VA-Vol-19-No-4-April-1991

STRAIGHT & LEVEL

by Espie "Butch" Joyce The weather here in the Carolinas has turned to spring and the dogwcxxls are blooming. It is becoming good flying weather, although the wind has been treacherous. During the last 30 days when I have been flying, the wind has been rough as a cob. It takes some of the pleasure out of flying. It has been so rough, I have even hesitated to use the autopilot on my Baron.

Soon, though, this will pass and we will have smooth air again.

I am writing this article a couple of days in advance of my leaving for the Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In in Lakeland, Florida. It will be great to go to this fly-in and see the people in Florida who work so hard to put on a great fly -in, and that I have come to know over the years .

We will have a report on this fly-in in the near future in VINTAGE AIRPLANE. We have had quite a bitof flying activity at the airport that I am based at, Rockingham County Airport (known to everyone as Shiloh Airport).

I built my hangar there six years ago and it was the only private hangar on the field for several years. This past year there have been four new private han­ gars built at Shiloh Airport. The build­ ing of these hangars has caused approximately 15 new aircraft to be based on this airport. Occupying one of these hangars is Division member Susan Dusenbury. The reason that I mention her name is that she is running for the EAA Board of Directors - the election 2APRIL 1991

is to be held August 1991 at the conven­ tion. Susan has been very active in avia­ tion. She holds an ATP and an lA, and is a Captain for Airborne Express, flying the DC-9 . Susan's personal airplane is a very nice Culver Cadet that she rebuilt herself, and she was also the pilot for the Louise Thaden com­ memorative flight two years ago. She has been President of several different EAA Chapters while her flying for a living has moved her around. Her career has progressed from flying for Air Vir­ ginia then on to flying for the State of Virginia and now working for Airborne.

She is a very proficient aerobatic pilot, but her interest really lies in sport avia­ tion and sport aviation people. It is my opinion that she will be an asset to the EAA Board of Directors.

Our Antique/Classic Chapter 3 will hold a fly-in in Burlington, North Carolina, May 3 and 4. Friday will be an early bird arrival and an informal get-together Friday night to watch films . Saturday is the main day of the fly-in and Saturday night will be the awards banquet at the Howard Johnson's Motel in Burlington. That night, Paul Poberezny has agreed to be our speaker. We really look forward to seeing Paul and consider it an honor to have him as our speaker.

I suppose this will be the first official fly-in for my Clip Wing Cub. I certainly am looking forward to taking this airplane to a fly-in.

There are several things to report on with your Division . First, we have two new advisors to our Antique/Classic Board of Directors. One is Jimmy Rol­ lison from Winters, California and the other is Geoff Robison from New Haven, Indiana. I want to welcome these two gentlemen on board and look forward to having their assistance at our board meetings.

Our Pioneer Airport Committee is moving right along with work at the Pioneer Airport in conjunction with Greg Anderson of the EAA and the EAA Aviation Foundation Board .

Plans have been approved for the airport manager's office and money has been obtained for this project. Construction will be underway in the near future. I would like to mention that anyone who would like to contribute funds to sup­ port the Pioneer Airport can do so by contacting Greg Anderson at EAA, 414/426-4800. Also, Greg is trying to

obtain some banner towing equipment as we have a Travel Air 4000 that will be used for banner towing during spe­ cial events, and to demonstrate pulling a banner to people at the Pioneer Air­ port. If you have any equipment along this line that you are not using or know of someone who has some equipment that could be donated, please contact Greg about this.

Our proposed Contemporary Age category of aircraft mentioned in the last magazine is receiving a lot of positive response. These comments will be ad­ dressed and the issue voted upon at the May board meeting of th e An ­ tique/Classic Division.

Our Antique/Classic Aircraft In­ surance Program is in place and everyone has been notified. It has been very well received. We have had very good com ­ ments on the rates and service. The more people we can get to participate in this program, the better the program will be­ come for all those involved. I really would like to encourage you to investigate what this program has to offer and you can do that by contacting AVA, Inc. at 1/800/727 -3823.

Mr. Bob Lickteig, one of your An­ tique/Classic Directors, is in the process of putting together a new membership recruiting program which we hope to be able to implement in the near future to get all of our members involved in recruiting new members for our Division. I don't know if you have noticed, but if you go to a local EAA Chapter meeting at an air­ port, you will find that probably at that meeting, 75 percent of the aircraft that are owned by those chapter members are either an antique or classic. So there is a lot of potential for new members. Most of the time these people are not members of your Division because they are not aware of the benefits of being members.

If you get an opportunity, you might want to mention to someone who might be in that position to investigate becoming a member of the Antique/Classic Division.

It is not too early to start making your plans to attend EAA OSHKOSH '9l.

This year will be especially the year for the Antique/Classic fans in the fact that they will be celebrating the golden years of air racing. Replicas of Gee Bee and Wedell-Williams Racers, etc. will be on display, and many of these aircraft will also be flying. I am really excited to be able to see these aircraft all gather together at one place. So make your plans to attend EAA OSHKOSH '91.

Remember, we are better togeth er.

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 MaH

EDITOR

Henry G. Frautschy

MANAGING EDITOR

Golda Cox

ART DIRECTOR

Mike Druc ks

ADVERTISING

Mary Jones

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Norman Petersen Dick Covin

FEATURE WRITERS

George A. Hardie, Jr. Dennis Parks

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Isabe lle Wiske STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jim Koepnick Carl Sc huppel

Mike Steineke

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

Union, IL 60180

815/923-4591

DIRECTORS Robert C. " Bob " Brauer John Berendt 9345 S. Hoyne 7645 Echo Point Rd. Cannon Falls, MN 55009 Chicago, IL 60620 312/179-2105 507/263-2414 John S. Copeland Gene Chose 9 Joanne Drive 2159 Carlton Rd. Westborough, MAOl581 Oshkosh, WI 54904 508/366-7245 414/231-5002 George Daubner

2448 Lough Lane

Hartford, WI 53027

414/673-5885

Philip Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 616/624-6490 Cha rles Harris Stan Gomoll 104290th Lane, NE 3933 South Peoria Minneapolis, MN 55434 P.O. Box 904038 Tulsa, OK 74105 612/784-1172 918/742-7311 Dole A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hill Drive Indianapolis, IN 46278 317/293-4430

Jeannie Hill

P.O. Box 328

Harvard, IL 60033

815/943-7205

Robert D. " Bob " Lumley Robert Lickteig 1265 South 124th St. 1708 Bay Oaks Drive Brookfield, WI 53005 Albert Lea , MN 56007 414/782-2633 507/373-2922 Steven C. Nesse Gene Morris 115C Steve Court, R.R.2 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 Roanoke, TX 76262 507/373-1674 817/491-9110 S.H. " Wes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwotosa, WI 53213 414/771-1545

DIRECTOR EMERITUS S.J. WiHman

7200 S.E. 85th Lone

Ocalo, FL 32672

904/245-7768

ADVISORS John A. Fogerty 479 Highway 65 Roberts, WI 54023 715/425-2455

Jimmy Rollison 823 Carrion Circie Winters, CA 95694-1665 916/795-4334

Dean Richardson 6701 Colonlv Drive Modison, Wi 53717 608/833-1291

Geoff Robison 1521 E. MacGregor Dr. New Haven, IN 46774 219/493-4724

Apri11991 •

Vol. 19, No. 4

Copyrig ht © 1991 by the EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc. All rights rese rved.

Contents 2 Straight & Level

by Espie "Butch" Joyce

4 Aeromail 5 A/C News/compi led by H. G. Frautschy 6 Dale Crites/by Norm Petersen

8 Vintage Literature/by Dennis Parks 12 Recollections of the Tilbury Flash ­ Part II/by Herb Morphew

15 Restoring the Tilbury Flash

by Marion McClure

17 Restoring a 1947 Cessna

by Alice Palmer

20 Member s' Proj ects/by Nonn Petersen

Page 17

22 Standard Fare/by James N. Bardi n 25 Type Clubs/by Juli a and Joe Dickey 27 Max Krueger 's Bird Biplane

by Dick Hill

28 Pass It To Buck/by E.E. "Buck" Hilbert 30 Antique/Classic C alendar 31 Vintage Trader

Page 22

34 Myster y Plane/by George Hardie Jr. FRONT COVER, .. It's not everyday one sees this sight - 0 genuine 1930s era racer. complete and ready to cover, in 1991! This is the original 1934 Brown B-1 Racer, os it was being checked for fit. The restoration is being finished in Oshkosh, WI. with the completion planned to coincide with the 1991 EAA Convention . We will have more on this project in a future issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE . (Photo

by Carl Schuppel).

BACK COVER ... Artist Richard Allison, from Rolla. MO, captured a mid-morning moment over San Francisco Bay in his painting "Gold­ en Wings, Golden Gate, Golden Age", Richard garnered a Par Excellence Award for his view of a Pan American Airways DC-3 ciimbing out to the west over the Golden Gate Bridge.

The words EAA, ULTRALIGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM, SPORT AVIATION, and the logos 01 EXPER IM ENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INC" EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVlENTION, EAA ANTIQUEjCLASSIC DIVISION INC"INTERNATIONALAEROBATIC CLUB INC" WARBIRDS OF AMERICA INC. are registered trademarks, THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION INC. and EAA ULTRALIGHT CONVlENTION are trademarks 01 the above associations and their use by any person other than the above associations is strictly prohibited.

Editorial Poltcy: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those 01 the authors.

ResponsibilRy for aconacy in reporting rests entirely WRh the contributor. Material should be sent to: EdRor, The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903·3086. Phone: 414/426-4800.

The VINTAGE AIRPLANE (SSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc. of the Experimental AireraN Association,lnc. and is published monthly at EAA Aviation Center, P.O. Box 3080, Oshkosh, WI 54903·3086. Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh, WI 54901 and addRional mailing offices.The membership rate for EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc, is $20.00 for current EAA members for 12 month period of which $12.00 is for the publication of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation, ADVlERTfSING - Antique/Classic Division does not guarantee or endorse any prOOUCl offered through our advMising. We invRe oonstruClive aRicism and welcome any report 01 interior merchandise obtained through our advertising so thai corrective measures can be laken.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc. P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3080.

VI NTAGE AIRPLAN E 3

LOENING PILOT Dear Mr. Petersen, I read with interest your article and photos in VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Oc­ tober issue reference Vintage Seaplanes. The photo of the Loening Air Yacht brought back many memories. Although I did not fly the civil version of this craft, I flew the Loening OL-9 in the Navy - there was also the OL-8 which was powered with a Hisso or Packard which I did not have the occasion to fly.

A few bits of trivia about the Air Yacht and OL-8 and OL-9 that might be of interest - the production aircraft were designed to accept World War I surplus DeHavilland DH-4 wings - subsequent wings were built to DH-4 plans. The aircraft construc­ tion is basically wood, covered with sheet aluminum screwed and riveted together.

Thin stressed metal surfaces had not been developed as yet. You mention ofthe decals on the Hamilton Standard propeller was commonplace in those days. I believe the decal was discontinued with the advent of World War II when thousands ofpropellers were being manufactured with great haste.

Also your reference to the tail wheel versus a tail skid. To my knowledge a tail wheel was never installed on any of these craft, civil or military. There were only slight variances between civil and military. The

pilots' open cockpit was side by side on both civil and military; the right side was frequently used for passenger, mechanic, etc. The military version did not have the windows to accommodate passengers. An additional open cockpit was installed aft of the pilot for ob­ server, gunner, etc. One additional hatch/window was below the aft cockpit to accommodate space for photog­ raphers, radioman, etc. I hope this bit of trivia is of interest to you. Almost for­ got, hot tar was used extensively to bot­ tom of hull to keep it wateright (?!?).

I flew a lot of the old vintage seaplanes - the Keystone PK-l, Martin PM-I, Consolidated PY-l, P2Y-l, Hall-Alumi­ num PH-I, Sikorsky S-38, Grumman JF-l, J2F, Widgeon, Goose, and on and on.

I used to own a Waco 10, OX-5 but sold it to some friends of mine who are now restoring a Model A Ford Pietenpol that was discovered in a chicken coop.

I built this bird in 1932-33 just before I went into the Navy. Maybe it will be flyable by spring . It is presently in Dubuque, Iowa.

I retired from professional flying 1973 after 41 years, still active as a bystander - father time is catching up with me! Hope I haven't bored you ­ thought you'd enjoy this info.

