Yes, I think the intention was to simulate marble. And yes, I think Gene pulled it off.

More importantly, it looks different. I applaud the effort to make something that nobody's seen before. Put that down on in the flight pits, and you're going to get a reaction.  And I'd rather have "ugly that gets a reaction" than "pretty, but bland, and nobody really cares".

About the only main change I would make is that I wouldn't put the gray marbling effect in the white trim. I'd keep that pure white, to better contrast against the black/orange of the main color. (I might also go with red instead of the orange.)

Talking about Gene's plane that way is sacrilege. Did you know that plane is were Bob Hunt's CAPRY comes from. Gene gave Bob the numbers and the Capri is born. The Capri is by far the most dominant CLASSIC plane being used today. If VSC is the proving ground then its the best today. a couple of photos of the STUNT MACHINE not done bu Gene but a great rendition of his design.

  LL~SACRILEGE? Yes...we know that our beloved Hunt took this awesome design and RAN TO THE BANK WITH IT!!
AGAIN JOSE..THESE LAST TWO SHOTS OF YOURS OF GENE SCHAFFER'S ICONIC PERFECTION STAND ALONE...to show the GENIUS OF CLPA PERFECTION. WOW!

You should have seen the look on Gene's face when he first took that "Gamesmanship flack from a few of his close friendly peers" when he sat that "Faux-finished model of his down next to a line up of purty white jet style stunters in that staging area.  

If a certain flying buddy of his...hadn't mentioned that the finish on that beautifully built and flying "Pre-Capri" colorization matched the NAVY BARRACKS TILE FLOOR SCHEME TO A T that morning at the eliminations...(and the remark about the tile floor thang-thing?)
Now I wish that we could have simply  taken the time that morning just to note just how beautifully and artisitcally crafted that this radically finished mean-lean stunt machine of Gene's "IN REALITY truly made a  STRONG STAND ALONE STATEMENT.
Remember too,  that the NAVY STAFF was doing the judging and because of that reason alone,  so many stunt models were style and profile NAVY JET trim appointed stunt models... even more blantent...a select few (names withheld to protect the guilty) of the stunt flyers themselves attempted to even dress in pristene white  " COPY-KITTY NAVY NURSES UNIFORMS" to gain some kind of "impression point thing" that if the Navy judging staff SHOULD OR COULD  have done their jobs as instructed during "TRAINING DAY"....

Then  all this jet style and posturing in wearing White Navy look-a-like garb non-sense would prove to become a meaningless and fruitless effort.
In the end...
Gene was truly BRAVE-BOLD-and HONEST and simply chose to let he and his radically painted model do the DUTY-DIRTY FINAL UPSMANSHIP DEED  by simply flying the best pattern of the day at Olatha Nationals CLPA 1968.

Perhaps after all these years...HOPEFULLY? Time has changed...or has it when it comes to flying CLPA competition. Ideal would or could it be....IF A CLPA model was judged not for just how it looks..but HOW ACCURATELY IT FLIES THE CLPA PATTERN...no matter if the model is finished with a FAUX FUR-OR FEATHERS OR MARBLE TILE PAINT SCHEME PATTERN...Hey what next?
HOW BOUT' A NEW STUNT MODEL...PAINTED LIKE THOSE AWESOME CRITTERS FROM AVATAR?
WOW!
U AIR BRUSH ARTISTS...JUST THINK OF THE POSSIBILITES?

 
Anyone standing around there in the staging area that morning perhaps would also agree with you that Gene's CLPA was truly an OUTSTANDING and exceptional well made CLPA stunt machine....
however to say that those of us standing around there that morning razzin' Gene about his Fuzzy-wuzzie paint job and were not BLOWN AWAY at Gene's FAUX' MARBLE, FUR COAT PAINT SCHEME.....HAVE NO SOUL?
Now that I think about that moment....the only folks standing around that model in the long line up of models were close friends and peers of Gene and just maybe were a bit startled to see that kind of radically different paint scheme and took the liberty to dish out a bit of humored gamesmanship to that moment in time.  

I too remember the razz and ribbing that my good close friendly competitior AL RABE that day was also receiving for his unique and different virtually full scale like CLPA Bear Cats and P-51.
And just next to Gene's mean machine...
Bob Baron was also taking a HUGE AMOUNT OF GAMESMANSHIP FLACK from almost every CLPA traditionalistic stunt flyer on the line that day. Even one of his closest long time fellow competitiors....walked up with his beautiful modified Nobler and bent down and gave Baron a pat on the back...saying: "Hey Bob....the COMBAT CIRCLE IS WAAAAAAY OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE FIELD?"
Bottom line: HEY ROBIN and ALL MY BELOVED AND CHARISHED BROTHA'S IN BALSA DUST... SORRY I LAID A BAD EGG on everyone who..has a perfect right to share their own likes and dislikes about CLPA. DIVERSITY in model design is I STILL ADVOCATE IS  A GOOD THING!
Bob..
You know how much I love that new Caprice model of yours...even though I still think bottom line that beautiful  YOUR  AMAZING CROSSFIRE.... TO SHULTZIE....IS THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED AND BUILT MODEL THAT THIS OL' KITE-TOY AIRPLANE KOOT HAS EVER SEEN.

I only said it wasn't to my taste. Doesn't mean it's not really good execution and craftsmanship. Everybody like something. Some people even like Bronze.   

Quote from: Bob Hunt on February 09, 2010, 10:00:30 PM
Uh, Don... I was kidding with you

Morn' Bob!
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed our Phone-hanger talk session last night...about everything from toy airplanes....music....doodle-art....motorcylces...ping pong and again, Thanks for always being there as my friend and bro for all these years and uplifting my spirit again. (However.. Why can't I get that vision of CROSSFIRE out of my head this morn?

Quote from: Randy Powell on February 10, 2010, 10:08:14 AM
I only said it wasn't to my taste. Doesn't mean it's not really good execution and craftsmanship. Everybody like something. Some people even like Bronze.  

LOL!
THANKS RANDY!!!
Bob and I both gabbed about how amazingly Beautiful New Ride of yours is.....however I kept having this gnawing feeling he was disappointed that you didn't paint it COPPER N BRONZE

Hunt i was thinking about a sail boat called the Catalina Capri sorry about the name mix up. Here is a photo of my favorite  Gene's ST46 ships, THE STATESMAN. this ship was under 50oz.
The photos of the STUNT MACHINE  was built by MonteS photos taken from STUKA STUNT
Gene won two(2) team trials one with the 35 Genesis and one with the STATESMAN but the Hallmark is better known.
The STUNT MACHINE lost a place on the 72 team(71 team trials)the motor quit at top of clover exit Gene whipped the model  what he thought was 2 laps but it was decided that he did not complete the 2 level laps prior to landing and the STUNT MACHINE missed a team placing. 72 team Werwage, Gieskie,Phelps, Gene 4 or 5Th
This from a pilot that could wind fly for many minutes at a time. That one must of hurt.

A few more shots of Gene....From Claudia Kenhnen's Photo stream which always a  great place to find beautiful old World Cup photos.

I love how on the nose it says " Ban the Bra!". Must have been 69 to 71.I have to beg the old lady to put one on these days!

John,

I can't see Ban the Bra anywhere!  Are you looking at the picture with 500X magnification?

Jim Pollock   

Quote from: John Sunderland on February 12, 2010, 02:33:33 PM
I love how on the nose it says " Ban the Bra!". Must have been 69 to 71.I have to beg the old lady to put one on these days!

Hey John...
Are you referring to Dave Gierke;s NOVI 3 from the 67-68 Nats..that contained that expression just behind the spinner?

I never met Gene Schaffer, but when I was a kid in the early 70's, I would occasionaly fly at Flushing Meadow with my dad. I remember seeing Gene wind fly, from the parking lot it seemed like a normal flight . Untill you got out of the car and heard no engine! It was truly amazing! Just think of all the fuel he saved!  John

Quote from: Shultzie on February 12, 2010, 05:47:41 PM
Hey John...
Are you referring to Dave Gierke;s NOVI 3 from the 67-68 Nats..that contained that expression just behind the spinner?

Whoops! Yes I was....still.....these days that old statement seems so odd, but a part of the times then!

Met Gene at a Joey Dee concert in Clearwater FL around 1996. Joey only lived a few miles from my house when I was living in Florida and I hope to see him in Largo Fl on the 28th of this month.
    Ed

There are two guys I would love to have seen fly in their prime, Gene and Les.

Their is a lot of Gene in my designs these days.

Quote from: Bradley Walker on April 01, 2010, 07:54:04 AM
There are two guys I would love to have seen fly in their prime, Gene and Les.

Their is a lot of Gene in my designs these days.

Brad
You can't imagine how frighteningly talented that man was. For me till this day, he remains the greatest stunt flyer I have ever seen.

Here's a photo of Gene Schaffer, Al Rabe and myself after a contest in Lexington Kentucky. (September 1972).
Genes patterns were always spectacular to watch but Al beat us this weekend.

                                                                                        Les McDonald

Les,

You were so young and svelte!   

Look at that head of hair on Les and he still has it.   

Gene and Bob Lampione would be at FMP early on most Sunday Mornings, 4 circles 2 paved 2 grass, in those days by noon there was a 20-30 minute flight line wait at each of them.

Quote from: Les McDonald on May 06, 2010, 11:59:25 AM
Here's a photo of Gene Schaffer, Al Rabe and myself after a contest in Lexington Kentucky. (September 1972).
Genes patterns were always spectacular to watch but Al beat us this weekend.

    I think I was a little kid, spectating, over to off-camera left, when this picture was taken - small world!

    Brett

if you Click on the Pictures to get rid of them , they just get ginormous .

http://www.flyboyzblog.com/flying-knights/

The Planes seem to have something in common with British Motorcycles .