Additional Details
The model. The Van’s RV-4 is one of the most popular homebuilt sport planes ever designed — thousands have been built by enthusiast pilots who love its clean lines, capable aerobatics, and that unmistakable bubble canopy. Our 1:8 scale RC park flyer captures the prototype’s character faithfully, from the clean constant-chord wing to the tightly cowled nose. The constant-chord planform paired with a thick semi-symmetric airfoil produces docile handling and a negligible stall — flattering for newer scale pilots and rewarding for experienced ones. This precision laser-cut balsa wood kit is a complete redesign of our original Speed 300/350-class RV-4 — reduced parts count, stiffer structure, and materials that are significantly easier to handle and frame, without sacrificing the model’s light flying weight. Designed and manufactured by Stevens Aeromodel for balsabuilder Magazine.
How it flies. On a 7.4V 2S pack and the recommended APC 8×4.7 SF prop, expect a relaxed, well-mannered sport flyer with crisp roll authority — perfectly suited to a Sunday-afternoon park sortie. Step up to a 3S pack with a 7×4 E prop and the performance sharpens considerably: more aggressive climb, snappier maneuvers, still composed on approach. Flying weight comes in around 17 oz on a well-built airframe. For your first flight, the construction article recommends a conservative control setup: 15° aileron, 20° elevator, 30° rudder.
Build level and support. This is an intermediate balsa wood kit — appropriate for an experienced builder, or a first-time builder working with mentor support. As a balsabuilder kit, the RV-4 is a plans-based build: the construction article narrates the process, and the full-size 34″ × 44″ plans carry the geometry. Some skill with reading and building from plans is part of the experience. The redesigned structure is stiffer and better-sorted than the original, which makes the framing straightforward and forgiving once the build sequence is in hand. The complete balsabuilder Issue 7 construction article ships with the kit and is also freely available online.
This item is frequently stocked and ready to ship — check the product page for current availability. If shown as Cut to Order, please allow 5–7 business days for production.
KIT INCLUDES
- Precision laser-cut parts from hand-selected AAA balsa wood (18 laser-cut sheets), tab-and-slot construction
- All required balsa strip stock to complete the model
- Full-size CAD-drawn printed plans (34″ × 44″)
- Comprehensive construction article as published in balsabuilder Issue 7
- Pre-formed wire landing gear struts (2, pre-bent)
- Clear vacuum-formed PETG canopy (BBM-CP018)
- Two-piece vacuum-formed styrene cowl (BBM-CW018)
- 1½″ wheel pant kit and 1½″ treaded Lite Flite wheels
- Complete hardware package: Micro Razor control horns, Mini E/Z Connectors, Micro E/Z Links, push-rod wire and tubing, landing gear straps and block, blind nuts, wood screws, machine bolts, fuel tubing, sewing thread, hook-and-loop tape, hardwood dowel, aluminum tube spacers, CA hinge material, and a ½″ tail wheel
POWER SYSTEM & ELECTRONICS
Recommended (2S — the easy-going Sunday sport setup):
| Component | Specification | Product Link |
|---|---|---|
| Motor | SA Sport Park BL400, 1400Kv (2212-10), 150W | Park BL400 (150W | 1400Kv) |
| ESC | 20A brushless, 2–3S compatible, 2A linear BEC, ships with 3.5 mm bullets and an XT60 battery connector pre-soldered | SA SPORT 20A Brushless ESC |
| Battery | 1100–1500 mAh 7.4V (2S) LiPo. Our pick: ThunderPower ProLite X 1350 mAh 25C | ThunderPower ProLite X 1350mAh 2S |
| Propeller | SA Sport 8×4.5SF — manufacturer-recommended for the BL400 on 2S. | SA SPORT 8×4.5 SF |
| Servos (×4) | Sub-micro 9g, HS-55-sized, 16–21 oz-in torque. One each for elevator, rudder, and two aileron servos | Sport Micro Servo 9g (PHD-1900A) |
| Receiver | 4–6 channel park-flyer receiver, approximately 8 g, compatible with your transmitter | Sourced from your preferred dealer |
| Y-Harness | If using a 4-channel receiver to combine the two aileron servos | Servo Wire Y-Harness, 12 inch |
Optional 3S (the IMAC-style aerobatic setup — what both of our customer reviewers chose). Step up to 3S for noticeably more vertical, snappier maneuvers, and longer flight times. The BL400 handles 3S happily when matched to a smaller, lower-pitch prop and a 30A ESC.
| Optional 3S | Specification | Product Link |
|---|---|---|
| ESC | 30A brushless, 2–4S compatible, 3A linear BEC, ships with XT60 pre-soldered | SA SPORT 30A Brushless ESC |
| Battery | 1300–1600 mAh 11.1V (3S) LiPo. Our pick: ThunderPower ProLite X 1350 mAh 25C | ThunderPower ProLite X 1350mAh 3S |
| Propeller | APC 7×4 E (Thin Electric). Stay close to this size — larger props will overload the BL400 on 3S | APC 7×4 E |
Five-channel option (REAAT with independent ailerons for flaperon mixing). If you’d like each aileron servo on its own channel, skip the Y-harness and add a 12-inch servo wire extension (one or two as needed).
