VA-Vol-29-No-7-July-2001

STRAIGHT AND LEVEUButch]oyce

2 VAA NEWS/ CALENDAR! H.G. Frautschy 6 lYPE CLUB NOTES 8

THAT'S MY BONANZA! Mark Phelps

12 VAA PARKING AND SAFETY FAMILY/ NickHunn

14 UP FROM NOTHIN'/ Budd Davisson 20 VAA CHAPTER NEWS 21 MYSTERY PLANE! H. G. Frautschy 22 PASS IT TO BUCK! Buck Hilbert 26 NEW MEMBERS

III

30 CLASSIFIEDS

www.vintageaircraft.org Publisher

TOM POBEREZNY

Editor-ill-Chief

scon SPANGLER

Executive Director, Editor

HENRY G. FRAUTSCHY

VAA Administrative Assistallt

THERESA BOOKS

Executive Editor

MIKE DIFRISCO

COlllributing Editors

JOHN UNDERWOOD BUDD DAVISSON

A rtIPhoto LayolII

BETH BLANCK

Photography Staff

JIM KOEPNICK LEEANN ABRAMS MARK SCHAIBLE

A dvertisillglEditoriai Assistalll

ISABELLE WISKE

ON THE COVERS FRONT COVER: Bob and Susan Wyatt enjoy the smooth dawn air east of Lakeland, Florida, in their customized 450-hp Stearman. EM photo by Jim Koepnick, shot with a Canon EOS1 n equipped with an 80-200 mm lens on 100 ASA Fuji slide film . EM Cessna 210 photo plane flown by Bruce Moore.

BACK COVER: Boeing 314 Clipper is the title of George Guzzi's watercolor of a pair of Boeing's famous flying boats. Always fascinated by the airplane, he thought of it as the aeronautical equivalent of the Orient Express railroad.

Guzzi's work has been exhibited in books and galleries worldwide, and he has been a member of the Air Force Art Program since 1967, contributing more than 80 paintings. You can reach him at 11 Randlett Park, West Newton, MA 02465; phone: 617/244-2932; summer studio: 207/883-9076.

SEE PAGE 31 FOR FURTHER VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INFORMATION

STRAIGHT' & LEVEL

by ESPIE "BUTCH" JOYCE PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

AirVenture Preparations

his Father's Day weekend a n umber of dads were in the Vintage area on Wittman Field, cleaning up damage caused by a strong thunderstorm that raced thro u gh Oshkosh. All of the point stands and other temporary buildings were out of storage and lined up, unsecured and ready for distribution, and the storm easily knocked them around. The storm also damaged many of the large oak trees we all enjoy during AirVen­ ture. Fortunately, there was little structural damage in our area, but other areas of the convention site will need some additional work.

Maintenance Chairman Bob Brauer directs the loyal set of volunteers who build and maintain our structures before and after convention so those of you who attend AirVenture can have a more enjoyable experience. Many folks came to help, including a number who come re­ peatedly throughout the year. Phil Blake, Tim and Joanne Fox, Paul Kyle, Randy Hytry, and Bob Lumley came to help. They and other regular VAA volunteers ap­ preciate the support given by the ladies in Nancy Lichtenberg's volunteer kitchen. They do a great job serving an appetizing breakfast and lunch for all the EAA volun teers. My thanks to all of the volunteers who work so hard to make your Oshkosh stay enjoyable.

Not only do we have volunteers who work on the convention grounds, many volunteers toil all year to coordinate AirVent ure activities. For example, Steve Krog works with past grand champions, Jeannie Hill puts together the an nual VAA picnic, Roger Gomoll co­ ordinates the type-club-tent activities, and Steve Neese arranges the metal shaping tent . Each VAA director is responsible for specific areas. Some head up the various judging categories. Dale Gustafson and Dean Richard­ son lend their expertise in that regard, and Phil Coulson are judges. Jack Copeland leads the distribution of the participant plaques, and John Berndt helps coordinate

T

forums that have a vintage theme.

As he has been in the past, George Daubner is chair­ man of Vintage Parking and Safety, and he's the vice chairman of Vintage management . Geoff Robison is chairman of security and Vintage management co­ cha irman. I'm the Vintage area management chairman (windsock@aol.com or 336/393-0344). Feel free to con­ tact me with any concerns regarding convention.

E-mail ispreferred.solcan forward your concern to the proper person more easily. Of course, phone or mail is fine too!

Like last year, you can find almost any information that you need at the VAA headquarters, better known as the "Red Barn." Check with the folks at the VAA infor­ mation counter, headed up by Jeannie Hill. They'll put you on the proper track. If you have questions you'd like answered before you head to Oshkosh, please see the list of chairmen in "VAA News" on page 2.

Previously I've written here about working on my Lus­ combe's instrument panel. I have the holes punched, the instruments and radios mounted, and I'm ready to begin wiring. To make the wiring easier, and so I can still fly the airplane, I'm building the new panel while it ' s mounted to a plywood frame. If the plan goes right I'll finish the wiring and install the new panel this winter.

I also hope to install the turnkey starter so the weight savings here will make up for the new equipment I've in­ stalled.

Let us hear from you; tell us about your project so we can share your experience with other members who might be thinking of doing a similar project.

When you read this issue of Vintage Airplane AirVen­ ture will be just a few short weeks away. Hope to see you there. 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 VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER INFORMATION FOR EAA AIRVENTURE 2001 EAA AirVenture 2001 will be held at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, from Tuesday, July 24, through Monday, July 30.

(Remember, that's a day earlier than we started last year.) Volunteers will again be needed to staff the many different committees in the Vintage area.

If you would like to participate in activities as a volunteer, drop a note or call the chairperson listed below.

As they plan for this year's event, it would be helpful if you could also include your previous experience or training and the dates of your arrival and departure.

Some of the committees that will use volunteer help are:

Past Grand Champions

Steve Krog

262/966-7627

sskrog@aol.com Security and Flight Line

Geoff Robinson

219/493-4724

chief7025@aol.com Type Club HQ

Roger Gomoll

507/288-2810

rgomoll@hotmail.com VAA Parking

George Daubner

262/673-5885

antique2@aol.com Volunteers

Anna Osborn

(Contact before July 15.)

830/896-4614

annajohn@ktc.com Operation Protect Our Planes Noel Marshall MbO 1@nothnet.net 2

JULY 2001

Others Butch Joyce President, VAA 336/393-0344 windsock@aol.com H.G. Frautschy

Executive Director, VAA

920/426-4825

vintage@eaa.org OTHER AIRVENTURE NOTES If you've ever run into the situa­ tion where yeiu plan on departing with your airplane in the morning, but don't wish to purchase a full day's admission to the convention (there are no refunds on weekly wristband purchases), in the past it has been awkward to gain access to your airplane. Thanks to the re­ sourceful staff members at EAA Convention Headquarters, there is now a procedure in place to accom­ modate pilots who need to pass through the admission gates on the way to their airplanes. Check at the VAA headquarters, and we will ex­ plain the process and issue you the proper credentials.

VAA Chapter 11 is embarking on a new program to help transport pi­ lots/crews and baggage to and from their aircraft. Look for them in the VAA minivan with the "Toni's Red Carpet Express" magnetic signs.

The VAA picnic will be held at the tent located just south of the pond in the EAA Nature Center on Thurs­ day, July 26. Tickets should be purchased in advance and can be bought at the VAA Red Barn.

VAA HALL OF FAME Our congratulations to Ted Kos­ ton, Melrose Park, Illinois, (VAA 131) and Roy Wicker, Quitman, Georgia, (VAA 103) . They've been selected to be inducted into the Vin­ tage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place during the fall 2001 board

meetings.

Ted's activity and support of the vintage aircraft movement includes his work as a photographer and his­ torian. Roy's long tradition of enthusiasm as he has helped fellow members build replica aircraft and restored antique airplanes often meant his own projects were pro­ longed, but he'd be the first to tell you it was worth it.

We'll have more on the two hon­ orees in later editions of Vintage Airplane.

HELP THE FAA HELP US ALL The Federal Aviation Administra­ tion is seeking to locate the current legal owner of the data underlying the type certificates issued to various Consolidated Fleet Aircraft models manufactured in 1920-1940.

The last known holder of these type certificates is Brewster Aeronau­ tical Corporation, Long Island City, New York. If you have any informa­ tion about this company, or its legal successor-in-interest, or about th e current owner of the data underly­ ing these type certificates, please contact: Deborah Fountain Engine & Propeller Directorate Burlington, MA Phone: 781/238-7154 Fax: 781/238-7199 E-mail: Debbie.Fountain@(aa.gov COKER TIRES Jim Hildebrand of Coker Tires , 800/251-6336, would like to hear from people interested in purchas­ ing 30x5 smooth tread or 26x4 clincher smooth tread tires. These tires are intended for museum or dis­ play purposes and are so marked on the tire. If you are interested in adding your name to the list, give him a call.

EAA CHAPTER 1 EAA Chapter 1 has decided to change the date of their annual open

house and fly-in. Held for 48 years in the month of February, the dates have been changed to September 22­ 23, 2001. Held at the famous Flabob Airport (RIR) in Riverside, California, the event is free to pilots and public.

Tickets to the Saturday evening ban­ quet can be purchased in advance.

Call 909/682-6236 or e-mail eaachap­ terone@yahoo.com.

GEORGE HARDIE

This month's Mystery Plane is dedicated to the late George Hardie, who passed away June 17, 2001.

George (right, at the 1958 EAA fly­ in) authored one of Vintage Airplane's most popular columns, "Mystery Plane," from 1983 until 1995, and contributed to its success beyond those years. George was a past EAA director and EAA vice presi­ dent and served as an employee in the roles of managing editor of EAA Sport Aviation and later as EAA dis­ play designer and historian. George also served as a director and as presi-

d ent of the American Avia­ tion Historical Society, and in 1957 he was awarded the Air Force Associa­ tion's General Billy Mitchell award for Air Power Achievement for his work in documenting the history of aviation in Wisconsin.

He spearheaded the drive to create the Billy Mitchell Ga llery of Flight at Milwaukee's Mitchell field and de­ signed many of the displays. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Avia­ tion Hall of Fame in 1991. A book author and contributor to many publications, George was a seem­ ingly endless resource of aviation knowl edge for those of us who are still learning. We'd a lso like to ac­ knowledge the help given to George over recent years by Paul Celetti, a fellow aviation enthusiast. ......

Kinzinger ColI.lEAA Foundation Library

Fly- In Calendar The follOWing list ofcoming events is furnished to our readers as a matter ofinformation only and does not constitute approval, sponsorship, involvement, control or direction ofany event (fly-in, seminars, jly market, etc.) listed. Please send the infomration to EAA , Att: Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WJ54903-3086. Information should be re­ ceivedfour months prior to the event date.

JULY 11-15 - Arlington, WA - Northwest EAA Fly­ In. Info: 360/435-5857 or www.nweaa.org.

JULY 17-20 - Keokuk, IA - Joint Liaison & Light Trainer Formation Coalition Annual Formation Clinic at Keokuk Municipal Airport. Ground School starts at 8:30 am with jlight training to fo l­ low. All Liaison-type aircraft and Primary Trainers welcome. Anythingfrom an L-I thru OV­ I, PT-3 thru whatever. ILPA Fly-In immediately following clinic. Info: 715/369-9769 JULY 21 - Wausau, WI - Wausau Downtown Air­ port's 3rd Annual Swing Ding/Dinner and Dance.

Info: 715/848-6000 or website www. jlywausau.com or e-mailjlyacub@ dwave.net.

JULY 21 - Washington Island, WI - 48th Annual Fly-In al Wash. Is. Airport, hosted by Lions Club.

Music, crafts, hayride,fun for thefamily. Whitefish Boil 11:30 a.m.-l:00 p.m. Info: 920/847-2770 or Iharvellpru l@juno.com.

JULY 22 - Zanesville, OH (parr Airport) - EAA Ch. 425 Annual Pre-Oshkosh Fly-InlDrive-In Pancake Brea~fast, 8 a.m.-2 p. m. Lunch items and airplane rides afier 11 a.m. Info: Don 740/454-0003.

JULY 22 - Burlington, WI - 91h Annual Group Er­ coupe Flight Into AirVenture. Wheels up at 12:00 noon. Everyone welcome to join. Info: 715/842­ 7814 J ULY 24-30 - Oshkosh, WI - AIR VENTURE OSHKOSH 2001, Willman Airport. Info : 9201426-4800, www.airvenlllre.org.

JULY 27 - Oshkosh, WI - Stinsoll Lunch, Oshkosh, 11:30 a.m'. meet atlhe Vintage Red Barn for a free, short bus ride 10 GolfCentral Restaurant.

Pay on your own at the restauranl. Sign up in Type Tent or caI/ 630/904-6964.

This year's EAA AirVenture Oshkosh promises to be a great year for lovers of rare and unusu­ al airplanes. We've been told to expect an Avro Avian (in the marking of the Avian Amelia Earhart used during her American tour), a Fairchild FC-2 (the first aircraft actually owned by the CAA), most of the flyable Spartan Executives, a Vickers Vimy replica, and a Ryan M-1 mailplane. Still not enough to get you unfolding maps on the floor?

Take a look at the above photo. That's the Boeing 307 Stratoliner. Boeing only built 10 of the airliners, and one remains, the very same one seen in this picture, Pan American's Clipper

Flying Cloud. The Stratoliner was the very first pressurized airliner, and its design was based on the B-17 bomber. Painstakingly restored by volunteers at Boeing in the very same building in which it was constructed, the restored airplane was rolled out in preparation for its shake­ down flights on June 23. Destined for display in the new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian National Air and Space museum, the "new" airliner is scheduled for display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. We'll see you here!

JULY 27 - Oshkosh, WI - American Moth Club wel­ comes all In t 'I Moth Clubs & DeHa villand enthusiasls 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.netorfax 262/368-2127.

AUGUST 5 - Queen City, MO - 14th Annual Water­ melon Fly-In, Applegate A irport. Info: 660-766-2644.

AUGUST 10-12 - Snohomish, WA - 19th Annual West Coast Travel Air Reunion. Harvey Field (S43) . Largesl Travel Air gatheringfor 2001. Lo­ cal air lour, memorabilia auction and more. Info: Larson 425/334-2413 or Rezich 805/467-3669.

AUGUST J1- Cadillac, MI - EAA Ch. 678 Fly­ In/Drive-In Breakfast, Wexford County Airport (CAD), 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Info: 213/779-8113.

-continued on page 28 VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

VAAAEROMAIL

Is that Covering too Slack?

A few folks wrote to us with similar questions, so we thought it best to an­ swer them as a group.

You don't know me. I'm one of the masses out here who has had the airplane "affliction" since birth.

You know the type. If my wife wants anything done around the house, she has to draw a pair of paper wings and attach them to the "task" in or­ der to get my attention. My bride is out of town this week, so [ get extra time in the hangar.

While doing a little work in the hangar two nights ago, I was graced by an encounter with some fine neighbors, including their visiting father, Gar Williams. As we stood in the hangar next to our beautiful old family Gullwing, the topic of con­ versation gravitated to the Stinson 108. Specifically, the beautiful 108 displayed on the cover of our recent March issue of Vintage Airplane was noteworthy. I guess I'll forgo the small talk and get to the point.

Buck, [ have a couple of specific questions about the covering of this fine old ship. First, I draw your at­ tention to Vintage Airplane, March 2001, page 13: What method did the manufac­ turer use to attach the fabric to the airframe above the cabin? Perhaps lacing or PK screws?

What method did the manufac­ turer use to attach the fabric over the fuel tanks?

From the "technique" point of view, how does one judge proper "shrinkage" (suppose no substitute for experience applies)?

I surely don't want to see this dis­ cussion in a public forum. But 4 JULY 2001

looking at the photo on page 13 brings a little concern to mind. I ap­ preciate your expertise and candor.

Bryan Pender

Union, Illinois

G'day from Australia. Dave Dent is my name. I've been a member for 11 years now, and I've made seven trips to Oshkosh but still haven't met half the people I should get to know. Budd Davisson is a good mate, as is Kent White.

The reason I was contacting you was the picture on page 13 of th e March issue of Vintage Airplane. The amount of ballooning of the fabric between the ribs on the Stinson seems to be excessive. It also seems to be lifting over the fuel tanks. If the fabric is as slack as it looks, I would be quite concerned about the effect it will have on the attach­ ments to the wing ribs. We only have one or two Stinsons in the country, so I have no knowledge of the method used, but guess it is This Stinson's fabric seems to balloon quite a . bit over the cabin, but in this shot (right) you can see that the fabric was glued to the wing tanks. Fabric, by its very nature, is flexi­ ble. The modern Dacron covering processes commonly used today rely on shrinking by an even application of heat using a flat iron.

screwed or riveted.

I run a small maintenance shop at Camden Airport south of Sydney and have a reasonable amount of expe ri ence with fabric. I built my own Pitts and look after a lot of fab­ ric-covered aircraft. I'd be interested with your thoughts.

Fly safe.

Dave Dent Australia Buck and I asked W.D. "Dip" Davis for his thoughts on the ap­ pearance of the fabric on that particular Stinson and other air­ planes we've noticed over the years that had a similar appearance.

Here 's what he wrote to us:

Stinson didn't originally cover the gas tanks on the 108s; they covered the wing with the fabric glued to the spar faces. Then they installed the tanks and bridged the gap with a 4­ inch tape cemented to the tank. I don't believe they secured the fabric over the cabin with rib stitching but instead de­ pended on dope adhesion to the stringers. Of course, the airplane was covered with Grade A cotton and fin­ ished with butyrate dope, which did the tautening, and there was no prob­ lem with ballooning.

This time around the aircraft was covered with Poly-Fiber and fin­ ished with Poly-Brush/Poly-Spray and Poly-Tone or Aerothane, all of which are non-tautening materials.

When properly done as spelled out in the STC, the shrinking or taut­ ening is all accomplished by heating with an iron, and it is essential that all areas are treated in three stages of temperature, finishing with 350°F (Superflite says 375°F) to be sure that it has taken a "set ." This is all done before applying any finishing materials.

It will appear to be taut enough when you get to 300°F or so, but during a cool or moist morning you will see slack areas if you have failed to reach the proper temperature.

The top of the cabin is a little diffi­ cult to reach when performing this task, and I would surmise that this area just didn't get to that point.

Parked on the ramp or flying on a warm day you probably would not see that effect.

I don't mean to be picking on Poly-fiber-all brands of polyester fabrics, when finished with non­ tautening materials, are subject to the same rules.

Dip Davis Marengo, Illinois .....

Mark Schaible

Even after proper shrinkage, some move­ ment of the fabric will be present. Take a look at the top of the cabin and the tail sur­ faces of the Aeronca Sedan in this photo (left). On many lightplanes you'll also see some "sucking in" of the fabric around the sides of the aft fuselage. This fabric move­ ment, while normal in this case, underscores the reason why it is so important for the fabric finish to remain flexible in a wide range of temperatures. Is it any wonder why cracking occurs?

In the case of both the Sedan and the Stinson 108, I'd be tempted to rib-stitch the fabric to the upper stringers on the fuse­ lage. Do you fabric experts out there have another method that will ensure the fabric stays put? We're interested in more opinions on this particular issue. Send them to: Vintage Airplane, EAA, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

TYPE CLUB

Some Ideas on Troubleshooting from the Travel Air Log

by Robert G. Lock

Problem solving is an art. Some­ times it is pure luck, but most mechanics rely on experience for ef­ fective troubleshooting. Let me pOint out in the beginning that there could be more than one solution to a prob­ lem, so I welcome comments from members. Let's begin with a recent problem on Dick Sm ith's Travel Air 4000.

"The engine runs a little rough, and there is a not iceable magneto drop on the right mag. The engine sounds like it is struggling to run on a single mag."

First, radial engine magnetos are set up so that the left mag fires the rear bank of spark plugs, while the right mag fires t he front set of plugs.

If the magneto switch 'P' leads are wired correct ly, t h e above will al- . ways be true.

The Continental W-670 engine ig­ nition system u ses staggered magneto firing; the right mag fires at 32 degrees before top center, and the left mag fires at 29 degrees before top center. So the logical first step is to determine whether the mag drop is smooth or rough. Excessive mag drop (greater than 125 rpm) that is 6

JULY

2001

exactly where it should be! I checked

condition of the magneto points Could the the and the point gap opening, and they also okay. So what was going magneto drop were on? Why did the engine run rough " and then smooth on one mag? sounded like the engine was have been the running lean, so we ran the engine with full carburetor heat and the result of a primer unlocked (to richen the mix­ ture). Sure enough, the engine responded, and the mag check re­ lean mixture? turned to normal. pushed in the primer and locked it and then left Possibly.

the carb heat on HOT and checked It

If I

smooth indicates a magneto out of time to the engine. On the other hand, a rough -running engine indi­ cates a fau lty spark plug or harness lead (when one or more cylinders don't fire, the engine will shake in the mount). Also, pay attention to the rpm spread be tween mags; the maxim um allowed is usually 75 rpm.

The mag drop on Dick's Travel Air was un u sual in that the engine would occasionally backfire, but the drop was smooth. Ichecked the mag­ neto timing and found it to be

the mags again, the mag check was normal! That led to the next ques­ tion. Could the magneto drop have been the result of a lean mixture?

POSSibly.

Carburetor mixture is a function of the float level set at overhaul. So I recommended that Dick send the carb in for an overhaul. After he sent it in, he received a call that his carb was set up for a pressure-feed fuel system; the data plate on the carb said NAR-6G. The "G" indicates that the carb is for 3 to 5 psi pressure-feed fuel systems. Gravity-feed fu el sys­ tems operate around 1 psi ,

depending on how high the fue l tank outlet is located above the carb inlet and how much fue l is in the tank. With the fuel 39 inches above the carb inlet, 1 psi is obtained. How much pressure is fed into the carb when the fuselage fuel tank outlet is only slightly above the carb inlet?

Not very much; probably less than 1/2 psi. This is most likely the prob­ lem. Outwardly, the NAR-6 carbs look alike, but inside it's a different story. The floats are a different shape and set at a different level, and other small internal components can be different.

Check the spec of the carb before installing it. Pressure-feed carbure­ tors don't work on gravity-feed systems. When I maintained 450-hp

then-current crop of Cessna singles.

I also wanted to examine the air­ frame closely for signs of corrosion and damage. To facilitate the paint stripping and inspection process, I completely disassembled the air­ frame. Then I discovered and corrected minor amounts of corro­ sion and a few cracks. The airplane was down for four months, but the resulting paint job was outstanding.

I proceeded to fly the airplane for 35 years and added about 3,500 hours and one new engine to the logs.

By now the shiny new paint job was beginning to look pretty grungy, so it was time to do it all over again.

I figured on another four months in the preparation and paint shop, and then I would be back in the air. Not

acquired a fair amount of surface rust. These were bead blasted and painted, and then all of the internal surfaces were zinc chromate prior to re-riveting the structures. All of the empennage parts have now been corrosion proofed and have a nice shiny coat of white paint while they await reassembly.

Mud daubers are just one of the culprits that must be battled in the fight to keep the airframe from re­ turning to aluminum oxide. The Gulf Coast climate does its share in producing that white powder that shows up on skin jOints and internal surfaces. I have found that insula­ tion packed into poorly ventilated cavities, where moisture from the at­ mosphere can collect, is a frequent

However, as I stripped the paint, rivet heads

started falling off here and there.

agricultural Stearman biplane many years ago, our NAR-9 carbs were stenciled "Gravity" so there was no mistake. It's important.

Bob Lock can be reached by e­ mail at waldo997@aol.com.

From The Texas Chapter of the Antique AirpLane Association Newsletter-June 2001

DECAY

By CLeo Bickford Decay, according to Webster, means to fail slowly in health , beauty, or any form of excellence.

We of the World War II generation are quite familiar with this defini­ tion of the word . It also means to decompose or rot. All of the defini­ tions could be applied to describe the aging process of our airplanes.

They may look good, but how sound are they inside that pretty exterior?

Thirty-six years ago I needed to get my airplane painted. I wanted to bring the appearance of the 12-year­ old airframe up to par with the

this time. I followed the same proce­ dure as before, full disassembly and stripping. However, as I stripped the paint, rivet heads started falling off here and there , mainly on the tail feathers. This is something you can­ not ignore, so I started opening up the surfaces. I found large quantities of mud, the remains of mud dauber nests. These guys build a nest that is as hard as a rock and sticks to the surface like it was welded. The nests are sometimes hidden by the struc­ ture, and their presence may go undetected for a long time. In addi­ tion to the resulting skin corrosion, the control surface balance had been compromised . The corrosion dam­ age was actually spotty and minor in nature and cleaned up with very lit­ tle loss of skin gauge. It did, however, require a complete disas­ sembly by drilling out all of the rivets to ensure that all of the corro­ sion had been found and corrected.

In the process I found that the eleva­ tor torque tube assemblies (which are of welded steel construction) had

source of corrosion. I am now in the process of opening up some skin laps on the fuselage top to correct this corrosion.

Aluminum airframes are particu­ larly susceptible to atmospheric corrosion, but they are not alone.

Fabric-covered steel tube structures properly painted before covering can have a long service life, but they also have a built-in trap. Back in the days when Grade A cotton was the stan­ dard covering, the airframe had to be stripped and re-covered every few years. Now with the so-called life­ time coverings, such as Dacron, the airframe may go 25 years without exposure to the light . This gives plenty of time for the protective paint to develop pinholes and allow moisture from the air to reach the steel tubing. This makes for a nasty surprise when the fabric is finally re­ moved for re-covering.

All wood or wood and fabric air­ frames don't get away scot-free either. Remember, the second defin­ ition for decay is called rot. .....

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

7

AN "AVIATION FIRST" FOR 1954

by Mark Phelps

Beech's Plane-O-Rama display for 1954 tout­ ed "One Million Dollars" worth of Beechcrafts. There are at least 20 airplanes in the photo, including a number of Twin Beech 18s and a Travel Air or two.

8 JULY 2001

hen I teU people I have a Bonanza, I usually add something like, "But it was built in 1954. It's almost as old as I am," so they won't think I'm one of those independently wealthy pilot types. Angus Kydd, a young instruc­ tor and charter pilot at my home airport puts such modesty in perspective, though. He just smiles, closes his eyes dreamily, and says, "Yea, but a Bo­ nanza is a Bonanza." Of course, he's right.

W

It all started when I finally decided that dependable IFR transportation was in my future. As an editor for a corporate aviation trade magazine, I have a good excuse for using an airplane for my work, but I need it to be reasonably reliable. I had owned a Grumman AA1-B Trainer for 19 years and loved it, with its snappy handling, fighter visibility, and all the rest. But the Grumman was not practical as a prospective IFR traveler for a number of reasons. Even adding ILS equipment, IFR GPS, and the latest in moving maps wouldn't give it range. I could add auxiliary fuel tanks, but that would cut the payload down to Single-seater status. If anything, I could use a couple of extra seats. So the little Grumman "kitten" had to go to a new home. I sold it to a good friend of mine...who is still a good friend.

There's no doubt that [ have an itch to build an airplane, but not now. I would love an RV-8, and I can easily see it as being my big retirement project.

But since I can hardly find time to cut the grass these days, the dream of building an airplane will have to wait. I dallied briefly with my desire for a Swift, but finally bowed to the pressure of having four seats available for extra passengers.

At first, the obvious choice for a Grumman lover like me was either a Chee­ tah (150 hp) or a Tiger (180 hp). (Earlier Travelers, produced before Grumman American's Roy LoPresti worked his tinsnips magic on the airframe, are a good value, but they weren't for me.) My 1998 search revealed the price for an ac­

One of the most appealing aspects of the Bonanza is its timeless stature. Besides being a practical four-seat instrument airplane, it just looks good. In time, N3473B will be repainted in a scheme more closely reflecting the way it looked when it was brand new.

ceptable Cheetah was at least $45,000, and it cost another $10,000 to get a Tiger by the tail.

My search took me far and wide, deep into cyberspace, and I spent many hours with my nose buried in the familiar yellow pages of Trade-A­ Plane. One day on a business trip, I found myself at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona. As I wandered the ramp scouting for Grummans with "For Sale/l signs, I happened upon a V-tail Bonanza, standing tall and proud, on a broker's lot. The paint was a generic Bonanza orange-and-brown on white. Not bad, just not particularly inspiring. I climbed up on the wing and looked inside. The cloth interior was in decent shape, and the panel had a stack of Bendix/King Silver Crown radios that started my imagi­ nation humming with visions of cloud flying. One thing I knew even then about early Bonanzas was that some had been modified with a cen­ ter radio stack and the standard T-shape instrument configuration, re­ placing a hodgepodge arrangement

of instruments on the original, auto­ motive-style panel. I knew that I wou ld want that modification, and this airplane had it, with late-model gyro instruments to boot. I started to feel early twinges of "gotta-have-it­ itis."

I found a spec sheet. The informa­ tion that shouted loudest was in big type at the bottom of the sheet. "Ask­ ing $45,000./1 Hmm. Maybe I should rethink this Cheetah thing.

Mingling with the Arizona sun­ shine was a tingle of excitement .

Could I possibly afford to buy a Bo­ nanza? More important, and a little sobering, could I afford to maintain a Bonanza? This one was an E35, built in 1954. How about insurance? And would I be able to fly such a complex airplane safely-especially one with the checkered reputation of the but­ terfly-tail Beech?

One of the Bonanza's most impres­ sive features, I think, is that it's a tall airplane. As I stood there looking up at this one, it had a prideful appeal.

From the polished spinner to the high, jaunty V-tail, it was graceful and powerful at the same time. I folded the spec sheet, stuffed it in my back pocket, and resolved to look into classic Bonanzas.

I think Al Gore or whoever really invented the Internet must have had airplane shopping in mind. What a wonderful place to find information, read old articles, see pictures of air­ planes for sale, and send e-mail questions to experts. (Apparently suf­ fering withdrawal symptoms, I still check Aircraft Shopper Online, www.aso.com. and the Trade-A-Plane website, www.trade-a-plane.com. from time to time just to see what's new on the mark e t.) One of my other profitable cyber stops was the Ameri­ can Bonanza Society's web page, www.bonanza .org. Knowing its repu­ tation, I joined up immediately.

Next, I phoned some friends who had owned Bonanzas . I called Mac McClellan at Flying magazine. Mac used to own a V35 before getting his current Baron (which is a Bonanza VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

The world under my wings.

While you can't exactly see the curvature of the Earth from Bonanza altitudes, the visibility is great from all four comfortable seats. (Photo by Rebecca Cleft)

with two engines, right?). I asked Mac about the daunting prospect of maintenance. He put to rest my fears about the landing gear. lilt's pretty bulletproof," he said. Yes, he admit­ ted, Bonanza parts are usually more expensive than those for other man­ ufacturers' products-but they don 't break as much. I don't know how much of it was what he said and how much I just convinced myself as I lis­ tened, but I hung up from my conversation with Mac harboring much greater enthusiasm for Bo­ nanza hunting.

The next step was reading Larry Ball's Those Incomparable Bonanzas.

Larry was at Beech in Wichita as a Bonanza salesman and project man­ ager when a lot of what he writes about was happening. For the stuff that happened before his watch, he knew whom to ask, and he wasn't shy. As far as what changes occurred with what models and what years, Larry's book is a bible. For instance, 1954 was the first year Beech offered a choice of the 225-hp E225 Conti­ nental engine over the 185-hp E185.

Another factoid: The small third side window was introduced the next year on the F35 model, followed by the longer third window and hat shelf in 1961 with the N35. I know this may sound boring, but when 10 JULY

2001

you start looking at real airplanes to buy, these details can be as eXCiting as who is conspiring against whom on Survivor.

From the vintage Bonanza web page at www.vintagebonanza.com. I collected more information about modifications and supplemental type certificates that have become avail­ able over the years for 1950s-vintage V-tails. Among the most important are the aforementioned so-called "center-stack" panel modification (of which there are several designs), Cleveland brakes to replace the origi­ nal Goodyear ones, a SO-amp alternator to replace the original low­ output generator, and a hydraulic Hartzell propeller to replace the origi­ nal Beech electric. (This is controversial. Some owners swear by the original Beech electric props, but I wanted the Hartzell, killer AD and all, on the theory that mechanics in remote shops would likely be better equipped to deal with it than with the Beech prop.)

Less important are other modifica­ tions, such as replacing the original fixed-bench front seat with a pair of adjustable later-model buckets; sin­ gle-piece windshields, preferably the later long "sloped" version; and kits to add those third side windows, preferably the longer ones that in-

eluded a hat shelf conver­ sion affording more luggage space. Also on the modifica­ tion list were so-called "M-tips," wingtips from M35 models (1960) and later that were more square and improved takeoff and cruise performance, or even better, 15- or 20-gallon tip tanks from various after­ market manufacturers.

Bonanzas are among the most modified aircraft in the general aviation fleet, as legions of owners have placed their individ­ ual stamps on them through the years.

As I searched the Internet for Bo­ nanzas for sale that had all the modifications I wanted, I kept com­ ing back to the one I saw in Arizona.

It had just about everything, includ­ ing a good set of radios that had been installed in the late 1980s. This was a common case with many Bonanzas.

While I would have loved an IFR GPS in the panel, they were rare among the Bonanzas for sale. But ex­ pensive-for-the-time LORANs abounded. The Arizona airplane had a King KLN88, which uses the same operating parameters as the KLN90 and new KLN94 GPS units. Anyone who has owned one will tell you it's a versatile, easy-to-use navigator with lots of features and a comprehensive operator's manual written for pilots, not software deSigners. The panel of this airplane was redone in about 1988 with first-class equipment-an­ other hallmark of the Bonanza breed of ownership.

An IFR GPS is definitely in my fu­ ture plans, but for the time being, the Garmin portable GPSMap 295 pro­ vides most of the situational awareness and flexibility of panel­ mounted navigators costing

thousands more. While it can be used solid sedan on a smooth road. And when it's light. To quote John Eck­ legally only to monitor conventional the deep-throated loping sound of albar again: " ... the stall functions as non-GPS approaches, the large color the six-cylinder Continental at low an aerodynamic safety valve, limiting moving map makes IFR flying a much rev makes most airport bench sitters the maximum possible 'g' value." safer and more rewarding experience. look up when one taxis by.

