Balsa wood.

Old Guy

another thing to consider ( and I am by no means a expert) many sections of a good aircraft require differing densities and grains of Balsa or spruce or bass wood

Using ALL contest graded sub 5lb balsa is a mistake except for maybe ultra light indoor free flight

There are needs for spars of a specific strength, LE and TE also usually have a designed weight and density

The various parts that need to be molded..(bent into shape) must be a certain grain and weight

This is a complex subject

I tried hard to amass a selection that allowed me to replace typical kit "crap" balsa with what should be right and I failed

Some where ....maybe this thread... I suggested going to swap meets and buying old big RC kits for a low price

I GOT a LOT of good various grade woods in a real large Douglas DC-3 82 inch wing span Top Flite kit for not many dollars

I tend to think that the major KIT makers of the larger RC craft had to provide very good wood

I also got a Lanier's RC 17.5% Giles 202 ....48" wing span, 34" fuselage that had superb wood in it of under $20 at a swap meet

Yes a lot of the die or laser cut pieces are wasted...BUT in each case I think the stick and sheet wood in the kits would be $100s more than I paid