stunthanger.com
General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Bob Hunt on January 03, 2024, 10:05:39 AM
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I have a ton of old slides that my father took back in the 1940s and 1950s. I've been wanting to get a digital converter for several years with which to archive and share these photos.
I just hooked the device up and here's the very first slide I scanned. It is of Red Reinhardt in our living room around Christmas, oh, 1958 I'd guess. He's holding his last model airplane design. It's a swept-wing flying wing!
I'll be scanning hundreds of old slides and as I find ones that may be of interest to those on this forum I'll upload them.
So, here's the very first one of Red!
Later - Bob Hunt
PS: That photo on the table behind Red is of my sister, Joyce. She's now 83! - Bob
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Cool Photo! Nice Christmas tree!! I would be interested in see that model fly!! I wonder how it worked out?
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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Great pictures Bob, can't wait to see more.
W.W.
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Here's another shot of Red at the Millville NJ meet around 1949 or so.
Boy does this one bring back memories. Mom, bored stiff and questioning her sanity taking me to a contest in some dusty old airport where control line was flown off of a dirt road and you had to dodge run away free flight planes. Being addressed as "Hey Kid" and listening to the bets if we could get the motor started? Being ecstatic with 5th place in junior cause you placed so near the top. Sure was fun!
Ken
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Red needs a slingshot hanging out of his back pocket!
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Love the tinsel; obviously installed by a perfectionist.
Just like my dad.
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Very much enjoying the converted slides!
What converter did you decide on?
I have many family and other slides that I need to digitize.
Andre
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Jeeez. Is it just age that makes us so nostalgic or has the world really deteriorated so much? I'm only 61 but I really miss the 70's and 80's. So much simpler. So much cleaner. Great pictures. It's nice to be able to communicate with people who's names pop up in old publications from decades ago. Kind of a link to a past I was too young to know much about.
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Thanks for the pictures. I was just getting started in the mid 50's. H^^
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Jeeez. Is it just age that makes us so nostalgic or has the world really deteriorated so much? I'm only 61 but I really miss the 70's and 80's. So much simpler. So much cleaner. Great pictures. It's nice to be able to communicate with people who's names pop up in old publications from decades ago. Kind of a link to a past I was too young to know much about.
I think the 50's was the best era for a kid to grow up in in any of our life times. Things were much simpler. We had more real "fun" doing things and learning. We walked a mile to school through the woods and parental supervision consisted of "Dinner will be at 6:00, if you are going to play in the woods, take your gun". We built forts and tree houses, climbed trees and ate fresh fruit and berries sitting on a limb. We lived in the country - I was 8. There is probably a video game where they can simulate that to day.
By the 1960's things got just a bit more serious and being 18 in 1965 was not the best age to avoid all the "sh**" about to come.
It's all memories now but boy would I like another repeat of that decade (without the racism).
Ken
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Bob....thanks so much for putting faces to many of the names I have heard through most of my life.
Looking forward to more of them!
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I see in the pictures of Red holding his models that he flew clockwise. That was standard where I came from in the early 1950's. Were there many others flying clockwise in the east coast?? I've always wondered when and why did the counter-clockwise become the normal way??
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These are great Bob! Can I steal them to post on the PAMPA facebook page for a couple throwback Thursday posts?
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Lead tinsel: the good stuff
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Thank you Bob for your reply!
I've sent you a PM!
One more thing: Does the Kodak Slide n' Scan have a USB interface so the end result goes to the PC? Or does it save to a thumb drive, or either?
Andre
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Thanks for the pictures Bob. Larry's stories about Red and their adventures were, mostly, unbelievable except they were true. While we heard them repeatedly it sure would be great to hear him tell them right now. Also, I flew a combat match with Dawn at a GSCB meet. I was 15 and terrified ! Jeez, what if I bumped into the most famous girl in our world! Distracted. All I can remember is that I lost the match. These are memories. TS
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I think the 50's was the best era for a kid to grow up in in any of our life times. Things were much simpler. We had more real "fun" doing things and learning. We walked a mile to school through the woods and parental supervision consisted of "Dinner will be at 6:00, if you are going to play in the woods, take your gun". We built forts and tree houses, climbed trees and ate fresh fruit and berries sitting on a limb. We lived in the country - I was 8. There is probably a video game where they can simulate that to day.
By the 1960's things got just a bit more serious and being 18 in 1965 was not the best age to avoid all the "sh**" about to come.
It's all memories now but boy would I like another repeat of that decade (without the racism).
Ken
Ken,
Your story is right out of my past. Not everything was perfect back in the 50s but it sure was a less complicated time.
Steve
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Bob, you are an excellent writer. I enjoy reading your stories. I am sure most all of us have stories to tell, but are not able to present them as you do. I experienced some interesting things in my modeling adventure.
I was wondering, does your machine convert B/W pictures to color? Some of your pictures are in the era of B/W.
Thank you for sharing.
Rusty
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Great stuff Bob!
The gentlemen in the picture behind Red and Ginger looks awfully like a guy that used to fly Quickie around here(nj). Tom Schaefer help me out here, George ?
TL
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Hi Bob
THANKS for all the cool pix! Noticed in the background below Harold's trike gear Crusader there is... Bill Suarez' P-38?
