I loved the remark by the little girl at around 57:39 when the kids realised the model pilot was James May and she said 'I know who that guy is from Top Gear, he's the really stupid one!' and I love how James May didn't have that edited out!
The thing that always gets me rewatching this is the look of utter joy on the face of the chase pilot. I mean the dude is actually flying a helicopter in real life, a significant feat of real world aviation and engineering. Yet the inner child looks at the toy glider soaring free and feels the magic of flight. "This is so cool." It's a sense of wonder we should all strive never to lose.
What a beautiful sight to see. And what an achievement! As someone who fixed helicopters in the US Army and has loved aviation all my life I say well done!
Not everyone likes the trio, but such genuine enthusiasm from James cannot be faked. A superb effort and fantastic aerial filming. Wonderful! The spirit of wonder, childhood dreams realized as an adult, and waking that from all of us as we watch is infectious. Believe it or not, back in August 2003, a model aircraft actually made a Transatlantic crossing! Called TAM-5 or The Spirit of Butts' Farm, it flew from Cape Spear in Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland in 38 hours, 52 minutes, and 19 seconds! The aircraft was built by a team led by Maynard Hill, a retired metallurgist. Before this feat, Hill had previously set 25 model airplane records and was inducted into the Model Aviation Hall of Fame in 1977. Simply put, anything is possible if you still believe!
The most mind blowing part about this was the paper aircraft and darts found in the old school. The one James May found and flew had been sat there for at least 100 years, flown by a child long since dead and he casually flies it again. Just think about that for a moment. It had the same design we ourselves used. Decades before planes would look anything remotely like that. Potentially even a century or more. What a mind blowing moment.
That absolutely blew my mind as a child in third grade making paper airplanes are designs haven’t changed at all and that just blew by bite also that The paper dart plane was Decades ahead of its time
@2:50 G-WACG, the plane I went solo in, about 24 years ago! A little later, I flew the channel in a slightly bigger Cessna, and while uneventful, it certainly made me appreciate the bravery of Bleriot and other early pioneers. This is almost the perfect TV show, for me. Please make more James!
This has to be one of the most beautiful, heartwarming, and inspiring films I've ever seen. Hats off to everyone who had a hand in making the record attempt possible, and the creators who produced this wonderful story!
That is not a toy glider... That is a piece of aviation history. Respect! Next step is to fit it with a prop and paint it with PV paint. Over to you James for another first...!
It's great to see the nostalgia that James May's show brings back to viewers of similar ages who also played with similar toys. The episode is enjoyed by many, particularly the Meccano bike.
james may really is just a big child. he embodies what all want to be, younger again. even though this was a full decade ago, and he’s older, more dulled down, it’s amazing to see a time where he was accomplishing what every young kid wanted to do, and i think everyone can smile at a grown man, being excited about an oversized children’s toy.
To be able to recapture exquisite joy as in youth is a rare thing. I last felt it as I rode my new motorcycle home. I certainly did share in his joy, seeing the beauty of a boy's dream in flight.
In my teens I attended a plane modeling club where we built balsa wood models ourselves, from scratch. And I do mean from scratch because every bit, maybe apart from the fuselage we had to sand down to proper size, dimensions. Build wings etc. from that. Then cover them with special fabric. And those models weren't only for show. We attended and competed in events across the country on old airfield hauling the models up in the air, letting go of the line at a specific moment and then the judges would count the time it stayed in the air. Great memories and that show brought it all back. Thanks! As the Supreme Leader, thankful you said, “This is so British!” That’s exactly what I was thinking. Then, somehow, the uncooperative French made this video even MORE British! 😂😂😂 “Liberté! Fraternité! Absurdité!”
i watched this ten years ago when it was first shown, and found myself, once again, lumpy-throated and utterly joyful. It was the 'victory laps' that ultimately got me. Wonderful, wonderful television, and bravo to the producers for, presumably, greenlighting a budget-exploding gamble so that last flight was possible. i can't wait to show this episode to my infant son one day.
Absolutely beautiful. A dream of any child 10 to 100 years old :) Also - if you never been on a glider - do it! It is amazing being in the sky without any noise.
That was an awesome video. It really got me invested. I'm so glad you were able to do the final flight, that really was beautiful. I generally prefer aircraft that have their own thrust, but that was really beautiful. The church find was really amazing. I just assumed that the paper airplane design was made by children mimicking aircraft. I never imagined that it was the other way around. I guess there's just something embedded in humans, that lets us see how to do particular things. Instinctual things making us want to fly.
