TOPIC: Old Warden Sept 2020

We were down on numbers at this, the first flying meeting we have been to this year. Probably a number of reasons for this, but the weather was, to put it kindly, unhelpful - a 'moderate' NE breeze of 12-14 mph with gusts up to 21 mph according to my digital anemometer. Very tricky conditions for free flight.

It was also hot and sunny, so we had regular thermals coming through, good to launch into, less helpful if you caught the associated downdrafts. However, we rocketeers that were there camped in the lee of the hedge out of the wind and had a good time. Daniel and his son Max, Terry from Bavaria, the estimable Howard and I had some spectacular flights, and some hard arrivals after being shot down by the turbulence. As the great Paul Gel Gatto wrote many years ago, "if you fly in a wind you will have some great flights but also be prepared for crashes". Just so.



1. Terry Kidd travelled all the way from Germany with a selection of the new TSP motors (thankyou Terry!) and a collection of profile models. His Jetex Sharky and Bill Dean Vulture in particular put in some splendid flights, proving the worth of the new motors and Terry's careful tweaking of thrust tabs on his models! Here he is with the Sharky.

2. Howard showing how to light a motor in the wind (which tends to cool the electrodes, so it can be tricky!).

3. Nice launching style, the model gets away - once above the choppy air above the hedge you were in with a chance.

4. Climbing away in some good air. Models could easily fly across the full length of the field, but, fortunately, we missed the parked (full size) aeroplanes and landed in front, or just in, the bushes.



Daniel Rackstraw had some wonderful flights. He sensibly kept his built up models (see the building thread) in their box and flew profile models like the Sharky, Wren, and best of all, his colourful T-38 Talon.

1. Lighting up: this could be difficult in the wind and you needed a good battery (s), a clean electrode and (occasionally) a fuse.

2. But persistence pays off - success!

3. waiting for the thrust to build up.

4. Even in this wind the T-38 likes an energetic launch.

5. And we're away for another great sortie. The Talon flies better than we have any right to expect!



1. Howard also had some great flights. Here he is with his beautifully finished Valiant.

2. Waiting for some good air - best not to launch into sink!

3. And a nice gentle push is all this model needs in a breeze

4. The unique Valiant climbs away. It looks great in the air. Howard also had a very shapely VC-10 whose cavorting in the air would have alarmed any passengers.



1. I was pleased we have a supply of TSP L-1 motors. Both my Jetex Wren and (here) Daniel's flew as well as ever - the width of the field - and we were lucky not to loose them! Howard looks on.

2 &3. Howard launches his F-104 Starfighter. It climbed away steadily, turned, looking great in the air and set for a great sortie when the turbulence shot it down. These profile models are fortunately tough little blighters; this, and the use of Cyno glue - meant we were able to keep flying all day.



1. Daniel's T-38 went very well indeed. His two - smaller and the new larger version are shown here in front of Howard's original and well-flown Depron model which was the inspiration for my all-balsa design.

2. Howard ducks away as Daniel Limbers up for another launch. One problem with the T-38 is that it is directionally very stable and on this flight it just kept going towards the hedge, into the wind . Some anxiety - would it go over the hedge; would it turn back?

3. Here it makes a safe arrester-type landing in the hedge, making (4) for an easy retrieve

5. Max, resplendent in his Jetex.org T-shirt' looking very pleased with the retrieved model. A later flight did go over the hedge, to be retrieved by Daniel and the ever helpful and intrepid Andy Blackwell, who knows no fear of hedges ... or stinging nettles.

So we had a good time, didn't loose any models, and, hopefully, left full of inspiration for the winter building programme!

I hope to post more thoughts, and further photos, about these two days day, so watch this space.

Well weekend did not quite turn out as I had originally planned, but good to see you guys all having a great time.

Hopefully come next May I will better organised, have some new models and remember to charge igniter batteries:)

Did any of the Covid restrictions in place impact the flying, attendance etc?

Greetings John,
I missed you John, plain and simple. It was different, almost pseudo. Booking online, you needed binoculars to see the r/c boys, the stalls were where the camping usually is, lots of stuffed shirts not knowing what free flight actually is.
I was nursing the results of an operation to fix a strangulated hernia so I was observing and went on my mo bike. Enjoyable all the same, but the wind and sun made the going tough. Still fun though. Attendance was well down on previous outings, more weather than corona.

Andy.

Here are a few more pics and comments to add to the above:


As you can see the wind sock is quite high so us few free flighters sheltered under the hedge where out of the wind we got roasted by the sun, the more numerous radio assist FF boys were along the north south runway.


Daniel Rackstraw brought along his splendid fleet of profiles and built up models, a couple of the
built up models were given a try but were proving a touch too light (and fragile?) in the turbulent wind.


On Saturday which was the windiest day I only brought along my more robust (read heavily built) profiles, models that owed me nothing and gave them a good airing. My less robust scaled up Spook (1.6 times) came away in 7 pieces, the rest stayed intact.


Terry's enlarged Sharky gets lit up and bunged off, straight into a steep climb and then into the vertical before looping several times fast and furious with a new Tendera L2 motor.


Daniels Hunter for L2 alongside my Hunter for the L1.


Talon T38 profiles lined up, my foam lightweight white T38 (too light for the windy conditions) designed for the old Rapier L2LT behind Roger's smaller and larger balsa profiles versions which tackled the wind splendidly.

In slightly calmer conditions late Sunday I launched my foam Valiant (also above in Roger's pics) which flew off well downwind. I thought it had gone even further and spent some time looking for it without any luck. Walking back I found that some kind soul had found it and placed well in view on one of the mown runways, phew. Either that or I was blind as I walked downwind!!

It was wonderful to be back at Old Warden flying free flight models again, the last time I managed to get there was for the May meet in 2017, oh how I missed it.

More photos:



Above: my protoype Lansen flew well with an early example of a TSP L-1.



Above: Michael Kneale flew his Jetex Sharky (this model was obviously the 'flavour of the day) with a genuine Jetex 50. Very impressive.







Above: Howard launches his L-1 powered Spook. This can fly beautifully , but had trouble getting away in the tricky conditions.



Above: Daniel with his Skyray

So, despite the conditions, we had a good time, and (a priority for me) proved the worth of the new TSP motors. Yes, they are a bit pricier than Rapiers, but they are a quality product.

Here's to the next flying meeting ... whenever ... when I hope to see even more smoke trails in the Sky!