finding of old aircraft that can be restored. Additionally, CHAPTER NEWS all type club newsletters previously sent to AI Kelch shou Id now be sent to Dave Gustafson at EAA Head­ The active people in our Florida Chapter have quarters. Dave does plan to devote space to type club come up with an idea that we think is worth news which is of general interest to the membership if passing on: appropriate and sufficient information is forthcoming. ANNOUNCING THE Dave would also like to expand the magazine's fly-in "TEN FOR TWELVE" CLUB coverage, but this can only be accomplished if fly-in We proudly and gratefully list below all present chairmen will assign photographers and writers from members of The "TEN FOR TWEL VE n Club . their own organizations to the task of providing the These members have all generously pledged $10 a material for the magazine. Also, due to the lead time month for 12 months toward the LAIRD SUPER necessary for publishing the magazine, articles must be SOLUTION Restoration Project. received within two weeks after the fly-in so that they're still reasonably current when pu blished. Betty Jones Bob Strahlmann For those of you who have a story to tell and have Leonard McGinty, Jr. Floyd McKahan some interesting pictures of your old bird, but are hesi­ Bob White John Parish tating because you are not sure of how to write for Donna Bartlett Allan Wise publication, please just reread my column in either the Ken Davis Toni Guay February, 1976, issue or the March, 1977, issue of this E. A. Crosby Jim Swaney magazine for a short course in magazine writing. It's Merl Jenkins Morris Bennett really very easy. If I can do it, you can do it too. Bill Ehlen Elsie Laird Evelyn White Ralph Loos Paul and Audrey Poberezny THE RESTORER'S -CORNER ~ If you're interested in joining, write to Florida Sport Aviation Antique/Classic Association, Box by J. R. NIELANDER, JR. • 5292, Lakeland, FL 33803 It is with great pleasure that we welcome our new editor of THE VINTAGE AI RPLAN E, David Gustafson, who takes over with this issue from our very dedicated CALENDAR ~97B Di rector, AI Kelch, and his lovely wife, Lois. AI and Lois, who originally accepted the editorship for one year April 16 Grand Prairie, Texas - Annual Fly-In June 3-4 General Motors Wildcat Test Pilot and back in January, 1976, had expressed their desire to be sponsored by EAA Chapter 34. Contact Ground Crew reunion. Contact Dick relieved of their edito rial duties with the completion of George C. Sims, 817/292-4233 or Foote, P.O. Box 57, Willimantic, CT the December, 1977, issue. However, due to the fact 292-3798. 06226 (Phone 203/423-2584) or Dan that Dave was not going to be available until January, Hanrahan, 470 Elmore Ave., Elizabeth, 1978, plus the lead time required to put the magazine May 5-7 O1ino, California - 4th Annual Southern NJ 07208 (Phone 201/254-4481). Names together, they agreed to edit the January and February, California Regional Fly-In. Sponsored by and addresses appreciated . 1978, issues. Again we want to sincerely thank AI and EAA Chapters 1, 7, 11, 92, 96, 448 and June 2-4 The Annual Fly-In of the Greater Kansas Lois for a great job beautifully done. 494. Contact Gene Vickery, 1115 S. City Chapter, Antique Airplane Associa­ Thus it is that with thi s March issue we welcome Dave Sierra Vista Ave., Alhambra, CA 91801 ­ I­ tion will be held at Amelia Earhart to our organization and wish him every success in his 213/289-8944. Memorial Airport, Atchison, Kansas. endeavors. Dave has exciting plans for the improvement Contact Dick Shane, 8315 Floyd, Over­ of our magazine, and he anticipates a greater d iversifi­ May 26-29 Harvard, Illinois - Monocoupe Fly-In. land Park, KS 66212 - 913/648-3139 or cation of the type of articles to be published. His Dacy Airport. Held in conjunction with Kermit Hoffmeier, 103 N.W. 64th Ter­ immediate need is for more articles on classic resto· Ryan Fly-In. Contact Willard Benedict, race, Gladstone, MO 64118 - rations. He can also use articles on antique restorations 129 Cedar St., Wayland, MI 49348. 816/436-3459. as well as arti cles telling about the hunting down and 1'12s 1!1NTASEA/fJPIJlNE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE ANTIQUE / CLASSIC DIVISION Editorial of THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFTASSOCIA TlON Staff P.o. Box 229, Hales Corners, Wis. 53730 Copyright"' 1978 EAA Antique/ Classic Division, Inc., All Ri ghts Reserved. Editor David Gustafson MARCH 1978 VOLUME 6' NUMBER 3

, Robert G. Elliott, AI Kelch, Edward D. Williams

to submit stories and photographs. Associate Editor­ to those writers who submit five or more articles which are (Cover ph oto by Chris Sorense n: Frank Delmar's Fleet) VINTAGE AIRPLANE during the current year. Associates The Restorer's Corner, by J. R. Nielander ...... 1 THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE and a free one-year for their efforts. POLICY-Opinions expressed in An Extraordinary Fl eet, by David Gustafso n . .. . . _ ...... 3 the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in report- Cessna Profiles ...... 6 J2 times 8, by Bob Zedekar ...... _ ...... _.... 7

Directors Better Than New, by Dorr Carpenter ...... _...... _ . _ .... 9 Vintage Album, by H. F. S. Wadman ...... _.. 11 Will iam J. Ehlen AI Kelch Route 8 Box 506 7018 W. Bonniwell Road Norseman Affair, by Byron (Fred) Fredericksen ...... 13 Tampa. Fl orida 33618 Mequon, Wisconsin 53092 Restoration Tips: Aluminum Surfaces, by David Gustafson ...... 19 PRESfDINT Claude L. Gray, Jr. Morton W. Lester Whistling in the Rigging, by Tom Poberezny ...... 20 J_R. NIELANDER. JR". 9635 Sylvia Ave nue Box 3747 Letters . . . - . . - ...... _ ...... 20 P.O. BOX 2484 ' I Northridge, California 91324 Martinsville, Virginia 241 12 FT. LAUOEROALE,FL 33303 Dale A Gustafson Arthur R. Morgan 7724 Shady Hill Drive 513 North 91 st Street EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION MEMBERSHIP YlCE...... QJWT Indianapolis, Ind iana 46274 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226 ONON-EM MEMBER - $20.00. Includes one year membership in the EAA Antique/ JACK WINTHROP Ri chard Wagner M. C. "Kelly" Viets Classic Division, 12 monthly issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE; one year mem­ I f{T. 1.SOX 111 P. O. Box 181 RR 1 Box 151 bership in the Experimental Aircraft Association and separate membership cards. ALLEN, TX76002 Lyons, Wisconsin 53148 Stilwell, Kansas 66085 Advisors SPORT AVIATION magazine not included. ~t.Y W. &AII'D THOMAs,JR. Ronald fritz Stan Gomoll OEAA MEMBER - $14.00. Includes one year membership in the EAA Antique/Classic 1989 Wilson, NW 1042 90th Lane, NE Division, 12 monthly issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE and membership card. 301 OODSON MtLL 8Q~O Grand Rapids, Mich iga n 49504 PILOt MOUNTAIN. NC 27041 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55434 (Applicant must be current EAA member and must give EAA membership number.) Roger J. Sherron Robert E. Kessel TREASURER 446-C Las Casitas 445 Oakridge Drive E.E. "BUCJ("HII.BERT Santa Rosa, Ca lifornia 95401 Rochester, New York 14617 8102 LeeCH RD. Robert A. White UNtON.'lL80180 1207 Falcon Drive Orlando, Florida 32803

THe VI"'TAGI! A1 ....l.A"'E I. exctu sivel y by EAA Ant ique/ C l assic, D ivision, I nc ., and is publ ished _hIv .. _ pom.... WI 130. Second class Postage paid a t Hales Corners Post Office, Ha les Co...... ~In \53130...... mailing o ff ices. Membership ra tes for EAA Antique/ Classic D ivision, I..... OliO .,4.00 _ 12 month whic h $ 10 .00 is f o r I he publicat ion o f T H E V INTAGE A IRPLANE. ,lMmtMnh... i'I _ •• oil who in avi at ion. Page 3 Page 7 Page 73

