Monday, January 7, 2013



Email from Alan Mkitarian

5 Replies
Here’s an email from Alan Mkitarian received some time ago and edited a bit.
Hi Ron,
Just wondering if you updated the list of vendors
in the back of your book? Do you know I have most of
the pictures of modelers in your book signed by those.
Only need Erv Rodemsky to fill it out. Understand
he’s in poor health? Hope to see you some time. I
still fly with Dan Domina who no longer participates in
AMA events and contests. He still does fly at Coyle
Field here in N.J.
Best of luck with the new printing. There are
plenty of new flyers wanting your book. Would be nice
to do a indoor book on RC subjects. It’s the new fad
at Lakehurst. ECIM Club has over 150 members now
thanks to RC. Are you back building indoor?
Alan Mkitarian, Palmyra, N.J.

5 thoughts on “Email from Alan Mkitarian”

  1. Jane Hutton Rodemsky
    My father is in poor health with Parkinson’s. He lives in Danville CA and still spends his time reading (or having red to him) model builders mags, books, articles etc. Model building was a life force for him and still is. Thank you, a model builder’s daughter
    Reply ↓
  2. Dick Kowalski
    Hello Jane,
    Your Father & I became close friends in 1949 when he lived in Detroit. We spent many hours together building & flying model airplanes. I last saw him & your Mom in about 1995 in San Francisco and have since talked to both of them at times. Since I still live in Michigan, we don’t see one another anymore.
    But there is a touching story that I would like to share with you about how they met. I believe it was about 1949 when your Mom was working for the Director of a large model airplane meet sponsored by the Plymouth Division of Chrysler. We went to the meet headquarters together to register and this is where & when their relationship began. When we left there, I remember your Dad telling me “I’m in love with that girl and one day I’m going to marry her”!
    I hope your Mom & Dad are holding up OK during his prolonged battle with Parkinsons. Please give them my Love. I will call him some time during the Holidays.
    Best wishes & God Bless, Dick Kowalski
    Reply ↓
  3. Chuck Madigan
    Hello Dick and Jane :)
    Back in the old days (1957) when I belonged to the Detroit Balsa Bugs in Detroit I was flying a hand launched glider in the Laskey Gym, Paul Crowley came up to me and told me my plane was really flying good and wondered if I had heard about someone who had broke the 30 second barrier in that Gym (29 foot ceiling). The person that did it had moved to California so I never met him. I am wondering if Erv is that person…???
    Paul told me that the plane had a sweep back wing, zero incidence and that the wing was so thin that you could read a newspaper through the wing! My great flying glider was doing about 16 seconds at the time. So, I built new planes week after week and finally did break the 30 second barrier which was a real thrill at the time. If Erv is the person I would sure like to hear more about how he did it and any details.
    From what I know, we are the only ones who broke the barrier.
    Regards,
    Chuck Madigan
    Reply ↓
  4. Dick Kowalski
    Hi Chuck,
    Erv & I cut our model airplane flying teeth together & became personal friends when I was 15 (1948). Although I think he built just about every kind of model there is. I may be wrong, but I don’t remember him ever flying hand launch gliders at Laskey.
    Reply ↓
  5. Bill Shailor
    Erv was the guy who did the 30 second flight at laskey recreation. On a sad note neither Erv nor Dick are with us any longer. Dick just passed away this Sunday, April 22, 2012. Those days at Laskey Recreation were gret fun. A really talented group of people!
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