MODEL AEROPLANES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 1, 16 January 1937, Page 2

MODEL AEROPLANES

"Assembly.")

An Appeal For Increased Interest H0LIDAY FLYING

(By

The model-minded residents of Hawke's Bay certainly failed to make the most of their holiday opportunities in the flying fields of tbis district. Only meagre reports are as yet to hand, the main one being from the Hastings Club's secretary who acted as the competitions organiser at Hastings, but it is clearly seen that the recognised builders there did not turn up in force to demonstrate their progress in model aviation. "Assembly" would like to see more desire to demonstrate shown by builders than a desire to compete only when the builder feels certain of being at the top of the prize list. We all must learn and there is no disgrace in competing— and losing — but rather in being afraid to compete for fear of a loss. Another point which has already been mentioned in these notes is that we in New Zealand have not yet recognised that in the various stages of this good activity the adults can find ample opportunity for their individual talent and accomplishments by trying things man-size, maybe in making larger models in regular plywoods and with engine-driven props, perhaps in designing suitable model engines or in fabricating exactly designed props built up and metal tipped like the regular ships of the air use. Most adults can recall the humorous references made about the "baby" cars when first produced, but the need was there and these cars met it to such good purpose that they are among the best sellers of to-day. Opportunity for Girls. We will reach the same stage in baby-aeroplanes when serious-minded adults are prepared to take an active interest in model aviation. New Zealanders are not inferior to other peoples; in fact, in all that we in this country have seriously undertaken to do we have sometimes exceeded the height of other countries' accomplishments and very seldom have our people failed. Our girls, and womenfolk too, have led the world in the manner in which they have adjusted themselves to modern opportunities, and have shown great progress. Miss Jean Batten is an outstanding .example and should by her success remove from our girls' thoughts any claim of aviation being only for men and boys. So we should have model-building girls competing in all future flying meets. Many other countries already possess clubs of girls only who successfully compete against the male clubs. We cannot perhaps expect so much here yet, but any club will gladly sign on women members who could thereupon affiliate with the association and become eligible to compete in every meet held under New Zealand Model Aeroplane Association rules. Holiday Meets. Reporting on the holiday meets of the Napier and Hastings clubs, Mr Lynch, Hastings secretary, says that the events provided abundance of interest for numbers of adults on each day. The full results were published in the Press at the time. A noteworthy success was Mr Dawson's (Napier) Wakefield class time of 2mins. 45secs. The glider events were evidently not attractive enough to interest builders. This was unfortunate, as gliders, though not spectacular fliers, are wonderful performers and glider buildersalways show most progress in other events due to the great understanding born of experience in glider building. Junior fuselage events were most popular, the same builder, D. Fendall (Hastings), being the winner in both classes, with the times of 1min. 1sec. and 2mins. 14secs. One contestant who put up better time was unfortunate. He was disqualified on account of his plane not complying with New Zealand Model Aeroplane Association weight-rule measurement. The instructor will be pleased to weigh and measure models for builders who care to take them along to the Hastings or Napier clubrooms on instruction nights. A stamped and addressed envelope sent to "Assembly" will bring to any reader further particulars.