Rubber-Powered Model Airplane - 27" Dornier DO-X - Start to Finish

Start to finish slide show and flight video of the 27" rubber-powered 1931 DO-X, built in 2005-06 by Tom Hallman. Inspired by the 42" electric version by Don Srull. IG: @hallmanstudio
Srull plan: www.hallmanstud...
Article on the use of dethermalizers: www.hallmanstud...
Badge Classic DT & spring (at the bottom of the page): www.starlink-fl...
*** 10 steps to trimming a rubber model, by John Koptonak: www.flyingacesc...
Flying Aces Club merchandise: www.cafepress....
Center of Gravity merchandise: www.cafepress....
For more info on free-flight rubber-powered models, check these websites:
www.easybuiltmo...
www.volareprodu...
www.flyingacesc...
Outerzone - outerzone.co.u...
National Free Flight Society - freeflight.org/
Mike Stuart's Flying Scale Models - www.ffscale.co.uk/
www.freeflight...
Music: Mesmerize by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon...
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@Tizniter]

Half way through, I was thinking "Don't fly it, it's too beautiful"! Nicely done.

[@daveshively3295]

I'm glad he did though! Waaay cool!

[@j.h.holliday5748]

One of the finest pieces of balsa building I have ever seen! (& I've seen quite a few) - and certainly the most complex. Pretty decent in the air too. BRAVO!

[@TomGrigat]

A very beautiful aircraft and model. It was a pleasure to watch your nice video. Thanks for sharing.

[@Sven_Hein]

All the way through , I thought how is this going to fly with these small props but then I noticed the big one in the front. Still one of the nicest and most complex balsa free flight models.

[@longshot7601]

I am really glad to see that it was powered by one large prop. My brain would have exploded if I saw that it was powered by the tiny props on the wing.

[@Skyprince27]

@longshot7601 I figured it would be something with pulleys and they would all be turning and it would take off from water. SO disappointed ☹️!

[@ferrarikingdom]

@@Skyprince27 not to be rude but how could paper survive water . also takes a much longer take off roll on water because of drag so it wouldn't have enough power to fly either.

[@Skyprince27]

@ferrarikingdom You apply a very thin coat of varnish to the paper.

[@ferrarikingdom]

@@Skyprince27 still not enough power. To take off

[@justinjoyit13]

Beautiful work but can't help notice the huge nose prop- was thinking it would actually use the wing motors but be rubber powered - I can see why it was done but still... would have been absolutely awesome if you had figured that one out.

[@GrassPossum]

I think the 2 problems would have been: A) flight duration, since they're short, but I did see a twin engine rubber powered recently withsimilar sized engine pods, albeit they only had one prop. B) probably due to assuming from the start they'd never drive it anyway, the hand crafted props. To work this would have taken a matched set of 8 very well crafted props given the scale and these balsa versions would amount only to mockups under those circumstances.

[@als.4568]

Unbelievable craftsmanship, and it flies beautifully! I am in awe of your skills Tom!

[@Homegrowntv1952]

Really cool. Amazing craftsmanship and flight. Bravo!!

[@wn6904k]

I was trying to get my head around "how wind-up 8+ props". I like your answer. have you give any thought to flying on water????? Do you have more videos on it ???

[@maxfliart]

Thx. There are numerous flights by her on YT. It was never intended to fly over or rise off water. That would be rather impossible for rubber, I'm sure, unless you flew it with electric motors perhaps.

[@npc6817]

@@maxfliart you should try adding an hidrofoil rigged to move in tandem with the elevons (or whatever they're called in english) under the center of gravity, it should help getting the keel out of the water then the wings should be enough tu pull the hidrofoil too. just get something to get it back too since you cant land it on land and you surely can not taxi back to shore

[@Skyprince27]

@NPC Rowboat! 🚣‍♀️ 🌊🌊🌊✈️🌊

[@Jpriest13]

80 people with no skills,or talent, and secretly jealous thumbed this down.

[@JohnHill-qo3hb]

Model aviation in it's purest form, beautiful.

