ANNOUNCING
The 30th Charles Hampson Grant Memorial International Mass Launch Of Cloud Tramps
Or
GRANT MIMLOCT 2025
We are promoting this event to celebrate the contributions made by Charles Grant to the development of our hobby. We hope that as many people as possible will make a Cloud Tramp and join in the world wide launch on the traditional first Saturday in August. This year it is Saturday, August 2, 2025.
The goal is to remember Charlie Grant’s contributions to aeromodelling and to enjoy flying his most popular design, a design that was intended to introduce modelers to the joy of simple aeromodelling. You can see from the pictures that this is a simple sheet balsa model that anyone can build.
GRANT MIMLOCT 2025 is not a competition and there are no prizes. We hope participants will enjoy the fun of building and flying the Cloud Tramp, as well as taking part in this unique event, which attracted 141 participants from all over the World in 2016, 131 in 2017, 196 in 2018, 128 in 2019, 67 in 2020, 74 in 2021, 81 in 2022, 47 in 2023 and 103 in 2024.
Please let us know if you take part in GM 2025 so that your name can be included in the official report and you can be counted in the tally. Use the Comment feature below. Let me know if you have pictures and I can arrange to post them.
MAKE A CLOUD TRAMP
The Cloud Tramp was the last manifestation of Charlie Grant’s basic stick rubber model for beginners and appeared in Model Airplane News, August, 1954. These models were intended to illustrate scientific principles of design, trimming and stability. The Cloud Tramp can be built very quickly and flies well. A copy of the plan (half-size, with some full size parts) can be downloaded.
Save it to hard disk and open it with a suitable application so that it can be printed at the correct A4 (11″ x 8.5″ USA) size. Size it so the wing chord is 3″. The text of the accompanying article can be read on Garry Hunter’s excellent website.
We have published a detailed, illustrated, step-by-step tutorial on building a Better Cloud Tramp. Improvements include a two-hole prop shaft bearing, wheel collars, a simpler, cleaner, stronger wing attachment, wet formed wings with full span camber without ribs and an adjustable rudder.
Two articles about Charles Grant and the Cloud Tramp have appeared in the magazine Free Flight Quarterly, Issue No. 2, January 2002, page 18 and Issue No. 3, April 2002, page 19. Back issues are available on CDs.
Lastly, why not decorate your CT with an authentic Charlie Grant autograph,
or even better, this neat graphic specially drawn by Iain Paterson.
CLOUD TRAMP KITS
There are two kits currently available. Get one now and fly in the August World-Wide Cloud Tramp Mass Launch! You can use the materials from either kit to build the Better Cloud Tramp according to our tutorial.
A full kit is being produced by Vintage Model Company in Great Britain, convenient to the European market. I have this kit and can vouch for it.
George Bredehoft has brought back his Cloud Tramp kit, as a Short Kit. You will get all the laser-cut sheet balsa pieces and plans/instructions in this very basic short kit ($11). You can add a plastic prop (+$1) or a Superior Props Cloud Tramp balsa prop blank (+$8) as options. The instructions list all the other items needed to complete the kit, which are standard hobby shop items. I have several of George’s original full kits and can vouch for their quality.
MODIFICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
The prop shaft bearing can be modified to aid trimming – have a look at some ideas that Pete Money has collected, including a neat adjustable system developed by Bob Morris, and the alternative system that Bob Kopksi uses. Pete has also forwarded some suggestions for improving the wing construction and fixing. See also our suggestions on EndlessLift. If your CT needs a D/T, Roland Frid has developed a neat system. If you fancy a change from rubber power, have a look at Tony Overton’s alternatives or even try an enlarged R/C version like Den Saxcoburg.
PREVIOUS MIMLOCT REPORTS
Have a look at Colin Hutchinson’s 2011 and 2012 photopages of the event.
There are several videos featuring Cloud Tramps on YouTube! Just type Cloud Tramp into the search box to find them.
Mike Parker compiled a report of GM 2015 from the various anecdotes submitted by participants.
See the Epsom Downs Model Aircraft Club fly their Cloud Tramps here EDMAC.
Read the 2017 MIMLOCT Report, the 2018 MIMLOCT Report, the 2019 MIMLOCT Report, the 2020 MIMLOCT Report, the 2021 MIMLOCT Report, the 2022 MIMLOCT Report, the 2023 MIMLOCT Report and the 2024 MIMLOCT Report. See lots of pictures of people flying their Cloud Tramps.