This is my favorite video he’s ever done - because he made every little/grown boy who’s ever made a model plane (or flown RC) come true. Ticked every box.❤
I had a glider and one day found an autopilot on eBay for rc glider so we set it up got the glider realy high then turned the rc radio off and watched the glider fly on its own it was mindblowing it went out of sight to my horror but a few seconds later it flew over me circled then landed great memories
@plamenpeychev as is customary in the UK. They use a hybrid method of metric and Imperial. It’s odd, but most men of James’ age will still measure in imperial.
I'm so glad I didn't go back outside when it hit the water. I downloaded. On a bleak depressing day I'm so glad I stumbled onto this presentation. Thank you all everyone for your shared adventure and kudos for the chopper guys for managing to return to git it done next day. I was interested then intent then nervous and finally elated. Great job all you guys. You really made my day. Have a good life Kudos from a dreary snow bound day up in the Washington state mountains. Dandahermit
@Jere Lull Thank you Jere, I do believe you are right. I'm 72 now and kinda stopped flying after I sold my Cessna 310., due to a move from Belgium to Canada's West coast. Thought of a floatplane but that never materialized. Although I am almost about 20 years out of it I could still easily pass my medical (daily 5km runner), I should perhaps take your advice and drop the "ex".
Hey, I sympathize: You're a Multi-IFR aviator who just hasn't exercised that license lately. I'm about 40 years out of bi-annual medical or flight currency, but still am a pilot at heart.
Seemingly trivial, (and costly) - but such a GREAT achievement. I loved this video. Also much of the photography both of the aircraft and from the aircraft was beautifully compiled. And yes - for those of us who have echoed J.M.'s boyhood pleasures and dreams, you have encapsulated a few joyfully reminiscent moments, around the globe, for your like-minded brethren. WELL DONE TEAM!
This video took me back to my childhood memories and I watched the full video like a kid hanging on to a chocolate bar. I watched James May go on a U2 spy plane and that was thrilling to watch. But when I watch this video, the U2 spy plane became a toy and this glider became a hero! Thanks so much for creating such an inspiring video!
4:13 😂 the sound of the helicopter crashing into the hangar as James turns and walks away had me laughing for a solid 2 minutes 😂 the fact that is was off screen, and unacknowledged by James, made it even funnier…
@Sam Holdsworth Neither of those were really toys. First was a Blade 120SR, which while old is a hobby grade model from Blade/Horizon Hobby, and the plane was a Parkzone Ultra Micro J-3 Cub, also a hobby grade micro RC. The radio was a (also old) E-Flite DSM radio, and certainly can connect to both of those DSM models and actually came with the Ready to Fly combos for both of them. Funnily I actually had both of those models myself back when I first got into RC in 2011-2012. If you scroll back far enough you can see the 120SR in the first video I ever posted on TRvid.
@Jimmy Whitlow yeah, but not these toys 😂 I am very well-versed with building RC aircraft. And anyone who is would know that you couldn't fly two toy RC with one toy RC controller...just saying
The combination of the music, the clear skies, the toy glider gliding and Tom saying so cool at 51:56 made me cry for the first time in a long time, leaving me wondering if there is anything I'm doing wrong with my life.
WOW! Simply loved it! As a modeler myself this was monumental, and I am glad you were able to get that second chance. Life is full of surprises and you sir have made a big one!!! Thank you.
I am so impressed. Totally riveting and exciting. Cheering from desk as it flew. Awesome how everyone comes together again to pull off an incredible feat.
A fantastic idea in this time where not everything is peaceful that comes from the sky. Anyone could have had this idea, but you guys rocked it. Awesome. I think the idea is what makes this video great, but also the professional execution and enthusiasm of all the people are involved. I didn't skip anything in the video, because every moment is a delight. Too bad the French didn't play along. Thanks guys, for this brilliant video, you deserve an award. ...Christian / Berlin
What an utterly utterly wonderful programme. I'm sitting here both crying and cheering with joy at the same time. We are all big kids at heart. Look at that glider go! Go on glider, you can do it.....
Completely, I found myself really emotional as the failure of the cloudy day turned into a second attempt with clear skies.. not something I was expecting
Seeing James's inner child spark was beautiful, the sheer passion from himself and those involved and the music, the journey was all just incredible and emotional to watch, I felt like part of it, thank you team.
Hands down my favourite video from "Toy stories" and one of the best videos I've ever seen. Educational, inspiring and fun. Well done Mr. May! Superb job!
I built a balsa glider myself when I was 12. After weeks of building and painting I trough it in the air and it crashed badly. I never built another one. So, thank you for this video. I was with you the whole time.
