STRAIGHT AND LEVEL
>
€
8o of the problem and solved the man's
:::; dilemma . '" Q I've had calls from people on crossco untri es who have d eve lop ed problems with unusual engines such as, by Espie "Butch" Joyce for instance, a Warner and asked if I might know a mechanic in the area familiar with the type. Sometimes I can help, sometimes I can refer them to With this issue of VINTAGE another member who can. It's another AIRPLANE EAA Oshkosh '90 will be example of how we at the A/C Di vision history. The Antique/Classic Division are better off as a group rather than as will have hosted more than 800 classics individuals. and 120 antiques. All of this activity A viation people are unique. They will have been administered by volun trot off to the airport at every oppor teer help. It's a monumental undertak tunity while their friends are going to ing that gets bigger every year. the golf course. Aviation people would rather work on an airplane than mow the Your Division of EAA now stands at yard. Have you ever noticed that these almost 7,000 members, making us close to being the largest organization in the people also have other interests in similar areas? A number of pilots I world devoted to vintage airplanes. We have one of the finest monthly publica know, for example, are also ham radio tions covering these airplanes and this operators, fly model airplanes, are inter ested in antique autos or hot rods. These era of aviation. are the people I have come to know, and We spend a good deal of our time and love to be associated with . energy managing the area of the EAA I know that the friendships I make in Convention devoted to our aircraft and the aviation pioneers who flew them, aviation will be enduring. I know these not to mention those who restore and people will work tirelessly to help with maintain these fine aircraft today . a project and contribute labor and Throughout the year we also handle a materials, while never keeping score. great deal of correspondence relating to What I mean by this is that they also these aircraft and their maintenance. know the help of others is available to People write from all over the world to them without their having to ask. This me and other members of the Board of is what goes on all the time among avia Directors with their needs and concerns. tion people. One example of this is a gentleman from Oshkosh is a big event and we all Australia who was having a problem enjoy the experience. When we return, getting his prop overhauled . our flying buddies who stayed home will all want to know how it was. We Boardmember, John Berendt took care 2 AUGUST 1990
will all do ou r best to pass along the excitement and satisfaction of coming to Oshkosh, helping out where we could and learn ing the many lessons to be learned abou t p eo ple as well as airplanes. They will all say how hard it is to believe everyth ing and that they simply must get to Oshkosh next year. We need to continue to tell everyone how fantastic the EAA Oshkosh ex perience is and tell everyone to ex perienc e it for themselves . If we continue to pass the word and unite our selves, we stand a better chance of retaining the freedoms we now enjoy in personal flight. Ask a friend to join the Antique/Clas sic Division. While we have a large organization with close to 7,000 mem bers, there are 35,000 aircraft registered that do not have electrical systems. That represents a large number of pilots and owners who could benefit from membership in the Division, and could help the Division to help others. As not ed las t month, the A/C Division voted to continue to give out participant plaques this year. This is now solely an Antique/Classic Di vision activity . We are endebted to Bob Lick teig and Jack Copeland for their efforts on this project. We were also fortunate to have the Polaroid Co. donate the cameras and film to photograph our fine antique and classic aircraft for the pla ques. Thanks Polaroid! As I have said in the past, let's all pull in the same direction for the good of aviation. Join us and have it all. •
PUBLICATION STAFF PUBLISHER
Tom Poberezny
VICE-PRESIDENT
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Dick Malt
August 1990 •
EDITOR Mark Phelps MANAGING EDITOR
Golda Cox
Vo1.18, No.8
Copyright I!;) 1990 by the EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc. All rights reserved .
ART DIRECTOR Mike Drucks ADVERTISING Mary Jones
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Norman Petersen Dick Cavin
FEATURE WRITERS
George A. Hardie, Jr. Dennis Parks
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Isabelle Wiske
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jim Koepnlck Carl Schuppel
Jefflsom
EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC
DIVISION, INC_
OFFICERS
President Esple " Butch " Joyce 604 Highway St. Madison. NC 27025 919/427-0216
Vice-President Arthur R. Morgan 3744 North 51st Blvd . Milwaukee. WI 53216 414/442-3631
Secretary George S. York 181 Sloboda Ave. Mansfield. OH 44906 419/529-4378
Treasurer
E.E. " Buck" Hilbert
P.O . Box 424
Unlon.IL60180
815/923-4591
DIRECTORS John S. Copeland Robert C. " Bob" Brauer 9 Joanne Drive 9345 S. Hoyne Westborough. MA 01581 Chicago. IL 60620 ffJ8/366-7245 312/779-2105 Philip Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton. MI 49065 616/624-6490
William A. Eickhoff 415 15th Ave.. N.E. St. Petersburg. FL 33704 813/823-2339
Charles Harris 3933 South Peoria P.O. Box 904038 Tusla. OK 74105 918/742-7311
Stan Gomoll
1042 90th Lane. NE
Minneapolis. MN 55434 612/784-1172
Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hill Drive Indianapolis. IN 46278 317/293-4430
Robert D. " Bob" Lumley 1265 South 124th St. Brookfield. WI 53005 414/782-2633
Gene Morris 115C Steve Court. R.R.2 Roanoke. TX 76262 817/491-9110
Steven C . Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea. MN 56007 ffJ7/373-1674
S. H. "Wes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatasa. WI 53213 414/771-1545
Contents 2 Str aight & Levelfby Espie "Butch" Joyce 4 Letter s to the Editor 7 Calendar Page 12
8
Vintage Literaturefby Dennis Parks
12 Vintage Seaplanes/by Nonn Petersen 14 M ember s' Projectsfby Nonn Petersen 16
AIC Half A World Away/by Jim Haynes
20 R agwing Warbirdfby Gerard Pahl
Page 22
22 Coon Bottom Monster/by John Larson 24 Interesting Member/by Bob Bauer 27
Pass It To Buckfby E.E. "Buck" Hilbert
30 Vin tage T r ader 34 Mystery Planefby George Hardie Jr.
Page 24
FRONT COVER . . . Jerry and Nancy Groat Irom Mesa. Arizona rellect a lew evening sunbeams in their polished Emigh Trojan during EM Sun 'n Fun '90. The Trojan's externally ribbed wings combined great strength with ease 01 manulacture (Photo by Jim Koepnick. photo plane Ilown by Jim Dorman). REAR COVER ... Another rore magazine cover Irom the collec tion 01 Ted Businger.
DIRECTOR ENERITUS S. J. Wlffman
7200 S.E. 85th Lane
Ocala. FL 32672
904/245-7768
ADVISORS John Berendt 7645 Echo Point Rd. Cannon Falls. MN 55009 507/263-2414
Gene Chase 2159 Carlton Rd. Oshkosh. WI 54904 414/231-5002
George Daubner 2448 Lough Lane Hortford. WI 53027 414/673-5885
John A Fogerty 479 Highway 65 Roberts. WI 54023 715/425-2455
Jeannie Hill P.O . Box 328 Harvard. IL 60033 815/943-7205
Dean Richardson 6701 Colony Drive Madison. WI 53717 608/833-1291
The words EM, ULTRAUGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM, SPORT AVIATION,and the logos of EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INC., EM INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION, EM ANTIOUEJCLASSIC DIV1SION INC ., INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUBINC., WARBIRDS OF AMERICA INC., are registered trademarks. THE EM SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EM AVIATION FOUNDATION INC. and EM ULTRAUGHT CONVENTION are trademarks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above associations is strictly prohibited. Editorial Policy: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs.Policy opinions expressed in articles are sofefy those of the authors. Responsibility for aocuracy in reporting rests entirely with the oontributor. Material should be sent to: Editor, The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Wi ttman Regional Airport. 3000 Pobefezny Rd., Oshkosh, WI 54903-~. Phone: 414/426-4800. The VINTAGE AIRPLANE (SSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by EM Antique/Classic Division,lnc. of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. and is published monthly at Wittman Regional Airport. 3000 Pobefezny Rd., Oshkosh, WI 54903-3006.Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh, WI 54901 and additional mailing offices. Membership rates for EM Antique/Classic Division,lnc. are $18.00 for current EM members for 12 month period of wNoh $12.00 is for the publication of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation. ADVERTISING -Antique/Classic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through our advertising. We invite oonstructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken . POSTMASTER: Send eddress changes to EM Antique/Classic Division, Inc. P.O. Box 3006, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.
