STRAIGHT AND LEVEL
by Espie "Butch" Joyce
This month I would like to address to all the people who judge at the Con aircraft has Phillips screws or slotted the subject of jUdging aircraft at the vention. It can be a hot and thankless screws . Also, such details as stainless EAA Oshkosh Convention. The sys job. steel safety wire versus brass safety tem is well known to some but others The system used at the Convention wire have been the determining factor have little knowledge of how the judg is what we call the point system. Each in who might win an award. [ have ing is actually accomplished. Also, judge has a judging sheet and a seen aircraft owners come to Oshkosh some people are not in favor ofjudging guideline. This sheet has a checklist of expecting to win an award and be dis and feel that aircraft should not be put items with points of value for each appointed. They would go to the into competition with one another. On item. On one side of the sheet, points judges to find out what the discrepen the other hand, we have people who are added to give a positive score. On cies were and return the next four or are very active in pursuing awards for the other side of the sheet are items five years correcting one item before their aircraft. Therefore, at the Con that are subtracted from the positive each Convention, eventually winning vention you can choose whether you points. Contenders in different an award. would like your aircraft judged or not. categories are evaluated by several The judging system is valuable in You decide opon registration when judges to determine the winners. The that it has elevated the quality of resto you arrive at the Convention. For totals are added and averaged. Then rations considerably over the past example, we had approximately 817 the airplanes with the highest points years. Restorations today are far classics registered and only 214 own are given recognition in different superior to those of five to 10 years ers chose to have their aircraft judged. categories. Top contenders for Reserve ago. Along the same line, we had approxi Grand Champion and Grand Champion At the awards program, all the mately 132 antiques and only 66 own are generally reviewed by all judges so judges are introduced and the winners ers chose to have their aircraft judged. the best possible choice can be made. in each category are called out. This We have two completely separate By using this system, we have elimi program takes place the last Thursday teams of judges in the Antique/Classic nated personalities in choosing a win night of the Convention each year at area; one team for the classic aircraft ner. the Theater in the Woods . This year, and one team for the antiques. The EAA has a publication entitled Thursday will be a special day for the The chief judge for the classic cate The EAA National Judging Manual. Convention as the awards will be made gory is George York and the chief This publication is available at head a more meaningful part of the Conven judge for the antiques is Dale Gustaf quarters and gives you, in detail, all tion '89. You will read more on the son. Both have been in charge of this the guidelines that are used in judging finale of EAA Oshkosh '89 in future area of reponsibility for a number of of aircraft to EAA standards. issues. years and both are very well qualified. Competition among the aircraft This improvement in the quality of Some of the judges who work under judged at Oshkosh is stiff. It was my aircraft at Oshkosh each year proves them are past Grand Champion award pleasure to judge for several years in once again that having a direction and winners at Oshkosh. Most judges are the classic category, and I have seen a goal pays off. Let's all pull in one assigned to the category of aircraft they the judging between two aircraft be direction for the good of aviation. Join are best acquainted with. My hat is off come as detailed as whether or not the us and have it all . •
2 NOVEMBER 1988 PUBLICATION STAFF PUBLISHER Tom Poberezny Tt1~ VICE-PRESIDENT MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Dick Matt EDITOR Mark Phelps NOVEMBER 1988. Vol. 16, No. 11 ART DIRECTOR Mike Drucks Copyright ©1988 by the EM Antique/Classic Division, Inc. All rights reserved. ADVERTISING Mary Jones ASSOCIATE EDITORS Norman Petersen Dick Cavin Contents FEATURE WRITERS George A_ Hardie, Jr_ 2 Straight and Level/by Espie "Butch" Joyce Dennis Parks EDITORIAL ASSISTANT 4 A/C News/by Mark Phelps Carol Krone STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS 6 Members' Projects/by Norm Petersen Jim Koepnick Carl Schuppel Jeff Isom 7 Planes and People Page 16 EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC 8 Vintage Literature/by Dennis Parks DIVISION, INC. OFFICERS 9 Letters to the Editor President Vice President Espie "Butch" Joyce M.C. " Kelly" Viets 604 - Hwy. Street Rt. 2, Box 128 10 Pass It To Buck/by E.E. "Buck" Hilbert Madison, NC 27025 Lyndon, KS 66451 919/427-0216 913/828-3518 14 Oshkosh Shots/by Norm Petersen Secretary Treasurer George S. York E.E. " Buck" Hilbert 181 Sloboda Ave . P.O. Box 145 16 Phantom Dreams/by Mark Phelps Mansfield, OH 44906 Union, IL 60180 Page 22 419/529-4378 815/923-4591 22 Ups and Downs of a J-2/ Interview by Gene Chase DIRECTORS Robert C. "Bob" Brauer John S. Copeland 26 Welcome New Members 9345 S. Hoyne 9 Joanne Drive Chicago, IL 60620 Westborough , MA 01581 312/779-2105 508/366-7245 27 Vintage Trader Philip Coulson William A. Eickhoff 28415 Springbrook Dr. 415 15thAve. , N.E. 31 Mystery Plane/by George Hardie Jr. Lawton, MI 49065 St. PeterSburg, FL 33704 616/624-6490 813/823-2339 Charles Harris Stan Gomoll 3933 South Peoria 1042 90th Lane, N E P.O. Box 904038 Minneapolis, MN 55434 Tu lsa, OK 74105 6121784-1172 918/742-7311 Robert D. " Bob" Lumley FRONT COVER .. . Doug Combs flies his Luscombe Phantom over Dale A. Gustafson N104 W20387 the Nevada landscape. If it hadn't been so dry at Oshkosh for this 7724 Shady Hill Drive Willow Creek Rd . year's Convention, this air-to-air photo would have had a unique back Indianapolis, IN 46278 Colgate, WI53107 drop. As it was, it looks like it could have been over southern Wiscon 317/293-4430 414/255-6832 sin. (Photo by Randall Hoopingarner) Arthur R. Morgan Gene Morris 3744 North 51st Blvd. 115C Steve Court, R.R. 2 REAR COVER .. . This is a Howard Levy photo of a Pitcairn PA-7 Milwaukee, WI 53216 Roanoke, TX 76262 Mailwing. The aircraft is currently registered to Stephen Pitcairn, a 414/442-3631 817/491-9110 member of the Board of Directors of EAA. Daniel Neuman S.H. "Wes" Schmid 1521 Berne Circle W. 2359 Lefeber Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55421 Wauwatosa, WI 53213 612/571-0893 414/771-1545 The words EM, ULTRALIGHT, FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM, SPORT AVIATION, and the logos of EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INC., EM INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION, EM ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION INC. , DIRECTOR EMERITUS INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB INC., WARBIRDS OF AMERICA INC., are registered trademarks. THE EAA S.J. Wittman SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EM AVIATION FOUNDATION INC. and EM ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION are 7200 S.E. 85th Lane trademarks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above associations is strictly Ocala, FL 32672 prohibited. 904/245-7768 Editorial Policy: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. Material ADVISORS should be sent to : Editor, The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Wittman Airfield, 3000 Poberezny Rd. , Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone: 414/426-4800. John A. Fogerty Steven C. Neese The VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by EAA AntiquelClassic Division , RR 2, Box 70 2009 Highland Ave. Inc., of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. and is published monthly at Wittman Airfield, 3000 Poberezny Rd ., Roberts, WI 54023 Albert Lea, MN 56007 715/425-2455 507/373-1674 Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh, WI 54901 and additional mailing offices. Member ship rates for EM Antique/Classic Division, Inc. are $18.00 for current EAA members for 12 month period of which Peter Hawks $12.00 is for the publication of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation. Sky Way Bid., Suite 204 ADVERTISING - Antique/Classic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through our advertis 655 Sky Way San Carlos Airport ing. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising San Carlos , CA 94070 so that corrective mmeasures can be taken. 415/591 -7191 Postmaster: Send address changes to EM Antique/Classic Division , Inc., Wittman Airfield, 3000 Poberezny Rd. , Wittman Airfield, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3 Compiled by Mark Phelps
The Stearman "open for business".
NEW YORKER IN AIC PA RADISE
Nino Lama of Ithaca, New York, president of the new Straight-Tail Cessna Club attended the EAA Chap ter One Fly-in at Gilbert Field in Win terhaven, Florida. Chapter President Rod Spanier greeted Nino and made sure he met all the folks he had been reading about for years in SPORT AVI ATION and THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Nino got busy with his camera and recorded the following shots . He also invites interested parties to join his Straight-Tail Cessna Club at 28 Forest Acre Drive, Ithaca , New York 14850. Tel. 607/273-4184. Dues are $)5.00 a year and there is a quar terly newsletter. He says that since the club was formed, he's averaging a Doc Duff, Nino and Boeing Stearman. member a day and currently has 110 happy Cessna owners signed up .