In my teens I attended a plane modeling club where we built balsa wood models ourselves, from scratch. And I do mean from scratch because every bit, maybe apart from the fuselage we had to sand down to proper size, dimensions. Build wings etc from that. Then cover them with special fabric. And those models weren't only for show. We attended and competed in events across the country on old airfield hauling the models up in the air, letting go of the line at a specific moment and then the judges would count the time it stayed in the air. Great memories and that show brought it all back. Thanks👍
Repent to Jesus Christ “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 NIV h
This is the type of TV programme we need to see more of. There's currently too much garbage on TV because it's a quantity over quality game. And of the ex Top Gear trio, James by far does the best solo programmes and TRvid videos. Always authentic.
At last - James has grown up. It is about time. Kudos to the build team. May they prosper in their chosen field and reach great heights. We need all the young people like these we can get to ensure the ongoing survival of society.
Maybe my 2 favorite things on this are: the prototype got its own flight on the test of the "coffin" and did beautifully (almost flying back to their feet) and the pilot Tom's honest reactions when he was tracking and releasing the glider. We all turned back into little boys throughout this episode. Thank you.
There are very few people making 1 hour videos like this. There are even fewer people that can hold my attention on a video like this for more than 10-15. But James May is one of those very rare people. I don´t even really care about model planes, but somehow he keeps me entertained and my interest peaked all the way through.
This was a fantastic watch! Very uplifting bright spot and a real triumph! Thank you for creating and sharing something like this that we can all, at least vicariously, experience the joy, wonder and thrill of well earned accomplishment. I'm really grateful to have borne witness and been on the journey!
It's heart-warming to see James' genuine delight with all these old toys, things that children these days don't care about. I think I'd have a lot of things to talk about with Mr. May, even though there's quite a few decades between us.
@fraggsta did it serve any purpose other than for a bit of fun? Sure it might be advanced, but it's a toy all the same.. adults can have toys too you know! 😉
@beebo my Dad took my brother and I to see Gliders in flight. They were stunning. Agree that if you want to see how the magic works, you have to see the full-size gliders in flight
So many like me who see all the dreams we had in childhood. So emotional! Tears in my face... James represents so well those emotions and feeling from those who know what pionneerism and aviation is all about. That planes from children made back 150 years ago. Man! Shivers... This video is amazing. One of best things I have seen so far...
Been a real 'fan' of Captain Slow for ... well damn, decades, at this point. One of the smartest and most 'interesting' of all the Top Gear/The Grand Tour presenters. His choice of 'off season' shows, has always been very watchable, informative and fun. I hope he bounces back once again after Jeremy (once again) kills off yet another top/popular series.
@RocketVlogs well, obviously, if he was a well-known known celebrity with a huge voice, then no one would care as much 😂 that's obvious. Amazon is looking at it from a business perspective, and Jeremy's of the cusp remarks can be extremely damaging to the shows and how people view amazon. Some may view amazon as in support of what Jeremy said if they had not acted. Any time someone has a large platform, it is obvious that their voice will be heard more and, therefore, silenced more. This is just logical.
@steamsearcher indeed.. but so did Brexit. In the end it's quite apparent Jeremy is a bit of an arse. Sure he can be funny but he tries sooo hard to be. His humour is still very much at a schoolyard level
I loved his bit of commentary about being a kid at the top of a very tall hill because it's so relatable. I loved riding down the biggest hill when I was a kid with my sister and friends and you always wanted one just a little taller.
Amazing video, and even though none of my finger bits were stuck to that glider, i got quite emotional too when i saw it soar gracefully over that island. Thank you mr. May
Your RC helicopter at 4:08 reminded me of how I got into aviation in the first place. My first RC aircraft looks a lot like that toy helicopter. It worked for a few weeks and then the motor overheated :( It was so fun while it lasted. Then A while later I got a small (like size of your hand small) RC plane, but it worked better as a glider, especially once one of the microscopic motors gave out. Then I got a bit larger plane (a little bigger than your red piper) and it crashed into a few trees before the elevator rod fell out, making it impossible to control pitch, and therefore couldn't fly, but it lasted much MUCH longer and I'd buy it again if it wasn't for the next one I got. So far, these were all just actual toy aircraft that could fly in your back yard and only in less than 5 mph wind, but then I got an actual large RC trainer plane that hobbyists like me fly. Takes up the entire trunk of the car on the way to the airfield that you legally have to fly at. (well, almost. There's lots of legal restrictions on where it can fly and stuff, like not around crowded areas or above 400 ft or in airspace around airports, etc.) Now I'm on my way to getting a pilots license eventually.
