Author Topic: 1973 NATS results/Early PAMPA Newsletter (Read 6328 times)

Dick Pacini · « **on:** November 15, 2010, 10:37:17 AM »

I finally found the standings from the '73 NATS, in which I placed 18th (last), published in the newly formed PAMPA newsletter. It was my first NATS flying a new plane that had not been flown before. I finished the trim in the motel. It is also the year that PAMPA was formed and I was a charter member. This brought back a lot of good memories. It was then that I first met Bob Hunt who placed much higher with a superb airplane and a superb flight. I think it was his first NATS, too.

I was able to find this file in the PAMPA archives.

Dan McEntee · « **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2010, 12:58:51 PM »

Nah, I doubt that it was his first NATS. Bob has been around since the Dead Sea was sick!

Might have been his first win or top 5 placing. I need toi find time this winter and check out the archives. I've been a PAMPA member for quite a while, but I don't go back that far. Would be nice to see and enjoy the newsletters from those years.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee

Dick Pacini · « **Reply #2 on:** November 15, 2010, 01:24:19 PM »

It may have been the first time he made the finals. I remember that it was a "first" for him in some way.

I forgot to mention that in its early days, PAMPA was originally PAPA. Adding the M for model came at a later time to prevent confusion with full size aircraft.

Dick Pacini · « **Reply #3 on:** November 15, 2010, 05:46:40 PM »

I checked with Bob and he confirmed it was his first NATS flying stunt. He was a combat flier before.

Bill Little · « **Reply #4 on:** November 15, 2010, 09:06:29 PM »

Quote from: Dick Pacini on November 15, 2010, 05:46:40 PM

I checked with Bob and he confirmed it was his first NATS flying stunt. He was a combat flier before.

Hi Dick,

I was going to confirm that for you, but the actual person is a better witness! LOL!! He was also flying the Genesis, he finished 9th, and Gene Schaffer finished 2nd with a Genesis, also.

Big Bear

Dick Pacini · « **Reply #5 on:** November 15, 2010, 09:13:23 PM »

Quote from: Bill Little on November 15, 2010, 09:06:29 PM

Hi Dick,

I was going to confirm that for you, but the actual person is a better witness! LOL!! He was also flying the Genesis, he finished 9th, and Gene Schaffer finished 2nd with a Genesis, also.

Big Bear

Yes, Bob flew a Genesis and it was extremely light with his foam wing. I don't recall Gene flying a Genesis. I thought that was Bob's design and that was the first appearance for it. I thought Gene flew his Stunt Machine.

Allen Brickhaus · « **Reply #6 on:** November 16, 2010, 06:55:19 AM »

Gene did have a Genesis one year the same as Bob's but had typical Stunt Machine paint scheme and trim.

Allen Brickhaus

I believe this shot is from my friend Jose Modesto. It was mentioned that this is one that Gene did not like the way it flew and it did not see a lot of contest time. Gene's Genesis was painted similar to this one. I do not have shots of Gene's Genesis but I have seen one published in one of the magazines around that time.

Allen Brickhaus

Dick Pacini · « **Reply #7 on:** November 16, 2010, 08:25:07 AM »

Bob, who was the designer of the Genesis? I always believed it to be yours.

Dick Pacini · « **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2010, 08:33:07 AM »

OK. Good, I thought I was going crazy.

I know that you and Gene had been friends for a long time. I remember your story of when you first met Gene. It must have been a head-rush for you to have him flying your design. Can you elaborate on how that came to be? I thought the '73 NATS, being a first in stunt for you, was the debut of the Genesis. Apparently, it goes back further than that.

Dick Pacini · « **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2010, 08:39:59 AM »

Looking forward to it.

Allen Brickhaus · « **Reply #10 on:** November 17, 2010, 06:24:57 AM »

Me too,

Allen Brickhaus

john e. holliday · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2010, 09:06:23 AM »

Seems like we have been waiting a long time for this book.

But Bob is a very busy man. I can still remember meeting Bob for the first time at a Lake Charles NATS. I was trying to compete in F2C. My pilot and I were making a set of lines with little tape tabs holding a small peice of tubing to one line. Boy I was so happy that they were made illegal after the NATS/Team Trials. My pilot Bob Hill told bob they were flags for a tall masted schooner.

Bob Kruger · « **Reply #12 on:** November 17, 2010, 10:21:08 AM »

Quote from: Bob Hunt on November 16, 2010, 08:38:06 AM

Actually I debuted the Genesis earlier that year at the Bristol, CT contest. It took third place in its first contest flying against Gene Schaffer and Bill Simons. It was test flown the night before the Bristol meet and had its first full pattern on a practice circle across the street from the contest site. Its second pattern was in competition! I knew I had a winner right away.

I'll elaborate on the story behind the design in a book that I'm writing.

Later - Bob

I well remember that contest and watching you fly the Genesis. Good flying ship.

Bob

John Harold · « **Reply #13 on:** November 17, 2010, 11:21:18 PM »

Is this what you wanted posted?.......John.

Dick Pacini · « **Reply #14 on:** November 18, 2010, 12:54:06 AM »

Quote from: vauxhall on November 17, 2010, 11:21:18 PM

Is this what you wanted posted?.......John.

Yes, except the link shows all 7 pages much larger than that.

Mike Ferguson · « **Reply #15 on:** November 19, 2010, 09:05:49 AM »

I also remember seeing old photos/slides once of a second "Genesis"-styled ship from Gene, with a gray top block (I think).

Was that the same plane as the one shown above, refinished? Or a later one? I'm guessing the latter ... I think I remember seeing a ST46 in the nose, maybe it was based on Bill Simon's "Gemini" numbers?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #16 on:** November 19, 2010, 09:46:46 AM »

Bob,

amen, brother

proparc · « **Reply #17 on:** November 20, 2010, 05:56:44 PM »

Say the name "Vic Macaluso" and you know right away, in terms of style, just EXACTLY what time it is!

It seems to take years to develope this "identity", whether in music or model aviation. I personally think it is a very good thing when you do.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #18 on:** November 20, 2010, 06:01:01 PM »

Quote from: Bob Hunt on November 19, 2010, 09:21:59 AM

No one begins designing a model knowing that it will become synonymous with his or her name.

Especially people like you (and me, too, I guess), whose name describes a bad stunter property.

Paul Walker · « **Reply #19 on:** November 23, 2010, 12:56:25 PM »

Quote from: Bob Hunt on November 23, 2010, 06:32:15 AM

Howard:

You are even stranger than I thought you were... and that's a good thing!

Bob

Yes, and some of us really know!

Mike Ferguson · « **Reply #20 on:** November 23, 2010, 01:01:50 PM »

Here's the plane I was thinking of ... not the greatest picture, I know. And I don't know why I thought it had a gray top block!

But anyway, it had a definite "Genesis" styling - it was the plane he flew at the 1974 Worlds.

Allen Brickhaus · « **Reply #21 on:** November 24, 2010, 01:58:19 PM »

Quote from: Bob Hunt on November 19, 2010, 08:48:09 PM

Hi Mike:

The only models that Gene flew that had anything near a gray top block were the Hallmark and the United States. The latter was a twin rudder design with which Gene won the 1975 Team Selection meet in Dayton. Both the United States and the Hallmark were all silver with red, white and blue trim. None of his Genesis models nor the Stunt Machines had gray top blocks.

Later - Bob Hunt

Did Gene call the United States the Statesman?

Allen Brickhaus