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Some time around 1966-1967 I remember seeing Harold Price flying his Crusader with the retractable gear at a contest at Anacostia NAS ( or was it Bolling AFB? ) just outside of Washington, DC. I thought this was amazing! When the airplane was flying downwind you could see the gear come partially down but would go back up on the upwind side. If I remember correctly there was a small funnel that caught the air to retract the gear. I'm sure Bob can explain this further on how the gear system worked. This 15 year old kid was very impressed!
Dick Tyndall
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Bob, great photos. The stories are great and I wish that Red was still active when I became a UMAC member in 1965.
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Hi Denny:
Funny you should ask about Bill's P-38... Because that's the next photo up! Not sure who the gentleman is with the olive drab model, but that's Bill with his famous red one. Again taken at the Garden State Circle Burner's field in late 1965 I'm pretty sure. Bill was the top Senior flier in our area in that era. An amazing talent.
More to come yet... - Bob
Man, they've got a LOT of rudder offset in those P-38's! Got any shots of Bill's F-4 Phantom? One of my all time favorite designs. y1
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Amazing the way the colours have held .
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The Mustang I used in that first OTS event was powered by a Fox .35 and was finished with Aero Gloss dope.
The lost art of cockpit detail. I almost long for the old appearance rules....almost.
Ken
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This is really good stuff Bob.
Thanks
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Hey Bob,
This is truly great stuff! Please keep it coming
Thanks
Joe
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That was the first time I met you..I was one of the new members of the New Bedford Raiders, Len Gadomski was the club president at the time. I loved that candy apple red model and asked you how you did it, Very patiently you explained the entire procedure.. Later I saw the Nobler on the ground and a bimbo bent over and touched the wing and said, "Oh, baby it's paper" At first I thought she had put the hole in the wing... The Goomba behind her had to be one of Patriarca's men. Cigar and all. Later, before you went home, you did the most perfect patch I ever saw. Still have the photos. D>K
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No way I can compete with Bob but Ty's post prompted me to share a few of my childhood memories. The first picture was taken the day of my first contest in 1959. I think I was 12. I have no clue how I did. My steel trap memory rusted shut years ago. The next ones are of my Sandpiper design of which I have built 5. The best story is #1. I designed it in 1963 as a high school drafting class project. My meager allowance and some grass cutting jobs had kept me flying but nothing spectacular. With the 1964 Nats being a home town event the next year our local hobby shop owner offered to let me use his back room to build. I was thrilled and started immediately. He sold me a Fox 35 at cost, I think it was $2.50 and he gave me enough wood, Ambroid and AeroGLoss to finish it. I think the total cost added up to $14. Even though I had a driver's license, I had no car, so all of my flying had to be walking distance from our house or I had to carry the plane on my bicycle. I learned how to hold it by the nose just right so that it would "fly" as I rode. There was a grade school two blocks from our house that had a baseball diamond and basket ball court. If I laid it out just perfectly, I could take off from the side of the basketball court and land on the baseball diamond and that is how the plane got it's unlikely name. Had nothing to do with the bird. The baseball diamond was very sandy, and I had my wheels very close to the CG and the plane only weighed 34oz so every time I landed too fast it would nose over and fill up my pipe shaped nose scoop with sand. Pipesander just didn't have much of a ring to it.
I flew it in the 1963 Southwestern's and I think I won Senior but that is part of the rust. (I need some of Bob's brain lube) and a couple of other "locals" in the Dallas area before the 1964 Nats. This is where Ty's post comes in. The picture with the young lady watching me put on a fresh coat of wax prior to appearance judging is my Grandmother. Immediately after my Grandfather took the picture she slipped and put her hand through my outboard wing. I had a problem. Fortunately George Aldrich, the ED excused me from appearance judging so that I could go home and fix it. They would judge it in the morning. This was before the days of CA and replacing two ribs and recovering with enough dope takes time but I got it done and made it back the next morining. They judged it and gave me somewhere around 28 points. After what I thought were two pretty good flights I was off to fly my FF events and had to wait till that was done to find out I had placed 6th (out of 20+) with a 300 (a good score from Navy judges). When I got my score sheets I had a big fat -0- for appearance. Not even the minimum. The Tabulator had forgotten to put it on my score sheet and nobody noticed. That was the last contest for the original Sandpiper. It didn't survive the motor quitting in a RWO and broke the nose and tail off. That was the birth of II which was a profile with the same wing and tail. III was the first plane I built after returning to Stunt in 2017. It had different tips and an OS46LA replacing the Fox 35. Great flyer but not Classic Legal. I have this thing about designing and flying my own planes. It is a character defect. That led to a complete rebuild of the original 1963 plane to be my classic ship - Sandpiper IV. Only significant change was to make it electric. Even used the 1963 rib templates I had preserved the sheet metal stacking ends to make the ribs. Placed in a few local contests with it, then disaster struck. A defective oil filled heater exploded in our attached aviary and our house *and my shop* burned to the ground. My entire fleet, all 5 of them were vaporized, literally. Fortunately, Insurance covered about half of what they were worth and Sandpiper V, duplicating II which was a profile, was born. Named it Trifecta since it can be flown in profile, classic and PA.
