Whittier Narrows

[Randy Powell]

Bob's comment in the Continental thread got me to thinking. How many others here flew at Whittier Narrows in the late 60s and early 70s? I now know that Sparky did and I already knew that Phil Granderson and Paul Walker flew there then. Are there others? It was a definite hotbed of control line at the time. I learned to fly on the grass circles there and spent many a weekend (and not a few weekdays during the summer) there flying. There were 4 grass circles (though the two bottom ones tended to get a bit swampy) and there was always a line up of 10 or 12 guys waiting to fly. I remember contests there and have vivid memories for some really cool stunt ships. This is what inspired me to build and fly stunters. I remember a hobby shop that was really close to the field that sold control line stuff and I spent a lot of time there salivating over engines and wood. My cousin had several photo albums of that time. To bad his wife pitched them out when he died. Sure wish I had them now.

[Andrew Borgogna]

I flew there in the late 69 through mid 70 time frame.  I flew in the Northeast circle, it does not exit today.  I know John Wright (1st place OTS at VSC-XX) flew there as well.
Andy

[Gordan Delaney]

Randy,
I flew at the Narrows back then. I flew with Whitely, Warden,Lay, 
   ,Wright,Baron,just to mention a few. I believe Walker was flying later.I think he was flying there in late 70`s or 80`s. it`s getting hard to remember that far back. HA!


Gordy

[WhittleN]

Well I flew at the "Narrows" too but mostly at Mile Square.  I did win my first Stunt contest at Whittier Narrows.

Norm Whittle

[Dwayne]

Started back into the hobby there 1986-87
Dwayne

[RC Storick]

Anyone remember the Rose Hills fire? Thats when I was flying there. What year was that?

[Randy Powell]

Robert,

Yea, I remember that. But I couldn't say the year.

I hadn't realized all the guys that flew there at that time. I just remember it being very, very busy. Lots of flyers, picnics, contests and such. I was mostly a kid hanging on the fence, but I flew a bit. Fun times.

[bruce malm]

I flew combat with Phil in the early 70's between trips to Viet Nam. My wife Teena would launch for me.

Bruce   

[ptg]

Bruce, yes you did!!
How about Mike Jackson, Senior NATS Champ in 1971.  Keith Trostle who planted his original Folke Wolf in one of the grass circles. 
And then there's one of my favorite people Bill Rutherford, Nats top 3 finisher, RC Pylon wiz still Nats competitor, coach, grandpa, and mentor to rising star and former Jr Nats Champ Ryan Young.  Bill is responsible/to blame for me flying combat.  The full blown combat plane I ever CRASHED was his Fox powered Raunchy, took all of 5 seconds and I never saw the plane except at launch and after crash. 
Others I remember, Mike Gearhart, Terry Prather, Ralph DePalma, Virgil Wilber.  Howard Rush showed me his combat TRICK there on New Years day 1973.

[FLOYD CARTER]

Whenever I visit Whittier Narrows, I take some time to go across the freeway to Rose Hills.  Both mom and dad are there.  We lived in So. El Monte when I was VERY little (1936-1940).  As Mike K. once observed, "that was back when English was the official language."

Floyd in OR

[Stan Tyler]

Phil,

Wasn't Mike Jackson the JR champ in '71? My flying buddy was Mike and we would fly over at Hartwell Park (behind the library) in Long Beach on Saturday mornings. I remember riding my bike over to his house and walking over to the park.

Wonder what ever happened to him?

Stan

[Chris McMillin]

Bruce, yes you did!!
How about Mike Jackson, Senior NATS Champ in 1971.  Keith Trostle who planted his original Folke Wolf in one of the grass circles. 
And then there's one of my favorite people Bill Rutherford, Nats top 3 finisher, RC Pylon wiz still Nats competitor, coach, grandpa, and mentor to rising star and former Jr Nats Champ Ryan Young.  Bill is responsible/to blame for me flying combat.  The full blown combat plane I ever CRASHED was his Fox powered Raunchy, took all of 5 seconds and I never saw the plane except at launch and after crash. 
Others I remember, Mike Gearhart, Terry Prather, Ralph DePalma, Virgil Wilber.  Howard Rush showed me his combat TRICK there on New Years day 1973.

Mike Gearhart, I haven't heard that name in a long time!
Jerry McMillin took me to a lot of contests and practices there in the late sixties, early seventies.
Roger Barrett and Larry, our old PAMPA VP, and Bob Baron, Bill Netzeband, Ray Smith and Jim Mayfield I remember from Whittier as well.   
Lynn Bowman is a name I remember as he kept us younger folk entertained with handlaunch gliders when we were bored.

Chris...

[ptg]

"Lynn Bowman is a name I remember as he kept us younger folk entertained with handlaunch gliders when we were bored.

Chris..."

Forgot about him!  He was a combat flier, he always wore a black Top Hat at contests and combat guys called him a pencil with and eraser (he was very thin).  He and I went to the SW Regionals in his company car one year.  I covered two combat planes with silk and dope in the back of the car on the way to AZ.  He was very entertaining!

[bruce malm]

Phil,
There was another guy that flew when I was there. I believe he always wore a straw hat with a Shamrock on it. I've got a picture somewhere
of him bringing my plane back to the pits. I did find the templates for my combat plane I call the Searcher. Have one just about finished. It would
be fun to get a bunch of us old farts up to my place and throw a few in the air and not have to worry about shutoffs, etc.

Bruce   

[Randy Powell]

Bruce,

I'd like to see that picture. My cousin, Bill Mayo, always wore a straw hat when he flew. He flew stunt and combat. Wish I could find someone that remembered him. He was a good guy that taught me to fly and was a good flier.

[Gordan Delaney]

Gee how could I forget my special bud Phil. Phil and I had many good Combat matches together.

Right

Phil

[Douglas Babb]

Not to hijack the thread but anyone remember or fly with the Mission Bay Prop Busters in San Diego, nice big grass area on vacation island great for flying til the soccer pukes took over.