Belfast Model Flying Club

BRINNY FLYING SITE, NEAR BANDON, CORK   7 AUGUST

This was our first experience of this excellent flying site, which exceeded any expectations. It had short grass like a bowling green, containers for food, shelter and storage of models and grass cutting machinery, and wonder of wonders, a flush toilet! The site has a very attractive outlook over a valley and quite adequate space for full length lines.

The weather was not so certain, with the threat of rain ever present, but it remained nearly calm, so be thankful for small mercies. After practice, one round of F2B was flown, with the rain starting, and there were showers for about an hour, but it held off for the rest of the afternoon. The cloud formations were very heavy and dark, but the rain below them fortunately seemed just far enough away to allow an excellent flying day.

The entry was the best for a long time, seven in F2B and four in Classic, and John Molloy, Ralph McCarthy and Richard O’Brien Judged F2B. They needed a break for lunch, amply supplied by Cork, the host Club, and the F2B fliers who were not flying Classic stepped in to Judge this class, a very efficient arrangement which allowed three flight of F2B and two of Classic to be flown.  Richard O’Brien as CD masterminded this, but all concerned with the Judging are to be thanked for their efforts. It was the best Irish Nationals, in terms of amount and quality of flying, for a long time, possibly ever.

As anticipated in last year’s Report, Adam Tarran has made great strides in his flying with John Hamilton’s Happy Hour, as has Peter Bradshaw with another HH, so they came out first and third in F2B. John unfortunately had family health problems, and was unable to be present, but first and third with your old models is not bad! Maurice Doyle was second in F2B, and Kevin (close behind Peter), Stoo, Chris and Ivan following along. Ivan is recently returned to Control Line, and was a Team Race flier, so his performance in his first events showed continuous improvement.

Classic saw Maurice Doyle first, Kevin second, Stoo third and Ivan fourth. There were no crashes, no damage, and few flights were other than complete and well flow. Our thanks to the Judges and the Cork Club for their hospitality and facilities, to all the fliers for their preparation and participation, and here’s to the next time. Control Line Aerobatics is flourishing and in good state.

Maurice Doyle

MACI Aer Rianta Power Trophy 1951

Many MACI (Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland) members will have seen the magnificent Aer Rianta Power Trophy (recently being awarded for the Irish Nationals Radio Control Scale), which is a replica DC3, about 18 inches span, steel, on a massive plinth with the winners’ names on rows of plaques around it. Tom McClelland of Belfast MFC has the best memory of it of anyone, as he was the first to win it, when he won the Free Flight Power at Baldonnell Aerodrome in 1951. Sixty years on, he recalls that it was awarded at the MACI AGM by the Chairman of Aer Rianta (the Education arm of Aer Lingus, the Irish National Airline) , and moreover, he was awarded a replica, photo above, which he still has. He has made a magnificent gesture by presenting the replica to Belfast MFC to hold in perpetuity, a very much appreciated momento of a very special day for the Club.

The inscription on the replica is “Aer Rianta Power Trophy, T McClelland, Belfast MFC, 11^th Irish Nationals, 1951”. This means that the first Irish Nationals was held in 1940, and in those early years, the presentations were made by the Taoiseach, Eamon DeValera, showing the recognition of Model Flying in those days. From 1945 to 1950, the SMAE (Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers) sent teams from England to fly in the Irish Nationals, and they naturally provided most of the winners in the Free Flight Power and Wakefield (Rubber powered) events, names like Bill Dean, Ron Warring and Norman Marcus. Tom was therefore possibly the first to win this top event from this side of the water.

At the AGM Tom met Jimmy Tangney, who was in the US Navy, and had come top in the Team Trials for the British Wakefield Team, but could not fly as he was American. Des Woods, who is mentioned later, said the English fliers came over “Because they had never seen a steak in their lives!”.

