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Old 04-12-2007, 12:58 PM
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Royatl Royatl is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shockwaveriderz
Bill Simon may have been fired by DAMOn on the 1st day, but evidently DAMON hired back again(not uncommon) as he was the designer of the Scissor wing Transport circa 72-74. You can read about its design and development in the April/MAY 1974 Estes MRN. At this time frame Bill (Wiliam) Simon is listed as Estes R&D Manager, which is a far cry from what he was hired in at age 19 fresh out of Junior College. Bill was hired by Vern EStes at age 19 fresh out of junior college and was immediately put to work as the Estes MRN editor among other things. Remember in those days everybody did multiple jobs and wore multiple hats. Bill told me this himself in several telephone and email conversations a few years back. Bill is still alive and well but I have lost contact with him, although I am trying to re-establish contact with him. LAst time I spoke with him he lived in Washington State.

IN April/May 1974 the Estes Maxi-Brute line came out so I would assume as Estes R&D manager he played a role in their being offered. He also was at EStest during the Goony Birds launch, mini-brutes launch,etc .


Larry Renger was the designer behind the Astron Falcon(nee Sky SLask derivative), and the Sky Dart BG, the small and large BOMARCS (Cittation Line) and of course later the Stratoblaster and the Centurian T-25(?). I have photos that LArry sent me showing him at work on the BOMARC"S at estes along with a photo of the SKy Dart prototype model.

Gene J. Street designed the Astron NIghthawk glider.

hth

terry dean
nar 16158


So my info that Simon is in his 80's must be wrong. Sounds like he's more like he's 65-70.

(EDIT: Ah, now I know... I was confusing him with John Schutz.)

Has Renger been an employee there this whole time? It has always sounded like he was just a consultant, designing the occasional winged thing. I thought he worked at some point for one of the model airplane kit companies.
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