martin collins 1 Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 lt makes sense now why Wings & Wheels application was refused, more history disappearing 🥵 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-68078897?fbclid=IwAR31WmRKVnxqR3orW14Qv5BQMZkS_duoFKAOCmtAQxTeMU6P8UYjp3_GG8c 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin collins 1 Posted January 24 Author Share Posted January 24 Yes i do know W&W is being run elsewhere, i will go but part of the charm of the show was this iconic venue, it won`t be the same for me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 I used to live near North Weald and always went to W&W right from the first in '86 and also the brilliant 'Fighter Meet' that advertised itself as the only airshow with its own underground station.......until TFL or whatever they were calling themselves closed the line. Yes, that section of the Central Line was underused by local commuters, but why on earth they didn't reviltalise it by using at least part of North Weald Airfield's huge area for a park and ride during the week to alleviate some of the traffic flowing down the M11Â into East London - and generate a tidy revenue I could never understand. Some sort of data centre (Google?) is going to be built there now. Wonderful. At least the plan for destroying the airfield totally by building housing all over it was thrown out many years ago.....watch out though! Â Not so certain about the location for W&W as the reason for its early success - NW was no Duxford, but the show itself offered what people wanted and delivered a good day's entertainment - including full size aerobatics by Denny Dobson etc a reasonable price. Trouble is we're talking almost forty years ago ....... the hobby has changed, people have changed etc etc etc. Good luck to the new W&W, I'll give it a go as |I can roll it into a visit to family who live fairly nearby. I wouldn't bother to travel to it otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futura57 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) I'm surprised it wasn't sold to Amazon as a base for launching squadrons of their new mass delivery personnel drones 🤣    Live - Fly - Repeat 😉   Thank you, I'm here all week... Edited January 25 by Futura57 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 The loss of a trade show in Essex is a great regret. A search for Wings and Wheels 2024 comes up with Stow Maries which is not too far away in Essex but that seems to be a car and full size aero show!  It seems Wings and Wheels model aircraft is to be in Leicestershire in 2024.   Frankly I doubt that many of the previous North Weald visitors will go to the new venue.  But don't be confused by the similarly named Essex show.    Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futura57 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 4 hours ago, kc said: The loss of a trade show in Essex is a great regret. A search for Wings and Wheels 2024 comes up with Stow Maries which is not too far away in Essex but that seems to be a car and full size aero show!  It seems Wings and Wheels model aircraft is to be in Leicestershire in 2024.   Frankly I doubt that many of the previous North Weald visitors will go to the new venue.  But don't be confused by the similarly named Essex show.    Indeed, I won't be attending the new W&W model venue. I guess there will be new attendees now considering it within their travel range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Bowers Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 58 minutes ago, Futura57 said: Indeed, I won't be attending the new W&W model venue. I guess there will be new attendees now considering it within their travel range. One of those is me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tee Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 KC, we also had a wings and wheels at Dunsfold aerodrome in Surrey near Guildford. That has also been sold off for housing despite a covenant in place that said if not needed it would revert to farming  The new location for WW is twice the travel time for me from West Sussex which would mean an overnight stay due to age, so not relly viable sadly. Will miss the trade show part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Robson Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Bonus for me, it is now 192 miles instead of 262, I did like the show as it was, missed last year but was rather disappointed with the previous year. I suppose the days of big model shows are gone forever due to the changing world. There was always something new from the cottage industry, a little bit of discount off various traders, meeting up with fellow modellers and trawling through the bring and buy. Don't know how much longer I can keep going but weather and health permitting I will attend 4 this year. Shame about Cosford and the Nationals, They were the best. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 38 minutes ago, John Tee said: KC, we also had a wings and wheels at Dunsfold aerodrome in Surrey near Guildford. That has also been sold off for housing despite a covenant in place that said if not needed it would revert to farming  The new location for WW is twice the travel time for me from West Sussex which would mean an overnight stay due to age, so not relly viable sadly. Will miss the trade show part. That's a real pity John - scandalous that a covenant should be ignored, but where greed and profit are the prime mover, expect more of the same. 