So, you can inadvertently impose There were a few other airplanes The second required reading book dangerous loads on the V-tail by that came close, but as time went on, for Bonanza pilots is John Eckalbar's pulling back too abruptly-as when a my heart became set on N3473B. Flying the Beech Bonanza. It begins pilot emerges from the bottom of a cloud in an unanticipated Maybe it was love at first sight. One feature that steep, high-speed dive. The moral is clear and sobering. tipped the balance was a smidgen of historical signif­ Still, given the option of icance. As I researched E35s having a ISO-knot airplane from 1954 (in those days, that can land as slow as 45 Beech changed model num­ knots, I'll bet there are more bers every year), I noted the unrecorded instances of pi­ lots saving their lives with range of serial numbers, low-speed forced landings from 0 -3699 to 0-3998, 301 airplanes including the than there are those who prototype, which was broke up. But the breakups plucked from the 1952 pro­ are what you hear about.

I made the mighty reso­ duction line of C35s. One day I was glancing at the lution to slow down and spec sheet on N3473B and Many early Bonanzas have been modified with the now-standard T­ even lower the gear if I ever shape instrument configuration. The capable radio stack was one of did a mental double take. the features that seduced me into buying N3473B. Next, an autopilot. felt a twinge of vertigo in Wait a minute . This air­ the clouds. With its gear ex­ plane is serial number tended, the Bonanza is as stable as a Long Island railroad loco­ 0-3699-the first production E35 .

Okay, so it's not like finding with a daunting chapter on how and motive and just about as safe.

Nungesser and Coli's l'Oisseau Blanc why the limit load factors of the air­ So it's been two years since I took in a barn up in the Maine woods, but p lane are so critical. Beyond the N3473B home with me from Ari­ it further warmed my heart to this complex equations, what I learned zona. I've flown about ISO hours particular Bonanza. from the chapter was the essential, each year, on business and pleasure.

So, to shorten a story, I tapped "When in turbulence, slow down. My first trip was to Oshkosh a few Robert Tod, corporate pilot, A&P me­ When you're flying at lighter weight, weeks after I got home. I expect to be chanic, and Bonanza owner to slow down some more." back at AirVenture later this month perform a pre-buy inspection. After a The chapter enlightened me to with the "first" E35. It still has its day's worth of poring over logs and one of the sources of the Bonanza's quaSi-70s paint scheme, but I already poking into inspection holes, he pro­ bad reputation for coming apart in have plans to repaint it in a fair ap­ nounced N3473B "a real nice flight. I had always known that it is a proximation of the way it left the Bonanza." With that pronounce­ slippery airplane and could build up factory in January 1954. My desire is ment, it became my airplane. speed rapidly, especially if the pilot to have an airplane with a 1950s I got acquainted with flying my was disoriented and entered a steep look, but new millennium comfort new acquisition on the flight home, spiral. What I had not realized was and capability. If you want to see from Phoenix to New Jersey. With that one reason for its vulnerability how it looked way back when, open Robert there to watch out for me, I to this scenario is the Bonanza's slick Those Incomparable Bonanzas to page made my first landing. I realized that airframe contrasting with its slow 83. There's a picture of the Beech the Bonanza with flaps extended was stalling speed. Most pilots know that Plane-O-Rama display for 1954-one easier to land than the Grumman. In if you pull back on the yoke at high million dollars worth of Beechcrafts. cruise, the solid feel is a real confi­ speeds, you impose heavy loads on Today, that's about a Baron and half dence builder, though you have to fly the airframe. When you pull too a Bonanza's worth. In the photo (see it all the time, lest it drop a wing and much and stall the wing, you then re­ page 9), I counted at least 20 air­ slide slowly into a downward spiral lieve those loads. An airplane that planes. Best of all, right in the front, (an autopilot is at the top of my stalls at 65 knots has more protection is a dark-colored Bonanza with white avionics wish list). Properly reined, built into it than one that stalls at as trim. The large number on the wing the Bonanza has the robust feel of a low as 45 knots, as the Bonanza does is N3473B. That's my Bonanza. .....

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

The VAA Parking

and Safety Family

Volunteers help keep flight line operations safe during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

by Nick Hurm

, PJ

the feeling of touch­ "It's nice to have them there to ing down after a long help guide you through such a light en route to busy place such as Oshkosh. By Oshkosh. The body still hums their efforts they've saved a lot with the 1850 rpm your aircraft of planes from possible dam­ engine was cranking out since age." your last gas stop, and your eyes The Safety and Parking vol­ retain the shape of sectional unteers are up and going from charts and GPS screens. sunrise to sunset. They have an Landing safely at Oshkosh is early morning briefing to dis­ a gratifying feeling, but every cuss the day's events and to pilot knows that the trip isn't train new volunteers. During exactly over yet. There is a giant the training, the new volun­ maze of aircraft ahead that a pi­ teers are handed a book that lot must taxi the aircraft stresses rules and procedures to through to reach the real final help keep everyone, including destination, a safe parking spot. themselves, safe.

Unlike the preflight checks and From the start of Oshkosh to the takeoffs and landings, there its finish, the key volunteers is finally someone prepared to train an estimated 250 people. help the self-reliant pilot out.

There's a core of around 50 reg­ And after a long flight, it is a ulars who come back every year nice accommodation to have. to help out.

These helpful folks are the EAA From young teenagers to Vintage Aircraft Association older volunteers such as 82­ Parking and Safety volunteers. year-old volunteer veteran Art Manor, there is no age limit.

They come from different back­ Patrolling the f light line during the dai ly air show is just one grounds and places throughout of the many duties cheerfully fulfilled by the VAA parking The youngest volunteers are as the world, but they all have one and safety volunteers. much involved as the older thing in common. They're all ones. They go by foot, scooter, prepared to assist the incoming and mile trip from Red Stewart Airfield in and John Deere Gator, bringing air­ Waynesville, Ohio, to Oshkosh in his craft in and out safely. They also try departing pilots.

"Without those people helping to family's Taylorcraft BC-12D, said he to solve concerned pilot's questions. wave pilots in, it would be almost has had nothing but good experi­ It's a task that requires planning, co­ impossible to run an event like ences with the parking and safety ordinating, and lots of caution . It Oshkosh," third-generation pilot in­ volunteers. may sound a little stressful, but when structor Emerson Stewart III said.

"They know what they are doing talking to the volunteers, they are Stewart, who has flown the 400- and are there to help," Stewart said. more than happy to help out.

12 JULY 2001

(Above) Safely directing pilots through the VAA parking area is one of the prime mis­ sions of the VAA volunteers.

(Left) One of the perks of being a VAA vol­ unteer in any area is the annual volunteer appreciation party, sponsored in part by the VAA's official insurance program provider, the Aviation Unlimited Agency. When is the party? Volunteer and we'll tell you!

One of the volunteer regulars is Dave Thomas of Clinton, Ontario.

Thomas flew his )-3 Cub down to Oshkosh back in 1987 and signed up for volunteering with the VAA Park­ ing and Safety crew. He hasn ' t stopped since.

"I keep coming back year after year to see the people that come year after year," Thomas said. "There's not that much stress involved com­ pared to real life. Every once in a while someone will say something to you that makes all the difference in the world."

Many of the volunteers camp to­ gether each year, getting caught up on happenings and sharing old sto­ ries. The main message I got from the regular volunteers was the feeling

that it was much like a family re­ union, and that 's why they come back year after year.

"This is like one big family here," Parking and Safety Co-Chairman Tr­ ish Dorlac said. "We all have a common interest and a lot of fun while we are here. It's great coming back and seeing all the people you know."

Lou Lindeman, who works in maintenance at the United States Air Force Museum, knows all about plan­ ning and coordinating parking for a fly-in. Lindeman is in charge of the EAA Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-In (MERFI). Many of the strategies he uses are emulated from the crew at Oshkosh.

"There's a lot of respect out there

by people like me who know exactly how big of a job they have," Linde­ man said. "We try to pattern ourselves after them, only on a much smaller scale. We set up different groups that entail doing different lit­ tle jobs."

Dorlac said that thanks to the vol­ unteers, aircraft parking and departures have gotten better orga­ nized. Thomas added that except for allowing a couple of airplanes to blow over some tents over the years, the VAA Parking and Safety volun­ teers' work has been pretty solid, and they hope to continue that way.

The group is always looking for new volunteers to help make things run as smoothly as possible. As one volunteer put it, "These airplanes were built a long time ago and had to be parked a long time ago. We're still doing the same thing."

It's a plan the VAA Parking and Safety volunteers look to keep doing well into the future. ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

Bob and Susan Wyatt

He went through a series of more or less normal airp lan es (Mooney, 172, etc.) before buying a BT-13 Vul­ tee. " I was doing just fine with that old BT until one day the fuel pump shaft broke, and I found myself head­ ing into the lake. I had the canopy open, but the shock of the impact slammed it shut, and the airp lane started down into 35 feet of water. It was upside down, but I managed to get the canopy open again and swam out."

The airp lan e suffered only minor damage, aside from that caused by the water, and is flying again

but " ... now I've got a good backup electric fuel pump," Bob said.

When he bought the Stearman, he didn ' t have a clear idea in his mind what he wanted the final prod­ u ct to lo ok lik e. liThe airp lane evolved, even as we were doing the work. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted something differ­ ent. I didn't want it to be like

The Day Bob's Stearman Left the Military It must have been a crazy time in aviation in 1946. Especially for the military, as they now had thousands and thousands of airplanes sitting around and no war to use them in. The majority of the com­ bat birds had one last flight.. .to a scrap yard somewhere where they were cut up and melted into aluminum ingots. The transports went to work carry­ ing freight in every corner of the globe. Most of the primary trainers, the PT-19, PT-22, etc., were surplus and went into private hands where they were played with for a short period of time, until something 16

JULY

2001

broke or the fabric needed replacing. Then they were relegated to long, slow deaths as they deterio­ rated on the back tie-down rows at every airport across the country.

The Boeing Stearman didn't suffer that fate for one simple reason; it was an airplane that, when equipped with duster chutes or spray bars, could be put to work combating bugs. There were thousands of them silting at airfields all over the country, and the government set about disposing of them as quickly and as orderly as they could, considering the

every other 450 Stearm an ."

He had plenty of time to let the fi­ nal product percolate in his mind because this was not an airplane that was going to be finished in a few years. The decades of dusting and spraying had taken their t oll, and there really wasn't much of the origi­ nal airplane he was going to u se anyway. lilt had high-lift wings on it, and I wanted to go back to stock. And, there was no way I was going to buy a stock set of wings," he said, "SO I was going to do as much of the building myself as I could."

Using only the original fittings, he built both top wings himself, with a lot of help. liMy wife, Susan, did most of the ribs, and Buck Reed helped me assemble them."

Out in Oregon, Big Sky Aviation specializes in Stearman stuff. They

monu­ mental size of the task.

Bob Wyatt's Stearman was one of those faceless yellow trainers that came out of the surplus market.

Almost without exception, little is generally known of an airplane's history during that period, as it was part of ayellow armada that instantly dispersed across the country. Not so, Bob's airplane.

