Tim Talen •Walking the Line 2014 •Comparing the Classics: the Piper Cruisers

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

VEGA •2014 VAA Hall of Fame Inductee: Tim Talen •Walking the Line 2014 •Comparing the Classics: The Piper Cruisers

Vintage Airplane Straight & Level STAFF GEOFF ROBISON EAA Publisher...... Jack J . Pelton, VAA PRESIDENT, EAA 268346, VAA 12606 ...... Chairman of the Board

Editor ...... Jim Busha ...... [email protected]

VAA Executive Administrator .Max Platts EAA Oshkosh 2014: A year to remember! 920-426-6110...... [email protected] Art Director...... Livy Trabbold

I want to take a moment here and provide a review of the 2014 AirVen- ADVERTISING: ture event as a whole, and more specifically, what went on in the Vintage Vice President of Business Development area of the convention. I want to first start by stating that the business re- Dave Chaimson [email protected] lationship between the EAA and the VAA as a division of the EAA has long Advertising Manager been a pretty positive relationship. Occasionally when working alongside Sue Anderson [email protected] the EAA we would find ourselves on a bit of a roller coaster ride in dealing Business Relationship Manager with various issues that were sometimes contrary to our vision of a suc- Larry Phillip [email protected] cessful business model for the VAA. In the past when this would occur, we were always able to successfully work our way through these issues primar- VAA, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 ily as a direct result of the longtime relationship we have always enjoyed Website: www.vintageaircraft.org with the Pobereznys. We are all acutely aware that the VAA organization Email: [email protected] wouldn’t even exist today without the vision of Paul, and that business relationship mostly consisted of “clear and concise communications,” along with the routine, “Oh by the way, be sure to have some fun when you’re TM executing on the plan!” Under the leadership of Tom, things changed a little bit. (Remember, Tom has a business degree.) That business relation- VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION ship proved to be very similar to Paul’s vision; the only real exception was Current EAA members may join the Vin- the handshake at the end of the “clear and concise communications” that tage Aircraft Association and receive VINTAGE sealed the deal. I felt the need to share this relationship with the mem- AIRPLANE magazine for an additional $42 bership today because I want everyone to know and understand that the per year . current relationship between the VAA and EAA leadership remains excep- EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and one year membership in the tional, and oftentimes it is nothing short of amazing! With Jack Pelton’s EAA Vintage Aircraft Association are available guidance and the EAA leadership team and EAA staff engagement with for $52 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not this division, the relationship continues to be a strong and viable one. Per- included) . (Add $7 for International Postage .) sonally, it takes me back to the good old days when the theme of the relationship seemed to be a lot about having a good time while serving the FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS membership as a whole. If that was our only mission goal today, I would Please submit your remittance with a certainly remark, “Mission accomplished”! check or draft drawn on a United States Oshkosh 2014 was a very exciting convention for me. I truly enjoyed bank payable in United States dollars . Add the many events that celebrated the life of Paul Howard Poberezny. Well required Foreign Postage amount for each done, EAA! Sadly, the event will forever be different without the presence membership . and guidance of Paul. Membership Service The Alaskan Valdez STOL aircraft display and performance far exceeded PO Box 3086 my personal expectations. These guys are simply just fun to watch, and they Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 had the best stage they could ever have for their performance. You could just Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM—6:00 PM CST tell, they were having the time of their life. My bet is that we have not seen Join/Renew 800-564-6322 [email protected] the last of these guys at Oshkosh. Of course, the Thunderbirds performance was a real gate-buster for the organization. Yes, on the front end of their ap- EAA AirVenture Oshkosh pearance at Oshkosh there was a ton of preparation and planning involved, www.airventure.org continued on page 63 888-322-4636 www.vintageaircraft.org 1 Vol. 42, No. 6 2014 CONTENTS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 16 34 52 The 2014 VAA Hall of Fame Inductee Walking the Line Comparing the Classics Timothy L. Talen EAA Oshkosh AirVenture 2014: The Piper Cruisers Jim Busha Welcome home, Vintage members! Budd Davisson 22 Sparky Barnes Sargent The Tin (Foil) Vega: I’ve Only Heard It Referred to as a “Tin Vega” John Magoffin’s super-rare Lockheed Budd Davisson

NC7422X 1949 Cessna 195B registered to Troy MacVey of Milan, Indiana.

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

COVERS FRONT COVER: Scott Germain captures John Ma- goffin’s ultra rare Vega over Arizona.

BACK COVER: Dean Coryell captures Dorian Walkers replica Jenny touching down at Poplar Grove.

COLUMNS 10 How to? 1 Straight and Level Select aircraft-grade spruce EAA Oshkosh 2014: Robert G . Lock A year to remember! 12 Good Old Days Geoff Robison 5 Vintage News 58 The Vintage Mechanic Inspecting aircraft systems 6 VAA AirVenture 2014 Awards Robert G . Lock 9 Ask the AME 64 Vintage Trader Third-class flight physical John Patterson, M .D ., AME

For missing or replacement magazines, ANY COMMENTS? or any other membership related ques- Send your thoughts to the tions, please call EAA Member Services Vintage Editor at: [email protected] at 800-JOIN-EAA (564-6322). Friends of the Red Barn! Thank you for your generous support!

Diamond Plus Level Silver Level Bronze Level Earl Nicholas Marcy Research Robert Siegfried Robert Duris Gary Brossett Edward Yess Robert Charles Dwain Pittenger Logan Boles S. Schmid Mark Kolesar Lowell Baker Sisk Charitable Trust Al Hallett Tom Lymburn Charlie Harris Joseph Leverone Jeffrey Shafer Jerry Brown John Cronin Jay Cavendar Sarah Marcy Dave and Jeanne Allen Diamond Level Thomas Buckles Richard Packer Bronze Plus Level Daniel Wood Arthur H. Kudner Jr. Fund Daniel and Mary Knutson Steve Buss Leonard Weiser Terry Ross Jonathan and Rod Apfelbaum Tim and Liz Popp Loyal Supporter Level Robert Wagner Nicholas Selig Gold Level Walter Kahn Ron Alexander Elvin Drake Tom Hildreth Delbert Worcester Donald Coleman

4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Vintage News Univair Has Kept Aeroncas Flying Since 1946

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ALL MERCHANDISE IS SOLD F.O.B., AURORA, CO • PRICE AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE • 10-27-13 COURTESY SENNHEISER COURTESY

During EAA AirVenture 2014, Sennheiser Avia- tion hosted a raffle for a S1 digital ANR headset at the Vintage Hangar. Sennheiser is proud to announce the winner of this headset was Mr. Denny Talbott, EAA 284008, of Pekin, Illinois.

About Sennheiser Sennheiser is a world-leading manufacturer of aviation headsets, microphones, headphones, and wire- less transmission systems. With their top-quality acoustics, high wearing comfort, and rugged designs, Sennheiser aviation headsets are suited to the needs of professional and private pilots and air traffic controllers. Innovations such as the NoiseGard active noise compensation system and ActiveGard protect against potentially harmful volume surges. Established in 1945 in Wedemark, Germany, Sennheiser is now a global brand represented in 60 countries around the world with U.S. headquarters in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Sennheiser’s pioneering excel- lence in technology has rewarded the company with numerous awards and accolades including an Emmy, a Grammy, and the Scientific and Engineering Award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. www.Sennheiser-Aviation.com www.vintageaircraft.org 5 VINTAGE AIRPLANE ASSOCIATION AWARDS

Antique (through August 1945) Customized Aircraft Champion - Bronze Lindy Hans Steiner Customized Aircraft Runner-Up Exeter, California Richard Zeiler 1941 Stinson 10A, N32210 Thousand Oaks, California 1929 Travel Air D-4-D, N472N World War II Era (1942-1945) Champion - Bronze Lindy World War II Era (1942-1945) Daniel Wilkins Outstanding Open-Cockpit Biplane Portland, Pennsylvania David Herrmann 1941 Waco UPF 7, N32141 Two Rivers, Wisconsin 1943 Meyers OTW 160, N34351 Bronze Age (1937-1941) Champion - Bronze Lindy David Smith World War II Era (1942-1945) Runner-Up Milaca, Minnesota Donald Grundstrom 1938 Beech E17B, N233EB Eldridge, Iowa 1942 Boeing E75, N802RB Silver Age (1928-1936) Champion - Bronze Lindy Gary Coonans Bronze Age (1937-1941) Bell Buckle, Tennessee Outstanding Closed-Cockpit Monoplane 1929 Fairchild 71, N9727 Robert Redman Troy, Michigan Antique Reserve Grand Champion - Silver Lindy 1938 Spartan 7W, N17616 T. Weston Yelm, Washington Bronze Age (1937-1941) Runner-Up 1944 Howard DGA-15P, N63597 Mathew Northway Eugene, Oregon Antique Grand Champion - Gold Lindy 1941 Interstate S-1A, N37369 Marlin Horst Bird in Hand, Pennsylvania Silver Age (1928-1936) 1929 Fairchild 71, N9708 Outstanding Open-Cockpit Biplane Michael Rinker Classic (September 1945-1955) Union City, Tennessee 1932 Curtiss Wright Travel Air B-14-B, N12332 Outstanding Aeronca Chief - Small Plaque Warren & Terrie Wilkey Silver Age (1928-1936) Runner-Up Garfield, Arkansas Jim Clark 1946 Aeronca 11AC, N9373E Chapman, Kansas 1929 Waco CSO, N618N Outstanding Bellanca - Small Plaque Jeffrey Warren World War II Military Trainer/Liaison Aircraft Simpsonville, South Carolina Champion - Bronze Lindy 1946 Bellanca 14-13-2, N86728 Ralph Ring Beach City, Ohio Outstanding Cessna 170/180 - Small Plaque 1943 Boeing B75N1, N5165N Craig Layson Ypsilanti, Michigan 1955 Cessna 180, N180TP 6 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Outstanding Cessna 190/195 - Small Plaque Custom Class D (236-plus hp) - Small Plaque John Barron Mark Meredith Perry, Missouri Rockville, Maryland 1948 Cessna 195, N195GW 1951 de Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk, N7DW

Outstanding Piper J-3 - Small Plaque Best Custom Runner-Up - Large Plaque David Barnes Ken Morris Pella, Iowa Poplar Grove, Illinois 1946 Piper J-3C-65, N3463K 1946 Beech D18S, N412K

Outstanding Piper Other - Small Plaque Class I (0-80 hp) - Bronze Lindy Vaughn Lovley Frank Shea New Prague, Minnesota Colchester, Vermont 1948 Piper PA-15, N4426H 1946 Piper J-3C-65, N7401H

Outstanding Stinson - Small Plaque Class II (81-150 hp) - Bronze Lindy Per Anderas Ron Huddleston & John Kinnemeyer Green Bay, Wisconsin Brookville, Indiana 1946 Stinson 108-1, N97114 1946 Globe GC-1B, N78199

Outstanding Taylorcraft - Small Plaque Class IV (236-plus hp) - Bronze Lindy Keith Walker Patrick Atkinson Charleston, Illinois Conroe, Texas 1946 Taylorcraft BC12-D, N96386 1954 Cessna 195B, N2151C

Outstanding Limited Production - Small Plaque Paul Leveque Minden, Nevada 1954 Grumman HU-16B, N98TP

Best Continuously Maintained - Small Plaque Richard Harris West Nyack, New York 1947 Cessna 140, N2350N

Preservation - Small Plaque David Nuss Cortland, Ohio 1946 Taylorcraft BC12-D1, N44274

Custom Class A (0-80 hp) - Small Plaque Robert Stegman St. Peters, Missouri 1946 Luscombe 8A, N45896

Custom Class B (81-150 hp) - Small Plaque William Knisley New Carlisle, Ohio 1946 Piper J-3C-65, N88528

Custom Class C (151-235 hp) - Small Plaque Alan Dicker Scottsdale, Arizona 1946 Globe GC-1B, N3731K www.vintageaircraft.org 7 Best Custom - Bronze Lindy Best Continuously Maintained - Outstanding in Bart Morrow Type Gooding, Idaho David Lessnick 1955 Beech F35, N5038B Henderson, Nevada 1964 Piper PA-24-250, N8351P Reserve Grand Champion - Silver Lindy Paul Barnett Preservation Award - Outstanding in Type Brookhaven, Mississippi Mark Malone 1946 Globe GC-1A, N80567 Camarillo, California 1963 Beech D95A, N234M Grand Champion - Gold Lindy Dillon Barron Helicopter - Best in Type (Large Plaque) Perry, Missouri Stephen M. Mazar 1954 Cessna 170B, N1899C Flushing, Michigan 1947 Bell Helicopter, N147SM Contemporary (1956-1970) Class I Single-Engine (0-160 hp) - Bronze Lindy Beech Multi-Engine - Outstanding in Type Mark Erickson Tyler Hall Brandon, South Dakota Houston, Texas 1959 Piper PA-18A-150, N1017S 1960 Beech D50C, N98SC Class III Single-Engine (231-plus hp) - Bronze Lindy Cessna 150 - Outstanding in Type Stuart Fraley Stephen Swensen Indianapolis, Indiana Layton, Utah 1970 Beech V35B, N9068Q 1959 Cessna 150, N5505E Custom Multi-Engine - Bronze Lindy Cessna 180/182/210 - Outstanding in Type Michael Haney Victor Sobrado Tehachapi, California Noman, Oklahoma 1959 Piper PA-23-160, N400MJ 1958 Cessna 182A, N4948D Outstanding Customized - Bronze Lindy Cessna 310 - Outstanding in Type Kevin Mayer Ken Davenport Lima, Ohio Newport, Arkansas 1958 Beech J35, N76J 1956 Cessna 310, N3681D Reserve Grand Champion - Silver Lindy Piper PA-24 Comanche - Outstanding in Type Patrick Arnold Mark Zeiler Gambrills, Maryland St. Joseph, Missouri 1966 Piper PA-24-260, N9134P 1962 Piper PA-24-250, N7920P Grand Champion - Gold Lindy Piper PA-28 Cherokee - Outstanding in Type Raymond Cook Tom Grove Spring Grove, Illinois Midlothian, Texas 1959 Piper PA-18, N4273S 1964 Piper PA-28-235, N8771W

Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche - Outstanding in Type Charles Allen Puryear, Tennessee 1964 Piper PA-30, N7396Y

Limited Production - Outstanding in Type Eric Chrzanowski Hampshire, Illinois 1966 Alon A2, N6503Q

8 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Ask the AME

JOHN PATTERSON, M.D., AME

Third-class flight physical

Another EAA AirVenture has come and gone, and I in a previous article. And it is allowed by the FAA. thoroughly enjoyed myself and only regretted that the As you can see rulemaking is a time-consuming and time was too short. Thank you to those who attended complex process. So how many people actually review the daily aviation medical forum in the Vintage Hangar. these proposed rules? Does the general public even know I hope it was informative. With this article I am going to about most of these proposals? Do our representatives editorialize in order to answer the most asked question and senators really have to pass the legislation before during the week: What do I think of the petition put they know what is in it? I am planning to comment on forth by both AOPA and EAA that the requirements for the proposed rulemaking for “non-aeronautical use of the third-class medical be modified? airport hangars” issued by the FAA. As of September 6 I, like many others, eagerly awaited a breakthrough only 1,752 comments had been received, and so the com- announcement regarding this issue and as usual was dis- ment period was extended. I am planning to read all 11 appointed. The proposal to allow pilots—who fly non- pages before commenting, but who really has time to do commercial VFR flights in aircraft weighing up to 6,000 this with all of the rules that come out of these regulatory pounds with no more than six seats—be exempt from agencies? Is that not part of the plan with delay tactics in the third-class medical and instead use the driver’s li- general? People have a short attention span and go from cense standard has been mired in bureaucratic mumbo one headline to another forgetting about the old issue. jumbo and proposed rulemaking. In order to change a So what needs to be done? The initial petition by regulation agencies like the FAA, EPA, and OSHA, to AOPA/EAA to the FAA occurred in March 2012. This name a few, do so through a process called proposed triggered the proposed rulemaking process, which as rulemaking. This is a process whereby non-elected indi- one can imagine can be on a fast track or the typical viduals in government agencies make law without public slow track. I am convinced that the pressure from the vote. Of course, the public can comment on the pro- bill entitled the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act posed rulemaking, and those comments are published introduced by Reps. Todd Rokita and Sam Graves has in the mountain of paperwork called the Federal Regis- stimulated the FAA to a fast track. Hopefully, a Septem- ter. Also these government agencies have their author- ber 2, 2014, letter from 11 senators to the secretary ity for rulemaking from Congress and sometimes the of transportation and the Office of Management and president. Public comment can vary from 30 to 60 days, Budget for quick review and action within one month and if more complex, it can be extended to 180 days. The on the FAA proposed rule will have a similar effect. We agency in response to comments can modify its rule, need to keep the pressure on. It is necessary for pilots and then once finalized it is then sent to Congress and to be informed of the actual rule and be able to respond the General Accountability Office. Since 1996, when this to a nonflying general public who is generally not very process started with the Congressional Review Act, only knowledgeable or sympathetic to aviation issues. We one rule has been disapproved. So many of these rules need to open up our airports and quit enclosing them go through unnoticed by the public. Once approved, the behind barbed wire and making them too exclusive. executive branch can get involved and issue an executive Hopefully we can reverse some of our post 9/11 over- order to modify, and the judicial branch can get involved reaching protectiveness and enjoy the freedom of avia- if individuals or groups bring suit, often at significant tion again. The adoption of less stringent requirements expense. To those who are Internet savvy, the Office of for the third-class medical is a good start. the Federal Register has a document called A Guide to the Next: How about getting rid of those temporary (per- Rulemaking Process that makes excellent bedtime reading manent) flight restrictions and the moving TFRs that and actually works as well as those sleep aids discussed plague us every time the president has a fundraiser? www.vintageaircraft.org 9 How to?

ROBERT G. LOCK

Select aircraft-grade spruce

Harvest a spruce tree, saw it into the very best timber cuts, cure and kiln-dry, and then select the finest-edge grain/quarter-sawed wood, and you have aircraft-grade lumber. It’s just that simple. But let’s look into the details of what it takes to produce aircraft-grade spruce. Many mechanics may think that specifics for aircraft wood come from FAA AC43.13-1B, and that is partly true. However, every piece of data concerning aircraft wood structures comes from ANC Bulletin 19 dated 20 Decem- ber 1943. Specifications for wood have not changed over the years, however bonding methods have. First it is important to understand what happens to wood when it is air- and kiln-dried. It shrinks as moisture is removed, and certain types of cuts will warp dra- matically. Just go to your local lumber supplier and look tial to the growth rings are called plain-sawed and are for plain sawed lumber, and you will see how it cups as shown to the right of the log, and cuts made radially to it dries. the growth rings are called quarter-sawed and are shown When trees are cut, much of their weight is water— to the left of the log. free water will be removed by air-drying, and imbibed water will be removed by kiln-drying. Spruce gives the highest strength-to-weight ratio of all the woods and is considered the standard for aircraft construction. All cut logs will have radial cracks known as checks. Checks are cracks across the annual rings. Harvested logs are kept wet to protect against internal cracking. Aircraft wood with these defects is rejected and not used. In the sketch removed from ANC-19, the cut shown in the lower left portion of the log is quarter-sawed, while the cut on the top is plain-sawed. Notice how the shrink- age is even in the quarter-sawed wood while it is uneven in the plain-sawed wood. Quarter-sawed wood gives Growth rings called annual rings equal one year of a very good edge grain of 90 to 45 degrees to the wide growth of the tree. That is why folks can tell about how face. In the sketch above, the edge grain is 90 degrees. As old a tree is—by counting the annual rings. For air- you might imagine, quarter-sawed wood is the most ex- craft-grade spruce, eight to 10 annual rings per inch is pensive to produce, as the following sketch shows. Not minimum; however, in really good wood you can count shown in this sketch is the heartwood and sapwood. 20 or more rings per inch. Spruce has nice straight Heartwood is the center portion of the log and for spruce grain, but grain slope is limited to 1 inch in 15 inches is a pinkish color. Sapwood is the part of the log that is length. This means, if you draw a box on the wood alive and growing and is whitish-yellow in color. That is 1 inch by15 inches, the grain should enter and exit the portion of the log we want to use. Cuts made tangen- within the box. Grain slope must be considered both on 10 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 can see in detail what the end cut of spruce looks like and why it is so important to completely seal the end grain of a wing spar. The tube-like grain structure drinks in varnish like a sponge, so brush on several coats until the grain is bright and shiny. On the right is a pile of aircraft spar stock. the wide face of the board and on the edges. In figure I am selecting from my old favorite supplier, Spar A there is no grain slope whatsoever, while the other Lumber Company in San Pedro, California. This photo sketches all have some type of grain slope. Grain slope was taken some 40 years ago when they would let me is important because the greater the slope, the weaker go into the yard and select my own rough-cut spruce. the wood in bending moments. Rough-cut spruce is “as sawn” from the mill and comes After the wood is cut, it is air-dried. This reduces the in odd dimensions—for instance a board that will mill moisture content to about 25 to 35 percent, and the 3/4 inch by 6 inches by 20 feet will measure 7/8 inch to 1 wood will not dry below that amount. Now it must be inch thick by 6-1/2 inches wide and slightly over 20 feet placed in an oven called a kiln and heated to remove more long. When planed, it will give the exact dimensions re- moisture. Moisture content of aircraft-grade wood is 8 quired. The boards in this photograph were 1 inch by 6 to 12 percent, although most marine spruce will have a inches by16 feet by 18 feet. I bought them when I was moisture content slightly higher—around 15 percent. restoring Aeronca Champs, Chiefs, and Taylorcrafts. All Finally, wood structure is made up of long cells, almost spars to those ships were about the same dimensions. like a straw in a milkshake. The sketch shown here is of This was beautiful rough-cut spruce direct from the softwood. Note that there are dense fibers representing mill. Today it is difficult to find old-growth Sitka spruce summerwood when the tree grows slowly and spring- with large dimensions—spar stock that will measure 2 wood when the tree grows rapidly. The annual ring is inches or above in thickness by 8 inches or above in width represented by both spring and summerwood. Here, one and 20 feet in length. Back then it was common. www.vintageaircraft.org 11 Good Old Days SCRAP From pages of what was . . . Take a quick look through history by enjoying images pulled from publications past. BOOK

12 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 SCRAP BOOK

www.vintageaircraft.org 13 Ads ClassifiedWhat would you have found . . .

Western Flying, August 1927

Aero Digest, October 1936

14 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 www.vintageaircraft.org 15 The 2014 VAA Hall of Fame Inductee

Timothy L. Talen by Jim Busha PHOTOS COURTESY TIM TALEN The EAA Vintage Aircraft Association so the local boys were forced to sit could think of in terms of what his wishes to announce that Timothy in their autogyro project and make instructors had taught him about L. Talen, EAA 8615, VAA 1616, of airplane noises. Later my father, a lit- flying. On my 16th birthday my Springfield, Oregon, has been cho- tle older, wiser, and with some spare father bought me an hour of dual sen as the 2014 VAA Hall of Fame change in his pocket, actually learned with a legitimate flight instructor. recipient. At 68 years young, Tim to fly in an Aeronca C-3 Bathtub on After about only 35 minutes, the Talen calls Jasper Ridge, Oregon, floats off of Lake Union in Seattle instructor said, ‘Well, it appears home, but he was born in Seattle right before WWII broke out.” you know what there is to know and has lived in all four corners of Tim’s first flying experience -oc about flying an airplane. You have the United States during his life. curred when his father strapped a medical, you’re 16, so I’ll hop out “The aviation DNA was already him inside a J-3 Cub in Washing- and you take it around the patch set upon me because of my dad, Her- ton state where his dad was sta- a couple times and show me what bert,” said Tim. “He was a farm kid tioned with the Navy. you can do.’ As I taxied off my dad from Minnesota when Lindbergh “I was only 3-4 years old then,” came running over shouting, ‘Wait, flew his ‘long cross-country over wa- said Tim. “I really got serious wait, what are you doing soloing ter.’ He became infected like most about flying while living in Ta- him after 30 minutes of flying!’ young men of that era with the air- coma, Washington. By the time I “I did my three obligatory touch- plane bug and set out to build his was almost 16 my dad would rent and-bump landings with my father own airplane on the farm. His father an Aeronca Champ for the lofty holding his breath the entire time. was less than enthused, and the en- sum of 6 bucks an hour—oh how My dad had taught me all about gine that had been promised for the I miss those days—he would take stalls, climbs, glides, turns, take- project mysteriously never arrived me up and show me everything he offs, and landings so for me it was 16 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 We restored this J-2 for owner Steve Kretsinger (right), and during the restoration Steve discovered it had been at the Brown Deer airport near Milwaukee before WWII. What a wonderful experience to have Paul Marian and I have flown our Cadet out to Oshkosh Poberezny (center), at the interview circle with Geoff on three occassions. We always make it a camping Robison (left), tell the crowd, “As a young lad, I flew trip, as the Cadet is able to carry all the gear and still this J-2!!!!“ conquer the Rockies all on 65 hp. no big deal—and it was 1961 so once we began working on the Baby times were good.” Ace we needed to check out this or- A few years later Herb bought a ganization called EAA. EAA Chap- 108-2 Stinson, and Tim flew that ter 26 was a chapter in Seattle that as well building up his hours, but it was hosted by a fellow named Pete wasn’t until 1969 that he officially Bowers. We would drive up and visit obtained his private pilot certificate. him once a month and talk to like But even before he soloed the members about building and learn- Champ, Tim came home from the ing about other early homebuilts. I local library in 1960 not with a actually helped pound some nails in book by Shakespeare or Heming- the original Fly Baby homebuilt that way but a tattered copy of the 1955 Pete designed and built. Mechanix Illustrated magazine with “Pete was very gregarious about Paul Poberezny and the Corben stuff like that, and he allowed any- Baby Ace on the cover. one that could pick up a hammer and “Paul touted how anyone could drive a nail to work on his project.” build this nifty airplane for less Tim says that he literally grew up than $1,000,” said Tim. “Of course with that EAA chapter, and it really I was wide-eyed at 15 years old and scratched his itch to work on and re- told my dad we should build one. store airplanes. Tim and his dad fin- Most fathers would have smiled, ished the Baby Ace in 1966, and he For an antique airplane restorer, patted their son on the head, and still has that airplane today. Unfor- nothing can be more fun at Osh- said, ‘It’s good to be a dreamer, tunately he didn’t get the chance to kosh than explaining your efforts son.’ But not my dad; he sent me fly it much in those early days. to a very knowledgeable audi- back out in search of the other two “In the fall of 1968 I got my draft ence—well, okay, winning a trophy is pretty special, too. issues because they had the rest of notice so I joined up and became the plans in them!” an air traffic controller and served Tim and his father began building in Vietnam from 1969-1970 and working for Aero Union I decided the airplane solely by using the plans thought mainly about homebuilding. to hang my own shingle and go provided in the May, June, and July “Out of the military and back into the recover/restoration busi- 1955 Mechanix Illustrated issues. in college in Chico, California, I ness myself and never looked back. “At one of the local fields in our took a side job and worked with a That’s where the Ragwood Refac- area called Thun Field I remem- local FBO—Chico Aviation-Aero tory name came from.” ber seeing my very first homebuilt, Union—and did fabric and wood During that time a local high and my dad and I both agreed that work on old airplanes. After a year school shop teacher gave Tim a www.vintageaircraft.org 17 I am sitting in my Stearman C3B for the wing fitting. Another long-term project is my 1929 Timm Collegiate. This particular C3B was a mailplane for National Parks It was a Shell Oil ship and flew up and down the West Airways—thus the logo on the front of the Montana Coast, eventually ending up in Oregon. It is being hangar celebrating NPA and the mailplane era. restored in my Montana shop. set of wings that he had no idea det in Brazil. With some cold cash det, and where did you get your de- where or what kind of airplane in my hands I went looking for an cals, and why is yours painted blue they came off of. airplane and really liked the Inter- and yellow,’ and so on. I was a his- “After some simple research states, so I found one in need of a torian and loved the accuracy and I found that these came off of an restoration and bought it for 925 research of turning them back into Interstate Cadet,” said Tim, “and bucks. I did the woodwork on the originals. I actually tracked down that turned my history light bulb wings, did a fabric job using Stits who had the type certificate for the on high, and I wanted to learn for the first time, and wrote a story Interstate and tracked it to a fellow more about them and what the about flying it from California to in Alaska and learned a whole lot Interstate was all about. I covered Washington and back for a 1974 is- more about them. It’s the nature the wings and finished them off sue of EAA Sport Aviation.” of working on older airplanes. I de- and then put them up for a sale. It didn’t take long as people be- cided that the place for me to be A priest from Portland, Oregon, gan to take notice of Tim’s handy was to restore old airplanes. actually came down and bought work at local fly-ins and began “In fact I just finished up my 14th those wings and shipped them to seeking him out. Interstate Cadet restoration, which Brazil. A mission he was working “They would come up to me and takes around 1,000 hours to get with was flying an Interstate Ca- say, ‘Hey, I’ve got this Interstate Ca- through one—as long as it’s a com-

