Miss Arpiem (oz5020)

About this Plan

Miss Arpiem. Radio control cabin model.

The Steve Kowalik free flight design Miss Arpiem first appeared in ARPIEM magazine, in 1937. This here is a later redrawn RC version from Model Builder in 1977, by Doc Mathews.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Quote: "'Old Timers have often been called the perfect training ships for radio control. If ever a perfect example had to be named, this would have to be it! Original design by STEVE KOWALIK.

Through the thirty plus years I've been building 'toy' airplanes, I've been fortunate enough to have built a few models that far exceeded my always high expectations. Every once in awhile, that peculiar chemistry of luck, skill, and intuition combine to produce a model of exceptional merit. "Miss Arpiem" is one of that kind of model.

Frankly, I started off on this project by accident. I became aware of the relationship between Steve Kowalik and Bill Northrop, and cunningly decided Bill would publish something by Kowalik if I submitted it. Looking through John Pond's plan list, I eliminated Miss Delaware (oz5035) as Model Builder had it brewing, and the Ideal Air Chief (oz212) as too ugly. But what was the 'Miss Arpiem'? I honestly had never heard of it, could not recall ever seeing a photo in my magazine collection - a total unknown to me. Not wishing to remain in ignorance, I rushed an order off to John. Several weeks later the plans arrived - what a startle! Kowalik had designed a pretty little cabin job with strong esthetic appeal.

I immediately began red-penciling the needed modifications onto the plans and commenced construction. The resultant model was first flown with two channels, and a Super Tigre 23. My golly - talk about a climb - the darn thing flew like an FAI power job, twenty seconds got it way up there. I could fly the power pattern with trim tabs only. Great competition potential, but hardly relaxing. After twenty flights or so of this type of thing, I decided she was too nice a lady to go flying about like a scalded cat. So off came the .23 and shut-off tank, and in went three channels and an OS 15 RC. Now she was a gentle kitten, able to do beautiful touch-and-goes, a delightful 15 size sport ship.

As is always the case in great love affairs, this one ended in tragedy. After many happy hours together, I abused the lady and she died in agony. Someone said, Will she spin?, so I tried - not in low throttle she wouldn't, nose high she just mushed 'till the stall recovered, no fall-off at all. So how about power on? Not to the right, but with full throttle, full down, and full left rudder she would, that is 'till her left wing broke off! She plunged to the ground like a wounded bird, Oh, the savagery of men? Oh, the quixotic moments of lovers. I done her in - dumb, dumb, dumb. Fortunately, all is not lost, you can build her sister and have your own affair of the heart, I'll never tell. If anyone is still reading this, the following is a building outline:

GENERAL The model is completely legal for SAM events (A, B, or C, cabin, and Texaco). All dimensions are exactly as or designed; the structure is beefed up, but no sheet for built-up substitutions have been made. The airfoil is the original. watch out for illegal substitutions on several currently available kits!

Landing gear is a pre-formed IM Product, H-2 unit, bent slightly as drawn. A satisfactory gear can be bent or 3/32 MW if you so desire. The gear is held in place with nylon brackets, screwed and epoxied into the 3/16 ply floor. The floor itself should be epoxied to the spruce longerons. The formers can be fabricated quickly, using typing paper to trace outline, cut out with scissors, spray paper with 3M Spra.yrnen I, stick in place on sheet or plywood, and cut out. Peel paper off and sand, really a simple method of pattern making. Use spruce where specified, do not substitute balsa. Aliphatic resin glue is used throughout, with exception of epoxy for firewall, landing gear mount, and dihedraling the wing panels. Use plastic wrap for plan cover, waxed paper will weaken glue joints.

WING: I usually build wings first to generate some scrap sheet for the remainder of the project, The tipscan be fabricated by cutting to match inside placement on drawing, then cutting to exterior outline after assembly. Of course, you may cut out before placement. The tip ribs are cut and trimmed from full chord ribs, then sanded to contour when shaping leading edge, etc. The wings build completely flat and are really simple to con-struct, so I won't detail a step-by-step procedure. The wing tips are set on top of the bottom spars, with the top spars tapering down into a flair at the outside edge.

Of course, be sure a left, a right, and a center panel are constructed. Shape leading edge, tips, and tip ribs before dihectraling. I prefer to block up the individual tips, sand angle in with a block against the table edge, then assemble against center section with epoxy. After epoxy is set, cut slots for front dihedral gussets with two hack saw blades bolted together, insert and epoxy ply gussets, holding against spars with clothespins. Repeat for middle gusset and bolt-blocks..."

Supplementary file notes

Article, thanks to theshadow.

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