Author Topic: Hi Johnson's Stuka Stunt. (Read 4676 times)

Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach · « **on:** September 02, 2011, 10:37:31 AM »

Has anyone built and flown Hi's Stuka? Any comments, concerns, etc? I would also love to see some pictures if anyone has some....not just Hi's but any that have been built. I remember reading the original article and was absolutely cptivated by his achievement....and the cool factor was off the charts!

Mike Keville · « **Reply #1 on:** September 02, 2011, 09:10:05 PM »

Yes. Jim Ivey (who posts occasionally here and on Stuka Stunt) flew one in a mid-to-late '50s Nats. A photo has appeared. Hope he sees this and can chime in.

The only other Hi Johnson Stuka I've ever seen was a partially completed framework from Tony Naccarato which he displayed at one of the VSCs a few years ago.

Dennis Saydak · « **Reply #2 on:** September 03, 2011, 10:32:16 AM »

I have one
in the bones". Never got around to finishing it yet.

Dennis Holler · « **Reply #3 on:** September 03, 2011, 11:29:53 AM »

That's really neat, Would love to see that one completed.

John Miller · « **Reply #4 on:** September 03, 2011, 12:29:03 PM »

I seem to remember Bob Whitely's son showing up at an early VSC with one.

Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach · « **Reply #5 on:** September 03, 2011, 01:22:47 PM »

Dennis, that framework is really nice looking. I have always wondered about the flying quality of the plane. Other than Hi's, I have not heard of anyone else that flew one. If you ever need a new home for that framework....let me know!

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #6 on:** September 03, 2011, 10:27:40 PM »

I'm pretty sure that Jim Ivey built and flew Hi Johnson's prototype Stuka. From what Jim has written, Hi didn't build or fly anything, just designed models and made engines. Also, I think Ron ("Ronnie") Young built and flew the Mackey Spitfire prototype or maybe a second version. Both Jim and Ron were pictured with the respective models in the magazine articles. Both come by here from time to time.

Steve

Bob Hunt · « **Reply #7 on:** September 07, 2011, 01:16:10 PM »

Hi Steve:'

I'm pretty sure that wasn't Ronnie Young who flew the Mackey designs; it was Ronnie Peterson if I recall. I'll double check with Charles...

Later - Bob Hunt

Bob Hunt · « **Reply #8 on:** September 07, 2011, 01:25:20 PM »

Yup! Just got off the phone with Charles and he confirmed that it was Ronnie Peterson. He told that he used to work at Cox Mfg. with a man named Ronnie Young, but that Ronnie flew only freeflight.

Later - Bob

Bill Little · « **Reply #9 on:** September 07, 2011, 03:12:43 PM »

Several years ago someone had a Hi Johnson Stuka at Brodak's. It was a VERY sharp looking model!

Big Bear

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #10 on:** September 10, 2011, 04:20:25 PM »

Quote from: Bob Hunt on September 07, 2011, 01:25:20 PM

Yup! Just got off the phone with Charles and he confirmed that it was Ronnie Peterson. He told that he used to work at Cox Mfg. with a man named Ronnie Young, but that Ronnie flew only freeflight.

Later - Bob

Ronnie Peterson? Well, blow me down!!! (quote: Popeye, 1962) And had no idea that Charles Mackey worked at LM Cox.

When Bill Atwood announced (to Cox) that he wanted to retire, they put an ad in AAM or MA, whichever it was. I saw the ad and called my speed flying buddy and HS classmate Bruce Tunberg. He had graduated from UW in ME and IE, served his time in the USAF, and was available. I don't know how long he worked there, but I did hear rumors of the Conquest .40, and he got me a Ronnie Young tuned Conquest .15 for F1C use. "Ronnie" is in Ohio and flying CL again. Wonder what happened to Ronnie Peterson? Well, one Peterson is about enough!

Steve

jim ivey · « **Reply #11 on:** March 26, 2012, 07:01:22 PM »

yes glen i did i'm th kid wh Hii and the very 1st one. jimmy ivey ama15452 taken in 1958. he wanted to kit it. but there were no takers it was to complicated ro build.

