MAY/JUNE 2016

PRE WAR AERONCA CHIEF

•Buhl Bull Pup •Bugatti’s Airplane •Dewoitine D-26 HB-RAI •Flying the Parker Pusher The All New Vintage Airplane Straight & Level STAFF 2017 Lincoln MKZ GEOFF ROBISON EAA Publisher/Chairman of the Board VAA PRESIDENT, EAA Lifetime 268346, VAA Lifetime 12606 ...... Jack J. Pelton Editor ...... Jim Busha ...... [email protected]

VAA Executive Administrator. .Hannah Hupfer 2016: A year to look forward to! 920-426-6110...... [email protected] Art Director...... Livy Trabbold ADVERTISING: Spring has sprung? Who said that? Vice President of Business Development Just when we thought spring had arrived Mother Nature starts Dave Chaimson...... [email protected] dumping tons of snow from the Denver area all the way up into Min- Advertising Manager nesota and Wisconsin. Come on, Mother Nature, we are currently but a Sue Anderson...... [email protected] few days away from April Fool’s Day, and you’re already throwing dirty tricks our way. Oh well, around here we’re just hoping that this is your VAA, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 last hurrah until December! Website: www.vintageaircraft.org Email: [email protected] 2016 is shaping up to become yet another barn-burning affair for the Vintage Aircraft Association. So much is going on, and we are hearing from a strong number of members who are asking us lots questions about VISIT the many different amenities we offer in our area of responsibility. Most www.vintageaircraft.org of these questions have been coming from members who are planning for the latest in information and news to fly their vintage aircraft to the event this year, so this has me think- and for the electronic newsletter: ing that with the reduced price of aviation fuel around the country, we Vintage AirMail may experience an unusually strong number of vintage aircraft arrivals. Power. Play. I have been sharing a bit of information with the membership about an With one glimpse, it is easy to see that the new Lincoln MKZ wants to be driven. The new front end establishes unusual developing situation with aircraft parking at the south end of the VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION a strong sense of elegance, power and confidence. field this year, and I will share it with you here as well. The Oshkosh air- Current EAA members may join the Vintage port authorities are making major modifications to the airport layout on Aircraft Association and receive VINTAGE AIR- PLANE magazine for an additional $45/year. Effortless Performance The Privilege of Partnership the north side of the field that will limit the number GA camper arrivals that can be accommodated on that side of the field this year. As a result EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE When equipped with Dynamic Torque Vectoring, Lincoln EAA members are eligible for of these site improvements at KOSH, the EAA in cooperation with the magazine and one-year membership in the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association are available Drive Control and the available 3.0L GTDI engine, projected VAA have developed a plan to accommodate as many as 150 GA camping special pricing on Ford Motor for $55 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not to deliver 400 horsepower,* the 2017 Lincoln MKZ is one of Company vehicles through aircraft on the far south end of the field. The plan includes a great deal of included). (Add $7 for International Postage.) site development of an area to the south that has never before accommo- the most powerful and compelling Lincoln vehicles to ever Ford’s Partner Recognition take to the road. dated any aircraft camping. The appropriate amenities to support these Program. To learn more about FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS additional aircraft (to include an additional shower house) are also a part Please submit your remittance with a Available features include Pre-Collision Assist with this exclusive opportunity for of this planning. I have been assured that showplane camping will not check or draft drawn on a United States Pedestrian Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control with stop-and- EAA members to save on a be limited in any fashion throughout the event. So, when you see a late bank payable in United States dollars. Add go feature, and the Revel® Audio System. This system works new Ford vehicle, please visit model Cessna 172 taxiing down to the south end of the field, that is an required Foreign Postage amount for each membership. with SYNC® 3 to play high-resolution files using a 14-speaker www.eaa.org/ford. indicator that the north side of Wittman field has been saturated with GA camping. Be mindful of the fact that showplane arrivals have never been Membership Service configuration or choose Revel Ultima® with a 20-speaker shut down at AirVenture, and we fully anticipate that this development PO Box 3086 configuration to ensure that “no note goes unheard.” Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 will not impact that long-term policy. Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM—6:00 PM CST As I mentioned previously, your VAA board of directors held a winter Lincoln MKZ. Redesigned. Responsive. Refined. Join/Renew 800-564-6322 board meeting near Atlanta in late February. This meeting included an [email protected] *Late Availability. Tested with 93-octane fuel. initiative to conduct a town hall meeting with the membership in that EAA AirVenture Oshkosh area. These events all happened at the Candler Field Museum located at www.eaa.org/airventure the Peach State Aerodrome in Williamson, Georgia. It was truly a grand 888-322-4636 continued on page 62 www.vintageaircraft.org 1

2016-May_MKZ_EAA_Divis_Ad.indd 1 3/18/16 4:17 PM Vol. 44, No. 3 COLUMNS 12 Good Old Days CONTENTS MAY/JUNE 2016 1 Straight & Level 2016: A year to look forward to! 14 Ask the AME Geoff Robison Colitis John Patterson, M.D., AME 4 VA News

8 VAA Elections 58 The Vintage Mechanic Evolution of early instruments, the altimeter-Part 3 Robert G. Lock 10 How to? Wrap a wood wing leading edge with 63 VAA New Members aluminum skin Robert G. Lock 64 Vintage Trader

36 At Last Bugatti’s airplane flies after 75 years Megan Esau

16 44 For missing or replacement Buhl Bull Pup Dewoi-Time magazines, or any other It doesn’t fly like it looks Dewoitine D-26 HB-RAI resurrects over Lake Geneva membership-related questions, Budd Davisson Stefan DeGraff and Edwin Borremans please call EAA Member Services at 800-JOIN-EAA (564-6322). COVERS FRONT COVER: Tyson Rininger 24 52 ANY COMMENTS? catches an ultra rare Pre-war A Delightful Aeronca Anomaly Old, Old School Send your thoughts to the Aeronca Chief near Oshkosh. The stick-controlled Chief Flying the Parker Pusher Vintage Editor at: jbusha@ BACK COVER: Dewoitine D-26 Sparky Barnes Sargent Gennaro (Bill) Avolio eaa.org photo by Edwin Borremans 2 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 3 VA News

Southern Hospitality: VAA Georgia Town Hall With EAA Chairman and CEO, Jack J. Pelton a Huge Success

On March 3, 2016, EAA Chairman and CEO Jack J. Earlier in the day the Vintage Aircraft Associa- Pelton traveled to Peach State Airport in Williamson, tion held its winter board of directors meeting at the Georgia, to host an EAA Vintage Aircraft Association museum. Board members from all over the country town hall meeting. Peach State Airport (GA2) is lo- were in attendance for this important meeting, which cated just south of Atlanta, Georgia, and is the home included planning for AirVenture 2016. Jack also of Candler Field Museum. The airport has been an participated in the board meeting, along with several ERIN BRUEGGEN antique airplane haven for a number of years, having VAA members. The Vintage board decided to sched- The Vintage board of directors conducted its winter business meeting from 9:00 a.m. to noon. A highlight of opened in 1967. The airport is centrally located in the ule a winter meeting away from Oshkosh to better the meeting was an update on the permanent pavilion facility being constructed for the Tall Pines Cafe. southeast region. It is an extremely active experimen- connect with its membership. In the board’s opinion, tal, antique, general aviation, and warbird airport hosting a meeting in other locations will allow the in action. The program currently has approximately is based at the Candler Field Museum and works in that regularly attracts a large number of airplanes Vintage leadership to more closely align goals with 30 young adults between the ages of 14 and 20 who conjunction with the Candler Field Flying Club. This, and pilots. This weekend was no exception. More member comments and suggestions. are provided the opportunity to learn how to restore too, is an active group of about 75 members who have than 50 airplanes traveled from points throughout Board members took a break during their business and maintain airplanes, in addition to being given an access to four club airplanes. Vintage members were the southeast to participate in the town hall meeting. meeting to observe the Candler Field Youth Program opportunity to receive flying lessons. The program able to see these young adults doing restoration work under the supervision of their mentors. Museum policy is one of ensuring that the mem- bers of the youth program can actually earn flying time toward their pilot certificate. They want them to actually have some skin in the game, so to speak. They are not given anything, although they do have a scholarship program in place for aviation career ori- ented youth who have demonstrated a need. The kids actually earn flying time by working on museum res- toration projects and by fulfilling other needs of the museum. When a member of the program works 10 hours on a museum aircraft project or other museum task, he or she is awarded one hour of flying time in a club airplane. Visit the Peach State Airport website at www.PeachStateAero.com for more information on the Candler Field Youth Program. After the morning VAA board meeting, the group ate lunch at Barnstormer’s Grill, an appropriately named restaurant located within the museum. Many VAA and EAA members flew in early for lunch. We could not have asked for a more perfect weather day—temperature of 60 degrees, clear skies, and light winds down the runway. Just right for a fly-in. ERIN BRUEGGEN ERIN BRUEGGEN At 1 p.m., Peach State Airport owner Ron Alexander An overflow crowd of more than 100 people welcomed Jack. This fly-in and drive-in event also brought more EAA Chairman and CEO Jack J. Pelton spent more than opened the meeting and introduced Geoff Robison, than 50 aircraft, to the delight of members and guests. an hour addressing members’ questions and concerns. president of the Vintage Aircraft Association. Geoff 4 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 5 CALL FOR VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

ERIN BRUEGGEN PHOTOS ERIN BRUEGGEN Nominate your favorite vintage aviatorNominations for the EAA Vin- the present day. His or her contribution can be in the areas Members of the Candler Field tage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame. A great honor could be of flying, design, mechanical or aerodynamic developments, Youth Program demonstrated their Peach State Aerodrome owner and Longtime Vintage member Pat bestowed upon that man or woman working next to you on administration, writing, some other vital and relevant field, restoration skills for Vintage board Vintage board member Ron Alexan- Blake showing off her winning your airplane, sitting next to you in the chapter meeting, or or any combination of fields that support aviation.The per- members and guests. der opened the town hall meeting. Jenny ride ticket. walking next to you at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Think about son you nominate must be or have been a member of the the people in your circle of aviation friends: the mechanic, Vintage Aircraft Association or the Antique/Classic Divi- historian, photographer, or pilot who has shared innumerable sion of EAA, and preference is given to those whose ac- and board member Dave Clark discussed a few issues is regularly flown at Peach State. It was very fitting tips with you and with many others. They could be the next tions have contributed to the VAA in some way, perhaps pertaining to VAA. Geoff then introduced Jack Pelton, that EAA and VAA member Pat Blake won the prize. VAA Hall of Fame inductee—but only if they are nominated. as a volunteer, a restorer who shares his expertise with who presented the group of EAA members and guests Pat and her husband, Phil, traveled from Albert The person you nominate can be a citizen of any coun- others, a writer, a photographer, or a pilot sharing sto- try and may be living or deceased; his or her involvement ries, preserving aviation history, and encouraging new with an update on important issues pertaining to our Lea, Minnesota, to attend the VAA board meeting. in vintage aviation must have occurred between 1950 and pilots and enthusiasts. industry. Included in his remarks were updates on She is a longtime EAA and Vintage volunteer, work- medical reform, ATC privatization, the newly required ing tirelessly at each AirVenture. The flight took place To nominate someone is easy. It just takes a little time and a little reminiscing on your part. volunteer requirements, and a number of other items. later in the day, and an excited Pat was more than •Think of a person; think of his or her contributions to vintage aviation. He then spent at least an hour answering questions thrilled to fly in this historic aeroplane. •Write those contributions in the various categories of the nomination form. •Write a simple letter highlighting these attributes and contributions. Make copies of newspaper or magazine articles that from the audience, with Geoff joining in. After the The EAA and VAA members from the southeastern may substantiate your view. question and answer session, a short reception was part of the United States who attended this event were •If at all possible, have another individual (or more) complete a form or write a letter about this person, confirming why the held in the museum hangar—a replica of the American most appreciative of the fact that Jack made the effort person is a good candidate for induction.

Airways hangar that was originally located on the At- to travel to be with them and to update them on per- We would like to take this opportunity to mention that if you have nominated someone for the VAA Hall of Fame; nominations lanta Airport. tinent issues. They were also pleased that the Vintage for the honor are kept on file for 3 years, after which the nomination must be resubmitted. During the event a drawing was held, with the board of directors traveled at their own expense to the Mail nominating materials to: VAA Hall of Fame, c/o Charles W. Harris, Transportation Leasing Corp. grand prize being a flight in the museum’s original Atlanta area to reach out to their membership. It was a PO Box 470350 Tulsa, OK 74147 Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. This fully restored 1917 airplane great day in Georgia for aviation enthusiasts. E-mail: [email protected] Remember, your “contemporary” may be a candidate; nominate someone today! Find the nomination form at www.VintageAircraft.org, or call the VAA office for a copy Vintage Bookstore (920-426-6110), or on your own sheet of paper, simply include the following information: The VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION is seeking •Date submitted. donated old and/or used books with an aviation •Name of person nominated. theme for the AirVenture VINTAGE BOOK STORE. •Address and phone number of nominee. •E-mail address of nominee. All proceeds from the sale of books will be used •Date of birth of nominee. If deceased, date of death. to enhance the Vintage experience during AirVen- •Name and relationship of nominee’s closest living relative. ture and to provide a conduit for out of print avia- •Address and phone of nominee’s closest living relative. tion history books and technical manuals for our •VAA and EAA number, if known. (Nominee must have been or is a VAA member.) •Time span (dates) of the nominee’s contributions to vintage aviation. members and guests. (Must be between 1950 to present day.) The VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION is a non- •Area(s) of contributions to aviation. profit educational organization under IRS Code •Describe the event(s) or nature of activities the nominee has undertaken in aviation to 501(c)(3). All donations are tax-deductible. be worthy of induction into the VAA Hall of Fame. Books can be shipped to the following address: •Describe achievements the nominee has made in other related fields in aviation. •Has the nominee already been honored for his or her involvement in aviation and/or the VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION, 3000 Poberezny contribution you are stating in this petition? If yes, please explain the nature of the Road, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. honor and/or award the nominee has received. Attn: Hannah Hupfer/Vintage Bookstore. Books •Any additional supporting information. Submitter’s address and phone number, plus e-mail address. ERIN BRUEGGEN can also be dropped off at the VINTAGE BOOKSTORE • during AirVenture. •Include any supporting material with your petition.

