A Pleasant Memory

LAST EDITED ON Sep-23-04 AT 09:32 PM (CDT)
 
Rooting around in some old stuff I came across this. Its my oldest son and Miss Model Aviation at the '72 Nats. They fell in love with each other on site.

This was August 26th, Randy had just turned 3 on the 16th. Hard to believe it ever happened, he's got 3 kids, a beautiful wife and a pot belly just like mine now.

>Rooting around in some old stuff I came across this. Its my
>oldest son and Miss Model Aviation at the '72 Nats. They
>fell in love with each other on site.
>
>
>Randy Ryan
>AMA 8500
>SAM 36
>I fly 'em all and love it!

Darn, whatever happened to those great Nats with Navy sponsorship and all segments of the hobby coming together? Not to mention all the well-stocked hobby shops in the Glenview area...

Dennis,
who never met a Miss Model Aviation he didn't fall in love with...

I remember that photo. I still got that issue of MAN around here somewhere.

Bill

Hey Randy,

I flew at the '72 nats. Much fun.

Navy Nats when I look back today were great events. Everybodys planes in one hanger. Everybody in the hanger in the evening hours.
Most people walking around talking to everyone.
Of course Howard Rush was building his combat planes just before his event!

>Hey Randy,
>
>I flew at the '72 nats. Much fun.
>
>Navy Nats when I look back today were great events.
>Everybodys planes in one hanger. Everybody in the hanger in
>the evening hours.
>Most people walking around talking to everyone.
>Of course Howard Rush was building his combat planes just
>before his event!

Must be something about (us) combat flyers. At one of those Glenview Nats in the '70s, a roomie at our motel in Morton Grove spray painted his combat planes in our shower. Man, what a mess - not to mention the fumes. I'm not sure Dave was ever quite the same...

For those who missed them, the (earlier) Navy-sponsored Nats were a week in some kind of a fantasy world. My first was in '63 when I traveled from Minnesota to Los Alimitos in California with a couple of flying buddies. Stayed in a Navy dorm, ate in the Navy mess hall, stored everything out in the open on work benches in a huge hanger. It was incredibly inexpensive.

Throw in a couple of demos by the Blue Angels flying right over the runways... well, it was a really memorable experience to say the least.

I was at the last 2 Navy NATS at Glenview as a spectator. Drove up from Miami. It was incredable. I have some pics of the hangar area. I think I posted them somewhere before.

Also!...if I'm correct on this....probably '61-62 there was a McCoy promotion with the AMA / Navy Nats thingy where a 35 Redhead was a whopping $3.88(?)!!

Not a full tilt competiton motor by any means, but, a great way for Juniors to get into bigger planes. I flew Rats and Voodoos on backplate pressure until the McCoys just wore out mid flight.

It was a wonderful time for many of us. It really was very "American Graffitti"..and those days, before the war in Southeast Asia, have drawn me back to flying.

For me, control line is a very theraputic way to relive just a little part of that beautifully optimistic time before the terrible storm of Vietnam.

Once again,
Nostalgia and Nitro fumes!.....Hib

LAST EDITED ON Sep-25-04 AT 11:02 PM (CDT)
 
Phil,

I remember the pictures and even commented I believe that they were taken about 2 rows from where I was set up, I remember the combats ships there and the guys goofing around.

When I left that year it was sad, a tradition had ended and we had no idea where we were going to go. I joined the Air Force the following March at the ripe to avoid the draft since by then even 2 children wheren't enough to keep you out of the Army. What I gat back to Nats it was a whole new world and something was missing, it still is.

LAST EDITED ON Sep-25-04 AT 06:55 PM (CDT)
 
Randy and or anyone else at the '72 Nats.

I am looking for any and all existing photographs of my friend
Mike Thompson. His AMA number at that time was 68146. I think
he was flying a silver, blue and red Gieseke Nobler at that particular Nats. It could have been a Silhavy large Gypsy but I'm pretty sure that was the '73 plane which was his senior and last year he flew at the Nats. The reason I am looking for them (the photographs) is to write a few words in Stunt News for his epitath. He was killed in a vehicle accident in September of 1996. I think that would be a fitting tribute. All assistance really appreciated.

Jim,

Wish I could help but in those days I flew Free Flight only, I'd left stunt and specialized.

Randy,

Thanks, I know you would help if at all possible, you are a classy gentleman.