‘Crash Landing’

This keen model plane enthusiast had literally just arrived in the car park here at Hayling Island.

When from his car he carefully and proudly removed one shiny pristine polished model aeroplane.

With a face lined with concentration he then began walking slowly towards me whilst holding this model in his right hand and supporting it’s fuselage. It was held at about shoulder height when he suddenly just threw it forward ahead of himself and it took off screaming into the sky.

It appeared to me that he was obviously a well seasoned model plane flyer and I looked on impressively as he demonstrated exactly what this little plane was capable of. I was then treated to a series of quite amazing aerial stunts!

The little plane made a kind of high pitched whine as it flew past and around the area above the car park; achieving some phenomenal speeds.

For some time I stood there motionless; my eyes gazing upwards and my right hand open and extended over my brow, in an attempt to limit the suns glare.

Soon he was joined by two other flying enthusiasts who initially seemed content just to chat and to watch the flying display. Neither seemed in any hurry to launch their equally impressive models at this point.

Eventually I moved off having enjoyed this unexpected though welcomed distraction; and as I passed the three flyers I could hear them discussing that the operator was about to land his pride and joy!

Keen to capture this I stopped and prepared myself and my camera. I even quickly managed to line up the little plane in my viewfinder and to include it’s operator.

Then in it came; dropping out of the sky all of the time whilst losing height. It’s speed now decreasing rapidly.

“This looks good” I remember thinking to myself as I stood poised and ready to press the shutter.
Then for no apparent reason… ‘CRASH!”
The little model plane suddenly and very unceremoniously then nose dived into the ground ahead of me; it’s propellor still spinning on the hard unwelcoming tarmac surface!

“WHOOPS” I said to myself, under my breath as I captured this somewhat clumsy and unimpressive landing.

This was indeed a sorry end to what had promised to be an otherwise totally impressive flight plan!