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PUBLICATION STAFF PUBLISHER

Tom Poberezny

VICE-PRESIDENT

MARKETING & COMMUNICAnONS

Dick Man

EDITOR

Mark Phelps

ART DIRECTOR

Mike Drucks

ADVERnSING

Mary Jones

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Norman Petersen Dick Cavin

FEATURE WRITERS

George A Hardie, Jr. Dennis Parks

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Isabelle Wiske

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jim Koepnick Carl Schuppel

Jeff Isom

EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC

DIVISION, INC.

OFFICERS

President Esple "Butch" Joyce 604 Highway SI. Madison, NC 27025 919/427-0216 Secretary George S. York 181 Sloboda Ave. Mansfield. OH 44906 419/529-4378

Vice President Arthur R Morgan 3744 North 51st Blvd. Milwaukee, WI 53216 4141442-3631 Treasurer

E.E. "Buck" Hilbert

P.O. Box 424

Union, IL 60180

815/923-4591

DIRECTORS Robert C. "Bob" Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicago, IL 60620 312m9-2105 Philip Coulson 28415 Springbroak Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 616/624-6490 Charles Harris 3933 South Peoria P.O. Box 904038 Tulsa, OK 74105 9181742-7311 Dale A Gustafson 7724 Shady Hill Drive Indianapolis, IN 46278 317/293-4430 Gene Morris 115C Steve Court, R.R. 2 Roanoke, TX 76262 817/491-9110 Daniel Neuman 1521 Berne Circle W. Minneopolis, MN 55421 612/571-0893

John S. Copeland 9 Joanne Drive Westborough, MA 01581 508/366-7245 William A Eickhoff 41515th Ave.. N.E. St. Petersburg, FL 33704 813/823-2339 Stan Gomoll 1042 90th Lane, NE Minneopolis, MN 55434 6121784-1172 Robert D. "Bob" Lumley 1265 South 124th St. Broakfield, WI 53005 4141782-2633 Steven C. Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507/373-1674 s.H. OWes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53213 414m1-1545

DIRECTOR EMERITUS s.J. Wlnman

7200 S.E. 85th Lane

Ocala, FL 32672

904/245-7768

ADVISORS John Berendt 7645 Echo Point Rd. Cannon Falls, MN 55009 507/263-2414

Gene Chase 2159 Carlton Rd. Oshkosh, WI 54903 414/231-5002

George Daubner 2448 Lough Lane Hartford, WI 53027 414/673-5885

John A Fogerty RR2, Box 70 Roberts, WI 54023 715/425-2455

JeonnleHl1i

P.O. Box 328

Harvord. IL 60033

815/943-7205

Contents 4

Antique Classic News/

compiled by Mark Phelps

6 Aerograms 8

Vintage Literaturelby Dennis Parks Page 6

Members' Projectslby Norm Petersen

Chapter Capsuleslby Bob Brauer

Pass It To Bucklby E. E. "Buck" Hilbert

Vintage Seaplaneslby Norm Petersen

From Zero to 450lby Norm Petersen

Famous Grouse Rallylby Chris and Mavis Parker

Welcome New Members

Vintage Trader

Mystery Planelby George Hardie, Jr.

Page 18

Page 24

FRONT COVER ... Doug Kiel splashes color across the countryside in his rip-snorting 450 Steorman. See Norm Petersen's story on this re颅 markable young man on poge 18. (Photo by Jeff Isom, Photo plane flown by Norm Petersen)

REAR COVER ... Skeeter Carlson's Curtiss IN-4 ' Canuck" in front of the Red Barn at EAA Oshkosh '89. Skeete(s airplane is one of the six Jennies that flew at Oshkosh and are also feotured in a new video available from EAA entitled, "Irs Gona Be A Jenny: (Photo by Jim Koepnick) The WOlds EM ULTRALIGHT. FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM, SPORT AVIATION. and !he logos 01 EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INC., EM INTERNA路 TIONAL CONVENTION, EM ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION INC , INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB INC., WARBIRDS OF AMERICA INC.. are registered 1rOOemar1<s. THE EM SKY SHOPPE and logos of !he EM AVIATION FOUNDATION INC. and EM ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION are trademari<s of !he rJ:x:Ne asrociations and !heir use by ""I person oIher !han !he above associations is strictly prohiJi1ed. Elitorial Policy: Readers are encouaged kl suIJnjt stories and pt<JIogaphs. Policy opirions expressed in mes are solely !hose of !he authors. Responsblity for armar:; in repo<1ir<J rests entreIy wiIh !he conIriJutor. Material should be sent 10: Em, The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Willman Regional Airport. 3000 Poberezny Rd., Os/i<osh, Wl54903-~. Phone: 414142&4800. . The VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) ~ published and Cl'oYI1ed e'clJsive~ by EM AnIiQueICIassic Division, Irx:. 01 !he Expefimenlal AircraJt Association. Irx:. and ~ pIilIished month~ at Writman Regional Airport. 3000 Pobefezny Rd.. 0shI<0sh, WI 54903-3086. Second Class Postage paid al Oshkosh, WI 54901 and additional mai~ offices. t.4errbe<stip rales for EM AnliquelClassic Division, Inc. are $lB.OO for cooent EM membe<s ,,, 12 month period of whidl $12.00 ~ publicalioo of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. MerOOership ~ open ID all v.OO are inlerested in aviation. ADVERTISING - Antique/Classic Division does OOIguaranlee" endorse any product offered through our advertising.We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report 01 irleriof rrerchandise obtained through O\X advertising so thai corrective measures can be taken. POSTMASTER: Send address cf1anges 10 EM AnliqueJClassic Division, Irx: ., P.O. Bo, 3066, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.

,,,the

Compiled by Mark Phelps

1989 REFERENCE GUIDE John Bergeson has really changed the 1989 Reference Guide for the EAA magazines . It will be much easier to use as there is only one, covering all EAA magazines from 1953 through 1989 . Further, the Reference Guide is much less expensive - for example, the cost to U. S. purchasers is only $15 plus $1.50 UPS . For past purchasers living in the U. S., the cost is only $7.50 plus $1.50 UPS . Canadian pur chasers and purchasers from other countries will receive equivalent sav ings. The new Reference Guide will be available January, 1990. Order from John B . Bergeson, 6438 W . Millbrook, Remus, MI 49340, 5171 561-2393. VISA/MASTERCARD ac cepted. Note: He has all magazines and will make copies of any article(s) from any issue at 25 cents per page ($3 minimum).

John Bouteller The aviation world and our aviation community lost a leader, a skilled and experienced pilot, a fine technician, a man of unusual and varied talents, but most of all, we lost a friend in the death of John Bouteller. John's flying career spanned fifty years. From his small Wiley Post biplane of 1939 to his Fal cons and Lears of the 1980s, there was little sky around the world that John had not seen from behind the wind screen of his airborne chariot. It would be safe to say that few if any aviators have ever experienced a more varied and rewarding career. From the days of teaching military students in Stear mans at Cimmaron Field to the T-6s of the military, to the Twin Beeches and A-26s of Service Pipe Line, to the Lockheeds and later the Falcons, Sabres and Lears of the corporate world, John flew and commanded with consummate skill and unparalleled de 4 DECEMBER 1989

dication to safety. He totally enjoyed his long and distinguished flying career; it was his passion. But just perhaps John 's most prized and happy years had been these past years, these years earned after retirement from the burden of the corporate jet world , these last years when he restored and flew his precious open cockpit N3Ns. It was, if you will, as he came into his aerial career so many years ago in the little Wiley Post biplane, only this time with the experience, skill, judgment and knowledge that could only come from a lifetime of flying . His Ns were works of art, as strong as bridges and as beautiful as the freshly scrubbed faces of young maidens . His touch on the controls was feather light, his head ing always true. John was a giant among us; his memory is a treasure to us . When you are up there on perfect days, look for him; he will be waiting for you - as he flys forever in clear blue skies and soft smooth tailwinds! God speed, John . - Charlie Harris, A /C Chapter 10, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

New High Tensile Aircraft Covering Fabric Ceconite, Inc. and Blue River Air craft Supply announce the availability of a new, lightweight, high tensile fab ric for aircraft use. "Ceconite" 104HT is the most recent "Ceconite" product development. It is a very lightweight fabric (1.9 oz. per sq. yd.). However, due to the fact that it is produced with a high tenacity yarn, it offers tensile strength equivalent to "Ceconite" 102 and greater than grade "A" cotton fab ric . "Ceconite" 104HT and 7610HT will produce a smoother surface finish and a lighter aircraft cover than any of the other "Ceconite" products available. When used with the Ceconite 7600 covering process, the fabric will be listed as 76104HT.

