1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 on this episode of MythBusters. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Hold on to your hats because the action is fast and furious. 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:08,000 That was awesome. 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,000 First up, Adam and Jamie investigate excavators on the Internet. 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Copy that. 6 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,000 They take to task three extraordinary viral videos and ask, 7 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,000 are they fact or fiction? 8 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,000 This has got to be one of the strangest things that I've ever done. 9 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:26,000 Then Carrie Grant and Tori drip into the most requested, 10 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,000 insane myth in MythBuster history. 11 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,000 Code name, Grizzly. 12 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,000 If a bear tears a hole in your plane, 13 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,000 is it really possible to patch it up with duct tape? 14 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:39,000 Lives online. 15 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,000 Who are the MythBusters? 16 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:46,000 Adam Savage. 17 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,000 What more do you need to know? 18 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:49,000 And Jamie Heineman. 19 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,000 It's party time. 20 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:56,000 Between them more than 30 years of special effects experience, 21 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,000 together with Grant Imahara. 22 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,000 A little hotter than I expected. 23 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:00,000 Carrie Byron. 24 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:01,000 There you go. 25 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:02,000 Package for you. 26 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:03,000 And Tori Bellachy. 27 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,000 Code name is Science. 28 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,000 They don't just tell the myths, 29 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,000 they put them to the test. 30 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:21,000 First up, gear up for the rise of the machines. 31 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,000 Are you having fun? 32 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,000 I am, but there is a point to it. 33 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,000 Which is? 34 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,000 Well, we've been gathering videos over the past few months 35 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:34,000 of people purportedly doing incredible things using an excavator. 36 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:35,000 Like? 37 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:39,000 Well, we've got one in which a guy seems to be rowing a barge with one, 38 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,000 another where a guy actually uses an excavator and climbs in it, 39 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,000 and a third where people apparently use one to go wakeboarding. 40 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:48,000 I can dig it. 41 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,000 I thought so. 42 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,000 Here on the show, we've often shown that seeing is not always believing. 43 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:04,000 After all, the internet incubates fake viral videos like a cyber petri dish. 44 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,000 So Adam and Jamie are approaching these three crazy viral videos 45 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,000 with a healthy dose of skepticism. 46 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,000 Are they real or more film-fakery? 47 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:17,000 One thing's for sure, putting the clips to the test by attempting them 48 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:21,000 is going to be an earth-moving experience. 49 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,000 Well, the plan for this seems pretty simple. 50 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,000 We take each of the clips one by one and see if we can replicate them with an excavator. 51 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,000 Totally. 52 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:29,000 Can we start with rowing? 53 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,000 That's the one that throws me the most right now. 54 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,000 I don't see why not. 55 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:32,000 Excellent. 56 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,000 This is our bar. 57 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:41,000 These are excavators and behind me the open water of the San Francisco Bay. 58 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,000 Soon we're going to be dragged out into that water 59 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,000 and we're going to have to get back using only these as our oars. 60 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,000 Shall we put these guys in place? 61 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,000 I think so. 62 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:51,000 All right. 63 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,000 Basically what we're going to be doing is rowing a boat 64 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,000 except that instead of wooden oars, we're going to be using these buckets. 65 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:01,000 And instead of human power, we're going to be using diesels and hydraulics. 66 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,000 Otherwise, it's the same. 67 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:10,000 We lower them into the water and we push and hopefully we go forward. 68 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,000 So after breaking down the key elements of the test, 69 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,000 they next discuss the potential logistical problems. 70 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,000 There are a number of problems that we're going to have to overcome. 71 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,000 And the first and foremost one is current. 72 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,000 If we have a lot of current or even a lot of wind, 73 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,000 it's going to make our job really hard. 74 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,000 Secondly, we've got to get our act together. 75 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,000 I mean, Adam and I have to coordinate so that we're working in tandem 76 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,000 to keep the barge on track. 77 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:44,000 In addition to the tricky logistics required to coordinate their giant mechanical oars, 78 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:48,000 there's also a very real danger of going overboard. 79 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:49,000 We're not taking any chances. 80 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:53,000 We're going to actually weld these excavators to the deck of the barge 81 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,000 because once we start swinging back and forth, 82 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,000 we could swing ourselves right off the barge. 83 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:04,000 Even welded down, disaster is just one mistimed oar stroke away. 84 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,000 Catch the barge with the bucket and the excavator's weight 85 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,000 and powerful hydraulics will easily snap those cables. 86 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,000 Adam, you want to do a little fist bump? 87 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:20,000 Note that unlike the clip, Adam and Jamie are using two excavators instead of one. 88 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:21,000 Nice! 89 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,000 But the principle is the same. 90 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:27,000 Can you generate momentum and maintain directional control? 