stunthanger.com
General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Paul Taylor on January 14, 2022, 12:09:09 PM
-
I flew my first contest with my wingman Ryan (aka prop buster) at the Memphis Stunt Classic. We had a blast, made some friendships. The scores improved some over the years. Lol
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Tapatalk will only allows on one picture.
Time to find a new app.
-
Ok don’t need Tapatalk. I can now upload from the phone library. That’s news to me.
-
A few more
-
My first contest was in 1987 I think. It was when the Lafayette Esquadrille had their Broken Arrow contest in the summer! And it might have been before they started calling it The Broken Arrow! I wasn't a member then, just getting into serious control line flying after 20 years of serious R/C sailplane competition and some free flight. R/C sailplanes were getting expensive, and I had run into some bad luck job wise at that time. I had been collecting control line stuff for a while up till then, so just eased on into stunt in the beginner class. I remember getting out of the van and walking up to the entrance to what is now the square pad ( it was still a donut back then) and Jim Lee was flying a practice flight with one of his Sunflyer models. Just as I walked up to the edge, Jim Pulled out inverted at the bottom of the first outside square and I was looking down at the airplane!! The second one was right where the first one was! Let's just say that had a profound effect on me! It also took me two airplanes to get through the contest, a Twister and my Akromaster back up. I took both of them home needing some repairs! It's been all down hill since then!!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
-
I remember very little from my first contest were it not for this picture taken the day of my first contest somewhere around 1960-61 I wouldn't have any. It was a small contest in Northern Virgina in the DC area. I was maybe 13 so I was still a Junior. No idea how I did. I do remember my mentor from our club telling me that I was entering Junior Stunt even though I had never flown a full pattern. He said he would talk me through it so I guess it was either a club contest or one the club traveled to as a group.
Ken
I joined the AMA at the contest. One thing I do remember now was the number of entries was huge. Lots of Juniors & Seniors.
-
I think it was 1969 or thereabouts, Southwestern Regionals at Buckeye AZ. I had a Ringmaster or Shoestring or something like that, I don't recall. I could do some "tricks" and had never flown. My father had taken me to the event the previous year and I wanted to give it a try. I was twelve and there was another "kid" whom was doing a super good job of the pattern which I had never truly exactly seen let alone having tried before. My turn came up and I was given some pretty clear instructions to just get up in the air and fly what I could fly and it would be good. Some here may have gotten to know my mentality to know that what went through my mind at that exact second went something like, yeah right, like that's gonna happen, watch this. Take off level laps, pull up into the reverse wing over and the first half was nearly perfect. Well, the front of the crankshaft remained in the asphalt for a number of years.... I was hooked.
-
Dan
try this.....
Jim
-
1970, in Mission Bay Park near San Diego.
Was a junior, couldn't do a whole pattern. Did what I could on my first flight. I said, the heck with it, and did a full pattern for the very first time on my second flight. Placed second. All downhill from there!
That trophy still stands proudly in my shop!
-
2010 Fall Follies (http://flyinglines.org/Follies.10.html), October 2nd & 3rd in Salem Oregon. I came in 3rd in Beginner and went home with a broken airplane. Got applause for maintaining my cool after the 0-foot bottom on my horizontal eights, and managing a graceful-ish landing half a lap later.
-
I thought this picture was taken in 2010, but I just read my dad's shirt and then zoomed in on the plaque. I can't believe my first contest was only in 2015. It was the Ted Goyett contest at Woodland, California. I'm in the green shirt, my son is the 9 year old, and my dad is the...I guess 79 year old. Three generations in one contest. I won beginner. My son got second and I believe there was one other in beginner that day. I thought for sure this was more than seven years ago. It feels like it was twelve years ago. Something doesn't add up.
Some guys are mentioning the first contest they watched, so I'm adding this on. First contest I remember watching was probably the 1981 or 82 Nats. I was a score runner three or four years in a row. I learned three names that first year. Gieseke, Fancher, and Urtnowski. Who can resist a guy in a cowboy hat flying a plane twice the size of the others and leaning way back while doing it? When you're six, that's the ultimate in control line.
-
2018 North West Regionals.
Fantastic experience. Saw a lot of amazing flying. Met a lot of great people in the hobby.
Glad for the opportunity!
(picture taken right before my first official flight)
-
We need a like button on these!
