Author Topic: Mike Thompson's Mystere (Read 2935 times)

Mike Gretz · « **on:** January 23, 2007, 08:22:32 PM »

Jim Pollock wrote in the "GYPSY" thread:

"there is also a smaller size of the Van Loo Mystere that is classic legal. It has a 52" span. Mike Thompson built one from plans he obtained from Jim's dad around 1966. It didn't fly the greatest because it was a bit nose heavy. Mike could still win with it anyway. There is a picture of Mike in MAN at the 1970 Nats holding the plane. The details on that airplane is that it also had an entire Hobby Poxy paint job including using glue as the filler on the fuselage and tail section. Colors were Gray, Red and White I do believe, but it could have has some Blue on it. After all, it's been 35 years since I handled that airplane last!"

Jim,

Did Mike Thompson have more than one Mystere, or did he repaint it?

Attached is a color picture of Mike Thompson's gray and white Mystere that I took at the 1970 NATS.

Am also attaching a picture of Mike Stott and Mike Thompson at the '69 NATS (I think) with a red Mystere. The picture is from Arnold Stott's collection. Is this the same airplane that I saw in '70, but repainted?

Mike

Mike Gretz · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2007, 08:24:13 PM »

1969 NATS

Mike Gretz · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2007, 08:26:45 PM »

The red one again.

Allen Brickhaus · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2007, 06:46:07 PM »

I have plans here but I believe FM still sells them. Try there first.

Allen Brickhaus

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #4 on:** January 26, 2007, 06:21:44 PM »

Mike,

Yes I remember now that he did strip the covering and the finish off the fuselage and repaint it. A large task since the filler used was Hobbypoxy Glue on the fuselage....ugh....He build a Gieseke Nobler for '71 or '72 '72 I think because that's the year he forgot the triangles in his last flight or he would have been flying for the Walker Cup instead of Adamisin. That Nobler was a special airplane and flew absolutely superbly. It was an exact copy of Bob's except for paint. He did paint that one silver with red and blue trim - all with an airbrush to keep it light. It weighed exactly 40 ounces including the GMA Fox .35.

Jim Pollock, memroy fades a lot with time doesn't it!

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2007, 09:22:14 AM »

Mike,

Also notice Mike's number on the wing of the Mystere. Compare that number with the number on the wing of this airplane..... Well, it's hard to see, but it's the same number - Now it's mine so Mike flys with me always...

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2007, 03:32:14 PM »

I think you can see Mike's former number a little better on this airplane.

Leester · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2007, 08:50:58 AM »

The plans FM has is for the Mystere II CF213, is this the same plane ?? If not whats the difference ??

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2007, 03:08:48 PM »

Lee, I'm pretty sure that's the correct plan. If the span is 52" then it's definitley the correct one.

Jim Pollock

Leester · « **Reply #9 on:** February 01, 2007, 04:52:18 PM »

It says 55"

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2007, 06:20:59 PM »

Lee,

That's the bigger one. Not the one in these pictures. This one had a 52" span-I know that for a fact because I measured it in June 1969.

Jim Pollock

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2007, 03:21:45 PM »

This is for Mike Gretz,

Thank you Mike for digging up those pictures of Mike Thompson and his Mystere. I owe you a lot. Those pictures are now in my photo collection. If you ever come across more photos of Mike, please just e-mail them to me a jmpollock@cableone.net.

Thanks again, Mikes ex flying buddy and coaching partner.

Jim Pollock

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #12 on:** April 06, 2007, 07:41:24 PM »

Quote from: Jim Pollock on January 26, 2007, 06:21:44 PM

Mike,

Yes I remember now that he did strip the covering and the finish off the fuselage and repaint it. A large task since the filler used was Hobbypoxy Glue on the fuselage....ugh....He build a Gieseke Nobler for '71 or '72 '72 I think because that's the year he forgot the triangles in his last flight or he would have been flying for the Walker Cup instead of Adamisin. That Nobler was a special airplane and flew absolutely superbly. It was an exact copy of Bob's except for paint. He did paint that one silver with red and blue trim - all with an airbrush to keep it light. It weighed exactly 40 ounces including the GMA Fox .35.

Jim Pollock, memroy fades a lot with time doesn't it!

