It all started in the early 1940s when my parents took me to see a Abbott & Costello film,in one seen Abbott attempts to fly a control line model that's the only part of the film I can remember, then in 1943 we went to the local fete & I heard that noise again I pushed through a group of people to see a model engine running and I was hooked.

I had to wait to 1948 to buy my first diesel the E D comp special & the c/l Veron Hawker sea fury (with flaps) & no idea what to expect the model was readied for flight and my father hand launched the stunt model,I managed about 5 laps before kissing the ground.With slight damage repaired out again & this time I flew several tank loads of fuel. I saw a photo of a team racer in a American mag a semi scale racer I made a copy & stuck my E D Bee in it,I talked a friend into flying with me in the same circle that was a thrill probably no more than 45mph but a start.
My next racer was the KK Ranger powered by a Elfin 1.8