Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Let's Build the Duckling RC Seaplane
In this video I will build the 1982 Ken Willard design of the Duckling, a three channel RC flying boat. Overall a very good discussion on how to build a radio control airplane. In short, Let's build the Duckling RC seaplane, a scratch build RC airplane.
Ken Willard designed a range of sport flying radio control model aircraft in the late 1970 thru 1990s or so. Ken was also the popular RC Modeler magazine Sunday Flier columnist.
The Duckling is a simple to build model airplane made of balsa wood and a bit of plywood. Plans are from the AMA Plans service.
I made some changes from the original 1982 design. I used an electric motor instead of a gas motor, made a stronger wing and made some fuselage changes to allow for electric flight. All of this is covered in the video.
The Duckling flew just great with plenty of power and full control authority.
Duckling plans: plans.modelaircraft.org/product/duckling
Flite Test Store: store.flitetest.com
Balsa USA: balsausa.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoo_quGN4Ijz76mBcV07GBQ3WB46l71EElTDvs3vUyHG1J9X5uUE
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
01:06 - Overview
03:28 - Duckling plans discussion
07:33 - Build the wing and motor mount
15:54 - Build the fuselage
24:58 - Covering the model
26:55 - Test flights at the field
Let's Build the Duckling RC Seaplane
In this video I will build the 1982 Ken Willard design of the Duckling, a three channel RC flying boat. Overall a very good discussion on how to build a radio control airplane. In short, Let's build the Duckling RC seaplane, a scratch build RC airplane.
Ken Willard designed a range of sport flying radio control model aircraft in the late 1970 thru 1990s or so. Ken was also the popular RC Modeler magazine Sunday Flier columnist.
The Duckling is a simple to build model airplane made of balsa wood and a bit of plywood. Plans are from the AMA Plans service.
I made some changes from the original 1982 design. I used an electric motor instead of a gas motor, made a stronger wing and made some fuselage changes to allow for electric flight. All of this is covered in the video.
The Duckling flew just great with plenty of power and full control authority.
Duckling plans: plans.modelaircraft.org/product/duckling
Flite Test Store: store.flitetest.com
Balsa USA: balsausa.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoo_quGN4Ijz76mBcV07GBQ3WB46l71EElTDvs3vUyHG1J9X5uUE
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
01:06 - Overview
03:28 - Duckling plans discussion
07:33 - Build the wing and motor mount
15:54 - Build the fuselage
24:58 - Covering the model
26:55 - Test flights at the field
