Everything you need to build and fly your first plane, in one list — the exact parts I'd buy, matched to work together so you're not guessing. It builds the 30-inch foam-board trainer, and the radio, charger, and tools carry over to every plane after it.
Last reviewed: August 2026
A complete beginner RC airplane kit is a 6–10 channel radio, a 2212-class brushless motor, a 30A ESC with BEC, four 9g servos, a 3S 1300–1500mAh LiPo, a balance charger, a prop, foam board, foam-safe glue and basic tools. Bought once, the radio and charger serve every plane after the first.
Rough ballpark — retailer prices change, so treat these as planning numbers, not quotes. First-time all-in is around $140–170; after that a whole new airframe is a few dollars because the radio, charger, and electronics move between planes. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases; FMS, Bambu, and OMTech links are affiliate links too — at no cost to you.
Grab the whole list below, or let a tool tailor it to a different plane.
The real math on a first build: ~$5 of foam board for the airframe (two sheets for the plane, a couple spare), ~$80 of electronics — motor, ESC, props, battery, and servos — and ~$85 one-time for the transmitter and charger. Call it $140–170 all-in. Here's the part that matters: crash it, and your second airplane costs about $5, because every electronic part unplugs and moves into the new foam. The radio and charger you buy once and use for years.
Still weighing this against just buying something that flies out of the box? The beginner's guide to your first RC plane lays out both paths — scratch-build or ready-to-fly — before you spend anything.
Someone trims the budget by charging their LiPo on a generic multi-chemistry wall charger, or worse, a USB brick. A LiPo has to be balance-charged — the charger watches each cell individually and stops any one of them from being pushed past its limit. Skip that and you get a puffed pack if you're lucky and a fire if you're not. The B6-class charger in this kit is around $30, handles 1–6S packs, and will still be charging your batteries five planes from now. Charge on a non-flammable surface and never leave a charging LiPo unattended — Battery & LiPo Basics covers the full routine.
The airplane this site is built around, as plans or cut for you, and the small parts I use on every build.
ER Sparrow Mk II Pre-Cut KitEvery foam part laser-cut and scored, the motor mount, the skewers, and the plans. Add your electronics and glue.$29.99See the kit →
ER Sparrow Mk II PlansTrue-1:1 cutting templates and the 8-page build guide for the 30-inch one-hour trainer. Print at home or at a print shop.$8Get the plans →
Servo Lead Heat-Shrink LabelsAIL, ELE, RUD, THRO and the rest, shrunk onto the lead so the receiver bay reads itself. Four packs.from $19.99See the label kit →
