Rubber Band Powered Airplane

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An elastic powered airplane is an affordable way to get involved in the world of model aviation. Flying RC airplanes can get expensive in a hurry, costing hundreds of dollars just for the needed equipment to get started.

Don’t let lack of money deter you from getting involved in the wonderful world of model aviation. Too many folks really miss out by making the mistake of assuming a rubber powered plane is only for kids. While building and flying a rubber band airplane is an excellent way for children to learn about aviation, it’s also challenging and rewarding for adults as well.

Dumas #403 - Gee Bee R-1 Racer 24"

Rubber Band Powered Airplane Types

The basic concept of all rubber powered model planes is the same. A rubber band is stretched from the shaft of the propeller to a fixed point on the rear of the aircraft. The rubber band builds potential energy when the propeller is wound in the opposite direction. This potential energy drives the propeller through the flight.

Rubber Powered Gliders: The most basic type of rubber powered airplane is a simple design constructed from balsa wood or foam core material. These very cheap and can be assembled in a matter of seconds. The kids absolutely love them!

F1D Free Flight Endurance: These rubber powered planes are built extremely lightly with a balsa wood frame covered in tissue paper. Experiences builders have been able to keep their rubber powered birds in the air for 30 to 40 minutes or more while flying indoors!

Scale Rubber Powered Airplanes: Constructed from balsa wood and tissue, these rubber powered model planes are tiny scale versions of actual full scale airplanes. The amount of detail that some folks put into these models is astonishing, and they also fly well!

The book Rubber Powered Airplanes by Don Ross is an ideal place for a beginner to start. It steps you through the process of building very simple powered stick models to advanced scale models. Includes detailed discussions of rubber motors, propellers, trimming, different designs, you name it.

This may be the best book out there for someone looking for a comprehensive break-down of rubber powered free flight. Even a seasoned builder could stand to learn a thing or two from reading through his book.

Rubber Powered Model Airplanes:
Comprehensive Building and Flying Basics Plus Advanced Design-Your-Own Instruction

A Rubber Band Powered Airplane for Kids

I have a four year old son, and he loves his rubber powered airplanes. I will have to admit that he destroys them in a hurry, but he has fun with them while they last. It’s a good thing they’re cheap!

A company called AGI Industry has a pretty cool fleet of stand-off scale rubber powered profile planes. They’re made from foam core which is a lot more durable than balsa wood. The fact that they resemble real planes is definite treat for the little guy!

They also have a kit that comes with three different planes in a addition to an electric powered prop winder. Check out their selection below.

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Rubber Powered Gliders

There are many different types of rubber band gliders ranging from foam biplanes to the simplest balsa wood design. As you’ll probably notice from the selection below, you can usually find a pretty sweet deal if you buy them “wholesale” (several at a time). Trust me, this comes in very handy with a rambunctious four-year old!

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F1D Style Endurance Rubber Band Powered Airplane

The World Championships class F1D of the FAI(Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) consists of indoor rubber powered free flight models. Some of these models can stay aloft for over 40 minutes while flying indoors!

Just like any other hobby, it takes a lot of practice and experience to build a model that can fly this long indoors. You will be off to a good start by reading the Book by Don Ross mentioned above which is an excellent starting point for building your first endurance rubber powered plane.

There really aren't a huge amount of kits on the market for this type of rubber band powered airplane. That's because playing around with different designs is what makes it fun.

However, there's a Canadian modeler by the name of Darcy Whyte who sells a kit called the Squirrel. I have ordered several from him, they're a lot of fun to put together. It comes with all the material and instructions, all you need to buy is some white glue.

I have a lot of respect for Darcy as he loves to use his "Squirrel" to teach little kids about aviation. Check out his site at www.rubber-power.com.

Scale Rubber Band Powered Airplane

Kits are available that contain everything you need with a detailed set of instructions for building a miniature version of your favorite full-scale airplane. While it takes a fair amount of work, it is absolutely amazing to watch your creation rise to the sky as the rubber band uncoils!

Dumas Ryan M-1 Mail Transport

Pistachio Scale: Wingspan of 8 inches or less.

Peanut Scale: Wingspan between 8 and 13 inches.

Walnut Scale: Wingspan between 13 and 18 inches.

John Cooper, another Canadian modeler, has a very impressive collection of peanut scale rubber powered planes here. This proves that you don't have to spend a ton of money to build a truly spectacular scale airplane!

Both Peck Polymers and Dumas manufacture high quality laser cut kits to build rubber powered scale versions of full scale airplanes. These kits include everything you need to bring your creation to life.

The cost of these kits are very little and watching your tiny creation rumble to life as the rubber band unwinds brings a true sense of accomplishment. And they also look nice on the shelf, good to show off when you have company. If your wife will allow you to display them!