6 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 7 As a volunteer, Bob has designed and managed since specialist in EAA’s Aviation Services department, a job VAA Election 1984 the construction of additions to the VAA Red that was previously held by longtime EAA employee Barn, the new Vintage Hangar, as well as the original Norm Petersen. In 2008 EAA created the position of Vintage area entry arch and the forthcoming Tall Pines homebuilders community manager, and Joe was selected Café expansion. He was responsible for the selection and to fill that role. In 2011 he left EAA and went to work as a See attached insert ballot to vote purchase of VAA logo merchandise and setting up the flight instructor at Cub Air Flight in Hartford, Wisconsin. Red Barn sales area prior to the convention from 1994 Then in 2013 he joined Sonex Aircraft LLC as chief flight through 2013. Bob was also a volunteer at Pioneer Airport, instructor for its T-Flight transition training program. Geoff L. Robison – President vice president, secretary, and currently the treasurer of that participating in its Young Eagles program with more than Joe has owned a number of vintage aircraft and New Haven, Indiana chapter. Currently he serves as chairman of the Tall Pines 300 missions. He serves as Santa for the EAA AirVenture currently owns and flies a 1960 Piper PA-18 Super Cub. Café at AirVenture. After serving two years as an adviser and Museum Christmas in the Air program and works with Geoff began flying in 1982 later as a director, Steve has been serving as secretary of the the VAA Pioneer video interview program during the Tim Popp – Director and received his private single- Vintage Aircraft Association since 1991. convention. He is on the VAA Hall of Fame Nominating Lawton, Michigan engine land certificate in 1983. Committee. In 2009 Bob was a recipient of EAA’s He attended his first EAA fly-in Ron Alexander – Director President’s Award. He has been happily married for more Tim joined EAA in 1988 and is in 1983 and immediately became Griffin, Georgia than 48 years to his wife, Linda, who supports his passion a lifetime member. Tim’s father active in the Vintage Aircraft for EAA and VAA. sparked his interest in flying as Association (VAA). He began Ron learned to fly at age 16 in a young boy. His father was a volunteering with the Aircraft his hometown of Bloomington, Joe Norris – Director private pilot, owning a Cessna Parking & Flight Line Safety Indiana. He went into the U.S. Oshkosh, Wisconsin 140, but gave up his hobby as Committee in 1983 and served Air Force in 1964, completing his family grew. Tim began as the co-chairman of this committee for about 15 years. pilot training in 1965. He served Joe grew up on a cranberry taking flying lessons in 1988 as Geoff also served as the chairman of the VAA Security a total of five years in the Air farm in central Wisconsin. soon as he could afford it after Committee and on the VAA Convention Committee as Force, including a combat tour in Several neighbors had light completing college. He attended well. He served as an adviser to the VAA board of directors Vietnam. After military service, aircraft, and some had airstrips his first EAA Oshkosh that same year. The next year he for seven years and has served as a director since 1996. Ron was hired by Delta Air Lines on their property. So it was shared the EAA convention experience with his father, who Geoff is currently flying a Piper PA-11 Cub and a Cessna in 1969 as a pilot. He retired as always easy to be around has been back several times since then. Tim hasn’t missed 170A. He also currently serves as a tour coordinator for a captain in 2002 after 33 years of service. Ron has been airplanes and airplane people. a convention since attending that first time. EAA’s B-17 Aluminum Overcast Tour and has participated involved with antique airplanes since 1975 when he first A close friend of the family was Tim earned his private pilot certificate in 1989 and in this EAA program since 1998. After spending three began restoring a PT-17 Stearman. In 1979 he founded ag pilot, Jim Miles (EAA 158), later added a tailwheel endorsement and an instrument years with the U.S. Army in Europe as a military policeman Alexander Aeroplane Company, which was later sold to who introduced Joe to EAA by rating. He joined VAA in 1994 after purchasing a 1958 in the early ’70s, Geoff returned from military service Aircraft Spruce. Ron also developed the SportAir Workshop taking him to Oshkosh for EAA Oshkosh 1970, where they straight-tail Cessna 172. He began volunteering with the and became a police officer and later the police chief in program that is currently being presented as the EAA SportAir camped under the wing of Jim’s Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser. VAA judges about that time, first with the Contemporary his hometown of New Haven, Indiana. He now serves his Workshop program. Ron lives in Griffin, Georgia, where he Joe joined EAA in 1976 and became a lifetime member in category and later with the Classics. He currently serves community as the city court judge and has served in this has several antique airplanes, including a Stearman Model 6 2002. Joe is also a lifetime member of VAA (VAA 5982). as the chairman of Classic Judges. He slowly restored his capacity for more than 16 years. and a Curtiss Jenny that is under restoration. He also owns Joe earned his private pilot certificate in 1978 and Cessna 172 over the years, flying it to the convention and and regularly flies a DC-3. He is developing an antique airplane bought his first airplane in 1979—a 1955 Piper Tri-Pacer. camping under the wing in the VAA aircraft camping area. Steve Nesse – Secretary museum that replicates the original Atlanta, Georgia, airport. He flew it for about a year and then converted it to PA-20 He sold the Cessna after owning it almost 20 years after Albert Lea, Minnesota Pacer (tailwheel) configuration. building his Van’s Aircraft RV-7. He is an active member Robert D. “Bob” Lumley – Director During this time, Joe helped to form EAA Chapter and past president of EAA Chapter 221 in Kalamazoo, Steve was born in Albert Brookfield, Wisconsin 706 in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Over time he Michigan. Lea, Minnesota, and grew up has earned commercial pilot and flight instructor Tim is a Young Eagle program participant, having on a farm near there. Having A native of Athens, Georgia, Bob certificates with airplane and helicopter ratings, as well flown more than 500 Young Eagles over the years. He a deep interest in aviation, is currently the vice president for an A&P certificate with IA. He also acted as a designated earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the he received his private pilot a Milwaukee-based construction airworthiness representative for experimental aircraft University of Michigan, specializing in radiation safety, certificate in 1967. In 1975 he firm. He soloed in 1968 in a Piper for a number of years. and is an environment, health, and safety manager for a purchased a 1946 Navion from PA-11 and holds a commercial pilot Joe has been actively involved with EAA, serving as a pharmaceutical company. He has been happily married his father. Steve joined EAA in certificate. Bob isa lifetime EAA technical counselor and flight advisor, and has been an for almost 30 years to his wife, Liz, who also actively 1967 at Rockford, Illinois, and and Vintage Aircraft Association officer in two EAA chapters. He has volunteered at the EAA volunteers with the VAA. he is attending EAA AirVenture member. He is also a charter convention for many years and was one of the five original Oshkosh 2016, marking his 50th consecutive year. A charter member of VAA Chapter 11 in members of the EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council. member of VAA Chapter 13, he has served as president, Brookfield, Wisconsin. In October 2001 Joe was hired as a senior aviation 8 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 9 Figure 1 shows the installation of leading edge metal on a Hatz biplane wing. Note that How to? the skin is nailed to filler blocks glued to the spar between ribs and is nailed to each rib. Use cement- coated barbed steel wire nails for this task, as ROBERT G. LOCK barbless nails will tend to vibrate out during flight operations. When this job is finished, cover all nail heads with a good grade of tape. I like to use gaffer’s tape because it has good adhesion and is thinner than other types of tapes. Some mechanics use sports adhesive tape, and that too is okay. Just make sure that solvents from the covering material will not loosen the adhesion on the tape. Figure 2 shows the repaired Hatz wing ready for taping using gaffer’s tape before covering Wrap a wood wing leading edge begins. This wing was covered with the Poly- Fiber process. The large mahogany gussets on with aluminum skin the upper and lower cap strips were necessary because of cap strip splices when all leading edge A common method to fair the leading edge ribs were replaced. of a wood wing is to nail aluminum that has Figure 3 shows the Hatz wing with the first been formed to wrap around the area. Many coat of Poly-Brush applied, rib lacing completed, old airplanes used a soft aluminum, probably and surface tapes installed, with one brush coat what is now 5052, but many restorers use on the tapes. Taping was done to match the right heat treated 2024-T3 for the leading edge. It upper wing. After Poly-Brush and Poly-Spray is best to install aluminum in sections rather buildup, the wing was top-coated with Aero- than in one piece because when rigging wings, Thane polyurethane enamel paint. Figure 3 particularly on a biplane, the wires will cause spars of upper wings to bend down slightly, and a one-piece leading edge will wrinkle. Installing sections allows the skin to telescope very slightly when the spar bends. Leading edges are typically installed using nails; however, a few ships used countersunk brass screws. I hand bend the aluminum skin by rolling it over on itself and, using a padded 1-by-4-inch piece of wood, press down until the proper shape has been set. Then I scrub the Figure 1 aluminum with phosphoric acid and a scrubbing pad (such as Scotch-Brite) and rinse with tap water to remove all traces of acid. Then the aluminum is treated with chromic acid (Alodine) until the aluminum has a slightly yellow sheen, and then the aluminum skin is flushed with water. When the parts have sufficiently dried, I prime the aluminum with a good grade of epoxy primer. Now the skin is ready to install. Wrap the skin around the leading edge and mark rib locations with a soft pencil or water- based marking pen (don’t use red). Next, wrap the aluminum and hold it in place with rubber tension straps. The aluminum skin should fit tightly on the ribs with no gaps due to poor fit. The aluminum is simply an extension of the rib profile and is there to protect the leading edge wood against abrasion. Figure 2 10 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 11 Good Old Days SCRAP From pages of what was . . . Take a quick look through history by enjoying images pulled from publications past. BOOK

12 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 13 Shop Ask the AME Now!

JOHN PATTERSON, M.D., AME

Colitis

Q: I have been diagnosed with ulcerative in families, although a clear inheritance pattern has colitis. How will this affect my medical? not been established. There is a slight increased risk for colon cancer in patients with UC, and it has been A: Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and irritable reported that only 5 percent of patients with UC will bowel syndrome are all conditions that are considered develop colon cancer. under the broad term of “colitis” and, until recently, required FAA approval under the special issuance pro- Currently, if the symptoms are gram. Currently, if the symptoms are mild, airmen can be approved by your aviation medical examiner mild, airmen can be approved or AME. This means that the airman may have only mild diarrhea or abdominal cramping or pain. There by your aviation medical is also a six-week recovery period after any surgical Show Your treatment or intervention for the condition. examiner or AME. Medications for the treatment are limited. Steroids Vintage Aircraft are used for treatment in some cases, because some Crohn’s disease is less common and can affect all inflammatory bowel disease is thought to be due to layers of the bowel in both the large and small intes- Association Pride abnormal body immune response. Steroid doses can- tine. It is also characterized by skip lesions, that is, not exceed 20 mg per day of prednisone equivalent. areas of disease interspersed between areas of nor- Other immune-suppressants such as Imuran, antibi- mal bowel. Symptoms are similar to UC. In severe otics like sulfasalazine, and anti-inflammatories like cases, the disease leads to tears in the bowel wall and We’ve got what you need Asacol, Pentasa, or Lialda are approved. Antispas- then fistulas leading from the bowel to other organs to deck out your home, modics such as loperamide (Imodium) and hyoscya- in and around the abdomen. These will require sur- mine can be approved with limited dosage due to side gery to control in most cases. Heredity predisposi- workshop, or hangar! effects with higher doses. tion is more common in Crohn’s disease than UC. There are distinctions between the various forms Again, immune system regulation is the mainstay for of colitis. Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that treatment. affects the motility and muscle contraction of the co- In summary, your AME can approve patients with lon and is not a true inflammatory bowel disorder. inflammatory bowel disease without special issuance Treatment is based on controlling the symptoms of as long as symptoms are mild and controlled with diarrhea and constipation with subsequent inconve- limited medications. nience and abdominal bloating. Ulcerative colitis (UC) involves only the large intes- tine (colon) and only the surface lining. UC can come and go, with remissions lasting months or years, and is associated with bloody diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, and bloating during flare-ups. UC tends to run EAA.org/ShopVintage | 800-564-6322

14 MAY/JUNE 2016 t has been said that you can of state-of-the-art light airplanes. look at a person’s dog and his The company already had a track airplane and have a reason- record building large, multi- able window into his tastes passenger aircraft (Sedan, Airster, and personality. However, etc.), but sales were slowing so it whenI examining a 1930s Buhl Bull set out to develop a high-tech air- Pup, especially when it’s still pow- plane that would stand above the ered by the Szekely three-cylinder Aeronca C-3s and other rag-and- radial, you’re not exactly sure tube flivvers of the day. Unfortu- what the airplane is saying about nately, this was in 1928, the dawn its owner. In the case of NC348Y, of a period in history that wasn’t owned by Ron Johnson of Rockford, kind to entrepreneurs. Still you Illinois, it would be easy to misin- have to give Buhl credit for trying. terpret what it says about him. Buhl’s basic business was metal stamping, so it was natural that More Sophisticated it would bring that skill into the Than It Looks process of building little airplanes. Overall the Pup says something This is best seen in the large, one- about the attempts of Buhl to es- piece stampings that form the tablish itself as the manufacturer guppy-like forward fuselage sec-

In 1928, Buhl Aircraft and Szekeley Engine teamed up to build what was actually a very sophisticated Buhl airplane for the day. Bull

Pup It doesn’t fly like it looks by Budd Davisson

16 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 17 JIM BUSHA

Ron Johnson says the Dan Neuman restoration has barely been The Pup gives surprisingly good visibility on approach. touched in 36 years but he has done a lot of engine work. JIM BUSHA One of Johnson’s other forms of vehicular entertainment. Power Ron Johnson has a thing for un- is V8-60 Ford. As originally restored in 1980 by Dan Neuman, the airplane won usual engines. Grand Champion Antique. of vintage competition motorcy- fall into the same category. teristic that isn’t readily apparent: tions. The fuselage and overall de- know about Ron Johnson shows which he is regularly seen spray- cles includes 54 KR and 55 KHR The many, many modes of edge- The exhaust tone of each of them sign marked it as one of the most the Pup appears to be saying some- ing the sidelines with dirt while Harleys with lights he has had of-the envelope transportation in is “different” from its peer group. advanced light airplanes of the era. thing about him that isn’t true. powering through corners side- on the street since ’66; these are which Ron has invested thousands This is because the mechanism that The LA-1 (Light Airplane-1) Buhl ways in vintage races. Or the early stripped down, flathead twins that of restoration hours all appear to is converting gasoline (or in some Pup was certified in April 1931, but Not a Pussycat Kind of Guy sprint car that is powered by a fire- show the rider is ready to drag a say one thing about him: Even cases alcohol) to a delicious flavor being ahead of its time didn’t help: Ron’s other airplane is a Ryan breathing flathead Ford V-8. The knee in the dirt to prove his cor- though his hair may be graying, he’s of noise is unique; the engines all The company went into receiver- PT-22 that he restored in 1979. It’s car features carefully camouflaged nering prowess. A pair of Ducatis, still very much a hair-on-fire kind of stand out as having plenty of per- ship in late 1932 with an estimated been parked in the Vintage display taillights and headlights that show a ’77 900SS and a ’91 851 Super- guy. Pussycats need not apply. So, sonality and have all been brought 100 airframes having been com- area at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Ron drives it on the street. That’s bike, both street-legal road racers, why the Zeke-powered Buhl Pup? together by Ron Johnson’s hopeless pleted or partially finished. for 37 years straight, which may right, a sprint car on the street! are also in the bike pile along with When viewed against the back- addiction to contraptions that dis- Buhl offered a high-altitude 32- be a record. He has put more than (“But officer, it is a ’48 Ford!”). It is an evil-looking ’60s H-D dragster. drop of everything else he owns, play mechanical character. foot wingspan model and a “rac- 1,200 hours on the airplane, which parked next to other vintage open- These clearly indicate that Ron the Pup seems to stand out like a He sums up his attraction to ing” 28-foot wing model, but few may also be a record. More impor- wheeled race cars in his garage, and Johnson isn’t about to ride the deacon at a Hells Angels reunion. At these machines by saying, “I guess, (if any) were made. However, the tant, the Kinner-powered ingot is the raucous, rumbling exhaust of streets on a chromed-to-the-hilt least it appears that way until you if I think something falls into the Pup was/is a pilot-friendly, pussy- not known as a pussycat. their massive side pipes say none Harley dresser. The ’56 Studebaker dig down into each of the unusual category of ‘neat stuff,’ I snag it, cat airplane. But even a casual ex- And then there is the mid-’40s, of these are pussycats either. Golden Hawk and the ’61 Corvette, vehicles that Ron regularly drives restore it, fly, ride, drive, and race amination of everything else we V-8-60 powered midget race car in His wide-ranging accumulation both of which are driven regularly, and flies. They all share a charac- it—and keep it.” 18 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 19 From any angle a Buhl Pup has unique lines but flies just great. JIM BUSHA

