Foam RC Airplane

If you are like most RC enthusiasts you have spare spare motors, servos & batteries. This instructable shows you how to make a flat foam airframe in a couple hours.

I've modified free plans from http://www.foamyfactory.com/ for a faster build that is also stronger.
This requires just 1 foam core board that can be purchased from a craft store.
I used the 1/2" thick board instead of the more common 3/16" version I've used in the past.

Step 1 Airframe Layout

Print out the full scale design available free from http://www.foamyfactory.com/
Put the design on poster board so you can easily trace out the design for future builds.
I've found that making just the vertical profile of the fuselage, the whole wing and the tail is all you need.
Trace out the designs on the foam board.

Comments

[White_Wolf]

If you get a chance check out this guy's technique for using dollar store foam board.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ExperimentalAirlines/featured
With your talent with this foam you could do some awesome work with foam board. :0)

[ashwintunga]

how much is the range of cost of making this

[simonyu]

what do u use to glue it together???
pva or hot glue gun?

[David97]

I would think that hot glue would be too heavy and pva on foam, too weak. I would buy a contact glue.

[tomtortoise]

I have never built an airplane before but i have made robots so i have a Hitec Laser 4, a few standard size servos and some Ni-Mh batteries (1600 mah 9.6v and 8.4v) im wondering if these servos and batteries are too big, if so what ones should i use, and also what size motor should i get, i have no clue what to look for in a motor or prop.

[ssanz aranda]

what kind of motor do you use?

[cillianm564]

I want to build one which material would be better balsa wood or foam

[Madrias357]

Foam is easier to fix, and if you ask me, more fun. A crash with foam means tape and glue. A crash with balsa wood means a full repair job.

[limppimento]

Couldn't agree more. I love to build but I would rather fly than repair. A little tape or foam glue is hardly a repair and your up in three minutes. Although, Just for the sake of arguement, and to be fair, Balsa repair really is not as bad as some would think(for a minor crash), but it does end your flying for the day.

[Madrias357]

Exactly. A balsa plane crash ends your day. Foam planes, it's time to get out the foam-safe super glue and the fiberglass reinforced tape and stick the pieces together.

[arpruss]

Newbie question: What is the foam safe super glue?

(I've had good luck gluing foam with Gorilla glue. I also tried Shoe Goo when I was out of Gorilla glue--it ate up an inch of foam, oops.)

[AndyGadget]

 
UHO POR is the glue to use.  This is a contact adhesive which doesn't eat the foam and is great for other jobs too.

[duct tape]

It might be easier to cut the foam with a hot wire foam cutter, like this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hot-Wire-Foam-Cutting-Nunchucks/

[absolute zero]

where would one go about getting these parts? and how expensive is the plane made in this 'ible?

[bungholio90210]

google "hobbyking". cheap rc equipment from china. use paypal on orders though. ive had problems with credit cards through them.

[tak145]

There are lots of online rc hobby stores. If you are getting started with a first plane i recommend you buy a brushless plane that has all the components. When you crash, and everyone does, you can salvage the parts and build a foam plane.

[awang8]

Can this plane actually fly? I've notice that the wing lacks the all-important aerofoil property that provides lift.

[bungholio90210]

yes. you do not need an airfoil to create lift. all you need is to turn air down, and by newtons 3rd law, the plane will go up. a flat wing IS an airfoil, just not as efficient as airfoil's youre thinking of. it is a very simple, and good airfoil for a smaller, 3D RC airplane

[tak145]

Yes. The motors are so powerful there is no need to have an airfoil. Check out the videos in this link. http://www.foamyfactory.com/videos.htm

[rjoshua2]

from where do you get these motors.All the electronic shops i have been to had no Ac, Dc or any kind of motors. please reply back

[mathursharad]

Hi I can you explain in detail how you actually cut the foam? What kind of knife, technique?

I am also trying to cut foam that is as thick as yours and the edges are not coming out straight. I don't mean the long edge, I mean the short edge that are on the side of the foam. The reason mine are not straight is because I find it hard to keep the knife at a 90 angle to the cutting mat.

Do you have some tips on how to keep the knife perpendicular to the cutting surface?

Thanks

[noumanahmad]

plz help me, how can i make foam wing rc plane, email me on [e-mail], plz

[tak145]

I use an electric jig saw. See step 3. In that picture I'm showing how to cut the bevel on the control surfaces. The jig saw makes the process go quickly. I used to use and exacto knife but unless its extremely sharp you'll have to take several passes to cut through the board.

[salamasalama]

i am the member,but i can't download it.what's that...............

[snaqvi1]

i have no rc only foam motors and battries wires what isthey needed to made this plane

[likestobuild]

Im kind of a newb with rc stuff so would u recomend I build this model, or should I build a different/easier model?

[sham1990]

Nice & simple! But its better to make the wing and elevator wing boarder smooth curve for better aerodynamic. Your design good for indoor.

[eieio706]

what size motor ? thanks Ray

[ciragan]

if that plane flies, than everything else on earth can do so... no way..

[Madrias357]

It flies because it's very lightweight and has a massive amount of power on the nose.

[limppimento]

First, tak145 thanks for the contribution. I have noticed there are several negative comments as to the quality and design of this plane. Based on my experience of 12 years of experimental r/c design flight, and I still learn new things eveyday, I would like to make a few observations. 1) I have never come across a plane that would not balance unless it was due to a horrible design issue. That doe not exist here. These plans are nearly identical to several commercialy produced kits on the market. 2) This is a 3D profile style plane. I have built several out of 3/16" foam core WITH bamboo dowel supports for the wing. If you want a plane you can run up to max power on you throttle and yank back on your elevator, and keep it in one piece, don't build this plane. Tak145 may not agree, but then again, he made his out of 1/2" foam. 3) could you put a nitro on this. yes but see point #2 above. When I first started out flying all I had was a 2 channel radio, a $3 walmart foam glider, amd a cox .049 engine. So yeah its possible. The important thing is to experiment. This is a great guide for getting you started but dont look to insult someone if you base your battery position off of someone elses picture and it doesnt balance. Ask, don't insult, especially if you went though all the fun of building this then scrap it because of a kink or because you thought you were building a HI-PO Jet. Thanks.

[mrcayouette]

would i be able to put a small nitro powered motor like a .10 on this remote controled plane?

[yuvraj kanda]

ITS ONLY JUNK NOTHING

[yuvraj kanda]

THE PLANE COULD NOT BALANCE

[Motordude]

how much do you think the plane weigh

[sdfgsdfg]

Try sanding the foam. It will make it more aerodynamic: less speed for flight etc.

[erod998]

 i want o see a vid of this thing flying and multiple pics of different parts of the plane/ Can u post some . If u cant that fine great instructable anyway

[FURAT SUBHI]

Coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!

[FURAT SUBHI]

Cool!

[rodneyroy]

ive looked at these plans before, and they look easy enough. but im not sure if i would trust them, becaouse i  made the bipe from the same website and it didnt fly very good. maybe it was the kind of foam. who knows.