David Boddington Appreciation Society

[Nick Cripps]

Prompted by a comment on another thread, and also the BIMBO articles in RCM&E recently, I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread dedicated to one of the most popular designers of recent times, David Boddington. DB, or Boddo as he was often known, was a prolific designer of models and also some full-size replicas used in various TV and film works, and also a former editor of RCM&E (as well as a few other publications).

 

Having a common interest in waterplanes, I met Boddo a few times over the years at various events such as the British Waterplane Association meetings at Billing and Nottingham, and also on the odd occasion would bump into him at other venues such as Old Warden. I didn't get to know him particularly well but I always found him great company and, as many will attest, he always had an amusing story to tell, whatever the occasion.

 

After he sadly passed away in 2010, I thought I should build one of his designs as my own personal tribute to the great man. There were many models to choose from but, for me, there was only one choice, the Sea Stormer. The Sea Stormer is based on one of his many Barnstormer designs but modified to low-wing configuration and styled like a Schneider Trophy racer such as those designed by R J Mitchell for Supermarine.

 

Sea Stormer was published in the July 1996 edition of Aviation Modeller International, with the prototype built by one of Boddo's fellow club members, Andy Ward. Spanning 69", the Sea Stormer shares its wing with the Barnstormer 72 but with a modified tip shape. The structure is typical Boddo: partially-sheeted with cap strips to the rear of the spar and barn door ailerons to the wing, a traditionally-built fuselage, sheeted at the front, open structure aft of the wing, with the whole airframe covered in Solartex and, of course powered by a Laser 90 four-stroke. The prototype was test flown by Tony Chaplin (former BWA Chairman) at Billing Lake near Northampton and proved a great success. Two larger versions were also built and flown with Laser v-twins, one by Boddo himself, the other by Neil Tidey, who still occasionally flies his version at Billing.

 

My own build was one of those marathon projects - you know, the sort that progresses in fits and starts as bursts of enthusiasm appear - which took place over about ten years and included a house move. The wing was built first and progressed quite quickly (for me), thanks partly to making use of a precut set of ribs from DB Sport and Scale saving the tedium of cutting them all out of balsa myself. The tail surfaces were next, all built up from strip balsa with sheet elevators and rudder. Finally the fuselage then the whole lot, like the prototype, was covered in blue and silver Solartex, apart from the rudder which was covered in glasscloth. The floats were hot-wire cut from EP foam, covered in poplar veneer and then glassclothed using epoxy resin. The engine cowl was moulded in glassfibre over a blue foam former and nicely encloses an OS 90 Surpass. The model was finally finished in September last year, but sadly just too late to fly at the final BWA meeting at Nottingham, so is likely to get its maiden flight at Billing Lake when the new season starts in April.

 

 

 

So that's my Boddo story. The model has been a long time coming but I'm sure it will be worth it when Sea Stormer finally takes to the lake (and the skies hopefully) in just a few months.

 

If you have a similar memory, or wish to show us your Boddo model, please share it in this thread.

[J D 8 - Moderator]

I never met DB but his design's have always been good. An early model that got me flying RC with confidence after a hit miss start [self taught] was the DB Rooky 86 with a DC Saber on top.

   A regular flyer is my Major Mannock, a model I rescued as an oil soaked hulk some 25 years ago.

    Nick you mention David's TV work so it may interest you I have one of the models designed by DB and flown by him for the Yorkshire TV series Flambards in 70's. Model was built by one of the team Dave Sheppard. It is a Bleriot XI and is still airworthy but only flown once or twice a year when conditions are just right.

[Nick Cripps]

That's great, JD, just the sort of story I hoped to bring out with this thread.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Sadly I have no pictures of the great mans models that I've built, lot of fond memories though. I first started modelling in my early 20s, knew absolutely zero about aerodynamics, engines, or building. Progress was slow due to lack of talent/money/car/drinking, flying ability came slow at first also, I was too timid. Change for me came when I built Boddos Red Arrow, a small aerobat with an 25 FSR  in it, progress came rapidly then. https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=8638.

Few others I can remember that I built, Tinker, RM Trainer, Dalotel, Cub, SE5 A, Tyro, happy days.

[kc]

In addition to being a great designer David Boddington was also a great magazine editor.  Radio Modeller, then RCME, Scale Aircraft Qtly, Aviation Modeller Int, Model Flyer, Flying Scale Models and some special issues.   Each magazine he edited seemed to be at it's peak during his editorship ( in my opinion )  and the reason was that he obtained one off articles from experts in their field many of whom were new to the magazine.     Boddo was also very visible at shows etc and was therefore in touch with 'grassroots' aeromodelling.  

Mention should be made of Boddos film credits  - models for Flambards, Wings and Airline.   All still available on DVD and well worth watching.  Of course he also founded DB Models which was a large kit producing venture at one time and still continues as DB Sport & Scale.

Edited January 30 by kc

[Don Fry]

An RM Aerobat sorted me out after a very long layoff. And a Tyro with a Fok 15 was a first venture into RC flying. 

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Perhaps unusually, the only Boddo design I've owned or built was the DB Autogyro way back in the mid 70s.  Sadly, by the time I started in 1/12th scale combat, he'd just finished so although I saw him at various events, I never had a conversation with him.

 

I seem to recall making replacement blades on a regular basis!

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Ah, built the Auto Gyro as well.

