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Author Topic: Kirk Mullinnix, Another man down.  (Read 3798 times)

Offline Warren Walker

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Kirk Mullinnix, Another man down.
« on: December 09, 2020, 08:25:47 PM »
I am sorry to report that Kirk Mullinnix has passed away, he had been suffering from bad health for a while and died in the hospital on Monday.
I'm glad to have called him my friend, Kirk was a Craftsman of the highest order, his stunt ships were as good as they come and he was also a master machinist.
He was truly one of the good guys.

W.W.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2021, 09:59:28 PM by De Hill »

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2020, 08:56:55 PM »
Sad to hear. :(
John E. "DOC" Holliday
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Shawnee, KANSAS  66203
AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.

Offline James Mills

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2020, 09:44:40 PM »
This is sad news.  Kirk was a good guy.

James
AMA 491167

Offline Trostle

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2020, 10:54:35 PM »
Sorry to hear the passing of Kirk.  A really nice person to know.  As already mentioned - he was a master machinist, impeccable finishes, good flyer.  The one and only Nationals he attended, he placed 5th.

Keith

Offline Charles Carter

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2020, 12:21:38 AM »
I just spoke to Kirk a couple weeks ago.  He mentioned he was experiencing some health challenges. We kept in touch and would talk on the phone for a hour or so over the last six years.  I met Kirk about fifteen years ago, Kirk was special.  So sad to hear this.

Charles Carter

Offline dennis choate

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2020, 09:34:02 AM »
So sorry to hear the news of Kirk passing.  He was one of the good guys and will be missed

Offline Jim Hoffman

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2020, 09:49:58 AM »
I will miss Kirk, a friend since the 1980’s and a fellow gardener.

Two photos attached:

Kirk and Marshall Palmer starting the Corsair at the 2016 Golden State Stunt Championships

Semi Scale Masterpieces – Walter Hicks, Kirk Mullinix, and John Callentine also at the 2016 Golden State Stunt Championships

Offline Trostle

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2020, 10:03:05 AM »

Kirk and Marshall Palmer starting the Corsair at the 2016 Golden State Stunt Championships

Semi Scale Masterpieces – Walter Hicks, Kirk Mullinix, and John Callentine also at the 2016 Golden State Stunt Championships

That Corsair that Kirk designed/built was a masterpiece.  It had full span working flaps.  The flaps were connected by universal joints that Kirk machined.  There was absolutely no play or flexing of the flaps at the dihedral/anhedral joints.  It flew quite well.

Keith

Offline Paul Walker

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2020, 10:23:18 AM »
So sorry to hear. Kirk was one of my friends from So Cal from the 70's. We competed many times, and spent time practicing together as well.

Alas, Tom Warden, Tom Lay, Lucky Pyatt, Mike Belitz, and Jim Armor are gone that I know of. And now Kirk. Sad day for all who knew him.  Rest in peace my friend.

Online John Miller

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2020, 05:42:39 PM »
I'm saddened to hear the news of Kirk's passing. He was one of the good guys, and will be missed.
Getting a line on life. AMA 1601

Offline Larry Renger

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2020, 09:15:29 PM »
So sad to hear of one so young passing on. Kirk was a cheerful soul always ready to help out. I really valued his friendship, help and will miss him. I had no idea he had health problems, so his passing is a real shock.

Incredible designer and craftsman, great pilot, a real gentleman. Wish I knew him better. 😢

As I recall he was a heavy smoker, and wonder if that contributed to his death. I can only hope that the tobacco company executives are heavy smokers too.  R%%%%

In retrospect, remember Tim Meek? Great guy, died of lung cancer swearing that a lifetime of smoking had nothing to do with it, despite a continuous rasping coug all the time I knew him.

Happily, none in my immediate family smoke (anymore).
Think S.M.A.L.L. y'all and, it's all good, CL, FF and RC!

DesignMan
 BTW, Dracula Sucks!  A closed mouth gathers no feet!

Offline Chris Cox

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2020, 09:56:07 PM »
Really sad to see this.  Kirk was a good guy and built great airplanes. 

Offline Randy Cuberly

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2020, 10:55:47 PM »
Very sorry to hear about Kirks passing.  He was a builder of gorgeous Stunt Planes and a wealth of information on how to accomplish difficult building problems.

He often came to Tucson whenever he had a new stunt ship to test.

He will be sorely missed in the stunt circles!

Randy Cuberly
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Tucson, AZ

Online Bob Hunt

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2020, 07:51:52 AM »
This is very sad news. I was a judge in San Antonio in 1981 at the Nats where Kirk was a rookie. He made the Top-5 that year, and impressed everyone there with his flying and with his amazing building and finishing skills. We all thought that Kirk was going to be the next "monster" in the event. Don't know why that never happened, but Kirk cemented his place in Stunt history that year. A virtual "nobody" making the Top-5 in his first Nats appearance. Perhaps unprecedented...

Being an East Coaster, I didn't get to socialize with Kirk very much, but I did get to see him when I visited California to attend the trade show in Pasadena. He was always a very friendly and interesting guy to talk with. He gave me a few very helpful building tips along the way. One of them he told me came from the legendary Free Flight modeler, Sal Taibi. I was molding wood using hot water. Kirk passed on Sal's tip to soak the balsa in apple cider vinegar instead, as in loosens up the grain and make the wood more pliable. I tried it and it worked! Only problem is, your model will smell like a salad...   

The last time I saw Kirk in person was around 2012 or 2013 at the Muncie Nats. He was flying the Corsair that was pictured above in this thread. The Corsair was a typical Kirk plane; original and spectacular.