The 45-hp Szekely has CAA- denigrated Zeke is still part of each short the two lower barrels (I sus- mandated tie-rods around package. An A-65 Continental, the pect a prang). the cylinders to make sure usual engine seen on flying B-Pups, “They then made the SR3-L, a 30- none depart the case. has not weevilled its way into the hp flathead, followed by an SR3-O mix. As he puts it, “If it ain’t a that put out 35 big ones with over- Zeke, it ain’t neat, but then, I may head valves. Then came the mighty be the only fool who thinks so.” SR3-O 45 hp that graced the nose He says, “O.E. Szekely Corp. was of the Buhl Pups. I am not sure if founded in ’28 to build light aircraft any Eaglets got the 45 or not. and engines. The name was changed “All of the engines are 191 cu- to Szekely Aircraft and Engine Co., bic inches (4.125 inches by 4.750 but having hitched their wagon inches), and the only difference I to Buhl’s Pup, when it died, so did have read in specs between the 35 Szekely. So, when Buhl assets were and 45 hp was that the compression sold, many of the engines Szekely ratio went from 4.2 to a whopping The pilot sits high with good visibility and had supplied soldiered on as spares 4.6 (some sources say 4.9-to-1)! minimum instrumentation to distract him. Note JIM BUSHA for Pups, Eaglets, and Curtiss Ju- However, no one will ever convince cut-outs in the wing for downward visibility. JIM BUSHA niors. This happened in ’32, but I me that small change gained 29 per- After nearly 70 years of living by fines the term “mechanical charac- have some cases marked ’34. cent more power. I suspect some paper gasket at the base, which com- and rod to flap around in the open this credo, it is totally understand- ter.” Even better, the airframe itself “In 1928-29 Szekely built maybe valve timing changes and maybe the pressed and put a bending moment amid a geyser of oil. One can only able why an incredible amount of flaunts its own type of character, 10 copies of one design, the Flying 35 was underrated and the 45 a bit on the flange corners; this made the imagine what that looked like from truly “neat stuff” crowds his han- all of which explains why four Pups Dutchman, which was a low-wing overrated. Who knows?” cracking issue worse. So magnaflux the cockpit! It happened often gars and garages. in various states of airworthiness monoplane sporting what I be- them, radius the corners, and use enough that the young CAA got Enter the Buhl Pup and its Sze- live under Ron’s mechanical roof. lieve was the first Zeke engine, the “Owner Involvement” Is a a 0.003 piece of paper (or nada) for into the act and issued the equiv- kely engine. One is flying, another is soon to SR3—Szekely Radial three-banger. Zeke Necessity a gasket, paint the base light gray, alent of a modern AD. All of the be, one is about to change hands, This engine reportedly whacked “All had the cylinder base crack- and inspect them. A lot!” engines had to be equipped with Does Three Cylinders Make and another is piled up in the cor- out a frightening 40 hp and had ing issue (cast iron barrels), and it’s The cylinder base cracking prob- what became one of the Zeke’s it a Radial or a Triangular? ner awaiting its fate. They too all one-piece cast iron cylinder heads. easy to see why. The cylinder bases lem often had spectacular results. more noteworthy aesthetic differ- The Szekely engine (reportedly share one identifying characteris- You won’t find much about this en- are square with a stud and nut in For instance, a cylinder would sud- ences: A tie rod (commonly a cable) pronounced “Say-kai” in the origi- tic that sets them apart from most gine, and I don’t think it ever cer- each corner. In the 1920s they denly rocket off the engine like an went from cylinder head to cyl- nal Hungarian) absolutely rede- other surviving Pups: The often- tified. I have serial No. 36 that is sealed that joint with a nice thick artillery round, leaving the piston inder head, like an old-fashioned 20 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 21 wraparound head bandage for the about 0.004 inch at the crank. Pull- pion Antique at Oshkosh. How- contest’ I have had is with a 65- mumps to keep all three cylinders ing the nose case and ‘adjusting’ ever, saying that it was ‘restored’ hp Curtiss Junior, which couldn’t in the general vicinity of the crank- the retaining rings with sandpa- is something of an overstatement keep up with the mighty Zeke at case. The exact original time be- per, small surface plate, and cali- because the airplane was never full throttle—mercy! On a good tween overhauls (TBO) had never per took care of the play. A total one of those rundown basket cases day, it will cruise at an honest 75 seen established, but it appears of 0.005 was removed at the mat- that need total restoration. Sup- mph! Also, there’s a reason there 20-40 (maybe 50) hours was a lot ing ring surfaces to get back to the posedly, the airplane had never are little ‘windows,’ cutouts actu- time on the Zeke. That’s why John- rings being just barely free to spin. been allowed to deteriorate but ally, in the wing roots. Without son proudly proclaims, “Forty-four Voilà! No play at the tip anymore had been in more-or-less flying them, you would be totally blind to hours’ TT SMOH here!” and back to good-to-go as the clus- condition for almost its entire life. the sides and down. “Reportedly there was a 100-hour ter has now ‘found a home.’ Who Still, when I got the airplane it was “My biggest challenge was learn- AD type CAA note, but careful ex- knows? It may run another 50 as Dan had completed it nearly 30 ing to drive it on the ground with amination of all the engine parts hours. Dare I say it might run even years earlier. However, being the no brakes and a skid. I learned rap- reveals that the only real problems more? If it doesn’t, least a Bull Pup gearhead that I am, I just had to see idly that uphill is better than down, were the cylinder cracking issue and will glide better than a PT-22.” the inside of the engine, and I’m grass is better than pavement, running them with loose rod cluster He is now something of a “Zeke glad I did. Clearances had opened lower tire pressure is better than The engine is very short but the clearance until the retaining rings whisperer.” So, through his new- up enough that the old Zeke was high, pay attention to the skid foot- tail quite long. JIM BUSHA PHOTOS broke. Keep both under check and I found understanding of an engine about to prove its critics right and print, turning into the wind is bet- suspect the engine would be happy that most consider nothing more self-destruct. Besides, it’s fun do- ter than away from it. And most of considerably longer.” than a curiosity, he has some pro- ing autopsies on motors you’ve all, while on the ground, plan ahead. What he usually doesn’t men- found and controversial thoughts. never messed with before. “If there is a 12-15 mph cross- tion while saying the above is the “These engines are fine. But, “Incidentally,” Ron says, “report- wind on a taxiway, the prop blast number of hours he has spent with they are ’20s designs and demand edly Arthur Godfrey was fooling does not make it back to the rud- a number of the disassembled en- a measure of what may be deemed around practicing spins in NC348Y der, so leave the airplane in the gines before him on a bench while ‘owner involvement.’ Don’t do it and nearly bought the farm in it.” hangar unless the wind is mostly a he studied them. We don’t mean It’s interesting to hear someone headwind. I’m not sure, but I think fixing them; we mean studying The only ‘speed like Ron comment on the fun of NC348Y may be the only Bull Pup every detail of the Zeke so he un- contest’ I have had is poking into the innards of long- that’s flying regularly, and there derstands why it works and why it with a 65-hp defunct engines because before he are some good reasons for that.” doesn’t work. retired he was designing torpedo He explains, “The airplane flies He adds, “The other Achilles heel Curtiss Junior, which motors and space shuttle hydraulic fine in the wind, and landing with is the rod cluster/retainer design, couldn’t keep up with power units. Now in semi-retire- crosswind is no problem because the which is not all that unusual in a ment, between diddling with flat- skid keeps you straight. However, in The brakeless wheels and tailskid make ground handling a challenge. 1920s design. Engines like this fol- the mighty Zeke at full head Fords and triangular engines a wind just trying to get back to the lowed right on the heels of World throttle—mercy! he’s providing engineering support hangar safely is a real challenge. If War I rotary engines, which had for F-35 fuel pumps on contract. it is not windy, taxi is no problem: similar retaining systems. The so- (as I suspect was the norm back in blast the rudder with the Zeke while called ‘maintenance manual’ says the day) and there will be grief. I So, How Does It Fly? realizing that there will be a delay be- to inspect the rod retaining ring have heard that the finest engines It’s a cliché that an airplane fore anything important happens. clearance at 50 hours and snug of the day, the Wrights and P&Ws generally flies the same way that “It is such a kick to motor along up by carefully sanding the mat- might have TBOs as short as 300- it looks, so one has to ask how an behind the Zeke,” he says. “It’s ing surfaces of the ring caps where 600 hours. So, the industry still airplane as unique as the Buhl Bull nowhere nearly as rough as you’d they bolt together. They are free had a lot to learn.” Pup flies. There aren’t a lot of Buhl think. It does, however, have a very running, as is the split bearing—oil Although Ron will gladly take Pup pilots around to ask, but Ron characteristic vibe to it, which is pressure fed by the worm-driven credit for bringing the Zeke up to is glad to oblige. both nostalgic and entertaining!” lube and scavenge gear pumps on snuff, he quickly points out that He says, “The airplane flies Ron still has a couple more race the nose case—so, I’ve gotten re- doesn’t apply to the entire airplane. nicely with better performance cars to restore but is already cast- ally anal about blueprinting them. “NC348Y is actually a pretty fa- than I expected (what was I expect- ing around for his next aeronauti- “At 44 hours I noticed a small mous airplane,” he says, “although ing anyway?). And much lighter, cal project. He says, “I probably re- amount of ‘free play’ at the prop almost nobody remembers it. In quicker handling than I expected. ally don’t need another project, but Climbing on board requires learning the proper “dance.” tip (about 0.150 inch), and simple 1980, Dan Neuman finished re- It just doesn’t fly like it looks. It I’ve been talking to this guy about math said that would equate to storing it and won Grand Cham- flies much better. The only ‘speed a Ryan STA, so…” 22 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 23 A Delightful

ob Enos’ stick-controlled Aeronca Chief 65 is quite simply a beauty. It’s also ERONCA a rare representative of A theB prewar Chiefs, thanks to many helping hands along the way. This Chief is a survivor of the vagaries of time and has an unusual twist Anomaly in its paperwork trail. Bob, who is honored to be its new caretaker, has a real appreciation of “stick- to-itiveness,” as applied not only to airplane restorations but also to the makings of a pilot—himself in particular. But first, the story of the Chief…

That Haunting Feeling Bob was searching for an inex- pensive airplane to operate when he came across the Chief. “I didn’t know anything about Aeronca Chiefs at the time, and I didn’t re- alize how rare the stick controls were,” he says. “I made a couple of phone calls but quickly determined the airplane was out of my bud- get. Then it just kept haunting me. I kept going back and looking at the ads. And finally I talked to the owner, and we were able to come to an agreement.”

Bit o’ History By the time the Aeronca Chief 65 model was being produced, the te- nacious Aeronautical Corporation of America had been in business for The stick-controlled Chief years. Established in 1928 at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio, its light aircraft lineage evolved from the sin- by Sparky Barnes Sargent gle-place, 26-hp Aeronca C-2 Scout, which was the first lightweight air- plane for the civilian market, to the C-3 Collegian, which was powered by TYSON RININGER a 36-hp Aeronca E-113 series engine. 24 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 25 behind the panel, and a 5-gallon scheme, with NC33702 on its fu- Remarkably, the FAA approved auxiliary tank is aft of the skylight selage. Joe became synonymous the assignment of N24276 to Si- in the cabin overhead. The baggage with his stick Chief by attending mandl’s Chief, and the historical compartment aft of the seat carries a numerous fly-ins in America’s aircraft records document that maximum of 40 pounds. heartland for decades. transition. It seems there may In April 1983, Joe began a have been much more leniency Intriguing Provenance quest to obtain the original regis- among the governmental powers NC24276’s data plate states tration number for his Chief. He in charge (at least in this case) in that the Chief is a Model 65-LA, sent a handwritten letter to the those days—but it’s highly im- Serial No. L7510. It was manufac- FAA Aircraft Registry, explaining probable that the same would oc- tured under ATC A-702 by Aeronca his use of NC33702 and the de- cur today. An “Assignment of at Lunken Airport on January 5, sire to change it: “I have received Special Registration Numbers” re- 1940, and originally powered by a the release of No. 24276 from the veals the change from N33702 to 65-hp O-145-B1 Lycoming. Cessna Co. to you for me. This is N24276, S/N L-7510. An “Applica- That sounds straightforward really very nice of the Cessna Co. tion for Airworthiness Certificate” until you realize that this Chief’s I have a problem which I hope you dated June 1983 also documents historical paperwork poses a bit will bear with me while I try to the “Reissuance of Airworthiness of a convoluted conundrum. It explain it. Back in 1958 I picked Certificate due to Model and Serial NC24276 is a rare representative of the prewar, stick-controlled Aeronca Chiefs. MICHAEL KELLY started back in 1959, when pre- up a basket case Aeronca that had ‘No.’ change only.” vious owner Joe Simandl of Wis- been abandoned sometime be- Ergo, the registration chain of 7AC Champ.) The company moved advertised catchy phrases such consin restored a basket-case fore 1958. I rebuilt the Chief and ownership was circumvented, and to Middletown, Ohio, in 1940 and as: “America’s No. 1 Light Plane,” Chief. He removed its Continen- had the AOPA do a title search for now the Chief’s registration and air- changed its name to the Aeronca Air- “First and finest,” and “Everyone tal A-65-8 and installed a Ly- me, and the search showed it was worthiness certificates match the craft Corporation in 1941. wants to fly!” coming O-145-B2, along with a owned by a club of, I believe, five original manufacturer’s identifica- new auxiliary fuel tank, and cov- girls. I found out they had sold it tion plate (aka data plate) in regard In April 1939, the Aeronautical Corporation ered the airframe in Grade A cot- to a group of men who never had to aircraft make, model, and serial of America touted that its airplanes held 23 ton. But there was one thing he the title or bill of sale registered number. (Note: If you find yourself international records! didn’t have—the Chief’s origi- to them, and there I got stuck and facing a challenge regarding a miss- nal registration number. He had was not able to get a bill of sale. ing link in an aircraft’s chain of own- the original data plate but not a The number of this abandoned ership today, do not expect to obtain Lofty Lauds Airframe bill of sale. So Joe bought a few Chief was No. 24276…Now, my a similar approval and resolution! It’s Advertising for the Aeronca The prewar Chief’s wood wings parts along with a bill of sale for question is, can I use the original best to have the FAA registration, Chief 65 in Aero Digest pro- have a Clark Y airfoil, which is a lit- another prewar Chief, NC33702 registered numbers of No. 24276, and aircraft ownership paperwork, claimed: “Superior Craftsman- tle thinner and faster than the post- (a 1941 Chief 65-CA, Serial which are as follows? It is a 65- in order prior to investing in the res- ship Distinguishes It—Proven war Chief’s NACA 4412 airfoil. The No. CA12731), that had been LA—Serial No. 7510—TC 702— toration of an aircraft.)