Always a great adventure—retrieving another restora- In the shop with another Cadet restoration. Our work tion project! This Interstate Cadet came from Wyo- with the Interstates has led to an online effort with ming. in my business we joke about “trolling” with “restoration tips” at our YouTube site “Ragwood an airplane on the trailer—it often leads to gas station Refactory,” and we have many parts and pieces ad- conversations with interested folks who have another vertised on my Ragwood Refactory website. lead to follow up. 18 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 RAGWOOD REFACTORY The Ragwood Refactory is owned and operated by Tim Springfield, Oregon, on a ridge overlooking the Willa- Talen—he has been interested in airplanes ever since rid- mette River . ing with his dad in a J-3 Cub when he was 3 years old . “We are about 12 miles east of the I-5 freeway . Our The Ragwood Refactory was founded in 1976 at a small private airstrip is called Jasper Ridge, and prior permis- airport shop in Chico, California . Moving to Oregon in sion is required for any flight operations . The hangar was 1978, Tim purchased a hangar at the old Springfield air- originally located on the now abandoned Springfield port and moved it to Jasper Ridge where he has been airport, was torn down and moved to Jasper Ridge, and busy collecting and restoring vintage aircraft ever since . reassembled in l984 . It is an arch-trussed design using The Ragwood Refactory has been providing a com- ring and bolt construction methods and provides 5,000 plete restoration service for more than 30 years . square feet of shop and hangar space . Our mailing ad- “We specialize in custom woodwork, fabric and paint, dress is 86094 Panorama Rd ,. Springfield, OR 97478 . structural welding, and sheet metal work,” said Tim . “Our auxiliary shop is located in Boulder, Montana, “Over the years we have completed more than 25 com- adjacent to the city-county airport . This 6,160-square- plete ground-up restorations of various aircraft from foot facility is another arch-trussed building with full Taylor J-2 Cubs to Fairchilds and Fleets . We have also shop capabilities and lots of storage space . Located along acquired many antique aircraft projects and various in- the flight path of the old contract mail carrier National ventories including engines, airframe parts, instruments, Parks Airways, the front logo is a nostalgic connection to and accessories . We have the largest collection of Inter- early Montana aviation history and our 1928 Stearman state Cadet parts, numerous hard-to-find items, jigs for C-3B Special, NC6487, which flew the mail for NPA and is many airframe parts, and complete restoration services currently under restoration . The Boulder facility is used for these aircraft .” primarily for storage, but a 1929 Timm Collegiate is cur- The Ragwood Refactory is located 5 miles east of rently being restored there .” plete project, longer if it’s just bits and pieces. Over the years I have collected a large variety of antique airplanes— all weird and all original and a few rare. “My collection is very eclectic; it’s also kind of the meaning behind my restoration shop—the factory does it the first time, and then we refactory these treasures to better than new condition. “When people ask me why I do this I tell them that it’s all about the stories. “Most of these airplanes are older than me, and they have countless stories on where they have been and what they have done—every airplane has a story to tell—that’s why these old birds are so cool and come with loads of history.” Tim Talen’s dedication to his craft has provided numerous examples of rare and interesting aircraft resurrec- tions that can be appreciated by future generations. Please join me in once again congratulating Tim Talen as the 2014 VAA Hall of Fame inductee. www.vintageaircraft.org 19 CALL FOR VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

Nominate your favorite vintage aviatorNominations for the EAA Vin- the present day. His or her contribution can be in the areas tage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame. A great honor could be of flying, design, mechanical or aerodynamic developments, bestowed upon that man or woman working next to you on administration, writing, some other vital and relevant field, your airplane, sitting next to you in the chapter meeting, or or any combination of fields that support aviation.The per- walking next to you at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Think about son you nominate must be or have been a member of the the people in your circle of aviation friends: the mechanic, Vintage Aircraft Association or the Antique/Classic Divi- historian, photographer, or pilot who has shared innumerable sion of EAA, and preference is given to those whose ac- tips with you and with many others. They could be the next tions have contributed to the VAA in some way, perhaps VAA Hall of Fame inductee—but only if they are nominated. as a volunteer, a restorer who shares his expertise with The person you nominate can be a citizen of any coun- others, a writer, a photographer, or a pilot sharing sto- try and may be living or deceased; his or her involvement ries, preserving aviation history, and encouraging new in vintage aviation must have occurred between 1950 and pilots and enthusiasts.

To nominate someone is easy. It just takes a little time and a little reminiscing on your part. •Think of a person; think of his or her contributions to vintage aviation. •Write those contributions in the various categories of the nomination form. •Write a simple letter highlighting these attributes and contributions. Make copies of newspaper or magazine articles that may substantiate your view. •If at all possible, have another individual (or more) complete a form or write a letter about this person, confirming why the person is a good candidate for induction.

We would like to take this opportunity to mention that if you have nominated someone for the VAA Hall of Fame; nominations for the honor are kept on file for 3 years, after which the nomination must be resubmitted. Mail nominating materials to: VAA Hall of Fame, c/o Charles W. Harris, Transportation Leasing Corp. PO Box 470350 Tulsa, OK 74147 E-mail: [email protected] Remember, your “contemporary” may be a candidate; nominate someone today! Find the nomination form at www.VintageAircraft.org, or call the VAA office for a copy (920-426-6110), or on your own sheet of paper, simply include the following information: •Date submitted. •Name of person nominated. •Address and phone number of nominee. •E-mail address of nominee. •Date of birth of nominee. If deceased, date of death. •Name and relationship of nominee’s closest living relative. •Address and phone of nominee’s closest living relative. •VAA and EAA number, if known. (Nominee must have been or is a VAA member.) •Time span (dates) of the nominee’s contributions to vintage aviation. (Must be between 1950 to present day.) •Area(s) of contributions to aviation. •Describe the event(s) or nature of activities the nominee has undertaken in aviation to be worthy of induction into the VAA Hall of Fame. •Describe achievements the nominee has made in other related fields in aviation. •Has the nominee already been honored for his or her involvement in aviation and/or the contribution you are stating in this petition? If yes, please explain the nature of the honor and/or award the nominee has received. •Any additional supporting information. •Submitter’s address and phone number, plus e-mail address. •Include any supporting material with your petition.

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Or call 800-564-6322 Find these and many *shipping and handling NOT included. more ideal gifts at Major credit cards accepted. WI residents add 5% sales tax. www.shopeaa.net/vintage.aspx The Tin Vega John Magoffin’s super-rare Lockheed by Budd Davisson Photos Scott Germain - Images of Light and Lift

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh usu- Marlin Horst’s Fairchild 71, only to have it be damaged or ally runs in cycles. One year it’ll Richard Zeller’s unreal Travel neglected. And that doesn’t be a bunch of killer classics. The Air Speedwing, the line of Lock- count the years it spent sit- next may be lots of smaller, but heed 12s, John Magoffin’s Lock- ting in ditches and sinking into unique, antique restorations. heed Vega, and others. the dirt. It’s definitely a super- AirVenture 2014 seemed to be John’s Vega could be handed rare, but hard-luck bird that the year of major restorations, the “most often restored” tro- seems to have an antique angel as we had a bumper crop of truly phy, because a long string of watching over it. amazing, big airplanes restored talented hands have brought it The first time John heard and back in the air. There was back to life a number of times, about his project-to-be, he 22 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Only ten of the approximately 132 Vegas built had aluminum fuselages. John Magoffin’s is the sole flying survivor of the breed. was a newly minted bush pilot the air medal, with five oak leaf “Our ranch was on a beacon working in Alaska and a long clusters. When he got home, he airway, and some of my earli- way, both in distance and phi- and my mom operated a cattle est memories are of the C-54s losophy, from his upbringing ranch in southeastern Arizona and C-119s droning overhead, on a remote ranch in south- for 50 years. making the loose window pane east Arizona. “Dad told war stories and fly- in my bedroom window vibrate “My dad was a navigator on ing stories every chance he got. in sympathy. I dreamed of fly- B-24s in the South Pacific with In fact, as the years went by, I ing and being able to go to all the 5th Bomb Group. He flew got to where I knew his stories those wild and crazy places, 46 combat missions and earned better than he did. like California. www.vintageaircraft.org 23 PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE OWNER OF COURTESY PHOTOS The airplane was abandoned for a decade in Alaska. BOB TAYLOR The wing suffered horribly during another short term abandonment. “I started flying at the Air Force Academy in T-41s but finished my commercial pilot rating at Cochise College, in Douglas, Arizona. While learning to fly I bought my own J-3 Cub. They were dirt cheap in those days, so I could build time quickly at about five bucks an hour. That was the first of about 20 airplanes that I’ve owned. At the same time, I got my airframe mechanic’s li- BOB TAYLOR cense. I later got my powerplant mechanic’s license in Alaska.” John attributes his actually learning what flying is about from his second job in Alaska with the legendary bush pilot Bob Rice. “I talked my way into being a copilot for Bob on a C-46,” John BOB TAYLOR Rescued by Jack Lowe and Robert Tay- says. “He had been flying in lor, they hired the Hoselton brothers Alaska since 1927 and was gen- to build a new wing. erally regarded as the best C-46 BOB TAYLOR The restored airplane flew again pilot that ever turned a prop. He for the first time in July of ’69. was the undisputed master of short-field landings and coaxing of pilots and certain types of air- overweight airplanes into the air. planes that those pilots require to He was as savvy a pilot as I have provide their specialized form of ever met. When I started flying service. It has been that way since with him, he said that I would the 1920s, when the airplane be- be his last protégé and he would came more or less reliable trans- teach me everything he knew portation. It was ready-made to about flying. Unfortunately, he provide point-to-point transpor- was right, because he died shortly tation in a place that either had after I left the company.” no roads or they were circuitous BOB TAYLOR It took four years of almost fulltime To this day Alaska has a myste- at best and impassable more of- work to get it finished. rious attraction for certain types ten than not. 24 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 That being said, making a liv- worked and flew with a lot of the ing as a pilot in what can be one old-timers who had started in the of the most hostile environments late 1920s and early ’30s. They had in North America is a challenge flown the Vegas, Pilgrims, Travel both physically and financially. Airs, Stinsons, Fokker Universals, For most operators, there was Boeing 247s, DC-3s, etc. I listened never enough money to buy new to their stories for hours on end airplanes. However, the massive and learned how the old-timers improvements in aircraft design had done it back in the day, when and production during the 1930s times were hard but it still got cold worked to the bush pilots’ advan- in the winter. I was hooked on tage. Technology moved ahead so the life they had lived and the air- quickly during that period that planes they had flown. It was while aircraft that was considered state- working at my first job in Galena, of-the-art only five years earlier Alaska, that I first heard about the were soon obsolete. Legions of ob- Vega. I flew to Ruby only to learn solete aircraft capable of carrying a sizable load ended up in Alaska where they were worked until they died. What would become John Magoffin’s Vega was among them. John says, “Flying in Alaska, I

