VA-Vol-21-No-5-May-1993

EDITORIAL STAFF Publisher

Tom Poberezny

Vice-President,

Marketing and Communications

Vol. 21, No.5

May 1993

Dick Matt

Editor-in-Chief

Jack Cox

CONTENTS

Editor

Henry G , Frautschy

1 Straight & Level/

Espie " Butch " Joyce

Managing Editor

Golda Cox

Art Director

Mike Drucks

2 AlC News/

compiled by H.G. Frautschy

Computer Graphic SpeCialists

Olivia L Phillip

Sara Hansen

4 AeroMail

Mary Jones

5 Check That Fuse/

Cy Galley

Associate Editor

Norm Petersen

Feature Writers

6 Ramp Check Man/ Dick Starks

8 Speedbird - The Last " Bird"/

H.G. Frautschy

Jennifer Larsen

Advertising

George Hardie. Jr, Dennis Parks

Statt Photographers

Page 6

Jim Koepnick Carl Schuppel

Mike Stein eke

Donna Bushman

Editorial Assistant

12 Cub Throttle Failure/ Bob Hunt

Isab elle W iske

EAA ANTIQUE/ CLASSIC DIVISION, INC.

OFFICERS

13 A Taylorcraft Story/ Robert G. Ray Sr. 18 What Our Members Are Restoring/ Norm Peterse n 20 Antique/Classic Books/ H.G. Frautschy

Page 8

Vice-President Arthur Morgan 3744 North 51st Blvd. Milwaukee , WI 53216 414/442-3631

Secretary Steven C. Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Leo. MN 56007 flJ7/373-1674

Treasurer

E.E. 'Buck' Hilbert

P.O. Box 424

Union.IL 60180

815/923-4591

DIRECTORS

22 Pass it to Buck/ E.E. "Buck " Hilbert 24 Mystery Plane/ George Hardie 26 Welcome New Members 27 Calendar 30 Vintage Trader

President Espie 'Sutch' Joyce 604 Highway St. Madison. NC 27025 919/427-0216

Page 13

FRONT COVER . . . If Bob Lock's Contemporary closs Piper Comanche is any indicati on, we are in for a treat when the Contemporary closs is judged for the first time at th is year's EAA Convention . See the A/C News sec t ion for t;;;;;;;;i2~:=:] more on this nice looking 4-place Piper. EM photo by Carl Schuppel. Shot with a Canon EOS-1 equipped with on 80-200mm lens. 1/ 500 sec . at f8.0 on Kodak Ektachrome 64. BACK COVER . . Here's what the EAA Young Eagles program is all about! Steve Krog , Hartford , WI shows Young Eagle Paul Szmanski, of Westfield , WI the engine comportment of his PA-12 Super Cruiser during the Young Eagles Flight Rolly at Oshkosh lost August. For more information on the Young Eagles program , call the EM Young Eagles office at 414 / 426-4831. The weather is getting warm - let's all give some rides! Copyright © 1993 by the EM Antique/Classic Division Inc, All rights reserved. VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-69431 is published and owned exclusively by the EM Antique/Classic Division, Inc. of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EM Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., P.O, Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086. Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and at additional mailing offices. The membership rate for EM Antique/Classic Division, Inc. is $20.00 for current EM members for 12 month period of which $12.00 is for the publication of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to EM Antique/Classic Division, Inc., P.O. Sox 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES - Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via suriace mail. ADVERTISING - Antique/Classic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising, We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken. EDITORIAL POLICY: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. No renumeration is made, Material should be sent to: Editor, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, P.O. Sox 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 414/426-4800. The words EAA, ULTRALIGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM , SPORT AVIATION and the logos of EAA, EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION, EM ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION, INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUBS, WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are ® registered trademarks. THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EM AVIATION FOUNDATION and EM ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION are trademarks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above association is strictly prohibited.

John Berendt 7645 Echo Point Rd. Connon Foils, MN 55009

flJ7/263-2414 Gene Chase 2159 Carlton Rd. Oshkosh. WI 54904 414/231-5002 Phil Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. lawton. MI 49065 616/624-6490 Charles Harris 3933 South Peoria P.O. Box 904038 Tulsa. OK 74105 918/742-7311 Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hill Dr. Indionopolis, IN 46278 317/293-4430 Robert Lickteig 1708 Boy Oaks r. Albert leo, MN 56007 flJ7/373-2922 Gene Morris 115C Steve Court, R.R. 2 Roanoke, TX 76262 817/491-9110

Robert C. ' Bob' Brauer

9345 S. Hoyne

ChicaW·ll6062O 312/ 79-2105 John S. Copeland 28-3 Williamsbur8 Ct. Shrewsbury, MA 1545 508/842-7867 George Daubner

2448 lough lone

Hartford, WI 53027

414/673-5885

Stan Gomoll 1042 90th lone, NE Minneapolis, MN 55434 612/784-1172 Jeannie Hill

P.O, Box 328

HaNard. Il60033

815/943-7205 Robert D. ' Bob' Lumley 1265 South 124th St. Brookfield. WI 53005 414/782-2633 George York

181 Sloboda Av.

Mansfield, OH 44906

419/529-4378

S.H. ' Wes' Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa . WI 53213 414/77 1-1545

DIRECTOR EMERITUS S.J, WiHman

7200 S.E. 85th Lone

Ocala, FL 32672

904/245-7768

ADVISORS Joe Dickey 511 Terrace Lake Rd. Columbus. IN 47201 812/342-6878

Jimmy Rollison 823 Carrion Circle Winters, CA 95694-1665 916/795-4334

Dean Richardson 6701 Colony Dr. Madison. WI 53717 608/833-1291

Geoff Robison 1521 E. MacGregor Dr. New Haven. IN 46774 219/493-4724

STRAIGHT & LEVEL

by Espie "Butch" Joyce I just returned from the Sun 'n Fun Fly-in in Lakeland, Florida. They had a very successful event down there, with somewhere in the neighborhood of 445 Antique, Classic and Contemporary aircraft. The new parking area had some wet areas in it, but in talking to Bill Eickhoff at the Fly-In, he assured me that by next year those areas would be much drier than they were this year. People were able to stay around their aircraft most all of the day and did not have to leave them during the air show. This year at there were a number of Contemporary aircraft, including the airplane on this month's cover, Bob Lock's Piper Comanche. Besides Bob's airplane, there were a number of very nice Contemporary aircraft at Lakeland, one of which was a turquoise and white 1959 Cessna 172 that was in mint con­ dition, sporting a new paint job. It still had the original interior and instrument panel. I am pleased to see that people are starting to fix up aircraft of this era (the Contemporary class covers aircraft from January 1, 1956 through Decem­ ber 31, 1960.) Contemporary aircraft were judged at Lakeland this year and will also be judged at Oshkosh. Dr. Roy Wicker showed up at Lakeland with the newly restored Davis, a very beautiful aircraft. I have known "Doc" for a number of years. He is from the Atlanta, Georgia area. He has, through the years, had quite a few very nice restorations to his credit. I also came upon an old friend, Staggerw­ ing N165. Back in the early 1970s, it was my pleasure to have flown this aircraft almost 350 hours. I really did

not know where it had gotten off to. It left the Madison, NC area and went to Rockford, Illinois and stayed there for several years. It's now is located in Arizona. The new owners said they were just before starting a complete new restoration on this airplane. It still looked very good to me. Also on the field was an aircraft I have not seen since the early 1970s, back when I owned my Monocoupe; it was the one and only Waco D, out of New Hampshire. That aircraft is probably one of the most beautiful biplanes ever built. Restored over 20 years ago, it is still being kept in very good condition. On the back of your VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine this month is a photo of a young man, Paul Szmanski, being shown an aircraft by pilot Steve Krog, through the auspices of the Young Eagles Program. For those of you who have not yet participated in this program, you may want to consider giving it a try. It is a very interesting experience. It's unbelievable how ap­ preciative these young kids are to be introduced to flight. At Sun 'n Fun they had a Young Eagles Program going on the entire week. The kids (and the pilots!) really enjoyed it. The Alexander Aeroplane Company's DC-3 is starting to become a familiar sight around large air shows. They are constantly upgrading this aircraft. It is nice to have a friendly aviation supply company in the southeast. Ron Alexander and his fme company are avid supporters of Anti­ que, Classic and Contemporary aircraft. The only time the Alexander DC-3 didn't look very good was when it was taxiing out, and you were looking at the tail of the aircraft from Antique/Classic Headquarters. It was somewhat dusty during that period of time! It is time for us to start looking toward the Oshkosh Convention, July 29 ­ August 4. Bob Lumley, who is the Chairman for the Antique/Classic Fly­ out, wanted me to remind everybody that it will be on Tuesday, August 3. Those who want to participate can look forward to that day. The fly-out provides a break from the Convention. Next month I will try to list all the

Chairmen and their telephone numbers - then you can get in touch with them for any needed information. Ken Morris, Co-Chairman of the An­ tique Classic Parade of Flight, has asked for a bit of space to fill us in on this years Parade during EAA OSHKOSH. Here's what he has to say: It's hard to believe that another year hasjlown by, so to speak. For me per­ sonally it's been a busy year. I have a new son and two aluminum projects combining for very few dull moments, not to mention a disconcerting lack of sleep. In addition to my changes, the evolution of the Parade of Flight con­ tinues with exciting new possibilities. This year, for the first time, there will be two parades. We will, as always, have the Antiques on Monday, but this year, to pay tribute to all ofyou Classics and Contemporaries, you will have a Parade ofFlight ofyour own. It will be on Thursday, the first day of the Con­ vention! Since we won't have time to pound the runway looking at all ofyour pride andjoys, we will need to pre-approve 20 to 25 pristine examples to show off. If you have an excellent example ofa Classic or Contemporary and would like to be a part of the first annual "Classic/Contemporary Parade of Flight" send us a picture and some tid­ bits ofinformation about the airplane in general (history) and/or about you and your airplane specifically. The Parade group will be picked by committee (what else?) from your pictures and notes. So get those cameras flashing and pens scribbling. Don't delay! Send your note and picture to: Steve Nesse, Chairman AIC Parade of Flight, 2009 Highland A v., Albert Lea, MN 56007. Olivia Phillip of the EAA Editorial staff has been working on the redesign of your membership card. I think you'll fmd your new card very attractive and something of which to be proud. As soon as the old cards are used up, we will start issuing the new cards. As I have reminded everyone before, just be careful out there. Let's all pull in the same direction for the good of avia­ tion. Remember, we are better together. .... Join us and have it all! VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1

Cr:W.l On our cover ... The Contemporary Class includes many of the most popular airplanes ever built, from the early Cessna 172 to the first low-wing Pipers. We will soon be seeing more of these beauties on the flight line. One of the first we saw at EAA OSHKOSH ' 92 was Robert L. Lock, Jr. 's 1959 180 Comanche. Parked way down in row 124 (the second to the last row to the south in A/C Parking), Bob's Comanche didn't get a lot of visitors , but those who did venture that far south found a visual treat! Bob's airplane, and the Comanche in general, were the subjects of an extensive article in the November 1992 issue of SPORT A VIA TION by Editor Jack Cox (an unabashed Comanche cheerIeader!). Bob's Piper has been completely refurbished, with a new paint job on the exterior that keeps the original 1959 Piper scheme , with a few additional touches, like the gold chevrons on the rudder. The interior has also been redone , and all major mechanical systems have been reworked, including a major done on the 180 hp Lycoming 0-360A1A. Bob keeps the Comanche in his own hangar at Guntersville, AL. We look forward to seeing more Contemporary Class airplanes on the flight line, all gussied up for judging, at EAA OSHKOSH '93. See you there!

NEW ENVELOPES FOR YOUR FA VORITE MAGAZINE You probably noticed somet hin g different in your mailbox when you pulled out this copy of VINTAGE AIRPLANE - it was enclosed in a plastic bag to protect it during mailing. With any luck at all, your issue arrived as clean and un足 wrinkled as it was when it was mailed. Unfortunately, with the method used by the Postal Service to bundle second class mail, the issue on the top and bottom of the stack could be subjected to damage from handling. (I know from personal experience - my issue of VINTAGE must be on the top of a sort stack , since it is invariably wrinkled and torn when it finally arrives!) To insulate the magazine from this type of damage, we've started to mail VINTAGE AIRPLANE enclosed in the same type of packaging used to mail SPORT A VIATION. For those of you who have had problems receiving your maga zine undamaged, we hope this proves to be an acceptable solution. If, 2 MAY 1993

compiled by H.G. Frautschy

after this change, you are still having problems with your delivery, please contact Membership Services at EAA Headquarters at 1-800/843-3612. By the way, this change is not expected to result in an increase in your dues for the Antique/Classic Division, even though a few of you offered to pay a little extra to get your magazines in better shape - with our increase in membership, the cost per copy of the "polybag" has been brought down to an acceptable level.

FOREIGN Ale MEMBERSHIP A second mailing item concerns the mailing of issues to international members of the Division. Making up almost 10% of the Antique/Classic Division, the international membership is very important to us in the Antique/Classic community, and to that end the staff at EAA HQ has been working with the Postal Service arranging for more timely international delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. These arrangements were completed this past spring, with issues of VINTAGE AIRPLANE being shipped airmail starting with the April issue. There will be an additional cost for international members o utside of th e United States and North America - $6.00 per year, making your dues for international membership a total of $26.00. The additional charge will become applicab le only when you renew your current membership - no additional charges will be made for the balance of your membership in 1993. We hope this change in the mailing of the magazine will prove to be beneficial to our international members.

HAPPENINGS AROUND OSH ... The 1993 Grand Opening of Pioneer Airport will be help the weekend of May 15-16. The dedication of the new Ryan and Pitcairn Hangars at Pioneer will be held in conjunction with the spring EAA Board of Directors meeting on Friday, May 14. After a year's layoff, flying at Pioneer will commence with gusto during the weekend , with the EAA Aviations Foundation ' s Ford Tri-Motor, Meyers OTW, Stinson SM-8 Junior, Spirit of St. Louis replica, Piper Cub Coupe and the newly restored Travel Air take to the skies over the EAA Air Adventure Museum . The runway at Pioneer was

regraded and seeded last year, making a smooth and well drained runway ready for a full season of flying. In addition to flying, the Ford Tri足 Motor will be displayed in it's new home, the Pitcairn Hangar, along with a Pitcairn PA-7 Mailwing and the Pitcairn PA-39 Autogyro . Both the hangar, with it's extensive displays highlighting the history of Pitcairn , and the Pitcairn aircraft on loan are made available for display through the generosity of Stephen Pitcairn , the son of Pitcairn Aircraft founder Harold Pitcairn. The Spirit of St. Louis replica will also have a new home starting this summer, with the completion of the Ryan Hangar at Pioneer Airport. Made possible with a donation from the T. Claude Ryan Foundation, the Ryan hangar will feature displays detailing the history of Ryan Aircraft, including the Ryan NYP. Parachute jumpers, antique cars, and live entertainment are just a few of the things you can enjoy during the weekend. See you there!

OKLAHOMA A VIATOR

OF THE YEAR

Congrat ul ations are in order for Antique/Classic member Bill Watson (A/C 10286) who was named the Oklahoma Aviator of the year this past December. The award, presented by the Oklahoma Aviator newspaper , was bestowed on Bill for his activities in Oklahoma aviation. His Kreider-Reisner KR-31, featured in the February 1992 issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE, is one of the finest and most active antique airplane in the air today. Congratulations to Bill Watson for this special achievement!

