EDITORIAL STAFF Publisher
Tom Poberezny
September 1996
Vol. 24, No.9
Edltor· in·Chief
Jack Cox
Editor
Henry G, Frautschy
Managing Editor
Golda Cox
CONTENTS
Art Direc tor
Mike Drucks
1 Straight & Levell
Espie "Butch" Joyce
Computer Graphic Specialists
Olivia L Phillip Jennifer Larsen
Mary Premeau
2 AlC NewslH.G. Frautschy
Associate Editor
Norm Petersen
3 Aeromail
Feature Writer
Dennis Parks
6 Curtiss Challenger E nginesl
Hank Palmer
8 The Bugatti 1001 H.G. Frautschy
PageS
Advertising/ Editorial Assistant
Isabelle Wiske
10 Stearman Reunion· Part III Richard T. Hanse n
EAA ANTIQUE/ CLASSIC DIVISION, INC.
OFFICERS
15 65 Years Is A Long Time To Wait/Earl Root
19 The Wittman Legacyl H .G. Frautschy 22 What Our Members Are RestoringlNorm Petersen
Staff Photographers
Jim Koepnick Mike Steineke
Ken Uchtenburg
Carl Schuppel
Page 15
Presidenl Espie "Butch" Joyce P,O, Box 35584 Greensboro, NC 27425 910/393-0344 Secretory Sieve Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 E1J7/373-1674
Vice· President George Daubner 2448 Lough Lane Hartford, WI 53027 414/673-5885 Treasurer E.E. "Buck" Hilbert P.O. Box 424 Union, IL60180 815/923-4591
DIRECTORS
24 Pass it to Buckl E.E. "Buck" Hilbert 26 Mystery Plane/H.G. Frautschy
27 Calendar
27 Welcome New Members 30 Vintage Trader Page 19 FRONT COVER .. The Wittman Hangar at EAA's Pioneer Airport was dedicated May 1 1, 1996. Steve Wittman 's legacy will live on in a se ries o f displays and photographs exhibited in the new building, constructed to resemble Ihe hangar used by Steve's 'Wittman Flying Service: the FBO he founded on the airport in Oshkosh, WI. A pictorial essay on the new hangar can be found starting on page 19. Photo by EAA's Chief Photographer, Jim Koepnick. BACK COVER . 'Schools Out Early' is artist Kristin Hill's oil painting of a barnstomer's disruption of Ihe school day al a rura l one room schoolhouse. She was awarded a Merit ribbon in Ihe 1996 Sport Avialion A rt Competition for her work , You can reach Kristin at her studio, 1782 Colonial Manor Dr. . Lancaster, PA 17603, phone 717/394-9419. Copyright © 1996 by the EAA Antique/Classic Division Inc. All rights reserved. VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc. of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EAA Aviation Cenler, 3000 Poberezny Rd., P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086. Periodicals Postage paid al Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and at addilional mailing offices. The membership rate for EAA AntiquefClassic Division, Inc. is $27.00 for current EAA members for t2 month period of which $15,00 is for the publicalion of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to EAA AnliquefClassic Division, Inc.• P.O. Bex 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. FOREIGN AND AiPO ADDRESSES - Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via surface mail. ADVERTISING - Antique/Classic Division does not guarantee or endorse any producl offered through the advertising, We inv"e constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertiSing so that corrective measures can be taken. EDITORIAL POUCY: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely Ihose of the authors. Responsibilny for accuracy in reporting rests entirely w"h the contributor. No renumeration is made. Material should be senl to: Ed"or, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, P.O. Bex 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 4141426-4800, The words EAA, ULTRALIGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM, SPORT AVIATION and the logos of EAA, EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION, EM ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION, INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB, WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are ® registered trademarks. THE EM SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EM AVIATION FOUNDATION and EM ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION are Irademarks of the above associations and Iheir use by any person other than the above association is slrictly prohibited.
Dean Richardson 6701 Colony Dr. Madison, WI 53717 608/833-1291
Robert C, "Bob" Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicaw, IL 60620 312/ 79-2105 John S. Copeland 28-3 Williamsbur8 CI. Shrewsbury, MA 1545 508/842-7867 Stan Gomoll 1042 90th Lone, NE Minneamlis, MN 55434 61 /784-1172 Jeannie Hill P,O.80x328 Harvard, IL 60033 815/943-7205 Robert D. "Bob" Lumley 1265 South 1241hSt. Brookfield, WI 53005 414/782-2633 Geoff Robison 1521 E. MacGregar Dr, New Haven. IN 46774 219/493-4724
Gene Morris 11SC Steve Court, R,R, 2 Roanoke. TX 76262 817/491-9110
George York 181 SlobodaAv. Mansfield, OH 44906 419/529-4378
John Berendt 7645 Echo Point Rd. Connon Falls, MN 55009 E1J7/263-2414 Phil Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 616/624-6490 Charles Harris 7215 East 461h St, Tulsa. OK 74145 918/622-8400 Dole A, Guslolson 7724 Shady Hill Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46278 317/293-4430 Robert UCkteig 1708 Boy Oaks r. Albert Lea. MN 56007 E1J7/373-2922
S.H. OWes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53213 414/771-1545
DIRECTOR EMERITUS S.J. Willmon 1904-1995
ADVISORS Roger Gomott
Joe Dickey 55 Oakey Av. 3238 Vicaria St. N
SI Paul. MN 55126
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 812/537-9354 612/484-2303
Steve Krog
930 Taro HL E
Hartford, WI 53027
414/966-7627
STRAIGHT & LEVEL
by Espie "Butch" Joyce
Once I've returned from the EAA Oshkosh Convention, there always seems to be a letdown. This year's "coasting down" period seemed all the more acute because of all of the activi ties that we had in conjunction with the Antique/Classic Division's 25th An niversary . We were so busy enjoying everything that coming home to our regular everyday work was tinged with a bit of disappointment. What a great time we had. Overall, it seemed to be a very smooth running event. We were issued some 940 mugs to give to people who registered their air craft for the show. On the next to the last day, we ran out of the mugs and had to start taking people's names so they could be mailed to them at a later date! Each day we do a "head count" of airplanes in our area during the air show; the numbers showed we were in line with the aircraft attendance figures we ' ve had in the past. It was a good showing, considering the three or four days of bad weather surrounding Oshkosh just prior to the opening of the Convention. The quality of aircraft restorations continues to improve each year; this keeps the judges on their toes, and the judging system keeps the indi viduals who restore their aircraft on their toes as well! Some of the interesting highlights of this year's event include: • Our newest Antique/Classic mem ber to join at Oshkosh was Torquil Nor man from London, England. He trav eled to Oshkosh by flying his 1936 DH-90 Dragonfly, G-AEDU, from Eng land, by way of Bowling Green. (You'll have to wait until the article for the full story on that one!) Although he planned on staying the full week, he and his copilot had to leave on Saturday be cause the weather picture was just right for their return trip back to England . Torquil remarked to me that the
weather could go sour in the North At lantic rapid ly, and then you might be stuck for a week or more, so they had best be on their way. One leg that they flew would take them over some 1500 miles of water, cold water I might add. Torquil found when he arrived home that the award for Bronze Age Out standing Closed Cockpit Biplane had been given to his pretty DeHavilland. • In attendance this year was a 1926 Laird Commercial, NCIlO, belonging to Doug Fuss of Arlington, Texas. This aircraft was very well done; everyone was wondering if Doug used up half of his TBO flying to Oshkosh and would use the other half returning home! Doug's dedication to the Wright J4 en gine on the Laird was exemplary - he re ally kept a close eye on its needs. • The only OX-5 powered aircraft in our parking area this year was the 1929 Command Aire, NC538E , owned by Art Knowles of Jacksboro, Texas and restored by Tom Brown of Unity, WI. He said that this aircraft cruised at 65 mph and stalled at 65 mph. This aircraft is also a rare unit; I was wondering how much of his TBO he used up on his trip. • Two people who are consistent at tendees are the Blankenburgs, who hail from Pine Mountain Lake in California. Kent and Sandy are really into polished aluminum airp lanes; for a number of years they would arrive early with their polished Lockheed 12. Last year, they came to the show flying their polished Cessna 195; this year they showed up with their polished 1939 Spartan Execu tive 7W . It's great seeing them each year and we could all take a lesson from them on how to re lax at Oshkosh. Maybe one day Sandy will write us an article on how to keep a fleet of pol ished aircraft looking so good. Out of the 62 awards given to differ ent individuals for their aircraft restora tion, 15 awards were given to Texans and nine were carried back to Califor nia. It was great to have the American Navion Society located in our area this year during the 50th anniversary of the Navion . We looked out one day and a cabin Waco really caught our eye; the unusual thing was that it was covered 100 per cent with clear Mylar®. This ship was parked out front of the Antique/Classic Headquarters so that all could see how a tube and fabric airplane is assembled. I'd wager that airplane was probably the most photographed aircraft on the air-
port during the Convention . The restoration of this Waco is the effort of Mark Grusauski, North Canaan Avia tion , Canaan, Connecticut. The collec tive work of Mark, Mayflower Moving and Storage, and your Antique/Classic Division made it possible for this air craft to be present for everyone to view. After talking with Mark, I'd bet we'll be hearing again from this young man. Joe and Julia Dickey report that we had some 26 type clubs at the An tique/Classic Type Club Headquarters (TCHQ) this year and a lot of activity during the week. The Antique/Classic area of the Oshkosh Convention is run almost to tally by volunteers, the exception being the year-round maintaining of the grounds that is done by the full-time EAA maintenance staff, plus some indi viduals who are your year-round volun teers - a few who come to Oshkosh al most every weekend. These people are working on the buildings, grounds, air craft projects, or at the Pioneer Airport. For those who don't live close enough to Oshkosh to spend a weekend or two, they turn to their local Chapters to find out how they might help by do ing Chapter work and other EAA re lated projects. This volunteer work be ing done year-round all over the country, and internationally, and it's very important to your Antique/Classic Division. The guys at your local airport who help a person with their personal project also are showing the volunteer spirit. I have friends who have helped me with projects; sometimes I felt they were putting in more hours than I was, and they never asked for anything in re turn. I do not know how you can put a value on these people, except to say they are priceless. Your Antique/Classic Director, Gene Chase, has chosen to step down as a Di rector. Gene has been a long-time sup porter of the Antique/Classic Division and we: thank him for his support. Gene will still be around to help out, but he'll help as a member in the future. Dean Richardson has moved up from the A/C Advisory board to fill Gene's position. Please join us in welcoming him to the Board, where I'm sure his expertise will be of great benefit. You can help out by asking a friend to join up with us . Let 's all pull in the same direction for the good of aviation. Remember we are better together. Join us and have it all! .... VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1
A/C NEWS compiled by H.G. Frautschy
EAA OSHKOSH '97 DATE CHANGE After speaking with many members and others during the past month, EAA President Tom Poberezny has announced that the dates for the 1997 EAA Convention will be shifted one day . Based on the arrival patterns of our members, as well as other factors, next year's event will start on Wednes day, July 30. The format of the activi ties will remain the same over the seven day long Fly-In Convention . The Major Aircraft Awards and An nual Meeting of the EAA membership will occur on Monday, August 4. The Convention will conclude with an air show on Tuesday afternoon , August 5.
WORLD WAR I AIRPLANE ENTHUSIASTS One of the best references for World War I airplane enthusiasts is Leonard Opdycke of World War I Aeroplane, Inc., 15 Crescent Rd ., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, phone 914/473-3679 . Leonard has two magazines that he publishes, both known to many An tique/Classic members. They're World War 1 Aero - The Journal of the Early Aeroplane and Skyways - The Journal of the Airplane 1920-1940. Both magazines are excellent references, professional in appearance and would be of great help to anyone interested in this category of aircraft. "LEO " is himself has exten
sive knowledge concerning these air craft, and is an excellent source to net work with for assistance.
C-85jO-200 CONVERSION STC Aircraft Specialties Services has come up with an interesting STC - Con vert your Continental C-85 to an " 0 200" by replacing the crankshaft, rods and pistons . The STC comes with FAA certification and STC paper work, and parts needed for the change are available from Aircraft Specialties. Call 1-800/826-9252 for more informa tion. If anyone does this conversion in the coming months, please drop us a line here at EAA HQ and let us know how it went. Call 414/426-4800 and ask for the Vintage Airplane editor.
