Choosing The Materials
Wood Materials
There is really only one type of wood that is consistently used on all model airplanes and that is Balsa. Balsa wood is a very lightweight, flexible and durable wood available in many thicknesses and can be found at almost any hardware store or hobby shop. Because it is so thin it can be cut easily but it is durable enough to not bend or bow once the model is complete. Any model airplane plan can use Balsa wood as the primary material regardless of what the plan says to use. Balsa is available in 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" with them most common being 3/32" and 1/8". Depending on the scale your are working with a thicker sheet may be required. This wood is also extremely cheap, you can buy several sheets of any thickness for just a few dollars so this is another plus for model airplanes.
RC Model Airplane
An RC model airplane can be done with any model airplane plan and a few adjustments. These can be built with Balsa wood and some special heat-proof materials and glues but can become quite expensive after buying the engines, gears and propellers.
Plastic Materials
Plastics are generally only found in model airplane kits because it usually has to be manufactured into the correct shape. If your new to building model airplanes then I would stick with wood. Plastic pieces in kits are often poorly manufactured and if you happen to break a piece then your out of luck unless you buy a new kit. Depending on the plan you choose the materials required will be listed along with alternate materials that can be used. No plan will require an exotic material or something you can't find at an everyday hardware store.
Metal Materials
Sheet metal is often used for very large model airplanes, and I mean LARGE, the kind that may have a wingspan as great as 30 feet. This is defiantly not for a beginner and many special sheet metal tools are required to do this. I have seen some amazing models that people have done over the years using sheet metal but with the work and experience required it's not a viable option, especially if you are limited on space. These are often built from sheet metal and fiberglass and then it takes an amazing paint job to make them look good. There are no specific plans for these, it just takes a lot of guesswork and experience. And money, lots of it. Good model airplanes usually don't come for less than $1,500 after materials and a paint job.