Author Topic: BART KLAPINSKI... Memory lane scan from the 1967 Nationals presentation. (Read 5611 times)

Shultzie · « **on:** January 27, 2009, 05:55:41 PM »

Found my old slides of the Finals presentation at the 67 NATS.
This is my FAVORITE SHOTS from my ol Minolta SR-2 of BART KLAPINSKI...who just put in one of the best CLPA that I have ever seen.
Next shot is all our Peeee rrrrs' hangin round the presentation table as the Final scores were being tabulated.
Last shot I took (this is one out of 4 shots that I have left) Wish I had kept the orignial slides..these however are scans of a few of the only originals that I still have left.
GADS! WHAT YOUNGINS!!!

Brett Buck · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2009, 07:28:46 PM »

Quote from: Shultzie on January 27, 2009, 05:55:41 PM

Found my old slides of the Finals presentation at the 67 NATS.
This is my FAVORITE SHOTS from my ol Minolta SR-2 of BART KLAPINSKI...who just put in one of the best CLPA that I have ever seen.
Next shot is all our Peeee rrrrs' hangin round the presentation table as the Final scores were being tabulated.
Last shot I took (this is one out of 4 shots that I have left) Wish I had kept the orignial slides..these however are scans of a few of the only originals that I still have left.
GADS! WHAT YOUNGINS!!!

Neat pictures. I saw Bart this weekend down at the SWR, great guy to be around as always.

I think I only recognize one guy from the "whos who" picture, very photogenic guy even now, and he, well, stands out from the crowd! I might find an "after" picture - after 40 years!

Brett

p.s. actually, I recognize another guy, not his face, but his hair. Which he still has.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2009, 07:31:13 PM »

Brett,

Yea, I see PT lounging.

Bill Adair · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2009, 07:35:41 PM »

Don,

Do you remember a fellow named Melton in that event? A person with that last name is posted immediately below Klapinski on the score board.

The reason I ask, is that a good friend of mine (we served at Sembach AB Germany in the mid fifties), was a very competant C/L stunt pilot. Mild Bill also flew with us at Sembach, and may remember my friend Wayne Melton, who was from Fontana CA at that time. He later moved to the Sacramento area, after an Air Force base where he worked near San Bernardino was closed.

Bill

Shultzie · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2009, 08:37:02 PM »

Sorry Bill...
I don't remember Melton's flight...(that was my first time flying at the Nats in 67. Spent lots of time "helping rebuild my travelin' buds stunter after he crashed in practice on the trip down to LA. Tim snapped the nose completely off the wing...and damaged the tail section after the second impact. God bless 5 minute expoxy...hot 127 degree heat of the tarmac to kick the 5 minute into about 1.5 minutes.

Also God Bless MONOMONEY COAT!
My Sting Ray quit right in the second loop of the clover-leaf...and had to dead stick it to a 3 bounce landing. (However my next flight was better but the wind came up...and all the scores went down. Judges scores were all over the place. Lots of bewildered looks on the faces of the icons?

That was such an awesome experience...flying with names and faces that I had always seen in model magazines...WOW!

Trostle · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2009, 09:00:58 PM »

I can put a few names to people in that group shot.

from left to right --

dark cap, back to us --Lew McFarland
Next to Lew -- Don Jehlik
White pants, white shoes -- Jim Mayfield
Cowboy hat -- Bill Fitzgerald (maybe)
Cooler guy -- Phil Granderson
red cap -- Dave Gierke

Of course the trio of airplanes is Bob Gieseki 3rd, Bart Klapinski 1st, Dick Mathis 2nd

Keith

Robertc · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2009, 08:46:48 AM »

Melton would be Bill Melton from Las Cruces NM. Along with Jim Young, the father of the Roadrunner.

Bradley Walker · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2009, 09:39:09 AM »

That Bart can fly...

