VA-Vol-17-No-6-June-1989

6881. iNnr

STRAIGHT

by Espie "Butch" Joyce

Ithanks would like to send out a special to Bill Eickhoff, President of Sun ' n Fun Fly-In and also to Billy Henderson, who is the ramrod for thi s event, for their hospitality during my visit to Lakeland , Florida, representing the Antique/Classic Division. I had the opportunity to meet a number of An­ tique/Classic members, shake their hand and talk to them about different issues. It was good to visit with Ray Olcott and his wife , Jo. Ray was re­ sponsible for the Parade of Flight at Sun ' n Fun and did an excellent job.

Brad Thomas, past president of the Antique/Classic Division, was there . I had an opportunity to talk with Al Kelch, past director of the Antique/ Classic Division . AI expressed his willingness to help in any way he could with our division . I also saw Claude Grey, past director of the Antique/ Classic Division and exchanged greet­ ings. There were many familiar faces at Lakeland .

I also met Sandy McKenzie, who is president of Antique/Classic Chapter One. Sandy is a very energetic person and has worked hard for the Sun ' n Fun people , as Chapter One runs the A/C Headquarters for the fly-in. All the members of that chapter did an ex­ cellent job. I would personally like to thank Chapter One for its hospitality and the opportunity to meet many of its members .

EAA sent out a number of people from headquarters this year, such as Jack and Golda Cox (SPORT A VIA­ TION), Mark Phelps (VINTAGE AIRPLANE), and Mary Jones (EX­ PERIMENTER) . Associate Editor Norm Petersen was talked into flying co-pilot in a Navion (much arm twist­ ing) from Wisconsin to Lakeland and spent the entire week on vacation. You could tell by his smile it was tough duty!

On Monday afternoon, Tom Pobe­ rezny arrived with Vern Jobst. On Tuesday morning , everyone from 2 JUNE 1989

Headquarters had the opportunity to sit in on a forum at the FAA tent to ask questions of Samuel Skinner, Secret­ ary of Transportation . Mr. Skinner is a private pilot and understands some of the problems that general aviation has. Hopefully , this will be a benefit to sport aviation.

I left Sun 'n Fun with a feeling of accomplishment and a sunburn. They did a great job.

In this June issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE, there is a ballot so you can cast your vote for those people nominated for officers and directors .

There is a biography of these candi­ dates in VINTAGE AIRPLANE. All have served the Antique/Classic Divi­ sion in the past with dedication and wish to continue to do so. Please either cast your vote or send in your proxy.

The results of this election will be an­ nounced at our annual business meet­ ing on Thursday, the last day of the EAA Convention, Oshkosh '89 .

During my visit at Lakeland , we were fortunate to be able to receive a commitment from a number of people to supply articles for VINTAGE AIRPLANE. George York, who is secretary of the Antique/Classic Divi­ sion and the reigning authority on the Beech Staggerwing, has volunteered to supply us with a number of articles on the Staggerwing. Again, I appeal to you as members, if you have an in­ teresting project in your area that you or someone else is doing , or maybe an interesting aviation person, please share this information with the rest of the membership. We are having some very positive feedback for the VIN­ T AGE AIRPLANE. We will be glad to review any type of article.

In last month' s issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE , I outlined our activities for EAA Oshkosh '89 in the Antique/ Classic area . I am glad to report that all of this planned activity is coming on line and looks as though EAA Osh­ kosh '89 will be exciting. I have listed the Chairmen of the activities and their telephone numbers. If you have any questions in any particular area, please contact these people directly. I will, in the July issue, give you more details on these activities and bring you up to date.

One area of the EAA Oshkosh '89

AND LEVEL

Convention is the Type Club Head­ quarters. I have heard from Julia Dic­ key and they have confirmed 13 type clubs that will participate in the type club headquarters this year. There will be a "Press Area" and an information booth . This is a service we provide for those people who are interested in dif­ ferent type clubs. Just keep up the good work, Joe and Julia . Thanks .

I received some communication from Mr , Ken Hyde of Warrenton , Virginia . Ken is the gentleman putting together the "Jennies to Oshkosh '89" and it appears now that we very possi­ bly could have six to eight Jennies at Oshkosh . This would be great! Ken has been working very hard on thi s project.

If anyone can be of any help to him, please get in touch with Ken .

By the time you receive this June issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE, the local fly-in season will be well under way. I enjoy the local fly-in s as they 're usually laid back, lying under the wings of airplanes, giving buddy rides - just a good atmosphere. This is a very relaxing week-end to me. Our local fly-in was held in May this year in Bur­ lington, North Carolina. We always have a good turnout for this event. Un­ fortunately, I had to miss this year as I was needed in Oshkosh the same weekend for the Antique/Classic and EAA Board Meetings. This was a tug­ of-war for me because it's the first local fly-in that I have missed in 15 years. I am sure the local guys under­ stand.

I hope to meet each and every one of you who are members of the An­ tique/Classic Division sometime dur­ ing the EAA Oshkosh '89 Convention.

I will be around the Antique/Classic Headquarters where we will have new and exciting merchandise this year for those of you who like Antique/Classic logo apparel. We continue to try to make our area of the convention a com­ fortable place for everyone to enjoy. I would like to invite all of you to "come & sit a spell" on our porch at Antique/ Classic Headquarters , relax and visit with those friends you may not have seen since last year. Let's keep up our good communications within the divi­ sion. Let's pull in the same direction for the good of avaition . Join us and you have it all. •

PUBLICATION STAFF PUBLISHER

Tom Poberezny

VI,....TA(7~ AII2VLA~~

VICE-PRESIDENT

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Dick MoM

EDITOR

Mark Phelps

JUNE 1989 • Vol. 17, No.6

ART DIRECTOR

Mike Drucks

Copyright ' 1989 by the EAA Antique/Classic Division , Inc. All rights reserved.

ADVERTISING

Mary Jones

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Norman Petersen

Dick Covin

FEATlJRE WRITERS

George A Hardie, Jr.

Dennis Parks

EDITORIAl. ASSISTANT

Isabelle Wiske

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jim Koepnlck

Carl Schuppel

Jeff lsom

EM ANTIQUE/CLASSIC

DIVISION, INC.

OFFICERS

President Esple ' Sutch' Joyce Box 468 Madison, NC 27025 919/427-0216 Secretory George S. York 181 Sloboda Ave. Mansfield, OH 44906 419/529-4378

Vice President Arthur R Morgan 3744 North 51st Blvd.

Milwaukee, WI 53216 414/442-3631 Treasurer

Contents 2

Straight and Level/by Espie "Butch" Joyce

4

Guest Editorialfby Paul H. Poberezny

6

Calendar

7

Notice of Annual Business Meeting

10

Vintage Literaturefby Dennis Parks

12

Vintage Seaplanesfby Norm Petersen

14

Members' Projectsfby Norm Petersen

15

Chapter Chroniclesfby Bob Brauer

16

A Cub In A Cratefby Frank Bass

19

Planes and People/Publicity Committee

20

C-2 Restoration: A Journal- Conclusion!

by George Quast

26

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

E.E. ' Suck' Hilbert

P.O. Box 424

Union, IL 60180

815/923-4591

Page 12

Page 16

DIRECTORS Robert C ' Sob' Srauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicago, IL 60620 312/779-2105

John S. Copeland 9 Joanne Drive Westborough, MA 015B1 508/366-7245

30

Welcome New Members

31

Vintage Trader

Philip Coulson 28415 Springbroak Dr. Lawton, M149065 616/624-6490

William A Eickhoff 41515th Ave., N.E. SI. Petersburg, FL 33704 813/8 23-2339

34

Mystery Planefby George Hardie, Jf.

Charles Harris 3933 Sou1h Pearia P.O. Box 904038 Tulsa, OK74105

Stan Gomoll 104290th Lane, NE Minneapolis, MN 55434

9181742-7311

6121784-1172

Dole A Gustafson 7724 Shady Hill Drive Indianapolis, IN 46278 317/293-4430

Robert D. ' Bob' Lumley N104W20387 Willow Creek Rd. Colgate, WI 53107 414/255-6832

Gene Morris 115C Steve Court, R.R. 2 Roanoke, 1)( 76262 817/491-9110

Steven C Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507/373-1674

Daniel Neuman 1521 Beme Circle W. Minneapolis, MN 55421 612/571-0893

5.H. ' Wes' Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53213

FRONT COVER ... Soaking it in at EAA Sun 'n Fun '89. The airplane is Morley Servos' Beech Staggerwing all the way from Ontario, Canada.

It won the award for Best Biplane.

(Photo by Mark Phelps) REAR COVER .. . NC Headquarters at EAA Sun 'n Fun as seen from the cavernous fro nt cockpit of Johnny Thomson's 1929 New Standard on short final. He adquarters was manned (and womanned) by An­ tique/Classic Chapter One. Sandy McKenzie. President.

(Photo bv Mark Phelps)

414m1-1545

DIRECTOR EMERITUS 5.J. WiMman

7200 S.E. 85th Lane

Ocala, FL 32672

904/245-7768

ADVISORS John A Fogerty RR2, Box70 Roberts, WI 54023 715/425-2455

Page 20

Peter Hawks Sky Way Bid. Suite 204 655 SkyWay Son Colas Airport San Carlos, CA 94070 415/591-7191

The words EM ULTRALlGKT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM. SPORT AVIATION. and the logos of EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION fNC .• EAA INTERNATIONAL

CONVENTION, EAA ANTIOUEICLASSIC 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 ULTRALIGKT CONVENTION are Irademarf<s of the above associatklns and their use by any person other

than the above associations is strictly prohibited.

Editorial Policy: Readers are encouraged 10 submit stories and photographs. Policy Oi>nklns expressed in articfes are sole~ those of the authors. Responsibility lor accuracy in

reporting rests entire~ wrth the contributor. Malerial should be sent to: Edrtor, The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Wittman Regional Airport, 3000 Poberezny Rd., Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.

Phone: 4141426-4800.

The VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is pobl~hed and owned exclusively by EAA AntiquelC1ass~ Division, Inc. of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Inc. and is poblished

at Wittman Regional Airport, 3000 Poberezny Rd ., Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh, WI 5490t and additional mailing offices. Membership

rales for EM AntiqueiClass~ Division, Inc. are 518.00 for cu"enl EAA members for t2 month period of which $t2.00 is for the publication of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership

is open to all who are interested in a~ation .

ADVERTISING - AntiquelClass~ Division does nol guarantee or endorse any prorucl offered through our advertising. We invite constructive ai1icism and welcome any report of

inferior rnerchand~ obtained through our advertising so thai corrective measures can be laken.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to EAA AntiqueIClassic Division, Inc., Willman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.

rnonlh~

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

G ST EDITORIAl.' by

Paul Poberezny

It

has been quite some time since I wrote a line or two for our VINTAGE AIRPLANE Magazine . All too often I am so busy with day-to-day correspon­ dence dealing with the many and varied problems that face the organiza­ tion, making trips to Washington, D.C. and sometimes having the privilege of flying the P-51 Mustang.

Unfortunately, some of our Antique and Classic friends feel I have no love for this phase of flying. Truly my in­ terest is a lot greater in antique airplanes than one would realize . At age 16 I taught myself to fly in a bat­ tered glider that I repaired. It was given to me by my high school teacher. I can well remember when the Curtiss Hawks used to fly over our neighbor­ hood in the country southwest of Mil­ waukee . When I saw those two wings flying by I thought they must be flown by little men because the airplanes were not in proportion with my imagi­ nation. I always thought that the Cur­ tiss Hawk was a stunt plane because of its short, low wing. Why , I don't know .

