I've never seen an R/C instructor that knew anything about what you have described above, Ed. The worst ones are usually the ones with full scale flying experience. Experience that does not crossover well into R/C at all. R/C is a completely different kind of flying than full scale, as you most certainly know.
You are correct, those old timers have indeed passed on for the next plane of existence. I haven't seen one of them since probably 1985 or so.
That old timer sitting on the sidelines died long ago, Ed. You're seeing ghosts!!!
I don't hate ex fighter pilots, Ed, though it might sound like it. I envy them. Ever since I was a toddler, I knew I was born to be a fighter pilot. I was headed for the Air Force Academy, etc. Then I found out about the vision requirements and learned that I had astigmatism. I was crushed. I lost interest in academics and the rest is history. Poor me.
I agree that having a good instructor is the best way to go, but our OP expressed interest in doing it his way, so I suggested the next best thing.
I do wish most instructors would stop teaching R/C flying as though it were the same as full scale, complete with all of the inapplicable full scale information that makes the student pilot's eyes glaze over and finally drift away from the club.
Preaching coordinated turns to a newbie that hasn't landed yet is a waste of time and is counter productive. I know this isn't true in full scale flying, but in models it is irrelevant - even if the model pilot never learns how to coordinate rudder with aileron and elevator. The main goal is to get the pilot safely soloed first. The details can come later, while the modeler is really learning how to fly after solo.
Why is the above true? Because in models up to a 1.20 size engine or so, the stock rudder is so ineffective (on trainers) that no one misses its use anyway, unless something has been done to significantly increase the rudder's authority. This is why my rudders are usually huge with all of the control throw that I can get. How many trainers have an effective rudder? None that I've seen.
Ed Cregger