MICHAEL KELLY MICHAEL ‘World Record’ Performance Chief’s steel tube fuselage is faired wrecked. He finished the once- built 1/5/40—originally powered In October 1986, Joe donated Bob Enos and his girlfriend, Makes It Champion of the Low- to a graceful shape with plywood neglected Chief in a snazzy paint with a Lycoming O-145-B1….” his beloved Chief to the Airpower Sherri Sprinkle, flew to AirVen- Price Field. Your pride steps high bulkheads and spruce stringers, ture in the Chief. when you buy and fly Aeronca. Its and its tail is constructed of steel By 1935, the C-3 Master version was smooth streamline appearance and externally braced with stream- powered by the E-113C engine of plus the zip and pep of cham- lined tie rods. Streamlined “V” wing 40 hp. Next was the Aeronca KCA pionship performance arouses struts converge at the landing gear model, which was the forerunner a new sensation that even ‘old- and fuselage longeron and are se- to the prewar Continental-powered timers’ can’t believe possible in cured to the wing spar at the upper Chiefs built under ATC A-675. Pre- low-priced airplanes. But that’s end with an inverted “V” jury strut. war Lycoming-powered Chiefs were just the reason Aeronca marches Oleo struts make for smooth built under ATC A-702. Additionally on each day toward new sales re- ground operations, and the original in 1940, Aeronca’s Tandem trainer cords—true comparison is swing- Shinn heel brakes work well (when (or Defender) was designed for the ing the big trend to Aeronca—the adjusted correctly) for engine run- Civilian Pilot Training Program. favorite of folks whose sense of ups and ground maneuvering in re- MICHAEL KELLY PHOTOS KELLY MICHAEL (That airframe design became the value is keen….” Additionally, col- stricted quarters. A 12-gallon fuel This prewar Chief sports a skylight, wheelpants, basis for the beloved postwar Model orful Aeronca matchbook covers tank is mounted slightly above and and Sensenich wooden propeller. The airplane was finished with Air-Tech Coatings. 26 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 27 MICHAEL KELLY PHOTOS KELLY MICHAEL This Chief has a distinctively shaped rudder. The cowling is neatly formed around the air filter opening. Did you know? known to be flying. According to the aircraft re- You may visit these sites to learn more cords, Rock Schaller bought the about Aeronca aircraft: Chief from the Airpower Museum in February 2007. He took it home www.AeroncaPilots.com to Missouri and began its restora- www.AeroncaMuseum.org tion. After pouring abundant time, energy, and resources into the www.Aeronca.org Chief, it was airworthy again and up for sale fairly soon thereafter. Museum. The late Augie Wegner de- and wheelpants. Joe and the Chief scribed Joe and his Chief in a “Plane are legend around this area. He re- A New Caretaker Talk” column (January/February stored it in 1959 and has flown it Bob and Rock talked and agreed 1989), writing: “…‘Joe’s Chief,’ as continuously since then. He holds on a price for the Chief during the it will always be called, was made a current record for attending the summer of 2013, and Bob started in early 1940 and is the ’39 style national AAA/APM Fly-In 19 times the long drive west from Pennsyl- that was made from 1938 through in the same airplane.” vania, with a pocket full of cash. early 1940. It is now a flying part According to Wegner, a total “The Chief was at Harve Apple- of the Airpower Museum at the An- of 86 stick Chiefs were known to gate’s airport in Queen City, Mis- tique Airfield in Blakesburg, Iowa. have been built, and only 15 had souri,” Bob says, “since Harve and You might recall this Chief is white current registrations in 1989; of Rock are good friends. Harve had a and Loening yellow with green trim those, Joe’s Chief was the only one lot to do with the restoration; Rock WORLD’S GREATEST AVIATION CELEBRATION ® JULY 25-31

BUY NOW AND SAVE! Visit EAA.org/Tickets MICHAEL KELLY PHOTOS KELLY MICHAEL The felt headliner, plush door panels, and seat up- The brass Pioneer venturi tube adds another classy holstery are made by Airtex. touch. 28 MAY/JUNE 2016 NC24276, 1940 Aeronca 65-LA Chief Manufactured under ATC A-702 Length 20 feet 10 inches Height 6 feet 6 inches Wingspan 36 feet Wing chord 58 inches Wing area 169 square feet Airfoil Clark Y Weight empty 675 pounds Useful load 480 pounds Gross weight 1,150 pounds Fuel capacity 12 gallons (main); 5 gallons (auxiliary) Oil capacity 4 quarts Maximum speed 105 mph Cruise 95 mph Landing speed 37 mph Rate of climb 600 feet first minute Ceiling 14,000 feet Cruising range 240 miles The Aeronca 65-LA Chief was powered by a 65-hp Lycoming O-145-B1 and sold for $1,795. This model was approved for skis or floats. MICHAEL KELLY (Derived from manufacturer’s specifications and Juptner’s U.S. Civil Aircraft Series, Vol. 8.) worked on it from 2007 until 2011. able fuel; so I had to make my legs interior. There’s plenty of head- instrument panel is a large Stewart-Warner com- A Continental A-65-8 was installed a maximum of 1 hour and 30 min- room, and the pilot’s visibility is bined tachometer, oil temperature, and oil pressure on it with a Sensenich W72CK-42 utes,” he says. “It was early July. So enhanced by a skylight and rear gauges. Laughing, Bob declares that the large tach wood prop, and the Chief was fin- I had a lot of weather to avoid, and windows. The felt headliner, plush was “a large nightmare to restore! Someone had re- ished with Air-Tech Coatings. So that was tough.” door panels, and seat upholstery moved the oil temperature gauge from it and in- after a prepurchase inspection, Once he and the Chief were are made by Airtex, and stainless stalled a standard oil temp gauge, which really didn’t Mess Free! Harve flew with me and helped me home, Bob got the aux tank back in steel heel pads adorn the floor- fit—and they used something like nail polish on the WWW.BANDC.AERO get used to the Chief.” working order. “It works well now, board below the rudder pedals. face of it. I wanted to have the face redone, but to Bob was recovering from rotator although the transfer to the front The trim tab lever is handily lo- do that I had to get a new oil temp gauge—but to do Your cuff surgery at the time and knew tank is very slow,” he says. “I’ve cated overhead, the fuel selector that, I had to find one! Cash solves all problems like he couldn’t hand-prop the Chief. He never gotten more than 4.5 gallons valve is in the top center of the in- that; Keystone Instruments found one and rebuilt Next Oil solved that problem by inviting a out of that tank, but that does ex- strument panel, and the fuel trans- it. They made a silkscreen based on the original tach long-haul driver and friend, Mark tend your range quite a bit.” Bob fer valve for the 5-gallon auxiliary face and reprinted the oil temp gauge. I learned a lot Change Johnson, to accompany him. “Mark also finished the interior details tank is on the cabin wall near the at Oshkosh. And one thing was that they used these agreed to follow my flying route before flying it to EAA AirVenture pilot’s left knee. gauges in Mack trucks for a number of years, and Just Got eastbound and meet me at each Oshkosh 2015. (He was accompa- Bob removed the entire instru- they were interchangeable.” fuel stop so he could hand-prop the nied by his girlfriend, Sherri Sprin- ment panel, sent the instruments Additionally, the instrument panel sports an A-7 Easier airplane,” he says, chuckling. “That kle, who loves flying once they’re to Keystone for overhaul, and reap- magneto switch, a Bendix turn and bank indicator turned out to be about 10 fuel stops off the ground and in the air—and plied the crinkle-coat finish to the (powered by a brass Pioneer venturi tube), a compass, in three days of flying.” she’s handily developed excellent panel. “I installed all-new cables and and an Aeronca nonsensitive altimeter and airspeed $328 BC700-1 (STC/PMA) The only glitch, per se, was that navigation skills.) tried to bring everything back as indicator. There is also a modern cylinder head tem- List: $450 O-235 thru IO-720 the auxiliary fuel tank wasn’t us- close to original as I could get it,” he perature gauge and a floor-mounted fire extinguisher Limited Time 3-D Machined able due to a leaking problem, so Pristine Interior reflects. “Prewar instrument panels that is positioned between the two chromed gooseneck and Quantity Billet Aluminum Bob could fly only as far as the main The words “cream puff” leap to are different from later models, and control sticks. tank would allow. “The fuel gauge mind when either cabin door is they’re hard to find. I just went by “Another really neat feature is the original throttle 123 E. 4th Street • Newton, KS 67114 for the front tank is a cork bobber, opened to reveal the Chief’s luxu- photos I could find on the Internet.” knob,” shares Bob. “I remember Rock was passionate 316-283-8000 • BandC.aero/VA and I had about 11.5 gallons of us- riously finished and comfortable The striking centerpiece of the about retaining it, because it’s exciting to think that 30 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 31 DAN MOORE “Aeronca Chief 65 Great Engineering Superior Craftsmanship Outstanding in the Low Price Field” —Popular Aviation, March 1940 every person that’s ever flown this tail wheel. He says, “I typically airplane in the past 75 years has wheel-land it, but it three-points touched this same throttle knob. just as easily. It doesn’t have much It is worn and tattered, but I will of a float in ground effect. Dur- The prewar Chief is imbued never remove it until it falls off in ing takeoff, I really never look at with aesthetically pleasing pieces.” the airspeed indicator—the Chief vintage qualities, and pro- knows when it wants to fly. You vides its pilot with economi- Flying Performance can feel the tail starting to come cal, fun flying. DAN MOORE As far as Bob can determine, off the ground once you start get- there are only four stick Chiefs in ting some forward visibility. It’s airworthy condition today—and usually about a 1,400-foot roll eight years. Then I wanted to buy titude, and “stick-to-itiveness” 182 to get my instrument and com- include pure fun flying in the M- he feels fortunate to be flying with one person and maybe about an airplane—and I could afford gradually helped him to launch mercial ratings—I just had to put Squared he used to own, to current one of them. “It trims beautifully a 1,800-foot roll with two.” one, but I couldn’t afford to fly it his career in aviation. He was also fuel in it. When I was giving flight flying in his Mini-Max ultralight, hands-off and is a very stable air- if I had it!” highly motivated and took an active instruction at the airport in a 172, and cross-country traveling in his plane,” he shares. “It’s able to take A Personal So he did the next best thing he role in learning. “I didn’t wait for a one of the local corporate pilots Piper Cherokee 235. And then off in a reasonable distance with “Stick-to-itiveness” could think of: He bought a two- lesson to come up; I researched it used to come in and we’d talk. One there are the hours he logs literally two people in it, so if you want to As a young boy, Bob started fly- place ultralight. “I spent the first and tried to figure out what I was day, he asked me what I was doing flying around the world as a corpo- go somewhere, it’s not a problem. ing model airplanes, then moved summer learning how to fly it very doing ahead of time. Basically I with all my flight time, and I told rate pilot in a Bombardier Global It cruises about 88 mph indicated up to model helicopters—but they well, and I went to the M-Squared started at the bottom and worked him I wanted to be a corporate pilot Express business jet. with two people in it and about were expensive to repair after each factory in Mississippi and got my my way up—people handed me just like he was. He said, ‘Our com- As he’s worked his way up 92 indicated with one person. The flight! So at 25, he decided it was basic flight instructor rating for ul- things but not on a silver platter.” pany just bought a brand-new Cita- through flight level after flight fuel burn is around 4.5 to 5 gph at time to get his pilot certificate. “I tralights,” he says. “At that time, I Bob reflects thoughtfully, “If you tion Bravo; can you be at school in level, Bob hasn’t forgotten—or cruise, and just playing around, it’s took out a loan for $1,600; I paid was a paramedic and worked two work really hard like that and make Wichita in two weeks?’ I said, ‘Yes!’” abandoned—his early type of fly- only about 3 gph.” $32 an hour for a Cessna 152 wet 24-hour shifts a week. So if I sur- a good impression, a lot of peo- Bob’s pathway in aviation spans ing. In fact, you might say that his Bob flies about 55 mph on ap- with instructor,” he recalls. “It was vived my shifts, I had five days off ple will notice it, and they do very a rather eclectic spectrum and is a passion for the economical, grass- proach and touches down around just something I wanted to do, so to give flying lessons—and that nice things for you. I had a gentle- tribute to his enthusiastic deter- roots type of flying led him to em- 45 mph on the Chief’s 6-by-6 I did it. But I only flew about 100 kept me busy.” man offer to let me use his turbo- mination to succeed. He’s logged brace one rare, storied Aeronca Airhawk tires and original Lang hours’ total time during the next Bob’s work ethic, positive at- charged, retractable-gear Cessna about 8,000 hours so far, which stick Chief. 34 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 35 At Last

uring a power test just The Bugatti 100P, built by the “I don’t believe, and there’s no days before the repro- same name that founded the Bu- evidence that supports, that the duction of an evolu- gatti automobile company, stands airplane was spirited out of Paris tionary airplane was out like a sore but elegant thumb under the cover of darkness and scheduled to make its next to one of its contemporaries, hidden behind a wall on his [Bugat- Dsecond-ever flight, a piece of the the Piper J-3 Cub. Not only is it ti’s] estate,” he said. “There’s every flying machine’s rear engine broke the only airplane in the AirVenture evidence to suggest that he stored off and flew through the inside of Museum that has never flown, no- it on the estate, and that’s where it the fuselage. body ever knew if it could fly until sat for the next 30 years.” Despite that, when it came time Scotty, a man from Tulsa, Okla- This half-truth perpetuates the to take off, pilot Scotty Wilson was homa, decided to undertake what myth that Bugatti was building the the rock of calmness and collection nobody else had attempted seri- 100P as a fighter plane under con- amidst a sea of tense onlookers. ously. He was going to rebuild the tract with the French government, As Frank van Dalen, who assisted Bugatti 100P and make it fly. as suggested on the website of the with the building of the reproduc- Bugatti Aircraft Association, an un- tion, said, “When Scotty was strap- Myths and Half-Truths official following of people who meet ping into the cockpit, it wasn’t as if According to Scotty, many myths twice a year to share stories about the he was running off on any errand.” and half-truths surround this al- airplane. While the French govern- After a successful five-minute ready mysterious airplane. While ment did ask aircraft manufactur- Bugatti’s airplane flies flight, when Scotty was asked if he popular lore says the Bugatti was ers to develop ideas for lightweight wanted to go again he said with a secretly hidden away so that its ad- fighter airplanes, Bugatti was not after 75 years big grin on his face, “No, that was vanced mechanics and technology building the 100P for this purpose. enough excitement for one day.” wouldn’t be discovered by the Ger- “In fact, there was never a fighter by Megan Esau Seventy-five years earlier, an un- mans, Scotty explained that it was variant intended or planned,” EAA Staff Writer finished small, futuristic-looking, simply stored with the assumption Scotty said. “So this airplane had electric blue airplane was lowered that the war would soon be over. one mission only: that was to go out of a second story window in “The romantic in us wants those fast in a straight line and set re- Paris under the nose of advancing kinds of things to be true,” Scotty cords in three distances: 10 km, Nazis. After being transported out said. “And when we want to create 100 km, and 1,000 km.” of Paris, the airplane, startlingly un- a story that really grabs people, we However the story of the Bu- like any other aircraft of its time, was want it to be spirited out of Paris gatti 100P is not so much about stowed away in a barn on a family es- under a cloak of darkness into the the airplane itself, but rather the tate near Ermenonville, France. face of the invading army, right?” people involved in its history, most It would be largely forgotten Scotty said many French people especially a man named Louis de about for the next 30 years until be- believed the war would be over Monge. Although not a myth or ing rediscovered and changing hands soon with a German victory, so the half-truth, perhaps one of the less numerous times until finally finding plan was most likely that business well-known facts about the 100P is a home at the Experimental Aircraft would be resumed building the Bu- that it was not actually designed by Association’s museum in 1996. gatti 100P when the war was over. a Bugatti family member. 36 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 37 The original Bugatti airplane during its EAA restoration.