[Geoff S]

I met him a few times when he came to the RR(Hucknall) Scale weekends.  He was very approachable and once even started a chat with me at one of the Elvington Christmas events.

 

One of my favourite models is my 58" ws Gipsy Moth (a slightly modified Cirrus Moth).  I feel he would approve my very amateur 'improvement' 🙂  He was nothing if not practical!

 

 

[ken anderson.]

I met David a few years ago, mentioned to him that I had built a few of his designs .... he replied"did any of them fly"?

 

Ken Anderson....ne...1....DB Dept.

 

[Brian Cooper]

I knew him well. I first met him at the Model Pilots Association holidays in Devon and Yorkshire. 

 

When I moved to Wellingborough, I joined the local flying club. It was a great surprise and pleasure to discover Boddo in the same club. We spent happy many hours whiling away the hours chatting and flying. 

 

He had an amazing capacity to recognise and remember people he had met years earlier. 

He was a true gentleman in more ways than one, and has been sadly missed. 

 

I have one of his designs -  a Bi-Stormer - which was left to me by another (now deceased) member.. 

It has never been flown... Yet. 

 

[GaryW]

25 years ago I was the proud owner of a DB Centurion @ 100.5 inch wingspan powered by a Super Tigre 75 and to this day it's one plane I wish I never sold and wud buy it back today if I only knew where it was now ... Wonder if a certain fellow flier cud be persuaded to build me another one

 

 

Edited January 30 by GaryW

[Alec Turnbull]

Here is my current DB Centurion, I have completed 3 of these over the years seriously lovely fliers and a fairly simple build, albiet a lot of wood.

 

 

This one is electric and goes well with a Turnigy motor and 90amp esc, I wouldn't mind another with a glow motor in it, I have an old Laser 75 I wonder if that would have enough oomph.

And here is a previous effort from about 1997 SC91 powered and I flew this model hundreds of times at The Blackburn club at Pleasington.

 

I have only this experience of Davids designs but could certainly be tempted by some others.

[Alec Turnbull]

PS There is a build blog on here if anyone is interested, of my current effort in, Buld blogs and Kit Reviews

[EarlyBird]

1 hour ago, Alec Turnbull said:

PS There is a build blog on here if anyone is interested, of my current effort in, Buld blogs and Kit Reviews

 

[GaryW]

2 hours ago, Alec Turnbull said:

 

I have an old Laser 75 I wonder if that would have enough oomph.

 

 

 

The Centurion is designed for 60 - 91 2 stroke so a 75 four stroke should pull it 

 

Edited January 31 by GaryW

[Nigel R]

When I was small, I wanted to do the "RM Flight Training Course"... although I ended up learning on a Precedent Flyboy, Junior 60 and then an aerobatic trainer I cannot remember the name of.

 

Many moons later I finally built the pair...

 

Part 1... RM Trainer (and sheep):

 

 

Part 2... RM Aerobat:

 

 

Both electrified on 4S 2200, 300W and 400W respectively.

 

The Aerobat is lightly modified (mainly style - I made the deck a little more rounded, and moved the tailplane upwards a couple of inches).

[Alec Turnbull]

52 minutes ago, GaryW said:

 

The Centurion is designed for 60 - 91 2 stroke so a 75 four stroke should pull it 

 

I thought as much, of course I only need to build another fuselage to share the existing wings tail and undercart so wouldn't take too long!

[Andy Stephenson]

When Boddo came to our club to give us a talk, he said designing models is like a disease, he had do one a week.

[Chris Freeman 3]

In the early 90's I was working at South African Airways and I received a call from a hobby shop owner in Cape Town and he asked me if I would please meet and Help Dave Boddington who was arriving in Johannesburg from London catch his connection to Cape Town and also entertain him for an hour or 2 whilst waiting for a flight. This was at the hight of sanctions  against South Africa so we had very little exposure to overseas events and contestants. This was like meeting a rockstar, boy was I excited to meet David as I had been reading his articles since I was a  kid and watched my dad build a number of his designs

 

David was easy to spot in a crowd as I had seen the face so many times in the mags. We had some time in a restaurant talking plans and it was such a special time as David was just so friendly and knowledgeable. A few days later I again met David at a scale event in Oudtshoorn which was the reason for his visit and I again had the privilege of talking to him and he flew my planes as well. This led to a great friendship and the honour of building a few prototypes from his plans for his build articles.

 

 David was always interested in aviation big and small and this passion made the aircraft more important to him than money. 

 

I have more stories of him that I will share if wanted

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Yes please!

[Nick Cripps]

1 hour ago, Chris Freeman 3 said:

I have more stories of him that I will share if wanted

Just what the thread is for! All stories and photos welcome here.

[stu knowles]

The Seastormer looks amzing Nick, beautiful finish.

[Nick Cripps]

Thanks, Stu.

 

Have you still got yours?

[Martin Dance 1]

My club never had any problems getting David to give a club talk, come to float plane flyins or attend any other event we were holding. One day I asked him why he was so willing to come to our 'do's'. The reply was 'simple my son and his family live in Reading so it's an opportunity to visit and see the grand children and do some flying' What's not to like' Fast forward a few years and sitting in front of me in a class ( I taught Design Technology) was a lad, surname Boddington. Now Boddington is not a common name in Berkshire. So I asked him if he had a Grand dad named David,.'Yes was the reply, how do you know'? '

ah! we teachers know everything' I replied. At the end of the lesson he came up with a smile on his face and said 'Aeromodelling' 👍.