1969 Garden State Circle Burners Basic flight Fox 36x powered Flight Streak. I was 5 years old! Wish I still had the cup.
First Stunt contest 2012 beginner la .25 powered flight streak. Crashed and burned
Tom
-
I remember mine like it was two years ago. Because it was.
2020 NYCLST meet.
1st place Beginner with a flying wing.
-
Dan
try this.....
Jim
WOW! That's cool! That must be it, just wasn't sure of the year, but was pretty sure it was summer. Do you remember who was first in Expert? The only other thing I remember is that it was breezy, Bill Calkins was there, and he suggested I turn the needle it a bit for extra punch in the wind. I really didn't know any one then, so I don't remember who was there, other than you and like I said, you kind of left an impression on me!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
-
Memorial Day weekend in Wrentham, MA, 2007. The week before the contest we were practicing and I still didn’t know all the maneuvers to the beginner pattern. I told my grandpa, I’m gonna do them all next flight. Did everything until I almost crashed in the attempt at the overhead 8. The contest I did the first inside loop of the overhead to get pattern points and an attempt. I was the only beginner and consequently placed first
I flew a Brodak Fw-190 profile powered by a McCoy 35
-
The 2007 fall contest in Wrentham, Ma. I flew a scratch built plane that I had belly landed at the bottom of the verticle eight while practicing. The fuselage was cracked, which I didn't notice,and during the official flight was barely flyable.
-
My first contest has been stated on here before. It was at a grass airstrip at Stanley, Kansas with a couple sheds/hangers a couple of planes were in. I entered Rat Race with my Guillows Rat Racer. Back then you had to fly a 25 lap qualifier race. Wheel fell off and I was DQ'd. Mom and Dad drove me down as I only had learners permit to drive. Dad watched the combat to the last match.
As far as stunt the Flying Eagles the club I joined had a beginner contest. I think there were three if us. I had my Ringmaster with the McCoy 35 Redhead on it. Two events. first event was a race or speed event. Take off from. fly level with a pit stop. The old McCoy was great. The second was take off fly level, do a loop if you wanted and land. Only time I got the Ringmaster to land with no bounce and roll to a stop. I still have both the first place trophies. Been hooked ever since. D>K
-
1956 Mirror meet. Floyd Bennet field. 3rd place novelty event.
trophy
-
Here I am in 58' at my first contest in Arkansas near the FOX factory.
Flite Streak, FOX Combat Spl blackhead on pressure.
Pretty hot for a 15 year old.
Mike Rudolph putting glue on the ripped silkspan.
Art Roberts in profile kneeling in the background.
On the next flight I had a mid-air with the tall guy standing in the background....he had more airplanes than I did so he won.
If anyone recognizes him....let us know.
-
1953 at Griffith park in Los Angeles Calif. (Bob Palmer's flying field) a 15 year old kid with his Veco Chief with a K&B .35. The other picture showing myself and the judges. Note: Clarence Lee in the hawaiian shirt with red hair and his wife carrying their daughter.
-
Dick B., I didn't realize you were also a New Yorker...
My first contest was a Mirror Meet at Floyd Bennett NAS, in 1958 or 1959 - with a ( - just released-) kit Magician. Engine? ...either ENYA 35 or, more likely, Johnson 35 DID get a score - nothing to brag about...
No pix of me or mine, but I still have a good photo of some speed guys with a hand truck mounted electric starter setting engines. Those looked like 'performance' Fox or possibly McCoy - exhaust stacks wrong side for K&B.
-- My family didn't get a car until I was 18 - old enough to drive in NYC. Public transit on weekends was excellent back then, and affordable. Great memories of a bunch of us using Brooklyn buses and subways (and some walking) to haul models and ground stuff to and from flying fields...
-
I have a few "contest milestones":
c 1987 Sig Contest: I was about 3 or 4 years old when Dad would put me out in the circle with my Carl Goldberg Wizzard between rounds. At the Sunday awards presentation, Hazel and Maxi, in a display of their infinite kindness and generosity, gave me a 1/2A Skyray kit, a gallon of fuel, and a box of goodies for just being a cute little blond kid. In the years that followed, as I graduated to bigger airplanes, I "flew" beginner at that contest. Back in those days, all contestants got a gallon of fuel and a goodie bag for entering, so it was lucrative lol, but it was good exposure to flying contests.
