VA-Vol-27-No-8-Aug-1999

STRAIGHT & LEVEU Espie "Butch" Joyce 2

AlC NEWS

3

AEROMAIL

4 VAA WORK PARTY WEEKEND 5

THIRTY FIVE YEARS AT THE OUTER MARKER! Dutch Redfield

10 WRONG WAY CORRIGAN REMEMBERED/ John Underwood

14 POP's ROCKET/ H. G. Frautschy

18 TIME - BUILDER DELUXE! Budd Davisson

22 MYSTERY PLANE! H.G. Frautschy

24 PASS IT TO BUCK! E. E. "Buck" Hilbert

27 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS 28 CALENDAR

Publisher

TOM POBEREZNY

Editor-in-Chief

JACK COX

Editor

HENRY G. FRAUTSCHY

Managing Editor

GOLDA COX

Contributing Editor

JOHN UNDERWOOD

Computer Graphic Specialists

BETH BLANCK

Photography Staff

JIM KOEPNICK

LEEANN ABRAMS

MARK SCHAIBLE

Advertising/Editorial Assistant

ISABELLE WISKE

SEE PAGE 30 FOR FURTHER VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INFORMATION

STRAIGHT & LEVEL

by ESPIE "BUTCH" JOYCE PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAR ASSOCIATION

I love my little Luscombe and enjoy flying it a lot, but I also have a "business plane" I use on a regular basis. It was looking a bit ragged recently. (Okay, I hear you - sometime it looked downright tired!) The Baron has been at the paint shop since I dropped it off at Hawk Aircraft Painting, located at the Vanden­ burg airport in Tampa, FL. I dropped it off during Sun 'n Fun, and I picked it up a couple of weeks ago. They did a very fine job. The paint scheme is a custom design I had been working on for several years. For most of us, it is a few years between paint jobs, and you forget about little things you watch for. Rain, for instance.

It seems that every time I have flown the Baron since the new paint job, I have had to deal with rain showers. It's been a contest between Mother Nature and myselfto see ifI will be able to keep all of that new paint in place. I'll keep you posted on how the score is going.

Unfortunately, there ' s been some sad news related to the deaths of some well known aviators, most notably Don Engen, the head of the National Air & Space Museum, and Apollo l2 and Skylab astronaut Charles "Pete" Conrad. In our immediate com­ munity, noted aviation artist Sam Lyons was involved in an accident while returning from the Piper gathering in Lock Haven, PA. He had an accident with his Piper J-3 and sadly, he lost his wife Vickie in the crash and was himself badly injured. Sam is on the long road to recovery. We all are saddened by Sam's loss and wish him a speedy recovery.

While these losses were the result of accidents, the passing over the past year of Stan Gomoll and George York were due in part to our aging as a group. It seems I've had to write about this sort of thing more often recently as we all get older. It is most im­ portant that each of us educate some of the younger people hanging around the airport about the fun, education, and pure pleasure that comes from owning and flying the older aircraft.

Let's share our enthusiasm!

One of the greatest benefits new and younger pilots can receive by becoming a member of the Vintage Aircraft Association is the education about our class of aircraft by reading the membership magazine "Vintage Airplane."

Sure, other newsstand magazines do occasionally have an arti­ cle or two about Antiques, Classics, and Contemporary aircraft, but they often don't do it as well or have the "heart" it takes to cover it as we do for you, our members. The more people you en­ courage to join the Vintage Aircraft Association, the more you as a member will benefit as well.

In this month's "Vintage Airplane" we offer an article about the Johnson Rocket which is owned by Leonard McGinty. This aircraft has been beautifully restored and was the first Johnson

Rocket ever built. While the few other Rockets built are Classic airplanes, when judged this one qualifies as an Antique, as it was built during 1942, well before the September I, 1945 cutoff date.

Leonard even tries to keep this aircraft out of the rain on the ground. I would too!

John Underwood will be writing future articles for your plea­ sure, and this month his contribution is a very interesting article on Doug "Wrong Way" Corrigan. You can look forward to more in­ teresting and informative articles by John. We're also proud to announce we'll be treated to the writing skills of Budd Davisson. I have had the pleasure of knowing Budd for a number of years.

I've read his articles with great interest in other magazines, and look forward to his writings in Vintage Airplane on a regular ba­ sis. Enjoy. There will be more to come from him.

I'll be writing more about the happenings at EAA AirVenture '99 in the September issue. For some of you reading this at the an­ nual Fly-In and Convention, I'd like to welcome you and encourage you to interact with your Directors and Officers. Check at the Information booth in the VAA Headquarters "Red Bam" and they'll be able to direct you to the right person.

For the vast majority of you, this is your vacation trip, and as volunteers we're here to help everyone have fun and enjoy the show. If there is any way any of your Officers, Directors, Advi­ sors, and Chairmen can help your stay be more pleasant, please let us know.

You can always find me by checking in at the Red Bam. If I am not there, you can always reach me by cell phone, which the volunteers at the Info Desk can call for you. Next to the Red Bam are two stationary events you do not want to miss. The first is the tent where you will fmd helpful information regarding rebuilding projects. Also in this area is an ongoing metal shaping demo, where you can get hands-on experience, too. Right next door is the Type Club headquarters, where, for many of you, you can kib­ itz with your favorite type club folks.

Finally, I'd like to close with some great news. Some of you may know that long-time Director Jeannie Hill's husband Dick has been very ill for the past year and he required a very serious operation in order to regain his health. The latest report I have re­ ceived is that he has had this operation performed and is on the road to recovery. I am very happy to hear this news and wish him the best. Should you wish to drop Dick a note, you can do so at the following address: Dick Hill, P.O. Box 328, Harvard, IL 60033 We're pulling for you, Dick and Jeannie!

Let's all pull in same direction for the good of aviation. Re­ member we are better together. Join us and have it all. .....

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

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VAANEWS compiled by H.G. Frautschy

500,000 YOUNG EAGLES Steve Buss, EAA's Director ofthe Young Eagles Program, has announced that the 500,000th Young Eagle has been entered in the "World's Largest Logbook." The mile­ stone was reached by the flight of Young Eagle Steven Ward of Medina, Ohio. 10­ year-old Steven was flown on International Young Eagles Day (June 12, 1999) by long­ time Flight Leader Leroy Tunnell of Akron, Ohio. Leroy has been with the Young Ea­ gles Program since August of 1992 and has personally flown nearly 500 Young Eagles.

Our congratulations to Leroy, and to all of you who have given your time and talents to the Young Eagles Program, we also say "Thanks!"

SOUTH WEST REGIONAL FLY-IN www.swrfi.comis the new web site ad­ dress for the EAA South West Regional Fly-In, and it is chock full of all sorts of in­ formation on the event, which takes place October 14-16, and will include an airshow, as well as access to the Dyess Air Force

THE COVERS FRONT COVER . .. When he was 14 years old, Len McGinty just knew he'd own aJohnson Rocket, and sure enough, he has one now! His is the prototype, and is the only one of the 18 or 19 built with aconventional landing gear. EM photo by Mark Schaible, shot with a Canon EOS1 nequipped with an 80-200 mm lens. EAA Cessna 210 photo plane flown by Bruce Moore.

BACK COVER . .. To commemorate the arrival at EM AirVenture '99 of one of the Golden Age's most beloved de­ signs, we present the artwork of Bob O'Hara. "Airport Kid's First Flight­ Pietenpol Camper" is apen and ink/wa­ tercolor illustration featuring one of the fi rst plans-bu iIt homebu iIts, Bern ie Pietenpol's handy little flivver powered by a Ford Model Aengine. You can reach Bob at PO Box 1438, George­ town, CA 95634.

2 AUGUST 1999

Base Open House on Sunday. Pilots who fly to SWRFI will be able to fly into Dyess AFB after attending an approach and arrival briefing. There will be a performance of the Air Force Thunderbirds at the Dyess AFB Open House.

For information, see the SWRFI web site or call 800/727-7704.

BIPLANE FLY-IN AWARDS The National Biplane Association's Bi­ plane Expo as staged in Bartlesville, OK on June 4-5 was highly successful according to its chairman, Charles W. Harris, and Expo Director Virgil Gaede.

The wide variety of biplanes, aircraft dis­ plays, exhibits, forums, tributes, Biplane Museum tours and awards provided contin­ uous interest to the attending pilots and aviation buffs.

Some 309 aircraft of all types attended during the two/three day event, 95 of which were biplanes.

Biplanes from all parts of the nation at­ tended including those from New Jersey, California, Washington, Georgia, as well as the Gulf coast. The Longest Distance in an Open Cockpit Biplane award went to pilot Gary Fasnacht and owner/passenger Ron Smyth who flew more than 1,700 miles from Olympia, WA in Ronnie's beautiful 1940 N2S2 Stearman, N59463.

Mr. Smyth, who is an avid aviation and flying booster, is blind.

While the biplanes were the prime focus of the annual Expo, the 1999 honored guest, Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., Brigadier General, USAF, ret. and pilot of the legendary B-29, Enola Gay, commanded extraordinary atten­ tion. General Tibbets was hosted at a dinner in his honor on Thursday evening, June 3, and again in an honors tribute to him on June 4. General Tibbets proved to be an ex­ traordinarily popular personality with the biplane owners and pilots.

EAA Vintage Aircraft Directors attend­ ing included Buck Hilbert, Fleet owner; Phil Coulson, Waco owner; Charlie Harris, Pitts owner; Gene Morris, former Travel Air owner; Dale Gustafson, Stearman project owner; Gene Chase, and former directors Ke lly Viets, Travel Air owner; and Jack Winthrop, Waco owner.

The National Biplane Association was formed in 1987 and is dedicated to the preservation and the historical legacy ofbi­ plane aircraft.

Information on the National Biplane As­ soc. is available at PO Box 470350, Tulsa, OK 74147, 918/665-0755 and on their web site at www.biplaneexpo.com.

The awards presented include:

Open Cockpit Grand Champion 1928 Laird LCB-200, NC 6906 Bob Howie, Decatur, lL Ken Love, pilot

Open Cockpit Reserve Grand Champion 1930 Waco RNF, N686Y Bob Howie, Decatur, lL Cabin Biplane Grand Champion 1939 Waco YKS-7, N20905 Grapevine, TX Cabin Biplane Reserve Grand Champion 1937 Waco YKS-7, NC17474 Mark Harter, Belleville, lL Robert P. Moore Memorial Award 1941 Boeing A75NI, N5635V Ken Volk, Argyle, TX Chairman's Choice Award 1940 Navy N3N-3, N45033 Russ Mayberry, Owner, Ft. Collins, CO Dale Miller, Pilot DON ENGEN Don Engen (EAA 579174), longtime aviation enthusast and the current head of the National Air and Space Museum, was killed in the in-flight breakup of a motor­ glider in which he was passenger. Also killed in the crash was Soaring Society of America member and well-known soaring pilot William Evans (EAA 373684).

Engen started his aviation career in the CPT program as a young naval recruit, and soloed a J-3 Cub on August 6, 1942. He went on to a long career as a Naval Officer, retiring as a vice admiral as deputy CIC-At­ lantic Command and U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

He served as the Piper Aircraft's gen­ eral manager, as well as careers with the NTSB and with AOPA, and became the FAA Administrator in 1984, during the Reagan administration.

Perhaps Don Engen's most lasting legacy in aviation will be the groundwork he had been laying for the construction of the Dulles annex of the NASM, which he has headed since 1996. Envisioned as a complex able to house the massive aircraft which comprise a portion of the NASM inventory, the annex will also include restoration shops, "completing" the NASM, which is the most popular mu­ seum in Washington, DC, far outpacing the other museums in terms of attendence.

