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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Leo Mehl on March 23, 2009, 11:38:47 AM

Title: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Leo Mehl on March 23, 2009, 11:38:47 AM: Well VSC 21 is over and with that said I am going to give you my impression of the event. This will be a little boring but hang with me here!
I arrived in Tuscon about 5 o'clock in the afternoon and immediatly was enjoying the warm weather. I didn't see many people that day but in the morning of the18th people started showing up for breakfast. The first person I met was Mike Donvan. I didn't know him but asked him if he was Marvan Denny and he said no but he would probably be there in a little while. Soon more people showed up and as I was eating Marvin showed. so we ate breakfast that day togather. Then a lot more people showd and pretty soon people from the northwest showed. Rod Clause showed and Mike Haverly and Steve Helmick Dave Gardner and all the guys that lived Washington. Soon it was time to head for the field so asked Rod Clause if I could ride with him and he said sure. He ended up hauling my butt around all week and we got to know each other real well during the week.

Soon Andrew Borgogna show and we were introduced and had a great time talking and soon we were all headed for the field and watched the last day of old time flying. I then met Doc, the Terror, Holiday and he asked me to launch him the next day and he hit some wierd kind of wind and lost his plane that he only had a few flights on. He very silently dragged alll his equipment and broken toy plane off the field and as I was standing by him he bent over and said," hick me in the ass." I told him that ain't going to happen.
On Thursday I was not sheduled to fly untill 19 so Mike Donovan asked me to launch him. so we got to visit a little before we flew and we were soon turning this meeting into a friendship. He said if you launch me ill launch you. We were both on our best behaviour and did nothing like push the tail wheel down or any of that mean stuff. After we both flew we were talking and discovered that we were both really interested in Photogrphy so the common bond was there for a great friendship and as the days went by that bond became a little more secure. More on this later.
Next I See Roy Decamera fly old time ignition so I take a trip over there and there is Jim Lee so I got to talk to him for a while and then Roy flew but his engine was not running right but he did take a tenth place in ignition. I went back a watched old time some more and met Allen Brickhause and Carl Shoupe, Erick Rule. And my Good friend Joe Dill and Bob Emmett. I also got to talk to his wife who was working at the registration tables I decided I better signg up if I was going to fly In classic. I dont think they were working to hard because they were pretty busy talking or is that just a girl thing. Old Time was over about noon so we went to the motel and a whole bunch of us met around the pool and watched the Girls softball team in thier small swim suits (Bikinis) and then the Bull session started. It was pretty much the same as most bull sessions but with Andy there the pace kind of picked up. Rod finnaly showed with a few beers and I decide it was about time to go freshion up and set my Nobler out on the lawn for appearence judging. I brougt it down and seeing it was the first plane there I put it right in the middle of the lawn and soon paople were showing up and finnally there was a large crowd with a lot of people with a lot of cameras and the BS was a goin and it was getting louder and louder and everyone was a owin and awoin and havin a good time. Pete Peterson brought my plane down for me so I went with them to the bar and bought them a drink and we smashed glasses and said here's to you and I looked around and and her was Bart Klaplinki and this was another one of them session goin on and they were a talkin and carryin on and havin a good time until I interupted them. Well I was kinda tired from all the heat and talkin to people so I headed to the barn and settled down for the night and besides 2 beers and 2 glasses of wine is too much for this old man so I parted and Rod said he would take me to te field the next day so I went to sleep reall fast and it didn't take londg to get to morning. I told everybody that since I retired I ain't used to gettin up this early and everyone seemed to be of that same opinion. Marvin sat down where I was eating breakfast and we all talked about old cars and those kind of stories for awhile because I guess we were tired of talkin so much about aiplanes and such.
Well the next day we all got up again sooner than we wanted and headed to the field and this time Rod took his wife Jill along so I got to ride in the back with my airplane but there was plenty of room and seeing this was Saturday we all knew this was the big day. I got to meet Jack Sheeks and we got our picture taken togather and I also got my picture taken with Big Art Adimison and got to meet his son David on Tuesday and what a fine Gentleman he is!. They took my picture with Joe Dill and Bob Emmitt and I Got to meet Bill Byles and a whole bunch of people that I can't remember all there names so you will hopfully forgive me if I don't mention you in this little blurb. Friday night we went to Kieth Trosle's place in the sun for a party and I got to see his shop and trophy room and now am very enviuos as he has more trophys than anyone I know but I don't have many so I dont have to clean many, Right Kieth? A good time was had by all and John Brodak was there and we had another bull srssion in the shop and I had enough wine so I slept real good that night. Thanks Kieth!
