Building Remote Control Airplanes That Rock

There is no more exciting experience than having awood kits and they may require some additional
bunch of parts built together into a flying remotework on your side before you can assemble the
control airplane - especially if you do it all yourself. Ofplane.
course building an RC model is more involved thanThe tools required
building most of the other types of model airplanes -Some easy laser-cut plastic kits do not require any
probably only the scale models can beat them.tools except a turnscrew and some glue. You may
Most hobbyists don't really build remote controlneed quite small and precious turnscrew however,
airplanes from scratch. It's too hard because of theespecially for the electronics and the engine.
electronics needed. Of course if you are a radioIf you work with machine-cut or die-cut wooden
enthusiast or an engineer you may have the chanceparts you will need sandpaper to fine the corpse,
to create the remote control system yourself, butwings and other parts.
most people won't do it.The glue is often included in the kits but if it is not or
That's why there are kits. In fact beforeif you have to buy additional, pick appropriate glue
almost-ready-to-fly and ready-to-fly model airplanesfor your materials. The carpenter's yellow glue is best
appeared, all the RC models were sold only like that -for wood, while silicone or canopy glue are better for
in kit form.plastic and fibreglass kits.
Types of KitsAt the end you will want to paint your remote
All kits are similar - they contain parts which youcontrol airplane. The plastic kits often come already
should build together. What is different is the materialpainted, but that's never the case with wood. Before
of the parts. One of the best choices is wood -painting you may want to apply a technique called
usually balsa which is light and strong.dry-brushing. It creates a realistically looking model
Nowadays materials like plastic, fibreglass and foamairplanes. Sometimes dry brushing and painting are the
are getting more popular. I have yet to see a kitmost important things to do if you want your
with metal parts, but some very light metal could beairplane to look good.
a good option.Of course the most important characteristic of the
When choosing a kit, check out how it is cut. Theremote controlled airplanes is that they can fly and
laser-cut kits are easy to assemble and the modelsthat you can control their flight. So when finishing
created from them are precious. Other types of kitsyour kit you must be careful not to disturb some of
are machine cut and die cut. Such are usually thethe fine details of the electronics or the engine.