Va vol 45 no 4 jul aug 2017 by EAA Vintage Aircraft Association

JULY/AUGUST 2017

THE RETURN OF

VERTIGO

•SUN ’n FUN Photos •Newells’ Jewel

Vintage Airplane STAFF

EAA Publisher/Chairman of the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jack J. Pelton

Ford Proudly Presents Barenaked Ladies in Concert: Opening-night concert on Monday, next to the Ford Hangar on Boeing Plaza Fly-In Theater: Nightly at Camp Scholler, epic blockbuster movies and classic aviation-themed films: • Sun: Flying the Feathered Edge: The Bob Hoover Project & Mission Control • Mon: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story • Tue: Sully • Wed: Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo • Thu: Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation • Fri: Hidden Figures • Sat: Strategic Air Command There will be fabulous presenters and free popcorn! Free Ice Cream: Watch for the Ford Transit Ice Cream Van

Uniquely Ford Ford F-22 Raptor F-150: See this oneof-a-kind build, specially designed in tribute to the remarkable F-22 stealth tactical fighter aircraft. To be auctioned at the Gathering of Eagles to benefit EAA’s youth education programs Ford Front 40: Help us celebrate 40 years of truck sales leadership with the new 2018 F-150, F-150 Raptor and Super Duty pickups 2018 Vehicles: Make sure to preview the new 2018 model vehicles, including the new Navigator, Expedition, Mustang, F-150 and the all-new EcoSport compact SUV Model T Experience: Take a break and tour the grounds in a Model T ride, only at the Ford Hangar Family Fun Throughout the Week: Experience “The Boost” – the first time a ferris wheel has been near the flight line, climb the Raptor Rock Wall and soar on the Tough Tumblers Bungee Trampolines. Make a custom button or a 3D map of your face! Join us for many fun activities for the entire family Ford Autograph Headquarters: Autographs from celebrities, air show performers and living legends Merchandise Tent: Buy Ford GT and Raptor items and other exciting Ford branded merchandise Free Collectibles: Special Limited Edition “F-22 Raptor” hats provided daily

Your Exclusive EAA Automotive Partner We are pleased to offer EAA members special pricing on Ford and Lincoln vehicles through Ford’s Partner Recognition Program and we are excited to provide EAA members an additional $750 toward their vehicle purchase or lease. Stop by the Ford display for details.

Message From the President

SUSAN DUSENBURY VAA PRESIDENT

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Busha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jbusha@eaa.org VAA Executive Administrator. . Hannah Hupfer 920-426-6110. . . . . . . . . . . hhupfer@eaa.org Art Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . Olivia Phillip Trabbold ADVERTISING: Vice President of Business Development Dave Chaimson. . . . . . . . . . dchaimson@eaa.org

AirVenture 2017

Advertising Manager Sue Anderson. . . . . . . . . . . sanderson@eaa.org

It’s that time of year again when so many of us are making our final plans for EAA AirVenture, and that is particularly true for those of us who are diligently working as volunteers on the Vintage grounds at Oshkosh. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the improvements that we have made in our “Vintage village.” Thanks to very generous donations from both the Biplane Association and VAA Chapter 10 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, we were able to restore the Red Barn and build a new judges headquarters. (I might thankfully add that these organizations have a great deal of insight into the needs and operation of the Vintage Aircraft Association and actually specified how their donations were to be used.) The restoration of the Red Barn was both structural and cosmetic while adding square footage and a new west (mostly!) entrance to our flagship building. The new addition is to be used as a display area that will include a brief history of our Red Barn, some giant scale vintage models (on loan from Vintage volunteer Tim Fox), and a display featuring our very own Vintage volunteers. Other displays will feature the Vintage Bookstore, Aeromart, and more. Fear not! We will still be serving popcorn and lemonade in the Red Barn. As a footnote, we will be adding the Vintage Hall of Fame inductees to the display area in 2018. Our talented maintenance team is busy installing a ceiling and new lighting in the Vintage Bookstore so you’ll stay cool and comfy while perusing through all of those really cool books. The idea of the Vintage Bookstore was conceived a few years ago with the premise that there are a large number of out of print and sought after aviation books that are looking for a new home. To keep those books from being thrown away or given to an organization that does not understand their importance to the aviation community, we started a program where we would accept donated books (remember, we are classified as a nonprofit organization under IRS Code 501(c)(3), and as such donations are tax-deductible) and sell them at a reasonable price to aviation people who really appreciate them. This year we received a very large and generous donation of someone’s private

VAA, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 Website: www.vintageaircraft.org Email: Vintageaircraft@eaa.org

VISIT www.vintageaircraft.org for the latest in information and news and for the electronic newsletter:

Vintage AirMail

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Current EAA members may join the Vintage Aircraft Association and receive VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine for an additional $45/year. EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and one-year membership in the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association are available for $55 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included). (Add $7 for International Postage.)

FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars. Add required Foreign Postage amount for each membership. Membership Service PO Box 3086 Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM—6:00 PM CST Join/Renew 800-564-6322 membership@eaa.org EAA AirVenture Oshkosh www.eaa.org/airventure 888-322-4636

continued on page 13

www.vintageaircraft.org

Vol. 45, No. 4

CONTENTS

James S. ‘Jim’ Moss 2017 Hall of Fame inductee

The Return of Vertigo

Alvin Musser’s historic Clipped Cub Budd Davisson

SUN ’n FUN 2017 Photos

JULY/AUGUST 2017 Bill Brennand

Message From the President AirVenture 2017 Susan Dusenbury

10 VAA News 16 How to? Using a tap tester tool Robert G. Lock

Oshkosh aviator Jim Cunningham

The Newells’ Jewel

COLUMNS

Representing Taylorcraft’s four-place foray Sparky Barnes Sargent

18 Good Old Days 59 The Vintage Mechanic Teaching a nation how to fly, Part 4 Robert G. Lock 63 VAA New Members 64 Vintage Trader

COVERS

FRONT COVER: Clipped Cub Vertigo over EAA Oshkosh. Photo by Tyson Rininger. BACK COVER: Bill Brennand poses in front of “Buster” which he piloted to several first place finishes. Buster now proudly hangs in the Smithsonian Air and Space museum.

ANY COMMENTS? ERIN BRUEGEN

JULY/AUGUST 2017

Send your thoughts to the Vintage Editor at: jbusha@ eaa.org

For missing or replacement magazines, or any other membership-related questions, please call EAA Member Services at 800-JOIN-EAA (564-6322).

www.vintageaircraft.org

RED BARN

Friends of the Red Barn program is our only annual fundraiser to support the VAA members, volunteers, and Vintage hospitality at Oshkosh. The VAA Red Barn is the centerpiece, the central gathering place for virtually all Vintage members during EAA Oshkosh each year. The Red Barn is where we meet our friends, get our questions answered, sit on the front porch to rest a bit, drink lemonade, and thoroughly enjoy our aviation friends and the spectacular events of the day. We never meet a stranger at the Red Barn; everyone is on cloud nine just to be enjoying being in a place we so thoroughly enjoy and appreciate. But the Red Barn as we know it today did not just happen. In 2000-2001, Vintage found itself attempting to provide a proper, acceptable facility to meet, greet, and accommodate its members. The Red Barn was old. We had used it since 1973 and it was used long before that as a real barn. It was tired and not in keeping with EAA and Vintage standards in terms of condition and acceptability. Vintage had no money to improve it; our dues were pitifully small and completely insufficient to assist in any way. We had to remedy an unacceptable situation . . . and we did. We created the Friends of the Red Barn program in 2001. We kicked off our first campaign in early 2002. Our goal was to interest a small number of dedicated Vintage members to financially support the physical improvement of the Red Barn and, far more important, upgrade and support it to the point where it became an inviting, pleasant place to meet, greet, relax, and simply enjoy the magic and magnificence that is Oshkosh each summer. The Friends of the Red Barn has become a wonderfully successful support program for Vintage members and guests during the convention. 2017 will be its 16th year, and you will be amazed to know that the majority of the Barn’s loyal supporters have been a part of the group since the very first year. Vintage is extremely proud of this dedicated group of members. Their names are listed annually at the Barn and in the pages of Vintage Airplane. These donors have made the Red Barn and its gracious hospitality what you enjoy today . . . and we are just beginning. The Barn is upwards of 80-90 years old. Every year it receives countless physical and cosmetic upgrades, but like many of us, one of these days soon the old girl is going to have to undergo big-time reconstruction. When that day comes Friends of the Red Barn will be there to do our part. We hope each Vintage member realizes what a treasure we have in our own facility to serve all of us each summer, and also know that it is member-created and member-maintained, principally through our Friends. Vintage is privileged to provide some very neat thank-yous when you become a Friend in return for your contribution. It is a win-win for all. Vintage is the very finest such organization in the world. We attract visitors from all over the world to the Red Barn and our newly expanded Vintage airplane area each summer. We have grown from one lone, abandoned barn to an entire complex replicating a small country airport. With your help, every year we will provide more enhanced hospitality for all. Please stand tall and join with us in Friends of the Red Barn; you will be forever proud and happy that you did. Charlie Harris, Director Emeritus EAA Life Member 96978, VAA Life Member 2158

CONTRIBUTION LEVELS ↓ DIAMOND PLUS $1,500 & higher DIAMOND $1,000 - $1,499 PLATINUM $750 - $999 GOLD $500 - $749 SILVER $250 - $499 BRONZE PLUS $150 - $249 BRONZE $100 - $149 LOYAL SUPPORTER $99 and under

Two Passes Breakfast at Tall Pines to VAA Volunteer Café Party

2 people, full week 2 people, full week 2 people, full week 1 person, full week

Tri-Motor OR Two Tickets Close Helicopter to VAA Picnic Auto Parking Ride Certificate 2 tickets

2 tickets

1 ticket

Special Two Air Show Weekly Seating Wristbands

Full week 2 people, 2 people, full week full week Full week 2 people, 1 day 2 days

1 ticket

STEVE MOYE R

Friends of the

A “6-pack” Special Access to Donor Appreciation FORB Air-Conditioned of Cold Bottled Badge Volunteer Certificate Water! Center

2016

Name: _______________________________________________________________ EAA #:_______________ VAA #:______________

Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City: _________________________________________________________________ State:________________ ZIP:________________

Choose your level of participation: o Diamond Plus ($1,500 or more) o Diamond ($1,000-$1,499) o Platinum ($750-$999) o Gold ($500-$749) o Silver ($250-$499) o Bronze Plus ($150-$249) o Bronze ($100-$149) o Loyal Supporter ($99 or less) Badge Information

Phone:_______________________________________________________________ E-mail:_____________________________________

o Payment enclosed (Make checks payable to Vintage Aircraft Association)

(for Bronze Level and above)

o Yes, prepare my name badge to read: _________________________________ (Please print name)

o Please charge my credit card for the amount of: $ Credit Card Number: Expiration Date: Signature:

o No, I do not need a badge this year. Certificates o Yes, I would like a certificate. o No, I do not need a certificate for this year.

Vintage Aircraft Association | 3000 Poberezny Rd., Oshkosh, WI 54902 | 920.426.6110 | EAAVintage.org The Vintage Aircraft Association is a non-profit educational organization under IRS 501c3 rules. Under Federal Law, the deduction from Federal Income tax for charitable contributions is limited to the amount by which any money (and the value of any property other than money) contributed exceeds the value of the goods or services provided in exchange for the contribution. An appropriate receipt acknowledging your gift will be sent to you for IRS gift reporting reasons.