Tom recalls many details of the event and flying at that time. His winning model was a Banshee, an American design by Leon Shulman, still available as a plan for Vintage enthusiasts, and powered by an Elfin 1.8, a very powerful motor at that time. He also built and flew a Slicker 42, powered by a Mills 1.3, and other Kiel Kraft designs, the Bandit by Bill Dean, the Competitor and Ajax. He remembers flying at Baldonnell, and also at Weston Aerodrome, and several sites around Belfast. One was near the Railway Station at Finaghy, and also the flying site at Hannastown, high up on moorland behind Divis Mountain. It is still there, now owned by the National Trust, who are inviting the public to come and enjoy the wide open space.

Fliers from Dublin he recalls were Des Woods, Doc Charles, Billy Brazier, who had a Model Shop, and Johnny Carroll. Local names were a Father and Son called Croft, who flew Comets at Malone Aerodrome, now a Housing Estate, JJ Hanley, CWA Scott, who had a Flying Circus in the Thirties, and a pilot called Macintosh, who was naturally called “All Weather Mac”. Other names are Frank McDonnell, who flew a KK Outlaw, Sammy Young, who flew a Comet powered by an Ohlsson 61, Wally McCormick, who had a Low CLA design published in Aeromodeller, Howard Menary, Bill Tinnion, Bunny Boyce, John Rankin, Robert Gardiner and Wilbur Little, who owned ATO Model Crafts in Belfast. ATO was All Types Of, and Wilbur found balsa from Carling Floats  and succeeded in making a series of ATO kits in the time just after the War when everything was scarce.

Tom remembers that about 1950 the Belfast Club ran an Exhibition in the Wellington Hall in the YMCA, Wellington Place, Belfast, and it was a well supported and successful enterprise. Claude Austin, (later to be lost in a yachting accident) of Austin’s of Derry (a major Department Store, still prospering in Londonderry today) was flying Control Line models, causing quite a stink in the confines of the hall. Norman Osborne, a great F/F modeller of the era, still going today, and in contact through Howard Stephenson, was flying microfilm free flight indoor models and was not happy with the air disturbance caused by the C/L activity.

Tom is now flying with Ulster Model Aircraft Club at Nutt’s Corner and enjoying more sedate models than the screaming Banshee. He is a very modest and unassuming man, but enjoyed casting his mind back to the events of 60 years ago. Belfast Model Flying Club is very honoured to be presented with this valuable record of an event of note in the Club’s history.

Maurice Doyle            Chairman

The Club has been in negotiation with Castlereagh District Council and hope to make arrangements to use this excllent site this Summer. The site is 50 acres, laid out in football pitches, and there is a flood plain at the lower side of the site, beside the Comber Greenway, which is quite extensive and suitable for flying. We have given the Council a Risk Assessment for the site, and it is likely that it will be available on Sunday afternoons in the first instance. Anyone who would wish to take advantage of this should make contact with the Club and will be kept informed of developments. Fliers from other Clubs will be welcome to join in this activity.

Ulster Control Line Championships 2011.

Tommy Patton Park, Belfast – 18TH June.

For once the weather forecast was good for our competition, with

generally favourable flying conditions to last most of the day

With six entered in F2B this was the same as last year, Kevin Barry

travelling from Cork with Chris Gilbert and Stu Holland coming from Dublin.

Mitchell Shaw was our judge in both F2B and Classic.

With the weather being so favourable F2B got started as soon as everyone

had their practise flight.

The competition was very close after the first round, with John and

Maurice posting scores within two points of each other. The fight for third was

equally close with Kevin, Stu and Peter all within nine and half points of each

other.

Unfortunately Chris’s model came to grief when it hit a large bush just

outside the flying circle, this finished his involvement in the competition.

T h esecond roundstarted with John posting the highest score of t h e d a y ,

clinching first place in the competition, with Maurice consolidating second place.

Kevin improved his score to take third with Stu in fourth and Peter fifth.

Classic was a singleround competition, again flown in good conditions.

Maurice taking the honours, with Kevin in second place and Stu third.

Our thanks for all coming along, especially those who travelled so far to

make the day worthwhile, and the judge for his essential contribution.

