VA-Vol-32-No-7-July-2004

JULY 2004

VOL. 32, No. 7

2 VAA NEWS 6 MYSTERY PLANE 8 MY FLIGHT IN AN AEROPLANE

LUCERNE, AUGUST 9, 1912

Walter C. Hill, Sr

10 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHANNEL CROSSING SPECIAL CABLE TO THE WASHINGTON POST 11 CARLSON 'S THULIN-BUILT BLERIOT A GRANDFATHER'S INSPIRATION H.G. Frautschy

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15 FLIGHT STORY - CONTINUED A GRANDFATHER'S INSPIRATION Tom Matowitz 19 A BRIEF HISTORY OF STEARMAN AIRCRAFT COMPANY Alan Lopez 25 THE VINTAGE INSTRUCTOR INVULNERABILITY/Doug Stewart 26 CALENDAR 27 PASS IT TO BUCK A STICKING VALVE/Buck Hilbert 28 NEW MEMBERS 29 CLASSIFIED ADS Front Cover: Re storer/ pilot Mikael Carlson of Sweden flies past in his Thulin Type A/ BIEniot Xi. The license-built Bleriot is powered by a 50 hp Publisher Editor-in-Chief Executive Editor News Editor Photography Staff Production Manager Advertising Sales Advertising/ Editorial Assistant Copy Editing

TOM POBEREZNY scon SPANGLER MIKE DIFRISCO RIC REYNOLDS JIM KOEPNICK JULIE RUSSO LOY HICKMAN 913路268-6646 ISABELLE WISKE COLLEEN WALSH KATHLEEN WITMAN

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Executive Director, Editor VAA Administrative Assistant Contributing Editors

HENRY G. FRAUTSCHY THERESA BOOKS BUDD DAVISSON DOUG STEWART JOHN MILLER

Gnome Omega rotary engine . Recovered from a barn in Sweden in 1986, the pioneer era airplane reminds us of the 95th Anniversary of Bleriot's flight across the English Channel on July 25, 1909. VAA/ EAA photo by H.G. Frautschy.

Back Cover: " Fabric" is the title of the Best in Show ribbon winner during the 2004 Sport Aviation Art Competition. "Fabric" was composed using graphite pencils on cold-pressed illustration board . It was based on a photograph of an Aeronca Champ taken by the artist, G.D. Provenza, in 1959, while hanging around a county airport and dreaming of being a pilot. You can read G.D. at PO Box 271362 , Fort Collins , CO 80527, or e-mail atjerryprovenza@wmconnect.com.

ESPIE "BUTCH" JOYCE PRESIDENT, VINTAGE ASSOCIATION

EAA AirVenture Opportunities You will be reading this just be­ fore you take off to Oshkosh, if you are going, to EAA AirVenture 2004. This year of course will be special for me as it will be the last convention while I am still presi­ dent. My term will expire after we have the election ratified at our annual membership meeting, which will be held Monday, Au­ gust 2, at 9:30 a.m. We will hold the meeting in the Type Club tent.

If you are interested in attend­ ing, we ask that you verify the meeting time/place at the informa­ tion booth located in the Red Barn.

Speaking of the Red Barn, I would like to thank all of you that were able to send your support to the Friends of the Red Barn fund.

These funds are used directly to support and help improve your Vintage area of the convention grounds.

The VAA maintenance crew, headed up by your VAA Director Bob Brauer, has spent a number of weekends in advance of the con­ vention working on our facilities in Oshkosh. They will be working hard just a few days before the show to get everything up and running. Then they step back and wait for something to break, and they fix it!

So many activities take place during the week that it is hard to talk about each one. Literally hun­ dreds of VAA volunteers contribute their time as they participate in the annual EAA convention. Some of these include parking your air­ craft and seeing to the security of

your aircraft and personal prop­ erty. Volunteers also judge your aircraft and others. More than SO

I would like to thank all of you that were able to send your support to the Friends of the Red Barn percent of our volunteer forces are used to cover these activities.

What is there to do in the vast VAA area during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh? You can start out by joining some of your fellow mem­ bers at the Tall Pines Cafe for breakfast in the morning. After that, hop on a northbound tram and come to the VAA Red Barn and see what other activities might be going on that day. Visit the VAA store and see what you might not be able to live without. Outside the Red Barn, the VAA has a tour tram that is free for those who

wish to ride around the VAA area to get an overview of the wide va­ riety of aircraft on display.

You can buy a ticket to the VAA picnic, which will be held at the Nature Center on Wednesday night. It's always a great time.

Just south of the Red Barn we have a metal-shaping tent, where there will be a number of skills demonstrated. One more tent to the south, we have located the Type Club Headquarters, a center of knowledge. We invite various type clubs to set up an informa­ tion table so you can chat about your favorite airplane.

There are plenty of different ac­ tivities , and your best bet is to check in with the information counter located in the Red Barn. If it seems like we do a lot during the week, you're right, but we couldn't do it without your help. How can you contribute? Why not stop by our volunteer center, located just at the entrance to the VAA area, and ask where help is needed.

Anna Osborn and her crew will be glad to pOint you in the right di­ rection.

If you cannot make EAA AirVen­ ture this year, start planning for next year.

Let's all pull in the same direc­ tion for the good of aviation.

Remember, we are better together.

Join us and have it all!

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

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Printed EAA AirVenture NOTAMs Available The printed notice to airmen (NOTAM) for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2004 is now available from EAA Membership Services at 800-jOIN EAA (800-564-6322). The NOTAM d esc ribes arrival and de­ parture flight procedures in effect from july 24 through August 3, in­ cluding procedures for the many types of aircraft that fly to Oshkosh for the event, as well as aircraft that land at nearby airports. NOTAM booklets are also available online through www.airventure.OIg.

Breakfast and a Briefing The VAA Tall Pines Cafe will be in operation again this year with an expanded schedule prior to conven­ tion, and fly-in style pancake breakfasts during EAA AirVenture.

Starting on Friday morning, july 23, and continuing through Sunday, july 25, the VAA Tall Pines Cafe will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Starting Monday, July 26, only breakfast will be served at the Tall Pines Cafe. As we had last year, an FAA Flight Service Station (FSS) trailer will be located near the cafe.

At the trailer, which will be north of the VAA Tall Pines Cafe, you'll be able to check the weather for your flight and obtain a full briefing from FSS specialists without having to trek up to the FAA Building near the control tower. We'll see you there each morning for "breakfast and a briefing."

VAA Volunteer Opportunities Are you an ace pancake flipper?

If you're not one yet, we can help!

The VAA Tall Pines Cafe is looking for volunteers who can help pro­ vide a hearty breakfast to all the hungry campers on the south end of Wittman Field. If you could lend a hand for a morning or two, we'd appreciate it. If that's not your cup of tea, feel free to check with the VAA volunteer center, located just 2

JULY 2004

to the northeast of the Red Barn.

The volunteers who operate the booth will be happy to tell you when your help is needed each day.

It doesn't matter if it's just for a few hours or for a few days, we'd love to have your helping hands!

Call jeannie Hill (815-943-7205), and she will reserve seating so your type club can sit together.

Shawano Fly-Out

If so, be sure to check in at the information desk at the VAA Red Barn. There, we ' ll issue you a spe­ cial name badge. We can also point out the location for the Ford Tri­ Motor rides . If you have any questions , feel free to ask for Theresa Books, the VAA adminis­ trative assistant. If you need to reach her in advance of your ar­ rival, you can call her at EAA headquarters, 920-426-6110.

The annual fly-out to Shawano is Saturday, july 31. The sign-up sheet will be at the desk at the VAA Red Barn, and the briefing will be at 7 a.m. the morning of the fly­ out. This year the meal will be provided at the Shawano airport, so we won't need to leave the air­ field. We 're hoping to have a good turnout this year to make up for the weather cancellation last year.

The community of Shawano is a big supporter of VAA and puts forth a lot of effort to sponsor this event. It does a great job, and we hope you'll help us thank Shawano by joining us.

VAA Message Center

VAA Red Barn Store

If you would like to leave a mes­ sage for people you know who frequent the VAA Red Barn, stop by the information desk. You can write them a message in our "notebook on a string," and we'll post their name on the marker board so they'll know there's a message wait­ ing for them. Sure, cellular phones and walkie-talkies are great, but sometimes nothing works better than a hand-scribbled note!

The VAA Red Barn Store, chock­ full of VAA logo merchandise and other great gear, will be open all week long. Show your VAA mem­ bership card (or your receipt showing you joined VAA at th e convention), and you'll receive a 10 percent discount.

On Thursday, july 29, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. there will be a spe­ cial VAA Members-Only Sale. Bring your VAA card, and you'll receive an additional discount on specially priced merchandise. See you there!

Are You a Friend of the VAA Red Barn?

VAA Picnic Tickets for the Wednesday, july 28, annual VAA picnic held at the Nature Center will be available for sale at the VAA Red Barn. Tickets must be purchased in advance so we know how much food to order.

Tickets will be on sale at the VAA Red Barn prior to the start of EAA AirVenture. The delicious home­ cooked meal, including both beef and chicken, will be served after 5:30 p.m. Trams will begin leaving the VAA Red Barn around 5 p.m. and will make return trips after the picnic. Type clubs may hold their annual banquets during the picnic.

CD Writer As more of us use digital pho­ tography to capture our memories of special events, we're caught by one fact of life-those little Com­ pact Flash or Smart Media cards don't always hold all the pictures we'd like to take. We're going to help you with this dilemma by of­ fering to download your images and burn them to a compact disc (CD), all for a nominal fee. Bring your digital camera to the VAA Red Barn, and see how easy it is to sa­ vor your stay in Oshkosh.

VAA AirVenture Area Map

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West Side ­ Vintage Aircraft ~ Camping

Theater In Th e Woods

VAA

Antique Parking

AREA

GENERAL LAYOUT

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To h'" m,mb,,' who fly Red Barn understand the layout of the conType Club " VAA Special vention area adm inistered by the Parking () Showplane / Camper Display Area VAA , we've prepared this simpli- ~_ Starts at Hangar DRegistration - . - - - Row 74 Cafe fied map. As yo u can see, _ _ _ _ _ __ _ -" '-_ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ --' camping starts at Row 74 on the Past Grand Champions - parked along road VAA east side of the main and in rows 60 & 61.

Operations north / south road (Wi ttm an Shack Ro ad), wi th the a reas to the north of that line set up to hanVAA dl e display-only vintage aircraft.

Large Special Interest VAA PARKING That 's why you may see open ar­ Comm Center Aircraft/ No Camping eas as yo u taxi south to your Antiques Row 62 through Row 77 camping location.

Once you arrive, you ' ll need to register your aircra ft and / or campsite. In add ition to roving Rows 60 Row SO Row 78 registration vehicles , there is & 61 EAST SIDE Antique one main aircraft registration =,;:--,.

-.--Point VAA CAMPING AND PARKING _ _ _ _ _'----'--'-1._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ -'--_--'-_ __ building , located just south of STARTS HERE, th e Red Ba rn ( see map ). Th e CONTIN UES TO ROW 150 EAA conve nt ion cam pgrounds , both on the air side and in Camp If you want your aircraft to be judged by VAA volunteer judges, you need to be a current Scho ller, are private camp­ Vint age Aircraft Association member. VAA contri butes a significant portion of the costs re­ grounds, and are not open to lated to the EAA awards that are presented to the award winners . Anoth er immediate benefit non-EAA members. Each camp­ of VAA membership is your free VAA AirVen ture Oshkosh 2004 Partic ipant Pl aq ue , which you site must be registered by a can pick up in the rear of th e Red Barn . EAA and VAA memberships are avai lab le at both Air­ current EAA member. craft Registration and at the Membership booth located northeast of the Red Barn.

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Other EAA AirVenture VAA Highlights Tony's Red Ca rpet Express will be coordinated through the VAA Red Barn. To schedule your transportation needs, simply contact us at the desk.

VAA Red Barn headquarters is also the VAA media headquarters. If you have any questions concerning spe­ cial displays or events, ask at the desk.

The DTN weather system will be available throughout the day.

For pilots who register their air­ craft, yo ur complimentary VAA participation plaque and mug will be distributed at the VAA Red Barn.

The new computer system that al­ lows us to distribute the plaques and mugs more efficiently also affords us a convenient method of locating members who have registered with us durin g EAA AirVenture. So, if yo u need to find someone, chances are we can help you do so in record time.

The VAA Red Barn is also the VAA Hosp it a lit y-Information Cen t er.

Please stop in to say h ell o, e njoy a cup of coffee or a lemonade, and "set a spell" on t he porch . We look for­ ward to seeing all of yo u and value your input. Let us know how we can mak e your convention stay more pleasant and enjoyable.

Other Things You' ll Find Near the VAA Red Barn • Membership & Chapter • Information Booth • Volunteer Booth • Metal-Shaping Tent • Type Club Tent

Designated Smoking Areas Near Flightline Smoking on the fli ghtline at EAA AirVenture is prohibited beca use it's a ha za rd to a ll aircraft. "O n e o f the mo st persistent complaints among our volunteers is dealing with smok­ ers who, unthinking, smoke around aircraft," said Operation P.O.P. Chair­ person Noel Marshall. To alleviate

thi s, Operation Protect Our Planes (PO.P) has created several designated smoking areas with butt cans along the flightlin e, but away from aircraft and refueling operations.

Designated smoking areas will be south of the ultralight runway; near the Hangar Cafe; near the Warbird area (northeast corner of Audrey Lane and Eide Avenue); the Wearhouse flag pole area; the shade pavilion north of the control tower; and near the Ultra­ light Barn. Locations will be indicated on EAA's free convention ground map. The admission wristband will also instruct visitors that smoking is allowed only in des ignated smoking areas.

Red Barn Contributors Our thanks to each of you who have contributed to the VAA Friends of the Red Barn 2004 cam­ paign . W e' l l have the list of contributors in next month 's edi­ tion of Vintage Ai/plane!

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

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Thoughts on Proper Aircraft Restraint GENE MORRIS, VAA DIRECTOR, EAA AIRVENTURE]UDGE ow badly would you feel if your airplane were to seri­ ously injure or kill someone?

I dare say that any VAA mem­ ber would be beyond consolable. I know I would be.

Yet by not properly tying down an airplane while attending a fly-in, the po­ tential exists for a seemingly benign airplane to become uncontrollably air­ borne in the teeth of a thunderstorm's gales. Flipping an airplane over happens every year, and it has happened at the EAA Convention. Back in the early 1980s, a few airplane owners had to come up with another way home after their airplanes were totaled when blown over during a thunderstorm that pounded Wittman Field.

