Massive 16 Foot Rubber Band Powered Airplane

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Thanks to jhaerospace.com for getting this project out of a jam.

[@TomStantonEngineering]

That plane looks so awesome! It's so satisfying when hard work and engineering pays off with such a lightweight slow flying aircraft!

[@davebooth9871]

We're all thinking it....colab in the future?

[@Greebli]

drop the next osprey part pls!

[@davidsteinhour5562]

I love seeing Tom, Nicholas Rehm, and Daniel (RCTestFlight) all commenting on each other's videos.

[@baalkool9019]

Hey tom, in your next project build pulsejet powered drone that can take off vertically.

[@joseparedesalbuja8293]

His projects and yours are a source of inspiration. Thanks greetings from Ecuador

[@Project-Air]

Excellent build, excellent video! Loved seeing what you came up with, and mine really does look a lot like a brick in comparison to this work of carbon art! I know the struggles of finding a suitable day for flying/filming, and it's great you managed a 12-second flight. Game on for upping it now!

[@thinkflight]

This is gonna get out of control 😅. Can't wait.

[@linusgoblin]

@@thinkflight to the moon!

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

@@linusgoblin yes. rubber powered moon landing lol.

[@user-sm1ur5bk2r]

​@@thinkflightу меня зарплата 300 долларов И то дома 2 супры f5j Дети блин

[@moxnix1026]

As the observer, you took me back to those days of my youth dreaming of flight. Especially when your plane was airborne. I was running under it with you like a little kid! Thank you. Cheers.

[@Cre80s]

Man, I wish I could take this video and show myself back as a kid in the mid 70s. It's so great to see fun ideas we all share taken seriously and put to the real test like this. What a love letter to the toys we all loved so much. Just perfect.

[@EUC-lid]

You know you're on to something important when a stranger in a field immediately recognizes your intent and lends a hand. Big cheers to Noel. What a bro.

[@josephsnodgrass5875]

We all want to see more noel on youtube

[@1islam1]

@@josephsnodgrass5875 ⚠️ God has said in the Quran: 🔵 { O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous - ( 2:21 ) 🔴 [He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him]. ( 2:22 ) 🔵 And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful. ( 2:23 ) 🔴 But if you do not - and you will never be able to - then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.( 2:24 ) 🔵 And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, "This is what we were provided with before." And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. ( 2:25 ) ⚠️ Quran

[@youtubeistrash1o4o8o8]

​@@1islam1 💩💩💩💩

[@SuperPussyFinger]

Imagine wandering an open field the moment that someone is test-flying a giant rubberband plane. I’m all in, Holmes.

[@wormhole331]

Strangers at rc fields are the most helpful people I’ve encountered. I know if I was there I’d drop everything to help out because a giant rubber powered plane is badass

[@Nighthawkinlight]

It's really impressive what you did here with basically an identical drive design to a toy rubber band plane. If you want to take this further I think you could get way more power out of less rubber with different coiling methods. The reason the drive is so weak is because the coiled rubber band has a small cross section and therefore lacks leverage to push rotationally. Just adding a tube that the band wraps around like a barber pole to increase that diameter would greatly increase the power of the drive with fewer twists. Basically it just comes down to moving the rubber strands further apart from one another as they coil, so another simple option would be threading one or more strands through a pool noodle so the foam keeps them apart.

[@ChoChan776]

Did you watch the whole video? He goes over cross section @ 2:20.

[@Nighthawkinlight]

​@@ChoChan776 Yes that's the cross section of the band, but I'm talking about increasing the cross section of the helix as it twists.

[@brucemcmillan1149]

hi, i'm new. i wanted to know more. unfortunately, i have some difficulty with visualizing what you are explaining here. do you mind if i contact you for more info. or, is there an on line source you would direct me to? thanks!

[@peterheinzo515]

yeah that makes total sense. maybe a carbon tube on bearings spinning the propeller?

[@CraftyCorvid]

Hold on there... The back of the tube would have to rotate at a different speed to the front... I can't think of a substance that can do that. Unless maybe a balloon or bladder ?!??

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Noel’s giggling when it was flying was magical. Great project. Thanks for sharing.

[@louis7777]

I love it you looked like a little kid chasing your first rubber band plane. Great video your enthusiasm is contagious.

[@jimmymurphy7789]

Yes - and all of us Boys (& Girls too) we're once there & can remember the intense Thrill of it all.

