stunthanger.com

Classic Designs => Classic Planes => Topic started by: Shultzie on May 26, 2009, 11:14:06 AM

Title: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Shultzie on May 26, 2009, 11:14:06 AM
First shot
is J.Gabris of CZ shot at the World Championships in 1976.
What an amazingly gifted CLPA modeler and designer that was sooooo passionate about his sport in those daze days.

Second shot
Is a shot of Bill Werwages beautiful Parroquet "Supa-dupa Ariesclonish' model that was taken in their hotel room. Looks like pretty nice accomidations.

Les..again good bud!!
Thanks for sharing so many of those old slides with the Stunthanger bunch.

Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Matt Colan on May 27, 2009, 07:11:23 PM
How big is the Parroquet?  thanks Les for sharing these pics.
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Shultzie on May 27, 2009, 09:39:36 PM
How big is the Parroquet?  thanks Les for sharing these pics.
I have seen photos of this model in various magazines and online....it appears to be about the same size as his  Red Super Aries that he used at the 68 nats????

However click on a previous post by Les McDonald and send an E mail. Les has a virtual photographic memory for things like that and would know the details. H^^
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Les McDonald on May 28, 2009, 02:08:22 PM
Billys' Perrequat was small. It was powered with an HP40 that had been lightened by cutting away the fins, mounts and webs of the crankcase.
A bit larger than Matt Colans Aries but nowhere the size of the Super Aries. It was a good flyer but just didn't "present" well like his USA1.
Billy started getting better results after he abandoned the Perrequat/Juno era and started the Geo series.
All of Billys planes flew well, some just looked like they were "doing the business" more than others.

                                                                                                                          Les McDonald
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Shultzie on May 28, 2009, 03:13:46 PM
Billys' Perrequat was small. It was powered with an HP40 that had been lightened by cutting away the fins, mounts and webs of the crankcase.
A bit larger than Matt Colans Aries but nowhere the size of the Super Aries. It was a good flyer but just didn't "present" well like his USA1.
Billy started getting better results after he abandoned the Perrequat/Juno era and started the Geo series.
All of Billys planes flew well, some just looked like they were "doing the business" more than others.

                                                                                                                          Les McDonald
Thanks Les...I knew that you could clear that up about that interesting slide of yours showing your models at rest at the hotel room at the 76 World Cup.
bye the way....that other slide of "Gabby's?" Looks like he pulled a "Shultzie" on that outside wing tip. Did he fly into his flight box or shut it in a car door?  VD~ n~ LL~ OUCH!
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: RandySmith on May 28, 2009, 03:19:03 PM
Billys' Perrequat was small. It was powered with an HP40 that had been lightened by cutting away the fins, mounts and webs of the crankcase.
A bit larger than Matt Colans Aries but nowhere the size of the Super Aries. It was a good flyer but just didn't "present" well like his USA1.
Billy started getting better results after he abandoned the Perrequat/Juno era and started the Geo series.
All of Billys planes flew well, some just looked like they were "doing the business" more than others.

                                                                                                                          Les McDonald


Billy  later in the 90s  put a  25VF  in that plane.... the 25 Pulled it  very well  too

Thanks  very much to Les  and  Shultzie for the sharing of history y1
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Les McDonald on May 28, 2009, 03:40:58 PM
Mr. Don,
I have no idea how or when he damaged that wingtip. He spoke absolutely no English and my "Czech" sounds like Spanish,only louder.

                                                                                                                     Les McDonald
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Ted Fancher on June 13, 2009, 08:37:18 PM
Billy's Perroquet was my favorite ever of his designs. 

I've heard others repeat the comments about its size and presentation but I sure didn't feel that way.  I always felt his USA-1 was sort of swoopy in corners as opposed to the brisk cut and shoot of his smaller airplanes.  The Perroquet with the .40 in it was a very positive airplane in the air with pretty much zero hesitation anywhere.  I think it was just enough larger than the Ares to absorb the power of the HP effectively. 

I know I'm in the minority but I always felt his Fox .35 designs repowered with the Aero Tiger looked overpowered and sort of "chargy" in the corners; lacking Billy's trademark smoothness.  The Perroquet was, IMHO, his best balanced ship.  The only airplane/pilot combo of the era I felt matched it was Gene Schaffer and the Hallmark with the ST .46 and the three bladed silver Tornado 10 X 6 on the front end.  Both these airplane/engine combos were airborne "sewing machines".   They convinced me way back in the '70s that "bigger" stunt ships weren't the answer to "better" patterns.

Ted
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Matt Colan on June 14, 2009, 06:03:18 AM
Billy's Perroquet was my favorite ever of his designs. 

I've heard others repeat the comments about its size and presentation but I sure didn't feel that way.  I always felt his USA-1 was sort of swoopy in corners as opposed to the brisk cut and shoot of his smaller airplanes.  The Perroquet with the .40 in it was a very positive airplane in the air with pretty much zero hesitation anywhere.  I think it was just enough larger than the Ares to absorb the power of the HP effectively. 

I know I'm in the minority but I always felt his Fox .35 designs repowered with the Aero Tiger looked overpowered and sort of "chargy" in the corners; lacking Billy's trademark smoothness.  The Perroquet was, IMHO, his best balanced ship.  The only airplane/pilot combo of the era I felt matched it was Gene Schaffer and the Hallmark with the ST .46 and the three bladed silver Tornado 10 X 6 on the front end.  Both these airplane/engine combos were airborne "sewing machines".   They convinced me way back in the '70s that "bigger" stunt ships weren't the answer to "better" patterns.

