Claggan ‘copter maker Iain Ferguson If someone was to ask you ‘what did you do with yourself during lockdown’ what would you say? ‘Not much’, ‘taught the children’, ‘learned to knit’ perhaps? Douglas Barr, however, unique claim of setting up a helicopter production line in his Claggan home. Over the last few months, the enthusiastic model maker has assembled quite a few
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‘Sea King’ helicopters in the markings of the armed services of many countries which use them in a variety of roles. This includes detailed replicas of what were until recently regular visitors to Lochaber skies in their search and rescue role. As one of the earliest members of the Lochaber Model Association, set up in the 1980s in response to a
small piece in the local papers inviting anyone interested in the hobby to come to a meeting, he remembers being impressed by an older member who said he was running out of space to store his 40 helicopter models. ‘I thought to myself, I would love to have 40 helicopters,’ said Douglas, whose first model was an Airfix ‘Westland Whirlwind’ helicopter, ‘but now I have many more than that myself alongside many other kinds of model and, yes, I can appreciate storage is a problem.’ While the club no longer exists, Douglas and a few other local stalwarts are still very much in evidence at the annual Lochaber Model Show which was introduced to Fort William a few years ago. Like other events, this is not taking place at present, but in its short history it totally
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Lochaber Life March 2021.indd 22
05/02/2021 16:59:07