Kadiak Speedster Dear Norm Petersen, On page 90 of the May 1990 issue of SPORT A VIATlON is a photograph of Everett David's Kadiak Speedster. I purchased the airplane in 1942 from someone in Benton Harbor, Michigan. I kept it at the old Hoosier Airport while I was teaching flying during World War II. As the war drew to a close in 1944, I advertised it in Trade-A-Plane and sold it to someone in Texas. He didn't pick up the plane for quite a while so I stored it in an old barn at the airport until it was picked up, several years later. A few years after that I saw it in Huntsville, Alabama. Several changes had been made on the plane. Solid gear had been replaced by a spring gear and the Lambert engine and cowling by a four-cylinder opposed engine. Some time later I saw an article about the plane at which time it was based in Sacramento, California. I thought this information might be of interest. Dear Mark, Thank you very much for the copy of the June issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. You have a nice way of wording things in the rear cover credit and both of us appreciate that. The story of Franny Rourke's career (Interesting Member) by Charlie Harris was very illuminating. I've known Fran for about 10 years and learned a lot from Charlie's story. Mr. Rourke is a super nice guy, too. Do you think we can encourage Charlie to write about some of the other good guys in the Tulsa Chap足 ter? It's a nice picture by Ted Kos足 ton of Ed Marquart at the Jenny on page 22. Try to take it easy during the Con足 vention week. Say hi to Jack Cox and Mary Jones for me. Our best to all the other nice people at EAA Headquarters. Cordially, Ted Businger Evening Shade, Arkansas 4 AUGUST 1990
Thank you, Robert H. Young Martinsville, Indiana
Stearman, south of the border Dear Mark, I am enclosing a picture of my Stear man PT-13D, Mexican registered XB PGS, serial number 75-5729 with a Lycoming 300-hp engine. The project
started two years ago in three 50-gallon drums full of parts and a mover with the airframe coming from Torreon, Mexico to Monterrey in deplorable conditions. It is flying now and exceeding all expec tations. I hope that this may be interest ing for your nice publication that I
always wait for at the beginning of every month. Truly yours, Pablo Gonzalez Sada Monterrey, Mexico
Scooter pie Dear Mark, Just a note to thank you once again for your interest and the terrific article on the 120 (Father & Son - Cessna, June). My Dad and I both have received numerous comments on the story and pictures and I've received a couple of out-of-state calls from members with similar projects underway. We've real ly enjoyed the notoriety. Also, if you have the opportunity, please thank Jim Koepnick for the great job he did on the photos. I look forward to seeing you next year. Sincerely, Leon "Scooter" Seale, III Lakeland, Florida
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5
Dear Mr. Phelps, In answer to Mr. Richard Danio's mystery cowl, I believe it is used on large round engines such as the Wright R-3350 to direct air into the 18 cylinders. This small cowl is located behind the propeller spinner (thus the three sets of clamps to surround the three prop blades) for cooling purposes. We have four such small cowls for our Connie's engines for cooling. Visit our Connie at EAA Oshkosh and see them in place. John B. McMaster, Save-A-Connie mechanic Kansas City, Missouri
6 AUGUST 1990
August 18-19 - Schenectady, New York. Northeast Flight '90 Airshow, Schenecdady County Airport. Contact John Panoski, Northeast Flight '90, 419 Mohawk Mall, Schenectady, New York 12309, Tel. 518/382-0041. August 19 - Brookfield, Wisconsin. 5th Annual Ice Cream Social spon sored by EAA Antique/Classic Chapter II at Capitol Drive Airport. Contact George Meade, 5514 N. Navajo Av enue, Glendale, Wisconsin 53217 . Tel. 414/962-2428. August 24-26 - Sussex, New Jersey. 18th Annual Sussex Air Show. Sussex Airport. Call 201/875-7337 or 702 9719 . September 1-2 - Prosser, Washing ton. Seventh Annual Air Fair and fly-in sponsored by EAA Chapter 391. Call 5091786-1034 .
September 1-3 - Blakesburg, Iowa. Culver Cadet 50th Anniversary Cele bration, Antique Field. Copntact Burke Bell, 3795 Smuggler PI., Boul der, Colorado 80303 Tel. 303/494 0108 or Dan Nicholson 713/351-0114. September 8 - Chico, California. Chico Antique Airshow. Chico Air
port. Contact Chico Antique Airshow Committee, 6 St. Helens Lane, Chico, California 95926. Tel 916/342-3730. September 14-16 - Tahlequah, Ok lahoma (50 miles east/southeast of Tulsa). 33rd Annual Tulsa Fly-in and 10th Annual Bucker Fly-in. Contact Charlie Harris, 3933 South Peoria, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105, Tel. 918/ 742-7311. Bucker fans contact Frank Price, Route I, Box 419, Moody, Texas 76557, Tel. 8171772-3897 or 853-2008. September 14-16 (note date cor rected from last issue) - Jackson ville, Illinois. Sixth Annual Byron Smith Memorial Stinson Fly-in and Reunion at the Jacksonville Airport. Contact Loran Nordgren, 4 West Neb raska, Frankfort, Illinois 60423. September 15-16 - Rock Falls, Il linois. Fourth Annual North Central EAA "Old Fashioned" Fly-in. Pancake breakfast Sunday. Contact Dave Chris tansen at 815/625-6556. September 23 - Rockford, Illinois. EAA Chapter 22 Annual Fly-in Steak and Brat Lunch. Cottonwood Airport 11:00 am to 3:00 pm . Call Tom J anusevic at 815/397-4995.
September 29-30 - Lexington, Ten nessee. Sixth annual Tennessee Tail draggers Fly-in. Call 901/968-8641 days or 968-2864 eves. October 6-7 - Sussex, New Jersey Airport. Fly-In sponsored by EAA A/C Chapter 7 and EAA Chapters 238, 73 and 891. Info: Bill Tuchler, 2011797 3835; Konrad Kundig, 201/361-8789/ FAX 2011361-5760; or Paul Steiger, Sussex Airport, 2011702-9719. October 13 - Dayton, Ohio. Annual EAA Chapter 610 Wright-Patterson AFB and USAF Museum tour. Contact Jim Hammond at 5131767-8751 . October 13-14 - Hickory, North Carolina Municipal Airport. EAA Chapter 731 5th Annual Fly-In. Con tact Norman Rainwater, 1415 Linwood Place, Lenoir, NC 28645 ; evenings 704/578-1919, or Lynn Crowell, 113 Auld Farm Road, Lenoir, NC 28645, 7041754-2723.
October 27-28 - Winchester, Vir ginia. Winchester Regional Fall Fly-in at the Winchester airport. Pancake breakfast Sunday. Call George Lutz, EAA Chapter 186, 703/256-7873. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
by f)enni§ Va..-k.§ ~
THE DAYS OF FUTURE PAST AVIATION ARTICLES SIX
DECADES AGO Not all aviation news and speculation was covered by the aviation magazines. The mass market magazines devoted to home mechanics, how-to and technol ogy also focused on aviation events. Publications such as MODERN MECHANICS and POPULAR SCIENCE paid a lot of attention to avia tion and related activities. The editor of POPULAR SCIENCE reported his feel ings on covering aviation in comments in the December 1930 issue. "Aviation claws at the mainspring of popular interest because, to the greatest possible degree, it combines the features most stimulating to the human imagina tion. Deeds of daring, danger, success in the face of apparently insuperable obstacles, hair-raising stunts, all unite in a heart throbbing appeal to people im mersed in the humdrum of everyday modern life."
Lib..-al'Y/An:hives f)i..-ec::tf)"
Though the editors did not always pay careful attention to sources of authen ticity, these magazines provided some exaggerated but exciting coverage of aviation. Some examples from 1930 fol low.
