(No, the model creature, not the creature holding the creature ). Last year, Van Richards-Smith had a fly-away with his venerable Czechmate that resulted in it being returned, many weeks later, after a stint at the bottom of a local farmer's dam (click here for the gory details). Now Van is never one to give up on a model, even well after it has been pronounced a total lost cause by all and sundary--although there is a rumour concerning a secret, private Morris Dancing ceremony conducted on an A1 recently....

The heading photo shows the rebuild (restore, regurgitation?) of said Czechmate at its test flight on March 2, 2003. Normally, a bright, shiny, optimistic, new name like Pheonix or something would be appropriate, but that would not work since the Pheonix bird is supposed to rise from the ashes of its previous incarnation (exactly what I would have done with the wreck, incidentally--burn it and wait for a miracle). So with that choice ruled out, we conclude that the model must now be dubbed with a more somber but appropriate folk-allegory and what could be more appropriate than said "CFTBL". Surprisingly it seems to tow straighter than before, if anything. Just don't ask him about the weight...

Incidentally, notice the grass at BFFS's Wivenhoe field after a drop of rain to break the Big Dry. I was doing a spot of A1 testing and lost my towline in that grass 3 times!