Control Line: Aerobatics
Wynn Paul
WHAT'S in a name? Are you trying to think up a name for your latest creation on the boards? Instead of calling it "My red-white-blue Stunt ship," come up with a super-creative name — something like "The Stunt Machine" (Gene Schaffer's plane in the early '70s). In this writer's never-ending battle to find time to write a complete history of Stunt, there is a whole folder with articles on Stunt ships and Precision Aerobatics going back to 1940. Throwing in some planes that never really appeared in construction articles but will ring a bell with some of the "Old Time Stunt" guys, let's run through a bibliography of Stunt planes from time zero.
Oh yes, there are bound to be some left out — so keep those cards and letters coming.
1940s: early entries and postwar designs
- Tiger Shark — Stanzel brothers, Schulenburg, TX; G-line flier, MAN, Feb. 1940.
- A.J. Fireball — Jim Walker; advertised in MAN, Sept. 1940.
- Thunderwin — a Control-Liner capable of rolls, Fran McElwee; Model Craftsman, May 1946.
- Moitle — an acrobatic biplane, Air Trails, June 1946.
- Roger Dodger — Red Reinhart, Air Trails.
- Checkala Roma — Davey Slagle (three consecutive Walker Cup wins: 1946, 1947, 1948).
- Dragon — (author unknown).
- Madman — J.C. Yates.
Also from 1948: Hot Rock, Upstart, Super Looper, Defender, Ginger Snap, Looper, Tucker 903, Fury, Screwball, Flip Flop.
From 1949: Tipsy Junior, Triumphant, DiDoe — Howard Thombs (Walker Cup winner that year; it was a profile biplane).
1950–1951
From 1950: Barnstormer, Zippy, Stunt Streak, Curtis Streak, Guided Missile, Little Missile, Flapjack, Loopy, Can Stunt.
Other early-’50s names: Caper Cutter, Bojo, Easy, International Stunt Winner, Wee Duper, Zilch, Snappy Stuff, Stunt Rocker, Ringmaster (original by Harry Williamson).
Most of these come from magazine articles, originals, kits, Nationals reports, and correspondence.
1952 and the Nobler
1952 was a landmark year with George Aldrich's two-article series on the Nobler ("Stunting Can Be Smooth"). Other 1952 entries include:
- Combateer
- Yankee Clipper
- El Diablo
- Hotter 'n That
- Galloping Comedian
- Mars
- Smoothie
- Gyrator
- Venus
- Snapper
- Double Whammy
- Little Joe
- Hot Foot
- The Tipsy
Also mentioned: Thunderbird — Bob Palmer flew an upright-engine version and an inverted-engine version; plans for the inverted version appeared in Air Trails Annual, 1960. Bob reportedly flew a Chief in the 1951 Nats and a Thunderbird in 1952.
Mid‑1950s
Later names include Lethal Lucy, Zilch X, Cats Whiskers, Spooky, X‑pendable, Black Tiger (a semi-scale P-40 by Robert Elliott; Nats winner in 1953), Stunt Student, Foxy.
In the mid-1950s (the "double nickel"): Jamboree, Blue Pants, Feno, Coon Dog, Draggin', Jolly Flapper, the first Fierce Arrow (Bill Netzeband), and possibly the first "Jet"-style Stunt plane on record: Wicked Witch (a sort of F-86 by Don Hoag, Air Trails, Nov. 1955, p. 26).
Note: the Stunt bibliography is divided into Classic types, Semi-Scale, Jet, and a broad category for Odds, Mods, Biplanes, Half-A, and Profiles. There is hope to further subdivide into a Futuristic group (a designation believed coined by Jerry Pilgrim at the 1975 FAI tryouts).
Late 1950s
1956: Jumbo, Black Hawk, Flipper, Lady Black Widow, Sky Devel, Curtis Special, Aero Bat.
1957: Bluebird, The Gambler, Lil Dynamite, Jolly Flapper, Thirteen, Flying Board.
1958: El Conquistador, The Lieutenant, Ruffy, Twin Stunter, Atom, Short Snorter.
