Build Your Next Airplane from a Model RC Plan
RC plans offer a wide variety of model aircraft designs
A lightweight plane design suitable for RC flight
Flying radio control model aircraft is a hobby enjoyed by many people. The popularity of almost ready to fly model airplanes has reached an all-time high. This is a good thing, as ARF airplanes offer a unique way to save time and quickly get in the air for today’s busy hobbyist.
Build from plans
There is, however, a large benefit to constructing aircraft from a model RC plan. A construction plan provides a complete summary of all the actions and parts required to build a flying model airplane. There are no set parameters for items that need to be included in a model RC plan. Rather, the plan must provide a pictorial illustration of the layout of the airplane, highlights of any unique construction methods, and outlines of the ribs, airfoils, formers and any other structural elements.
There are literally thousands of model RC plans that you can use to construct your next airplane. Until the advent of ARF models, every model airplane kit contained a full construction plan that needed to be carefully followed. During this time, all modelers had to be able to build any model airplane that they flew.
Standalone airplane plans were once a normal part of the modeler’s world. All the popular model airplane magazines provided several construction plans in each issue. These published plan libraries were an important source of revenue for the model aviation press as well. Happily, most of these historical model RC plans are available for sale today if you perform a short internet search.
Introduction of electric RC flight
In addition RC pilots’ embrace of almost ready to fly model airplanes, a recent and truly revolutionary advance to the world of model aviation is the global acceptance of electric powered flight for RC airplanes. Until just a few years ago, electric power was not a practical alternative for model aviation. Batteries were too heavy, the technology for electronic speed controls did not exist, and brushed electric motors were weak and often caused radio interference.
S.E 5a World War I biplane made from plans
All this has changed completely and with a positive effect on the use of RC model plans. Brushless motors provide plenty of interference-free thrust for any sized model aircraft. Electronic speed controls can be adapted to any model configuration. Light weight lipo batteries provide plenty of power. Electric power can provide efficient and vibration free power for any of the older model RC plans that previously relied on gas engines.
Heavier airframes for gas engines
The fact that electric motors provide the same thrust as gas engines with essentially no vibration means that model airframe structure – always beefy to contain the abuse meted out by gas motors – can be significantly reduced resulting in lighter aircraft weight. Electric power thus has the net effect of rejuvenating many older RC model plans by allowing the builder to construct a lighter aircraft. It is amazing to see and feel the noticeable increase in flight performance with all of these classic airplane designs once they are constructed and flown at a lighter weight.
A similar approach to recreating older model plan designs for today’s newer electronics resides with free flight model airplane designs. Starting in the 1930s, before the introduction of practical radio control equipment, modelers produced numerous examples of free flight aircraft. These designs inherently flew well, and make ideal candidates for conversion to electric radio control flight.
Guillow's free flight model airplane kits make ideal candidates for conversion to micro RC flight
Rubber band powered free flight model plans already possess a lightweight structure. All the model plane designer needs to add is some additional lightweight structure for a motor mount and RC gear. The airplane can be essentially built to the plan from this point.
Plans offer models not available as an ARF
Many of these older free flight designs are of aircraft with wingspans under 18 inches. This size (and smaller) is ideal for the extremely small electronics package used for ParkZone ready to fly aircraft. The ParkZone RC equipment, to include geared electric motors, can be used to control even the smallest aircraft constructed from a model RC plan.
In summary, knowledge of how to build an airplane from plans is a useful skill to possess and allows you to enjoy flying the widest variety of model aviation subjects. ARFs fly well and are a part of any RC pilot’s collection. Building your own model airplane subject from construction plans adds yet another enjoyable dimension to this great hobby.