2 Cowling." That's all very curious since Frank can't find any evidence of even a sing le "standard Fleet 16F." (Can you?) After the ob li gatory test hops, the plane was sold to the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in San Di ego with the marks NC20699. It was, and is today, 28 feet wide at top and bottom wing, 22' 3 ~ " long in flight and 7' 10" high. The records show that Consolidated refered to the airplane as a 16F. I n April, 1939, Consolidated sold the plane for a buck "and other considerations" to the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation of Long Isl and City, New York. Shortly thereafter, Brewster applied for Registra­ tion and a Commercial Certificate and the form revealed the plane had 82 hours on it. Three months later, application was made for an Experimental certificate. The form curiously classified the machine as a "New Airplane". What made it "new" in the eyes of Brewster, who now called it a B-1 (where have I heard that before?) and gave it the number NX20699, was the swap to a Warner 165 horsepower engine. They also installed a single gas tank, capable of holding 33 u .S. gallons, and completely refurbished the plane. Brewster published the following specs on the aircraft in 1939: Span 28' Length 22' 11" Height 8' 0.5" Wing area 202 sq. ft. Power load ing 11.8 Ibs./hp. Wing loading 9.7 Ibs ./sq . ft. Empty Wt. 1,227 pounds Useful load 723 pounds Gross Wt. 1,950 pounds by: David Gustafson, Editor The plane was given serial number 1 and Brewster got a license for flight tests. With the Warner 165, they came "You're right, it's not a stock Fleet. It's a unique HISTORY up with the following performance goodies: Fleet . . . in many ways." That's how Frank Del mar I n the beginn ing . .. the Fleet Aircraft Company of answered a nit-picker last summer who thought he had Canada filed an Aeroplane I nspection Release Certificate Maximum speed 122 mph grounds for complaining that Frank's restoration didn't in 1939. The plane was given serial number FAL 262 Cruising speed 105 mph deserve the trophies he was sweeping up. Frank had and classified as a Fleet 16F. It had a Warner Super Land ing speed 52 mph done his homework, however, and usually carries a note­ Scarab Series 50 Engine that developed 145 horsepower Service ceiling 14,000 feet book with xerox copies of over a hundred pages of at 2050 rpm . The airscrew was a Curtiss metal fixed Rate of cl imb 900 ft./m in. documentation, tracing the evolution of his special bird. pitch job with an eight-foot diameter. There was an Range 350 miles Actually, the lion's share of credit for art work and upper wing tank that held 20 imperial gallons and a belly There were two "optional" engines; the Ranger craftsmanship currently in Frank's Fleet belongs to Walt tank held 23 more. A factory mod record states "This 6-440B-2 which developed 175 hp. at 2,450 rpm or the Scheibe, who took it on as his 36th complete restoration aircraft departs from the standard Fleet 16F in the fol­ Kinner R-5 which cranked up 160 hp at 1,975 rpm. project, but more about that later. lowing respect: Fork Fixed Tail Wheel, Oil Tank, Engine Testing began early in 1940, but apparently didn't lead to any kind of impressive results in the military THE RESTORATION marketplace. Probably in an effort to secure some gov­ As Frank researched the plane, one obvious question ernment funding, the Brewster Corporation sold the emerged: what do you restore it to? It was a Fleet 16F Fleet as a 16F, serial number 1, to the Penguin Flying in the beginning ..., well, sort of. Then it was a Brew­ Club (i.e ., a dummy corporation) for five bucks. I twas ster B-1, then a Consolidated Fleet 10, then 10F for sold without an engine, but it now had anew, detach­ awhile, then 10 again. The decision was made to rebuild able Motor Mount. it as a Brewster Fleet lOw ith a 125 horsepower Kinner If you think it's getting confusing, you'd better get B5 and a hand carved Fahl in prop. your compass out. The plane was moved into Walt Scheibe's shop and The Penguin Flying Club filed for registration and broken down into a gazillion parts. All the metal parts described the aircraft as a Brewster Fleet 10. They had were stripped. The wings were denuded and in the installed a 125 horsepower Kinner B5, a Hamilton process they discovered nests from some rodent stow­ adjustable prop, and "47 pounds of ballast forward of aways. In the past, fabric and dope dummys had tight­ Firewall." Then an inspection report in 1943 notes that ented the rag to the point that it pulled in the trail ing the "fuselage was altered to conform to original print." edge and puckered the aft tips of all the ribs: "We had to Above: Walt Scheibe applies dope to the freshly recover­ This meant it would conform to ATC No. 374. ed fuselage. (Photo by Frank Delmar) work on every si ngle rib and com pletely replace the ai­ George Hamill, a CAA inspector maintained the Fleet lerons," notes Walt. "All the trailing edges were replac­ while it was with Penguin. Max Goldstein became the ed, then the round head rivets in the leading edges were owner in 1946, which commenced hand-changing ex­ swapped for flush rivets." Old sheet metal was discarded ercises between a long list of private owners. In the for new, a kinked push-pull rod went, the cabanes were process, someone added a Hawoodie Air Starter, some­ replaced along with one of the gear struts. The one else took it off; someone changed to a Curtiss prop, instrument panel was restored to its original pattern and then it went back to a Hamilton; and the engine changed was fitted with vintage instruments. In the three years from a B5 to a B5R (sound familiar?). At one point the and 1,200 hours that Walt spent on the project, he also aircraft was sold for $475. The buyer put down $300 did a total overhaul on the Kinner, including building a and never got around to laying down the balance. Fi­ new oil tank (the old one had rusted out around the nally it came into the hands of Jack Mozian who put top), and replacing all the old copper oil lines with seven hours on it in seven years. It was tail heavy and modern flex lines. badly out of trim. Deviations from the original specs were kept at a Frank Delmar bought it from Jack in 1972 and the minimum. Stainless flying wires were installed in the work started on it shortly after that. interest of safety, the sticks were chrome plated in the

Above: Stretching new fabric over the Fleet's lower wing. All internal parts are painted. (Photo by Frank Delmar)

Below: The Fleet's ready for a tow to Providence Air­ port where it will be rigged and test flown. (Photo by A picture of Frank Delmar's Frank Delmar) Fleet in 7939. It was called a Brewster Fleet B-7 at the time and had a Warn er "Super Scarab" 765. Note the speed cowl and rear view mirror.

4 serviced thousands of airplanes over the years. The planes he's rebuilt from basket cases, or wrecks, include an Arrow Sport, Kitty Hawk, KR-31, OX Robin, AW Cessna, 5 )-3's, Luscomb 8A and TF, Aeronca C-3, two Taylorcrafts, PT-19 and 26, Wildcat (only started), Beech Queen Air, three Bonanzas, three Commanches, three Cherokees, three Cessna 140's, a 172, four Tri­ pacers and Frank Delmar's unique Fleet 10. That adds up to 36, pi us a wealth of knowledge that a lot of people wish they could match. And Walt's really good about sharing it. HONORS Finished and airworthy again in the spring of 1977, the Fleet was ready for dress parade, and Frank was eager to show it off. Later, he'd admit he really wasn't aware of what a fabulous job the rebuild amounted to, until he started dropping in on some fly-ins while enroute to California. It didn't take long to become convinced he had a winner. Last summer he flew 11,000 . miles, logging 129 hours and during that time he picked up 17 trophies, including 4 Grand Champion Awards. He couldn't make Oshkosh last summer, but he's planning on more long trips in '78, and you can be sure he'll be at Oshkosh this summer. It's worth waiting for .•

What goes through a man's mind when he taxis such an exquisite antique past a row of modern look-alikes? (Photo by Paul Mezaro) Having fun out over the Atlantic. (Photo provided by Frank Delmar) interest of cosmetics, and the original 8.50 x 10 tires with nearly full left aileron and hard right rudder". were put aside in favor of 6.50 x 10's. "Handling was beautiful," Frank said of the first The nose dish, of course, is anything but standard. flight at Green. His warm smile and sparkling eyes Brewster had redesigned the engine mount and when endorsed his sincerety. Walt had rigged it right and had they were finished with it, the plane had a swivel mount. also brought the c.g. forward over 4," placing it within With the Penguin Club's new Kinner B5, an exhaust ring the envelope so for the first time in its history, the Fleet was secured right behind the prop. The modified mount balanced. The aircraft now cruises at 85 mph with 1,700 and exhaust ring are a unique feature on N20699. (The rpm at sea level. Stall occurs at 47 mph, but only with engine on it today is a B5R, or rear exhaust, but Walt an idle engine. Walt's observations of Frank's piloting led left the ring on for the appearance of originality as well him to say "Frank doesn't fly that plane, he wears it." as for ballast.) F rank ought to have the right touch with over 27 ,000 Walt covered the fuselage and wings with Grade A hours of flying time. He's a retired Allegheny Captain and Frank, who put another 800 hours into the project, and a former FBO, with forty years of piloting. reports they "screwed it down with 780 Y

5 EAA MUSEUM NEEDS

The following items are needed to carryon the pro­ grams of the EAA Air Museum Foundation. If you can help, please contact Gene Chase, Museum Director, at EAA Headquarters, Telephone 414/425-4860. Dona­ tions to the Museum are tax deductible.