In afun quirk of fate, the pilot who picked up Bob's airplane when it became surplus lives nearby in Winter Haven, Florida. Joe leonard was working for the legendary Joe Stoltfutz, who had ahuge op­ eration in Pennsylvania where he was building a business in ag-flying and surplus sales. At that time,

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got the job to rebuild the bottom wings. When it came time for Bob to do the fabric he said, "Cal Hanks was central to the fabric work. He was re­ ally sick, but it seem ed as if doing the fabric on this airplane kept him going. He had a passion for it . He finished it and died two weeks later."

When he was rebuilding the fuse­ lage, he did a lot of investiga ting, " .. .I hit every piece of it with a ham­ mer and a punch looking for more corrosion. We repaired what we found , but we didn't remove the stiffeners Sonny had welded to the lower longerons for the chemical hopper. They just seemed like part of the airplane's history. We did replace the "X" member up front th at h ad been cut out to put the hopper in."

The cover is Ceco nite, using the Stits process up until the color coats.

"We used Imron with a flex agent added, and the paint was shot by Louise Roberts in her auto body shop a half-mile east of the field. She has guys working for her, but she wanted to shoot this herself. She is some­ thing of a character and had never done an airplane before, and she re­ ally got a kick out of it."

As the airplane was going to­ gether, the image of what he wanted it to look like began to take form in

he was one of the visionaries who saw ause for the airplanes in the future and bought as many as made sense, given his intended use.

In 1946 stoltfutz was the successful bidder for a lot of adozen N2S Stearmans at Bush Field in Geor­ gia. Joe leonard, along with fourteen other pilots and mechanics, was dispatched down there to pick them up.

"The weather was really awful. It was cold and rainy and just miserable," leonard remembered.

"We were going to stop at Winston-Salem, which turned out to be areal challenge because we were picking up ice on the airplanes like crazy," he said.

"When we finally landed, the flying wires were at least an inch in diameter with the ice.

"As Iwas silting in the airplane, one of the

Long before he became a warbird judge, Joe Leonard ferried from the disposal depot in Georgia to Pennsylvania the government­ surplus Stearman Bob Wyatt would eventu­ a lIy restore .

ground guys came up and said, 'What's the matter with your head?' and Isaid, 'Why?' I tried to take my helmet off and found Ihad this big furry layer of ice, nearly 3inches thick all over il."

The desperate nature of the flight can be judged by the fact that one pilot quit on the spot and refused to go on.

"We left his airplane there, and when we came back to get it, it was gone. We never knew what hap­ pened to it," leonard said.

So, when it comes to Bob Wyatt's airplane, as the saying goes, that's the rest of the story.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The front and aft cockpits are similarly equipped, but as the placard says, "Solo from Rear Seat Only."

his mind.

"I wanted a different look, so rather than going with a full cowl, I got a fiberglass speed ring from Weatherly Aviation," he said, "and we built the accessory cowlings at my shop."

Bob is a mechanical contractor for commercial buildings and has a complete welding and sheet metal shop in his business. "Having all of

the tools and knowing how to use them made it much easier," he said.

"The oil cooler was moved behind the rear seat to help with the CG," he said, "and we hammered out the scoop ourselves. It took a couple of tries, but we figured it out. The oil tank went back there for the same reason."

As with most people rebuilding Stearmans, he depended heavily on Duster and Sprayers Supply in Chickasha, Okla足 homa, which has been supporting Stearmans for sev足 eral generations.

When he got to

Bob has plenty of help from Buck Reed, a local friend who also loves Stearmans.

18 JULY 2001

the cockpits, he applied some of the ideas he had been thinking about.

"I made oak floorboards with scuff plates and a slick urethane finish. I put all the electronics and switches and stuff into a sheet metal console on the right side and then made up control sticks laminated from four pieces of oak and purple heart, with a 4130 center and ferrule at the top."

The sticks are unusual because of the contrasting colors of the wood, but the first thought that comes to mind is, "How did he drill a hol e that big and that long through them?" The answer is, "He didn 't."

He laminated the stick in two halves, routed a groove for the steel tubing on each side, and then glued th e halves together. Pretty obvious, when you think about it.

In keeping with his custom look, he made and mounted a headrest on the turtledeck. He also put a smoke system in the airplane using a Twin

(Left) Both the oil cooler and oil tank have been relocated to aft of the pilot's cockpit. The metal scoops for intake and exhaust air for the cooler were hammered out by hand.

(Right) The carburetor heat muff f or the 4S0-hp Pratt & Whitney was expertly welded and then finished with a method favored by antique restorers-"engine turni ng ."

Beech fuel transfer pump to move the Corvis oil to the exhaust.

The engine was done by Dumont Aircraft in Avon Park, Florida, and, when Bob looked around and real­ ized he'd finished rebuilding parts and was ready to put the airplane to­ gether, he called on Ken Williford, right there on Lakeland's airport.

Ken runs AeroMech and helped with the assembly and rigging. Bob said, "He's an excellent mechanic and has a feel for this kind of thing. He also does outstanding car restorations, by the way."

Bob's airp lane drew plenty of compliments at Sun 'n Fun 2001, its first outing. The most common com­ ment was that it was fun to see an airplane that didn't look like all the rest. Guess that means Bob accom ­ plished what he set out to do-created a machine that is as in­ dividualistic as he is. .....

After the paint scheme, the ring cowl and the air scoops for the oil cooler tell you dearly this isn't your grandfa­ ther's Stearman. Until cooling tests are completed to the satisfaction of the FAA, the Stearman is being flown in the Experimental-Exhibition category.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

VAAchafJterNEWS ne hundred forty-one kids became Young Eagles on January 20 during the first joint flight rally of EAA Chapter 1 and VAA Chapter 33. This was some­ what unique because the kids flew in fixed-wing aircraft and tethered hot air balloons. Additionally, 47 of the new Young Eagles were blind kids from the Braille Institute in Ana­ heim. These kids have had a number of unusual experiences including river rafting, dune buggying, snow skiing, and water skiing, but they rated this at the very top of their list of fun and exciting activities.

O

The two hotair balloons proved to be quite popular with the students and staff of the Braille Institute.

John Durant, our effervescent ground school instructor, got the ball rolling on this while talking about the Young Eagles program to some of the staff at the Braille Institute. John and his wife, Elfriede, have spent time at the Braille Institute, as El­ friede is progressively losing her eyesight. The staff members thought that it was a great idea, and all it took was planning and coordination to make it happen.

John is also a member of the Southern California Balloon Associa­ tion, and they wanted to get involved in the Young Eagles program. I gave a presentation about the Young Ea­ gles program at one of their monthly meetings a while back. With some planning and coordination, we were 20 JULY 2001

by Wes Blasjo, VAA Chapter 33

on our way to creating a great rally experience.

The original plan was to do teth­ ered flights at Flabob airport and then a free flight from Perris the next Saturday for those who were "bit­ ten." The weather didn't cooperate, and the free flight was "blown out," but based on the excitement shown by the kids after the tethered flights, they had the experience of a lifetime.

The blind kids did fly the air­ planes, and the taller ones operated the burner in the balloons. They had an acute sense of ascending or descending in the balloon, as well as climbing, diving, and turning in the airplanes. It was equally inter­ esting to watch how much fun the ground support people and pilots had with the blind kids. It was of­ ten a tossup as to who was having more fun! The general atmosphere was that of everyone having a lot of fun and enjoying being around friendly people.

So that we would not have long lines for registration and certificates, we had four computers networked together by my son, Brian . Initially we had some difficulty getting them to print the certificates, and then one of them kept "crashing," but thank­ fully this was not a "pilot program" (a little play on words). Thanks to Rick Alvarez, Brian Blasjo, Darrell Blasjo, and Joe Heagerty, who helped work out a few bugs.

We welcomed a number of new pilots. Rick Holmes, the owner of the Silver Wings Cafe, was not able to "retrieve" his Cess na 210 from Ari­ zona, so he rented a Cessna 150; Duane Pizzo also flew kids in this plane. Stanley Pederson, a neighbor of Bill Schicora, flew his Cessna 182.

Gary Eaton flew his balloon for a few flights and then had Kim Lynch fly it for the rest of the day. Ben Moody flew his balloon the whole morning.

Thanks guys and gal, we appreciate your joining in to make this da y a great success. The Riverside Press-En­

terprise did an excellent write-up for the Sunday, January 21, edition.

John Durant's relentless press releases finally paid off!

Thanks to all the pilots and ground support people who made this a memorable event for so many kids and their parents. Thanks to Al Gester who coordinated the ef­ forts for Chapter 1. A special thanks to John Durant for his coor­ dination with the Braille Institute and the Southern California Bal­ loon Association, as well as his work on the ground with the blind kids. You all are what makes these Chapters great! .....

Note: John Durant received the fol­ lowing letter of appreciation from Wendi Kjar, of the Braille Institute.

January 23, 2001 Dear John, Chapter 33, Chapter I, and Southern California Bal­ loon Association, On behalf of the students, staff, and volunteers of the Braille Insti­ tute , I want to thank you for a truly memorable experience. This past Saturday was one of the best programs we have ever had! Your enthusiasm and patience made this a positive, motivating oppor­ tunity for us to learn about aviation. We thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Young Eagles program. Please thank your volun­ teers, EAA members, and balloonists for sharing their love of flying with our group. Through programs like the Young Eagles, our students realize that their dreams are only limited by their imaginations. Thank you for en­ couraging us to have big dreams and "reach for the stars."

Take care and God bless.

Sincerely, Wendi Kjar, Youth Consultant

This month's Mystery Plane is an unusual biplane from the pioneer era of aviation. Scott Bedenbaugh of Monroe, Georgia submitted it. Scott is an instructor at the Aviation Insti­ tute of Maintenance in Lawren­ ceville, Georgia, and a student of his, newly minted A&P Pete Gardino, brought him the photo. Scott's mom is a dealer in antiques, and she occa­ sionally finds aviation photographs and shares them with him.

Send your answer to: EAA, Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Your answer needs to be in no later than September 5 for inclusion in the October issue of Vintage Airplane.

You can also send your response via e-mail. Send your answer to vin­ tage@eaa.org.

Be sure to include both your name

by H.C . Frautschy

and address (especially your city and state!) in the body of your note and put "(Month) Mystery Plane" in the subject line.

We had just a few responses

about April's Mystery Plane. At first, John Rowles of Bemidji, Minnesota thought it might be the St. Louis Cardinal, but he settled on the Eye­ rly-Lee Comet, and he's right, along with Ralph Roberts of Saginaw, Michigan. Lloyd Willis, who wrote to us from Australia, says it takes a bit of time for Vintage Air­ plane to get there, but he says it's worth it!

Surprisingly, we have nothing on the Eyerly-Lee Comet 7D Comet. It was built at the Eyerly School of Aeronautics at the Salem airport in Salem, Oregon, but the registration number on the tail does not appear in Oregon's list of identified aircraft for 1930 or 1931. We don't have any more photographs of the airplane in the EAA Aviation Foundation col­ lection. Our thanks to Ralph Nortell for supplying the original photo. ....

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

PASS IT TO BUCK

by E.E. "Buck" Hilbert, EAA #21 VAA #5

P.O. Box 424, Union, IL 60180

Tools? What Tools?

We've been doing owner-assisted annuals here at the Funny Farm Air­ field for several years now. Champs and Cessna 170s, a couple of Pipers, and an occasional Luscombe, with a few homebuilts thrown in for fun.

Nothing exotic, like retracts.

I've got the repeaters pretty well trained. They know what my pet peeves are, and they act accordingly.

They leave their adjustable wrenches, water-pump pliers, and buggered-up screwdrivers at home. They use the right tool, or they get in big trouble with me.

