Silent Engines - Frank Blanchard

[Dasboatman]

I just received word that Frank Blanchard passed away this morning. Frank was a founding member of the Old Dominion Model Boat Association, IMPBA District Director, and one of the finest model builders I have ever know. I have always been proud to call Frank my Friend. Far winds and following seas my Friend. CHEERS !!! Bob Johnson

 

[Andy Greene]

I just received word that Frank Blanchard passed away this morning. Frank was a founding member of the Old Dominion Model Boat Association, IMPBA District Director, and one of the finest model builders I have ever know. I have always been proud to call Frank my Friend. Far winds and following seas my Friend. CHEERS !!! Bob Johnson

Sorry to hear that Bob, didn't know Frank, but never like to hear that news.

Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his surviving family. Sorry to hear you lost a good friend.

Andy, Jen and Kaytlin.

 

[Preston_Hall]

I have had many people mention his name to me through the years. He was a well respected fellow. Actually met him at the hobby shop once. He told me all about why boating was in the area and how he was resoponsible for it. I think he got into planes for a while also.

We will just try and carry on from where he left.

RIP

 

[John Finch]

Frank was THE founding member of the Old Dominion Model Boat Organization back about 1972. I was there for the first meeting and can still remember it well today. He was my mentor in the years when you had to build everything from scratch, and he could build anything! He made his own outrigger kit called the Cardinal, and he got 2nd place with his design in the straightaways at the 1974 internats, which was his first appearance in a national race. He raced in the 70's and 80's, and was particularly fond of the Lauterbach hydro's. He built several of the round nose designs fron scratch and they were absolutely beautiful. He was a craftsman and model builder surpased by no one. The last time we raced together was in 1983. He beat me in a run off for first place in Charlotte North Carolina. After that he built a submarine and a bunch of other models leaving the racing behind as a shoulder injury made him slow down a bit. He was a mentor to many modelers in the Norfolk, Virginia area and he opened his workshop to many modelers over the years. He was club president and leader for many years. I will forever be grateful for his guidance in my early years of model boating. I could go on and on about Frank and what he did for our hobby. He will be missed.

 

[AndyBrown]

Frank was THE founding member of the Old Dominion Model Boat Organization back about 1972. I was there for the first meeting and can still remember it well today. He was my mentor in the years when you had to build everything from scratch, and he could build anything! He made his own outrigger kit called the Cardinal, and he got 2nd place with his design in the straightaways at the 1974 internats, which was his first appearance in a national race. He raced in the 70's and 80's, and was particularly fond of the Lauterbach hydro's. He built several of the round nose designs fron scratch and they were absolutely beautiful. He was a craftsman and model builder surpased by no one. The last time we raced together was in 1983. He beat me in a run off for first place in Charlotte North Carolina. After that he built a submarine and a bunch of other models leaving the racing behind as a shoulder injury made him slow down a bit. He was a mentor to many modelers in the Norfolk, Virginia area and he opened his workshop to many modelers over the years. He was club president and leader for many years. I will forever be grateful for his guidance in my early years of model boating. I could go on and on about Frank and what he did for our hobby. He will be missed.

John,

I bought my first boat kit, a Dumas Dragonfly 40, in 1972. I was 15 years old and living in Northern Virginia at the time.

One of the early boating techincal articles I read was written by you in Flying Models magazine. It was all about designing and setting up an Outrigger hydro. There was a photo of you along with Frank Blanchard. This was one of the articles that got me interested in Outriggers.

I later cut up the 8.5 pound Dragonfly and add rear sponsons. This became my first rigger and the "trim job" brought it down to 5.5 pounds with a SuperTigre X-40 and an OPS 29/40 pipe. The rigger mod was successful and ran very well.

I never looked back and have been building riggers ever since. Without a doubt you and Franks submissions to Flying Models magazine set my direction in R/C boating. I even remember the article of Franks Lauterbach with a photo of Frank showing the model to Mr. Lauterbach and discussing the design. Thanks John for helping to bring Frank's knowelege to the entire model boating world. Good Stuff !

Andy