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.

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

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