It's bad enough during a fly-in when camping gear or lawn chairs are blown about, but an airplane being blown over or tumbling over and over can be lethal.

Unless we're all careful about properly tying the airplane down, it can happen again, with tragic consequences. Unfor­ tunately, there are some folks who believe that any tied own will do . The fact is they're living in a fantasy world.

Because of the false sense of security they can create, some tiedowns are al­ most as bad as none!

Which brings us to the real purpose of this piece of tie down wisdom. I say "wis­ dom," because I've been around these toys of ours for 62 plus years. Five of those have been aloft, and still counting.

Much has been written about tying down airplanes, some of it good, and some of it not so good. A few years ago there was even a short article in one of our monthly magazines (not Vintage Air­ plane!) complete with pictures, of the latest and greatest "find" in tiedowns that someone had just discovered. The writer was so proud of finding a set of pretty, screw-in "doggie ring" tiedowns.

The fact is, they're junk! Doggie ring tiedowns are a menace to the well being

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JULY 2004

of any airplane, and to the airplanes and people surrounding them.

I know these tiedowns are inexpen­ sive and sometimes even easy to put in the ground, but just take a look at what is holding your airplane down. The little ring that fastens to the stake is put on with a 1/8-inch rivet. Some have an­ other clamp or crimping arrangement that isn' t any better. Ask yourself: "Would you fly your airplane with a 1/8­ inch rivet holding the wing strut on?"

The other problem with any type of screw-in anchor is that the very act of screwing them into the ground dis­ turbs the soil that is supposed to hold the tiedown in place. Simply put, there isn't anything good about these types of tiedowns.

Here's my confession: I used to use these screw in type tiedowns. But after seeing what happened to an Aeronca Champ during the EAA Convention in 1993, I made some tests.

First, I tied the rope to the top trian­ gle, and applied some force (an amount that was far less than the force generated by a single wing in a 50-60 mph wind).

It failed by straightening out enough for the rope to slide off. The screw anchors were placed outboard enough, or they would have unscrewed or pulled right out of the ground. Figuring I'd found the major flaw in the tiedown, I welded the triangle so that it would not open up. BOY, was I wrong.

My next tests were made with the tri­ angle welded together. I then made a fulcrum with a long beam and had a rope on one end fastened to the tiedown below. In just three short seconds, it only took 400 foot-pounds for it to un­ screw right out of the ground!

Over the years I have seen a lot of things happen, and I remember many as if they happened just yesterday. My first visit to our municipal airport was when I was about 11 years old. A buddy of mine and I rode our bicycles out to what is

now the "downtown" airport at Spring­ field, Missouri (SGF). It was a very pretty day, and we made our way into the hangar and explored all of the beautiful airplanes. We knew almost all of them from making models and reading maga­ zines. Three years later, I was a regular around the place and was hired on as a line boy. There were many airplanes tied down, for there was only one large hangar on the "city" side of the airport.

One day, around 1944, we had a mi­ croburst hit the airport. Back then they didn't call it that, but in retrospect that's exactly what happened. All we knew was that a huge thunderstorm was coming out of the southwest, and it blew like crazy.

Ted Burris, a fellow line boy, was out by the gas pit holding down a Stinson 105 all by himself. How he did it, I really don't know, but he did it! Just a few yards away, out in front of the hangar, was a loosely tied-down Travelair 4000, and it was flying about six inches off the ground, pretty as you please. To the right of the Travelair was a J-3 cub doing the same thing, except that the stick was tied back. The main wheels were off the ground. I saw the en­ tire episode unfold in front of my eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, that little Cub went flying up and over the airplane be­ hind it, and then across Division Street, landing upside down while going back­ ward. When the storm abated, there was not a straight piece of anything left on that Cub. The airplane was so damaged, it was almost impossible to disassemble.

We used a hacksaw in some places.

Behind the hangar, we had a row of Taylorcraft L-2s tied down and they were all sitting there nice as you please with their tails about two feet off the ground.

The main wheels were not moving. Tay­ lorcraft had a very good thing with the L-2. It was a small retractable control lock that was spring loaded to store itself up under the instrument panel. When you parked the airplane, you pulled the little control lock down and it fit over

the top of the stick, which both locked the ailerons and held the stick forward.

After seeing those L-2's ride out the storm, I have always tied my stick for­ ward. It isn't always easy, but for a ship with tandem seating, you tie the rear stick with the front seat belt. On a Cessna 140, Chief, etc., I have tied a small, soft rope around one control wheel, and then around the throttle and over to the right control wheel. That way, the ailerons and elevators are held fast. A rudder lock would be a good idea too. Here's an example why.

Some years ago our C-140A was tied outside, and a gale had been blowing for a day or two out of the west, right up the tail of that little 140. You will not believe this. The rudder had been pushed to the right so hard and for so long that the lit­ tle gap seal fairing on the leading edge of the rudder had come out and lodged on the outside of the fin! That's when I fabricated a rudder lock. It's a good thing we found that on the walk around for the next flight, huh?

Being into wind stories, I have an­ other or so to qualify my creditability. In 1946, after most operators had moved to the "new" airport at SGF, I still worked for the city as a line boy. One bright summer afternoon, the two large hangars both had their doors wide open and there were Cubs and Champs sitting outside, untied . A fast growing cumulus cloud sat just off the east side of the field and it was moving west, a bad sign.

All of a sudden it was obvious that something was about to happen. I was up by the gas pit, near the terminal, and quickly picked up on the action going on around the hangars. People were scurry­ ing around moving some airplanes into the hangars, and tying the others down.

Then, as I watched, one of Roscoe Prescott's Aeronca Champs, facing north, was attacked by the gust front. When that east wind hit it, it weather-vaned into the wind and began rolling and bouncing backwards across the airport. That was be­ fore full swivel/steerable tail wheels, and when that wheel would come down and hit the ground, the rudder would jerk vio­ lently to the side, and then the tail would bounce up again. I jumped into our big Ford dump truck and gave chase. By the time I got close, the little Champ was al­

most out to the runway.

I jumped out and grabbed the prop, and with some sort of super strength that I do not understand to this day, I put my feet up on the cow lin g and pulled that little bulldog down to the ground. I held it until help arrived, and we pushed it into the hangar. I received a grateful "thank you" from Roscoe, which was appreciated, but I sure could have used a little stick time in the Champ! While all this was going on, a BT-13 without an engine rolled straight backward, clear across the runway and into a ditch.

If you will notice, all of my wind sto­ ries are of conventional gear airplanes. It is just natural for an airplane facing into the wind to want to fly. A light, empty Cub is a prime example. Now, if the stick is tied forward, the tail will come up and "unload/l the wing, which is exac tly what we would want. Nosewheel air­ planes will sit pretty tamely unless they're on a slope where the wing would be at a higher angle of attack.

Back in the 1940s, the stakes we used were just old automobile rear axles, driven into the ground at an angle, with the differential gear on top . They were heavy, and then of course, the sledge went along too!

Today there are so many really nice, well-engineered tiedowns on the market.

Most use three stakes driven into the ground at different angles. That type of setup gives very good protection. Good heavy stakes, placed outboard of the wing attach pOint, will probably hold your air­ plane down in most cases. Be sure not to put them directly straight down; they will pull right out of the ground.

Finally, one more horror story. A while back I heard about the damage that tying down with chains can do to your airplane. If the chains are attached to a fixed, secure anchor, and if there is the slightest looseness in the chain, the airplane will sit and rock in the wind, banging up and down against the air­ craft structure. The chains have no shock absorption capability, and the constant yanking of the chain tided down to a fixed point on the ground can actually ruin the spar or what ever it's attached to. If you should ever have to use chains, make sure that they are very, very tight.

Many times you will find chains placed along a cable on the ramp that has slack built right in. That might help, but I still don't li ke chains.

When you go to a fly-in, take a look around at the airplanes parked near yours to see how they are tied down.

Share any tips you might have with the other owners. You may have your air­ plane secured perfectly but if those upwind are not, the airplane you save may be your own!

During AirVenture 2003 I spent four early mornings observing all the aircraft tied down in the Vintage area. I found that out of 496 aircraft, 164 were, in my opinion, and I photographed them, not tied securely. Of those 164, 24 were tied directly to, and only to, the little "dog­ gie" ring. It might hold your dachshund, but not a big dog, and definitely not a light plane. Disappointingly, eight air­ planes were not tied at all.

In conclusion , and with many in agreement with me, we must, number one, outlaw the doggie stakes I'm always disappointed to find there are vendors who sell that type of tiedown right at AirVenture.

I also believe that fly-in announce­ ments, postings etc., should include tiedown requirements, and they too should clearly state that doggie stake tiedowns are not acceptable. Even the trio of reinforcing rods driven into the ground will perform better in a strong wind than the doggie ring tiedowns. .......

For more information on better tiedown methods, visit EAA's AirVenture website at: http://www.ai/venture.org/2004If!ying/t ying down.html, and the FAA advisory Circular AC 20-3SC, "Tiedown Sense./I You can also visit the VAA website for an article on constructing a set of tiedowns.

From the VAA home page at www.vin­ tageaircratt.org. click on the bar heading "Publications./I You ' ll see a tab for "In­ formational Articles"; click on it and you can naVigate to a listing that in­ cludes the article published in the June 2003 issue of Vintage Airplane. For a lim­ ited time, a direct link to that article will be shown on the VAA home page.

This past year, another great tiedown construction article was published on page 110 in the April 2004 issue of EAA Sport Aviation. "Building a Better Tiedown," by Stanley Mann, shows you how to con­ struct a variation of the tiedown article published in Vintage Airplane.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

5

BY H . G . FRAUTSCHY

APRIL'S MYSTERY ANSWER

some drawings missing, but they were reorganizing and said that there might be more drawings that had not been cata­ logued yet. There was certainly enough to build from. Getting copies was a complicated process, but the TS-1 was also fea­ tured in Skyways magazine several years ago, including drawings made from the ones in the National Archives.

One thing that I remember from the drawings is a small compmtment beneath the headrest that was labeled some­ thing like"Pigeon Compartment," apparently for the carrier pigeons that the designers thought that all naval aviators would carry with them.

The onLy sun/ivor is ofcourse at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola, a TS-2 modified to TS-1 con­ figuration. (It was on loan from the NASM, and while unable to confirm its new location, Michael McCormick wrote to tell us that it is now at the n ew Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles. -HGF) Also, "TS" stood for "Turret

Shipboard" from the early days when they Launched pLanes from pLatfonns above the gun turrets on battleships.

Andrew King

Our April Mystery Plane was a favorite of a few of you who wrote in. It was the first Navy fighter. From the many letters we received, here's a sample letter from a longtime member:

Glad to see the TS-1 (Curtiss or NAF) as this month's Mystery Plane; it's one of my favorites. Like the Ryan M-1 , it had a limited production, but has its own niche in history as one of the first carrier-based aircraft. I've heard it said that it was the first plane designed from scratch for the purpose of flying from an aircraft carrier. I'm sure you'll get some more informative replies, but I might be able to add some. I seri­ ollsly considered building a replica TS-1 after the Ryan, maybe some day I still will, but in any event, I found out through the NASM that the National Archives, in College Park, Mmyland, have drawings of the TS-1. I went there, filled out the forms, was given white cotton gloves to wear, and was allowed to examine original TS-1 drawings. Not copies, but original linen drawings from 1926! There were

Don Harris, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, had an explana­ tion regarding the markings on our Mystery Plane: At one time, TS-1s sported a diving bird logo at the front of the fuselage. When it was shown that the logo infringed on one used by a commercial chocolate company, its use was discontinued... which maybe can explain the bLackened circle on the plane in your magazine.

Other answers were received from Orval Fairbairn, Daytona Beach, Florida; William Mette, Campbell, California; Michael McCormick, Houston, Texas; Thomas Lymburn, Princeton, Minnesota; Jim Stubner, Mercer Island, Washington; Clarence Hesser, St. Augustine, Florida; Richard Ormsby, Phoenix, Arizona; Charl es F. Schultz, Louisville, Kentucky; Wayne Muxlow, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Wayne Van Valkenburgh, Jasper, Georgia; and Russ Brown, Lyndhurst, Ohio.

A good source for more information on the TS-1 is Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947, by Peter Bowers. ......

THIS MONTH ' S MYSTERY PLANE COMES TO US FROM THE ARCHIVES OF THE EAA BOEING AERONAUTICAL LIBRARY. 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 10, 2004, FOR INCLUSION IN THE OCTOBER 2004 IS­ SUE OF Vintage Airplane.

You CAN ALSO SEND YOUR RESPONSE VIA E-MAIL. DON 'T FORGET, WE'VE GOT A NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR YOU TO USE WHEN SENDING IN YOUR RESPONSE. SEND YO UR ANSWER TO mysteryplane@eaa.org. BE SURE TO INCLUDE BOTH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ( ESPECIALLY YOUR CITY AND STATE!) IN THE BODY OF YOUR NOTE AND PUT "( MONTH) MYSTERY PLANE" IN THE SUBJECT LINE .

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JULY 2004

My FLIGHT IN AN AEROPLANE

Lucerne, August 9, 1912

WALTER

c.

HILL SR.

SUBMITTED BY WALTER C. HILLJR.

here was quite a number of specta­ tors in the aero­ drome, some stand­ ing around as if waiting for something to happen, and others grouped around the machine, intent on details of con­ struction of this modern wonder -the aeroplane. Donning the long brown coat brought to me by an attendant, and handing him my hat in exchange for the cap and goggles, sent through the crowd knowledge that a man was going to fly. There was just a tremor of excitement, more felt than ex­ pressed, save in the hasty movements of the onlookers to find the best points of vantage to see the start. As I buttoned over the long coat, a vest-like garment padded 3 to 4 inches thick with ei­ derdown, my mother thought I too had caught a little of the "tremors" and said that I was just a little pale, but I vow it was either her excite­ ment or the severe effect of this deep brown raiment on my blond complexion for I had no qualms nor tremors, not even as I climbed the ladder and took my seat behind the engine and waited for the avia­ tor, Monsieur Charles Ingold, to settle himself behind me.

An attendant gave the propeller a few turns, then the buzz of the electric spark for a moment, an­ other turn, and the blades whirled smoothly, fanning back a mild breeze. Thus the engine ran for a few seconds and satisfied the avia­ tor that it was in the proper mood for a flight. A wave of the white flag from the guard stationed ahead showed the course was clear, and with a roar the engine swung the propeller into its invis-

ible speed. There was a terrific beat of wind in the face, and then I felt the great aerodrome sliding behind me. It was hard to tell just when motion commenced . There was no jerk or unevenness, but with incredible swiftness the great doors swept by and then the groups of onlookers, hardly dis­ tinguishable one from another. I was conscious all at once that the roll of the wheels had ceased, and I looked down to see the grass sloping sharply away in the direc­ tion we were going. My heart may have been hitting it up just a few licks extra, for with the realization that I was flying I took myself in hand to be sure I appreciated all that was happening.