Entire stab moves for trim. Ham-Standard C/S prop improved performance

The Vega pioneered many aluminum structural concepts. Restoration required making many new components The external oil cool was an Alaska field mod. including compound aluminum skins. www.vintageaircraft.org 25 that the Vega had been shipped Lockheed built the earlier wooden fuselage ‘outside’ 10 years earlier. Later on I flew quite a few old airplanes in- Vegas, but John says the 10 aluminum fu- cluding the Pilgrim, Lockheed 10, C-46, and DC-3. But, the Vega was selage Vegas were built by Detroit Aircraft always in the back of my mind.” In 1957 the Vega NC12288 had Corporation after they bought Lockheed. been involved in a relatively mi- nor landing accident on the crude runway at the little settlement of learned were at the FAA office next J.G. ‘Jack’ Lowe in 1964 and was Ruby, Alaska, about 40 miles up door to LAX, so I included this as the second Vega Jack owned. The the Yukon River from Galena. The another reason to go out to the LA first one burned up in a landing ac- repairs could have been made fairly area. We had trouble with my FAA cident at Harlingen, Texas, a year easily, but at that point in its life, contact there at first but did order or so before that. I don’t think Jack it was just another old airplane and pay for the prints, which were ever even got to see that airplane for which parts weren’t available. mailed to us. before the accident. He was con- It had lived out its useful life, so it “On this trip I found the wing fined to a wheelchair being born was stripped of its engine and prop just dumped on the ground at the with CP. Though unable to even and left to rot. El Centro airport with no trace of feed himself, he was an amazing It sat for nearly a decade before the wood shop owners to be found. man, being a self-made millionaire an Iowa native operating a potato I sent a truck out to pick up the air- long before the days of the Ameri- chip factory in Fairbanks located plane and move it to my shop at the cans With Disabilities Act. the owner and bought it. He ad- Ottumwa Industrial Airport where “Dad started the restoration on vertised it for sale in Trade-A- restoration started.” the Vega for Jack in 1965. A totally Plane, and Bob Taylor, founder of A Vega wing is an example of new wing was constructed, taking the Antique Airplane Association, woodworking gone wild. It is a Lyle and Tom Hoselton (both de- formed a partnership with Jack 42-foot slab of intricate, yet mas- ceased) four years of full-time ef- Lowe, who bought it on the condi- sive woodworking that is delight- fort to accomplish that daunting tion that it would be delivered to fully suited for carrying heavy task. Unfortunately, Lyle was killed El Centro, California. The owner loads through the air at fairly high in a car accident early in 1968, and somehow managed to wrangle speeds. However, just as an egg is Jack died a few months later, leav- a ride for it on a USAF C-124 to well designed to survive the tra- ing Dad the Vega. Dad and Tom fin- Long Beach. Even though the vails of being laid, in the real world ished up the restoration over the airplane was rescued from the outside of that mission, it is hor- next year, and Dad test-flew the wilds of Alaska and its inclement ribly fragile. And so it is with air- airplane in July of 1969. weather, that doesn’t mean it was plane parts. Wooden, monocoque “During the 15 years Dad owned safe. parts in particular. They are always the airplane, he flew it only a few Bob Taylor says, “I had previ- composed of lots and lots of tiny times. It was used in a made-for-TV ously contracted an aircraft wood- pieces covered with a surprisingly movie about Amelia Earhart with working shop at El Centro to thin shell of plywood. The com- Jim Appleby doing the flying (as rebuild the wing. After hearing the plete assemblage absolutely hates specified by Dad). Later on, [1979] airplane had reached Long Beach, moisture. And sharp objects. And Steve McQueen became interested I took a flight within a week to LA being bumped, bruised, or bat- in buying it and spent a day with for several reasons. tered. And this wing had seen it all us out here but ultimately decided “Jack Lowe and I had formed the and was in tatters. A new wing was against going ahead with a pur- Mint Aviation Co. to restore the necessary if the airplane was ever chase. Dad sold the Vega in 1983 to Vega, as I had told him it would take going to fly again, and that was the a gentleman in Oklahoma City.” a mint of money to restore. In fact, biggest obstacle facing Bob Taylor During the airplane’s stay in the wing was a problem until we and Jack Lowe. Oklahoma City, it didn’t fare well found the Hoselton brothers. Brent Taylor, Bob’s son, tells us, and eventually was heavily dam- “To rebuild the wing, we needed “The airplane was purchased by Air aged in a serious ground loop that the factory blueprints, which I Power Museum (APM) Co-founder relegated the airplane to near- 26 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 John Magoffin and Rick Barter at Arizona Air Frame finally got the airplane back in the air in 2013. abandonment status again. This built the airplane in the late ’60s time it was John Magoffin, now an had been the wing. It was entirely airline pilot living in Tucson, Ari- trashed so they built a new one zona, who stepped up to the bar only to have it damaged again. and decided to rescue it. John says, “Although the dam- John says, “The first time I saw age to the wing looked bad, it was the Vega, it was sitting in a puddle actually much easier to fix than of gasoline in the back of a hangar, the fuselage. The wing was in good and the owner was trying to jump- condition except for the left side, start it with a set of cables hooked which was broken about 8 feet in up to his car. I thought he was go- from the tip. It had hit the ground ing to burn the place down. Later, during the last ground loop acci- I found that one of the local me- dent, and both the front and rear chanics had removed the starter. spar had been broken.” They were sure the owner would As John looked at his new ac- finish the job of wrecking the Vega quisition and began to think about and kill himself, if he ever got it the amount and complexity of the The Spartan cockpit has been re- started again.” work to be done, he made a deci- stored to be as original as practical The Vega’s previous flight had sion: He would hire someone to do considering that John plans on fly- ended in a spectacular ground the restoration, but he would spend ing it regularly. loop,” John says, “The fuselage as much of his free time as possible was intact but badly damaged. in their shop helping. In a project work in the shop alongside him. A The damage included bending and this big, it’s the wise man who re- lot of shops do not like owner in- cracks to major structural compo- alizes that the stubborn desire to volvement, but since I have an A&P nents, stringers, and skins. This say “I did it all myself” sometimes license, Rick agreed to it. We split included the two main bulkheads, dooms a project. It’ll never get fin- the work up as necessary, and we the hat sections, stringers, and ished. So, after storing the Vega for worked together on those parts of skins between those bulkheads. several years it was finally trucked the project that required two men. There was also damage to the lower to Rick Barter at Arizona Air Frame For three-and-a-half years I spent skins forward of the center main in Marana, Arizona. nearly every day off and most of gear points and the tail wheel.” John says, “I contracted with my vacation time from my airline The big challenge to Bob Tay- Rick to do the restoration and part job at the shop working on the lor and Jack Lowe, when they re- of the agreement was that I would Vega. John Oder provided blue- www.vintageaircraft.org 27 When John bought the Vega it had been subjected to a violent ground loop that broke the wing, including both spars, about eight feet in from the tip. prints and drawings from his col- and shape to the plywood fuselages fuselage that picked up all the ma- lection. John Desmond let us look and includes some very advanced jor structural points, like the wing at, and measure, his Vega from and interesting construction tech- attach fittings, landing gear, etc. time to time. It’s one thing to look niques that are seen in much We had to get the two main bulk- at blueprints but something en- later Lockheed aircraft. I believe heads out and repair them on the tirely different to see the actual ob- that the metal fuselages were de- bench before we could even start ject they represent.” signed by Lockheed company de- on the rest of the fuselage. If those He says, “Other than the left wing signers. I don’t think Lockheed weren’t straight, nothing else being broken 8 feet in, the wing was had any great plans for the metal would be straight. in excellent shape. Fortunately, it Vega. It was a way to test construc- “Then we had to form new com- had been stored inside since it was tion techniques and gain experi- pound skin sections on the English built in 1969, and the inside looks ence in the certification process wheel. These were from the firewall like a Stradivarius violin. It is abso- for the Lockheed 10 Electra that to the lower main gear attach points. lutely beautiful! We did a 10-to-1 was on the drawing board by this The fuselage constructed includes scarfed splice on the spars, and time. They knew that plywood was extruded ‘T’ cross section string- built new ribs, tip bow, etc. And, of a dead-end, and that two engines ers, and we had to manufacture new course, scarfed the skin when in- and metal construction were the stringers that duplicated those.” stalling it in that section. It was a way of the future.” The good news was that the lot of work, but nothing compared During the ground loop, the landing gear itself was straight and to what building a new wing would side loads distorted and severely in good shape, so with new seals have been. I have huge respect for damaged the fuselage. This espe- in the oleos, new bolts, and hard- Lyle and Tom Hoselton who built cially applied to the two main bulk- ware it was ready to go. But, then it the wing. It’s an astounding amount heads, which incorporate the wing came time to find tires for it. of work. The fuselage, on the other and landing gear attach points. Be- “The original tires were 9.25- hand, really kept us busy.” cause the fuselage is essentially a by-12, and this size is still in pro- Lockheed built the earlier wooden big aluminum, compound-curved duction, so we thought we had it fuselage Vegas, but John says the 10 ice cream cone, if one area is dis- made. However, after purchas- aluminum fuselage Vegas were built torted, those loads will be trans- ing a pair, we found that those by Detroit Aircraft Corporation after mitted elsewhere in the cone. had a double steel cable bead that they bought Lockheed. “Before we removed anything,” was incredibly stiff. I was afraid John says, “It is identical in size John says, “I built a jig around the that we would break the original 28 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 wheels trying to mount them. The wheels are Lynite cast wheels, and replacements simply don’t exist. So, I decided to go with 11-by-12 single-cable bead tires that are more flexible. We got them on the wheels with moderate difficulty.” John decided to stay with the original brakes rather than upgrade them to something more modern. “They are Warner mechanical, shoe-type, cable-operated brakes that are virtually identical to Model A Ford brakes. They are very simple and surprisingly effective. The airplane had flown for years in Alaska with those brakes with no problems.” When it came time to put some- The Lockheed Vega in History thing forward of the firewall, John had a fairly serious decision to The last half of the 1920s was the beginning of a decade of amazing make. The airplane had come out development in aviation. The fundamentals behind designing airplanes of the factory with a Pratt & Whit- had, through experience, become increasingly sophisticated, which be- ney snap-cap R-1340 that put out came obvious in designs such as the 1927 Lockheed Vega. 450 hp, rather than the 600 hp Born into a period largely populated by wire-braced biplanes, the we’re used to seeing out of that Vega was the result of two soon-to-be-famous designers Lockheed had engine. It used a performance- limiting ground-adjustable prop. In in its employ: John Northrop and Gerald Vultee. Their goal was to de- 1946, as with so many other air- sign an airplane that leapfrogged technology and spurted ahead of the planes of the period, the airplane rest of the pack. And they succeeded. The Vega didn’t just raise the per- was re-engined with the much more formance bar, it totally re-established what could be achieved through available R-985, also with 450 hp. careful design and engineering in almost all areas. At a time when fly- At that point in time, thousands ing wires and struts were still a design standard, the Vega’s amazingly of BT-13 Vultee trainers were be- clean, low-drag airframe gave not only higher load-carrying capabili- ing scrapped, and their engines and ties but outstanding range and speed. A fact not lost on a generation of FWFs found their way to Stearmans race pilots and would-be record setters. in their new role as dusters. A com- Amelia Earhart hopped the Atlantic in a Vega. Wiley Post flew his plete BT-13 cowling, engine, and around the world . . . twice! Jimmy Mattern kept headlines filled with constant-speed propeller were hung numerous A-to-B records like New York-to-Berlin, 4,100 miles, in just on the airplane, and it flew the rest over 29 hours. In total, the Vega is reported to have set 72 records. of its life in that configuration. John says, “There is no engine One hundred twenty-eight Vegas were built. Initially, they were more reliable than an R-985, and powered by the Wright J-5 of 225 hp, but the majority followed a 450- what made sense then, makes hp version of Pratt & Whitney’s R-1340 around. Of that total, John says sense now. I had already decided only 10 had metal fuselages like his. to set the airplane up the way it John explains, “Controlling interest in the Lockheed company was had been when it started seriously acquired by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation (DAC) in 1929. By that time working in Alaska. Besides, that the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) was becoming interested in metal con- engine and a constant-speed prop struction techniques, and DAC could see that this was the way of the work together superbly and give future for both commercial and military aircraft. The USAAC took delivery great performance.” of two metal Vegas, the Y1C-12 and the Y1C-17 for test and evaluation of As far as interior furnishings go, the metal construction.” John was lucky because the origi- www.vintageaircraft.org 29 nal seats hadn’t been stripped out for cargo space. The pilot’s seat bottom, incidentally, folds up, giving him access to the cockpit, and the closed cockpit door forms the back of that seat. The instrument panel was mostly original and complete, John says: “The instruments were 1940s vintage, typical of when the airplane flew in Alaska. They were tested Two different times it looked as if the sun was setting on NC12288 but and repaired or replaced as neces- both times passionate restorers, first Lowe/Taylor and then Magoffin/Bar- sary. There were some extra holes, ter, saved it. gaps, patches, etc., but we filled them, when needed. The only ‘new’ directional control. Then, I was fly- aggressive shot of power. Basically, instrument is the CDI (course de- ing and it felt just fine. it is unstable directionally. In addi- viation indicator), which is slaved “The Vega is a delightful airplane tion it is top heavy and has a low to the GPS unit below the right in- in the air. The controls are smooth, wing loading. If you keep it dead strument panel. It is easy to see and well-balanced, and surprisingly center, it is okay. But, if you give it very useful. It lives where the ADF light. The trim is very effective be- a chance, it will eat your lunch. The used to be. My approach was to use cause it moves the horizontal sta- brake setup is awkward with two functional instruments that would bilizer. I climbed to a safe cruise separate bars for the brake and rud- have been found later in this Vega’s altitude in the pattern, then went der. To work the brake, you must life. I wanted the capability to fly in to the practice area where I did two pick your foot up and off the rudder the clouds safely, with basic instru- steep turns and a power-off stall. bar and put it up on the brake bar. ments, if necessary. I wanted my These show you just about every- You can’t use both at the same time. radios to be functional and easy to thing you need to know about an That’s why you have to be ready to access, easy to see, and easy to adjust. airplane. Then, it was time to find use FULL rudder and a healthy shot “The first flight came up on me out if I could land this thing. of power, if it starts to wander.” really quickly because I was so “I brought the power back to 15 John reports the airplane cruises swamped in last minute mainte- inches abeam the end of the runway at about 150 mph at 25 gallons nance details. I had several people and trimmed full nose up, which is per hour, and the forward visibil- tell me that I should do some high- about 80 mph in the approach and ity is good, but the view to the side speed taxi tests, but I figured this 60 mph over the fence. I brought is blocked by the wings, so, some was just a good way to set yourself the prop up and let the airplane fly stretching and leaning is required. up for a ground loop. My feeling right down to the end of the run- Although John’s Vega is finished is that once you make your mind way. As I got close to the runway, I in the colors of one of the two metal up to go fly, you should do just eased the power back to idle, and Vegas purchased by the military, that. Lay the whip to her and, as told myself, ‘Hold it off, hold it off, it never saw military service. The Bob Rice would have said, get as far hold it off.’ It squeaked on in a tail- original owner was Morrell Meat away from the wreck as you can. low wheel landing, and I just held Company of Ottumwa, Iowa. For a “So, I started her up, did a check what I had in the stick. As the tail fi- period of time it was employed by a at the end of the runway, brought nally settled to the ground, a waggle company doing construction of the up half power to get her rolling, of the rudder was needed to keep Alaska Military Highway (AlCan then went to 36 inches of manifold her tracking straight. Easy, weasy! Highway today) and was based in pressure. It tracked pretty straight, “Now that I’ve made a few more Whitehorse in 1942.” but I was a little surprised as the landings I’ve found the first one was The airplane has seen its share weight came off the gear and they not necessarily typical. The rudder of travails, but like a Phoenix strug- extended at different rates. This in- is fairly effective down to about 25 gling out of the ashes, this old Vega duced a noticeable change in the mph. Then, when it starts to wan- is once again strutting its stuff at wing bank angle and a wobble in der, you need a full rudder and an fly-ins nationwide. 30 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

