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Author Topic: Mr. Wonderful?  (Read 3437 times)

Offline Dave Shadel

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Mr. Wonderful?
« on: September 18, 2019, 01:27:34 PM »
At the risk of sounding old(but still vertical), I'm wondering if anyone from Socal in the late 50's early 60's remembers an airplane that Dennis Alford(I think) had called a Mr. Wonderful?  It was a combat(don't beat me up for using it on a stunt forum!)airplane with a tapered wing and t-tail with a side mounted engine.  If I could find a plan, I might build one just to take me back 60 years!

Anyone remember it?

I enjoy the this forum, even though I don't fly stunt.  Some good thinkers in here!

Dave

Offline Shawn Lenci

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2019, 07:30:12 PM »
Dave...I thought you were Mr. Wonderful! :)

Shawn
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Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2019, 09:16:04 PM »
Dave...I thought you were Mr. Wonderful! :)

Shawn

Still only $5 for my autograph Shawn! 

How's everything?

Dave

Online Les McDonald

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2019, 04:18:03 PM »
Dave Shadel, now there's a name from the past!
I remember being in a hotel elevator with you and Dennis Obrien and two ladies were looking at a road map. You guys were intent on explaining how the number buttons worked the elevator and a map really wasn't necessary.
I have no idea where we were at but I'm pretty sure it was at a trade show.
So how have you been and did you ever get older? I sure did.
I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2019, 06:44:28 PM »
Dave Shadel, now there's a name from the past!
I remember being in a hotel elevator with you and Dennis Obrien and two ladies were looking at a road map. You guys were intent on explaining how the number buttons worked the elevator and a map really wasn't necessary.
I have no idea where we were at but I'm pretty sure it was at a trade show.
So how have you been and did you ever get older? I sure did.

Yes, sadly older but it beats the alternative!  Neither Dennis nor I could have read the road map anyway, since both of us had probably just crawled out of the closest bar.  Most likely it was Toledo, scene of some of my more infamous escapades.  Are you still playing with toy airplanes?  I'm guessing yes since you showed up here.  Obviously you're not going to be any help with Mr. Wonderful, but that's OK, maybe it was just a hallucination from my misspent youth!
Hope you are well, and it's great to hear from you!
Dave

Online Les McDonald

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2019, 07:29:30 PM »
Yes, sadly older but it beats the alternative!  Neither Dennis nor I could have read the road map anyway, since both of us had probably just crawled out of the closest bar.  Most likely it was Toledo, scene of some of my more infamous escapades.  Are you still playing with toy airplanes?  I'm guessing yes since you showed up here.  Obviously you're not going to be any help with Mr. Wonderful, but that's OK, maybe it was just a hallucination from my misspent youth!
Hope you are well, and it's great to hear from you!
Dave

Yes, quite possibly Toledo and your cohort may have been Larry Leonard and not Dennis.

No more model planes for me but I keep in touch and stay interested in the event.
I had so many good times with many of the Pylon and Pattern guys. Hell, Jim Martin and Bob Violett taught me how to fly RC in a city park down in Trinidad with an Ugly Stik.
Really neat to see you're still out and about.
                                                                         Les
I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline Dave Harmon

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2019, 09:13:37 PM »
WOW.....Dave you certainly ARE Mr. Wunnerful......great to see you are still at it!
Remembering several of our laugh sessions....HAW....you're a kick!
Now Larry Leonard....another WOW.....got sucked up by a black hole I guess.

All The Best...

Dave

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2019, 11:31:15 AM »
Yes, quite possibly Toledo and your cohort may have been Larry Leonard and not Dennis.

No more model planes for me but I keep in touch and stay interested in the event.
I had so many good times with many of the Pylon and Pattern guys. Hell, Jim Martin and Bob Violett taught me how to fly RC in a city park down in Trinidad with an Ugly Stik.
Really neat to see you're still out and about.
                                                                         Les
Probably not LL at Toledo, I think Bud Anders always went, but my memory is fuzzy about a lot of stuff anymore.  Sorry to hear you're not doing anything with toy airplanes, so what do you do for fun?  I got off into some hot rod toys for about ten years then drifted back into flying 3 or 4 years ago.  I really like to build more than fly anymore, and my son likes to fly and has no time to build, so it works out well.  He's a better pilot than I am anyway.

Cool to hear from you Les, you should get going again, you're a great modeler!

