Author Topic: Wild Bill Netzeband- Designer of the "Fierce Arrow". (Read 14117 times)

De Hill · « **on:** April 20, 2010, 06:05:55 PM »

I just got off the phone with Charles Mackey. He told me that Wild Bill Netzeband Had a heart attack last saturday, and is not doing well. He is in the Inland Valley hospital located in Wildmar, California; they won't tell you anything unless you are family.

Wild Bill designed around 23 different airplanes. The most well known were the Scared Kitten, Half Fast, Hot Cinders, Jerkline special, Guardian, Equalizer, Fierce Arrow 400 ( and 3 other varients) Cats Paw, and the Doodlebugs. ( 3 or 4 of them)

Wid Bill wrote the Controline Capers column in Model Airplane News, and wrote for 32 issues, ending in 1965. Among the articles He wrote were How to test a stunt ship, How to fly stunt, Theory and the Stunt model. More about theory, and Pointers on stunt.

Wild Bill wrote the Round and Round column for American Modeler from 1963 - 1967. Among the articles he wrote are; How to select the proper glow plug, and wrote three articles about Controline Aerodynamics made painless, and among them was an article on the control system.

Wild Bill was also the chief engineer at Testor's for a number of years.

Wild Bill Netzeband is in the AMA Hall of Fame.

He is a great guy; I hope he recovers from this.

Larry Renger · « **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2010, 06:13:33 PM »

When I was a designer at Cox, I followed Tom Lehrer's advice: "Plagerize!! Let no one else's work evade your eyes!" and the guy I had my eye on all the time was Wild Bill. Dang clever dude and a heck of a nice guy. Hoping all the best for him!

John Miller · « **Reply #2 on:** April 20, 2010, 07:04:25 PM »

I do hope and pray for Bill. One of the nicest guys to ever hoist a handle. Get well "Wild Bill".

Serge_Krauss · « **Reply #3 on:** April 20, 2010, 07:57:57 PM »

Bill is one of my heroes. He is generous with his friendship, time , and ideas. Just this year, while having some health troubles that he said prevented him from pursuing the design/development aspect of the hobby that he loved best, he still put some of my unorthodox design into CAD and verified my computations, while giving me some advice from his vast and unique experience. I hope he recovers well to enjoy the hobby again. I hope to get time soon to build the model, so that I can let him know how the concept performs. He's still interested in people's ideas, and I cannot think of a greater adventurer of the mind. He follows up on friends and ideas, while producing splendid models.

Get well Bill! I'm thinking very positive thoughts about you and for your recovery. You're the best!

SK

peabody · « **Reply #4 on:** April 20, 2010, 08:23:53 PM »

He is a great guy with an amazing mind...
Heal up!

George · « **Reply #5 on:** April 20, 2010, 09:56:23 PM »

My prayers for Wild Bill and family.

George

Robert McHam · « **Reply #6 on:** April 20, 2010, 10:03:57 PM »

I was just thinking about his "Square One" design and posted the link to a thread on this model before I knew of Bill's problem.
Godspeed Bill and my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Get well soon!

Robert

Brett Buck · « **Reply #7 on:** April 20, 2010, 10:06:25 PM »

Quote from: Serge_Krauss on April 20, 2010, 07:57:57 PM

Bill is one of my heroes. He is generous with his friendship, time , and ideas.

He's one of my heros, too. THE man to go to as far as stunt engineering goes.

Brett

Jo Ann Keville · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2010, 03:50:35 AM »

All my thoughts and prayers are with Bill and his family. I pray for his speedy and complete recovery. He is such a nice person and I used to always enjoy seeing him.
Take care Bill, we are all waiting for your return to the circle.
Jo Ann Keville

john e. holliday · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2010, 05:47:29 AM »

I can't exactly remember when I first read about Wild Bill as back then I was just getting a start with control line models. I think he was in Joplin MO at that time. By the time I could go to contests he had already left the area and was in California. Finally got to meet him and his lovely wife at a VSC. Very charming couple and alwalys looked forward to seeing them each year at VSC. Get well Wild Bill. I have some more of your planes I want to win with and you to see. And tel lthe misses she is in our prayers too.

