ChrisB Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Just got back from a busy and hot Long Marston, which seemed very different this year! I've been to them all and this year was no where near as good! The majority of aircraft were big ARTF sports jets, flown by display teams. No where near as many models as normal, other than the Horizon team, there were no warbirds, no WWI, no large models and few 'ordinary' models. It almost seemed like a JMA meeting or a trade sales/cheque book modelling meeting! The only positive bits were the big scale hawk and the youngsters flying. But Far fewer campers, traders and flyers....What went wrong??? Edited By ChrisB on 05/06/2016 18:48:02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 It probably does not help that it is half term week so many adults are away with kids and may be travelling back today, that applies for visitors, traders and fliers, the grand total of which was a less than inspirational event. There is a history of modelling events clashing with other stuff; the BMFA Electric Indoor Masters, for example, the one with the extremely cheap and nasty 1980's poster design, clashed with Valentines weekend! Well thought out, I thought. Other explanations may well vary but that's my theory anyway; half term got in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvnor Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Agreed - very poor, lots of traders dropped out, very few interesting models. Very poor organisation too, seemed a bit of a shambles all round... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Just got back myself Long Marston is equidistant between myself, Dad, Uncles and Cousins so it's an annual meet up. A day spent catching up and chatting whilst watching the flying is always good. However, we also agreed that the line up was very lacking in variety compared with previous years. A succession of jets all doing pretty much the same thing and the obligatory 3D stuff, punctuated by the odd quad, heli, Funfighters and Oxford Panics. The thing we noticed was the almost total absence of any WW! ow WW2 stuff. No Dawn Patrol, no Flyboyz Nieuports. The three Hangar 9 P51s were impressive but only flew once (that I saw). Each to their own, but there was imo nothing of any real note scale wise or size wise (aside from the jets) to give "atmosphere" A decent enough day out, but content wise: disappointing Good to hear that the show is secure for next year though, despite the forthcoming planned housing developments on the site. Here's hoping for a better line up then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Yes, very disappointed that I drove 2 hours each way for a pale imitation of previous years shows. It was even hard to get something to eat - 1 burger van, 1 donut van and a coffee van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvnor Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 On the website there's a list of traders: **LINK** Except it isn't, it's a list of the 2015 traders... It says so in very small writing at the top of the page. "The following traders supported us at LM2015 and all are expected to return in 2016" I'd call this a con... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Posted by IanN on 05/06/2016 19:21:44: Unlike above I had no complaints at all re the organisation. Entry and parking smooth as usual, facilities completely fine, some traders not there but plenty that were. I'll do it again next year as it's one of only two that i usually attend. However, I could well understand it if those folks that go a number of shows concluded that the travel cost and £10 entry put this one well down their list of priorities for 2016, on the basis of today's flying programme Edited By IanN on 05/06/2016 19:29:06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essjay Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Well I was going to drive the 1 1/2 hours to the show today, but woke early this morning with a particularly dodgy tum!, so decided not to. Sounds very much like I didn't miss a lot. Good to hear that the show has got a reprieve for next year, but if this years content (by the reports) is anything to go by, will next year be any better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly-navy Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 I too was disappointed with the show, I do not mind the jets and thought the two youngsters from Horizon doing the syncro were worth the entrance fee as I thought they were brilliant, the warbirds and WW1 were missed by me and I waited all day for that delightful Tiger Moth to get airborne yesterday, sad thing about is it is the only show I may well visit this year due to madams holiday booking arrangements , she must do better!! Traders were ok got bit miffed with the charity buckets thrust under my nose every 20 yds, ignored them after I had donated to two of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuey Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 I have been a few times now, and went yesterday with my Wife and 4 year old. I dont expect a mega trade turn out to be honest, and as I'm searching for inspiration to fly more after a barren spell I wasnt looking for much, not that I found it. I know that a lot of people flying at shows do so at their own expense, but the variety was very lacking. I do enjoy a Warbird and saw a few in the pits. Unless I missed them, I only saw the 3 Leccy Mustangs fly. I also like the Turbines too and thought the Cougar was really good. One thing that does not help much IMO, is the regular quoting of the price of some of the expensive airframes flying. I am a fairly standard flyer, with limited space and time/resources. I would love to have a big 50cc Warbird, may be one day. I understand what goes into these show models. But to Joe Public who comes along and may be interested in