I'm not even British and even I knew about the White Cliffs of Dover! For those wondering, the cliffs are white because they're made of chalk. Chalk is made of the remains of coccoliths. These tiny planktonic green algae once floated in the sea. How did the cliffs form? The White Cliffs date back over 136 million years, having formed during the Cretaceous period in the Mesozoic era. When the algae I mentioned died, their remains sank to the bottom of the ocean where it combined with the remains of other creatures. Over millions of years, the seabed became exposed and is now above sea level, forming the White Cliffs of Dover you see today. Such an iconic natural wonder that I hope to visit one day
The thing that amazes me the most about flight is that something like a hang glider is literally 4 long poles, a bit of rope and some canvas and yet this simple arrangement eluded early pioneers for centuries.
Repent to Jesus Christ “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 NIV ht
I always enjoy watching you fly... most people don't say anything and just enjoy watching. I never commented before, keep it up your entertaining and your flying speaks for itself.
As gliders rely on thermals to keep altitude I wonder if the glider can be fitted with sensors to detect the thermals, fly into them to gain height and then continue on to the destination.
I imagine the problem there would be control - once you get into a thermal you have to do some rather measured and skilled corkscrewing to gain height, which relies a lot on feel. You could probably program a flight controller to do it, but it'd be a heck of a piece of software.
Bravo! An uplifting (pun intended) story w a good ending! Well done James May....anyone that has even built a balsa plane before understands your excitement! This would have been a great high school science project.
Fantastic video. Gives so many positive feelings. The narration is also so good. The Idea, the comments, the fun the helicopter pilot is having, the build up of the video, the music., it is all a perfect match and perfect editing. I LOVE IT ALL. Thank you all for the hard work to create this.
The thing that changed my rc plane experience over the years more than anything else is ammonia. Yes the chemical that burns your nose. With a little bit of ammonia you can warp, twist ,bend balsa into any shape you want without it snapping. It's like magic. The number of designs I could never make without adding glue weight jumped by multiple orders of magnitude after discovering that one thing.
This is VERY intriguimg to me as, someone who hasn't built an RC Plane for a few decades but have been thinking to get back in. What percentage of Ammonia are we talking about? Like, Windex amount (3-4%) or Jewelers Ammonia (25-28%)? Very interesting, thanks!
This is a cracking video and well done James and the crew ,what an achievement !!love seeing the enthusiasm of the Brunel guys and it just shows despite the underfunding of aviation that innovation is still alive and well ,great job !!
Could have done some slope soaring above those cliffs before landing, could have extended the distance flown by who knows. 😉 Regardless this is an awesome video, a fantastic idea and execution!
I wish my grandfather could see this! He grew up building his own RC airplanes in Indiana, USA back in the 1940s. We have a very cool news paper clipping from his local town showing him, at 14, holding a flying saucer RC plane that he built and which had been spotted by the people in town who of course freaked out, took photos, and even got the local police to chase and monitor it. Imagine their surprise when the saucer lands like a normal airplane (because it basically is) and a 14 year old boy with some radio equipment is the "alien pilot" who was flying it!
My grandfather used to build, fly and absolutely obliterated model aircraft. The excitement of watching that glider clear over 35km and land safely reminds me of the excitement I used to feel taking model planes up to Westbury and Heddington to fly them and occasionally get involved in a demolition Derby dogfight. Just a shame we never made the machine guns a reality (he even had an airsoft gun he planned to modify before he died, absolute madman).
@Sian Warwick he could get a guinness placard already for this if he just paid them to accept the made up category as externally verified. a lot of the records on guinness are like that now, single entry category purely novelty records that you can't try to break. see "business marketing solutions" on their site.
Who said that age of the exsentrics has over? The same emotions accompanied me when I watched a film dedicated to the first rises of the creators of the British Solar One...solar powered glider. The situation presented here is also unique especially for lovers of modeling!
That was just bloody cool! A boys dream realized. I found they 100-150 year old delta wing paper airplane absolutely astonishing! sometimes wish I was born with a british accent. Always fantastic for story telling.
Repent to Jesus Christ “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 NIV J
The Boeing Museum of Flight in Seattle, Wa has a hobby scale model that flew across the Atlantic by itself. I can't remember the exact specifics, but I believe it was one of the first flights guided by GPS completely.
This was amazing to watch. The whole crew did great job. The episode is such a great thing to watch, especially when you used to build and make planes with someone, you loved so much and you miss so much these days. Thanks James!
Man even tho I’m only 19 years old but I used to build gliders and rubber band powered gliders a lot. When he talked about how he felt when his plane glide majestically through the air, I felt that too. I miss the days when I wasn’t busy with the university all the time. Seeing his plane made me miss my old planes so so much. Good old james may. Love this man so much.
