Cupertino DailyGlider in Cupertino 1929
Article by Donna Austin
Photos courtesy of the Cupertino Historical Society
Glider built by Bob Butcher, Angelo Quinterno and George Fujii shown on Pasadena Ave.
Did you know that right here in Monta vista, we had the equivalent of the Wright Brothers? Three 16 year old boys designed, crafted and flew a glider 20 feet into the air in March of 1929. There were no TV's, computers, IPhones, IPods or Gameboys. Life was different for 16 year olds in those days and this is one of the things they did for fun.
Paula Quinterno brought me the newspaper article and photos of this momentous event. Her father was Angelo Quinterno, part of the trio that designed and built the glider. Her uncle Paul, the younger brother tagged along and made some of the flights because of his light weight. Here is the condensed version of the article from the San Jose News on March, 1929.
San Jose News March 29, 1929
A group of country boys ran down a field in Monta Vista on March 28th, 1929, pulling a rope attached to a home-made, home-designed glider. This home-made contraption actually flew, getting more than 20 feet in the air. Four or five flights were made until a light brace cracked on landing thus ending their flying escapades for awhile.
The glider was designed by Robert Butcher, 16, a student of Fremont Union High School, after seeing pictures and stories published in the news about gliders constructed at Los Altos and Sunnyvale and seeing pictures of gliders in magazines. Three boys were partners in constructing this glider.
Robert Butcher looking over the glider before flight.
Robert Butcher in flight.
Robert was helped in actual construction work by his partners, Angelo Quinterno and George Fujii, students at Fremont and Santa Clara High Schools, respectively. The glider was made at George's home shop. The glider is larger than the ordinary amateur glider, having a wing spread of 35 feet and a chord of five feet. The tail was seven feet wide. Spruce and ash wood were used for the framework. Light muslin was used for wing surfaces. Instead of wing varnish, water and paste were used. Wheels for old toy wagons were used for the running gear. Clothesline wire was used for bracing. It took 3 weeks to build.
A bath-tub seat was inprovised but was abandoned as too awkward. The flier grabs a light handrail on each side on which his forearms rest and guides the glider up and down by swinging his weight fore and aft.
Paul Quinterno, Angelo's younger brother, being lighter, made flights last Sunday. The ship rose readily enough, but he found it difficult to keep the wing horizontal. It tipped in one flight teetering to the ground and breaking off short. Paul was unhurt. His brother Angelo is lying there laughing. 
Paul crashed and Angelo is lying there laughing. No one was hurt.
Preliminary tests have been thrilling fun for the boys. They plan later to tow the glider by auto, when they have learned better how to control it and will also launch it from some hill top near Monta Vista
Tags: 1929, Glider, Monta Vista
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