Author Topic: 60th anniversary (Read 1239 times)

Keith Spriggs · « **on:** July 04, 2008, 01:33:07 AM »

After reading Roberts "Memories" I suddenly realized that it was exactly 60 years ago today, that I saw my first U-control airplane.

Just One-eye · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2008, 07:25:04 AM »

Quote from: Keith Spriggs on July 04, 2008, 01:33:07 AM

After reading Roberts "Memories" I suddenly realized that it was exactly 60 years ago today, that I saw my first U-control airplane.

I cannot pin that day down for myself quite so exactly. However, at some point this summer, it will have been 61 years.

George · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2008, 09:22:52 AM »

WOW! Afraid I also can not pin down the exact date, but the first CL plane I saw fly was mine. I flew for about a year before I saw anyone else fly. Since my first NEW engine was a Space Bug Jr., I would say ~1953. Built a Scientific Little Devil for the SB Jr.

First plan-built plane was from a stack of old Model mags that someone gave me. It was Red Reinhardt's Roger Dodger. Poorly built, warped wing, etc. but it flew (somewhat). No full-size plans, scaled up everything by making a paper copy of the scale provided (remember when they used to do that).

Man was I WOWed when I saw someone else with a plane. It was a VECO Tom Tom sporting a McCoy GOLD HEAD .29. Made instant friends with those guys, and we are still friends today...although 800 miles apart.

Sorry for rattling on. Will you guys share some of those first impressions?

George

don Burke · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2008, 10:15:08 AM »

For me it had to be in that time frame. My parents took the family to a model contest in Junction City, KS. What I do remember is the airplanes were Veco kits and had O&R engines, most crashed in a big way! Got me fascinated with model airplanes.

Ralph Wenzel (d) · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2008, 10:32:29 AM »

For me, it was the summer of 1954, and we were returning home from visiting relatives. On South Limestone, some of the "big kids" weeere flying on the front field (oops, lawn) at University High School in Lexington. Names now escape me, but there was a Veco Chief, all done up in Jap Tissue and powered by a Fox .19(!); a [n]Nothin'[/i] with a Torpedo .35; and several others. I had built a few Comet stick-and-tissue models before, but I was now hooked on the "big stuff", and have been for the last 54 years.

Gotta go finish that engine test stand . . .

Bill Little · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2008, 01:25:26 PM »

Today (July 4th, 2008) is our 37th Wedding Anniversary.

Gail, and I want to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of y'all who will celebrate this day with us, since the whole country seems to throw parties on this date!!

Mongo <><

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2008, 07:08:24 PM »

Back about 1946, my folks used to take us kids to Swope Park in Kansas City for picnics on sunday afternoon. There were many guys out flying sparkers. Seems like there were about ten or fifteen in the air all the time. Of course, there were the guys that cranked on engines for hours trying to get them to run. They also flew rubber power free flights in the same part of the park. Needless to say, my folks had to drag me home in the evening. I have been mesmerized by models and engines ever since. I flew my first plane, a Scientific hollow log with an OK Cub .049 in about 1950 or 51.

Bootlegger · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2008, 07:17:59 PM »

Mongo, Congrats to the 37 years for you and our deeeepest sympathies to the Mrs. for puttin' up with you that long!!!
Hope that ya'll have many more. Congrats...

George · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2008, 08:42:47 AM »

Quote from: Ralph Wenzel on July 04, 2008, 10:32:29 AM

For me, it was the summer of 1954, and we were returning home from visiting relatives. On South Limestone, some of the "big kids" weeere flying on the front field (oops, lawn) at University High School in Lexington. Names now escape me, but there was a Veco Chief, all done up in Jap Tissue and powered by a Fox .19(!); a [n]Nothin'[/i] with a Torpedo .35; and several others. I had built a few Comet stick-and-tissue models before, but I was now hooked on the "big stuff", and have been for the last 54 years.

Gotta go finish that engine test stand . . .

I remember flying at University High in the mid/late fifties, but we flew in the ball field. Flew with Ed White, Buddy Johnson, Joe Garrett, and Tom Riley mostly. Those were the days.

George

Bill Adair · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2008, 02:00:05 PM »

Flew my first full size stunter at Sembach AB Germany in 1956. It was a Veco TomTom built in the barracks on the uneven top of my foot locker, and powered with a Fox 35. Some of the guys I flew with were Bill Dahlgren from Glenview IL, Wayne Melton from Fontana CA, Ted Kwas now from Burke Burnett TX, Richy Richard also from Burke Burnett, and the late James Mazzo from Denver CO.

Wayne and Bill D. were very good fliers, and probably the only two of our group who left Sembach with their airplanes still in one piece! Wayne flew a Fox powered Barnstormer, and Bill flew an OS powered Half Fast, which was the first OS engine I ever saw.

Ted and Richy were flying Webra diesel powered combat models, and I loved the different sound of those fine little engines.

Wayne returned to Fontana, and was flying a Veco Chief the last time I visited him there. He is now retired in Arkansas.

James and I returned to Denver CO as tech instructors, where I continued to fly C/L with another group of fellows. Harold Fryer was my Denver flying partner until he left the AF, and we lost contact.

Still keep in touch with the rest of the guys, though I haven't visited with either Bill D. or Richy since they left Sembach AB.

Yes, I miss those days.

Bill