POPULAR MECHANICS July 1930 "Zepps Defy Lightning" In this article the author, Henry Hoyle
reports the lightning research done by Arthur Austin at the outdoor high-volt age laboratory in Barberton, Ohio. Mr. Austin was studying the subject of the lightning hazard in flying. Some of the questions he was investigating were: "Is a lightning discharge likely to fire the fuel tanks in an airplane? Will the fabric of a plane or dirigible be ignited? Will a bolt of lightning damage sheet Duralumin sufficiently to cause trouble to the plane?" Mr. Austin received a model of a commercial airship from the nearby
Goodyear-Zeppelin factory . The model was subjected to two kinds of manmade lightning. It was first bombarded with a stream of giant sparks. Then it was subjected to single impact discharges of great power. According to Dr. Arnstein of the Goodyear-Zeppelin Company, the ship came through none the worse for wear except for a few scars in the fabric covering where the electrical dis charges had entered or left. A Barling NB-3 was also used in tests. The plane had a Duralumin fuselage over which doped fabric was placed, very similar to the Zeppelin model. The Barling was struck by the artificial lightning while its engine was running. The results were also good for the airplane with neither the fabric nor any other part of the ship set on fire. The fabric would show a small hole where the bolt of lightning entered the plane at some point in the metal structure. "An Outboard Leaping Lena" On the how to do it side, there was an
An Outboard "Leaping Lena"
8 AUGUST 1990
The "Hell's Angels" Jenny "hi-motor".
article in the August 1930 issue on building a waterborne aircraft powered by an outboard motor. The craft was guaranteed to give a "Tingling thrill to the most bored of outboard racers." The design called a "Pegasus" consisted of a light racing boat fitted with airplane wings and powered with an outboard motor. The contraption would fly for short distances, after the style of a flying fish. When driven into a fairly fresh breeze, it played hop, skip and jump over the waves, the pilot experiencing, "A series of thrills that cannot be dupli cated by any amusement park thriller."
MODERN MECHANICS - September 1930 "Dummy Motors Dress Up Small Plane to Resemble Gotha in Crackup" In an article on using models in movies, a section was devoted to the making of the movie "Hell's Angels." The centerpiece of the movie was a Sikorsky S-29 converted to look like a Gotha bomber. For the scene in the movie where the Gotha was to, "Fall to its Doom," a flying model was made of the plane from a Jenny. The Jenny was converted with dummy motors on each side of the fuselage to look like a twin engined bomber. Checking in an article on the making of the movie, it was dis covered that the Jenny burned in a han gar fire and was not used in the film. The article also reported that many of the airplane crackups were done with
full-size aircraft that were launched off of rails on hillsides. The planes were loaded with a stick of dynamite sur rounded by lots of lamp black. This made for a spectacular crash when the plane hit the ground. "Denmark's Amazing Submarine Plane" "Amazing in the daringness of con ception and expected to be far-rearching in strategic value from a military standpoint, is the remarkable new sub marine-amphibion airplane secretly tested by Denmark." MODERN MECHANICS reported that the Danish Navy recently secretly tested a successful plane which not only flew, but could fold its wings and travel under the sea - a perfect submarine.
"At last the flying submarine has been invented. This hybrid craft which has already undergone successful tests off the Danish coast will travel over land, run down a beach and launch itself into the sea, and then it is able to turn itself into a submarine and continue to travel underwater." The craft supposedly had a tapering metal hull resembling the well-known Dornier flying boat hull and on each side were telescoping metal wings that shortened when the craft was under water. After landing in the sea and clos ing watertight compartments, the crew could submerge the plane and operate it like a submarine by flooding the tanks provided. The reporter stated that it sounded like a Jules Verne dream, but said the device was a reality. A search
I nstalla tion or smoke pot to show '----...!.><..----'-.::......--'---'----' wind direction. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
Drawings Below Show Three-Function Plane in Action
10 AUGUST 1990
of JANE'S for 1930 and 1931 showed no evidence of the craft. It was ap parently a well kept secret for the report in MODERN MECHANICS. "Smoke Pots Are New Substitute for Airfield Wind Sock" Not all inventions reported in 1930 were as high tech as the flying sub marine. In the column called "Plane Talk" edited by Major H. H. Arnold, there was a report on a new landing aid for pilots. "One of the first things a pilot does when he approaches a strange field is to look for the wind indicator. This is very important, for practically every maneuver which he makes with his plane from that time on until it stops rolling on the ground hinges on the direction of the wind. " The article reported that though most airports placed wind cones on elevated objects around the airport, they are dif ficult to see. So, to secure all the ad vantages of the wind cone and eliminate all of the disadvantages , some airports were installing smoke pots. These pots were buried in the center of the landing circle which was supposed to be the first part of the air port to attract the pilot's eyes. The pilot would see the circle and then the smoke streaming from the circle. The smoke would immediately tell the direction of the wind and its velocity. The smoke pots were placed in concrete recesses in the ground and covered by a strong grating with the bars close enough together to permit the tail skids of planes to pass over without damage. NEW WORDS FOR TODAY: Landing Circle and Tail Skid. "Clocks, Ash Trays, Fans Can Be Made From Old Props" For those of you who need some helpful hints on what to do with those old propellers, MODERN MECHANICS had some suggestions. "On visits to aviation fields and airdromes (Another New Word for Today), one sees many odd [no doubt] and useful [doubtful] things which have been made from old wooden propellers . There are many old propellers lying around every aviation field which can be used to make all sorts of useful articles." "The drawing shows a wooden propeller with cuts made to secure parts for ash trays and a clock. The average prop is long enough to secure sufficient slices for about a dozen ash trays and still have the hub remaining for a clock."
POPULAR SCIENCE - December
1930 "New Thrills From Winged Bicycle" It seems that wings were being placed on everything in 1930 . POPULAR MECHANICS put wings on an outboard motorboat and POPULAR SCIENCE put them on a bicycle. "Part, at least, of the thrill of gliding
Clocks, Ash Trays, Fans Can Be Made From Old Props
~~) Sl.IC[S
n~OM
P RO P. MAKe A S H T ~"'t
Two types of clock. and ash trays made
from old propellers.
can be had by bicycle riders whose machines are equipped with wings and tailpiece." The winged bicycle was the invention of Harry T. Nelson of Dallas, Texas, former World War flyer. Mr. Nelson reported that the wings and the tail feathers could be readily attached to any bicycle.
"As the speed of the bicycle in creases, the wings are elevated and the front wheel leaves the ground. The rear wheel, remaining on the ground, provides the traction. As long as suffi cient speed is maintained, the front wheel of the bicycle remains in the air." It was not claimed that greater speed was obtained by the device, but that it added a thrill to the ordinary bicycle ride. "How Errors Crash the Stoutest Planes" In a major, four-page article on avia tion, POPULAR SCIENCE reported on aircraft crashes. "Aircraft built for sane flying seldom fail, but this article tells how stunts strain ships and cause wrecks that help [other] flyers." The article begins with a description of the death of Capt. Arthur Page at the National Air Races at Chicago. "One more name has been added to the list of those who have 'gone west' by 'crash ing in'. Why is this list so long? Why do planes crash? The author reported that Department of Commerce statis tics showed that in six out of 10 cases, the reason was "Pilot Trouble." That errors of judgment or handling the plane accounted for most bad crashes. After discussing downwind landings and turbulence, the author covered stunting. "Stunting is part of the tests through which a modem machine must pass before it is accepted. Present-day planes are stronger and safer than ever before. But all planes have limits which must be recognized. A pilot can 'dive the wings off his ship' as surely as an automobile driver can skin into a ditch." The article concluded that in the early days of prewar daredevils, the pilots who flew to thrill the mob took chances without understanding the strength or weaknesses of the planes they piloted. "From that type of reckless flying, the advance is being made to piloting that is based on a clear conception of the capabilities and limitations of the craft being flown. The pilot of tomor row will be trained to know his ship." Many large public libraries have these magazines in their collections. Besides providing for fascinating reading, these magazines provide a view of what general readers with a technical interest were reading about aviation .• VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
by Norm Petersen
This month we present four photos taken during the 1989 EAA Oshkosh Splash-In at Brennand's Seaplane Base by noted photo足 grapher, Bill McCarrel (EAA 76612) of White Pigeon, Michigan. Bill is an ardent seaplance fan and his photograhic artistry reveals his consid足 erable talent along this line. We look forward to displaying more of Bill McCarrel's efforts in future issues. - Norm Petersen
Climbing on the step under full power (P & W 450) is deHavilland Beaver DHC-2, N90YC, SIN 1338, flown by George Cayness of Houston, Texas. Winner of the "Best Amphibian" trophy at the EAA Oshkosh '89 Seaplane Fly-In, the Beaver is mounted on Wipline amphibs and is in absolutely pristine condition. Carefully note how the ailerons "droop" with the extended flaps for maximum lift on takeoff.