THOSE TRAVEL'N DEMPTSERS Remember Bob and Diane Demptser, the Piper Super Cub pilots who have been making their way around the world (slowly) in the now " not quite so new " Cub? Well, they headed off to Australia to finish their journey this past June, and did just fine on their journey to Japan , right up to the time they tried to get permission to fly to the Russian Kamchatka penin sula. The Russians denied them a per mit, simply saying that there was no avgas on the peninsula. No amount of work on their part would convince the
GEORGE W. LEMAY George LeMay, a Classic airplane judge at the EAA Convention for over 15 years, passed away at the age of 74 this past June in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. George will be fondly remembered by his fellow judges and friends at Oshkosh, who placed a plaque on the EAA Memorial Wall in his honor during EAA OSHKOSH '96. An officer in the Staggerwing Museum Foundation, he was also a very active air plane restorer. He flew his Staggerwing from the U.S. to England to fly in the London - Victoria, Australia race in 1971 . Members may recall the deHaviliand Rapide flown by George and Alf Bicknell across the North Atlantic in 1976. Flown all the way from Coventry, England to Oshkosh , it was picked the " Best Transport" at EAA Oshkosh '82. Pictured with George are his daughter, Jean on the left and his wife Bonnie on the right. Our condolences to his family and friends. 2 SEPTEMBER 1996
Russians, so they had to make a deci sion. To their credit, they decided to ship the Cub home, and continued their tour of Japan. While it's a shame they didn 't complete their circumnavi gation of the globe, their personal jour ney, a trip taken just for personal plea sure as goodwill ambassdors of the U.S., and not to set any records or gain publicity, certainly can be labeled a success. A tip of the 01' flying helmet to Bob and Diane Dempster, Vashon Island, W A for their fortitude and per sistence in pursuing their dream of an around the world journey in a light plane!
AIRCRAFT PARTS IDENTIFICATION As many of you know, the FAA has been concentrating on combating the use of un approved parts on certified aircraft. They have issued an Advi sory Circular, AC 20-62D, "Eligibility, Quality and Identification of Aeronau tical Replacement Parts." Copies are available from the FAA, AFS-340, 800 Independence Av., SW, Washington , DC 2059l. For those of us with older airplanes, obtaining parts is a critical issue, espe cially when the holder of the Type Cer tificate no longer exists or supports their product. To assist in the verification of gen uine parts obtained from retired air craft, AC20-62D provides for their use provided a " paper trail" can be gener ated. This is accomplished by tagging the parts, identifying them and the fact they were removed from a U .S. certi fied product and attested to by an ap propriately rated certificated person as to their authenticity. This process, if used when parts are removed from re tired for parted-out aircraft will allow reuse as they will have a " paper trail" of eligibility. Airworthiness or the condition of the part is a separately handled issue. T h ere is no official FAA tag de signed for this purpose in general avia tion, so any document made for this type of parts ID is acceptable. Using this procedure when you part o ut an aircraft could prevent a lot of headaches later on. If you have any furt her concerns, please obtain a copy of the Advisory Circular. ...
VINTAGE
AeroMail
RESTORATION CREDIT Dear Mr. Joyce: My husband and I enjoy reading "Straight & Level" every month in VIN TAGE AIRPLANE. We are members of the Antique/Classic Division of EAA and enjoy every benefit entitled to us. After reading your article in the May 1996 issue, I would like to point out a few things that were brought to my at tention. You noted that both the An tique Grand Champion and the Reserve Grand Champion at Sun 'n Fun '96 were owned by Clay Smith in Athens, Geor gia. (Mr. Smith lives in Athens, Al abama.) My husband, Robbie Vajdos, restored both of these aircraft from the ground up at his business, Vajdos Avia tion, in Louise, Texas. The Interstate L-6 was featured in an article by Norm Petersen in the January 1996 issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Robbie finished the Stearman in March
of 1994 and flew it to Oshkosh '94 where it won WW II Military Trainer/Liaison Champion. He finished the Interstate L-6 in July of 1995, just days before Oshkosh! We flew it there and won WW II Military Trainer/Liaison Run ner-Up. Needless to say, we were very excited! However, to win at Sun 'n Fun this year made the very long hours of restoration worth it! My husband has restored nine Stear mans and 16 other various aircraft from Piper Cubs to Stinsons to Aeroncas. I am very proud of his accomplishments, especially since he is only 31 years old. I feel that sometimes the restorer who puts many hours into making these airplanes the best they can be, some times gets forgotten. I appreciate your time and look for ward to your next article! Sincerely, Dina M. Vajdos
CHARLES KEEN In referring to the Charles Keen airplane in the May issue of VINTAGE AIR PLANE, my brother Charles Schricker says a Mr. Perry was flying the plane and on takeoff climbed to about 100 feet, turned downwind and lost control then. When EAA was still at Hales Corners I sent several pictures and one of them was of that plane viewed from behind. Enclosed is another picture from my brother's collection - it is possibly the same plane with a different color scheme. John B. Schricker
EAA 2759, A/C 5663
Prior Lake, MN
JOE JUPTNER Dear Sir, What a richly deserved recognition it is for good 01' Joe Juptner to be en shrined in EAA's Antique/Classic Hall of Fame. He's good folks. I first made his acquaintance by mail back in the late 1960's while he was still residing on a farm in Tennessee. His home there burned, and lost in that fire was a lot of his collection of old aeronautica. Many of us would have thrown up our hands in despair and disgust, but not Joe Jupt ner. He just pulled up his socks and forged ahead. Since that time it has been hard to keep up with this guy. I met him only once - at a Waco fly-in at Hamilton, Ohio. He seemed genuinely delighted to see me , and went out of his way to visit my place a day or so later at the rural Kentucky airstrip where I then lived in a log cottage. Here came 01' Joe in a tiny little camper perched on one of those diminu tive Japanese pickups - huffing and puff ing up to my house. After an evening of jawboning about old time aviation, Joe insisted on spending the night in his camper parked snugly in my back yard. The next morning I whipped up some bacon and eggs for us, and the next thing I knew he was off again to another fly-in somewhere. Thanks, Joe, for being what you are. Your bottomless fund of aviation lore and quickness to help others with a photo or some obscure fact has been a boon to many another writer. Your se ries U.S. Civil Aircraft will long stand as the "bible" on what we hold dear - old airplanes! Edward Peck A/C 3225 Louisville, KY Edward, you said it best, and there is little the rest of us can add - Joe's a na tional aviation treasure, and certainly de serves our thanks. - HGF
Continued on page 25 VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3
LAA O./llKO./ll '96
Antique/Classic Awards
Antique Grand Champion: Alan ~uchner. Fresno. CA 1932 Vaco QDC (tiC12438) Reserve Grand Champion: Thomas V Vright. Russell. tV, 1944 ~eechJtagger\.Jing D-17 (ti40t)
Customized Champion: Gerrard J. Dederich. Vadsworth. IL. 1944 ~eechJtagger\.Jing DIY (tiCI6GD) Runner-Up: Kent and Jandy ~Iankenburg. Pine Mountain Lake. CA 1939Jpartan Lxecutive 7V (tiCI7667) Outstanding: Frank ~orman. Las Cruces. tiM. 1941 VacoJRt (tiCI2438) Military Trainer/Liaison Champion: John A. Roethlisberger. ~eaver. PA 1942 ~oeing 75 .crtearman) (tiC60810) Runner-Up: Dennis ~Iunt. Rockford. IL. 1943 Fairchild PT-23 (tiC60418) Transport Champion: John David Fields. Jr..Jan Angelo. TX. 1937 Lockheed 12A (tiC33RA) Golden Age Champion: Doug Fuss. Arlington. TX. 1926 Laird Commercial (tiCll0) Jilver Age (1928-32) Champion: Art Knowles. Jacksboro. TX. 1929 Command Aire (tiC538t) P.>ronze Age (1933-41) Champion: John Meyer. i=1udsonville. MI. 1938 Piper J3C-50Jport (tiC21646) Runner-Up: T A. ~urmeister. Des Moines. IA 1939 Fairchild 24V-9 (tiC20638) Outstanding Closed Cockpit Monoplane: Torquil tiorman. London. tngland. 1936 Di=1 90 Dragonfly (G-AtDU) Outstanding Open Cockpit Monoplane: ~ill Rose. ~arrington. IL. 1938 RyanJTAJpecial (tiCI728) 4 SEPTEMBER 1996
Outstanding Closed Cockpit P.>iplane: ~rad Larson.Janta Paula. CA 1939 Cessna C-165 Airmaster (tiCI9498) VVII E.ra Champion: Larry ~eck. Canby. OR 946 Fairchild 24V-46 (tiC81369) Runner-Up: Layton i=1umphrey. Coppell. TX. 1943 ~eechJtagger\.Jing D17:/ (ti4i=1X) Outstanding Open Cockpit P.>iplane: K Myers. Ripon. VI. 1943Jtearman (tiC33162) Outstanding Closed Cockpit P.>iplane: DonJaunders.Jt. Albert. Alberta Canada. 1943 ~eechJtagger\.Jing (CF-GKY) Outstanding Closed Cockpit Monoplane: Richard Kanode. Frederick. MD, 1945 J3 Cub (tiC6932)
Classic Grand Champion: Ray and Judy Johnson. Marion. lti. Aeronca 11 AC Chief (tiC3469t) Reserve Grand Champion: JamesJayers. tdison. 014. Cessna 195 (ti2197C) P.>est Class I (0-80 hp): Ted Roman. Roswell. GA Aeronca 7AC (ti83460) P.>est Class II (81-150 hp): ~ill Goebel. i=1urst. TX. Cessna 170~ (ti146m
P.>est Class III (151+ hp): RobertJeals. Fresno. CA Cruisemaster (ti522A) P.>est Custom Class A (0-80 hp): Peter and Mark Rowe. Midlothian. TX. Aeronca llAC Chief (tiC333MR) P.>est Custom Class P.> (81-150 hp): Don and Deb ~Iakey ti. Little Rock. AR J-3 Cub (ti70631) P.>est Custom Class C (151-225 hp): Duane Golding. Marion. TX. Jwift (ti3395K) ~ellanca
P.>est Custom Class D (226+ hp): Ron andJue French.Jan j05e. CA /'Iavion Model A (/'I4969K)
Best In Type P.>est Aeronca Champ: Richard F Charette. \..Jadsworth. IL. 7E)CM (/'184005) P.>est Aeronca Chief: Robert Ilollenbaugh. Ilarry Pratt and David Morgan. Middletown. Oil (/'159654) P.>est P.>eechcraft: RandJingfriend.Jan Carlos. CA tl8/ (/'I929DV) P.>est P.>ellanca: Mark and judy Ohlinger. Akron. Oil. Cruiseair (/'186957) P.>est Cessna 120/140: J. Craig Young. Iludson. \..JI. C140 (/'189221) P.>est Cessna 170/180: Thomas \..J. 11011 II. Clarkston. MI. 170E) (/'I4654C) P.>est Cessna 190/195: Charles t . \..Jebb. Fort \..Jorth. TX. 195 (/'I195C\..J)
Best E.rcoupe: Jyd Cohen. \..Jausau. \..JI (/'IC94196) P.>est Luscombe: Rollin Ilatfield, Meridian. 1[7, 8A (/'171549) P.>est /'Iavion: Ron andJue French.Jan jose. CA Model A (/'I4969K) P.>est Piper j-3: Don Curtes. Menominee Falls. \..JI /'187759) P.>est Piper (others): Thomas Lynn \..Jaters. Terrell. TX. PA22120 (/'I2544P) P.>estJtinson: Andrew Ileins. Dayton. OIl.Jtinson 108 (/'IC97141) P.>estJwift: jon E)reese. Omaha. /'It. GC1E) (/'I2554E) P.>est Taylorcraft: Tim Gregory. Lakeville. M/'I. E)C12D (/'195715) Limited Production: Pierre Labrosse. Dorval. Canada. Dellavilland DIlC-2 E)eaver (C-iRE)L) Most Unique: Richard Porter. Casper. \..JY, Ce55na 196 (/'I4585V)
Outstanding Customized: Charles \..J. Culwell. Dallas. TX. 1956 Dellavilland E)eaver (/'I5CC) Class I (0-160 hp): joel Miller.JoIon. IA 1956 Ce55na 172 (/'I6910A) Class II (161-230 hp): Pat and E)ill Doty. \..Jinter Ilaven. FL. 1956 E)eechcraft G.35 (/'I801D) Class III (231+ hp): Mike Callas.Jealy. TX. 1960 E)eechcraft E)onanza (/'I552T) Class IV (Multi engine): Dean Callan and llowardJchenck.Jouthlake. TX. 1958 Ce55na 510E) (/'I6644E)
Outstanding In Type P.>eechJingle engine: Larry Van Dam. Riverside. CA 1957 E)eech 11 55 E)onanza (/'I5478D) P.>eech Multi engine: Alton Cianchette. Palmyra. ME.. 1959 E)eech tl8/ (/'1712'0') Cessna 170/172-175: john Van Lieshout. Toronto. Ontario Canada. 1958 Ce55na 172 (C-FDGf) Cessna 180/182-210: E)obJnowden. Irving. TX. 1958 Ce55na 180 (/'17505) Champion: Cliff Ilarkins. Ilouston. TX. 1957 7FC Tri-Champ (/'I7577E) Piper PA-22: George Gallaspy. Oklahoma City. OK. 1956 PA-22 Tri-Pacer (/'I5954P) Piper PA-24: Paul Fulierton.Jt. Ignace. MI. 1959 PA-24 Comanche 180 (/'I6014P) Piper PA-23 Apache-Aztec: Charles Gunderson. Austin. TX. 1960 PA-25 Apache (/'I4575P) Mooney: Roy Rhodes.Junset E)each. CA 1957 Mooney M20 (/'I5267E) Also, special mention should be made of these Antique/Classic win颅 ners judged at the VetteJeaplane Base:
Contemporary Grand Champion: Richard jones. E.verett. \..JA 1958 E)eechcraft j-55 E)onanza (/'I8570D) Reserve Grand Champion: \..Jicks AircraftJupply. Ilighland. IL. 1960 Piper PA-22 Colt (/'I4742Z)
P.>est fabric floatplane: ........Ric Ilenkel, \..Jinnepeg, Manitoba, Canada, 路 ....... . .. . . .......1948Jtinson 108-5 (CF-KjV) Jpecial Recognition: 路 .. . ..... .... .Larry llarmacinski.Jouth E)end, Ind. 路 ... . . .. . .. . .. . .....1950 \..Jaco ClO (/'IC656/'1) VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5
The Curtiss Challenger Engine by
H ank Palmer,
Ale 19619
Ale
12109
I have read recently about one or two airp lanes being restored with Curtiss Chal lenger engines. I had some experience with Challengers before the war, and again in 1969 through 1973. I thought that it might be of interest to some of the antique buffs. In 1939, five of us, me chanics with National Air lines, read an ad in Trade-A Plane , offering a Curtiss Fledgling for $250.00. The ship was in possession of the airport manager at Curtiss Steinberg Airport , East St. Louis, Illinois. Apparently it had been taken over for lack of payment of hangar rent. I
The 120 hp Curtiss Challenger engine displaced 441 cu. in. and was rated at 120 hp at 1800 rpm.
6 SEPTEMBER 1996
had a friend at Parks Air College, so I wrote him and asked him to take a look at it. He did, and wrote back that it looked O.K. to him, just needed dusting off, and of course it was out of license. So we wired the manager and asked if he would take $225 .00 for it. He wired back, "Come and get it. " So we put Pete Hubert on the train , dressed in white overalls, with a seat pack chute, and his pockets full of tools and spark plugs. Pete picked up th e Fledgling, and made it to Memphis be fore his first forced landing. He wired us from there that he needed more money for piston rings (apparently it had some rusty cylinders). But he said that the ship was well worth the extra costs as it had " dual instruments and good tires ." Well, after one or two more forced landings and "shade tree" repairs, he made it to St. Petersburg. We rejuvenated the fabric as required and got it through an annual inspection. After wearing out more rings, I took some used rings from a Wasp Jr. (with 118 inch larger bore) , filed the ends down a bit and fitted them to the Chal lenger. These lasted longer than any of the originals. Please understand that I am not recommending this solution. But you understand that we had almost $300.00 in this ship by now, and we were all broke. That ship was NC8698. During the war it was donated to a me chanics school. I don ' t recall any prob lems with that Challenger, except for the rusty cylinders. In 1968 I bought a Fledgling basket case from Charlie Wilson who had a strip so uth of Memphis. This ship had sat outside in the weather for 24 years, except for the wings which were stored in a shed. The engine on the ship was frozen up solid, but it came with a spare engine; it turned out to have a big crack in the rear wall of the main case which had allowed it to suck oil into the in duction section, and thoroughly lubri cate the cylinders and valves, so that at least it would turn over. When I bought this ship, I thought that the engine would be the easiest part to restore, as I thought that I would find Challengers and parts lying in the back of most every hangar. Boy, was I ever wrong there! I managed to get one incom plete engine from Andy Anderson . It was lying in the dirt in back of his hangar, and Paul Poberezny let me take one from the EAA Museum in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. Out of the 24 cy lind ers from the four engines, there were many cracked heads , and many rusty barrels. I rigged up a fix ture to hold some of the barrels while I heated the heads with a weed burning torch , and screwed them off, with a ten foot lever bolted to the exhaust and in take studs. Then I was able to match
up some of the hea ds that were not cracked, with barrels that were not too rusty, and ended up with about ten cylinders that were serviceable except for varying degrees of rust. I sent them to three different shops that said that they could chrome the barrels and bore them back to standard size. In each case, they studied them for a month or more, and decided that they could not do anything with them, so I got them back. I selected the best six and assem bled the engine. I flew it for two years, until I had gone through all the spare "serviceable" cylinders I had. Then I gave up on the Challenger and replaced it with a Conti nental W-670. I used a Stearman mount, and fabricated fittings to adapt it to the Curtiss firewall. I had this part ap proved by a DER, and the local FAA Inspector issued a one time field ap proval on the rest of it. I flew it to Oshkosh in 1973 , and sold it to Cole Palen in '76. They flew it at Rhinebeck for 17 years, and retired it in '94. Back to the Challenger engine: the early ones had some magnesium parts that did not hold up well. The magne sium nose case and thrust plate just couldn 't take the stress. There was also a magnesium carburetor adapter , and
none of the four engines I had contained a serviceable one. They were all badly corroded a nd not repairable. I made one up out of automobile pipe elbows, welding a flange on each end, and a heat jacket aro und the whole thing. This was a two barrel carb uretor. The later model Challengers had a much stronger nose section and thrust plate of another aluminum alloy. The C hall e nger was reputed to be hard to start. In fact, the printed man ual that I had started the paragraph on "How To Start the Chall enger En gine," by saying, "T here is consider able difference of opinion among pi lots, as to the best procedure to be used." To me , this translated that "they just hadn't figured it out yet. " I don't recall any problems in starting the one we had in 1939-40, but I do re call well that the Challenger I had in 1970 with the rusty cylinders was the easiest thing to start that I ever owned. I include lawn mowers, cars, outboard motors, and motorcycles . One reason the Challenger was easy to start , as compared with a seven or nine cylin der engine, is that it had a two pole mag, wh ich was geared to run at 1-112 times crank speed . Most seven and nine cylinder engines use four pole
mags, which turn at 7/8 crank speed for a seven cylinder engi ne, or 1-118 times for nine. What all this means is that a two pole mag turns twice as fast as a four pole, so yo u are getting a hot ter spark at whatever speed you can crank it. As a matter of fact, I did not even have to crank my Cha llenger, except to pull it through to prime it. I had a booster mag in the cockpit, and once primed, a ll you had to do was turn the small crank on the booster one time, and the engine was off and running. It never failed. I always considered the Challenger to be a rugged and reliable engine, ex cept for the above mentioned early magnesium nose section and thrust plate. It's only fault, which is what I think tended to make it unpopular , was that it was a rough running ma chine. I believe the designers thought that by putting two three cylinder ra dials back to back on a 180 degree crank, they would somehow balance each other out, but this was not the case, as anyone who has ever flown behind one will confirm . In the later models, they tried all kinds of tricks to smooth them out, but as far as I know, nothing worked . ...
Shot in the mid 1930's by John Roby, there Curtiss Fledg lings were at the Val ley Stream, NY air
port.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
The Bugatti 100 Racer
A hot Bugatti intended for the skies, not the road
by H.G. Frautschy Obscure? You bet. R adica l? On all counts, especially for its time. What is it? T he Bugatti 100, designed and built in France just prior to the o utbrea k of World War II. Ettore B ugatti was t he so n of a fa mous Italia n silversmith and fu rniture builder, Carlo Bugatti. His sons inher ite d t he ir fa th er's a rti st ic abi liti es. Wh ile R emb r a nd t B uggati was a renow ne d se lf-ta ught sc hulp tor, E t tore's mechanica l skills also incl uded a sublime eye for beau ty, a nd the a u to mobi les he is most fa mous for still turn heads a t Concours shows a ll over th e U.S. a nd the Cont in e nt. For avia tio n e nthusiasts, his most in triguing project was a futu ristic looking airplane, which he expected to fly very, very fast. In te ndin g to wi n the D e u tsc h de la Muertbe Cup air race sched ul ed to be he ld in Germany in 1938, Bugatti had comm is sioned we ll known French aeronautical engineer Louis D de Monge to layout the remarkable aircraft. Given the dimen sions of a Bugatti SOB straight-eight engine, de Monge set out to put the minimum amount of airplane around the 4.7 liter powerplant. The engine was much smaller than the maximum amount al lowed by the rules (8 liters) so drag was to be kept as low as possib le , resulting in the buried engine concept. The weight of the engine was pared even further when the block was cast out of magnesium instead of aluminum. A Roots supercharger was a lso fitted to boost the engine output. The entire airframe was built of wood , using a sandwich method that is strikingly similar to the modern com posite structures being built today - a lighter material being used as a core, which is then covered with an outer sur face that acts as a stiffener. With all of its technical innovation, not all was well with the project , and SEPTEMBER 1996
deep into tbe ai rcraft's design and build ing p rogra m , co nst ru ction was halte d while the airplane was redesigned to ac cept two of the engines, each one canted t o o pp os it e s id es, so th e dri ves ha ft s co uld be ru n forward aro und the sid es of the cockpi t to a transmission geared to drive a pair of counter-rotating pro pellers. T he e ngines were si tuated on eith er side of the airplane's CO., wi th th e pi lot in a semi-reclining position well for ward of the wing. Supplying cooling air for th e wate r cooled e ngin e rad iators was solved us in g a n inge ni o us me th o d of indu ct in g the coo ling air into a plenum cha mbe r in the aft fuselage. T he loca tion of the intake ducts? T he leading edges of the
butterfly tail! T he cooling air was the n rou ted a short di stance fo rward in the e xp a nd e d pl e num u n t il it p assed through the e ngine radiators, and then ex it e d th e fuse lage via a pa ir of lo u vered ducts set in the trai ling edges of the wing roots. T he t a il a rr a nge me nt, whi ch was
In this series of shots the remarkable lay out of the Bugatti 100 racer is clearly shown. With the wings and tail surfaces covered and finished in silver dope, the bare wood fuselage of the Bugatti 100 awaits further restoration. The spinners for the counter-rotating propellers are temporarily installed in place, as is the original canopy. The deep graceful wing root fillets, complete with the exit louvers for the engine cooling air exhaust, are in stalled using a large number of screws attaching the fairings to small machined aluminum disks that ar e set in the sur face of the fuselage. In the head on shot, you can see the intake for the cooling air in the leading edges of the ta il. The en gine exhaust fairings are installed on each side of the fuselage for the pair of modified 4.7 liter Bugatti racing engines. Only weeks away from its f irst flight, t he Bugatti 100 never took to t he air, another victim of WW II. Just imagine it flashing by, its Bugatti Racing Blue form a blur as it roars past, the noise from the counter rotating propellers combining with the sort stacks of t he pair of straight-eight Bugatti engines to set up a racket that is heard for m iles around!
