personal profiles

Here's where we get to know a bit about one another! Join the fun and send some details of yourself, your family, modelling and other interests and anything else you care to tell us about, and let's get to know you!

You can either e-mail your information from the post-box at the foot of this page or use the Response Form below - and if you've got a picture of yourself, so much the better!

Meet Lasse Åkerlund
from Holmsund, Sweden

I am 63 years old, born in Stockholm just before the war. Started modelling in the middle fifties, U/C (control line), free flight rubber, glider, flying scale, in short almost everything, with mixed results. In fact the first power model was a Tomboy (Vic Smeed) with a Webra 1·5 cc. Flew like a rocket!

Eventually I did my National Service in the Swedish Navy and all my thoughts (and money) turned to sailing, so I put the model flying at the back of my mind for the next 30 years.

I've worked as a design engineer in heavy industry, mining , and pulp and paper mills all my working life. I retired two years ago (voluntarily).

Along the way I acquired a wife, a son and three grandchildren. I now live in Holmsund, the port of Umea in the north part of Sweden.

I am Secretary in one of the local model flying clubs (about 25 members). We have a small flying field about 20 miles from town. It's in the middle of the forest so we don't disturb anyone. In the winter we fly off the ice of the Ume river which is quite nice because there are no trees to hit (right - Lasse's son Martin is behind the Cassutt). This I like because I'm no expert, which is why I like the STOL because I can slow it down to a walking pace thanks to the slots and flaps. But what I want to build is scale models. Pre-1940 with a special eye to WW1 airplanes. I've got a project list as long as my arm, but I keep adding to it all the time so I will never reach the end of it.

My other interests include genealogy and animals. We've got two dogs (toy schnauzers) that we have bought and two cats that we have inherited from our daughters-in-law. We also love to travel in England and Scotland. I always try put in a visit to a whisky distillery and an airplane museum in the itinerary every time.

Go to photo gallery to see a selection of photos from Lasse.

Introducing Keith Whitham
from Wakefield, England

Keith is an IT Business Development man hailing from Wakefield, where he lives with his wife Sharon.

Following many years neglect caused by the familiar reasons of college, work and family, etc., Keith returned to the model building game about 4 years ago - this time able to afford radio control! He started out in fixed wing with a Carl Goldsberg Freedom 20, which he found to be a nice plane.

Keith now likes to try other aspects out - multi-engine and helicopter flying currently occupying his interest. He describes himself as 'definitely a virgin Helicopterist'! He flies at the Dewsbury MAC where he says they have an excellent field although it faces directly into the sun, when it's out!

Keith flies an interesting trio of fixed wing models - a Flair Barronette, Fokker tri-plane type with OS52FS engine, a Wot4, built by a club member, and an Ultra Sport with Saito 65 - 'nice engine, superb model with mechanical retracts'.

Keith's first multi-engine is the Galaxy Scorpion Twin to be fitted with two OS26FS engines - should sound well, he says. His helicopter is the Raptor 30 of which he optimistically says, "I'm sure the model should last as it seems as though it will do the book - shame I can't!"

Keith's other interests include sport, music, computers, off-roading - anything he can't afford, as he puts it!

I hope Keith might keep us informed on his progress with the Scorpion Twin - it would be great to have it on 'work in progress' as we haven't had a twin yet.

Join in the fun, send ModelFlight an e-mail and tell us about yourself, your family, hobbies and interests, what you do for a living, how long you've been model-making, what club you belong to, etc. - in fact as much or as little as you see fit. Include a picture of yourself if you can.

Your e-mail address will be shown unless you specifically ask for it not to appear. Picture files ideally need to be in JPG format for best colour reproduction and to minimise time on-line.

If you want to send me pictures by conventional mail, my address is

Reg Heath, 60 South View Gardens, Andover, Hants, SP10 2AQ, UK