Happy landings, Harold Salut

According to Grover Loening's book, "Our Wings Grow Fa:,ter", published in 1935, the wings used on the "new" series of Loening amphibiam were born a:,' a result of Loening seeing potential for a nautical DH-4 sized aircraft, and were not surplus as Harold thought. Short offunds atthe time, the wing!>jor the new amphibian were sold to the Army as a way to increa:,'e the performance of the DH-4s being used to fly the Air Mail They worked very well, and the new wing order from the govern­ ment helped the company get through a tough time until order.\jor the new Loening began to come in. Thanks for all the other tidbit\", Harold! - HGF

AIRPORT MEMORIES Dear Sirs: The pictures of Waco lOs in the February issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE brought back many memories. At Woodstock, Illinois air­ port, there was a lovely OX powered Waco 10, silver and blue, slowly rotting away; also, a Phillips biplane in red. We also had a "modem" aircraft, a Cessna 140 and Cubs. It was great fun for a grade schooler to work on building runways, polishing aircraft and refueling. I even managed to get a few hours of dual in a Franklin powered J-3 from Stan. Do any members have memories of this now defunct airport? This jogs my memory and makes (me) want to know if there are any memories of dear old Whitted Airport at St. Pete, Florida and Tropical Flying Service? Tropical had a fleet of Lus­ combe 8s plus a converted Cub glider, an Aeronca built PT-23 and a BT-13. Do any members remember those wonderful days? I got my private at Tropical.

Think warm, sunny flying weather!

Very truly yours, I. W . Stephenson A Loening OL-9 amphibian assigned to the Marine Corps. The differences be­ tween the military and civilian models of the Loenings are apparent when you compare the picture on page 13 of the October issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE.

4 APRIL 1991

Compiled by H.G. Frautschy

NEW ADVISORS During the Antique/Classic Board meeting this past February, two new members were nominated to serve as President advisors for the division.

Butch Joyce has confirmed the appoint­ ments of Jimmy Rollison (A/C 9884) of Winters, California and Geoff Robison (A/C 12606) of New Haven, Indiana.

Advisors work with the Antique/Classic Board, assisting in the planning of Division events. Welcome aboard, gentlemen!

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Neta Snook Southern and Verne Jobst pause for a moment after Neta went for a flight in the EAA "Spirit of St. louis" replica .

NET A SNOOK Neta Snook Southern, the former operator of Kinner field in Los Angeles in the early 1920s has died in Los Gatos, California. She was 95. In 1921, a young lady named Amelia Earhart came to her for fI ight instruction. As an added bonus, she also taught Amelia how to drive an automobile. As was the con­ vention of the times, Miss Snook gave up flying when she was married, and had not flown in nearly 65 years when Verne Jobst took her for a ride in the EAA Aviation Foundation "Spirit of St. Louis" replica in 1977. Her comment in the logbook of the Spirit replica reads: "Thanks so much to again have a chance to fly!"

MISSING PARTS During the post-war period, many smaller parts suppliers that had enjoyed prosperity during the war moved to supply the civilian market. Oneofthose companies was the Richard M. Decker Company of Chicago, Illinois. You may not know their name, but if you have ever owned any of the classics you've seen their parts. They made the control wheel for the Ercoupe, the igni­ tion switch for the Globe Swift and Aeronca Chief, door handles and latches for the Chief and aluminum grilles for cowlings. Like many of these com­ panies, they moved on to other things as times changed. The building that Deck­ er occupied on Michigan Avenue in Chicago now has a large department store located on the site. Do any of our members have any information on this

company? Do they still exist? Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Editor, c/o EAA Headquarters.

BIPLANE EXPO '91 For the second year, the good folks at the Phillips 66 Company will provide free enroute fuel to any biplane attend­ ing the National Biplane Convention and Exposition - BIPLANE EXPO '91 - at Bartlesville, Oklahoma May 31 thru June 1, 1991.

This support by Phillips is believed to be the first such underwriting since the late 1930s, during the Light Pl ane Cavalcades to Florida. Those events did a great deal to stimulate interest in light planes in the pre-war period.

General aviation support by Phillips dates back more than 60 years ago, when it sponsored the Woo/aroc, the winning entry in the 1927 Oakland to Hawaii Dole Race. Later, the company would support many of the flying ac­ tivities of Wiley Post during his record­ breaking research flights .

More than 200 biplanes are expected to attend the Expo this year. The event features forums on restorations, as well as the "how-to" aspects of todays modem biplanes.

PHOTO CONTEST The winning entries for the 1990 An­ tique/Classic Photo Contest have been received here at EAA Headquarters, and we will present them in next month's issue. There are all sorts of surprises, including the winner of the Air to Air category. Look for it!.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

DALE CRITES 1907-1991

A Wisconsin Aviation

Legend Is Gone . • •

Dale (left) and Dean (right) look plenty warm when they had this photograph taken in front of a Ryan Brougham, the 4 passenger version of Lindbergh 's "Spirit of St. louis".

6APRIL 1991

1984 - Dale Crites, in his 1912 Curtiss Pusher replic a , lines up on the ribbon to officially open Pioneer Airport at the EAA Air Adven­ ture Museum.

Few people in this world have been so entwined in the exciting world of aviation as Dale Crites (EAA 34160, A/C 470) of Waukesha, Wisconsin .

Dale passed away on February 22, 1991, at the age of 84 years. Services were held on February 27th at the Elmbrook Church with internment at St. Joseph Cemetery in Waukesha. A num­ ber of friends flew their aircraft over the committal service at the cemetery in a final salute to this pioneer Wisconsin aviator. A substantial "gathering of Eagles" was on hand to pay their last respects to this artisan who had done so much for aviation over the years.

Sixty years ago, Dale Crites, along with his twin brother, Dean, began the Spring City Flying Service at Waukesha, carving out a niche in Wisconsin's aviation history that en­ compassed the lean years of the Great Depression, the expansion years of World War II and the rampant years of aviation growth in the post-war years.

Many, many flyers earned their wings from this pair of learned instructors and have gone on to greater challenges, primarily because of the way they were trained.

Never one to let history be bypassed, Dale Crites was probably best known for his restoration of Wisconsin 's oldest airplane, the 1912 Curtiss Pusher named "Sweetheart". Working with Earl Cox of Waukesha, Dale accomplished the nearly impossible task over a ten year period that culminated in the first flight of the Pusher on June 17, 1966.

Quickly adapting to the unorthodox control system of the Curtiss, Dale be­

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came quite adept at flying the machine and was considered by many to be the highest time pilot of a "shoulder yoke control" aircraft in the world. Upon donating "Sweetheart" to the EAA Museum, Dale built a second Curtiss Pusher and flew it for nearly twenty years, including flying the lead in the annual Antique/Classic Parade of Flight at Oshkosh each summer.

In 1986, Dale was invited to fly the Curtiss Pusher on a single center足 mounted float at Hammondsport, NY in observance of the 75th Anniversary of Naval Aviation. This very auspicious occasion was observed by legions of noted people and service men and women. In spite of rough water and high waves caused by numerous boats, Dale managed to make the flights, hampered by an over weight float. Dale later admitted it was as close as he had ever come to "buying the farm" .

Dean and Dale (in the front cockpit) are obviously enjoying themselves as they taxi by in Dale's ASO Waco during an EAA Convention in the 1970s.

Clad in his overalls for the "Flying Farmer" act at the EAA Convention, Dale shows his ever-present smile. He enjoyed all that aviation had to offer him, and we are all richer for the enjoyment he passed along to us.

In recognition of their many years of outstanding service to aviation, the air足 port was renamed Waukesha County Airport - Crites Field in 1981. The Crites brothers received the Billy Mitchell Award in 1985 for outstanding contributions to aviation. In 1989, both were inducted into the Wisconsin Avia足 tion Hall of Fame at the Experimental Aircraft Association headquarters in Oshkosh.

Although the aviation world will be notably condensed with Dale Crites no longer present, it is the feeling of all who knew him that we were extremely privileged to have his knowledge and assistance available for all these many years. Thanks, Dale, for showing all of us how the job is done in a quiet, unas足 suming manner, often without fanfare.

Blue skies and tailwinds.

-Norm Petersen.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

VI~TA(3~ LIT~l?ATUl?~

by Uennis Varks UA Library/ Archives

Uirect()r

THE NATIONAL AIR RACES THE GOLDEN AGE (Pt. 3)

1931 The National Air Races for 1931 were back at Cleveland and held from August 29 to September 7. Thus began the second decade of this American aviation classic. Lured by larger prizes, more constructors were building spe­ cialized racing aircraft rather than cleaning up conventional aircraft. Pure racing machines were now needed to assure victory .

The races were more important than ever, gaining more attention and offer­ ing larger prize money during an economic depression. The Thompson Trophy free-for-all led the way in 1930.

Then in 1931, a new award, the Vincent Bendix Trophy, appeared. The two trophies complemented each other, for the Bendi x was to be an annual cross­ country high-speed free-for-all while the Thompson was a closed course free­ for-all.

BENDIX TROPHY Early in 1931 Cl ifford Henderson, the originator and promoter of the Na­ tional Air Races, approached Vincent Bendix about the sponsorship for a spe­ cial race to be held in conjunction with the races. The sponsorship was to be for $ 15,000 to be matched by the Na­ tional Air Race committee. An elegant trophy was also designed by Henderson.

The race was to be a transcontinental free-for-all that he believed would force airplane designers and builders to "get down to business."

Henderson believed that with the Bendix Corporation's wide involve­ ment in aircraft parts, that it would be an ideal sponsor for such a race. He also believed that a transcontinental race held much more promise for the development of aviation than the closed course pylon races .

Vincent Bendix agreed to put up the $15,000 cash to be matched by the race committee for the first annual Bendix Trophy Race, from Los Angeles to Cleveland in the Fall of 1931. The Ben­ dix was also the first of the major races 8 APRIL 1991

Jimmy Doolittle accepts congratulations after setting a transcontinental speed record of 11 hours and 16 minutes. After winning the 1931 Bendix trophy, Jimmy Doolittle continued on the Newark, New Jersey and clipped 69 minutes off the old record set by Frank Hawks. to allow women entrants, and women were victorious in 1936 and 1938.

CLEVELAND Frank A. Tichenor in his colunm "Air-Hot and Otherwise" paid tribute to the city of Cleveland for its support of the National Air Races. "Although the

National Air Races are adequately covered elsewhere in this magazine, I find it impossible to allow the issue to go to press without a special commen­ dation of the officials who staged the splendid show and the citizens of Cleveland who so splendidly gave it their hospitality and support. Those

The Laird Solution, 1930 Thompson Trophy winner, appeared again in 1931 Thompson.

Malty Laird otter a test flight in the Super Solution.

officials were bold men to tackle such a job in such a way in the midst of an economic crisis. Enthusiasts for the weII-being of their city and that of the stranger within its gates are those citizens of Cleveland.

"The organizers of the show needed $250,000. They caIIed upon their own Lake metropolis and the fund immedi­ ately was oversubscribed. In Cleveland Mayor MarshaII and the City Commis­ sioners gave more than money - they gave 100 percent of brains, effort and enthusiasm. The newspapers were splendid; Cleveland's socially posi­ tioned, Cleveland's merchants and other businessmen - everyone in Cleveland ­ joined in. And what a job they did!"

1931 BENDIX TROPHY RACE The previous two cross-country der­ bies from California to the National Air Race sites had been dominated by Lock­ heed aircraft. In fact the Burbank fac­ tory had adopted the slogan "It takes a Lockheed to beat a Lockheed."

In the 1930 Air Derby the first four pilots flew Wasp powered Lockheed Vegas. Globe-girdling Wiley Post was first in his "Winnie Mae" flying nonstop from Los Angeles in nine hours nine minutes. He was followed by Art Goebel and Lee Shoenhair. Fifth was Roscoe Turner in his slower Hornet powered Lockheed Air Express.

With $30,000 in prize money for 1931 compared to $12,000 in 1930, designers, builders and pilots from acorss the nation would be shooting for the big prize and the Bendix Trophy.

JIMMY DOOLITTLE One of those pilots interested was Jimmy Doolittle. Doolittle, at this time Superintendent of the Aviation Division of the Shell Petroleum Company, had decided that racing would be a good way to foster development of aircraft and promote aviation and aviation products for Shell.

He stated in the October 1930 issue of AERO DIGEST: "The two primary requisites essential to the success of air transport are speed and safety. Safety is assured through proper method of operation, intelligent use of modern aids to navigation and the selection of a safe airplane. High speed and cruising speed can be increased only through cleaning up design, increasing propeller efficiency or increasing power.

"In the present stage of our aeronauti­ cal knowledge the desirable charac­ teristics enumerated above can be brought about only through expenditure of time, energy and money. Racing acts as a stimulant to promote the interest

necessary to this expenditure. It fur­ nishes a popular incentive to excel; and it is through the spirit of competition that the improvements are brought about which each year increase the speed, safety and utility of airplanes."