I can remember one night after going to a movie theater in West Allis, Wis­ consin (only a four-mile walk, one way) my mother told me that an airplane had landed in the field about two blocks away, because of fog. It didn't take me long to head down to the farmer's field to see it. I ap­ proached the airplane with great cau­ 4 JUNE 1989

tion , seeing the shadowy outline of the wings . I don't recall whether it was a Waco 10 , an American Eagle or a Swallow. I circled the airplane with caution and I must admit with a bit of fear. I went home and got a blanket , went back to the airplane and slept under the fuselage between the landing gear. I was so excited I didn't sleep much that night. I kept looking at the massive wings thinking that I, too would fly one of these wonderful machines one day. I rushed home after school the next day to see the airplane again but, the pilots were gone. It left a great impression on me .

During high school I also joined a flying club, flying a Porterfield 3570 .

I soloed it, which was quite a feat sitting in the back seat unable to see over the nose or around the speed ring that contained a 70-hp, five-cylinder LaBiond . Unfortunately , our flying club lost the airplane because of partial powerplant failure .

I was working at a filling station stocking shelves to save money to buy an airplane. I also begged my Dad to borrow some money. He was on WPA at the time. He borrowed the money and we bought an American Eagle, long-nose, Model 101 , NC 221N from Dale Crites . It had a tailskid instead of brakes , which was common in that era. Dale checked me out. That airplane taught me how to be a mechanic and a pilot. Later, I had the

opportunity to fly Dale Crites's 1-5 , 225-hp, straight-wing Waco. At the time , that was flying the best of them all.

During World War II , I instructed in Stearmans, PT-19s and -23s - over 2,000 hours sitting in an open cockpit, loving every minute of it. Later, I got to fly almost all the propeller-driven airplanes, two-engine , four-engine, etc . But my love has always been the older airplanes. I well remember when I was an eighth-grader, I walked miles to the Milwaukee County Airport, now known as General Mitchell Field, and was offered a ride if I would Simonize a Curtiss Robin . I took many IO-mile walks down the gravel road of Layton Avenue to complete the job, only to be disappointed when the owner and pilot said he didn ' t have time to give me a ride - certainly one of the greatest disappointments in my life . However, the EAA Aviation Foundation now owns that airplane. N50H is sitting in our Pioneer Airport , so I finally got my ride after all.

There are many stories I could share.

But, I would like to take this opportu­ nity to say how proud I am of our EAA Antique/Classic Division , the work you do during our annual Convention and the chapters that are keeping avia­ tion alive. I am truly glad to be a part of you and your love for those airplanes that gave us the inspirations . •

S 3N\fld~11f 38lflNII\

ICALENDAR OF EVENTSI

The Antique/Classic Valley Queen II Riverboat Dinner Cruise will board from the Pioneer Inn Marina at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, July 31. Tickets for the two and a half hour sunset cruise can be purchased by sending a self ad­ dressed stamped envelope by July 7 to Jeannie Hill, Box 328, Harvard, Il­ linois 60033. Cost is $18.50 per ticket.

Make checks payable to the Antique/ Classic Division of EAA. June 2-3 - Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Biplane Expo '89, National Biplane Convention and Exposition . Frank Phillips Field. Sponsored by National Biplane Association . Contact Charles W. Harris, 9181742-7311 or Mary Jones, 9181299-2532 .

June 2-4 - Merced, California. 37th Merced West Coast Antique Fly-In, Merced Municipal Airport. Contact Merced Pilots Association , PO Box 2313, Merced, California 95344. Tel Linton Wellen after 4:30 pm, PDT, 209/722-6666 .

June 3-4 - Coldwater, Michigan.

Fifth Annual Fairchild Reunion . Con­ tact Mike Kelly, 22 Cardinal Drive, Coldwater, Michigan 49036. Tel 517/ 278-7654.

June 9-10 - Denton, Texas. Twenty­ seventh Texas Chapter AAA Fly-In, Denton Municipal Airport. Contact Don or Shirley Swindle 214/429-6343 or Bob Landrum 817/430-3387 or John Price 817/481-9005.

June 10 - Newport News, Virginia.

Seventeenth Annual Colonial Fly-in.

Patrick Henry Airport. Sponsored by EAA Chapter 156. Contact Chet Sprague, 8 Sinclair Rd., Hampton, Virginia 23669 . Tel 8041723-3904.

June 11 - Aurora, Illinois. EAA Chapter 579 Fly-In Breakfast and FBO open house at Aurora Municipal Air­ port. Contact Alan Shackleton at 312/ 466-4193 or Bob Reiser at 312/466­ 7000.

June 16-18 Camden, South Carolina.

6 JUNE 1989

Southeast Aeronca Fly-in at Camden Airport, sponsored by EAA Chapter 242. Contact Earl Yerrick at 8031781­ 2741.

June 22-25 - Mount Vernon , Ohio.

30th Annual Waco Reunion . Wynkoop Airport. Make your reservations at the Curtis Motor Hotel , just one mile from the airport, 1-800-828-7847 , or (in Ohio) 1-800-634-6835 . There will be no Waco fly-in at Hamilton this year.

For more information, contact Na­ tional Waco Club, 700 Hill Avenue, Hamilton, Ohio 45015 .

June 23-25 Pauls Valley, Ok­ lahoma. Greater OKC Chapter of AAA Fly-In. Great facility for Fly-In and camping. Close to motels. Contact Harry Hanna at 405/946-4026, or Bud Sutton at 405/392-5608 .

June 24-25 - Orange Massachusetts.

EAA Chapter 726 New England Fly-In and antique engine show. Two run­ ways, 5,000- by I 50-feet, trophies, flea market and food. Warbirds wel­ come. Contact Joe Smolen, 413/498­ 2266.

Fly-In . Delaware Airport. Contact Walt McClory , 614/881-4267 or Alan Harding, 614/885-6502 .

July 28-August 3 - Oshkosh, Wis­ consin . 37th Annual EAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention at Wittman Regional Airport. Call 414/426-4800.

August 19-20 - Reading , Pennsyl­ vania. Reading AeroFest at Reading Municipal Airport. Fly-In Breakfast sponsored by Pottstown Aircraft Own­ ers and Pilots Association.

August 25-27 - Sussex, New Jersey.

Seventeenth Annual Sussex Air Show.

"Biggest Little Air Show in the World." Sussex Airport. Ca1l201!875­ 7337 or 875-9919 .

August 31-September 1 Cof­ feyville , Kansas. Funk Aircraft Own­ ers Association Reunion . Contact Ray Pahls , President. Tel. 316/943-6920.

September 1-5 - Bartlesville , Ok­ lahoma. National Antique Airplane Association Fly-In at Frank Phillips Field . Contact Robert L. Taylor at 515/ 938-2773 .

June 24-25 - Ridgeway , Virginia.

Second annual Fly-In and Pig-picking at Pace Field (36'35"N, 79 ' 52"W) .

Call 703/956-2159.

September 6-10 - Galesburg, Il­ linois. 18th Annual Stearman Fly-In. Contact Tom Lowe at 815/459-6873 .

July 12-16 - Arlington, Washington .

Northwest EAA Fly-in and Sport Avi­ ation Convention, Arlington Airport.

Contact Northwest EAA Fly-In, 4700 188th Street NE, Arlington, Washing-. ton 98223 . Tel. 206/435-5857.

September 9-10 - Shirley, Long Is­ land, New York. 26th Annual Antique Airplane Club of Greater New York Fly-In. Brookhaven Airport. Rain date, September 16-17. Contact John Schlie at 516/957-9145 .

July 14-15 - Fort Collins Loveland, Colorado . Eleventh annual Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-In. Co-spon­ sored by EAA Chapter 648 . Contact 3031798-6086 or 442-5002.

September 15-17 - Jacksonville , Il­ linois . Fifth Annual Byron Smith Memorial Stinson Fly-In and Reunion.

Contact Loran Nordgren at 815/469­ 9100.

July 15-16 - lola, Wisconsin . Annual Fly-In breakfast at Central County Air­ port, both days in association with lola Old Car Show Weekend. Call 414/ 596-3530.

October 5-8 - Pauls Valley, Ok­ lahoma. International Cessna 120-140 Association Fly-In Convention. Fifty miles south of Oklahoma City on 1-35 .

Fly-Outs, games and fun for all. Close to motels and shopping mall. Excellent camping facilities on field. Contact Bud Sutton at 405/392-5608 . •

July 15-16 - Delaware, Ohio . Cen­ tral Ohio - 8th annual EAA Chapter 9

NOTICE OF

ANNUAL

BUSINESS MEETING

Notice is hereby given that an annual business meeting of the members of the EAA Antique/ Classic Division will be held on Thursday, August 3, 1989 at 10:00 a.m. (Central Daylight Time) at the 37th Annual Conven­ tion of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc., Wittman Re­ gional Airport, Oshkosh, Wiscon­ sin.

Notice is hereby further given that the annual election of officers and directors of the EM Antique/ Classic Division will be conducted by ballot distributed to the mem­ bers along with this June issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Said ballot must be returned properly marked to the Ballot Tally Com­ mittee, EM Antique/Classic Divi­ sion, EM Aviation Center, Osh­ kosh, WI 54903-3086, and re­ ceived no later than July 30, 1989.

The Nominating Committee submits the following list of candi­ dates.

Arthur R. Morgan, Vice-President E.E. "Buck" Hilbert, Treasurer John S. "Jack" Copeland, Director Philip Coulson, Director Stan Gomoll, Director Dale A. Gustafson, Director Daniel F. Neuman, Director

ARTHUR R. MORGAN Milwaukee, Wisconsin Art Morgan began flying in 1961 and received his private license in 1962. In 1965 he went on to get his commercial rating.

He has been a member of EAA since 1962 and began by parking airplanes at the EAA Conventions in Rockford, Illinois.

Art was one of the first to start build­ ing a KR-l and although he did not complete his project, he was instru­ mental in the completion of two of the little birds.

In 1974 he and his wife, Kate , pur­ chased a 1939 Luscombe 8-C, which he promptly rebuilt. After two years of flying the Luscombe, Art and several friends organized the American Lus­ combe Club . The Morgans also own a Bellanca 14-13 .

Art served the EAA as a Museum volunteer for several years; as Classic parking chairman at Oshkosh and also as Antique/Classic parking chairman .

Art has been a Director of the An­ tique/Classic Division since 1978 .

E. E. "BUCK" HILBERT Union, Illinois "Buck" is a native a Chicago and a graduate of Lewis College. He began learning the "pilot's point of view" while working as a line boy at the old Elmhurst Airport near Chicago in 1938. The pay wasn't much, but it was "flying" time and he soloed an Aeronca 65LA Chief in October, 1941.

He enlisted in the Air Force shortly thereafter, into the Training Com­ mand, where he flew and instructed in many of the training aircraft of that era.

He flew gunnery training at Las Vegas Army Air Field in B-17s and finished up teaching Chinese Nationalist Pilots twin engine transition.

Recalled for the Korean war, "Buck" qualified as an Army Aviator and flew with the HQ . Company Air Section of the 24th Infantry Division.

"A most rewarding and memorable ex­ perience," he reports.

"Buck" and Dorothy and their four children are at home at "Hilbert's VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Funny Fann" where he has an airstrip and keeps a stable of interesting and flyable "old" airplanes. Buck is a re­ tired United Airlines captain.

Buck is no stranger to the Antique/ Classic Division . He is past president, having served from 1971 through 1975 . He currently is Treasurer of the Division and is also a member of the EAA Aviation Foundation Board of Trustees.

JOHN S. "JACK" COPELAND Westborough, Massachusetts Jack received a degree in mechani­ cal engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1954. He served as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer on ac­ tive duty in the U.S. Air Force from 1955-58, attaining the rank of captain in the USAF reserve.

Jack holds a commercial pilot license with a flight instructor rating.

