VA-Vol-36-No-11-Nov-2008 by EAA Vintage Aircraft Association

GEOFF ROB I SON PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOC IATION

AirVenture planning and the EAA Founders' Wing oly cow! Where did the year go? 2008 is going by so fast it makes my head spin. With fall weather having completely fallen upon us now, we are already facing the wrath of Old Man Winter blowing hard over the northern half of the country. But what a year it has been! I don't recall any recent years that have had so many strings of great weather days. The most memora ble was just before and during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2008. It just doesn't get any better than that. In the aftermath of AirVenture 2008, we learned we had annoyed a number of members who became quite vocal about their discontent about this year's aircraft parking plan. They were particularly dis tressed about how areas set aside for type club parking impacted the ability for "at large" members who arrived early to access a parking spot that wasn't south of the Ultra light area. There were enough comments that it's pretty clear there probably are even more of you who were also annoyed, but have not yet con tacted us. In the Vintage showplane park ing area, we have always felt it was important to provide vintage air craft parking and camping on a first-come, first-served basis. Not only is this the fairest of approaches to this issue, it also happens to be the "easiest" plan to implement . The only real exception to this plan over the decades of providing this service to our members has been

the limited amount of type club air craft parking. Depending upon the wingspan of the various approved type club aircraft, we typically have capacity for somewhere between 80 and 100 aircraft parked in this special parking area. A bit of quick history is in order at this point. The 2008 conven tion was my 25th Oshkosh event. Thanks to the configuration of the airport and surrounding roadways, the real estate available for parking

. . . the "cat got out

of the bag," when

increasingly more

members became

aware of our

type club aircraft park

ing area

opportunities.

and camping in our area has not been able to enlarge, while expecta tions and requests for parking have continually increased. Six or seven years ago, the "cat got out of the bag," when increas ingly more members became aware of our type club aircraft parking area opportunities. Since then we have experienced a growing number of Vintage type clubs requesting per mission to be approved to partici

pate in this popular VAA offering. With a limited number of spaces, we've done our best to rotate the clubs chosen for participation, with different clubs chosen over the years. That way, we could "share the wealth" with as many members and clubs as possible. We 've been pleased with the response both by the participating members and the public, who are often looking for specific types of airplanes when they come to the convention. Recognizing the increasing de mand for type club parking, we at tempted to grow the available real estate by dedicating additional rows of parking and camping. That was not at all well-accepted by many members, and I take full responsi bility for this misstep. Our Parking Committee and the flightline vol unteers were operating under my specific directions. This year we simply bit off more than we could chew and ended up annoying a fair number of you. Even before the comments began arriving in my e-mail and in the mailboxes of the various leaders at EAA and VAA, it was quite clear that we had irritated a bunch of folks who took the time and en ergy to bring their aircraft to Osh kosh. Your letters and e-mails only reinforced this be lief. Obviously, we stretched the rubber band a little too tight, and we now know we have to get back to the plan ning board on this important is sue. A top-to-bottom review of the overall plan needs to commence. continued on page 33

G VOL. 36, No. 11

N E 2008

NOVEMBER

CONTENTS I Fe

Straight & Level AirVenture planning and the EAA Founders' Wing by Geoff Robison

News

Preserving EAA's Culture

for future generations

by Gary Dikkers

AirVenture 2008

A bright spot in aviation, Part II

by H.G. Frautschy and Sparky Barnes Sargent

The 1928 Boeing 40C

"Sail on, silver girl .. . all your dreams are on their way"

by Sparky Barnes Sargent

Light Plane Heritage

Remember the Razorback Aeronca

by Bob Whittier

The Vintage Mechanic

Invention of the magneto

by Robert G. Lock

Mystery Plane by H.G. Frautschy

On Stearman Wings Where anything is possible by Philip Handleman

Classified Ads

Calendar

COVERS FRONT COVER: The Pemberton family restored their amazing Boeing 40C with the help of more than 60 volunteers . Sparky Barnes Sargent fills us in on the project in her article starting on page 14, and we have a few of the details of the transcontinenta l airmail re-enactment flight in VAA News, starting on page 2. Jim Koepnick photo; Cessna 180 photo plane flown by Bruce Moore. BACK COVER: Member Bob Hollenbaugh , a company retiree, reminded us earlier this year that the Aeronautical Corporation of America, better known by its contracted name, Aeronca, turns 80 years old this November. Its first offerings to the general public were the Aeronca C·2 and the two-place follow-up design, the C-3. The production of the lightweight airplane powered by a 36-hp engine signaled the beginning of the lightplane industry in the United States. See Bob Whittier's article on the beginnings of the company, starting on page 22. Artwork from an origi nal black and white factory brochure ; additional watercolor wash by Theresa Books.

STAFF

EAA Publisher Director of EAA Publications Executive Director/Editor Production/Special Project News Editor Photography Advertising Coordinator Classified Ad Coordinator Copy Editor Director of Advertising

Tom Poberezny

Mary Jones

H.G. Frautschy Kathleen Witman Ric Reynolds Jim Koepnick Bonnie Kratz Sue Anderson

Lesley Poberezny

Colleen Walsh

Katrina Bradshaw

Display Advertising Representatives:

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE

PEMBERTON-TOBIN-SCOTT

Transcontinental air-mail re-enactment "I don't know how they did it day after day," says Addison Pemberton after the conclusion of a re enactment of the transcontinental air-mail flights pioneered in the 1920s. Addison was recalling the difficulties encountered in the previous week as he and three friends flew across the country on a more leisurely pace than the schedule imposed on the early air mail pilots. "To have done that on a regular schedule in all types of weather with the equipment they had was remarkable," he tells us in an interview after the flight. The 2008 flight, which included three airplanes , flew across the country from Republic Field on New York's Long Island to the San Francisco Bay area . The trip, an "official" route of the U.S. Post Office Department (700 pieces of mail were carried by the flight of three), took place over an eight day stretch, including a four-day weather delay in Rochelle, Illinois. It took 28 flying hours to cross the continent. A special educational display was planned for each of the 15 original air-mail stops during the flight re-enactment, which commemorates the 90th anniversary of air-mail service. Pemberton flew his newly restored 1928 Boeing Model 40 (for more on the Boeing, see the article starting on page 13). Accompanying the Boeing were Larry Tobin, flying his 1927 Stearman C3B, and Ben Scott, flying his 1930 Stearman 4E. Tobin, who retired from a career as a pilot for TWA, flew his last trip with a 767 from New York to San Francisco. Repeating it with his restored Stearman was a real 2

N O VEMBER 2008

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Then and now: 1928-Grant Donaldson (pilot) standing on the wheel of

5339 , shaking the hand of Bill Boeing.

2008-Addison Pemberton (pilot) standing on 5339 shaking the hand

of Bill Boeing Jr., with Boeing CEO Scott Carlson.

Upcoming

Major Fly-Ins

U.S. Sport Aviat ion Expo Sebring Regional Ai rport (SEF), Sebring, FL January 22-25, 2009 www.Sport-Aviation-Expo.com Aero Frledrlchshafen Messe Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen, Germany April 2-5, 2009 www.Aero-Friedrichshafen.com/ html/ en Sun 'n Fun Fly-In Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland , FL April 21-26, 2009 www.Sun-N-Fun.org

Two of the three commercial biplanes that made the transcontinen足 tal air-mail re-enactment flight: Larry Tobin 's Stearman C3B and Addi足 son Pemberton 's Boeing 40C. Photo by George Perks from Ben Scott's Stearman 4E.

treat. Scott flew the same airplane his father, William Keith Scott, had taken delivery of when it was new in 1930. Now splendidly restored after having been away from the family for decades, the 4E is, like the other three biplanes, a design originally intended for commercial air-mail service. Thanks to sponsorship of Bill Boeing Jr., The Boeing Company, and Jeppesen, the three modern pilots started off from New York's Republic Field on September 10, with stops in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and ending the day in Cleveland. Then it was off to Bryan, Ohio, and Lansing, Illinois. The next overnight stop was to be Iowa City, Iowa, but a stalled warm front filled with moist air put a kink in that plan, and the trio descended into Rochelle, Illinois, for what would wind up being a three-night stay, with a departure as the weather began to break on September 15. Ducking out under the cloud deck, a hundred miles to the west the skies cleared up and it was on to Iowa City and Grand Island, Nebraska, for an overnight stop. With clear skies and the Rockies ahead, the gang departed at dawn on the 16th, headed for North

Platte, Nebraska. Then it was on to the only state with three stops-Wyoming. Stops were made in Cheyenne and Rawlins, and an overnight stop was made in Rock Springs. The next day, September 17, the three biplanes were in the heart of the Rockies and on to the Sierras, with stops in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Elko, Nevada, before stopping for the night in Reno. On the last day, it was over the mountaintops; a nice downhill run to Hayward, California; an air足 mail salute as the biplanes disgorged their cargo of special air mail; and then a tour of the San Francisco Bay area. Hosted by VAA Chapter 29, the pilots had a great time before Tobin and Addison headed home with their mail planes, while Scott returned to Reno . Unfortunately, Tobin's Stearman had an engine failure over inhospitable terrain (both he and Addison believe it was due to heavy carb icing) . A forced landing in a very small field resulted in extensive damage to the Stearman but, thankfully, not a scratch to the pilot. George Perks flew with the trio and created a beautiful photo blog of the adventure. You can view it at www.AirSpaceMag.com. ......

Virginia Regional Festival of flight Suffolk Executive Airport (SFQ), Suffolk, VA May 30-31, 2009 www. VirginiaFlyln.org Golden West Regional Fly-In Yuba County Airport (MYV), Marysville, CA June 12-14, 2009 www.GoldenWestFlyln.org Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-In Front Range Airport (FTG), Watkins, CO

TBD www.RMRFI.org Arlington Fly-In Arlington MuniCipal Airport (AWO), Arlington, WA July 8-12, 2009 www.NWEM.org EAA AlrVenture Oshkosh Wittman Regional Airport (OSH ), Oshkosh, WI July 27-August 2, 2009 www.AirVenture.org M Id-Eastern Regional Fly-In Grimes Field Airport (174), Urbana, OH September 12-13,2009 www.MERFI.info Southeast Regional Fly-In Middleton Field Airport (GZH), Evergreen, AL October 23-25, 2009 www.SERFI.org Copperstate Regional Fly-In Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ), Casa Grande, AZ October 22-25, 2009 www.Copperstate.org

For details on EM chapter fly-ins and other local aviation events , visit www.EAA.org/ events.

