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Author Topic: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane  (Read 4629 times)

Offline kenneth cook

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Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« on: September 05, 2017, 07:26:05 PM »
               I received a kit which is designed by J.H. Rice. It's a design from 1957 and it seems to me to stand out from the normal designs of that time frame. It has a built up wing very similar to the Brodak Baby Clown. The wing utilizes 1/32" sheeted trailing edge and top and bottom 1/8" spars.  I was very skeptical with the sheeted trailing edge but it went together beautifully. The fuse is profile 1/4" sheet but the motor mount is a metal mount as designed. The stab is quite wide and the tail seems fairly long. It would appear to me that this design would be a very capable 1/2A plane. It seems to offer a lot more than the designs of the 60's and 70's. The kit I have was a laser cut kit in generic packaging. It's very well made and the pieces offered terrific fits. I would certainly like to know who was responsible for the manufacturing of this kit . The tips are solid blocks which I really enjoyed shaping and sanding, something you don't typically get involved in with a 1/2A.Ken

Offline RK

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2017, 01:56:27 PM »
Ken,
 This sounds like a real nice plane, does it have a name? I am always looking for 1/2A Kits especially the old ones , where did you find it?
Or even better how about some pictures.

Thanks, RK Flyer

If you come to a fork in the road,,,,Take it!

Offline kenneth cook

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2017, 02:28:20 PM »
              The plane is called the Lil Monster. This kit was given to me by a friend in Texas but I can't confirm if that's where it was originated. I hope to have it together in a few more days. I have a very difficult time getting pictures on this site. My son generally does it when I do post them. Ken

Offline Target

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2017, 06:08:33 PM »
Couldn't find anything in Outerzone.
Regards,
Chris
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Offline Glenn Quarles

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2017, 01:52:23 PM »
Ken, I happen to know many of the details you are looking for! Jim Rice (J H Rice's son) is a very good friend of mine. Jim owned the local hobby shop just outside the front gate of Randolph AFB where I was stationed. Just after Jim's dad died I stopped by the hobby shop and he showed me some of the items he had brought back from his dad's place, one of these items were the original plans for the Little Monster. Jim told me he would supply the wood if I built two of them, one for him and one for me. Of course I said yes!!! I took the wood home that day and by the next day I was asking him what color he wanted his painted! They were both finished in just a few days. I built Jim's exactly like his dad drew it with the bent metal motor mount and wire landing gear. I modified mine a bit by extending the nose and making it a beam mount for a Medallion and did not use any gear at all.  They both flew AWESOME!!! For Jim it was a great time reliving the memories of when his dad first designed the plane for him! For me it was an awesome time burning holes in the air at what seemed like 100 mph! I could easily fly the entire tank out without moving my feet at all...it was just like one of my 1/2a combat planes! We were both so happy with the planes that Jim later had a few laser cut kits made. At that time I was stationed at Moody AFB in GA so I don't know the exact number of kits he had made...maybe 10 or 20 if I remember right.

I also enlarged the plans to .35 size. I got most of that one done before I moved to GA and gave it to Jim. He finished it as an RC  plane and flew it with one of his dad's four stroke motors. He later gave the plane back to me as a gift when I retired from the AF.

Jim still lives in the San Antonio area.

I will try to post pics of my Little Monster when I get home from helping out the distaster relief effort in Houston.

Glenn
Live in such a way that those who know you, but don't know God will come to know God because they know you.

Offline kenneth cook

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2017, 02:05:29 PM »
              Glenn, that's great information. The plane is looking real good . All parts are sanded and shaped. I was going to go the cloth hinge route and decided for the stitched elevator. The question now is what engine to use. I feel even a Babe Bee would offer a nice run for this plane. I'm very happy with this one, I hope it flies as well as it looks. Ken

Offline Glenn Quarles

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2017, 02:38:11 PM »
We used a Black Widow on Jim's and it flew great. We were flying on .008" x 35'.

Glenn
Live in such a way that those who know you, but don't know God will come to know God because they know you.

Offline Target

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2017, 03:24:43 PM »
Ken-
Please have your son post a picture when he gets time to.
Thanks,
Target
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Chris
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Offline kenneth cook

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2017, 05:04:46 AM »
           I should be able to get some pictures today. The plane is built and covered. I have 4 coats of clear dope on the fuse and tail . The plane is surprisingly light. It weighs just a tad over 2 oz's without the  engine and elevator stitched on. I'm in the air deciding if I want to do a color on this one. Covering is Phil Cartier SLC which I was going to leave clear. I really would've liked to have added a tank or bladder in this one. It just didn't strike me at the time as being plausible. Nonetheless, I feel this is going to offer some great flying. Ken

Offline David M Johnson

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2017, 12:45:34 PM »
If this is a version of the race plane Built by Pitts I would like the 1/2a and the 35 plans.  This was a very clean airplane
We're havin some fun now!!

Offline Target

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2017, 01:46:22 PM »
I'd love to see a picture! :-)
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Chris
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Offline Glenn Quarles

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2017, 12:05:13 PM »
If this is a version of the race plane Built by Pitts I would like the 1/2a and the 35 plans.  This was a very clean airplane
Hi David, this is not a copy of the race plane you are referring to...it is an original design.

GQ
Live in such a way that those who know you, but don't know God will come to know God because they know you.

Offline jim

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2018, 09:16:05 PM »
           I should be able to get some pictures today. The plane is built and covered. I have 4 coats of clear dope on the fuse and tail . The plane is surprisingly light. It weighs just a tad over 2 oz's without the  engine and elevator stitched on. I'm in the air deciding if I want to do a color on this one. Covering is Phil Cartier SLC which I was going to leave clear. I really would've liked to have added a tank or bladder in this one. It just didn't strike me at the time as being plausible. Nonetheless, I feel this is going to offer some great flying. Ken

Where's the pictures Ken.

Offline kenneth cook

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2018, 08:32:24 PM »
            Jim for some reason I find it very difficult to post pictures on here as it takes a lot of resizing to get them posted. My son typically does it for me as I just get too frustrated in doing so. When it's explained it's like a new language to me.

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #14 on: June 30, 2018, 09:25:56 AM »
If this old man can do it you should be able to learn.   Should be a program with the section that you down load pictures to.   But, I also finally figured out how to get pictures on camera small enough it doesn't take so much to reduce except for the BHoR forum an Barton. H^^
John E. "DOC" Holliday
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AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.

Offline kenneth cook

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #15 on: June 30, 2018, 11:12:00 AM »
           I would like to give it a go as this model is pretty neat. It's very light and aside from the short run time of the Black Widow it should be a terrific flying plane. The design for being as old as it is seems to be ahead of it's time. When you look at the Goldberg kits for example just like many 1/2A's they seem to be very close coupled and narrow wingspans. This has a rather fair wingspan for a 1950's design. Plane is still unflown but ready. I believe Glenn who posted earlier might be responsible for this particular kit. Hats off to you sir if this is something you had done. Ken

Offline Target

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Re: Lil Monster 1/2 A plane
« Reply #16 on: August 12, 2018, 05:14:49 PM »
            Jim for some reason I find it very difficult to post pictures on here as it takes a lot of resizing to get them posted. My son typically does it for me as I just get too frustrated in doing so. When it's explained it's like a new language to me.


I have been hoping for a picture of this plane as well.

Try this attached resizer link-
https://imageresize.org/

R,
Chris
Regards,
Chris
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