Jetex.org: History - Hall of Fame: Bill Henderson




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	Bill Henderson at the US Nationals After emigrating to Canada in 1953, Bill Henderson resumed active particpation in contest flying with entries in the 1970 and 1971 US Nationals at the Glenview Naval Base in Chicago. Aeromodeller in October 1971 applauded the attendance of fifteen Canadians from the Toronto Club: "Good show from the Cannucks [sic] – many of them, of course, ex-British Clubsters, including Bill Henderson, making a comeback with Jetex models". The National Free Flight Society Digest of Oct.-Dec. 1971 carried a photo of Bill (see right), noting that "windy was the word for Jetex day; it was so bad you had to hold the model behind you or on the ground while waiting for lift". Bill himself notes that the photo shows him "with my friend Andy Demello from Toronto trying to hold Vindskreenviper 4, Mark 3 out of the high winds, before trying to launch into a calm spell. This was a very frustrating contest because I had eight misfires [due to poor fuse] and then had the model crash into the unforgiving asphalt runway", after climbing up and over in a left-hand arc. Jetex wick was a general problem at the 1971 Nats. NFFS Free Flight notes: "The fuel was better than usual, and there were many split cases. But, the wick!" Bill adds: "I was so upset with Jetex fuse that after the contest I wrote to Sebel in the UK to complain about the very poor fuse." He received a reply from Bert Judge himself, who noted that "we have had a certain amount of difficulty with Jetex wick which has deteriorated in stock". Since Sebel was then in the last months of Jetex manufacture, it seems likely that quality control standards had become less rigorous.		Bill Henderson with Vindskreenviper 4, Mark 3 and Andy Demello, waiting for a calm spell at the Rocket event at the 1971 US Nationals. - NFFS Free Flight, Oct.-Dec. 1971 (p. 20) Click image below to view or download large dimensioned 3-view of Vindskreenviper 4, Mark 3


	Acknowledgements NFFS Free Flight, Aeromodeller and personal notes from Bill Henderson

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