t was a fairly short hop from started a family. Being do-it-your- 1947 ad. Antiquers Aerodrome in Del- selfers at heart, he and his wife, ray Beach to Sun ’n Fun for Peggy, decided to go into their own Richard Preiser and his Stin- printing business. The sale of the son, but it was a decades-in- Corvettes funded that venture, and Ithe-making journey for them to just as soon as the business was arrive there together. Richard was profitable, Peggy suggested he buy ing around that Stinson was all it just a teenager when he started back one of the Corvettes. Instead, took—Richard was hooked. “I told learning to fly in 1969. He soloed he decided to pick up flying again my son that I was going to trade the at Pompano Beach, but wasn’t mak- and bought a Piper Arrow—and Cessna 150 for a Stinson,” he said, ing much money at the time and later, a Cessna 150 for his son. chuckling. “Brian is now a captain couldn’t afford to continue lessons. Years later he was bitten by the on Colgan, flying for Continental.” So when he went into the Air Force, vintage bug, after he struck up a Kevin, an airline pilot who is he flew with its aero club and earned friendship with fellow Floridian also a certificated flight instructor his private certificate just three days Kevin Proodian, who had been fly- and an airframe and powerplant before leaving for a tour of duty in ing radio-controlled airplanes with (A&P) mechanic, loves flying clas- Vietnam as a weapons mechanic, Richard’s son, Brian. When Kevin sic tailwheel airplanes. He good- loading bombs in airplanes. bought a Stinson 108-3, he fre- naturedly steered Richard away After returning to the States, he quently flew it over to Antiquers from buying an early-model Stin- bought two Corvettes, married, and Aerodrome to visit the Preisers. Be- son 108 that hadn’t flown in 20- 6 DECEMBER 2009 One Outstanding Stinson Flying Station Wagon… . . . Soon to be joined by its sister ship by Sparky Barnes Sargent SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

1948 ad. after a brief conversation, he sent this manner: “New! America’s first Gene a deposit for the Stinson, sight personal ‘cargo’ plane! See the new unseen—and then asked Peggy for Stinson Flying Station Wagon. Re- permission to buy it. inforced 24-cu.-ft. cargo compart- ment in 2-tone plywood paneling Flying Station Wagon equipped with tie-down straps. A odd years, telling him, “If it hasn’t All told, more than 5,000 of the side-loading baggage compartment run in that long, you’re going to Stinson 108 series were manufac- offers an additional 11 cu. ft. of car- spend something like four times tured. According to FAA Aircraft rying space. Carries pilot and 600 the purchase price to get it in flying Specification No. A-767, the Model cargo pounds, or pilot, one pas- condition. If you want a pristine air- 108-3 was similar to the 108-2, with senger, and 500 cargo pounds. Two plane, let’s look around for one. Just the exception of “larger fuel tanks, rear seats can be replaced in 5 min- a couple of weeks later, NC6364M structural changes for increased utes’ time. Ideal ‘utility’ plane for showed up on Barnstormers [web- gross weight, revised vertical tail ranchers, farmers, sportsmen, and site]. It was an Oshkosh 2006 Clas- surfaces, and a controllable rudder flying businessmen.” sic Reserve Grand Champion, and trim tab, [which replaced the] rud- Powered by a 165-hp Frank- I told him it would be a good air- der bungee.” lin 6A4-165-B3, the Flying Station plane.” Richard called owner and In 1947, a utility version of the Wagon measures 25 feet 2 inches restorer Gene “Pete” Engelskirger of Model 108 Voyager was introduced, from nose to tail, has a wingspan Hinckley, Ohio, in early 2007, and and its attributes were marketed in of 33 feet 11 inches, and reaches VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7 a height of 7 feet 6 inches in level “About a month attitude. It weighs 1,320 pounds empty and has a useful load of after I bought 1,080 pounds. Its maximum struc- tural cruising speed is 126 mph, with a cruise speed around 108 64M, I thought, mph—just right to enjoy some fresh air from its sliding windows. ‘Wouldn’t it be With a 50-gallon fuel capacity (a 25-gallon tank in each wing) and a neat to have two 10-gph fuel burn, it offers a range of around 540 miles. airplanes with If you look carefully at the Stin- son’s wings, you’ll notice slots in consecutive serial the leading edges, which increase the airflow over the ailerons at high numbers.’. . ..” angles of attack, thereby providing greater stability and control. And —Richard Preiser the slightly offset vertical stabilizer (for the 1948 model) helps counter- act the torque of the 165-hp Franklin engine. Slotted wing flaps enhance takeoff performance, and landings were cushioned by the cantilever gear’s oleo-spring shock absorbers. BARNES SARGENT SPARKY Kevin Proodian (kneeling) and The Model 108-3 Flying Station Richard Preiser—these longtime Wagon sold for $6,484 in 1948, ac- friends are both aficionados of cording to aviation historian Joseph Stinson 108-3s. Juptner (U.S. Civil Aircraft, Vol. 8). Touted as being roomy and soundproofed, with quick takeoffs of its first owner. Later, while Rich- battery drain hose originally went and slow landings, Consolidated ard was focused on his family and through the empty hole, and a ser- Vultee Aircraft Corporation fur- printing business, NC6364M was vice bulletin put it where it is now. ther enticed its targeted share of doing touch-and-goes between var- This