91 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:32,000 To test that, they're getting a tugboat tow half a mile into the middle of the bay 92 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,000 and will have to row back. 93 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,000 It's a nerve-wracking operation. 94 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,000 I'll be honest with you, when I swing my arm out over the water 95 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:44,000 and all I can see below my cab is water, I get that wingy feeling in my legs. 96 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:49,000 It's a little bit woozy, but I swear I think this is going to work. 97 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,000 With no time to practice, it's time to put that prediction to the test. 98 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,000 Well, the tug's left. Are you ready? 99 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:00,000 Alright, this is rowing with an excavator back towards shore. Here we go. 100 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:05,000 Adam and Jamie positioned at the front of the barge, go to work. 101 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:09,000 And initially, things look great. 102 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,000 They can recreate the rowing action from the video clip. 103 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:18,000 The bucket is lowered, pulled back through the water, lifted out and reset. 104 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:21,000 However, simply going through the motions is not enough. 105 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:25,000 They need forward momentum and control of the barge. 106 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:30,000 You might want to slow down a little bit so I can keep the bow pointed towards shore more. 107 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:34,000 Despite the difficulties of communicating from their awkward vantage points, 108 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:40,000 a high degree of teamwork does enable them to orientate the barge in the correct direction. 109 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,000 I'm going to start to reverse. 110 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:43,000 Copy. 111 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,000 But crucially, forward momentum eludes them. 112 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:51,000 Well, so far the current is turning out to be a bit of a problem. 113 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:55,000 I'm encouraged by the fact that we are able to control the direction of the barge, 114 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,000 but we need more speed. We need more power. 115 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:03,000 Meaning it's time to call in the tugboat and assess their lack of success. 116 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:13,000 Up next is a grisly, sticky story that hit the headlines the world over. 117 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,000 Alright, I'll give you one guess. What's this myth about? 118 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,000 Duck tape, airplanes? 119 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,000 And bears. It's the old, a bear mold my airplane story. 120 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:26,000 Oh, this is the one where a bear tears into a landed plane to get the food. 121 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:31,000 When the pilot returns, sees the damage, but uses duck tape to repair it and flies out of there. 122 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:35,000 It's a crazy tale that sent the internet into a tailspin. 123 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:39,000 The story goes that an Alaskan local stumbles upon a stranded plane. 124 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,000 Tears apart the aircraft, presumably searching for a free lunch, 125 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:47,000 and wonders back into the woods to do what bears do. 126 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:51,000 And our pilot returns to find he's not flying anywhere. 127 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:56,000 It may sound like a tall story, but the pictured evidence is real. 128 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:00,000 Our hero did in fact repair the extensive damage with duck tape. 129 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:07,000 But the question on everyone's social network site is, could the pilot really have flown the patched up plane home? 130 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,000 Look, this sounds like a really tough checklist. 131 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,000 I mean, first we need a plane, and second we need a bear to mow it. 132 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:17,000 Well, the good news is we found a pilot that's actually going to let us use his plane for our myth. 133 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,000 Really? That's great. What about the bear? 134 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:24,000 Yeah, there's no way we're going to be able to take a plane up to Alaska and have a wild bear tear into it. 135 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,000 I mean, that's just too unreliable. 136 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,000 I mean, we could build our own claws and tear it up ourselves. 137 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,000 Now I like that idea. 138 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,000 You gonna be the bear? 139 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:37,000 So we are testing the myth, can you repair a plane with duck tape? 140 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,000 Now when I first heard this myth, I thought this was fertile grounds for myth busters. 141 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,000 We're building a plane. 142 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,000 A bear tears into an airplane to get food. 143 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:50,000 When the pilot returns to his plane, sees the damage done, repairs it with duck tape, and then flies out. 144 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,000 Now before we start, we need to build a plane. 145 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:59,000 And our generous aircraft owner is James, who confirms his tentative relationship with Sanity. 146 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,000 Tell you we're building a plane? 147 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,000 By not only allowing the wrong brothers to assemble the plane... 148 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,000 I wouldn't trust us to put a plane together. 149 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:15,000 But also by volunteering to fly it after they recreate the myth by tearing it apart and sticking it back together with duck tape. 150 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:19,000 Now to test this, we can't use the actual aircraft that was in the myth, 151 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:25,000 because the FAA frowns upon the type of modifications that we'd be doing to it and then trying to fly it. 152 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,000 But what we have is the next best thing. 153 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:28,000 A B-Lite aircraft. 154 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:35,000 It falls under an entirely different set of FAA guidelines, but it has a very similar envelope. 155 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:42,000 By envelope, Grant means the aircraft's outer skin, a flexible state-of-the-art polyethylene-based material. 156 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:46,000 A crucial component of the experiment is that ours matches the myth. 157 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,000 That way the team is testing like for luck. 158 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,000 They also like the location. 159 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,000 We've come out to the new Jerusalem airfield in Tracy, California. 160 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:58,000 First we're going to fly our plane, and then it's time to bring out the bear. 161 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:07,000 But before mom of their bears her claws, the team wants a pre-mall control flight to confirm their flying machine is in full working order. 162 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,000 So what James is doing right now is putting the plane through its paces. 163 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:15,000 That's awesome! 164 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:22,000 Just to see if our assembly worked, if everything is working correctly, so that we know what it's going to do. 165 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,000 After it's been repaired. 166 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:27,000 The plane looks good. 167 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,000 It's time for my favorite part, pulling out the claws. 