Land of the Giants

This past week, I lost yet another great friend, and fellow model airplane fanatic.  Through the 1980's and 90's Neal Needham and our band of miniature aviators religiously met at the airport in Cairo, Illinois, raising all kinds of havoc from a dead-end ramp, and entertaining the Sunday Flyers with our assorted antics.

Neal died this past Thursday, after a 6-month battle with lung cancer.  He'd been sick for a while before, but wrote it off as bronchitis.  I knew nothing about this deal 'till my brother called with the news that he had passed.  So, another great guy is taken from us.

Neal flew from both ends of the scale, and might show up with anything, from his "Relax Plane" a Cox Sportavia, to a ducted fan F-16 monster that was the wildest thing in our little groups' inventory.  He'd fly his F-16...then fly the Sportavia  to "settle down" afterward.

In between, there were dozens of pre-built planes and those Neal built himself, all widely and wildly varying in size and purpose.

His  last project is a yet-to-be finished FW-190D ARF, of which, I don't yet have much info...other than the fact that it's "Big".  His son Eric, who doesn't build, has given me the task of finishing Neal's plane, which I've accepted.  At this point, I don't know the actual size, or brand of engine, other than it's a "5 hp something".

This project is now a priority, and I want to get it finished and ready for the first nice flying day that our schedule allows.  My sole experience with large planes is limited to my beloved Mud Duck...a slow floater, not at all in a league with Neal's Wulf.  So, I may be needing help from some of you to get this big dog going.

I know there are other forums that might cover this subject, but I don't want to sift through egos and braggadocio I always seem encounter everywhere but here...I need the real stuff.  I'll be checking in again shortly, with more facts about Neal's plane, and will appreciate any thoughts and advice on making this project go.  I'm surely over-thinking the whole deal, but that's just my programming.

Thanks Guys !!!


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Not a very good photo, but indicative of our adventures back in the day:  Neal would call me up,  "Hey Kim, I got us a great place to fly...over close to Cache River!"  Off we'd go, spending an hour stomping down the bean stobbs and stalks to help save our wings' covering.  Here, we're working on one of Neal's planes, with his always-present son and best-buddy, Eric closely monitoring.


Neal preps his Byrons F-16...a ritual that took about 45 minutes...




The 16 turns final


Me, Neal, and Eric...back in the day: