Vol 63, No. 3 Official SILVER WINGS FRATERNITY Newsletter Summer Issue 2020

Copyright © 2020 Silver Wings Fraternity Scholarship Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved July-Sept 2020 Summer Issue

Editor’s Column The MOST Influential Will Jensen IN AVIATION HISTORY

We lived through a lot this year. Coronavirus, quarantine, rioting in the streets including business de- THE PIPER CUB struction, inability, or unwillingness of many elected officials to do their elected jobs, not to mention cancel- lation of Sun & Fun and Oshkosh. The whole of Silver Wings Fraterni- ty has been canceled this year in- cluding our membership lunches, greeting old friends and new, even our Convention. Except, perhaps, for Slipstream. We looked back through history for some subjects to hold your interest, perhaps to even do some research or reading on your own. So, hail to the Piper Cub, the most significant aircraft in aviation history according, at least to Flying Magazine. A workhorse in training pilots—over 430,000 Pilots in WWII— for anti-submarine tracking, artillery spotting, tank busting, bazooka firing, even shooting down the last Germain aircraft on Photo by D. Miller the day the war ended. So, all you Bonanza, , Mooney, Likely there is no aircraft that’s been in or Yankee American pilots, just remember your first solo and your place in history. Likely in a J-3 Cub. continual flying for some 90 years. An aircraft in use by the military of 21 differ- Then, some of our hopefully not forgotten heroes like Eddie ent countries, in general aviation and for Rickenbacker adrift on a raft, or Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, the “Babe Ruth of aero engineering and Ben Rich, his successor commercial use for everything from towing who created “Stealth” and pushed up the ceiling of aerospace advertising banners to gliders. A plane well, into space itself. And Last Flights is back with some of the comfortable on wheels, floats, or skies. most admirable people we’re going to miss. It began as a Clarence Taylor design in So I hope you made the best of your ‘quarantine’ by enjoying 1931 with an initial price of $1,300.00. the family or learning a new craft like cooking, or finding a new The purpose was to make flying affordable. author, John Gresham is my new favorite or rereading an old favorite like ‘The Sun Also Rises’ or any Dashiell Hammett But with the depression, the company soon created a rift between Taylor and Piper. mystery. went out of business. The company was Taylor left the company to form Tay- purchased by one of the investors William Or, maybe you put on your mask and went to work rehabbing lorcraft . your plane, replacing your Cub’s 65 HP engine with an 85 HP T. Piper who kept Taylor on as CEO. one. Yippee, that is going to get you into the blue skies fast. However, during a brief illness to Taylor, Piper was a military engineer in the Span- And for our seaplane fans, just don’t get wet. Piper modified the Cub to be more attrac- ish American War and with the Army tive to buyers. But on Taylor’s return that Will Continued on Page 3

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President’s Column Dennis Destefano

By now I’m sure most of you know that Walter Baker resigned as President of The Silver Wings Fraternity. A painful fall, slow recovery, and then necessary surgery. His has been a steady hand on our controls for better that four years and helped guide us to our best financial position in some time. He plans on being a steady member of our At- lanta Chapter. And on a bright note, Walt was married to Jean Goodson on July 23. Their wedding had been held up by, what else, the Covid-19 quarantine. We wish them all the best.

It was Walt’s wish that I assume the Presidency until our next conven- Walt and Jean on their Wedding Day tion. But that meeting planned for Chicago in September has been canceled in anticipation of yet a second wave of the virus that has impacted all our flying lives this year. Walt Baker was born and raised in Alabama. When he graduated from High School in 1945, he joined the Navy hoping to do his part in ending War II on The Board of Directors meeting to plan the coming year was held by a Destroyer. When the war ended without his activity, he stayed in the Navy what many of us have experienced on Zoom the new technology that tele- serving in Korea and Vietnam, a three War career. He took courses offered in vision programs now use for communication to people in separate loca- the Navy rising to Chief Petty Officer on an aircraft carrier when he retired. tions. Details to come. He took flying lessons earning his private license and enjoyed flying across Alabama. Thus, we sincerely hope to put this year behind us and plan for a brighter future in 2021. Jean Goodson had a career in communications with the Management Con- sulting firm Deloitte in Atlanta. And as Walt would write, Walt and Jean were scheduled to marry early this summer but were canceled “Blue skies”, and I would add to that, “and tail winds”. by the same virus that canceled most of our summer.

