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Gyro Hobbies . JR-Spektrum . E-flite

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Antiques or Out of Business > Poll: Build it or Keep it NIB ???
 
 
marcw
Senior Heliman
Location: Southern California

We have obtained what may very well be the last sealed, unopened, complete Hirobo Falcon 505 kit in existence! Here it is, with the March 31, 2008 USA Today for proof!



I would love to build it and fly it. It was great fun restoring an old GMP Competitor last year, and this heli essentially represents the predecessor to the Competitor, so it will be a bit more of a project and will help us appreciate the evolution. After all, this helicopter was made to fly...its been sitting for 28 years already without realizing its true purpose!

Counter-argument: once its opened, it loses a lot of its collector value. It's perfect and untouched...keep it pristine and preserved for future generations!!

Help me out here folks, what should I do...I am a bit torn!!

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04-06-2008 01:09 AM
 
 
AltecLansing
Key Veteran
Location: Under the tire of a truck

keep it untouched and find a used one and make it flyable and put it beside the unopened one

Man, I miss the eighties.
04-06-2008 01:10 AM
 
 
payne1967
Veteran
Location: warwick uk

copy the instuctions and decals and post them for everybody to make use of them and then keep it sealed, buy a used one to fly
04-06-2008 02:21 AM
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
JoeyDiaz
Senior Heliman
Location: Oilton, OK

Believe it or not I am feeling kinda the same way right now with a GMP Rebel that I found and won on ebay that is sealed in its plastic bags brand new in the original box, Should I build it or leave it alone?


Joey
04-06-2008 04:16 AM
 
 
heli_headcase
Veteran
Location: Hovering around Atlanta

Sell it to me!

I've been looking for one of those. I'll trade you a Falcon model, prior to the 505, never flown, for yours

Keep it in the box for a while. Try to find a second one in any condition, fly or restore it and show the kit to anyone that needs historical reference for the restoration of the same model. That's what I'd do.


HHC

So many heli's - too little time...
04-06-2008 06:26 AM
 
 
JoeyDiaz
Senior Heliman
Location: Oilton, OK

After opening the box for the first time in like 6 months and seeing the Rebel in its prestine condition in the bags and paper I think I will leave it alone for now like you advise

I will post some pics of it tomorrow

Joey
04-06-2008 06:46 AM
 
 
F3CWNB
Senior Heliman
Location: Napier, New Zealand

Quote 
copy the instuctions and decals and post them for everybody to make use of them and then keep it sealed, buy a used one to fly

I will second that...

It's a collectors item as it...

'Life' is Looking Up!!!
04-06-2008 10:33 AM
 
 
JoeyDiaz
Senior Heliman
Location: Oilton, OK

I have uploaded some pics of the rebel and one of my cobra

04-06-2008 03:28 PM
 
 
DenisS
Veteran
Location: Essex, UK

I got a NIB Hirobo Lama last year, circa 1978 50 size. Toyed with keeping it in the box, selling it or building it. I've now built it and flown it and I'm not sorry. They are not meant to be in a box, but you could get good money from somebody that likes to look at them that way, I know I had offers.
Heres a pic. I also have a 505 and a 808 or 888 that need to be refurbished.



I have some flying shots of the Lama somewhere, i'll see if I can find them
Denis

Crash 'n Lurn
04-06-2008 04:16 PM
 
 
marcw
Senior Heliman
Location: Southern California

Manual, Stickers and Drawing Posted - Might Trade for Falcon 707

Always happy to help out, so the 505 manual, canopy stickers, and mechanical drawing are all up on the Falcon page now:

http://www.1017.org/competitor/falcon.htm

OK, so far it looks like we have 4 votes to keep it NIB and 1 vote to build it. I am most swayed by Denis’ comment that they are not meant to be in a box…I have to agree with that sentiment. I didn’t buy it for an investment…in fact if you figure out what this cost in 1980 vs what it’s probably worth today, you could have done much better investing in any number of other things back then (Microsoft, Apple, etc.), so it’s not a investment.

