I have been trying to post a scanned photo from Gary Letsinger of TIM DUNLOP!
Who's beautiful models are legendary.
Tim was a long time friend of so many stunt flyers from all over the world..but only competed at the nationals 1967 & 1968.
Although he left us on this earth in 1970, his humor, his expertise on just about everything this life had to offer...but his friendship to so many of us...will never be forgotten.
This photo is of his winning highly modifed ThunderBird with side mounted .40 engine that he so beautiful crafted. He flew this model to many wins locally and tried to take this beautiful seasoned successful stunt model to the 1968 nationals.
IT WAS LOST!
while I was driving his WIDE TRACK PONTEEHORSE' some where in Western Kansas.
We took turns driving..Tim, his son Vance, and I traded off at the wheel.
It was my turn to drive...The speedometer was reading about 95 mph..when a PIE truck was going about that same speed in the opposite direction=====BAM!!!
A 200mph gust----RIPPED that UHAUL car-top carrier that contained this beautiful model you see here in the photo iinto trash.
That model was turned into an aftermat of a pillowfight mess about 200 yards off the interstate...when the car top carrier finally came in for a crash landing in a wheat field.
Fortunately Vance and I had our models, along with another brand new untested GENE MATHENY designed airplane, which Tim had to fly...almost virtually untested for his first round at this 68 Nationals jammed safely in the HUGE TRUNK of the car.
Tim was not a drinking man...
but that night after the first round flying a brand new untested new model...with a brand new..barely broken in Gold Series Fox 35.
We went out for Pizza and beer, to help drown the sorrows and calm the shattered nerves.
He managed to take a sip of my Milwalkie-Schlitz bottle of beer after BillyW, Dave Gierke, Ted Fancher and I called the pretty bar maid over and ordered another "POP!" for Tim...
so that he and Billy W. could cry together in the Beer-and POP.
Both gentleman flew extremely well but didn't go over with the NAVY WHITE SUITED JUDGES..(that is the gospel truth why so many of us old' stunt grunts wore White) gamesmanship at work ploy that certainly must have been funny to the NAVY staff of great aviators...who maybe didn't give a rip about toy airplanes as they sat there in the 100 degree heat, sun and wind.
Thanks Gary for forwarding these fine photos...
My scanner was giving me sooooooo many errors....but finally this poor copy of that great shot you sent me...was beautiful. Too bad it didn't repo with my cheapo equipment and lack of puter's skills.