• Wing Span: 72.0 in. (183 cm)
• Wing Area: 876 sq. in. (5652 cm²)
• Length: 54.0 in. (137 cm)
• Weight: 7.25 lbs. (3.3 kg)
• Engine: .60 - .65 2 - cycle
  (9.8 - 10.7 cc 2 - cycle)
  .65 - .80 4 - cycle
  (10.7 - 13.1 cc 4 - cycle)
• 4 Servos required

The Venture 60 is the flagship model of Bruce Tharpe Engineering. The manufacturer says the Venture 60 offers the smooth flying characteristics of a bigger .60 size model without the transportation problems. The kit comes very well protected in its shipping box. All parts are bagged or banded. The plans are clear and complete. The instructions are precisely correct. They take you through the construction process and have clear and exact photos. Hardware is reasonably complete, needing only wheels, fuel tank, and engine mount.

The kit can be built very quickly and is an absolute pleasure to build. All kits should be like this one. The fuselage is 1/8" plywood, utilizing tabbed construction for alignment. The tabs are exact fits for their receptor slots. There is no die crunching like that offered in the kits from some of the bigger companies. All bulkheads are keyed to the fuselage sides. Construction of the fuselage consists of simply plugging together the various components which automatically align and gluing with medium CA.

The wing is a totally open structure, having no sheeting other than at the center section. The instructions stress that plastic film be used for covering the wing rather the fabric to attain the required structural integrity.

The tail assembly is made of sheet balsa. The horizontal stabilizer is 5/16" sheet, reinforced with a spruce spar, while the vertical fin is 1/4" sheet. The instructions offer many hints on how to simplify some construction procedures. Included in the kit are complete decals for the wing, fuselage, stab, and wheel pants. Wheel pants are not included in the kit but are available separately. The Venture was powered with an OS61FX, which proved to be an ideal match.

The test flight was made on a clear, windless day. The were no surprises with this model. The flight was like all test flights should be. This model is a floater, so it has to be brought in low and slow when it is time to land. The only thing that might deserve a complaint would probably be the landing gear. The gear was rather soft so special attention must be given to landings. BTE is now putting a thicker, stiffer landing gear in the kit. Reports on the new gear have been very favorable. The airplane is great!