1959: Boomer, Dominator, Hopper, Econo-stunt, Shrunken Treasure, Slick Stunt Ship (Riley Wooten), Crusader (Clair Sieverling), Ruby, Devil Dart, Lil Blue Angel, Stuntacular, Savage II, Gobble-swantz, Kingsweep, E-Z Duzzit, Firefly, Ballerina (Charlie Lickliter).
1960s: growth and notable designs
Notables moving into the next decade: Ares (Bill Werwage), Lark, Grey Ghost, Peacemaker, Gigantis, Tipsy-Nipper (semi-scale).
1961: Nova, Carousel, Jay Dee Falcon, Sun Devil, Argus (Steve Wooley, FAI team), Shark (Lew McFarland, National Champ), Muttalot, Which-a-Way, Phoenician.
1962: Lady Luck, Tucker Special, Dragon Fly, Hummingbird, Doomfly, Eureka, Challenger II, U-Name-It, Monster, Skylark (Jean Paillet).
1963: Skyscraper (Bob Palmer), Airon, Impala, Gremlin. Also the jet-type Barracuda (John Peck), which made extensive use of inked lines and received much applause at the 1962 Nationals. Landmark article: Bob Gladwin's Olympic Mark VI. Skylark (Ed Southwick) — that maroon plane on the kit box sold many kits.
1964: La Donna, Pegasus (Paillet), Zephyr, Red Wing, Envoy, Lil Stingray, Sting Ray, Electra X.
1965: Dolphin, Sheik, Lynx, Blue Angel, Stunt-Liner, Eclipse, Midas.
1966: Chisler, Talon (first of Jim Kosteky's series), The Dancer, Hot Shot, Supersonic Stunter, Demon.
1967: Mystere, Road Runner, Rayette, Excalibur, Mag Jet, Swinger, Fury, Thor, Novi (first by Dave Gierke), Starlight (Charlie Mackey — beautiful elliptical wing).
1968: PA-6 (Bob Baron), Novette, Coyote, Corrigan, Nove III, Freedom 45, All-American Eagle, Formula S. Tempest (Bart Klapinsky) — no article, but won the Nats in 1967. Rich Loomis' Two Bits — twin-engine plane that won Senior Stunt. At the 1968 Nats: Vertigo (Jerry Worth), Senior Mom Whittle with his Playboy 35, Phil Granderson with El Gato.
1969: Mirage III, Knight, Hi-Lo, Sweeper, Torino, Scotsman. At the Nats: Gypsy (Jim Sihaway), Patriot (Gerald Phelps).
1970s: names and Nationals
1970: Classic Gas, Goofer, Snark, Sabre, Charger.
1971: Cobra, Continental, Stunt Machine, Humbug, Old Glory, Marut, Phantom, Vulcan.
Summer 1972: Touch and . . . ?, Nimrod, Sweet Pea, Pinto, Card-Shark, Be-Witched, United (Bob Lampione).
1973: Mustang (Rabe), Volunteer, Thunderchief (Bobby Whom).
1974: Genesis 35, Stiletto, Sunshine, Avenger, Bishop, Miss Lexington, Moon Dust.
1975: Scorpion, Panic, Astarte, Sundance Stunter, Metaphor, Skyfire, Miss Jill, Dancing Girl.
1976 (Centennial year): Torch, Squirrel, Dazzler 40, Cardinal Sinner, Tercel.
1977: Sir Slater, Miss Kell, Sunspot, Wild Goose.
Recent Nationals and FAI tryouts (mid‑ to late‑1970s): Apparition, Centurion, Statesman, Hallmark, Perroquet, Impulse, Miss Poppy, Ted.
1978: Numerous magazine articles featured Avanti, Together IV, Tango (Luciano Compostella, Italy), Care, Sirocco, Aura, Flying Red Horse, Starduster. At the Nationals: Eagle, Alanna, Dove, Genie, Excitation.
1979: Aetos, Pretender, Foxy Lady, Mini-Brute, Imitation, Derringer (note on spelling — the pistol is spelled Derringer, after Henry Derringer of Philadelphia).
Well, I didn't count them, and I'm certain that there are dozens of your favorites left off — but write and tell me.
Wynn Paul 1640 Maywick Drive Lexington, KY 40504
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
