STRAIGHT AND LEVE UButchJoyce 2
VAA NEWS/ H.G. Frautschy
3
SUN 'N FUN AWARD WINNERS
5
AIR MAIL FOR SMALL TOWNS/ Earl Stahl
10 A TA NK POWERED ROBI N/ AIStix, Sr. 16 EYE CATCHER/ H. G. Frautschy 20
JAZZ, SUPER CUBS & WAS H PIPE!
Jon Schroeder 23
MYSTERY PLANE
25 PASS IT TO BUCK! Buck Hilbert 27
NEW MEMBERS
28 CALENDAR 30 CLASSIFIEDS
www.vintageaircraft.org Publisher
TOM POBEREZNY
Editor-ill-Chief
scon SPANGLER
Executive Director, E ditor
HENRY G. FRAUTSCHY
VAA Administrative A ssistant
THERESA BOOKS
Executive Editor
MIKE DIFRISCO
Contribllting Editors
JOHN UNDERWOOD BUDD DAVISSON
A rt/Photo Layout
BETH BLANCK
Photography Staff
JIM KOEPNICK LEEANN ABRAMS MARK SCHAIBLE
Advertising/Editorial Assistant
ISABELLE WISKE
ON THE COVERS Front Cover . . . Jim Herpst's colorful Taylorcraft BC-12D certainly gets plenty of looks wherever it lands. Restored by Brian Marchetti and the father and son team of Ron and Michael Jones, the Taylorcraft is Jim's first tail wheel airplane. EM photo by Mark Schaible, shot with a Canon EOS-1 n equipped with an 80-200mm lens on 100 ASA slide film . EM Cessna 210 photo plane flown by Bruce Moore. Back Cover ...Don Parsons captured this rare shot of a Tank-powered Curtiss Robin and Curtiss Canuck in formation just over the east side of Dauster Field (Creve Coeur airport), west of St. Louis, Missouri. Both planes belong to the Historic Aircraft Aviation restoration Museum, based at the airport. Phil Chastain is flying the Canuck, and restorer Glenn Peck is piloting the Robin. Terry Chastain is flying the Rawdon T-1 photo plane. See the story beginning on page 10.
SEE PAGE 31 FOR FURTHER VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION IN FORMAT ION
STRAIG
LEVEL
by ESPIE "BUTCH" JOYCE
PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION
In the past, I've writ ten this colu mn at the last minute. Writing at the 11th hour made it possible to deal with late-breaking issues (H.G. does the same with the "VAA News" pages). But I will admit that at times I've been a bit of a procrastinator and have held up H.G.'s ef fort to meet the magazine's production schedule. I promise to do better! Earlier this year the loca l weatherman told us the weather would be great for the upcoming weekend. A cou ple of people in the office were planning to take off and go to a large car show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A few days before the event I told Norma we should fly down to Myrtle Beach on Saturday morning, go to the car show, and after an evening at a hotel on the beach, fly back home on Sunday. Around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday the sun did its job and burned off the fog. We loaded up and covered the 220 miles in about 50 minutes of flying time. The people at Ramp 66 at the North Myrtle Beach airport had our car waiting. The Waccamaw outlet parking lot, where the car show was being held, was only 15 miles down the road from the airport, but the automobile trip consumed two hours of time! Once we approached t he parking lot, we were on our own to find a parking place. Once we fo und aspot to park, we were able to walk around and look at whatever we wanted to see. Everywhere you turned there were rows of beautiful autos to view. Most exhibited great craftsman ship, and many incorporated very original ideas and paint jobs. Each time you saw something new you'd begin to wonder, "How did they do it?" Is this beginning to sound familiar? There were vendors selling everything from old parts to new kit cars. This was a surprise to me, as it has been 25 or 30 years since I had been to one of these shows. I was re ally surprised at the variety and quality of the kits now available . Today's kits are a long way from a 1960s-era Volkswagen Beetle conversion using a fiberglass dune buggy body! From an organizational standpoint, the best I could de termine, there was a group or organization that invited different car clubs to attend . Some clubs had as many as 35 autos attending the show. The refreshment stands ran out of drinks by 12:30 p.m. For what looked like 10 acres of show grounds, I saw approximately four "porta-johns," but everyone looked happy. When it was time to leave, there was no one to guide
traffic out of the lot. You were on your own to drive out of the show. Without a group of well-organized people and a plan to move cars effectively, leaving was anarchy. It took two full hours to get out of the traffic and back to the beachfront hotel. Adjusting for the fact that I was a rookie at this event, and didn't know any shortcuts, I was stuck following the rest of the herd. Next year I will be prepared and know which way the traffic is flowing! Many things struck me about the way this event was run. Folks seemed to have a certain level of expectation re garding the car show, and the show met them. When we attend a fly-in, we've come to expect a certain level of or ganization. Over the years both national and local EAA Chapter fly-ins have evolved to include many things we have come to take for granted. As a rule, we receive a high level of service from those who put on a fly-in . We have developed a high-quality group of volunteers who under stand this level of service. I recall that in the mid to late 1960s many fly-ins were low-key events. The trip to this car show made me remember how it used to be. Some of it made me smile, as I remembered the fun we had, and some memories made me wince, as I recalled the difficul ties we overcame to make local events more enjoyable. I'd like to emphasize that the car show attendees seemed to have as good a time as I did, so I'm not com plaining. It wasn't a negative experience. I didn't see an unhappy person during that Saturday. We can take a les son from that as well. Do we sometimes expect too much from each other? The remarkable events we enjoy during the year all require organized effort, most often by volun teers. They deserve not only our thanks, but if pOSSible, our participation. It all goes a bit smoother if we add our efforts to the mix! The new pending proposal for the sport pilot program sure has been generating a lot of positive discussion around the airports I have visited lately. I have not heard one person speak up and say that it is a bad idea. Every person that I have talked to relates the hope that the sport pilot certificate will come to pass. We'll keep you posted. In the June issue of Vintage Airplane we will have com plete coverage of the 2001 Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In. If you want to know if your buddy won an award, the VAA awards list is published on page 3 of this issue. Now is the time for you to become more serious about your visit to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2001. Let's all pull in the same direction for the good of aviation. Remember, we are better together. Join us and have it all. ....... VINTAGE AIRPLANE
1
VAANEWS compiled by H.G. Frautschy VAA WORK WEEKEND
Each year VAA members and con vention chairmen get together to spruce up the VAA grounds. This year's VAA Work Weekend will take place May 18-20. You can fly in, drive in, or walk in, and you're welcome to camp or, if space is available, stay in the EAA volunteer bunkhouse. For those who come to Oshkosh to lend their volunteer labor, there will be a tour of the EAA AirVenture Museum on Friday night and a cookout on Saturday evening. To volunteer, please contact either Bob Brauer, 9345 S. Hoyne, Chicago, IL 60620, e-mail: photopiiot@aol.com, or Bob Lumley, 1265 South 124th St., Brookfield, WI 53005, e-mail: iumper@execpc.com. Drop them a note and let them know you'd like to volunteer. Be sure to give them a daytime phone number so they can call and brief you on the work weekend plans. See you there! VAA PICNIC DURING EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2001
This year's VAA picnic will be held on Thursday evening, July 26. The exact location of the annual social event on the EAA grounds has yet to be determined. For more details and tickets, be sure to stop in at the VAA Red Barn information center. The pic nic is always a great way for you and your fellow VAA members to meet for an evening of food and fellowship. Join us! EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION HOSTS GROUND SCHOOLS FO R VINTAGE FORD TRI - MOTOR
Aviation enthusiasts have a rare opportunity to discover the history and intricacies of the famous "Tin Goose," the Ford Tri-Motor, during ground school sessions hosted at Oshkosh by the EAA Aviation Foundation in October 2001. The ground school sessions are open to both pilots and non-pilots who are interested in this historic aircraft, which became one of America's first successful passenger aircraft during the 2
MAY 2001
1920s and '30s. The ground school will be instructed by pilots who actually fly EAA's 1929 model of the Tri-Motor at Oshkosh and to locations throughout the country. Participants will also have a chance to log dual instruction time in the Tri-Motor with experienced mem bers of EAA and the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). Enrollment is now open for the ses sions scheduled October 12-14 and October 19-21. Tuition is $450 for EAA members and $550 for nonmembers, which includes materials, meals, lodg ing, and flight time. YOU NG EAGLES
The Phillips 66 Company will again support the EAA Aviation Foundation's Young Eagles program, which has introduced more than 670,000 young people to the world of flight since 1992, through the compa ny's aviation fuel rebate program. Phillips 66 has renewed its aviation fuel rebate program every year since 1994 to help ensure Young Eagles meets its goal of flying one million young people by the end of 2003. The Phillips 66 rebate program is available year-round for individual flights or Young Eagles flight rallies. Eligible pilots who apply can receive a $1 rebate on each gallon of aviation gasoline used for Young Eagles flights. To qualify, pilots must purchase avia tion gasoline at a Phillips 66 FBO with a Phillips 66 credit card. Rebates are available only for purchases of Phillips 66 100LL aviation gasoline. In 2000, volunteer pilots flew approximately 100,000 Young Eagles as the program continues to make sig nificant progress toward its goal. The yearlong rebate program from Phillips 66 has become increasingly popular as Young Eagles participation includes more pilots and young people. Any EAA member, pilot, or Chapter or any pilot from partner organiza tions authorized by the EAA Aviation Foundation can participate in the rebate program. Fuel receipts or copies must be mailed, along with a signed statement confirming the fuel was used for the Young Eagles program, to: Young Eagles Rebate Offer Phillips 66 Company 617 Adams Building Bartlesville, OK 74004 Only Phillips 66 issues the fuel
rebates, not individual FBOs. Pilots can apply for the Phillips 66 credit card by calling 1-800-DO-APPLY (800-362 7759) from 9 a.m . to 5 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday or by accessing the Phillips 66 Aviation web site: http://aviation.phillips66.com/. C UB CRAFTERS BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER
If you own a Piper PA-18 or PA-19 aircraft and it has the Cub Crafters Inc. brake master cylinder conversion (STC SA 1245CE) incorporated, you should have received a notice of a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin issued by the FAA that calls attention to Cub Crafters mandatory service bul letin No. 0001, dated December 14, 2000. It requires an inspection and the replacement of the Cub Crafters master cylinder piston. Cub Crafters will sup ply the kit required to comply with the service bulletin at no cost if the installa tion is complete and the replaced parts are returned to Cub Crafters no later than July 1, 2001. They can be contact ed at P.O. Box 9823, Yakima, WA 98909, phone: 509-248-9491, fax: 509 248-1421, or you can e-mail Nathan Richmond for more information at nathan@cubcrafters.com. Remember, this is only for Super Cubs that have been modified with the Cub Crafters STC, not those Super Cubs with the standard Piper (Scott) brake system. MOTH CLUB DINNER OSHKOSH/AIRVENTURE 2001
The American Moth Club welcomes members of all International Moth Clubs and de Havilland enthusiasts to this year's Moth Club Dinner. Join them Friday evening, July 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Pioneer Inn, Oshkosh. David Baker, founding member of the Diamond Nines Tiger Moth Demonstration Team and longtime instructor, will be the featured after dinner speaker. Directions will be provided during Friday morning's Moth Forum, presented by Mike Maniatis, president of the American Moth Club. The forum time and tent number will be published in the convention program and on EAA's AirVenture Oshkosh 2001 website at www.airventure.org. R.S.V.P. Steve Betzler bye-mail, stevebtz@cedar.net, or fax, 262-368 2127. .....
