Best RC Biplanes: From Micro Waco to Giant-Scale Pitts

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Scale biplanes look like they should be the gentle, old-fashioned end of the hobby. They are not. The same two wings that give a Waco its good looks also give it low-speed manners that reward a pilot who has already done the basics, and the manufacturers tend to say so in their skill ratings. If you are still learning, start with a trainer and come back when the first solo is behind you.

This page is a researched buyer's guide built from manufacturer product pages and instruction manuals. It is not based on our own flying, so you will not find "I loved it" verdicts here. Where a number is a maker figure, it is labelled as one. Where a fact could not be confirmed, it is marked "not confirmed" or left out.

The short list by size

Skill levels below are the ones Horizon Hobby prints on its own product pages. Stock status was read from the availability data on those pages in October 2026.

None of these is marketed as a first airplane, which is the point of the first paragraph.

How a biplane behaves, and what the manuals say about it

Two wings give more wing area for a given span, so a biplane of the same size as a monoplane usually flies at a lower wing loading. That is a general rule of thumb rather than something a manual quantifies, but the manuals reflect it in their advice.

• Landing needs care. The UMX Pitts S-1S manual says to land into the wind, calling that "very important for this model," and to fly the descent about 6 inches (15 cm) or less above the runway with a small amount of throttle held on. The Ultimate 3D manual recommends coming down at 1/4 to 1/3 throttle and says a two-point wheel landing is easiest.
• Balance is not optional. Every manual below gives a CG measured from the leading edge of the top wing, and the giant-scale manual states that you must balance the model properly before attempting flights.
• Throttle on the way down. If you are used to cutting power on a high-wing trainer, expect a biplane to ask for a flatter, more power-managed approach.

Our guides on precision pattern flying, basic loops, rolls and stall turns and 3D aerobatics cover what you will actually ask these airframes to do.

Micro biplanes

E-flite UMX Waco 550mm

E-flite UMX Waco BNF Basic on Amazon

Horizon describes this as an officially licensed scale replica of the YMF-5, finished in two color options, with a more powerful 2S and 3S compatible motor and ESC and optional SAFE Select protection. The manual lists:

• Wingspan 21.7 in (550 mm) and length 16.5 in (418 mm).
• Weight 3.3 oz (93 g) without a battery for the White and Red scheme, 4.2 oz (119 g) with the recommended 3S 300 mAh pack. The Yellow and Black version is 3.6 oz (101 g) and 4.5 oz (127 g).
• CG: 38 mm, plus or minus 8 mm, behind the leading edge of the top wing.
• First flights: set the transmitter timer to 5 minutes.

BNF Basic means you bring a full-range 5+ channel Spektrum DSMX or DSM2 compatible transmitter, a 2S or 3S 280 to 300 mAh LiPo and a charger. Horizon rates it Level 3, so it is not a plane for someone fresh off the trainer.

Two manual rules are worth knowing before the maiden flight. First, hand launch only in SAFE mode, into the wind at full power and on high rates; the manual says hand launching in AS3X mode is not recommended because it may result in a crash. Second, when the battery reaches 3V per cell the ESC reduces motor power so the receiver and servos can still land the plane. Land the moment you notice the power drop.

E-flite UMX Pitts S-1S 434mm

E-flite UMX Pitts S-1S BNF Basic on Amazon

This is the aerobatic sibling, an Aviat Aircraft Company licensed replica with a 1900Kv 10-pole motor and four 2.3g long-throw linear servos. The manual gives:

• Wingspan 17.1 in (434 mm), length 15.5 in (393 mm).
• Weight 93 g (3.3 oz) without a battery and 125 g (4.4 oz) with a 3S 300 mAh pack. The Horizon spec page lists slightly different weights, so treat the figures as approximate.
• CG: 32 mm back from the leading edge at the wing center section.
• First flights: 5-minute timer.
• Repairs: foam-compatible CA or clear tape only; the manual says other glues can damage the foam, and that CA accelerant can damage paint.

Like the Waco, it is BNF Basic at Horizon skill Level 3, and you supply the transmitter, a 2S or 3S 280 to 300 mAh JST-RCY battery and a charger.

