Like Retired: Bikes, Planes and Bowls;
For several years while I was at Simba I had been an Instructor with the "Star Rider" motorcycle training scheme, running the training patch at Sleaford, and continuing to do so until the scheme folded due to financial support. A pupil of mine, Chris Hall became one of my instructors and is still running a succesful training business in Lincoln.
Our philosophy was, and still is: Unless an act of God like an elephant falling on you out of the sky or a natural disaster like an earthquake, an accident, or anything that made you change the decision you had already made was your fault and no one elses, You were in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. A bit harsh.............think about it !.
Cleggy, me, pupils and 'kin Mayfield: Sleaford
I'd been an aeromedeller since nineteen fifty odd, somewhere about the time that Peter Cock from Southampton won the Aerobatic Control Line Nationals.
It was very much on and off with the constant travelling of service life. Quite a lot of Control Line in Gibraltar and a bit in Hong Kong. Freeflight in UK with the RAFMAA and ran a good club at N, Luffenham where the British Radio Aerobatic team came to practice. The days of Mike Birch, Dennis Hamment and Chris Olsen in the early seventies. Flew single channel in those days, couldn't afford Proportional.
Control Line "Little Sai Wan"
Flew this one up the New Territories in Hong Kong 1958, now all built up and cityfied.
The only models you could fly in Gib for pretty obvious reasons were Control Line so we used the Victoria Stadium football pitch with kind permission from some one.
Control Line Gibraltar 1953.
Joycee is sitting with Steph in the pram.
It was when I'd got over the initial throws of retirement that I got down to some serious Aeromodelling. Buying multi channel Radio gear and a small trainer I went off to Metheringham Airfield, one of the disused Bomber Airfields of which Linconshire has many and taught myself to fly. It wasn't long before I was joined by a couple of old mates and before I knew it I was involved, as is my wont obviously, in teaching other guys how to fly.And so it continued for years, both here and in N.Wales when I moved up there for a bit.
You'll probably gather from the Piccies that I'm rather fond of Biplanes but all in all over the years I've flown over fifty different types of models of all shapes and sizes, from ARTF Trainers to Extra 300's.
So all that way from failing to be a Fighter Pilot to this.And still at it although not quite as mobile as I was. .I wouldn't mind being reincarnated as an S.E.5 Pilot. My favourite model to fly although "flamers" in those days were the worst nightmare..........the picture in the middle is our flying patch. Good innit?..
Well, so much for toy aeroplanes. The next thing I discovered was Indoor Green Bowling. Joycee discovered it first with her friend Sheila so I had a look and thought, Cissy game this after Football , however, fair's fair so I gave it another crack and took to it like a duck to water. Something to do with "hand and eye" I think. Good Painter, good Welder and now Good Bowler thanks to many good mates who encouraged me along as if I was a tennaged idiot. Sixty Nine at the time but I suppose it's something to do with attitude Good old Tommy Twist bowling happily I hope in a Green Heaven. Unfortunately, I can now longer get up and down the green ' cos my poor old legs are 'coked up'..............don't say a word! but I've been giving it a crack from a wheel chair and not doing too badly. For the unititiated they have special wheel chairs for the job.
Must have won something: Can't remember:
Herbert Cook, back left and Harold Lowther with the Bowl in his hand two great mates and mentors. Thanks Guys.
And that's about it really. Got no big Motorbike anymore, just a "Honda 90 Cub" , Peugot 106D and a wheel chair. Who could ask for anything more, cue for a song.
If I think of anything more I'll stick it in, meanwhile, Thanks Guys for your support :
AMENDMENT: HMS Rook should read HMS Raven. HMS Rook was in Gib.
To Joycee, my wife for 53 years for her encouragement and support, to Cyberson Mike for his Techie skills, to all the Kids and Grandkids who don't think their Grandad's an old fart and to all my cyber friends out there, and lastly but not leastly my Bro, Michael D. Mockford Wing.Cdr. OBE RAF Retd.
Didn't the lad do well ?
E. Mails please to : arthur.mockford@ntlworld.com