MODEL AEROPLANE NOTES and General Hobbicrafts

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 17 (Supplement)

MODEL AEROPLANE NOTES and General Hobbicrafts

MHJUK

CONFERENCE AND COMPETITIONS AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

Well, we have been down to New Plymouth to attend the conference and compete in the flying events scheduled. The Auckland party left on Sunday morning by car. That sounds easy doesn't it, but you should have seen the bags and packages and 'planes that all had to go. I admit that when I looked them over very early in the morning I wondered just where they could all be put. At any rate we got the packages aboard, not forgetting a very complete repair kit and the petrol motor. Then came the model 'planes. Our contingent took down about twenty of them and if you have seen loving care bestowed on packing I can assure you you have not seen anything better than this particular job. The all-balsa gliders at the bottom, then the fuselage models, lots of paper to keep them from moving and then the lightweights. We got away well to time and had a glorious trip down. Coming near New Plymouth at about C p.m. we were greeted by the sight of a real old Avro, complete with rotary engine flying near the airport, so. being early, round the corner we went and then spent a half hour looking over things. The club instructor, Flying Officer lan Keith made us welcome and showed us round the hangars. This brief inspection over off we went into the town, there to be n;et by Mr. McAllum, of the New Plymouth Model Aeroplane Club. A bite of tea and then away back to the clubrooms. Here the local members had gathered and gave us a really fine welcome. Mr. N. J. McKinna, the club president, and particularly Mr. F. J. Brown, their energetic secretary, were very busy allotting billets for the visitors as they arrived. The Te Aroha squad had beaten us in and were well set, also the Napier representatives. Then we heard loud noises and in trooped the Wellington men, headed by Mr. P. T. Beales. With them came a huge box and the lads gathered round to see what came out of it. Well, I thought we had taken down a few 'planes, but the unending stream of models that seemed to issue from that big box made us look like beginners. They had models from one to five-foot wing span of every conceivable kind and shape. At a rough guess I should say there were thirty odd 'planes. You can just guess the talk that went on.Introductions were the order of the day. We met Jock Finlayson, A. Pearces, W. Collier, from Wellington, K. Tibbvs and his contingent from Te Arolia, R. Crabtree from Napier, \Y. G. Keid and his Wanganui boys, just to mention a few, and the boys certainly fraternised very quickly. So. off to bed and ready for the big days ahead of us. But, alas, on awaking very early to look at the weather there was no need to peer outside. It was raining, decidedly it was raining. It came down in sheets, steady and continuous. Not so good. However we met round at the clubrooms again and at 10 a.m. on the Monday the show was officially opened by the Mayor, and in passing I must say that the local authorities and the Press were more than kind during the whole stay. It was obvious that the outdoor flying [ was off, so Monday afternoon was set aside for indoor model building just in case it was wet the next day as well. The Aucklanders paired off, Geoff. Perkins and Ivan Cliinnery-Brown making one model between them, and Vernon Gray and Les. Mavn making another. Others built singly and some of the other visitors doubled up in a like fashion. The result was that there was a scene of feverish activity. Models were being made at an extraordinary rate. I forgot to say that Bill Mackley turned up from Auckland about this time, with three gliders, three seaplanes and goodness knows what else in that huge "glory-box" of his. Apparently he was not taking any risks of missing any of the competitions. In the afternoon, whilst this was going on, officials from the various clubs met and- had a business session and I feel that it will not only help to consolidate the movement, but will be an important factor in the subsequent expansion of the New Zealand Model Aeroplane Association. Tuesday morning was worse if anything and so the whole crowd set out for the Coronation Hall for indoor flying. It is a fine big hall, not as good as Bledisloe Hall, but exceptionally high and long. All through the day the competitions went on and considering that the contestants had come along prepared for outdoor flying, surprisingly good times were put up. At one time I noticed the most amazing array of 'planes all test

"UCCESSFUL GATHERING.

flying at once. There were scale models, great big What-is-it's, Kiwis, Cadets, Peanuts, gliders of every size and shape, and in fact one might cull the exhibition just about "the whole works." The Wellington Club are a great set of sports and entered into the spirit of the. day with vim, Sir. Beales continuously reminding everyone that he was just about "all wore out," but seemed to keep his pep right through. Points were given for the whole ten competitions and in the end Auckland had a pretty good win, gaining 48 points to Wellington's 28, with Te Aroha and Napier next. I must in fairness say that our members were lucky in a way, for they are real indoor experts and Jock Finlayson and A. Pearce, of Wellington, gave them a nasty shakewhen they took the Spar R.O.G. event off. However, Geoff. Perkins and Ivan Chinnerv-Brown made sure of the Xew Plymouth championship event for spar hand-launched by a good flight of 3J minutes, with Les. Mayn and Vern. Gray next with 2 minutes 10 seconds. In the afternoon Bill Maekley kept up his reputation by annexing the rise-off-water event for seaplanes and incidentally putting up the Xew Zealand record by a large amount. Bill's indoor seaplanes are a revelation of steadiness. One of the most exciting events was the stunting competition. Wellington were in their element here and turned on a fine display. They tied the wings of two fast models together, set alight smoke" bombs and let them go. Exact timing made the show a good one. The models tore around in a circle just like two fighting Furies, emitting a trail of smoke, and the item won the event without any discussion. Some of the onlookers mentioned that the stunt was a good one, but they preferred rose perfume to the smoke bombs used. To round off the day, the Xew Plymouth Model Aero Club held a dance and prize-giving, and the Mayor officiated. Speeches \tere given and the visitors presented the local club with a silver cup, which was to bo looked upon as an appreciation of the . hospitality shown. And so, on Wednesday we woke up to a glorious fine day and packed our bags and the remnants of our 'planes and started homewards. I personally think that even if there had been no flying at all the time would not have been wasted, but as it was there was a great deal of good work done. Men that have only been names to each other, mostly on the record sheets or in these columns met and found out just what the other fellow was like, and I think that everyone came away feeling that a really good time had been spent. And so ended the trip to New Plymouth. Delegates from most of the clubs in the Xorth Island, and proxies from those* further afield, are expected to attend the annual general meeting of the New Zealand Model Aeroplane Association, which is being held at Auckland on Saturday, February 1. With the stimulus given by the recent Xew Plymouth meeting there is no doubt but that a fine muster will be along.