About me
My name is Jim Oosterhuis, owner and sole operator of Giant Scale Twins.
From 1993 to 2003, I was working as an Electrical Engineer in California. It was there that I met Charlie and Bev of Modaire Industries at an RC air-show in 1998, where I purchased a P-51H kit from them after seeing it fly. Charlie, Bev and I became very good friends, and not long after, we started a new business together called Modaire Hobbies located in Manteca, California.
In 2003, I moved home to Iowa to the family grain farm, where I live and work today.
In 2006, I purchased all of Modaire Industries' molds and tooling from Bev and Charlie, and started doing business as Giant Scale Twins. My company is a reincarnation of Modaire Industries, producers of the legendary AeroCommander, F7F Tigercat, F-82 Twin Mustang and P-51H Mustang;
Unique and quality twin engine kits that Modaire Industries became very well known for.
My Schedule:
I farm with my parents during the summer months on the family grain farm. However, in the winter months when the snow is flying, I build airplane kits as Giant Scale Twins.
That being said, please be patient with me, especially during the summer months! If I don't answer the phone, please send an email (info@giantscaletwins.com) and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
And, as if farming and kit building doesn't keep me busy enough, I also build and fly full scale. In 2006, after 1100 hours of build time, I finally finished building a Van's RV-8 shown in the photo above.
Currently, I'm building another airplane, a Zenith CH-750 STOL.
About the kits:
The kits are unchanged structurally from the designs and Charlie shipped, and I promise they will be of the same high quality construction. However, I continue to make improvements where I can to make these easier to build or increase strength, etc., and offer more accessories as I can develop them.
Every aspect of these kits is hand-made in the USA. The polyester fiberglass parts are hand-laid to be kept as light as possible without sacrificing strength. Fiberglass & carbon fiber tape and resin are used to reinforce large fuselage sections. Wings are hand-cut polystyrene foam, inlaid with aircraft-grade plywood spars and hardwood stiffeners. Leading and trailing edges and wingtips are balsa stock. Wings are sheeted with cabinet grade 1/64th Birch plywood (included) using epoxy (I recommend West Systems). Wings can either be covered with Monocote™ at finish, or laminated with 3/4 oz. fiberglass and epoxy resin and painted. Either technique provides for for fast construction, a beautiful finish and amazing strength. Included with all kits are: Fiberglass fuselage(s) and cowls, clear formed canopies / windows; wing joiner hardware (except for the P-51H which has a one-piece wing); all structural wood and wing skins; detailed assembly manual.
Thanks for your interest!
Jim Oosterhuis
Giant Scale Twins
3973 Nest Avenue
Hospers, Iowa 51238
712-230-3023 cell