The National Library’s "Trove" database contains historic articles from "The Canberra Times" dating back to 1926. Using the search term "MODEL PLANE", Paul McFawn located the following items of interest to Canberra aeromodellers.
Canberra Times: Saturday 10 September 1932
Report of model aeroplane flight near Hotel Ainslie. Contains reference to the Model Aeroplane Association of Australia.
See Model aeroplane flight near Hotel Ainslie - 1
Canberra Times: Tues 13 September 1932
More detail on last Saturday's flight of model DH53 flown in North Canberra by Angus Robson.
See Model aeroplane flight near Hotel Ainslie - 2.
Canberra Times: Friday 19 May 1939
A lengthy article about the Canberra Model Aeroplane Club having been formed at a meeting held the previous Wednesday at the Albert Hall. The first CMAC committee included J S Cahill, T O Bolton, R M Baker, H T Baker, O R Bennett, Neil Black, R M Kennard and R W Kennard.
What is also interesting in this article is the proposal to build a model using some form of Radio Control.
Canberra Times: Tuesday 07 December 1954
An article about four Canberra Modellers who will run a control line record attempt in the following month at Northbourne Oval. Unfortunately it doesn’t list the modellers concerned. It does however note that the Model Aeronautics Association of the ACT had recently been formed.
See Control line record attempt
Canberra Times: Tuesday 01 February 1955
Report uses the name Canberra Model Aero Club and describes their first Championship meeting at Northbourne Oval.
Ray Murray: October 1955
Ed: CMAC Life Member Ray Murray provided the following story about the origin of the post-war Canberra Model Aircraft Club.
"I formed the post-war Canberra Model Aircraft Club in October 1955 and I was the President for the first 20-odd years.
I had just arrived in Canberra and it all started when I saw some youngsters trying to start the English diesel motors in their control-line models. They were not having much success. I met with them on a regular basis and they decided that they wanted to form a club. So that's how it all started.
Our first flying field was located on what was then vacant land near the corner of Mildura Street and Leeton Street, Kingston. The Federal Govt Department of the Interior kindly provided a foundation grant and graded the block for us.
I ran a business called Murray's Model Supplies from my house in Ainslie for years before I opened my Hobby Shack business in Fyshwick."
Canberra Times: Wednesday 09 April 1958
Story about the Canberra Model Aircraft Club winning two events, chuck glider by RM, and Nordic sailplane, at the NSW State Championships held at Easter that year. It lists the names of a team of eight attending the event, and reports Ray Murray as the CMAC President.
See CMAC at NSW State Championships
Canberra Times: Monday 04 February 1963
Photo and caption of model P-51 off grass at National Library.
See Model Aircraft flight at National Library
Bill Bateman: Historic CMAC Plaques 1977-1982
These four Historic Plaques were found recently (Monday 21 September 2015) by Bill Bateman in Delegate and are to be returned to CMAC for display:
Click to enlarge
The following Email thread tells the story...
In November, 1975 CMAC was first registered as an ACT Incorporated Association under the name Canberra Model Aircraft Club Incorporated.
Following the granting of self-government to the ACT in 1988, club registration was transferred to the ACT Government's Office of Regulatory Services.
