GWS kit

[dloh]

Here is a question,...GWS kit,....buy it or leave it? recently bought a GWS kit must be at least 9 yrs old,....anyway...seems like alot of kits today are improved ver from GWS,..thats the nature of competition I guess,...but I WILL NEVER buy another GWS product again,...(kit came not painted, styrofoam to say the least...worst of all,...the ailerons not moving smoothly....as a result,...you turn one way,...it stays one way for about 10 sec and it begins to change direction)

[plug&fly]

Heeyy don't say that.

I am not an advocate of GWS or anything. But I grew with them. They were to say the least the de facto then. You yourself said that kits today are improved versions of it. Back then, if you want something cheap and flyable, they are it. If the aileron sticks, it is only because you did not build it right. They are close to scale and allow you to add in details yourself unlike today ARTF where everything is done for you. With the power system we had then, which were expensive, the kits was the perfect platform for brushed motors and micro servos. I think when it came to foamies, they started it all and they were the in thing. I am sure many of us in DH have had many fond memories with them.

cheers

[foxkilo]

Here is a question,...GWS kit,....buy it or leave it? recently bought a GWS kit must be at least 9 yrs old,....anyway...seems like alot of kits today are improved ver from GWS,..thats the nature of competition I guess,...but I WILL NEVER buy another GWS product again,...(kit came not painted, styrofoam to say the least...worst of all,...the ailerons not moving smoothly....as a result,...you turn one way,...it stays one way for about 10 sec and it begins to change direction)

Nowadays you can find EPO foam versions of GWS kits. In the old days, the foam was not so good quality and easy to damage - but nothing that cannot be fixed with epoxy and tape!

In good ol' days, I'm sure many will remember learning using these simple kits powered with BRUSHED motor, and using non-computerised 4-channel FM TX/RX!!!

Nowadays even beginners start off with brushless motor system straightaway... so much more power and easier to learn.

[joe yap]

When GWS kits flooded the market, folks are already spoilt for the prices and the minimum building time. Balsa kits were already losing foot hold and less and less people are willing to build thier planes.

Now coming to the era of modern foamy ARFs, we have people complaining GWS kits. It seems that when technology advances, hands on skill degenerates along the way, and people are starting to pick up minor production blemishes here and there.

Don't get me wrong. I am not against flying ARFs or foamies, as long as the main interest lies on flying the model itself. I'm just against the discrimination against yesteryears technologies that brought us with what we are getting these day.

[foxkilo]

True. I like PNP kits for the convenience, cos as we grow older with more responsibilities and demands on our time, there's just not enough time to patiently build. It's better to devote the limited time available to flying!

The only complaint I have about all this PNP stuff flooding the market nowadays is about the electronics!! Cheap servos... there are some really fine PNPs out there and it's totally frustrating to have a crash due to sudden failure. Thinking back, maybe just the kit+power system is the best compromise.

[dloh]

When GWS kits flooded the market, folks are already spoilt for the prices and the minimum building time. Balsa kits were already losing foot hold and less and less people are willing to build thier planes.

Now coming to the era of modern foamy ARFs, we have people complaining GWS kits. It seems that when technology advances, hands on skill degenerates along the way, and people are starting to pick up minor production blemishes here and there.

Don't get me wrong. I am not against flying ARFs or foamies, as long as the main interest lies on flying the model itself. I'm just against the discrimination against yesteryears technologies that brought us with what we are getting these day.

If what u say is true, we all should be driving V8 RWD muscle car, but the fact of the matter is, in this day and age, we have no time for nostalgia,..at least most of us dont, either u run ahead or get left behind, sure they pioneer alot of stuff, but natural selection always win...as for my hands on skill, I build Great Planes and Pilots back in the 80s, I dont recall when building any of their products when precision is concerned is as crappy as GWS. So...maybe they should just stick to making props

[joe yap]

Owning and appreciating is 2 different thing. It is perfectly fine to own and fly the lastest and the best model you can get in the market, but don't make a fuss over older kits. There are many people who knows how to overcome these minor issues and get thier GWS models flying well too.

I also started kit and scratchbuilding since the 80s, but doesn't qualify me to condemn some kits in open forums like this, especially when many people has already got good results on the subject itself.

[Tsunami33]

Maybe try and apply the principle of "why did you buy the kit?". I am hoarding loads of kits and am also drawn to building from plans which have no kits. Nevertheless, I want to get to the kits given the original interest in them hasn't changed.

I did however get a few balsa ARFs and foamies to fly when I was stuck in Perth with no workshop to build. Finally had them all sold off because the workshop was back in order.

So, if you really did want to fly that GWS kit, get it up and running. And see what's available now to improve on it? (i.e. I have a few OK Models DJ-1 and DJ-3 kits which were thought to be underpowered on the Toki DFs. Might be a good time to convert them to EDFs).

Put it together and fly it.... least you are, I'm still building and stuck there.