awarded just one of the multiple patents received during the design of the 100, was a butterfly arrangement (actually , it's technically a "Y" tail) with a sub fin extending from the bottom part of the fuselage. The sub fin had a shock strut mounted tailwheel installed, along with a rudder. Another concept awarded a patent was the use of automatically activated flaps and landing gear. Using a pitot static sensing system, the Bugatti 100 was able to have its flaps placed in the correct position for takeoff and landing (flaps down) , high speed ( slightly re flexed camber), dive brakes (both split flaps deployed), and after landing, as a spoiler, with the top half of the split flap deflected upwards , exactly as you see today on modern airliners. Wh e n the proper airspeed was reached with a low manifold pressure , the landing gear was automatically de ployed. As an airplane , the Bugatti 100 was poised to break the image of the " nor mal" racer, and transform it into some thing entirely new and exciting. But it
was not to be. The start of the Second World War in the fall of 1939 made it unlikely that the airplane would ever be raced, and although Ettore had been given a contract to produce a fighter version of the airplane, designated the nap, it would never mak e it off of the drafting table. The German army marched through central Europe on their way to Paris , and as the French public struggled against the onslaught in June 1940, the Bugatti 100 racer was lowered to a wait ing truck and secreted away to a barn in the French countryside, where it would remain for over 30 years . Bugatti never saw his airplane take wing, and he passed away in 1946, at the age of 65. In 1958, it was seen hidden in a barn on the grounds of the Chateau d 'E r menonville. Having passed through the hands of a man named Pazoli and then M. Salis, it was then purchased by an American , Ray Jones in 1970. Jones, a Bugatti enthusiast , had no rea l interest in the airplane - what he really wanted were the Bugatti engines , which he in tended to install in a pair of au tomo
biles he was building up. Since he really didn't care to keep the airframe, he sold it to Dr. Peter D. Williamson of Lyme, NH. Dr. Williamson turned the air plane over to a pair of noted Bugatti au tomobile restorers , Les and Don Lef ferts of Vintage Auto Restorations in Ridgefield , CT. Les and Don worked on the project from 1975 until 1979 , when work stopped. Dr. Williamson had donated the air plane to the Air Force Museum , who agreed to the donation with the under standing that it would not likely be placed on display, but be made available to a suitable museum . In 1996 , Dr. Williamson, the Air Force Museum and the EAA Aviation Foundation came to an agreement , a nd the title to the one and only Bugatti 100 racer was trans ferred to the EAA Aviation Founda tion. Arriving just prior to EAA OSHKOSH '96, the smooth skinned racer was assembled and is currently on display in the EAA Air Adventure Mu seum in its partially restored state. Come and see it! VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
Stearman
Reunion
Richard Hansen and his project went from this to the structure you see In the following pages in 5 years of work and parts scrounging!
by Richard T. Hansen
Ale 19619
Part /I - Five Years Later
From a mountainside to a hanga0 and then back in the air! It's 6:30 in the morning on Septem ber 5, 1993. I'm driving to the airport in Selma, which is a 20 minute drive from my home. I'm excited, anticipating the day and what's to follow. The Stearman is finished and I will fly it today. I am by myself this morning, with no one to visit with, so [ can let my mind wander. I think about the events of the past five years that have led to this day. I knew when I brought the airp lan e out of the mountains that it would be my hope to restore it, and put it back into the condition it was in when [ first saw it. In my mind , I can see it sitting there , ready to fly ; or with me in it , fly ing above the clouds, with my leather helmet and goggles, and my white scarf around my neck, and the thrill that would come from knowing that I had saved it from being just some rusty old scrap metal on the side of a mountain . Still, reality has a way of setting in , and I knew before I committed myself to such a major und ertaking, that there would be many things to consider. This wouldn ' t be just the restora tion of a complete airplane. This would mean starting with just the parts that the Army had left behind, and had not destroyed . Would I be ab le to find , or make , all the parts still needed? Would I have the knowledge? [hadn 't flown in 33 years, cou ld I st ill fly ? Would I be able to fly this airplane? [ would spend three months making 10 SEPTEMBER 1996
these decisions. The first step would be to return once again to the crash site, this tim e with a metal detector to see if any thing had been overlooked previously. Because the crash occurred in Octo ber of 1941, I had been told that the Army, knowing we were going to war, would be concerned about leaving any thing sa lvageable behind ; that they had probably buried the engine and some of th e larger parts nearby. This may also account for why the Army said that they had dynamited the airpla ne and that there was nothin g left. Skeptical of what I had been told , I felt that these stories should still be investigated. I returned once again to the crash site with the metal detector and scoured the area thoroughly. Other than a few bolts , a small cowling that had been bent in half, and a large washer that came from the engine, I found nothing of importance; and I am now convinced that the e ngin e was disassembled and carried out, piece by piece. Because of the steep n ess of the terrain , it st ill amazes me how many of the parts were carried out by the men . It must have been a monumental task . One thing that did turn up was a broken hacksaw blade. There was a tube on the fuse lage that had been partially cut with a hack saw. I am assuming that in doing so, they had broken the blade, and with no spare blades, this may have saved the fuselage from being destroyed.
Things sometimes have a way of falling into place , and I was very fortu nate to find a project that someone had put together, hoping to build a Stear man. For whatever reason, it didn ' t work out and it was offered to me at a very fair price. This would eventually turn out to be the deciding factor, as this project would include most of the major parts which I did not have. When I was flying before , I had owned a 1946 Aeronca Chief, and at that time, done a two year restoration. The knowledge that I had gained at that time would be helpful if I decided to restore the Stear man. Woodwork has always been easy for me, and I felt that my trade as a cus tom furniture upholsterer would, a nd indeed did, later, prove invaluable. I mentioned Don Huston in the first part of this story. Don and I have been close fr iends for over 30 years, and have shared many adventures together. Don has a shop that is big enough to hold the fuselage , and offered it willingly. Don, in the beginning , was a big help in th e restoration , and shared in the excitement with me. It turned out that there are many people I can 't th ank enough. Don will be one of them . I guess, as th e old saying goes, if there was a straw that broke the camel's back, mine was when I saw a Stearman painted in Army colors, just as I had remembered it when I was 11 years old. It was absolutely beautiful , and I knew (or at least thought I knew!)
what was ahead of me, the decisio n was made to restore the ai rp la ne. T he restoration was started on the twenty third of September, 1988. The first step was to strip the fuselage to the bare frame to fi nd out how much damage was done in the crash. There was a fuse lage in the project that I acquired, and it could have
been used, but I really wa nted to use the origi nal. After stripp ing the fuselage, and examini ng it thoroughly , I was de lighted to find it was a good, sound fuse lage with on ly slight surface rust, and damage that was easily repaired. I wo uld spend the first year combin ing what cou ld be used from both the
(Above and below) The wreck is trans formed into this beautiful structure by Richard. His skills learned through his trade as a custom furniture upholsterer proved to be very useful during the project. The all wood wings of the Stearman became an art form all by themselves as they came together in the shop.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
project and the wreck, always using the parts from the original when possible, even if it meant more work, repairing and restoring them to new condition. Every part was stripped of paint, sanded and then painted with a two part epoxy paint that was near the original color. This was a long, monotonous job, but it was a good time to do it while the ex citement of getting started was still new. I spent a lot of time the first year locat ing parts, trading for or making them, and absorbing all the knowledge I could from people who would share it. It would be almost impossible for me to have rebuilt an airplane, starting with so little, without the sharing of knowl edge by others. One of the great things about restoring this airplane was some of the nice people I have met along the way who were willing to share that knowledge. Norris Norsegian would be one of them . Norris has been working on, or flying Stearmans, for over 50 years. He flew for Tex Rankin , at Rankin Field during the war in the Civil ian Pilot Training Corps and has been a recipient of the Charlie Taylor award, an award given once a year for having 50 years of outstanding aviation mainte nance experience. I really got to know Norris when we drove to Reno to pick up the 220 Continental engine that would go on the airplane. We spent about 11 hours together in the car that day. That was a very enjoyable day, hearing all those wonderful stories, that can only be told by someone who has spent a lifetime in aviation. I would dis assemble the engine, clean and paint all the parts, then stand back and watch as Norris put the engine together. I have gained a tremendous amount o f knowl edge from Norris and I now consider him a good friend. Harold Kindsvater was another per son who was very helpful in the begin ning. Harold is well-known for his in terest in restoring German airplanes, and his knowledge and workmanship is outstanding. Harold became an impor tant part of my restoration when he pur chased a Stearman project that was, at the time , in abo ut the same stage as mine . We would not only share knowl edge about the rebuilding, but in our search for parts, which was now includ ing trips to both ends of the state, would look for parts for each other. Harold taught me how to work aluminum , and consequently, I was able to make many of the parts that I needed, including the baggage compartment door and all the top sheet metal and inspection doors. It was a very interesting and satisfying part of the restoration process. As the restoration progressed, I knew that if I was going to fly this airplane when it was finished, I had better see if I could still fly. All of my flying, before, 12 SEPTEMBER 1996
had been in a tail wheel airplane, and in order to prepare myself for the Stear man , that is what I needed to fly. Com ing back from a customer's house one day , I was n ear a small airport and stopped to see if they had any rentals that would fit my needs. I couldn't be lieve my luck when they had a Bellanca Champ which they were renting and giving instruction. I made an appoint ment for 8:00 the next morning. I had learned to fly in an Aeronca Champ, so this would be the perfect air plane me-tail wheel, stick and tandem. A man named Jim Baker would give me a check ride. He had just returned from Alaska, where he flew as a bush pilot, so a couple more gray hairs flying with me probably wouldn't make any difference. I hadn't touched the controls of an airplane in 33 years and had no idea of what to expect. Jim sat back and let me go. I really over controlled the airplane on takeoff and was all over the runway, but I got it up with no help. As I climbed out, it all started coming back to me. My slow flight and stalls were surprisingly good, and the thrill was just as strong as it ever had been. My landings were sloppy and I needed help with some, but I was flying again after 33 years. I had mixed emotions that day. The excitement of flying again was wonder ful, but one of the first things I noticed was the haze and the smog. I live near the middle of the San Joaquin Valley with the Coastal Range on one side and the Sierras on the other. When I flew before, there was never a time when you couldn ' t see both ranges clearly ; now you can hardly see six to eight Richard and Dana proudly display a well deserved plague presented to the Stear man and the restorers at one of the many California fly-Ins.
miles. All this brown, nasty looking haze was a terrible disappointment to me . We have done a lot of wonderful things in the last 33 years, but what we have done to the environment is not one of them. Jim soloed me in 4.6 hours. I think we all remember the thrill of our first solo, and I would have the thrill of two. I would eventually buy the Champ, and put over 150 hours on it, preparing to fly the Stearman. The fuselage was really taking shape now. It was on the gear with the engine on and was just about ready for cover. It was now time to start thinking about the wings. The wings were undoubtedly the most extensive part of the restora tion and required the most worl5 and time. I was able to use probably 70 per cent of the wing hardware from the wreck, and there was some in the pro ject I had bought, so I was off to a pretty good start. Having seen several Stear man wings in various stages of construc tion and one in kit form that could be put together, I started toying with the idea of making them myself. It was at this time that I met Bob Lock. Bob was in the process of building the wings for his Stearman ; I was fascinated , and en couraged by Bob to build my wings. I thank him for sharing his knowledge with me, but I also thank him for en
Flying over the Fresno area, Richard's Stearman is hangared and flown only a few miles away from the base it was used for train ing pilots during WW II. The airplane was stationed at Hammer Field when it crashed in October of 1941. Hammer Field is now called the Fresno Air Terminal, and is only three miles from Richard Hansen's current home.