VI N TAGE AIR P L AN E

Preserving EAA's Culture

• • •

for future generations GARY DIKKERS, EAA 634044

KEY: 1. EAA Legacy mezzanine gallery 2. Reconstruction of Paul and Audrey's original basement office 3. Founder's Library 4. Accessable storage space 5., 6. , and 7. Baby Ace, Waco Primary Glider and Little Audrey 8. Education and Event space

he newest exhibit being de veloped for the EAA AirVen ture Museum-the Founders' Wing-is dedicated to preserving EAA's herita ge and culture for fu ture generations of EAA members . The exhibit, which is expected to open for EAA AirVenture Osh kosh 2009, will occupy the former Cess na Restoration Center. The mezzanine level exhibit will in clude a re-creation of th e first of fices of EAA, which were located in the basement of Paul and Audrey Poberezny's home in Hales Cor ners, Wisconsin. It will also include the Paul H. and Audrey L. Pober ezny Founders' Library, which will be open to visitors to peruse the

NOVEMBER 2008

volumes of books and artifacts that Paul and Audrey have retained and preserved over the years. A third element of the exhibit will be the Legacy Wall, which will high light the initiatives that have been keystone achievements during EAA's history, including its emphasis on homebuilding freedoms as its found ing theme, as we ll as chapter and Young Eagles programs, and more. The main floor of the exhibit will be a special-use area reserved for outreach activities and events for youth and adult aviation education. The wa ll displays surrounding the event space will recall the history of EAA's annual fly-in convention throughout the years, from its origin

in Milwaukee, through its days in Rockford, Illinois, and on to today's recognition as the world's greatest aviation celebration. This artist rendering depict the current planned use of the exhibit space, as construction begin s in earnest within the next couple of months. As Tom Poberezn y wrote in his Position Report in the Octo ber issue, liThe Founders' Wing will preserve the culture and core val ues of EAA, which are essential to our future .... Organizations spend millions of dollars to build their his tory after it's too late ... EAA has not made that mistake./I To learn more, or to contribute, visit www.EAA.org/FoundersWing.

Experimental Aircraft Association Paul H. Poberezny Founder

Chairman of the Board

I have been very pleased and proud of the progress that our EAA vintage aircraft division has made over the many years of its existence. It seems like only yesterday when, in the basement meeting room of our new EAA headquarters in Hales Corners in the mid 1960s, I called together a small group of EAAers whose interests were of airplanes of the "good old days." Look at the progress and dedicated enthusiasm that the officers, directors, and members have given to this part of EAA's story. Some may have wondered about my personal interest in vintage airplanes or may have felt that my heart lies with homebuilt or warbird aircraft. Not so. I care for anything that flies and the folks who make it all possible. I was interested in vintage airplanes long before my thoughts of founding an organization such as yourEAA. In high school, I was the proud owner of a 1928 long-nose OX-5- powered American Eagle biplane (no brakes and a tailskid) that my dad and I purchased from Dale Crites of Waukesha, Wisconsin, for $250 ($125 of which dad borrowed from the bank!). It was a learning lesson- piloting and being a mechanic, both learning and doing- including a few forced landings. As part of my early career, during World War II I flew my OX-5 Waco 10 to Helena, Arkansas- 16 forced landings- where I was a primary flight instructor in PT-23s and -19s. Some 55 years have passed since the founding ofEAA. A lot has happened, and thousands or maybe millions of lives have been touched by your organization. As many of you know, Audrey and I are donating our collection of 55 years of your organization's history to the planned Founders' Wing that will be built in the current EAA Restoration Center in the main EAA AirVenture Museum building. Plans have been drawn up, contractors selected, and financial contributions have gotten the project underway. The Founders' Library dedication ceremony and completion date is scheduled for the opening of EAA AirVenture 2009.

Sincerely,

EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

......... .. - ...

EAAAviation Center,

P.o. SC; 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903·3086 · 920/426·4814·

FAX 920/426-6504

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

by H.G. Frautschy and Marcia "Sparky" Barnes Sargent 6

NOVEMBER 2008

With a six-cylinder inline Ranger engine under the long cowl, the Fairchild 24R has always been a favorite of free足 flight scale modelers. These pretty examples belong to Terry Blaser, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin (foreground, NC81361), and the Grand Champion Antique of the 1974 EAA fly-in, N77661, is now owned and flown by Mike and Barb Thern of Winona, Minnesota.

The Reserve Grand Champion Contemporary award winner is this beautiful 1963 Beech Travel Air restored by the father-and-son team of Mark and Miles Malone of Camarillo, California. We'll have much more on this resto足 ration in a later issue of Vintage Airplane. LEFT: A gathering storm that passed to the north of the airport certainly didn't stop the Hay family and their most welcome return to the convention grounds after a couple of years ' absence. Their decidedly flightless orni足 thopter is powered by an antique one-Iunger gasoline engine. Welcome home, Hays! VINTAGE AIRPLANE

This nice 1959 Cessna 175 on a pair of Baumann amphibious floats anchors the row of Cessna 175s set up to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 175.

" Hey, Dad, look at that!" says Blake Deaton as he and his fa足 ther, Jeff, haul some of their camping supplies to storage. The Deatons bring their Beech E35 Bonanza to the convention from Morehead City, North Carolina.

There's no truth to the rumor that Sha足 ron Krengel (VAA volunteer Larry's wife) is actually spinning thread to weave new Grade A cotton! For more than a decade, Sharon has brought her spinning wheel to the EAA convention, spinning alpaca wool into yarn throughout the week. 8

NOVEMBER 2008

With the new Wittman tower rising above the trees, Gerald Bau足 erle of Hammond , Louisiana, taxis out for departure on Runway 36L with his Globe GC-1B Swift.

'S Note b00 k a r Y SP k

We asked VAA member and Vintage Airplane contributing editor Marcia "Sparky" Bar,nes Sa~gent to visit with VAAers on the flightline. Here are some of the interesting folks she met. Phot os by Sparky Barnes Sargent

EAA and VAA member Hal Cope started his trip to AirVenture by flying his Conti nental IO-360-powered 1946 Temco Swift from Spring, Texas, to Lake Elmo, Minne sota, where a gathering of Swifts takes place virtually every year. Eight Swifts flew into Wittman Field together after the gathering. Cope, whose Swift is only two days older than he is, has been flying N3303K into Oshkosh for 15 years now and keeps coming back because he likes "the camaraderie and friendship-every body seems to reJ ax here a lot more than they normally would . They let loose and allow themselves to be friends with other people. And since it is the largest fly-in in the world , you have all of the new electronics , new airplanes, and just everything here in one spot." Cope 's Swift previously won the Preservation Award (2007) and a Lindy Award at AirVenture , Grand Champion Custom Classic award at Sun 'n Fun (2002) , and the Grand Cham pion award three times at the Swift Museum Foundation's Swift National Fly-In in Athens , Tennessee.

NC33587 , a Piper J-3C-65 registered to Joel McKinzie of Lake Crystal, Minne sota, was out enjoying a late-afternoon flight during AirVenture. It was photo graphed as it taxied into the EAA Sea plane Base , in the golden glow of the setting sun. Seaplane attendance was good this year, as evidenced by the planes in the background.

These two look-alike Cessnas caught the photogra pher' s eye in the Vintage camping area. N2538D is a 1952 145-hp Cessna 170B, registered to Larry Schleinat of Denton , Texas. The 1950 100-hp Cessna 140A, N5313C , is registered to James Huff-also of Denton, Texas. V I NTAGE AIRPLANE

This striking conversion of an early Cessna 150 to a taildragger belongs to Bob McBride Jr. It was the winner of the Contemporary Class I (0-160 hp) Single Engine award .

We suspect the crew of Madonna and Merrill McMahan's Stearman prefers camping in Audrey 's woods to staying in a hotel. Steve Krog (left), president of the Cub Club and editor of the club's newsletter (and VAA di足 rector/Type Club Tent chairman-phew! Good thing he 's retired now.), was this year's hon足 oree presented with the Bax Seat Trophy at EM's Theater in the Woods. Bax was known for his unbridled love of flight, and the Bax Seat Trophy is presented annually by FLYING magazine "for perpetuating the Gordon Baxter tradition of communicating the excitement and romance of flight." Tom Benenson (right) of FLYING presented the award to Steve. Departure morning, Oshkosh . The tent's rain fly is draped to dry in the morning sun and breeze as the wings are wiped down. 10 NOVEMBER 2008

Alan Reber's Interstate S-1A Cadet was flown in from Indianapolis.

Tony Miller's Twin Beech E18S was the winner of an Outstand ing Customized Contemporary aircraft Bronze Lindy.

John Seibold 's 1929

Curtiss-Wright Travel Air

A-6000-A, restored by

Chuck Wentworth 's An足

tique Aero , was flown

to the convention along

with the Grand Canyon

Ford Tri-Motor, N414H.

The Travel Air was se足

lected as the Silver Age

Runner-Up.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Remember seeing this on the flightline in 1969? Stephanie Allen sure does, and now she can relive the Sixties with her Grand Champion Contemporary Cessna 172K. Her 172 was last year's Reserve Grand Champion Con足 temporary. A bit more work on a couple of items gave the Cessna a few more points to put it on top.

Long shadows from the last hour of sunlight highlight the lines of the Grand Champion Classic, this 1946 Piper J-3C. The accomplished restoration was done by Joe Dobransky of Allen, Texas. The last pilot and air足 plane to depart the Vin足

tage parking area were

Ed McLaughlin and his

Cessna 172. Ed was on

his way back to Pittsfield,

Massachusetts. Ed told

us that what 's left of the

paint is the original ap足

plied by Cessna in 1956.

We'li have more coverage of the people and planes of AirVenture in

next month's Vintage Airplane.

12 NOVEMBER 2008

Michael Norton Rineyville, KY

• Swift GC I B N78097 is fourth plane owned

• 800 hours and an instrument rating • Regular attendee of Sun-N-Fun and Oshkosh

IIWhile some companies shy away from older aircraft, AUA welcomes them, with great rates as well. It is obvious they are owners and pilots as it shows in the way they do business. It is also nice to see the p eople you talk to on the phone at Sun-N-Fun and Oshkosh. It adds a nice personal touch to their business. I could not be happier with the service I receive from

them.

- Michael Norton

AUA is Vintage Aircraft Association approved. To become a member of VAA call 8oo·843·36J2.

Aviation insurance with the EAA Vintage Program oHars: Lower premiums with payment options - Additional coverages - Flexibility on the use of your aircraft - Experienced agents On-line quote request available - AUA is licensed in all states

BY SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

his silver Pacific Air Trans port mailplane shines and sparkles, rivaling the diamonds she carried that fateful October day in 1928, when the mountainside claimed her in Canyonville, Oregon. Thanks to Addison Pemberton's per sistent dream of owning and flying

14 NOVEMBER 2008

a Boeing 40C, NS339 exists today as the only 40C and the oldest air worthy Boeing. Finding and restoring the Boeing was partially a tribute to his father's childhood memories of watching the mailplanes flying the contract air-mail (CAM) route over Iowa, and also Pemberton's way of bring

ing history to full-fledged life. After bartering for the biplane's remains with the Oregon Aviation Histori cal Society, he eventually brought a veritable village together to accom plish the memorable and monu mental task of restoration. It is quite an experience to per sonally behold this fabulous flying

"WINTER:

THE SMELL OF HOT

CHOCOLATE AND HOT CIDER; THE WHINE OF THE JOINTER, MIXED WITH THE BUZZ OF THE TABLE SAW, HUM OF THE>TIG WELDER,

ROAR OF THE PLANISHING HAMMER, AND

SWIRL OF THE

ENGLISH WHEEL."

