RSM Kits

What are RSM kits like? I have never seen them advertised in the UK. How do they comapre with brodak kits?

Cheers

Your really ought to pony up to the bar and dash a cheque off to PAMPA.... http://www.zianet.com/pampaeditor/

STUNT NEWS is a terrific publication, with helpful advertisements as well as great commentary and technical pieces.

I believe Paul Winter can obtain RSM kits for you, or, mayhaps Leonard can send you one?

Eric Rule, RSM owner, is pretty computer hip and keeps the web page current http://rsmdistribution.com/index-2.htm

Join PAMPA!

See Ya

>Your really ought to pony up
>to the bar and dash
>a cheque off to PAMPA....
>http://www.zianet.com/pampaeditor/
>
>STUNT NEWS is a terrific publication,
>with helpful advertisements as well
>as great commentary and technical
>pieces.

I'll get around to it one of these days as well as joing CLAPA

>I believe Paul Winter can obtain
>RSM kits for you, or,
>mayhaps Leonard can send you
>one?

Yes but what are they like?

>Eric Rule, RSM owner, is pretty
>computer hip and keeps the
>web page current http://rsmdistribution.com/index-2.htm

Yes but what are they like?

>Join PAMPA!

OK I'll do it!

But what are RSM kits like?

I've seen a post re exactly this somewhere!

RSM kits are (slightly) more for real enthusiasts than Brodak - The wood is excellent and well cut - but no building instructions - just the plan.

I REALLY fancy a Mackey Lark....

Tone

I have used very few kits since my interest in C/L was re-awakened three years ago but you know how aeromodellers of most disciplines operate, building up stocks of models, plans and paraphernalia based on the transformation from 'that looks nice' to 'I must have one to hand because I just might get round to building it'

If a kit offers a genuine shortcut to a flying machine then I am even more tempted to buy

BTW: Did you receive my email asking about the 35 FP I sent you several months ago. I know it kinda got caught up in the move but I just wanted to make sure you received the engine. We have had some trouble with our email server and wasn't sure if my emails to you were getting there.

Thanks,
Bob

So true, Leonard! I have now built four planes, two 1/2A, and two 35-size, all but one from plans and nothing else (I built the first 1/2A without even a plan!). I definitely look forward to building my first kit!

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If a kit offers a genuine shortcut to a flying machine then I am even more tempted to buy (posted by Vernon Levy)
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So true, Vernon! I guess an expression similar to "either fish or cut bait" might be: "either fly or cut balsa!"

I would think a kit would be bound to save time, if only because you don't have to mark and cut and shape each and every part!

Since Lew is still around, as his original design, maybe we should try to get an "authentic" plan drawn up of how the plane was (or should be) built. Updating with modern construction wouldn't hurt it, either (adjustable leadouts, tip weight, better controls, etc.)

I used the Hobby Helpers plans to construct the turtle deck and rudder for my Shark .45. It makes the tail section a little heaviers than the kit way would but I was able to lighten it up enough for balance purposes. I could swith from my ST .51 to a
ST.60 also. I just thought the aft turtle deck and rudder design on RSM's kit was a little too complicated. So I just did it how the Hobby Helpers showed it. Thanks to Len I had all three sets of plans to go by. And, yes there are some differences between all three versions. I like the way mine flys though. It will do squares as well, or slightly better than my Intrepid X/L.

1. I have a 5+ hour commute 3 days a week and my wife likes to see me on the days I don't commute!

2. We now have a 2 bedroom flat with 3 cats 12 or so dolls houses 12 guitars, 2 banjos an amplifier and a mandolin - kits save on building space a bit too!

3. My only attempts at building from plans have shown how bad a marking out I am...

Hi, Vernon,
I've built six of the RSM kits, including the Shark, the P-40 full fuse, the Derringer, and a 57 Nobler. I've found the kits to be nicely designed, with excellent wood selection and quality. The hardware, too, is excellent. All have built up VERY LIGHT! The newer kits have 1/4" holes in the ribs for a jig; nice touch. The instructions are a little sparse, but that also gives the builder more lattitude to add you own ideas. The Derringer, by the way, is a KILLER pattern flyer! Thoroughly enjoyable, and Eric stands behind all his products.

Tim McTigue: Must agree with you 100% on the "kit -vs.- scratch" comments. With limited time to build due to life's normal goings on, a kit is the better way to go if you want to fly sooner as opposed to later. I have not flown in over two years, mainly because I chose to build from scratch rather then kit. Each has it's merits and rewards, but for short-cutting the r-and-d curve a kit is the way to get into the air in a more timely fashion I believe. Current builds are now into year 13 (Sig Magnum), and year 2.5 (scratch Super Turcano -profile).

No I still havne't flown yet!

Don't forget Tony Cincotta?'s Saturn range of kits from OZ - I really fancy a Jnr Nobler with a PAW 19!