The Supplemental Type Certificate for use with this new fabric is SA4503NM . This STC number may be used free of charge by purchasers of the "Ceconite" fabric. For full infor mation on this new advanced product, contact: Blue River Aircraft Supply, 223 N. Clay (P.O.Box 460), Harvard, NE 68944, 4021772-3651; FAX # 4021772- 2039 . Historic Jenny video available EAA's award-winning video re cently put the finishing touches on a fascinating look at the history of the Curtiss JNA "Jenny" ... and the re markable impact that venerable airplane had on aviation history. This 30-minute video, entitled, "It's Gotta Be A Jenny" enables viewers to understand what it feels like to fly one of aviation's most recognized and sig nificant airplanes. See rare footage from the Jenny 's earliest days as a mil itary trainer , its later role as the airplane used most often by the daring "barnstormers," a comprehensive look at Ken Hyde's beautiful restoration of his 1918 IN-4D and much, much more. "It's Gotta Be A Jenny" is a loving look at a very special airplane . The tape is now available for $24.95 (plus $3 shipping and handling; Wisconsin residents add five percent sales tax). To order, call EAA's toll free video hotline, 1-800-843-3612.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE adds color pages Starting with the January 1990 issue, VINTAGE AIRPLANE will add four pages of color to the magazine on a quarterly basis . The board of direc tors, at its November meeting, voted to add the pages to amplify coverage of the expanding, colorful world of an tique and classic aircraft. •

HE KNOWS HOW TO TREAT A LADY

by Ray Hemman, Hutchinson News

Editor's note ... the following story ap peared on the front page of the Sunday, October 1 edition of the Hutchinson News in Hlllchinson, Kansas . Reporter Hemman and photographer Chris Ochsner spent the day with John McDonald and his Taylor craft, flying, talking and taking piclllres. Thanks to this newspaper's positive ap proach to sport aviation, the citizens of Hutchinson have a clearer view of what personal flying is all about. We aviators sometimes take people such as John McDonald for granted. When a story such as this appears in the general press, we can beller appreciate what kind of people share our love for flyin g and classic airplanes.

A s John McDonald talks about his lady , there is no doubt that she is not ordinary. As he runs his hand across her back and looks at her face-to-face , you can see the love McDonald has. And for good reason. " I get about the same feeling flying this plane that I did flying when I was 17 ," the 61-year-old from Windom said last week as he talked about his lady, a red-and-black 1946 Taylorcraft Scotsman . McDonald, a product design consultant in the manufactured housing industry, met his Taylorcraft through an aviation trade publication . He purchased the bird in 1977 from Warren Long in Thomasville , Geor gia. The plane was restored in 1975 to its original condition by the owner who had sold it to Long . Since McDonald purchased the plane, it has won 37 awards as a classic aircraft in competition. This summer, the plane re ceived its third award at the Oshkosh, Wis consin show, an internationally acclaimed fly-in that draws thousands of aircraft each year. McDonald slept with his plane two weeks during the show at Oshkosh , camp ing out under her wing . He often sleeps with the plane at air shows. While the awards help justify the long hours McDonald must devote to the plane to keep it in peak condition, the awards are not the reason he flies it. He flies it because of the feeling it gives him and the memories

it evokes. " I had one of these in the '50s," he said. " You could buy one with 600 hours on it for $600. I was in college at the time . It (his original Taylorcaft) was red and black ." Indeed, McDonald commuted from Lit tle River to his job at the Cessna aircraft plant in Wichita one summer during the 1950s for work. During the entire summer , he had to drive only one day because the weather was bad . His original Taylorcraft had a third color - silver. The silver was from areas of bare metal where hailstones had knocked off the finish. "It was parked out there with the new Cessnas each day - red and black with spots of silver," he said. A flight in the plane shows another feel ,ing McDonald gets out of his Taylorcraft today - freedom . Unlike more modem birds that are connected with radio-wave umbilical cords to air traffic controllers , McDonald's only direct contact is between himself and the plane - unless he has a passenger in the two-seat plane. McDonald's type of flying - known as sport flying - provides a solitude si milar to another outdoor sport in Kansas. "I use flying like a lot of other guys use fishing," he said . As he prepares the plane for flight, McDonald pushes it out onto the apron . One person can maneuver the taildragging plane on the ground without he lp because it weighs only 724 pounds empty . After blocking the front wheels, McDonald opens the door to the cabin, but does not get in . He instructs those nearby to get behind the aircraft - away from the propeller. He asks one bystander to hold the plane near the tail to keep it from mov ing when it starts. This is the "cheaper" version of the plane and has only one door. Both pilot and pas senger contort their way into the plane through a door that is about half the size of a door on a subcompact car. The pilot goes to the front of the plane, pulls on a pair of gloves and grasps the gleaming silver propeller. He manually turns the engine over twice by the propeller to prime it.

He walks back around the aircraft, flips the magneto switch inside the cockpit and returns to his former position in front of the plane . Grasping the propeller once again, he pulls down once, twice, and the engine fires to life. Freedom in the Taylorcraft comes with no battery or electrical system to start the airplane. Freedom also comes with few instru ments - an oil temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, altimeter, compass, engine tachometer and airspeed indicator. The airspeed indicator, by the way, measures speed in miles per hour; today's planes measure speed in knots . "A fancy lawn mower has more gauges," he said. And it does haye a deluxe fuel gauge for the tank in the bird' s nose. The gauge is a wire that sticks through the top of the gasoline cap. Attached to the bottom of the wire is a cork that floats on top of the fuel. Hence , the longer the length of wire showing, the more fuel the tank has. Once McDonald gets into the air, rela tively little engine noise is heard . The 65 horsepower, four-cylinder, Continental en gine is quiet compared to the roar of larger planes . The horizon on the early fall day is fairly clear; Hutchinson can be seen by the time he reaches 1,000 feet in altitude. The air is cool and calm; the flight takes on a dreamy quality as the plane drifts through the sky. McDonald trims the plane by rotating a crank on the cabin's ceiling. He momentar ily takes his hands off the wheel as he makes a notation in his black operations notebook . McDonald's plane was manufactured in Alliance, Ohio, in October 1946. As McDonald banks the plane into its final approach, his eyes take the place of a two-way radio . He scans the skies for any other planes that might be landing. "Well, I don't see my Lear," he said, referring to a jet that is based at the airport. When McDonald lands the plane, it drifts in smoothly, flares and then touches down. Keeping the bird on the ground, however, can be a challenge. Because of its light weight, the plane easily becomes airborne. Little puffs of wind upon landing bounce the plane back into the air. McDonald won ' t name a price for his plane. Typically, a two-seat Taylorcraft would sell for $6,000 to $10,000. Because of the immaculate condition of his bird and the attention to original detail, the plane is worth considerably more . But it's not for sale at any price. "I had a man from England ask me about the price at Oshkosh," he said. "I didn ' t give him one, because J was afraid he might take it. "I've had the plane for 12 years. J have no intention of changing it or selling it." This lady is not for sale . • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

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standing original 1947 Straight 35 . It is Serial 1110, manufactured in November 1947. Mrs. Coigny and I flew it to Osh kosh in 1977 and again in 1987 . We hope to fly it to Oshkosh again in 1997. At that time I'll be 85 years old . We flew in the Parade of Flight in both 1977 and 1987, and hope to be asked again in 1997. The engine is still performing excellently with I ,800 hours' total. Total time on the airframe is also 1,800 hrs . The engine has had no overhaul. Our Bonanza is rated by the State of California as a "Show Type Classic" airplane and is exempted from property taxes . I enjoy being a member of EAA and EAA's AIC group. I look forward to the magazines each month. I would like to build a homebuilt but would have to sell the Bonanza at a good price to do so. Keep up all of the good - hope to see you in 1997 - perhaps sooner! Best wishes, Gerald B. Coigny Miramonte, California

Seabee note Norm: Great, great picture on page 11 of VINTAGE AIRPLANE (October '89)!! Kimberly and I flew the Seabee to Geneseo, New York last weekend to visit their museum and look at a Wid geon that is for sale. The Seabee-Wid geon combo really hit home. Bob & Kimberly Redner West Bloomfield, Michigan

Seabird song Howaya?, howaya? Dear friends, I am researching a book on the life and times and activities of Arthur God frey. In addition to his broadcasting , he was very active in other interests: amateur radio, musical comedy, avia tion , military service, horsemanship, jazz and other music, ecology, etc. I'm certain that a number of your readers knew Mr. Godfrey , and worked with him. I'd like them to con tact me. Any assistance you can give me by spreading the word of my quest to reach colleagues of Mr. Godfrey will be appreciated - no doubt a note or an article in your publication(s) will help . I may be reached at (201)386-1920. Thank you for any ideas or reminis 6 DECEMBER 1989

cences you or others may be able to share with me . Lee R. Munsick 20 Harriet Drive Whippany, New Jersey 07981-1906