couraging me . I did build my wings from scratch. Bob gave me some origi nal Stearman spars for patterns. I took the spar material to a planing mill and had them trued on one side. I made a jig so the spars couldn't move while in the saw; and using a smooth cut blade, the spars were cut out and the wings were started. Norris gave me some original Stearman ribs and wing tip bows for patterns; I used the same materials that were originally used. The spruce spar material and domestic mahogany plywood were obtained from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty and all of the mate rials were of excellent quality. I used nails in the gussets as per original. This was very easy for me because I could put the nails in my mouth, and then use my upholsterers' magnetic tack hammer and use them like I would tacks. They were put in the gussets in the same way , which was a huge time saver. I made the bows from the patterns, and made, and even bent, my own wing walks. I made my lower wings to fit the ailerons so that everything Lined up with a nice, even gap. It took me two years worth of spare time, but for me, the wings were the most enjoyable and satis fying part of the restoration. I have al ways loved woodwork, and to me, a Stearman wing, when finished and var nished, is truly beautiful, and I am proud of the wings that I made. As the restoration progressed, I be came curious as to the fate of the P-40s that Lt. Miles was searching for at the
time of his crash-landing. This is the story that unfolded. On the 24th of Oc tober in 1941, a series of events began to unfold that would eventually lead to the story of my airplane . Nineteen P-40s, from the 57th pursuit group, left from March Field in Riverside , California bound for McLellan Field in Sacra mento. Problems began when the flight ran into storm clouds over the Tehachapis at 15,000 feet. The first air plane to be lost from the group, was the airplane of 2nd Lt. J. H. Pease of Boise, Idaho. It developed engine trouble, forcing him to bailout over the moun tains near Bakersfield. It was some where after this that the flight broke up, with the airplanes scattering; eight land ing safely at Smith Valley, Nevada, one forced down at Visalia , and five reach ing their destination in Sacramento. The tragic part of the flight would begin when Lt. W. H. Birrell, of War ren, Ohio, crashed and burned on Grays Peak near Bass Lake, with his body be ing found nearby. There were also three planes and pilots missing. There was a massive air search that followed, and it was during this time that Lt. Miles went down in the Stearman. Two of the miss ing pilots, Lt. Jack C . West and Lt. Leonard C. Lydon, were rescued after surviving six days in the stormy Sierras at the 8,000 foot level, on Barton 's Peak in Kings Canyon National Park. Flying together, they bailed out when their planes ran low on fuel. The wreckage of their planes was discovered later. The
other plane and pilot, Richard N. Long, from Connellsville, Pennsylvania, were never found. Occasionally you will talk to some one who has searched for the airplane or hear the rumors that follow a story like this. Still, 53 years later, the fate of Lt. Long , and the location of his air plane, is still unknown. This would not be the end of the tragedy, though. The remaining group, after reaching McHord Field, in Tacoma, Washington, and participating in maneuvers over the Pacific northwest , would lose three more planes and two more pilots on the return flight home. Pilots R. E. Steck man and Thomas L. Traux were killed when their planes crashed on a peak near San Anselmo en route to Fresno. Another plane was lost when Lt. Walter Radovich parachuted to safety nearby. The bad weather that plagued the Sierras and central California during this period would also cause the loss of a B-17 flying from Reno to Fresno, when it ran into severe turbulence over the Sierras, causing the airplane's tail section to crack off. Fortunately, eight of the nine aboard parachuted to safety. Two more lives and one more airplane would be lost during this time when Lt. L. Lathrop and Cadet Edward L. Riggs were killed in a training plane accident at Woodville, east of Tulare. In a ten day period that started with the ill fated flight of the P-40s from March Field, there would be 11 airplanes and five lives lost, and two men missing. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13
I have been working on the airplane for four years now. The fuselage sat idle for the two years that I had worked on the wings, so it was good to get back to work on the things that needed to be finished. The fuselage was almost com plete with both cockpits finished . Full panels in both cockpits were done; all with yellow dials, genuine leather seats, oak sticks, and matching floorboards. As for the bird cage, I was able to use most of the original formers and top rails. I put on all new stringers which worked well, because I could line every thing up properly. I put the lower wings on the fuselage before putting the wing walks on, to make sure they fit. The tail surfaces were all complete now; repaired where needed, stripped and painted, and they, along with all the cowlings, were then put onto the air plane. With the exception of the center section and upper wings, the airplane was now assembled, complete and ready for cover. It was a great feeling looking at it and realizing that it all really was going to happen. It was also a good feeling to know that no corners had been cut, that every sin gle part, nut and bolt were either new, or just as good as new. If there ever was a question, if there was a better way , no matter how much longer it took , that is the way it was done. I have tried very hard during the restoration to keep the airplane as orig inal as possible. I did, however , get away from the original when and where it was necessary to improve the quality of the airplane. I put in a starter, a complete electrical system , and a radio panel in the back seat, which I copied from Don Massey . Don also repaired my fuel tank, as that was beyond my ability . Now all the parts had been cleaned and painted, the wings were done, and it was time to start covering. The covering really went along easily for me, and here is where being an up holsterer was invaluable, as so many of the ways that I work material in my trade could be applied to the covering of the airplane . I used the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process entirely, and used Aerothane to paint it with. I have heard a lot of people complain about the mo notony of rib stitching, but I enjoyed it. I used the hidden stitch , where the knot is pulled inside to make a neater job. Maybe the reason I didn't mind the job so much, was because every part that was covered meant that I was just that much closer to painting and putting the airplane together. 14 SEPTEMBER 1996
I arrive at the airport at 7:00, meet Bob Lock, as planned, and we jump into his Stearman and head for Sequoia Field. Sequoia Field was a training base during the war, and has a long, wide runway with very little traffic. I'm in the back seat, and the plan is to let me shoot some landings, and if every thing goes according to plan, I will fly my Stearman later. Bob has been helping me with the airplane over the last month; tying all the loose ends together, do ing the weight and bal ance, rigging the air plane, all the paperwork, and checking it thor oughly, getting it ready for the FAA inspection. Bob is another one who I can't thank enough . The airplane passed the FAA inspection on the 31st of Au gust with flying colors . The engine
been run for six hours, and taxi tests had been done . Arriv ing at Sequoia Field, we made seven landings and takeoffs, did some air work, then headed back to Selma for the big event. I know there is some concern from my wife, family , and some of my friends about flying this airplane ; I guess with good reason when you see the pictures, or think about the pile of junk that lay on the side of the mountain, and realize that that is the airplane I will fly today. However, for me, I know that this air plane is as close to being new as possi ble, and for me, there is not the slightest concern, only excitement. There is a satisfaction when you build something with your own hands, and when it is finished, you are satisfied with the results. I have been at the air port every day this past week, working on the airplane, and at the end of the day, I would pull up a chair, have a cup of coffee, and just sit and stare at this beautiful old biplane. To fly it will just be icing on the cake. A lot of people have tried to put into words their love for flying. I think we all have our own thoughts on what it means to us. In the winter, here in the San Joaquin Valley, for days, and sometimes weeks at a time, we are blanketed by a high fog. You can't see the sun, it is cold under
neath, and depressing, with the sky a dirty gray. Sometimes you are lucky, though, and it will clear enough to get on top of the fog. The sun is bright and warm, the sky is a deep blue, and you can see the snow covered Sierras for a hundred miles, and your only thoughts are of the incredible beauty laid out be fore you. That is a feeling that is hard to put into words. So here I am sitting in this air plane, wearing my dad's goggles, his wings in my pocket, and Bob in the front seat. My friends and family are watching. This is the moment I have waited for through the five year restoration, and maybe, you could say, since I was 11 years old. The test flight was fun and exciting, with everything work ing the way I had hoped it would; the airplane perg beautifully. We were up for 45 minutes, staying close to the field , just in case. It was a wonder ful day, and a day I'm sure I will relive many times in the years to come . At the time of this writing, I have flown the Stearman over 100 hours. Flying it is everything I thought it would be . It's just a great old air plane, and really fun to fly. The airplane was stationed at Ham mer Field when it crashed in October of 1941. The field is now called the Fresno Air Terminal , and is only three miles from where I live. The reunion for the Doolittle Raiders was held there on April 16 of this year. I was fortunate to be asked to display my airplane and be part of it. As I touched down it was a good feeling knowing, although 53 years had passed, that the airplane had finally come home. The restoration was finished just three weeks short of five years. Longer than I had anticipated, but not bad after talking to others who have restored Stearmans. All of my attempts to locate Lt. Miles have hit dead ends. I do know that he was stationed at Hammer Field on October 24,1941, and that his family lived in Iowa. I am assuming that if Lt. Miles had survived the war, he would probably now be in his mid-seventies. It would be interesting to talk to him, fol low where his career had gone, hear his side of the story, and maybe fill in some blanks. This is not the end of the story. It continues every day that I fly the Stearman, and it just proves that some times the dreams of an ll-year-old boy ... can come true.
Is A Long
Time To Wait
by Earl Root
Ale 921 5
While visiting the Antique/C lassic area at EAA OSHKOSH in 1987, I learned of an SM-8A Stinson Ju nior that might be for sale in southern Missouri. This model of a Stinson had always been of great in terest to me and my wife because our neighbor , Jerry Thuotte, flies a beautifully restored SM-8A from the resi dential air park we live on. To see his big "turkey" fly has been a great inspiration for us to find and restore this unique airplane. Our route home from Oshkosh took us to Enid, OK where our son was in pilot training at Vance Air Force Base. By chance, the Stinson or what remained of it, was located in Marshfield, MO, just seven miles off In terstate 44. The owners of the project were Ernie and Elizabeth Seiler. These delightful people had made a living restoring antique airplanes, probably more for the love of old f1y
Parts are where you find them! This wrecked Stinson landed on a farm in eastern Oregon in 1943. I liberated it in 1993. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15
ing machines than the money. After ar riving at their home we asked to see the Stin son, b ut first we had to sit in the lawn swing and have some ice water to get acquainted - southern style. After a couple of hours of "rock'n and talk'n," Ernie decided that maybe he could trust us to properly care for the Stinson . A price was later agreed to and in the fall of 1987, the project was trucked to the northwest. What we had to work with was a rusty bent fuselage, rotten wings, bent wing struts and many missing parts to an airplane that had been out of produc tion for nearly 60 years . Welcome to ~ the world of antique airplanes! .l'l Early in 1930, Stinson Aircraft was purchased by E.L. Cord. Cord con 8 trolled many ventures, including Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg automo With the wings finished, Earl Root does a little varnish t ouch up on the beautiful wing bi les, Lycoming motors, American Air ribs and spars. ways, and now Stinson. The SM-8A fol lowed a line of successful models built by Eddie Stinson. Now with new capi tal, airplanes could be built on a produc tion line basis, thus keeping the manu fact uring costs lower. The advertised pr ice in 1930 was $5,775.00. Still a whopping amount to the average Joe in 1930, it was still a "low" price for those who cou ld afford to pay, particularly since it was perceived as a much more expensive airp lane . Some 250 to 300 ships were built at Wayne, MI before the slightly changed Model S Junior re placed it in 1931. A call to the Aircraft Registration of fice of the FAA in Oklahoma City re vealed that our airplane had been built in J une of 1930 and was assigned serial n u mber M-4107 , registered as NC 934W. A copy of the original sales in vo ice shows that Williams Brothers
f
Joan Root with a trial fit of all the parts prior to covering in 1992.
It flies! Earl and the Stinson SM-SA take to the air just before Christmas 1995 from their residential airstrip near Buckley, WA. 16 SEPTEMBER 1996
EAA Chief Phot ographer Jim Koepnick j oined up with the Roots at the Northwest EAA
Regional Fly-In at Arlington, WA. Their newly restored SM-SA was judged the Cham
pion Antique at the Fly-In.
Stinson dealership in Tulsa became the first owner. Records also show that two months later, in August, it was involved in a hangar fire at the dealership. This damage resulted in the removal of the aircraft's registration with the CAA. The remains were then sold as salvage. The original N number had been re assigned to a modern aircraft, and be cause the owner did not want to change
his registration and repaint his airplane,
NC-934M was reserved as the new num
ber. To our surprise, title to the aircraft
was still with the long defunct Stinson
dealership in Tulsa. With a little re
search and a lot of luck , I was a ble to
talk to a nephew of the Williams broth
ers. In fact, as a young boy , he had
swept hangar floors for his uncles at
their business. He very graciously pro
~ The cabin of the Roots' Stinson Junior is beautifully done in fabric, and has all of the ~ appointments one would expect of a cabin class airplane from the 1930's. Rope as Ii sist straps are attached to the wall, and the plate safety glass windows on each side t: crank Clown to allow a bit more ventilation. The large laminated wood Stinson control ,~ ~ wheels, coupled with a roll response that can be termed " stately," contribute to the Stinson Jr's big airplane feel. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17
vided me with an affidavit stating that his relatives had sold their dea lership, and as the surviving relative he was seIl ing the airplane to me. This gave me le gal ownership and I was ready to press on with the project. In what turned out to be a seven year restoration , an amazing thing happened. Some very ta lented fr iends offered to
help with various phases of the project. Wings were built, fuse lage tubing was welded, missing parts located, and spe cial tools and a paint room were bor rowed. The necessary networking for SM-SA information and parts led to new friends all over the country. Parts were found from Alaska to Florida . The tai l gear was found in the AeroBelow - Here's a fitting that does triple duty on many antiques - first , it ' s a fuel gauge , with a cork on a wire floating above, and an indicator disk attached to the other end of the wire. Second , it serves as a fuel sump , catching water and other contaminants, and fi nally, it has a drain at the bottom to get rid of the junk that settles to the bottom of the tube.