Sadly lacking in today's education system are basic tool-use programs.

When I took machine shop back be­ fore the earth cooled, our first assignment was to take a piece of steel and by hand, using only a hack­ saw and a file, make a cube exactly 1 inch square.

Now that was a challenge! After an eternity, and with tips and instruc­ tion from some of those old guys in the shop, I eventually got it done. I learned to use that hacksaw, what the proper blade was, how to file and which file to use, how to use a Mike, and about leaving tool marks in the work. That was the beginning.

But back to my pet peeve. A while ago I watched this scene: A kid work­ ing with an older carpenter was choking up on his hammer. He kept holding it about 6 inches from the head and punching at the nails. The older fellow said, Lemme see that hammer! When the kid handed it to him, he took his saw and cut the handle off!

The next sentence from the older carpenter told the tale: If'n you ain't gonna use the handle, we might's well get rid of it! That's the way I learned to use the leverage of the 22

JULY

2001

hammer handle.

Later on, I stumbled across a book, maybe in physics class, that ex­ plained the principles of tool use. It told me how most tools were and still are derived from the lever and the wheel. I wish I had that book today; it would make writing this article much easier. It was revelation, read­ ing about early human achievements and how humans adapted tools to ease their way of life. If anyone has access to this or other books on tool history, I'd sure like to review them.

One of the greatest newer tools is the screwdriver with interchangeable bits. Seems like everyone of my Phillips screwdrivers gets worn after a while, and then they mess up the heads of screws. I decided that all the old Phillips screwdrivers were history.

I chucked them all, and now I have a drawer full of replacement bits that I automatically go for when the one I'm using gets dull or worn. Okay, I have to come clean. Bad habits are hard to break-I did hide a few of the old ones in the back of the drawer.

I know we've all seen the creation of tools to do an immediate, can't wait, job, but please, think for a mo­ ment before you use a tool that isn't the one for the job. Don't use an ad­ justable wrench when the right and proper size wrench is available. Don't use a screwdriver as a chisel. Put the hacksaw blade in correctly, and don't use pliers in place of a wrench. Take your time and use the leverage and the wheel effect of your tools to your advantage.

When you're working on an air­ plane, remember, it was built piece by piece, and it doesn't take a lot of pounding and pushing to make it go back together again. If it does, step back and look. Take time to figure

out why.

Another great asset is the torque wrench. If you don't have one, get one. It's amazing how over torquing can take place so easily. (Spark plugs are some of the easiest to over torque-you'd be amazed how 300 to 350 inch-pounds feels not quite tight enough.) The charts and the books tell us what torque to use on various size bolts, spark plugs, valve cover screws, and whatever else. Pay atten­ tion and use the numbers. They were achieved from experience, and that information will keep you from hav­ ing a bad experience. Finger tight with a white knuckle grip might be okay on a piece of farm equipment, but never on an airplane.

Think I'm being too picky? You won't the first time you strip out a spark plug bushing because the spark plug was over torqued by someone who just wrenched until it squeaked!

Power screwdrivers can be your airplane's worst enemy or its best friend. I love them, but I do the final torquing by hand . When I unscrew something, I break it loose with the hand screwdriver first. Sometimes a power driver will jump out of the screw head, and before you can catch it, it can ream out the head and maybe even do some handiwork to the parent metal around the screw.

Use the proper tool. Don't impro­ vise at the cost of your expensive hardware. That's the word, and it's .. . . . .Over to you, f( -z::::;a c..!!::....-'t(ck. ~

I first found out about this little bear on February 9, 1996. I received a fax from a friend advising me of the existence of five Piper Super Cubs languishing in an extended winter slumber. The airplanes had been in this suspended state for around eight years. Associate Professor Terry Dor­ ris and I decided to try to get at least one of the aircraft. We set the paper­ work in motion with high expectations. Within a few days I re­ ceived the news that we were granted possession of one of the yet-unseen aircraft. Terry and I made plans with some students from our school (Mid­ dle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro) to travel to Columbia, South Carolina, to claim our prize.

Our trip started uneventfully but we soon ran into a snowstorm that cov-

Asleeping

Cub is revived

by

Bill Allen

ered the mountain pass between our destination and us. After some slip­ pery travel we arrived in Columbia and found the entrance to the ware­ house where our Cub was sleeping.

Unfortunately, the late hour pre­ vented us from making visual contact. The next day we drove to the warehouse and saw for the first

time the cache of aircraft and aircraft parts stored there. Deep within this mass of pieces lay the heart of our plane, the fuselage of N8994Y; what had this Cub seen and done before ending up in this den?

Super Cub PA-18-150, serial num­ ber 74-09135, was originally delivered to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service with a 150hp Lycoming 0-320 engine. The U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso used the aircraft until 1983. The slow speed and gentle demeanor of this airplane made it the ideal aircraft for flying surveillance missions with a high de­ gree of safety. The cruising speed of around 110 mph means that you won't get anywhere qUickly, but the 44 mph stalling speed means you won't need much runway when you VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

service headquarters' get there! Based on the warehouse. That was published figures from the beginning of an Piper, you can fly the eight-year hibernation Cub for 3.5 hours and for this Cub. leave yourself the re­ We found the per­ quired half an hour of son in charge of the fuel when you land. warehouse and drove When the U.S. Bor­ to the side entrance. der Patrol decided to Upon entering the let the Cub browse, it warehouse, there were was turned in to the old chain saws, weed federal government's eaters, tractors , a General Services Ad­ Cessna 180 (I missed ministration. The next that one), and the agency to call on this remnants of five Super little bear was the U.S. (Above) The Super Cub in its uncovered assembled form so the wing and control Cubs. We learned Forestry Service. Soon surface rigging could be checked. The new struts are built by Univair and comply from our "guide" that after the U.S. Border with AD 93-10-06. (Below) Eric Lorvig dons a full-coverage, pressurized protective the plane we were Patrol turned it in, suit and mask while using a high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) paint gun to apply Cub Yellow Superflight polyurethane paint to the bottom of the left wing. The given was the least they picked it up. The white undercoat, which you can see on the fuselage in the foreground, enhances aircraft was to be the yellow color. damaged of the lot.

We inquired as to based in Columbia, South Carolina, with what parts and acces­ the South Caro lina sories went with State Commission of which aircraft. After hearing "Well, I guess Forestry. The aircraft would spend several you need to pick up what looks like a com­ years in Columbia fly­ plete set of parts, " we ing many different missions related to the started to load our van conservation of wood­ and trailer. We took lands. The airplane notice of a crushed would use only a frac­ vertical stabili ze r, tion of its 17,OOO-foot missing radios, and a service ceiling during missing engine cowl­ ing. After loading the these treetop opera­ tions.

The collection, we headed exceptional, and con­ back to Tennessee, servative, 760-foot-per-minute head back as they were low on fuel, where we displayed our spoils to col­ advertised rate of climb provided the but soon the engine began to sput­ leagues and students alike. I took operators with an added sense of se­ ter. The pilot switched to the left inventory and found we had to pur­ curity should they have to ascend tank, which should have had about chase some parts, including a new rapidly. The 50 degrees of flaps en­ 30 minutes of fuel, but it too was vertical stabilizer, a rudder, an eleva­ sured that the occupants could empty! They could not make the air­ tor, a main wing spar, some ribs, and descend at a steep angle and drop port and decided to land in an open a complete engine cowl, to name a into almost any field. This ability field that had a dirt road running few. The Cub then went back to sleep would soon be tested. through it. They landed longer than in our hangar while we finished an­ March 7, 1988, started out as a expected, and with the engine no other restoration project. routine fire patrol day for the pilot of longer running , there was no go­ In 1997 Eric Lorvig, a particularly N8994 Y and his observer. They left around. The plane flipped over, and ambitious Airframe and Powerplant Orangeburg Airport at about 2 p.m. the soft dirt on the lower side of the student, told me he would work on with full fuel tanks and headed to field claimed the little Cub. The two restoring the Cub without pay, if I patrol the assigned area. The two occupants were unhurt and walked would let him. By the time the plane flew for an hour on genera l patrol out of the field. They returned the was finished this became one semes­ and then helped a fire tower find the next day to extract the airplane from ter of free labor for me and over two location of a fire. They decided to the field and take it to the forestry years of paid employment for him.

24 JULY 2001

All covered and painted, the fuselage is at the "90 percent done, 50 percent left to do" stage of restoration. The Cessna 150 Texas Taildragger conversion peeking out of the hangar door was converted at MTSU.

He started with the still and video camera work of documenting where all of the pieces went to ensure that he would not have any "mystery" pieces left over. He stripped the fuse­ lage bare and commenced with the sandblasting and priming of all the steel parts. We inspected the balance of the parts and made almost daily orders to Univair and Cub Crafters searching for new and serviceable re­ placement pieces. The plane saw almost steady progress despite bud­ get constraints from time to time and the occasional university break or holiday periods. We installed a new instrument panel since the vac­ uum system was not retained. The plane was re-covered using the latest in synthetic fabric covering systems and finished with Cub Yellow Super­ flight polyurethane paint, with sanding between each coat.

During the summer of 1999 it be­ gan to look like N8994Y was going to come together. The goal at that time was to make it to EAA AirVen­

ture Oshkosh. When it came time to register this well-rested Cub, we wanted a registration number that fit this aircraft. We selected NI47MT, representing our FAR Part 147 school and MTSU. The airplane flew for the first time, again, on July 22, 1999, with Eric at the stick and a newly overhauled 150 Lycoming out front.

He told me he would run it down the runway a few times and see how it felt. He gave it half power, and it wanted to fly. He said he just de­ cided to give it full throttle and see what happened. It rose into the air, climbed through the pattern altitude in seconds, and then circled the air­ port. He called back on the radio periodically and landed after about half an hour to check for leaks and general condition. We found no leaks or loose parts, and after mak­ ing the required 91.407 logbook entry, he set out again and flew until almost dark.

The true test for the newly chris­ tened N147MT would be the trip to

Oshkosh . We made the trip on the Tuesday following the Friday test flight, after building about six hours on the engine. Eric flew the Cub to the fly-in, and I followed him in MTSU's Beaver. Although we took different routes, we arrived in Oshkosh minutes apart. The trip up was uneventful as the 6,700-hour airframe performed flawlessly. Eric made the return trip and was very appreciative for the opportunity to display his work and to show it at the biggest national aviation event in the United States.

After returning from Wisconsin, N147MT was put into service with the MTSU Flight School, training students pursuing their tailwheel en­ dorsements. The plane also serves in several other capacities, includ­ ing as an air show display, a parts chaser, a taxicab, etc. It shows a lit­ tle wear from its 400 hours of duty as a flight school trainer, but it has come a long way from its South Carolina "cave." ...