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #10 on:** April 21, 2010, 06:50:49 AM »

I finally met Bill for the first time at VSC almost 20 years ago. He is one of the finest people that I have had the privilege tp meet. He also gave me some vintage wheels that I couldn't find anywhere. Our prayers are for his speedy recovery.

dale gleason · « **Reply #11 on:** April 21, 2010, 07:55:47 AM »

Cliff Stinson, the local hobby shop owner when I was 13, brought out a "Half Fast" and told us "Wild Bill" Netzeband was the designer...I thought what a wild man to come up with a plane like this! Sweeps and Quickers put the Half Fast out of business, but I always remembered the title, "Wild Bill". Thanks to the VSC, I got to meet the man in person and found him to be anything but "Wild". Mild mannered and courteous, a gentleman's gentleman, he is a pleasure to be around, on the circle or anywhere.

An aside, he is not only a "Keeper of the Flame", he is one of the "Lighters of the Flame".

Get well, Bill, we're all praying and pulling for you,
dale gleason and Linda Bob

Tom Niebuhr · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2010, 08:02:29 AM »

Dale,
I just heard that Linda had a fall and some painful injuries. Can you fill us in?

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2010, 04:53:11 PM »

Wild Bill, is truly a hero of the "STUNT" community. I sincerely hope he is recovering very well!
Wild Bill, we need you! Please get well quickly!

Jim Pollock, Sad that Wild Bill is not well!

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #14 on:** April 21, 2010, 05:11:25 PM »

..and I add my prayers for Wild Bill and his family. I have only met him through letters & emails, but he remains one of my heroes. God Bless and God speed

PerttiMe · « **Reply #15 on:** April 22, 2010, 03:27:05 AM »

I'd never heard of Bill Netzeband, before I saw some pics of the Humbug (Humbug 60, to be specific).

Get well soon...

Larry Cunningham · « **Reply #16 on:** April 22, 2010, 12:34:56 PM »

This man is one of the nicest and most interesting people I ever met. And a genius.

Wild Bill, get well soon.

L.

Mike Griffin · « **Reply #17 on:** April 22, 2010, 01:18:32 PM »

Larry you absolutely nailed it about Bill. He has been nothing but a gentleman and a friend to me in the short time I have known him. His help to me has been invaluable. We pray for him and his family.

Mike Griffin

Ted Fancher · « **Reply #18 on:** April 22, 2010, 03:44:49 PM »

Although sort of tardy learning of it, I'm very sorry to hear about Wild Bill's heart attack. As many others have said, Bill was and is probably the first individual to truly approach stunt design from an engineering standpoint. Everything he's written (and there is a bunch of it) is worthy of every stunt flyer's attention...especially the control line aerodynamics made painless articles which are nothing short of seminal stuff regarding making our airplanes do what it is we want them to do.

Plus, I don't believe I've ever heard a publicly stated negative comment from Bill. He is a consummate gentleman.

Mild Bill will be in our thoughts and prayers here in Foster City.

Ted Fancher

De Hill · « **Reply #19 on:** April 22, 2010, 08:48:27 PM »

Charles Mackey sent me an email this afternoon, and said that he went by the hospital to visit Wild Bill, who has been in the hospital for 6 days. He is under sedation, and is having his lungs drained. Wild Bill's son told Charley that WBN has severe heart damage..

Charles told me that he wished he had better news for us than this. I do too.

Jo Ann Keville · « **Reply #20 on:** April 22, 2010, 09:13:35 PM »

Please, lets all get together and say a prayer for Bill and his family. He sounds like he needs our love, support and prayers right now. Please join me tonight as our day ends and we close our eyes, have Bill in our hearts, on our minds and in our prayers. We all love you Bill, speedy recovery.

builditright · « **Reply #21 on:** April 25, 2010, 07:47:33 PM »

Quote from: De Hill on April 22, 2010, 08:48:27 PM

Charles Mackey sent me an email this afternoon, and said that he went by the hospital to visit Wild Bill, who has been in the hospital for 6 days. He is under sedation, and is having his lungs drained. Wild Bill's son told Charley that WBN has severe heart damage..

Charles told me that he wished he had better news for us than this. I do too.