Bendix brakes and Fisher wheels, along with 30x5 tires really add to the ramp appeal of the Roots' Junior. 18 SEPTEMBER 1996
Mart at the EAA Convention in Oshkosh. A tip from a fellow antiquer that "a large monoplane is sitting on a farm in eastern Oregon" led to the dis covery of a wrecked SM-SA that had come down on the farm in 1943. The pla ne's owner had abandoned it and there it sat for 50 years . Many usable parts were on the wreck. He lp also came from the EAA staff at Pioneer Airport with a suggestion to take the toe-in of the main wheels com pletely out for better ground handling. (B auke n Noack , EAA's ace shipwright and all aro und mechanical geni us, pre cisely rebuilt the EAA Aviation Foun dation's SM-SA [NC-1026] landing gear, and in doing so made a pussycat out of what had been an ornery critter!) . If any owners are not flying their Stinson J unior beca use of "darty" ground han dling, I wo uld strongly suggest the re work of the main gear so that in a three point attitude the wheels have no toe-in or toe-out. You will no longer be apt to see your tail tryi ng to trade places with the propeller upon landing. Covering selected was the Stits (now Po ly-Fi ber) process. It was painted in Boston Maroon with D iana Cream trim. Polyto ne gave the desired satin fi nish of the period. With all new wings, struts, 30x5 tires, Fisher wheels and an over ha uled 225 hp Lycoming R6S0 equipped with a 101 inch Hamilton-Sta ndard Groun d adj ustab le prope ll er , the air plane was ready to go . On December 16,1995, our Stinson flew for the first time in 65 years . It flew great. It rides li ke a Lincoln Town Car at 105 mph. Maybe 65 years is not too long to wait to get back out o n the flig ht line. NC-934M looks as pro ud as it did in 1930. It has a lot of catching up to do . ...
The
Wittman
Legacy
A Visit to The New Wittman Hangar at fAA's Pioneer Airport by H.C. Frautschy
eare often in the presence of great men, and there are even times in our lives when we are aware of their greatness even while they are sti ll with us. Steve Wittman was one of those great men. The ac knowledgement of his stat ure in avia tion was firm ly cemented when his 90th birthday celebration was held in 1994. After that celebration , a group of local Oshkosh area residents con ceived the "Friends of Steve" commit tee . Their intent was to preserve the great legacy of Steve Wittman, by building a hangar that could house a collection of aircraft and memorabilia, a display that could serve as a re minder of Winnebagoland's rich avi ation history, while inspiring others to continue his tradition.
W
Text continued on Page 21
The Wittman Hangar collection includes the only remaining Pheasant H-10, test flown by Steve after it was manufactured in Fond
du Lac, WI. This particular airplane was donated to EAA in 1971 by Philip Stier, Sussex, WI. In September of 1928, Steve flew a
Pheasant to a 12th place finish in a coast to coast air race. He owned a Pheasant until 1934. Behind it is Buttercup, Steve's first
"general aviation" type airplane built in 1937 to serve as a support vehicle for Steve's racing activities. It could do 125 hp with a 50
hp Lycoming. To its left is Witt's V, a formula Vee racer Steve built to compete in the class races for that type. After she learned to
fly under Steve's tutelage, his second wife Paula soloed the "V" at their home in Ocala, FL.
Both the Witt's V and Buttercup were donated to the hangar by the family members, who include Heidi Brey, Larry Anderson and
Arlene Henderson Swidler.
In the far right hand corner is the prototype Tailwind, N5747N, then called the " Flying Carpet." While not in its exact original con
figuration, plans are being made to restore its triple finned tail, along with other changes. It was donated by Eugene J. Zepp, of
Dearborn, MI.
Also visible is the replica Hardley Ableson, as well as an RIC model of the airplane built by the Oshkosh Radio Control Flyers. It
took 5 months to build and 800 man hours to finish, and it has been flown on a couple of occasions.
On the left side of the hangar are a series of photos of Steve, and on the opposite side are displays detailing his life's chronology,
as well as the history surrounding his work with the Civilian Pilot Training Program during WW II, and his most famous invention,
the spring steel landing gear.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19
This plaque, donated by the EAA An tique/Classic Division, celebrates the life and achievements of Steve Wittman. Cre ated by Oshkosh Trophy and coordinated by AlC Director Jeannie Hill, it shows many of the aircraft that figured so prom i nantly in Steve's aviation accomplish ments.
During the dedication of the hangar on May 11, 1996, EAA Founder and Chairman of the Board Paul Poberezny reminisces about Steve's first attendance at a very early EAA meeting in Milwaukee. "Steve flew down and said he could stay for just a little while be fore he had to get back to Oshkosh. He wound up staying for the entire evening, enjoy ing the fellowship of aviation enthusiasts," Paul recalled of the visit by a man who be come a lifelong friend to Paul and EAA. Looking on as Paul speaks are (left to right) EAA Foundation President Tom Poberezny, Heidi Brey, Steve's stepdaughter, and Larry An derson, Steve's nephew. The charming little lady in front is Heidi's daughter, Madeline.
(Left) After you enter the Wittman Hangar and turn the corner, you'll first see this replica of Steve and Dorothy's office, fur nished with the original desks and other memorabilia from the days of the Wittman Aviation Service. Dorothy's desk is set up as though she were busy with the books and the flight schedule, while Steve must have just been sitting down to pencil in a few lines on his latest drawing.
(Right) This replica of the "Hardly Able son," Steve's first homebuilt airplane, complete with a Harley-Davidson twin cylinder motocycle engine, was con structed by retired EAA Museum Exhibits Designer Pat Packard, based on conver sations he had with Steve. Pat then drew up a series of construction drawings. A copy of one of Pat's drawings, as well as details of the construction of the "Hardly" were described in an article on Steve's early life in the August 1995 issue of Vin tage Airplane.
20 SEPTEMBER 1996
Continued from page 19 The hangar itself was co nce ived by the late Tom Meik lejo h n, a long ti me friend of Steve's. R etired Oshkos h businessman Henry Kimberly chaired the committee's fu ndraising efforts, generating over $130,000 to build and maintain the hangar, which was de signed to resemble some of the lines of the cement block building on 20th Street that housed Wittman Flying Ser vice for many years. The new hangar was designed and constructed by Wick Building Systems of Mazomanie, WI. The project manager for the job , Jeff Wick , had a special attachment for the Wittman Hangar - his grandfather ' s farm once occupied the site where EAA ' s Pioneer Airport now stands, and where the new Wittman Hangar was built. After construction, the Friends of Steve committee donated the hangar to the EAA Air Adventure Museum in ceremonies held May 11 , 1996. Present were Larry Anderson , Steve 's nephew, Heidi Brey, the daughter of Steve's wife Paula, and many others who had their hand in creating the displays. These in clude several longtime friends of Steve from the Oshkosh area, convened by Museum Director Tom Barrett, to pro vide input to Pat Packard, and the EAA staff who created and arranged the dis plays within the hangar. The next time you visit the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh , be sure and take the tram over to Pioneer Airport - in addition to seeing so many historic aircraft, you can get a glimpse of a remarkable man's life in aviat ion , .... Steve Wittman.
After Fundraising By The #Friends OF Steve" committee. The Wittman Hangar Was Formally Donated To The fAA Aviation Foundation On May 11, 1996.
I 0
~ ~
(Above) In the far right corner of the hangar is a display of some of t he various engines used by Steve in the many airplanes he designed and flew in his lifetime, including a Cur t iss Conqueror and Cirrus Hermes. Just visible in the center left of this picture is a dis play detailing the work done by Wittman Flying Service in the Civilian Pilot Training Pro gram during WW II. Also included in this area is a chronology of Steve's life, as well as a wall size plaque honoring the " Friends of Steve" committee and its donors.
(Right) Steve's workbench from his hangar at his home on Wittman Field is centered on the back wall of the hangar, along with a col lection of props Steve had hung on the wall of his hangar. Each prop had a story to tell, and all you had to do was point to one and ask " What's that one from? " Steve would just smile and then tell the story with a twinkle in his eye. Above it, the rudder fabric and the propeller from the 0-0 Special are mounted. The propeller rotates to serve as a memorial to Steve and his wife Paula, who died April 27, 1995.
Pioneer A i rport at t h e fAA A ir A d ve n t u re Museum is open 7 days a week from M emorial day to Labor Oay, and on weekends during the late spring and early fa ll. Ca ll the M useum at 414/426-4818 for more in formation. If you wish to fly in, you must land at W ittman Regiona l Airport. Park at Basler Flight Service and ask to have the Museum shuttle ca lled, and we/II pick you up ! VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
WHAT -OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - by Norm Petersen Robert Carr's Aeronca Chief
These photos of Aeronca Chief, NC85844, SIN llAC 251, were sent in by ownerlrestorer Robert Carr (EAA 287070, A/C 21203) of Severna Park , MD, who spent five years restoring the pretty two-placer. A close examina tion of the photos reveals extreme attention to detail in cluding an original" Aeronca/Sensenich" wooden pro peIler, a newly spun prop spinner and backplate (from original Aeronca drawings), a McDoweIl starter, and wheelpants. Besides dual ash trays and dual glove boxes , the Chief features an auxiliary fuel tank in the rear fuselage and a fancy new interior in the cabin. Robert has made up additional Aeronca Chief spinner and backplate blanks and is definitely the man to caIl if you are in need of a set. His phone number is 301-987 4310 in Maryland .
Robert Carr's Piper J-5 Cruiser No sooner had Robert Carr fin ished the above mentioned Aeronca Chief, when he just couldn't resist jumping into an other project, which happens to be the Piper J-5 Cruiser pictured, N38405, SIN 5-956. The project looks fairly original and should make a dandy three-place air plane. Robert has enc losed a photo of the ale frame after it had been sandblasted and epoxy primed with Poly-Fiber primer. We look forwar d to seeing this 1941 antique when it is finished with the "Robert Carr" treatment. 22 SEPTEMBER 1996
Robert Ohlson's Cessna 170A
The photo of this sharp looking Cessna 170A, N3857V, SIN 18744, was sent in by ownerlrestorer, Robert "Bob" Ohlson (EAA 39673, A /C 789) of Edison , NJ. He reports the 1949 model was purchased in 1965 by Bob and his father and has been in the family ever since. In the late 1980's, the 170A was upgraded with a new T. W. Smith chromed Continental
0-300 engine , new 35 amp alternator and a new exhaust. New tires, new glass and new avionics (Loran, 960 radio and transponder) helped the old girl along. Finally, the 170A was repainted in off-white and maroon with black trim to bring it up to its present state. Bob says it is nice to still own the same airplane you learned to fly in over thirty years ago!
Dave Cheek's Cessna 140 Pictured in the early morning sun is a 1947 Cessna 140, N2581N, SIN 12841, that is the pride and joy of David L. Cheek (EAA 343691, A/C 14351) of Smith field, VA. Dave and his wife, Dianne, have owned the 140 for over four years and have obviously done a fine job of upgrading the bird. The Continental C-85-12 engine has 150 hours since major and runs clean as a whistle. Dave installed an EI Reno Spin-On oil filter which really does a fine job of keeping the oil c1ean and off the belly. Almost every weekend is spent fly ing the neat two-placer to every fly-in within range ac cording to Dave - and that's about as good as it gets!
