We Know: All About Model Airplanes

Building Model Airplanes

Building plastic model airplanes has been a hobby for generations. Some models are quiet elaborate, and the amount of detailing is extensive.

How are the Models Built?

Models for very young children or novices have pieces that simply snap together. Some model airplanes are made from light wood, usually balsa, but most are plastic. The pieces are glued together using a special modeling adhesive. The plane can then be painted, though some choose to paint the pieces individually before gluing them together.


Those modelers who are extremely serious about the hobby may spend hours meticulously researching the historical and technical aspects of the aircraft in order to reproduce it faithfully. Some will even add or create parts from scratch, and go far beyond any commercially available model kits.

What Types of Model Airplanes Are There?

Model airplanes come in many categories. The most common scales are 1/32, 1/48, and 1/72:

  • Military, from World War I to modern military aircraft from all countries.
  • Civil aviation aircraft, from the Wright Brothers to modern makes and models.
  • Floatplanes, both military and civilian.
  • Space aircraft, unmanned and manned, from the Soyuz to the Space Shuttle.
  • Fantasy, including the Star Trek Enterprise.

Who Makes Model Airplanes?

There are hundreds of companies that produce model airplane kits. Here are just a few of them:

  1. Revell.
  2. Tamiya.
  3. Academy.
  4. Guillows.
  5. Hasegawa.
  6. Italeri.


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