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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Chris Gilbert IRL-1638 on November 23, 2011, 05:26:52 AM
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Folks,
Is there, or does anyone have, a chronological list of Ted Franchers designs.
Chris
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Hi Chris,
As you probably know, Ted is a member here and contributes quite often. Other than if he has a list, I don't know of one.
Big Bear
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..
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This Ted Francher guy is immortalized in the Stuka Stunt Blues song..
;->
L.
"..my name is not Ted Francher,
and I don't eat quiche" -Tony Lang, Stuka Stunt Blues
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This Ted Francher guy is immortalized in the Stuka Stunt Blues song..
;->
L.
"..my name is not Ted Francher,
and I don't eat quiche" -Tony Lang, Stuka Stunt Blues
Larry,
Still amazed Tony's "'stunt blues" didn't hit the charts. It was awesome. Anyone know whatever happened to him????
Ted
P.s. I don't really have a chronology of my "designs". Like most they were derived from what came before them with a bit of bias towards my peculiar proclivities at the time they were put on paper. They've all followed pretty similar thought processes. If you're talking "published" there haven't really been a great bunch like from Jack Sheeks, Billy W, Bobby Who and a handful of others. The Excitation and Imitation were my first published designs (don't recall which came first they were sort of two parts of the same developmental process). The Trivial Pursuit was the first design published in Stunt News back in the early to mid '90s...again don't ask me for specifics. The Fancherized Twister (which has received a lot of coverage as a "Ted" design but was fundamentally a kit bashed Sig Twister) may have come before the T.P. The last published design was the Doctor/Medic which was, again, published in SN and intended as a simple stunt trainer for beginner and intermediates and utilized an unflapped configuration for ease of trimming.
Aside from those published designs I had two jet styled modified Noblers I called Moby Dick for all the unfortunate reasons (same approximate "mass" [for Howie's benefit] as a whale) although both qualified in their respective Nats, '74 for the original and '76 for the second which is still hanging on my wall. My first big stunter was an ST .46 design, two of which were built, the second actually having a name, "Citation", and it won the first ever Nats Concours and also earned me my first top five tying with Bob Baron for third place in 1977. This was again a jet styled ship that stole from many of its forebears as well as a cowling stolen directly from Bob Who's wonderful big Genesis.
The Intimidation was a derivative of the Excitation and won the 1982 Walker Cup. It also won the 1981 Concours. It still hangs in the local hobby shop. It was a fake I-beam with full ribs and fully built up flaps and tail feathers using 1/16 aluminum tubing for trailing edge stock. (The tail was also 1.25" thick at the root...stolen from the very successful Imitation that preceded it.
There were other deriviative airplanes each of which picked at an aerodynamic nit which appealed to me at the time. These included numbered later versions of Excitations and one I particularly liked called the Temptation which was flown at the first Tri Cities Nats in Washington. It was built because I fell in like with the way Gene Schaffer's small ST .46 airplanes flew. It was only about 610 square inches and had the cleanest lines of any of my designs. Unfortunately, I wasn't as skilled as Gene at making small airplanes at an appropriate weight and it's performance paid the price for my lack of skills.
There were a couple more but they'll have to wait while I go eat dinner and then to choir practice.
Thanks for asking. I'm finding there were more of them than sprang to mind at first "think"
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Ted and Ted,
Unfortunately I never met Tony, but I have a copy of the Stuka Stunt Blues. It is a classic by a very good musician.
I hope that Tony Lang shows up again at VSC and may Noblers beware!
Ted,
Do you really eat quiche???
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Let me say - still one the best looking designed models I have ever seen - ticked every conceivable box I had that dictated what constitued an excellent design.
Great Lines
Unique Look
Excellent performance
Flowing Numbers
It just "looks right"
Infuenced me for years to come - even today my latest design follows a similar Axium flow of design.
Like so many great works of art - it breaks stereotypes, screams individuality and demands your attention.
The Ted Fancher - Trivial Pursuit - Special Edition 2004
(http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/pjaussie/USAMuncie687.jpg)
(http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/pjaussie/Specialedi.jpg)
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It broke some other records too. ;D
I've always loved Ted's designs. He just has the eye.
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Quote : Randy Powell
" It broke "
Dont be cruel...
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Don't forget the one that swallowed a Bumble Bee in Albany, Oregon LL~ LL~ Gerald Schamp
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Larry,
Still amazed Tony's "'stunt blues" didn't hit the charts. It was awesome. Anyone know whatever happened to him????
