Wind Flying

8034
This is my first post on this forum though I read it every day. I am an old Stunt flyer from the '50s trying to get started up again. I couldn't pass up the chance to get in on this subject. I got my first complete outfit in 1951 (a used Veco .29 and a plank wing trainer). I built my first real Stunt plane in 1952 or '53. It was a "Smoothie", the most beautiful plane I had ever seen, and flew like a dream. I was a member of the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Flightmasters. We were out at our field on Sunday afternoon. It was too windy to take a chance with the stunt planes, so some of us were flying our Ringmasters, or other bombs. A young man came up and started talking to us. I believe he was a soldier stationed at Fort Chaffee, Ark. He was really a nice guy and knew a lot about models. In the process of the conversation, He asked me if he could fly my "Smoothie" and guaranteed me that he would not hurt it. I let him have it, and he borrowed a U-Reely from my buddy. He hooked it up and started running around the field, whipping it and slowly letting out the line.He got it out to about 60 feet and did three inside loops, three horizontal eights, three more loops and landed it perfectly! We were all speechless. His name was John Hunton, and though I have told this story to many people, I have never heard his name since that day until I read it in a previous post in this thread. I am not sure it is the same person, but it is quite a coincidence. Sorry for the length, but this is something that actually happened to me! Thanks for the Forum..Bob Jones..

Ron B.
F4Fguy

Bob:

That sounds like our John Hunton alright.You won't meet a nicer guy ,or a better modeler than John.

Bob,

John Hunton lives here in Northern Va and is still active in model flying. His main passion now is electric powered RC. If you go to the following website http://home.att.net/~dannysoar4/BillBarnes.htm and check the link to "evanescent goodies", you will see John's rendition of Bill Barnes' Snorter. John is an active member of the Northern Virginia RC club and was recently inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame. Hope this helps.

Did he get the Smoothie to actually fly against the wind?

When I posted this, I thought I was replying to the original, but it came up as a seperate post. Sorry about that.

Thank you, Tom McClain, for directing me to the web site. I have always wondered about John Hunton. I will never forget that flight.

TRASHCAN MAN...I remember he had to run up and down the field to get enough line out, but after that, he stayed in the downwind half circle until he landed.

There was a guy that was so strange, he wouldn,t let anyone hold his plane.He used a U Reely handle for his Fox 35 powered Smoothie.
he would hold out his plane and reel out the line a bit at a time
until he reached the desired length.
One day, he had about 10 ft. of line out when his U Reely
LOCKED UP ! The usually docile Smoothe , became a mad bee and whirling dervish for the full tank.
After that , he let some one hold his plane for launching.
Tune in tomorrow and I,ll tell you about Willam Davis,his volkswagon,
Ringmaster and a Rooster.

Charlie,
Just as long as you don't tell 'em about me, the mule, the wagon, and the little boy.
Bill <><

Just an Old Advanced flyer with a blind mule.