What to do with old aeroplanes

[Ace]

Or further north near the vale of York ?

[Martin McIntosh]

Sorry, no.

[Dad_flyer]

I am more at the other end starting out. This thread has been interesting because a couple of times I have held off from accepting a bargain or freebie. Not because I did not want them, but because I felt that 1: I might not be good enough to fly them and end up spoiling somebody's beautiful model, or 2: I would not fly it enough to justify the generosity. I both cases I am looking at it from the point of I did not need it and there was likely to be someone else who did. I shall be a more enthusiastic recipient if the opportunity arises in the future.

[Andy Gates]

Dad_flyer,

 

Please do accept the offers when you get them.

Often if the flyer is involved in your club or group he will have first hand knowledge of the machine and would most likely help you get to grips with your new acquisition. This would give you a pretty good chance of success.

Likewise if the flyer is in your club or group then they are not likely to offer something that is a dud.

 

I would much rather pass my surplus stuff onto another club member so that it helps them out and i can then appreciate and see the stuff being put to good use.

[Roy Thompson]

Interesting read ?

I’ve excepted a couple of freebees over the years, and enjoyed returned them to flying conditions. 1st was a duroplane acrobat, which was just a wing! Then built a fuselage using parts from my spares box, old drain pipe and odds and ends by scaling up pictures in the instruction found on line. It’s tuff as old boots and ideal for rough weather.

 

2nd st Leonard model Super Nover 120” glider from the 70s left at club field by someone cleaning a house, still with the Fleet 27mhz Radio. Refurbished and electrified it comes out often in the nice weather and still thermals quiet well. 

 

Down side now is I’m running short on storage space, so my turn comings to reduce the fleet. 

 

 

 

[David Davis]

I am in the process of clearing junk prior to returning to Blighty permanemtly, probably next year to spend what time is left to me with the lady in my avatar.

 

Prompted by this thread, I announced on my club's Facebook website thst I had two WOT 4s to dispose of and that if no-one wanted them, I was going to burn them! The green Classic was a £20 eBay purchase which I've never got round to restoring. The multi-coloured Mark III I damaged on the first flight after the first lockdown. Two of my colleagues did the same to two of their models!

 

This prompted three or four of them to respond saying that theywanted to restore them! That's one way of getting rid of old models!

[Nigel R]

On 08/06/2021 at 17:30, Martin McIntosh said:

Even a semi scale model can take between 250-500 hrs and the material cost has now gone through the roof. I simply cannot understand why they will not even take freebies with servos etc. or a charger with a power supply included. Shame, but another bonfire is on the cards.

 

I think part of the problem is that many folks set their sights on a particular airframe.

 

On the other hand, components, chargers and the like, I (and Ebay will back up the theory that many other people will also do the same) am more than happy to take second hand kit.

 

[Cuban8]

This is not a new phenomenon. Back in the day when there was little alternative to building models for yourself, a decent plan built scale model would hardly ever fetch a sum of money that even covered the cost of materials, quite apart from the labour that went into it. Same thing for most kit built items, although those from the likes of Flair, Chris Foss and Mick Reeves would always  make a few quid over the top. Multiplex models also hold their value a little better as well. My club used to hold an annual auction that was always packed out with hundreds of punters that came from miles around for the bargains - huge models going for silly money and of course a few that didn't sell because of unrealistic reserves. We tried repeating something similar but on a much lower scale a few years back. It was reasonably well supported mainly by local buyers but given the low prices of lots, it really wasn't worth the trouble and effort. Times and tastes change.

I suppose buying (or building) a model is a bit like buying a new car - a terrible investment that loses a huge amount of value as soon as you drive it away or walk out of the model shop.............perhaps that should be 'click pay now' when buying on-line.

 

Edited June 11, 2021 by Cuban8

[Nigel R]

47 minutes ago, Cuban8 said:

a terrible investment that loses a huge amount of value as soon as you drive it away or walk out of the model shop

 

I try and take the view -

If I've got a hundred hours building time from it, it owes me nothing.

If I've flown it a hundred times, it owes me nothing.

If both, I've done doubly well from it.

 

[Doug Moss]

They're not intended as an investment.

I don't smoke and given what some people spend on cigarettes, I can easily justify the harmless expense.

[Alan Thorpe]

3 hours ago, Nigel R said:

 

I try and take the view -

If I've got a hundred hours building time from it, it owes me nothing.

If I've flown it a hundred times, it owes me nothing.

If both, I've done doubly well from it.

 

A great outlook to have!

I had an old VW camper, uneconomical on petrol, drank it like a fish. But it didnt matter, I loved driving it.

What mattered wasnt the miles per gallon that mattered, it was the smiles per gallon.

[Martin McIntosh]

Just got hold of my remaining five F3P models, nothing really wrong with them, smashed them up and removed the servos since nobody wanted them. Similarly several glider GRP fuses and the wings are now to be burned when it gets dark tonight. A Feisler Storch from the RCME plan was probably the only model I have ever built which refused to fly so it has gone the same way. Now, what do I do with my 1/4 scale Rutan Cozy which takes up a lot of room but will probably never be flown?

[cymaz]

Give any old airframes to an Air Cadet Group....They can explore the rudiments of construction. By taking them to bits....at least somebody has learnt something and the day’s not been wasted

[David Davis]

I was told this afternoon that two members of my club have taken the WOT 4s pictured above which I was going to burn, and that they will restore them. As they are amongst the finest builders in the club, I'm flattered.