F3A competition in the 1970's and 80's

[Former Member]

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[Nigel R]

F3A designs of that era make brilliant sport flyers.

I used to fly at Daedalus with my dad in the early 90s and remember the Underwoods were often there flying Hanno powered Jokers (?) Always impressive. I later saved all my pocket money to get an RF pumper and blue pipe (which I stupidly sold after leaving home to go to uni) which went in a DSM Saphir (excellent design, but poor wood in the kit and very overweight). I also built a Chilli around that time, arguably much better performer, as it had a decent power to weight ratio and would knife edge loop.

There's a Super Lightning on my bucket list.

I used to fly at Beaulieu occasionally, although Firebirds were the local club for me with a nice grass patch within a couple of miles of home.

[Former Member]

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[Martin McIntosh]

When you look at the W/C results and think `Oh dear, our lot came nowhere again` you really need to know what goes on in the background. Preparing two models, getting them to respond identically then shipping them halfway round the world and expecting everything to behave the same as here is no mean feat.

Anyone interested in any aspects of this just shout.

[Former Member]

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[Nigel R]

I bet, Martin. And then everyone is jet lagged when they get there!

Barrie, I would imagine a 40 size racer is easier to move internationally than a fragile 2m F3a - everything else must be just as much of an issue!

[Former Member]

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[Peter Christy]

I can back up what Martin said! Whilst not a competitor myself, I have been a Team Manager, and traveled to quite a few World and European Championships (F3C - helicopters).

Traveling in western Europe isn't too bad, or even Poland, but when you get to places like Romania, or further afield like Latin America or Turkey, it can be a nightmare. The World Champs that I was Team Manager for was in Turkey, and you wouldn't believe the hassle we went through there. We did quite well overall, better than expected, but even getting something simple like fuel (the days before electric!) was a major issue.

Add to that that the flying site was nearly 3000ft above sea level, and VERY hot and arid, and you begin to appreciate the issues. One team member got dehydrated and quite ill - luckily, being young, he recovered quickly and it didn't affect his performance too much. Everyone was having issues with the thin air and heat affecting the performance of models and engines.

And on top of all this, the team members had to pay for it all themselves, somehow! The BMFA pay the contest entry fees, but travel and accommodation are down to the team members! We had a very good fund raising effort, but all the team members still ended up out of pocket.

So don't imagine for one moment that traveling to World - or even European - Champs is a jolly! Its expensive, and hard work!

On a lighter note, I've recently transferred some 8mm home movies of Nationals from the mid to late 60s to video. Once I've tidied them up a bit and captioned them, I'll put them on youtube. All from RAF Hullavington, in the days before it became Dyson's test track!

--

Pete

[Ultymate]

Barry Lever AKA Mr OPS, I've never flown F3A but have flown IMAC, I took a sabbatical a "few" years back and did two or three years of 1/8 scale off road car racing and bought several OPS 21's from Bob Styles at Rossendale models excellent motors

[ken anderson.]

hello Barrie, one of our club members during the 80's used to compete in pylon racing with the 40 size engines. A Mr Alan Laurie..i had just started rc flying with a yamamoto and was in awe watching him prepare and set up/fly for the nxt comp.....if memory serves me correct he flew for the national team over in either Australia or new Zealand.....nice man, now sadly flying up in the sky....died young also.

ken anderson...ne..1..pylon dept.

[Martin McIntosh]

I shall see what I can do. The original articles were supposed to be in three parts but the third never got written. However, 41 years ago seems like yesterday to me. They are rather long and would take up too much space here, even if I knew how to link them in. I can put in a brief description of the events though if there is sufficient interest.

I was reserve member/spectator in Switzerland in 1975 and member in the USA 1977 then the RSA in 1979.

None of us were exactly rich and as stated above, the SMAE paid the entry fees but everything else was down to the competitors.

I hope that things have changed somewhat now.

[Peter Christy]

Posted by Martin McIntosh on 21/05/2020 15:22:45:

None of us were exactly rich and as stated above, the SMAE paid the entry fees but everything else was down to the competitors.

I hope that things have changed somewhat now.

Dream on!

If the BMFA have any surplus in the kitty, they will occasionally make a small donation to the competitors, but with so many international contests and so little in the kitty, it is never going to be much.

And with the decline of the model trade in recent years, it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise money through sponsorship - or even raffle prizes!

Its a miracle we do as well as we do!

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Pete

[Former Member]

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[Martin McIntosh]

Doylestown was before then and Italy after that. 1977 was at Springfield, Ohio.

I have not seen the video of 1975 so shall try to find it, thanks.

[Former Member]

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[Chris Channon]

Good evening, just a quick question for Barrie Lever.

Are you the Barrie Lever of the Warrior low winger ? This was a brilliant aeroplane and was wondering if there is a plan of the kit available ( or any kits available) ?

Best regards

Chris Channon.