was to eliminate acid on the the market by advertising that “be- ious owners from Nebraska to Flor- gear leg paint. ginners can solo this spin-resistant ida, and then on to Ohio, where it •“Franklins had red lettering on Stinson in only about eight hours’ languished for a number of years. the rocker covers. [But] not in the flying time!” and thereby offered Gene Engelskirger, who restored later production years, according to a “special flight plan for business the airplane, wrote this about [the late Charlie Hart], a former em- and professional men … your Stin- NC6364M: “[It had] been around ployee of Franklin Aircooled Motors. son dealer will teach you to fly, the Cleveland area since 1972 and •“A lot of Stinsons have cowling free—up to and including solo.” It was tied down next to my first res- props on both sides. [But] per the was a winning campaign, appar- toration at Columbia Station air- Stinson parts book, they only had ently, since another company ad port 34 years ago. Bernie Ockuly one on the right side for oil stick proclaimed that “… Stinson has bought the basket in 1987 and and cap access. become America’s biggest-selling started the long process of bring- •“The aircraft was delivered with 4-place personal plane—especially ing her back to life. Bernie got the a Scott 3-24 BS tail wheel, item 202 with ‘over-40’ owners who fly for RV bug, and I picked up the project (a), which was a 6-inch hard rubber business and pleasure.” in 1995. It was going to be a quick unit. It was replaced with a Scott one-to-two-year deal that was fi- 3200, item 202 (c), in July of 1950. NC6364M nally finished 11 years later.” • “The aircraft was delivered Manufactured by Consolidated He also enumerated a few po- with a Sensenich wood propeller. Vultee Aircraft Corporation–Stin- tentially controversial and inter- In July of 1950, a metal McCauley son Division in Wayne, Michigan, esting details derived from his was installed.” in April 1948, it took nearly two restoration research: Karl Engelskirger helped his fa- years for this particular Flying Sta- •“There are two holes on the un- ther with the restoration, and he tion Wagon to arrive in the hands derside of the right gear leg. The shared some information about 8 DECEMBER 2009 Richard is making good progress on NC6365M, shown here with NC6364M on the back lawn of his home in Florida. COURTESY RICHARD PREISER PHOTOS SPARKY BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS SPARKY

Left: Stinson 4—The interior gentleman in California who and panel of NC6364M. was parting out several Stin- sons had one that still had the Below left and above: latches on the position lights. Close-up views of panel. Then the only thing we were missing was the ceramic insu- what is perhaps the Stinson’s lator that goes on the tail, and most unusual original fea- I found one from another Stin- ture—the low-frequency an- son, so we were able to piece tenna for shortwave radio. It the whole thing together.” stretches from the top of the To keep the panel looking as fuselage to each wingtip and original as possible, Gene and the tail, and surprisingly, its Karl mounted a small sliding presence isn’t discernable in tray behind the old Hallicraft- flight. “The radio antenna in- ers shortwave radio. This ra- stallation was a joy,” recalled dio can be removed, thereby Karl as he smiled. “That air- allowing easy access to the plane was untouched from the new radio, which is mounted time it left the factory; it had on the tray. To make the air- the original panel, radios, and plane practical for cross- interior. The only thing miss- country flying in present-day ing was the antenna, and a airspace, updated avionics VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9 PHOTOS SPARKY BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS SPARKY The aileron hinge fairings are made of cast aluminum. Baggage capacity in this compartment is 100 pounds. and other items include an Ameri- minum spars are riveted together, the Stinson and fly it together to King AK-350 encoder, a Bendix/ making it hard to replace the spars. Florida. It was a memorable occa- King KT 76A transponder, and a But we finally got that cleaned up. sion—especially since their return Whelen A650 navigation/strobe The fuselage and wings were cov- cross-country was encumbered first light system (in place of the origi- ered with the Poly-Fiber system, by low ceilings and then, as they nal Grimes navigation lights). A and the entire airplane was painted flew farther south, by very thick four-place Flightcom 403mc inter- with Aerothane.” smoke from intense forest fires in com was installed, along with an southern Georgia. Ameri-King AK-450 emergency lo- Current Caretaker But they made it successfully, and cator transmitter, and a Bendix/ Thirty-eight years after Richard back in Florida, Kevin gladly stepped King KLX 135A GPS/comm. first started taking flying lessons, into his flight instructor role to help According to Karl, the Stinson and 59 years after NC6364M was Richard learn how to fly the tailwheel had been tied down outside for manufactured, the time had finally airplane, as well as the nuances of many years and corrosion had be- arrived for the two to become ac- coaxing the very best performance gun in the wing spars. “That was quainted and begin their journey out of the Flying Station Wagon. Re- difficult to deal with,” he said, “be- together. Richard and Kevin trav- calling those lessons with a chuckle, cause the stamped ribs and alu- eled via airline to Ohio to