STRAIGHT
AND
Antique/Classic Parade of Flight
Chairman - Phil Coulson, phone 616/ 624-6490, has scheduled our annual Antique/Classic Parade of Flight Tues day, August 5 at 3:00 p.m. Due to the many requests, this event will be staged one day earlier than previous years. The field will be closed . Briefing 1:00 p.m. at Antique/Classic Headquarters. Join us and be a part of this historic air show activity.
•
by Bob Lickteig
In firming up our plans for "An Air of Adventure," Oshkosh '86 - listed below are additional details of our EAA An tique/Classic activities. Please make plans to join us for these interesting and exciting events. Contact any of the chairmen for additional information or reservations. Antique/Classic Fly-Out
Chairman - Bob Lumley, phone 414/ 255-6832, has firmed up our Antique/ Classic Fly-out on Monday morning, August 4, to Hartford, Wisconsin - 40 miles southeast of Oshkosh- hard surface and grass runways - 80 oc tane fuel and excellent facilities. Brief ing 7:15 a.m. at Antique/Classic Head quarters, depart 8-8:30. FBO Bruce Ashenfelter is looking forward to our visit. Enjoy the day plus lots of airplane talk. Depart for Oshkosh 1-1 :30 p.m. Check Antique/Classic Headquarters for more details. Join us - fun for all.
Antique/Classic Riverboat Cruise
Chairman - Jeannie Hill, phone 815/ 943-7205, has reserved the Valley Queen for Monday evening, August 4. Departing from the Pioneer Inn dock at 7:00 p.m., refreshments and dinner will be served aboard. Tickets on sale at the Antique/Classic information booth outside of Antique/Classic Headquar ters. For an enjoyable evening, sign on for this . Antique/Classic Picnic
Chairman - Steve Nesse, phone 507/ 373-1674, has scheduled the annual Antique/Classic Picnic at the Nature Center on Sunday eve"ning, August 3, starting at 6:30 p. m. Tickets on sale at the Antique/Classic information booth located outside of the Antique/Classic headquarters. For refreshments and good fun, don't miss this. Antique/Classic Workshop
Chairman - George Mead, phone 414/228-7701, has his committee of in structors ready to help you with dope and fabric - woodworking and the con tinuation of the OX-5 overhaul. The An tique/Classic workshop will be open to all every day of the Convention. This is your chance for hands-on experience and the answers to your restoration questions. The Antique/Classic Work
LEVEL
shop is located next to the Antique/ Classic Headquarters. Antique/Classic Photo Contest
Chairman - Jack McCarthy, phone 312/371-1290, will again conduct the Antique/Classic Amateur Photo Con test. (See June 1986 issue of THE VIN TAGE AIRPLANE for 1985 winners congratulations!) Please check Antique/ Classic Headquarters or with Jack McCarthy for details and contest rules or any help you may need. Please share your talents with all members and get those shutters clicking. Antique/Classsic Participant Plaque
Chairman - Jack Copeland, phone 617/366-7245, has streamlined the pro cedures for presenting each registered aircraft a free recognition plaque with a colored photo of the aircraft parked at Oshkosh '86. A lifetime remembrance . Please register your aircraft and the committee will do the rest. New Addition to Antique/Classic Headquarters Building
Construction co-chairmen Bob Lumley and Tom Hampshire plus your officers, directors, advisors and other volunteers have been busy constructing the new addition to your Antique/ Classic Headquarters building. (See AI C News.) This expansion of our building will make it possible to better serve you during our annual Convention. So please come by and see us. Please check your Convention pro gram and EAA Antique/Classic Head quarters for complete details of all events. It's going to be a great Convention make the Antique/Classic area your headquarters for Oshkosh '86. Welcome aboard - join us and you have it all.
PUBLICATION STAFF PUBLISHER
Tom Poberezny
DIRECTOR
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Dick Matt
EDITOR
Gene R. Chase
JULY 1986. Vol. 14, No.7
CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR
Mike Drucks
MANAGING EDITOR/ADVERTISING
Mary Jones
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Norman Petersen
FEATURE WRITERS
Dick Cavin
George A. Hardie, Jr.
Dennis Parks
Copyright
President R. J . Lickteig 1718 Lakewood Albert Lea, MN 56007 507/373·2922
Vice President M.C. " Kelly" Viets Rt. 2, Box 128 Lyndon, KS 66451
913/828·3518
Secretary Ronald Fritz 15401 Sparta Avenue Kent City, MI49330 616/678·5012
Treasurer E.E. "Buck" Hilbert P.O. Box 145 Union,IL60180 815/923·4591
DIRECTORS John S. Copeland 9 Joanne Drive Westborough, MA 01581 617/366·7245 Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hill Drive Indianapolis, IN 46278 317/293·4430
Stan Gomoll 1042 90th Lane, NE Minneapolis, MN 55434 6121784·1172 Esple M. Joyce, Jr.
Box 468
Madison, NC 27025
919/427·0216
Arthur R. Morgan 3744 North 51st Blvd. Milwaukee, WI 53216 414/442·3631
Gene Morris 115C Steve Court, R.R. 2 Roanoke, TX 76262 817/491·9110
Daniel Neuman 1521 BerneCircleW. Minneapolis, MN 55421 612157HJ893
Ray Olcott
1500 Kings Way
Nokomis, FL 33555
813/485·8139
John R. Turgyan Box 229, R.F.D. 2 Wrightstown, NJ 08562 6091758·2910
S.J. Wittman
Box 2672
Oshkosh, WI 54903
414/235·1265
George S. York
181 Sloboda Ave.
Mansfield, OH 44906
419/529-4378
ADVISORS
1986 by the EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc. All rights reserved .
Contents 2 4 5
6 EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC
DIVISION, INC.
OFFICERS
©
11
13 14 16 18 20 21 22 24 26 27 28 28 ,29
Straight and Level by Bob Lickteig AlCNews by Gene Chase Video Review - "The Golden Years" by Gene Chase Time Travels of a Pietenpol by Frank M. Pavliga Restoration Corner - EnginesIThe Round Engine, Otherwise Known as the Radial by M.C. "Kelly" Viets, Dale Gustafson and Ron Fritz Oshkosh '85 - Planes and People by Larry D'Attilio and Pam Foard It was Parasol Weather by Owen Billman Aftermath by Art Morgan Barbara Fidler's Like-New PA-22-20 by Dick Cavin Type Club Activities by Gene Chase Mystery Plane by George E. Hardie, Jr. Vintage Literature by Dennis Parks Tom Crowder's Boeing P-12 Replica by Dick Cavin Oshkosh '86 - Antique/Classic Forum Schedule by Ron Fritz Welcome New Members Calendar of Events Vintage Seaplane by Norm Petersen Vintage Trader
Page 6
Page 18
FRONT COVER . . .A typical summer scene at Wittman Field, Oshkosh; these two Cubs are kept busy for owner John Monnett. (Photo by Jim Koepnick) BACK COVER . . . A working DeHaviliand Beaver in Yukon Territory. (Photo by Dick Matt) The words EAA, ULTRALIGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM , SPORT AVIATION , and the logos of EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INC., EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION , EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION INC., INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB INC. , WARBIRDS OF AMERICA INC., are registered trademarks. THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION INC. and EAA ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION are trademarks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above associations is strictly prohibited.
Timothy V. Bowers 729· 2nd St. Woodland , CA 95695 916/666·1875
Robert C. " Bob" Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicago, IL 60620 3121779-2105
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, Wittman Airfield , Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone : 414/426-4800.
Philip Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI49065 616/624·6490
Robert D. "Bob" Lumley Nl04 W20387 Willow Creek Road Colgate, WI 53017 414/255-6832
The VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by EAA Antique/Classic Division , Inc. of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. and is published monthly at Wittman Airfield , Oshkosh, WI 54903 3086. Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh , WI 54901 and additional 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 .
W. S. "Jerry" Wallin 29804 - 179 PI. SE Kent, WA 98031
206/631-9644
ADVERTISING - Antique/Classic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through our ·advertis ing. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken .
S.H. "Wes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53213 4141771-1545
Postmaster: Send address changes to EAAAntique/Classic Division, Inc., Wittman Airfield, Oshkosh , WI 54903-3086. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3
Compiled by Gene Chase RED BARN ADDITION A new addition to the Antique/Classic Red Barn at Wittman Field will be in evidence at Oshkosh '86. This 16 x 20 extension to the west end of the Barn will result in much needed additional floor space. Co-chairmen of the project are Bob Lumley, Colgate, Wisconsin and Tom Hampshire, Milwaukee, Wis consin. The new structure will contain perma nent shelving for the display of magazines and other sales items which help finance various activities of the An tique/Classic Division. Bob, Tom and other volunteers have spent many hours in this construction project. New "Old" Look When we began to regularly feature full color back covers with the March THE VINTAGE 1985 issue of AIRPLANE we received comments from several members praising the color but bemoaning the fact they missed seeing some of the rare and his-
Photo by Gene Chase
(L-R) Bob Lumley and Tom Hampshire begin construction of the 1st roof truss for the new addition. This was mid-morning of the 1st day of the project.
toric black and white photos featured in the past. Beginning with next month's issue of VINTAGE we will begin to showcase black and white photos on the back cover, selected from the EAA Library's extensive collection, as well as photos offered by members for this pur pose. Over the years the Library has amas-
sed thousands of photos from the per sonal collections of Steve Wittman, Louise Thaden , Earl Noffsinger, Mike Rezich, Casey Lambert, Dick Stouffer, Ted Koston, Dorr Carpenter, Truman C. "Pappy" Weaver, Warren Lee Worth ington, Wally Norman, and Hugh Butter field to name a few. Many of these photos are of historic value and have
Photo by Gene Chase
Mid-afternoon of the 3rd day (5-25-86) the new addition looked like this. Antique/Classic Chapter 11 members from Milwaukee, WI are: (L-R) Demo Staver, George Meade, Bob Lumley, Dave Broadfoot, Clarence Schreiber, Sharron Mitchell, Michele Lumley, and Larry D' Att iii o. By evening all the siding and the roof purlins were in place. 4 JULY 1986
never been published. So once again we will take the opportunity to present selected examples of the Library's mag nificent photo collection, on the back covers of VINTAGE. PIPER AVIATION MUSEUM Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, a name synonymous with Piper has been selected as the site of the new Piper Aviation Museum . The purpose of the museum is to provide for historic pre servation of Piper-built aircraft and other artifacts related to light plane avi ation history, to promote education in air science , stimulate educational cur ricula in aviation and to enhance public understanding of general aviation , and to acquire , restore , maintain and oper ate historic general aviation aircraft. The collection will be limited to Piper related and historically significant ar tifacts. For the archives: documents, pictures, drawings, technical manuals, books, oral history and Piper memorabilia. For restoration: aircraft, engines, instruments, radios, parts, jigs, tools and fixtures.
The goals of the museum , which founders hope to realize by 1991, in clude: an aircraft manufacturing museum with early Cub assembly line manufacturing parts and components used by Piper in the assembly of J-3. PA-11 and PA-12 Cubs. The same tools and fixtures used in the 1937 through 1947 era will be used. Visitors and stu dents will be invited to watch this oper ation and properly trained and qualified museum volunteers will participate. Cub assembly line products will be used in the restoration of aircraft of this era to flying condition. Restoration will be done in museum restoration shops with money provided by the aircraft sponsor program. An engineering department and li brary with the necessary technical depth will oversee the manufacturing museum. Also available will be video and hands-on displays of state-of-the art manufacturing methods and aviation history that will stimulate the apprecia tion and understanding of general avia tion 's potential for the 1990s and the 21 st century.
The Go den Years
This action-packed video tape is one of the latest additions to the EAA Video Aviation Series. It opens with an intro duction by Bill Purple, President of Ben dix Aerospoace, who on October 30, 1985 hosted a reunion of of Bendix Trophy Races winners and their families. As the name implies, these races were sponsored by Bendix and except for the WW II years, were held annually from 1931 through 1962. The Bendix races were cross country speed dashes, usually from California to Cleveland, Ohio where the contestants crossed the finish line during the Na tional Air Races. The N.A.R. were tre mendously popular events held annu ally and drawing crowds upwards of 250,000 people! This video contains historic footage of the racing aircraft and the pilots who were recognized as national heroes in their day, including Jimmie Doolittle, James Haizlip, Roscoe Turner, James Wedell, Louise Thaden, Frank Fl.JlleJ, Jacqueline Cochrane, Doug Davis, Ben Howard and more. Fleeting glimpses of aircraft in flight include the Gee Bee and Wedell Wiliams racers, the Howard racers "Mike" and "Mr. Mulligan," Travel Air Mystery Ships, Hall Racer, Seversky pursuits etc. In addition to the closed course pylon
speed contests, the National Air Races also featured aerobatics and other fly ing events. Many aviation notables at tended those annual extravaganzas and so did the military. This video con tains shots of a Boeing P-26 in flight, Amelia Earhart in her Lockheed 10, Capt. Alex Papana from Rumania flying his Bucker Jungmeister, and some foot age of the pilots clowning around while socializing after the competition. Following World War II , the military entries and surplus military aircraft dominated the racing events. With the appearance of jet fighters, a separate
Goals also include a flyable collection of light planes, including at least one of every Piper model and a representative selection of other historically significant light planes. These planes will also be obtained by donation and through the aircraft sponsor program . Funds for maintenance and operation will be pro vided by sponsorship and by museum shops. Attendees at the Piper 50th anniver sary fly-in, "Sentimental Journey to Cub Haven" will see the site and first en deavors of this new museum. For addi tional information on the museum , con tact Ray Noll , Chairman, Box Y, Paoli, PA 19301. Phone 215/644-7920 . WRONG NUMBERS Some pilots are still using 122.9 MHz for air-to-air communications. The fre quency for this activity is now 122.75 MHz. The 122.9 MHz frequency is re served for airports that have no control tower, no FSS and no Unicom on the field. It has been designated common Traffic AdviSOry Frequency (CTAF) for position reports in traffic patterns . •
division was created for them and they continually set new transcontinental speed records. Some excellent footage is shown of the young military pilots and the planes they flew. Racing is inherent in the nature of man and this 20-minute video , "The Golden Years," does a fine job of por traying this. The video can be ordered from the EAA Aviation Foundation for $24.95 plus $3.00 shipping and post age. (WI residents add 5% sales tax.) Please specify BETA or VHS format and include your name, address, phone number and EAA number and mail your check to EAA Video, Wittman Airfield, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3065. Or, phone 1 800-843-3612 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Wisconsin residents phone 414/426-4800) , and use your VISA or MasterCard... .Gene R. Chase .
