It is an interesting forum here. I had my first go at pattern in the 80's with a then out of date Arrow. It had a locally produced fiberglass fueslarge from which a mate made his own mold and we pulled our own fueslages from it. The only engine that we could afford back then was the Irvine61re which proved to be very unreliable. Mine weighed a ton but when the engine actually worked it was on rails in the air with the sweetest axial rolls. I have a spare fueslarge and still have the mold. Last year I recieved a new pattern kit made locally here in AUS and the fueslarge for the 2x2 pattern model weighed less than my Arrow fues!!! I'm now thinking of trying to make a new Arrow with a much lighter and more modern glass lay up to use as a sports model with a 61FX side exhaust and air retracts. The plan I have shows the small flaps as well as a spioler just in front of the flaps? Anyway I have not seen much of a mention of the Arrow in this forum yet so is there anyone else out there that has had one of these models? Matthew

Matt, I had an FK Arrow with a ST.61RE and converted it to a fixed 2 wheel LG when that became popular. I also started using larger, higher ptched props with the tuned pipe. Really enjoyed that airplane! With no retracts to worry about, maintenance was very minor. FK called it something else but it was still an Arrow. I also had a second hand MK .40 Arrow with a ST.45RE, tuned pipe and MK retracts. It also flew well but it was a bullet. I tried cable elevators which I loved until the cable broke! Of all the RE airplanes I had, though, my favorite was the Bootlegger.
Frank

I built 2 Arrows from MAN plans in 1980 (wood fuselages, foam wings/stabs). They flew great with OS .61VF. I also built an MK Arrow .40 with an OS .40VF - yep, it was a bullet - flew great - love those looooong slow rolls!!
I'll build another one (.60 size) but with fixed gear and all monokote!
Happy flying,
Will

Hi there,

what engine would you recommend for the Arrow .60? Such a nice kit. I planned to have either a Enya 60XLF or the Webra Speed 61 Racing installed. Any suggestions for the retractable gear, air versus mechanical?

Thanks

I prefer air for 3 gear set-ups and mechanical for 2 gear planes. If you use separate servos for the mechanical gear in a 3 gear set-up it is much easier (1 servo for the main gear located in the wing and 1 servo for the nose gear in the fuselage). Spring-Aires are my first choice for pneumatic gear (if you can find them).
Regards,
Will B.

Spring Airs are very good and you can order them directly from Spring Air http://www.retracts.com/retracts.htm Although I like Spring Airs, I like the Rom-Air retracts best but they are hard to find. One of the nice things about the Rom-Airs is that they can be retracted for transporting and storing of your aircraft.

Hey 8178,
I agree. Actually, back in the 'good old days' I liked Spring-aire nose with Rhom mains; so I could leave the main gear retracted in the wing for transportation. Does Robart make retracts small enough for .60 sized pattern ships? I think you can remove the spring from Spring-Aires (especially the main gear), but it's been more than 2 decades since I used pneumatic retracts (I still have a couple of sets of well used Rhom-aires).
-Will

I used mechanical MK units and only used the one retract servo to operate all three. After much adjustment I finally got the system working nicely on the bench, but once a few flights were completed, I started to have trouble and it seemed that I was constantly adjusting them to keep it all working. The better way would definatly be a separate servo for the nose unit! I would probaly go with air if I were to do it again. I have a few photo's of my Arrow but I seem unable to load them onto the forum. Is it right to click on the UPLOAD button? I have tried this and it takes forever then says page not found? Matt.

You click on: "Click here to upload!"

Have found a photo of W.Matt's Arrow that he used, any idears as to the year?
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MMMMMMMM,!!!! still no photo, even after clicking on the upload button!

Ok, one last try to upload.

Here is one of my Arrow from the late 80's.

Matt won the 1979 World Champs with the Arrow, your photo is from that year.

Same photo is on the Matt's website: http://www.matt-rc.li/ Everything you want to know about any of his designs is there...

Atlas, Arrow, Joker...all great flying, classic pattern models designed by Wolfgang.
I built all of them from the MK balsa kits. For me, my passion for pattern was never as great once the 61 2 stroke was obsoleted[]

Matt flew the Arrow design in '79, '81 and '83. He may have flown the same model. I remember reading that he had over 2,000 (two thousand) flights on his #1 Arrow (not all with the original engine). A testimony to attention to maintenance - same goes for Hanno Prettner - as of the early '90s he had never crashed due to radio/mechanical failure (and maybe never crashed at all).
I still love .60 sized pattern ships myself!
-Will B.

They are the very BEST!!!

Thanks for the link, this is getting me interested in building another one using some of the skills I have learned over the last few years building pattern models to do a light one. One of the guys that I fly pattern with now suggested an increase in wingspan to slow it down for more of a sports model and I will still keep it in tri gear configuation but maybe fixed gear. Looks like I will have to dust off the old mould and start mixing some epoxy. A few more photo's of my old original one and Peter's who built one with me at the same time. Matt
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Hi,
I am looking for a Arrow 40 Kit. Anyone have one they would like to part with?
I had a MK kit in the early '80s. Flew great with an OS 46VF.
Thanks,
Mark

subscribe

Subscribe to what?!

Mark

He is subscribing to the thread to he will get an email if any new posts show up, like this one (with no good content- sorry Fast Richard)

Love those Arrow pics! Wish I could find an Aurora or Atlanta ship for my YS-60

I am new to this forum... call me a newbie

Yep, loved my Arrow with the MK retracts and also loved my Magic 40. (Quality Line kit from Hobby Barn)

I wish I could find one of each to build.

Never could fly them like David Hoppes though!

Blue Skies,
Mark

Hi,

I have an original arrow which is complete and 1/2 a wing is build. Let me know what it is worth to you.
Regards.

Sorry i think i have the the only MK Arrow in Australia. Not for sale though.

Lets see a picture of the Arrow, how long has it been flown. Matt