VA-Vol-11-No-10-Oct-1983

PUBLICATION STAFF PUBLISHER

Paul H. Poberezny

EDITOR

Gene R. Chase

OCTOBER 1983 • Vol. 11, No.1 0 COPYRIGHT © 1983 EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION, INC. , ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

MANAGING EDITOR

Pat Etter

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Norman Petersen

FEATURE WRI George A. Hardie, Jr.

EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC

DIVISION, INC.

OFFICERS

President W. Brad Thomas, Jr. 301 Dodson Mill Road Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 919/368·2875 Home 919·368·2291 Office

Vice President Jack C. Winthrop

Route I, Box 111

Allen, TX 75002 214n27-5649 Treasurer E. E. "Buck" Hilbert P.O. Box 145 Union, IL 60180 815/923-4591

Secretary M. C. "Kelly" Viets Route 2, Box 128 Lyndon, KS 66451 913/828·3518

Contents 3 Straight & Level

by Brad Thomas

4 Oshkosh '83

by Gene Chase

7 Profiles from the Antique/Classic

Paddock

by Lois Kelch

12 Antique/Classic Repairman Certificate 18 Jimmy Doolittle's Shell Orion Crash byTruman C. Weaver

21 Calendar of Events 22 BordenlThompson Aeroplane Posters from the 1930s

by Gene Chase

24 Mystery Plane

DIRECTORS Ronald Fritz 15401 Sparta Avenue I<ent City, MI 49330 616/678-5012

Claude L. Gray, Jr.

9635 Sylvia Avenue

Northridge, CA 91324

213/349-1338

by George Hardie

24 Letters to the Editor 25 Fickle

Page 7

by Charles Lee Morris

Dale A. Gustafson AI Kelch 7724 Shady Hill Drive 66 W. 622 N. Madison Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46274 Cedarburg, WI 53012 317/293-4430 414/377-5886 Robert E. Kesel 455 Oakridge Drive Rochester, NY 14617 716/342-3170

Morton W. Lester P.O. Box 3747 Martinsville, VA 24112 703/632-4839

Arthur R. Morgan 3744 North 51st Blvd.

Milwaukee, WI 53216 414/442-3631

John R. Turgyan

1530 Kuser Road

Trenton, NJ 08619

609/585-2747

S. J. Wittman Box 2672 Oshkosh, WI 54901 414/235-1265

George S. York 181 Sloboda Ave. Mansfield, OH 44906 419/529-4378

ADVISORS John S. Copeland 9 Joanne Drive Westborough, MA 01581 6171366-7245

FRONT COVER ... Oshkosh '83 Grand Champion Classic is this 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champ , NC84998, SIN 7AC-3722 owned and restored by Bob Armstrong of Rawlings, MD. (Photo by Ted Koston)

BACK COVER ... Jimmy Doolittle in the cockpit of Shell Oil Company's Lockheed Orion "Shellightning". Photo by Gabriel Moulin, San Fran­ cisco, CA dated 4/7/33. See story on page 18.

(Photo from the collection of T. C. "Pappy" Weaver)

Stan Gomoll 1042 90th Lane, NE Minneapolis, MN 55434 612n84-1172

Robert G. Herman . W 164 N9530 Water Street Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 414/251 -9253

Espie M. Joyce, Jr. Box 468 Madison, NC 27025 919/427-0216

Gene Morris 27 Chandelle Drive Hampshire, IL 60140 3121683-3199

Daniel Neuman

1521 Berne Circle W.

Minneapolis, MN 55421

6121571-0893

Roy Redman Rt. I, Box 39 Kilkenny, MN 56052 507/334-5922

S. H. "Wes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Road Wauwatosa, WI 53213 414n71-1545

Editorial Policy: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and phOtographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. Material should be sent to : Gene R. Chase, Editor, The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, P.O. Box 229, Hales Corners , WI 53130.

THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091 -6943) is published and owned exclusively by EM Antique/Classic Division, Inc. of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. and is published monthly at 11311 W. Forest Home Ave ., Franklin, Wisconsin 53132, P.O. Box 229, Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130. SeGond Class Postage paid at Hales Corners Post Office, Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130 and a.dditional mailing offices. Membership rates for EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc. are $18.00 for current EAA members for 12 month period of which $12.00 is for the publication of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE . Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation.

ADVERTISING - AntiquelClassic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through our advertising.

We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken.

Postmaster: Send address changes to EM AntiquelClassic Division, Inc., P.O. Box 229, Hales Corners, WI 53130.

STRAIGHT AND LEVEL

By Brad Thomas President

Antique/Classic Division

We have been writing "Straight & Level" for several years and have been quite fortunate in that our proof readers have been able to correct the misspelled words and improper punctuation. When you add a word in the wrong place in a sentence, the entire meaning can sometimes become obviously incorrect, and our proof readers are not at fault. Well, it finally happened!

In the September 1983 issue of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE we updated information regarding EAA's proposal for a Repairman's Certificate for Antique and Classic Aircraft. The last sentence in the second paragraph was written as follows: "This all appeared rather simple and DID NOT require either a change in the FARs or an exemption from existing rules." It should have been writ­ ten as: "This all appeared rather simple and DID require either a change in the F ARs or an exemption from existing rules." What a difference one added word can make in the true meaning! Our apologies for any confusion resulting from this typing error.

As mentioned in the September 1983 issue of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, we have inserted in this issue both the EAA proposal and the FAA denial regarding a Repair­ man's Certificate for Antique and Classic aircraft. We ask only that you carefully read both and form your own opinions. Further, we have not terminated our plans for the future regarding our intentions to follow up with the basic proposal, and rest assured, more information will follow later.

Oshkosh 1983 is now history and what an event it was!

The 1983 statistics are almost unbelievable, but they do represent the interest of sport aviation enthusiasts. If you did not read the statistics elsewhere, consider the following items of interest. About 800,000 persons attended the 1983 EAA International Convention; approximately 14,000 air­ craft flew in during the eight-day period of the Convention, and and among these were a total of 1521 registered show planes. Over 40,000 persons used the campground facilities, and over 1400 overseas visitors came from 71 countries. More than 300 forums , seminars and workshops were presented, and over 400 commercial exhibitors dis­ played their wares. Yes, it is hard to believe that so many can see and enjoy so much in just eight short days.

To many members the highlight ofthe 1983 Convention was the dedication of the EAA Aviation Center. It's amaz­ ing when you remember that only two years earlier, during the 1981 Convention, Paul Poberezny turned the first shovelful of ground at the site of the future EAA Aviation Center. At this point it was difficult to imagine the dream becoming a reality. As a symbol of this dream, the EAA's Spirit of St. Louis lumbered through the grass adjacent to the ground-breaking ceremony, lifted off sluggishly and flew by in salute to the efforts of our EAA members.

Attendees at the 1982 Convention saw a huge hole in the ground from which the new Aviation Center would rise into a majestic structure unequalled by any.

In the spring (If 1983 our Board meetings were held at Oshkosh and we were given a guided tour of the facility.

The weather had been conducive for outside construction

work and the Center's construction was nearly on schedule.

The basic shell was complete, but internally the plumbing, electrical and finishing personnel were at work, and in the minds of many of us present, it appeared almost impossible that the structure would be completed and occupied in time for the 1983 Convention. In July when we arrived early for the Convention, there, majestically stood the completed structure!

Seeing the proposed drawings and final plans for the Center stirred up much excitement in anticipation of the opening, but when we actually entered the completed structure with the spectacular display of aircraft, special exhibits and multitude of people, we stood in awe, unable to speak. If you did not have the time to visit your EAA Aviation Center during the 1983 Oshkosh Convention, don't deny yourself a visit to the facility during your next trip to that area.

As always your Antique/Classic Division played an important part in the overall 1983 EAA Convention. For the two preceding years we were overtaxed with the great mass of aircraft arrivals, but this year things began to turn around. The sequence of arrivals was coordinated beautifully with many volunteers working the entire area of Wittman Field. The Friday, Saturday and Sunday arri­ vals this year were handled smoothly and the many park­ ing volunteers were pleased with the new procedures.

Although the attendance on the field each of those days was down slightly from past years, the reduced congestion resulted in less effort in getting around the field . Interest­ ingly, the attendance was up on Monday through Wednes­ day, compared with previous years, and this "spreading out" of the mass of humanity created a more relaxed atmosphere for the entire fly-in.

The new venture this year in making space available in our hospitality tent for use by recognized Type Clubs was an outstanding success. Advisor Butch Joyce, through input from the Type Club members is planning a larger and more effective program for the groups during the 1984 Convention.

Congratulations are in order for the two Grand Champ­ ions of 1983, to Robert Armstrong for his classic Aeronca 7AC, NC84998, and Charles Bell, for his antique Fairchild 24W, NC77655. Without a doubt the overall upgrading and quality ofthe antique and classic restorations continue to increase each year. Keep up the good work!

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

By Gene Chase Two of the highlights of this year's Convention were the official opening of the EAA Aviation Center and an abundance of sun. Some 55,000 people toured EAA's new facility during Oshkosh '83 and most were in awe of the spectacular displays in the museum.

Although the aircraft on display had only temporary, minimal descriptions, this did not detract from the impres足 sive manner in which they were lighted and presented to the viewer.

Barron Hilton was keynote speaker at the dedication ceremonies on July 30, which also featured Paul and Tom Poberezny, actor ClifT Robertson, FAA Administrator J. Lynn Helms, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Thayer, and Father John MacGillivray.

The new Aviation Center is already drawing worldwide acclaim and is a facility of which all EAA members can be justifiably proud. It will continue to be one of the "must see" activities not only at future Oshkosh Conventions, but throughout the year.

4 OCTOBER 1983

(Photo by Ted Koston)

Dale Crites, Waukesha, WI just before flying his 1911 Curtiss Pusher at Oshkosh 'S3.

The summer of '83 brought prolonged and unusually hot weather to most of the country and Wisconsin was not spared. Many convention-goers sported sunburns and the shade trees made Ollie's Park one of the most popular areas on the grounds.

The EAA forums were as popular as ever. NASA was there in force with their display pavilion covering twice the area as last year.

In addition to those mentioned earlier, other celebrities at the Convention included John Denver, Scott Crossfield, Janet Guthrie, Bobby Unser, John Rutherford, Pappy Boyington, Ens. George Gay, Bob Collins, ex-Wisconsin Governor Lee Dreyfus, Jules Bergman, Chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board Dan McKinnon and two members of the Space Shuttle crew, Frederick "Rick" Hauck and John Fabian.

Nearly 1,400 overseas visitors registered representing 71 countries, including representatives of the People Re足 public of China. The leader of this group, Guan Mingshen joined EAA at Oshkosh and he plans to start a chapter in Peking. Interestingly the group was most curious about ultralights.

There was extensive television coverage of Oshkosh '83 with several U.S. stations documenting the event. TV crews from Canada, Great Britain, Germany and France were also observed throughout the week.

Hundreds ofjournalists representing other news media from throughout the world covered the Convention for their readers and viewers ... to drop a few names: Time Magazine, USA Today and ABC's 20120 TV program.

The final tally of registered show planes at Oshkosh '83 looks like this: Antique Classic Custom Built Warbird Ultralight Replica Rotorcraft Special Registered at Seaplane Base

(Photo by Marian Cavadias)

EAA's replica of the 1903 Wright "Flyer" enjoys a place of honor in the new museum.

118 514 479 174 154 5 22 17 ~

1521

The Antique/Classic Division's hour of glory was their annual and ever-popular Parade of Flight on Wednesday afternoon, August 3. With incredible organization and hard work by 60 flight line volunteers, 96 aircraft were flagged off for exhibition flights before the huge throng of spectators, and parked after landing in only 60 minutes!

This entire operation was conducted without a hitch.

First to take off was Dale Crites, Waukesha, Wisconsin in his OX-5 powered 1911 Curtiss Pusher followed by a steady flow of vintage aircraft representing the years from 1911 through 1955. The Parade of Flight continues to be one ofthe highlights ofthe Annual EAA Convention. . Thanks to the additional space made possible by the remodeled Red Barn, the work was made easier for the ladies who handle the multitude of jobs in this Antique/ Classic Division headquarters site. As previously an足 nounced, the plans are firm for the construction of a porch on the north side of the Red Barn. It will be financed with cash contributions collected in a donation jar during the Convention, and also with proceeds collected by Irene and Stan Gomoll, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Each 'year, Irene stitches a beautiful quilt with an aviation motif which is offered as a sweepstakes prize at Oshkosh; this year she earmarked the money raised for the porch fund . The lucky winner of the quilt was Gus Limbach from White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

(Photo by Marian Cavadias)

The racing section of the new Museum contains a Travel Air "Mystery Ship," Wittman "Bonzo," Church Midwing, Keith Rider R-5 "Jackrabbit," Parker American Special and Laird "Super Solution."

