Sport Airplanes
Sport airplanes
require a bit more skill and experience than trainer airplanes. However, they are generally more stable and forgiving than pattern type planes designed for precision aerobatics. For this reason, you will find that the majority of RC airplanes being flown at your local club will fall in the sport RC airplane class.
There are really no clear guidelines or set of rules that define sports airplanes.
Sport RC planes is sort of a generic term to define the type of RC airplanes that are flown for "fun" as opposed to competition.
Competition flying is fun as well, but requires more practice, discipline, and aircraft specifically designed to perform a wide variety of aerobatic maneuver perfectly.
Sport airplanes are commonly referred to as Sunday Flyers. This simply means that you don't have to dedicate your life to performing a perfect routine with perfect maneuvers. You simply enjoy your flying day at the field!
There are literally hundreds of sport RC planes available. Below is a list of some of the more common sport airplanes to give you an idea of what's out there.
Hanger 9 Super Stick
Hanger 9's Super Stick is one of the most popular RC sport airplanes. The Super Stick's aerobatic capabilities combined with its stable flight characteristics makes it a great airplane for an intermediate pilot who wants to tear up the sky!
The Super Stick comes 90% pre-built with all the parts to build it as either a tail dragger or tri-cycle landing gear plane.
Hanger 9 Ultra stick
The Ultra Stick is very similar to the Super Stick. The Ultra stick has Quad Flaps which are basically 4 separate aileron surfaces each controlled by it's own servo.
With the help of a basic 6-channel programmable radio, the quad flaps make this sport airplane capable of some amazing flight characteristics. With a flip of a switch you can increase the lift to enable amazingly slow flight, vertical landings, and many other crazy stunts!
Whether you're an electric freak or a nitro buff, there is an Ultra Stick for you!
Hanger 9 Tango 40
The high-wing design of the Tango 40 sport airplane provides for very stable flight characteristics for an intermediate pilot. At the same time, this airplane can perform just about any 3-D maneuver in the book!
This plane is great for intermediate pilots looking to learn some 3-D maneuvers!
Power it with either a 2-stroke nitro engine, 4-stroke nitro engine or electric brushless motor!
Hangar 9 Pulse XT 40 ARF
This semi-symmetrical low wing sport airplane can perform just about any classic aerobatic maneuver with ease, but it's no 3-D plane.
Another great sport plane for the intermediate pilot to perfect aerobatic maneuvers.
Whether you prefer electric or glow, there is a model for you!
Great Planes Super Sportster 40 MKII ARF
As you can probably guess by its name, the Super Sportster is one of the all time classic low wing sport planes.
Tons of RC pilots have transitioned from their trainers to this bird for learning and perfecting aerobatic maneuvers.
Great Planes has recently released the Mini Sportster Electric Powered ARF so that electric motor enthusiast as well as glow engine fanatics can enjoy this RC sport airplane.
Sig Four Star
The Sig Four Star is probably the most common choice for a second airplane. The low wing semi-symmetrical airfoil makes this a very stable yet maneuverable sport airplane.
The kit version of the Four Star is a great first kit as it is a breeze to put together. The Four Star 40 was my first kit and my second nitro powered airplane.
The Four Star can be powered by either an electric motor or nitro engine.
Available Choices:
- Four Star 40 ARF Red
- Four Star 40 ARF Yellow
- Four-Star 60 ARF Red
- Four-Star 60 ARF Yellow
- Four-Star 120 ARF Red
- Four-Star 120 ARF Yellow
- Four-Star 40 Kit
- Four-Star 60 Kit
- Four-Star 120 Kit
Sig Somthin' Extra
If you've mastered the Four Star (or similar sport airplane) and are looking to push the envelope a little farther, this airplane's for you! This plane literally flies like it's on rails!
There are a few of these at my flying club and they sure are fun to watch! In addition to basic aerobatics, this plane is perfect for 3-D flight if you have the power.
Available Choices:
- Sig Somethin' Extra ARF Red
- Sig Somethin' Extra ARF Violet
- Sig Somethin' Extra Kit
Goldberg Tiger 2
The Goldberg Tiger 2 is very similar to the Sig Four Star except it has a symmetrical airfoil as opposed to the Four Star's semi-symmetrical airfoil.
The makes it a bit more "spunky" than the Four Star. This is also an excellent choice for your second airplane.
Great Planes Pete N Poke Sport 40 Kit
Great Planes Pete N Poke is a very slow flying, relaxing, less demanding type sport airplane. Set yourself apart from the rest of the guys at the field with this unique looking bird.
