Lil Arcy build

[Seahunter]

Many years ago in 1958, (telling my age now), I was on my last year of a 3 year tour with the USN in San Diego, I was on a bus on liberty and spotted an RC flying field and got off the bus to watch. One of the club members spotted me and invited me for a lesson on his airplane. If you are familiar with RC history, you will remember that at that time we had only single channel transmitters on carrier or tone modulation and rudder only control, no servos but used a rubber band powered escapement to move the rudder. I was instructed on how everything worked and then he demonstrated a proper hand launch. He got the plane up high and gave me his transmitter for my first ever RC flight. I was hooked from then on.
After my Navy tour was over, I dreamed of building an RC plane, but couldn't afford the equipment cost, so continued my free flight and control line fun. Finally in 1963, i got an ACE transmitter and an escapement, and found plans for a plane I liked in an Air Trails magazine, enlarged the plan and started the build. I installed a .25 OS 2 stroke. Its never been run. I had it almost finished except for covering with gear installed and working when I made a choice to join the USCG. and Lil Arcy got put aside never getting to fly.
About 2003, I got it out, converted it to a shoulder wing four channel FM and installed all necessary electronics. Didn't finish covering wing.

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Lil Arcy then became a hanger queen as my wife selected it for a display hanger and didn't want me to finish and fly it, she loved the ribbed wing showing, and snoopy pilot, his head turns opposite the rudder so he appears to look where hes going.
I cut the scale 50% and did a foam build so I would be able to maiden it and finally see it fly




Its ready for paint now. So will continue this soon. Unfortunateiy my wife was following this build with great interest, but she passed away on July 10th. The original Lil Arcy will hang there in memory of her for the rest of my flying/building days. More to come

 

[Phin G]

I am so sorry about your wife, i lost my uncle on my birthday 2 months ago. The plane is beautiful, reminds me of a FT scout, love the snoopy pilot!

 

[Seahunter]

I am so sorry about your wife, i lost my uncle on my birthday 2 months ago. The plane is beautiful, reminds me of a FT scout, love the snoopy pilot!

Thanks, I am up all hours in this lonely house. Going to start working on my workbench load. Haven't even unboxed my Draco combo or night timber x. You can see a picture of the original Lil Acy and a plan, do an internet search for Lil Arcy and check image files. I also saw it on aerofred I think. Mine is heavily modified after the rebuild. Did you notice I put a flying elevator with symetrical airfoil on the original. Always wondered what the lift would do to its handling , Nose Down?

 

[cyclone3350]

So sorry for your lose. When my grandfather died many years ago, we thought it is all over for grandma. Fortunately, she maintained her independence and kept herself busy keeping up with the house and family members. She lived for another 17 years and passed away last year 3 months shy of her hundred. I don't go back as far as U, but my first radio was in the mid 70's. An ACE pulse single channel that I hooked up to Comet Sparky powered by a minute running cox pee wee.

 

[Seahunter]

So sorry for your lose. When my grandfather died many years ago, we thought it is all over for grandma. Fortunately, she maintained her independence and kept herself busy keeping up with the house and family members. She lived for another 17 years and passed away last year 3 months shy of her hundred. I don't go back as far as U, but my first radio was in the mid 70's. An ACE pulse single channel that I hooked up to Comet Sparky powered by a minute running cox pee wee.

I too built a Comet Sparky. don't have any pictures from back then. Mine was rubber powered per plan. I remember a snow day and flying it off the snow in the schoolyard that was next door to our house. Thank for our reply, hope I can get close to that centtury mark.

 

[Seahunter]

Thanks, I am up all hours in this lonely house. Going to start working on my workbench load. Haven't even unboxed my Draco combo or night timber x. You can see a picture of the original Lil Acy and a plan, do an internet search for Lil Arcy and check image files. I also saw it on aerofred I think. Mine is heavily modified after the rebuild. Did you notice I put a flying elevator with symetrical airfoil on the original. Always wondered what the lift would do to its handling , Nose Down?

Hi Guys . Its been a long time since I became a lonely old man, I happy to report that I'm doing fine though lonely, but have started to build a couple of models and will soon paint the Lil Arcy foam model shown in this thread, install electronics and give it a maiden flight also in progress on my bench is a Dancing Wings Savage Bobber, famous for its hard left ground loop on take off ( I corrected this on mine) and a balsa Micro Savage Bobber from scratch. Plan to post on them also. My expenses have plummeted since I lost my wife, so I have started purchasing mini tools and supplies to equip my shop. I've been ordering the tools from Micro Mark.com. Check them out, loads of high quality tools and supplies at reasonable prices. More soon!

 

[cdfigueredo]

Seahunter I'm sorry to hear about your wife, I consider you a good friend and it really hurt me to hear about it. Your plane is very nice and I think it has a very special value from what you say. I love your foam board replica, I just hope to see it flying soon. Can you tell us more about the size and weight and the electronics you are using?

Waiting for updates....