He joined EAA in 1971 and the An­ tique/Classic Division in 1975 shortly after purchasing his first aircraft, a 1948 Cessna 140. At that time Jack lived in the Chicago area and partici­ pated in pre-Convention weekend work parties.

He has been an active volunteer at the last ten annual Conventions serving at various times as Classic Parking Co­ Chainnan, Manpower Co-Chainnan, and Manpower Chainnan. He was named an advisor to the Antique/ Classic Board of Directors in 1979 and served in that capacity until 1984 when he was elected to a Directorship.

Jack earns his living as a profes­ sional engineer and in addition to his EAA involvement is active as a Cap­ tain on the Massachusetts Wing Staff of the Civil Air Patrol.

8 JUNE 1989

PHILIP COULSON Lawton, Michigan

STAN GOMOLL Blaine, Minnesota

Phil was born on a fann in south­ western Michigan . His first ride in an airplane was at the age of 16 in a Fair­ child PT-23, owned and flown by Horace Sackett, a local pilot and A&P. Twenty-years later Horace would be Phil's guiding light in restoring his 1930 Waco INF. Phil learned to fly off a grass strip in Lawton, Michigan in 1962. His original dual instruction and solo fly­ ing was in a Piper J-5. Throughout the years he has owned several aircraft, in­ cluding a J-3 Cub, Taylorcraft, Tri­ Pacer and Cessna 190. He and his wife, Ruthie, are lovers of Wacos and greatly enjoy flying their Kinner-pow­ ered 1930 INF. They also own a Model G Bonanza.

Phil's military career consisted of four years in the U. S. Air Force during the Korean War. Phil is a lifetime EAA member and began attending EAA Conventions in Rockford, Illinois. He is a charter member of Antique/Classic Chapter 8 and also a past president. Phil has been chainnan of the annual Parade of Flight at Oshkosh for the past nine years . He was appointed advisor to the Antique/ Classic Board in 1985. The Coulsons live in Lawton, Michigan.

Stan soloed a J-3 Cub on his 16th birthday on 11-30-42. In 1945 he served in the U.S . Air Force as a ground crewman on B-29s based at Guam. Stan received his A&E license in 1949 at Spartan School of Aeronau­ tics, then returned home to Min­ neapolis where he worked at a small airport.

In 1951 he was hired by Northwest Airlines as a mechanic, progressing to Flight Engineer, Co-pilot and he cur­ rently flies as Second Officer on Boe­ ing 747s .

Stan's first airplane was a 1939 40 hp Taylorcraft. Currently he owns and flies a 1936 Waco Cabin and a 1946 J-3 Cub . Over the years he has restored many airplanes.

Stan has been active in EAA work­ ing on various committees at the An­ nual Convention . In 1976 he was muned Advisor and elected to the Board of Directors in 1984. He is cur­ rently President of Antique/Classic Chapter 4 in the Minneapolis area.

NOTICE OF

ANNUAL

BUSINESS MEETING

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION EAA

rently is serving as a Director. For sev­ eral years, Dale has judged antiques at Oshkosh and served as Program Chair­ man for the Antique/Classic Division awards.

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.

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.

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.

DALE A. GUSTAFSON Indianapolis, Indiana Dale has been interested in airplanes since he was a small child and took his first plane ride in 1939 at the age of 10. He started taking flying lessons in 1945 and soloed at 16. After high school, he worked at the airport in South Bend , Indiana servicing airlin­ ers, handling cargo and doing field maintenance.

Dale attended Spartan School of Aeronautics in 1948 and 1949 to obtain additional pilot ratings. After this he freelanced as a flight instructor and ran a small FBO at South Bend until he was hired as a co-pilot on Turner Air­ lines in Indianapoli s in 1950. Through name changes and mergers, the airline is now USAir. He had been with the airline for more than 35 years when he retired. His plans now are to spend his time between Indiana and Florida, where he has property adjoining a pri­ vate airstrip.

Through the years, Dale has owned various aircraft including a Stinson V­ 77, Piper Colt, Fairchild 24, Cessna 150 and several modem airplanes. He currently owns a Cessna 195 plus a Stearman PT-17 and Piper J-4 which are being restored. Recently Dale and his wife operated a small airport north­ west of Indianapolis. He is a member of several organizations interested in antique, classic and homebuilt aircraft.

He has been a member of EAA since 1960 and the Antique/Classic Division since it was organized. He has served as an Advisor to the Division and cur­

DANIEL F. NEUMAN Minneapolis, Minnesota Dan soloed a Fairchild KR-31 in 1935 and obtained his A&P license while still in high school in Detroit, Michigan . His first job was in final as­ sembly at Stinson Aircraft Corporation in 1938 . Later he was employed by Warner Aircraft Corp. in the engine testing department.

Prior to WW II he was chief pilot for an F.B.O . at Detroit City Airport flying Stinson Model "U" Trimotors, Sikorsky S-38 amphibians, Wacos, Stinson, etc . Dan was also a flight in­ structor in the C. P. T. program .

In 1942 he was hired by Northwest Orient Airlines and flew as captain from 1943 until retirement in 1978.

He has been actively interested in vintage aircraft since 1947 owning and restoring various types including a Beech Staggerwing, Spartan Execu­ tive , Stinson Reliant, Monocoupe, Waco , etc. In 1968 he won the AAA Grand Champion Award with his Cur­ tiss JN4-D and the EAA Grand Cham­ pion Award in 1982 with his Buhl LA­ I Pup .

Dan owns and operates Midland Aviation Co., an F .B.O. in Min­ neapolis. He was named an Advisor in 1982 and elected to the Antique/ Classic Board of Directors in January 1985.

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. Warbird members are required to be members of EAA.

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 States dollars.

in

United

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 A VIA TION CENTER

OSHKOSH, WI 54903-3086

PHONE (414) 426-4800

OFFICE HOURS:

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

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

VI~TA(7~ LIT~12Aru12~

AVIA TION HEADLINES OF THE 1920s and 1930s We are all aware of the impact Lindbergh 's New York-to-Pari s fli ght had on the public, but what other avi­ ation events of the 1920s and 1930s were deemed of enough importance to gamer headlines in the newspapers?

Scanning through the newspaper head­ lines in the EAA Av iation Library gives some cl ue as to the type of front­ page coverage that aviation received then.

February 22, 1922 GIANT ARMY DIRIGIBLE WRECKED Norfolk, Va. - Victims perish when ROMA bursts into flames after fall; collapse of rudder causes tragedy on short trial flight.

At Hampton Roads, Virginia, in what was the greatest disaster to befall Army aeronautics, the Italian built semi-rigid airship ROM A's structure broke up during high speed fli ght and went out of control.

Apparently the substitution of two Liberty motors for two of the six lighter Ansoldo engines subjected the airship to stresses for which it was not designed and this resulted in tragedy.

This incident gave Italian airship building a bad reputation from which it did not recover until the Italian-built R- l NORGE flew to the North Pole in 1926.

May 10, 1926 BYRD FLIES TO NORTH POLE Kings Bay, Spitzbergen America's claim to the North Pole was cinched tonight when, after a flight of fifteen hours and fifty-one minutes, Commander Richard E. Byrd and Floyd Bennett, his pilot, returned to announce that they had flown to the Pole.

Flying from Spitzenbergen Island in a Fokker F.VIIA-3m trimotor named "Josephine Ford" after one of the spon­ sors' (Edsel Ford) daughter, Byrd and Bennett flew a round trip to the North Pole just beating out the airship NORGE which left from Spitzbergen two days later. Since the day of the event there have been 'studies doubting 10 JUNE 1989

b,., ()ennis Varks Byrd 's reaching the North Pole . For one thing, the Fokker would have had to average over 93 mph to make the trip in the time it was gone ..

May 12, 1926 NORGE FLIES OVER NORTH POLE Reports her feat to TIMES by wire­ less; Going on over the Arctic wastes to Alaska. First message ever re­ ceived from the North Pole.

Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen led the expedition which made the first airship fli ght over the North Pole . The Italian-built airship flew fro m Spitzbergen Island over the Pole and continued on to Alaska . Other crewmembers included the American, Lincoln Ellsworth and the airship 's de­ signer, Umberto Nobile .

May 21 , 1927 LINDBERGH STRIKES OUT ACROSS OCEAN New York - Flying to meet tomor­ row' s rising sun Capt. Charles A. Lindbergh left all land behind him tonight when he passed over New­ foundland and struck out for Ire­ land, 1,900 miles across the open sea on his attempted nonstop flight to Paris. Ships in the North Atlantic have been requested to radio shore station if the flier is sighted.

May 22, 1927 LINDBERGH DOES IT! Paris - Lindbergh did it. Twenty minutes after 10 o' clock tonight sud­ denly and softly there slipped out of the darkness a gray-white airplane as 25,000 pairs of eyes strained to­ ward it. At 10:24 the Spirit of St. Louis landed and lines of soldiers, ranks of policemen and stout steel fences went down before a mad rush as irresistible as the tides of the ocean.

June 19, 1928

AMELIA EARHART FLIES

ATLANTIC

Burry Port, Carmathenshire, South

Wales - The first woman to cross

the Atlantic successfully by air, Miss

Amelia Earhart, Boston settlement

worker, alighted in the seaplane Friendship here this morning on the broad expanse of Loughor Estuary , after a flight of 20 hours and 40 min­ utes.

Amelia Earhart was a passenger in a Fokker trimotor piloted by Wi lmer Stultz and Louis Gordon. They arrived with enough fuel to continue on to Southampton, but fog forced a stop­ over.

November 30, 1929 BYRD SAFELY FLIES TO SOUTH POLE Little America, Antarctica - Con­ queror of two poles by air, Comman­ der Richard E. Byrd flew into camp at 10:10 this morning, having been gone eighteen hours and fifty-nine minutes.

Flying a Ford Trimotor named Floyd Bennett after Byrd 's pilot on the North Pole flight , the fl ight over the South Pole was the culmination of an exped­ ition that had begun the previous Au­ gust and involved a crew of more than 40 people .

August 16, 1935 CRASH KILLS ROGERS , POST Point Barrow, Alaska - Death ended the arctic aerial trip of Will Rogers, famous comedian, and Wily Post, round the world flyer, when their plane crashed 15 miles south of here at 8:18 pm Thursday.

Will Rogers hired Post to fly him to Alaska in search of material for his newspaper column. The pontoons that were ordered for their Lockheed Orion were late in arriving in Seattle, so a heavier pair were attached making the plane nose-heavy . This led to tragedy when the engine quit on take-off from a lake near their destination.

May 7, 1937 HIND ENBERG BURNS IN LAKEHURST CRASH Lakehurst, N.J. - The zeppelin Hindenberg was destroyed by fire and explosions here at 7:28 tonight with a loss of thirty-three known dead and unaccounted for out of its ninety-seven passengers and crew.

The accident happened just as the dirigible was about to dock four hours after flying over New York City on the last leg of its first transatlantic voyage of the year. Previously the Hindenberg had made 10 round trips across the At­ lantic in 1936.

July 14, 1938

AROUND THE WORLD IN

FOUR DAYS

New York - Howard Hughes, mil­

lionaire sportsman who flies ''for the

fun of it" and his four companions

at noon Thursday were nearing

Floyd Bennett airport here with a

new record for girdling the globe.

They virtually clipped three days off

the record set in 1933 by the late Wily Post, who flew around the world in seven days.

Using a Lockheed Model 14, Hughes and his crew made an around the world flight in a record 91 hours and 14 minutes . With the sophisticated radio equipment on the plane the crew was able to be in contact with the ground station in New York for most of the trip .

August 5, 1938

CORRIGAN CHEERED BY A

MILLION

New York - Douglas Corrigan, that

daring youg man of the flying machine, rode up Broadway Friday, cool and brash and grinning infecti­ ously as thousands upon thousands cheered him for flying across the At­ lantic by "mistake."

