John Loudon of 3 Cabbagehall Place Leslie was an award winning model engineer. He lied about his age so he could start his apprenticeship at 16 years old. He made his first engine in 1932. He was a toolmaker with Emihus Microcomponents in Glenrothes. In his spare time he was a model engineer. He made working model steam engines.
He won an award in 1972 for his seven cylinder rotary 80 horsepower Gnome Monosoupage rotary aero engine. It was a model of an engine he'd seen as a 5 year old boy at Cupar where a ilot was offering flights in an Avro 504 aeroplane.
In his garden shed in Leslie Mr Loudon also made hip pins for an orthopaedic surgeon at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.
.1 Photocopy of a photograph of John Loudon with a model aero engine. approx 1971
.2 and .3 Donor's list of documents and 1 page summary of John Loudon's work as a model engineer
.4 photocopy of a press cutting from the Courier and Advertiser 14 August 1971 "Leslie man's ambition achieved" to make a scale model of an A.80 horsepower Gnome Monosoupape engine.
.5 and .6 photocopies of front cover of Model Engineer magazine 41st Exhibition Guide 1971-72 and photocopy of page 37 listing J Loudon of Leslie Fife in competition entries fr class K Internal combustion engines.
.7 Photocopy of photographs of setting up at exhibition Janaury 1972; John Loudon with Alf Peatman garage owner from Thornton Fif; and photograph of Stirling Moss racing driver and Professor DH Chaddock.
.8 Model Engineer magazine for August 1972 Volume 138 Number 3447: includes an article by J Loudon (misprinted as J London) A prize-winning Monosoupape Petrol Engine see pp 800-804
.9 Results and Awards Model Engineer Exhibition 1972
.10 Photocopy of press cutting from Glenrothes Gazette 20.01.1972 "Exhibition award for Leslie craftsman".
.11 Photocopy of notice in newspaper of John Loudon's death and funeral at Christ's Kirk on the Green on January 25 1985
.12 Print out from ?Scotlandspeople webiste of death certificates in 1985 for surname Loudon
.13 Photocopy of 1 page article in Model Engineer "The Gnome Monosoupape Rotary Aero Engine Hints on Running by Prof. D H Chaddock in Model engineer 20.04.1984