To this end Doolittle bought a Travel Air racer owned by Shell that had been damaged in a crash. After rebuilding at and modifying the racer, Doolittle test flew the aircraft at Parks Air College near St. Louis in June of 1930, only to experience aileron flutter which tore the wing off. He was able, at low altitude, to parachute to safety. With that ex­ perience of modification Doolittle decided to leave the details of design to designers and approached E. M. "Matty" Laird for a new racer.

Laird based his design on the pre­ vious year's Thompson trophy winning biplane, the "Solution." Doolittle's plane, called the "Super Solution," was built around a powerful, souped-up Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine capable of over 500 horsepower. Construction started on July 8th and the machine was test flown by Matty Laird on August 22nd, two weeks before the start of the Bendix race.

On September 4, 1931, the first Ben­ dix race began at United Airport, near Burbank. Eight aircraft were entered, no less than six of them Lockheed designs. This year saw the new Lock­ heed Orion competing with two entered.

Art Goebel entered his Speed Vega and there were also three Altairs. Besides Doolittle's Laird, the other non-Lock­ heed was Walter Hunter's Travel Air racer.

The Bendix race made provision for fuel stops along the way but the Lock­ heeds planned on a nonstop flight. This gave them a heavy gross weight at takeoff and in the early part of the trip.

By the halfway mark, Doolittle had passed by everybody who had started

The Gee Bee Model Y Senior Sportster was flown to fourth place in the Thompson by designer Robert Hall. This poor print is interesting in that it shows the Townend ring around the engine, as well as the front cockpit cover in place.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

Benny Howard's "Pete" raced again in the 1931 Thompson in addition to smaller displacement events.

ahead of him.

After quick fuel stops provided by Shell in Albuquerque and Kansas City, Doolittle landed at Cleveland after nine hours and ten minutes, beating Harold Johnson in his Orion by 54 minutes. To the amazement of the crowd at Cleveland, Doolittle refueled his airplane and headed off towards Newark, New Jersey with the idea of setting a new coast-to-coast speed record which was held by Frank Hawks at 12 hours and 25 minutes.

Fighting fatigue and rainstorms, he arrived in Newark just 11 hours and 16 minutes after leaving Burbank. Fueling up again he headed back to Cleveland.

Later that afternoon he and Jimmy Haz­ lip flew to St. Louis for a reception by Shell officials. In one day Doolittle had flown over 3,500 miles, set a new coast­ to-coast speed record and won the Ben­ dix Trophy Race.

For Vincent Bendix, the publicity was more than he could have hoped for.

Doolittle was a hero and heros make

headlines. Cliff Henderson's idea had paid off.

THOMPSON TROPHY Highlight of the closed-course races was the second annual Thompson Tropy free-for-all. Eight aircraft entered the 10 lap 100 mile event.

Doolittle entered his Laird Super Solu­ tion, Red Dale Jackson was entered in last year's winning Laird Solution, cleaned up and powered by a 525 horse­ power Wright J-6-9.

Jimmy Wedell entered his new racer fitted with a 535HP Wasp, Jr. and Lowell Bayles a new Gee Bee Z Super Sportster. Also entered was a two-seat Gee Bee Junior Sportster, Ira Eaker in his Bendix Lockheed Altair, Bill Ong in a Wright J-6 Laird Speed wing and Ben Howard once again in his little 90HP "Pete."

Not much new in technological change graced the entries. Three of the aircraft in the race were biplanes (their last appearance in the Thompson), all

John livingston's clipped -wi ng Monocoupe wa s also present at th e 193 1 National Air Races.

10APRIL 1991

seven having fixed landing gear. All except the Lockheed were fabric covered fuselages built up of metal tubing with wood stringers. The wings were built up of wood spars and ribs and fabric covered.

Doolittle led the first lap of the race at a pace of 209 mph. Lowell Bayles in his Gee Bee was second, two miles be­ hind Doolittle. On the second lap Doolittle's engine began trailing smoke and the Laird slowed down. Bayles moved quickly into first place and Doolittle was forced to land on the seventh lap.

Bayles had won the Thompson at a record speed of236.2 mph. (His fIrst fIve laps averaged over 240 mph.) Eight years after the 1923 Pulitzer, an air-cooled racer had flown nearly as fast as the sleek water cooled Curtiss biplane of about equal horsepower when AI Williams had won the Pulitizer at 243.7 mph.

GRANVILLE RACERS The 1931 National Air Races proved a good year for the Gee Bee racers. Gee Bee aircraft were entered in eight events and captured first place in six events, a second and third in the others.

The new Gee Bee Z racer, "City of Springfield," was probably the most audacious design at the National Air Races. The short, stubby radical racer caught everybody's attention. So great was the attention that the Granville fac­ tory offered blueprints and photographs for sale in a full -page ad in the October 1931 AERO DIGEST. While the Z got most of the attention, the smaller Gee Bees did very well. Bob Hall won Event 4, the men's 400 cubic inch race, at 128.6 mph in a Model D

Mark Granville warms up the 535 hp P & W Wasp Jr. of the Gee Bee Model Z prior to the 193 1 Thom pson Trophy race.

Pancho Barnes flew her Travel Air Mystery Ship to set many records.

Sportster. Hall then won Event 11, the men's 1,000 cubic inch free-for-all, in the Z at 189 mph, 12 mph faster than Ray Moore in the Keith Reider. The winning speed for the Thompson was 35 mph faster than in 1930 and it would get faster still.

Lowell Bayles then flew the Z in Event 13, the men's 1,875 cubic inch race, and won at 205 mph., beating Jimmy Hazlip in his Laird by almost 55 mph. In Event 30, the men's and women's mixed invitation race, Bob Hall won with a speed of 222 mph. beating out Jimmy Wedell at 221.

Mae Hazlip took two second place finishes in a Model D in the Women's 510 cu. in. and Women's 650 cu. in. events. In the women's free-for-all, Maude Tait finished first in a Gee Bee Model Y at 187 mph. Quite a record for one builder, especially during the depression for a builder to have so many entries. Granville Brothers would also be the first builders to win two Thompson Trophies.

One of two racing monoplanes designed by Keith Reider that appeared in the 1931 , this is the "San Francisco I".

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

Recollections Of The

By Herb E. Morphew

Illustration by H.G. Frautschy

PART II ... continued from last month About five o'clock on June 30, Art decided to take the risk and to extend the high speed runs into a takeoff attempt.

Word of the expected trial brought several hundred spectators to the air­ port, as well as all of the faithful volun­ teer workers.

The proposed takeoff was from the extreme southwest comer of the airport toward the northeast. Art then climbed into the cockpit (which was then open without a canopy installed) and the en­ gine was started and warmed up to ills satisfaction. With the wings being held by a man on each tip, Art opened the throttle to full power and nodded his readiness to go. The wings were released and the Flash started to ac­ celerate. As mid-field was passed and the "no stop" flag neared, Art for the first time left the throttle full open and continued to accelerate. At about three­ quarters of the available runway length, Art lifted the nose slightly and the Flash was airborne for the first time. The engine was buzzing like a song and the flight continued straight ahead gaining altitude all of the time. About a mile from the field, Art started a gentle turn back across the airport. His use of the controls could be noted clearly as he checked roll rate, yaw and elevator reac­ tions. After about 10 minutes of flight in the vicinity of the airport, Art went out to the southwest to start his injtial approach. By this time, Owen was near hysteria and was obviously ecstatic with 12 APRIL 1991

joy. Art's approach was normal and touchdown was about 300 yards inside the field. After taxiing in and shut down was completed, Art climbed out of the cockpit beaming with pleasure. Other than a few minor items, he declared that the Flash had performed perfectly. One less than desirable characteristic was the tendency for the wing tips to stall out at low speeds when the tail was dropped for a three point landing.

The next day was July 1, and the Flash was still unfinished in many ways.

It was also at Bloomington instead of Chicago and the first day of the races was near at hand. On that day, a illgh speed flight check was made. Since there was no airspeed indicator yet in­ corporated, Walter Williams (who was Owen's employer and a very good friend of Art's) used his Travel Air 6000 as a pace ship. At about 500 feet Art indicated by sign language that he had the Flash flat out and at maximum speed. About 120 MPH was indicated on the Travel Air airspeed indicator, which was considered satisfactory.

Owen and I were with Walt in the Travel Air and we returned to the field to be ready for Art's approach and land­ ing. Again, everything was good except that it was necessary to keep the Flash on the wheels as long as possible before dropping the tail to avoid wing tip stall and roll oscillations. (This charac­ teristic may have contributed to Russ Hosler's problem at Cleveland in Sep­ tember 1932 when he washed out the original set of wings.) The wing roots,

which had up until now been unfaired, were fitted with a rather crude fairing of doped fabric.

Fuel capacity of the Flash (about three gallons) prevented a nonstop flight to Chicago Municipal and a decision was made to fly the Flash, ac­ companied by Walt Williams in the Travel Air, to a suitable farm field near Joliet which Art would pick out as he flew. A landing would then be made and the Flash's fuel tank would be refilled with gasoline drained from the Travel Air's tank.

On July 3, Art and the Flash made its third flight - this time across country.

Owen and I went along with Walt in the Travel Air and a cruise speed of 110 MPH was maintained. A little east of Joliet/Lockport, Art made a circle of a large pasture which appeared to have no obstructions and a very smooth surface.

A few horses and cattle were in one comer of the field, but evidently Art figured that they would not create any hazard. A very normal landing was made and Walt followed Art into the field with the Travel Air. The fuel tank of the Flash was filled to capacity (three gallons) and Art made a very smooth takeoff and headed north toward Chicago Municipal. Walt followed Art into the air and the flight into Chicago was uneventful. The Flash was stored at the Air Associates hangar and at­ tracted large crowds. Many of the people, unaware of the cross-country flight, predicted that it was "too small and would never get off the ground."

Art made arrangements to enter the 115 cubic inch races the next day and Owen and I changed oil and spark plugs in preparation for the race.

The race itself on the 4th of July is a matter of record and needs no recount­ ing at this time. Again, however, the Flash and its engine performed fault­ lessly, finishing in second place behind Art Davis in the Hanson Baby Bullet at a speed of 94.6 MPH. Following the race, several potential sponsors appeared at the hangar. The Gardner brothers of Gardner propellers suggested that they build a new profes­ sionally designed and fabricated propeller for the next race. How they did this overnight was never explained, but sure enough they came the next day with two new propellers. These were installed and tried out by engine run only. The one which seemed best was left on and used in the race that after­ noon.

During the night Art and I had made a simple cockpit enclosure from a sheet of plastic provided by Air Associates.

Sheet aluminum was formed on a brake and bent to match the windshield con­ tour in front and the resultant canopy was fitted with a piano hinge along the right side of the cockpit at longeron height. This provided two air exits be­ side the pilot's headrest fairing and a small pressure scoop was installed on the right side of the fuselage. Two sec­ tions of piano hinge were riveted to the canopy frame which matched two sec­ tions attached to the left cockpit sidewall. The method of locking the canopy down was two 3/32 x 2 inch cotter pins on a piece of brass safety wire. These were installed by the pilot after the canopy was closed.

Again, the record of the next race is well known and the Flash beat all others with a speed of 114.92 MPH, well ex­ ceeding that achieved in the first race.

The new propeller and the cockpit enclosure certainly paid off in an in­ creased speed.

Air race enthusiasts will recall that the 1933 National Air Races were held at Los Angeles over the July 4th holiday week. Many of the well-known names in air racing simply could not get together the finances to take the equip­ ment to Los Angeles during that depres­ sion year and so the American Air Race Association was formed to hold the races in Chicago for those who could not go to the West Coast. Among the names that I recall as being at Chicago

/ In the cockpit, on the instrument panel, the items are: (L to R) Mag switch, tachometer, oil pressure and oil temp. The gentleman standing next to the racer is unidentified - can anybody help us with his name?

c

.2

Q.

~ ~

o

Cl

........_ _ _ _ _....l:...I

o ":;:

Prior to testing for the 1934 racing season, at the Bloomington Airport, Herb Morphew is at the for left, and Owen Tilbury is the second from the right.

were: John Livingston, Art Davis, Clarence McArthur, Clyde and Eldon Cessna.

After the Flash was brought back to Bloomington by truck following the Chicago races there was a period of unsureness as to the next move. The Henderson Brothers and the National Air Association were sponsoring an "In­ ternational Air Race" concurrent with the Gordon Bennett Balloon Race at Curtiss-Reynolds airport north of Chicago over Labor Day weekend. As a punitive measure they "outlawed" all aircraft owners and pilots who had par­ ticipated in the competitive American Air Races at Chicago Municipal over the July 4th holiday. They wisely did not "outlaw" the airplanes, many of which were superior to those which had

been at Los Angeles in July and accord­ ingly all that the owners had to do was to make a paper "sale" of the airplane to another owner and record the same with the Department of Commerce and to secure another race pilot. He could then enter the "International Air Races."

