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I will resist the clichés and point out the simple fact that that young lady is now probably over 60 years of age. Do you still want to see her on the cover of next months magazine ?

I don't remember it being that hot in 1976. There again I was courting, so probably had other things on my mind than the weather.

embarrassed

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The irony is I bet she is proud of the picture, whilst others will be tut tuting and saying it should not be allowed.

Although I am not sure that the picture is totally appropriate. I have had the sense for a long time that our editors have run out of ideas for front covers, with any originality, or art. I am sure technically perfect, but they do lack something.

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The reason there are so few female aero modellers is quite simple. They are not interested! That is by and large.

I have two daughters and three granddaughters, and have become almost an expert on female interests. I have concluded that you can never tell. Daughter No.1 liked playing with toy cars, Scalextric making things, no interest in dolls, daughter No.2 had a destain for anything but dolls, dolls house etc. Neither treated differently. It is the same with my granddaughters, one likes model aircraft,having claimed my Dr 1 for her bedroom, making things with Lego, making things etc. The other two, oh, so different.

Daughter No1 went to Uni to be a Chemical engineer, then decided that engineering was boring, for the brain dead, oh, that would be me then. She became a medical doctor. At the end of the day, you can create the environment for female modellers, engineers etc., yet it rarely ticks the boxes for the majority of woman. Where as boys have an innate interest desire etc.

But back to the covers, they should be targeted at men, just like OK Magazine are for women. I am not suggesting topless women, or any women, perhaps something in addition to a model plane.

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Yes I see it's a young woman. But what is the other model?

Back if the day, I could tell you which car I was seeing just from seeing the hub cap (wheel trim in now speak), or one indicator or a rear quarter window. But as my interest in planes has only recently revived and I could probably only have guessed a plane from seeing a bit of it if it was something extremely popular, like a Spitfire, Hurricane or Mosquito.

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Posted by Chuck Plains on 23/06/2014 21:56:10:

But I almost got into trouble with the moderators recently, even though I had no recollection of what I had typed.

I think you just quoted something that a certain former-moderator had typed in an earlier post - so it wasn't actually anything you'd written. I think!

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Back then it was "Lads" who tinkered with small engines. These days it's more "nerds" who play with toy planes.

Yes I know a lot of the lads are still tinkering (still the same lads and probably the same engines !), but it's the same with most things. Take football for instance (please). When I was younger if you fell over when tackled you were told to "get up you weed". These days it's an audition for one of the TV soaps !

I take the point though, that the mags are looking more like toy catalogues from the outside (maybe that's what they are). Maybe using a "life" photo in the background (scene from a display, show or swapmeet for instance)on the cover would help. There are always some excellent photos inside the mags.

It's good to share these ideas and suggestions as it's the type of feedback the editors want. If we don't, then they will assume that all is ok and we'll just get more of the same, until we get fed up and go away.

smiley

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Posted by John Privett on 23/06/2014 22:05:25:
Posted by Chuck Plains on 23/06/2014 21:56:10:

But I almost got into trouble with the moderators recently, even though I had no recollection of what I had typed.

I think you just quoted something that a certain former-moderator had typed in an earlier post - so it wasn't actually anything you'd written. I think!

You are correct John.

Regarding gender and interests - I'm with Erf on this, you really can't figure it out. Some folks say it nurture and if you bring your children up without gender stereotypes they will feel able to naturally move into whatever they wish. Well that maybe true, but we have a boy and girl and provided all sorts of toys of mixed gender image for both. The boy played with the bikes, the soldiers and the toy cars. The girl played with the dolls, the prams and the toy houses. No pressure applied - their choice. Its 90% nature and only 10% nurture if you ask me.

Now interestingly, and just to confuse matters, the boy has gone on to study Music at university - a course that is maybe 70% female - he has no interest in cars, football, sport in general. The girl is hoping to do Maths or Physics at University and is the only member of our household following the World Cup. Go figure that then!