REQUIRED BUILDING TOOLS & SUPPLIES
The RV-4 is a film-covered balsa kit, so plan on the standard parkflyer build kit:
- Covering film: 1–2 rolls in contrasting colors. We recommend AeroLITE (2M Roll) or ParkLITE (2M Roll) — both are lightweight iron-on films well suited to smaller model aircraft.
- Covering iron (and a heat gun if you want crisp shrink across compound curves) — as required for any film-covered model.
- Adhesives: CA glue in Thin and Medium viscosities is our default; Thick is occasionally useful. Keep CA accelerator (kicker) and CA debonder on hand. Builders sensitive to CA can substitute aliphatic resin (white/wood glue) without issue.
- Hobby knife & blades: a #11 hobby knife handle, with extra #11 hobby blades (5-pack) or the 100-pack for serious builders.
- Sanding: a dual-grit 120/240 sanding block plus assorted sandpaper sheets.
- Tape: clear tape (for hinging applications per the construction article) and low-tack masking tape (for general layout work).
- Building board: a flat 12″ × 24″ building board.
- Paint: the styrene cowl and PETG canopy ship unfinished — plan on hobby paints to match your trim scheme.
Build It!
Geoffrey Cooper (verified owner) –
I bought the RV-4 kit from Stevens Aero several months into Covid restrictions as a way to get back into modelling after a 30year hiatus. It turned out to be a fantastic decision; a fabulously straight-forward build process with amazing detailed instructions, plans and laser cut parts. Plus, it’s a docile, easy to fly trainer with a 2S battery pack, or a aerobatic capable scale headturner with a 3S. Also robust enough to take some ‘beginner’ landings without a scratch. This plane and kit has it all!
I’ve been flying it now for about a month and can report that it really has been an absolute joy to fly, build and own. So easy to fly confidently, convienent (easy to get to battery, easy to put in the car etc), looks fantastic and offers beginner and experienced pilots alike a fun fly every time.
I would suggest a few things ‘alterations’ based on my experience; firstly you’ll want to have a 3S battery (with same motor and ESC) at your disposal as the 2S can leave you wanting more power (particularly at takeoff). I’m running a 1600mAh 3S and I get about 8min of full throttle aerobatics.
Secondly, unless you have glass top runways, I’d loose the wheel spats/covers as they tend to dig in on landing and takeoff. I also had then puncture the wing on a heavy landing, so if you’re learning, leave them off. It’s also very light…so you need it to be a pretty still day to enjoy it to its full.
Otherwise, probably the nicest plane I’ve built and flown. Highly recommended! Thanks Stevens!
Mark Nye (verified owner) –
Last week I completed and flew the RV-4 built from kit by SA. Like my four previous SA builds, the kit was exceptional and the plane flies great. Based upon the previous review, I elected to power with 3S. With BL400 (1400kv) motor, 30A Smart Esc, APC 7x4E prop and 3S1300 Smart battery, I get ~7 minutes of flight before the battery reads storage voltage. Max current draw is 17.0 amps. I installed HS-5055MG servos and an AR630 Rx in a 5 channel (REAAT) set up so I could have flaperon functionality.
Assembly of the kit was easy and straight forward, but I submit that this is more of an intermediate build due to the format of the instructions. In the other SA kits that I built, the instructions were all inclusive and very easy for a beginner to follow. With this kit, the instructions are more designed to accompany the plans so some skill with using plans is helpful. This would be an easy second or third build, but I would stick with something like the Sky Buggy 300 for a first.
I am very pleased with how the RV-4 flies. On 3S the plane has “zippy” performance but is not overpowered. It is not capable of 3D, but on high rates it has a good roll rate and has no trouble with any of the standard pattern aerobatic maneuvers. The size of the plane makes it a great flyer in smaller fields, and it is capable of both short takeoffs and landings. I am very happy with this purchase and look forward to my next SA build.
murrow95@yahoo.com (verified owner) –
This is the best balsa kit I have ever built, hands down. Excellent plans that are very precise! I completed my RV-4 In a very flight visible color scheme for orientation using black, pink,and white film. I am planning on purchasing a second kit just because of how much fun this plane was to build, the price point is very reasonable.
I try to buy american-made products as much as I possibly can, it’s nice to know that this airplane is handmade in good old Colorado USA!
For the price and the performance of this platform, you absolutely will not be disappointed. I have built many balsa plane kits, and this is by far the best!
Curt, Peyton Colorado