I first met both JIM SILHAVY and AL RABE...at the 67 Nationals. 68 n' 69 nats in Philly

What contrasts in styles of models....Jim with his traditional no non'sense strictly business OUTSTANDLY FINISHED stunt models that would take your breath away from an artistic standpoint. I had the pleasure of both Jim and Al's friendship for years afterwards...

The last shot shown here is Al Rabe holding Jim's traditional brand new FAI stunt ship where all three of us were staying at this Flea bag motel in Philly the night before we headed out to the Nationals the following morning. 

As you can imagine...just how intense the conversation flowed all that eve. about the virtues of traditional vs' semi-scale stunters....I can still see the expressions of Jim Silhavy's beloved wife as she tried to endure all this hanger trash talk, especially after traveling to this God forsaken place....and having to watch grown adults...gathered together flying toy model airplanes doin' our thing called " competition precision aerobatics?"
Just razzin' but what often still amazes me...is just how giving our families can be...in dealing with such addicted balsa glue sniffin flyin fools like so many of us ol' STUNT GRUNTS!

Shultzie,  Great pick!  I really like Jim.   He's a true gentleman, quiet, competitive, and a true craftsman.

Which size Gypsy is the red one?  Those are great pictures.

Bill <><

This was Jim's FAI model that he brought with him to the 69 nats for show n' test'n tell...
It sported a  beautiful MIND BENDIN'-BLOWIN' finish on the fuselage....but the wing was perfect clear coated RED silkspan covering that would give even the most reverent free flight builder wet silkspan dreams!!!! 
That clear coat allowed transparency that showed just how exacting that inner structure was made to pefection. Not too clear like money coat..but soft...like Leo's Mel's glamour softening lens filter for his view camera. Sad that I didn't take a photo of the wing surface...with the sun behind it...etc.
I often think back how so many of Jim's friends gave him such a razzing about his often characteristical' little demons...that often made him so nervous and jerky such as:

At the 67 nat site...I think it was Dave Gierke who had just finished his first round pattern and came up walking to all of us and while looking at Jim and smiling, Said:

Hey Jim...be careful...that stunt circle is laid out over a strip patch of black top and the rest of the circle is over that bright reflective white tarmac. Did you notice how my Novi flight path everytime it passed over the hot black tarmac..the plane would balloon up at least a foot in height and then drop back down again, as soon as it  traveled back into the cooler white concrete sections? 
I could swear I could see Jim start to sweat the "small stuff"  and voice start to quiver as he asked for more information.
Sure enough...when Jim landed he walked over and said something like: Why did someone have to tell me about that just when I was getting ready to put in my flight? He glared a look at Dave, but then looked over to the rest of us standing there and gave a "snyle and a quick wink."
WAS THAT GAMESMANSHIP IN FULL ACTION...HUMMM? I THINK SOOOO!

Bye the way....after watching Jim's stunt flight...that GYPSY FLEW LIKE IT WAS ON RAILS...and JUST MAAAAAYBE, in Jim's mind and the rest of us outside the circle, might have noticed only the very very smallest of effect that strip of black asphalt, in theroy only, could have effected the models flight path. However the winds were fairly steady and this really didn't seem to actually be an issue to either JIM SILHAVY, or any one else that day...except for MY LANDING...WHICH BALLOONED A TAD AND MADE A SECOND TOUCH DOWN~

HUMMMM? MY MIND SCREAMED TO ME...."DON! IT MUST HAVE BEEN THAT BLACK ASPHALT STRIP that contributed to that double touch down landing NOT! .....but in truth, I knew for a fact, it probably was actually just  Dave Gierke's GAMESMANSHIP AT PLAY with my mind instead? 

How times have changed.  I can still remember some of the stuff the competitors would pull on each other.  Especially at the local meets, even tho I did not fly stunt at that period of time.  DOC Holliday

Hi Doc,

You think things have changed   Man, we always bust each other's chops when we are at a contest! 

But I do believe that there is way more friendly help now than 40 years ago.