Ted
Ahh.....the blues. Like the Concerto Grosso probably the greatest song form ever devised, and a totally American invention. Since the death of Cole Porter, it is the basis for 95% of popular music. To be immortalized in a blues is quite an honor.
Tony can really play and is one of my favorite people. That tune was recorded in Jamie Ascenzo's studio, and I think Jamie is playing the guitar.
Haven't seen Tony in a while. Last I heard he moved to Illinois and was working as a piano technician, which is what he did around here. He is also a great piano tech.
Paul Smith would probably know what Tony is up to better than I. Not sure but I heard he had some health issues. I hope he is Ok.
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I need to figure a method of transcribing Stuka Stunt Blues to an MP3 file for easier sharing. It's an excellent musical example, Tony is one talented person.
He also completely assembled and flew a model at Silver Belle park at that VSC. It came out a bit rough, with some sand imbedded in the finish, thanks to the March winds of Arizona.
I also remember Tony flying a small biplane in the wind, which would nearly stop when flying upwind. He got a round of applause on completion of the flight.
Tony is definitely a character, I hope he is well.
As for Ted's designs, I remember his fine technical articles on the Imitation profile. Somewhere I still have most of those saved in a large binder. Ted has contributed greatly to our hobby, and his designs are well worth studying and building. Just don't expect to match his cowl building skills.. ;->
L.
"Never assume the obvious is true." -William Safire
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Let me say - still one the best looking designed models I have ever seen - ticked every conceivable box I had that dictated what constitued an excellent design.
Great Lines
Unique Look
Excellent performance
Flowing Numbers
It just "looks right"
Infuenced me for years to come - even today my latest design follows a similar Axium flow of design.
Like so many great works of art - it breaks stereotypes, screams individuality and demands your attention.
P.J. and Randy, thanx so much for the kind words. Coming from guys whose building and finishing skills I've long admired I take your comments as a great compliment.
Ted
The Ted Fancher - Trivial Pursuit - Special Edition 2004
(http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/pjaussie/USAMuncie687.jpg)
(http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/pjaussie/Specialedi.jpg)
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As for Ted's designs, I remember his fine technical articles on the Imitation profile. Somewhere I still have most of those saved in a large binder. Ted has contributed greatly to our hobby, and his designs are well worth studying and building. Just don't expect to match his cowl building skills.. ;->
L.
"Never assume the obvious is true." -William Safire
Thank you, Larry. I appreciate the kind thoughts.
Ted
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Let me say - still one the best looking designed models I have ever seen - ticked every conceivable box I had that dictated what constitued an excellent design.
Great Lines
Unique Look
Excellent performance
Flowing Numbers
It just "looks right"
Infuenced me for years to come - even today my latest design follows a similar Axium flow of design.
Like so many great works of art - it breaks stereotypes, screams individuality and demands your attention.
The Ted Fancher - Trivial Pursuit - Special Edition 2004
(http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/pjaussie/USAMuncie687.jpg)
(http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/pjaussie/Specialedi.jpg)
Hi PJ,
I have to agree...that also is my favorite of all of Ted's airplanes. The design just "looks right", the finish was superb, the color scheme beautiful, and of course it flew extremely well (from my observations of Ted's flights...I never got to fly it.)
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Through the years Ted has provided all of us the true essence of stunt design.
The outlines, the detail, the graphics, the cowlings and the workmanship.
His stuff has always been exciting to be around not to mention the success his designs have enjoyed.
Teds' airplanes go beyond "Sky Art". They fly well and Ted has the skill and experience to make these excellent examples of a stunt ship perform at the highest level.
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Ted, Just had to kid you about the Bumble Bee in Albany, Oregon. By the way it was a great save to a beautiful airplane. Having read your thoughts on the Imitation on another line, I'm working on a smaller version of your Tivial Pursuit using the Imitation numbers with a similar TP shape. Looks good on paper, so far.
You truely have inspired a bunch of us particulary here in the Northwest, a lot of your "Take Offs" have been built and flown with great success, my version of the earlier TP flew pretty good after Bruce Perry fixed it for me, and its still around somewhere up here. Has had more engines in it than most Nascar cars do in a liftetime. Anyhow, do appreciate all you've given to us. By the way, I have the October and September Model Aviation 1979 and 1981 of your Imitation and Excitation to refer to with this creation.
Thanks, Gerald Schamp H^^ H^^
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Through the years Ted has provided all of us the true essence of stunt design.
The outlines, the detail, the graphics, the cowlings and the workmanship.
His stuff has always been exciting to be around not to mention the success his designs have enjoyed.
Teds' airplanes go beyond "Sky Art". They fly well and Ted has the skill and experience to make these excellent examples of a stunt ship perform at the highest level.