It was now time to fly and I finnally got a decent engine run after having my prop and spinner come off and blowing my chance for a new flight in case my engine wasn't running good but managed to get thru the pattern OK before the wind came up. Bob Hunt flew and I told him about his square inside and outside loops which were a little oblong and one of his virticles was a little crooked and he stood there and listend to me and thanked me for my coments like a gentleman would and smiled but I think he got a score somthin like 597 or something so I don't think he was too concerned about my comments so I turned to some other phase of my existence in life. Pete Peterson flew and his engine run turned to jello shortly after the wingover so he got to fly a whole bunch of level laps which is real exciting at a stunt contest, but I got some pictures without to much trouble because he was going about 10 mhp. Next up was Steve Helmick who got to fly in a 30 mph wind. How lucky can you be? I was standing there with Mike Haverly and he was saying he is flyin damn good in the wind but I bet he will have a little problem with the overhead 8 and he did. He had to bail out of the pattern afer he did a little running like he might be late getting to the bathroom which he had to check the middle of the circle for wet spots after the flight was over. That was the end of the day and we were all tired and after hanging around for awhile we all headed back to the Motel for showers and whatever we needed to do to get ready for the dinner that night. And I was quite tired so I took a little nap which I hav'nt done since I retired. When I got there there were people dresed in suits and fancy dresses and top hats and no baseball caps and it realy hard to recognise people that you have met when they are not wearing baseball caps, but some had name tags on which made it simpler. any way we all sat down and pigged out on dinner and Big Art was sitting not to far from me when he got and put a large alumminum dish on Bob Smiley's table an told him he was taking up a collection so he could get home so I took a quarter over and laid it down. After we got done Eating Art came over and told me was going to put that quarter in a special place when he got home. I called him yesterday when I got home and told him I had an extra quarter if he got stranded and also that I felt proud that he was saving that first quarter. Awards were given out and this skinny little kid got the Nobler award by flying better than most of us older gentlemen and I use the word gentleman loosly. He hinda reminded me of myself when I was that age a long time ago! Robin Sizemore got two awards and a standing ovation from everyone. I got a hug from Bob Hunt which made my day seeing I kinda gave him a bad time about his square loops. I went to shake his hand and he oh no so now I have another friend and there just seems to not be an end to all this friendship thing. I guess I will just say that I have made friends with all these people because we all fly controline airplanes and they are just a friendly group of people. THANK FOR THE GOOD TIME EVERYONE!
PS I forgot to Mention John Miller who I kept calling by the wrong fist name so explained to me how to remember his first name. He said to remember the smallest room in the house that gets used the most. SO now I call him Outhouse Miller. I think it fits. All comment accepted! I will be posting pictures HB~> HB~>
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Bill Heher on March 23, 2009, 12:23:51 PM: Sounds like you had a good trip Leo- wish I could have been there. See ya in PDX in a month or so- i hope!
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Shultzie on March 23, 2009, 01:43:53 PM: LEO!!!LEO!!!!
AN AWESOME STORY AND INSIGHT TO VSC...
Like your photo skills...you also have such a visual gifted way of writing that makes any addicted modeler who couldn't or wouldn't make the trip....feel like he was right there with you.

This story of yours truly is a great read...and one of those GOTTA SAVE posts..that I just printed to save with my shoeboxes of photos.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with me this morning...
LEO! THANKS U MADE MY DAY... A HUGE BRAAAVO---GOOD BROTHA'
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Randy Powell on March 23, 2009, 02:17:53 PM: Glad to see you made it back, Leo. Look forward to seeing you.
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Dennis Adamisin on March 23, 2009, 06:10:25 PM: AWESOME story Leo! Just one more reaosn I gotta get out there some day!
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Larry Renger on March 23, 2009, 07:08:47 PM: Gotta come, Dennis! We need the whole set! 2 outta 3 ain't bad, but not perfect!
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: James C. Johnson on March 24, 2009, 12:16:15 PM: Quote
AWESOME story Leo! Just one more reason I gotta get out there some day!

