I just got an LT-40 ARF in the mail. Picked it up from the Scratch and Dent at Tower for $100.

I haven't had an LT-40 in years. My first was a kit and my second was an ARF.

The kit I built years ago had plywood doublers, but the older ARF was all balsa. This new LT-40 that I got has the plywood doublers.

It also has a bolt-on wing. The tank floor is preinstalled and all the firewall blind nuts are preinstalled. Sig has added lite-ply braces in the tail to keep control rods from flexing. A nice touch, as I had to cut my older ARF open and butcher in the braces when it was new. The servo tray is preinstalled as well.

I'm impressed. This trusty old bird has taken on a new character with the added improvements.

I'm a seasoned flyer, and I'm making major modifications to this ARF. I'm using a TH .75 engine up front, so the blind nuts in the firewall had to be removed and replaced with bigger stuff. Also making it a taildragger with optional float mount. I've scratch built bigger ailerons for it, and also made flaps. I'll have a servo in each wing panel for my ailerons and the stock servo location will hold my flaps servo. Total of 3 servos in the wing. I mounted a servo in the tail to control my tailwheel with a short linkage. I like the dedicated tailwheel servo because it allows me to slave it into the rudder servo and adjust travel independantly of the rudder. It also allows for POSITVE control of the tailwheel-- as oppossed to springs hooked to the rudder.

For my purposes, the firewall and servo tray modifications that Sig made weren't necessary. But; for the new flyer, these mods have made the plane much easier to build. The braces, servo tray, firewall, and bolt-on wing really are nice improvements, and I commend Sig for engineering them into this "new generation" ARF.

I don't know how long these improvements have been in place. Could be years. I just haven't had one for about 3-4 years. It's a really nice plane- right outta the box.

Can't wait for the snow to start flying and the lakes to freeze.