Willunga Vintage Model Aircraft Club Inc
By Don Howie
Back on the 16th July 1990 Bill Britcher sent a letter to the District Council of Willunga, asking if they could suggest a place owned by the Council, where they could fly R/C model aircraft.
A letter dated the 31st of August 1990 from the Council was sent to Bill after consideration at the monthly Council meeting. The letter stated that Button Road Reserve was the most suitable area for the modellers to fly. Provided the flyers gave consideration to other members of the public who may be close by, they had no objection.
Thus, the Willunga Vintage Model Club started, with a variety of aircraft flown, though mainly of the Vintage types. The area near the sea had fairly long grass, inhabitated by by snakes, so an area for flying was cut by the members with petrol hand mowers. The standard of flying improved greatly as most modellers wished to land on the mown area, rather than the area inhabitated by snakes. The long grass area was usually cut by the council in summer to avoid the bushfire risk to people.
Bill Britcher has remained President of the Club up till the present time and we now have a new ride on mower, that Bill and son Chris use to cut the flying area of the field, The present Secretary is Bob Fisher (Holdfast Club) who builds fantastic scale aircraft and the Treasurer is Don Howie ( Life member Constellation Club) who has uses the Club to fly slow flying Vintage aircraft.
The flying field is now part of the “City of Onkaparinga” and in recent times we now have many restrictions as to the type of aircraft flown, as they must be of the Vintage type. We have to log all days we go flying and use is restricted to 52 days per year. A payment of $330 each year (adjusted) in 2015 made to the Council can get the large flying and walking area cut short when requested.
Thus, the field is a great area for the flying of Vintage Gliders of over 10 feet span as we have plenty of short mown grass to lay out a power winch for those gliders. This has resulted in many new large Vintage gliders being built and the field does not get bogged in winter, with the water running off to the nearby lakes. The modellers sit in chairs to fly our slow flying aircraft and we have concrete pipes in the ground for beach umbrellars in the grassed pits as we have mains water on the field. Current membership is 13.
Shown is the aircraft flown at the field and we also run Old Timer events with the special interest group, SAOTA. Control line models are often taken out for a run as well.
We have few facilities, other than a toilet, but members bring chairs, umbrellars and we have a portable BBQ for lunches on contest days.
It is a low key fun club in a beautiful part of the world ideal for flying Vintage aircraft,
For more details please contact Bill Britcher at bullydog@adam.com.au
Chris Britcher Bill Britcher
1980 “Sky Loop” SIG “AstroHog”
56 inch span Saito 65 4 stroke
Enya 35 2 stroke motor Coverite andacrylic paint
Dave Markwell
“Leprechaun” 8 feet 6 inch Vintage Glider by Dick Homey
Solartex covering, 9.7 lbs
Ivan Stacey
1940 “Buzzard Bombshell” 72 inch span, won “C” duration 1940
OS 30 2 stroke
Ray Bobridge
“lulu” Vintage glider, 86 inch span
Covering Hobby King transparent yellow