starting, hearing these vast sums of money being mentioned could put them off? Very few of the flying community can afford such models, and I think its gone too far that way. There needs to be a better representation of the lower to mid end market on display, the kinds of models that beginners and regular club fliers can aspire to. I remember seeing the Multiplex Skycat fly at Sandown, then rushing off to get one. It wasnt that long ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Re Fly Navy's "I do not mind the jets" and Stuey's "I also like the turbines" I didn't dislike the jets. I just got more than a bit bored with seeing so many of them, so often, all doing pretty much the same thing (with only one or two exceptions) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted June 5, 2016 Author Share Posted June 5, 2016 As in my original post, it was noticeable that the large models and WWI and WWII models were missing and Leamington Hobby Centre, who normally had some flying slots of 'normal' models for the club flyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Marsh Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Many LMA Pilots/models and a trader were at the Teeside model club show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Posted by Guvnor on 05/06/2016 19:26:13: On the website there's a list of traders: **LINK** Except it isn't, it's a list of the 2015 traders... It says so in very small writing at the top of the page. "The following traders supported us at LM2015 and all are expected to return in 2016" It isn't even a list of the 2015 traders. Those weren't all there last year E.g Southern Modelcraft definitely didn't attend in 2015 Perhaps it's the 2014 list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted June 5, 2016 Author Share Posted June 5, 2016 I had noticed that the website wasn't up to date. I noticed it was the Teeside model club show and the Doncaster MFC club but I'm not sure that they would have impacted as much as it seemed to have done at Long Marston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Leese Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Totally agree. Quite disappointing this year. Good old Dave Bishop did his best to give a good commentary on a lack lustre line up. On the way home my 9 year old daughter asked if the show was just for jets? We left at 3pm when the Thunderbird F16 was sent up for a THIRD time. Just seemed to be a repetetive parade of ARTF jets and Hangar 9 aircraft.We have supported this show from the start but won't be back next year unless the variety of participating aircraft improves. Roll on Weston Park. Now there's a varied, interesting show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 I wonder how many more shows they'll fit in at LM before the 3,500 houses go up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 According to a local club member I was talking to I believe that next year is secure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Green Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 I too was a bit disappointed, I wont be going again, it used to be a good show to kick the season off, but now with it being so close to Weston (that is a great day out), I'll hang on til then in future. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted June 6, 2016 Author Share Posted June 6, 2016 I almost get the feeling that the organisers were selective in their acceptance of pilots based on the type of models being flown. Maybe all they wanted were the jazzy wow factor models, which appears to be jets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvnor Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 "I wonder how many more shows they'll fit in at LM before the 3,500 houses go up?" Could be a while. There are rumours of unhappy developers. "I almost get the feeling that the organisers were selective in their acceptance of pilots" It seems the organisers may have been lucky to get the ones they did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted June 6, 2016 Author Share Posted June 6, 2016 The plans for housing haven't yet been passed but its likely that when they do it will be at least 2 years before anything happens. I hope that there will be at least 2 more shows at LM but hope that whatever has been amiss this year rectifies itself in time for future shows, as its the perfect venue, in a good location and should be brimming with traders, flyers and visitors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 The first 400 houses have been approved, which means the rest will go through of course, as soon as the correct palms have been greased in SDC. I've been a few times to LM, as it is quite close to home, but for the money its pretty poor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Prop Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 it was the first time that I have attended this show and it took me 3 hours to get there. I won't repeat it again as I found the display uninteresting with much repetition. A good number of planes on the flightline appeared to be there just for show and never took to the air. Like Mathew I was disappointed that the Tiger Moth did not fly. It was a lovely model! Having said that a good trawl through the trade stands saw me purchase everything on my shopping list,. So perhaps it was not a completely wasted journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 Posted by ChrisB on 06/06/2016 10:05:16: ....... hope that whatever has been amiss this year rectifies itself in time for future shows, as its the perfect venue, in a good location and should be brimming with traders, flyers and visitors! Absolutely. Couldn't agree more Previous shows have been absolutely great there, here's hoping for a return to that next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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