Don Still... Alive and kicking at 93!

[Bob Hunt]

Two days ago I had the need/opportunity to try and contact Don Still. Don, as many of you know is the designer of the famed Stuka Stunt model that was eventually kitted by Ambroid. Don used one of his Stukas to place 2nd (Silver Medal) at the 1960 World Championships that were held in Budapest. His United States' team mates were Lew McFarland and Bob Palmer! I'm on the PAMPA Hall of Fame committee, and we needed to confirm all the addresses and email contacts for those who are eligible to vote on the current crop of HOF nominees. Don is one of them...

Don was very gracious and we had a long talk about his career. He's now 93 and he sounds on the phone like he is in his 30s! He told me the rest of the story behind his 1960 experience at the WCs. It seems that there was a 20 point bonus for getting your engine started in time in those days. Not sure what the time limit was to receive that bonus, but Don failed to start his engine in time to receive the points. So, he dropped 20 points there and ended up four points out of first place. That close to becoming the first United States' flier to win the Worlds! It would be another 10 years before we'd get our first Gold Medal in F2B, and that was Bill Werwage's first of two in a row (1970 and 1972). Bill went on to win a third Gold medal in 2004 at Muncie.   

Don's iconic Stuka Stunt design is a popular choice of model for vintage events to this day. It was a pleasure and an honor to have been able to chat with the legend, Don Still.

Bob Hunt

[john e. holliday]

The kit Stuka Stunt helped me get a first in intermediate at Cincinnatti one year.   

[Paul Taylor]

Wow. Great story Bob!! Thanks for sharing.

I wish we could get some of the past flyers on some of the hangouts to share some stories and history.
This way it might be preserved on YouTube. 👍🏼

[frank williams]

I had the good fortune several years back to go with Dee Rice to Don's hobby shop in Beaumont.  Don, in his 80's, was a spry and energetic man for his years.  It was a pleasure meeting him and seeing his models and trophies.  We took our Stukas .... just had to get a picture.

[GallopingGhostler]

I had the good fortune several years back to go with Dee Rice to Don's hobby shop in Beaumont.  Don, in his 80's, was a spry and energetic man for his years.  It was a pleasure meeting him and seeing his models and trophies.  We took our Stukas .... just had to get a picture.

That's a really good looking trio of Stuka Stunts there.   

[Ted Fancher]

I had the good fortune several years back to go with Dee Rice to Don's hobby shop in Beaumont.  Don, in his 80's, was a spry and energetic man for his years.  It was a pleasure meeting him and seeing his models and trophies.  We took our Stukas .... just had to get a picture.

Wow, Frank!  What a great story and pictures.   

Loved, especially, the picture on the Victory stand with the Champion and runner ups.  Brought back some memories for me too...in somewhat similar fashion.  Here 'tis...if you can stay awake

As a strange "how about that" I attended one long ago VSC flying a Veco Chief powered by one of those great little Johnson "Stunt" engines which were, IIRC, a hermaphrodite version of the Johnson .35...a very popular combat engine of "it's" era...equipped with a pushrod from the otherwise identical .29 version thus shortening the stroke, and reducing the compression ratio and making something like a ".32" or so.  Ship and engine started, ran and flew great back in San Franweirdo... at sea level!

In the high altitude and afternoon termperature of the VSC site, however, the reduced compression ratio didn't feel up to "lighting" the more or less stock something fuel and I appeared certain to not only not get it started but, more importantly, not even get airborne for my last attempt!

Somebody--can't recall who--came running out to the circle with a syringe full of some high poop (sorry, a tech term) go juice (another tech term I can, if necessary, explain) in it and, with a fast blast of it and a brisk flip of the prop, the little Johnson fired up and ran for a complete flight which was a pretty darn good one if I say so myself.  Alas, however, the complete flight, launching barely within the two minute limit, resulted in an overrun, loss of landing and pattern points and a disappointing third place finish!

O.M.G. I could'a bin champion!!!! 

Poor Ted, I tried so hard but....

On the other hand it's great to see that Mr. Don Still and I have something in common
 

[Dennis Leonhardi]

If I'm not mistaken, Don achieved his 2nd place finish with a Fox .25?  I've always admired him as one of the early semi-scale guys; my best friend and flying buddy in our high school days built a Stuka from plans.  Great memories, Thanks Don!

Dennis

[Windwalker]

I was born in Beaumont, Texas and grew up there. I'm lucky enough to have been in direct contact with Don Still for many years.. I first met him when I rode my bike to his hobby shop and bought my first control line model.. This was 1957 a few months before my 14th birthday. I spent hours with him both in his hobby shop and the flying field until I moved away from the Beaumont area about 10 years ago. Don is very responsible for model aircraft flying development in the southeast Texas area. The R/C field in Beaumont is named after him..
 
Don and I have been friends for some 65 years, and have listened to him relate his many modeling experiences. Among several other stories, I've heard the "behind the scene" stories of his meetings with Ambroid in preparation for bringing the Stuka Stunt kit to market. 

He introduced me to George Aldrich at the Lake Charles Nats in (I believe) 1978.. While I was preparing to move out of the Beaumont area, I visited him, and he gifted me with a copy of his 1959 Stuka plans and asked me to give the model a try.. Medical issues prevent my flying models anymore. I haven't built a Stuka yet, but I still have those plans....

[doug coursey]

If I'm not mistaken, Don achieved his 2nd place finish with a Fox .25?  I've always admired him as one of the early semi-scale guys; my best friend and flying buddy in our high school days built a Stuka from plans.  Great memories, Thanks Don!

Dennis

THATS RIGHT IT WAS A 25,HIS FIRST VERSION HAD 29'S...THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THE PLANES WAS THE LENGHT OF THE NOSE WHICH WAS LONGER WITH THE 25 ENGINE