Just because I build does not make me feel superior to a non builder. Building is a choice, nothing more. No one has asked me, is that an ARF on a plane I built, mainly because they dont look like an ARF. If I sit my planes side by side, ARF to built, there is a clear difference between which is which, and that is because of how I cover the planes. There are ARF 4*120 out there, and if you were to put one next to my kit built one, you would think both were the same plane, difference is the covering on mine is a last run metallic blue from SIG, you can't get anymore. The distinct difference between kit and arf is the canopy. The ARF screws on, the kit glues on. The kit also has servos in the fuse, the ARF in the tail, however, since I had the ARF, I copied that detail and moved the servo to the tail for better control and to offset the DLE20 weight.

When you see my Cub, you will know it is not an ARF, its cloth covered and not in the typical Cub Yellow. However, when you see my T-Clips, and Twin Otter, you KNOW they are ARF. The covering is too perfect on the T, and the Twin, well, it looks like an ARF. I try to do little things to distinguish my builds to make them not look factory built, and do things to them that no ARF has. When my P-51 is done, it will have fully functional inner wheel doors, no ARF will have that. Hopefully its enough detail to set it apart from the same ARF I also have.

Building is a choice, whether you are good at it or not, doesn't matter. Some guys can do really good wood work but suck at covering, while others do really poor wood work, and are fantastic detailers. Some guys just don't have the time, place or money to set up a shop, even if its a hollow core door on a coffee table, so ARF are perfect for them. Assemble it on the kitchen table, take it to the field and fly.


When I see a plane I like I ask, did you build it? Why I ask that is because so many have ARF now, that finding someone who builds is rare, so always seeking them out to gleam more information on how things are done.