So here is the ultimate Christmas gift for 2013... A Tom Bode designed Big Gull kit. Tom Bode handcrafts some of the best big scale kits worldwide. Tom studied engineering in college but ended up pursuing a career in photography. He is one of those rare individuals equally at home thinking with both his right and left brain, resulting in a kit that is exquisitely engineered, beautifully designed and with the best manuals and build photos available for scale kits today.
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I am delighted to announce a new kit to the Tom Bode lineup - the Rhonsperber done in 1:2.5 scale. This 40% vintage gull is an exactly scale model of the Rhönsperber, which is stationed in Nastätten / Germany and sells for $1,650. Orders placed today will ship from Germany in 5-6 weeks. What better way to treat yourself at Christmas, or what better use of the year end bonus than buying a Tom Bode kit (of course after you're done paying the mortgage, taxes, college tuition, wife's presents, etc. etc.)?
Click here to watch a video of the Rhonsperber's maiden flight.
Click here for details on purchasing the kit.
I quite often get asked by folks why anybody would spend $1,500 on a kit that you then have to spend another 300 to 400 hours building. I'm always surprised by this question because for many of us, the answer is quite evident... we do this because we love building. We get a thrill out of taking a large stack of lumber, precision cut parts, and nicely engineered components, and assembling these parts into a magnificent vintage flying machine. We love the build. And few things compare with seeing these spectacular machines take flight for the first time.
Below is a collection of build photos from Tom Bode kits:
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Now if the Rhonsperber isn't exactly your cup of tea then let me suggest Tom's DFS Reiher III, my most popular Tom Bode kit. This is a classic beauty and I go back and forth between the Reiher and the Petrel as to my favorite vintage gull.
Below is the DFS Reiher III in all her naked glory!
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Click here for video of the DFS Reiher III
Click here for detailed information on purchasing the DFS Reiher III
And, last but not least, the Tom Bode kit next on my build list is the 1:3 scale Condor IV. I have not sold many of the Condors which is a surprise to me. I figured these would be a nice seller here in the States due to it's classic lines, canopy structure and the fact that you don't see many flying here. Be one of the first to get a Condor flying here in the States!
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Click here for a video of the Condor IV.
Click here for detailed information on purchasing the Condor IV.
As I finish writing this, the snow is flying and the temperature is 5 degrees. The lake is frozen over and the last of the geese are getting ready to head south. I hope everybody out there has a great holiday season and a prosperous new year!
Mike Smock
Proprietor
Aerosente Glider Workshop
Island Lake IL USA
60042
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