With water and spray churning from the huge propellers and Wright Cyclone engines, a Grumman HU- 16 "Albatross", N9722B, SIN 137927, climbs on the step at the EAA Oshkosh '89 Splash-In. Flown by Dennis Buehn (EAA 168777) of Reno, Nevada, the huge amphibian is a popular favorite with its Navy paint schmeme as used at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. 12 AUGUST 1990
A nicely painted Piper J-3 Cub mounted on Edo 1400 floats and sporting an 0-200 Continental engine is pictured at rest during the EAA Oshkosh '89 Splash-In. Registered C-FKZK, the Cub was flown to Oshkosh by owner Jack Hatkoski (EAA 158801) of Dwight, Ontario. Note how the reflection is almost complete on the water's surface.
With a matching white, red & gold paint scheme on the aircraft and floats, this pretty Piper Pacer PA-22/20, NI7PC, S/N 22-5931, was flown to EAA Oshkosh '89 by Perry Clark (EAA 219474) of Crosslake, Minnesota. Rebuilt over three years by Perry and his father, Vernon (EAA 44085), the 160 hp Pacer features Edo 2000 floats, Demers drooped wingtips and a Stits finish. Perry, who is a PanAm 727 co-pilot, reports the Pacer will haul four people on floats if the breeze is right and the people are not too large! VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13
Standing by his favorite airplane is Dave Schommer (EAA 341279) of Little Suamico, Wisconsin. The object of his attention is a 1946 Ercoupe 415-C, N99256, SIN 1879, which Dave flew home from Florida and has been slowly improving ever since. Powered with a Continental C75- 12 engine, the little two-placer is really a joy to fly according to Dave.
With the window partly down (a la open cock颅 pit), Dave Schommer tools by in his Ercoupe. Note the landing light in the leading edge ofthe wing and the original Grimes navigation lights. (Ed. note: If you have never experienced the feather-soft touch of an Ercoupe landing gear, you are in for a treat!)
You are invited
to look at th is airc raft
as much as you like but ..
PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH
This biplane is a 1930 CONSOLIDATED FLEET powered by a 125 Horseoower Kinner B54 engine. Gallons per Hour (Cruising): 8 oal. Cruise Speed: 105 m.o.h. Landing Speed: 48 m.o.h. Gross Weight: 1950 Ibs. Empty Weight: 1065 Ibs. Wi ngspan : 28' Restoration was completed in 1975 by Baron Bob Von Willer of Gillespie Field in EI Cajon, CA. This fabric路covered, orange and ivory beauty has won numerous awards throughout California, Arizona and the midwest. Initially used as a military fighter/trainer, it now sports original wheel pants and speed ring. 14 AUGUST 1990
VINTAGE AIRP LANE 15
ANTIQUES AND CLASSICS HALF A WORLD
AWAY EAA's down-under tour, hosted by Steve and Dorothy Wittman was a glowing success. by Jim Haynes Steve WiHman with a " Down Under" Tailwind.
THERE ARE ANTIQUES AND CLASSICS DOWN UNDER For several years now, the EAA has sponsored International Tours that have been designed with the aviation en thusiast in mind. Aside from the usual attractions, the EAA tours include ac tivities that involve aircraft museums, air shows, personal contact with local aviation people and actual flying in aircraft that belong to them. My wife and I, both having recently retired from school teaching, decided to take advantage of the Australian/New Zealand Tour offered this past April. We had always talked about going there someday, but had always put it off. After reading the brochure describing the activities offered in the tour, our plans were set. The tour was managed by Peter Strombom, EAA Tours Director, and accompanying the group were Steve Wittman and his wife, Dorothy. Under their leadership, the 22-day tour was a fun-filled, relaxing and educational ex perience. I would like to stress that there were ample activities for the Antique/Classic Division members. Just being around Steve Wittman and sharing his ex periences in aviation would have been adequate, but there were surprises along the way. One of the highlights was being flown in a DC-3 from Sydney to Mait land, about a 50-minute flight and spending the day with the Australian
New Zealand Tiger Moth
Tiger Moth Club which has its own air strip at a place called Luskintyre. There the group, both husbands and wives, were treated to rides and actually flying a Tiger Moth. Some had the added ex perience of being given a ride in a Stampe while performing aerobatics. The group enjoyed a barbecue lunch and when the day's flying activities ended, there was a liquid social hour in the Tiger Moth Clubhouse. It was well into the evening upon returning to Syd ney in the DC-3.
L-4
There was enough flying experience on the tour. For Anne and me, including our domestic flights to join the tour at LAX, I counted a total of 18 takeoffs and landings during the entire trip. The aircraft - Bonanza, 737, 747-400, 767, A320 (Airbus), 727, Tiger Moth, Stampe and a Cherokee 140. In most cases, we were invited to the flight deck. At the Sport Aviation Association of Australia annual fly-in, where the group spent two days, there was much to offer. Some of our group happened to be in the right place at the right time and were offered a ride in an old DR Drover Tri motor. I wasn't one of them. Arrange ments were made with several pilots to fly us to nearby Kyabram where the Antique Airplane Association of Australia was having its get-together. Several Austers, Chipmunks, Winjeels, Tiger Moths, a Stearman, Stinson Reliant and a Rallye were seen. Back at Mangalore we were invited to the ban quet that evening where there was a combination of revelry, awards-giving and a very historic event took place. It seems that the CAA (equivalent to our FAA) had handed over the authority of inspection of amateur built aircraft to the SAAA. I tried to imagine the FAA granting such authority to the EAA. Somehow, I couldn't. It was an almost two-hour bus ride back to Melbourne from the Mangalore Aerodrome and there were some tired pups hitting the sack well after midnight. Back to Man galore the next day and more airplane VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17
looking, forums and an air show in the afternoon. The Australians put on a good fly-in and it's growing. The one thing that could make it better would be for the various divisions to have their fly-ins at the same field instead of all at nearby fields. The War Memorial Museum in Can berra contained a number of World War I and World War II aircraft as well as an Avro 504, the first I had ever seen. The group was treated to a special tour of the Museum Annex, a place the general public are not allowed. There also were a variety of warbirds, including an Me 262 and Me 163. The guide told us a lot about the history of each artifact. In New Zealand were visits to Ardmore and Rotorua Aerodromes. At Ardmore, the group met with the Auk land Aero Club in its clubhouse, enjoy ing a light lunch prepared for the occasion . Several of us were transported across the field and met with a group of the New Zealand Amateur Aircraft Constructors Assn. who were busy in their own hangar working on various projects. Noteworthy were the small quonset-like hangars in which builders housed their projects. After looking over the page after page of checklists that had to be signed off by the government officials, I developed a healthy respect for these guys and their work. Before dark, one of them took to the air and gave us a demonstration of light aerobatics in his Starlet. (The tower closed at 6 p.m.) There were several warbirds housed in the hangars
Chipmunk 18 AUGUST 1990
Auster
liTHE FLY BY WAS PERFORMED FOR OUR BENEFIT"
at the field - the only T-28 and P-51D in New Zealand and three Harvards. At Rotorua we were again enter tained by the Rotoiua Aero Club. Upon arrival, there were skydiving operations taking place, a rotorcraft taking to the air, a lodel following, and a Quicksilver Ultralite chasing the rotorcraft. Top ping it off was a flyby of three New Zealand Air Force jets which were there for an encampment. When I asked one of the Club members if they did this often, he assured me that the flyby was
Ian Dickso - President of the
deHaviliand Rallye
perfonned for our benefit with the spe cial pennission of the tower. To round out the evening, the Aero Club had cooked steaks on the grill and the wives had provided ample food to go along with them. No one went away hungry. The next day, after a morning tour of the sulphur springs area, some of the group were picked up at the hotel by four members of the Aero Club and driven around to their homes to look at projects under construction, and com pleted. I was especially interested in the
"THE PILOT WANTED TO SHOW US HIS NEW HOUSE."