JULY/AUGUST 2017

www.vintageaircraft.org

James S. ‘Jim’ Moss Vintage Aircraft Association announces its

2017 Hall of Fame inductee by Charles W. Harris

Vintage Director Emeritus, EAA Lifetime 96978, VAA Lifetime 2158

James S. “Jim” Moss of Buckley, Washington, has been posthumously named the Vintage Aircraft Association’s Hall of Fame honoree for 2017. The VAA began its prestigious annual Hall of Fame honors program in 1993. Over the past 24 years, 32 outstanding men and women have been inducted into this select group of aviation achievers. Only two members of this exclusive group have reached legendary status — EAA Founder Paul Poberezny and the famed “Resident Genius of Springdale, Arkansas” Jim Younkin. These gentlemen’s contributions to vintage aviation are clearly in a class by themselves. This year these highly accomplished aviation personalities are joined by Moss, whose remarkable achievements have earned him not only a place in the VAA Hall of Fame but also well-deserved legendary status. People with Paul Poberezny’s aviation leadership and organizational skills come along perhaps once in a lifetime, while the creative aviation talents of someone like Jim Younkin come along perhaps once in every two or even three generations. Moss’ creative aviation talents and achievements are in the same league as those of Younkin. Younkin brought EAA and Vintage airworthy aviation treasures that could have never been imagined. His authentic, full-scale copy of Benny and Maxine Howard’s 1935 Bendix Trophy- and Thompson Trophy-winning Howard DGA-6, Mr. Mulligan, followed by his copy of the first-ever 1929 Thompson Trophy Race-winning Travel Air Mystery Ship both stopped Oshkosh cold when they appeared completely unannounced in the late 1970s. These were followed by the whimsical Mystery Pacer and the huge, overpowering, Gulfhawk-like custom Goliath biplane, and these pure wonders were closely followed by the breathtaking 6

JULY/AUGUST 2017

Mullicoupes. Then there were the highly innovative D Staggerwings, which he upgraded into near G Models, or his impressive work with Mitchell autopilot/ TruTrak electronics. All of this tested the bounds of what was possible in aviation at the time, and it showed a level of originality and creativity that was unmatched by anyone. Into this realm of aviation magic came retired Northwest 747 captain and West Coast air-show headliner Jim Moss, who in 1994 had his sights set on rebuilding a tiny 1937 Tex Rankin-era, single-seat, round-engine biplane, which after nearly 60 years of passing through countless owners was for all intents and purposes a skeletal pile of junk. Only two years later, the skeletal remains had been transformed into a magnificent, fully airworthy MG-2 that was the smash hit of the Vintage area at EAA Oshkosh 1997. Jim’s abilities were beyond exceptional, and the MG-2 project had stoked his ambitions. While Jim had long since built and flown his gorgeous Starduster and was lovingly flying his Bücker Jungmeister, the 24-karat gold MG-2 and its mid1930s look, coupled with its nostalgic connection to Tex Rankin, opened a whole new world of concepts for him and his talents. Further, he was so impressed by the ultra-warm reception he had received at Oshkosh in the summer of 1997, he decided to build on his aeronautical ambitions. While at Oshkosh in 1997, he visited the EAA AirVenture Museum and saw the EAA’s full-scale replica of the 1931 Matty Laird/Jimmy Doolittle Super Solution. He was impressed; the airplane made an indelible impact on him — it grabbed him. Jim returned home to Buckley in his MG-2, but the overpowering image of the Bendix Race-winning

Super Solution never left his mind. He returned to Oshkosh in January 1998 to photograph and study the airplane. He decided that he had to have an airplane like that … he had to create … to build such an airplane. Jim looked to The Smithsonian for information and hard data and consulted Freddie Quinn, who was still alive at the time. Freddie had done all the woodwork on the original airplane while Matty supervised. Jim gathered all the information, details, plans, and materials that he could find from any and every source. From early 1998 to July 2000, a little over two years, he somehow constructed, assembled, covered, and painted a complete airplane. It was trailered to Oshkosh for the EAA fly-in convention because it still lacked a few fairings here and there and had yet to be flown. One had to look very, very carefully even to realize that a few fairings had yet to be formed and fitted. The Jim Moss airplane on static display in July 2000 at Oshkosh was far more than impressive; it was the personification of an impact airplane. It had not yet even flown in the summer of 2000, but even as a static-display airplane it was magnificent to behold. It was smallish in size, short in wingspan at 21 feet upper and 18 feet lower, and short in length at only 19 feet 6 inches, yet the huge front end housing the big, perfectly cowled, nine-cylinder 450-hp Pratt & Whitney engine and the mammoth wheelpants gave it the look of a massive fireplug — the look of a “Mr. World” with bulging muscles of sheer steel-like strength. The look of the airplane was simply overwhelming — staggering. The oohs and aahs were never-ending, and the airplane was not quite finished. It returned home in August 2000 and flew on December 6, 2000 — with Jim at the controls, naturally. It flew like a dream … and just maybe the great Doolittle was whispering in Jim’s ear. After completing the Super Solution, which now graces Kermit Weeks’ wondrous collection in Polk City, Florida, Jim started work in 2002 on his personalized version of the last Gee Bee design ever created. It would be known as the “Moss Q.E.D. II.” The huge, overpowering original 1934 Gee Bee Q.E.D. R6H was created for the legendary Jackie Cochran to fly in the 1934 MacRobertson Trophy Air Race from London to Melbourne. The original airplane was an aftfuselage-seating, tandem, two-place, sliding-canopy, 6,500-pound-gross-weight machine powered by a 675-hp, nine-cylinder Pratt & Whitney engine turning a two-blade Hamilton Standard propeller. Jim’s airplane would ultimately boast a larger 1820 Wright producing 1,425 hp and turning a Hamilton Standard three-blade prop.

Jim’s Q.E.D. II was slightly larger, had double the power, and was trimmed in his signature redand-white paint scheme, but it retained every bit of the original’s look, as well as the muscular style of Granville Brothers’ last design. It would be one big airplane. He was fully aware that he was undertaking a monstrous, nearly superhuman, and ultra-lengthy endeavor, but he could never have envisioned the Q.E.D. becoming the final 11-year adventure of his remarkably productive years working on vintage aircraft. It’s impossible to explain, but somehow during the Q.E.D.’s lengthy build time, Jim found the “spare” moments to totally rebuild, fully reconstruct, and completely customize his highly original 1930 Great Lakes open-cockpit biplane. Onto this antique airframe he attached a smoothly gorgeously cowled and faired into place a big-power, 270-hp Russian M-14 radial engine swinging a broad, two-blade composite prop, complete with an impressive spinner. This super-customized, fully faired Great Lakes — with its massive wheelpants; low profile; long, low-angle, rakish racing windshields; and Jim’s signature red-andwhite paint scheme — was easily the finest custom antique in the Red Barn area of Wittman field at EAA Oshkosh 2009. Jim Moss envisioned and created four historical flying treasures. All four airplanes stopped onlookers at the Big Show in Oshkosh. Like Jim Younkin, Jim Moss —in his own way and his own time — vividly demonstrated what God-given talent and the creative human mind can accomplish when a proper venue like EAA AirVenture Oshkosh provides the ideal showcase facilities. The massive Moss Q.E.D. II was flown to Oshkosh and the VAA Red Barn display area by Moss’ friend and associate Rich Alldredge in July 2014. It was even more of an impact airplane in 2014 than the Super Solution had been in 2002. The Q.E.D. simply, clearly, and properly dominated EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2014. Jim’s aviation legacy will live on for years to come. He lived the 11 years it took to see his Moss Q.E.D. II masterpiece completed and taxied, and it flew shortly after Jim departed earth for heaven on September 1, 2013. It is with the greatest honor that the Vintage Aircraft Association announces that it will posthumously induct James S. “Jim” Moss into the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame on the evening of November 9, 2017, at the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh. Jim’s wife, Judy, who has been a major part of all of Jim’s re-creation and restoration endeavors, will accept the honor on Jim’s behalf. www.vintageaircraft.org

Nominat ions

C A L L F OR V I N TA G E A I R C R A F T A S S O C I AT ION

Nominate your favorite vintage aviator for the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame. A great honor could be bestowed upon that man or woman working next to you on your airplane, sitting next to you in the chapter meeting, or walking next to you at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Think about the people in your circle of aviation friends: the mechanic, historian, photographer, or pilot who has shared innumerable tips with you and with many others. They could be the next VAA Hall of Fame inductee — but only if they are nominated. The person you nominate can be a citizen of any country and may be living or deceased; his or her involvement in vintage aviation must have occurred between 1950 and

the present day. His or her contribution can be in the areas of flying, design, mechanical or aerodynamic developments, administration, writing, some other vital and relevant field, or any combination of fields that support aviation. The person you nominate must be or have been a member of the Vintage Aircraft Association or the Antique/Classic Division of EAA, and preference is given to those whose actions have contributed to the VAA in some way, perhaps as a volunteer, a restorer who shares his expertise with others, a writer, a photographer, or a pilot sharing stories, preserving aviation history, and encouraging new pilots and enthusiasts.

To nominate someone is easy. It just takes a little time and a little reminiscing on your part. •Think of a person; think of his or her contributions to vintage aviation. •Write those contributions in the various categories of the nomination form. •Write a simple letter highlighting these attributes and contributions. Make copies of newspaper or magazine articles that may substantiate your view. •If at all possible, have another individual (or more) complete a form or write a letter about this person, confirming why the person is a good candidate for induction. We would like to take this opportunity to mention that if you have nominated someone for the VAA Hall of Fame, nominations for the honor are kept on file for three years, after which the nomination must be resubmitted. Mail nominating materials to: VAA Hall of Fame, c/o Charles W. Harris, Transportation Leasing Corp. PO Box 470350 Tulsa, OK 74147 E-mail: cwh@hvsu.com Remember, your “contemporary” may be a candidate; nominate someone today! Find the nomination form at www.VintageAircraft.org, or call the VAA office for a copy (920-426-6110), or on your own sheet of paper, simply include the following information: •Date submitted. •Name of person nominated. •Address and phone number of nominee. •E-mail address of nominee. •Date of birth of nominee. If deceased, date of death. •Name and relationship of nominee’s closest living relative. •Address and phone of nominee’s closest living relative. •VAA and EAA number, if known. (Nominee must have been or is a VAA member.) •Time span (dates) of the nominee’s contributions to vintage aviation. (Must be between 1950 to present day.) •Area(s) of contributions to aviation. •Describe the event(s) or nature of activities the nominee has undertaken in aviation to be worthy of induction into the VAA Hall of Fame. •Describe achievements the nominee has made in other related fields in aviation. •Has the nominee already been honored for his or her involvement in aviation and/or the contribution you are stating in this petition? If yes, please explain the nature of the honor and/or award the nominee has received. •Any additional supporting information. •Submitter’s address and phone number, plus e-mail address. •Include any supporting material with your petition.

JULY/AUGUST 2017

VAA News

Pre-Convention

Volunteers are at work preparing for our members and guests. If you can give some time, please visit Gerry, Debbie, Denise, and Lynn at the Volunteer Center located at the corner of Wittman Road and Vern Avenue outside the Red Barn. We have jobs for all skill and experience levels. Become an active part of the Vintage experience at AirVenture. Tall Pines Café, our permanent facility on Wittman Road by the Ultralight runway, will be open for both breakfast and supper the Saturday and Sunday before the convention — breakfast only the rest of the week. Tall Pines is operated 100 percent by Vintage volunteers to serve our members and guests. Check with Steve Nesse at Tall Pines if you can give some volunteer hours.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017

AirVenture Schedule

Our AirVenture calendar is constantly being updated. Visit our website often at EAAVintage.org or during the convention check the postings at the VAA Red Barn, Vintage Hangar, and Tall Pines Café for more details and the latest information.

NEW for 2017 — Expanded and Remodeled VAA Red Barn

Our VAA Red Barn Hospitality Center was badly in need of repair. Through the generosity of the National Biplane Association and Vintage Chapter 10, both of Tulsa, Oklahoma, we have been able to restore the original barn and nearly double its size. While still under construction, we plan to be fully operational in time for a formal re-dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:45 a.m. on Monday, July 24. Please join us for this ceremony with fellowship following.