The French define "canard" as a "tall tale" and this one this one has been endlessly repeated - and still only a half-truth - for close to forty years. The WHOLE TRUTH is that if Mike (an excellent flyer and thoroughly great guy) HAD remembered his triangles and HAD scored well enough to beat me, then I would have had to fly my second flight. I was fueling up and getting ready to fly when Mike was flying. When the error was made my second flight became superflous. I won Junior, Mike Stott won Senior and Bob Lampione won Open and the Walker Cup.

Guess my nerve endings are showing, but I hate that my first National Championship is STILL being discredited by miss-information. Everyone seems to remember Mike's costly mistake. No one bothers to remember that I only needed one flight to win.

Mike Gretz · « **Reply #13 on:** April 09, 2007, 07:29:13 AM »

I wasn't there in '69, and I'd never heard the story about Mike T. forgetting his triangles until I read it here, but it makes no difference - now or then. That was a "flying" mistake, just like any other mistake. Dennis won on one flight, even though his competition all had the advantage of flying second round flights. Pretty awesome, especially considering the Navy judge's tendancy to balloon the second round scores (see "Lady Stunt Grunt" thread with some data on that subject as it pertained to the Open class in '69).

I was at the NATS in 1970 when BOTH Dennis and Mike, and a guy named Tommy Morgan, kicked my b#*t, and a lot of others, in Senior Stunt. But I didn't mind - those guys were just plain GOOD!! 1970 was my first trip to the NATS and only my second stunt contest ever. What a trip! I got enough inspiration from that experience to last a lifetime - watching Dennis, Mike, Dawn, Lampione, Rabe, Phelps, and all the other great "stunt grunts" I'd read about in the magazines. At the risk of sounding like an old timer nostalgic about the past, I do miss those years when the Navy NATS was the pinnacle of model competition.

Hello Dennis. Good to see you here at the Stunt Hanger. The stunt flame never dies out completely does it?

Mike Gretz

Bill Little · « **Reply #14 on:** April 09, 2007, 07:57:53 AM »

Quote from: Dennis Adamisin on April 06, 2007, 07:41:24 PM

The French define "canard" as a "tall tale" and this one this one has been endlessly repeated - and still only a half-truth - for close to forty years. The WHOLE TRUTH is that if Mike (an excellent flyer and thoroughly great guy) HAD remembered his triangles and HAD scored well enough to beat me, then I would have had to fly my second flight. I was fueling up and getting ready to fly when Mike was flying. When the error was made my second flight became superflous. I won Junior, Mike Stott won Senior and Bob Lampione won Open and the Walker Cup.

Guess my nerve endings are showing, but I hate that my first National Championship is STILL being discredited by miss-information. Everyone seems to remember Mike's costly mistake. No one bothers to remember that I only needed one flight to win.

Dennis, You did what it took to win! Thta's the bottom line. You won. And, your name is on the Walker Trophy! Not a lot of names there...........

Bill <><

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #15 on:** April 18, 2007, 11:01:08 AM »

Dennis,

I head the story third hand from Paul Isenhower. Looks like it got embellished!
I never did question Mike about it because I thought he was too embarrassed by the
fact he forgot to do part of the pattern. I guess that proves anyone can foul up the
pattern when under pressure! Congratulations on the Walker Cup win!

Jim Pollock

Shultzie · « **Reply #16 on:** April 18, 2007, 01:01:21 PM »

Quote from: Jim Pollock on January 26, 2007, 06:21:44 PM

I think because that's the year he forgot the triangles in his last flight or he would have been flying for the Walker Cup instead of Adamisin.

Amazing how folks can so easily predict things that "COULD HAVE BEEN" although the FACTS are crystle clear.....DENNIS AND MIKE BOTH WERE EQUALLY GIFTED YOUNG COMPETITIORS.
I too was there as a bystander, like so many of the other flyers...and I can assure you that simply because Mike left out the triangles...was NOT the reason that Mike would have been flying the Walker Cup instead of Dennis!

Dennis and Mike were both extremely capable and gifted flyers....and even if Mike had completed the triangles...and Dennis then would have had to fly that second round.

Let's put another perspective slant view on your remark:

"I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IF MIKE DIDN'T LEAVE OUT THE TRIANGLES...DENNIS WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN FLYING THE WALKER CUP!

