Flyin King

Hi Guys:

Just got my new kit from Bruce Tharpe in Oregon. This guy is a one man shop and turns out the most beautifully done kits you will ever come across.

I have built two of them, one with flaps and one without. Sold flapless one (lite blue) to a guy in my club in Oregon and brought the other one back here. Flew it at the Janesville club for several years and then got hit by interference on channel 49 while still on 72 mHz, down she went. I didn't know channels around the 47 thru 49 were bad at that field.

Anyway will be starting my new one in a month or so. These things are 80" w/s and 1234 sq/in at about 10 pounds. Think I will run my Saito .90 twin in it, the other two ran Saito 1.00's.

More later.

Tom

I have his Venture.

rwcd wrote:I have his Venture.

Hi Roger:

The Venture is a excellent example of his design and kit work. I built the Vortex while I still lived in Oregon and even though it flew really hot it would slow down and land like a trainer with power "OFF" or like a pattern ship with power "ON". Great design.

Tom

Not only is it a joy to fly, but the kit was better than anything on the market. A joy to build. I had a Flying king kit, but I sold it to someone looking for one. There was a time you couldn't get one.

Yeah, being a one man operation sometimes is a problem. I think he cuts about 100 kits at a time and EVERYTHING is shaped and sanded to perfection, wood is the best available. They just fall together.

The Flyin Kings are so relaxing to fly and they will haul a ton of stuff. I Had one of mine set up with a cargo drop door and had several parachutes I droppped. Also as a glider tow back when I could still fly reasonably well.

Bruce has been real busy with the Discovery Channel and NASA. The Storm Chasers use the Giant Flyin King in the storm chasing activites and NASA use several FPV during lifting body drop tests. Lot more economical than a 172 or 182 for the same purpose.

Tom