Doc Duff and Nino (notice smile).
4 NOVEMBER 1988 Lyle Flagg, Nino and the Corben Baby Ace.
Merle Lilly and his Emeraude.
Bill Doty, Jr., and fiancee Cindy Choate. Bill is a captain for Northwest Airlines. Cindy is a private pilot. He proposed in the Vultee at 12,000 feet!
FLYING BOBCATS TYPE CLUB Jon Larson called to point out that not only did we spell his name wrong but neglected to mention his FL YING BOBCATS in our annual type club list. Those interested in the club for owners and enthusiasts of the Cessna T-50 twin, officially named the Bobcat and often called the "Bamboo Bomber" can contact Jon at 3821 53rd Street South east, Auburn , Washington 98002. Tel. 206/833-1068. There is a quarterly newsletter and dues are by voluntary donation . Bill Doty, Jr., Cindy Choate, Bill Doty, Sr. and Pat Doty with the Vultee.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5 MEMBER'S PROTECTS ... u
by Norm Petersen
Brand new Antique/Classic member Frank Ament (EAA 308832, AlC 12877), P.O. Box 66, Sandwich, IL 60548 sent in the photos of his totally restored Piper J-3 "Cub", NC92396, SIN 16858, on which he spent "hundreds and hundreds of ten der, loving hours" during the rebuild. He was even able to persuade Sensenich to build an original five-lamination wood prop for the J-3! Equipped with a Scott 3200 tailwheel, the Cub is especially nice on rough sod.
Frank has owned and operated the ..... Sandwich Airport for 30 years, at one time he had seven J-3 Cubs on the line at $7.50 per hour - wet! He now has two J-3s which he enjoys in retirement along with two sons who are also pilots. We look forward to seeing '396 at EAA Oshkosh '89.
Below: This very pretty 1946 Globe Swift, N78120, SIN 2120, is owned by Ed Davis (EAA 319926) of 1135 Lakeside Court, Naperville, IL 60565. Purchased in Tulsa, OK in 1987, the Swift has been completely refurbished with new glass, new Airtex interior, EL T, Narco Escort II and strobes. The aircraft was completely disassem bled, stripped, primed and painted with Imron. The colors are white with bur gundy/grey stripes. The landing gear overhaul included retractor/down lock actuators and struts. Ed reports the Swift has 1700 hours total time with 900 hours SMOH on the 125 hp Continental engine. The all-metal, two-place Swift is based at Clow Airport.
Above: Busy recovering his Stinson 10, N26279, SIN 7560, is Ron Ferrara (EAA 299659, AlC 11862) of 683 Rampart Lane, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. The rebuild in cludes all new wood, cables and Stits covering. Ron, who is President of EAA Chapter 419, says the Stinson has a C-85 Continental engine with an 8-quart oil sump and has 40 gallons of fuel on board. The status of the rebuild is at the six month mark!
6 NOVEMBER 1988 Planes & People Stewart Wescott and his 1952 D35 Bonanza
By volunteers of the Antique/Classic pleted. He lives right on an airport and KXJ55s and a Northstar loran . Inci Press Committee can taxi to his house. We are reminded dentally , Stewart reports no mid-conti Larry O'Attilio and Pamela Foard, of the sunny times in which the federal nent gap with hi s Northstar when Co-Chairmen government envisioned this situation crossing the U.S. from his home base (EAA 150262, A/C 8265) for most Americans. That was when in Washington state. This is an airplane 1820 N. 166th St. Brokfield, WI 53005 some dreamers on the Potomac thought that likes the long trips so Stewart is a roadable plane should be developed able to talk of hi s experiences flying to It is not surprising to find that many so we could commute by air. Well let Alaska north of the Arctic Circle. That pilots developed their interest in us not drool, but compliment Stewart trip took him up the "Trench," (Watson airplanes at an early age. Stewart Wes for making that idea a personal reality . Lake to McKenzie), and over the fie lds cott saw his first plane when he was The Bonanza reall y is pretty the way of the great Gold Rush. When he got four and wanted one for Christmas. He Stewart has it painted - beige with to Eagle the locals thought he was the was obliged with a low-wing toy orange and dark brown trim. Notable mail plane. Though he stayed with the airplane that he kept for years. That additions to this 1952 airplane include; townspeople it wasn't at the "Plaza" toy led to some bigger airplanes in tip tanks, Clevelands, Beech tail im meaning no running water or any con adult life including a Cherokee 180, provements , 20 gallon fuselage tank, veniences. Well it sti ll sounds interest Cessna 172 and 150 and the Bonanza one-piece windshield, and a Continen ing and we bet it is an experience we pictured here. Stewart is also working tal E225 . The upholstery has sheepskin should all have sometime, on a Glasair that is 40 percent com covers and the IFR panel includes Hmmmmm? • VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7 by ()enni~ Vark~ EAST HAMPTON, N. Y., FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1919
Civil Flying 1919 With the end of the war in Europe AEROPLANE the growth and development of civil aviation began for earnest in America. Though the most representative feature HERE SUNDAY of the era was barnstorming and the air mail era, there were also efforts at Everyone Will Have Oppor commercial passenger service. One of these efforts was the estab tunity to Fly lishment of a passenger service based in Manhattan to ferry Wall Street brok WILL LAND ON DAVIDS LAN ers from Long Island. The service was started by Lawrence Sperry and How ard Heindel!. This service kept a small fleet of seaplanes busy picking up pa Sperrr Corp. SeDdin. Out FlriD' Howard Heindell, formerly pro duction manar:er at Gard@n City, of trons in the morning and landing them Machine to Demonltr.te Sal. the Curtirs Co. wall in town on Weci· in Manhattan in time for the start of nesday of thi. week making arrange and San. Flrln. the business day. ments fOT 8 landing place fot his fly- The planes were also used to give joy rides around the area. The follow ing newspaper accounts give some idea of the public reaction to the flights which were given from the Cliffton Hotel at Patchogue, Long Island and SEE An Electrifying Novelty East Hampton, New York in the sum mer of 1919. -- Commencing FRIDAY, JULY 25th The aircraft used was a Curtiss Type ---'THE-- F Flying Boat. The Sperry flying boat became one of the first to be adapted THRILLS-SenSatiOnal/ to amphibious operation by the instal and a Physical Benefit lation of a retractable landing gear in Sperry 1915. The clippings below came from ma terials in the library that belonged to AERO FLYING BOAT Howard Heindell who later developed Take-Off Daily-Beach Front-HOTEL CLIFFTON the Argonaut Pilgrim amphibian. Will male revuJar Siahl-Sccini Trip' Over &lid abolll Palc;hoaue Ba1. m aerial divcnUcmeol .ia ofcrccf Ihe amUHmCllI lovini public at Ih. Domioal coet of $15.00 PER ROUND TRIP. __ 2 and 4 Passenger (S'lli~~-:::oa) still flying
SPECIAL NOTICE- OwiDa to lisnilccf CIIf'tCmClll • thi. city, we advise YOII 10 mue early appoiDlment. with ow pilot, Lieut. WIWAM W ALTON. HQU) ClidCoA, PhoD. 38. Safctt PlaDct-Saf«, Devica-Safety Pilob. Th. mOIl weaaive lAd lompl.teI, funaiahed lliaht o ...uiz~OQ iu America. SPERRY FLYING CORPORATION F~e III FARMINGDAL£. L J. ' N. Y. 04Ice Iry... 783S Lawredc41 Sperry. Pret. William SlotrDler, Maallu.t Piredot. Curtiss Type F Flying Boat. B
8 NOVEMBER 1988 ing machine, which he is brin~illt. J{~' h~t_ .:f .~ . , p~o"fe. ih~",: . t~~ dollar 1\ mInute fare. The hydoa.lrplan~ down frC'nl Southampton on Sund8}~ u ..: t\;.'- . 1. ,L'I 1j1llt.. rertnflr. whIch hall he!'n lIamad ,he Cliffton, "'1" vl~lled ull dllY by hundl"J:ds ot 1I0jo urncu He ha~ with him Lieut. I:dward Frost, f.they will 'have plenty 'of 1\J1P\i~ catldl!'! for 'ridell dariqg theil' lIt,ay 1ft who cum., In l\ulomol ' ~~8 . About tlfty of the British Royal Flyinjr Corps. ",pre IlcCol11mc.dntctl )· f'~fI'rday . Lieut. Fro!\t hu Rown planes iR Cnn Ea.qt l-lampton. )._ 1"he flying machine will ~ IImli.... o.. ad., Fnnre and En~IRnd and Ilt the Davids Inne allrl will IIlske tlJilt .. ti~e of the . ~igning of the armistic. was on the French front. Bofh of helt(lquarters while in East l.~a."f.t~ these pilots are coming to Eallt Hamp "ATCHoaUE'S AERIAL TAXI ton in the interests of th4! Sperry Flyinll Cor!loration, which believes Pal c ho'::IIE' . L. 1..•1111)' 25-· - \Y IIII :l 11I that the quickest. ,vay to Rcquaint ''"" It n ll or R!'IIport, L . I.. f o rrn ~ rl y a the ~eopl(' with flying is to give them JiE'llt r nant. In Ihe LT . H, Air ,,('rvlee. nl' an opportunity to finrl Ollt how lale rlv E' d hl're ThllrsilllY oflernonn with n N ode! I'" 1no hOr/Hl pnw!' r n y ln~ h oa t lind sat,e it i ~. They fly 8 Curti!lll Airplane Trips 100 horllc power biplane, the same as iro m the Sperry C orporation',. pla nt Itt is Uged by the U. S. Government. J\milyvi1\c with which h e will. hegln While at Southampton these two Prove Popular 11 1n,::- thill Rft!'rnoon. make dnlly p~ pilots carr:cd 214 personB Rnd t:\·erj. ,,('n/:,e l' !'arrylng flights over tho Great t;oul h U a ~ ·. o~ of them _WIIS jrreatly pleased with at Patchogue ThE' hoat I" moort'd In front of t1: c the-sensation and excitement of the CIIITt o n Hotel n ear the roo t o r Ray a\·o. trial. - Several ot the passeng('rll IIIIf\ thE' adutor will mako tho C llfUdn shewed ,their interest In flying by c;.om III!' hea ilquul'tcl'''. 