Season 2
TV Show · Educational · Reality

In the 2009 BBC2 series Toy Stories, James May and a team of enthusiastic schoolchildren built a full scale Airfix Spitfire: the biggest in the world. But despite this stunning success the Spitfire, like all airfix models had one major drawback - it couldn’t actually fly. Now James returns to the scene of this triumph determined to go one better. To achieve record breaking aerial greatness for one of the most beloved and iconic of children’s toys: The balsawood glider. In this epic Toy Stories special, James gets to the heart of the nation’s childhood love affair with the model plane and sets out to achieve what seems an impossible dream - the first cross channel flight ever achieved by an engineless, homemade supersized toy. If it survives the perilous 22 mile journey, James’s classic toy glider lovingly built from over 1000 pieces of balsa will smash the British distance record. James’s mission is dedicated to making the dream of flight come true for the generations of children who, like James himself, slaved for hours over balsa and glue only to see their fragile and much loved planes smash tragically onto the unyielding concrete of reality. During his quest James turns Indiana Jones to unearth surprising new evidence that identifies children as the true pioneers of flight and wrestles with an underperforming glider that threatens to barely leave the ground. And what starts as a simple yet noble aim, takes James in many unexpected directions; to a mysterious and barely inhabited island, to helicopters lost in the fog and missing speedboats and what can only be described as the world’s first flying coffin for gliders. Throughout, James is beset by a series of dramatic problems requiring inspired solutions, near disaster and breakthrough which culminate in a thrilling and visually stunning last throw of the dice. Underpinned throughout by James’ own infectious passion for flight, a passion he’s had since he first put glue to balsa as a ten year old, Flight Club is an epic journey into the unexpected.

2011 · 52m
Starring James May
Director Tom Whitter

Season 1

  • Airfix
    EPISODE 1
    Airfix
    James takes model aeroplanes to a new level when he tries to make a full-size Spitfire out of Airfix. The venture soon hits problems when it becomes clear the giant 36-foot pieces may not be strong enough, and nobody knows how they will fit together. James hopes he can enthuse a group of reluctant teenagers to help him pull it off - but he soon realises he has another big battle on his hands in convincing them it is a hobby to be proud of.
    51 min
  • Plasticine
    EPISODE 2
    Plasticine
    James tries to make a garden entirely out of Plasticine and then enter it at the Chelsea Flower Show. He persuades thousands of members of the British public to help make the thousands of Plasticine flowers he needs, but will it be enough to persuade the guardians of the world's most prestigious horticultural event to let him make a garden with no real flowers in it?
    51 min
  • Meccano
    EPISODE 3
    Meccano
    James joins forces with Edwina Currie to build a full-size bridge from nothing but Meccano. Top engineers pitch incredible designs, but the project soon careers out of control when the Meccano does not arrive and James realises it will take longer to build than he imagined. A last-minute accident also means that James’ bridge may never see the light of day. Please note, this version may differ slightly from the UK TX version.
    52 min
  • Scalextric
    EPISODE 4
    Scalextric
    James attempts to build the biggest Scalextric track in the world, nearly three miles long, on the site of Britain's oldest grand prix track at Brooklands in Surrey. The track will have to go through people's gardens, over ponds and rivers and even negotiate a business park. Who will win the race of the century, the plucky locals or the team of Scalextric experts?
    52 min
  • Hornby
    EPISODE 5
    Hornby
    James attempts to build the longest ever model railway track, a whopping ten miles long. Stretching from Barnstabe to Bideford along a disused railway line, the track must survive the attentions of local vandals if the team is to succeed. Matters aren’t exactly helped by the model train’s top speed of 1mph! Please note, this version may differ slightly from the UK TX version.
    52 min
  • Lego
    EPISODE 6
    Lego
    With the help of an army of volunteers, James attempts to build the world’s first full-size house made entirely out of lego bricks. He even tries to plumb in and fearlessly road test a Lego loo, take a dip in a Lego bath and rest his weary head in a giant Lego bed. Please note, this version may differ slightly from the UK TX version.
    52 min

Related

  • James May's Cars of the People
  • James May's Man Lab
  • Top Gear
  • Bake Off Crème de la Crème
  • The Great Pottery Throw Down
  • Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker
  • LEGO Masters Jr.
  • Lego Masters New Zealand
  • The Great British Sewing Bee

Cast & Crew

  • S‌O
    Sim Oakley
    Self
  • Oz Clarke
    Self
  • Jane Asher
    Self
  • Tiff Needell
    Self
  • G‌B
    Garrit Braun
    Self
  • James May
    Narrator
  • James May
    Host
  • T‌W
    Tom Whitter
    Director
  • S‌C
    Stuart Cabb
    Producer
  • S‌C
    Stuart Cabb
    Writer

About

Season 2

Educational

In the 2009 BBC2 series Toy Stories, James May and a team of enthusiastic schoolchildren built a full scale Airfix Spitfire: the biggest in the world. But despite this stunning success the Spitfire, like all airfix models had one major drawback - it couldn’t actually fly. Now James returns to the scene of this triumph determined to go one better. To achieve record breaking aerial greatness for one of the most beloved and iconic of children’s toys: The balsawood glider. In this epic Toy Stories special, James gets to the heart of the nation’s childhood love affair with the model plane and sets out to achieve what seems an impossible dream - the first cross channel flight ever achieved by an engineless, homemade supersized toy. If it survives the perilous 22 mile journey, James’s classic toy glider lovingly built from over 1000 pieces of balsa will smash the British distance record. James’s mission is dedicated to making the dream of flight come true for the generations of children who, like James himself, slaved for hours over balsa and glue only to see their fragile and much loved planes smash tragically onto the unyielding concrete of reality. During his quest James turns Indiana Jones to unearth surprising new evidence that identifies children as the true pioneers of flight and wrestles with an underperforming glider that threatens to barely leave the ground. And what starts as a simple yet noble aim, takes James in many unexpected directions; to a mysterious and barely inhabited island, to helicopters lost in the fog and missing speedboats and what can only be described as the world’s first flying coffin for gliders. Throughout, James is beset by a series of dramatic problems requiring inspired solutions, near disaster and breakthrough which culminate in a thrilling and visually stunning last throw of the dice. Underpinned throughout by James’ own infectious passion for flight, a passion he’s had since he first put glue to balsa as a ten year old, Flight Club is an epic journey into the unexpected.

Information

Studio
BBC Two
Released
2011
Rated
Caution
Region of Origin
United Kingdom
© 2009 Plum Pictures

Languages

Original Audio
English (United Kingdom)
Audio

English (United Kingdom) (AAC)

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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)