13" Waterman Aerobile - 1957 Flying Car - Start to Finish

This 13" span Waterman Aerobile started out as a rubber-powered ship in 2004.
Initial trim flights showed that she would be a difficult bird to fly, given the limitations of
the rubber motor, but I remained hopeful. But after two seasons of numerous flights and limited success, I decided to switch her over to electric, and I couldn't be happier. She went from what appeared to be a rubber powered fluttering leaf to a stylish flying car that moved about on rails.
She uses a 7mm pager motor, 30 mah LiPoly, U-80 prop and the Zombie Flight Profiler. All were placed on a sled using magnets to anchor the unit. A 1.5" wire extension shaft was attached to the pager motor using the tight fitting insulation from #26 wire. Doing so allowed me to keep the sleek, tapered design of the tail.
The model came in at 7.9 grams, with the sled weighing an additional 7.5 grams. Approximately 1.1 grams of ballast was needed on the nose, bringing the all up weight to 16.5 grams. Wing-loading was .63 gm.psq. in.
I built in a adjustable sliding thrust plate on the sled, but in the end found that the model flew best with zero deflection. Best intentions... The first trim session in 2007 left me puzzled, since she flew similarly to the rubber version...that fluttering leaf. But after some serious pondering, the second trim session a few days later proved very successful. The positive angle of the elevons was increased, along with a touch of nose weight, and wa-la...she took off on rails in a beautiful climbing circle to the left. I was so stunned that I was left speechless on the video. In fact, I became so nervous I could barely keep the camera still. Talk about night and day, this is about as exciting as it gets for a modeler whose previous 2 years experience with the Aerobile was less than successful or satisfying.
As I slowly increased the thrust and duration with the Zombie, the little ship began to climb with authority, always in trim with a perfect circling flight. She even ignored the numerous barn swallows that chased her during the flights. I flew her for nearly a minute at our small trim field, so I knew it was time to save her for the larger fields of Wawayanda, Geneseo, and Muncie, IN. There she has flown for her max flights of over two minutes and has placed high in the Power Scale events. Clearly, Waldo Waterman was smiling down upon us this day.
Photos & film by Tom Hallman & Clive Gamble. Music via MotionArray.com.
*** 10 steps to trimming a rubber model, by John Koptonak: www.flyingacesclub.com/PFFT/Tr...
Plan for the 67" version by Terry Aldrich, which I reduced and simplified: outerzone.co.uk/plan_details....
Tutorial by Mark Allison on making mini-gearbox drives: hallmanstudio.com/Gearbox_tuto...
Atomic Workshop supplied the Zombie Flight profiler: www.atomicworkshop.co.uk/catalog/
Availability may be delayed.
Source for electric supplies in the US: microflierradio.com/free-fligh...
Source for electric supplies in the UK: www.kpaero.com
Flying Aces Club merchandise: www.cafepress.com/flyingacesclub
Center of Gravity merchandise: www.cafepress.com/centergravity
For more info on free-flight rubber-powered models, check these websites:
brooklyn-balsa.square.site
www.easybuiltmodels.com/
www.volareproducts.com/BUY/
www.flyingacesclub.com
National Free Flight Society - freeflight.org/
Mike Stuart's Flying Scale Models - www.ffscale.co.uk/
www.freeflightsupplies.co.uk

[@malakiblunt]

wow what a beautiful little gem

[@donaldvincent]

An absolute Masterpiece. Your "Hanger" must be the best museum in town! Thanks for posting all of these videos.

[@calypso22]

Just one word. Exquisite.

[@shiblyahmed3720]

The background music made this video much more enjoyable!!

[@5695q]

I grew up in San Diego and even though I never met Mr. Waterman, I had friends who knew him personally, the man never received the recognition that his achievements deserved.

[@maxfliart]

I was given a few beautiful photos by Warren Shipp from San Diego and that era via Bill Hannan. Great stuff that showed some of the amazing action happening in the 50s. Brave men and women.

[@5695q]

@@maxfliart I was a member of the scale Staffel When Mr. Shipp, Hannan, Peck and Mooney were there in the late 70's, A lot of talent in that group then.

[@maxfliart]

@@5695q Indeed. All have lasting impacts on FF & modeling. So very thankful for all they've given to the hobby and aviation.

[@rickyrodriguez5744]

Free flight models are the best. Kids nowadays have no idea how to build and fly one of these. Mind building projects. I built a Piper Cub free flight. The best fun, as a kid, I had with model building.

[@tcsyme]

Nice to see its full story Tom, thanks for sharing!

[@maxfliart]

Thx Thayer. Did u get shots of that launch?! U were there.

[@tcsyme]

@@maxfliart I do remember watching it. I will dig through my photos and email what I have.

[@iflyrcmike]

Work of art.