Photo from the Ted Buslnger Collection
Frank Fuller's Seversky SEV-3 at the 1938 N.A.R. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5
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I IVI N
~
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ofa
by Frank M. Pavliga (EAA 111054)
(Photos cou rtesy of the author)
This is a story of a trip through time ; a trip consisting of far more than just miles on a sectional chart ; a trip built of dreams spun of the year 1929 out of somewhere in midwest America . That was the year a 28-year-old Minnesota Ford mechanic, Bernard H. Pietenpol , along with two local friends, designed , built, and flew an aircraft destined for legend . .. an aircraft capable of travers ing 56 years of time . . . all the while gaining momentum, gaining popularity, gaining respect, an aircraft Modern Mechanics magazine named the "Air Camper". Not long afterward, a young Ohio man decided, as many of his peers did , that the only way to touch the sky as he so desired was to build his own flying machine. He would build his own Pietenpol. In fact, in the next few years he would build two . The first was pow ered by a Model 'A' Ford engine, the engine for which B.H.P. originally de signed the ship. The second used a Continental A-40 aircraft engine. After a few seasons of successful performance with ship number two, one day an official looking gentleman showed up complaining that due to the sunburst paint scheme of the young
Ohioan 's wings, his registration num bers appeared garbled and did not read well from the ground below. Donning (for the first time ever) a parachute, the builder/owner climbed into his pride and joy and set out to prove that govern ment man wrong once and for all. Once airborne , the red and yellow aircraft passed overhead and dived as if to enter a loop. Arching upward and over on its back .. . it stayed there . .. half flying , half falling ... followed soon by a crunch and the inevitable folding of wings. A little neighborhood boy watching nearby gasped in disbelief as pilot and aircraft separated , both hurtling toward the ground . But there it was ! The parachute .. . it worked! By this time , one wing panel had separated com pletely and sliced downward toward the silken canopy, nearly taking its helpless occupant along to destruction . Nearly, but not quite. Narrowly missing our bys tander' s hero, the flailing wing buried itself in the ground below, soon followed by a dazed but alive and well pilot .. . in the cemetery across the road! The little boy never forgot the excite ment of that moment and in the ensuing years built models and dreamed of
someday building and flying his own fu ll size ai rplane. He felt sure the day wou ld eventual ly arrive when he cou ld afford such a dream . Perhaps it might even be a Pietenpol. As with all dreams, however, some times one must be patient. Years pass ed, a family arrived , and more delays. The airplane would have to wait. But the young man now had a young son , who all too obviously loved the sights and sounds of aviation every bit as much as his father. Someday they would both build an airplane, but for now a trip to the 1961 EAA fly-in at Rockford , Illinois would have to do. Being only four years old at the time, the young man 's little boy would , in later years , not remember it clearly, but he too had now seen his first Pietenpol Air Camper. It was a red and silver beauty powered with a Model 'A' and owned by a Wisconsin contractor named Allen Rudolf who had already been flying this same ship for 20 years . Thirteen years and more delays later, the man and his son returned , this time to Oshkosh for the 1973 fly-in and somehow knew it was now or never. But what would it be? A Baby Ace? Flybaby? Great, but it shou ld have two
"Sky Gypsy" during construction, about 1982 or 1983. 6JULY 1986
Frank S. Pavliga in "Sky Gypsy" in 1983.
seats, after all flying is twice the fun when it's shared. A reprint of the 1932 Flying and Glider manual was pur chased in the book store and the love affair was revived ... this time for good. Father and son would bu ild a Pietenpol! So it was that ten years , gallons of sweat, and many dollars later my dad and I shared what we still believe to be the ultimate thrill. On June 18, 1983, at 7:30 p.m., we hooped and hollared as we watched Taylorcraft test pilot and no. 1 instructor Forrest Barber, lift our own piece of yesterday into the heavens on its maiden voyage . If the dream had ended there and then , it would have been worth it. We had made it ! In the next twelve months, all the an noying little problems one takes for granted with a new aircraft were slowly ironed out, one by one. A taiiskid keel constantly grinding itself out of exis tance , bungee cord landing gear shock absorbers fraying themselves to pieces one after another, and a gas tank that couldn't seem to remember it was built to hold gas, not to shower the pilot with a volatile spray. By July of 1984, how ever, when nothing else could be found to fix, our 40 hours of restricted time had been flown off, and we knew it was time for our open-air wind machine to prove itself. For the past seven years, the first weekend of the Oshkosh Fly-in had been set aside, not for airshows, but for warm friendship and Pietenpols just outside the tiny town of Brodhead, Wis consin. It was and is a fly-in that knows no equal. The kinship and hospitality of the local "Brodhead Bunch" who spon sor the event aided and abetted by the honesty and integrity of the Pietenpol aircraft itself create a weekend that, to us at least, is the undisputed highlight of the year. After summer upon summer of arriving at our Brodhead reunion on four wheels , 1984 was to be different. Son of a gun, we were gonna fly our own Pietenpol home to Mecca! The decision made, plans com menced, and by Thursday morning prior
to Brodhead weekend , we were ready, but mama nature wasn 't quite so en thusiastic. Threats of rain and low visi bility forced us out to the airport for a much earlier than anticipated depar ture . That darned Ohio weather was out to ruin us again ! First one at the field . Unlock the hangar, slide open the heavy doors. Grab hold and push! Ah , out into the hazy gloom of 8:00 a.m. with evening's dew on soggy tennis shoes tracing our path from the safety of the hangar out into the uncertainty of the day. Before my still sleepy mind could quite focus on the chores at hand , my parents arrived in the chase car and a still dazed airport operator, Forrest Barber, yawned a "mornin" and "ya re ally think this thing's gonna make it, huh?" Funny guy. Gassed up, warmed up, good byes all said , the throttle hit the firewall and a gutsy 40 hp hauled us quickly upward into the dreary morning sky. A glance at our brass trimmed , Johns Mansville 1916 tachometer indicated we either had a disconnected tach cable or that spinning hunk of lumber ahead was all an illusion . A hasty retreat followed . After two minutes of fiddling and tight ening, we were off again . Just before lift off this time, I chopped it again . You dummy! I had left a screwdriver wedged against the front windshield ... and this was only the beginning! Finally airborne, we soon rolled to a stop at our first destination, Blatter Field in Orrville, Ohio. Shortly, Mom and Dad arrived to find son and airplane in one piece so we wasted no time in refilling the ten gallon wing tank with a five gal Ion can from the car trunk. Suddenly the midday quiet of the deserted field was broken by, of all things , a Taylor craft overhead . "Hey, that's Forrest!" He and his wife Patty just thought they'd "drop by and make sure everything was okay. " Some guy, huh? A few final words of wisdom and we were off to Shelby, Ohio for gas stop no. 2. Considering how dismal the sky ap peared before leaving Barber Field that
morning, ceiling and visibility really weren't that bad . It looked darker up ahead , but right now making Shelby was a piece of cake. With a mild slip to see past the radiator, we were soon porpoising toward an eventual stop at the pumps. After topping off the tank I had time to sit and think. Mom and Dad would not be here for at least a half hour or so. I thought it curious that an airplane which cruises at 60 mph minus a 15 mph headwind , and designed 55 years ago, could arrive so far ahead of that four-wheeled piece of progress. Hmph! First one drop, then another, and another, and then a full-fledged down pour, the kind that lasts forever. We were grounded for the remainder of the day. Then dawn the next morning ar rived a mirror image of dusk the night before, but after two hours of "ya think it looks any better?", "I dunno, maybe a little," morning in Shelby had cleared sufficiently to press on. Route 30 running east and west through Ohio and on into Indiana is a low and slow Pietenpol pilot's dream. Straight as a snapped chalkline, it pro vided some real security as we were occasionally forced down to a palm drenching 300 feet of altitude by the slowly scattering cloud deck. By the time we reached Delphos, Ohio, how ever, airplane and pilot were basking in soothing warm sunshine. We landed , gassed up and filled in the guest regis ter right under "Cole Palen, Rhinebeck, NY, Fokker DR-1 ", left a note for the folks and off we went again. Our next destination, Decatur, ' In diana, was to be a uniting of forces. Pietenpol builder Dick Alkire and his son , Neal , in their Aeronca L-3, and the "Corn Crib Crasher of Clinton County, " Jim Vandervort, in his well-worn T-craft and my folks and I were supposed to have met at Decatur first thing in the morning . Due to weather delays, ·it was now noon and there wasn't a ship in sight at "Decatur Hi-Way" field . We missed them. I knew it·! Darned Ohio weather. I grabbed a Coke and VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
(L-R) Frank S. Pavliga, Allen Rudolph and Frank M. Pavliga. Allen had just flown "Sky Gypsy" with a proud Frank M. on board. Allen lives in Clymer, WI and has been flying his 1933 Pietenpol since he purchased it in 1941.
sprawled out in the grass using the landing gear spreader bar as a pillow and waited for Mom and Dad. What was that noise? Glancing up ward, I could barely make out two specks off in the distance looming ever larger with the passing of time . No doubt about it .. . an Aeronca and a puttering sunflower-yellow T-craft. Talk about timing! As they both entered the pattern , I became aware of still another lower, throatier noise and looked over my shoulder just in time to catch the bright blue/white flash of ' another Taylorcraft buzzing overhead at scarcely more than treetop height. "For rest, you son of a gun!" A familiar car crunched to a halt in the gravel drive and our entourage was complete. Once the greeting and handshaking was complete , it was time to head out again . It was already afternoon of the second day and fully over one-half our 500 mile voyage' still lay ahead. There was a lot of flying yet to do to make Brodhead by nightfall. I climbed into the cockpit, turned fuel and switch on, and Dad proceeded to swing away at old Henry up front. No dice. It wouldn 't start. Two others tried , with the same silent results. Then , from out of the small crowd that had gathered to watch, an elderly lady stepped forward , leaned over the cockpit and proceeded to instruct me in what to do with throttle and switch . She then told Dad to "back it through slowly without stopping for three blades, but slowly." So I did, and he did and that old chunk of iron sprang to life as quick as you please! We never did get the opportunity to appropriately thank her that day, or what's more, to find out the real story behind her instinctive knowl edge of old airplanes, but needless to say, she was appreciated. 8J ULY1 986
After several other stops for fuel and numbing backsides, we eventually did make Brodhead that same evening. Dick and Neal flew on ahead while "Big Jim" and I closed up ranks for the last half of our final leg. To this day, one of the most serenely enjoyable memories of the entire trip was looking off to the right and seeing that beaming grin star ing back as the intense brightness of the low evening sun shown irridescentiy off both Taylorcraft and earth below. Our second home was only minutes away and I scooched down in the seat like a school kid waiting for the bell to ring. And there it was! Swooping down for a "grass cutter" pass across the field , I could see it was all there - the people , the airplanes, the memories of years past. We really were . . . home at last.
Allen Rudolf (the same' ), Dick Weeden , Sandy Saunders, Bill Kn ight, Charlie Rubeck , Chriss Eggsgaard, Ted Davis, Vi Kappler, Dave Harris, Tom Nolan, and many more ... all names synonymous not only with "Pietenpol", but with the truest of friendship . It sure felt good to be among them again that weekend. It's hard to explain the Pietenpol fly-in at Brodhead to someone who's never been there . It's like explaining the exhil aration of flight itself to one who's feet have never left the ground. Too many sights, sounds , and emotions to put into words . Words like friend , fun, blue sky, late night campfires, Polly Weeden 's bratwurst, the Saunders' hospitality and , unifying it all , a kinship with an air craft design that not only has survived the test of time, but has flourished . After all the buddy rides were given (they were a real shot in the arm for us when we were building) , all the acquain tances renewed , and the last embers of Sunday night's campfire faded to mem ory, "Brodhead '84" was over. Nowhere else on earth could twelve Pietenpols, of every imaginable powering , be found on the same piece of ground at the same time , their owner/builders thrilled and delighted at just being there . We were proud to have been one of them. The next morning, after hours of good byes, we took off enmass and pointed our noses north toward Osh kosh . With Wittman Field being just beyond the safe range of our machines, we chose to stop at Fond du Lac and gas up before proceeding. Three Model 'A' Ford-powered Pietenpols took off in formation from Fond du Lac and fol lowed the railroad tracks northward along the coast of Lake Winnebago . . . three tiny specks in a sun-drenched sky.
The group that met at Decatur Highway Airport, all Brodhead and Oshkosh bound. (L-R) Frank S. Pavliga, Neal Alkire, Jim Vandervort; Dick Alkire, Frank M. Pavliga, Forrest Barber, Pat Barber, Louise Pavliga, standing in front of "Sky Gypsy" - July 1984.
Bill Knight of Brodhead, Dan Krejchik of Portage, Wisconsin and I entered the pattern at Wittman Field in unison and touched down on the grass one behind the other. We later would learn of the control tower chief, a Ford Pietenpol builder, who followed our arrival with tears in his eyes and shouts of "That's what I'm building . Look at that!" There is no need to describe the Osh足 kosh fly-in here. You all know. Suffice it to say it was sure bigger than Brodhead . In addition to meeting such aviation notables as Ray Hegy, Bite Livingston, Frank Rezich , Joe Halsmer, and Andy Anderson , the big thrill was participating , (along with Dick Weeden flying Bill Knight's Air Camper) , in the "Parade of Flight." Very few events have ever brought a bigger lump to my throat than flying fourth in line behind Dale Crite's Curtiss Pusher, a Spartan biplane and a Stearman C3R. If that isn 't aviation history hitting you on the head, I don 't know what is! It's funny how, in an age of super Revel-kit homebuilts looking like special effects from Star Wars, something as simple and unpretentious as a Pieten足 pol can be the center of attention. But it was, and it had absolutely nothing to do with how we did or did not build it. The one word which constantly reap足 peared over and over was "cute". Who were we to disagree? All week long at Oshkosh , the hazy blue sky continued to grow hazier sti ll. We had planned on heading home Thursday, but decided to stick around one more day in anticipation of a little clearing. It never came, but we headed out anyway on Friday in hopes of better weather south and east. Flying back to Brodhead in tight formation with Bill Knight in his Air Camper, we dodged rain showers for a while, then broke out into relatively clear sky. Looking up at the red/silver machine ahead and slightly to port, I kept hearing that word over and over gain. "Cute." I thought to myself, "If they think a Piet is cute on
Frank M. Pavliga taking off in Sky Gypsy at Shelby, OH on a hazy morning in July 1984. You can see the ice on the intake manifold . . . it was cold, too.
the ground, they should see it from where I'm sitting!" The idea that people make a fly-in could not have been proven more graphically than upon our re-arrival at Brodhead airport. It was not only quiet, it was downright depressing. Where was everyone? This place had been chock full of life just a week before. It's always sad when it's over. Goodbye Brodhead - but we'll be back. First stop on the solo trip home would be Sandwich , Illinois, somewhere through the clouds and rain ahead. Picking out the paved runway, the DC-3 jump plane, and finally the sod strip, she sqeaked herself in for a real greaser. Hey, this is getting easy! All slowed down, just a short taxi through the high grass to the "whamm!!! " "What the heck was that?" After a shaky shut-down, I slowly climbed out of the cockpit not really wishing to see what I knew had to be seen sooner or later. Sure enough, hid足 den in the 12" high taxiway grass was a cast iron catch basin just waiting for us. The main gear had straddled it. The
Mr. Pietenpol in cockpit of N7533U when we visited him in 1975.