... with anything.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2009, 12:04:30 PM »

Quote from: Bradley Walker on January 28, 2009, 09:39:09 AM

That Bart can fly...

... with anything.

He's absolutely uncanny in his ability to fly *anything* exceptionally well, with no practice. I've been doing this a *looong* time and I haven't seen anything even remotely like it. And he appears to have little idea how good he is, and why anyone can't do the same thing.

Analyzing how Bart flies has had a huge impact on my flying. He makes it look so easy that I said, well, maybe it is that easy. It isn't, but a lot of my posture, maneuver placement, handle adjustments, were geared towards simplifying the piloting and making it easier on myself. I can't claim to have mastered it to the extent Bart has but my ability to fly a variety of airplanes at least respectably well is certainly because of the "simplification" process. It's the absolute opposite of the "grind out 1000 flights a year" approach.

Brett

Shultzie · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2009, 12:08:11 PM »

Quote from: Bradley Walker on January 28, 2009, 09:39:09 AM

That Bart can fly...

... with anything.

THAT IS THE TRUTH!!!

Shultzie · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2009, 12:25:23 PM »

Take a look at his flying stance! Have you ever noticed jusst how calm and collected Bart seems...out there in the circle center?
WHAT A PICTURE OF VIRTUALLY TOTAL RELAXATION!Also I have heard it mentioned that Bart flew routines at Disney Land on a regular basis.
Hummm?
Wouldn't that would make him one of the most highly paind a professional paid stunt model

H^^pilot?

Chris McMillin · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2009, 12:47:49 PM »

Quote from: Shultzie on January 28, 2009, 12:08:11 PM

THAT IS THE TRUTH!!!

In the picture with Dick Mathis and Bart, between them in the background is Steve Harris, who still flies that same Shark at local SoCal contests!
Chris...

Bill Adair · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2009, 01:26:44 PM »

Quote from: Robertc on January 28, 2009, 08:46:48 AM

Melton would be Bill Melton from Las Cruces NM. Along with Jim Young, the father of the Roadrunner.

Robert,

Thanks for the info on Bill Melton.

My friend Wayne Melton never mentioned any major stunt contests to me, on the few occasions we have visited since the year of that contest. He was never one to brag though, so it wouldn't have surprised me.

Bill

Shultzie · « **Reply #13 on:** January 28, 2009, 01:42:02 PM »

All the "newbees" can talk about is how horrifical the old handles were in those early vintage years around the 60's

If that handle of Barts as shown here...worked that well for him back then?

Uhhh? Were in the

VD~can I find a hanle like this one?

"Everyone of Bart's flights during the 67 were carbon copy illustration is pure excellence in CLPA perfection.
Hummm? That handle look so familar??..but my puter' didn't have enough memory to show this in detail.
(Can you imagine the look on Bart face then....if someone told him that a quality stunt handle could cost over a "hunturd" dollars?

billbyles · « **Reply #14 on:** January 28, 2009, 02:49:48 PM »

Quote from: Shultzie on January 28, 2009, 01:42:02 PM

All the "newbees" can talk about is how horrifical the old handles were in those early vintage years around the 60's

If that handle of Barts as shown here...worked that well for him back then?
Uhhh? Were in the VD~can I find a hanle like this one?
"Everyone of Bart's flights during the 67 were carbon copy illustration is pure excellence in CLPA perfection.
Hummm? That handle look so familar??..but my puter' didn't have enough memory to show this in detail.
(Can you imagine the look on Bart face then....if someone told him that a quality stunt handle could cost over a "hunturd" dollars?

Looks like a hard point handle...early version. Also lightweight.

Bill

De Hill · « **Reply #15 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:16:37 PM »

Bill,

Are you sure that is a hard point handle?

billbyles · « **Reply #16 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:46:58 PM »

Quote from: De Hill on January 28, 2009, 03:16:37 PM

Bill,

Are you sure that is a hard point handle?