168 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:38,000 And sporting a pair of heavy metal handpieces she made back at the shop, Carrie is all set to let rip. 169 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,000 Codename, Grizzly. 170 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,000 Now we know a bear can tear up a plane. 171 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,000 They've been known to peel cars right apart. 172 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:52,000 But because no bears will be harmed in the filming of the Smithbusters episode, I'm going to be the bear. 173 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:59,000 I've created these somewhat destructive claws with razor sharp edges so that I can tear the plane apart. 174 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,000 Everybody knows when it comes to a duct tape myth. 175 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,000 Destruction is kind of my job. 176 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,000 Alright, here we go. 177 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:14,000 In character, wielding her weapons at a furious flurry of slashes. 178 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:16,000 She's a wild woman. 179 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,000 Carrie soon has the fugal-eye skin in tappers. 180 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:29,000 With her razor sharp claws, the damage done mirrors the mauling in the genuine photographic evidence. 181 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,000 The central cavity is completely exposed. 182 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:39,000 The tail section is seriously compromised, but the metal infrastructure is still intact. 183 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,000 So the damage that you see here is very similar to what we saw in the photos. 184 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:51,000 The task now is to fix it with duct tape and then try and put it back in the air. 185 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:55,000 A high-stake task they'll tackle back at the shop. 186 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,000 We're really putting duct tape to the test this time. 187 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,000 I mean, lives are on the line. 188 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,000 Coming up on Duct Tape Plane. 189 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,000 I don't have this done before the bear returns. 190 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,000 Do two Ron brothers make a rite? 191 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:20,000 Internet videos of excavator exploits have gone viral and Janie and Adam are digging up the truth. 192 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:26,000 So far, although the clip suggests you can row a boat, real life begs to differ. 193 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,000 But they're not done yet. 194 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,000 Well, our first attempt was a little bit of a bust. 195 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:34,000 It's a flood tide here in the San Francisco Bay, which means the currents pushing south into the bay. 196 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,000 And it was too strong for us to overcut. 197 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:45,000 This next time around, we're going to go a little closer to shore to see whether that makes enough of a difference so we can actually get to our target. 198 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:51,000 A couple of hundred yards further in, away from the central riptide, they're ready to try again. 199 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,000 Q-Test 2. 200 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,000 All right, Jamie, we're back in position. You want to try this again? 201 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,000 Yeah, I'm good to go. 202 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:05,000 Once again, Adam and Jamie swing their giant diesel powered oars into action. 203 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,000 Okay, now you can come in. 204 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:12,000 And away from the grip of the rip, their high degree of teamwork begins to pay off. 205 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,000 Stopping. 206 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:17,000 Incredibly, incrementally, they progress towards their goal. 207 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,000 I think we're getting it. 208 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:24,000 Just like the video clip, they are clearly rowing a barge with excavators. 209 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:30,000 Well, it took us a little bit of time to get up to speed, to get our practice, to get our sea legs, the excavators as it was. 210 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:36,000 But once we did, we had actually a pretty fair measure of control over this barge, and it's not small. 211 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:40,000 Yeah, you break, I'll turn, and we'll put the stern of the barge towards the dock. 212 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:41,000 Copy that. 213 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:46,000 This is a great example of how well Jamie and I work together, despite the fact that we don't like each other. 214 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,000 Okay, go forward, Adam. 215 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:55,000 He's got extensive experience playing around with a momentum of large objects in the water, and the two of us can pick up skills pretty fast. 216 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:59,000 Let's try one more shove towards the dock a little bit, and then just let it drift. 217 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:07,000 Even from our really disadvantaged vantage points, we were able to see what the other was doing and intuit what was necessary, and that made this successful. 218 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:10,000 Hey, Jamie, I think we made it, baby. 219 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:16,000 Well, it wasn't a picture perfect landing at the dock, but we got within a few feet of it. 220 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:29,000 Despite the Internet's reputation as a repository of all things fake and fabricated, growing a barge with an excavator is clearly possible, making the first of the three viral videos confirmed. 221 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:40,000 It's a fact that a bare mauled and grounded an Alaskan aircraft. 222 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:53,000 And these photos before and after the duct tape patch-up are genuine, but what caused the Mythbusters mailbox to overflow is the pilot's claim that he then flew the patched-up plane home. 223 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:56,000 Carrie, Grant and Tori are about to test just that. 224 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,000 First, we took our aircraft up just to see what it could do. 225 00:13:58,000 --> 00:13:59,000 That was awesome. 226 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:04,000 Then, turned myself into a grizzly bear just to see what sort of damage I could do. 227 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:09,000 Now we've got a bunch of duct tape, and we need to see if we can actually repair this plane and make it airworthy again. 228 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:16,000 Because as things stand, just like the mythically mauled aircraft, it's definitely grounded. 229 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:21,000 With this plane in this condition, would you try and fly it? 230 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,000 Absolutely not. 231 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:28,000 The first problem here is that we've lost our rudder, so I'm not going to have any directional control with the airplane. 232 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:36,000 The good news is that we do have structural integrity, but the bad news is that the skin is gone and flapping in the breeze, creating drag. 233 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:40,000 We've got this acting like a scoop. This is not going to fly straight. 234 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:44,000 Sounds like a job for the Mythbusters' favorite engineering cure-all. 235 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,000 But surely it's a stretch. 236 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:54,000 Replacing the aircraft's $13,000 aerodynamic fabric covering with a few rolls of five-buck duct tape, 237 00:14:54,000 --> 00:15:01,000 and while Carrie and Tori focus on the fuselage, Grant concentrates on the crucial control surfaces. 238 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,000 So we've done a lot of damage to this plane, both to the fuselage and the tail section. 