Events Repeating Monday Through Friday

ERIN BRUEGEN

CONNOR MADISON

JULY/AUGUST 2017

Vintage Forums sponsored by B&C Specialty Products are held in the Vintage Hangar Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and noon. Reminder: Type club exhibit tables will be open in the Vintage Hangar Monday through Friday only from noon to 5 p.m. and will be closed during forum hours. Expanded Vintage Bookstore. Located just south of the Vintage Hangar in the Vintage Plaza, the Vintage Bookstore has accumulated a large and varied inventory of used and/or out-of-print aviation books. Susan Dusenbury and Jim Cunningham invite you to come and buy a book, browse, or just take a break. Come and read a while on our covered front porch. The Vintage Bookstore will accept donated books during AirVenture as well. Donated books can be taxdeductible since VAA is a 501(C)(3) corporation. 10:45 a.m. — Engine Run-Ups at Interview Circle Back this year by popular demand will be Dave Hedgecock kicking off each program by starting and running the 1915 OX-5 90-hp engine. This engine was used in many Curtiss JN-4 airplanes and also others. Tom Fey will be demonstrating his 1943 Righter 2-GS-17 World War II drone engine. 11 a.m. — Vintage in Review at Interview Circle in the Rose Plaza just east of the Vintage Hangar. Ray Johnson interviews the owners and

restorers of many beautiful and unique vintage airplanes beginning at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Noon - 5 p.m. — Type club representatives will be available in the Vintage Hangar Monday through Friday. The VAA hosts representatives of many aircraft type clubs. They can answer questions about specific vintage aircraft such as Aeroncas, Bellancas, Cubs, Cessnas, Navions, Pipers, Wacos, and many others. Hand-Propping Demonstrations: “Prop It Right and Save a Life” — Greg and Cindy Heckman will demonstrate the safe and legal way to hand prop an aircraft engine. Many vintage aircraft must be started by hand propping since they have no electric starter. We have taught more than a thousand visitors how to safely hand prop engines here at Oshkosh over the past years since Dale Gustafson suggested and conducted the first demonstrations. Gus has gone west, and we miss him! Metal-Shaping Demonstrations — See metal shaping of aircraft cowlings and other compound surfaces performed by experts Dave and Maxwell Wenglarz. Watch closely and you may be given a chance to try your hand at it. Located outside on the south side of the Vintage Hangar. Paul’s Vintage Workshop in the northeast corner of the Vintage Hangar. A&Ps Jim Hamilton and Don Bartlett will demonstrate a variety of workshop activities each day. See the schedule in the hangar for specific times for each activity. Red Barn Hospitality and Information — Sandy and Barry Perlman host the hospitality area in our completely refurbished Red Barn. They have information, emergency phone numbers, schedules of events, popcorn, and lemonade. They can also arrange some transportation on and off the field. You can pick up your participant plaque if you flew an aircraft into the Vintage area, or purchase tickets for the Vintage Picnic held on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Tall Pines Café. All of this they do with a big smile. NOTE: Specific daily forums, times, and other special events will be added as they are confirmed. Check our Daily Events schedules throughout the Vintage area.

Monday, July 24

8 a.m.-noon — Forums in the Vintage Hangar 8 a.m. — Bob Kachergrus, Stromberg Carburetor Maintenance 9 a.m. — Vintage Town Hall Meeting, Susan Dusenbury, VAA president 10 a.m. — Ask the AME, John Patterson, M.D. 11 a.m. — Workshop Demonstrations, Poly-Fiber, www.vintageaircraft.org

welding, safety wire, etc. 11 a.m. — Vintage in Review at Interview Circle. Ray Johnson interviews the owners and restorers of many beautiful and unique vintage airplanes. Mike Mowers from JAARS will present its Helio Courier. This airplane is a well-known Oshkosh favorite, having demonstrated STOL flying characteristics at many EAA conventions.

Tuesday, July 25

8 a.m.-noon — Forums in the Vintage Hangar 8 a.m. — Syd Cohen, Ercoupes Forum 9 a.m. — Clyde Smith (the Cub Doctor), Pipers: J-2 to Tri-Pacers 10 a.m. — Bill Pancake, Aeroncas: Choosing & Tackling a Restoration Project 11 a.m. — Future Aircraft Restorers, tool use, youths (8-14 years old). Parents, bring your young folks and your cameras. 11 a.m. — Vintage in Review at Interview Circle. Ray Johnson interviews the owners and restorers of many beautiful and unique vintage airplanes.

Wednesday, July 26 — Vintage Youth Day

8 a.m.-noon — Forums in the Vintage Hangar 8 a.m. — Tom Hogan, the WACO Forum: All things WACO spoken here 9 a.m. — Gene Adkins, Cessna 120/140 Club 10 a.m. — Youth Forum, the Youth of Vintage: Formulation of a Plan 11 a.m. — Vintage in Review at Interview Circle, Young VAA Pilots Day Luke Lachendro, flying in and presenting a rare 1932 Fairchild 22C7B, powered by a 125-hp Menasco C4 Pirate engine. Jesse Clement, 1946 J-3 Cub (85 hp) 5 p.m. — Vintage annual general membership meeting at Tall Pines Cafe. All VAA members and friends are invited to attend. 6:30 p.m. — Annual Vintage Picnic at Tall Pines Cafe. Tickets are available for purchase at the Information Center in the Red Barn. You must purchase your tickets in advance, and they often sell out early in the week. 9-10 p.m. — Evening Air Show and Fireworks Display

Thursday, July 27 — Ladies Love Taildraggers Day

8 a.m.-noon — Forums in the Vintage Hangar 8 a.m. — Bob Szego, Aeronca Aviators Club 9 a.m. — Larry Nelson, Cessna 195 Club 10 a.m. — Ask the AME, John Patterson, M.D. 11 a.m. — Future Aircraft Restorers, tool use, youths (8-14 years old). Parents, bring your young folks and your cameras.

JULY/AUGUST 2017

11 a.m. — Vintage in Review at Interview Circle. Judy Birchler, founder of www.LadiesLoveTaildraggers.com. Ann Pellegreno remembers duplicating Amelia Earhart’s around-the-world flight in a Lockheed 10A. Sarah Dickerson, 1946 Cessna 120.

Friday, July 28

8 a.m.-noon — Forums in the Vintage Hangar 9 a.m. — NTSB Forum, get firsthand info on aircraft incidents and safety 10 a.m. — Earl Nicholas, Communicating With the VAA (high and low tech) 11 a.m. — Vintage in Review at Interview Circle. Ray Johnson interviews the owners and restorers of many beautiful and unique vintage airplanes.

Saturday, July 29

6 p.m. — Vintage Lindy Awards Ceremony in the Vintage Hangar, all are welcome 9-10 p.m. — Evening Air Show and Fireworks Display

Sunday, July 20

5 p.m. — Convention closes. If you are not departing immediately, consider giving some Vintage volunteer time on this day to help take down, clean up, and put away. There’s always lots to do.

VINTAGE NEEDS YOUR OLD FLAT-SCREEN TV Have you upgraded your flat screen to the new 4K standard? Wondering what to do with your old flat screen? One solution is to donate your old (still working) flat-screen TV to Vintage. As we upgrade the Vintage area at Oshkosh, we are moving into the video and digital signage world to better serve our members and guests. We will gladly accept your old TV if you can get it to Oshkosh. As a 501(C)(3) nonprofit, your donation may be deductible for income tax purposes.

Needed — Youth Aviation Programs

Message from the President

Do you have a youth aviation program in place now? The EAA Vintage Aircraft Association (VAA) would like to promote more youth aviation programs around the country by becoming a clearinghouse and letting other interested parties share your experiences and the activities that have made your program successful. The late Ron Alexander, a VAA board member and founder of the Candler Field Youth Program in Georgia, and I had been formulating a plan that would involve the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association becoming a resource of information and have a listing, free of charge on our website, of all of the youth aviation programs that we could identify, available to any aviation group that might want to start a youth program. We want to encourage other groups, chapters, clubs, churches, etc. to develop a youth program of their own. We could use your promotional material, organizational structure information, scope of activities, volunteers used, etc. We will send interested parties the information you send us or have them contact you directly if that is your choice. The EAA Vintage Aircraft Association will host the third annual Youth Forum during AirVenture 2017 in Oshkosh on Wednesday, July 26, at 10 a.m. We invite you all to attend this forum to help promote aviation to the youth of America. Please e-mail information or questions to our administrator, Hannah Hupfer (hhupfer@eaa.org), to share the information, advice, and encouragement to other groups who could benefit from your enthusiastic, dedicated, youth activities. We would also be happy to provide you with a listing of the programs we know of at this time. Your information can be a major force in helping to bring more young people into our wonderful world of aviation. Thanks for your help. Dave Clark, VAA Vice President

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collection. The books are fabulous! If you like books, I do not think you will be disappointed. The bookstore is located just behind the Bill & Myrt Rose Memorial Park. This year we have expanded our programs/forums in the Vintage Hangar with programs beginning at 8 a.m. and running through noon. The subject matter is broad in scope, but to give you an idea of what will be presented, here are some of the forums that will be available to you. Programs include “Stromberg Carburetor Maintenance,” “Pipers From J-2s to Tri-Pacers,” “Choosing and Tackling a Restoration Project,” and “Ask the AME,” as well as workshop demonstrations in fabric-covering techniques, welding and other technical skills, and much, much more. We will be installing an overhead TV in the workshop area so that all can hear and see the technical demonstrations. On Monday at 9 a.m. the Vintage officers and directors will host a town hall meeting. That will be the perfect opportunity for you to ask questions and express your thoughts about our organization. I look forward to seeing you there. As we upgrade the Vintage area at Oshkosh, we are moving into the video and digital signage world to better serve our members and guests. We are now in the process of programming and installing electronic billboards and videos at some strategic locations. Look for them at the Red Barn, the Tall Pines Café, and the Vintage Hangar. If you have upgraded your flat screen to the new 4K standard and are wondering just what to do with your old (and still working) flat screen, the solution may be to donate it to Vintage to help speed up our transition to the digital world. (Again, remember that we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and as such your donations may be deductible for income tax purposes.) “Vintage Day” will be held on Wednesday during the convention. The Tall Pines Café will be serving hot dogs and apple pie for lunch. Ice cream will be available! Later that afternoon Vintage will be holding our annual membership meeting followed by the Vintage Picnic. Food, fellowship, and fun! (Not necessarily in that order.) I hope to see you there. And lastly, let me say that I’ll be “out and about” during AirVenture and am looking forward to visiting with you. www.vintageaircraft.org

VAA Welcomes New Director Jon Goldenbaum

Jon Goldenbaum

With 50 years general aviation experience, Jon Goldenbaum is highly experienced in all facets of commercial and military aviation. He has a 20-year career as a fighter pilot and commander in the U.S. Air Force, with 161 combat missions in Vietnam. During the 1980s and 90s, he was an airline pilot and instructor with Delta Air Lines and has 25 years of experience in running successful aviation manufacturing businesses. Jon’s aviation career began in 1963, when he served as a line boy and mechanic’s assistant for Guinn Flying Service, Pearland, Texas. He earned his private pilot certificate by exchanging manual labor for flying time. After graduating in 1964 from Stephen F. Austin High School, Houston, Texas, he attended the University of Texas, where he continued to exchange work for flying time to attain commercial, instrument, and flight instructor ratings as he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1968, Jon enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he was a distinguished graduate of both officer training school and pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. He became a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, serving as a combat fighter pilot in the Vietnam War and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, 11 Air Medals, the Vietnam Cross of 14

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Gallantry, Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal. Jon was promoted early to lieutenant colonel and colonel. He commanded an F-15 fighter squadron, served in a variety of command positions. He actively flew and instructed in the following aircraft: A-1 Skyraider, OV-10 Bronco, T-38, T-39, F-111, F-5E, and F-15. Jon decided to leave active duty and retired as a lieutenant colonel after 17 years of active duty in the Air Force. He maintained and operated general aviation aircraft throughout his Air Force career. As a pilot and instructor for Delta Air Lines, Jon flew a variety of aircraft, including a Boeing 727, 737, 757, Lockheed L-1011, and McDonnell Douglas MD-11. In 1990, he became a managing partner of Alexander Aeroplane, a general aviation parts distributor, after retiring early from Delta. Since 1990, Jon has served as president of Consolidated Aircraft Coatings of Riverside, California, a manufacturer of FAA-approved covering systems, paints, and primers for aviation. In 2004, he became a trustee at the Tom Wathen Center, Flabob Airport, Riverside, California, a nonprofit charity dedicated to bringing challenged young people into aviation careers, becoming its chairman in 2013. He’s an active classroom and flight instructor while continuing to run a successful business. Jon has owned a Piper J-3 Cub, Taylorcraft BC12D, Stinson 108-3, Beech Queen Air, Beech V35 Bonanza, Navy N3N in the Antique/Classic aircraft category. He actively flies a Navy N3N-3, DC-3, C-47, C-53, T-28, Bonanza, Champ, and Cub, and is an active instructor in all. Jon holds ratings in an ATP, DC-3, MD-11, B-737. CFI, CFII, MEI, with 11,500 hours total with 3,000 hours of tailwheel. The VAA is proud to welcome our new director, Jon Goldenbaum!