Walking the Line EAA Oshkosh AirVenture 2014: Welcome home, Vintage members! text and photos by Sparky Barnes Sargent

Some folks go to forums during AirVenture, some ous type club representatives offering informa- stroll through the vendor areas, and some en- tion about vintage airplanes and vintage-related joy the air shows and campsite camaraderie. But workshops, including metal shaping. Another ed- this winsome wanderer spends most of her time ucational event, the Vintage Aircraft Association’s prowling the flightline. Vintage airplanes flown to “Prop it Right, Save a Life” demonstration of how Wittman field this year were especially abundant to safely hand prop an airplane engine, was held in numbers and types, ranging from the economi- daily in front of the Red Barn. cal, everyday fliers to the finest fresh restorations. Throughout the week, I wended my way It was a treat to see them all, and it was especially through the fields from the VAA Red Barn area all interesting to meet their caretakers, who spanned the way south of the ultralight airstrip, and then the spectrum from preteens to grandparents. peregrinated back north. There are usually a few It was also great to see a number of airplanes gems in the South 40, and this year, I discovered repositioned from the flightline to the compass a gleaming white Piper J-3 Cub with the “Barnhill rose in front of the VAA Red Barn, where they were Bros. Airshows” logo there. Then, on virtually the highlighted during the Vintage in Review sessions. last row in that field, I saw an old-faithful 1958 A small set of bleachers accommodated passersby Cessna 310B that boasted a most-appropriate slo- who wanted to relax and listen to the pilots/ gan in bold, white lettering on its vertical fin and owners/restorers describing their airplanes. Other rudder: “Oshkosh or Bust.” On that note, let’s happenings at the VAA Red Barn included vari- start “walking the line!”

David Herrmann of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, was happy to share a bit about his unique 1943 Meyers OTW 160 (N34351), which he acquired about four months prior to AirVenture. It received the World War II Era (1942-1945) Outstanding Open-Cockpit Biplane award. “I purchased it from a gentleman who had it out in Ra- mona, California. I bought it in the condition you see it in; I just cleaned it up a little bit,” says Herrmann, smiling and adding, “I absolutely love it! I was attracted to it because I had seen Dick Martin’s OTW quite a few times around here locally. I like the rarity of the OTW and its flying characteristics. This particular one has the 160-hp Kinner on it, which I really like. The ‘dishpan’ was mounted behind the propeller because the oil temperatures were low, and that helped the oil temperature increase quite a bit. It’s bolted on, and it holds up just fine in flight; it serves the purpose, and it looks good, too. This OTW will cruise 100 mph and lands at 45 mph. It has a 26-gallon capacity and burns 10 gph. The flight controls are push-pull and are very smooth. It’s a well-coordinated, hands-off airplane; the rigging was done beautifully. It’s just a great flying airplane, and I plan to be the caretaker of it for a while—probably quite a while!” (Watch for an upcoming feature on this airplane.)

34 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 wheel transitions to pilots. Rice recalls with a chuckle, “Years ago, I was at the University of Michigan in Air Force ROTC, and we were flying Cubs while the Navy guys were flying Cessna 150s, and I thought we were getting the short end of the stick! It was 30 years before I realized how lucky we were to fly tailwheel airplanes, particularly a Cub! I’m just glad to be back in one, especially this one—I’m the third owner in 64 years, which is pretty remarkable. If any- body wants to meet a lot of nice people, they should go looking for an old Cub! I searched the online FAA Registry for old Cubs in the dry part David Rice of Clarksville, Tennessee, has been com- of the country. I called one owner in South Da- ing to Oshkosh for about 20 years. In years past, he flew kota and asked if they would be interested in his Meyers 200 or S35 Bonanza to Oshkosh, but this year, selling their Cub. The wife said, ‘Oh, no! We’ll he was enjoying camping with N5427H, his 1949 Piper never sell that airplane! My father-in-law told PA-18 Super Cub. “I bought this Cub on October 25, 2013, my husband if he would learn to fly, he would from Mr. Richard Kaup who lives on a ranch in Stuart, buy him an airplane. That airplane was deliv- Nebraska. His neighbor bought it new from the factory in ered to the ranch on Christmas Day 1949; selling 1949, and then Mr. Kaup owned it for 55 years,” shares it would be like selling one of the grandchil- Rice, adding, “It had been in his machine shed on his dren!’ The other memorable conversation I had ranch airstrip for approximately 20 years. After I flew it was with a man in North Dakota. [When I asked home, I installed new sealed wing lift struts and heavy the question], he responded, ‘Not in my life- duty forks, and overhauled the exhaust system to get time! My dad bought that Cub for $2,500 when it ready for the 2014 flying season. This is serial num- it had 50 hours on it. He willed it to me, and ber 17—number 4 is two rows behind me, and number 1 later I signed it over to my son, and he’s go- is on Row 60, so there’s a nice assemblage of old Cubs ing to teach my granddaughter how to fly in it. here. I’m in the throes of beginning to restore this one We’ll never sell that Cub!’ I had several other right now, so I’m seeking advice from other owners who wonderful conversations, as well—so if you are here, and from Clyde Smith Jr., Paul Babcock, Steve want to meet nice people, go looking for an old Pierce, and other Cub gurus. I still have my Bonanza, but Cub! After all those conversations, when I called I wanted to get a Cub and teach my grandchildren how Mr. Kaup in Nebraska, Mrs. Kaup answered the to fly. They’re so young right now; who knows if they’ll phone, and I asked her the question. She said, be interested? I’m hoping it will work! My granddaughter ‘Well, you’ll have to ask him.’ He came to the is 4 years old, and when we were at Sentimental Jour- phone, and the first word he said was, ‘Yes!’ I ney, I gave her her first airplane ride in a Cub—and she was honored that he would entrust his plane to went to sleep!” me, and I assured him that not only was it go- Rice has logged about 2,800 hours since he learned to ing to a good home, but that I would restore it fly in a PA-18, and he particularly enjoys teaching tail- to new condition.”

Here are five of the seven Lockheeds that were flown to Wittman field this summer. (Watch for an upcoming feature on these airplanes.)

www.vintageaircraft.org 35 John Watkins of Somers, Connecticut, bought his 1949 Piper PA-16 Clipper in 2008, and in 2009, he flew N5216H to Oshkosh to celebrate its 60th birthday. “This year I flew it here for its 65th birthday, and I arrived Monday before the show started. We had a whole row of short- wing Pipers here,” he adds, smiling. “Every year, I come out—if I can’t fly, I drive. We just have a great time, and I’ve been volunteering for EAA since the late 1980s. I probably wouldn’t have come as often as I do, if I weren’t volunteering. I used to work Camp Scholler night se- curity, but they hire people to do that now, so I’m helping out at the fly-in theater and making sure everything is kept up and clean.” Watkins, who also enjoys flying sailplanes, describes his Clipper this way: “It looks like an airplane should look! It was restored in the early 2000s, and I wouldn’t buy one of these unless it was pretty well restored. The restorer did a nice job on the covering and painting, but he wasn’t trying to make an Oshkosh-winning plane, so I did a lot of additional work and improvements. It does handle pretty well in crosswinds, but I’m always careful when I land! The Clipper has a 108-hp Lycoming O-235, and carries 30 gallons of fuel—12 in the fuselage tank and one 18-gallon wing tank. It burns maybe 5-1/2 gph, just flying around, and about 6-1/2 cruising cross-country. When I land at airports along the way, people are always curious about the Clipper, so that’s fun. It’s a four-place airplane, but I’ll only carry two relatively small passengers. It’s really a nice, enjoyable plane that I am proud to own, maintain, and fly.”

NC25628 is a 1940 Lockheed 12A, registered to John Okeefe of Winthrop, Washington.

36 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Vaughn Lovley of New Prague, Minnesota, received the Classic Outstanding Piper Other - Small Plaque award for his recently restored 1948 Piper PA-15 Vagabond, NC4426H. Pictured with him is his father, Forrest Lovley. (Watch for an upcoming feature on this airplane.)

Vintage member Mike Pfau of Princeton, Minnesota, purchased his 1939 Fairchild (N18688) in 1977. “I took it apart as soon as I got it. It needed some work, and I got it flying again in 1981, and have been flying it ever since,” he says, smiling. “I’ve restored Cubs and Champs and Interstates, but this one was the most com- plicated because of the woodwork, which was a challenge. We had to replace some ribs, some of the leading edge, and do a little bit of woodwork in the tail—the horizontal stabilizer is all one big piece of wood. This airplane was used for antisubmarine patrol by the Civil Air Patrol in the Gulf during World War II. It flew out of Base 10 in Beaumont, Texas, and I have the logbooks that show that activity. It had a 145-hp Warner at that time; it was converted to a 200-hp Ranger in 1953. It carries 60 gallons of fuel and burns 10 or 11 gph; it cruises around 90 to 95 knots. It’s a great airplane to fly, because the controls are all push-pull tubes and ball bearings; the cable is only from the floor of the cabin up to the wing root. The control input is very smooth, and it’s a well-balanced airplane. I’ve put around 1,000 hours on it.” Pfau soloed in 1969 in an Aeronca 7AC Champ, which he still owns. “It was my dad’s airplane, and he learned to fly in it, then I did, and both of my kids learned to fly in it,” says Pfau, “and they both grew up in this Fairchild. I’ve probably come to Oshkosh 20 times since 1975. I come for the people and the airplanes, but the people are great—it’s fun just to sit here under the wing and talk to the people.”

www.vintageaircraft.org 37 Chris Nesin restored this 1948 Piper PA-11 Cub Special, and then he and his wife, April, flew N4971H on a 48-state tour this past summer. They retraced the Flight of Passage, which the young Buck brothers originally flew in this airplane in 1966. The Nesins’ flight not only commemorated the Bucks’ flight, but also raised awareness of the Austin Hatcher Foun- dation for Pediatric Cancer. (Watch for an upcoming feature article.)

This Lockheed 12A (NC14999) is registered to Patrick Donovan of Seattle, Washington.

NC34618 1941 Stinson 10A CAP

NC8051A is a clean-looking 1952 Cessna 170B.

