FLYING MORE THAN ONE CONTROL LINE MODEL AT A TIME?

[Shultzie]

"Ya just gotta have more more of these" the late Tiny Wilson....was the first modeler that I can remember flying more than one model at a time?

Does anyone else remember other flyers that have done the same.
Naturally we have all flown stunt models together in the same circle...even doing simple  lead and follow through loops and  multi-line wraps and unwraps.

I have flown and practiced with many kite teams...and have won pairs in duel line kite choro with The Cutting Edge kite team members...but haven't seen too many stunt kite demo teams flying together.

NOW THAT WE ARE DAWNING ON A NEW AGE OF ELECTRICS...WHY NOT CONSIDER AN EVENT WHERE TWO OR MORE FLYERS....FLY A ROUTINE THAT IS CHOROGRAPHED TO A MUSICAL SCORE? 
Has this been tried as yet...The success of crowd gather ability is HUGE  at Kite festivals???

[Bob Zambelli]

I went to the nats at Willow Grove in the early 50s.

The star attraction was Jim Walker flying three AJ Fireballs, each one with a two-speed spark ignition engine.

Bob Z.

[Lee Thiel]

Here is a picture of Joe Gilbert flying two at once at The Tulsa  GLue Dobber site.
Lee TGD
 

[ptg]

Don,

Let's not forget RF Stevenson.  Saw him fly 3 several times at Carkeek and Marymoore Park in the land of trees and web-feet!

Phil

[Robert McHam]

I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the late Jim Walker flew more than one. Seems at least 3, and one was controlled by a hat or helmet on his head?

Robert

[Shultzie]

Don,

Let's not forget RF Stevenson.  Saw him fly 3 several times at Carkeek and Marymoore Park in the land of trees and web-feet!

Phil

GOOOOD LORDY YES!!!! GADS! BOTH STEVENSON AND TINY WILSON WERE TWO OF THE MOST ADDICTED  AND PASSIONATE MODELERS THAT I HAVE EVER KNOWN.

 STEVE STEVENSON.....YES! THAT 3RD HANDLE ATTACHED TO HIS SILLY HELMUT!  (In fact....Phil) Didn't that neck strap fail one time and his helmut came off his head at a demo BY ACCIDENT AND SMUNCHED THE MODEL?
 I used to go over to his home with Jack Shane. Stevenson had just about every thing a model builder ever owned. "His famous saying was when he just got in something new that he had ordered from some catalog was:

"HEY!!! LOOK AT THIS...YA JUST GOTTA' HAVE ONE OF THESE!"

[Mike Palko]

The one and only Larry Scarinzi flew two airplanes at once a few years back at Brodaks. It was the first time I saw anyone do it in real life. It was quite a show!!

Dan Banjock flew two Ringmasters last summer at our home field. Since anyone can fly two at once  he decided to do inside loops, outside loops, lazy eights, wingovers and fly inverted. It was going great until one of the Fox .35's slowed down inverted and he couldn't flip the airplane back upright. The airplanes eventually worked themselves 180deg. apart (why wouldn't they??). It was hilarious watching him try to keep and eye on both airplanes even though he was not laughing. He eventually got them upright, but the fox never picked up. He tried to do loops with one to keep them close together as I tried to work the safety thong off his hand. Unfortunately when something can go wrong it does and the thong tightened around his wrist. Needless to say only one airplane landed on its wheels.

At a demo in NJ Dan and Bob Hunt flew the pattern in formation. It was one of the most amazing sites I have witnessed in model aviation. They went through the pattern on the ground to work out there positioning and who would call the maneuvers. Bob flew is lark and Dan flew his Stiletto 660. They followed each other over the top for the wingover and at the pullout Bob went inverted and Dan went upright. As the model closed on each other head on Bob called the pull and they went canopy to wheels over the top both pulling out upright. They kept this act up to the vertical eight where they performed the maneuver back to back. The airplanes were within feet of each other as they performed the top loop. All the maneuvers flown were at regulation height and the shapes were beautiful. I wish the person who filmed the act had gotten better shots because it is only a fading memory now. Maybe Bob will chime in with his feelings and reactions.

Mike

[Peter Nevai]

Honestly, after all these years I am surprised that a Tandem CLPA event has not been established.