tailskid, not as fortunate , had been forcefully ripped right out of the lower longerons carrying chunks of wood with it. Ugh! Of all places for a catch basin! Why here? Why now? We were nearly 400 miles from home and no matter how I pictured the immediate future , things looked bleak. With help from a few local flyers , we dragged the broken monoplane across the ramp to an empty shop building whose tenants had just moved out that morning. It was about to rain again so it would be nice to get her inside. After a half dozen phone calls, Mom and Dad were finally reached . They were as far away as Kankakee , Illinois, some 70 miles east. Upon their arrival , I informed them of Dick Alkire's offer to drop off wood , glue, and whatever else we may need on his way home the next day. By 10:00 the next morning, not only had Dick and his son arrived by air, but Francis Saunders and Charlie Weisner had actually driven 2-1 /2 hours from their Brodhead homes to help in any way they could. Folks, if that isn't the truest of friendship, I don 't know what
Instrument panel of "Sky Gypsy" - Johns-Manville tach on left, Consolidated air speed indicator and Zenith height meter. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
"Sky Gypsy" at Oshkosh in 1984 with Buck Hilbert's replica Model "A".
is! By 4:00 p.m ., new wood had been spliced to splintered longerons, plywood gussets glued and nailed over that, fabric re-secured with cellophane tape, and the tailskid re-united with its former mounting. The repair was com plete. After a well-deserved dinner, we bid farewell with fondest appreciation to our repair crew. As that station wagon sped out of sight, I wondered to myself if this is how it was done 60 years ago. Was this what it was like to have been an itinerant barnstormer, miles from home, with a crippled Jenny or Eaglerock? My respect for their resourcefulness had deepened considerably in the preced ing 24 hours. The true meaning of the word "hazy" is being in the same traffic pattern, at a small airport, as a DC-3 ... and not being able to see him! Such were the conditions we awoke to on Sunday. No decision was easy there in the quiet Il linois morning. Dad and I both had to be at work Monday, so it appeared the decision had been made for us. Like it or not, it looked like we'd have to leave her. The eight-hour drive home from Sandwich was spent in preparation for the following weekend 's retrieval. It would be a long week ahead. The following Saturday found the Pietenpol and me, parasites to the end less steel rails lasering eastward in the noon day sun . Armed with the easiest navigation method known to man and the clearest Indiana sky I'd ever seen , I wasn 't thinking of Ohio off in the dis tance but of the hypnotically flat open landscape here and now. A farmer out in his field , doing the things farmers do, was probably totally oblivious to our in trusion into this air far above his land. 10JULY1986
Were it not for our own memories of the 1980's far behind, and to which we must eventually return, we could easily have slipped back in time 50 years , none the wiser. After all , it was still the same land , the same barns, the same humans below, and above all the same addictively fascinating sky above. There is much time to think, during cross country in a Pietenpol. Enough with philosophy. There was Miller Field, just ahead, only twenty miles west of an invisible Ohio line. Touch down, right rudder, left rudder, a little more left rudder, watch the cross wind , more left rudder and a quick blast of power warding off that ever-threaten ing ground loop and we coasted to a standstill at the gas pumps. Climbing out of the cockpit, I immediately be came aware of the silence , quiet like I've never heard it before in my life. Only the sound of wind rustling the tips of millions of corn tassels . It was even a little spooky. Finding no one in attendance, no one around at all, I took a walk up the road to a nearby farm house to see if they knew how I could get some gas - no one home. Another half mile . .. no one home. After walking for nearly an hour and a half and not seeing a living soul anywhere, not even a passing car. I began to wonder if I had slipped into the "Twilight Zone ." It was downright eerie. Back at the field, Dad finally showed up but as late as it was, we decided to get a good night's sleep and push on in the a.m. After the morning fog lifted to 700 feet or so, where it stayed , we cranked her up and headed out. Somewhere along the way, Indiana quietly faded into Ohio. Another stop at Delphos, leave a mes
sage for Dad, and we were off for Bucyrus, Ohio, and one of the hairiest crosswind landings this dumb kid ever survived. After gassing up, I actually had to get out and walk the ship, engine idling, back to the end of the runway. The wind was just too much for a brake less, tailskidded old Piet. Airborne again, Mansfield slowly slid by and our last stop, at Blatter Field in Orrville, came and went. Threading be tween Akron Municipal and Akron Can ton airports, the sun broke through the clouds just long enough to reflect off the walls of the old Taylorcraft factory, still miles ahead in our home territory of Al liance. As Barber Field came into view, I thought back over the preceeding two weeks. It truly had been an "aerial ad venture", one we would never forget. But I also thought back further. Our years spent building , earlier years of dreaming, new and lasting friendships , that first trip to Rockford in 1961 . Little did I know, even now, that soon the owner of the first Pietenpol I'd ever seen, Allen Rudolf, would share a ride in our Air Camper with me. But then , little did my dad know, in years past, that his wing-shredding boyhood hero would in time become a close friend who to this day owns and flies an orig inal Pietenpol Scout. And little did either of us antiCipate the friendship with Mr. Pietenpol himself that we'd come to value so greatly. So you see, this was a story of a trip through time , a trip that continues even as this is written. As long as the memory of a certain old Dutchman from Min nesota is kept alive through the per petuation of the ideals for which he stood , the journey will never end . •
Restoration Corner
Editor's Note: This sixth installment of the "Restoration Corner" discusses vin tage aircraft engines. Previous articles have dealt with selecting, purchasing and restoring the airframes themselves. The coverage of the various topics is general in nature and represents the authors' personal views drawn on years of experience. We welcome reader input on subjects previously covered or on those not yet mentioned. ... Gene R. Chase.
Engines by Kelly Viets (EAA 16364, AIC 1D) Here we are talking about that part of our aircraft which can most seriously af fect the safe , comfortable and worry free completion of our adventures into the skies. Therefore, we must approach our engine work very carefully and with complete attention to detail. First, I must admit total ignorance of exact procedures and therefore I suggest everyone should procure the very latest overhaul and parts manual for the engine on which they propose to work. Having had experience with only three engines, namely, a 150 hp Franklin from our 14-12F Bellanca (which turned out to be a prototype 150), a 160 hp Franklin from our 108-2 Stinson, and the Continental C-85 in our Ercoupe, I do not claim to be an expert on any engine. So the following are some suggestions I have from the ex perience I have had with these engines. First, as has been so well put in arti cles preceding this, consider all Log Books works of fiction . In other words, DON'T TRUST THEM. Secondly, if you are not a mechanic and must look for one , do so very carefully. This selection is going to have a major bearing on the successful outcome of your project, ob viously, and some of my suggestions may shock you. I would suggest you take a good look at the character of this man in whom you are going to place your trust. Is he stable? Has he a good record of suc cessful rebuilds? What kind and how much equipment and tools does he have? How about completing his pro jects? How does he treat the engines he is working on? Let me repeat that question. How does he treat the engines he is working on? I once had a mechanic tear an en
gine apart, scatter it all over the hangar and leave it like that for weeks. Now, friends, that just can 't be good for all those shiny metal parts to be left out, exposed to moisture, dirt and varying degrees of temperature . Later, much time was lost trying to find the parts when he tried to put the engine back together. Even though the engine was running when he took it apart, he said there were no valve lifters and I would have to buy new ones. (They were in a coffee can behind one of the columns in his hangar. 'Nuff said!) On the other hand, I have seen a clean, well lit, orderly shop, which to me indicates the quality of the mechanic's work. Now, let me quickly explain that the shop does not have to be large, pre tentious, chrome plated and , therefore, expensive, but it should be clean and orderly. What I am suggesting is that you as sure your mechanic has a good clean place to work; and the job proceeds in a clean, orderly manner while following the procedures shown in the manuals. This should result in a good, dependa bleengine when the overhaul is com pleted . Another question, does your mechanic have a good torque wrench and does he use it religiously? I could tell another horror tale about this but will leave it until another time. What this all boils down to is; "Treat your engine with care and respect and it will return the favor. " Now let's get to work and get our planes back in the sky. Let's do every thing we can to use them and to get more enjoyment from them .
THE ROUND ENGINE Otherwise Known as the Radial by Dale Gustafson (EAA 8891 , AIC 108) To me, there is nothing nicer or better looking (excluding a beautiful woman) than a radial engine on an airplane. Even today, I prefer a round engine on any aircraft that I might own . However, preference and practicality are two dif ferent things today. For years now, the radial engine has been slowly disap pearing from the aviation scene. Today, the flat opposed engine is the common powerplant on general aviation aircraft.
Not too far down the road, the small turbine engine may become the com mon powerplant. Corporate and airline aircraft have been mostly turbine-pow ered for years . At the EAA Convention each year, fewer radial engine-powered aircraft seem to attend . Why? There are many reasons, but I think the main one is the cost of operation. With the high price of aviation fuel today and the fact that ra dials have a large appetite, many own ers cannot afford the cost. I believe they've become more selective about the fly-ins they go to, and the ones they do attend are closer to home. Another reason is the spare parts situation for these older engines. Generally speak ing , parts are hard to locate and even non-existent for a few of the older mod els. Before I proceed any further, I will name a few of the manufacturers of the older radial engines that come to mind : Wright, Pratt & Whitney, Lycoming , Continental, Jacobs, Warner, Kinner, Lambert, Ken Royce, and LeBlond. Today at Oshkosh we still see quite a few P&Ws, Lycomings, Continentals, Jacobs and some of the others in lesser numbers. A few years ago, while operating a small general aviation airport (in addi tion to my regular employment) I had the opportunity to rent shop space to a gentleman for the purpose of overhaul ing P&W R-985 engines. The quality of his work was first class all the way. I spent a lot of time in his shop watChing , conversing and picking up any pointers I could about the R-985 and the over haul of radials in general. One thing I learned is that it is false economy to use "used serviceable parts" if new ones can be found. Some how, he had sources of supply and was always able to locate the new parts he needed (never would tell his sources, though). One of his "rebuilt" engines ended up on an aircraft that become a Grand Champion Antique at Oshkosh several years ago. The gentleman I am referring to is Bill Ralph. The person considering the purchase of an aircraft powered by a radial engine should keep a few things in mind. The time on the engine since its last over haul is important. Locating an aircraft with a low-time engine would be great! It would probably last as long as he or she owns the airplane, thereby saving the expense of having to "major" the en gine. At any rate I suggest acquiring a VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
small stock of spare parts, just in case. A spare cylinder or two would be a good start. People should keep in mind that ra dial engines do not have the service life that the flat Continentals and Lycom ings have today. Getting 1000 to 1200 hours from a radial between overhauls is good. I believe that the P&W R-985 has a TBO of 1600 hours, which is the highest of any radial engine I'm aware of. For those owning a radial in need of an overhaul, I suggest they locate an engine shop that has experience with the round engines. Some special tools are required and they would have them. Also, they have the necessary manuals and should be current with the ADs for the engine. Those wishing to do their own over haul should be prepared to farm out various phases of the operation . Just be sure that those to whom you take outside work are certified by the FAA to do the job. This is for your own protec tion. Just about everyone I know with a radial-powered aircraft has a spare en gine and propeller stashed away (just in case). Having spent about half of my profes sional flying career in aircraft powered by radial engines, I firmly believe that if you treat them right, they will treat you okay, too . However, they do have their problems. Did you ever see a radial that wasn 't dripping a little oil? I've seen some engines that dripped more oil than they burned . They tend to load up if idled too long, a plug may decide to start fouling , a magneto begins to drop more than the allowable limits during a mag check, etc. , to name a few. Back in the thirties these engines operated on 73 octane, then later, 80/87. The 1DOLL fuel of today makes the old en gines "want to throw up." At least, that's the impression I get when I'm forced to use it in my aircraft. Recently I purchased a Cessna 195 with a 245 hp Jacobs. The engine runs beautifully but the plane needs a lot of T.L.C. including a new paint job. A couple of later model radios, then it's off to the fly-ins! It's fun again just to fly an aircraft powered by a round engine. I like the power it can produce, the deep-throated sound it makes and the sense of depen dability it creates. What more can I say?
ENGINES by Ron Fritz (EAA 9448, A/C 337) When you get your project home, it's time to start making a few decisions as to how you are going to go about restor ing the various components . One of the 12 JULY1986
most important parts of your plane is the engine, and you will want to make it as safe and reliable as possible. You may want to do the necessary work on it yourself or farm it out to someone else. That is a decision you will have to make yourself , taking into consideration your abilities, your time and the money you 've budgeted for the project. If you have never worked on an airplane en gine before, there are a few things you may want to consider before starting. Assuming your project was obtained with an engine and log books, the first thing you should do is go through the logs and other paperwork very carefully. The logs contain the maintenance and repair history of your engine and , when carefully scrutinized , will give you some idea of the condition of the engine as well as the treatment it has received throughout its service life. For instance, certain entries such as regular oil changes , carefully documented annual inspections and other pertinent notes might indicate a conscientiously, well maintained engine. This could be a big factor in deciding whether or not you will have to tear down the engine for a top or major overhaul. If your knowl edge of engines is limited, now is the time to contact a licensed mechanic or knowledgeable engine person to advise you on what route to take with your en gine. Remember, all engine work will have to be performed by, or supervised and signed off by a licensed powerplant mechanic. After you and your mechanic have gone over the log books and made a careful inspection of the engine, a deci sion can be made as to how involved you want to get with the engine work . Keep in mind that it is not absolutely necessary to overhaul an engine if there is sufficient evidence, etc. to indicate the engine is already in good condition . This can be determined by noting the number of hours the engine has run since the last overhaul , how extensive the last overhaul was, whether or not the engine was running well when last used it and how the engine looked dur ing a careful inspection. There is no need to go through a costly overhaul if it isn't necessary. If it is decided an overhaul isn't necessary, take steps to preserve the engine and then store it until it is needed. Engine preservation instructions are contained in most engine overhaul manuals. There are several circumstances which will indicate the need for an en gine teardown. If the engine logbooks indicate a high time engine or if there are no logbooks at all, a teardown is highly recommended. If the engine has not run for an extended period of time, a teardown is highly recommended even though the logs may show only a
few hours since overhaul. All of the above situations show a necessity for an inspection of the in terior of the engine in order to determine the amount of wear that has occurred and to see if rust or corrosion exists. In the case of the engine that has been stored for a long period of time , you will want to inspect it for acid etching of cer tain interior parts. When an engine has been run and then stored for a long period of time without special preserva tion, moisture in the oil may react with compounds (such as sulfur) in the oil to form acid which can cause pitting of the metal. Such pitting, or etching, will most often be found on the crankshaft or camshaft bearing surfaces. I have seen this occur on a 65 hp Continental crankshaft and most recently on the crankshaft of a B-55 Kinner that had been stored for about 20 years . Other areas where etching may occur are in ball or roller bearings that have set in the same position for long periods of time. Pitting in the bearing races is easy to miss unless viewed through a mag nifying glass and, if overlooked, could lead to catastrophic engine failure within a few hours of running . If engine work is necessary, it might simply be a top overhaul. This will entail the removal of the cylinders to replace the pistons rings and grind the valves. Sometimes a top overhaul can be quite extensive as the cylinders may need grinding or extensive valve work. Your mechanic will advise on this and you should do what he says as your life de pends on that noise maker in front of you . If a major overhaul is in the works, you have several ways to go. You may opt to ship the engine to a certified en gine overhaul facility and be done with the whole matter. This method is by far the most costly. Your nearby fixed base operator may have a good mechanic who will over haul your engine for you for a fixed price plus parts. This may be cheaper but may necessitate reusing some of the serviceable parts in order to keep costs down . Large overhaul facilities may dis card some serviceable parts as a matter of routine . There is another way to overhaul the engine and that is to do it yourself. You will have to find a licensed mechanic to supervise your work, though . Should you decide to do your own overhaul it will probably be at the mechanic's shop as many special tools are needed to work on airplane engines. Such tools probably aren't in your tool box and they are too expensive to buy for one-time use. The mechanic will probably de mand this anyway as it is his license that is on the line if something goes wrong with the engine after overhaul.