239 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:11,000 But this right here, this is the most important part. This is called the horizontal stabilizer. This is called the vertical stabilizer. 240 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:16,000 They're called stabilizers for a very important reason, because they keep the plane stable. 241 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:25,000 Stability and steering are obviously priorities when fixing a plane, but a strategy to stay intact in flight is fairly important too. 242 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:32,000 Alright, the way we're repairing the plane, we did one skin of duct tape going vertically, and now we've covered it with another skin going horizontally. 243 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:40,000 This way is in line with the travel of the plane, because we don't want any edges to get caught on the wind and unravel what we have made. 244 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,000 We'll have this done before the bear returns. 245 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:49,000 It's certainly a quick fix. The question is, will it have the necessary structural integrity for a stable flight? 246 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:56,000 Will they come unstuck? With the finished fix-up looking airworthy, there's only one way to find out. 247 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:01,000 The true test is when we take this thing up in the air, but personally, I think duct tape is plausible for fixing a plane. 248 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:07,000 It carries clearly confident it'll work. However, back out on location... 249 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,000 Hope it flies! 250 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:22,000 As the moment approaches when James will be risking serious injury on their behalf, they're confident that duct tape will withstand the elements and the rigors of flight is replaced with a nervous caution. 251 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:28,000 It is so hot out here, and as it gets hotter, the duct tape loses its stickiness. 252 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:34,000 Not only that, we don't know how the tape is going to react once it's up in the air, and the wind speed is going across it. 253 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:39,000 I mean, the wind might catch an edge and rip the tape off. This could be very bad. 254 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:43,000 So, I think we need to get this plane up as soon as possible. 255 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:46,000 Next myth can duct tape fix a pilot. 256 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:47,000 Been good knowing ya. 257 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:48,000 Nice knowing you. 258 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:53,000 Despite the danger of the duct tape coming unstuck in the 90-degree heat... 259 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,000 They won't be rushing into anything. 260 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,000 We're going to do this the safe and methodical way. 261 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,000 So, if this thing goes south, we all run, right? 262 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:02,000 Run as the plan? 263 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:03,000 Yeah. 264 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:11,000 And that is first. James is going to taxi up and down the runway, just to make sure all the control services are okay. 265 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,000 So far, so good. I don't see any duct tape whipping in the wind. 266 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:18,000 Once he's comfortable with that, then he's going to take it up for the real flight. 267 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:23,000 With several cautious runs up and down the runway, happy that everything feels right, 268 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:27,000 James gives the signal that he's ready to try this for real. 269 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:34,000 This is it. Will the temporary, sticky solution survive the rigors of flight? 270 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:39,000 Is it really possible to fix your plane with duct tape? 271 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,000 There you go! 272 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:48,000 It's exciting! This guy is insane. 273 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,000 If it were survival, you'd have to do it, right? 274 00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:59,000 It works! 275 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,000 Fix the duct tape! It'll keep it hold! 276 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,000 It totally works! 277 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,000 Let's hope it does hold. 278 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:11,000 Yeah, we're going to circle a little bit first. Let's make sure it holds because things can still go wrong. 279 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:17,000 Carries correct. Getting off the ground is one thing. Returning to it safely is another. 280 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:21,000 One interesting thing is that the duct tape is actually flapping a lot more than the Dacron, 281 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,000 so I don't know how long you could actually fly like this. 282 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:30,000 Yep, the airflow across the striped uneven surface is causing the duct tape to shudder and ripple. 283 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,000 Hope it doesn't shake apart. 284 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:39,000 But James is apparently having no trouble maintaining altitude or making controlled maneuvers, 285 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,000 and there's no sign that duct tape is delaminating. 286 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,000 He's looking pretty stable right now. 287 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:50,000 And when flight time ticks over the 30-minute mark, the team is confident they can call the result. 288 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,000 This is awesome. This is one more confirmed myth for duct tape. 289 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:58,000 Bare balls of plane, fix it with duct tape and get it back in the air. 290 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,000 How cool is this? I mean, we have done a lot of things with duct tape, 291 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:07,000 but never have we done something that is so important as keeping an aircraft in the air. 292 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,000 This one is totally confirmed. 293 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,000 It worked! That's great! 294 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,000 Thank you very much. That was awesome. 295 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,000 Fixing a plane with duct tape, confirmed. 296 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,000 I'm starting to think that maybe duct tape can do absolutely anything. 297 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:27,000 And up next, the team is going to test that claim by stretching their high-flying heroics to the limit. 298 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:31,000 They're making a whole plane out of duct tape. 299 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:43,000 Adam and Jamie are excited that their first excavator clip was confirmed. 300 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,000 You can, in fact, row a barge with a backhoe. 301 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,000 I think we made it, baby! 302 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:56,000 The next viral video they're testing also falls into the exuberant excavator category. 303 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:00,000 Exuberantly dangerous for one thing, but is it fake? 304 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,000 There's only one way to find out. 305 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,000 Ha ha! That looks awesome. Have you ever wakeboarded before? 306 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,000 No. Neither have I. Clearly we're perfect to try this out. 307 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,000 Well, I can't see any reason not to get started. 308 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:16,000 I'll get suited up. 309 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,000 I'll bring the excavator down. 310 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:19,000 Awesome. 