What people don’t realize is what an amazing feet this is. To take four Honda car engines and develop a belt driven reduction system that is fully adjustable in flight. Build a replica that actually looks identical to the real thing and make it a comfortable two place airplane that flew hands off with no necessary trim inputs is a testimony to what a genius this man is. I have been in aviation for over 55 years and have flown every kind of warbird there is. This in my book is the biggest accomplishment I have seen in my lifetime. It clearly shows that Tom Hodgeson is not only an incredible pilot of his generation but also a master fabricator and designer. I cannot say how impressed we all are in the aviation industry of this feat. I only hope one day to be allowed to fly this plane and add it to my log book. Just incredible! Congrats Tom on this accomplishment.
Why do you call this a replica? This is a scale model, a nice one indeed, my compliments to the builder. A replica would be an newly built full size plane that looks like a B29!
I built a B29 in my bedroom of a 3rd floor apartment. It was from a Japanese control line kit back in the’70’s. It was intended to have four .35 glow fuel engines as I recall. The wingspan/ fuselage length was too large to get out of the apartment when we moved out, so I ended up sawing off a wing. I was 13 years old and my brother gave me the unfinished plane when he left for the military. I was nearly finished skinning the wings and fuselage with 1/32” balsa when my parents divorced and we had to move. My plan was to lower it from the balcony when it was completed, but life got in the way. This plane is incredible! What an amazing build!
Unbelievable, how he managed to pull that one off. Deep respect sir ! Wonder if he's gonna fly together with "Doc" and "FiFi" one day. That'll be a sight to behold. This is one perfect way to earn yourself a ticket for that.
Still not sure why so many viewers think this is R/C. Watch the first video. This is a 2800 pound airplane with a 50 foot wingspan, piloted, with 2 tandem seats, powered by 4 Honda Fit automotive engines. This video was compiled from the video footage I received from the builder. There was no video supplied of the landing. Sad to see many folks here are more interested in golf carts than celebrating the first flight of this amazing build...
It's the scale on screen, was hard to tell the exact size till I got a good reference point on the corn row and cars in the background at 2:11. Impressive aircraft!
Maybe if the title was more accurate. “35% scale Amateur built aircraft”. A replica B-29 would have a 141’ 3” wingspan all built from scratch . An unmanned aircraft would be a “35% replica”. All true scale models are replicas.
It doesn't get much more awesome than that!!! Tom did an amazing job and I'm so happy for his success. I hope he hits the airshow circuit so I can see it in person!
Congratulations to Tom. I was able to see this project a couple different times over the years, and Tom was always open to show and talk about the project.
My comments keep getting deleted. Fake video! This report aviation-safety.net/wikibase/347642 Cites a low confidence to the veracity of it because there is no official source for the crash information (like NTSB). Does this pic look like a piloted aircraft to you? resources.globalair.com/images/article/kokomo-plane-crash.jpg Crappy video with no landing, no shots of cockpit, nobody getting in or out, several safety violations of bank angle, low passes and people on runway if it were a manned aircraft. It is all BS !
@@fishjohn014 nope. Its an airplane not a model airplane. You could call it a replica aircraft which would probably be more accurate. Of course you can call it what you prefer in any case, but its still not a model.
What an amazing view when this plane flies past and into the sunset! I am amazed at how smooth and easy it flies....the sophistication of this plane is undeniable, yet this is really a piece of art that looks so well that it might appear easy if I didn't know better!... I am utterly stunned at how good this looks! Nice, nice job...well deserved accolades all around!
Congratulations, Tom! A wonderful aircraft. I'm glad I was able to see it a few times in the "under construction" phases, which make watching the video even more enjoyable. Wish I could have been there to see the first flight in person. Wishing you much enjoyment flying that around.
So happy to finally see this video ! How wonderful. I can't believe nobody thought of on board cameras/Go pros to capture the flight. Disappointed to not see the landing either. She looks and sounds beautiful.
Very cool stuff! I live just below the flight path of John C. Munro airport in Hamilton Ontario, and we are fairly regularly treated to the sight of a WW2 era Lancaster bomber flying over our home. These old aircraft, replicas included are very awesome to see. Congratulations to the builders of this plane, it’s fantastic!