Generally speaking, it is not too dif ficult to overhaul, or find a shop to over haul, most of the classic Continental, Lycoming and Franklin engines. There are large numbers of these engines still in use and parts are readily available for most. Many parts are still available for the Continental R-670 and Lycoming R-680 engines and overhauls are com paratively easy on these engines. Wright and Jacobs engine parts are getting a little scarce but not impossible to find. Ranger parts are still available in larger numbers but Warner parts are very scarce. There are many other en gines you will encounter in the older airplanes, including: Kinner, LeBlond, Lambert, Menasco, Aeronca, etc., etc. The list almost seems endless. Many antiquers have found it necessary to manufacture their own parts to keep certain engines running. This illustrates the dedication they have for the hobby. Restoring or overhauling the engine also includes the accessories. These are the magnetos and carburetor and they are just as important as the engine itself. Don 't cut the corners here as the silence can be deafening when the
mags fail over a swamp that seems the size of the Pacific Ocean. Researching your engine will proba bly be easier than restoring it. Engine manuals are available on most every engine built. ESSCO in Akron , Ohio and Air Service Caravan in New Bedford, Massachusetts have large lists of man uals available. If you need something, they probably have it. Another source of information is the forum program at the EAA Convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin . At almost every antique and classic airplane forum you will find a true expert on aircraft en gines. Being a member of EAA's An tique/Classic Division or the Antique Airplane Association will put you in touch with other knowledgeable mem bers who can help with your problems. If you happened to purchase your plane without an engine in hopes of finding one later but cannot, don 't de spair. It is legal to substitute a different type of engine from the original in many airplanes. For example, there are many Travel Airs flying in the United States with Continental and Lycoming radial engines replacing the original Curtiss
OX-5 powerplants. The changes were made as OX-5s were not available or were not considered reliable enough to guarantee safe flight. If you desire an engine change, con tact the nearest FAA General Aviation District Office (GADO) or FAA En gineering Office to see if they will ap prove the engine change. Remember to do this BEFORE you start the change. You may save a lot of money and time by doing this. Your job will be greatly simplified if you can show the FAA that the change has been done be fore and you can provide documenta tion to that effect. This has been a brief introduction to what you might expect when dealing with the engine portion of your restora tion project. Most questions can be answered by a mechanic or found by researching the literature available on the various airplanes and engines. The one factor that must override all others is safety. Don't skimp on your restora tion , don 't cut corners and don't take chances. Your safety in the air and the safety of those on the ground is of paramount importance . •
OSHKOSH '8 5: Planes and People
by Larry D'Attilio and Pam Foard AlC Press Co-Chairmen Carmen and Wynn Fisher's Porter field, NC37862 I was sitting in the NC Press Tent at Oshkosh '85 when an unassuming woman walked up and claimed owner ship of the pretty navy and white 1941 Porterfield that we'd stuck a note on. Her name was Carmen Fisher, and she proceeded to relate this remarkable story. In 1943, one and a half years after she and her husband Wynn had pur chased a Porterfield with a Continental 65, it was conscripted by the Civilian Pilot Training Program. It had 500 hours on it, and Carmen had gotten her lic nese in it. She continued to fly for a Wing Scout group, but stopped when she had children. Carmen and Wynn moved to Bellaire, Michigan, where they live today and they both started flying again. First they bought a Cessna 172 and then a Skylane 182. In 1979 Carmen was at the local GADO one day to take care of some airplane business and decided to look up her old Porterfield N number out of curiosity. To her amazement it was there and so she was able to trace its whereabouts. The Porterfield was now owned by an ailing woman who Carmen went to see.
Carmen & Wynn Fisher
Carmen found the Porterfield in a rot ting barn with six other antiques: a Waco, 2 Aeronca C-3s, a Cub, a Fair-
child and a Meyers OTW. The engines were pickled and the wings hung up. The woman wanted $100,000 for the lot and refused to separate them . Carmen spent the next one and a half years trying to find enough buyers for the group of airplanes, but before she succeeded the planes were sold to another party. Her son had the idea of calling the Porterfield Club, and sure enough, the airplane was traced to Bill Ross of Chicago, Illinois. Bill Ross restored the Porterfied and found old photos of the original paint design. Through another twist of fate the original wheel pants were found in Pennsylvania! Carmen and Wynn , congratulations on your airplane. You were truly fated to be together . •
Fisher's Porterfield VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13
IT
WAS
PARASOL
WEATHER
by Owen S. Billman (EAA 648) (Photos courtesy of the author) Yes , it was parasol weather in Amsterdam , New York this past Sep tember 14. That was the day that EAA's Chaper 602 and members of the Heath Aero Club celebrated the 75th Anniver sary of Ed Heath's first flight of his Heath Model 10 from the Antlers Coun try Club. Early fall brings sparkling clear, invigorating air to these Adiron dack Mountains and this day was typi cal. It was parasol weather in that, had it occurred that day 75 years ago, all those gentile ladies in attendance would have sported their best parasol to mark this most significant event. But it was parasol weather in yet another way because very much in evi dence on this recent day were exam-
Ed Heath makes the first flight in his Model 10 over the Antlers Country Club, Amster dam, N.Y., September 13, 1910.
pies of Ed Heath's design of the mid twenties, the Heath Super Parasol , and look-alikes such as the Pietenpol Air campers flown in to help celebrate the occasion . Of all the events taking place that day, however, the one of which Chapter 602 members were most proud was the fact that in attendance were Roger and Mary Lorenzen , who traveled from their home in Niles, Michigan to observe the afternoon 's activities and to speak at the banquet held at the Antlers Country Club that evening. This couple not only knew Ed Heath during the last years of his life, but Roger was Heath's right hand-man in charge of the propeller shop throughout the period when so many exciting new ideas were bursting from Heath's so-prolific mind.
On becoming a member of Heath's staff in 1928, Lorenzen 's first assign ment was to design and produce a suit able propeller to "propel" the Heath Baby Bullet. That he was successful is attested to by the fact that this little ball of fire was clocked at 150 mph, pow ered by the meager 28 hp put out by its Bristol Cherub engine, making it the most efficient aircraft of its day; what other airplane of its time, regardless of its powerplant, could boast as many miles per hour per horsepower as that. None could touch it for efficiency and few for flat-out speed . Even today it would stack up pretty well in an effi ciency race. The other guest of honor at Heath Day was Helen Heath, Ed's cousin. She was among those present when that
I
The original Heath Model 10 aeroplane at the Antlers Country Club in 1910. Ed Heath is in the cockpit and his uncle, Chester Johnson is at the engine. The third party is unknown. Elephant ear aileron was tried but abandoned in favor of wing-warping. 14JULY 1986
Owen Billman, co-ordinator of activities for Heath Day, proudly displays his Heath SUPER PARASOL, bearing registration number 589K, the one used by Ed Heath for his first seaplane version of this plane.
Roger Lorenzen proudly shows off one of his own propellers of recent produc足 tion. He was head of the propeller shop at Heath Airplane Co.
first flight was made in 1910 and still lives in the family home in Amsterdam. She was just ten years old at the time but recalls that it was her father, George W. Heath, who provided the horse and wagon used to transport the new aerop足 lane the five miles from the Johnson Machine Works to the Antlers Club west of the city. On that short drive, Helen rode in the wagon box just behind the driver. That portion of the day stands out viv足 idly in her memory but there is little else that she recalls with certainty. So it was that on this recent autumn day admirers of Heath and his genius gathered to pay tribute. They came from Vermont, from Pennsylvania and all over up-State New York. Cole Palen of Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome sent a Heath
Roger and Mary Lorenzen
(Continued on Page 17)
Tail of Billman's super SUPER PARASOL.
LeRoy Schedelbauer displays the 1/8th-scale Heath Model 10. Behind him is Fairway #1 of the Antlers Country Club used by Ed Heath for his flight trials. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15
by Art Morgan (EAA 17674, Ale 2355) Oh my God! It's happened . You've read the advertisements that say, "For sale - cheap -1939 airplane. Must sell, lost medicaL" That's always sounded kind of lonesome, hasn't it. Time and again you've heard someone say, "I'm getting out of aviation. I lost my medical, couldn't pass my physical, so, well, what the hello" That always left you wondering and feeling kind of cold, didn't it. But, well, that always happens to the other person. And, sure ya feel real sorry about it but, well , life goes on, right? It'll never happen to you. Well, my friend, it could . Let's say you 've just been told by your doctor that you can no longer pass your "medicaL" At first it didn 't sink in. That little piece of paper that you have carried in your wallet all these years has always been there and always would be. But, it's gone now. For whatever reason, (heart attack, diabetes, etc.) they've taken it from you. You never realized before just how much that darn piece of paper meant to you . Now that the news has finally pen etrated beyond your eardrums and soaked into that mellon-sized gray mass you sometimes jokingly refer to as a brain, it occurs to you that some one out there who you hardly know has just taken away a very large part of your life. Of course, you still have your family, and in fact you do have your life. But, we are all creatures of desire, and the desire to fly is very strong in you . You've done the usual things, such as get a second opinion and it agreed with the first opinion. And you've told and talked it over with your family. God bless 'em, you know they are with you one hundred percent. Now it's your turn. You've excused yourself from the one who promised to love, honor and help you through the rough spots, saying that you need to be alone. You need time to think. So you head for the one spot in the whole world where you can be by yourself (your garage, shop, den, hangar, etc.) Sitting down in this "alone" spot your eyes take in the whole place in one glance. There's the goggles you bought and never used. The pictures of you winning that "good old boy" trophy a few years ago at the local EAA fly-in. Your grin was so wide in that picture they had to use a wide angle lens to get it all in. How proud you and your family were that day. Hey, what's this? Your hands are starting to shake, and there's this burn ing in your eyes. You're crying . The
16JULY 1986
muscles in your chest get tight trying to stop it, but you can't. Real tears are run ning down your cheeks in torrents. The dam has finally burst, and you put your head in your hands and feeling all alone you sit there and cry. Believe me, friend, you are not alone. For every person who has felt the pure joy of flight is crying with you. Now, you go ahead, and get it out of your system. Damn it, (excuse the word) you got it comin' to you and anyone who says you don't is full of paint fumes. Okay, you feel better now. Not good by any means, but that's over and done with. Dry your eyes, blow your nose (in that order, please) and let's try to sort this mess out. For a couple, maybe three years or more you and yours have worked hard on that airplane. You brought it up from a pile of bones to the pristine beauty it is today. Yes, you who always thought you had ten thumbs, two left feet and mechanical ability somewhat on a par with your talents as a toe dancer. Best look what you've done. Nothing much really. You just took an assorted pile of
"stuff" and turned it into a very pretty airplane. Along the way you've learned how to rib stitch, varnish wood, pound aluminum and stretch fal5ric. Remember when so long ago you, who thought that "motors" were some thing you started, ran, stopped and had someone else fix, sat happily in the mid dle of a spread of parts from your little four banger, intelligently telling all who would listen, the "art" of rebuilding small airplane "engines"?? Well, do ya? Sure, during that period of time you skinned some knuckles and sweated your brow. But you learned. (Most people perspire. Airplane rebuilders, builders, etc. sweat. Ya do that when it's gonna be your hide ridin' in it). And oh, those lush summer days . . . with small white clouds floating lazily by, and the smell of fresh cut grass brought to you on a soft gentle breeze. You'd get to the field before dawn, crank 'er up and head for new horizons, and chal lenging adventures. There you were on Saturday, you and your life mate, just goin' somewhere for the weekend. "Hey, what's that" came
IT WAS PARASOL WEATHER ...
the voice from the right seat. Looking over, you saw an idyllic "grass strip". Power lines on one end, trees on the other. But what the heck, you can get in there. So down ya go. Soon you're basking in the warmth of a new friend in the form of an older per son and you are lead down memory lane. Tales of "Jennies" and "J-3s" float softly through the summer air. You end up spending the weekend. Where was that now? Oh yeah, about 150 miles north of George's place. How about the winter when you would go out and scrape the frost from those "silent wings", shovel the pad in front of the hangar and pull'er out. Then you would spend what seemed like eons pre-heating the engine, and all the while you were deep freezing your back side. All this just to go fly in the beautiful azure blue ocean we call the sky. But, when you finally got your "sky queen" airbome it was all worth it. The unbelievable smoothness of the air. The calm - this great mass of air of ours was so soft that even the engine noise
seemed to diminish. The airplane was suspended in a blue swirl, bottomed by a white that was angelic. It was a third dimension. And who could forget the weekend flying, when you all gathered at the local roosting place, all who "soared with eagles" gathered over coffee or a bucket of suds or whatever and talked airplanes or airplane people. Oh, the halycon days of flying. And, oh yes my friend, one more thing, and I know I've done it. What about those rainy, cold, windy, snowy weekends when no one could fly. "Hey, hon, I've got to go out to the airport and pick up some tools, okay??" And so you go. You walk into the hangar and there it sits, that inanimate thing that you and your loved ones have breathed life into. Climbing into the cockpit. you smell it, touch it and love it almost as you've never loved before. Climbing back out, you walk around it and when you're sure no one is within a thousand miles of you, you reach out and touch it and it touches you back. It's warm. By heaven, it does have a soul. Ya see, I mean friend, you ain't alone. So, now what? Can you walk away from all of that? I doubt it. Can you turn your back on all your friends at the field? About as quickly as you could walk away from your family. In all likelihood, you will never fly as "pilot in command" again. But you can be "pilot as passenger" again. Look at all you've learned. That first bit of sticky weather you went through, your first "hairy" crosswind landing. Boy, the ex periences that you had. You have been given a gift. And now it's time to share it. Don't turn your back on your friends and family. Give them their birthright. Allow them the freedom of flight that your knowledge and experi ence can give them. At this point, to tum you back and walk away is a dis service to yourself, and everyone you know. A wise old person once told me that "If you have the ability to learn, you have the intellect to teach." Go to the airport. Take the neophytes by the hand. Show them how to, and why not to, and the reasons. Simply because you can't "slip the surly bonds" yourself doesn't mean you're not needed. For every skill you have, there's a stu dent. Teach him or her. For every ex perience you have had, there's a lis tener. Tell them. Give the gift that you've received - the privilege of flight. Don't let the last entry in your "log book" read, "Must sell - lost medical." What great compliment, what higher tri bute could a person have than the last entry say, "I shared with them.".
