Learn How to Draw an RC Plan
Designing a model airplane and drafting an RC plan is easy!
The Havoc Cyclone is an interesting RTF RC plane
In this world of almost and ready to fly RC model airplanes, we sometimes forget that all of our models begin with an RC plan. While we may never see the construction plan for an almost or ready to fly model airplane, plans are a key part of the production process. What is important to keep in mind is that the use and understanding of an simple airplane plan can greatly increase your modeling and flight skills, and add to your enjoyment of the RC hobby. As we’ll discuss shortly, knowledge of how to prepare an RC plan can even make you some extra money by having your plan published.
RC planes and plans
Until the widespread availability of RTF model aircraft in early 2000 or so, RC pilots had to either build their own model airplanes from a kit or make their new flying machine from a set of construction plans. Whether you built from a kit of a set of plans, all RC hobbyists knew how to read and understand a set of plans to complete the finished aircraft.
RC Modeler magazine cover from July 1998
Numerous models were made directly from a set of construction RC plans. An RC building plan was such an integral part of the hobby that RC Modeler magazine, the flagship publication of the hobby until its sad demise in the late 1990s, would oftentimes have up to three original model airplane RC plans for sale in each monthly issue. As an aside, the RC Modeler plans library is still available if you wish to purchase one of the many radio control model airplane plans from their design collection.
Plans built model aircraft provide unique subjects
As you can imagine, there is an incredible range of models that can be make from an RC plan. Any RC pilot who has an idea for a model airplane has only to take the time to draw the outline on paper and put together the model for a test flight. There are very few barriers to entry with an RC plan model airplane. This is in direct contrast to a model offered as either a kit of an ARF by a manufacturer. Kits or ready to fly models will have an extensive and costly development and production cycle that limits the range of aircraft that can be brought to market. A model airplane made by the hobbyist from a set of plans bypasses all these issues, in addition to making design problems easy to solve.
Draw your first set of plans
Once you have the chance to build an RC model or two from construction plans, consider making an RC airplane plan for one of your own designs. There are two approaches to drawing up a set of RC plans. You can either draw a set by hand, or use one of the popular Computer Aided Design drafting programs to prepare the finished depiction of your model.
Blackburn fuselage plan drawn with TurboCAD - video training makes this easy to do
Hand drawn methods were the only means to prepare a set of RC plans until just a few years ago. The RC modeler would carefully pencil in the entire design full size on paper. All corrections had to be done manually and any modification entailed drawing a new plan. An RC plan was prepared by hand simply because there was no other way to accomplish this task.
Learn how to use TurboCAD to draw a plane plan
Publish your RC model airplane plan
With the advent of powerful home computers, the age of CAD drawn plans for the home hobbyist has finally arrived. There are a variety of CAD programs to select from. I have been using TurboCAD since 2001, and am entirely satisfied with the power and ease of use with this affordable drafting and design program. All the CAD RC plans on this site were drawn with TurboCAD.
TurboCAD is very easy to use, once you gain insights as to “how the program thinks.” You can save months of study with the purchase of my video tutorial on using TurboCAD to draw an RC airplane plan. I have included close to three hours of narrated discussion. The two CDs will show you such basics as the snap and trim commands, and how to use construction lines to quickly draw precise fuselage formers and wing ribs.
Publish your plan
Take a look at a full size, free download of a TurboCAD plan for the Finch micro indoor model. The accuracy of line and clean presentation that is available from TurboCAD makes this program a superb resource for designing and producing a plan and associated RC airplane construction article.
Earlier I mentioned making some money from your RC plan model. The best way to do this is to get your model airplane design published in one of the modeling magazines. I have had five of my RC model airplane plans in print. Read this page on how to get your model airplane plan published. It is easier than you think!