His vision and leadership on that project will be sorely missed. .....

MORE ON LINDBERGH Mr. Lee Ballard, H.G., et aI, I very much appreciate your taking the time to comment on what I wrote about Berg's book and to add a bit more to my Lindbergh logs. Always glad to know somebody reads my stuff and the comments on his flights in the F-80Bs were a bonus.

However, I have to tell you that CAL did indeed resign his commission in the Air Corps Re­ serve. Had he not done so FDR undoubtedly would have found a way to terminate his services.

This did not stop him from fly­ ing military aircraft as a tech rep for various companies.

Lindbergh logged his first jet time in the YP-59A at Patuxent River Naval Air Station on or about 16 October 1944 . .. at night! He didn't want to buck the line and by the time his turn came up it was dark.

He first flew the P-80A at Eglin AFB on 7 March 1948, logging one 50-minute flight.

The next day he flew the FP-80 for 45 minutes.

I wish there was some way to pin down the date CAL flew your F-80Bs. Likewise, a copy of his sign-off would be a treasure.

I'm going to undertake a search to see if by chance the AF archives contain records not previously ac­ cessed.

Sincerely, John Underwood Glendale, CA E-2 PROSE Dear "Butch:" Enclosed is a poem my wife Mignon wrote about our E-2 Tay­ lor Cub SIN 27, NC12607 borne October 10, 1931. It was rebuilt

by Carl Lindsey a few years back.

He lives in Circleville, Ohio. This

Silver Clouds and Green Fields

The clouds were silver,

The fields were green.

A father and son

Pushed out their machine,

An B-2 Cub

As trim as could be

With a Continental engine

running free.

aircraft is powered by Continental A-40 SIN 650. It runs well and is flown regularly. It's not fast (60 miles/hour) but is a real fun bird to fly. It is currently hangared in New Middletown, Ohio on our farm, but is usually hangared in New Carlisle, Ohio near Dayton, Ohio.

I had seen some very nice po­ ems published in VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and thought you might like to add this to your collection, maybe even put it in one of your issues.

Sincerely, Bob Taylor Tipp City, OH

With son in the cockpit­ Dad spinning the prop The engine started and ran like a top.

A grass strip in the country Where free men can fly For the pure joy of flying As in days long gone by - Mignon Beight Taylor, 1997

A NOTE OF THANKS

Dear Folks, As a pilot who counts his tail wheel hours in the hundreds rather than the thousands, thanks to Mr. Gomoll for this article on tailwheel flying in the June issue. I, and perhaps others, could benefit from more shared observations on the nuances of tailwheel operations which those with more experience might be willing to share.

Best Regards, Mike Merlo VAA28340 Chicago,IL VINTAGE AIRPLANE

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VAA Work party Weekend

VAA Volunteer Power Gets the Job Done!

by Bob Brauer Over the weekend of June 12, fourteen volunteers "rained" down onto our Oshkosh facilities from all directions to give of their talents and to challenge the elements - rain, heat, humidity, and what was left was the finest central Wis­ consin weather you could imagine.

Everyone was on hand all three days to work a variety of tasks, including paint touch up ( a couple of gallons worth) eight new windows for the sales area, and a bridge over the creek south of the V AA Headquarters near the Antique showers.

Director John Berendt was the dirt doctor heading up the bridge effort and ended the effort by proclaiming "It's a Bridge!"

Activities were painting, caulking, nailing unneeded openings shut, prying required areas open, and everything in between!

When I look at our checklist of things that had to be done that weekend, we ac­ complished most of what we set out to do. A little sweat and lots of satisfaction and smiles did it all. Given our high ex­ pectations, it '''taint bad."

Accommodations were in the EAA Volunteer bunkhouse, or whatever suited the volunteer, depending on their circum­ stances. When it came to feeding our fold, on Friday and Saturday evenings we enjoyed the greatest gourmet hospitality of Bob Lumley and Paul Poberezny. We sure had a great time together!

For more good volunteer times, there are a lot more tasks to do. If you're read­ ing this at EAA AirVenture, feel free to stop at the Volunteer Booth and let us know when you're available, or check with us for projects slated later in the year and next spring.

V AA Work Weekend Roster John Berendt, Cannon Falls, MN; Tim Fox, Ft. Wayne, IN; Clair Dahl, Rolling Prairie, MN; Don Christensen, Albert Lea, MN; Clete Cisler, Green Bay, WI ; Bob Lumley, Brookfield, WI; Bob Brauer, Chicago, IL, Dale Gustafson, In­ dianapolis, IN; Phil Blake, Albert Lea, MN; Roger Gomoll, Rochester, MN; Dick Mouldenhauer, Brookfield, WI; Mary McClaud, Delafield, WI; Georgia Schneider, Milwaukee, WI; Geoff Robi­ ...... son, New Haven, IN. 4

AUGUST 1999

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Tim Fox, (left) and Phil Blake spent some of their time forming concrete.

Mary McCiaud, Dick Mouldenhauer and (Iete Cisler all put in time with paint brush­ es after the new windows were installed.

The crew tests the new pedestrian bridge ­ we hope everybody finds it useful!

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ears

Outer Marker The last segment in the series of Dutch Redfield's early career in aviation during the heady years before WW-II.

Barnstorming and Winter Fun Except for a few odd jobs, my first and former boss at Salt City Aviation had been an unemployed aviator ever since the company had boarded its doors closed to business.

On a late summer day, Mac came to see my new boss, Bill Heffernan, to arrange chartering the black and red Waco F for a flight north for a day of barnstorming at the Canton Fair in upstate New York. A few days later Jim Heffernan (Bill's brother) and I climbed into the small front cockpit of the Waco to help Mac sell sightsee­ ing flights at the fair.

We had a very busy day, Mac car­ ried many passengers, and at sunset it was decided to call it quits. It was an hour's flight home and Jim and I sug­ gested putting some gas in before we left; but without shutting down the engine, or leaving the cockpit, Mac looked at the two gauges suspended from the upper wing center section and announced that we had sufficient fuel. They did show full; however, the gauges were at the very back of the tanks and a few minutes later when we were airborne and leveled off on our heading home , they read only 1/8 full and were bouncing on the bottom. We kept going.

Being late summer, darkness was falling rapidly. Over our shoulders we could see Mac behind us in the rear cockpit eying the gauges with a now concerned look. Suddenly he snapped the throttle back and shouted forward, "We're going to have to land while I can see something!"

See something? In the fast-fading light, all I could see was dark forest below. With what light there was I just didn't know how Mac ever was going to find a clearing and 1 could see but little during the descent as front cockpit occupants sat very low in the Waco's forward cockpit. But Jim, who was 6 foot 3, sat high enough and was able to see a little bit anyway. His reports of, "The field's too short! Does he see the apple tree?

I hope he misses those boulders," etc. did little to ease my anxiety.

We just cleared a low fence and with a "whump" we were firmly down. As the landing gear picked up its load, the sounds coming from un­ derneath were frightful as the Waco rolled, skidded, bounced and banged across the rocky and very un level clearing, and finally in a 180-degree ground loop with the lower wing tip just brushing the grass tops, came to a halt with the right lower wing only

inches from a heavy rail fence. The Warner ticked over in its usual beauti­ ful idle.

Mac said, "You guys go get me ten gallons of any kind of gas you can find, and get back here as fast as you can." But first in the failing light, Jim and 1 walked at the wing tips and care­ fully led him as he taxied the "F" on a very zigzag route around clumps of rocks and very rough terrain, back to what was thought by all of us to be the best side of the clearing from which to start a takeoff. How Mac had ever avoided these obstacles on landing and almost in the dark, I don't know. Perhaps it was luck.

Jim and I left Mac and the now silent Waco and trudged up a winding dirt road in the dark . We were soon banging on the door of a lantern-illu­ minated farm where we persuaded a farmer to drive us in his Ford Model "A" truck a few miles down the road to a nearby four corners general store which he told us had a gasoline pump.

Here we slowly hand-pumped ten gal­ lons of Blue Sunoco into our tins, then went back in and paid the grocer, who was closing up for the night.

While we were gone, Mc Glynn, in the dark, had methodically walked over his intended takeoff path across

by Holland "Dutch" Redfield VINTAGE AIRPLANE

5

Wright-powered Stinson cabin the small clearing, tossing aside monoplane, Wright-powered some smaller rocks, tree branches Waco straight wing biplane, Cur­ and kicking level large clods of tiss Robin cabin monoplane, dirt. By himself he had carefully deHavilland Moth biplane, Stin­ repositioned the Waco so it headed son Reliant cabin monoplane and down this best path. a Waco cabin biplane.

In the beams of the farmer's The Private Pilot's flight test in truck, I perched on the forward 1935 amounted to spin recovery spar of the upper-wing center sec­ demonstrations, three spot land­ tion and poured in the two ings, then a short flight with the five-gallon tins of fuel that Jim Department of Commerce Aero­ hoisted to me. When completed, nautical Inspector.

It was Mac said to us, "I'm making this customary for the inspector to first takeoff alone; you fellows get your spins and your spot home the best way you can." Then carbon sparks emanating from observe landings from a safe spot on the he clambered into the rear cockpit, ground, then he would climb in lit a fresh cigarette and snugged and go flying with you. his belt tight as I pulled the pro­ the now fast-receding cherry red Heffernan's Waco F, which I peller through to start the engine. wished to use for the major part Jim and I were filled with ap­ of my flight check, just would not prehension as we leaned against exhaust stacks of each of the do a good tail spin. It fought you the top fence rail just outside of all the way, resulting in a majes­ the prop stream while Mac tic tight spiral that bore little warmed up the popping Warner.

Warner's seven cylinders. resemblance to an actual spin.

At last he was ready and gave us a slight wave as he opened the throt­ Ernie Hannam allowed me use of his Standard biplane for the spin tle wide, then released the brakes. portion of my check. It was desig­ We were directly behind now as the arrived home at 3 a.m.

The next day the airplane was in its nated as a trainer and spun and Waco bumped and trundled away, rapidly picking up speed with its light usual spot in the hangar. Except for recovered beautifully.

To precipitate a tail spin, engine load. We could smell the warm com­ much spattered mud that took a while bustion smells and perceive the perfect to clean off, the airplane was unharmed. power is reduced to idle, then the ex­ Besides my association with Hef­ isting altitude held by gradually ring of blue exhaust flames and the trails of hot carbon sparks emanating fernan Flying Service, I was also increasing the wings' angle of attack from the now fast-receding cherry red doing any kind of work on anyone's to the diminishing airstreams, contin­ exhaust stacks of each of the Warner's airplane that might need doing, any­ uing until speed is insufficient for thing that would earn me even a few further lift and controlled flight. The seven cylinders. wings stall and with a shudder the There were no running lights be­ minutes flying time.

If I was owed any flying and one of nose falls, despite full nose up eleva­ cause their hotshot dry battery was long ago dead from disuse. Faintly these planes that I had worked on had tor and the control stick full back.

At this point full rudder in the de­ outlined in the exhaust's receding been out flying and already warmed flickering glow were framed the in­ up, I'd be awaiting its return and of­ sired direction of spin is applied and board portions of the upper and lower ten be able to get in a short flight diving rotation in a full stall com­ wing panels with their bracing struts before it was pushed back in the mences as the wing falls, then and wires. As the plane jounced and hangar. I might be owed for a valve continues to fall, away from the air­ smashed and slammed across the setting job, a rocker arm grease job, a plane's longitudinal axis. This is small clearing, Mac's helmeted head mud cleaning job, sick passenger referred to as auto rotation and will continue as long as full up elevator could be seen alternately peering out cleanup, or whatever.