(Continued from Page 15)
Henderson engine for display, en trusted to the hands of Scott and Donald Brewster, Poughkeepsie. Elmer Grinnell had built a 1/4-scale model of the 1910 aeroplane for display while LeRoy Schedelbauer produced a 1/8th scale RIC model of it. Both men donated their handiwork to the Chapter. Also on display was Owen Billman 's recently completed Heath Super Parasol built from 1927 blueprints pro vided by Barney Fox of .Canandaigua, NY and Marion McClure of Blooming ton , Illinois. Billman applied for and was assigned by the FAA, registration num ber N598K, the one Heath was assigned for his first Parasol mounted on twin floats for water flying. The banquet that evening at the Antlers Club was a sell-out that taxed their normally ample facilities . The Lorenzens brought with them a very ex tensive collection of Heath memorabilia conSisting of photos, catalogs, bro chures, clippings, swatches of fabric from all the well-known Heath planes, and propellers (including parts of bro ken ones) all carved by this man. He spoke very glowingly of those Golden Days that he and Mary spent with the Heaths. In concluding his talk he said, "I really think that the EAA organization .. . reo ally came from Ed Heath and his com pany, because he encouraged people back in those days to build their own planes. He put them out in kit form at prices that the average person could af ford , and his enthusiasm for encourag ing people to learn to fly and have their own airplanes is something that always sticks in my mind . That was the begin ning of this (EAA) movement which is BIG now. Lorenzen learned to fly in a Standard J-1 airplane with Ed Heath himself as the instructor. The Heath Flying School was a part of the company and the OX-5 powered Standard was the school plane. When the time came for Christ mas bonuses , they were paid off in fly ing time as often as not. Roger still flies when the opportunity presents itself and he still makes pro pellers ... beauties ... works of art, say many users of them And he makes them in a small shop in Niles, Michigan within "spittin'-distance" of the building that once was the main plant of the Heath Airplane Company there . Some times as Lorenzen turns the key in the lock of his shop to begin his day's work, he cocks an ear to an engine sound drifting across the airport and pauses. Could it really be? No.. . impossible! But that sure does sound like one of the Heath B-4 engines. Imagine how differ ent things would be today if Mr. Heath hadn't died in the new Heath Low Wing . Roger pushes the door open and gets ready to begin work. Life goes on. • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17
Barbara Fidler and her pride and joy. She named it "Pretty Plane".
Barbara Fidler's ________ 1 Jke-New Story & Photos by Dick Cavin The Best Custom Classic at Sun 'n Fun '86 in the 101-165 hp class was a su perbly crafted restoration of a Piper PA 22-20 by Barbara Fidler of Alva , Florida. Now in case you are going to be one of those chauvinistic you-know-whats who doesn't want to accept the idea that women can perform aircraft mechanical work as well as men, you had better get used to the taste of crow, amigo. Sure enough, that li 'l 01' slip of a woman did do the restoration of a much bedraggled Tri-Pacer by herself (using the term in a practical sense). No, she didn't pick the engine up in her arms and take it over to the workbench to be overhauled , etc. and of course she did 18JULY 1986
PA-22-20
have to have the help of a strong back in several areas, but who doesn't? Very few men ever do 100% of the restora tion work all by themselves either. What the incredulous male viewpoint is really saying is that most women aren 't often exposed to aircraft work to the extent that they can learn and be come proficient in aircraft covering , doping, painting , sheet metal work, welding , etc. As wives and mothers they probably don 't have the time , energy or incentive after they take care of their never ending duties as mothers, home makers and household managers. All too often it's only Papa's hobby and Mom goes along with it (passively) to please old Pop. If one knew the record of the Fidler
family and their aviation activities, one's skepticism quickly turns into sincere ad miration and appreciation for the meticulous craftmanship they pre sented for public viewing . If I reminded you that Barbara's husband, Gerald Fi dler (EAA 64956, AlC 9199) , built an immaculate Great Lakes replica that was the Grand Champion in its class at the '85 Sun 'n Fun , the picture would come into sharper focus . The Fidlers are a real flying family. They have three grown daughters. The oldest is also a pilot and both of the others want to learn. Barbara told me she had been flying with her husband the .past 30 years, so flying and working on airplanes has been a significant part of their family life for quite a long time.
Barbara's converted Piper Pacer, N2818P, SI N 3111 was named Best Custom Classic in the 101-165 hp class at Sun 'n Fun '86.
Enthusiasm is infectious and gradually the joys of flying and the camaraderie with other flying folks resulted in an en thusiasm that matched that of her hus band. Eventually her thoughts turned in creasingly toward having her very own airplane and taking positive steps to ward her private license. All of this expressive urge in Barbara began to be fulfilled in 1982 when they found N2818P, a '55 Tri-Pacer that had seen better days, as many of them have these days. Admittedly Piper never sold many Tri-Pacers on looks alone, but it was a fairly cheap four-place plane and that was enough for a lot of people in those days. It was about this time that Univair's STC conversion kit for the Tri-Pacers , that made good looking Pacers out of them , began to become popular. The elimination of the ugly training wheel not only improved the looks immensely, but also gave it a performance boost. The tail dragger Pacer also had a reputation as a spirited steed in the ground hand ling department, so Barbara knew she must become proficient. They esti mated the conversion project would probably take a couple of years , thus Barbara had to allow a portion of her spare time for flight training . That she planned things right was evident when she slicked the Pacer on at Lakeland a few minutes after her hus band landed his award-winning Great Lakes replica. This was getting to be old hat for her now, as she flew a J-3 Cub into the '85 Sun 'n Fun affair as a
student pilot. She cut the timing pretty close on the Pacer project, though , as the last bit of painting was done only two days before Sun 'n Fun '86 opened on March 16. Like all complete restorations , the long road back began by stripping off all the old fabric , removing the cowl and other sheet metal, and all glass. Next, out came the engine, along with its mount, prop, spinner, exhaust sytem, mufflers, baffles, etc. All engine controls were tagged when disconnected . The old engine was then boxed up and sent off to be swapped for a like-new re manufactured 150 hp 0-320 Lycoming . With the wings, struts and tail group off, the gear was next. Now the doors came off to give easy access to the in terior, followed by the upholstery, seats, and floor boards. Next in line was the instrument panel and all wiring. It was now the controls turn , which brought the fuselage down to bare bones. The STC mandates a completely new gear to be installed , which requires welding of new attach fittings . Some people think all you have to do is turn the old main gear around, but this isn 't true. Barbara said they had to "eat" the old gear and nose wheel assembly. (Wonder how long it'll be before some one figures out how to use all those trike gears?) After carefully inspecting all tubing in the fuselage it was given a clean bill of health, so now it was time to get it all back together again. The first step was to sandblast the fuselage tubing. A
quickly applied coat of epoxy paint sealed it all in before flash rust began . At this point they turned their atten tion to the wings. Believe it or not they only had to replace the root ribs. Every thing else checked out okay - even the leading edge. Madras wing tips were added, replacing the originals. Whelan strobes were installed in the tips at this time, too . Tanks were pres sure tested and they, too, were A-okay. There is always a hardware replace ment phase on restorations where every bolt, nut and washer are re placed , as are control cables, control surface bushings, etc. Brake and rudder pedals and their bushings catch a lot of wear and N2818P was no exception in these departments. ~arbara ' s instrument panel gleams like new. It should , as she went back with all new instruments and the radios were modernized as well. The panel it self was replaced , along with all wiring, in the airplane. Engine and flight con trols were replaced or given a first class beauty treatment. The doors also received special at tention , being completely rebuilt with new tube framing and all new metal. They were also well insulated before the new plexiglass was installed . Seats were made like new, as were floor boards. A new boot cowl was also fitted to bring the fuselage up to the point where it was ready for a complete new Airtex interior. Now if you have ever in stalled a new headliner you will know (Continued on page 23) VINTAG E AIRPLANE 19
I
~ ~ype
ClubActivities
Compiled by Gene Chase L-4 Squadron
Instrument Faces Clyde Smith, Jr. has provided the fol lowing answers to several queries: "Going back over my records, the first reference I can find as to the use of cream-faced instruments was on J-4 Coupe serial no. 4-1000 built April 17, 1940. Whether these had the bear or not I couldn 't say. The black-faced in strument had the bear from clear back in Bradford days. I have a tachometer from a Bradford-Taylor Cub that has the bear and that practice was probably continued on with Piper because the same vendor was maintained. "During the War, Aeromarine and Stewart-Warner were the prime ven dors and this was so into the early '50s. The instruments then were all cream with no bear. The compass, of course, was the exception - being black. "A few cream instruments with the bear lasted after the war probably until they were used up. I have a factory photo of a PA-12 panel with some of the gauges still having the bear. In 1950 and 1951 with the birth of the Pacer and Tri-Pacer the black-faced instruments began to be used again . To the best of my knowledge the J-3s kept the black instruments with the bear until '41, whereas the '40 and '41 J-4 and J-5 models had the cream faces with the bear. Sentimental Journey '86 At least two owners are planning Cub Caravans to Lock Haven. Jimmie Brown, Pell City, Alabama (205/338 2965 evenings) is planning to fly his Cub to the big fly-in July 13-19. His plane and another Cub will be departing St. Clair County Airport. Kent Ingram, Wagener, South Carolina (803/564-5085) will leave his private strip near New Holland, So~th Carolina July 11 or 12. Both men Invite others to join with them for the flight north to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. 20JULY1986
Due to increased interest in Piper L 4s, the Cub Club is conSidering the pos sibility of forming a L-4 Squadron within the Club. Mike Strok of WW II Gras shopper fame and a frequent contribu ter to the Cub Club newsletter has ag reed to spearhead this activity. Mem bership in the L-4 Squadron would cost Cub Club members an additional $5 an nually. For information on the proposed L-4 Squadron andlor the Cub Club contact John Bergeson, Newsletter Editor, Cub Club, 6438 W. Millbrook Road , Remus, MI 49340, phone 517/561-2393 .
The Short Wing Piper Club, Inc. is one of the largest of the various Type Clubs. It is organized with chapters throughout the U.S. and with Regional Chapter Coordinators in the U.S. and Canada. I continue to be impressed with the club's bi-monthly publication, "Short Wing Piper News," which con tains a wealth of information of value to owners of Pacers, Tri-Pacers, Clippers, etc. The current (May-June) issue con tains 120 pages of technical informa~ tion , news of club activities, .want ads, plus an interesting article by one of the members describing his acquisition and restoration of a Piper Pacer. This par ticualr plane is N6931 K, SIN 2035, one of the few PA-20s built by Piper that does not have flaps. It was built in 1950 as an "economy" model and today is one of a rare breed. For -information on the Short Wing Piper Club, contact Buddie L. Jones, Sr. , Membership Chairman, 4704 Car riage Lane, Muncie, IN 47302.
TRAVELA/R~
Travel Air 5000 "Woolaroc" Since publishing the information on this famous aircraft in last month's issue of VINTAGE (page 4) we have obtained additional information which should be of interest to all readers. Volume 2,
Number 4 of "Travel Air Tails," the quar terly newsletter of the Travel Air Club contained the following article by club president Franny Rourke describing his personal involvement with the project. "As you know, the most famous of the Travel Airs , the Woolaroc Model 5000, has been installed in its new dis play room in the Woolaroc Museum here, south of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. It has turned full circle. The museum was originally built to house the Woolaroc but as the years went by and new ar tifacts and new Directors were ac quired , the plane was allowed to go downhill. "It was finally moved out of the Museum into a separate building which would be missed by most visitors. The only way it could be viewed was to stand outside and look through store type windows. Its appearance was pretty sad. "A decision by the Directors had to be made as to what to do with the airplane. One of the Directors said to burn it as it was of no value and the money could be used elsewhere! It was finally de cided the Woolaroc would be restored and a new wing to house it would be added to the Museum. "I was asked to bid on the restoration - the original intent was to just throw it together but I disagreed. I made a moderate bid to restore it back to origi nal but the Museum Foundation was short of money and they decided the Phillips (Petroleum Company) Flight Department would do the restoration. I was disappOinted but hoped for the best. "My good friend Keith Gan who is in charge of Phillips Aviation Maintenance came by to discuss the project with me. Keith was very busy and was not in terested in the restoration as it had been many years since he had done that type of work. He asked if I would advise him on restoring the airplane and I agreed to help. "I told him the Woolaroc was a very important piece of aviation history and should be restored authentically. I hoped he could convince his superiors to go along with the plan. I had my doubts but kept hoping for the best, and sure enough, it happened! "Keith is a craftsman and as he pro ceeded with the project he became more and more enthusiastic, putting in extra hours working nights and weekends. His enthusiasm became in fectious as the restoration progressed and even the Museum people began to get the fever. (Continued on Page 23)
by George A. Hardie, Jr. In reviewing the aircraft featured in past Mystery Plane columns it becomes evident that many had attractive fea tures that appear modern even today. This month's Mystery Plane is a good example of the above statement. The photo was submitted by Leonard McGinty of Tampa, FL. Answers will be published in the October, 1986 issue of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Deadline for that issue is August 10, 1986.
The Mystery Plane in the April issue of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE is indeed a homebuilt, the Effenheim Special, built by Ray and Ed Effenheim of Mil waukee, WI and completed in 1932. It was their own design with a steel tube fuselage and wood wings . Wheels were cast and machined to fit a set of tires on hand. The first engine used was a borrowed three-cylinder Szekely. Then , a basket-case, 5-cylinder Velie was ob tained and rebuilt. Jimmy Hansen, a local pilot, did the test flying and pro
nounced the airplane satisfactory. At that time , the Tank brothers who had been reworking Curtiss OX-~ ~n gines into air-cooled versions , designed a small 4-cylinder in-line engine called the Skymotor. One was mounted in the Effenheim airplane for test. On one flight the crankshaft broke and the airplane was wrecked in the forced landing. Ray Oberg, Rockford, Michigan cor rectly identified the Effenheim Special, writing the following: "In response to the April '86 Mystery Plane, the records show 12097 to be the ''Effenheim Hawk" serial no. 10 built in 1931 by Edward and Raymond Effenheim of 4213 W. 13th St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin . The en gine was shown as an Effenheim 45 hp, at least through 1934. The engine in the photo sure looks like a LeBlond or Velie . Edward Effenheim built a Knight Twister powered by a Tank engine in 1947. The "Hawk" sure is a pretty air craft and worthy of replicating today. Good lines are timeless ." .
