most over-60 modelers (like me). Many of these are replicas of the 10¢, or "dime scale" models of that era that typically had wingspans of 16-20 inches. Some are larger, some are non-scale types. PV carries lots of other items, such as rubber strip, wheels, tissue, and more. Catalog is $2.00.
Shorty’s Basement
1036 Bexley Avenue
Marion, OH 43302 (740) 225-8671 (740) 387--0853
E-Mail: carolekane@shortysbasement.com
Web site:http://www.shortysbasement.com
At last count Shorty’s Basement was offering kits from at least seven manufacturers plus a myriad of modeling supplies such as tissue, wood, rubber, and propellers. The Basement also sells the hard-to-find Rapier rocket motors that are meant to power scale jet aircraft models, and has the jet kits as well. It’s a crowded basement indeed, with 223 products available! Be sure to check out their website. Carole Kane is the Basement proprietor.
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| Tom Hallman Photo |