[@smusiness165]

Yes but it's so difficult Especially for model like this

[@kaykiekid]

I wish I had a couple of thousand dollars and I'll offer to buy it what a beautiful wonderful aircraft it is. I just stare at it for hours 😊❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@davisgloff]

the amount of thought, effort and craftsmanship that went into this project is unimaginable...Bravo!

[@bluebear6570]

Only three were built by Dornier in Germany, two of them were sold to Italy. In the early 1930s, it was something like the 747 is nowadays.

[@niljansoria6825]

A380*

[@frederichrecinski4616]

@@niljansoria6825 , On a eu exactement la même réaction !! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@deadinside7600]

Been binge watching your stuff all morning. Definitely gained a subscriber, super therapeutic to watch.

[@carmium]

Amazing craftsmanship! My only (too late) suggestion would have been to use a matte black nose prop so it wouldn't flash so obviously in the sun.

[@maxfliart]

Thx, that's a good idea. I'll give it a shot next time I take her out. Directional ight can be a funny thing sometimes.

[@GrassPossum]

@@maxfliart Why not convert to electrics and remove that preposterous thing in the center? These days the micro stuff and batts are small and light enough. Very nice model by the way. Too sweet to risk flying unless you can have some control surely. I understand the best part is over once its finished and even the first flight is just the cherry as a builder myself but still..

[@maxfliart]

@@GrassPossum Surely that's a good option for many flyers, but the model was built for Rubber Scale in the Flying Aces Club competition. Bonus points are given for various configurations, but the model must be rubber powered. I enjoyed the challenge.

[@GrassPossum]

@@maxfliart Of course I assumed it was made to rule. Just that having done the judging I'd love to see it fly free.

[@gwheyduke]

Beautiful build. I sped up the video to 1.75X and the music was better there.

[@IndependentBear]

Fantastic, especially with all that detail and it is still a great flyer! Thanks!

[@crashrr2993]

Hi Tom, I am fifty-five years old and last year, for a joke, my friend gave me a Vintage Models ME BF109 for Christmas. I accepted the challenge and over the course of the year I made it to the best of my ability. Whilst doing so, I took one look at those fragile (uncovered) wings and thought 'this is never going to fly, and if it does, it'll break on its first landing'. In consequence, I concentrated on its appearance, adding some extra scale details, etc. - though, thankfully, I didn't make the mistake of painting it. Having displayed my rather beautiful creation to my amazed friend, I had a half-hearted attempt at flying it and, to my utter disbelief, it flew, bloody well, too! To date, after only about thirty flight attempts, I've cracked a nineteen-second powered flight and a fifteen-second trimming glide. (Hardly the stuff of records but most encouraging for my first attempts.) I live in the beautiful rural West Country in England and I suspect the last time a 109 was seen blazing over the Marshwood Vale was in 1940 during the Battle of Britain! So, imagine my delight when I discovered your videos and saw what wonders rubber-powered planes can achieve with a little care, attention and a few insider tips. In consequence, I've cut off all the unnecessary detailing from my plane, removed unnecessary stringers and wood from the rear to lighten it for a better flying performance. My goal is a forty-second flight. I've quickly come to realize that there is something very special and unique about rubber-powered planes, they occupy a very pure form of modelling where you pit(ch) your wits against the laws of Nature. It's definitely a thinking man's hobby. I confess, I am hooked and, being lucky enough to own my own beautiful flying field right outside my back door, have just ordered a Vintage Models 28" Hurricane, with which I hope to emulate some of your success with your Seafire. It is nothing short of an inspiration to see the unbelievable standard of your modelling skills - the Dornier DO-X is ridiculously AMAZING - and I can assure you that your videos will force me to re-evaluate just how well a model can be made, not just to look good, but to fly bloody well, too! Please, keep the videos coming. Here's three questions for you: first, the nose-to-peg distance on my 109 is 6½", what motor would you recommend?; second, how did you achieve those beautiful, thin and straight, panel lines on the Dornier?; third, what balsa glue do you use, I can hardly see any evidence of it on your models?

[@maxfliart]

That's quite a story. The power of free-flight. In this digital age, there's a simplistic beauty in rubber-powered aircraft that is well worth experiencing, for some at least. Continued success with your future ships. Thanks too for your kind words. The lines on the DO-X were created with a Copic pen and a straight edge...prior to covering, however. I use Titebond wood glue, applied with a pin and wiped clean as best I can. Cheers.

