Paul Walter's Skylark

[Thomas Smeltzer]

Does anyone know what version Skylark Paul Walker flew at the VSC A FEW years ago?

Thanks
Tom

[Dan McEntee]

 Do a search on the Open forum, I think it was discussed extensively. From memory, I think it was a Sterling model, McCoy .40 RedHead, Top Flite prop, Hot Rock handle, All old school stuff, but I may be wrong.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[john e. holliday]

Hey Paul is a member on here I believe.  Send him a PM.   I don't think he will bite your head off.

[Robertc]

Sterling kit with McCoy 40 is how I remember too.

[billbyles]

Sterling kit with McCoy 40 is how I remember too.

That is correct, at VSC about 4 or so years ago Ted Fancher & I judged Paul's flight on Circle #1 & got the chance to observe it up close & talk with Paul a little bit about it.  Everything about that Skylark was totally period including much of the glue being Ambroid, the wood Top Flite prop, McCoy .40, handle, and so on.  It flew fast but the hard corners were there and smooth rounds, etc.  Pretty impressive.

[Paul Walker]

Yes, it was built from the Sterling kit. I had to replace the fuse sides as they weighed 2 ounces each! Built just like I did in the very early 70's. I had several, and thought they flew quite well. This one flies well, but needed to fly fast....

The reason...I only had a 4.5 ounce tank in it, and had only 10% fuel at that VSC. If I flew it slower, which it would do, it would not make it through the pattern. Adding the small venturi sleeve sucked too much power but would run plenty long. Soooooo, I elected to fly it a tad fast, but we worked well together. It was a nice honest plane.

Ed Southwick was there and came to me to tell me that it was "exactly" like his WC plane, except for one thing...He said I flew it better than he did!  I really appreciated his comnents. I grew up flying in So Ca as did he. We seemed to cross paths but never ran into each other before that VSC. A true gentleman.

And, it had a Tom Lay built McCoy 40. Nice and powerful, and never skipped a beat. That model is sitting on display in my house currently. A real reminder of my past!

[Dave Hull]

Now that is a gorgeous airplane!

[TigreST]

Now that is a gorgeous airplane!

Ditto! Beautiful rendition of the Mk.

T.

[Skip Chernoff]

Paul ,I have an original Skylark as well. It's powered with a Tower Hobbies 40. It does the same thing as yours....If you richen it up to fly slower you don't have enough fuel to do the pattern. I fly mine fast as well......Cheers,PhillySkip

[Keith Renecle]

I was at the 2001 VSC and I saw Paul fly the Skylark. It was awesome! The plane was not half bad either! That was my one and only visit to this event and I'll always treasure those memories. I may have some video as well but I'll need to dig out my old collection. I can remember shooting some video of Ed Southwick as well. I got to meet him. Such a nice guy. If I find the tapes I'll put something on Youtube.

Keith R

[wwwarbird]

 Who's Paul Walter anyway? 

[Allen Eshleman]

What kind of mods did Tom Lay do to the McCoy 40?

[Randy Cuberly]

I was also at that VSC as I was at most of them, and judged at many of them.  I did not Judge any of pauls flights at that VSC but did watch them all.  The only word I had was Awsome!  Unbelievably good shapes and blazing corners.

Paul mentioned that he had to fly FAST!  That's really an understatement.  I timed many laps during his flights and most were below 4.3 seconds!  How anyone could fly so accurately at those speeds is still amazing to me.

Terrific airplane and a great pilot!  Unbeatable combination!

Randy Cuberly

[Dan McEntee]

What kind of mods did Tom Lay do to the McCoy 40?

    Going from memory, Tom did some parts swapping, heat treating, and precise fitting to get what I think he called a McLay .40. McCoy made a .40 Red Head, and Tom used that for the base and weaved his magic. Wish I had one or two. I don't think he did any timing changes or anything real radical, just made sure it had good parts that fit real well.and the engine will last.. Some of Tom's closer buddies may have more details.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[PJ Rowland]

Hmm wonder if it had vgs. And a bigger motor ED may have said you improved his original.
But I get the whole point of that exercise was to reproduce it as close to original as possible.. no exceptions. That in itself was a wonderful acheivement.

Wonder if you could qualify for top 20 day with it??

I wonder.....

[Randy Cuberly]

Hmmmmm....
If judged without any prejudice due to size and speed. perhaps even Top 5!

However Judges do have preferences and after watching slower "big" airplanes for most of the time it might be difficult for some (or maybe even all) to simply sort out the difference and just judge the maneuvers!

No!  I'm not in anyway trying to demean the ability of the judges.  Simply stating that it's a different experience to watch the smaller airplane flying very fast!  At VSC most of the airplanes being judged are smaller and fly somewhat faster (at least in appearance) than the typical large stunt plane used in PAMPA stunt today.  Looking at the patterns of both is somewhat of a different experience!

The patterns I saw at VSC were as good as any I've seen anywhere!

However after watching a Ringmaster with a .25, fly an over 600 score recently at VSC, I would suppose that anything is possible.

As Peter, Paul, and Mary once sang...
 
"Times, they are a Chang'n!"

Randy Cuberly