AddIson Pemberton

JIM KOEPNICK

kane, Washington, to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the week of EAA Air Venture Oshkosh 2008, Pemberton flew the 40C to Blakesburg, Iowa. There, in the fields of summer corn and soybeans, N5339 was one of nine original-type air-mail planes to actively participate in the An tique Airplane Association and Air Power Museum's 90th anniversary celebration of the first scheduled air mail in the United States. Along with others, Pemberton was sworn in as an air-mail pilot, signed a contract, and flew the official U.S. postal mail from Antique Airfield to Ottumwa, Iowa, and return. Soon afterward, Pemberton and the Boeing, accompanied by Larry Tobin in his 1927 Stearman C3B, and Ben Scott in his 1930 Stearman 4E, flew to New York to begin their carefully planned re-enactment of the transcontinental air-mail route. The "Transcon" commenced September 10 and was successfully completed September 18, after 29 hours' flying time. They carried of ficial U.S. mail across the country and stopped at each of the 15 orig inal air-mail stops, where an edu cational program was shared with the public. Afterward, Pemberton described the flight as "a trip into a time warp," and himself as being "a very humble pilot to have lived history up close and personal, with an increased respect for the air mail pioneers." N5339 is not only recreating air mail history; it's making history of its own now-but just how was it transformed from those charred remnants of a fiery crash in 1928 into an airworthy beauty in 2008?

A VILLAGE OF VOLUNTEERS machine and listen as its inertia starter whines into a crescendo, watch the propeller slowly turn while the engine sputters to life, and hear the 16-foot exhaust stacks pipe their ancient melodious tune. This past summer and fall, numer ous people had that opportunity. After flying from Felts Field in Spo

A proj ect of this magnitude wouldn't be easily accomplished without help-and Pemberton was pleasantly astonished by how many volunteers showed up at his Felts Field hangar. "They're not so much antique people; I had stockbrokers, doctors, all walks of life-and it was amazing to me the talents that some of these people had," reflects

Pemberton, adding, "There are vol unteers that you can give a giant task to, with minimum supervision; there are other ones that have to be shown how to hold a paint brush. So the key is to pair a challenged person with a helper." The entire restoration process was thoughtfully orchestrated to best utilize everyone's time. "Be lieve it or not, this airplane was built on Wednesday nights over eight years," shares Pemberton, explaining, "and it took me five nights to make a Wednesday night efficient. If people show up and they have direction, and they've got material and know what to do, they keep coming back. If they stand around, they go away. Of the 61 volunteers, there were 21 that did significant work, and there were 10 people who virtually didn't miss a Wednesday night. My wife, Wendy, fed them dinner at 6 p.m. and we worked until 2 a.m.-she fed 14 to 16 people every Wednesday night for eight years. It was really a hoot; it was great!" Numbering among the volun teers were Pemberton's own fam ily members. "Wendy married into this [aviation] disease, and she appreciates aviation not just for the airplanes, but for the peo ple. They are usually the people you want to have as friends, be cause they're interesting, moti vated, and active-and a lot of times, successful. Our kids were raised in this environment, and to my wife's credit, she cooks our dinner meal in the hangar ev ery night. So our sons did their homework there, while their dad's banging away on stuff. There's a glider club in Spokane, and when my boys got to be 14, I towed for them in my Stearman, and they soloed at 14-1/2. They went right into power, and we built a Cub together. Ryan, my younger son, learned to become a very accom plished TIG welder through the Boeing restoration. Jay is a main tenance pilot-he's a flight in structor, not a builder." VINTAGE AIRPLANE

It was not a small feat. Describing it,

The Boeing factory with at least 16 of the model 40 fuselages await ing completion. Pacific Air

A shot dated 9-13-28 of 5339 when it was being used by Pacific Air Transport.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROCESS The cold Spokane winters were especially productive at Felts Field, and Pemberton poetically describes those long seasons when he states, "Winter: The smell of hot choco late and hot cider; the whine of the jointer, mixed with the buzz of the table saw, hum of the TIG welder, roar of the planishing hammer, and swirl of the English wheel. " The volunteers were armed with appropriate tools, materials, and 800 original Boeing drawings. Painstak ing care was exercised to fabricate new parts, and old parts were used 16

NOVEMBER 2008

where possible. "We consider the airplane a restoration," emphasizes Pemberton, explaining, "The data plate in there is the original one, and there are 70 components that we moved over from the wreck, in cluding the footsteps and handle, the throttle quadrant bracket and fuel selector assembly, the landing gear forgings , the top cap for the oleos, and one wing fitting." By late April 2007, the wood wings were installed on the fuselage for a check fit prior to covering, and Pemberton happily announced that N5339 could finally hold up her own wings, for the first time in 79 years.

he gave "thanks to my son Ryan for all the wonderful compound sheet metal work, and to Andy Bradford for many late hours on the mill ing machine and file work to make all the compound angles work out perfect on all the wing struts. These struts are not adjustable and are made to pin center with a .060-inch toler ance. The airplane has a total of 20 struts and 30 flying, landing, inci dence, and tail wires. We were able to rig the airplane closer than I could have imagined, and that's a tribute to Art Swenson and the squareness of the wings, and the perfection of the fuselage work that Matt Burroughs did seven years ago. The airplane is in rig within 1/4-inch in span (44 lIZ-inch) and 3/8-inch from the outer wing struts to the tail post. The one surprising discovery is the firmness of the aileron control sys tem and the heaviness of the eleva tor-which brings new meaning to a quote by Les Towers, the Boeing test pilot: 'The controls are effective but feel as if they are cast in concrete.'" The wing trailing edges have a distinguished scalloped appearance, formed by stranded and soldered copper wire, which required careful attention during fabric installation. Wendy used a template to keep the scallops symmetrical while shrinking the Ceconite fabric, and rib-stitched with flat cord, taking care to ensure that the stitches weren't twisted on top of the ribs. "Wendy did all the covering, taping, and brushing Ran dolph nitrates on the fabric," shares Pemberton, "and that's when I took it over, except she didn't allow me to touch sandpaper to the fabric! She had 1,000 hours putting fabric on, and we put another 1,000 hours in the paint booth." The painting process was going strong during the late summer of 2007, and copious amounts of dope were applied on the massive wings with a high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) system. Each of the 17 coats per wing required 47 trips up and down the paint booth . "One of my friends, Randy Ingraham, vol

unteered to help me in the paint booth," chuckles Pemberton, "so he was going to be the grunt and mix the paint and hand me hoses. Then he wanted to try it, so he gets the

gun, and he 's like a robot! I asked him, 'What are you not telling me?' He told me he worked in a body shop for 12 years. So I said, 'Okay now I'm the grunt, and you're the

ill ::;:

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shooter!' So Randy did all the final finishes, and I did all the buildup." By January 2008, the Boeing was nearly complete. Its S2S-hp Pratt & Whitney (overhauled by Covington Aircraft Engines Inc.) was hung, and with the installation of the impres sive 16-foot-Iong polished exhaust stacks (fabricated by Acorn Weld ing LTD of Canada), it was time to hear the Boeing come to life. Pem berton says that on February II, his son Ryan climbed into the cockpit and "engaged the inertia starter for the first time in 80 years. He ran it through six blades, hit the mags, and the 1340 Pratt lit 0 ff strong and smooth, before he could even get to the booster coil on the first try."

While the wings are built up using wood spars and ribs, there 's plenty of metal used in the structure. Here are the metal parts ready for final fab rication and installation.

One of the four wing panels built for the Boeing.

Wendy Pemberton was in charge of covering the massive airframe. She also took on the task of feeding the regular Wednesday night volunteer corps.

FLIGHT PREP After NS339 received its standard airworthiness certificate and the snow had melted from the runway, it was time for the test flight. Pemberton had previously taken steps to make sure that he was personally ready to fly it. Having accumulated 10,000 hours of flying "mostly the old stuff," he was especially grateful for an oppor tunity that was generously bestowed upon him in August 2007. His friend Glenn Peck kindly arranged a visit to Creve Coeur, Missouri, where Pemberton was invited to solo Al Stix's Liberty-powered 1919 de Havil land DH4-M2 mailplane. "The vision of looking down that long DH nose at Lambert Field from 1,000 feet over St. Louis is burned into my brain for the rest of my life," says Pemberton, adding, "I had 'flashbacks' to lind berg, Jack Knight, Dean Smith, and 'Wild' Bill Hopson flying these air craft cross-county on daily mail runs. I do not think that any other aircraft could have prepared me better for my pending Boeing 40C test flight." Additionally, having logged 1,000 hours in an AT-6, he was able to bor row one from a friend and flew it from the back seat, with the seat lowered almost to the floorboard so that his head was below the instru ment panel-and then he shot land ing after landing . Later, knowing how well that had prepared him for VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Addison works on the massive landing gear. All of the parts of this biplane are big!

Addison's son Ryan was a integral part of the restora tion team. Like his brother Jay, they literally grew up around the project.

The wingtip's hand grip is neat ly trimmed with cord to reduce wear and give a ground handler a good grip.

Pemberton's attention to detail is visible even on the wheel covers. The wheels were built up by Don McMakin.

the lack of visibility during Boeing landings, he had his son Jay practice the same routine before letting him solo the big biplane.

FLYING THE 40C The scent of aviation res tora tion productivity is such a sweet fragrance-nearly inebriating in and of itself, and overwhelming in 18

NOVEMBER 2008

Close-up view of the flare tubes.

its heady final test, when airplane and pilot burst into the sky, home at long last. That final test took place on February 17, 2008, when the Boeing flew for the first time in 80 years . Pemberton's sons flew chase in the family 's Cessna 185, with camera and video to record the 20-minute flight. They were as pleas antly surprised as Pemberton him self to discover just how stable the Boeing was . Afterward, Pemberto n shared that he "had the fee ling

The Boeing's fuel gauges are lo cated on the inboard section of each wing.

that I cou ld have crawled out of the cockpit and walked around the wings for a while if I had wanted to-then retu rned to the cockpit when it was time to land!" Th e Boeing's powerful perfor mance was also notable-and is ev ident even to those who watch it eagerly th rust itself from the run way into the air. "The acceleration is pretty impressive, I mean better than an AT-6-when you give the thing the needle, it sinks you in the sea t . It came off on the very first flight in under 10 seconds, which I wasn't ready for. And it's just a pretty flat, levitating feeling-then you pull the nose up and the thing climbs over 1,000 fpm. Within a minute of flight, I was ab le to fly hands-off, so th at was really amaz in g. The ailerons are heavy, but very powerful-the biggest sur prise was that the rudder forces are en ormous . On t akeoff, you've got 50 to 70 pounds of rudder force , b ut once yo u' re in cruise, it loves to go straigh t. The control forces

Specifications Empty Weight

4,080 pounds

Gross Weight

6,075 pounds

Length

34 feet

Height

13 feet

WingSpan

44-1/2 feet

Wing loading

10 pounds/squ re feet

Power loading

10 pounds/horsepower

Cruise

115 mph with fuel burn of 28 gph

Fuel Capacity

120 gallons In three tanks

The airframe is nearly complete. Addison refers to the Boeing construction as "hobbyist" in the sense that since it uses few cast ings or forgings , the airplane can be hand built. Given Its size, that means there were a lot of hands! Sixty-one volunteers were logged by the Pembertons, 10 of whom hardly ever missed a Wednesday night restoration session.

are about three times that of a PT Stearman with half of its control reo sponse. In smooth air, it's a joy and very relaxing to fly; in turbulence, it's a workout!" It didn't take long for Pemberton to learn that slipping approaches to landing are, quite simply, are路 quirement. He'll slip it to within 5 feet of the ground before kicking it out; otherwise, he completely loses sight of the runway. The oleo gear has nearly a foot of travel, which, Pemberton says, make touchdowns "imperceptible at times. It's a real weird feeling-you just feel you must be on the ground , because you're going slow. I wheeled it in the beginning to learn where the wheels were, and now I'll three路 point it, because it just does the Cub thing and settles on." Once on the ground, the Boeing tracks

This 40C is powered by a 525-hp Pratt & Whitney 1340.

as straight as an arrow, with excel路 lent control responsiveness, even in healthy crosswinds. Only one minor change was reo

q uired after the first flight; they moved the vertical fin over one hole to alleviate rudder force. Pemberton continued testing the flight charac路

VI NTAGE A IR P LA N E

The luxuriously detailed cabin interior, with brown leather seats comple

menting natural wood and an engraved Boeing logo on the forward bulk

head. The cabin interior is handsomely detailed, right down to the cabin

phone, which allows a passenger to communicate with the pilot in the

The original t hrottle quadrant.

rear open cockpit.

