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This life-size witch-on-a-broom is a genuine radio-controlled aircraft, not a store-bought Halloween prop. Model-aircraft builder Otto Dieffenbach debuted this version in 2013; Make: documented it in 2018. Flat 6 mm Depron panels, an internal frame, a brushless motor and linkages hidden in the cape and broom create the flying effect. Dieffenbach explicitly warned that the project is difficult and unsuitable for newcomers.
Read Mike Senese’s Make: feature and its linked build log for the original photographs and source notes.
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The airframe is built from flat 6 mm Depron pieces reinforced by an internal frame. Instead of conventional wings, linkages move the cape to produce lift. Steering is assigned to the broom’s “bristles,” giving the model its theatrical silhouette while retaining aircraft-style control surfaces.
#1 Best Overall
- Cute Flying Witch Design – Perfect Girls Toy: Adorable witch riding a broomstick with flowing cape and bright colors—A unique twist on traditional helicopter toys. This cute cartoon style is specially designed for girls, making it a standout flying toy for kids who love magic, fantasy, and creative play.
- Easy to Fly for Beginners – Kid-Friendly RC Control: Equipped with 2.4GHz remote control and 6-axis gyro stabilization, this RC helicopter toy features one-key takeoff/landing, altitude hold, and smooth controls (up/down, forward/backward, left/right). Perfect for beginners and kids ages 6-8 8-10 to learn quickly and enjoy flying.
- Fun LED Light for Magical Night Play: Built-in bright LED light on the broomstick adds a magical glow during flight, making it extra fun to play in low-light environments. Lightweight and stable design is ideal for indoor flying—best used in wind-free spaces for optimal control.
- Safe & Durable Flying Toy for Kids: Designed with multiple safety protections including low-voltage alert, motor stall protection, and durable structure. A safe and reliable remote control helicopter for kids’ daily play and beginner practice.
- Perfect Gift for Girls Age 6+: A creative alternative to traditional RC helicopter toys! This flying witch toy is a perfect gift for girls on birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, or holidays—ideal for kids who love flying toys, cute designs, and imaginative adventures.
Propulsion comes from a brushless electric motor driving a 10-inch propeller. The result is a large, unusual RC aircraft whose appearance depends as much on accurate fabrication and paintwork as on the electronics.
Is this a suitable first RC project?
No. Dieffenbach’s own note, quoted by Make:, says: “This is a difficult build and should not be attempted by a newcomer to the hobby. There is a lot of wood work involved. You may want to find a friend with superior build skills if you are a newcomer.” Treat that warning as a requirement, not a disclaimer to skip.
Rank #2
- Enchanting Witch Design: A whimsical purple witch figure riding a broomstick—This Flying Witch RC Helicopter is perfect for Halloween, fantasy-themed play, or as a unique decor piece. The vivid details (yellow broom, flowing cape) make it eye-catching for kids & collectors.
- Beginner Drone for Kids: 2.4GHz remote control + 6-axis gyro stabilization: One-key takeoff/landing, altitude hold, and smooth maneuvering (up/down, forward/backward, left/right). Even kids (ages 6+) can master it quickly!
- LED Flying Toys for Kids: Lights up during flight for magical nighttime play—Its lightweight build ensures smooth control indoors, but this Indoor RC helicopter is easily affected by wind and NOT RECOMMENDED FOR OUTDOOR USE.
- Built-in Safety Protections: Features low-voltage alert, motor stall protection, and dual battery safety mechanisms for worry-free flying(safe for kids’ daily play). Child-safe materials—Non-toxic ABS plastic construction
- Perfect Gift Choice: A creative alternative to traditional RC toys! RC Helicopter for Kids 6-12! Halloween toys for girls! Great for Halloween, Christmas, birthdays, or holiday gifts for girls/boys who love fantasy, magic, or flying toys.
- Plan for substantial woodworking and precise alignment of the internal frame.
- Expect to understand radio control, servo linkages, brushless power systems and LiPo safety before flight.
- Have an experienced model-aircraft builder inspect the structure, controls and power installation.
- Do not infer a build time, flight performance or completed cost from the source; none is reported.
Materials and hardware in the 2018 bill of materials
The following list reproduces the parts named in Make: on October 29, 2018. Availability and modern substitutions were not established, so verify dimensions and specifications before ordering.
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| Category | Specified items |
|---|---|
| Airframe and structure | Broom Flyer cutouts in 6 mm Depron; two 0.196-inch outside-diameter × 0.125-inch inside-diameter × 40-inch carbon-fiber square tubes; one 0.125-inch outside-diameter × 0.060-inch inside-diameter × 40-inch carbon-fiber tube; one .034-inch × .121-inch × 40-inch carbon-fiber strip |
| Wood and fasteners | 1/8-inch plywood sheet, 1 × 2 ft; 1/4-inch plywood sheet, 6 × 12 in; eight 8 × 1/2-inch sheet-metal screws |
| Controls and landing gear | Two packages of Dubro micro pushrods #852; one bag of 15 Dubro hinges #117; two 1 7/8-inch wheels (Parkzone T-28 or F4U); optional E-Flite Sea Fury retract landing gear, EFL606509 |
| Propeller and adhesives | Master Airscrew three-blade 10 × 7 propeller; clear Gorilla Glue; foam-safe CA and activator; five-minute epoxy; thirty-minute epoxy; paint |
Electronics specified by the builder
| Component | Source specification |
|---|---|
| Receiver | At least a three-channel, full-range receiver |
| Servos | Three Hitec HS 225MG servos or equivalent |
| Motor | E-Flite Power 10 or equivalent brushless motor |
| Speed controller | 40A ESC |
| Battery | 3S 2200 mAh 30C LiPo |
| Propeller | Master Airscrew 10 × 7 three-blade propeller |
| Wiring | Four feet of servo hookup wire |
“Or equivalent” does not mean interchangeable by appearance. Before using a current substitute, confirm motor and propeller load, ESC current headroom, battery connector and discharge capability, servo torque and dimensions, receiver compatibility, and physical clearance inside the airframe. The source provides no contemporary compatibility test.