(Photo by Marian Cavadlas)

Looking like models are some of the antique aircraft on display: Cessna AW, Curtiss Robin, DeHaviliand Tiger Moth, Monocoupe 110 Special, Aeronca C-2 and Fokker DR1 Triplane.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

The antique and classic aircraft award winners were: ANTIQUE Grand Champion -1947 Fairchild 24W, NC77655, Charles Bell, Sheboygan, WI Reserve Grand Champion - 1934 Beechcraft Staggerwing B17L, NC270Y, Dick Perry, Hampshire, IL and Dick Hansen, Batavia IL Silver Age (1928 - 1932) Champion Open Biplane - 1929 Pitcairn PA-7, Super Sport Mailwing, NC13158, Stephen Pitcairn, Bryn Athyn , PA Contemporary Age (1933 - 1945) Champion - 1943 Stearman PT-17, N49684, John Betz, Perryopolis, PA Runner-up - 1940 Rearwin 175 Skyranger, N32308, Alfred Nagel, Montello, WI Outstanding Cabin Biplane - 1936 Beechcraft Stagger足 wing C17L, NC16444, Dick Fritz & Jerry Wettering, Willmar, MN Outstanding Open Monoplane - 1941 Ryan STA Special, NC17343, Bill Rose, Barrington, IL Outstanding Closed Monoplane - 1939 Aeronca 50C Chief, NC23927 , Joseph Flood, Jr., Clementon, NJ Customized Champion - 1937 Thruxton Jackaroo, C-FPHZ, Frank Evans & Tom Dietrich, Kichener, Ontario, Canada Runner-up - 1940 Waco UPF-7, N29328, Thomas Flock & Chuck Wilson, Rockville, IN Outstanding - 1944 Howard DGA-15P, NC52986, Paul Donoghne & J. F. Ross, Boxford, MA Replica Champion - 1916 Halberstadt D.IV, N138&J, Carl Swanson, Allens Grove, WI Transport Aircraft Champion - 1931 Stinson SM-6000B Trimotor, NC11170, Stinson Enterprises, Neenah, WI WWII Military Aircraft Outstanding - 1943 Taylorcraft L-2, N3126J, Ron Jantzen, Porter, OK

Oshkosh '83 Grand Champion Antique - Fairchild 24, NCn655, SIN W46355 owned by Charles Bell, Sheboygan, WI. A feature article on this beautiful plane will appear in the November issue of SPORT AVIATION.

(Photo by Ted Koston) (L-R) : Harold Armstrong and son Bob, Rawlings, MD pose by Bob's Grand Champion Classic at Oshkosh '83, an ultra-authen足 tic Aeronca Champ, NC84998, SIN 7AC-3722. See the 8/83 issue of VINTAGE for a detailed article on this plane starting on page 10.

CLASSIC Grand Champion - Aeronca 7AC Champ, NC84998, Robert K. Armstrong, Rawlings, MD Reserve Grand Champion - Luscombe 8-F, N1373B, George Chaffey, Pittsburg, CA Class I (0-80 hp) - Piper J-3C Cub, NC6462H, Leland McGlothlen, Eastman, GA Class II (81-150 hp) - Cessna 140, N89400, Ron Cox & Mike Shade, Spencerville, OH Class'" (151 hp & up) - Cessna 195, N4477C, Raybourne Thompson, Jr., Houston, TX Custom Class A (0-80 hp) - Luscombe 8A, N45849, Gary A. Rudolph, Vincennes, IN Custom Class B (81-150 hp) - Temco Swift, N245IB, William H. Copp, Jr., Lexington, MA Custom Class C (151 hp & up) - Cessna 195, N2196C, Jim Ewing, Fresno, CA Outstanding in Type Aeronca Champ - Aeronca 7AC Champ, N84124, John D. Southworth, Sun Prairie, WI Aeronca Chief - Aeronca llAC Chief, NC85829, Elymos L. "AI" Nase, Rehoboth Beach, DE Beechcraft - Bonanza E-35, N3514B, Richard Hofweber, Detroit, MI Bellanca - Bellanca 14-13-2, N74212, ThomasJ. Shrane, Hinkley, MN (Continued on Page 26) 6 OCTOBER 1983

(Photo by Marian Cavadlas) Included in the aerobatic section are the prototype Pitts S-2, prototype Acro Sport, Pappy Spinks' Acromaster, Mike Murphy's Bucker Jungmeister and Starduster Too.

Dale Crites and Lois Kelch just moments before Dale took off in his 1911 Curtiss Pusher to lead the Antique/Classic Parade of Flight.

®

PROFI LES FROM THE &~1rll~UJJ~ /CCIL&~~llCC Article and photos by Lois Kelch

(EAA 3567A, Ale 700A )

7018 W. Bonniwell Road

Mequon, WI 53092

Every year, Oshkosh is special to everyone attending, or they wouldn't be there. However, this year was '~special special" because of the opening and dedication of the unbe­ lievably beautiful new EAA Aviation Center. To the Poberezny family it was the realization of a lifetime dream which they shared with everyone at Oshkosh '83.

To walk into the Center for the first time and see its beauty is an experience no one will ever forget, I am sure.

To look up and see the three. beautiful and famous Red Devils Pitts Specials in their sunburst formation in the tower of the Center, brings a soft exclamation from the hearts of everyone who sees it. As you enter the museum area itself and see the artistic display of airplanes from all EAA Divisions, you are still awed and proud of EAA to be preserving aviation history for generations to come.

Every division is well represented; the displays are truly a work of art which show the planes to their best advan­ tage, whether in flight attitude up above, or in a realistic static display. The viewing is two-fold - you can first see everything from the Wittman Concourse above and then on the ground floor in the midst of these beautiful airplanes.

PADDOCK

Another wing will house the Headquarters offices which will truly be a pleasant and inspiring place to work .

These offices will all be completed in the near future and EAA will be in its new home.

The arrangement for bus tours from the Convention site to the Center was well organized and afforded easy transportation for the many thousands of people who couldn't wait to view this spectacular addition to the EAA Convention.

Meanwhile .. . back at the Antique/Classic Headquar­ ters Red Barn and display area, there was the usual activ­ ity of beautifully restored airplanes, their pilots, friends, volunteer workers, etc. that combine to make this the largest fly-in/convention in the world.

There are plans to add a porch to the north side of the Red Barn, which will offer a bit of rest and shade during the busy convention days, and one of the first donations to the project was made by Stan and Irene Gomoll. Irene again made two beautiful queen-size quilted blankets with an airplane motif, sold chances on them throughout the week and raised over $400. Members of the Antique/Clas­ sic Division thank you, Stan and Irene, for this wonderful contribution.

I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing some staunch airplane enthusiasts who are part of the wonderful camaraderie that bonds together the Antique/Classic members and will share them with you now.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Lois Moore.

Lois Moore

(EAA 497ooA, AlC 234A)

Contrail Acres Box 370 Orangeville, Ontario Canada L9W 2Z7

Bill Rose and his 1940 Ryan STA Special.

Bill Rose

(EAA 159635, AlC 6612)

15 W. Mundhank Rd.

Barrington, IL 60010

As I was walking the aisles of the AntiquelClassic area, I noticed three beautiful Ryans side by side, all owned by Bill Rose. It doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to tell you that Bill loves Ryans. Proudly on display were a 1937 Ryan, N17368, SIN 173; a 1940 Ryan STA Special, N17343, SIN 458; and a 1940 Ryan PT22, N54403, SIN 1387. He is also currently restoring two more Ryans, NC17346, SIN 149, and NC17364, SIN 177 because he "wanted to get into something that would preserve a bit of aviation history and leave footprints for future generations."

Ryans were used during WWII as primary trainers, being shipped to various places such as the Netherlands, East Indies, Java and Australia. Many eventually found their way back to the United States after the war. Ryan SIN 458 was shipped from Melbourne, Australia on the SS African Neptune to New Orleans, then trucked to Houston, Texas to R. K. Egger and was in storage until 1978. In 1978 it was sold to Don Sharp in Oklahoma, who re-assem足 bled it; Bill bought it in January 1982 and completely restored it. Bill has no favorite Ryan, he loves them all.

He also owns a 1940 Stearman, a Bell Helicopter 206B and a twin engine Beech Excalibur. He flies his airplanes from his own 2500-foot grass strip near Barrington. He stays close to home and enjoys his flying, his friends and he hosts his own fly-ins during the summer months.

This was Bill's fifth trip to Oshkosh and he's looking forward to many, many more.

8 OCTOBER 1983

Lois Moore proudly poses with her 1946 Aeronca Champ which she flew to Oshkosh from Canada. Flying is a big part of her life, starting when she became a Flight Attendant for Air Canada in 1965 and met her husband-to足 be Doug Moore who was a Pilot for Air Canada. They love the old planes, and at first Lois flew along with Doug, but then decided she would like to learn to fly too. She did, and loved it. They married in 1970 and shortly thereafter purchased the 1946 Aeronca Champ, which was flyable, but badly needed restoration. They decided to restore it completely and with the help of Max Say, spent their spare time for the next two years on the project. Their hard work was rewarded when they flew the Aeronca to Oshkosh in 1973 and won the Grand Champion Classic Award. Now, 10 years later in 1983, it is in perfect condition and still looks like new.

Lois has taken over 600 people for rides in the Champ, and for many of them it's their first flight ever. She enjoys sharing her love of flying with them. She now has 1800 total hours and also flies a J-3 Cub, Cessna 150, Cessna 172 and an Aeronca Chief. A good friend, Willy Ropp, gave her Seaplane instruction complete with a rating and she now flies her Chief on floats .

Doug and Lois fly their Cessna 150 to Key West, Florida where they spend the winter on their Cutter boat. They are on an airfield - Summerland Strip, so they do a lot of fun flying and also cruise the Keys in their boat so they can fish and snorkle. In the midst of this fun time, they commute for their Air Canada trips.

At home in Orangeville, Canada, they own their own grass strip, complete with a small house and large hangar.

They spent five years building the airstrip and Lois helped by driving a D4 Cat with a bulldozer and a dump truck; Doug drove a D8 with an earthmover. The property had an early 1900s farmhouse on it to which they added a large family room called "The Lindbergh Room," plus an at足 tached 40 x 40 hangar. They call their property "Contrail Acres". There is a little stream on the property that they've named "A Little Bit of Heaven". What more could you ask for?

George and Ruby Pappas, Anchorage, Alaska.

George & Ruby Pappas (EAA 4071, AlC 7893) 2914 Dartmouth Drive Anchorage, AK 99504

George's beautiful 1942 Grumman Widgeon, N68102, serves him in both business and pleasure. The pleasure part is flying in Alaska, camping and fishing, and ofcourse, flying to Oshkosh. The business part is his repair station called "Aircraft Rebuilders" in Anchorage, and his restora­ tion of the Widgeon shows customers what he can do.

He bought this plane in 1963, disassembled. He in­ tended to restore it and then sell it; however, he and his wife , Ruby liked it so much after restoration, they decided to keep it. It first flew in March 1969 and they used it until September 1980 when George decided it needed new paint and a new bottom. It was only going to be a six-month job and George intended to fly it to Oshkosh '82. However, it took 18 months with him doing all the work, except the upholstery. He had an advantage in that work was slow at his business so he ran it through his own shop like any other customer's plane. Every part is handled twice - you put it on for fit, then remove it and corrosion proof it and then put it back again, which adds to the time it takes.

George says "It's the biggest little airplane in the world ."

It first flew again April 25, 1983. George uses the Widgeon to fly to remote areas for emergency on-site re­ pairs for downed planes. He recently had a repair call to Shiskmareff, which is very close to the Russian border. He is able to gas up on land or water bases with his amphibian, which is very useful in some ofthe remote areas ofAlaska.

George's next project is to restore his 1948 Swift, now that the "big" plane is finished .

George was born in Bridgeport, Nebraska, but in 1953 he drove to Anchorage on a vacation and liked what he saw. He was offered a job at the airport the first day he arrived, so he decided to stay. Later, on a trip back to Nebraska to visit relatives, he had a blind date with Ruby.

After his return to Anchorage, they corresponded via mail for a few months, and when he proposed, she accepted and went to Anchorage where they were married. She liked the area as much as he did. Ruby learned to fly and has her own 1975 Cessna 172.

