The traditional rc model airplane kits are preferred by model plane hobbyists who enjoy the building side of their hobby as much as, or in some cases even more, than the flying side. The building methods for model plane kits have a lot to do with this.
RC model airplane kits are composed of (1) the plan, (2) all the balsa (and sometimes plywood) needed in constructing the plane, and (3) all the hardware needed. Pieces like the fuselage formers and wing ribs may already be cut out, or they may just be printed on the sheet wood for you to cut out with precision. Strip balsa is also included in RC model airplane kits, to be used as wing spars, leading and trailing edges, fuselage longerons, and the like. The modeler provides the covering material, paint, and engine and radio gear.
Balsa wood, which comes from a tropical American tree of the silk-cotton family, is extremely light and strong, making it ideal for model airplane kit construction. Thin model-grade plywood is also used in certain areas of the structure of a model airplane that require more strength, such as the engine bulkheads (firewalls) and landing gear plates.
Construction of RC model airplane kits takes place with the plan laid out on a flat modeling board. This flat board is an essential accessory in constructing RC airplanes. It needs to be rigid, and you should be able to stick pins in it. Something like fiberboard on top of a more solid base is a good example. Other modeling board options you can choose are a rigid thick polystyrene sheet or even a flat sheet of steel, though you will have to use magnets instead of pins to keep the airplane parts in place.
When construction and final sanding on the parts of the airplane (wings, fuselage, tail, and so forth) are complete, these parts may then be covered in some sort of covering film, a popular choice being heat-sensitive film, which is applied using an iron. The heat melts the adhesive backing and sticks the film to the balsa, then the iron or a heat gun is employed to shrink the covering film snugly over the model.
As a modern invention, heat-shrink covering film is not as well suited to building vintage RC model planes as the more traditional approaches, lightweight tissue paper or sometimes silk. Adhesives applied with these materials are cellulose dope or banana oil.
Being able to build your own aircraft from RC model airplane kits is exceedingly satisfying. Likewise, making your aircraft soar through the air is a definite thrill.
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