After reading here about the history of the development of the Ugly Stik, I would like to relate, for what its worth, an experience I had about 4 years ago.
I was in the Pasadena Harbor Freight looking at a drill press and had a question about how to adjust the spindle for runout. I spotted an older employee
(65 or so) and decided to ask him since he was more likely to know more about machinery than the young bucks working there. He asked me what I was planning
to use it for and I told him that I was into building RC model airplanes. His face brightened and asked if I knew of Das Ugly Stik. I said yes and he went to say that he was involved with it's design.
He said he was working for Phil Kraft back in the 60's and they were out flight testing electronics, when the plane crashed. Rather than leave the field and go all the way back to the shop,
he was able to cobble together the wreckage sufficently to continue flying and that this became the basis for the design of a new simple test platform -- Das Ugly Stik.
I did not get his name and never ran into him again, but now wonder if this was George Walker?
After reading about his exploits here, I did some checking and found a George A. Walker, age 65 plus, living in the Pasadena Sierra Madre area.
Possibly THE George Walker??
GeneH
Glendale, CA