Dave

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2019, 11:35:51 AM »
WOW.....Dave you certainly ARE Mr. Wunnerful......great to see you are still at it!
Remembering several of our laugh sessions....HAW....you're a kick!
Now Larry Leonard....another WOW.....got sucked up by a black hole I guess.

All The Best...

Dave
Sounds like you want to ask me out on the date! ;D  LL showed up at the Q40 Champ race at the Basin a couple of years ago, along with some of the really old F1 racers like Whit Stockwell, Gary Hover, and Bob and Charlie Smith. 

Good hearing from you.
Dave

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2019, 10:44:25 AM »
Looks like we've struck out with Mr. Wonderful.  I guess any future childhood thoughts should be overlooked.

Good hearing from some old friends in any case.

Cheers!

Offline ptg

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2019, 12:56:13 PM »
Hey Dave...It's been a while. Glad you popped up here because I lost your contact info.

I didn't get into the combat fray until the '67 Nats as a senior.  In those days there was a guy, Len Bowman (he always wore a black top hat to contests) who was very active in local SoCal combat. We made a quite memorable road trip to the SW Regionals in Buckeye, AZ. I seem to recall Len, Dennis and Mr. Wonderful somehow being linked together. Last I heard Len was living somewhere in the Central Valley.
Yeah, that's vague, maybe a rabbit hole or just me thinking I remember something that I actually don't.

I read the biography your son wrote a while back and  couldn't believe how similar our learning to fly CL with no help was. I actually designed a trainer that involved Curtin rods, a Gillows glider, a hammer, nails, ice pick, Cox Baby Bee engines that would ONLY run backwards. If I can find the right kind of curtain rod and a glider maybe I'll build I'll build one just for S&G.

Phil
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Online Les McDonald

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #11 on: September 23, 2019, 02:39:22 PM »
Hey Dave...

I read the biography your son wrote a while back and  couldn't believe how similar our learning to fly CL with no help was. I actually designed a trainer that involved Curtin rods, a Gillows glider, a hammer, nails, ice pick, Cox Baby Bee engines that would ONLY run backwards. If I can find the right kind of curtain rod and a glider maybe I'll build I'll build one just for S&G.

Phil

Okay Uncle Phil, what is this biography you speak of here and where might I find a copy?
And what, pray tell, have you been up to recently?
What is that old saying-----"We've been through a lot together" (and most of it was your fault!)

And Dave, hot rods for you and motorcycles for me. I've been doing bikes for more years than anything and still spend a good bit of time chasing young guys over the mountain roads.
I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline ptg

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2019, 06:57:35 PM »
what is this biography you speak of here and where might I find a copy?
And what, pray tell, have you been up to recently?
What is that old saying-----"We've been through a lot together" (and most of it was your fault!)
Les,
Here's the link...https://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/ShadelDave.pdf

I think the last time we were actually at the same contest was the '80 WC in Poland.  The combat team was relatively well behaved.  The stunt team was 'men behaving badly' and claiming to not know what the problem was.

As for me, mortality came to visit a few years ago and things are different now....
PT Granderson

Offline Tom Luciano

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2019, 07:04:20 PM »
Look at Les dragging that knee! ……...Nice!

Tom
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Online Les McDonald

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #14 on: September 23, 2019, 09:02:42 PM »
Wow Phil, 1980?, that's hard to imagine.
Thanks for the link also. I really enjoyed the adventure since I always knew Dave was a baddass but never realized he was in that deep. Some truly epic competition achievements and a fascinating tour of the hobby industry, especially the early RC years. So much going on from the mid seventies until the mid eighties. That time period in the hobby business would be a perfect example of what happened to American industry in general.
Dave, my hat is tipped for you! 
I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #15 on: September 25, 2019, 04:17:24 PM »
Hey Dave...It's been a while. Glad you popped up here because I lost your contact info.

I didn't get into the combat fray until the '67 Nats as a senior.  In those days there was a guy, Len Bowman (he always wore a black top hat to contests) who was very active in local SoCal combat. We made a quite memorable road trip to the SW Regionals in Buckeye, AZ. I seem to recall Len, Dennis and Mr. Wonderful somehow being linked together. Last I heard Len was living somewhere in the Central Valley.
Yeah, that's vague, maybe a rabbit hole or just me thinking I remember something that I actually don't.

I read the biography your son wrote a while back and  couldn't believe how similar our learning to fly CL with no help was. I actually designed a trainer that involved Curtin rods, a Gillows glider, a hammer, nails, ice pick, Cox Baby Bee engines that would ONLY run backwards. If I can find the right kind of curtain rod and a glider maybe I'll build I'll build one just for S&G.

