First encounter with Model aircraft was in the tiny Town of Bovina, Texas! When we used to go to the town flight site for Wire Control and Estes Rockets! Admired all that I saw, and they even had Combat Flight Fights (cutting the ribbon of the other model).
Second encounter was my older Brother Don had a P51A wire control. He would fly in the street or School parking lot! After he crashed that, he bought me a PT22 trainer for my 10th Birthday. I never got to fly, because Don crashed it! Two years later he bought me the same P51A and subsequently crashed it! Then went through years of watching him with various planes and crashes.
Years later my Uncle David gave him a Gorgeous Balsa P51D he had built, flown, and was through enjoying it! I was around 14 at the time. Was very upset I had received nothing. Don saw that I guess because he gifted it to me! For Months and Months I begged him to go fly it! He just seemed to never have the time. Busy working and having a RR Band! So I tied Kite String to that sucker. And in the front yard, began swinging it in a circle. Faster and faster, and it worked, I was flying. Till the string broke. And you've heard or seen where things seem to go in slow motion! It flew so beautifully, in an arc, right into the Houses middle front Window! DISASTER, and the spanking I received for the act!
First RC encounter was at 18 living in Friona. My brother had bought a Prebuilt Trainer. We taxied and taxied and taxied! Till one day we went to the Church of Parking lot! Don took it off and it lifted off beautifully! But then went in a wide arc heading for the nearby Church of Latter Day Saints.
Don pulled up hard on the stick, missed the Church. But the spiraled into the Parking Lot! We took it home fixed it, then went back days later. When attempting to take of it spiraled out of control and was damaged! We then went to the BB field behind the Church. And throw it as hard as I could. It flew in a glorious wide Right Turn into the Ground, into 100 pieces!
We then had moved to Saginaw, Texas. Where Don had purchased the Cox Foamy .049. We would practice flying it by throwing it into the air. and gliding to a landing. We did finally fly it a few times till a crash broke the wing. Don epoxied the wing together and we had some more flights. He then gifted it to me! It was around this time I met Bill Nichols at his Mott's 5-10. He informed me of places to fly because he sold RC aircraft in the store and was an RC Pilot!
This is when I discovered The Thunderbirds Flight Field at Benbrook Lake! It was open to the public so it was perfect for me. I would show up early when no one was there. And get like 10 flights in. One day a real pilot showed up with his Pattern Aircraft and some really sweet others. I was waiting for him to fly. But he just set there watching me run the .049 out of fuel and the coasting to, might I say, Perfect landings! As I was leaving and admiring his aircraft he said. "Why are you flying that? You need to get you something better. You're way to good to only be flying that!" A week later I did. I bought my first trainer from Bill and promptly went out and crashed it!
Then I bought something a little hotter, and crashed it! I'd have to say when I was first learning. I must have spent $400 or more before deciding I needed some Training! That's when I bought a 25 balsa trainer easy kit. And had Bill train me! Then I bought a 60 BTEK! After that it was on! I had a Prebuilt Pitt at one time, and flew it at 900mph straight into the Ground. Burying the engine 7" deep! I built a Piper Cub Kit w/warped down wings (it flew great)!
But my most prized Balsa Build was my Cap21. My Wife and I were moving to Lampasas so I had bill test fly it! What a Beautiful Flight from a beautiful Aircraft!!! Done in the Confederate Flag Scheme. The wings were flags as well as the Body. She was a Looker!!!
If you've ever been to Lampasas you'd understand. There is virtually nowhere with enough room to fly! While working for Harrison and Sons Well Service, we came upon a newly paved road. Flat and level for 2 miles, just south of town!
It had been months since I'd flown, so the Aircraft and I were a little rusty!
I took the 2 trainers I had, a 25 done as Garfield, a 60 done in Playboy Bunny, and my Pride and Joy the 60 Cap21. First I tried the 25, the engine ran rough but it flew! On second flight, engine died on Take Off. Now picture this A Highway 2 miles long and 30ft wide! Then outside of that was 20ft of Grass and Barbed Wire Fence. Then what appeared a Quite flat fields!
I had already started a right turn out and nosed the plane down to keep up speed. But that increased the momentum of the turn and the right Wing caught the ground ripping out the wing mounts! Put her back in the car. On a second note, years later she was repaired and flown for years!
Then I brought out the Bunny. She ran rough too, so mid-flight I landed her and leaned out the engine to run well! She took off the second time like an Angel taking flight. I got near the end of the flight and, I guess wasn't paying attention. I let her go out too far. To where the only obstructions in the middle of this road was. 2 50ft tree stands one on each side of the road.
I ended up in the top of the tallest tree! Wasn't going to loose the Bunny, so I climbed the tree and retrieved her! Broke the Wing Mounts in a similar disaster to the Garfield! 35+ years later she is hanging above my computer desk in my Garage Converted to Man Cave! Actually Model Train Room, my main passion!
Then came the Cap. I thought long and hard before deciding to fly something I wasn't really capable of! But GDMT I wanted to fly! So I started her up, running rough of course! Let her run what felt like 10min to be sure she ran well! Then sat her in the middle of the road. And away she went. She took off so well I just let her climb to the left and over the fence! The Disaster, the engine quit! I nose her down, kept up the speed. Flared perfectly and wouldn't you know. HIT THE ONLY Rock in 100yds! Ripped the landing gear and Wing Mounts out badly! She now hangs above my drafting/arts table!
I didn't even try to fly again till I (because of Health) retired early in 2016! With My retirement, from 27yrs at Walmart! Paid off ALL my Bills and bought my first E-Flight Foam 1.2mm P51D. Such a sweet aircraft to fly! So I bought the F4 Corsair, another sweet airplane! Then a Cessna 182 from FMS, holy cow another awesome aircraft to learn and fly on!
Since those I purchased a 90mm Free Wing F16, F W 64mm A10, and a Flight Line B25J 1600mm. The 16 and 10 haven't been flown as of yet. But I attempted last time I was out to fly the B25J! I say attempt because in my haste to Fly I made one mortal mistake! Making sure the center of gravity was correct. It wasn't! Tail heavy to the Max. Only way to keep it from climbing was reduced power and almost full down elevator! Was in the process of turning on final, when I lost lift, and she ended up in the top of a 35ft Mesquite! Retrieved her and went home in disgust! My previous brother, was there for a watch and saw the Catastrophe!
That was the last I've been to TB field. Still keeping my membership up to both them and AMA!!! But haven't had the perfect chance to get to the field in over 2 years! So many chores behind and no sight of catching up. Medical Issues and more! Still with the desire to fly. I'll be back out before long. At least if God willing.
Yours Truly,
Michael Taylor
P.S. Full Throttle, Gears Up, Keep her flying!!! ❤️❤️❤️
