VA Vol 33 No 1 Jan 2005

I.LI Z < ..J D c:: VOL. 33, No. 1 2005 COVERS CONTENTS FRONT COVER: In 1940, The Wings cigarette brand was advertised using a number of gimmicks, includ· 1 Straight and Level ing a prize of a Piper Cub given away each week on the radio program "Wings of Destiny. " Craig Bair's 2 VAA News award·winning Cub is one of those very airplanes. Read about it in Budd Davisson's story starting 4 on page 14. EM photo using Canon professional Friends of the Red Barn photography products by EM Chief photographer Jim Koepnick, EM photo plane flown by Bruce Moore. 6 Vintage Hall of Fame BACK COVER: "Setting the Record " depicts the single Espie "Butch" Joyce engine world speed record·setting ftight by the late by H.G. Frautschy Jim Wright in his amazing recreation of the Hughes H·1 racer. The FAI category C·1.d record was set at 8 The Vintage Instructor 304.07 mph on September 13, 2002 at the Reno Stead airport in Reno, Nevada. Thomas A. Smith, Winter Operations a professional artist specializing in aviation, was by Doug Stewart awarded an Honorable Mention ribbon by the jury of the 2004 EM Sport Aviation Art Competition for his 10 Reminiscing with Big Nick acrylic/ airbrush on canvas work. You can reach Mr. The Model 18 Smith in Tucson, Arizona at 52()'39&6429. by Nick Rezich STAFF Publisher Tom Poberezny 14 Not Just Another Cub Story Editor-in-Chief Scott Spangler The Bair Wings J-3 Executive Director/Editor H.G. Frautschy by Budd Davisson Administrative Assistant Theresa Books News Editor Ric Reynolds 19 Type Club List Photography Jim Koepnick Bonnie Bartel 25 Mystery Plane Production Manager Julie Russo by H.G. Frautschy Advertising Sales Loy Hickman 26 Pass It To Buck 913-268-6646 The Best of Buck Classified Ad Manager Isabelle Wiske by Buck Hilbert Copy Editor Colleen Walsh Kathleen Witman 30 Classified Ads Graphic Design Olivia Phillip GEOFF ROBISON PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Speaking up for your airport 'Tis the season when the inside of on a continual basis, -not just when initiative. You as a member can help the hangar feels colder than the out they are suddenly threatened with clo out by asking your friends to join up side air, because in some cases, it is. sure. A continuous effort to keep your with us. If we are still into black ink No one warned me that my blood aviation facility perceived in the com at the end of the current fiscal year would thin over time to a point munity as a valued asset, as well as a (March I, 2005), be assured it will where I just have so little tolerance safety asset, is absolutely crucial and al be all about initiatives related to the of the cold weather. It used to be an ways the best approach to avoiding the membership drive and all of you fine acceptable notion to not hesitate in inevitable. We can all do more to assist folks who have graciously supported getting the airplane out on a 30°F day in educating the public and helping the Friends of the Red Barn fund. As I and go somewhere. Now I shiver at to maintain a positive image of these have mentioned in the past, the VAA the thought of going out on a 40°F facilities. continues its sound financial status. plus day. Yeah, yeah, I can hear all I promised the membership last We will continue to look to the future you snowbirds chuckling at me all month that I would keep you updated so that we are able to remain on firm the way from Florida ... or wherever on the business of your organization, financial ground. you're nesting this winter. I guess I'll so here's the long and short of it. The As mentioned in the December just have to wait out old man winter Board of Directors met in regular ses issue of Vintage, you will see the en at least one more year. sion on November 5. This meeting hanced benefits of the 2005 Friends It seems of late that more and more served as an excellent exercise for me of the Red Barn program in this issue GA airports are being threatened by to cut my teeth on, because an un of Vintage. I am certain I speak for the local politicians and real estate mo usual number of issues were at hand entire Board of Directors when I say guls who envision a better use for our for the Board of Directors to address. we all hope you will find these pro valuable, not to mention irreplaceable, As I previously alluded to, the Board gram enhancements beneficial and aviation facilities. Nearly every avia members have been paying close at of good value for your much-needed tion newsletter or website I read of late tention to our financial health. contributions. Again, for those of you has news of yet another airport on the We (the Board) are going to con who have supported this effort in the "targeted for closure" list. When is this tinue to capitalize on another mem past, you have our heartfelt gratitude. phenomenon going to stop? What can bership drive and enhance our cur And for those of you who have con or should be done? When one looks rent fundraising efforts, such as the sidered supporting these efforts in the closely at the efforts put forth by groups Friends of the Red Barn campaign. past, we hope you find these new lev such as Friends of Meigs Field and oth The membership drive is not just a els of giving appealing and reconsider ers, one can only wonder, "What else key initiative from a financial point supporting your organization. Please could have possibly been done to save of view; it is all about our strength keep in mind that all contributions that airfield?" I and many other ten as an association. Your former VAA to Friends of the Red Barn fund go di ants of historic Smith Field Airport in President Butch Joyce and the staff rectly toward offsetting the expenses Fort Wayne, Indiana, have recently ex were successful in earlier member involved in all the valued programs, perienced just such a threat to our own ship drives. The membership under benefits, and exhibits offered in the treasured airfield. More than two years Butch's watch was easily doubled, Vintage area during the annual EAA ago our local airport authority voted to and at one time nearly tripled. Even AirVenture event. close this facility, and in the aftermath though EAA has always been helpful Let's all pull in the same direction of unrelenting efforts by hundreds of with funding these direct-mail mem for the good of aviation. supporters of this airfield, that vote was bership initiatives, the age-old rule Remember, we are all better to eventually reversed. I firmly believe we of business always has an impact. "It gether. Join us and have it all. as aviators, enthusiasts, and supporters takes money to make money," and need to do a better job of preserving, that always means it's a bit of a roll promoting, and protecting all facilities of the dice to sign onto this type of VINTAGE AIRPLANE Start Your Virtual Visit Here There's no waiting in line for the VAA Volunteers of the Year EAA AirVenture Museum virtual tour. Each year during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh two Just click on The Virtual Museum head special VAA volunteers are chosen: one as the Be ing on the left side of the home page at hind the Scenes Volunteer of the Year and the other www.airventuremuseum.org to see an ar as Flightline Volunteer of the Year. ray of virtual and interactive activities. This year's recipient of the Behind the Scenes Sit inside the cockpit of the XP-51 Volunteer of the Year is Paul Kyle, of Germantown, Mustang. Watch a first-person oral his Wisconsin. Paul has been attending EAA AirVen tory Timeless Voices video. Or cruise ture with his father, Leland, since he was a young around the EM AirVenture Museum man, and started volunteering as soon as possible. and explore innovative airplanes, He 's become a real "jack of all trades" and has such as the Aerocar, Loudenslager been particularly active in the Tall Pines Cafe before Shark, and Rutan VariEze prototypes. heading off to work a shift on the flightline. He's Missed some of the museum's web also been busy on many of the weekend work par Paul Kyle cast presentations? You'll find them ties we have during the spring and fall, helping keep archived there, too. See what's going the VAA buildings in top shape. on at Pioneer Airport, using the live Our Flightline Volunteer of the Year is Doug Mar webcam. Like the virtual museum, the tel (right), of Littleton, Colorado. In his "real life" webcam runs 24/7 year-round. Note Doug is a cardiologist, and he really looks forward some of these activities require the to spending a week away from it all and working the latest version of the Apple QuickTime flightline, directing and parking vintage airplanes in player or Macromedia Flash player, our area. Doug so enjoys his time on the line that which are easy and free to download. there are times when it's hard to get him to quit at the end of his shift! Joe Funk Passes Away The awards were presented during the fall VAA at Age 94 Board Meeting, held the first weekend in November.

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