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

NEW MEMBERS

Viktor Kucera .............................. Czech Republic

John M. W. Sayers ..... ...Republic of South Africa

James O. House ......................... ....... Saginaw, AL

James Lee Reynolds ... ......... ... .... ...Pike Road, AL

Milton BuddyTol1ison ...................... Moulton, AL

Stephen Watson .. ........ ....... ........... .. Scottsdale, AZ

E. David Barker ............ Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Thomas K. Clark ................ ............... ...Jamul, CA

Dennis Diem ....... ... ................. .. .Long Beach, CA

Matthew Gelber ...... .................... Sacramento, CA

Mark Johnson .............. .. ....... ........ ... ..Malibu, CA

Curt Knapp ........ .......................... Carmichael, CA

Bob Norris .............................. Redwood City, CA

Terry Peterson .................................. San Jose, CA

Edward R. Zaleski ........................ Santa Ana, CA

Philip Trill .......................................... Denver, CO

Edward N. Paulouske .................... Windham, CT

John L. Barthelmess .................... Tallahassee, FL

Fabio 1. Cerioni ................. ................... Miami, FL

Benny Coleman ...................... Treasure Island, FL

A. B. Conine ......... ... ........... ....... ..Fort Meade, FL

Steven T. Derderian ................ Tarpon Springs, FL

Jonathan B. Hardwick ....... ..... ... ........ .Bartow, FL

Edward Hoover ...... ............... ....... ...... Sanford, FL

Todd L. Houdek ........ .... .... ......... .Jacksonville, FL

Adrian Jackson ........ ............................ Bartow, FL

Robert Leblanc ... ......................... Fort Myers, FL

Charles Lewis ... ........................ ...Cape Coral, FL

Philip R. Miller .. ............ ...... ...... .. Homestead, FL

Barry Murante ..................... ........... ..... .Tampa, FL

Michael R. Nissley .................... Palm Harbor, FL

Harrell S. Staton ................. ........ .Jacksonville, FL

Yoav Stem ...... .. .................... ~.Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Soren A. Campbell ................ ............ Cataula, GA

Troy McConaughey ....................... .Grayson, GA

Todd Simmons ...... ............................ Atlanta, GA

Mark E. Harvey ................................ Kamuela, HI

Donald Butler ............................... .Iowa Falls, IA

26 JULY 2001

Tim Delf ............ ............................ Blue Grass, IA

Ivan L. Simpson ............................ Spirit Lake, IA

Paula Crevier ................. ......................... Essex, IL

James M. Estey ..... ................. Mount Prospect, IL

David McChristy .. ....... .......... ......... Stonington, IL

William F. Meitz ....... ..................... .. ...... Alsip, IL

Andrew F. Reardon ...................... Lake Forest, IL

Michael C. Sailer ................................ Batavia, IL

Hayward E. Anderson .... ........ ... .Indianapolis, IN

Larry K. Golkowski .................... Crown Point, IN

Carla Larsh .. .... ................ .................... Colfax, IN

Timothy A. Boudreaux ....... .... ..... New Iberia, LA

Randal P. Camp ......... ................... Shreveport, LA

Richard Parsons .. ............ ... ....... Avery Island, LA

Peter 1. Regis ............... ............... Northridge, MA

James Pacquin ...... .......................... Baldwin, MD

Richard C. Cook ............................... .Holden, ME

William G. Eberhardt ........................ Orland, ME

David W. Lamb .. ........... ................... Brighton, MI

Mitchell Noble ............. ........... ... ..... ...... Saline, MI

Herbert Oberhaus ................ Bloomfield Hills, MI

John 1. Sucich .............. ..... ............. Belleville, MI

James D. Woodbury .. ........... ... ..East Lansing, MI

Edward D. Carroll ..... ............... Minnetonka, MN

William 1. Koza .......................... Albert Lea, MN

Clifford Nordine .......................... Roosevelt, MN

Robert A. Wagner ........ ... ..... .. St. Louis Park, MN

W. P. Williams .... ......... ..................... ..Duluth, MN

James Moore ........ ...... .... ............ St. Charles, MO

Joe C. Marshall .... .... .... .. .................. Byhalia, MS

Brian Grass ..... ....... ............. ... ....Fayetteville, NC

Clay D. Shock ... ...... ......................... Raleigh, NC

Fred Dexter .... .......... .... .................... Loudon, NH

Bruce Morley ...... ......... ......... .......... ....Jaffrey, NH

Richard J. Perrotti ...... ...................... Fremont, NH

Daniel R. Scott .... .... ... .............. ......... Flanders, NJ

Glen Word ........................ .............. Anthony, NM

Kent Tarver ... ... ....... .................... ......... Fallon, NV

Mary Brown ...... .............................. Menands, NY

Av A. Edidin .................................... Warwick, NY

Lonni Sue Johnson .................. Cooperstown, NY

Sean M. Sweeney .............................. Buffalo, NY

Shawn R. Barron .............................. Fremont, OH

Stephanie Bryant.. .............................. Dayton, OH

Chris Grasso .................................. Cleveland, OH

Michael A. Hickethier .................... ..Medina, OH

Fred A. Kusian .................................. Curtice, OH

David S. Meier.. .......... .................. Cincinnati, OH

Marla Simon-Boone .................... Covington, OH

Scott White .......................................... Orient, OH

Mark A. Yokers .............................. Hamilton, OH

Jerry Evatt ........................................ Ralston, OK

Richard C. Jackson ................ Oklahoma City, OK

C. Greg Lucas ............................ Pauls Valley, OK

Eddie Stewart .. ............ .............. Elmore City, OK

Bradley S. Unruh ........................ Collinsville, OK

Norm Decou ............ ........................ Windsor, ON

Robert Hawthome ............................ Oakville, ON

Bill Boyle ........................................ Portland, OR

Eric M. Parent .................................. Portland, OR

Harry W. White .................................... Butler, PA

Dean Thomas ...................................... Liberty, SC

Charles R. Beem ................ .... ..N. Sioux City, SD

Donald Lamb .................................. Spearfish, SD

Sterling Miller ............................ Chatanooga, TN

Thomas Oates ................................ Memphis, TN

Lloyd D. Carr ............................ Montgomery, TX

Patricia Darby .................................. Midland, TX

Edwin Fletcher .......... ...................... Granbury, TX

Ed Fogle ................ ............ .. .... ..San Antonio, TX

Jim G. Hail.. .................................... Crawford, TX

Gustave Heye .................................. Bulverde, TX

Susan Huner ........................................ Austin, TX

Clarence E. Neel .......................... .......... Azle, TX

Catharina Wilner ................................ Austin, TX

Michael Lee ........................ Colonial Heights, VA

Bruce R. Hinds ........................ Port Orchard, WA

John Miller .................................... Edmonds, WA

Athanasios Raptes .............................. Seattle, WA

Bill Rogers ...................................... Mukilteo, WA

Brian Godfrey .................................. Waupaca, WI

Don Halloran ................................ Marshfield, WI

Judd Koenitzer .................................. Rubicon, WI

James Lockbaum .................. Chippewa Falls, WI

Joe D. Paterick ............................ Milwaukee, WI

Johnson Samuel .................................. Racine, WI

James Stark ...................................... Waupaca, WI

Julie S. Weber ...................................... Ripon, WI

Larry A. Wixom .............................. Janesville, WI

John P. Breazzano ...................... Moorefield, WV

DiCk Thurman

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE

27

-Calendar continued from page 3 AUGUST 12 - Auburn, IN - Hoosier Warbird Fly-in and Pancake/Sausage Breakfast at the Hoosier Air Museum, DeKalb County Airport. Info: 219/457­ 5924 or 44gn@kconline.com.

AUGUST 17-19 - Allial/ce, OH - Ohio Aeronca Avia­ tors' Fly- In and Breakfast at Alliance-Barber Airport (2DJ). Info: www.oaafly-in.com or 216/932-3475.

AUGUST 18 - Powell, WY - Wings and Wheels Fly-in and Car Show. Municipal Airport (POY) . Info: 3071754-5583 or bibbeyt@wir.net.

AUGUST 19 - Daytol/, OH - EAA Ch. 48 Pancake Breakfast, Moraine Ailpark. Info: 9371291-1225 or 9371859-8967.

AUGUST 18 - Spearjish, SD - 18th Anl/ual Fly-In , sponsored by EAA Ch. 806, at Black Hills Air­ port/Clyde Ice Field. Camping under wing, Aug. 17th, "Cream Can Dinner" served at 7:30 p.m. Air­ crajijudging, displays, steakfry, SD Aviation Hall ofFame Ceremony, Cessna 150 sweepstakes, and more. Info: 6051642-0277 (days), 6051642-2311 (evenings), or C21golay@mato.com AUGUST 19 - Brookjield, WJ - VAA Ch.ll 's 17th An­ nual Vintage Aircraft Disp lay and Ice Cream Social, Noon-5 p.m. at Capitol Airport. Also, Mid­ wesl Antique Ai/plane Club 's monthly fly-in mtg.

Control- line and radio controlled models on dis­ play. Info. 2621781-8/32 or 4141962-2428.

AUGUST 19-Pontiac, IL - 2nd Annual Fly-in/Drive­ In Pancake Breakfast sponsored by EAA Ch. 129 and Pontiac Flying Service. Pontiac Municipal Air­ port (PNT). Raffle, aircraji judging, PIC eats free.

Info: 8151842-2707 or pontfly@dave-world.net.

AUGUST 24-25 - Coffeyville, KS - 24th Annual Funk Aircraji Owners Assoc. Reunion and Fly-In Cof­ feyville Municipal Airport. Info: Gerald 3021674-5350.

AUGUST 24-26 - Sussex, NJ - 29th Annual Sussex Airshow. Top performers, ultralights, homebuilts, warbirds. Info: 9731875-0783 or Sussex@nac.net or WlVw.SussexAirportInc.com.

AUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 2 -Prosser, WA - EAA Ch. 391 's 18th Annual Labor Day Weekend Prosser Fly-ln. Info: 5091735-1664.

SEPTEMBER 1 - Zanesville, OH (Riverside Ai/port) - EAA Ch. 425 Annual Labor Day Weekend Fly­ In/Drive-In, 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. Lunch items and ai/plane rides ajier 11 a.m. Info: DOll 740/454-0003 SEPTEMBER 1 - Marion, IN (MZZ) - 11 th Annual Fly- In Cruise-In, Marion Municipal Airport. Pan­ cake Breakfast 7am-lpm. All types ofaircraji, plus antique, classic and custom vehicles. Info: 765/664­ 2588 or rayjohnson @bpsinet.com or wwwjlyincruisein.com.

SEPTEMBER 2 - MOl/dovi, WJ - 15th Annual Fly-In, Log Cabin Ai/port. Info: 7151287-4205.

SEPTEMBER 7-9 - Mariol/, OR - Mid-Eastern EAA Fly-In. SEPTEMBER /4-16 - Walertowl/, WI (RYV) - 17th Annual Byron Smith Memorial Midwest Stinson Re­ union. Info: Nick or Suzette, 6301904-6964.

SEPTEMBER 15-16 - Rock Fal/s, IL - North Central EAA "Old-Fashioned" Fly-ln. Whiteside COlmty Airport (SQI). Forums, workshops, fly-marke t, camping, exhibitors,food, and ail' rally. Aircraji judging ends Noon Sun. Sunday Pancake Breakfast lIifo: 6301543-6743 or eaaIOl @aol.com.

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JULY 2001

SEPTEMBER 22-23 - Riverside, CA - EAA Ch. One Open House and F1y- [n al Flabob Airport (RIR).

Free Admission. Saturday evening banquet tickets may be purchased in advance. Info: 9091682-6236 or eaachapterone@yahoo.com.

SEPTEMBER 28-29 - Visalia, CA - Vintage Years Air & Car Show at Visalia·Municipal Airport. Special "Laughter In Bloom, A Tribute to Jack Benny" one­ man show on 9128 at Fox Theater. Info: 5591289-0887.

SEPTEMBER 29 - Hanover, IN - Wood, Fabric, & Tailwheels 2001, at Lee Bottom Airport (64i). 20 mi.from Louisville, Kentucky. (Rain date. Sunday, Sept.

30) Info: 8121866-3211 or NX21 I75TH@aol.com.

