William Nichols
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
While William was serving as an ensign at the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power Training Unit in Idaho Falls, Idaho, former Lockheed test pilot Darryl Greenamyer of Red Barron Flying Service attempted to beat the low altitude speed record with a souped-up F-104 Starfighter. Greenamyer’s F-104, built from scrounged parts, set an FAI Class C-1 Group III low-altitude 3-kilometer speed record on October 24, 1977, flying at 988.26 mph. That record still stands. William built a Hasegawa 1/72 Red Baron Starfighter out of the box. Although the kit provided decals, he didn’t trust them due to their age. Instead, he used them to create masks on a Silhouette Cameo 4 cutter and painted the markings.