[@NicholasRehm]

This is an absolutely incredible achievement, even if just for a fun “because I can” project. So many engineering challenges and solutions tied into such a well-thought out end design. Love it man!!

[@thinkflight]

Thank you kind sir!

[@freepilot7732]

As a pilot that adores aeronautics and the fact of flight, this was awesome. Really brought me back to my childhood plane that started my passion.

[@rajanacharya1135]

I came here to see a rubber-band powered flight but that closing credit really touched me.

[@DoubleDoubleWithOnions]

Yeah, didn't even show the friggin 12 seconds.

[@Magoo71]

I just love the engineering behind this project! I just really admire and enjoy your determination and enthusiasm!!! I got excited like a little kid when you had that short flight in the desert! THANKS!

[@shallowcaster]

What a work of art! Part of me wants to see you push the testing until failure or a catastrophic crash and part wants to see that beauty in the National Air and Space Museum.

[@thinkflight]

I prefer the latter!

[@mikhailjairnisbett441]

I want to see him add a tiny electric motor and battery and see if he can create the longest-flying electric plane.

[@stratos2]

You can't just show tri blade torroidal props in the outro with absolutely no comment! Well consider me excited for that video!

[@thinkflight]

But I can, and I did :). Hope it turns out well!

[@EatsLikeADuck]

Talk about the KZbin version of the 1980s sitcom series "coming up on the next episode of..." trick!

[@dragchute1]

All that work for a 12 second flight .. TOTALLY worth it!! Well done my friend.

[@petervantriet2304]

Awesome project. Beautiful shots too. I can see your care for detail and aesthetics everywhere.

[@JohnMGibby]

Really cool project and much respect for the honor you showed your parents!

[@FlyingGospel]

It's totally epic to see the toy that kickstarted my passion into becoming the pilot I am today, turn into an actual full size aircraft. You just brought 4 year old me back to life. Amazing work!

[@jimhiscott2918]

This brought back many many memories of 1975. I was 10 years old. I built many rubber band planes back then with my father taking me to competitions as he di in 1943 as a 10 year old child. My RC years progressed from there. To flying gliders at the local Costa Mesa bluffs to racing quickly 500's and onto F1 200+ mph airships. God bless you for this video. I am sure I enjoyed it more then any viewer you have. Thank you❤

[@RichardHamblett]

I’ve been having a bad time recently but seeing this fly made me smile, then the final comment about the encouragement from your parents near brought me to tears because I’ve only ever felt my parents spend more time discouraging me than supporting me. Thank you.

[@nickvledder]

Another great video! Big thanks for putting so much effort into projects many of us can only dream of.

[@cloudpandarism2627]

what a legend! your channel is one of the reasons i decided to build my own electric paramotor. had my first successful maiden flight days ago. cheers mate°

[@thinkflight]

That's what it is all about friend.

[@outputcoupler7819]

There's a weird quirk with rubber you might not know. It actually stores some of the energy in the form of heat when you stretch it. This means that if the band cools off after you stretch it, you will get less energy back out when you release it. So the longer it takes to wind up the band, and the longer you wait to release it, the less power it will provide. The reverse is also true. If you heat the band up, it will provide _more_ power than it would normally.

[@josephmarciano4761]

You are the man! Beautiful craftsmanship and a tenacious experimenter. Keep em Flying!

[@seaninness334]

I loved getting these balsa wood, rubber band planes every summer as a kid. My Dad was a fighter pilot during Korea and my Uncle, a B-17 pilot during WW II, so I was intrigued by planes and flight as a kid. Really enjoyed this video. New sub.

[@Nathriel]

I love the heartwarming thankful message to his parents at the end

[@werwinn]

That final fligth was so elegant, so gentle and so beautifull!

[@petergregorypottery5476]

The aeroplane looked absolutely beautiful in flight, what a wonderful project and achievement!

[@TheRealRCSparks]

SO SO SO FREAKING COOL BUD!!! I was stoked for you the entire time!!

[@jimmymurphy7789]

Oh Man - does this ever pull on the old Heart-Strings ! It looks BEAUTIFUL up in the Air, after all that Time & Effort you put into it. You are to be Commended BIG-TIME for your tireless dedication to creating a large-scale "replica" of the old "lowly/basic" grocery store sheet balsa stick fuselage rubber powered Airplanes we would buy & fly as Kids (for 25 cents !) Just to see this in the Air overcomes me with Nostalgia (& Tears) for the Simpler Days when I was a Boy flying my "Sleek-Streeks", Guillow's & Tester's Gliders out in the fields for hours on end (even with my Dad at times as well). Nothing brings more Joy to an "All Grown-Up Boy" than this. All the more Power to you on this fantastic project Lad - the Nostalgic/Sentimental value of what this represents goes deeper than just the sucessful flying of it, IMO. Carry On & keep up this Most Valuable Work. I am very Proud of you.