To date I have built about 6 Brodak kits, and have seen one RSM kit. The Brodak kits are in a way more designed with the builder in mind. Of course the degree of this depends on what your specifc mentality is with respect to kit building.

From what I have seen, the quality of wood in the RSM kit looked better then that in the Brodak kits, hardware quality is pretty even with a slight edge going to Brodak due to the better quality adjustable leadout guides. Where they really differ is instruction. Brodak, as you know, provides it's customers with a fully illustrated, step by step building guide, RSM does not. Also, the plans that came with the RSM kit that I saw were sort of vauge. Brodak's full-size plans are jam packed with information. I found this quite helpful.

Both companies from a customer support issue are excellent. RSM also offers quite a few more full sized competition stunters, and appear to be more geared towards the experienced builder and flyer. Brodak caters to more of the sport, or more inexperienced skill level.

As I said, I only bought one RSM kit, but then decided to send it back for another Brodak kit. So I wouldn't know if the parts fit or not. I can say this: I've heard good and bad about RSM, but I have only heard good things about Brodak.

Some of the things I didn't like about the RSM kit was for instance the wing ribs, although nicely cut and pre-sanded, were solid, and one would need to cut holes in the them, not only for the leadouts, but to save on weight. Also, the plans featured only half of the wing illustrated, and one would have to draw out the outboard wing if the wanted the convenience of having a full plan to build on. All of this was unnecessary work for the builder, and for the price I paid for the kit, should have done for me. I found the Brodak kits a FAR BETTER value.

RSM has been around longer then Brodak, so my suspicion is that when the RSM kits were built, they were a far cry better then what had been produced before. Brodak comes along, looks at the RSM approach, and decides to more evolve it's concept of kit building; and it is more evolved.

Also, I get sort of a, like, snooty feeling about the product, moreso in a way like; "hey, if you ain't good enough, don't buy me". This may be entirely wrong, and probably is, but I can't help my gut reaction to the company's approach to kit building.

I guess Brodak has spoiled me. I love every kit I have built thus far, and am starting on a Fancy Pants soon. I just wish Brodak kitted as many cool airplanes as RSM does.

I don't know what cool airplanes RSM kits, as I haven't seen them, but I definitely agree with the above statement about Brodak kits, now that I've got one!

I just (yesterday) took delivery on a Brodak Smoothie kit, and I can definitely see it is going to spoil me rotten! I've scratch-built two profile planes from plans (Skyray and Flite Streak), and compared to that experience, I think building this kit is going to be like being in heaven! Not to mention that (IMHO) the Smoothie has got to be one of the prettiest planes ever designed! Can't wait to get started!

I also have the RSM Jamison Special, and the ribs are solid, but really light in weight (I have to watch when I open the box so they don't float away!). I don't think it would be much of a problem to drill 1/4" holes for another rod jig. However I bet there isn't much weight savings in cutting the interiors out of those ribs.

Also we should recall that both the Brodak and RSM kits "typically" are running in the $100 range--at least the Noblers, so it isn't entirely fair to compare them to kits in the $180 range, at least from a price perspective.

I do agree that the Brodak Instruction books are the best, bar none. I also wecome the added instructions RSM is posting on the web (waiting for the Nobler ones tho').

Brodak has indeed "raised the bar" as far as kits go. John has a commitment to his customers to provide the best kits, plans, and instructions he can. Eric is more of a one man show and has had problems trying to get and keep good help. I don't believe there is any snobbery going on, but he admits that his kits, for the most part, aren't geared to the less experienced builders.

For the good news, I don't think that I'd be letting the cat out of the bag by making this next statement, so here goes. to further limit QC problems that some may have encountered in the past, Eric has made a commitment to change over, over time, to laser cutting on many of his kit parts. One of the reasons I spent some time with him was to deliver the CAD files for the Tempest and the Electra, so they could be laser cut.

I'm sure this will be good news to many, but be aware that the pricing may be affected as it's much more expensive, as well as accurate, to cut parts this way. Laser cutting should insure that the parts are correct, but since the underlieing philosophy behind the two, RSM and Brodaks, is different, I'm sure there will also be differences in the type of plans and instructions available from each.

Tone, I think you got the spelling of Cincotta correct. But you don't need but a PAW .15 for the Jr. Nobler. GMA's favorite power for the full sized Flite Streak was a PAW .19, and he said that he made a mistake, and the APS Peacemaker was too small for a .15 diesel. I think a light APS Peacemaker with no LG would be neat with a PAW 1.5cc. Of course it was the best selling APS plan ever.

My HS flying buddy, Mike H. (a lurker here) had (until recently) a Jr. Nobler with a Torp GH .19, which was very satisfactory. A Veco Warrior would be a better match for a PAW .19, or even a Squaw (dare we bring that up again?). I have the 1.5cc and .19, but as I understand, the .15 and .19 are virtually identical in size and weight, so when in doubt, more power can't hurt. Just use pitch to control speed and blade area to control rpm, like any stunt donk. Steve