restoration of an Auster. It did have the fuselage of a Taylorcraft. Again, as in Australia, we were transported to the Museum of Transpor tat ion and Technology to look at the artifacts of New Zealand's aviation past. Here were Richard Pearse's first and third airplanes. For those who do not know, this contraption lays claim to the first flight before the Wrights. Ap parently, in the Spring of 1903, Pearse got the thing airborne on a downhill incline, thus the substance of the claim. As mentioned previously, even without all of these aviation activities there were sights to see, tours to tak~ and people to meet. What made this tour special were the many wonderful people who decided to go too, and the events that were not planned pre viously. For instance, we had the op portunity to help Steve Wittman celebrate his 86th birthday while cross ing the International Dateline, and later at Mangalore Aerodrome celebrated Dorothy's as well. By chance, we spent a delightful evening with the parents of an Australian exchange student living in our town back home. I also was surprised by a landing on a fann air strip while being flown to Kyabram. The pilot wanted to show us his new house. None of these events were on the trip itinerary, but they served to make the tour something special to us. If you have never been on an EAA International Tour and are considering a trip abroad, it is well worth your con sideration.•
ort Aviation Association ot Australia. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19
RAGWING
WARBIRD
A veteran of the CPT program, this Aeronca Chief helped teach hundreds to fly. by Gerard Pahl Director of Education, Kalamazoo Air Museum
T
here is a little red Aeronca Chief that keeps plugging away through the skies of southwestern Michigan and she's ajoy for any vintage airplane buff to see. When not flying, the honey of a ragwing shares hangar space with the big warbirds of the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, otherwise known as the "Air Zoo". This dutiful bird (N 31948, sin CA12231) has been pulling her weight and more for almost 50
20 AUGU
years, faithfully serving her country in times of war and her civilian owners in times of peace. Though the Chief's history is probab足 ly not too different from that of many other low-powered taildraggers of the 1940s, it has its own little twists and turns that add a lot of charisma to the old gal. Aeronca NC 31948 rolled out of the factory at Middletown, Ohio on January 28, 1941 and on February 11 it
was sold to Irving and Dorothy Wood足 hams along with at least two other Chiefs that still remain in southwest Michigan. Irv is one of Michigan's real aviation pioneers. In fact, his pilot's license was signed by Orville Wright. He holds FAA ticket number 790 and he carries aircraft mechanic card number 654. Irv founded Austin Lake Airport & Seaplane Base on the southern edge of
The Chief will soon return to its CPT livery.
that lake in the mid-1930s. During World War II the airport was utilized as a Civilian Pilot Training (CPT) facility and Irving used the Chief to train stu dent pilots. By the end of 1943 the airplane had logged more than 2,000 hours of flight time. During this time, Sue (DeLano) Parish, current president of the Kalamazoo A via tion History Museum, developed her skills, receiving her primary training in the Chief. Sue later went on to become a WASP (Woman's Army Service Pilot) during the war and presently flies the museum's desert pink Curtiss P-40 War hawk. In order to use the Aeronca to its max imum potential, Irv flew the Chief with wheels, floats and skis. During 1943 alone, the landing gear was changed at least 10 times according to the aircraft logs. While the little Chief was training future fighter, bomber and transport pilots, its parent company, Aeronca Manufacturing Corporation was trying to obtain military contracts. It built a "Midget Cargo Plane" which was a Chief with a large door behind the cockpit for carrying packages (the maximum payload is not known). The company also removed the engine from its "Champ" model and added a "bird cage"
nose, converting the little plane into a three-seat training glider, the TG-5. In 1942, 19 Aeronca 65 CA Chiefs were commandeered for use by the Army Air Forces and designated L ·3Fs. Following World War II, Chief 31948 was still used to train pilots. However, the airplane was also used extensively for pleasure flying and was flown to Canada several times. Some flights ended up being not so pleasant. In the past 49 years, the Aeronca has been damaged three times. In 1949 it was tumed on its back in the St. Mary's River - the left wingtip was the only major component damaged, but both wings were re-skinned. In 1960 a wing was likewise damaged and in 1961 the plane again turned over in a lake southeast of Big Rapids, Michigan. On August 15, 1953 Chief 31948 was upgraded with an 85-hp Continental en gine replacing the original -65. The switch was made to improve its perfor mance on floats. Through the middle 1970s, the little Aeronca was owned by Jerry Cole of Dearborn Heights, Michigan. However, it returned to the Woodham's hangar in the spring of 1977. Irv moved to Florida in the early 1980s and the Chief was hangared at Robert Carpenter's air strip in Vicksburg where it was flown by several local people.
In 1981, Irv sold the Chief to his son, Don who in turn sold it to the museum in 1987. Generally, the Chief is used to represent the museum at dawn patrols and breakfasts so it is not on display in the main museum building. However, from May to September, the museum's tour program takes patrons through the Restoration Center where thy can see, not only this gritty little airplane but aircraft that are in the process of being restored. Currently the museum is fmishing the preservation of a B-25J Mitchell bomber, continuing work on a Fairchild PT-23 Cornell and has a BT 13 Valiant and a CG-4A Flying Jeep waiting in the wings. Since its acquisition by the museum, the Chief continues to do what it does best, adding to the 6,300 flight hours in its logs. When the "little red airplane" is due for a re-covering, a new CPT paint scheme will be applied. Those interested in seeing the Chief and 25 other fantastic warbirds, including six National Grand Champions, can visit the Kalamazoo "Air Zoo" by land or by air at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Inter national Airport. For more informa tion, write the museum at 3101 E. Milham Road, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49002 or call 616/382-6555 .• VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
COON BOTTOM
MONSTER An 82-year-old Florida airstrip owner and his highly modified Stearman.
