Large Model Association Forum

Hi all, here is something that might be interesting to know, how many of you have other hobbies besides model flying, my hobby use to be computers and I even had a allotment at one point. Now computers have become my job and I give up the allotment because I took up model flying, I do like taking pictures when I am out and about but I am not that into it to call it a hobby, so have you got any other hobbies?

Yes, Building 1/32 scale slot cars ( similar to Scalextric ) and then racing them at Wolverhampton slot car club where we have two large tracks, one known as the International track which has four lanes and the other called the Aldersley,( because we are based at Aldersley Stadium,) which is five lanes plus a rally track in its centre, However it now seems the two hobbies are coming together due to there being the Wolves Acadamy next door to our building which is an indoor training pitch for the Wolverhampton Wanderers football team which we are allowed to use on the first and third Sunday of each Month, Flying indoor Helicopters on one halve of the pitch and fixed wing on the other which works very well and is allowing us to encourage youngsters who are attracted to the car club to try model aircraft also, The flying club has only been in existence for a year but already we have attracted twenty four members and are always looking for more.

That's a coincidence Dave. When I was in my late twenties to early thirties I was mad keen on 1/24 scale slot car racing as it was a major sport in those days with very big prizes in London and districts. My home club was based in Manor park and we used have a very competitive league in the area with weekly meetings. On one occasion we held an invitation 24 hour race run over the Saturday and the Sunday. It was 12 hours continuous each day, only stopping for pitstops - Tyre changes - pick-up brush changes etc. The track circuit was very long and had six lanes. There were only two drivers in each team so it was really hard graft. At the end of it all my partner and I were absolutely knackered but very happy as we had manged to win over the two days. Our prizes were two very expensive state of the art slot car motors, worth on todays rates about eighty pounds each.
Unfortunately moving to the sticks- new home new job put paid to all that so I started single channel radio in 69.
Those were the days. Nowadays I play the organ and muck around with electronics.

My other hobby is Morgan cars. I haven't had my car very long....only 43 years now, still runs well. Every month or so the Morgan owners group has weekend runs...the long way round to the pub

Although having retired from 44 years in the auto repair business, I find myself very disinclined to work on them anymore

Any of you slot guys remember this mag.

That was the year when it had to finish for me Gregg. Would that be your father by any chance.. I did my own rewinds because the tracks we raced on had different requirements. Some had lots of short stretches and others very long fast straights so we had to gear and rewind our motors to suit the track. I probably wound a hundred over the years experimenting with star and delta winds and different cable sizes and number of turns. In the end it meant using silver wire for the maximum currant capability. Couldn't afford it nowadays. I built my own magnetiser to beef up the motor magnets, capable of 13,000 Gausse. Even went to four wheel drive twin motors and steering with UJs on the front. Chassis were all hand crafted from brass with a long brass drop arm for the pickups, pivoting side plates which the body was mounted on to and lead weights for low c of g. Tyres were treated with a special compound to increase grip. All highly testacle but loads of fun.

For me my other distractions are guitars and motorbikes. I have two guitars one being a Jackson "dinky Reverse" and a Fender Stratocaster, the latter I brought 7 years ago an is one of the Jap built re-issues with button machinheads and it's black of course. Thats something I've done for nearly 20 years, been in some bands and even played on the hallowed ground of Knebworth park at the Sonisphere festival 09(well took part in a comp on the Jackson stage, but it still counts). As for the Bikes I've always had late 70's/early 80's Suzuki's, currently I have a Katana 750 from 1981 and an XN85, which was the Suzuki attempt at a turbo bike, both are pretty rare. The XN has been off the road for a few years but should make it's return next year. Sometimes when I have the frustrating days with the aeroplanes I think stuff this I'm going back to a model railway

You forgot to mention Cider drinking Fighter Boy

For me I collect memorabilia on Land and Water Speed Records. And in particular Donald Campbell. Love the old attitude of changing something then running it at full speed to see what happens. But also the the modern approach as well. But most of all, the people. Read so many books on the subject.

chris willis wrote:You forgot to mention Cider drinking Fighter Boy

Yep Cider, should be had with every meal including breakfast, it's got apples in it which means it's part of your 5 a day.

And you haven't mentioned you BSA Bantam collection Willy

I used to make clock cases like longcase,bracket, and regulator, also repair and fit movements,plus making and upholstering furniture, for friends and family, I fitted@ built kitchensfor both daughters and DIYed all plumbing , that was befor the flat packs. Now I only build areos but still do the odd house maintenance. unless one can call caravaning a hobby thats the lot.ROG

Just keep churning those aircraft out Roger

Tony Collins 1073 wrote:That was the year when it had to finish for me Gregg. Would that be your father by any chance..

Yep, sure is Tony. Thats his car on the cover. He still races a bit during the winter too

OK will do, done one so far ROG

Well there is a prime example of why you should put your winter creations in to print as I have said in my Editorial in this issue of the Journal, “Think of it, your pride and joy will be in print - it won’t fade into the Ethernet to be lost forever. No, it will sit in pride of place on your bookshelf for all your friends to see”.

Gregg's dad did just that in Model Cars in 1969 and now they can look back on it with fond memories and still share it with others. What more could you want.

There is some fascinating insight in to what other hobbies members have here; it would be nice to have a few more members join in, most people tend to have more than one hobby. Like I have already said before most of my time now is taken up with the website/forum and Journal so you could say that is my other hobby now, after all I do love doing it and isn’t that what a hobby is all about.

I started modelling when I was 7. Never been a good builder but most models seemed to fly ok despite the poor finishing. Teenage years I got a guitar and joined a local band in the days when if you could play four chords you were a genius and could play 99% of the songs in the 50/60s charts , moved on to keyboards in the late 60s and synthesisers in the 80s up till now when I recently took all my gear to Electro Music Doncaster to be sold. Might regret it but decided being on stage as an old git might not be the thing. Held a ppl for 35years and flew mainly Cessnas. Had a couple of friends who owned them and they were parked outside my house at East Kirkby for lots of years and for the price of the fuel I could use them when they were available. So music and aircraft have always been my hobbies and my only other interests have been East Kirkby Airfield & brussel sprouts . Now modelling is my main interest and I think as an OAP how lucky my generation is to have so much technology available to help us achieve what would have been impossible a few decades ago. I look forward to the future indulging in my hobby and being with friends in the LMA

DB

Well it is all in the hobby and I got going at an early age.
I didnt stand a chance as my Grandfather Dickie Booth had been an engineer at De Havillands before and during the war on a reserved occupation, such were the demand for his skills.
He gained a War office citation for coming up with a method to over come Mosquito exhaust production problems.
In the sixties there was barely a time when I wasn't being driven out to Ivinghoe by him or my Uncle John to hurl the latest airframe atop the hill and then spend the rest of the afternoon trying to locate it, in a field, which seemed about two miles away.
They were heady freeflight days and such were the rate of airframes it wasnt long before the two of them developed some early family kits, the Meadow Mangler and the Groundsman.
Named respectively because of the clear characteristics that they exhibited.
Remember these were the days before the 'save the planet brigade' had a voice.

Anyway, Uncle Johns widowed aunt Dolly (Great aunt to me) would often travel out with us in the summer months and sit on the hill knitting.
She was a bit of a 'goer' in her day by all accounts, especially after three G and Ts and could churn out knitting like no tomorrow.
Frank her husband had tragically strangled himself whilst stopped at traffic lights during a blitz black out.
The home made scarf from Dolly got caught around a sign post as he pulled away on green.
He had a habit of driving with it flapping out of the window cockpit style and was warned many times about the dangers, but to no avail.

Needless to say Knitting has been in the background family history for decades as Dolly had a very successful business that just grew and grew.
I always remember back in the late 80s pushing the old girl of 85 in her wheelchair into the brand new hanger size factory where new early CNC machines had been installed to streamline and keep up with production.
I will never forget the tears welling up in her eyes as she said 'is that it, you just have to click on that thing in your hand and off it goes'. 'Your Uncle Frank was a bit like that' she'd sigh.
It was almost too much for old Dolly to take in bless her.

My father and me in the early 1970s, in a desperate attempt to stay away from knitting as a hobby, designed our own hang glider.
Spurred on from the success of the 1/4 scale model made from bamboo cane and bin liners, we set about building the fullsize from materials bought at the local builders merchants.
If I told you that the leading edge was made from staircase handrail you will realise it was as well it was never completed.
My young teenage legs would never have taken the impact.
Down the years Ive been songwriting and painting, fortunately without so much as a thread let alone a ball of wool in sight.
One thing though that has always stayed with me, is production standards. Old Dolly would say ' focus on what you're best at son and it'll see you through'.
Merry Christmas all.

Great story, Mike!

Ronni Corbet eat your heart out