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Author Topic: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY  (Read 6798 times)

Offline Shultzie

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DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« on: February 14, 2007, 11:45:23 AM »
When EXCELLENCE in model building comes to my feeble Aerogloss demented brain...
DAVE GIERKE....always comes to mind.

The LA 67 nats was the first time that I had the pleasure to finally meet Dave Gierke. Both Tim Dunlop and I had the pleasure to spend considerable time with Dave, not only on the practice circles, but what a pleasure it was to sit in the pit area, next to seasoned national competitors such as Dave, Jim Silhavy, Al Rabe and a host of others...during those moments as all of us watched the flyers DO THEIR PATTERNS in front of the host of Navy judges.

Especially fun for both Tim and I who were neo-new timers to our first nationals, stand by and how entertaining to listen to the Gamesmanship that was being played during the competiton.
I think it was Bob Gieske..that when he first saw the Navy Judges perk up and gather round Dave's JETSTYLE NOVI 3 just as he was carring out that model for the first round flight. It was fun to hear the patter of gamesmanship fun and games  being played out in style n' mostly in good taste. I can't actually remember any of the better top name flyers, ever really rashin' or trashing any of their fellow competitiors during those days.

Perhaps due in part...that WE WERE HOSTS OF THE NAVY...GOOD OR BAD, TRAINED OR NOT...THEY WERE DOING THE JUDGING and the outcome would have to be taken with a grain of tarmac sand n' sea salt.
Thinkin back, I thought our staff of flyers (Dick Williams etc, did a great judge training that seemingly improbable hosts  of Navy pilots that worked their buttski's off to do their duty to give their best effort.
What memories....and here are a few photos of Dave at both the 67-68-69 nats
Don Shultz

Offline Shultzie

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2007, 12:23:55 PM »
Here is another couple photos of Dick and Jon D' working with the judges staff...
Bringing COFFEE ON THE 120 DEGREE TARMAC...(What wuzzzzzhe thinkin? LL~

Big John Jon D'otto'???...help!!! I will find the spelling of his name...who took so much time flying before and training that host of Navy judges and mucky-musters'
He flew a beautiful pattern for the judges...with that sharp looking yellow black stunter.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2007, 02:42:24 PM by Shultzie »
Don Shultz

Offline Randy Powell

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2007, 06:11:27 PM »
Don,

I'm currently building Dave's Novi I. Attached are pics of his Novi I and All American Eagle. Very cool guy and has been very helpful in the contruction of the Novi.
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Offline Shultzie

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2007, 08:01:51 PM »
Don,

I'm currently building Dave's Novi I. Attached are pics of his Novi I and All American Eagle. Very cool guy and has been very helpful in the contruction of the Novi.
RANDY..THAT MINT JULIP NOVI of Dave's was sooooo beautiful...especially sitting on a hot 110 degree tarmac. Coooool, cool color.
Thanks for posting those beautiful old photos...

That All American Eagle with its shielded cable retracts was somethin' else. GADS! IT NOT ONLY LOOKED SOOOOOOOOOCOOL IN FLIGHT...but the smooooooooothness was amazing. Also the visual picture of that landing gear retracting so smoothly. Although he was having some problem with the shielding on that one line at times shorting out.. Luckily it was intermittent...and at that time..never had to land that model with the wheels up. (Although Tim, Pat Collier and I were ready to take off on a run....to snatch that beautiful model out of the air....on any dead stick landing approach that might take place. Pat was an expert at SNATCHING DEAD STICK MODELS OUT OF THE AIR...and saved quite a few scuffed nose and tail feathers. As far as I know he never dropped a dead stick model. y1

another shot of Daves beautiful Novi 4 model and I am certain your new Novi will surely do him proud!
« Last Edit: February 20, 2007, 10:02:04 PM by Robert Storick »
Don Shultz

Offline Bill Groman

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2007, 10:50:23 PM »
This really takes me back.  I remember reading Kostecky's FM Talon article ('66?) in which he said Dave's Novi was a Talon with a few changes. I had never seen the original Novi until the AAM article ('68?) came out, and I then took both plans and laid them side by side. The resemblance was clear, but the Novi, at least for me, had just the right changes to make it resonate with my ideas of cool looks.

For years I have been wondering about one of Dave's models I saw. I met him late one night in the famous Navy hangar/model workshop at the '68 Nats, as he was working on a light metallic blue stunter. He was polishing it as I bothered him with kid-questions, and I never forgot that gorgeous metallic blue airplane. The problem is, in recent years I have seen all of these photos of his models on the internet and none of them are blue. Was I hallucinating, or did he build a model that was never photographed? 

Dave has a sense of aesthetics that I greatly admire. His later RC pattern models were finished like his CL stunters...show stoppers every one. And, he wrote a great book on care and operation of model engines. A real modeling legend...and Stunt Grunt.

Offline Bill Little

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2007, 07:26:05 AM »
Don,

I'm currently building Dave's Novi I. Attached are pics of his Novi I and All American Eagle. Very cool guy and has been very helpful in the contruction of the Novi.

I need to finish up my "NOVI 11".  I built it using my SV 11 wing and tail sections, and the NOVI 1 fuselage looks.  PA 61 on pipe should power it well.  I would like to get hold of Dave, myself......
Big Bear <><

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Trying to get by

Online John Miller

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2007, 01:35:54 PM »
Hi Bill, As an aside, I used to hear from Aron all the time, when I was useing an IM service. Hope he's doing well, and hasn't lost his desire to fly stunt.

Back to the subject, Daves gorgeous designs.

Last night I sprayed on the final color coats on my AAE. It looks pretty nice decked out as a Blue Angel. All that blue and yellow paint, it should display well.

I'm letting it dry a day or so before I start the clear coats, and when I get home today, I'll take some pictures to post.