[Former Member]

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[Kevin Caton]

I started in RC aerobatics in 1980, before everyone started calling it F3A, so I may be able to remember some of the characters of that era. At that time it was a big class as there weren’t as many other disciplines around. It’s still very popular worldwide and the F3A World Championship has the largest entry of all the aeromodelling classes.

I recognise many of the challenges of international competition mentioned by Martin and Peter. Getting around in Europe is relatively easy as you can drive (even if it is for a couple of days) and take all your normal equipment with you. Taking your planes by air is a whole different challenge, but once you do it a couple of times you get used to the “airport experience”. You need to allow extra time for check in and be prepared to pay a small fortune in excess baggage charges, but even travelling with Li-Pos is manageable. What I imagine is similar across all disciplines is the requirement to be able to turn up at an unfamiliar site, put your planes (or helicopters) together then put in one great flight, then take them all apart again and repeat the experience for four days. It’s the same for everyone of course and it amazes me how the top pilots manage to be so consistently good no matter where you go in the world.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this thread develops and hopefully I didn’t get too far off-topic.

[Martin McIntosh]

Thanks for that Barrie. I thought that my own super 8 videos were bad! I certainly saw quite a few familiar faces, also our own Terry Cooper`s Bulldog with a troll in the cockpit. Note the Matterhorn in the background. Some very smooth landings on there, not at all like just dumping it down as they seem to now.

Even as a spectator there are a few choice tales to tell about that W/C.

[Martin McIntosh]

Hi Kev, I thought that you were on the scene a bit earlier than 1980 because you were flying with/against me for a while. All of my models got stolen six months after returning from the RSA, about May 1980 and I never had the heart to get really involved again having lost everything including the designs and all radio gear, even the field box went! Good to hear from you.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Barrie Lever on 21/05/2020 19:06:18:

Here you go.

**LINK**

**LINK**

B.

Those old films are marvellous. The 1975 one brings back some great memories. In 1975 I was a computer operator at IBM Hursley development lab near Winchester. We took advantage of the varying time zones of our several sister labs around the world and IBM's advanced telecommunications gave us the ability to 'load share'. I used to work shifts and at night there weren't people about asking endless silly questions so at night we were more 'computer watchmen' than anything else.

This gave me ample tine to build my first Matt 'Superstar' (and my only 'Atlas) in the workshop immediately adjacent to the main computer room

I was very much 'into' OPS engines and they both used the OPS 60 with a tuned pipe and the Perry carb, which from previous experience never idled reliably, instantly replaced with the Kavan carb. I purchased my OPS engines at the model shop in Oxford Street Southampton that later moved around the corner and became a 'Hobby Stores'. They discounted the price of the Perry carbs towards the Kavans. I used the Futaba M6 radio.

As I said before Mick Bone was our local 'pattern ace' and he used the Simprop 'SSM Contest' radio as imported by Solent Sailplanes. It caused several crashes and he changed to Multiplex. His use of Multiplex prompted me to buy one and I have used them ever since.

Nigel R is correct when he said these old pattern planes are excellent sport flyers. It's because they go where they are pointed. And a 'sport flyer' is all I've ever been. Though I did once make fourth in the local 'Beaulieu Trophy'. I might have been even higher had not the tuned pipe fallen off halfway through .

[Former Member]

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[FlyinBrian]

I flew Aerobatics at the Nats in the mid 70s probably 75 with an "Aeromaster" biplane, placed in the midfield somewhere. The following year I returned with a Matt "Superstar" and placed below my efforts with the Aeromaster.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Barrie Lever on 22/05/2020 08:28:11:

Richard

There was another aerobatic pilot working at IBM Hursley around the same time as you, his name is also Richard.

Sometime in the late 70's or early 80's he went to work for IBM in San Jose.

He was still flying aerobatics in competitions until a couple of years ago.

I only flew in the Beaulieu Trophy one year and that was with a model borrowed from Ian Burridge, a Phoenix 7 powered by a Webra 61 and with the brand new Futaba J series radio. The model flew well but I think Tom Airey or Clive Weller won.

Regards

Barrie

That would be Richard Sharman. As well as being at Hursley he taught an evening, fairly high level, computer science course at Southampton Tech and I was one of his pupils. Regarding San Jose, I was there for a while too. You get moved around a lot at IBM, in fact you are expected to formally agree to such movements, particularly if you work in the development labs.

He's the current, (and very effective) Chairman/Secretary of the Beaulieu Committee and in addition to F3A. he does a lot of EDF stuff. He wrote a leading 'paper' on the subject. Unlike some, he actually flies what he writes about.

His brother Geoff was at IBM Hursley too, though we are all now retired. Geoff was my boss for a few years. Clever lot, the Sharmans, they've both got doctorates in proper 'hard sciences. Branches of physics, I believe.

I remember the Burridges too. They were always good for a laugh. Like me they didn't take toy planes too seriously.

Edited By Richard Clark 2 on 22/05/2020 10:25:31

[Former Member]

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