TOPIC: Peterboro Flying Aces 2026

I hope to oversee the ‘Jetex/Rapier’ events at Peterborough Flying Aces (PFA) 2026 on Sept 19th. I have enough TSP L-1 motors to support jet duration and, as of now, I am happy to provide packs of TSP L-1 and L-2 motors to any jet modeller so they they take part in the jet scale competition. There might even be a trophy!
Many suitable plans of all sorts can be found at our own : www.jetex.org/jetex_plans/index.php ) and kits are available from the Vintage Model Company (VMC). So now’s the time to get building! TSP profile kits, the Skyray, Alpha Jet and Iskra, are still available from VMC (see: ( www.vintagemodelcompany.com/jetex ) and very nice they are too. All are proven flyers. The Gripen for TSP for L-1 goes particularly well, but all, with just a modicum of trimming, would definitely be very competitive at PFA. And please don’t ignore the profile plans published by the estimable ‘Aeromodeller’: Howard Metcalfe’s lovely Hawk in August 2014, the T-38 Talon in March 2021 and the semi-profile F-15 in June 2023. The F-15 is a splendid flier, but a more complex build and not perhaps for the faint hearted!
Please contact me if you’d like more advice about suitable models or copies of templates. Oh, and motors: one free pack per competitor, more for just £10.00 (+p&p).
PFA is a great meeting, usually blessed with clement autumnal weather. Given even a modest revival of its ‘Jetex/Rapier’ competitions I hope it will go out with, well, perhaps not a bang, but definitely a woosh!

Unless we have a deluge or two of Biblical proportions in the next few weeks, rocketry at PFA wiill be confined to EDF jets. We really don't want to set fire to the venue!
Prayer hats on, please!

Don't forget it's PFA this coming weekend. The grass is green and we have the motors!



L-1 duration, PFA 2025



Jetex/TSP scale, PFA 2025.

The weather, at the moment doesn't look too promising, but that could change.

Do come along and join in the fun!

Hi all,
Roger was indeed correct, the weather being very breezy and blustery coming from the West right behind the trees. Of course this meant a considerable down draught and turbulence. Using models kindly loaned from Roger, it took a good 10 plus tries to get a couple of decent scoring flights. To be fair, there wasn't many takers for perhaps the most difficult discipline, so I ended up winning Authentic scale and Profile scale. Roger also did some flying and no doubt would have beat my pants off...but Roger was judging... As I was mostly flying, chatting or eating, I'm afraid I neglected to do any photography. Oh, did I mention it rained twice as well!
I enjoyed the day through it's many vicissitudes and a big thanks to Roger for hotting my dog......

Roger adds: well, Andy certainly showed us miserable pudnockers how to do it!

Well, we made the best of a (very) blustery day and I helped Rodger Reese and Chris make a couple of successful flights.



Above: Rodger with his geniune (but TSP L-2 powered) Telasco Thor. This coped very well with the conditions.



Above: PMFC's Brian with his 'Fizz Whiz' looking suitably happy after winning L-1 duration. He only needed three motors too!

As Andy has posted, he won both ‘Jetex’ scale classes after some intensive trimming sessions. The Draken needed many test flights; the F-15 coped a lot better in the conditions and made a wonderful sortie with a low pass and then a fast climb to great height. The 'landing' wasn't bad either.



I had some good flights with my venerable L-1 F-100 Super Sabre and Lansen (and, inevitably) some very hard arivals with the motor still fizzing
Andy Sephton was very complimentary about my Lightning. Praise indeed!



Above: The Lightning gets away (just!).

More later!

As an addendum to this 'PFA 2026' thread, a number of us rocketeers got together the following Tuesday at out local proving grounds.
Conditions were perfect - warm, calm with the occasional zephyr breeze to indicate in which direction we should launch. Colin sorted out his 'QT' duration model, which flew wonderfully well with a low power (50 mN or so) TSP L-1, and his new semi-profile Skyray flew 'off the board' with a medium power TSP L-2. Wow!
Simon's new'Quicky-esque' F-105 also trimmed out without problems. I finally, after quite a few attepts, got truly spectacular flight with my F-15, and the just finished F-105 in Thunderbird colours went, after the addition of a little more noseweight, very well indeed for its first outing.
My large 'Triton', a 1950's Paul del Gatto missile design, flew in a stately fashion with a TSP L-3, and in a ballistic fashion with an L-4. It ascended at speed to great height and we were lucky to get it back.



Above: The Triton safely back home.



Above: Colin's colourful Skyray, with my F-15 and F-105 in Thunderbird display livery. The Macchi M-346 needs more sorting out than we had time for.







Inevitably, we had our fair share of 'hard arrivals' and a few problems with motors, but perstance paid off and we all went home happy bunnies!