The Flash was sold to Mrs. Virginia Tilbury (wife of Owen). Lyman Voel­ pel, who was chief pilot for the Warner Engine Company, was engaged to fly the Flash at Curtiss-Reynolds. Other owners did the same and most of the American Air Race airplanes were at Curtiss-Reynolds in September. Not surprisingly, all of the original "out­ lawed" owners and pilots were also there.

The Flash performed well for Lyman Voelpel, but unfortunately for the Flash, VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

Steve Wittman had entered the original Nicholas Beazley racer which was powered with an English Pobjoy geared radial engine. Since the class displace­ ment had been increased to 200 cubic inches, which accommodated the Pob­ joy engine, Steve had an easy time of winning first honors. The Flash, how­ ever, still beat all other comers with 115 cubic inch engines.

There were no further races in 1933 and other than picking up a little small change for "appearance money" at local Illinois air shows, the Flash was not flown again until the 1934 season.

1934 Money was very tight in 1934 and the future of the Flash was questionable.

Since the original engine had quite a few hours since being fitted with the new pistons, I tore it down again for inspec­ tion and repaired as necessary.

Again the crankshaft and bearings were found to be in good condition. The new pistons looked good, but the original valves were in bad shape. The valves were equipped with the then standard "horseshoe" keepers and as normal, there was considerable wear to the keepers and the valve stem grooves.

The exhaust valves themselves were showing some pitting and wear, enough so that it was necessary to replace them.

New exhaust valves were fabricated from McCormick-Deering Farmall valves, which were made by Thompson.

Stronger valve springs from the 1933 Buick Eight engine were used and the valve stems were machined so as to use the then new Thompson cone type keepers and washers from 1933 Plymouth cars. This machine work was done by Art Carnahan's father, A. G. Carnahan, who was the finest machinist I've ever encountered before or since.

The engine was re-assembled and run in back of Owen's garage in Bloomington. It was installed on the fuselage of the Flash which was stored in the garage. (Owen's car sat out in the weather.)

Due to many circumstances having nothing to do with the Flash, the writer had no further actual contact with the Flash or its operation other than to fol­ low its records in the aviation press. It is recalled that Clarence McArthur suc­ cessfully raced the Flash during several years following 1934-35.

Herb Morphew became a certified A & E mechanic and pilot in 1928 while 14APRIL 1991

.

,

At the beginning of the 1934 season, the little ship has a new color scheme. Opinions expressed since last month's story indicate that the main color was red, with contrasting trim. At the end of its racing career, the racer would be sponsored by the Bike Candy company, and would be known as the "Bike Wiu".

employed by the Carnahan Brothers (A He soloed in an OX-5 Super-Swallow that same year at the Bloomington Airport and continued to work for Art Carnahan as need and conditions permitted until the winter of 1934-35. During the 1935 to 1942 years he was employed by American Airlines at Chicago as a line maintenance mechanic. This continued until World War II. At this time he was employed by Douglas Aircraft at their Park Ridge, Illinois manufacturing facility (now O'Hare airport). He was supervisor of Field and Flight Operations for the en­ tire time that Douglas produced the C-54 (DC-4) at Chicago. During this period he also occasionally served as copilot on production test of the C-54.

Following the war, he went to Northwest Airlines at Minneapolis as a Field Service representative for Douglas and transferred to the Northwest payroll as a specialist for & E 8449).

training maintenance andflight person­ nel on the C-54 which was then to enter airline service in the spring of 1946 as the DC-4. Later he became assistant manager offlight operations - techni­ cal, and was responsbile for flight crew procedures and standardization of flight operations. In 1954 he returned to Douglas aircraft on the West Coast and was a Service Engineer Representative until his retirement in April 1973.

During those years he was a certificated A & P mechanic, pilot, flight engineer and ground school instructor. He is a member of the Quiet Birdmen (QB), Retired Northwest Pilots Association, the EM and the OX-5 Club. His last assignment at McDonnell Douglas was the Coordinator, FEFIfTAFI Program for the DC-lO airplane.

Whatever happened to the Flash? On the next page is the more recent history of the little racer, and it's restoration.•

TILBURY

F....L....A....S.... H

RESTORATION

by Marion McClure, In the winter of 1975 when it was learned that B&F Aircraft Supply Co. had the remains of the Tilbury Flash, built in Bloomington, Illinois, members of EAA Chapter 129 urged Courtwright and Foose to give it to the McLean County Historical Society. The chapter would restore the diminutive racing plane of the 1930s for display in the local museum. B&F readily agreed that was where the plane should be. Harold Alexander, chapter president at that time, thought it would be a good chapter project - meetings could be held where members could participate in the res­ toration and learn by doing such things as covering, etc.

I was named to organize the project because of my connection with the his­ torical society. The project was begun by sandblasting the metal structures profes­ sionally, followed by Ward's red metal primer, deemed a good metal prep by chapter members. The various com­ ponents were given to members volun­ teering to do the clean-up and priming prior to everything coming back together for covering, doping and painting.

Wilbur Smith, because of his exper­ tise in aircraft woodworking, undertook the rebuilding of the extensively damaged wings. He found the plywood covered wings were still subject to the skin buckling. The low spots were filled with automotive type body filler and sanded to give a smooth surface on which the muslin purchased at J. C. Penney was doped.

When I was just a young boy, Owen Tilbury gave me a copy of model airplane plans he had drawn in 1935 for the Tilbury Flash. From these drawings and pictures of the plane, I

AlC 387

The Flash as it was received from B&F Supply.

David McClure surveys the dimunitive racer in the winter of 1975. The small size of the Flash is very apparent in this view.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

By 1977, the Flash has all the formers and stringers added to the steel tube fuselage.

reconstructed the fuselage formers and fairing strips.

(The model plans that Marion refers to are still available from AIC member Dick Gates. The plan is I" scale at a cost of $2.50 plus $1.50 for shipping.

Send your request to: Wisconsin Plans Service, 814 N. 36th St, Sheboygan WI 53081) Two years passed. Mike Allen be­ came Chapter president. The covering "parties" turned out to be very success­ ful - several of the members got their fingers "doped-up" for the first time and learned to rib stitch. Women members sewed up envelopes for the tail pieces.

It was a good chapter project and a number of meetings were held in Allen's shop.

The missing landing gear length was thought to be solved when the original welder, Clarence Rousey, came back from the northwestern U.S. for a visit.

My brother David McClure, who was to

After the Flash was placed on display on the noor of the McLean County Museum, it became an attraction for children. Because of its small size, they always wanted to sit in it!

weld up the gear, had him out to his shop to layout the vees. It was too long ago for Clarence to remember. He said to make whatever looked right as there had been different length gears used on the plane. (In last month's issue, compare the lengths in the pictures on page12 with the photo on page 14 for the land­ ing gear differences - HGF) With all components ready for final color, everybody agreed Mike Kerchner was the best spray painter, so everything went to his garage.

Then it had to be decided what color to paint it. The Flash had been silver, yellow, orange, or red at different times in its racing career. Yellow was decided on as the local Shell Oil dis­ tributor would furnish it.

The chapter was fortunate in hearing of a Church engine for sale in upper New York state. Fran Carnahan, widow of Art Carnahan, the pilot of Flash when it won its first race in Chicago, wanted

The Tilbury Flash as it was displayed in the McLean County Historical Society. It will soon be moved to a new museum location in the old County Courthouse building.

16 APRIL 1991

to buy the engine for the project. The cowling was formed of fiberglass by Vern Harris with Mike Allen's help. By 1978 we were almost done. The Flash is not very big, so it is no problem to carry the parts up the stairway to the 3rd floor of the McBarnes Memorial Building to be assembled. Virginia Tilbury, Owen's widow, sent one of the original propellers to hang on the engine. The Tilbury family has the huge trophy won at the Chicago 1933 race and it is hoped someday they will send it be displayed alongside the Flash.

The Flash proved to be a good attrac­ tion in the museum, but it was dis­ covered that it needed protection, as small children wished to sit in it. The plan was to suspend it from the ceiling but it took another year before architects of the County, the owners of the build­ ing, would approve hanging it. Steve Chace, then chapter president, planned the lifting and suspension where it is seen by everyone walking under it as they leave the elevator.

This year, the Flash will move to the old McLean County Courthouse where the Historical Society will have the en­ tire building for museum purposes.

Chapter 129 is considering making another cowl, this one to be hammered aluminum, as the original was and per­ haps a cockpit cover. Everyone who sees the restored Flash is appreciative of Chapter 129's restoration and chapter members remember the fine chapter project fondly.

At last report, the McLean County Historical Society is now closed for their move to the old courthouse build­ ing, untilthefallofl991. We'llkeepyou posted when the Flash will again be available for viewing. •

RESTORING A 1947 CESSNA .140

Some couples have children; we have airplanes. We discovered that a four year airplane restoration project can either put a marriage on the rocks, or give it a rock solid foundation . For­ tunately, my husband Mark and I both have this enduring love for old things, especially airplanes. When our "child," a 1947 Cessna 140, was caught in a wicked Colorado hailstorm in 1986, we didn't need much discussion before deciding to fix it ourselves.

Mark has always been Chief Pilot at our house. We really needed a Chief Mechanic, too, so I had been attending school to get my Airframe and Powerplant ratings at the time the hailstorm struck. A winter project would be great experience, I thought.

Little did I know that "a winter project" would turn into four years of hard work and lots of experience!

I remember that beautiful night in early August, 1986. Mark and I were watching an active thunderstom1 out our front window . I noticed it was in the general direction of the airport and remarked idly, "I sure hope the 140 is okay."

When we got to the airport, we ac­ tually felt lucky; the airplane next to ours had been wrenched from its tiedown by strong winds. Others had been totaled by hail damage. Our baby,

by Alice G. Palmer, EAA 322480 N2190N or "Ninety" as we call him, had numerous holes in the fabric wings, the dope had shredded from the impacts, and the skylights had been smashed.

The control surfaces had significant dents from large stones. We had never been able to afford hangar space or hul1 coverage. Instead of worrying about insurance claims and settlements, we now had to somehow find the money to fix him.

We had other concerns too. At the airport, we carefully measured the fuselage ; at home, we carefully measured the length of our garage.

Boy, would it be close. Looking at life with unbridled optimism, we gathered together some of our airplane fanatic buddies and disassembled the little plane. We put the wings in stands in one pickup truck, lashed the tail to the bed of another, and dragged the fuselage backward through Denver to our house.

When we got the parts home, we careful1y slid the fuselage into the "han­ gar." No problem. With rudder, elevators and spinner removed, the fuselage tucked into the garage with a full 1/2 inch to spare! The wings fit perfectly under the overhang on our back porch. We could even get in and

out the back door without any trouble.

Any future house we buy will be selected with airplane projects in mind.

After we got over the initial shock of the hailstorm and got the airplane home, we dove into the project with all the en­ thusiasm of kids on Christmas morning.

Since it was down anyway, we decided not only to fix the wings but to do a complete cockpit restoration as well. The fuselage didn't need exterior paint since the Imron was only five years old. That was one project we were glad we didn't have to undertake. We made a wish list of all the new parts, radios, STC conver­ sions, interior kits and replacement hardware we wanted. Later we had to be selective and deferred some of the nifty modifications.

We started tracking down some trim parts so we could restore the panel as close to factory original as possible. We were soon on a first name basis with new and used aircraft parts dealers around the country. It was sometime just after the initial enthusiasm that we began to realize how much money and time this project was really going to take. We also discovered that winters in Colorado are cold (it took me 25 years of living in Colorado to discover this?), and unheated garages make very un­ pleasant places to work during these months.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

This severe corrosion of the fuselage spar channel was exposed when the forward headliner attach strip was removed.

baffling was under $25 for materials!

After rewiring nearly the whole airplane, I got to be handy at reading circuit diagrams and troubleshooting electrical systems. I also have a per­ manent kink in the back of my neck from sticking my head up under the panel, but some casualties are to be ex­ pected in every campaign.

We ordered a new interior kit from Airtex, but we ended up taking the seats to an upholstery shop to install the covers.

We couldn't seem to get them to fit our­ selves. This was about the time I started to notice a bit of impatience creeping into our voices and our work. Our one year project had been going on for three by this time, and we hadn 'teven started the wings yet. RESTORATION TIP #2: Make a conservative estimate of the time your project will take and multiply by four for a more accurate expected completion date. We were tired and cranky, and after installing a new nav/com and Mode C transponder to make the FAA happy, we were nearly out of money too. So the project was slowly grinding to a halt.

RESTORATION TIP #3: Make a conser­ vative estimate ofthe cost ofyour project and multiply by four for more accurate figures.

Enter our dear friend Curt Cole.

Curt's been around airplanes a long time, and he likes old ones as much as we do. He found himself with some spare time and asked if he could help.

