MythBusters Redux for Belite and Duct Tape Plane

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The Discovery channel is re-airing the MythBusters Duct Tape Plane episode this Friday, FEBRUARY 1, at 2:00 EST.   (Check your local listings!).  I am publishing some photos from that amazing experience here, several of which I have never shown before.

It was an unforgettable moment in my life.  I enjoyed my time with Grant, Tori and Kari very much -- and also with Eric, Bennie, Duncan and Laura.  Gene came and had fun too.

The plane in question ended up on MythBusters traveling tour.  It was the same plane that won an award at Sun N Fun earlier in the year.  It had started life as a tricycle gear plane and ended as a taildragger covered in duct tape!

Overflying MythBusters on downwind

Grant, Gene, James, Kari and Tori with the Duct Tape Plane on MythBusters

Grant explains the success of Duct Tape.

Is Grant doing the Robot??

Kari and Klaws.  Duncan lounges.

Grant and Tori and Duncan.

Kari absorbs sunshine.

Over the MythBusters gang on the closed runway.

The Belite poses for the MythBusters crew.

MythBusters between the struts.

Turning Final for MythBusters.

Laura the director sets the picture.

Turning Base for MythBusters.

A nice shot of the entire runway scene.

MythBusters and Australia

Please note: James' blog has moved to a Wordpress site. To access it, please visit http://jameswiebe.wordpress.com/. All posts have been transferred to the new site, and all new posts will only be accessible via Wordpress. Thank you for your interest!


It's time for another MythBusters moment for Belite Aircraft!

Airing in Australia today -- "Duct Tape Plane" featuring Belite Aircraft!

We've developed a great contact in Australia helping us represent our aircraft -- Peter Harlow @ Silverwings Aircraft.

I so enjoyed my time with Kari, Grant and Tory at MythBusters.  I thought you'd like a few more MythBusters pics.

Many people don't realize that the airplane I used for this episode had our base 28HP engine.  It looks like and performs like it had a lot more HP, but it didn't.  Credit our great wing, light design, and awesome 'real' airplane characteristics. 

Belite's Ultralight Aircraft at MythBusters.

Another thing that is hard to appreciate is just how much time it takes to make good television.  This particular episode took the better part of 3 weeks to film.  I wasn't even there during the last week of filming.

Grant, Kari and Tory work on the Belite ultralight aircraft, after some duct tape has been applied.

The attention usually goes to the hosts, but there are lots of folks behind the scenes who make it happen.  Each episode needs a producer, a director, at least two cameramen, a soundman, and more.  Then there's the outside riff-raff (like me) who help facilitate.

The first camerman sprints away from Tory and Grant

Since I had my experience at MythBusters, they've had quite a bit more fun.  And an accident (or two.)  The same trio I worked with (Grant, Tory, Kari) where the ones who sent a cannonball very accidently through a house near the Alameda bomb range.  Not Jamie or Adam.

Speaking of Jamie & Adam, I never had the pleasure of meeting them.  We were given a very nice tour through their facility before they showed up.  I suspect they are slightly tired of the fan attention.

My shop manager, Gene, was able to join me at MythBusters as well.  He helped ensure that everything was put together correctly, and got to help and observe in several different ways.  I couldn't do Belite without Gene, and I appreciate him deeply.

Here's Gene, sitting in the airplane.  The plane appears to be missing its wings in this shot:

Gene in a Belite Ultralight Aircraft at MythBusters

One reason our plane has been so successful is because the wings fold easily.  When Kari found out how easily the wings folded, she started dancing spontaneously, while Grant, Tory (and producer Eric Haven) looked on:

Kari Byron dances by Belite Ultralight Airplane

I hope you enjoy the episode, "Duct Tape Plane", on MythBusters.

Mythbuster Duct Tape Airplane production photos

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It's time to reveal lots of production shots from Mythbusters and the Duct Tape Airplane, which is an ultralight aircraft from Belite Aircraft!

Reminder:  All photos on this website are (C) 2011 James Wiebe.  If you are interested in high resolution photos for publication, contact James.  Do not copy my pictures!

The show aired last night.  Viewers responded by looking us up on the web and it crashed our website!  Now it's back up.

You can follow james on twitter:   @jamespwiebe

Also, please sign up for our airplane and product updates by clicking here. 

And our website is here.