ANTIQUE {1946 & EARLIER} Grand Champion Stearman PT-l?
Tim Kirby and Gene Moore,
Ocala, FL
Best Transport Douglas DC-3 Continental Airlines, Dallas, TX
Outstanding Classic Aircraft Piper J-3 Cub
Dennis and Nancy Garrett,
Hudson, FL
CLASSIC {1946-1955}
Reserve Grand Champion Waco QCF-2 Mirabella Yachts, Ft. Pierce, FL
Grand Champion Custom Classic Cessna 140
Marty and Sharon Lochman,
Newalla, OK
Best Antique Custom Stearman PT-l?
Russ Luigis, Bandera, TX
Best Restored Classic 0-100 HP Taylorcraft BC-12D
]. M. Ramsey, Anderson, SC
Best Silver Age 1928-1932 Waco CTO
Mike Araldi, Lakeland, FL
Best Restored Classic over 165 HP Cessna 195
Reed Somberg, Miami, FL
Best WWII Era 1942-1945 Howard DGA
Theodore Patecell,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Best Custom Classic 0-100 HP Aeronca ?AC Donis B. Hamilton and William R. Morgan, Paragould, AK
Contemporary Age 1933-1941 Stinson SR-lOJ
Peter Lloyd and Bill Torso,
Miami, FL
Best Custom Classic 101-165 HP Piper Tri-Pacer PA 22-150 Mike Steele, Walnut Cove, NC
Best Cabin Fairchild F-24 Patrick McAlee, Belews Creek, NC
Best Custom Classic over 165 HP Stinson 108-1 Voyager
Steve and Bill Smith,
Long Beach, CA
Best Monoplane Monocoupe 90 Bob Coolbaugh, Manassas, VA
Outstanding Classic Aircraft Cessna 195 Sam R. Jones, The Woodlands, TX
Best Biplane Travel Air 2000 Bar Eisenhauer, Winter Haven, FL
Outstanding Classic Aircraft Taylorcraft BC 12-D
Bill Scott, Spring Hill, FL
Outstanding Classic Aircraft Aeronca ?AC
Brad Scott, Canton, GA
Outstanding Classic Twin Beechcraft D-18 Michael and Corie Greenblatt, Midland, GA
CONTEMPORARY {1956-1960} Best Authentic Beechcraft Bonanza Richard P. Jones, Mukilteo, W A Best Custom Cessna 210
John Bragdon, Lakeland, FL
Outstanding in Type Meyers 200 ]. Michael Araldi, Lakeland, FL Outstanding in Type Piper Comanche PA 24-250 Gregory Davis and Ronnie Cox, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3
PRE-OILER USE
Dear Buck, I just read your article on the Freon tank pre-oiler in the December 2000 issue of Vintage Airplane. I had an occasion to use the same priming method but didn't want to go to very much trouble to modify the Freon tank, so I didn't. The prob lem is getting two or so quarts of oil into the tank through that little hole in the valve. Here's how I did it: It's quite simple to do if you have a vacuum pump. First, make sure no Freon remains in the tank. Then, using a hose that will with stand the vacuum, attach the pump and evacuate the tank. Close the valve and disconnect the vacuum pump line. Now attach your flexible hose to the valve on the Freon tank and submerse the other end in a quart of aviation oil. Open the valve on the tank, and the oil will be sucked in to the tank. To get the second quart of oil in the tank, close the valve, immerse the flexible hose in the sec ond quart and open the valve on
4 MAY 2001
the tank. When you have the proper amount of oil in the tank, let it con tinue filling with air until the pressure in the tank is equalized with ambient air pressure. Now con nect it to your air compressor and pressurize the tank to about 40 psi or so. Connect it to the oil gallery as mentioned in the article and open the valve to force oil into the en gine's oil passages. You will have to invert the tank when you are priming your freshly overhauled engine. It works great! Keep it clean in case you need to use it for this purpose again. Mike Hartman (Via e-mail) VAA 16638
Bridgeport, Michigan
local airport. I don't know the model, but by oldest brother made a model of it, which we kept for many years. I'm looking forward to the next in stallment in the April issue. Thanks for a good magazine. Sincerely, Donald D. Watt, Sr. Hampton, VA
Thanks for your note, Donald. A few members have called to mention they had witnessed the airmail pickup system in action. We really appreciate longtime member Earl Stahl sharing this well-re searched article with his fellow members, and encourage any of you with a story to tell to contact the editor at the address listed on page 31. The conclusion of Earl's three-part series be gins on page 5.
AIRMAIL FOR SMALL TOWNS
DIAMOND BIPLANE NOTES
Gentlemen, Thumbing through the March is sue of Vintage Airplane, the article about Dr. Adams and the airborne pick-up and delivery of mail brought back memories of my youth in Thomasville, Georgia, which is mentioned in the article. The experi ments there were carried out at Archbold Planta tion with Dick Archbold as a supporter or backer. The tests were men tioned in the local paper but I don't remember the year. Dick Archbold was an explorer (New Guinea, I believe) and once bought a twin-engine, twin-tailed Sikorsky am phibian (probably a Sikorsky S-38-Ed) to the
HI, H.G., Weldon Cooke was John Thorp's cousin (of Thorpe T-18 homebuilt fame) and his inspiration to take up where Weldon left off, as an aircraft designer. Weldon was a real innova tor. Today he's all but forgotten. Among other thing, he made the first inverted in-line installation and a flying boast of advanced concept. Weldon was killed when John was four years old, so he never really knew his cousin, although he re membered a flight Weldon made over the family home. John's mother was a Locke and he was raised in the historic Locke family home, at Lock eford, California, which had been Cooke's home early on. John died there in 1992. Cheers! John Underwood Glendale, CA
At war's end, a newcomer, Col. Robert M. Love, returning to civilian life from the Air Transport Com mand, was selected to become the new president of All American Avia tion. It was expected he would bring a new vision to guide AAA into the future, but many employees were un happy with his appointment. They thought he might undertake to run the company like the Army or, even worse, a large airline. It was soon learned he, in turn, had no admira tion for the "hair-raising aspects of pickups" as well as the "wild, individ ualized tactics of some of the pilots." Aside from the challenge of win ning the confidence of the staff, Love immediately had other prob lems. With peace in Europe and the Pacific, war materials contracts were being canceled and folks were com ing home; this caused regular and express mail volumes to plummet . Further, at a time when operating costs were escalating, the CAB had not boosted payment rates. Also, un
expectedly, American Airlines' trunk line service to Huntington, West Virginia, was terminated. That action wiped out the means to rapidly move airmail and air express packages be yond the terminus of Routes 49A and 49B. So, a new terminal serviced by major airlines had to be recom mended and approved. In due course, Cincinnati, Ohio, was ap proved. Once that was done, six additional pickup stations were added to Route 49B between Hunt ington and Cincinnati (Graphic 6). NEW PLANE PROBLEMS When added to the fleet, two new Beechcraft D-19CTs and one up graded Noorduyn Norseman aircraft had been expected to provide some relief to the weary flight equipment situation . However, the Beech's en gines, designed by Wright for WW-II tanks, but adapted and manufac tured for aircraft by Continental, proved to be unsatisfactory. With as few as 300 hours of use, many over
hauls were necessary. Thus, mainte nance costs were excessive and equipment lay-ups unacceptabl e. During one period of time, as many as nine engines in various states of availability were needed to keep the two Beechcrafts airworthy. As if that was not enough, once the modernized, Single-engine Noor duyn was placed in service, it rapidly became unpopular with pilots. Cap tain Harvey Thompson explained pickup planes had to respond at once to control inputs. The Noorduyn, "a good, stable plane" was much less nimble than the Stinson SR-lOCs. In turbulence, he said, a pilot could feed in aileron control to pick up a wing without receiving the immediate re quired response . It was similarly sluggish about the pitch axis. With pilots wary because of lagging control response, the craft was relegated to backup use, and then offered for sale. FATAL ACCIDENTS Three more tragic accidents would
Beech's D-18CT certainly looked as though it would be a great match for the air pickup system, with twin-engine reliability and speed, along with a roomy cabin . This Beech photo was taken at their Wichita, Kansas, facility during the testing phase.
6 MAY 2001
occur before pickup airmail be came history. In April 1947, at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, the hook disengaged from the boom, allowing it to wave about in the airstream. To prepare for another pickup try, the hook had to be returned to the cabin. Some fellow crewmembers be lieve during the procedure, the hook somehow contacted the trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer, where it remained fas tened. When the attached rope was tensioned to draw the hook to the hatch, the action caused the elevator to be pulled down, thus causing the plane to dive abruptly to earth. Captain Gearhart Porter and Robert Schneider were killed. Then, eight months later on a clear, calm morning, Beechcraft D 18CT, NC80011, was making its way along Route 498, Pittsburgh to Cincinnati. At Wellsburg, West Virginia, a routine exchange of cargo was made. However, as the plane pulled up, the right wing folded; it struck the earth 6S0-feet beyond the pickup poles, claiming the lives of Captain Thomas Bryan and flight mechanic Burger Bechtel. With that occurrence, the Twin Beechs were (Top) Once put into service, the Beech 1S's proved to be a challenge to keep in the air, as the Wright engines grounded by President did not last long on the low-level mail runs. The short overhaul intervals kept operating costs higher than Robert Love. Various gov anticipated . ernment agencies, along (Bottom) NXS0011, sister ship to NXS0010, was later involved in a fatal crash when the right wing failed dur with Beech Aircraft Cor ing the pull up after a mail pickup. It was later determined that excessive pickup speeds and high speed runs poration searched for the in turbulence between stations subjected the twin Beech to higher loads than AAA led Beech to believe would be encountered. cause. It was determined the lower spar cap failed in tension just outboard of the wing however, took the position the speeds were frequently 14S-1SS mph. attachment bolts. The National planes were designed to AAA's speci Further, there were reports of test Transportation Safety Board along fications for flight conditions less pickups having been made at 200 with the Federal Aviation Agency severe than frequently encountered, plus mph. Beech concluded that claim to have no copies of the inves contending 130 mph pickup speeds high-speed operations at low alti tigative reports in their files. Beech, were projected, but in service, pickup tudes, commonly 20 to 1,000 feet, VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
These three shots show the military surplus Noorduyn UC足 64A Norseman V briefly used by All American Aviation. The two photos showing the pick足 up and drop-off of a mail con足 tainer were taken at two dif足 ferent times during trials in Montreal, Canada. After being placed into service, AAA's pilots soon discovered the airplane's slower roll and pitch response to control inputs made the UC-64 a poor choice for work on the air pickup routes.
