Model Flight | Shell Historical Film Archive

Explore the fascinating world of model planes in this 1951 film. From gliders to scale models of famous aircraft, discover the immense variety of designs. Learn about the different power sources, including rubber, pulse jets, and piston engines running on petrol or diesel fuel. With radio-controlled models and long-distance flights, this sport combines precision and excitement.
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Shell’s surprising and captivating Historic Film Archive dates from 1934 and covers a rich mix of topics from technology, science and engineering to craftsmanship, motorsport and travelogue.
The Shell Film Unit, responsible for the content, was a highly celebrated part of Britain’s Documentary Movement. Key figures from that movement were involved, including: Jack Beddington, Edgar Anstey, Arthur Elton, John Grierson, Kay Mander, Stuart Legg and Douglas Gordon.
Its films were wide reaching, often screened in cinemas and through the non-theatric film distribution circuit, which brought film to educational establishments and organisations across the UK. While many films covered technological themes related to Shell’s activities, others were entirely unrelated and served purely to educate the general public.
As Shell innovated in technologies that would provide oil and gas products for the world, the Shell Film Unit also innovated in the technological advancement of film, incorporating graphics and different forms of animation as early as the 1930s.
During WW2 the Shell Film Unit was co-opted into war effort, making films for the Ministry of Information’s film division. Its prowess in technological documentary suited the MoI’s need for technical training films.
While the name and the medium has changed many times over the years, the documentary tradition lives on at Shell. Its contemporary film team is part of Shell’s multi-disciplinary in-house agency, Creative Solutions. It continues making award-winning factual content that informs and educates the public, now usually released on social media platforms.
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#Shell #ShellFilmUnit #HistoricFilmArchive #Documentary #Engineering #Aeroplane #Airplane #Modeling #ModelPlanes #Craft
For more information about Shell’s Historic Film Archive please contact: [e-mail]

[@whhsfordian]

Amazing how many participants & spectators there were back then.

[@KathrynLiz1]

Yes... I remember attending the rallies at RAF Horton and Radlett... back in the 1950s

[@autoair4637]

The model under construction on the drawing board at the beginning is a KeilKraft Chief Nordic A2 glider

[@huto9606]

Thank you for that old film

[@gourobkundu2173]

As a radio control enthusiast myself, I gotta say , we have come a long way...

[@KathrynLiz1]

Yes... I started in the rubber powered escapement era back in the 50s, and I remember the reed multi-channel sets, then the proportional radios came out. The first on I saw was a Bonner Digimite. The gear now sure has come a long way....

[@sblack48]

We came a long way but now almost everyone buys pre-built models from China. Most guys at tge rc field have no idea how to glue 2 sticks together ket alone build a flying model

[@KathrynLiz1]

@@sblack48 I always started with a clean sheet of paper... designed them, bult them and flew them...

[@sblack48]

@@KathrynLiz1 you are certainly in the minority now

[@KathrynLiz1]

@@sblack48 I don't do it any more. It got too expensive in the end. It was fun though. I still have a few engines, one being a low hours Oliver Tiger Mk3 that needs a new crankshaft. I last ran it in 1959, which is when the crank let go..... badly out of balance prop... my fault... and perhaps a crank left a wee bit too hard..... must make it a new one when I have a spare day... I have a nice big lathe these days so it's a piece of cake... 🙂 I still remember the address of the old Oliver works in Dorset...probably all gone now....

[@user-rc1xj9wr6h]

I possess 2 of my uncles model airplane engines from the 40s, one is huge! They're both proudly on display in my home!

[@ryfi_fpv]

My Dad and I grew up flying Control Line, I'm still flying and I plan on teaching my son someday.

[@DadsRCHangar]

How things have changed, brilliant video from the past. 👍🏻

[@CliffHarveyRCPlanes]

Things may have changed Chris but modellers still fly like this 🤔👍

[@michaelbare5380]

I believe we should all go back to wearing suites at club meetings and while flying models.

[@xjet]

You mean you don't wear a suit when flying? How uncouth! 🙂

[@petermach8635]

Ahhhh .... bliss, no bothersome authority, no operator or flyer ID, no theory test or regulation with the threat of fines ..... we've become slaves to those in charge, even for our leisure activity.

[@pricelessppp]

I felt included I love model flight! My late grandpa worked at shell!

[@seanmurphy1614]

I still have a book I bought in the very early 70's in Swansea, Wales called All About Model Aircraft by Peter Chinn. I only discovered now that this is the film the photographs are taken from!

[@ihateemael]

Peter Chinn used to write up all the engine tests in "Radio Control Models and Electronics" which became "Radio Modeller" magazine in the 70's. As a teenager I used to pour over these monthly mags . . . instead of my homework! Often there was a full size model plan included in the mag. I wonder what happened to the "map plan service" from where you could order copies of plans?

