I should have been sleeping but......

[Bill Heher]

After being up for about 26 hours with just a couple catnaps to keep my eyes from falling out of my head I should have gone to the hotel and crashed out, but. . .
The coffee at the hotel was free and hot, the sky was clear and dry and the wind was almost calm. A check of morning traffic showed no major problems on the 26/405/I-5 so I headed to Delta Park to see if anyone was flying.

As a reclined in my rental Toyota Corolla and examined my eyelids for leaks by the circle I heard a car drive up.
Rousing my aching bones from that "oh so comfortable Corolla seat" I wandered over and mumbled something like
"doog morgnin".  It was the right day to skip sleep though- soon more Fireballs arrived and planes were arcing through the blue Portland sky. Some very nice flights were put up and even a Martin AM-1 Mauler carrier plane flew a exhibition.
There was a Tutor with an OS .25, a Skyray, a trio of Tutor IIs, a modified Banshee and more in the line-up. The best part was a borrowed jacket, a hot coffee re-fill and some delicious bannana nut muffins, and friends sharing stories and applauding nice flights.

Here are a few pics. It was worth staying up- as they say "I can sleep when I'm dead"

edit for brain fade spelling errors

[Bill Adair]

Hi Bill,

I brought the muffins today, and the little black and white dog.

Didn't know you were in town, but we must have chatted a bit?

Our weekday crowd seems to be steadily growing, and thats wonderful.

Bill

[Leo Mehl]

Hi Bill,

I brought the muffins today, and the little black and white dog.

Didn't know you were in town, but we must have chatted a bit?

Our weekday crowd seems to be steadily growing, and thats wonderful.

Bill

It was good to see both Bills and then one of my best friends called bill showed up and everyome was in good spirits. A good time was had by all and Bill said he would probably be back in about six weeks which may be on the Fireballs contest weekend. It seems there are more flyers every week and we keep seeing new faces. It's great that we have so many retirees in this neck of the woods. Despite our aches and pains life is good.

[Bill Adair]

Leo,

That was some mighty fine flying you did today! 

Good luck at VSC!

Bill

[Bill Heher]

Hi Bill,

I brought the muffins today, and the little black and white dog.

Didn't know you were in town, but we must have chatted a bit?

Our weekday crowd seems to be steadily growing, and thats wonderful.

Bill

I met you when I was sitting next to Richard E. and you came by handing out the muffins, I also met your dog and scratched him behind the ears for a while- he seemed to be enjoying himself too!

It looks like a win / win for me in April. My next job out here is supposed to start on 4/20, and I plan on attending the FL East Coast Fly-In on the 19th, and travel that evening to PDX. 

If they pull me back out to Portland early then I get to come to the Fireballs contest - so either way I get to go to a great event and hang out with some fine people. If I end up heading to Delta park for the contest weekend I will have to ship a plane out so I can try and make it through the Beginner Pattern. Perhaps I can bring the plane below with me as "carry on", it will fit in a shoe-box!

If nothing else I should be able to claim the " Farthest Traveled" award if I make it!

[minnesotamodeler]

the QB looks really good...I don't spose it'll need all that paving shown in your first pic.

--Ray

P.S. I sure hope nothing's glued together yet, or you're gonna have a tough time covering those wings!

[Shultzie]

Bill..
This was a beautifully written post this morn....and great photos.
I wish Leo and all the gang travelin' to the sunny VSC southlands....God Speed, enjoy and be safe and may the stunt angels take a likin' and not a lickin' to all of my addicted brother of the R&R!
don

[Leo Mehl]

Bill..
This was a beautifully written post this morn....and great photos.
I wish Leo and all the gang travelin' to the sunny VSC southlands....God Speed, enjoy and be safe and may the stunt angels take a likin' and not a lickin' to all of my addicted brother of the R&R!
don

I hope to have time to take lots of pictures and am sure discuss  modeling a lot. It's nice to have all these friends and some of them I have not met yet.

[Scott B. Riese]

Sorry I missed all the fun. I'm  building a plane for a customer so ....I was at work....

[Randy Powell]

Wish we had that weather. Right now about 4 inches of snow on the ground and it's snowing to beat the band.

[Bill Heher]

Boy Scott- that sounds like a reeal meatgrinder- building airplanes for customers!  When I get back up there in a month or so maybe you can sub-contract some of that back breaking labor to me.
Heck I do it for entertainment in motel rooms, then when the plane is finished Ifly 'em a few times, crash it and give it away. It would almost be a relief to leave the crashing part to someone who has no real emotional attachment .

I can run a variety of high tech tools like a sanding block, vacum cleaner, tack rag- heck I can even figure out which kind of screwdriver / allen wrench to hand ya!

Below is a short pictorial resume.

[Bill Adair]

Bill,

Well, now I remember. Doesn't mean I'll still remember next time you visit, but that's just old age.

I built a Queen Bee in the early sixties, and powered it with a Pee Wee .020. It was great fun to fly, even at one mile plus altitude in Denver! I'd like to build another some day, but that's just another day dream. 

We didn't have iron on film back then, so I used doped Jap tissue for covering. How are you going to cover yours?

I won't tell Dixie, that you thought she was a male. 


Bill

[John Stiles]

Bill,

Well, now I remember. Doesn't mean I'll still remember next time you visit, but that's just old age.

I built a Queen Bee in the early sixties, and powered it with a Pee Wee .020. It was great fun to fly, even at one mile plus altitude in Denver! I'd like to build another some day, but that's just another day dream. 

We didn't have iron on film back then, so I used doped Jap tissue for covering. How are you going to cover yours?

I won't tell Dixie, that you thought she was a male. 
  Y'all really crack me up! Pretty planes too!

Bill

[Richard Entwhistle 823412]

Bill

Thanks for joining our club the Northwest Fireball of Portland Or.  And thanks again for buying two of our new patches.  It's guys like you that make this sport so much fun.

Richard

[Bill Adair]

Richard,

It's a great club, and I'm proud to be a member! 

Hope to see you again Friday, if this great weather sticks around.

Bill

[Bill Heher]

Richard- What Bill said goes for me too- and what you said goes for me too!!!  Unfortunately I won't be at Delta this weekend- but I will see if I can a flight or two in here in Orlando this week.

And the Fireballs patch will look good on my Stunt Hangar jacket.