38 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 This 1951 de Havilland DHC-1 Super Chipmunk is powered by a 260-hp IO-540. It cruises at 125 knots and lands at 58 knots. N7DW’s display poster states that the Chipmunk was surplused as an RAF trainer in 1955; used as a trainer, glider tug, and spray plane in Australia; and flown by air show performer Chuck Stockdale from 1988 to 2000. It was rebuilt by Mark Meredith of Rockville, Maryland, from 2009-2014, along with help from friends including Larry Donaldson Jr. and Sr.; Brian Tuscher; A&Ps from Chesapeake Aviation at Lee An- napolis Airport, and friends of EAA Chapter 571. First flight since rebuild was May 21, 2014. It won the Classic Custom Class D (236-plus hp)—Small Plaque award.

Tied down in the heart of the vintage camping area was an eye-catching 1940 Piper J-3C-65, configured as a liaison plane and painted in Army Air Corps colors. N32746 is owned by Dan Gervae of Iron River, Michigan; he brought his 12-year-old daughter, Lexi, to AirVenture for her first time this year. The Cub has an interesting history and has been in Gervae’s family since 1970. “I soloed in this plane in 1985, and I did restore it,” shares Gervae, adding, “It was originally in the standard J-3 configuration, but it was acquired by Defense Plant Cor- poration in 1941 and then used at four or five military bases as a trainer. It was also flown as a submarine spotter on the Atlantic Coast out of North Carolina, and then it went to Civil Air Patrol until the early 1960s. Lexi is learning to fly now, and I’ve got a Taylorcraft on floats, and she likes to fly that. We live by a lake, so she can walk right out the front door and fly. I’ve been coming to Oshkosh many years; I’m just an airplane nut, and this is where it’s at! I make the trip every year—sometimes I fly into the seaplane base, and sometimes I come here. This is best for me, because the vintage area is the best part—it’s unbeatable!” Lexi, who was industriously cleaning the Cub with a cloth and bottled water while we talked, was exuding pure happiness at being surrounded by airplanes. “I’m excited to be here! We’ve been watching the air shows every afternoon, because they’re awesome! I’ve been going up flying since I was a year old,” she says, smiling, “and I like everything about airplanes. When I was little, I didn’t really get the concept of being in the sky and how small the houses looked. My dad rebuilt this airplane because it was my grandpa’s, and he had had it since my dad was little. My dad was a year old when he first flew in this airplane. When I’m older, I’ll probably want to fly in the Air Force.” www.vintageaircraft.org 39 the pilot’s seat thanks to the Chief restoration project. “I’d go out to the airport, and Warren would give me an assignment and I’d learn how to do that and get pretty good at it. I’d watch the planes take off at that little Texas airport while I was working, and one day the owner of the airport took me up on a discovery flight. He gave me the controls for 30 seconds,” she says, grinning, “and I thought, Hey! I think I can do this—this doesn’t seem so hard. So I took flying lessons in a 172 and got my license in 1995. I’ll never for- get the day my in- Warren and Terrie Wilkey of Garfield, Kansas, structor got out of the received the Classic (September 1945-1955) Outstand- airplane and said, ‘Okay, you’re ready; take it around ing Aeronca Chief—Small Plaque for their restoration three times.’ It brought tears to my eyes—it was one of NC9373E, a 1946 Aeronca 11AC Chief. The Chief sports of the most exciting days of my life!” original aluminum wheelpants and nose bowl, a Mc- Terrie easily conveys her enthusiasm for aviation as Dowell Aero Safety Starter, original embossed fuel she reflects on the project: “I love doing the work with tank caps, a Sensenich propeller with Aeronca decals, Warren; he’s a really good teacher and was patient restored control yoke caps, and original overhauled enough to get me through it. I learned how to do sand- instruments. Powered by a 65-hp Continental A65-8, blasting, install fabric, and so much more. It was a great the Wilkeys enjoy a 90 mph cruise and a slow 40 mph adventure for me! I’ve talked to a lot of women out landing speed. The Chief’s main tank holds 15 gal- here, and I hear them tell stories of how they ‘wish they lons, and the auxiliary tank holds 8 gallons. could,’ and I’m thinking, ‘Get in there and do it!’” Recounting their experience of buying the Chief The restoration took the couple 20 years, all told— when they lived in the Houston area, Warren says: but in the meantime, they restored three other air- “Terrie saw an ad for an Aeronca Chief, and asked me planes, as well. Three years ago, they decided it was what kind of airplane it was. I told her it was basically time to finish the Chief. “We took the Chief all the a side-by-side Champ, and she liked the idea of sit- way down to the last nut, bolt, and screw—everything ting beside each other—so we bought it. It had been was redone, replaced, or refurbished. We did all the sitting for 15 years in a horse barn, covered with dirt work ourselves up until the final assembly, the test and pigeon droppings, and the wings were filled with flying, and the sign-off,” says Warren, elaborating, dirt dauber nests. When we showed up with a trailer to “We had Tom Westfall help with those things, and dismantle and move the airplane, the previous owner we took it up through silver but had a friend put on looked around and asked me, ‘Where’s your help?’ I the color coat. We had a lot of help from our Aeronca said, ‘It’s just us.’ He said, ‘She can’t do this!’ I assured friends—Bill Pancake, Ray Johnson, and Denzel Wil- him that Terrie is a pretty capable lady and could han- liams. We tried to keep it as original as possible, with dle it. Then I saw her walk over and pick up his por- a few concessions such as Slick double impulse mag- table generator—she lifted it up and pressed it about netos to make the starting easier, and Belkin har- twice, and said, ‘How about this? Think I can do it?’ So nesses for safety.” she’s had her hands in the project from the git-go!” The Chief’s first flight was in March this year, and Warren first started flying when he was 14, and in June, the Wilkeys attended the Aeronca Convention then took it back up a few years later—at age 40. He in Middletown, Ohio, where the Chief won the Grand earned his private certificate in a Cessna 172, and then Champion Classic award. And, just as the Chief project acquired a Cessna 180 in which he received his tail- inspired Terrie to learn to fly, it may also inspire her wheel training and endorsement. Terrie sidled into to obtain her tailwheel endorsement. 40 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 It isn’t often that you see a 1947 Stinson 108-3 on floats. NC833C was tied up to the dock and being fueled at the EAA Seaplane Base one evening. Vintage member John Texter of Middleville, Michigan, has owned the airplane for a year. He’s been flying since 1975, and NC833C is the first airplane he’s owned. “I’ve been having a lot of fun with it! These floats are manufactured by Great Waters Aerospace in Hibbing, Minnesota—they’re called Tuffloats. I’ve had it on floats for two months, and the Stinson has an outstanding performance on floats,” shares Texter, adding, “We landed in really rough conditions here Monday night, and it handled amazingly well. This airplane has a 220-hp Franklin PZL engine, which was manufactured in Poland as a replacement upgrade for the original Franklins. The early Stinsons had a 150-hp Franklin, and later, a 165-hp Franklin. This airplane has an interesting history—it used to be owned by a mortician, and it has an FAA-approved berth for cadavers. The interior has wood veneer, and it’s a very versatile airplane. The nose art is a tribute to Lady Dee, a previous owner’s wife. I also had the opportunity to meet another previous owner, Bob Kendall, at the Theater in the Woods this year. We had a nice chat about NC833C; he put a lot of time and money into improving and making her the great aircraft that she is.”

ent people whom we’ve seen in different phases of our lives,” shares Paul, “I run into Vietnam buddies and airline and Swift buddies here, and it’s great to see them all. I restored this Swift from scratch just the way I wanted it, after having grounded my old Swift due to corrosion. It took me 4-1/2 years to restore it, and we’ve been flying it 16 years now. I love the Swift’s stability and speed, and its aerobatic and cross-country capabilities. It’s one of the most versatile and sexiest looking airplanes out there!” Sandy is the vice chairman of the Swift Museum Foundation Formation Committee. She’s a longtime Swift pilot (and airline pilot), and shares her thoughts about the Swift: “I love the airplane because it’s a high-performance, vintage taildragger and a lot of fun! Swift does provide FAAST formation clinics across the country every year, or any time you want to contact us and get a group to- There were about 17 Swifts at Oshkosh this year, gether in your area, we can make it happen. We’re and Paul and Sandy Mercandetti flew up from Knox- still qualifying new members and recertifying pilots ville, Tennessee, in N84799, their 1947 Globe GC-1B every year. We do have a ground school and sorties Swift. They’ve been attending the convention off and when we go to a fly-in—whether it’s the Nationals, on for 15 years, but with the price of fuel these days, Texas, or the West Coast fly-in. It’s refreshing to see they don’t attend as often as they used to. a number of pilots who have previously taken the “We have a lot of friends who come up here, and clinic just sit in on the class, so they can stay cur- it’s always like old-home week to run into differ- rent with their skills.”

www.vintageaircraft.org 41 Dave Smith of Milaca, Minnesota, just completed the restoration of this 1938 Beechcraft E17B Stagger- The company logo on the tail of NC32412, a 1940 wing, which was manufactured especially for In- Porterfield LP65, depicts a lion’s head and the slogan, dian National Airways of New Delhi, India. NC233EB is “King of the Air, Porterfield-Turner Airplanes.” Owned powered by a 275-hp Jacobs, cruises at 150 mph, and by Dave Reichard of Dayton, Ohio, the aircraft is pow- lands at 52 mph. It won the Bronze Age (1937-1941) ered by a 65-hp Lycoming O-145-B2, and cruises at 85 Champion—Bronze Lindy award this year. (Watch for an mph. The restoration of this Porterfield was featured upcoming feature on this airplane.) in the September 2008 issue of Vintage Airplane.

NC37429 is a 1942 Interstate S-1A-90F, owned by NC14052 is a 1934 Waco UKC, registered to Kevin Mike Latta of Auburn, Washington. Hogan of Hamilton, Ohio.

N4745M is a 1947 Piper PA-11 Cub Special. This This 1944 Stinson Vultee V-77, NC69398, is regis- Tundra Cub is owned by Patricia and Walter Dorlac of tered to Terry Blaser of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Windsor, Colorado.

42 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 flight was April 13, 2007, and it’s flown 500 trouble-free hours since then. Covington did the engines, and they’re wonderful—they don’t leak, and they don’t use oil.” In 2008, NC2072 became a star of the silver screen. “I was contacted by Avalon Pictures in Canada; they wanted to use this Lockheed in the movie Amelia, starring Hillary Swank and Richard Gere. So we flew three round trips up to Canada, and probably flew 50 hours for the producers, but very little footage of this Lockheed appeared in the movie. There was another Lockheed that did most of the flying in South Africa. They paid me for my flying,” says Shepherd, “and it was fun and quite an experience! Last year, I was contacted by a movie company down in Atlanta, and they filmed the Lockheed for a small part in the movie 42— Joseph Shepherd of Fayetteville, Georgia, is the about the baseball player Jackie Robinson. Now, I pilot/owner/restorer of this handsome 1936 Lockheed mainly fly the Lockheed to about 10 air shows a year.” 12A Electra Junior. The aircraft carries eight passengers Shepherd’s father was a World War II fighter pi- and 200 gallons of fuel. Powered by two 450-hp Pratt lot who flew P-51s, P-40s, and P-47s. “After the war, & Whitney R-985s, it cruises at 213 mph, burns 50 gph, he was in the Air National Guard in Louisville, where and has a range of 700 statute miles. Its empty weight I’m from, and I learned to fly at Bowman Field,” is 5,765 pounds, with a gross weight of 9,200 pounds. shares Shepherd, adding, “My dad had a FBO op- NC2072 is the second oldest Lockheed 12 existing eration up in Michigan, but I was just up there in today of 130 originally produced. Currently, there are the summers with him. I soloed in a Cessna 140 at only eight airworthy Lockheed 12s remaining. Shep- 18, got all my ratings, and ended up flying char- herd acquired NC2072 in 1988. “I was looking for a ter freight in Beech 18s. Then I flew for a corpora- Lockheed, and a friend of mine told me about one tion until I went to Southern Airways in 1969. After a being advertised in Trade-A-Plane,” recalls Shep- couple of mergers and many uniforms later, I retired herd, “so I called the owner, Tommy Traler, and then in 2004 from Northwest Airlines, where I was flying flew my Cessna 195 to see the Lockheed in Brenham, DC-10s internationally.” Texas. I actually ended up swapping the Cessna 195 Shepherd heartily supported the special effort to for it. Even though the Lockheed hadn’t flown in nine have seven of the eight airworthy Lockheeds at Air- years, I thought I could do an annual inspection and Venture this year. “It’s great being here—every day fly it. We worked on it for about a month and then I walk up and see all these Lockheeds and feel this ferried it home to Georgia, where we disassembled magic! Back in 1988, there was another Lockheed in the aircraft, inspected everything, and then began an that hangar in Texas where mine was. The two Perras extensive ground-up restoration. We did it all in my brothers were there a couple of weeks before me, and hangar except for the engines, paint (on the bottom they bought it [NC2633] and did a beautiful job re- side), and interior. It took three of us close to 17 years storing it. So years later, here we are—with the same and at least 20,000 man-hours to restore it. Its first two Lockheeds, sitting side by side again!”