Hmmm. From Les McDonald!
Talk about pots and kettles.
thank you, my friend.
Ted
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There were two other airplanes that deserve some discussion.
The Citation V was built around 1984 or so after I had spent a season flying the Imitation using an Enya .46 four stroke. It was a lovely combination and I would literally fly the airplane just for fun many, many flights. The four banger never quit and provide the impulse to allow the airplane to fly recognizable patterns of almost any size. You could do everything except the wingover and overheads well under 45 degrees!
The Cit. V was based more closely on the Imitation in that it had a straight trailing edge but more swept leading edge (strictly for looks...it was actually a little counterproductive because I shortened the nose well over an inch to account for the greater weight of the Enya. Alas, the performance simply didn't translate and it was re-engined with, first, the then semi-popular OS FSR like Bobby Who won the Worlds with. I could never get it to run the same inside andoutside and thus gave up and dropped in one of my many ST .46s. That combination won the Walker Cup in 1986.
In 1992-3 I built my second Trivial Pursuit for the WCs in Shanghai (1994). It was called the Great Expectations and eventually flew well enough to come in fifth...behind the entire Chinese team and Paul W. The "trick du jour" for that airplane was the use of the then popular "flat stab with rounded leading edge" that was becoming universal for many of the top competitors...including Paul. On the T.P. it proved to be a dismal failure, not tracking well in level flight and difficult to fly consecutive maneuvers with. That sort of started the "playing with tails, especially leading edge shapes" trials that David eventually turned into a great article in S.N. called "De Tails". When the Gr. Expec. was ready to go to war with China it had 1/32" wires taped to the leading edge of the stab which pretty much solved all the problems. It flew very well in Shanghai. It also won the 1995 Walker Cup while still Red, White and Blue and sporting the "wired" stab.
That same airplane was later stripped and repainted in "Pond Scum" purples (thanx Bobby) and flew competitively for a number of years in that livery including winning the 2000 (I think) Nats and Walker Cup. When it was refinished I rebuilt and reshaped the leading edge of the stab making it very sharp and more of an actual "airfoil" shape. That proved to be a good solution. The Special Edition (in the pictures in this thread) design concept was informed by those tail/stabililty issues and sported the same sort of very sharp leading edge on an airfoiled tail which was mounted 1/2" higher in the fuse than previous versions. It was by far the easiest of the series to fly flat in level flight and it flew pretty well in its very short lifetime.
It was also the airplane that swallowed the famous "Bumble Bee" in Albany, OR. that Gerald Schamp alluded to earlier. Flying an official over the General Aviation Ramp I had just pulled out of the wingover (or it might have been after the inside loops) inverted when the engine flat quit like throwing a light switch. Three quarters of a lap later it was laying on its top in the grass between the ramp and the runway with stacked up tie down chains in front of it and behind it (they had been removed from the ramp so we could fly on it). Not a scratch on the airplane and after significant head scratching with the cowl off of it somebody asked, "Hey, what's that in the intake (OS VF .46 IIRC)? Somebody got a pair of surgical clamps with which I reached into the intake and pulled out a largely intact big bumble bee. It had somehow managed to slip right through the three blade prop spinning at 10K plus and did a swan dive into the intake. It was stopped by the spray bar!
I think those are the only designs/variations of any interest. There were a couple of others that were short lived and of little consequence and, frankly, I don't remember much of anything about them. One was an Excitation variant that I flew at the Reno Nats to a low top five finish but was otherwise not noteworthy and another was built especially for the Sweden (Oxelosund) WCs in 1982 but crashed when just getting trimmed out when the cable in my Gene Martine/Bob Baron handle snapped in the middle of a flight.
Thanks for the little trip down memory lane. Makes me wish I had cataloged more pictures like Al has done over the years...of course, he didn't bust most of his!
Ted
Almost forgot! For that Reno nats (very high density altitudes had everyone concerned about wing loadings and horsepower) I built a special airplane whos name I don't recall. Lots of trick stuff to keep the weight down like a balsa radial cowl and no spinner, built up and stringered fuse and an ultralight "fake I-Beam" 720 square inch wing covered with Monokote. Thought it would be the cat's meow for "hot and high". turned out to be a better imitation of a seagull than a stunt plane. Everything was so flimsy it went through the pattern like a big bird flapping its wings. It looked kind of cool though and after I stripped the monokote off I discovered the stab was also cracked at the root and threatening to spit itself out both sides. I said the heck with it and put in in the attic where it resided for 10 or 15 years until Paul Pomposo decided he wanted to take it home and recover and refinish it. So far, as far as I know, only the "take it home" part has come to pass. It's "flapping" weight was something like 43 oz with an FSR in the nose. Don't try that at home!