In a little over a year and a half, by and full rudder are held. A shudder­ one side, then the other, while the lowered elevators raised the small tail dint of my own efforts, I had accumu­ ing, corkscrewing, tail-high rapidly wheel but a few inches so the rapidly lated the necessary 40 hours for my rotating descent at very high descent accelerating supporting wings could Private Pilot License. My logbook rate occurs. shows that very few of my flights ex­ While spinning, orientation is quite ease Mac's wild ride.

Finally, everything seemed to ceeded 15 or 20 minutes. In March difficult as the terrain below and about is quite blurred. To stop a spin, nose smooth out as the flickering ring of 1935 I took the flight test.

At this stage I had flying time in down elevator is applied, this despite blue was seen to climb and rapidly di­ minish in size. But there was no turn 15 different airplanes- Bird biplane, the already rotational diving attitude, back or traditional buzzing of the field two different Waco Fs, Buhl Air and at the same time opposite rudder and the Waco turned south and quickly Sedan, Taylor Cub trainer, Aeronca to direction of spin is used. The wings disappeared in the night. Jim and I trainer, Lycoming powered Stinson are thus again presented to the thumbed rides to the nearest town, Junior cabin monoplane, Fleet bi­ airstreams at a now-reduced angle of where we caught a midnight bus. We plane, New Standard biplane, J-5 attack which is sufficient for resump­ 6 AUGUST 1999

tion of lift and responsive flight, and spin rotation stops with the airplane in a steep but slow speed dive , from which level flight is easily resumed.

Precision spins, as called for on the flight test, require that recovery be made on the same heading, or, a head­ ing exactly opposite that entered after one, one and a half, two, or three turns.

Following demonstration of my spins in Ernie 's Standard, I climbed into the Waco F to fly the rest of my test. The inspector laid out a large cardboard marker on the grass and I was told while at 1,000 feet and flying downwind abeam the airport and this marker, I was to close the throttle and with idling engine make turning and descent adjustments so as to glide un­ powered to touchdown, within a few feet of the mark. Side slips, an effec­ tive means of rapidly losing altitude without gaining airspeed , were per­ mitted but it was understood that use of the idling engine was disqualifying.

Then, from 1,500 feet and while fly-

into the rear cockpit, explained what we were going to next do, climbed into the front cockpit of the Waco, waggled the controls and pulled his goggles down as we taxied away .

Since my first solo, I had had very little instruction. I had flown around the field accompanied by other pilots while being observed for competency to fly their airplane, but I was ob­ served, not instructed. Many of these checkouts were given by private pilots themselves and they were not instruc­ tors . In fact, there was no such thing as an instructor's license for some years to come.

We took off and the inspector hand signaled me away from the airport.

Then he turned and shouted instruc­ tions to do something, but I didn't understand . In frustration he pulled the throttle back and the exhaust popped as the Warner quieted . He shouted again, "Do a pylon eight!"

My gosh; I had never done a pylon eight! However, I made a feeble try,

with a few remarks about practicing some pylon eights. Later, the govern­ ment and my airline were to require flight checks as a demonstration of airmanship capabilities every six months, this continuing over a span of many years. To fly well is satisfying to all airmen, and I always enjoyed these checks. How many other pro­ fessions demand that you prove every six months that you can still do it?

Merrill Phoenix had been awarded a contract to fly local newspapers to upstate towns when highways were impassable following winter storms, and Merrill used the J-5 Whirlwind Stinson for these fl ights because its large diameter wire wheels and nar­ row tires easily cut through deeper snow and drifts. Often, Barb June or I would accompany him when upstate airports were too badly drifted to risk a landing. As Merrill flew low across the field, our job was to shove bale af­ ter bale of newspapers out the partially opened cabin door.

He shouted again, liDo a pylon eight!" My gosh: I had never done a pylon eight!

ing directly into the wind over the spot, I was to make a full 360-degree power-off gliding turn to a landing.

This was to be followed by an unpow­ ered two-turn spiral glide to the landing spot from 2,500 feet.

Because in those days every time anyone flew they practiced nothing but takeoffs and landings, and because I seldom flew flights that were long enough to get very far away from the airport pattern, this spot landing part of the test seemed easy to me. 1 guess without knowing I had been continu­ ally practicing for this part of the test on several different airplanes with great variations in glide performance.

However, let there be no doubt that I did feel the pressure of being watched by the inspector, as well as everyone else on the airport. When the inspector was in town on his monthly visit from Buffalo, there were always big turnouts to observe and shoot the breeze at the corner of the hangar on flight test days . And I felt more concern when the Depart­ ment of Commerce inspector leaned

not having the slightest idea of what I was doing, or should do. After a few minutes he shook the stick with exas­ peration and took over the controls.

He then demonstrated a graceful fig­ ure eight pattern around a barn and then around a tree that he pointed out to me as we circled . With carefully planned compensation for the mild crosswind, he flew as I had seen a fig­ ure skater making an eight-shaped pattern on the ice. It was nice to watch and he flew the patterns well.

He shook the stick again and mo­ tioned for me to try it. This was fun and I seemed to have no trouble flying over the same fence line intersections, hay mounds and dirt roads as he had done, because as he had flown I had watched his track closely and then flown so as to make good an identical one. The pylons happened to stay in the middle of each end of my looping eights as I flew around one pylon, then the other.

This was an early introduction to flight checks and some precision fly­ ing . I passed this first flight check

I had flown north with him one blowy morning because the drifts had been reported as too deep to risk a landing. Merrill had to make several passes past the unoccupied drifted-in hangar outside Watertown, while I forced open the cabin door against the powerful propeller stream and pushed bundle after bundle over the side , watching them plow to a stop in a cloud of rooster-tailed snow.

In a short while we turned south for home and I squeezed back into the wicker seat alongside Merrill to catch my breath. But the sky ahead looked very ominous and wide dark streaking bands showed precipitation falling from the clouds. The overcast was be­ coming lower and heavier and specks of rain began spattering the windshield in a rising crescendo. We were soon flying only a few hundred feet above dark and dense woods. Beneath, the leafless tree branches silhouetted the grayed white of several feet of older snow, mirroring the darkness of the low-hanging, bulging clouds and the cold rain just overhead.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

7

We were forced lower and lower by the heavying clouds and the Stin­ son's wing knifed through their gray lower fringes. The windshield had glazed over and it was now impossi­ ble to see except out the side cabin windows. We were in freezing rain.

Merrill was intent and grim faced as he flew and the Stinson was not equipped with the basics for instru­ ment flying . His only flight instrument was a compass which Merrill closely observed, dividing his attention out the side window for flight orientation.

The Whirlwind sputtered and the control for heat to the carburetor was pulled full out lest the venturied fuel intake passages clog with wet ice, starving the cycling cylinders of their vaporized mixtures of combustion.

The wired wheels skimmed low above the bared treetops as Merrill fought to maintain contact with the ground. The wings' leading edges and lower surfaces had now become ice sheathed. Ice was building rapidly and the powerful lift of the airfoils was steadily weakening as the ugliness of ragged ice deflected and distorted the airstream's curving flows, and drag was compounding as the wings' attack an­ gles to the flowing airstreams were increased for the regaining of lift that was deteriorating due to the steadily di­ minishing airspeed.

I held the aeronautical chart for Merrill. Although the terrain was flat, there was no place to land, and we weren't sure where we were. He con­ centrated on control and held doggedly to his heading, while the sluggish airspeed needle showed a new and lower reading every few min­ utes. The throttle control was now full in and locked there, and the Whirl­ wind's nine large cylinders pounded the tubing and fabric airframe with heavy impulses of power. The now iced and unbalanced propeller blades shook us with heavy vibrations.

Suddenly, we broke from scudding clouds into a dry but still gray clouded area of much higher ceiling and with better visibility, and iced-over and snow-covered Oneida Lake showed some distance ahead of us in the gray.

The dark, low clouds we had just flown through fell farther and farther behind as Merrill very gently banked the Stinson west toward Syracuse and soon we could see the airport on the 8 AUGUST 1999

A backward glance over the tail showed my tow crouched low in his flying suit, goggles down and streaking at the fore of a high rooster tail, across the light snow-covered ice. other side of town . The airplane, still burdened with ice, was barely able to stay airborne and it shuddered with the buffets that precede wing stall, and the big Wright labored under its sus­ tained full power load.

A straight approach to the field had to be made because Merrill could not spare what little wing lift he had left for a lift-devouring, drag-inducing cir­ cuit of the field. We fell over the airport fence, still with high engine power. The narrow wheels touched down hard and cut through the drifts.

Later, an outline of the plane's planform clearly showed on the hangar floor as the heavy ice melted and dripped from the airframe. I pushed the icy water toward a drain with my hangar push-broom.

For quite a few years, it was a tra­ ditional and annual event that whenever ice conditions were right, a Sunday formation flight of everyone who could go, passengers and pilots, would head for nearby Oneida Lake for a winter afternoon of bundled-up fun and flying off the frozen lake.

This included hot coffee and a sandwich at a shoreside diner, im­ promptu spot landing contests, tail-chasing races around an offshore island and harmless sideways sliding ground loops to a reversed course,

where a short engine blast would bring the now-backwards rolling airplane to an abrupt stop at a pre­ set mark.

Lashed alongside of his Fleet bi­ plane, Harold Allen had brought along a pair of snow skis. Over a cup of hot chocolate, he asked if I might fly his airplane while towing him behind on his skis, at the end of a long rope.

We spun the prop of the Kinner and after a short roll the Fleet lifted off, then I eased the throttle back, us­ ing just enough power to maintain controllable flight a scant few feet above the ice-covered lake. A back­ ward glance over the tail showed my tow crouched low in his flying suit, goggles down and streaking at the fore of a high rooster tail, across the light snow-covered ice . I quickly turned back, concentrating intently upon flying the small two-seater bi­ plane only a few feet high and as slowly as possible at a speed barely above wing stall. I remember think­ ing that such a low speed for the airplane was still awfully fast for a man traveling on skis.

Suddenly, I felt the Fleet surge forward, as it was freed of the drag of its tow. Quickly I banked to see what had happened and as I looked back, Allen streaked beneath my now arc­ ing, turning flight. I was spellbound by the view and feasted my eyes on a slowly revolving, snow spewing, five-pointed pinwheel. It was a scene of incredible beauty, never before seen by man. His dark flying-suited body was spread-eagled flat on its back, rotating very slowly at the front of an even higher fast-moving rooster tail. In a cloud of glistening snow, he plowed first with a shoulder, then with one leg, then the other, then the other shoulder, then his helmeted head - around and around he went.

As he finally slowed, I had banked the Fleet back around and into the wind, leveled the wings and flared for touchdown. As the airplane rolled to a stop, full of concern I vaulted out of the cockpit and to his side. His heavily-gloved hand was wiping melting snow from his wet face and eyelids and he was struggling to get to his feet. I reached down to help him and asked if he was all right. He replied with a yell, "Gee-zuz, that was fun!! Let's try it again!!" ....

FROM THE ARCHIVES

by H.G. Frautschy & Norm Petersen

This photo, taken January 15,1948, of a 1947 Piper J-3 Cub, NG653K, SIN 22346 was contributed by Chuck Wickman of Oshkosh, WI. Chuck's dad, longtime CFI Eddie Wickman of Oshkosh, bought the Cub brand new from Piper and flew it home from Lock Haven, PA When this photo was taken, it had approximately 100 hours total time. The picture was taken at the old Ripon Airport, three miles northeast of town along highway 44. (Those of you who have flown in to Oshkosh during EM AirVenture might remember the road - for part of the Convention trip inbound from Ripon, the high­ way parallels the train tracks you follow to the airport!)