The boy, who incidentally was with me at Greenacres, has no real interest in model aircraft - other than "Oh that's nice dad". He goes to Greenacres simply as a "boys weekend way". He's had a go on the sticks and I would say displays less than average ability for a beginner. The girl on the other hand has shown herself to be an absolute natural and was flying really tidy circuits in a matter of minutes. And, given her interest in Physics does she show any interest in model aeroplanes? None what so ever!

The only conclusion I have firmly drawn out of 21 years of parenthood is that each child is totally individual and like all of us a hopeless mix of apparently shifting and contradictory interests - predictions are completely meaningless!

BEB

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One thing I remember about 1976 was that long hot summer when the temp hit the mid-90's every day for weeks on end, I was working for a glaziing firm building an order for 100 four- panel patio doors destined for a big hotel in Iran, the temp in the assembly shop hit 110 every day and we had to work in it.

The doors were four panels tinted and double glazed and each panel was 1500mm wide, they were all shipped out to Tehran and fitted by one of our teams sent out specially for the job, six months later the Iraqi Air Force bombed the hotel and destroyed the lot.

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  • 3 weeks later...

yesterday for the first time in I don't know how long I took an IC model to our club site...a Weston cougar c/w OS/32st.....and I had forgotten what a load of fun the model was to fly around........ok a lot more trouble to set up fuel,starting gear and oil on my trotter's(hand's)...but I really enjoyed it-so much so -I'm planning on taking down a few more of them.......one member who joined our club a couple of months ago was amazed- he remarked that he thought I was an all electric modeller .......... so lipo's can have a well earned rest and I'm going to burn some good old glow fuel......yee haa....

ken Anderson....ne....1.....glow fuel renaissance dept

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This afternoon, as I landed a model belonging to another club member, one of the other members announced loudly, "Look! John's flying an oily!"

It struck me then that I've not flown any of my i/c models for probably about 18 months, maybe longer. Just electrics and gliders, though I have flown other people's i/c models from time to time. I really ought to get my own i/c models out a bit more often!

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I have a mixed opinion with respect to IC flying. I recently took my "A" test using an IC, although preferentially an electric flyer.

I even went as far as suggesting to others preparing to take their "A" test that IC was the way to go. Since then i have significant reservations.

So what virtues did I see with respect to IC trainers. The first is duration, that is an easy 15 minute flight on a tank full. That is against about 5 minutes, reliably with electric. As we all know, with any routine, the more you practise the better you get.

The second is the heavier wing loading, or that should be, that was the case with my club, DB Mascot. Light weight models with low wing loadings, just do not handle the wind well, be they IC or electric.

I was also blessed with a tutor who had set up the engine and model perfectly, to fly itself.

Observations of the other modellers is that the benefits I mostly enjoyed are not as automatic as i had experienced. Modern ARTF trainers appear often to be as substantial as a paper bag. The second surprise has been the lack of reliable running from both the engines, although new.

The downside of IC is that they are dirty. every time before going home, I would need to spray the model with a soap and water solution, then thoroughly dry of. Plus I dare only use the boot, as dirty oil invariably dripped from somewhere. For the same reason the model would be stored in the garage, as it would be suicidal to store in the house, both oil drips and the smell would arouse the wrath of SWMO. Even though using fully synthetic fuel, there would still be sniffing, by SWBO, a bit like a Bisto avert, Then, what is the strange smell, what ever it is, I do not like it.

Now having a different set of priorities, I feel released from all the junk needed to fill and start the model, particularly the worry, will I get a hernia from carrying all this stuff. Or just as worrying, would I chop of a digit, with one careless move?

Instead, I just need my model, my Tx and away you go. I am also very much appreciative of not having to deal with a whirling propeller as part of getting ready for flight Instead, i stand to the rear, whilst arming and that is it.

LIke others, I still miss the much longer flight duration, and not needing to manage the flight duration. Most of all I like nice clean models.

Edited By Erfolg on 14/07/2014 00:02:24

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