I am really enjoying this thread. Hope others have stories to tell.
Ken
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Around 1967 or '68, Mike Stott (of Foam Flite foam wing manufacturing and Sig Manufacturing fame...) came East for a few weeks and brought along his famous Chipmunk stunter. The attached photo was taken at the Union Model Airplane Club field, where I'm pretty certain he won Senior Stunt in the contest that day. He also flew at a couple of other meets while he was here and had some great (and friendly) battles with Dawn Cosmillo. I can't remember who won the most contests between the two, but I do remember that it was a thrill to have Mike visit our corner of the world. One of the nicest guys ever!
More to come... Bob
I convinced Mike to make the long trip from Mankato (MN) to attend the Union (NJ) AAA Memorial Day Contest. I took Mike to a single circle field in Springfield , NJ to get some handle time. My family had a small motel and Mike stayed there. The night before the contest, Mom prepared a big Italian meal for Mike and his travel mate. They loved it. We had a lot of fun. Mike and his late Dad, Arnie - great people.
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It was either 1969 or 1970. He had won (or would soon win) Senior at the NATS. Memory fading here.
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This is the best thread on this forum in a REALLY long time. Thanks Bob, can't ever get enough of this stuff. :)
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I agree Wayne, I love these old photos. I saw a number of these planes in black and white magazines growing up and to see them in color and to hear the history associated with them is just awesome. Thanks Bob!!!
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Immediately after my Grandfather took the picture she slipped and put her hand through my outboard wing.
Didn't include the picture. 1000 limit!
Found a couple more while I was stationed in Korea. About 10 of us shared the base Hobby Shop. We each had a cabinet. Working on my Miss America mustang. Last one the mustang in flight. Sorry but my digitizer really sucks. Need to get one like Bob's. No idea why the site decided to rotate them.
Ken
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John D came to Dallas for a few months, installing floors in numerous stores using the same tools, measures, and tapes he got when he stepped off the Navy ship and hung up his SeaBee uniform. WWII was over.
John flew his planes and broke in engines at the DMAA circles, sharing his knowledge with everyone.
What a wonderful gentleman!
dg
PS: How wonderful to see photos of his younger days ....Thank you, Bob.
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Love that Flapper.
And love these pics and all the history!
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LOL! Yeah, my sister was a fanatic about applying tinsel to every tree we ever had. She wouldn't let me do any tinseling, and when I went to bed she would also rearrange every ornament that I had put on the tree. n~
Here's another shot of Red at the Millville NJ meet around 1949 or so. As many of you know, Red went on from here to design a number of very famous Old Time Stunt models, including the 1950 International Stunt Champ, the El Diablo, the Galloping Comedian, and the Stunt Wing, with which he won the 1954 Mirror Meet.
Red and Larry Scarinzi were absolute best buddies, and now, sadly they are both gone. But, boy, the memories they left behind...
Later - Bob
Bob, at my house down in Miami, we used tinsel too. My brother and I would get in trouble with mom as we liked to throw the tinsel on. She insisted that it be hung "delicately." After Christmas, mom would remove all of the tinsel and put it back in the box to use again.
There was a lot of experimenting with flying wing concepts in that period of time. Look now at the B-2, who would of thought?
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Bob,
Thank you for posting the picture from the 1974 East States Championships. Now to name some planes and flyers. Front row is Mark Sullivan’s Centurion. Second row close is Billy Simons Scorpion and far is my Apparition. I don’t know who flew the Messerschmitt, the Stunt Machine or the blue Genesis. I see two Genesis behind that where the close one is yours and the other may be Gene Schafer's. Behind that in the center is Dave Rees’s Talon. In the back behind the Talon I believe is Andy Lee’s Sunshine. Mark Sullivan and I are standing in the back on the right, where I have on the light blue fishing hat and Mark is to the left. Great memories!
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Up to this point most of the photos I've been posting were those that my father took years ago. I did lip in a few that I took over the years, and, well, that's how I'll proceed now as I've pretty much scanned all the relevant old "dad" photos.
When I was the editor at Flying Models (for 17 years), we published a number of significant CL Stunt designs and other CL models as well. Typically I'd ask the authors to shoot some possible cover shot candidates. I have a number of boxes of those slides and will continue on posting one or two examples from each of those boxes.
The first one up is Les Nering's Nering Special. This was a very popular plan from our Carstens Plans Service. The FM plans are still available from Thayer Syme, who purchase the plans when FM went defunct. Do a search for Flying Models Plans Service and you will find a rich source for CL Stunt plans. I'm also including a photo of the Nering Special posed with two more examples of Les' work. The red (ish) model appears to be a Smoothie, and the black model looks like a 1952 Nobler. Les did beautiful work!
Later - Bob
Vic Macaluso ended up with that Nering when he first got back into flying. Then Vic sold that plane to my grandfather and he flew it for a while. My grandpa ended up building two more Nering Special’s, one was painted a silver green, then refinished and flown at the 1996 NATS. The second one was finished all white and given to Mike Chiodo for him to finish painting. He flew it before he gave it to Mike and he said that was probably one of the best airplanes he’s ever built. It flew right off the board.