You can see the 1930's era Wayne gas pump and the open door to the outhouse (brrr!). Mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis, the Cub served year round, flying during the summer on wheels. It is now owned by Rodney Elg (EM 11181) of Anchorage, AK and Aquila, AZ.

A brand new small collection of prints has just been added to the EM Aviation Foundation's library, thanks to c.J. Alexander, (EM 57898). This shot iiI]~;;;::::::'''=''''

~

~~;;§~i!il~• ill

shows R3C-l afterWith the engine had been ••II changed thetoCurtiss a Curtiss V-1550. the powerplant change, the racer was designated a R3C-4.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

9

Renlenlbered The above movie still from "The Flying Irishman," RKO's re-enactment of Corrigan's life, shows Doug, who played himself, with actor Eddie Quillan. The film earned him about $64,000, the only significant monetary gain from his fame. In 1938 dollars, this was a small fortune. Corny dialog notwithstanding, the film is entertaining. n April 1960, willie helping Volmer Jensen display his then new VJ-22 amphibian at a Los Angeles Sports Arena expo, I met Doug Corrigan.

Against his better judgment, he'd been persuaded to put his celebrated Curtiss Robin on display. Doug had been promised a modest fee for all his trou足 ble, which necessitated assembling and disassembling the aircraft.

I

Corrigan and a whole lot of others were never reimbursed for their efforts and Doug was more than a little put out about it. He said that he'd had enough of promoters and that the Robin, known as "Sunshine," would never again appear in public. We helped him load the Robin on his 2-ton Ford truck and I did not see him again for two decades.

In about 1980 I met Doug's brother, Harry, who was a retired Douglas en足 gineer. Doug and Harry were always quite close, being only a year apart in age. Doug was the oldest. They barn足 stormed together in the early 1930s and Doug helped Harry get a proper education, which he himself had never had. He also taught Harry to fly.

I'd heard that Doug was very much

By John Underwood 10

AUGUST 1999

"Sunshine" on display at Golden Gate International Expo, Treasure Island, San Franciso Bay, 1939.

a recluse and there was a story cir­ culating that he greeted uninvited callers with a shotgun. Harry told me that it was true that Doug was In the early morning hours of Sunday, July 17, not always very cordial when peo­ 1938, Doug Corrigan gives his 185-hp Challenger a ple, especially news-hawks, final inspection before attempting a nonstop hop banged on his door unannounced, to "California." Immediately on takeoff he encountered cloud cover, which persisted for the but he would not confront me with next 20 hours or so, precluding position checks. By a shotgun if I notified him I was the time he discovered his "error," it was too late coming in advance. Harry, in fact, to turn back. called Doug on my behalf and I went to see him at his home in Santa Ana, not far from where my mother­ in-law lived.

Something told me that it might not be a bad idea to bring my Irish mother­ in-law, Mrs. Callahan, along. She, of course, knew the story of "Wrong Way" Corrigan and said she'd love to meet him. Incidentally, Mrs. C. had a few good stories of her own, including one about a flying saucer that landed on the family farm near Hartford in 1943.* Anyway , I brought Mrs. C. and Mary Jane, my wife , along to meet Doug one Sunday afternoon. I banged on his door until my knuckles were sore, the doorbell being permanently out of service. There was no response.

I banged some more. Still no response.

Disappointed, I was heading back to the car when I noticed Mrs. c., wide­ eyed and gesturing excitedly toward the door. It was open a crack.

Doug's Robin had a spartan instrument panel I walked back and the door opened shown here with a defunct Pioneer compass. a bit more, revealing a somewhat di­ Corrigan claimed he followed the wrong end of sheveled Doug Corrigan. He was the needle on his floor-mounted compass (which had since disappeared). The reciprocal wearing an olive drab army surplus bearing for his charted course to California, via sleeveless undershirt and had about a Memphis and EI Paso, just happened to land week' s growth of beard. It occurred to him in Dublin. That was his story and he never me that he had a hangover or some­ wavered from it.

thing, but we soon learned that Doug Corrigan never touched the stuff and, moreover, could not abide the smell of tobacco anywhere near his person. He was very emphatic about that. That's the reason he never ever patronized restau­ rants.

I explained to Doug that none of us smoked and that we would be happy to sit on his doorstep if he would give us a few minutes ofhis time. I had two copies of his book I wanted him to sign and a few pictures, too. I also wanted to put a few questions to him in regard to little known aspects of his flying career.

To make a long story short, Doug was more than cordial. In fact, he took a great liking to Mrs. C. and addressed all of his answers to my questions to her, as though she was the interviewer.

Instead of the anticipated 15 minutes we were there for several hours while Doug regaled us with the story of his life as an airman.

The upshot of this was that I spoke with Doug from time to time and eventu­ ally invited him to be guest speaker at one of our monthly meetings of the Vin­ tage Airplane As sociation held at Glendale College. Doug agreed to speak at our January 1987 meeting, which co­ incided with his 80th birthday. It was standing room only and the highlight of the year.** Jim Reddig, a Grover Loening associ­ ate who had contributed much to the engineering of the Fleetwings Seabird, had been in town when Doug gave his talk. It transpired that Jim's daughter was the mayor of Galveston, Texas, which was about to celebrate its 200th anniversary. Doug was a native GalveVINTAGE AIRPLANE

11

Doug Corrigan aboard Ed Clark's Hornet Moth for some dual. Hawthorne Municipal Airport, August 1988.

stonian and the planners needed some­ one to persuade him to take part in the festivities. It didn't take much urging.

Doug hadn't been back to Galveston since his Grand Tour of 1938.

Doug took the train and presented himself at a very posh affair dressed in his uniform; namely, slacks in need of some ironing and his very battered leather flying jacket. It was a black tie affair and Doug had a tie, but it wasn't black and it had seen a good deal of hard use. He was almost tossed out on his ear Corrigan happily autographs various items for Hawthorne Airfaire visitors, August 1988.

until someone recognized that it was "Wrong Way" Corrigan, one of the guests of honor.

Doug enjoyed the spotlight, even when things got a little stressful. Peo­ ple didn't always know who he was and his somewhat tattered appearance often caused doormen to commence giving him the bum's rush. Invariably, how­ ever, someone would recognize him and those were the moments Doug rel­ ished.

The Hawthorne Airfaire was coming up in 1988 and it, too, coincided with an important date in Doug's life, the 50th anniversary of his July 1938 New York­ to-Ireland flight. At the behest of Her Honor, Mayor Betty Ainsworth, I

asked Doug if there was any chance that the Robin might be available for display. Doug was noncommital, but he didn't say NO! We talked about the possibility and Ed Clark said he'd take care of every­ thing insofar as moving and assembling the aircraft were con­ cerned. Ed was much involved with the Hawthorne Museum of Flight, as was Leo Gaye. They had plenty of hangar space and lots of volunteer manpower.

I forget now whose idea it was, Doug's or Ed's, but the notion that the Robin might fly again was being bandied about. That may have been what prompted Doug's approval of plans to display "Sunshine" at the Hawthorne Airfaire at the end of Au­ gust. He was quite excited about the whole thing, because the idea of fly­ ing the Robin again really appealed to him. "Sunshine" had not been off the ground since 1940.

Doug hadn't flown since Roy, his youngest son, was killed in a plane crash at Catalina. That was in 1972. He just didn't have the heart for it. But 15 years had passed and he had never really lost his love of the art. Ed said he'd give Doug some dual in the Hornet Moth if he could pass his medical. A day or two later Doug showed up at Hawthorne Municipal (often referred to as Northrop Field) with a fresh medical.

Ed gave Doug an hour's dual in the Hornet Moth. I don't have the exact date at hand, but Ed was satisfied that he could handle the airplane. Doug was a little rough, but then that was the way he flew in his prime. He'd gotten on with

Collecting "Sunshine" at 2829 N. Flower Street, Santa Ana, California. Doug still had the OX5 with which the Robin was originally equipped.

12 JULY 1999

The Robin on taxiway at Hawthorne. Just visible on cowling next to the windshield is the label from a box of Sunshine Crackers. (The round marking is the Mobil Aeroillogo.) In 1938, Corrigan was sustained by the ray of sunshine provided by the Robin, his sole asset, and Sunshine crackers were a staple of his diet when the future seemed bleakest. At that time he was domiciled in a hangar with the Robin to save rent.

American after his epic flight to Ireland, but only lasted a couple of months.

AAL wasn't about to adopt Doug's style of flying and he felt pretty much the same way.

Doug never did get to fly the Robin again. The Grade-A fabric had weak­ ened to the extent that it was almost like paper. You could easily put your finger through it. Ed Clark volunteered to completely recover the airplane at no charge to Doug, using the Museum of Flight facilities, the only provision being the Robin would remain at the museum for a year.

It was suggested that the old fabric be cut up in small pieces as souvenirs for Doug to sign and sell for a few dol­ lars. He was then getting by on $200 a month Social Security . That barely paid his property taxes and the premi­ ums to maintain the $50,000 insurance policy he had on the Robin. Doug had never in his life spent much on food.

For him a couple of donuts and a bowl of soup was sufficient.

Doug vetoed the idea, not because

he objected to the terms . He just wanted the airplane to remain as it was when it ferried him to fame. Besides, he didn't think the 50-year-old fabric was all that bad . Doug was serious about flying it "as is" and this became a real concern to everyone . For a time the Robin was secured under lock and key, chained to a police car to prevent any surreptitious outings.

Doug flew to Ireland for a week just before the Airfaire, a guest of Aer Lin­ gus. It was the first time he'd flown in an airliner since his own days as a nonsked DC-3 pilot for Royal Air, ply­ ing the Seattle-Fairbanks service. Doug didn't like flying with anybody else at the controls and, consequently, took the train whenever the need to travel arose.

He really enjoyed railroading.

The presence of "Sunshine" and her pilot helped to make the 1988 Hawthorne Airfaire a great success.

The event, largely orchestrated by Leo Gaye, continued for several years after Leo's untimely death and was last held in 1997. As so often happens, a new

regime at City Hall led to a general atti­ tude of "thumbs down" toward what has come to be known as Northrop Field. The city now would like to make a shopping mall out of the place.

Alas, "Sunshine" was soon back in seclusion in the Corrigan garage and Doug himself reverted to his reclusive ways. I don't think he ever again made a public appearance. From time to time he would come to his door, but the interviews were never more than a minute or two . More often then not, the visitor, if a newsperson, would have the door shut in his face. Doug did not take too kindly to the media, especially TV. Doug Corrigan passed away Decem­ ber 9, 1995 at the age of 88. *It was th e Zimm erman- Vought V-173, which made a number ofemergency landings in the Hartford area in 1943-33 ** Leo Gaye, the VAA 's founder and long­ time president, had some great sp eakers, too, including Victor Belenko, who fled th e USSR in a Mig-25, Jack Northrop and Indy winner ~ Sam Hanks.)

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

13

At the time it was introduced, the Rocket was a sensation, and had tongues wagging from coast to coast about its speed and handling. Unfortunately, all that talking wasn't translated into many orders, and with little cash to build a sales backlog, the firm soon went under in an all too familiar story. But while the "bloom was still on the rose," the Rocket was making headlines, and the very first one built is the one you see here on the pages ofVintage Airplane.

This first example was built in 1942 by Rufus S. "Pop" Johnson. Pop Johnson had been in aviation a long time, and his three sons took to it as well, all three becoming airline pilots. Only last year one of the sons, David, passed away at age 84, 22 years after completing a 34 year career as a Captain with American Airlines.