[@brianstroud6306]

My hats off to ya. The amount of labor must have been overwhelming! But really have to say...put a big smile on my face!! GREAT JOB!!!

[@gregzielinski]

I imagine when it was flying and lifting it felt like the 1st time you saw a model plane actually fly when you were a kid. Good job!

[@maartentoors]

That was awesome. Your determination is enviable. Can't wait to see what project those triple-half-helix props in the background at 13:48 are for! Love from Amsterdam!

[@hermanhuge6109]

I'm even more excited for that inline prop flying wing. Looks freaking awesome!

[@jdbmoto]

Thanks for sharing! Growing up we would go to a hobby store in New Britain, CT and buy rubber band powered airplanes and play until the would brake. Thanks for sharing and helping me relive my childhood!

[@Blarneystoner211]

Man, talk about upscaling nostalgia! Quite the enjoyment to watch, and also, very cool to see the Megler bridge from those perspectives.

[@EatsLikeADuck]

This video makes me so damn happy. You managed to bring to life, what I've wondered about as a child and many times since. Thank you.

[@budddove6480]

Very cool man, brought back some crazy childhood memories. The fact that you knew to watch for exploding rubber bands, made me realize you were infact a runner band plane engineer as a kid as well....lol great video

[@MS-60663]

You, sir, are my hero! If only I were 12 again to fully appreciate this amazing craft!

[@MarkHarmer]

I absolutely love this - just a random find, but love your perseverance and enthusiasm… and that you achieve your goal with a lot of hard work.

[@Sparky-Tim]

What an amazing project. This should inspire all potential aero engineers. You've captured the magic of science felt by every kid with their first model plane. 😀👍 Keep up the good work,& show kids that, that wounderous feeling never leaves as you get older, it just gets derailed by life. 😎

[@snarkyboojum]

I love how this forced you to do real aeronautics. Good stuff. I would have started with your second iteration - I was suprised you didn't with your experience! We used to build these type of planes with balsa wood and tissue paper with dope to shrink the tissue paper as kids. Great to see you evolve the build process here.

[@al3k]

Beautiful project and video. Thank you for building it all and sharing!

[@christophernoto]

Oh, man, does this take me back! I was doing stick built, tissue covered, rubber powered models when I was ten/eleven years old, back in the early 1960s! I love this! ❤Thank you! 🎉🎉🎉

[@EricSampson]

I can’t wait to see another flight video in calmer winds! Don’t end the journey with a single video!!!

[@thinkflight]

Will definitely be doing more with this!

[@knocksensor3203]

Have to applaud him for all that determination and tireless work 👏🏼

[@pawpawstew]

I'm nearing 60 years old and I lost count of how many rubber band powered planes I bought, flew, modified, destroyed, and lost. It's one of the very first ways for a child to begin understanding physics/ aerodynamics. This project of yours had me reliving my youth and the many flights I launched. The most memorable one is when I rigged one to drop lit fireworks. Upon launch, a gust of wind caused the plane to basically do an immelman and drop the firecrackers on me. Woo hoo! There's no experimentation without risk, eh?

[@nonsequitor]

Amazing video and no joke Joshua helped!!! He and his wife are Amazing people 😍 . First saw their work on Flite Test years ago. Outstanding 🙌

[@SilntObsvr]

That airplane is *magnificent!* I've built a fair number of balsa and tissue free flight models (not hundreds, or even dozens, but four or five that actually flew well) -- plenty to know how hard it is to get even one with a 30 inch span to fly well. To scale that up by a factor of SIX and get it to fly well at low speed is a true achievement!

[@Beefwellington0122]

Really loved this video, thank you for all the hard work you put in to share this awesome project with us!

[@srf2112]

That is some next level perseverance. Well done!

[@bjmbjm]

I loved those balsa planes when I was a kid more than almost any other toy. They were so hard to make fly well. Occasionally I got the glider version with the metal clip at the front for balance. I had more luck with those and I could toss them from our second story window and get a good flight. Those toys always made me want to fly RC, something I really was not able to do until I was an adult.

[@thinkflight]

Yeah, the torque from the prop wrecks havoc on stability!

