I'm really sorry to hear of Harry's passing. I was just asking someone a few weeks back if Harry was still around. As I recall, Harry got into gliders when he left pattern. When I first started competing in the 80's, Harry was one of the "old-timers" in Masters. This was back in the pre-turnaround era when each Masters pilot wrote their own schedule. I remember Harry and another great Masters pilot name Len Roe going nip and tuck at virtually every contest. I remember Harry as a gruff old guy on the exterior that actually had a heart of gold once you got to know him. It took a little while, but I felt like one of the guys when Harry started to acknowledge me at local contests around Michigan and Ohio. My biggest regret in going to turnaround is that we lost all those old guys in the process.
Len Roe passed a number of years ago and now Harry's gone too. If there's a life hereafter, I'd bet Harry and Len picked right back up where they left off!
Verne Koester
ORIGINAL: TonyF
I just learned from Mike McConnville that Harry Roe passed away last week. Harry was a real mentor to me in my early days of learning pattern. He was the best coach I ever worked with and the things he taught me about engines are priceless.
For those who may not be familiar with Harry, he was a WWII P-47 and P-51 pilot. John Britt once built a scale model of Harry's P-51. He was then in the Guard for many years, flying F-84's and other early era jets. Harry had a lot of very interesting flying stories!
Harry was very involved in U/C speed. He worked a lot with Supertigre in developing their engines. I worked with Harry for a few years at World Engines. Maybe some of you will remember Ro-Go fuel. That was Harry. He worked for Emerson Electric for many years and he designed and they produced the Glo-Bee glow plug and a very popular glow driver. The things I learned from him are really too numerous to list. Harry was not a great R/C Pattern pilot, but he had the best eye as a coach I have ever known. His help was a big part of whatever success I have had in pattern. I can still hear him talking to me when I fly now.
I'm sorry to say these last years I really didn't keep in touch with him as well as I should have. I was going to try to see him this year during my Nats trip, but somehow it didn't happen. Now I really wish I had taken the time.
Take care Colonel!