NE W Y ORK
-----------~ AIR PICKUP ROUTES
AM - 49
PENNSYLVANIA
(1 946- 4 9)
L,
),
A LL AMERI CAN AVIATION , INC.
Served 121 commun i t i es i n
) "
(
6 states from 88 pi ckup
stat i ons
OHIO CINCINNATI
KENTUCKY
subjected the plane to five-to-ten times as many air gusts with two-to three times the severity of roughness encountered by average air trans ports. Beech NC 80011 had flown a total of only 2,324 hours. Just weeks before the end of pickup service, Captain Bill Burkhart had to land at the Clarksburg, West Virginia, Airport to unload cargo that was too large to drop. Upon de parting, the Stinson was observed to travel further along the runway, and then climb more slowly than ex pected . Nearing a hill, the ship turned away with the angle of bank becomingincreasingly steep. Upon stalling, it plunged vertically to earth where it burned. Along with the pi lot , flight mechanic William Steinbrenner perished. Inexplicably, the takeoff had been made with the propeller set at high pitch. PICKUP AIRMAil SCRUTINIZED
As the nation moved forward in peace, more normal functions of government were being restored. The CAB undertook a critical examina tion to consider the future of pickup mail. Among the issues raised were: existing and projected volumes of
e t!l.1.!! o
TER MINAL
•
PICKUP
mail; value of such service to the public; current and future costs to the government. Particular attention was focused on the Post Office De partment's dwindling support because they had successfully intro duced mobile highway units that moved mail at optimum times , for well under 50 percent of air pickup costs. NEW GOALS FOR AAA
A devastating blow to All Ameri can came in August 1947 when the CAB finally rejected the long-stand ing application for combined pickup and revenue passenger carrying flights. Confronted by these realities, AAA's top management moved for authority to convert to a conven tional, short-haul passenger airline. In early 1948 All American was granted approval to provide such ser vice in the Middle Atlantic Region. With that good news they moved quickly to acquire a fleet of war-sur plus C-47s converted to the DC-3C configuration by Douglas Aircraft Company. Under a new name, All American Airways, their first flight occurred on March 7, 1949, Wash ington, DC to Pittsburgh, with six
stops for passengers enroute. Pickup service would wind down over the next three months. With a familiar, reliable, tough but tired Stinson SR-10C, the final flight was made on June 30, 1949 . Most fit tingly (and poignantly) Chief Pilot Norman Rintoul, and flight me chanic, Victor Yesu laites, who had made the first run ten years earlier, brought the activity to close . Mail had been transported over 11.5 mil lion miles, with almost 630,000 delivery/pickups enroute. During the period about 30 pilots carried out the spectacular activity. Seven lives were lost, all in the latter years after routes were familiar and procedures rou tine. Successfully carrying mail and ex press is not the only legacy . All American 's personnel also developed and refined the apparatus and proce dures to enable, in war-time, the pickup of humans from remote and secret sites as well as the snatching from earth and towing of troop and cargo-carrying gliders. It should fur ther be noted that All American Airways was the root airline of what, over 50-plus years, grew to become a major airline, US Airways. .... VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
Glenn Peck's superb restoration
of a Curtiss Robin is now flying
by AI Stix, Sr. 10 MAY 2001
Photos by Don Parsons
he complexities of rebuilding a vintage aircraft vary in direct proportion to the desired results to which the rebuilder aspires. How many of us have begun a project; simply with the idea of getting the aircraft back in the air as quickly and easily as possible-only to find that three years later, we were only halfway there? Few of us have the luxury of making these rebuilds a full-time eHort: earning a living always seems to get in the way. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
Rolling down the dew-covered grass runway in the Missouri river bottom land of Creve Coeur airport, the Robin needs only 600 feet of ground run before taking to the air.
n 1983 I bought one-half of a Cur tiss Robin project. The idea was that I would pay for the aircraft, and my partner would rebuild it-his half being the value of that labor ex pended during the rebuild. Within three months, the fuselage had been covered, an interior started, and the OX-5 Tank engine, with which it was to be powered, had been disassem bled for inspection and rebuild. I fully expected to make it to Oshkosh in 1984. Boy, was I ever a neophyte! In 1998 I purchased the other half of the project. The earlier work, such as it was, had been ruined by the Midwest Flood of 1993. Most of the OX-5 parts had been either lost or damaged during the moves that ensued. The project was placed in the hands of Glenn Peck, who has, since 1993, been the head of mainte nance and restoration at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum. And the fun began. Glenn's first order of business was to make an inventory of parts. Hav ing restored a Continental-powered Robin some years earlier in Califor nia, the aircraft type was familiar to him-at least firewall back. The ma jor pieces, like fuselage, landing gear, wings, control surfaces, empennage and supporting struts were identifi able. The hard part was finding the "little stuff." Things such as beIl cranks, fittings, trim cables, throttle
I
12 MAY 2001
linkages, etc. were all scattered about. Dick Fischer and Lane Tufts made it a pOint to come to Creve Coeur Air port in St. Louis. Together with Glenn, they all spent hours going through buckets of rusty fittings that had been rescued from the muck of the flood. Each bucket surrendered a few encrusted gems, and they man aged to find missing pieces of the plane that we hadn't even realized were missing! It was the kind of help for which no amount of monetary compensation could ever repay the debt owed for time saved and ques tions answered. The fuselage was first uncovered. Several places had to be repaired. Tubing had to be removed, straight ened or replaced, and gussets formed or re-welded. Drawings were con sulted: Why didn't our pieces look like the draWings? What "shade tree aircraft mechanic" changed this or that all those many years ago? More questions were asked than seemed answerable. But by using a little 1928 logic and a few more trips through the buckets to find that vaguely re membered, crud-covered part that was suddenly identified as being nec essary, Glenn was able to piece everything together. The original air wheels made the airplane look stodgy-so Fisher's fab ulous 30x5's were used: adding a little dignity to an airplane that
needs some. Of course, axles had to be changed, hub castings and back plates made, brakes modified, etc. The gear needed to be rebuilt: new springs for old. Just for sport (hey, it never hurts to ask!) a call was made out to Lambert Field. After all, didn't they make them there? Yeah , 75 years ago! Chevron seals, you say? Good luck! But pretty soon, there it was, on the landing gear. And, check out the brass "hub caps" on thos e 30x5's! Glenn cast them from scratch, since the originals were too far gone to use. How many aircraft restorers can sew up their own mohair upholstery interiors, while they're waiting for paint to dry on the new fabric they just put on the tail surfaces? Or make the little "pulls," complete with brass grommets that go on the windows, which, just like in 1928, can be raised and lowered in flight. The wicker seats were sent out, twice. While not 100 percent perfect yet, they look neat and are surprisingly comfort able. Unbelievably, Forest Lovley found the Consolidated instrument cluster, original to this particular aircraft. His restoration of this polished jewel re ally sets Glenn's interior off, and it's the correct piece, too. All comple mented by the polished wood in the floors and on the door and win dowsills. The wings, having been restored by the previous owner, and kept out of harm's way during the three "wet" periods of Creve Coeur's history, were now covered and finished with Stits products. Although initially not as glossy as "dope," much less prod uct can be used in the interest of lightness, and the gloss can be forth coming. Next time you see a Robin, see if it has the factory mounted "gap" strips between the control sur faces and spars. Glenn made and installed those as per the factor y drawings; where none had existed before. Tail surfaces were also cov
ered and painted the factory yellow, during this period. Boy, it was really starting to come together! Only "one" more little detail left. The motor. The engine. The power plant. The Tank. The Museum currently has two airworthy Curtiss OX-5 powered air craft: a 1926 KR-31, and the neatest aircraft on the planet, the 1916 Canuck. Our Robin was originally OX-5 powered. At some point, the engine was replaced with its air cooled bigger brother, developed by the Tank brothers at Milwaukee Parts
Corporation. Basically an OX-5 en gine bottom end, with air-cooled cylinders, this power plant develops 115 HP at 1,650 rpm-25 more than its original Sibling. The twin spark plug installed in each cylinder and more normal valve train arrange ment were two of the most important improvements the Tank engine had over the stock OX en gine-although before its last gasp the OX-5 had matured into the OXX-6. If the Miller gear was added, the result became a much more reli able power plant than the original OX-5 configuration. Our hope chest was filled with what appeared to be enough parts to
(Right) The land surrounding the airport is some of the best cropland in the Midwest. Glenn Peck, the Robin's chief restorer, guides the 100 mph monoplane over one of the local farm fields. (Below) The Robin flies by slowly in the morning light, its Tank engine chugging along at 1,500 rpm.
build one and a half good Tank en gines-except for a couple of cast exhaust manifolds and some pis tons. They had become corroded during exposure to the urea-satu rated floodwater and were either unusable or missing altogether. De spite a long-running advertisement in Trade-A-Plane, most always a cer tain bet to obtain anything needed, no pistons or manifolds were forth coming. But with the help of Dick Jackson, we arranged the purchase of enough parts to build several OX-5 and Tank engines. Included were several dozen pistons and the re quired number of manifolds. Ah hah, success at last! But not quite
yet ... In the purchase was a Tank en gine, which had, unfortunately, been hurt when the aircraft it was propelling fell to earth. It was super fiCially dinged, not too badly damaged. But when the time finally arrived to build up the power plant, we were amazed to find the pistons were Wiseco slipper pistons of a type most suited for "hopped up" 350 cu bic inch Chevy's. Bad dodo. So began more frantic searching for the right pistons. But now the problem was more complex. In order to fit those slipper pistons, all the cylinders had been bored out to plus ten, too big for even our crummy VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13
Also a part of the Historic Aircraft Museum collection at Creve Coeur, the OX-5 powered Curtiss Canuck flies in formation with the Robin.
The water-cooled OX-5 in the Curtiss Jenny and Canuck was improved by the Milwaukee Parts Corporation's Tank engine modification . The Tank, which used the bottom end of the OX-5, was an air-cooled version with improved cylinders and manifolds. By installing a Tank, the lower weight of the engine installation and increased horsepower combined to give bet ter cruise and climb performance. 14 MAY 2001
standard pistons, and not large enough for what was available in suitable pistons, plus twenty. We felt that going twenty thousands over on a stock Tank cylinder was unwise there is no data to support this larger bore. And really, no correct pistons either. "Not to worry," said Glenn "I'll just make a mold, and we'll get some cast up." Yeah, right. But this uphol stering fool has even more talents, and mold making was one of them. In no time, the mold was made, proofed, pistons cast, machined, and fitted. It started on the first pull! The existing sheet metal that sur rounds the cowling was made, it was promised, for an OX Tank-powered Robin. Robin red breast, maybe. Not a Curtiss Robin. The nose bowl was close, and could be modified. But the top cowling had to be raised and lou vered to clear the tops of the cylinders, so a new one had to be hammered out. And then done again, for the spare engine, which had been fitted into the mounts as a
(Top) When the original hubcaps proved to be too far corroded and damaged to be restorable, Glenn knew what to do-he simply recast them! (Right) Wicker seats and nickel-plated controls, not to mention the beautifully restored Consolidated instrument cluster in the center of the panel, all combine to make this restoration a real gem. Glenn Peck's attention to detail in the entire restoration is highlighted in the smoothly curved fuel lines running along side the forward window frames.
pattern turned out to be about a quarter of an inch shorter than the engine, which was to be used for flight. Happy days. Finally, after two years of steady work, on June 29, 2000, Curtiss Robin, N263E, was ready for its first hop. With its tailskid supported by a small dolly, the orange and yellow wonder trundled out to the east/west grass runway at Creve Coeur, the dew glistening off its 30x5 smooth ies. Gently the tailskid was lifted off the dolly and the big bird was aimed into what little wind was available. Glenn eased the throttle forward. Shaking herself stiffly, like an old dog that had been lying too long in the sun, this 72-year-old newborn lifted easily into the sky. For those of us standing by the side of the strip, the thing we marveled at most was the muted sound of the engine, as it continued to lift the Robin into the sky. No growly rasp of a modern en gine, not even the throatiness of a radial. Just the gentle purr of an old
gentleman taking his lady friend out for an early morning stroll. After a few circuits Glenn brought her down, making the perfect three painter that we all expected. The eight probe cylinder temperature gauge, fitted for the break-in period, was reading slightly higher than an tiCipated. After carefully inspecting the aircraft, and finding nothing more serious than a minor oil drip, Glenn restarted the Tank engine on the first pull. The takeoff roll again was noted for its lack of drama; and within 600 feet of ground run the Robin was once again aloft . Ever since initial run-up, the engine has gained power steadily. This has been manifested in the ability of the V-8 to absorb more and more pitch in the Hamilton Standard propeller. With almost every flight, more performance has been extracted from the motor-un til at present, an honest 90 mile per hour cruise speed at 1,500 rpm has been achieved, without degrading
climb performance at all. The Robin was rigged to exact fac tory specifications, and only a slight vertical fin adjustment was neces sary to maintain perfect trim. Anyone who has flown a Robin, or just about any other aircraft from that era knows there is no such thing as "hands off" flight. Like a drunk running across a plowed field with his shoelaces tied, the Curtiss seems to lurch across the sky, its ailerons sluggish, despite the gap strips de signed by the factory. But once you settle back in the surprisingly com fortable wicker seats, slide down the window, and stop trying to force the aircraft into holding too tight a heading; the pilot and airplane seem to get along pretty well together. The whole ambience of planes from this era makes one think of things like village greens, badminton games on a Sunday afternoon, and trying to sleep without air-conditioning in
-continued on page 30 VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15
at gives with that color? We'll answer that question right away - it's Cessna Air master Green and yellow. Brigh t colors were one of the ways Ameri cans tried to pull themselves out of the doldrums that came with the Great Depression. Airplane manufac turers certainly weren't immune to the idea of perking things up a bit, so Waco, Cessna and others all used bright colors to help boost product awareness. The exceptionally bright green Cessna chose for the Airmas ter certainly stood out back in the 1930s, and it still does. Love it or hate it, you just can't turn away from the colorful airplane when you first see it. Back in the 1970s, Arnold and Margaret Miller of Osseo, Michigan, put their Taylorcraft in storage after it was damaged, intending to restore it. But time seemed to slip away, and after 18 years it was time to let it go. Ron heard about the airplane from a friend, and made arrangements to drive out from New York and pick up the project. At about the same time Ron went to Michigan, Brian Marchetti was fin ishing his Pitts S-2. Brian was doing the work with Ron, who runs his FBO with his son, Michael. As the Pitts was nearing completion, he re alized he would miss working on an airplane project, so he asked Ron , "What's next?" The "what's next" was on its way to him, tied down to a trailer. What Ron found in Michigan was a very complete project, with all the hard to find pieces still with the air plane. He was pleased to find that the Millers had been careful to store the airplane in a dry barn. When he got the airplane home, he offered the project to Brian, who jumped at the chance. Neither Ron, Michael nor Brian had done a Taylorcraft in the past, so a crash course in learning about the type was begun. With all the pieces spread out on the hangar shop floor, the airplane looked like a kit with no directions included. Where exactly did each part go? And just what is that odd looking fairing used on? Manuals were gathered, drawings be gan to come in, and the wings, which had been started, were reworked with new spars and many new ribs.
W:
18 MAY 2001
The cockpit of the Taylorcraft is neatly appointed with a crinkle finish paint and instruments that were refur bished by the legendary Keystone Instruments of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania.
When first built by Taylorcraft, the wings were covered using Martin fabric clips. For those not familiar with the Martin system, which is still available, it consists of a 25-foot length of stainless steel wire, which has a barbed clip formed every 3 inches. Each of these barbs is inserted in small holes drilled every 3 inches in metal ribs or control surfaces. The bare ends of the wire are also inserted in a hole in the rib to prevent them from poking a hole through the tape.
Then standard surface tapes cover the wire. The system seems to work well in production environments, and was standard equipment on Tay lorcrafts. Some folks don't care for the system, feeling that among other factors, the rib is weakened by the hole. When it came time to attach the fabric on this project, they decided to rib stitch the wings, preferring the fa miliar system of the hidden-stitch method.
When they got to the fuselage, they found out something quite in teresting. Their Taylorcraft was actually two different airplanes, welded in the middle. In 1975, the airplane was damaged by a tornado, and it needed a new aft fuselage. A new back section was ordered from the Taylorcraft factory, and it was grafted onto the serviceable cabin section. With the Taylorcraft fuselage now straight and true, some work continued, but progress was slow. Eventually it wound up being stored. The engine was overhauled in the Jones shop, with careful attention paid to the final balancing of the dy namic components. Under Ron's supervision, an engine shop special izing in precision engine work was commissioned to do the balancing. Both remarked how smoothly the Continental ran, thanks to this extra step. While one of the original Ben dix "tower" magnetos was retained, the other was replaced with a Slick magneto equipped with an impulse coupling, which makes the 65 hp Continental easier to start. They also installed the "100 octane" valves, hoping to stave off the erosion often seen when the little Continentals are run on a steady diet of lOOLL fuel. As they began to assemble the air plane, the restorers decided to replace each sheet metal component. None of the original fairings were used for anything but patterns. Some of the sheet metal was bought from the lat est version of the Taylorcraft company. Plenty of new, old stock (NOS) parts went into the restora tion. Since it was not a full time project, it took the gang two years to finish the project. After Brian had flown the
Pitts he built for a while, he sold it to an airline pilot in Germany, so he was without a light airplane to fly (his airline job helped satiate some of his flying desire, but it's just not the same!). The Taylorcraft now took all the time he could spare to get it done. Still, there was no major rush. Taking their time, they sent out the instru ments to Keystone Instruments in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. The craftsmen at Keystone overhauled the instruments and made new faces for each of the dials. A nice black crinkle finish was applied to the panel. The exterior finish is Ran dolph dope applied over Ceconite, with PPG basecoat/c1ear coat on the sheet metal. Years later, the dope/polyurethane color match is still very good, on what many would consider a tough color match to make in the first place. Ron enjoys the dope over cotton process, but for extra durability he also feels comfortable using the dope on Dacron system and has also used urethane paints over the synthetic fabric. Because of his experience with their product quality control, he par ticularly likes Randolph products. A couple of years of work went into the project, and when it came out of the shop doors, it immediately started turning heads. The checker board tail and yellow and green combination did the trick. Jim Herpst had been an airport kid growing up. His dad, Rolland, was an EAAer from back in the 1960s, and was actively involved in the restora tion of Taylorcraft NC43831, a project put together by EAA Chapter 68. As a lad of 11 Jim rode with his dad all the way from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area to Oshkosh, landing at the 1970 Convention . While he loved airplanes, it was n't until 1995 thatJim earned his private pilot's license. In the back of his mind he toyed with the idea of airplane owner ship, looking at the various kits such as a Kit fox or an Avid Mk IV. But he knew that in the long run none of those air planes would really meet his needs, so he began
When he was a youngster, Jim became enamored with Taylorcrafts when his father Rolland and other members of EM Chapter 68 restored Taylorcraft NC43831 back in the late 1960s.
his search for the airplane he was sure was just what he was looking for-a Taylorcraft. It took a few years to find the right airplane, and as Jim talked on the telephone to Brian Marchetti it really sounded great. Right up to point Brian mentioned the color scheme. Jim recalled that the first words out of his mouth were straight to the point. "I don't want a green airplane!" he said. "Just let me send you the pictures," replied Brian. The pictures did the airplane jus tice, and as soon as the envelope was opened, Jim knew he was headed to upstate New York to buy it. Brian in sisted that Jim fly up on a US Air buddy pass before he'd even let him send some money to hold the air plane. He just fell in love with it, but couldn't just write a check and take it home. There was one little detail still to be worked out. Jim didn't have any tail wheel time in his logbook. But that was soon remedied, as Jim took instruction from a well-known antiquer in the southeast United States, Xen Motsinger. Xen got him checked out so that when the Taylor craft was flown from New York to Lexington, South Carolina, he was ready to get in a go. His first passen ger? His dad, Rolland. He and his father brought the airplane to Sun 'n Fun and had a ball, enjoying the at tention such a bright, well-restored airplane can bring. Jim's son Charlton really likes dad's airplane as well-he's certain that the path to an Air Force F-22 will start with the Taylorcraft, and Jim's not one to discourage such a thought. Encouraging youngsters seems to be part of the Herpst family tradition . ...... VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19
......
ast night I watched the last episode of Ken Burns' docu mentary, Jazz. For the rest of the night I dreamed about New Or leans, jazz, and the Funk airplanes I've owned. As I write, Kenny G. is playing Summertime and my "Ameri can Queen" steamboat mug is filled to the brim with hot, black coffee made from beans brought back from the last New Orleans steamboat trip. I'm all set to spin you a story about Funks, music, wash pipe, and how these three things tie together. My high school band director was a neat guy. He not only loaned me his sousaphone to play in the band, he got me gigs to play in larger cities with famous visiting orchestras. In the late 1940s and early '50s the Guggenheim Foundation was fund ing tours of large orchestras to smaller ci ties, and if I could get to New Orleans with my horn (actually, his horn) my band director would
L
20 MAY
2001
arrange for me to play with bands like the Boston Pops (under the di rection of Arthur Fiedler!). Who, me? Get there? Hey, I have a Funk! The smaller sousaphone would just barely fit, and if r turned the bottom end of the bell up, r could pull the yoke all the way back, which I thought was important at the time. It was not comfortable, but the flight was only 3 hours long. Then I caught the rubber-tire bus to the end of the streetcar line and jumped on the Streetcar Named Desire, which went right by the Opera House. Jazz crept into almost everything we did in high school band. At foot ball games we'd start playing as directed by the leader, but after a while the drummer, a fellow named Bodad, was inspired to pick up a jazz beat. Then a trumpeter named Bird song would take a ride akin to When the Saints go Marching In. Then Del mas Jackson would join in on the
saxophone,
and that was it,
we'd switched to jazz. It was like the
"Second Line" at a New Orleans Jazz
festival.
The majorettes could really jive to the beat and the whole band was completely and wonderfully out of control. The band director finally re alized the audience liked our fooling around better than the straight stuff. I'll have to tell you we were good back then, very good, and never mind what we were supposed to play. Little did we know it at the time, but jazz was everywhere, and Ken Burns' film brought back some of that thrill of the times. Being a highly trained "Funk Pi lot" led me to later save the world and contribute to the overall adven ture of "Music to Fly By." I do not recommend this for everyone, but I had the unique adventure and privi lege of flying and playing the world's
Music to fly by
Cllbs and
1II111i largest and loudest flute, not once but at least a half dozen times. As many of us know, there is a whole lot more joy to flying than just takeoffs, landings, and going places. It's a feeling inside that lives on well after the event, as the Funk Brothers well know. Flight is a lot like the music we hear and hum un der our breath. Flashbacks of flight are with us Funksters as we go about our everyday lives . It's not music, and yet it is, it's both and when we c<;:>mbine the two, we really have something to hang on to and cher ish! This story is one that I don't tell normal (non-pilot) people, so I save this for you guys. Anyone who has n 't flown a Funk and knows of its gentle nature, its superior flight characteristics, would not under stand that there's a whole lot more to flight than just stick and rudder. We 're talking about understanding
by Jon Schroeder
the soul of the airplane, our own souls, and what can and cannot be done in flight. This took place in the mid-1950s at the Karachi (Pakistan) Interna tional Airport. I'd just returned from my second pipeline run to and from the drill camp. As I taxied the Cessna 195 up to the company hangar I saw the most amazing, disturbing, and distressing sight of my life. The local fellows in turbans had loaded a piece of wash pipe on my Super Cub! The pipe, hanging from the wings, ran span wise beneath the wing. It passed through the cabin, through the pushed-back left window, and right through the open clam-shell door. "Whose cockamamie idea is this?" I asked myself as my passenge rs climbed o ut of the Cessna and went on their different ways. Approaching the Cub in utter disbelief I asked , "Whose idea was this?" "The tool pusher's," was the reply.
So I phoned Arlie Daniels, the tool pusher. He was serious! He wanted me to try and fly a piece of wash pipe to the rig. Drilling at the rig had stopped because of an earthquake, and they needed the pipe to help free the drill shaft. I told him it wouldn't work! Someone was going to get killed and I had a very good idea just who that might be. "Just try it!" he said. Arlie reminded me that I was the one who sa id a Super Cub would carry its own weight, and that a wash pipe weighed less than 1,200 pounds. It was just crazy! That piece of pipe was 29 feet long and the out side diameter must have been 12 inches or more! "Well, I'll show them that it won't fly like thiS, and that will be the end of this craziness," I thought. I in spected the lash up , and it didn't look too bad. They had tied the pipe VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
to each of the strut ends where they meet the wings, to the tubing inside the cabin, and everywhere they could to relieve the stress at anyone place. If that thing had ever let go, it would have cut the Cub in half. To be safe, I figured I'd better fly from the back seat. That way, only my feet would get crushed if the pipe let go! As I got ready to fly, I thought, "I'll show these fellows that a Cub won't stand such abuse." I cranked up and taxied slowly. As I maneu vered to the active runway I thought, "This is a heavy load. I'll use the same technique I use with the 195. If the tail won't come up, I'll return to the ramp. But what if I can't hold the nose up?" I was sure that would be the end of the test. All I had to do was run away from the crash site. (It's always a good thing to have a survival plan for just these kinds of circumstances.) I pushed the throttle forward and away we went! You know what? The thing flew! It was heavy, with lift off at about 75 mph instead of 40, but the Cub balanced out just fine. I cruised about 85 or 90, in case there was turbulence. I turned and headed in the gen eral direction of the drill rig. Flying something strange like this and meeting the challenge, elation re placed fear. But something was very strange about all of it. The engine sounded too powerful, much too powerful. When I pulled the throttle back and forth I could barely per ceive any change in the sound of the engine, and I realized that the sound wasn't the engine. What was that noise? The pipe had open ends. "Could that be mak ing the noise?" I thought about the time when we made an aluminum model airplane wing in my sheet metal shop. The open ends of the wing made a howling sound as the plane flew. "That must be it!" I fig ured. Kicking the rudder a bit produced an overwhelming whistling sound. I reached up and touched the pipe. It was vibrating, and its tone and pitch 22 MAY
2001
changed with the rudder's input. Fly ing straight, the sound was a low, whale-sounding cry. Kicking a little rudder increased the pitch and vol ume, as if it could get any louder! So there I was, flying a Cub to the drill site with a piece of wash pipe slung under the wing, playing a tune as we went. With a little experimentation, us ing various slips and yaws that only a highly trained Funk pilot would know, I found that I could play what seemed to me like the rudiments of a tune on this flying flute. I needed a simple tune to play, just a simple whistling tune. The John Wayne movie, The High and the Mighty, had not been released at that time or that would have surely been my choice of melodies to try and play. I would be lying if I told exactly which tune I tried to play, but who would really know? Probably something I learned on the tuba. I circled the rig, trying to play the tune I'd just learned, but with the noise from the rig, no one on the ground heard anything except the screeching sounds, changing pitch with yaw. I lined up on a rogue camel and set it down on the desert floor, not too far from the rig. The crew came out and gently removed the pipe, and I flew the Cub back to town for another piece of wash pipe. It was late in the evening when I got back, but the turbaned crew be gan loading another piece of pipe on the Cub for another pipe-flight early the next morning. I took a rickshaw to the bachelor's apartment, cleaned up, ate a bite, and settled into my bed. That night, I'm sure the music was on my mind. What would I learn to play the next day on the way out to the rig? I think I made about eight trips with the Cub-and-pipe combination, and each time I got just a little better at playing the tunes. I'm not sure if anyone appreciated the effort I made to get the music just right, but that kind of thing satisfies the soul of the player, not the listener, just as must be the case with jazz musicians.
Maybe this is why they close their eyes when they play, as if to play only for the angels. Perhaps that was what I was doing in Pakistan, and the angels didn't have to be reminded to listen with all the noise that wash pipe was mak ing! I think the crew used six pieces to wash over the drill line, seized in its hole by the earthquake, and get it unstuck. Now they could continue drilling. Working around a drill crew was fascinating, having done noth ing more in growing up than going to school and flying around the country in a Funk or two, or three, or four, or so. The lesson to learn from all this nonsense? I want us all to fly safely! Enjoy our flying! Savor every mo ment! Listen to the music of the engine in flight. Try humming the theme song from the The High and the Mighty next time you fly your Funk. Your hands on your Funk's yoke will feel just like when the "Old Pelican," bringing his leaking DC-6 home on two engines over the Pa cific, flying between the Twin Peaks as they let down safely into SFO. I wish they'd bring that movie back. On film, John Wayne was our kind of pilot, don't you think? This is NC91167, reporting from somewhere out here. .....
Jon Schroeder, Cedar Park, Texas is the current presi dent of the Funk Owners Association. For more infor mation about the FOA, contad Thad Shelnutt, 2836 California Av., Carmichael, CA 95808. Phone: 916.971.3452, e-mail: pilot thad@aol.com. The dues are $12 per year for 10 issues of the Funk Flyer newsletter.
This month's Mystery Plane is an odd duck from the collection of air plane photos supplied by Ralph Nortell. It's a Fairchild Heritage Mu seum photo. Via the regular mail, send your an swer to: EAA, Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Your answer needs to be in no later than June 5 for inclusion in the Au gust issue of Vintage Airplane. Because of changes in the Vintage Airplane production schedule, we had to move the due date back a bit.
Mar Mystery
by H.C. Frautschy
930 Brown Metalark I
X519V, the Brown Metalark I rests on Felts Field, Spokane, Washington in 1930. Its company includes an Aeronca (-2, Stinson Junior and J-4 Eaglerock. (Ralph Nortell collection)
I'd strongly encourage our interna tional members to correspond via e-mail, as many of you are already doing. Isn't technology handy? All members can send your re sponse via e-mail. Send your answer to vintage@eaa.org. Be sure to include both your name and address (especially your city and state!) in the body of your note and put I/(Month) Mystery Plane" in the subject line. This month we did receive the majority of the responses via e-mail, including this note from England:
The February Mystery Plane is the Brown Metalark I, XS19V, built by the Brown Metalplane Co., Spokane, Wash ington. Powered by a 6S-hp Velie M-S engine it had a span of 20 feet 6 inches, length also 20 feet 6 inches and a maxi mum speed of 90 mph. It first flew on 14 March 1930 and was later destroyed in a hangar fire. Regards, Vic Smith Ickenham, Uxbridge, United Kingdom From the other side of the globe, we heard from Washington State:
Since I was born in the twenties and raised in Spokane, Washington, I had better know the February mystery ship. It is the number 1 Metalark monoplane built in the early thirties by the Brown Brothers. They were metal fabricators (especially aluminum) and also built number 2 and number 3 Metalarks. Both were low-wings. For youngsters like myself, the highlight of our local SportsVINTAGE AIRPLANE 23
Two different shots of the Metalark II, both taken in 1931 . The first shows the temporary installation of a Warn er Scarab engine. The Warner was on loan from Lacey Murrow, a Spokane Air National Guard pilot and broth er of famed newsman Edward R. Murrow. (Thoburn Brown collection via Ralph Nortell)
man show was a low-wing Metalark hanging from the ceiling. We spent hours just looking at it. All three planes no longer exist. Ed "Skeeter" Carlson Spokane, Washington Stan Piteau, Holland, Michigan, pointed out that Nick Marner was the pilot of XS 19V on its first flight. He too alluded to the Metalark II, which was powered by the 90-hp Ace. X10668 first flew Oct. 18, 1931, with Max Fennell the pilot. The Metalark was also known as the Sil ver Streak. Other correct answers were re ceived from Wayne Muxlow, Minneapolis, Minnesota , and Bill Worman, Eastsound, Washington .......
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PASS
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BUCK
by E.E. "Buck" Hilbert EAA #21 VAA #5 P.O. Box 424, Union, IL 60180
Hi Buck, I'd call operating temperatures. The I have been wanting to write you for oil lines to the remote oil tank dissi some time. I enjoy your articles very pate a lot of heat, and the tank itself much, especially the recent ones on rust takes a long time to get warm. in the engines. The Menasco Pirate on our R an As you probably know, the Continen STA didn't have an oil cooler like tal W670 engine is a cold running your PT-26 . We did not fly it very engine. Most of them never really get up much in really cold weather and to goo d operating temperature. The when we did, the oil temperature problem that we have is on No.1 cylin needle never came off the bottom der. It does not get enough oil and the stop . Even my Champ with its long moisture does not dissipate. This causes underwear in place and the winter rust on the rocker arms and valve front installed takes a long time to springs. I remove the rocker covers every come up , and then it rarely gets spring and check. Last year I did replace above 140QF. We pre-heat with a contractor's both rocker arms and greased them with kerosene burning torpedo heater, high temperature grease. We also have oil temperature prob and that's about the only time the lems with the Ranger engines in winter. oil temperature shows. Soon as we It does not get up to operating tempera start up in the really cold weather ture. The Fairchild PT 26 has solved the temperature takes a dive. Guess we're just lucky to live up this problem by putting a control valve in the front inlet to the cooler. In winter here in the frozen north. Those guys down south sure have I close the valve most of the time, and I can control the temperature at about it nice and easy, but I like it up here! Over to you Ed, 165°F. It has worked well for me. It is very important to keep the engine close Buck to normal operating temperature. Dear Buck, Keep up the good work Buck, I thought you might get a kick out of Your friend, this. I enjoy your "Pass it to Buck" col Edward C. Wegner umn in Vintage Airplane. I am an Plymouth, WI old-time, low-time SEL-SES pilot. ['m now restoring a 1946 Champ, N2923E, Eddie; What a pleasure to hear from one and will soon retire from gold mining of our senior members (and a fellow and move back to my hometown of Ely, Hall of Farner, no less!). Minnesota-float country! Ron Riikola I appreciate your comments and Elko, Nevada they go hand-in-hand with my experi From the Elko, Nevada Free Press ences. The Warner 145 on my Fleet 25 Years Ago lOF manufactures water just like the Continental. I too have taken to April 7, 1976: A United Airlines pi pulling the rocker box covers off at lot, E.E. Hilbert, flying a Swallow very frequent intervals, like every four biplane that he restored, arrived in Elko hours, and there is always an accumu yesterday commemorating the 50th an niversary of commercial airmail se/vice. lation in the upper rocker boxes. While I have them open I do a He followed th e original Varney Air valve clearance check. The Warner Lines (now United Air Lines) route from doesn't have overhead oiling, so Pasco, Washington to Elko with a brief, there isn't any way to carry off the unplanned stop at the Petan Ranch to condensation with oil flow. And verify his way to Elko. At noon, Hilbert you're right; in cooler weather the spoke of his adventures at the Rotary round engines never get up to what Club. He has been working on the plane
for several years after finding it stored in a garage in the Chicago area. The routes original pilot, Leon Cuddeback, now lives in Oakland, California. Ron, I can't believe it's been twenty five years since I flew the Swallow into Elko. ['m still having flashbacks about my experiences on that leg. I left Boise on the morning after the big event, and started for Elko. I was following a road that I thought was going to take me right to your airport. I'll admit the celebrations the night before and the late hour had taken its toll and maybe even impaired my thinking some. Any way, I was charging along and came to a ridge perpendicular to my line of flight. The road did a ninety-degree turn to the right and went uphill to the west. I pulled up a couple of feet and saw what I thought was the same road on th e other side of the ridge, so I jumped over the ridge and con tinued to follow the road. About forty-five minutes later [ re alized the road [ was now following was climbing up the mountain and turning into a trail. I headed down hill to the west into a valley with a big lake, and couldn't find anything even resembling a paved road. Mother Nature was hammering at the door, and about th e time I was getting desperate I stumbled onto a paved landing strip about five thou sand feet long. I landed, shut down, and hopped out to take care of busi ness. As I was finishing up, a cowboy VINTAGE AIRPLANE
25
came driving up in a jeep asking if I was all right, and if there was any thing he could do to help. I asked where I was and found I was on the Bing Crosby ranch. I was one valley west of where I was supposed to be. The man gave me explicit direc tions on how to find Elko. I cranked up and went on my way. By now, ac cording to my watch, I was late and I was pushing pretty hard. I came roaring into Elko, and after a quick pattern I landed to find only the high school band practicing. The band leader then told me I was an hour early. Would I mind going back out and coming back later when the re ception party was there? My watch was an hour ahead of the actual time! I took off again, and I flew up and down the main street, and did some sightseeing. When I got back to the airport the people were there, and we had our celebration. It was great! Gerardo Rivera and his television crew showed up and he was the first one to get a ride in the Swallow. What I remember the most was his mugging for the camera crew following in a he licopter. I told him a couple of times to sit down and buckle up. I finally gave him a fright by shoving the stick forward and lifting him off the seat. He sat down and did what I asked af ter that! I met him again later in New York, where he rode again along with Gene Shalit for the television news people. Yes Ron , that was a time, for sure. With a compass that told me I was in the Northern Hemisphere, no radio or navigation equipment, and with little experience in flying around the moun tains, it's a wonder I made it. You can't buy experience like that. I met a lot of really nice people, and learned a lot about open cockpit, early airmail pilot problems . The more I flew the old routes, and bucked the elements, the greater my respect for those pioneers who started it all. We sure owe them a lot. I like to think that every time I see a contrail way up there, high in the sky, it's a tribute to those guys. Enough of that. I'll be looking for ward to seeing you and your Champ at AirVenture or even down here in Northern Illinois. We gotta rap a little about Ely. My sister-in-law is from Vir ginia, Minnesota. Over to you Ron, and thanks for the letter and clipping and the memo ries it kicked up. t'( ~
3,/ck.
26 MAY
2001
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE
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Fly· In Calendar The following list ofcoming events is filrnished to our readers as a matter 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 10 EAA, All: Vintage Airplane, P,O, Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086, Information should be receivedfour months prior to the event dale, MA Y 12- Rock Hill, SC - Wings & Wheels Day Fly In/Drive-In. Lunch available. Info: 803/329-4454. MA Y 12 - Kennewick, WA - EAA Ch. 391 Fly-In Breakfast at Vista Field. Info: 509/735-1664. MA Y 18-20 - Columbia, CA - 251h Annual Gathering ofLuscombes 2001. Aircraft judging, spot landing andjlour bombing competitions, and the 9th An nual Great Luscombe Clock Race. Info: 360/893-5303 or 253/630-1086. MAY 19-20 - Winchester, VA - EAA Ch. 186 Spring F~y-1n, Winchester Regional Airport (OKV) Fom 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pancake breakfast 8-1 I a.m. Static dis play of aircraft; airplane and helicopter rides, demos, aircraft judging, children's play area, and more. Concessions, souvenirs, goodfood. 1nfo: Ms. Tangy Mooney 703/780-6329 or EAA 186@ne/scape.net. MAY 19-20 - Hall/pton, NH - Hampton Airfield Fly Market. 1nfo: 603/964-6749. MAY 20 - Niles, MI- VAA Ch. 35 Hog Roast LIIII cheon, Niles Airport (3TR). lnfo: 616/683-9642 or bobjackson@triton.net. MAY 20 - Warwick, NY - EAA Ch. 501 Annual Fly-In, Warwick Aerodrome (N72). 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Unicom advisoryFequency 123.0. Food available, trophies will be awarded. Registration for judging closes at 2:00 p.m. Info : Michael 2I2-620-0398. MA Y 20 - Romeoville, IL (LO'l) - EAA Ch. 15 Fly-1n Breakfast, 7a.m.-Noon, Lewis Romeoville Airport. 1nfo: Frank 815/436-6153. MAY 25-27 - Watsollville, CA - EAA Ch. 1 19 's 37th Annual Fly-In & Air Show. Info: 8311763-5600. MA Y 25-26 - Atchison, KS - 35th Annual Greater Kansas City Area Fly-In, Amelia Earhart Memorial Ai/port. Friday night potluck dinner for registered guests. Saturday catered Awards Banquet. Accom modations avail. in town, camping on thefield. Sat. concessions avail. Info: Stephen 816/223-2799, 9m03@ponyexpress.net, or Jeffjsullens@kc.rr.com MAY 26 - Zanesville, OB (Riverside Airport) - EAA Ch. 425 Annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast Fly-In/Drive-In, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. (Rain date May 27.) Lunch items, airplane rides after II a.m. Info: 720/454-000 JUNE 1-2 - Merced, CA - 44th Merced West Coast Antique Fly-In, Merced Airport. Info: Virginia or Ed 209/383-4632 JUNE 1-2 - Barlesville, OK - 15th Annual Biplane Expo, Frank Phillips Field. Info: Charlie 918/622 8400 or WWIV.biplaneexpo.com. 28 MAY 2001
JUNE 2 - Cape Cod, MA - VAA Ch. 34 Fly-In, Fal mouth Airpark. Food, awards,friends. (Rain date, June 3rd) Info: 508/540-1349. JUNE 3 - DeKalb, IL (DKB) - 37th Annual EAA Ch. 241 Fly-ln/Drive-In Breakfast, 7 a.m. -Noon. Info: Ed 8 I 5/895-3888. JUNE 3 - SL Ignace, MI Airport - EAA Ch. 560 An nual Fly-In/Drive In Steak Out, Noon-4 p.m. Public welcome. Info: 231/627-6409 or 231-238-0914. JUNE 3 - Russell, KS - Prairiesta Fly-In, Russel/ Mu nicipal Airport. Chuckwagon Breakfast, Military Static Displays, Walker Ail' Base Reunion, Antique Cars and Tractors, Rattlesnake Show. EAA Ch. 1214, Fuel 100LL available on field, RSL 16/3 4, 4402 x 75 runway paved, Unicom 122.7. Info: Rus sel/ 785/483-6008 JUNE 8-9 - Akron, OH - Funk Aircraft Owners Assoc. 2nd Ever Reunion and Fly-In, Akron-Fulton Air port. Info: 302/674-5350. JUNE 8-10 - Gainesville, TX Municipal Airport (GLE) - Texas Ch., Antique Airplane Assoc. 40th Annual Fly- In. Info: Jim 817/429-5385, Don 817/636-0966, or Janet 817/421-7702. JUNE 8-10 - Columbia, CA (022) - Bel/anca-Cham pion Club West Coast Fly- In 2001. hard sill/ace runway, ftlil FBO services, on-airport camping, nearby lodging, many nahlral & historic sites, BBQ for early arrivers, awards dinner, roundtable dis cussions & seminars. Advance registration strongly encouraged,forms, lodging available on web: www.bel/anca-championc/ub.com. phone: 661/942 7149. JUNE 9-Elba Mllllicipal Airport, AL (141) - Ch. 351 hosts Fly-In, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Fly lIIarket,food, early arrivals welcome,free transportation to local mo tels, under wing camping permitted, restroom available in terminal, Young Eagles. No rain date. GPS Coordinates: 31-24-59N 86-05-33 W. Info: Mike 334/897-1 137. JUNE 9-10 - Petersburg-Dil/lviddie, VA - Virginia State EAA Fly-In. JUNE 9 - Salisbury, NC - Rowan Co, Airport (RUQj - Boys & Toys All Day Airport Fun Day. Brea~fast at 7:30, Young Eagles jlights, aircraft, car, camper, boat, motorcycle static displays. Goodfood all day. New Cessna 200 I display. Fun for all ages. Info: 336/752-2574 or lebrown@infoave. net. JUNE 10 - Sugar Grove, IL (KARR) - 17th Annual Aurora AirExpo sponsored by Fox Valley Sport Aviation Assoc.- EAA Ch. 579 and Aurora Munici pal Airport. Antique, Classic, Homebuilt, and
Warbird aircraft sIalic display/jlight demos. Pan cake breakfast 7 a.m.-noon. Lllnch served Noon- 3 p.m. Free breakfast for pilotsjlying in with afull airplane. Fuel discount for jlight demo pilots. Free parking and admission. Info: Alan 630/466-4579. JUNE 14 - 17 - SL Louis, MO - American Waco Club Fly-In at Creve Coeur Airport. Info: 616/624-6490 or 317/535-8882. JUNE 16 - LaGrange, OH - EAA Ch. 255 's 71h An IIIwl Fly-ln/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast, 8 a.III.- 1 p.m. Harlan Airfield (92D) Info: Dale 440/355 6491. JUNE 17 - Somerset, PA - Somerset Aero Club 59th Annual Fly-In Breakfast, Somerset Cry AP(2G9) Breakfast 8-Noon. Free breakfast to pilot ofeach incoming aircraft. Chicken BBQ Noon-3 p.m. Held in con). with Antique Club Car Show. Info: 814/445 5320. JUNE 21-25 - Terrell, TX - 2000 Ercoupe National Convention. Evelyone welcome. Info: 972/524 1601. JUNE 23-24 - Longmont, CO - Rocky Mountain EAA Fly-In. JUNE 23-24 - Walworth, WI - 5th Annual Bigfoot (7V3) Fly- In Breakfast. (0700-1300) Aerobatic demo,jly-by, rides. Info: 815/385-5645. JUNE 23 - ZaJlesville, OH (Riverside Airport) - EAA Ch. 425 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In/Drive-In, 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. (Rain date June 24.) Lunch items and airplane rides after 11 a.m. Info: Don 740/454 0003. JUNE 30- Prosser, WA - EAA Ch. 391 Fly-In Break fast. Info: 509/735-1664. JULY 6-8 - Alliance, OH - Taylorcraft Owner 's Club/Taylorcraft Foundation combined Fly-In and Old-Timer's Reunion at Barber Airport (2Dl). This 29th gathering willfeature displays,forums, work shops, Sat. evening program, Sat & Sun. breakfast, Sun. worship service. Info: 330/823-9748 or 330/823-1168 or tocprez@yahoo.com. JULY 7- Gainesville, GA (GVL) - EAA 611 33rd An nual Pancake Breakfast & Fly-In. Judging, awards, rides, vendors,food all day. Info: 770/531-0291 or 770/536-9023. JULY 7-8 - HamptOlI, NH - 5th Annual Hampton Air field Biplane Fly-Ill. Info: 603/964-6749. JULY 11-15 -Arlington, WA - Northwest EAA Fly-In. JUL Y 17-20 - Keokuk, IA - Joint Liaison & Light Train er Formatioll Coalition Annual Formation Clillic at Keokuk Municipal Airport. Ground School
starts at 8:30 a.m withjlight training tofollow. All Liaison-type aircraft and PrimQ/y Trainers wel come. Anything from an L-I thru OV-I, PT-3 thru whatever. ILPA Fly-In immediatelyfollowing clinic. Info: 715/369-9769 JULY 21- Wausau, WI - Wausau Downtown Air port's 3rd Annual SwingDing/Dinner and Dance. Info: 715/848-6000 or website wwwj1ywallsall.com or e-mailjlyacllb@dwave.net. JULY 2J - Was!/ington Island, WI - 48th Annllal Fly In at Wash. Is. Airport, hosted by Lions Club. Music, crafts, hayride,fun for thefamily. Whitefish Boil 11:30 a.m.-I.·OO p.m. Info: 920/847-2770 or Iharvellpru I@juno. com. JULY 22 - Zanesville, 08 (parr Airport) - EAA Ch. 425 Annual Pre-Oshkosh Fly-IniDrive-In Pancake Breakfast, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Lunch items and airplane rides after II a.m. Info: Don 740/454-0003. JULY 22 - Burlington, WI - 9th Annual Group Er coupe Flight Into AirVenture. Wheels up at 12:00 noon. Everyone welcome to join. Info: 715/842 7814 JULY 24-30 - Osllkosh, WI - AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2001, Willmall Airporf_ IIIfo: 920/426 4800, IVIVIV.airvell/ure.org. JUL Y 27 - Oshkosh, WI - Stinson Lunch, Oshkosh, II: 30 a.m. meet at the Vintage Red Barn for afree, short bus ride to Golf Central Restaurant. Pay on
TN' GNL\, ~n~
YOllr own at the restaurant. Sign up in Type Tent or call 630/904-6964. JULY 27 - Oshkosh, WI - American Moth Club wel co mes all Int'l Moth Clubs & DeHavilland enthusiasts to this year 's Moth Club Dinner. 7:30 p.m. at Pioneer Inn. After dinner speaker is David Baker,founding member ofDiamond Nines Tiger Moth Demonstration Team. Also, Fri. a.m. Moth Forum, time and tent number will be published in the convention program. RSVP: to Steve Betzler at stevebtz@cedar.net orfax 262/368-2127 AUGUST 5 - Queen City, MO - 14th Annual Water melon Fly- In , Applegate Airport. Info : 660-766-2644. AUGUST 10-12 - Snohomish, WA - 19th Annllal West Coast Travel Air Rellnion. Harvey Field (S43). Largest Travel Air gatheringfor 2001. Local air tour, memorabilia allclioll and more. Info: Larson 425/334-2413 or Rezich 805/467-3669. AUGUST ll - Cadilla c, MI - EAA CJr . 678 Fly In/Drive-In Breakfast, Wexford County Airport (CAD), 7:30 a.m.- I 1:00 a.m. Info: 2131779-8113.
937/859-8967. AUGUST 19 - Brookfield, WI - VAA Ch.1I 's 17th An nual Vintage Aircraft Display and Ice Cream Social, Noon-5 p.m. at Capi/ol Airport. Also, Mid west Antique Airplane Club's monthlyjly-in mtg. Conlrol-line and radio controlled models on dis play. Info. 262/781-8132 or 414/962-2428. AUGUST 24-25 - Coffeyville, KS - 24th Annual Funk Aircraft Owners Assoc. Reunion and Fly-In Cof feyville Municipal Airport. Info: Gerald 302/674-5350. AUGUST 24-26 - Sussex, NJ - SIISSex Airshow. Top performers, ultralights, homebuilts, warbirds. Info: 973/875-7337 or sussexairportinc.com. AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 2 - Prosser, WA - EAA Ch. 391 's 18th Annual Labor Day Weekend Prosser Fly-ln. Info: 509/735-1664. SEPTEMBER 1 - Zanesville, OH (Riverside Airport) - EAA Ch. 425 Annual Labor Day Weekend Fly IniDrive-In, 8 a.m.- 2p.m. Lunch items and airplane rides after II a.m. Info: Don 740/454-0003
AUGUST 17-19-Alliance, OH - Ohio Aeronca Avia tors ' Fly-In and Breakfast at Alliance-Barber Airport (2DI). Info : www.oaaf/y-in.com or 216/932-3475.
