The model Chris Stahl asked me bulld for EAA is a Zenith Aircraft STOL CH801 flown by "Medicine on the Move," (MOM) a nonprofit group that uses LSAs (Zenith 701 & 801) to deliver medicines to remote areas in Ghana, West Africa. MOM is trying to raise funds to put floats on their CH801 and the model will be auctioned off at a Zenith owners banquet on Thursday night. (That was news to me when I delivered the model at the EAA Oshkosh Fly-In today.)
Chris Stahl's kit of the CH801 is beautifully designed with excellent fit and finish. I reinforced some of the parts and joints on the assumption that it would have to travel but made no other changes. I put lead weight in the cowl and in the nose of each float and a ceramic magnet in the fuselage behind the cockpit. The magnet holds the model on its stainless steel stand. If I were doing it again, I'd use two magnets (each about the size of a dime and 3/16" thick). The model sticks to the stand but will come loose with moderate jostling.
The kit will eventually be available as a free download on the MOM site:
Home.
This was certainly not a beginner's kit but it went together very well and I recommend it to anyone who likes light planes.
The kit 1/33 scale (wingspan just under 12") with a detailed cockpit and wheels-or-floats option. I believe Chris is working on a detailed engine for the kit, as well. I spent about 25 hours on the kit and enjoyed building it very much.
Thanks, Chris!
--David