RAGE Beechcraft Staggerwing

RAGE Beechcraft Staggerwing micro RTF on Amazon

This is the only ready-to-fly entry in the roundup, and it is a negative-stagger design, meaning the lower wing sits ahead of the upper wing. Specs and features here follow a third-party model database that reproduces Rage's description, so check Rage's own listing for the current details:

• Wingspan 513 mm (20 3/16 in), length 433 mm (17 1/16 in), 68 g (2.4 oz) with its 1S 3.7V 250 mAh battery.
• Retractable landing gear and flaps, a 5-channel 2.4GHz transmitter and a 5-in-1 control board with PASS (Pilot Assist Stability Software).
• PASS has three switch positions: Full Assist, Partial Assist and No Assist. In either assist position, releasing the sticks returns the plane to straight and level.
• Flight time listed at 6 to 8 minutes.

Rage describes the plane's flight performance as suited to experienced pilots. RTF describes what is in the box, not how demanding the plane is. Current availability is not confirmed.

E-flite UMX PT-17 Stearman

Older lists include a UMX PT-17. Horizon's search currently shows spare parts for it, such as wing, strut and landing gear sets, but this guide found no complete aircraft. It is left off the recommendations; if you find one secondhand, check the parts situation first.

Mid-size foam biplanes

E-flite Pitts S-1S 850mm

E-flite Pitts S-1S 850mm BNF Basic on Amazon

The old version of this list skipped the 850mm Pitts, which Horizon lists as in stock. Per Horizon it has a 33.5 in (851 mm) wingspan, a 31 in (787 mm) length, a 46 oz (1304 g) weight, a 40A ESC, four 9-gram servos and a Spektrum AR631 6-channel receiver with AS3X and optional SAFE Select. It runs on 3S or 4S power and is Level 3. The manual suggests a 4-minute timer for first flights and a 3S 2200 mAh pack as the recommended battery. Horizon's spec page and the manual disagree on the motor Kv, so check the manual that ships with your plane before buying a prop.

E-flite Ultimate 3D 950mm

E-flite Ultimate 3D 950mm Smart BNF Basic on Amazon

Horizon marks this one as discontinued, and its Amazon listing showed as unavailable when checked, so it is a secondhand or leftover-stock proposition. It is still worth understanding because many other biplanes get compared with it. Horizon's description calls it an updated version of the Ultimate biplane for scale, sport, precision aerobatic and 3D flying, and says the Ultimate2 debuted in 2015. Its manual gives:

• Wingspan 37.6 in (954 mm), length 42.6 in (1082 mm), wing area 519 sq in.
• Weight 3.25 lb (1474 g) without a battery and 3.75 lb (1701 g) with a 4S 2200 mAh pack.
• BL10 800Kv motor, 60A Avian Smart ESC, AR637TA receiver with telemetry, 3S or 4S power.
• CG: 89 mm back from the leading edge at the center of the top wing.
• First flights on the recommended pack: set a 3-minute timer and land after four minutes.
• Motor reversing needs a transmitter with at least 7 channels.
• Two tail tubes: the composite one for 3S and the metal one for 4S.

The manual also recommends letting the motor cool between flights on 4S in 90 F (about 32 C) heat.

Dynam Waco YMF-5D V2

Dynam Waco YMF-5D V2 on Amazon

Dynam describes a classic open-cockpit biplane in EPO foam. Its own listing contradicts itself on size: the headline says 1300 mm (51 in), the spec table says 1270 mm (50 in), so confirm the figure for the kit you receive. Dynam's spec table lists:

• Length 983 mm (38.7 in), flying weight 1550 g (61 oz), wing loading 38.5 g/dm2.
• CG: 70 to 75 mm from the leading edge at the wing root.
• Detrum BM3720-900KV motor, TomCat Skylord 50A ESC, 12x6 propeller and four 9g servos.
• A 4S 2200 mAh 25C battery, with an approximate flying time of 8 minutes (a maker figure).
• Thrust of 2807 g (a manufacturer claim), fixed landing gear, no flaps.

It is sold as PNP, BNF and RTF-style bundles, some with a 6-axis stabilizer receiver. Dynam labels it intermediate. Because this is a PNP-style kit from a maker that is not Horizon, check what radio gear your bundle needs.