Rank #3
- Enchanting Witch Design: A whimsical purple witch figure riding a broomstick—This Flying Witch RC Helicopter is perfect for Halloween, fantasy-themed play, or as a unique decor piece. The vivid details (yellow broom, flowing cape) make it eye-catching for kids & collectors.
- Beginner Drone for Kids: 2.4GHz remote control + 6-axis gyro stabilization: One-key takeoff/landing, altitude hold, and smooth maneuvering (up/down, forward/backward, left/right). Even kids (ages 6+) can master it quickly
- LED Flying Toys for Kids: Lights up during flight for magical nighttime play—Its lightweight build ensures smooth control indoors, but this Indoor RC helicopter is easily affected by wind and NOT RECOMMENDED FOR OUTDOOR USE.
- Built-in Safety Protections: Features low-voltage alert, motor stall protection, and dual battery safety mechanisms for worry-free flying(safe for kids’ daily play). Child-safe materials—Non-toxic ABS plastic construction
- Perfect Gift Choice: A creative alternative to traditional RC toys! RC Helicopter for Kids 6-12! Halloween toys for girls! Great for Halloween, Christmas, birthdays, or holiday gifts for girls/boys who love fantasy, magic, or flying toys.
Painting a convincing flying witch
Paint is part of the illusion: the model must read as a person on a broom at distance while remaining light enough to fly. Use only coatings compatible with Depron and the selected adhesives. Test every paint system on scrap foam first, because solvents can attack foam and add unplanned weight.
Build the visual hierarchy
- Use a dark, high-contrast silhouette for the witch and broom so the shape remains legible against the sky.
- Reserve brighter accents for the face, hat band, cape edge or broom details rather than covering every surface in heavy paint.
- Keep markings symmetrical where viewers will see the aircraft head-on, but avoid adding decorative material that interferes with moving cape or bristle linkages.
Protect moving surfaces
Mask hinges, pushrod exits and linkage paths before painting. A flexible, thin finish is preferable on the cape and broom controls; paint buildup can restrict travel or shift the balance. Check that all surfaces move freely after the paint cures.
Rank #4
- Cute Flying Witch Design – Perfect Girls Toy: Adorable witch riding a broomstick with flowing cape and bright colors—A unique twist on traditional helicopter toys. This cute cartoon style is specially designed for girls, making it a standout flying toy for kids who love magic, fantasy, and creative play.
- Easy to Fly for Beginners – Kid-Friendly RC Control: Equipped with 2.4GHz remote control and 6-axis gyro stabilization, this RC helicopter toy features one-key takeoff/landing, altitude hold, and smooth controls (up/down, forward/backward, left/right). Perfect for beginners and kids ages 6-8 8-10 to learn quickly and enjoy flying.
- Fun LED Light for Magical Night Play: Built-in bright LED light on the broomstick adds a magical glow during flight, making it extra fun to play in low-light environments. Lightweight and stable design is ideal for indoor flying—best used in wind-free spaces for optimal control.
- Safe & Durable Flying Toy for Kids: Designed with multiple safety protections including low-voltage alert, motor stall protection, and durable structure. A safe and reliable remote control helicopter for kids’ daily play and beginner practice.
- Perfect Gift for Girls Age 6+: A creative alternative to traditional RC helicopter toys! This flying witch toy is a perfect gift for girls on birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, or holidays—ideal for kids who love flying toys, cute designs, and imaginative adventures.
A practical build and inspection sequence
- Plan the structure. Study the original cutouts and frame arrangement, then mark tube, plywood and servo locations before gluing foam.
- Build the internal frame. Cut and fit the plywood and carbon members accurately; the frame carries motor, landing gear and control loads.
- Assemble the Depron panels. Use foam-safe adhesives and keep joints aligned while they cure. Do not substitute a general-purpose solvent adhesive without a foam test.
- Install hinges and linkages. Fit the Dubro hinges and micro pushrods so cape lift and broom-bristle steering reach full, unobstructed travel.
- Mount electronics. Secure the motor, 40A ESC, receiver and three servos, route the four feet of hookup wire safely, and provide access to the battery.
- Paint and detail. Apply the tested foam-safe finish in light coats, protecting moving joints and checking weight as you go.
- Perform a radio and structural inspection. With the propeller removed, verify channel direction, failsafe behavior, servo centering, linkage security and control throws. Inspect every glue joint, screw and carbon member.
- Seek an experienced flight review. The source contains no flight-test data; an experienced RC pilot should decide whether the completed aircraft is structurally and electrically ready for a controlled test.
What the documented price does—and does not—mean
Make: reported that Dieffenbach sold a ready-to-fly version for $1,850 in its October 29, 2018 article. That is a historical figure, not a current offer, valuation or availability guarantee. The article does not provide a complete kit price or total scratch-build cost.
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Quick Recap
Safety limits to keep in view
- Operate only at a legal, appropriate flying site and keep spectators clear of the propeller and flight path.
- Handle and charge the 3S LiPo with equipment and procedures intended for LiPo batteries; inspect it for damage before use.
- Remove the propeller while configuring the radio, testing servos or troubleshooting the ESC.
- Do not fly until an experienced pilot has checked the aircraft’s center of gravity, control response and structural integrity.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