[@dariocugia1938]

Miyazaki Sensei would love this dream!!!

[@robmorgan111]

Please take the big prop off the front . Its much better as it was intended with the 12 and leave it as a static model . Excellent construction and finish.

[@matthewrichardson828]

The junkers ailerons on the top of the wing are pretty rad.

[@adventure95004]

Beautiful 😊 This is one of the few channels I automatically click thumbs-up before I watch the video so that I do not forget. There is just something about them that makes me happy, thank you for the work that you do and allowing us to share in the results.

[@maxfliart]

Thx for the kind words. Very thoughtful.

[@froyserrano5969]

@@maxfliart me gustaria que en tu proccimo video isieras un tutirial de como hacer las elices y el motor porfavor telo agradeseria muchisimo

[@angelosardi9442]

What a beautiful plane, captain.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@adcdsasa6526]

You are crazy....but its fantastic ....very nice job :-)

[@mandh14]

Anyone that dislikes this must surely be lobotomized!

[@BANDIT198455]

Just jealous.

[@neinnein9306]

Like some thousand Norwegian-German (war-)kids in Norway after the war?

[@angiefav1847]

What a beautiful masterpiece l never thought it would fly that well l am a r c pilot but to see this it’s remarkable very very nice l enjoyed watching your video well done cheers

[@AUS29568]

That is some stunningly fantastic master craftsmanship.

[@johnroberts981]

AUS29568 Those were the same words I thought watching the video before I looked at the comments ☺

[@krokodyl1927]

This brings back memories of buying a rubber powered balsa wood plane at a local ‘variety store’ for a dime & heading out to a park or an empty parking lot on Sundays to fly it. It was great fun till it disintegrated from frequent handling & flying.

[@dalsosegno]

i love disintegrating planes actually

[@scottfirman]

Its a beautiful flying model. I have seen actual RC planes that flew one did crash. All that work ...Gone. Yeah I couldnt handle the loss. At least foam planes are easily repaired. I fly both. I built a rubber powered Cessna 128 as a kid. It broke on my third attempt at flying it. Last year I got an RC electric Cessna. The thing flew great for most of the year, then the electronics failed in it. I ended up letting the neighbor hood kids have it as a play glider.

[@stevetillson3268]

Unbelievable! An absolute work of art. Who knew it would fly that elegantly with 12 little propellers creating all that drag?

[@maxfliart]

Thx, Steve. I thought exactly the same....couldn't believe she'd fly for more than a single circle. Was a dream after the many month of building time.

[@stevetillson3268]

@@maxfliart ...and all that magnificent detail.

[@philipbrailey]

I love this aircraft. Absolutely fantastic. One of my favourites.

[@stewartlocklear4546]

Absolutely amazing. What beautiful art!

[@agostinobaldacchini3568]

Great job! Amazing! for me, who attended the military college named after Umberto Maddalena (visible in the background images of Cadimare, Gulf of La Spezia) this video is an immense pleasure.

[@maxfliart]

Terrific. Glad the film brought u an unexpected pleasure.

[@BladeRicsi]

Thats a piece of art, awesome.

[@dqm9991]

Beautiful job. Now I want to step on all the scale models I built!

[@GrassPossum]

My grandmother did exactly that to mine 40 years ago.

[@adcdsasa6526]

Sei fuori .....ma sei veramente bravissimo uno spettacolo complimenti

[@SmaartguySA]

I am so fortunate to see such talent in my lifetime. This is a dying art, I applaud your incredible talent. I wish I could learn this.

[@phillipjeans9721]

A masterpiece executed by a true craftsman. Thank you for sharing.

[@nairbllebpmac4179]

Mr. Hallman your building skills are of the highest order, and I've seen and built balsa models for over 40 years. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@everydayhero5076]

Ok, someone reading this please help. I have to get into this but I need more info about it. Someone out there in internetland please guide me in the right direction. Very cool video indeed.

