Model aircraft or model airplanes are scaled-down replicas of aircraft. Two types of model airplanes are the static or non-flying models and flying models. Lightweight materials are use to make these. Designs may vary from actual aircraft such as commercial planes, fighter planes, glider aircraft, and private planes to imaginary aircraft such as the ones seen in the media or personally designed or customized by some.
The static or non-flying models may be made from metal, paper, plastic, or wood. Some are being sold as it is and ready to be placed where one desires while some are being sold as pieces needed to be assembled. These models are ideally collected especially by aviation and history buffs. Usually, static model airplanes are used for publicity or promotional campaigns of the aircraft they were modelled after. Some are used for acquiring an up-close and personal look at the look and details of the aircraft they were modelled after. Static models which still need to be assembled and are also known as snap models are more popular among hobbyists.
Static model aircraft are commonly made of moulded plastic. The second most common way of making them is cast resin. Static models made of cast resin are more expensive than those made of moulded plastic because the cast resin process requires intense labour and more raw materials.
Flying model airplanes consist of free flight, control line, and radio-controlled plane models. Free flight models are ones which are not externally controlled meaning they are designed to be stable during flight even if they are disturbed by wind. This is why most free flight aircraft are not modelled after actual human-piloted aircraft. This has been a sport for many years and the goal is long and stable flight duration. Free flight models are usually made from balsa wood, paper, and plastic.
Meanwhile, control line models as it is named are flying models which are controlled by attaching a pair of lines so they are constrained to fly within a certain distance. This has also been a sport for many years and competitions are categorized as speed, precision aerobatics, team racing, combat, naval carrier, and scale. Control line models are usually made from balsa wood, plywood, paper, plastic, spruce, and polystyrene foam.
Finally, radio-controlled (RC) aircraft models are remotely controlled through the use of a hand-held controller which can let users manoeuvre the plane model to desired heights, speed, and distance. This popular hobby led to the availability of countless models and styles. Competitions are also held for RC planes. RC aircraft are also being utilized by scientific, government and military organizations for experiments, gathering weather readings, aerodynamic modelling and testing, and even using them as drones or spy planes.
The popularity of model aircraft have brought forth numerous manufacturing companies and even hobbyists themselves to create more kinds and style of static and flying model airplanes.