311 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:25,000 With the clip as reference, Adam and Jamie have everything they need to attempt this dangerous, 312 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,000 typically outrageous test. 313 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,000 This has got to be one of the strangest things that I've ever done. 314 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:38,000 The ingredients? An excavator? The perfect size pond? And a few essential safety precautions. 315 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:43,000 Notice in the clip that at one point our skier swings way away from the excavator 316 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:47,000 and then starts to move back towards it at a high-rated speed. 317 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:49,000 Ha ha! 318 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,000 Now, I obviously have some concerns about that. 319 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:55,000 So we're going to do this thing incrementally. 320 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,000 Ha ha ha! I think this is going to work. 321 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:04,000 I'm going to go really slow and a little faster and faster until we really get a good feel for what we're dealing with. 322 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:06,000 Perfect day for wakeboarding. 323 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:15,000 And then the skier has to have one thing to keep in mind, and that is to let go before it's too late. 324 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:22,000 Which may sound like a simple precaution, but remember, Adam and Jamie have never wakeboarded before. 325 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:29,000 Even under ideal circumstances, they'd be preoccupied with technique, standing up and balancing. 326 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:31,000 And this is far from ideal. 327 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:38,000 There are additional factors to focus on, like rotational circumference, speed of the spin, and height of the bucket. 328 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:44,000 But all of that only comes into play if Adam manages to stand up. 329 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,000 Alright, here we go. Excavator wakeboarding. You ready? 330 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,000 Go ahead and maybe start pulling me slowly. 331 00:21:58,000 --> 00:21:59,000 Ha ha! 332 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,000 Alright, let's try that again. 333 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,000 There's going to be a little bit of a learning curve here. 334 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,000 Learning curve is one phrase. 335 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:09,000 Ha ha ha! 336 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:15,000 Repeatedly falling with the uncoordinated chaotic grace of a car crash is another. 337 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:23,000 The question is, are Adam's falls a failure in technique, or is it just not possible to wakeboard behind an excavator? 338 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:25,000 This is hard. 339 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,000 Want me to try starting with the bucket up higher? 340 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:29,000 Hard to say. 341 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,000 Okay, I'm going to raise the bucket. 342 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,000 Jamie may also be a novice wakeboarder, but he's an experienced water skier. 343 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:41,000 And has noticed the angle is too low. Adam has to crouch awkwardly forwards and downwards. 344 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:45,000 Jamie's also noticed there's not enough tension on the rope. 345 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,000 Adam needs to go faster, so they adjust. 346 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:55,000 And those few feet and slightly faster spin speed makes all the difference. 347 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,000 With Adam's new and improved body position, 348 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,000 it's a completely different ballgame. 349 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,000 It's not like he's suddenly become a champion wakeboarder, 350 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,000 but his perseverance, the tweak in technique, 351 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:27,000 and Jamie's careful control of the spin speed means that not only have they confirmed the myth, 352 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:33,000 but the rest of the day's schedule is out the window. 353 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:36,000 One more time. 354 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,000 Well, that might be the most fun. 355 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,000 I've had it a long time on this set. 356 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:43,000 It was a little tough to go at the beginning, 357 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:47,000 but once I figured out the physical mechanics of it, and I've never wakeboarded before, 358 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:49,000 it's nothing but fun. 359 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:51,000 Yeah! 360 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:57,000 So wakeboarding with an excavator, busted, plausible, or confirmed? 361 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,000 Well, clearly it's confirmed, but I'd like to add a fourth category for this one. 362 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,000 Can we add pure and adulterated fun to confirmed? 363 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,000 Why, yes we can. 364 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:09,000 Excellent, let's get out of here. 365 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:10,000 Okay. 366 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,000 Confirmed on adulterated fun it is. 367 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,000 But be responsible, or you'll answer to the Heinemann. 368 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,000 Water skiing off of one of these things looks like fun, doesn't it? 369 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:28,000 Well, it's dangerous, so you shouldn't do it at home. 370 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:30,000 Can we go back on this, Buster? 371 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,000 Can you fly a plane entirely made of duct tape? 372 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,000 Okay, so the myth is confirmed, but I'm kind of curious. 373 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,000 Do you think we could make an entire plane out of duct tape? 374 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:48,000 I like it, but how do we do it safely? 375 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:54,000 We could do it with radio control, but a full-size unmanned aircraft requires FAA certification, 376 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:56,000 and that could take forever. 377 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,000 Well, there is one thing we could do, and that's get a pilot, not just anyone, 378 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,000 but a skilled test pilot that's used to flying experimental airplanes. 379 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,000 And let's face it, it doesn't get any more experimental than this, 380 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:08,000 and then we'll see if the duct tape works. 381 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:13,000 Experimental is right. 382 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:17,000 By replacing all of the aircraft's high-tech fuselage fabric, 383 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,000 the team is taking duct tape to its aerodynamic limit. 384 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,000 So far, we've been very successful at repairing our plane using duct tape and flying it, 385 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:31,000 thus confirming our myth, but that was only one control surface and part of the fuselage. 386 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,000 Now it's time to put it to the ultimate test, 387 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:39,000 and that means ripping up and replacing every surface on this plane with duct tape. 388 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,000 And to do that, we're going to use not only our bear claws, 389 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,000 but also any sharp tool we can find in the shop. 390 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:54,000 However, if breaking it was fun, furious and fast, fixing it is going to be anything but. 391 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,000 It's as tough a challenge as team duct tape has ever faced. 