Author Topic: Sonny Murphy's '67 Team Trials plane (Read 6019 times)

Bill Ervin · « **on:** August 12, 2011, 09:42:56 AM »

This is Larry "Sonny" Murphy's plane he flew during the mid-sixties. He flew it in one Team Trial in 1967 and in one AMA Nats and built up quite a collection of trophies with it. During this time Sonny was living in VA.

I've been hanging out with Sonny for the past few weeks helping him liquidate his modeling items and enjoying and listening to him share his stories of flying stunt back in the 50's and 60's.

Enjoy the pictures, Bill

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2011, 08:08:39 AM »

GREAT POST Bill. I especially like the Team Trials pix, in front of Sonny's bird, got Werwage, Kostecky (I think) and in the distance (profile view), looks like Gierkes Novi 3 - STILL one of my favorites. The Results table in the last pix show my brother Arch finished in the top ten, not bad for a Sr age group flyer at his first Team Selection.

All my best to Mr Murphy too, I hope you can find & post more pix like these!

Mike Gretz · « **Reply #2 on:** August 15, 2011, 08:13:09 AM »

And that looks like Arnold Stott (red socks) sitting next to Mike's Chipmunk.

Bill Ervin · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2011, 11:58:45 AM »

Thanks for the additional info fellas, I love that stuff. For guys like me who weren't there it's like finding clues to a mystery. Bill

Bob Hunt · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2011, 02:49:27 PM »

Does anyone recognize that plane that Larry's holding/flying? Know what it is? It sure looks like J.E. Albritton's Rusty design! They were both from the Virginia area and it looks like Larry might have got hold of the Rusty plans from J.E., or perhaps even one of his planes. Anyone know the whole story here?

Take a look at the attached photo and tell me that they are different designs...

Later - Bob Hunt

Bob Hunt · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2011, 04:42:08 PM »

I sent a note to J.E. Albritton about the above and received an interesting story in return. Here's what J.E. had to say about Larry's plane:

Hi Bob: The Rusty was Larry's design, he built two, me one. He had modeled in his past life and when he moved to the DC area started flying again. He was a great builder and became a pretty good flier. The one in this picture was probably the original one. It was Piper Rust color with cream trim That's where the "Rusty" name came from. Don't recall he ever went to a team trials but he did make the finals at the 66? Chicago Nat's. Picked his handle up backwards. That was the reason for the second Rusty... - J.E.

Okay, apologies to Larry for thinking he was flying one of J.E.'s designs. In fact it was the other way around! We know from the above photos in the magazine that Larry did indeed fly the Rusty at the 1967 Team Trials.

Ah, isn't it great to be able to fill in the fabric of stunt's history?

Bob Hunt

Randy Powell · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2011, 05:08:34 PM »

OK, Bob, here's a question you can probably answer: what the heck was the attraction to mint green in the mid sixties?

Bob Hunt · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2011, 06:07:13 PM »

I don't know, Randy and Ty, in our area it wasn't mint green, it was orange! Seemingly everything was orange. There were originality points back then and it seemed as though if you didn't have an orange ship, you just weren't original...

The Detroit guys with the I-Beemers were the pastel crowd. Pink, green, lavender, yes, and even pale orange was their forte. So, ask Werwage!

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #8 on:** August 15, 2011, 06:45:47 PM »

Bill had a similar post in the "As Time Goes By" thread.

This seems like yesterday. Here is that I wrote on the thread:
Thanks for showing these pictures. I was one of the judges at that Team Trials. Brings back many memories. Also shows things that I have forgotten.
My only regret was that being a judge, I was not able to socialize as much as I would have liked. I have always felt that as a judge I should only socialize when it was over.

Bob Hunt has made a great conclusion on airplane colors. The ground cover at northeast contests was orange, Bob Gialdini started the white revolution, white airplane, white pants. Then Les McDonald added special shirts. Bob Hunt took rudders off airplanes and like many forgot that the pilot should look through the canopy. To his credit he has returned to rudders, and is one of the best at designing airplanes that look aerodynamic.....And now Bob Lampione dresses like a flag.

It's been a great ride through the years, and all these people are what make stunt.

Bill Ervin · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2011, 11:49:03 AM »

Wow! I did NOT see this coming! Sonny, your decades of stunt-anonimity have inadvertently come to an end. Thank you gentlemen for the wonderful contributions.

Of course the first thing I did after reading today's posts was rush to the phone (the one in my shirt pocket) and call Sonny. Sonny met the Albrittons When J.E. was about 12, younger brother Timmy was about 10 (if I'm relaying all this correctly), he was very close with their father also. Sonny credits most of the success he's had in the event to J.E. and his brother because the two young boys were getting really good really fast! Sonny (who was in his early/mid thirties at this time) had to "up his game" to keep up!

Until Bob posted his picture of J.E. Sonny had not known about the green Rusty!

Tom, well said, it's the people that make the event. I'm forwarding this to Sonny... he's in for a thrill.

Bill

Bill Little · « **Reply #10 on:** August 17, 2011, 01:54:43 PM »

I remember well the first 1957 Chevy I ever saw in the "mint green" pastel color. In fact, I almost bought a Bel Air HT, 283 automatic, about 1970 that was that color. I have always thought that car colors did play a part in the color of our models over the years, especially since many used automotive acrylic lacquer for the colors.

Bill

Randy Powell · « **Reply #11 on:** August 17, 2011, 05:02:47 PM »

Bill,

You know how I feel about green...

