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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Gordon Van Tighem on November 25, 2014, 12:28:02 AM
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As I was watching one of Windy's Nats videos I heard him say he had tapes back to 87. This reminded me that I had been looking for pictures from the '77 Riverside Nats from time to time, unsuccessfully.
So, I thought I would ask if anyone had or knew of the existence of pictures from that event?
(My first AMA Nats!)
G
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I was at the 1977 Riverside Nats, just flying combat. I think I have some combat photos, but not stunt. It was hot windy, dry, and dusty. Not a great Nats, but a Nats.
College dorm housing was both terrible and over priced. I was still on active duty and able to switch to USAF quarters. Others bailed out dorms in favor local motels, which became the new normal.
Greg Hill won FAI Combat in a big field of entries.
They test-dropped the Space Shuttle (from its 747) for the first time during this Nats. It was a big deal.
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I do recall the hot and dusty, we camped at Lake Elsinore and drove in daily. Magazine coverage was good for the moonscape combat too, but can't find much on stunt. I was also flying pylon. Quite the week.
I recall my wife commenting on how nice it was that it cooled off overnight and then we saw the billboard thermometer announcing 109 degrees, so yes it was hot for the "northerners" (who didn't have air conditioning in the vehicle).
G
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The highlight was Duke Fox showing up in his Lincoln Continental with a trunk load of prototype Mark III Combat engines which he gave away to the contestants. Our STG21's were almost shot anyway, so the new Foxes took the bite out of ruining our ST's flying in the gravel and dirt. Some guys quickly tried to modify planes to fit the Fox. I just used up my ST's and built a new plane for the Fox later.
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I have some also. That was my 2nd Nats. Scale and Speed. Don't have any stunt pics but I can get copies of what I do have if you want.
Don
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My memories of the 77 Nats? Well, I was stationed at Geaorge AFB in Victorville and was looking forward to attending. I have leave for the week and I was building models on a board that I kept in a utility closet at the alert facility. I was called home with ah emergenct that week, I never got there once........
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One more memory.
The free flight gas models tended to come down in the CL racing circle. After a few the racers were getting tired of having races disrupted. They returned the model to it's owner with the promise to pit and relaunch the next one that came in. But they never got another.
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Great stuff, I remember the many miles of concrete well.
Thanks, hope you find more.....
G
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I have some too. Gotta go find them.
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Looking forward to your successful search...
G
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Update: Found slides from Riverside Nats - 1977. Have to get them put on a CD.
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Aw yes, I remember slides.
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Update: Found slides from Riverside Nats - 1977. Have to get them put on a CD.
Happy New Year Larry, any luck with the CD?
G
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Haven't been able to do anything due to the holidays.
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Do you mean pictures like this?
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I sure do! This is great (albeit a bit hard to read).
Thanks Paul.
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Slides to Wally World last week to convert.