WASPS AT EAA OSHKOSH '93 Now don't get out the bug spray - these are good WASPs - the Women Airforce Service Pilots, who fought to use their considerable aviation abilities during World War II. These ladies eventually ferried hundreds of airplanes all over the United States and abroad, making a legendary contribution to the war effort. Established in 1942 , the WASPs flew everything in the U.S. military inventory. Their flying tasks covered a wide spectrum, from the ferrying of military aircraft to the towing of gunnery targets.

EAA'S AERONCA C-2N The Aeronca C-2N on display at EAA's Pioneer Airport has had a long and illustrious career - delivered on Edo floats, it set five international light seaplane record while being guided by the capable hands of Benjamin King of Miami, FL (above, right). Later, the C足 2N was converted to a land plane, and on Labor Day, 1936, pilot Howard G. Mayes flew the 36 hp Aeronca to an altitude of 19,997 feet, a new world's record for an aircraft weighing less than 200 kilograms (440 Ibs.). Howard's altimeter read 20,300 ft.! Howard visited Pioneer Airport during EAA OSHKOSH '92, and is shown (above, left) in front of NC 13089 with Pioneer Airport manager George Blechel and EAA Volunteer Harley Dahler (AiC 4775) of Nokomis, IL. Harley spent a large portion of the summer helping the EAA Museum staff inventory the artifacts of the museum collection.

To honor the WASPs , a special tent pavilion , located on the "West Ramp," will be the focal point for activities during the week. Airplanes of the type flown by the WASPs will be on display next to the pavilion. In addition , seminars detailing the history of the WASPs will be presented, and a special evening program will be presented at the Theater in the Woods on Monday, August 2.

EAA SWEEPSTAKES TICKETS One of the most important EAA Aviation Foundation fund raising activities is the annual Sweepstakes Program. Sweepstakes proceeds are placed into the Foundations endowment. Interest accumulated from the endow足 ment fund helps to take care of the ever growing facilities and programs of the Foundation. This year's Grand Prize is a Cessna 150. Other outstanding prizes include a 1993 Harley- Davidson Softail速 Classic motorcycle , a BOSE Aviation Headset and a Slick Aircraft Engine ignition system. Sweepstakes tickets were included with the February issue of SPORT AVIATION, or you can obtain tickets by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to P.O. Box 738 , Rockford, IL 61105.

L-BIRDS GATHERING If you're headed towards Oshkosh '93 in a Liaison airplane, you may want to leave a few days early and stop by the "Third Annual Gathering of L-Birds" at Keokuk, lA, July 26-28. A fun filled three days will be enjoyed by L-Bird enthusiasts as they feast at the pig roast, dinner dance and Fish Fry/ Barbecue. For more information , contact the "Gathering

Boss" lrv Linder, Route 1, Keokuk, IA 52632 or call 319/524-6203.

BONANZA CLINIC For owners of Beechcraft Bonanzas, the American Bonanza Society will be holding one of their famous Bonanza Service Clinics at Signature Flight Support in Cedar Rapids, IA. This is an excellent opportunity to have your Bonanza looked at by an ex pert mechanic. You will be furnished a written report on the condition of your airplane. An added service is available - you can have a complete AD search run for your airp lan e. For fee information and a registration form , contact the American Bonanza Society, P .O. Box 12888, Wichita , KS 67277, phone 316/945-6913, or Fax 316/9450-6990.

ALEXANDER AEROPLANE CATALOG The new 1993 Alexander Aeroplane cata log is available now, simply for the asking. Over 8,700 items are listed in their 104 page catalog. If you'd like to have a copy, call 1-800/831-2949 and ask them to send you a free copy.

VINTAGE CARS AND PLANES The Blackhawk Classic Vintage Auto and Airplane Tour will take place June 18-20. This will be a joint event, with the highlight being a 400 mile round trip tour of west central Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Proceeds are expected to benefit several children's charities. Veteran race car driver Sterling Moss will be the Grand Marshall of the event, which will bring vintage au tomobiles and airplanes together for a flightlroad tour.

Approximately 200 cars will be on display at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockton, IL. Seventy five of the cars will join with about 20 vintage airplanes on a tour that will pass through (and over!) Beloit and Lone Rock, and will overnight in LaCrosse ,WI with a banquet on Saturday night. A number of airplanes have volunteered for the event, and if you'd like to volunteer your airplane or just know more about displaying your airplane, contact Gene Popma, 9 S. 215 Aero Dr. , Naperville, IL 60564 or phone him at 708/420-0997. Be sure to contact Gene before heading off to this event.

OLD RHINEBECK

AERODROME

One of my favorite places on the East coast is the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Rhinebeck, NY. A bit of fun and silliness mixed with castor oi l a nd the sounds of early aviation make up a great day in the Hudson Valley north of New York City. Antique airshows begin at Rhinebeck the weekend of Jun e 19-20, and continue through October 9-10. A variety of airplanes from 1909 through 1937 will be flying, including a 1909 Bleriot, a 1913 Caudron, an Albatros OVa and, with any luck, their "new" Fokker 0-VII will be flying. Eighteen airplanes are on the schedule to fly during this year's airshows. Needless to say, the weather will have a lot to say as to which type of airplane is flying on any given day, but Cole Palen and hi s merry band of aviators and volunteers endeavor to put on an entertaining and informative show every weekend . Go visit them! For more information, call 914/758-8610 or write to them at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Stone Church Ro ad, Rhinebeck, NY 12572. 1Ir VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

MAIL

Dear Mr. Frautschy, I must reply to the owner of the Aeronca Champ in the March issue of Vintage Airplane, page 17 of "What Our Members Are Restoring" who es­ timates that it costs him $350 per hour to fly his Aeronca Champ. I wish to reply because it may scare some prospective light plane owner away from purchasing one. I have owned a 1940 Aeronca 65­ TL (Tandem Trainer) for 12 years and here is one of my more expensive years. I fly it about 50 hours per year and the annual expenses are these ­ hangar rent - $300, liability insurance ­ $300, fuel ("mogas") - $275, oil - $25, annual inspection - $75, and with an annual treadmill stress test and nu­ clear scan for a special issuance 1 year medical, the medical alone adds an­ other $250 - $300 to the cost of flying. All that adds up to $1,225. Divide that by the 50 hours flying time and the hourly cost comes out to $24.50. I also owned a 160 hp Ryan PT-22 for about three years and even that airplane never came close to $350 per hour. Its fuel consumption was three times that of the Aeronca, its insurance was high er and the annual inspections were higher. Mr. Carmen must have divided the purchase price of his airplane by his

4 MAY 1993

annual flying hours to get $350 an hour for flying expenses. Sincerely, Walter Konantz EAA 186402 AIC 7714

I'm sure that Chris Carmen's tongue-in-cheek quip about his cost per hour was due to only having a few hours on the airplane, coupled with a few expensive annuals. Mr. Konantz's cost per hour on his Aeronca are very typical for many of us, even with his

low priced hangar ($25 per month!) and a remarkably low cost for his an­ nual ($75). I'll wager that most of us who fly light two-place airplanes have costs per hour in the neighborhood of $23 - 35 per hour, based on flying 50 hours per year. - H.G. Frautschy The drawing you see at the very top of the Aero Mail page is from a 1937 book titled "Couriers Of The Clouds," written and illustrated by Edward Shenton. The book is filled with these neat line drawings, and recently, while reviewing the photos in the EAA col­ lection of the early days of National Air Transport (NAT), I was struck by one of the photos (left) - hadn't I seen that picture before? Then I realized the 55 year old photo was the exact same picture (above) used by Ed Shenton while illustrating his book. A number of the photos in the collection exactly matched the drawings in the book. Here is one of the photos and its corresponding drawing. It shows an NAT Douglas M-4 (SIN 609)(the differences were minor from the ear­ lier model M-2 and M-3 - a five foot increase in wingspan for the M-4, plus other equipment changes) loading up with mail at Hadley Airport, New Bruswick, NJ. The photos in this col­ lection were all donated by Robert Grospitch, a United Airlines dis­ patcher in Chicago. ...

by Cy Galley EAA 71015, AlC 11805 Have you ever been flying when you check the ammeter and it shows dis­ charge? I have; fortunately both times were during day VFR. Now, a battery will last a long time if you don't run lights, electric flaps and don't transmit a lot. You can even start the engine (when it's warm) several times. Also, with modern radios, receiving and navi­ gation draw very little current. At Oshkosh, I know that we change many batteries just so the return flight can be made home when the charging system of the plane is kaput. On my Bellanca, however, you need to know that your battery will work, as there is an AD that prohibits flying with even the master off. It has something to do with the gear warning system, as the "doorbell" warn­ ing device is electrical. The other day I was just doing touch and bounces. I looked over and the am­ meter showed discharge. I cycled the master hoping that the surge might pull

in the reverse current relay. It didn't. I probably was fortunate that it didn 't as I had my radio on. The resultant surge might have done in my one and only. As I toured the circuit a couple more times, I had my mind more on why the generator failed than setting up great landings. So I quit and taxied back to the hangar. As with many old planes , my Bel­ lanca has the old generator-regulator setup rather than an alternator. It doesn't have circuit breakers either, but glass tube fuses. So I was remembering the days when I had a 1948 Buick. It had the same setup by Delco. Same identical brushes, same regulator, even the same wimpy 25 amp generator. The only real change for the plane is the ball bearing at the brush end instead of the sleeve bearing of the car. Was the regu­ lator bad? Bad brushes? Maybe the rubber puck drive , which I hadn't re­ placed at overhaul, had sheared. I had

HOW A "GLASS FUSE" CAN FAIL . ..

MOISTURE WILL COLLECT IN THE BOTTOM END CAP

COLLECTED MOISTURE WILL CORRODETHEENDOFFUSE ELEMENT, CAUSING IT TO FAIL

all kinds of expensive thoughts. I know I didn't want to pull the generator. It is harder to remove than the old Buick generator, as the four attaching studs are almost inaccessible. If I even loosen the generator, it breaks the gasket seal into the engine accessory case , creating an oil leak. Fortunately, just before I started work, Dave Johnson came by and said, "Check the fuses. " They looked good at first glance. All the fuse links were unbroken. I mean they even glistened in the light of my flashlight. I th e n checked the " BAT" terminal on the regulator-no voltage, even when the master was on. Strange! Back to the fuse block. All fuses would light my test bulb from either e nd of the fuses to ground, except one fuse. I pulled that fuse , and looked at it closely. A quick continuity check confirmed my suspi­ cion. Its link had corroded off the end cap so that it looked good, but it wasn't. Then I remembered- the end caps on glass tube fuses are not sealed. Mois­ ture can and does condense in these fuses. Since my fuses are mounted ver­ tically , moisture obviously ran to the bottom cap where it did the dirty work . As soon as I snapped a new fuse in the fuse holder, the ammeter showed a good charge on run up. So if something electrical stops work­ ing on your plane, check the glass fuses for continuity. They can look good, but they can and do corrode inside the end cap. Oh, you have a modern plane-a plane with circuit breakers-and you don't have to worry about tubular glass fuses. Wrong! When Tom Henry was helping install my transponder , he showed me the internal glass tube fuse on the board of my NEW 1991 King 76A transponder. So even if you do have circuit breakers , which I hope to have someday, there still might be a glass fuse in your plane. It won't be the master generator fuse like my Bellanca. But it will be just as baffling if it lets go from corrosion and not from melting. And before I forget, thanks, Dave . You saved me a lot of time , grief and probably money by telling me-"Check the fuses. " ... VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

Editor's note: Elsewhere in this issue you'll find reviews on a variety of aviation books that have recently become available. As an added treat, we are pleased to present an ex­ cerpt from Dick Starks' book "You Want To Build And Fly A What?" through the courtesy of Keith Connes' Butterfield Press, the publisher of this uproariously funny book. The rest of the book will tickle your funnybone as well, (and maybe even give you a new perspective on aviation) but I warn you - don't try and read this one as a lunchtime project! Thefirst time you pick up the book to read it, your schedule is certain to be destroyed for the rest of the afternoon! So, without further ado, I give you . . .

By Dick Starks I turned my new gift over and over in my shaking hands, staring at it with a mixture of incredulity and cunning. It was the answer to a practical joker's wildest dreams. Immediately, all kinds of nefarious plans started to gal­ lop through my mind! One of the things we did in the air traffic control class was award the stu­ dents trophies and certificates of train­ ing. This year, there was a special sur­ prise award . Steve Baker, one of the controllers who trained the students, reached in a large box and gave each student a hat. It wasn't just any hat. It was a dark military blue hat with three large golden letters printed on the front. The let­ ters were " FAA. " Did it ever look impressive! I would have killed for one of those hats. Then they called me up front and gave me one, too. Oh Boy! I felt drunk with power. This was just great! I started to plan my assault on the poor unsuspecting individuals at the little airports I frequent. That night, I carefully laid out my wearing apparel. I wanted to look real intimidating; I mean, we 're talking se­ rious bureaucracy here. My wardrobe was ready: dark pants, white shirt, thin black tie, dark glasses, black shoes, white socks , and of course, the piece de resistance: The Hat. It lay on the bed like a sleeping cobra, exuding an aura of latent malevolence that was al­ most visible. Sharon watched me go through my preparations silently for as long as she could. I didn't te ll her 6 MAY 1993

what I was planning. I wanted the an­ t icipatio n to build. I whistled cheer­ fully as I schemed. Fina ll y she snapped . "What the devil are you doing?" she demanded. I told her about my plan and showed her the hat with pride. "You idiot," she gloomily predicted, " you'll never come back alive from this one." I ig­ nored her. There's a spoilsport in every crowd.

or four more generally doing what pi­ lots like to do best-pleasure flying. Instead of parking down near my hangar, I drove to the remote Visitors parking area. As usual , when a strange car pulls into the airport, everyone on the ground craned their necks to see who it was. In many of our hangar flying bull sessions at the airport we had won­ dered what we would do if the FAA suddenly drove up and started snap inspections and weigh-ins of planes. We all knew that if a hard-nosed inspector showed up, he could-and would - find something in our logs or pa­ pers that was wrong. I got out of the car wear­ ing my dark glasses and FAA hat. The lowering sun reflected off the glistening golden letters like they were on fire. I reached in the car and pulled out the FAA equivalent of a pair of pearl-handled Colt 45s: a ball-point pen and a clipboard. Yessirree Bob, the transformation had been made. I was no longer a simple mortal man , burdened with his worries and faults. I was reincarnated as RAMP CHECK MAN, He Who Fears No One. I walked around the rear of the car and started slowly walking toward the hangars. The watching throng finally saw the letters on my hat. It was like exploding a firecracker in an anthill. The next two minutes were a classic study in how fast the human animal can react to imminent disaster. All I

"It was like exploding a firecracker in

an anthill."

