I have been doing alot of thinking about our great hobby the last few days and have really decided tht it is the people I fly and build with that makes this so much fun for me. The past few nights I have been working with Bill Mitchell and doing alot of bench racing and this is what it is all about. FUN! At the last KOI in Jan. we had a large bs session at the Holiday Inn each and everynight which started on thursday. When you bring a group together that has common interests you know it is going to be good, or full of it anyway. But it was so much fun I cant wait to do it again at the next contest. Lets all enjoy our HOBBY and keep having fun with it, and yes you can still be competitive and have a blast at the sametime. That is allowed. Just my thoughts I wanted to share, BAD ANDY
The reason I enjoy our HOBBY!!!!
Stuka Stunt Main Forum · 10 of 10 known posts recovered
Bob Zambelli · Feb 07, 2002 02:09 PM
#1 sourceGreat topic, Andy! I've been in the hobby since 1952 (I still have my original AMA number) and must say that the closest friendships I've had in my 57 years have been directly or indirectly through model aviation - It even had a most favorable influence on my carreer. When pursuing other interests - skiing, car and motorcycle racing, sailing, aviation, even a few "relationships" etc, - there was always a link back to our hobby. Says something, does it not? For what it's worth, I've strayed away from all the above except aviation and model aviation and I truly expect it to stay as such! I live by myself and model aviation is a long time companion. The fellows I fly with come over every Thursday evening for general hangar flying, building and pizza consumption.
Bob
Bob
The reason I enjoy our HOBBY!!!!The People, Friend ships, and My family has been envolved since 1939. Take alook of the Model Aviation February 1999. The Good Brothers are on the cover, Look at the lady with the camera in the background. ....My Mother.
She went to every NATS until 1960. Family had a friend that always went so Mom and Dad always went.
Last month Mom talked about a guy she met who won the stunt contest, she said I remember him because he only had ONE HAND. great stories that she told some of the club members here.
Scott(need to tape some of them)Riese
Great topic! I got into Control Line Modeling in the very early 60's building a Swordsman 18 that never flew. Subsequently a friend (to this day still a friend)and his dad "shared some knowledge" as have so many other great folks I've met in this hobby. Models got bigger and better, learned to fly the real stuff, and shared that knowledge too, as a flight instructor over the 25+ years. And I still enjoy CL Modeling.
To sum it up - the best part of this hobby is the people.
Ray Ferreira, Jr
You hit it on the head Andy. I have been in this hobby in one form or another since 1947 and in all that time and living in ten states can honestly say I have met only one jerk. That means I have met and know hundreds of fine people that are hobbiests, modelers, builders, innovators, friends, and to a person they share ideas and things. It's even better than model railroading and I have been in that since 1954.
Jon Ramsden · Feb 08, 2002 05:59 AM
#5 sourcePeople is it. Next is building and designing, next is flying. Now you now why I am not a national level flyer.
Best friends I have in the hobby are Tom Dixon , Randy Smith and Ron Farmer in Alanta. Handling Tom and Randy both at the same time aint easy but it sure is fun. The hobby is very comfortable and has led to fine careers for both my sons who are Air Traffic Controllers. Now at 65 and with arthritic hands it isnt as easy as it used to be but still rewarding. Only golf has come close.
Best friends I have in the hobby are Tom Dixon , Randy Smith and Ron Farmer in Alanta. Handling Tom and Randy both at the same time aint easy but it sure is fun. The hobby is very comfortable and has led to fine careers for both my sons who are Air Traffic Controllers. Now at 65 and with arthritic hands it isnt as easy as it used to be but still rewarding. Only golf has come close.
RocketCityJim · Feb 08, 2002 07:17 AM
#6 sourceSuper Bad,
I had a great time at the KOI and the BS session too! Guess I need to get some practice on my super spin lob before the next one though.
Jim Pollock
My Dad built me an airplane and gave it to me for Christmas when I was three. Over the next few years he built for me. Then he started teaching me to build my own. Wherever we went Dad joined or started a club. There were always good people around our house.
When I went away to the Navy I couldn't afford to build and fly model airplanes. That didn't stop the longing and when I got out of the Navy I started back into model airplanes.
Over the years I have associated with some pretty extrodinary people and 90% of them have been model airplane people. I miss the ones that have passed, Howard Crispin, Mike Garmon, George Aldrich, to name a few. I love the time I get to spend with the ones that are still here. The guys I fly with now are like brothers to me. I know that if I asked anything at all of them they would do it.
Bill Mitchell, Andy Patterson, Bill Jedlica, Walter Umland, and a lot of the guys I know in district 4 and 5, it is people like these that make the hobby worth staying in. And just so that you know that I know - EVERYWHERE you go around the world, if you find model airplane builders and flyers you are going to be associating with some pretty nice people.
I am humbled that you guys let me hang around with you. Thanks Dad for getting me started - Ed Culver
John Miller · Feb 08, 2002 08:59 AM
#8 sourceI just have to echo all the feelings expressed in this thread.
Over the years I've been persuing this hobby, I've also met and made lifelong friends. As I've said in another post, I like modelors. They have proven to be the finest people and I enjoy their company whether flying, building, competing, or socializing. I too have found that wherever I travel, I meet friends when I meet fellow modelors.
While in the Navy in 1964, On a port call to Otaru in northern Hokkiado, near Sapporo Japan, I found a hobby shop and decided it was time to buy some engines. I especially wanted an Enya .45 for the Shark .45 I planned on building I was disharged, later that year. The shop owner spoke very little English, and I spoke very little Japanese, but we managed to make a deal on two engines. The Enya, and an OS .35S, for the princely sum of $12.00 US.
After the sale was completed, the owner managed to make it known to me that there would be a contest with the local club the next day, Saturday, and would I like to attend? Well, after a few minutes of mixed Japanese, English, and Pidgen, it was all set. He told me some one would pick me up at the ship at 9:00 the next morning.
Iwas ready and was very surprized when not one, but almost a dozen of the members of the Otaru MAC drove up, in a several vehicles. With one member on a motorcycle for escort, we headed out of town to a gorgeous field on a flat spot on the side of the mountain overlooking the town and the sea. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the view was just suoer.
What happened was a fine local contest that made me feel as if I was back home with my buddies. Despite the language dificulties, we had no real problems enjoying the day. We spoke a common language, modeling. I was offered one of the members planes to fly in combat, I had a ball. After the days flying, we travelled to one of the members home where we spent the rest of the day Bs'ing and talking model airplanes.
The purpose of this story is to illustrate my point that modelors everywhere are the greatest, and that, whenever, or where ever you meet a fellow modelor, you've met a friend.
Sadly, the club pin I was given has dissapeared over the years, How I wish I still had it to wear on my hat.
Given all, I would continue to model and contest never winnig or placing, because of the people.
John Miller
LAST EDITED ON Feb-08-02 AT 09:54 AM (CST)
John M.,
That is a very cool story! Thanks for sharing it with us.
I went to our club meeting last night and realized I have just as much fun laughing and Bulls***ing with the guys as I do building and flying.
To all the guys in the Tulsa Gluedobbers...Thanks, your friendship is very important to me!
catdaddy
regards,
Rick "catdaddy" Blankenship