Phil

Hey Phil,
Good hearing from you.  I think the last time we talked I bought some paint over here for you, and that's been a few years.  We can still buy all that bad nasty paint, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we go the way of Cali.  Are you still over around Sac?

As I recall you were dabbling in a little RC.  So how did it go?

I remember Len, and might even have a pic or two around here.  His uncle, Larry Martin designed the airplane I flew in Jr. combat at the '63 Nats.  Man, that's a long time back.

Give a holler sometime and we can tell some lies.  775-265-7523  Leave a message if you get the machine.

Dave

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #16 on: September 25, 2019, 04:53:06 PM »
Wow Phil, 1980?, that's hard to imagine.
Thanks for the link also. I really enjoyed the adventure since I always knew Dave was a baddass but never realized he was in that deep. Some truly epic competition achievements and a fascinating tour of the hobby industry, especially the early RC years. So much going on from the mid seventies until the mid eighties. That time period in the hobby business would be a perfect example of what happened to American industry in general.
Dave, my hat is tipped for you!

Thanks, Les.  Never thought much about all of it at the time.  Just having too much fun!!

The time goes way too fast.  My Dad used to tell me when I was a kid that the older you got, the quicker time flew by.  I found out he was right about not only that but many things.
Model airplanes were an addiction from the time I was about 8 years old.  I tried to do something else after the military, but soon found the addiction way too strong.  I'm glad both of our kids decided that the old man was nuts and went off and got real careers.  Smarter than myself for sure, and the best money we have ever invested.
Cool that you ride bikes, our son had both a dirt bike and a crotch rocket when he was younger, but finally wised up before he hurt himself too much.  Be safe!

Can't seem to upload a hotrod pic, probably our out-in-the-country internet!

Again, great to hear from you.
Dave
« Last Edit: September 27, 2019, 05:53:03 PM by Dave Shadel »

Offline Dan Bregar

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #17 on: September 29, 2019, 05:09:37 PM »
Hi Dave---Last I heard from you, you were driving your Vet  through the mountains on the CA/NEV/AZ borders having a grand time in your retirement. Very glad to hear you are well. I'll be sure to tell my brother Dave I found you again. We always enjoyed chatting with you at the Toledo show.



















n
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Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #18 on: September 29, 2019, 10:52:53 PM »
Hi Dave---Last I heard from you, you were driving your Vet  through the mountains on the CA/NEV/AZ borders having a grand time in your retirement. Very glad to hear you are well. I'll be sure to tell my brother Dave I found you again. We always enjoyed chatting with you at the Toledo show.


Hey Dan, Great to hear from you!  Please give my best to Dave.  All good here, still having fun!!!!

Dave
















n

Online Les McDonald

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #19 on: October 01, 2019, 03:44:10 PM »
Les,
I think the last time we were actually at the same contest was the '80 WC in Poland.  The combat team was relatively well behaved.  The stunt team was 'men behaving badly' and claiming to not know what the problem was.


Here we are Phil, at the 1980 Wilmington Nats which turned out to be one of my lucky days!
I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline ptg

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2019, 11:23:55 AM »
LIB MR US
So that's what we looked like 40 years ago. Great pic! Seems you are waiting for the last clover so that your 'lucky day' would be declared official.  I'm too neatly dressed so I must have zigged when I shoulda zagged.

This thread has brought back a lot of memories and some laughs and lies with Dave S.
Maybe we should all converge on Lexington to wine, dine, coerce, conjure and bribe Wynn Paul to unlock the definitive chronicles of memories, laughs and lies so we can all get drunk on the 'ole days'. 

I went thumb flying yesterday only to come home and hear my wife telling someone on the phone "oh, he spends lots and lots of money on those things!
PT Granderson

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #21 on: October 04, 2019, 09:05:10 AM »
I went thumb flying yesterday only to come home and hear my wife telling someone on the phone "oh, he spends lots and lots of money on those things!

Hey Phil,

It's obvious that your priorities are still correct! ;D

Dave

Offline MikeyPratt

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #22 on: October 07, 2019, 12:53:47 PM »
Hi Les, Phil, Dave,
That photo brings back so many good memories.  In the photo are so many of wonderful people that I've met in my life and many I'm still good friends with.  This may show you my age but we all had some great times together.  In that photo, I think you can see being cut in half on the right side of the photo standing next to Peter Plunkit (combat and stunt flyer). So who ever took that photo goes a big Thank You!!!