[Joejust]

I have a video that Bob sent to me some time ago. It shows him with his collection and also has him flying with the helmet. believe it was from a commercial Seattle TV program.

Joe

[John Miller]

Maybe Gordan Delaney will step in here and tell us about the time he flew a pair of real Hot Rod combat ships. Streamers, cuts, and line tangles.

John Miller

[Shultzie]

I have a video that Bob sent to me some time ago. It shows him with his collection and also has him flying with the helmet. believe it was from a commercial Seattle TV program.

Joe

Big  Joe? I know a "little Joe the Dill" from Spokane? Welcome to Stunt hanger.

[Steve Helmick]

RF Stevenson actually flew 4 models at one time. The 3rd handle on the old football helmet he bought at a yardsale. The 4th handle attached to a belt around his middle. I didn't get to see that, but I did see him do a full barrel roll on takeoff with his ST .40 powered Rat at Sand Point NAS after a Regionals. Not on purpose, but still amazing.

I saw Mel Lyne fly combat against himself with two D-Bats a couple of years ago. Got away with it, for awhile. Dave Pellerin flew with his right foot, sat in a chair and played banjo or somethin' on the same day. It was a special event at one of those Burdick/Wilson/Rein Productions. Dirt was there, but he wouldn't enter. But he was one of the Judges. Mel won, I think.  Winner probably got free dinner...handful of nightcrawlers or some other kinda French food! Steve

Edit: Remembered about Pellerin flying with his foot, while entertaining the troops with his hands.   

[Tom Niebuhr]

Way back when I lived in St Louis, the now defunct St Louis Yellow Jackets had a fun fly which included an event to fly two airplanes at once.  I was the only successful one. I had presumed that the airplane in my right hand (I am right handed) would be the faster one...Wrong.. the plane in my left hand was faster. I had to keep doing loops with the left airplane for the whole flight. I sure was busy!

I still have the "demolition derby" trophy, that was made up of large tin funnels painted gold!

Would I do it again?  Sure!

PS: I have always wanted to do a double stunt act, using good stunters, as described with Bobby and Dan.. that would be fun.

[Chris McMillin]

There was a Cox demo at Disneyland for years that involved flying two and three at a time. Bart Klapinski was one of those pilots.
Chris...

[John Tate]

Walt Williamson used to fly three airplanes at a time here at the old Norfolk Aeromodelers flying field back in the 1960’s and 70’s. Walt had a handle attached to the top of an old motorcycle helmet that was strapped on his head. He would start flying the first airplane with the helmet. Then he would have two helpers to hand him the other airplane handles in his hands.  Walt said he had to stop doing the handle on the helmet due to vibration down the lines would resonate so bad that it made him hard of hearing for a few hours after each flight.  Walt only used Fox 35’s back then.

John Tate

[LARRY RICE]

Good Lord! If you fly Control Line You should know some of the history!!!!
Jim Walker was the first, best, and most famous. Flying more than one plane was only one of the many things that he did in a wonderful show that he did all across the country. He first flew two, one in each hand, then three, adding one to a helmet on his head. the planes that were held in his hands had a push button that electrically advanced and retarder the spark in the ignition engines. The handle on the helmet, controlled by his head movements, had a throttle switch button held in his moth and operated by biting down. When he added a FOURTH plane it was attached to his belt buckle. The plane did not have controls so when it flew it simply lifted off and flew around him. Jim then flew the others in formations around that plane making it appear that he controlled them all.
Larry

[john e. holliday]

Jim Walker was the showman of control line.  He left us too early and I never got to meet him.  Can you imagine what he could have done with the Bi-Slobs.  DOC Holliday

[wmiii]

There was a Cox demo at Disneyland for years that involved flying two and three at a time. Bart Klapinski was one of those pilots.
Chris...

Actually Bart at one time flew 4 of the little beasties at once at that venue.

 Walter

[Shultzie]

Any of you remember that weird control line "Blue Angels" triangle of models...all mounted together on a frame...that was pulled by one main engine and all linked together by one main bellcrank???
ANY ONE HAVE PHOTOS OF THAT AMAZING GAGGLE OF MODELS?
(I'm not dreaming this...or am I?)