Charlie Newman, the Competition Director for the event, did his best to keep things moving briskly along, and as long as your model did not suffer breakages or rubber failures, it was possible to get up to 8 flights in. I only managed four with my Jungmeister though (due to two rubber motor breaks and a collision with a wall!)
It is always interesting to see what people have been building over the winter, and there were several interesting new models on show. The turnout was rather disappointing, but I guess Oxford is perhaps just a bit too far for some of the northern modellers to make the trip. A shame really, because the Blackbird Leys hall is a good size, and has a nice clean ceiling.
Here is a sneak preview of Steven Glass's latest indoor electric ducted fan project - a Douglas Skyray. The model was being test flown, and looked very promising. As you can see, the size is very similar to the Javelin. In its unpainted state you can see the blue foam construction than Steven uses. Power, like the Javelin, is from one of Derek Knight's electric Ducted fan units.
A special presentation was made at this meeting to Steven of the BMFA Technical Committee Award, for the most innovative scale model of the previous year. This was for his Javelin, of course - strangely enough, the award the previous year had also gone to a Gloster Javelin - the turbine-powered R/C example by Mick Reeves. Congratulations to Steven - this was well deserved.
Peter Smart has been busy again and he had a great collection of gorgeous peanut-sized CO2 powered WW1 models on display. All are from foam. Here is the Sopwith Camel, sporting an immaculate painted finish. It is powered by a Gasparin G10 C02 motor.
This is Peter's lovely little Albatros D.V, also Gasparin G10 powered.
Just look at the simulated ribbing on this Morane Saulnier parasol - very clever work with an airbrush by Peter.
I got a decent picture of Peter's Tu 95 Bear in action at last - a very impressive sight in the air, and winner of the open rubber class with the best flight marks of the day. It is a big model for indoors, and used most of the available space in the sports hall.
David Vaughan won the CO2/electric class with his electric-powered Vickers Supermarine Walrus, as seen at Alumwell in October, but he was also flying this new Fairey Swordfish - also an elecric powered foam model. The realistic weathering was most impressive.
Lindsey Smith was flying this very nice Avia B.35 in the peanut class. I saw at least one flight of over 30 seconds.
Another of Lindsey's models was this PWS 10, based on a plan that came with Flying Aces News, but blown up to 21.5" span, making it 1/16th scale.
David Prior came second in pistachio scale with this tiny Bede B.D.4 - he also came second in open rubber with his familiar Sopwith Baby
Mike Hadland's Tiger Moth came third in pistachio scale.
Mike was also doing some trimming flights with this new peanut scale Stampe SV.4. The tricky paint scheme has been beautifully executed. All up weight will be about 12 grams (it has not been rigged yet), and it was flying very well.
Ray Johnson entered this Fokker D.XXI in the open rubber competition. Trim problems prevented a qualification flight, but he did place second in the CO2/electric class with his Curtiss Owl.
Bryan Stichbury winds his pistachio Messerschmitt M.20 airliner.
Another of Bryan's models at Blackbird Leys was this rubber powered Avro Type F.