Short Kits; All Designs by Pat Tritle

        In resent years, modeling has seen a tremendous increase in the number of  “Short Kits” in the market place. As a result, the two most frequently asked  questions are, “What is a Short Kit”? And second, “What are the advantages of building a Short Kit”?

So, what is a Short Kit?

        The Short Kit is the next best thing to Scratch Building, but without the hassle of having to cut out, or fabricate the parts. The Short Kits contain Construction Plans and all the “pre-shaped” wood and complex plastic parts where applicable. In most cases, the plans are CAD drawn, and the wood parts are laser cut, insuring good parts fit, making the model much easier to build then when using hand cut parts. As a Short Kit, the stock, readily available wood and wire sizes are not provided.

 So what’s the advantage to building a short kit?

     The main advantage to building short kits is the availability of less mainstream modeling subjects. In today’s world, ARF’s have come to dominate the market place, and in most cases have forced kits out of the mainstream of modeling altogether.

     Due to the availability of ARF’s, it’s no longer economically feasible for the larger manufacturers to offer full kits of the more popular subjects when an ARF is available for a lower price, and with less time required to complete the project. As a result, kits of popular modeling subjects have all but disappeared form our hobby shop shelves.

    So here’s the advantage; A small “Cottage Industry” has stepped up to offer Short Kits for some of the more unusual, yet well known modeling subjects that can be offered in very small numbers. There is still a significant number of “modelers” out there who build the kind of models the Cottage Industry has to offer, but are too small in number to support the larger companies with much higher cost of operation. Also, for the newcomers who have built a few ARF’s, but are now looking for something more, the Short Kit is a great place to start. And too, it allows the more discriminating modeler the option of hand selecting the sheet and strip wood used to build the model.

    As a result of these type offerings, those of us who still love to “build” the models we fly don’t get left out in the cold, in spite of the changes the industry has undergone in resent years.

Pat Tritle

For Overseas orders please refer to the  page

25.5” Fokker Dr.-I                   4:1 IPS & 3 ch. R/C                                         $36.95
36” Spacewalker                      6:1 IPS & 4 ch. R/C                                         $39.95
30” Pitts Model 14                   400 Outrunner & 3 ch. R/C                              $44.95
22” Ultimate Biplane                 4:1 IPS & 3 ch. R/C                                         $29.95
47” 1910 Barnwell Mono         6:1 IPS & 3 ch. R/C                                         $44.95
31.5” Eugly Stick                      4:1 IPS (Figao Brushless) & 4 ch. R/C             $26.95
34” Clipwing T-Craft                4:1 IPS (Figao Brushless) & 4 ch. R/C             $29.95
30" Douglass Dauntless              2.8:1 S-280 & 5 ch. R/C                                $49.95
44" Tiger Moth                      400 Outrunner 4 & ch. R/C                                 $69.95
48” #&@@*$ One-For-Tea   A20-30M Outrunner & 4 ch. R/C                    $49.95
60” Douglas DC-6B                 4, 4:1 IPS Drives & 4ch. R/C                           $96.95
52.7" Super Cub                     Brushless Outrunner & 5 ch. R/C                      $59.95
40" Nieuport 17                     Brushless Outrunner & 3 ch. R/C                       $59.95
36” Bristol Boxkite                   4:1 IPS & 4 ch. R/C                                         $44.95
3” WW-I Wheels                     Balsa/Ply Foam Chord Tire                                $9.95
53" Aeronca Champ              Brushless Outrunner and 4 ch. R/C                      $59.95
60" Curtiss Jenny                    Brushless Outrunner and 4 ch. R/C                     $89.95

54" Aeronca Chief                 Brushless Outrunner and 4 ch. R/C                      $64.95
53" L-4 Grasshopper            Brushless Outrunner and 4 ch. R/C                      $69.95
36" J-Kota Biplane               Brushless Outrunner and 4 ch. R/C                      $59.95