BMFA Indoor Scale Nationals 20th-21st April 2024

[Crabby]

Great pics Pete. I like seeing the humans almost more than the models. A bunch of characters. Good seeing Monz at the judges table. I will probably never meet any of you but its great seeing you all together in one spot winding and fiddling and flying! I just have to say Bowerman reminds me of Thee Olde Man!

[Pete Fardell]

Cheers, Crabby!
Here are some more people then…
1. Waiting in line at the flight gate, Chris Brainwood with his Telco powered Camel chats to Chris Chapman, who’s holding his wound up Interstate Cadet.  (Note, this is not the same Chris Chapman as the one who was flying the pistachio FW190. There were two fine aeromodellers of that name at this year’s event.)
2. Pete Startup with his Aerographics Auster J4.
3. Rich Moore with his Globe Swift. A bit of a rush to get it finished (he applied the final touches whilsst in the hall!) but isn’t it a gem!
4. Richard is modelling a russet brown Armani cardigan and white trainers by Ralph Lauren, accessorised with a chrome yellow take-off dolly and a four-and-a-half-foot Short Shetland.
5.A closer look at Rich Moore’s Swift.
6. Mike Stuart with his marvellous Blackburn Dart. Trimmed at the event, right into 3rd place in Open Rubber!

[Crabby]

Richard’s modeling is superb but I dont think Zendaya has his number. Great touch with the Shetland however.

[Pete Fardell]

A few more…
1. Isn’t it annoying when you reach into your model sack to choose one and they’ve all got tangled up? The incomparable Pete Smart, assisted by Lurk as Mr Crossley... er... lurks.
3. A closer view of the Ensign. Flies beautifully and came 3rd in CO2/Electric.
4. Tonda Alfery’s sublime Spitfire peanut winner with Gordon Hannah’s mad Caproni.
5. And Tonda’s pistachio winning Avia BH-21R.
6. John Cooper’s Rearwin Speedster (Flyline), 2nd in Kit Scale.

[Pete Fardell]

Nearly done…
1. Stephen Haines’s table: Kit Scake Pilatus PC-6 and Nesmith Cougar peanut.
2. Beautiful IMAM Romeo 37bis by Lurk. Flew well!
3. And again with Chris Brainwood’s lovely new DH 60X Hermes Moth.
4. Two of John Valiant’s exquisite WW2 foam models.
5. Sorry, I’m not sure how this photo got in, or why anyone would wedge their sandwich box in their winding stooge in the first place.*
6.Pete Smart’s new 6 motored monster: Blohm & Voss 222

EDIT *Not a sandwich box, apparently, but something called a 'Lacey' that Lurk flew in the air race. It takes all sorts I suppose.

[Pete Fardell]

Last ones from me then…
1. Pete Smart’s again: Pitts Special (open rubber), Kit Scale Citabria and a Civilian Coupe.
2. Chris Brainwood’s CO2 Camel and John Cooper’s rubber Lockheed Vega. Both flew in Intermediate…
3. As did Chris Blanch’s Bowers Flybaby.
4. This one shouldn’t be on this page really as it’s an R/C model from the sister event on the Saturday. However, I can’t resist including it because it's a Bleriot! It’s Mats Johansson’s superb Thulin Bleriot in fact, which won its class.
5. Ken Bates’s Bird Dog Kit Scale entry. I do hope no one sat on that chair.
6. And lastly, another shot of Gordon Hannah’s Jurassic looking Ader Avion which sat on the peanut table beside him all day. And what a splendid day it was!

All being well, my AeroModeller report on this year’s FF Scale Nats should be in the July edition which hits the streets mid-June. If anyone got any good flying shots that they’d be willing to let me include (fully credited of course) please message me.
Pete

[Pete Fardell]

I should add that if anyone’s got any good non flying shots as well, that they don’t me using fully credited in AM, I’d welcome them too. Particularly if they’re of the models I missed. Thanks, Lurk, for yours; much appreciated!

By the way, well done with the Cessna.

Thanks, Bill. I was delighted to place with it, particularly after a certain other flight judge (who I know very well indeed) had implied that I probably hadn’t quite made the podium due to not being brave enough to open out the turn more in rounds 3 and 4!
Here’s Clyde, safely back under my workshop ceiling with Louis B, also safely back in his place, just above him.