We were flying straight into a light breeze and rising. The ma­ chine was perfectly steady, and just enough vibration to assure me it was alive. The exhaust now had a sharp, snappy drone, not unpleasant. I remembered then that the roar had ceased when we left the aerodrome. The propeller sent back a sharp breeze, but this grew less as our speed increased and is not more than is felt in a rapidly moving automobile. As these impressions were passed, whatever fear I had departed . I felt perfectly normal and began to look about, a rapid survey around and down. We were well up and over Lake Lucerne, steering straight across. The many hotels that stud the deep slopes of the north shore were coming rapidly toward us. The great "Montana ," with its enclosed balconies, ap­ peared to be bound for the very nose of the machine. We were ap­ parently standing still in mid air, and the skyline was moving to­

ward us. Another look down, then I could get the sense of motion for we were just over the long Quay National, with its wonderful double row of chestnuts and its thousands of afternoon visitors.

The sight was fascinating . We were well up and I had begun to note the various hotels, tennis courts, boathouses and other fa­ miliar points when I noticed the length of the Quay began to swing away to the right-a dreadful drop, and a side motion of the machine startled me. We were turning to the left and swinging into a direction across the wind.

There was a slight cricking of the plane, and we must have encoun­ tered some of those air holes the aviators tell us about for there were several sudden drops of a few feet, and you could feel the cushions of the air under the plane as it seemed to catch on again. A few more of those tremors, and for the first time a slight feeling of insecurity. With this I began to look about the ma­ chine again-the regular drone of the engine was reassuring-the broad expanse of the solid-look­ ing plane seemed ample and secure. Then we swung further around and more into the breeze.

The machine became steady again and seemed to rest perfectly se­ cure against a solid substance . We were then headed up the long reaches of th e lake, near the southern shore. My confidence had returned. We were still rising.

There was an indescribable thrill as we sped along at about 4S miles an hour. The air was delightfully cool. The view was wonderful, with rugged peaks of the Hold­ ifeld Range straight ahead-the VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Rigi and Pilatus to the left and right. The mountains looked higher than when viewed from the ground . I could see a number of towns, both on the lakeshore and inland. Looking down, the motorboats and lake steamers were like toy things. We were about 1,000 feet up. The wind played a perfect chord on the tight truss wires. I had grown so accustomed to the engine I had ceased to notice it. The motion was as smooth as could be-you hardly have a sense of motion ex­ cept when looking down, and then it is slow, just as slow as the aeroplane appears to move when viewed from 1,000 feet below. We passed over a village, the people looking diminutive and the houses misshapen. There were long reaches of beautiful valleys leafing back into the mountains, and long string-like streaks for roadways in every direction .

I felt that 1 would like to fly on and on-I was enjoying myself.

We swung around again across 8

JULY 2004

the lake and took our course back toward Lucerne. Again the air holes and an occasional slight list as the crosscurrents caught the windward plane. This time I was not afraid. I rather enjoyed the slight bounding sensation. This time we flew high over the waterfront of the city of Lucerne. 1 could see the busy life in the streets, but it was all on a pygmy scale. I felt no dizziness at looking down-but I do feel it when looking down over the edge of a cliff. The comfortable seat and the high sides of the car coming well under the arms give a perfect feeling of security.

The descent was as gentle and as free from anything harassing as the ascent. In a wide descending spiral we swept around over the aerodrome, out over the lake, then back to the starting point. The ac­ celeration of speed was noticeable as we planed down until the en­ gine was shut off-then perfect quiet for a couple of minutes, touch of the wheels on the soft turf, a slight bound into the air,

and we rolled right into the aero­ drome doors. The experience was at once thrilling and delightful.

Thrilling principally because of its novelty, probably, and I believe the sensation of flight will become as commonplace as the motion of a bicycle or motorcar. There is a cer­ tain exhilaration in the upper air, however, that should always be a delight, and a feeling of freedom from collision that I have never enjoyed in an automobile. The motion is very agreeable and free from any jar. The slight bounding when going across the air currents is similar to the rise and fall of an automobile over the crest of slight hills on a perfectly smooth asphalt road. One is impressed that the aeroplane is no longer a dangerous project but a new fixture in our scheme of locomotion that is here to stay.

The machine was a Bleriot Monoplane, with a 45-hp engine .

The aviator, a Frenchman recently an instructor of aviation in the German army. .....

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- - --.

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1 .­

10

.

JULY 2004

.'

VlS4

'

95th Anniversary of the

Channel Crossing

Louis Bh!riot just prior to departing Calais the morning of July 25, 1909.

Special Cable to T h e Washin g­ ton Post London, July 25, 1909-­ Bleriot's own account of his ex­ ploit, which will appear in the Daily Mail tomorrow, is graphic. He says: ''It is more important to be the first to cross the channel by aero­ plane than to have won the prize of 1,000 pounds. I am more than happy that I have crossed the channel. At first I promised my wife that I would not make the attempt. Then I deter­ mined that if one failed I would be the first to come, and I am here.. .

"At 4:30 daylight had come ... A light breeze from the southwest was beginning to blow. The air was clear.

Everything was prepared. I was dressed in a khaki jacket lined with wool for warmth over tweed clothes and beneath my engineer's suit of the blue cotton overalls. My close fitting cap was fastened over my head and my ears.

"I had neither eaten nor drunk any­ thing. My thoughts were only upon the flight and my determination to ac­ complish it this morning. At 4:35 the signal is given, and in an instant I am in the air, my engine making 1,200 revolutions, almost its highest speed, in order that I may get quickly over the telegraph wires along the edge of the cliff. As soon as I am over the cliff I reduce my speed. There is now no need to force my engine. I begin my flight steady and sure toward the coast of England. I have no apprehensions, no sensations, pas du tout. . " "I am alone. I can see nothing at all. For 10 minutes I am lost. ''It is a strange position to be alone,

unguided, without a compass in the air over the middle of the channel. I touch nothing. My hands and feet rest lightly on the levers. I let the aero­ plane take its own course. I care not whither it goes. For 10 minutes I con­ tinue, neither rising nor falling nor turning, and then 20 minutes after I have left the French coast I see the green hills of Dover, the castle, and away to the west the spot where I in­ tended to land.

"What can I do? It is evident that the wind has taken me out of my course. I am almost west of Margaret's Bay, and I am going in the direction of the Goodwin Sands. Now it is time to attend to steering. I press a lever with my foot and turn easily toward the west, reversing the direction in which I am now traveling. Now, in­ deed, I am in difficulties, for the wind here by the cliffs is much stronger and my speed is reduced as I fight against it, yet my beautiful aeroplane responds .. " "Once more I turn my aeroplane, and describing a half-circle I enter the opening and find myself again over dry land. Avoiding the red buildings on my right, I attempt a landing, but the wind catches me and whirls me around two or three times. At once I stop my motor, and instantly my ma­ chine falls upon the land from a height of 65 feet. In two or three sec­ onds I am safe upon your shores .

Soldiers in khaki run up, and a po­ liceman and two of my compatriots are on the spot. They kiss my cheek.

The conclusion of my flight over­ whelms me. I have nothing to say, but accept the congratulations.

"Thus ended my flight across the channel. The flight could easily be done again. Should I do it? I think not. I have promised my wife that af­ ter a race for which I have entered I will fly no more./I .......

Carlson's

,

THULIN-BuILT BLERIOT

magine you have a rare airplane, one that people love to see fly, and you love to share it with oth­ ers. Now imagine you want to show it to folks, but the only way to get it there is by freight con­ tainer. That's what Mikael Carlson must do whenever he chooses to dis­ play his Bleriot XI. The logistics are daunting enough when you look at what he and his small crew must go through to take the Bleriot to a site on the European continent where he lives, but what about overseas?

Undeterred, Mikael and his wife, Gunilla, showed the airplane at both Sun 'n Fun 2003, and later for the Dayton Air Show.

What the admiring crowds got to see was one of the oldest flying airplanes still in existence, and they were treated to the sounds and smells of a rotary engine­ powered airplane from the pioneering days of aviation.

In 1989, Mikael found his avia­ tion treasure in a barn in Sweden.

Fully intact (but not assembled), it was in remarkably good condition.

All the parts were in one place, and only a few (outside of the orig­ inal linen covering and the plywood pieces) of the parts needed to be replaced during the ensuing restoration. When com­ pleted in 1991, 95 percent of the original airframe remained, includ­ ing the 50-hp Gnome rotary engine. Since its restoration, Mikael has logged over 35 hours of flight time in the Bleriot, most of it 7-9 minutes at a time. That's over 260 flights in the Bleriot!

The Bleriot XI found by Carlson was one of the many built in Eu­ rope and the United States under license from Bleriot. After Louis Bleriot's epic flight across the Eng­ lish Channel, the model XI became a highly sought after aeroplane.

The XI was designed by Raymond Saulnier, who would go on to even

Mikael Carlson greater fame as an aircraft designer, and in cooperation with the broth­ ers Leon and Robert Morane they would form Societe Anonyme des Aeroplanes Morane-Saulnier near Paris and produce some of France's most famous aircraft. The model XI was seen as a great advance­ ment in the art of aviation design, with its single monoplane wing VINTAGE AIRPLANE

11

producing less drag than its bi­ plane contemporaries. The weakest link in the early versions of the air­ plane was the anemic 30-hp, 7-cylinder R.E.P. engine, or the 3­ cylinder, 2S-hp Anzani engine, which tended to overheat. Neither engine was really up to the task to adequately power the 700-pound, high-drag airframe.

Early Swedish aviator Carl Ced­ erstom bought a Blt~riot XI in 1910 and brought it home to Sweden. A few years later, he sold the airplane to Enoch Thulin, who founded the AB Enoch Thulin Aero­ planfabrik (AETA) in 1914, and went on to build 23 license-built examples of the Bleriot XI, powered by the 7­ cylinder, SO-hp Gnome Omega rotary engine, which was introduced to the aviation market in 1910. The airplane bought by Mikael is the 18th Thulin Type A built, and could have been constructed any time between 1914 and 1918, when the company stopped pro­ duction on the Type A. Except for the engine installation, the basic design of the Type A mimicked the design of the 1909 Bleriot XII, piece for piece, including the obso­ lete wing-warping used to control

12

JULY 2004

the airplane along the roll axis.

Bleriot had already been using ailerons on earlier aircraft, so it is unclear why wing-warping was in­ corporated in this design.

Mikael found out about the potential project during conver­ sations with a model airplane judge who had been judging Carlson's scale models. He was nearing completion of a full­ scale, rotary engine-powered Thulin Tummelisa when the judge mentioned that he too owned a Thulin aircraft.

It took a few years of gentle co­ ercion, but in 1986, he was able to buy the Type A, after the owner re­ alized that Carlson had the talent and the drive to restore the Bleriot to flying status.

Its individual history is a story of serendipitous survival. Serial No. 18 Thulin Type A was flown in a barnstorming role until 1919,

and then was sold at auction in 1920 or 1921. A couple of brothers bought a pair of the Thulin-built Bieriots at the auction, and a week later they sold one of the pair to a potential aviator in northern Swe­ den. He would have attempted to fly it, too, if the local police hadn't put a stop to it because he didn't have a pilot's license. At that, he took the wings off and stored it in a barn, and left to work as a carpenter in America.

When he returned to Sweden a few years later, he asked for some help from a fel­ low townsman to dismantle the airplane even further, and store it in boxes. In one can went the bolts; in a box went all the metal fittings.

The wood structure was bundled up, and the bracing wire coiled up like bail­ ing wire. The engine, along with its special tools, was disassembled and stored as well. There it sat in the barn, a pioneer airplane kit, until the model airplane judge's fa­ ther bought it for $50 in 1965.

They stored it on the second floor of their barn until Mikael Carlson bought it in 1986. Because he was still working on his first homebuilt project, the Tummelisa fighter plane replica, the Thulin-built

Bleriot would have to wait.

Thanks to the completeness of the project, and his good fortune in having a solid, well-preserved en­ gine to rebuild, the Bleriot's restoration only took a year. He did

carve a new mahogany propeller, and all the rubber and other "con­ sumable" materials in the airframe were replaced. The Swedish airwor­ thiness inspector reminded Carlson that he wasn't allowed to deviate

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

13

The wing-warping control is very evident In this snapshot of Carlson's thulin-built from the drawings for the Thulin/Bleriot, so it's quite exact, right down to the 22 threads per centimeter for the linen fabric cov-

14

JULY 2004

ering, and the nitrate dope covering.

So what's it like to fly? For one thing, early aeroplanes were meant to takeoff and land into

the wind. Period. Fighting a crosswind with an airplane that has roll control that is both slow to react and fairly ineffective is not conducive to a long service life. As Mikael pOinted out during our interview, light winds are also the best, if for no other rea­ son than the fact that there are times when a wing drops due to a gust, and no amount of wing­ warping seems to bring it up in a time period that the pilot would be happy with!

There is not much range be­ tween what is needed for cruise power and for descent, and with all the bracing wire, a drop in RPM means the airplane will come down. With twice the horsepower available than the first models of the Bleriot XI, it's not as fast a de­ scent, but there's not much reserve thrust. There are a lot of brace wires and a high-drag airfoil, plus the bedstead style landing gear with a rotary engine nestled be­ tween the posts.

Mikael's trust in the airplane, tempered with the knowledge he's gained over his hundreds of demon­ stration flights, allows those of us lucky enough to see the Bleriot in flight to feel the tingle of watching something historic happen. With all we've seen over the past century of flight, it's still a bit breathtaking to see a pioneer era antique air­ plane take to the sky. .......

A grandfather's .

TOM MATOWITZ

Continued from last month's issue.

As it turned out, this was only the beginning. One of the men I met that day was named Bill Neff, and he was a partner in both Stearmans. I think he looked at me and saw himself 30 years earlier. In any case, during the next six years he was destined to become one of my best friends, and through his generosity I spent many hours in the air. As for Esther, she and I remained on cordial terms, but she became interested in a much older man and eventually married him, and afterward I seldom saw her.

I was spending a lot of time at the airport and didn't lose any time brooding about that.

I didn't have much money, but I was young, strong, and will­ ing to work. I mowed the runway with an Oliver tractor and a brush hog, and cut and split firewood through the warm weather months to pro­ vide fuel for the hangar's wood stove during the winter. I helped in every way I could, and my new friend Bill was quick to reciprocate with time in the airplane. I learned a lot from him. Bill was just turning 50 when I first knew him. After serving in the Navy in the Sec­ ond World War, he had learned to fly on the G.I. Bill.