He also built another Nering-esque airplane. He used the fuselage profile of the Nering but used a Joe Adamusko Bucks Deluxe wing and tail in it. it was an incredibly attractive airplane! This is the only picture I have of it on my phone
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Couple more pictures of Vic with his F-14 and my grandpa launching for him and the belly of his pink SV-11
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OMG BUBBA! JUST OMG!!!!!
What a memory and all those "pics"!!!!
The history of "STUNT" should be cataloged and danged if you ain't doin' just that!
You da' Man my friend! Luv ya!
Ted
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Here are a few group shots that I took at various contests.
The first one shows the Top 5 finalist at the 1981 Nats. In the back row left to right are Kirk Mullinex (5th), Wynn Paul (4th). In the front row left to right are Ted Fancher (2nd), Bill Werwage (Champion), and Les McDonald (3rd).
The second photo was taken at a VSC back in 1991. This one features all the Olympics that were there that year. Left to right standing are Bob Whitely, a mystery flier (perhaps someone can identify him), and Chris McMillin. In the front of the group kneeling is the designer of the Olympic. Bob Gialdini.
The third photo is from the same VSC as the above photo (1991), and this one features all the Noblers that were there. Kneeling Left to right are Jim Lee, Lou Wolgast, and Randy Cuberly. Standing is George Aldrich, the legendary designer of the equally legendary Nobler.
More to come - Bob
Hi Bobby,
Dino Mancinelli is the mystery SoCal Olympic Stunter in the picture of the long ago 1991 VSC.
Chris…
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Hi Bobby,
Dino Mancinelli is the mystery SoCal Olympic Stunter in the picture of the long ago 1991 VSC.
Chris…
I have been trying to think of Dino's name sine that post was made. It was my first VSC that was made possible by Chris McMillin arranging for me to buy an E Ticket. I scoured the magazines looking for something unusual and small enough to fit in a box that was under the TWA size limit and decidedon Arthur Alfieri's " Ruby" design. Remember that Bob? You were the only one there that recognized the name and design. Didn't hurt that it was an east coast pilot and model. I still have the airplane in repairable shape. I fell in with Dino almost right away as he was a nice guy and fun to be around and had a really nice model. I could not think of his last name until Chris just texted me about it and it came to me right away. That was the beginning of a LOT of fun to be had in Tucson over the years.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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Ya' know... Snow blowing ain't that easy when the snow is deep and wet! I'm exhausted, but the driveway is clear. Now the ambulance will be able to pull right up to the door. LL~ LL~
Okay this next one is very special as the builder of this model passed away only a few years ago. He was one of the most gifted builders/finishers this event has ever known. Of course I'm referring to Ski Dombrowski. Ski was perhaps most well known for his flawless Lacemaker, with which he captured the Concourse award at a Nats long ago (if someone remembers the year, please enlighten us here...).
Ski produced another flawless model before the Lacemaker, however, and - please forgive me - I cannot recall what he called this one. But, it was a fixture at many East Coast contests I'm thinking back in the late 1980s to early 1990s (again, someone who know this history better, please fill in the blanks here).
So, without further ado (always wanted to use that word somewhere...), here's one of Ski's masterpeces.
Bob
That Ski Dombrowski model is one of about five which I clearly remember from my childhood days of running score sheets for some nats Ed. Captivating.
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And while we are highlighting nice guys from California, here's one of my favorites, the late Jim Armour. Jim sent the slides from which these photos were scanned for a possible cover shot in the issue in which his Epic design was published.
Later - Bob
You are certainly on a roll! I never knew my father had a twin brother with a different name. :o Unfortunately, he is not around to ask. The resemblance is uncanny. Now I know where my liking for that tip design came from! Keep it up, really enjoying this. FM should have let you put him on the cover? You are here, they are not! LL~
Ken
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Bob . . . I sure wish Dave Cook was around to see these photos. Me, I'm still waiting for that perfect photo of Bill Simons' Yank.
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Hi Rick:
You mean like this one... ;D ;D
YESSSSSS!!!!! Got any more? Wanna draw plans????
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Here's another one from the 1992 (I'm pretty sure...) VSC contest. That's Rusty Brown kneeling in the front with his rendition of Bill Netzeband's Fierce Arrow. Not sure who the gentleman is standing with his FA. If you look closely you will be able to see Ted Fancher flying his Chief in the background. Ted edged me out that year for the Classic title. I was flying my brand new Tucker Special.
More memories... - Bob
I'm not sure who the other gentleman is, but looks familiar. I'm thinking he is a local Cholla Chopper member. We need pictures of the score boards from these old contests.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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Hey again Bubba!
Really enjoyed our half hour or so on the phone last night. Thanks for calling! Wrangled a lot of "do you remembers"...etc. of grand times in the past.
Had to scroll through your whole thread again today and had some thoughts about the passing of time and the hobby. Your pictures of one after another of magnificent, beautiful pieces of flying art was a grand reminder of what a wonderful life we lead among so many talented, artistic, kind and warm hearted competitors for so many years. To think that, most likely, all of those beautiful ships were, in fact, creations of the guys (and a few gals, for sure) that grew up and in a hobby that required that they not only fly great but also spend the time and bread the talent to make the beautiful machines they flew so well.