Pop's airplane bore a less than coincidental appearance to the Culver Cadet, and the later Globe Swift also showed some of his thoughts. He worked for John Kennedy, after making a deal with the company owner to produce Johnson's design. Kennedy, who headed up Globe, was looking for a post-war project for the company to build. After a deal was made towards the end of WW-II, Johnson and chief engineer K.H. "Bud" Knox worked together on the project to build a production version of his airplane, which Globe dubbed the "Swift," but as the program moved along, Johnson took offense at some of the changes, and left the company. Moving back to Ft. Worth, he started his own company to build the airplane he had designed.

The Rocket he first built in 1942 is the subject of affection for one Leonard McGinty (EAA 6036 , V AA 3029), who had an encounter with Pop when he was a lad of but 14 years of age . Len ran into him at an airport in Tampa, FL and went for a 20 minute ride with the effusive Johnson. Len thought it was the greatest airplane in the world and it was an experience he never forgot. Back in the early 1980s, while visiting his friend Morton Lester (EAA 55178 , VAA 14) of Martins field , VA , he happened to walk through Morton ' s cousin ' s bam, where many of the aircraft he had collected were stored. Len

asked him where he got the Johnson Rocket. Morton was stunned. Prior to that, no one else had correctly identified the airplane!

From that moment on, Len knew the airplane had to be his, and fortunately, his friend Morton was willing to let him have it. Len said he offered to send Morton a check as soon as he got back to Tampa, but Morton wouldn't think of it. Morton told him he'd hold the plane as long as Len wanted, and he only had to bring the check when he came to pick it up.

Len wasn't surprised that Morton gave him such a long grace period, and when circumstances permitted, a truck that was dispatched to pick up a donation for the Sun 'n Fun museum was also able to stop and pick up the Rocket. But the fates were not done with the plane.

While being trucked to Florida, a beer truck hit the covered truck the airplanes and a Model A Ford were in.

Then, to add further insult to the accident, a second beer truck hit the first!

All that banging around didn't help the Rocket fuselage, which rattled around a bit and banged the tail on the roof. After all the dust had settled, Bill Williams, Sun 'n Fun's treasurer and the driver of the truck called Len. "Are you hurt?" Len asked.

"No." "Is Tasha [his dog] hurt?"

"No, we're okay."

"Great, we won ' t worry about the rest."

After a couple of days waiting for the truck to be fixed , Len was able to feast his eyes on the airplane he'd wanted since he was a boy - a Johnson Rocket, and not just anyone of the 19 or so built, but the very first one, the only one built with a conventional landing gear and a 125 hp Lycoming , SI N 101, the prototype Johnson Rocket, built by Pop in 1942!

After completion in 1942, Pop showed it off to anyone who would watch, but especially to U.S. government agencies and the Mexican authorities. Because it was an experimental prototype, each time he went to fly it to a different location he had to get a ferry permit. To this day

Jim Koepnick

the airplane carries an experimen­ tal airworthiness certificate, since it was never included in the ap­ proval within ATC 776 for the Rocket 185. Pop Johnson put about 520 hours on the plane before it was sold to a civilian, who later folded a landing gear. After that, it sat for over 30 years until it was acquired by Morton.

After Len got it home, he had to decide what he was going to do with it. His daughter had a little trouble seeing the "diamond in the rough," but Len knew it was in there, like a geode in a pile of ordi­ nary rocks.

Rebuilding the airplane didn't scare Len too badly, except for one thing - he'd heard a rattle from within the wing when he unloaded it, and he'd never worked on a ply­ wood skinned wing before. A call (Below) A 150 hp Lycoming 0-320 replaces the 125 hp 0-290 previously to Jim Kimball (EAA 49344, VAA 8908) of Zellwood, installed in the airplane. Minute cracks in the original crankshaft meant Len FL helped solve the mystery. Jim and his son Kevin didn't want to trust it in his favorite airplane.

(EAA 374778) run Jim Kimball Enterprises, where they specialize in the restoration and construction of a wide variety of sport aviation aircraft. Roger Anderson, a for­ mer FBO operator in Minnesota who used to do warranty work for Bellanca and Champion, is a retired ace woodworker, and helps out at Kimballs when he gets a chance. Roger looked the wing over closely and pronounced that it would be no problem to fix the wing.

After reviewing the quality of work done by the Kimball shop, Len had them do the restoration on the wings, and after watching the care going into their re­ construction, Len decided to have them do the entire airplane. And do it they did. Right down to the steel tube fuselage framework, they rebuilt the molded ply­ wood turtledeck. The Rocket is a combination of wood and steel tube, with tube Welcome aboard! The interior has been restored in keeping

used for the movable with the prototype aspect of the airplane, so no overly uphol­ tail surfaces, and the stered side panels in this airplane. One of the few adorn­

fixed surfaces built up ments is the etched aluminum trim on the door.

The cockpit of the Rocket, with its dual doors and the wheel out of plywood. The el­ wells just forward of the two seats. You can see the small

evator and ailerons are window on each of the wells, so you can visually check the

actuated by push-pull gear location .

rods, while the rudder is controlled by cables.

All of the control sur­ faces are mounted hinged with Torrington or Fafnir needle bear­ ings, and are carefully designed to maintain the same level of control surface resistance throughout the air­ plane's flight regime.

Len has chosen to re­ tain the look and feel of the prototype, right 16 AUGUST 1999

Arnold Greenwell

You can see what he had to start with - dirty but complete, just as it had been for over 30 years. It's not every day you're treated to the sight of a prototype airplane that did make it into production!

Down to the steel tube framework, the Rocket is restored by the capable hands of the staff at Jim Kimball Enterprises in Zellwood, FL.

(Above) Sleek lines and a low wing meant speed to the average buyer.

The later Rocket 185 could deliver 180 mph flat out in high speed cruise.

Len's 150 hp version is a tad slower, comfortably cruising at 140 mph.

for an airplane with Len's happy hide strapped to it.

Because of the early model of that 0­ 290, it was impossible to find a new crank, so a decision was made to upgrade the airplane's engine in­ stallation to a 150 hp Lycoming 0-320 with down to the lack offancy upholstery in a fixed pitch Sensenich prop. the cockpit. One change he did have to A few items during the restoration make was the engine. The original en­ were done by Len, such as the pitted gine that came with the project was a and corroded hydraulic cylinders, but Lycoming 0-290, SIN 7, and when the he credits the Kimballs with 99 per­ crankshaft of the engine was carefully cent of the work.

He really didn't know checked by Elliott's Crankshaft Ser­ the family before the Rocket restora­ vice, a red rejection tag had to be hung on it - minute cracks in the crank­ tion, but he was thrilled with the new shaft flange rendered it uncertifiable. friends he's made in Zellwood. "They Good enough for an airboat, but not are just wonderful people and do qual­ ity work and have wonderful employees," he said.

(Inset) Gerry Houghton, Rocket pilot and good friend Also credited for much of Len's success is his wife, (Below) Len McGinty and his wife, Lena .

Lena "Lemonade" McGinty.

Lemonade is a nickname she picked up from the kids, and it's stuck though the years.

She's been supportive of Len as he started in business for himself over 25 years ago, and continues to be a quiet, calming influence in the McGinty household.

Getting it done in time for the 25th Anniversary of Sun 'n Fun was a goal as well, since Len has served as a volunteer for that orga­

nization for many years as well, includ­ ing time spent volunteering as the president of the Sun 'n Fun museum, now known as the International Sport Aviation Museum. Just a little while be­ fore the fly-in began, the Rocket flew for the first time in 44 years.

Len marvels at how the airplane handles, and how quick it is. At the time we hooked up with him at Sun 'n Fun, he had not soloed the airplane, preferring to have his friend Gerry Houghton (EAA 203549, VAA 21590) who has more time in quick taildrag­ gers, help get him ready to fly the Rocket. Sensitive, but not overly so in the air, it can be a handful on paved surfaces, according to Len. He was looking forward to getting started on some dual in the Rocket and then com­ pleting his 10 hours of solo time to satisfy his insurance requirements.

Like many of us, he mentioned that it takes quite a few more hours in the air­ plane before he is comfortable in it, so his personal minimums for wind con­ ditions , etc . are somewhat more limited until he's satisfied with his in­ teraction with the airplane.

For a brief time at Sun 'n Fun, we had three of the Rockets parked to­ gether - Len's prototype Rocket 125 along with two Rocket 185' s, Orval Fairbairn's NC 90204 and Roy Fox­ worthy ' S NC 90202. It was quite a sight, and one that must have thrilled the 14-year-old who ' s still a part of Len McGinty, the youngster who was certain that some day, he'd own a ......

Johnson Rocket.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

17

(Above) The Piper Apache is known today for being a relatively inexpensive way to get into flying a twin engine airplane, but when William Piper, Sr. made the decision to actually produce Piper's first twin engine airplane, the retail cost of $32,500 made some in the company blanch at the thought. It went on to become one of Piper's best sellers, especially when compared to the two other twins of its day, the Twin Bonanza, priced at $70,000 and the Cessna 310, priced just below $50,000.

(Inset) Pugnacious, for sure, but the Piper Apache has proven to be one of the most popular civilian twin-engine trainers in history. A pair of 150 hp Lycomings can move an Apache along at an economy cruise speed of 162 mph, 170 mph if you pushed the power up a bit higher.

Lori Seymour, Apache Fan 20 AUGUST 1999

Right now someone is saying, "Yeah, she became a police officer or some­ thing, but what's that got to do with airplanes?" It has everything to do with airplanes. In fact, airplanes were part of her family from the beginning when her father used to own a 172. He had to sell it to put her and her two brothers through college, but not before she discovered the wonderful world of the airport. So, it was only natural, when she went looking for high school jobs she'd look at the air­ port. But her job there wasn't washing airplanes. She was on the security staff.

Initially she went to college for pre­ med but during one swruner she interned with the local police department. There she was exposed to real police work and she was on her way.

Out of college she sent an application to every federal agency that had a crimi­ nal investigator. She got several strong bites, but her interview with the u.S. Customs Service was a done deal when she found out they had an air interdiction program. Airplanes and police work; her idea of heaven.

Once out of training, she was assigned to crew a Blackhawk chopper as part of the onboard enforcement team . They were based in west Texas, working the border. She didn't get any stick time in the Blackhawk but several of her co­ workers were CFI's so she continued her lessons and in a few months got her PPL. Wanting to be closer to her old stomping grounds on the east coast, she applied for and received a lateral transfer to another

Federal law enforcement agency. They had airplanes she could fly, mostly Parte­ navias , so she got her commercial, multi-engine, and instrument tickets and started working her way to becoming a pilot. In fact, she was next in line for OV -10 training when the agency got rid of them. Back to the drawing board.

The bottom line for advancement within the airwings was that she needed more flying time. Almost as soon as she got her private ticket, she bought a Cherokee 140 and began flying its wings off, putting most of her paycheck into its gas tanks . Then something happened which showed her another side of avia­ tion and which broadened her horizons enormously; she went for a ride with a girl friend in an S-2B Pitts. She had done a little akro in the OV -10, but the S-2B ride showed her REAL aerobatics. She had to have a Pitts.

She had received her tailwheel train­ ing from a local crop duster when he turned her loose in a Super Cub shortly after she got her PPL, so the Pitts didn't intimidate her. She started looking for a Pitts she could afford and found a fixer­ upper S-IC with an 0-290G Lycoming and began working on it and changing the engine to an 0-320. Somewhere along the line, she got so good at work­ ing on airplanes that she took the A&P test and passed it. So, now our young lass who carries a gun is a multi-en­ gine, aerobatic pilot with an A&P ticket. Very impressive.