How to?

Univair Has Classic Piper Parts ROBERT G. LOCK

We have thousands of quality FAA/PMA approved and original Piper parts specifically for the Piper J-3, J-4, J-5, PA-11, PA-12, PA-14, PA-15, PA-16, PA-17, PA-18, PA-20, PA-22, and PA-25. Univair has the largest inventory of parts in the world for these aircraft. We also have distributor parts such as tires, batteries, tailwheels, and much more.

Using a tap tester tool

Call or visit our website to request your free catalog with over 16,000 parts (foreign orders pay postage). With the advent of advanced composites, tap testing became the most widely used method to determine delaminations and disbonds near the surface of a part. Tapping and listening to the resulting sound gave the mechanic a sense of where a disbond or delamination was located. I have experimented using this technique (which I taught at the college) and adapted it to a steel tube structure. In my shop is an old Command-Aire fuselage frame, and the experimenting took place on it because I know where bad tubing is located. Chromoly tubing can rust from the inside, thus thinning the wall and making the tube unairworthy. The practice is to tap on a tube you know is good and then tap on a tube you know is bad, listening intently to the resulting sound. Take a new piece of tubing and tap it with the tool, and the resulting sound will be a “metallic ring.” Tap on a tube

that has internal corrosion and thinned walls, and it will have a “dead” sound. This process is just another way, but not the only way, to detect internal corrosion in structural tubing. So what does the composite tap testing tool look like? Well, it’s a very simple tool, and one that can be made using a short piece of welding rod and a swage ball end used on a cable assembly. Photo 1 shows a typical tap testing tool. Tap testing should begin at the tail post of the lower longerons and proceed forward, tapping on the bottom of the longerons. Tap a diagonal or cross tube and listen to the sound it makes, then tap along those longerons and the lower tail post. If there ever was moisture from condensation, that is where it usually settles. Photo 1 shows tap testing an 83-year old longeron on a Command-Aire fuselage frame. The lower

Photo 1 16

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Photo 2

longerons are all rusted out on the inside to a point where holes have eaten through the tubing and are visible to the naked eye. This longeron was a good practice piece to work on my tap testing of steel tubing. Start by taking a new section of 4130 tube and tap using this special tool. Listen to the sound it makes, then go to the fuselage frame and tap on top longerons, cross and diagonal tubes, and listen to the sound. If it sounds like the new tube, it is good. If it sounds dull or it does not have a good “ringy” sound, it’s probably bad on the inside. Locate the areas where the sound is dead and cut open with a hacksaw to observe the inside. This is good practice to learn how to use the tap tester. Once you’ve mastered using the tool it is amazing what you can accomplish in a short period of time. Once dull or dead areas are mapped out, take a small center punch and a small ball-peen hammer and tap in those areas. If the wall is thin, the punch will go right through and you’ll know immediately. I always complete my testing by using the punch/ballpeen hammer routine. Photo 2 above shows the left lower aft longeron with my trusty punch stick through the tube, indicating that the inside has corroded and there is very little wall left. This is how you do it.

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As you plan for AirVenture 2017, consider donating to the permanent dining pavilion fund for the Tall Pine Cafe. Help make VAA a prosperous and exciting organization.

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Good Old Days From pages of what was . . . Take a quick look through history by enjoying images pulled from publications past.

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The Return of Alvin Musser’s historic Clipped Cub by Budd Davisson

Vertigo TYSON RININGER

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“Paul asked me if I wanted to join this new association he was starting,” said Van White, 91, of Shallowater, Texas. “It would be called the Experimental Aircraft Association and my membership number would be under 10.” But I didn’t have the $5, so my EAA number is 155. The EAA and sport aviation community is very conscious of its history and its heroes. It likes to look back and remember those who were there at the beginning and had a hand in founding the organization that many of us call home. Van was one of those. In fact, he was on the EAA board of directors for years. A few might even

remember his scratchbuilt Nesmith Cougar that won awards in ’59. However, many more will remember him as performing graceful aerobatics during the 1980s Oshkosh air shows in his highly modified Clipped Cub, Vertigo. Van had a whole string of Clipped Cubs, the first bought on Trade-A-Plane in the early ’50s — the purchase of which allowe d Paul Pob erezny to track him down and invite him into the EAA. Then Van began building a series of them, the last one being Vertigo II, which carried the Clipped Cub theme to its logical extension as an air show airplane. www.vintageaircraft.org

The original, certified Reed Clipped Wing Cub conversion is not an STC, as is often thought. In fact, technically, it isn’t even a conversion because it is spelled out in the FAA’s Type Certificate Data Sheet, No. A-691 (Item 625). It is “almost” as if it’s a factoryapproved mod that doesn’t change its certification status. So, technically, it can be signed off as a logbook entry by an A&P mechanic. The conversion includes removing 40-1/2 inches from the root of each wing, which is two bays, leaving only one narrow bay between

The servo tabs in the ailerons greatly lighten control pressures. TYSON RININGER

B. JIM KOEPNICK PHOTOS

C. 22

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A. The cute Cub logo belies the airplane’s ability to dance. B. Some of the funky attributes that make a Cub, a Cub. C. The nose bowel is Super Cub, as is the windshield and panel. D. The bungees do their best to hide behind streamlined covers.

JIM KOEPNICK

the root of the aileron and the fuselage. Other details to be included are heavier strut fittings and the addition of a small vertical stiffener between the upper strut bolt and the spar because the lift struts no longer line up with the existing strut-fitting attachments on the spar. The additional member is to carry the asymmetric loads. The complete details are called out in a number of sources, including the Lippert-Reed conversion pamphlet sold by Wag-Aero. This conversion keeps the newborn Clipped Cub in the standard category. However, Van White wasn’t looking for “standard” anything. He was looking for an excellent-performing aerobatic airplane in which to perform at air shows around the lower West and Midwest, with an occasional foray north to Wisconsin. As he began building Vertigo, he knew he was going to license it in the experimental air show/exhibition category so he could do pretty much anything he wanted. This included doubling up the number of ribs so the spacing between was halved. He also put servos on the ailerons, which made them lighter and more responsive. Then, cutting right to the heart of aerobatic capabilities, he beefed up the front of the fuselage, and in place of the always-reliable-but-wheezing

In side view, the Super Cub influence of the nose and windshield are obvious.

Van White and Vertigo at Oshkosh where they performed five times.

Sandra and Van White relaxing between flights at an airshow in the 80s. www.vintageaircraft.org

It was to be Alvin’s first airplane project, but he’d been part of the aviation tribe longer than most. He said, “I’m still living on the farm where I was raised and my runway is there. There was an ag operator nearby, and growing up I was totally fascinated with what he did. So I started hanging around him, and at the age of 19 was hired by Wood’s Flying Service to do mechanical and service stuff. Then Jim Wood borrowed a Super Cub and taught me to fly with the goal of putting me to work flying his sprayers. I got my PPL at 20 and started spraying the following year. Right now I have 6,000 hours and 90 percent of that is doing ag work. Unfortunately, most of that was in central Iowa where I would spend my entire summers. I had gotten married and knew I didn’t want to miss my kids growing up, so I started looking for something

The 40 1/2” clipped from each wing root are obvious in this view.

else to do.” Alvin’s brother-in-law had a furniture manufacturing plant, so he looked at buying into that and “settling” down. A deal was struck, but Alvin worked a few more seasons before hanging up his ag pilot goggles. “I haven’t sprayed the last few seasons.” he said. “I want to spend time with my family.” That, however, didn’t mean he wouldn’t be flying. “I wanted an aerobatic airplane,” he said, “and Har ve Applegate pointed out the wrecked Clipped Cub that Van White had for sale. I’m not an A&P, but I know airplanes fairly well from working on the ag planes and thought this was something I could not only afford but would be fun to do. The airplane was unique in a lot of ways and was also historic. So, Harve Applegate, Leonard Musser, and I made the 16-hour trip to Texas,

TYSON RININGER

years, including doing at least five shows at Oshkosh in the 1980s. Then he was seduced by the Bücker Jungmann, and Vertigo went to another owner. However, it eventually wound up back in Van’s stable but was then badly injured (cart-

wheeled) in an after-dark landing on an unlit runway. Van repaired the fuselage tubing damage but decided to put the crumpled remains up for sale, and this brought Alvin Musser of Memphis, Missouri, into the equation.

JIM KOEPNICK PHOTOS

65-hp Continental A-65, hung a fire-breathing, 150-hp Lycoming IO-320 with a full inverted system (both fuel and oil). It was no longer your grandfather’s Piper Cub! It was Clipped Cub 2.0. Van campaigned Vertigo for

Hardly what you expect in the nose of a J-3: 150hp Lycoming. 24

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JIM KOEPNICK

Alvin reports that Vertigo is a pussycat to land.

The 800 x 4 tires and wheels literally say “Cub.” www.vintageaircraft.org

The doubled-up ribs (half the normal spacing) are clearly visible from this angle, as is the narrow space between the root of the aileron and the fuselage.

