post-box

Last time, I mentioned that dear old Denis Wolff had completed his move to Bridlington and was now 'up and running'. That turned out to be a most unfortunate choice of words, as Denis now tells us:

Thanks for your good wishes but before I left Cornwall I fell down steps landing on my back and cracked two ribs - my daughter drove me here. So I'm not up and running yet!

There is a good shop in Brid. called 'Croppers' Models' in Landsdowne Road.

Best wishes,

Denis.

Oh dear, Denis! I am sure we all hope you will soon be fully on your feet - and I hope that's not tempting fate! - and we will hear better news from you. Glad to note, though, that you have managed to recce the area and found that all-important Aladdin's Cave!

A little bit of humour-coated cynicism here from JOHN WILSON from New South Wales, Australia

Commenting on why control-line has gone out of fashion, John says:

I find your article on this subject very interesting as I am currently looking for a C/Line club here on the central coast of NSW Australia. I have recently retired and find with the extra free time that I can now indulge once again in my favourite sport of model aeroplane flying. When I left England in 1968 I had what would now be considered a primitive R/C model as well as a number of control liners.

So, in ignorant bliss, I presented myself at a model aircraft aerodrome close by, intending to indulge in both types of flying. The reception was a shock to the old nervous system when I was told that I couldn't fly C/L models at this field as it was reserved for R/C only. Oh yes! I could join the R/C club after I had joined the controlling body and the local club and paid my joining fees as well as membership fees - oh! yes, and had my models stripped of their covering for an airframe inspection and my radio checked for output and frequency each stage and process for a nominal fee of course and no, you have to be a member of an affiliated club if you want to fly. Total cost about 700 pounds sterling. Needless to say, I was put off in no uncertain manner and am now looking for a C/L club who I am told have very few restrictions.

One characteristic of the R/C club members that caught my eye was that they were mainly older than I am (and that's old) and they drove 4-wheel drive vehicles and were obviously not short of bread. So hang on, you up and coming C/L modellers, when this batch pass on to the great airfield in the sky paved with brass plates marked off and partitioned with red tape and managed by committees, your time will come. Because for sure only the oil sheiks will be able to afford the cost of R/C modelling here in Aus.

Yes if you like I am a whingeing Pom but don't confuse gratuitous complaining for hard fact.

John Wilson (66 and counting)

Keep us posted on your quest, John, and the best of luck!

See the coverage of Dave Kidd's web site "Australian Control Line Nostalgia" on site-seeing #36, now available on the new ModelFlight Archive. There's also a link to the site on the personal enthusiasts' sites links page.

It's nice to have joker Bob Nicol back on the patch, with the following wry offering:

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Next time, something a little more beguiling from Bob . . .