Christchurch and District Model Flying Club
Sloping Off - our newsletter

Memories of “Rip” Rippon and my introduction to RC flying

by Mark Banfield

Many thanks to Mark for these memories, which I suspect are similar to those of many in the Club. Good photos though - most of my early models were not considered good enough for the camera! I hope Mark is now a member? Ed)

I first met "Rip" Rippon in the summer of 1970. As a 14 year old, I was a keen aero modeller who had just moved into the area and was looking for a club to join. I had cycled over to Stanpit Marsh where I had heard the Christchurch and District Model Flying Club met and that's where Rip found me. He persuaded me to come along to a club meeting and I soon joined the club.

Rip always encouraged younger people into the hobby and I learned much from him over the next few years. He used to cover his models in gumstrip; the only person who did so, I believe. In those early days I was flying single channel RC models but was keen to get a multi channel set. I couldn't afford "propo", so bought a second hand reed outfit along with a Keil Kraft Super 60, which was a resounding failure. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the CDMFC and I believe I was the club's youngest club secretary at the age of 16.

Motorcycles, girls and studies then took the place of model aircraft for a while. I then got married and was busy setting up home. When our first son was born in 1980, I decided to buy a couple of cheap analogue proportional RC sets. I once more started to build and fly models, although no longer a member of the club, having moved to Wimborne.

Family life and ever-increasing work responsibilities intervened and modelling got shelved. Then, earlier this year, I decided enough was enough and I took early retirement. I've now started modelling again, have resurrected some of the old models out of the loft and have learned the joys of 2.4GHz and Bind N Fly foamies. I’ve also just completed a Simple Cub from the Flite Test plan, built completely from foam board (new to me, and cheap too!)

I have attached a few photos to this email. The photos show the following:

• Photo 1: 1970. A sunny evening on Stanpit Marsh with me starting the DC Merlin in my Junior Falcon; single channel with Ripmax Pathfinder RC.
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• Photo 2: 1970. As photo 1, with my friend Dave Wells in attendance.
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• Photo 3: 1972. First multi-channel RC attempt; reed set with Super 60 and Enya 35 power. Not a great success.
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• Photo 4: 1972. Semi-scale Fokker control line aircraft, powered by a PAW 19, shortly before being taken to a CDMFC demo at Hordle in the New Forest. Another failure; I crashed it and wrote it off on its test flight, so it never was seen by the paying public! (Pilot error, I’m afraid; I connected the control lines upside down!)
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• Photo 5: 1981. Bowman Mini Skyman, with Cox 049 power and 2 channel Ripmax RC. It flew well then was put into the loft later that year. 
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  2017. A month ago I converted it to electric power with a Turnigy Park 450 motor and 3S LiPo power. It now climbs almost vertically and still flies well.
• Photo 6: 2017. My first attempt at building with foam board. The materials cost £7.50 from Hobbycraft; pretty good value! Yet to be test flown.
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• Photo 7: 2017. My current squadron, which ranges from a 1980 glider (the 100” blue and white job) to a very recent E-Flite Waco.
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• I recently discovered that the CDMFC is still going and it would be great to join once more. Do you happen to have any vacancies at the moment? I look forward to your reply.

Best regards,

Mark J Banfield

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