Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
#2526
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RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
The film I have was definitly a competition day but I have no way of knowing if Ed's flight was a demo or competition. I would be surprised if there was any demo flights during the competition flying. If some one knows how to contact Jerry Nelson he may remember more, he lives outside Ft. Worth, Tx and I think I sent him a copy of the film a couple years ago. I am sure that it is Jerry helping Ed and I think it was Bob Dunham cranking the engine.
Many years (approx. 1980) later I spent a night on a pontoon boat with Bob Dunhan at Lake Havasu, AZ. At that time Bob was molding plastic parts for the R/C industry and I was one of his customers using his stick gimbals and single stick rudder knobs. I had gone to Phoenix to attend the auction of the remains of Proline and after the auction I flew to Lake Havasu. After we talked business for a couple of hours we went down to the lake and set out on Bob's pontoon boat. After dinner on the boat I had the oportunity to ask Bob more about the history of Orbit. He talked till about 2:00am, now I wish I had a recording of his stories. We slept on the boat and at sun up I heard something rattling, opened my eyes and Bob was cleaning the skillet preparing our breakfast and having his first beer of the day.
Many years (approx. 1980) later I spent a night on a pontoon boat with Bob Dunhan at Lake Havasu, AZ. At that time Bob was molding plastic parts for the R/C industry and I was one of his customers using his stick gimbals and single stick rudder knobs. I had gone to Phoenix to attend the auction of the remains of Proline and after the auction I flew to Lake Havasu. After we talked business for a couple of hours we went down to the lake and set out on Bob's pontoon boat. After dinner on the boat I had the oportunity to ask Bob more about the history of Orbit. He talked till about 2:00am, now I wish I had a recording of his stories. We slept on the boat and at sun up I heard something rattling, opened my eyes and Bob was cleaning the skillet preparing our breakfast and having his first beer of the day.
#2527
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RE: Ed Kazmurski's Taurus
ORIGINAL: avlwilsons
The following is a revised timeline compiled from earlier versionsI believe it is accurate? I changed slightly the time of the ''carrier photos'' from AFTER the world championships to BEFORE the W.C. I did this because I noticed on the Flying Models cover that the FAI stickers were not on the plane at that point. This model was to be the backup for the 1963 worlds
August 1959 US Nats. (Modified Astro Hog 2nd)
June 1960 Orion plans published
July 1960 W/C Switzerland. Orion wins
November 1960 Orion kit released
August 1961 US Nats. (modified Orion/ first ''experimental'' Taurus with long nose moment/short tail moment- not happy)
December 6, 1961 First formal Taurus plan drawn
April 1962 Eds Africa tour. (Starts April 17 for three weeksTaurus used).
May 1962 Tauri kit released
August 1962 US Nats. Taurus wins
October 1962 Taurus plan published in RCM&E
December 1962 Taurus kit released
January 1963 Taurus plan/article published in MAN
July 1963 Ed skips 1963 NATS
August 1963 Carrier flights (demonstrates dunhams' Orbit proportional with Taurus-2 flown with original thicker wing)
August 21,1963 W/C Belgium. Reed Taurus 3rd. (Back-up is Taurus-2 with thick wing and early proportional radio)
April 1964 Tauri plan published
August 1964 US Nats. (Taurus-2 with Taurus regular thickness 2419 modified, and tapered-wing with straight L.E.)
August 1965 US Nats. Simla? used
The following is a revised timeline compiled from earlier versionsI believe it is accurate? I changed slightly the time of the ''carrier photos'' from AFTER the world championships to BEFORE the W.C. I did this because I noticed on the Flying Models cover that the FAI stickers were not on the plane at that point. This model was to be the backup for the 1963 worlds
August 1959 US Nats. (Modified Astro Hog 2nd)
June 1960 Orion plans published
July 1960 W/C Switzerland. Orion wins
November 1960 Orion kit released
August 1961 US Nats. (modified Orion/ first ''experimental'' Taurus with long nose moment/short tail moment- not happy)
December 6, 1961 First formal Taurus plan drawn
April 1962 Eds Africa tour. (Starts April 17 for three weeksTaurus used).
May 1962 Tauri kit released
August 1962 US Nats. Taurus wins
October 1962 Taurus plan published in RCM&E
December 1962 Taurus kit released
January 1963 Taurus plan/article published in MAN
July 1963 Ed skips 1963 NATS
August 1963 Carrier flights (demonstrates dunhams' Orbit proportional with Taurus-2 flown with original thicker wing)
August 21,1963 W/C Belgium. Reed Taurus 3rd. (Back-up is Taurus-2 with thick wing and early proportional radio)
April 1964 Tauri plan published
August 1964 US Nats. (Taurus-2 with Taurus regular thickness 2419 modified, and tapered-wing with straight L.E.)
August 1965 US Nats. Simla? used
Pretty neat that these guys flew on 27 MHZ let alone around a giant metal structure over the water! I remember when I flew 27 mhz in 65! You had to watch out for CB guys that would try to shoot you down with a high powered linier!
By the By???????? where can I get a set of plans for the Taurus??????? with all the junk drawn on it?????
Please????? It may already have been posted but this is as far as I have read (looked at pictures) so I may have missed it and then I find there are over 2500 posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WOW! I see my love for this plane is not misplaced. I'm also looking for a source of plans from this era of the sleek neat low wing birds too. I found some several years ago and now can't find them again. Any help?
thanks.
bird.
#2528
RE: Ed Kazmurski's Taurus
Big bird for plans go to
http://*****************.com/about29.html
for the kit go to
http://www.classicrchobby.com/online...hobby?vmcchk=1
Good luck
my winters project for next years Sr. Pattern is a Taurus
Falcon
http://*****************.com/about29.html
for the kit go to
http://www.classicrchobby.com/online...hobby?vmcchk=1
Good luck
my winters project for next years Sr. Pattern is a Taurus
Falcon
#2529
My Feedback: (1)
RE: Ed Kazmurski's Taurus
Hi bigbird3,
Several sources for plans so it depend what You prefer. I do not know if Model Airplane News and RCM & E plans service has Taurus plans anymore but if they have that will be two ways to get it. Then You have AMA Plan Services that has both Top Flite Taurus plan and Model Airplane News Taurus plan:
http://www.modelaircraft.org/plans/plans.aspx - press T letter and You will get this list where You will find it http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/T.pdf
I have ordered plans (not Taurus) from AMA Plans Services and it was no problem at all.
/Bo
Several sources for plans so it depend what You prefer. I do not know if Model Airplane News and RCM & E plans service has Taurus plans anymore but if they have that will be two ways to get it. Then You have AMA Plan Services that has both Top Flite Taurus plan and Model Airplane News Taurus plan:
http://www.modelaircraft.org/plans/plans.aspx - press T letter and You will get this list where You will find it http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/T.pdf
I have ordered plans (not Taurus) from AMA Plans Services and it was no problem at all.
/Bo
#2530
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RE: Ed Kazmurski's Taurus
Thanks to both of you guys. I will look it up. I hope to hear more on this subject. My dad started building a Taurus in 66 or 67. It had an OS MAX minitron reed radio! I remember 'test gliding' it by running a long and letting it get light in my hands and then gently thrusting it forward and level. It was an art in those days.
I watched the video of the 55 to 63 RC stuff. I had one of the bipes called a Custom Live Wire by Hal deBolt. Our first plane was a Sonic Cruizer by Hal. It had an OS FP35 with a butterfly exhaust suppression. It flew great with the old 'shoe polish' fuel. It had such hi nitro that it smelled like shoe polish! Great power but a short life!
When it was dead stick you could hear the reads humming through the doped silk! Watching the video brought back many memories. In Japan we did many hand launches because of small places to fly from. The Japanese guys would turn the low wing planes up side down and launch them like a high wing and then turn them over. They had the pro-po's. We couldn't afford them. The reeds we had were 168. bucks for a six channel. Each control had two channels so, if you had rudder, elevator and throttle, that was six. I flew, at first, what we called single channel. It was basically rudder and throttle. Power on and it would climb. Power down and it would settle. If you wanted to do a loop or barrel roll you go down wind, roll it over and let her rip. When you wanted to stop or saw that you were loosing momentim, you made a turn to keep it from porpusing. The one thing you really had to watch was your altitude when you rolled it over! It was interesting to say the least.
Thanks again guys.
bird.
I watched the video of the 55 to 63 RC stuff. I had one of the bipes called a Custom Live Wire by Hal deBolt. Our first plane was a Sonic Cruizer by Hal. It had an OS FP35 with a butterfly exhaust suppression. It flew great with the old 'shoe polish' fuel. It had such hi nitro that it smelled like shoe polish! Great power but a short life!
