An Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Gold Leader Club #3308
Las Vegas Soaring Club
A young Robert Gorham seen here in the mid 80's with the Cobra Jet Ranger debut. Event the German made Sitar rotor blades remain intact today.
The GMP (Gorham Model Products) catalog picture from 1985 showing the helicopter.
Barry plans to display and fly this amazing helicopter at many nationwide events throughout the summer and possibly compete with it again in the NATS. He's currently working on a magazine article about the history of the heli.
Robert flew this heli at NATS and other championship tournaments throughout the world, but it was lost to the public later when it was bought by Robert Pickens (a member of the LVSC and aviation enthusiast) many years ago. It was recently found in his collection along with another of the GMP personal heli's owned by Robert Gorham. Barry acquired them both and set about restoring the Ranger to flying condition again, not knowing the history and importance of this heli.
Below is a picture taken with Align Team Pro Pilot Ben Storick at the Heli's Over Apache Pass event in Texas. Barry and Ben did an impromptu demo of scale and 3D flying for the Post 182 Scouts and family members from Elgin, TX who were camping across the road from the event.
Although the Jet Ranger has been refitted with Align 600E flybar mechanics instead of the original GMP Cobra nitro setup, the fuselage is original and the flybar retains the flying characteristics of the Cobra. When it was discovered there were no mechanics installed and it needed much repair. Some parts were missing entirely and Barry scoured the country looking for replacements, eventually finding a replacement top piece in Florida.