SEPTEMBER 29 - Topping, VA - Wings and Wheels 2001 at Hummel Air Field (W-75), 60 mi. east of Richmond, VA. Food, crafts, rides, NASA GA , USCG boats, Jayha wk helicopter, hot air balloon, and much, much more. Contact for participant 's fee. Spectator parkingfee $4. Info: 8041758-4330,

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SEPTEMBER 22 - Asheboro, NC - Aerofest 200 I ­ Old Fashion Grass Field Fly-In and Pig Pickin '.

EAA Ch. 1176. Info: 3361879-2830.

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S EPTEMBER 21-22 - Bartlesville, OK - Frank Phillips Fie/d. 15th annual Biplane Expo. World's largest gathering ofbiplanes. In conjunction with Tulsa Regional Fly-in this year only. Info: Charlie 9181622-8400 or IVww.tulsajlyin.com.

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ell, OK... maybe he didn't actually say that. .. but we bet he would have if Poly-Fiber had been around in the '30s. His plane would have been lighter and stronger, too, and the chance of fire would have been greatly reduced because Poly-Fiber won't support combustion. Not only that, but Gilmore's playful claw holes would have been easy

to repair. Sorry, Roscoe.

**

SEPTEMBER 21-22 - Abilene, TX - Southwest EAA Fly-In. SEPTEMBER 21-22 - Bartlesville, OK - Frank Phillips Field. 45th Annual Tulsa Regional Fly-In, Frank Phillips Field. Info: Charlie 9181622-8400 or WWIV. tulsajlyin. com.

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wingsandwheels@hotmail.com or website: http://jly.to/wingsandwheels SEPTEMBER 29 - Zanesville, OH - VAA Ch. 22 0/ Ohio 10th Annual Fly-In. John's Landing Airjield.

8 a.m - 5 p.m. Brea~fast and lunch,free participa­ tion plaques. Rain date Sept. 30th. In/o: 740/453-6889 or 740/455-9900.

OCTOBER 5-7 - Evergreen, AL - 11th Annual EAA South East Regional Fly-ln. On field campground, showers,/ood,jlying &/un. In/o: www.serji.org.

OCTOBER 6- 7 - Toughkenamon, PA - 31st EAA East Coast Regional Fly-In. New Garden Flying Field (N57). 25 miles west 0/ Philadelphia. Clas­ sics welcome, awards, plenty o//ood all day. For fun, come dressed in your yesteryear aviation at­ tire. Info: 302/894-1094.

OCTOBER 6- 7 - Rutland, VT - Rutland State air­ port. EAA Ch . 968 's I I th Lea/peepers Fly- In Break/ast. Come see the/all colors in the Green Mountains 0/ Vermont. Info: 802/492-3647.

OCTOBER 13 - Hampton, NH - VAA Ch. 15 Pump­ kin Patch Fly-In and Pancake Breakfast, Hampton Airfield. Rain date Oct. 14. In/a: 603/964-6749.

OCTOBER 13-14 - Winchester, VA - EAA Ch. 186 Fall Fly-In, Winchester Regional Airport (OKV), 8 a. m.- 5 p.m. Pancake breakfast 8- 11 a.m. Slatic display 0/ aircraft; airplane and helicopter rides, demos, aircraft judging, children 's play area. and more. Concessions, souvenirs, good food. Info: Ms. Tangy Mooney 703/780-6329 or EAA 186@netscape.net.

OCTOBER 13-14 - Alliance, OH - Military Vehicle Show and Fly-In at Alliance-Barber Airport (2D I) put on by Marlboro Volunteers, Inc. Military dis­ plays, reenactments &jly-bys. Info: 330/823-1168 orjbarber@alliancelinkcom.

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• Introduction To Aircraft Building

• Fabric Covering • What's Involved In Building An Airplane

• Composite Construction

• TIG Welding

• Finishing And Spray Painting

• Gas Welding • Sheet Metal • Sheet Metal Forming • Electrical Systems, Wiring And Avionics

P.O. Box 3086

For pointers on format and content feel free to call 920/426-4825

• Test Flying Your Project • Kit Specific Workshops: Lancair Assembly Vans RV Series Assembly Velocity Assembly

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• Engine Installation

WORKSHOPS

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Don't compromise your restoration with modern coverings... finishthe job correctly with authentic fabrics.

Classified Word Ads: $5.50 per 10 words, 180 words maximum, with boldface lead-in Oil first tille.

Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2.167 inches) by J, 2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch.

Black and white only, and no ji-equency discounts.

Advertisillg Closillg Dates: 10th ojsecond month prior to desired issue date (i.e. , January 10 is the closing date Jor the March issue). VM reserves the right to reject any advertising in conflict with its poliCies. Rates cover one insertion per issue.

Classified ads are not accepted via phone. Payment must accompany order. Word ads may be sent via Jax (920/426-4828) or e-mail (classads@eaa.org) using credit card payment (VISA or MasterCard).

Include name on card. complete address, type oj card. card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EM. Address advertising corre­ spondence to EM Publications Classified Ad Manager. P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.

Antiques, Warbirds, General Aviation 304-466-1724

Fax 304-466-0802

World of Flight

2002

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE - rod bearings, main bearings, camshaft bearings, master rods, valves. Call us Toll Free 1/800/233-6934, e-mail ramremfg@aol.com Web site www.ramengine.com VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS, N. 604 FREYA ST., SPOKANE, WA 99202.

EAA's 2002 Calendar Features the Best In Aviation Photography with...

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Airplane T-Shirts 150 Different Airplanes Available WE PROBABLY HAVE YOUR AIRPLANE! www.aimlanetshirts.com 1-800-645-7739 BIPLANE ODYSSEY - Flying the Steannan to every U.S. State and Canadian Province in North America.

Hardcover. 382 pages. 16 pages color illustrations. $25.

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• 13 fl ight inspiring months to

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• 12" x 24" format you can proudly

display in your home and office.

World of FI ight

The Best in Aviat ion Phot og ra phy

• Dates and web sites to assist in plann ing your trip to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and the many EAA Regional Fly-Ins throughout the US.

THERE'S JUST NOTHING LIKE IT ON THE WEB!! www.aviation-giftshop.com A Web Site With The Pilot In Mind (and those who love airplanes) For Sale - Unique - One of a kind deHavilland Tiger Moth 82-C. Restored and modified by Gar Williams to resemble 82A. Over $125,000 invested. Best offer over $89,000. Send for complete description. Write LNC, 4 West Nebraska, Frankfort, IL 60423 USA. Fax: 815-469­ 2555. E-mail: Loran@LNCmail.com Wanted: "Brownback U or similar brand, radial engines, complete or crankcase/shaft, circa 1920s-1930s, even number of cylinders (six or eight). Write or call J. D. Hicks, P. O. Box 159, Fisherville, KY 40023, 502-649-5833.

STAMPE SV4B - Totally rebuil! in vintage specialis! workshop, zeroed engine, new propeller, new stainless wires, Ceconrte. $75K or close. Contact John Gaillard aeroair@iafrica.com Fax # (+271 1) 827 7740 For sale, reluctantly: Warner 145 & 165 engines. 1 each, new OH and low time. No tire kickers, please. Two Curtiss Reed props to go with above engines. 1934 Aeronca C-3 Razorback with spare engine parts. 1966 Helton Lark 95, Serial #8. Very rare, PO-8 certified Target Drone derivative. Tri-gear Culver Cadet. See Juptner's Vol. 8-170. Total timeA&E 645 hrs. I iust have too many toys and I'm not getting any younger. Find my name in the Officers & Directors listing of Vintage and e-mail or call evenings. E. E. "Buck" Hilbert

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Membershi~ Services Directo!y_ VINTAGE

AIRCRAFT Enjoy the many benefits ofBAA and the

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OFFICERS President Esple ·Butch· Joyce P.O. Box 35584 Greensboro. NC 27425 336/393-0344 windsock@aol.com

Vice-President Geerge Daubner 2448 Lough Lane

Hartford. WI 53027

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Jeannie Hili

P.O. Box 328

Harvard. IL 60033

815/943-7205 dingheo@owc.net

Robert C. ' Bob' Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne

Steve Krog 1002 Heather Ln. Hartford. WI 53027 262/966-7627 sskrog@aol.com

Ch7~~~~9~~m20 photopilot@aoi.com John Berendt 7645 Echo Point Rd. Cannon Falls. MN SSOO9 507/263-2414 fci1ld@rcomect.com

Robert D. ' Bob' Lumley 1265 South 124th 51.

Brookfield. WI S3OO5 262/782-2633

John S. Copeland 1A Deecon street North~n~t4~~ 01532 copeland l @juno.com

Gene Morris 5936 Steve Court Roanoke. TX 76262 817/491-9110

n03capt@flash.net

Phil Coulson 28415 Sprtngbrook Dr. Lawton. M14906S 616/624-6490 rcouIson516@cs.com Roger Gomoll 321-1/2 S. Bracdway #3 Rochester. MN 55904 507/288-2810 rgomoll@hctmall.com Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hills Dr. Indianapolis. IN 46278

317/293-4430

lumper@execpc.com

920/231-5002

BAA and Division Membership Services 800-843-3612 ....•..•..... FAX 920-426-6761 Monday- Friday CST ) (8:00 AM -7 :00 PM • New/ renew memberships: EAA, Divisions (Vintage Aircraft Association, lAC, Warbirdsl.

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EAA Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association, lnc_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

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635 Vestal Lane

Plainfield. IN 46168

317/839-4500

davecpd@iquest.net

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 Eagl es ....... ........ .. . 920-426-4831 Benefits Aircraft Financing (Textron) ..... 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 information 920-426-4825 .•.•......... FAX 920-426-4828

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DIRECTORS

EMERITUS

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) IPM 1482602 is published and owned exclusively by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EAA Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd.• PO. Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh. Wisconsin 54901 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to EAA Vintage Aircraft Association.

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The words EAA, ULTRALIGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM, SPORT AVIATION, FOR THE lOVE OF FLYING and the logos of EAA, EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION. EAA VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION, INTERNA­ TIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB, WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are ® registered trademar1<s. THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION, EAA ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION and EAA AirVenture are lrade­ marks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above association is strictly prohibited.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

31

Dick McSpadden

Canon, GA Bought first plane in

1980 - a Cessna 152

Currently owns a

1950 L-17 Navion and

a 1952 Beech 18 C-45

1950 RVAN NPoVION

L-17B USED PRllIAW AS Aururt AlRCIWT _ TNE KOREA."

D;ck McSpadden with his 1950 L-17 Na v;an.

"At the age of 42, on July 27, 1980, with 146 hours in my log book I bought

AUAis

my first airplane - a Cessna 152. AUA insured it for me. AUA now insures my 1950 L-17 Navion and my 1952 Beech

approved.

To become a member of the

lower liability and hull premiums Medical payments included

18 C-45 . I did not have to explain these

Fleet discounts for multiple aircraft carrying all risk coverages

airplanes to them and when I asked for

No hand-propping exclusion

' fly-by' and' static' coverage, they knew what I needed."

- Dick McSpadden

Vintage Aircraft

Slop by AUA's boolli 01 Oshkosh

Association call

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800-843-3612

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/lIRVENTURE

Visit our exhibits at EAAAirVenture Oshkosh and see how Henry Ford's example has shaped our future

OS H

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Significant Ford "Firsts" • Ford History in Aviation 100'rears of Ford Racing · Concept and Production Vehicles • Daily Prize Giveaways

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You'll learn how Ford Motor Company has earned its wings - with a century of better ideas

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Mercury ~

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ASTON MARTIN