Now, the definitive collection of pictures from the production of "Duct Tape Airplane" on Mythbusters, using a Belite Ultralight Aircraft:

Kari, Tory and Belite Ultralight Aircraft

Duncan and Belite Ultralight Aircraft

Duncan and Belite Ultralight Aircraft

Eric is Grizzly

Overflying Mythbuster crew in a Belite Ultralight Aircraft

Gene, James, Kari, Tory, Grant and Duct Tape Aircraft (Belite Ultralight Aircraft)

Grant and Tory work on Belite Ultralight Aircraft

Grant confirms myth on Duct Tape Airplane (Belite Ultralight Aircraft)

James and Jennifer in map room at Mythbusters

Kari Byron and Be

Kari Byron dancing with Belite Ultralight Aircraft in background

Kari, Grant, Tory and Duct Tape Airplane (Belite Ultralight Aircraft)

Kari Byron with sweet smile

Fuel, Kari Byron and Duct Tape Airplane (Belite Ultralight Aircraft)

Lauren (Director) with Mythbuster Trio and Benny (1st Camera)

Kari Byron with Belite Ultralight Aircraft

Kari Byron, Grant and Tori and Duct Tape Airplane (Belite Ultralight Aircraft)

Overflying the Mythbuster production group at New Jerusalem Airport in Belite Ultralight Aircraft

Another shot of the Mythbuster crew on the ground

Kari Byron enjoys the sunshine, Duct Tape Airplane and Grant

Tory:  Why so concerned?

Mythbusters Duct Tape Airplane: 2 days to go

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Avweb wrote something about it.

Kitplanes did as well.

So did the High Altitude Flying Club.

And here is one picture, from the set, as Kari, Grant, Tory assemble the Belite Ultralight Aircraft with some duct tape:

Grant, Tory and Kari with Belite Ultralight Aircraft and duct tape

Much more, very soon.

Mythbuster Posts Cool Belite / Duct Tape Airplane Video

Please note: James' blog has moved to a Wordpress site. To access it, please visit http://jameswiebe.wordpress.com/. All posts have been transferred to the new site, and all new posts will only be accessible via Wordpress. Thank you for your interest!


You can see brand new video of James Wiebe and the Belite "Duct Tape Airplane"

here:

(http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mythbusters-duct-tape-plane/)

Look carefully, and you can see what the airplane looked like when they truly finished covering it.

From the Mythbuster website:

I will have many new high resolution pictures of the entire duct tape airplane production, including great closeups of the MythBuster trio.  I will post them on October 20.

Photoshop, Mythbusters, Belite, Bears, Kari and Duct Tape

Please note: James' blog has moved to a Wordpress site. To access it, please visit http://jameswiebe.wordpress.com/. All posts have been transferred to the new site, and all new posts will only be accessible via Wordpress. Thank you for your interest!


My friends at Mythbusters production company kept telling me that I would probably have four weeks warning before the big episode aired.  I actually got two weeks and one day, and the notice didn't come from them, it came from someone who read the Mythbuster's website and inquired if the episode in question involved us.

Uh, yes!  it does!

Here's a link to a video which the MB gang talks about the myth, tested with a Belite aircraft.

And here's a link to the Discovery / Mythbuster programming schedule which discloses our upcoming episode.

Quoting the Discovery channel / Mythbuster schedule:

"Adam and Jamie test three viral videos featuring the extraordinary excavator: Can it really row a barge? Be used to go wakeboarding? Perform seemingly impossible feats of acrobatics? Then -- using only duct tape -- Kari, Grant, and Tory attempt to patch up a plane that's had an unfortunate encounter with a bear."

And now, I confess to some photoshop sleight of hand. 

Check out these two photos, one of which I previously posted, and tell me what the difference is:

Grant, James, Kari, Tory, Jennifer

Grant, James, Kari, Tory, Jennifer, and something else

The first photo was on my website.  The second photo is the original; I edited it to avoid letting the cat out of the bag too early (that our myth involved duct tape.)

Nashua 357 duct tape.  Accept no substitute!

I have many more photos which I will be posting after the episode airs on the 19th of October.  Including photos of Kari acting very beary.

Nice Mythbuster Article posted

Carrie Rengers of the local newspaper posted a nice article online about Belite, myself and Mythbusters.

You can read it here.