Our most priceless asset is that we produce all our models in our own factory in Thailand. This is something no other model airplane company can utilize. It means that we are in full control of our production. We decide which airplanes we want to do next, we develop and control the production processes needed to deliver the quality we want to be known and appreciated for. We invest into machinery, tools and molds as we believe it's right.
We decide to treat our employees with utmost respect, motivate them with our style of managementand have them put their very Best into their work. As they know how much they're appreciated, they will bend over backwards to shine with excellence. More than half of our work force is with us for over 10 years, and more than a few key employees have been with us since the year 2000, that's the year when we started the operation.
More than 230 employees at our production plant, G-Force Composites, manufacture and prepare all aircraft components with great care. They are supported by more than 30 full-time employees, freelancers, and part-time representatives who make up the CARF-Models team worldwide.
Waxing, Masking and Painting
Every CARF-Models aircraft begins its life in the mold shop. The process starts with thoroughly cleaning and waxing each mold to ensure a flawless surface finish. Once prepared, precision-cut masking templates are carefully applied by highly skilled technicians. This step requires extensive experience and attention to detail, as every paint line must align perfectly when the aircraft is later assembled.
The molds are then transferred to one of our three dedicated paint booths, where experienced painters apply multiple layers of high-quality polyurethane paint. The masking is removed step by step throughout the process, gradually revealing the design. Since the final paint layer covers all previous work, the completed scheme remains hidden until the parts are removed from the molds.
After painting, the molds are left overnight to allow the paint to fully cure. The following day, the parts are ready to move on to the laminating stage, where the aircraft structure begins to take shape.
Laminating & Joining
The laminating stage is where the true value of every CARF-Models aircraft is created. Precision is critical, as even the smallest mistake can render a component unusable. To achieve our renowned combination of strength and low weight, most parts are built using advanced sandwich construction. A thin layer of fiberglass is carefully laid into the mold, followed by a pre-cut foam core and a second fiberglass layer. The laminate is then covered with perforated film, a breather layer, and finally sealed under a vacuum membrane. The entire assembly cures under controlled heat for 3-4 hours.
Once curing is complete, the mold sections are removed from the vacuum system and all edges are carefully cleaned. Pre-cut and often pre-assembled structural components are then installed directly into the open molds. Depending on the part, two, three, or even four mold sections are precisely joined together to form the final structure. After an initial quality control inspection, the assembled molds undergo another overnight curing cycle.
The following morning, the molds are opened and the finished components are carefully removed. This marks the completion of a full mold cycle, the moment when a painted and fully structural aircraft component comes to life.
Assembly
Once the parts are removed from their molds, they undergo the first major quality control inspection. In many cases, minor blemishes or imperfections are corrected by the assembly teams. If a component requires more extensive work, it is removed from the production flow, reworked, and inspected again until it meets our quality standards and can be reunited with the rest of the aircraft.
The assembly process then begins. Surprisingly to many, assembly often requires two to three times more labor than painting and laminating combined. Structural components are fitted together, hardware is installed, control systems are prepared, and countless details are refined to ensure every aircraft meets the standards CARF-Models is known for.
Throughout this stage, our dedicated In-Process Quality Control team continuously monitors each aircraft as it moves through production. Once assembly and all finishing work are complete, every model undergoes a final assembly check where all components are fitted together one last time. A comprehensive Final QC inspection follows, during which weight, serial numbers, and production records are documented.
Only after an aircraft has been approved as complete and ready for delivery does it move to the packing department. Because international shipping can be demanding, great care is taken to protect every component. Each aircraft is carefully packed to ensure it arrives safely, whether it is traveling across the country or to the other side of the world, ready to be enjoyed by its new owner.
PNP Integration
In recent years, more and more customers have been looking for higher levels of prefabrication, from installed landing gear, lighting systems, and cockpits to fully integrated servo installations in true Plug-and-Play (PNP) aircraft. Through our extensive experience in UAV and target drone production, our team has developed exceptional expertise in advanced system integration. Today, we are proud to have a highly skilled group of technicians and engineers capable of building aircraft to an incredibly high standard, supported by quality control procedures that ensure every installation meets our strict requirements.