Dennis We wish them well. Secretary’s Column Treasurer’s Column Bill Johnston Thomas K. Menefee

My telephone rang in the middle of day when I was Treasurer’s Report Sept. 1, 2020 in the office a few weeks ago. It had been a rather stressful day and week in my business as we were General Operating Acct. $25,936 trying to finish up a project that had started over a year ago. When I answered, the voice, whom I rec- Aviation Scholarship Fund $10,093 ognized, said, “ Got a minute to talk?” The caller was a good friend and Silver Wings Oshkosh Development Fund $3,785 member so I said, “Yes”(even though I really didn’t have time to chat). But, I needed a break. Total $39,814 Well, we talked for 30 to 45 minutes or so, and I didn’t keep track of time since our very casual con- versation was just what the doctor ordered. Director of Membership. We discussed a variety of topics of mutual interest with not any men- tion of business. How refreshing it was. He called at just the right time. With the passing of Steve Rausch, we need a person with ex- After we hung up, I got to thinking how important my friends are, espe- cially those that I have met being a member of Silver Wings Fraternity. perience, preferably in associations, to help The Silver Wings Good friends, with many common interests, are the catalyst that keeps us Fraternity develop programs to increase membership and de- supporting our organization. Unfortunately, the pandemic has altered our velop chapters with stimulating local programs. plans for gathering together. It will soon (I hope) pass and will make up for lost time. We have foregone Sun ‘N Fun, our annual Convention and Chapter meetings. More than ever, this a time to step up and support your Silver Wings Fraternity and fraternity members. You can do your part by FRIENDLY REMINDER attending your Chapter meetings, keeping current with your dues and right now, give a call to someone who may need a break. Your Fraternity fiends If you haven’t already done so, RENEW your will be grateful. Bill MEMBERSHIP today.

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But frustrated because he had no armament, he decided to mount bazookas to the struts on his L- Silver Wings Fraternity 4. To be effective he had to fly within 100 yards Aviation Scholarship of his target dodging through small arms fire. But Foundation, Inc. while tanks had protective armor around their ground perimeter, their top gave Carpenter a soft target that could disable with a strike. He ulti- Board of Directors, Officers & Staff mately carried six bazookas on his L-4, named Five-Member Executive Committee “Rosy the Rocketeer” and was credited with de-

stroying a Tiger One tank, six other tanks, trucks Continued from Page 1 and broke up infantry advances. Carpenter ended PRESIDENT the war as a Lt. Colonel and returned to teaching Vacent in Indiana. VICE PRESIDENT Corps of Engineers in WWI. He subsequently made millions in the oil business. He then bought (Acting President) the company for $761.00 and renamed it The Dennis C. DeStefano (2019) Piper Aircraft Company. Some 20,00 Cubs were (727)457-0754 produced. [email protected] By 1939 with war approaching, Hap Arnold, SECRETARY Chief of the Army Air Force, developed the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) to train Wilmer A. Johnston (2021) pilots even as were Germany and England. The [email protected] Cub was also used by the Civil Air Patrol during TREASURER the early war years to patrol the coasts for subma- rines. Through 1944, 435,000 pilots first soloed in Piper L-4 with wing mounted bazookas Thomas K. Menefee (2020) Cubs, some 80% of all pilots. Cubs also trained [email protected] women for the Woman’s Army Service Corps or Another L-4 pilot, Duane Frances, would often ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS Wasps who ferried all types of aircraft from P-47’s extend his time on target by landing behind our to B-17’s within the US and to England. lines to borrower fuel from the ground forces. Walter R. Baker (2021) Once, spotting two Germans spying on a US divi- H. Gilly Smith (2019) But it was WWII when the Piper Cub really took sion, he landed behind them and captured them [email protected] off. While its 75mph cruising speed was no match both. He was the Artillery Spotter for the Navy Nicole P. Stott (2020) for an ME109, it was ideal as a spotting aircraft and Army on Utah beach. for artillery and to track troop movements. Its [email protected] bright yellow paint job was quickly turned to Ol- On the last day of the war, after the Armistice was Will Jensen (2019) ive Drab. signed, he and his observer spotted a Storch obser- vation aircraft over our lines. Above the Storch, [email protected] The Cub, renamed L-4, was the first American he dove at the aircraft and he and his observer Jerome Riesz (2019) aircraft to enter the war being offloaded from an opened fire with their Colt 45’s, shattering the [email protected] aircraft carrier in Africa early in 1942. It served Windscreen and jarring the pilot so that it crashed. every US command in every country during the Francis landed the L-4 and he and his observer William Bell (2019) war. In fact, the L-4 has one particular distinction: captured the German pilot. This was the last rec- [email protected] As an Anticraft Observer aircraft it was credit- orded aircraft kill in WWII. For his combat expe- APPOINTED STAFF ed with destroying more tonnage of enemy ma- rience Mr. Frances was awarded the Distinguished terials than any other fighter aircraft with the Service Cross. BUILDING MANAGER sole exception of the B-29 and the atomic bomb. James Porter Two L-4 pilots earned particular distinction. [email protected] Charles Carpenter, a history teacher from Indiana CHAPLAIN earned his Major stripes early on for his effective spotting. William Clarke, III [email protected] EDITOR/PUBLISHER Will Jensen [email protected] SUN ‘N FUN EVENT COORDINATOR Tom Menefee [email protected] [email protected] Bazookas mounted on wing strut of an L-4 WEBMASTER Final approach to a grass strip in Idaho James McCarthy [email protected]

Please Mail All Correspondence to P. O. Box 1694, Oldsmar, FL, 34677-1694 Or [email protected]

SWF Founder & President Emeritus Russell James Brinkley - 1906-1992 Wikipedia Planeandpilot Magazine Hartzell Propeller Piper Cub in military uniform Just a busy day in Lock Haven “OK are your RPMS at 1800?”