Just got off the phone with Wild Bills' daughter in law Doreen, and she said it doesn't look good.

We need to continue to pray for the Netzbands.

I hope Bill gets well soon.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #22 on:** April 25, 2010, 08:12:50 PM »

I've never met or even talked to Bill, but I've always considered him one of my Control Line Heroes. Best wishes to Bill and his family.

Wayne Willey

Larry Cunningham · « **Reply #23 on:** April 26, 2010, 10:47:10 AM »

God Bless Wild Bill and his family.

Get well, Bill.

L.

"Wind to thy wings. Light to thy path. Dreams to thy heart." -anonymous

De Hill · « **Reply #24 on:** April 26, 2010, 11:06:30 AM »

I just heard from Charles Mackey again regarding WBN.

Wild Bill passed away sunday night at 12 midnight.

Services for Wild Bill have not yet been announced.

We have just lost one of our legends.

Kim Doherty · « **Reply #25 on:** April 26, 2010, 11:17:44 AM »

My sincerest condolences to Bill's family on the loss of a true educator, leader, inspiration and icon. I also have never met Bill but read his columns religiously and appreciated his efforts to no end. A large and truly sad loss for all involved in Model Aviation.

Kim.

Bill Little · « **Reply #26 on:** April 26, 2010, 11:43:03 AM »

My condolences and prayers to the family and many friends. A truly big loss to the C/L model airplane hobby. A brilliant man, indeed.

Bill Little

Jim Pollock · « **Reply #27 on:** April 26, 2010, 12:01:58 PM »

On the SSW Web site there is a post that Bill passed last night 4-25-10. My sincere condolences are offered to the Netzband family! He was a hero of mine. We are loosing too many of us way to fast these days.

Jim Pollock, very sad!

FLOYD CARTER · « **Reply #28 on:** April 26, 2010, 12:28:48 PM »

Truly a tragic loss. Although we seem to be losing too many of our friends,
I'll never get used to it. Wild Bill was a frequent visitor to VSC, and I really
enjoyed his company in Tucson, and I hope he felt the same about me.

Floyd

John Miller · « **Reply #29 on:** April 26, 2010, 01:27:37 PM »

Fare well Bill. Thanks for all you tried to teach us. Thanks for being you.

Clear skies, a stunt wind away from the sun, and we'll see you when we get there.

don Burke · « **Reply #30 on:** April 26, 2010, 03:52:53 PM »

I was priveleged to know Bill for a long time. First discovered his designs with the HALF FAST, my first real combat airplane in the mid 50s. Finally met him when he moved to California in the mid 60s. His wit and wisdom will be sorely missed. Fortunatley his extensive writings have left a lot for us and others in the future.

God speed, Wild Bill!

Ted Fancher · « **Reply #31 on:** April 26, 2010, 08:20:50 PM »

Ted and Shareen

Dennis Adamisin · « **Reply #32 on:** April 26, 2010, 10:21:13 PM »

It is my loss for never having met Bill. God Bless and God speed.

L0U CRANE · « **Reply #33 on:** April 26, 2010, 10:59:37 PM »

Bill and Joan had a difficult time over the past several years.

I'll miss him deeply, and hope Joan will carry his love for her forward - he lived for several things: first of which - his beloved Joan...

Wild Bill was a unique person in all our lives, whether we ever met him or had heard of him before this sad moment. His contributions to umderstanding what happens with a CL Stunt model are irreplaceable - we'll have those forever!

Those of us who DID get to know him, grieve... as much for the loss of adding to our shared acquaintance as for those nearer to him stunned by this loss.

Life, however, moves on, and he has given us so much to carry it forward...

We owe him that, too.

Bruce Perry · « **Reply #34 on:** April 26, 2010, 11:05:30 PM »

Bill,

May God keep you, and share with you the secrets of circular flight! There must have been one secret left you wanted to know.

Thanks for the inspiration, humour and hours of good reading.