Comparison photo of the EAA Bugatti (top) and Scotty Wilson’s repro- duction.

EAA members Bill Martin and TJ Balentine compare the reproduc- tion radiator exhaust (L) with the original (R). Note in this photo the reproduction flange is wider, creating the illusion it is larger; when trimmed to fit in the plane they are identical in size. similar to its pre-World War II peers. the first and only person to ever in- Scotty said. “They were capable of “Louis de Monge is the real hero From the two counter-rotating corporate the idea in this way. Also contact force of one part pushing high speeds over very long distances, of this story, and we take nothing propellers at the front to a sleek, unique to the Bugatti 100P is Louis’ against another is quite amazing to and they won races like the 24 Hours away from Bugatti when we give streamlined wooden fuselage that use of contact force to hold parts of see in an airplane.” of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand credit to Louis de Monge for the even today looks futuristic, the air- the airplane together. This sensation of contact force Prix and hundreds of races. So Bu- design of the airplane,” Scotty said. plane was anything but typical. “The structure uses direct con- can be compared to putting a se- Scotty Wilson sits in the cockpit of the Bugatti, contemplating gatti knew that if he could design an “Remember that Bugatti was the Beneath the surface, the Bu- tact between the surfaces of its ries of children’s toy blocks side the next set of challenges. airplane that would set records and visionary. He was the guy that got gatti boasted even more forward- components for transferring loads by side in a single row, then push- win races, that that would help him the money. He was who collected thinking mechanisms. from one to the other,” Frank said. ing against the blocks at each end People Behind the Plane promote his business.” the talent to do all these wonderful Frank, who designs parts for “I have never seen anything like and lifting up the entire row. The The story begins with Ettore Ettore’s son, Jean Bugatti, devel- things. Louis de Monge was the in- Airbus as a structural engineer at this; on any other airplane I’ve force of the blocks pushing against Bugatti, the founding father of oped an engine called the Type 50, strument through which his vision Fokker Technologies in Holland, seen, components (such as wing each other keeps all the blocks sus- the Bugatti automobile company, which Scotty said Ettore wanted turned into the Bugatti 100P.” said the airplane was and is differ- to fuselage) are bolted together, pended and prevents the whole row whose business was struggling to to adapt for aviation use. It was ent from the other aircraft of its or glued, or welded. Simply the from falling apart. survive during the worldwide de- then that Ettore sought out Louis Evolutionary, not time in many respects. pression of the 1930s. According to de Monge to design an airplane Revolutionary “Completely novel and essential Scotty, to help save the company, around the engine. The Bugatti 100P wasn’t just to reducing drag was the cooling Ettore wanted to get involved in Born of Belgian nobility, Count physically different, but made use system, a brilliant idea of Louis the aviation engine business. Pierre Louis Benoit de Monge de of the most recent aeronautical re- de Monge’s,” Frank said. “The air Ettore made this decision not only Franeau was a natural at aviation search of the time that had yet to intakes for the cooling system are because, with World War II looming, engineering. From 1906 to 1907 be used on other aircraft. mounted in the leading edges of the French government was offering at 16 years of age, he designed a “Without going into a whole lot the tail surfaces, and the air flows incentives to those producing avia- glider that made use of leading of technical detail, we can say that forward through the tapered rear tion engines, but also because first edge slots—the earliest found ex- while the Bugatti was not perhaps fuselage where it is expanded until and foremost he was a great marketer. ample of this technology. However, a revolutionary design, it took the it reaches the radiator located be- “Beginning at the beginning, Bu- this technological advancement evolution of…recent discoveries hind the rear engine.” gatti was a successful car manufac- was not celebrated until years to the highest level that it possibly Frank said while a scientist named The black squares in the center of the photograph, fuselage-to-wing turer in part because he was great at later in 1917-1918 after being pat- could,” Scotty said. Frederick Meredith proposed the attachment fittings, are just one of several places the wing and fu- marketing, and he marketed his cars ented by British scientist Frederick From the outside, it is obvious physical principles of the cooling sys- selage bolt together. By examining these black plates, Scotty is able as being fast, beautiful, and robust,” Handley Page. that the 100P was not designed tem used in the Bugatti, Louis was to determine if there are weaknesses in the structure. 38 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 39 After Ray Jones removed the Type 50 engines from the Bugatti 100P, he sold the rest of the airplane to Peter Williamson. Peter completed a restoration, then, according to EAA museum curator Ron Twell- man, donated the airplane to the Air Force Museum Foundation. After realizing nothing would happen to the airplane there, Ron said Peter convinced the Air Force Museum to

JIM KOEPNICK PHOTOS JIM KOEPNICK pass the 100P on to EAA. Cockpit details on the original. Overhead view of what sits behind the props. During Peter’s restoration of the airplane, Louis de Monge visited engines being inside the fuselage, and saw the aircraft he designed there is simply no unused space in- years ago. side the fuselage,” Frank said. “I can- “This airplane would have been not think of any other examples of the airplane that established or airplanes of the era that used their Scotty’s reproduction 100P is painted a re-established Louis de Monge as inner space so efficiently; you need deeper shade of blue than Bugatti’s original. the premier aeronautical engineer to look at jet fighters to find some- in Europe in 1940, so it was a big thing similar. Economic use of in- deal to him. When the war started, ner space means a minimal volume and they had to take the airplane needed for the airplane as a whole, apart and hide it or store it as the which means less drag.” case may be, it was obviously a big Scotty said much of the airplane’s blow. He never did anything so design was inspired by nature, re- grand ever again in his life, and Computerized rendering sulting in what could be considered neither did Ettore Bugatti. Thirty- of the engine. a perfect airplane. In a paper he five years later, the airplane is in a wrote called “Form Follows Func- garage in Connecticut, and they’re tion; How Nature Inspired the Bu- having trouble replicating a part. gatti 100P,” Scotty said this: Somebody remembers that Louis “Writing in Wind, Sand, and Stars Showing more of top de Monge had immigrated to the side of the EAA’s aircraft. author-pilot Antoine de Saint- United States, and by this time he’s Exupéry defined perfection as the JIM KOEPNICK 85 years old. He’s near death, but point at which ‘there is nothing left they go get him, they bring him up to take away.’ The Bugatti 100P fits Scotty pointed to the fact that 1973 issue of Air Progress maga- to Connecticut, and he walks in and that description. It is the smallest, the Germans and British were al- zine while he was an F-100 student sees this airplane for the first time lightest, and most aerodynamically ready building jet engines, and pilot in Tucson, Arizona. in 35 years. He has an emotional efficient package into which one can Germany was also introducing The story, “Discovery of the Lost breakdown. A lot of people mistake fit two Bugatti T50B engines, a pi- technology such as swept-back Bugatti,” by Marv Zack wrapped up this breakdown as moments of joy lot, landing gear, and enough fuel wings and rocket power. saying, “Within a year or so, hope- being reunited with this long-lost to fly 1,000 km at high speeds. It is “Louis had taken the latest in pub- fully, Ettore Bugatti’s engineering lover, this airplane. But I know the “It reduces weight and com- the 100P which is fully inspected a classic design inspired by nature’s lished aeronautical science and was marvel will be rebuilt, given a last truth about Louis de Monge, and plexity to quite some extent, al- after every single flight—like a For- perfect flying machines.” building an extraordinary airplane, coat of Bugatti racing blue and put what this moment represented was though after several flights parts mula One car—it is no problem.” Unfortunately, with the coming but he wasn’t leading the industry,” on public display. We’re waiting.” him confronting his past and re- would begin to show signs of wear Everything about the airplane was of World War II came new technol- Scotty said. “He wasn’t coming up Thirty-five years after the story alizing that redemption for him, as they are chafing slightly against designed with setting speed records ogy that surpassed that of the 100P. with the most extraordinary ideas.” was published, Scotty stumbled both in the secular sense and in the each other under load,” Frank said. in mind, reducing drag and weight. Even if the Bugatti had been fin- across the Bugatti 100P in Osh- Christian sense, that redemption “That’s useless in an airplane that “As a result of the rear fuse- ished after the war, it would no lon- Reproducing History kosh in 2008, still never having was no longer an option for him.” is to be operated on a daily routine lage being used for the expansion ger have had the latest and greatest Scotty said he first learned about flown. He said the airplane had —Scotty Wilson basis, but on a record breaker like of cooling air, and because of the aeronautical advancements. the Bugatti 100P in the October never left his mind and decided if 40 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 41 dynamic and flying qualities and in- cluding elements of the five patents, none of which really had anything to do with the engines,” Scotty said. Because of this, Scotty decided to put engines from a very different type of transportation into the airplane. “We used instead engines that came from a motorcycle called a Suzuki Hayabusa. Now as it turns BONNIE KRATZ out, the Hayabusa, much like the Bugatti engines, are very special,” The original 100P with some of its better known relatives he said. “They’re lightweight, high performance, but in our Louis de Monge] had made because case, they were less costly, more it was a prototype and they were ex- reliable, and available.” perimenting,” Ron said. “They fig- ured there were some things they The Bugatti Takes Flight might need more than one of over On August 19, 2015, Scotty’s the time that they intended to fly it, Bugatti 100P reproduction made which of course it never did. So we its first flight. It flew again on- Oc were able to loan him a number of tober 17. What were groundbreak- those spare parts so that he could ing moments in history, though, reverse-engineer things.” as the Bugatti airplane was finally Scotty said he was also lucky flown 75 years after its conception, EAA’s Bugatti hangs over the Fer- enough to bring in Ladislas de Scotty described as “anticlimactic.” gus Plaza before being moved to Monge—Louis’ great nephew and “After seven years’ research and the museum’s main exhibit area. a sculptor and finish carpenter—to construction, we knew just about help make the parts of the airplane everything about the plane that de cus was making observations and containing tricky curves. Monge knew,” he said. “Frank van collecting data, “in any part of which JIM KOEPNICK However, there was one large Dalen and Mike Cavanaugh had al- emotion plays no role.” Post-flight, nobody else had built a reproduc- setback in the reproduction of the ready pronounced the plane structur- Scotty said he allowed himself five tion yet that he was up to the task. Bugatti 100P. “There are no engines ally and aerodynamically safe to fly.” seconds to smile and relax before “I was retired and looking for in the aircraft,” Ron said. Even before this stamp of approval, shifting his mindset to solving the something to do rather than get According to the book, The Bu- though, Scotty said he was never 100P’s next set of challenges. old and fat and lose my mind, so gatti 100P Record Plane, written by worried about whether the airplane “I know the romantic in us I tackled this project,” Scotty said. Jaap Horst, around 1970, an Amer- would fly. He said that in 1921 Louis’ wishes for an eloquent, even poetic Scotty said the success of build- ican named Ray Jones acquired the best friend died in an airplane Louis recitation of the joy I felt in making ing the 100P reproduction is in part airplane for $18,000 and had it himself built to break speed records. the first flight ever in the Bugatti due to the help of EAA museum shipped overseas to Detroit. There, “What I learned about Louis de 100P, but that’s just not how it was,” curator Ron Twellman, who lent a Jones removed the engines from Monge about the course of build- Scotty said. “For me, the emotional truckload of original Bugatti parts the aircraft to be built into Bugatti ing the airplane and doing research moment will come when we—as a to the project. automobiles and in 1971 sold the was that from that day when his team—turn the plane over to a mu- Ron said the original Bugatti ar- rest of the aircraft for $6,000. best friend was killed, Louis went seum so that it can serve as an in- rived at the museum essentially as Scotty said the cost of the origi- to great lengths to ensure that ev- spiration for artists and engineers.” a bunch of parts, and a team at EAA nal Bugatti engines are $2 million erything he did kept the pilot safe,” To learn more about the Bugatti had completed a restoration proj- and that even reproduction engines Scotty said. “So the fact that the 100P reproduction project, visit the ect before putting the airplane out he looked at from a company in Ar- airplane never flew…the more I recently launched website http:// on display. The restoration project gentina would have cost $300,000. learned about Louis de Monge, the Bugatti100P.aero, and for real-time left a number of parts unused. “But when I really started think- more confidence I had that the air- updates, pictures, and videos of “There were a number of duplicate ing about it, what I was trying to do plane would fly perfectly well.” the project, visit “The Bugatti100p parts that they [Ettore Bugatti and was to replicate the airplane’s aero- Once in flight, Scotty said his fo- Project” Facebook page. 42 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 43 Dewoi-Time

Dewoitine D-26 HB-RAI resurrects over Lake Geneva by Stefan Degraef and Edwin Borremans

On August 6, 2014, tensions nicians of the AMPA (Assocation one of Switzerland’s most stun- rose to a zenith on the apron of pour le Maintien du Patrimoine ning vintage aircraft. Lausanne-La Blecherette’s re- Aéronautique). Completing his gional airport, overlooking sce- last-minute checks before lining Schweizer Fliegertruppe nic Lake Geneva. A nimble, highly up, Laurent pushed the throttle of Dewoitine Operations polished, parasol-winged mono- his Hispano-Suiza engine, gradu- In the late ’20s, the pre-World plane taxied to Runway 36, pi- ally powering this newly restored War II Schweizer Fliegertruppe was loted by Laurent Calame—one of Dewoitine D-26 HB-RAI to maxi- a regular customer of the French Switzerland’s most experienced mum power. This 45-minute test Dewoitine aircraft factory at Cha- vintage aircraft pilots—and was flight marked the successful end tillon (Seine/France) for its mono- meticulously screened by the tech- of a nine-year-long grounding of plane fighter aircraft.