I borrowed my daughter's car , which no one at the airport had ever seen, and loaded it with my supplies. I was ready. Sharon kissed me goodbye and watched me drive off. She thought she would never see me again. I knew that if I was going to pull off a stunt like this , 1 had to choose the right time of day to make my move. I'd selected a balmy Saturday after­ noon; the air was calm and I could be sure the action at the airport was going to be intense. On nice days at our lit­ tle fie ld , you can usually find at least seven u ltraligh t pilots in the pattern honing t he ir ski ll s doing touch-and­ goes. T here would probably be three

could hear were shouts of warning and slamming hangar doors. It took me about two minutes to saunter up to the row of hangars. In that time, two cars drove across a recently harvested , rut­ ted bean field in a cloud of dust, mak­ ing their own roads to the airport exit. Another gaggle of panicked individu­ als was observed stampeding into the six-foot-tall cornfield and disappearing from view just like the baseball team in Field of Dreams. This was working great. I started to swagger a little. By the time I got to the hangars, not a creature was stirring, not even a hangar mouse. It was a ghost airport. Strutting along the silent row of sheet metal buildings, my only accompani­ ment the crunching gravel beneath my feet and the hum of insects in the fields, I could feel hidden eyes from the cornfield watching me with burn­ ing intensity. I strode up to a hangar where I knew some pilots were hiding and beat on the door. " Open up, " I growled in a deep , menacing voice. FAA!" Silence reined supreme. I smothered a snicker. "COME ON, OPEN UP!" I yelled, "I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" I waited, giggling crazily inside . Oh boy , this was going even better than I had imagined in my wildest dreams. A timid, tremulous voice finally came from the other side of the door. "Who's there?" I couldn't maintain the facade any more . "GET OUT YOUR PAPER­ WORK, BECAUSE IT IS I, RAMP CHECK MAN, DEFENDER OF STUPID RULES AND MESSEN­ GER OF DOOM." I laughed evilly. An enraged scream came from the other side of the door. "IT'S STARKS! GET HIM, GUYS!" They started to feverishly unlock and un­ chain the door, accompanied by some of the most astounding cursing I have ever heard. It seemed like a good time to leave. I started my retreat. By the time they had finally torn the door open, I had a good 50-yard lead and thought I was safe. I ran down the road, laughing like a loon, with the baying, slavering herd thundering along behind me in hot pursuit. I almost made it to the car. I would have, too, except two guys jumped out of the corn and tackled me twenty feet from safety. They delayed me enough for the lynch mob to catch up and lay rude hands on my person. In the ensu­ ing dusty, swearing, sweaty skirmish I darn near lost my pants and the rain barrel was dumped over me. Verbal abuse like I had never heard was heaped on my head. I laughed through it all. They finally started to grin and laugh, too. (Thank God!)

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" Open Up," I growled in a deep, menacing voice. " FAA!"

Then, as is usual after a successful practical joke has been pulled, the vic­ tims began their own devious planning. Someone asked me what other airports I had visited while wearing the hat. When I told t hem they were my first victims, the scheming started. I had several offers of rather substantial amounts of money for the hat. I turned them all down but did allow certain se­ lected individuals to check out the hat for visits to other places of interest. The reign of terror that summer was short but intense. One good thing did result from this episode. Everyone at our airport was scared enough that the paperwork in their planes is now up to date and complete.

"Ramp Check Man " is one of28 chapters from the book "You Want to Bu ild a n d Fly a WHAT?" by Dick Starks, with illustrations by Bob Stevens. The book is available at aviation book and pilot supply outlets, or you can order from the publisher by sending $12.95 plus $2.00 shipping to Butterfield Press, 990 Winery Canyon Road, Temple­ ton, CA 93465. California residents add 94 cents tax. For VISA or Mas­ terCard phone orders, call 800-648­ 6601. "You Want to Build and Fly a What?" is also available from EAA. Call 1-800-843 -3612 for ordering in­ formation .

'*

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

/I~~'~SPEEDBIRD==

The Last "Bird"

by H.G. Frautschy

If I can be excused for a statement of obvious fact to an entire generation, the Great Depression had a profound effect on the av iation industry. To those of us who are younger, the depth of that effect has been insulated from us by the passing of time. It seemed that just as the aviation com­ munity was getting support from the gen­ eral public, and new airplanes and their designers were being given recognition beyond just being foolhardy daredevils, the industry was caught in the grips of a fi­ nancial stranglehold . With little money coming in for new orders , it was hard to keep a company afloat. It didn ' t seem to matter if you were small or large, if you were well known or a newcomer - the dol­ lars had to keep coming , or you would find yourself out of business fast. The businesses just had not had enough time to build up any kind of reserves, and were quite often surviving " hand to mouth. " These words are not meant to portray the time as being devoid of any activity - on the contrary , av iatio n continued to progress in both technology and as a busi­ 8 MAY 1993

ness venture, but it was a time that tested even the best businessman. You had to be good (and perhaps a bit lucky) to survive! Bird Aircraft was one of those compa­ nies trying hard to survive. By 1932, new models were introduced, but orders just did not come in. As 1932 drew to a close, Bird Aircraft had to close their doors. On the drawing board at Bird was a small two-place open cockpit biplane powered by an 85 hp LeBlond. Featuring side-by­ side seating, the airplane was oriented to­ wards the sportsman pilot. While devel­ opment work had been done, the airplane, dubbed the "Speedbird," had not yet been issued its type certificate when bankruptcy forced Bird into receivership. The mid 1930's saw the organization of the Speed Bird Corporation from the re­ mains of the Bird Aircraft Co. Incorpo­ rated as a company to dispose of the re­ maining Bird airp lan e parts, as well as supply parts to Bird owners, the company also had another purpose. Development and testing of X-15641, the small two­ place biplane continued at Keyport, New Je rsey. The little biplane was built in the

Aeromarine Airplane and Motor factory building. For Anderson and his company, the fi­ nancial sleddin g was still tough, and a search was constantly o n for financial backing to push the Speed bird over the edge and get it into production. Finally, backing was found in California, and the small airplane company was reformed in San Jose on April 20, 1937. According to research done by Dick Hill, who along with his wife Jeannie run the Bird Air­ plane Club, the "Speedbird" was flown out to Los Angeles by its chief mechanic, Ray Norby, and its designer, Lee Wallace. The Speed bird was put on display during the National Air Races held in Los Ange­ les, CA. After the NAR, the airplane was trucked to San Jose, the new home of the Speed Bird Corp. (Members may recall that the Speedbird was the Mystery Plane for th e May 1990 issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Dick's answer identifying the airplane was published in the August 1990 edition.) Misfortune overtook the project once again. Not long after moving to California

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(Top photos) The Speedbird as it appeared shortly before being damaged by a Travel Air. You can plainly see the large addition of sheet metal to the rudder, added during flight testing. (Right) January 1960 - Jim Nissen rescued the Speedbird from a defunct college aero­ nautical program. The remains of the airplane can be seen in the foreground. Jim is working on his T -M Scout.

and setting up the new company, Fred Anderson passed away. With his passing, the project came to a grinding halt. The Speedbird was left to sit outside, where what could have been its death blow was struck. During August 1937, as the air­ plane sat on the flight line , a Travel Air biplane taxied into it, chewing up the left side. The Speed bird was hauled off to the back of a hangar, where it lay gathering dust. There it sat until the 1950's, when Fred Anderson's widow donated the remains of the airplane to the San Jose City College for their aviation program . The students used it for practical repair experience: in­ cluding baseball stitching tears in the fab­ ric, and learning the ins and outs of air­ craft structures , as well as skillfully misplacing essential rigging items, includ­ ing the "N" struts and factory plans. When the college decided to close down the aviation program, antique air­ plane restorer and manager of the San Jose Municipal Airport Jim Nissen was hired to take an inventory and dismantle the Aeronautics department of the school. His "payment" for the work was the re­ mains of the Speedbird, which still had the 85 hp LeBlond . There were many pieces of the puzzle missing, and information was tough to come by. Jim Nissen had a number of projects he was working on , and after he had moved to a private airstrip in Livermore, CA he was introduced to John Denny. In 1967, John had come to visit Jim's hangarmate, Walt Adams, who had built up a full size Nieuport 11. While visiting with Jim and Walt , Jim Nissen showed John Denny his Fokker D-7 project. John noticed that the Fokker had only one machine gun mounted, and asked where the other was. Jim responded that he had not yet been able to find one. A coincidence would soo n set John Denny 's course for many years. Later in 1967, John and his family went to Phoe nix , AZ to visit relatives for the holiday s. His young nephew , Dennis "Buck" Dodson, excitedly dragged his un­ cle John out to the back yard , where he showed off his latest project. There , mounted "Rat Patrol " style on a off-road Jeep that the Dodson's used to explore the Arizona wilderness, was a genuine

German 1917 Sp a ndau machin e g un . Buck had found it in the desert during one of his off-road trips, and dragged it home as a souvenir. John told Buck about the Fokker D-7 Jim Nissen was building, ex­ plaining that it only had one gun so far. 14-year old Buck told his uncle he could have the gun to give to Jim Nissen to use on the Fokker. John Denny took the Spandau back to California, and gave the gun to a grateful Jim Nissen. John explained how Buck had found the gun, and offered to give it to Jim for his project. John also told Jim he would like to restore a biplane, and af­ ter a bit of cajoling, Jim Nissen sold John Denny the remains of the Speedbird, with­ out the LeBlond engine. (Jim planned to use it on a Bleriot project he was working on.) In February 1968 John loaded up the pieces and brought them home. It was the beginning of a 25-year-long restoration ef­ fort! After putting all the pieces in the garage, the enormity of the project began to sink in. With no plans available , and scanty photo documentation , the going would be tough. One of John's first steps was to join the EAA , and buy every "How To" book they had. One of the first pro­ jects was to find a replacement engine. Chuck Fleming had a rough 125 Warner that was missing a few items , but John bought it. He didn 't know that those few items (a few push rod tubes, as well as ex­ haust valves), were practically non-exis­ tent. John had no experience with aircraft engines, so he signed up for an A&P class taught by Maynard Brown at Palo Alto night school. He began to major the Warner. The exhaust valves were the hardest part to find , and it wasn't solved until Hollis Burton was able to modify some other valves to fit. The engine pro­ ject was helped along by many people, in­ cluding Ken Ruth , Ken Williams and Ted Hendrickson. Ted also would build up the propeller for the Warner. After the engine work had progressed , the airframe work began, with the wood­ work getting its share of attention . New wing ribs were made, and each part of the airplane was rebuilt, or, as was the case of the new engine mount, built anew. The well rounded contours of the Speedbird

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fuselage only ha ppen with a number of stringers and formers. 26 stringers would be needed for the fuselage sides and tur­ tledeck, with more needed on the bottom between the two lower wings. The new engine installation need a bit of e ngineering work - the old LeBlond was lighter than the 125 hp Warner, and so the engine had to be moved aft 4.5 inches. John was helped on the engineer­ ing work by Jack Bauman and Leo Howard . Often during the project, John would turn to his friends in EAA Chapter 338 for encouragement and assistance. A lot had been accomplished during the early days of the restoration , and as the project neared its 20th anniversary, it was moved to Tim Talen's " Ragwood Refactory" in Springfield, Oregon . The Dennys also moved north from San Jose, and the next four years saw John heading over in his recreational vehicle to Tim 's shop to work on the project day after day, and often into the night. He'd come home to refill the refrigerator and stock up on clean clothes, and then head right on back to work on the Speedbird. At Tim Talen's, as John was remodel­ ing the Denny's new home in Springfield, Tim welded up the new rudder, using the old rudder as a guide. At first , John had planned to use an aerodynamically bal­ anced rudder on the Speed bird , but this idea was dropped, since it would not be authentic. A new drawing was prepared taking the dimensions from the old rud­ der. A while later, an interesting develop­ ment would come to light concerning the rudder configuration. The Denny's Springfield home was not immune to invasion by the Speedbird pro­ ject, even as it was taking shape at the " Ragwing Refactory. " Bits and pieces went home for work , including a session where John stitched the tail surfaces in the living room. Since the original firewall was dam­ aged in the Travel Air taxiing accident, a new one was built that would fair in the Warner installation better. Doing so also required a slight redesign of the stringer installation as well. The entire D enn y family was involved in the project. Son Neil had literally grown up with the Speedbird project, and took time out during a leave from GuanVINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

tanimo Naval Base in Cuba, where he was stationed. Later, he was stationed as an A.T. 2C at NAS China Lake, CA. When­ ever possible, John's wife Jean, daughter Nancy, and son Neil and his wife Susan would help out on the project ribstiching, cutting fabric and doing whateve r it took to move the Speed bird closer to comple­ tion. John 's nephew , Buck , who had fo un d the Spandau machine gun that led to John buying the Speedbird, had stayed an air­ plane enthusiast since he was a youngster. Now all grown up, Buck also was involved in the restoration. Buck was living in Chico, CA at the time, and offered to be a partner in the restoration . John ag reed. La te r, after th e Denn y's had moved to New Mexico, another ownership change was made. With the airplane at the "90% done, 50% to go" stage, it became appar­ ent to John that one of the two partners should own the Speedbird outright. Since John did not hold a va lid medical any­ more he decided to sell the Speedbird to hi s ne ph ew. Needless to say, it was a tough decision - even though it was going to a family member , it was still hard to part with something that had been a part of the family for nearly 25 yea rs. The air­ plane was to remain at Tim Talen's shop until it was completed, so Buck and J ohn trave led back a nd forth to finish th e Speedbird. It turns out th at adding an "ele phant

ear" balance to the rudder would have been "sorta authentic." During D ecem­ ber 1991, as the D en n y's moved from Springfield , OR to Albuquerque , NM , John had visited with his old friend Jim Nissen, and Jim told him that the original test pilot of the Speedbird, Norm Bree­ den, lived in Los Altos Hills, CA. After returning home, John called Mr. Breeden and asked him abo ut the flying character­ istics of the Speedbird. He said that as the flight tests progressed, it became apparent that more rudder was needed to pick up a wing during low speed flight , so he kept adding area to the rudder using s hee t metal until he was satisfied with the han­ dlin g. Norm Breede n also sai d that he had tried to get Mr. Anderson to add a balance like the "e le phant ears" on his Trave l Air , but that Mr. And erson had nixed the idea, wanting to keep the profile of the rudd er the same as the trademark rudde r/fin combination on the other Bird designs. So you can see, the balance would have been right to Mr. Breede n's line of thinking, but the decision to keep the out­ line the same was made over 50 yea rs ago! Buck brought the pieces of the Warner home to Chico , CA , where he was living at the time. He went to Aero Union, the repair and modification faci lity known for their work doing fire bomber conversions. He me t J o hn Harri son , th e manager of Aero Union 's e ngin e shop. John wou ld com e over to Buck's house , where they

completed the major overhaul. Buck brought it back up to Springfield, where it was hung in July 1992, Tim, John Denny and Buck took turns wearing out th eir arms trying to get it started. The engine would run briefly, and then die. It would not be the last time they would encounter that problem. With the airframe work nearing com­ pletion, and the engine work down to trou­ bleshooting, Buck made plans to truck the Speed bird to Oshkosh for the EAA Con­ vention. A " dr ess reh ea rsal" was don e, with th e entire ai rplane assembled and rigged just the way it would appear on the flight line. To trailer the Speedbird, more of the Denny extended fami ly and friends came to the rescue. John 's son-in-law, Bill "Tripp" Callery put his contractors exper­ tise to work des igning the trail er. Bill 's son Jeremy and Buck's son Robert, as well as Bill 's wife Nancy, all helped to load up the Sp eed bird for th e big trip . Buck's frie nd Karl Kle mm worked like a beaver to make sure the trip would go smoothly ­ he donated the use of his Chevrolet Subur­ ban to tow the trai ler, and he designed a set of precut plywood frames to hold the Speedbird gent ly but securely on the for the long haul to and from Oshkosh. Even John 's son Neil was able to make the trip to OSH - he asked his C.O. at China Lake if he could have a special leave to accompany his father to Oshkosh to dis­ play an airplane he had been working on

No, nothing is broken here in the emergency aircraft repair area - The Speedbird is being put together at EAA OSHKOSH '92 after the long ride from California. In the foreground, Karl Klemm and Buck's son Robert get one of the wings ready to mount, while Buck (background, right) talks with an inter­ ested EAA'er. 10 MAY 1993

John Denny shows the original rudder modified to make the Speedbird's low speed handling acceptable. The new rudder on the airplane has the area needed to do the job.