The neatly laid-out instrument panel and cockpit-note the Boeing logo on the rudder pedals.

The Boeing's voluminous mail pit and the leather straps securing it.

teristics and experienced an interest ing tendency. "We put the airplane into a 75 percent power climb at al titude and lowered the left wing 20 degrees and tried to pick the wing up with rudder. But with the wing held down, it will rudder lock-the rudder just snaps over and locks. You can put both feet on the opposite rud der, and you still can't move it," ex

plains Pemberton, "but you can raise the wing, and the rudder pops back. We also determined that at about 34 percent mean aerodynamic chord, it started to lose its longitudinal sta bility-so we've reduced the CG en velope to about 32 percent max. We fly it between 28 and 32 percent, and the airplane's wonderful. To safely carry four passengers, we have to

NOVEMBER 2008

throw 200 pounds in the mail pit, and it does fine."

BIT 0 ' HISTORY Through the project, Pemberton became well-acquainted with Bill Boeing Jr., and gained a special ap preciation of the early air-mail indus try from him. "Prior to 1926, all the air mail in this country was carried

by post office-employed pilots flying DH-4s. In 1925, the post office went to several aircraft manufacturers for a r~placement for the de Havilland DH-4. So Douglas submitted an air plane, as did Boeing, Curtiss, and a couple of others. Boeing lost that first bid; they had built a wooden fuselage Liberty-powered Boeing 40 that was not very successful," Pem berton recounts, adding, "A year later, Congress decided to let con tractors haul the mail, which meant they had to come up with their own airplane. Bill Boeing came back with a concept in January of 1927, and by July, he had to build 25 airplanes, train 50 pilots, place them from Chi cago to San Francisco, and have an operating airline. And he did that. Even in today's terms, that's pretty overwhelming. That's when he came up with the steel-tube Pratt & Whit ney-powered version of the Boeing 40 that was successful. The other part of that whole story was when Pratt & Whitney came out with their en gines in May of that year, they didn't see any assembled airplanes yet! Boe

ing assured them that in six weeks, the airplanes would be assembled. They assembled them outside, test flew them, and then logistically placed them on the CAM 18 San Francisco to Chicago 1,200-mile air mail route and began making money right away. So with that, Bill Boeing shares the feeling that this is the first successful airliner in the U.S. and is as historically significant as a tri-mo tor, a DC-3, and a 707."

SHINING SUCCESS The following lyrics seem some how appropriate when describing the newly restored Boeing 40C, though it's likely that Paul Simon wasn't thinking about an antique bi plane when he wrote them: "Sail on, silver girl; sail on by; your time has come to shine; all your dreams are on their way." Indeed, it's time for this Boeing to shine once more, sun light glinting from her silver wings to the delight of not only those who witness her sailing by in the sky, but for pilot and passengers as well. A few fortunate people were invited

to fly back into time as passengers in the comfortable and handsomely outfitted enclosed cabin, where they were able to communicate via phone with Pemberton, who was pi loting from the rear open cockpit. It was truly a treasured experience for this author, who gazed out the Boe ing's window into the living past to behold the de Havilland DH-4 and Stearman 4DM mailplanes snuggled alongside the 40C as the late eve ning sun cast a peach-colored glow over velvety green fields. N5339's 2008 debut has been virtu ally as authentic as her precision resto ration, for she proudly carried the mail just as gracefully as she did so many years ago. And this queenly "silver girl" is making dreams come true for Pemberton and his "village of volun teers." The Boeing 40C was awarded Antique Grand Champion Gold Lindy at AirVenture, and the 2008 AAA/ APM Fly-In's People's Choice and Jack Knight award-Best Air-Mail Carrier. Surely the spirit of air-mail pio neer Jack Knight has been cheering Pemberton on along the way. ...... VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Light Plane Heritage

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN

EAA Experimenter AU GUST

1993

Remember the

Razorback Aeronca

BY BOB WHITTIER

The Aeronca C-2 of 1930. The first one had the Wright-Morehouse engine which was de veloped into the Aeronca E-107 design.

Editor's Note: November will mark the 80th anniver-

airplanes, along with military liaison and training air

sary of the founding of the Aeronautical Corporation

planes. Aeronca carries on to this day, currently engaged

of America, better known by its trade name, Aeronca.

in the production of sophisticated metal structures, in

Created without a product or a factory in which to pro-

eluding its pioneering work in brazed metal structures,

duce it, the directors were given a demonstration of Jean

such as the outer skin of the Apollo Command Module,

Roche's lightplane, powered by a small two-cylinder en-

and its newest contract for the heat shield of the next

gine. They took a chance and created an entirely new

generation of NASA spacecraft, the Orion. Bob Whittier

segment of American aviation. When Aeronca ceased

details the determined work done by Jean Roche and the

production of aircraft in 1951, Aeronca had been one

company that would eventually put his dream lightplane

of the preeminent manufacturers of sport and training

into production.-HGF

Editor's Note: Longtime aviation enthusiasts will recognize the byline of Bob Whittier. Bob has been a regular con tributor to EAA publications since the founding of the organization, as well as a knowledgeable author for other aVIa tion and boating magazines. Bob's Light Plane Heritage series in EAA's Experimenter magazine often touched on aircraft and concepts related to vintage aircraft and their history. Since many of our members have not had the opportunity to read this series, we plan on publishing those LPH articles that would be of interest to VAA members. Enjoy!-HGF 22 NOVEMBER 2008

he early Razorback Aeronca lightplanes are surely a convincing exam ple of how the passage of time can alter people's perceptions of things. When the first model C-2 appeared on the aviation scene in 1930, it immediately drew hoots of derision from the leather-booted, cavalry-jacketed pilots still numer ous at that time. But today when one of those early lightplanes shows up at an aviation gathering, it immediately becomes the subject of much nos talgic reminiscing on the part of the old-timers present, and curious staring and questioning on the part of those whose birthday cakes sport less than, say, 50 candles. The dis tinctive and, to some, grotesque ap pearance of these birds makes them stand out clearly and memorably from all other small planes. The term "razorback/' as it applies to these planes, puzzles everyone upon first encountering it. It derived long ago from the ridgepole-like shape of the top of early Aeronca fuselages, imparted by the single up per longeron of the three-Iongeron welded steel-tube fuselage structure. And the somewhat unusual name Aeronca was created by shortening the manufacturer's long-winded of ficial name of Aeronautical Corpo ration of America. Since postwar models of Aeronca airplanes are still widely used by private pilots, obvi ously they have been proven to be a good and durable one. The Aeronca story begins in 1906 when 12-year-old Jean A. Roche came with his parents to New York City from France. InCidentally, this name is pronounced Rowshay, and Aeronca is sometimes mis pronounced Aeronica. By around 1910 young Jean had become an avid model airplane builder and frequented the early and very fas cinating airfields that had sprung up'on the flat fields of Long Island. Upon graduating from high school he entered Columbia University and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Like so many others, Jean A. Roche dreamed of creating a simple, inex pensive plane that ordinary people could afford. His experiments start ing in 1923 led to t he Aeronca C-2 .

By 1915 he was well enough versed in the art-science of airplane design to find employment with the small Huntington lightplane company on Long Island, and later at the larger Aeromarine factory at Keyport, New Jersey. When the United States entered World War I, Jean was sufficiently proficient at aeronautical engineering to qualify for an engineering position at the Army's aviation research and devel opment center at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio, now Wright Field. Aviation jobs being scarce af ter the war was over, Roche pru dently held onto his job at McCook and in his spare time pursued his interest in light aircraft for recre ational flying. In 1923 the finan cially strapped Army decided to investigate the possibility of using gliders for economical pilot train ing. Roche was put in charge of the project because of his familiarity with lighter aircraft. Because the project was very much an experiment, it was im perative to keep its cost to a mini mum, consistent with producing something useful. So the top wing from a surplus Curtiss IN-4 trainer

became the basis of the new glider. This wing had a span of 43 feet 7 inches, and the rather thin airfoil used for its ribs resulted in quite shallow and flexible spars. To make it rigid enough to carry even a glid er's modest air loads, many sup porting cables were reqUired. Designing this glider thus gave Roche practical experience with long, slim, wire-braced wings. He came to realize that they could be designed to be quite light in weight, moderate in cost, and of good aero dynamic efficiency-at least for slower aircraft. McCook Field in those days was a wonderful place for any enthu siastic young airplane designer to work. Being at a major center for aircraft development work, Roche was free to associate daily with top rate engineers and pilots, and had access to the latest and best in aero nautical literature. And this at a time when most flying enthusiasts were hustling to scrounge livings by barnstorming in war-surplus Jennies and Standards. The Curtiss OX-5 and Hispano-Suiza, or Hisso, engines that powered them were large V-8 mills designed for 50-hour service lives. They required constant maintenance and gobbled gasoline as if it were as cheap as water. Roche realized that while war surplus ships could be purchased cheaply, they then cost a lot to op erate. Depending on which old timer you listen to, an OX-5 burned around 6 to 7 gallons of gas per hour. Many yards of fabric and tins of dope indeed were required to re cover their big wings. The many bracing cables, turnbuckles, and fit tings were a chore to keep properly adjusted and maintained. Pilots who found ways to operate Jennies com mercially could figure maintenance costs into the rates they charged, but many private owners took scar ily long chances on the airworthi ness of weather-beaten ships. It was obvious to Roche that this state of affairs could not continue for long, and so he believed that there would eventually be a market V I NTAGE AIRPLA N E

