Club History
South Bristol MAC was formed in 1947. Many youngsters joined at that time and are still active members of the club today.
To celebrate the club's 60th Anniversary we combined it with our annual Gala.
This particular Gala involved the usual competitive flying and Sunday roast, plus a 'walk down memory lane' assisted by a collage of members photos dating back to the 40's, a celebration cake (see left) and a photo-shoot.
To celebrate the club's 60th Anniversary we combined it with our annual Gala.
This particular Gala involved the usual competitive flying and Sunday roast, plus a 'walk down memory lane' assisted by a collage of members photos dating back to the 40's, a celebration cake (see left) and a photo-shoot.
The many members and friends at the South Bristol gala and 60 year celebration
To complete the celebration club members flew the the vintage speed model - the 'Quick 60'
Pitmen start the engine as club secretary prepares for take-off
John is 77 years of age and has been married to Sheila for 53 years. They have 2 children and
five grandchildren. His first foray into modelling was at the age of 9, when a wartime evacuee
living in Ilfacombe. The model was “Mister Mulligan”, he cut his finger during the construction and
failed to finish the model. Later in the war, along with his friends in the street gang he took up
1/72nd scale solids. Towards the end of the war he progressed to chuck gliders, the most
successful of which was the Frog Dart.
His first finished model was a Keil Kraft “Victory Glider”, it probably only glided down the slope at the local park. His interest in model aircraft was progressed when his father bought him a set of ‘Newnes Pictorial Knowledge’ to aid his studies at the Bristol Secondary Technical School (Boot Lane Academy). There was a section on model aircraft and from it, in 1948 John built a 36” wingspan towline glider and was persuaded to join the South Bristol Model Aircraft Club.
John lived in the Chessels district of Bristol and the club met weekly in the vestry of the nearby St Aldhelms Church. Names that spring to mind from that time are: Mike o’Keefe, Chas Hill, Dave Ramsey owner of a model shop in Totterdown, Ken Farmer and Ken F Jones. The model, incidentally, flew quite well ( but alas a recent replica didn’t).
Circa 1951 the club moved it’s HQ to a member’s shop basement in Hotwells, which we decorated for him. Not long afterwards he sold up. The club then moved to St Mary Redcliffe Church Hall in Guinea Street where John recalls some hairy Jetex RTP speed models flown by Brian Hopkins. (Editors note: so do I!!!)
National Service interrupted modeling between 1952 and 1954 when John served in the Royal
Artillery. Upon demob John picked up his modelling with his friend Ron Hillman. Club officers at
that time were Andy Wilson, Jom Sullivan, Phil Fowler and John Down. The club had use of Col.
Pearce’s 40acre field at Ashton Vale in these early years and also ran some area events at the
derelict RAF Lusgate Bottom, now Bristol International. The use of this site was lost in 1957 when Lulsgate became Bristol Airport, following the closure of Whitchurch. Whitchurch was used by the club as a flying site until required for the Bristol & West Show. After the show it took many years to get back onto Whitchurch, thanks to sterling work by Councilor Bob Wall and John Down.
About 1962 at Whitchurch, the club took part in a T/V commercial for “Surf”. The family that took
part was that of the late Fred Newman. In 1963, fired by an article in an American magazine I persuaded the club to organise the first nationally advertised vintage event. The cut-off date was 1948 and we had a good response when it was run at Blakehill Farm in Wiltshire.
To maintain his interest in aeromodelling John is a member of SAM35 and SAM1066. He is also interested in the history of model aero engines and by the time he retired from Rolls Royce he had a collection of over 250.
He has always been a free-flighter, both indoor and outdoor, with power duration being his forte
and has had some success locally and moderately at national level. His first power model was a
“Jersey Javelin” powered by his first engine, a Frog 100 MkII. His current competitive models are a Beatnik derivative, “Nik Nik” powered by an AM3.5, a Contender with an Elfin 2.49R and an untrimmed “Fly’s Eye” with an Allbon Javelin up front. Amongst his other models is a 6 foot
wingspan “New Ruler” with an O&R60 ignition engine. This is his largest model to date.
With rubber powered models he has placed second in SMAE Centralised events, flying a
“Garter Knight” Coupe D’hiver and a “Collector” vintage model. He is currently building a Keil Kraft Senator.