Douglas Corrigan, flying an aged 1929 Curtiss Robin, took off from New York on July 19, 1938 supposedly to fly to his home in California. He ar­ rived 28 hours and 13 minutes later in Dublin, Ireland. His flight was the sixth successful west-to-east solo crossing of the Atlantic - accidental or not. •

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

VINTAGE SEAPLANES

by Norm Petersen

From the Norman Collection of photos in the EAA Archives, we present a photo taken in the early 1930s in Italy where this Breda 25 biplane trainer was used on wheels and floats. It is estimated that over 10,000 pilots were trained in this model. On floats, the Breda 25 was refered to as the "Idro" and used the 240hp Walter "Castor" engine built in Czechoslovakia. With a gross weight of 2486 Ibs. on floats, the "25" would cruise at 93mph with a top speed of 118mph. Ailerons were located on the lower wings and conventional construction of steel tube fuselage and wood wings was employed. The seven-compartment floats were of aluminum and featured dual water rudders. Note civilian registration "I-ABFG" on side of fuselage. Most Breda 25 aircraft were two-seat (tandem) trainers, however, this floatplane model is the single seat edition. The tandem trainers featured dual controls, however, the studenfs controls could be disconnected from the instructor's controls while in flight!

Three Hamilton Metalplanes on floats (also made by Hamilton) ride at anchor in this photo from the EAA Archives. It is known that three Hamlltons were delivered to the Province of Ontario, Canada. Two of the aircraft pictured carry sequential Canadian registration, CF-AOH 12 JUNE 1989

~,

A Loenlng "Duck" thunders across the water on takeoff from Cleveland In this photo from the old American Airman files in the EM Archives. Tex Marshall says, ''The Terminal Tower of Cleveland Is In the background. These planes carried six passengers and a crew of two. Cruising about 100mph, the Loenlngs were equipped with two-way radio. The engines were 575hp Wright Cyclones. I was president of Trans-American Airlines that operated these planes In 1929 and 1930 between Cleveland and Detroit. We had six of them. I had about 75 hours as pilot In the Loenings, ferrying new planes and using them for business."

-

and CF-AOI. The center plane has what appears to be military markings on the rudder and wing surfaces. All are powered by 525hp Wright engines. Can any readers provide additional information as to the location of the photo and the details?

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

MEMBERS' PROJECTS...

by Norm Petersen

A one year and three months restoration project produced the very nice looking Stinson 108-2, N9835K, SIN 108-2835, shown here. James Evans (EAA 298808) of Lander, Wyoming restored the Stinson with help from Gene Ferry (EAA 63787) who is also rebuilding a Super Cub. James reports the Stinson flies very well and he is quite happy with the end result. This project was also featured in VINTAGE AIRPlANE in February, 1988 and August, 1988. Congratulations, Jamesl

Nicely restored Piper PA-11, N4594M, SIN 11-97, is shown at the Cub Fly-In at Henning, Minnesota in 1988, flown by its owner, Dick Weber (EAA 319736) of Buffalo, Minnesota. The "cherry" PA-11, complete with 85hp Continental and metal wheel pants, has since been sold to Dick Falen (EAA 212982) of Star Prairie, Wisconsin.

14 JUNE 1989

C

ER CHRONICLES

by Bob Brauer

When Chapter II was formed in 1983, it already consisted of an active group of longtime EAA members . This chapter is based at Capitol Drive Air­ port in Brookfield , Wisconsin near Milwaukee. Meetings, are held at the airport on the first Monday of each month and feature speakers and dem­ onstrations on fabric-covering and routine airframe and engine mainte­ nance . On occasion, these subjects, as well as those covering the restoration and flying of antique aircraft are pre­ sented on film or video.

President George Meade reports that in addition, most meetings include ap­ proximately 20 minutes of aviation education by local flight instructors or other authorities. Pilotage, biennial flight review requirements and ATC procedures as applied to the new "airspace stuff' have been useful areas of instruction. Treasurer and school teacher Debra Schroeder occasionally conducts air-education sessions during the week at the airport for youngsters from the area. These children are from local elementary and junior high I chools and Debra reports they always show tremendous interest in whatever she shows them at the airport.

The activities of Chapter II, how­ ever, are not limited to monthly meet­ ings. Bob Lumley , who organizes some of the chapter's ventures, explained that members participate in monthly flyouts to airport restaurants , breakfast rallies , grass airstrip tours and various types of special interest trips. The frigid winter months of Wis­ consin are no barrier to flight because the low temperatures frequently pro­ duce good visibility and high ceilings.

When these conditions prevail there is

Happy antlquers from the March '89 Chapter 11 trip to Dayton. Left to right; Herb Thacher, Red Perkins, Carl Pedderson, Dave Broadfoot, Charlotte Zem, Demo Staver and Clarence Schreiber.

hardly a comment about the cold.

The members do like to go places and have taken extended week-end trips to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. , to the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, a group flight to Prince Edward Island and several flyouts to airports with camping facilities available.

The most recent trip was the one to Wright-Patterson during the week-end of March II. Twenty members and friends flew or drove to attend an inten­ sive two-day tour of the Air Force Museum .

Of the approximately 70 aircraft re­ gistered to chapter members, more than 30 are antiques ranging from Aeroncas to Wacos . There are four re­ storation projects underway and one spearheaded by Dave Broadfoot was recently completed for the Smithsonian Institution. Steve Wittman's original racer, "Buster" was completely reco­ vered and refurbished and returned to the National Air and Space Museum for prominent display.

Because of the chapter's proximity to Oshkosh , the members provide many volunteers and participants for . our annual EAA Convention. Some hold key positions in the areas of An­ tique/Classic aircraft parking, flight­ line safety , show-plane camping and A/C Convention Headquarters (the Red Barn). In addition, they conduct more custom aVIatIOn restoration forums, organize the A/C flyout pic­ nic , produce history of aviation vid­ eotapes and manage the Convention­ area tour trams.

Each August the chapter holds an ice cream social fund raiser at Capitol Drive Airport to support various chap­ ter and EAA projects . The money goes for sponsorship of a youngster to the EAA Air Academy, toward the pur­ chase of Duane Cole's T'Craft for the EAA Museum and a general donation to the museum .

If you are looking for ideas for your chapter's participation, assuming things are a little quiet out your way, try using some of Chapter II's ac­ tivities as a checklist! • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

WOULD YOU SEND A CUB UP IN A CRATE LIKE THIS?

by Frank Bass

(EAA 132867, N C 4434 )

16 JUNE 1989

I

got home one evening last summer and had a message on my answering machine from an Engli shman by the name of Ike Stow . He was visiting thi s country and someone at a truck stop in Bozeman, Montana , had told him if he was interested in old airplanes, he needed to get in touch with me . He said he wanted to look at some vintage, American-type aircraft and he would call me the next day. Sure enough, early Saturday morning he called again. He was at Big Timber, Montana and would be at my place in a couple of hours .

He and hi s lovely wife arrived and I gave them a tour of my place , the Beacon Star. I showed them all my planes and then took them into town to see my J-5 Cub, which I had recently decided to sell . I thought my new足 found friend only wanted to look at old airplanes! I was surprised to realize he

was interested in buying! And guess what? His little wife was as surprised as I was, but it seemed OK to her. It was pleasant to see such agreement and trust between them; it wasn't even spo­ ken. I just felt it in her acceptance of whatever he wanted to do. I really en­ "joyed being with these nice people who talked so differently and lived so far away .

He looked the Cub over and while we were in town we attended an old par show. Later that evening I cooked them a Montana steak and put them up for the night. They got up the next morning and went into Moore for church, which was probably a nice ex­ perience for people from England. I fixed them a big breakfast, Montana style: flapjacks, bacon & eggs and they went down the road about noon. I smiled as I watched them drive away.

I'd made some good friends and de­ cided that maybe I'd stop in England some day and visit Ike Stow, never re­ ally dreaming that I'd ever hear from him again.

A few weeks went by and I came home from town one day and on my answering machine was a big long tale from Ike! He was calling from England and had checked into what it was going to cost him to transport the Cub. So I thought, well , he would be getting back to me. About a week later it' s Ike again; he reached me this time . I was in the shop and we "visited", using his terminology. He likes to haggle about price. Well , Danny Simpson and I had decided that we could build the trans­ port crate for $500. We were going to make a little profit, maybe, if Ike wanted it done. Well , that was a dream! Ike got the paperwork taken care of and sent me a draft. I might add that doing business with Ike was indeed a pleasure. There was not a thing, you understand, signed between Ike and me. Not one solitary docu­ ment. He wired the money in full to my bank. I really feel honored about this. He is a neat, wonderful guy; a great businessman , with a great deal of faith in mankind. I guess he knew I wasn't going to cheat him, but how'd he know that? I guess he reads peoples' minds pretty good. He wired me the money and said he would get back to me with shipping instructions. In the meantime, we were flying the Cub as much as we could. We got about four or five hours in because this was the last she was going to fly in the U. S. With a Montana sticker on her tail, she was heading for England! Our good

Director of Aeronautics, Mike Fergu­ son , would be mighty proud that he now has an ' 87 and '88 Montana regis­ tration sticker flying in North England on the old J-5 Cub! How about that, Mike?

The crate project got to be quite a procedure. Neither Danny nor I had

ever seen an airplane shipping crate.

Neither one of us had ever seen an airplane shipped, let alone know what kind of crate it should be in. Danny, with his ingenious mind for designing and building and being an A&P and AI mechanic that he is, said that he could just build this crate and make the VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

airplane a part of it. Sounded good to me, so away we went. He ordered a load of lumber and I went to town and bought about $190 worth of dimension lumber and another $225 worth of rough out 112 inch plywood. You can see my $500 was almost gone already!

We enlisted the help of another friend of ours , Ed Mussleman, because he had told us how he had seen airplanes shipped to Hawaii when he was with the airlines in California. So I said to Danny, "We'll get Ed to come over and tell us how to build this crate." So Ed flew over in his Scout, landed and came up to the hangar. I said, "Well Ed, how is this going to work?' Ed said he didn't know , so we proceeded to follow Danny's design and Ed turned out to be a good helper, but he had never seen a crate being built either! Ed had flown the airplanes to the airport and other fellows disassem­ bled them and put them in a crate and then helped put them together again in Hawaii , but he never did see the crate!

So that was our overseas crate builder!

We made a deck out of two-inch lumber with a rail down the center.

Then we took all the landing gear, wings, prop and tail feathers off the airplane. We made brackets to fasten the main landing gear mounts (to the crate) and built a step to fasten the tail to. Now the fuselage was part of the deck of the crate. We then built the double 2 X 4 framework over the top, put cross pieces in it and stood the wings inside. The wings were fastened by the strut mountings to the sides and the spar mountings to the back end of the crate, so now the wings were part of the crate . Finally, the prop was fas­ tened down to the deck and the landing gear was all lagged down. All loose fairings, cans of screws and whatnots were wrapped in paper, taped down and fastened inside the fuselage . There was not one loose piece of airplane.

They could have rolled the crate upside down and it would not have moved!

By now the aircraft was secure inside the crate, but we didn't have the side panels built yet. You must remember, we put this thing together with impact air wrenches and screws - not a nail in it! When it was completed with panel­ ing on the sides and re-enforced cor­ ners, we took the tractor and loader and lifted one end of the crate six feet off the ground and the crate did not bend.(24 feet long, seven and a half feet wide, six feet high and that crate did not bend!)

We started the crate on Tuesday and 18 JUNE 1989

Danny & I finished on Saturday . Ed spent about three days with us. We put instructions on the outside concerning the wing bolts , what panels should come off to unfasten the wings, etc.