'fhlR 1M p a rt of the ' I'I"'I- r), c Onlpa n y'" plan to QC'lualnt th.! ing to the fiel.! daily for a ride . J>ohllt' with fl}lnl; b y I;lvln~ 1'1 an op th,ouj(-h the "ir. Irving Terry, pro portunity 10 1'0 up In 1\ !laCe machlno prietor of the Irving Houlle, has heeon.. 'wlth n. "klllcd pilot {or A. f c c. The ,p every day since the pilots hay, J.I>t n has bcen worked out with !!ueec~ " lIeen in Southampton. III ROllthampton nnd EaRt H a mpton. At fi('OuthllOlpton . alo ne. tho I'Ipcrry avlll Howard Heinrlell has had seYell It"CIAI. n ~~rATCH TO THPI IIKft.'Ln.) 1('01'11 ha\'e tnken up nertrly 250 pass CIl yesrII experienc~ tn the fl ying gamc: PATClluOL: r·:. I.. I.. Mnn Letters TO The Edito~ TAYLORCRAFTER BUT IT HAD A BIG SINK... mar classes. Even the leading aviation Dear Mark, Dear Mr. Phelps, magazines oft en pl ace more emphasis My apologies to you for taking so Reference is made on page 3 of the on slang and trade jargon than on sim long to get a letter off to you. I enjoyed June issue of THE VINTA GE pie, straightforward and precise En the arti cle on my Taylorcraft (Taylor AIRPLANE wherein is fo und the gli sh, [s there some immutable law craft smanship, June) very much. I legend fo r your back cover picture of whi ch prevents us fro m being literate? can't tell you what a thrill it was to see the Boeing 80-B trimotor. I quote this my airplane on the cover. That was an in part: "There was also a bathroom Sincerely, unexpected surprise. Thanks too fo r with hot and cold running water. .. " the extra copies. We have had one The italics are mine. Now, I was in the Edward Peck framed and it is hangi ng in our family airline industry for many years and not Waddy, Kentucky room. I look forward to seeing you once did [ ever hear of anyone taking again sometime. I am continuing the a bath on an a irpl a n e~ r of any restoration of my Cul ver Cadet and am airplane which was equipped for such looking for a Fairchild 24 to fl y now an act of personal hygiene. Surely your and restore later. If you know of any, reference is to what is properl y call ed please let me know a lavatory or, just as accurately but less Thanks again , deli cately perh aps, the toilet. Most avi ati on fo lk s are fine, upstanding, A.C. Hutson friendly and intell igent people, but fo r 104 Woolman Lane some reason an awful lot of them seem Griffin , Georgia 30223 to have dozed-off during their gram VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9 PASS II 10 --1] An information exchange column with input from readers. by Buck Hilbert (EAA 21 , AIC 5) P.O. Box 145 Union, IL 60180 E. E. "Buck" Hilbert "Wow! A 35-70 Porterfield'" And records I see that he had the Hogans the person I said it to was looking all recover it for him and then overhaul around for a rifle , not an aeroplane. the engine as well. This was all done landed at Hamilton. This was okay This was his first exposure to the Por in 1974, the Hogans flew the airplane with me . Even though I was disap terfield Flyabout of the mid-1930s. We a couple of hours and then put it back pointed that I didn't get the machine I were at the Waco Fly-in at Hamilton , in the hangar again. With about 130 knew that Dick would really take care Ohio and the year was either 1973 or hours total time on the airframe and of it. '74. This poor little machine was set almost a zero-time engine SMOH! Now the real attraction I had to this ting in a hangar looking just about as Again I was down at the Waco reun machine is that I could remember when shabby as 30 years of neglect could ion-this time in 1982. In talking to I was a budding Iineboy at the old Elm make it. I was drawn to it as were a Bill I learned that the airplane was still hurst Airport outside Chicago. This few other people and eventually Bill there and still just "setting." Again I was a new airplane then . A racy-sporty Hogan gave me the owner's phone called the man, and this time he was performance machine in comparison to number. no more happy to hear from me than the "Cubs," Taylorcrafts and Aeroncas I called the fella only to find out he was the last time . "This was my of that day. This even had a round en there was no way he was going to sell father's airplane, and I'm not about to gine on it with 70 horsepower. It would it , especially to me! I guess I came on sell it!" Well again I took him to task race along at 95 mph indicated! That kind of strong with my remarks as to about it just setting and deteriorating was a flat 25 big ones better than your how could he do that to the poor and insisted that he do something with average "Cub." Of course the stall airplane and if he left it that way much it. He did! He sold it to Dick Simpson, speed was also 20 mph faster, but it longer it'd be nothing but scrap rather a friend of a friend who had grown up sure was a good cross-country than junk like it was now. I guess I with the Hogans and had known about airplane! I would add here, that some woke him up though, because from the this airplane from the very first time it day I hoped I could handle one of those hot little airplanes. Now here it is fifty years later and I have just come in from the hangar where one of these little jewels is ensconced. I flew it home, here in Union, Illinois all the way from Birmingham, Alabama. When Dick finally was able to pur chase the Porterfield a couple of things came to light. The total time on the airplane was "estimated" to be less than 140 hours. It had been delivered from the Porterfield factory at Kansas City to Hamilton, Ohio in 1936, a new airplane. It never left Hamilton until Dick came and picked it up and flew it home to Birmingham, Alabama. From what I have been able to learn, the original owner had "gone West" several years before I came on the scene. The estate proceedings just 10 NOVEMBER 1988 hood dream. I got another dream airplane! Wow! How lucky can you get? Well , 48 minutes after I took off for Union from Talledega, Alabama, I was sitting on the airport at Guntersville, Alabama with a three cylinder LeB lond engine . " What?" Yes! I had stuck exhaust valves on both the lower cylin ders! Dick Lusk from Guntersville, a retired Air Force mechanic , jumped in an gave me hi s full attention. We diag nosed the problem and got with it. Marvel Mystery Oil and a little exer cise got them working again, and two and a half hours later I was on my way again. I was headed for Tullahoma, The Porterfield as it appeared on its "For Sale" post-up. Tennessee, but circumnavigated the new ARSA at Huntsville, Alabama. I caused the poor little machine to lie no way he could ever finish all these widened my circle of uncertainty when idle for so long that even the original projects . This is where I came in . I cut across those big green hills. When "N" Number was given away when it I had looked at the airplane when he I found the road northeast of Huntsville was dropped from the register. It was had it stuffed in his hangar all di s it was the wrong one and the town I NC 16490. The Hogans got the number asssembled, with the engine all apart, thought was Tullahoma was Shel NC 17490 issued to the airplane when and listened to what he was doing de byville. I decided to press on. I got as it was re-registered and put back on spite the difficulty of locating parts and far as Murfreesboro about another 25 the books. New logs were made up to such . I expressed a more-than-idle in miles north when I had a valve stick replace the originals that had somehow terest in hi s final result. He got it all again. This time I knew what to do. I disappeared into the past as things back together after EAA Oshkosh ' 85 , borrowed a car, buzzed into town, sometimes do, and the total times and I went down to look at it. I was picked up a couple cans of leaded reg shown in these log books are backed enthused, but not enough to spend any ular, some 50-to-one outboard motor up by the Hogans' testimony . They had money. I had three kids in college and oil and a quart of Marvel Mystery into known the machine since it arrived had just retired from UAL so I wasn ' t the gas tank along with the leaded reg there. in any shape to let go of my left hip ular and I liberally saturated the valve Dick Simpson took some dual in the pocket flap . stems, guides, springs and half the rest airplane, and then enough practice solo Then again in '86 Dick offered me the of the airplane with the same stuff. to assure himself that he could handle airplane, and again in '87. He knew I After half an hour all was working this hot machine. After all , most of his secretly wanted it , and that it was just again and after being pleasantly sur flying experience has been in "Cubs" a matter of time. Well , the time was prised that the lineman knew how to and then for the past 20-or-so years in NOW! I went down there and flew the prop an airplane , I was on my way. his Cesna 182 with a training wheel up machine August 25th, bought it and Another detour around the east side front. He just needed a little practice, started home with it Friday the 26th. of Nashville and then westward to is all. Bingo! Right? The realization of a boy wards Harrisburg, Illinois, my planned Well, he made it to Birmingham , and flew it a little around home only to have the front main bearing in the LeBlond eat itself up. Guess what!? Overhaul time! And that he did. The whole bottom came out of the engine and was re-done. Then the top as well, and for the next two years he had a hobby. He cleaned and he lightened, he reworked and he lightened, he re moved about sixty-five pounds of bat tery-box and wiring, and heavyweight plywood floorboards and baggage compartment door, and side windows and extras that had been added to this airplane to help it along, only it made it heavier than it really needed to be. In the meantime Dick acquired an E-2, a J-2, a J-3 and still had his 182. Then he came across a Fleet Two. And that was the camel that fell through the straw. He suddenly realized there was VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11 Champaign, Illinois and persisted all the way to Joliet, which was where I had planned my next Mogas fuel stop. A happy tailwind was pushing pretty good and the fuel gauge said there was plenty of reserve so I continued on to the Funny Farm. I landed with six and a half gallons still in the 17-gallon tank . I guess the reason I'm telling all of you about this is because in my " Pass it to Buck" column of last month , I advocated the YFR direct type of fly ing I have just completed. Well , maybe it wasn't all that direct, but it was YFR , and it was all done about 1,200 to I ,500 feet above ground level , and it was very scenic and without radios , loran, or federal assistance. I saw only ONE airplane the entire way. (So much for our crowded skies.) And 1 never had less than eight or ten miles visibil ity all the way home. I also have a An interior shot of the Porterfield's cockpit. tremendous sense of personal ac complishment and a really nice looking airplane in my hangar to boot! RON spot. I didn 't get there! As I was because I knew they had auto gas. Here A look at Juptner's Yol. 6 will tell approaching Hopkinsville, Kentucky again I was made as welcome as a you all the technical detail about the just north of Fort Campbell, the LeB warm rain in summer. Courtesy car, a little beast. You won't find this par lond let me know it had had enough friendly smile, and a pat on the back ticular airplane listed though because for the day. I looked at my watch, side, and after breakfast I was on my it was dropped from the register, as I decided to humor the engine and way again toward home. I had a dozen said, but it is serial number 190 man landed. I couldn't have picked a better or more alternates picked out in case ufactured May 19, 1936. Its Orangish place or better time. The people there the LeBlond acted up again, but I Red with irridescent blue trim about as were super! Absolutely SUPER! They threatened to call home for a trailer if original as you can get. It's perhaps gave me a courtesy car and offered me it did it again and firmly "told" that the world's lowest-time antique with all kinds of help. I met one of our EAA engine it was replaceable with an 0 less then 160 hours total time. No types there. Wish I knew his name for 290-0 if it didn't want to do the job. dings & cracks in the cowling or metal sure, but Bill showed me his Bellanca The bluff worked and it ran like a jewel work , and although it isn 't a super Cruisair, and then offered to drive me the rest of the way. sanitary trophy winner, it is all original into town or help me anyway that he A little light rain started about and it's MINE! • could. When I found out that he had been working all day after putting in a full night shift out at Fort Campbell in their simulator program, I suggested he go on home and get some sleep. He promised that if I was there the next morning and needed help he:d be more than happy to assist. I drove into town , got a motel, called ~ick Simpson and let him off the hook for the night, and after a bowl of soup I bought some Lemon Pledge polish, some more oil (Mystery and outboard) and went back out to the airplane. I liberally doused all the val ves, added a little more to the gas, ro tated the engine 50 or 60 times, and cleaned up the whole airplane before I went back to town and sacked out. I was up at oh dark thirty and actu ally lifted off at 6:55 the next morning. The engine was running great! So great that I made it all the way to Effingham, Illinois where I had planned to stop 12 NOVEMBER 1988 Oshkosh Shots With the 145 Warner fired up, Gene Chase prepares to taxi his 1933 Davis D-1-W to the Antique/Classic area for the Parade of Flight on Tuesday afternoon. Passenger in front cockpit is Lars Svarre of Nykobing (F), Denmark. "The smaller the plane, the bigger the crew!" Bill Schlapman holds the tailskld of his Heath Parasol N752Y, while Munsil Williams drives the "tow truck" and pilot, Jack Wojahn, watches for traffic. Note unusual amount of "up" elevator travel. 14 NOVEMBER 1988 ... Heading out for West Chester, PA are AlC members Tom & Eileen Macario in their 160hp Kinner powered Starduster Too N14MM. Note uN" struts, Great Lakes type landing gear and hand-made aluminum wheelpants! Look for Tom & Eileen next year in their newly restored PA-12, whose rebuild story has been featured in The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. ------. ~------ A real eye-catcher was Dick Grigsby's 1932 WACO UEC NC18613with its brilliant orange paint scheme. From Pacific Palisades, CA, the preHy cabin WACO won the Outstanding Award in the Silver Age competition. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15 The First Airplane To Bear Don Luscombe's Name One of the best ways to track avia opening the door for light aircraft as tion history is to read about its people. we know them today. Human triumphs, tragedies and foibles by Mark Phelps Doug Combs and Linda Gamble of are much more dynamic barometers of Incline Village, Nevada own a gener progress than engineering equations or ous slice of that history . Doug calls it , corporate balance sheets. It 's the "the first and the last," of 22 Luscombe airplanes themselves that remain, how velopment. With the Monocoupe, he Phantoms built between 1934 and ever, to remind us of the dreams of the brought pilots in out of cold, open 1941. He says that reliable sources people we read about. cockpits to cabin comfort. He also ad who worked in the Luscombe factory Don Luscombe's career straddled vanced aluminum monococque pro indicate that the cannibalized fuselage the formative years of lightplane de duction technique to a practical level, of the prototype was modified and used 16 NOVEMBER 1988 to complete the last Phantom, serial turned when he visited the local airport ion of the time, the pilot was able to number 13 1, from "parts in stock" in and he bought a crated, surplus Jenny control the little ship without the wind 194 1. Doug brought his airplane to for $850 and learned to fly. The Jenny in his face to guide him. EAA Oshkosh '88 and flew home to and even its replacement, a Swallow, Luscombe was serious enough to Nevada with the Contemporary Age were too drafty and cumbersome for build a cardboard mock-up of his ideal Champion Trophy. The story of this Luscombe's taste . He yearned for a airplane but needed more expert help airplane includes facts about the men, two-seat airplane that he could easily to build a prototype . He formed the the metal and the organization that trundle out of the hangar by its tail Central States Aero Company and built it. wheel-and not have to gird himself in hired a Dubuque, Iowa farmboy named Don Luscombe drove ambulances in leather to fly. Clayton Folkerts who showed a natural Paris during World War I and cadged Inspiration came in the form of a talent for turning cardboard concepts airplane rides with French pilots in ex Belgian design known as the Demonty into nuts and bolts. Thus was born the change for cigarettes. When he re Ponce let that first flew in 1924. It was Monocoupe, the airplane that brought turned from Europe, he studied mer a cabin two-place that looked more like personal flight out of the age of the chandising at Iowa State University a fish than a bird, but its cabin kept the open cockpit and allowed pilots to and opened a small advertising agency occupants warm and unfettered by the dress in shirtsleeves rather than leather in Davenport. His taste for flying re slipstream. Contrary to popular opin- armor and goggles. A succession of engines, airframe improvements, management changes and sales rollercoasters followed in the years leading to the Great Depression. Late in 1932, sales trends looked par ticularly disastrous. Fewer than 35 airplanes had been delivered over the course of the year and the outlook for 1933 was even more bleak. At the time, the company was known as the Monocoupe Corporation and was owned by Phil Ball. When he died in October 1933 after a series of heart at tacks, Don Luscombe left the company he had started and moved into the old Butler Blackhawk factory in Kansas City with yet another fresh idea. The Monocoupe had been a tube and fabric airplane, like almost all airplanes of the day. Sheet aluminum was used to form cowls, wheel pants, fairings and some wing leading edges but the structural construction of choice was a steel tube skeleton co- Flying wires were added to tame ground The Phantom featured a tunnel cowl-shown here with the Red Barn in the background. handling to a workable level. VINTAGE AI RPLANE 17 coupe 0-145 powered by the Warner that se nse the Pbantom was failure. In 145-hp Super Scarab engine . It had stead of an inexpensive airplane built an all-metal fuselage and aluminum by machines, it became a costl y hand spars and ribs. The 150-pound fuse made work of craftsmanship . lage shell could support nine tons Production woes weren't the onl y vered with grade-A cotton. of weight and the wings had strength drawback to the Phantom design . The Aluminum alloy was first produced in excess of any government stan prototype was completed in May 1934 with an electrolytic process in 1885. dard. To be practical for production, and flown by company test pilot , Bar The first published article on its use in the design relied heavily on Lon ton Stevenson. He reported that th e aircraft appeared in Flight magazine in gren's stretch press and it soon became airplane flew just fine but became a 1910. The German firm Durener clear that the machine wasn't up to the snarling ti ger when its wheels came in Metallwerke developed the all oy task. Ultimately, Luscombe' s Dutch contact with the earth . The cantilever known as duralumin for use on derigi metalsmith, Nick Nordyke hand landing gear blended beautifully into bles and later on aircraft such as the formed the panels on each Phantom the sleek lines of the fuselage, but as Junkers transports. Pure aluminum is built. He used a power hammer to beat sy metrical compression of either shock next only to gold in maleability and the metal into shape but it took far too absorber almost guaranteed a when joined with copper and mag much time to produce each panel and groundloop . Simply going over a nesium in varying combinations pro Nordyke' s skill was irreplaceable . In bump could cause an irreversibl e duces the ideal light, corrosion-resis tant alloy. Aluminum used in the monococque format is called "stressed skin" construction because the skin it self takes on some of the structural load . Monococque fuselages were intro duced in 1912 with the French Deper dussin wood monoplane. Wood for mers were wrapped with thin plywood sheets. German transports built by Jun kers had been using metal since 1915 and aluminum since 19 I 7 starting with the J.4. As early as 1920 the British used stressed-skin construction on the Short Silver Streak but early alloys showed a tendency toward excessive corrosion , especially when they came in contact with salt water as in seaplane applica tions. Alloys containing zinc were par ticularly susceptible. Anodizing the \.\m II ~\ ~l t ~~flO?~t ~ CO. metal with aluminum oxide was a way ~ ~OO.RJ to combat corrosion. When Luscombe moved to Kansas City from Saint Louis, he brought hi s chief engineer Ivan Driggs and A.K. Longren, a vigorous proponent of metal monococque fuselages . Longren had built a small monococque biplane and developed a hydraulic stretch press to form its aluminum panels. Previ ously , all curves had to be hammered out or bent on a sheet metal brake. Lus combe saw the stretch press as the key to low-cost, high-volume production. Longren's business venture had gone bankrupt and Luscombe purchased the press and its rights , believing that he had discovered the route to inexpen sive aircraft production. Using that method, he thought he could build a two-place, all metal airplane to sell for less than $4,000. Driggs and Lyle Farver designed the first airplane to bear the Luscombe name. The Luscombe Phantom was really an extensively updated Mono 18 NOVEMBER 1988 The compound curves of the fuselage were hand-formed by Nick Nordyke. Phantom 272Y has a vintage OF loop an tenna mounted on the roof. The early Phantoms had the tailwheel mounted in this aft position, although the Scott 3200 is a concession to modern times. Later redesign of the landing-gear geometry moved the tailwheel to mid fuselage. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19 Jersey and the Mercer Airport. Lus Phantoms and rebuilding those that had combe lived in an old inn on the north rolled themselves up. One airplane that end of the field. The building also had been damaged in a hard forced served as the company's offices. His landing was the only one available for workers lived with him in the inn or a demonstration flight when the wife swerve. Luscombe himself said, "You on cots in the factory. Salaries often of a Dr. Tschudi from Switzerland could master the violin easier than the went unpaid but the company provided walked in the door shopping for an fancy footwork needed to avoid groceries from the meager cash flow . airplane. Don promptly took her up for groundlooping." Even after extensive Life wasn't easy, but in the Depres a demonstration flight and nosed the modification of the landing gear in sion-hardened 1930s, just having a job Phantom over on landing, flipping it cluding the addition of a supplemental was more than most people could on its back. Nevertheless, the woman flying wires between the fuselage and claim. The Mercer Airport was also the wrote a check for $6,000 and took a each gear leg, the Phantom was, and site of Luscombe's fixed base opera Phantom home to Europe. The is, a handful on the ground. tion that cared for a Staggerwing, two airplane, HB-EXE, subsequently In addition to the prototype, 272Y, Stinsons and a Waco. The Luscombe toured the couple throughout the conti seven airplanes were produced at the Airplane Corporation reorganized as nent as well as the Middle East. Kansas City facility before January the Luscombe Airplane Development 1936 saw Luscombe produce about 1935. In February the company moved Co. a half dozen Phantoms and open its lock, stock and barrel to Trenton, New Most of 1935 was spent building School of Aeronautics. The School was originally introduced as an appren tice training program and later became a division of the parent company . Work began on a simple-to-produce, two-place companion model of the Phantom and Frank Speckles won the Los Angeles based, Ruth Chatterton Sportsman pilot trophy race with a Phantom. Stockholder Hal Hiramson bought a Phantom in 1937 and had it painted the shade of bronze that matched his favor ite can of beer. If that leads to any conclusions about his attitude and lifestyle, they are probably accurate. He cracked up his Phantom on his first landing after mistaking the brake han dle for the trim actuator. The young Philadelphian became enthralled with the company enough to become a director and took a personal interest in aircraft sales, much to the consternation of Luscombe. Hiram son's first customer was his brother-in law and he insisted on delivering the airplane to upstate New York person ally. En route, he decided to see how high the Phantom would fly and blacked out somewhere above 20,000 feet. He awoke in a screaming power dive at over 300 mph. He managed to pull out and force-land the airplane near New Brunswick, New Jersey about fifty miles from Trenton . The airplane sustained substantial damage to its leading edge on the pull-out. Hiramson, uninjured, was shipped off to investigate the possibility of Euro pean production under license. Clearly, the Phantom was a transi tional airplane. It had been developed in the hopes of producing an affordable craft and wound up competing with Wacos, Stinsons and Fairchilds for the dollars of wealthy sportspeople with a sense of adventure--especially on The Phantom's panel, with its rounded top, typifies 1930s styling. landing. Between 1934 and 1938 or so 20 NOVEMBER 1988 the apple in the eye of Don Luscombe pany that bore his name. Luscombe of minor accidents resulting in several was still a simple airplane. His ener spent the rest of his life in Ambler, repairs. In 1952, a Mr. Hayduck gies were directed at the design of just Pennsylvania and worked on a four bought the Phantom and flew it for 58 such a craft. The Model 90 followed place airplane that was eventually hours before wrecking it and rebuild using a flat-wrap metal construction known as the Colt , but never went into ing it again. His efforts to metalize the technique that wasn't as pretty as the production . He died in 1965. wings were thwarted by the FAA as Phantom's hand-formed compound Serial number 131 Phantom, Doug the molasses speed of the bureaucratic curves, but much more practical. With and Linda's airplane, was completed process worked in favor of historic the advent of the Continental 50-hp flat and test flown in 1941. The original preservation. engine at a low price, the Model 8 owners rarely flew the airplane and Two other owners intervened from evolved from that design . Doug writes that it traveled, "from one 1965 to 1982 and a great deal of val u In 1938, an Austrian industrialist garage and accident site to another." It able information was procured but lit named Leopold Klotz who had fled Hi was returned to the factory in 1944 tle work was done . Yet another owner tler's Europe bought a large amount of after suffering extensive damage. One then trucked the airplane to Texas Luscombe stock and hired a production year later it returned to service, four where six years of metalwork, engine manager who alienated the work force years after production with a little over overhauling and wing fabric work at the factory . When Luscombe was I I hours per year registered on the began. In the course of these efforts, unable to fire the man, he decided to tach. From 1947 to 1952, the airplane some historical artifacts were literally, sell out. In April 1939 he left the com went through three owners and a series uncovered. Under the primer on the in side of the fuselage, several production directions signed "D.L." were discov ered. Also, a 1930s wrench was found inside a wing fairing. It had generated di-electric corrosion of the metal skin that needed to be repaired. At the "90-percent-complete" stage, Doug and Linda bought the project when the owner became disillusioned and discouraged. A friend of the pair had spotted an ad in Trade-A-Plane. They finished the detail and rigging work and in May 1988, accidently per formed the first test flight while en gaged in a high-speed taxi test. The pair flew the airplane to its current base at Chandler, Arizona where re-rigging, re-aligning and about 500 hours of ad ditional detail work were completed. Repairs were also required on the en gine, electrical system and control ca bles. Doug flew the airplane to EAA Oshkosh '88 for fellow Luscombe lov ers to admire and enjoy. He says everything you read about difficult ground handling is true, al though he moved the tailwheel from the forward position on the fuselage that was favored in later serial num bers, back to the rear of the tailcone where it was on the prototype. Nevertheless, he finds this the ultimate Luscombe. True, the Phantom can be classified as a failure, or more charita bly, a transitional design. But it repre sents a significant milestone in the lineage of today's aluminum airplanes. When the Phantom was on the drawing boards, aluminum airplanes were at the stage of composites today-advanced curiosities that were just too radical to be successful consumer products. It's easy to look at the Phantom as a mile stone in aviation-but looking back is always easier than looking forward. Phantom 272Y flies as a tribute to Don Bona fide "Luscombe lover" Doug Combs with his rare Phantom. Luscombe's ability to mold the future .• VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21 THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A J-2 by Gene Chase Volkswagen bus. The wind had blown Q. (Tell me about the instruments.) the Cub over on its back and so I had A. Well, four instruments. to completely rebuild it. John Hartman's J-2 Taylor Cub Q. (Are they original?) Q. (Where did you get it?) A. They' re original, uh , the oil temper A. It was in Oklahoma City, the young ature and oil pressure's new, rebuilt Everyone who was at EAA Oshkosh fellow there was going to college and but everything else is the Cub instru '88 remembers the great storm that hit he didn't tie it down very good out at ments. As near as I know it's original on Thursday. Antique/Classic mem Cole's Hole where Chester Peak and everything. bers who were near the Red Bam recall Harold Malloy live and the wind blew Q. (Good. What is the gas capacity?) the Taylor Cub that was uprooted and it over. Of course, I've known the kid A. Nine gallons. heavily damaged when it struck a tele for a long time and he'd been after my phone pole. Only heroic action by sev Vagabond and I finally traded him. Q. (That's that little round tank isn 't eral volunteers and others saved the it? ) Q. (Good) Cub and other nearby airplanes from A. Little round tank, yes , bums three further damage. In 1987, Gene Chase A. And then I restored it over, oh, took an hour. Gives you three hours at about interviewed John Hartman of Mack, me about three years to restore it. 58 mph. You don't go very far. Colorado, rebuilder of the Cub. John Q. (What fabric is on the airplane?) Q. (Well, how does it fly up at your subsequently sold the airplane and it elevation? ) was the new owner who suffered the A. It's Stits J.7 and it's all Stits pro loss . In Gene's 1987 photos, it's in cess. It's the poly fiber, poly brush, A . Well, it's a good one-place. Well , teresting to note the double tiedowns , poly spray and then the poly tone. not really good but it's real fun to fly a precaution that would have saved the That's speed ray dope isn't it mostly? early in the mornings and it performs real good. One of the young fellows airplane on that fateful Thursday last Q. (Yes . What are the colors and are had it up to 16,000 feet one day but he summer: they authentic?) got into thermals. Q. (John, what can you tell me about A. As near as I can tell they are. It 's Q. (Saved some gas, didn 't he?) your airplane? Can you give me a little got the three black stripes and yellow, of the background of it and when you Cub yellow, Stits Cub yellow. The A. Yes he did. Most generally about got it and things like that?) only thing that isn't authentic on it is 7,500 is about all we can get on a sum A. Okay I got it probably six years the tail wheel and it had a skid and that mer day. ago. I had a Vagabond, a PA 15 that don't work very good on our blacktop. Q. (What's the elevation of your air I traded for it and a 46 T Craft and a It was on there when I got it. port?) 22 NOVEMBER 1988 Q. (Good for you. Did this airplane originally come with that size wheel and tire?) A. No, it came with airwheels and I couldn't get any so I put an adapter on so I use 8.00 X 4s now. I hunted everywhere for those airwheel tires. Q. (They're hard to find.) A. Oh, I would have loved to found a pair. But very few people know that, know that and can tell. Course it doesn't have any brakes. Q. (Have you flown it without the tail wheel? Do you have any grass any place you canfly it with just the skid?) A . No. Well our runway's gravel and no, I haven't. I've got the little shoe Multiple tiedowns in this 1987 photo are an ironic detail. that fit on the spring but I never have tried it. A. It's 5,000 feet, Mack Mesa Airport, Q. (J' II bet you need that high rpm Q. (How did you duplicate the artwork it's just 20 miles west of Grand Junc though to climb with it, don't you? To on the fin?) tion. It's just a dirt strip 2,600 feet long get it up there ?) with a bunch of antiques there . We've A. I took a picture of the data plate and got about 30 antiques on the field . A. Oh yes , yes. The lowest pass that had it enlarged 30 times and then took People just come out and work on their we can get out of there is 9,000 feet a razor blade and cut it out and glued airplanes. I quit farming in 1980 and I so we have to go at least 10 to get out it on and marked it with a pencil and kept that 80 acres where the landing of the valley there. then hand painted it freehand. field was. That's all I've got now. Just kept the landing field and built a house Q. (That's a far piece for a 40 horse Q. (You did that yourself?) right there. So I live right on the field. airplane .) A. Well, the wife, I got her to do the A. Yes it is. painting. Q. (Where is that from Grand Junc tion ? ) Q. (Do you use Marvel Mystery Oil?) Q. (Oh good, goodfor her. Yes it looks A. It's 20 miles west toward Utah, just real good. How did you determine the off 1-70. A. In the oil and in the gas and I squirt three black stripes and locate them and it on the valve stems before each flight. everything? ) Q. (How many hours have you flown the Cub?) A. I've been putting on about 25 , 30 hours for the last two years . Q. (Have you had any problems with the Continental?) A. No, not a bit. Q. (Good. What fuel do you burn?) A. Car gas . Q. (Good, J do to. What prop is on it, John?) A. 69128 Flotorp. Q. (Okay .) A. It could have about a 28 pitch it should have about two more because it'll red line even climbing out, it'll run 2,700 climbing out at our altitude . Secure again ... but after the damage had been done. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23 ------ A. Well, I got pictures of it when it was fairly a new airplane and that's what I went by. I've got all the records since it was brand new. I don't know if it's really authentic but it's from a long time back. Q. (It sure looks authentic. Did you have any problems getting it licensed?) A. No. Not a bit. The airworthiness certificate was still good and my son in-law is an AI. Q. (Oh, that helps.) A. And so I had to twist his arm and let him fly it a little. Q. (Sure.) A. But he licenses it for me each year. The Cub suffered heavy aileron and rear spar damage of the left wing. Q. (Well good. What's your flying background, fohn ?) A. Well, I joined the Aviation Cadets in 1943 but I got washed out before I got my wings. I was taking basic at Johnson 's Flying Service in Missoula, Montana. They washed out 63,000 one day and sent us all to the infantry. But I told them when they did that I was still going to have my license some day and then when I got home I didn't get my license until ' 58. 'Cause I bought a farm when I got home and I went to farming but I got my private in '58 and my commercial in '60 and I was spray ing just a little bit and then I went to hauling crew to the gas wells in my spare time. Q. (What in?) A. In a 206, turbo 206, but I found out that wasn't fun. I raised alfalfa seed and we had to spray it for onion thrip and to get it to set seed. I just did my own. '2. (What kind ofplane did you use for that? ) A. J-3 . Q. (Goodfor you. What engine in it?) A. It had a 65 converted to a 75 . Q. (What load could you carry at that elevation? ) A. It seemed like about 25 gallons but we only put on two gallons to the acre so you covered quite a few acres, spray The right main wheel was cracked. early in the morning or late at night. 24 NOVEMBER 1988 and the Mack Postmistress, she was still in bed, and she thought "Oh my God, I'm late for work." But I was an hour early because I had to go some place. Some of the guys say that they can set their watch by me. Q. (Well that's interesting. Do you ever stop and give them a ride?) A. Oh, yes, I've given them all rides . I tell them that I go by myself to meet me there at seven and all of them that I go over they've come out and went one day or another with me. Q. (They meet you at your strip.) A. Up at my strip and J then I take them on the route. 1987 photo of the 40-hp Continental. Q. (Is your strip marked on the section als? ) A. Yes, it's Mack Mesa Airport. It's Q. (Tell me about some of the A. At 7:30 every morning I go. I kind 20 miles west of Grand Junction, in airplanes you've built, John.) of got a route down there in the valley fact , we're right on the Grand Junction A. Well I've built a Woody Pusher, a and I take off and it takes about 20 ILS . Of course they're 6,000 feet Smith Miniplane, and I've restored minutes and I fly every morning. Last above us when they go over. We're in four T Crafts, a Vagabond, a Clipper, year I missed about six mornings that the procedure tum. a Tripacer, how many others? I never went on account of weather or if I wasn't at home. But that's just one Q. (I see.) Q. (How' d you have time to farm ?) of them things that if I didn't do it the neighbors would think I was sick or A. We were going to try to get a black A. This is in the winter. I restore something. top but our local taxes would cost us airplanes in the winter like the Woody too much so we just graveled it and it's Pusher took me two winters to build Q. (What all do you look at during that packed real tight, just like cement so and the Smith Miniplane took three flight?) we don't ding any props. It's an all winters. And of course, I could rebuild weather strip. a T Craft each winter after I got them A. Seems like everday I see something others rebu i It. else to look at. I go over, well I kind of got a route, I go over different Q. (Do you ever fly on skis in the Q. (John, how much flying do you do people's houses, wave at them. One winter?) morning I went about an hour early these days ?) A. Never have. Q. (Could you if you wanted to ?) A . Well, we don't have much snow down in the valley. Last year we had four inches once and it lasted two days. One winter we had two foot and it lasted all winter but that was kind of unusual. We have lots of snow in the mountains around us but none down in the valley. We call this the banana belt of Colorado, it's such nice weath er. Q. (You said that's what makes it so nice to live there.) A. Yes, of course I was born and raised there. I've been all over the United States but I wouldn't trade that valley for anyplace. Unless it was Wisconsin in the summer. • NC 16769 may fly again after an auction sale by AVEMCO. It was totalled in the storm. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS The following is a partial listing of new members who have joined the EAA Antique/Classic Division (through September 18, 1988). We are honored to welcome them into the organization whose members' common interest is vintage aircraft. Succeeding issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE will contain additional listings of new members. Albright, Robert Brandt, Roger Confer, Ronald Finan, James Streetsboro, Ohio Sioux Falls, South Dakota Morrison, Colorado Indialantic, Florida Allan, Jan Breand, Andre Conwell, William Forrester, James Lidingo, Sweden Thiais, France Burlingame, California Carraopolis, Pennsylvania Allenspach, Heinz Brooks, Elger Cooley, Robert Francis, Dan Planken, Lichtenstein Manton, Michigan Michigan City, Indiana Wappingers Falls, New York Ament, Frank Brusilow, Michael Cornwell, Paul French, F. Lynn Sandwich, Illinois Albany, New York Littleton, Colorado Crawford, Colorado Anderson, Michael Burnidge, Scott Craig, Greer Frysinger, Earl Cedar Hill, Texas Elgin, Illinois EI Paso, Texas Portland, Oregon Armbrust, Douglas Butler, Manley Jr. Cudd, David Galway, David Greensburg, Pennsylvania California City, California Charlotte, North Carolina Port Credit, Ontario Babaganian, Arthur Calvert, Ian Davideit, Dennis Gambrell, Robert Michigan City, Indiana Alexandria, Virginia Plymouth, Minnesota Columbia, South Carolina Bailey, Robert Calvo, Tony DeVreis, Robert Goranson, Ronald Shoreview, Minnesota Anchorage, Alaska Jamaica, New York Bartlett, Illinois Green, Francis III Baird, Henry Capps,Ron DeYoung, Roger Frankfort, New York Talbott, Tennessee Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Tucson, Arizona Gygax, Larry Baker, James Carothers, Rhonda Durr, Robert Waukesha, Wisconsin Colorado Springs, Colorado Freemont, California Escondido, California Hansen, Harry Ballantyne, John Carr, Donald Egbert, Frank Hamilton, Texas Nashville, Illinois Saratoga, California Los Altos, California Haskell, Curt Beaulieu, Ronald Carvlho, Jose Ehrenstrom, Ingemar Davison, Michigan Fall River, Massachusetts Porto Alegre, Brazil Osterskar, Sweden Hatten, Tom Begley, Paul Case, James Elbel, George Spokane, Washington Victoria, Australia Indian River, Michigan Cincinnati, Ohio Hayes, Larry Thousand Oaks, California Bennett,John Cheslack, Patricia Elsing, Myles Arcata, California Aurora, Colorado Corona Del Mar, California Hayes, Robert Mogadore, Ohio Binns, John Cisre Reynes, Miguel Elton, Ronald Walled Lake, Michigan Mallorea, Spain Platte City, Missouri Headley, Thomas Madison, Alabama Blackner, John Clason, Roy Esch, Martha Winnipeg, Manitoba Zephyr Cove, Nevada Fairview Park, Ohio Hollister, Ashley New York, New York Bodin, Clifford Coates, Samuel Farinha, Christopher Eden Prairie, Minnesota Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Auburn, California Honigford, Eugene Delphos, Ohio Bodinar, John Cochrane, James Farmer, Robert Hooper, Clint Victoria, Australia Crystal Lake, Illinois APO New York Wichitaw Falls, Texas Boettcher, James Coddington, Ken Fehling, Richard Hower, Linn Enon. Ohio Thousand Oaks, California Columbia City, Indiana Idaho Falls, Idaho Boyce, Gerald Lynn Combs, P. Douglas Fein, Edythe Gordon Opdycke, Leonard Camden. South Carolina Incline Village. Nevada Cherry Hill, New Jersey Poughkeepsie, New York. 26 NOVEMBER 1988 WITNESS TO THE EXECUTION The Odyssey of Amelia Earhart Amelia Earhart, founder and first President of the Ninety-Nines and aviator of worldwide reputation, was lost at sea in 1937 on the last leg of a sensational round-the-world flight. Her mysterious disappearance has haunted historians ever since. Now, author Ie. "Buddy" Brennan reveals his startling conclusions on what really happened to Amelia The author holds an artifact recovered at his dig site on Earhart following her disappearance the island of Saipan. Could somewhere in the Pacific. it be the blindfold worn by Amelia Earhart just prior to her execution? IC. "Buddy" Brennan's painstakingly researched book - and the dynamic high-quality videotape that includes eyewitnesses! - are now available from the EAA Audio Visual Communications Group. Video Tape $19.95 (please specify VHS, Beta or 8mm) Hardcover book only $19.95 Softcover Book $11.95 Book Pack including both the Video Tape and Softcover Book $34.00 FOR IMMEDIATE ORDERS CALL 1-800-843-3612 (Wisconsin Residents Call 1-800-236-4800) "Buddy brings the whole adven ture into your home as if you were personally discussing the trip. The story rings so true, you have the itch to go with him on his next journey to Saipan in the hope of being there when the mystery is brought to its ultimate conclusion:' Hazel H. Jones Past International President, The Ninety-Nines Don't miss this opportunity to own WITNESS TO THE EXECUTION, by Ie. "Buddy" Brennan Video Tape $19.95 (please specify VHS, Beta or 8mm) Hardcover book only $19.95 Softcover Book $11.95 Book Pack including both the Video Tape and Softcover Book $34.00 FOR IMMEDIATE ORDERS CALL EM AudioNideo 1-800-843-3612 Attn: MOV DEPT, Wittman Airfield (Wisconsin Residents Call 1-800-236-4800) Oshkosh, WI 54903-3065 MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Leo Opdycke, Editor Kenn Rust, Editor W. W.1 AERO (1900·1 919), and SKYWAYS (1 920·1940): EAA our two Journals, which contain: Membership in the Experimental • information on current projects • historical research Aircraft Association, Inc. is $30.00 • news of museums and airshow5 • workshop notes • technical drawings, data • information on paint and color for one year, including 12 issues of • photographs • aeroplanes, engines, parts for sale Sport Aviation. Junior Membership • scale modelling material • PLUS: your wants and disposals (under 19 years of age) is available • news of current publications of all kinds • PLUS more .. Sample copies $4 each. at $18.00 annually. Family Member ship is available for an additional Published by WORLD WAR 1 ~~, INC. $10.00 annually. 