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
VI~TA(;~ LIT~l!ATUl!~
by Dennis Parks EAA Library/Archives Director
VINTAGE 1929
LITERATURE
(Part 2 of 2 parts) Aviation Journals
This exciting and growing era of avia tion was reflected in the growth of avia tion literature. Not only did the number of journal and book titles increase but also the size of the journal issues. In 1925 Ayer's Directory listed five aviation journals. In 1929, Jane 's listed 23 journals for the United States. Three of these titles were on the 1925 list: Aero Digest, Aviation, (see Vintage September 1984) and U.S. Air Ser vices. Of the new titles only one began before Lindbergh 's flight. This was Western Flying which began in 1926. All the others were a result of the post Lindbergh era of aviation enthusiasm . Unfortunately only three of the new titles would survive the depression. These were Popular Aviation, (see Vin tage, July 1984), Sportsman Pilot and Western Flying (later Western Avia tion) . Some of the short-lived titles and their dates are: Aero News and Mechanics (1929-30); Aeronautical World (1928-31); Aviation Engineering (1928-33); Southern Aviator (1928-30) and Pacific Flyer (1929-33). As we mentioned this era showed a great growth in air transport. This was reflected in that five of the 23 journals available in 1929 dealt with commercial aviation. These were: Air Transporta tion; Air Travel News; Airline Rates and Routes; Airports and Airway Age. None
of these survived beyond 1933. The journals with the highest audi ences were Aero Digest, Aviation and Popular Aviation (title changed to Aeronautics from June 1929 to July 1930) . Popular Aviation which began in August 1927, had a circulation higher than that of Aero Digest and Aviation combined and proclaimed such in its advertising. Not only had the number of journals increased since 1925, but the size of the issues had increased . Aero Digest went from an average of 50 pages per issue in 1925 to 200 pages in early 1929. By the Fall of the year there were 300 pages per issue. Aviation, a weekly, had by the end of the year pub lished over 5,000 pages. Combined with Popular Aviation these three jour nals provided over 10,000 pages of avi ation information during 1929. Articles
The Bibliography of Aeronautics for 1929 lists over 5,000 articles. This rep resented an increase of about 25% over 1925. Though the influence of Lindbergh continued, coverage of his activities di minished sharply in 1929, there being only 6 articles indexed compared to the over 100 articles in 1927 and 1928. The interest in commercial aviation is indicated by over 100 articles listed under "airports" and "airways." "Com mercial aeronautics" had 49 listings. Some of the commercial articles are: "Air Commerce to Stimulate Nation's Business"; "Daylight Flight To Panama" and "From Barnstorming to Air Lines ." Over 100 articles were devoted to air craft engines, but unlike 1929, none
were about war surplus engines. The growing use of air-cooled engines was reflected by the 17 articles about them . There were also three articles on diesel engines. An interesting article, "Historical De velopment of Air-Cooled Engines" was done by George Mead, Vice-President of Pratt & Whitney. He stated that the weight advantages of the air-cooled en gines had made them desirable since the early years of flight, but unsuccess ful because of a lack of experience. He also said that new developments were stifled after the war because of the large supply of war surplus engines. At this time air-cooled engines produced weight per horsepower averages from 1-1 /2 to 1-3/4 pounds. Quite something when the Wright Brothers were happy to obtain 14 Ibs/hp. One of the highlights of the year was Aviation 's first statistical number. Dated October 5, 1929, this compilation of 26 pages of tables and charts provided an interesting look at the aviation industry in the United States. Among the charts was "Classification of licensed aircraft." This listing was by type of aircraft (cabin/open cockpit/seaplanes) by reg ion and state. In 1929 the open cockpit prevailed with 3,560 aircraft. Closed cabin jobs numbered 787. There were 95 seaplanes or amphibions (sic) . Bip lanes outnumbered monoplanes three to one. California had the largest number of open and closed aircraf1 for a total of 658. New York had the largest number of seaplanes with 41 . The most popular airplanes were Wacos with 814 regis tered . Travel Air was next with 666 and Alexander third with 386. Of the 4,232 aircraf1 listed as of July 1, 1929, 2,491
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22 JULY 1986
used war surplus engines. This special issue started a trend that continues today in Aviation 's successor - Aviation Week
"At last! Every type of aviation engine explained and illustrated ; 2,000 pages , 1,000 illustrations, 50 tables . Modern Aviation Engines in Two Large Volumes by Major Victor Page." 1929 saw quite a large number of new aviation books
compared to 1925. It also brought about full page ads and advertising hype. Aero Digest responded to the increase in interesting aviation books by starting a book order department and in the November 1929 issue listed over 150 books for sale. The most important publishers in the field were Henley (who publicized the Page books) and McGraw-Hili who re main an important publisher in aeronau tical engineering , and Ronald. Of the 30
books listed in Book Review Digest, some of the more interesting are : Build ing and Flying Model Aircraft by Paul E. Garber (of NASM fame) ; Flight of the Southern Cross by Kingsford-Smith and Ulm; Modern Aircraft by Victor Page and, reflecting the grow1h of commercial aviation, Treatise on Aviation Law by H. G. Hotchkiss. The next installment in this series will take a look at the pre-war aviation boom in 1939. •
BARBARA FIDLER'S LIKE-NEW PA-22-20 ... (Continued from Page 19) how tough it is to get it in place without wrinkling. Barbara did just that, though . The top cowl and nose cowl were okay , so weren't replaced . The bottom cowl is part of the Univair STC kit. It still requires quite a lot of time to install and mate with the top cowl. A carb airscoop was also fabricated and installed. At this time the gear leg vees were covered and painted as were the tail group members. This allowed Barbara to get the airplane up on its new gear so as to install the Reman 0-320. A homebuilt exhaust system was fitted and it included new heat muffs and dual mufflers that were the same as the orig inal. All engine controls were again con nected, which just about completed the engine room rebuild , except for engine baffles. A comletely new baffle set was built and installed, as the old ones had succumbed to vibration in several places. A new spinner also replaced the old one that showed signs of being very tired . The prop, though, was in fairly good shape, so they gave it a good polishing and replaced the bolts and nuts. Almost a couple of years had slip ped by now, but the end was in sight, even though there was a pretty good sized hill to climb yet - the covering jOb. She chose the Stits HF90X process (with minimum dope coats), using regu
lar Piper colors in Poly tone, followed by a coat of clear Aerothane . She's de lighted with the Stits process all the way. She expected the Piper Cream would be more tan than it is. She called it "But ter Yellow" at first, but her original dis appointment has gone away and she really likes it now. (So did several thousand others.) It harmonizes per fectly with the brown and cream Airtex interior, too. The flawless exterior was a joy to examine, even if you used a magnifying glass. The edge of every stripe had nary a "saw tooth" in it. It was as perfect as tape - all over. One little touch of perfection I watched was a judge inspecting the perfect paint on the entire tail wheel area! When I asked her how she was get ting along flying it, she replied that she named it "Pretty Plane" at first, but prob ably should have called it "Wild Adven ture ." It was a handful at first, but now that she has it tamed she loves to fly it. She says it's a piece of cake since learning its little quirks. She said it will climb an honest 1200 ft/min., cruise 110 mph, lAS at 2150 rpm , (a very low percent of power), and will top 135 mph. Not bad. She holds about 70 mph on final in calm air and 80 if it's a little windy and she can get it down and stopped in a very respecta
ble distance, (unlike the Tri-Pacer ver sion) . Because one couldn 't hold the nose wheel off on landing, the Tri-Pacer couldn't benefit from aerodynamic brak ing and it had a significantly longer land ing roll. One of the features of Sun 'n Fun is the "Perserverance Award" that Dr. Brokaw donates to all pilots displaying an airplane they have built or restored . Barbara said the 2-1 /2 years she spent restoring N2818P made Dr. Brokaw's award deeply appreciated. If you were at the '86 Awards Dinner, you 'd have seen a little gal pretty happy with the Best Custom Classic (101-165 hpj trophy, too. Hope she'll be at Oshkosh '86 with it. It's truly a beauty and she deserves all the plaudits. Now, what happened to all those male chauvinist types??? •
Books
The instrument panel in N2818P sports all new instruments and modern radio. Barbara installed the new brown and cream Airtex interior which compliments nicely the Stits Piper Cream color of the Pacer.
TYPE CLUB ACTIVITIES ... (Continued from Page 20)
"The old plane was found to be in pretty fair shape when the fabric was removed. The fuselage was cleaned , re-primed, wood replaced , tank cleaned , etc. The wings were cleaned , checked , old varnish removed and re varnished , loose ribs replaced and re pairs made. "When the engine was pulled , the only damage we found was a bent link rod. The cowling was reassembled like new. The plane would never fly again but it was restored as if it would be. (Man , I would have given up my seat in Hell to have been able to fly it just once!) . "The restoration project took over 4000 man-hours and its display in the Woolaroc Museum, in my estimation, is as good or better than any I've seen in other museums. Keith Gan deserves recognition for his labor and dedication to the restoration of this piece of avia tion history. Now the Woolaroc will be enjoyed for at least another fifty years and I feel proud to have had a little part in the project. "I urge any Travel Air buff to come to Bartlesville to see this historic airplane." For information on the Travel Air Club, contact them at P.O. Box 127, Blakesburg, IA 52536. Phone 515/938 2773.• VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23
Tom "'C rowd:e r's
The Boeing P-12 which Tom Crowder built is so authentic that author Cavin had to ask if it was a restoration or a replica. Colors are olive drab and yellow.
by Dick Cavin (Photos by the author) When I am in the Los Angeles area I never pass up an opportunity to drive out to Santa Paula Airport and go hangar snoopin', as one never knows what new and exotic homebuilt or an tique can be found at this fabulous little airport. It was on such a Los Angeles trip that I made the safari to Santa Paula, even though it was a chilly and rainy day and prospects of finding many hangar doors open were pretty bleak. Luck was with me though, as I rounded the corner of the hangar line there it was - a real live Boeing P-12 in the flesh! It was like a time warp as it proudly stood there in its circa 1930 Army Air Corps colors. I had seen one very briefly in my youth - as one made a refueling stop at my home base airport. It was quite new then and most impres sive, especially on its take off and fan tastic climb out. In those days of under powered OX types that did well to climb 300 ft.lmin ., watching that P-12's 6,000 plus ft.lmin . climb was like watching a rocket ship. The builder of this later day P-12, Tom Crowder (EAA 29419), is a wiry man in his late 60s and I learned he had just completed it after 22 straight months of intensive work. He got a 24 JULY 1986
chuckle out of my question of whether it was restoration or a replica. From a few feet away it was so completely au thentic-looking one simply could not tell. Tom 's secret love affair with the P-12 began as a six-year-old kid living close to Chanute Field, where he saw the P-1 Curtiss Hawks and later the P-12s on a daily basis. A little later came the all metal low wing Boeing P-26 "Peashoot ers" but Tom never forgot his favorite , the P-12. His dad poured cold water on his fly ing in those days, but his chance finally came after WW II , when he learned to fly on the GI Bill. Before too many years passed he heard of EAA and soon he built his first project, a Great Lakes rep lica. He recounted how he put it in the top of a 40-foot tree after an engine fail ure and how they had to use a cherry picker to get him and the Lakes down safely. He began the P-12 project in April of 1984 in his automotive shop in Sunland, California after several months of re search , planning and gathering mate rials. Gathering wasn't all that much of a problem with Tom , though, as he ad mits to being a super pack rat and over the years he had accumluatled some real goodies like instruments, wheels, flying wires, etc. from the 1920-1940 era. Tom had plied his trade as an auto mechanic for years, but after two
months on the P-12 project he got tired of customers interrupting his hobby and he decided to sell the business and re tire. He could hardly wait for the new owner to take over so he could move to a hangar at Santa Paula, where he would spend the next 18 months com pleting the project. In view of today's "quickie" kits , 22 months to complete might not seem earthshaking, but when one considers that he built it from only the sketchiest of plans from "Model Airplane News" as drawn by an acquaintance, William Wylam, it was a real hammer and tongs pace. The first four months were spent building the all-metal control surfaces. He first built male and female dies for a roller to make his own corrugated metal sheet of .020 aluminum. 4000 rivets later they were done. The next four months were spent building the all-wood wings. The top wing is one piece and spans 30 ft. and has a 5 ft. chord . The lower wing has a 26' 4" span and a 45" chord. The airfoil is a Boeing 103, which is somewhere around a 12-15% section. The 80 ribs are built up cap strip and gusset type . The top wing alone required 1112 rib stitches and about 1000 for the lower panels, all of which adds up to sore fin gers in my book. Spars are solid fir. Trailing edges are scalloped, as per the custom in those days. Cabane and in
Tom Crowder built the P-12 in 22 months of intensive work. His only plans were by William Wylam as published years ago in Model Airplane News. The replica's only fuel supply is the 55 gal. belly tank.