SEPTEMBER 1 - Marion, IN (MZZ) - lIth Annual Fly-In Cruise-In, Marion Municipal Airport. Pan cake Breakfasl. All types ofaircraft, plus antique, classic and custom vehicles. Info: 765/664-2588 or rayjohnson@bpsinet.com.
AUGUS T 19 - Dayton, OH - EAA Ch. 48 Pancake BreaJ.fasl, Moraine Airpark. Info: 937/291-1225 or
SEPTEMBER 2 - Mondovi, WJ- 15th Annual Fly-III, Log Cabin Airport. Info: 715/287-4205.
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-ROBIN from page 15 summer; cool lemonade, warm beer, and drug store soda fountains with that funny sound when cherry phos phates are being made. That's what a Curtiss Robin is. After about the third hour of short hops, the cylinder h ead temps seemed to stabilize between the eight cylinders, but still a little hotter than Glenn felt comfortable seeing. Sens ing that perhaps the e ngine was running leaner than necessary, and after some discussion with Bud Dake, adding a little choke while in flight was suggested. Voila, an immediate 2S-degree reduction in the cylinder head temperatures, right where we wanted them to be. A few more flights , and it was time to go to Oshkosh. Glenn was all packed up. Tent in place in the baggage compartment, extra socks, etc. Tim Adcock, who flies probably the only aircraft on the field that is slower than the Robin (a VW powered, WW-I Neu port 11 scale replica), volunteered to ride shotgun . Don Parsons, along with his wife and toddler son, were to fly their Cessna 140 as a chase plane and radio communicator for the tower at Oshkosh. It started raining Thursday after noon. It didn't stop until Monday. Well, next year.
30 MAY 2001
AI Stix is the head honcho of the little corner of antique airplane heaven known as Creve Coeur airport (also known as Dauster Flying Field). The Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum is part of the enthusiastic operation there on the west side of St. Louis, Missouri. For more in formation concerning hours of operation, call the their of fice at 314/434-3368.
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(and those who love airplanes)
BIPLANE ODYSSEY - Flying the Stearman to every U.S. State and Canadian Province in North America. Hardcover. 382 pages. 16 pages color illustrations. $25. Mountain . Press, 609-924-4002. www.biplaneodyssey.com
I was sad for Glenn. He wasn't looking for any trophies. But h e's an airplane guy-and what better place for an airplane guy than Oshkosh? It was never going to be a quickie rebuild project. In my heart of hearts, I knew that back in 1983. But seven teen years is too long to keep a flying machine out of the sky, so I guess, ultimately, it was my fault. I was on the web last night. Seems there's an OX-S Robin up in Seattle. Looks like it's complete. "Rebuilt" OX engine-but I've got pistons, this time. I'm holding out for something with a Hisso.
VltiTAGE. AE.RO FAP.>RIC./. LTD ~
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Don't compromise your restoration with modern coverings... finish the iob correctly with authentic fabrics.
Antiques, Warbirds, General Aviation 304-466-1724 Fax 304-466-0802
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Early aircraft callan
Imported aircraft linen (beige and tan)
German WW I Lozenge print fabric
Fabric tapes: straight, pinked and early American pinked
Waxed linen lacing cord
Vinloge Aero Fobrics, Ltd. 18 Journey's End, Mendon, VI 05701 lei: 802·773-0686 lox: 802·786·2129 websile: www.ovdolh.(om
Membershi~ Services Directon'_ VINTAGE
Enjoy the many benefits ofBAA and the AIRCRAFT BAA Vintage Aircraft Association ASSOCIATION EAAAviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086
~
OFFICERS President Espie ·Butch· Joyce P.O. Box 35584 Greensbofo. NC 27425 336/393-0344 windsock@aol.com
Secretary Steve Nessa 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea. MN 56007 fiJ7/ 373-1674
Vice-President George Daubner 2448 Lough Lane
Hartford, WI 53027
262/673-5885 antique2@aol.com
Treasurer Charles W. Harr~ 7215 East 46th St. Tuw. OK 74147 918/622-8400 cwh@hvsu.com
DIRECTORS David Benne" P.O. Box 1188 Roseville, CA 95678 916/645-6926 antiquer@inreach.com
Jeannie Hill P.O. Box 328 HaNard, IL 60033 815/943-7205
dlnghao@owc.net
Robert C. ·Bob· Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicago, IL f'iJ620 773/779-2105 photopiot@aoi.com
Steve Krog 1002 Heather Ln. Hartford, WI 53027 262/966-7627 sskrog@aol.com
John Berendt 7645 Echo Point Rd. Cannon Fal~ , MN 55009
fiJ7/263-2414 fchid@rconnect.com
Robert D. ·Bob· Lumley 1265 South 124th St.
Brookfield, WI 53005 262/782-2633
lumper@execpc.com
John S. Copeland 1A Deacon Street Northborough. MA 01532 508/393-4775 copelandl@juno.com Phil Coulson 28415 SprIngbrook Dr. Lawton. MI 49065 616/624.{)490 rcouOOnSI6@cs.com Roger Gomoll 321 -1/2 S. BroadWay #3 Rochester, MN 55904 fiJ7 /288-28 1O
rgomall@hotmall.com
Dale A. Gustatson 7724 Shady Hills Dr. Indianapol~.IN 46278 317/293-4430
2159 Carlton Rd. Oshkosh, WI 54904 920/231-5002
EAA and Division Membership Services 800-843-3612 .••• • .••• • • . • FAX 920-426-6761 (8:00 AM -7:00 PM M ond ay- Friday CST) • New/ renew m emberships: EAA, Divisi on s (Vintage Ai rcraft Association, lAC, Warbi rdsl. National Association o f Flight Instru ctors (NAFI) • Address changes • Merchandise sales • Gi ft m emberships
Programs and Activities EAA AirVentu re Fax-On -De m an d D irec tory ......... . .................... 732-885-6711 Au to Fuel STCs ............. . .. 920-426-4843 Build/ restore i n formation . , . .. . 920-426-4821 Chap te rs: locating/ organ izing. , 920-426-4876 Educatio n ... . .... . ............ 920-426-6815 • EAA Ai r Academ y • EAA Scholarships
Gene Morris 5936 Steve Court Roanoke, TX 76262 817/491-9110 n03capt@Hash.net Dean Richardson 1429 Kings Lynn Rd Stoughton, WI 53589 608/877-8485 dar@aprilalre.com
Geon Robison 1521 E. MacGregor Dr. New Haven. IN 46774 219/493-4724 chief7025@aoi.com S.H. · Wes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wouwatosa. WI 53213 414/771-1545 shschmld@gdlnet.com
DIRECTORS
EMERITUS
Gene Chase
Phone (920) 426-4800 Fax (920) 426-4873
Web Site: http://www.eaa.org and http://www.airventure.org E-Mail: vintage @eaa.org
E.E. ·Buck· Hilbert P.O. Box 424 Union, IL 60180 815/923-4591 buck7ac@mc.net
ADVISOR Alan Shackleton
P.O. Box 656
Sugar Grove, IL 60554-0656
630/466-4193
Fligh t Adviso rs inform ation . .... 920-426-6522 Fligh t Instructor i n form ation .. . 920-426-6801 Flying Start Program •••••••• • •. 920-426-6847 Library Services/ Research . .. . .. 920-426-4848 M ed ical Questions .. ...... . .... 920-426-4821 Technical Counselo rs . ......... 920-426-4821 Young Eagles .... . . . . . ...•... . . 920-426-4831 Benefits Aircraft Financing (Textron) ..... 800-851-1367 AVA .............. ..... . . . . . . . 800-727-3823 AVEMCO .. . .... . . .. . . .... . . .. 800-638-8440 Term Life an d Acciden tal . .. . . . . 800-241-6103 Death Insurance (H arvey Watt & Compan y) Editorial Submitting article/ photo; advertising information 920-426-4825 .. • .••• •••••• FAX 920-426-4828 EAA Aviation 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 AVIATION. 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 EM members may join the Vintage Aircraft Associaton and receive VINTAGE AIRPLANE maga zine for an additional $27 per year. EM Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and one year membership in the EM Vintage Air craft Association is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included). (A dd
$7 for Foreign Postage.)
lAC Current EM members may join the International Aerobatic ClUb , Inc. Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an addit ional $40 per year, EM 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 EM members may join the EM Warbirds of America Division and receive WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $35 per year. EM Membership, WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership i n the Warb i rds Divis ion is avai lable for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included) . (Add $7 for Fore ign
Postage.)
EAA EXPERIMENTER
Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $20 per year. EM Membership and EM EXPERIMENTER mag az i ne is available for $30 ' per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included),(Add $8 for For
eign Postage.)
FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit your remittance w ith a chec k or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars . Add required Foreign Postage amount for each membership.
103346.I772@compt.OOlVe.com
Membership dues to EAA and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions. Copyright m ODI by the EM Vintage Aircraft Association
All rights reserved.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) IPM 1482602 is published and owned exclusively by the EM Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EM Aviation Ceoter. 3000
Poberezny Rd" P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086. Pe<iodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to EM Vintage Aircraft Association,
P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES - P"ase allow at "ast two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via suriace mail. ADVERTISING - Vintage Aircraft Association does not guarantee Q( 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 POLICY: Readers are encooraged to submIT stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those 01 the authors. Respon~tility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the conlributor. No renumeration ~ made. Material should be sent to: EdITor, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 920142&-4800. The words EM, ULTRALIGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM, SPORT AVIATION, FOR THE LOVE OF FLYING and the logos 01 EM, EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION, EAA VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION, INTERNA TIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB, WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are ® registered trademarks. THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EM AVIATION FOUNDATION, EAA ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION and EM AirVenture are trade marks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above association is strictly prohibited.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE
31
Donald & Wanda Goodman
Goode VA Best Custom Classic Sun 'N Fun, 1999 Grand Champion Southern Pines, 1999 People's Choice New London (VA) Airport Best Custom Classic Oshkosh, 1999
AUAis
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To become a
AUA's Exclusive EAA Vintage Aircraft Assoc. Insurance Program
- Donald and Wanda Goodman
lower liability and hull premiums Medical payments included Fleet discounts for multiple aircraft carrying all risk coverages No hand-propping exclusion
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No age penalty No component parts endorsements
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Discounts for claim-free renewals carrying all risk coverages
Association call
800-843-3612
The best is affordable .
Give AUA a call - it's FREE!
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Remember,
We're Setter Together'