To anyone that flew at Whittier Narrows in the late 60s

LAST EDITED ON Apr-30-04 AT 10:18 AM (CDT)
 
Hi folks,

Just wanted to know if there are those here that flew at Whittier Narrows in the late 60s or early 70s. That's when I flew there as a kid. My cousin, Bill Mayo, got me started in flying control line about 1967. I was maybe 11 or 12.

Does anyone that flew there at that time remember him? He flew a green and white Thunderbird II with a K&B Torpedo 35 greenhead, a maroon and cream, original Jim van Loo Chipmunk with a Fox 35, a black and red plane called the Raven (his own design based very loosely on a Detroiter - looked sort of like a JD Falcon) with a Fox 35 and later a silver and black Gene Shaeffer Stunt Machine with an OS 35-S---among many others. He taught me to fly with a very bright red Guillow Trainer III. Had a white canopy and a greenhead Torpedo 35 in it. Amazing the things you remember. His planes showed stellar workmanship and he was a competent pilot.

Bill died a year ago from complications resulting from a car accident. He hadn't flown in several years, but was talking about getting back into it before his accident. Just wanted to know if any remembered him.

Thanks, it's just a passing thought. I owed Bill a lot.

Randy, I started flying at Whittier Narrows in 1968, when I moved to CA from the northeast. Been flying there ever since. I had a blue Thunderbird and a red foamie stunter of my own design. Plus lots of scale, combat and sport ships. The name Bill Mayo sounds familiar, but I can't place a face to it. Tom Warden was always there, every weekend. Ralph DePalma & son, Terry Prather, Jerry and Chris McMillian occasionally, Jim Mayfield was the local stunt champ then, Pat Collier & sons, known for formation flying stunt planes and streamers. Also Bart Klapinski, Ron Duly, Charlie Johnson, Dale Kirn, Bob Whitley and Jim Armour can still be seen there occasionally today as well as back then.

Somehow, I think that Phil Granderson flew there around then.
He was a wealth of information regarding the Classic leagalness of Tom's Continental along with R.J.

>Somehow, I think that Phil Granderson flew there around
>then.
>He was a wealth of information regarding the Classic
>leagalness of Tom's Continental along with R.J.
>
>Jim Pollock

Surely PTG was flying there during this time. Coincidentally, and strangely enough, this is also about the time Phil designed what became the Winder.

LAST EDITED ON Apr-30-04 AT 04:41 PM (CDT)
 
I remember my dad (Uhl Hawkins) taking me to REALLY BIG contest there around that same time. I could not have been more than 8...

I remember it because there was an event there that guys flew anything that could fly... anyone remember the "Flying Tea Pot" or the "Magic Carpet" or the "Toaster"?

For years I thought that Whittier Narrows was nothing but soccer and R/C fields... I am glad to know that C/L it is still hanging on!

John,

Bill flew pretty much every weekend. I was usually with him. I do remember Jim Mayfield vaguely. I suppose I saw others but don't really remember. I left CA in 1975 have never really returned.

Granderson I do remember as the combat flying maniac.

I also remember a couple of huge contests. I have a vivid memory of a a metallic green Trident (U-Name-It) about that time and a peral pink Ringmaster that was obsenely popular. Strangely, I remember the planes as much as the people. There were also a number of I-Beam planes that were seen at the field regularly.