Popham Airfield Model Show - An Opportunity Missed(?)

[Capt Kremen]

Although the weather forecast was not looking great for Saturday here in southern UK, (heavy rain forecast), it hasn't been that bad.

I ventured to Popham Airfield, a full-size site closed especially for the week-end duration of the event.

Sadly, my overall impression was one of an opportunity missed.

A huge well kept/mown airfield offering a southern area chance for modellers and vendors alike, attracted very few traders.

The busiest I noted was the 'Cheap' Tools chap of the kind found on most town/high street open air markets.

Maybe the 'crowds' are waiting for Sunday's supposed better weather(?)

On this showing, I doubt the organiser(s) would invest in another next year.

 

[Martin Dance 1]

I've just returned from Popham. I'm not sure it was an opportunity missed. The weather unexpectedly played ball, the wind was light and sky overcast. A reasonable turnout of pilots demonstrating a good range of models, including those you might well  see at your club site. The flight line was reasonably close to the crowd line so you didn't need binoculars to see the models. The trade presence was limited, not surprising really in these early Post Covid days. Would you take the risk of attending a new unproven event?  Clearly Popham airfield is needing to diversify in order to survive. The infrastructure on the field, marques, Toilets etc; where left from a  car event that happened the previous weekend. I guess the organisers got a better deal that way. The site is well positioned to attract a southern audience, the A303 runs past the airfield, providing easy access from the south and southwest. Give it another year or two to develop and it could be a very good show.