Doug Campbell Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Those of you who flew in the eighties might remember the SMA and its non members. The SMA events at Old Warden were a great success with lots of fun with the small and inexpensive models. I have been approached regularly by modellers who would like to have another get together on the same lines. It will probably be late spring next year at Buckminster in the week. (covid permitting) Guidelines will be similar to before: Radio and free flight - 049 glow and 1.5cc max diesels. Electric 100 watt max Control line - 09 glows and 2.5cc diesel max I would appreciate it if you could post if interested. If enough support I will organise it. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan M Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 What a lovely idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 I remember it didn't have any rules. One of the rules it didn't have was that anything small and fun was allowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul d Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Count me in please Doug! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Campbell Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 It did have rules on engine size, although looking at some old photos it could have been .12 ci for r/c. A few models have OS10 and SC12s in them. No other rules though. DOug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Yep i would be interested if it coincided with my day off that week (some of us have to work during the week Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Great idea Doug! I've always had a soft spot for small models. Fun is usually inversely proportional to cost and size with model aircraft. A mention should be given to the late Dereck Woodward (Little Bit etc.) and his partner in crime, Gray Power (Hawker Headbutt - the single seat transport glider!) who were the founder non-members of the SMA. Twelve of Dereck's designs are available on Outerzone. Personally I would have a limit of, say 2cc for glow, as this allows engines with more than a token silencer, so they could be flown at normal club fields. Having said that, I would then have competition for all those gorgeous OS10s, SC12s and AP09s on Ebay... Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 I'd be in. I remember the SMA days and I built a handful of free plan models that were SMA compliant. I remember Peter Miller used to write a bit about the SMA in his magazine column as did Derrick Woodward. I think Gray's surname was Pugh though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Posted by Robin Colbourne on 22/09/2020 15:11:56: ... Personally I would have a limit of, say 2cc for glow, as this allows engines with more than a token silencer, so they could be flown at normal club fields. Having said that, I would then have competition for all those gorgeous OS10s, SC12s and AP09s on Ebay... Robin I'd favour 2cc for diesels too. That way we could dig out our old SD Competition Specials! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Posted by Alan Gorham_ on 22/09/2020 15:31:19: I think Gray's surname was Pugh though.... Alan, You may well be right. I had never seen Gray's surname in print, so I Googled 'Hawker Headbutt' just now and it came up with a Sarik page which said, Designer 'Gray Power' I've just found this page which gives joint credit for founding the SMA to this forum's very own Peter Miller. My apologies Peter! SMA History - Page 36 Flying Models - December 1998 The engine sizes quoted in the article, .26 cu in for R/C and .36 cu in for control line, would mean previously qualifying models would no longer qualify. Maybe stick with the original SMA definitions? Edited By Robin Colbourne on 22/09/2020 15:56:01 Edited By Robin Colbourne on 22/09/2020 16:04:13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 I think there was some pressure from Argus Specialist Publications who ran an SMA fly-in at Old Warden to increase engine sizes up to 25 two stroke so that more people could fly at the events with a wider range of models. I had no problem with the original smaller engine sizes, but you can still buy Enya .15 glows and they are very nice engines.... If this event runs, I will turn up with a car full of small models. Only flown at Buckminster twice, so would like to add to that tally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 I remember the SMA not existing. I seem to recall flying my Alley Cat on an Irvine 20 at the SMA day at Old Warden. It definitely allowed 25 sized engines if my memory serves. I can still picture the mayhem of a load of BillKits 15 size lunatic machines chasing streamers. Carnage... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Campbell Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Thanks for the link, I couldn't find anything on the web. I remember Gray was a big enthusiast along with Dereck Woodward. It looks like 2cc or .12cu is a sensible limit. It is small model association after all. If anyone wants to organise a medium model size day then go ahead Doug Edited By Doug Campbell on 22/09/2020 16:30:11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Campbell Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 If you need any inspiration for models the plans service has many designs. If you want a kit FMK are very good https://fmk-models.com/radio-control-model-aircraft-kits-2-c.asp and Greyfish on ebay does some ready build ready to cover models at a good price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 I recall the SMA stand at Plumpton which was non manned by non members! Had a logo of a magnifying glass viewing a tiny model if my memory is non incorrect. A keen non member of the SMA and perhaps founder non member was journalist Roland Graunchet who used the details of the non members endlessly in the back pages of Radio Modeller. I don't think anybody actually admitted to being Roland Graunchet but there were the usual suspects suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Roland Graunchet was written by Dave Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 It seems to me that the original idea of the SMA was small models you built yourself and that ARTF foam models would not therefore be in the spirit of the thing in 2021. Or am I wrong? What would Graunchet have said? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Posted by Doug Campbell on 22/09/2020 16:33:41: If you need any inspiration for models the plans service has many designs. If you want a kit FMK are very good https://fmk-models.com/radio-control-model-aircraft-kits-2-c.asp and Greyfish on ebay does some ready build ready to cover models at a good price Peter Kent's Miniature Aircraft Factory was a great supporter of the SMA and I had a couple of Peter's prototypes at the time. His (now mine) Mini Flying Machine still gets a regular outing, having cone from Cox .049, to Sp400, Sp480 and now a Keda 2300kv brushless motor. She has the widest performance envelope of any model in my fleet and is great fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilco Wingco Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Anybody remember the SMAE in the early 60s?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Posted by Wilco Wingco on 22/09/2020 18:52:40: Anybody remember the SMAE in the early 60s?. Wasn't that a time when young people wore strange clothes, talked in an unusual language and took drugs ? Some things don't change. (See the SMAE / BMFA for details) ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Posted by kevin b on 22/09/2020 19:04:27: Posted by Wilco Wingco on 22/09/2020 18:52:40: Anybody remember the SMAE in the early 60s?. Wasn't that a time when young people wore strange clothes, talked in an unusual language and took drugs ? Some things don't change. (See the SMAE / BMFA for details) ! I don't know about the SMAE (model aeroplanes with the things of the past for me in the 60s) but if strange clothes includes competing in motorcycle trials wearing flannels and a tie under my Barbour International suit then that was me! No drugs except (I'm ashamed to confess) tobacco and a very small amount of alcohol (honest) not much rock 'n' roll but I did manage a bit of the other I don't get on very well with small models. I find my sweet spot is 1.3 to 1.5 metres - smaller than that I find hard to follow. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Here's an April '91 Radio Modeller review by Dereck Woodward of the Mini Flying Machine, copied from FMK's Facebook page. Link here: Mini Flying Machine - Kit Review Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Thanks Robin - that is indeed my Mini Flying Machine in the article, still going strong 29 years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Leccyflyer, you're welcome! I'm just wondering if we should let FMK know about the SMA revival, so they can get some MFM kits ready for the stampede to their door? Robin Edited By Robin Colbourne on 22/09/2020 21:57:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 If past performance is anything to go by. as soon as anyone mentions either FMK, or 5- star, they usually pop up in double quick time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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