Mike Pratt

Online Les McDonald

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #23 on: October 07, 2019, 06:54:51 PM »
Hi Les, Phil, Dave,
That photo brings back so many good memories.  In the photo are so many of wonderful people that I've met in my life and many I'm still good friends with.  This may show you my age but we all had some great times together.  In that photo, I think you can see being cut in half on the right side of the photo standing next to Peter Plunkit (combat and stunt flyer). So who ever took that photo goes a big Thank You!!!

Mike Pratt

Hey Mikey, I hadn't given much thought to the other guys in that photo and the only ones I can recognize besides Phil are Lanny Shorts, Stan Powell and Kurt Mullinex. Pretty sure the VW Microbus belongs to the Cooper family!
I see people my age out there climbing mountains and zip lining and here I am feeling good about myself because I got my leg through my underwear without losing my balance

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #24 on: October 07, 2019, 08:49:16 PM »
Hi Les, Phil, Dave,
That photo brings back so many good memories.  In the photo are so many of wonderful people that I've met in my life and many I'm still good friends with.  This may show you my age but we all had some great times together.  In that photo, I think you can see being cut in half on the right side of the photo standing next to Peter Plunkit (combat and stunt flyer). So who ever took that photo goes a big Thank You!!!

Mike Pratt

Hey Mike!  Another blast from the past.  How's Mike doing, and what are you doing?  I never expected this thread to bring out some antiques(self included)! 
Good to hear from you.

Dave

Offline MikeyPratt

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #25 on: October 19, 2019, 04:31:23 PM »
Hi Dave,
I just saw this post, it was at the bottom lol.  I’m doing pretty good for the most part, I’m now retired after 30 plus years as an Engineer and doing what I want to do.  I’m still designing, building, and flying C/L models to keep myself from getting board.  Ride my Harley as much as I can but no more super long hauls, Trap Shooting takes up the remainder, so I keep pretty busy goofing off.

Great talking to you guys again,

Mike Pratt

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #26 on: October 21, 2019, 11:15:11 PM »
Hi Dave,
I just saw this post, it was at the bottom lol.  I’m doing pretty good for the most part, I’m now retired after 30 plus years as an Engineer and doing what I want to do.  I’m still designing, building, and flying C/L models to keep myself from getting board.  Ride my Harley as much as I can but no more super long hauls, Trap Shooting takes up the remainder, so I keep pretty busy goofing off.

Great talking to you guys again,

Mike Pratt

Hi Mike,
Sounds like you're having fun!  How long shooting trap?  I shot with my Dad as a kid, first time in 1955, then quit until the early 90's and shot pretty seriously for about 10 years.  Went to the Grand American a few times which is quite an experience.  Pylon racing was way easier than any clay target shooting!  No shooting any more other than .410 skeet.  My body just can't handle the 100's of rounds required to be any good at trap anymore. 

But I still love model airplanes and can actually fly acceptably in my old age!  :o

Take Care,
Dave

Offline Fredvon4

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #27 on: October 22, 2019, 02:18:27 PM »
I am surprised that no one mentioned that Stunt Hanger has a LOT of different topic areas. And Combat is one of them.

You might peruse the Combat forum down below and pose your question to Bobby Mears in a new topic or in a Private Message....He has an impressive Combat Museum In Lubbock Texas
"A good scare teaches more than good advice"

Fred von Gortler IV

Offline Gordon Van Tighem

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #28 on: October 22, 2019, 10:12:38 PM »
I am surprised that no one mentioned that Stunt Hanger has a LOT of different topic areas. And Combat is one of them.

You might peruse the Combat forum down below and pose your question to Bobby Mears in a new topic or in a Private Message....He has an impressive Combat Museum In Lubbock Texas

Checked with Bobby some time back and he couldn’t recall the model.
G
Gord VT
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Offline Doug Moisuk

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #29 on: October 23, 2019, 03:50:58 PM »
Hello Dave
Greetings from the great white north.

Doug Moisuk
MAAC 3360L

Offline Paul Wescott

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #30 on: October 27, 2019, 02:51:08 PM »
Les,
Here's the link...https://www.modelaircraft.org/sites/default/files/ShadelDave.pdf

I think the last time we were actually at the same contest was the '80 WC in Poland.  The combat team was relatively well behaved.  The stunt team was 'men behaving badly' and claiming to not know what the problem was.

As for me, mortality came to visit a few years ago and things are different now....

