Meetings and Minutes

Dales Club members had a shock farewell to one of its most valued flyers on 2nd November 2011. Barry was in the top flight at the club – literally, and was renowned for his impeccable landing prowess. So much so, that we marked each other on a scale of 1 – 10. Barry’s 9′s were hard to come by – 10 Barry’s was a rare axccomplishment. We will miss his rich comradeship, but at least we have his legacy to the club.
Ralph Darnborough

Derek’s involvement with aeromodelling began as a result of his interest in early television and his National Service training as a radio mechanic. He built his first single-channel radio control set in the late 1950′s and shortly after joined the Hull Area Radio Control Society which then became Beverley and District Model Aircraft Club. He soon became involved with teaching new members to fly and climbed up the examiner ladder to achieve Chief Examiner status.

The engineering side of aeromodelling soon led Derek to fitting out his workshop with machine tools. He built several multi-cylinder glow motors and then progressed on to machining gas turbines. The photograph shows him with his scratch-built Druine D31 Turbulent with a scaled down VW flat 4 cylinder motor which he also built.

Derek was Chairman of the Beverley club for many years and was made President in 1996. His other interests were music, he played saxophone in a dance band, archeology was a passion of his, and painting where his landscapes were much admired. Son, Tim, is now flying is models. Derek will be sadly missed.

The Great Britain RC Aerobatic Association is sad to report the sudden death of Alison Harrop on 22nd June 2011.
Alison was introduced to the world of model flying by her husband Bill in the 1960s. For many years she supported Bill and their son John in RC aerobatic (F3A) competitions across the UK. As John progressed in the rankings, Bill became involved in the organisation of aerobatic competitions as GBRCAA competition secretary. At this time Alison became a regular scorer at these events, spending much of the day in the scoring tent but always breaking off from her duties to come out to watch John fly.
Following Bill’s untimely death in 2002, Alison took over as GBRCAA competition secretary and held this role for nine years. When John qualified for the UK F3A team in 2006, Alison was appointed as Team Manager by the BMFA. She managed the team for three European Championships and two World Championships, travelling to Switzerland, Argentina, Italy, Portugal and Austria. In this role Alison made many friends from all over the world and was well respected by the international F3A community.
Alison was regarded as the “mother” of the GBRCAA, always there at centralised F3A competitions, supporting the pilots, working to ensure the competitions were run well. She will be greatly missed by the F3A community in the UK and across the world, but most of all by her son John, daughter-in-law Angie and granddaughters Sophie and Annabelle.

It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Roger Pilon who died peacefully after a short illness on the 22nd May 2011.
Roger was passionate about aeroplanes, an avid modeller and persued his hobby alongside his military serivce in the Royal Air Force. He had quite a remarkable career working on Victors, Lightnings (56 Squadron). Wesses (Queens Flisg SAR 202/22 Squadron) and Hawks all in an engineering environment. He conculded his service career as Warrant Officer Engineering on 100 Squadron (Hawks) and continued in the same role as a civilian Engineering Manager for a number of years.
He will be missed for his encouragement, enthusiasm and guidance in the club and on the flying field. A true gentleman in every sense of the word.
Roger is survived by his wife Pam, son Ian, daughter Louise and five grandchildren to whom we extend our sincere condolences.

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.