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As a kid who eagerly devoured everything about stunt in Flying Models, Model Aviation, Stunt News, etc. in the 1980s ... I think one of those was named "Celebration".
And I remember you mentioning the Reno Monokote special as "Retaliation", Ted ... always thought that was a fantastic name. :)
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Hello, Mr. Fancher! ;D
I recently unearthed a set of foam cores for the Imitation wing/flaps and stab./elev. I have had these (hate to admit it!) for over 20 years. They got shuffled to a place where they should not have been!
With the articles on the Imitation firmly in hand, Aaron and I will soon be assembling an Imitation to original specs. At first the thought was to build a full fuselage, OS .40VF/piped version, but the Imitation is legal for "Profile" around here, so it just "might" be an OS /40VF/Piped version as a designed originally. If you can't beat 'em, out power them! LOL!!
A question: I have a couple of the Golden State Circular Bellcranks and I am toying with the idea of using one as it is drawn in MA. What do you think?
Thanks,
Bill
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As a kid who eagerly devoured everything about stunt in Flying Models, Model Aviation, Stunt News, etc. in the 1980s ... I think one of those was named "Celebration".
And I remember you mentioning the Reno Monokote special as "Retaliation", Ted ... always thought that was a fantastic name. :)
Oh Boy Mike.
You're right. There was a Celebration but I can't remember anything about it. I expect it was built right after winning my first Nats but I wouldn't bet much on it.
I don't remember Retaliation being the name of the Reno ship, however.
Ted
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[quote author=Ted Fancher link=topic=
Thought it would be the cat's meow for "hot and high". turned out to be a better imitation of a seagull than a stunt plane. Everything was so flimsy it went through the pattern like a big bird flapping its wings. [/quote]
Ha, and you thought it was humorous when my 2000 Nats ship was flapping its wings. And who could forget Bretts wonderfull Jack Benny imitation.
Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team
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Don't forget the profiles, Doctor and Medic.
George
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Hi,
Thanks to all and in particular Ted.
My main interest in asking was to see if I had acquired as many of Teds published insights into model design as possible and it appears that I have, as I've managed to acquire all of the articles that were mentioned. They are excellent reading, and indeed the imitation article/sliderule has been run over many many model drawings since I first acquired a copy.
In this rather eccentric part of the world the weapon of choice for stunt is a derivative of the Trivial Pursuit, in one form or another. Tweaks here and there, but the wing is as per original. One thing they all share though is that they are powered by ST60s. My own experience is that the local versions fly extremely well with the ST60, so well in fact that I think there is an 'auto' button on the handle and the model just flies the pattern itself.
Chris
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Wow, just stumbled across this "OOOOOLLLDDD" thread from decades ago and got a big kick out of reminiscing over it.
I actually had some reason for adding to its already voluminous mass but by the time I got to the end I'd forgotten exactly what it (the reason) was. Don't feel obligated to scroll thing the whole thing unless you're interested in remembering your youth among other things. Interesting reading...at least to an old geezer who "CRS" about what he did for so long to kill time.
Be interesting to see if "anyone" wades through the whole mess just to get to this UNtimely addition.
Ted Fancher (My apoligies to everyone else and to the Stunthangar crew for steeling so much of their "band width" (Do bandwidths still exist int the Silicon Valley U.S.?????)
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Always loved reading Ted's articles. When Tom Morris came up with the idea of reprinting stunt articles and selling them for 10 cents a page i ordered many of Ted's articles. Then came the the day when Pampa first started pumping out 100 page magazines. Was glad to be apart of the floodgates of info opening. Plus Windy videos. Prior to that all we could get was 2 or 3 articles a month from magazines. Add to that all the info on the internet i think the hobby will continue indefinitely.
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I too loved reading all of Teds articles. In fact I read everything I could about stunt models. I built and flew Ted's design of the Doctor and was very pleased with it even though I lacked practice time. After second round of INT it was pointed out to me by a very great stunt flyer by the name of Fitzgerald that I had a broken spar. Repaired it I got home and like a dummy was flying ih the usual Kansas wind and folded the wing. Landed the plane and took it home. Can't remember who I gave it to, to repair and fly. Haven't seen it since. D>K
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I too loved reading all of Teds articles. In fact I read everything I could about stunt models. I built and flew Ted's design of the Doctor and was very pleased with it even though I lacked practice time. After second round of INT it was pointed out to me by a very great stunt flyer by the name of Fitzgerald that I had a broken spar. Repaired it I got home and like a dummy was flying ih the usual Kansas wind and folded the wing. Landed the plane and took it home. Can't remember who I gave it to, to repair and fly. Haven't seen it since. D>K
Awe, John!!!! That Fitzgerald kid!!! Wha'd'ya think he knows about "Stunt!?" Sheese! It was probably just a bit of crosswind bobbing the wing around upwind!