[@craigh3381]

True craftsmanship from a expert craftsman.....beatiful

[@jeffpiatt3879]

Great work! It flies well for such an unconventional design. I liked your idea of using the wire insulation as a "union/flexible joint" between motor and prop drive. As a kid, I took an old RC car apart. It turned left and right, by way of two different motors on the drive wheels. I had a nice plastic model of the Battleship Missouri and I put these two motors in it, on on the left and one on the right near the back, with home made brass tube "stuffing boxes" and music wire propellor shafts. The props were cut out of soda cans, twisted to add pitch, and then mounted on the shafts. I used some old airline tubing from an aquarium to provide a connection between the motor shafts and the prop shafts. Lots of fun on the local pond!

[@maxfliart]

Thx, the tubing became the missing link, since my initial attempt with heat shrink tubing was a major fail. The shaft from the 7mm is so short! Even then with the current tubing and the snug fit, the heat from the motor can soften the tubing and expand the connection, even when I carefully place a very small amount of CA on the area. She needs the full RPMs to soar for the 2 minutes, so anything that drops that lower will bring her down. But when it all lines up, including the temps of the day, she can really get up there. Fun stuff.

[@K3Flyguy]

Very well done! Am I the only one that enjoys seeing a nicely built balsa stick model "naked"? I really like to see the spare, gussets, leading/trailing edges, stringers ect. ! As a kid I would build em and often not cover them then hang em from the ceiling in my room. I absolutely admired the structure. All I had back them was Amboid and the glue joints were all glued twice as was standard for that glue. The newer instant glues would have looked much better. Thanks for sharing, again very well done!!!

[@maxfliart]

Thx, Michael. Many share ur thoughts...with many surprised that we choose to cover the bones, then go ahead and fly them. It's part of the reason that I photograph the process, as I never want to forget how beautiful a model is thru the various stages. But for sure, they're meant to fly. It's the icing.

[@roberttostik7352]

I am awestruck. Meticulous craftsmanship, painstaking attention to detail and an engineering lesson all focused on a historical gem !!

[@stephenpropnut7486]

Ditto!

[@resperationz]

Transformer

[@SLO4SpeedBump]

Wow !!!! Just like being a kid again. You did a fantastic job of building the Waterman Aerobile Flying Car. Just beautiful !!!! Thanks for the video. Happy Holidays and God Bless

[@imanashkani8551]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 I am a plane lover. I can not say any think except WOW. I love the aviation of USA during 20th century. Just WOW. 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@maxfliart]

Thx. I love 20th century and especially golden age.

[@truckerjim372]

Come on, please! When will you put all this skill and knowledge into a book? I for one would walk the streets selling it.

[@MH-fb5kr]

OUTSTANDING in all aspects… BRAVO !!!

[@kurtmitchell546]

Art that you can play with. Just as high as any

[@maxfliart]

Thx. Indeed, in the end, they have to fly. It's the icing.

[@mikecalver1]

What a beauty

[@melcrose]

"HONEY? I'll pay to have your nails done . . . I need a picture..."

[@flyboyz923]

Bravo!

[@1freedlander]

You took model flying to a new level. Great work!

[@allen046]

Work of Art, neat.

[@jeffreyhagerty440]

That is truly a work of art!

[@Winter_Sportster]

Flying Artwork.

[@MasboyRC]

This is awesome

[@michaelwhinnery164]

You gotta be thrilled with that !!! Now I want to build one and install rc gear. What a cool little plane.

[@ZUSMANELEN]

Thanks again for this wonderful video about a wonderful and very clever electric propulsion system design placed on a wonderful "little tiny and funny" model for a wonderful magical "fairy" flight which were mastered by a True Witty Artist and a Great Model Maker!🤓😉 Way to go, Sir!!!😏😎

[@maxfliart]

Thx...she 'is' a cute little design. I've always enjoyed watching her rail.

[@Hallo-Hallo]

Beautiful, thanks! 🤩

[@scottfw7169]

Thoughts: That's a handsome little model. That's a little model. Uncovered balsa structure has a beauty all its own. That electric power unit is a neat idea.

[@manuelbeltranmeza]

AWESOME model, greetings from Mexico.

[@maxfliart]

Thx, Manuel. Cheers.

[@BrianPhillipsRC]

That is amazing! Great work Maxfliart!

[@maxfliart]

Thx, Brian. I hope to get her back to the field in 2023.

[@adrianmuino3412]

Oh please, it is like a dream. Congratulations! I have to confess that to let this wonders fly free make me nervious, but in this case I like it. I like the "magnet joint" for the power plant.

[@maxfliart]

Thx, I would've felt the same about letting her go FF, but thru the early fly sessions, the torque always kept her in that left circling pattern, so I felt confident about giving her more air time....though she has gone amazingly high a few times, as I quickly chased after her. Fortunately, after the motor quits (2 minutes) she glides down nicely, and has never been taken higher with a thermal. Fingers crossed.

