Last night I reviewed the final version of Chuck Winter's expanded DVD of his home movies showing RC pattern's pioneers...a "whose who" of early RC pattern. The newest part of the video is a tribute to Tom Brett, and is a video documentary of sorts of his brief, but colorful RC career.

This final version is more complete than the first version of the tribute I looked at a few days ago, which concentrated on the photos that started the Tom Brett's Designs thread, and the Brett home movies of their trip to England. The final version highlights each of Tom's aircraft designs, (it never fails to amaze me when I see those 30 seconds of video that shows Tom's TBX-1 start up, taxi around, then fly by while pulling up into a Victory Roll), with a combination of video and still photos, while mixing in the professional footage of the 1962 World RC Championships, (FAI). Chuck is getting better and better in the production of his video, and the way the story "flows"...very very nice storytelling.

As I said earlier, I loved the close-up video focused on the transmitter as Tom flew his reed radio system, (playing it like a piano). I also enjoyed the preparation of the travel crate that carried Apogee and Perigee to England. Tom's workmanship in constructing his custom crate that fit both planes "like a glove" was amazing...the fit of all the pieces demonstrates his meticulous manner in everything he did.

You can see glimpses of personality in video that don't come through in a still photo. The same is true of his writing...(Tom was a talented and colorful writer), a great deal of his personality comes through in his magazine construction articles, almost like you get the feeling you know him, (I never actually had the pleasure of talking to him even though we were in the same RC club...it's too bad I was on the "shy side" back when I was an early teen).

An added and unexpected bonus was discovered about 20 minutes into the 52 minute video when I suddenly recognized my (departed), Dad in the crowd of onlookers watching the event during the 1965 Invitational...I had never seen him before when I viewed the video, (I was not in that footage). The resolution of the 45 year-old 16mm movies wasn't crystal clear, but both my wife and I were able to pick him out separately, so it had to have been him.

Thanks so much Chuck for doing this; I'm glad you had the inclination, desire, and skill to put this project together for the rest of us.

Duane