John D'Ottavio turns 90/Model Aviation

roddie Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:55 pm

Kirt Blattenburger recently provided me with a high-res. scan of Mr. D'Ottavio's "Topper" (aka "Falcon") Gen. purpose Stunter plan. The plane was flown by Eddie Elasic in the 1961 "Air Youth State Championship" (AYSC). The "Topper" design was a collaboration between Eddie and John, and won the best 4-way AYSC title that year.

I have a Topper... see this thread for my correspondence w/Kirt and the plan scan he sent.https://www.coxengineforum.com/t5527-what-is-this

Kirt emailed me again last Monday, to inform me of the coincidence... that "Bob Hunt" reported on Mr. D'Ottavio's 90th birthday, in the "C/L Aerobatics" column of the November edition of Model Aviation, on page 131. I no longer get the magazine, so I plan on subscribing on-line, so I can read about this man. The article should make a nice addition; along with the plan... for documenting my "Topper" model.

Ken Cook Wed Oct 30, 2013 9:15 pm

I had lunch with Bob Hunt, John D'Ottavio and Larry Scarinzi. We stopped at a diner we frequent on the way home and we had about 15 of us. Talk about a good time. John said he was going to fly the pattern on his birthday. He wasn't flying for quite some time and he felt this was something he needed to do. Bob was very supportive of this due to John coaching Bob in his younger days. Both fellows are just a encylopedia of control line knowledge. Ken