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How to Make a Rubber Band Motor for a Model Plane

When you stretch a rubber band, it tries to return to its original shape. You can easily harness this power to keep one of your model airplanes uplifted. It's simple to attach one of these to a model airplane. These are typically used on balsa wood planes because balsa is a light and strong wood. You can alter the instructions for attaching one of these engines from a balsa plane to your airplane but once you understand how the piece attaches it's simple to alter.

Things You'll Need

Propeller with hook end
Small nail or hook
Elastic band

Instructions

- 1
  Attach the propeller to the nose of the aircraft so that the hook attached to the back of the propeller points toward the back of the airplane. On balsa wood planes, these often come attached to a bracket which fits over the nose of the aircraft.
- 2
  Nail, screw or glue the small tack or hook to the tail end of the airplane. The hook should face toward the tail of the airplane, or the nail should tilt away from the nose of the aircraft.
- 3
  Loop the elastic band around the hook or nail at the end of the airplane. Pull the band around to the front and hook it onto the propeller's hook.
- 4
  Twist the propeller of the airplane around. As you twist it, the elastic band will also spin and coil up. When you release the propeller, the elastic band will uncoil and spin the prop.
- 5
  Gently toss the airplane to launch it.

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