I would on the other hand tend to want to keep this NIB just because its so perfect in there and try to find another one, but it may take a long time to find one. The Falcons seems to be a lot rarer and harder to find than the GMP stuff. I might be waiting a long time to find one, especially one that has not been crashed and that has the canopy. I have never seen a complete Falcon offered for sale in recent memory other than the 505 I just got.

I might be tempted to trade this 505 for a very nice and complete Falcon 707 if anyone out there has one.

Marc
04-06-2008 06:02 PM
 
 
Clearance
Senior Heliman
Location: Left Coast Canada

Please keep it in the box. Pride in ownership!

Ken
04-06-2008 06:33 PM
 
 
GMPheli
Veteran
Location: W. Bridgewater, MA USA

If it was mine, I would build it and bring it to IRCHA!!!!
04-07-2008 02:12 AM
 
 
jczankl
Senior Heliman
Location: Anderson, IN USA

I agree with everyone here. Keep it unopened and find one to restore and fly. I have a bunch of heli's new in box

Heli-Star
Champion
Rebel
Kavan Jet Ranger
Just to name a few.

Team Cajun Helicopters,Team Futaba,WildCat Fuels,V-Blades,Duralite Batteries,Zurich,Vel-Tye,
04-07-2008 02:12 AM
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
jschenck
Elite Veteran
Location: La Vista, NE.

My vote - buy another and use the kit as a reference for building it. keep the kit as a kit.

on the other hand I bought a NIB Cricket a few months ago as you may remember and will build it. Now my NIB is not quite what I would call pristine. Stuff had been taken out of the box, didn't have the original paperwork. But everything appears to be there and I'm going to enjoy building a machine I owned 22 years ago

...yep...
04-07-2008 03:07 AM
 
 
RAK402
Veteran
Location: Alhambra, CA

If it were a 707 or an 808, I would build it and fly it.

A 505, I would tend to leave in the box (you probaly will not care for the way it flies-you might even doze off).

If you do decide to fly it, you will want to have a different clutch made for it (i.e. non-plastic).

I had a machinist do this for my .60 sized Huey around 1990, prior to its being used in a movie.

I still have a Hirobo Ministar, new-in-the-box. I plan never to build it.

Mr. Gorham shipped a Cricket or two to Hirobo, back around 1980, in the hope that they would sell and distribute his product in Japan (as he was selling and distributing Hirobo product here, albeit under his name and with modfications).

It should have been a nice arrangement.

Instead, Hirobo copied it, added the fan (which was not yet an option on the Cricket) and added Bell-Hiller steering (fixed collective/Bell/Hiller similar to the Kavan Alouette).

I do not remember seeing the Ministar ever distributed in this country.
04-07-2008 06:34 PM
 
 
marcw
Senior Heliman
Location: Southern California

That is a good insight.....and I do have my eyes on a 707 anyway. Maybe I will wait to either trade or sell this 505 if a nice 707 comes along. If anyone has a lead on a nice complete 707 and want to trade me for this NIB 505, please PM me. Otherwise, I might break this 505 open and build it out of boredom for a summer project!

Marc
04-07-2008 06:53 PM
 
 
RAK402
Veteran
Location: Alhambra, CA

Marc,

If you do build it (or any Falcon or Competitor), use JB Weld epoxy to install the two bearings that support the transverse shaft for the collective in the two triangular pieces.

This was the only thing we ever found to hold these things over time. If not attached this way, the bearings will wear in the aluminum triangles, and you will develop collective slop almost imediately.
04-07-2008 07:10 PM
 
 
Bignose
Senior Heliman
Location: England

Alternatively.....

.....why not build it and keep it as a display model? Would look far better built and pristine, than looking at a bunch of components wrapped in cellophane.
04-10-2008 12:46 PM
 
 
flipped2left
Key Veteran
Location: indianapolis,in.

JCZANKL.. sure wish i had something to trade you out of that kavan jet ranger! ken

la la la la I can't hear you! la la la la la
04-13-2008 11:18 AM
 
 
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Antiques or Out of Business > Poll: Build it or Keep it NIB ???
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