The side-by-side cockpit of the Speedbird features stick c on­ trols. The cockpit coaming was neatly done by John and his w ife Jean. Tom Talen put his knowledge to work completing the instrument panel, including the handy gloveboxes on each side of t he panel.

for 25 years, his C.O., a Naval Aviator, crew during their stay at Oshkosh, found a gave it one more pull. Success! It ran and replied "I'll drive you to the airport!" replacement carb for the 125 hp Warner. kept on running, and with Dick at the con­ Off to Oshkosh they went - Karl It was a Marvel carburetor, but even after trols, the Speedbird was run up and down Klemm , Buck Dodson , and John and it was installed, the engine just did not the grass runway at OSHKOSH on a se­ Neil Denny. They arrived and started to seem to want to continue running. Valve ries of high speed tests. Breathless with assemble the Speedbird. It looked like a clearances were reset, mag timing checked anticipation (or was it exhaustion?) the Speedbird crew watched as Dick headed large model airplane spread about the - but nothing seemed to work. Aircraft Repair area on the south e nd of The dawning of the third day found her into the wind and gave her the gun . the flight line. After the Speedbird had Neil Denny fie ld stripping the Stromberg Finally, after 25 years of work, and a tiring been completely assembled, it was rolled carburetor, and finding that the float pin 3 day marathon ma intenance session, over to the Antique/Classic flight line. was so worn that the float and needle John Denny and the rest of the Speedbird The Speedbird crew waited patiently for could not seat properly. A little machine crew got to see their handiwork fly at the judges to show up. The A/C judges work at a local shop remedied that prob­ 11:58 a.m., two short minutes prior to the reminded John and the crew that to be lem, but the sand was quickly running out judging deadline. Dick hopped the Speed­ eligible for an award, the rules state that of the hourglass. Working as fast as they bird into the air and leveled off at 8-12 the airplane must fly at the Convention ­ could, and still making sure they were do­ feet , carefully flying down the length of it can fly in, or it can be assembled at the ing everything safely, they finally finished the Oshkosh grass runway. I'll bet you Convention and flown , but it must fly be­ the installation. With Dick Hill in the could hear the whooping and hollering all fore the judging deadline . It was time cockpit and Buck at the prop, it was time the way over to the airshow line! Phew! for fast but accurate action. The flying to call contact and give the prop a flip . Was the effort worth it? You bet, as wires needed to be rigged and tightened, Hooray! It started, and kept on running. bolts torqued and safetied, and all the After little carb linkage adjustment, it was an exhausted but smiling Speedbird crew control cables rigged and safetied. The time to head out to the grass runway and Buck Dodson and his son Robert, Neil Denny , Karl Klemm and finally, John e ngine still had to be sorted out, since it do a short test flight. had only run 20 seconds since being over­ With fingers mentally crossed and a Denny were thrill e d to hear they had look of de termination on their face , they won the "Outstanding Open Cockpit Bi­ hauled. The end of the next day had the air­ crossed runway 18/36 and got re ady for plane " antique a ward at EAA plane rigged and safetied, and ready for Dick Hill to fly the Speedbird on a hop OSHKOSH '92. John Denny is philosophical about the the engine runs. The frustrations experi­ down the length of the runway. With the clock ticking away much too past 25 years, and the effort he put into ence d in Springfield during early July were again repeated, along with a few quickly, the Warner decided to be balky the restoration of Speedbird X-15641. He new twists. The antique primer leake d again. After wearing out Buck's arm, Neil says at the end of his picture album docu­ menting the project, "Whatever I've badly and the gascolator also has a done, I couldn 't have done, without leak. The Fly Marke t at Oshkosh my wife, my family, the EAA and yie lded a replacement for the the Ragwood Refactory." primer, and the gasco lator was Epilogue: Buck Dodson advised fixed, but the crew could get no im­ me just prior to going to press with provement in the e ngi ne as they this issue that the Speedbird actually worked until midnight. needed a different model Stromberg The next day showed the Speed­ carb to run correctly, and it has taken bird crew the EAA spirit. They had a number of months to find the right been helped along the way at carb with the correct size venturi. Oshkosh by the emergency repair Buck says the engine now purrs like barn crew, and now they would also a kitten, and starting is no longer an get some help from other complete endurance test. Test flights were ex· strangers. Bill Watson , of Collins­ ville, OK lent his expertise to th e EAA OSHKOSH '92 - The moment of truth - Captain pected to commence in late April, troubleshooting, and Dick Hill, who Dick Hill, propritor of the Bird Club, starts his takeoff and Buck hopes to have the Speed· bird at the Watsonville Fly·ln. .... had been he lping the Speedbird run with the Speedbird. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

CUB THROTTLE FAILURE by Bob Hunt

(EAA 165963, Ale 6123)

It was a day that seemed to be made for a Cub. I know, we say that about a lot of days , but this was one beautiful day ; no wind , unlimited visibility and those big puffy clouds floating around at about 5,000 feet. My freshly restored Cub was showing just a bit more than six hours on the tach since an 11 month restoration, and I was anxious to get it airborne. My friend Steve and I decided to fly our planes to a nearby airport so we could give another friend his first Cub ride. The plan was to fly low over his farm so he would then drive over to the airport. Although I took off first , it wasn't long before the beautiful red and cream colors of my Super Cruiser with Steve at th e controls overtook me . It was a unique view - since I am normally the only one who flies my Super Cruiser, I neve r get to see it fly and I enjoyed get­ ting this "birds eye view." In all too short a time we reached the farm and Steve started to descend . I thought I would follow him as closely as I could and I too started to throttle back, except nothing happened. No engine rpm change! I pulled the throttle back a little more, but still, nothing happened. Then I pushed the throttle forward and the rpm increased, but when I pulled it back to the stop, nothing happened - I still had full power! It didn ' t take me long to realize what had happened. The end of the throttle cable had come out of its holding clamp on the carburetor. Now, with nothing holding the cable, the throttle ar m was all the way out at the forward stop. Thankfully , th e tach showed I was still under redline, proba­ bly because of the high pitch of the prop, but it was close. Right then and there, I realized that my next landing would be different than anyone I had ever made. As Steve flew off toward the destina­ tion, I made a 180 and headed home . I still had some altitude to lose, so I ran on one mag and pulled on th e carb heat. That seemed to drop the rpm enough so I could do a moderate let down without going over red line . With several miles to go before the airport I knew that I re­ 12 MAY 1993

ally wasn't in too much trouble. I mean, at least the engine was still running! I al­ ways did landings with idle power, so that was normal for me. I guess the only difference was that I knew that on final I would have to kill the engine and dead stick it in. My plan was simple ... try to land exactly half way down the runway instead of just over the numbers like I usually (try!) to do. That way, if I am too high I could slip it, and if I misjudge it, I still would have runway under me to land on. So I made sure I was very high on final and even a bit fast. What happened next is the reason I decided to write this story. When I was sure that the field was made, I nervously reached up and shut off the other mag. I must admit it did get very quiet up there! Even at the slow speed I was flying in the pattern the prop continued to windmill, which was good, just in case I really foul e d things up. At least the engine would restart. As the field got bigger and bigger in the windshield I knew something was wrong. I was descending too fast. Much too fast! The airspeed was good, but the sink rate was really high. I knew that the mid-field target was a rapidly fading dream. As I crossed the fence I noticed I was at the same spot I usually am in during a "normal" land­ ing. The rest of the landing went smoothly, and I quietly rolled off the runway to the stares of some fellow pi­ lots. It wasn't until I got the Cub back to the hangar that I realized what had hap­ pened. My flight instructor really seemed to enjoy reaching over and pulling the throttle on me during my student flying days; definitely more times than I liked. But those were simulated engine outs and not the real thing. The difference, as I found out, is the extra drag caused by the wind milling prop. This increased drag forces a much steeper rate of descent. Obviously you can't practice this because it would be unsafe to kill the engine (and maybe more than just the engine) on simulated engine outs. I found out in actual prac­ tice what happens. It is something that fortunately I got away with because I had planned on being high and hot. I don't know if it would have been any dif­ ferent if I had gotten the prop to stop; I

really didn't want to in case I needed to go around. Perhaps there wouldn 't have been as much drag, I don't know. Editor's note: I asked a local CFI with decades of experience in his logbook to help me out with an explanation of Bob 's experience. We both agree that the drag of a rotating prop windmilling in the slip­ stream, with the ignition off, is higher than if the prop were stopped. Stopping the prop (a wooden one in this case) would normally require the airplane be slowed close to the stall, with the ignition off, a situation that may not be desirable at low altitude. If the prop is m etal in­ stead of wood, the prop may not be able to be stopped without an airspeed at or lower than the stall speed. (Metal props have more inertia.) Any prop driven air­ plane with a windmilling prop will have a higher sink rate than one with the throttle closed and the engine runnin g at idle while gliding. The stopped prop has only the drag of the actual size of the prop, but a windmilling propeller is effectively a disc, with a much larger drag profile to present to the oncoming air. A good thing to keep in mind if you ever have a situa­ tion like Bob 's. We recommend that the next time you see your CFI, ask him about this effect - a little extra dual instruction would be an excellent idea for all of us. Learning something new or just reinforc­ ing prior training may just save you and your airplane! After re-attaching the throttle cable I have enjoyed many hours of flying in the old Cub, and J guess it does indeed take a few hours before you understand that Cub "magic." It is indeed a special plane. Maybe it is because you sense not really flying it but being a part of it. You learn it fast and it seems to learn you too. Fly­ ing feels much more natural in the Cub , more so than in my Super Cruiser or other planes I've flown. It returns you to the roots of flying; the nostalgia is built in. The open door, the smell of 80 octane, ex­ haust, dope, and fresh air all combine to invite you to remember what flying was and still is. To me, flying is not Lorans, transponders, power and aluminum. The smell of leaves burning that hits you at 1500 feet. And the noise the tall grass makes when it hits those big, fat 800 x 4 tires as you taxi back in . Flying is indeed a special, special thing.

*'

By Robert G. Ray Sr. just after Christmas, 1971, when my "When you've been around as long as I It was one of those crystal days that fourteen-year-old son and I drove onto have , you will look different too. " I are common to north Florida in Octo­ the tiedown area at a little airport south pointed out N43002 to my young son ber and November. The towering cu­ of Atlanta called Bear Creek. Located and I suspected from the look in his mulus floated like huge puffs of smoke outside the Atlanta metropolitan area, eyes that it was going to be difficult to against the clear blue sky, and the scene it was a haven for all sorts of light leave this place without that airplane. was certain to warm the heart of an old planes. I had seen an advertisement in a The owner showed up a few minutes local newspaper that a 1946 Taylorcraft later and gave me a rundown on the air­ pilot. As I watched the little red and white BC-12D was for sale and having owned plane, after which we went through the Taylorcraft high above the peaceful one for many years a while ago, I could logbooks and, try as I might, I could grass strip at McCutchan, I could almost hardly resist the urge to check it out. find no excuse for not buying her. Who­ feel the joy the young pilot felt as he The least I could do was go take a look ever had owned her in the past had rolled his craft through a gentle at the old bird, I told myself; I don ' t taken very good care of her. I also heard wingover and hung lazily for a moment, have to buy it. Well, it wasn't hard to more reasons than I cou ld count from then drifted into a gentle dive silhouet­ find , since there was only one Taylor­ my son assuring me that buying this air­ ted against a distant towering cumulus craft on the field. It seemed oddly out plane was the only thing to do. So buy cloud. It had been thirteen years since I of place sitting between a late model her we did . I gave the owner a deposit had seen N43002 in the air, and what a Piper and a shiny Cessna, but to me it and told him to deliver her as soon as beautiful sight it was! I think the lump had a stately look about it that said, my certified check reached his door. Of course, my son was all in my throat and the for flying her home mist in my eyes said right then, but I fi­ it all: there is no joy nally convinced him in flying that can that a few days wait compare with the joy wouldn ' t be the end of flying the old of the world . We birds. drove home and There is a story talked about air­ behind old N43002 , planes the entire trip. and as any ai rplane A week later we lover will tell you, the were standing by the nostalgia of owning runway at our local one of the old origi­ grass strip airport nals never leaves nervously waiting for you. Every time you N43002 to arrive. see one, the feeling The weather was gor­ comes back. geous with unlimited Col. Robert Ray, Sr., USAF, (Ret) with 43002 in north Florida at a local fly-in. The story began VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

Homeward bound - Taylorcraft 43002 is loaded up and ready to head home for her latest restoration.

visibility, so we could see the little Tay­ lorcraft the minute she came on the horizon. We watched without a word as the pilot flew a slow and easy pattern and touched down like a feather. N43002 had found a new home. For the next two years, N43002 be­ came a part of the family . The country­ side around Warner Robins, Georgia came to know N43002 as a familiar sight in the sky as the little red and white tail­ dragger soared and danced over the fields and woods. There wasn ' t a grass strip or paved runway within fifty miles that was not on a first name basis with the Taylorcraft. The bright-eyed kid and his Dad who flew her were ready to tell tall flying tales with the best of them any time, anywhere. Like the time we met the Goodyear blimp cruising at 500 feet above 1-75, and upon pulling along­ side her for a good look and a wave, the blimp pilot slowed to a stop in mid-air

The fuselage of the Taylorcraft didn't have much corrosion at all - it just required an overall general sandblasting.

and watched our little Taylorcraft sink slowly out of sight. Or the times we would fly over a farmer's house and slow down into the wind and slowly back up while the folks on the ground stared up in disbelief. Although too young to solo, my son became quite proficient at the controls of 43002. Landings and takeoffs became routine, and stalls , spins and slow flight were standard fare. It was plain that Taylor­ craft N43002 had evoked an enthusiasm in this young flyer that would shape his future, and in me a nostalgia that would not soon be lost. Who could forget those memorable flights, the time spent recovering the wings with hours of rib stitching, and neighbors and friends wondering what we were doing with air­ plane wings in the carport. Then came the day when word was received that the family would be moved to California, and a decision had to be

The interior of the T-Craft was restored as close as possible to original, including the Decker control wheels and those itty-bitty brake pedals. 14 MAY 1993

made as to the fate of 43002. Could we take her with us, or not? It was one of the most difficult decisions we ever had to make together. The little bird had brought us close as only a father and son can be, and we had shared memo­ ries that would last a lifetime. Should we try to fly her across the United States, or sell her and buy another at the other end of the country? There was no easy solution. It was an agonizing time, and only after every single factor had been considered and reconsidered was the decision made that 43002 would have to be sold. A sad day indeed, and one that we wished didn't have to be. As the young man from a neighbor­ ing town looked over the little Taylor­ craft, it was obvious that he was new at the flying game, but he seemed deter­ mined to have an airplane. When he had satisfied himself that all the parts were there and securely fastened to­ gether, he was ready for a checkout. He had learned to fly in a Cub or Aeronca Champ and there was just enough dif­ ference in the flight characteristics to give him some problems. It was the bet­ ter part of an hour before he was able to make a presentable approach and land­ ing. After about six or eight touch and goes, with innumerable bounces, he was able to make three fairly consistent landings , so I signed his logbook and cautioned him to fly only on calm days until he had a few hours under his belt. I hoped he would heed my advice as I watched him climb confidently aboard. Then I propped old 43002 for what I thought was to be the last time. I didn't have the heart to stay and watch her go over the horizon , and I could see that my son was in no mood to say goodbye to a faithful old bird that had given us so much pleasure, and never once had she let us down. There were few words spo­ ken on the way home that day, and the trip somehow seemed longer than usual. We moved to California for a couple of years in the high desert country. It

was not the best place in the world for

You can bet this shot wasn't taken in Florida after 43002 was restored! Captain Rob Ray flies his favorite Taylorcraft over the har­ vested and frozen fields of South Dakota.

