U.S. Hang Gliding Pilots

Note to future scholars:
Yesterday I had the privilege of being an invited guest speaker at the formal life-celebration funeral service of James Hobson. In the four hours being in the celebration, I met many people who were part of the fabric of Jim's life. For the sake of hang glider history, I will be placing notes that are as raw and fresh as possible; the postings do not form "finished articles" but clues and bridges for any future researcher who may help bring out a richer and more robust story. The family arranged for a DVD record of the funeral services; most of the visitors went home with a copy, as I did; copies are being sent to family and friends who could not attend the celebration.

Beginning:
Doug Smart spoke before it was my turn to speak. Part of Doug's sharing was a firm vouching about Jim's hang glider. "It flies!" He voiced that he personally vouches for that. The program had one photo of the hang glider that I had not seen; that photo and program will probably show on the Internet one day, as the family and friends are preparing a full wiki; another family member is preparing differently a web presence following six "Hobson" men, one of which will be James Hobson.


Another speaker, Mr. Ronald Bacon, spoke before I did. Ron is a licensed pilot with a two-way connection with James' hang glider space. Ron had in mid-1960s a session with his son at Dockweiler dunes with James Hobson's hang glider; the son Britt Bacon, now in 2013 is 55 years old (and Ron, his dad, older). The son Britt at the session was 7 or 8 years old, reportedly had a short crashy flight. The story got fuzzy in the brief moments of sharing to me; memories waning.
Then following James' visit to my office in 1971, at some point James' bought a Seagull III hang glider from Mike Riggs of Seagull Aircraft; Mike and I were co-leasing the second floor of a car warehouse owned by the famous San Diego aviator Waldo Waterman (hang glider builder and hang glider pilot of 1910-11; Waldo would frequent our digs as we were serving the growith of the hang gliding movement; Waldo gifted $100 check to help Self-Soar Association get along; thus a smooth flow of 1910 hang gliding aura right into 1971). James' Seagull III hang glider was later shared "half-ownership" with co-worker Ron Bacon. Ron Bacon received flight instruction from Joe Greblo. With some hang glider (I am fuzzy on the story, the glider may have been one after Seagull III, perhaps of some purchase by Ron from another company (scholar would need to verify the craft involved) had a incident where in a bag landing, Ron broke his arm badly---taking two years to recover. Ron soon aimed to get his powered-pilots license which he did; then he lived decades highly enjoying his powered aircraft excursions with his wife. One day Ron and his wife saw a neat scene from the air over Sedona, Arizona; they landed and finally made their retirement home their where he lives today; his wife just passed a year or so ago; Ron has thus recently lost his wife and a best friend Jim Hobson . Ron did not glide in Jim's first 1962 hang glider, but did glide later in Jim's later commercially-produced Seagull III.
I find: http://ronbaconproductions.com/index with a photo of Ron at his internet site.

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Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

...continuing raw notes from the funeral service:

A "Sarah" shared that Jim Hobson was highly responsible for her having immigrated from Pakistan (details of which could be obtained from her). She shared with me that the Christmas visits by Jim Hobson to Mississippi would form a very rich part of her life. She had placed hang gliding on her life's "bucket" list and finally did hang glide. A high point of her report was three aspects of the first flight: she was in "high heels," she SCREAMED, and the she quieted to know a surreal calm during the gliding experience. Dr. Sarah Larsen M.D., Co-Host Devine Love Talk. She and a committee of family members are gathering items of James Hobson to publish a wiki where others may add facts; the wiki is not launched yet. James, especially by his long run as producer-director of the Lawrence Welk Shows (he did over 1,000 shows) is a Wikipedia-noteworthy candidate.

Sarah's home site was just found: http://drsarahlarsen.com/
Her full story about her own hang gliding experience may be a focus of some researcher's interest.
She was very excited about Jim Hobson's influence in her life and her subsequent hang gliding experience.
Maybe she will post her hang gliding story here in US Hawks; I will invite her for that.

_________________
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

... continuing:
[ ] It might be a neat thing if Mike Riggs has archival notes on Jim's purchase of a Seagull III hang glider in the 1970s. Just maybe Mike recalls something about Jim Hobson. Anyone in touch with Mike these days?

