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Bill Edwards was born 22nd September, 1921 at Paddington in New South Wales, Australia.
He claimed that he couldn’t remember a time when he wasn’t interested in
aeroplanes. He lived from age 3 at Waverley with Queen’s Park as a playground and a
proving ground for model planes. First success was with a kit put out by "The
Women’s Weekly" for 2/6 about 1934.
Bill joined the Air League in 1936 with whom he had his first flight in a full-sized
plane with Goya Henry in a Genairco biplane in that year. It cost him 2/6 for one circuit.
Continued building models without much success, interrupted by sport and girls!
He joined the RAAF in 1941 as ground staff (clerical). Several attempts to transfer to
aircrew were unsuccessful until 1943 when he gained a posting to 2ITS (Initial Training
School) at Bradfield Park. After initial training he was posted to 11EFTS (Elementary
Flying Training School) at Benalla for pilot training on Tiger Moths. Further training in
Canada ( Empire Air Training Scheme) at 3 SFTS at Calgary, Alberta flying Cessna Cranes
and Avro Ansons. He graduated on 7th April, 1944 as Pilot Officer and posted to UK,
landing in Scotland on 6th May, 1944.
Because of short stature (less than 5’7") unsuitable for bomber flying and
was used as Staff Pilot at 2 Radio School, Yatesbury, Wiltshire, flying Percival Proctors.
Repatriated home in November, 1945 and discharged in February, 1946 with the rank of
Flying Officer.
Bill flew briefly with the Royal Flying Club in 1947, revisited England in 1949 and was
married in 1950.
He continued building models (rubber powered) and joined Cronulla Model Aero Club
(CMAC) about 1960, with his main interest being scale modelling. Some competition success
was forthcoming with control-line models, including—
- First Place in NSW Scale Championships flying a Curtiss Hawk P6E
- Second Place (Twice) in NSW Scale Championships
- Third Place (Three Times) in NSW Scale Championships
- Third Place in Australian National Championships flying a Fokker Southern Cross.
- Elected Treasurer of CMAC in 1966 and held the position for more than 20 years.
- Was honoured with Life Membership of CMAC in 1977.
Bill Edwards was a modeller for more than 60 years and progressed, with technology,
from free-flight to "Galloping Ghost" single channel radio (in 1969) to Digital
Proportional radio in 1972.
A year or two before his death Bill had the pleasure of joining a Qantas 747 flight to
Antarctica which he considered to be one of his most outstanding memories.
As a lasting tribute to the esteem in which he was held, members of the Cronulla Model
Aero Club agreed in 1994 to name the club’s flying field at Menai "The Bill
Edwards Memorial Field".
Prepared by Allan Whitby, Hon. Secretary of CMAC, from
handwritten notes provided by Bill Edwards shortly before his death
Photo by Ted Mapstone
Last modified: January 14, 2004 |