The FAI patch is 1976, The Nats patch, on his hat, is 1980.
I'm confused since I had started competing against Ted several years before those patches were avaliable. I recall Ted being a bit older. In fact I believe Ted never looked that young! Think about it. Would United Airlines hire a ten year old kid to sit anywhere near the front of an airliner?
In addition, that plane is very different from the stuff he had that I remember. Black? Round Cowl? Monokote? I'll bet these pictures were fixed up with that new fangled Photoshop thing. Someone even spliced in Gary McCellan holding Teds' plane on one picture. Gary lives in Texas and everyone knows that Texans, in the interest of public safety, are not allowed to leave Texas except for two weeks each July. I am pretty sure the Northwest would be covered in snow then.
All that being said Roberta and I want to wish each of you a Happy Holiday Season and a safe New Year.