Skills, Plans & Kids - Everything You Need To Know
What? Theres A Wrong Plan!?
Not necessarily but there a LOT of things you need to consider first. The first question is, how much experience do you have building model airplanes? If you haven't done a fair amount of models before then it is better to pick older wooden airplane plans because these are actually a really good introduction to model airplanes and are easy to do for a first time project. If you have a good amount of experience then don't worry about this.
Skill Level & Experience
This isn't model rocket science! Everyone starts out somewhere. If you have never done a model before, aircraft or otherwise, you can still put together a great model strait from a model airplane plan. I would advise you choose older wooden airplane plans because these are actually a really good introduction to model airplanes and are easy to do for a first time project. Wooden model airplanes are generally made using Balsa wood because it is cheap, light and very flexible. Don't let the word cheap have a bad impression, it is the highest quality wood that many experts use. If you have a good amount of experience then don't worry about this. Starting out with a simple project will quickly build your confidence up to tackle larger projects that may take weeks to complete.
What About Kits?
I would completely unlearn the word kit if I were you. Unless you buy a $300 kit then you will end up with a low quality peice of junk that is just a waste of your time. You will have a greater satisfaction from building it ground up and also have a much nicer finished airplane than what a kit will ever produce. There are many factory errors in cheaper kits and a lot of extra work to sanding down parts that were poorly manufactured so in the long run you will get away cheaper using a plan and save more time.
What About Children?
If you have a child who is interested in building a model airplane I would again stray away from kits. As long as your child is at least 12 years old then they will have no problem working with a plan. I would of course suggest you supervise the cutting and gluing areas, especally if your using super glue. Ensure that your child understands the directions and knows what to do in every step because it can get frustrating real fast if a part if forgotten or a step skipped and quickly add another dead-end hobby to the list. Children can quickly get disinterested in something that seems too complex in the beginning and end up dropping the hobby entirly. Kids naturally enjoy airplanes over cars and other types of models but make sure you get a wood airplane plan for starters because these are really easy to learn to work with and the materials are much cheaper.
Types Of Plans
It may seem like there are many types of plans out there but if you really want to simplify it then just remember that all a model airplane plan is - is a schematic of how parts can go together. You can use ANY material you like as long as it can be molded and shaped easily. 90% of model airplanes are made of wood because the material is readily available and easy to work with. Most of the older wooden airplane plans are great for both beginners and experts. Most wooden airplane plans are based on old World War I & World War II fighter plans and bombers - this is where it all started and a great way to begin aviation modeling is starting right here at square one.