Cub. So I am often cruising around at reduced power, just enjoying that ‘something’ that makes Cubs so special. Then, of course, if I want to do some acro, it’s all right there in my left hand. That much power makes loops incredibly easy, and the servo tabs that Van put on the ailerons make rolls so nicely it’s hard to believe. “The airplane is simply one of the best balanced, most fun airplanes I’ve ever flown, and I have a lot of people to thank for that, the first, of course, being Van White. And then there is my wife, Loretta, who both allows and enjoys my passion. However, I do remember her once saying, ‘I should have been an airplane.’ She is great about it. “I also have to thank Har ve Applegate for getting it all started; Leo Fox for all those hours he put in and keeping it going; Lenny Yarita, Leonard Musser for their help;

JIM KOEPNICK

TYSON RININGER

placed a bunch of them. A lot of the wing par ts were still usable, but when the airplane cartwheeled, it crushed just about everything, and of course, it needed vin Musser’s (left) Al s wa go rti Ve gh ou new leading Alth he reports his early edges. I had new, first airplane project, him. ed ar ep pr es an full-wraparound pl ag work on skins made by Brian Standsbury of inspected it, and bought it. Moulten, Iowa. Also, when we did “The basic fuselage structure was the struts, we not only went with pretty much finished, but the wings the heavier clevises but ran a round were a mess. Most of the spars piece of tubing down the inside of were damaged or broken, but since the strut. And rosette welded it in I also had a strong background in place, making it stronger for inwoodwork, I simply bought new verted flight.” spars and repaired the metal ribs Although Van had repaired all that could be repaired but re- of the structural fuselage damage 26

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before selling it, Alvin was still left with the job of going through the engine and building new cowling and sheet metal. “We used a Super Cub nosebowl,” he said, “but had to build the rest of the cowling and the boot cowl. At the same time, we installed a Super Cub windshield and instrument panel. So it looks very much like a Super Cub up front, but you still solo it from the back seat. “The engine itself, which is a fuel-injected O-320, only had 90 hours on it since overhaul, but I sent it up to Bud Farr in Wisconsin to be broken down and inspected and repaired as necessary. In the process, he replaced the crank and freshened everything up.” From the beginning, Van had tried to keep the airplane light

and Alvin did the same. This is easily seen in the interior where the usual inner layer of fabric, which functions as upholstery in a Cub, is missing. However, the traditional canvas-sling back seat that is always seen in Cubs has been replaced by a Van White–built latticework structure of welded strips of steel that was designed with pulling g’s in mind. With the airplane finished and in the air, Alvin said, “It just wants to f ly. It has a lot of power for such a little airplane, so it takes off instantly. Anytime you want to climb, you just pull the nose up and let it go. It’s wonderful! “I can flight plan it at 110 mph, but I don’t usually run it that fast. You have to remember that it is still a Cub and I want it to feel like a

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Jim Morgan for rib stitching; Gene and Brian Fox for painting; and the many others who have given their time. Without them, the project would never have been completed. “There were two real high points for me in reconstructing Vertigo. The first was receiving the award for Outstanding Closed Cockpit Monoplane–Vintage at AirVenture ’16. I didn’t build the airplane for awards. In fact, throughout the whole process, I just wanted to get it done and flying. If I had [been] building for awards, it still wouldn’t be finished. “The second high point was when I had the airplane at an antique flyin in Iowa. Van and Sandra White drove all the way up from Texas to see it, and Van said, ‘I’m so glad to see it back in the air. It was worth the trip to see it.’ That meant a lot to me. A lot!” Nothing else needs be said. Vertigo is back.

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A Family Tradition Since 1953 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has always been the place where the EAA family gathers to celebrate and create lasting memories and traditions. Come home and be a part of the world’s largest family reunion.

July 24-31 | EAA.org/Tradition World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration ® CHRIS MILLER

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Port Clinton, Oh June 29-July 4 St. Cloud, MN* July 6-9 Rochester, MN* July 13-16 Rockford, IL July 13-16 Oshkosh, WI July 24-30 JIM BUSHA

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Visit flytheford.org or call 1-877-952-5395 to reserve your flight. ERIN BRUEGEN

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Bill Brennand Oshkosh aviator by Jim Cunningham

ecades before the ground at the south end of Wittman Regional Air por t became part of one of the world’s busiest air fields ever y July, a teenage boy worked the land as part of his family farm. He weighed le s s t h a n a h u nd re d p o u nd s , suffered from hay fever, and hated farming. He would look up in envy as legendary air race pilot Steve Wittman f lashed overhead not much higher than the few trees scattered about, which he used as simulated race pylons. The young Bill Brennand knew all about Wittman and the airplanes; like many people in the

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1930s, he followed air racing with great interest. He imagined what it would be like to fly in an air race, thinking it was only a fantasy. He never would have believed that in a few years he would not only be flying with Wittman but would also become a champion air race pilot himself. A fter deciding that colle ge wasn’t for him and receiving an occupational deferment during World War II so he could work the family farm after his brother was drafted, he went to work for Wittman. Technically he wasn’t allowed to do this since he was supposed to work only on the f a r m , b u t h e re c e i v e d f l i g h t training in return for his work; no

money changed hands. He soloed in a Taylorcraft, N36046 (still flying today), in Oshkosh after nine hours of dual. The examiner for the checkride that followed on April 18, 1944, was none other than Wittman himself. As work with the military’s pilot training program wound down, Bill became the only other employee at Wittman Flying Service. He and Wittman grew close. Later, Bill became a flight instructor, and when people came to the airport wanting to fly with Wittman, he would typically refer them to Bill, telling them that Bill was a better instructor than he was. Throughout his time working for Wittman, Bill would gaze up at the

wreck of the famed Chief Oshkosh hanging from the rafters of the hangar. The aircraft was sidelined before WWII after its engine failed and it crashed in a race in Oakland, C a l i for n i a . He love d he a r i n g Wittman reminisce about racing and f lying it . W hen Wittman casually and perhaps not seriously suggested that they should rebuild it after the war just to have it to play with, Bill jumped at the idea and never let Wittman forget about it. Eventually Wittman relented, telling Bill it was something for him to get killed in. Bill never forgot those words whenever he flew the airplane. The two removed the 150-hp Menasco engine and replaced it with a Continental C85,

re-covered an old set of wings, and modified the cockpit and canopy. The initial new cowling was crude a n d w o n n o a w a rd s , b u t t h e airplane flew. “It was one scared, busy little guy that pushed the throttle in,” Bill recalled of his first flight in the airplane. “After about two seconds in the thing, my appreciation of Steve Wittman’s ability as a pilot went up about 200 percent! It gave me the impression of walking on a tight wire.” Wittman’s other instructor was upset that Bill got to fly it first, and when his turn came he firewalled the throttle, went nearly vertical, put the power to idle, and came back for a landing. The next day he flew it one more

time, probably to prove that he was man enough to do so, but never again. Bill, meanwhile, couldn’t get enough of flying it and taught himself aerobatics from a book after scaring himself to varying degrees (a training technique he always told others to avoid). As Bill learned the details of flying aerobatics, the Professional Race Pilots Association came up with a new class of race aircraft for the rejuvenated National Air Races. The class was limited to lightweight airplanes with 85-hp engines, and they became known as “midgets,” or “Goodyear racers,” after the sponsors of the class. The idea was to create a category harkening back to the golden age of air racing in the 1930s, when pilots often designed and built their own simple airplanes — a practice that was lost with the introduction of fast warbird-derived raceplanes. Wittman realized that with a little refinement, the modified Chief Oshkosh would make an excellent contestant. Word got out, and several pilots asked Wittman if they could race it. He turned them all down without hesitation. He knew who he wanted to f ly the race: Bill Brennand. Bill was happy to be selected. Though he always told everyone that Wittman chose him simply b e cause, at just 100 p ounds , his weight gave him a dramatic

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advantage in a light raceplane, the fact of the matter was that Wittman probably knew in advance what others came to learn with experience: that Bill was an outstanding pilot who would be tough to beat on the racecourse. In the months before the air races, Wittman, Bill, and their team designed and built a new set of wings and a new cowling, added required instrumentation, and added brakes, which the racing rules required. “However,” Bill remembered, “the rules didn’t say they had to work. And these didn’t.” That fact would come back to haunt him later in Cleveland. The airplane, now renamed Buster, was pronounced ready to compete a mere 10 days before the race. Bill got to fly it for only about 30 minutes before the trip to Cleveland. “And, of course, it was a totally different flying airplane than it had been before,” Bill remembered. “In fact , it f lew much nicer. The airplane gave me confidence. I was never afraid of it, and that’s something that most of the race pilots couldn’t say about their airplanes.” Landing at Cleveland for the race, Bill thought he was in some kind of trouble, as a crowd of people surrounded his airplane when he taxied in. In fact, they only wanted to see the competition — the plane and pilot they had to beat. The plane they knew — the pilot they didn’t. This was hardly 48

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surprising given that Bill had been out of the state only a few times. He was a proverbial farm boy who was in no way prepared for the attention he was about to receive. Initial pre-race efforts went well, until Bill’s prop shed most of one blade while he was on a qualifying race run. He went vertical as he was taught and shut the engine d o w n b e fo re i t s h o o k B u s te r apart. He was then alarmed to note that the only potential spot for an emergency landing was on the other side of the grandstands that he was told never to fly over under any circumstances. “We’ll argue about it tomorrow, but at least I’ll be around to argue!” he remembered thinking at the time. Grandstand notwithstanding, his landing on a small concrete pad downwind — with brakes that didn’t work — was uneventful. After a fast repair job on the cowling and the installation of a new prop — one that Bill said looked like it was pitched for a J-3 Cub and was far from what he would have liked for Buster — the airplane was ready to go. By this time, Bill was under considerable stress, unable to even keep food down. “They got me some PeptoBismol, and I was better by the next morning,” he recalled. He got little sleep but made it out to the flightline for the heat race. Looking around him as the planes sat with their engines running ready to charge off into the air, Bill

saw the faces of racing legends he had read about while growing up: Tony LeVier, Fish Salmon, and many others. “I started thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’ Everything hit me at once — my inexperience, the competition, the publicity, the prospect of screwing up in front of my friends and a few hundred thousand others, what this would mean for my future — it all became a twisted knot in my stomach.” Then the flag dropped, and there wasn’t time to think anymore. Bill got off the ground first and took the lead. He won, never coming close to losing. Next up was the big race on Labor Day. More confident after his victory the day before, Bill again took the lead. “They had put 10 tape strips on the instrument panel,” Bill said. “When you completed one lap you were supposed to pull one off; the number of strips on the panel was supposed to be the number of remaining laps you had to fly. I was so busy concentrating on flying that I lost track.” It didn’t matter — he knew he was in first place and pulling farther away on each lap. “If the race had been a few laps longer, I would have lapped Tony LeVier.” Taking the top position at the National Air Races was one hell of a way to enter the sport, but it wasn’t a fluke. Bill entered many air races over the next few years and ended up in the winner’s circle at least half the time. In 1949, the National Air Races were held in Detroit rather

than Cleveland. Partway through his first lap he noticed something unusual about Buster’s shadow. “There was only one shadow, but there was something very wrong with it — it had two sets of wings, and Buster was not a biplane,” Bill recalled. “Gawd! Somebody was close — damned close — but who was it, and where was he? How close were we to colliding and plummeting to the ground at almost 200 mph?” It was racer Bob Downey. Bill expected him to pass over him, but Downey kept trying to pass low and inside … and close. The two went around the course that way, dangerously low and dangerously close. The judges disqualified them both the next day for low flying. Bill always maintained that the ruling was unfair because Downey had been crowding him and trying to pass inside, all of which was illegal. Others, including Wittman, called Bill’s flying low and tight to prevent Downey’s attempt to pass illegally “the wrong stance to take.” Brennand and Wittman also teamed up as an airshow act flying Buster and Bonzo around the country, sometimes teaming up with famed aerobatic pilot Betty Skelton in her Pitts Special Little Stinker. The midget racers gave Brennand and Wittman an opportunity to perform shows featuring more ver tical maneuvers than most other aircraft could fly at the time. Although Bill found his success as an airshow and race pilot satisfying, he knew that neither occupation made for a stable career or provided a reliable source of income. More importantly, he saw too many accidents and lost too many friends. Not wishing to join them, he changed careers. The Marathon Paper Corp. had a Beech 18 based at Oshkosh, and before long he was flying it as first officer to various locations in the United

