Cool Story I Want to Share

[Larry Fernandez]

In the mid sixties, I attended Blacow Elementary School in Fremont California for the second and third grade.
Our principle was Mr. Ed Childress, one of the nicest gentleman I have ever known.
He would come out during recess and lunch and umpire our baseball games (remember when you could actually play with a real baseball and bring a bat to school?) he interacted with the students and everyone loved him.

During this time frame, my dad was seriously involve in stunt and was a WAM member (Western Associated Modelers). He competed in local contest and I of course, went to every one of them and pitted for him.

At a contest in Castro Valley, I happened to see Mr. Childress and ran to him to say hello. He was happy to see me and asked what I was doing there.
I told him that I was there with my dad who was competing. Turns out Mr. Childress was a modeler himself and flew scale.
I introduced him to my father and they hit it off big time.

Back at school, I would always go out of my way to say hello to him and chat about model airplanes. Turns out Mr. Childress was a big shot in the scale community, as you will see at the end of this story.

A couple of months ago I got the itch to build a Top Flite Peacemaker, as I had the kit stashed away in a closet. My dad had built a couple of them from plans, as Top Flite had yet to kit it. So I ordered a set of plans and found that the plans were published in Model Airplane News, April 1960, along with the article by George Aldrich. I just had to have it. I got lucky and found the magazine on e-bay. So I buy the magazine and didn't pay too much attention to the cover as I went straight to the Peacemaker article.
The more I looked at the cover, the more familiar the gentleman seemed.

The guy on the cover, holding a seven foot wingspan B-29 is none other than my elementary school principle, Mr. Childress!

Pretty cool.

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team
    

[john e. holliday]

That is a great story.   

[RknRusty]

That is a cool story. Thanks, larry.
Rusty

[Skip Chernoff]

Nice story,thanks for sharing.

[wwwarbird]

 Neat. 

[Paul Walker]

Nice story Larry.

I thought in the end you were going to tell us he did stunt patterns with the B-29. That would have been cool to see!

[Larry Fernandez]

Nice story Larry.

I thought in the end you were going to tell us he did stunt patterns with the B-29. That would have been cool to see!

Almost as cool as seeing a B-17 flown at the 2001 NATS.
The first time I met you.

I recall you running the motors in the pits and Jeff Anderson asking you "How long have you been flying stunt?" Your reply, "A lot longer than you".
Jeff retorts, "Then you know your not supposed to run motors in the pits". Your reply to Jeff is not printable on this forum.

Jeff and I still talk about that and crack up.

I had you pegged for a smart-ass from day one.

I was an Advanced flyer back then, but I was so impressed that such an accomplished flyer, found the time to answer all of my stupid questions.
Just like Ted, Brett and Dave, and I should also include Randy Smith and Bob Hunt in the mix.
All of you guys along with my finishing guru, the late great Jim Tichy have given me so much joy in this hobby.

Thank you all

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Air Ministry .]

Now if all headmasters flew control line scale , the world would be a better place . 

[wwwarbird]

Almost as cool as seeing a B-17 flown at the 2001 NATS.
The first time I met you.

I recall you running the motors in the pits and Jeff Anderson asking you "How long have you been flying stunt?" Your reply, "A lot longer than you".

 

[Steve Helmick]

I'm wondering if Larry remembers what I told him the first (and only) time we met at Clovis? It was a message sent by Pete Peterson.  Steve

[Scott Richlen]

Larry:

When I was in high school I flew out at Fort Missoula with Corporal Roseberry.  He had a Peacemaker and it was beautiful.  I've always had a great fondness for that airplane and always wanted to build one.  I wonder that we don't see more at contests or in the magazines?  Seems like a Peacemaker with an LA-25 would be a great plane for Intermediate or Advanced flyers.  Or in Classic?

Scott

[Larry Fernandez]

I remember seeing that plane at one of the nats.


MM

That plane was around for a while. The cover was shot prior to 1960 and I know it was flown at the 1959 NATs and I saw it in 1965.
here is what was written on the inside cover...

                                                                    " Plane on the cover.

This seven foot B-29 won second place, Open at the last Nationals for its builder, Ed Childress. Made in 3/4 in. scale, the ship is powered by four K&B .29's. Turrets and bomb-bay doors operate in flight. Covering is sheet balsa; model is scaled down from Boing plans. Ed is from Castro Valley California."

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Larry Fernandez]

I'm wondering if Larry remembers what I told him the first (and only) time we met at Clovis? It was a message sent by Pete Peterson.  Steve

I'm drawing a blank Steve.

Years back when I first started flying Advanced, Pete put a pretty good whippin on all of us Advanced flyers. We got tired of him spankin us so we started calling him "Sand-Bag Pete" and bugged him to move up and quit picking on us little guys.
I wonder if he remembers the bad time we gave him.
Did the message from Pete have any reference to "sandbagging"?

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Larry Wong]

Here is a pix I took in 1960 I flew scale also

[Larry Fernandez]

Here is a pix I took in 1960 I flew scale also

Did you happen to know Mr. Childress?

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Larry Wong]

Yes Larry my brother and I just talk to last year , I was in the San Leandro Line twister's and knew most of the Castrol valley Flying Clowns Ed was a Principal at the High school , last year he came to the Alameda flying field to see if any one would like to buy some of his things, and was joking about building another B-29 but with electric would make thing a lot easer to start. have not heard from him since.