And you gave it away!!!! OMG!!! That guy that got it (under a pseudonym like "Walker" or somthin') is probably winning everything in sight with it still!!!!
Seeesh!!! You can drag a guy to water but ya can't make 'im drink! mw~ mw~ mw~ n1 n1 H^^
Er...uh...you do know I'm kidding, right!
Ted
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How about a link to this article that Ted is trying to get us to not read. I never pass up an opportunity to read his writings.
Ken
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https://library.modelaviation.com/article/excitation
Another example of if enough is good , too much must be better !
https://library.modelaviation.com/article/evolutionary-control-line-stunter-savoy
Just Kidding . True Appreciation is the time it takes to digest , and repeat courses .
(https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images4/1/0718/31/ted-fancher-trivial-pursuit-94_1_49e46e31dbd55f0a4ba1685816739647.jpg)
Trivial Persuit & The Doctor - are i think PAMPA material . Doctor is Plank wing ( Constant Chord ) effort .
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https://pampacl.org/2020/09/08/1990s-stunt-news/
" The DOCTOR " is may / june 1998 Stunt News .
Thunder Gazer ( T P development , ) is jan/feb & mar / april more recent Stunt News ( onna da cover )
Trivial Persuit might be June 94 , http://slis.org/lina/ here anyway . http://slis.org/lina/ Tho youd need ' translate ' .
https://stunthanger.com/smf/open-forum/francherized-twister-article/msg484827/#msg484827
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https://library.modelaviation.com/article/designing-imitation-1
https://library.modelaviation.com/article/excitation
Ted might have a word or two to say on Aerobatics , too . . . . https://library.modelaviation.com/search/node/ted%20fancher
(https://library-modelaviation.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/styles/full_page/s3/ma/ma198112/ma198112_046.jpg)
Dec 81
https://library.modelaviation.com/edition/model-aviation-198112
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Hey Ted I give a lot of planes away after I ruin them. The DOCTOR plans may get pulled out when I get the gran kids flying. It was a better flying plane than the pilot on the handle. D>K
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Trawling A M A for soda syphons gave me the oppertunity to ad further to Ted's notoriety & infamy !
(https://library-modelaviation.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/styles/full_page/s3/ma/ma198505/ma198505_069.jpg) (https://library-modelaviation.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/styles/full_page/s3/ma/ma198505/ma198505_162.jpg)
(https://library-modelaviation.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/styles/full_page/s3/ma/ma198505/ma198505_163.jpg) (https://library-modelaviation.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/styles/full_page/s3/ma/ma198505/ma198505_164.jpg)
The cats out of the bag , so THATs how He does it . S?P https://library.modelaviation.com/article/control-line-aerobatics-102#&gid=1&pid=3
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Was just reading through some of the posts on this topic and wondered if Stuka Stunt Blues might just be on You Tube. Guess what? #^ Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF-ma3tp8Po
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The cats out of the bag , so THATs how He does it . S?P https://library.modelaviation.com/article/control-line-aerobatics-102#&gid=1&pid=3
The link takes you to the AMA Login so it has to be somewhere on the site. Finding anything on the AMA Website for the first time is an adventure in frustration. Where is it!
Ken
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Try logging in to AMA, then hit the link. Seems to go there.
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Was just reading through some of the posts on this topic and wondered if Stuka Stunt Blues might just be on You Tube. Guess what? #^ Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF-ma3tp8Po
I am partly responsible for that!! I have an original tape that I got from Tony years ago after meeting him at VSC and then again at the SIG contest. When the subject came up again a year or two ago, I dug out the tape, and my son Sean did a quickie recording of it on his phone, threw the video together and uploaded it. It heeds to be redone in some better audio quality, maybe even better video quality also. Sean did a good job, as good as could be done with just a phone, I think. I would love the hang out with Tony again for an afternoon and evening and talk models and music!! Cool Dude!!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qygjhoRwcOg
Looks like He is a world famous recordinfg artiste . On the tube .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-09nyh8Z6Ok
Amougst Others .
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-zA1q5Djmw
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I wish a woman looked at me the way Ted looks at his Nobler LL~