George Waters · « **Reply #12 on:** April 03, 2012, 05:45:10 PM »

Jim How did it fly? I have most of the parts for one being laser cut . I built a Jack
sheeks model of the ju87b, and was wondering how they might compare. My plan is to use an la 46 in this model. Thanks for any info you may remeber. George

Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach · « **Reply #13 on:** April 04, 2012, 10:46:51 AM »

Hi Jim and thanks for the responce. I have tossed the idea of building one around for years! I absolutely love that plane. I too would like to know very much, just how well it flew. The only thing that has stopped me from building it is that cranked wing. I think the only way to build it, is to build a special jig to hold everything in alignment. Do you have any memories of how that was done? Other than that, I see no difficulty in building her. With the use of modern materials, I think the weight could be greatly reduce4d as well.

dankar · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2012, 11:10:03 AM »

Quote from: jim ivey on March 26, 2012, 07:01:22 PM

yes glen i did i'm th kid wh Hii and the very 1st one. jimmy ivey ama15452 taken in 1958. he wanted to kit it. but there were no takers it was to complicated ro build.

Just for wanting to know.. who built the original Stuka that was in the magazine?? This is a complex model and for a kid to build it seems a shade strange. Not saying it could not be done but whats the story?? What became of this model?

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #15 on:** April 06, 2012, 07:56:02 AM »

"This is a complex model and for a kid to build it seems a shade strange."

Dan,

Don't under estimate what we did in our early years. I learned to fly in grade school on a friend's beat up airplane. I then had a Ringmaster. I had one more kit plane, an All American, and built from plans and mostly my own designs from about age 12 or 13. To this day, they were the last kits that I built. BTW my first AMA licence was as a Junior, in 1957, I have all my licenses from then until today in baseball card sheet protectors.

Ed Elasick. Bill Suarez, Andy Lee, Moses Quintana, Bill Simon, Bob Hunt, and on & on all did our own building and designing from those early days. We were highly interested and motivated, loved airplanes, and also benefited from the much demonized BOM. Believe me, while we from the Northeast, similar stories were happening thoughout the country.

Our futures were all molded by these experiences.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, that Jim Ivey built the original Hi Johnson Stuka. I saw him fly it at the '61 Willow Grove Nats.

Randy Snow · « **Reply #16 on:** April 10, 2012, 01:34:51 PM »

Question about semi scale Stuka stuntships-- i've seen Hi's in photo's and gandered at the plans on uncle willes --and thought the one would be cooool - between Hi's and Sheeks -- which one has more of that Stuka look -- a more attempt at a scale look -- I don't recall what Sheeks looked like ---

George Waters · « **Reply #17 on:** April 18, 2012, 05:41:52 PM »

If you go to about page 5 in the classic section, there is a section called Ibeamers in the middle of the page. In that is a picture or two of my Jack Sheeks stuka. I don't know which is more scalelike to your eye, but it resembles the real plane enough that noone can mistake it for something else. George

Bill Little · « **Reply #18 on:** April 19, 2012, 11:14:44 AM »

Quote from: Randy Snow on April 10, 2012, 01:34:51 PM

Question about semi scale Stuka stuntships-- i've seen Hi's in photo's and gandered at the plans on uncle willes --and thought the one would be cooool - between Hi's and Sheeks -- which one has more of that Stuka look -- a more attempt at a scale look -- I don't recall what Sheeks looked like ---

Hi Randy,

Hi's is the most scale appearing of them all.

Bill

Avaiojet · « **Reply #19 on:** April 19, 2012, 01:27:56 PM »

Thanks to a member, I now have plans, but I won't build mine with the airfoil seen in Dennis' photo.

What's with that tadpole airfoil? I never noticed that before. I'm going to go look at my plans.

Charles

John Hammonds · « **Reply #20 on:** April 20, 2012, 05:41:15 PM »

I think the most impressive Stuka stunt model I ever saw was Brian Dyke's 72" 1000 sq" .60 powered version some time back in the early 70's shortly before I discovered girls and walked away from CL for the next 35 years. A real jaw dropping model that made you just go "Wow". He went on to design a Westland Wyvern stunter as well slightly smaller than his Stuka but no less impressive.