AIRPLANES OF THE WORLO, DOUGLAS ROLFE

Because Aeronca designer Jean A.Roche was a native of France, the 1909 Demoiselle, above, could have given him ideas. Note the three-Iongeron, deep-chested fuselage, staight-axle landing gear, and flat-twin engine. Right: Reproduction from a 1933 Aeronca ad. This drawing conveys the sense of freedom and adventure that comes of exploring the countryside in an open-cockpit puddlejumper. 70-mph at 1,000 feet seems faster than 170 at 10,000 feet.

for small planes that would be easier and less costly for private owners to keep in good condition, Although the Army glider he designed used a Jenny wing, when designing its fuse lage and tail he had an opportunity to try some of his ideas about simple and economical construction. In 1923 and 1924 he used this experience to design, on his own time, a new Single-seat lightplane. He and a fellow McCook employee named John Dohse built it in their spare time . Among other things, its wing used the then very new Clark Y airfoil, which represented a considerable improvement in the lift-to-drag ratio over World War I types. Its thickness allowed the use of deeper spars, so the number of external brace wires was substan tially reduced compared to older ships . It was possible to make the wing of good span but narrow chord-such as to give it a 9-to-l as pect ratio, which helped the rate of climb with low-powered engines and have a surprisingly good glid ing range when the engine was throttled back or quit. For lack of anything better, it was powered first by a straight-4 Hen derson motorcycle engine and then by a V-2 Indian. Both produced around 18 hp, which proved to be inadequate, and suffered serious vi 24

NOVEMBER 2008

brations and reliability problems. Unknown to Roche and Dohse, another McCook engineer by the name of Harold Morehouse had de veloped a small, horizontally op posed, air-cooled engine to drive the impellers used to blow air into the ballonets of Army blimps, then used for slow-speed observation work. A ballonet is a sort of limp diaphragm built into the lower por tion of a blimp's envelope for the purpose of maintaining gas pres sure and thus envelope rigidity. This well-designed engine came to Roche's attention and it fasci nated him. However, as it devel oped only 15 hp and had a vertical crankshaft, it was obviously unsuit able for his little airplane. After talk ing things over thoroughly, Roche, Dohse, and Morehouse pooled their limited resources and went to work on a similar but larger engine suited for airplane installation. Completed in the summer of 1925, it produced 29 hp and flew the Roche-Dohse plane very well indeed. In fact, the shop became the pet of McCook Field pilots, and in their skilled hands it received a thorough and professional testing. In 1926 Morehouse left McCook to take a job with the growing Wright aircraft engine company in Paterson, New Jersey, and later on

Dohse left for Seattle to take a job with Boeing. And then the Roche plane was involved in a crash that damaged the Morehouse engine be yond repair. The ship, however, was repaired and put back into service with a series of small engines, none of which proved satisfactory. Then Roche persuaded two other McCook engineers, Roy Poole and Robert Galloway, to design a new engine. It was basically like the Morehouse but incorporated some modifications. At first it had over head valves operated by exposed push rods and rocker arms, but be fore long was redesigned again quite extensively. The top and front of the crankcase was reshaped to blend neatly into the plane's nose cowling, and side-valve, flat-head cylinders replaced the overhead-valve ones. This arrangement had advantages. The cost and weight of the overhead va lve opera tin g mechanism was eliminated. Width and thus fron tal area were reduced. Because the valve operated directly off of the tap pets located within the crankcase, wear was less and the engine could be run longer before tappet clear ances needed checking. Cylinder and cylinder-head patternmaking, cast ing, and machining were simplified, which helped keep the cost down. For a direct-drive engine turning its

Top: FJat-head Aeronca E-107, producing 26/ 30 hp, was the ultimate in

simplicity. Plug location made fouling by crankcase oil so unlikely that sin

gle ignition was feasible.

Below: Overhead vale E-113 grew from 36 to an ultimate 45 hp. Fins cast

in crankcase helped cool the oil.

propeller at an efficient peak speed of 2500 rpm, intake and exhaust gas flow were not impaired to an objec tionable degree. This redesigned en gine eventually became the Aeronca E-107, this designation being derived from the fact that it had a displace ment of 107 cubic inches. Upon ex amining one of these 26- to 30-hp engines in a museum, a modern ul tralight airplane enthusiast cannot help but be very impressed with its clean, functional simplicity. In 1927 Roche worked out an agreement with the Govro-Nelson

Company in Detroit to build these engines for him. It was already making the 110-hp, seven-cylinder Warner engines and understood aero nautical requirements. But since his plane itself was not in production, no engines were built at that time. The previously mentioned Aero nautical Corporation of America was organized in 1928 by a group of investors in Cincinnati, Ohio. They had an option on factory space at the new Lunken Airport there, but had no airplane design that they felt had market possibil

ities. One member of this group knew Roche and suggested that a delegation travel to McCook Field 45 miles to the north to see Roche and his lightplane. By that time, Roche held the im pressive title of senior aeronautical engineer. An Army major had given the plane a thorough series of test flights and wrote a very favorable report on it. A capable civilian pilot hired to do demonstration flights for the Aeronca people did so very well. The delegation from Cincinnati went home thoroughly impressed, and by the middle of 1929 an agree ment was on paper to manufacture the plane. Roche and some others involved with the plane moved to that city, the plane was redesigned in certain areas to better suit the needs of mass-pro duction techniques, and during the winter of 1929-30 the new Aeronca C-2 was displayed at aircraft shows in various parts of the country. The idea of being able to buy a new airplane for just under $1,500 and flying it on 2 gallons of gas per hour appealed to enough people to make the new plane a sales success, even though the stock market crash of 1929 was sending the county into a deepening depression. By year's end 90 ships had been sold. A num ber of long-distance and altitude re cord flights in C-2s brought much valuable publicity to the plane. There's a saying that even bad pub licity is good publicity. The curious, pot-bellied, and low-slung appear ance of the Aeronca's fuselage quickly inspired more less-than-complimen tary nicknames for the ship than have perhaps been applied to any other airplane. The Flying Bathtub, The Pout ing Pigeon, The Dowager, The Banana, The Bellydragger, and The Buffalo are examples. Such colorful monikers, of course, attracted attention. The more people read, heard, and saw of the new Aeronca, the more accustomed to its appear ance they became . Sales figures thus began to improve, at a time when many aircraft firms were go ing bankrupt. VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Having a fully enclosed cabin, faired-out fuselage top, and cantilever land ing gear, the 1935-36 model was the last of the C-3 line. Some C-3s and engines were built under license in England.

What could be more thoroughly satisfying on a hot August day than an open cockkpit Aeronca seaplane?

However, little if anything has been written about the reason for the odd fuselage shape. After think ing about it for years, I have formed a theory. I can't prove it, but you can decide for yourself whether or not it is sound. As a native of France, Roche no doubt kept himself well informed on aviation developments in that country and knew all about the little Demoiselle monoplane de signed in 1909 by aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont. In an accompanying illustration of this machine, you will notice the three-Iongeron fuselage structure; the low-set pilot's seat; the straight through, one-piece landing gear axle; and the flat -twin engine. You can see these same things in the Aeronca C-2 . So it is not unreasonable to think that this very early lightplane influenced Roche's thinking. This layout had its advantages. The low-set bottom longerons af forded a place to attach struts or fly ing wires so as to create a favorable bracing angle when long, slim wings were used. The low-set fuselage 26

N O VEMB ER 2008

avoided the weight and air resistance of long landing gear struts. Most of the one-piece, straight-tube axle and all of its rubber shock cord wrapping were inside the fuselage and thus out of the airstream. The cockpit was so close to the ground that stepping in and out of it was easy-once one had figured out how to get past the four flying wires on each side! A usefu l benefit of the deep-bellied fuselage was that it afforded generous, com fortable leg and foot room. The engine had to be set rather high to obtain adeq uate propeller ground clearance. In order to get the wing angle of incidence re quired for three-poin t landings, the tail of t he fuselage had to be set high to position the tail skid. As owner experience with the C-2 ac cumulated, it was realized that the rather narrow landing gear often allowed ships to tilt up and drag a wing tip in crosswind landings, so a wider tripod gear was adopted. A baggage space located behind the single pilot seat proved large enough for people of slight build

to wriggle into to enjoy short but memorable around-the-fie ld hops. However, the Bureau of Air Com merce (predecessor of the Federal Aviation Administration) refused t o certify the C-2 as a two-seater for such reasons, as they feared crammed-in passengers might in terfere with the pilot's controls. But the C-2's ability to carry two people on the power of the little E-107 engine, combined with the shi p's growing popularity among people who loved to fly purely for the not inconsiderable pleasure and sa ti sfaction of mastering t he air, sp urred the Aeronca management into giving deep thought to a certi fiable two-seater. In everyday life we see too m uch of the world's more tawdry aspects, but it looks much neater and better organized when we look down on it from 1,000 feet. Aft er even a short hop we come down feeling better about things. Small airplanes are thus more ben eficial to people's menta l health than is generally acknowledged. But more power would be needed for a decent two-seater Aeronca. Govro-Nelson showed Aeronca engi neers how the overhead-valve cylin der heads of the Warner radial engine and related parts could be adapted to the E-107 crankcase. The outcome of this was a new 36-hp Aeronca engine, deSignated the E-1l3 from its cylin der displacement in cubic inches. Introd uced in 1931, the C-3 at once benefitted from the C-2's reputa tion as a good little fun-flyer. The ex tra seat, of course, was a very big sales feature. At first Aeronca had thought of redesigning the C-2's cockpit area for tandem seating, but gave this up for side-by-side seating. This arrange ment greatly facilitated communica tion between pilot and passenger in a drafty open cockpit, and avoided a cen t er-of-gravity change when switching between one and two oc cupants. The basic C-2 fuselage struc ture was widened in the cockpit area, and the new 36-hp engine compen sated for added weight and drag. Airports hit hard by the depres sion that followed the stock market

An evening cruise in a "Razorback" Aeronca C-3 was a grand way to relax and gain a sense of perspective after a hectic day.

Removeable winter enclosure made it feasible to operate C-3's all year.