Makes an old geezer like me wonder to what degree the event has changed around the world with the ability to buy and fly in many venues. Does the lack of craftsmanship necessary to compete in this previously demanding manner "change" the event we grew with and loved??? I sure don't know but it's got to be different. Thankful that our Nats will welcome international competitors who wish to compete in our Nats those that comply with the requirement for craftsmanship as well as a tricky hand on the handle.
As you know after our chat last night I'm pretty much out of the CLPA gig at age 80, having moved on to other disciplines for a change of pace late in life, but I still keep up with what's going on and get on Stunt Hangar daily to keep my mind attached to what's happening. Problem with that is I'm still surrounded by stunt stuff in my "den' and a garage that will only hold Shareen's car as the rest is filled with "stunt stuff"! Don't know what to do with it! Damned if I'm gonna trash it but...
Oi vey! Life is demanding!
Kidding, my friend. I'll be back again and again to see what else shows up. Bet its more beautiful pieces of airborne fine art!
Ted
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Amazing pics & stories Bob
So many parallels in my memory banks! From the passion our fathers had, both my dad and cousin Hoyt constantly drew planes and comic characters, the Thursday night Man Cave build sessions at Warren Walkers basement shop, I even have the 1.25 inch #11 Exacto scar on my left hand! I'm really enjoying this. Funny thing, I have heard you tell stories at Warren's, as I read, I hear your voice! I seriously appreciate Warren and the very high caliber friends I have made there. I'd like to include you in that group! I hope to see you again someday, compare scars!
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Oh yeah, one other thing... Red's #13 model. I actually have a very nice short kit of it, and a new in box L&J Fox .35. Someday!
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LOL! Hi Phil: When it comes to comparing scars you better have more than that inch and quarter slit.
Bob, I have a bent fork experience too! At age 24, I broadside a 1972 Chevelle at 35 mph on my 1979 Yamaha XT500 torque monster! I was pretty adept on a trampoline in HS, witnesses said it looked like an acrobatic performance! I landed on the top of my head, taking a gouge out of my week old orange Bell helmet (helmet law in California had just passed) that helmet saved my brain for sure. At 17, 19 & 24 I had motorcycle accidents that tore me up good! Years of chiropractic care followed. Now at 61, I am an arthritic mess. 30 years as a printing pressman, 15 as pest control tech, plus a few years in waterproofing, backyard mechanic since handing my dad wrenches since I was 5! Yes, brother we probably match many scars!
But hopefully, next time, we can talk about the perfect control set up, the best ever hinges and how to line them up! Cloth. Stitched, various maker hinges... I'm still trying to get that pull on my handle feather light, having that ship dance like it's on rails!
Thanks for sharing all these pics & stories! I have spent every possible moment reading, thinking and reminiscing of my own passion for flying model airplanes, how it came to be, the endless drawing as a kid, all of it. The holidays tend to be that way, but this is great send into the new year. It is much appreciated! I have miles of 8mm B&W film... been wanting to something with it before it ends up in the dust bin.
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LOL! Hi Phil: When it comes to comparing scars you better have more than that inch and quarter slit. I have a beauty on my right leg from a very serious sledding accident when I was 14 (running into a frozen-in-the-ground, ragged water cutoff pipe at 30 MPH can fillet your leg pretty quickly). But, hey, I'm game if you are... n~ n~
I loved hanging out at Warren's. You guys really have a great group there. I was treated like a king, and the best part was being introduced to Tri-Tip steak! Don't have that where I live.
Glad to call all you guys friends. Now, be careful with that knife; unless you get really serious with it you don't have a chance in our scars competition.
Later - Bob
Bob I can assure you the pleasure was all mine, I wish you could make it back someday.
W.W.
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Found this one in the box of slides. My son, Robby learned the pattern on a Hole Shot in less than a week, and then he needed something with flaps. We built two RD-1 models, which were essentially foam winged Twisters with slight mods to the moments and the aesthetics.
I guess a lot of people had the same idea. I forget who else told me they did it, but I also designed a foam-wing Twister, with a decent tail volume and different esthetics (and also paying attention to the Fancherized Twister idea of not breaking off the tail when it flipped over). This was for a bunch of guys flying down at Gilroy, named Gilroy Standard Stunter. I gave the plans and a set of cores to a guy down there, so he could build it under my direction and come up with a prototype. He had been around for a while do I figured he was fully engaged. Never saw him, or the plans, again! As far as I know the airplane was never built.
I note that I ALSO had the idea to take the same airplane, add some taper to the wing, and have an advanced trainer. Would have been just as easy to build as long as it used a foam wing. I didn't do anything, and then a year or so later, someone showed up (again, at Gilroy) with a Prowler kit!
Brett
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Bob,
Thanks much for entertaining us with this tour of your past, I hope you don't run out of goodies soon. I look forward to your next post every time I go to SH.
The interesting thing that comes to mind here is he calls this model U2. Lockheed first introduced the U2 in 1953. The young fella was obviously impressed.
Steve
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Here's another one from the 1992 (I'm pretty sure...) VSC contest. That's Rusty Brown kneeling in the front with his rendition of Bill Netzeband's Fierce Arrow. Not sure who the gentleman is standing with his FA. If you look closely you will be able to see Ted Fancher flying his Chief in the background. Ted edged me out that year for the Classic title. I was flying my brand new Tucker Special.
