Well, that's me, way back before man had even set foot on the moon.

I was born the usual nine months later on the 30th November 1968.

This was the year that the TU-144 'concordski' beat the Concord into supersonic flight.

Boeing rolled out it's first 747, Lockheed C-5A Galaxy made it's first flight and LBJ ended the bombing of North Vietnam! ! ! ! !

Meanwhile back in a little village in the middle of the Costwolds in deepest England called 'Lechlade', I was entering the world as a new aeromodeller. . . .

3 years later, and having got addicted to the all models in my fathers workshop and the intoxicating substances that go with it, I started to dabble in the world of 'free-flight' . . . . . Pity I got more paint on me than on the model, still, not a lot has changed.

So then the big thing happened ! ! We all moved to Ireland on my 7th birthday (30th Nov 1975) . . . WHY ?

The reason for moving was so that my father and two of his mates from Cirencester, decided to set up a company 'Technopower Enterprises Ltd' in Smithstown Ind Est, Shannon in order to produce two main types of Model Aero Engines. Firstly there was the Telco CO2 engine. It was designed in 1,2,3 and 4 cylinder versions. Most sold were of the single cylinder version.

But the best and the most interesting engines designed and made by the company were the 'Technopower' 4-stroke radial engines. These were based on the Armstrong-Siddeley Genet engine of the 1930's era, supplied in 5, 7, or 9 cylinder versions. A few years later Both 'Telco' and 'Technopower' were sold on to the UK and USA.

The first radio I used was my fathers 'Skyleader' set and the first model that I flew a 45" piper cherokee built by me from a kit. I then tried gliders and float planes. My first radio set was a JR Max 66 set and was installed in a Hi-Boy powered by an OS 40 that was purchased for me as a gift by my uncle in model Spot in Leicester in the mid to late 80's. In 1988, I purchased a Futaba FF7 and used (abused) it for the next 10 years. In 1998, I bought a Futaba 9ZAP set from UK show pilot Paul Heckles and have stayed with ZAP's since that time and then got a new ZAP WCII that I purchased from Ripmax for the Jet World Masters back in 1997. I currently fly my model using a Futaba 14MZ that I was fortunate to have won at the XFC championships for just $50 worth of raffle tickets . . . Lucky me!!!!!

I am a self taught model pilot and fly a different mode to most (not mode 1 or 2 or 3 or 4), still it stops people from trying to fly my models.

Only one person has the 'KNACK' and that is UK show pilot, Steve Holland. . . .As he says 'It makes his brain hurt' after flying my mode. . . .

 

 

Way back in 1991, I contacted the then editor of RCM&E (Radio Control Models & Electronics), Kevin Crozier, and asked if I could do a kit review for the mag. He said give it a whirl and since then I have done a few as you can see below. I have also been asked on two occasions to be a jury member for the 'R/C Model of the Year Awards'

Here are the reviews I have done are . .

Model Kit Issue Date
Puma 40 Robbe Nov 1991
Skybolt Sig Jun 1992
Mustang 40 Midwest Aug 1992
Super Sportster 60 Greatplanes Jan 1993
Sukhoi 40 Midwest Apr 1993
Flying Machine 25 EZ Apr 1993
Euroa Quilla ASP May 1994
F-86A Sabre Westfield MC Jun 1994
Jodel D120 DB Sport & Scale Mar 1995
F-82 Mustang Dynaflite Jun 1995
Ryan STA ASP Oct 1995
Luck of the Irish Endurance Record Report Jan 1996
F-16 Westfield MC

May 1996

Apache Helicopter Kyosho Feb 1997
Bobcat Glider Bob Martin Models Jul 1997
W.A.S.P. 40 BVR Jan 1998
F-86D Sabre Cambrian MC Aug 1998
Superquick Sebino Models Oct 1998
Baby Boss Pete Tindal Dec 1998
3D Simulator Tru-Flite Jan 1999
Staudacher S-300 GS Sebino Models Mar 1999
Sting Hacker Models Apr 1999
Video Link Weston UK Jun 1999
Excitation Pete Tindal Sep 1999
Jet Masters 99 Team Report Dec 1999
Magnum 45 Weston UK Mar 2000
Aerofly Simulator Ikarus Apr 2000
Easy Street Balsacraft Jun 2000
Inovation Pete Tindal's Models Aug 2000
Rapier Delta Balsacraft Mar 2001
Palio Glider Scorpio Models Apr 2001
Mirage 2000-5 Ripmax Jun 2001
Limbo Dancer ARTF Ripmax Aug 2001
Reno Racer Ripmax Oct 2002
Magic Fun-Fly YT International Apr 2003
Flair Spitfire Flair Products Oct 2003
Extra 330L Het-RC

Nov 2004

     

 

My interest in international events, shows and competitions started back in 1992.

I entered the 'Europa Star Cup' in the UK and obtained 3rd in static with my "scratch built" 1/2 scale Pitts S-1S Special.

 

Since then I have felt the urge to do more competitions and have attended the following main events. . . . . .

Europa Star Cup 1992 England
2nd Jet World Masters 1997 England
3rd Jet World Masters 1999 Austria
Jets over DeLand 2000 U.S.A.
Scottish Nationals Scale 2000 Scotland
Millenium British Nationals 2000 England
Scottish Nationals Scale 2001 Scotland
British Nationals Scale 2001 England
Top Gun Invitational 2001 U.S.A.
4th Jet World Masters 2001 Thailand
XFC Invitational 2003 U.S.A.
Futaba XFC Invitational 2005 U.S.A.
7th Jet World Masters 2007 N. Ireland
Top Gun Invitational 2008 U.S.A.

 

Here I am after doing something a little bit different.

On Sunday the 9th July 1995, I had a crack at doing the British R/C endurance record.

The first flight of the day was at 04:54 until 09:53 (only 36 seconds under the 5 hour mark) so the model was re-fueled and

a second flight was done from 15:02 until 20: 46. A total time of 5 hours 46 min and 56 secs on this second flight.

The main reason for doing this . . . Raising £1,300 for the local Hospice.

The area which I realy get a rush, is in the wild world of Model Show Flying, I got my BMFA 'B' Cert back in May 1995 and have never looked back.

So, having been invited to many clubs and shows through the years, I thought that I should put something back into the hobby by staging my own fly-in for these persons to come to and for them to fly at.

The first one of these was held near where I live back in May 1995. Christened as the May Madness Weekend it was attended by my friends from the NWMAC among others, who spent the 3 days flying models and hitting the local pubs.

The second May Madness was held in the same location two years later in 1998 and numbers were up. 1999 brought friends from England and in 2000 was to be the BIG ONE. Since then I have held a Madness each year.

So what is next ? . . . . . Well there are so many things that this hobby/sport has to offer and I for one can't wait to get out there and experience the thrill that is Model Flying.

 

Watch this space for more as it happens. . . . . . . .