• 25 ton hydraulic press • Porta-power or body jack set (4 ton) Top: Cessna 720 . .. by Dick Stouffer. • Cherry G-704 power riveter CESSNA PROFILES Center: Cessna 770B . .. by Ted Kaston. Air operated automotive bumper jack From the photo files of EAA • Automotive analyzer (Sun Machine) Bottom: Cessna 765 ... by Ted Kaston. • Banding tool for straps W', %" and 1" wide • Cylinder base wrenches for 65 through 0-200 Conti­ nental engines • Cylinder base wrenches for 0-235 through 0-360 Lycoming engines (Hex and Allen head) • Cylinder base wrenches for Continental R-670 and Lycoming R-680 • Crankcase and crank for a Lycoming 0-235 through 0-360. Any condition - for display only. High pressure cleaner (700 psi, 115 v.) • Aircraft tug • Engine slings for R-1820 and V-1650 • Air compressor - 5 hp. or more • Prop (or blades) for BT-13 (R-985) or AT-6 (R-1340) • Belt sander • Floor sander • Sheet metal brake • Small band saw • Paint spray booth • Paint storage cabinets • Electric metal shear • Borescope • Old aviation books • Old photographs • Old blueprints • Old scrapbooks

6 "". J"a CUB TIIBS 8

By: Bob Zedekar Taylor Cub. has some kind of a hulk in that hangar across the strip. (EAA 709778) Looking back, I guess the antique syndrome manifest­ And Tom must be there because his car is parked out­ 3300 Moorewood Court ed itself in the mid 50's when I was working in our side." I thanked the kind man and proceeded to find Sacramento, CA 95827 Seattle sales office. One of my chohorts, Jack Mitchell, Tom. The subject hulk turned out to be a fuselage, tail (Photos provided by the author) was a real antique afficianado - he could tell you how feathers, gear, 3 lift struts, a rusty looking A-40 and 2 Airplanes have always fascinated me but, with WW II, many AN3-11 bolts were used in a Viele Monocoupe. right wings that had been last used as battering rams. college, being gainfully employed and being married, air­ Anyway, Jack and I got to taking in the Watsonville and The nameplate confirmed Tom's contention that it was a planes always seemed to come second. Accordingly, I Merced Airshows and the antique affliction hit. jen-u-wine J-2. It read: TAYLOR AIRCRAFT CO., never logged more than 16 hours. As a 26 year employee In 1964 United transfered me to Sacramento and I BRADFORD, PA: MODEL J-2; SERIAL 886; DATE OF with United Airlines' sales department I have been priv­ soon found a new circle of antiquers. I n the Spring of MFG. Oct. 7, 1936; MOTOR CONT A-40-4. ilaged to fly to all corners of the earth - but that's not '68 I made up my mind to ignore all of the stories of Tom said he would reluctantly sell this assemblage of really flying. My only claim to fame in flying machines is "there ain't no more to be found" and started out on a parts because he was getting married and could use some that I have restored one, and, since I work for United, I concerted effort to locate a rebuild project. Surprisingly, extra cash for his honeymoon. I hated to take advantage like to think of myself as a poor man's Buck Hilbert! I traced down several stored antiques within a 100 mile of Tom's plight but we settled on a price. The next day I As you already know, it's a very simple matter to radius. But, like some old girlfriends, they were either went down in a pickup to retrieve the purchase. When restore an antique. All you have to do is: 1. find one too expensive or too big to handle! we pulled into our driveway it looked like a scene from hanging in a barn, 2. have the owner sell it, 3. have the Then, one fine day, I was bird-dogging Lind's Field Sanford & Son! funds to buy it, 4. have space,. proper tools, know-how south of Sacramento. To the umpteeth person I asked, Har-de-har-har No.1: "It's going to take at least a and more funds. Since I had only vague ideas that such "know of any antiques in any of these hangars?" This year to ge t this bird back into the air." If someone had axioms existed, I succeeded in restoring a 1936 J-2 time the response was, "Yeah. Tom Murphy, the A & P, even suggested eight years I would have quit right then.

7 through the frontside! One pleasant surprise came when the engine was opened up - she was as clean as a hound's tooth inside and met all tolerances from the table of fits. After a valve grind, new rod bearings, new rings, new gaskets and a paint job the Mighty Forty ran and looked like the day it left Muskegon. Making new cowling and the %-inch sled that the seats ride on was a bugger - patterns didn't mean a thing. Then, too, the wings were time consuming (remember­ Rather than ruin a fresh engine Dan put her down on a I had two right wings to start with). Every rib, wire and ranch - finis Merced 1976. Lesson No.1 001: S.A.E. 30 bolt needed attention. After one of the right wings was oil is okay for break-in and short once-around-the-patch back in order I simply made a new left wing by heading hops but it needs heavier stuff for sustained flight on a the spars back in the opposite direction and making a warm day. mirror image - with new wood. • All instruments are original .. . all 4! Swede Johnson NCl7220 wound up with 31 hours in the summer of '76. She's back in the barn for the winter getting sold me an original tach and altimeter. He also sold me a purtied-up for Watsonville and Merced. Or, who knows, I Bob Whittier's 1966 articles in Sport Aviation, "The beautiful new Fahlin prop. Since Wag-Aero was not might even enter the little beauty in a good blimp race­ Forty Horsepower Cubs," were extremely va luable in selling the old vane type airspeed indicators at the time I if they'll give me a reaso nable handicap! • putting No. 886 back into original co nfiguration and made one from a pattern. color schemes. Bob Thompson (Mr. A-40) from Dayton After listening to some lengthy arguments on Stits vs. sent me a lot of welcome advice regarding the engine. Grade A, I decided that Stits would be easier for an And the FAA boys from OKC said that I could have the amateur . By si mpl y reading a book and using a heat gun original N number back· 17220. I think the cover job looks great. My so n, Steve, and I soon learned that our meager "Meanwhile, back at the ranch . .." 8 years later, box of hand tools wouldn 't get the job done. Th en two June 3, 1976 to be exact, the local GADO sent out a turn of events go t the project off dead center. One was representative to give the "OUT HOUSE MOUSE" a new when I sig ned up for eve ning classes at Sacramento City birth certificate. Don Horton dropped into Borges Field Colleges' School of Aeronautics and the other is when I early the next morning to test hop. Unless you have teamed up with John Peck in renting an old block build­ actually experienced the feeling of seeing your labor of ing in the neighborhood. love leave the gro und th ere is no real way to describe it. John (EAA 026985) is an ex Air Force fly-boy with It certainly drai ns all emotions in one short moment. an A & P ticket. He was co mpl eting a Starduster project The pl an was to leave immediately for the Merced and starting on a J-5 rebuild. John is a Rembrandt with Antique Sh ow. Two hours and six courtesy hops later, an acety lene torch. If he has a fault it would be that he Dan Shively and I took off and headed south. We were so metimes forgets to remove hi s fingers from the back­ hardl y out of sight when we noticed the oil pressure and side of a piece of 2024 T3 while he sends the drill temp need les had started to r; reep toward the red line. Right: Ryan STA 1JETTER No. 728 with a Menasco C-4. Built in 7935. (From EAA GfHAN photo file) ~EW• •• By: Dorr B. Carpenter (EAA 277 24L) 225 Saunders Road Lake Forest, I L 60045 An old aircraft or antique, even when gone over and rebuilt to the best standards, is never "better than new." Any plane is only as good as its weakest component; like a chain, it is only as strong as its poorest link. The state­ ment often heard at fly-ins is "that plane is rebuilt better'n new!" On the surface, the fabric job or paint may look better than factory work, but this is only su perfi c ia I. In reality there are many places where an old aircraft can be very tired. Unfortunately, these weaknesses are not always readily apparent and can go undetected through repeated annual inspections. A few obvious examples are crystalized metal parts, rust inside steel tubing, and glue joints no longer holding in wooden structures covered with fabric. Above: Ryan STM-S2 N8746 in 7970. (Photo provided by Dorr This situation was brought home forcibly to me a few years ago in an incident in which no accident occured, as he over-estimated the glide angle of the approach for of any inspection. but could have very easily. his landing. Again, the second time we came in too low The point is that on closer scrutiny, the condition of An old Ryan STM that I brought back from Australia over the corn field. I have a great respect for what a corn the aluminum rod on the outside seemed good, but had was being demonstrated to a prospective customer. The field can do to an aircraft, and I was not too happy corroded from the inside. The situation was th is: at the plane was unusually solid and in "good" condition in about these low power-on approaches over corn. Once time the plane was manufactured and the rod assembled, spite of its 30 years service. That is to say, it looked more power was needed and chopped when the thresh­ a bug had crawled inside the aluminum rod and died. good; it had a low time engine (35 hours since new), and old was made. The landing seemed normal, but when the The resulting chemical action of his remains over the new fabric and paint on an airframe totaling only 350 plane slowed down, I could see something was wrong. years had caused the failure. hours over the years. The throttle quadrant was moving, but the engine was I hope never to hear the "better than new" statement The prospective buyer sat back on the first flight not responding! What if we had needed one more shot of again, and I am sincerely glad to see the antique aircraft around the field and followed through on the controls to power to make the field? removed from the strain of acrobatic competion that get the feel of the plane. These Ryans have a fairly high After the Menasco was shut down, the trouble was they were subjected to in the middle 1960's. Old air­ sink rate with the engine at idle and two pilots on board. ascertained to be a broken push-pull rod. It had snapped planes should be handled and maintained only with When it was h is turn, it became necessary to add power where it passed behind the gas tank and was out of sight gentle care and respect .•