NC18906 is a Lockheed 12A, owned by Les and Susan Whittle- sey of Coto de Caza, California.

www.vintageaircraft.org 43 thing to know about my Interstate, since it looks so pretty, is that the restoration was done by Tim Talen and his crew [Ragwood Refactory] up in Springfield, Oregon. It took them about four years to collect the parts and a year to finish it. It was finished three weeks ago, I soloed it two weeks ago, and I left for Oshkosh a week ago! There’s 24 hours on the clock, and I have 25 hours in type. I got one hour instruction before I flew it.” Northway became interested in flying about 15 years ago, and after earning his private, he acquired his tailwheel endorsement. “I started looking for an airplane I could afford, and 10 years ago, I bought a Commonwealth Skyranger and have been flying that. But getting up in age, I wanted something that was sport pilot eligible,” he says, “so I started looking at Cubs, and then I learned about the Interstate Mathew Northway flew his freshly restored 1941 and discovered that the premium expert in Inter- Interstate S-1A Cadet (NC37369) from Eugene, Oregon, states—Tim Talen—lived nearby. So I went and talked to Wisconsin for his first visit to AirVenture. He was to him, and decided to do a restoration. We found a accompanied by Mike Latta (of Seattle) in Latta’s own February 1942 Aero Digest ad which actually featured Interstate (NC37429). The flight of two 90-hp Inter- NC37369, and that’s what the current paint scheme is states cruised around 110 to 115 mph as they followed, based upon. He did a gorgeous job, and what’s really ironically enough, Interstate 90, and they sometimes nice about Tim is that he’s mentoring two young men enjoyed the added benefit of a 25 mph tailwind. who did much of the restoration of my airplane—Kyle Northway’s prized Interstate received the Bronze Bushman and Jakonah Matson-Bell—to do this kind Age (1937-1941) Runner-up award. Smiling like a of restoration work as their careers.” (Watch for an up- proud father, Northway shares, “The most important coming feature on this airplane.)

(Corsair pilot in Squadron VMF-115, WWII ace, and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient) for his service in the Marine Corps. Freshly restored, N1017S was flown to AirVenture by Dave “Speedy” Richardson, pilot for Dakota Cub Air- craft. “It has a lot of Alaska mods on it,” says Rich- ardson, explaining, “It has the Dakota Cub slotted wing, which helps performance on takeoffs and landings; large tires to clear rocks and rough terrain; a large baggage compartment under the seat; and Da- kota Cub master cylinders, which increase the braking power. It has the Dakota Cub fuel tanks, which hold a total of 48 gallons. This airplane cruises around 95 mph, while burning right at 8 gph. It handles real nice, is light on the stick, and you can get in and out of 300 feet pretty easy.” Elaborating on the “Marine Cub” project, owner Er- N1017S is a 1959 Piper PA-18A Super Cub, pow- ickson says, “We started this project in early April and ered by a 150-hp Lycoming O-320, and owned by worked hard to get it to Oshkosh. Most of the guys Mark Erickson of Valley Springs, South Dakota. The in the Dakota Cub shop participated with me in the Super Cub is Dakota Cub Aircraft’s flying salute to rebuild, and I decided upon the color scheme and the greatest generation and the F4U Corsair fighter, markings. We used Ceconite’s Star Gloss System with as well as an honorable tribute to Raymond Joseph Ranthane paint.” Their collective hard work and at- Erickson (the owner’s 90-year-old father) who was tention to detail was duly noted by the judges, who a Marine in the Pacific theater and was with the awarded N1017S the Contemporary, Class 1 Single- occupational forces for 10 months after the war. The Engine (0-160 hp) Bronze Lindy. (Watch for an upcoming Cub is also a memorial tribute to Joseph Jacob Foss feature on this airplane.)

44 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Philip and Warren Oxman with their mother, Judi Oxman. They had their 1965 Bonanza (N12711) and 1963 Twin Beech (N87711) at Oshkosh this year as a memorial tribute to their father and husband, Steve Oxman. Tim and Myrna Weston of Yelm, Washington, (Watch for an upcoming feature article.) with NC63597, their just-restored 1944 Howard DGA- 15P. It received the Antique Reserve Grand Champion— Silver Lindy award. (Watch for an upcoming feature on this airplane.)

The Jim Moss Q.E.D. Model R6W is powered by a 1,425-hp Wright Cyclone. N14307 has a wingspan of 36 feet 7 inches, an empty weight of 5,500 pounds, and a gross weight of 7,800 pounds. It cruises at 190 knots and lands at 95 knots, and was flown by Rich Alldredge.

Jim Clark flew his freshly restored Mohawk Airways 1929 Waco CSO (NC618N) to AirVenture from Chapman, Kansas. It was the Silver Age (1928-1936) Runner-Up. (Watch for an upcoming feature on this airplane.)

www.vintageaircraft.org 45 tle boots that go on the steering rods. Then we had the trim painted.” Don learned to fly in a Beechcraft Sport and Sund- owner at Houston Hobby in Texas, and earned his private certificate in 1973. “I have about 2,500 hours now, and I’m commercial and IFR rated—not that I’ll use that in the 150, but I did get it certified,” adds Steen, smiling. “We left Vermont on Friday and got here Mon- day. We stayed in New York and in Claire, Michigan, at 48D. The Claire airport offered wonderful hospitality and good camping; they have a kitchen with food in the fridge, a lounge, and a courtesy car. We stayed two nights there because of weather.” Michele was happy to be at AirVenture—in fact, it was Don and Michele Steen of Lyndonville, Ver- the couple’s first time. “I’m just a passenger in the 150, mont, bought a Cessna 150K Commuter in Novem- and I love camping,” she says, adding, “We went to Ra- ber 2013. N5896G was manufactured in October 1969 mona Cox’s Air Camping Essentials forum here, and it was as a new 1970 model (indicated by the letter “K”), and very good. We do a lot of camping, including motorcycle was immediately put into service at a flight school in camping—so this was just the next camping adventure. St. Charles, Missouri. True to its moniker, the airplane I’m duly impressed and totally entertained by all of this “commuted” throughout its life to many different at AirVenture. I have not had a bored moment since I’ve states, including Nevada, Florida, New Jersey, and Ohio. been here, and I’m not an aviation enthusiast, but even “We were flying a Mooney for about 23 years, and I can appreciate all that’s going on around here!” my partner retired and I decided that I wanted to scale Don reflects, “Oshkosh has been more than I ex- down,” says Don, “so we decided that maybe a 150 pected, in a very positive way. I had no trouble getting would work. I found this in Ohio; the young man who in to the field; the traffic controllers did an excellent owned it had started restoring it and had put the base job. The whole rationale behind how they handle the white on and had done a little bit on the interior. After VFR traffic seems sensible. I think it’s great, and I was I bought it, I took the interior out and repaired all the real glad the airplane does qualify as vintage—in fact, I cracks and did some engine work, and replaced the lit- just joined VAA today!”

go-to-breakfast airplane. I fly it around 60 hours a year,” shares Seabrooke, adding, “I soloed in 1971 in a Cessna 150, and always had dreams of flying as a career. I started with aerial photography, then flew as a bush pilot in Alaska off and on for 10 years. The times I left Alaska, I did a little crop spraying, and flew for a couple of commuter airlines in the States and Puerto Rico. I also had various charter jobs and managed a 135 operation in Virginia. Then I flew corporate for 15 years, and I just retired off the MD-11 after 15 years with the airlines. In addition to the Stinson, I have a partnership in a Twin Comanche. I’m here this year with Cindy Lou Sigrist; it’s her first time at Oshkosh.” Ross Seabrooke of Clarksville, Michigan, has Sigrist, a student pilot, gladly shares her per- been coming to Oshkosh on and off since 1971. This ceptions about AirVenture and flying. “We got here marked the sixth year that he came in NC97607, his Thursday before everything was set up. I’ve been 1946 Stinson 108. Powered by a 150-hp Franklin, the walking miles, just watching the evolution of it all, airplane has a 36-gallon capacity and burns about 10 and it’s quite overwhelming and fascinating. I so- gallons an hour cruising around 100 knots. loed in a 172, and I think I’m going to pick up lessons “I keep coming back for the people I see and meet again in a Cherokee. I do plan to come back to Osh- at Oshkosh, and I like the vintage camping area be- kosh; it’s really incredible, and I love it! I see planes cause it’s like being at your own private fly-in! I here that I’ve only seen in calendars and magazines bought my Stinson in North Carolina seven years before,” she says, laughing and adding, “When I saw ago, and fly it from a 1,700-foot strip at my house. that Gee Bee—gosh, my knees were all wobbly! I have It’s inexpensive to operate, and it’s a fun, kind of a not felt like this since I had a crush in eighth grade!” 46 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Marlin Horst of Bird in Hand, Pennsylvania, won the Antique Grand Champion—Gold Lindy for the restoration of his beautiful 1929 Fairchild 71, NC9708. Daniel Wilkins of Portland, Pennsylvania, with (Watch for an upcoming feature on this airplane.) NC32141, his newly restored 1941 Waco UPF 7. It won the World War II Era (1942-1945) Champion—Bronze Lindy award. (Watch for an upcoming feature on this airplane.)

N6948, The Great Waldo Pepper, is the EAA’s re- NC2633 is a 1940 Lockheed 12A and is owned by cently restored, Hisso-powered 1917 Standard J-1. brothers Yon and Uwanna Perras of Morrisville, Vermont.

Ron Alexander of Griffin, Georgia, is a frequent Here’s one of the rows of Cessna 195s—in the flier of the “Candler Field Express,” a 1940 Douglas foreground is NC3457V, a 1948 model registered to DC3A (N28AA). Coyle Schwab of St. Charles, Illinois.

This 1939 Spartan 7W is registered to James Sav- N8417P is a sharp-looking 1964 Piper PA-24-250 age of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. Comanche.

www.vintageaircraft.org 47 Pilots by Harmon Helmericks. He flew a 170 in Alaska, and that inspired me. I was based in Columbus, Ohio, when I returned from overseas, and in 1984, I bought this 170. I was a regional airline pilot at the time, and we didn’t make much money, so I gradually worked my way up to some of the other airlines. My dream was to fly the 170 to Alaska, so we had the airplane painted in 1997, and the engine overhauled in 1998. Then, with 50 hours on it, my 14-year-old son and I flew to Alaska! We basically went around the Mount McKinley area,” says Polsley, describing his adventure and adding, “We had an acquaintance in Healy, and we spent about seven days with him. We did the normal route; we flew the Alaska Highway, went into Fairbanks, and down to the Healy and Anchorage area Chris Polsley of Galion, Ohio, has been flying and back out the same direction. My son is grown N4541C, his 1953 Cessna 170B, for 30 years. He’s made now and flies for a living; he used to come to Osh- more than a dozen trips to Oshkosh since the late kosh with me every time. My daughter was 21 when 1980s, and keeps returning because he enjoys see- she came with me to Oshkosh the first time, and ing the old airplanes—this year, his favorites were she loved it. She would have liked to have come this the Fairchild 71s. “When I was 14, I was reading a lot time, but she works as a nurse, and has a 1-year-old of the ‘flying to Alaska’ articles in the AOPA maga- daughter. So I brought her husband, Spencer Ship- zine. Then, when I was in the Air Force as a mechanic man, with me instead. My goal when I retire is to re- in the 1970s in Southeast Asia, I read Last of the Bush build or build airplanes.”

Vintage in Review informative sessions were held This 1947 Fairchild 24-R46 (N77661) was featured each day, and selected aircraft were positioned in on the cover of Sport Aviation in November 1974, when front of the VAA Red Barn. Pilots/owners/restorers were it was the Antique Grand Champion winner. Its display interviewed about their airplanes, and a nearby set of poster states the airplane is: “Sixty-three years old, portable bleachers allowed folks to relax and listen. been kissed a bunch, and still going strong.”

This “American Airways” 1931 Stinson SM-6000-B This 1945 ERCO Ercoupe 415-D (CF-ROC) is owned (NC11153) is registered to Yellowstone Aviation Inc. of by Catherine L. Boyko of Dunnville, Ontario, Canada. Jackson, Wyoming. Written on the prop tag: “She’s all mine!”

48 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 This 1942 Red Baron Stearman (N802RB) is owned Gary Coonans of Bell Buckle, Tennessee, owns by Don Grundstrom of Eldridge, Iowa, and was flown NC9727, a 1927 Fairchild 71. It received the Silver Age by Dean Maupin. It cruises at 110 mph and lands at (1928-1936) Champion—Bronze Lindy award. (Watch for 70 mph. an upcoming feature on this airplane.)

Lady Bird (NC1373B) is a 1948 Silvaire Luscombe 8F, N613LD, The Lark of Duluth, is a replica Benoist registered to George and Carol Chaffey of Lafayette, Type 14, and is powered by a 140-hp G.M. Marine en- California. It has a factory-installed, one-of-a-kind gine. The aircraft is owned by Duluth Aviation Insti- jump seat and is 1983 Past Grand Champion Classic. tute of Duluth, Minnesota.