Facts are still facts...JUDGED EVENTS...are just that!!! It matters little...whether the judges are highly trained professionals, or well meaning Navy personell with short term training skills and ballooned scores.

Dennis won that day and my sincerest congratulation go out to Dennis...and even for a second, I would not lessen or water things down by a "What if" situation thought confuse that steller moment in time that will stand in the stunt winners record books with DENNIS ADAMISIN name in first place.

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #17 on:** April 19, 2007, 05:17:52 PM »

Don,

There are NO what ifs! Dennis won and went on to win the Walker Cup - The last Senior to do so. Mike
didn't get the job done and that's that. Mike was good but he suffered through coaching that was never
near the quality that Dennis had. Just the way it was during those times. If it were today, he could have
some of the best coaching on planet earth. Just the way it is now. Times do change for better and worse!
That's life.

Jim Pollock

Shultzie · « **Reply #18 on:** April 20, 2007, 10:42:22 AM »

Quote from: Jim Pollock on April 19, 2007, 05:17:52 PM

Don,

There are NO what ifs! Dennis won and went on to win the Walker Cup - The last Senior to do so. Mike
didn't get the job done and that's that. Mike was good but he suffered through coaching that was never
near the quality that Dennis had. Just the way it was during those times. If it were today, he could have
some of the best coaching on planet earth. Just the way it is now. Times do change for better and worse!
That's life.

Jim Pollock

I agree...and I resemble your remarks! Like n' old Frank Sanatra tune..."That's Life!"

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #19 on:** April 20, 2007, 03:53:29 PM »

Actually the Mike had his "senior monemnt" when we were both flying in Junior classs in the 1969 NATs.. Bob Lampione won Open & the Walker Cup, Mike Stott won Senior. My Walker Cup came in 1972 after I won Senior.

The memories fade to just the high points, the high points I remember were Mike Thompson was more than a great flyer then, I remember him better as a real gentleman with a LOT of maturity. By the calendar we were the same age but I thought he was a lot more grown up!

In the next few years we went on to compete with each other as well as Tommy Morgan (1970 Senior Champ, Mike Jackson (1971 Senior Champ) my little brother Alan (1973/74 Senior Champ) and Doug Stout (1975/76? Senior champ) Preceding us were folks like Gerry Cipra(Junior & senior champ, don't remember the years), Mike Stott (1969 Senior Champ) and so on. I think the competitiveess in the Junior and Senior age groups was brutal, and (forgive what sounds like arrogance) we were a handful when we flew against the Open flyers too!

Jim P: I seem to recall Mike last flew a 45 size Mystere in 1972 and maybe 1971??? (completely lost track of him after 1972.)

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #20 on:** April 22, 2007, 03:12:27 PM »

Dennis,

1969 Mystere With 52" Span. Engine OS 35S
1970 Same plane painted Grey, White, Blue or Black, I can't exactly remember either

1971 Same plane

1972 A Gieseke Nobler that was a really good flying airplane.

Engine GMA Fox .35
1973 A Silhavy large Gypsy with a paint design his mother came up with. Engine an OS .HP40S
I don't remember if Mike flew at the Nats in 74, but if he did, he used the large Gypsy again.
As far as I know the Gypsy was the last model Mike ever built.

Mike went on to get his degree in Law Enforcement at Sacramento State, then got his Commercial
Pilot's license and helicopter ratings after I had given him his first flying lesson in 1973.

That's what led to his demise. He had become a helicopter rescue pilot for the US. Forrest Service
in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He made a late night flight in September 1996, upon his return instead
of staying at one of the lodges he opted to drive home. Mike never made it, his car was found over
the edge of a steep slope where he had crashed into a tree that killed him. I found that out from
his dad Bob, who I had called to ask for Mike's current phone number.
Mike is the only flyer I flew with regularly that I can say never crashed a plane, in practice or at a contest.

Jim Pollock

Shultzie · « **Reply #21 on:** April 23, 2007, 03:17:52 PM »

Jim....Thanks for posting this about Mike.
That is one heart-felt story and like so many of us on this board...HAD NO IDEA THAT MIKE IS GONE!!
With that in mind...ANYONE WITH A MIKE THOMPSON STORY OR PHOTOS! It would be great to see them posted here on stunt hanger?

How blessed we are were in sharing a bit of time, tarmac and sky with this gifted young man.
Long live his memory.