Import tools from prerequisite guides

• 1 x Ballpoint pen
• 1 x Bar sander—such as the Great Planes 11" Easy-Touch, for sanding in notches and making adjustments.
• 1 x Drill bit, 3/16"—You don't need a drill.
• 1 x Guidance from an experienced model builder—Optional. Highly recommended. One mistake on a model can mean the difference between flying and crashing.
• 1 x Hacksaw blade—optional
• 1 x Hobby knife, #11 with spare blades—Your best friend throughout construction. Change blades at the end of each phase.
• 1 x Iron
• 1 x Modeling board
• 1 x Plans—included with my kit, or you can download and print them from makezine.com/17/model_airplane.
• 1 x Razor saw—to cut hardwood stock
• 1 x Ruler
• 1 x Sanding block, soft
• 1 x Sanding block, firm
• 1 x Sandpaper, 80-grit
• 1 x Sandpaper, 150-grit
• 1 x Sping clamps
• 1 x Spray bottle
• 1 pack x T-pins—or modeling pins. $6 for 50
• 1 x Triangle
• 1 x Wax paper

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• 2' x 6' roll x Iron-on plastic covering—I used Top Flite MonoKote Transparent - and don't recommend the opaque. Hangar 9 UltraCote is also good. The traditional - and classiest - covering is Silkspan, a heavy-grade tissue paper that you apply with glue and dope, but it's fragile and impractical for landing in dry grass.
• 1 x Wood—You can buy one of my kits, which includes all the wood you need, preprinted with patterns, at realkits.com. Otherwise, you'll need the following, available at Hobby Lobby, hobby-lobby.com, and other hobby shops. Wood quality varies greatly, so first-time builders should seek experienced assistance.
• 8 x Balsa sticks, medium, 3/16" x 3/16", 36" long
• 1 x Balsa sheet, medium, 1/16" x 4" and 36" long
• 1 x Balsa sheet, medium, 3/16" x 4" and 36" long
• 2 x Balsa sticks, medium, 1/4" x 1/4", 36" long
• 1 x Balsa block, medium, 1 1/4" x 2" x 2 1/4"—or you can laminate a block from 6-7 layers of 3/16" sheet
• 2 x Balsa, 1" x 1/4" x 36", triangular cross-section "trailing edge"
• 2 x Hard balsa, 1/4" x 1/4" x 36"
• 2 x Spruce lumber, 3/8" x 3/16" x 36"
• 1 x Dowel, spruce, 3/16" x 5"
• 1 x Wood glue—Aka aliphatic resin. Cyanoacrylate "super" glues are finicky and brittle, and the bottle frequently clogs. Then, when you unclog it, it shoots a stream of glue on a nearby appendage and nearly burns it as it cures.
• 1 x Masking tape
• 1 x Weights, small—I just use lead tire weights I find in gutters.
• 3 x Wood screws, 1/8" x 1", with threads that stop at least 1/2" from the head
• 1 x Brass strip, 1/4" x 1/64" x 7"
• 1 x R/C airplane radio, 2-channel - or 4-channel, with mini servos and a 250–270 milliamp battery pack—All must fit in the fuselage, so bring the plan to the hobby shop. I used an old Futaba Conquest radio with Hitec HS-81 servos.
• 1 pack x Control horns—I used Du-Bro 1/2A nylon control horns, item #107.
• 1 pack x Model hinges, 3/4" x 1"—I used Great Planes Ultra Grip CA Hinges, item #GPMQ3950.
• 1 pack x R/C control pushrods—I used 36" Sullivan Flexible Gold-N-Rods, item #S503.
• 4 x Rubber bands, #64—or 6 if you use a Hi-Start bungee launcher
• 1 x Carbon paper—Optional. If you don't use the kit, you'll need this to transfer the patterns from the plan to wood.
• 1 x Magazines, used—to cut on

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