SDS - I’m delighted that you selected the frame for the Title that shows my house in the background. I live across the runway from Tom, and have been watching him build it since he started. It’s really a one man project that started, not as a B-29, but as a test bed for doing research and development on engines and speed reduction devices etc. The landing gear retracts, and to have it fit into the engine nacelles they had to be that short, just like the big ones! We who live on the airport know the dangers and risks, try hard to avoid problems; the injured girl is, herself, a proficient pilot who owns and flys an experimental Baby Great Lakes. We are all praying for her full recovery, and she’s making good progress. And we who live on Glenndale Airport continue wishing Tom good success with his ongoing project.
No mention of the landing collision with the golf cart? It is a neat project, I hope the woman on the golf cart is ok, and I hope the damage to the airplane is easily fixable.
It knocked the golf cart over, probably with the wings? There has to be some real structural damage. Not a good idea to film from a golf cart so close to the runway.
Truely a awesome Plane!! I did watch the first video. Though, it was a while ago.. But, I remember the “SDS” logo in the background.. Very glad that the Warbird is up and flying!! Can’t wait for the next video that comes out!!
That's a beautiful scale B-29! He moved ahead quickly after taxi testing, but it gives him time to work on her out of season. I know a couple of guys who built half scale warbirds, and people are surprised when you say they were piloted not RC. The full size is bigger than many people realize. Awesome way to keep history alive!
I saw FiFi at Ypsilanti. What an amazing plane and this one is right there with her. I can't imagine the work that went into this. Well, I can, so that makes it that much more amazing.
What people don’t realize is what an amazing feet this is. To take four Honda car engines and develop a belt driven reduction system that is fully adjustable in flight. Build a replica that actually looks identical to the real thing and make it a comfortable two place airplane that flew hands off with no necessary trim inputs is a testimony to what a genius this man is. I have been in aviation for over 55 years and have flown every kind of warbird there is. This in my book is the biggest accomplishment I have seen in my lifetime. It clearly shows that Tom Hodgeson is not only an incredible pilot of his generation but also a master fabricator and designer. I cannot say how impressed we all are in the aviation industry of this feat. I only hope one day to be allowed to fly this plane and add it to my log book. Just incredible! Congrats Tom on this accomplishment.
I didn’t see any amazing feet, but it was a heck of a project!
I was expecting it would be months or years before this was ready to fly after seeing the other video you posted. Very exciting to see it fly.
Hi nice to see you here
The engine(s) sounds even sound authentically scale! Very impressive!
What, I didn't know you guys were into rc planes? Maybe you can do a shotgun vs RC video sometime 😂
Why do you call this a replica? This is a scale model, a nice one indeed, my compliments to the builder. A replica would be an newly built full size plane that looks like a B29!
My comments showing this is fake keep being deleted.
I built a B29 in my bedroom of a 3rd floor apartment. It was from a Japanese control line kit back in the’70’s. It was intended to have four .35 glow fuel engines as I recall. The wingspan/ fuselage length was too large to get out of the apartment when we moved out, so I ended up sawing off a wing. I was 13 years old and my brother gave me the unfinished plane when he left for the military. I was nearly finished skinning the wings and fuselage with 1/32” balsa when my parents divorced and we had to move. My plan was to lower it from the balcony when it was completed, but life got in the way. This plane is incredible! What an amazing build!
That is something for the builder to be very proud of. A great looking airplane.
My dad was a right blister gunner in B-29s. He would have loved this.
Very cool.
Did your father serve in Europe or the Pacific? Do you know how many missions he flew?
He served on Tinian in the PTO. I'll have to look at his logbook to see how many missions.
Too many people commenting this is an RC.
NO this is a piloted plane. Just like the Bally Bomber. There is a person inside.
They must be mislead by the mention of it being 35% scale.
Unbelievable, how he managed to pull that one off. Deep respect sir !
Wonder if he's gonna fly together with "Doc" and "FiFi" one day. That'll be a sight to behold. This is one perfect way to earn yourself a ticket for that.
When Doc and FiFi mate, that is the outcome... 😂
Still not sure why so many viewers think this is R/C. Watch the first video. This is a 2800 pound airplane with a 50 foot wingspan, piloted, with 2 tandem seats, powered by 4 Honda Fit automotive engines. This video was compiled from the video footage I received from the builder. There was no video supplied of the landing. Sad to see many folks here are more interested in golf carts than celebrating the first flight of this amazing build...
It's the scale on screen, was hard to tell the exact size till I got a good reference point on the corn row and cars in the background at 2:11. Impressive aircraft!
What are awesome looking airplane kind of similar to the Bailey bomber the replica B17
Pilot should do as many go-arounds as he wants. The more the better.
Maybe if the title was more accurate. “35% scale Amateur built aircraft”. A replica B-29 would have a 141’ 3” wingspan all built from scratch . An unmanned aircraft would be a “35% replica”. All true scale models are replicas.
Because there is nothing in the video to indicate the size or that it was manned.
It doesn't get much more awesome than that!!! Tom did an amazing job and I'm so happy for his success. I hope he hits the airshow circuit so I can see it in person!
Those low passes with the gear down are ULTRA-cool !!!
I wonder if this B29 and the mini B17 will ever meet up, but this gots to be the best thing to see on TH-cam!.
Congratulations to Tom. I was able to see this project a couple different times over the years, and Tom was always open to show and talk about the project.
This is one of the most amazing human feats I have ever seen. Very moving to watch.
Very impressive. Getting up on my soapbox, those golf carts had no business being so close to the runway.
My comments keep getting deleted. Fake video! This report aviation-safety.net/wikibase/347642
Cites a low confidence to the veracity of it because there is no official source for the crash information (like NTSB). Does this pic look like a piloted aircraft to you? resources.globalair.com/images/article/kokomo-plane-crash.jpg Crappy video with no landing, no shots of cockpit, nobody getting in or out, several safety violations of bank angle, low passes and people on runway if it were a manned aircraft. It is all BS !
Congratulations and thanks for posting this.
One of the most impressive things I've ever seen! Thanks!
Thanks for the video. What a spectacular build!
What a beautiful plane. Thanks for showing it.
That is quite a sight, thank You very much!
Just WOW! What a spectacular achievement!! Great video!
Outstanding! Kudos.
Amazing. Well done, Tom!
Absolutely stunning :)
Beautiful!!!
Great looking plane and craftsmanship. Would love to see more of the plane. Any in plane footage while in flight would be great. What a fun project.
Sounds amazing!
There is a lot of hard work and a lot hours to make the B29 fly look forward to seeing more videos in spring thanks 👍
Cool as heck! Anybody would think they were looking at the real deal at a distance. Lots of happy folks!!
Just WOW!
At first I thought this may be a monster scale rc model.
Awesome work and magnificent flying!
👍👍👍
Outstanding Young Man! Beautiful!
I first discovered this because of your last video and I'm very happy to hear that it flew.
Awesome. This is very significant. A testament to what we can really do. Thank you .
So amazing! I hope we'll see it at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh next year!
Thanks for sharing 😊
Incredible !That's so clever.Never thought that was possible .Most sincere congrats and cheers from France.Happy Thanksgiving and end of the year.
Incredible accomplishment!
Those engines purring is remarkable!😁
JUST , BEAUTIFUL, JUST BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
This is one of the most amazing things I have seen in my entire life. VERY COOL!
What an amazing project. It is easy to see it looks as good as it flies! They put a lot into into this project and it definitely shows! 👍
Fantastic to see a 35% scale model! The sound from this plane is incredible.
My understanding is it is not a model, but a homebuilt aircraft... Pilot is in it not on the ground.
@@spinnettistill could be considered a model. Its "modeled" after a full scale aircraft.
A piloted model
@@fishjohn014 nope. Its an airplane not a model airplane. You could call it a replica aircraft which would probably be more accurate. Of course you can call it what you prefer in any case, but its still not a model.
@@spinnetti Thanks for that. I had no idea. I figured it was a massive RC plane. I see that now after watching the other videos.
That looks so real coming in over the trees on landing approach.
That's a beautiful bird.
Wow - words fail me !
Very Nice ! Grew up and learned to fly in Marion, soloed in a Champ . . and practiced landings in Converse, circular landing field . . Thanks, Bob
What an amazing view when this plane flies past and into the sunset! I am amazed at how smooth and easy it flies....the sophistication of this plane is undeniable, yet this is really a piece of art that looks so well that it might appear easy if I didn't know better!... I am utterly stunned at how good this looks! Nice, nice job...well deserved accolades all around!
Congratulations, Tom! A wonderful aircraft. I'm glad I was able to see it a few times in the "under construction" phases, which make watching the video even more enjoyable. Wish I could have been there to see the first flight in person. Wishing you much enjoyment flying that around.
What a beautiful war bird replica! Great work!
Beautiful, simply beautiful👍
What a nice flying B-29 🤟
Regards of the Netherlands 🇱🇺
Fantastic,beautifully built
Awesome!!!!!😊
That plane is totally amazing. Thanks 🇦🇺👍
So happy to finally see this video ! How wonderful. I can't believe nobody thought of on board cameras/Go pros to capture the flight. Disappointed to not see the landing either. She looks and sounds beautiful.