When it was dead stick you could hear the reads humming through the doped silk! Watching the video brought back many memories. In Japan we did many hand launches because of small places to fly from. The Japanese guys would turn the low wing planes up side down and launch them like a high wing and then turn them over. They had the pro-po's. We couldn't afford them. The reeds we had were 168. bucks for a six channel. Each control had two channels so, if you had rudder, elevator and throttle, that was six. I flew, at first, what we called single channel. It was basically rudder and throttle. Power on and it would climb. Power down and it would settle. If you wanted to do a loop or barrel roll you go down wind, roll it over and let her rip. When you wanted to stop or saw that you were loosing momentim, you made a turn to keep it from porpusing. The one thing you really had to watch was your altitude when you rolled it over! It was interesting to say the least.
Thanks again guys.
bird.
#2531
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RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
ORIGINAL: kingaltair
Off topic: I was 10 years old when Alan Shephard made his first suborbital Mercury flight. I remember they wheeled a TV into our 1st grade classroom so we could witness it. I was always an avid Space Program fan, and did several reports on it where I'd send away to NASA for information on this or that. I have a collection of info from NASA, and magazine and newspaper articles that trace the space program throughout the 1960s. My whole life since then I have followed our national space program...it just seems impossible to believe that we as a nation will go back to the position where we CAN'T send someone into space; we have to rely on our former cold-war enemies to take us there at 60 million a person.[]
I think the national manned space program is kind-of a commentary on what is happening in this country in general...we ''can't afford'' to have a space program, but we supposedly CAN afford so much other useless spending and national debt. Well, enough personal commentary unrelated to planes.
If I were you, I'd go for the 120AX. It's always better to have more power rather than less. On the 90 OS the plane is adequately powered, but for aerobatics there are definite limits. I'd prefer to have the larger powerplant that Ed couldn't have, and throttle back, but then have the expra power for verticals when desired...besides, you would be ''blazing a trail'' in the continuing Simla project research to see how the plane performs with more power. In addition, I'd like someone to build the Simla in the 96'' wingspan NATS version to see how that compares performance-wise, and eventually somebody is going to have to put a .60 in it to see how it flies with the power Ed had. Experimentation, (and continuing to move forward rather than backward), is what we should be doing IMHO.
Duane
ORIGINAL: billberry189
I am curious about your reference to the 120 2 stroke as I am about to order an OS motor for my Simla this morning. I have been planning on the OS 95 AX (wow, I just heard the shuttle Atlantis' last double sonic booms), but a 120 AX would not be out of the question. What do think?
I am curious about your reference to the 120 2 stroke as I am about to order an OS motor for my Simla this morning. I have been planning on the OS 95 AX (wow, I just heard the shuttle Atlantis' last double sonic booms), but a 120 AX would not be out of the question. What do think?
I think the national manned space program is kind-of a commentary on what is happening in this country in general...we ''can't afford'' to have a space program, but we supposedly CAN afford so much other useless spending and national debt. Well, enough personal commentary unrelated to planes.
If I were you, I'd go for the 120AX. It's always better to have more power rather than less. On the 90 OS the plane is adequately powered, but for aerobatics there are definite limits. I'd prefer to have the larger powerplant that Ed couldn't have, and throttle back, but then have the expra power for verticals when desired...besides, you would be ''blazing a trail'' in the continuing Simla project research to see how the plane performs with more power. In addition, I'd like someone to build the Simla in the 96'' wingspan NATS version to see how that compares performance-wise, and eventually somebody is going to have to put a .60 in it to see how it flies with the power Ed had. Experimentation, (and continuing to move forward rather than backward), is what we should be doing IMHO.
Duane
Kingaltair, I was thinking about your comment about the 60 used originally. Being of that time and era, the fuels were very hi nitro and offered much more power than it would today. In fact, many articles were written warning that if your fuel smelled like shoe polish, don't use it because it was too hi. They were figuring out around late 60's and early 70's the old fuels were pretty much gutting the engines especially the bushed engines. My dad and I had a Sonic Cruizer by Hal deBolt in 66' with an FP 35 and it flew really good. No doubt the fuel had a lot to do with it. I think the person now trying it with the 60 might fly it with 15% fuel and then some 60% rc car fuel and see the difference. Just don't over lean it or the best part of that engine will exit the exhaust! hehe!
Just one of my many thoughts.
Thanks King.
bird.
#2532
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RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
Hi,
Although this thread is about the Taurus plane it has also been a place to gather information about Ed Kazmirski and his achivements in RC. I do not know if it has been posted here before but here is "Model aircraft" September 1960 issueabout 1960 World Championship where Ed took first place:
http://www.algonet.se/~boem/ClassicP...ldChampion.pdf
Nice blast from the past and it is interesting to read how well Ed flew and was more or less in a class of his own at that WC. It is also interesting to readwhat a troublefree Orbit radio he had compared to many other contestants: "Having fitted the radio, he then forgets about it, and concentrates on the flying".
