Arran’s Red Baron chalks up final triumph

It was a sad day last year when 86-year-old Jim Marsden, known to many from his Corrie Capers days as the Red Baron, decided to give up his lifelong hobby of building and flying radio-controlled model aircraft.

Little was he to know that one year later, one of his creations would win him an accolade from the Scottish Aeromodellers Association, despite having given up the hobby and not having entered any competitions.

Several decades ago Jim and his two friends, Roy Beddows and Bob Brown, formed the Arran Model Flying Club and the three of them, plus other members who came and went over the years, were a familiar sight at weekends flying their models from an airstrip in North Sannox, or, when the wind was too strong, just sitting in chairs with their flasks in the middle of the field – Arran’s own Last of the Summer Wine.

Passing visitors would often stop their cars and bus drivers were even known to pull in to allow passengers to watch the action. And, of course, they entertained everyone at Corrie Capers for many years until new health and safety regulations made it impossible to give public displays. When Roy gave up flying and Bob left the island, Jim carried on for some years, but the effort of clearing and mowing the airstrip every time he wanted to fly became too much for one person and the flying wasn’t nearly so enjoyable without the social element.

Jim also put on a static display once a year at the castle – always well attended and very enjoyable, especially talking to veterans who would turn up to reminisce about flying the actual machines, but it was hard work and increasing age and infirmity eventually ended that too.

So, after the difficult decision was made, Jim enlisted the help of Bill Grimsley, the then chairman of the Scottish Aeromodellers Association (SAA), to find new homes for his models and Bill duly made several trips to Arran and transported all the models to the mainland, including Jim’s pride and joy, his fifth-scale Supermarine Spitfire.

Bill, who flies and judges model aircraft all over the world, did a marvellous job in finding new homes for the models and soon happy new owners were contacting Jim to thank him, even sending video footage of the models flying.

But there is a final twist to the story. Because Bill was so impressed by the superb quality of Jim’s models, unbeknown to Jim, Bill entered the Spitfire in one of the SAA’s shows and this week presented a surprised and delighted Jim with a trophy for winning the Model Making Open Class and a huge silver cup, the David Guild Memorial Trophy, for best in show.

A fitting final accolade for 70 years of model-making excellence.