Ted

Bob Hunt thinks the same way, he says that the big planes don't seem to fit the pattern as well as the smaller planes.  That's why he builds plane with around a 56 inch wingspan.  my Ares turns a great corner also
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: RandySmith on June 14, 2009, 10:59:12 AM
I know I'm in the minority but I always felt his Fox .35 designs repowered with the Aero Tiger looked overpowered and sort of "chargy" in the corners; lacking Billy's trademark smoothness. 


Maybe running 15 and 20% nitro in an very powerful engine ,flying a 37 ounce plane has something to do with that  LL~
I agree Ted , bigger is not always better, and picking a plane that fits the hemishpere your playing in, and matching plane and power is best!

Regards
Randy
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: John Sunderland on January 20, 2010, 05:25:35 AM
I saw the Perroquet in the back of Tiaharts car at the team trials last September. Not sure if he is redoing it or going to draw up new plans or whatever. My guess is that some info or an article is in the works. I was drooling while looking it over. <=
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Tom Niebuhr on January 20, 2010, 09:59:18 AM
This is not the thread that I would have expected this discussion.

Randy said: "I agree Ted , bigger is not always better, and picking a plane that fits the hemisphere your playing in, and matching plane and power is best!"
  I couldn't agree more with Randy and Ted. When Lew had the Shark 45 at the '61 Nats, people commented that it was too big for the circle. Then airplanes got bigger.  The Fox powered ships had reached the larger end of the envelope and while the Shark 45 was bigger, the common thread was that they were both behind the power curve. Then we learned the advantage of power.

Now the .35 ship looks too small when flown back to back with the larger airplanes. This is perception, but it is true.

I have always felt that something between the Behemoths and the Classic size is probably what we need. Thankfully many of our best flyers are now saying the same thing.

Some recent flights on my .46 powered Classic "Jerseyan" have resulted in great comments and the realization that it is just comfortable to fly and has great penetration. . A slightly larger "tweener" airplane should be ideal.

The size and horsepower race may have created some extremes, but this could be the beginning of an even better era.

As Randy said: "picking a plane that fits the hemisphere your playing in, and matching plane and power is best!"

Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: Randy Powell on January 20, 2010, 10:51:16 AM
I seem to remember that Billy re-powered the Perrequat with an OS25VF and pipe at some point. Never really heard how that went, but I would think is would be a killer combination.

I also agree with Ted (big shock there). My new plane is pretty small and I hope with cut through the wind and turbulence so evident at Northwest sites better.
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: EddyR on January 21, 2010, 07:13:52 PM
Billy had some smaller 35 size planes he called Juno before the larger .46 powered one. The Parroquet came between them and it's not hard to see the likeness of the three models.
Ed
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: John Sunderland on January 21, 2010, 07:27:58 PM
This is not the thread that I would have expected this discussion.

Randy said: "I agree Ted , bigger is not always better, and picking a plane that fits the hemisphere your playing in, and matching plane and power is best!"
  I couldn't agree more with Randy and Ted. When Lew had the Shark 45 at the '61 Nats, people commented that it was too big for the circle. Then airplanes got bigger.  The Fox powered ships had reached the larger end of the envelope and while the Shark 45 was bigger, the common thread was that they were both behind the power curve. Then we learned the advantage of power.

Now the .35 ship looks too small when flown back to back with the larger airplanes. This is perception, but it is true.

I have always felt that something between the Behemoths and the Classic size is probably what we need. Thankfully many of our best flyers are now saying the same thing.

Some recent flights on my .46 powered Classic "Jerseyan" have resulted in great comments and the realization that it is just comfortable to fly and has great penetration. . A slightly larger "tweener" airplane should be ideal.

The size and horsepower race may have created some extremes, but this could be the beginning of an even better era.

As Randy said: "picking a plane that fits the hemisphere your playing in, and matching plane and power is best!"



I am on the Tweener wagon myself. I went from conventional 40 powered stuff to 60 powered ships over a decade ago. Somebody that needs no mention around here has been pushing that trend toward smaller for years. While I have'nt any "46"/"51" size birds ever in my stable, that is the bottom line on my current aspirations for new design. Relieving some drag and reduction of loads at the handle, while not cramping a perfectly nice pattern is my goal. Also, increasing the power and control of its delivery without a penalty seems to be at hand. Life is short, and Nirvana sounds great!( No not the band) Sometimes big is just bigger, not necessarily better.
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: RandySmith on January 22, 2010, 02:38:17 PM
I seem to remember that Billy re-powered the Perrequat with an OS25VF and pipe at some point. Never really heard how that went, but I would think is would be a killer combination.

I also agree with Ted (big shock there). My new plane is pretty small and I hope with cut through the wind and turbulence so evident at Northwest sites better.

Hi Randy  As I had stated earlier I setup a 25VF piped CL motor for Bill , he flew it in the Perraquet  with very good results . I had the plane looking at it last year and it would be perfect for the New Enya 32 RE, this is a very light BB motor that would drop right in

Regards
Randy
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: EddyR on January 22, 2010, 03:16:59 PM
Does Tiahart have Parroquet plans?
Ed
Title: Re: A couple of Les McDonald's vintage scans from the 1976 WC in Holland
Post by: RandySmith on January 22, 2010, 03:23:23 PM
Does Tiahart have Parroquet plans?
Ed

Warren  is  working on the  plan, I do not know when it maybe finished..I think that maybe soon..or maybe whenever he gets it done :-O

Randy