terplane struts are cut down Stearman streamline tube. It uses single stream lined landing wires and double flying wires. I asked Tom what kind of a jig he used to weld up the fuselage and he snorted , "Jigs are a waste of time and money for a one-time project. I can build a fuselage in the time it takes to build a jig. " He welded it all himself, along with a helper, Clarence Tice, another retiree who just wanted something useful to do. He started at the firewall, squaring up the vertical members as he tacked them to longerons. He chose the same size tubing for longerons that an AT-6 uses, which are .063 wall to just aft of the cockpit, where they are .049 wall 4130. (The original P-12s used square aluminum tube, something new at that time.) After tacking all tubes he filled in the Warren truss diagonals and com pleted the rest of the welding. When you consider all the standoffs for fairing strips, cockpit controls, etc. that adds up to a whale of a lot of welding hours. As most builders find out, you have to know a lot more than how to lay a bead to have a first class fuselage . You also have to know where and how much to weld, as heat stresses can twist the whole thing out of shape. This in turn can compound alignment problems of the tail group, cabanes, and landing gear if all isn't square. To build the motor mount means rais ing the completed fuselage up to flying position and suspending the engine in its proper position a certain distance in front of the firewall. Then tubes are cut to the proper length between the firewall
and engine and tacked together. Finally the assembly is finished welded and stress relieved. The P-12 really looks bigger than it really is, as it rears up to a height of 9' 7-1 /2" on a tall vee strut gear, mounted well forward as was the custom in those days. This jacked the wings up to their maximum lift angle of attack on landing to allow operation in and out of the short turf fields of yesteryear. The forward lo cation of the gear put a lot of weight on the tail skid (the number one decelera tion device) to preclude soft field noseovers and give adequate clear ance for the large diameter props in use then . Landing at the stalling angle made many airplanes "road crazy" but the drag on the tail skid helped the pilot to keep it rolling straight. The landing gear appears to be streamlined tubing, but actually it's round tube faired to shape with balsa and spiral-wrapped with fabric. It uses rubber doughnuts for suspension in stead of the commonly used shock cord, making a cleaner gear. The wheels are 30" x 5" and are the real thing. They are the bushing type and have 1929 stamped on them . Brakes are Bendix, also. Covering is Stits all the way and Tom is high in his praise of Ray Stits' prod ucts. The color scheme features yellow wings, vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer, an olive drab fuselage and red , white and blue stripes on the rud der, with squadron numbers and mark ings on the fuselage. Tom's P-12 replica is powered with a 550 hp, P&W R-1340-22 of 1932 vin
tage, swinging a big ground adjustable Hamilton Standard prop. He still has some work to do on engine baffles. The original carried 110 gals. of fuel , of which 55 gals. was carried in the belly tank. Tom's only tank is the 55 gal. one on the belly. Only 9 of the straight P-12s were built in 1929, but quite a number of later ver sions, the P-12Bs, Cs, Es and Fs were built plus a variation for the Navy. In 1933 they were replaced by the P-26 as the Air Corps' first line pursuit (fighter). The prototype P-12, the Model 83 XF4B (Experimental Fighter no. 4, Boe ing) first flew in 1928. It was powered by a 500 hp P&W, which gave it a top speed of 168 mph at 2100 rpm, a 60% power cruise of 142 mph, and a stall speed of 56 mph. It had a ceiling of 27,000 ft. and a sustained rate of climb of 3000 ft.!min . It had 227.5 sq. ft. of wing area. Wing loading was 10.6 Ibs./ sq. ft. at its all up weight of 2425 Ibs., while power loading was 4.85 Ibs'/hp. The wings of Tom's replica are identical to the P-12, as well as its length of 20' 7-3/8". really should call them sketches, as di mensions were few and far between, quite a tribute to his trained sense of proportion. I was surprised to learn that Tom has no plans to fly the P-12. He's even re luctant to taxi it, even though he says it really feels great doing so. He saltily Tom has quite a collection of pictures and early bird memorabilia in his hang ar, some of it quite rare. He also showed me the plans he built the P-12 from . He VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25
proclaimed he didn 't like to leave it out side too long for fear "one of those crazy nosewheel pilots here might run into it," adding that they sure had bunch of them in that category. He further said the historical value of the P-12 makes it too valuable to fly and that it really should be in a museum .
Since then I have learned that there is a later version of P-12 (Boeing 100) in Kermit Weeks ' Museum in Miami , Florida and it was flown there from California. Tom hopes to sell the P-12 to a collector who will give it a museum home, so he can get on with his next project.
If you are out Santa Paula way on a weekend you can probably see Tom and the P-12. He lives at 11001 Langmuir Avenue, Sunland, CA 91040 and if you care to call him and talk P-12, he suggests you can catch him before 6:30 a.m. or after 7 p.m. (California time) at 818/353-7522 . •
This frontal view shows the 550 hp 1932 vintage P&W R-1340-22 engine and Hamilton Standard ground adjustable prop.
..
ANTIQUE/CLASSIC FORUM SCHEDULE
8:45a.m.
10:15a.m. Fabric Piper Restoration Clyde Smith, Jr.
Friday, August 1, 1986
Saturday, August 2, 1986
By Ron Fritz, Chairman
Stinson 108 . Gregg Dickerson
~
Cessna 120/140 • InternatiOnal Cessna 120/140 Association
11:45a.m.
1:15p.m.
2:45p.m.
Ryans - PT Series Mike Wilson
Cessna 1201140 • West Coast Cessna 120/140 Club
All Travel Airs were not 2,Ooo's & 4,ooo'sMike & Frank Rezich
Funk Aircraft History
Aeronca Owners "Buzz" Wagner
Bucker Airplanes Chris Arvanites
& Restoration Tips
G. Dale Beach
·Sunday,. August 3, 1986
Stearman Assembly & Rigging' Terry Ladage
Bellancas-Preserva tion - Lawrence D'Attilioand Pamela Foard
Navion Maintenance R.G. Rogien
SwiftsCharlie Nelsen
AIR SHOW· No Forum Scheduled
Monday, August 4, 1986
LuscombesJohn Bergeson
Piper CubsJohn Bergeson
Fairchilds - John Berendt, Ed Wegner, Mike Kelly, Charlie Bell & Herb Puckett
Waco Airplanes Ray Brandly
DeHaviland Moths Gerry Schwam
Tuesday, August 5, 1986
Heath Airplanes & EnginesBill Schlapman & Roger Lorenzen
Aeronca Research & Restoration· Augie Wegner
A New Panel for the ErcoupeJ. Scott Reaser
Staggerwings Jim Gorman & George York
Civil Air Patrol on AntiSub Patrol During WWII - Roger Thiel
Wedne'iday, August 6, 1986
Cessna 170 George Mock
Cessna 170 Cont'd
Antique/Classic Aircraft Judging· Dale Gustafson
Taylorcrafl Owners Forrest Barber, Dorothy Feris & Bruce Bixler
AIR SHOWNo Forum Scheduled
26JULY1986
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
"足
The following is a partial listing of new members who have joined the EAA Antique/Classic Division (through the end of February, 1986). We are honored to welcome them into the organization whose members' common interest is vintage aircraft. Succeeding issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE will contain additional listings of new members.
Fast, Larry F. Fremont, California
Sternheimer, Mark Richmond , Virginia
Purdy, Strother Bridgewater, Connecticut
Moss, Sam Steers, Mark R. Winston-Salem , North Carolina Coronado, California
Furnas, Jr., Louis S. Berwick, Maine
DeWitt, David A. Spring Lake, Michigan
Fischbach, William A. Faison, Haywood R.
Isle of Palms, South Carolina Alameda, California
Ferry, Eugene M. Lander, Wyoming
Foose, M. F. Blue Island, Illinois
Johnson, Lawrence Tucson , Arizona
Sudduth, Norton Frankfort, Kentucky
Rose, Dale H. DeSoto, Kansas
Mankovich, Stanley J. Hillsdale, New Jersey
Ashbaugh, John I. Winslow, Arkansas
Casey, Victor Lansing, Illinois
Toombs, Carl D. Spokane, Washington
Nelson, Louis W. Miami Springs, Florida
Thomas, Randall J Eatonton, Georgia
Armstrong, Mike Miami, Florida
King, William G.
Spring Grove, Minnesota
Musgrove Jr., Louis A. Marietta, Georgia
Fuchs, Ken Wantagh , New York
Souto, Nathan J. Murdock, Kansas
Mahoney, James W. Garfield Heights, Ohio
McQuatters, James Carson , California
Young, Roger Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Vreeland, James H. Delmar, Maryland
Del Toro, Miguel A. FPO, New York
Claster, Jay B. Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Viets, Edna Lyndon , Kansas
DeSplinter, Glen A. Sherrard, Alabama
Maples, Hal St. Charles, Missouri
McGinnis, John W. Frostbutter, David Strawberry Plains, Tennessee Severn, Maryland
Lansbery, Pete Robinson, Illinois
Francis, John Butte, Montana
Jenkins, Robert G. Stone Mountain, Georgia
Gagliardi, Joe Houston, Texas
Johnson, Lloyd Orland Park, Florida
Markham, Milford C. Columbus, Ohio
Quinn, Pat Filmore, California
Leiss, Todd J.
Midwest City, Oklahoma
Brackin, David Alan Hephzibah, Georgia
Hinckle, David S. Richmond , Virginia
Lewis, Wayne Martin, Tennessee
Nasholm, Carl
Milwaukie, Oregon
Ringhoff, Rudy T. Polson, Montana
Brody, Tim Valparaiso, Indiana-
Johnson, David St. Paul, Minnesota
Craig, Robert A.
West Chester, Pennsylvania
Ellingson, Everett . Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Leonard, Gary L. Rochester, New York
Perry, Alan H. Bothell, Washington Upchurch, David A. Medical Lake, Washington
Chatfield, Christopher John Beven, John E. Tadworth, England Spokane, Washington
Enman, George J. Peck-Sanders, Carol North Harwich , Massachusetts Bedford, Texas
Merrill, R. C. Spring, Texas
Luthe, Charlie Austin, Minnesota
Funk, Ross Phoenix, Arizona
Weisenborn, Kent Clarence, Missouri
Bruce, Robert M. Golden, Colorado
Lyman, Robert J. Fulton, New York
Buraceski, John S. Prior Lake, Minnesota
Clair, Alan East Amherst, New York
Fatzinger, Terry L. Billings, Montana
Miller, William D. Brawley, California
Lovejoy Sr., Ed Redondo Beach, Californ ia
Molloy, Roger W. EI Segundo, California
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27
C'A LENDAR OF EVENTS JULY 3-5 - TECUMSEH, MICHIGAN - Meyers Aircraft Owners Association National Annual Fly-In and AI Meyers Airport 50th Anniversary celebration. Contact: 5171423-7629. JULY 4-6 - LOMPOC, CALIFORNIA - West Cub Club Fly-in. Contact Bruce Fall, 101 Oakhill Drive, Lompoc, CA 93436 , phone 8051733 1914. JULY 4-6 - BLAKESBURG, IOWA - Type Club Fly-In at Antique Field. Aeronca, Pietenpol, Corben , Fairchild, Hatz, Great Lakes and others. Fly-outs, awards. Contact: AAA, Route 2, Box 172. Ottumwa, IA 52501 , telephone 515! 938-2773. JULY 4-6 - ALLIANCE, OHIO - 14th Annual Taylorcraft Fly-ln/Reunion at Barber Airport. Fly-bys, forums, food and fellowship. Contact: Bruce Bixler , 216/823-9748. JULY 4-6 - COTTAGE GROVE, OREGON - 6th Annual Gathering of Antiques and summer meeting of the Oregon Antique and Classic Air craft Club. Contact: Tim Talen, 5031746-6572. JULY 9-13 - BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS American Bonanza Society annual convention at Hanscom Field, 20 miles NW of downtown Boston. Meeting site at Marriott Copley Place Hotel, 110 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02116. phone 617/236-5800. Contact: Amer ican Bonanza Society. P.O. Box 12888, Wichita, KS 67277. JULY 11-13 - CELINA, OHIO - 2nd Annual North West Ohio Stearman Fly-in. Hog roast on Saturday evening, fly-inldrive-in breakfast on Sunday morning. Contact: Terry Zimmer man 419/268-2565 , Jim Zimmerman 419/228 3928 or write Zimmerman Aviation, 6177 St. Rt. 219, Celina,OH 45822. JULY 13-19 - LOCK HAVEN. PENNSYLVANIA - A Piper Cub fly-in called "A Sentimental Journey to Cub Haven". Flight contests, dis plays. pilot seminars, flea market, t0urs of the area and banquet. Camping available. Contact: Irving L Perry, P.O. Box J·3, Lock Haven, PA 17745. JULY 17 - ARLINGTON, WASHINGTON - An· nual EAA Sport Aviation Fly-In. Contact: Deck Beckwith , 206/337-2594. JULY 24-26 - MINDEN, NEBRASKA - National Stinson Club (108 Section) Fly-In. Contact: George and Linda Leamy, 117 Lanford Road, Spartanburg, SC 29301, phone 803/576-9698. JULY 25-27 - COFFEYVILLE, KS - Funk Fly·ln. Trophies, games, contests. Contact: Ray Pahls, 454 S. Summitlawn, Wichita, KS 67209. JULY 26-30 - BOYNE MOUNTAIN, MICHIGAN International 180/185 Club Convention . Tours of Washington and Mackinac Island, Sault Saint Marie Locks, shopping trips for the ladies, Banquet Thursday July 31 . Contact:
John Hintermeister, R. 3, Box 34A, Muscatine, IA 52761.319/264-1609. JULY 27 - WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN - Fly-In, drive-in Pancake Breakfast. servinq from 7 a.m. to noon. Sponsored by Waukesha Avia tion Club. Contact: G. Hinkens. S. 55 W.29261 Saylesville Road. Waukesha, WI 53188, 414/ 968-2258. JULY 28-AUGUST 1 - MANASSAS. VIRGINIA - 18th Annual International Cessna 170 As· sociation Convention. Contact: Byrd Raby, 301 /743·7623. JULY 31-AUGUST 3 - CABLE, WISCONSIN Ercoupe Owners Club Annual Fly·ln/Meeting at Cable Union Airport. Contact: Skip Carden , P.O. Box 15388, Durham, NC 27704, phone 919/47 1·9492. AUGUST 1-8 - OSHKOSH. WISCONSIN World's Greatest Aviation Event. 34th Annual EAA International Fly-In Convention and Sport Aviation Exhibition. Contact: EAA Headquar· ters, Wittman Airfield, Oshkosh, WI 54903· 3086. phone 414;426·4800 . AUGUST 8-15 - BLAKESBURG, IOWA - Annual AAA National Fly-In for members only. Antique Airfield. Contact: AAA, Rt. 2, Box 172, Ot· tumwa, IA 52501 , phone 515/938·2773. AUGUST 11-15 - FOND DU LAC. WISCONSIN - International Aerobatic Club Competition at Fond du Lac Skyport. Contact: Clisten Murray, 302 S. Railway, Mascoutah, IL 62258, phone 618/566-8601. AUGUST 17 - CLARENCE, NEW YORK - EAA Chapter 656 "Generic" Taildragger Fly-In at Clarence Aerodrome, located six miles south of, Lockport, NY. Contact: Miss Sterling Das· chler, 142 Curtis Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14223. AUGUST 22-24 - SUSSEX. NEW JERSEY 14th Annual Air Show at Sussex Airport, Inc. Contact: 201 /875·7337 or 201 /875·9919. AUGUST 23-24 - SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK - Flight '86 Airshow sponsored by the Amer· ican Red Cross and Empire State Aero Sci ences Museum at Schenectady County Airport. featuring Blue Angels. Contact Steve Israel, Di· rector, 19 Airport Road, Scotia, New York 12302, phone 518/399-5217. AUGUST 24 - BROOKFIELD, WISCONSIN 3rd Annual Ice Cream Social and Fly-In at Capitol Airport. Sponsored by AlC Chapter 11 . Contact: George Meade, 414/962-2428 AUGUST 24 - MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA Michigan City Aviators Club annual fly·in/drive· in pancake breakfast, serving 7 a.m. to noon. at Michigan City MuniCipal Airport. Contact: Tom Robbins, 2191924·0207 (days) or 219/ 926-1921 (evenings). AUGUST 29-SEPT. 2 - ROME, GEORGIA - 5th Annual Ole South Fly·ln sponsored by Tennes
VINTAGE
SEAPIANES
By Norm Petersen "On the step" at the Brennand Sea plane Base is a pre-war Piper J-4 Cub Coupe (wood spar) on 1320 Edo floats and flown by seaplane enthusiast Charles Ott (EAA 128944, AlC 4958) of Box 213, Port, Col borne, Ontario, Canada L3K 5V8. Registered C-FAWS, the Coupe features an 85 hp Continen tal with full electrical system, radio, aux fuel tank and a Cessna 150 cowling . • 28JULY 1986
see Valley Sport Aviation Association. Inc. Camping available. Nearby motels. Parade of flight featuring antiques, classics, warbirds. homebuilts, ultralights and rotorcraft. Contact: Jimmy Snyder, 5315 Ringgold Road, Chat· tanooga, TN 37412. phone 615/894·7957. SEPTEMBER 6-7 - MARION, OHIO - 21st An· nual "MERFI" EAA Fly·ln . Camping on airport grounds. Contact: Lou Lindeman. 3840 Clover· dale Road , Medway, OH . phone 513/849·9455 after 6:00 p.m. SEPTEMBER 12-14 JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS - 2nd Annual Stinson Fly-In and Reunion. Seminars on Franklins, re-covering and modifi cations. Banquet on Saturday night. Fly outs, contests. Contact: Loran Nordgren, 4 West Nebraska, Frankfort. IL 60423, phone 815/469· 9100. SEPTEMBER 20-21 - MERCEDES, BUENOS AIRES , ARGENTINA-AIC Chapter 12 Fly-In, aerial spring picnic. Contact: Abel Debock, C. C. 275·2930, San Pedro, Argentina, phone 0329-24307. SEPTEMBER 26-28 - BANDERA, TEXAS - 2nd Annual Continental Luscombe Association, Texas Chapter Fly-In at Flying T ' Ranch. Con· tests, awards, family style meals. Contact: Ron Carson, 5121493·1031. SEPTEMBER 27-28 - BINGHAM, MAINE - 17th Annual Gadabout Gaddis Fly·ln at Gadabout Gaddis Airport. Contact: 207/672·4100 or 2071 672·5511 . OCTOBER 2-5 PITTSBURGH. PENNSYL· VANIA - 11th Annual International Cessna 120/140 Association Convention at Butler Farm Show Airport - Roe, 4 miles west of city on Detroit sectional. Contact: Mike Quinlan . Con vention Chairman . 224 Lehr Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15223, phone 4121781-4435. OCTOBER 3-5 - TAHLEQUAH , OKLAHOMA 29th Annual Tulsa Fly-In sponsored by AlC Chapter 10, lAC Chapter 10. AAA Chapter 2 and Green Country Ultralight Flyers, Inc. Con tact: Charles W. HarriS, 119 East Fourth Street, Tulsa, OK 74103. phone 918/585-1591. OCTOBER 3-5 - TAHLEQUAH. OKLAHOMA National Bucker Club 6th Annual Fly-In. in con junction with the 29th Annual Tulsa Fly-In . Con tact: Frank G. Price, Rt. 1, Box 419 , Moody. TX 76557, phone 817/853-2008. OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 2 - NEW ORLEANS. LOUISIANA - Major air show at the New Or leans Naval Air Station celebrating the 75th anniversary of Naval Aviation. EAA Chapters in the Gulf Coast area have been invited to participate with members' aircraft. Featured will be the Blue Angels. Golden Knights, many other aerial demonstrations and statiC displays, including warbirds from WW II to present. Con tact: Cdr. D. K. Simpson, Operations Officer, Naval Air Station (Code 50). New Orleans. LA 70143-5000. phone 5047393-3198 . •
MEMBERSHIP
IN FORMATION
EAA
Where The Sellers and Buyers Meet...
