Get Absolutely Free Radio Control Airplane Plans
No strings attached – download a set of free full size RC plane plans now!
I get a great deal of enjoyment working on this website. Thousands of people have stopped by to click and take a look at the various items I discuss regarding indoor radio control model airplanes. I have had the good fortune of publishing six of my RC flying model aircraft designs in various RC airplane magazines. Many visitors have purchased plans and CAD training videos available for sale (view screen shots of TurboCAD training here). And there is a lot more to come.
Top view of the Finch - see a foam version of the Finch
Google keywords
Through the magic of Google Analytics, I get to see the keywords modelers use to arrive at Indoor Flying Model when using an internet search engine. There is clearly a lot of interest in RC model airplane plans, and that is a good thing. One search that sparked my interest was for “absolutely free radio control airplane plans.” You cannot get much clearer than this query!
Underside of Finch - wing is covered just on top to save weight
So I thought about this for a while. I noticed on my own Google searches when looking for free model airplane plans that there are many false leads or links to plans of low quality. Thus I think that free radio control airplane plans should be a part of this site. Modelers work hard, and what better way to stretch their modeling budget than to build a model from free plans?
Download free plans
Along these lines, I do have two RC model airplane plans that can be downloaded right now and are absolutely free. No strings attached and no forms to fill out. These plans are just part of my way of saying “thank you” for visiting this site. Any pictures you can share on your build of these models would be greatly appreciated, and I will post for others to view. Just attach to an e-mail and send them to me at chickadeeplane@aol.com.
Cowled nose section for the Finch
The first free plan is for the Finch. The Finch is an indoor model designed for radio control gear from the popular ParkZone ready to fly micro P-51 Mustang. The Finch plan is an especially good deal as the Computer Aided Design (CAD) plans, once downloaded, can be printed out full size using Microsoft Word. There is no need to have TurboCAD to print out the plans. Download the Finch plan Word version here or the TurboCAD file here.
The Finch has a 20 inch wingspan and weighs about 1.1 ounces. The Finch is built from balsa with some plywood and can be finished in a weekend. The free plans for the Finch show all the details of construction. There is nothing unusual or unique with building the Finch.
Bash a plan for a new version
Part of the fun of constructing a model airplane from plans is the ability to modify, or “bash” the plans to make a unique version. Note that the prototype of the Finch had an open nose section. For a follow on version I added a 1/32” balsa cowl. I glued the cowl in place as there is really no need for ready access to the geared electric motor. A touch of wood stain adds to the visual appeal of the model. The weight gain from the addition of the cowl has no effect on flight performance, and actually assists with keeping the center of gravity in the correct location. You could take this same approach and add a cockpit to your version of the Finch.
The Finch handles well in the air and can be flown in any indoor model flight area. The Finch can be flown outdoors under calm wind conditions. Check out the pictures below that Mike M. sent me for his version of the Finch. Mike is a professional photographer and it shows with this great photo montage.
Photo montage of Mike M. and his great build of the Finch
The Snapper is another free RC plan that is available for download. The Snapper is a larger radio control model with a 38 inch wing span. The plan can be downloaded either in a PDF file or the original TurboCAD file. Note that you will need the TurboCAD program to view and print the TurboCAD file. The PDF plan here can be viewed and printed out on any home computer. The Snapper TurboCAD file can be downloaded here. You will have to enlarge the Snapper PDF file to a full size plan at your local copy shop.
Snapper RC model airplane
Snapper free RC plane plan
The Snapper is the design subject for my TurboCAD CD training set, where I take you from a clean sheet of paper to the finished Snapper design. The Snapper is an evolution of the Yard Ace design, with the main change involving moving from a high to low wing design. Check out Pedro’s build of the Snapper. The Snapper is an easy build using balsa and plywood and is covered by normal heat shrink plastic covering.
Thank you for taking some time to review this website and discover some of the free plans available for download. Do check back from time to time. TurboCAD makes RC plane design a snap, and I have several more models in various stages of preparation!