States and Canada. The company sent him to American Flyers in Texas to earn an instrument rating, and he began flying the Beech IFR and at night using the four-course radio range. Bill oversaw the conversion of Marathon’s next airplane, a Lockheed Lodestar, into an executive transport, but he objected to the luxury interior, which along with fuel and passengers put the aircraft over maximum gross weight and out of CG. His protests fell on deaf ears. “Obviously,” Bill said, after flying it a while, “the captain wasn’t going to leave, so I did. I said, ‘This is too dangerous for me.’ That statement surprised people, considering that my previous job had been flying in air races and air shows, neither of which was an especially safe occupation. Nonetheless, it was true.” Next, Bill set up a grass strip and hangar on the family farm that was then just south of the airport and

began doing airplane maintenance and f light instruction. The introduction of jet airliners meant that a much longer runway was needed if Oshkosh wanted to retain its airline service, and the Brennand farm was right where the airport wanted to build a new and larger runway, the current 18-36. The airport offered him space into which he could move his business, but it required him to duplicate all the ser vices of the exist ing FB O, s ome thing that wasn’t economically viable. Relations quickly deteriorated between Bill and the airport board, which was by then headed by his former captain from Marathon’s airplane, which probably didn’t help. “I don’t need your airport,” Bill told them. “I’m not going to put up with people lying. I can go out and build my own airport, and at the end of 20 years I’ll still own

www.vintageaircraft.org

it and it will have doubled in value.” And so he did. A friend had a grass strip to the north of Oshkosh and Bill leased the property, put in a paved runway, and added buildings for an FBO, complete with a flight school and maintenance shop. His timing was perfect, and in the heyday of general aviation during the 1960s and ’70s, he and his staff could barely keep up as his business became the largest used airplane dealer in Wisconsin. Soon Bill realized that he didn’t really need to be on-site full time and began taking flying trips several times a year. He and his friends would disappear into northern Canada, where they would camp and fish for a month or more at a time. Life was good. One day Bill got a call from Paul Poberezny. A few pilots who owned seaplanes wanted to bring them to the annual convention. Would it be possible to park a couple of them at Bill’s personal property on Lake Winnebago a few miles from the airport? After all, Bill was already parking his Cub on floats there and had a small boathouse. Bill agreed, and it did not take long for word to spread and attract the attention of dozens of seaplane owners. The operation grew quickly. More land was cleared and improved, boats and gear acquired, procedures developed, camping and other facilities built. More seaplanes came with each passing year, and the seaplane base became a “bestknown secret” of the annual EAA convention. What started as a parking spot for a dozen seaplanes turned into a seaplane base with more than 200,000 people visiting over the course of the week to check out up to 150 seaplanes. Bill served as chairman for the base for 20 years, stepping down when he sold the land back to the Vette family, whom he had bought it from 50 years before. 50

JULY/AUGUST 2017

One day in 1970, Bill’s airplane salesman “Freddy” Fredericksen came into the office waving around a copy of Trade-A-Plane and talking about a “ basket case” Stinson Tri-Motor for sale in Alaska. The airplane, built in the 1920s, had been left sitting outside for about 40 years. It was little more than a hulk, but it could be rebuilt. Theoretically. Bill and some friends purchased it and had the disassembled project trucked back to Wisconsin. Rebuilding the Stinson took years, and even with copies of all the original type certificate documentation it was not an easy process. Tubing from longdiscontinued metal types had to be researched and replaced; so much fabric was used that Bill and his team became Stits dealers by default; and their first engine start knocked the Oshkosh tower off the air because the original engine ignition systems were not shielded — and these were just a few of the challenges they faced. Eventually the day came to fly the Stinson, and Bill and his project partner Chuck Andreas climbed into it. The flight that day, December 11, 1981, was uneventful. Over the next decade and a half, thousands of people got memorable rides in the airplane at EAA AirVenture, SUN ’n FUN, and dozens of air shows all across the country. In 1999, the airplane was sold to Kermit Weeks; it remains in his collection in Florida. As the years and decades rolled on, Bill never retired — not really. “I was never one to look forward to retirement. I’ve just slowed down some, and then when I had to, I slowed down a little more. After all, I did all my traveling and had my fun flying when I was young enough to enjoy it.” He sold off his airport and seaplane base property in the mid-1990s as he entered his 70s,

then the Tri-Motor in 1999. His last airplane, a Cessna 150, followed not too long afterward. “I was not one to just ride around the patch very much; the flight had to have a purpose. I guess 65 years of flying was enough.” Bill continued to get involved with aviation in new ways as he entered his eighth decade, traveling and talking with the Society of Air Race Historians, EAA chapters, and other groups. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame in 1995. He always had time for anyone who wanted to meet with him and find out what it was like to fly in the National Air Races. He embraced technology like few others in their 80s and 90s do, and was active on Facebook and social media. Even though his flying days were behind him, Bill continued to keep up with aviation technology such as GPS systems and iPads and, often to the disdain of pilots of his vintage, defended it vigorously. A long time member of E AA Chapter 252 in Oshkosh, Bill’s last aviation project as he turned 91 was advising fellow chapter members on the configuration and construction of a replica of Buster, the airplane he flew to fame in the National Air Races. (The replica will be displayed in the EAA Aviation Museum.) He was also excited to consult on EAA member Gus Warren’s Buster reproduction, which will fly when completed. The two men could be found the last couple of years at AirVenture in the back of the VAA Red Barn discussing plans and photographs of the original airplane and Gus’ project. As Bill’s mobility grew more limited, he didn’t roam the convention grounds as much as he once did, but he still enjoyed visiting the Seaplane Base to make sure things were running smoothly, and he also liked spending afternoons

on the porch of the VAA Red Barn with a bag of popcorn watching the people and airplanes go by. How many people sat next to him, completely unaware that they were in the presence of an air race legend? Bill himself would never have mentioned it. On what would turn out to be his last day ever at AirVenture, Bill pushed back the pain he was in and made an effort to stand to get a better view of the flightline as the Martin Mars did a low pass and dropped 7,000 gallons of water. The smile on his face said it all. Bill Brennand passed away on the morning of March 14, 2017, in Oshkosh, the town where he was born and lived his entire life. He had no complaints, and indeed was the first to recognize how fortunate he had been. But for those who were fortunate enough to know him, there is a void that will never really be filled. It will be difficult this year not to see his car parked behind the Red Barn or to know that we won’t find him there waiting to see us, offering us some of his popcorn. No one is immortal, but some are fortunate enough to be immortalized. Many airports are named after people. Often they’re dedicated to politicians by other politicians who never use the airport in question. But to the north of Oshkosh, there will always be an airport that is forever special, for it is and always will be named after a pilot — the legendary air race pilot who built it: Bill Brennand.

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The

Newells’

Jewel

Representing Taylorcraft’s four-place foray by Sparky Barnes Sargent SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

aviation gem from yesteryear, this unassuming (ye t none theless remarkable) 1953 Taylorcraft Model 15A is a distinctive sight to behold. Known as the Tourist, it’s one of very few four-place Taylorcrafts ever built. At a glance, vintage aircraft enthusiasts may

JULY/AUGUST 2017

first mistake it for an earliermanufactured Aeronca 15AC Sedan, but the Model 15A’s long, slender nose, slotted wings, side windows, and the sweeping curve of its lower fuselage tell the tale. The aircraft’s caretakers, Tim Newell and his son, Ryan, invited me to climb into the spacious cabin for our interview one rainy

morning during AirVenture 2016. Father and son are longtime Taylorcraft aficionados, owners, and history buffs. They just happen to live about 30 miles from Alliance, Ohio, which was once home to Taylorcraft Aviation Corp.

Barnstormers Find

It’s funny how things work out

sometimes. The Newells had been talking about buying a four-place airplane to fly while they restored their Piper Pacer, and voila! Along came an airport friend who pointed out a Barnstormers.com ad for a Taylorcraft Model 15A. Being Taylorcraft savvy, the Newells knew exactly what a Model 15A was. They’d quietly been coveting one,

and had even seen this particular airplane in 2012 at the Taylorcraft reunion fly-in. “We were impressed by its condition when we saw it, but then it was sold to another individual and it became the victim of a bankruptcy/lawsuit sort of situation before it popped up on Barnstormers last summer,” shares Ryan. “As

best we can tell, it had been at least a year and a half since it had flown. It only had 600 hours of total time, and we bought it in August 2015 from the guy who bought it from the bankruptcy hearing. He recognized that it was rare and wanted it to go to somebody who wanted to take care of it.” Rare indeed. It’s estimated that www.vintageaircraft.org

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS

1953 Taylorcraft 15A Tourist Manufactured under ATC 3A3

Truly a Taylorcraft tail!

SKYWAYS, NOVE MBER 1956

The Newells plan to restore an original-type aluminum instrument panel in place of this custom wood panel.

The doors open wide, allowing easy access to the Tourist’s cabin.

from 1951 to 1955, Taylorcraft built only about 30 of these fourplace airplanes. When asked about the history of N23JW, Ryan chuckles and says, “The reality is, our airplane doesn’t have much of a history, and that’s why it’s still here!” This particular 15A spent most of its life in the eastern part of the country. It was first sold in August 1953 to Guardian Airsearch Corp. 54

JULY/AUGUST 2017

Note the metal gear fairing, entry step, and wheel pant.

of Ridgewood, New York, and it was later owned by two Pennsylvania companies: Jordan Paint Co. of Allentown and then Delco Air Activities of Gradyville. Joseph Woodward bought it in 1970 and changed the registration number from N6662N to N23JW in 1977.

Safe, Slow, and Stable

In his book U.S. Civil Aircraft,

aviation historian and author Joseph Juptner wrote, “The fourseated ‘Tourist’ … was often described as ‘sedate in behavior and comfortable as an old shoe.’” T h a t d e s c r i p t i o n s e e m s to fit pretty well. The Tourist was promoted as “America’s safest airplane,” possessing admirable short-field performance and loadcarrying abilities. The fuselage is

Wingspan

36 feet

Wing area

186.3 square feet

Airfoil

Modified Gottingen series 398 (“JCH”)

Length

24 feet

Height

7 feet, 1 inch

Useful load

925 pounds

Gross weight

2,200 pounds

Engine

Continental C-145

Fuel

40 gallons (originally 42, with 2-gallon header tank)

Fuel consumption

8.5 gph

Oil

9 quarts

Max speed

125 mph

Cruising speed

115 mph

Landing speed (with flaps)

36 mph

Takeoff run

500 feet

Climb, first minute

700 feet

Service ceiling

16,000 feet

Normal range

500 miles

Baggage capacity

100 pounds

Price

$6,790

Derived from Taylorcraft Inc., Conway, Pennsylvania, brochure and ATC 3A3.

built of heavy steel tubing, and three doors (a fourth door was optional) provide easy access to the cabin. Touted as being “high-lift, spin, and stall resistant,” the 15A’s wings are built of spruce spars and stamped aluminum ribs, and the leading edges are slotted, as are the all-metal flaps and ailerons. Notably, the wing-strut configuration and the aileron push-pull tube mechanisms are similar to that of the World War II-era Taylorcraft L-2. The Tourist’s landing gear has a distinct toe-in, and bungees wrapped around hydrasorbs provide a cushioning effect during ground operations. Hydraulic toe brakes are original to the 15A (as opposed to heel brakes), and the pilot’s seat was adjustable. “ The 15A has a Continental C-145-2 engine, and N23JW has its original engine,” says Tim. “Un-

fortunately, we don’t have all the original logs; they were lost. We do have some records, but Forrest Barber, who is the Taylorcraft expert in Alliance, is helping us reconstruct the logs as best we can.”

Acquisition of Accoutrements

Sure enough, N23JW (serial number 5-14008) landed in good hands, although it was a bit bedraggled. While the airplane was mostly intact and still had some of its original instruments, it was missing various components. The Newells set about locating and installing Consolidair Model 17 wheel fenders, tail brace wires, inspection plates, and a spinner. The original Scott 2000 tail wheel was also absent, so the Newells decided to install a larger Scott 3200 to accommodate the 15A’s heavy tail. www.vintageaircraft.org

Note the wing strut configuration, which is similar to a Taylorcraft L-2.