Their trip from Anchorage to Oshkosh took three days, with absolutely clear skies and beautiful flying. It took 20 112 hours flying time, with a 15-30 knot tailwind all the way. His average speed was 135 knots. This is his third trip to Oshkosh. Goerge has been a member of EAA since 1959 and is a charter member of the EAA Chapter in Anchorage.

Norma Baldwin.

Norma Baldwin San Carlos Airport San Carlos, CA 94070

Norma can be seen at Oshkosh working hard as the only female judge of the Antique/Classic Division. She has been a Classic judge for four years and takes her job very seriously. She owns and restores classic airplanes, and flew to Oshkosh from California in her 1950 Cessna 195 with one of her students. It took them two days, approximately 13 hours flying tme, cruising at 135 knots. They had beautiful weather all the way.

Norma has two careers - one as a business executive which helps pay for her other career of flying. She is an Instrument Flight Instructor at San Carlos Airport, and currently has six students, some pursuing their private ratings and others, their commercial. She holds a Commer­ cial Certificate, Multi-Engine land and sea, and in October plans to get a jet rating in a Citation II and an Airline Transport Rating.

In addition to her Cessna 195, she owns a 1938 Staggerwing Beech, 1978 Super Cub, 1974 Pitts S2A, 1974 Beech Duke, and she flies them all. She loves doing aeroba­ tics in her Pitts, and hopes to eventually instruct in aeroba­ tics also. She also flies to such fun places as Mexico and Guatamala on charters and vacations.

Norma's ultimate goal is to become a corporate pilot, flying jets.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

Barbara Kitchens.

Barbara Kitchens

(EAA 43852A, AlC 4946A)

Rt. 1, Box 181A

Griffin, GA 30223

Airplanes and flying have been Barbara's whole life and career. As a little girl of 11 , she lived near an airport and would wander over and quietly watch the planes for hours. At 14 and 15 she got a summer job washing planes in exchange for flight instruction. On her 16th birthday she soloed and has been in aviation ever since. She owns the J-3 Cub she soloed in and also owns a 1931 Waco RNF, a 1931 Curtiss Junior, a 1956 G Model Beech Bonanza which she uses for air charter and cargo flying.

She is co-owner with Dr. Roy Wicker ofa 1933 DavisDIW. Barbara has her own banner-towing business, towing banners for all the Atlanta Braves baseball games, and also for weddings, anniversaries and businesses. It is a fun job which also helps support her airplanes. She has over 10,000 hours of flying time .

Her great love is flying the old planes and she was thrilled to be able to ferry such planes as a Bird, Comman­ daire, PI'-19. Stinson SM-8A, Travel Air 6000, etc. from the Wings & Wheels Museum, then of Santee, South Carolina, to their next home in Orlando, Florida. It was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience fly­ ing so many famous old planes.

In her flying career, she has fond memories of making good friends through the years, such as Bevo Howard, Johnny Crowell, Louise Thaden and many, many more .

Barbara's husband is Bob Kitchens who is a Captain for Eastern Airlines, and he shares in her enthusiasm of old planes. Barbara and Bob have high praise for the new Aviation Center and she became emotional when she saw it for the first time. She was very proud to see what had been accomplished in just one year. Barbara has been to every Oshkosh Convention and she attended Rockford before that.

Jim Ewing

(EAA 146125, AlC 7925)

152 "M" Street

Fresno, CA 93721

Jim was into hot rod cars until he met a female pilot who took him to a Chino, California fly-in breakfast. He got "hooked" on flying immediately, sold his cars and bought a Cessna 150 even before he had learned to fly.

The girl's father, Marty Wagner, flew it from Torrence to LaVerne, California, and Marty's friend , Dale Conway taught Jim to fly . . .

Jim started searching for another aIrplane and m 1977 found this 1955 one-owner Cessna 195, N2196C , in good condition. He received 10 hours of dual before he soloed 10 OCTOBER 1983

Jim Ewing and Rod Nash.

it and then on his first solo flight, the 195 threw a rod

d~ring power-reduction after takeoff. He dialed the emergency frequency but received no response , so he called Approach Control at the Bracket Airport, who immediate ~y cleared him to land on any runway. There was a twm Beech on final at the time who heard the emergency clear­ ance and shot practically straight up to get out of the way .

During the emergency Jim forgot to put the flaps down so he floated almost halfway down the runway before he finally touched down. He remained calm throughout the entire emergency, but fell apart once he was safely on the ground. It didn't dampen his enthusiasm for flying in the least.

From that day on he's been restoring the plane, using all new engine parts from the Jacobs engine people. The plane had cross-wind gear with poor brakes so he put a Cleveland Conversion kit on it. He rebuilt the tail wheel strut and springs, put in new radio equipment, new instru­ ment panel, etc. The restoration was finished in July 1983 just in time to leave for Oshkosh. Jim and his. frie.nd Rod Nash experienced all kinds of weather on their tnp from California, including severe thunderstonns.

One highlight of the trip was a stop at the Cessna Airport at Wichita, Kansas to "bring the old girl back to where she was born." She seemed to shine a little brighter when she was there. They were very fortunate to get a tour of the Cessna factory, and a fellow named Jim Kimper was very helpful on how to buy and where to buy parts for the 195. The Cessna Historian also gave them informa­ tion on this very plane.

They also stopped to see the Air Force Museum at Dayton, Ohio, then on to Oshkosh, arriving mid-day on Friday. They were anticipating frantic air traffic, but it was exceptionally orderly and easy. Air Traffic told them to fall in line near Ripon, and they came right on in. They immediately got out their polishing rags to take ca re of all the bugs and rain spots and soon brought the 195 back to its shiny glory.

For Jim, it is a dream come true to attend Oshkosh for the first time and he is awestruck by the whole thing. He can't praise it highly enough, and was very impressed by the friendly and helpful people in attendance. He has been an EAA member for some time and is now a member of the Antique/Classic Division too.

Jim also owns three Luscombes in various stages of restoration, a 1959 8F with flaps, a 1946 8A and a 1949 8F. He is active in the Continental Luscombe Association.

Jim and his friend Rod just recently formed a partnership and opened a maintenance and sales facility in Fresno called "Flashback Aviation".

Jim's beautiful Cessna 195 won the Custom Class C (151 hp and up) Award, an excellent reward for a job well done.

Tim Tyler and sons Mickle and ROCky.

Tim Tyler (EAA 188167, AlC 7778) 13607 N. 97th East Avenue Collinsville, OK 74021

IfI labeled my interviews, I'd call this one "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow". The "Yesterday" would be for the 1943 Interstate L-6 Army Observation Liaison plane, N432712; the "Today" would be for pilot Tim Tyler and the "Tomorrow" would be for his two young sons, Mickie, 8, and Rocky , 9, who are obviously airplane-oriented as is evidenced by their many model airplane kits and their familiarity with their dad's airplane ... pilots of tomorrow!

The Tylers were in the Antique/Classic Camping area , with a big comfortable 9 x 11 tent under the wing. It's amazing what they brought with them in the plane. Be­ sides the tent, they had a Coleman stove, large lantern, two sleeping bags, one queen-size air mattress, one regular size air mattress, two pillows, ice chest, camera bag, field glasses, clothes for three to last seven days, and last but not least, 25 model airplane kits.

The 1943 plane was bought by Tim and Aubrey Pollack three years ago as a basket case, and they restored it using every single moment of their spare time. There were 250 L-6s built and only about four are still flying today. The planes were in use during World War II . Tim researched the paint scheme and duplicated the white and black stripes on his planes, which followed the Military Order given 6/15/44 (just prior to the Normandy invasion) that all allied planes be painted with stripes on fuselages and wings, so they would be recognized as "our planes".

Its first flight after the restoration was May 30, 1983, and it flew extremely well. Tim's interest in flying goes back to his youth when he swept floors for $1 per hour to pay for his flight instruction at $15 per hour - a 15 to 1 ratio. That's a lot of floor sweeping, but he soloed at 17 in a 1960 Piper Colt, and has been flying antiques and homebuilts ever since.

Tim spent the last year working as an off-shore driller in Brazil, and is on his 30-day vacation. He brought his sons for their first experience at seeing Oshkosh and they literally lived airplanes for seven days. They especially enjoyed watching the air show every day and can't wait to do it all over again next year.

Don & Roseann Perry.

Don & Roseann Perry (EAA 8642, AlC 552) 4623 W. Capitol Drive Appleton, WI 54915

Don purchased the Culver V, N44652, SIN 43 (Cont.

85 hp engine), in 1964 in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in "parts and pieces". These pieces were found in a chicken coop, a garage, a hayloft - the landing gear was in an old outhouse.

He made the offer to purchase it to save it from oblivion, then started on a long 14-year restoration job. Everything on the plane had to be redone. There was a lot of dry rot and he replaced the bulkheads in the fuselage , and both ends of the rear and main wing spars, etc. Don devoted all of his spare time to this plane during its long restoration .

Once he finally got it completed, it took another nine months to get it certified, because there was no paperwork.

However, the FAA finally gave the OK and Don first flew it in July 1982.

He found the Culver V a little "different" to fly . It is a unique design with a "Simpli-Fly" control which consists of a big trim wheel and center console that is intercon­ nected to the flaps and stabilizer, and you fly the plane entirely with this system. It is not easy to get used to, but once mastered, is not difficult. It has an instrument on the panel that has printed "Take-Off," "Climb," "Cruise," "Ap­ proach," "Landing". You place a pointer at the chosen operation and the airplane will automatically set its own attitude. It has 20 square feet of flap area and lands as short as a Cub. The prototype was built in 1944 by Al Mooney (later of Mooney Aircraft), with the thought of getting ahead in the light airplane market with a plane intended to simplify flying for the novice. Some of the features are twin landing lights, automatic circuit breakers, a 60-pound baggage compartment with a cover which is part of the forward hinged cockpit canopy. The Culver V has an electrically-op­ erated retractable tricycle landing gear, fuel injected en­ gine, and a drilled crank shaft for a hydraulically operated prop. It also has two 16-gallon Goodyear rubber fuel cells in the leading edge of the wing, with a range of 750 miles at economy cruise, designed for professional men doing cross country flying. This restoration has been a labor of love, but worth all the years it took to bring this rare airplane back into existence . • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

REPAIRMAN CERTIFICATE

To document the matter, printed below are EAA's peti­ tion for an exemption from Federal Air Regulations, Part 43, the Federal Aviation Administration's letter ofdenial, and a sampling ofletters, both pro and con, from respon­ dents.

October 20, 1982 Mr. Melvin C. Beard Director, Office of Airworthiness Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC 20591 Dear Mr. Beard: The Experimental Aircraft Association, an organiza­ tion of over 90,000 members, of which the Antique/Classic Division is an active part, has received over 300 letters from members, some letters representing a group, asking us to petition the FAA for a ruling that would permit them to maintain, inspect, alter and repair their individual aircraft. Our members allege that obtaining the services of qualified FAA certificated mechanics to work on their aircraft, many of which are obsolete in design and construc­ tion, has become very difficult and almost impossible in some cases. It is further stated that the process of having an FAA certificated mechanic supervise their work and sign the necessary paperwork has no real safety meaning as the owners are the more knowledgeable ones on their specific aircraft.

This has resulted in an unnecessary expense for them

12 OCTOBER 1983

to hire an FAA certificated mechanic and then spend their time showing him the idiosyncrasies of the aircraft and educating him so he can sign off the work . Many certifi­ cated mechanics are not interested in working on the older aircraft as they may not be proficient in the techniques required, and in a majority of cases do not have the neces­ sary tools and technical data that is usually supplied by the owner, to be productive.

Many of our members have worked under the supervi­ sion of a FAA certificated mechanic doing all sorts of maintenance, repair, alteration and inspection to their aircraft, and the supervising individual is willing to recom­ mend them for an authorization to legalize their working on the aircraft. It is, therefore, beneficial to develop a procedure whereby this can be done.

We can envision no degredation in aviation safety by developing a procedure to allow those qualified owners to work on their own aircraft and return them to service.

Builders of amateur built aircraft have been doing this successfully for years . Details for such a procedure are outlined below. Further, it is clearly in the public interest to develop such a process, as the provisions of the F ARs require the services of a FAA certificated person to ac­ complish work on certificated aircraft and the supply of these qualified people is dwindling, thereby causing an

undue burden on the owner of the aircraft to comply with the FARs. The Experimental Aircraft Association is willing to undertake an administrative program to get the concept started and to keep records for whatever time is required to support extension of the exemption or regulatory changes which could be the natural outcome of such an exemption.