light plane flying, with the daily wind and blowing dust , so we never really were enthusiastic about looking for a re­ placement for 43002, besides, we knew our stay would be limited so we didn't bother. We flew some rented planes and NASA employed my son to fly ra­ dio controlled models , but flying as we had known it was in remission. The years have a way of slipping by almost too fast to notice, so it was sev­ eral years later in Florida when N43002 entered our lives again. I had soloed my son in a Cessna 172 with only a few hours of refresher training, thanks to his Taylorcraft experience, and he had gone on to get his private and commercial li­ cense over the next few years. He had accumulated over 1000 hours in Bel­ lanca Scouts and Citabrias for a banner tow outfit while attending Florida State in the winter season. It was on one of these banner tow excursions to an Auburn University football game that brought 43002 back in focus. He had written AOP A to find out if the tail number was still registered, and to his joy and amazement found out that not only was it still registered, but the owner lived less than two hours away, which happened to be next door to Auburn University. After completing his ban­ ner towing he had hitched a ride to the owner's home in search of his old friend. I was not aware of all these events until his return late that night. We were watching the late night news on TV when he came in and wearily sat his fly­ ing gear down. "Dad, you will never

guess what I saw today sitting in a guy's garage - Taylorcraft N43002! " He ex­ plained how he had gone to the owner's home and inquired about the location of the aircraft, and the owner had opened the door to his garage and said, "There she is." I could only imagine the excite­ ment he must have felt after such a long time. Here was the first airplane he had ever flown, the one he had really learned to fly in, sitting right before his eyes. He had looked her over carefully, remembered things I had long since for­ gotten, such as the homemade door latch he had made to keep the passen­ ger door locked in flight, and the safety latch we had made for the fuel shutoff valve . The fabric had been stripped from the fuselage with intentions of restoring her, but the owner had not had the time to get started. She had been in this condition over three years, and my son's question as to whether the owner would consider selling her was answered with a positive and discourag­ ing , " NO. " He had left happy in the knowledge that he had found his old friend, but sad at her unavailability. I felt his disappointment as well , but could not see much hope under the cir­ cumstances. About a year later my son was home on vacation from Florida State. We were talking over old times when he suggested we drive up the next day and see N43002. I had no plans , and the thought of seeing the little Taylorcraft again whetted my curiosity. I agreed and we got an early start the next morn­

ing . We arrived about noon and the owner was happy to show us his trea ­ sured aircraft. Looking at the logbooks revealed that the aircraft had flown less than fifty hours since I had sold her twelve years ago. Parts were scattered everywhere , and only an antique air­ craft lover could have seen a restored aircraft through this maze of apparent junk. My experience in restorations consisted of complete rebuilds of a cou­ ple of Cessna 140s and assisting on sev­ eral other aircraft, so I was able to de­ termine with some accuracy that the essential parts were there and generally serviceable. I could appreciate the amount of work that would be involved in the restoration, but this one had a dif­ ferent attraction , and I wanted the chal­ lenge. To my dismay, the owner seemed genuinely determined to restore the air­ craft, so his response to my offer to buy her was the expected "not for sale." We talked about our past experiences with N43002, and my son's enthusiasm obvi­ ously impressed the man. I left my card and he agreed that if he should ever de­ cide to part with 43002, he would call me first. The drive home seemed a bit longer and quieter than the trip out. In the year following, my son contin­ ued pulling banners in the summer and fall while completing his college educa­ tion. He had applied for Air Force pilot training and received his class assign­ ment, so other events had left thoughts of 43002 in remission once more. The ensuing months were filled with stories of new places, a first jet ride, and a VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

weekly update from Texas on events oc­ curring in the jet age. N43002 was al­ most history agai n as other thoughts and projects occupied my time . Just af­ ter Christmas I received a letter from the owner of 43002 stating that he had some problems which were forcing him to liquidate some of his assets, one of them being N43002. Was I still inter­ ested in buying the aircraft? Ordinarily, there would have been no hesitation, but at this time I a lready owned a Cessna 140 and had recently bought an Ercoupe to restore, so I was grossed out on projects and my shop would not hold anoth e r one. I agonized over it for a day, but the thoughts of old 43002 just would not let me pass up this opportu­ nity. I left three days later with a trailer to retrieve my purchase. The sight of a once proud bird in a dilapidated , disas­ sembled and generally scattered condi­ tion is almost always depressing, and the sight of 43002 scattered over that garage made me wonder if I wou ld ever find enough parts to assemb le an airplane. The tail feat hers stood bare in a corner next to the naked fuselage, lik e the ske leta l remains of so me prehistoric monster. The wings had somehow sur­ vived without los ing their skin , but a practiced eye cou ld see t hey would never pass the punch test. The faithful littl e A-65 Co ntin e nt al e ngi ne hun g from a rafter by a rusty chain, dust caked and coated with a lay e r of oil which th ankfully had not been removed prior to storage. The tires were flat and dry rotted, and the windows and windshield we re hop e less, but I could see th at enough parts were there to at least have a starting point. It was like finding an old friend who was down and out and rescuing her from some dismal fate in hopes of rehabilitation. Old 43002 was pretty far down , but s till a long way from being out. I gently loaded her on my trailer, cinch ed the engine down in th e bac k of my pickup , and filled th e rest of the bed with miscellaneous parts, ever careful not to add to the hanga r rash that already existed. It looked like any junk man on his way to the junk­ yard. Doors, elevators, ailerons, fair­ ings, inspection plates - you name it, it was th e re. This time the trip home seemed a lot shorter, and I found myself humming along with the music on the radio. I stored 43002 in my friend Jim Mc­ Cutchan's hangar until I could get ready to begin the long restoration process. I needed to get my Ercoupe finished and sold and get my shop reorganized to give my full attention to a project as im­ portant as this one. Three months later I was ready to start moving parts again. I decided that the fuselage would re­ quire the most work so I brought it home first and parked it in my oversized 16 MAY 1993

garage. It was such a good feeling to see her sitting there, even in her sad state of repair, knowing that she was finally home again. I started with a thorough inspection and found no serious corro­ sion or rotten tubing. This was already more than I had ever hoped for, but I could see a definite need for abrasive blasting of the entire structure. I started disassembling the fuselage, removing every part that was not welded - includ­ ing windshield, instrument panel, rud­ der pedals , pulleys , cables, controls, landing gear and anything else that would unbolt, unscrew, or otherwise de­ tach. I was soon down to a state where I could easily lift the entire fuselage struc­ ture by myself, so the abrasive blasting was a little easier to manage. Early in the process I became aware of the fact that restorations depend heavily on originality, and I could see that this airplane was very close to being in original condition, except for a few items like the instrument panel which had been modified. I had a Taylorcraft service manual which depicted the lay­ out of the original panel so I had a good reference, and after a lot of sheet metal work and cosmetic surgery, the panel look ed like it did when it left the fac­ tory . I was now ready to start puttin g things back together and get this pile of parts to look like a n airpl ane. Things were a little simpler when they put these bird s together back in Decemb e r of 1945. Lots of bushings but not many bearings. Rudder pedals made of steel tubin g like the rest of the fuselage and floor boards made of plywood for easy repl aceme nt. Only five instruments in the instrument panel to worry about, and a fuel system that was either on or off. The rest of the fuselage compo­ nents we nt toge ther slowly and with great care, taking time to replace pul­ leys and rusty cables, as well as wooden parts which we re the worse for wear. New control cables and hardware re­ moved the appearance of neglect and some of the indignities of long storage. Surprisingly, most of the parts were still available from the Taylorcraft company - after 38 years! The next eight months were spent carefully restoring worn and rusted parts. Everything had to be put back to factory original if at all possible , and that meant many hours of cleaning and meticulous attention to detail. There is a certain feeling of accomplishment that comes from turning an old part into one that looks like new, especially if it is go­ ing on your airplane . I did not realize how many parts there were, even on an old airplane. Then came the day when she sat on my shop floor on her wheels, glistening and proud, patiently waiting for her new skin. I knew now why I had gone to all

the trouble - she was beautiful! I almost hated to cover up all the work that had gone into he r up to now, but the desire to see her in the air put that thought to rest at once. The fuselage and tail feath­ ers were completed first. The Dacron polyesters are fai rly easy to work with and they heat shrink to a nice taut fin­ ished product. N43002 was now begin­ ning to look lik e a real airplane . I sprayed on the finish and striped her to duplicate th e des ign sh e had carried when I had first owned her. I had an A­ 65 in my shop already overhauled, so I mounted it in the waiting engine mount. It cranked on the second pull! The body was finished , and now for th e wings which would carry her aloft. I moved the fuselage to Jim 's hangar and returned with the wings to begin the recovering process. The rib stitching was the most monotonous part of the whole process. It seemed like an endless routine of passing the needle through to my wife, and having her return it and tie another knot. I figured there were over 600 separate stitches, each one carefully knotted and cinched. By the time we finished the win gs and tail fe ath ers, I could see rib stitches in my sleep. I finally managed to get everything painted, reassembled and rigged exactly 13 months from the time I hauled N43002 home . She sat glistening in the

Captain Rob Ray with his two favorite airplanes - his F-16C and the Taylorcraft BC-65 that his father, Col. Robert E. Ray, Sr., USAF (Ret) restored for him as his graduation gift when he earned his Air Force wings.

spring sunlight like a rare painting with the red trim contrasting the white base color. The work was finished, and I felt a tinge of sadness knowi n g t h at t he happy days spent restoring her were over. She sat there ready to be fl ow n, and after such a lo ng time I ce rtainl y was not going to keep her waiting. The event I had planned fo r long ago would soo n be at h a nd , so I h ad to ge t p re ­ pared fo r it. T he test flig ht we nt off with o ut a hitch. I put he r thro ugh her paces a nd she respo nded with grace a nd pe rfec­ tio n, as if she we re tellin g me she was ready fo r the future. There was nothing left to do now, except to put her in the hangar and wait. It was several weeks later wh en my wife and I drove to Texas to attend the graduation ceremonies at the Air Force training base in Lubbock, Texas. 1 could see the pride in my son as his Mom did the traditio nal ho no rs and pinn ed o n the bright new silve r wings . I re me m­ bered that same look when he sat beside me in t he o ld T ay lo rcraft back th e re whe n it all began. It seemed so many things had changed, but there are some thin gs th a t ne ve r change , and th a t 's what old pilot 's drea ms are made of.

T he ceremo nies fin a ll y e nded a nd the time ca me t o head fo r ho me . A fe w weeks leave and my son would be off to his firs t assignment and things would be back to no rmal at t he old ho me place. T here were things to be do ne and not much time to do the m. It was difficult to keep my secret, but a plan is a plan , and I couldn't blow it at this late date. We arrived home and the next day I cas ua ll y s ugges te d th a t we vi sit our fr ie nd s a t McCutcha n airp o rt. It was such a beautiful day th at it would have bee n hard to refuse an o pportunity to do so me li ght plan e fl yin g, especially since he had done very little of it in the last year. My trusty little Cessna 140 was waiting for us at our nearby grass strip, so we mounted up and headed off for McCutchan , my anxiety growing by the minute. I could only imagine what my son's reaction would be, so I sat back and enjoyed the beautiful sce ne ry and p e rfec t flyin g we ath e r. We touch ed down gently on the grass a nd taxied to where our friends were waiting to greet us. Since they had not seen my son for seve ral months som e tim e was spent catching up on past events, telling flying stories, and congratul ations on his re­ cent accomplishment. When the time fi­

nally came to go check out the hangar, 1 suggested he check out the new addition that had been added while he had been away . If I h ad e ve r t hough t that he would not recognize 43002 at firs t sight, that myth was dissolved in a heartbeat. He took one loo k and said , " Th at's N43002, Dad, how did she ge t he re?" So I told him the story as he lovingly looked her ove r, a nd finally added , " I figured that 43002 would be an appro­ priate graduation prese nt for you , so take good care of her." At last, N43002 had completed her long trip home. As I watched he r th e re in he r ele­ ment being flown by someone who ap­ preciated her for the classic she is, 1 knew that all the work I had put into her had been worth it, and 1 wondered if anyone heard me whisper " welcome home." Postscript: Captain Rob Ray is presently an Air Force advisor to th e South Dakota Air National Guard, fly­ ing F-16 aircraft and, of course, Taylor­ craft N43002. About the author: Robert G. Ray, Sr. is a retired USAF Colonel. He is rated Commercial SE, MEL, A TP, lA, CFI, CFII and restores antique and classic air­ craft .. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - by Norm Petersen

Bob Hitchcock's Waco UPF-7 While returning from Sun 'N Fun '92, we stopped to visit A/C Board Member Dale Gustafson at his Citra, Florida win­ ter hom e. One of his good neighbors turned out to be Robert N. (Bob) Hitch­ cock (EAA 133843, A/C 5450) who owns the very nice 1941 Waco UPF-7, NC32024, SIN 5648, in this photo. Pow­

ere d with a (clean) Continental 220 housed in a full me tal cowl and swinging a polished Curtiss-Reed prope ll er, the cream and blue Waco is a dream ma­ chine from the word "go." The best part was when Bob volunteered to take us for a ride in the Waco! With wide, comfort­ able cockpits, the UPF-7 is a pleasure to ride in and enjoy the feeling of a genuine Waco airplane (Ask Any Pilot).

Bob Hitchcock is an aircraft engine rebuilder of considerable experience with shops in Sargentville, Maine and Citra, Florida. He not only builds up engines, he can fly the old airplanes with the very best. In addi tion to the UPF-7, Bob has a mint J-3 Cub to play with when he feels the urge. Many thanks again, Bob, for a most enjoyable open cockpit ride.

Mike Butler's Serial No.1 KR-21 Rolled out into the bright winter sun­ shine is the fuselage and vertical tail feath­ ers of Fairchild KR-21, NC207V, SIN 1, being restored by Mike Butler (EAA 126172, A/C 9070) of Oshkosh, WI. Pur­ chased as a project several years ago, the KR-21 (which stands for Kreider-Reis­ ner) is powered by a five-cylinder Kinner K-5 of 100 hp and features biplane wings that are tapered, much akin to a small Waco "Taperwing," and employing four ailerons. Mike's workmanship is most im­ pressive and a visit to his shop is quite a treat. We look forward to seeing this rare (Serial No.1, folks) biplane in the air over Oshkosh. IncidentaJ!y , Mike has added s kiplane fittings for those cool winter jaunts! Mike 's NC207V is one of 14 KR­ 21 aircraft remaining on the FAA register including EAA 's KR-21B, NC954V, SIN 1502, which was restored and donated by Rob ert J. (Dobbe) Lickteig of Albert Lea, Minnesota. 18 MAY 1993

George King's Fleet Model 2 This photo of Fleet Model 2, NC678M, SIN 226, was sent in by owner, George W. King (EAA 418206, AIC 19702) of Stryk­ ersville, NY. George bought the Fleet from Mac Dufton , Clearfie ld , PAin 1990. It had been pretty much all over the country in its travels including Hawaii , where it was used as a trainer for a short period before being flown into a house! The Fleet is currently powered with a Kinner R55 of 160 hp and has lO-inch PT-l9 wheels and brakes. George says he flies the Fleet from the rear seat only because of weight and balance dic­ tates. It is one of 36 Fleet 2's remaining on the FAA register.