COURTESY GREG STULL

“We did a lot of research about the model as well; the wheelpants we bought were missing the trim pieces, so I had them made by Rob Palmer in Missouri, and he did a nice job,” says Ryan. “A previous owner [Ralph Nace] restored the airplane in 1993 using Ceconite 102 and the Randolph process. He also added some wood trim around the windows and doors, installed a wood panel in place of the original aluminum, and painted the airplane in a custom paint scheme. He did a nice job, so it’s not something we want to tear into immediately, but our goal is to slowly get it back to where it looks original.”

Flying Family

Certainly there’s no urgency to return the Model 15A to its 1953 authenticity. When Tim buys an airplane, it becomes part of the family. He bought a 1946 Taylorcraft BC-12-D in 1979 (which he and Ryan restored from 2006 to 2011) and a 1955 Piper PA-22 in 1981. Tim just can’t let go of his

JULY/AUGUST 2017

aerial steeds — after all, his grandchildren will need something to fly one of these days. Tim inherited his love of aviation from his father, who was an aerospace engineer for Goodyear. “When we were little kids, he’d take us to the local airport and we’d watch the DC-3s and DC-6s come in,” recalls Tim, “and we built the plastic and balsa wood model airplanes. When I was 16 I had a paper route, and I would earn just enough money to go out and get an hour of dual at the local grass strip. I soloed when I was 16 in a 1964 Cessna 150. I bought my Taylorcraft BC-12-D for $3,800 in January 1979, got my license, and that March my wife and I flew it to SUN ’n FUN from Ohio.” Son Ryan, now 35 and a father himself, has in turn inherited his passion for aviation and history from Tim. “Dad took me to Civil War battlefields and airplane museums when I was a kid, and the result is I’m a ninth-grade history teacher. Even my name reflects

my dad’s love of aviation history,” says Ryan, smiling. “I had my first flight at 20 days old, and Dad introduced me to building plastic models. He kept the planes at a 1,000-foot farm strip until I was 10. All the guys we flew with were flying farmers, so I grew up with that grassroots, taildragger kind of flying. The Taylorcrafts have a local history to us, and we’re both active in the Taylorcraft Foundation and are trying to preserve that history.”

Four-Place Foray

Being history buffs, the Newells were quick to highlight the fact that the Model 15A was made by Taylorcraft Inc. at the ConwayPittsburgh Airport in Conway, Pennsylvania. But before the 15A came the Model 15 Foursome prototype, which was made in Alliance, Ohio. This background is best conveyed by author Chet Peek in his book The Taylorcraft Story: “The Taylorcraft four-place … prototype, NC36320 … flew with a Lycom-

ing 125 hp O-290 engine. When this power proved inadequate, a 150 hp Franklin was installed. In trade ads placed in June of 1945, it was dubbed ‘the Tourist.’ Through 1945-46, it continued to be refined, until in August 1946, with a much improved profile, the plane was announced to the public and awarded ATC #775. However, no record of this ATC issuance is found in the FAA files. With the impending bankruptcy, it appears that no further production took place at Alliance. The new Taylorcraft Company, headed by Ben Mauro, acquired the prototype and the manufacturing rights along with the rest of the equipment in the bankruptcy sale.” Interestingly, Taylor himself did not cut ties with the company. According to Peek, Taylor retained “his title of vice president for the period 1949-1958. … One major contribution made by C.G. Taylor during this period was the redesign of the Model 15 fuselage. … Taylor took a fuselage frame back to Alliance, re-engineered it, and was able to reduce the weight by over 100 lbs. This revision became the 15A [ATC #3A3].” Taylorcraft’s marketing materials proudly emphasized the 15A’s size, horsepower, safety, and durability: “The Biggest Plane in its Price Class! Beneath those smooth, flowing lines is a tubular, chrome-molybdenum steel frame with the strength of a tank! That husky 6-cylinder engine puts out a whopping 145 hp — more than any comparable plane. The finish is fireresistant butyrate — more durable, practical, and cheaper to maintain than any other. … Flight characteristics are the safest. That’s because of its stall-resistant design. Visibility is good, all around. Useful load is a hefty 925 lbs. — heavier than 4 big men.”

Speaking of that stall-resistant design, aviation author Ed Hoadley described the 15A’s unique airfoil in his July 1952 article in Flying: “Lift is created from a Gottingen airfoil, series 398, basic. However it has been modified considerably by Taylorcraft engineers to incorporate better performance while retaining high lift. This is the secret of their stable slow-flight characteristic. This airfoil has been dubbed the ‘JCH’ airfoil.” Taylorcraft also emphasized the Tourist’s creature comforts in an effort to attract more affluent customers. Standard equipment included individual front seats, an adjustable pilot’s seat, an indirect-lighted chrome instrument panel, an ashtray, a heater, glove compartments, and wheelpants. A company brochure boasted, “It’s a real executive-type plane at a small-plane price. … The tasteful, modern, limousine-type interior with its many conveniences and beautiful appointments is the work of Peter Muller-Munk, internationally famous designer.” Despite its amenities and performance features, the Taylorcraft Tourist didn’t sell well. Struggling for market share, the company once again “reimagined” the fourplace model. “The 15A was competing with the Cessna 170 and other metal planes, and then Piper came out with the Tri-Pacer,” says Tim. “So in 1955, Taylorcraft tried something different. They made Fiberglas molds in two halves for the steel tube fuselage — just like a model kit — and skinned the wings in Fiberglas. This was the Model 20, which was on the same type certificate as the Model 15A. The Model 20 [Ranch Wagon] was supposed to be ‘indestructible’ and was very heavy [3,750 pounds gross], so they put a 225-hp Continental O-470 on it.”

In a November 1956 Skyways ad, the Model 20 was marketed as “featuring design safety with … [a] die-molded Fiberglas fuselage, [which] ‘will not dent, puncture, or corrode.’” The ad also noted that it had been “[n]amed by many as the ‘strongest, safest’ plane in use today. Years ahead in safety and performance.” Serial numbers indicate that 38 were built and priced at $10,865. By 1958, the company was in financial trouble again. It underwent a management change and relocated to Connellsville, Pennsylvania. Taylorcraft’s 1950s foray into four-place airplane manufacturing was essentially over.

Tourist Flying

Ryan learned through handson experience how the Model 15A handles on the ground and in the air. He discovered that it’s quite different from a two-seat Taylorcraft. “The BC-12-Ds were built for speed; they’re clean airframes and get a lot out of 65 horses,” says Ryan. “This plane’s completely the opposite; it’s like flying a truck, but everything is very smooth. The airfoil is designed for slow speeds; it stalls at 36 mph and has full control through the stall. It was supposed to be spin proof, so everything’s just a slow and predictable mush, as opposed to the BC-12-D, which has a sharp break and spins really well.” N23JW has two 20-gallon wing tanks; originally, the Model 15A had a 2-gallon header tank as well. That, of course, affects the center of gravity. “This plane is very nose heavy; it’s built to have weight in the back seat,” says Ryan. “So when you fly this plane solo, you use a lot of elevator trim. It has the same trim system as the BC-12-Ds — a cable-operated small tab on the left elevator. The more weight you put in the back, the less you have to trim it. The pilot’s operating handwww.vintageaircraft.org

it’ll three-point at 36 mph. When you three-point this airplane it hardly rolls out. You can plant it right on the runway, roll out 150 to 200 feet, and stop without brakes — especially when you put it on sod. It’s heavy and very stable on landing with its slow speed, even with gusty winds. Of our three taildraggers, it is far and away the best and easiest plane to land on pavement. Crosswinds are not bad either; just keep a little bit of power in and keep it straight with the rudder. If your wing comes up, it’s so slow you have time to correct it. It’s as easy to land at 40 or 50 mph as it is at 36 mph.”

ROBERT G. LOCK

The Newells’ Jewel

COURTESY GREG STULL

Close up-view of the slotted wings.

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

book [POH] for the early 15As said to put a 20-pound ballast in the back seat when flying solo. But we suspect that once they eliminated the header tank, that wasn’t required, because we have the POH for ours, and it doesn’t mention ballast.” Takeoffs are pretty straightforward with a threepoint attitude. “The tail is heavy and just does not come up easily on takeoff,” explains Ryan. “So you line it up, give it 10 degrees of flaps, and after about 500 feet it’ll just want to lift off. It’ll climb out about 75 mph — it’s a very flat climb, at about 700 fpm. It cruises 105 mph. On good days, I’ve seen 110 to 115 mph. On bad days, it’s only 85 or 90 mph. So it’s not a fast airplane at all.” Landings are docile — much more so, says Ryan, than other tailwheel airplanes he’s flown. “You come downwind at 85 mph and give it 10 degrees of flaps,” he says. “When you turn base, it drops down to about 75 mph, and then you give it another 10 degrees of flaps. On final, you give it its last 10 degrees of flaps and come over the fence probably about 50 mph, and

As of April 2017, nine Model 15As and six Model 20s had current registrations on the FAA Registry. “As far as we know, there are four Model 15As still flying, including ours and one each in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and California. Dick Roe, known as the Taylorcraft four-place guru, also has one in Virginia, and he flew his up to Oshkosh 16 years ago. He flew it quite a bit. Coincidentally, Dick Roe’s 15A [N6653N] was restored at our home airport around 1990, so this airport has probably had more Taylorcraft 15A traffic than any other airport outside of the factory!” (See Budd Davisson’s article about Roe’s Model 15A in Vintage Airplane, Vol. 29, No. 4.) Since so few were built, and just a handful are known to be flying today, Ryan says, “We like to think that we rescued this airplane when we bought it, because our goal is to preserve it in its more original state, probably starting with the instrument panel and the front roll-down windows.” In the meantime, the Newell family is enjoying its Tourist. “The 15A was supposed to be simple — a cheap, four-seat airplane that could get in and out of shorter airfields — and it does that fairly well,” Ryan elaborates. “It does everything in a slow, predictable, and stable manner. I climbed to 5,000 feet on the way to Oshkosh and it took me about 25 minutes to get up to that altitude. That was with my wife and two kids, and of course some stuff in the baggage compartment, as well as full tanks. It was a great plane to fly up here!” It was also quite the jewel waiting to be discovered along the flightline. Its mere presence, combined with the intriguing information shared by its friendly caretakers, facilitates the Newells’ goal of preserving Taylorcraft history. Father and son were happy to feature the Tourist and participate in the Vintage Interview Circle during AirVenture 2016. The judges also appreciated N23JW’s appearance; they awarded it the Classic (September 1945-1955) Outstanding Taylorcraft small plaque.

Teaching a Nation How to Fly The Lon Cooper story, Part 4 Lodwick School of Aeronautics originally began as a contract school operated by E.J. Sias in Lincoln, Nebraska, which was one of the first nine civilian contract primary flight schools in the new training program. However, Florida offered much better flying weather, particularly in the wintertime. And the government told Sias his operation had to move to Florida and Sias complied. His school was moved to Lakeland, Florida, in 1940, but Sias grew tired of the commute from Nebraska. So he sold the school to Hal S. Darr and Albert Lodwick. Lodwick would also operate the Lodwick Aviation Military Academy at Avon Park, Florida. The Lakeland school was located on the western edge of Lake Parker, surrounded by large trees with hanging Spanish moss, palm trees, and orange groves. The site, that originally Lakeland Municipal Airport was leased to Lodwick for his operation. Two concrete runways crossed the main facility, and there were three auxiliary outlying landing strips. The first class arrived on September 18, 1940; however, the field was not finished and these lucky students were housed in the Thelma Hotel in Lakeland. Ground school classes took place in the nearby armory. Prior to purchasing the school rights from E.J. Sias, Albert Lodwick was president and director of Stinson Aircraft Corp. Lodwick was a businessman and had been in aviation since 1929 when he was first employed by the Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical Corp. as a statistician. When he left Curtiss-Wright, he was elevated to assistant to the president.