392 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,000 Their first strategic decision will be weight management. 393 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:08,000 The material they're replacing is equal in mass to just five rolls. 394 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,000 So to retain the aircraft's balance and power to weight ratio, 395 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,000 they'll want to use five rolls or less. 396 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,000 But that is going to be very tricky. 397 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,000 With gravity laying down the law, this is a high tension build in more ways than one. 398 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:28,000 Now if we don't use enough duct tape, or if our quick fix isn't solid enough, 399 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,000 just as disastrous as if we used too much. 400 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:33,000 And here's why. 401 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:38,000 So if we analyze the high speed footage of our flight with the duct tape side, 402 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,000 what we see are vibrations that look like ripples in water. 403 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:47,000 Now with any system that has vibrations, what you could do is develop a resonance frequency. 404 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,000 If that happens, it could literally shake itself apart. 405 00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:00,000 To avoid that, they'll need structural integrity at a smooth aerodynamic surface. 406 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:03,000 Their solution is cross hatch layering. 407 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:10,000 With the base layer adding sufficient stiffness and the top layer running in the same direction as the airflow, 408 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:12,000 their design is looking up. 409 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:17,000 But with their five roll limit long gone, their prospects are going down. 410 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,000 When we ripped off the skin of the airplane and weighed it, it weighed 10 pounds, 411 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,000 which equated to five rolls of duct tape. 412 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:27,000 So far we've burned through 10. 413 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:32,000 So we have more than doubled the weight of our airplane already, and we're not even finished. 414 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:37,000 But I mean that's what you get when you're using duct tape and you want the strength and the smoothness, 415 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:39,000 you're going to be adding more weight. 416 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,000 And when this is all said and done, this thing might not even get off the ground. 417 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:49,000 And as 10 rolls become 11, then 12, and ever upwards, the additional mass is becoming a serious problem. 418 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:51,000 We've finished our final duct tape plane. 419 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:55,000 Now we tore off all of the covering and fixed it with 17 rolls of duct tape. 420 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,000 That's pushing the weight limit, and this thing is dangerous enough on its own. 421 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:02,000 So we're not just going to throw our test pilot up into the air. 422 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:08,000 We're going to do a little wind tunnel testing first, with our own special kind of wind tunnel. 423 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,000 Now clearly, we're just in the parking lot. 424 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:15,000 We're not in a wind tunnel like we're normally used to seeing at NASA. 425 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:21,000 But the most important thing here is that we simulate the type of airspeed that this aircraft is going to experience. 426 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:24,000 That's why we have this... 427 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:29,000 Hollywood wind machine. 428 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:31,000 That ought to be enough. 429 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:36,000 Now the way we're going to test this is we're going to fire up the fan to the speeds that the airplane is going to be moving at. 430 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,000 I don't know why I get this job. I can barely fly. 431 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:44,000 Then what we're going to do is we're going to watch the duct tape and see how it reacts to those wind speeds. 432 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:46,000 See whether or not it's flapping or tearing. 433 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,000 Alright, starting the fan. I'll measure the wind speed. 434 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:54,000 Most importantly, we are seeing if the duct tape is going to hold. 435 00:28:55,000 --> 00:29:00,000 Because let's face it, the more important that we find out down here, and it is up in the air. 436 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,000 Once the fan matches the airspeed of the aircraft... 437 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:16,000 Tori and Grant inspect every inch of the duct tape surface looking for any aerodynamic compromises. 438 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:19,000 And they're extremely happy with their handiwork. 439 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:21,000 That looks good! 440 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:23,000 So it's onwards and upwards. 441 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,000 We got up to a wind speed of 50, which is what the test pilot wants to take it up to. 442 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:29,000 I say we take it up in the air. 443 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:31,000 Alright, let's see if it flies. 444 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:33,000 Can I fly? I've had a lot of practice just now. 445 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,000 Next, Adam gets a little more excavator excitement than he bargained for. 446 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,000 Adam and Jamie are digging for dirt on excavator viral videos. 447 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:44,000 So far, they've come up clean. 448 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:52,000 And last up is this unlikely looking feat of heavy machinery athleticism. 449 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:57,000 It looks like a genuine video, but is there some sort of film-fakery involved? 450 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,000 Can a backhoe really back itself into the land? 451 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:01,000 What do you think of the clip? 452 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,000 I like the clip. I feel like it's real and like it's possibly doable, 453 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,000 but I gotta tell you, I'm a little freaked out about trying it on our own. 454 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:10,000 What do you have in mind? 455 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:16,000 I'm feeling like we should bring in an expert, somebody who really knows their way around an excavator to teach us some of the tricks of the trade. 456 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:18,000 An excavator expert. 457 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:20,000 Exactly. 458 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:37,000 Bayside, Adam and Jamie roll up with the necessary heavy equipment and a tough test ahead. 459 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,000 Here's a conundrum. 460 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:44,000 What if you've got one of these and you want to transport it using one of these? 461 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:49,000 How do you get this into that with no other piece of equipment? 462 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,000 According to this clip, it's totally possible. 463 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,000 Maybe, but it's certainly dangerous and we've been attempted. 464 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:58,000 They're going to need some coaching. 465 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:05,000 We've done a lot of crazy stuff with heavy machinery over the years, but what we're about to attempt is, well, it's an elite by itself. 466 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:12,000 Jason Klapsdine is a heavy machinery operator with mad skills when it comes to these excavators. 