More memories... - Bob
Holy Cow! Bubba! How can you remember all these details when I can't remember what day it is!!
You da man! The hobby is lucky to have you....in more ways than one; I might add.
Ted
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Just one more from the 1991 VSC contest. Here are the Chiefs... Not the guys holding the airplanes, but the design! That's Ted Fancher standing with his Chief and Mike Pratt kneeling with his. The Chief is one of my all time favorite airplanes, and these are two great examples.
Later - Bob
Hey Bob! That Chief is hanging pretty much over my head as I type this! Sun doesn't reach it where it is (unlike a few others like the Ares I built and flew at the first ever VSC). Pour some solvent into the engine, flip the prop a few hundred times and we could take it out and put in a few!!!
A Nats era judge at that VSC said he thought the Chief's flights would have been competitive at a Nats!!! (Was that you, by the way???)
Problem was it came in a lowly 3rd place (IIRC) cause I could never get the engine started in time to avoid an over run!! One round or another someone (don't recall who) ran out to the circle as I was trying to beat the "Chief era" engine to life (forgot which it was back back then) with no success and gave me some straight nitro to plop in the intake and that got it going. Pretty embarrassing for a so called "Hot Shot" pilot of the era!!!! Once airborne the Chief flew pretty darn good. Came in 3rd IIRC despite the penalty for over runs.
Great memories! (at least the memories I actually can remember!!!)
Thanks again...like everyone else I'm loving this thread. You da' man, my friend!
Ted
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I have no idea who this young man is, but the airplane was unique.
Later - Bob
To say the least. Looks like he started building a school bus, then added wings, and named it...Denise.
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I think the U2 is a grownup's plane and the kid is just getting his picture taken. To me the graphics are pretty fancy for the time period although anything is possible, especially considering the location.
This is a most excellent thread. Stunning photos of both well known and obscure planes and people.
A couple of years before Schultzie passed I sent him a box of slides from the late sixties and early seventies. He was going to do what you are doing here. You just know that box is around some where but, alas, I truly believe it's gone from us.
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A couple of years before Schultzie passed I sent him a box of slides from the late sixties and early seventies. He was going to do what you are doing here. You just know that box is around some where but, alas, I truly believe it's gone from us.
Would be great to track it down and send it to Bob. S?P
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Up this time is the legendary Al Rabe.
Al was the absolute master in the design mix of an excellent scale appearance with great stunt performance. The flawless front row finishes were the icing on the cake. Sure do miss seeing his work.
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56 inch , on ' William ' Simons . Believe you knew the guy .
(https://outerzone.co.uk/images/_thumbs/models/3746.jpg)
Al ( and others ) work were an inspiration to many ' overseas ' , I believe lead a ' semi scale ' stunt trend worldwide . Not all of them got it as good .
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Walt's Airacobra was pubished in flying models in
April 1995 c/l stunt classic series #2
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One of the most beautiful and stunning models seen at the 1974 Nats was Jerry Pilgrim's Sundance.
This one brings back a memory. I think it was around 1976 or 77 at the Southwestern's in Dallas. It was early, with the morning sun just peaking over the tracks and I looked up to see Jerry carrying Pilgrim's Progress to the circle, catching the sun so that it looked like it was really on fire. A junior I was helping (yes we had them back then) got that awe struck look only a kid can get and blurted out: "WOW, that's Jerry Pilgrim". I can't remember another single thing about that contest.
Ken
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Bob
Just ran across this pic from the past.
About 2010 at the Polk City , Iowa contest I believe.
Freddy showed up at one of our contests in Topeka a year or so before this. Saw him at a couple of contests then lost touch.
Later'
Jim
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Interesting to note that he went from the Iowa contest directly out to see you.... See the same shirt and pants...!!
Sorry to hear he had passed . didn't know.
thanks
Jim
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Bob
You are correct! That was in Omaha instead of Iowa. I can see the soap box derby gravity track in the background.
Seymour Smith park, Omaha, NE
thanks
Jim
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Bob
You are correct! That was in Omaha instead of Iowa. I can see the soap box derby gravity track in the background.
Seymour Smith park, Omaha, NE
thanks
Jim
I wasn't gonna stir the pot Jim, but I was sure those pics weren't from Polk City. No matter. :)
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Wayne
I must admit that I guessed the location, because I knew I had seen Freddy at the Polk City contest.
And, obviously at Omaha!!
the mind is a wonderful thing...... ;-)
Jim
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Good pooch!! Glad she's gonna be OK.. The first dog we owned lived a long time. Just a rescue mixed breed that my wife and mother in law picked out of a local "adopt-a-thon" that would have been euthanized in the following days if she had not been adopted. She had similar problems with her hind legs. One had a bad joint, and in compensating for it, she injured the other. The vet said it would be enormously expensive to do any surgery on a dog her age ( about 12 or15 at the time I think) and the money just wasn't in the budget. he said there was a chance that she could heal naturally with some medication but we would have top carry her up and down steps and such. So that's what we did. She really seemed to know what the situation was and did not push things herself at all. After 3 weeks or so we saw an improvement and after about 3 or 4 more weeks, we let her start walking stairs herself to go outside, but it was obvious that she knew she still had to take it easy. She eventually fully recovered, and was her old self again and lived to be almost 20 years old I think Dogs are amazing animals!