Some nice photos of Ed Kazmirski below from that WC - front cover picture of "Model aircraft" where he sit beside his Orion, Ed landing his Orion and Ed holding the Championship trophy at the banquet.
/Bo
Although this thread is about the Taurus plane it has also been a place to gather information about Ed Kazmirski and his achivements in RC. I do not know if it has been posted here before but here is "Model aircraft" September 1960 issueabout 1960 World Championship where Ed took first place:
http://www.algonet.se/~boem/ClassicP...ldChampion.pdf
Nice blast from the past and it is interesting to read how well Ed flew and was more or less in a class of his own at that WC. It is also interesting to readwhat a troublefree Orbit radio he had compared to many other contestants: "Having fitted the radio, he then forgets about it, and concentrates on the flying".
Some nice photos of Ed Kazmirski below from that WC - front cover picture of "Model aircraft" where he sit beside his Orion, Ed landing his Orion and Ed holding the Championship trophy at the banquet.
/Bo
#2533
My Feedback: (4)
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
Bo
I really appreciate everyone who has caught the "Kazmirski fever", and takes a genuine interest in Ed's life, and especially his R/C career. I wrote an article for Model Aviation magazine, (I believe it was July of 2010) called KAZ, which was intended to do just that...highlight his R/C career and his aircraft designs, while trying to make some sense of everything by trying to put everything on a time line. The article was based on this thread, (from beginning to end, which was 80 some pages back then). I think of the ones I've written it was my favorite. The Simla article came in March of 2011 to try to tie the two together.
I would still challenge those of you who would like to re-discover Ed with us to start at page ONE, and read through it a few pages at a time. Admittedly, there is some junk, arguments, theories and speculations, (some of them no doubt pure crap...you have to find which ones are which), whatever you want to call it, but mixed in, there is also a great deal of authoritative information and "pearls" on Ed. I don't know of a place anywhere that has gathered so much information about his 11 year career.
Even those of you have have followed this thread from the beginning might benefit from a "refresher". I have re-read 20-30 pages on a few occasions trying to find something, and I always find some interesting stuff I had forgotten. It beats watching TV.
Now about the photos: I know your first photo was posted before, but I do not recall the other two, (Ray/Evan/UStik if you're listening-in, please remind me if we've seen these two before).
I'm still planning to post more detailed information of the Taurus II original thick wing soon...stay tuned.
Thanks Bo
Duane
I really appreciate everyone who has caught the "Kazmirski fever", and takes a genuine interest in Ed's life, and especially his R/C career. I wrote an article for Model Aviation magazine, (I believe it was July of 2010) called KAZ, which was intended to do just that...highlight his R/C career and his aircraft designs, while trying to make some sense of everything by trying to put everything on a time line. The article was based on this thread, (from beginning to end, which was 80 some pages back then). I think of the ones I've written it was my favorite. The Simla article came in March of 2011 to try to tie the two together.
I would still challenge those of you who would like to re-discover Ed with us to start at page ONE, and read through it a few pages at a time. Admittedly, there is some junk, arguments, theories and speculations, (some of them no doubt pure crap...you have to find which ones are which), whatever you want to call it, but mixed in, there is also a great deal of authoritative information and "pearls" on Ed. I don't know of a place anywhere that has gathered so much information about his 11 year career.
Even those of you have have followed this thread from the beginning might benefit from a "refresher". I have re-read 20-30 pages on a few occasions trying to find something, and I always find some interesting stuff I had forgotten. It beats watching TV.
Now about the photos: I know your first photo was posted before, but I do not recall the other two, (Ray/Evan/UStik if you're listening-in, please remind me if we've seen these two before).
I'm still planning to post more detailed information of the Taurus II original thick wing soon...stay tuned.
Thanks Bo
Duane
#2537
My Feedback: (1)
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
Hi,
Photo of Ed Kazmirski at US Nationals (NATS) 1962. Source: "Flying Models" magazine October-November 1962 page 11.
In same magazine Bonner also had an ad that pointed out that the top flyers at the NATS, like Ed, was using Bonner Transmite Multi-Servos.
Did not Bonner have any good reed transmitters at this time since Ed used Orbit transmitter but Bonner servos?
And I assume Orbit servos at this time was not good enough for Ed?
/Bo
Photo of Ed Kazmirski at US Nationals (NATS) 1962. Source: "Flying Models" magazine October-November 1962 page 11.
