The CMAC Museum

CMAC has been operating for over 30 years. In that time, the sport of Aeromodelling has changed and evolved. This page presents a photographic peek at the 'good old days'.

Our thanks go to Ted Mapstone, a former member of CMAC who moved to 'the old Dart' (UK) some years back. Ted scanned and sent some photographs while reminiscing about old times at the club, and we had to share them... Times really have changed!

If any reader has old photographs of Model aircraft, particularly relating to CMAC, please send them to the CMAC Secretary. If you can't scan them yourselves, we'll scan them and send them back.

Click on a picture to see a larger version, then use the 'back' button on your browser to return here.
Photo by Ted Mapstone This photo was taken in the mid 70's from the flight engineer's position of a Qantas 707 inbound to Sydney's Mascot airport.

The twin groove running left to right is Heathcote Rd and the Army's firebreak below it. The airfield is the triangular clearing at the centre left of the photo.
Photo by Ted Mapstone 'Another shot from the mid 60's of Bill Edwards concentrating on flying. Near his left elbow, in the background, is my boy Ed.' (Caption: Ted Mapstone)

The venue was most likely the Heathcote sports field, which was far enough away from residences to avoid any complaint or hazard. The club re-located all flying activity to the current Menai location (affectionately known as "Bedrock") in 1970. The field was renamed "The Bill Edwards Memorial Field" after Bill's death.

Check out the size of that transmitter. Good thing it was only single channel!
Photo by Ted Mapstone 'This one is also at Heathcote in the mid-60's. The man in the white shirt is Keith, and the one squatting was Harry, our resident radio genius. We really pestered the daylights out of him. He was actually presented with a completed model as a token of thanks!!' (Caption: Ted Mapstone)
Phot by Ted Mapstone 'This is Bill Edwards with his first R/C model - a single channel, Supermarine Seagull V. If you look closely, you can see the wire that moves the rudder via an escapement.' (Caption: Ted Mapstone)

Photo taken in late 60's
Photo by Ted Mapstone 'Another one from the late '60s, at Heathcote. The man second from left was Keith, (examining wreckage), the man with the hat watching him was I think called Colin, and the lad may have been his son.' (Caption: Ted Mapstone)
Photo by Ted Mapstone This is Bill Edwards on the grass strip. This strip was abandoned some years ago due to constant vandalism.

Photo taken in mid-70's
Photo by Ted Mapstone 'This is Peter Frederick, photo dated Oct '73. The model is the low wing version of the Aeromaster biplane. Pete's radio was a Heathkit.
Pete was a Flight engineer with Qantas, and has long since joined the band at the "Great Flying Field in the Sky"' (Caption: Ted Mapstone)
Photo by Ted Mapstone This is Bill Edwards in his RAAF uniform jacket & cap holding his scale Tiger Moth.

The photo is from the early 70's - possibly ANZAC Day (April 25th) due to the uniform.
Photo by Ted Mapstone This is Bill Edwards in instructor's mode.

Photo taken November 1973.
Photo by Ted Mapstone This pic (Circa 1975/6) is Peter Frederick (left), and Ted Mapstone with a Bolkow Bo105 model from the German Wik kit. The heli was non-collective, operated with 4 channels, and no gyro (they hadn't been invented!).

It really flew - more pics here: Ready to Fly; Flying!
Photo by Ted Mapstone This pic shows Bill Edwards (right) with Stan Burrows at a control-line only venue in the early 70's. Stan would arrive at each venue on every flying day with his car full of essential bits and pieces.