Rhino
Super Moderator
We all know "Those Guys". You see them at shows and some are vendors. Cheerful model people that are ready with a pun or a joke. Their eternally patient wives are just as sweet as any model maker could wish for. Guys that just by knowing them, improve your life and inspire Model Mojo.
Yeah. Those Guys. Sometimes they don't come around anymore and you wonder why.
Virgil and Olivia Stanbury are exactly these sort of model people.
This is exactly why my Sweetie and I made the sunny Monday morning car ride all the way to Burlington Iowa to have lunch with these friends.
Lunch? This was the assignation. The Stanburys had something grander in mind than just lunch.
We arrived in Burlington about 40 minutes earlier than the agreed to time for dining at The Drake almost on the mighty Mississippi river front, and not quite hungry yet. I figured we might pass the time amusing ourselves. We saw The Great River Bridge the Burlington Northern Railway bridge and stood by the Mighty Miss for a few minutes in the June sunshine. There was a barge-like object on the Gulfport, IL side, that looked to be not quite afloat or properly loaded. River traffic was light at this time.
Olivia chose to take us on a car tour of their hometown, and we were glad to be guided by a knowledgeable retired school teacher and her beloved husband!
The first stop was Snake Alley. The most crooked brick paved street in America. Time was, the Burlington Brickworks produced all the bricks for streets, sidewalks and lavish homes in this quaint riverfront Iowa town. We learned that they made this street in 1894, for horse-drawn wagons to haul loads to the top of the bluff for construction. Navigating Snake Alley is a feat not for the faint of heart!
We drove through Perkins Park and viewed the expansive grounds and structures that were originally the Perkins family home. This 18 acre tract and buildings were donated to the City of Burlington in 1927 by the Perkins family. Olivia and Virgil cheerfully added their historical narrative to the trip!
Next, was the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport. "Hot-Dog, a smoking area!!"
If you seek Lockheed T-33A USAF inventory #529697 She's here! She used to be on a "Stick" in Dankwardt Park, but kids kept climbing on her. As a safety measure, the ol' Ladies cockpit was poured full of concrete. It looks as if a P-80 nose was installed somewhere along the line. A Gunnery trainer. perhaps? T-Birds don't usually have guns.
Virgil's (former) model club, The Blackhawk Model Club, have a display in the airport. Model makers from the local area have loaned the builds on display. Arthur J. Hartman's story is a historic and colorful one! Art taught Virgil's dad to fly. Every student that earned his pilot's certificate in the JN-4 was added to the fuselage of the Memory Jenny. The Blackhawks are known for their automotive model builds. Virgil likes airplane models too!
His signature is the finish. I saw SO many excellent paint jobs of models this day. An Artist to be sure.
The B-25J Mitchell "Pacific Prowler" was modeled as she appeared the day Virgil went for a ride in her. Guys, this finish is Alclad. Not foil.
My Sweetie photo-bombed the model case! Cheeky lil' woman! The Corsair is the old 1/72 Hawk kit. Virgil built the Nieuport 28 Skeleton too!
I must have put a fingerprint on my camera lens for these. Sorry, Men. I got really excited about the BD-5 and BD-5J builds!
Virgil ducked out into the hangar to see if his friend Mike was around. His jet was there, but Mike wasn't. He hoped Mike would show us the jet, but it is airplane taboo, indeed, to tread uninvited, another man's airplane!
One of the displays memorializes USCG Lt. Colleen A. Cain. She was the co-pilot of Seaguard Helicopter CG-1420 in January of 1982. The loss of the HH-52A was due to lousy weather during a rescue mission to FV Pan Am of Molokai. LT. Cain's hometown was Burlington, Iowa.
More to come!
Yeah. Those Guys. Sometimes they don't come around anymore and you wonder why.
Virgil and Olivia Stanbury are exactly these sort of model people.
This is exactly why my Sweetie and I made the sunny Monday morning car ride all the way to Burlington Iowa to have lunch with these friends.
Lunch? This was the assignation. The Stanburys had something grander in mind than just lunch.
We arrived in Burlington about 40 minutes earlier than the agreed to time for dining at The Drake almost on the mighty Mississippi river front, and not quite hungry yet. I figured we might pass the time amusing ourselves. We saw The Great River Bridge the Burlington Northern Railway bridge and stood by the Mighty Miss for a few minutes in the June sunshine. There was a barge-like object on the Gulfport, IL side, that looked to be not quite afloat or properly loaded. River traffic was light at this time.
Olivia chose to take us on a car tour of their hometown, and we were glad to be guided by a knowledgeable retired school teacher and her beloved husband!
The first stop was Snake Alley. The most crooked brick paved street in America. Time was, the Burlington Brickworks produced all the bricks for streets, sidewalks and lavish homes in this quaint riverfront Iowa town. We learned that they made this street in 1894, for horse-drawn wagons to haul loads to the top of the bluff for construction. Navigating Snake Alley is a feat not for the faint of heart!
We drove through Perkins Park and viewed the expansive grounds and structures that were originally the Perkins family home. This 18 acre tract and buildings were donated to the City of Burlington in 1927 by the Perkins family. Olivia and Virgil cheerfully added their historical narrative to the trip!
Next, was the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport. "Hot-Dog, a smoking area!!"
If you seek Lockheed T-33A USAF inventory #529697 She's here! She used to be on a "Stick" in Dankwardt Park, but kids kept climbing on her. As a safety measure, the ol' Ladies cockpit was poured full of concrete. It looks as if a P-80 nose was installed somewhere along the line. A Gunnery trainer. perhaps? T-Birds don't usually have guns.
Virgil's (former) model club, The Blackhawk Model Club, have a display in the airport. Model makers from the local area have loaned the builds on display. Arthur J. Hartman's story is a historic and colorful one! Art taught Virgil's dad to fly. Every student that earned his pilot's certificate in the JN-4 was added to the fuselage of the Memory Jenny. The Blackhawks are known for their automotive model builds. Virgil likes airplane models too!
His signature is the finish. I saw SO many excellent paint jobs of models this day. An Artist to be sure.
The B-25J Mitchell "Pacific Prowler" was modeled as she appeared the day Virgil went for a ride in her. Guys, this finish is Alclad. Not foil.
My Sweetie photo-bombed the model case! Cheeky lil' woman! The Corsair is the old 1/72 Hawk kit. Virgil built the Nieuport 28 Skeleton too!
I must have put a fingerprint on my camera lens for these. Sorry, Men. I got really excited about the BD-5 and BD-5J builds!
Virgil ducked out into the hangar to see if his friend Mike was around. His jet was there, but Mike wasn't. He hoped Mike would show us the jet, but it is airplane taboo, indeed, to tread uninvited, another man's airplane!
One of the displays memorializes USCG Lt. Colleen A. Cain. She was the co-pilot of Seaguard Helicopter CG-1420 in January of 1982. The loss of the HH-52A was due to lousy weather during a rescue mission to FV Pan Am of Molokai. LT. Cain's hometown was Burlington, Iowa.
More to come!
