News:



  • April 17, 2024, 08:46:26 PM

Login with username, password and session length

« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Orange County Thunderbugs  (Read 2389 times)

Offline WhittleN

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • ****
  • Posts: 308
Orange County Thunderbugs
« on: April 21, 2010, 07:42:32 AM »
Just wondering how many members of the Orange County Thunderbugs are still out there?  If you where a member please chime in and share your story.
I was very fortunate to be a member at age 14 – 18 what a great bunch of guys.  I could barely speak English but the guys put up with my German and took me to contests, helped me pick out wood for my stunters … it went on and on.  Some of the folks I remember Bart Klapinski, Jim Mayfield, Pat Collier and his sons Tom and Jim, Jerry McMillan and his son Chris, Dale Kirn, Dick Williams the list could go on for pages. I think there were about 100+ dues paying folks.
Norm Whittle
Logged

Offline FLOYD CARTER

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 4458
    • owner
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2010, 06:09:47 PM »
Well.  I wasn't a member, but I flew at their field in Santa Ana many times in the late '40s and early '50s.

We had our own club and field; "Lynwood Loopers", flew at the Lynwood Park, and
South Gate "Skylarks" with our field in South Gate.  Some members of the South Gate
club were Tom Lay (Jr. and Sr.), Bob Dunham (Orbit Radios).  My visits to the Thunderbugs
field often were to fly in their contests.

Floyd Carter
Eugene, OR
Logged
89 years, but still going (sort of)
AMA #796  SAM #188  LSF #020

Offline WhittleN

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • ****
  • Posts: 308
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2010, 06:29:24 AM »
Hi Floyd
Yes, I remember seeing Tom, Jim, and Pat Collier at Bollsa Chica high school when I was 11 or 12, man I was hooked and they told me about the club in '62.  We had several contests at that high school.  Of course mile square was the main flying field for the club - spend many days out there.  You might remember Jim and Pat flying stunters in unison for exhibition.
Norm
Logged

Offline Shultzie

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3474
  • Don Shultz "1969 Nats Sting Ray"
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2010, 07:48:32 PM »
Quote from: WhittleN on May 13, 2010, 06:29:24 AM
Hi Floyd
Yes, I remember seeing Tom, Jim, and Pat Collier at Bollsa Chica high school when I was 11 or 12, man I was hooked and they told me about the club in '62.  We had several contests at that high school.  Of course mile square was the main flying field for the club - spend many days out there.  You might remember Jim and Pat flying stunters in unison for exhibition.
Norm

Hey Norm.....I have been trying to find those old slides from 1968 of your model in my slide collections without results? Do you have any shots of your great looking models from those good old daze days...Any chance of scanning some of them for old times sake?
Shultzie (the old toot!)
Logged
Don Shultz

Offline Chris McMillin

  • 22 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 1899
  • AMA 32529
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2010, 10:36:55 AM »
Hi Norm,
I saw Dick Williams at the AMA Convention in January with Bart in tow. Dad and I were there with my youngest son, Michael who is 13.
Dale is a member of a local club and goes to meetings regularly.
Tom Collier is local too.
Jim Mayfield is still MIA...
Hope all is well, say HI to Gordy and Sandy.
Chris McMillin
Logged

Offline Shultzie

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3474
  • Don Shultz "1969 Nats Sting Ray"
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2010, 02:35:54 PM »
Quote from: Chris McMillin on June 06, 2010, 10:36:55 AM
Hi Norm,
I saw Dick Williams at the AMA Convention in January with Bart in tow. Dad and I were there with my youngest son, Michael who is 13.
Dale is a member of a local club and goes to meetings regularly.
Tom Collier is local too.
Jim Mayfield is still MIA...
Hope all is well, say HI to Gordy and Sandy.
Chris McMillin

Any word on Pat Collier??? Pat and the late Tim Dunlop were long time friends before Tim passed this life all too soon.
Logged
Don Shultz

Offline De Hill

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 1197
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #6 on: August 06, 2010, 09:00:45 PM »
Quote from: WhittleN on April 21, 2010, 07:42:32 AM
Just wondering how many members of the Orange County Thunderbugs are still out there?  If you where a member please chime in and share your story.
I was very fortunate to be a member at age 14 – 18 what a great bunch of guys.  I could barely speak English but the guys put up with my German and took me to contests, helped me pick out wood for my stunters … it went on and on.  Some of the folks I remember Bart Klapinski, Jim Mayfield, Pat Collier and his sons Tom and Jim, Jerry McMillan and his son Chris, Dale Kirn, Dick Williams the list could go on for pages. I think there were about 100+ dues paying folks.
Norm Whittle


We have a T Shirt that has Orange County Thunderbugs printed on it framed and hanging in our clubhouse. (Which is located in scenic Catoosa, Oklahoma) It was donated by Dennis Lien who is a Tulsa Gluedobber and was one of the original members of the Thunderbugs. The picture on the front of the T shirt shows a Cox PT-19. Dennis told me that Dale  Kirn designed the T shirt.

De
« Last Edit: August 06, 2010, 10:07:42 PM by De Hill »
Logged
De Hill

Offline Elwyn Aud

  • 2019 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 1301
    • Inferalandings Photo Page
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs T-shirt
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2010, 07:49:19 PM »
Turns out it's actually an Orange County Sky HoppersT-shirt
Logged

Offline De Hill

  • 24 supporter
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 1197
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2010, 10:04:41 PM »
Whoops, my bad.

Thanks for straightening it out, Elwyn.

De
Logged
De Hill

Offline Shultzie

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3474
  • Don Shultz "1969 Nats Sting Ray"
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2010, 09:37:31 AM »
Just thought I would ask again for info on our Pat Collier....

ANY ONE HAVE INFO about this gifted CLPA masta-modelair? His beautiful models were truly masterpieces.
Logged
Don Shultz

Offline WhittleN

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Commander
  • ****
  • Posts: 308
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2010, 01:57:51 PM »
A little more update on the members of the Thunderbugs.  Tom Collier is living in Southern California.  Many of you may remember Jim and dad Pat Collier flying two stunters simultaneously in the same circle.  Jim Rhodes ran into Tommy Collier the little brother of Jim at the recent Contest at Whittier Narrows.  Tommy was the '67 Junior NATS Champ and a really good stunt flyer.  The entire family had stunt talent.  I really enjoyed flying with them.  At the 1967 NATS the Orange County Thunderbugs won both Junior Stunt (Tom) and Open Stunt (Klapinski), I let them down and only placed 5th in Senior.

Norm
Logged

Offline Shultzie

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 3474
  • Don Shultz "1969 Nats Sting Ray"
Re: Orange County Thunderbugs
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2010, 10:52:23 AM »
Thanks Norm!
For sharing this about The Collier family. This is one of the most beautiful aspects of our hobby sport, when Father and Sons...can have this bonding time in their lives.
Although I never had a chance to know my father....my grandfather Joe provided me so many important lessons and experiences in my formative years before his passing.

I think of him more and more often these days...and the great times we had together as I soberly find myself in the winter of my life.
attached is a photo on my newest grandchild Brody just yesterday
Logged
Don Shultz

Advertise Here
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
Tags:
 


Advertise Here