The '63 Nats ... Carl Berryman ... Bill James ... Courtesy Lap ... Bill Carpenter ... Wow!
A couple of recent topics in the Stunt Hangar Forums (
www.stunthanger.com - note spelling difference) have brought back some great memories from one of the most enjoyable times in my life.
The conversations began when a poster asked “What is the best vintage combat plane?” and expanded when combat legend Riley Wooten agreed to share some of his memories from “the early days”. And the ’63 Nats was brought into the exchange ... so I just gotta respond!
Lee Lausche, David “Monoline Pete” Kruse and I had mentored boys in weekly club meetings/building sessions, flown together, and just generally solved the great issues of the time for a couple of years, so we were a natural team to leave Minneapolis for the sights and sounds of California, a week in the Navy barracks for not much more than the cost of a gallon of gas today, and some terrific food in the Navy Mess.
Oh, did I mention some flying? A couple of performances by the Blue Angels flying the F11F Tigercat? And a huge open hanger, with tables from one end to the other, where we left our models, equipment, and many personal items at night, with complete faith they would be there the next day? A fairly well-stocked hobby shop? Those who missed a real Navy-sponsored Nats - complete with barracks and Mess Hall - can’t begin to imagine what a treat the Navy provided!
And I couldn’t have found a better pair of guys to travel or team with - we just enjoyed being together, and had more fun than should be allowed. Add to that Lee knew the area well, having been a Marine stationed nearby at Camp Pendleton.
So ... we left on a Friday evening, stopped and slept at a motel for about 6 hours, then continued on to Salt Lake City, where we rented a motel just to clean up (not sleep), toured the Mormon Tabernacle and Museum, and swam in the Great Salt Lake before continuing on to California.
Flying started and ended relatively early each day at the Nats, so by 4 pm or so we cleaned up and headed out to explore the area - Disneyland (where Cox was flying the early P-40s), Knott’s Berry Farm, Hollywood Wax Museum, Marineland of the Pacific (and a concert by Glenn Yarbrough and The Limeliters), Tijuana, Navy Base San Diego ... I was so exhausted by the time we got home I was in bed by 8:30 at night for at least a month!
Next: Monoline Pete chases an OOS Glider, and meets Bill Carpenter (how many times!?!)
Topic: The '63 Nats, Combat, and "Monoline Pete" (Read 729 times)