I fewel like Driving to Kokomo to watch it Fly! Great Video and many thanks for posting it!
Very cool stuff! I live just below the flight path of John C. Munro airport in Hamilton Ontario, and we are fairly regularly treated to the sight of a WW2 era Lancaster bomber flying over our home. These old aircraft, replicas included are very awesome to see. Congratulations to the builders of this plane, it’s fantastic!
Magnificent!
Really brilliant. Nice work.
Beautifully built
Wow, great job.
That is awesome!
SDS - I’m delighted that you selected the frame for the Title that shows my house in the background. I live across the runway from Tom, and have been watching him build it since he started. It’s really a one man project that started, not as a B-29, but as a test bed for doing research and development on engines and speed reduction devices etc. The landing gear retracts, and to have it fit into the engine nacelles they had to be that short, just like the big ones! We who live on the airport know the dangers and risks, try hard to avoid problems; the injured girl is, herself, a proficient pilot who owns and flys an experimental Baby Great Lakes. We are all praying for her full recovery, and she’s making good progress. And we who live on Glenndale Airport continue wishing Tom good success with his ongoing project.
She’s beautiful!!!
Thank you so very much. Simply spectacular!! Congratulations to Tom! If you see this were you nervous or cool as a cucumber 😜
Beautiful plane and flown so realistically. A joy to watch.
Incredible
He's going to be bringing home more than 1 🏆. Looks and sounds fantastic.
Awesome!
That was Amazing. And Congrats on your first flight
So cool
I am beyond Amazed..
No mention of the landing collision with the golf cart? It is a neat project, I hope the woman on the golf cart is ok, and I hope the damage to the airplane is easily fixable.
Really?? Yikes
It knocked the golf cart over, probably with the wings?
There has to be some real structural damage.
Not a good idea to film from a golf cart so close to the runway.
who cares, women have no place on the flight line
They have started deleting comments.
Guessing the woman was in the wrong place talking on a cell phone.
Outstanding!
Some say he's still flying, just couldn't get it down to land.
Wonderful!
Impressive 👍👍 Great scale flying, looks like the real thing in the air 👍👍🙂🙂
Amazing
Wow
Simply amazing
awesome!!!
That thing's AWESOME. Kudos to the people that designed and built that..
Mainly only 1 guy
I've never heard of this project. I'd love to see it!
This is really cool
Wow I just saw the tiny B-17 fly and now this. Great work a great plane.
That is the most beautiful replica aircraft I've ever seen. This needs to be accepted into airshows as a real demo flight.
Truely a awesome Plane!! I did watch the first video. Though, it was a while ago.. But, I remember the “SDS” logo in the background.. Very glad that the Warbird is up and flying!! Can’t wait for the next video that comes out!!
I thought it was a toy plane at first but it was too stable in flight for that! Looked stunning!
Fantastic 👍🏼 ✨
That thing is ridiculous 👍
Wow that’s a beauty
Wow,, I thought it was an RC plane too, that's a fabulous piece of work indeed.
Kudos to the guy that built this fine bird✨
That's a beautiful scale B-29! He moved ahead quickly after taxi testing, but it gives him time to work on her out of season. I know a couple of guys who built half scale warbirds, and people are surprised when you say they were piloted not RC. The full size is bigger than many people realize. Awesome way to keep history alive!
Congrats guy's... Amazing accomplishment !!! Would love to see it in the air with Bally's B-17
Mind blown
For sure those Honda engines are supplying gobs of power not a long take off roll looks super stable and flies as good as it looks!
Watched from Old Harbour Jamaica. B-29's use to come to Jamaica on training missions early 1945 at Vernam Field.
Amazing simply Amazing 😀
That’s beautiful. Some people who just happened to be there might get a surprise seeing how small it is when people get out.
it is an amazing feat. i was amazed at how stable it is in flight
I saw FiFi at Ypsilanti. What an amazing plane and this one is right there with her. I can't imagine the work that went into this. Well, I can, so that makes it that much more amazing.
Awesome replica. I love the sound, as well. It is I want to see more from RC WW2 Replicas. That authentic prop driven sound from them.
It's not an R/C plane. Weighs 3000 pounds...
Love the realistic inertia of these big scale models.
Me too! Even the corn besides the runway is to scale. Amazing...