by John Larson
22 AUGUST 1990
Last year I retired and moved from northeast Wisconsin to Tallahassee, Florida. One of the first things I did was join the local radio-control airplane club. I overheard the fellows talking about an old-timer who had an airstrip north of the city where they would oc足
casionally fly their models. I thought it would be interesting to see if I could fmd it. After traveling up and down the country roads I fmally located it near the Georgia border. I stopped at a nearby house and asked where I could fmd the owner of the airstrip over yonder. The fellow told me I would fmd Lou Rutten at a hangar on the far end of the field . The strip was level at first, but near the west end it sloped down and at the bottom of the hill I found two large rustic hangars. Standing near a strange-looking biplane was a short slim man taking a break from washing the biplane and sipping a can of beer. "Are you Mr. Rutten?" I asked. "That's what they call me," he said. I found Lou Rutten to be a living, breathing 82-year-old history book. In 1925 he paid two dollars for a "Learn to Fly" correspondence course. He bought a World War I surplus Jenny in parts , put it together and started barnstorming. Neither a pilot's license nor numbers on the ariplane were re quired at the time. Then he bought one of Ed Heath's kit airplanes and started modifying, even way back then. He changed the parasol design to a mid wing like Jim Church did to create the
Church Mid-wing racer. In 1932, he decided to get educated and took a course in aeronautical engineering in Marshall, Missouri. He designed and built his own airplane in 1934, the Rut ten Special. In 1936 he worked for Eastern Airlines as a maintenance flight inspector on DC-3s. The following year he got his A&E license, number 15619. During World War II he flew cargo planes all over the world for the government as a civilian. In 1945 he got his commercial pilot's license and was flight engineer on a DC-4 for a while. He also got a job flying a DC-3 for Caribbean Airlines from Miami to the Canal Zone, mostly carrying leather goods but on his last trip he was carrying 13,000 baby chicks when one of the engines ran away due the prop governor failure. It was in 1947 he bought a Stearman and started dusting in Marian na, Florida. The next year he bought 75 acres where he built the Coon Bottom Airport as a base for dusting tobacco. He designed and built his own dusting equipment and even holds a patent on one of his designs. I asked what kind of plane he was washing there and he said, "That's the 'Coon Bottom Monster ...' It was a highly modified Stearman he had
changed into a truly one-of-a-kind fun machine. When he retired from dusting he took one of his Stearmans and rebuilt it to eliminate all the undesireable fea tures. He took off the heavy gear and rebuilt it lighter, moving it forward at the same time so the aircraft was less prone to nosing over in soft ground. He eliminated the forward visibility prob lem by raising the top wing and building up the fuselage so the cockpit is higher. This created lots of room for storing baggage and camping gear under the seats. He also changed the ailerons to flaperons . On final approach he can crank the ailerons down for slower land ing speeds. He added servo tabs to the ailerons to lower stick forces, and to increase range he added a streamlined drop tank between the main wheels. For fun, he mounted some rocket launching tubes on the wings. Lou showed me around the hangars and I have never seen so many parts and pieces of airplanes in my life. He must have bought new airplanes and engines every year and never parted with any thing. They're all still there, in pieces. Lou admits that, at 82, his flying days are over but as I found out to my delight, his hangar-flying days are still going strong .• VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23
For more than 50 years, Jim Martin of Beecher, Illinois has been maintain ing and repairing aircraft. I first met him five years ago when he joined EAA Chapter 260, and during these years he has regularly presented programs about aircraft maintenance at Chapter 260's meetings. In addition to being a chapter designee, he is always willing to take time to help anyone who comes to him with an engine or airframe problem. It does not seem to matter whether the plane is a late model, custom built or antique/classic. Jim's dedication to the 24 AUGUST 1990
private pilot has earned him Chapter 260's "Devotion to Aviation" award in recognition of his unselfish support of private and sport aviation. This chapter can attest that many plane owners around south suburban Chicago have benefited from his vast reservoir of ex perience and knowledge. Jim was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and prepared for his career at Central Technical School there. At the time, the aviation department was new and in 1936 Jim was one of its first three graduates. He explained that in addi
tion to drafting, math and aVIatIOn theory classes, he learned aircraft con struction. The aspects of plane-build ing included woodworking, sheet metal, machine shop and fabric. Since opportunities in aviation were limited in Canada at the time, Jim moved to Chicago in 1939 and began working at B&F Aviation, a repair sta tion at Harlem Airport near what is now Midway Airport. He started as a shop welder and worked up to mechanic by 1940. A year later he had earned his A&E (Airframe and Engine, now
known as A&P for Airframe and Powerplant) license. Jim related that during the "good old days" (the 1940s), "Our winter schedule consisted of re-cover jobs and a busy complement of maintenance and in足 spections. I liked to do repair work rather than inspections, where I special足 ized in woodwork - specifically wing spars." On the subject of the quality of workmanship, Jim said proudly, "We did a lot of re-covering in those days
which compared favorably with today's restoration." While at Harlem, Jim worked on some interesting and famous aircraft. Quite an unusual one was a Laird-type design. Not only was it difficult to fly, it also suffered frequent taxiing acci足 dents on the ground which kept Jim busy in the repair shop. American Airlines nevertheless ac足 counted for most of Jim's career. He started work there in 1942 and remained
until he "retired" 34 years later. During much of this time he was a maintenance crew chief in a support shop doing sheet-metal work, welding and a variety of other kinds of repairs. He serviced DC-3s and more, up through DC-6s and -7s, Boeing 707s and even the last Ford Trimotor to fly from Midway. The Convair 240, though, was his favorite because he knew it so well. He had attended a special Convair school on this aircraft involving emergency
A Travel Air at the Toronto Flying Club, 1934 or 35 with the future Mrs. Jim Martin. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25
S E p T E
'M 'B
i\ II :/ II
W :/ .L G :/
S
Jim (lett) and a friend with a J-3 Cub at B & F Aviation, Oaklawn, Illinois
A brand-new Convair 240 at the Ardmore, Oklahoma training facility. 26 AUGUST 1990
damage repair. Jim said that he frequently wound up with what he termed "garbage work" such as repair of baggage pods, coffee makers and tire and battery changes. However, much of his repair work would require special tools. Any time a special tool was required, he made whatever was necessary to do the job. Furthermore, when there was no section in a manual covering a particular repair, he would come up with a way to do it. Often he was called upon to do "odd足 ball" jobs nobody wanted, such as removing broken studs or screws that were difficult to extract. Jim recalled that there were times he had to endure, "smart-alecs who knew everything." One of his favorite ways of dealing with them was when they came to him to borrow a tool. For instance he would give the person a 5Jl6-inch drill with a left-hand twist just to see how long it would take him to figure it out. Another variation of this was to hand the victim a left-hand tap-and-die. While still working at American, Jim opened his own shop across from Ash足 burn Field, a small airfield south of Midway Airport. There he did extra work as a mechanic which meant just about anything. He operated this shop until Ashburn Field closed in the 1960s. It was at Ashburn that Jim rebuilt many old airplanes. Over the years he has reworked E-2s, J-2s and J-3s on up to current Pipers, Buhl Pups and an American Eaglet, a Fairchild Cabin and just about anything that we now call an antique or classic. He also built a Pitts Special in his shop but it was only flown once. The owner wrecked it the first time out, had it rebuilt and then sold it. That was in 1969. Shortly thereafter the airport closed and Jim flew the last aircraft out of Ashburn, a Swift. Jim has owned a Cessna 140 for the past eight years and has been an AI for the past 30 years. His first flying was dual time in a deHaviliand Gypsy Moth in 1934, but he did not solo until 1943 at Ashburn in a J-3 . His most recent projects have been supervision of the rebuilding of an Aeronca Chief and Sedan, a Mustang II, a 2J3-scale Haw足 ker Hurricane and a Christen Eagle. When Jim puts his hands on an aircraft to perform maintenance or to advise its pilot, he draws from many years' experience. A lot of affordable flying has resulted from Jim's dedica足 tion to the private pilot..
PASS II IQ
--1] An information exchange column with input from readers.