John Dohse, Jean Roche and Harold Morehouse with the predesser to the C2, the Roche lightplane with Morehouse M-80 engine.

crash of October 1929 disposed of their 100-hp trainers and replaced them with Aeronca C-3s. Now able to offer instruction at well under $10 per hour, they were able to stay in business. The high school at Teaneck in northeastern New Jersey gained wide-spread publicity when it started a flight-training program using a C-3. As had been true of the C-2, the C-3 could be fitted with floats, and these

low-cost rigs introduced many to the pleasure and utility of seaplanes. A simple, rem ovable winter cockpit enclosure was offered, making cold weather flying somewhat more fea sible than it had hitherto been. Flying in a C-3 was a unique ex perience. The exposed rocker arms of the Warner cylinder heads al lowed drops of lubricating grease to fly back into the cockpit area. But,

when taxiing, one could look ahead under the high-set cylinder on your side of the cockpit to get a great view of the runway ahead. The exhaust fed into a V-shaped manifo ld, which blended the two cylinders' noise into a single outlet. Despite having only two cylinders, this created a low-pitched, reassur ing, and even pleasant sou nd that told people on the ground that An Aeronca is coming!" Aeronca even tually took over engine manufacture and redesigned the heads to better enclose the valve rockers. Since both seats were off of the centerline, the high nose did not block forward visibility too badly. To both sides and the rear, visibility was panoramiC. If you leaned outboard a little, you could look straight down and perhaps get the same feeling of vertigo you do when looking down from a tall building. If one stream lined flying wire was a bit loose or out of alignment with the airflow, it could start fluttering up and down. Then, tightening it might set an other wire to doing the same! Around airports, the absence of a scratched-up plastic enclosure made for a clear view of other planes in the traffic pattern when the sun was low in the sky. C-3 pilots had to be wary about operating out of farm fields covered with the stubble left from harvested crops- it was com mon for mechanics to fin d rips in the belly fabric when insp ecting Aeronca Bellydraggers. By 1935 Aeronca was feeling competition from th e new Taylor Cub, which although havi ng only 40 hp seemed to many people to look more like an airplane. Because damage to streamlined tie rods on one side of an Aeronca could loosen those on the other side, the feds in Washington came out with new reg ulations that prompted Aeronca to look into strut-braced wings. The re sult was that the C-3, which had lots and lots of character, was replaced by the new strut-braced model K, which led to the Chief. Nice enough airplanes, those-but somehow not as m uch fun as a Razorback! ....". /I

V I NTA G E AIRPLANE

BY ROBERT GLOCK

Invention of the magneto

y good pal Frank Rezich asked me to pen a col umn on the Bosch mag neto that was used on the Navy Wright R-760-8 engines. Since I am familiar with the Bosch SB9RU magneto that was installed on the Pratt & Whitney R-985 en gines, I thought it might be inter esting to delve into history a little to find out just who Robert Bosch was and from where he came. So here it is-enjoy. Bosch was born in Albeck, a vil lage in southern Germany. He was the 11th of 12 children; his par ents were from a class of well-suited farmers from the region. From 1868 to 1876 Bosch attended the Re alschule, the secondary-technical

school in the city of Ulm; then he took an apprenticeship as a preci sion mechanic. After his school and practical education, Bosch spent an additional seven years working at diverse companies in Germany and England, where he worked for Siemens Industries. While in the United States, Bosch worked at the lab of Thomas Edison. On November 15, 1886, he opened his own Workshop for Pre cision Mechanics and Electrical En gineering in Stuttgart, Germany. A year later he made a decisive im provement to an unpatented mag neto ignition device made by the engine manufacturer Deutz. Nicolaus Otto (1832-1891) had invented the four-cycle internal

Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, two brilliant engineers who refined the Otto four-stroke internal combustion engine. Their re fined engine used a Bosch ignition system, complete with magneto and spark plug. (Figure 2) 28 NOVEMBER 2008

combustion engine in 1848, and with his partner Eugen Langden, Otto set up shop to market his in vention. Otto's technical advisor was a familiar name in the engine business, none other than Gottlieb Daimler. Daimler's assistant was an other talented inventor, Wilhelm Maybach. While Daimler wanted to utilize the newly invented four stroke engine in an automobile, Otto was more interested in the manufacture of stationary engines. Daimler left the company in 1890, taking Maybach with him to form the Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft to manufacture his designs (Figure 2). Eleven years later, Maybach de signed the Mercedes automobile. A few years after that, Maybach left

Robert Bosch at the age of 27 years.

Daimler to set up his own factory to manufacture engines for Zeppe lin airships. Otto's internal combustion en gine invention used a crude device to cause a spark that ignited a fuel! air charge inside the cylinder. It was this device that Bosch modified and perfected; work that would make him famous. The magneto refine ment of Bosch and spark plug in vention of Gottlob Honold made Otto's internal combustion engine a product that would change the world. This gave Bosch his first business success. The purpose of the magneto device was to generate an electrical spark needed to cause the fuel!air mixture in a stationary combustion engine to explode. And in 1897 Bosch was the first person to adapt such a magneto ignition de vice to a motor vehicle engine. But only the invention of the first com mercially viable high-voltage spark plug by Bosch's engineer, Honold, in 1902 made possible the develop ment of the internal combustion engine. With the invention of the high-tension spark plug, the Bosch magneto-spark plug combination became the standard for the auto motive industry and was quickly adapted to the aviation world. Even before the 19th century came to an end , Bosch had ex panded his operations beyond

Germany's borders . The company established a sales office in the United Kingdom in 1898, and other European countries soon followed. The first sales office and the first factory in the United States were opened in 1906 and 1910, respec tively. By 1913, the company had branch operations in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia, and was generating 88 percent of its sales outside of Germany. In the 1920s the global economic crisis caused Bosch to begin a rigorous program of modernization and diversifica tion in his company. In only a few years' time he succeeded in turn ing his company from a small au tomotive supplier founded on the skilled trades into a multinational electronics group. The face on the poster in Figure 3 became a Bosch regular, known as "Fritz the Flyer."

Bosch opened a factory in the United States and manufactured magnetos under the name Ameri can Bosch (Figure 4). By 1920, the

Figure 5

AMERICAN BOSCH MAGNETO CORPORATION

Magneto Instructions

(81)

•• Type FO Ma,nelo.

T)'pe F B MattAtlo.

T y pe 1(;· 100 I lIIpu.lsc C..,up1inll' i. lII ade lOT u»e on .mall notch l i aKIIClQIi of T)'~s FO, }O"X. Z.: 41\.1 MA. With thi. !;Ollplin,. it it n«",;afr to l1l~lo:e tin: 51 " 11 ....t:ill: h l Ix-fo rc ua n in)!: t he IIm line. [t aulom", tic.lly thro ws 01.1 1 U .......11 ;u t he c:n" im:' .. ' . r....

T r j»e H;·200 impulse CouplwJI L. m;ldc: f()f usc on brtter Iypa 0.1 t b« DOlch l.l acnelo, I\K' b at AT, Dl,; a.nd ll~. h II rDlirdy aulo nu.lic in it. action. To tuuc II 1n;1"1I ~ l o cqu l j'pc'd with In impu16e couplinc. .e l ~o. I cy linder ill t(lra df';uJ center pnsil ion of lhe comprt'llion 81rQKc:. lind f"Glve t he armature until the l':QuplinK i. rd.:...:,1 fr om the arrcltcr pl,att: whtu this OCCUr!, rotate Iht annat u re ~ ckw. rd ulltil the imcTfupter Ien·r ."..i.n Cfuno !he: cum 1I1ll1 Ihe: f1'Qi "ts I re ju.t clo.ll\&' or, when rOlated in Ih.e p~ dirCCI~)II. Ihe: pointt arc: jlllt 09Cniol. W ith the a bove M u lna I n.aiGed, prO(ee.1 ill tin: Unte mannct ... yo u ..ould wi th .. malneto not ~uippcd with an impul~

cOQpll.l!.a. NOTE: If Ihe m~to i. equ ipped wi t h a BOlch AdjU5foL Ic I mpulu Couplin" Ibi, a)Uplinr .houtd be uk-en ar~1IrI ~nJ clun.:'J at It DOlen Serrice Sl alLQn Ollce :a r~ar. fl o not oil or fj: ru .. Ih" coupllna. I i n ot N oleclcLi by an ('l1w ine bood. k«1l it co ~rlt'd .

T)'~I~ Ci~:u~t)~::;,~~:~III '

'r)'tOtl~,f~;OOw it~J'A~tI;I1,:~I,e E u"lIIllcnlcnt.

(82)

(83)

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 6 V I NTAGE AIRPLANE

Bosch Company had sold more than a million magnetos. Bosch's U.S . operation was taken over by the U.S. government's Alien Prop erty Custodian in 1918 as a conse quence of the U. S. government's declaration of war against Germany. After the war, Bosch re-entered the U.S. market under his own name and a 10-year legal battle en sued. In 1930 Bosch entered into an agreement with the U.S. Bosch Company, which would market the products of the German Bosch Company in the United States. The Bosch magneto was manu factured for aircraft use in two dis tinct types-base-mounted, as used on the Pratt & Whitney engine, and flange-mounted, as used on the Wright engine. They were also pro duced in unshielded and shielded versions. Although heavy when compared to other Bendix and Scin tilla magnetos, the Bosch product was very stout and quite reliable. The Bosch SB9RU magneto as used on Pratt & Whitney R-985 ra dial engines is shown in Figure 5. The series of photos in Figure 6, taken from a Pratt & Whitney over haul manual, show the method of setting E-gap for the magneto (81). The center photo shows the method used to couple a magneto to an en gine-a rubber disc with serrations that engage into drive on an acces sory case (82). This type of magneto is base-mounted and requires some expertise to install. First the E-gap is set up by using a straight edge across the shaft to align with scribe marks on the case. It will be neces sary to hold the shaft in this posi tion so the E-gap will not change. Next the magneto is placed next to the engine drive, and the rubber coupler is moved until it lines up perfectly with the drive. The magneto is then placed on the mounting pad, and a large drift is placed through one of the screw holes. An aft pull is exerted to com press the rubber drive and allow the magneto to slide down over dowel pins in the base. When this is com pleted, rotate the engine and check 30 NOVEMBER 2008

Typical VMN7DF ·Typo Magneto

Figure 8

Figure 7

the point opening with piston loca tion on the No.1 cylinder. When the point opening coincides with the piston at 25 degrees BTC (before top center), insert the cap screws through the base and into the mag neto. Complete the job by safety wiring the 3-screws together (83). The sketches in Figure 7 show, using a Time Rite instrument, the proper method of setting the pis ton position in the No.1 cylinder on compression stroke. The prop is turned in the direction of rota tion until the beginning of com pression is felt coming from the spark plug hole. Insert a Time Rite in the front spark plug hole (84). Align the cap of the indicator so that the slide slot lines up with the vertical axis of the cylinder. Push the slide pOinter up close to the pivot arm (85). Turn the prop shaft in the direction of rotation until the pivot arm pushes the slide pointer to its farthest point (86). Turn the prop shaft about 90 degrees in the opposite direc tion. This will return the pivot arm to the top of the slot. Adjust the proper engine scale (the scale numbered for R-985/R-1340) so that the O-degree mark on the card