Bonanza bout Dear Sirs: A couple weeks ago I received your brochure advertising "Our Organiza tion" - I have been a member since 1977 . When I unfolded the brochure I was pleased to see our silver with red trim 35 Bonanza NC3869N. You have mislabeled it as a "D" Model, perhaps because it resembles the show winner early Bonanza that has been in First Place for many years at Oshkosh . Our pictured Bonanza received the Lindbergh Trophy in 1977 as an out

Dear Norm : Congratulations on your fine article, "Sea Bird Sonata" (September). I found it even more enjoyable since her de signer, Jim Reddig, is a dear friend. Jim is a youthful 82-year-old who got his degree in aeronautical engineering from MIT circa 1930. He is a storehouse of aviation lore and a most delightful person . The enclosed photos were taken at Oshkosh in 1986, when Channing Clark flew his Sea Bird there from California. I have put almost 140 hours on my Bellanca Champ (Members' Projects July, 1989) since I got her last Feb ruary . For an old-timer like me she is a real joy to fly . I talked with Jim (he is a bit hard of hearing) as soon as I saw your article . Since he is not an AIC member, just EAA, he had not seen it. With the en

Jim Reddig (left) and Rowland Hall.

closed for postage I hope you can send him a copy. Keep up the good work! Sincerely, Rowland L. Hall Northfield, IL

And so we did My dear Mr. Petersen, This acknowledges your favors and kind remarks of your date of 2 October '89, with thanks . Since first going to Oshkosh, I have been threatened with interviews. But the threats proved un founded until last year, '88, when I was hog-tied on the lawn in front of the antique airplane cottage for some thing like three hours of taping and vid eotape. Now: see if you can't track down all that mess of tape. - If you then have gaps or errors or questions, I'll do my best to fill in. This long recording session covered "Sea Birds," and way back to little airplanes that went down, down, down in the sea in submarines. With growing senility, my problem is to shut up, once started! We could have fun - we just need the opportunity. My grateful thanks for the mags! Sincerely, Jim Reddig Webster, New York •

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

by Uennis Val"ks IAA Lib.-aO'/ An:hives UI.-ed().

JANE'S COVERAGE OF THE US AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY I 920s 1930s One of the recent projects of the EAA Aviation Foundation's Boeing Aeronautical Library has been to create a database of information about US air craft manufacturers from JANE'S ALL THE WORLDS AIRCRAFT from 1920 through 1939. The rationalle has been two-fold. One, to provide an index to specifica tions of American aircraft between the wars that appeared in JANE'S and sec ond, to provide a listing of US man ufacturers, where they were located, what aircraft they produced and when they appeared in JANE'S . Such information provides an easy to-use directory of the domestic air craft industry in two decades crucial to the development of the aviation in the United States. Having the information in a com puter database provides a chance to generate some interesting data , such as which states hosted the most com panies in a particular year or decade, which in tum shows the shifting geo graphic patterns of aircraft production . In this article such patterns and trends will be examined using the

statistical capabilities of the database .

THE 1920s First, a disclaimer on the figures given . Our data lacks the entries for JANE'S 1921, 1923 and 1924. Vol umes for those years are not in our col lection. If anyone could help us out

with a donation of volumes for these years, it would be most appreciated . Although civil and commercial air craft production began in 1919, few machines were sold because there were few practical uses for the planes. New production also had to compete with war-surplus Jennies and Standards . New engine development was also hampered by the availability of war surplus OX5 and Liberty engines. More than 20,000 Libertys were built and OX5 engines continued to be used in production aircraft until the end of

the decade. Despite the competItIOn from surplus materials, the industry was growing rapidly. In the introduction to the 1920 volume, JANE'S remarked on the growth of the industry . "In fact, the new designs since the autumn of 1919 are so numerous that in order to get them all into a book of manageable size it has been necessary this year to pack the illustrations and specifications of each aeroplane and engine much more tightly into the pages than has been customary in pre vious volumes." The 1920 JANE'S lists 174 manufacturers of aircraft. The fluid nature of the industry and its financing are reflected in that these 174 companies' headquarters were listed in 328 locations over the decade. Sikorsky was listed in four different locations, all within the state of New York . Martin, among other companies made larger jumps than from city to city, first being located in Cleveland (1920-28) and then moving to Balti more in 1929. It is also interesting to see where some centers of the aircraft industry were in the 1920s. For example, there were six companies listed in Buffalo

AIRPLANES

MANUFACTURED BY ADVAACE AIRCRAFT COy TR.OY, OHIO 8 DECEMBER 1989

1920 11-NY 3-0H 2-CA

1925 11-NY 3-NJ 2-0H

1929 19-NY 12-MI 11-CA

1935 13-CA 8-NY 6-PA

1939 14-CA 7-NY 5-PA

Number of Aircraft Manufacturers by State.

Only States with more than one company are listed.

during the decade and some beyond: Consolidated (1925-34), Eberhart (1927-28) , Elias (1922-29) , Fleet (1929-31), General (1922-30); Hall (1928-34) . In fact, during the 1920s the East was the center of US aviation manufac turing activity . New York state topped the list with 45 companies listed during the decade. Next most productive state was Michigan with 29 corporations listed . Ohio was third with 15 listed . The expansion of the industry is also shown by the growth in the number of states producing aircraft. In 1920 three states were listed as having more than one aircraft company each. By 1925, five states had more than one company and by 1929, 24 states were rep resented in JANE'S with 13 having more than one manufacturer. In fact New York , Michigan and California had more than 10 with New York lead ing the list with 19 companies. The accompanying chart lists the number of companies per state for selected periods from 1920 to 1939. This figure shows the gradual migra tion of the center of the industry to California. On its way to California the aviation industry settled some of its members in Wichita, Kansas including Swallow (1921), Travel Air (1926), Laird (1928) , Cessna (1928), and Stearman (1928) . (See "The Swallow and Wichita Aviation" in the April 1988 VINTAGE AIRPLANE.) There were also a wide variety of aircraft produced during the decade. JANE'S identifies more than 400 mod els from the various manufacturers , from the Acme Sportsman to the Zenith Albatross . The average aircraft of this time period was an open-cockpit , steel tube-fuselage biplane. By the end of the decade there was a 50-50 split be

tween biplanes and monoplanes. During the course of the decade, the US aviation industry produced nearly 16,000 aircraft . 1930s The post-Lindbergh era saw a great increase in the number of aircraft com

panies and the appearance of reliable engines. The trend in configuration was towards the cabin monoplane with a radial engine. The end of the decade saw a trend to all-metal monoplane construction for commercial aircraft. By the 1930s a series of aeronautical developments from the 1920s became common features . These included streamlining (See: "Streamlining" in the July 1989 VINTAGE AIRPLANE), variable-pitch propellers , wing flaps, and engine cowlings. These develop ments were reflected in such modern aircraft as the Boeing 247 and the Douglas DC-3. By the end of the dec ade such improvements even reached the light plane market with the de velopment of the Luscombe Phantom. JANE'S lists more than 180 man ufacturers for the decade in I 13 loca tions producing more than 600 differ ent aircraft models. It can ~e seen by the lower number of locations that the industry seemed more stable than in the 1920s. Though the number of man ufacturers in the decade is not much more than the previous one , the number of new aircraft developed indi cates that in spite of the poor economy of the nation, the aviation industry con tinued to grow. In spite of, or maybe in response to the Depression, names of aircraft using

derivations of the word "sport" were common with II companies using such names. Variations included: Sport, Light Sport, Senior Sportster, Sport Airse dan, Sport Mailwing, Sport Mono plane, Sport Pursuit, Sport Trainer, Sport V-8, Sports Single, Sportsman, Sportster, Sportwing, and Super Sport . By 1935 California had become the leading state for aircraft companies with 13 listed . New York dropped to second with eight companies listed. Among the companies that moved headquarters to California from New York were North Am'erican and Con solidated. Though the industry shifted to California, over the course of the decade New York was the city with the most companies with 17. Wichita is next with 11 followed by Buffalo with 10. Despite the Depression and having about the same number of companies as the previous decade the industry was more productive in the 1930s. During the course of the decade the US aircraft industry produced more than 25,000 aircraft and in only one year - 1925 did military production exceed civil. LONGEVITY It is interesting to note that though these were two turbulent decades in the industry, six companies that were in business in 1920 were still around in 1939. They were Bellanca, Boeing, Curtiss, Lockheed (Loughhead in 1920), Martin, and Vought. Of these two , Boeing and Bellanca were still headquartered in the same cities as in 1920. Our nation was fortunate to have these resources on the verge of World War II . • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

