Meetings and Minutes

We are pleased to confirm that RAF Cottesmore has been secured as the venue for the 2011 BMFA Silent Flight National Championships on the 27th, 28th and 29th August.

RAF Cottesmore remains a secure site and as such we are required to provide notification to the RAF of all people attending and their vehicle details prior to the event.

If you would like to attend the Silent Flight Nationals either as a competitor, supporter or spectator, please complete the attached form and return it to the BMFA at Chacksfield House.

SF Nats Entry Form 2011 b[1]

4th Speed Centralised Results Speed 4th Centralised Results 19-06-11

2nd Aerobatics Centralised Results Aerobatics 2nd Centralised Results 19-06-11

Speed, F2C Team Race & F2D Combat Centralised results are available to download here.  Please note that the 2nd Aerobatics Centralised competition takes place on 19th June.

Please also note that there are no results for the first two Centralised competitions for Speed and F2C Team Race as they were cancelled because of high winds.

Speed Results: Speed 3rd Centralised Results 05-06-11

F2C Team Race Results: F2C 3rd Centralised Results 05-06-11 2011 F2C Team Selection 05-06-11

F2D Combat Results: F2D 3rd Centralised Results 05-06-11 2011 F2D Team Points 05-06-11

Laurie Barr (FSMAE) 30th May 1927 – 12th April 2011

When Laurie Barr (FSMAE) passed away on 12th April 2011 at the age of 83, model flying lost a major contributor to the sport and very few aeromodellers have achieved his success and worldwide fame.

Laurie’s aeromodelling career began as a teenager flying outdoor during WWII, and he was National Champion in 1948 at the age of 22. Over many years he continued to win national and international competitions. Many of his designs for indoor and outdoor models have become standards in their class.
Tripstick, Scram and Pinocchio – open rubber models and Fly Rod, Big Bertha and his F1L (EZB) indoor models have won international events in his hands and in those of many other flyers.

He served as Chairman of the S.M.A.E. in 1968-69 and was elected to its Fellowship in 1976 thus making Laurie one of the Society’s longest serving Fellows. He was totally committed to the Indoor movement, serving for years on the Technical Committee, many of them as Chairman, and his continued enthusiasm kept the airship hangers at Cardington available for many years. His dedication to maintaining and ensuring indoor flyers use of Cardington, arguably the finest venue in the world, cannot be emphasised enough. In recent years every repair and cleaning operation was instigated and sponsored by Laurie. His commitment was overwhelming.

In 2005 Laurie was awarded the FAI Aeromodelling Gold Medal for ‘outstanding merit in organizational activities in free flight duration aeromodelling in recognition of organizing the Indoor World Championships in 1972, 76, 78 and 1986.

He was also the prime mover in getting the use of the Millennium Dome, and organising the European Indoor Championships in 2003 when the original facility in Germany was withdrawn at very short notice.

He represented Great Britain at free-flight Wakefield (F1B) twice in 1969 and again in 1971 and in indoor World Championships team at the bi-annual event from 1972 to 1992 and beyond. His many contest successes worldwide have been well documented and include Gold, Silver and Bronze team medals.
Tributes to Laurie, including his autobiography will continue to be published.

Below are listed just some of the wonderful achievements of Laurie Barr FSMAE in the world of Indoor Duration Flying.
• World Indoor F1D Team Champion, in 1978. & World USA-EZB Champion, Kibbe Dome-USA.
• World record F1L flight of 28:16 and a world record USA rules EZB at 33:04.
• U.K F1D record holder twice, with my F1D “Big Bertha”, during a series of flights of 44:03, 44:39, 44.30, 43:54, 45:39, in 1994 culminating in 2 official BMFA U.K records of 46:08. Finally the still standing 65 cm F1D record of *49:29. (* Possibly the longest flight ever, for a fixed pitch prop, on a 65 cm F1D model).
• Six times U.K National Indoor champion.
• Thirteen times winner of the Humbrol Plate (Longest flight of the year)
• Seven times winner of the Aeromodeller Trophy (Team Trials)
• Three times winner of the Alex Houlberg trophy, for F1L at Nationals.
• 1991 USA EZB champion and record in Johnson City
• National Indoor Champion in Britain/Germany/Denmark/Switzerland/Belgium.
• ‘Hall records’ at Cardington Airship Hangers UK, Kibbe Dome USA, Millennium Dome UK, Cargo Lifter Hanger Germany, Switzerland, Bro, Czech Republic and Johnson City USA.

Plus an array of outdoor free flight competition wins spanning over 60 years.
Laurie was still flying outdoor free flight models at SAM (Society of Antique Modellers) events and had planned to attend the Middle Wallop event over the Easter holiday weekend shortly after his death.

Many may not know that in business, Laurie established a professional model making and moulding company that produced models for TV and major feature films not to mention the early Thunderbirds models for the children’s TV program. To relax he enjoyed fly-fishing, golf and gardening with a back lawn at bowling green standards.

His wife Betty, his constant companion at almost every event he attended, and his three children, Duncan, Debbie and Andrew, survive him. All who were privileged to have known him will long remember Laurie.

2011 BMFA F3F Nationals and World Championship Qualifier has now been

rescheduled to run on the 25th and 26th June. Entry has now opened and will

close on Wednesday 22nd June at 10pm. Please email martinnewnham@btinternet.com

for more information.