Skippers Walker Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Please does anyone remember an attempt to fly a R/C model aircraft from London to Paris? that took place in 1950's or early 1960's. The 'pilot' sat in the rear of an open topped car and I believe the model was powered by a Taplin Twin engine? I believe the Daily Express may have been involved. I witnessed, as a youth, something of this nature taking place but a fading memory bank declines to reveal the actual detail! I've trawled the net to no avail. SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 I think the flight you refer to was a cross channel flight on 21 September 1954 with a Radio Queen built by Col Taplin. It used an ED 3.46 diesel and ED 3 reed radio gear. Launched from Bleriot's field outside Dover it was flown by E.D.'s George Honnest-Redlich sitting in an Auster circling overhead. After a flight of 102 minutes the Auster landed at Calais Marck airfield (Bleriot's starting point) but temporarily lost sight of the plane and control was lost. The plane was found and returned by a farmer a few days later. The production Taplin Twin actually used ED 3.46 pistons and liners that were supplied by ED. The "ED story" can be found here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Posted by Simon Chaddock on 13/04/2020 18:55:37: I think the flight you refer to was a cross channel flight on 21 September 1954 with a Radio Queen built by Col Taplin. It used an ED 3.46 diesel and ED 3 reed radio gear. Launched from Bleriot's field outside Dover it was flown by E.D.'s George Honnest-Redlich sitting in an Auster circling overhead. After a flight of 102 minutes the Auster landed at Calais Marck airfield (Bleriot's starting point) but temporarily lost sight of the plane and control was lost. The plane was found and returned by a farmer a few days later. The production Taplin Twin actually used ED 3.46 pistons and liners that were supplied by ED. The "ED story" can be found here I believe the cross channel Radio Queen was actually built & virtually redesigned (structurally at least) by Peter Cock, though Taplin insisted that he was credited for the model & as designer of the kitted version sold by ED. Peter Cock was an ED employee & had won the inaugural Gold Trophy competition (C/L stunt) at the British Nationals, IIRC in 1948. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brokenenglish Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 The above is only half the answer! The OP is mixing details of the cross-channel flight, mentioned above, with those of the Charles Dance & Wally Skeels world distance record, on 8th May 1960, using a Taplin Twin and driving along the A20, in Kent, controlling the plane from an open-top Morgan. There is a good video on YT showing a preparation flight for this world record. I think it may actually have been a failed attempt, prior to the successful one. I'll post it if I can find it... Edited By brokenenglish on 13/04/2020 21:26:21 Edited By brokenenglish on 13/04/2020 21:29:06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippers Walker Posted April 13, 2020 Author Share Posted April 13, 2020 Spot on! Now I remember, particularly as I lived close to the A20 road! I now recall that they may have flown the model from Lympne (airfield) towards London landing somewhere in Kent? thanks for the memory jog, brilliant detection. I do incidentally recall the cross channel flight but didn’t actually witness any part of that flight. Thanks to all those who set my mind to rest. best wishes Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brokenenglish Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 OK, this is the video I mentioned. It was an earlier failed attempt, before the successful attempt, which used a Morgan!!! This flight only used a Ford Consul... Edited By brokenenglish on 13/04/2020 21:51:28 Edited By brokenenglish on 13/04/2020 21:52:52 Edited By brokenenglish on 13/04/2020 21:54:26 Edited By brokenenglish on 13/04/2020 21:57:04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster prop Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Fascinating. A signpost showed it all happened in Kent, not far from where I grew up. The Taplin twin diesel took a lot of flicking to get going, no electric starters at the time. It shows what can be done with single channel radio, would have been 27MHz then well before the CB craze. 'Only a Ford Consul' ? Thats an early Mk2 convertible, about 1958 or 59. Soon after then the low line shape came out with slightly different styling such as the rear lights. They were produced until 1962. Wonderful cars, basic and underpowered by modern standards but I like their style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Collins Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 I believe that the model used in the Kent distance record was a Smog Hog and was powered by a Taplin Twin. I remember that a picture of it was used In the Solarbo adverts of the time Under the heading 'Record aspirant'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul d Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Wonderful! thanks for finding that BE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brokenenglish Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 A few comments, the record plane was indeed a Smog Hog, but with the wingspan extended by 12" (from 96" to 108" ). No electric starters needed for a Taplin, they normally really do start first flick (no engine starts easier than a Taplin Twin!). I guess the record attempt stress must have made them all a bit nervous... One final point, I've always considered that Peter Cock had a helluva cheek to claim that he redesigned the Radio Queen. Looking at Col. Taplin's original plan and the ED plan, the differences are very minor indeed and, in my view, could in no way be "termed" redesign. I suspect that there may have been some question of payable royalties involved. I apologise unreservedly for writing "only a Ford Consul". My dad had a Ford Consul estate in the late fifties, and it was a super car for the period. Edited By brokenenglish on 14/04/2020 09:16:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Great excuse to wade through my Aeromodeller archive. Here's the article from the July 1960 edition, including the distinctive Morgan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippers Walker Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 Thanks to all of you fliers that responded to my post. I'm really impressed with all the detail that was sent in. I'm happy now that the facts about the flight, that I so vaguely recalled, have been sorted out at last. Around that time (1960) I was flying and chasing a 'Madcap' across the local landscape powered by an ED Bee! The Bee is still in my workshop but the model took its final flight many years ago. Best wishes SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike frear Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 Brilliant, I'm currently waiting for a Taplin twin Red top to complete my Radio Queen and once completed I might build a smog hog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippers Walker Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 I await a photo or two of the Radio Queen and possibly the Smog Hog too? - perfect for a nostalgic trip. I'm just about to start building a KK Junior 60..... just couldn't afford the kit or the wood in 1960! On my way to 76 now, better late than never? Best wishes and good luck with the Taplin Chris (SW) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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