Seagull Aircraft, Mike Riggs, Bob Keeler, Waldo Waterman, Waterman biplane-replica project, series of hang gliders from the creative Mike Riggs
http://www.delta-club-82.com/bible/648- ... gull-3.htm
http://www.delta-club-82.com/bible/f58e ... rcraft.htm

Plans for the Seagull III were given to people in at least 23 nations by Self-Soar Association.
Shown pilot is not known at this sharing:

The difficulty in DIY for Seagull III was the shaping of the leading edge tube; such was a doorway for buying full ship or parts from Seagull Aircraft.

_________________
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

... continuing reveal:
Unconfirmed and without candidate comic strip: The tip from someone at the service: Jim Hobson might have been inspired about his hang glider project by a comic cartoon strip edition of Smilin' Jack. So, the hunt is on for a possible candidate showing of art.

THE BROWN SCRAPBOOK HAS BEEN FOUND IN JUM'S THINGS:
The scrapbook that I borrowed in 1971-2 and returned to Jim has been found in his things. Ashley said that I may one day study the scrapbook again; I need only make an appointment to show up at her home. Jim's caregiver was searching on the Internet and found my notes about wanting to find the "brown scrapbook" and she excited pointed out to Ashley: "There is the scrapbook that someone is looking for!!!" My hope is that the entire scrapbook will be scanned and made available in digital format and placed openly on the Internet for all to enjoy and for all interested scholars to explore. Time will tell.

A top team of AMA fellows are handling Jim's extensive aero-modelling things. Tony di Leo, Training Coordinator of San Fernando Valley R/C Flyers is working with Ashley Aarons, surviving wife, to move the aero-modelling things on eBay and elsewhere. aka, San Fernando Valley RC Flyers. Board of Directors

I talked with Tony di Leo and found that Tony di Leo and James Hobson have been spending many sessions on the model flight field together; and this was concerning some sessions in the 1960s as well as recently in older age. Mike Bartlett (spelling?) is expert R/C pilot that had been in the mix with Tony di Leo and James Hobson.

James Hobson, before his 1962 hang glider project, he had a background in model aircraft.

Jim's service in the Army earne him Military Honors at the funeral service.

And in early age in Flossmor, Illinois with brother John and cousin Lois, he built a hanging barrel to mimic high flying; it was rigged with pulleys so they could hoist friends up high for a hanging "flight" experience. Part of the rigging broke when child Lois had been hoisted high. Lois lives now in San Clemente, CA, should a scholar need to interview her about that event.

There is a hang glider at the home, but since Jim bought a Seagull III in the early 1970s and by gift to friend Ron Bacon extended half ownership of the Seagull III, then I put up the research caution about the character of the hang glider at the house now. I have a wait-to-see caution flag up. Ashley will permit Joe Greblo and I to examine whatever hang glider there is at the house.

_________________
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

As yet, the hunt for the particular frames of art of comics of Smilin' Jack that might have influenced Jim Hobson's early hang glider project.
I am learning; it seems Smilin' Jack was showing up in comic books, comic strips, screen plays, and perhaps more. But the tip I have regarding Jim is "cartoon" or "comic strip" ... but I do not have this matter clear; the adventure on this is open. The date would be in 1961 or earlier of Smilin' Jack, as there seems to be a January date of 1962 that has been found regarding Jim's hang glider doings. Primary evidence might be in the scrapbook or in something like a letter than might show up some day.

Here is a start for a search:
http://tinyurl.com/SomeSmilinJackIMAGES
And the extensive realm seems awesome: see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilin'_Jack
And: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Advent ... in%27_Jack
http://www.smilinjackart.com/
I just emailed curator Jill Mosley, Zack's daughter, with the question; maybe Jill will have suggestions.
About the artist-pilot Zack Mosley: http://www.smilinjackart.com/about.htm
Informative: http://dangertrail.blogspot.com/2007/05 ... -jack.html

Post candidates. And then maybe we we see Jim's scrapbook, there might be a clue. I just do not know yet which one or several episodes of Smilin' Jack might have inspired Jim to go ahead with his hang glider build.

So, I will show some of Smilin' Jack ONLY AS A SUPPORT FOR this hunt sub-project:

Another example, but date is not known for this either: Anyone? Control frame? War-prison escape by HG?

_________________
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

Still we do not know which Smilin' Jack drawings Jim saw. Meanwhile we search and discover:
Here is a poor resolution of a drawing. We seek better resolution for it. Anyone?