MEMBERS' PROJECfS by Norm Petersen

These two photos of a ·Champ & owner" were sent in by lyle G. Wines (EAA 300 157, NC 11904) of Cambria, California lyle, who is a young aO-year-old, taught aviation mechanics in the 1940s before going to work with the California Dept. of Corrections. Retiring in 1971, he once again became involved in aviation when he purchased the Aeronca Champi on, N1191E. SIN 7AC-4748, as a true basket case. The wings were completely demolished from the 11ft struts outboard, necessitating complete fabrication of two new wings includ ing ribs, spars, leading edges and fittings. The fuselage was intact and airworthy and the tail feathers had minor damage. The rebuild included new Stits envelopes and finishing. lyle reports the rebuild took 22 months (not fulltime) and the Champ flew "hands off" on its first flight. The engine has been converted to 75hp and the prop was overhauled by a prop shop. lyle is busy flying the Champ while considering his next project - a Kilfox - which fascinated him at EAA Oshkosh '89! 10 DECEMBER 1989

Undergoing a complete rebuild is Stinson 108-1, N8874K, SIN 108-1874, owned by Peter Brucato (EAA 224456) of Kensington, New Hampshire. Stits HS90X is being used and from the pictures, the workmanship looks first class. Peter overhauled the Franklin 150 engine including crankshaft replacement (the old one had a bent flange). Hoping to be airborne by 1990, Peter and his wife will then be ready to rebuild their Piper PA-12, N7576H, SIN 12-447. Both admit to a great experience in aircraft rebuilding and have met many new friends and helpers in the process.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

MEMBERS' PROJECTS

This pretty yellow with brown trim Stinson SM-8A NC416Y, SIN 4251. is earning its keep taking passengers for sight-seeing rides over the Red Rock country near Sedona. Arizona Owned by Steve Bolan (EM 58388) of Scottsdale, Arizona. the Stinson operates from a hard surfaced airporf over 4800 fl. above sea leveL Steve reporfs the combination of mechanical brakes and a full swiveling tailwheel gives both the pilot and the tires a good workout! NC416Y was formerly owned by Ted Beckwith, Jr. (EM 217617, AlC 7929) of Lebanon. Tennessee.

Standing in front of their Luscombe 8A G-AKUK (Ex-NC1166B), SIN 5793, are owners Mike & Vicki Weatherly of 13A Clarence Rd, New Gardens, Richmond. Surrey, TW9 3NL England. Imported from the U.S. in October, 1988, the Luscombe has been flown about 75 hours to date, mostly around the south of England. The Luscombe is based at White Waltham Airfield. about 35 miles west of London. and is flown off three grass runways! Stable mates include two other Luscombes, a Waco, Stearman. Porterfield. several Cubs and Vaga足 bonds. 12 DECEMBER 1989

Standing in the bright sunlight is Taylorcraft BC-12D, NC43392, S/N7051, which has been owned since new (1946) by the gentleman standing at the propeller, Cecil Crayton (EM 611) of Everett, Washington Finished in a dark blue and cream colored paint scheme, the T-Craft has less than 500 hours total time since new! Note the Cessna 140 wheel pants which have been on the T-Craft since 1946!

Presently undergoing a complete restoration is this 180hp Hisso powered Travel Air 3000 which Cecil Crayton of Everett, Washington has owned since 1942! Cecil recently made a trip east to purchase "Buck" Hilbert's 180 Hisso engine for the project. Cecil hopes to have the big biplane ready for flight in the summer of 1990.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

CHAPTER CAPSULES

by Bob Brauer

The Minnesota Antique Flyers,AIC Chapter 4, has been holding its quar terly meetings in President Stan Gomoll's hangar at Anoka County Air port (James Field), north of Minneapolis, since 1976. This location is convenient to the membership which resides in the Twin Cities and surrounding com munities. Most of the 60 members, many of whom are retired airline pilots, are active in chapter functions and projects, including founders, Jim Hom , Ray Redmond , and Stan Gomoll. Stan has been the chapter's president si nce its founding and works closely on a regular basis with members want ing ass istance on their restoration pro jects. However Stan has been pretty busy himself. His 1946 J-3 , which he flew to Oshkosh, earned the "Out standing Cub" Award two years in a row. Projects of Chapter 4 members range from custom building to restor ing antique and classic aircraft. Eldo Kirchner, who currently flies a Corvair powered Pietenpol, has restored a PA 12 and an L2M Taylorcraft. Other re storations include Ray Swanson's rare Olympian 7KC and George Quast's Aeronca C2. George's project was serialized in this year's February through June issues of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Not to be overlooked, of course, is Bill Halverson's EAA Osh kosh '89 Grand Champion Antique Beech Staggerwing G 17S. Bud Lin demer, also in the Beech family, re stored a 1944 D17S . Chapter members also find the time to serve our division. John Fogarty, an AIC advisor, and Stan Gomoll, an AIC director, provided the observation to wers on the Oshkosh flight line and the cupola atop the Red Bam. Check the January and July 1987 issues of VIN TAGE AIRPLANE for details on their efforts. Since then, Chapter 4 has added a weather vane to top the cupola. Activities that get the best turnout are those in which all members can 14 DECEMBER 1989

Stan is performing final adjustments on the Red Bam weath

er vane provided by Antique/Classic Chapter 4. Are you absolutely sure about the orientation?

Chapter 4 member Bill Halverson's Osh kosh '89 Antique Grand Champion Beech G17S (1947).

partIcIpate . Among the favorites are picnic fly-outs held two or three times each year. Everyone who attends brings a picnic food which is shared by all. However, the annual Christmas party held at Stan's hangar is the biggest social event of the year. Stan says, "Our social events are low-keyed and are made as family oriented as pos sible. That way the wives of our mem bers will let the boys fly whenever they want to." Stan added that since all their social events became family centered, the wives attend the meetings . Stan explained that over the years their chapter has stayed on friendly terms with the local General Aviation District Office and the state's Depart ment of Aeronautics. These two of fices serve as a vast library of informa tion as well as an excellent source of

speakers for meetings. Stan considers these contacts a great way of keeping the line of communications open be tween themselves and government reg ulators. "Communication is the big thing," he commented . "For instance , it is our goal to read as many other chapter newsletters as possible and to get out newsletters of our own to other chapters." This aim is accomplished through the efforts of Newsletter Editor, Noel Allard . In the near future Stan will also be able to devote more time to this goal because he is now planning his retire ment, effective October 28, 1989. Now that he is no longer faced with the obligation of regular employment, the division hopes to see much more of him and his wife, Irene. It is our gain.! •

eASS IIIQ

--lS

An information exchange column with input from readers.

by Buck Hilbert (EAA 21, Ale 5)

P.O. Box 424 Union, IL 60180

Dear Mr. Hilbert, I agree 100 percent with your prac tice of pulling the prop through all compression strokes on a cold start. Having been pushed by a 215-hp Franklin for over 300 hours in a Re public Seabee I always pull the prop through six compression strokes on every cold start, even if it means put ting on the hip boots. It allows me to feel and listen to the machinery under the cowl. I get suspicious when some thing sounds or feels different. Keep up the great column. Bob Redner West Bloomfield, Michigan

Open replies to: Dario L. Toffenetti, EI Paso, Texas Dario: Thanks for the circular finally telling of the tethered picket balloons. These balloons, or "aerostats" as they are called, are drug interdiction tethered vehicles about the size of a 747 fuselage. I see there are now four of them tethered along the Texas Mexico border and I know of a couple more in Arizona.

The idea of them is great. They house electronic gear capable of spot ting drug running attempts via aircraft flying at low level. The glitch is they were cloaked in secrecy for a while and, in the main, were unlighted. I made inquires of the FAA and have yet to receive an answer as to why they weren't strobed or at least shown on the sectionals, etc. The circular says they are lighted, except for the tether cable which can be as high as 15,000 feet. This means they have a latitude of several miles at the top of the box and this cable could be anywhere below the balloon and off to the side of center. This could pose a real problem to the uninitiated VFR guy running along looking at the scen ery who comes face to face with one of these cables. Thanks for the info, Dario. Keep the Amigo Airshow going! Another call, Don Toeppen of St. Charles, Illinois. He's worried about the drug testing program and the fact that all commercial pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, in fact anyone who makes or earns a wage at commercial

aviation must have a drug testing pro gram set up so that if and when the FAA or anybody demands a drug test, you're ready. I'm worried, too, Don. I talked with the Great Lakes region of the FAA and also the CAP and there is some confusion as to how this will be administered and enforced. The CAP doesn't even have a plan at this time. More on this later. Here's a good one! A cassette tape from Father John Mac Gillvrary up in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. He reminisced about the early Rockford days and the fact that his Moth and Miles Hawk were such fun to fly to the Convention each year. He would like to see them fly, better yet he'd like to fly them again. For those of you who want to see them, they are in the Pioneer Airport hangars in back of the Museum. I've had all kinds of calls this past month. Some really good ones from people who really needed to know something. Some with sad tidings but most of them left me with good feel ings. Keep 'em comin' guys & gals. Over to you . • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

VINTAGE SEAPLANES

by Norm Petersen

These two photos show the results of two months of repair work on the tail surfaces and hull of Grumman G-44 Widgeon, N54VT. SIN 12n. Owned by Bill Latham (EM 337242) of Manassas, Virginia, the Widgeon susfained damage while taking off across some swells during EM Oshkosh '89. Bill was able to beach the airplane before the water got too deep inside! Repairs were made to the stabilizer, elevator, fin and rudder along with a rebuild of the rear step area, jusf ahead of the tailwheel. Bill Brennand of Neenah, WI was in charge of the rebuild with help from Jack Wojahn, George Rotter and others. The completed and painted Widgeon was lifted back into the water on October 10th and flown east on October 11th by its owner, Bill Latham. This is a McKinnon conversion of the Widgeon using Lycoming GO-480 engines. Photos by Carl Schuppel & Norm Petersen

16 DECEMBER 1989

Climbing out of the water with authority is Stinson SR-10F, NC21111, which was delivered to Pacific Alaska Airways in 1938. Powered with a 420-hp P & W 'Wasp" egine, the SR-10F was a great performer on Edo 59-5250 floats. Note oil cooler below engine and seaplane ventral fin below the toil.

