At CMAC, Vintage model flying takes place at the Willows flying site most Sunday mornings of the year.
Models are either Free Flight or guided by Radio Control (R/C), for competition or just for the fun of flying these nostalgic old designs from our model flying heritage. These traditional designs are inherently stable, fly sedately and are ideal for beginners learning to fly.
If you are interested contact Allan Knox 021 747 950 or Stewart Morse 027 428 3333
Vintage modelling is rich and varied and steeped in the history of our hobby. There are thousands of plans available off the internet and materials are readily available to construct them from. Just take a look on Outer Zone for inspiration.
Club members can help with advice and recommendations on what to build or buy second hand as well as sources of material, information and much more.
There is an active Vintage Special Interest Group (SIG) as part of Model Flying NZ. They have an excellent regular E Magazine for vintage enthusiasts called AVANZ for which you can join the mail list. Just contact the editor Bernard Scott.
The SIG have developed a comprehensive set of Vintage competition rules that can be found on the MFNZ website. MFNZ run a National Decentralised Contest (NDC) for clubs throughout the year and CMAC uses this as the basis for its contest activity. NDC Vintage has a number of classes that can be flown each month with results reported monthly and building toward an overall championship, one that CMAC has won many times.
Vintage contests cover R/C and Free Flight models and are broken down to specific age periods. For instance RC has a Vintage category for models before 31 Dec 1950 and a Classical period from 31 Dec 1950 to 31 Dec 1975. Internal combustion (IC) and Electric motors can be used depending on the class. Contests are of 3 types.
- Precision requiring flights of 3 minutes and a spot landing within a 15m radius circle.
- Duration events requiring a short high powered climb followed by a flight of 4 or 5 minutes and spot landing.
- Endurance events called Texaco classes requiring long flights based on a small amount of energy, either a designated amount of fuel or a specific sized battery.
All these contests reward good model building and preparation as well as flying skills.
Most of all though, Vintage modelling is about just building and flying the old models many of us grew up with and for the company and companionship of like minded souls.
Come and join us and see what it’s all about some Sunday morning at the Willows.