Hard to tell for sure from the photo but it looks like it. I'll give Bart a call this evening and find out.

Bill

De Hill · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:54:17 PM »

That resembles an old Bill Noyes cable handle.

Bradley Walker · « **Reply #18 on:** January 28, 2009, 04:45:42 PM »

Well, some people are just cool.

Some people get so tight you can't pass a B-B through their butt.

(I think I am the latter).

Brett Buck · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2009, 08:44:22 PM »

Quote from: De Hill on January 28, 2009, 03:16:37 PM

Are you sure that is a hard point handle?

Sure doesn't look like one to me. Looks like a cable handle, and I have seen one like it, but I can't place the name.

But of more interest to me is the fact that he is flying with *no* neutral bias. Like I say, *simple*.

Brett

Brett Buck · « **Reply #20 on:** January 28, 2009, 08:48:25 PM »

Quote from: Bradley Walker on January 28, 2009, 04:45:42 PM

Some people get so tight you can't pass a B-B through their butt.

I am never going to be considered "cool", but people tell me I look very relaxed when I fly. That is quite intentional, part of the simplification approach, and if I don't, I am going to lose. I wasn't actually trying to copy Bart but it led me to a similar end result. And it really only looks that way - I don't particularly wound up or excited, but I am concentrating pretty hard.

Brett

billbyles · « **Reply #21 on:** January 29, 2009, 10:45:03 AM »

Quote from: Brett Buck on January 28, 2009, 08:44:22 PM

Sure doesn't look like one to me. Looks like a cable handle, and I have seen one like it, but I can't place the name.

But of more interest to me is the fact that he is flying with *no* neutral bias. Like I say, *simple*.

Brett

Hi Brett,

Here is the relevant part of an email that I got from Bart about ten minutes ago:

"Hi Bill,
I don't remember the "make" of handle I used but, I'll find out. It came as a "cable handle" but I removed the cable then drilled small holes so as to be able to make adjustments to the lines. I still have one but, haven't used it as yet. I do not believe in cable handles as I feel they are a detriment to good control. Cables will tend to "droop" when your'e flying at the top of the circle or any time the lines are slack.This can change the flight path of the plane-----especially smaller,lighter planes. The cables are also prone to breakage. I always use one handle and one set of lines for each plane. Once the handle is set for the plane it is seldom changed. I feel that a handle without cables gives the pilot more positive control."

Bill Byles

Shultzie · « **Reply #22 on:** January 29, 2009, 10:50:29 AM »

Thanks Bill...
Hopefully we can encourage Bart to start LURKIN STUNT HANGER with us....and Brett. Speaking of that CALM....EZ outside look at the handle, here is a shot that I gleaned showing PHIL GRANDERSON, another flyer who always appears sooooooooooooooooo comfortable at the handle.

Phil Spillman · « **Reply #23 on:** January 29, 2009, 06:50:04 PM »

I am thinking that that yellow plastic handle is a Sullivan product with the cable woven through the holes of the front steel guide bushed with brass grommets! The fine adjustment tool was a wing nut with a flat washer affixed thereto! One end had a contoured bump which I think was intended for a thumb rest! I never cared for the thing but I did spend some hard earned paper route cash on one!

Tally Ho,

Phil Spillman

Larry Cunningham · « **Reply #24 on:** January 29, 2009, 07:58:16 PM »

Bart can not only fly. He can fly ANYTHING. He picks up a handle, ANY handle
and proceeds to fly the owner's ship better (or at least as well) than the owner
ever has.

L.

PS - I love Bart's Tempest, with the slender aft fuselage.

"Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it." -David Starr Jordan

Bill Little · « **Reply #25 on:** January 30, 2009, 12:48:31 PM »

Bart is truly a rare talent, in many ways!

And HIS Tempest has got to be one of the all time prettiest Stunt planes. To me, it is the best looking of all the *Jet* designs, and there were several nice looking ones!

Mongo