WOW - Club Kites - Captain WOW

WOW Club Kites - Captain WOW

Martin Lester, master kitebuilder from England, sold Wings Over Washington a complete kit (for the club to build) for one of his 28 foot "Top Half" kites in 1996.

We met at Paul Dugard's church and laid out all the pieces. Jim Cosca, Walter Matthews, Paul Dugard, Patrick Callahan, Chris Shultz, Mike Van Meers, Ron Young and Harvey Wolf were there to help. First we figured out how the pieces went together. Next came the big question: "Ok, who wants to sew what"? Paul got both hands to sew. Jim and Barb got the canopy and applied the WOW appliqué to the bottom. Ron did the head, first with spikes for hair, then he corrected it and made a round head. Walter took the arms, Mike sewed the keels and edgings.

We next met over at Mike's house. Jim, Mike and Walter worked on sewing the edging on the arms. Then, Paul attached the hands to the arms and worked on the risers. Next, we met at Jim and Barb's. Paul and Jim connected the top and bottom canopies. In celebration we ate a great dinner. Thanks Barb!

Paul took the arms, head and canopy home and over the next few weeks he connected the parts together and built the bridle. Many thanks to Bill Goodwin for lending us his Lester Top Half to use as a reference model.

The Captain took his maiden flight at the club's First Sunday Fly on the Mall Sunday, September 1st, 1996. For further information on his adventures check out his diary "The Adventures of Captain Wow".

Paul Dugard

Unfortunately, Captain WOW perished in the Kings' house fire in February of 2008. As of the Spring of 2009, the club is seeking to obtain a new kit from Martin Lester to create Captain WOW II.