=========================
In a post above with the rouded A-frame bamboo control bar, I found this notation about that cover that has "No. 14" on it:
Series II Issue 14 . That notation should lead someone to date the image's publication.

_________________
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

Some clues on dating the bamboo hang glider art with the control frame seems to be told on an piece that Jill is apparently selling...the original:
The written statement on that art:



Conclusion on dating the images of the bamboo hang glider: The images were at least available in the "1938 and 1939" period; because of syndication, the images may have been reproduced in many newspapers and books; facts on the radiant copies are not known to me. But this time period is then definitely before 1962. And this might have been one hang glider that Jim may have seen; his research papers lent to me had indication of a studying of early 1900s hang glider material. We still do not exhaust Smilin' Jack yet as to hang gliders. Anyone?

The old issues of comic books are collector items that sell for big dollar amounts. However, since a large amount of the art of Smilin' Jack showed in books and newspapers, one is teased to find Smilin' Jack hang gliders showing in more places than the comic books. The tease in the "HOT ROCK GLIDE" art piece is the use of the word "famous" for the makeshift glider escape. What is behind the use of the word "famous" in that; and what might that fame done to public consciousness of hang gliders?

For research: On the Wing debuted with the other new strips on October 1, 1933. Five weeks after the strip started, Mosley got a telegram in Chicago from Patterson: “Change the name of On the Wing to Smilin’ Jack,” it said. Mosley wired back: “The name of the main character is Mack not Jack.” But Patterson was not deterred by details: “Change name to Smilin’ Jack,” he responded.

Informative on the artist-aviator and the beginnings of Smilin' Jack: http://www.tcj.com/smilin-zack-mosleys- ... ue-yonder/





For hang gliding history purposes, the duplication of the comic strips is fertile, I think. I clip a quote from the same page as above quote:

My sidebar about the first name "On the Wing" is a very visceral connection with the wing, perhaps the root of hang gliding....maybe human on the wing or human hanging on the wing. Hang gliding seems very much a hanging on or from the wing thing. Around the cartoon series, forgive yourself and others if names get confused around Zack, Mack, and Jack, as that was part of the real story.

_________________
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

Father and son, Ron Bacon and son Britt Bacon, were mentioned in a post up a couple.
Here is my first written correspondence with Britt, age 55 right now. See above my note from memory about Britt as a 7 or 8 year old. He also interfaced with the Seagull III apparently; Ron and another adult of the time also flew Jim's Seagull III.

My note to Britt on Sat, May 25, 2013 at 3:33 PM


With permission, Britt's reply sans given actual email of father:

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Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

Smilin' Jack: Escape From Death Rock (Daily and Sunday Strips 9/19/38 to 3/19/39, No. 2) [Paperback]
Zack Mosley (Author)
Here we see "Powder" ... (Smilin' Jack") with the control bar and a one point main hang while he operates a VG line.

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Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System

... continuing reveal from May 23, 2013, services:
[ ] There was shown one photograph of Jim in his army clothes holding a wing frame. The photo will be shown a.s.a.p., but in case I am not around to show the photograph, then someone else might bring the image into the discussion for study. It now seems to remind me of Smilin' Jack's bamboo hang glider.

Jim Hobson was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 and discharged on January 14,1946, per caption on the photo.
In the year 1945 while in Germany, we see Jim building a frame for a glider (not his 1962 hang glider).
Heirs of Jim have copyright on this photo

Someone wrote the caption imprinted upon the photo. The caption states that Jim "built this glider" "after World War II ended" ...
What I am wondering, did he actually build the implied glider, that is, the glider implied by the shown frame?
Or is someone mixing up a different project. I do not know how many gliders Jim may have built. He built many model aircraft.
Tony di Leo is itemizing the model aircraft found in Jim's possession at the time of Jim's passing last month; that itemizing is not done yet.
The question may remain open whether he actually built the shown glider "after" his service and discharge or not. Jim did build an already documented "Rogallo Hang Glider" which E.A.A. showed and TV program showed. But the two "gliders" would be distinct, the Army-photo-implied glider and the E.A.A.-showed hang glider.

Anyone?

_________________
Join a National Hang Gliding Organization: US Hawks at ushawks.org

View pilots' hang gliding rating at: US Hang Gliding Rating System