Wow Dave.  Just Wow.  The way the hobby/ies is/are headed no on will ever again even come close to a history like yours.  I would like to ask if you know the name or location of the park in Lawndale where the Flying Fools fooled around and flew.  The reason I ask is that in my early years my dad, who was a man of modest means and never built a model airplane, but always had time and gas to take me to watch, moved us to Gardena, Calif.  I remember several Short trips with him to watch some very interesting control line activities and since Gardena and Lawndale are so close I would assume it was you and the Flying Fools I was watching.  Many years later when I asked my dad where it was he took me to watch, he could not recall, and now he is no longer with us for me to ask.  Eventually, after we had moved to Long Beach, I saved up almost enough for a Testors Cosmic Wind, dad came up with rest, and I flew many hours in Heartwell Park.  That was followed by a new Cox Black Widow and a Carl Goldberg Lil’ Wizard, I learned to “stunt”, and the addiction became permanent.

Thank you for living the life you did, and to your son for writing up your history.  It is very inspiring (re-inspiring?) to an old retread CL Flyer and it makes me want to go out and fly right now.

Anyway I would be very interested in knowing some details about the park in Lawndale if you recall.

Thank You.

Paul W.
Cypress, Calif
Knights of the Round Circle - Whittier Narrows
Valley Circle Burners - Sepulveda Basin

Offline Reptoid

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #31 on: October 27, 2019, 04:11:45 PM »
Not Dave but........
I did grow up flying in the area and met Dave sometime in the 60's (?) when we were flying combat (with the likes of Bill Carpenter, and Terry Prather) Later flying sailplanes when he was in SULA and I was in PSA. We have remained friends over the years and talk once in a while. Dave has always been that rare breed in modeling (or life in general) who is an extremely talented pilot, an excellent craftsman, a model engine building/tuning expert, and an honest and likable human being.
       The flying sight in Lawndale wasn't a park; it was Lawndale high school and many combat contests were held there by the "Piston Poppers", the club which Terry Prather belonged to at the time.
       I don't remember the "Mr Wonderful" airplane
Regards,
       Don
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Offline Paul Wescott

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #32 on: October 28, 2019, 02:45:41 PM »
Thanks Don!  I mapped Lawndale HS and that location makes complete sense...

Paul W.


Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #33 on: October 28, 2019, 10:52:07 PM »
Man, you guys keep bringing the memories, very cool stuff! 
The Flying Fools started at Hawthorne Park, at the corner of Prairie Ave. and El Segundo Blvd, about 1960 or 61.  Any Saturday or Sunday morning you could find three or four circles going and probably 30 to 40 guys flying anything you could name. 
Prior to that the kids that flew CL in my area would use local schools.  I grew up in Lennox, an un-incorporated area between Inglewood and Hawthorne.  We had one place, Jefferson elementary that we usually used.  There was an old drunken woman that lived across the street who always called the cops on us for making noise, and the cops would show up and tell us to go and use another school until the old bag passed out and then come back.  We did that many times, and the cops were always cool about our toy airplane flying.
Getting hooked up with the Fools was a great deal for a young teenager, and most of the members flew contests.  They took the young guys, most who didn't have wheels let alone driver's licenses to all the contests in Socal.  It was a great way to have fun before all of us started chasing girls, and forgot about flying for a couple of years!
Lawndale HS came about after we lost the use of Hawthorne Park due to noise problems.  The school was situated right next to the San Diego Fwy. and the other side was industrial park.  There were no houses close by then and so no noise problems.

Socal CL clubs I recall from back then:
Valley Circle Burners
Pico Rivera Condors
South Bay Piston Poppers
Orange County Thunderbirds
Bakersfield Flying Parts
El Cajon Modelaires

Hey Repp, give a call sometime, you know the number.

Dave

Offline Dave Shadel

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #34 on: October 28, 2019, 10:53:36 PM »
Hello Dave
Greetings from the great white north.

Hi Doug,

Good the hear from you, hope you are doing well.

Stay Warm!
Dave

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Mr. Wonderful?
« Reply #35 on: October 29, 2019, 10:11:43 AM »
This great history of thew area.  It still gets me that one individual can up set the norm.  Of course the one contest I attended at Eldorado KANSAS was at the airport out side of town.  There was a lady that live across the road from the airport and she requested the guys let her know when there was a contest so she could go visit relatives.  If I remember right there was also a circle at the park in town we flew carrier on.  My first carrier contest. D>K
John E. "DOC" Holliday
10421 West 56th Terrace
Shawnee, KANSAS  66203
AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.


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