He owned several li ght planes over the course of time, starting with a J-3.

When I knew him, he also owned a Piper Comanche and

flew it extensively. He was a character, and probably one of the most well-liked men I've ever known. It wasn't any wonder. He was approachable and interested in others, and gathered a remarkable group of people around himself. He was democratic about it, too.

His friends included day la­ borers and CEOs and he valued them equally.

We flew together often enough for me to justify a trip to the local Army-Navy store where I bought an NOS WW II military flying helmet. I pieced together a serviceable pair of AN goggles from parts he gave me, and that was about the extent of the equip­ ment I had. I was taught how to preflight the airplane, and from then on when I flew with him, it was my job to check the oil and insure that the pro­ peller was turned over by hand before the engine started. I cleaned the windscreens and brought the parachutes out to the plane for the first flight of the day. They were normally locked in the hangar in th e hulk of an old refrigerator.

When Bill took up other pas­ sengers, I was generally the one who made sure they were strapped in securely and briefed them about what to expect . Most passengers were nonpilots. While they enjoyed their rides, I don 't know that the experience had any partic­ ular meaning for them. My reaction was different. I saw

the Stearman

to take it granted. I by that I had grown enough to that it couldn't last forever, but no one could have foreseen how it was about to end.

By May of 1981, Bill and I had been friends for six years.

Earlier that year he told me he intended to become a CFI. I figured the time for me to get a private was finally at hand. We laughed about how the examiner would react if I showed up for a checkride in the Stearman.

May 25 was Memorial Day that year. Since I worked driv­ ing a truck for a swimming pool company, it was a work­ ing day for me and I spent 12 hours on the road. I came home exhauste d and was ready to go to bed around 9:30 p.m. My parents were behav­ ing oddly, talking quietly in VINTAGE AIRPLANE

15

Tom's grandfather, George K. Scott, stands by his Taylor Cub. His flights with his very young grandson would leave a lifelong legacy.

another room, and falling silent when I entered. Finally, one of them spoke up and said that the television had aired a brief report about a fatal airplane crash in the area . They were afraid that it was Bill. Offhand, I couldn't think of anything that seemed more un­ likely. I almost called his hom e, but knew he was probably not ex­ pected back until much later, and I thought I would only alarm his mother needlessly. I stayed up to watch the 11 :00 news to satisfy m yself that he was all right, and learned that my parents' fears were correct. Bill died eight hours earlier in a crash that apparently resulted from an engine failure on takeoff.

Reports were vague and conflicting and wouldn't have changed the outcome, so I never inquired very closely. More than 20 years later, I still don 't have adequate words to describe how I felt. His mother was wonderful to me. In fact, everyone wa s, but I don't think an yon e knew where to begin to try to con­ sole me. I drifted through th e rest 16

JULY 2004

of the summer somehow, and went on to graduate school as planned, but I found it very, very hard.

Ten years passed before I visited an airport again. Then I did some­ thing I hadn't done in a long time.

I read the aviation classified ads sec­ tion of Cleveland's The Plain Dealer.

It so happened that someone ran a large ad that day advertising a share in a Stearman for sale. Several days later, I found myself standing on the ramp of the Geauga County air­ port waiting for a ride in the airplane. The pilot and I had a long phone conversation earlier, and he was gracious enough to invite me out for a ride. It was almost 18 years to the day since my first ride in a Stearman, and I felt pretty ambiva­ lent about it. Just as I arrived, the pilot returned from a hop with an­ other passenger and proceeded to make one of the worst landings I have ever witnessed. I was tempted to quietly get in my car and leave, but for some reason I didn't. Soon I was strapped into the front seat and we were taxiing to takeoff. I wasn 't

sure how I felt about this for a num­ ber of reasons, but it was too late to turn back. Soon we reached a prac­ tice area where for 10 minutes or so I am sure I subjected this fine old airplane to some of the clumsi­ est handling it has ever received.

Then something happened. The pilot spoke quietly in the inter­ com, IlRelax-lead the next turn with more rudder." It started to come back to me. I made a series of nicely coordinated turns to headings, maintaining a constant altitude throughout. After a half hour or so, the pilot said, IlCan you find the airport? " I' d had sense enough to note several landmarks, and set up a course to return . My companion said, "That's a good heading," and proceeded to let me fly for the 20 minutes or so it took to return and enter the pattern. He took over and made a nice landing.

This brief flight represented an­ other turning point , because I made up my mind to take lessons and earn a private certificat e, which I proceed ed to do. I was

Tom and the Engelskirger's Cub, the airplane that brought him back to the sky.

trained in the now common mid­ dle-aged Cessnas and Pipers to be seen at any airport. I shouldn't dis­ miss them lightly. I came to regard them pretty highly, but learning to fly these aircraft only heightened my interest in the old airplanes.

Well, conditions had changed pretty radically since I was a kid.

Now it was necessary to have a tail­ wheel endorsement. This led to a couple of major obstacles. I had to find a suitable tailwheel trainer I could rent, and a capable instructor to teach me to fly it. Surprisingly, the airplane proved to be the easy part. An airport right down the road from my parents put a ]-3 on line late in the summer of 1998. That was the intent, anyway, but various logistical problems prevented it from being reliably available until early 1999. My luck continued to change for the better. I was intro­ duced to a tailwheel instructor named Karl Engelskirger. Of all the good men who figure in this story, he and his father, Pete, would prove to be among the very best.

From the day we met, Karl struck me as positive and energetic. As

this story developed, he also proved to be an outstanding com­ municator endowed with superb skills as a pilot. I couldn't have asked for a better role model and mentor. We began with a lesson that taught me to manage heel brakes, and the correct procedure for hand propping an aircraft with­ out an electrical system. With limited visibility over the nose, made worse by the tandem seat­ ing, I quickly learned to keep my eyes outside the airplane during all ground operations. The airplane it­ self proved to be a remarkable teacher, and I quickly came to un­ derstand the reverence for Cubs felt by all pilots fortunate enough to flyone.

Our timing was good . We were blessed with several weeks of con­ sistent good weather. We did stalls, airwork, three-point and wheel landings, crosswind landings, and go arounds. On a beautiful morn­ ing early in May, I found myself alone taxiing to takeoff with a brand new tailwheel endorsement in my logbook . I completed my pre-takeoff check, cleared for traf­

fic, and taxied onto the runway centerline. Holding the stick back, I pushed the throttle smoothly for­ ward and began the takeoff. As the speed gathered, I pushed the stick forward. The acceleration in­ creased, and a moment later the airplane was ready to fly. A little backpressure was all it took, and the Cub and I were climbing nicely at 55 mph. I made the crosswind turn, reduced the power, and en­ tered the downwind leg. Soon it was time to apply carburetor heat, reduce the power again, and enter the base leg. With another quick look for traffic, I made the turn to final. The descent was stable, and with the runway made, I closed the throttle. Moments later came the flare and then it was just a question of correcting any drift and holding the airplane off. The wheels touched down and I held the airplane straight with the stick all the way back. I had finally soloed a taildragger.

There was still much to learn , though, and that is what I decided to focus on. That first year I logged 50 flights in the Cub. In due VINTAGE AI RPLANE

17

The Engelskirger's Waco UPF-7 brings back the pleasures of open-cockpit flying.

course, this led to other tailwheel airplanes, and at one pOint I re­ viewed my logbook and noted experience in nine different types.

Certainly the greatest moment came in the summer of 2002. Karl and Pete purchased a 1941 Waco UPF-7 from an estate sale in Day­ ton. They flew the airplane home, and one fine evening I drove down to see it. There was a gath­ ering of friends and the whole thing turned into a sort of im­ promptu party. I had never seen a UPF-7 before, so I looked it over pretty closely. At one point I stood at a wingtip just trying to absorb the reality of this new situation when Karl's sister, Amy, ap­ proached me and asked, "To m , have you ever flown in a bi­ plane?" I simply said yes.

Various minor problems with the airplane had to be corrected before it could be flown routinely, and of course Karl a nd Pete wanted to become comfortable with it th emselves. My turn came in September. I had an extensive briefing, a couple of familiariza­ tion flights and then it was time 18

JULY 2004

to switch to the rear cockpit and really fly it. My first takeoff as PIC was an experience. If you want an idea of the sight picture from the rear cockpit of a UPF-7 in a three­ pOint attitude, kneel on the floor in front of a large dresser and then try to see over it or around it. It certainly shows why S-turns are mandatory and why pilots used to sayan airplane should never taxi faster than a man can walk.

Getting back to my takeoff, it was time to proceed. I taxied out to the centerline and reached for­ ward and to the right to lock the tail wheel. I took one last look for traffic and then smoothly acceler­ ated the Continental 220 to full power. Soon we had enough for­ ward speed to make the large rudder effective, so I raised the tail.

It was like turning on the lights in a darkened room. Suddenly I could see, and it wasn't difficult to make the corrections necessary to maintain directional control.

Karl said, "It'll fly now," and I ap­ plied gentle backpressure and we left the ground. Everything seemed under control, and I had a mo­

ment to take stock. I was climbing steadily at 70 mph indicated and tracking the ex­ tended centerline perfectly. Then came Karl's voice again, speaking qUietly over the in tercom, "See? It's just like any other airplane ." I reached the pattern altitude and departed to the south.

I was fortunate enough to log several hours in the Waco. It involved a lot of landings, takeoffs, and airwork. I even got to fly it on a short cross-country, and started to feel like I was really getting the hang of it. We did have one anxious moment when one of us bumped the car­ buretor heat control in flight and momentarily killed the engine, something we were very careful not to repeat. All in all, it was a great experience, and I wish there was more to tell, but with very good reason the decision was made to dismantle the airplane for a complete restoration.

All of this has caused a lot of reflecting on my part. My appren­ ticeship as a Waco pilot has been temporarily interrupted, but the airplane will be airworthy again before too long, and there are other great airplanes to fly in the meantime. My goal was to be pre­ pared if the opportunity to fly a biplane was ever presented to me again, and I feel that I was.

Of the many people who worked to make the wish of the child who stood in the hangar door at Knoxville so long ago come true, the foremost was my grandfather. Wherever he is, he must be fiercely proud to see that his pup from 3S years ago went on to fly an open cockpit biplane into the next century. ...

A Brief History

of Stearman Aircraft

Company

A LAN LOPEZ

While attending the National

Stearman Wichita­ The C-3B

Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg, Illinois, in September 2000, I climbed up to fuel my Stearman. From my perch just ahead of the upper wing, I gazed over acres of beautiful biplanes . A to­ tal of 138 Stearmans had made the annual pilgrimage to Galesburg. Of these, only one aircraft, Tom and Nancy Lowe 's C-3R, NC799H, was manufactured by the original Stear­ man Aircraft Company. Technically, all the rest of us flew Boeings to Galesburg. However, even Boeing knew the value of a good name.

In the introductory section in Peter

Lloyd Steannan

Bowers' fine book Wings of Stear­

man, there is a photograph of almost one hundred PT-17s outside the Wi­ ch ita factory awaiting delivery in 1941. Stearman Aircraft had been part of United Aircraft and Transport Corporation (which included Boeing) since 1929 and part of Boeing Air­ craft Company following a re-organization in 1934. However, the name Stearman Aircraft appears in large lettering on the roof of the plant, on the front of the hangar, and even on the water tower. In smaller letters on the factory roof you can just make out the word ing Boeing Air­ plane Co. So, if Boeing called them "Stearmans ," I guess we can, too.

Origins In 1924 Ll oyd St ea rma n , Wa lter Beech, and Clyde Cessna got together an d organized th e Travel Ai r Manu­ facturing Company in Wichita . This un ion was li ke Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams getting together to h old a cli n ic on hittin g. As is often t he case with sup er ior talen t a nd strong personalities, critical mass was soon reached and Lloyd Stearman left in 1926 to start h is own company in Venice, California. He came up with a so u n d aircraft base d on on e of h is Travel Air designs, but it did not sell.

The next year so m e of h is Wichi t a frie nds secured sufficien t financing to lure him back to the" Air Capita l of the World."

Th e first production aircraft from t he Wich ita faci lit y was the C-2, wh ich Stearman had designed while in California. The earliest models mounted th e time-tested OX-S en­ gine. Soon this aircraft, now d eS igna t ed C-3B, having received ATC #55 (iss ued J uly, 1928) carried t h e 220 -hp 9-cylin d er Wright J -S Wh irlwind. These aircraft were desig­ nated 3POLB (3 -place, open, land, biplane) with provision for two pas­ sengers in th e front cockpit and the pilot in the rear. So me C-2s were re­ registered as C-3s so as to become certificated aircraft. As private compa­ n ies took over flying th e mail in the late 1920s t h ere was a demand for ma il-carryi ng airplan es. The C-3MB was designed with a mail pit in place of the fron t cockpit.

Joseph J up t ner, in his U.S. Civil Aircraft. had this to say of the Stear­ man C-3B: "As the an nals of bygone days in aviation are written, the Stearman C-3B will be remembered ... as one of our all- time greats in early avia­ tion .... The basic d esign was so exce ll en t ... that it remained the basis for every Stearman airplane that was ever built.

"By nature, the Stearmans were extremely rugged in character and th eir unfailing dependability, espe­ cially "when the chips were down," was a byword long known among the folks that fly .... It's use on VINTAGE AIRPLANE

19

many of the early short haul feeder lines of our growing transcontinen­ tal air mail system was more than likely one of its greatest claims to fame ... but it was also very popular with the so-called sportsman pilot of this day who could afford and loved a good airplane with plenty of dash and spirit."

The C-3B was a great success for Stearman. One of the first compa­ nies to order the C-3B was Varney Air Lines. Walter Varney had been the only carrier to bid on CAM-5 (Contract Air Mail Route 5), between Elko, Nevada; Boise, Idaho; and Pasco, Washington. Much of this route covered sparsely populated and mountainous terrain. Winter flying was especially perilous along this route and the attempt to pro­ vide year-round service came with a price. Weather-related accidents, which occasionally included a pilot fatality, inevitably occurred.

The Stearmans performed well and, more important, proved to be reliable. Air mail was here to stay.

Revenues grew 40 percent in 1928 over the previous year and Varney claimed a 90 percent performance record. In 1929, Varney expanded his service, flying to Portland, Seat­ tle, Spokane, and Salt Lake City. In all, approximately 247 C-3B and C­ 3MB aircraft were built.