In same magazine Bonner also had an ad that pointed out that the top flyers at the NATS, like Ed, was using Bonner Transmite Multi-Servos.
Did not Bonner have any good reed transmitters at this time since Ed used Orbit transmitter but Bonner servos?
And I assume Orbit servos at this time was not good enough for Ed?
/Bo
#2538
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
Bo, back then Bonner didn't make a Tx. It was not unusual for the R/C manufacturers to make a Tx/Rx system and let you wire up whatever servos you wanted. Bonners were the 'Rolls Royce' of servos back then, both Duramites and the later Transmites.
Evan.
Evan.
#2539
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RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
"early" photo of Ed and the "Orion"
These from June and July 1962 Aeromodellers. Nothing really new but might as well post them here.
Ray
#2541
My Feedback: (1)
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
Hi,
Read here: https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/...skiEdwardJ.pdf
He and his father had a machine shop. (Page 3)
He also was involved in photography. (Page 4)
/Bo
Read here: https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/...skiEdwardJ.pdf
He and his father had a machine shop. (Page 3)
He also was involved in photography. (Page 4)
/Bo
#2543
My Feedback: (4)
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
ORIGINAL: bem
Hi,
Read here: https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/...skiEdwardJ.pdf
He and his father had a machine shop. (Page 3)
He also was involved in photography. (Page 4)
/Bo
Hi,
Read here: https://www.modelaircraft.org/files/...skiEdwardJ.pdf
He and his father had a machine shop. (Page 3)
He also was involved in photography. (Page 4)
/Bo
Duane
#2544
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
Check out the Taurus twin (!) in the Don Huff videos uploaded by Sid Gates. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcyKFjyc_Yw.
#2545
My Feedback: (4)
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
I was looking at some of those yesterday...really cool. It is similar to Chuck Winter's movies of the 1963 through 1965 Detroit Invitationals discussed earlier.
The ones I saw (selection 7A) showed, (I believe) the 1963 NATS, with some of the pioneering greats flying their, (then) state of the art planes. I was particularly interested in seeing Vic Husak flying his Altair, (prior to King Altair), then later seeing it in pieces. []
I particularly love Don's narration of the different planes, and his impressions of each plane. He is a natural...absolutely great. I wish there was MORE of this kind of thing.
Duane
The ones I saw (selection 7A) showed, (I believe) the 1963 NATS, with some of the pioneering greats flying their, (then) state of the art planes. I was particularly interested in seeing Vic Husak flying his Altair, (prior to King Altair), then later seeing it in pieces. []
I particularly love Don's narration of the different planes, and his impressions of each plane. He is a natural...absolutely great. I wish there was MORE of this kind of thing.
Duane
#2546
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RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
ORIGINAL: Michaelj2k
Check out the Taurus twin (!) in the Don Huff videos uploaded by Sid Gates. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcyKFjyc_Yw.
Check out the Taurus twin (!) in the Don Huff videos uploaded by Sid Gates. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcyKFjyc_Yw.
Just a note of interest, Cho Fu was right beside a small civilian airport, Cho Fu airport, and a university near by developed, built and flew the 'Linet', a man powered airplane in 67'. I watched it being built but missed it's maden flight. There are pictures of it on line. It had very long wings, of course, with a 'T' tail and pusher prop at the top of the empanage intersection.
Thanks, bird.
#2547
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
I just spotted this on the 'Bay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ed-Kazmirski...item33727ccd78
It's a copy of a drawing by Ed for the Top Flite nose wheel assembly.
It's a copy of a drawing by Ed for the Top Flite nose wheel assembly.
#2550
My Feedback: (4)
RE: Ed Kazmirski's Taurus
Pre-announcement ...announcement
Like the car magazines try to get unofficial "scoops" and pictures of the new cars before they are formally announced, I feel it is my duty to make the following "pre announcement announcement to the "vintage pattern" public...the "public's right to know" and all that stuff:
Preliminary work has begun on the plans for the "ULTIMATE TAURUS" kit....the Taurus II.
Everyone... please don't tell Jeff that I told you...he probably wants to surprise you.
Like the car magazines try to get unofficial "scoops" and pictures of the new cars before they are formally announced, I feel it is my duty to make the following "pre announcement announcement to the "vintage pattern" public...the "public's right to know" and all that stuff:
Preliminary work has begun on the plans for the "ULTIMATE TAURUS" kit....the Taurus II.
Everyone... please don't tell Jeff that I told you...he probably wants to surprise you.