Great Planes Model Manufacturing Company of Champaign, Illinois, United States, is the world's second largest radio-controlled model manufacturers and distributors as part of Hobbico, Incorporated. The company was founded in 1982 by mechanical engineer Don Anderson in response to what were, at the time, poorly made radio control aircraft kits. Fully framed and sheeted almost ready-to-fly models were now possible. One of Great Planes' recent offerings, a scale Ryan STA sheeted in their Monokote covering, is flight ready after only fifteen hours of assembly. * v * t * e * v * t * e