Balsa aeroplane kit prices!

Over the past few years, I have kept my eyes open for kits appearing on Fleabay and, if they are my cup of tea, then I scoop them up. (with a view to getting around to building them)

If they were newish kits and still in production then at a bargain price. Old kits, dragged out of an attic or shed - bargain prices and not even meeting inflation from the original cost.

Recently, I have been astounded at the prices being bid and this is often for kits that are currently being reproduced.

Nothing is cheap these days but I can only assume that old model kits have become collectors items. It cannot be nostalgia because plans are freely available (and can be purchased for a reasonable price) and, for quite a few models, reproduction kits are being made to order at a fraction of these bidded prices.

An example of this is the George Aldrich Peacemaker.

I already have the slab sided kit and plan. This is a reproduction with all laser cut parts. $78 or £50. Not cheap but quite a comprehensive kit and a quick build. Only glue and covering materials needed. Oh! and a suitable engine ......... Where would I find one of those? Decisions, decisions!!!

Anyway, I digress once more - an original kit for this went for £126 ($182) a fortnight ago! This cannot be for someone who intends to build or fly!

It gets worse - the reason i bought the Peacemaker was nostalgia. This was originally a Keil Kraft kit available at any of the many model shops and I used to fly one. I did not realise that this slabby sided thing was based on a real full bodied stunt model.

Mind you, I hadn't realised that the Peacemaker was a George Aldrich design either and as a boy, young man. pimply faced youth ........ i didn't know who George Aldrich was! The only interesting thing then would have been the picture on the box closely followed by the engine size!

I digress again!

My interest in the full bodied Peacemaker Stunt ship was aroused and my quest for one started. In the USA, I saw a Top Flite kit posted at a starting bid of $125 (£84). I saw it climb to $160 (£110) and then stopped watching. Not that I would have bought it with horrendous postage charges and our customs duties.

An identical kit was posted "Buy it now" at £125 ($180) and went almost immediately. A reproduction kit for this is available for £50 ($72)in the UK. I also saw a plan for this together with magazine build article for $16 (£11).

I am a little confused. I have quite a few old kits - I have a green box Nobler, I got this a couple of years ago for £45. Not built it yet but like many of the kits I have - the box isn't pristine, some of the wood will need replacing and piano wire is pitted. Not a problem for a builder but a collector!

I saw the Gieseke Nobler kit advertised for $165. Perhaps we should have invested in model kits! I recently traded an engine for the  Top Flite ARF Nobler - that has a UK price sticker of £89.95 ($130) on it. My first impression of that was that it is very light (much lighter than I can build) but doesn't seem very strong. The engine mounts, the bell crank and the bellcrank area seem a little lacking. But for me - it was free!

Why am I posting this?

My question is really - who is snapping up kits where equivalents can be bought and made for a fraction of the bidded prices?

What is attractive about a beaten up box with dubious contents? They cannot be display items!