EAA, through its Antique/Classic Division, will also assist owners in obtaining necessary F ARs, Advisory Cir­ culars, ADs and other technical information to enable owners to follow good maintenance and inspection proce­ dures in conducting work on their aircraft.

The Experimental Aircraft Association is herewith petitioning the Administrator of FAA, under the Provision of FAR 11.25, for an exemption to the maintenance rules of FAR 43 to the extent necessary to permi t certain owners of antique and classic aircraft, who have restored the aircraft to an airworthy condition, under the supervision of a FAA Airframe and Powerplant mechanic, to thereafter conduct inspections (including annual inspections), repairs and alterations to his specific aircraft.

All work will be done in accordance with approved data, acceptable FAA procedures and policies, and major repairs and alterations will be inspected for return to service by an A&P mechanic with an Inspection Authorization or an approved repair station or a FAA Inspector.

For purposes of this exemption, antique aircraft are defined as those aircraft constructed on or before December 31, 1945, and classic aircraft, those aircraft constructed after January 1, 1946 and up to December 31 , 1955. Any aircraft that is a model that is still in production by the original type certificate holder, is not eligible. Aircraft over 12,500 lbs. gross weight are not eligible. Only those multi-engine aircraft specifically found by EAA to fit these definitions, and it is practical for them to qualify for this exemption, will be eligible. EAA will be the clearing house for any application by an owner, including those owners of a multi-engine aircraft.

EAA will set up a committee of qualified people to accept applications from those persons who feel they can qualify for inclusion in this exemption and screen these applications against specific standards before submitting them to the FAA for their action, ifthis is required . Having restored an aircraft from a deteriorated condition to an airworthy condition under the supervision of an A&P mechanic would constitute the basis for satisfying that person's ability to do the work satisfactorily. In some instances a person could be restricted to airframe or power­ plant work only.

The exemption should contain provisions for a person who meets the basic qualifications to be issued specific authority to act under the terms ofthe exemption. A person receiving such authority would be authorized to conduct maintenance, repair, alterations and inspections, includ­ ing annual inspections on his specific aircraft. Major re­ pairs and major alterations as outlined in FAR 43 would require approval for return to service by a person holding an inspection authorization or an appropriately rated ap­ proved repair station.

The authorized person would be responsible to conduct all of his work in accordance with the provisions of FAR 43 using approved data and/or acceptable techniques and practices as applicable. He would further be required to maintain records of all work accomplished as required by FAR 43 .

The aircraft would be restricted in its use so as not to be used for the carriage of persons or property for hire; unless the aircraft is subjected to a periodic inspection by a FAA certificated mechanic holding an Inspection Author­ ization or an appropriately rated FAA Approved Repair Station, and returned to service by such a person or entity.

The term for the exemption should be for three (3) years to allow time to see how the concept is working. A provision for cancellation could be incorporated ifthe program proves ill conceived.

The EAA will work with the FAA in any way possible to further this request. Please contact:· Charles Schuck 708 MacArthur Ave., N.E .

Vienna, Virginia 22180 Telephone: 703/281 -2169 Sincerely, EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Paul H. Poberezny President

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Exemption No. 3777 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON, DC 20591 In the matter of the petition of EXPERIMENTAL AIR­ CRAIT ASSOCIATION for an exemption from Part 43 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.

Regulatory Docket No. 23407 DENIAL OF EXEMPTION By letter dated October 20, 1982, Mr. Paul H. Poberezny, President, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), P .O. Box 229, Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130, petitioned on behalf of its members and other qualifying owners of antique and classic aircraft for an exemption from Part 43 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR).

The exemption would allow owners of antique and classic aircraft who have restored those aircraft to an airworthy condition under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificated airframe and pow­ erplant mechanic to, thereafter, maintain, conduct inspec­ tions (including annual inspections), repairs, and altera­ tions to those specific aircraft.

Sections of the FAR affected: Section 43.1 provides, in pertinent part, rules gov­ erning the maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, and alteration of any aircraft having a U.S. airworthiness certificate.

Section 43.3(a) states, in pertinent part, that only persons or organizations authorized by the Admin­ istrator may maintain, rebuild, alter, or perform pre­ ventive maintenance on an aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part to which Part 43 applies.

Section 43.3(b) states, in pertinent part, that the holder of a mechanic certificate may perform mainte­ nance, preventive maintenance, and alterations as provided in Part 65.

Section 43.3(d) states, in pertinent part, that a per­ son working under the supervision of a holder of a mechanic or repairman certificate may peform mainte­ nance, preventive maintenance, and alterations that his suprvisor is authorized to perform, if the supervisor

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

personally observes the work being done, to the extent necessary to ensure that it is being done properly and, if the supervisor is readily available for consultation.

However, this paragraph does not authorize the per­ formance of any inspection required by Parts 91 and 125 of this chapter or any inspection performed after major repair or alteration.

Section 43.5 states, in pertinent part, that no person may approve for return to service any aircraft, air­ frame , aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance that has undergone maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, or alteration unless the maintenance record entry required by S 43 .9 or S 43.11, as appropriate, has been made.

Section 43.7(a) states, in pertinent part, that except as provided in this section, no person other than the Administrator, may approve an aircraft, airframe, air­ craft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part for return to service after it has undergone mainte­ nance , preventive maintenance, rebuilding, or altera­ tion .

The petitioner's supportive information is as follows : The petitioner states that its members find it very difficult, almost impossible in some cases, to obtain the services of qualified mechanics to work on their aircraft which are obsolete in design and construction.

The petitioner contends that the process of owners working under the supervision of an FAA certificated mechanic and then having the aircraft approved for return to service by that mechanic has no real safety meaning because the owners are more knowledgeable about their specific aircraft than the mechanic. This results in unnecessary expense to the owners for hiring mechanics and then expending time in educating them on the idiosyncrasies of these aircraft so that the me­ chanic can approve the aircraft for return to service.

The petitioner states that many certificated me­ chanics are not interested in working on older aircraft because they may not be proficient in the maintenance techniques required and may not have the necessary tools or technical data available to perform mainte­ nance.

The petitioner states that a committee will be set up consisting of qualified people to accept applications from persons who feel qualified for inclusion in this exemption. These persons will be screened against specific standards and their names will be submitted to the FAA for approval. Owners would qualify by restoring their aircraft from a deteriorated condition to an airworthy condition while under the supervision of an FAA certificated airframe and powerplant rated mechanic. This action would show that the applicant has the ability to perform the work satisfactorily.

Applicants could be restricted to airframe or power­ plant work based on their demonstration.

The petitioner contends that this procedure would not degrade aviation safety and is clearly in the public interest because of the dwindling supply of qualified mechanics. It would also reduce the regulatory burden on the owners.

The petitioner states that all work accomplished during restoration will be done in accordance with approved data and acceptable FAA procedures and policies. Major repairs and alterations will be inspected prior to return to service by an airframe and powerplant rated mechanic with an inspection authorization

14 OCTOBER 1983

(lA), an FAA certificated repair station, or an FAA inspector.

The petitioner states that this exemption would authorize a person who meets the proposed qualifi­ cations to conduct maintenance, repairs, alterations, and inspections, including annual inspections, on hislher specific aircraft, but would exclude the privi­ lege of approving an aircraft for return to service after major repairs and or major alterations. Exempted persons would be responsible for conducting all work in accordance with the provisions of Part 43 , using approved data and or acceptable techniques and prac­ tices, and making and maintaining maintenance record entries for all work accomplished.

The petitioner states that EAA's antique/classic division will assist owners in obtaining necessary F ARs, advisory circulars, airworthiness directives, and other technical information to enable owners to follow good maintenance practices and inspection procedures in conducting work on their aircraft.

For the purpose of this exemption, the petitioner defines antique aircraft as those aircraft constructed on or before December 31, 1945, and classic aircraft are those aircraft constructed between January 1, 1946, and December 31,1955. Aircraft models still in produc­ tion by the origional type certificate holder would not be eligible. Aircraft over 12,500 pounds gross weight would not be eligible. Neither would multiengine air­ craft not specifically found by the EAA to fit these definitions. The EAA proposes to be the clearinghouse for any applications including those by owners ·o f a multiengine aircraft.

The petitioner states that any aircraft maintained or repaired under the requested exemption would be restricted from the carriage of persons or property for compensation of hire, unless it receives an annual inspection by an FAA certificated mechanic holding an IA or by a certificated repair station.

The petitioner suggests that the petition be granted for a 3-year period with a cancellation provision, if the program proves ill conceived.

A summary of this petition was published in the Fed­ eral Register on November 18, 1982 (47 FR 51982), and 443 comments were received. Two hundred and eight com­ ments agree with the EAA's petition (pro) and 82 disagree .

One hundred and fifty-three comments are not relevant since they referred only to the certification of repairmen.

Six congressional inquires were received on behalf of con­ cerned constituents, and one congressman expressed op­ position to the petition. A majority of the commenters were members of the EAA, the Antique Airplane Association, Inc. (AAA), or both. Fifty pro commenters state that they have experienced difficulty in finding qualified mechanics with the technical knowledge, skill, and experience re­ quired to supervise them in the performance of mainte­ nance, and to approve the aircraft for return to service.

One pro commenter, a manufacturer of aircraft fabric materials and paint coatings, states that a majority of certificated mechanics are not familiar with the unique construction methods and maintenance procedures of air­ craft manufactured and certificated under Civil Aeronau­ tics Bulletin No.7 . The commenter further states that owners have, by necessity, pooled maintenance informa­ tion because the manufacturers of these aircraft are no longer in business. They have individually gained more knowledge about the maintenance of these aircraft than

FI'

the average flight line mechanic maintaining a fleet of current production or airline aircraft. Twenty-two com­ menters state that, if the exemption is granted, airworthi­ ness safety would be degraded, while 18 commenters state that safety would not be affected. Forty pro commenters generally agree that owners have more technical know­ ledge on their specific aircraft while 10 disagree with this position. Fifteen say that granting the exemption would relieve the economic burden of maintenance and restora­ tion on the owners. Ten dissenting commenters say that owners wanting the privileges of a mechanic with inspec­ tion authorization should make application and take the appropriate FAA tests if they believe they are qualified.

The Antique Airplane Association, Inc. (AAA), states that its organization is 35 percent larger than the petitioner's Antique Classic Division and that its members oppose the EAA's petition, or any other change which would in any way, or to any degree, affect the airworthiness certificates of its antique and classic airplanes. AAA con­ tends that present Part 43 permits owners to perform most maintenance under the supervision of a mechanic and incorporates safey checks and balances which have worked satisfactorily for AAA members for 30 years. AAA also contends that owners supporting this exemption, who feel they are qualified to restore and maintain these airplanes, should acquire FAA mechanic certificates. AAA objects to EAA's proposed administration of the program, stating that transfer of regulatory or administrative power to the EAA would be discriminatory and provide EAA with polit­ ical favoritism . AAA states that this exemption will create added paperwork and confusion for FAA field personnel.

AAA questions how non EAA applicants will fare if this petition is granted, if there would be a service fee involved, and the grievance procedures to be used by EAA in ad­ ministration of the program. AAA states that granting the exemption would reduce economic opportunities for certifi­ cated mechanics and, thereby, create a shortage of mechanics. Finally, AAA states that the petitioner has not established that there is a need for such procedures.

Twelve dissenting commenters are concerned that their aircraft may no longer be eligible for a standard airworthi­ ness certificate if the exemption is granted.

Two commenters, in the insurance business, state that present FAA regulations provide the public with reasona­ ble safeguards which will not be provided under the exemp­ tion and that grant ofthe exemption could result in owners of these aircraft experiencing difficulties in securing adequate insurance.

One commenter, representing a large aviation organi­ zation, supports the petitioner's concept but offered no information to support the position.

Two commenters, representing FAA certificated avia­ tion maintenance technician schools, support the AAA's position and state that granting regulatory function to the EAA would set a dangerous precedent and destroy the present system. One of these commenters states that mechanics holding an IA should perform annual inspec­ tions because they provide a second set of trained eyes and are familiar with airworthiness directives, service bulle­ tins, and other publications.

One commenter, representing a large maintenance association, states that the short apprenticeship program proposed by the petitioner will not qualify an owner to maintain, repair, and inspect an aircraft whether it's a Piper J-3 or a Douglas DC-3 . He states that if an owner restores an aircraft and wishes to repair and maintain it,

he should be required to obtain an FAA mechanic certifi­ cate.

The FAA's analysis/summary is as follows : The FAA has given full consideration to all facts presented by the petitioner and commenters and has determined that a grant of exemption is not warranted.