pick up Richard said, “It took a while to 10 DECEMBER 2009 make the transition from tricycle to plained that they are different from tailwheel, and Kevin actually made a most because they have two fastener point to go flying on windy days, be- strips on the back side and four cause Antiquers has trees on one side small, raised vents on the front. and a tower on another side, so you Richard humbly confesses that, af- really have to know how to handle ter he bought NC6364M and began the airplane.” thoroughly observing all of its de- “The aircraft is very forgiving,” said tails, “I told Gene that I didn’t pay Kevin, adding, “I tell people it is like a him enough for all the detailed work four-place Piper Cub—the same wing that was done on it—he is a super planform, a Hershey bar with round nice guy, and he got a chuckle out of wingtips. The takeoff and landing that. I paid his price, but I owe him speed is 80 mph, and it stalls at 61.4 money—you know what I mean? To mph, with flaps down. It’s a very hon- see the work he did, I know he didn’t est airplane, and very affordable.” make a dollar an hour.” Richard’s delight in flying his Wagon is obvious, as well as his dedi- Stinson Sister Ships cation to keeping the airplane in top- Throughout their lives, the notch condition. Since he’s owned Preisers have worked hard for what it, it has been awarded the 2008 Best they have, and they derive a deep BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS SPARKY Restored Classic (101-165 hp) and satisfaction from achieving their 2009 Outstanding Classic Aircraft hands-on goals—whether it’s run- (9/1/45—12/31/55) at Sun ’n Fun. ning a successful business, remod- eling their home, or their latest All in the Details endeavor—restoring an airplane. There are numerous fine details “My wife and I took a six-room that make NC6364M’s restoration house and made it into a gorgeous an award winner—and since a casual mansion,” explained Richard, observer may not even be aware of smiling. “My wife and I painted it some of these items, Kevin shared his inside and out, we did all the wood- knowledge about them. “Everything working together, and we bought is original to this airplane, minus the 186 tons of bricks and made our Cleveland wheels and brakes,” he ex- own driveway. That took about plained. “They came from the factory six months of laying the sand and with Goodrich brakes. This airplane shell rock foundation, and then the has the original-type split windshield, brick with our own hands. ” paint scheme, and polished alumi- So it’s just natural that Richard num trim. The headliner is complete feels a bit uncomfortable accepting with the original dome light and ele- compliments for NC6364M. Now vator/rudder trim controls. The 108-3 he’s determined to restore its sis- was available in two colors—the Stin- ter ship with his own hands, and son Maroon or Blue only, with Diana to that end, he’s keeping his hand- Cream trim. The fabric and uphol- some Stinson hangared—and only stery were beautifully done [by Paul flying it on nice days—so he’ll have Workman of Ohio] and are correct a pristine example to go by for his for this model, and so are the mahog- own restoration. any veneer panels.” If you stand underneath the wing Top: It’s nice and clean under the and gaze up at the ailerons, you’ll cowl! This 165-hp Franklin runs notice some rather large, stream- strong, but parts are hard to come by. lined covers for the aileron hinges. They are cast aluminum fairings, Middle: Close-up view of the composed of two halves which are controllable rudder trim tab. joined by two screws—and it’s not often you’ll see these anymore. The Bottom: Close-up view of the inspection plate covers are also orig- antenna attachment tab inal, according to Kevin, who ex- on the wingtip. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11 PHOTOS SPARKY BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS SPARKY Close-up view of the inspection plates.

“About a month after I bought I really wanted to buy it and re- NC6365M overhauled by Keystone, 64M, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be neat store it. It was missing a lot of parts, he’s completed the interior wood- to have two airplanes with consecu- and some were damaged and mis- work, and he’s started working on tive serial numbers.’ So I researched matched. But I decided to go ahead the wiring system and the fuse- NC6363M, and found that it with it,” declared Richard with an lage. He hopes to finish this Stin- crashed. An 80-year-old man called optimistic tone of determination, son in three or four years, if all goes me from Ohio and confirmed that “and I bought a third Stinson from smoothly. And when he does, it’s information—he was there when it California, just for parts. I’ve never likely that the two virtually iden- went into the trees. So then I looked restored an airplane, and I want to tical Stinson sister ships will com- for NC6365M, and I found it in San do everything on it I can, and I have pose quite an eye-catching display Marcos, Texas. I e-mailed the owner an A&P who is guiding me through on the flightline in their deep, rich and found out everything was for the project.” maroon paint scheme. And Richard sale. The project was in bad shape Richard is making steady prog- will no doubt finally feel comfort- and wasn’t complete—so I had to ress on his project. To date, he able accepting compliments for his sleep on it and think about whether has had all of the instruments for own restoration. 12 DECEMBER 2009