Sept 1966
Thun Field Contest...south of Puyallup Wa.

3 Big Winners.....starting from the left.
1st place-ED KNUDSON 
2nd          BEN MADSEN
3rd?         LEO MEL

This was about the roughest flying site for a contest that equalled the 1966 YAKIMA FIRING CENTER CONTEST
The photo is shown as we were practicing on the end of the runway before they closed it off to us that morning...claiming that it was unsafe for landing aircraft.
 After this photo was taken....the owners came out and shoooooooo'd (demanded that we  fly our contest on that weed-stubble field at the left of the photo.

HEY NO PROBLEM..I MADE A QUICK TRIP TO A FUNITURE STORE NEAR BY

All of us that day...used 3 old cardboard mattress boxes...cut open and nailed down onto the grass for  our take-off strip.

Who ever made the best take-off and landings on that stubble ended up the winner.
Hey Leo!!!! If you are lurking....your mind is less demented from sniffin paint fumes than mine?

FILL US IN ON THE DETAILS...
THAT WAS THE CONTEST WHERE ONE EXTREMELY UGLY TWIN CHAIN-SAW MOTORED HOME BUILT AIRPLANE CRASHED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY???
The pilot was not even hurt...but was  pinned against the makeshift seat and joystick that he had made. Quick thinking on Bruce Gail's part..he ran out there with an old crow bar that he had in his trunk and pried him out of the seat.
Thus lending fact and truth...THAT THE GOD TAKES CARE OF FOOLS, DOGS, AND SOME MODELBUILDERS!!!

That is for sure...4 DECADES...PLUS! REALLY TAKES ITS EFFECTS ON MORTAL FLESH?
1966...Actually I was just told that it was 1964-5?
I was flying an old Blue Nobler at the time that I finished in an apartment in Portland.
So it had to been back then.  That old Nobler was modified into a twin tail version..after talking with Bob Gialdini about his Olympic series models.
That Olympic article was my stunt-bible....and Bob will always be forever my GUUURUUU'STUNTMEISTER,WITH THE MOSTEST!

Uh? Spanaway?....
Hummm?  I will check with Ben and Lynn... We drove out south of Puyallup...at Thun field with the old garbage dump at the south end of the runway..
I remember driving back toward Puyallup and stopped at a cheapie furniture store and picked up those old mattress boxes with Bruce Gail and his pickup?

Hummm? I do remember the Spanaway contests. That same day....that old homebuilt ultralight Gold colored plane tried about 3 run-ups down the runway...and finally on that 3rd attempt, he tried to get that underpowered piece of crappola off the run way...and then had to dump it because he wasn't able to get enough altitude?

Hey...old men dream dreams..others dream nightmares..(that contest was a nightmare if my demented memory serves me?

There's been a terrible mistake here. Leo was never that young!

Is Ed Knutsen still around? I had forgotten about him altho I flew with him quit often.

I hate to admit this..but Ben and I have tried to find Ed Knutsen for some time...(we not only flew stunt models together but skiied all over the NW. He and his wife were both on Ski patrol duty  here in Wa. and both of them..about killed me many many times...I had more guts than brains in those days...so loooong long ago.

I can't find them on People search engines...?? Must be a better way??? He's not in the local phone books?
Let me do some more R&D research about Ed.

GADS!! I FEEL SO MUCH REMORSE..for not staying in touch with you and so many of my old  friends?
Gee, Leo!! and gang.
ANY ALMS of FORGIVENESS...for this ol' grunt-toot, exiled in Gig Haaaba, would be ooooh so welcome?