TYPES OF AIRPLANES

Static Airplane Models
Just like the flying variety, static models can vary from the cheap and cheerful to the deadly serious with the choice of size, cost and the quality of the finished model being entirely your own choice. The most common variety to be found is the plastic model found in most toy shops and it is this type of model which is often the introduction to the hobby for many who go on to become serious aeromodellers.

If my own experience is anything to go by, your early efforts of gluing and snapping the parts together will probably be rather messy and taking the next step of painting and finishing with the stick-on markings known as decals can often be delayed. But eventually it is the realization that careful preparation and handling and, above all, patience learned from assembling these models that will have most effect on the quality of your finished model and will be the foundation of your later success.

Flying Models

The use of flying models is often referred to as “aeromodeling”, whether it is for fun or competition. The flying model plane may frequently be designed and built according to exactly the same principles that apply
to a full-sized airplane. So the construction of this type of plane can be considerably more difficult. This is not always the case. The strength of materials does not change in scale. So for example a wing can be cut and shaped from foam for a model because the strength of the foam is sufficient for the greatly reduced weight of the model - but this would be impossible for a full sized airplane.

The key to model airplane construction is lightness. So flying model planes will normally be made mostly from a very light wood like balsa and covered with a skin covering – or whole sections such as the wing illustration may be formed out of a strong, light material such as foam. In the early days, and still to be found today, the covering was a tissue paper skin painted with dope. Surprisingly, when the dope dries and hardens, it shrinks the tissue paper over the frame of the airplane, making a very light but strong construction with a hard, though rather delicate finish. These days, modern technology offers greater strength and robustness with very thin and light plastic materials. Traditionally, the fuselage is built up of longerons and formers along with ribs and spars for the tail and wing surfaces. In the more sophisticated models these may be made from solid sheets of thin ply or increasingly these days from very strong, lightweight composite materials.

Models can be powered with many different types of engines, though, because the builder is trying to produce a model as faithful to the original, full-sized airplane as possible, a balance must be struck between the power required and the size, sound, and appearance of the engine (which may have to be disguised).


Kits Versus Pre-builts
Until just a few years ago, models were only sold in kits. You opened the box to discover a bunch of parts, plans, hardware, and an instruction manual. The kits on the market today are the same. Many people enjoy building kits and going through the entire process of putting the plane together.

However, not everyone enjoys spending weeks or months building a plane when their main interest is to fly one. If this is your preference then choose a pre-built plane, which is also a great option for beginners.


Pre-built planes include the following types:


RTF
RTF is the acronym for “Ready to Fly”, which means that very soon after taking everything out of the box you can have the plane in the air. You’ll have very few things to assemble. Or, you can also find what are called “true RTF’s”, pre-built kits where everything is assembled, including the radio gear and engine.

ARF
This is the acronym for “Almost Ready to Fly”, a type of model airplane that is just that - not complete, but almost. After some hours of assembly, which varies with the kit, the plane will be ready to go. Typically, this type of pre-built comes with the wing halves, tail fins, and fuselage completely assembled and covered. Therefore all you have to do is fit those sections together, install the radio gear and power plant, attach the landing gear, add a few small pieces of hardware, and you’re finished.

If you decide to buy a kit to build yourself then you may well have the choice of pre-built wings or building the wings yourself. As a beginner it is preferable to pay the small extra cost and buy the pre-built wings. These are usually a moulded foam core with a thin wooden veneer. These are more robust and much less likely to be badly damaged in an accident.