Stearman C-3R Business Speedster It must be remembered that this period immediately followed Lind­ bergh's historic crossing and flying fever gripped the nation. In addition to revenue operators, the late 1920s saw many private individuals in the market for a personal aircraft. There was also an awakening to the possi­ bility of u sing the aircraft as a business tool. Although Stearman continued to sell the C-3B, a varia­ tion was designed for the business market and the wealthy private buyer. This model, deSignated the C­ 3R, was called the Business Speedster.

It was almost a foot longer than the C-3B and sported the new Wright J­ 6-7 225-hp R-760 engine.

Although the C-3R (also a 3POLB) was similar to the C-3B in perform­ ance, it was successfully marketed as an "upgrade," carrying a sleeker look and outfitted with numerous refine­ ments including an upholstered front cockpit. The C-3R was also approved for EDO floats and 10 of the total production of 38 aircraft were sold to the Peruvian army air force. If you wanted to buy a C-3R in 1930 it would have cost $8,500. Tom Lowe, for many years the president of the Stearman Restorers Association, has a beautifully restored C-3R, NC799H, which he regularly exhibits at the Na­ tional Stearman Fly-In.

Steannan C·38 Specifications Steannan C·3R Specifications

Fuel: 68 gallons Oil: 8 gallons Baggage: 52 pounds Gross weight; 2650 pounds Useful load: 1025 pounds Wingspan: Upper 35 feet Lower 28 feet Length: 24 feet Height: 9 feet Maximum speed: 126 mph Cruise speed: 108 mph 20

JULY 2004

Fuel: 65 gallons Oil: 7 gallons Baggage: 60 pounds Gross weight: 2754 pounds Useful load: 1013 pounds Wingspan: Upper 35 feet Lower 28 feet Length: 24 feet 11 inches Height: 9 feet Maximum speed: 130 mph Cruise speed: 110 mph

Stearman M-2 Speedmail Walter Varney had succeeded where all had predicted failure. He had not only pioneered an air mail route that many said was unflyable, but he had made it profitable. In fact, his sturdy and reliable Stearman C-3 aircraft were soon struggling to keep up with the volume. Varney thought a so lution might be found in Wi­ chita. This excerpt from the Wright company newsletter The Tradewind (February 1930, p. 10) describes the excitement surrounding the rollout of a new airplane: "Soon rumors leaked out that the Stearman factory was building a new plane, a "mystery ship," radical in size and power. Just before dusk on Janu­ ary 16, 1929, after almost every spectator had left Wichita Airport, the doors of the Stearman plant were opened and a monster of a plane wheeled out. Silver-Winged, and trimmed in Varney Blue. It was twice the size of any Stearman built previ­ ously. It had a massive, newly designed Wright cyclone motor in its nose.

Someone with abundant imagination said this of its test flight: lilt went through the air like a bellowing ghost, tearing the twilight to shreds.""

Thus was born the legend of the Bull Stearman. The M-2, known offi­ cially as the Stearman Speedmail, was powered by a Wright R-1750 525-hp Cyclone engine . It was designed specifically for increased air mail loads and could carry 1,000 pounds of mail. Deed Levy, chief test pilot for Stearman Aircraft, put the new craft through a series of flight tests. During one test flight the plane was loaded with bags of lead shot to simulate the 1,000 pounds of mail it would carry in the northwest. Deed Levy noted in his logbook: "Test-speed & Load-142 (mph)-lOOO Ibs." Seven of these large aircraft were manufactured. Of these, six went to Varney Air Lines, and the seventh was purchased by Cliff Durant. Du ­ rant's aircraft had a front cockpit in place of the mail pit and was deliv­ ered with a Pratt & Whitney R-1690 525-hp "Hornet" engine. Cliff Durant was the son of Billy Durant, one of

the founders of General Motors. Cliff designed and raced cars at Indianapo­ lis and was fascinated with aviation.

Over the years he probably owned a couple dozen airplanes-Fleets, Wa­ cos, etc. Durant had earlier bought a Stearman C-3B from the factory in 1928.

The M-2 was designed with a cen­ ter section fuel tank in the upper wing, which had a capacity of 136 gallons. Durant had an additional fuel tank installed in the fuselage with a capacity of 127 gallons. Why? We don't know for sure, but probably not for long cross-coun try fligh ts.

Cliff had built a pretentious home in Roscommon, Michigan, known lo­ cally as The Castle. This was the era of Prohibition and Durant was known for giving some of the best parties anywhere. Durant's home had two airstrips and was only a short flight from Canada in the big biplane. The extra fuselage tank in his Stearman M-2 held 127 gallons-or 635 fifths.

Varney was excited about putting these large airplanes with their in­ creased cargo capacity to work and Stearman believed that success in the northwest would lead to orders from other carriers. As the new Speedmails were put into service they made quite an impression on the Varney pilots, not always favorable. Walter "Doc" Eefsen, a Varney pilot, recalled: "Then the company got larger equipment-the Stearman M-2, all mail 525 hp Wright engine, a much faster plane but also a much more troublesome one. I had several forced landings with this type. I took off from LaGrande [Oregon] Airport where I had stopped to pick up a J4 Whirlwind engine that had been brought out of the Owyhee Moun­ tains where a Varney plane had crashed and the pilot killed in a snow storm. I had no more than got­ ten up over Hot Lake Pass toward Boise than my engine started to backfire and I had to look for a place to land the plane. Over toward the Owyhee Mountains I saw what looked like a stubble field. I landed successfully and taxied up to a farm house. I checked the engine to find

the guilty cylinder and finding the coolest cylinder took the valve cov­ ers off and found one rocker arm broken. So I took the spark plugs out and also the push rod and the bro­ ken part of the rocker arm. I got two farmers to crank the energia starter and when engaged the engine started at once on eight cylinders.

The plane took off easily; couldn't tell from normal except holding the RPM down some. At Boise they were wondering what had become of me.

They finally heard something to the northwest and within a short time the Stearman was there on the field and the thing itself told the story."

Doc Eefsen went on to describe two other forced landings in the M-2 near Burley, Idaho. On another occa­ sion when his SpeedmaiJ's engine quit while flying in the Columbia Gorge near Arlington, Oregon, Eef­ sen checked over the motor but could find nothing wrong. He got a ride about five miles to a phone and called Portland to learn what had been done before the plane had been dispatched. Told that a new gas cap had been installed, he returned to the plane, climbed on top of the up­ per wing and found that the cap had not been vented before it was in­ stalled.

Problems continued with the big biplane. No orders came in to Stear­ man for the M-2 from other operators and Varney soon began to get rid of those remaining in his fleet. Of the former Varney Stearman M-2s, some wound up as working aircraft in Alaska. Most were de­ stroyed in crashes in the late 1920s and early 1930s. One of the former Varney Speedmails, NC9055, was on its way to Alaska in 1939 when it crashed near Teslin, Yukon Territory.

The wreckage of this aircraft was found by Bob Cameron of White­ horse, Yukon, in 1989. Bob wrote an excellent article, "Stearman M-2­ NC9055 A Yukon Adventure" in the Stearman Restorers Association's OUTFIT (April 1991) in which he said he hoped to interest somebody in restoring the only remaining Stearman M-2.

Steannan M-2 Specifications

Fuel: 136 gallons Oil: 15 gallons Gross wt.: 5578 pounds Useful load: 2136 pounds Payload :1026 pounds Wingspan: Upper 46 feet Lower 32 feet Length: 30 feet 2 inches Height: 11 feet 11 inches Maximum speed: 147 mph Cruise speed: 126 mph

Stearman LT-!

Light Transport The LT-1 was a natural successor to the M-2. A cabin provided seating for four passengers in place of the cav­ ernous mail pit. The pilot remained in an open cockpit behind the pas­ senger cabin. The LT-1 was a slightly enlarged version of the M-2. It was originally designed to mount the same Wright Cyclone engine, but af­ ter the many engine problems with the Varney M-2s, the LT-1 was deliv­ ered with the Pratt & Whitney R-1690 525-hp Hornet (the same engine that was on Cliff Durant's M-2).

During this time the air mail oper­ ators were beginning to think about carrying passengers along with the mail and Stearman hoped to capture a piece of that market with the LT-l.

Stearman probably felt that Varney Airlines would be a natural customer for this aircraft. It is likely that, after all the problems with the M-2, Var­ ney was shopping elsewhere. In fact, in 1929 Varney acquired its first Boe­ ing 40B-4. This aircraft was similar to the LT-1 with room for four passen­ gers in an enclosed cabin and mounted the same Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine. The Boeing proved to be a reliable aircraft and Varney later acqUired several more.

Only three LT-1s were built (in 1929) and these were delivered to In­ terstate Airlines for use on Contract Air Mail Route 30 from Atlanta to VINTAGE AIRPLANE

21

Chicago and to St. Louis via Evans­ ville, Indiana. Interstate had already been operating Stearman C-3s and had evidently been satisfied with their performance. All three of these aircraft were subsequently acquired

by American Airways and were, in turn, sold to the Canton Government in China in 1933.

Steannan LT·l Specifications

Fuel: 145 gallons Oil: 15 gallons Gross weight: 6250 pounds Useful load: 2360 pounds Payload: 1190 pounds Wingspan: Upper 49 feet Lower 34 feet 6 inches Length: 32 feet 6 inches Height: 12 feet 6 inches Maximum speed: 138 mph Cruise speed: 115 mph

Stearman Model 4 "The Model 4 was the best airplane I ever designed!" declared Lloyd Stear­ man proudly. Forty of these aircraft were manufactured during the period 1929-1931 and perhaps a dozen or so remain. Juptner has this to say about the Model 4: " ... the handsomest plane that Stearman ever built... with the N.A.C.A. low-drag engine cowling as an integral part of the configura­ tion, the Stearman 4 was the first production biplane to utilize this deep engine fairing with any measure of success; the resulting performance caused other heretofore skeptical manufacturers to take a new look at the advantages to be gained with this type of air-cooled engine streamlin­ ing." A few are still flying and by all accounts this is a fabulous airplane.

Although it is smaller than the M-2 the Model 4 is larger than the Stear­ man trainer and therefore has occasionally been erroneously re­ ferred to as a Bull Stearman.

The Model 4 was designed to be ei­ 22

JULY 2004

ther a Single-seat mail plane or could be ordered with a two-passenger front cockpit. This utility was meant to ap­ peal not only to air mail carriers, but also to corporations, which were be­ ginning to use aircraft as promotional platforms, sales aids and executive transports. In spite of the fact that this aircraft had the misfortune to ap­ pear during the Depression, several were sold to wealthy private owners as well as corporations (particularly oil companies) . Some mail plane ver­ sions went to Canada. American Airways bought the final ten exam­ ples produced. The Model 4, known as the "Junior Speedmail," was of­ fered with a choice of three engines: 4C-Wright ]-6-9 Whirlwind 300 horsepower 4D-Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Jr. 300 horsepower 4E-Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp Sr. 420-450 horsepower The mail plane carried the "M" suffix and was known as the Senior Speedmail. Three 4EMs were built for Canadian National Airways.

There are several of these legendary aircraft still flying, with a few more scheduled to be restored in the next couple of years. Ron Rex, who lives at Leeward Air Ranch in Florida, has re­ stored his Stearman 4D, c/n 4025, N774H, in the livery of Western Air Express. Ron flew his Model 4 to Galesburg a couple of years ago.

Addison Pemberton has an out­ standing Model 4 restored as an American Airways aircraft and he flies this aircraft to Oshkosh regularly.

(Addison is presently restoring a Boe­ ing Model 40-it is similar to the Stearman LT-1. When completed, this will be the only one of these aircraft flying.)

Ben Scott of Reno, Nevada, has been flying his Stearman 4E, c/n 4005, N663K, for years. Ben's father, Keith Scott, ordered this aircraft from the Stearman factory in 1929 and took delivery in February 1930. This aircraft was named Grand Champion Antique at Oshkosh 2003.

Stearman N489W, c/n 4037, origi­ nally a 4CM in service with American Airways, has been restored by Bud

Field as a 4E powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 AN-1 600-hp radial.

Bud is presently restoring a rare de Havilland DH89 Dragon Rapide and his restorations regularly appear on the cover of EAA Vintage Airplane magazine.

Jim Kimball and his son, Kevin, are presently restoring a Model 4, c/n 4003, N665K to be powered by a 450­ hp Pratt & Whitney R-985. This aircraft is scheduled to be flying some­ time in 2004. The Kimballs, besides many other award-winning restora­ tions, are noted re-creators of the GeeBee Model Z, the first aircraft built by the Granville brothers for the purpose of racing and the fastest land plane in the world in 1931.

Walt House informs me that the Kansas Aviation Museum has ac­ quired the Texaco 4D, c/n 4027, N569Y, and will begin restoration of this aircraft in the near future.

Another Model 4 restoration be­ longs to Steve Hamilton of Carson City, Nevada. Steve's 4E, c/n 4023, N791H, was originally the Standard Oil of Louisiana aircraft. It mounts an original Pratt & Whitney R-1340 SC-1 4S0-hp radial engine. This aircraft has been meticulously restored by Rick Atkins, of Ragtime Aero in Placerville, California. Rick also did the award­ winning restoration of Ben Scott's 4E. Perhaps the most legendary of the Model 4 Stearmans were three 4Es built for Standard Oil of California in 1930. They carried the registration numbers: NC783H, NC784H, and NC78SH and were deSignated by Stan­ dard Oil as Standard of California Nos. 3, 4, and 5. Two of these aircraft, NC784H and NC785H, c/n 4021-4022, were certified as Stearman 4E Specials under Group 2 Approval (#2-278 10/6/30). With their striking red, blue, and silver paint schemes; speed fair­ ings; exhaust bayonets; and wheel pants they projected a sleek art deco appearance reminiscent of the magnif­ icently designed racing cars of the era.

Only two of these aircraft remain. One has been restored as a Canadian mail plane and is in the Canada Aviation Museum in Ottawa. The Museum has continued on page 29

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Invulnerability

DOUG STEWART I once had a client who owned a straight tailed Cessna 150. His airplane, although not a show winner, was in rather decent condition. The owner was contemplating re­ locating to Arkansas where he was hoping to buy some property with enough acreage to put in a runway, albeit a short one . In an­ ticipation of his potential operation out of a short runway, he decided to put a STOl kit on his airplane.

The STOl kit certainly improved the short field performance of the 150. Pulling up the Johnson bar to get 40 degrees of barn door flaps gave a fairly short landing as it was, but with the addition of the droop tips and vortex generators to the wings it was possible to land this airplane and clear the runway in less than 350 feet, without much effort.

One day this client decided he would do an experiment to see another way in which the STOl kit affected the airplane ' s per­ formance. Without consulting anyone on the ground he took off and began to climb up over the airport. And he climbed ... and he climbed . After a while he was barely visi­ ble from the ground. This airplane, although able to land and take off in rather short dis­ tances , was not a rocket ship in climb .