25e per word, 20 word minimum. Send your ad to
The Vintage Trader, Wittman Airfield
Oshkosh, WI 54903-2591.
AIRCRAFT: 1950 Bellanca Cruismaster 14-19-- 1750 n , 690 SMOHE, NavCom, XPNDR , full panel , aux . tank, hangared, mostly original. Dick, 812/376 3238 or 812/377-7022. (71) J-3 Piper Cub Fuselage - Bare, repaired , re stored ready for sandblasting, paint. Included uncovered A-1 tail feathers, landing gear vees, cabane, shock struts, wheels, floor boards, control torque, sticks, rudder pedals, etc. Some new mate rial for Birdcage Standoff Channels, Yoke, F.O.B. Pennsylvania. Best offer over $1 ,650.00. Bargain for someone who wants to build a J-3. 215/326 9592. (71)
PLANS: 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 3'12 gph at cruise setting. 15 large instruction sheets. Plans - $60.00. Info Pack - $5.00. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales Corners, WI 53130. 414/529-2609. ACRO SPORT - Single place biplane capable of unlimited aerobatics. 23 sheets of clear, easy to follow plans includes nearly 100 isometrical draw ings, photos and exploded views. Complete parts and materials list. Full size wing drawings. Plans plus 139 page Builder's Manual - $60.00. Info Pack - $5.00. Super Acro Sport Wing Drawing $15.00. The Technique of Aircraft Building $10.00 plus $2.00 postage. Send check or money order to : ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales Cor ners, WI 53130. 414/529-2609.
ACRO II - The new 2-place aerobatic trainer and sport biplane. 20 pages of easy to follow, detailed plans. Complete with isometric drawings. photos, exploded views. Plans - $85.00. Info Pac $5.00. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., P.O. Box 462, Hales Corners , WI 53130 . 414/529-2609.
MISCELLANEOUS: BACK ISSUES ... Back issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE (and other EAA Division publications) are available at $1.25 per issue. Send your list of issues desired along with payment to: Back Issues, EAA-Wittman Airfield , Oshkosh, WI 54903-2591 . "GRAND CANYON ", 2-hour spectacular helicopter exploration VIDEO. Breathtaking music. Critically acclaimed. Details FREE. Beerger Productions, 327-V12 , Arville, las Vegas, NV 89102 , 702/876 2328. (C-l0/86) FUEL CELLS - TOP QUALITY - Custom made bladder-type fuel tanks and auxiliary cells, any shape or capacity for Warbirds, Experimental, Vin tage, Sport and Acrobatic aircraft. Lightweight, crashworthy, baffled and collapsible for installation. Typical delivery 2-3 weeks. Call or write for details: 1-800-526-5330 , Aero Tec labs, Inc. (ATl), Spear Road Industrial Park, Ramsey, NJ 07446. (C5/87) For Sale - Aeronca C-3 tailfeathers - also Aeronca E-113 engine, less crankshaft, carb and mag. 608/222-8489. (71) NEW MEMBERS! Complete set of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazines for sale. $225.00 608/222 8489 - no collect calls. (71)
Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is $30.00 for one year, $58.00 for 2 years and $84.00·for 3 years. All include 12 is sues of Sport Aviation per year. Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $18.00 an nualTy. Family Membership is avail able for an additional $10.00 annually.
ANTIQUE/CLASSIC
EAA Member - $18.00. Includes one year membership in EAA An tique-Classic Division, 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Airplane and membership card. Applicant must be a Gurrent EAA member and must give EAA membership number.
Non-EAA Member - $28.00. In cludes one year membership in the EAA Antique-Classic Divison, 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Air plane, one year membership in the EAA and separate membership cards. Sport Aviation not included.
lAC
Membership in the International
Aerobatic Club, Inc. is $25.00 an nually which includes 12 issues of
Sport Aerobatics. All lAC members
are required to be members of EAA.
WARBIRDS
Membership in the Warbirds of America, Inc. is $25.00 per year, which includes a subscription to Warbirds Newsletter. Warbird mem bers are required to be members of EAA.
LIGHT PLANE WORLD
WANTED: Wanted: Heads-up display panel and CRT. Used & obsolete okay. Call with specs and prices. John
McCoy, 604/732-0909. (71)
VINTAGE TRADER AD fORM Send check or money order with copy to Vintage Trader - EM, Wittman Airfield , Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. 25¢ per word, 20 word minimum.
EAA membership and LIGHT PLANE WORLD magazine is available for $25.00 per year (SPORT AVIA T/ON not included). Current EAA members may receive LIGHT PLANE WORLD for $15.00 per year.
FOREIGN
MEMBERSHIPS
Please submit your remittance with
a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars or an international postal money order similarly drawn.
Make checks payable to EAA or the division in whiCh membership is desired. Address all letters to EAA or the particular division at the fol lowing address: Total Words _ _ _ Number 01 Issues to Run _ _ _ _ _ _ __
_ _ _ _ _ _ __
Total$_ _ _ Signature _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Address _ _ __
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WITTMAN AIRFIELD OSHKOSH, WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800 OFFICE HOURS: 8:30-5:00 MON.-FRI. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29
EAA OFFICIAL
THE JOURNAL OF THE EARLY AEROPLANE
VIDEO
VHS & BETA
The most authoritative journal on 11lose \\bnderful Flying Machines 1.900-1919
'Thli! official EAA Founda tion video collection of fers these great tapes for your viewing pleasure: EAA '84
55 minutes of Fly-In excitement from pre-Con
vention preparation to the arrival of Voyager.
Includes great Warbirds show scenes.
..$32:00$39.00
EAA OSHKOSH '83
A 26 minute film covering the complete '83
Convention and the dedication of the EAA
Aviation Center.
$39.00 EAA OSHKOSH 'n The 77 Convention plus excellent excerpts of the Spirit of St. Louis Commemorative Tour. $39 .00 AERONAUTICAL ODDITIES 17 minutes of fun featuring the oddities and comedies of the early flight as seen in news reels of the day. A great addition to your personal library. $29.95 WE SAW IT HAPPEN 60 minutes covering the history of flight as seen in rare early footage and interviews with many aviation pioneers. -$69:00" $49.95 WINGS ON DREAMS (1981)
This famous John Denver film is an in-depth
look at EAA Oshkosh '81 and features ground
breaking ceremonies for the Aviation Center.
$29.00 BASIC AIRCRAFT WELDING Learn the intricacies of welding with practical demonstrations on the subject . An excellent film for the builder. $39 .95 IN PURSUIT OF DREAMS - New Release
EAA member actor/pilot Cliff Robertson is
narrator host of a film that features Founder
Paul Poberezny and tells of EAA's early days,
philosophy and accomplishments.
$29.00 (16 minutes)
BASIC AIRCRAFT WOODWORKING - New
Release Woodworking knowledge is essential to any homebuilder project. This tape covers the basics of wood construction techniques. $39 .95 Add $2.50 for postage and handling
Wisconsin residents add 5"10 sales tax
Guaranteed Immediate Delivery
Watch for New Releases
WORLD WAR I
~,
ATTENTION
AIRCRAFT OWNERS
SAVE MONEY ... FLY AUTOGAS
If you use 80 octane avgas now, you could be using less expensive autogas with an EAA-STC. Get your STC from EAA - the organization that pioneered the first FAA approval for an alternative to expensive avgas. CALL TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION IT'S TOLL-FREE 1-800-322-42n (in Wisconsin call 414-426-4800) Or write: EAA-STC, Wit1man Airfield, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3065 For faster service, have your airplane's "N" number and serial number; your en gine's make, model and serial number; and your credit card number ready.
It's Exciting! It's for Everyone!
See this priceless coillection of rare, historically significant aircraft, all imaginatively displayed in the world's largest, most modern sport aviation museum. Enjoy the many educational displays and audio-visual presentations. Stop by-here's something the entire family will enjoy. Just minutes away!
E~
:::::JIiIIl.I?' FOUNDATION l""'T Wittman Airfield N
414-426-4800
30 JULY 1986
INC.
15 Crescent Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, USA
Oshkosh, WI 54903-3065
HOURS
8:30 to S{)() p. m. Monday thru Saturday 11{)() a.m. In S{)() p.m. Sundays
Closed Eastec Thanksgiving. Christmas and New Year; Day (Guided group tour afTOngements must be made I:'Ml weeks in advance).
CONVENIENT
IDeATION
The tM Aviation Center is located on Wittman Field. Oshkosh. Wis. - j ust off Highway 41. Going North Exit Hwy. 26 or 44. Going South Exit Hwy. 44 and follOw signs. For fly-ins-free bus from Basler Flight Service.
Classic owners!
CLASSIC WALNUT
Interior looking ahabbyf
Miniature Scale Replicas of Your Favorite CLASSIC or ANTIQUE Airplane , Meticulously Handcrafted in American Black Walnut.
cC:J
A Truly Unique Desk Set with Matching Pen and Gold tone J.D. Plate for Gift, Award or Flying Event Trophy. Planes can be Pedestal Mounted Depicting "In-Flight," or Base Mounted to Depict a " Landed" Attitude.
Finish it right with an Girtex interior Complete interior assemblies for dO-it-yourself installation.
Custom Quality at economical p-ices. • 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.
For FREE Color Brochure with Price List and Full Details: WRITE or PHONE
• t ex products, inc. Qlr -
.,;;r'
259 Lower Morrisville Rd., Dept. VA Fallsington, PA 19054 (215) 295-4115
PLANE PEOPLE 3425 Sixth Avenue South Salem, OR 97302
(503) 370-9806
STITS POLY-FIBER
BL!]L!]. r COVERING MATERIALS
LOG BOOKS
FOR OVER 20 YEARS
THE CHOICE OF THE GRAND CHAMPION WINNERS
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: EM Ultralight Pilot's Log and Achievement Record . . . . EM Ultralight Engine and Aircraft Log . . . . . . . . . Also Now Available: CAM-18 (Reprint of early CM Manual) . . . . . . . . . . Amateur-Built Aircraft Service and Maintenance Manual . . .
$2.75 ppd. $2.75 ppd. $2.75 ppd. $2.75 ppd.
YEARS OF TROUBLE-FREE SERVICE.
WRITE OR PHONE FOR FREE. • • • •
$2.75 ppd. $2.75 ppd.
* SAMPLE OF HIGH STRENGTH, VERY SMOOTH, 1.7 OZ.
$5.50 ppd.
*
$4.50 ppd.
*
Order From:
EAA Wittman Airfield
* PROVEN DURABILITY ON THOUSANDS OF AIRCRAFT. * FAA-STC AND PMA FOR OVER 630 AIRCRAFT MODELS. * ALL COATINGS DEVELOPED ESPECIALL Y FOR AIRCRAFT FABRIC. * WILL NOT SUPPORT COMBUSTION. * LIGHTEST COVERING METHOD APPROVED UNDER FAA-STC AND PMA. * MOST ECONOMICAL COVERING METHOD CONSIDERING
Oshkosh, WI 54903-2591
Phone 414/426-4800
Include payment with order - Wisc. residents IJdd 5% sales tllX
Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery
POLYESTER FABRIC DEVELOPED ESPECIALLY FOR AIRCRAFT COVERING. MANUAL 1 WITH DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR FABRIC COVERING, REFINISHING FABRIC SURFACES, AND PAINTING AIRCRAFT FOR CORROSION CONTROL. LATEST CATALOG AND DISTRIBUTOR LIST.
STITS POLY-FIBER ~ AIRCRAFT COATINGS P. O. BOX 3084-V RIVERSIDE, CA 92519 -... PHONE (714) 684-4280
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31