Don Hansen's 1940 Aeronca Chief 6SLB Standing beside his nicely restored Aeronca Chief 65LB, NC31488, SIN Ll0960, is owner, Don Hansen (EAA 410802) of Mukwonago , WI. The credit for the fine restoration goes to previous owner, Bill Rosman (EAA 56565) of Palmyra, WI who owned the Lycoming pow­ ered Chief from 1979 to 1988. Don Hansen bas been able to trace the air­ plane from when it left the factory in Decem­ ber, 1940, and flew to Huron , SD. The Chief bounced around both North and South Dakota before moving to Wisconsin in 1943 and Illinois in 1944. The next twenty years were spent in the Chicago area before the Chief moved to Wisconsin and then to Iowa in 1969. From there it moved to Wisconsin once again, where it now resides. Don has owned the airplane for the past four years. Total time on the aircraft is approximately 2400 hours since new. With its pretty red and yellow paint scheme accented by a wooden propeller and wheel pants , the '40 model Aeronca makes a very nice antique air­ plane for Don Hansen to enjoy. NC31488 is one of 43 Aeronca 65LB's remaining on the U. S. register.

Piper PA-18 from Iceland This nicely restored Piper PA-18-90 (L-18-C) is the pride and joy of Haral­ dur Karlsson (EAA 323563, AlC 13464)

of Vikurbraut 25, 240 Grindavik, Ice­ land . Purchased as a basket case from Jens Toft (Toft Air Force) in Denmark, the PA-18 was restored over a three year span by Haraldur and Gudmundur

Asgeirsson (EAA 324953) of Stekk­ jarhv 30, 220 Iceland. Powered with a Continental C90-14, the "Cub" is cov­ ered in Ceconite and finished in Ranthane AN ye llow and features a B & C Specialty Products alternator and "Armstrong" starter. Haraldur reports the P A-18 has flown about thirty flaw­ less hours since completion and per­ forms especially well with its McCauley CM7146 climb prop. Iceland has an area of 39,800 sq. miles (about the same as the state of Kentucky), a population of about 190,000 people, and a very active civil­ ian aviation organization. The country registration is "TF" und er the ICAO listing. There is no military aviation in Iceland, so all airline pilots and crews must come from civilian ranks - of which there is a very active group with a rather surprising number of airplanes. In short - these people love to fly!

'*

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

Books

by H.G. Frautschy A viation related books have come a long way in the past few years. Not so very long ago it seemed the number of new books that were aviation related could be counted on one hand each month. Nowadays, it seems we hear about a new release just about every day. What's going on here? Advances in printing technologies have made it possi­ ble to keep publishing costs down, result­ ing in the proliferation of a number of excellent smaller publishers - Butterfield Press, Sunshine House, Tab Books, and many others. These publishers are al­ ways on the lookout for good subjects to publish, and with the outstanding re­ search being done by contemporary au­ thors such as John Underwood, Peter Bowers and the gentlemen you see on these two pages, we can look forward to many new and interesting books on our favorite subject - aviation! Here are a few of the books that we have seen in the last few months:

mE LORAN, GPS & NA V COMM GUIDE, by Keith Coones. Published by Butterfield Press, 990 Winery Canyon Rd., Templeton, CA 93465. Phone 1­ 800-648-6601 for ordering information. Also available from EAA - call 1­ 800/843-3612 for ordering information. First published in 1986, Keith Connes' book has been continuously updated to reflect the latest in avionics technology. This latest edition, published late last year, features an extensive section on the wonder of satellite technology, the 20 MAY 1993

Global Positioning System. Author Keith Connes helps us wade through what can be a confusing morass of "techno-babble," explaining in norm al english how the black boxes "do that voodoo that they do." The GPS and lo­ ran explanations were particularly help­ ful since all of my flying is done YFR, and I wish to incorporate one of these systems into my airplane when I finish the restoration of my Super Chief. (When is that? Don't ask. Let's just say, in the future ...) Most of my flying done navigating using pilotage, but being one of the television generation, I have a cer­ tain fascination with electronic gadgets. Connes' evauluations of various manu­ facturer's units proved to be enlightening as well, helping narrow down the type of unit I'm looking for. At least now I'm half smart enough to know the questions to ask when I go shopping. As Richard Weeghman, the Editor of The Aviation Consumer so aptly put in when closing the forward of the book, "T hi s book should help in the search for the right equipment, so you can select, not settle." I couldn't have said it better myself. Mon Reve, The Story of Wilfred J. Berube and his airport at Chatham on Cape Cod. Written by Bob Whittier , published by Seamaster Company, Drawer T , Duxbury , MA 02331. Also available from EAA - call 1-800/843­ 3612 for ordering information. "Mon Reve" or "My Dream" tells the tale of Wilfred J. Berube, an energetic im­ migrant who, after becoming an excellent overall mechanic, learned to fly. His en­ thusiasm for flight would last a lifetime, with the result that he left the Cape Cod community with a lasting legacy that sur­ vives to this day - Chatham airport. Bob carefully weaves the facts of Berube's life with a fascinating series of photos, some from Berube 's personal scrapbook, and others from newspaper clippings of the period. It tells of the days when you could still land on a Cape Cod beach to do a lit­ tle fishing, or sightsee with Wilfred in his first airplane, a 1929 Aeromarine-Klemm, powered by a 65 hp LeBlond. Also in­ cluded at the end of the 34 page book is a section on the Aeromarine-Klemm, com­ plete with a 3-view and perspective draw­ ings of the airplane by long time An­ tique/Classic member Owen Billman. Bob Whitter's professional treatment (both as author and publisher - the book

is nicely laid out and reproduced) of a lo­ cal story helps make it appealing to every­ one interested in the early days of avia­ tion. It's especially insightful in helping one understand what it takes to be a suc­ cessful fixed base operator, a difficult en­ terprise both now and "way back when. "

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Waco - Symbol of Courage and Excel­ lence, by Fred O. Kobernuss. One of the Aviation Heritage books published by Sunshine House, Destin , FL. Everyone has a favorite airplane or airplane manu­ facturer. After reading the lat e Fred Kobernuss ' extensive book on the early years of Waco, it's obvious that he had a strong affection for the company that was started by Elwood "Sam" Junkin, Clayton Brukner, and George Weaver. Re­ searched and written over a 10 year pe­ riod, " Waco Symbol of Courage and Ex­ cellence" is an intriguing history of the early, tough days at Waco, as well as the days when Waco became the standard for excellence throughout the aviation world. Illustrated with over 150 photos, this book is a treasure trove of early Waco history. Paul Matt's Scale Airplane Drawings, Vols.1 and 2, published by SunShine House , Destin, FL. Oh boy, if you lik e airplane drawings , these two books are for you! As an avid reader of the late Paul Matt's Historical Aviation series of books, I enjoyed his research and photo collection, as well as appreciating his tal­ ent with a drafting pen. Now, all of the holes in your Paul Matt drawing collec­ tions can be filled , just by buying these two volumes. Wisely set up in alphabeti­

cal order, the first volume covers Paul 's drawings from the Aeromarine 39B to the Grumman J2F-5 Duck, and the sec­ ond volume contains the drawings from the Health LNB-4 Parasol to the Wright­ Martin V. Best of all, if you need a larger copy of one of the drawings, you can or­ der it from SunShine House - in a sense, both books could be viewed as illus­ trated catalogs for the full size drawings, which are sized at 17x22". Of course, if you're also a model builder as well as an Antique/Classic enthusiast, yo u'll posi­ tively drool over the selection of s ub­ jects. This is one series the vintage air­ plane world has been waiting for, and the wait was worth it. What a great idea!

The ~ -:rAYLORCRAFY:-~ Story

The Taylorcraft Story, by Chet Peek. Published by SunShine House , Destin , FL. Also available from EAA - cal1l­ 800/843-3612 for ordering information. Another in the fine "Aviation Heritage Library Series" of books from SunShine House, Chet Peek's Taylorcraft book will no doubt be remembered as one of the most comprehensive histories of the air­ plane and the people that have made it one of the darlings of the aviation world. From the early days with the colorful CG. Taylor, to the present day activities, it's a compelling story told with great enthusi­ asm, but not seen through rose colored glasses. Chet has collected a bumper crop of photographs from a diverse group of people, and the photos and drawings make the book a visual treat for the Taylorcraft buff. Included are shots of the airplanes produced by the English Taylorcraft com­ pany, and the Auster Autocrats produced under license. The book, well written and researched, is a pleasure to read. With it's extensive text and photos, it should be of great interest to anyone who has flown or owned a "T-Craft." While not written as a technical manual, the Taylorcraft restorer will find the photos a wealth of informa­ tion on how they did certain things at the Taylorcraft factory. All in all, a most in­ formative and interesting book.

For The Greatest Achievement, by Bill Robie published by the Smithsonian

Institution Press. The year 1905 saw the birth of a remarkable organization , the Aero Club of America . The Aero Club, and its successor the National Aeronautic Assocication, is the oldest aviation orga­ nization in the United States, and as such, you can well imagine that there is a great deal of history that has occured since 1905. Bill Robie has given life to what could have been a dry recitation of the facts. His book covering the history of these two organizations is chock full of the events of this past century, all of it fascinating for anyone interested in the inner workings of early aviation. Also in­ cluded in the book is a complete compila­ tion of the records and awards bestowed upon American aviators through the aus­ pices of the Aero Club and the NAA, such as the well known Collier trophy, and the Brewer trophy, given for signifi­ cant contributions of enduring value in the fields of aviation and aerospace edu­ cation activities in the United States. Bill Robie, a history teacher at the University of Baltimore, has done an ex­ cellent job of documenting this book, in­ cluding extensive footnotes. For a cata­ log of titles available from the Smithsonian Institution Press, write to them at Marketing Department, 470 L'Enfant Plaza, Suite 7100, Washington, D.C 20560. Visions of Luscombe - The Early Years, by James B. Zazas. Published by SunShine House, Destin, FL. Also avail­ able from EAA - call 1-800/843-3612 for ordering information. This is a whopper! Over 300 pages are used by Jim Zazas as he details the Lus­ combe story from beginning to Don Lus­ combe's passing in 1965 . An extensive work from beginning to end, it chronicles Don Luscombe's involvement in Mono­ coupe, and then the Luscombe Airplane Development Co. Leading a life that was difficult by any standards, Luscombe is the driving force throughout his career, never accepting circumstances that were trying to destroy all that he worked for. The triumphs, heartbreaks, success and bankruptcy are all here. The first full work detailing this segment of aviation history, Jim's work is smoothly written and easy to read. It, like Fred Kobernuss' Waco book , has an extensive footnote section to document the many , many sources quoted during the book's re­ search. An added bonus is the 6 page full color section in the center of the book, including a series of fine illustra­ tions by Fred Jungclaus that culminate in a color 3-view of the famous STAN AVO Luscombe Phantom . " Visions of Lus­ combe - The Early Years" is a work of passion by author Jim Zazas. A Lus­ combe enthusiast from the word go, Jim

worked to make this history as factual as possible. It was a mammoth undertaking, and one that is neatly documented. Well done, Jim! Roosevelt Field - World's Premier Airport, by Joshua Stoff and William Camp. Published by SunShine House, Destin, FL. It was the place where his­ tory was made, and sometimes where it ended. Roosevelt Field, on New York's Long Island, was one of the hotbeds of the aviation world during the '20s and '30s, as pilots such as Wiley Post, Jimmie Doolittle, Amelia Earhart and, or course, Charles Lindbergh all flew from the field into the pages of history. Authors Stoff and Camp, curators at the Cradle of Avi­ ation Museum in Garden City, NY show us the happenings at Roosevelt from its beginnings in the early 1900s to the clos­ ing of the field at the dawn of the jet age, as development from New York City slowly but steadily forces up land values in western Long Island. Its demise as an airport, while lamentable, is not the focus of this book. Stoff and Camp show us the glory days of Roosevelt with over 300 photographs of the planes and aviators that made the field "the place to be" dur­ ing the '20s and '30s. All of it makes for interesting reading.

ROOSEVELT FIELD

World's Premier Airport

by JoshUa Stoff & WllJiamCamp

SunShine House/Aviatio n Heritage Books has recently moved from Terre Haute, IN to Destin, FL. Their phon e number is still the same - 1-800/999-0141. If you prefer to write them, the address is P.O. Box 665, D estin, FL 32540. The above titles from SunShine House all ex­ hibit an excellent attention to detail regard­ ing the layout and reproduction quality. The photos are as sharp and clear as the originals, and the layout of the pages has a clear and uncluttered look. It's clear that Drina Welch Abel and her son, Alan Abel take their time to publish a quality item. 1 look forward to their next publishing en­ ... deavors. - H.G. Frautschy VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

An information exchange column with input from our readers.

by Buck Hilbert (EAA 21 , Ale 5)

P.O. Box 424 Union, IL 60180 Egads! Seems like the snow has hardly gone and here it is May already! How easy it is to forget that long dreary winter and get back into the air again! I did enjoy the ski flying where every field with enough snow on it becomes an airfield, and I could terrorize all my neighbors, but like flying on these nice balmy days even better. I'm beginning to think of Oshkosh, now that Sun ' n Fun is over. Watching our Photo crew at work there in Florida , and thinking of what we will be doing at Oshkosh, brings to mind that we have a recently produced EAA Video titled "Aviation Photography Made Easy" avail­ able for any and all who might have an in­ terest in aviation photography. The two crews, Photo a nd Video , have put to­ gether a real good instrument here. I play a short part in it, too, and with the help of these superbly experienced EAA people I look pretty good. We have needed some­ thing like this for a long time. This Video puts together the ideas and techniques that would take years to learn. For them to put all thi s on tape in an attempt to

help anyone who would really like to be an aviation photographer just illustrates how interested and dedicated they are to EAA and their job. Of course I don't have to tell anyone this, just look at your SPORT AVIATION, VINTAGE AIR­ PLANE or any of EAA's publications and you'll see what a wonderful job they do. It gets better and better. The Antique & Classic Photo Contest Judging Committee, comprised of profes­ sional aviation photographers, reviewed this video. These old pros, who have been at it for many years, had some very com­ plimentary remarks to make. If you have any interest at all, dial up that EAA video sales 800 number (1-800/843-3612) and get yourself a copy. Then drop out to the flight line at Oshkosh and see the photo ships, watch the people work and say Hello to all of us. Dear Buck, I always enjoy your articles and can usually relate to most items discussed hav­ ing been in and out of private aviation since early 1940s. I traveled extensively from the 1950s through the 1980s and probably "flew with you up front" many times. Anyhow, the column on the air starter for Kinner brought back memories . I soloed in a Kinner Sport in 1942 while a student at Parks Air College. I remember the instructor telling me to prim e it cor­ rectly because the air tank would only last