Gordan's is also coming along well, but, he decided to go with his own trim scheme rather than the Thunderbirds. Red white and blue though. Hopefully he'll also post some pics as well.

Randy, how's the Novi 1 coming along. We need to set up a group shot at VSC, I think there are going to be a lot of daves designs there this year. wouldn't it be great if Dave shows up?

John Miller
Getting a line on life. AMA 1601

Offline Shultzie

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2007, 08:38:00 PM »
Dave's beautiful models...are sooo beautiful. Here is his RC Northern Eagle...that just BEGS! TO BE BORROWED FOR CONTROL LINE STUNT!
Just reset that wing and stab platform....GADS! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL FUSELAGE!!!

RANDY!  I DARE YOU!!!!  VD~
« Last Edit: February 20, 2007, 10:02:33 PM by Robert Storick »
Don Shultz

Offline Randy Powell

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2007, 10:04:10 PM »
John,

Mine is till in filler coat. Just about sanded out. I should be able to shoot a sealer this weekend and start color coats. Still not sure of the finish colors. I'm still debating with myself whether to go with the original color scheme or do something different.

Shultzie,

Could be a cool project.
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Offline Bill Little

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2007, 07:04:13 AM »
Hi Bill, As an aside, I used to hear from Aron all the time, when I was useing an IM service. Hope he's doing well, and hasn't lost his desire to fly stunt.
(snip)

John Miller

Hi John,

Aaron is still wanting to fly CLPA, and if he gets a new job he's in the running for, he could be able to do more of it.  He has a 6 yo, and a 2 yo, and he's actually working his regular job and two part time jobs............  He's got a fairly new Satana that has less than 3 dozen flights on it, but he just doesn't have "day light" time for it right now.

Glad to hear that the AAEs are coming around so well.  I wish I could be at VSC this year!

Bill <><
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James Hylton Motorsports/NASCAR/ARCA

AMA 95351 (got one of my old numbers back! ;D )

Trying to get by

Offline Randy Powell

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2007, 10:49:16 AM »
Oops. Forgot to say. No VSC for me this year. But I'm planning on a trip next year if I can build a plane that will fit into a suitcase or get someone that's driving to haul my plane.
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Offline Shultzie

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2007, 11:18:05 PM »
Don,

I'm currently building Dave's Novi I. Attached are pics of his Novi I and All American Eagle. Very cool guy and has been very helpful in the contruction of the Novi.
I had 3 really nice close ups of Dave's Eagle but......I can't find them anywhere as yet.
Bye the way...I can't find the Eagle's article....anywhere?

If you are thinking of keeping the Eagle concept... as you know....lots of beautiful Eagle stuff  on www.airbrushaction.com and beautiful photography showing eagles in all kinds of poses.. www.EyeFetch.com
Dave's paint scheme really looked beautiful without being over-razzzed n' jazzed. I have some Robart Retracts that I modifed for a concept model (My SeaHawker model that only got as far as the mylar stage)that utilized a "hidden r/c transmitter and receiver that was to be hidden in the mid section below the bellcrank.  I was still going to use a false powerpack for the shielded downline, that was designed by my close jazz musician friend, partner in crime,   in micro electronics....
Walter assured me that no one would ever pick up any signal... if they were over 100ft away from the model. The signal also could never be triggered accidently because of the frequency band width.

I chickened out because I began to feel like a low life scumbag bandit..and I began to feel a tad guilty knowing that a thing like that would be waaay to difficult to keep the many inquiring minds from investigating my demented criminal intent. 
However bottom line:
I was just too overburdened with waaaaaaay too little time during the final testing for the 777 extended range flutter model...that was driving all of us wacko-from waaay to much overtime.
TALK ABOUT BURNOUT!!!
That's when I turned to sport-kites... www.prismkites.com and www.sportkite.com   
The great thing about sportkites...I can pack em' anywhere almost fly anywhere with in reason...put on headsets...
fly choro to the music and nothing relaxed me more after a long 12 hour day at Boeing sniffin expoxy-graphite dust and paint fumes.

The last thing on my mind...was to go home and finish building and painting a couple of half finished stunt models.

However...Control line stunt, like a thief or ghost in the night...still haunts my soul and perhaps for the rest of my days.

GADS!  PURTY SAD HUH?  :!I COULD WRITE A SAD COWABUNGA SONG..HUH?  LL~
Gads...hummm?
What's that smell?
It must have been somethin in my coffee to make me drivil on like this? D>K n~
Don Shultz

Offline Randy Powell

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2007, 12:14:06 AM »
Don,

Well, you are retired now. So you, ah, could start building again.

I spend a lot of time in the shop. I find it relaxing and I really do like to build.
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Offline Bill Little

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2007, 08:05:04 AM »
Yes, Donster,

There is help for you!  You can actually build a control line stunt plane!!!  Relaxing time at the work bench and all these days.............

I love the smell of napalm.....er, uh.... no, that's BALSA DUST in the morning!
**) **) **)

get a plane started there big guy!

Bill <><
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James Hylton Motorsports/NASCAR/ARCA

AMA 95351 (got one of my old numbers back! ;D )

Trying to get by

Offline Shultzie

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #14 on: February 17, 2007, 11:05:25 AM »
Randy-n-Bill...Thanks for the "kuragement."  :-\
Don Shultz

Online John Miller

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Re: DAVE GIERKE--MEISTRO'STUNT-GRUNT OF THE DAY
« Reply #15 on: February 17, 2007, 11:52:51 AM »
Hey guys, As promised, I've posted pics of my, rapidly getting close to completion, AAE in the Classics forum. I didn't want to post on this one because it wasn't about my version of the airplane, rather the great designer of that plane, and that's the way it should be.

 010!

John Miller
Getting a line on life. AMA 1601


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