F2B Results.    Flight 1    Flight 2    Total     Placing

John Hamilton.   970.5       1011         1981.5     1

Maurice Doyle    972.5       959           1931.5     2

Kevin Barry        907.5        957.5        1865       3

Stu Holland        901.5        901.5         1803      4

Peter Bradshaw 911           830.5        1741.5    5

Classic Results.

Maurice Doyle 922.5 1

Kevin Barry 883 2

Stu Holland 798.5 3

Peter Bradshaw

Boxing Day Scramble, 1958

This photograph of the Club assembled at the Boxing Day event at Newtonards Aerodrome in 1958 was provided by Derek Wilson, still active in the North Down Model Engineering Society in the Transport Museum, and scanned by John Black. 

We are hoping to make contact with old members for the purpose of a Reunion get together sometime in 2012.

Members we can recognise are: Gillis Telford, James Wade, Derek Graham, Maurice Doyle, Derek Wilson, Tommy Cranston, Frank Jackson, still active in NIMSA,  Norman Tayor, Peter Valentine, Davy Black, Nick, Ronnie Armstrong, also active in NIMSA, Brian Wicklow, Barry McGrath, Paul Wilson. Can you give us any more names?

Hopefully we will have a few more pics in the near future for you to remember days gone by.

Please any old members of the club get in touch, we would love to hear from you and add you to our list of Friends of the Belfast Model Flying Club.

You never know you might get bitten by the Control Line flying bug again..

Due to an increase in subs to BMFA of £2.00 per member the club have raised the fees by the same amount

2012 Membership Fees

Senior     £37.00

Junior     £20.00

Family     £51.00

Due to a site update our events callender can no longer be shown on the Home Page

DO NOT DESPAIR

Check out the NEW “EVENTS” tab at the top of the page for dates and times of our flying activities.

TOMMY PATTON PARK, BEFAST. 19 TH JUNE.

For once the weather forecast was good for our competition, warm, sunny but with a possibility of a bit of a breeze. Unfortunately it started breezy and got increasingly stronger as the day went on.

Our entry for F2B was the best for sometime, with Kevin Barry travelling from Cork and Chris Gilbert bringing along Adam Taran from Dublin, this was Adams first visit.

Mitchell Shaw judged the F2B competition, with Ralph McCarthy judging the Classic competition.

F2B was the first competition flown, with a fair breeze affecting everyone’s flight to some extent. Chris being caught out on his first flight hitting the ground, breaking the prop and causing other slight damage. This finished his involvement in the competition.

John and Maurice both posted good scores, with Kevin and Adam scoring well, Adam showing as a bit of a dark horse with a very competent flight.

The second round started with the wind blowing quite a bit stronger, John’s, Maurice’s and Kevin’s scores holding up well in such conditions.

The Classic competition was between Maurice flying his U2 and Kevin’s flying his Ares. Maurice mastering the conditions with apparent ease.

Our thanks to all for coming along, especially those who travelled so far to make the day worthwhile.

Peter Bradshaw.

F2B Results Flight 1 Flight 2 Total Placing

Maurice Doyle 863 879 1742 1Peter Bradshaw 826 532 1358 4John Hamilton 833.5 888 1721.5 2Kevin Barry 709.5 788.5 1456 3Chris Gilbert 74 —– 74 6Adam Taran 713.5 —– 713.5 5Maurice Doyle 933 1Kevin Barry 683 2

CLASSIC Results

Ian from Icarus Models advises they have started  the “BANGOR ELECTRIC FLYING CLUB”

We heartily welcome this new venture to the local flying scene and wish them every success.

There are many in our midst who now shy away from what they call “those noisy smelly oily things” and others who embrace both disciplines.

The club is BMFA affiliated.

Flying takes place at Ballymacormick Playing Fields on Sundays from 1pm – 5pm and in the summer months on Wednesdays from 7pm to dusk.

Indoor flying takes place on the 1st Friday of the month from Sept to May at Bangor Grammer School Gymnasium.

Ian Butler is the club Chairman and Colin Little, Secretary.

bangor.electric.flying.club@googlemail.com