kevin b Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Curious ? I have just seen this advertised on you-know-where. **LINK** I, like many others, though Flair had stopped production. Interestingly, the name of the registered director at companies house is a chap called "Dean". Flair never used to supply short kits as far as I am aware. Also the cowl is not fully shaped as per original, being flat at the front with no return. I wonder if this is someone cashing in on the current high prices commanded for the old kits at the moment. Talking of which, if anyone is silly enough to want to part with over £200.00 for an old Pupeteer, or Legionaire kit I might know where there a couple that might be available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Welford Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 I believe Dean is the current owner of Flair. It looks like he is selling end-of-line bits - hence the Flair Puppeteer short kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Thanks for the heads up Kevin Have emailed the chap with an offer for the lot, that they appear for sale later in the year, for my benefit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Prop Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Thanks also Kevin, not for the heads up on the Pup, but on that page I spotted the Tiger Moth refurb kit. I have been looking for that for months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted February 11, 2019 Author Share Posted February 11, 2019 Posted by Broken Prop on 11/02/2019 21:35:44: Thanks also Kevin, not for the heads up on the Pup, but on that page I spotted the Tiger Moth refurb kit. I have been looking for that for months! Glad to be of service ! Something just doesn't seem right about it. They can't be overruns as the wood is too big to go in a Flair box and the cowl just doesn't look "professional" enough for Flair. It also says "New stock" as if Flair are now producing them. Has anybody heard anything from Flair recently ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Welford Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 I understand that latterly Flair has become part of a management training organisation. Kit production is/was used as an exercise in logistical/production planning etc. Thus, periodically they would produce a small batch of kits as consequence of the training courses. Kit production is no longer their mainstream activity. I would guess the parts for sale (and hardware) are the same as produced when the kits were produced full-time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 I have heard the same thing Robert describes. I would take issue with a statement Kevin makes about the uncut cowl being not "professional" enough. I have built 3 Flair kits that were made back when the company was based in Blunsdon: Baronette, Hannibal and Dr.1 and none of those kits had a cowl that was pre-cut. They all looked much as the one in the eBay link. It's not a problem to a model builder to cut a cowl and I would say the supplied item is fine. Perhaps it's not economic to perform the cutting operations on the cowls or a new supplier is in use who cannot or will not carry out this work? In my opinion given the RRPs of the last Flair kits I saw, I think the semi-kit option as seen here is a good one. Only supplying the pre-cut wooden parts, the wire struts etc and leaving the strip and sheet stock wood out makes the package more reasonable value for money. If it prolongs the availability of such proven kits then I think it's a good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Thanks for the response folks. My concern was that these were not genuine items and someone was trying to take advantage of the lack of availability of the kits. I have contacted Flair and can confirm that these are genuine part kits and that full kits are also going to be available. They are however having some issues with the aluminium cowls apparently. If anyone is looking for a kit I would suggest contacting them to discuss availability. The kits on ebay are being sold by Dean and I am pleased that production is going to continue. For my part, the Airsail model kits are now under ownership of another U.K kit manufacturer and hopefully the full range should be available towards the end of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Some pictures of exactly what you get in the short kit would be nice. Flair still have a lot of potential to become a major supplier of kits as they were twenty-odd years ago - I suppose Ebay is a start, but those who would typically be attracted to their kits, might not exactly be Ebay types! I'm just sorry that a once powerful name in modelling has withered to the state that it's in now; ironic, as their products on the second hand market or new/unused are so sought after. Edited By Cuban8 on 12/02/2019 12:30:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 It seems pretty clear from the pictures in the eBay listing what you get. And there's a list of what you get: Included in the kit are -- Laser cut formers Die cut wing ribs Aluminium cowl Hardwood bag. 7 sheet plan and assy set Instruction booklet Sheet and strip material list required to complete the build. Edited By Alan Gorham_ on 12/02/2019 12:29:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Posted by Alan Gorham_ on 12/02/2019 12:28:45: It seems pretty clear from the pictures in the eBay listing what you get. And there's a list of what you get: Included in the kit are -- Laser cut formers Die cut wing ribs Aluminium cowl Hardwood bag. 7 sheet plan and assy set Instruction booklet Sheet and strip material list required to complete the build. Edited By Alan Gorham_ on 12/02/2019 12:29:25 Fair enough, pics are there, missed them when I looked first time.Look very good, worth a punt. Edited By Cuban8 on 12/02/2019 12:38:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Looks quite genuine to me. The business is given in full and is in Nottingham (a stone's throw from my then girlfriend's flat - now my wife ). The cowl is different in that it hasn't got a hole in the front but I noticed another eBay advert at the bottom which offers Flair scout cowls for about £10 inc post. If you fancy a Puppeteer then I would have thought worth a punt at £90. I'd quite fancy it myself but I already have one unflown for years plus I'm waiting for the DB Pup kit to become available, which will be a lot more expensive (at least double). Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Green2 Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 If anyone is interested in building the Flair Pup from plans, I have just found them on Aerofred: https://aerofred.com/details.php?image_id=97086 I might be tempted to purchase an alloy saucepan and scale the plans a bit to fit it. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilco Wingco Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 The only Flair? cowls I can see on E-Bay are £20. I need one for my Pup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Hunter Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 I was chatting to a 'nearby' model shop recently. Flair are no doing business at the moment. Apparently whoever bought Flair out still has the stock but the new owner is not into flying.... at some point in the future the stock will be released........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 Posted by Wilco Wingco on 15/02/2019 12:14:23: The only Flair? cowls I can see on E-Bay are £20. I need one for my Pup. What diameter? WW **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Galloway Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 The main problem in building flair models from the plan is getting the correct sizes for the cabanes and undercarriage wires. There are no 'true length' dimensions on the plan. The semi kit doesn't appear to include these parts, a template would be ideal and make the kit a good buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilco Wingco Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 I have just been given a Flair pattern plane in need of TLC. It's not the Swallow, too small, but am told it is the smaller version for a 46 two stroke. Does anybody know what its called and where I can get more info on the model??. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Called the "Lark" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilco Wingco Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Thanks Paul. I knew someone would know the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted September 24, 2019 Share Posted September 24, 2019 If anyone's looking for a Puppeteer... Seems a bit more reasonable than many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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