by Buck Hilbert (EAA 21, Ale 5) P.O. Box 424 Union, IL 60180
the show. When his turn to perform came, he jumped off the announcer's trailer and dashed to his Travel Air. Also as usual, Dad propped the Travel Air himself. Since the Wright was still warm from the opening of the show, on the fIrst pull it "sneezed" and spun back a couple of turns, ending up with the prop straight vertical. Being a little rushed, Dad stepped into the prop arc and started to pull the prop down when the big Wright kicked back. The other blade hit him on the inside of his left knee and threw him out to the wingtip. Luckily, Mrs. Halsmer was on the spot for fIrst aid, and quickly taped and bandaged his leg. The skin was not broken but it did swell quite badly. She also applied some other "pain killer." Well, he was still able to announce the rest of Saturday's show and got a new "kid" to fly in his place on Sunday - Gene Soucy! The Travel Air rested in Lafayette for a couple weeks until Dad was able to bend his knee again. He said he knew he was in trouble as soon as he reached for the prop, but it was too late. He was damned lucky. I had my J-3 for six years and my Culver Cadet for 12 years. Neither one had a starter and by following these rules, I never had an incident. Now I've got a Navion and it has a starter, but if it ever quits, I think I will be able to start it safely using the same rules. Keep up the good work. James Rezich Winnebago, Illinois
Prop and Circumstance Dear Buck, I enjoyed your series on propping and appreciate the mention of those immor足 tal words. It also brought back some memories and some well taught and well-learned lessons about "clubs." When I was growing up I thought all airplanes had to be propped to get started. Only "real airplanes" like John Louck's Ford Trimotor had starters. I was taught the "prop-er" commands at nine years old when I was in the cockpit of Travel Air NC 606K executing them. One rule was never, never touch the mag switch, unless instructed, and then always shout back the position of the switch. Another rule was to always know the airplane and the pilot, or else let someone else do it. I saw one good example of this at an AAA fly-in at Ottumwa, Iowa. It seems the guy in the driver's seat got the mixture and throttle
reversed and the machine started on the fIrst pull, proceeded to rear up and over and made toothpicks out of Sensenich lumber. I also remember a certain airplane that had a booster in the cockpit that had to be cranked by hand when starting the engine. I recall how the pilot was afraid to crank the booster before the prop man was clear, and this usually resulted in the engine running backwards for several cycles before it finally got going. If the booster was cranked while the propeller was spun, it started every time. But the most important rule was, "Never step into the prop arc." Dad considered it a cardinal sin and sure to result in an injury. The most graphic tale of this happened to the old man, himself at an airshow at Joe Halsmer's airport in Lafayette, Indiana. As usual, Dad was announcing as well as flying in
Defender re-bender Dear Mr. Hilbert, I enjoy reading your column every month and see from the January issue that you prefer letters to phone calls. So even though I live in the next town east of Union, I fIgured what the heck! The reason I'm writing is I'm restor足 ing an Aeronca 0 -58B to original military confIguration and want to make some contacts in EAA as I'm sure I'll be needing a little good council from time to time as work progresses. I'm a member ot the new EAA Chapter in Galt, Illinois. I have an A&P from 1965 but little practical experience since then so I may not know what to do but I've got a pretty good idea what not to do. One of the fIrst things I've got to decide is on the IA I will work with so I can get him in on it from the beginning (I just disassembled the airplane and brought it home on April 12.). I thought you VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27
Sensenich itch Hi Buck, Here is the prop hub info your friend can use. If you know of anyone who is doing a plane with a Tank engine, I have a Sensenich 96T69 prop that is good. The best for you and yours, Ralph Driscoll Rural Route 2 Mount Vernon, Iowa 52314 Data Plates: "U.S. Army Air Corps Type L-3B, Ser. #92-36317 Order #24584" "Aeronca Model 0-58B, Ser. #058B3432. Built 6-13-42" Engine: Continental A-65-8 #14193228
might have some suggestions on this. I'll give you a little background on the airplane. The enclosed photo is recent and the information from the data plates is on the back. It was converted to the "Defender" configuration by Ber nard Pietenpol in 1945. It has a Stand ard Airworthiness Certificate which I naturally want to retain. Pietenpol's Form 337 doesn't indicate any struc tural alteration so this may not be a big problem. The airplane is in pretty good shape. It spent most of its life in storage but was protected from rodents, birds and mois ture. I didn't have any problem getting it ready to ferry to Galt though it was out of license. It does have the wood ribs. The paperwork appears to be complete and there aren't any gaps in the logs. I don't have anything on its military his tory from 1942 to 1945 and have written several letters trying to get some help on that. There are no ADs on it but I suspect that's just because nobody cares! I'm wondering if old Aeronca Service Bulletins could be of any help - and where to fmd them. I've been able to turn up very little info on 0-58/L 3s. The Army only bought about 1,300 of them and they didn't seem to attract a lot of attention. I've written to Mr Silberman at the National Air and Space Museum archive support center and am waiting to hear from him re: availability of engineering drawings, contract 28 AUGUST 1990
specs, etc. I'd like to meet you some time and hear your thoughts on this project or maybe you'd like to take a look at the pieces. If so, drop a note or give me a call and perhaps we could get together one day soon. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Sincerely, Jeff Hill Woodstock, Illinois
Fueling around, military style Dear Buck, Here is what the military had to say about "fueling around," according to the War Department Field Manual #FM 20 100, September 1947, "Army Ground Forces ...Light Aviation." "Refueling The aircraft should be electrically grounded in accordance with appropriate Army Air Forces Technical Orders before and during refueling (See figure 7)." Keep 'em Flying!! Bill Davis Marine City, Michigan
Figure 7.
Grollnding during re/lteiillg.
Sensenich Corporation
August 1955
No. 203
SENSENICH MODEL NUMBERS AND THEIR MEANINCS In devising a system of identification for fixed pitch propellers, Sensenich Corporation worked out a code system which not only identifies the propellers, but also describes them. I. It is easy to remember and understand. 2. It readily identifies the propeller from all other designs.
FOR EXAMPLE:
3. It gives a complete description of the con足 struction and dimensions of the propeller. The model number used as an illustration is an example of the complete description of a propeller that is possible with our system and code of marking.
90CASPL86A BLADE DESIGNS
DWIVt"
90
First two numbers always indicate propeller diameter in inches.
C
B
A
c
o
FirBt letter alwayB indicateB the baBic blade deBign.
HUI DIMINSIOHS
lOUD
A
The second letter indicates hub dimensions for a particular metal hub.
s
P
CI't PL"fWOCO
Always indicates integral Bolid wood Bpinner un足 Ie.. followed by the letter P. Following the letter S indicates integral plywood Bhell Bpinner.
ROTATION
ILlU"
~GHT
VI[WED FROII SUP STREAM.
Preceded by two or more letters always indicates L left hand rotation.
A
86
Geometric pitch in inches measured at 75% of the radius.
Any letter following the geometric pitch designation indicates a material modification of a standard design. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29
MEMBERSHIP
INFORMATION
EAA
Where The Sellers and Buyers Meet... 25¢ per word, $5.00 minimum charge. Send your ad to
The Vintage Trader, EAA Aviation Center
Oshkosh, WI 54903-2591 .
AIRCRAFT: Yes, a 1940 Stinson 10 - This fine old aircraft $9,500.00 (Canadian). Springhouse Aviation, Box 38, A.R. 1, Widgeon Drive, Williams Lake, B.C. V2G 2P1, 604/392-2186. (9-5)
Fairchild F24W-41 - Aircraft is complete less FWF for Warner engine. Have engine mount and cowling for Ranger conversion, also Ranger engine. 507/263-2414. (9-2)
ENGINES: Engine Parts - for Continental A50, 65, 75, 80 and their accessories - cylinder cases, cams, rods, gears, everything but crankshafts. Send want list to: Air Salvage of Arkansas, Rt. 1, Box 8020, Mena, Arkansas 71953, call 501/394-1022 (-5/91)
Good Used Ignition Harnesses - tested okay. Fuel pumps in boxes. Rod bolts in plastic bags . All properly identified as removed from engines going in for overhaul. Air Salvage of Arkansas, Rt. 1, Box 8020, Mena, Arkansas 71953, 501/394-1022. ( 5/91)
MISCELLANEOUS: NEW EAA REFERENCE GUIDE - Now in one volume! Covering all EAA journals 1953 through 1989. Newly organized, easier to read. MUCH REDUCED PRICE! Past pur chasers : $7.50 USD plus $1 . 50 UPS/postage, $3.00 Canadian, $7.00 other. new purchasers : $15 USD plus $1.50 UPS/postage, $3.00 Canadian, $7.00 other. VISA/MASTERCARD accepted. John B. Ber geson, 6438 W. Millbrook Road, Remus, MI 49340. 517/561-2393. Note: Have all jour nals. Will make copy of any article(s) from any issue at 25¢ per page. ($3.00 minimum).