We also put instructions for Customs on the end telling them which was front and back and which panels should be removed for inspection; and, of course, what was in the crate. The shipping people from Chicago had a trucking firm from Lewiston come out and pick up the plane (crate). It barely went inside their 40-foot trailer! It had about an inch to spare on each side.

Loading this monstrosity was quite a sight, indeed! We got one end hoisted up, put barrels under the crate, backed the truck under it, raised the other end and slid her into the truck. Ladies and gentlemen, on November 18, 1988,

old NC35183 was on her way to Eng­ land and I expect to be hearing from Ike any day , telling me that his airplane has arrived . I'm told the trip should take about six weeks .

This has been a very interesting ex­ perience for us. We've had a great time doing it and it's certainly something that has never been done in Montana before . Now we are in the export bus­ iness here in central Montana; we' ve exported our first aircraft to Grand Old England and we wish Ike Stow all the luck in the world and we hope he'll be as happy with the old orange and yeller J-5 Cub as we were.

Editor's note - Frank has gotten word that the Cub arrived in fine shape and was being assembled when last he heard . •

Planes & People

BILLY PANCAKE

by Sharron Mitchell

0'

By volunteers the Antique/Classic Press Committee Larry O'Attilio and Pamela Foard, Co-Chairmen

The real story about Aeronca 1390E is what goes on under the wing at Oshkosh. Billy and Saundra Pancake have opened their doors , cowling, panel and hearts to visitors to the EAA Convention. They were joined by Saundra's parents, Irene and Richard McDowell and their daughter, Stacey.

The circle of lawn chairs is open to new and old friends who want to stop in to say hello or discuss airplanes.

In a soft southern drawl, Billy re­ veals that he spent much of his youth at the airport doing whatever it took to get an airplane ride. He was into mechanical things and in seventh grade Billy managed to get into trouble at school by building "shock" boxes that zapped the teacher and principal. After that little incident he was high on the list of suspects when anything mechan­ ical was involved in mischief. He built rockets making his own black powder from grocery items . Fortunately, he soon discovered aviation which cap­ tured his interest and his energy.

At 14, he began flying with Joe Brown in the same Aeronca Champ he later restored. Pancake became an in­ strument-rated pilot, an A&P mechanic, an IA and a CFI. For 10 years he flew forest fire patrol (200 hours/year) . Pancake' s mechanical tal­ ents were put to use. He assembled at least 131 Heath test kits making him a master builder. In 1968, he began to restore and customize Aeronca 7AC 1390E, a 1946 Champ. John Houser of Aeronca Inc. supplied him with blueprints and David Baker (the origi­ nal owner and a distributor for

Aeronca) supplied old books and pic­ tures . The entire plane was disassem­ bled , stripped, primed and painted.

Pancake covered the plane with Irish linen and butyrate dope. He completed the restoration in nine months . He had built his own woodworking , metal , upholstery and electronics shops which enabled him to work very efficiently.

Although he has since been involved in a number of restorations back to original condition, he had decided to customize 1390E right from the begin­ ning. In 1975, he designed a brand new IFR panel. He has completely redone the panel four times and you really have to see it to believe it. It's a work of art! Aeronca 1390E may be just another beautifully restored 7AC at first glance, but a closer look will convince you that Billy Pancake's Champ is really something special.

Pancake customized his Champ by: -removing the nose tank, replacing it with two wing tanks (26 gallons) . He needed the space for the new IFR panel he had designed. Recently someone claimed his plane wasn ' t a Champ be­ cause it didn 't have the nose tank .

Even after Pancake explained what he had done , the man still insisted it was an early Citabria or something. He still chuckles softly about that.

-replaced the engine with a loo-hp Continental 0-200.

-modified the landing gear by adding grease fittings and longer oleo strut bushings for better wear.

-put shock mounts, grease fittings and and a teflon ring seal (to retain grease and prevent dirt from getting into the packing) on the tailwheel.

-designing a fully IFR panel to re­ place the original panel. He has a full gyro panel (artificial horizon, direc­

tional gyro, tum coordinator) a 720­ channel Edo Aire RT536 navcom, a

Narco ADF 141 , a Narco AT 150

transponder, a Narco Encoder, AR

850, a Narco Nav 122 with markers

and glides lope receiver, a Terra 720­ channel transceiver, a Narco DME

195 , a Silver fuel flow meter, a Dav­

tron 855 for air temperature , density

altitude , pressure altitude and voltage

and a Davtron 811 digital clock and

timer.

-putting in an alternator (but no star­

ter) to power the panel.

-rewiring the entire panel. Pancake 's

skill as an electronic technician and

master builder of Heath kits is evident.

He removed part of the panel to expose

the workmanship.

He has a one-time STC for all these

changes - imagine all that paper work!

Billy is no stranger to restoring airplanes. He was instrumental in the restoration of Jim Thomson's Aeronca Sedan (EAA Champion, 1980), Harold Armstrong's Waco 10 (EAA Reserve Grand Champion, 1981), David Law 's Aeronca IICC (EAA Best of Type, 1983). He uses the pictures and blue­ prints from the factory to get everything original. If a clip came from the factory at an angle, Billy will restore it that way. Unfortunately, some of the recent books on Aeroncas contain errors. Be­ cause he has the factory information, he is able to spot some of the errors.

His attention to detail, plus his total commitment to originality and neat­ ness have made the planes he has worked on exceptional. Pancake is cur­ rently restoring another Champ. It's going back to original right down to the last detail. We look forward to its arrival at Oshkosh . • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

C-2 RESTORATION:

A/OURNAL

Conclusion

by George Quast (EAA 123836, Ale 8885)

January 3,1985 I received a letter from Dick Baxter of Spencer Aircraft Industries, Inc . in Seattle, Washington. Dick had gotten my name from the Aeronca factory and said that he was in the process of re­ storing C-2, sin A-71 and that it should be flying in the spring. He was just starting to cover his plane and would like to see some pictures of my C-2 during the restoration and after the completion.

January 5, 1985 I sent a letter to Dick Baxter on De­ cember 31, 1984 and he sent his first letter to me January 2, 1985. He re­ ceived my letter the day he mailed his, so he sent a follow-up letter that I re­ ceived today . In his two-page letter, Dick told me the history of his C-2 and that he flew it in 1938 when he was 14 years old. He purchased half of the wingless C-2 a few years ago and started his reconstruction project. He is a good friend of Bob Cansdale who

owns a C-2. Dick built up a C-3 in 1954 and flew it for 350 hours before selling it to Bob Cansdale.

I wanted to collect information on all remaining C-2s and Dick Baxter's letter was the first I received after writ­ ing to all registered C-2 owners . From his letter, he sounds very interesting and keeps himself busy .

January 10, 1985 I received a letter from the Antique Airplane Association in Ottumwa, Iowa today . I had asked for informa­ tion on its C-2 and also if anyone there had an address of the former owner of my C-2, Vince Burke . AAA's letter included Vince's current address in Anaheim, California and told me that the Airpower Museum in Ottumwa does have C-2, N 10168, sin 301-44 and that the fuselage had just come back from San Antonio where it had been rebuilt from a few original pieces .

New wings had to be built now. I had located the former owner of this

.A~RON'A. .

w--&w

20 JUNE 1989

airplane, Perry Roberts of Billings , Montana back on October 18, 1983.

AAA also enclosed a copy of THE AN­ T1QUER dated March 1966. This whole issue was dedicated to the "Aeronca Club" which was going to have its 1967 fly-in that September.

An article from the October 1929 issue of AERO DIGEST was reprinted giving excellent information on the early C-2.

A photo of Bob Cansdale and his award-winning C-2 was printed along with a story by Erwin Eshelman. In September 1930, Erwin met Dixie Davis from Cincinnati , who was on a nationwide tour to advertise the C-2.

This was Erwin's first look at a C-2 .

In the summer of 1931, he got his first ride in a C-3 . The airplane cost around 1,295 Depression dollars. In 1937, Erwin bought his first C-2, sin 15, built in September 1930. He kept the C-2 out at the old East Dayton Airfield and always felt quite honored by having the C-3 owned by Jean Roche right next to his in the hangar. In 1939, Erwin sold the C-2 and in the spring of 1964 he purchased a C-3.

January 16, 1985 I received a letter from Dale Wol­ ford and he wrote a short profile of the flying experiences of George York, Jim Gorman and himself, all owners of Aeronca C-2, sin A-66. Dale then told about the C-2 restoration project and sent a photocopy of an Aeronca brochure. The original brochure was donated to them by a friend .

I received a letter from Hardy Can­ non. Hardy had written an article for VINTAGE AIRPLANE in the De­ cember 1984 issue. After I read it I dropped him a letter. The article was titled, "The Rebirth of an Aeronca C-3 Master," and tells of the Antique Air­ craft Rescue and Restoration Company (AARRCO), being formed by Hardy together with Bill Stratton, and their reconstruction of C-3, NC 14640.

Hardy's reconstruction agenda in­ cluded a 1935 C-3 Master, two 1934

C-3 Collegians and another C-2, planes and parts coming from Hous­ ton, Texas, Arizona, New York and Blakesburg, Iowa.

Dick Baxter wrote a letter and re­ turned a photo of the engine and exhaust pipe that I had sent him .

Dick's father had started in the aircraft business in 1922 and Dick himself had been at it for 54 years. He described flying the C-2 as more fun than any­ thing else he had flown . Dick said, "You do have to fly it, rather than herding an engine through the sky like most modern airplanes, but it is easy to fly, very forgiving, makes a lot of noise and you don't go no place in a hurry! " He sent along a photo of the front of his C-2 showing the pilot seat, gas tank and dash .

After suppper that evening, I called information and was given a phone number of the former owner of my C­ 2, Stanley Gerlach from Palmyra, Wis­ consin. I called and his wife, Helen answered. I was saddened and disap­ pointed to have her tell me that Stanley had died on November 29, 1984 at the age of 71. He had flown for 52 years and had owned NC 10303 before he

got married . Helen was still quite upset about losing the companionship of Stanley but told me he was very active and flew airplanes till the day he died .

She told me that he attended all the EAA Conventions and was at the last one. This made me think. I had at­ tended many of the activities held sol­ ely for the Antique/Classic Division members at the EAA 1984 Conven­ tion. Stanley was there too. He could have walked right by me without my knowing who he was. I had lost a first hand source of information about the C-2' s early history because I hadn't taken the time to act sooner. This was a good lesson for me.

I asked Helen if she might help me find out something about Guy and Floyd Congdon from Palmyra who owned the C-2 before Stanley did back from 1936 to 1955 and if she had any photos of the C-2 that I could copy.

Then I called former owner Roy Oberg again to talk with him about the C-2's original altimeter, which he had.

I wanted to find out if I might get it back into the C-2 or not. Roy had not been too responsive to the letters and pictures that I had sent him, so far. We talked about the C-2 and then about a 1952 Ford 8N tractor governor. Fi­ nally , I asked him if I might have the altimeter. He said, "Yes."

Editor's note -In 1966, Stan Gerlach helped a young pilot repair his 1929 Parks P-2A when a friend ground­ looped it on landing at Palmyra.

Stan donated parts, hangar space and moral support to get the airplane back into the air so the young man could continue his barnstorming jour­ ney into the past . The pilot was Richard Bach. You can read about Stan on page 68 of Nothing By Chance by Bach (Avon Books) .

Duane K. Berke, owner of Aeronca 7-AC, N 2259E, the airplane once owned by my father, wrote a letter to me telling a short history of the airplane . He owned it since 1976. It was converted to 90 hp and flown as a sprayer in the late 1950s. It was re-co­ vered in the 1960s and an 85-hp engine was mounted on it which it still has today. An implement dealer owned it and then a few farmers before Duane

January 23, 1985

Aeronca 7-AC once owned by my father.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

bought it in 1976.