There is a short article in the Jan/Feb 2008 Stunt News for anyone who is interested.

TTFN
John.

Bill Little · « **Reply #21 on:** April 20, 2012, 06:56:20 PM »

Quote from: John Hammonds on April 20, 2012, 05:41:15 PM

I think the most impressive Stuka stunt model I ever saw was Brian Dyke's 72" 1000 sq" .60 powered version some time back in the early 70's shortly before I discovered girls and walked away from CL for the next 35 years. A real jaw dropping model that made you just go "Wow". He went on to design a Westland Wyvern stunter as well slightly smaller than his Stuka but no less impressive.

There is a short article in the Jan/Feb 2008 Stunt News for anyone who is interested.

TTFN
John.

Hi John,

Brian has built some really outstanding stunt planes that look like they would belong in the Scale circles, winning there!

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

John Hammonds · « **Reply #22 on:** April 20, 2012, 07:12:25 PM »

Hi Bill,
Yes, Brian was (is) a master builder, I never saw his Wyvern as I had departed the aeromodelling scene before he built that one but I remember his Stuka well. The plans for the Stuka are still available I think if anyone is brave enough.

TTFN
John.

Bill Little · « **Reply #23 on:** April 20, 2012, 07:14:12 PM »

Quote from: John Hammonds on April 20, 2012, 07:12:25 PM

Hi Bill,
Yes, Brian was (is) a master builder, I never saw his Wyvern as I had departed the aeromodelling scene before he built that one but I remember his Stuka well. The plans for the Stuka are still available I think if anyone is brave enough.

TTFN
John.

Hi John,

As much as I would like to see those plans, it is just too big for my consideration!

Bill

rustler · « **Reply #24 on:** April 21, 2012, 05:28:45 PM »

That's a Merco 61 of the time, lost in the nose of Brian's model. Can't help thnking it might have been a little overstretched in that huge model, but one of the more modern engines, 60 or larger, would handle it o.k.

Gordan Delaney · « **Reply #25 on:** July 21, 2012, 03:04:06 PM »

When the "HI Johnson Stuka" plans were first available, I saw one built by Dennis Schauer ( a very compitent So. Cal. flyer). He had an all black one with appropriate markings and as I remember---it flew very well although I never saw it fly in competition. I'm sure it was Johnson powered.

Bart

dennis lipsett · « **Reply #26 on:** July 21, 2012, 04:46:28 PM »

looks like BMJR is kitting Hi's Stuka model at $164.00 and available at Brodaks.
I have no idea of the quality of the kit but it is amazing that there is almost no classic model of any importance that someone dosn't want to kit. If it's a well executed kit then perhaps we will see a few more flying.

Avaiojet · « **Reply #27 on:** July 21, 2012, 05:08:00 PM »

Quote from: dennis lipsett on July 21, 2012, 04:46:28 PM

looks like BMJR is kitting Hi's Stuka model at $164.00 and available at Brodaks.
I have no idea of the quality of the kit but it is amazing that there is almost no classic model of any importance that someone dosn't want to kit. If it's a well executed kit then perhaps we will see a few more flying.

I have the plans because of a kind an generous modeler. I would love to build one but I don't have 164.00 to spend for a kit.

We'll see if they start popping up.

Charles

jim ivey · « **Reply #28 on:** August 02, 2012, 12:40:15 AM »

dont know if anyine is reading this.Iwas 17 when dad and I built this it took about 6 weeks mostly me and all the finishing . dennis and I started at the same time I finished 2 months before him, had to for the mag photo shoot. mine flew best it was lighter.

Larry Renger · « **Reply #29 on:** October 19, 2012, 11:21:21 PM »

I have seen the ad photos for the new kit, which are VERY small. But from what I can see, it does NOT have the cranked wing, and the ad has a bit of weasel wording that does not say it is an exact replica. Still, you could add the "crank" and restore it if necessary. It would be nice if kit makers published what the changes were from the original.

I have a perrenial beef with a couple of kit makers that play fast and loose with authenticity, but I have communicated with them so they know who they are! Generally the answer is "close enough is good enough". I don't agree. If the original was awful, pass it by, there is a mountain og good stuff to "mine.