9 recorded with the aircraft file. Here's what I really did ... First I bought some brake kits that were built for a Cessna 180, same weight class Modifying as the Bellanca. I removed the old brakes and fitted the new brakes on the old axles. The old axles were the same size so that saved some work. The brake attaching plate had to have two new bolt holes drilled in it to match the existing plate on the Bellanca. With the new brake a Certified hooked up, it was time to retract the gear and check for interference. The new brake puck hit the retract links upon retraction, so go back to step 1 and turn the brake puck to the forward side of the wheel. Retract the gear Aircraft again, th is time no interference. Now for the taxi test. Boy, they really do work. Now for the paperwork. I filled out a 337, carried it up to the GADO office in By: jim Peale Atlanta along with a drawing of the modification, 577 Ashby Way pictures and data showing where it was approved for the Warner Robins, GA 37093 Cessna 180. Well, the GADO inspector wanted it checked by Engineering because he had no experience with brakes installed on the forward side of the wheels. I (Note: reprinted from The Slipstream, EAA Chapter 38 drove across town to the Engineering office to meet with Newsletter) the Engineer and after he gave it a quick look, he said OK; then back across Atlanta to get the GADO inspector When you own one of the Antique or Classic aircraft, signature, then home. many times a modification becomes necessary to up­ May I suggest that if you want to modify your grade the aircraft for safety or improve its performance. Antique or Classic aircraft you get with an A& I first, One of the problems I've always had with the Bellanca then talk it over with the GADO Inspector before you was poor brakes. Going into short strips was a problem if start into the project. They may know of a good reason you had to really get on the brakes. The original equip­ why it won't work . • ment brakes would heat up and fade if you laid on them. I wanted to upgrade the brakes and put on new modern brakes, both for safety and also due to replacement parts Back - Issues available: THE VINTAGE AI RPLANE being cheaper and readily available. We'll use th is as an example of the proper "legal" way to get new equip­ 1973 - March, April, May, June, July, August, Sept., ment in sta ll ed on "Certified Aircraft" when no supple­ Oct., Nov., Dec. mental type certificate exists. Well, here goes . .. 1974- All 12 First, you get an A&P mechanic to install it. He then fills out an FAA form 337 complete with sketches, 1975 - Jan. thru June, July/Aug., Sept./Oct., and pictures of the modification, and mails it to the local Nov./Dec. FAA GADO office. They'll look at the data presented to 1976 - 10, all BUTJuneandJuly check to see that it doesn't degrade the aircraft perform­ 1977 - All 12 ance or compromise safety. If there's any doubt, they send it to FAA Engineering for their review and Cost: $1.00 each ppd with the exception of the July approval. Once the FAA has approved the 337, they '77 "Spirit" issue @ $1.25. send it back to the ow ner or mechanic. The local A& I Write: Experimental Aircraft Association then comes out to inspect the aircraft to see that th e Box 229 new equipment was installed per sketches, drawings, etc. Hales Corners, WI 53730 After he signs the 337, it goes to Okl ahoma City to be Vintag Men and Theil

Some of E. Photographs by: H. S. F. AIRNIE Postbus HOLLA

Above: Morane Saulnier MS.377 is a very famous French parasol-wing trainer with radial engine. Still in use at some airfields as a glider-tug. Built in the thirties. This was at Luneville. Above: Bucker 737 "Jimgmann". This one was built in S Below: Erla SA was recently restored and based at the airfield of Birrfeld in Switzerland. This one (c/n.74) was built in from the famous BU. 733 "J ungmeister" in having two seaL 7934; and is of German origin. these Swiss ones have a Continental boxer engine. Below: Taylorcraft Plus D. Another oldie is this Taylorer, Cote. Album tage Machines

s's finest m WTTERDAM Above: Klemm L.25-R 15 is a very old German prewar design; still owned by Mr. Kramer at Luxembourg-Findal airport 3004 GA Rotterdam-Airport and in excellent condition.

'and with the Swiss Dornier works at Altenrhein. It differs Above: DH.82A "Tiger Moth" is in fact G-APCU and was painted in its original RA F markings for the film "A Bridge Too 71al Jungmanns have an engine with hanging cylinders, but Far". Based at Gilze-Rijen Air Force Base in Holland.