😠Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Losing North Weald's show means a lack of shows in Essex and surrounding north of Thames / London area.  Big population & very afluent area with no shows equals lack of newcomers to modelling!   Shows in Kent ( Headcorn ) and in Sussex area ( Popham ) but no trade shows north of Thames except Old Warden.  BMFA take note - a reason why membership is dropping. Without local shows and without local modelshops how will newcomers be attracted to model flying?   Experienced modellers might drive a long way for a show but complete newcomers won't. If you don't interest new people in model flying you don't get new BMFA members.  As a separate aspect - how is the North Weald model club affected?    Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learner Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 35 minutes ago, kc said: Losing North Weald's show means a lack of shows in Essex and surrounding north of Thames / London area.  Big population & very afluent area with no shows equals lack of newcomers to modelling!   Shows in Kent ( Headcorn ) and in Sussex area ( Popham ) but no trade shows north of Thames except Old Warden.  BMFA take note - a reason why membership is dropping. Without local shows and without local modelshops how will newcomers be attracted to model flying?   Experienced modellers might drive a long way for a show but complete newcomers won't. If you don't interest new people in model flying you don't get new BMFA members.  As a separate aspect - how is the North Weald model club affected?    Only one county out, Pophams in Hampshire but I agree its south of the Thames. However all the Lma shows, Weston park and various Buckminster get togethers are North of the Thames. Sorry nothings on your doorstep but feel free to organise something.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 That’s sad to hear . I have been going every year for some time. It was great to see the traders there as well as other modellers and do some shopping. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 1 hour ago, kc said: Losing North Weald's show means a lack of shows in Essex and surrounding north of Thames / London area.  Big population & very afluent area with no shows equals lack of newcomers to modelling!   Shows in Kent ( Headcorn ) and in Sussex area ( Popham ) but no trade shows north of Thames except Old Warden.  BMFA take note - a reason why membership is dropping. Without local shows and without local modelshops how will newcomers be attracted to model flying?   Experienced modellers might drive a long way for a show but complete newcomers won't. If you don't interest new people in model flying you don't get new BMFA members.  As a separate aspect - how is the North Weald model club affected?     Popham is Hampshire just off the A303 not Sussex... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zflyer Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Wasnt aware the BMFA organised the shows..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Lewis 3 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 They organise the Nationals which is probably the biggest show of all and is totally down to them, also it ought to have been a real cash generator for the membership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 I never went to the Nats, not being interested in others competing.... I do regret it now though.  I'll be attending Elvington again - but hoping for a better trade presence/experience. Well North of The Thames! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 10 minutes ago, GrumpyGnome said: I never went to the Nats, not being interested in others competing.... I do regret it now though.  I'll be attending Elvington again - but hoping for a better trade presence/experience. Well North of The Thames! The Nats were reinvented to mix comps and show flying quite a few years ago. I'm fortunate to have experienced it at it's very peak probably around ten or twelve years ago when it was a huge social jamboree for everyone. It's gone now along with much else that's been affected by changing times and economics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 (edited) Post on FB BMFA page just now saying W&W cancelled, all advance tickets to be refunded. That's a great shame. Edited January 28 by Cuban8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Cracknell Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Stow Maries has been mentioned - someone should investigate the possibility of a show there. I am sure they would welcome the revenue. Could perhaps have a WW1 theme to the show as Stow Maries does a lot of WW1 restoration and flying. www.stowmaries.org.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Fairgrieve Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Stow already has a model show. Well they did the last few years.  Just looked for the 2024 date, but no sign!! Last year!! https://www.stowmaries.org.uk/event/stow-maries-great-war-aerodrome-large-model-air-show-533541104807  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Old Warden seems to me to be a good choice to expand their model related activities. The current Modelair events are excellent but nothing on the scale(!) scope and attendance of those that I recall attending in the mid 80s. Just a thought. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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