He has retired from flying gliders but in the past has enjoyed flying numerous models including
Sunnvind, Pink Elephant, Mercury Swan, Kelston Swift and the St Leonards Nova. He recalls that
his longest flight was from Ashton Vale to Clutton, a distance of 12 miles. The model was a
Toreador powered by a Frog 500.
His biggest disappointment has been that no one has joined the club from the many lads that he
has taught to build models over the years.
His greatest pleasure was being appointed a life member of SBMAC, along with John Down and the late Wilf Manning, during the club’s 30th anniversary.
five grandchildren. His first foray into modelling was at the age of 9, when a wartime evacuee
living in Ilfacombe. The model was “Mister Mulligan”, he cut his finger during the construction and
failed to finish the model. Later in the war, along with his friends in the street gang he took up
1/72nd scale solids. Towards the end of the war he progressed to chuck gliders, the most
successful of which was the Frog Dart.
His first finished model was a Keil Kraft “Victory Glider”, it probably only glided down the slope at the local park. His interest in model aircraft was progressed when his father bought him a set of ‘Newnes Pictorial Knowledge’ to aid his studies at the Bristol Secondary Technical School (Boot Lane Academy). There was a section on model aircraft and from it, in 1948 John built a 36” wingspan towline glider and was persuaded to join the South Bristol Model Aircraft Club.
John lived in the Chessels district of Bristol and the club met weekly in the vestry of the nearby St Aldhelms Church. Names that spring to mind from that time are: Mike o’Keefe, Chas Hill, Dave Ramsey owner of a model shop in Totterdown, Ken Farmer and Ken F Jones. The model, incidentally, flew quite well ( but alas a recent replica didn’t).
Circa 1951 the club moved it’s HQ to a member’s shop basement in Hotwells, which we decorated for him. Not long afterwards he sold up. The club then moved to St Mary Redcliffe Church Hall in Guinea Street where John recalls some hairy Jetex RTP speed models flown by Brian Hopkins. (Editors note: so do I!!!)
National Service interrupted modeling between 1952 and 1954 when John served in the Royal
Artillery. Upon demob John picked up his modelling with his friend Ron Hillman. Club officers at
that time were Andy Wilson, Jom Sullivan, Phil Fowler and John Down. The club had use of Col.
Pearce’s 40acre field at Ashton Vale in these early years and also ran some area events at the
derelict RAF Lusgate Bottom, now Bristol International. The use of this site was lost in 1957 when Lulsgate became Bristol Airport, following the closure of Whitchurch. Whitchurch was used by the club as a flying site until required for the Bristol & West Show. After the show it took many years to get back onto Whitchurch, thanks to sterling work by Councilor Bob Wall and John Down.
About 1962 at Whitchurch, the club took part in a T/V commercial for “Surf”. The family that took
part was that of the late Fred Newman. In 1963, fired by an article in an American magazine I persuaded the club to organise the first nationally advertised vintage event. The cut-off date was 1948 and we had a good response when it was run at Blakehill Farm in Wiltshire.
To maintain his interest in aeromodelling John is a member of SAM35 and SAM1066. He is also interested in the history of model aero engines and by the time he retired from Rolls Royce he had a collection of over 250.
He has always been a free-flighter, both indoor and outdoor, with power duration being his forte
and has had some success locally and moderately at national level. His first power model was a
“Jersey Javelin” powered by his first engine, a Frog 100 MkII. His current competitive models are a Beatnik derivative, “Nik Nik” powered by an AM3.5, a Contender with an Elfin 2.49R and an untrimmed “Fly’s Eye” with an Allbon Javelin up front. Amongst his other models is a 6 foot
wingspan “New Ruler” with an O&R60 ignition engine. This is his largest model to date.
With rubber powered models he has placed second in SMAE Centralised events, flying a
“Garter Knight” Coupe D’hiver and a “Collector” vintage model. He is currently building a Keil Kraft Senator.
He has retired from flying gliders but in the past has enjoyed flying numerous models including
Sunnvind, Pink Elephant, Mercury Swan, Kelston Swift and the St Leonards Nova. He recalls that
his longest flight was from Ashton Vale to Clutton, a distance of 12 miles. The model was a
Toreador powered by a Frog 500.
His biggest disappointment has been that no one has joined the club from the many lads that he
has taught to build models over the years.
His greatest pleasure was being appointed a life member of SBMAC, along with John Down and the late Wilf Manning, during the club’s 30th anniversary.
April 2010