PERSONAL

Ok here is an oldie on the left.....1970. I would have been 14 when this was taken. Milt Hatfield and I spent a winter rebuilding this 1946 PA-12. Its one of the airplanes I soloed on my 16th birthday and got my first youngest pilot trophy at a fly in with it. The back of the photo says, July 1970, Milt Hatfield 61, Marty King 14.

Here I am at age 3 on the right. Already honing my wood working skills.

I began flying at the tender age of 12, taking my first lesson in 1968 in a Beech Musketeer.

A short tine later I was introduced to Milton Hatfield (photo Left) who was a local legend in our flying community. Milt learned to fly in the 20's, flew mail and passengers in a Curtis Robin, ran several airports in the Midwest, taught flying and did airshows in a Monocoupe 90A. During W.W.II he served as a Contract flight instructor with the equivalent rank of Lt. Commander in the Army Air Corps and taught hundreds of cadets in primary trainers like PT19's, PT17's and a stray P40. He was also authorized to teach aerobatics.

When I started flying with Milt in 1968 he had logged over 18,000 hours in singles and twins. Most of that time was spent giving instruction. I learned stick and rudder flying in a newly restored 1946 J-3 C65 Piper Cub.

During the time I knew him he was an avid inventor. He designed several low aspect wing aircraft (flying wings) based on the ARUP design that he test flew long with another pilot, Glen Dolittle, in the early 30's. He took me under his wing and taught me not only to fly and fix airplanes (and anything else that broke), but the reasons (aeronautical theory) why airplanes act the way the do.

I learned my first aerobatics at the age of 15 and developed the skills necessary to compete in IAC local contests. I soloed at 16 (before I could legally drive) and earned my license shortly after. I overhauled my first aircraft engine while a sophmore in High school a Continental A-65 and built my first home-built before graduation

We rebuilt many aircraft together including a Piper PA12, Aeronca Defender (pictured left, Piper J3 Cub, PA16, PA22, a Cessna C140, a 1946 Taylorcraft, a Stinson 108, and quite a few Spam cans (Cessna 150's, 172's etc.)

King Aero was started in 1972 when I repaired a rudder for Art Scholl and he paid me in cash! I incorporated King Aero in 1991.

I am an avid Radio Control airplane builder and pilot. I fly competition RC aerobatics at the district level. I am an Academy of Model Aeronautics contest director and Leader Member.

I Built the first customer built TEAM Mini-Max serial #3. I completed the kit in 90 days from the time I received the materials in March and flew it to Oshkosh for display in late July. Wayne Ison was a personal friend and he too lived in Elkhart at one time. We belonged to the same EAA chapter #132 and had a few meetings at his home. Being the first had its down side as several issue came up. Most were print corrections. However I had the push pull cable come loose under the seat. I had to land the plane with no elevator control and was thankful I had adjusted the trim tab for cruise. Wayne issued the first service bulletin due to my experience!