Magneto Type SF7RN-l

Figure 9

aligns with the reference mark on the pointer (87). Move the slide pointer up to align with the 25-degree mark on the card (88). Turn the prop shaft in the direction of rotation until the pivot arm just contacts the slide (89). At this point the piston in the No.1 cylinder is now positioned 25 degrees before top center, and the magneto can be engaged to the drive on the accessory case. The two magnetos must synchronize; that is, both sets of points must open simultaneously so that the timing of the two magnetos is identical. A timing light must be used to assure proper synchronized timing of the magnetos to the engine. The Time Rite instrument is a very handy device for setting the

piston position in the No.1 cylin der. I have used this device for my entire career as a mechanic. During World War I, a group of engineers in Switzerland devel oped an outstanding magneto. Af ter the war, a Chicago promoter, Laurence R. Wilder, obtained the American agency and brought the magneto to the United States in 1921. Scintilla was located in New York City at the time. Meanwhile, Sidney, New York, had recently lost its big manufacturer, the Hat field Automobile Company, as it just couldn't compete with De troit. A former Hatfield official, Winfield Sherwood, volunteered without pay to search for a new industry for the village. Sherwood hit pay dirt in 1924, as he invited Scintilla officials to Sidney, con vincing them to bring this superb magneto manufacturing line to the Tri-Towns. In 1925 the Scin tilla Magneto Company bought the old Hatfield building and began manufacturing magnetos. By 1928, Scintilla had a much better factory and was purchased a year later by Bendix Aviation Corporation. Some how, the company survived the Great Depression, and by 1939, it was filling orders for airplane mag netos for the Allies in Europe. Scintilla produced magnetos for aircraft use, their coding being VMN, in both base- and flange mount configurations. The mag netos were both unshielded and shielded. These magnetos were pro duced for many five- and sevenREFERENCES: http://www.OldEngine.org/ members/diesel/Magnetos/Bo schManMenu.htm Overhaul Manual, Pratt & Whit ney Wasp Jr. (R-985) and Wasp (R-1340) Overhaul Manual, Bendix-Scin tilla Aircraft Magnetos, Type SF7RN-l Overhaul Manual, Bendix-Scin tilla Aircraft Magnetos, Types VMN7DF and DFA

. . IN

1897

BOSCH WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO ADAPT SUCH A MAGNETO IGNITION DEVICE TO A MOTOR VEHICLE ENGINE.

cylinder single-row radial engines . VMN-7D was a base-mounted unit, while the VMN7DF was a flange

mounted unit (Figure 8) . Scintilla

also produced a VMN7DFA mag

neto that had an automatic ad

vance feature for easier starting. All

magnetos of this series were driven at 7/8-engine crankshaft speed. The VMN7DF magneto was pop

ular for installation on Continental

W-670 and R-670 engines produc

ing 220-hp. In 1929 the Bendix

Aviation Corporation bought Scin

tilla Magneto Company, which be

came Scintilla Magneto Division,

the manufacturing facility being re

tained in Sidney, New York. All sub

sequent magnetos were known as

Bendix-Scintilla products. Vincent Bendix (1881-1945) was an industrialist and inventor, and founder of the Bendix Corporation of Chicago in 1907 with the intent of manufacturing automobiles he called Bendix Buggies. After pro ducing only 7,000 automobiles, the

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company failed in 1909, but Ben dix went on to invent and patent the Bendix drive, a motor-driven gear that could engage an engine's ring gear at low rotational speed and then fly back to disengage au tomatically at a higher speed. This drive made it possible for the in stallation of an electric starter on internal combustion engines for au tomobiles, aircraft, and other mo torized vehicles. The Bendix drive is still in widespread use, so much so that mechanics often refer to the mechanism simply as a Bendix. Ben dix founded the Bendix Brake Com pany in 1923 and started the Bendix Aviation Corporation in 1929. In 1930 Bendix invented the pressure carburetor. The corporation spon sored the Transcontinental Bendix Air Race in 1931. Bendix Aviation and Bendix Brake would later be re named the Bendix Corporation. The Bendix Corporation manu factured a competing magneto to the VMN model, known as the SF? (Figure 9) . It, too, was approved for several small radial engines but par ticularly was popular on the Conti nental W-6?0 and R-6?0 series. The SF? was a flange-mounted unit and had the same tapered shaft dimen sions as the VMN series. In order to fit the magnetos to different en gines it was necessary to change the drive coupling. The Bosch, Scintilla, and Bendix magnetos could be made to rotate ei ther right-hand (clockwise) or left hand (counter clockwise) simply by internal timing. The direction of rota tion of magneto drives is determined by the engine manufacturer and is based on rotational direction of mag neto drive gears in the accessory case. Drive direction of a magneto is deter m ined by holding the magneto so as to view it from the drive end. If the drive turns to the right, it is clock wise, and if the drive turns to the left, it is counterclockwise. Both the Bendix and Scintilla mag netos adapted to shielded and un shielded harness assemblies. All the early installations were unshielded har ness and spark plugs. ......

continued from page IFe

We will keep you posted on how the parking plan review works out. It's also important to note here that even though we knew before the fly-in ended that we had to deal with this problem, we truly appreciated your voice in this important issue. I am personally thankful to everyone who took the time to write and comment in person as they shared their concerns with us, all in a very courteous and professional manner. Please do not hesitate to write if you have any fur ther thoughts or suggestions concerning this critically important issue. In this issue of Vintage Airplane, we have important information about an ongoing fund-raising effort at EAA. The EAA AirVenture Museum is now officially 25 years old, and since its construction in Oshkosh, EAA members have continued to support the enhance ments of this world-class facility. It's time now for what many of us believe is one of the most significant additions to the museum-the Founders' Wing. The Founders' Wing will encapsulate the "story" of the early days of EAA, and it will include the many interesting artifacts and treasures of early EAA. Over the SO-plus years of EAA history, Paul and Audrey Po berezny meticulously cataloged and savored the many documents that tell the story of EAA. They've spent the time and effort to save our history; now it's time to create a special place for all members to learn about the legacy, history, and culture of one of the most amazing movements in aviation-EAA. I've been lucky; I'm one of hundreds of individu als who have had the unique opportunity to see the inner sanctum of this archive that currently exists in the many cubbyholes of Paul's home, shop, and offices. An existing section of the EAA AirVenture Museum will be reworked to become the Founders' Wing, with the planned dedication of the wing at AirVenture 2009. No one individual mentors to the soul of the EAA member more effectively than Paul Howard Pober ezny, now in his 87th year of a wonderful life in avia tion. To learn more about how you, too, can be a part of supporting this truly important new addition to the EAA AirVenture Museum, please visit the official website at www.EAA.orglfounderswing. See you at AirVenture 2009! EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009, The World's Great est Aviation Celebration, is July 27 through August 2,2009.

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE

BY H.G. FRAU TSCHY

LIKE OUR OCTOBER MYSTERY PLANE, THIS MONTH'S MYSTERY SHIP COMES TO US FROM

STEVE MOYER, ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEER EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH CHAIRMEN .

WE'RE SORRY THE PHOTO DOESN'T SHOW THE ENTIRE AIRPLANE, BUT ITS LINEAGE IS

PRETTY OBVIOUS. THE REAL QUESTION IS, "WHICH VERSION IS IT?"

Send your answer to EAA, Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Your answer needs to be in no later than December 10 for inclusion in the February 2008 issue of Vintage Airplane. You can also send your response via e-mail. Send your answer to MysteryPlane@eaa.org. Be sure to include your name plus your city and state in the body of your note and put "(Month) Mystery Plane" in the subject line.

AUGUST'S

MY STE RY ANSWE R The August Mystery Plane came to us from the collection of Ted Businger, Salem, Arkansas. The Roy Russell photo is one of many sent to us by Ted.

Here's our first answer:

The August Mystery Plane, the Naval Aircraft Factory (Curtiss) TS-l . 34

NOVEMBER 2008

The August Mystery Plane is a 1921 Navy-designed fighter for use on the then-new aircraft carrier USS Langley. Several examples were built and tested at the Naval Air足 craft Factory (NAF) . Subsequently, Curtiss was awarded an order for 34 examples. It was the first pro足 duction U.S. fighter to use an air足 cooled radial engine, the Lawrence J-l of 200 hp. Maximum speed of

the TS-l was 131 mph (121 mph for the seaplane version). Reference: Curtiss Aircraft 1907 1947 by Peter Bowers Jim Stubner, Mercer Island, Washington And another note on the Mys tery Plane: The August Mystery Plane is the Naval Aircraft Factory (Cur tiss) TS-l, the first American fighter designed specifically for carrier op erations. Although designed by the Naval Aircraft Factory under the di rection of Rex Beisel, later famous for the F4U Corsair, 34 aircraft were built by Curtiss Aeroplane and Mo tor Company. The NAF later built another five. The TS-l (for Tractor, Single-seat) was powered by a nine-cylinder, 230-hp Lawrence J-l, the predeces sor of the Wright Whirlwind. First flight took place at Anacostia on May 9, 1922. One of its unique fea tures was the gap between the bot tom of the fuselage and the bottom wing. Later in 1922 it began service aboard the USS Langley with CF-1, replacing the Vought VE-7. (Your photo shows an aircraft of VF-l.) In addition to carrier service, the TS-l (later FC-l) was fitted with twin floats. In this form, be ginning in 1922, it served aboard battleships, cruisers, and destroyers with YO-I. No catapult was used; the little TS (wingspan was only 25 feet) was hoisted over the side by a

crane. VF-l also served aboard bat tleships in 1925-1926. The TS-2 re mained in the inventory until late in 1927 when most were conSigned to storage. The last was stricken from inventory in May 1930. One (serial number A6446) managed to survive with the National Air and Space Museum. Tom Lymburn, Princeton, Min nesota, and Doug Rounds of Ze bulon, Georgia, fill us in on more details: In 1921 the U.S. Navy designed an all-wood fighter specifically for operation from its soon-to-be com missioned aircraft carrier the Lang ley. Bids for production were invited from the industry, and Curtiss won the order for 34 airplanes. To keep cost down, the Naval Aircraft Fac tory built five TS-ls, plus experi mental versions. The TS-l had several odd fea tures: the fuselage was raised above the lower wing, the lower wing has a longer span and they used diagonal struts to eliminate wing rigging wires, and a droppa ble SO-gallon fuel tank was built into the lower wing center sec tion, which could be jettisoned if necessary. The TS-l was the first production U.S. fighter to use an air-cooled radial engine. The en gine was the Lawrance J-l and only had 200 hp, which was low by fighter standards. The cost, less the government furnished

engine, was $ 9, 5 69 for the first 11 and $9,975 for the remainder. The airplane was delivered on wheels, but wooden floats were also an option . It was designed for carrier op erations, but wooden floats were available. Other engines were ex perimented with, namely a 240-hp Aeromarine U-8-D engine and 180 hp Wright-Hispano E-2 engine. Specifications for the Land Plane Wingspan: 25 feet Length: 22 feet, 1-3/16 inches Empty weight: 1,239 pounds Gross weight: 1,927.5 pounds Max speed: 131 mph Cruise speed: 104.8 mph Rate of climb: 1,280 feet/minute Service ceiling: 14,400 feet Range: 468 miles Armament: Two 30-inch ma chine guns Serial numbers: Navy A6300/6304, Curtiss A6248/6270 Other correct answers were re ceived from Tom Ramsey, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee; Mark Mendes, Logan ville, Georgia; Harvey Alley, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Frederick Beseler, La Crosse, Wisconsin; Jack Erick son, State College, Pennsylvania; Wesley R. Smith, Springfield, Illi nois; Larry Knechtel, Seattle, Wash ington; John Aken, Castroville, Texas; and Toby Gursanscky, a long time VAA member who hails from Sydney, Australia. ........