Val and Tom Trainor of Troy, MI sent in this photo of their 1937 Aeronca K, Serial No. 244. This UK" was last flown on March 25, 1945, and remained in storage until Tom finished the restoration and flew the airplane on August 3, 1992. The Aeronca K is powered by an Aeronca E-113C engine. Looks pretty neat, Tom and Val! 22 MAY 1993

for two strokes and he did not want to prop it. I ran a FBO during the 1950s and had a PT-22 based there which I carefully propped for the owner many times. Your explanation of walking by as you pull is so tru e! And then that wonderful " John Deere" tractor sound. Keep up the interesting articles. Sincerely, Paul Rathje A IC 9836 Peotone, IL 60468 Dear Buck, Thanks much for including my request for a Haywood check valve in your infor­ mation exchange column. Seems like this valve is truly a hard item to locate . The "Hemmingway" was only meant to induce a little levity . I too have been easing wooden props through their compression strokes for many years, and, no, I don 't prop it with vigor, nor do I ever swing my leg in the air. And before shutdown I al­ ways check the integrity of the P-l eads . So far I have not been smitten. We will discuss your comments in your last para­ graph over coffee sometime at Oshkosh. I really would find th e ability to start up this Kinner at a remote airpo rt with this system a big help and un ass isted . It is next to impossible to locate a suitable per­ son to hold the brakes in the front pit, and expect them to make sure the forward mag switch is placed on the left mag for start andlor in the OFF position for a prime pull through. I am the only one who will ever pull that prop. through! Some time ago I found published in an old "Sport Aviation" mag­ azine a drawing of a simple way to effect a start, by hand propping and not allowing the airplane to get away from you . I use this method quite often when I am as­ sured, before I shut down of course , that there will be a tie down ring within an ac­ cessible distance of the ramp on which I will park. I know you've heard of, it's called the ROPE TRICK. Enclosed is a rudimentary drawing. My what a be a utiful cross section of that Kinner cylinder with that elusive check valve! Regards, Dick Cutler AIC 17289 Dublin, PA

HOW NOT TO GET RUN OVER BY YOUR AIRPLANE ALL SIZES IN INCHES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

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Dick Cutler sent in a drawing of the old rope trick, a simple and handy way to make sure your hand-propped airplane does not become an insurance statistic. It reminded me of a similar installation on Joe Dickey'S Champ. Joe , our latest An­ tique/Classic Advisor, drew it up and pub­ lished it in his Aeronca Aviators Club newsletter. We 've included an updated drawing based on Joe's original. The ba­ sic elements of the rope trick, the rope, pin and stri ng are all that is necessary. If you want to "gild the lily" as Joe calls the addition of the recovery reel, then have at it. Whatever you do, tying the airplane during solo hand propping just makes sense. If you're doing the propping, and you don't know that the person in the cockpit is experienced, tie the tail! The Nuts and Bolts of How Not To Get

Run Over By Your Airplane

by Joe Dickey

The hand propping issue has all sorts of side issues. Chances are yo ur insurance

has a specific exclusion of coverage for anything related to hand propping. Do you accept a stranger's offer to give you a prop? I seldom do anymore . Seen too many try who don ' t know how . At best, you have a flooded engine. At worst, you are faced with paying off the widow. I avoid the problem with a method so an­ cient it may have been invented by Wilbur and Orville, but it works. See the doodles. A thin , strong string and a bright yel­ low rope sets the stage for fun when away from home. Folks see you tie the tail, so they don't get too nervous when you prop her off solo. Fence-leaners grin and elbow each other as you climb aboard with the tail still secure. They are sure to be treated to the spectacle of my Aeronca trying to tow a telephone pole . If the au­ dience is attentive , I often close the door and gun the engine a bit to get them laugh­ ing and back slapping before I " remem­ ber" the rope. I then open the door, lean out and "beckon" the rope inside, pulling the string with the beckoni ng hand whi le windi ng li ke mad with the other. A lo ud

"Here, Doggy!" whistle adds a final touch as the rope obediently snakes across the apron and leaps into the cockpit. The hard part is keeping a straight face while taxiing past th e slack jaws and bulging eyeballs. Like all things, the rig is not perfect. It will wear, and must be inspected carefully at every use . It may sometimes snag on the tailwheel or tail brace wires. Should it do so, SHUT DOWN before getting out to clear it. Reset the rig and start over. Always pull the airplane forward after fas­ tening the rope, so the rope has some ten­ sion on it. Chock behind the wheels, if needed, to keep the rope taut. The string to the cockpit should always have plenty of slack, so the pin isn't pulled acciden­ tally. A heavy paperclip or something is nice to keep the string clipped to the door­ sill, so you don 't snag the string while boarding, Whatever its shortcomings, I still find this system to be the simplest, safest way to hand prop. Have fun ... and TIE that airplane when hand propping! ... VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

MYSTERY PLANE

by George Hardie This airplane probably is not a Mys­ tery to many of our readers, but its un­ usual design warrants inclusion in this series. The photo is from Art and Rita Lotten of Salinas, California, sent in by Paul Kauffman of Traverse City, Michi­ gan. Answers will be published in the August 1993 issue of Vintage Airplane. Deadline for that issue is June 20. Ralph Olsen of San Diego, Califor­ nia se nt in a complete answer for the

February Mystery Plane. He writes: " It is a Cycloplane Ground Trainer. 1 lea rned to fly in a Cycloplane during the summer of 1931 at a field between the American airport and the Lincoln airport on Crenshaw Blvd., Los Ange­ les, California. " Afte r racing the Ground Trainer around until I handled it to the instruc­ tor's satisfaction , 1 tackled the airplane. Th e re was a set screw on th e throttl e

First flights with prospective students were made in the two-place Cycloplane. 24 MAY 1993

stop. At first it was adjusted so that you could only open the throttle enough to taxi. Then enough thro ttle so you had enough speed to bounce off the ground when the wheels hit bumps. Then a lit­ tle more throttle so you could coax it off and se ttle bac k down aga in. A littl e more and you could take off and hold it off, mushing along five feet or so above the ground. After practicing landings with that throttle setting for awhile, the set screw was removed, allowing the en­ gine to dev e lop full rpm. You were then told to take her up to about 20 feet and practice shallow turns and land be­ fo re reaching the end of the field. The next step was to climb to the altitude of the power lines, make a 180 degree turn before reaching the field boundary and la nd . You were then told to take off, keep going an d fly around outside the airport pattern. That was the gradua­ tion flight! " I started logging flight time when 1 cou ld take off and hold her off at will, even though the airplane was just mush­ ing along on ground effect about five feet up. 1 hear how thrilled people are by their first solo after eight or so hours of dual instruction. Believe me, soloing wit h any du al gives one a little extra kick!

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"The Cycloplane had an Approved Type Certificate . If you look closely at one of the photos, you can see the ' NC' preceding the registration number on the tail. It was powered by a 25 hp, two cylin­ der, two stroke Cyclomotor manufactured by the same company. "I had an engine failure on take off when I'd logged about six or seven hours. Not knowing any better, I made a 180 and

managed to get the wings level just as the wheels touched the turf. The next student to have a take off problem wasn't as lucky. He stalled and the plane fell off to the left. However, he was lucky in that his only in­ jury was a broken leg! At the time, I was waiting my turn to fly. Since the cracked up Cycloplane wasn 't available, I went to the American airport side of the field and got checked out in an early model Warner Fleet (a surplus Consolidated Husky Ju­ nior) , operated by Bill Schoenfeldt who later acquired Keith Rider' s R-4 ' Fire­ cracker' flown by Gus Gotch and Tony LeVier in the National Air Races. "By this time I had only 8:50 in the Cy­ c10plane but Bill's instructor, ex-Navy pi-

lot Bert Eckstein, let me solo after only 40 minutes dual. The Fleet was quite a change from the Cycloplane and I didn't feel quite competent. But when Bert crawled out of the front cockpit, there wasn 't anything to do but go for it. After flying the Fleet solo a few times, Bert gave me 1:30 more dual and with a grand total of 14:25 hours I passed the Private Pilot flight test. How different things are nowadays! " Other answers were received from Charlie Hayes, Park Forest , IL; Steven McNiccoll, De Pere, WI; Ed Garber , Fayetteville, NC; Lynn Towns, Brooklyn, MI; Marty Eisenmann, Garrettsville, OH; Glenn Buffington, EI Dorado, AR; Ralph Nortell, Spokane, W A.

We have more on the Pierce Sporting Tractor, Vintage Airplane's first Mystery Plane. Notes were received from Jack McRae , Huntington Station, NY; Steve Green , Lakewood , CO ; and Peter Bow­ ers, Seattle, W A. Pete writes: " . . . It is the Pierce Sporting Tractor of 1917, built by Samuel Stillman Pierce. Engine is Pierce's own 40 hp three-cylin­ der radial. Some references call the en­ gine a Lawrance, but not so. (Pete en­ closed a photocopied page detailing the Pierce engine from " Aerosphere 1939," the best old engine directory around.) "Pierce was an quite a guy. He built his own powerplane and two gliders 1908­

09, did a lot of overseas organization and training work early in WW I, then worked for Curtiss. He was President and Chief Engineer of S.S. Pierce Aeroplane Corp., South hampton, Long Island , NY, 1915­ 17. Pierce got into the Navy in 1917 and worked up in Naval Aircraft construction and at the Naval Aircraft Factory for sev­ eral years after the war." The Pierce three cylinder radial was rated at 35 hp, with a bore of 4 inches and a 6 inch stroke. It displaced 226.19 cu. in. There is a slight discrepancy in the horse­ power of the engine between the Febru­ ary 19, 1917 issue of Aerial Age Weekly and Aerosphere - the Aerial Age article

lists the hp as 40 at 1,400 rpm . It also mentions the weight of the engine - 163 Ibs., complete. The description of the Pierce, as it was displayed at the 1st American Exposition, February 8-15 , 1917 at Grand Central Palace, New York City. The description in Aerial Age read: "The little tractor exhibited by Samuel S. Pierce attracted admirers by reason of its neat design and the fact that it is adapt­ able for use by the sportsman. The fuse­ lage is of smooth circular streamlined form, located above the lower main plane, and as the motor was made espe­ cially for the machine, the streamline ef­ ... fect is completely carried out."

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

On this page you'll see the latest additions to the ranks of the EAA Antique/Classic Division. Whether you're joining for the first time, or are coming back, we welcome you, and we'd especially like to welcome those ofyou who arejoining us with your interest in Contemporary class aircraft. Welcome one and all! Flagstaff, AZ James F. Adams Winona, MN Richard A. Adank Timothy R. Allen Clemmons, NC Harvey W. Alley Grand Rapids, MI Dallas, TX Robert M. Almes II John Amendola Bellevue, WA Richard B. Arnold Fort Lauderdale, FL Stephen Avery Manchester, NH Everett, WA Dwight G. Baasch Eddie G. Baird Morganfield, KY Ken Barnard Hope, KS Mike Beach Twickenham, Middlese England Ed E. Benguiat Hasbroock Heights, NJ Ted Bernart Vancouver, WA Robert G . Biester Flourtown, PA Bryan Blazie Belair, MD James H. Bohlander Marengo, IL David Brizzee Wanyesboro, PA Carl Broderson Vancouver, WA Brian S. Buxton Greensboro, NC Tracy J. Call Carmel Valley, CA William J. Campbell Lindsay, Ont, Canada Arthur Carlson Red Lake, Ont, Canada Berea, KY David Carpenter Francisco P. Casillas Madrid, Spain R. F. Champlin San Francisco, CA Kent G. Christman Charlestown, MA John Clare Wayne, NJ Jeff Clausen Lincoln, NE Scott A. Clausen Nevato, CA Dean E . Clinard Mt Juliet, TN Petoskey, MI James A. Cone Martyn Cook Pukerua Bay, Wellington, New Zealand Aiken, SC Ira E. Coward II David B. Crawford Traverse City, MI Rich Crosley Lancaster, CA Clint Dalton Norfolk, V A Robert G. Dart Mayville, NY Edward Del Rosso Matawan, NJ Donald E. Dietz Sun City, CA Bruce C. Douglas Augusta, GA Michael A. Dunne Rochester, P A Marlene Sue Dusz Rockledge, FL Henry A. Dybowski Hamburg, NY Frank Englert Miami, FL Neal Epstein Medway, MA Robert C. Etheridge Atlanta, GA Robert L. Evans Jr. Midland, TX J. Christian Fenger Easton, MD J. Fitzgerald Stratheden Heights, England David Fogwill Kimerwoth, Rotherham, England Lisa Fox West Palm Beach, FL Carl Fratus Joshua, TX Varel D. Freeman Bethesda, MD 26 MAY 1993

Noel C. Friday Osceola, fA John Gantt Marietta, GA Joe Gargiulo Milford, OH Roger R. Gebhart Waldenburg, AR Philip Gentile Farmers Branch, TX Will Goble Swanton , OH Graham Equipment Co. Adams Mills, OH Fairbanks, AK William D. Green Arlan K. Grover Elizabeth, CO Buhl, MN George Grubich Eunice, LA Dan Guillory, Jr. Huntsville, AL Bill R. Hall Lawrence O. Hamblen Melbourne Beach, FL Karl D. Hamelmann League City, TX Daniel F. Hansen Cypress, CA Russell J. Hardy Eggertsville, NY Jerry R. Hawkins Oshkosh , WI M. Hayles Renhold, England Bob Heer Corona, CA Dale Hiatt Thomasville, NC George B. Holstead Ruston , LA Daniel L. Hopkins Sarasota, FL Jerry R. Houts Petoskey, MI Warwick P. Howard Crows Nest, NSW, Australia Peter Huneau Thunder Bay, Ont, Canada Robert Jacks Riverwoods,IL Darrell R. James Niceville, FL Gregory Paul Jannakos Columbia, SC Newcastle, OK Jim R. Jarvis Dan B Jensen Downey, ID Piedmont, SC Willi Johnk Lennart Johnsson Alingsas, Sweden Donald Johnston Singapore Metter, GA John Edwin Jones, J r. Robert B. Kemper Kingfisher, OK Darryl J. King Kansas City, MO Edward Klotzbach Crane Lake, MN John L. Konneker Lawton, OK Anthony J. Lamontia Bath, OH Frederick M. Lane Perry Point, MD Marc P. Lapinel Long Beach, NY Louisville, KY Keith R. Larson Benjamin E. LeFever Fayetteville, NC Patricia A. Lee White Bear Lake, MN Smithtown, NY Robert Leighton Ceci l G. Livengood Greensboro, NC William A. Muller Wood Ridge, NJ Raymond Macaro Brandon, MS Gordon A. Marker Lexington , MA Glenn Martin South Woodslee, Ont, Canada Peter L. Martin Rochester, MN Mt Vernon, MO Jon M. Mason Jerry W. Mays West Liberty, KY Webster, NY Richard L. McBride Ron McCoUey Wellford, SC William McFarland Waunakee, WI Kenneth E. McKinley Eldon , MO