The petitioner submitted data indicating the less than one percent ofEAA members experience inconvenience in securing the services of an FAA certificated me­ chanic. The FAA finds that continued aircraft air­ worthiness requires that only those persons authorized

by Part 43 should perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations and approve aircraft for return to service.

Section 610(a) (2) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (FA Act) prohibits anyone from serving as an airman without an airman certificate. Certificated mechanics and lA's have demonstrated their skills, knowledge, and experience to the FAA and met estab­ lished minimum standards for certification as pre­ scribed by Part 65. The petitioner's proposal does not set forth procedures which provide a level of safety equivalent to that of the present rule. Instead, it pre­ sents a generalized procedure whereby applicants/ owners may be privileged to perform the same functions as certificated mechanics and lA's without demon­ strating equivalent skills, knowledge, or experience.

The petitioner suggests that owner/applicant quali­ fications be based on having restored an aircraft to an airworthy condition from one of deterioration while under the supervision of a certificated mechanic. The petitioner fails to define the word "restored". This could result in variable interpretations since the petitioner does not address the extent of restoration or the type of work that must be accomplished to qualify. The peti­ tioner also fails to address the documentation necessary to substantiate the extent of work actually accom­ plished by the owner.

The FAA does not agree that this exemption will significantly relieve the economic and regulatory burden on owners since they will still be required to hire FAA certificated mechanics to supervise their aircraft restoration for qualification purposes and are still required to hire a certificate mechanic to perform major repairs, alterations, and annual inspec­ tions if used for hire.

The FAA takes exception to the petitioner's state­ ment that aircraft owners must educate certificated mechanics on the idiosyncrasies of their aircraft so that these mechanics can then approve the aircraft to return to service. FAA certificated mechanics are limited by Part 65, SS 65.81(a) and (b), which prohibits them from supervision of maintenance, alterations, or approval for return to service of any aircraft or appliance, or part thereof (for which they are rated), unless they have satisfactorily performed the work concerned at an earlier date. Further, certificated mechanics may not exercise the privileges of their certificate unless they understand the current instructions ofthe manufactur­ er and the maintenance manuals for the specific opera~ tion concerned.

The petitioner states that it will establish a com­ mittee of qualified people to accept applications and screen the applicants against specific standards for qualification. However, the petitioner neither identi­ fies the qualifications of the committee nor the specific

qualification standards to be met by applicants.

The FAA does not agree that classic/antique aircraft are obsolete in design and construction and, therefore, the services of qualified certificated mechanics are difficult to find . Many modern aircraft incorporate construction methods and features identical, or very similar, to classic/antique aircraft. Many current pro­ duction aircraft manufacturers incorporate welded steel tubing in the structure, fabric skin covering, and wood in their design and construction. Several air­ craft that are classified as classic aircraft, by the pro­ posed definition, incorporate aluminum monocoque and semimonocoque design, are multiengine, and have retractable landing gear. These include certain Cessna 310, Beech 50, and Piper PA-23 aircraft. FAA certifi­ cated mechanics are tested and given practical tests on the construction and maintenance methods, tech­ niques, and practices used in these types of aircraft.

FAA-approved aviation maintenance technician school curricula are required to include these construction methods.

Many of the aircraft affected by this petition are certificated in the standard category, as provided under Section 603(c) of the FA Act. The duration of these certificates is based on certain terms, conditions, and limitations. Section 21.181 of Part 21 states, in perti­ nent part, that these certificates continue to be effec­ tive, provided the maintenance, preventive mainte­ nance, and alterations are performed in accordance with Parts 43 and 91. The concept proposed in the peti­ tion is, due to its scope, a profound departure from the requirements of existing regulations and, if granted, would affect the validity of the Standard Airworthi­ ness Certificate issued to these aircraft.

The EAA has not provided sufficient information to evaluate the procedures to be used l.>y the owners in maintaining their aircraft to a level of safety equiva­ lent to the present regulations; how the aircraft would be identified if they are sold to new owners; or how the aircraft would be restricted from the carriage of persons or property for hire .

This petition seeks relief which is beyond the per­ missible scope of the exemption process, and if granted, would have a profound effect on the certification and continued airworthiness of as many as 45,000 aircraft, the qualification and certification of several thousand airmen. It would also have a substantial impact on FAA resources, and numerous small business entities.

Therefore, a petition for a rule change would be more appropriate. The FAA would be receptive to discussing and undertaking a feasibility study of such a rulemak­ ing project.

The FAA will consider any documentary substantiation of practical airframe and powerplant experience gained in restoring an aircraft towards any owner meeting the cer­ tification requirements of Part 65.

In consideration of the foregoing, I find that a grant of exemption would not be in the public interest. Therefore, pursuant to the authority contained in Sections 313(a) and 601(c) of the FA Act of 1958, delegated by the Adminis­ trator (14 CFR 11.53), the Experimental Aircraft Associa­ tion petition for exemption from Part 43 is hereby denied.

Joseph A. Pontecorvo Acting Director of Airworthiness Issued in Washington D.C. , on June 6, 1983

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Federal Aviation Administration Office of the Chief Counsel Attention Rules Docket (AGC-204) Petition Docket Number 23407 800 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC 20591 To all Concerned Persons: Regarding F .A.A. petition docket 23407 amending Part 43 F .A.R , as a pilot and having owned a number of aircraft of classic description I feel any change in F.A.R 43 that would affect the A.T.C.s of antique and classic aircraft would be detrimental , have a negative effect, cause prob­ lems for owners and others involved with antique and classic aircraft.

The existing requirements set by the F.A.A. have proven sound, have been fairly administered, and have protected the pilot, the general public, and buyers of the aircraft.

The attempt by the Experimental Aircraft Assn. at amending F .A.R 43 seems a self-centered attempt to turn over aircraft licensing to their own select group. It appears monopolistic and an effort to benefit a select few!

It appears that keeping F.A.R 43 in its present state will be most beneficial and fair to all people.

Sincerely, Dave Munger EAA P.O. Box 229 Hales Corners, WI 53130 Attn: Mr. Paul Poberezny Re: Antique Repairman Certificate Dear Paul: As you know, I am active in both construction of experi­ mental aircraft and restoration of antique and classic aircraft. I am both an EAA and AAA member, and regu­ larly attend functions for both groups. I was surprised and somewhat dismayed when I received the AAA mailing opposing the making ofthe Antique Repairman Certificate available for antique restorers. I support the proposal, and you may use this letter as evidence of that support.

Best regards to you and Audrey.

Very truly yours, John L. Hintermeister RR #3 , Box 34-A Muscatine, IA 52761 Mr. M. C. Beard, Director Office of Airworthiness Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Ave. S.W. Washington, DC 20591 Dear Mr. Beard: The New York State Chapter of the Antique Airplane Association has at the present time 74 members in good paid-up standing and has discussed the changes suggested by the EAA and Mr. Paul Poberezny to the FAR 43 many times during the past year. We have wholeheartedly disap­ proved of their ideas and informed them so.

We are now shocked to learn that they have in fact applied for a petition to alter FAR 43 to make some aircraft exempt. This is an insult and outrage! No airplane that has been issued an A.T.C. should be stripped of that right and relegated to the class of a homebuilt.

The New York State Chapter of the A.A.A. wants you to know that we are opposed to any change in FAR 43 at this time.

Sincerely, William Steeneck, President New York State Chapter Antique Airplane Association

Mr. Paul Poberezny President, EAA Dear Paul: I am writing in regards to the EAA FAR Part 43 exemption petition - Repainnan certification for antique/ classic rebuilders. Writing this letter is unusual for me in that I have never been in the habit of writing to anyone to express my opinion, although I've often planned to do so. This is a first for me - which indicates how strongly I feel about this subject.

I am wholeheartedly in support of such a program. I feel that the Repainnan Certificate for the antique/classic rebuilder is an idea which has come of age - and the FAA should be made aware of it. The aircraft have reached a point where their age has two effects: 1) rebuilding becomes a necessity for the airworthiness of the aircraft, and 2) mechanics familiar with these aircraft and their construc­ tion become few and hard to find .

As a result, more and more people are rebuilding these planes, and fewer mechanics remain qualified to service them. I myself have a good, capable mechanic who is familiar with the older planes and who supervises my work (I am rebuilding a 1947 Aeronca Chief). I would be very reluctant, however, to have your average mechanic who normally works on (modern aircraft) work on a plane which I rebuilt and put so much time into (most EAAers, I suspect, can identify with that).

A thorough rebuild is a sizeable undertaking which requires the rebuilder to use aircraft construction techniques as approved by the FAA (CAM 18 or FAR 43.13). The range of skills developed covers the entire content of these specifications, due in part to the extensive amount of repairs encountered. During the course of a thorough rebuild the rebuilder will replace all nuts, bolts, cables, woodwork, damaged sheetmetal, and overhaul the engine. Parts are not always available and must be made from scratch. Usually drawings are not available for these parts and they are remade until they fit. The parts and assemblies which are useable, or, of necessity, must be made to be, must be required. And, of course, all must be meticulously stripped and cleaned. The entire process may easily require upwards of 1500 + hours of work. At the time of completion the rebuilder has proven that he/she is capable of performing any maintenance required on that particular aircraft in accordance with FAR 43.13.

In short, I find it hard to imagine there would be any objections to such an exemption, other than from those interested in protecting their own business interests. There is certainly no complex or high-technology hardware in these aircraft or engines. Some control of workmanship is in order, as for homebuilts, as well as to verify that the specifications of the production aircraft are met - but once the aircraft has been satisfactorily rebuilt, it certainly makes sense, in the interest of grass-roots aviation, to provide the antique/classic rebuilder with the legal author­ ity to maintain hislher own aircraft.

This is a concept I believe the EAA should strongly support. Please forward my comments to the FAA; I hope this letter arrives in time to help the cause of the petition.

There are many deserving EAAers (and others) who would benefit from such a program and I hope it receives the support it deserves.

Sincerely, Becky Hart (EAA 160782) 7820 49th Ave. , N New Hope, MN

Mr. Melvin C. Beard, Director Office of Airworthiness Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence A venue, SW Washington, DC 20591 Dear Mr. Beard: I am violently opposed to the request by Paul Poberezny of the Experimental Aircraft Association, to change F .A.R. Part 43 to allow maintenance of "antique and classic" aircraft by individuals who do not hold current A&P cer­ tificates.

I have some 35 years experience in nearly all phases of airline and general aviation operations and mainte­ nance, and I also happen to own a "classic" aircraft.

I see no need to change the present law; while I may have had differences wi th your people and their application of the present system, I have enjoyed working with CAA and FAA personnel, and have respect for them .

I find Mr. Poberezny's proposal at best, a misguided and confusing concept to add another layer of bureaucracy in some sort of pseudo-government private agency, and at worse, an appalling and frightening effort for authority by a group of misguided zealots.

In response to Mr. Poberezny's lament as to costs and scarcity of A&P mechanics, I would suggest that anyone who can afford to own an airplane, can afford to hire competent help, presently certificated under the law, and with no further need for the EAA to designate such people.

I would suggest also, that the older airplanes are not so complex and mysterious as he would have you believe, and that there is no need for this proposed wholesale decimation of the present provisions of Part 43.

Very truly yours, Mr. Lesley N. Forden 1448 Page St. Alameda, CA 94501 (Aircraft Dispatcher Cert. No. 1144953, Aviation Ground Instructor No. 1244958, Airplane Pilot No. 789779, A&P Mechanic No. 1279259) Dear Paul : Regarding your article in the March "Homebuilders Corner" regarding the Repainnan Certificate for people who restore an antique or classic aircraft. As president of EAA Chapter 321, all of our members are in favor of it.

We sent a telegram to FAA about this, as requested by Headquarters.

Somehow, I must confess I missed your earlier articles in the "Homebuilders Corner". Two weeks ago, after seven months of negotiation , I purchased a 1946 J-3 Piper Cub which had been stored in a barn for 17 years. The Cub is now stripped down to "bare bones" and I am restoring it.

I had hoped that the Repainnan Certificate would be available to me on completion of the project.

I find it hard to understand Mr. Taylor's "dog in the manger" attitude, but perhaps some people consider it a status symbol to have their annual performed by an A&P. The last annual perfonned on the Cub I bought, was done by an area F.B.O. and after what I found , he will never annual this aircraft again!

I will send a letter to Mr. Taylor signed by everyone who attends our next meeting.

I can understand your frustrations, but I can't under­ stand why anyone would be against the FAA giving us a little more leeway. Our chapter will continue to support you whenever it is necessary .

