When people would say he was old as dirt, he would blush and say: No, but when I was born dirt was still pretty new. As a modeler, he was one of a kind. He wore a T-shirt that read: I'd rather eat worms than fly a Lanzo Bomber! He was always drawn to the most unorthodox looking models whether they be V-tailed, tailless or even canards. He was probably best known for Bunch Scorpions and Lancers and he had one approved design: the Sylph. At a minimum, the model had to look like it could carry a pilot and to that end, he had scale Taylorcrafts that could give a hot Playboy a run for the money. He never showed up with a pylon model or a polyhedral wing.
He was a perennial thorn in the side to some CDs because he could identify and exploit loopholes like no one else. Case in point, early on he realized that A-Texaco, with its 15 minute max, was little more than an engine running contest. So, he set about making a mockery of the event with a Cox .010 powered Rasssitoodus that could putter around in ground effect and then glide like clump of sod after maxing.
I visited him twice at his home in Carmichael. The whole house was a model shop except for one room. His disabled late wife had predeceased him by many years and her room was kept as she left it.
You are right Tom that Eut was one of a kind and you nailed all the reasons why. He was a good friend and great modeler and will be missed by many of us,
ReplyDeleteLarry