How about next year Dennis... I want to meet you... for real.. our lives have to built on dreams.. everything else would be mundane.. start dreaming now.. JJ

Leo.. you are the best.. thanks for sharing this trip to VSCs... you have me excited enough to start planning for the next one.. VSC 2001 is still one of my most fondest modeling memories... just seeing the heroes I had only read about was pretty awesome.. I was "star struck".... I had to follow Bill Werwage in classic... saw Uncle Ted playing with a Tucker, Got to meet Palmer and Southwick ... pulled my plane out of certain destruction to great applause .. sat next to Jack Sheeks for 2 hours ... had dinner with Mr. Gialdini and talked with him for almost an hour (he was quite the ladies man y1) ... I don't think my brain slowed down for a year...

I also went to the first house my dad bought in 1960... remembering the park where I first heard the sound of a model engine and riding my Schwinn as fast as I could pedal to witness those flying at the park.. Tucson is a special place .. I love the desert...

Jim
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: john e. holliday on March 24, 2009, 03:45:38 PM: Leo, it was great getting to meet you again. He says I met him the year I had the Staggerwing at VSC. Each year I get to see old friends and meet new friends. I don't know where I would have wound up if it had not been for modeling.

By the way the kick in the seat of the pants is an attitude adjustment I need once in a while when things aren't going right or I am not having fun. If you ever get to meet Brenda Schutte she will explain it to you.

It is so great knowing so many guys/gals from all over this great land of ours. DOC Holliday
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Steve Helmick on March 24, 2009, 06:23:05 PM: Mike and I got 'ome last night about 7pm. We hit a dust storm in N. Arizona and the wind continued with snow, sleet, rain and dark of night in Utah and into Idaho. Ever drive 80mph at night in a snowstorm? Wanna? I didn't, but some did! Go to Utah!!! It was 1,597 miles to the flying field in Tucson from my house...total was 3,395 miles. Much of the trip through Utah and Idaho was into a wind of about 50 mph, so MPG was not good.

I guess the worst thing that happened to me in Tucson was that Leo knocked over my beer and got it on my Golden State Stunt Champs cap. The beer was a Fosters, and the cap is still wearable. I could have used some of that spilled beer later. The Skylark didn't do too badly, but needs some more trimming and some minor fixin. Seems that Mike's Freedom 45 was rubbing on the Skylark during the drive home. I hope it's not preggers, 'cause it weighs enough already. The cowl was cracked for Flt. 3, tho I don't know when or how. It might have been Leo. And I had to pull the engine out to switch to a smaller venturi (.272"), and one of the blind nuts broke off. Don't use any blind nuts other than Dubro!!! I'll fix it with a brass insert, installed from the top of the nose...might do all four, while I'm at it.

My flying was kinda spotty...some good stuff on some flights, but not what I hoped for. I wasn't happy with my first flight, had a brain fart and lost PP's on 2nd flight, and the sudden blast of high wind lost me PP's on my 3rd flight. That would have been my best flight, I think, but I was busy changing my shorts and forgot to get the score cards. I was really lucky to get the plane down in one piece. To get the plane on the ground safely, I kept it about 2' off the ground until the engine quit, glided about 10' into the wind, and touched down very hot. Wheee! This Skylark glides very slowly, so it could have been fatal to let it slow down.

Looks like I placed somewhere in the mid-50's out of about 80 who flew. Ok, where did I go wrong? Well, I wasted a lot of practise time at TNA trying to get various props to work better on the .46LA than the 11.5 x 4 APC...which didn't pan out. Fuel economy problems at home and in Tucson prevented practising the complete pattern. For Flt.2, I was just nervous...don't really know why. Possibly because of Leo spilling my Fosters the previous evening? Yeah, that could be it! LL~ Oh, well. All in all, it was a great week, and I hope to do it again real soon.