44 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 45 1, 1939, 57 D-27 parasol fight- ern towing aircraft were becoming ers were staffing the Fliegertrup- more available, the aero club was pe’s fighter squadrons. Its status forced to retire HB-RAI as a glider as Switzerland’s main fighter air- tug, and the monoplane was soon craft, as conceived in the early ’30s, transformed into a hangar queen. quickly faded upon the introduc- The future of 284 soon became tion of the more modern and ca- uncertain. Initially, another Swiss pable Morane Saulnier MS406 gliding club showed interest in the (aka D3800) and Messerschmitt Bf aircraft, but despite being partially 109D-1 and E-3 fighters. paid for, it was never collected. Well before the introduction Later, a local warbird enthusi- of the closed-canopy fighters, the ast named Eric Isaac contacted Swiss air force gradually withdrew the aero club several times asking the D-27s from frontline use as to buy the remains of this gradu- fighter trainers. Their powerful en- ally deteriorating vintage aircraft, gines, which required close moni- but he was unable to make a deal. toring, proved to be a handful to Walking his dog one Sunday morn- young pilots. Eleven D-27s were ing in the 1960s, Eric noticed that modified to D-26 fighter-trainers, the remains of the aircraft were powered by a less-powerful Wright no longer in situ at the aerodrome 9Qc engine built under license by and, by sheer chance, saw the tip Hispano-Suiza. This D-26 batch in- of 284’s tail sticking into view at cluded serial No. 284 (aka HB-RAI), a local scrapyard company. Eric put into service on April 24, 1931, rushed to the scrapyard the next by the Schweizer Fliegertruppe. morning and bought the remains of “his” Dewoitine, saving the air- HB-RAI: Scrapyard Survivor craft from extinction. For some 20 and First Rebuilt years, Eric painstakingly restored After the Schweizer Flieg- HB-RAI at LaCôte Aerodrome near ertruppe withdrew them from op- Gruyères. At long last, the new- erational trainer use, the redundant born 284 made its maiden flight on D-26s were not scrapped but do- November 14, 1980, but Eric tragi- nated to various aero clubs around cally died only a few days later. Switzerland. D-26 284 was given Hoping to honor her husband’s to the Aeroclub de Geneve at Coin- memory by keeping the aircraft trin and entered into Switzerland’s close to home, Eric’s widow looked civil aviation register on August 22, for a buyer, promising to keep and 1951, as HB-RAI. The air force’s mil- operate HB-RAI in Switzerland and itary depot at Lausanne-La Blecher- reject higher bids from foreign buy- Small series of Dewoitine D-9 mum speed being inferior to that ette provided technical support. For ers. To formalize this commitment, (three aircraft) and D-19 (three of Swissair’s two 1938 Lockheed years the sturdy HB-RAI, using its the FMPA (Fondation pour le aircraft) were selected by the mili- 9B Orion open-cockpit airliners, high-performance 250-hp Wright Maintien du Patrimoine Aéronau- tary and produced under license by which were equipped with 575-hp 9Qa piston engine and having tique) was created at Lausanne-La the Thun-based Eidgenössischen Wright Cyclone engines. logged only 650 flying hours, simul- Blecherette, and the organization Konstruktionswerkstätten (E+K) In total, 80 Dewoitine D-27s taneously towed up to three gliders purchased the aircraft on June of the Fliegertruppe. In 1928 the were constructed in various sub- at different towing-rope distances 21, 1981. For more than 20 years first Dewoitine D-27 “parasol”- series, including D-27 III and D-27 in the air around Geneva. the aircraft was operated by FM- winged fighter aircraft, powered III R. Forty-five III variants re- Since few pilots were authorized PA’s executive association, AMPA, by a 500-hp Hispano-Suiza HS-57, ceived a modified undercarriage. to fly the Dewoitine by the Swiss which aimed to operate, save, and was rushed into operational ser- Fifteen III R’s were equipped with OFAC (Office Fédéral de l’Aviation show Swiss-made or operated vin- vice. From the start, these aircraft a higher-tuned HS-57 engine. Civil), and because spare parts tage aircraft to an eager public all proved to be obsolete, their maxi- Upon mobilization on September were hard to find and more mod- over Switzerland. On occasion the 46 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 47 years earlier, only minor and easy- to-eliminate corrosion was discov- ered. To prepare for any possible fuselage-related “mishaps” or mod- ifications, AMPA bought the hulk of D-26 HB-RAC in 2001. It had been stored outside and was clearly affected by long exposure to the el- ements. The aircraft’s parasol wing was dismantled for inspection and repairs were made to the individual wooden wing spars. The original engine was sent to Mecanair at Fribourg-Ecuvillens, one of the few remaining Swit- zerland-based engine shops with experience in overhauling old vin- tage engines. The complex engine exhaust housing needed to be manufactured from scratch. Luck- ily, AMPA succeeded in contact- ing Acorn Welding in Canada to manufacture the exhaust housing using AMPA’s blueprints, speci- fications, and detailed photo- graphs. To ease Acorn’s workload, the original crankcase was sent to Edmonton, Alberta. By far the most difficult and nerve-racking problem was the unavailability of original tires. Be- cause it was developed in the early ’30s to operate from vast grass aerodromes, on which the approach direction relative to the wind was easy to compute, less attention was given to the Dewoitine’s undercar- riage. On landing with some cross- wind, the aircraft has a tendency to sideslip to some extent on touch- down, causing excessive pressure on the wheels and tires, especially on concrete runways. aircraft was flown to air shows out- ler, engine magnetos, and exhaust ders had suffered severe damage.) volunteer weekend technicians. Ac- tention and financial resources into To accommodate flying opera- side Switzerland, including Airbus were fitted. Finally, the undercar- Two engine blocks were remanufac- tual restoration work on the D-26 restoring its HB-RAI. tions from modern runways, the Family Day in September 2004 at riage was upgraded and overhauled. tured using numerous engine parts. was postponed due to AMPA’s focus From the start of this ambitious tail skid was replaced by a Piper Toulouse-Blagnac. The plan to retrofit HB-RAI with an on restoring its Messerschmitt Bf restoration project, AMPA decided Cub-like tail wheel, and AMPA went In the late ’90s, HB-RAI received original Hispano-Suiza engine led Second Restoration 108B-1 Taifun HB-HEB (aka A-201) to completely strip the metal fu- looking for suitable tires and wheel some more in-depth maintenance. to the purchase of several old en- On May 28, 2005, having flown into one of Switzerland’s finest vin- selage of the Dewoitine to check rims. Michelin strongly advised Cermec Motors near Lausanne gines that had been used to power 1,120 hours, HB-RAI was grounded tage aircraft. Once the Me 108 was for internal and external corro- against using motorcycle tires that made new engine pistons for the air- Swiss army speedboats patrolling for a second time pending a major flying around in its sparkling Swiss sion. Although the aircraft had could be mounted on the narrow craft, and a new Hoffmann propel- Lake Geneva. (The engines’ cylin- overhaul and retrofit by AMPA’s military colors, AMPA shifted its at- been constructed more than 70 rims since these race tires wouldn’t 48 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 49 Tall Pines—The Final Phase: As you plan for AirVenture 2016, resist any sudden lateral move- ping Switzerland’s other airwor- specialists—were also placed onto gine during several ground runs. TM ments upon landing. The AMPA thy Dewoitine D-27 HB-RAG, 282, new aircraft rims. Once airborne, Laurent used a por- consider a contribution to the called on a French tire tycoon to owned by Albert Zeller and based at The D-26 visor tube, mounted table radio for communication and final phase, our permanent design and manufacture a suitable Sittersdorf in eastern Switzerland. in front of the pilot, was remade GPS for navigation, and AMPA dining pavilion fund. Formula One-like aircraft tire for New tires—made by Lambrook from scratch using the original team members flying AMPA’s Members helping members— the Dewoitine D-26. Eventually six Tyres of Devon, England, one of visor from the Dewoitine D-27 Cessna C-170 joined him to provide this is the spirit of Vintage. sets of tires were made, also equip- the United Kingdom’s classic car 265, preserved in the Flieger- any aerial assistance he might need. Flab-Museum in Dübendorf (near While continually checking all Zurich), as a reference. elements of the airplane in flight With all the bits and pieces com- and monitoring the different en- ing together in AMPA’s hangar at gine settings, the mixed forma- Lausanne, the gradual rebuilding tion headed to Yverdon some 25 kicked off on July 5, 2014. The pace kilometers north of Lausanne for of the rebuild was accelerated, since some grass landings at the local the Swiss air force wanted AMPA’s aerodrome before returning home. Dewoitine D-26 284 at its major Fully aware of the narrow undercar- Air14 celebrations at Payerne Air riage and the Dewoitine’s high cen- Base in August 2014 to help com- ter of gravity, Laurent executed a memorate a century of military smooth landing at Lausanne, mark- flying in Switzerland. On August ing the conclusion of a brilliantly 6, 2014, Laurent Calame test-flew executed restoration process. Need- the aircraft after having tested and less to say, Dewoitine D-26 284 was cross-checked its Hispano-Suiza- one of the stars of Air14’s static licensed and built Wright 9Qc en- park at Payerne. 50 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 51 out of WAAAM’s restoration hangar. ery attachment and wire on the Wing area: 170.3 by 2 feet = History of ownership: airplane and locating as many pic- 340.6 square feet 1934: Billy Parker tures as possible from the aircraft’s Horizontal stabilizer: 30.4 1952: Paul Mantz history. The top wing center sec- square feet 1956: Paul Mantz Air Service tion was removed and the engine Elevator: 22.3 square feet 1961: Tallmantz Aviation Inc. lifted out for overhaul. The air- Rudder: 14.2 square feet bal- 1966: Rosen-Novak Auto Co. plane was completely disassembled anced with pivot 23 percent aft 1968: J.A. Terteling and Sons and each part labeled. The restora- of the leading edge (no vertical Inc. tion hangar was a sea of yellow la- stabilizer) 1986: Terry R. Brandt bel tags. Aileron area: 2 by 20.4 feet = 2007: WAAAM Next the fabric was removed as 40.8 square feet In December 2012, WAAAM re- carefully as possible, and wood was No stagger—no dihedral ceived a grant from the Ludwick evaluated to see what needed to be Weight: 1,694 pounds with pilot Family Foundation to restore the replaced and what needed repairs. and full (20 gallons) fuel Parker Pusher. Restorers made major repairs to Center of gravity: 37.6 to 38.8 This airplane has had several the wood in the center sections of percent of MAC configurations in its lifetime—long both the upper and lower wing and Wing loading: Approximately 5 wings, short wings, on-wing aile- remanufactured elevators by refer- pounds per square foot (J-3 Cub, 5 rons, interplane ailerons, etc. The ring to photographs. Cable ends of pounds per square foot) Engine: Curtiss Wright OX-5 (this engine is worth an article on The initial work consisted of measuring and its own), 90 hp at 1400 rpm (power loading 18.8 pounds/hp) (J-3 Cub photographingevery attachment and wire on 18.7 pounds/hp), eight cylinders, 4-inch bore, 5-inch stroke, com- the airplane and locating as many pictures pression ratio 4.92-to-1, displace- Old, Old School ment 502 cubic inches Single ignition as possible from the aircraft’s history. Water cooled Fuel consumption: Approxi- Flying the Parker Pusher museum decided to restore it to a wrapped terminals for non-flexible mately 9 gallons per hour long-wing and interplane ailerons cable and spliced eyes in the flex- Weight: Dry, 380 pounds; water by Gennaro (Bill) Avolio configuration. Museum volunteers ible cable were beautifully done and oil, another 35 pounds; Zenith started working to restore the air- by Mark Baxter of Corvallis, Ore- carburetor, Berling magneto plane in February 2013. During gon. AC 43.13 Acceptable Methods, The flight controls are conven- the course of the restoration, 35 Techniques, and Practices—Aircraft tional, with ailerons controlled by Background Around the same time, Tom undated drawings show the design volunteers contributed more than Inspection and Repair shows how a 14-inch-diameter wooden wheel In 2012, the Western Antique Murphy noticed that there was lit- as a Parker Looping Biplane. Park- 3,000 hours. Three volunteer A&P to do this, but how many A&Ps with a wire drum on the forward Airplane and Automobile Museum tle interest in the remains of the er’s earlier 1913 model had either mechanics were assigned to the learned this in school? There are side of the wheel. The aileron con- (WAAAM) acquired a pretty rough- Parker Pusher, which had an OX-5 a Gnome Rotary or a four-cylinder, restoration project, and one of the no Nicro presses on this airplane. trol sits at chest height on the el- looking, incomplete Parker Pusher installed. Initially Terry purchased in-line, water-cooled engine (pic- three was always on hand to super- Another outstanding example of evator control pedestal, with the airplane registered as N8Y. Terry the airplane to obtain the engine. tures show both). vise the work of the volunteers. workmanship on the airplane is pivot beneath the pilot’s feet. The Brandt purchased the airplane at After researching the history of The designer of this remarkable Consolidated Aircraft Coatings the custom OX-5 propeller crafted rudder control is a rudder bar, with an auction held by J.A. Terteling N8Y, he decided to rebuild the air- machine, William “Billy” Parker, donated enough materials to cover by Chad Wille of St. Croix Aircraft the brake pedals just below the and Sons in 1986 and donated it to plane at a future date. He acquired was born in 1899 and died in 1981. the airplane, and the Poly-Fiber in Corning, Iowa. rudder bar. The brakes are wooden the museum in September 2007 at Jenny wings in 2006 and decided It is interesting to note that Parker system was used because no one blocks pressing against the circum- the time of the museum’s found- to construct the wings with no ai- was a teenager when he built and thought nitrate dope and cotton The Airplane ference of the main wheels and are ing. The story goes that Terry was lerons, as one of the Pusher’s last flew his first airplane. were the way to go. Jenny wings: The wing profile is surprisingly effective. The nose seeking an OX-5 engine, but they configurations had used Jenny Billy Parker’s son, Torrance an Eiffel 36 airfoil. wheel is not steerable but fixed, were all going for what he con- wings with interplane ailerons. Parker, who lives in Rancho Palos Restoration Wingspan: 36.7 feet; with aile- and it tracks quite well. sidered too high a price or were The airplane was most likely de- Verdes, California, was sitting in the The initial work consisted of ron extension the total span is ap- As a matter of interest we did incomplete. signed in 1914. Recently acquired, seat of our Pusher when it first rolled measuring and photographing ev- proximately 40 feet some airfoil analyses using a free- 52 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 53 of adverse yaw. After the flight, the sluggish and control input creates ailerons were rerigged with both be- quite a bit of yaw. The rudder feels ing raised. Also, some washout was heavy but fairly effective. With no removed from the right wings and vertical stabilizer, the airplane is added to the left wings. quite happy to fly sideways if you For maneuvering on the ground, let it. We use a yaw string attached a crew of at least three is required. to the yoke, which is at eye level. When on pavement we place a fur- Pitch control was quite satisfactory niture dolly under the nose wheel, but also somewhat heavy. Because and the airplane taxis very well the flight was conducted at a rel- when the brakes are used for con- atively constant speed, we didn’t trol. When the airplane is in posi- investigate how pitch trim varied tion, two crew members pull down with speed changes on this flight. on the tail tubing, raising the nose We will investigate this on a later wheel, and the third crew member flight. The pattern was flown at full removes the dolly. throttle and, when the airplane For those not familiar with was ready to descend, the throttle hand-propping or the OX-5 engine, had to be closed to about one-half starting can be an alarming pro- to hear an rpm change. At half- cedure to watch. First the carbu- throttle, the airplane was flown to retor float is “tickled” to flood the the runway and the throttle closed with three-quarters throttle and airspeed at liftoff was about 20 carburetor, then the propeller is after touchdown. then the throttle will be closed. to 25 miles per hour. As the ul- pulled through eight blades with The cockpit layout is such that tralight folks know, at this speed the choke closed. This results in you cannot put your feet on both Flying a 5-knot crosswind becomes sig- gasoline dripping from the carbu- the rudder bar and the brakes, so N8Y took its first flight on No- nificant. The lower wing is closer retor onto the ground. Needless to at about 10 knots, when the rud- vember 23, 2013, from Jernstedt to the ground than it is with most say we always keep the fire extin- der loses effectiveness, the feet are Airport (4S2) at Hood River, Or- biplanes, so you must be aware of guisher handy. The reason for all shifted to the brakes for control egon. The plan was to do a runway this when making banks close to this is that the Curtiss OX-5 has and stopping. hop with a stop on the runway and the ground. what appears to be about a mile With the pusher configuration to avoid going off into the overrun, On the first flight, we did not of intake between the carburetor we are constantly aware of the pro- as the runway end lights are higher investigate pitch stability, as the and the engine. The strongest per- peller behind us and always keep in ware program called XFLR5. We controls in pitch and roll. than the lower wing. The airplane airspeed changes were quite small. son on the crew then hand-props mind the potential for disaster if compared the Eiffel airfoil to a With no differential aileron accelerated smoothly and, with After studying the video of the the engine while standing inside a anything gets away and goes into Clark Y airfoil. The Clark Y airfoil throw we would predict large ad- the yoke held aft, became airborne flight, we felt that perhaps we had labyrinth of wires. The advantage the propeller. was used in the Spirit of St. Louis verse yaw moments requiring quite suddenly. not been precise enough when is that if the airplane gets away, it A third, longer flight was made and the Stinson Reliant. firm rudder control for coordi- I think that by the time the el- rigging the airplane. With this in moves away from him. on August 9, 2014. The roll-to-the- When coefficient of lift (Cl) is nated turns. evator has enough authority to mind, we reassessed the rigging After several false starts we were right tendency we noted on the plotted against angle of attack (al- With the center of gravity at 30- lift the nose wheel, the airplane and made some adjustments. able to get a flight in on the July 14, first two flights was more notice- pha), we find that the maximum plus percent of MAC, we expect is above flying speed. A slight Conventional ailerons produce 2014. We found that the rerigging able on this flight as higher speeds Cl is at approximately 15 degrees that the pusher will be unstable in gust from the left combined with adverse yaw because the up aileron had been partially successful. We did were obtained. The faster the air- angle of attack for the Eiffel 36 and pitch and will require constant el- a slight out-of-trim condition goes into low-pressure air and the two takeoff and land-straight hops, plane goes the more the right-roll approximately 17 degrees for the evator inputs. Also, the horizon- caused the airplane to veer to down aileron moves into high-pres- then a pattern flight. tendency is noted—so much so Clark Y. Also, the Clark Y has a sig- tal stabilizer has a camber on the the right, and I was slow to rec- sure air. Interplane ailerons should The airplane became smoothly that left rudder is required to stop nificantly gentler stall. upper surface, suggesting a lifting ognize that the aileron to correct be in air that is the same for both. airborne in a nearly wings-level the bank at cruise speed. This re- tail, which further supports the was causing severe adverse yaw, For our first flight, the ailerons were attitude with some left aileron. sults in constant skidding flight. Predictions idea that the airplane will be un- making the airplane go farther to unfortunately rigged with a slight Slight left rudder was needed to Pitch control seemed quite man- With no carburetor heat we ex- stable in pitch. the right. Once this was sorted droop, resulting in the down aile- track down the runway center- ageable, and the airplane is flyable pect carburetor ice when the relative With the above in mind, the out, the airplane was headed back ron creating drag and the up aileron line and the airplane took off at on calm days. humidity is 40 percent or greater. plan will be to avoid high-angle-of- to the runway and, when aligned, becoming streamlined, and thus an estimated 30 knots. The take- A fourth flight was made on Sep- With no balance on elevators or attack flight. For landing, the air- the power was reduced and the having reduced drag and not reduc- off roll was about 800 feet on a tember 6, 2014, after further ad- ailerons we expect relatively heavy plane will be flown onto the ground aircraft landed. The estimated ing lift. This resulted in quite a bit 77-degree day. Aileron control is justment to the ailerons, and the 54 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 55 the airplane under control I felt that not enough runway remained in front of me to land, so I just kept flying. Univair Has Kept As I mentioned, the airplane is right-wing heavy Cessnas Flying and the ailerons create lots of adverse yaw. N8Y seems Since 1946 to be somewhat unstable in all axes, so in flight a se- ries of constant control corrections is needed, and We carry hundreds of quality FAA/PMA approved and even then you are always flying somewhat sideways. original Cessna parts specifically for the Cessna 120, 140, You never experience a hands-off moment when you’re flying the Parker Pusher. Control inputs are 140A, and 170 series. We’ve also always a little problematic. For instance, a given for- been adding new items for the ward movement on the control will result in a pitch Cessna 150, 172, 180, 182, and 185, change, but the resulting amount will be a mystery along with distributor parts such as and will need a correction. tires, batteries, tailwheels, and There is no windscreen, so you are exposed to the much more. elements. Fortunately, I have not flown when bugs Call us or visit our website to request were plentiful. On the last flight, I could feel a distinct your free Univair catalog. Foreign temperature change between the east and west sides off and immediately land. When of the airport. On the one cold day I flew, I wore a orders pay postage. the airplane suddenly leaped into winter flight suit and was comfortable; on subsequent the air and went off to the right, as flights I got by with a short-sleeve shirt. I believe I’ll Toll Free Sales: 1-888-433-5433 far as I was concerned the airplane need a jacket for cool fall flights. 2500 Himalaya Road • Aurora, CO • 80011 was out of control and I seriously Our OX-5 has short stacks and is terribly noisy in Info Phone ...... 303-375-8882 thought about where I should shut flight. I usually wear a HGU-55 helmet, which makes Fax ...... 800-457-7811 or 303-375-8888 Email ...... [email protected] off the engine and crash. The air- the noise tolerable. On one flight, I did not wear the AIRCRAFT CORPORATION Website ...... www.univair.com