Thanks for the pictures also Bob!! That scanner does a really nice job. Does it freshen up the colors and such as part of the process? Sean gave me a small scanner for Christmas a few years ago that I still need to learn how to use.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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Hi Dan:
Thanks for the thoughts. What Casey had would not have healed on its own. And, yes, this particular surgery is VERY expensive. But, hey, she's my little girl...
As for the scanner, yes, it does have a feature that lets you adjust the color and the brightness, but I prefer to use the color and other adjustment tools on my MAC. I'm almost at the end of the slides that I have, but now it's on to the mountain (about a foot high...) of B&W film strips. There must be 10,000 of them or more... %^@ I won't have too much time to do that in the near future as I'll have to be with Casey pretty much 24 -7 for the next two weeks. At that point I'll probably start another thread as this one is getting long.
Later - Bob
Good Morning Bob;
You have mentioned before that you have several writings in progress and have doubts about being able to finish. Is it possible in this day and age to post the manuscripts, photos, and related items that you have to a web site somewhere that will preserve them but still allow others to view them/ If you go through this process of scanning photos and such, it would be nice to only have to handle them once. You could make slight corrections, additions and deletions as you go but they will still be around. What you have accumulated and what you have in your head still is too significant to let slip away over time. I would think someone out there might know how to do this. I'm sure the AMA would like to have a digital archive, but I think a separate, independent collection would be a good companion to that. I would like to think that 40 years from now or more that there will still be people around that would greatly appreciate being able to see and read of your life time's modeling adventures, and it would include your Dad also and his contributions to model aviation history. Just a thought.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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That's gotta be Jim silhavys gypsy in his world team color scheme, either that or somebody (aside from my dad) cloned it.
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Bobby, I have just started through this thread again. As I have stated before you have had/have a great life with all the people and places you have been. Glad to hear your pup is doing wel. Remember my Sandy the demented toy Poodle that used to be with me at VSC? She liked everybody except one person that she would groel at every time he got close for some reason. She was supposed to be a pure bred but because of deformed hind qaurters could not be bred. But she was my puppy from the first second she got in my arms. She passed about three or so years ago on a memoroal day while I was at the computor. She was hurting and I gave her som hemp oil to ease the pain. I think shewent peacefully then. Still mis her. Lost count of how many dogs have been in my life. Dad always said don't make pets of them but I remember a couple that stayed close to him. One in particular that was rejected from a litter as a pup. I would feed her with a toy baby bottle until she learned to drink from a dish.
Also I want to thank you for the memories of the people that have gone on and I wonder why I'm still here. Anyway thanks again.
By the way talking of pictures the wife handed me several boxes of picture I had taken through the years. A lot of contest photos, NATS and trips with Melvin and Brenda. Fro some reason I alway had doubles made. I sortd through them and all the contest pictures I sent home with Melvin about a month ago. Amazing how we changed through the years. H^^
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Hi Doc:
So sorry to hear about Sandy. Yes, I do seem to remember her at VSC with you. Also remember Rusty Brown's pup, but have forgotten her name; they were inseparable too. They ge into our hearts...
Time for more photos. The two posted here were taken at VSC 3 (I'm pretty sure...) of Gordan Delaney's version of Mark Fecnor's Two Much design. Gordan and his pit crew are getting the engines started for Bart Klapinski. Bart flew the model - sans appearance points - in the contest and did very well with it. I got a chance to fly it after the contest and it took a month for my right arm to stop hurting. That thing pulled hard!
Later - Bob
That was my first, maybe second trip to VSC I think. I think the guy in the white T-shirt is Robin Siezmore maybe? Not sure whgo is launching the airplane. I think it was on Bart's second flight that he sucked in a butterfly into the venturi of one of the engines and and man did that sound strange!! Didn't choke the engine off, just made it back fire and not run correctly. After the flight Gordy cut the lead outs off, if I remember correctly. Chris McMillin picked one of them up and handed it to me as a souvenir! I had won the best crash trophy which had a broken off Madewell .49 cylinder and head as a topper with a Champion spark plug in it. The lead out was solid wire so i clipped the loop onto the plug like it was the high tension lead! More great memories!!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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Hi Dan,
That is Mark Fechnor in the white tee shirt. Designed the first twin. Raul Alva is holding the plane and I`m starting the engines.This is my version of his twin. Shorter Nacells? and longer tail moment. Also moved the canopy forward and slim down the Fuse.and changed the rudder shape
Gordy
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Well, Ken, your comment dovetails nicely into my next photo. I had the thought to just skip this one, as it was by far not the best looking airplane I had produced in that period. But, it was a significant one for me. I had two Chiefs, but could only find slides depicting the second one that I built. I guess I was in a hurry to fly it because I didn't install a canopy, or any paint detailing to speak of. It was light at 32 ounces, however, and it really flew quite well. It was the first airplane that I ever entered in a Stunt contest, and with it I won the 1966 Far Hills New Jersey contest in the Senior division. It was 1965 at my club dust-bowl field in Dumont, New Jersey, and while I was wiping it down from a flight, that I heard a voice behind me say "Looks like someone here wants to be a Stunt flier." That someone was Bill Simons. Bill was at that time one of the top three Stunt fliers on the East Coast, and certainly the best one in New Jersey at the time. I was shocked when he offered to help me, and then he gave me a matchbook cover with his phone number on it. I recorded that phone number in several places just to be sure I'd never lose it. I still remember it by heart: PO-8-5806. (Don't bother calling that number; Bill moved from that location many years ago, and, I'm sad to report, passed away several years ago.) Bill was good to his word and we became inseparable flying and building buddies. Without Bill's help and guidance I'm sure I would never have achieved any of things I did in the years after that in the Stunt event. Thanks, Bill, and enjoy the competition in Heaven...