Slowly the airplane's best rate and best an­ gie climb speeds converged as he got closer and closer to the service ceiling of his little aircraft. Determining the increase in service ceiling and then finally the ab­ solute ceiling was his self-imposed mission .

Who knows how long it took him to climb above 12,500 feet (any time spent above this altitude beyond 30 minutes requires oxygen for flight crewmembers, per regula­ tion) , or above 14,000 feet (oxygen all the time) before he finally reached that point where the airplane would no longer climb. I do know, however, that he did not have oxy­ gen on board his airplane. Not only was he demonstrating the hazardous attitude of anti-authority, but he was also risking his life as he demonstrated the hazardous atti­ tude of invulnerability.

After hearing of his foolish exploit I sadly had to admit to myself that I had failed in trying to foster safe flying habits in this pi­ lot. This same person, as a student pilot of mine, had demonstrated the very same hazardous attitude of invulnerability on a dual cross-country flight we had taken . It was a winter day, and there were scattered snow showers about. One of these snow showers lay directly in front of us as we flew towards our destination. I waited for

him to turn and deviate around the snow shower, but instead he penetrated right into the snow. As the forward visibility immedi­ ately dropped to less than a mile , he turned to me , and with a huge grin said, " Don't you just love flying in the winter?"

I was astonished. He had seen the snow in front of us, and rather than deviate around it, had flown right into it. My re­ sponse to his question was , "Tell me , what the h ... are you going to do now? " To which he responded that he would just continue straight ahead and we should come out the other side, hopefully, in just a little while.

My questioning about the mountains, some of which were not much below our altitude and laying to either side of our route did nothing to impress upon him the danger of our current situation .

Taking charge I had him enter a lBO-de­ gree turn, which at this point had to be done on the instruments , as our forward visibility had dropped to almost nothing al­ though we could still see down . As we exited the snow squall I entered a disserta­ tion on the risks that he had just exposed us to. But apparently this fell on deaf ears.

Although this pilot was in his late fifties , his mentality was that of a teenager. A mental­ ity that says: " It can 't happen to me! I' m immortal! " Whereas I was able to teach this pilot good stick and rudder skills , I was unable to convey upon him the requirements of good aeronautical decision making .

Throughout the rest of our training together I would attempt to reinforce the lessons we had learned that snowy day in the moun­ tains of New Hampshire , but apparently I was unsuccessful. As the saying goes: "you can lead a horse to drink .. .but you can 't make him water " or something to that ef­ fect. So it is with many pilots . No matter how hard one tries it is sometimes impossi­ ble to teach good decision-making habits.

As I have said in the three previous arti­ cles, the difficulties with hazardous attitudes are threefold . First we must recog­ nize the fact that we harbor the attitude in the first place. Second we must learn the antidote for the hazardous attitude , and then, finally, we must apply the antidote.

The antidote for the attitude of invulner­ ability is: " It could happen to me ." But if you carry feelings of omnipotence and in­ vincibility within yourself you will probably have a real hard time convincing yourself that yes, it certainly could happen to you.

I can 't help but think of another pilot I

knew, the owner of an old Mooney M20 , who departed on his first flight after obtain­ ing his instrument rating into known icing with three passengers on board. I heard how he had received the lecture of his life from his instructor, after exposing not only himself, but also three innocent and oblivi­ ous passengers to great risk on that flight.

But that lecture was to no avail, for not long after that flight he proceeded to fly across the Sierra Mountains at altitudes above 14,000 feet without oxygen. He re­ lated to me how he "knew everything was OK, because I was able to do very complex mathematical equations in my head , and come up with the right answer. " Right. I' ll agree that at least he thought he had the right answers.

For this particular pilot the problem was not that he could not apply the antidote to his attitude; he couldn 't accept the fact that he had a serious hazardous attitude in the first place. Even with numerous people telling him of the risk to which he exposed himself, he continued to do it. What finally saved his ba· con was a woman he fell in love with.

When my ex-wife said to me , "It's me or the airplane ." I had to say, "Gee , I sure am gonna miss you! " But when the ladylove of the aforementioned pilot gave him the same ultimatum, his old Mooney quickly went on the auction block. Since he had refused to accept the fact that he had some hazardous attitudes that were seriously threatening his safety, this was probably the best thing that could have happened to him .

I certainly hope that all of you reading this article are not of like character. We all, including myself, harbor at least one, if not more , hazardous attitudes within our being. learning to recognize that fact , then learn­ ing the antidote to the attitude, and, most importantly, applying that antidote will keep us flying a lot longer. If you are one of those people who feel invulnerable, you need to remind yourself that th e truth of the matter is: It can happen to you! Applying this anti­ dote to your attitude will be one of those things to help you transition from being a good pilot, to being a GREAT pilot. I hope you are up to the task!

Doug flies a 1947 PA-12. He is the 2004 National Certificated Flight Instruc­ tor of the Year . Visit his website: www.dsflight.com.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

25

FLY-IN CALENDAR

Tile fol/owing list of coming events is fllrnished to Ollr readers as a matter of information only and does not constitute approval, sponsorship, involvement, control or direction of any event (fly-ill, seminars, fly mar­ ket, etc.) listed. To submit an event, send the information via mail to: Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Or e-mail the information to: vintage@eaa.org. Information should be received four months prior to the event date.

JULY 17-Zanesville, OH-Parr Airport. EAA Ch. 425 Fly-In, Drive-In. 8 am pancake, sausage and egg breakfast. Lunch served 11 am-2 pm. Info: 740­ 454-0003 JULY 17- Henning, MN-Henning Municipal Air­ port (OSY). 21 st Annual Fly-in, Drive-in Breakfast. 7am-1 pm. Adu lts $5, Children 6 & under $1.50. Free breakfast to PIC. Friday Night Pilot's BBQ at 6pm. 100 LL fuel available. Clas­ sics, ultralights, warbirds, vintage. Airplane rides donation $12/person. Door prizes 8­ noon. Info: 218-583-2270 or 218-583-9092.

JULY IS-Algona, lA-Algona Municipal Airport.

Algona Pilots Association Fly-In. 6 am-I pm. Info: Dean 515-332-4012.

JULY 2S-0shkosh, WI-Vintage Aircraft Association Picnic during AirVenture 2004.

Wednesday evening. The tram will start taking peo­ ple from the Red Barn over to the Nature Center at 5:30 pm. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the VAA Red Barn. Each year has been a sell-out, purchase your tickets as soon as you arrive on site!

The meal will be catered by the same great cook as the past few years. Type Clubs may purchase tickets for their group and we will reserve tables for those clubs who wish to sit together. Info: Theresa Books, 920-420-6110 or tbooks!!;Vaa.org.

JULY 30-0shkosh, WI-US Moth Club Annual Dinner during AirVenture 2004. Pioneer Inn near Lake Winnebago. Cocktails 6:30 pm, dinner 7:30 pm. Directions distributed during Moth Forum Friday morning or by email. Please RSVP to: Steve Betzler, sbetzler@elllpireievel.colII. AUGUST 13-1S-Alliance, OH- Alliance-Barber Airport (2Dl). 6th Annual Ohio Aeronca Aviators Fly-ln.

Breakfast Sat 15: Sun. 7-11 am by EAA Ch. 82.

Primitive camping on field, local lodging avail­ able. All welcome. Info: 216-337-5643, bwmatzllac@yahoo.colII, or www.oaafly-ill.ClJI1l.

AUGUST 14-Cadillac, MI- Wexford County Airport (CAD), F1y-In/Drive-In Breakfast, EAA Ch. 678.

Info: 231-779-8113, ;ilpashad@hotlllail.com.

AUGUST 21- Newark, OH-Newark-Heath Airport (VTA). EAA Ch. 402 Fly-In Breakfast. Info: Tom, 740-587-2112, tm((iila/illk.colII. AUGUST 21- Broomfield, CO-jefferson County Airport. 8th Annual jeffCo Aviation Assoc. Fly-In, 7am-noon. Trophies awa rd ed in 9 classes.

Drawing for a free flight in Dick jones T-6. Info: Daril 303-423-9846.

AUGUST 22-Madison, WI-Blackhawk Airport (87Y).

Brat & Bean Feed. 11 am - 3 pm. Info: jim, zflier@aol.colII. AUGUST 27-29-Mattoon, IL-Coles County Airport (MTO). 2004 Luscombe Fly-In. Forums, Luscombe judging, shower, camping, electrical hook-ups. $50 distance award. Info: jerry 217­ 234-8720.

AUGUST 27-29-Sussex, Nj-Sussex Airshow.

Experimentals, Ultralights, Warbirds. Info: 973­ 875-7337 or www.slIssexairportillc.colII. AUGUST 2S-Niles, MI- jerry Tyler Memorial Airport (3TR). VAA Ch. 15 will host its annual Corn and Sausage Roast, l1am-3pm. Coffee and donuts for early arrivals. Rain Date: 8/29. Info: Len, 269-684­ 6566 or tripacerlen@yahoo.colII.

26

JULY 2004

SEPTEMBER 4-Marion, IN- 14th Annual Fly-In Cruise­ In, Marion Municipal Airport. Event features antique, classic, contemporary, homebuilt, ultra­ light, & warbird aircraft and vintage cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors. Pancake Breakfast.

Info: ray;olmsoll@FlyIIlCruisdll.col1l or www.FlylnCruiselll.coIIl SEPTEMBER4-Prosser, WA-EAA Ch. 391's 21st Annual Labor Day Weekend Posser Fly-In. Info: 509-735-1664.

SEPTEMBER 4-Zanesville, OH-Parr Airport. EAA Ch. 425 Fly-In, Drive-In. 8 am pancake, sausage, egg breakfast. Lunch served II am-2 pm. Info: 740­ 454-0003.

SEPTEMBER 4-Bremerton, WA- Bremerton Nat'!

Airport (PWT). 8th Annual Fly-In. Held concur­ rently with the City of Bremerton's Ann ual Blackberry Festival (free shuttle to/from). Pan­ cake Breakfast 9am, Blackberry pie all day at the renown Airport Diner. Flightline display.

Prizes for: Best Antique; Warbird, homebuilt; classic; greatest distance flown for the event; People's ChOice, people voting eligible for $100 drawing. judging: Noon-2pm.

SEPTEMBER 4-6--Cleveland, OH-Burke Lakefront Air­ port. 2004 Cleveland Nat'l Air Show. Exciting air shows and displays. Finish line for U.S. Air Race Inc's Nat'l Air Race and Air Cruise (CA to Cleve­ land) celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Cleveland's Nat'l Air Races of 1929. Info: 216-781­ 0747 or www.cleveialldairshow.colll.

SEPTEMBER 6-12-Galesburg, ll,-Galesburg Municipal Airport (GBG) Drd Nat'l Stearman Fly-In. Everything Stearman! Fun and camaraderie.

Aerobatic, formation, short-field takeoff and spot-landing contests. Aircraft judging and awards. Technical seminars. Aircraft parts & sou­ venirs for sale. Dawn patrol and breakfast.

Lunch-time flyouts. Pizza party. U.s.O. show.

Anual banquet. Info: Betty 309-343-6409, stearmal1@5tearman(1yin.co11J, or www.stearmall{lyin.col1l.

SEPTEMBER IS-Middletown, OH-Middletown Municipal Airport[MWOI "Chris Cakes" Pan­ cake Breakfast Fly-in, 8am - 12n. Sponsored by the Middletown Aviation Club. Info: Bob 513­ 422-9362.SEPTEMBER 18-19--Rock Falls, IL-Whiteside County Airport (SQI). North Cen­ tral EAA "Old Fashioned" Fly-In. Forums, workshops, fly-market, camping, awards, food & exhibitors. Fun for the entire familv. Free admis­ sion for all. Sunday, Sept. 19th Sup~r Country Breakfast. Pancakes, ham, sausage, eggs, fruit cup, juice, coffee, and milk. Info: IVwIV.nceaa.org.

SEPTEMBER 23-26--EI Cajon, CA-Gillespie Field.

22nd Annual West Coast Travel Air Reunion.

Info: Harry, 619-583-0758.

SEPTEMBER 2S-Hanover, IN-Lee Bottom Flying Field (641). Wood, Fabric, & Tailwheels Fly-In. The name says it all ... come and see us, you'll be amazed how friendly and lai d back "our family" is. Food and camping available. A certified half­ fast aircraft asylum (certificate #1). Info: 812-866­ 3211 or www.leebottom.com.

SEPTEMBER 2S-Topping, VA-Hummel Air Field.

Wings & Wheels. Car & Air event featuring the Hardee's Air Team, antique cars & planes, plus fire apparatus, tractors & engines, arts & crafts of all types. Awards. Grounds open at 6am.

Parking $5. Special gift for first 200 entries. Call for registration costs. Info: 804-758-4330, itl(o@willgsoI1dwlleei.lIs, or IVWW.willgsalldwlIeeis.lIs. SEPTEMBER 25-2S-Nashua, NH-Boire Field, adjacent to the College. Daniel Webster College 2004 Avia­ tion Heritage Festival. Aircraft, speakers, activities.

Adult admission is $15, children 6-12 are $7, and children under 5 get free admission. Special dis­ counts for families, seniors, veterans, and groups_ Info: 603-577-6625 or www.dwc.edll.

SEPTEMBER 26--Simsbury, CT-Simsbury Airport (4B9). 20th Annual Simsbury Fly-In sponsored

by Simsbury Flying Club and EAA Ch. 324. The largest aviation event of its kind in New Eng­ land. Live music, a contingent of restored military vehicles, flybys of interesting aircraft, judging of aircraft in 15 categories. No admis­ sion fee. Info: Bill Thomas 860-693-4550, wdtl70I1JaS@SI1et.I1et.

OCTOBER 1-3--Pottstown, PA- Pottstown Municipal Airport (N47), Bellanca-Champion Club East Coast Fly-In. Info: 518-73 1-6800, Robert@bellallca-ciwmpiorIclllb.col1l, or www.bel/arIca-ciwmpionc/llb.col1l.

OCTOBER I -3--Darlington, SC-VAA Ch. 3 Fall Fly­ In. All Classes welcome, BBQ Friday, Aircraft judging/Banquet Sat. Info: jim WilSOll 843­ 753-7138 or eiwilsol1@IIOmexpresswIIy.l1et.

