Pica never offered an ARF of anything to my knowledge. They were all stickbuilt. I have not seen the GP Waco either, but I'll be willing to bet my next retirement check that given the completed weight, that GP is claiming, and knowing full well what a stick built version will weigh, the parts count on the ARF is lower. A bunch lower.

I'd be surprised at any improvement of an ARF over a well built stick kit, other than lower weight. But that's just my observations. If you will take the time to read all the way through the Waco YMF thread, you will find many modifications that were not offered on the Pica Kit. Mine has so many mods that I could call it my own design. There is virtually no part that anyone from Pica would recognize. For instance, all the tail group has an aluminum tube outline added. This required removing the same amount of wood as the tubing takes. Is it better? Its better looking. The Horizontal Stab on mine can have the incidence changed in flight, as could the full scale. Better? You betchum Red Ryder. Lots of other goodies too, like the sway braces on the mains. The ARF does not even have sway braces. I can set my incidence on my cabane and Interplane struts by turning the threaded lugs in or out. Can't do that with either the kit or the ARF.

So to answer your question...... No, I can't do a synapse of the difference in them. Sorry about that.

Bill, Waco Brother #1