Free Flight: Old-Timers

FREE FLIGHT OLD-TIMERS THIS WILL BE last column Model Aviation first column wrote published January 1988 issue September 1987 vacation Galveston Texas called home check answering machine heard Carl Wheeleys voice asking would like column agreed never expected last very long Approximately 70 columns later am am finished column because interests have changed After retirement am very busy wonder ever time work still build fly models am enjoying painting landscapes oil acrylic am traveling Rockport Texas exhibit paintings havent flown model contest since 1998 modeling career spans halfcentury approximately 1943 built first stick-and-tissue kit assistance dadit Joe Ott Stuka hardwood stringers cardboard formers After built solids stickand-tissue kits Ott until after World War II balsa dope glue rubber enginesall stuff make flying models became available read reread Air Trails other magazines throughout war years learned wonderful days before WW II great contests held likes Goldberg Struck Korda Lanzo Taibi achieved legendary feats heros aspired like magazines WW II era also full new thing Control Line appealed actual control speedy modelhow exciting approximately 1946 saw story newspaper announcing model-airplane contest held pasture adjacent Browns Airport southeast Tulsa OK dad took can still envision first gas model flight ever saw Buzzard Bombshell Madewell 49 engine truly smitten imprinted flew Free Flight FF Control Line CL until graduated high school 1952 went off college modest local contest success FF CL Speed flying contests sponsored Tulsa Glue Dobbers Tulsa YMCA Spartan School Aeronautics Plymouth Motor Company attended two Nationals Olathe KS 1948 Dallas 1950 1951 Navy-base Nationals quite experience huge hangars filled tables people built models night day ran engines flew remember Jim Walker doing Saber Dance Fireball amounted hovering CL model adjusting speed blipping throttle Jim astounding physical coordination Outside hangar Jim flew three Fireballs once motor control operated electrically buttons handles third model handle attached football helmet throttle control switch operated teeth hangars Jim flew bunch l0 Ready-to-Fly gliders throwing both hands catching midair completed 360s throwing again kept about three going hand After finishing college last starting live again got back FF contests good fortune meet Bob Wilder lifted close excellent standards design structures adjustments Prior Bob no mentors relied magazines experience think reason have always eager teach others whenever opportunity arose As result boost got Bob did pretty well about 1960-1964 got interested Radio Control got tired contesting leamed enjoy flying Scale Pattern gliders until about 1976 FF contest bug bit once attended several AMA Nationals SAM Society Antique Modelers Champs well meets Kansas Oklahoma Texas won numerous trophies including firsts Nats SAM Champsespecially Rubber events once counted 200 trophies cares What really remember cherish friends good times shared 1998 tired travel wasnt motivated make effort took competitive sold Honda Trail 90 contest models equipment cherished Wilder Winder torque meter Bob told 1960 thought winding torque rather turns way go did sort like Ulysses having himself tied mast couldnt tempted start going contests again Now enjoy flying locally friends wife calls usual suspects dont want compete travel fly have new hobbies such painting have good health great memories no regrets wonderful thing go SAM Champs meet modeling legends such Struck Lanzo Taibi Konefes brothers Joe Ed similar meeting childhood sports idols adult life playing game Model Aviation g skinny Bill Baker shown about 50 years ago holding 1/2A Fubar Power McCoy 049 engine Recent photo Bill Baker showing paintings juried show Painting Bills new hobbies no longer competes model contests Baker photos