Below: De Havilland DH 82A, one of the best preserved Tiger Moths in EUrope and seen here at Bern Belp. It has a bright m World War II. It can be seen here at Nyon-Gland a la red and white colour scheme. share. This Norseman had previousl y been operated in South America so who knew what language was on the instruments. I was sure the radio equipment was nil . I had the log books but my Spanish is limited to "Tequila". Currently there are several Canadian and U.S. Flying Services operatirig Norsemen today as people and cargo haulers. The Norseman was design ed by ex Fokker Chief Engineer, Robert Noorduyn and almost 1,000 were built in his Montreal Plant beginning in 1934. The one I flew was built in 1941. Most were des ignated UC-64S for the U.S . Air Force and saw duty in several countries during WW II. This old bird was capable, dependable and big. I'm sure they will take their place in aviation history along with the huge Bellancas, Fairchilds and Stinsons that operated in the bush country all over the world for the past fo ur decades. I remember watching Norsemans pounding in and lifting out of the lake at Wawa, Ontario on Tuesdays and Thursdays back in the 1950's before Highway 17 was wrapped around Lake Superior. You either flew back then or took the train to go shopping in the Soo, and those planes were twenty years old at that time. And the loads they would carry! I once saw a disassembled caterpi li ar un loaded from a Norseman along with some passengers and some loaded 55 gallon drums. Getting back to "my" Norseman, I thought about the problems and equipment that would be involved in this The author and Norseman taking a five at the Island adventure. Since I'd already had some experience in buy­ By: Byron (Fred) Fredericksen Airport Bridge, Knoxville, KY. ing and picking up airplanes I was wary of the phrase 3240 W. Breezewood Lane "it's all gased and ready; all you have to do is get in it Neenah, WI 54956 and go ..." The only thing I was sure of before seeing (Photos by the author) ferried to the Brennand seaplane base on Lake Win ­ the plane was that I would not find any flat tires on it. I nebago, near Oshkosh , Wisconsin, where it was to be made a check list of items I might need, including cash, "You gotta have big feet, eh?" After hearing this disassembled and taken to the Brennand Airport for credit cards, maps, life jackets, rope, more rope, float choice bit of information I thanked Dan Springer and recover and other maintenance. pump, gun boots, sack of tools, cloth tape, chamois, and hung up the phone. Danny 's an FBO in Sault Ste. Marie, It was already the season where Wisconsin lakes a helper. I called a pilot-buddy, Bill Olson, of Neenah Ontario and is qualified in many of the "bush planes" freeze over and since I had been unsuccessful in locating and asked, "how would you like an expense-paid trip used in the Canadian North country. Of particular in­ anyone with a 'pontoon permit' who was also qualified down South to help me man -handle this big float plane? terest to me at that time was his knowledge of the in a Norseman, I decided lowed myself th is trip. Years Be back in a day." He agreed and Delta brought us and Noorduyn Norseman. Danny advised me of the take-off, ago I'd had the chance to sit in a Norseman. The closest our gear to Charlotte the next day. climb and cruise power settings, amount of fuel burned I'd come to flying that type was one take-off and land­ We rented a car, picked up the ferry permit from per hour, as well as flap settings for take-off and landing. ing in an Otter on wheels, and two more in a Beech 18. FAA and drove another twenty miles into South Caroli­ The information was to prove invaluable. At the time, my partner, Chuck Andreas, and I owned a na to see what this airplane looked like before dark. It A friend, Richard Scribner, of Pontiac, Michigan, had Cessna 180 on floats. We also flew Gull Winged Stinsons took some searching through the woods and hills but purchased a Norseman on floats which was located on a and Stearmans; however, it never hurts to listen to the once we found the reservoir it was not difficult to find reservoir near Rock Hill, South Carolina. It needed to be kind of experience that my friend Danny was willing to that big yellow airplane. The Norseman was practically

13 out of the water and it looked huge. Apparently, there that crank. We found the huge twenty-four volt battery one seemed to have a little buoyancy. I got things run­ was a dam somewhere in this water system and someone under the co-pilot's seat, got the tool sack and removed ning and warmed up. I was about to learn something had recently turned a valve. So here sat the better part same. We took the battery back to an FBO at Charlotte, about a Norseman that would interest Springer. That of four tons of hulk on 'two huge floats which were who was just closing for the night and checked in at a item is to never never have the pilot entrance door open stuck in the mud. To add to our delight the thing was motel and then the bar. It started to rai n. "Good," I one hundred eighty degrees against the engine cowl parked in a cove facing directly at a boat house not more thought, "maybe the water level will come up at the while adding power with one's upper torso out the door than eighty feet away. This meant the airplane would lake." open ing so he can peer aft. What happens is that about have to be turned ninety degrees to the right before it The next morning we retrieved the charged-up bat­ the time the prop goes through roughly twenty inches of could go forward in open water. At that point we didn't tery and borrowed a fire extinguisher; then got soaked manifold pressure the door comes flying shut as if Her­ think about how we were going to rotate it in the mud. loading these items in the car ... the rain had not cules was slamming it closed never to come open again! Perhaps the water level would be raised in the reservoir ceased. Back at the Norseman site everything was the I don't know if this crushing blow on my right elbow the next day or so? I removed my boots, climbed up the same; high and stuck on the beach. We installed the caused it or not, but right after that I thought I heard ladders and cowl and walked over the wing spars battery, got all the switches, valves and levers where they hollering from my assistant. I shut down and climbed inspecting the fabric for cracks, etc. The wings looked should be and had the 1340 running a few minutes later. out nursing my elbow. I walked back to Bill who was okay, the fuselage had been converted to metal, but we It ran smooth, sounded good, showed normal readings, now sitting in the lake, mumbling something like : "why did wrap some 'high speed' cloth tape around the ver­ had two mags and a working propeller. I strut the thing don't you come along down South and we will fly this tical fin wh(;!re we found some cracks in the covering. down. Since we were nice and wet already, we waded in nice big airplane back?" While looking for Bill's hat we Next, I found the oil filler and checked its level. We 'd the water up over our boots and tried to move or turn did notice the airplane had moved a few inches. Not too brought oil, three gallons filled it to the neck. Then the the airplane. Mind you, the floats are big and heavy, but bad for a day's work. fuel was checked. The wings held 120 gallons and belly they can be damaged easily by pushing or lifting with The only thing to do was keep trying. We again tanks took forty-five and seventy-five. I was glad it had the tree limbs we were using. We left the scene and went attempted to dig some mud from around the floats with some fuel as gas would have to be trucked in. We ran all to a nearby tavern to seek help. Nobody around but the some boards. We checked the ropes and kept the same the quick drains we could find. We checked all the float innkeeper and she didn't want to accompany us. Back to set-up, this time tying the right front tight to a tree compartments for water, the float fittings and rear door the airplane .... ninety degrees to it with Bill to take up the slack from in hinges for tightness; the engine for bird nests and the I got to thinking about all the power that P&W had. between the two. I again started up, closed the door, and rear outside baggage for snakes. I hate snakes. I found a Soon, Bill took a position behind and under the fuselage eventually she came off the mud and onto the water. survival carton of dehydrated food with a Spanish label, with a rope around a tree and the right front float. That The battery was beginning to weaken from all the starts one 'Brzilia' kerosene lantern and a machete in a sheath. I did not reach into any other dark corners. The only thing left now was to start her up and listen Fuselage was converted to metal sometime during 7960's. to her run. Only then did I think about a fire extinguish­ er. I like to have one when starting round engines. A good backfire and a carb fire could ruin what was left of our day. I carefully slipped into the left front seat (which was a board) and located the primer and electric energizer switch for the inertia starter, along with the boast pump. After a half do ze n strokes on the primer we each got on a float and turned the three-bladed prop through a dozen times and I went back to the captain's chair. I hit the master, boost energizer, mags and every­ thing else that looked important. Then I realized there would be no fire here today. Things were really taking shape now. Bill wanted to know how I knew the battery was dead. I didn't answer. I was saving my strength for the crank which I inserted through the access door in the cowl so I could hand­ crank the inertia. I guess the crank was on board for sentimental reasons. King Kong could not have turned Fuel stop on lake at Kalamazoo, MI. of power lines hanging over it. Somehow, over the terrif­ pilot's place and tied to his dock for the night. As we ic engine noise in the cabin plus the distraction of a relaxed at our new friend's bar, Bill asked him if he so after dropping the water rudders I taxied around on two-hand flap crank and step position to reckon with, enjoyed his ride. He said "ya atta wear ear plugs in that the lake to charge it up and gain practice turning the his shouting and motions managed to indicate the thing." thing. The rain had turned to mist in the late afternoon amount of open water out there and where the fog The rain had stopped by the next morning but it was and a fog was setting in. I saw a beer sign on the far end covered hills would start to rise in front of us. extremely hazy as the car rental agency man drove us of the lake and drove over to a dock on which stood this I looked out and down at the float wave as it came down to Rock Hill. Flight Service had said they had 3 friendly looking fellow who announced he had been forward and though I couldn't feel it, we had to be on miles with haze and it should improve this A.M. looking at that yellow airplane across there for a month the step. I brought the big round wheel back and we "Supposed to be good at 6,000," they said. The hills on and had promised himself a ride in it before it left his came unstuck right under the power lines with lots of either side of the lake were hidden in the murk as we lake. I informed him "I never flew one of these before, room ahead to turn around at the end of the valley. I taxied. I explained to Bill about how he should watch do you still wish to go?" "Yup." When I said let's go he figured I had used 2 miles to get off. At 500 feet we for boats during the take-off run and hold the prop lever grinned, put on a life jacket, and soon we started down were at the cloud base. We made a few turns, cranked full forward as the lock wouldn't hold. I cranked the lake. We were in a valley which had an enormous set the flaps and ailerons down and landed back at my co­ some flaps down and told Bill I'd talk to him again when