From the mid-1930s comes the Northrop "Gamma" mounted on Edo JO-7080 floats. This aircraft, NR 12269, S/N2, was used by Lincoln Ellsworth on his Antarctic Flight. Although most Gammas were powered with a 710-hp Wright Cyclone, this particular one used a 500-hp P & W Wasp engine. This was one of the very first all-metal, monocoque designs by John Northrop.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

by Norm Petersen

Photos by Jeff Isom

18 DECEMBER 1989

An Iowa trucker gets his introduction

to aviation ... in a 450 Stearman.

Few pilots will argue with the fact that a 450-hp Stearman is a handful of airplane. Even a 220 Steannan will keep you on your toes. However, the addition of a P & W R-985 "Wasp" will hold the pilot's attention through out takeoffs and landings! With all the bleatin' and blattin' going on up front along with the torque of a Ham Stan dard keeping your feet active on the rudder pedals, the sound of a throbbing nine-cylinder engin'e is augmented by the snarl of the prop tips going super

sonic. For airshow work, the standard of the industry is a 450 Stearman with all its smoke and noise. How many pilots do you know whose very first airplane was a 450 Stearman? And to top it off, it was purchased with absolutely zero time in the pilot's logbook! Unusual, yes, but impossible? No! Our hero in this story is a 35-year old truck driver from Iowa. Doug Kiel is an enterprising person in the habit of making logical choices - at least in

his own judgment. Others may differ, but eventually, Doug ends up with the correct call. Perhaps this is why we all have a certain admiration for such a person. Douglas Kiel (EAA 329603, AlC 13638) grew up on a farm near Fayette, Iowa, near the Wisconsin border. Of necessity, he became quite mechani cally minded and able to fix 'most any thing that needed repair. When he was a young lad of nine, he had his first airplane ride at Prairie Du Chien, Wis

consin in - you guessed it - a Stearman! Perhaps this 1962 experience set the stage for an unusual course of events some 26 years later. Motorcycles held Doug Kiel's in terest as he matured into a young man . He presently owns five of them, in cluding a rather wild 1976 Kawasaki KZ -1185 turbo-charged drag bike that can only be described as a "crotch rock et. " Perhaps excitement is a common ingredient in all this young man ' s ac tivities. Doug has made some 25 parachute jumps to date. Eventually, the call of the open road reached Doug and he found himself in the trucking business, over the road , from coast to coast. He enjoyed the challenges of the job, however, he felt the correct choice would be to own his own truck. Ap proaching his banker with the idea of buying a new $150 ,000 truck caused the banker to suspect Doug had slipped a few notches in his timing belt! Even Doug ' s father wondered if all his ef forts at bringing up a smart young son had somehow failed. The truck would cost more than hi s father's entire farm! Again , persistence paid off when Doug bought the big Peterbilt and reefer

20 DECEMBER 1989

trailer and struck out on his own . In four and a half years of hard work and tenacity, the truck was paid for - in full! During this time , Doug has acquired a traveling companion, a miniature Dachshund named "Chuck", who now has over 600,000 miles on his tender body! (Perhaps this explains why his legs are so short!) Chuck rules the roost in the big Peterbilt cab, earning his keep when Doug leaves the truck for any reason. Several would-be intruders have been met at the door by the most ferocious set of teeth and snarls you can possibly imagine. None have suc ceeded and some have left a trail of blood to show for their efforts . Some time ago, Doug discovered that a can of soup or stew fits perfectly between the oil cooler and the engine of the Peterbilt. Exactly 45 miles later, the soup is just the right temperature! Along with a built-in refrigerator filled with fresh fruit, etc., Doug lives like a king as he travels the highways . His clothes are neatly hung in custom built cabinets in the sleeper, a sure sign of a fastidious owner-operator. As Doug says, "Most people characterize a truck driver in cowboy boots, a log chain

billfold, a Harley T-Shirt, going 2-3 weeks without a bath and standing in front of a video game! " And he adds, "Not all of us are like that." One nice improvement on his Peterbilt truck is a Doug Kiel designed hydraulically operated fifth wheel that can be moved forward and back to allow the truck to ride better, depending on the load in the trailer. This neat system work s while the truck is underway or stationary. Last November, Doug read an ad about a Stearman for sale in Wiscon sin. Curious, he stopped in to see Chuck Andreas at Neenah , WI, whose shop has produced some very notable aircraft including Stinson Trimotor, NC I I 170 , often seen at Oshkosh haul ing passengers and another Navy N2S 3 Stearman, N1066N , owned by Bill Johnson of Oak Brook , Illinois that has garnered awards at Oshkosh for three consecutive years . Chuck was building up a 450 Stearman two-holer that would have everything! Starting with a bare airframe (from Roy Reabe' s stable of airplanes in Waupun, WI) and adding untold hours of craftsmanship and materials , the Stearman was taking shape and would be ready for delivery

DICK HILL: STEARMAN INSTRUCTOR

W hen you are discarded by the air lines for being "too old," it's easy to start feeling sorry for yourself and quit fly ing. However, some folks are just the opposite. They have more fun flying than they ever did working for the air lines! Such is the situation with Dick Hill (EAA 56626, AlC 629) of Harvard, J IIinois, affectionately known as Mr. Jeannie Hill, due to his lovely wife being an active pilot and a member of the Advisory Board ofEAA's Antique! Classic Division. Dick began his air line career with North Central Airlines, which begat Republic Airlines, which begat Northwest Airlines, from which Dick retired after 31 years of airline work. He was Captain on a Boeing 757 at retirement with over 30,000 hours in his logbook. Back in the winter of 1944, Dick Hill made his solo flight in a J-3 Cub on skis at the Streator, Illinois airport. He was 16 years old. By 1945, he had logged some 30 hours and had joined the U.S. Marines, who promptly put him to work as a Link Trainer Instruc tor and a control tower operator. Following service duty, Dick flew Stearman sprayers at Streator as well as towed banners and earned his CFI rating, instructing in Stearmans and various other aircraft. This well-varied background led him into airline work,

open cockpits! On June 4th, Doug began dual instruction with Dick calmly calling the shots. As Dick says, "Doug learns well. He has good mechanical ability and handles the controls smoothly, much like he drives an IS-wheeler." The farm strip at Dick & Jeanie Hill's place is 1,300 feet long with 30 foot wires on the north end! Between clearing the wires and the barn, you have about 1,000 feet left in which to land! (Talk about a perfect place to teach a farm kid how to fly a Stear man). To broaden the pupil's perspec tive, they flew to many neighboring airports to shoot landings and take offs. Learning to add power in slow , steady, increments so the torque from the big propeller doesn't "get" you was one of the many skills Doug had to A smiling InstructOr on the right, Dick Hili, learn. Basic airwork in handling the with his new Steannan student, Doug K1e1. big biplane was another skill that had to be acquired. And most of all, respect but most importantly, set the stage for for the "beast," because if you don't later years when instructors in Stear handle her correctly, she will bite you! Doug learned well and fast. By June mans and aircraft of similar stature would be sorely needed. 24th, he was ready for solo. Dick When Doug Kiel and Chuck An helped get the Stearman ready for dreas contacted Dick about starting a flight and Doug strapped himself into student from scratch in a 450 Stearman, the rear cockpit. Firing up the R-9S5, Dick was ready and willing. After all, he taxied out and made one of the nicer he had nearly 40 years experience as a solo flights from the little strip that CFI and Stearmans were built like Dick had ever seen. There was much airplanes are supposed to be built happiness in the air around Harvard, with two sets of wings and a couple <of Illinois that day! VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