Bruce

Jo Ann Keville · « **Reply #35 on:** April 27, 2010, 04:06:18 AM »

This is truly a sad time for all of us. Bill will missed so very much. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loving family in their time of need. May their love for each other give them the strength they need at this very sad time in their lives. We will all be thinking of them and will be missing Bill for a very long time.
JoAnn Keville

john e. holliday · « **Reply #36 on:** April 27, 2010, 11:18:49 AM »

That is such a shock as I don't get on here often enough at times. Just started to go back on this thread when it dawned on that Wild Bill has gone to the beyond. I hope his lovely wife and family can make it thru this as he was well known and liked. I so privilaged to have gotten to meet him and his lively wife. GOD speed Bill.

Bart Klapinski · « **Reply #37 on:** April 27, 2010, 12:30:48 PM »

Unfortunately Bill passed on Sunday night. I knew Bill for many years and will truly miss a very intelligent and kind gentleman. I've posted a comment on the other forum as I couldn't get into this one til now. Bill will surely be missed by all who knew him. My deepest condolences to Bill,s family and friends.I will truly miss him.

Bart

Robert McHam · « **Reply #38 on:** April 27, 2010, 04:14:43 PM »

I feel a deep loss for never having met Bill myself. God Bless and God speed.

I feel like there should be a memorial for Bill to honor his accomplishments including pictures of the models he designed. I speak of his Testor's designs as well including the Cosmic Wind. Did he also have a hand in the yellow Bob Hoover Mustang that Testors made?

Robert

don Burke · « **Reply #39 on:** April 27, 2010, 08:27:02 PM »

For those that are interested a memorial service for Bill to be Friday, April 30, 10:30 AM in the clubhouse at the Colony, Murietta, CA where Bill and Joan have their home. Just E of the 15 freeway on Clinton Kieth Road, left on Jackson. Colony gatehouse on the right. Let the guards know you're there for the Netzeband memorial.

Elwyn Aud · « **Reply #40 on:** April 27, 2010, 08:57:03 PM »

Not much to say that hasn't already been said. Godspeed Wild Bill.

Andrew Borgogna · « **Reply #41 on:** April 28, 2010, 07:18:29 PM »

One of the best times I ever had flying model airplanes was with my brother in our front yard flying a Lil Half Fast flight after flight in light rain. We laughed so hard we could hardly breath. Thanks for that fun Wild Bill. I had the good fortune to see him fly a couple of years ago at VSC. He was definetly something special.
Andy

L0U CRANE · « **Reply #42 on:** April 28, 2010, 08:36:02 PM »

One thing that eases my sorrow is that Bill had a full and rich life, and many don't get as many years of that as he has...

For those of us with personal memories of the guy, as well as for those who are just learning who and what he has been for us all, and those who knew the name, but not the man, we have what he offered to us all. It is still worth careful study and appreciation.

So many of our other departed friends did not leave us so much to keep their memory fresh. A personal thing to us, in both cases: the totally necessary flying buddy and the legendary "hero." Wild Bill was both to many of us, and the latter - hero - to those who may become interested in his accomplishments through this thread, and their parallels on other sites.

And, Joan (Mrs N) you are as important to us as you had always been to Bill. If you need support, we are here for you - as if that counts. We can try, anyway...

don Burke · « **Reply #43 on:** April 30, 2010, 03:11:01 PM »

At the memorial this AM Bill's daughter-in-law read a couple of comments that had been posted here and thanked everyone for their expressions on this and forums.

It was very nice celebration of an extraordinary life.

Larry Renger · « **Reply #44 on:** April 30, 2010, 03:30:45 PM »

I estimated that about 80 people were there. Tony Naccarato even flew a model inside the hall in Bill's honor. Sniff, sniff!

TDM · « **Reply #45 on:** April 30, 2010, 03:37:09 PM »

Bill you will be noised. My condolences.
RIP

Dorin

RogerGreene · « **Reply #46 on:** May 02, 2010, 05:30:17 PM »

I just found out about Wild Bill's passing and my deepest condolences for his family. I only saw him once at the Willow Grove 61 NATS flying a plane doing a saber dance, and was awed. I read and studied his writings on stunt design as they were published in the magazine. And they worked just as he said. He will truly be missed by the model aviation comunity.

Roger Greene <><

Author Topic: Wild Bill Netzeband- Designer of the "Fierce Arrow". (Read 14117 times)

Mike Griffin

Kim Doherty