467 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:20,000 He can practically break dance with them and he and his experience is what's going to keep us, hopefully, from dying when we attempt this. 468 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:22,000 So, which one's going to do this? 469 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:24,000 I don't know. Let's roll a shambot? 470 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:26,000 Okay. 471 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:27,000 One, two, three. 472 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:29,000 Paper beats rock. I do it! 473 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:34,000 So, it's an excited Adam in the driver's seat. 474 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,000 First, Hopi plums our expert resource for as much knowledge as he can. 475 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:42,000 And then, in an intense hour-long planning discussion, 476 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:45,000 Make sure that you're nice and square with the box edges. 477 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:47,000 It's not designed to do this. 478 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:55,000 Jason and Adam work out every maneuver of their complicated, technical and incredibly risky plan. 479 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:58,000 The bucket hits the ground instead of me hitting the ground. 480 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:05,000 It's clear that the level of control and skill set required to attempt this is a huge step up for Adam. 481 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:10,000 To pull it off, he's going to have to put in some practice, which is dangerous enough in itself. 482 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,000 Jamie and I have a lot of experience in devices like this. 483 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,000 We've used them extensively on the show over the past decade. 484 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,000 Our experiences of a particular kind of doing discrete operations. 485 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:25,000 Ho-ho! Ho-ho! Hey! 486 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:27,000 This is scary! 487 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:32,000 This operation requires several things to be happening at once. 488 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:36,000 And if they don't, things can get very bad very quickly. 489 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:38,000 Pushing back? No, this way. 490 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,000 So, it is all about a super coordination between multiple moving parts. 491 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,000 Ah! Really? 492 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,000 There are a number of elements to think about at once. 493 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:54,000 Coordinating the boom, the angle of the bucket, and keeping close control of the tracks will be tricky. 494 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,000 Just like that. 495 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:58,000 Woo! Ha-ha-ha! 496 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:02,000 But Adam's ready. Or as ready as he'll ever be. 497 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,000 Let's do this, people! 498 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:11,000 I'm a little nervous. We are just about to step into the I really hope I'm able to make this work category. 499 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:15,000 Excavator loading itself into the back of a truck. 500 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:20,000 Starting out, aligning yourself with the back of the truck seems perfectly straightforward. 501 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:22,000 Put your bucket in the back of the truck. 502 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:26,000 Start to lift yourself up. That's when the first problem starts to occur. 503 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,000 Adam should do fairly well with this attempt. 504 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:35,000 But, you know, he's a little bit of a mystery because on the one hand, he's got a fine touch. 505 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,000 But then on the other hand... 506 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,000 Oh! Well, he's sort of twitchy. 507 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:49,000 This is not exactly what you want if you're trying to climb on top of something like this truck with one of these machines. 508 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:56,000 Next on Mythbusters, team Ducktape attempts a treacherous takeoff. 509 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:58,000 This is it. He's going for it. 510 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:00,000 And Adam takes a myth test break. 511 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:02,000 Oh, I've already gone to the bathroom. 512 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:13,000 Fasten your seatbelt and stow your tray table. The Mythbusters are attempting a Ducktape takeoff. 513 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:18,000 We're back at New Jerusalem Airport for the final experiment with our Ducktape plane. 514 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:21,000 And up to this point, we have played it very safe. 515 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:25,000 We've only tested it on the ground with a giant fan and we're ready to go. 516 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:27,000 This is going to be the ultimate test. 517 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:37,000 For the ultimate test of their Ducktape plane, that's right, a Ducktape plane, the team made a call to the ultimate test flight Top Gun. 518 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:42,000 For our Ducktape experiment, we used a test pilot Dave Moore. 519 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:47,000 Now, he's flown over 40 prototype aircrafts. Those are airplanes that have never been flown before. 520 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,000 That makes him the perfect person for this job. 521 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:54,000 He's going to start off slow. First, he's going to taxi down the runway. 522 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,000 Then when he feels comfortable, he's actually going to take it up. 523 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:00,000 But only as high as it's willing to fall, which is five feet. 524 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:03,000 Make no mistake. This is a risky business. 525 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:14,000 Even with a typically low altitude test flight, a crash at over 50 miles an hour with no hard shell protection or roll cage could be disastrous. 526 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:16,000 Alright, alright. 527 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:23,000 Before Top Gun Dave attempts flight, he needs to thoroughly test the aircraft's responses while taxiing. 528 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:26,000 He's a test pilot. This is what he does. 529 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:29,000 So he's feeling an advocacy if it's actually airworthy. 530 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:33,000 Flying a prototype is all about feedback and feel. 531 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:40,000 The wind, peaking at 30 miles an hour when the plane is rated for just 12, is dangerous enough in itself. 532 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:46,000 But more importantly, it's masking any feedback info from the aircraft's control surfaces. 533 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:53,000 But there's good news. With the wind easing, Dave resumes his tentative taxiing. 534 00:35:54,000 --> 00:36:02,000 And after one more earthbound run, the team gets the signal that Dave is ready to attempt the world's first duct tape lift off. 535 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:06,000 This is it. He's going for it. 536 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:13,000 Ah, I just see the tail off the ground. 537 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:21,000 Yay! 538 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:24,000 The Airplane! 539 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:26,000 Airplane, where? 540 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:28,000 In the air! 541 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:30,000 The duct tape airplane! 542 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:36,000 That was indeed the maiden voyage of an aircraft made of the world's most useful sticky stuff. 543 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:38,000 Great job! 544 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:39,000 Awesome! 