in the spring of '89. Naturally the chrome plated valve covers caught Doug's eye along with the polished stainless steel BT-13 "dishpan" just be hind the engine. Of course, the stream lined headrest, all the way to the fin, and the professional covering job in Stits Aerothane, registered on his fast working brain. If he could talk Chuck into a set of wheel pants for the big BT 13 wheels and brakes - perhaps, just maybe, a deal could be struck! Our hero, Doug, had obviously been smitten with Stearmanitis, a most often, incurable disease. After drool ing for several weeks and talking his favorite banker into lending a hand (and a foot, arm, thigh and hip), Doug called Chuck and bought the Stearman - complete with custom wheelpants. Now he faced the job of learning to fly an airplane! In between trips, Doug managed to take five hours of dual instruction from CFI Vic Ahlquist in a Piper Super Cub at Brennand's Airport near Neenah, during the month of December. This was a start . Next, he enrolled in a class for private pilot ground school to bring himself up to speed for the written

exam. By May, Doug had passed the private written exam and the 450 Stear man was down to the finishing touches and nearly ready to fly. Chuck Andreas had done himself proud with a bright red overall paint scheme using a black and silver grey accent stripe. Chuck likes to call the color, "Ferrari Red". Now the fun began. They had to find an instructor who was current in 450 Stearmans and had enough gumption to start a neophyte who had never so loed an airplane! A quick scan of avail able people soon narrowed the search. Chuck Andreas felt there was only one person who had sufficient intestinal fortitude (spelled G-U-T-S) for such a task - Dick Hill (EAA 56626, AIC 629) of Harvard, Illinois . Dick is a retired airline pilot with way over 30,000 hours of flight time, however, he started out as a spray pilot, which gave him the feel for a big biplane at very low altitudes . In addition, Dick has been an active instructor for nearly 40 years. On June 4, 1989, Dick Hill cranked up the R-985 on Doug's Stearman and flew it from Neenah, Wisconsin to his home strip at Harvard, Illinois. In short

order, Doug showed up and the lessons began. Dick carefully taught him how to land on a short strip (1,200 feet) and how to take off with enough compensa tion for the torque of the big 450 growling away out front. Around and around they went, filling in new bits of information on each circuit. Doug proved to be a good student, absorbing both knowledge of flight and the all important "feel" of a 450 Stearman. He was making progress. "We made many landings at different airports in the area to sharpen his skills," says Dick . Perhaps the mechanical aptitude was part of it. Perhaps the years of wrestling a huge truck over the road helped. Or perhaps the yearning to fly a Stearman from age nine was Doug's motivation. In any event, he took to the big biplane like a duck to water. On the morning of June 24th, Doug made his first solo flight in Stearman N7034Y - his own 450 P & W powered machine! Nobody, but nobody, was happier than Doug Kiel and his instruc tor, Dick Hill Besides flying the Stearman, Dick gave Doug some hours in a Tripacer for cross-country training and radio

Cruising along at an easy 105, Doug and his passenger in the front cockpit, Joe Rohde, make a pretty scene against the patchwork quilt of a rural Wisconsin countryside. 22 DECEMBER 1989

When you spend most of your time on the road, you have to love the work. Both Doug and his sidekick, "Chuck" enjoy being "on the road," however, when the trip is over, it's fun to go flying. Note spare tire with chalk marks on it. Doug has never had one stolen!

navigation . This was in preparation for the private flight exam which Doug flew to Peoria, Illinois to take on Au gust 17th. He passed with flying colors (pun intended). Meanwhile, Doug found a hangar for the Stearman com plete with cement floor and bi-fold door for $25 a month at the Oelwein, Iowa airport. The airport features a nice grass runway plus a 4,000 foot hard surface strip, just perfect for a new Stearman pilot. And to top it off, it 's just a short flight from Doug 's father's farm, which has a grass land ing strip on it. Doug's father flies a Cessna 175 Skylark, which he has had for quite a number of years. By the time September rolled around and Doug brought the Stearman to Oshkosh for the photo session (where these pictures were taken), he had log ged some 1 \0 hours on the beautiful bird and had nary a scratch to show on the bottom of the wingtips! (Every time he would land, some of his so-called friends would run out and scrutinize the underside of the wings , looking for scrapes.) I was privileged to fly the photo plane (90 hp J-3 on floats) for

the air-to-air photos and I can honestly say that Doug handled the Stearman like an old pro . He would tuck the big red bird into position and hold it throughout the filming sequence . The sound of the R-985, just 50 feet away, was much like a hibernating bear (an old one!) with its low-pitched rumble. When Jeff Isom , the EAA photo grapher, would signal for a move with his hand , Doug would calmly adjust his position and lock on to the new spot. In all the photo miss ions I have been on, I have never seen a 110 hour pilot with such a steady hand on the controls as Doug Kiel. Either he learns well or Dick Hill did a masterful job of teaching Doug how to fly a 450 Stearman. Probably both. Now the big question - Why did he do it? "When you drive a big rig all week, you don't look forward to dodg ing traffic on the weekends," says Doug. He would much rather crank up the Stearman and go flying among the rich farm country, waving to the farm ers as he flies past. One day he landed in a hayfield behind a truck stop near Mauston, Wisconsin to check on a

business trip to the West Coast. When he returned to the airplane, a crowd of some 25 to 30 people had gathered to look at the big red biplane! Doug read ily admits it draws a crowd wherever he goes. He has given any number of rides to friends and neighbors and has even taken his father for a ride. His dad enjoyed the flight, except when Doug did some hammerhead stalls! After the third one, enough was enough! So far, Doug has not taken his little Dachshund for a ride in the Stearman, however, he is looking for a body har ness that would hold the little guy in the cockpit! Chuck's ears are so large that Doug is afraid they would flap in the slipstream and beat the poor dog about the head! If, per chance, you should see a big red 450 Stearman taxi up one day with a smiling pilot with bugs on his teeth in the rear cockpit and a funny looking pilot in the front cockpit with a rather long , brown nose and a small helmet holding his ears down, you wiIJ have the fun of meeting two of aviation's finest - Doug Kiel and his sidekick, Chuck . • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

-..-.~-

The deHavilland Moth Club of England's

Strathallan Museum airstrip in Scotland. For 1989 , the Moth Club' s tireless founder (ex-editor of Popular Flying, Stuart McKay) had arranged a combi nation of both events - running over three days and including a new Famous Grouse Rally , again sponsored by Matthew Gloag, and ending at Woburn Abbey for the traditional annual meeting. Your correspondents, having been "Moth less" at the time of the '79 Grouse were determined not to miss out this time, and completed and sub mitted their entry for the '89 gathering as soon as details were published. Friday 18th August saw us touching down at the home of the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden in our faith ful 'ZF to join the growing number of de Havilland aeroplanes gathering there in preparation for the rally start the following day. Regi stration of competing crews and scrutineering of the aircraft took place throughout the day, and ensured that everything was in place for the early start of the com petition the following morning. All competing crews were accom modated in the Stevenage Novotel, from whence travelling the short dis tance to Knebworth House for the eve of-rally dinner was easily ac complished. Said dinner, together with the appropriate speeches, took a little longer than planned as these occasions

are very apt to do. The rally briefing which followed the dinner thus did not get underway until somewhat after midnight the prospect of the first takeoff at 09:00 local (to gether with the results of liberal applications of the Famous Grouse it self) were already beginning to make some of the crews Mavis Parker with her Tiger Moth G-BJZF proudly displaying- the famous Grouse Rally emblem on the rudder. a little queazy! Breakfast and detail briefing got underway from a way 22 and then onto the first leg of a somewhat unearthly 06:30 on Saturday southwesterly heading . morning , and it is a tribute to the At this point it is appropriate to ex strength of the human constitution that plain the nature of the Rally itself. The the first aircraft away, Brian Woodford ' s day's flying was divided into two main Rapide G-ACZE piloted by Peter Har competitive stages. The first, via eight rison rolled across the Old Warden turf legs, from Old Warden to Hucknall , under the power of her Gipsy Queens and the second, also with eight legs, precisely on the stroke of 09:00 . from Hucknall to the Imperial War The departure sequence was by Museum airfield at Duxford. Each drawn position within the groups of stage was timed and each leg was co like machines in descending order of vered by a number of questions which speed. Yours truly's, being the first could be correctly answered by observ away in the 52-strong Tiger Moth ing ground features close to the tracks group, thus left the grid upon the drop to be flown . The questions for the first of the starter's flag at 09: 18 via Runstage were only handed to the crews as they lined up for the takeoff, and those for the second stage were available around half an hour before the after noon departure. the Shuttleworth Collection, and is Picture the scene then as your repor some 15 miles northeast of Woburn . ters climbed out on the first leg of Hucknall airfield is between the towns Stage One, attempting to establish an of Nottingham and Derby, and is ap accurate heading and track , and unfold proximately 140 miles north of Lon the four-page question sheet in the 60 don. Hucknall was for many years knot slipstream! As is usually the case, flight test airfield for Rolls Royce, and once the initial panic had subsided a is now operated by the appropriately grip was established on the problem named Merlin Flying Club. and a routine established. Most ques Duxford is famous as the location of tions made sense and answers were re the Imperial War Museum's aircraft corded, although a couple at least were collection, and is an airfield originally not tied up to definite ground features. commissioned during World War I. Two hours of bumpy flying and con During World War II Duxford was the stand head swivelling made the appear base of Douglas Bader's "big wing" of ance of Hucknall-on-the-nose a very Hurricane fighters with their crucial welcome sight - the eagerly awaited role in the Battle of Britain in 1940. cold drinks after landing barely touch The "Famous Grouse" Moth Rally ing the sides! was sponsored by Matthew Gloag and For the next hour and a half or so Son, the Perthshire, Scotland based Hucknall was a melee of arriving distillers. Matthew Gloag and Son was Moths and various PFA types winging founded in 1800, and their "Famous in to the coincident strut Fly-in. The Grouse" Scotch Whisky is well-known local PFAers are to be complimented throughout the world. on feeding and watering the resultant hordes so effecti vel y.