1996 Peoria Wirefiyers Contest: Getting "older and uglier", I finally learned the beginner pattern, and flew my first REAL contest at the now-defunct Peoria contest.
1997 VSC: My first "big" contest, as well as my first Old Time contest. Quite a weekend
-
Dayton Ohio about 1978 while in college. Flew an embarrassing crude profile Sig Banshee with a Fox 35.
Recall meeting Bob McDonald who was about same age as me, but flew at what looked like Expert level to me. Also watched Wynn Paul and Bill Werwage compete. People were kind to this enthusiastic but unskilled beginner. I was pleased to not have crashed.
I met Joe Reinhard about the same time and with his help I was able to climb up the PAMPA ladder soon after.
I’ve been doing this for a long time. I ought to be better at it.
-
1980 I think. Todd Hessling and I drove from Quincy to the Quad Cities contest. We were both in high school. Todd had a pink profile Nobler. I didn’t take a plane. All I had flying at the time was an oft repaired ringmaster that I didn’t think was contest worthy. That was a mistake and I regret not taking a plane to this day. But hey, what did I know? Nothing!
The trip was not without an education. I spent the day pitting for my new acquaintance, Doug Dalke. He was flying his Sandbagger with a ST 46. He was obsessed with light weight and burning as little fuel as possible to complete the pattern. I seem to remember him bragging about just under 3 oz or something. The plane was gray with red trim and covered I believe in Japanese tissue to keep the weight down.
That day I learned several things: no airplane is too ugly to take to a contest, stunt is full of incredible characters and individuals, and all the cussing in the world (and I do mean all!) will not help a ST 46 start if it doesn’t want too.
-
Lou,
I was born in Weymouth mass. we flew with Dave Cook and all the Mass guys. It was a wonderful experience.
Dick
-
12 yrs old. 1st King Orange Int,1954 Won BTR with a K&B 23 powered Redskin .My dad was my Pitman
-
My first one was in the Chicago area, about 1965 or 1966 I can't remember. My dad and I went with some club members in a local Carrier hot shot's Buick Wildcat. He didn't want me to go because i was a little kid but my dad said if i don't go, he wasn't going. I guess he thought I might not by house trained! I was either 6 or 7!
I flew my Ringmaster Jr. called Pinky, powered with the Hope 19, in Jr. Rat Race and Balloon Bust.
Rat was a disaster! One of the kids had a Johnny Casburn Stunt ship, one had a CG Shoestring or Cosmic Wind, I had Pinky, and the 4th kid had a beautiful red Rat with a Super Tigre .29! We were all briefed up on were to stand, how to move in the center for flying, pitting, etc and I was told to stay low. For me that was 5 feet or so and I'm sure they all meant about 1 1/2 feet! Off I went, dad launched me and I flew nice and low at 5 feet... next the Johnny Casburn guy flew right over me, then the CG, then the Rat went diagonally right through my lines. There was yelling from inside the circle, yelling from outside, and models kept going and the Rat went in at a 45 degree angle after winding us up in cable around our shoulders, feet, I put my left hand on my neck so it didn't get too tight and mine finally bellied in. I won, I was last one flying. No way I was doing that again!
On to Balloon Bust, where one had to hit the row of balloons by flying over them then tipping the top of the last one, I was always hitting it too steep and touching the ground on recovery, ending up getting no balloons in either flight and ending the flights early hitting the pop on the ground. Hence, a win in Rat Race, no score in Balloon Bust!
Our intrepid Carrier Hot Rod sat in the back while dad drove his Wildcat home, he won two trophies and wanted to sit with them while he told us of is flights!
That was my first contest...
-
First contest I saw was at Swope Park in Kansas City in 1959. We were so excited when we got there that we jumped out of the car while it was still moving. A guy had a Flite Streak covered in yellow silkspan. I thought it was beautiful. He had a midair which turned it into yellow confetti. I decided then that combat was the sport for me.
-
1948. South Gate, CA. Local clubs invited and sponsored by my club, South Gate Skylarks. Members of the Skylarks included Tom Lay Jr. (plus his dad and his uncle Ray Lay): Bob Dunham (later started Orbit R/C). My entry was a model similar to the "Boxcar" but larger, and powered by a Bunch Contestor 60.
-
1959 at an airforce base just over the river from Memphis. Flew combat with a Whatsit with a greenhead Torp 35 prepared by Duane Cassa. Won both my matches except my kill on the eventual winner was a line cut which dq'd me. That Cassa Torp was phenominal and really made a difference.