Rest in God's Good Peace Kirk, and thanks for the memories and the tips.

Bob Hunt 

Offline proparc

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2020, 04:35:55 PM »
Kirk Mullinix taught me how to cut foam wings. I remember, I used to have to drive 62 miles east each way to get to his house for lessons.  For some reason, the process didn’t make sense until Kirk showed me. With his instruction, I was pretty much in a way to make anything I wanted, Control Line or RC. People like Kirk, influenced me in my life in way they will never know. God bless him. God Bless them all.
Milton "Proparc" Graham

Offline ericrule

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2020, 11:04:36 AM »
Kirk was a real gentleman. I am sad to learn that he has passed.

So many of the old gang who flew at Mile Square Park are now gone, have moved away or dropped out of the hobby. The worst thing about getting old is not the higher body weight, loss of energy, loss of ability it's the loss of friends!

Kirk, my friend, rest in peace.

Offline Ted Fancher

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2020, 02:26:35 PM »
So sorry to hear. Kirk was one of my friends from So Cal from the 70's. We competed many times, and spent time practicing together as well.

Alas, Tom Warden, Tom Lay, Lucky Pyatt, Mike Belitz, and Jim Armor are gone that I know of. And now Kirk. Sad day for all who knew him.  Rest in peace my friend.

Very nice, Paul.  What a wonderful group of friends we've lost.  So many memories.  So many wonderful times together.  So much skill and talent and dedication to excellence.  I'll never forget watching Kirk's bent wing Corsair and marveling at the magic of his craftsmanship skills as the "so not a real stunt ship" outdid so many of the "real" ones.  Al's unique stuff taken a pretty significant step further.

We...and the event...will miss him.

Ted Fancher

Offline Ted Fancher

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2020, 02:29:40 PM »
"snip'

The worst thing about getting old is not the higher body weight, loss of energy, loss of ability it's the loss of friends!


So well said, Eric...and so true.  Thanks for reminding us.

Ted

Offline Trostle

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #18 on: December 12, 2020, 03:08:00 PM »

I'll never forget watching Kirk's bent wing Corsair and marveling at the magic of his craftsmanship skills as the "so not a real stunt ship" outdid so many of the "real" ones.

We...and the event...will miss him.

Ted Fancher

Unfortunately, this is the only picture I hace that shows Kirk and his Corsair.

Keith
« Last Edit: December 12, 2020, 05:10:37 PM by Trostle »

Offline Larry Renger

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #19 on: December 12, 2020, 05:54:47 PM »
I shot that. I can probably find the slide or negative if needed.
Think S.M.A.L.L. y'all and, it's all good, CL, FF and RC!

DesignMan
 BTW, Dracula Sucks!  A closed mouth gathers no feet!

Offline Paul Walker

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #20 on: December 12, 2020, 09:34:29 PM »
So sorry to hear. Kirk was one of my friends from So Cal from the 70's. We competed many times, and spent time practicing together as well.

Alas, Tom Warden, Tom Lay, Lucky Pyatt, Mike Belitz, and Jim Armor are gone that I know of. And now Kirk. Sad day for all who knew him.  Rest in peace my friend.

Following Bob and Keith's posts on Kirk, my story follows.

Back in '81, Kirk and I were both trying to move up the pecking order in stunt. We both flew in the '81 Nat's
 Of course he finished 5th. Me  not so high...

Several years later, 84 ish, I was working in LA on B-2, and out of the blue he called me and wanted to go flying. Great, and I fit it I to my schedule. At a local College, we were flying happily, when out of the blue he wanted to "trash can" his plane. It was his '81 plane from the Nat's. I was stunned!!
Then he asked me if I would do the "honors". This was late '84 or even '85. He still remembered that Nat's and how he had placed ahead of me  and he was sort of making restitution for beating me. I picked up his handle, but just couldn't do it.
It was an emotional event for me, and really cemented our relationship. I can't even remember if he flew it into the trash can or not.

It is kind of sad being on the "younger" side of a lot of my stunt buddies, and see many of them pass. They may have passed, but are not forgotten.

Offline Alan Resinger

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #21 on: December 13, 2020, 06:56:34 AM »
So sorry to hear about Kirk. I first met him at Golden State some years ago.  A true craftsman when it came to his models.  I always looked forward to geting together in the fall in Madera.  Sitting and talking with he and Whitley was always a highpoint.  He will be missed.

Offline SteveMoon

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #22 on: December 14, 2020, 11:39:44 AM »
I'm really sorry to hear about Kirk's passing. I was always impressed
by his planes and the amazing job he did finishing them. A truly talented
and nice guy.

Steve

Offline Larry Renger

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #23 on: December 14, 2020, 07:26:35 PM »
Who has his models and how will they be preserved? Don’t want them in the trash or swap meet stuff.

That Corsair ought to go to the AMA museum! Though they are too stupid to accept it.  >:(
Think S.M.A.L.L. y'all and, it's all good, CL, FF and RC!

DesignMan
 BTW, Dracula Sucks!  A closed mouth gathers no feet!

Offline Warren Walker

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Re: Another man down.
« Reply #24 on: December 14, 2020, 08:05:38 PM »
Who has his models and how will they be preserved? Don’t want them in the trash or swap meet stuff.

That Corsair ought to go to the AMA museum! Though they are too stupid to accept it.  >:(
Not to worry Larry I have two of the four that Kirk had, The Corsair went to R.J. his daughter kept the best and complete one.
I purchased Sweet Thing and Dreamer, but I decided To sell Sweet Thing to Dave Sabon with the money going to Kat Kirk's daughter to help her out.
So not to worry it will be secure in the man cave for a long time.

W.W.


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