The Photo That Sums Up This Years Fly-in!
Saturday 16th June threatened to be very wet, but that didn't stop most of the club from turning out on Brooklands runway for the club fly-in. Thankfully several people had brought gazebos with them and by 9:30 everyone was sheltered under them.
The Photo above certainly sums up the day. Not only was the rain not going to stop us, but, as can be seen, the far side of the runway turned into a sizable lake leaving several people wishing they had brought their seaplanes!
Sheltered Under the Gazebo.
The rain continued, off an on, for most of the day. However, at least a tarmac runway doesn't get muddy and as soon as there was a break in the cloud people would get airborne. Leading the pack - and putting in quite a lot of flying all day - was Rosso with his little scale Turbulent. It was certainly making the water turbulent as its OS 25 FSR engine struggled with the larger patches of water.
A Turbulent Puddle!
Jeff Cosford wasn't far behind and having a Moki 135 of nearer 25cc's than 0.25cu in in his Pete Tindal's Airplanes Exitation he made short work of the puddles.
The Exitation Splashes Down
John Bransgrove's perennial, (he has been flying it for more than 10 years) and very adequately powered (Super Tigre 3000), Jiant Jabberwock had a new trick up its sleeve this year.
John had fitted it with a neat tow line mechanism. The tow line can be passed through a key ring taped to the nose of a Zagi and then back to a release mechanism on the Jabberwock.
Volunteers with Zagi's were quickly found. Questions about how best to steer a Zagi on a tow line proved to be superfluous as the Jabberwock simply took off and went vertical, dangling the Zagi beneath it!
The tow release worked fairly well. It would occasionally snag but, fortunately, good choice of line meant that it snapped easily if it snagged on release and both aircraft were able to land safely.
"Beware the Jabberwock my son..."
John tells me that the 66 inch span, 14½lb, Jiant Jabberwock is an excellent flyer and is still available as a kit from Ratby Aeroplanes.
