A LITTLE ABOUT ME…
I literally grew up dreaming about airplanes, from as far back as I can remember. My uncles flew control-line and their modeling had a lot of influence on me.
When I was a child my dad gave me a U-control P-51 for Christmas cementing my love for anything that flies. I flew and built control-line, free-flight, as well as static models from the age of about 10 years old, with a short break for girls, cars, and R/C boats.
As a young man I dreamed of being an aircraft designer and it showed on my Christmas wish list every year, 10 stick and tissue Comet kits, and 5 tubes of Ambroid cement every year. I got whipped a lot for ruining my Sears "Tough Skins" school pants with glue smudges, but it was worth it… Ahh, the good old days.
Later, after cutting enough yards, I earned enough to buy a crashed single channel Cox Sanwa radio from a kid down the street. I paired it up with an Ace Kit from the hobby shop. I wasn’t very successful with it but the desire to fly R/C never left me.
My neighbor Mr. Cleveland Mathern, built and flew R/C. He was not very successful at either, although he was a better builder than a flier. I would check his garbage often for crashed planes/parts but never told him. I would watch him build planes in his little "tin shed" learning the tricks of the trade; the use of “tissue and dope” and epoxy glue.
One day when he saw I was able to put one of his crashes back together he got mad and forbid me to rummage through his wreckage. Seems I was already a better builder than he was. Eventually he moved, but when I got serious about building and flying I was able to contact him through my dad, they were still friends. He helped me get things going again but, after crashing most of my planes, I decided that I could crash my own, and learned to fly by myself.
After I settling down I married my wife Missy, and started flying fun-flies and designing fun-fly stuff. I began reading the model magazines where I came across a captivating image of a pattern plane. Curious I began reading Ron Van Putte, Dean Pappas, and Don Low. I couldn’t wait to see one of these pattern ships in person.
“Flying Models” was my favorite read, mostly because I enjoyed Dean’s articles, as well as the fact that they had an R/C boat section. In my opinion the Pattern guys really had the best pictures and articles in the magazines. Always showing the latest innovations and tricks, I loved the tech talk, and design theory. These guys have become Icons to the sport and are still dedicated today.
At that time the bug bit me hard, and I had made up my mind, I had to design a pattern model. Never having seen one in person I went on the “that looks about right method”. After pouring over all the writings of my hero's I decided that I had the answer, Two years later from start to finish I finally flew it.
We had just moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, lured by the many articles covering pattern activity at the Dixie R/C Club, where we made the maiden flight. It flew pretty good till somebody asked me to do a slow roll and… in she went! But I wasn‘t detoured! I refined the model and have been building and designing ever since.
Since 1987 I've designed nearly 20 Pattern Models. A few are:
- The Storm
- Storm EX
- Storm 4-S (which was a feature construction article in flying Models)
- Storm Limited
- Storm 4-LS
- The Patriot
- Patriot Extreme
- Patriot 3-D
- Quest
- Shinden
- Valiant
- Shark
- Barracuda
Ten of these models were offered as kits. My Latest models (the Shark and the Valiant) have been manufactured by the leading International kit Manufactures, Oxai and CARF Models.
In 1998, I entered a partnership with one of the country`s best master builders Harold Collins in a venture called Executive Airframes or EXAF (His son now runs this Web Site.) We were in business for five years selling Top Shelf wood /Glass F3A airplanes, plans, and parts all over the world. We helped Jason Shulman make his first U.S. Team, building his Patriot Models for him in 1998-99.
I am proud and honored to have achieved these goals. My reputation for designing perfect mix-free competition planes has helped me earn a spot as a top world designer. I have designed and built airplanes for the worlds top fliers like Jason Shulman, and Andrew Jesky. I have been engaged in helping many of the top fliers in the world trim and set their airplanes for world level Competition. (Ed Note; Also, never denied a newbe or anyone in between.)
I`m the current US Team member Brett Wickizers coach, mentor, and friend along with many other top pilots who I coach and help in other capacities at the world and top national level.
A top level competitor myself, I have made the F3A finals at the Nationals three times in recent years. I was in the top six in Masters in 94, and third in intermediate/sportsman in 1992. I have been the U.S.A. F3a team manager in France 2005, and Brett Wickizers caller, mechanic, and coach in Portugal 2009.
I have been an "A" level sponsored Futaba Pilot for ten years, a fully sponsored Morgan Fuel pilot for twelve years, and an “A” level Yamada YS Engine sponsored Pilot for seven years.
I endorse and use these products exclusively. It would be difficult to be successful without their support.
I am a Volvo master ASE certified technician and have worked for the local Volvo dealership for fifteen years.
I love to play music in my spare time, “Gospel, Country, and Blue Grass“. My daughter, twenty one now, sings in my band. I love playing table tennis, and am very involved in Church activities.
The goal of this website is to answer the most commonly asked questions about my designs, and their set up, and to share my trimming and building methods.
I will keep you up to date about neat products, new models, new techniques, and the latest innovations from around the world.
I hope you receive info and motivation from me and my passion, and I hope to keep the new Ideas flowing.
God bless and thanks for stopping in,
Bryan Hebert