I have seen many threads on bulletin boards asking how to build a crate, and how to ship it, but precious little published data on how to do it.

I often see ads for planes that say you can pick them up, but they're too big to ship. Wrong! Nothing is too big to ship. You might be lazy and not want to do it, but you can ship any size plane relatively painlessly and with reasonable confidence that it will arrive intact. Following is a step-by-step guide to shipping a giant scale plane. Most of it should apply to the majority of  planes, though you'll have to improvise on securing the plane depending on its construction and size.
The Stuff to Build It
Bill of Materials
Crate Size: 79" X 34" X 24" - 75lbs
Quantity Description Each Total
3 3/8" X 4' X 8' CDX plywood 10.00 30.00
7 1"X2"X8' Doug Fir or Pine 1.00 7.00
50 1 1/4" deck screw .05 2.50
50 1" deck screw .05 2.50
1 2"X4'X8" rigid foam insulation board 12.00 12.00
1 30' soft foam wrap 5.00 5.00
1 30' bubble wrap 5.00 5.00
Total Cost $64.00
Note: You can probably cut these costs in most areas in the country. I live in one of the most expensive, so adjust accordingly.