FMS Pitts 1400mm V2

FMS Pitts 1400mm V2 PNP on Amazon

Horizon lists the PNP as back-ordered. The box includes four 17g servos, a Hobbywing 50A ESC and a 4258-KV460 brushless motor, and you supply a 6-channel radio system, a 6S LiPo and a charger. FMS's listing, as quoted in a search result, gives a 1400 mm (55.1 in) wingspan, a 1298 mm (51.1 in) length, a CG of 155 to 165 mm back from the leading edge, a 15x9 propeller and a recommended 22.2V 4000mAh pack, with about 5 minutes of flying duration. Earlier lists of this plane described it as 4S to 6S compatible; Horizon and FMS both point to 6S, so budget for that.

Forum chatter about this model includes axle fixes and alternative CG numbers. Those are owner modifications and have not been confirmed, so this guide does not repeat them. Use the printed CG range as your starting point and verify the balance with a balancer; the CG balancer guide explains how.

Giant-scale and large ARF biplanes

Hangar 9 Pitts S-2B 50-60cc

Hangar 9 Pitts S-2B 50-60cc ARF on Amazon

Horizon lists the S-2B ARF in stock at Level 4. It is balsa and plywood with UltraCote covering and multiple quick-release hatches, and the box holds only the airframe and manual. Specs on Horizon's page and in the manual:

• Wingspan 71.6 in (1819 mm), length 70 in (1778 mm), weight 18 to 22 lb (8.2 to 10 kg).
• Gas power: the manual's parts list names a DLE-60cc twin with electronic ignition.
• Electric power: a Rimfire 50cc motor, an Edge 160HV ESC and two 7000 mAh 6S packs, which Horizon summarizes as 12S 5000 to 7000 mAh.
• Required for all power options: 7 A6380 digital HV servos, servo extensions, an AR12310T 12-channel receiver and a 4000 mAh 2S receiver pack.
• CG: the manual's recommended 5 1/4 in (133 mm) behind the leading edge of the top wing center section if the balancing mounts are lost, with a tested range of 4 in (101.5 mm) to 6 1/2 in (165 mm).

That equipment list is why ARF does not mean cheap or quick. Our Hangar 9 guide covers what building a balsa ARF involves, and the giant-scale guide places this plane among its peers.

Phoenix Model Waco ARFs

Phoenix Model Waco ARF on Amazon

Horizon also lists two Phoenix Model Waco ARFs as in stock. The 90.5 in YMF-5 takes a 50 to 61cc gas engine, or an electric setup with a 50cc-equivalent motor, a 120A ESC and 6S packs, and needs an 8+ channel radio and 5 to 6 high-torque servos. The 63 in (1600 mm) 1/5-scale Waco F5C is rated Level 4, is 49.2 in (1250 mm) long, and offers glow (.91 two-stroke), 15cc gas or electric power with a 4-channel minimum radio.

Pre-flight checks the spec sheets skip

Balance with the recommended battery installed, because several of the figures assume it. Also remember that the CG reference point differs: some are measured at the top wing, some at the wing root.

Other habits that cost nothing:

1. Rigging and fasteners. Check wing mounts, struts and flying wires on foam models before every session.
2. Foam-safe glue only. The UMX Pitts manual says to use foam-compatible CA or clear tape and warns that accelerant can harm paint. The Ultimate 3D manual says the same about accelerant.
3. Set the timers. Maker timers run from 3 to 5 minutes for first flights on the small and mid-size foam models. They are conservative on purpose.
4. Know the format. BNF needs your transmitter, battery and charger, PNP often needs a receiver too, and ARF needs everything. The format guide spells it out.

Which one fits which pilot

• Out of the trainer and into small, calm-air flying: the UMX Waco or UMX Pitts S-1S, with the Pitts leaning aerobatic and the Waco leaning scale.
• Want a bigger, more wind-tolerant foam biplane: the Pitts S-1S 850mm, the Dynam Waco or the FMS Pitts, accepting that the FMS needs 6S gear.
• One airframe for sport, pattern and 3D: the Ultimate 3D 950mm, if you can find one, since Horizon has discontinued it.
• No transmitter yet, indoors or dead calm: the Staggerwing, with the caveat that its availability is not confirmed.
• Giant-scale presence and a large equipment budget: the Hangar 9 Pitts S-2B or a Phoenix Model Waco ARF.

If your local field is grass and often breezy, the lightest micros are the wrong tool regardless of skill. Move up in size.

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