Sincerely, Joseph Shultz (EAA 23461 ) 1752 Pleasantview Road Pottstown, PA 19464 .

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 17

(Photo from the collection of T. C. Weaver)

Shell's Lockheed Orion before the name "Shellightning" was painted on the forward fuselage.

By Truman C. Weaver

(EAA 151476, AlC 7699)

Wedell- Williams Memorial Foundation

P.G. Box 655

Patterson, LA 70392

Editor's Note: Truman C. "Pappy" Weaver is curator of terly by the Wedell-Williams Memorial Foundation. The the Wedell-Williams Memorial Aviation Museum of following account appeared in the April and July, 1983 Louisiana located on Highway 182 West, Patterson, issues of "Home Pylon News" and is reprinted here by Louisiana. Pappy, a retired U.S. Air Force major, held a permission. It starts with quotes from an article from the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, a letter from General J. H. Doolit足 command pilot rating, and FAA commercial license with multiengine land and sea, instrument and CFII ratings. tle, and notes from Lockheed concerning this specific air足 craft.

He is a noted authority on air race history and edits a newsletter, "Home Pylon News" which is published quar足

18 OCTOBER 1983

DATELINE DECEMBER 6, 1932 - CHICAGO TRIBUNE:

The flyer who holds the speed record for land planes over a closed course, left Chicago at 9:45 this morning for Kansas City to deliver Chicago Worlds Fair invitations to twenty-five cities. Accompanying Doolittle is the famous radio band leader Art Kassel of "Castles in the Air," and Art Hybred, a Chicago businessman, who have been sent along as goodwill ambassadors to represent the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair. They had visited Kansas City, Tulsa and Dallas before landing at Houston at 2:35 p.m. Flying in the fastest commercial plane of the date, Shell Oil Company's Lockheed Orion "Shellightning," Doolittle hopes to establish a number of city to city speed records.

Doolittle gained fame as a speed and blind flying pilot while in the United States Army and flying the GB (Gee Bee . . .ed) racing plane to a world's land speed record in September of this year.

An unprecedented air search will begin at first light in the morning. Mr. Harry P . Williams, President of the Wedell-Williams Air Service of Patterson, Louisiana, has organized his flyers, and the military pilots from Fort Crockett and Galveston have been alerted and will takeoff at dawn. Jimmy Doolittle is an executive with the Aviation Division of Shell Oil Company and has his offices in St. Louis. James Haizlip, who is also with the Shell Aviation Division and also a speed pilot, often in competition with Doolittle, expresses great concern for the safety of the trio.

He stated, "It has been over seven hours and no word of the airplane or crew."

LEITER DATED 3 MARCH 1983 FROM GENERAL J. H. DOOLIITLE : I bought the Orion for Shell Oil Company from the Lockheed Aircraft Company (mid 1932). It had a 400 + Wasp engine when I bought it, but soon had it replaced (7-11-32) with a 650 hp + Cyclone engine. It then became the fastest commercial airplane in the world. There was no propeller available that was designed for the engine and speed. We obtained a Cyclone propeller that had been used on a much slower airliner and cut, if I remember correctly, three to six inches off each tip , smoothed up the tips and balanced the propeller. (End quote ) LOCKHEED NOTE : This particular aircraft was built as an experimental Altair-type for the Lockheed Company.

Leased for a short period on a trial basis to Transcontinen­ tal and Western Airlines, Inc. , Kansas City (1931). Flown as a mail carrier on TWA routes. Returned to Factory.

Highly modified for Shell Oil Company. Pilot cockpit changed, baggage compartment became cabin and with engine change (7-11-32 ) became a Lockheed Orion 9C Special. Only metal Orion - had metal fuselage and wooden wings. Only Orion in existence today. It is on display in the Swiss Museum of Transport. (End quote) From this point on I must do some speculating. Sorry if I take too many liberties, but I feel this may be the way it happened . . .

Jim was streaking along at altitude. A comfortable tail wind was pushing his ground speed well above 200 miles an hour and he was on his way to setting a new city to city record for commercial aircraft, between Houston and New Orleans. He was coming up on the lower end of Grand Lake, right on course, then perhaps he sensed a strange vibration . He reached for the throttle to change the power setting and hopefully eliminate the vibration, with thoughts of maybe, in have troubles, I can get into Patter­ son Airport for repairs. Then without further warning, a severe vibration started that threatened to tear t he airplane apart or at least rip the engine from its mounts and let it fall to the ground , thus making the airplane uncontrollable .

The Cyclone engine had thrown part or all of one prop blade. His reactions were quick but the off-balance prop had taken its toll and had snapped three of the four motor

mount bolts leaving the engine sagging or drooping below the fuselage line and hangirig by just one motor mount.

Jimmy Doolittle surveyed a very tense situation. Noth­ ing looks good, but he does spot the Marsh Island which may have been a combination of Shaw Island and Buffalo Cove. Everything is very quiet now - still altitude to burn off - just the strange whistling of the wind as he glides the drooped-nose Orion into position for a dead stick, wheel-up landing in a very small area. He would not get a second chance.

As he swung wide over Shaw Island and headed on his down-wind leg, his eyes surveyed the reed-covered strip of marsh where he would set the ship down. With altitude getting critical he started a shallow 180 degree turn back for his approach. Now he is lined up ... looks like it is going to be close, but that's the way it has to be.

A few twigs brush the wings and he gets the top of one or maybe two trees .. . then into the ten foot high reeds.

As Jim struggles to hold the nose up the wings snap some of the reeds off and they fly back over the cockpit. The others bend over, forming a slide-type runway which may have prevented the aircraft from rolling up in a ball.

All he can see is a wall of reeds 10 feet high. He hopes the big nose of the Orion doesn't find a tree or hole to hit.

The landing slide took seconds that no doubt seemed like long minutes. Jim kicks a little rudder at the end, maybe to slow the forward motion or to get closer to the lake shoreline. The noise has stopped and all is very quiet. Jim hammers at the cockpit canopy , forcing it off the twisted fuselage and jumps out onto the right wing to check on his passengers.

DATE : 6 DECEMBER 1932. TIME: APPROXIMATELY 4:10 P.M. PLACE: GRAND LAKE MARSH AREA, LOUISIANA

Russell Ruiz and his young wife Valerie lived in their houseboat on the edge of Grand Lake, not too far from Buffalo Cove. His father , Nelson , and mother had their house boat tied alongside. They were hunters, trappers and fishermen by trade . However, earlier both were in­ volved with the logging industry and the Williams Saw­ mill, running pull-boats (steam-powered), snaking logs and timber, and working all phases of the operation in the swamp and marsh areas. I really tried to write this next section, then I realized that it was Russell's words I wanted and the ones the readers needed to hear. He was there and his vivid memories must come from him as he recalls and relives those memorable days. I know you will find them as exciting and as interesting as I did.

"My houseboat was right there , where you can see that spot," as he points to a map we had marked at his direction .

"I had just returned from working my traps in Grand Lake and was pulling my pirogue up next to the houseboat.

(Photo from the collection of

T.e. Weaver)

Jimmy Doolittle and the Shellightning.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

Grand Lake didn't have all these trees , it was wide open.

We saw a plane but we couldn't hear the motor. My wife said, 'That's funny, we can't hear the motor.' He passed about a mile below my houseboat. Then he went out over the la ke and turned left and passed alongside of Shaw Island which was about two miles from us.

"First , I think he was looking for where someone lived so he could put that plane kinda close. There were house足 boats down there but the trees were too thick to see through. So he never saw no houses and never saw no people. So I guess he was looking for the softest spot and I don't know if he was just lucky, but he picked the softest spot in the a rea . .. in fact the only soft spot.

"He swung around over the cypress and Tupelo swamp and saw Buffalo Cove and all the cut grass . Then he came back south where my daddy was nailing traps. My daddy said, 'I know that plane will fall somewhere in Buffalo Cove,' because he was too low and hit the top of a tree. He said he could hear a horn or something but this was to let him know to put his wheels down and he didn't want his wheels down .

"Daddy was about a quarter mile deep in the swamp .

It was very thick and the reed grass in Buffalo Cove was about 10 feet high so the plane quickly disappeared. My daddy came right to the houseboat and he said I know the plane is in Buffalo Cove. We knew someone was going to get some money for watching or helping with the airplane , so when people came by and said they thought the airplane was in trouble, I said , 'Yes, I think he went that way .'

Then we jumped in my cousin's skiff (Dewey SceotaO and headed for Buffalo Cove.

"It was about three quarter miles over to the spot where we saw this man jumping up and down and waving his hands . .. a very muddy man. It was Mr. Doolittle and he had walked out to the shoreline looking for help . We put him in the skiff. He said, 'I've got two men in there. I think they are alright, but when I first looked at them I thought I had two dead men on my hands ; they took a pretty good shot.'

"Doolittle had two big bumps on hjs own head. My daddy stayed with Mr. Doolittle, and my cousin and I went back into the marsh to pick up the other two . We made our way about a half mile through the marsh and found the two men standing on the wing of the airplane. The motor was torn off and lay propeller-side down in the mud .

The men were kinda big but Art Kassel wasn't too heavy; Art Hybred was.

"You have to know how to walk in soft mud. You kinda bend your knees or you will sink up to your hips and not go anywhere . So we would take our feet and mash the grass sideways and say 'put your foot right there.' Some spots were thick enough to walk on but other places had big gaps and we would hold them and have them jump over these spots. The plane had slid in among ten-foot-high reeds and it was lucky that Mr. Doolittle chose the right direction to walk. It took us about thirty minutes to bring the other two men back to the skiff. Mr. Doolittle was a little man and he had mud up to his waist. But he had still done a good job getting through the marsh .

"Art Kassel didn't know that he had his shoulder blade broken until he got to the hospital. In fact he was singing on the way to the houseboat. They had some big ribs (formers . .. ed) in that airplane, covered with leather, and also a step in front. The step in front caught Art Hybred and skinned his legs but didn't break them.

"Mama had a big squirrel supper ready . She always had supper ready when we came back from our traps. Mr. Doolittle changed socks and put on dry clothes then we went over to my daddy's boat for supper (Russell leaves the room at this point and returns with a nicely washed and ironed pair of brown socks.) These are Jimmy Doolit足 20 OCTOBER 1983

tie's . .. they have hung over our chifforobe for 50 years . .. he left them here the night of December 6, 1932!

"After they had eaten I had a friend of mine take them to Charenton as my boat was broken down . Then another man took them to New Orleans in a car. They did want to hurry so they could let everyone know they were okay.

I think they called or telegraphed from Franklin.

"The next morning Jimmie Wedell flew over but he passed to the side of Little Buffalo Cove. Guess he was checking Buffalo Cove and this was really Little Buffalo Cove. But he came right back. I was in my pirogue heading for the cove to take my turn at guarding the airplane . We had been given orders to watch it 24 hours a day until they recovered it. I had a pirogue with a pair of oars and a yoke so I could stand up and row . You pushed it like this . I saw Wedell coming in and set it down and when he stopped I could put my hand on the end of the wing. He sure could handle a plane."

The task of retrieving the 3,500-pound Shell Orion that lay on its belly in the reed-infested little Buffalo Cove in the south Louisiana swamp seemed almost inconceivable.

But this was the task assigned to the Wedell-William Air Service by the Shell Oil Company. Only the hardiest of mankind could live, trap and fish in the swamps and still survive. The swamp ground at best will hardly support the weight of a man and then only if he has the acuity of knowing where to take each and every step; therefore the assigned task was going to be far from an easy job.

However, with the help and the abundant knowledge of the swamps offered by the Ruiz family, the job, tough as it was, would not be unsurmountable . Most of the men on the salvage crew had worked the timber for many years while employed by the Williams Cypress Mill so they were not strangers to the hardships the swamp presented. The mosquitos, insects, snakes, 'gators, plus other swamp crea足 tures would not lend any joy to the formidable job that lay ahead.

On December 7, 1932, the morning following the crash, Jimmie Wedell made a trip to Buffalo Cove to pinpoint the crash site, survey the terrain and try to determine what kind of tools and equipment would be needed to salvage the Orion. Having made the decision on what he thought would be needed, plus the information and ideas the Ruiz family imparted, he flew back to Patterson, Louisiana. Mr. Harry, Jimmie and the men who would work on the recovery had a meeting and decided on a plan of action.

Once these plans were formulated, Jim jumped into a Lockheed Vega and headed for New Orleans where he would talk to the insurance people and also to pick up the Loening Amphibian which would be the work horse of the recovery . Returning the next morning he made a quick stop at Patterson to pick up part of the recovery crew plus an insurance inspector, then he continued on to little Buffalo Cove.

