The first radio-controlled fighter jets flew in the 1970s. They have since become advanced aircraft. Many of them have jet engines and run on kerosene. This way you can experience on the ground what it is like to be a fighter pilot.
RC plane
Radio-controlled planes roll and dive like real fighter jets. They reach speeds of almost 480 kilometers per hour. Driving is not child’s play and requires a lot of practice and skill. It is also expensive. A radio device can easily cost thousands of euros. Making the device starts with spraying. The designs are injected directly into the various component molds. One mold is used for one half of a wing. When the paint dries, they roll epoxy resin into the mold. A layer of fiberglass will be placed on top. They reinforce the fiberglass with super strong carbon fiber. Epoxy resin is added on top of that. The next layer is balsa wood. Very light wood from Latin America. They apply carbon fiber where parts are mounted. The last layer consists of fiberglass mat and epoxy resin. Now follows a layer of absorbent material and a plastic film. They install a valve for a vacuum hose. The hose sucks the air away and sucks the layers together. Then they fry the wing. That activates the epoxy resin and everything melts together. Then they assemble the wooden skeleton for the wings. They strengthen the trusses with carbon fiber and epoxy resin. The modelers carefully place the skeleton on the wing shell. They place an extra truss at the wing tip. And they slide aluminum cylinders into tubes in the skeleton. Then they apply epoxy resin again along the edges of the wing shell. They apply super strong glue to special points of the skeleton to attach the other half of the wing. They bolt the molds together and let the epoxy dry. After a few hours they take out the wing. The spraying ended up neatly from the male onto the wing. There will be holes in the wing for the undercarriage and servo motors. The computer-controlled drill makes holes, but protects the construction. If the drill is off by two centimeters, it will destroy the entire wing. The model builder now perforates the fiberglass layer. He applies a hinged surface, called an aileron. That is a control surface, for making turns and rolling movements. The ailerons and other control surfaces are driven by servo motors. The front part of the fuselage is now ready to be removed from the mold. Like the wings, the fuselage receives a supporting skeleton and mounting brackets. A computer-controlled saw cuts them from carbon fiber sheet. The model maker glues the parts into the fuselage and tail. These bulkheads provide the strength needed for sharp maneuvers and ensure that the hull keeps its shape.
The engine
Controlling such a device is difficult and requires concentration. They are expensive toys and you can’t afford many mistakes. The above describes how the airframe of small jets is made. Now we put them together and set up our model. The parts are assembled in the factory. The wings are attached to the fuselage with the cylinders. The modeler then attaches the stabilos to the tail. Then follow the rudder and the vertical stabilizer. The whole is secured with super strong glue. Then they build the engine. The device will have a ducted fan with an electric motor, like many models. First the model builder places the cover for the fan and the motor. He places four baffles, creating four separate air channels. He slides the electric motor into the aluminum casing. Then he secures the motor with a screw from the other side. The next part is the speed control. The model maker solders the wiring of the speed controller to that of the motor. He locks the mechanism in a tube and sets the whole thing aside. Now he continues with the fan, which he secures on a test bench. A machine checks the fan for vibrations that indicate imbalance. If the fan vibrates, it will be updated and rechecked. The fan is then placed in the tunnel and secured with a bolt. Now it’s time to start the engine on the test bench. The model builder applies full throttle and thus measures the thrust that is generated. If the engine passes the test, it is mounted in the hull. Later, the ducted fan is connected to a battery set. Now the builder continues with the chassis and installs air cylinders. By pumping air into it, the wheels are retracted after the start. This system also allows the wheels to be unfolded for landing.
On top of the cockpit and into the air
Then a piece of transparent plastic is turned into a cockpit canopy. A machine heats the plastic and pulls the vacuum over two molds. The plastic immediately hardens and forms the cockpit canopy. The cockpit part is made in two parts in the same way. The cockpit is installed with a model pilot in it. The fighter jet is now ready for battle. The owner only needs to install the radio control.
The attention to detail in these radio-controlled aircraft is indescribable. Some of these planes even have real jet engines. Those mini jet engines sound and work just like the real ones. They howl and allow for real aerial acrobatic stunts.