[@maxfliart]

Glad to help. Find more info about rubber-powered modeling at @t , @t ,@t , www.hippocketaeronautics.com/index.htm

[@blanked3]

Now if only he builds the sea angel from porco Rosso, that would be amazing, but I guess there no blueprint in existence for the plane :(

[@madhukarjonathanminj2772]

Flitetest has free plans for it

[@billsomrak]

Magnificent .. museum quality for sure. The fact that it flies so well blows my mind. Thanks for sharing this incredible project.

[@louisedadge4056]

The legend has it Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil so he could play guitar so well. Have you entered into a similar arrangement for your aero modeling skills?!!

[@maxfliart]

Haha...I hope not...but maybe some days, yes. I try to pace myself, while still keeping an eye on the reality of needing to maintain positive cash flow. But when you have to fly, you have to fly!

[@jamesbonde4470]

@@maxfliart I love you man. You are a genius and a courageous, and imaginative modeler. In these days of Chinese, buy and fly, it's a treat to see this kind of craftsmanship. Life is short, you can't ever have too many airplanes.

[@Dirtbug473]

Oh man...I was amazed how you could wind up those little motors...quite amazed...then I saw the main prop. I had to laugh at myself...nice build...all the way.

[@maxfliart]

Elves...

[@bipolatelly9806]

.......and in she comes for a perfect landing.

[@沈紹光]

you gave the flying boat live again, so real in many aspects

[@jimdavis8391]

Fantastic attention to detail; a tour de force!

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

Simply exquisite! The music is excellent too.

[@muffelmeierheinrich]

I really enjoy the beautiful arrangement of the videos and the accompanying music are always a joy to hear. This one really hit the feels and I couldn't quite put my finger on it as the music is from Kevin MacLeod,.. then I heard the quaint simularites to the Mass Effect 3: Liara's Vigil and then I knew why the tune was so comforting. BTW, since watching your Video's I have completed a Guillows P-51D that I started back in 99' and I originally built (poorly) as a teenager more than 40 years ago. I just launched my first scratch built Slingby Falcon glider, and learned quite a few things along the way applying the many tips you have shown throughout your start to finish videos. Still making mistakes, but learning also along the way. It's a journey, not a race

[@sledawgpilot]

Now you’re just showing off! Holy cow what a complex build!

[@oxcart4172]

Beautiful job!

[@yassermasood3423]

This is sorcery😯 😃 A skill level beyond man can achieve. I think she will fly on her tractor and pusher wing mounted engines if just flown on them alone.

[@joelcopen3920]

Wow - what a masterpiece! Flight looked amazing, too!

[@GlideLA]

That was great. Really enjoyable.

[@vintagebalsa6440]

Wow, nice job.

[@laurenceporter9354]

... stunning! ...

[@S_MannMann]

WOW!! GREAT!!!!

[@Rundumsfliegen]

And i thougt: "how in the world is He going To do These 12 Rubber-band-props?" Nicely Done

[@fivecitydirttracker4776]

As I.

[@FrankWalsh]

Incredible. No way I would have the guts to fly it!

[@HUEEY]

91 ppl are mad it wasn’t driven by all the small engines on the top.

[@tenseven1398]

I thought it would be driven by the engines at the top like the actual DO-X until i saw the huge prop up front lmao

[@HUEEY]

I thought so too but that seems like a lot of work

[@Clouddddxjzjs552]

Wow! What a piece of art! Amazing work. Thanks for posting.

[@johnk4437]

Absolutely immaculate balsa wood model construction ! Well done ... you must enjoy flying it after all the work building this fantastic flying boat. I have seen the Dornier and other flying boats that were designed and built early in the 20th century documented in many books that have been published about them. A truly bizarre phase of civil aviation with its peak years between the world wars - 1920's through the 1940's ! Thank you.

[@exptodd]

Anyone else think the mock propellers we're going to be the power? Great job and I fully understand at that scale it would be pretty hard to make those rubber powerd. But I sure was wondering the whole video how in the heck you were going to pull it off! Beautiful aircraft, loving your vids

[@mrhearse777]

The original crossed the Atlantic . It took for ever as the plane couldn't get out of ground effect , and was notoriously unreliable! Average speed over the months crossing the Atlantic? About 1.5 miles per hour. Was it worth it ? NO. But what a model !

[@farklefuster6876]

Wow!!!!Lookital that “C” grain balsa!!!! Fangorgeulsytastic.