Also, two very nice Hellcat no-cals from the Dutch guys that I forgot to include before: The all blue one is Bernard Bruins’ and the yellow winged one is Gert Brendel’s.

[Squirrelnet]

Yes well done with the Cessna Pete. Great looking workshop BTW all the best ones have a Bleriot hanging from the ceiling  

I look forward to the AM report. I'll send over my pics in case they are of any use as well

My post Nats was a spot of repair after blowing yet another in it so it's done and out of the way. Very pleased with the DH60 in the end though it's no duration flyer I shall retire it from competition and enjoy flying it for what it is. I enjoyed flying in the peanut class though so I shall have to make something else for next year ... I hear from a friend that Lacey's go quite well ?

[SP250]

Well it seems that Lurk is leading the Lacey M10 resurgence as a pair of fingers up to the rest of the naysayers. 
And I'm following along too, remembering the Andy Sephton philosophy of - "If they say you can't do it, that's good enough reason to have a go".  Also "if they say it can't be done then have a go just to prove them wrong".
Roll on the revolution! 
John M

[Pete Fardell]

Well it seems that Lurk is leading the Lacey M10 resurgence as a pair of fingers up to the rest of the naysayers. 
And I'm following along too, remembering the Andy Sephton philosophy of - "If they say you can't do it, that's good enough reason to have a go".  Also "if they say it can't be done then have a go just to prove them wrong".
Roll on the revolution! 

I love Laceys, as you know, but does anyone really say “it can’t be done” regarding these beautiful creatures? Surely the phrase is “has been done”? Thanks for mentioning Andy Sephton though- it’s reminded me of the time he put his Lacey in the air race, only to retire after his race assistant, and soulmate, ‘accidentally’ put her foot on it. Ah… happy days! 

[Slowmatch]

I think with Laceys it's more 'should it' than 'can it' be done  

Thank you for all the flying reports and pictures.

[Horten 229]

 Great  pics and video from  the indoor Nats , thanks Chris. The BV 222 is fabulous, have a read of Winkle Browns exploits flying one after the war.
  Hopefully the weather at  OW will  be good enough to  see some of these fabulous creations in action.
    Cheers Phil.

[steve h]

Thanks for all the great pictures
Had a brilliant day on Sunday, can't wait to do it all again.
Right, where's that lacy plan!!! 

[Arnold S]

Great stuff, thanks for the pictures one and all.  Will be making my way through the videos shortly!

Andrew

[TheLurker]

Breaking News.... Breaking News....

The organisers have received a request from West Midlands Police for information leading to the arrest of the men in this picture.  They are all believed to be members of the notorious, "Trinity Mob" and are wanted for crimes against aeromodelling.  These men are a danger to balsa and tissue. If you see them; do not approach them, call the police on 999 quoting Crime Report No. LCYM-10

Or...  Trinity bods mugging for the camera.  Thanks to Monz for taking the photo.

Standing L-R
Steve H, Mike S, Peter B, Peter S

Kneeling L-R
Chris B, John S, Lurk, John F


 

[Arnold S]

Crikey, looks like the lot that did the Brink’s Mat job back in ‘83… 

Andrew

[Dave Crompton]

Wouldn’t trust any of them as far as I could throw them!!

[Prosper]

. . . just to say thanks to those taking the trouble to post pics. . .and  those attending and flying, thereby providing something to take pics of in the first place. Looks like a really good weekend.

Stephen.

[Pete Fardell]

Some of the errors and omissions have been dealt with, thanks to Pete's PMs but I've missed the edit window for these provided by Chris.
Post N^o. 59
1-2  Brian Seymour's Andreasson
3-4  Tony Rushby’s Auster Arrow (I think. CB)

The Auster Arrow shown in reply #59 is actually Ken Bates's. It finished 2nd (behind Jon Cooper's Vega) in Intermediate, with the joint highest flight score.

[Squirrelnet]

The Auster Arrow shown in reply #59 is actually Ken Bates's

Arhh yes of course ...sorry Ken