During the weekend 29/30th September the club put on a static display of models at Lathalmond as part of the “Defend Fife” weekend. This Festival features Dunfermline & West Fife’s WW2 military history – Home Guard troops, alongside Polish Army allies in defending Fife against Axis invasion (1939 – 44). The festival was run at 2 venues – Dunfermline High Street and Lathalmond which is home to  the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum & The Lathalmond Railway Museum.

It was blowing a hooly on Saturday which caused some problems with the marquee and was cold with a high wind chill. Sunday was much better with sunshine and a lower wind strength. The 8 x 8 metre marquee provided by our friends from the Cairney Hill Scouts via the “Defend Fife” organiser awaited us on the Saturday. This was quickly fitted out with 6 tables from Nigel at “The Glen”. These were supplemented by 2 more tables belonging to the Rosyth Model Ship Club whom we had invited to share the marquee.

There were plenty of scale and semi scale models of WW2 subjects both air and sea borne on display to reflect the theme of Defend Fife. These models were a mix of Radio Control and Control line subjects and a few none scale including Free Flight to present a broad picture of the club. The club Radio Control simulator and slide show of club activities were set up and ran both days powered from our petrol generator which did a sterling job. The simulator was running a high wing trainer and many visitors had a go at “flying” this. After a request a model Spitfire simulation was loaded but no visitor was able to handle it and so we reverted to the trainer. The simulator was used steadily by the public on both days and greatly enjoyed.

John Carson of the Balbedie Club took up nearly a quarter of the marquee with his Large Model Harvard, it was big! On the Sunday John also brought the fuselage of a turbine powered (jet) “Boomerang” and gave conducted tours around the technology of this very impressive model.

Thanks to John Carson, Bill Greive, Peter Miller, Pete Brown, Michael Grimes, Michael and David Hambley for setting up and welcoming the visitors on both days. Also Drummond Greive for models for display and the Rosyth Model Ship Club for their company over the two days. Nigel Stevens for the loan of tables, Iain Thompson for loan of the slide show display screen and finally Rodger Pickering organiser of “Defend Fife”

Report and Photos: David Hambley.