God bless him; with his help, knowledge and perseverence, we got some renewed enthusiasm and pushed hard for the next year.

We thought we finally had the fuselage ready to fly. The fuselage carry through spars looked good on the

Okay, we said, instead of a winter project, we'll take next summer, too, and have him flying by next fall. Well, maybe.

The first project was easy: removing all the old parts. RESTORA TlON TIP #1: Take pictures! Lots ofthem. Take pictures of things you think are so per­ fectly obvious that a child ofthree could remember how to put them back together. A few years later we wished we had a three year old around to help us reassemble the parts. Our project log was essential for keeping track of our progress and important details.

It's interesting what you can find deep inside a forty year old airplane.

Hanging inside the doorpost was a set of very rusty wire cutters that might have been there for decades. We also found an assortment of washers, nuts, screws and enough pungent mouse nest material to change the weight and balance.

After removing the interior, instru­ ments, radios and much of the old wiring, we began to see how much cor­ rosion we had to deal with. Most of

what we saw at first was minor surface corrosion, but we really wanted the airplane to fly at least another 40 years, so we took care to remove as much as we could, then clean, alodine and prime all areas prior to painting. After paint­ ing the instrument panel and related parts, we began to get a feel for now nice the airplane could look if we took the time to take care of the details.

The C-85 Continental engine had been overhauled a few years before the restoration began, so we really didn't need to do much to it except to replace the SCAT tubing and push pull controls.

We also decided the baffling was about as shoddy as it could get. Since we could find very few new baffling parts, I had my first major airframe project for school. My friends Kevin Evans and Jim Rhode and I completely refabri­ cated the engine baffling using the old parts as patterns and then spent hours fitting it to the engine. Based on an hourly rate, I'd hate to think what we would have had to pay a licensed mechanic to do the job; as the help was cheap and reliable, the total cost of new

Alice Palmer works on a wing repair while her husband, "the hand from below", steadies the work.

Jim Pamer gives it his all while squeezing a rivet during the wing repair. This time, Alice steadies the job.

18 APRIL 1991

A messy job no matter how you do it, the instrument panel is stripped of its black paint.

outside, but we'd heard some reports about corrosion, so we decided to pull the spar blocks and look inside the chan­ nels. What we saw not only scared us half to death, it gave us faith in the strength of the airplane's design. Inside the spar channels we found severe delamination and exfoliation of the aluminum, not at all visible on the out­ side. Repair was out of the question; replacement was the only reasonable solution.

Since I didn't have the tools or the time to tackle this big project, I deferred to Eric Baldwin, a local IA and airline mechanic who also owned a beautifully restored Stearman. After having the fuselage trucked to the airport, we track­ ed down parts and he replaced the spars and installed the Aero Fabricators shoulder hamess STC at the same time.

Meanwhile we began work on the wings in the garage.

Despite the corrosion in the carry through section, the wings were very clean and in good shape, needing only a few minor repairs and removal of some surface corrosion. Having a one car garage was definitely a hindrance when trying to restore an airplane with two wings. We had to continually shuffle wings between porch and garage, in­ creasing the risk of damage and decreas­ ing the efficiency of the whole operation. Mark had made some wing stands designed by another 140 owner, Bob McDaniel. The stands rotate a full 360 degrees, making the application of coatings very easy.

We had been studying the various covering processes for three years prior to beginning the wings. We finally set­ tled on the 7600 process because we felt it would be easier to deal with a water based product when working out of our garage. After buying the materials, we read a complaint in Light Plane Main­ tenance about the adhesion problems with the 7600 process ("Fabric Glitch,"

After all their hard work, the proof is in the tinal output - the nicely restored panel of Cessna 2190N.

February 1990, p. 5). We began to do some investigating.

The few people we could find locally who had used the process seemed to like it and reported no problems. I talked at length with the Blue River repre­ sentatives who cautioned me to make sure the wing surfaces were clean and primed properly. They suggested I do a test panel to make sure the cement didn't lift the zinc chromate primer from the wing which could cause problems later on. They also recommended that we not use the Flexigloss final finish; apparently it can be a bit tricky unless you are extremely careful in thinning and application. I'd sprayed butyrate dope before, and the Blue River people told me it would work just fine as a final coating over the 7600 gray filler. They also gave me some detailed application tips that aren't found in the 7600 manual.

Overall, I thought the 7600 process was great. I had used enough nitrate and CAB dopes with Ceconite to dread the fumes and sticky fingers involved. The two-part 7600 cement application is clean and easy, and washes up with water. One caution about the filler coat: it is very hard to get your spray gun completely clean after spraying the filler. Next time I'd buy a cheap gun and use it only for filler. I fought little gray specks throughout the entire final white color coating. This was one reason why we weren't completely pleased with our final finish, which ended up a bit grainy and rough. I at­ tributed this to difficulty getting the filler coat smooth enough undemeath the color without sanding through to the fabric and to a less than perfect spray technique by the Chief Mechanic.

So far we've had no adhesion problems with our wings. We had a small fuel leak from one quick drain valve which did stain the white, but the coatings have shown no tendency to

peel. Occasionally we hear of some 7600 complaints, but so far I can't decide if the problems are due to im­ proper preparation or application, or a serious fault inherent in the process. I suppose tinle will tell.

We finally finished up the wings in late September before the cold weather hit. After another month of finishing up the details, getting the wings on, install­ ing a new windshield, and completing the annual inspection, our new baby had his "maiden" flight on October 28, 1990. All the parts worked; the electri­ cal system functioned and the engine purred without a hitch.

We looked back through our project log and photo album to remember how far we'd come. There were many times we each secretly beJieved the project would languish unfmished forever in our garage.

But instead, we had a "new" 140, a strong marriage, and most of our sanity left! It's also nice to have a garage for the car and all the airplane parts out of the basement and spare bedroom.

I can't finish our story without grate­ fully acknowledging Bill Rhoades of the Intemational 120/140 Association.

Bill has compilied a book of service bulletins and technical information on the 120/140/140A that makes a project like ours possible. I'm convinced Cessna never expected its airplanes to last forty years because very little help­ ful maintenance data was provided aside from service bulletins written after problems arose in the field. Thank you for your dedication, Bill.

Our projects on the 140 will continue.

Eventually we hope to install an 0-200, alternator, wheel pants and wing strobes, but for now we're happy just to see the world beneath our wings again.

The Chief Pilot is already thinking about a homebuilt; the Chief Mechanic is thinking about children - the human kind. Oh, well, these things have a way of working themselves out..

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

by Norm Petersen Standing in front of his newly restored 1957 Piper Tripacer, N8550D, SIN 22-5782, is Patrick Adams (EAA 371804) of Rosedale, Indiana. He reports the restoration took eight months and numerous dollars! Patrick and his wife, Laurie, enjoy flying the Tripacer and hope to take on another airplane project before long. The photo was taken at Quincy, Florida, during EAA Chapter 445's fly-in.

This beautiful photo of a rare KZ II Kupe was sent in by Simon Skott (EAA 363710) of Nordborg, Denmark. Built in 1939 by the Danish firm, Scandinavisk Aero Industri, the two-place, side-by-side Kupe featured a steel tube fuselage , a wood wing and a 90 hp Cirrus Minor II engine. Simon has owned the aircraft since 1968 and reports it presently has 2380 hours of flight time. The empty weight is 1012 Ibs. and the gross weight is 1650 Ibs. Normal curise speed is 110 mph and takeoff requires about 310 feet! Of 14 examples built by the factory in 1938-39, only three survive today, two in Denmark and one in Switzerland. Simon also has a 1937 Corben " Baby Ace" that he is presently restoring , using a Continental A65 for power. He also adds that his wife, Gunhild , is a great help with the airplanes.

/'

Resting in the sunshine is newly completed Funk B-85C, NC77715, SIN 345, owned by V. S. Petersen (EAA 90730, AIC 15660) of Circle Pines, Minnesota. Unique to the restoration is a set of brand new Funk wheelpants that were installed for the first time! At the time of this picture , only two hours had been recorded on the rebuilt Funk. Perhaps we will see the pretty yellow and maroon bird at Oshkosh '91.

20 APRIL 1991

These photos of the rebuild of a lockheed 12A, NI4999, SIN 1252, were sent in by Pat Donovan of Seattle, Washington.

Pat reports the rebuild is well under way and they hope to possibly bring the pretty twin to Oshkosh '91. A few small parts and pieces from lockheed 12A, NI2AT, that was lost in an accident at Oshkosh '90 are being incorporated into the airplane.

Note the nicely done cradles used to hold the fuselage during rebuild and the wingwalk which is necessary to work on sections of the fuselage above the wing roots. N14999 is one of 20 lockheed 12A's remaining on the FAA Register.

VINTAGE AIRPLAN E 21

·STANDARD FARE

,

.

Forced landing!

The airplane was only 30 years old, but flying a 30 year old airplane even in 1946 was like taking a Conestoga wagon up Pike's Peak in the wilderness days. You're on your own.

Blasting smoke and flame, backfir­ ing, the antiquated OX sputtered, gasped, then choked like a great, wounded beast. Throttle closed, I resigned myself to engine failure .

Losing power, windmiIIing, the old Curtiss V -8 backfired again. Staccato explosions kicked the oversized prop around in flashing arcs.

Nuts! I snapped off the ignition.

Before the fireworks began, I'd been gazing at the James River fifteen hundred feet below, now I started look­ ing for a pasture. Head up, eyes strain­ ing, I caught something at the edge of my vision and ducked in the cockpit.

Big, black and mean, it smashed the forward windscreen, bounced off the headrest and dropped with a splintering crash into the front seat.

I wiggled and pulled everything. The old rattle-trap was holding its own. No need to bailout. I could land safely if I could find a place to do it.

With a great whistling sigh, the an­ cient biplane began gently falling from 22 APRIL 1991

by James Nelson Bardin

the sky. I shoved the stick forward, and with brace wires howling, began search­ ing for a welcome spot to roost, mental­ 1y kicking myself for getting in this mess.

I'd gotten a call earlier in the week from a buddy who asked me if I'd ever heard of a Lincoln Standard. I never had. He said it was an old biplane trainer, then asked me ifI'd ferry it from Waynesboro to Gordonsville, about 60 miles. I lived in Charlottesville, mid­ way between the two and said I'd give it a shot if somebody would take me to Waynesboro, then home from Gor­ donsville. He said he'd drive me over on Thursday morning. We were in Waynesboro before six.

Charlottesville is in central Virginia.

The time was early fall.

My pal neglected to tell me how "old" that airplane was. I got my wings in a Stearman biplane, as did about a million other pilots, and assumed the Standard was a trainer built during the war. Good guess, wrong war. The Army Signal Corps trained pilots in them in World War I.

The creaky stick-and-wire anach­ ronisms first went into the air in 1916.

Reworked and modifed by Lincoln Aircraft in 1919,J-l Standardswerepret­ ty common through the 1920s into the '30s. Powered by 90 hp Curtiss OX-5 engines, they were routinely converted to 105 hp and redesignated OXX-6s.

Old-time engine designers didn't believe in wasting any money on duplication, either. OXs only had one magneto. That was what came hurtling back through the windscreen and into the front cockpit.

I'd been around biplanes for a lot of years, but nothing like this contraption.

The more I looked at it, the more I felt like the gloomy little character in Lil' Abner who ran around with a rain cloud over his head.

It was huge. A gigantic, wire braced box-kite almost ten yards long with a 44 foot wingspan. Drooping here and there, it waited, gloomily brooding like a moulting buzzard covered with half shed, feather-like patches. The top wing loomed a good dozen feet off the ground seated over a picket-fence of struts. Once red with white trim, it had faded to dirty brown and gray with spots of silver showing through. The instru­ ments were beautiful. Oversized, cased

in brass, with German script lettering peeking through age-stained glass.

Anyhow, there it sat and here I stood, bemused and not a little apprehensive.

I climbed aboard and rooted around in the maze of wires, turnbuckles, laced­ on inspection covers, and wound up head-down in the engine.

I'd worked on and static tested OX­ 5s, but never piloted one. At around age 14, I managed to scrounge a ride in an OX powered Curtiss Robin. That hard­ ly counted.

A spurt of wind puffed by and some­ thing clanked inside the ancient collec­ tion of sticks and wire. Creaking softly in the morning breeze, itshook itself and settled hen-like on its nest as I dis­ mounted.

My so-called friend watched me, a slow smile crinkling his face. "Think you can hack it?"

"I reckon. Somebody gonna check me out?" The screen door slammed on the shack that stood duty as the airport office. A crusty old-timer wearing one of those Navy type baseball caps with a bill about a foot long worked his way over to where we stood.

"Which one 'a you takin' thet ole jay one?"

"Me, I guess," I answered. Reluc­ tantly.