OCTOBER 2-3--Midland, TX- Midland Int'I Airport, AIRSHO 2004, Commemorative Air Force HQ. Info: 432-563-1000, est. 2231 or p"blicreiatiolls@cafl1q.org. \ OCTOBER 13-17-Tullahoma, TN-Beech Party 2004, A Bonanza. Sponsored by the Staggerwing Museum Foundation, Twin Beech 18 Society, and Bonanza-Baron Museum. Owners and enthusiasts welcome. Info: 931-455-1974.

NOVEMBER 4-Madison, WI- Blackhawk Airport (87Y). EAA Ch. 93 Annual Chili Fly-In. 11 am ­ 2:00 pm. Info: jim zflier@aol.colll.

SEPTEMBER 10-12-Van Wert, OH-Van Wert County Regional Airport. Festiva l of Flight 2004, Sentimental journey. This year's festival is a celebration of the heroes of WWll. Vintage

planes, airshows, music, tlea market} demon­ strations, exhibits, contests, food. Info: 419-232-4500 or ;ersons@msI1.com.

SEPTEMBER 11-12-Bayport, NY-Brookhaven Calabro Airport. Annual Fly-In of the Antique Airplane Club of Greater New York. Awards for various cat­ egories, flea market, hangar party. Info: Roy 631-589-0374.

SEPTEMBER 12-Mt. Morris, IL- Ogle County Airport (C55). Ogle County Pilots and EAA Ch. 682 Fly­ In Breakfast. 7am-noon. Info: 815-732-7268.

SEPTEMBER IS-Bartlesville, OK-48th Annua l Tulsa Regional Fly-In. Info: Charlie Harris 918­ 622-8400.

SEPTEMBER IS-Ghent, NY- Klinekill Airport (NY1), EAA Ch. 146 Fall Fly-In Pancake Breakfast, 8:30-noon, $5. Fly-in or drive-in, all welcome_ (Gas available at Columbia County Airport, IBI.) Rain date 9/19. Info: 518-758­ 6355 or www.eaa146.org.

JULY 27·AUGUST 2 EM AirVenture Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI (OSH) www.airventure.org

SEPTEMBER 18-19 Virginia State EM Fly-In Petersburg, VA (PTS) www.vaeaa.org

OCTOBER 1-3 Southeast EM Regional Ry-In Evergreen, AL (GZH) www.serfi.org

OCTOBER 7-10 Copperstate EM Regional Fly-In Phoenix, AZ (A39) www.copperstate.org

~ss IT TO BUCK

BY E.E. "BUCK" HILBERT, EAA #21 VAA #5 P.O. Box 424, UNION, IL 60180

A sticking valve How many of us have had a rough-running engine when we first start? Maybe it lasted only a short time, two or three minutes at the most, or maybe even up to the time we do our run-up and magneto check. Extra throttle seems to cure the problem, and we came out here to fly, so let's do it!

Could be we had a sticking valve.

When was the last time you flew?

How long has the engine been sitting?

This could be critical in diagnos­ ing the reason for the roughness. A little rust or maybe some varnishing on the valve stem? Both of these can occur when the engine has been idle and not run for a period of time.

And this can happen in as little as a week or 10 days.

Clearance between the guide and the valve stem is critical. Any debris that fouls up that clearance can in­ hibit proper operation.

Today's super-refined oils help a lot. The old straight weight mineral oils didn't have the fancy additives we have nowadays, and these mod­ ern oils do minimize the tendency of stem and guide contamination.

They also assure that the oil does its three jobs. We all know oillubri­ cates, that the circulation helps cooling, and that oil suspends con­ taminates, keeping the engine interior clean. The black you see af­ ter eight or 10 hours of running is a sign that the oil is doing its job.

Back to the sticking valve. Usually it's an exhaust valve sticking. If you detect the problem, you can some­ times head it off by changing the oil. Keeping that oil doing its job is your responsibility. If you have a full-flow filter, you should change

oil about every 50 hours or less if it looks really dirty, you've worked it hard, or you're flying off a dirty, dusty field. Keep that air filter clean, too; sucking in dirt through the in­ duction system can do nasty things.

With a pressure screen filter, like most of the older engines, don't go past 25 hours.

A good practice is to change the oil every four or five months whether you have reached the time limit or not. The cleaning function of the oil is abrogated by long-term inactivity. The dirt precipitates out, lying in the bottom of the case and in all the little cavities in the engine, and a cold start will see this gunk chasing all through the engine.

What does oil cost? Not much when you consider the cost of an engine overhaul along with the downtime or, even worse, a forced landing someplace you didn't want to be.

Back to the sticking valve. A worst-case scenario is to have that valve stick closed. When that hap­ pens, something's got to give. The pushrod may bend trying its best to open that valve. When it does, it'll take out the pushrod shroud or tube.

Oh man! Now we have a bad oil leak. That pushrod tube is the oil re­ turn line from the rocker arm lube system. Break that and you'll lose quantity. You won't have pressure loss, at least not until the quantity gets real low.

A valve sticking closed will some­ times put an extraordinary load on the cylinder head. This can cause cracking, and we don't want that happening either. Sticking open will cause roughness. The pushrod will

rattle around, and you'll be looking for an airfield.

The old early Wright Whirlwind, Kinner, and Warner radials didn't have overhead oiling . Prior to every flight it was standard proce­ dure to grease the rocker arms, oil up the valve stems, cross your fin­ gers, and go!

They got oil and grease all over the airplane: the windshields, the pi­ lot, and anything and everyone in the propwash. When the oil and blobs of grease stopped slobbering, you'd better be near your destina­ tion or an aUXiliary field because sure as shootin' a valve was soon to start sticking.

If you were lucky, it stuck open.

The pushrod would fall out, and you were short one cylinder and getting some popping back through the in­ duction system. Land, get the oil can and lube the devil out of it and all the rest of them, shoot some grease into the rockers, and you were on your way again.

So much for the old days. Now we have pressure-Iubed valve trains, sophisticated oil, and if you're using 100LL fuel, plenty of lead to help lube those valve stems.

If your engine tells you it has a bellyache, do something about it.

Check out the possible ailment.

Maybe it isn't a valve; maybe it's just a lead- or oil-fouled spark plug, an ignition lead, or the magneto points.

In any event, since we can't just pull over to the curb and open the hood to look for the problem make sure that engine checks out and keeps you in theak ~ Over to you, ((

-;Bt1..c,}.,

VINTAGE A IRPLA NE

27

NEW MEMBERS

Mick Roberts . ... . ............... Canberra, ACT, Australia

John C. Paul ..... . ... ... ....... Romsey Victoria, Australia

Nigel D. Ca rter ........ . . . . .. .. Slough Berks, Great Britain

Andrew DowIe .. ... .... .. ......... . . Tonbridge, England

Richard Audren ....... . ... . .... .. Les Essarts Ie ROi, France

Bernard Black ..... ............ .. . .. . Surrey, Great Britain

Takeyuki Yamashita . . ...... .. .. . . ... . . .. .. Gunma, Japan

Richard Bould .. ... .. . .......... . . Auckland, New Zealand

Paul Finch ...... . . ... ........ .. . Ashburton, New Zealand

Tony Payne . ........ ........ .... . Auckland, New Zealand

Jim Chapman ....... Ch ristchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Norman Giles .............. .. .. . ....... . Albertville, AL

Gary Meldrum ........ . ... . ... . .. ..... . Chino Valley, AZ

Lawrence]. Portouw . ... .. . . ... . . ...... Fort Huachuca, AZ

Bruce E. Estes ............ ... ...... ... . .. Foster City, CA

Roger 1. Hunter ..... . .... . . ... . . .......... Millbrae, CA

Steven Leisch ........ . .. . . ....... .... .. Morgan Hill, CA

Bob Lotter . . . ... . .. . . . . . . ... . .. . San Juan Capistrano, CA

Bob F. Oliver . . ... . ......................... Alamo, CA

Gerhard Schapp....... .. .. . ....... . .... . .. Riverside, CA

Harold Schooler ... . ... . ........ . . . . . ........ Chico, CA

Walter Wofford . . .... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ..... Auburn, CA

