32-year old Nobler is back in the air, better than ever.

My Top Flite Nobler (list price $7.95) got back in the air this week. The plane has literally and actually been through the wars. I go the kit at the craft shop at NKP Thailand in 1972, GI discounted to $6. It had been special-ordered and abandoned by a long-gone airman.

It was built ready-to-cover in Thailand, then shipped to Florida and Kansas. I had it almost ready to go with a dope job, but then switched to Monocote and moved to Michigan.

I was set to go with an unmuffled Fox Stunt 35, but then found out that mufflers were the new "IN" thing. I strapped one on and competed with the plane in Michigan, Ohio, and Ontario throughout the '80's. Success was limited at best. The old Fox/Nobler just didn't want to be shut up.

It sat at the bottom of the heap for about 12-14 years until I got a new garage floor. I have now embarked on crusade to fix and fly every old plane I have, or else dispose of it. Thus far, I've flown about 16 and got rid of zero.

The Nobler was refurbished with parts found on this web site and donated free by Bigiron, Bill Massoni, and Lee Thiel ( just kidding about free).

It flew better than ever with Fox 40th Anniversary .35, it seems that version was engineered to run with it's muffler. Now I remember why almost everybody used Noblers in the '60s.

very good looking ship. I like it. How much does it weigh?

From what I can tell it looks nice. Any more pics? I'm in the process of restoring a 40 year old Green box Nobler.

>very good looking ship. I like it. How much does it weigh?

Unfortunately, it weights 52 ounces, which is way too heavy. However, it still does the whole pattern pretty well. I guess that's why people build from sctrach using light wood. Also, this was assembled with generous amounts of Ambroid.

The upside of "solid construction" is, it's still flying.

Outstanding Perserverance.

I have a Twin Combat Streak I have been building since the mid-70's.

I keep wanting to throw it out, since a wing got smashed in a move, but I also keep thinking maybe someday I will cover it.

Inspirational.

I built a nobler in 1968 as my very first ship with a built up wing. Prior to that I was flying a profile trainer number 3. Needless to say, mine was 50 ounces before the first crash.

That plane started with a McCoy 35. I switched to a fox 36x as the weight continued to grow as the craskes mounted up.

Powered by a fox 36x, with a second set of upright engine rails installed after one crash, and an external tank held on by rubber bands, I learned inverted flight and lazy 8's and most of the pattern with that plane at 60 ounces.

I am convinced that with enough power to fly a 5.0 to 4.9 lap time, a 55 ounce nobler will fly a respectable pattern.

My 60 ounce green box nobler really grooved in all the round manuevers regardless of wind conditions. No sure what happened to that ship after I went off to college. It certainly set a record ugliness after all the quick and dirty repairs.