Not being one for building something to look like something someone else did.... I really like to bash kits. But still credit belongs where its due and I try to retain the identity or give credit where its due. But there are time of inspiration.... some would say times of insanitation... where I want to see something new and different would work. I don't want to commit to a full build and I usually like to have a reference for how my new idea works compared to the original or normal way of doing something. Still, the idea may not be sufficiently inspiring to motivate me to build an entire model. Here the ARF or ARC in a box can be a real nice way to meet my needs.
Example is an idea I have been working on for ways of eliminating twist in profile tails of model airplanes. Its an issue in both RC and Control line and I have been evolving solutions, using ideas found to work in other genre, and am gradually progressing towards my final solution. This week I began work on an all carbon fiber fuselage profile stunter to investigate large diameter thin wall tubing in this process. It is being documented in the electric forum in the C-14 thread. I had onhand a Brodak P-40 ARC that was unbuilt. I have had this bird before and its an outstanding flyer and scores well in profile stunt contests. I had built and covered the fuselage for an electric powered version. My orginal version resides with one of my flying partners Rick Sawicki who was going to give it to his son.... til he flew it and decided he'd keep it for himself. So I know the plane well. We have the original now in electric format which Rick has competed successfully with, and a known stock fuse for weight and moment comparisons.
I also wanted to look at building to a different set of moments. I also fly a Brodak T-Rex in electric form and like its performance very much. At Dennis Adamisin's suggestion I used the moments of the T-Rex for this test plane. So I will be able to look at a comparison in construction methods and theh different moments on a smaller but very effective wing. I already know the power parameters required by the wing so it should be a fruitful experiment without all the work of having to build a wing, and a tail. All those components including the control system (with a carbon fiber pushrod and ball link that I normally use on the tail setup) are coming out of the P-40 kit. They are built. Total construction time including sanding to the point of spot filling was about 5 hours. Another hour and it will be ready for covering. That's a very quick build. It will let me evaluate several ideas quickly and easily with a number of known factors to compare to. Just another handy way to utilize an ARF/ARC. btw, the plane will be all film covered. No wood covering on the fuse at all.
bob branch