George Lieb...is the ultimate modeler...gifted designer, builder, stunt flyer,combat, speed flyer, carrier, scale builder...GEORGE DOES IT ALL but most of all...

TEACHER, CONFIDANT,FRIEND and like a 2nd father to Mike and Bruce...and a long time brother in balsa to everyone who loves anything that flies. During those lean years...when I was trying just to survive.....and pay rent and to feed my addiction to stunt model building and flying.

George also was one of the most giving human beings that I have ever known. Many times he would call me up, knowing that I just might not have .50cents to my name...and he and his beautiful wife would graciously invite us to dinner..and then he would take us down into his virtual museum model shop basement..where he would spend time working and showing us the fine art of building, finishing.
His models and engines always ran with total perfection...and his flying skills was truly unmatched...and encouraged Bruce, Mike and so many of the rest of us...near de wells just how to be the best we could be.
When I think back...
GEORGE ONLY COMPETED IN EVENTS..WHERE THE CLOCK RULED! Although he was a master stunt flyer....he refrained fully from stunt competition events. I think mostly because he felt in his soul...that no mortal grunt should judge another human being on flying stunt...and to be bluntly honest. George, I think....knew that the virtually impossible task of picking the best flight of the day would at best, be a guess.
George DIDN'T EVER LIKE TO GUESS! He was a noted AIR COMMAND TRAFFIC CONTROL at a secret site underground. Mike and Bruce...please help me fill in the details about this most complicated and gifted genius in model building?
WE HAVE A BILLION-N'-KAJILLION STORIES about our beloved model master!

Your right about that old Red plane of Lieb's...one leadout not only blew out of that model..but also on the new Blue and White one that I used the original wing from.
That old wing...which wasn't destroyed, so to save time, Hey, all I needed to do was built a brand new fuselage, stab and elavator.
 BUT I DIDN'T REPLACE THAT WORN BELLCRANK. DAAA??? 

Although I replaced the broken leadouts ends (that "didn't look toooooo bad)  soOOOO to save rebuilding time and still use that amazingly lightly built original wing which was not too badly damaged..
And after workin' my butt off to meet the SanPoint contest deadline...that new George Lieb special was finished JUST IN THE NICKITY OF TIME at the dawn of the contest at SandPoint.
 
I could still smell of the sprayed on AeroGloss  topcoat clear as I signaled to start the engine for my first morning qualification flight.
ALSO DREW THE FIRST FLIGHT of the day..(with no test flight. If it hadn't been for BAD LUCK, I would'nt had NO LUCK AT ALL!!!

After a smooth take off and beautiful consistantly on rails level laps... I tried to pop that hard snappy downwind 2nd corner STYLE AND PROFILE into inverted flight! "POW!"

I can see still in my mind that big 700+  area'd outboard wing panel, sailing end over end..as the 25mph + wind carried that panel toward the waters of Lake Wa. after the model hit nose first and blew apart...scattering model parts and pieces for a 1/4 of a mile down wind.

Here is that aftermath photo...after I picked up most of the pieces that were left over. OUCH!
Sad ending for one amazing flying machine.

"Again, NO MISTAKES, JUST LESSONS TO BE LEARNED!" (never install a soft aluminum bellcrank without bushing over those saw-tooth like braided steel leadout cables...plus that NO-NO'S OF ALL NO-NO'S...NEVER USE SOLDER ON ANY LEADOUT CABLE ANYWHERE...

Look carefully at this photo...notice that BOTH LEADOUTS FAILED! NOT JUST THE DOWN LINE..SEE THE BELLCRAND LEADOUT TALE TAIL ENDS...STICKING UP OUT THROUGH THE BROKEN SILKSPAN ON THAT INBOARD PANEL?   

Here is the repainted original George Lieb built airplane with a new  Aero Gloss BRIGHT RED FINISH a reshaped aft end with the tail wheel installed in the sub dorsal below the rudder. I had to add that because of that reeaaaaaaaally light wing loading. However a few weeks later...I removed the offset and it flew very well...that is, until I snagged a Dandy-lion tassle at Carkeek Park and took the nose off..and busted the entire tail section when it free-flighted over the top of the circle and almost hit the tree limbs..I didn't let go of the handle until I yanked itself into the rather hard soil and sparce grass (weeds)...Humm.
 THAT HAS TO BE THE REASON THE LEADOUTS AND BELLCRANK TOOK SUCH A HIT and led to another quickeeee rebuild from hell, to make SanPoint only a short time later?
I wonder what George would have though of the way I treated his beautiful old stunter?

I can remember puting one of my Ruffys in on the downturn of the wingover at Sandpoint. It sure makes a mess and you just don't pick up the garbage and it slows the contest down. Mine was a bad control horn. Ya I know everyone thought it was pilot error!

Three of the nicest old guys I know. Shultzie quit all that funny dressing and stuff after he got married. He had too. They kept baring him from all these neet places. The establishment was not very leanient in those days and he always looked a little suspicios. But he was a lot of fun so we let him play with us!

George Leib is an icon in this area.  I remember meeting him at the first contests held somewhere outside of Omaha.  I think the SAC Museum facilities.  As stated he only entered events that were judged by the stop watch.  I can still see him flying profile carrier until the sliders came along.  As a pit man he was un-equaled.  Especially when Mike Tallman was flying lately.  He used to have a younger lad at one time that he worked with.  He was always open to give advice, sometimes too much.  But, he was also great to be around too.  George is still in Omaha and comes to Topeka, KS to fly scale race.  Not as fast as he used to be, pit wise, but fast in the air.  Did not know of the passing of his wife at the last memorial day race until after he had already left for home.  He is one of the greats.  DOC Holliday