15 Cresce nl Koad . POllqllkcc psie. NY 12601. USA (9 14 1473·3679 ANTIQUE/CLASSICS EAA Member - $18.00. Includes one year membership in EAA An tique-Classic Division, 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Airplane and membership card. Applicant must be a current EAA member and must give EAA membership number. Non-EAA Member - $28.00. In cludes one year membership in the EAA Antique-Classic Division, 12 monthly issues of The Vintage Air plane, one year membership in the EAA and separate membership Where The Sellers and Buyers Meet. .. cards. Sport Aviation not included. 25e per word, 20 word minimum. Send your ad to ENGINES & ACCESSORIES: The Vintage Trader, Wittman Airtield lAC Oshkosh, WI 54903-2591. Bendix DR4N-2021 Dual magneto - New with Membership in the International Dura-Blue harnesses. Save weight and a drive. Aerobatic Club, Inc. is $25.00 an Make offer (no collect). 214/248-4104. (11-2) nually which includes 12 issues of AIRCRAFT: Sport Aerobatics. All lAC members are required to be members of EAA. Chester's GOON, GEE BEE's, " BULLDOG," MONOCOUPE " 110", Culver " Cadet", etc. Plans MISCELLANEOUS: catalog $3.00, REFUNDABLE: Vern Clements, AI C 5989, 308 Palo Alto Drive, Caldwell, 10 82605. Have We Got A Part for You! 20 years accumula WARBIRDS (11·2) tion of parts for all types of aircraft - antiques. Membership in the Warbirds of classics, homebuilts, warbirds. Everything from the America, Inc. is $25.00 per year, spinner to the tail wheel. Air Salvage of Arkansas, which includes a subscription to Complete J-3 tail group - covered with Stits Rt. 1, Box 8020, Mena, AR 71953, phone 501 /394· Warblrds. Warbird members are Poly-Fiber through silver - professional quality 1022 or 501 /394-2342. (3-2/579111) required to be members of EAA. also PA-18 rudder and fin - must sell. Call 5071 437-3534. (11-1) CUSTOM EMBROIDERED PATCHES. Made to suit your design, any size, shape, colors. Five patch minimum. Free random sample and EAA EXPERIMENTER brochure. Hein Specialties, 4202P North Drake, EAA membership and EAA EXPERI1931 Heath Parasol - Model V, with Heath B-4 Chicago, IL 60618·1113. (c·2/89) MENTER magazine is available for engine. Spare Heath-Henderson engine. Restored, $28.00 per year (Sport Aviation not ready for assembly. Also have very nice Continen AN OPEN COCKPIT VOX INTERCOM THAT tal A·40·4, and complete set of Cub J·3 service WORKS! - A two-squelch electronic system included). Current EAA members letters. Make offers. 312/742-2041, Illinois. (11-1) may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER guaranteed to eliminate open mics and STILL be for $18.00 per year. voice activated I Interfaces with handheld com radios. Record and self·muting music inputs. ATC override. All kits include assembled PC board. Up to 50 hrs. with 9VDC battery or power with 8 . FOREIGN PLANS: 32VDC. FIVE YEAR WARRANTY. Two place kit $75.00. AAMWELL TECHNOLOGY, 2744 E. Glen MEMBERSHIPS POBER PIXIE - VW powered parasol- unlimited rosa, Phoenix, AZ 85016, 602/955·8857 evenings. Please submit your remittance with in low·cost pleasure flying. Big, roomy cockpit for (11·89/3) a check or draft drawn on a United the over six foot pilot. VW power insures hard to States bank payable in United beat 3'12 gph at cruise setting. 15 large instruction States dollars. sheets. Plans - $60.00. Info Pack - $5.00. Send 1910-1950 Aviation items for sale - helmets, goggles. instruments, manuals. everything original check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., and old. 44·page catalog available, $5.00. Air· Box 462, Hales Corners, WI 53130. 414/529·2609. mailed. Jon Aldrich, POB-706, Airport, Groveland, Make checks payable to EAA or the CA 95321 . (1·89/5) division in which membership is desired. Address all letters to EAA ACRO SPORT - Single place biplane capable of or the particular division at the folunlimited aerobatics. 23 sheets of clear, easy to lowing address: follow plans includes nearly 100 isometrical draw TOOLS: ings, photos and exploded views. Complete parts WITTMAN AIRFIELD and materials list. Full size wing drawings. Plans Tools, hand & power for all aircraft work. Rivet· OSHKOSH, WI 54903-3086 plus 139 page Builder's Manual - $60.00. Info ers - Drills· Fasteners - Accessories - Tool Kits. Pack - $5.00. Super Acro Sport Wing Drawing Everything for the kit builder - 96-page catalog PHONE (414) 426-4800 $15.00. The Technique of Aircraft Building available. $2.00 (refundable with first order). U. S. OFFICE HOURS: $10.00 plus $2.00 postage. Send check or money Industrial Tool & Supply Company. 15159 Cleat 8:15-5:00 MON.-FRI. order to : ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales Street, Plymouth, MI 48170. Call toll·free 1·800· Corners, WI 53130. 414/529·2609. 521·4800. (4 /89·6) 28 NOVEMBER 1988 STITS POLY-FIBER COVERING MATERIALS THE CHOICE OF THE GRAND CHAMPION WINNERS HERE'S WHY! * Proven Durability on Thousands of Aircraft * FAA-STC For Over 630 Aircraft Models * Superior Quality Coallngs Fly high with a Developed and Manufactured Under an FAA-PMA especially for Polyester Fabric on Aircraft, Not Modified Automollve Finishes, Water quality Classic interior Borne House Paint, or Tinted and Re/abled Cellulo.e Dope * Will Not Support Combusllon * Lightest Covering Approved Under FAA-STC and PMA * Moat Economical Covering Materials Considering Years Complete interior assemblies for do-it-yourself installation. of Trouble Free Service * No False or Misleading Advertising Claims Custom quality at economical prices. • Cushion upholstery sets VIDEO TAPE AVAILABLE- • Wall panel sets FABRIC COVERING WITH RA Y STiTS Sponsored by EAA • Headliners Aviation Foundation. Betore Making Expensive Mistakes, See.This Tape • Carpet sets and Learn How to Do It Right the First Time. $49.95. Also Direct trom • Baggage compartment sets EAA (1-800-843-3612), and from Stlts Distributors. • Firewall covers ~~ • Seat slings WRITE OR PHONE FOR FREE * Sample at High Strength, Very • Recover envelopes and dopes Smooth 1.7 oz Patented Polyester Fabric Developed Especially for Aircraft Covering * Manual #1 with Detailed Instructions for Fabric Covering and Painting Aircraft for Corrosion Control Latest Catalog Free catalog of complete product line. * and Distributor List. Fabric Selection Guide showing actual sample colors and styles of materials: $3.00. STITS POLY-FIBER ~~ AIRCRAFT COATINGS ~ P.O. Box 3084-V, Riverside, CA 92519 Qi"exI;RODUCTS, INC. Phone (714) 684-4280 259 Lower Morrisville Rd., Dept. VA Fallsington, PA 19054 (215) 295-4115 TI~. RE-LNE IT! ~ \ The fabulous times of Turner, Doolittle, Wedell and Wittman recreated as never before in this 600-page two-volume series. Printed on high grade paper with sharp, clear photo reproduction. Official ~O!' • \ race results 1927 through 1939 - more than 1,000 ~ij9. photos - 3-view drawings - scores of articles about people and planes that recapture the glory, the drama, the excitement of air racing during the golden years. Vol. I (no. 21 -14452) and Vol. II (no. 21 -14451) are sold for $14.95 each, with postage charges of $2.40 for one volume and $3.65 for two volumes. Send your check or money order to: EAA Aviation Foundation, Attn: Dept. MO, Wittman Airfield, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086,414/426-4800. Outside Wisconsin, phone 1-800-843-3612. THE BUILDING OF THE AVIATION HISTORY AS IT HAPPENED! CALL TOLL FREE: 1·800·843·3612 AVAILABLE ATEAA OSHKOSH '88 or SHIPPED AFTER AUG. 7, 1988 'plus $3 shipping/handling (WI residents add 5% sales tax) by George A. Hardie, Jr This high-wing cabin monoplane hp engine drove it at a speed of 86 mph ganizing its small flying sections, and bore the name of an early airplane de and permitted a climb of 3,600 feet in came to the Thomas Aeroplane Com signer. The photo is from the collection 10 minutes with a full load." pany for machines . In August, 1916 a fo the late Burton Kemp of Chicago, A photo of the 05, a landplane, re two-seater training hydro-airplane was an early EAA member. The date and sembles the seaplane shown in the ready . . . " location are unknown. Answers will be Mystery photo. Quoting again from the Only one answer was received. published in the February, 1989 issue Yearbook article: Charley Hayes of Park Forest, Illinois of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE. "The government was now reo[ correctly identified the aircraft. Deadline for that issue is December 10 , 1988. The Mystery Plane for August is a Thomas seaplane. There seems to be a question as to which model seaplane it is. Quoting form the aritcle on the Thomas Aeroplane Company in the 1919 Aircraft Yearbook: 'Thomas engines began now to be used regularly by the Thomas Aerop lane Company in its flying craft. Two seaplanes were constructed for the naval department in 1915 with 140-hp power plane , and justified the intro duction of the new engines by attaining a speed of 82 mph and mounting to 2,700 feet in 10 minutes, with passen ger, pilot , and fuel for four hours. Soon after their completion, model 05 was built for the Signal Corps. Its 135 Thomas Seaplane VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31