[@linecraftman3907]

What a beautiful machine and congratulations on the flight!

[@hendrikdebruin4012]

I admire your perseverance and true grit in not giving up and overcoming every obstacle. There is a lesson in this for many people in all endeavors. Kudos to your wife sir for being supportive and just as excited. You do not find that attitude often. To me that is one of the great aspects of this entire build.

[@tomroach6275]

Thank you for the fond memories that came flooding back as I watched this. My parents owned a small country store. At the front counter was a shelf with the balsa planes. On rare occasions my father would allow me to get the rubber band powered plane. Beautifully filmed and edited. You have a new follower. Well Done. Tom

[@WindCatcherRC]

Congratulations! Seeing such a large rubber band plane fly is amazing. And it's a work of art! J&H Aerospace is a fantastic resource for these type of planes.

[@Denasdc]

Damn, that's awesome. Also could notice toroidal prop in the background.

[@MatthewTaylorAu]

I hope thousands on high school science clubs adopt this project. They don’t have to set new records, just build and fly something

[@antman7673]

The large rubber band doesn’t seem to work. The last model just flies, because it is so well build.

[@Peggys-Rider]

This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever watched

[@piconano]

I was wondering how you managed to 3D print a prop that size which looked that perfect! Imagine if they'll come out with a solar panel spray paint that people could apply, and turn surfaces into solar panels.

[@markiobook8639]

it exists but we serfs have to buy panels for the time being.

[@AndreasBergstedt]

Thank you for this project, it reflects so well how so many of us got indoctrinated into the hobby

[@nighthawk0077]

You mean a ready to fly foam plane in a box isn't the way? 😅

[@James-re6co]

I LOVED those balsa planes when I was a kid. During the summer we would ride the bikes up to 7-11 almost daily because the plane we bought yesterday was on the neighbor's roof!! LOL Those with landing gear were the best.... Getting a smooth take-off with a nice flight while sipping on a Slurpee was summertime paradise.

[@Jim-fe2xz]

I remember my dad having a trophy for a rubber powered plane he built in the 20's. The trophy said "Model flew out of sight". He also built a very light weight air tank wrapped with a fine wire and 3 cylinder motor but I don't recall if he said he ever installed it in a model or not. It was fun pumping up the tank and spinning the prop with air power when I was young. It was all hand built but unfortunately lost over the years. As kids we got plans out of the American Modeler magazine to build a jetx powered glider. I cut all the material thicknesses in half and by moving the wing back to balance without the motor would fly it over blacktop streets in the summer and it would just hover on the thermals. Great memories. Great job and great video!

[@GNARGNARHEAD]

haha that's awesome.. those propellers look promising too :3

[@NotJohnUK]

You sir, are the engineer that I always dreamed of being. You find solutions to problems that are mathematical, logical and precise. You have the skills to produce parts you can't find and the thriftiness to build within a budget. Let's also not forget... the bloody mindedness and sacrifice, a project like this takes. Good on you and may your life be blessed by inspiring others. Karma to you good fellow 👍

[@massimilianoromani9271]

when I was a child I had 3!! I threw one from above my building from the seventh floor and saw it fly until I lost sight of it...... I still remember it, I'm 51 years old!😊

[@pookamus6443]

This sir was truly awesome to not only watch but see you succeed. Looking forward to seeing your v3.0 of the plane.

[@Wolverine1228d]

Awesome job! I used to spend hours as a kid building, flying, and modifying those little balsa airplanes. Watching your video brought back a lot of fond memories for me... Thank you, and don't stop making videos!

[@microflite]

Just gorgeous! I like your perseverance! Looking forward to more such projects

[@rizdhium]

it's really interesting as it kinda "back to basic" thing, not just skyrocketed the plane, but how the plane lift it self using a minimum amount of energy is absolutely a win.

[@tedsdogwalking]

I wouldn't say that you did not set an endurance record. It sounds to me like you set the endurance record for rubber powered flight at 12 seconds in the 16 foot and above class as well as the world's largest, flying, rubber powered aircraft. Your pioneering efforts in this field may inspire and encourage more designers and builders to take up the challenge and explore the possibilities of rubber motor flight. I want a go at it now. Well done on a great job! Truly awesome!

[@sergetailor7918]

Your patience deserves high praise! 1. In order for the rubber motor to work more efficiently, the rubber threads must be lubricated with castor oil, this reduces friction. 2. When you tighten the rubber motor, you need to do this by first stretching the rubber threads by 2/3 of the length, and reduce this distance to 0 as the tension increases.