Upon arriving at the crash site the crew, consisting of Jimmie Wedell, Eddie Roberton, Dub Felterman, Bo McKneely and Charlie Ferson were housed on the camp boats of the Ruiz families with the Ruiz wives putting hearty, tasty meals of fish and game prepared in true Cajun style on the table . This congenial group of men knew their days would be filled with hard work and long hours; however, it was also a crew of men with positive attitudes and they had no doubts on recovery of that plane.

The first day's operation consisted of setting up the recovery equipment, lining up the pirogues which would be used to shuttle the dismantled engine parts. After the preliminaries were taken care of began the task of dis足 mantling the engine a piece at a time, loading them into the pirogues, and on occasion, one part on two pirogues, then the pi rogues were slid over the reeds and mud to the

water's edge by two or three men, where the parts were loaded aboard the plane. Jimmie would then fly the parts back to Patterson, unload at the Williams hangar and return to Buffalo Cove.

The Orion's fuselage and wings were to be hauled out of the swamp intact aboard a barge. This is where Roy Nuttle's boat "The Virginia" piloted by Castelow "Shorty" Coleman comes into the rescue picture. Not only did Shorty have to navigate unfamiliar waters, but a dense fog blan­ keted the area, making the navigation job a bit more difficult.

However, another navigational aid Shorty used in get­ ting to Buffalo Cove was the bamboo poles the fishermen used to mark the placement of their nets. These poles were placed just outside the main channel of the bayous, with a small portion of them protruding above the water. There­ fore a man could navigate the bayous and remain in the main channel by keeping an eye on the marker poles.

Shorty not only had the Virginia to get to the site, but also the tow he was pulling behind him ... a sinker boat with a hand-operated winch and behind the sinker boat, the barge on which the Orion would ride back to Patterson.

Therefore the net marking poles were a welcome naviga­ tional aid .

Nelson Ruiz and his son Russell were on hand to meet Shorty and direct him to the pilings that Nelson Ruiz had installed previously when they were transporting logs out of the swamp by steamboat. The sinker boat was snugged against this piling then the barge and the Virginia. The piling was about 300 feet from the grounded Orion. After three days' work the smaller parts of the engine had been removed and were in Patterson and now began the enorm­ ous task of getting the plane itself out of the mud and onto the sinker boat. The master plan for this was to submerge the sinker boat, hook cables to the engine mounts of the Orion, assign a couple of the crew to the hand-operated, low-geared winch and pull the Orion wings and all onto the sinker boat, sliding the plane inches at a time over the reeds and mud. Once they got the plane onto the sinker boat, the boat was re-floated. The Orion was then moved onto the barge with its gear still in the up position. Jimmie was kept busy flying people, parts and whatever else was needed to complete the job between Buffalo Cove at Patter­ son with the Loening Amphibian .

Then on the 10th of December, as they were pushing the Loening ashore to dock it for the night a hole was punched in the Loening's hull. So make-shift repairs were fabricated on the spot to enable it to take off without filling the hull with water. On December 12 with that extra unfortunate repair job completed he flew the Loening with its temporary repair back to Patterson and returned with the Savoia Marchetti. On December 13 the job was com­ pleted and with "Shorty" Coleman at the controls of the Virginia, towing the barge with the crippled Orion riding on its deck, followed by the sinker boat and trailing in the tow was the Savoia Marchetti; it was some parade.

Jimmie left the parade in the Savoia Marchetti prior to its entering the Bayou Teche. He took off from the Atchafalaya River leaving him about ten minutes air time to Patterson circling the Virginia and her precious cargo along the way. The Virginia docked at the sugar mill on the Bayou Teche across the road from the Patterson Air­ port, but they were still not home safe. They jacked up the Orion, rolled the gear down, and Tom Lemmon who was in the plane's cabin tripped over a flare wire which, in turn, popped a flare out the side and ignited it. For a few discouraging moments the men thought all of their labor had gone for naught as it looked as though both the rescued plane and the barge would go up in flames . Tom bailed out in a hurry and with quick reaction Bo McKneely saved the day by kicking the flare overboard before any damage

was done. The flare was carried for night emergency land­ ings, and in fact were required by the U .S. Department of Commerce at the time for commercial operations. Once this incident was over, the barge was planked, the damaged Orion was pushed to shore and then towed to the Wedell­ Williams hangar for the necessary repairs. It would fly again and remains as the only surviving Lockheed Orion today .

Now all of the time spent at Buffalo Cove was not spent in back-breaking labor. The recovery crew did its share of hunting and fishing. Mr. Harry Williams himself also got in on some of this relaxing time. Russ Ruiz tells the story of times being hard and money scarce and he, himself, having three or four shells at one time, and that when Mr. Harry left Buffalo Cove for the last time, he gave him three full boxes of shells. Russ says that he was like a little kid; he dumped the contents of all three boxes out onto the bed just to see what seventy-five shells looked like all at one time.

(Photographed 1217/60 by Gene Chase)

The Lockheed Orion, NC1222 based at Orange County Airport when owned by Paul Mantz. The plane was being painted and was all white. It is the only surviving Lockheed Orion and is currently painted red, the colors of Swiss Air and is on display in the Swiss Institute of Transport and Communications Museum in Luzern , Switzerland .

Thanks to Bo McKneely, Palmer Peterson, Russell Ruiz and many other old timers in the area for this story . •

CALENDAR OF EVENTS We would like to list your aviation event in our calendar. Please send information to the Editor, The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, P.O. Box 229, Hales Corners, WI 53130. Information must be received at least two months in advance of the issue in which it will appear.

OCTOBER 6-9 - EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS - International Cessna 120/140 Association, Inc. Annual Convention and Fly-In at Effingham County Memo­ rial Airport. For information contact AI Hourigan, 839 N. 6th St. , Vandalia, IL 62471, 618/283,0320.

OCTOBER 6-9 - PATIERSON, LOUISIANA - Wedell-Williams EAA RII­ gional Fly-In. Happy P. Williams Memorial Airport. Contact Pappy Weaver, 504/395-7067 or Jim Riviere, 504/467-1 505.

OCTOBER 14-16 - CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA - EM AntiquelClassic Chapter 3 Fly-In. Antiques, Classics and Homebuilts welcome. Contact Geneva McKiernan, 5301 Finsbury Place, Charlotte, NC 27211 .

MARCH 11-17 - LAKELAND, FLORIDA - Sun 'n Fun '84 with additional changes and improvements being made for this 10th Annual event. Contact Billy Henderson, P.O. Box 2246, Lakeland, FL 33803, 813/665-6374.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

CURTISS "HAWK" 8F2C- 1 NAVY SINGLE SEAT FIGHTER

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BORDEN/THOMPSON

AEROPLANE POSTERS

FROM THE 1930's

Article Number 32

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By Gene Chase Fast Fighters for the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers

Editor's Note: This is another ofthe Thompson's Choco足 late Malted Milk series of posters donated to the EAA A viation Library by Russell G. Karl ofPeru, Illinois. Each of these 19" x lOlA!" posters could be obtained by filling out a coupon supplied with each 16-ounce can ofthe malted milk powder and sending it to the company with the desired poster number and a three cent stamp to cover postage and packing. This poster ofthe Curtiss Hawk BF2C-1 was printed in February 1938. The aircraft was described on the back of the poster as follows: 22 OCTOBER 1983

A squadron of the Curtiss BF2C-l Navy Fighters have been delivered to the United States Navy, and are now attached to the latest aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. RANGER, and operate under the command of Commander J . D. Barner. These Curtiss single-seat fighters are the fastest in the U.S. Navy . They are equipped with a retractable landing gear, and are powered with 750 horsepower 9 cylinder air-cooled radial Wright-Cyclone engines. This engine is of the same type as used in the Douglas Trans足 ports flown by Jack Frye, President of TWA, Inc., and Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, President of Eastern Air

Lines, in their record breaking flights across the United States.

The Curtiss BF2C-1 Hawk has a wing span of 31 feet, 6 inches, a length overall of 23 feet, 6 inches, and a height of 9.95 feet. Due to its military characteristics, perfor­ mance figures on this ship are held confidential, but a similar type of ship, known as the Curtiss Type III Hawk has a speed of 244 miles per hour at 10,000 feet. This Pursuit plane embodies all the engineering skill and ex­ perience which has been gained over ten years operation of Hawk biplanes by the U.S. Navy and the U.s. Army.

The latest version of the Curtiss Hawk can climb to 10,000 feet in less than five minutes. At 16,500 feet altitude the Hawk has a speed of 233 miles per hour. This outstanding performance is due to the retractable landing gear, im­ proved streamlining, the new, powerful Wright-Cy­ lone engine.

The Curtiss Hawk, as indicated by the photograph,

carries a bomb under the fuselage. The purpose of this ship as a dive bomber is to dive at a target at a tremendously high speed, then release the bomb and climb rapidly to high altitudes in order to be out of reach of anti-aircraft guns.

The fuselage is of welded molybdenum steel tubing, covered with fabric. The normal fuel load carried in the two gasoline tanks of the Hawk is 110 gallons, which gives it a range at cruising speed of 561 miles. This range may be increased to 812 miles, by carrying a 50 gallon auxiliary tank. Each of these planes is equipped with flotation gear and life raft, in case offorced landings on the open ocean.

This latest type of Curtiss Hawk, with such a high speed, fast "climb, and ability to dive without restriction, places it among the highest performing airplanes in the world.

The Curtiss Condor Bomber will be featured next month..

1'/20 r

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

--­ MYSTERY PLANE

By George Hardie This month's Mystery Plane should be easily identified by the dedicated aviation buffs among our readers ­ perhaps too easily. The company that built it bore the name of two distin­ guished pioneers in aviation . The twin-engined concept was intended to minimize the problems of control if one engine failed .

As an additional challenge, answers should include the date built, the en­ gines used and information on how many were built, further develop­ ment, etc. The objective of the Mystery Plane column should be to educate as well as to entertain. Study of these relatively unknown designs will bring an appreciation of the work of the

pioneers and possibly rekindle in­ terest in an earlier idea.

Answers will be published in the January 1984 issue of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. As noted in the August issue, we have decided to extend the publication date of answers in order to allow more time due to printer's lead time . •

LETTERS

Dear Sir: The current August issue of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE brought back many memories. I soloed a Champ many years ago. I was the happy owner of two J-3s in those days.

Thanks again for a wonderful magazine. Keep up the good work.

Regards, Walter Callahan (EAA 42916, A IC 1990) 872 Warren Road, N.E .

Rome, GA 30161 Dear Mr. Petersen: Sorry to have been so long in answering your letter. I had hoped to see you at Oshkosh , but my time did not permit that.

Yes, I own Waco N16241, a 1936 YKS-6, with a Jacobs 245 hp engine. This airplane is unusual in that two mod­ ifications have been made. One is an extended baggage compartment, the other is a full-foot rudder pedal with toe straps and heel brakes.

The airplane was on floats at one time, but a hard 24 OCTOBER 1983

landing in a lake near Ely, MN broke the floats and the plane sank. It was pulled up on shore and left for several years, until Buzz Kaplan bought it and stored it. After completing the former CF-BBQ, Mr. Kaplan sold the airplane to me .

I have since sold the floats to Gary McGarrigle of Port Alberni , Vancouver Island, Canada, and they are now on his Waco .

Since that time the airplane has been involved in a tornado which destroyed part of my house. The most seri­ ous damage to the plane was a badly bent instrument panel.

I have started to build some wing ribs, and have the material for the spars. A few pieces of the fuselage have been made. Unfortunately, I find myself now involved in so many other things, that I have not been able to give the Waco the attention it deserves. I have therefore decided that I will sell the airplane, and am asking $4500. I would appreciate your passing the word to anyone you know who might be interested.

Thank you , Clarence E. Hitchcock 8595 E. 204th Prior Lake, MN 55372 •

By Charles Lee Morris

Sonoma Valley Airport

Sonoma, CA 95476

He moved through the house - going from room to room, picking up the things that belonged to her, wanting to leave nothing behind that would remind him of the years they had been together.

He stopped by the window, staring out into the gray sky, remembering back to what they have been through ­ the K-0od times, the bad times, some fun times and some sad times. He caught himselfchuckling at the funny things she had done to him, and some of the things they had been through that weren't so funny. But they had done them all and lived through them . Together. Now, here he was packing her things; she would soon be gone. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he sniffed hard, trying to keep his emotions in control.