This year marks her second year of competing in the Pitts and in the Na­ tionals, which also happened to be her fourth contest; she came in II tho Not too shabby.

Always looking to climb the federal career ladder, she found it was going to take 500 hours of multi-engine time to make her career go in the direction she wanted. Enter Piper Apache N1393P. We should make a note here that Lori isn't one to buy and sell airplanes. She's got the buying part down okay but hasn't quite worked out the selling part, yet.

She says airplanes are something you ac­ cumulate, you don't sell them, so the Apache has to share her life with her first airplane, the Cherokee, plus the Pitts, her first love. And, oh yeah, there is the other Pitts S-I C she bought. She doesn't have an engine for that one yet, but she'll get it flying soon.

Her P A-23 is typical of the species that descended from the original Stinson Twin which Piper acquired when they

Up to that point, the most complex airplane built by Piper was the IFR equipped Piper Pacer.

Adding a second engine and a retractable landing gear was a whole new experience for the engineering and production staff at Piper's Lock Haven factory. The interior of her Apache is Lori's next project.

purchased that company in 1950. The world had never seen a successful light twin when Piper put the airplane into production in 1953 with a pair of the then-new 150 hp Lycoming 0-320's. Al­ though Cessna fielded their C-31 0 a year later, it was hardly the forgiving, around­ the-patch trainer the Apache was. The gentle old airplane became the standard multi-engine training airplane for several decades and is still the class room in which many pilots get their introduction to the world of the many-motored flying machine. Although universally consid­ ered a marginal twin-engine airplane, it is, for the exact same reasons, just as uni­ versally recognized as a great multi-engine trainer because it forces the pilot to know what he or she is doing while still being forgiving enough to let them make mistakes and survive.

Equally as important as the airplane's forgiving nature is that it is relatively in­ expensive to purchase and is as cheap as a twin gets to operate. To a young lady who wants to build multi-engine time, that last factor, the low costs, became a driving factor.

Lori tracked down her 1956 150 Apache only a little over a month before we ran into her at Sun 'n Fun '99. Even then she was well on the road to building time as she had already logged 30 hours in it. When she found it, the airplane only had 800 hours since a 1993 rebuild on the engines, which for the 0-320 is barely coming into mid-time. She bought the airplane from an individual who had bought it for the same reason she did, to build time, so even though it had 4,000

hours total time on it, it had a relatively small amount of training time in its logs.

Some Apaches have spent so much time in the pattern with students, they are get­ ting really tired, but not Lori's.

The airplane had a huge activity gap in its log books because it sat dormant, never turning a wheel for nearly 14 years beginning in 1976. The airplane was rescued in 1990 and painted. Then, in 1993 , when the engines were done, everything else needing refurbishing was refurbished, with the exception of the interior. Lori says she's not going to do anything to the outside of the air­ plane, but the interior is driving her nuts and she's gearing up to do most of that work herself. As an A&P, she has a leg up on many Apache owners be­ cause she can do so much of the maintenance and updating herself.

Most owners can't afford to put much money into what is a fairly complex, but relatively low-priced airplane.

Another thing which is driving her nuts is the pair of small, empty holes on each engine cowl. That's where the Piper nameplates should be. So, if anyone has a set of Apache nameplates they'd part with let us know at EAA HQ and we'll put you in touch with her.

If she achieves her goal of 500 hours multi-engine time, that means the Apache should still have plenty oflife left in it for another aspiring time builder to climb aboard and start stuffing their log book.

But, wait! That's not going to happen be­ cause, so far, Lori hasn't sold airplanes. It looks as if the rest of us will have to go ...... looking for our own Apache.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

August Mystery Plane

Our August Mystery Plane is supplied by Brian Baker. A one-of-kind post-war airplane, it did generate some interest in those days. Send your answers to: EAA, Vintage A irplane, PO Box 3086,54903-3086. You answers need to be in no later than September 25, 1999 so they can be included in the November issue. If you prefer, you can E-Mail your answer to vintage@eaa.org Be certain t o include both your name and the address in the body of the copy and put "(Month) Mystery Plane" in the subject line.

by H.G. Frautschy

The product of a short lived avi­ ation company (how many times have your read that about a firm started in the 1930's?), the May Mystery Plane was nonetheless well known to a number of you, having been issued ATe 417 in 1931. Here's our first note: The May Mystery Plane is an 22

AUGUST 1999

Overland Sport Biplane. Overland was much more recognizedfor its automobile company and hoped to carry their name over to the aviation field. The airplane may not have taken offto the general public too well because few were built, but in my opinion the lines on the airplane are beautiful. For anyone who is in­ terested, there is a color painting by K. 0. Eckland ofone on the web site

at http://www.aerofiles.com/over­ land.jpg. A nice orange fuselage with yellow wings and the graceful Overland signature painted in blue on the vertical fin.

Like always, r am keeping my eye out to see if any rare aircraft like this may still exist. Lately though, I have not been pursuing any ofmy leads because Jack says we have enough airplane projects than we know what to do with!

Well I have one hintfor anyone who might want to track one down.

For anyone who has the American Airman magazine put out by the AAA, go to the January 1961 issue.

On page 34, under the article REAR­ WIN SA VED!, a Mr. Don Benrund of Goodhue, Minnesota tells the readers that he found a LeBlond en­ gine for his Rearwin. The LeBlond engine came offnone other than a Overland Sport Biplane. He says this particular Overland Sport crashed at Red Wing Airport in 1946. As near as he couldfigure, the airplane (present time 1961) is now

OVE~DSPORTAfODELL

at the bottom ofabout 15 feet ofrub足 bish in a ravine behind the airport.

What has happened to the airplane or even the airport in the last 38 years I have no clue, but maybe someone out there picked it up.

NickHurm

Spring Valley, OH

wood wings. Large ailerons were on the lower wings only. No brakes and a tail skid. 6.50xl0 semi-airwheels.

Overall length 17'10 ", height 7'2 ", wing span upper 27'4", lower 26'4", chord (both) 44 ", total wing area 180 sq. ft., airfoil USA -27, weight empty 904 lbs, useful load 462 lbs, gross wt. 13661bs, cruising speed 85 mph, landing 38 mph. Bayonet type

exhaust stacks were optional.

Bill McKelvey, Hilliard, Ohio Other correct answers were received from: Robert P. Laible, Parkville, MO; Larry W. James , M.D ., Austin IX ; John Farnsworth, Cary, NC; Frank Abar, Livonia, MI ; and Roy Cagle, Prescott, AR and Marty Eisenmann, ~ Alta Lorna, CA.

Here's a little more: The Mystery Plane for May 1999 is an Overland Sport Model L , built between 1930 and 1932 by Overland Airways at Omaha NE. Originally de足 signed by Harold K. Phillips, it was first powered by LeBlond 60, but later due to some modi足 fications by Wallace "Chet" Cummings (after Phillips left) the LeBlond 70 was used. The Type Certificate was ATC #417.

Three were built before the type certificate was issued and three were built after.

It had a s teel tube fuselage with woodfairing strips and VINTAGE AIRPLANE

23

PASS IT TO B UCK

by E.E. "Buck" Hilbert EAA #21 VAA #5 P.O. Box 424, Union, IL 60180

Kansas City Antiquers Where? Atchison, Kansas When? The last weekend in May. What? You want me to speak at your dinner, about what?

"Kelly" and Edna Viets Honorar­ ium?

Well, sure I'll do it! "Kelly" and Edna Viets are not only to of our dear­ est friends, they have been a part of the Antique/Classic Division, now the Vin­ tage Airplane Association, since the very beginning. Sure, I'll do it!

And that's the way it started back in February. Now the time had come and I'm DRJVfNG down 1-35 on the way to Atchison, Kansas.

Yeah! DRJVfNG, that's what I said!

I know, I know, 1 have four airplanes in the hangar, so can't a guy drive? None of my airplanes is a real cross-country type. The Aeronca C-3, the "Champ," and the Fleet are just not good for long hauls, that's for sure. And the Lark is out of annual.

United, my favorite airline , has

schedules to MKC just across the river from Atchison, but this is a holiday weekend, and getting a standby seat is real "iffy," getting home even more so, so we drive.

The weather is a factor too, and be­ sides, I can visit friends and stop at every windsock and hysterical marker along the way.

I took two days going down, stop­ ping along the way and visiting friends and having a great time.

The Fly-in was great! There were well over 75 airplanes there, some of them really made me drool. I furthered my education, too. Somewhere in the back of my head, I knew Amelia Earhart was from Kansas, but here I am at the Amelia Earhart Airport where this affair is taking place. r took a lot of pictures, and there were far more airplanes than I had film.

Some of the pictures are here, and be­ cause we can't print them all, you'll only see a few. But those few show the quality and the extent of the pride of ownership that is so prevalent in the vintage airplane owner of today. From the E-2 Cub to the Cessna Bobcat to the polished 150, they were all just out­ standing.

One very interesting aside, the sons and daughters are beginning to take hold. I am happy to report that in addiFrank Spatz (left) and Kelly Viets.

The commemorative plaque at the Atchison, KS Airport.

24 AUGUST 1999

tion to many of the grand dads in my class, there were a number of "young­ sters" showing off their "T" carts, Luscombes. 120s, Champs, Ercoupes, and the like. Many of them went home with door prizes and awards.

The "Roast and Toast" dinner went off just fine . "Kelly" and Edna have been involved with the Kansas City An­ tiquers since the 1960s, starting the chapter, forming the International Er­ coupe group, putting out newsletters, serving as officers, directors, chaplain, and grunts at every event imaginable, meanwhile doing restoration on a 'Coupe, a Stinson 108, a Bellanca, and finally building a Travelair 2000 almost from scratch as their "last" project.

Speaking about them was easy.

They ' ve accomplished so much, and been so deeply involved that a speech needs only to recite their accomplish­ ments and contributions. For starters, they're life members ofEAA and your Association. They've given dedicated service to the Foundation, and Kelly was involved in the preliminary design of the beautiful Aviation Center at Oshkosh. Service as Parking and Registration Chair­ men at Oshkosh for many years is also on the list. There's just no end to their involvement.

I was honored to be asked. I went, and I did it, and it was great. I'd do it again , and the frosting on the cake was seeing all those beautiful airplanes , meeting the people and sharing an evening with them.

Over to you, f(

£3t(ck.

4'

Edna Viets takes care of the registration at the fly-in.

Neat cars always seem the be on hand at many fly-ins. This sharp '29 Ford Speedster is quite a contrast to the brand new C5 Corvette in the background!

Pat Lawler (far left and below, right) and his Cessna 170B shone so bright that Dave Fritz (below, left) gave him the Jetco Cessna 170 model kit as an "admiration award.

(left) Joe Stone of Grass Valley, KS brought this Lycoming 0-290-D-2 powered Piper J-5C

A really neat L-2M owned by Mark Trimble of Branson, MO, and piloted by AI Eggabroad of Sparta, IL.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

Bob Vasey of Sylvia, KS has owned this 1950 Piper PA-20. A real custom job, it has a 180 hp engine, and a STOL kit and a number of "Alaskan" STCs.

This DGA-15P, first built in 1940, is Ron Ripon's pride and joy.

The Grand Champion and Best in Class, it also was given the AAA HQ award. There was always a crowd around.

Kerney, NE is the home of this pretty 1944 Stinson V-77, NC33543, owned by Don Maxfield .

One of Kelly and Edna Viets' favorite airplanes, the Ercoupe.