1910-1950 Original Plane and Pilot Items - Buy - sell- trade. 44-page catalog over 350 30 AUGUST 1990
items available, $5.00. Airmailed. John Aldrich, POB-706 - Airport, Groveland, CA 95321, 209/962-6121 . (9-6)
Super Cub PA18 fuselages repaired or rebuilt - in precision master fixtures. All makes of tube assemblies or fuselages repaired or fabricated new. J.E. Soares Inc., 7093 Dry Creek Road, Belgrade, Montana 59714, 406/388-6069. Repair Station D65 21 . (UFN)
CURTISS JN4-D MEMORABILIA - You can now own memorabilia from the famous "Jenny," as seen on "TREASURES FROM THE PAST". We have posters, postcards, videos, pins, airmail cachets, etc. We also have R/C documentation exclusive to this historic aircraft. Sale of these items support operating expense to keep this "Jenny" flying for the aviation public. We appreciate your help. Write for your free price list. Virginia Aviation Co., RDv-5, Box 294, Warrenton, VA 22186. (c/11 -90)
NostalgiC Airline Poster Art - Colorful publicity of the Airlines of the World! FREE DETAILS Gerard, 3668-VA Hilaire, Seaford, NY 11783. (12-4)
HANGARS: Quonset Style Steel Buildings - Ideal for airplane hangars, equipment, and workshops. Easy to erect and disassemble. Buy factory direct and save up to 40 percent. U.S. ARCH BUILDINGS CORPORATION, National 1-800-527-4044. (-5/91)
WANTED: Wanted - The Vintage Airplane Back Issue - September 1986 - No reprints. Mint con dition only, $50.00. Mail to, I will accept the first one I receive; all others will be returned . Robert V. Beal, EAA 220499, 825 W. Broad way, Madisonville, Kentucky 42431. (8-1)
Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is $35.00 for one year, including 12 issues of Sport A viation. Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20.00 an nually. Family Membership is available for an additional $10.00 annually. All major credit cards accepted for mem bership. FAX (414) 426-4873.
ANTIQUE/CLASSICS
EAA Member- $18.00. Includes one year membership in EAA Antique-Clas sic Division. 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Airplane and membership card. Applicant must be a current EAA member and must give EAA member ship number.
Non-EAA Member - $28.00. Includes one year membership in the EAA Anti que-Classic Division. 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Airplane, one year membership in the EAA and separate membership cards. Sport Aviation QQ/. included.
lAC
Membership in the International Aerobatic Club, Inc. is $30.00 annually which includes 12 issues of Sport Aerobatics. All lAC members are re quired to be members of EAA.
WARBIRDS Membership in the Warbirds of America, Inc. is $30.00 per year, which includes a subscription to Warbirds. Warbird members are required to be members of EAA.
EAA EXPERIMENTER
EAA membership and EAA EX PERIMENTER magazine is available for $28.00 per year (Sport Aviation not included). Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER for $18.00 per year.
FOREIGN
MEMBERSHIPS
Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars.
Make checks payable to EAA or the division in which membership is desired. Address all letters to EAA or the par ticular division at the following address: EAA A VIA TlON CENTER
P.O. BOX 3086
OSHKOSH, WI 54903-3086
PHONE (414) 426-4800
FAX (414) 426-4828
OFFICE HOURS:
8:15-5:00 MON.-FRI.
Antiques & Classics足
You're Welcome Here!
I s there a pilot among us whose heart doesn't swell when a WACO, Stearman or a pretty little Jenny flies overhead? On the wings of these airplanes, we all experience the leather helmet days before radios, nosewheels and controlled airspace. We're fortunate your EAA is dedicated to keeping our flying heritage alive. Keeping antique and classic aircraft flying means investing substantial money as well as time. AVEMCO's antique and classic air足 craft coverage provides protection of your financial investment at a surprisingly reasonable cost. In ad足 dition to liability and hull coverage, you can be compensated for your labor if you make repairs yourself. After all, who knows your airplane better than you do? Your antique and classic air足 craft, as well as your enthusiasm, is welcome here.
CALL DIRECT TODA Y FOR AN IMMEDIA TE, NO OBLIGA TlON QUOTE.
1-800-638-8440
CAviMCO
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rHE SPORr AVIATION ASSOClAfION
By Aviation People ...For Aviation People
This is intended as a brief description of the coverage offered. Certain exclusions and limitations apply. W e will be glad to send you a sample policy for your review.
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 33
T
he designer and builder of this neat biplane was well-known at the time it was produced. The photo is from the Hardie collection. Answers will be published in the October issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Deadline for that issue is September 10, 1990. Dick Hill identified John Denny's "Speed Bird" from the May issue. John has the aircraft in the process of restora tion and as you can tell by Dick's lengthy answer he has himself a rare piece of aviation history. Dick and his wife, Jeannie, an Antique/Classic Division Advisor, preside over the Bird type club and are writing a book on the company, so Dick's answer carries the weight of authority. "The Mystery Plane is the 1935 prototype Speed Bird A with an 85-hp LeBlond engine. Its tail number was 34 AUGUST 1990
X15641 and it was serial number 1000. "The design of the Speed Bird began at the Bird Airplane Company in New Jersey. It was a scaled down, single cockpit, side-by-side version of the Bird. Before tests and paperwork for certification could be completed on the Speed Bird, the Bird company was wiped out by the Depression. "The 'Speed Bird Co.' was formed from the remains of the old Bird com pany in 1933. It was to use up the stock of parts that were left over from produc tion, and to supply the owners of Bird airplanes with parts. The new com pany was located in the factory build ings that belonged to the old Aeromarine Airplane and Motor Com pany located at a small New Jersey airfield and had been used for the production of airplanes as early as
World War I. Many of the US Navy's large flying boats from that era were built on this site. In the mid-1920s they were building metal-hull flying boats on the site. "The address for the Speed Bird Co. in the 1937 Federal Register was Church and Front Streets, Key Port, New Jersey. Another address that we found listed the company at Locust Street. Key Port is just a small village located on the swampy shoreline of Raritan Bay, opposite Staten Island, New York. Researcher and aircraft historian, John Barberry visited the site in 1960 and found that the factory buildings had been torn down and the area was returning to nature. "On April 20, 1937 the Speed Bird Company was re-formed in San Jose, California. A corporation was formed
with Mr. Fred J. Anderson as president and Francis Schmidt as secretary treasurer. The only Speed Bird airplane that had been built was ferried to California from N~w Jersey by the chief mechanic and the designer. Soon after forming the corporation, Mr. Anderson passed away and when the corporation and its future dissolved, the aircraft was stored outside and left to deteriorate. "The plane was later damaged when the pilot of a Travel Air lost control while taxiing and hit it. Mrs. Anderson who owned the assets of the Speed Bird Co. well into the 1950s donated the wrecked plane to the San Jose College Aeronautics Department. At one point the plane was assembled and flown by John Reid and his father, "Pop" Reid who had started and operated the Reid Hillview Airport in San Jose. "In a telephone interview with John Reid in 1986, he reported that it flew very nicely and was very stable. During hands-off flight, the pilot could make turns by flexing the long Pyralin windshield one way and the other. Spin recoveries were another matter, and the plane did not respond too well. The men decided that it needed more
rudder so they cut a pattern from sheet metal and fastened it to the trailing edge of the rudder with screws. The shape of this rudder extension still remains as the basis for an improved rudder-fin com足 bination that will be used on John Denny's current restoration. "In another transaction, Captain Ralph McPhee, an interim owner did not have the plane fully paid for when he passed away so the plane was repos足 sessed by the college. When the college's aeronautical program closed, the plane became the property of a local aircraft restorer, Jim Nissen. Jim was commissioned to clean out the school and was given the remains of the Speed Bird for his efforts. Along with his other aircraft, Jim currently owns one of the few remaining airworthy Curtiss Jennys. "In 1968, the Speed Bird was sold to John Denny who lived near San Jose. He has completely rebuilt the plane with all new wood. The fuselage is shaped with several bridges and an array of stringers. This has all been replaced and the woodwork has been protected with several coats of urethane varnish. He has built new landing gear and new wings. Mr. Nissen had removed the
90-hp LeBlond engine with intentions of using it on a Bleriot restoration. Mr. Denny will use a 125-hp Warner Scarab that he has completely overhauled. The valves and pistons caused some delay but now the engine is complete. "In 1973, he wrote to EAA asking the membership for help in finding the valves for his engine. A photo of the Speed Bird was included and it was published on page 12 of the March 1973 issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. We were treated to a complete tour of the project during a visit with the Den足 nys several years ago and can attest to the quality of this restoration. "Blu揃eprints of the design are needed for the plane to become eligible for an Experimental Aircraft certificate and Mr. Denny has worked backwards, from plane to paper, producing the needed blueprints. In 1988 the Dennys moved to Springfield, Oregon and completion of the Speed Bird project has been consigned to Tim Talon's Aircraft Restoration Shop at the Springfield Airport. "For now, that is the story on the Speed Bird, the last of the line." - Dick Hill
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 35
May
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