Barry]. Hicks .................. . .. ... ... . Parachute, CO

Robert E. Newhall .......................... Boulder, CO

Victor W. Whitehead .... . ........ .. .... .. .... Parker, CO

Karl Wiemer ........ ....... . . . ... . . ..... Greenwich, CT

Fred C. Brown ...... . ... . ... . ......... Treasure Island, FL

Sterling R. Brown ................ . .. ....... Lakeland, FL

Charles J. DiPardo............ . ... . .. . ...... Parkland, FL

Jam es R. Gibson .... . ....... . . .. . . .. ..... .. Polk City, FL

Warren 1. Hall ............ . . ... . . .. . .. .. Okeechobee, FL

Jim Layman ......... .. .......... . ....... Lauderhill, FL

Jam es M. Rinehart ... ..... ...... . . . .. .. .. . . .. Tampa, FL

Maurice Rivenbark ..... . . . . . . ... . ... . . .. .. Floral City, FL

Robert Roknick ..... . ... ........... . .... Summerfield, FL

Calvin Smith . .. ... ..... . ...... .. ....... Orange Park, FL

W. Marsh Smith ...... .. .... . . . ... . . . ... ..... Miami, FL

Robert H. Trumpolt ......... . ... ... ...... Port Orange, FL

Michael Uzlik .............. ..... .. ........ Mulberry, FL

Charles Willard .. .. .. . .. .. ... . ... . ...... . Vero Beach, FL

Jim E. Wilson ...... ........ ... . ... ..... . .. Key West, FL

Philip Winkler ..... . ... . ... . .. . . .......... .. Tampa, FL

Gary D. Austin ... . ... . ... . . .............. Kennesaw, GA

Charles H. Bowser ..... . ........... ... ..... Newnan, GA

Paul V. Kelley .. ..... . .. . . .................. Atlanta, GA

Rebecca Krengel ....... .. . .. .. . .. ..... ... .. Marengo, IL

William G. Parrillo ... . . ... . . ...... . . . .. . .. Westmont, IL

Christopher Sellers . .. .. . .. . . . ..... . .. . ... Woodstock, IL

Michael Vonic .......... ... ..... . . .. ..... Hampshire, IL

Ken Ward .. . ........................ .... .. Chicago, IL

Einer Freeburg ....... ... . ... . ... ... .. . ... New Castle, IN

Dennis A. Harmon.......................... Sullivan, IN

David R. Ward ...................... . . ... .. Tell City, IN

Matt Hall ....................... . .. ....... Garfield, KS

Weeden R. Nichols ........... ................. Hays, KS

Lynn Norton .... ... . ... . ... . ........ .. . . . Leawood, KS

Dwayne E. Hargrove .. . .. .. ... . ... . . ....... Louisville, KY

Shannon Elliott .... . ... . ... . .. ..... .... ... Lafayette, LA

James M. Fitch ... .. ............. . . . .. St. Francisville, LA

Loyd Mitchell. . . .. .. .. . ... ........... .. Baton Rouge, LA

Tom E. Whiting ......... . . ...... .. Greenwell Springs, LA

Stephen Gordon Kent .... .. . .............. Wenham, MA

Theodore C. Southworth ...... ... ... .. . South Orleans, MA

Sharon Tinkler ................ . ... . . .... Edgewater, MD

Thomas Botsford .......... . .. ....... . .. Eaton Rapids, MI

Bill Conway ..... . . . .. . ............. ... New Buffalo, MI

Larry Hoffman ...... . .... . ... ........... . Coldwater, MI

Chris C. Erickson .. .. .. ..... .. . . .. .... . Coon Rapids, MN

Darwyn R. Haveri ..... ... . ...... . . ....... .. Finland, MN

Jeff Ingebrightson ................. Columbia Heights, MN

Richard P. Smith .. . ... ............ . . .. Gravois Mills, MO

Charles Wayn e Brown ...................... . Helena, MT

28

JULY 2004

Charles Fligel .......... . . .. . . . . . .. .. ........ Butte, MT

Margaret Denmark ... .. .. . . . ..... .... ...... Raleigh, NC

David F. Durham ........ .. .. ... . ....... Mooresville, NC

Donald Harvey . ... ... ... ...... ........... Concord, NC

Matthew King ................. . ... . . . ... .. Willard, NC

John W. Miller. ... . . . ..................... . Raeford, NC

Clarence D. Hergert ... . . . ..... . . .. ....... Scottsbluff, NE

Dr. Jack Shuler ........ .. . . ..... .. ..... Londonderry, NH

John A. Zanchi, Jr.... .. ..... ... .......... Wolfeboro, NH

Eugene Bunt . ... .. ... . .. ..... .. ............ Keyport, NJ

Paul Duffy .. .. .. ... ... ...... .. ... ... .... Woodbury, NJ

David Vasend en ......... . . ..... .. ... . ...... . Reno, NV

]. B. Allred ........ ... ..... .. ........... Skaneateles, NY

David Brennan ..... . . .. . .. ... ... . .. ... .. . Craryville, NY

Neil 1. Loveless ... ..... .... . . .... . ...... Fair Haven, NY

Kurt Lozier .......... . ... . ....... . ... . Ballston Lake, NY

Joseph Walker .......... . ........ ... ... ... Lancaster, NY

Konrad K. Balunek .......... ..... . . . . . . ...... Avo n, OH

Steve Dalpra ... .. .. .. . ... . . ........ . ...... Sylvania, OH

Kenneth R. Hagen ... . .... . . . . .. ....... Lewis Center, OH

James 1. Wilson ........ . . .... ... . . . .. . ... .. Galena, OH

Charles Baker ..... . . .. . ... .. . .... . ... . . .... . Grove, OK

Jeremy Harris . .... . ......... . ... . .... . ... . .. Sandy, OR

John B. Bendig . . .. ... .. ... ... . ........... Waterford, PA

William Peblenik....... . .... . ... . . . .. ... ... Erwinna, PA

Jaime Maya . ... .. ..... .. .. . . ....... .. Sabana Grande, PR

James Phillip Terry . .... . ......... . . ...... Cum erland, RI

Lewis Myers ................................. Pelzer, SC

Charlie Sidenstricker .. .. . ............. ... Mt Pleasant, SC

Shope Z. Conley ... . ............. . ... . .. .. Maryville, TN

Tom Roush ......................... . ..... Tallassee, TN

Paul Blanton ....... . ....................... Austin, TX

John Cyrier .. .. .......... . .... . .......... Lockhart, TX

Gene Di Fonso ...... . .... . ... .. ... . ...... Arlington, TX

Robert Ewing ................... . ........... Jasper, TX

Richard]. Filip .......... . ..... ... .... .. . FayetteVille, TX

Robert Kraft .. . ... .... .. .. . . .. . . .. ... ... Fort Worth, TX

Johnni e Smith .... . .. ... ... .. . ... ... .. . Montgomery, TX

Richard P. Wingfield ......... . . ... .. . ..... McKinney, TX

Joe Allman ................... . ......... Blackstone, VA

Nolen Dean ........ . . ..... . ........... Harrisonburg, VA

Michael Henderson .......... . ............... Fairfax, VA

Greg Llafet . .. ... . ......... ...... .. ...... Arlington, VA

John Magyar . .. .. .... . .... ..... . ...... . .... Lorton, VA

Mike Martin .... .... ................... Martinsville, VA

Peter Schare .... . .... ... . . .... . .... .... Barboursville, VA

Andrew G. Shorter .......... . ... . . ...... Woodbridge, VA

Richard Sloop ....... . . .... . ......... .. .... Leesburg, VA

Bryon R. Stewart .. .. . . .... . ....... ....... Warrenton, VA

Pieter F. Wielinga .. ...... . ... . .... .. ......... Hayes, VA

Walter F. Schwarz .... . ...... .. ........... Brattleboro, VT

Roland W. Smith, MD ...... . .. .......... Bennington, VT

Mynders R. Woodruff ...... ... ... .. . ..... . Waitsfield, VT

Charles 1. Zue ......... . . . .. . .. . . . . ........ Vershire, VT

Eric Gourley .. ... .. . .. . .......... . ...... Eastsound, WA

Jim Lang . ............... . .. ............ .. Buckley, WA

Mike Lavelle . ................. ........... Issaquah, WA

Roy E. Palmer .. .. . . . . ... ... .. ........ Mercer Island, WA

Daniel N. Pearson ...... . ... .. ... ........ . . Brewster, WA

Eric C. Taylor ............. .. ... . .. . . Port Townsend, WA

Jeff Whitlatch .. . ......... ............... Redmond, WA

Edward O. Brannon ..... . ................... Racine, WI

John Cutting...... ... ..... . ....... . ....... Belgium, WI

Earl E. Janikowsky ..... . .. . . .. .. . .. ...... Milwaukee, WI

William D. Lothman .. .. ............... . . . Greendale, WI

John]. Lumley ................ . . ... . . ... Eagle River, WI

MaDonna 1. McMahan .......... .. . ......... Wausau, WI

Charles Stephenson . .. ... . .......... ......... Plover, WI

Lawrence H. Hawkins .. .. . ...... ........ Parkersburg, WV

Lawrence Stahl ..... . .. .... .. ...... . ..... Petersburg, WV

James Thrush .. .... . . ...... . ........... Burlington, WV

A Brief History of Stearman Aircraft Company continued from page 22 this to say about the 4E: "The Stear­ man 4 is considered by some to be the ultimate civil biplane in North Amer­ ica. The Stearman 4 was the first North American production aircraft to use the new aerodynamically efficient NACA engine cowl. In their heyday, Stearman 4s were the fastest aircraft in Canadian skies . . ." (Canada Aviation website (www.aviation.nmstc.ca).

The only Stearman 4E flying of those built for Standard Oil of Cali­ fornia is NC785H. It was restored by Posey brothers at Pitcairn Aviation in Robbinsville, New Jersey (1999­ 2003). Extensive research combined with Mike Posey"s painstaking at­ tention to detail make this an almost breathtakingly beautiful example of 1930 design brought back to fly once again.

more than a year after United Aircraft took over, Stearman resigned as presi­ dent of Stearman Aircraft. He continued to serve on the board of directors until June 1931.

Stearman Aircraft, as an independ­ ent concern headed by Lloyd Stearman, lasted less than two years, from Sep­ tember 1927 to August 1929. In this brief time Stearman designed several models of aircraft that saw service with American and Canadian air mail carri­ ers, corporations, and also private owners. The Model 4 aircraft, particu­ larly those built for Standard Oil of California with speed fairings and wheel pants, represents the pinnacle of biplane design. As antiques, some might deem them obsolete today-in the manner one might consider a Due­ senberg or Bugatti obsolete. The Stearman name and legend fly on.

Stearman 4E Specifications (w/420·hp Wasp)

Fuel: 106 gallons Oil: 10 gallons Gross weight: 3936 pounds Useful load: 1510 pounds Payload: 629 pounds Wingspan: Upper 38 feet Lower 28 feet Length: 26 feet 4 inches Height: 10 feet 2 inches Maximum speed: 158 mph Cruise speed: 130 mph

On August IS, 1929, Stearman Air­ craft was acquired by United Aircraft and Transport. Stearman stayed on while his favorite design, the Model 4, was delivered to private, corporate, and air carrier owners. He was also at work on several new designs for the company. However, the Depression was taking a tremendous toll on American business and the aircraft industry was no exception. Further­ more, Stearman began to chafe in the unaccustomed role of corporate em­ ployee. In December 1930, a little

Bibliography Stearman Aircraft Order and Delivery Ledger (courtesy of Walt House, Kansas Aviation Museum) Walter ""Doc"" Eefsen Memoirs (courtesy of Marie Eefsen) Bruce Bissonette, The Wichita 4: Cessna, Moellendick, Beech & Stear­ man, Aviation Heritage 1999 Peter Bowers, Wings ofStearman, Fly­ ing Books International 1998 D. D. Jackson et ai, Flying the Mail, Time-Life Books 1982 Joseph Juptner, u. S. Civil Aircraft Se­ ries, vols. 1-3 Aero Publishers 1962 The Tradewind, February 1930, p. 10 Stearman Aircraft Company advertis­ ing pamphlet Aero Digest October 1930, p.28

Biplane Odyssey, Flying the Stear­ man to Every U.S. State and Canadian Province in North Amer­ ica, by Alan Lopez, 382 pages with co lor photographs is available from Mountain Press, P.O. Box 507, Princeton, NJ 08542 or www.BiplaneOdyssey.com for $25, plus $3 shipping per copy. New Jersey residents add 6% tax. The author will autograph the book on request.

~

VINTAGE

TRADER

Something to buy, sell or trade?

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

Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2.167 inches) by 1,2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch . Black and white only, and no frequency discounts.

Advertising Closing Dates: 10th of second month prior to desired issue date (i.e., January 10 is the closing date for the March issue). VAA reserves the right to reject any advertising in conflict with its policies. Rates cover one inser­ tion per issue. Classified ads are not accepted via phone. Payment must accompany order.

Word ads may be sent via fax (920-426­ 4828) or e-mail (cla ssads@eaa .org) using credit card payment (all cards accepted). In­ clude name on card, complete address, type of card, card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EAA. Address advertising correspondence to EAA Publications Classified Ad Manager, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 BABBln BEARING SERVICE - rod bearings, main bearings, bushings, master rods, valves, piston rings. Call us Toll Free 1/ 800/233-6934 , e-mail ramremfg@aof.com Website www.ramengine.com VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS , N. 604 FREYA ST., SPOKANE, WA 99202.

Airplane T-Shirts

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WE PROBABLY HAVE YOUR AIRPLANE!

www.airplanetshirts.com 1-800-645-7739 THERE'S JUST NOTHING LIKE IT

ON THE WEB!!

www.aviation-giftshop.com A Website With The Pilot In Mind (and those who love airplanes) Warner engines. Two 165s, one fresh O.H. , one low time on Fairchild 24 mount with all acces­ sories. Also Helton Lark and Aeronca C-3 project. Find my name and address in the Officers and Directors listing and call evenings. E. E. "Buck" Hilbert.

Fl yin g wires ava i lable. 1994 pri cing . Visit www. f/yingwires.com or caIi SOO-517-9278.

For Sale - 1939 Spartan Executive, 3500TT, 10 SMOH. 21 4-354-641 8.

TIRES, 26x6, 8 ply. , 3 Diamond tread, 1 block tread, $200 all. 650-348-1449.

UC-78 c owling , front and boot. $1500 . 734­ 426-4038 VINTAGE AIRPLANE

29

Membership Services VINTAGE

AIRCRAFT ENJOY TH E MANY BENEFITS OF EAA AN D THE EAA VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION

Directory_

EAA Aviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086

OFFICERS President Espie "Bu tch" Joyce 704 N. Regional Rd. Greensboro, NC 27409 336·668·3650 windsock@aol.com

Secretary

Vice-President Geo rge Daubner 2448 Lough Lane Hartford, WI 53027 262·673·5885 vaaflyboy@msn.com

Treasurer

Steve Nesse

Charles W. Harris

2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507·373·1674

7215 East 46th St. Tulsa, OK 74 147 918·622·8400

stnes@ldeskmedia.com

cwh@hvsu.co m

DIRECTORS Dale A. Gustafson

Steve Bender 85 Brush Hill Road Sherborn, MA 01770 508·653·7557

Indianapolis, IN 46278

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P.O. Box 1188

Roseville, CA 95678

916·645·8370

anHquer@inreach.com

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Jea nnie Hill

P.O. Box 328

Harvard, Il 60033·0328

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dinghao@owc.net

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Steve Krog

1002 Heather Ln.

Hartford, WI 53027

262·966·7627

mj bfch ld@rconnect.com

sskrog®aol.com

Robert C. "Bob" Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicago, IL 60620 773·779·2 105

Robert D. " Bob" Lumley

1265 South 124th St.

Brookfield, WI 53005

262·782·2633

lumper@execpc.com

photopilot@aol,com

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Gene Morris

635 Vestal Lane Plainfield, IN 46168 317·839·4500

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817·491·9110

davecpd®iquest.net

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Northborough, MA 01S32 508·393·4775 copeland l @juno.com

dar@aprilaire.com

Phil Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 269·624·6490

Geoff Robison

1521 E. MacGregor Dr.

rcoutsonS 16@cs.com

chief7025@aol.com

Roger Gomoll

8891 Airport Rd, Box C2

Blaine, MN 55449

763·786-3342

2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 532 13

pledgedrive<....amsncom

New Haven, IN 46774 260·493·4724

S.H. " Wes" Schmid 414·771·1545 shschmid@mi lwpc.com

DIRECTORS

EMERITUS

Gene Chase 2159 Carlton Rd. Oshkosh, WI 54904 920·231·5002 GRCHA@Charter.net

E.E. "Buck" Hilbert P.O. Box 424 Union, IL 60180 815·923·459 1

b7ac@mc.net

Phone (920) 426-4800

Fax (920) 426-4873

E-Mail: vintage

Web Site: http://www.eaa.org and ' ,ttp://www.airventure.org

EAA 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, Warbirds), National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFl) • Address changes • Merchandise sales • Gift memberships

Programs and Activities EAA AirVenture Fax-On-Demand Directory · .. . .... ... .. ... . ......... .. 732-885-6711 Auto Fuel STCs ............... 920-426-4843 Build/restore information ..... 920-426-4821 Chapters: locating/organizing, 920-426-4876 Education ......... . ... , .... , 888-322·3229 • EAA Air Academy • EAA Scholarships

@

eaa.org

Flight Advisors information .... 920-426-6864 Flight Instructor information ... 920-426-6801 Flying Start Program .......... 920-426-6847 Library Services/Research ...... 920-426-4848 Medical Questions, ... , ....... 920-426-6112 Technical Counselors ......... 920-426-6864 Young Eagles, , , , , , , , , .. , , , .. 877-806-8902 Benefits AUA Vintage Insurance Plan .... 800-727-3823 EAA Aircraft Insurance Plan ",866-647-4322 Term Life and Accidental ...... 800-241-6103 Death Insurance (Harvey Watt & Company) Editorial .................... 920-426-4825 ........................ FAX 920-426-4828

• Submitting article/ photo • Advertising information EAA Aviation Foundation Artifact Donations ........... 920·426-4877 Financial Support ............ 800-236-1025

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Associ­ ation, Inc. is $40 for one year, including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION. Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually. Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $23 annually.

All major credit cards accepted for membership.

(Add $16 for Foreign Postage.)

AVIATION magazine not included). (Add $15 for Foreign Postage.)

WARBIRDS

Current EAA members may join the EAA War­ birds of America Division and receive WARBlRDS magazine for an additional $40 per year.

EAA Membership, WARB IRDS maga zin e and one year membership in the Warbirds Divi­ VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION sio n is available for $50 per year (S P OR T Curren t EAA membe rs may join th e Vintage AVIATION magaZine not included). (Add $7 for Aircraft Associaton and receive VINTAGE AIR ­ Foreign Postage,) PLANE magazine for an additional $36 per year.

EAA Membership, VINTAGE A IRPLANE EAA SPORT PILOT magaZine and one yea r membership in the EAA Current EAA members may add EAA SPOR T Vin tage Aircraft Association is available for $46 PILOT magaZine for an additional $20 per year. per year (SPOR T AVIATION magazine not in­ EAA Membership and EAA SPOR T PILOT cluded). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage.) magazine is available for $40 per year (SPOR T AVIATION magazine not included). (Add $16 lAC for Foreign Postage.)

Current EAA members may join the Interna­ tional Aerobatic Club, Inc. Division and receive FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS SP OR T AER OBATICS magazine for an addi­ Please submit you r remittance with a check or tional $45 per year. draft drawn on a United States bank payable in EAA Membership, S POR T AER OBATICS United States dollars. Add req uir ed Foreign magazine and one year membership in the lAC Postage amount for each membership.

Division is available for $55 per year (SPOR T Me mbersh ip dues to EAA and its d ivisions are not ta x deductible as cha ritable contributions.

Copyrighl ©2004 by Ihe EM Vintage Aircraft Association All rights reserved.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091·6943) IPM 40032445 is publisheo and owneo exclusively by the EM Vinlage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is publisheo monthly at EM Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO. Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903·3086. Periodicals Postage paid al Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes 10 EM Vintage Aircraft Association, PO. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903·3086. Return Canadian issues to Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES - Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via surface mail. ADVERTISING - Vintage Aircraft Association does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken.

EDITORIAL POLICY: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. No renumeralion is made. Malerial shouk] be sent to: Editor, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, PO. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903·3086. Phone 920/426·4800.

EM® and SPORT AVIATlO ~, the EM Logo® and AeronauticaTl<l are registered trademarks, trademarks, and service marks of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Inc. The use of these trademarks and service marks without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohibited.

The EM AVIATION FOUNDATION Logo is a trademark of the EM Aviation Foundation, Inc. The use of this trademark without the pennission of the EM Aviation Foundation, Inc. is strictly prohibited.

30

JULY 2004

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Show off your pride and joy with a fresh set of Vintage Rubber. These newly minted tires are FAA-TSO'd and speed rated to 120 MPH. Some things are better left the way they were, and in the 40's and 50's, these tires were perfectly in tune to the exciting times in aviation.

Not only do these tires set your vintage plane apart from the rest, but also look exceptional on all General Aviation aircraft. Deep 8/32nd tread depth offers above average tread life and UV treated rubber resists aging.

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