The deHavilland Moth Club of England

The accompanying article was origi nally written for publication in the house journal of the UK Popular Flying As sociation. Some of the references may not be familiar to non-UK readers, and these brief notes will help clarify some points. The UK based de Havilland Moth Club was founded by Stuart McKay in 1975 and now has some 2,000 mem bers worldwide. The club holds regular flying events in the UK, the best known of which is the series of annual meetings in the grounds of Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire. Woburn Abbey is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Bedford , situated 45 miles north of London, and must be one of the most beautiful settings for a flying event anywhere in the world. The house itself dates from the 17th century and is surrounded by an exten sive deer park with medieval forest and ornamental lakes . Old Warden is the home airfield of 26 DECEMBER 1989

On the stroke of 13:00 hrs . local the "special visitor" which had been mys teriously listed on the day 's prog ramme materalised in the Hucknall cir cuit in the form of British Aerospace's preserved DH98 Mosquito , which gave a spirited and widely appreciated display. The lunch time respite was over all too soon and the crews were to be seen hunched over their maps flight plan ning Stage Two from the details which were released at 13:30. Again, pre cisely at allotted time, on the dot of 14:00, the Rapide rolled over Hucknall's grass - the show was back on the road! Whereas the morning's departure had been at one-minute inter vals, 30 second gaps now applied. 'ZF's throttle thus went forward at 14:07.00 and course set shortly after wards to the east, the Fenlands, thence Dux(ord and tea! The eight legs of Stage 2, again ac complished by numerous questions seemed a little less taxing than the morning's efforts (probably a matter of familiarity with the task) although the turbulence had worsened with some particularly strong thermal bumps giv ing a ride somewhat similar to the big dipper. For some strange reason the skies seemed to resemble the oft read ac counts of World War I dogfighting full of aeroplanes one minute and empty the next. This odd phenomenon

led us to question our track keeping however the ground and map seemed to coin cide at all times so we judged all to be well. The majority of clues were again identified and shortly after 15:30 Duxford's broad acres hove into "Famous view. Grouse" hospital The Rally's largest entrant, Brian Woodford's immaculate DH89A ity was soon well Dragon Rapide G-ACZE. underway with crews and invited guests taking a sub Henlow for the night-stop . stantial tea in the warm afternoon sun Within a space of 45 minutes or so shine. Entertainment (apart from the the entire fleet of 70-plus aircraft were continuing arrivals in the fresh cross down and neatly parked in front of wind!) was provided firstly by a fly Henlow 's westerly hangars, with the past by four USAF A-lOs, then de H smoke from the barbeque already drift Moth Club's own Diamond Nine Tiger ing skywards. Moth formation display team led by After the rigours of the day, nothing Charles Shea-Simmonss. To the basic could have been more pleasant on a Diamond formation had been added, perfect warm summer evening than to for '89, a "feathered arrow" and a enjoy the barbeque , a little liquid re spectacular finale "break" before freshment, the strains of a jazz band flypast and stream landing. The team and the firework display as darkness received well deserved applause. fell. The final flight of the day - in de Thoughts of a Sunday morning lie-in licious calm air and with nothing to do had already been dispelled by the pro except admire the late summer coun gramme which announced another tryside of Cambridgeshire and Bed 06:30 start for breakfast and briefing, fordshire roll by was across to R .A .F . followed by a dash up the A I highway

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

in two double-decker buses filled with assorted Mothists. Henlow takeoffs commenced from 09:00 and the task ahead included a direct flight to overhead Woburn fol lowed by a short four-leg additional navigation exercise around Wing, Lit tle Horwood , Milton Keynes, and back to Woburn for landing. The objective was to find some special ground mar kers and plot their positions on copies of the appropriate O/S map . Apart from an initial marker on the Woburn strip, your intrepid scribes could find nothing specific at all on any of the tracks flown (we were not alone in this deficiency). The Woburn circuit by this time was alive with aircraft and after three go arounds to avoid conflicting traffic we were eventually safely on the ground and marshalled to our parking space . The Woburn scene has to be experi enced to be appreciated, but the combi nation of blue skies and cumulus clouds (a feature of the Summer of '89), bright sunshine, rolling parkland with sparkling lakes, the Woburn house itself and, of course, more than 80 vintage aeroplanes caused a few neckprickles in all but the most unsen timental of aviation buffs . A splendid lunch was enjoyed, again courtesy of that famous game-bird, and the afternoon's flying entertainment commenced. This started with another excellent show by the Diamond Nin ers, although they spectacularly opened with another seven friends to provide a memorable Diamond 16 pass; (imagine if you will the rumble of 16 Gipsy Majors - ah! de Havil land, deH, deH , deH ... .. . !) 28 DECEMBER 1989

Two overseas entrants for the Rally. DH60 Gypsy Moth VH-AFN from the USA via Holland and Tiger Moth F-8GCS from France.

Moths galore decorate the Woburn Parkland on a glorious English summer Sunday.

Rally contestants assemble at Duxford at the end of the main competitive stages.

The David Jackson and Len Jeffries aerobatic competitions followed with an over subscribed entry list this year. Standards were very high . Next on the agenda was a Gipsy Moth "race" - the rules for which were totally unclear - both to com petitors and audience. A deH Cavalcade followed, with a sequential fly past by deH 60 Cirrus Moth, 60G and 60M Gipsy Moths , 80 Puss Moth , 82 Tiger Moth , 83 Fox Moth , 85 Leopard Moth , 87 Hornet Moth , 89 Rapide and 90 Dragonfly followed by the metal DHC I Chip munk , DHC2 Beaver and the perfectly timed non-landing DH 104 Dove . The final event was a mass parachute drop from five Tigers - all the jumpers landing on or close to the mark - a commendable effort in the stiff southwesterly breeze by then blowing . The Woburn finale , as ever, is the prize-giving which was in the hands of Stuart McKay, the Marquess of Tavis tock's son Lord Howland, and Matthew Gload himself of the said Fa mous Grouse distillers. A little sadly, at the end of three days of great fun in the companionship of friendly aviators, we climbed 'ZF clear of Woburn and pointed her north west for SyweJI. Our thanks , and those of the many , many Moth Club members and friends who enjoyed three marvellous days go to Stuart and Miranda McKay for mak ing it all happen, and of course to Matthew GJoag and the Tavistock fam ily of Woburn for their substantial con tribution and ongoing support . • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

The following is a partial listing of new members who have joined the EAA Antique/Classic Division (through May 3, 1989). 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.

