David Davis Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Hi Everybody! David Davis, 61 years old, 62 next March, apparently this is the average age of a member of the BMFA! I've been a member of this forum for some time but thought it about time I made a proper job of introducing myself . I built my first model a Keil Kraft Ajax, a rubber powered free flight model, when I was eleven. (Younger modellers please ask your granddad what a free flight rubber powered model is.) My Uncle Geoff taught me how to build. He was a draughtsman by trade and built beautiful models. This was followed by a Keil Kraft glider, neither of these flew very well nor were they very well-built. Had I stopped there I wouldn't be writing this now, but having saved up my wages from my paper round I bought a Mills 75 from Henry J Nicholls of 308 Holloway Road and put it into a Veron Cardinal, a small free flight cabin monoplane. One windless day with my father and his brother who was also an aeromodeller, we flew it, filling the tank and launching it until it was a tiny cross in the sky. Then it would glide down and land a short distance away before the process was repeated. Geoof couldn't join us because he was in the last stages of cancer from which he died a few months later. He was only 35. I didn't know it then but I was hooked. Until I was fifteen I built control line stunt, combat and team race models as well as a few free flight gliders and competition powered models, then two things happened; I joined a rock band and I discovered girls! For the next thirty years life got in the way of the modelling until one day I saw a man flying a radio controlled model aircraft in a field in Devon where I was living at the time. I bought a second-hand but unused radio from a chap who was setting up "on his own," was given an Irvine 21 which some kid had abused in a model car and bought a small trainer kit for £5 in an auction which was soon replaced by a Junior 60, with which I learned to fly and which I ultimately sold to my cousin, Geoff's son who was ababy when he died. My main interests centre round vintage models, scale civilian aircraft from the Golden Age, say 1920-1960, and WW1 scale but I also own a Flair Hooligan, Flair's version of the WOT 4, and an Acrowot. At present I am finishing off a Morane, repairing a Goldberg Piper Cub and a Flair Baronette and building a Senior Telemaster, an 8ft trainer, however, mine will differ from most in having the earlier inset ailerons rather than strip ailerons. I'll put it on a build blog when I've received the wing ribs back from the laser cutter. I'm also repairing a few others with the intention of selling them because I believe that if you've too many possesions you become enslaved to them and the enjoyment you derive from them diminishes. I also get a lot of satisfaction teaching beginners how to fly and have become a BMFA Approved Instructor. Nearly three years ago I was made redundant from a good job owing to government cut-backs, (sound familiar?) I was better off than most having a small pension in recognition for all of the work I'd done for HMG, but I scratched a living restoring a few classic cars, then landed a part-time job working for a Jaguar agency, (you wouldn't believe the pay!) I also sank a few pounds into importing the Telemaster range of models from America. These are a range of slow-flying trainers which fly with great presence so make a good first model or a chilling-out model for experienced fliers. I've also been appointed the British representative of Wow Planes, a range of scale models made from foam, mostly WW2 stuff. I'll be building a Liberator in the New Year and a club collegue is building a B25 Mitchell. I'll put the Liberator build on a blog. Send me a PM if you're interested in buying a model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Interestind thread David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdy Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 hi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 hello david-that was a good read...well done..... ken anderson....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyS Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Hi David, It's strange how some things just grab your imagination. Nice to see that you're able to mix your hobby with hopefully a successful business - a very rare opportunity. Good luck with the planes. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyS Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Just had a look at the WoW planes site. It looks like they make some nice planes and more importantly that they're supported by spare parts. Love the A10. Are you going to stock spares and what are the UK prices like? T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 David What a brilliant intro -Nice one -Good luck Regards Myron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 Thank you all for your complimentary remarks. There has been a lot of interest in the A10 Tony but so far no-one ordered one. It is likely to cost about £170 by the time I've paid VAT etc, but you'd also need two motors, two 90mm ducted fan units and a set of retracts. Then you have to build it and finish it. I quoted one enquirer £320 for the model, a set of air retracts and some Liquid Sheeting. This is not a cheap model but it is much bigger than the average EDF and has some nice proportions so should fly well. The smaller WW2 stuff will sell for between £115 and £120 and I have the Hurricane, the Marauder and the Liberator in stock. Spares will take 10-14 days to get here but I won't be stocking them unless I get lots of sales! Happy landings Gentleman and Seasons Greetings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flytilbroke Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 This Is Not An Advert! Hmmm. Hello from me too. I wish you well in your "new" endeavour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Clarkson Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Posted by flytilbroke on 05/12/2009 19:44:38: This Is Not An Advert! Hmmm. Hello from me too. I wish you well in your "new" endeavour. Ha Ha, i was thinking that as well FTB!!!! Welcome David, great story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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