[@ianwit]

World class skills I am bowled over by your choices, research and everything else that follows.

[@maxfliart]

Thx. I can't remember why I chose this model 20 years ago...but I was probably smitten by the unusual design and beauty. As I recall, I really enjoyed the build, back when my younger eyes could handle the fine details. Then after two years as a rubber job, when she finally started grooving with electric, it was magic, and well worth the effort.

[@modelermark172]

This is a beautiful combination of "Old-School," 20th Century stick and tissue construction combined with 21st Century micro tech propulsion. I like how you used magnets to fix the motor pod to the fuselage for easy removal. As a sidebar, I have vague memories of seeing these plans when I was 10 in 1970 when that issue of American Aircraft Modeler first came out. Thanks for sharing this!

[@maxfliart]

Thx for the memory. As I recall, the plan was for a U/C. Imagine that large bird going round and round. Goodness. But it's great to see it fly in any configuration. Waterman was really onto something. Too bad there isn't more footage of his process and flight sessions.

[@williambunting803]

It’s beautiful. I’m a huge Waldo Waterman Aerobile fan. It was a spectacular achievement, and in 1935. Genius, practical genius. I designed a hybride amphibious microlight/ultralight for 3 people and it came out very similar to the Aerobile, then I discovered the Aerobile and was totally blown away. There is an Aerobile flight simulator parameter for FX10 which I loved flying in my local area. It’s almost impossible to crash the Aerobile, you would have to nose down and drive it into the ground. You can’t stall it, as it noses up a bit and mushes down for memory. The difference between my design and the Aerobile (technically an ultralight) is that I designed it to land on water (as well as land), I designed it for weight shift control with a drivable link system, and the center section of the wing was deformable so the wing could transition from the low drag high speed configuration to a high drag high lift low speed configuration with a single lever control. The advantage of the second configuration was it produced a slower steep descent approach with a more accurate touch down point. I celebrate your model. It is a great achievement, and Waldo’s Aerobile deserves its very special place in the museum. It is proudly in really good company in the hall where it is hanging. Thanks.

[@maxfliart]

Hi William. Thx for the kind words, and for sharing ur experiences...truly incredible! Is there a way to see it in action or photos? Cheers.

[@williambunting803]

@@maxfliart hi Max, haven’t built it, just designed it. I’ve got one more year till I am mostly free, and just might build a quarter scale model. I’m keen to see if the wing works as imagined in the transition. I also designed in a Goldschmeid drag reduction feature, another thing I would like to test.

[@weldorman8495]

The fact you could get this model to fly at all is amazing...but to fly with such speed and stability is just wonderful. Excellent workmanship and an adventurous spirit helped you out there.

[@maxfliart]

Thx. I think it survived the two years of flying prior with little damage because it was so light, and generally landed in soft grass. Had it been 24" or so, I suspect she could've been a troubled bird, always in the repair shop.

[@kightremin]

This is liberating

[@georgekandylakis614]

lovely model...

[@HilmarLange]

A perfectly handcrafted balsa framework, all those little details, and a wonderful finish. Alltogether it's a superb flying piece of art - very well done!

[@bobe-sh5sw]

Beautiful. So well done, thank you for making and posting this video. What a labor of love!

[@maxfliart]

Thx, B.

[@blablametalhead]

bare bones frame alone is a beautiful thing awesome wood working

[@rodrigob292]

Congrats!!!! amanzing model

[@matevid1986]

Nice!! Great Job. Really beautiful model. Thanks for Sharon. Saludos from México.

[@miguelpaixao1317]

What a bird!!! Congratulations!!!

[@NoahSpurrier]

Wow. Excellent.

[@Holliethedog]

Beautiful model! Thanks for posting this!

[@tom080955]

It flies GREAT!!!!!!!🎉

[@perttisalminen6357]

Outstanding skills. Very beautiful model.

[@old8249]

こんな可愛らしい飛行機初めて見ました！素晴らしいです！

[@maxfliart]

ありがとう！ 模型を作って飛ばすのが楽しかったです。

[@rickhall4318]

Outstanding!

[@richardthomas1566]

Just a fantastic job ! When you went down I thought you fainted with joy lol . So many variables just amazing to see the thing fly congratulations !

[@maxfliart]

Thx. That was the photographer Clive G. who captured some great still shots of the launch and flight.

[@garthbarrett6067]

what a lovely build

[@brucematthews6417]

Beautiful work. And a good lesson to stick with it even over the years.

[@johnmartin4650]

Beautiful thing….amazing flight…thank you for showing it

[@martinkupka3575]

Outstanding job. Amazing flight properties. Superbe filming. Thanks for showing this little jewel.

[@mclovin583]

Amazing.