James McKinney Cave Creek, AZ Walter S. Meng Mays Lick, KY Greenfield, WI Alan W. Michalski Bruce Miller Beaverton, OR Robert Mitchell Rye, NH Ronald F. Moses Mebane, NC Fort Wayne, IN Bill Nash Chelmsford, MA John J. Parent Hal Parker Fawnskin, CA Roger D. Parsons Frankfort,OH Lincoln, NE Wallace C. Peterson Wausau, WI Roger F. Phillips Guy Pontifex N. Vancouver, BC, Canada John D. Prather Columbus, IN Spencer Puskas Rancho Palos Verde, CA Robert W. Ray Payson , AZ Bruce E. Rex Columbia City, IN Doneta Reynolds Rochelle, IL Dennis E. Richey Ashland, OR Paul E. Rossier Santa Barbara, CA Ken Ruhnke Beatrice, NE Ted Sacher Wilmington, DE Gloria Santucci Marcy, NY Lawrence C. Scalbom Glenview, IL Carl E. Schultz Franklin, WI Jake Schultz Issaquah, WA Dale Senn Cocoa, FL Edward Shaffer Saluda, NC Tim C. Sheridan Chingford Green, England Gregory J. Siemann Carroll, IA James W. Smith, Jr. Tifton, GA David Smith Maidenhead, Berks, England Ray M. Smith Seneca, SC Willie T. Sorrell III Rutherford College, NC Sherman , TX Jerry L. Sparks Bradford Woods, PA Fred P. Spec David C. Squier New Lebanon, NY Stanley Stepp Athens, TN Emerson C. Stewart, Jr. Waynesville, OH Charles W. Stimson Waterloo, IA W. R. Stokes Austin, TX Robert C. Sweitzer Hillsboro, OR Robert G. Troxel Parma,ID Rick Vanderloop Kaukauna, WI Rick Verity Saxonwold, South Africa Jerome A. Wagner Waukesha, WI S. W. Watkins Llangarren, NR, England Stuart P. Weckerly Dearborn, MI K. Wines Littlemoor, England Bryon C. Woodside Manassas, VA Carlton R. Worster New Durham, NH Jack W. Wright Walterboro, SC William E. Yadlosky, Jr. Eagle River, AK

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does not constitute approval, sponsorship, involvement, control or direction of any event (fly-in, seminars, fly market, etc.) listed. Please send the information to EAA, Att: Golda Cox, P. O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Information should be received four months prior to the event date. MA Y 15 -16 HAMPTON, NH - Hamp­ ton Field -17th Annual Aviation Flea Mar­ ket. Fly-In, Drive-In, Camping on field - no fees. Contact: Mike Hart, 603/964-6749. MA Y 15 • 16 • JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT, TX - Between Beaumont and Port Arthur, TX. First Annual Apprecia­ tion Day. Contact: Lonnie Hood, 409/8386973 (W) or 409/892-6418. MA Y 16 • BENTON HARBOR, MI Ross field, 7th annual EAA 585 pancake breakfast, aviation and local exhibits, clas­ sic cars, Lunch availab le for noon arriva ls. Contact: Al Todd , 616/429-8518 or write Dawn Patrol, 4217 Red Arrow Hwy , Stevensville, MI 49127. MA Y 21 . 23 • COLUMBIA, CA - Lus­ combe/Monocoupe Fly-In. Co-Sponsored by the Don Luscombe Aviation History Foundation. Contact: Art Moxley, 23331 SE 267 PI. , Mapl e Valley , W A 98038. 206/432-4865. MA Y 22·23· WADSWORTH, OH Wadsworth Municipal Airport (3G3). EAA Chapter 846 Fly-In for experimental, antique/classic and warbird airplanes. Con­ tact: 216/334-3699. MA Y 28 • 30 • WATSONVILLE, CA 29th Annual Wes t Coast Antique Fly-In and Airshow. Friday is "Family Day," 112 price admission for adults, Seniors and chil­ dren under 12 free . Aerobatics and demon­ stratio ns on Sat. and Sun. For more info, call Fly-In office at 408/496-9559. MAY 29· DECATUR, AL - EAA Chapter 941lDecatur-Athens Aero 5th An­ nual Fly-In. Experimentals, Warbirds, and Antiques and Classics. Awards for planes and pilots. Camping available. Call for more information: 205/ 355-5770. MA Y 29 • 31 • MAYVILLE, NY - Dart Airport and Aviation Museum. Sport and Vintage Glider/Sailplane Meet. Contact Dart Airport, P.O. Box 211, Mayville, NY 14757. Phone 716/753-2160 JUNE 4·5 . BARTLESVILLE, OK Frank Phillips Field. BIPLANE EXPO '93, the 7th annual National Biplane Conven­ tion and Exposition . Biplane airshow, fo­ rums, seminars, workshops. Biplanes and NBA members free , for all others an admis­ sion fee is required. Contact Charles W. Harris, Chairman , 918/742-7311 or Virgil Gaede, Expo Director, 918/336-3976. JUNE 4 . 5 . MERCED, CA - 36th An­ nual Merced West Coast Antique Fly-In.

Merced Municipal Airport, Merced , CA . Contact: Don Nolte 209/384-1144. JUNE 5 ·6 . VALPARAISO, IN - Porter County Municpal Airport. NW Indiana EAA Chapter 104 Pancake Breakfast and Sandwich Lunch. Contact: Bob Collins 219/884-1619. JUNE 6· TUNKHANNOCK, PA - Sky­ haven Airport. Fly-In breakfast, come for the weekend and enjoy great camping facilities. Call 717/836-4800 for more information. JUNE 11·13 . DENTON, TX - Denton Municipal Airport. AAA (Texas Chapter) 30th Annual Fly-In. Contact: John or Nancy Whatley 214/517-1981 or Bert Mahon , 817/387-2620. JUNE U . GADSDEN, AL . J-3 and Piper high wing Annual Fly-In. Ca mping, Bomb Drop, Spot Landings, Hangar dance. Contact: Faye Bryant, Gadsden Pilot's Assoc., 196 Ira Gray Dr., Gadsden, AL 35901 205/442-3313. JUNE 12· NEWPORT NEWS, VA· 21st Annual Colonia l Fly-In, Newport News/Williamsburg IntI. Airport. Sponsored by EAA Chapter 156. Contact ofr information and NORDO entry : Charles Collier, 620 Hilton Rd. , Newport News , V A 23605 804/247-5844. JUNE 13 • AURORA, IL • Aurora Munic­ ipal Airport. EAA Chapter 579 Fly-In/Drive­ In breakfast and airportlFBO open house. 7am - 3pm. Contact Alan Shackleton, 708/466-4193 or Bob Rieser, Airport Manager, 708/4667000. JUNE 19 • WILD ROSE, WI - Idlewild Airport - Pancake Breakfast/Fly-In. Idlewild­ Wild Rose Airport Assoc., P.O. Box 296, Wild Rose, WI 54984. Call 414/622-4020 JUNE 24·27· MT. VERNON, OH - 34th Annual National Waco Reunion. "Greatest WACO Show On EARTH." For more infor­ mation, call 513/868-0084. JUNE 26·27· ORANGE, MA - Orange Municipal Airport. 17th Annual New Eng­ land Regional Fly-In , sponsored by th e Friends of the Orange Airport. Contact: Bob McKenney, 508/544-8762 or Len Bedaw (Or­ ange Airport) 508/544-8189 or Fax 508/2495940. JUNE 26·27· GREELEY, CO - EAA Rocky Mountain Fly-In. Antiques, Classics, homebuilts, warbirds, ultralights. No registra­ tion fee, free camping, transportation to local motels. 303/798-6086 or 353-5514. JULY 4 · WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI­ WI Rapids Airport. EAA Chapter 706 Fly­ In /Drive In Pancake Breakfast. 7:301130am. Call 715/435-3644 for information. JULY 7·11· ARLINGTON, WA· North­ west EAA Fly-In. 206/435-5857. JULY 10 ·11· DELAWARE, OH ·12th Annual EAA Chapter 9 Fly-In. Delaware Airport. Contact Alan Harding, 614/4420024. JUL Y 10 - 11 • EMMETSBURG, IA 5th Annual Aeronca Fly-In sponsored by the "Taildragger Club". Contact: Keith Ha rn­ den , Box 285, Emmetsburg, IA 50536. JULY 11· MICHIGAN CITY, IN - EAA Chapter 966 Pancake Breakfast. Contacts: The Dees - 219/324-6060 or the Hugley 's 219/325-0133. JULY 23 ·24· COFFEYVILLE, KS· Funk Aircraft Owners Assoc. Reunion. Con­ tact : Gene Ventress , 10215 S. Monticello , Shawnee Mission , KS 66227. Phone 913/7821483.

JULY 24 ·27 . WAUSAU, WI· Ercoupe Owners Club National Convention. Con­ tact: Syd Cohen, 715/842-7814.

JULY 24 AND 25 - SHIOCTON, WI ­ Annual Fly-In. Contact: Joyce Baggot,

414/986-3547.

JULY 27 • AUGUST 7 . VAL· PARAISO, (VPZ) IN Food and Fuel booth. Stop by and see us on your way to and from Oshkosh. We are famous for our hospit a lity! Sponsored by EAA Chapter 104. Contact: 219/884-1619. THURSDA Y JULY 29 ·WEDNES· DAY AUGUST 4, 1993 • OSHKOSH, WI • 41st Annual EAA Fly-In and Sport Avia­ tion Convention. Wittman Regional Air­ port. Contact John Burton, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54904-3086. Call 414/426­ 4800 for more information. ITS NEVER TOO EARLY TO MAKE PLANS TO AT­ TEND! AUGUST 6·8· STILLWATER, OK· Lake Elmo Airport. Sesquicentennial Avi­ atio n Days. Fly-In breakfast, balloon rally, other events. 612/430-1200 for more infor­ mation. AUGUST U-15 - LOCK HAVEN, PA - William T . Piper Memorial Airport. Senti­ mental Journey '93. "Aerial Mail To Lock Haven " is this years theme. All makes and models welcome, especially Antique and classic airplanes. Call 717/893-4200 (9am 'til 5 pm) , Fax 717/893-4218 or write P.O. Box J-3, Lock Haven, PA 17745-0496. AUGUST 15· BROOKFIELD, WI ­ Capitol Airport. 8th Annual Vintage Air­ craft Display and Ice Cream Social. Mid­ west Antique Airplane Club will also hold its monthly fly-In meeting. For more infor­ mation, call George Meade at 414/962-2428. AUGUST 27·29· SUSSEX, NJ - Sussex Airport. Sussex Airshow. For more infor­ mation call 2011875-0783. SEPT. 8·U· GALESBURG, IL - Gales­ burg Municipal Airport. 22nd National Stearman Fly-In. Contact Tom Lowe, 823 Kingston Ln., Crystal Lake, IL 60014, 815/459-6873 or Harold Canada, 370 Hawkinson , Av., Galesburg, IL 61401 , 309/343-9850. SEPT. 11·12 • MARION, OH - EAA Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-In (MERFI). 513/849-9455. SEPT. 18·19 . ROCK FALLS, IL - EAA North Central Fly-In. 708/513-0642 SEPT. 20· ROCK FALLS, IL - Pancake Breakfast in Conjuction with the North Central Fly-In. SEPT. 24 • 26 • CAMDEN, SC. 52 nd re­ union of Southern Aviation School, pilot, Primary Flight Training 1941-1944. For all Alumni, employees and all personel. Con­ tact: Bill Hawkins, P.O. Box 789, Camden, SC 29020. Phone 803/432-9595. SEPT. 25·26 - WILMINGTON, DE ­ EAA East Coast Regional Fly-In. 301/933­ 0314. SEPT. 30 • OCT. 3 - OWENSBORO, KY. Owensboro Davies County Airport. Annual Convention of International Cessna 1201140 Assoc. Contact: David Lowe or Gil Pounds. 502/736-5392 or Fax 736-2403. OCT. 1·3 • PRESCOTT, AZ - EAA Copperstate Fly-In. 6021750-5480. OCT. 15·17 . KERRVILLE, TX - EAA Southwest Regional Fly-In. 915/658-4194. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

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AIRCRAFT: DRUGLORD PLANES $1000- Piper Aztec - $8,750; Cessna C185E - $2,630; Piper Cherokee - $3,625; Beechcraft Bonanza - $3,875; Lear Jets, Pipers, Cessnas, and more. Choose from hundreds start­ ing $1000. FREE Information! 24-hour recording reveals giveaway prices. 801/379-2930, Copyright #W10291 08. (5-2)

Fly-About Adventures and the Ercoupe - Full color, 130 pages, $17.95. Fly-About, P.O. Box 51144, Denton, TX 76206. (ufn)

1948 Luscombe 8E -1390 TIAF; 300 SCMOH; King Silver Crown comm and one TXP, Cessna 150 seats, dual landing lights, Scott tailwheel, extensive data sheet/photos available. $20,500. 618/624­ 2648, (6-2)

WINDSHIELDS - WINDOWS - CANOPIES - for all unpressurized, certified, custom or experimental aircraft. Unmatched 1/2 price re­ placement warranty covers damage during installation and service for 6 months after purchase. AIRPLANE PLASTICS CO., 8300k DAYTON ROAD, FAIRBORN. OH 45324. 513/864-5607. (C-1/94)

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Antique Aero Engines - formerly OX-5 parts and service. Sub­ scriptions $18.00 per year. ads free to subscribers. P.O _ Box 134, Troy, OH 45373. (6-8/93)

CURTISS JN4-D MEMORABILIA - You can now own memorabilia from the famous "Jenny', as seen on "TREASURES FROM THE PAST'. We have posters, postcards, videos, pins, airmail cachets, etc. We also have R/C documentation exclusive to his historic aircraft. Sale of these items support operating ex­ pense to keep this "Jenny' flying for the aviation public. We appreciate your help. Write for your free price List. Virginia Aviation Co., RDv-8 , Box 294, Warrenton , VA 22186. (c/5/92) SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture, STC-PMA-d, 4130 chrome-moly tubing throughout, also complete fuselage repair. ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC. (J. E. Soares, Pres.), 7093 Dry Creek Rd., Belgrade, Montana. 406-388-6069. FAX 406/388-0170. Repair station No. QK5R148N. GEE BEE, etc. - Scale model plans (used for Benjamin's R-2) . Catalog $3.25. Vern Clements, 308 Palo Alto, Caldwell, ID 83605. (c-8/93)) Antique and Classic wheel pants - Will custom build in fiberglass from original drawings, blueprints or photographs. Har­ bor Ultralights Products Co., 1326 Batey Place, Harbor City, CA 90710,310/326-5609, FAX 310/530-2124. (c-10/93) 30 MAY 1993

GAS WELD ALUMINUM - Just like the old timers. We guarantee excellence. Tools. Supplies. Instructional video tapes. TM Tech­ nologies, POB 762. NSJ, CA 95690,916/292-3506. (7-3) Peaceful Vermont Taildragger Heaven - Cozy lakefront house, $175,000. Rights to use airfield in back. 802/796-3235. (6-2) Model Airplane Kit Collection - One of oldest, largest scale kit collections in the Midwest. 1100-plus rare pre-war, wartime and early plastic, unbuilt in original boxes. Megow, Comet, Dyna, Maircraft. Strombecker, Revell, Allyn, etc. Book value over $24,000, but make offer. Noel Allard, 612/448-5047. (5-1)

WANTED: Wanted - summer rental in Wisconsin of cottage or cabin for myself and a hangar for my 1948 taildragger. 619/228-2588. (5-1) Wanted - For Original Restoration - Three 2" 90-degree heat elbows used on Aeronca Champs with Hanlon/Wilson mufflers. Dick Love, Box 448, Dillsburg, PA 17019, 717;432-4079. (5-1)

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