Paul M. Jablonski

John W. Linse

Carlene A. Neeley

Greenwood, Indiana

Fairbanks, Alaska

Huntsville, Alabama

Kenneth w. Jerolaman

Robert G. Lockhart

Ferreira Pinto Neto

Bernardsville, New Jersey

Chester, Illinois

Sao Paulo , Brazil

Cliff W. Johnston

C. F. McCall, Jr.

Don Newquist

Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Fort Worth , Texas

West Des Moines, Iowa

F. Ben Jones

Robert E. McKay

Frank Novotny

Katy, Texas

Iselin , New Jersey

Garfield Heights, Ohio

Philip J. Kemp

Leslie D. Meggers

Leo Nunnink

Portland, Maine

Tarpon Springs, Florida

St. Marys, Georgia

George W. Kennedy

Glendon L. Merritt

Jeffery Oberg

Decatur, Georgia

Cumberland, Maryland

Lansing, Michigan

Harold J. Killian

H. R. Metzler

Martin Oberkirch

Appleton, Wisconsin

Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada

Ulster Park, New York

Martin S. Kiripolsky Orlando, Florida

Alfred E. Meyer Panacea, Florida

Robert E. Osborne Coxs Creek, Kentucky

Dennis H. Kirkwood

Herbert G. Miller

Allan B. Paige

Fenton, Michigan

Ridgeley , West Virginia

Weston, Ontario, Canada

William S. Kloepfer

Billy K. Mills

Fort Bidwell, California

Bay Minette, Alabama

Randall E. Patterson Palm Coast, Florida

Douglas J. Knab

Mark Minor

Clyde T. Peer

Houston, Texas

Chesapeake, Virginia

La Habra, California

Rodney P. Kroenlein

James E. Mitchell

Robert F. Pfaff

Moweaqua, Illinois

Safford, Arizona

Johns Island, South Carolina

Robret F. Langham Madison Heights, Michigan

Andrew C. Moffat Grand Junction, Colorado

Gaithersburg, Maryland

J. Rodney Lawrence

Francisco Corral Monsalve

Barbara P. Pobuk

Fort Worth, Texas

Valparaiso, Chile

Gardner, Massachusetts

Charles F. Lewis

Robin A. Moore

Jack Pollack

Meridianville, Alabama

Brunswick, Maine

Scottsdale, Arizona

James Link

Quentin W. Morgan

David W. Powers

Greenville, North Carolina

Lehigh Acres, Florida

Inverness, Florida

James A. Linn

Gail S. Needham

Jeffrey Lee Pulver

Tuscon, Arizona

Knoxville, Tennessee

Great Neck, New York

30 DECEMBER 1989

David Plata

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION EAA

Gary R. Purcell

Vernon B. Stewart

Eldersburg, Maryland

Miami, Florida

Charles A. Quit

Craig J. Stone

South Huntington , New York

Renton, Washington

Lindsay Raley

Bob L. Stroup

Winter Haven , Florida

Yuma , Arizona

Ron L. Randel

Gary Thomas

Albuquerque , New Mexico

Philip Edward Rasmussen Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Horace L. Riggs, Jr. Mulberry , Florida

APO , New York, New York

Gary D. Thomson Beoley , W orcestershire, England

Ernest Tidlund Shutesbury, Massachusetts

Paul G. Ritchie Contoocook, New Hampshire

Raphael Roethle Denmark, Wisconsin

Thomas Rowland Combermer, Ontario, Canada

David M. Sakers Goldsboro, Maryland

James K. Schaefer West Palm Beach , Florida

Earl W. Schraer

Michael F. Vaisey M. D. Waldinger Randolph, New Jersey

Jeffrey C. Warren Taylors, South Carolina

Little Rock , Arkansas

Robert C. Sellers Penndel , Pennsylvania

Jack Singletary

WARBIRDS Membership in the Warbirds of America , Inc. is $25.00 per year, which includes a subscription to Warbirds. Warbird members are required to be members of EAA.

Elmer Weemer Urbana, Illinois

Jack R. West Beggs, Oklahoma

Richard A. White Vero Beach, Florida

Hickory , North Carolina

George T. Smith, Sr. Visalia, California

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.

Fort Worth , Texas

John David Whitener

Aurora, Missouri

Non-EAA Member - $28.00. In cludes one year membership in the EAA Antique-Classic Division, 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Air plane, one year membership in the EAA and separate membership cards. Sport Aviation not included.

Charles E. Webb

Grass Valley, California

William P. Selby

ANTIQUE/CLASSICS

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 current EAA member and must give EAA membership number.

Hempstead , Herts , England

Dwight Weiss

Pevely , Missoui

Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is $30.00 for one year, including 12 issues of Sport A viation. Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $18.00 annually. Family Member· ship is available for an additional $10.00 annually.

Jeffrey H. Whitesell

EAA EXPERIMENTER

EAA membership and EAA EXPERI MENTER magazine is available for $28.00 per year (Sport Aviation not included). Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER for $18.00 per year.

FOREIGN

MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars.

Des Moines , Washington

Ronald C. Smith Jonathan Fred Williams

Solon , Ohio

Jacksonville, Alabama

Peter Stears High Wycombe, England

Buckinghamshire ,

David E. Wirey Findlay , Illinois

Doug Steen

Maurice A. Yarter

Bethesda, Maryland

San Antonio, Texas

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:

EAA AVIATION CENTER

OSHKOSH, WI 54903-3086

PHONE (414) 426-4800

OFFICE HOURS:

8:15-5:00 MON.-FRI.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31

Where The Sellers and Buyers Meet... 25¢ per word, $5.00 minimum charge. Send your ad to

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AIRCRAFT: Replica 213 scale Jenny - 2 place, 4130. Outper forms the original. Inexpensive and fast to build flown to Oshkosh twice. Plans - $75.00, video $25.00, info - $1.00. Wiley, P.O. Box 6366, Longmont, CO 80502. (12-3) Rearwin - 1940 Skyranger. Good original condi tion, ferryable but needs annual. $6,500 OBO, 319/ 679-2324. (12-2) (2) C-3 Aeronca Razorbacks - 1931 and 1934. Package includes extra engine and spares. Fuse lage, wing spars and extra props. Museum quality! $30,000 firm! No tire kickers, collect calls or pen pals, please! E.E. "Buck" H~bert , P.O. Box 424, Union, IL 60180-0424.

MISCELLANEOUS: Super Cub PA18 fuselages repaired or rebuilt - in precision master fixtures. All makes of tube assemblies or fuselages repaired or fabricated new. J. E. Soares Inc., 7093 Dry Creek Road , Bel grade, Montana 59714, 406/388-6069, Repair Sta tion 065-21 . (C/12-89) 1910-1950 Original aviation items for sale - in struments, wood propellers , helmets, goggles, manuals, 44-page catalog airmailed, $5.00. Jon Al drich, Box 706, Airport, Groveland, CA 95321 , 209/ 962-6121 . (c-2190) Will Share my treasure of aircraft parts! - 24 year collection with continuous additions . . and still buying ... for all types 01 aircraft. Tell me what you need! Air Salvage of Arkansas, Rt. 1, Box 8020, Mena, Arkansas 71953, phone 501 /394 1022 any1ime. (c-3/90) Monocoupe, Rearwin, Culver - Gee Bee's, Hall, Chester, etc. Catalog/News - $3.00. Refundable. "Meticulous model PLANS" by Vern Clements, 308 Palo Alto, Caldwell, 1083605. (12-3) JN4-D Memorabilia - "Jenny Mail" collector cachets, actually flown in Jenny to Day and Osh, along with T-shirts, pins, posters, etc. Send SASE for catalog/pricing. Virginia Aviation Co., R.D. 5, Box 294, Warrenton , VA 22186. (c-5/90) Gipsy Major Tiger Moth - parts, aircraft and air boat builders supplies. Pusher propellers, informa tional brochure, $5.40 postpaid. Provairco, Honey Harbour, Ontario, Canada POE 1EO, 7051756 2664. (1 /1-90)

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 V2 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 Aero Sport Wing Drawing $15.00. The Technique of Aircraft Building $12.00 plus $2.50 postage. Send check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales Corners, WI 53130. 414/529-2609.

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the long history of airplane de sign, many neat little biplanes have ap peared . This one was considered by both the military and civilian markets but was passed over. The photo is from the EAA archives, date and location not given. Answers will be published in the March 1990 issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Deadline for that issue is January 10 , 1990. Jack McRae of Huntington Station , New York had the answer to the Mys tery Plane for September, 1989. He writes: "The September Mystery Plane is the Mercury S-I White Racer, registra tion X-13223, designed by Harvey Mummert in 1931 and built by Mer cury Aicraft, Inc . in Hammondsport, New York. " It was powered by a supercharged Cirrus engine of 110 hp and was flown by Mummert in the 1932 Chicago Air Races and in numerous local air shows in the 1930s . The airplane was unusual for its all-steel-tube geodetic construc tion and fully retractable landing gear. "In about 1956 it was sold to George Tatich of Endicott, New York who re covered it and installed a Cessna land ing gear. It was cracked up as the result of a ground loop , and a few years later

Jr.

showed up in Mt. Clemens , Michigan. Recently it has been reported that it will be returned to Hammondsport to be on exhibit in the Glenn CUI1iss Museum there.-' Chairman of the Board of Mercury Aircraft, J.F. Meade, Jr. writes:

'The September Mystery Plane is the Mercury S-\ built and owned by Mercury Aircraft in the 1934-1935 era. The plane was designed and flown by Harvey Mummert in races at Chicago , Detroit and Cleveland. The plane has recently been returned to Ham mondsport from Detroit, is in mint condition and will be on exhibit at the Glenn H. Curtiss Aircraft Museum in Hammondsport starting next spring. We sold this plane in 1949 and, of course, are very pleased to have it re turned after almost 40 years. The en closed photo was taken in September 1989." Other answers were received from Charley Hayes,Park Forest , IL; W. E. Doherty, Director, Glenn Cur tiss Museum, Hammondsport; Ed Tice, Bedford, TX; Emil Strasser, Hawthorne, CA; and Herbert deBruyn , Bellevue, WA . •

Mercury 5-1 VINTAGE AIRPLANE 35