David Boddington 1932 – 2010
Boddo always kept abreast of modelling developments!
The passing of arguably one of the world’s most famous and respected aeromodellers occurred during the evening of Friday 9th April. David was at home in the bosom of his family and it was the first really perfect flying day of the year – warm with clear blue skies. He had been in Northampton hospital since the turn of the year and had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone cancer. Despite intensive treatment, and a brief respite at home, he lost the brave battle to this aggressive form of the disease.
Very few modellers could say that, at some point, they haven’t been touched by Boddo’s massive contribution to our sport. Whether it be from his vast portfolio of own-design plans, kits under the DB Sport and Scale label, his numerous books, manuals, modelling guides and, of course, the numerous magazines that he has edited and regularly contributed to. His oft strong-worded and authoritative editorials certainly gave plenty to think about.
A modeller of the ‘traditional’ school, he moved forward with the times, embracing new developments and new technology with open arms, although he never lost his life long affinity to the smell of burnt amyl-nitrate laced diesel fumes and the sweet aroma of shrinking dope and cellulose thinners – I bet it won’t be long before there is a corner of heaven that frequently resounds to the slow revving burble of a Mills 75 or 1.3!
He was, of course, a man of many parts and vast experience. He served with the RAF, flying Provosts and Vampires before being demobbed, and took over the running of the ‘Barnstormers’ flying team, following the death of his brother Charles. He was one of those stalwarts that pioneered the use of large-scale models for film and television work – including the ‘Wings’ and ‘Airline’ series.
Sometimes at loggerheads with our national governing body over policy and direction, he figured largely in the formation of the MAA, an alternative organisation, which lives on in the form of annual ‘Modellers Holiday Weeks’.
Of course, his prolific journalism record is second to none – a full CV of the magazines that he has started, worked on as editor, contributor and consultant, would list pretty well every title that has been. He ‘retired’ several times, only to be drawn back into the modelling press rat race to develop and progress new projects with every bit of his indomitable enthusiasm.
He wholeheartedly supported my tenure as Editor of RC Model Flyer and was a regular visitor to the Old Warden Flying Model Weekends as well as the SAM 35 vintage meetings, but that was only a small part of his interests that extended well past retirement age – he was a true human dynamo.
One of his latest projects being the development of the Tomboy 3 league of competitions – and developing the Tomboy Senior into a second competition class, the larger model being a lot easier to see at height!
To say he will be missed is the greatest of understatements. We will never see his like again. A true aeromodelling legend, he was one of his kind. I feel incredibly lucky to have known and worked with him, sharing a few drinks along the way – and a whole load of laughs, too.
Our thoughts are with his family at this saddest of times.
Ken Sheppard
Editor
RC Model Flyer
There are few characters in this World like David Boddington.
When I first met Boddo in 1987 he was Editor of RCM&E, and I was starting out in magazine publishing at just 20 years old. His fierce defence of Editorial free speech always meant that his readers knew that he would tell them like it is – sometimes this would get him in trouble, but he always stood by his opinion and in matters of model aircraft who could dare argue with Boddo! He certainly taught me to look after the readers first and if you did that the magazine will look after itself.
It was this ethos and his immense knowledge that made him my first choice as Editor when we launched Model Flyer in 1999. To this day there is no-one who had more knowledge, experience and respect within the model flying industry and the impact of the loss of Boddo can hardly be expressed.
Although he was very much an old school flyer, he embraced the new with open arms and with a never ending enthusiasm and of course his famous wit. Although Boddo never really loved computers and email, still writing his columns by hand, he certainly embraced the digital age of photography and Model Flyer magazine will be the lesser for the lack of his ongoing contributions.
To us at ADH Publishing we have lost a good friend, the hobby has lost one of it’s most important promoters and his family has lost a loving husband and father.
To the Boddington family we offer our condolences and we know that Boddo’s influence on us all will never be forgotten.
Alan Harman
Publisher
ADH Publishing