Bob and Bill Tidd stand in front of this Erco-built version.

Steve Blazer of St. Joseph, MO brought this excellent Taylorcraft.

Tom Cresswell's wife says she can read two paperback novels in the time it takes to polish his Cessna 150!

26 AUGUST 1999

Nonnan J. Rix .... ................... ... ..... .....

Giuseppe Baldassarri ... ... ..... ........ ..... .

Tom W. Yates ........ .. .. .. ..... Altus, OK .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .. Wetaskiwin, AB, Canada ........ .... ... .................... Carrollton, GA Bruce W. Burroughs ...Redmond, OR Tom J. Taylor Calagery, AB, Canada John A. Pittman .... ...Gainesville, GA Dean H. Gradwell .. .JacksonviIle, OR Moe G. Beausoleil ........ ...... ... ........... .

Michael P. Andrews ....... Chicago, IL Blair Mohn .. ...... .......... Lancaster, PA .. ... ... .... ....... ..Sudbury, ONT, Canada Paul Carlon ................... Deerfield, IL Stuart E. Adcock ....Campo Bello, SC Bert VanDerweerd .. ... ..... .... .... .......... .

Steve Lebrecht ..... ......... Oak Park, IL William L. Campbell ........ ....... ... .. .... . .... .... ... ... ....... Norwich, ONT, Canada Mike Matheny ..... .... ...... Elmhurst, IL ..................... ........... Mooresburg, TN W. E. Clifford ........... Sidney, Canada James E. Palombi ............ Chicago, IL Tom Linneman ............... Smyrna, TN Gerhard Westerdyk ...... .. ...... ....... ...... .

Kerry A. Shipman ..... Homewood, IL William F. Thomas ..Englewood, TN .......... ..... ........ Blaricum, Netherlands Gary W. Wills ...... ...... Channahon, IL Jimmy K. Martin ........ Longview, TX Les Worsley ... .. ....... ..... ... ... ..... ..... ..... .

Arndt E. Mueller.. ............ Marion, IN Mike Nebrig ... ... .............. Denton, TX ........ Owhata, Rotorua, New Zealand Charles Y. Harley .. ....... Goddard, KS Frederick A. Rockwell ...... Plano, TX William Mosley ............ Rimrock, AZ Robert F. Prince .. ........... Monroe, LA Wallace R. Rozell II .............. ....... .... .

Samuel W. Russell III ...... ............ ..... .

Harold A verbuck ...... ...... Natick, MA ........................ Highland Village, TX ... ... ......... ..... .......... Green Valley, AZ Eugene Osantowske ............. .. ........... .

A. C. Weatherly ........ ..Benbrook, TX

Bernard N. Bakken ....... Tujunga, CA .. .... ..... ....... Commerce Township, MI Gary L. Casey ...... Salt Lake City, UT

David Cuttler ........... .... .Oakland, CA Gary B . Vos .. ....... ... .......................... .

Stephen Gregory ....... Springdale, UT

Robert L. Fornesi ... ...Claremont, CA ....... .... ....... Commerce Township, MI Brad Buchanan ..... .......Daleville, VA

Chris D. Freeman .. ...... ... Corona, CA Richard D. Elliott ....... Elk River, MN Tommy Hazel ....... .... Warrenton, VA

Stanley Hall... .... ...... Simi Valley, CA Paul Pankratz .............. Lakeville, MN Scot A. Prescott .............. S. Nero, VT

Joseph H. Heagerty ..... Riverside, CA Terry Jarvis ..... ... .Jefferson City, MO Craig A. Currie .... ........ Ferndale, WA

Kris Larson ............. Long Beach, CA Kurt Neely .. ... .......... ..... Peculiar, MO Leland Harris ...... ... ..... Bellevue, W A

Marion McNiff .............. ....... ... .... ... .. .

Jeffrey P. Rich ............... Mebane, NC Michael Neubauer.. ........ .... ..... ... ....... .

.... ............. ... ..... ..Thousand Oaks, CA David W . Roberts .......... Skyland, NC ........... .... .. .... .. ... Fort Townsend, W A Alan Shapiro ............................. ....... .

Kent Wien .. .. .. ......... Newmarket, NH Ben Sclair ..... .......... ..... .Tacoma, W A ......................... Pacific Palisades, CA Richard 1. Ayers ..... .... ....... Villas, NJ James Whitcraft .... .... ..Olympia, W A Kevin C. Spafford ......... Durham, CA James Dix ............. ...Horseheads, NY Lloyd Anderson ......... Green Bay, WI Mike E. Spearin ............ .... Yreka, CA Duane L. Bates .......... ..Kinsman, OH James E. Brown ... ..... Wind Lake, WI Steven Stewart .... ...Los Angeles, CA Dr. David Gale .................. Solon, OH Martine Hammonds ..... .Madison, WI Larry Tougas .... ........ ... .... Suisun, CA Gregory Hamilton .... A von Lake, OH Robert D. Lubecke .... ..East Troy, WI J. Scott Allen ............ ..... Boulder, CO

Nyle E. Morgan ... .... ..... Franklin, OH Rosie Stark ................... Waupaca, WI

Joel L. Burkholder .Westminster, CO

James B. Nichols .Reynoldsburg, OH Charles T. Stevenson ..Janesville, WI

Mark W. Davis ... ..... ... .... Arvada, CO

Thomas A. Srpan .... Willoughby, OH Paul R . Stutleen ..... .... Green Bay, WI

Jerry L. McMillin .... Punta Gorda, FL

Mark Brocket... ............. Newalla, OK Neal Collett .......... ... ...... ..Elkins, WV VINTAGE AIRPLANE

27

----­-----------­

Fly- In Calendar The fol/owing list ofcoming events is fitrllished to our readers as a malter ofinformation only and does not constitute approval, sponsorship, involvement, control or direction ofany event (fly­ in, seminars, fly market, etc.) listed. Please send the information to EAA, Au,' Golda Cox, P,G, Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086, Information should be receivedfour months prior to the event date,

AUGUST 15 - BROOKFIELD, WI - Capitol Airport.

16th Annllal Vintage Aircraft display and Ice Cream Social. Noon - 5 p.m. Midwest Antique Airplane Club monthly meeting, and model aircraft will also be on display. You can purchase a ride on EAA's Ford Tri­ Motor, too' Fun for the elllire family. Info: Capitol Airport, 4/4/ 781-8132 or George Meade ,Fly-in Chairman. 414/962-2428.

AUGUST 21- COOPERSTOWN, NY - (NY54) EAA Chapter 1070 Pancake breal.fast and old Aeroplane F(v-1n. 7a.nl - noon. 1nfo: 607/547-2526.

AUGUST 21- SPEA RFISH, SD - EAA Chapter 806 Annual Fir-In. Camping onfteld. Cream Can Din­ ner. Awards. Poker run on Saturday. SD Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Sat. Email: c21golay@;naio.com SEPTEMBER 3 - MOCKSVILLE, NC - Tara Airbase (5NCI) Annual Anything that Flies Fly-in and WW-1/ weekend. Early Arrivals. Sept. 4 Big Day. 2100X80 Sod, Adv. Frecl- 122.9. land north ifpossible. Live USO s(vle Band. awards for the best lVar years outfit Sat Night. WWI/ Military & Vintage Vehicles. Rein­ actors. camping & food available. Co.lponsored by EAA Chapter 1083. Info call 336-284-2161or 336­ 764-0007. Allendance is at your olVn risk.

SEPTEMBER 3-5 - PROSSER, WA - EAA Chapter 391 16th Annual Labor Day Weekend Fly-In. Info: 509/786-1034.

SEPTEMBER 3-4 -HAYWARD, CA - Hayward Air Fair '99. hosted by VAA Chapter 29. Hayward Air­ port. BBQ. hangar dance Fri.. Airshow Sat.. $1,000 aviation scholarship awarded. aircraft awards. 1nfo: Janis Babcock, 925/455-2300 or fax at 455-2333.

SEPTEMBER 3-6 - WELLSVILLE, PA - Footlight Ranch. 10th annua l Labo r Day Fly- In. Info: John Shreve. 717/432-4441 or Email Shrel'eprtN@ 001. com SEPTEMBER 4 - HA YWARD, CA - EAA Vintage Aircraft Assn. Chapter 29 Air Fair/Air Show. Info: 925/455-2300.

SEPTEMBER 4 - STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO ­ EAA Chapter 649 Villlage Fly-In. 28 AUGUST 1999

SEPTEMBER 4 - MA RlON, IN - Marion Municipal Airport. 9th Annual Fly/ln-Cruise/ln all you can eat Pancake Breakfast. Features Antique, Classic & Custom Cars as well as all Airplanes. Info: Ray L. Johnson (765) 664-2588 or rayjohnson@bus­ prod. com SEPTEMB ER 5 - ZANES VILL E, Oil - Riverside Airport. EAA Chapter 425 Airport. Fly-in, drive-in breakfast 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Info: Darrell Todd, 740/450-8633.

SEPTEMBER 5 - MONDOVI, WI - 14th Annual Fl),­ In, Log Cabin Airport. Info: 7J 5/287-4205. .

SEPTEMBER 5 - NA PPANEE, IN - EAA Chapter 938 Sunday for a Sundae Ice Cream Socia/. 12 to 3p.m.

SEPTEMBER 10-I2 - ATWATER, CA LIFORNIA - Golden West EAA Fly-In at Castle Ai/port. Con­ tact: www.gwfly-in.org.

SEPTEMBER 11- OSCEOLA, WI - 19th Annual Wheels & Wings Fly- In. Antique car show, book sale,pancake breakjilst. Info: 800/947-0581.

SEPTEMBER 11-12 - MARlON, O/JIO - MERFI Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-Itl. Contact: Lou Linde­ man, 937/849-9455.

SEPTEMBER 11-12 - EASTON, PA - EAA Chapler 70 FAA Safety Seminar. Annual Fall Fly- In. Fly Market, plaquesfor all aircraft. In(o: 610/588­ 0620.

SEPTEMBER 12 - MT. MORRiS, IL - Ogle Coun(Y Airport (C55). Ogle Coun(Y Pilots Association and EAA Chapter 682 Fly-In Breakfast, 7 a.m. - Noon.

Info: Bill Sweet 815/734-4320 or the airport phone.

815/734-6 /36.

SEPTEMBER 17-18 - BARTLESVILLE, OK ­ Frank Phillips Field. 42nd Annual Tu lsa Regional Fly-In, sponsored by EAA Chapter 10, VAA Chap­ ter 10. lAC Chapter 10, AAA Chapter 2, alld the Green County Ultralight Flyers. AII (Ypes ofair­ craft and airplane enthusiasts are encouraged to attend. Admission is by donation. Info: Charles W. Ilarris. 918/622-8400.

S EPTEMBER 17- 19 - JACKS ONVILL E, IL ­ (UX) 15th Annual Byron Smith Memorial Midwest Stinson Reunion. Info: Suzette Selig. 630/904-6964 SEPTEMBER 18 - COOPERS TOWN, NY ­ (NY54) EAA Chapter 1070 Pancake breakfast and old Aeroplane Fly-In. 7am-noon. Info: 607/547­ 2526.

SEPTEMBER 18-19 - ROCK FALLS, IL - North Central EAA Old Fashioned Fly-In. Forums, work­ shops.fly-market. Camping illld Air Rally. Info: 630/543-6743 or check our websiste at http://mem­ bers.aol.colII/nceaa SEPTEMBER 25 - HANOVER, IN - Wood. Fabric and Tai lwheels Fly- In. Contact Rich Davidson 812/866-5654.