That night my mother woke me put of a sound sleep at II :30 pm. There was a phone call for me and as I picked up the receiver I was just barely con­ scious. It was former owner of my C-2, Vince Burke. I had written Vince on January IS, using an address given to me by the AAA. He was calling from California where it was only 9:30 pm.

We talked about the C-2, how he flew it, why he sold it to my father and how he flew it to Hutchinson from Iowa back in 1964. I was very happy he called but much of what he was telling me wasn't registering in my sleepy brain, so I told him to write it all down on paper and send it to me and I would keep him informed on the project.

February 5, 1985 EAA Director of Information Ser­ vices, Ben Owen sent information on the EAA Aviation Foundation's C-2, NC 13089 and included a photo of the airplane taken at the old museum at Franklin. I will compile this informa­ tion with other materials collected on the remaining registered C-2s. Ben said if he could help in the future he would be happy to try and that I was

to give his regards to Max .

February 11, 1985 I received five legal-size pages, hand-written on both sides from Vince Burke along with photocopies of magazine articles and color photos.

Vince told me that he had owned 47 airplanes, so far, and that the C-2 was strictly a "fun" airplane to fly. It was kept at a museum in Sioux City, Iowa and he would fly it to flight breakfasts to promote the museum.

I landed at Blue Earth Airport in Minnesota a few years ago and told the airport operator that I was from Hutchinson, Minnesota. He asked if I knew of a C-2 located up there. I said I did and he told me that it came to Blue Earth in the 1960s during a strong windy day and landed, facing into the wind, flying backwards. That sounded like a good story and, I asked Vince about it. In his letter, he told how the wind at the Blue Earth Airport was about 30 to 35 mph. He put the C-2 over the runway and it drifted back­ wards as he reduced the throttle. In­ creasing power and easing the tail down, he landed the C-2 at three mph.

Vince said he had some relatives Iiv­

ing in Hutch and here' s an interesting point. It seems Vince 's cousin had a nephew named Joe Dooley! Joe's Aunt Bernice is married to my cousin, Stan­ ley. We are all related .

I worked on the first trial decal for the C-2 using the overhead projector borrowed from my church. The color transparency of the tail decal emblem was projected onto contact paper and this image was then hand-painted with acrylic paint and checked for size and color.

February 13, 1985 Second attempt at the tail decal.

March 12, 1985 I received a letter from Helen Ger­ lach. She had talked to some of her husband's flying friends and asked them about the C-2. They were sure that there weren't any photos taken back in the 1930s because no one had a camera and even if they had, they didn't have any film . Helen was going through some of Stanley's papers and if she came up with anything she would send it along. She also invited me to stop at her home if I visited Oshkosh again .

The EM Aviation foundation's C-2 at the old museum In Franklin, Wisconsin.

22 JUNE 1989

Taxi-testing NC 10303 on the grass.

April 1, 1985 The weather was changing. Snow piles were melting into the ground and it was too warm to snow and too wet to do any field work. It was the perfect time to finish the work on the C-2.

I installed the dash panel which was painted with black wrinkle enamel and baked in my mother's oven. Then I placed all the instruments in the panel.

The gas tank, sealed and painted, was placed back behind the firewall on the fuselage.

April 6, 1985 I started to hand prop the engine and check for leaks in the gas tank. We were trying to figure out the technique to start the E-113C engine.

April 8, 1985 Rubber grommets purchased from Hutchinson Wholesale Supply were placed on all the holes of the firewall where cable, wires and gas lines came through. Spreader bars were put on the flying wires.

April 10·15, 1985 I taxied the C-2 on the grass strip along the main runway on these days,

getting the feel of the airplane, using some of the engine and rudder to tum.

Because there were no wheel brakes on the airplane, using slight forward stick and a boost of power from the engine would tum the little C-2. I prac­ ticed snaking back and forth to gain confidence and control. I tried a few fast speed runs but I never pulled the airplane off the ground.

April 30, 1985 NC 10303 was flyable. When I started this project I set my goal of having the C-2 in factory-fresh condi­ tion and I had the patience to do the perfect and exacting work, but not the "know-how." After a while, I decided I would do the best possible work I could and get the C-2 flying again.

Once flying the C-2, there would al­ ways be time to make little improve­ ments. The C-2 wasn't going to be per­ fect, but practical. When I think back to all that was done in those two and a half years, there are a few things I'd change if I ever did it again. There's a lot I had learned but there's one thing I wouldn't change. I'd do it all again with the same people.

I finished checking everything out

on the C-2 with Jim Wechman late in the afternoon. He suggested that I wait until the wind calmed down and a few of the airport spectators left for home and then go test hop the C-2. I was too tired that night.

May 2, 1985 I got out of bed, dressed and hurried out to the airport. Not wanting to give my mother a coronary thrombosis, I 'said not a word about my morning plans. Arriving at the airport at 6:34 am, I pulled the gas-filled, oil­ checked, rocker-arm-greased C-2 out of Joe Dooley's hangar. The sky was clear blue with the wind out of the southeast at five mph, directly down the runway.

I peeled offthe bedsheets, secured the tail to the comer of the hangar with nylon rope and chocked the front wheels. I ran through the preflight in­ spection. I knew every nut, bolt and cotter pin on the plane and I checked and rechecked the turnbuckles on the aileron cables. No one was at the air­ port except Max and a few sparrows that lined the hangar rafter to watch.

The engine was reluctant at first, but after some coaxing it started with a VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

"I sow the wheel stili spinning and the grass failing away."

"Let's not be a Jerk and screw upl"

Joe Dooley's enthusiasm got the project off the ground in 1982. Irs fitting that he witnessed the first flight.

24 JUNE 1989

loud "BANG ." Making a mad dash around the whirling propeller, down, around and up through the wing's fly­ ing wires, I pulled back the throttle and slowed the engine down.

As the tethered C-2 idled, I put Max in the pickup truck, gave him a hug and said, "I'll be back soon." I put him in the truck for his own safety because I certainly didn't want anything to hap­ pen to him now . Besides, I wanted to know exactly where he was .

I pulled the chocks from the front wheels, untied the tail and walked the C-2 away from the hangars, across the blacktop over to the grassy strip alongside the hard-surface runway.

The morning grass was wet on my shoes and it made the smooth tires shine. I spread open the seat belt, put my right foot on the seat and pulled my body through to the other side.

Then I pulled my left foot in. The pro­ cedure reminded me of stretching into a newly-washed pair of long under­ wear. Oil pressure was good so I taxied the C-2 to the far end of the runway .

The low-pressure tires, the small spring in the tailskid and the seat cush­ ion helped soften the ride.

Once I came to the far end of the runway, I stepped out of the cockpit and swung the tail, turning the C-2 into the wind. Climbing back in and fasten­ ing the seat belt, I scanned the instru­ ments and made a final run-up . I slip­ ped on my pair of high school chemis­ try goggles, pulled the hood of my sweatshirt over my head and put on a pair of welding gloves. My father's an­ tique pocket watch said it was 7:44 am.

Since he couldn't see the flight, I smuggled along his watch for good luck .

I'm no Chuck Yeager, so I asked Jesus if He wouldn't mind paying a little attention to what was going on down here at the end of the runway . I reminded Him that I was a current Sun­ day School teacher with two sections of class to be taught, yet. I also vowed that if he helped me pull this off, I'd make some improvements to my cur­ rent lifestyle . After making the pledge at 7:45 am, I eased the throttle for­ ward. There was a short hesitation, and the C-2 moved forward, shaking me like an electric belt massager jiggles a fat man. The engine revolving faster produced a deafening bark and flicks of grease and oil caught my face and goggles.

The C-2 moved down the rough grass runway, the wheels raising a roostertail of water. The jarring of the fuselage on the ground became more

and more abrupt and sharp until, sud­ denly, the choppiness stopped and the engine continued to bang away . I checked over my right side to see the wheel still spinning and the grass slowly falling away.

As busy as I was concentrating on what I was doing, my eye caught a familiar shape sitting on the blacktop runway approach down near the hang­ ars. It was Joe Dooley's cargo van .He had stopped out at the airport, by chance, to witness the first flight of the C-2 since 1965. How appropriate it was for him to see me fly it for the first time since it was because of him that the project first started back in 1982.

You might say he got the project "off the ground" back then.

I waved to Joe and made a slow gradual climb and then turned cross­ wind to downwind. The flight went very slowly and I thought to myself, "I'm up here now. Let's not be a jerk and screw up!" Myoid instructor, Vince Keltgen taught me to fly by the seat of my pants and that feel for the airplane was how I was flying the C-2.

I pulled the throttle back and im­ mediately felt the cockpit cool. Slowly descending, I turned from downwind to base and then lined up on the grass runway. Drifting down, I cleared the engine and slid over the top of the grass. It was as if the ground came up to the airplane and pulled it down softly until the wheels touched. The ground roll was short and I let out a big holler. It was like kissing the pret­ tiest girl in town, getting your pilot's license and eating a Dairy Queen dou­ ble banana split with chocolate syrup and nuts, all at once. I was ecstatic .

Joe met me at the hangars and I gave him my camera, told him where to stand and took off again. This time, Joe captured it on film. One the second landing, the right wing lifted and Joe thought I was going to lose it, but ev­ erything went fine. The C-2 had flown for half an hour. Butch Wechman stopped at the airport on his way to school so he took a picture of Joe, the C-2 and me.

Butch left and Joe helped me put the airplane back in the hangar. Max con­ gratulated me, not so much for the flight but for letting him out of the truck. Joe left to go to work and I put everything back in its place and then loaded Max back into the truck. I sat in the pickup for a short moment, just thinking what my father would say to me now. I could almost see his face smiling and hear him saying, "The kid did all right!" •

.

.AERONCA. -

.

Here I stand next to NC 10303 at our family airport, established by my father.

Walter H. Quast­ "My father and teacher. Because of him, I am now the steward of the C-2."

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

An information exchange column with input from readers.

by Buck Hilbert (EAA 21, Ale 5) P.O. Box 424 Union, IL 60180

On

our recent West Coast trip, Dorothy and I were having dinner with Bob, "Red Baron" von Willer and Lor足 raine Kivi at their house near Gillespie Field at EI Cajon, California. People down around San Diego know the Red Baron for his enthusiasm and drive.

He's past president of the Fleet Club, has done yeoman duty as a volunteer and docent for the San Diego Air Museum and is a constant helping hand to any antiquer of otherwise aviator who will ask him. His phone bill must look like the national debt.

26 JUNE 1989

He had a little bad luck last year, losing a battle with a scaffold on the job and broke both arms above the elbow. He was out of service and hur­ tin ' real bad but managed to rehabili­ tate himself by working on airplanes.

He spent about all his time in "Glue Alley" (a row of T-hangars occupied by antiquers, builders and such), work­ ing on his Fleet and Lorraine 's Com­ mandaire project. This despite the fact that he has only about 90 percent movement in his right arm and about 15 percent in his left. Wanta see some­ thing funny and yet heartbreaking?

Watch Bob try to put on his helmet and goggles when he can' t even touch he tip of his nose. I have nothing but ad­ miration for this guy . Instead of feeling sorry for himself because he can' t fly , he recruited me to be his safety pilot while we flew down to Ensenada for Mexican Aviation Day. If I'd known he was trying to bribe me with that filet dinner, I'd have told him to save it. All he had to do was ask! About six years ago, I'd flown with him in this same Fleet 7 to the Marana Fly-in . This Model 7 has orig­ inal tube and fabric wheel fairings. It also has a Kinner B-54 engine which is the smoothest of that B-5 series. It' s a delight to fly. Bob has it equipped with intercom and a battery operated transceiver so ingress and egress at Gil­ lespie and crossing the border were easy - but I'm getting ahead of my­ self.

