Hi All,

I was going back over Rudy's thread on modifications and want to say this.

As we all know who were around "back then", a WHOLE LOT of Classic "roginal designs" were Noblers.  As Bob Hunt always says. "just change the clothes on the manequin".  I wouldn't even try to recall all the published designs that used Nobler wings, moments and such.  With 10 points at the time available for "Orginality", a lot of fliers built Green Box kits with Modification!  The Olympic and Chizler jump to mind.

When I was writing the Stunt News Products column (only way I can "date" this) I was able to track down Mr. Louis Grondal.  He won the first two "official" FAI F2B World Championships back in 1960 and 1962.  He used two airplanes for the contest in 1962 (IIRC it was '62), a standard 1957 "Green Box" Nobler and his "AMA Special" which we now refer to as the "Grondal" Nobler.  The first two flights were done with the FAI pattern and the final flight was using the AMA pattern.  Hence he built a "different" plane just for that flight.  He told me over the phone that he built the "AMA Special" from a Top Flite Green Box ('57) Nobler kit.  If you view the plans that MR. Paul Tupker did of the plane, you can even see the Green Box parts drawn.

I have had some laser cut ribs made for this plane and will construct it as soon as time permits.  Even down to using the same paint scheme. (thanks to Paul White or one of my other Aussie friends!)  I felt very happy to have found MR. Frondal and to have been able to talk with him several times.  He told me that he didn't believe that anyone even remembered those first WC's!

Just some musings on the Nobler. 

BTW: I DO love the Classic planes! 

Bill <><