SEPTEMBER 25 - TOPPING, VA - Hummel Air Field. Wings & Wheels '99, 9 a.nl. -3 p.m.. (Rain dote 9/26) Info: Jamie Barnhardt 804/758-2753, on on the web at http://jIy.tp/wingsandwheels, E­ mail:wingsandwheels@hotmail.com SEPTEMBER 25-26 - ZANESVILL E, OH - John's wnding. 8th annual Vintage Aircraft Chapter 22 of Ohio Fall Fly-ln. Hog roast Sat., Breakfast and lunch both days. Info' Virginia, 740/453-6889 or call the ai/port at 740/455-9900.

SEPTEMBER 26 - GRO VE CITY, PA - Grove City Airport (29D). EAA Chapter 16 1 Fly- In Break­ fastlLllnch. Info: Ron Wagner 724/748-3200.

OCTOB ER 1-3 - HA YWA RD, CA - West Coast Travel Air Reunion. Hosted by Antique aircraft col­ lector Bud }ield. Private Musellm tour, San Francisco Bav Area Tour, Memorabilia allction, good food an~/lIIore. Contact Jerry Impellezzeri 408/356-3407 or Bud Field 925/455-2300.

OCTOBER 6-10 - TULLAIlOMA, TN - "Beech Party. .. Staggenving, Twin Beech 18 and Beech owner/enthusiasts. Sponsored by the Staggerwing Beech Muselllll. lnfo: 9311455-1974.

OCTOBER 9 - HAMPTON, Nil - 9th Annual EAA Vintage Aircraft Assn. Chaper 15 Pumpkin Patch Pancake Breakfast Fly-In/Raffle Drawing. Rain date 10th. Info: 603/539-7168.

OCTOBER 7-10 - MESA, AZ- Copperstate EAA Regional Fly- In at Williams Gateway Airport.

Contact: Bob Hasson. 302/770/6420.

OCTOBER 8-10 - EVERGREEN, AL -9th Annual South East Regional EAA Fly-In (SERF/). AirsholV, car show. UULightplane operations area. Fly-Mar­ ket, workshops. FAA Wings Program. Sat. evening awards banquet with guest speaker. Camping on field. Info: 334/578-1707.

OCTOBER 9-10 - FRA NKLIN, VA - Franklin Air­ port. 29th Annual EAA Chapter 339 j ly-in. For more information. contact Walt Ohlrich at 757/486­ 5192.

OCTOBER 14-16 - ABILENE, TX - SOll/hwest EAA Regional Fly-In, Abilene Regional Airport (AB/).

Info: 1-8001727-7704

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FOR SALE: Closing Restoration Shop. AN Hardware by piece/lot. Many hard-to-findlobsolete items: 4 ea. HS 2B20 Props; extra baldes; G0-435 B2 parts including yellow tag main case; Tail feathers for Howard DGA-15; 1000 yd. rolls Grade A Finish Tapes 3/4 - 8" wide; Dope and special paints (you hauQ; 1100. 3003. 505212024T3 Aluminum Sheets. 603/522-6158

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE

29

Membershi:R Services Directorr.

VINTAGE

AIRCRAFT Enjoy the many benefits ofBAA and the

ASSOCIATION BAA Vintage Aircraft Association

~

OFFICERS President

Espie 'Butch' Joyce

P.O. Box 35584

Greensboro. NC 27425

910/393-0344

e-mail: windsock@ool.com

Secretary

Steve Nessa

20CfI Highland Ave.

Albert Lea. MN W1J7

507/373-1674

Vice-President

George Daubner

2448 Lough Lane

Hartford. WI 53027

414/673-5885

e-mail: anHque2@aol.com

Treasurer Chenes W. Harris 7215 East 46th St. Tulsa. OK 74145 918/622-8400 cwh@hvsu.com

DIRECTORS

Robert C. ' Bob' Brauer

9345 S. Hoyne

Chicago. IL 60620

773/779-2105

e-mail: photopllot@aol.com

John Berendt

7645 Echo Point Rd.

Cannon Falls. MN 55009

507/263-2414

John S. Copeland

1A Deacon Street

Northborough. MA 01532

508/393-4775

e-mail:

copelondl@junc.com

Sieve Krog

1002 Heather Ln.

Hartford. WI 53027

414/966-7627

e-mail: sskrog@aol.com

Robert Lickteig

1708 Boy Oaks Dr.

Albert Lea. MN W1J7

507/373-2922

Robert D. ' Bob' Lumley

1265 South 124th St.

Brookfield. WI 53005

414/782-2633

e-mail:

lumper@execpc.com

Phil Coulson

28415 Sp<lngbrook Dr.

Lawton. M149065

616/624-6490

Roger Gomoll

321-1/2 S. Broadway #3

Rochester. MN 55904

507288-2810

rgomoll@hentagehells.org

Dale A. Gustafson

7724 Shady Hill Dr.

Indianapolis. IN 46278

317/293-4430

Jeannie Hili

P.O. Box 328

Harvard. IL 60033

815/943-7205

Gene Morris

5936 Steve Court

Rocnoke. lX 76262

817/491-9110

e-mail: n03ca pt@flash.net

Dean Richardson

6701 Colony Dr.

Madison. WI 53717

608/833-1291

da r@resprod.com

Geoff Robison

1521 E. MacGregor Dr.

New Haven. IN 46774

219/493-4724

&mail: cHef7025@aol.com

S.H. "Wes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wouwatosa. W153213 414/771-1545 shschmkl@execpc.com

DIRECTORS EMERITUS Gene Chase 2159 Cartlon Rd. Oshkosh. WI 54904 920/231-5002

E.E. ' Buck' Hilbert

P.O. Box 424

Union. IL 60180

815/923-4591 e-mail: buck7ac@mc.net

ADVISORS David BenneH 11741 Wall Rd. Grass Volley. CA 95949 530/268-1585 antiquer@inreach.com

Alan Shackleton P.O. Bax656 SUgar Grove. IL 60554-0656 630/466-4193 103346.1772@cOfT'4)lJS6fVe.com

EAAAviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Phone (920) 426-4800 Fax (920) 426-4873

Web Si te: http://.eaa.organd http://www.airventure.org E-Mail: Vintage @ eaa.org

EAA and Division Membership Services 800-843-3612 ••. • .••• • .•.. FAX 920-426-6761 (8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Monday- Friday CST) • Newlrenew memberships: EAA, Divisions (Vintage Aircraft Association, lAC, Warbirds), National Association of Flight Instructors (NAF!) • Address changes • Merchandise sales • Gift memberships

Programs and Activities EAAAirVenture Fax-an-Demand Directory .............................. 732-885-6711 Auto Fuel STCs ................ 920-426-4843 Build/restore information ...... 920-426-4821 Chapters: locating/organizing .. 920-426-4876 Education ..................... 920-426-6815 • EAA Air Academy • EAA Scholarships • EAA Young Eagles Camps

Flight Advisors information ... . . 920-426-6522 Flight Instructor information ... 920-426-6801 Flying Start Program . . .......•. 920-426-6847 Library Services/ Research . .... . 920-426-4848 Medical Questions .... . .... . . . . 920-426-4821 Technical Counselors .... . . . ... 920-426-4821 Young Eagles ... . ........ .. .... 920-426-4831 Benefits Aircraft Financing (Green Tree) .. . 800-851-1367 AUA . ....... .. . . .. .. . .. ..... . . 800-727-3823 AVEMCO .... . ... . ... .. .... . .. 800-638-8440 Term Life and Accidental ... . . _. 800-241-6103 Death Insurance (Harvey Watt & Company) Editorial Submitting article/photo; advertising infonnation 920-426-4825 ... . ......... FAX 920-426-4828 EAAAviation Foundation Artifact Donations ... . .... .... . 920-426-4877 Financial Support ...... . .... . . 800-236-1025

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is $40 for one year, including 12 issues of SPORT AViAnON. Family membership is available for an addi­ tional $10 annually. Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $23 annually. All major credit cards accepted for membership_(Add $16 for Foreign Postage.)

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Current EAA members may join the Vintage Aircraft Associaton and receive VINTAGE AIRPLANE maga­ zine for an additional $27 per year.

EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE mag-azine and one year membership in the EAA Vintage Air­ craft Assoc iation is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazi ne not included). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage.)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club, Inc. Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $40 per year_ EAA Membership, SPORT AEROBATICS magazine and one year membership in the lAC Division is

available for $50 per year (SPORT AVIATION mag­ azine not included) . (Add $10 for Foreign Postage.)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $35 per year.

EAA Membership, WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warb irds Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage_)

EAA EXPERIMENTER

Current EAA members may receive EAA

EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $20

per year_

EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER mag­

azine is available for $30 per year (SPORT

AVIATION magazine not included).(Add $8 for For­ eign Postage.)

FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars . Add required Foreign Postage amount for each membership.

Membership dues to EAA and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions.

Copyright © 1999 by the EM ,,"ntage Aircraft Association All rights reserved.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 009t -6943) IPM t 482602 is published and owned exclusive~ by the EM ,,"ntage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published month~ at EM Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd" RO. Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, WISConsin 54901 and at add~ional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to EM Antique/Class", Division, Inc., RD. Box 3086, Oshkosh. WI 54903-3086. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES - Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and M'O addresses via surtace mail. ADVERTISING - ,,"ntage Aircraft Association does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising. We invite 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 subm~ stories and photographs. Policy opin""s expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. No reoumerat"" is made.Materiai shouk! be sent to: Ed~or, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, RD. Box 3086, Oshkosh. WI 54903-3086. Phone 9201426-4800.

The words EM ULTRAUGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM, SPORT AVIATION, FOR THE LOVE OF FLYING and the logos of EM EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION, EAA VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION, INTERNA­ TIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB, WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are ® regislered trademarks. THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION. EAA ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION and EAA AirVentu~ are trade­ marks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above association is strictly prohjb~ed.

30 AUGUST 1999

HlJnt~NC

Dee has bee" a private pi/of for 3QJ'8Ors and bas his inslrflliJentat and

"AUA, Inc., has provided insurance for us since 1979, not only for our Meyers

AUA's Exclusive EAA Vintage Aircraft Assoc.

Insurance Program

OTW, but for our other three airplanes.

AUA also provides insurance for our

approved.

airport, Bradford Field, in Huntersville.

"They are very service minded and

Tobecomea

willing to help. We hope to continue a great working relationship for many

member of the Vintage Aircraft

Fleet discounts for multiple aircraft carrying all risk coverages No han~-propping exclusion No age penalty No component parts endorsements

years to come.

"Thanks, AUA!"

Discounts for claim-free renewals carrying all risk coverages

- Dee and Cynthia Bradford

843-3612

sf is affordable.

II - it's FREE!

Remember,

We're Setter Togetherl

800-727-3823~~'" Fly with the pros .. .fly with AUA Inc.

AVIATION UNLIMITED AGENCY

1 year subscription $30 Overseas $35

Sample issues $4 each

WW1 AERO (1900-1919), and SKYWAYS (1920-1940) Two Journals for the restorer, builder, & serious modeller of early aircraft.

• • • • • •

information on current projects news of museums and airshows technical drawings and data photographs scale modelling material news of current publications

• • • •

historical research workshop notes information on paint/color aeroplanes, engines, parts for sale • your wants and disposals

Sole distributors for P3V, a computer program to generate a 3-view from a photograph.

Published by :

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Get OUf New Mranual!

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• Cushion upholstery sets • Wall panel sets • Headliners • Carpet sets • Baggage compartment sets • Firewall covers • Seat slings • Recover envelopes and dopes Free catalog of complete product line.

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