-
The first contest I entered wasn't nearly as important as the first contest I went to as an observer.
It was a contest somewhere in New Jersey, not far from Fort Monmouth where I was stationed in the summer of 1991. I vaguely remember that there were tall trees surrounding a good portion of the circle. Just being there was a real eye opener. I had flown a Ringmaster and a Carl Goldberg Shoestring in High School and had no idea that control line models could do a tenth of the things I saw them doing that day. I didn't introduce myself, and had no idea who the flyers were, but I never forgot that there was so much more to control line stunt than I ever realized as a kid.
When I was a kid it wasn't uncommon to see kids flying control line at ball fields, school yards, and K-Mart parking lots on Sundays (when the store was closed) Most of (the few) contests I've been to since getting back into control line are at fairly remote sites. I'm not faulting anybody or any club, but I wonder what would happen if we could fly our practice flights and hold our contests in high visibility places like ball fields, school yards, and shopping store parking lots.
Oh, well, it was a real eye opener that day in Jew Jersey and I'm glad I looked through the AMA Events calendar and found my way out to the flying field.
Joe Ed Pederson
-
I was interested in airplanes at an early date, seeing many planes being ferried to the war while living in Tulsa OK. Probably in late '47 or '48 my father took the family to a large model airplane contest. C/L was flown at a football stadium and I remember models performing all sorts of stunt maneuvers. Later that day we went to a field where they were flying FF. That day got me interested in flying model airplanes. First ones were mostly small rubber powered and glider FF's. I got a C/L Firebaby for my birthday in '51 while living in Burbank CA. We moved to Salt Lake City, UT at the end of the year and I built a Baby Barnstormer but it was too much airplane for the Wasp .049 at the 5000 ft elevation where I flew it. A Mini Zilch was built which was both smaller and much lighter. It would actually do loops and such.
In '52, I entered Junior Stunt at a large annual contest. I won 1st place, getting farther through the stunt pattern before crashing than the other contestants. I was hooked! I have been competing ever since in C/L, FF and even some R/C. Some Speed models are faster than the pilot now and I have to be careful flying overhead eights but I still love to compete.
Jim Rhoades
-
My first contest I flew in was Louisiana State Model Airplane Championships in June of 1969 in Shreveport, LA Flew in CG Cosmic Wind with a McCoy 35 in Jr stunt. Was 13 yrs old. Had no idea that there was a pattern to be flown, just thought more of a free style event. I forgot my fuel and my aunt had to ask the other fliers for a tank of fuel. My flight score was 79 points. I didn't win! My aunt took a Polaroid of my flight.
-
I thought I was going to win the prize here until I saw Floyd's post.
My father ran the Exchange Club sponsored meets in New Jersey in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The Exchange Club had a stipulation to their sponsorship: There must be a Youngest Contestant event.
I don't remember any of the following, but the story goes that my father held me in his arms at age 22 months and I flew the requisite number of laps unassisted with my little paw in the handle, and won the event. The second place flier was none other than Don Shulman, Leon Shulman's son! He was two years old. The year? 1949. So I can honestly tell people who ask how long I've been flying (a common question that I get...) that I was winning contests in the 1940s!
Later - Bob Hunt
-
1962 big meet in White Plains NY. Jr Combat with a Voodoo/Fox Rocket and a Giant Killer/ McCoy. Somehow I made it through eliminations and won the event! Still have the trophy. So I figured I was then a combat flyer but never got close to the podium again. Still enjoy flying the old crates though> TS
-
I'll stick in my first contest- flying Combat over asphalt at Midway Stadium in 1963. Thanks to my Beneficent Aunt Hilde for gifting me with a Johnson 25 for the prior Christmas. I'd already built a couple planes. I designed and drafted a high aspect wing- 44 in span, 8in chord, about 430 squares. That helped carry the Johnson, which was a bit heavier than a Fox Rocket or similar.
The big day drew quite a few stunters, Good Year racers, and stunt planes, but only 3 in combat. I got the lucky draw, the other two pilots flew a match- very carefully - no wild maneuvering, mostly chasing around upright. One guy was pretty obviously practiced and won with one cut. He and I flew for 1st. I had trouble getting started, with a flaky fuel line. After a quick change we got the motor started late. I got up, they blew a horn, I kind of went over the top, came down on his streamer and mostly through luck got a cut. He tried for a cut, and went under. I pulled up around 60 deg. He got flustered and pancaked into the pavement. The judges blew the horn and I'd won my first Combat contest. Needless to say I was hooked.
Many thanks to Jeff Welliver(long deceased) for getting the stadium and putting on the contest.
-
I remember it clearly. Ann Arbor Michigan in the fall of 1961.
I took 3rd in Junior combat with a Veco Hornet that barely flew.
There were only two entries in Junior Stunt. Somebody loaned me a stunter with which I completed the pattern on my first official stunt flight and took 3rd place. I was in violation of the BOM but so were the other two Juniors.
-
Flew at the King Orange 1984, AMA Fast combat event. Goldberg Voodoo covered in bright pink monocote, Fox combat special MK3 on bladder. Won first place and I couldn't believe it. I was on cloud nine that day and great memories.
-
My first contest was January 1, 1963, The Misery Meet, and it was a Free Flight contest. I showed up with my brand new Ramrod 600 with a Fox .201 on it, and placed 2nd. Next contest was Memorial Day weekend '63, Sand Point NAS, and I flew my first Combat match. Flew two matches, won both with kills, but they ran short of time and flipped coins to decide trophies. :( I even remember how I chopped the streamer off in my first match...followed him through a half outside and up through the streamer. Later, I learned how to perform mid-air collisions and took up speed flying (monoline). LL~ Steve
-
It is hard to remember as i did more FF contest than CL. It would be around 1953-54. I had been flying for several years by this time so the pattern was easy to fly. It may have been at Endicott or Ithaca NY. Many small towns in south central NY had hobby shops and they put on contest. VD~
Ed
-
June 1965, Albany, Oregon. Flew Rat Race with Fox 36X powered Skat Rat. Somehow managed to get 2nd place against four other juniors. Still have the trophy.
-
Garden State Circle Burner Snowbird on 1964. Saw Harold Price Crusader with retracts, and Valkyere, and too many others to name. Larry S flew his magnificent Sting Ray ( combat wing) and I think he had rhe original Blue Angel.Also recall original Ballarina that was a work of art.
-
2018 North West Regionals.
Fantastic experience. Saw a lot of amazing flying. Met a lot of great people in the hobby.
Glad for the opportunity!
(picture taken right before my first official flight)
I was there that day and I recall seeing that airplane! How cool!
Gary
-
First flying contest I was ever in was a small event held on a sod farm near Deer Park in 1982 or 83. Flew in 1/2A scale with my rather funny looking “Corsair” that had started life as a CG Wizard. A little repainting and a saw taken to the wings resulted in a dark blue profile with inverted gull wings and a working bomb drop. I no longer have the trophy itself, but in my recent move I found the small engraved plaque that was on it. Neat memory. I’d almost forgotten about that whole thing.
Gary
-
I found a photo of myself and the plane I entered in my first contest, 1948, South Gate CA. Let's see, I was 14 years old!
-
My first contest was 1948, but my first trophy was in 1950 at the Plymouth preliminary contest in Los Angeles. Since AMA rules were used, I entered in the SENIOR division,where there were not many entries! This trophy was a 2nd place in Sr. Stunt. At that time, all stunt was "Old Time"..the modern pattern hadn't yet been invented.
The lady presenting trophies was advertised as a well-known movie actress. Anyone know who she is?
Wow! looking closely, I see that I was embarassed being congratulated by a pretty lady!
-
Kind of looks like Susan Hayward?
She was a real looker. 😉
-
My first contest was 1948, but my first trophy was in 1950 at the Plymouth preliminary contest in Los Angeles. Since AMA rules were used, I entered in the SENIOR division,where there were not many entries! This trophy was a 2nd place in Sr. Stunt. At that time, all stunt was "Old Time"..the modern pattern hadn't yet been invented.
The lady presenting trophies was advertised as a well-known movie actress. Anyone know who she is?
Wow! looking closely, I see that I was embarassed being congratulated by a pretty lady!
I thought she looked a bit like Marilyn Monroe....Marilyn might be a bit younger though.
-
Not Marilyn Monroe. She was close to my age. In fact, Marilyn was born a couple years earlier in the very same maternity ward as I. <Los Angeles county hospital, now a part of USC Medical Center.
-
My first contest was 1948, but my first trophy was in 1950 at the Plymouth preliminary contest in Los Angeles. Since AMA rules were used, I entered in the SENIOR division,where there were not many entries! This trophy was a 2nd place in Sr. Stunt. At that time, all stunt was "Old Time"..the modern pattern hadn't yet been invented.
The lady presenting trophies was advertised as a well-known movie actress. Anyone know who she is?
Wow! looking closely, I see that I was embarassed being congratulated by a pretty lady!
Floyd, Could it have been Jane Powell?
-
I will bet she was a well-known supporting actress. Contests were so different in that era. Promoted, prizes, real trophies, more than three entries in just about everything. Even had bleachers with actual spectators. Ahh the memories.....
Ken
-
First Stunt contest was at Brodaks in2016. Flew beginner event with a 109% Electric powered Excalibur.
Took First Place.
First OTHER contest was back in 1974 at Merced CA. (was stationed at Castle AFB). Flew Jet Sped and 1/2A speed.
Made a lot of good friends from both places and times. Dale Kirn, Fred and Joyce Margarido, Frank Hunt, Jerry Thomas, M. Hoyt and a host
of others whose names I have forgotten over the years.
Carl
-
I had a ??? debut. The Minneapolis Piston Poppers hosted a multievent contest in 1967 at the St.Paul baseball stadium. It had lots of decent pavement so stunt, racing etc. was OK.
I flew in the combat event. I can only remember the broad details. I had built a high aspect ratio 5.5 straight wing with a Johnson combat special. I was up against VooDoo's with Fox Combat engines,
They drew the two Voodoos's. That match was one cut and then the other plane crashed. Whoops. The 2nd match I flew my first match. I believe I got up second. We did a bit of chasing. I thought I got a cut but the opponent tried and got a sliver and crashed immediately.
It was a short, fast combat event, placing second and going home with my plane.
Made me a happy guy!
-
I think it was a Kansas City Sky Devils contest at Swope Park in 1967. I flew ballon bust and Jr. stunt, finishing .......well finishing. I think it was with my one and only Ringmaster.
Dave
-
..
-
Middle Earth Precision Aerobatics Championship, June, 1981. First place in Beginner, 383 points, as I recall. 630 square inch Genesis "40", from the Dick Mathis kit, 51 ounces, ST46, .157 venturi (stock), Sullivan RST-6 tank plumbed for uniflow, 5% Fox Superfuel, Top Flite 12-6. Yellow monokote on wings/tail, silver and maroon dope on fuselage, silver trim monokote lettering.
Brett
-
Wow this is a old thread. 😂🤣😂
My scores did improve some after I flew advance. 🥴
-
Yep. My first was a FF contest, the 1963 Misery Meet at Smith Brother's Dairy Farm in Kent, WA. I flew my brand new Ramrod 600/Fox .201 to 2nd place in Jr./Sr. ABC gas. Guntis Sietins won 1st with a previously flown Starduster 900/Johnson .35CS, and Brian Mace placed 3rd with a Ramrod 600/Fox .25. I still am in contact with both guys, and see Brian fairly often. Saw Guntis at a FF contest in Oregon in 2021.
My 2nd contest ever was the 1963 NW Regionals at Sand Point NAS, and I flew Combat for the first time ever and placed 3rd after two wins by kills and no losses...they ran out of time and did a coin toss for the trophies. '' I can still remember how I got the kill on my first match, but not the second match. y1 Steve
-
My first was 2003 at brodak's in beginer did not know how fly
inverted did not crash and did not finish last did placed 8th
out of 16 scroced a 88.5 first round second was 168
-
Mine was back in 1988 at Bayside school, San Mateo, CA. I flew a Fancherized Twister with a ST 35 combat perry. Blue monokote and with Black Baron spray can epoxy. WAM hosted all the events at the same time, so it was crowded models everywhere. I entered in beginner and didn't know the pattern. I do recall the couple judging my flight wasn't paying attention to my performance. LOL. They were busy bird watching.
-
My first contest was 1948, but my first trophy was in 1950 at the Plymouth preliminary contest in Los Angeles. Since AMA rules were used, I entered in the SENIOR division,where there were not many entries! This trophy was a 2nd place in Sr. Stunt. At that time, all stunt was "Old Time"..the modern pattern hadn't yet been invented.
The lady presenting trophies was advertised as a well-known movie actress. Anyone know who she is?
Wow! looking closely, I see that I was embarassed being congratulated by a pretty lady!
I'll take a guess though the picture doesn't show much detail. Jan Sterling?? Don't think I have the last name spelling correct. By the way Floyd, MM was born in 1926, so quite a bit older than you.
-
It was September 1993 at Frederick, MD where the Maryland State Championships were being held. I had my faithful Hornet Combat shop with a Johnson .35 Combat Special swinging a 9 X 8 full size prop. In my first match my competitor said" Nice Kill". I replied what do you mean? He responded you killed me the match is over you win! The day went on with that kind of beginner's luck when after another win my Hornet bought the farm but during another win! I got out my brand new never before flown Voo Doo with yet another Johnson CS .35 to continue the matches!
I made it to the final two fly off! got 2 cuts on the other guy and then...killed myself by dragging my streamer through his prop! I flew on with Fast and Slow Combat into 1984 when I finally turned to Stunt for my calmer and more enduring fun!
Phil Spillman
-
It was September 1993 at Frederick, MD where the Maryland State Championships were being held. I had my faithful Hornet Combat shop with a Johnson .35 Combat Special swinging a 9 X 8 full size prop. In my first match my competitor said" Nice Kill". I replied what do you mean? He responded you killed me the match is over you win! The day went on with that kind of beginner's luck when after another win my Hornet bought the farm but during another win! I got out my brand new never before flown Voo Doo with yet another Johnson CS .35 to continue the matches!
I made it to the final two fly off! got 2 cuts on the other guy and then...killed myself by dragging my streamer through his prop! I flew on with Fast and Slow Combat into 1984 when I finally turned to Stunt for my calmer and more enduring fun!
Phil Spillman
Wow, that is nearly exactly my first open combat meet. Lubbock, TX 1965, I was a Freshman at Texas Tech. Johnson 35CS on my own design. My first match was over in 20 seconds when some guy under shot a sure kill and flew through my prop. My helper was ecstatic, "Do you know who that was?" I really didn't know that I had just beaten Riley Wooten. Won my second round on air time. Third round lasted about 10 seconds, some guy named Carl. Lubbock was a tough town for Combat. I haven't competed in open fast combat since.
Ken
ps - check your dates. You can't start in 1993 and quit in 1984.
-
Ken
ps - check your dates. You can't start in 1993 and quit in 1984.
Ah, depends on the type of power in your time machine. D>K LL~ LL~ LL~
Ooh. Wish I could do that. Sounds like a big budget no profit Hollywood movie. Any investors? We'll call it Time Pilot.
-
Correction! My First Contest was the Maryland State Championships of 1963 NOT 1993! With apologies I am.....
Phil Spillman
-
I never flew against Riley Wooten, but did meet him at a Bladder Grabber maybe 10 years ago. It was billed as "The Last Ever Bladder Grabber", and got combat heroes out of the woodwork. I'm 6'2.5" tall, and was surprised by how big that guy is. I introduced myself and told him "I thought you'd be taller." We both laughed. y1
My main claim to combat fame was a match against Henry Nelson. Oddly enough, he was flying a Voodoo with a GH K&B .35. Like every other (of 2) match I had against a GH K&B .35, he didn't get it started! LL~ Steve
-
My First Contest aside from club dust ups was the Maryland State Championships of September 1963. I entered Fast Combat and flew a very well used Hornet powered by a Johnson SC.35. It flew well and by accident so di I! In my first match my opponent said "Nice Kill" and I said "Oh I'm sorry"! And so it went up to the next to last match when I had to change to my only VooDoo also powered by a CS.35 Johnson! It too was a total surprise as it flew so much better than the old Hornet! So I won that match too and was now in the flyoff for First! Imagine that! I got 3 cuts on my opponent when I proiceedde to drag my streamer through his prop thus ending the match!
I still have that very first of all trophies and it will always be a bitter sweet memory!
Phil Spillman
-
My first contest was 1951 or 1952 in Denver at Stapleton Airfield. I flew a Viking and won a McCoy .35 for best crash. On my 3rd or 4th inside loop, static electricity went down the lines and through my Hotrock handle and electricuted me causing the crash. The club was the Ringmasters.
My next contest was a WAM contest in San Jose in 1970. I was finishing my Dolphin in the backseat while Joyce drove. I did a flight on the football field then with one flight flew in beginner. I scored 450 and they moved me into advanced.