If you want one of these, you'll have to build it as it only comes in kit form. But I've heard it's a pretty easy kit to put together.
Show off YOUR favorite Sports Plane!
Is there a sports plane in your hanger that you'd like to brag about? Tell us about it! Let us know how it flies, what radio system you use, and the kind of motor/engine that you have.
Make sure to share a picture also! Once we get a few submissions we can take a poll to see who has the best set up!
See what others have contributed.
Other Visitor's Pride and Joys
Click below to see Sport Planes submitted by other visitors...
Feel free to leave comments if you have questions for the owner or would just like leave a complement!
Pitts S12 EP
This ARF was purchased from "Texas RC Planes" and is one great model. Very well built of plywood and balsa, it has a 35.4" wing span, weighs around 36 ...
Great Planes Revolver
The Great Planes Revolver is an ARF produced by Great Planes as an advanced sport aircraft. You can run a .46- .55 two stroke or a .70 four stroke.
I ...
Strykers
Stryker B with rudder,
Stryker C custom 40amp ESC
Funk
I have 13 air planes and 5 helies. This is one of three strykers I have. This one goes 100mph with airspeed meter!
3900KV Motor
60 amp Turnigy ESC
...
Airtronics Warlock
Airtronics at one time made one of the best made kits around. Here is an Airtronics Warlock I built last year.
This plane is hard to find, but they ...
Midwest Super Hots
Here is a real fun sport plane, if you are lucky enough to find one. The Midwest Super Hots 60.
Arguably one of the best sport planes ever designed,...
Balsa USA Force One
Here is a snappy little guy, the Force One by Balsa USA.
It sports a 40 size 2 stroke for power and it really moves out. One of the easiest to fly delta ...
Big Beautiful Bird
This is one of the best flying planes anyone could ever ask for.
Built from an old kit and powered by an OS 52 4 stroke.
It's 72" wing span with ...
Midwest Aerosport .40 kit
Here is a great little plane.
Midwest used to make a bunch of great sport planes and 3 sizes of the Aerosport series.
They made a .20, a .40, and a ...
Bridi Dirty Bird
Here is a classic Sport Pattern Plane.
This is a Dirty Birdy .60 wood kit.
It is designed for pattern competition, but I like it as a sport plane....
Scratch Built Junkers J-10
Flies like it's on a wire. Needs a little air speed to land without stalling. ST .61 for power and Futaba radio with HiTech servos. Great plane!
Slow Poke Sport 40 Kit by Great Planes
The Slow Poke Sport 40 Kit was the third RC airplane kit that have I built. I was looking for a slow relaxing plane to build and fly. The Slow Poke Sport ...
Phoenix Extra 300S Sport Airplane
This Phoenix Extra 300S Sport Airplane has an O.S. 55ax engine and a 2.4GHz Futaba radio system with standard servos.
I upgraded to a bigger fuel tank ...
The Four Star 60 BIY Sport Airplane by Sig
Over the years I have built several sport airplanes from kits. There is one that is at the top of my all time favorites list. The Four Star 60 BIY by ...
Arrow 40
This plane was made by Hacker Model Production in Czech Republic. Model Arrow 40 is very very similar to Goldberg Tiger 2 (maybe it's his brother :-) ) .
It'...
Hangar 9 Pulse 40
This is the second plane for me. The first was the Nexstar Select (Never used the AFS though). Spent many hours of practicing on RealFlight before even ...
My Four Star 40 Boiler Maker Express
The Sig Four Star 40 was my second nitro powered airplane after graduating from the Sig LT-40.
This was also my first kit. Considering the fact that ...
Daves Tiporare
Not rated yet
Here is a blast from the past.
The Great Planes Tiporare.
These fine pattern planes are built with fiberglass fuselages, foam wings and stabs.
This ...
Great Planes Tracer
Not rated yet
Here is a nice pattern style plane that is fun to build and flies good. Great Planes discontinued it for awhile and then brought it back.
The Great ...
Balsa USA Enforcer
Not rated yet
Flies great on a Super Tigre 90 or any .60 size engine. Can be made mild or wild and I prefer the wild!
Easy to build and still available from Balsa ...
Sig Komet
Not rated yet
Here is a fantastic flying plane.
It is a Sig Komet .60.
Sig has always made very nice plane kits and the Komet is one of my all time favorites.
Originally ...
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