RAF Honington 28 – 31 August 2003

            This was our fourth year at sunny Honington and that’s what it proved to be…..sunny.  A little windy on the Saturday, but that is always a challenge.  If you were there I know you had a good time, if not come along next year.  Just think, doing your hobby whilst on duty, having an excellent social time in the local station drinking facility.  What more can you ask for?

             A gentle start was had by all on Thursday morning, unless you came under command of the Control Line Sec who starts his competitors off with lots of funny walking and a damn good whipping!  The R/C contingent started off with noise checks and frequency checking.  In good old Champs style, some people were bringing models that had not been flown, so they were champing (no pun intended) at the bit to fly them before the competition.  Notably Mr Morgan turned up with a brand new Loaded Dice, this time with the ailerons working in the correct sense!  By the time the R/C boys had had their faff, the control-liners were halfway through Mini-Goodyear. It took some cajoling by Des Farthing and myself to get the Comps started as nobody wanted to go first.  By late morning we were underway, Fun Fly had started and Sportsman’s aerobatics was in full throw.  The Glider Guider(s) had a slow start, your Newsletter Editor was like ‘Billy No Mates’ as he was on his own for a time, but he is now an expert at putting the tent up by himself.  The flying was rather sedate by the end of the day, Mini-Goodyear was complete as was Speed and we had flown a full round of the 3 aerobatic events and a good portion of Fun Fly.  Additionally everybody had a good chance of flying ‘off-the-peg’, between competitions. 

                 At the end of it all it was time to have a shower, get changed and make our way to 2623 Sqn bar for the BBQ and Bring and Buy.  Thanks to Bill Newson and Dave? For buying the food and cooking it. 

 Friday dawned and it was another bright sunny day!  R/C pilots continued with rounds of aerobatics and Fun Fly.  Colin Waite had some Glider Blokes turn up so they started thermal hunting and such like down the other end of the airfield.  The ‘Circle of Friends’ busied themselves with rounds of diesel combat, much to the delight of everybody else, it always provides amusement in between R/C rounds.  There is nothing like the dull thud of nylon on nylon.  Scale static judging was held with only four entries but Concours had 15 entries, the most for many years. 

                 At the end of the day it was off to the Station Drinking facility (SDF) for the AGM and an enlightening talk by Mike Woodhouse on Contest Rubber Models and Hi-Tech materials.  So well received and interesting was the talk that the NAAFI manager pleaded with us to go at 2330 hrs.

                 Saturday saw a bright but windier day, the wind direction had changed and strengthened over night.  The aerobatic lines were moved and the scale guys grumbled.  The Scale rounds were flown first, then the last rounds of aerobatics.  Fun Fly was wrapped up by early afternoon.  Things got noisier in the Control Line section as they got out the Brit Goodyear models.  With few entries and faster aircraft that competition was soon over which then led onto Novice Aerobatics.  The Glider Guiders were still playing around at the bottom end of the airfield doing electro. 

  Meanwhile Des Farthing was pacing out the Open Pylon course and recruiting flagmen, coaxing them by telling them that is an easy job with no danger involved….Yeh Right!  So why do we have to wear hard hats?  Just to keep the sun off  because you may be out there some time.  And with that Pinocchio was put back in the toy box!!  I digress.  With the change in the Pylon rules it proved to be an exciting contest with many models evenly matched, as the rule change intended.  I do believe that there was only one casualty and that was Phil Burgess’s Easy Street.  As he hauled back the elevator on the second lap, his starboard wing ‘departed from normal flight’.  The rest of the aircraft plunged into the concrete whilst the starboard wing had a leisurely flutter back to earth, glinting in the sunshine.  The final proved exciting having three members of the Marham Club in it and an infiltrator from a lesser camp!  At times my Wot 4 and Mav Dierking’s Bimbo Dancer were so close they appeared to be a biplane.  The Pylon race marked the end of the R/C events, it was time for yours truly to punch (and I mean punch!) the last results into the laptop. 

                Whilst I was slaving away over a hot computer the Free Flight Scramble was underway.  There were a healthy number of entries, I do believe a couple of competitors had to gain access to Essex and Norfolk to retrieve their models.  With that being the last competition it was time for all to get groomed for the Fork Supper and the prize giving. 

                Meanwhile back in the Sgts’ Mess, smoke was pouring off the laptop keys, entering all the results, all I had to do now was hit the compile results button and all the reports would print automatically…..NOT.  This was the time that Gary Settery’s ears were burning in France!!  I had made contingency plans for such an event happening.  I am indebted to Dick Mottram and Martin Paffett for helping to compile the last bits.  We ran out of time for calculating Inter-Station Cup, Victor Ludorum etc.  That would wait until later.  It was time to get along to the SDF for the Prize giving.  After a brief speech from our President; Kath Watson kindly volunteered to do the ‘grip and grins’.  The Comp. Sec only experienced a couple of glitches with certificates, which would soon be rectified.  Jim O’Rourke provided the suitable calming backdrop to the event, organising the trophies and certificates.  After the Prize giving, it was time to reflect on these and previous Champs with many tales of yore aided by copious amounts of ale.

                Sunday dawned to be a sunny day with little wind (typical).  Those who stayed had plenty of flying-off-the-peg.  The last results were collated and in front of a small audience the last trophies were presented.  I am pleased to report that Max Ivison of Coltishall is now the proud owner of a BMFA ‘A’ certificate.

                  That was the 2003 Main Champs.  I would personally like to thank all our judges and officials, without their time and energy this event would not happen.  Additionally, I would like to thank all the competitors, not only for supporting the Main Champs but, also for supporting all the competitions throughout the year.  It makes the committee’s job worthwhile when you support our events.  Book leave now for next year’s Champs ( you can always cancel it closer to the time as you will be on duty) they will be 2-5 Sep 2004, probably at Honington.  See you through the coming year.