MAAA Wingspan - Quarterly Magazine

14 A passionate scalemodeller and lifelong flyer, in addition to being the editor/publisher of online newsletter Australian Model News since 2009, retired former draughtsman and Amcor employee, John Lamont has a long, impressive history in the sport. Born in 1933, John grew up during an idyllic time in aviation history where flight, particularly long distance flying, and the development of aircraft was of great interest and wonderment to the population. “WWII and the rapid development of aircraft at that time provided the impetus for my interest in flying and led tomy involvement with aeromodelling,” he says. John, who has remained amember of Greensborough MAC since the early 1990s, commenced flying with the Eastern Suburbs Club in 1949. His aeromodelling career also took off in 1949 when the Hearn brothers, (the proprietors of the leading Melbourne model shop ‘Hearn’s Hobbies’) suggested that he fly in the Junior Stunt event at the 3rd National Championships, using amodel built fromone of their kits and a 5cc motor that was loaned to him. “I won that event and the accompanying prize of three engines set me up for my modelling future,” he continues. “I turned to radio control flying in the early 1950s but made a brief return to control line aerobatics in 1953 to place second in Senior Stunt at the 6th Nationals. My competitive scale flying has resulted in a number of wins and other placings, but the acknowledgement of my efforts with Australian Model News by the MAAA and receiving the MAAA Service Medallion in 2015, are probably my biggest highlights.” As an active flyer, John regularly flew in scale competitions and scale rallies, however since becoming the editor of LIFELONG SCALE MODELLER JOHN LAMONT, TELLS US ABOUT HIS FASCINATION FOR FLIGHT WING SPAN MAY Heritage Story: reach for the skies john lamont