Jigtime Reproductions

During the 50's and 60's Top Flite produced a series of all balsa rubber powered kits aimed at the beginning modeler. Their JigTime kits were guaranteed to fly and featured balsa parts with printed color and markings. The JigTime Rascal 18 got us started in this hobby way back in the early 50's. Designed by Carl Goldberg and long out out of production, we have always wanted one of these old kits. We were fortunate to find one on eBay. Not wanting to actually build the kit, we decided to try to duplicate the model using an ink jet printer to print the parts directly on 1/32" sheet balsa. The effort was a success and we now have a very nice flying replica JigTime Rascal 18. Oh yea, this model is the origin of the R/C Rascal that is being offered by SIG.

Continuing with our efforts to reproduce examples of the old Top Flite Jigtime series models, this is the Navion. It has a wing span of 16". All of the color and markings were printed directly on the balsa using an HP 1120 ink jet printer. Construction is 1/32" balsa.

This is a reproduction of the Top Flite Jigtime Luscombe. The original kit only identified this model as a Luscombe. The markings and general arrangement suggest is is based on the Luscombe model 11A Silvaire Sedan. It is a very nice flyer as are all of the models in this series. In fact, the original kits were guaranteed to fly by Top Flite or your money back.

This is a reproduction of the Top Flite Jigtime Piper Vagabond. Please note that this package has been updated from a first edition kit. If you visited this site earlier and downloaded the drawing package for the Vagabond it was our best effort to create a first edition model from a second edition kit. The drawing package now reflects an actual first edition kit.

This is a reproduction of the Top Flite Jigtime Stinson Sentinel. Please note that this package has been updated from a first edition kit. If you visited this site earlier and downloaded the drawing package for the Stinson it was our best effort to create a first edition model from a second edition kit. The drawing package now reflects an actual first edition kit. 

Within the Jigtime series there were two non-scale models that had the appearance of a full scale airplane. The Rascal 18 shown above was one and a model called the Arrow Jet was the other. The Arrow Jet is shown here. It has lines very similar to the North American F-86D. The colors used on this reproduction are somewhat of a guess as it was developed from a Duralume kit. The Duralume series had the balsa covered with a thin aluminum foil.

Thanks to site visitor Carl Godel we have a drawing package representing the original version of the Arrow Jet. Carl was kind enough to send us scanned images of the parts from his original edition kit. The structure of the original version and the Duralume version are identical. The only deviation are the color and markings. Drawing packages are provided that reflect both versions of color and markings.

Following the introduction of the civilian and sport models in the Jigtime line, Top Flite added some World War II models. Pictured here is the Republic P-47. This model like the others in the series is a great flyer. The original kits came with a vacuum formed cowl and canopy. These parts were reproduced as vacuum formed pieces for the reproduction model shown. Drawings of the vacuum formed parts are provided in the plans package.

Another great flying Jigtime W.W. II model is the Curtis P-40. This model came with a vacuum formed canopy and injection molded spinner. The model in the picture had both parts reproduced using vacuum formed components. Drawings for the vacuum formed parts are included in the drawing package.

Continuing the Jigtime W.W. II model series is the North American P-51H. Thanks to site visitor John Hackert, we were able to borrow his P-51 that was built from an original kit. John's model is shown in the picture for reference. His is the model without a spinner (it was missing after years of storage). The original kits came with a vacuum formed canopy and injection molded spinner. The reproduction model in the picture had both parts reproduced using vacuum formed components. Drawings for the vacuum formed parts are included in the drawing package.

Included in the Jigtime W.W.II series was the Japanese Zero. Like the others in the series, the model did come with vacuum formed parts. For this kit the canopy and cowl were vacuum formed. Drawings for these parts are included in the drawing package. The colors duplicate those of the kit model including the red cowl.

Representing another country's W.W. II fighter is the Jigtime Messerschmitt Me-109E. This model came with a vacuum formed canopy and injection molded spinner. The model in the picture had both parts reproduced using vacuum formed components. Drawings for the vacuum formed parts are included in the drawing package.

The final offering from Top Flite in their Jigtime WWII series models was the Supermarine Spitfire. Like the other WWII models in the series, the kit came with a vacuum formed canopy and injection molded spinner. These were reproduced using vacuum formed parts. Drawings are included in the download package.

Top Flite offered three great little catapult launched jets in their Jigtime series. This is the MIG-15. It has a wing span of 9.25 inches. The reproduction parts have been set up to be laminated from two 1/32" sheet balsa halves. This made it possible to have printing on both sides of the flying surfaces. The original kits used 1/16" balsa. That limited flying surface printing to only one side. We have also used light gray as a background color. The original kits had only trim color printed on the balsa. You will need to either vacuum form canopies from the supplied drawings, or carve them from something like foam. Thanks go to Larry Renger for loaning us his kits to develop the Jigtime jet reproductions.

This is the North American F-86 in the jet series. It has a wing span of 9.5 inches. Like the MIG-15, we have used light gray as a background color. The original kits had only trim color printed on the balsa.

This is the Chance Vought Cutlass in the jet series. It has a wing span of 8.25 inches. Click on the provided links to download the parts and plan package.