With all the sweet talk out of the way, we made concrete plans . I was to be at Glue Alley no later than nine

ayem because Dorothy and the rest of the ladies would ride down in the sup­ port van and they needed about a two­ hour head start . The plan was for a Saturday arrival at Ensenada, RON down there, stay until the last minute on Sunday and plan our trip home to clear U.S. Customs at Brown Field , arriving back at Gillespie before dark .

Friday was wet , rainy and nasty all day . I had doubts that we 'd even be able to go. Then a cold front pushed through, everything froze that night and Saturday dawned CA VU. The forecast was for a high of about 48 degrees and brisk winds. "Freeze­ dried" was all I could think about.

We arrived at 08:30. Von Willer must have been there hours before we were because he had the Fleet out and was giving it the last minute once-over.

His normal preflight reads like my re­ cent "Spring Breakout" article - ex­ cept that he has the added responsibil­ ity of two wings and a bunch of wires.

He was polishin ' and fussin' and greeted us with the word that the coffee was "on" over in Armin Holle 's hang­ ar, next door. About that time , some­ one else showed up with Dunkin's "fat pills" and the bull session began .

It WAS cold! You don ' t expect 30­ degree weather in San Diego. When we got up that morning , my brother-in­ law 's front-yard fountain was frozen solid. The Red Baron, realizing that we weren't prepared to fight the tem­ peratures had somehow accumulated what I'd call ideal cold-weather gear.

He set me up with an extra sweater , a genuine reproduction Air Force-type

Von Willer cleanln' and pollshln'. Hilbert freezln' and complalnln'l

flyin ' suit and a nice down-filled , weather beater jacket. All of the stuff was king-size too, so there was little struggle getting suited up .

Getting the Fleet fueled came next.

We topped it off with lOOLL... Would you believe it? IOOLL in a Kinner? He added a liberal dose of TCP and a couple of pretty good doses of Marvel Mystery Oil to ensure overhead lube and to throw off the lead . You know it worked! The Kinner was very hard starting but once it did , it ran smoothly and without any sign of a bellyache.

And now we waited. Bill Allen was coming over from Montgomery in his Stearman. We waited. The ladies had long-since departed as scheduled at nine o'clock. I was getting warm so I began de-suiting. Armin Holle was on the phone filing the multiple-plane flight plan and getting authorization from the Mexican Customs people. I brought him a cup of coffee which he promptly spilled all over the push-but­ ton phone.

Ed Lockhart's RampTrampChamp was ready , John Domer's Mong Sport homebuiIt bip­ lane was ready , Holle's Starduster Too was ready and we were ready. Where was Bill Allen and his Stearman?

The coffee was coming through so I ducked around the corner to the rest room . When I came back there was Bill Allen and everyone was waiting for me. Bill's.is one real dressed up Stearman, all white and trimmed in in­ ternational orange. Very pretty and sporty. Bill himself was togged out in the neatest winter flying garb I've ever seen. This guy knows how to go first class. We all got underway about 10:30 with the Fleet leading, followed by the Champ (no radio), the Mong (also a norad) the Starduster and the Stear­ man. After run-up , we departed in pairs and headed south over the moun­ tains and under the traffic inbound to Lindbergh. We passed right over Brown Field and Tijuana International in Mexico. The famed Baja Coast was beautiful. Our flight plan that Holle took so much time and trouble to file with FSS turned out to be SNAFU and we had to do it all over again in the air. The Mexicans were expecting us , though, and we cleared by radio . No sweat.

One thing I've got to touch on ... this is real neat. The homebuilts and the Stearman all have smoke systems.

After the mishap between the Cessna and PSA going into San Diego, most of the homebuilders equipped their machines with smoke.Yes smoke.

Now when they want to be seen, they VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

John Domer's 1984 Mong Sport.

Armin Holle's Starduster Too.

Bill Allen and his Stearman, (finally) ready for take-off.

28 JUNE 1989

squirt a little smoke. You know, "Star­ duster 711 Mike Hotel three miles southwest, landing." (squirt) "Stardus­ ter on downwind" (squirt). Instant rec­ ognition, and there is no doubt as to his position . Well, the Mong, the Stearman and Holle's Starduster are all smoke equipped so we had no trouble keeping them in sight. They'd squirt about every eight minutes and that, friends, saves a lot of eyeballing! The Champ and the Fleet, being standard category airplanes don't have smoke.

Almost wish they did.

About 50 minutes into the flight, we saw Ensenada. There was quite a bit of Mexican chatter on the radio and when we got a word in, we were told that there were skydivers in the area ­ cleared to land. We lined up on down­ wind and then asked the tower for a low pass. Right in the middle of the pass, the whole place was suddenly full of jumpers. No problem! They landed in front of the crowd and we flew by as everyone waved and cheered. The crowd really liked the simultaneous arrival. We weren't so sure.

I love the Mexican FAA. After land­ ing, we were met by the head man and his briefing went like thi s, "Welcome to Mexico! We are very happy you came and brought your airplanes. Now GO FLY , but don't hurt nobody! " And that's the way it went for the two days.

The jumpers jumped. The Starduster, Stearman and the Mong did aerobatics and rat-raced. And I flew rides in the Fleet.

I flew an assortment of Mexican FAA people, airways traffic and con­ trol tower people, the base comman­ dant and anyone else the Red Baron lined up . There was no language bar­ rier here. We were all aviators and used the same sign language. Rides in the Fleet brought promises of great re­ wards if we ever came to their offices or airports. I'll tell you, it was almost like the old Swallow tour all over again. I flew out that tank of IOOLL and got some 80. The Kinner never missed a beat.

Finally with the wind blowing a real brisk 25 knots and the cold getting to everybody, we broke it off, tied down the airplanes and went off to our motel at Mission San Ysabel. Talk about con­ fusion, 25 skydivers and all us aviators - by now a pair of T-6s had arrived, too . We all adjourned for Tecate Time which sharpened our appetites and it was back to the base (14 in a van) for the dinner sponsored by our hosts .

Those poor cooks never did get food out on the tables, but they did break

Von Willer's Fleet Model 7.

The Fleet has the original fabric-covered wheel pants.

Joyce Northcutt, Joanne Hall, Joanne Beeson, Bill Allen (profile), Bill Dutton, Armin Holle and Buck and Dorothy Hilbert.

out the beer and everyone got happy .

Back to town. We lost a guy (one of the Warbirds, wouldn't you know it) and only had 13 in the van. Then we spread out to see the town . It was one continuous cruise night, cars bumper to bumper, horns blowing and stereos going full bore. Baja buggies, four-wheelers , taxi cabs - Hey man, this is Tijuana brass and everybody is happy! It was cold, though, so we headed back to the hotel and were glad to get there.

Sunday dawned bright and cold . Bill Allen found us a real nice restaurant and with his command of the language we were treated like royalty . I've sel­ dom had better food anywhere and their coffee was great.

Back at the airport the crowd was much smaller than yesterday after­ noon . The jumpers were at it again and the Mexican Air Force Shorts was run­ ning them up about every 20 minutes.

It was too cold for open cockpit stuff, but the three smokers went up and did a little formation flying and aerobatics.

When it warmed up, I started flying passengers again, this time some of our own people. We all sat and watched the R.C modelers fly their machines and then we had another go at it.

Finally, about two o'clock we made preparations to leave , but they wouldn't let us go! The T-6s dusted off the area and flew some formation passes between jumpers. Holle did some smoker aerobatics and so did the Mong Sport . Finally, we were called up to the speaker's stand and they pre­ sented Holle, our spokesman, a beauti­ ful appreciation plaque. We thanked them, formed up and headed out.

The Customs people at Brown Field were courteous and, at the same time, very adamant about that $25 fee. Von Willer and I were the last to clear and the RampTrampChamp flew with us back to Gillespie. We landed just as dusk was falling and the nine of us headed for a warm Chinese dinner right near the airport. As we talked and dined, the warmth of friendship and the sense of having really done some­ thing began to creep in. We all went home with a tired but very happy feel­ ing.

And that ended the Mexican A via­ tion Day excursion. I can't say enough about the hospitality shown us and the enjoyable time we had . I'd like to go back next year. Are you reading me, Baron von Willer?

Over to you, Buck • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

The following is a partial li sting of neW members who have joined the EAA Antique/Classic Divi sion (through Jan­ uary 12 , 1989) We are honored to wel­ come them into the origanization whose members' common interest is vintage aircraft. Succeeding issues of VINTAGE AIRPLANE will contain additional li sti ngs of new members.

Raymond L. Moreau Slidell , Louisiana

Donald Powers Green Bay , Wi sconsin

John M. Morss Chestnut Hill , Massachusetts

Robert M. Praker Scottsdale , Arizona

James M. Morton Nonh Cape May, New Jersey

Susan Pross Merzalben , West Gennany

Xen Motsinger Cayce, South Carolina

Reginald L. Pulley Lancaster, California

Larry La Magdeleine Plainfield , Illinois

William E. Marsh Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Karl Muller Kloten , Switzerland

Wayne Rakittke Rolling Meadows, Illinois

Paul E. Larsen Spring Hill , Florida

Richard Martin San Marcos, California

Clifton Murray Cl inton , Ohio

Jan Odiorne Randle Mocksville , Nonh Carolina

Jean Lavallee Pointe des Cascades, Quebec

Jim Mason Upper Lake , California

Joseph J . Nicholas Altamonte Springs , Florida

Robert C. Rawlings Sault Ste. Marie , Michigan

William W. Lee Tavernier, Florida

Bill E. Masters Rochester, New York

C. R. Nickle Garl and , Texas

Aldo Rebsamen Wil, Switzerland

David H. Leipf Cranston, Rhode Island

Robert A. Mather Ponce Inlet, Florida

Mary Noack Camarillo, California

William D. Remington Glendale, Arizona

Ralph Lerch Boone, Nonh Carolina

Thomas A. May San Diego , California

Stephen Nugent Durham, New Hampshire

Dennis Rexroad Taylorville, Illinois

J . R. Leuthauser SI. Louis , Missouri

Robert G. Maybee Royal Oak , Michigan

John D. O' Brien West Newton , Pennsylvania

Jon Rider Millville, Pennsylvania

Lucien Levesque Ville De Laval, Quebec

James McCabe Markle, Indiana

Steven P. Ohnigian Boulder, Colorado

Donald L. Riggs Asbury , New Jersey

K. Eugene Levings Marion , Ohio

Howard J. McCann, Jr. Fallston, Maryland

Thomas W. Olson San Antonio, Texas

George Riley Banlett, III inois

John H. Lewis Cascade , Virginia

H. C. McDermott Boca Raton, Florida

Sharon Lee Ormosen .

