Report Gary Oulds of Crawley DMAC
Well what can I say, apart from what an amazing day it was.
More often than not when we first arrive on the forest, there’s an hour or so inquisition or milling about over where we’re likely to fly, normally because of an awkward wind direction. Today we were treated to broken sunshine and really light winds barely puffing all day. Strangely it was kind of hard to say what way the wind direction was supposed to be going at times it was everywhere going nowhere…!
It was great to see everyone enjoying the balmy conditions. Naturally it generated great enthusiasm on arrival, tremendous atmosphere encouraging good entries and support for all the classes flown. There was an air of expectancy to fly and do well.
Boxes were soon flung open to the sky revealing models, which were quickly assembled to take advantage. The sound of music to an aero modeller might be the sound of stooges being set up or the words “it’s maxed“ ringing out along the line of cars parked up.
It wasn't too long before the first model was seen safely away paddling high. No prizes for guessing whose… Ken Taylor’s Open Rubber model, what a great start to the day, others soon followed.
Conditions favoured rubber mostly but really anything had a good chance of a nice flight, if on trim. I think the glider flyers did exceptionally well today, but could have done with just a little more breeze to lean against. And we could well have seen two or three of our glider flyers max out today. Mike Cook was naturally flying glider in his usual ultra laid-back style. Maybe he was too relaxed, as he fluffed a little time on an early flight, but to his credit still carried on to make a pretty good total. Club mate John Richardson was doing even better. He flew his F1A model brilliantly and he was sitting on four maxes (or the cricket equivalent of 99 not out) by midday, but unfortunately he was out foxed lbw first ball after lunch when Ashdown bowled a becalmed spell. (The Shane Warne slider)
Nice to see former East Grinstead flyer Bob Cherry keen to get back in the swing again, it’s been a few years since we saw him last flying at Ashdown. He appeared to have resurrected one of his old gliders, back to the good old Impulse days. (There was only just enough breeze to dust the cobwebs off it today mind).
Robin Willes was flying his classic Jack North design glider, towing up the tricky Ashdown slopes. He was helped by Tony Clark who put in a token power flight later on, also flying glider for Crawley.
Peter Norman’s Senator was looking good riding high during the day. And I reckoned he must have put a lot of effort in, as at one point I spotted he’d fallen spark asleep sitting on top of his toolbox. [A return home to Peacehaven for a forgotten prop assembly, did not help]
Even a good day can be a real energy sapper at Ashdown and you can soon get hot and dehydrated.
Nigel Lee had a couple of very good rubber flights, the second of which put him into the infamous Ashdown Clumps. By the time he returned I think he decided that that was probably enough fun for the day for him.
After dropping a little time in Open Rubber, Bob Taylor switched his attentions to SLOP then turned up the heat for the BMFA event.
Harry Hutchings is back on form, what a great performance to finish top in RAFA Power once again at Ashdown after a long lay off, just one flight dropped I believe. Brindley Taylor didn't do too much wrong, dropping little time. He was flying his potent Russian F1A bunter and he showed off plenty of great skill and talent whilst towing, which has made him one of our best young flyers around today. He had his bit of good fortune on one flight, when a potentially disastrous DT hang up sent the model looping and plummeting earthwards. This time the Tree gods must have looked favourably on him. Cause as Brin’s model fell past… The Friends Clump kindly reached out a very timely helping branch (or hand). The model’s fall was nicely cushioned and it finally ended up nestled safely in the pine canopy rooftops.
(I don’t think it was more than a few feet away from Geoff Stringers model actually also lodged in the tree’s at the same time…that would have been an unlucky incident to say the least to clout your fellow club mates model whilst in a tree ….I wonder what the chances of that happening are…fortunately it didn't’t.) Its not often you can thank the trees for a safe landing though, is it?
I think he deserved this little bit of luck (certainly not a smashed model for his efforts) and he’d done just enough on the day to just prise the coveted Nordic Shield away from a late challenging Alex Cameron.
Alex was flying his electronic bunter as number one model for the first time, whilst his other model took a day off in the reserves. After successfully helping his Dad Peter fly Open Rubber earlier, Alex was able to string off the maxes steadily one by one. He had one incredibly stable flight…. which possibly flew a little wide of the mark wouldn't you say, gliding at barely one complete circle per 2:30min max around the car park area…this was a smashing flight though, which helped keep him in the running right to the end. With very little time left in the competition, he didn't’t really have very much choice but to more or less wind his glider up and off launching into the air that was offered at the time for his last flight, but disappointingly it was not to be as his flight decayed into the valley …Peter and Alex had flown well though and they still had a Team Rubber fly off to look forward to a little later.
Geoff Stringer and John Oulds also rushed off a glider flight or two at the end, looking to booster RAFA Club points no doubt.
I think everyone had had a terrific day really and I guess the class the conditions mostly favoured did shine through in the end.
Maidstone’s Martin Stagg had flown superb, as had East Grinstead’s Neil Allen, Ken Taylor, and a full team for Crawley of Peter Cameron, John and Gary Oulds, all had made the Open Rubber fly-off. (Both Ken Taylor and Jervis “Hepcat” Shepherd had also qualified but they chose not to fly-off this time).
The fly-off was held over until 5:35pm, to allow everyone involved a bit of time to prepare. Martin was first away, in his own patch of what actually turned out to be very useful air, but neither Neil or Gary followed it and continued to wait on for hopefully another opportunity, Peter Cameron and John Oulds joined them. Shortly after there was a mini mass launch from the remaining four who more or less followed each other out into the same patch of air across the valley. Of these, I thought Peter Cameron’s was looking very good early on, but this was soon overtaken by Neil’s lengthy motor run. This was a model on a mission and proved to be the best of the group. John Oulds model seemed to come out a little lower than hoped, off a shortened motor run and it was down first. The restricted climb was put down to having to wind the model up without the safety net of a winding tube (left at home), and having to under wind must have affected his chances. But a burst would have been worse surely destroying what was a very nice looking new model. My model whizzed its turns off a bit quick, but eventually clawed itself up to Peter’s model before it folded to glide. Peter’s model still quite high suddenly DT 'd possibly a little earlier than he’d planned…but it was still a good flight and was safely down on the open ground for an easy pick up. Mine was still up, Mike Riggs and my mum were watching it down. It seemed to be gliding a little fast I thought, as it nose dived into the valley bottom it surprised us all by reappearing briefly and then that was that. This left Neil’s model last one up and still going well as it drifted out towards the Airman's Grave Memorial. Eventually it was downed when it clipped a tree at 6 minutes plus, a great flight.
Martin’s earlier flight had been just over 5 minutes and this was enough to clinch second place at Ashdown. Although not topping the fly-off individually and mainly being noted for their glider flying generally, I think Crawley were very happy with their Team performance overall.
Well done to Neil (how often do we say that in a year) and all that flew.
Another really great day on the Forest!