545 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:45,000 With the wind still gusting over the 12 miles an hour limit, that's as high as Dave was prepared to go. 546 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,000 So our duct tape plane actually achieved flight. 547 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:51,000 Now, granted it wasn't a very long flight at not a very high altitude. 548 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:59,000 But look, these planes, stock off the line with regular covering, no duct tape at all, would have a hard time flying in these gusty winds. 549 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:05,000 I'm fully convinced that on a calmer day, Dave could have gotten a much longer flight at a higher altitude. 550 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:09,000 The Wright brothers, their first flight, only 120 feet. We beat them. 551 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,000 Dave, you did it! You flew a duct tape plane and survived! 552 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:15,000 You're still alive! 553 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:17,000 How'd it do? 554 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:24,000 It was so much better than I expected. We're flying in gusty wind conditions that exceed what the airplanes recommended to fly in with normal fabric on it. 555 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:27,000 And it's doing great. It was a heck of a ride, but it did great. 556 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:29,000 So successful experiment? 557 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:31,000 Confirmed. 558 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:33,000 Myth confirmed. 559 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:41,000 The Internet would have us believe you can heave a backhoe into the back of a truck. 560 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,000 And Adam and Jamie are testing just that. 561 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:52,000 But despite the obvious danger, Jamie has crunched the numbers and believes it is doable. 562 00:37:53,000 --> 00:38:00,000 So what brings all this together and should make it possible is the fact that our excavator has tracks that have 80 inches of ground contact. 563 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:04,000 Our truck has a bed that's 50 inches off the ground. 564 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:14,000 And so if you lift one end of the excavator up and put it on the back of the truck and you do the geometry, you end up with an angle that's about 38 degrees. 565 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:24,000 Now given that this particular brand of excavator is rated to run at 45 degrees, if it has enough power to lift the other end, we're golden. 566 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:26,000 However, the proof is in the practice. 567 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:31,000 And while Adam has practiced the pre-planned maneuvers, pulling them off in a 10 ton vehicle is an entirely different matter. 568 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:33,000 Perfect. 569 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:37,000 This qualifies as one of the spookier things that I've ever done on this show. 570 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:44,000 And by spooky, I mean that tingling in your hands and your feet when you're doing things as you do on a truck. 571 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:46,000 That's pretty steep. 572 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:54,000 But that was the easy part. The crew gets ready to dial 911 because now it starts to get really tricky. 573 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:57,000 Well, he's got the front end on the truck. 574 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:00,000 And he's got the front end on the truck. 575 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,000 And he's got the front end on the truck. 576 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,000 And he's got the front end on the truck. 577 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,000 And he's got the front end on the truck. 578 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,000 Now he's got to lift the other end. 579 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:13,000 All right, so now I come up and over and down. 580 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:16,000 With the machine perched at a precarious angle. 581 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:19,000 Oh, hey, this is really not cool. 582 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:25,000 Adam has to precisely and smoothly lift the bucket and boom up and out of the truck. 583 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:33,000 Any sudden movements could see the excavator topple sideways with Adam in the unprotected position. 584 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:34,000 All right, I got to go slower. 585 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:36,000 He's all sideways. 586 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:41,000 That's got to feel really wrong. 587 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:43,000 Make no mistakes. 588 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:49,000 Spinning 180 degrees while you're leaning at a 45 degree angle just feels plain wrong. 589 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:53,000 It's not cool. My body is like, stop this. 590 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:55,000 There you go. 591 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,000 And he's got the front end on the truck. 592 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:00,000 Adam is like, stop this. 593 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:02,000 There you go. 594 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:05,000 Now can you pick yourself up at all? 595 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:11,000 The next terrifying step is to use the boom to lever the back of the tracks up and into the truck. 596 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:20,000 All the while, Adam has to adjust the curl of the bucket to prevent it from slipping, which would cause him to topple. 597 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:23,000 Now add a little bit more lift. 598 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:26,000 All right. 599 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:31,000 He also has to monitor and adjust the height of the weighty blade to stay balanced. 600 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:33,000 Do you need to go to the bathroom or anything? 601 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:35,000 Oh, I've already gone to the bathroom. 602 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:39,000 And he has to retain smooth control over the movements of the boom. 603 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:41,000 Move down, stick out. 604 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:47,000 But on the home stretch, Adam's confidence, just like the excavator, is reaching new heights. 605 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:49,000 Holy crap, it's working. 606 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:51,000 You're in. Looking good. 607 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:52,000 Looking good. 608 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,000 Once I actually start to lift myself, things feel a little more like they're in my control. 609 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:01,000 But feeling like you're in control is when lapses of concentration happen. 610 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,000 Adam, remember which way is forward. 611 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,000 Oh, right. I gotta push that. 612 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:10,000 That can be a problem. 613 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:12,000 Thank you. I owe you one. 614 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:20,000 Adam, about to back into the truck, had forgotten he'd spun 180 degrees and back is forward. 615 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:22,000 You're almost home free. 616 00:41:23,000 --> 00:41:28,000 With that sorted, he eases into the truck and triumphantly completes the final step. 617 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,000 All right. Here's the moment of truth. Bucket off the ground. 618 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:41,000 That was scary. 619 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:43,000 Good job. 620 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:47,000 Jamie's right. It is a fantastic achievement. 621 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:52,000 But an exuberant excavator achievement that should not be attempted at home. 622 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:55,000 Oh, you did it. 623 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:59,000 Another video that wasn't faked. It's like we have a whole episode here, implausible and confirmed. 624 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:01,000 Let's get out of here.