Welcome to Torrey Pines GullsRoger Taylor – Co-Modeler of the Year - 1978
Roger Taylor moved to California in 1962 from his birthplace in Pinckneyville, Illinois. He flew free-flight model gliders for 12 years starting in 1960 and joined the US Navy. He reportedly served as Senior Chief Radioman on the aircraft carrier USS Constellation, although that remains unconfirmed.
What is known for sure is that Roger Taylor joined the TPG in 1975. Well, surely thereabouts. At the time he was flying a Graupner Cirrus and became really interested in thermal soaring. In 1975, he competed in the club “Pro-Am” contest, flying together with Frank Cox. Over the winter holidays and into early 1976 he built a Mark’s Models Windfree. He was a great builder; his free flight days served him well. In June of 1976 he wrote a nice article for the club newsletter on balsa wood and how to select which grain for what portion of the glider. By the end of 1976, his skills at thermal duration soaring were improving and at the September contest he placed 9th out of 27 pilots with his Mark’s Models Windfree (against a sea of other Windfrees). At the Pro-Am contest in Nov 1976 Roger placed first in the Am category beating 14 other amateurs. How’s that for a meteoric rise!
Roger volunteered for the position of TPG Vice President and served in that role throughout 1977. At the 1976 Gulls X-mas party, he also CD’ed the “Sport Indoor” glider contest. Each party-goer was given a 10-cent chuck glider. The contest was a 15 second precision duration flight with a landing in a 3-foot circle. The contest went like this. “When the contestant said GO, Bob Peck (of Peck-Polymers fame – another great TPGer at that time) started a stop watch. It was the contestant’s task to guess when to throw the aircraft so as to have it land as close as possible to 15 seconds after the GO command was uttered.” The winner received a box for an Aquila kit. What was inside the box? A kit for a Sinbad of course!
In 1977, Roger switched from flying a Windfree to an Airtronics Aquila. This wasn’t unusual. Just about everyone switched to Aquilas. (Hence the reason for the Sinbad in the Aquila box…there were likely no more Aquila kits left in San Diego County.) At that same time, the 2-meter wingspan class (Class B) was just coming on line and was quite popular. Roger flew a 2m Airtronics Super Questor. At the Gulls first 2-meter contest, Roger came in third out of 19. Also in 1977, the AMA NATS were held in Riverside, with RC soaring held near Gilman Hot Springs. Roger placed 7th overall in the modified standard class, TPG’s best pilot in that category.
In 1978, Roger became TPG President. He must have enjoyed building planes over winter time because by February 1978 he was flying a large Airtronics Aquila XL in the monthly TPG TD contests! At that contest, there were 14 pilots distributed as 10 Aquilas, 3 other designs, and 1 Aquila XL (Roger). Unfortunately, Roger arrived late that day and was able to fly in only two rounds. He did much better at the 2-meter club contest in April, taking first place out of a field of 16 with his Super Questor!
Roger was honored with the 1979 TPG Modeler of the Year trophy for his club leadership and comradery which lasted for many years.