This event was held on Sunday 13^th April 2003 at 'The Hole of Horcum' on the North Yorkshire Moors.  Steve Griffiths and Mike Briggs made their usual trip from West Yorkshire to take part and the following words, by Steve, are taken from the Spring '03 PSSA magazine issue 62.

The day started badly: I fell asleep again immediately after switching off my second alarm, to be awoken by Mike Briggs banging on my door.  Then I slipped off the bottom step hurrying down to let him in, giving me a severe cramp in one leg, and we got off in such a rush that I had to take my breakfast and eat it in the car.  However, from there everything improved dramatically.  We arrived just in time to get a place in the car-park, and found a good warm breeze from the South-East; not quite the most distant slope, but far enough to carry a laden rucksack with arms full of models.

About 20 fliers turned up, with 40-50 models between them, and the wind strengthened through the day reaching about 20mph with stronger gusts, but remaining warm and comfortable.  Considering that 20mph is quite enough to fly anything on that site it is surprising and difficult to understand why some of the slots were not filled, and why some models were not flown.  Well, to be honest, I know why a couple of models weren’t flown - because the owner forgot to bring the wings with him; an easy mistake to make (!).  We should perhaps have initiated a PSS Ballistic class so he could participate by throwing his fuselages off the slope.  On reflection, that would have to have been free flight, because it turns out the poor soul left his tranny at home as well!!  To avoid embarrassment, I will not publish this poor unfortunate’s name - yet! (a clean £20 note will secure my silence for ever).

The conditions must rate the event as being among the best three I have attended in the past several years, and I enjoyed the flying so much that I didn’t take enough time to make adequate notes on the models that were there, or spend enough time chatting to old friends. I did get a few pictures, though, including several of my Vulcan taken with my camera by Andy Blackburn, and others by Mike Briggs - to both of whom go my thanks - giving me more pictures of it than I had got throughout its previous 15 years of existence. 

The wind took Peter Walkinshaw by surprise when he demonstrated the ejection seat in his DH-108 Swallow; the pilot and parachute went quite a long way further than expected.  The day passed with only one model suffering serious damage after an inexplicable descent into the hillside, though I was very lucky to land my Hawk 100 intact after a tailplane half fell off on a fast pass across the slope.  In all the years I have flown Hawks, that has never happened before, so now I am having to find a way to attach the tailplane more securely.  

All entrants voted for the models of their choice, and the awards went as follows:

Besides those mentioned above, there were some other notable models.  A couple of excellent Me109’s from Concept Models kits (flown by the proprietor and his son?) took my eye.  These are primarily for Speed 400 power, but were flown with the prop removed as PSS, still carrying motor battery and speed controller, and weighing 18-20 oz.  With 3/8” solid balsa wings spanning only 28”, the wing loading must have been quite high, but they flew very well and were remarkably quick.  

The kit is very complete, with pre-cut parts, includes vac-formed scale spinner, canopy and exhaust stacks, and is very reasonably priced at £37.50 (Tel 0191 236 3200).

At the other end of the size scale came Gary Whitfield’s enormous B-17, built from a power model kit.  Gary brought it unpainted, on the basis that if it flew, it would get painted.  Considering that it has a symmetrical section and carries a lot of weight (rather like some of our older members), I guess the outcome of his test flights was not a foregone conclusion, but fly it did.  Initially, it was nose-heavy, but the removal of a pound and a half of lead (roughly the equivalent of my Tucano, complete) fettled it, and it looked very impressive in the air.  No doubt it will look even better when finished, and I hope we see it in that condition before the season’s out.

Two views of the mighty B-17 Flying Fortress by Gary Whitfield...a truely impressive model, even before it is painted!

John Edison had a Hunter built from the Flair kit, which flew better than any I’ve seen before.  He had acquired it part-built, but realised it was unlikely to fly well so reduced the anhedral, faired over the intakes, and has turned it into the excellent example pictured on the right.

Thanks to Phil Dean for running the event, to Kevin Davidson for managing the slots, and to the North Yorks Moors Ridge Soaring Club for hosting the event.  Phil has asked me to thank all who turned up to fly, and without whom the event would not have been  so successful.  Let’s hope this day was the forerunner of an excellent season.

Steve Griffiths.

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