[@ivanholubec]

Beautyful 👍

[@Vladancz]

Unbelievable beauty!

[@larryegilman1]

Max, you never disappoint- beautiful!

[@maestrimq]

Beautiful Job!! Outstanding craftsmanship

[@yellowbenza]

beautiful power unit！

[@flymachine]

Are you kidding me with the exquisiteness of this absolute work of art?!! Unbelievable, and here I was feeling chuffed with myself for adding some scale detailing to my Spitfire ARF

[@maxfliart]

haha. Thx.

[@SteveNeill]

Perfect! Love it Tom.

[@maxfliart]

Thx, Steve.

[@marccusnz]

Sir you are a kind of magician it's realy realy nice

[@philparker7851]

This is just beautiful.

[@drunkmike6364]

Wow! Beautiful build.

[@Mona8519]

Beautiful! Thx for sharing :)

[@samuelcruz9258]

Excelent work.

[@ufowatch]

great choice for a build. i would love to get micro electronics and make one like this a r/c model. thanks for sharing!

[@gregmcpherson5671]

Gorgeous.

[@patricksmith3556]

I was always a big fan of Peanut scale modeling and especially Walt Moonie's plans back in the early '90's as a late teen. I was an avid fan of Model Builder and Model Airplane News magazines. I spent a lot of time photocopying center page plans in the high school library. I just subscribed. I've been wanting to get back into the hobby badly lately; especially with the advent of micro motors and electronics. I'm looking forward to checking out the rest of your channel.

[@maxfliart]

Thx, welcome back.

[@gwynethstephenson397]

It’s so good it’s annoying it’s a little gem.

[@alfredobarrios4356]

Max sos un ídolo👍💪

[@maxfliart]

Gracias. Me alegro de que hayas disfrutado de la película.

[@RolloTomassifan]

Awesome

[@stephenfarthing3809]

Awe inspiring, just that, wonderful!

[@taildragger7355]

So charming, so eclectic. Elevates modeling to sculpture....yes, I like it.

[@mikeo7604]

The fact that it flies is a bonus! It is an art piece just sitting in the hand!

[@chrismofer]

wow! what a beauty love the 2:1 transmission. lots of designs can benefit from that :)

[@maxfliart]

I agree. It'd be fun to try on various ships.

[@anthonymoore4335]

Stunning workmanship and trim!

[@Brobolio]

Amazing flying machine!! Respect for your abilities!!

[@fierceflyer5]

Another great project. Also congratulations for taking over the FF column in MA. You will be an asset to the magazine and readers. Thank you.

[@maxfliart]

Thx. I'm looking forward to sharing info in a different media. Humbled by those who had the columns with MA and other mags before me.

[@georgeglass1748]

How joyful

[@royalmaster203]

great looking model, flys well

[@davidtraugot1405]

Exquisitely detailed! And a perfect flyer!

[@harrykeel8557]

Beautiful flight.

[@andreafilippo3298]

Well, that's really a beautiful little gem. As usual...well done Tom!

[@Mate2Frio]

Amazing build.

[@user-hm6mo7zm6p]

너무 멋진 비행기입니다. 영상도 멋집니다. 당신은 최고입니다.~!~

[@maxfliart]

고마워, 텔리. 나는 그녀가 아주 잘 날아가는 것을 보고 기뻤다.

[@randall4411]

Amazing ! Very enjoyable video . Thank you

[@scottmorse1798]

well Done!

[@markspc1]

The idea of Flying Cars have been around for a long time, 70, 80 years but so far they are more of a novelty than reality. Biggest problem with Flying Car is that you have to be a good pilot, much better than a good driver. Driving in two dimension is one thing, it is natural, but driving in three dimension it is only natural to birds and bats. Also there are two distinct government regulating agency, the FAA and the DMV. Flying and airplane requires a special type of person, similar to being a music composer, there aren't too many around.

[@TimeTripper]

Very Cute and Nice Flight

[@Beerbatter1962]

Outstanding🍻

[@normg2242]

What a precious little model!

[@babtist58]

I've been involved with, or following model aviation for the past 47 years. This is an amazing piece of work! Faultless building, it's nice to see good "old fashioned" workmanship, just beautiful 😍

[@maxfliart]

Thx. You must've seen a lot of models throughout those years! I was surprised to see this little model groove. I hope to get her back to the field.

[@KrollDan]

Wonderful.

[@RickChen]

Awesome work!

[@maxfliart]

Thx.

[@stephenmiller9124]

Remarkable design and construction! It makes a beautiful display piece for a bookshelf and yet the aircraft model flies very well! You construct and fly aerial art. I enjoy every video you share. Thank you!

[@walk4718]

The model was your usual excellence, but the presentation was totally awesome!! Sir, you are an artist!!

[@ramonmedina1974]

unbelievable! Well done!