More Pictures for Nostalgia - Huntsville '76

Stuka Stunt Main Forum · 8 of 8 known posts recovered

tomB · Nov 26, 2004 09:24 AM

Zuriel wanted some more pictures of the NAS Memphis Hobby Shop days back in the 70's. Unfortunately, I have no more of those pictures, but here's some from one of the contests we attended in 1976. I remember it was the first time I had seen Open Rat Racers. Boy, they were fast! The speed planes were cool, too - and I hadn't seen any of those before, either.

Many of the slow combat planes are Nimblers - Mack Henry (his design - MAN?) and the Nashville people were there in force. I didn't compete. I had some guys with me, and if I remember correctly, I was busy pitting for them instead. Combat was the easier event to achieve those days (too much building for stunt), so I didn't get a chance to see the stunt. It was a beautiful day, and the site was at the old abandoned airport. Maybe you guys can recognize some things in the pictures, I don't remember much more.

Tom B

ty marcucci · Nov 26, 2004 12:27 PM

#1 source

I do very much wish it was still like that here, but it is now built up with a Minor League base ball stadium, police academy, fire fighting school, junior champer of commerce building and three thousand *&&^% soccer fields. Across from this on part of the old land fill is a golf course and the RCRC clubs field. They have chased off the glider and helo people, so no way are we 8 cl'rs here in Huntsville going to fly there!

tomB · Nov 26, 2004 12:35 PM

#2 source

Well, the ball park is fun. I've been there to see a few games (Intergraph conventions), but it was many years later. I didn't realize it was the same place.

Tom B

ty marcucci · Nov 26, 2004 03:04 PM

#3 source

Yep. From the air it is obvious it is an abandoned runway. The Police Academy uses the old terminal building. Mack Henry is still active, mostly doing stunt, but some combat. He and Marshall Busby come to meets in the SE more often than not. I think they make the ones up at Buder.

Jim Pollock · Nov 28, 2004 01:26 PM

#5 source

Tom,

Ty forgot to tell you that they can fly on the parking lot of the Huntsville Stars minor league team whenever their isn't one of the dozens of other activites going on!

Jim Pollock NACA founder

ty marcucci · Nov 28, 2004 08:41 PM

#6 source

LAST EDITED ON Nov-28-04 AT 08:42 PM (CST)

HI Jim. It seems even if we put up the day glo cones, some one will still drive through and park like we were invisible. One fine day I was waiting for Rollin and up comes a van pulling a trailer. They asked me what channel and I almost said History, but went HuH?, Then they asked me what frequency and I almost gave them Rollins stock answer, weekly, but pointed out that is was control line. I told them they could fly in the other lot, above us. Seems these two manufacture RC helicopters, do not belong to the local RC club nor to AMA. Go figure. They did a couple of test hops, tethered and left. Good thing the light standards are over 100 feet apart

Z2 · Nov 27, 2004 06:50 AM

#4 source

Tom,

Those are some really cool pictures. I remember flying at MeKellar Park in Memphis and saw Speed for the first time and Carrier and I Nashville at SeaBee Park where I saw Rat Racing for the first time. Although I only fly CLPA now, I still get a kick out of watching the other venues of controlline flying.
I know it sound kind of funny, but my hero's then and today are the guys I read about in the American Modeler and MAN and MA. For me the most exciting times are getting to watch Bob G. fly and meeting some of the people I read about back then. A couple of years back I was able to attend one day of VSC. What a great place to be on this earth.

Thanks for posting the pictures. I don't have any pictures left from those days and it's great to go back and peek.

Zuriel D. Armstrong

Jeff W · Nov 28, 2004 09:42 PM

#7 source

Those pix remind me of so many "Airport " contests years ago. They also make me think of all those Navy Nats, where every kind of modelling was on the field at once (except indoor FF). Does anyone remember that retired P2V Neptune at Willow Grove about halfway between the work hanger and the barracks. No one cared if we climbed on, in , or over it as long as we didn't fall off. An officer came over one evening and said as long as I was already in it, he might as well explain the controls. By the time he was done, about 6 of us were jammed in the cockpit of that thing listening!

The "Work Hanger" at a Navy Nats was like no other place in the world, with rows and rows of models, toolboxes, storage boxes and everything else you wanted to bring, as long as you could stake out the space. And on the night before Open stunt, the place smelled more of Lemon Pledge than of castor oil. Just spending a week around there was worth the trip.

For better or worse, if you're too young to have been to one, you really did miss something!

Jeff W