He was not sure how long he had been sitting there daydreaming, but he knew he had to get going. He regret­ ted his every move, knowing that each time he picked up something that belonged to her, the sooner she would be gone. But there was nothing he could do now - what had been done had been done and holding back would only make the parting more painful. He seemed like a man in a dream, not sure where to go next or what to look for.

His heart was heavy and he knew the time to leave had come - he could not make any more excuses to himself - it had to get done; it was time to say goodbye.

He headed down the hallway toward the front door. He stopped to straighten a picture of her that hung above the hall desk. His mind drifted into a dull disbelief as he stood there staring at the photo - how pretty she is, he thought.

God, if he could just change what had happened, what he had done. He cried openly now, not caring. His heart pounded and he found it difficult to swallow. Oh, God, he thought, what have I done?

He stood there, not sure if he should go outside. Some­ one might see him like this, and his pride wouldn't allow that. He took a deep breath, wiped his eyes - now red ­ and straightened himself to full height. As if nothing was wrong, he strode briskly to the car. He casually tossed the small suitcase into the back seat and drove off.

The airport was not far away, and it seemed even closer

this morning. She was waiting there, standing in the bright sun that was now burning through the early morn­ ing overcast, and his heart began to pound again. God, how long before this pain, this agony, could end? The sooner she was gone, the better, he thought to himself, to end this waiting, the final goodbyes. It must be done as quickly as possible. He couldn't take any more.

He placed the small suitcase by her side and stood looking at her for a moment, then carefully, gently, with hands shaking, he reached out and touched her one final time . It was as ifhe were going to stop breathing. He had made her what she was and now she was leaving him.

He walked away quickly, not looking back. He walked all the way to where his car was parked, not turning around - but then he could no longer resist. One last look.

He turned, she was still there. The man she was going away with had not come out of the airport office. He opened the car door and sat down to watch them leave; he just could not help himself. He just sat there watching.

Why not? He had cut every tube, placed every bolt, covered her small frame in the best fabric man could buy - she was his - his sweat, blood and money, years of dedication, worry and detail. Why shouldn't he feel this way? Why shouldn't he watch them fly off together? He knew the final satisfaction was really his. No matter where she went, as long as he had friends around, she would always be his airplane; no one else could ever really own her, as long as he was alive. Maybe this was the final satisfaction.

He smiled as he watched his plane fly off into the beautiful early morning sky. The wings glistened as she climbed steeply away. Suddenly, he saw the sun flash from the bright wings. A chill ran through his body - it seemed that she had winked at him! He chuckled as he drove down the airport driveway . He was lightheartedly thinking about the plane he had seen at one of the fly-ins last year.

Now, if he was going to build her he would have to ...

His car swung out into the freeway and melted into the stream of traffic . •

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

fAA

• Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association. Inc. is $25.00 for one year, $48.00 for 2 years and $69.00 for 3 years. All Include 12 issues of Sport Aviation per year. Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) IS available at $15.00 annually. Family Membership is available for an additional $10.00 annually.

• EAA Member - $18.00. Includes one year membership in EAA Antique-Classic Division , 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Airplane and membership card. Applicant must be a current EAA member and must give EAA membership number.

• Non·EAA Member - $28.00. Includes one year membership in the EAA Antique·Classic Division , 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Airplane, one year membership in the EAA and separate membership cards . Sport Aviation not included.

• Membersh ip in the International Aerobatic Club , Inc. is $20.00 annually which includes 12 issues of Sport Aerobatics. All lAC members are required to be members of EAA. • Membership in the Warbirds of America, Inc. is $25.00 per year, which includes a subscription to Warbirds Newsletter. Warbird members are required to be members of EM. • Membership in the EAA Ultralight Assn . is $25.00 per year which includes the Ultralight publication ($15 .O!J additional/or Sport Aviation magazme). For current EAA members only, $15.00 , which includes Ultralight publicatIOn .

• FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS: Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars or an international postal money order similarly drawn .

ANTIQUf­ CLASSIC lA C WARBIRDS ULTRALIGHT

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO EAA OR THE DIVISION IN WHICH MEMBERSHIP IS DESIRED.

ADDRESS ALL LETTERS TO EAA OR THE PARTICULAR DIVISION AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS.

P.O. BOX 229 - HALES CORNERS, WI 53130 - PHONE (41 4) 425-4860

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 - 5:00 MONDAY·FRIDAY

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

OSHKOSH '83 ...

(Continued from Page 6)

Cessna 120/140 - Cessna 140, N89728, Dutch Brafford, Lima, OH Cessna 170/180 - Cessna 170B, N2535C, Michael R. Baas, Irving, TX Cessna 190/195 - Cessna 195, N195KB , Kent Blanken­ burg, Arroyo Grande, CA Ercoupe - Ercoupe, N3675H , Vern & Claudia Brown, St. Paul, MN Luscombe - Luscombe 8A, NC71676, Jim & Dave Tyn­ dall , Richmond, VA Navion - Navion, N7T, Parke Potter, Las Vegas, NV Piper J-3 - Piper J-3 , N6170H, Thomas J . Palmer, Carroll, OH Piper - Others - Piper PA-20-125, N1580A, David A. Serene, Ford City, PA Stinson - Stinson 108-3, N861C , Stan Doyle, Howell , MI Swift - Swift GC-1A, N80905 , Charles F . Hoover, Jr., St. Paul, MN Taylorcraft - Taylorcraft BC-12D, N95149, Lee E. Wolfe , Craigsville, WV Limited Production - Rawdon T-1 , N5160, Chastain Family, Manchester MO In past years feature articles on the Oshkosh Grand Champion Antique and Classic aircraft have been pub­ lished in both SPROT AVIATION and The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Rather than continuing this duplication, the Antique award winner will be featured in the November issue of SPORT A VIATION this year and the Classic winner in VINTAGE. Because the Oshkosh '83 Grand Champion Classic winner, Robert Armstrong's Aeronca

THE JOURNAL OF THE EARLY AEROPLANE S,o.MPLE ISSUE $4 15 CRESCENT RD. POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. 12601

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Custom Quality at economical prices.

• Cushion upholstery sets • Wall panel sets • Headliners • Carpet sets • Baggage compartment sets • Firewall covers • Seat Slings • Recover envelopes and dopes Free catalog of complete product line. Fabric Selection Guide

showing actual sample colors and styles of materials: $3.00.

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26 OCTOBER 1983

Champ, NC84998 was featured in the August 1983 issue of VINTAGE as the Grand Champion winner of the First National Aeronca Fly-In, that article will not be dupli­ cated.

In 1984, the top Classic award winner will be featured in SPORT AVIATION and VINTAGE will feature the Antique winner. The presentation of winners in the two magazines will be alternated each year.

Next month's issue of VINTAGE will feature an in depth article with photos, describing the grand opening of the new EAA Aviation Center at Oshkosh, Wisconsin during this year's Convention . •

I I

• VISII

I I

NEW AND REVISED FOR ...

Pilots: EM Pilot Log Book Aircraft Owners and Builders: EM Amateur Built Aircraft Log Book .... .. . , .. .... .

EM Propeller (or Rotor) Log Book .... .. .. ,.... ..

EM Engine and Reduction Drive Log Book . . .. .. . , . .. . .. , Ultralight Owners and Operators: EAA Ultralight Pilot's Log and Achievement Record ......

EAA Ultralight Engine and Aircraft Log ....... . ......

Also Now Available: CAM-18 (Reprint of early CM Manual) . . .. ....... .

Amateur-Built Aircraft Service and Maintenance Manual . .. . . .

Amateur-Built Aircraft Construction Log .............. .. .. ..

Order From:

$2.95 ppd. $2.95 ppd. $2.95 ppd. $2.95 ppd. $2.95 ppd . $2.95 ppd.

$6.95 ppd .

$5.95 ppd. $5.95 ppd.

EAA P.O. Box 229

Hales Corners, WI 53130

Phone 414/425-4860

Include payment with order - Wise. residents add 5% sales tax

Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery

----------CLASSIFIED ADS---------­ Regular type, 45c per word; Bold Face, 50c per word; ALl CAPS, 55c per word. Rate covers one insertion, one issue; minimum charge, $7.00. Classified ads payable in advance, cash with order. Send ad

with payment to Advertising Department, The VINTAGE AIR­ PLANE, P.O. Box 229, Hales Comers, WI 53130.

ACRO SPORT - Single place biplane capable of un­ limited aerobatics. 23 sheets of clear, easy to follow plans , includes nearly 100 isometrical drawings, photos and exploded views. Complete parts and materials list. Full size wing drawings. Plans plus 88 page Builder's Manual - $60.00. Info Pack - $4.00. Super Acro Sport Wing Drawing - $15 .00. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales Corners, WI 53130. 4141 425-4860 .

ACRO II - The new 2-place aerobatic trainer and sport biplane. 20 pages of easy to follow, detailed plans. Com­ plete with isometric drawings, photos, exploded views.

Plans - $85.00. Info Pac - $4.00. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., P .O. Box 462, Hales Cor­ ners, WI 53130. 414/425-4860 .

POBER PIXIE - VW powered parasol - unlimited in low, cost pleasure flying. Big, roomy cockpit for the over six foot pilot. VW power insures hard to beat 3 1h gph at cruise setting. 15 large instruction sheets. Plans - $45.00.

Info Pack - $4.00. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales Corners, WI 53130. 4141 425-4860.

PLEASE HELP - Wanted - Wright J-4 Whirlwind parts or complete engine for Travel Air 4000 I am rebuilding.

Don Noonan, 1620 Catalina Avenue, Seal Beach, CA 90740. Call collect 213/598-6338.

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WL[)~~ ~l?A AVIATIf)~

STAINLESS STEEL SCREWS. Finest quality now avail­ able at discount prices. Free catalog. Bemco Aero, 1098 Sharonton Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30083, 404/294-7670.

1940 PIPER J4A CUB COUPE - Oshkosh Winner 1976, 1977 plus 16 other awards. See Vintage Airplane feature story Aug. 1977 , Nov. 1977, Oct. 1979, and Sportsman Pilot, Fall 1982. C-85-12F power, 350 hours IT since re­ built airframe and engine. $14,900. 313/676-3119 after 6:00 p.m .

BOOKS FOR AIRCRAFT DESIGNERS, RESTORERS. OUT-OF-PRINT AND CURRENT. STATE SPECIFIC NEEDS. 4000+ ITEM CATALOG $2.00. JOHN ROBY, 3703Y NASSAU, SAN DIEGO, CA 92115.

WRIGHT R760 ENGINES, OSMOH OR RUNOUT, NOW

A VAILABLE . ALSO GOOD SUPPLY OF NEW PARTS.

305/886-3180.­ FOR SALE - Rare Lindbergh Hour Angle Watch. Invented a nd designed by Lindbergh with Longine-Wittnauer assis­ tance to solve celestial navigation problem of the Green­ wich Hour Angle Equation. This unique wrist watch gold cased was part of a production run of about 500 in 1950 and is in excellent condition; keeps accurate time. Have refused offers of several hundred dollars. Write Robert J . Thomas, 3723 Stillwell, Lansing, Michigan 48910 for more information.

01

Jackel - unlined tan poplin with gold and white braid trim . Knit waist and cuHs, zipper front and slash pockets . Antique / Classic logo patch on chest.

Sizes - XS through XL ........... $26.95 ppd cap - pale gold mesh with contrasting blue bill , trimmed with gold braid . Antique/ Classic logo patch on crown of cap.

Sizes - M and L (adjustable rear band) ..... . .. ... $ 6.25 ppd Antlque/C...alc Patche.

Large - 4W' across ....... . ...... $ 1.75 ppd Small - 3v." across ... ..... ...... $ 1.75 ppd AntIque/Cla.alc Decal. ­ 4" across (shown left) .... .. ..... $ .75 ppd

Avellable Back 1 _ . of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE

1973 - March through December

1974 - All are available

1975 - All are available

1976 - February through April, August through December

19n - January through June, August through December

1976 - January through March, August, October through December

1979 - All are available

1960 - January, March through July, September through December

1961 -- All are available 1962 - February, May through December 1963 - January through September

Per Issue ......... ...... .... . .... ... ... . ......... .. . . . .. ... . . . $1 .25 ppd

Lindbergh Commemorative Issue (July 1977) . .. . .............. $ 1.50 ppd

Send check to :

EAA Antlque/Cla.aIe Division, Inc. P.O. Box 229, Hale. Comera, WI 53130 Allow 4-6 Weeks for Delivery Wisconsin Residents Include 5% Sales Tax

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27