[@airplayn]

I built a 19ft wingspan rubber powered plane in the 70's before the internet. It used heavy duty shipping bands for power. And it was built traditionally with balsa, dope and fabric.

[@WilliamParmley]

I love it!!! Thanks so much for carrying through and succeeding. I flew so many of those things as a kid (and even a "bit" older 😁.) Omitted the landing gear, added some dihedral, added a bit of rudder trim, etc. Got some fantastic flights!

[@NighthawkGliders]

Wow! What an incredible aircraft! This is an amazing build! I’m in awe! 👍 It reminded me of a big RC Guillow’s Sky Streak I featured on my channel at Flite Fest. And yes, Josh Finn is the man who knows rubber-powered flight. I featured him and his giant airplane on my channel as well. All super-cool stuff! 😊

[@luketrigger]

I love the dedication and effort: true pioneer spirit. And not getting down when 6 hours of covering results in “failure”; treating it as a part of the learning journey

[@WhatDadIsUpTo]

I built planes for about 15 years, 35 years ago. I'm now 74. I would try a pod and boom fuselage and empinage with fewer bands pulled tighter and pulling a rack & pinion arrangement to change linear pull into rotational.

[@douglascrose8965]

This is so awesome, thank you for building this project it brings me back to my childhood in a big way pun intended

[@jorgefernandez-mv8hu]

Great Job on building it. As a parent, your success is why we do what we do.

[@bobkelley8291]

Nature taught me another lesson. Dandelions came up in my garden so I went to dig them up expecting a long root. But to my surprise a puff of seeds had came up perhaps 12 or more. The roots were a couple inches long and clean and white. After washing we ate the roots and leaves. Now I plant puffs of dandelions in my garden. I am thinking of trying them indoors under lights during the winter. I just have to collect puffs in the early summer with the help of my grandson. 😋

[@martinbaker2322]

The time and energy that went in to this is completely understandable and cheered by those of us (well, I guess I can't speak for all!) who built these smaller ones as kids. Beautiful! Remember the Gillow Lancer? 😂

[@redboyjan]

They still sell that one

[@martinbaker2322]

@@redboyjan Yes! I've got one I haven't put together yet. I've got great memories of my first one.

[@soggybottom3463]

Beautiful, well done! When she soared, my heart nearly stopped!!! Fantastic!!! 👍👍👍

[@johnwebber8392]

Bro you running down your street with it was the real stuff pure inspiration for the child inside all of us

[@bismuth7730]

What an amazingly cool project. I like how the video shows how perseverance pays off!

[@blackbirdpie217]

I've been working on a rubber band powered airliner for about 20 years now. Don't crush my dream.

[@stjbananas]

For every kid who had one of these when they were young, watching this fly so beautifully is the fulfillment of a dream. Great video.

[@drmichaelshea]

I built a Van’s RV6-A, so I know a little about building airplanes. You, sir, are a born aeronautical engineer. Congratulations.

[@hahaha9076]

Awesome. I love that the neighbours got to see you playing in the street.

[@moninum]

The moment I liked most was when you were running after the plane down the street. It looks like a man that grew up but didn´t stop to play, it´s a symbol of pure joy. You are a lucky man!

[@tuomaspietinen1485]

Absolutely beautiful! Good job.

[@mikejettusa]

I was very impressed during the entire video, but you really sealed the deal with the dedication to your parents. They did an awesome job raising you.

[@stonerllc7585]

Wish I could like this twice. Thanking your folks at the end is a great touch!

[@higgs923]

Years ago I built a 5' span rubber powered replica of a typical first model complete with a spruce stick fuselage and a 14" hand carved prop. Flew surprisingly well and made everyone smile.

[@Prone2Thrill]

Super cool and worthy project ! Can't wait to see more flights from this plane

[@robweiler6711]

That is a great start. Fantastic work.

[@johntomik4632]

This is hilarious and touching. Great project!!

[@alecmclean9178]

Subbed. Pretty cool watching it fly made me feel like a kid again. I’m looking forward to exploring rubber band powered models

[@MarqueeliusThe_III]

The amount of patience this guy has is immeasurable.

[@Drewp_glass]

The passion this man has is so inspirational 😊

[@keithonline20]

This entire concept is absurd and i love it!

[@corporalclegg914]

nice work, Dude. the nod to Mom n Dad finale says all I need to know about you. I had/have those, too