Jim Innes and his Aeronca Champ From Quebec, Canada, we have received these two photos of an Aeronca Champion on wheels and skis registered CF JKW, in Canada , and the proud possession of Jim Innes (EAA 611087) of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Jim reports he first saw the Champ being restored in a garage in 1986. In 1988, he was offered a chance to buy the restored Champ from the man who built it up, Richard Turcotte, a mechanic with Air Canada. With only 160 hours in nosewheel aircraft, he located a friend named Elmer Andrews, who checked him out in the Champ in 4.5 hours of dual. Jim has since flown the pretty little two-placer over 300 (enjoyable) hours on skis and wheels and says it is a dandy flying airplane. Note the lead ing edge landing light, navigation lights and a radio antenna, which leads us to suspect an electrical system in the Champ. Working on a project
of your own ?
Send your photos
along with a short
story about your
airplane to:
H.G. Fraut schy
EAA, P.O. Box 3086,
Oshkosh, WI
4903-3086
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23
PASSdh
BUCK
by E.E. "Buck" Hilbert EAA#21 A/C#5 P.O . Box 424, Union, IL 60180
Hats Off To The Type Clubs at Oshkosh! I had the opportunity to escort the FAA 's Assistant Administrator, Barry Valentine, the Deputy Associate Admin istrator, Peggy Gilligan, and Assistant Adminstrator Brad Mims, along with the FAA Public Regulations people, through the Antique/Classic Area. We spent con siderable time at the Type Club tent. Barry and his associates were as tounded! The Type Club people were hospitable, informative, courteous, and made a great impression on the FAA
(Above) The FAA's Barry Valentine (center), visited the Antique/Classic area, and was escorted around the Type Club Tent during EAA OSHKOSH '96 by Buck Hilbert. In the antique area, standing next to Jack Hill's Waco UEC, Mr. Valentine, Brad Mims (left) and Peggy Gilligan, both of them also from FAA HQ in Washington , admire the many An tiques on display. Earlier, they had been speaking with various members of the Type Clubs, hearing of the problems and concerns we all have regarding the ongoing maintenance of our older aircraft . (Right) Here, Buzz Wagner of the In ternational Aeronca Association fills them in on some of the challenges presented to his organization. 24 SEPTEMBER 1996
people. I had already briefed them, the FAA, on some of the problems facing the Antiques and Classics in getting paper work through the "system," and when they asked several of the Type Club gu rus abo ut their problem areas, they got an education! Our next stop was the flight line. The past Champions and the line up of beau tifully restored airplanes in the show plane camping area certainly impressed them. As usual, schedule priorities short ened the visit and we were somewhat rushed before they cou ld talk to every one, but guess what? Barry took it upon himself to come back after his " commit ments " and nose aro u nd on his own, ta lk to peop le a nd just e njoy our area. Here is a man, (an EAA member, by the way) who is in a posi tion to get the ball r o ll ing and m aybe slim down the admin istrative process to a
manageable level. I'm keeping my fin gers crossed , hoping this guy will be ap pointed permanently after the elections. And now the "Rest of the Story." I was also given the opportunity to squire Donald Spruston around our area. He's the Director General of Canadian Civil Aviation. You may have read in Tom Poberezny's Sport Aviation column last month what great things this man is doing for Canadian airplane people . Donald was also very impressed with the Type Club Tent and the people, and the line up of great looking airplanes . I found this man a rea l breath of fresh air. I've had to re-examine my list of prejudices about Canadians after meeting this guy. I hope he gets t hro ugh to our FAA with his ac tions on behalf of recreational type fly ing. All in all, our Twenty-fifth year was a great one. I can't begin to express my ap preciatio n and t hank all of those mem bers who have made the Antiq ue/Classic Division what it is today. Not without getting a ll choked u p and emotional abo ut it so I'll close wit h an " Over to You" - all of yo u, the cur rent, past and with great hopes for the future! Over to You, t( ~t(ck. ~
AeroMail Continued from page 3
Ale TIDBITS RED FLAG Dear Mr. Frautschy, With all of these great "A/C Tid bits" from Brad Hindall, there are two that raise a red flag. Both are near the bottom of page 25 of the April VIN TAGE AIRPLANE. First is the "bad boy" that states " ... to drill a clock spring . . . and melt the hole through with head and friction." In some very limited area this might be a usable concept. If it involves anything remotely connected to the structure, the user had better be prepared for a metal failure, as the area abuse this way has been annealed. As the metal flexes, it will crack through this hole . If anyone has already used this approach, then have it heat treated back up to spec. The other one concerns drilling stain less steel. The coolant method is OK , but fails to mention that the residue Ep som salts must be completely flushed off or the salt will attack the metal, and ac celerated corrosion will follow. Without going into a lengthy expla nation, small plane designers and me chanics usually only have to concern themselves with 300 and 400 series stain less. 300 is non-magnetic, and pretty difficult to work with. 400 is magnetic and is only slightly more difficult to work than mild steel. The toughness of stainless is derived from the content of nickel and chromium, plus other trace metals/compounds. If a cutting tool is allowed to "idle" the metal will "work harden" into a real mess. So have good properly sharpened tools, preferably with a constant feed device driving the cutter (not "Arm strong"). In 300 series Stainless, it is recom mended to use cobalt or Carbide cutters (prefer the latter) and always keep the chip formation constant. A good flow of coolant will reduce the metal temper ature at the point of cutting and is al ways preferable. Take care of yourself, and regards to all of the editorial staff. Congrats on the content of "Vintage." Cordially, Ted Businger Horseshoe Bend, AR
SEABEE ENGINE HElP DearH.G., First of all, thank you for taking the time to speak with me on the phone the other day. I enjoyed our conversation. As you know, I have a 1946 RC-3 Re public Seabee. It is powered by an old Franklin 6AS-215-BSF engine. Some later model Sea bees are powered by the 6AS-215-B9F engine. (The major differ
ence being a distributor which replaces one of the mags. There are other differ ences as well.) Some Seabees have been converted to the Lycoming GO-4S0 group of engines ranging in horsepower from 270 to 350. There are two multiple STC's, the most popular is by Simuflight of Seattle, WA. The Lycoming mod has higher hp, slower prop RPM (larger prop, more thrust, less noise) but there are CG. considerations, the engine can't be started in reverse (constant speed prop, oil pressure) and high cost of the conver sion. Plus, parts are now becoming diffi cult to find (but not as hard as the Franklin!). Some of the most difficult parts for the Franklin are the cylinder sleeves which are no longer available. This leads me to my quest. It is rumored that someone may be working on match ing Lycoming cylinders to the Franklin engine case. This is believed to be hap pening in Canada near Edmonton. I find this match most interesting and have thought about the e ngineering possibility from time to time. I don't know if this is workable, but I would like to know if anyone is indeed work ing to that end. Could any of our fellow EAA members shed some light on this? I'm trying to build up a spare engine for my Seabee and I do have many extra Franklin engi ne parts, but no cylinder sleeves. Is there anyone out there who will help me build up a nice, tight spare Franklin engine for my Seabee? Any help will be very much appreciated. If need be, I'll make up sleeves using FAR 21.303. How can I find Certification in formation data on Franklin engines? K.C Ostronik P.O. Box 996473
Miami, FL 33299
We hadn't heard ofthe Lycoming cylin der/Franklin case hybrid work, but that doesn't mean some enterprisingfellow up north ofthe border isn't hard at work with such a project. We 'd love to hear about it. As far as the blueprints for the Franklin are concerned, since the company was exported to Poland, it's doubtful that the information is still here in the States, but perhaps one of our Franklin aficionados can help in this area. Your can drop K.C a note at the above address, and send us a copy as well. - HGF
HALTERMAN AND WATSON DearH.G., Aviation lost a pair of giants this weekend at Bartlesville when Bill Wat son and John Halterman died in a midair collision. I knew Bill by reputa tion and a few seminars I attended; I knew John from one phone conversa tion and a chat with him at Bartlesville. Little time to know someone, yet I know the following to be absolute fact: When Bill and John began in avia tion , they knew nothing of airplanes.
They learned from the old heads. They built and flew airplanes until they be came old heads. They passed on some of their knowledge and love of airplanes to the rest of us. If we build and fly air planes and pass on our knowledge and love of airplanes to others, then Bill and John will live as long as wire braced wings and deep voiced engines rumble through the skies. There will be epitaphs, eulogies and plaques hung in buildings. These things are right and fitting and I applaud them. But the true monument to Bill and John will be complete when the sky over Bartlesville is dark with antique air planes and every inch of Frank Phillips Field is covered with cloth wings and oil dripping from the hot radials. Enough writing. I'm going to the air port to work on my project. Call me if you need help with yours. Sincerely, John McMurray Burkburnett, TX
... AND A BIT MORE William F. "Bill" Watson Yes, I knew Bill, and yes, his passing is a tragedy beyond description to me personally and the aviation community as a whole, but please allow me to take a positive look at this. Here was a man who was highly re spected in every phase of aviation. From flying antiques to executive jets or rebuilding aircraft and engines, he was tops and all who knew him admired and respected his work. His prime example of his varied abili ties was his Kreider-Reisner 31. He had studied and knew the OX-5 engine until he had a very dependable engine. In fact, he was probably as knowledgeable an expert on the OX-5 as there is today in the United States. He was always available to help when ever needed and freely gave of his time, skills and experience. This then leads us to think how many pilots are enjoying flight, how many engines are faithfully running, and how many aircraft are flying because of Bill. With a legacy such as this he will truly never leave us. Should we not then realize this man's life touched of greatness and what an ex ample he has set for all of us to follow . In celebration of his life let us rededi cate ourselves to promoting safety and pure enjoyment of flight. By so doing those of us lucky enough to have known him and received his instruction and help can in a small way keep his name and his dreams alive. There is a vast loneliness in the sky. Let's fill it with care and dedication in his name. M. C " Kelly" Viets.
Lyndon, Kansas
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25
Several ofthe J-1 's were converted to a five place version for the joyriders - four in front and pilot in back. The plane pictured may be a much improved Lincoln Standard Air Coach engineered in 1924 by Swen Swanson. Charles Day later designed the beauti ful 5-place New Standard (J-5 powered) which resembled the Brunner-Winkle Bird series. Best Regards, Charley Hayes EAA 5171, AIC 6289
by H.G. Frautschy September brings us thoughts of the coming fall season, and this month 's Mystery Plane, a shot from the EAA's Boeing Aeronautical Library Co llec tion, shows us another biplane, this time a little number with a four cylinder inline engine. I can't make out the logo on the tail, but perhaps it will jog some one's memory. I can tell you t hat we don 't have a positive Identification on this one, so it truly is a Mystery Plane to us as well. See what you can come up with in your archives! The June Mystery Plane stumped more than a couple of you - only Charley Hayes, of New Lenox, IL wrote a reply. Charley is one of our most con sistent enthusiasts of the Mystery Plane, and we can always count on him to send in a note. Here's what he found : Dear H.G.,
The aeroplane at the top ofpage 27 of
26 SEPTEMBER 1996
While we can't definitively pronounce VINTAGE AIRPLANE, June 1996 is basi the that this particular Standard was modified by so-and-so, Charley's answer cally the Charles Day designed J-1 Stan dard of WW I primary trainer and barn is certainly right on the mark. Have fun with this month's mystery! ... storming fame.
Modified Standard J-l
SEPT. 28-29 - ZANESVILLE, OH - John's Landing Airfield 5th Annual Fall Fly-In sponsored by EAA NC Chapter 22 of Ohio, Hog roast on the 28th, breakfast both days. Antique, classic, homebuilts, warbirds welcome. For more info call Virginia at
614/453-6889.
rJ'MNEWMA~ ~
Fly-In Calendar
The fol/owing list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of
information only and does not constitute approval, sponsorship, involvement, control
or direction of any event (fly-in, seminars, fly market, etc.) listed. Please send the
information to fAA, Att: Golda Cox, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Information
should be received four months prior to the event date.
