Hangar 9 RC Planes: A Buyer's Guide to the ARF and PNP Lineup

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Hangar 9 is the premium wood-airplane brand under the Horizon Hobby umbrella, and it lives at the opposite end of the hobby from foam park flyers. If you are used to opening a box, charging a battery and binding a transmitter, a Hangar 9 ARF will feel like a different sport. You get a built-up balsa and plywood airframe with factory covering, and then you supply the motor or engine, servos, radio, batteries and a few evenings of set-up.

This is a researched buyer's guide. Every model below is checked against Horizon Hobby's own product pages (specs, "in the box" and "needed to complete" lists, stock status and skill level) in October 2026. It is not based on our own building or flying, and size and weight figures are the maker's numbers. If you are shopping for a first plane, stop here and read the beginner guide instead; the brand is aimed at pilots who already fly.

ARF, PNP and what "complete" means

Understanding these labels saves the most grief. Our ARF, RTF and PNP guide covers them in detail, but in short:

• ARF (almost-ready-to-fly): the covered airframe and hardware. You add power, servos, receiver, batteries, propeller and do the installation.
• PNP (plug-and-play): Hangar 9's PNP models arrive with the motor, speed controller and servos already installed, but you still supply a transmitter, a receiver, a flight battery and a charger.

Neither is RTF or BNF. Even the PNP models are rated at Horizon's skill level 3 or 4 on its 1 to 5 scale (Level 1 is "Trainer," Level 5 is "Expert"). None of the airframes we checked is rated as a beginner trainer.

Giant scale, by Horizon's definition, begins at an 80-inch wingspan for single-wing aircraft and 60 inches for multi-wing aircraft. If you are weighing balsa against foam, our foam versus balsa comparison sets out the trade-offs, and the giant-scale guide shows the wider market.

A note on stock. The status shown below is what Horizon's product pages reported when we looked in October 2026 (in stock or backorder). It will change. Check the current listing before you plan around a model.

60-inch and smaller sport and scale models

These are the usual first step from foam into wood.

Ultra Stick PNP (HAN4775). This is the closest Hangar 9 gets to a foam-to-balsa bridge, because the power system is already installed. The maker rates it one level easier than the ARF. You still need a 6+ channel radio, a 6S LiPo with the right connector, and a charger that can handle it. Our LiPo battery guide explains the basics. Search for the Hangar 9 Ultra Stick PNP on Amazon

Ultra Stick 10cc ARF (HAN2345). The "10cc" refers to the intended engine size, not an electric motor. The maker's page lists electric alternatives, so check it before you buy a motor. For engine types and sizing, see our RC plane gas engine guide. Search for the Hangar 9 Ultra Stick 10cc ARF on Amazon

Valiant 10cc ARF (HAN5080). A 69-inch high-wing sport airframe. A foam Valiant at a different scale exists in the E-flite line, covered in our E-flite Valiant 1.3m page. If a Valiant feels sluggish once it is built, the usual cause is the prop, motor or battery rather than the airframe, and our underpowered troubleshooting guide works through the checks. Search for the Hangar 9 Valiant 10cc ARF on Amazon

Fun Scale PT-19 PNP (HAN3180). An all-wood 56.5-inch PNP of the WWII Fairchild trainer. The prototype was a trainer, but Horizon rates the model at Level 4. The box includes a 14x8.5 wood propeller intended for 4S; the page notes that 6S operation needs a 12x6E prop instead. Search for the Hangar 9 PT-19 PNP on Amazon

Christen Eagle II 90 ARF (HAN5010). A 54-inch scale biplane. Both an electric 60-size system and glow engines are listed. Search for the Hangar 9 Christen Eagle II 90 on Amazon

Large club and giant-scale airframes

J-3 Cub 10cc. The Cub shape is friendly, but this is a Level 4 ARF with an 82.5-inch span, and the PNP is Level 3, one step down because the factory has already chosen the power system. The PNP is a sensible first large balsa airplane for someone with a good radio and some experience, though transport space is still a real question. Search for the Hangar 9 J-3 Cub 10cc PNP on Amazon

Valiant 20cc. An 86-inch high-wing sport aircraft. The PNP version includes six metal-geared HV servos, a 5065-450Kv motor and a 100A ESC, and asks for a 4S to 6S pack in the 4000 to 7000 mAh range. If you plan to compare it with a foam STOL airplane such as those in our bush plane roundup, remember that it is a much heavier model and flies like one. Search for the Hangar 9 Valiant 20cc PNP on Amazon

Ultra Stick 30cc. A big, flexible sport and aerobatic ARF that needs eight servos and offers no single "factory" set-up, so your completion choices matter a lot. Search for the Hangar 9 Ultra Stick 30cc ARF on Amazon

P-51D and P-47D 20cc warbirds. Both are 20cc-class scale warbirds with functional flaps and optional electric retracts, rated Level 4. A warbird ARF is not a "bolt an engine on and go" project: balancing, ballast and retract set-up all need care. Our warbird guide covers the category. Note that the P-47D is the revised HAN2990B and is currently on backorder, so do not mix its specs with older, larger P-47 models. Search for the Hangar 9 P-51D 20cc on Amazon

Premium giant-scale and twin-engine airframes

At this size, the airframe is the smaller part of the project. A few points worth knowing:

• Weights are not small. The listings give about 18 to 22 lb for the Pitts, 27 to 31 lb for the XCub, 40 to 42 lb for the 30cc Bronco and almost 65 lb for the Carbon Cub FX-3. Think of your car, your trailer and your storage space. Our wing bag and storage guide is a good place to begin.
• Twin-engine models multiply everything. The Bronco asks for two engines or two electric systems and 10 or more channels. Our twin-engine guide explains the extra complexity.
• Check the ratings. The 20cc Bronco is rated Level 5 and the 108-inch Bronco Level 4 on Horizon's pages, which is the opposite of what size alone would suggest. Read the specific listing.
• The XCub, Pitts and Carbon Cub are utility and aerobatic airframes, not larger trainers. Search results show that Horizon has also sold electric-power bundles for the Bronco.

Search for the Hangar 9 P-51D 60cc ARF on Amazon

Search for the Hangar 9 CubCrafters XCub 60cc on Amazon

Turbine jets

Hangar 9's turbine range is small, and the completion list is where the real effort sits.

• Viper 100N. A 76.9-inch-long jet of roughly 31 to 33 lb. The base ARF does not include the electric retract set (sold separately). The maker's completion list names eight servos in two types, a Spektrum AR20410T receiver, an AS3X+ module, two 2S receiver batteries and a LiFe ECU battery.
• MB-339. A 79-inch-long jet at about 23 lb, needing a 60 to 86N turbine, an 8+ channel radio, four standard and four mini high-torque servos, receiver and ECU batteries and an air trap.
• Hawk/T-45. The biggest jet in the line, at 97 inches. The spec field asks for a 16+ channel radio and the completion list names a 20-channel transmitter, with retracts required. Weights run into the high 40s of pounds when complete.

Turbines are not a casual add-on. Our turbine guide covers the equipment and safety side. Search for the Hangar 9 Viper 100N on Amazon

Retired models and used airframes

Horizon still lists replacement parts for several older Hangar 9 models, including the Fokker D.VII, the Pawnee Brave 20cc, the Ki-43 Oscar 60cc, the Carbon Cub 15cc and the Fun Scale P-47. We did not confirm whether each airframe is still sold, so check before you assume either way. If you are buying used, see our guide to swap meets and second-hand planes, and look at the parts listings for the exact model first.

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