COURTESY LAKELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

Overhead view of the handsome lines of the Taylorcraft Tourist.

58 JULY/AUGUST 2017

The Vintage Mechanic

Aerial view of Lodwick School of Aeronautics in 1942.

Lodwick was in partnership with Hal S. Darr of Chicago, but Lodwick bought out his partner in 1941 and became sole owner of the operation. Above, an aerial view of the Lakeland Airport leased to Lodwick for primary flight training. Most of these privately funded operations looked similar with opposing curved roofed hangars constructed of wood. The two-story barracks buildings and parade ground can be seen to the right of the hangars. Both hangars are still standing today, although the site is no longer an airport. Today the original site is the home to the Detroit Tigers major league baseball team for its winter workouts and is called “Tiger Town.” Lon Cooper remembered, “Bill, Ben, and I reported to Lodwick on April 25, 1943. Even though we had successfully completed training at the Army Central Instructor School, both the Army and Lodwick www.vintageaircraft.org

required checkrides. My checkrides and orientation flights began April 26, 1943, and ended after six hours’ dual and two hours’ solo on May 4. We replaced the ‘Trainee Instructor’ arm patch with a ‘Lodwick School of Aeronautics’ patch. We also wore ‘Lodwick Flight Instructor’ wings.”

Albert Lodwick also opened a primary flight school in Avon Park on the edge of Lake Lillian that he named Lodwick Aviation Military Academy. It opened on October 2, 1941, while the Lakeland facility opened September 18, 1940. After his checkride at the Lodwick School of Aeronautics, Lon was sent to Avon Park with his two friends Bill and Ben. Lon recalled, “We shared a room in the Jacaranda Hotel. The school was located at the Avon Park Municipal Airport, 1 mile west of town. The field was square with a flight operations building, a maintenance hangar, a storage hangar, and a control tower. Orientation flights located the flight boundaries and auxiliary fields.” Lon’s first class was Number 43J. Classes were identified by the year and a letter designating when they started. On May 10, 1943, Lon flew his first flight as an Army primary flight instructor. Lon recalled, “At last I was making a contribution toward winning the war. My many hours of training in CPT and the Army were being put to use. This class of cadets had been transferred from the discontinued glider program to combat pilot training. I was assigned five cadets. Each of my five cadets soloed shortly after the required eight hours of dual instruction, and all graduated with excellent flying skills.” Lon had flown the Waco UPF-7 in the acrobatic phase of training in the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), but his first taste of flying a Stearman came in the checkout at Lodwick in Lakeland. Below, takeoff in a Lodwick Stearman PT-17 with the instructor in the front cockpit and the student at rear. Class 43J completed primary flight training June 25, 1943, and pilots were immediately assigned to a basic training flight school.

Lodwick uniform patches for Lakeland and Avon Park operations.

Instructor pin for the Lodwick Aviation Military Academy in Avon Park, Florida.

Stearman aircraft in front of maintenance hangar at Lodwick School of Aeronautics. 60

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COURTESY LAKELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

The photo below shows Boeing Stearman PT17trainers on the tarmac in front of the hangar at Lakeland. Early Army Air Corps (AAC) aircraft had fuselages painted blue with yellow wings and red-whiteblue-striped rudders. Later aircraft were finished all silver, which was easier and less time-consuming.

COURTESY LAKELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

Off on another dual flight, an instructor and student take off for an adventure.

A very interesting time at Avon Park was recalled by Lon: “Night flying was introduced to our training as a trial program. There were no navigation or landing lights on the Stearman. There were no runway lights on our field. The runway was temporarily marked on the left side by a row of kerosene-burning

road construction markers called ‘flambos.’ The approach was marked by one flambo set 50 feet to the right at the beginning of the landing strip. One-third of the way down the runway was a double flambo on the left. The traffic pattern was normal with a 180-degree power-off approach and landing. The idea was to come in between the first two flambo markers and land before reaching the pair on the left. If you were not on the ground before reaching the pair on the left, you went around. I learned a lot! The exhaust collector ring glows dull red. The exhaust manifold produced a large blue ball of fire at full and cruising throttle settings. A steady stream of sparks flew from the exhaust manifold past the cockpits and disappeared past the tail of the fabric-covered airplane. I don’t believe any instructor, including me, allowed the cadets to fly the plane because it was too dangerous. Night flying was discontinued after this trial.” Imagine landing a Stearman at night with no navigation or landing lights. Amazing!

Stearman Model 6 Cloudboy, the forerunner to the famous Model 75.

Lon was flying the Boeing Stearman PT-17 now and would continue to do so until primary flight training ceased in 1945. Boeing, Wichita Division, was mass-producing aircraft as fast as it could, and when production was ended on the PT-17 and its variations, Boeing had produced more than 10,000 airplanes. Actually, Lloyd Stearman didn’t have anything to do with the actual design of the Model 75 but had laid the groundwork on the Model 6 Cloudboy. The Model 6 evolved into the Model 73 (Navy NS-1) as the planform began to look more like the eventual production Model 75. Above right shows the Stearman Model NS-1 designed for the Navy. The AAC aircraft would be designated as the Model 73. This ship was powered with the Wright R-790 radial engine, producing 225 hp. As the Model 75 planes appeared, the government bought them as fast as the factory could produce, the

Stearman NS-1 with Navy markings. The design getting closer to the Model 75, PT-13/PT-17.

main factory located in Wichita, Kansas. The Model 75, military PT-13/PT-17/N2S-1 through -5, would be the first aircraft ever produced that met both Army and Navy specifications for a primary flight trainer. Most all parts were interchangeable — the biggest variation being the engine with either Continental R-670 or Lycoming R-680 engines installed by the factory. Consider the following advertisement as duplicated from Western Flying magazine, April 1941, that clearly displays the production rate of the Stearman primary trainers from the Wichita facility. It is interesting to note again that the primary flight schools were privately built and staffed, but the government furnished the aircraft and provided officers to oversee training operations at every school. Lon provided the details of school operations: “The Army provided the Advertisement from Western cadets, training airFlying magazine. craft, curriculum for cadets and instructors, officer check pilots, a flight surgeon, and a small complement of enlisted men. The contract school provided dormitories, mess hall/kitchen, academic hall for classes, and a combination recreational hall/ hospital. The school also provided flight instructors, academic instructors, aircraft maintenance crews, and ground support personnel.” Flight and ground instruction was provided by civilians employed by Albert Lodwick, as were ground crew and aircraft maintenance mechanics. Lon recalled, www.vintageaircraft.org

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COURTESY LAKELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

Cadets and a flight instructor on ramp at Lodwick School of Aeronautics.

schools, and some had been barnstormers while others included business owners and professional men. Each had successfully passed the stringent Army and contract schools checkrides. The civilian contract schools made good use of these talented individuals who would otherwise have been lost. The cadets arrived in classes varying in size from 50 to 300. Classes were designated by number, representing the year and the number of classes that year, an example being 43F. Cadets had met physical and aptitude requirements and had attended some ground school. As the need for pilots increased, aptitude requirements were relaxed, but flight skills remained unchanged.”

COURTESY LAKELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

“There were three hangars at the Lakeland facility near Lake Parker — two hangars were used for flight operations with ready rooms, lockers for instructors, and dispatcher booths for aircraft assignment. The north hangar housed a parachute loft with an airing tower, a packing room, and a U.S. weather station. The third hangar was used for maintenance. All mechanics were certified for aircraft engine and aircraft maintenance. On the flightline, line girls attended the planes. They taxied, fueled, parked, cranked, and looked after the aircraft in general. The control tower was located north of the two east hangars.” Below, looking east, the control tower is plainly visible. Note that the aircraft are now finished in silver dope, and the markings have been changed to remove the red round center used in earlier AAC markings. After completing his first class 43J at the Avon Park facility, Lon received some time off to marry his highschool sweetheart of seven years, Dorothy (Dot) Bradford, on June 29, 1943. Lon recalled, “Our honeymoon was spent locating a place to live in Lakeland. Silver Stearman aircraft taxi on The war created a Lodwick ramp. housing shortage, and we were fortunate to find a garage apartment in Lakeland, which we made our home until returning to St. Petersburg when Lodwick closed in 1945.” Lon and Dot are still together after 68 years — Lon just turned 90 years old recently. Returning to Lakeland, Lon was assigned to Flight Commander Robert Koleman and his check pilot Ernie Baker. Refresher flights were flown for familiarization with the boundaries and auxiliary fields. Training groups were organized into eight flights; each flight had a flight commander, check pilot, and 10 to 15 instructors. Four flights would fly in the morning, followed by four in the afternoon. Each week, the flights would switch morning and afternoon flight times to balance weather and flight conditions; the flights tended to be in rough air in the Florida afternoons. Lon recalled, “Flight instructors came from all walks of life, and most were beyond the age of military pilot service; however, they were all seasoned pilots. Many were instructors in private

A less-than-perfect three-point landing in a Lodwick Stearman somewhere near Lakeland.

All primary training bases had outlying auxiliary fields used for all takeoff and landing instruction and practice. Cadets soloed from the auxiliary fields. Of course, there were landing accidents, though they rarely resulted in injury to the cadet in the rear seat. Primarily these accidents were ground loops, loss of control, or overrunning the landing strip. The

Stearman is not an easy ship to master, particularly the landing. The military never taught wheel landings — all were three-point full-stall landings. When the aircraft is three-point on the ground, forward visibility is quite limited. On the other hand, cadets being trained in Fairchild PT-19s enjoyed a very good ground-handling airplane due to its wide landing gear, long tail wheel movement, and great forward visibility. It was almost like flying a fighter but with very limited performance. For cadets at Lodwick School of Aeronautics, the outlying strips were located around the city of Lakeland, one to the east just south of Polk City and west of Lake Juliana. It was a square grass field with only a traffic “tee” in the center. The second was east of Plant City. That particular field was interesting, as Lon recalled, “Competition for the use of this field came from grazing cattle. The first dual plane to arrive would buzz the strip until the cattle would clear the runway so the airplane could land safely. Once on the ground, it was not a problem to herd the cattle from our landing area, and they would tend to stay away as long as we were there. A cow pasture did make for some very interesting takeoff runs and landing rolls. A traffic ‘tee’ controlled the flight patterns.” One must keep in mind that there was no two-way radio communication, even inside the aircraft. All flight at auxiliary fields was visually controlled, although there was a Gosport tube system installed inside the airplane for cockpit-to-cockpit communications. There was another auxiliary field located south and east of Lakeland. Originally it was the Lakeland Airport and was a double-square grass field. The traffic “tee” was the only fixture on the field. Lon recalled Halderman-Elder Field: “It was established by George Halderman of Lakeland, in conjunction with Ruth Elder, a 23-year-old movie actress. The pair attempted the first New York to Paris Atlantic crossing by a woman shortly after Charles Lindbergh had made his famous solo flight in the Spirit of St. Louis in 1927. Their Stinson Detroiter developed oil line problems just before reaching Europe. And a Dutch freighter rescued them, and they were received as heroes in Paris and New York. George Halderman planned Howard Hughes’ around-the-world flight on July 10, 1938.” Near Lakeland in the city of Bartow, the training facility there was for pilots transitioning into the North American P-51 Mustang. Lon recalled an interesting event: “One morning, as a group of instructors were grading landings of their cadets at the Halderman-Elder strip, we looked up to see a P-51 Mustang approaching with wheels and flaps down and a dead engine. It landed using the diagonal of both grass fields and stopped at the far southwest corner. The pilot was an instructor flying out of Bartow and his engine had lost oil pressure. And he was instructed to bail out, but he remembered seeing our field and successfully landed. The plane was disassembled and returned to Bartow.” The balance of Lon’s flying would be from the Lakeland base near Lake Parker. There are more interesting stories to come from Lon Cooper.

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