"You got 'enny Jenny timeT' "Huh?" "Jenny, darn it. Curtissjayenfour."

"Oh. No, sir. Stearman, a old Jacobs Waco, an' N3Ns is about it with biplanes, why?"

"You'll find out," he cackled. "Hep me git it runrun' ." As I said, I had some experience with Curtiss OX-5 engines.

When I got my A&E ticket - Aircraft and Engine mechanics license - the shop where 1 took the test had had an OXX-6. I'd dismantled, rebuilt and run it as part of the exam.

The engine was obsolete before I was born. " Gittin' it runnin'," involved a spiritual laying on of hands, incanta­ tions, and a hell of a lot of physical labor.

One detail I love to tell other pilots horrifies them. OXs had chokes. You choked the carburetor just like a Model A Ford to get it started, manhandling the propeller through five or six wheezing turns. Then when it "sucked" right, you yelled "contact!" to the pilot and gave it all you had.

Airplanes that old had skids back where the tail wheels belonged. This

was because they didn't have brakes and had to have something to stop with. I had never taxied with a tail skid. When you hit the ground, the skid dug in the dirt like a plow and dragged you to a halt. Most of the time.

With wheels chocked in heavy blocks, we ran the engine for a while at low power to "heat it up," then blew it out at full throttle. With only one mag­ neto, there wasn't much to check be­ sides oil pressure and coolant temperature. The takeoff strained credibility. Taxiing toward the end of the strip amid clouds of dirt, I boosted the tail up and kicked rudder, aiming along a staggered course to see where I

back into the air again.

I must have satisfied the old coot.

After several more careful bangings onto the ground, and five more minutes of taxiing around to get the feel of it, he yelled at me to take him back to the office. 1 shut down and he whistled-up the kid working the flight line. The three of us filled the wing tank from a 55 gallon drum with a hand-crank pump.

The Standard and I were pronounced fit for the trip over the Blue Ridge mountains. Seat belt tight, I signaled the line-boy to swing the prop a little after eight-thirty.

Getting through Afton pass to the

A J- 1 Standa rd as it arrived from the factory in 1916. The radiator is placed behind the prop, for­ ward of the engine. Later. many Standards would be reworked by the Lincoln Aircraft Com­ pany in Nebraska. One major improvement was the movement of the radiator to the upright model shown on the opposite page.

was going. Swinging smartly about, head into the wind, I pushed the throttle to the stop and waited. And waited.

And waited.

Its acceleration might've outrun a snail, but I wouldn't bet on it. Soggily, the Standard drifted off the ground with a rate of climb best described as imper­ ceptible.

It staggered into the air at 60 mph, climbed somewhere around 65 to 68, cruised at slightly under 75, and rumbled on the ground at 55 or so.

Grossing out at a little over a ton, the 105 hp engine barely kept it in the air.

My check-out pilot put on a pair of goggles that looked older than the J-l, crawled in front and we took off. After a couple of controlled crashes, he let me take it. I worked my way around the field, cut power and whistled onto the ground with a loud thump and bang amid a towering cloud of dust. After a wide rumbling turn-around with the oldster up front yelling at me how to taxi without brakes or a tail wheel, I faced into the wind, shoved the throttle for­ ward, got the tail up and meandered

eastern piedmont was a minor miracle in itself. Struggling for altitude in shal­ low climbing turns, I spent over thirty minutes at full throttle burning up half the gas we pumped into the old museum-piece working my way up to the 3,500 foot level.

Once safely over the mountains, 1 decided to detour down by Scottsville, about 30 miles south of Charlottesville, to see if I could scare up a girl 1 knew.

Nobody home.

I'd crossed the James River and was banking north toward Gordonsville when the fireworks started and the en­ gine quit.

Nose down, I circled once, looking, then picking a long, smooth green field, I spiraled down, lined up, came over the fence in a forward slip and whoomped it onto the ground.

The lush grass helped brake the J- l to a short roll-out. I dismounted, hopped into the front cockpit to see what had happened , then jumped up almost knocking myself silly on the top wing when somebody blew a horn in my ear.

Reeling back, 1 stumbled off the wing, VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

landing by an overall-clad farmer stand­ ing beside an elderly Ford pickup truck.

He helped me up, concern on his worn features.

"You all right, boy?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

He said he'd never been this close to an airplane, then asked me what hap­ pened.

"I dunno," I said, rubbing the rising knot on my head. "I was trying to find out. Something hit the windshield ­ There, see!" I pointed to the gaping split in the cracked plastic. "Fell in the front cockpit."

Back in the hole again I found the problem. The magneto, a huge Split­ dorf, big as a small motorcycle engine was stuck tight in the crack it had made in the plywood bucket serving as a seat.

I had a hell of a struggle getting it out.

"You want I should go crank-up the op'rator and git you help?" the old boy - his name was Charlie Lee - asked.

"Lemmie look around some first," I muttered. "Might be able to get it going. You willin' to gimmie a hand?"

"Sure. What you need?"

"Don't know. Hang on a sec." I began checking over the remains of the OX's ignition system.

Everything was there and intact ex­ cept for the hold-down bolts and dis­ tributor-block clips. Fortunately, the rubber vernier coupling that attached and timed the magneto to the engine was stuck to the face of its drive-plate with gasket shellac some careless mechanic had spilled on it. Pure luck.

"Charlie, you got a junk-box? Bolts and stuff?"

"A'course I do. You gonna need tools, too?"

"Sure will. I ain't carrying any."

"Come on, son, get in the truck. You look like you need a cuppa coffee.

Mary Sue's havin' a fit by now anyways."

Mary Sue was his wife. A delightful, chubby Southern farm wife of a type long lost to changing times. I loved her.

She fidgeted around, forced pie on me, clucked when I said I wanted coffee instead of milk, then told Charlie it was fine to help "the boy," but to stay out of that modern contraption. Modern?

They were both in their sixties.

Equipped with a collection of Model T Ford tools, a 10 inch monkey wrench, and a box overflowing with nuts, bolts, screws and stuff, we bounced back down to the 1-1.

Before doing anything, I told Charlie 24 APRIL 1991

we'd better pull the airplane to the . downwind end of the field. I'd seen old pictures of airplanes being pulled around with their tails in the beds of trucks. We lifted the tail, I held it while Charlie backed his truck under it, then we tied the skid to the tailgate and towed the 1-1 to the fence.

Repairing the OX was no big deal. I had all I needed to do the job, and figured the "fix" would hold long enough to get me as far as Gordonsville.

Using what I'd learned about OX en­ gines in A&E class, I timed the magneto to the number-one cylinder position, then pulled the plug, got number-one piston on compression stroke and moved the prop until the piston was seven-sixteenths of an inch from top center.

With everything timed, I fastened the mag to its plate on the engine with cap­ screws from Charlie's bolt box, and clipped the distributor blocks on with fence wire. It had to be tested, and for that I needed big, heavy chocks.

While Charlie rattled off in his truck to get a couple of eight-by-eight posts, I shoved the rear of the ship to the fence and tied the tailskid to a fence post with rope from the barn using a quick­ release slip knot.

Two-thirty. All this time, I hadn't given a thought to the people waiting for me at Gordonsville. Of course not. I was having far too much fun showing off to Charlie and the small crowd of neighbors that Mary Sue had "cranked up" on the party-line.

I put Charlie in the cockpit to work the switch and hold the stick while I went through the start-up procedure. With the engine still warm, the whuffley old strug­ gle-box fired, popped, wheezed clouds of black smoke, then backfired with a blast that moved my audience back a good 50 feet. Satisfied, it settled into a no-non­ sense galloping trot.

I traded places with Charlie. As soon as I got a drop in oil pressure, I throttled up and watched the rpms as the old bird shook and rattled against the eight-by chocks. The tach inched to the critical number. I had the rpm I needed. If I could keep it all together and running this good for another hour or so, I'd make Gordonsville with no problem.

Engine idling, I jumped out and after another short yell with Charlie, I went to the fence to get hugged by Mary Sue, then shook hands and told my fans goodby. Charlie helped me pull the fence-post chocks.

I told him to hang on to the rope while I ran-up, then slip the knot the moment I dropped my arm.

Back at the cockpit, I put on all my expropriated Navy flight gear: helmet, AN-6530 goggles, a scarf made from the panel of a parachute, and finally zipped up my treasured G-1 flight jacket with myoId Marine squadron insignia stitched on the front. I crawled in, buckled up, nodded to Charlie, then pushed the throttle all the way forward .

Raising my left arm, I watched the tachometer. When it inched over 1,300 rpm, I dropped my hand and hung on.

The old bird lunged, staggered, bounced, and rumbled off toward the end of the field. Breaking ground sooner than expected, I clattered over the boundary fence, circled back to wave at my new­ found friends, then straightened out and headed for the bam.

The airstrip at Gordonsville lay alongside a railroad track about three miles south of town. I dove down to look over the field, then pulled up and entered traffic. Blamming onto the ground, I skidded along for a while losing speed, blasted around, then zig­ zagged up to the line trailing a dense cloud of dirt, and got royally chewed out. Everybody with an airplane had been in the air looking for me along the flight path I'd been expected to take.

Nobody suspected I'd detoured a good thirty miles south to Scottsville.

The Gordonsville bunch flatly refused to believe me when I told them how I'd repaired the ship until I showed them my jury-rigged fix. It impressed them, but they still had the gall to com­ plain about the broken plywood seat and smashed windshield. It was dark before I got out of there.

Nobody would give me a ride home to Charlottesville. I called my mother and got snapped at for interrupting sup­ per, but she didn't complain too much, finally agreeing to drive over to Gor­ donsville after me. After all, I'd only been home from the wars for a couple of months, survived this episode, and now had another good tale to tell.

I traded Christmas cards with Charlie and Mary Sue until he died in the mid­ '50s. Mary Sue faded away soon after.

There's no real ending to a story like this. It is a looking-back. The opening of a door to the past. A glimpse of simpler, easier times when things were a great deal less complicated and people helped each other without question, just being neighborly.•

EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO

KNOW ABOUT TYPE CLUBS

(But were afraid to ask) What is a "type club?"

A visiting European once observed that two Americans, upon meeting for the first time, could discover a common interest in seconds. He further noted that within minutes those same Americans would form a club to promote and encourage their common interest. So it is with type clubs.

Type clubs exist as the result of a common interest among a group of people. The group may be of any size.

The interest may be about any subject from Pietenpols to politics. All that is

by Julia and Joe Dickey, Chairfolk

EAA Antique/Classic Division Type

Club Headquarters

511 Terrace Lake Road

Columbus, IN 47201

Phone 812/342-6878

required is leadership, funds and the desire to maintain an object, an idea, or a way of life.

What can a type club do for me?

A type club can save you money, keep you from making mistakes others have already made, show you how best

Charlie Harris (left) and Mary Jones (far right) enjoy a few moments talking about the National Biplane Association with visitors to the Type Club tent during EAA Oshkosh '91.

to restore, maintain and fly your airplane - in short, provide the equivalent of many years of hard won experience at minimal cost.

Information, a type club's most im ­ portant product, is usually distributed through a periodic publication. The period may be as regular as the calendar or very hit-and-miss, depending on the resources of the club. The sort of infor­ mation also varies widely . Some publi­ cations are highly technical, aimed at maintenance and restoration. Others are primarily social, historical or events oriented. Most publications try to achieve a balance of subjects which they think will appeal to their member readers.

Type clubs may also offer parts, no­ tions and services for sale, classified advertising, technical assistance, con­ tact with other members, photocopying services, organization of fly-ins and fly­ outs, and whatever else you may find you need. When all else fails, a good type club will at least offer you sym­ pathy and understanding.

What can I do for a type club?

Bless you. That question gets asked all too seldom. People who operate type clubs cannot know all the answers, nor can they do all that needs to be done.

Just as Butch Joyce and H.G. Frautschy have asked for contributions to the type cl ub "newsletter" that is VINTAGE AIRPLANE, you have ideas, ex­ perience and expertise to share with others who restore and fly machines similar to yours. Your type club's pub­ lication needs you. Even newcomers have a valuable point of view to share.

They also have an embarrassing way of asking questions which stump the "ex­ perts."

You may also have talents in market­ ing, business administration, account­ ing, computing, art, printing - any of the many skills your type club needs to function and thrive. Offer your assis­ tance. Stronger type clubs benefit everyone.

You can also help by "getting up to speed" with what the club has done in the past. Where back issues of the pubVINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

lication are offered, buy all you can.

Many of your questions have already been answered.

How do type clubs operate?

The term "club" is often a misnomer.

Though some type clubs do have elected officers and operate on a not-for-profit basis, most "clubs" are small businesses owned and operated by individuals.

Many of these organizations also operate on a not-for-profit basis, but not intentionally.