SEPT. 20·21 • BARTLESVILLE, IL - Frank Phillips Field. 39th Annual Tulsa Regional Fly-In sponsored by EAA NC Chapter 10, AAA Chapter 2, EAA Chapter 10, EAA lAC Chapter 10 and the Green Country Ultralight Flyers. Call Charlie Harris for info: 918/622-8400. SEPT. 21·22 - ROCK FALLS, IL - Whiteside County Airport. (SQI). North Central EAA "Old Fashioned" Fly-In. Fly market, camping and food on field. Call Gregg Erikson, 708/513-0641 or Dave Christianson at 815/625-6556. Pancake breakfast Sept. 22 - 0700 - 1100. SEPT. 22 - WEYBRIDGE, SURRY, ENGLAND Brooklands Museum Fly-In. Contact: Julian C.
Temple or Peter Edmunds, Brooklands Museum Trust, 01932857381 or FAX 01932855465. SEPT. 22 - AURORA, IL - Fox Valley EAA Chapter 579 annual Fly-In and Open House. EAA ' s B-17 Aluminum Overcast" and Ford Trimotor are sched uled to appear, plus other antique, classic warbird and homebuilt aircraft. Pancake breakfast 7-noon, lunch from noon 'til 3 p.m. Pilots flying in with a full airplane receive free breakfast, and pilots participat ing in the flight demos receive a fuel discount. For info call Alan Shackleton, 708/466-4579. SEPT. 27-28 - SANTA YNEZ, CA - 8th Annual Western Waco Assoc. Reunion. Call Jon Aldrich, 209/962 6121 or Barry Branin, 714/545-1476 for info. H
SEPT. 28-29 - LEXINGTON, TN - Tennessee Tai/draggers 12th Annual Fly-In. 901/968-2864 or 901/968-4022 for info. OCTOBER 4-6 - REDDING, CA - Benton Field. EAA Chaper 157 Oktoberfest. Contacts: Bruce Taylor, 916/275-6456 or Armal Owens, 9 16/243-4382. OCTOBER 4-6 - DARLINGTON, SC - Darlington County Airport. EAA NC Chapter 3 Fall Fly-In. Ifo: Ray Bottom, Jr. 804/722-5056, FAX 804/873 3059. OCTOBER 9 - 13 - - SAN DIEGO, CA - Silver Wings Fraternity National Convention for those who soloed over 25 years ago. Open house and Fly-In, San Diego Aerospace Museum Annex, Gillespie Field. Pickup at Montgomery Field and Hanalei Hotel . For info call Marian Banks Prophett 619/272-7914 or 800/554-1437. OCTOBER 13 - TOWANDA, PA - Towanda airport (N27) Fly-In Breakfast - all you can eat. Eggs, sausage, pancakes, 100% pure maple syrup. 7 a.m. - I p.m. OCT. 13 - ZANESVILL E, OH - Riverside Airport. EAA Chapter 425 and the ARTHRITIS FOUNDA TlON Hog Roast. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Contact Don Wahl at 614/454-0003. OCTOBER 13 - WEYBRIDGE, SURRY, ENGLAND Brooklands Museum Fly-In. Contact: Julian C. Temple or Peter Edmunds, Brooklands Museum Trust, 01932857381 or FAX 01932 855465. OCT. 18-20 - KERRVILLE, TX - Southwest Regional Fly-In . For info call 800/221-7958. Vendors should call 210/914-3746. OCT. 18-20 - GURDON, AR - Forest Festival Air Expo. Call Mary Burns at 501/353-2514 or FAX 353-4348 for info. JANUARY 1, 1997 - NAPPANEE, IN - EAA Chapter 938 5th annual New Years Day Hangar Over Party/Fly-In. 11 :00 a.m. - 2 p.m.. For info call "Fast Eddie" Mil/eman, 219/546-4997.
New Members
Antonio A. Acosta ................ .. .... .. .Old Tappan, NJ
Jim Block ......................................... Evansville, IN
Frank E. Bregger ..............................Manchaca, TX
Norman E. Brown ...........................Grass Lake, MI
Noel C. Christensen Matraville, New South Wales,
Australia
David Clark ...........................................Yelm, WA
Wade J. Cline ............ .............................Reno, NV
Dan Cordes .......................................Boulder, CO
Kenneth E. Cu ller ...... ....................Henderson, NV
Frank R. Davis ...........................5alt Lake City, UT
Dave Dawley ......................... .............Jackson, MI
John A. Dean ........ ........................ San Manuel, AZ
Steve Denault ....................................... Normal, IL
Robert Duffy......................................5cranton, PA
Michael Eggert .. .......................... New Haven, MO
James J. Eldredge .................................. McCall, ID
Richard G. Evelyn ............................. Marietta, GA
James E. Fackler .................... ...Duarte, CA
William J. Felten ..................................... .5agle, ID
Douglas M. Fey .......... ........................ Oxford, OH
James L. Fisher....................................Copley, OH
Richard Francis ........ .. ................. N. Royalton, OH
Harold L. Frank.................... ..... ........... Rockton, IL Roger W. Gaebel ............................. Louisville, NE
Orville D. Gaither .............................. Houston, TX
Henry E. Goodearle ...... ... ................. Appleton, WI
William R. Grant......................................York, SC
Tamara G. Grobaski ......................Cheboygan, MI
Kerry Grunewald ................. Menomonee Falls, WI
Kurt E. Gustafson ..............................Janesville, WI
Jess G. Hami lton ............................ Patchogue, NY
Mark E. Harvey ..................................Kamuela, HI
Charl es H. Heide .................................Racine, WI
Martin A. Irvine ............ Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Joseph L. Jacobi ................................. Mexico, MO
James C. Jago ..... .. .... .. ........................Carolina, PR
Nathalie Johnson ................................. Albany, CA
Cynthia Kahn .. ... .. ................... Granite Springs, NY
Michael Lacree ............................. Hammerton, NJ
Linda L. Langenfeld Sollars .........Waynesboro, VA
D. A. Loesing ......................................Ca rmel, CA
Ronald C. Maggio .. .......................Buriingame, CA
Landon E. Mays .. ......................... .... Reidsville, NC
Wayne D. McLellan ..............................Naples, FL
Michael McRie ............................... Hamonton, NJ
Thomas A. Mi ller ..........................Vine Grove, KY
Thomas G. Minder ......................... Burnsville, MN
Patrick B. Mitchell ...West Lorne, Ontario, Canada Don Nelson ......................................... Blaine, WA
Richard Ogg ................................5an Lorenzo, CA
Paul H. Peterson ......... .. ....... White Bear Lake, MN
Robert W. Proulx .................. ....... Fort Collins, CO
War Reese .......... ...................... ... ... ...Lebanon, TN
George H. Richmond, Jr............. .........Omaha, NE
Kevin M. Rock ................................. Bettendorf, IA
Dave Rosenblum ................................ .5uffern, NY
John L. Roy..................... ................Redmond, WA
John E. Salisbury ... .... ............................ Gurnee, IL
John R. Saxton ...... .. ........................Arlington , WA
Paul W. Schattauer ...................... .Dunwoody, GA
Timothy G. Shaw.......................... lndianapolis, IN
Mike Shores...... .... ............................Leucadia, CA
Ron Simmons ........................ ........... Bountiful, UT
Richard L. Snaer ... ......................... La Conner, WA
William Stackhouse ............................Arcadia, CA
Bret J. Sutton .......................................Seattle, WA
Dave A. Tarpley ............................. .5avannah, GA
Dennis L. Taylor ... .......................... Harwinton, CT
William Terkeurst, Jr.... ...... .... ......Hazel Green, AL
Ben Torres ...........................................Caguas, PR
Dennis L. Vander Kuur ...................Northbrook, IL
Hobert C. Welch, Jr. ...... .................... Cordova, TN
John W. Wiliiams............................Arl ington, WA
...
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27
The Board ofDirectors of Ocean Reef Club
Key Largo, Florida
cordially invites you to attend
ThE
3RD ANNuAL VINTAGE WEEKEND
December 6th,7th and 8th, 1996
Honoring classic conveyances by air, land, and sea
~
and including
~
The Antique and Classic Airplane Fly-in
The Concourse d'Elegance ofAutomobiles
- - - - --%,
The Antique and Classic Yacht Rendezvous
R S VP
Participation includes welcoming L'Ocktail party in a private home Friday evening; Saturday day-long celebration ofboats, cars, and planes; genuine Maine lobster bake Saturday evening with special fllest Maine humorist Tim Sample; fJ1vards and farewell breakfast Sunday morning. $150 per pmon
Marcy Kilby - (305) 367-5874
by November 1Sf
Bemuse Ocean Reef Club is a private
club, The Vintage Weekend is open only
to members and invited fltests staying
in the Inn or Marina.
OCEAN REEF CLUB'
31
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MEMBERSHIP
INFORMATION
EAA Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is $35 for one year, including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION. Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually. Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually. All major credit cards accepted for membership.
ANTIQUE/CLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique/ Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIR PLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year. EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE mag azine and one year membership in the EAA Antique/Classic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included).
lAC Current EAA members may join the Intemational Aerobatic Club, Inc. Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year. EAA Membership, SPORT AEROBATICS maga zine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included).
WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WAR BIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year. EAA Membership, WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included).
EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year. EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included).
FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars. Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine and/or $6 postage for any of the other magazines.
I~
I" I~
EAA AVIATlON CENTER P.O. box 3086 Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 WEB SITE http://www.eaa.org E-MAIL Vintage @ eaa.org PHONE (414) 426-4800 FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS: 8:15-5:00 mon.-fri. 1-800-843-3612 MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS.
30 SEPTEMBER 1996
Something to buy, sell or trade? An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part. .40¢ per word, $6.00 minimum charge. Send your ad and payment to: Vintage Trader, fAA Aviation Center, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086, or fax your ad and your credit card number to 414/426-4828. Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e.g., October 20th for the December issue.)
AIRCRAFT 1950 CaliAir A.2, Rare, one of 36. STOl 150 lycoming, 620 SCMOH. 100 hrs. since com pleteAF rebuild. 315/677-9900. (1101)
MISCELLANEOUS SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture, STC-PMA-d, 4130 chromoly tub ing throughout, also complete fuselage repair. ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC. (J. Soares, Pres.), 7093 Dry Creek Road, Belgrade, Montana 59714, 406/388-6069, FAX 406/388 0170. Repair station No. QK5R148N. (0387)
Freshly Minted Aeronca hubcaps and metal placards/label plates. SASE for information: 7 AC Specialties, 835 New london Turnpike, Stonington, CT 06378. (1004) ATTENTION AVIATION ART COLLECTORS! Add style, class and prestige to your collec tion by adding a selection from: Ferris, Kodera, Galloway (& many more). Acquiring prints and originals from the masters is easy and affordable through American Aviation Art. Call now, 1/900/950-2233 and order your 3 .5" PC diskette screensaver/catalog for $7.95, receive valuable discounts, visit us www.amavart.com (0991) FOR SALE: Unused Graham lee Nieuport 11/17 Plans. $125. 315/866-8629 evenings.
FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos. How to, building and restoration tips, historic, flying and entertainment titles. Call for a free catalog. EAA,1-800-843-3612. Ragwing Replicas Ultralight legal Aircamper, Heath, Pitts, Duster, Triplane. Plans $52. Brochure $3. P. O. Box 39, Townville, SC 29689. (0400) Original Brass Tip Spark Plugs C-26 Champion, new $19.00; military reconditioned $7.50 to $12.00. Tom , 770/478-2310. (0359) The Luscombe Foundation supports luscombes with full service factory data. "WIN ME" restored Luscombe tickets $40 each or 3/$100. Most parts and factory support ser vices available. Will meet or beat all legitimate commercial sources in price , selection and quality. All proceeds preserve the Luscombe heritage through development of a museum & archives. 602/917-0969, P. O. Box 63581 , Phoenix, AZ. 85082. (0657)
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Babbit Bearing Service - Camshaft regrinding, cam followers reground, piston rings, piston pins, valves. For shipping instructions, call 1/800/233-6934. Jack H. Bunton, Machinist, Vintage Engine Machine Works, N. 604 Freya, Spokane, WA 99202. (11/96)
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31
Gr Richard Spiege'
Began flying December 1946 (15 years old) in a Luscombe 8A at Douglas Field (O'Hare)
Flew to Cuba before Castro's rule in a rented Tri-Pacer Purchased 10 planes over the last 25 years Chicago Police Officer, 34 years, retired
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