plane finally started to turn and helmet and the noise was definitely uncomfortable. ALL MERCHANDISE IS SOLD F.O.B., AURORA, CO • PRICE AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE • 2-25-16 headed back to the runway and was I try to fly low enough to allow observers on the successfully landed. After making ground to get a good view of N8Y. As a result, when I some rigging changes, and bol- get to proper pattern altitude, it feels quite lonely way What Our Members Are Restoring stered by the tremendous confi- up there. With no cowling for pitch reference, I find Are you nearing completion of a restoration? Or is it dence inspired by the first flight, that I have to constantly look back at the wings for done and you’re busy flying and showing it off? If so, we started more tests. pitch attitude. I do this obsessively, as the one thing I we’d like to hear from you. Send us a 4-by-6-inch print Takeoffs are not like those of a do not want to do is get slow. from a commercial source or a 4-by-6-inch, 300-dpi conventional tricycle-gear airplane. The Curtiss OX-5 performed flawlessly, and I find my- digital photo. A JPG from your 2.5-megapixel (or higher) At what I estimate to be takeoff self falling in love with the engine, single ignition and digital camera is fine. You can burn photos to a CD, or speed, the control column is pulled all. I cannot adequately express my gratitude to the staff if you’re on a high-speed Internet connection, you can airplane flew quite satisfactorily, made a landing across the runway, back to lift the nose wheel off. If at WAAAM for allowing me the privilege of flying this e-mail them along with a text-only or Word document again taking off at about 30 mph stopping in the dirt between the this amount of control is held, the wonderful airplane. I’d also like to thank Terry Brandt, describing your airplane. (If your e-mail program asks if and cruising at an estimated 65 runway and the taxiway. Some of nose will continue rapidly up until who had the foresight to see the potential in restoring you’d like to make the photos smaller, say no.) mph. The airplane is still right- the spokes in the right main wheel stall or tail-strike occurs. At nose this airplane, and I hope the folks at The Ludwick Fam- For more information, you can also wing heavy, and we will be work- broke and will need to be replaced. liftoff, you need to quickly push ily Foundation and Consolidated Aircraft Coatings are e-mail [email protected]. ing on this in the future. On this Thanks to some rigging changes the control column forward to stop pleased with the results of their contributions. flight a stupid pilot error resulted we made, the airplane is getting bet- the rotation, hoping that you don’t When I ask other pilots how an airplane flies, they in some damage to the airplane. ter on each flight. I expect that the overdo it and slam back onto the often say, “She flies just like a Cub.” I believe I can now The fuel tanks have a deep sump in Parker Pusher will never be an air- runway. Then after a series of pitch say with confidence that the Parker Pusher N8Y does them and, when sticking the tanks, plane that you want to fly in strong bobbles, the airplane attains climb not fly “just like a Cub.” I put the stick inadvertently into or gusty winds, but it is interesting attitude. You make your turns with the sump instead of the bottom to discover what the early aviation rudder first and then try to get back Gennaro (Bill) Avolio is a Wright Master Pi- lot Award holder and a member of the UFOs and of the tank, leading me to believe pioneers dealt with routinely. into some semblance of coordinated the OX5 Aviation Pioneers. He holds commercial that the tank was about a quarter Okay, enough of the technical flight with aileron and further rud- AS&MEL, instrument, glider, CFII, and AEA Jet Pro- full. In reality I had about an inch stuff. What’s it really like to fly? der adjustment. vost certifications. He has flown more than 53 dif- of fuel left in the tank. The engine Let’s start with the first flight. Re- Actually, the second flight oc- ferent airplanes and gliders. quit on the downwind leg, and I member, it was supposed to take curred when it took me so long to get 56 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 57 The Vintage Mechanic

ROBERT G. LOCK

Figure 2 phragms for Aeronautic Instruments,” author Mayo D. ment in the American instrument industry in 1911. Hersey writes, “In 1867 a number of experiments were Taylor also had a major impact on America’s success made with aneroids at Kew Observatory by B. Stewart, in both world wars. In World War I, Tycos made about in the course of which he supplemented Lovering’s ob- 99 percent of all altitude barometers (altimeters) Evolution of early instruments, the altimeter servations by discovering the difference in calibration used by the United States. It also made airplane stra- curve according as the pressure is changed rapidly and tascopes, inclinometers, and oxygen systems for pi- Part 3 slowly. He concluded that large aneroids were more reli- lots. The war also resulted in a large operation making able than small ones, and that aneroids should be in a compasses that would continue for many years. quiescent state before using.” The history of the aircraft altimeter begins with Perhaps that is the reason why the early aircraft the invention of the mercury barometer, the first de- airspeed indicators and altimeters were 4 inches in vice to measure air pressure. In 1643, Italian physi- diameter—because inventors felt that the large aner- cist Evangelista Torricelli, a protégé of Galileo, filled oids or diaphragms were more reliable. a long tube with mercury. One end of the tube was Shown above in Figure 2 are samples of individual closed; the other open end was turned upside-down diaphragms from the 1923 NACA Report No. 165. and inserted in a cup of mercury. Because the air ex- If some air is evacuated from a sealed diaphragm erted a pressure on the mercury in the cup, about 30 and they are stacked two or three high, an aneroid inches of mercury remained in the tube, and a small is formed. It was this invention that led the way for vacuum space formed above the column of mercury. early altimeters. And if a single diaphragm was con- Most aviators know that sea level on a standard day nected internally to the aircraft’s pitot system, an air- will raise a column of mercury 29.92 inches, which speed indicator was produced. is a determination of atmospheric weight. Figure 1 Possibly the first aircraft altimeter produced in shows a sketch of a mercury barometer. quantity in the United States was a unit manufactured After Torricelli performed his experiment to prove by the Taylor Instrument Company. Frank Taylor’s that air exerted a pressure on the mercury, others original business was focused only on the weather in- Figure 3 wondered if there was a way to use it to show there struments. It quickly expanded into other applications was a difference in the pressure at sea level and the in 1855, with mantel, churn, distillers’, and brewer’s Figure 3 is a Tycos barometric altimeter manufac- tops of mountains. Since the density of air thins as thermometers and started Taylor’s long legacy of tured for the U.S. Signal Corps by Taylor Instrument altitude increases, the mercury in a barometer should serving the process industries. Frank and his brother Company in 1918. Taylor Brothers Company was lo- fall as less pressure is exerted on the cup of mercury. George Taylor merged their thermometer and weather cated in Rochester, New York. The Tycos altimeter Once Blaise Pascal (1623 to 1662), French mathema- instrument business in 1871. It was organized as a was used in the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny trainer for WWI Figure 1 tician and physicist, proved this was the case in the partnership until 1890 when it was incorporated and aviators. It featured a single large sealed diaphragm year 1648, the barometer came to be used to measure recorded the pressure exerted on a sealed compartment became Taylor Bros. Corporation. In 1907, Taylor con- that was the aneroid barometer. As the aircraft flew altitude. The earliest use in flight was by French bal- from which some of the air had been removed. The sur- solidated and reorganized itself into Taylor Instrument higher, the aneroid expanded due to less ambient loonist Jacques Charles, who carried the mercury ba- face compartment bulges or contracts slightly as the Company and began using the trade name Tycos. This pressure, and the needle indicated an altitude. The rometer aloft in his balloon in 1783. outside air pressure changes, and the movements of trade name was used exclusively until 1932, in which face of this instrument is 5 inches in diameter to ac- In 1843, an aneroid barometer was invented by Lu- the compartment are indicated on a needle that is con- the Taylor name was then used. commodate the large diaphragm installed inside. On cius Vidi in Paris, France. Vidi’s aneroid barometer, nected to the box by a chain, lever, and springs. It is The company had a long history of technical inno- the back side of the instrument case is the inscription which did not depend on any liquid to determine alti- the aneroid barometer that makes an aircraft altimeter vation and investment. This commitment was evident “Do not plug vent on underside or break gov’t seal.” tude (taking a cup and column of mercury aloft was not work to show increase or decrease in altitude. early in its history when it started what is believed to The tiny vent hole is for ambient (static) air pressure the answer to determine a flying machine’s altitude), In the 1923 NACA Report No. 165, titled “Dia- be the first research and development (R&D) depart- to enter the instrument chamber, which would cause 58 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 59 ever, all this changed when the civilian aircraft market began to broaden and newly designed and constructed air- craft made their appearance. Figures 5 and 6 are copies of advertisements for aircraft instruments. Figure 7 is a 3-1/8-inch-diameter Figure 4 standard nonsensitive altimeter manu- factured by U.S. Gauge Company in the the diaphragm to expand slightly with a gain in alti- early 1940s. Like the earlier Tycos indicator, it had only tude. The seal of the entire instrument is important one needle and there was no means to set a barometric because the inside chamber must be airtight. pressure (field elevation converted to inches of mercury). Figure 4 is a sketch of how the aneroid barometer al- Many of these simple and relatively inexpensive altime- timeter works. High-pressure air is associated with low ters would end up in Aeronca, Piper, and Taylorcraft air- altitude and tends to compress the diaphragm because craft manufactured just before and after World War II. some of the air has been evacuated from the sealed This particular instrument is for a 1946 Aeronca unit. Conversely, high altitude is associated with lower 7AC. Figure 8 is a typical Aeronca 7AC instrument pressure air that tends to allow the sealed unit to ex- panel when the aircraft left the factory. A pure “pri- Figure 7 Figure 8 pand. This movement is transferred to a needle to give mary panel.” a reading on the face of the instrument. After World War II the civilian light airplane mar- When Jimmy Doolittle was preparing for the first many other fine dashboard instruments as well. Kolls- When WWI finally ended in 1918, many of the fly- ket exploded, and simple inexpensive instruments “blind flight” consisting of a takeoff, normal flight, man’s invention to the altimeter was called by many the ing machines were sold to the general public, specifi- were again in demand. The Aeronca 7AC factory- and a landing, Sperry gyroscopics and Pioneer In- “Kollsman window,” as it was a small opening at the 3 cally Curtiss JN-4 and Standard J-1 ships. There was installed instrument panel (on page 61), shows the struments were developing the necessary instru- o’clock position of the dial which revealed numbers that not much demand for new aircraft until the middle nonsensitive altimeter second from the left in panel. ments. The time frame was September 1929, the represented barometric pressure. At the bottom of the 1920s when Waco and Travel Air emerged. Therefore This is the primary instrument panel with the six re- place was Mitchell Field, Long Island, New York, instrument was a knob which the pilot could rotate that there was little demand for new instruments. How- quired instruments for powered flight. and the airplane was a specially modified Consoli- rotated the entire inside of the unit, thus allowing the dated NY-2 Husky. The first “sensitive” altimeter pilot to set the current barometer setting correct altim- had been invented, thanks to the Daniel Guggen- eter setting for a particular location (Figure 9). heim Full Flight Laboratory for the promotion of aeronautics. The sensitive altimeter was more ac- curate than the nonsensitive type, and the field el- evation could be set while the aircraft was in flight, which was needed for long cross-country flights where barometric pressure would be constantly changing. The sensitive altimeter evolved to be a critical element of WWII flying. Perhaps the name most widely associated with the sensitive altimeter is Kollsman. To trace the history of Kollsman Instrument Company, one must go back to a shy, German-born inventor who studied me- chanical engineering at the technical schools of Stutt- gart and Munich. In 1923 he, like many others of the time, immigrated to the United States and found Figure 9 work as a truck driver’s assistant, then as a mechanic for Pioneer Instrument Company, a Bendix subsid- In the December 18, 1939, issue of Time magazine, it iary. By 1928 Paul Kollsman had accumulated $500 reported the terms of the sale that gave Paul Kollsman and started Kollsman Instrument Co. Inc. an estimated $4,000,000 plus, which was a very large Kollsman made money every year, though Sperry led sum of money in early 1940. The Kollsman Instrument in gyroscopic instruments and Pioneer continued to Company is best remembered for its bubble-face com- make most of the magnetic compasses, engine gauges, pass and sensitive altimeter products. Figure 10 shows accelerometers, etc. Kollsman’s pet patented altimeter that the famous Kollsman window can be seen at the Figure 5 Figure 6 soon copped nearly all of the altimeter market. He made 3 o’clock position on the dial. Adjust knob is at the 7 60 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 61 Aircraft Finishing Products STC’d for Certified Aircraft Straight & TM