This expertise has allowed us to bring the same level of integration to the CARF-Models product line. It opens the door for pilots who want to spend more time flying and less time building, especially at a time when experienced model builders are becoming increasingly rare and often have waiting lists stretching years into the future.
At CARF-Models, you can choose exactly how much of the work you want us to do. Whether you prefer a traditional ARF kit, selected factory-installed options, a highly integrated PNP model, or a fully completed Turn-Key aircraft, we offer solutions tailored to your needs. Explore the “Build Your Plane” sections on many of our product pages and configure your next model exactly the way you want it.
Administration & Customer Support
Behind the scenes of our production facility, a large amount of administrative and organizational work takes place every day to keep operations running smoothly. Our dedicated office team includes accounting specialists, import and export officers, human resources personnel, and general administration staff who ensure that every aspect of the business functions efficiently.
Beyond the factory floor, a wider team of sales administrators, marketing specialists, web content managers, photographers, scheme designers, and CAD engineers work together to support our customers and continuously develop new products and services. From designing new aircraft and creating stunning color schemes to managing online content and customer communications, these teams play a vital role in bringing every project to life.
Together, they ensure that the aircraft you have imagined—whether a standard model, a custom color scheme, or a fully integrated PNP airplane—can become a reality and arrive in your hands exactly as you envisioned it.
About Us
We thought you might be interested in learning in how a plane comes to live, how your plane is made, following all the production steps until it's in your hands. Below you can read about the entire production process.
CARF-Models airplanes combine great designs and quality materials with professional prefabrication and the very best in flying characteristics. This is unmatched on the worldwide model airplane market. Even with our extensive research and development efforts and ISO conform quality standards, all this comes with a reasonable price tag, great service, product backup, outstanding instruction manuals and last but not least, shortterm availability.
We are proud to offer our very best on a daily basis, and we are thankful that a rapidly growing community of thousands of CARF-Models customers around the world enjoys our work. We promise loads of exciting new product to come.
Structual Design
Every CARF-Model is built on solid, decade long experience in designing and manufacturing model airplanes. Everything is created using powerful CAD Software and calculated for load, weight and drag numbers. All the virtual design is then represented in sophisticated composite components for which glass, carbon and aramid fiber are carefully chosen for the purpose.
Composite Craftsmanship
Teams of skilled craftsmen and -women put all their dedication into creating the best, lightest and strongest composite parts our model airplanes could be possibly built from. Aircraft grade resins, glass and carbon are used and the latest application and curing technologies are utilized to create the high value our customers are looking for.
Finish
Not only are our composite aircraft parts painted in the molds, not only do they have either all scale details molded in or the smoothest, most flawless, shiny surface, we also overpaint the seams and refine details in a positive painting process. This will add the ultimate touch of perfection to every airplane built after 2013.
Prefabrication
The higher the prefabrication, the more value will a CARF-Model “kit” represent. Currently all our airplanes are as completely built as possible. Not only for your convenience and enjoyment, but also for a very simple reason: The more we build in-house, the better our Quality Control Department can guarantee perfection when the carefully checked airplane goes into the box.
Product Variety
No other model airplane company in the world will be able to give you as much expertise in so many different categories of high end model aircraft. Be it 400 km/h fast sport jets, detailed scale jets and warbirds, race planes, aerobatic performance planes, even high performance gliders... CARF-Models leads the pack simply by the variety of product we build.
Custom Schemes
A very popular way to add value to your new airplane is to opt for a color swap or a full custom scheme. CARF-Models is happy to discuss the personalization of your new airplane and either swap colors of standard schemes with your favorite color for only a very little upcharge or as the only company in the world, go into total customization by developing a fully individual scheme for you.
Complete Accessories
CARF-Models carefully selects, or designs, all necessary accessories such as landing gear, lighting sets, fuel systems, propulsion systems... Our philosophy is to work in partnership with market leading companies who have a reputation for great product and service. Retracts, exhaust systems... all is especially designed for our airplanes by the ones who really know what they’re doing.
Service & Support
CARF-Models literally provides thousands of spare parts even years after the life span of a product. Because we can’t keep all these parts in stock, we developed a system which allows us to produce any spare part in a matter of days and get it on the way to you. This should give you peace of mind to enjoy your CARF-Model for many years to come.