Yuba City, California

Roger L. Ringelman Holmen, Wisconsin

Stephen J. Lingl Rochester, New York

Sandy McKenzie Obrien, Florida

Michael E. Osborn Crowthorne, Perks, England

Peter M. Ripley Sackville, New Brunswick

Donald Linn Aston, Pennsylvania

Kenneth McLaughlin Nashua, New Hampshire

Roland Othnin-Girard Sevres, France

David Roberts Mentor, Ohio

Mark E. Logan Springfield , Vennont

Tim McManus Ponland , Oregon

Mike S. Panner New Hannony , Indiana

Kenneth A. Robinson Chomedey Laval , Quebec

Duane E. Logsdon Alva, Oklahoma

W. R. Meister Mississauga, Ontario

Donald E. Patterson Plymouth , Minnesota

David J. Rockefeller Newbury Park , California

Ronald G. Lovenberg Howell, New Jersey

Ralph E. Merkle Orlando, Florida

David A. Paul Amarillo, Texas

Christopher T. Rogine Rhinebeck, New York

Hermon D. Lowery Pekin, Illinois

David G. Migura Del City , Oklahoma

Jeffrey M. Pedersen York, Pennsylvania

Paul C. Romine Indianapolis, Indiana

Forrest Lucas Plentywood, Montana

Devery S. Miller MI. Laurel, New Jersey

Byron Penrod Brazil , Indiana

Charles L. Rooks Fon Wonh , Texas

Frederick E. Ludtke Freeland , Washington

Jerry A. Miller Conyers, Georgia

Bert Pertuit Jackson, Mississippi

David B. Rossetter Boulder, Colorado

Richard Mac Vicar Middletown, New York

Paul B. Millett Claremore, Oklahoma

Norm J. Pesch Miami, Florida

Jim Rossides Claverack , New York

William G. Maclaughlin Fon Plain, New York

George L. Minor SI. James , Missouri

Gary L. Peters South Deerfield , Massachusetts

Geoffrey Roth Sedona, Arizona

Frank A. Machin Paradise Valley, Arizona

Michael D. Mitchell Nashota, Wiscons in

Gary J. Phillips Laurel, Maryland

TomL.Rowe Rock Island , Illinois

Joseph T. Madziarczyk Alsip, Illinois

Anton Moehrke Newton , Massachu setts

Andrew J. Phillpotts Papakuna, Auckland , New Zealand

Ed J. Russell Tustin , California

Fred N. Mair Keller, Texas

Terry A. Monteith Orion, Illinois

Larry Philyaw Pontiac, Illinois

Michael Russell Galway, New York

Tony Marchese Wilmington , Illinois

Rudolph A. Monteleone, Jr. Haines Falls, New York

Don Pierson Denton , Texas

Arthur H. Ryan Farmington, Michigan

Henry E. Marotzke Rosemount , Minnesota

Lee Montgomery Central ,Alaska

Thomas E. Pittman Appomattox , Virginia

Randall R. Ryan Southfield, Michigan

30 JUNE 1989

•

VI~TAt7~

TI2A[)~12

Where The Sellers and Buyers Meet. ..

~

per word, $5.00 minimum charge. Send your ad to The Vintage Trader, Wittman Regional Airport Oshkosh, WI 54903-2591 .

AIRCRAFT: (2) C-3 Aeronca Razorbacks, 1931 and 1934.

Package includes extra engine and spares.

Fuselage, wing spars and extra props.

Museum quality! $30,000 firm! Hisso 180-hp Model "E". 0 SMOH with prop and hub and stacks. Best offer over $1 0,000. 1936 Porter­ field 35-70, the lowest time Antique ever!

Less than 200 hrs. TTA & E. 20 hours on engine. $12,500. No tire kickers , collect calls or pen pals, please! E.E. "Buck" Hilbert, P.O. Box 424, Union, Illinois 60180-0424.

FOR SALE - Michigan, 1940 Funk, 135 hp Lycoming, 761 SMOH , TTAF 663. Com­ pletely rebuilt 1984, all new parts. Stits cov­ ering, excellent STOL, standard airworthi­ ness certificate. Flying regularly, never dam­ aged. No electric. $8,500. 616/867-3862, 616/832-5532 (work). (6-1) Antique "Little" Stinson - 1940 Modell 0, in very good condition. Inquiries to Spring House Aviation , R. R. 1, Box 38, Widgeon Road , Williams Lake, BC, Canada V2G 2Pl , phone 604/392-2186. (7-2) Piper PA22-108 Colt - 1962 remanufac­ tured 1988lbasic airplane/ALPHA 200. Ask­ ing $10,000/will consider "project" in trade.

POB 2431 , Oshkosh, WI 54903-2431. (8-3)

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 3V2 gph at cru ise 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 cap­ able of unlimited aerobatics. 23 sheets of clear, easy to follow plans includes nearly 100 isometrical drawings, photos and exploded views. Complete parts and mate­ rials list. Full size wing drawings. Plans plus 139 page Builder's Manual - $60.00. Info Pack - $5.00. Super Acro Sport Wing Draw­ ing - $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.

ENGINES:

hub; remarkable inside (run once). Missing push rods . Rusty casing, in original crate.

215/340-9760 or 215/340-9133.

1943 Daimler Benz, model DB601 V-12.

Removed from a Messerschmidt 11 OB. Ap­ pears to be rebuilt. Complete. Excellent cosmetic condition. Min. bid: $15,000. 1916 Clerget 9 cylinder rotary, 130 hp., built by Ruston, Proctor & Co., England. Has oil pumps. Missing carburetor, magnetos and propeller shaft. Excellent cosmetic condition.

Min. bid : $12,000. 1914 Gnome 9-cylinder rotary, model9N, 165 hp. Complete with two magnetos, carburetor, oil pumps, ignition switch and propeller hub. Fair to good cosmetic condition ; some minor surface rust.

Min. bid : $12,000. 1916 Gnome 9 cylinder rotary, model 9N, 165 hp. Has two mag­ netos and propeller hub. No oil pumps or carburetor. Excellent cosmetic condition.

Min. bid : $10,000. 1917 Siemens & Halske 11-cylinder rotary, model SH3, 160 hp. Has two magnetos and carburetor. Oil pump mis­ sing. Excellent cosmetic condition. Min. bid: $8,000. Ca 1929 Hispano Suiza V-12, 650 hp. Engine is complete (no exhaust man­ ifolds) . Six carburetors, two magnetoes. Ex­ cellent cosmetic condition. Min. bid : $6,000.

Ca 1917 Lawrence 2-cylinder opposed, model A3. Complete with timer and Zenith carburetor. Probably never run . Excellent cosmetic condition. Min. bid $800. Note : All engines have been in the museum's collec­ tion for many years; their mechanical condi­ tion is unknown. All museum collections ob­ jects offered for sale have been subjected to a rigorous review and have been determined to be either duplicates, in poor condition, or out of the scope of the museum's collecting areas. In all cases this determination has been made by the appropriate curator, a staff collections committee, the President, and the museum's Board of Trustees. Funds realized from the sale of collections objects are restricted to the acquisition of new ob­ jects for the collections or the conservation of existing collections. The above engines will be sold by sealed bid . Send bids by June 30, 1989 to Sarah Lawrence, Chief Regis­ trar, Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Vil­ lage, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, MI 48121 . Inspection is by appointment only.

Contact Sarah Lawrence or Larry McCans at 313/271-1620. (6-1)

Cessna 140 - stainless exhaust and heat muffs, $150. Taylorcraft tail surfaces, set 5­ $250., Marvel Schebler Carb MA-3 for 65-75 hp Continental - $300. , Continental valve covers aluminum - $25., steel - $5., Conti­ nental 65 hp Case - $50., Continental 65 hp. spring starter and case mounts rear case ­ $50. , Eisman Mag AM4, 65 hp, no gear ­ $60. , Case mag 65 hp - $35. , Lycoming generator and brackets - $50., Tripacer tip­ lights and brackets - $40 each. , Sensenich 6850 metal prop, bent tips - $50. 315/363­ 4915. (6-1)

WANTED: WANTED - C85-8F/FJ. Cash for reasona­ ble price running with log. Also, any parts for Aeronca L-16. Ed Jarnagin, 8125 S.w. 205 Terrace, Miami, FL 33189, 305/232-8936.

(6-2) Wanted - Anzani engine, any condition, for Bleriot project. 805/942-0428. (6-1) Wanted : Call air A2, A3 or A4 basket case or flying. Harold Buck, Box 868, Columbus, Georgia 31902,404/322-1314. (7-2)

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T he history of aviation records many attempts to design the "foolproof' airplane. This one was the product of the designer of the most famous airplane in the world. The photo is from the EAA library collection, date and location unknown. Answers will be published in the September 1989 issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Dead­ line for that issue is July 10, 1989 .

That neat little floatplane in the March 1989 "Mystery Plane" column drew some interesting answers. Roy Oberg of Rockford , Michigan writes: "It's a Paramount Sportster, built in Saginaw, Michigan in 1930. The pic­ ture was taken on the Saginaw River at Bay City, Michigan. Walt Carr, de­ signer of the Paramount Cabinaire didn't have anything to do with the Sportster. I remember him telling me once he was glad he wasn't associated with it, for while it looked good, its flying qualities left a lot to be desired ."

Answers were also received from Robert F. Pauley, Farmington Hills, Michigan (see accompanying story); Stanley T. Pileau, Holland, Michigan; Robert C. Mosher, Royal Oak, Michi­ gan; and R.C. Duckworth, Alma, Michigan.

34 JUNE 1989

THE PARAMOUNT

AIRCRAFT CORPORATION

by Robert F. Pauley

The Paramount Aircraft Corpora­ tion, Saginaw , Michigan was created

by Joseph Edward Behse, who learned to fly as a military pilot in World War I and who served as an Air Corps fly­ ing instructor after the war. Behse came from a wealthy family that owned the Modart Corset Company in Saginaw . In 1927, the business was sold to the Gossard Company and as a result of the sale, Behse was in a finan­ cial position to pursue his aviation in­ terests . He formed Paramount on Au­ gust 28, 1928 and named himself as president and treasurer. For chief en­ gineer, he hired Walter J. Carr, a well­ known Michigan pioneer aviator who had built several airplanes of his own design in the Saginaw area.

For Paramount, Carr designed a four-place, single-engine cabin biplane known as the "Cabinaire ." Between the years of 1928 and 1930, a total of nine were built. They were powered by a variety of engines ranging from the 1l0-hp Warner to the 165-hp Wright J6-5. On November 2, 1929, the Cabinaire was awarded Approved

Type Certificate Number 265. One Cabinaire (NC 17M) participated in the September 1930 Ford Reliability Air Tour with Walter Carr as pilot. It finished in 15th place in a field cf 18 entrants. That same Cabinaire, sin 7, still exists and is now being restored in Florida.

In 1930, Behse hired Ralph Johnson, an aeronautical engineer from the Detroit area to design a new "sporty" airplane for Paramount. This new design was known as the Paramount "Sportster." It was a low­ wing airplane with two-place, side-by­ side seating and powered with a 11O-hp Warner engine. Behse felt that there was a need for a floatplane in the Great Lakes area, so it was equipped with EDO floats. However, it also could be used as a landplane with optional wheels.

The Sportster was of conventional 1930s construction and had a 29-foot wingspan and a length of 22 feet. The color scheme was light yellow with black trim and the registration number was 495K. The first flight of the Sportster was made on April 10, 1931 by Stanley E. "Dutch" Hammond , a local barnstormer pilot. It flew beautifully

The Paramount Sportster on the Saginaw River.

according to his comments. The very next day it was taken by truck to De­ troit, where it was placed on display at the National Aircraft Show, held from April 11 to April 19. The sporty ap­ pearance of this new Paramount airplane attracted much attention and Behse later reported that he had taken several orders at the show .

After the show was over, the Sports­ ter was returned to the factory at Saginaw where it remained for several

Walter Carr's Paramount Cabinaire.

weeks. On May 16, 1931 Behse took the airplane to the Saginaw River near the Milwaukee power plant to make some demonstration flights. The first flight proved uneventful when Behse gave Lester Grove, one of his flight students, a short ride . On the second flight of the day, Behse went up with 25-year-old Whitney Merritt, an air­ craft mechanic who worked at Paramount and had helped build the Sportster. Shortly after 4:00 pm, they

took off smoothly, climbed steeply into a brisk wind to about 150 feet, entered a right banking turn and dove straight down into the water, hitting about 30 feet from the river bank.

Behse and Merritt were killed instantly and the airplane was a total loss.

And so, only 36 days after its first flight the Paramount Spotster, Joe Behse, Whitney Merritt and the Paramount Aircraft Corporation came to a violent end . •

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 35