Free Bird

Nice Dave! Good the hear that you're hooked! I've got the Eureka short kit lined up for a winter build. Always liked the looks of the TM. My father used to be friends with Bonetti back in the day. I remember visiting Bonetti when he lived in New Jersey.

FB

dave_anderson

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Just an update. I moved to Florida, fixed the gear, shifted the CG aft and will fly her again this Saturday. I finally got a good scale, and she weighs 7 pounds 6.5 ounces.

Vinny Solstice

Really great job on the troublemaker . I knew Tony back in the day when he had his shop in Hackensack N.J. . In fact it was just knocked down this past summer. He was a lot older than me but I knew him pretty well. He flew at our field once in a while. Man could he fly.I was wondering if you knew if he was ok. Always looked up to him. Vinny from Hackensack .

Trisquire

I asked Dave Brown about Tony last year. All I know is he lives in Las Vegas now.

Vinny Solstice

Thanks for the reply was always wondering what happened to him . He was not an easy guy to approach . But it was great to watch him fly. He flew at our club field once in a while Man was the troublemaker beautiful . I use to see them in various stages of being built . As his shop was close to my house.

AMA 74894

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WOW... I realize this is an older thread, but I just had to ask if anyone is still flying the ol' troublemaker.
Tony Bonetti was a regular member of my club at the time (RCRC in NY) he, Dennis Donohue (Flying the El Tigre) and my Father (Pat Buzzeo) were ALWAYS trying to out do each other...
I can distinctly remember the three of them argu .. ummm... 'discussing' the swept wings, chin bubble (for the retract nose gear)
Split elevators/hidden elevator linkages etc... I was 8 or 9 at the time but i remember it like it was yesterday
I know Tony is still alive and in Las Vegas... my Dad is 92, still fiesty and still flies EVERYDAY it's not raining...
I'm probably talking to myself in this year old thread, but around Father's day I tend to get a bit nostalgic.
thank you to ALL here for the stroll down memory lane.

ChiefK

Jim,

Thanks for posting.... brought back some happy memories. I was flying a J&J Troublemaker when I went to my first pattern contest in 1974. It happened to be a AMA Nationals at Lake Charles I was living in Florida at the time. I won second place in the Novice class. Talk about positive feedback! Followed that up with a 1st place at the Florida Regionals, same year.

Then military assignments, college, new career, etc. took me out of the scene until a couple of years ago. Don't have the timing, or the skills any more, but enjoying it and appreciating it even more.

ChiefK

doxilia

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Greg,

where did you find the inspiration for the finish on your Troublemaker? At the time you built and flew this model, Yoshioka had recently won the World's with his BA. Since it is almost the same scheme (fuse aside), did the BA have anything to do with your finish?

David

ChiefK

David,

I really don't recall if the Yoshioka BA influenced that paint scheme or not. I've posted this photo before, and gotten the same question and I answered "no", but maybe...... You've got to admit that it works really well for the TM.

Greg

Trisquire

Would that have been in Orangeburg, NY? I saw Tony there a lot, but I don't remember seeing Dennis Donohue.

AMA 74894

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Yep, Orangeburg, NY (behind the old world wide Volkswagon/Chromalloy building) Dennis was active there from ~ 1970 till at least 1978 or so...
he and my dad were 'contest buddies' for a couple years... I was caller for my Dad, Dennis's son (Dennis Jr, aka 'Little Denny') was Dennis'
I remember going to their house in Bergenfield to cut some wing cores for the original ElTigre
(that WAS a kit for a very short period.. fiberglass fuse as I recall was by Savo Mele... same guy who produced the fuselage for the Pulsar Bipe)
Dennis Jr was my best 'flying field buddy' for that entire time, they were regulars.
TriSquire, were you an RCRC member? if it was between 1967 and 1980 I'm SURE I'll remember you..
I've got some old photos that I really do need to Scan and post...

Trisquire

Hi Jim,

I was not a member. They let me guest fly a few times in the early 80s. That explains why I missed Dennis. I also flew at a club in Montvale, NJ near the Mercedes Benz building. It was just a dirt strip. Anyway, its good to hear from someone who remembers the area. I'd love to see those photos sometime.

Tom

AMA 74894

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:-D ahhh yes.. I Graduated from St Joe's in Montvale... (in 1980 then off to the USAF in July) but heck, even THAT was before mercedes moved in...
holy Cow how did I get this old?? I'm pretty sure that by that time Dennis was not actively competing anymore... he was pretty good too...
Had the only Kraft Signature series SINGLE STICK that I'd ever seen... (though obviously not THE only one )

bob mann

I seen Tony fly in 1977 in Las Vagas at the T/C and it was fast.If i rember right it was clocked at over 140 mph.Bob