Type club operations take as many forms as the subjects they cover, but all strongly reflect the character, interests and resources of those who start and operate the club. Some are very well organized and operated, others less so.

We who operate the latter greatly ad­ mire those who operate the former.

Who operates type clubs - and why?

All sorts of people operate type clubs for all sorts of reasons. Few who operate type clubs make a living at it.

Indeed, few make their living in avia­ tion at all. Everyone from musicians and farmers to engineers and librarians operate type clubs.

However, some type cl u bs are operated as an adjunct to an aviation business. Parts, STCs or services are offered for a particular type of airplane.

The type club becomes a means to gather potential customers and to adver­ tise one's wares.

Learning is a good reason to start a type club. There is no better way to learn than to teach. The operation of a type club can also be used to offset some of the operator's flying expenses, as­ suming there is some profit, which there seldom is.

Speaking of money, no sane person starts a type club to make money simply from the type club dues. Dues by them­ selves will seldom pay the expenses of the publication. Money beyond break­ even must come from commercial ad­ vertising or the sale of books, videotapes and gimmicks.

A few people operate type clubs just for the fun of it. In spite of the dinner hour phone calls and the time required, operating a type club is a great way to meet some of the closest friends you will ever have. Of course, as a member of a type club, you can meet the same folks and not have your dinner inter­ rupted so often.

26 APRIL 1991

If it was built, it probably has a type club! In the Type Club tent, just south of the Antique/Classic Red Barn, Ercoupe aficionados discuss their favorite two-placer.

Finally, some of us type club operators must confess to being evan­ gelists. We sincerely believe our airplanes and our way of flying to be the best there is. Like big-"E" Evangelists, our beliefs require us to spread the word to the less fortunate who have not seen the light. Ours is a thankless and never ending task, but we pursue our work in the certain knowledge of our righteousness.

Why more than one type club per type?

Type clubs are highly individual and specialized. It is impossible to cover everyone's special interests in a single publication. Of two or three clubs devoted to your brand of airplane, one will suit you best. You should try them all for a year or two to see which will best serve your needs. Type clubs are no more durable than those who operate them, so more than one club assures you will not be left helpless when a club folds.

And there is always the dis­ gruntled member who is sure he/she can run a type club better than it is being run. We always encourage such folks to have at it. Type club operations being what they are, we can't lose. Whether they succeed or fail, we get even .

There is no type club for my airplane. What should I do?

First, consider starting a type club.

We would be happy to help with

suggestions about what to do and not to do when getting started. We can put you in touch with other folks who are also full of advise and other materials. Don't be discouraged if there are only a few of your kind of airplane in existence.

Your next choice is to join a club representing airplanes similar to yours.

For example, all the little tube and fabric taildraggers share many of the same ills.

Tips for one brand usually serve well for others.

Where do I find the type club for me?

Start with the type club listing in the November, 1990 issue of this magazine.

If you find nothing there, give us a call.

We may have later news. Select the clubs of interest and write or call them.

Request information and a membership form.

During the EAA Convention at Oshkosh, come to Type Club Head­ quarters in the big circus tent about 100 feet south of the Antique/Clas­ sic Division's Little Red Barn .

Therein you will find repre­ sentatives of over 20 type clubs.

You will also find a place to sit in the shade and rest at the TCHQ Informa­ tion Booth, an official bull shooting area wherein all tales and sagas are to be believed, a cool drink and some of the best times to be had anywhere on Wittman Field . Hope to see you there in '91. •

Max Krueger's Bird Biplane Restoration

by Dick Hill

Bird Airplane Club

The most exciting news in the Bird Aircraft world is the first flight of a newly restored airplane. On November 17th, 1990, the long standing restoration of Bird NC9115 culminated in a very successful first flight. The last entries prior to this flight were a series of flights on the 4th of July in 1952, when its owner hauled 52 passengers. After­ ward it spent many long years in an almost forgotten hangar in southern Il­ linois.

It changed hands twice before emerg­ ing from that hangar when a speculator bought it from a former owner. It was trucked to Michigan where it changed hands again. George Deno (the current owner of Bird restoration project NC980V) bought the Bird and sold it to Robert Buffington and a silent partner, Max Krueger. At this point the Bird got a ride to Texas. Before it had been there

.,~

..

very long, it went through another sale.

This time, Duane Golding bought the airplane and gave it a ride to Wisconsin.

Here some restoration work began.

Years went by and it became necessary for Duane to move back to Texas, taking the Bird with him.

Once again the change of scenery brought a change of ownership. This time it was bought by an avid restorer.

A man who knows the Bird airplanes and the "water-cooled V -8" engines.

His WACO 10 probably has the most running time ever put on an OX-5, with only routine maintenance. He has

owned Birds before, and has also flown the first Bird ever built.

Max Krueger flew the ROYAL BIRD, the pre-prototype for the Bird series, on two different occasions. He was interested in buying it in the 1930's, but the condition of the plane at that time caused him to look elsewhere for an airplane.

Max took over the restoration of Bird NC9115 a couple of years ago. He found it necessary to return the Bird to an almost "bare bones" condition and start over. Max has since returned the Bird to better than new and he practical­ ly re-manufactured the OXX-6 engine.

It was licensed and first flown on November 17, 1990, with a perfect operational report.

Congratulations, Max, We all wish you many happy years of flying .• VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

PASS IT 10

---1] An information exchange column with input from readers.

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by Buck Hilbert (EAA 21, Ale 5) P.O. Box 424 Union, IL 60180 Dear Buck, To update you on John Jefferies and myself, John is now a Fleet owner. He has a 1959 Bellanca 14-19-2 that will smoke most Bonanzas in the area; the 1946 Aeronca Chief we were working on at the time of our meeting (which still looks brand new); a 1946 Ercoupe which I have a small interest in; and a 1947 Culver V which we haven't flown yet but are looking forward to doing so this week. In addition, I am rebuilding a 1948 Temco Swift that the previous owner landed in the back window of a Toyota, but that's another story. By the way, we are looking for a good museum home for the Aeronca if you can make any recommendations.

Buck, I read your last article on the attitudes or lack offun in today's fly-ins, and I think I know why. As with our congress and local government, I think I know the answer, but I don't have a solution.

While I have never been fortunate enough to make Oshkosh (I will, by 28 APRIL 1991

God, one of these years), the California "big" fly-ins are getting the same way.

You stated that you had the feeling while watching the awards banquet, and I firmly believe that THAT is the root of the problem - the awards. I think that anyone who goes to a fly-in with the idea of getting an award is a fool, but more and more that seems to be the reason people attend. It used to be that just going was a reward, then it came down to going if you had finished a homebuilt or finished a restoration and that was its own reward. But today, it seems that big bucks restorations are the norm and if a fellow comes away without a big trophy of some kind then the fly-in was a bust.

I really believe that more emphasis should be put on the fellowship and the opportunity to just get together with fel­ low pilots, builders and restorers rather than the awards. We have a couple of fly-ins every year that actually put on the flyers and in the ads: NO TROPHIES! These fly-ins are the most

widely attended get-togethers of the year, and all the conversations seem to be about how nice it is not to have judges or trophies.

I don't know how you get the fun back into the show, but I think that de­ emphasizing the awards would go a long way towards accomplishing it.

My best to everyone at EAA and I hope VINTAGE AIRPLANE gets big­ ger and better. I really enjoyed the last Issue.

Yours truly, Gene H. deRueJle Dear Buck, We have an Apollo 612B in our 195 and it works great. Dad wants to put one in the Funk and I suppose that that's fine, too. I still like laying out the charts on the kitchen table and drawing a line, studying the whole course. Especially flying the slower airplanes, having a "map in the lap," I can tell my passenger the name of a small town or other point of interest.

Personally, I like to keep the electronic wizardry at work in the flight levels and maintain the old-fashioned way down low.

Happy landings, John O. Maxfield To: Joseph G. DeHaan and Buck Hilbert Dear Gents, I owned several Aeroncas, including a 1941 Defender, NC34578. It still had the original fabric when I bought it for $300 in 1950. The color scheme was blue (royal?) with red stripe and cream (?) pinstriping. The seats and paneling were whipcord and the headliner was molehair, according to some factory literature I have at hand.

Except for John Houser, I don't know anyone left from Aeronca who might know about Defender color schemes.

Bill Morrisey might remember some of them, because he became an Aeronca test pilot in 1941. Bill's mailing address is Box 27530, Las Vegas, NV 89126.

He was still building Morrisey Niftys last I heard.

Your Defender (4750T = NC31308) belonged to James S. Rohrer in 1946, but he probably was not the original owner. Rohrer had an aircraft sales business at Riverside. Most likely it was operated by one of the CPT schools.

Send $2 to the FAA at Oklahoma City and ask them for the microfiche on 31308. It's the best value you'll ever

In 1975, John Underwood snapped this picture of the only civilian aircraft, an Aeronca 65TC, attacked in the air during the raid on Pearl Harbor 50 years ago. Shot up by the attacking force on the north shore of Oahu, near Koneohi Naval base, Roy Vitousek and his son managed to put it down safely. Robert Tyce was not so lucky - while taxiing in another Aeronca at John Roger's Airport, he was machine-gunned and killed by the Japanese raiders.

get for $2. All the libraries have fiche readers.

The Defender is not too well known, but it did good work in World War II. Over 2,300 were built, over half of them for the Anny under the 0-58/L-3 desig足 nation. They were used mainly for training and a lot of the Army's Defenders were assigned to units of the Civil Air Patrol.

A couple of guys were airing the Honolulu Flying Club's Defender on the morning of 7 December 1941 when they found themselves in the midst of

Drawn by Walt Disney specially for the Aeronca "Grasshopper", this little fellow looks as though he's ready to go!

wave upon wave of Jap raiders. The Defender took eight or ten hits from machine-gun fire, which pierced tubing in the tail and fuselage, but it got down OK. This airplane, NC33838, was still flying the last I heard. I'm enclosing a

picture I took of it in 1975.

I have a few pictures of Defenders taken at the factory and elsewhere in 1940-41, but nothing on 31308. Sorry!

Cordially, John Underwood.

AERONCA LIAISON PLANE Army Air Forces Type L-3B . A two-place plane with a Continental 65 h.p. engine.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MAY 3-5 - Burlington, NC - EAA An­ tique/Classic Chapter 3 Annual Spring Fly­ In for antique and classic aeroplanes. All types welcome. Alamance County Airport.

Trophies, a major speaker and vintage avia­ tion films. Contact R. Bottom, Jr., 103 Powhatan Pkwy, Hampton, VA 23661.

MAY 3-5 - Camarillo, CA - EAA Chap­ ter 723 lth Annual Fly-In. Pancake Break­ fasts, BBQ dinner dance on Saturday, speakers and more. Camping and hotel ac­ comodations available. Trophies given for best of each type aircraft. Contact: Larry Hayes, Chairman, 805/496-3750.

May 4-5 - Winchester, VA Regional EAA Spring Fly-In at airport. Trophies for winning showplanes. Pancake breakfast Sunday. Concessions and exhibitors. All welcome. Contact: George Lutz, EAA Chapter 186,703/256-7873.

May 5 - Rockford, IL EAA Chapter 22 Annual Fly-In Breakfast. Mark Clark's Courtesy Aircraft, Greater Rockford Air­ port. 7:00 AM until Noon. ATIS 126.7.

For more information, call Wallace Hunt, 815/332-4708.

May 5 - NATIONWIDE CESSNA 120/140 BREAKFAST FLY-IN to be held simultaneously in each State. Sponsored by the International Cessna 120/140 Associa­ tion. Contact your State Rep. or Jack Cronin, President, 433 Franklin Street, Den­ ver, CO 80218, 303/333-3000.

May 17-19 - Albuquerque, NM, Double Eagle Airport. 4th Annual Albu­ querque/Southwest Airlines Air Show and Fly-In. Duke City "100" Race for ex­ perimentals. Awards all classes of show aircraft. Contact George Applebay, 505/264-0331.

May 18-19 - Hampton, NH Airfield.

15th Annual Aviation Flea Market, Fly-In, Drive-In. Camping on airfield; food avail­ able. No fees! No rain date. Anything avia­ tion related OK. For info, call 603/964-6749.

May 19 - Benton Harbor, MI. EAA Chapter 585 Fifth Annual Pancake Break­ fast. Warbirds, Classics, Homebuilts, Car Show, Static Displays. Contact: Al Todd, 616/429-2929.

May 24-26 - Watsonville, CA. 27th Annual West Coast Antique Fly-In in memory of Jean Lamb. Contact: 2464 El Camino Real, Suite 445, Santa Clara, CA 95051, 408/496-9559.

May 24-26 - Columbia, SC Annual Pal­ metto Sport Aviation Memorial Day Fly-In. Colum bia Owens Downtown Airport.