Chris McMillin · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2011, 02:13:10 PM »

Neat story, Bill.
(I had a green Olympic, 1990 metallic Corvette green. I also had a 90's turquoise blue/green Skylark. I was looking for an old fashioned color for the old fashioned models, Iguess. They were just different, as my AMA Stunters were white.)
Chris...

Bill Ervin · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2011, 04:02:36 PM »

Hi Chris, I remember your Skylark from about 20 (sheesh has it been that long?) years ago. In fact I have a picture of it somewhere, nice plane.

Regarding the obsession with pastels during that era; I remember reading an old construction article written by Jim Kostecky, I think it was for his Talon. His reasoning for painting his planes "Cool Cucumber Green" was to not only be distinctive from all the typically bright colored planes but to also take pity on the poor Navy personnel who were enlisted to be the judges for our event. Jim felt the pastel colors were easy on the eyes of the poor judges who were stuck out in the sun judging pattern after pattern. Judging ten flights of bright, red and yellow planes might make anybody's eyes glaze over, but you'll remember that cool presentation from the pilot with the cool green plane.

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2011, 09:36:37 PM »

I think Dave Gierke's Novi article had a pretty good summary on the subject. Dark colors show imperfections, metallics worst of all. Plain white can be kinda lifeless or chalky looking, hence pastels. Walk through the color chart and pretty soon you can see how light blue, light green and light brown (tan) come out on top.

I did one pastel orange and liked it but never repeated it - for no particular reason...

RogerGreene · « **Reply #15 on:** August 20, 2011, 10:12:17 PM »

(Answer to #6) Maybe it was Steve Wooley's Argus was mint green too, http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=20767.0;attach=77927;image

Roger

Randy Powell · « **Reply #16 on:** August 21, 2011, 06:19:11 PM »

I can live with pastels I suppose, but not green.

Bill Ervin · « **Reply #17 on:** September 24, 2011, 08:35:05 PM »

What I have so far. A wing on a jig waiting for bellcrank installation, a mostly sanded stab/elev and a couple of really blockey wingtip blocks.

Bill Ervin · « **Reply #18 on:** September 24, 2011, 08:47:39 PM »

On one shoulder I have an angel whispering 'use the Fox 35, it's authentic, righteous etc.'.

On the other shoulder is the devil yelling 'MORE POWER!'.

This is a ROJett 36, there's a couple carbon props for it somewhere in my shop... so the devil made me do it.

As a concession to the angel there's a 2" Veco spinner out on the front.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #19 on:** September 30, 2011, 08:11:35 PM »

Rojett .36 is how you answer the devil when he yells More power??

I need to change religions......

Bill Ervin · « **Reply #20 on:** September 30, 2011, 10:56:24 PM »

Well, "more" is a relative term. Lead me not to temptation PJ. Between you and that RoJett-65 staring at me from the shelf it's taking all my willpower to keep the faith.

There will be a time to move from the sublime to the ridiculous.

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #21 on:** October 01, 2011, 07:15:44 AM »

I like to tempt...

.65 is silly tho..

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #22 on:** October 05, 2011, 08:32:41 PM »

Quote from: PJ Rowland on October 01, 2011, 07:15:44 AM

I like to tempt...

.65 is silly tho..

Yes. A RO-Jett .76SE would be way mo' betta!

Bill Ervin · « **Reply #23 on:** October 12, 2011, 08:49:12 PM »

A Sig 3" bellcrank modified to Tom Dixon's specs. A new hole was drilled 7/16" from the pivot for the flap pushrod and the other end connects 1" up from the flap hinge line on the horn. Flap to elev. ratio is 1:1. It's worked well on my last four "35" sized planes. Second pic shows a stock Sig 3" BC for comparison.

Bill Ervin · « **Reply #24 on:** October 27, 2011, 03:11:24 PM »

Got started on the fuse. The engine crutch is 3/8 of an inch down form the top edge of the fuselage sides. I made up a spacer using 3 layers of 1/8" med balsa with alternating grain direction, got this idea from Steve Moon on the old, UHP forum. This spacer will be permanent and places the engine crutch assembly in just the right spot. Second pic shows the crutch placed on top of the spacer and ready to be trimmed, zero engine offset.

Third pic shows most of the pieces at the front ready to be glued and the last one shows them assembled.

Day off tomorrow!

Airacobra · « **Reply #25 on:** August 09, 2012, 11:56:45 AM »

Any updates on this plane Bill?

proparc · « **Reply #26 on:** August 09, 2012, 07:36:42 PM »

Quote from: PJ Rowland on September 30, 2011, 08:11:35 PM

Rojett .36 is how you answer the devil when he yells More power??

I need to change religions......

I thought the same thing.

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #27 on:** August 15, 2012, 12:05:02 AM »

Is this the same "Sonny"? I have the picture in my files, but no last name. I think he is/was in the Carolinas or Virginia area.

Steve

EddyR · « **Reply #28 on:** August 17, 2012, 06:03:01 AM »

Quote from: Steve Helmick on August 15, 2012, 12:05:02 AM

Is this the same "Sonny"? I have the picture in my files, but no last name. I think he is/was in the Carolinas or Virginia area. Steve

Steve your picture is of Sunny Williams from Charlotte. He is not the person the thread is about
Ed

Bill Little · « **Reply #29 on:** September 01, 2012, 06:35:09 PM »

Quote from: Ed Ruane on August 17, 2012, 06:03:01 AM

Steve your picture is of Sunny Williams from Charlotte. He is not the person the thread is about
Ed

Yep, that is Mr. Williams. He was a pretty good speed flier, too. He is a fine Southern Gentleman!

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM