ARF RC airplanes
- a good intro to model building
'ARF' stands for 'Almost Ready to Fly', and ARF rc airplanes are a great choice if you want to be introduced to model airplane building by doing just a small amount of work on the model to get it ready for flight, rather than having to build the airplane from scratch.
ARF models can be purchased as gas or electric powered, and all of them are very similar in terms of completeness, although obviously there are differences between manufacturers.
ARF rc airplanes almost always come fully covered, often with a separate sheet of decals for you to add yourself. The majority of work needed is related to radio control gear and motor installation, both of which must be purchased in addition to the airplane as they are usually not included in the price. Having said that, some shops can offer 'combo deals'* that do include these items.
Once this installation is complete, there will then be some minor final assembly work such as fixing landing gear, tailplane assembly and fuel tank installation.
Above, an ARF Extra 330 just needs radio gear & motor installation before final assembly
Installing the radio gear and motor isn't a particularly difficult job, but if it's your first time then you really do need to follow the manufacturers instructions carefully.
If you have any doubts about the radio or motor installation, consulting a fellow modeler, hobby shop or seeking advice on our forum would be the best thing to do.
Depending on how finished your ARF airplane is, you may or may not need to do control surface and servo linkage work yourself when installing the radio gear. Again, not a difficult job but setting everything up properly is crucial to safe flying and the airplane's survival!
*Another option these days is to buy an ARF combo deal - this is the airplane in ARF form with a motor and radio gear. This just leaves you to do the installation and finishing work, without having to worry about which motor and rc set to buy.
This is a good way to purchase an ARF airplane because it ensures a perfect match across all components, and usually works out cheaper than buying the kit, motor and radio gear separately.
Either way, an ARF rc airplane kit is an excellent introduction to understanding basic model airplane building techniques, without jumping in at the deep end!
[Note - sometimes you might see ARF models referred to as ARTF - they're exactly the same thing, just a different abbreviation. This often occurs between two countries, for example American modelers would use ARF while British flyers use ARTF.]
Browse some ARF rc airplanes here, if you're looking to buy.