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685). 1. Title of Publication: Vintage Airplane 2. Publication No.:062-750. 3. Rling Date:9/ 26/ 08. 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly. 5. No. of Issues Published Annually: 12. 6. Annual Subscription Price: $36.00 in U.S. 7. Known Office of Publication: EAA, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3806. Contact Person : Kathleen Witman , Telephone : 920-426-6156. 8. Headquarters or General Business Office of the Publisher: Same as above. 9. Publisher: Tom Poberezny. EAA, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3806. Editor: H.G. Frautschy, EAA, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 3806. Managing Editor: Kathleen L. Witman , P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3806. 10. Owner: Experimental Aircraft Association , P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 3806. 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None. 12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months. 13. Publication Title: Vintage Airplane. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: September 2008. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months/ No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Rling Date): a. Total No. of Copies Printed (8,728/8,086) b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside the Mail): 1. Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser's proof copies, and exchange copies) (7,000/6,854). 2. Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser's proof copies, and exchange copies) (0/0). 3. Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS (396/393). 4. Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS (e.g., Rrst-Class Mail) (156/156). c. Total Paid Distribution (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)) (7,552/7 ,403). d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail): 1. Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 (0/0). 2. Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 (0/0). 3. Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS (e.g. Rrst-Class Mail) (53/ 50). 4. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means) (602/109). e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3), and (4) (655/ 159). f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) (8,207/7,562). g. Copies not Distributed (See Instructions to Publishers #4 (page #3))(227/259). h. Total (Sum of 15f and g) (8,434/ 7,821). i. Percent Paid (15c divided by 15f times 100) (92.02%/97.90%). 16. Publication of Statement Ownership: Publication required. Will be printed in the October 2008 issue of this publication . 17. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties). Executive Director/ Editor: H.G. Frautschy, 9/26/08. PS Form 3526, September 2007

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

On Stearman Wings

Where anything is possible BY PHILIP HANDLEMAN

It still happens at air ports-an unassuming yet wondrous experi ence, a throwback to the good old days of flying that rekindles the mo tivation of humans to tread into the air. At once charming and invigorat ing, a polished relic from aviation's bygone era is rolled quietly but purposefully out of its hangar and readied to roam aloft. The helmeted and goggled pilot shouts out a laconic admonition that rings from the open cockpit across the flightline. "Clear!" The magnetos are switched on and the starter kicks in. All eyes on the ramp dart instinctively toward the fabric covered biplane as the incipient stirrings of its monstrous round engine cause a throaty gnarl. The heavy wooden propeller cranks, tentatively at first but then wrenches the whole ship. There is a palpable stutter, then a guttural bel low as though the machine has woken suddenly from a deep slumber. A puff of white smoke belches from the starboard mounted exhaust stack, substantiating that the myriad in animate parts-the gears and rocker arms, the pistons and valves-have sprung to life. A crackling radiates from the cylinders. Then, in labored defiance of the morning chill, there is a cough, followed by another and still another. It is the initiation of the interplay among the umpteen intri cate components of an ingenious mechanical apparatus a liturgy of the antique engine, kind of like Old Faithful's tremor before its discharge. With mastery of mixture and throttle, reflecting the del icate art of compensating for ambient temperature, field elevation, and moisture in the air, the engine's tentative barking settles into a steady hum. The pilot tucks his head low, berieath the squared Plexiglas windscreen, to avoid as much of the prop wash as pOSSible, for at the first blush of dawn, it carries a glacial bite. Mixed with the propeller's artificial wind is a familiar aroma: a blend of effluents that connotes to the veteran airman that the engine is burning the right synthesis of fuel, air, and oil. The intrepid flier presses the balls of his feet firmly against the "toe" brakes so the stately biplane, an archetype of mechanical practicality and aesthetic design, remains 36 NOVEMBER 2008

impassive except for the propeller, which keeps loping over. This ritual persists until the oil tem perature comes into the green. As the dew-soaked wings glisten in the warm glow of sunrise, the wait is worth every bone-shilling minute. A seemingly infinite crystalline dome is revealed overhead, and the ocean of air remains serene as if, collectively, the in tegral fragments of the aviator's milieu beckon the ship and its occupant into the guileless province of the empyrean. Not an eye on the ramp has changed focus as the dou ble-decker convulses momentarily to break its standstill. The lurch transmutes into a deliberate rhythmic swaying to and fro as the airplane begins taxiing curlicue style. At the country airport you never know when there might be a deer, or another airplane, crossing the taxiway ahead of you unless you swing wide right, then left, and back again. No matter that the biplane stands nose-high on its dimin utive tail wheel since now the pilot's field of view opens up with each gentle S-turn. Nearly astride the runway, the last checks are performed. With the brakes activated again, the throttle is pushed slowly, yet resolutely, to a detent on the quadrant, and for the first time the engine previews the extent of its brawn. The whole aircraft shakes as if a New York subway train is rumbling past. Working down the list-oil pressure, carb heat, mags the anticipation grows. For good measure, the pilot glances once more at the needle in the pressure gauge; without the engine the rest is just a pretty shell, a hollow museum piece. The onlookers, watching from afar, then see the control surfaces deflect to the stops, full-throw left and right as well as up and down, like bam doors waggling in isolated zephyrs. The pilot scans in every direction as though his head is on a swivel, an instinctive impulse as much as a learned habit. The runway is unobstructed and the traffic pattern vacant. Aligning with the runway's centerline, the pilot lets his ship crawl several yards coming out of the tum to allow the tail wheel to straighten for the takeoff roll. Never really stopping the biplane'S transit, he again inches the throttle forward. This time, though, he advances it as far as it will go and the lion roars.

Instructors and students, the usual airport coterie, observe from the terminal fence and, manifestly cognizant of the heavy hand of gravity and drag, barely discern movement. To them it is as if the sprint down the pavement in pursuance of that indispensable phenomenon of lift is happening in slow motion. But to the pilot ensconced in the middle of the ship, head and neck protruding into the building slipstream, the vantage is wholly different. Acceleration is palpable and the noise is deafening as the ragging engine thunders and the rippling air whines. Positive inertia mounts and the pilot feels thrust overtaking drag. The sight picture to ••• either side blurs into an impressionistic palette of greens and browns. This improbable, over-engineered contraption from an all but forgotten time, weighing a beefy ton and a half with wooden ribs and spars, fabric sewn over wide camber wings, and steel • bracing wires holding the individual assemblies together, lumbers faithfully • • ahead. The pilot relaxes the control stick, and the tail, unfailingly obedient to the laws of physics, rises perceptibly. More right rudder now to correct for the effects of increased torque. Almost nothing more to do except stay pOinted in a beeline, poised for the forces of nature to work their miracle on a headlong biplane scarcely hugging the ground. With just a little coaxing-a touch of back pressure on the stick-the old leviathan ascends ever so gracefully into the cool air, returning triumphal to its realm. Once the wires and trees at the airport's perimeter are cleared, the pilot pegs the climb out at 7S miles per hour and the ship steadies in the crisp morning sky. Daybreak fills the pilot's sphere with calm. These precious moments, when the day is still young, represent the best time to fly. The sun's powerful rays have not had a chance to heat the planet'S surface and cause the convection that roils the low-level air. The big-barreled biplane, hardly an object of delicacy, slices through the air as if skating on ice. Only the steadfast vibration of the engine and the undulating tapestry below attest that the ship is in motion. Farmlands, cast in the soft splendor of the near horizontal light, stretch for as far as the eye can see. The scent of fresh crops ready for harvest wafts up to engulf the biplane. It is still too early for the church bells to have chimed from the picturesque steeple. Soon enough the town will come alive. For now, the scene, in its enduring effulgence, belongs exclusively to the pilot suspended above, steering

his ship. And the cold gives way to exhilaration. In the sky's multidimensional framework there is no tether, no umbilical cord, no connection to our earthly pedigree. Only the lift under the rigid wings, in accord with Bernoulli's principle, keeps the ship soaring in avian company. And like the birds sailing on invisible currents in the emanCipating preserve that encircles our planet, the pilot, as captain of his ship, may mimic the lissome crea tures, perhaps even revel in the autonomy of their un bounded confines. There is nothing quite like the ride in an open cockpit at dawn, the onrushing wind caressing your face as the fist glimmers of light lift the veil of night. Just then one's connec tion to the world, the convergence with the myriad elements, mechani cal and human, reaches the apex of harmony. How lucky for the aviators' • earthbound brethren that on any fair-weather day from early spring through late autumn there is a distinct possibility that the resonant drone of a radial engine and the sweet symmetrical thrum of a charmed time may enliven sleepy hamlets punctuating the landscape. Vast expanses of the sky remain virtually unencum be red for those who yearn to fly for the sake of flying, to aim toward the heavens, to feel the immutable magic of soaring on wings, and to glory in the domain of limitless potentialities. Since the inception of powered flight, the attendant captivation has remained fundamentally undi minished because the sojourns of today's Stearman pilots are imbued with the idyllic vision and romantic aura that rode with those who ventured skyward in the time when Wilbur and Orville Wright unleashed humankind from the shackles of gravity. Upon return to the airport, the opportunity exists to delight in the company of fellow aviators and air-minded friends. At a table in the airport cafe, over an orange soda on the terminal's porch, or simply milling around the open maintenance hangar, fliers and enthusiasts may en joy the camaraderie that comes from the mutual knowl edge of what it means to touch the sky. They share the bond threaded through the universal language of flying that transcends the ordinary and the superfluous. Stear man pilots, operating from America's unheralded little waypoints, continue to modestly but determinedly fulfill the age-old dream of flight, which is the dream that any thing is pOSSible, including the notion that humanity can rise above itself and reach ennobling heights. .......

the control surfaces deflect to the stops, fullthrow left and right as well as up and down, lIke barn doors wagglIng I d h In ISO ate zep yrS.

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of tho se post ed on t he newest page on the EAA website. To submit an event , or to view the most up to date list, pl ea se visit the EAA website at www.eaa.orgj calendar. During 2008, we' ll publish t his calendar as we transition to a n al l-web based calendar for 2009. This list does not constitute approval, s ponsors h ip , involvement, control or direct ion of any fly-in, seminar, fly market or oth er event. November 2 - Santa Paula, CA 2 - First Sunday Open House. Aviation Museum Of Santa Paula (SZP). Aviatio n Museum of Santa Paula/ SZP Airport Open House Display Day. Fly in, display you r aircraft for tax credit; come to gift booth for sign off. Museum and private hangars open to amaze you with collections inside. You never know what you might see at SZP! Start Time: 10 am-3 pm Contact: Judy, Phone: 805-525-1109, Email:

amszp@Verizon.net December 7 - SANTA PAU LA, CA2 (SZP). First Sunday Open House. Aviation Museum Of Santa Paula Fly in; display your aircraft, come to gift booth for sign off. Museum and private hangars open to amaze you with collections inside. You never know what you might see at SZP! Restaurant on field. 10am--3pm Contact: Judy, Phone: 805-525-1109, Email:

amszp@Verizon.net December 20 - Oshkosh, WI2 - Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet. EAA Airventure Museum. Secure on line reservation form - Honor the creators of powered flight t hrough this special presentation. St art Time: 6 :30 - 9:30pm, Info: 920-426-6880, Email: museum@eaa.org

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