Level Safe for You, Safe for the World, Safe for Your Airplane continued from page 1 New Members John Krueger ...... Redlands, CA affair with nearly 200 people attending and more Michael Sasich ...... St Augustine, FL than 50 aircraft arrivals. I cannot thank Ron Al- William Cosentino...... Lee’s Summit, MO exander enough for hosting us at this awesome Michael Bergeson ...... Cottage Grove, MN museum. Also, many thanks to our EAA Chairman Leonard Traskos...... Howell, MI and CEO Jack J. Pelton for his attendance and as- Charles Roberts...... Conyers, GA sistance in conducting the town hall event. Jack William Florich...... Saint Louis, MO discussed the modified background requirements Albert Hathy...... Helena, MT Figure 10 for Young Eagles and AirVenture volunteers who Tim Gagnon ...... Litchfield Park, AZ For Certifi ed Aircraft, Stewart Systems is FAA work closely with children, and he also gave the Dan Bauer ...... Fenton, MO approved for use with any certifi ed fabric. o’clock position at the bottom of the instrument. These membership a thorough update on the congres- Michael McCauley ...... Delray Beach, FL Superfl ite, Ceconite or Polyfi ber altimeters were most generally a 0-to-20,000-foot unit, sional FAA reauthorization bill that is currently Steve Seal...... McDonough, GA Non-Flammable although some instruments were 0-to-50,000-foot units. moving through the Senate that includes many Thomas Morpeth...... Fortson, GA Non-Hazardous Instruments such as these, whether manufactured by measures that are very positive to GA and recre- David Paqua...... Norwalk, CT EPA Compliant Kollsman or others, were absolutely essential for airline ational flying. Most of you are likely aware of the Kenneth Miess ...... Schertz, TX Stewart Aircraft Finishing Systems operations because the barometric pressure at an airfield primary elements of these proposed changes, so I Dave O Neil...... MAPLE RIDGE, BC 5500 Sullivan St., Cashmere, WA 98815 hundreds of miles from the point of departure would be won’t bore you with my version of these positive Doug Bodah...... Santa Clara, CA 1-888-356-7659 • (1-888-EKO-POLY) quite different, thus making the instrument inaccurate developments. But, I do want to mention that one James Therrien...... San Diego, CA www.stewartsystems.aero unless it could be adjusted in the cockpit. of the surprising developments to me was the re- Jordan Herzog...... Morton Grove, IL One final thought at the end of this column: Is it cent inclusion of language in the latest version of John Georg...... LA CROSSE, KS not interesting how many immigrants became as- the Senate bill that would eliminate the FAA’s bur- Rick Squier...... Saint Peters, MO AERO CLASSIC sociated with the invention of instruments and how densome policy of requiring payment of hundreds Edward Wesp ...... Columbus, OH “COLLECTOR SERIES” many built their businesses in New York and New of thousands of dollars for providing ATC services Sophia Lucas...... Germantown, OH Jersey, very close to where they initially landed at the to air shows all over the country. Let’s all hope for William Nicholson...... Saint Charles, MO Vintage Tires Statue of Liberty on Staten Island? a timely resolution to these long-fought initiatives. John Dazle Sr...... Bronx, NY New USA Production Just a quick reminder that the Vintage used Bill Reynolds...... Griffin, GA Show off your pride and joy with a References bookstore located in the Bill & Myrt Rose Memorial Donna Reynolds ...... Griffin, GA fresh set of Vintage Rubber. These An Introduction to General Aeronautics, 1970, by C.N. Van Park will be fully functional again during this year’s Jack Reynolds...... Griffin, GA newly minted tires are FAA-TSO’d Deventer. and speed rated to 120 MPH. Some event. Many improvements to the facility are in the Lincoln Lewis ...... Louisville, KY things are better left the way they Fundamentals of Aircraft Flight and Engine Instruments, planning stages, and we continue to receive many Mike Lucas...... Germantown, OH were, and in the 40’s and 50’s, these tires were perfectly in 1969, by Jack Anderson. used aviation books that have been shipped to us. Kathie Lucas...... Germantown, OH tune to the exciting times in aviation. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, 1923 Let’s all share in the success of the Vintage book- John Kahrhoff...... Wentzville, MO Not only do these tires set your vintage plane apart from Report No. 127 the rest, but also look exceptional on all General Aviation National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, 1923 store by donating a handful of old aviation books we Andrew Andraka...... Enid, OK aircraft. Deep 8/32nd tread depth offers above average Report No. 165, by M.D. Hersey. may have lying around the hangar. The real value in Leanne Powers...... Pasadena, CA tread life and UV treated rubber resists aging. Aircraft Maintenance and Repair, 1955, by Ralph D. Bent the operation of the bookstore for me is not about Raymond Huber ...... St Louis, MO First impressions last a lifetime, so put these jewels on and and James L. McKinley. the money we might make; it’s all about sharing the Kurt Roeloffs...... Patchogue, NY bring back the good times..… Websites: many treasured vintage aviation publications that William James...... Williamson, GA New General Aviation Sizes Available: www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,763129,00.html are mostly just sitting around collecting dust. The Maureen Preston...... Niles, MI 500 x 5, 600 x 6, 700 x 8 (December 18, 1939) opportunity to share the history of vintage aviation Caleb Preston...... Niles, MI Desser has the largest stock and www.taircraft.com/parts/instruments/altimeters.html is a priceless proposition. Edwin Renegar...... Chesapeake, VA selection of Vintage and Warbird http://chestofbooks.com/crafts/scientific-american/XL-13/The- Remember, AirVenture 2016 will be here be- Harry Dawson...... Morgan Hill, CA tires in the world. Contact us Aneroid-Barometer.html fore you know it. Have you begun to plan your Angela Lehman...... Fort Wayne, IN with your requirements. http://aerade.cranfield.ac.uk/ara/1948/naca-tn-1562.pdf trip to the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration? Mason Lehman...... Fort Wayne, IN 800-247-8473 or www.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia/ Telephone: Hope to see you there! Maren Lehman...... Fort Wayne, IN 323-721-4900 FAX: 323-721-7888 aneroid-barometer 6900 Acco St., Montebello, CA 90640 www.classicautomation.com/Taylor_Heritage.aspx Jim Gleckler...... Richfield, UT 3400 Chelsea Ave, Memphis, TN 38106 www.desser.com Shaw Siglin...... Wellsboro, PA In Support Of Aviation Since 1920…. 62 MAY/JUNE 2016 www.vintageaircraft.org 63 Vintage VAA LuxVite Naturals Vision ProtectTM is created by an eye surgeon and Trader Directory pilot to promote eye health with ingredients for macular protection. Something to buy, sell, or trade?

www.LuxvitePilot.com MISCELANEOUS OFFICERS 855-LUX-VITE (855-589-8483) Streamline flying wires & tie rods. President Secretary New manufacture. AN, AGS & metric Geoff Robison Steve Nesse Special offer: Buy one get one free with sizes. AN665 clevis available, www. 1521 E. MacGregor Dr. 2009 Highland Ave. coupon code DOCTOR2015 New Haven, IN 46774 Albert Lea, MN 56007 vintageaero.com or russward@hotmail. 260-493-4724 507-373-1674 com [email protected] [email protected] WANTED Vice-President Treasurer Dave Clark Jerry Brown Donate your factory built plane to leave a 635 Vestal Lane 4605 Hickory Wood Row significant legacy! A charity that provides Plainfield, IN 46168 Greenwood, IN 46143 317-839-4500 317-422-9366 mission/medical services to remote areas [email protected] [email protected] of the world. www.samaviation.com 970-249-4341

Classified Word Ads: $5.50 per 10 words, 180 words maximum, with boldface lead-in on first line. DIRECTORS Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2.167 inches) by 1, 2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch. Black Ron Alexander Joe Norris 118 Huff Daland Circle 264 Old OR Rd. and white only, and no frequency discounts. Griffin, GA 30223-6827 Oshkosh, WI 54902 Advertising Closing Dates: 10th of second month [email protected] [email protected] 920-688-2977 prior to desired issue date (i.e., January 10 is the TM closing date for the March issue). VAA reserves George Daubner Tim Popp the right to reject any advertising in conflict with N57W34837 Pondview Ln 60568 Springhaven Ct. Oconomowoc, WI 53066 Lawton, MI 49065 The EAA Vintage Aircraft its policies. Rates cover one insertion per issue. 262-560-1949 269-624-5036 Classified ads are not accepted via phone. Payment [email protected] [email protected] Association wishes to thank our must accompany order. Word ads may be sent via fax volunteers for the many efforts (920-426-4828) or e-mail ([email protected]) using Robert D. “Bob” Lumley Susan Dusenbury 1265 South 124th St. 1374 Brook Cove Road credit card payment (all cards accepted). Include Brookfield, WI 53005 Walnut Cove, NC 27052 they put toward enhancing our name on card, complete address, type of card, card 262-782-2633 336-591-3931 [email protected] [email protected] organization and making it an number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EAA. Address advertising correspondence to EAA association of which to be proud. Publications Classified Ad Manager, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. ADVISORS

Copyright©2016 by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association. All rights reserved. John Hofmann Ray L. Johnson 548 W James St 347 South 500 East The new standard in antique. VINTAGE AIRPLANE (USPS 062-750; ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by Columbus, WI 53925 Marion, IN 46953 the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published [email protected] [email protected] Introducing the EAA and Vintage Aircraft Association Aircraft Insurance Plan with all bi-monthly at EAA Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086, e-mail: [email protected]. Membership to Vintage Aircraft Association, which Earl Nicholas of the special coverage options VAA Members require for hand propping, tailwheel, includes 6 issues of Vintage Airplane magazine, is $45 per year for EAA members and $55 for non- 219 Woodland Rd Libertyville, IL 60048 grass strips, and unique aircraft. When you insure with the EAA Aircraft Insurance Plan EAA members. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54902 and at additional mailing [email protected] offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Vintage Airplane, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903- you are helping VAA to continue to promote the heritage of vintage aviation. 3086. CPC #40612608. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES—Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via surface mail. ADVERTISING — Vintage Aircraft Association does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising. We in- DIRECTORS EMERITUS vite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our David Bennett Charles W. Harris Check out the EAA [email protected] [email protected] advertising so that corrective measures can be taken. EDITORIAL POLICY: Members are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions ex- Robert C. Brauer E.E. “Buck” Hilbert and VAA Plan today! Aircraft [email protected] [email protected] pressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely Go to EAALowerRates.com or call us toll-free at 866-647-4322. with the contributor. No remuneration is made. Material should be sent to: Editor, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Gene Chase Gene Morris Insurance PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 920-426-4800. [email protected] Phil Coulson EAA® and EAA SPORT AVIATION®, the EAA Logo® and Aeronautica™ are registered trademarks, [email protected] S.H. “Wes” Schmid trademarks, and service marks of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. The use of these [email protected] Ronald C. Fritz trademarks and service marks without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. [email protected] John Turgyan Standard Category | Vintage | Aerobatics | LSA | Homebuilts | Warbirds | Sea Planes | Powered Parachutes & Trikes | Gliders | Helicopters is strictly prohibited. [email protected] The VAA Insurance Program is brought to you by EAA Insurance and administered by Falcon Insurance Agency, Inc. © 2012 Experimental Aircraft Assoc., Inc. 64 MAY/JUNE 2016