[dloh]

Maybe try and apply the principle of "why did you buy the kit?". I am hoarding loads of kits and am also drawn to building from plans which have no kits. Nevertheless, I want to get to the kits given the original interest in them hasn't changed.

I did however get a few balsa ARFs and foamies to fly when I was stuck in Perth with no workshop to build. Finally had them all sold off because the workshop was back in order.

So, if you really did want to fly that GWS kit, get it up and running. And see what's available now to improve on it? (i.e. I have a few OK Models DJ-1 and DJ-3 kits which were thought to be underpowered on the Toki DFs. Might be a good time to convert them to EDFs).

Put it together and fly it.... least you are, I'm still building and stuck there.

I bought the kit cuz I dont know any better,..someone selling it,..I bought it,..thought it was a good deal even after finding out it was unpainted in old traditional foam, I must agree initial flight,..it flew str8 n true,...but when u have right angle aeliron pushrod on a gull wing F4U,..not the smoothest combination,...furthermore, the pushrod rests on the grove,..didnt exactly stay in the grove,...anyway,..cut all thiscrap about them starting the foam faze or they r the pioneer in this field stuff and ask yourself this simple question,..if someone offer to give u a choice of FMS F4U and a GWS F4U,...which would u choose?....

[dloh]

I bought the kit cuz I dont know any better,..someone selling it,..I bought it,..thought it was a good deal even after finding out it was unpainted in old traditional foam, I must agree initial flight,..it flew str8 n true,...but when u have right angle aeliron pushrod on a gull wing F4U,..not the smoothest combination,...furthermore, the pushrod rests on the grove,..didnt exactly stay in the grove,...anyway,..cut all thiscrap about them starting the foam faze or they r the pioneer in this field stuff and ask yourself this simple question,..if someone offer to give u a choice of FMS F4U and a GWS F4U,...which would u choose?....

BTW,...I maiden the GWS F4U,...everything works except for the aileron part and for that reason,..I crashed it,..totally went out of control on me and nose dive....so totally not going to fix it again...lesson learn

[nic]

This is gws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb3lebqObU4

Handiwork by My Loyn afew years back. It flew very well

I have a gws zero that I have been flying for the past 4 years maybe. Clock possibly more than 100 flights. that's made of the lousy foam. As long as reinforced with cheap packing tape, it doesn't break easily.

For the price, gws is still my go to brand for low cost planes that I can fly without fearing to crash it. The white foam is great to spray paint on.

I still have 2 nib, got 2-3 years ago. I have not assembled them simply because my zero is still flying well

[nic]

Just to add on, I do have a fms 1.4m.

I wouldn't comment on fms vs gws.

I wouldn't buy another fms though, because at the price of 1.4m planes, I prefer to buy a nitro balsa plane.

[dloh]

Just to add on, I do have a fms 1.4m.

I wouldn't comment on fms vs gws.

I wouldn't buy another fms though, because at the price of 1.4m planes, I prefer to buy a nitro balsa plane.

FMS..(not comparing it with multiplex since its a totally diff ball game) is by far the best foam plane maker comparing to others such as Art Tech,..Lanyu...Tiansheng (but I love their P47 razorback, so much so that I ordered a 2nd one)...very impressed by FMS F6F have not owned any 1.4M by FMS but will soon ...and talking about Lanyu,..some clowns must be working in Lanyu,...what the hell..decals on stabilizer, and of all plane a ME 109? Really? Why not add some mickey mouse and donald duck while ur at it

[plug&fly]

FMS..(not comparing it with multiplex since its a totally diff ball game) is by far the best foam plane maker comparing to others such as Art Tech,..Lanyu...Tiansheng (but I love their P47 razorback, so much so that I ordered a 2nd one)...very impressed by FMS F6F have not owned any 1.4M by FMS but will soon ...and talking about Lanyu,..some clowns must be working in Lanyu,...what the hell..decals on stabilizer, and of all plane a ME 109? Really? Why not add some mickey mouse and donald duck while ur at it

Hey what's wrong with Mickey Mouse, Did you know that the Luftwaffe for example, had Mickey Mouse adorned a Condor Legion Bf-109 during the Spanish Civil War and one Ju-87A was decorated with a large pig inside a white circle during the same period. Adolf Galland's Bf-109E-3 of JG 26 also had a depiction of Mickey Mouse, holding a contemporary telephone in his hands,
This was taken from Wikipedia. Please lah don't be so like that.

[Deedubya]

...and there is a Canadian owned, restored Spitfire flying nowadays with Mickey on it's side. Apparently the owner lost a legal beef with Disney over a theme park idea. It is his little way of thumbing his nose...

I will never say anything bad about GWS. As far as I'm concerned they started the whole ParkFlyer revolution. The owner was a regular on RCGroups. Listened to ideas/requests/complaints and did his best to appease all. The EPS foam they used was what was available at the time.
I'm not a "foamie" guy at all but ya gotta give credt where it's due.

-David-