April 20, 2021 9.50 am This story is over 35 months old

The unbeaten rubber band flight record set in Lincolnshire

Martin has held the record for nearly four years
Martin Pike achieved the Guinness World Record for the 'Longest duration for a rubber band powered model aircraft to remain in the air'.

Launching a handmade plane flight, powered by nothing more than a rubber band, is no mean feat. It’s no wonder this Grantham made Guinness World Record has been untouched for four years.

Radiologist Martin Pike, 49, holds the Guinness World Record for the ‘Longest duration for a rubber band powered model aircraft to remain in the air’.

Martin attended the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) Free Flight Nationals held at RAF Barkston Heath near Grantham on May 28, 2017. This is the date the record was set, but it was not part of the BMFA event.

Guinness World Records set an initial benchmark for the record of around 50 seconds with specific criteria, including that it had to be attempted at a public event using a full commercial kit and built by the person trying the record. Martin also had independent time keepers for the record attempt.

Martin attempted the record at RAF Barkston Heath near Grantham.

Martin, who lives in North Wales, set a time of 2:07.37 (minutes: seconds) and a few months later he received his certificate from Guinness World Records showing he was officially a record holder.

Martin told The Lincolnite that he had a lot of fun doing the record, but that “it is a Guinness World Record and doesn’t represent what can be achieved with these aircraft as there are other records held by other bodies”.

The aircraft had to be made using a full commercial kit to be eligible for the record.

He said: “It was a bit of fun and I was aware that compared to proper records set out it wasn’t earth shattering, but a lot of records are quite frivolous.

“This was my attempt based on the criteria set by Guinness World Records and not an attempt to beat or get in the way of any other record held by other bodies.

“I thought it would be fun as people would realise that these aircraft are still being flown. It was a bit of fun and notoriety.”

The model aircraft used in Martin Pike’s record attempt.

This model aircraft was used to achieve the Guinness World Record of ‘Longest duration for a rubber band powered model aircraft to remain in the air’.

Martin has been into model aircraft since 2001 and still enjoys the hobby of building things from scratch and getting them to fly.

He has previously attended and competed in various model aircraft flying events, including at RAF Barkston Heath and BMFA’s Buckminster Lodge, which is located on the Leicestershire/Lincolnshire border close to the towns of Melton Mowbray and Grantham.

Martin’s record is part four in The Lincolnite’s series looking at both Guinness World Record holders in Greater Lincolnshire and records set in the county.

Part 1 – Declan Evans – Capri Sun record

Declan is now a Guinness World Record holder. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Part 2 – Anna O’Mara – Screwball Scramble record

Anna O’Mara now holds the world record for the ‘Fastest time to complete the Screwball Scramble game’.

Part 3 – Charlotte Wharton – Fastest 100 m waterski tow by rowing boat

Charlotte Wharton, along with rowers from the Imperial College Boat Club, broke the Guinness World Record for the ‘fastest 100m waterski tow by rowing boat’ in 2013. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite