Serious, but fun
Gary Fuller ([email protected]) originally sent us this photo that he took during the American Turf Flyers 2007 Society of Antique Modelers 93 contest in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, with little information.
He wrote, "I wish I could tell you more about the model in the photo, but I think the concentration shown on the modelers' faces as they compete with each other is the real story behind the picture. These guys look serious in the picture, but under that look of concentration they were probably having more fun than a bunch of kids at a birthday party!"
A few days later he sent another email after doing some research and elaborated on his own story.
"It saddens my heart to say that the information about the three men is not good news, either. Key Crawford (deceased) from Texas is the pilot, Don Blackburn (deceased), from Perkins, Texas, is seated, and Robert Tucker from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is kneeling.
"I had a stroke two months after this picture was taken, when I was 45 years old, so I understand how fast life can be taken away. I also know how important and helpful model airplanes or any hobby can be in life.
"... I was in the process of learning to fly helicopters when I suffered my stroke. I had my wife bring in my laptop with the RealFlight simulator on it and I would spend some time each day improving my skills with the helicopters on the program.
"The first thing I did when I got home from the hospital was go out to my shop and fix my helicopter that I had crashed a few days before my stroke.
"I think I'm doing a lot better now thanks to having modeling as a lifelong hobby. This picture has more meaning to me now."
Photo details
- Photographer: Gary Fuller
- Camera: Canon EOS 5D
- Lens: 200mm
- Aperture: f/11
- Shutter speed: 1/500 second
- ISO: 400
—MA Staff
Email your high-resolution "Viewfinder" photo and a short note telling the airplane or helicopter story to [email protected].
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