CUB. Contact: Jack Hilton, (Day) 803/699­ 0233, (Evening) 803/782-0088. Housing contact: John Gardener, 803/796-2400.

May 25-26 - Decatur, AL. EAA Chap­ ter 941/Decatur-Athens Aero Services 3rd Annual Memorial Day Fly-In and Southern Aviation Reunion. Classics, Warbirds, Homebuilts. Camping, transportation to Alabama Jubilee, Hot Air Balloon Races.

UNICOM 123.0, VOR on Field 112.8 ­ 205/355-5770 for information.

May 31-June 1 - Bartlesville, OK Na­ tional Biplane Association 5th Annual Con­ vention and Exposition - BIPLANE EXPO '91. Free admission for all biplanes and cur­ rent NBA members, all others paid admission.

30 APRIL 1991

Contacts: Charles W. Harris, 918/742-7311 or Mary Jones, 918/299-2532.

June 1-2 - New Braintree, MA Tanner­ Hiller Airport (horne of Tanner's Res­ taurant, West-Central, MA). Annual Sport Aviation Fly-In; Antiques, Classics, Homebuilts and Warbirds welcome. Con­ tact: Bruce Tanner, 508/867-8186.

June 2 - DeKalb, IL EAA Chapter 241 will serve its 27th Annual Breakfast, 7:00 AM - Noon, Dekalb-Taylor Municipal Air­ port. Contact: Ed Torbett, 815/895-3888.

June 2 - Tunkhannock, PA Skyhaven Airport (76N). Fly-In Breakfast, 8am - 2pm.

Located on the NY sectional 19 miles from LHY VOR 110.8 on the 289 degree radial or 19 miles from AVP vor lll.6 on the 333 degree radial Unicorn 122.8. Antiques and classic people welcome. Crafts and Flea Market. Campground with modern facilities available on the field. Contact: Steve Gay at Skyhaven Airport, 717/836­ 4800.

June 7-9 - Merced, CA Municipal Air­ port. 34th Merced West Coast Antique Fly­ In. Contact: Merced Pilots Association, P. O. Box 2312, Merced, CA 95344, or Mac Duff, 209/383-3975.

June 7-9 - Denton, TX Muncipal Air­ port. 29th Annual Texas Antique Airplane Association Fly-In. Registration $3.00 donation per person; Registration and meals $20.00 donation per person. Fly-In Chair­ men: Mary and Bert Mahon, 1803 Concord Lane, Denton, TX 76205, 817/387-2620.

June 8 - Lamar, MO Municipal Airport 30th Anniversary Fly-In. Free pancake breakfast & commemorative gifts for par­ ticipants. Trophies for oldest and youngest pilots, best antique, classic, homebuilt, ultralight and longest distance flown. RjC model airplane show 2 PM. 417/682-2939.

June 8 - Newport News, VA Patrick Henry Airport. 19th Annual Fly-In spon­ sored by EAA Chapter 156. Contact Chet Sprague for information and NON-RADIO ENTRY at 8 Sinclair Rd., Hampton, VA 23669,804/723-3904; leave message.

June 9 - Aurora, IL Municipal Airport.

EAA Chapter 579 Fly-InjDrive-In Breakfast and AirportjFBO Open House, 7:00am ­ Noon. Contact: Alan Shackleton 708/466­ 4193 or Bob Rieser, Airport Manager, 708/466-7000.

June 9 - Portsmouth, OH Airshow '9l.

Warbirds, Antique, Classic aircraft; ultralights, paraplane, rotorcraft. Military fly over and static display. Sky divers, hot air balloons. Hangar party June 8th. Plus more. Hours 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Contact: Don Hulbert, 1012 Ruhlman Ave., Portsmouth, OH 45662, 614/353-3574 or 820-2400.

June21-23 - Middletown, OH. WACO GATHERING, Hook Field. Forums, ven­ dors and other activities. Chairman, Phil Coulson. For more information, call the

IWA office, 812/232-1042, OJ Phil at 616/624-6490.

June 21-23 - Pauls Valley, OK. Ok­ lahoma City Chapter of AAA Fly-In. All types of aircraft welcome to eat, drink and be merry. Contacts: Doug Andreson, 405/350-1420 or D. J. "Bud" Sutton, 405/392-5608.

June 26-30 - Lockhaven, PA Wm. T. Piper Memorial Airport. ERCOUPE OWNERS CLUB 1991 National Conven­ tion. Open to all Ercoupe owners and per­ sons interested in Ercoupes; public invited.

Awards, trophies, special events, tours, seminars, picnic, banquet Saturday night.

For convention information and reserva­ tions, contact Steve Kish, 215/838-9942 evenings.

June 27-30 - Mount Vernon, OH 32nd Annual National Waco Reunion Fly-In. Wynkoop Airport. Make your reservations at the Curtis Motor Hotel 1-800/828-7847 or (in Ohio) 1-800/634-6835. Contact: The National Waco Club, 700 Hill Av., Hamil­ ton, OH 45015 or call 513-868-0084.

June 29-30 - Orange, MA Municipal Airport. 15th Annual New England Regional EAA Fly-In with antique stearn and gas engine show, flea market, food.

Trophies both days for homebuilts, antiques, classics, warbirds. Chapter 726. Contact: David White, 508/544-8189.

June 30-July 5 - Jennings, LA. Inter­ national Cessna 170 Association 23rd An­ nual Convention; Holiday Inn on airport. P. O. Box 896, Jennings, OK 70546, 318/824­ 5280. Arrival Sat., June 30; Departure Sat., July 6. Contact: Ron Massicot (Conv.

Chrm.),318/332-4597.

July 4-7 - Cottage Grove and Roseburg, OR Airports. Oregon Antique and Classic Aircraft Club Firecracker Fly-In at Cottage Grove. Fly-out afternoon of July 5 to annual OACAC meeting at Roseburg Airport. July 6 & 7, state EAA meeting at Roseburg Air­ port. Contact: Larry Well, 13721 S.W. Hiteon Drive, Beaverton, OR 97005; 503/224-8125, x650 (Voice Mail).

July 6-7 - Emmetsburg, IA Airport.

Tail Dragger Club 3rd Annual Aeronca Champ Fly-In. Annual Flight Breakfast Sunday, July 7. Camping by airplane & free breakfast to pilot & co-pilot. Contact: Keith Hamden, Box 285, Emmetsburg, IA 50536, 712/852-3810.

July 13-14 - lola, WI Annual Fly-In, Central County Airport. "Old Car Show" weekend. Midwest's largest car and swap meet. Breakfast and transportation avail­ able both days. Info, 414/596-3530.

July 26-Aug. 1 - Oshkosh, WI 39th Annual EAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention. Wittman Regional Airport.

Contact: John Burton, EAA Aviation Cen­ ter, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 414/426­ 4800. For housing information, contact Housing Hotline, 414/235-3007.

August 3-4 - Schenectady County, NY Airport. NORTHEAST FLIGHT '91 AIR­ SHOW, sponsored by The Empire State Aerosciences Museum & Schenectady County Chapter ofthe American Red Cross. Robert W. Schuh!, Director, Northeast Flight '91, Suite 419, Mohawk Mall, Schenectady, NY 12304­ 2301; 518/382-0041.

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Oshkosh, WI 54903-2591 .

HANGARS: AIRPLANE HANGARS/STEEL ARCH BUILDINGS - made in USA, factory direct. Compare prices and options, then see. Some building companies distribute buildings that are made in Canada or Japan.

Ours is 100% American made. (We will not be undersold.) ATLAS STEEL BUILDINGS CORPORATION 1-800/338-8457.

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Super Cub PA 18 fuselages repaired ?r rebuilt - in precision master fixtures. All makes of tube assemblies or fuselages repalTed or fabricated new. J.E. Soares Inc., 7093 Dry Creek Road, Belgrade, Montana 59714, 406/388-6069. Repair Station D65-21 . (UFN) 1910-1950 Original Plane and Pilot Items - Gosport System, $40.00, 1930's Lunkenhiemer Primer, N.O.S. $85.00, much more.

44- page catalog $5. Jon Aldrich, POB-706, Groveland, CA 95321 ­ 209/962-6121. (6-4) NOSTALGIC AIRLINE POSTER BOOKS - Colorful publicity of the airlines of the World! FREE DETAILS! Gerard, 3668-VA Hilaire, Seaford, NY 11783-2710. (6-4) Ham-Standard Ground Adjustable model 5404 with 4150 blades for sale. Excellent condition. Freshly tagged. 102 inch diameter. Call Whirlwind Prop. 708/336-4373. (5-2) FOR SALE - Gorgeous winged CONTI NENTAL engine "Powerful as the Nation" permanent water transfer decals. 6 inches x 1 inch, red, black and silver. Great for Waco, Cub, Ercoupe, etc. $6.50 per pair.

CURTISS ALDRICH, POB 21, Big Oak Flat, CA 95305

MISCELLANEOUS: CUB PIN - Authentic yellow Cub with safety clasp. $5 ppd. Profile House, P.O. Box 331045, Ft. Worth, TX76163-7105 (4-3) CURTISS NJ4-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

FOR SALE - Two-hundred-year-old partially restored colonial house located adjacent to a paved, lighted instrument runway on two acres of land which includes four tiedowns, and free hangar for two years.

4.9 nm from Pease VOR (NY sectional). Centrally located to Boston, Manchester, NH and Portland, ME. Easy access to 1-95. 207/439­ 4922 days, 207/439-4052 evenings. Ask for Jack or Jean Hardy.

(7-4) VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31

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• Current Poly-Fiber Manual with De­ tailed Instructions for Fabric Covering and

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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.

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EAA membership and EAA EX­ "Lindbergh's :Coupe" PERIMENTER magazine is available Satisfaction Guaranteed Lambert 0·145 Monocoupe for $28.00 per year (Sport A viation not ~ CLASSIC AERO GRAPHICS included). Current EAA members may '~ 1764 MONTECITO CIRCLE -Write for brochurereceive EAA EXPERIMENTER for LIVERMORE, CA 94550 $18.00 per year.

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Make checks payable to EAA or the If you use 80 octane avgas now, you could be using less expensive autogas with an EAA-STC. division in which membership is desired.

Get your STC from EAA - the organization that pioneered the first FAA approval for an alternative Address all letters to EAA or the par­ ticular division at the following address: to expensive avgas.

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32 APRIL 1991

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MYSTERY PLANE

By George Hardie

Here's another grand experiment that faded into oblivion. Typical of the period, the aircraft was billed as the latest answer in the ongoing development of aviation, according to the promoter. The photo was sub­ mitted by Edward Peck of Louisville, Kentucky. Answers will be published in the July issue of VINTAGE AIR­ PLANE. Deadline for that issue is June 5.

The Mystery Plane in the January issue reveals an interesting story. John Underwood of Glendale, California writes: "The Mystery Plane is a Keys­ tone Pathfinder outfitted with extended lower wing panels and neon lights as a flying signboard. Frank Courtney, I think, did some of the flying. This airplane started out in 1926 as the 'American Legion' in the New York­ Paris race. It crashed at Langley during max load tests, killing Davis and Wooster, who were crushed in the front cockpit. Otherwise, it was not too badly damaged. It was rebuilt as an airliner for West Indian Aerial Express and may have served briefly with the Pan Am fleet. " Further research uncovered an article in Aero Digest for November, 1928 describing the Keystone "Sign Carrier 1". Wingspan of the lower wing was 90 feet with a chord of eight feet. Room for 18 six foot letters was provided, 34 APRIL 1991

powered by a battery of dynamos capable of producing 7,000 volts. It was given its first trial flight over New York City on the night of September 13, 1928, cruising for more than half an hour over the city. Other answers were recei ved from Jim Barton, Oshkosh Wisconsin, Rowland Hall, Northfield, Illinois, and Charley Hayes, Park Forest, Illinois. After identifying the Keystone, Charley mentioned that he had seen a similar installation on a Cur­ tiss Fledgling used by Marathon Oil about 1937, flown by a pilot named Hightower. An old friend of Charley, Roland Rohlfs, was involved in the test flying of the Keystone.

An article in the AAHS Journal for Spring, 1970 by Frank T. Courtney

describes the same airplane as the "Plane Speaker" operated as "The Voice of the Sky" in 1935. This varia­ tion on the aerial advertising theme was outfitted with huge audio speakers mounted in the fuselage. The speakers were pointed downward, and an an­ nouncer on board would blast advertis­ ing from "on high" over the unfortunate town selected as a target. According to the late Frank Courtney, who flew the "Plane Speaker" over St. Louis for three weeks in August, 1935, the operation of the advertising beast was banned over certain states after shaki ng up the populace below with a voice from above. Beset by business problems, the project fizzled, and was never heard from again . •

KEYSTONE "SIGN CARRIER I"

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