[@neilurquhart8622]

Took me back to my early teens when I was an aeromodeller in Cambridge. My interest was free flight power and control line team racing mainly. I also designed my own planes including a twin engined control line stunt plane. Does anyone remember Ray Malmstron of the Impington club? (he specialised in ‘quirky’ designs and was a real nice guy. I gave up modelling when I discovered girls were more enjoyable!

[@cryptoslacker-464]

Lol great story. Couldn't believe how popular it was . 😊 Ps Looked less trouble than dealing with Women 😅

[@peter360adventures9]

Awesome. I had control line when I was a kid.

[@DirtyHarryLarryDickman]

I still fly c/L 1/2a models I build from scratch. The kits that are available are ridiculously expensive.

[@robertgregory8936]

Me too

[@RcNerd]

Thank you for uploading this. I'm a Rc enthusiast also.

[@CollinModels]

Somehow, a freaking GAS company posts more entertaining videos than most other things I see on here

[@FrostyDaCat]

0:25 Haha we still use rubber bands! 😂

[@pinkfactory2667]

Waoooo fantastique cette vidéo des débuts de l’aéromodélisme, merci 🙏 😊

[@elinoreberkley1643]

Freaking amazing.

[@lessparks9388]

Great video!

[@nuxboxen]

Thank you for this Gem.... Thank you

[@raymondelder5004]

Must have been fun, being able to fly without regulations.

[@Jadarek]

Te modele to moja młodość ! 🤔🛩️

[@austriaelephant]

Perfect documentation👌. Hope, the enthusiasm of those days for technology and the sense for discovery will come back to the Generation Z to alpha🤞

[@user-zt5xz5fz4q]

The world ❤ SHELL.

[@NorthriverRR]

That way to change cylinder capacity was amazing in a smart way. That decision to attempt to fly in that strong wind was amazing in a stupid way.

[@keithgibson568]

You don't change the actual capacity of the engine, only the compression ratio

[@iwb316]

6:32 A jetex helicopter model.

[@JK-tq5cu]

liked it!

[@abulmaksib]

❤ amazing

[@user-zt5xz5fz4q]

❤ WONDERFUL VIDEO.

[@sofiilham9380]

Shell

[@CSP-je7cl]

IAM PISTON ENGINE LOVER

[@user-zt5xz5fz4q]

Yes.❤.

[@sofiilham9380]

Shell

[@MattTee1975]

My dad started flying RC in the fifties. His original planes are still at his house somewhere...

[@olbill70]

Hand launching a C/L speed model is something you don't see often.

[@olbill70]

And at 9:43 sticking the nose into the ground to stop the engine after shearing off a prop brings back a lot of memories.

[@markkneill-boxley7434]

Combat models can't launch any other way, I remember well dad teaching me the skills back in the early 70s.

[@sofiilham9380]

Shell

[@lawrencewilliams2911]

NOTHING CHANGED ALWAYS BEEN AROUND OBVIOUSLY

[@QXZ9027MKII]

Every body is dressed neatly.

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

1:00 that must’ve been a pain to edit back then

[@ricksaunders3889]

Pulse jet model airplane engine, who knew.

[@robertgregory8936]

My youth…

[@Lembur_Urang.]

Best oil best fuel i love it

[@user-zt5xz5fz4q]

We ❤ SHELL.

[@sofiilham9380]

Shell

[@Win100n]

Did Shell also explore the world with paper airplanes?

[@user-zt5xz5fz4q]

Yes. SHELL is the best in everything. Exploration too. SHELL RULES THE WORLD AND WE ❤ SHELL.

[@sofiilham9380]

Shell

[@jobenbarrientos4560]

Your favorite toys 🧸 and pangarap Kong magkaroon ng radio 📻 controlled ⛽ gas powered engine that cools for you

[@DK262]

どうしてシェル石油がUコン飛行機の映像を記録してるの？ グローエンジンの燃料を売ってた？

[@mattluszczak8095]

I would prob get sick from all those circles

[@ctgonzalez6139]

Ahora muchos presumen de fabricar drones 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@_BL4CKB1RD_]

Beanz.

[@BIBIWCICC]

I order if these people realised that Shell would abandon their old platforms in the North Sea to pollute their children?

[@normaal4663]

You order what ?

[@user-zt5xz5fz4q]

SHELL ❤.

[@user-zt5xz5fz4q]

Go to a doctor in medicine. Fast.

[@markholroyde9412]

Probably not, they were just blokes having fun, all that fun stopped with boring snowflakes coming along post 1990, they have had no life, thank fk I was born in '61, and lived the best decades ever, the 80/90s.

[@DirtyHarryLarryDickman]

​@@markholroyde9412Exactly. The snowflakes hate to see others enjoy anything they don't like and try to ban it. We need to push back hard.