Here is a list of useful and essential tools for building FPV wings and planes: including the many types of glue and tape, materials and spares parts. Some of the stuff are not necessary but will make building and flying wings much easier, enjoyable and reliable.

Tools

Soldering Iron

We explained in more detail what soldering tools you should get in this tutorial. Here are what I use:

TS100 – AliExpress | Amazon | GetFPV | RDQ

Compact and portable. It can be powered by a 3S to 6S LiPo which is great for field repairing too. See my review. As for solder, you won’t go wrong this this one:

Kester 63/37 Solder: https://amzn.to/3Y9QxrO

Hobby Knife / Utility Knife

Hobby knife is great for cutting and removing foam and tape. Or at least get a box cutter, perhaps less precise and sharp.

• Hobby Knife: Amazon | AliExpress
• Box Cutter: Amazon | AliExpress

Allen keys Set (Hex Screw Driver Set)

As known as Hex drives, is used to tighten or loosen the hex screws used on the motors. Having a set of Allen keys of different sizes available can be extremely helpful.

• AliExpress (Affordable): https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFZWg9T
• Wiha Hex Driver Set (Good quality) – http://amzn.to/2rKsYdo
• Neewer Titanium (Pretty good quality)– http://amzn.to/2yE1l6c

Screw Driver Set

For the screw sizes typically found on RC planes and wings, both cross slotted and single slotted.

• AliExpress (Affordable): https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DnSRCq9
• StarTech 7-piece (Good quality): http://amzn.to/2xCpGuw

Wire cutters

Used to cut zip ties, electrical wires, control rods etc.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DE7vUml
• Amazon: http://amzn.to/2stQt6Q

Pliers

For gripping components while working with other tools. It can also be used as a nut wrench.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DkkEQid
• Amazon: http://amzn.to/2rZdzpv

Scissors

An obvious one, I guess everyone should have a pair scissors in the house, right? :)

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DB4kugD
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/3E5DSOP

Pearl Head Pins

For holding foam parts / carbon parts together if you are using glue that takes a while to dry.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DmkTcTr
• Amazon 250 Pieces: https://amzn.to/2QKMlPC

Sand Paper

You want to sand the foam surfaces and carbon fibre spars before apply glue to them, it makes them stick better.

I’d say anything between 40 grits to 240 grits is fine. It depends on your preference really, as long as you’re not ripping bubbles off the foam. I personally use 80 to 120 grit, I find anything less will make the beads of foam pop out, and anything more than 120 takes a long time to achieve the desired result.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DdRZhtf
• Amazon 120 grit: https://amzn.to/2L7ho2S
• Banggood 240 grit: https://oscarliang.com/product-gmrr

Servo Tester

It’s useful for testing servos, and centring them when setting up elevons. Also useful for troubleshooting and testing ESC and motor spin direction. You may also use it for motor thrust testing.

• Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HE4Fmb
• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DCQGVRj
• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-xz4q

Tapes

Tapes and glues are so important for building wings and airplanes, they deserve their own sections :)

You can probably get 90% of the jobs done using 2-3 types of tapes, but it’s useful to have the variety for different applications too.

Scotch Heavy Duty Packing Tape

The must have tape for general purposes – covering, reinforcing hinges, laminating… Sellotape tape is okay, but I find good quality packing tape are normally thicker and stronger.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DcuetYV
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PqIiDy

Color Packing Tape

Sometimes referred to as wing tapes, color packing tapes are great for decorating your wings, and adding some colors to it. It’s often used for covering and laminating.

The ones I use are thinner than the heavy duty packing tape and aren’t as strong. But it doesn’t add any noticeable weight to the aircraft which is what I like!

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFmdbLL
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/2zOKlw2
• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-xcar

Fibre Tape

AKA Reinforce Packing Tape – it’s extremely strong and sticky! Often used to protect leading edges and reinforcing weak foam parts and joints. It can also be used for covering your servos in the wing.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DduyszT
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/40t9iYO
• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-w9px

Double-Sided Heavy Duty Mounting Tape

Get the 3M Scotch brand, that’s the sh*t! :) Great for sticking two separate things together, like a receiver to the plane.

• Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wY5QIb
• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dl66rwp

Masking Tape

It’s basically just sticky paper :) You can tear it off the reel with your fingers, very convenient to use if you just want to hold something in place temporally during the build. It can be removed easily without leaving any mess behind. You can also write on it since it’s just paper.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFg0fUH
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Y5InRn

Electrical Tape

For isolating electrical joints and wires.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DC4NChj
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HtfM1a

Outdoor Vinyl Tape

It might feel similar to electrical tape, but it’s less stretchy and has a shiny finish and stick much more securely. It’s also twice as thick as packing tape. It conforms to irregularity well, great for applying on control surfaces, like on top of servos, it gives it a very smooth finish

Duct Tape

Stronger than packing tape and works much better on irregular surfaces, but it’s also much heavier; it’s easier to remove and replace; another disadvantage is that they tend to wrinkle up under the sun. it’s usually a choice between this or outdoor vinyl tape

Glue

Any foam friendly glues would do!

Hot Glue

Hot glue is probably the most popular option for building/repairing foam models. Because they melt into the foam like a chemical glue, but also creates an extremely strong physical bond at the same time.

The strength is also its downside. The bond is so strong it’s near impossible to remove without ripping the foam apart. Sometimes you might want the foam to just fall apart in a crash rather than completely destroyed? It’s a personal preference.

The other properties is that it sets very quickly as it cools down. But that’s also the disadvantage, because you have only a short time to position the parts. That gets worse in cold weather.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dl5EPWv
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JF7dmv

E6000 Glue

Currently my favourite glue, I am using this as a replacement to hot glue and CA for building/fixing wings. I have a whole article to discuss why I like it so much.

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFZjrEZ
• Amazon: https://amzn.to/2E9UJlm

UHU Por Glue

UHU POR glue is ideal for gluing hard foam like styrofoam. It is flexible, resistant to aging and waterproof. Takes 10-20 mins to set, becomes transparent when dried.

• Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PseNRR

Gorilla Clear Glue

A very popular option for RC model building. Strong stuff for a great range of materials, but personally not a big fan of Gorilla glue, because getting it on your hands can be worse than epoxy!

• Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YpVVH3

Thread locker

Apply a tiny bit on your motor screws prevents the screws coming off due to vibration. I have an article discussing what it does and which one to get.

Spares

Zip-tie

Velcro

Spare control horns

Pushrods

You can get some dedicated pushrods, alternatively some stiff 0.047″/1.1mm Piano wires would do too.

2mm carbon rods

Useful for reinforcing flexible pushrods that sometimes cheap models come with; recommended if you plan to fly fast. Banggood: http://bit.ly/2SCxu7b

Weight for CG

These are weight blocks you can place in your wing to balance CG. It’s not a bad idea if you want something neat, but I normally just use coins. Actually coins turn out to be cheaper.

• Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GDHCYd

Edit History

• Dec 2018 – article created
• Feb 2023 – updated links