Dale Kirn has passed on

Thanks for that link.

Ah not another one passing.
But hey gotta happen sooner or later I suppose.

One of the greats no doubt. RIP.

Sad to read.

Found his calling early in life and had fun to the end it would seem. Touring around the countryside in a 55 chevy, flying control line and having a blast. The endless summer.

I was at Dale's Home a few times. Most of his stuff was stored but got to see some of it. Alot of modeling history there for sure. Seen his scale B-25 and his monoline Stunter. His Dauhter won 1980 Nats in 1/2A proto speed. I got the plans from him in person. Plane is called Spulett. It uses the Cox speed pan. Dale was a very pleasant man to talk with. Seen him several times at speed contests in So. Cal. I use to see him all the time at collectos while I lived in So. Cal. We have lost a great modeler and down to earth person. Farewell Dale and thank you.
Dan

.

Seems everyone who knew him has a good thig today about him.
And it seems so many knew him.

Dale (my father-in-law) help me build a website several years ago explaining numerous projects he has worked on over the years. His children were all involved in his modeling and flying to some degree. He had a love of for aircraft from an early age and was a big influence in the CL flying industry. He will be missed.

http://familyofflyers.ias3.com/index.htm

SGG, I'm sorry for your loss. What a wonderful website you put together...

Six Gun Galahad wrote:Dale (my father-in-law) help me build a website several years ago explaining numerous projects he has worked on over the years. His children were all involved in his modeling and flying to some degree. He had a love of for aircraft from an early age and was a big influence in the CL flying industry. He will be missed.

http://familyofflyers.ias3.com/index.htm

I got as far as Teresa's "Daughter's Note" and started whipping a tear while reading about her Dad and the family. I'll get back to it later. Thanks for joining up with us, I hope you will be a regular visitor.
Rusty

Wow, I learned about something new today... Mono-Line flying

Dale was one of my heroic mentors. Like my biggest hero, my dad, he was a long time modeler from childhood and had great knowledge and patience. Dale was very calm and nice to young kids, he had a general liking of them I'm sure. I competed in 1/2A Proto Profile and Proto with Mary Kirn in the 60's and early 70's and though I stuck to two-line, Dale had a Cox PT-19 converted to mono-line that he would tote around. I first flew mono-line, with Mary and about ten other kids, at a Chicago Nationals I think, with Dale grinning and prompting us with technique.
Dale sold 11-year-old me a few neat-o things from his mail order Kirn Kraft accessories and kits, like orange resin props for my left handed Tee Dee, fine thread needle valves and large venturi's for pressure fuel systems. I flew a few contests at Mile Square, Los Alamitos, Whittier Narrows and Sepulveda Basin where Dale would help with practical matters such as prop shapes, sanding them as thin as possible and shortening them to less than 5 inches when my Tee Dee's wouldn't make the power. How to wind wire to make a good bladder tank, and other Speed stuff.
I still have a price sheet.

Jimmy Wade and Mary and later Joe Kirn had the hottest ships in 70's So Cal 1/2A back then. But I felt a part of the group even if I never broke into the 80's much to the presence of kind and patient Dale Kirn.

My condolences to the Kirn family for the loss of your dad, he was a great guy and we will all miss him too.

Chris McMillin

Chris,
Very nice post. Dale was a fine person and most helpful.

stuntflyr wrote:Dale was one of my heroic mentors. Like my biggest hero, my dad, he was a long time modeler from childhood and had great knowledge and patience. Dale was very calm and nice to young kids, he had a general liking of them I'm sure. I competed in 1/2A Proto Profile and Proto with Mary Kirn in the 60's and early 70's and though I stuck to two-line, Dale had a Cox PT-19 converted to mono-line that he would tote around. I first flew mono-line, with Mary and about ten other kids, at a Chicago Nationals I think, with Dale grinning and prompting us with technique.
Dale sold 11-year-old me a few neat-o things from his mail order Kirn Kraft accessories and kits, like orange resin props for my left handed Tee Dee, fine thread needle valves and large venturi's for pressure fuel systems. I flew a few contests at Mile Square, Los Alamitos, Whittier Narrows and Sepulveda Basin where Dale would help with practical matters such as prop shapes, sanding them as thin as possible and shortening them to less than 5 inches when my Tee Dee's wouldn't make the power. How to wind wire to make a good bladder tank, and other Speed stuff.
I still have a price sheet.

Jimmy Wade and Mary and later Joe Kirn had the hottest ships in 70's So Cal 1/2A back then. But I felt a part of the group even if I never broke into the 80's much to the presence of kind and patient Dale Kirn.

My condolences to the Kirn family for the loss of your dad, he was a great guy and we will all miss him too.

Chris McMillin  

I remember when I was young my dad and I had mouse racers in the early 70's. We often raced at Red Barron hobbies in Oxnard Ca. I got a bad case of the flu one week and my dad brought me home a KK left handed tee dee I have it now sitting in front of me. With a orange resin prop.
We won just about everything with that engine. You would have thought we had a top fuel engine by the looks of the outher racers when it ran.
Pretty cool to have a piece of history for that era of Cox.

Jeff Barton

Touching story to say the least Jeff.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Time to start that old TeeDee again?
Welcome to the forum,
Bob

Hi Jeff. Welcome to CEF, this was a great place to jump in.
Hope you'll stick around, and glad you found us.
Rusty

Kern LH prop, I got from my buddy Chris McMillin:

Sorry to hear this / But he seem to have had a great life and gave a lot to our hobby . Thank You Dale Kern

Wow. I just found out about Dale. I lived around the corner for him for years although I Known Kirn Kraft products Why be bore meeting Dale. He was amazing. He volunteered to rebuild all of my engines. He’d hand them back and smile. I haven’t run my TD 15 since. Its been in a show case. A great man. A great loss.