Bob
Hey Bob! I have a Chief hanging on the wall to my right that I flew at VSC a couple of times. Alas, I failed to get the "era appropriate" engine started quickly enough and ran overtime. A judge from somewhere out east came up afterwards and told me the flight "could'a won" a Nats had it not been for that overrun! Was that you by any chance????
Just reminiscing. Like everyone else, I'm flabbergasted at your memory and collection of still dandy photos from a century or so of CLPA past. You "da Man" my friend! So glad we shared our passions for a part of our treasured years.
Ted
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Getting very close to the bottom of the barrel of the slides my father took way back when, but I thought the one attached here might be of interest. It was taken during a contest at the famed Linden, New Jersey Airport. If you look close you will see several PBY Catalina flying boats lined up in the background.
Later - Bob
Wow, so jealous of "those days". Makes me wonder when the last time three flyable PBY's all sat together. Any idea what year the photo is from?
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Probably 1948 or '49.
Bob
Great stuff. :)
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Do we get to ask questions? Like is the person pictured still with us? I can narrow it down slightly since the toddler looks about 2 and the plane has what looks like an OK Cub .049 that he cannot be more than 77. Assuming the plane in the pictured won the trophy then the contest would have to be around 1949. But if he is just holding it for someone else all bets are off. Hair color is no help but the white shoes, who do we know that liked white shoes? So with just those facts I have narrowed it down to just about anybody. LL~
Ken
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Bob Hunt.
Youngest Junior pilot to win a contest.
!949-50
y1 #^ ;D
Blessings;
Larry
PS: He started with the white pants and shoes at a very early age. ;D
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Thanks Bob,
Much appreciated. Cool story. You have certainly had a long and illustrious career. Thanks for sharing a portion of it with all of us. A fun ride it has been, reading and enjoying your many stories. I am sure it was even more enjoyable for you living them. Thanks again, and please continue sharing your incredible experiences.
Many blessings my friend;
Larry
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Wow, so jealous of "those days". Makes me wonder when the last time three flyable PBY's all sat together. Any idea what year the photo is from?
Just read this and thought I'd add the following!
When I was very young and working as a "swabber and gasser of Cessna's" at my dad's Cessna FBO at the Renton, Washington airport (at the south end of Lake Washington) there was a string of a half dozen or so apparently grounded) PBYs across the runway sitting idle and mothballed (in front of the huge Boeing Plant). When we were feeling antsy once in a while big brother Gary and I would sneak across the lake end of the runway and climb aboard one that had a missing aft window (IIRC) and wandered up to the cockpit and "flew" the puppy all over the globe! One of the "perks" for working for daddy! Shoot, one of the lots of airborne memories from a long aviation filled life, now restricted to those memories!
Ted
P.S. IIRC, I later learned that these old timers had been raised from the bottom of the Lake and placed there for a few years along with a handful of larger amphibians. Not sure for how long nor where they later went.
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Bob, was the plane a Testers .049 Trainer??
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their trainers were very under rated
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Maybe it is once belonged to Ari? He isn't the only one. My 1974 Surveyer and the 1975 Surveyor. First person to notice the mistake was a judge. HB~>
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One of his cool ships was the Tucker 903 (the 903 was from the Raleigh 903 cigarette brand). It was powered by a Madwell 49. It is in the Tom Morris OTS booklet. Pretty good size ship for its day.
Best, DennisT
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Thanks for the photos. Maybe some one will recognize the the young guys. D>K
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This one brings back a memory. I think it was around 1976 or 77 at the Southwestern's in Dallas. It was early, with the morning sun just peaking over the tracks and I looked up to see Jerry carrying Pilgrim's Progress to the circle, catching the sun so that it looked like it was really on fire. A junior I was helping (yes we had them back then) got that awe struck look only a kid can get and blurted out: "WOW, that's Jerry Pilgrim". I can't remember another single thing about that contest.
Ken
This is wonderful to come across even a year later. Jerry Pilgrim is my PawPaw, still kicking at 84 in Bonham, TX. I'm taking him to the car show in town this weekend.
The plane you mentioned has always been proudly on display and it's still as beautiful as ever. Would this be a good thread to ask if anyone else has any memories or stories? He'd get a kick out of hearing them; he is very proud that people thought his paintwork was so great. He looks very fondly on the control line days.
Edit: I just learned that he never actually named that plane. He said other people made the names for it, so I suppose "Sundance" and "Pilgrim's Pride" are one in the same!