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OK, if Piper Cub was Ben Rich described his first F-117 presentation the most influential air- to Kelly. “He took one look and kicked my Ass… craft in history, Kelly said it would never fly. I said it has to or every Johnson was the most plane we build will get shot down…we designed a influential aeronautical test where a half-sized F-117 model was mounted on a pole, then a radar engineer in history. site was set up several miles away. After several minutes of testing, the radar operator called and said ‘...when are you guys going to set the model Clarence on the pole, we’ve got a clear image of the pole but nothing else.’” was the Babe Ruth of air- craft engineering. Consider The first use of the F- the Lockheed Electra, the 117 was in the Gulf War. P-38, Constellation, P-80, F-104, C-130, U-2, Jetstar, and the SR-71. Just The first night, two F-117 the better known of his nearly 50 designs in a 50-year career with Lockheed. bombed Baghdad facing heavy antiaircraft fire with And when Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Russia, President no damage to either plane. Eisenhower went to Lockheed and said “…built me a plane that can fly high- After that F-117’s flew er and faster than anything they could shoot down.” Lockheed and Johnson 1300 sorties destroying delivered the SR-71 18 months later. Not 18 years you F-35 fans, 18 1600 high value targets months! In its 25-year career, the SR-71 was fired on 4,000 times yet not hit with no losses. Now the once, not even scratched. Though retired in 1990, the SR-71 still holds both radar evading technology, the speed and altitude records for all air-breathing aircraft. Stealth, is being used on Most of us know the history other aircraft such as the B- of the aircraft Kelly designed. 1 and B-2 bombers.” The P-38 shot down more ene- Ben Rich, taking E.T. Ben Rich, creator of Stealth and the F-117 my aircraft than any other U.S. home. fighter. The P-80—first opera- tional jet fighter and first to Now if you are wondering what has happened with aerospace aircraft, President Dwight Eisenhower shoot down a MIG. The C- and more reasons for our new Space Force in the past few decades, we turn 130—still flying cargo or on again to Ben Rich who died in 1995. Rich, the father of Stealth, joined Lock- hurricane-hunter missions. heed in 1954 to work on the thermodynamics of the F-104, spoke at a UCLA alumni meeting in 1993. “It takes about 10 years for what we’re working on Kelly’s success is often linked to his 14 Rules (available on U-tube) to become public. Ask me back in 10 years and I’ll tell you what we’re doing which we’ll cut to three here. now.” Do you believe in UFO’s? was asked. He answered, “there are two 1. The manager must be delegated with near complete types of UFO’s, the ones we build and the ones they build. I’m a believer control of his program in all aspects. He should report to a divi in both.” sion president or higher. He ended his talk with “ We already have the means to travel among the 2. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the stars. But the technologies are locked up in black projects. It would take an military and industry. Act of God to get them out to benefit humanity. But we did recently receive a contract to take E.T. home.” Joke or no joke Slipstream will follow the 3. The number of people having any connection with the project Space Force news. must be restricted in an almost vicious manner. Use a small number of good people (10% to 25%) compared to the so-called normal system. For example, only 75 engineers worked on the SR-71 while over 1,000 worked to develop the 737. When Viktor Belenko delivered a MIG-25 to us in 1976, he was asked about the SR-71. He answered “We could never understand how a deca- dent, Micky Mouse, Capitalistic country could build a plane in the 60’s that we couldn’t shoot down in the 70’s.” A General got right in his face like a baseball umpire. “That’s what can be done in a country where men are free!” Soon after, Belenko became a U.S. citizen. When retired in 1990, the SR-71 had been fired on over 4,000 times and never hit, not even a scratch. Now, consider the F-117 the first non-Kelly project designed by his successor, Ben Rich. After Viet Nam, it became evi- dent that missiles could be de- signed to destroy aircraft effi- ciently. Radar, of course, was the answer. So how could air- craft be designed to avoid or reflect radar? Lockheed, with a small group of engineers, real- ized that future designs needed to reflect radar and worked to design such a system.

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The bomber, with a on the eighth day, a seagull landed on Ricken- crew of eight, strayed backer’s head. He warily and cautiously captured hundreds of miles off it, then the survivor meticulously divided it in course due to a naviga- equal parts, and using other parts as fishing bait. tional malfunction on its One man died of dehydration and was buried at Eddie Rickenbacker gained fame as a race car way to the refueling stop sea. U.S. Army and Navy patrol planes searched driver before becoming the top scoring fighter ace on Canton Island. Out for the survivors and planned to abandon the and receiving the Medal of Honor in WWI. After of fuel, the bomber search after two week. Rickenbacker’s wife, how- the war, he considered the automobile industry ditched in a remote and ever, persuaded them to search for one more week. before becoming the president of Eastern Air little traveled part of the While the services agreed, the news media contin- Lines. Pacific. For 24 days ued to report that Rickenbacker was dead. Always a strong voice for aviation, in late Rickenbacker, Ad- The rafts split up and one raft found a small island 1942, Secretary of State Stimson and Army Air U. S. Army Air Force Photo amson and the eight where friendly natives were hosting an allied radio Force Chief, Hap Arnold, asked him to become a Eddie Rickenbacker crew members drifted in station. A U.S. Navy Kingfisher spotted and res- $1.00 a day nonmilitary observer traveling to the their rafts. Despite plan- cued three survivors from that raft, then located Pacific theater. The mission: evaluate and report ning for the ditching and collecting on-board food the other raft. on the status of our combat units there as well as in and supplies, much was lost as the plane sank Rickenbacker completed his assignment in- Australia, New Guinea and Guadalcanal. He was quickly. Rickenbacker salvaged eight oranges in cluding delivering the President’s message to also given a secret message of rebuke from Presi- his jacket. All other food was lost. All aboard McArthur, a message never made public. Ricken- dent Roosevelt to deliver to McArthur about the were injured to some degree, Rickenbacker from backer’s pay, of course was $24.00 U.S. dollars. administration and disparaging cables sent to Mar- an earlier aircraft injury. And, perhaps, one seagull. shal. After food ran out in three days, Rickenbacker With his aid, Colonel Hans Adamson they assumed leadership, encouraging, and browbeating climbed aboard a well-worn B-17 that had been the others to keep spirits up. With fishhooks and converted into a transport plane for their flight on line Rickenbacker stored in his jacked they tried October 20, 1942. fishing with orange peels as bate. No luck. Then

the to stops in India and Africa. Fuel being in short supply, at one point He linked continents together they loaded one tank with automobile gaso- line keeping aviation fuel only for take- 1927 was a signal year for Air Transporta- off. In Africa, their only landing facility tion. Charles Lindberg made the first transatlantic was on the Congo River. After refueling, flight over a route that within a few years would packing sandwiches, and taxing as far be a standard route. down the river as they could get, they still faced the waterfall at the river’s end they Also, in 1927, a Fokker Trimotor left Key West would need to fly over. Not in the Pan for Havana and the Caribbean to inaugurate the American flight manual. first international air service under the American flag with the name Pan America They then faced a flight of 20 hours, long- Pan Am Clipper Photo by AOPA.org est in Pan Am history to the Coast of Juan Terry Trippe had a passion for flying begun Brazil then to a Pan Am Base at Trinidad. with watching the Wright Brothers circle the Stat- Finally, to New York where LaGuardia Air Traf- ue of Liberty in 1909. In 1917 he took flying Lindberg served as a consultant plotting routes to fic Control held them up for an hour and a half lesions with hopes of joining the Navy in South America both east and west coasts and to because they were not scheduled. WWI. The War ended before he received his the Pacific. Juan Trippe was one of the early believers in jet commission. He then attended Yale University Trippe launched the first of the “Clipper” flying where he formed the Yale Flying Club. After powered aircraft. He was invited to join Bill Al- boats and began service to East Asia in 1936. The len of Boeing at Lake Washington for the inaugu- graduation and with his father’s banking connec- early “Clippers” were Martin Flying Boats, inau- tions he founded an aviation company buying nine ral flight of the Boeing 707, an event, a purchase gurating service first to Hawaii, then Philippines he and Allen had negotiated several years be- seaplanes at discount from the Navy. He won a and Hong Kong. Later, the Boeing “Clippers” U.S. Government contract in 1926 and began fore. Tex Johnson, a former Flying Tiger was to inaugurated service to distant Australia. In 1939, be the pilot. After a picnic lunch all eyes were to carrying airmail from New York to Hartford and service was inaugurated across the Atlantic. Boston. In fact, Trippe held pilot license number the east of Lake Washington where the silvery 58 as backup for the regular pilots. After begin- Pan American first inaugurated around the 707 appeared low over the water. Johnson ap- ning service to Havana and the Caribbean, Trippe world service in a most unusual way. A stand- proached at about 490 mph as planned but as he expanded the service to Central and South Ameri- ard flight from Hawaii to New Zealand left Hono- neared the crowd, he pulled the 707 into the ca in 1928-29. lulu in the evening of December 6, 1941. While most beautify barrel roll you’ve ever seen on U- aloft, they received the message that Pearl Harbor tube. Then did a 180 and did it again. Allen At the ripe old age of had been attacked and to continue to Auckland, turned red with rage, and Trippe quietly said 30, Juan Trippe had New Zealand. At their altitude and position the “Relax Bill, you just sold 70 707’s!” created Pan Ameri- first worry was the possibility of enemy air- can as the world’s As James M. Landis, former head of the Civil craft. There was no chance for a return trip to Aeronautics Board once said, “When anybody largest airline. By Pearl. Their only instructions were to continue then Trippe had pio- flies to the moon, the next day Trippe will ask flying. And unload passengers at their first stop. the C.A.B. to authorize regular service.” neered in connecting But after New Zealand where would they get avia- service for railroads, tion fuel. Military had priority. Their personal When he retired in 1975, Pan Am served 85 na- multi-engine money was the only finances they had in their tions on six continents, and Juan Trippe was the landplanes, two-way wallets. Their radio operator had left San Francis- nation’s most decorated citizen. radios, weather report- co with only one suit expecting a return fight ing, onboard naviga- Honors and Awards: The Legion of Merit, the home. There were no Pan American facilities Guggenheim Medal, the , the Har- Juan Trippe checking a tors, and cabin attend- west of New Zealand and they would be arrang- mon Trophy, the Wright Brothers Trophy new destination ants, multiple flight ing loans from local banks and government offices crews and hot meals PANAM.ORG when and if they were open. An Australian Bank- served aloft. Charles er loaned them $500.00 and then they flew across

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Silver Wings Fraternity Aviation Scholarship Foundation, Inc. Chapter Meetings & Contacts National Annual Membership Dues Member (includes one spouse) New : $20.00 USD (3nd Q.) COLORADO CHAPTER Meets 4 times a year at the Ramada Englewood at Centennial (Prorated each quarter: 1st Q. = $30; 2nd Q.= $25; 3rd Q.= $20; 4th Q. = $15) Airport, 7770 South Peoria Street, Englewood, CO 80112. Visitors Member (includes one spouse) Renewal : $30.00 USD always welcome! For more info, contact Bill Totten at [email protected] or Telephone 303-364-5238. Pay by Credit Card or Make Your Check or Money Order Payable to “Silver Wings Fraternity” (Do Not Send Cash) and mail to: GULF COAST CHAPTER Meets 8 times a year in the Clearwater/Dunedin area, at SWF Membership Secretary, P. O. Box 1694, Oldsmar, FL 34677-1694 Clearwater Golf Club, 525 North Betty Lane, Clearwater, FL 33755 Visitors always welcome! For more info, contact us at [email protected] or President Jim McCarthy at 727- 772-7052.

GEORGIA CHAPTER Circle your Credit Card and provide information: Meets every Wednesday (except Holiday weeks) for lunch in Atlanta Card No. ______at the 57th Fighter Group Restaurant 3829 Clairmont Road, Atlanta 30341, with excellent speakers. Visitors always welcome! For more Exp. Date ______info contact Chapter President Bill Bell at 404-321-3131 (office). 3-4 Digit S/N ______ILLINOIS CHAPTER Meets 3 times a year at the Four Points Sheraton in the Village of On Line Renewal Schiller Park near Chicago. Visitors always welcome! For more info, Thank you to those that renewed their membership last January using the On-Line renewal process. Remember you can do this again this year to renew for 2020. After contact Chapter President Stephen Peters at 708-532-7584. logging into the SilverWings.org web site the Members Area is available. 1. Select “Renew Your Membership” from the Members Area pulldown menu, LAKE ERIE CHAPTER Complete the form and submit. You will automatically be taken to the PayPal site Meet quarterly in Painesville, OH at Rider’s 1812 Inn , 792 Mentor where you can pay with your credit card (or PayPal your PayPal account if you have Ave. Please contact Kathy Ferry at LakeErieChap- one). [email protected] or Telephone 440-352-2481. Visitors welcome! 2. Also, there is now an option for members who also belong to a Chapter to pay Our Annual Pot-Luck Picnic is held every July. National and Chapter dues with a single on-line transaction. After filling out the on- line renewal form you may select National only or National + Chapter dues as an option. Please insure that you include your Chapter’ name in the space on the form OHIO CHAPTER provided so that we can forward the dues to the Correct Chapter. Meets 2nd Wednesday every other month in the Cincinnati area, usually at the Manor House Restaurant, 600 Maple Trace Drive, Springdale OH. Visitors are always welcome. For more info, contact MISSION STATEMENT & PURPOSE Chapter President Tom Hogan at 513-829-8248 or OhioChap- A charitable and educational not-for-profit membership [email protected] organization of pilots who soloed a powered aircraft more than 25 years ago, newer pilots, and others with a genuine interest in Please contact [email protected] for any changes or aviation, who endeavor to advance aviation science and career inaccuracies in Chapter meeting location, time or contact opportunities, and provide educational scholarships in aviation. information.

No Chapter in Your Area? Start One Now Murphy’s Laws The National Office will assist you with a list of At-Large members Rockefellers Law (after Nelson) in your area, start-up documents and promotional materials. You “Never do anything you wouldn’t want to be caught dead find a location for your first meeting and set the date and time. doing.” Talk to your pilot buddies now!

The Slipstream is published up to four times per year by the Silver Wings Fraternity Aviation Bombeck’s Rule of Medicine (After Erma) Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (Silver Wings Fraternity) (SWF) for members and guests and is not for sale. The Editorial Staff welcomes your comments, suggestions and interesting or enter- “Never go into a doctor office whose office plants have died.” taining content. Views and opinions expressed herein are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Editor, Publisher or Silver Wings Fraternity. Please direct all correspond- ence to: SWF Editor, P. O. Box 1694, Oldsmar, FL 34677-1694, or email to edi- Getty’s Reminder (after John Paul) [email protected]. Persons submitting items for publication agree that items are original content and authored by “The meek shall inherit the earth but not the mineral rights.” themselves and they retain original copyright unless they assign those rights to Silver Wings Fraternity, and they further agree that they give Silver Wings Fraternity serial and electronic rights to publish said content in any form an unlimited number of times free of charge. Since the relia- Saarinen’s Law of Design (After Eero) bility of mailing and delivery services are beyond our control, the Editor , Publisher and Silver Wings Fraternity accept no responsibility for submissions, unsolicited or otherwise, or the return “You can justify any solution if you can first fully understand or safety of submitted material. Silver Wings Fraternity is a not-for-profit, charitable and educational membership organization. the problem” All efforts have been taken to ensure that all material published, including, but not limited to, photographs, clip art, typefaces and articles are in the public domain, or that permission has been granted for such use, or they are published under the doctrine of fair use for purposes of com- Airplane Law mentary, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching or scholarship, or Creative Common li- cense. Trademarks and other protected items are the property of their respective owners. ‘When the plane you are on is late, the plane you want to Copyright © 2020 by the Silver Wings Fraternity except those items copyrighted by others. All transfer to is on time” rights reserved in all countries. Unauthorized reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited, and no part of this publication may be stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means , including electronically or by photo-copying, without the written permission of the Publisher or Editor.

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Last Flights are not obituaries, but only a notice of a member’s Last Flights passing gleaned from several sources. When you learn of any Mem- ber who has passed away recently, please notify us and submit a Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings, and put out my hand and touched the face of God—after High Flight quality photograph if available. Please include their SWF involve- ment, solo and other flying data. All confirmed Last Flight will be The members of the Fraternity share in the loss and we express our condolences to published as space is available.

Last Harold E. Davidson 1924-2020 Stella May Doss Leis 1922-2017

Lt. Col. Harold E. Davidson (USAF (RET) was Born in Phoenix, Arizona, her family moved to born in Tonganoxie, Kansas January 17, 1924. San Bernardino, where she grew up with Raised on a Kansas farm, he had a pig named Sally. an older brother and younger sister. His family moved to LaPorte Indiana in 1937. On At age 16, this young entrepreneur developed her graduating from High School in 1942 he joined the first business. She noticed that bakery goods were Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet. After basic never available in Grocery stores in San Bernardi- training he soloed a PT-19 in January 1944 at Ball- no. That was a difficulty for the elderly and women inger, Texas. In July he married High School with small children. She asked the grocery store sweetheart Dorothy Kanney and “honeymooned’ in manager if she could sell baked goods at the store. “Liberal”, Kansas where he learned to fly the B-24. Then checked with the owner of the local bakery. Soon she was selling day old bread, pies, cakes and other products with steep During his Air Force career, discounts. Shoppers were happy, Grocery and Bakers managers were happy. he flew B-24 bombers in the One day Army Air Corps Sargent Raymond Leis stopped in for cookies Southwest Pacific. In 1945 he to take back to March Air Force Base. He bought cookies and came back for flew ten freed allied prisoners to the girl. from Okinawa for their They planned to marry in late December, however the Imperial Japanese return home. During the VietNam Navy Air Service had other plans. March Air Force Base rescinded all leaves War, he flew C-47 Electronic immediately, but Raymond obtained a 12-hour leave for December 21. In 12 Reconnaissance Missions. He hours, they drove to Las Vegas, got married and drove back at breakneck also served in France, Germany, speed. And the car died right at the entrance to the base. Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. Ray continued training to fly bombers and left for Europe and WWII. He While there his unit monitored and left the Air Force in 1945 but when President Truman recalled WWII pilots analyzed nuclear explosions. As to help fight in Korea, Stella and Ray decided to make the Air Force their Program Manager for the construction of a scientific laboratory, he participat- career. ed in the nuclear tests in the Pacific. He was Program Manager and Chief of Over the next 24 years, Stella packed and unpacked, made friends, kept Engineering of a long-range radar system constructed in England. Then Pro- friends, they enjoyed a variety of foreign countries and many U.S. bases. At gram Element Monitor of the Airborne Survival Command and Control Sys- each based, Stella was active in the wife’s clubs and the Red Cross. During tem at USAF Headquarters. In 1957, he flew a C-123 medical team to Little their time at Travis AFB, Stella found a new passion. She worked tirelessly Rock, Arkansas during the desegregation of Central High School there. to collect money to build the Air Force Village, originally for the Air Force During his Air Force career, he logged more than 5,000 hours in over 30 Officers’ widows who had fallen on hard times. different aircraft including jets, multi-engine, and single engine types includ- When Ray retired in 1966, they ing 30 minutes in the Goodyear Blimp. moved to Los Gatos, California where He retired from the Air Force in Stella opened an antique store and 1972 after 30 years of service. frame store. She was also part owner After retiring he owned a Piper Chero- of an art gallery and taught painting. kee and taught aviation history at Stella and Ray bought s Piper DeKalb College. For Angel Flight, he Cherokee Warrior, and, on several flew cancer patients to medical treat- flights, Ray developed health prob- ment centers. He had been a member lems. Stella learned to land the plane. of the Georgia Council for Internation- Then she decided to learn to fly the al Visitors hosting State Department plane on her own. She eventually passed her instructors exam. visitors to Atlanta since 1975. His As her passion for flying continued Stella joined the women’s pilot’s wife Dorothy died in 2000 after 56 organization, the NINTY-NINES and participated in their many activities years of marriage. He married long- including search and rescue missions for downed pilots. She was also a time friend Judy in 2001. They honey- member of The Silver Wings Fraternity, the kind of a feisty member we wish mooned on an around the world flight we had more of. on Singapore Airlines He was a Pur- due University Graduate.

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS: Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying W. B. “Buck” Stewart 1934 -2020 Cross; six Air Medals; The Presidential Unit Citation; The Southwest Pacific Campaign Ribbon with six Battle Stars; Viet Nam Campaign Ribbon; Com- “Buck” Stewart made his last flight at the age of 86 on Christmas morning mand Pilot’s Wings’ Air Force Missile Badge. 2019. . He soloed on Christmas day 1957 at Kenai, Alaska in a Cessna 120. In his career, he accumulate some 20,000 hours in many different aircraft. He held a Commercial , Multi-engine land and sea rating. In 2009, he was honored with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. He retired in 1978 as Commander of the State of Alaska Aviation Section. He and his wife made four flying trips around Australia with GOANA . His favorite plane was the Grumman Goose. As a member of The Silver Wings Fraternity, he spent may happy hours at the Cottage during trips to “Sun & Fun”.

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SUMMER 2020

The SR-71: No guns, no rockets, no bombs. It was the defender of the Nation for 25 years.

CHRIS MILLER for Experimental Aircraft Association

CONNER MADISON for Experimental Aircraft Association