[@macrumpton]

That was amazing!!! If i can humbly suggest something, if you make/find a transparent propeller that might further enhance the illusion.

[@davidoswald6194]

This my friend is a work of art...I would love to know how to build like that...love Itallians aircraft.....especially the can't seaplanes

[@wingnutzster]

In full size we are rigorously taught how draggy a ‘dirty’ prop can be and how detrimental to max glide, you have 12 incredibly dirty 6 in leading airflow, 6 in trailing but yet it floats and penetrates as well as a single powered monoplane, flying in the face of accepted drag theory.

[@matthewschildt6199]

Beautiful video and thanks very much for using my music. All the best, Matthew Schildt

[@None-zc5vg]

A miniature work-of-art.maybe a couple of the dummy engine pods could be fitted with electric motors fed from a small battery in the fuselage, replacing the rubber power and that big prop at the front.

[@royalanania3306]

My condolences on your daughter 🙂 a great loss ,ab.d though this is a masterpiece of work it's seems shadowed by something else.

[@davidholmgren659]

Remarkable...and it flies beautifully. Museum quality work.

[@PapaSchlumpf78]

Why don't show us how works the rubber? Were have you install the rubber? In how space? Please show us that.

[@baitclicker9414]

Cool!

[@Leonardo_davinci_]

Elastic? Anyway is amazing!! Bravo complimenti 🙌🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹

[@UTubeGlennAR]

:) Congratulations, Even a perfect choice of music too............ :)

[@FleischmannH0]

Nice design and paint job !

[@petergronroos5455]

Congratiolations! Masterpiece in rubberpowered models!

[@CaseyFinSF]

Super cool. Papering and doping the body a d wings must have a slight bitch...beautifully done!

[@luigiguadagna9979]

Che dire ? Spettacolare , come tutti gli altri progetti !!

[@maxinegray1587]

A fantastic achievement of building and flying. The climb rate in scale is certainly far better than the original flying boat.

[@lrg3834]

Exquisite. In fact, think your model flew farther than the real thing!

[@TimothySielbeck]

Beautiful work! Do you have a single or multiple sources for the plans you use?

[@remcovanvliet3018]

Thank you so much for not ruining the video with shitty music. Oh, wait...

[@Romin.777]

Perhaps a silly comment but you should start a museum with all your planes for us to visit. :))

[@c150gpilot]

And it flies better than the original!

[@michaelschuler7397]

Who would ever thumbs down this . I’m very confused with how the world thinks theses days

[@cbglassiii9362]

Very nicely done. Beautiful airplane.

[@michaelslack5269]

You sir are a craftsman...love the clean true structures!

[@John-np2bf]

I bet the men that flew these planes would be honored and proud to these birds fly again, even as models.

[@welshpete12]

When you see something like this . You just feel like stop model making , it is far far better then any thing I will ever be able to make !

[@aviatop7110]

Sorry, and you're selling delivery models and how much it's going to cost

[@piperjohn_3]

Jaw dropping. I like the way you gave it just a touch of dihedral.

[@andrewbarton8525]

Stunning, just stunning.

[@None-zc5vg]

The real plane didn't fly too well and had a very low ceiling: the model flew better.

[@volska1816]

Fine build and real craftsmanship

[@thermalascension]

Wow 😲. Absolutely amazing. 👍

[@robedmunds7163]

Flys lovely even with the drag of all the dummy motors.

[@givemetoast]

How are you printing your graphics?

[@maxfliart]

On this one I used airbrush and acrylic enamels for the green nose logo, red lettering and tail color. I used black Presstype for the small lettering near the nose. Otherwise, I would use Photoshop, but I don't feel the inkjet printing can give me as much depth of color, especially over silver tissue.

[@givemetoast]

maxfliart great info! Thank you. Beautiful work by the way.

[@stuarttaylor3567]

lovely, elegant, beautiful model. where did you get the drawings/plans? good job, you should be very proud ☺👍

[@maxfliart]

Thx. You can view the plan above via the link to Don Srull's version.

[@stuarttaylor3567]

Thank you very much, beautiful model 😊

[@sashali6666]

Meanwhile, I can’t make a three piece balsa glider