Riding home with all those trophies was just slightly inspiring! Mike Haverly repeated on the Sheeks Award and also got Sheeks Design Hi-Point Award, plus transporting the 10th Place Classic trophy for Don McClave, who left early for the I-5 corridor to try to beat the snow expected in the mountains. I wonder how that worked out... ~^

Got back to work this morning, with a fresh smile and new "glass 3/4 full" attitude...only to have it quelled by the usual BS that awaited. '' Steve
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Mike Keville on March 24, 2009, 06:44:43 PM: Well, Steve, if it's any consolation, we're "freezing" down here in Tucson this week. High (8 mph) winds with temp's in the low 70s to high 60s. Br-r-r-r-....
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Larry Renger on March 24, 2009, 07:46:08 PM: Similar freezing weather here in LA, with high '80s predicted. Did I ever tell you about the guys my friend was acquainted with in India? They were wearing sweaters in 90 degree weather because they were "cold". That's what 120+ weather in the summer will do to you....
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Rod Claus on March 24, 2009, 09:09:52 PM: To All,
Leo pretty much tells it like it was.Jill & I had a great time haulin' Leo's butt and his Nobler all over Tucson.I think the bull sessions around the pool area made VSC really special. Andy...you are a hoot!!The Mafia is gonna get you though.....
For any of you who are thinking of ever coming to this event,please put it on your calendar.It's a very special happening.It's good to see everybody is returning home safely.
I want to give a special thanks to Bill Heyworth & his wife,Rikky Pyatt, and Kieth & Barbara Trostle for their hospitality!!
Thank you very much.
See all'ya'all next year
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Mike Keville on March 24, 2009, 09:23:41 PM: ...and WE want to thank Rod for (a) working Pull Test once again, and for (b) bringing his lovely wife with him.

See y'all next year, March 16-21.
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Scott B. Riese on March 25, 2009, 10:31:57 PM: Now that LEO had some excitement, we here in Portland will be hearing about this trip all year long.....just like Montana S?P S?P S?P

Love u Leo **)
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: john e. holliday on March 27, 2009, 09:54:09 AM: You guys be nice to Leo. He is a real gentleman and a help. Seeing all the guy/gals from the NW is great. Looks like I got home in time as we were traveling across SW Kansas the local radio station was talking about 10 to 15 inches of snow coming. Now I am home they say we may get 4+ inches. Sandy slept most of the way home. I guess she is wore out from the trip as she is asleep in her bed as I type. Glad to hear everyone is home safe and sound. Til next year, DOC Holliday
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Leo Mehl on March 27, 2009, 03:20:00 PM: Quote from: Mike Keville on March 24, 2009, 06:44:43 PM
Well, Steve, if it's any consolation, we're "freezing" down here in Tucson this week. High (8 mph) winds with temp's in the low 70s to high 60s. Br-r-r-r-....

Ya Mikey, I realy fell sorry for you. Tday 48 degrees and probably an Oregon rain. I ain't spoiled at all, how about you? LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ HB~>
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Clint Ormosen on March 29, 2009, 10:10:38 PM: While At VSC, I finally figured out how to pronounce Leos' last name. It sounds like "mail". Or "male". Take your choice. Either way, he turned out to be great guy!
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Scott B. Riese on March 29, 2009, 11:42:02 PM: Clint......You don't want to know what we call him at the flying field....and it ain't MEHL. >:D

Yep he's a keeper....no one else wants him n~

He just fun to be around.....like a bad itch LL~

Watch your wood props.....Leo dosen't HB~> %^@ VD~
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Shultzie on March 30, 2009, 10:33:08 AM: GADS!
After all these years.....Leo has let so many of us call him Leo MELL (like in Smell) instead of (MAIL?) My apollos' What the ELL? (like in hell? VD~ S?P H^^)
We still LOVE-YA MAN! HEY LEO???
May we just call ya.......anything?
If we still fortunate enough to be able to at least CALL YOU? H^^ n~
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Leo Mehl on March 30, 2009, 02:09:06 PM: Quote from: Ty Marcucci on March 30, 2009, 12:49:20 PM
Three things. !. I got to meet Leo. 2. He looks younger than his 27 years 3. I am taller than him. LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~
TY evveryone is taller than me but there are exceptions and I won't name names for most of them are my friends. Heck even Shultzie is taller than me. Thank you about the age thing and that seems to be a mental thing now. I can't win!!!!!!! LL~ LL~ LL~ LL~ HB~> HB~>
Title: Re: My Experience at VSC
Post by: Leo Mehl on March 30, 2009, 05:53:03 PM: Quote from: Shultzie on March 30, 2009, 10:33:08 AM
GADS!
After all these years.....Leo has let so many of us call him Leo MELL (like in Smell) instead of (MAIL?) My apollos' What the ELL? (like in hell? VD~ S?P H^^)
We still LOVE-YA MAN! HEY LEO???
May we just call ya.......anything?
If we still fortunate enough to be able to at least CALL YOU? H^^ n~