Christchurch and District Model Flying Club
 

RONALD GODFREY MOULTON  FSMAE 1924 - 2010

Ron Moulton was destined to be a thoroughly aeronautical man who carried an encyclopaedic knowledge of aviation matters, particularly of the model flying movement in the UK and abroad, of human powered flight, kites and airships. Much of this was backed up by his photographic records that he built up through his professional career in aviation journalism. He was a father figure to model aviation in post-war Britain achieved through his published work, his books and thoughtful kindness to the many enthusiasts he met.

Ron became an aeromodeller by the age of nine, and it was natural that he was selected in due course as a Halton cadet in 1940. Eyesight problems robbed him of early success but he gained valuable initial experience as a draughtsman before joining ‘Aeroplane’ magazine as a photo researcher. In 1942 he was able to join the RAF as an airframe fitter and embarked for the Solerno landings in Italy. Remarkably he was seconded from the RAF to join the South African Airforce magazine ‘Wings’, and it was in South Africa that he first experienced the thrills of control line model flying.

After the war he worked to develop the early control line kits of Keil Kraft and Mercury and joined the staff of ‘Aeromodeller’ as Assistant Editor in 1950. He was one of the first to introduce control-line flying to Great Britain and to demonstrate controlled and sustained manoeuvring flight as well as fast team racing. This was demonstrated at the Festival of Britain in 1951. In due course he became Editor of Aeromodeller and eventually Editorial Director of Argus Publishing. He brought all of their titles together into one working entity housed in new offices in the industrial business area of Hemel Hempstead before his retirement.

In 1954 Ron entered the team trials at RAF Wittering, to select the team of four to represent Great Britain in the forthcoming World Championships for free-flight duration powered model aircraft. He achieved third place in the selection, flying a very advanced (for that time) model of the Amazoom type of American origin. This in itself was a singular achievement in the appalling flying conditions and against stiff competition. The FAI World Championships were flown in Long Island, New York.

Ron brought to bear great initiative and leadership throughout his working life, particularly as FAI delegate for 10 years. As technical secretary with the CIAM he helped to establish the various technical committees for control line which he chaired, radio-control, scale and free-flight, establishing the basis for international competition. Ron served for 24 years on the Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers council, and he was instrumental in organising the World Control Line Championships at RAF Swinderby in 1966 and the first control line and R/C Scale World Championships at Cranfield in 1970.

Through Aeromodeller, in collaboration with his French counterparts, he introduced into this country the winter event ‘Coupe D’Hiver’ for small rubber driven duration models and the corresponding class A1 for small free-flight gliders, now adopted by the FAI for widespread international competition. Under his direction the publishing house organised and ran a series of model flying weekends at Old Warden throughout the year, for the many specialisms of model flying. Aeromodeller probably became the only widely collected model flying magazine and today remains much revered by the considerable number of vintage and classic model flyers worldwide.

The Aeromodeller Annual was edited and compiled by Ron between 1963 and 1977, containing much practical advice and wisdom as a summary of the year’s events. He did much to publicise the Kremer Prizes for human-powered aircraft. His very detailed accounts of Puffin and SUMPAC appeared in the 1963 Annual and his account of human powered flight around the world was published in the 1964 Annual.

Ron travelled widely in pursuit of business, attending many model world championship events: reporting on the Wakefield Cup, control line, radio-control and indoor events. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers (now the BMFA) in 1966 and served as Senior Vice President. He was awarded the Bronze Medal of the Federation Aeronautique International in 1971, the FAI’s Paul Tissandier Diploma in 1972, the Nile Gold Medal for his distinguished work in the field of aero-sport education in 1982 and the Silver Medal of the Royal Aero Club in 1986. He was an Affiliate of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Ron was President of SAM 35, one of the bodies responsible for vintage and classic model flying, in the years1989 to 1992. He was an established judge at model meetings and became a principal judge for model aircraft at the Model Engineer Exhibitions staged at the Wembley Conference Centre and at the Crystal Palace for a number of years. Ron was frequently seen there flying his radio-controlled model airships to the great entertainment of the crowds in attendance.

Ron Moulton became Chairman of the Human-Powered Flight Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society following Maurice Brennan in that role. Under his guidance several new Kremer Prize competitions were introduced together with their normal business in arranging conferences, attending to Kremer Prize entries and handling claims. He accompanied the human-powered cross-channel flight as an official observer on behalf of the FAI and The Royal Aeronautical Society, sailing aboard the project control launch Lady Ellen Elizabeth. Paul McCready’s Gossamer Albatross piloted by Bryan Allen departed from Folkestone on 12 June 1979 at 5.51 a.m. and landed on the French coast at Cap Gris-Nez. The flight had taken 2 hours and 49 minutes covering a distance of 35.82 kilometres. The prize of £50,000 was presented by Henry Kremer at the Royal Aeronautical Society with Ron Moulton, members of the Human Powered Flight Group Committee and guests in attendance on 18 December 1979.

Ron was the founder of the British Kite Flying Association and in 1978 his book ‘Kites’ was published by Pelham Books. This was a colourful and authoritative hardcover book covering the history and technical aspects of the subject worldwide. Inside the cover Ron is described as a life-long enthusiast for all forms of aviation, saying his first love was kites. He had flown kites in every corner of the world on his business trips. Ron headed the organisation of kite festivals on behalf of the Association at Old Warden on a twice yearly basis.

Ron Moulton’s funeral took place at St James Church, Bushey, Herts., on 26 October 2010. He had nursed his wife Betty through a long illness, having sustained heart surgery himself. More than 150 family and friends attended the funeral and afterwards celebrated his life’s work and achievement in the convivial atmosphere that he had wished. Ron is survived by his son Jonathan, and daughters Chris and Dinah and his five grandchildren. He will be sadly missed by the world of model aviation and his many friends. In the words of one guest, ‘God bless Ron, a great and gentle guy’ a sentiment shared by all who knew him.

Martyn Pressnell

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