15 we throttled back after take-off. Once more it took me and clear we should go back from whence we came. below. I'd been out three hours and fifteen minutes two miles to get it flying. At five hundred feet I came Pabst Blue Ribbon was there again and after helping now. Since I knew the wing tanks had been almost full I back to cruise settings and could see nothing out front us tie to the shore insisted we come with him to his should have another hour besides what was in the belly but that huge cowl jumping around. You could only see home, meet his wife and family and have supper there. tanks. I saw another hole to the southwest, went to it, straight down and even that was very hazy. I wanted to His home was a lovely little ranch type layout on the saw an airport below and let down, but no water. The get above the layer of haze so we began to climb. At side of a lush green hill and we were glad to play guitar, map showed some water north of Knoxville so with my twenty-five hundred all I got was a glimpse of the sing and enjoy a swell meal of corn bread, blackeyed oily feet I steered that way and sure enough, I found ground now and then. I'd already lost our position on peas, ham and grits. Our host drove us back to a motel in water. the map and knew there were better than 6,000-foot town with one hand on the wheel, the other holding a I landed on this nice big lake half wishing it was too hills up north of Charlotte. So I brought the power back beer... he had a beer in his hand the entire time I knew small to get back out of. I taxied to a sand beach, got on the old bear and began S-turning, looking for that him . Said he would have his own marina some day and the tool sack and removed all the engine cowling. Jgot a foolish river I'd lost. We had been in the air an hour there would always be beer in the fridge. I thought to pail of gas from a drum stored on board and washed the now. myself - three days gone - should have been home by oil out of the airplane. After the engine had cooled I It was raining again when I found a bridge, dam and now. poured ten gallons of gas on it as there was oil all over. I river all at the same time. With both hands Bill got the The next morning the weather was really sour. Fog was going to clean the engine; fly it five minutes, land flaps and ailerons down, while I made a step landing in a and rain. Bill then decided he should get back home to and find out where the oil was coming from. After soak­ wide stretch of the river. We'd passed over some kind of his business. He took a jet out of town and I went to the ing it with gas I thought "here's another chance, it'd a building near the dam so we turned around and taxied FSS and learned this weather pattern was going to burn good now." about a mile back to where it was and saw this figure remain stationary for at least one more day. Two days While the engine was drying off I walked to a house a drinking beer and waving us in. The floats hit the sandy later I took off under a 6,000 foot broken layer. The half mile away. I called the local airport and was inform­ bottom twenty feet from shore so we shut down, got a boys at Flight Service had asked me to fly low across the ed their gas truck had no license tags. Knoxville, thirty rope on the floats and walked through a foot of water to airport so they could see this Norseman. After that I miles south, was the closest place for aviation gas. I call­ get there. Right about now I was wishing the airplane went to 9,500 feet and headed across the hills toward ed the Beech dealer there at Island Airport and was would go over the dam. Two and a half days were shot. Kalamazoo, Michigan, where there is a seaplane base on informed that if I would land in the river and taxi west After learning we were in Hickory, North Carolina, a big lake. to the Island Bridge in back of the airport they would about 80 miles from where we had taken off we phoned By flying north for an hour and thirty minutes I got bring a gas truck and gas me from the bridge. However, the FSS . They said the weather was not going to break a feel for the airplane. Then I became aware that there the river was narrow there. as fast as they'd forecast, but if we could get to Charles­ had been no holes down below for the past half-hour. I I thought good, maybe a low tree branch would tear a ton, West Virginia, we'd be in the clear and over the went to 10,000 feet where I could see for a hundred wing off and I could jet home. I then called the Island river. Going cross country in a seaplane is a real problem. miles. Everything was solid at 7,000 feet and there was Tower, told them of our plan and was advised to come Seaplane bases are scarce. I knew there was one that's this oil that began to appear from an access door in the along and watch for a light signal. Back at the lake I man-made at Dayton, Ohio. I got the phone number firewall. A little oil is one thing, but soon my feet were reinstalled the cowl, emptied my drum into the wings, from my trusty guide book and had a talk with the sliding in it as more and more came. The stuff began pushed a stick into the oil filler neck - found some,and Dayton man. "How much of a water runway do you running out of the front office onto the rear cabin floor flew down to Knoxville. After that hop I thought I'd have?" "Four thousand feet." "Do you know what a and it continued until I knew for sure that a couple find out where the oil leak was . I got a green light, Norseman is?" "No." He pointed out that he'd got his gallons had gone by. Another 45 minutes elapsed with landed, heard someone shout (with a megaphone) that float rating in a Champ. He added that a Cessna 195 on no holes in the clouds so I turned around to go back there is a three knot current. It was a pleasure to see floats had come in the other day "and he got out." He where I'd last seen some. I fully expected that engine to someone come with a boat to tow me to the bridge after also mentioned there was this power line at one end, run out of oil and seize right there in front of me. It was I got stuck in the trees. "however, it's marked with orange balls." Just what I'd difficult to watch anything but the oil pressure gauge. I One fellow handed the hose down from the truck expected, I thanked the man and hung up. really did condition my mind that I'd have to let down while others sat on the edge of the bridge pushing We took on three hours of fuel and the nice young through the clouds over this country where everything against the cowl with their feet to keep the prop from fellow with the beer (I wish I could remember his name) stands on edge. If there was no water I simply had to getting damaged. The airplane was as slippery as a held us in the river current with a boat until I got the land keeping the front end between the trees as the greased hog as it really had gotten an oil bath. But I got engine started. We took off in the haze once again know­ wings came off. If I'd had a parachute I'd have jumped the four tanks and extra drum filled without falling in ing we would have to go through a 6,800 foot pass. At out. I could tell the owner it went over the dam and the river. I now had 1,800 Ibs. of fuel. Only a very slight four thousand we were in clouds, couldn't see "anything disappeared at Hickory. I lit what I knew was my last amount of oil had been lost on the last thirty mile flight. and with no radio and undependable gauges it was loud cigarette when I suddenly saw this hole 3,000 feet A stick showed a good amount of oil in the tank so I

16 figured the 23 ga llons I had in it at the start was just too rear door, intending to climb down with some rope much. It just plain coughed out about three gallons as it when I slipped on the top rung of the oily ladder and heated and foamed up. Later I learned 16 gallons is landed on my right knee right on the edge of the plenty, but I never did find the dip stick. concrete wall four feet below. The lights went out. I paid the good people, got towed out into the main As I started to come to I was aware of how good the stream with tile boat and taxied down a mile for take­ cold wet concrete felt. Someone had put a jacket under off. I saw a green light from the tower and hoped that my head. From somewhere came a thought "maybe my any boater tearing around the bend in the river from the feet are not big enough for this airplane." I also reached south would have good brakes because I was going to be down with my sore right arm and felt a big tear in my right at the corner at lift off. I got off and headed north, trousers. I discovered the same size tear in my right hoping to make Lake Michigan before dark; perhaps knee. I wanted to cry but instead I found myself listen­ even Meigs at Chicago. An hour later Lexington went by, ing to this voice saying "you can't land on this lake," then Cincinnati and finally I was out of those blasted and, "I would like to see yours and the airplane's hills and a man can see where he is going. What I saw was papers." The voice's owner was wearing a cap and jacket lots of black in the north and Dayton had their lights on with stars pinned on each. He then went to his car and as I pounded on by. picked up a radio mike. Midway between Dayton and Fort Wayne is a little My leg was really hurting as I tried to help some folks town called Celma. Next to it is a large lake or flowage. tie the float struts to the wall. I don't believe the officer Huge Norseman wing ready for new cover. It was raining now, getting dark, and a good south wind knew I had hurt myself until I came dragging over to his was at work. I could see white caps on the water as I circled low over the town and lake looking for wires. I After rebuild and assembly a crane lowers airplane onto floats. saw this building with a beer and food sign and on whose roof was the word motel. Next to it was a sea wall and manmade breakwater. Just what old Fred ordered. I came in low and slow on the heels with everything back in my lap. This water was not deep and stumps could be anywhere, so I wanted to stop 'quick'. I did, turned, and headed for the breakwater openi ng with the wind push­ ing hard on my back. I watched the waves roll into the harbor, hitting against the concrete wall where I would have to go. I decided not to sail in backwards without an observer on the back end somewhere. Even at a very slow idle something as big as this air­ plane gets moving pretty good in a big wind. I shut down at the harbor entrance moving much faster than I would have liked . The big ox started to turn 180 degrees into the wind. I went to the rear of the cabin, grabbed the paddle and was out through the right rear door and onto a float in three seconds. I would have had as much success trying to paddle the Queen Mary. But suddenly some kind soul called out from the crowd that had gathered on the wall saying if I wanted some tires he had two in the trunJ< of his car. I said, "yes sir, get'em." Five people caught the tail as it came in over the wall. The tires appeared as the airplane swung parallel to the wall and the floats slammed against them. I was parked. My nerves were shot and I was tired from the day's events. I went to the cockpit, tied the yoke, and came back to the

17 th is trip. As I flew by some of the tallest and newest buildings in the world on the Chicago lakefront I thought about the mud huts this old airplane probably cast its shadow on over the Amazon or wherever else it went. Two hours later we were on Lake Winnebago at Oshkosh. Four days enroute, fourteen hours flying time, and just under 500 gallons of fuel to fly a thousand mile trip! I didn't intend to tell a hairy story here. As it happen­ ed, I encountered bad weather. Being alone to man­ handle the airplane on the water did not help. I know the Norseman is not a big airplane to the transport pilot. It is an easy airplane to fly once you get it in the air and it would be fun to have up north where you can find seaplane bases made for equipment like this. i will probably never get a chance to fly one again. I have not checked, however, there may be as few as 30 or 40 of these models flying at this point in time. Aside from the DC-3's, Beech 18's and a handful of Lockheed 10's and 12's the Norseman is about the only other "antique" airplane operating commercially today. I wonder how many readers have even seen a Norseman Norseman owner, Richard Scribner, Pontiac, MI. on floats other than while on a Canadian or Alaskan hunting or fishing trip. This airplane could cease to exist car with my bleeding leg. I opened the door, sat down hearing my adventures of the past few days and my in my time. It's a lot of airplane for the average antiquer and announced that "right now and in this order" I was promise to remove myself and that float plane in the to buy, rebuild and fly. going to that motel, right there, get a room, get my morning come hell or low water he decided to forget the My adventure took place in 1973. During '74 and '75 bloody wet clothes changed, get a doctor to sew up my whole thing. I put my aching bones to bed. the airplane was disassembled, inspected and serviced. knee, come back to th is restaurant, eat and then proceed Four days now. All fabric surfaces were recovered with Ceconite. The to drink all the beer in the place. "And after that if you At dawn there was no more than a 300 foot ceiling huge wood spars were sanded and varnished. Many parts want to come and get me, I'll give up." Then I added, "if with rain. I untied the Norseman, kicked it with my left were replaced: glass, instruments, cables, etc. The overall you would Ii ke to have an airplane you can have that foot, checked the oil and quick drains, and dragged it to airplane was still in remarkably good condition after yellow one, free!" He asked if I wished to go to a the mouth of the harbor. I tied it to a post there, started more than thirty years of service. The Edo 7170 floats doctor. I told him I could manage okay. He said "I'll be it and let it run for 20 minutes. It was cold out. It was were cleaned up and painted. The finish paint colors are back about 8 o'clock." too early for most folks to be up but I knew they would red, white and yellow. Dick took the airplane over to a During the next couple of hours I accomplished all be soon, as I had to take off right over the town. I tried lake near Pontiac this past summer. the things I told the officer I would do. He showed up at to hold back a grin . For my part, I'll have to oe content now and then to 8:00 in the restaurant. I had brought in the airplane The floats of an airplane leave a track in the water for look at the lantern, I removed from the baggage papers and ferry permit. For the first time in the twenty some time, same as a boat. I taxied way across the lake, compartment, which is hanging in my home. I like to years I've had one, I was asked to produce my pilot's dodging stumps. On the take-off run one can follow his guess about all the places it and the Norseman visited. license and medical certificate. It turned out the officer track on the water which I did. I flew at 200 feet watch­ It is quite a seaplane .• was an ex-military pilot and knew about such things. ing for towers and finally broke out in the clear right Next I got a lecture about how dangerous it was to land over the Goshen, Indiana Airport (all I needednow was on this lake with all the stumps out there. Furthermore to be reported for flying too low). the lake was restricted to seaplanes and I had violated Believe it or not the balance of the trip was made in that code. The city fathers had even called the police good weather with no further problems as I pounded station to find out what was going on out there with across the lower end of Lake Michigan right up to Meigs .~. ~ that airplane. The officer was really a nice guy. After Field 50 feet off the water. I had to have some fun on I":

18 _. - 01 - -.- _ . Article and photos by: David Gustafson, Editor (Note: This will be the first in a series of Tips. If you've got any secret methods or tools for refurbishing aircraft materials please share them with us. Photos or diagrams will help a lot.) Bud Labutski (548 W. Chestnut, Burlington, WI 53105) has pretty much traded in his free time options to lead the restoration work on the EAA's B-25J. Bud's dedication, and that of his fellow volunteers, has co ntributed to the steady progress on the project and his experiments to restore the finish of the bomber have produced some glittering results. Granted, shining up the thick hide of a B-25J won't be a very common event in the Antique/Classic world , but the technique may work nicely on something made of thinner stuff, say a Swift for example. Naturally, you shou ldn't attempt any method on a large scale without some ex perimentation in a small remote area. Bud's process on the B-25 J started after he'd stripped off four to seven coats of paint. He was left with a dull surface of aluminum oxide, broken on ly by occasional islands of corrosion that were easily identified by .chromate primer which wouldn't come off. To penetrate the dullness, Bud starts with a lib eral hand ap plication of Dupont's 202S (orange) Lacquer Rubb ing Com pound. Th e paste is aggressively rubbed over the entire surface and into seams and the spaces between rivets. Let it dry thoroughly, then take an auto 7. Bud rubs in the 2025. .. . body buffer with a sheep's wool polishing disc and apply the disc at a sharp angle. Flatten the pad when passing 3. 5wirllines are evident. .. . down a row of rivets or a seam. Keep it moving or you'll burn the alu minum . It may be necessary to make a 2. And buffs the dried compound. ... couple passes, but it won't take long to get some shiny results. Now buff again with a clean pad, make sure that all th e 202 is off, th en rub on 303S (orange) Machine 4. But someday soon . ... Polishing Compound, which is a finer grit. Again, you'l l need two pads and several passes. The final pudding is number 101 S (whi te) Rubbing Compound. Remove the first coat with your auto buffer and take off any sub­ seq uent coats with a twin disc buffer which will remove the swirl marks left from the larger discs. No, you will not have factory new surfaces, but if the skin wasn't deeply gouged in the first place, it'll look remark ably decent in the end. Ce rtai nly , everyone who's seeri the work on the B-25 J has been pleasantly surpri sed, including hard workers like Cletus Ehler, John Gadeikis, Jon Lawrence, Andy McClelland, Andy Gel­ ston, and Bill Pau I. • EAA has received numerous requests fro m various organizations within the sport aviation community, asking for divisional status. Your EAA Board of Directors has given these requests serious consideration tAe YELLOW J-3 CUB

and have decided that expanding the number of divisions FIRST NATIONAL BANK Of ANYTOWN 400 would not be possibl e at this time. Expansion would AnytOWf'l. u.s...... ,,,.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:::::::=:;.;..•.

':0 I I >... ~ SE, 7': ,,' I I >" ' ~ SE,,,' WHISTLING IN THE RIGGING By Tom Poberezny PLANE CHECKS

Each year the Experimental Aircraft Association has A NEW WAY TO IDENTIFY WITH " YOUR THING" grown, both in size and in stature. EAA has become the Regular bank checks emblazoned with a flying yellow J·3 Cub I recognized and respected leader of the sport aviation Complete the order form , and write out your check . I\ow, get a community. An important part of the EAA growth has deposit slip from the same account, and clearly indicate any changes or other notations as you wish it to appear on the checks. been its divisions .. . the Antique/Classic, Warbirds of (These two documents will furnish us all the data we need to make America and the International Aerobatic Club. your checks compatible with your bank's computer, and Amer. EAA Headquarters has worked closely with division Bank Ass'n specs .) On gift orders, send your check and mark his leadership in providing the services necessary for sound check VOl D. Please allow 3 weeks for delivery. Start Using Plane Checks Now! growth . For example, EAA handles memberships, inquir­ Your old checks will always be good. ies and purchasing for the Antique/Classic Division. The expertise of our Headquarters staff allows your Board to concentrate on matters of policy as well as taking advan­ Identity Check Co . Box 149·0 Park Ridge, III. 60068 tage of the sources of supply we have developed over 25 "Activate" my order for Plane Checks, starting No. _____ 0300·$7.50 0 600·$12.75 0 900-$17.75 years of experience. Dear Mr. Kelch, Plane Check.s are top bound ~ one part deposit slips and registers are .ncluded In each order. Your October 1977 number is the finest. I have had Dave Gustafson has been added to our staff so that __ Checkbook cover $.50 $ the pleasure of reading about the Old Johnson Mono­ each division has a direct contact at Headquarters who o Yellow J-3 Cub plane. You appreciate fine mechanical work and know can work with them in solving problems. In additio n, n PIPER Assortment n BeeCH Assortment o NORTH CENTRAL DC·9 Dave will be assuming the important position of Editor what you are writing about - too bad that a ll the o Cherokee· o Sundowner· o CONTINENTAL DC· l0 D Arrow· [l V Bonanza· o HELICOPTER IBELLI of the VINTAGE AIRPLANE Magazine. We are striving Johnson family is dead . They never had proper recog­ tJ Seneca II· rJ Baron- [] P·51 MUSTANG [] BREEZY' U CURTISS JENNY' rl NATIONAL DC·l 0 to provide and insure stability and planned growth for nition. n CESSNA Assortment o TWA L-1011 o AMERICAN DC· l0 I witnessed most of the flights made at or near Terre n Hawk· [J PSA 727 U EASTERN L·l0ll each division so that as leadership changes, continuity n 210 Centurion" fl BD·5 [] WESTERN DC-l0 remains. Haute - but had nothing to do with the building of the 0 310· U MOONEY [] PITTS SPECIAL' U UNITED DC·l0 Not only have the divisions provided tremendous sup­ plane - nor the motor used in it. ·Pleo$e allow 10 extra days to process the5e checks. port at the ann ual EAA convention, but they also work I married the sister of the Johnson Brothers in 1910 All check backgrounds are blue (except J·3 Cub) closely with EAA in dealing with gove rnment. Many and moved to the country not far from where the 1911 Ship via 0 UPS (insured) 0 Parcel Post 0 WEST COAST add times EAA has been asked by FAA to provide input to 1913 flights were made. one dollar- we'll fly it! concerning regulations and programs. Th e specialized I was a good friend of Ross L. Smith (Smitty) and last Ship To : ______expertise of the divisions allows us to provide accurate saw him in 1933 where he was a reporter on the Wash­ information on questions that relate to their area of ington Post. Address interest. This self-policing approach is most important in I hel ped the Broth ers start the Motor Wheel Company City State Zip ____ our continuing efforts to protect our rights to fly . .. at South Bend and later the OB Motors - both Harry both safely and economically. (continued next page)

2C Johnson and I retired in 1935 and Harry was my closest neighbor here on the farm until his death. I do have a lot of old Johnson printed matter clip­ pings, magazines, photographs, slides, etc., so if you (:LA§§I-=I~() want to ask any questions about the early plane - that may not be too clear to you, just fire away and I will try A()§ my best to help you . ADVERTISING CLOSING DATE: 10TH OF THE SEC­ Sihcere ly, OND MONTH PRIOR TO PUBLICATION DATE. (THAT IS: MARCl;f 10TH IS CLOSING DATE FOR MAY ISSUE) CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATE: ­ Warren M. Conover Regular type per word 35c. Bold face type: per word Route 1 Box 108 40c. ALL CAPS: per word 45c. (Minimum charge Culver, IN 4651 1 $5.00). (Rate covers one insertion one issue). CASH WITH ORDER Address advertising correspO,ndence to ADVERTISING MANAGER, THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Box 229, Fairchild 77 Built in 7928 Hales Corners, WI 53130. Dear Mr. Kelch, Make all checks or money orders payable to EXPER­ Th ank you very mu ch for the coverage of the Johnson IMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION. Brothers aircraft in THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE. To de­ Dear Paul , I thought I would drop you a line and let you know 1936 J-2 CUB 90% restored. New Piper cowlings, new vote an entire issue to one subject seems to me to be a ribs and spars, seats, tires, brakes. Plane is unassembled. very good idea. that I saw the Spirit of St. Louis on TV last week flying over Chicago. You were doing the talk ing in the show. Highest offer over $4,000. Bud Huff, 623 Western Ave­ Shall prize it very much. One thing I miss is a cut nue, Anehime, CA 90820 away drawing such as the one of the EAA Biplane in the You mentioned in your letter that you will have a 1965 copy of the Light Pl ane Guide published by Stinson SM8A for a chase plane. That brought ol d MOO N E Y M1 8 series service instruction manual. Superior Publications, 14 West Superior Street, Duluth memories back, I flew one of those high wing Stinson's a Includes aircraft specifications, equipment lists, rigging 2, MN , at that time. lot in the 30's and 40's, but I don't remember for sure if information, parts list with drawings. $15.00 pd"stpaid. Understand Headquarters has a copy of, OF MONO­ it was a SM8A or a 7 A. The man that owned it had a Flite-Comm Electronics, 3605 E. Spring Street, Long COUPES & MEN by Underwood . Enclosed please find 450 hp Wright hung on the nose of it, but I guess it Beach, CA 90806 originally came out with a 220 hp engine. The bush check for $10.00 to cover purchase of copy of this E RCOUPE 415-C service manual. Includes aircraft pilots in these mountain areas hung big engi nes on those book. Whatever's left goes to the museum . spee i fi cations, equipment list, rigging information, old airplanes to be able to operate in short and high Is there any information available on the Huntington inspection procedures, drawings and repair instructions. altitude fie ld s. H.12 - Motorcycle engined monoplane as published in $15.00 postpaid. Flite-Comm Electronics, 3605 E. I recall this Stinson was pretty nose heavy when you 1919 in aerial age mag? Th e article is by Wes Farmer. Spring Street, Long Beach, CA 90806 Mr. Dwight Huntington was a draftsman during World were flying it without a load . You didn't dare get on the War I at the Curtiss Pl ant in Buffalo, New York (i n Light brakes very hard when landing. AERONCAS - How to buy, rebuild, operate. Free Plane Guide). I am sending you a picture of a Fairchild "71" that I details, send stamped addressed envelope. Aeronca Club, used to own when I was in the bush flying business. 14100 Lake Candlewood Court, Miami Lakes, FL 33014 Sincerely, It was a 7-place, with the pilot sitting up front along MISe. FOR SALE and with a stick, same as the B-1 Ryan was. The rudder Antique aircraft wind generator. Streamlined. British Albert Neumann pedals were located so your feet hung straight down when flying it. I could haul up to a ton of freight in it. manufacture - $150.00. e. Seaborn, R.R. No.9, Calgary, 1350 Davine Drive Alberta T2J 5G5. Glendale Heights, IL 60137 Sincerely , COMPLETE SET OF THE VINTAGE AI RPLANE for sale. Issue one to the present. John Eney, 115 S. 8th Tom Ki iskila Street, Quakerstown, PA 18951. Phone 215/441-2591 Box 352 days. '- Profino, 10 83544 21 Are you restoring a Classic?

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