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David Boddington 1932 - 2010

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David Boddington 1932 - 2010

Old 04-10-2010, 10:54 AM
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CTDavies
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Default David Boddington 1932 - 2010

I just saw this at the Key Publishing forum.

Sad news to report. David Boddington, leading flying scale model builder, author, magazine editor and designer of the Biggles Biplane BE-2c replica, passed away this morning after a brave battle against cancer.

David is probably best known to aeromodellers who have used his many plans. He was also a pioneer in operating large-scale models for film work including WW1 types for the BBC series Wings and Ruskin Airways DC-3s for the ITV drama series Airline.

I eagerly collected his magazine Radio Control Scale Aircraft back in seventies and eighties. It was never the same after he left. for me DB was probably the most influential modeler.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends
Old 04-10-2010, 07:10 PM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

Chris,
My thoughts and sympathies to his family and to all who knew him..he was indeed a powerful and positive influence in our hobby.
I have been working on converting his 1/4 SE5 to full scale for over 15 yrs off and on and he was always there with letters and patient advice for me on aerodynamics of this plane.
He is a great loss to our pastime, too bad I never got to meet him personally..

He's flying higher than ever now on angels wings...
Old 04-10-2010, 10:32 PM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

People will be building Dave Boddington designs and remembering all he did for the modeling community for a long time to come.
Old 04-11-2010, 01:34 PM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

the end of the line for one of the all time greats of our hobby, DB designed hundreds of models, he was a gent, and a warm, nice guy, i learned on one of his designs, 35 years ago, i knew him, saw him at models shows, and he never had a bad word for anyone, in the UK, at least, there was a great love for the guy, he will be sadly missed, and the hobby has lost a great ambassador
RIP David, and thanks for the memorys
Old 04-12-2010, 08:56 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

David was less well-known in the USA than he was in the UK, Australia or New Zealand, so just a few notes to redress the balance. He designed some of the most robust and flyable models that were available from the 60's onwards.

I've just got out my copy of MAP's 1976 Radio Controlled Models Handbook.

Of the 23 multi sport models, 5 were his designs and of the 63 single channel plans, 11 were his, thats over 20% in both cases. Half of the "pulsed rudder and elevator" models were his as were two of the scale designs, a Sopwith Pup and a Tabloid.

Many of his designs are still availble from DB Sport and Scale including, a 1/4 scale Sopwith Pup, SE5, Piper Cub and Auster, an Albatross C1 which featured in the television series, "Wings," and sports designs like the Mannock, a semi-scale Martinsyde look-a-like; the Tyro Major, a robust mid-sized trainer and the elegant parasol winged Barnstormer.

In these ARTF days we really will not see his like again.

My condolencies to the family.
Old 04-12-2010, 10:34 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

I have one of DB's later plans...a 1/5 scale, very scale version of the Sopwith Pup. Over the years, DB designed several Pups, some small, some large, most "sports scale" but this "last" one was intended to be the most scale, following as much as practical the Kiger Replicraft drawings (also in 1/5 scale). What makes these plans particularly delightful (not to mention just plain beautiful) is all the additional information and sketches showing how to do all the scale details.

DB was a classic "old school" designer and I have to say I will very much miss this generation of designs when they are gone (as they soon will be). David Hurrell is another. The plans are hand drawn and have a quality that CAD drawings, for all their precision, just can't touch. The designs themselves reflect time-honored building traditions and practical low-cost do-it-yourself solutions to scale problems (e.g. "take apart a clothes pin..."). These may well represent the "golden age" of scale RC plans.

Old 04-12-2010, 11:35 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

My first DB model was an "Old Bill" semi-scale sport model but my first DB scale model was a plan built 1/6 Sopwith Pup. No one in my club could believe how well a 1/6 scale biplane could fly on an OS 40. I remember thinking during one of its early flights, "Why do I even bother with sport planes when something this pretty flies this well?", and so a scale"life-er" was born.

DB drew hundreds of practical scale models - stuff meant to fly every weekend. I loved getting Radio Control Scale Aircraft when he was at the helm. Frequently there was a .15-.25 size plan that could easily be re-sized if one wished, with pretty much certainty that it would work. But he was also a prolific writer of many, many, "how to" articles. These showed straight forward solutions to lots of everyday problems. His book on scale models, along with Gordon Whitehead's, is still pulled out from time to time.

We all come to our end at some point but I am sorry to hear of his passing. He was one of the greats in our hobby.

Martin
Old 04-14-2010, 08:51 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

Sadly, the King of model flight, David Boddington, has died aged seventy seven after a long fight with cancer.
David will be remembered by many thousands of model airplane enthusiasts, not only in the UK but for many who are overseas too. Itwould be difficult for anybody to get into model flying without coming across the name of ‘David Boddington’. Somewhere I read in the last few days….If ‘Boddo’ (as he was fondly called), had been into politics, then he would have ended up as prime minister. The picture shows David, centre picture with me next right and David’s brother Charles (who unfortunately died in a full size plane crash piloting for a film). The young lady to the left is my wife Ada who ran Micron Radio Control in later years. These were early days and we were test flying a fast dual pulse proportional radio system based on the previous Gallatrol galloping ghost system. David was the gentle giant of radio control flight and had that great presence and charisma. He will live on in the R/C world for a very long time. Our thoughts are with David’s wife Jill and family.
R.I.P King David…..we will be with you shortly.
Old 04-15-2010, 12:50 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

It appears that David Boddington was actually born in 1932 and not 1943 as stated above, (source: RCM&E website.) He was 77 when he died and not 67. He apparently flew jets when a pilot in the RAF in the 1950s.
Old 04-15-2010, 01:18 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

Hey......I did not notice that!
Old 04-15-2010, 06:04 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010


ORIGINAL: Telemaster Sales UK

It appears that David Boddington was actually born in 1932 and not 1943 as stated above, (source: RCM&E website.) He was 77 when he died and not 67. He apparently flew jets when a pilot in the RAF in the 1950s.
Fixed. Thanks for the heads up. I just copied it as it had been posted over at the Key Publishing Forum. Chris
Old 05-16-2012, 07:41 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

Just stumbled on the news.. Sorry for the loss....... Got a cut kit & plans for a Gyrace autogyro awhile back.. Great fun... Anyway.... Are his kits and plans available now ???
Richard
Old 05-16-2012, 10:33 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

David sold his company to a couple a year or two before he passed... they are still in existence and functioning....google DB models
Old 05-18-2012, 08:49 AM
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Default RE: David Boddington 1932 - 2010

Actually David Boddington sold DB Sport & Scale back in the 1980's when he became editor of Radio Modeller. Then he was editor of RCME then Aviation Modeller Int then RCModel Flyer Scale Aircraft Quarterly, Flying Scale Models. Some of his plans are in the plan service of each of these magazines.

RCME, Radio Modeller, Scale Aircraft, X List Plans etc are now MYHobbyStores.co.uk

AMI, Model Flyer, Flying Scale Models, Aeromodeller are now ( this months news ) all one publisher (ADH Publishing ) so all the plans will come from them. Big news from ADH this week is that they are bringing back Aeromodeller and a new RC Electric Flight magazine later in the year.

DB Sport & Scale still sell their own range of kits & plans this is a link to their page about 'Boddo' http://www.dbsportandscale.com/40_years_on.htm

RCM plans have 2 of his designs - Mighty Barnstormer and Ghost Rider RCMplans.com

So if you want to know where any particular plan is ask and maybe we can tell you who sells it. I reckon all of the great 'Boddo' s plans are still available somewhere in the above sources.

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