As of February 2026
I grew up on airports because my dad was a crop duster pilot. He was also a modeler. At the age of 10 (1963) my dad got me started building Cox Baby Bee .049 powered Free Flight models of his own design. A year or so later he bought me a Cox P-40 control line (CL) model. Cox CL models didn’t fly very well and it wasn’t until someone gave me a Midwest Magician 35 with a McCoy Redhead .35 that I really learned to fly CL at which point I was hooked. At that point about 1966, the building spree began.
Well that was how it all got started, so from here on I’ll just do a bullet list.
- Flew CL almost daily. Built numerous models like Midwest Magician 15, Midwest Mustang, Sterling Ringmaster, Top Flite Combat Kittens and Combat Cats, plus a few of my own designs.
- Got good enough to fly in model flying demonstrations in the central Alabama area.
- In 1972 I started flying Radio Control (RC) and joined the Academy of Model Aeronautics (L7702) and Radio Aero Modelers of Montgomery (RAMM) in Alabama.
- My first RC aircraft was a Flite Line Models Skooter II built as a shoulder wing with an Enya .19 and controlled by a Kraft five channel radio. The model only lived a few flights due to a bad crystal.
- The Skooter was replaced by a Sterling Fledgling with an OS .40 on which I soloed. It met it’s demise due to a cracked choke in the receiver from the Skooter crash.
- I advanced to a Johnny Casburn Super Lucky Fly II with an Enya .45 which flew so well I often wondered why didn’t I start with it.
- In 1974 started working part time for Kraft Southeast in Prattville, AL repairing Kraft radios.
- In 1976 I sold all my built models before moving to Ramstein AB, Germany for four years.
- When I arrived in Germany I joined the Pfalz Flyers which flew at Sembach and Ramstein Air Bases.
- While in Germany I built a Skooter II, 1/2A Hornet, 1/2A BD-5, HOB P-51, and VK Cherokee Babe. Then sold them all to move back to the states.
- Arrived in San Antonio, Texas in 1980 and joined the Alamo Radio Control Society (ARCS). While there I built a Joystick 20 and Pica T-28 which I sold to move to England.
- Arrived at RAF Alconbury, England in 1983. There was no local club but a few guys at flew at Sports Complex in St. Neots where I flew modified version of the Swizzle Stick.
- In 1987 we moved to Palm Bay, FL where I flew at the Compound until joining the Indian River Kontrol Society in 1990.
- Have built numerous models to include a Ringmaster, Gentle Lady, Duellist MK II, and Wild Thing 15 & 40.
- In 2007 I won 3rd Place in Class III at the 8th Annual Hal DeBolt Memorial hosted by the Hernando County R/C Club.
- In 2009 my Andrew’s Trainermaster won 3rd Place in the Vintage RC Plane category at the Weak Signals R/C Expo in Toledo, OH.
- In 2009 won the Concours Award and 3rd Place in Pattern at the Pioneers of R/C event.
- In 2010 my Dave Platt Duellist MkII won 3rd Place in the Sport Plane category at the Weak Signals R/C Expo in Toledo, OH.
Other facts
- I’ve been a member of 6 clubs, served is a club officer, President, Vice-President and Treasurer in several of those clubs for a total of 31 years of service.
- Designed and constructed one flying site.
- I’ve flown in 3 countries, 10 states, and 27+ flying sites.
- I’ve built over 35 models. None ARFs.