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Author Topic: Two Old Photos  (Read 9819 times)

Offline Les McDonald

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Two Old Photos
« on: November 12, 2017, 11:14:50 AM »
I just came across two old B&W photos.

The shiny new Tropicaire with it's original canopy and nose gear and my last Stiletto taking off in that horrible Chicopee wind during the 1984 World Champs. Pretty steep climb for sure but I needed to get that thing away from the ground immediately! 
« Last Edit: November 14, 2017, 02:00:56 PM by Les McDonald »
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I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline Les McDonald

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Re: Two Old Photos
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2017, 02:22:58 PM »
I remember that flight quite well but from a different view than Bobs.
Take off and level laps were acceptable and then the wind went steady for a few minutes allowing for a good wing over, four nice round loops (no penalty in FAI) and some decent squares and eights. The break in the consistent wind direction went away around the vertical eights so I went into survival mode. I don't even remember the hourglass. Giant overhead eights and the narrowest cloverleaf in history. When the motor finally stopped I capped off this flight with three landings in one lap and then the plane was saved from getting flipped over when Werwage trapped it at the end of the rollout.
All I can say here is that Bob Hunt is a great guy to have as a friend!
 
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I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline George Grossardt

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Re: Two Old Photos
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2017, 08:39:42 PM »
Thanks for sharing the photos Les.  Your Stiletto continues to be my all time favorite stunt ship. 

George
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Offline RandySmith

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Re: Two Old Photos
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2017, 01:41:51 PM »
Quote from: Les McDonald on November 12, 2017, 11:14:50 AM
I just came across two old B&W photos.

The shiny new Tropicaire with it's original canopy and nose gear and my last Stiletto taking off in that horrible Chicopee wind during the 1984 World Champs. Pretty steep climb for sure but I needed to get that thing away from the ground immediately!

Thanks Les

I love the looks of both of these  planes, especially the bottom one !  :-O

Randy
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Offline Les McDonald

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Re: Two Old Photos
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2017, 08:02:58 AM »
Quote from: Bob Hunt on November 18, 2017, 05:51:40 AM
  Do you remember, Les, watching the video of that flight that evening in the lounge? I wish I could get my hands on a copy of that. It would forever prove which one of us was looking through rose colored glasses...

I'll always remember that as a great performance; only to be outdone by the performance at the banquet that year...

Bob

Okay Mr Smartypants, I have that whole video of the 84 Champs which includes not just one but three different views of that same flight. It also has a bunch of other guys fighting the wind. Sadly many of them are long departed.
So, do you want me to send it up to you?
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I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline Les McDonald

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Re: Two Old Photos
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2017, 11:09:36 AM »
Quote from: Bob Hunt on November 19, 2017, 10:13:15 AM
Heck yeah I'd like a copy of that video. You've had one all these years and didn't tell any of the team you had it? Maybe that flight was a turkey...  ;D

Later - Bob

Full Disclosure: Doc Jackson sent me that video several weeks after the contest and, if you recall, my head at that time was really not in the best place.
                       I never shared the video with you guys in later years since it shows me quite a bit----- ad nausea.
                     
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I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline wwwarbird

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Re: Two Old Photos
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2017, 09:22:08 PM »
 Love that Stiletto pic, looking all the business heading out for another "sortie". Great stories too guys, thanks for sharing.

 I can still remember my first time seeing Stiletto photos, while flipping through Model Airplane News in the school library when I was in Junior High. The library would get MAN in and I probably wore out every copy. More than a few copies "accidentally" came home in my notebook too. Les's Stiletto was one of the first airplanes that got me hooked on C/L modeling. I thought it was so cool back at the time, and before I'd ever had a "big" plane, I drew up and scratchbuilt a Tee Dee .049 powered profile version that copied the outline and look of the Stiletto, wing mounted and faired L/G gear, wheel pants and all.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2017, 07:43:06 PM by wwwarbird »
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Narrowly averting disaster since 1964! 

Wayne Willey
Albert Lea, MN U.S.A. IC C/L Aircraft Modeler, Ex AMA member

Offline Les McDonald

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Re: Two Old Photos
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2017, 04:33:51 PM »
Quote from: wwwarbird on November 19, 2017, 09:22:08 PM
Love that Stiletto pic, looking all the business heading out for another "sortie". Great stories too guys, thanks for sharing.

 I can still remember my first time seeing Stiletto photos, while flipping through Model Airplane News in the school library when I was in Junior High. The library would get MAN in and I probably wore out every copy. More than a few copies "accidentally" came home in my notebook too. Les's Stiletto was one of the first airplanes that got me hooked on C/L modeling. I thought it was so cool back at the time, and before I'd ever had a "big" plane, that I drew up and scratchbuilt a Tee Dee .049 powered profile version that copied the outline and look of the Stiletto, wing mounted and faired L/G gear, wheel pants and all.

Wow, how cool is that but I'm pretty sure we all did that exact same thing with our favorite looking stunters.
Sadly Matt Colon might possibly be the last young man in America that took great joy in doing the same thing we did.
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I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline Gerald Schamp

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Re: Two Old Photos
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2017, 12:17:17 PM »
Les, what were the dimensions of your last Stiletto, and what were you using for power.
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