Mike Rinker of Union City, Tennessee, owns NC12332, a handsome 1932 Curtiss Wright B-14-B Travel Air Speedwing. “They built two of them in 1932, and this is the only survivor right now. It only has 850 hours on it, and it has a 450- hp Wright 975-11, which is supposed to be de- rated to 330 hp on this airplane. They built one B-14-R in 1931; Ronnie Rippon owns that one, and he’s given me a lot of help on trying to get this one back flying,” shares Rinker, adding, “It was a West Coast airplane for a long time, and the restoration was done in 2007 by Vern Dall- man’s widow. The B-14-B was top of the line in 1932 and was designed to go fast; it had a top speed of 187 mph, which in 1932 with a biplane was smokin’! They used it as a demo plane for the factory for several years, and it quit flying in 1940. Ronnie owned it from the 1950s to the 1960s. Later on, Don Sharp of Oklahoma owned it and got it flying. Don sold it to Vern, who was an air show comedy act pilot until the late 1990s. I bought it about four months ago from the Aerospace Museum in Mc- Clellan, California. I bought it because I think it’s the coolest airplane I’ve ever seen!” NC12332 received the Sil- ver Age (1928-1936) Outstanding Open-Cockpit Biplane award. (Watch for an upcoming feature on this airplane.)

www.vintageaircraft.org 49 N7263M is a 1958 Cessna 175 owned by Sha- han and Roi Golan of Farmington Hills, Michigan. It cruises at 120 mph and lands at 60 mph.

NC14048 is a 1934 Waco S3HD, which cruises at 160-plus mph and lands at 75 mph. Owners John and Pupae Ricciotti of Barrington, New Hampshire, had an informative display board by their Waco, which included the following: “The striking Waco ‘Super Sport’ Model S3HD has been described as ‘a military-type aircraft, a commercial version of an export model that was handsomely disguised as a sportplane.’ Pratt & Whitney’s nine-cylinder Wasp Jr. provided the power that made this one of the most maneuverable airplanes of the pre-World War II era.” A hidden gem in the South 40! NC88528 is a 1946 Piper J-3C, powered by an 85-hp Continental. It’s owned by Bill Knisley of New Carlisle, Ohio, and features the “Barnhill Bros. Airshows” logo on its vertical stabilizer. It received the Classic Custom Class B (81- 150 hp)—Small Plaque award.

N44274, a 1946 Taylorcraft BC12-D1, received the Classic Preservation—Small Plaque award. The Tay- lorcraft is registered to Paul Nuss of Martinsburg, N2524T is a Navion H Rangemaster, manufac- Pennsylvania. tured in 1969 by Navion Aircraft Co. of Sequin, Texas.

A Republic Seabee and a Piper Cub at the EAA Seaplane Base. 50 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 This 1960 Cessna 150 (N6469T) was converted to a N47D is a 1939 Beech Staggerwing D17R, powered tailwheel configuration and is owned by Lorraine and by a 450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-985, and flown by Ken Morris of Poplar Grove, Illinois. This airplane was Chris Jacobson. The cameo-like silhouette on the fu- utilized for the twice-daily demonstrations on hand- selage bears the inscription “Fran 1942.” propping safety.

N2635N is a 1947 Cessna 140 registered to Michael N3542M is a 1947 Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser owned Pastore Jr. of Naperville, Illinois. by Bill Sygden of Hallock, Minnesota.

The unmistakable profile of the Musketeer! N8858H, a 1947 North American Navion, has that N3607Q is a 1967 Beech A23-24, registered to William nice vintage grill over the air intake in its nose cowl. and Ann Toole of Goochland, Virginia.

This unique 1929 Travel Air D-4-D (NC472N) is powered by a 300-hp Lycoming and owned by Rich- ard Zeiler of Thousand Oaks, California. It cruises at 130 mph and lands at 55 mph. Its display board reads, in part, “Among the long list of people and busi- nesses whose work is reflected by this ‘Sky Siren’: Engine overhauled by Radial Engines of Guthrie, Okla- homa; propeller overhauled by Maxwell Aircraft Service; graphic and design scheme by James Bruni; covering and painting by Mark Lightsey, Nando and Hualdo Mendoza; interior by John Engelhardt; and “vision, funding, and momentum” by Daniel Curran and Rich- ard Zeiler. (Watch for an upcoming feature on this airplane.) www.vintageaircraft.org 51 Comparing JIM KOEPNICK the Classics The Piper Cruisers Budd Davisson

It could easily be said that in its The J-3’s first evolutionary step J-3. It’s a Cub with fat hips where the pre-Cherokee incarnation, Piper was the J-4 Cub Coupe. Same air- rear seat was widened out. The wings Aircraft designed only one airplane, plane, different seating. The two and tail are identical. However the the J-3 Cub (which actually pre- occupants sat side by side, rather evolutionary changes in the fuselage dated that company). It then re-de- than in tandem. set a re-design effort in motion that signed, re-assembled, re-engineered, The second step up the passen- was to give birth to an entire string and re-used the airplane’s major ger-carrying ladder was the J-5 of multi-passenger airplanes. components in a bewildering num- Cruiser. This was Piper’s first move An important change in the fu- ber of combinations and permu- into multi-passenger (more than selage and general layout was mov- tations. Evolution was the name two) aircraft. Sort of. The J-5 was ing the pilot up front and moving of the Piper game, using as much also the first indication Piper was the front seat away from the ped- existing tooling, parts, and invest- looking past the training market at als. Any who have flown a J-3 in ment as possible when designing a bigger goals. the front remember that folded- new airplane. Let’s not kid ourselves: The J-5 is a like-a-cheap-pocket-knife seating 52 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 LEEANN ABRAMS From a low, quartering view the J-5 looks like a Cub that has gained weight around its hips, but, although it flies like a Cub, it’s a significantly different airplane. position and the chest-high control spars because they didn’t com- 1020 mild steel in the fuselage tub- stick. The Piper engineering crew plete the changeover until using ing replaced with chrome-moly. made an effort to civilize the front up all the wood then in inventory. The new airplane was the PA-12 seat by giving it more legroom. In The landing gear was redesigned Super Cruiser. It was produced for addition, when widening the back to bring the bungees up inside the two years, 1946-47, and over 3,700 seat and tapering the fuselage to airplane, and the engine was com- were built. Approximately 1,400 the firewall, they couldn’t help but pletely cowled for the first time. J-5s were built. give the front seat lots of shoulder The cowling and landing gear It appears the Piper marketing room. In fact, the front seat shoul- mods amounted to a huge drag re- department had as much to do der room may be the widest of any duction which, when coupled with with the design of the PA-12 as aircraft of its type, before or since. the equally dramatic increase in engineering did. In most respects, The original J-5A came out in power, made the airplane live up its structure was identical to the January of 1940 being pulled along to its name. At 95-100 mph, as J-5C, but marketing’s contribu- by a 75-hp Continental. A year Cub-derivatives go, it truly was a tion was in taking a noticeable step later it was replaced by the J-5B, Cruiser. Plus it offered amenities away from the stark interior of which used the 75-hp Lycoming like a starter and nav lights. An the traditional Cub to much more O-145, an engine which has never 18-gallon wing tank was standard luxurious appointments. The 1946 had a reputation for lots of power. in all Cruisers, but another 7 or 18 marketplace was fiercely competi- In 1942 Piper made a major gallons could be put in the other tive, and Piper needed to change jump forward when it announced wing. With the J-5C Cub Cruiser, its image to survive. Accordingly, the J-5C that was powered by the Piper had stepped into the serious many of the Cub’s old control lay- 100-hp O-235 Lycoming. Yes, this cross-country market. Unfortu- outs, some of which were the result is the same O-235 Lycoming (with nately, the war shut down Piper’s of its trainer role, were changed. very minor changes) still being civilian aircraft production after For instance the carb heat was now used in C-152s and, yes, that makes cranking out only 35 J-5Cs. on the panel, as was the mixture the basic engine 72 years old! The The new design didn’t go to for the O-235. The panel itself was only difference is that in the J-5C waste, however. The Navy liked arranged to make room for a radio the engine was carrying three peo- what it saw in the airplane, and ($65 installed!). The interior was ple not two, as in the C-152. Sorry, with several of its own mods, in- tastefully appointed and an effort just a little editorializing. cluding a top-opening rear fuselage made to bring it up to automotive The Charlie model included some for a litter, ordered the aircraft standards of style and comfort. major structural changes. Among as the HE-1. Something over 100 It should be pointed out, how- other things the windshield was were produced. ever, that the back seat of any now one piece and the wood spars After the war, the J-5C was re- Cruiser isn’t really two people gave away to aluminum. Early certified to 1,750 pounds gross wide. It’s more like 1-3/4 people J-5Cs will be found with wood weight (normal category) and the wide since they have to twist and www.vintageaircraft.org 53 MARK GODFREY Not exactly the instruments needed to make a Category II approach but more than is needed to fly the J-5. Note the non-sensitive altimeter (a single hand) and the airspeed indicator that doesn’t bother with the third digit once over 100 mPh. It is assumed you’ll never see over 100 in a J-5. Not true in many of the modified versions. MARK GODFREY MARK Many J-5’s have had their old let their shoulders slightly overlap. on the PA-12 moved slightly out- Cub-style expander tube 4-inch” With only one person in the seat, board to make them more read- brakes replaced by Clevelands. the extra room is overkill, if there ily available. This also puts them However, if converting, sizing the is such a thing as too much room. slightly in the way and easy to master cylinder is critical to keep touch inadvertently on the first from having too much braking Mechanical Description few flights. power. More than one Cruiser has As originally designed, the J-5 The J-5C and PA-12 landing gears wound up on its back because of Cruiser is a Piper Cub in every removed the bungees up inside the Clevelands. The expander tube spect and so needs little mechani- airplane, so the bungee struts and brakes work just fine, but re- building them is expensive. cal description. The steel tube fuse- the structure at the front end of the lage was widened, and that was the fuselage is noticeably different. only discernible difference. In fact, Other than the usual fuselage most major components—wings, rust concerns, the Cruiser series tail surfaces, landing gear vees— also has the Piper strut ADs to be are interchangeable. complied with. The wing ribs are One minor control change is that aluminum as are the later spars. the carb heat was moved from its awkward location by the pilot’s right Flight Characteristics foot to make it more convenient by Not wanting to rely on memory, his left hip. The aluminum cup hold- we traveled to a tailwheel training ing the carb heat and fuel cutoff is school in Prescott, Arizona, which unique to the J-5, even though the uses a J-5A in its instruction pro- Cub has something similar. gram and has a pristine PA-12 on The original brakes were the tra- line for rent. There we evaluated both ditional expander-tube type that airplanes with Allen Steffy, owner/ are terribly expensive to rebuild operator, acting as instructor pilot. today because of the cost of the Steffy’s J-5A is redone in the col- expander tubes and the individual ors it carried in 1941 when deliv- brake blocks. Many J-5s are seen ered to Muncie Aviation, where it MARK GODFREY MARK with either the hydraulic drum served in a CPT school. In speaking The little tailwheel on the J-5 brakes of the PA-12 or Cleveland/ with old-time Muncie instructors, looks skinny, but it is more than McCauley disc brakes. Allen learned they used the J-5s as adequate for the job. The brake pedals on both models night trainers with motorcycle bat- are of the heel variety, with those teries providing the lighting power. 54 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Piper J-5C Cub (90hp) Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser Worse, slower, Compared Better, faster, Rating Worse, slower, Compared Better, faster, Rating heavier, harder to lighter, easier heavier, harder to lighter, easier •Visibility on the ground Citabria -1 0. Citabria - 5. •Visibility in the air Citabria -0 5. Citabria --- •Inherent directional stability on ground Citabria +1 0. Citabria +1 0. •Rudder control authority on ground Citabria +1 0. Citabria +1 0. •Brake control authority Citabria +1 0. Citabria +1 0. •Tailwheel authority Citabria +1 0. Citabria +1 0. •Tendency to float in ground effect Citabria -1 0. Citabria - 5. •Crosswind capability Citabria +1 0. Citabria +1 0. •Gust resistance Citabria -1 0. Citabria - 5. •Overall relative pilot demand on takeoff Citabria +1 5. Citabria +1 5. •Overall relative pilot demand on landing Citabria +1 5. Citabria +1 5. •Takeoff performance C-152 +1 0. C-152 +1 0. •Climb performance C-152 +0 5. C-152 +0 5. •Effect of gross weight load on performance C-152 -0 .5 C-152 -0 .5 •Aileron response C-152 -1 0. C-152 -1 0. •Aileron pressure C-152 -1 0. C-152 -1 0. •Roll rate C-152 -1 0. C-152 -1 0. •Elevator response C-152 + 5. C-152 + 5. •Elevator pressure C-152 + 5. C-152 + 5. •Pitch rate C-152 + 5. C-152 + 5. •Cockpit Comfort Citabria + 5. Citabria + 5.

Real-World Statistics •Cruise Speed—75-85 mph •Cruise Speed—100-105 mph •Stall Speed—35-38 mph •Stall Speed—38-40 mph •Fuel Burn—4 5-5. 0. gph •Fuel Burn—5 0-5. 5. gph

The airplane was wrecked at least liver medical supplies to Panama, than I’d like, but we have to re- three times before being purchased which, according to the logs, took 70 member this generation is taller by a doctor in Bisbee, Arizona, who hours each way! In the late 1980s, than that for which the airplane re-engined it with a C-90. Each year, the doctor was having the airplane was designed. Even better than the the doctor used the airplane to de- re-built when he passed away. Steffy room was the over-the-nose vis- bought the airplane as a nearly com- ibility. Straight ahead visibility was pleted project and incorporated it only slightly impaired. into his school, which at the time “Mags hot! Brakes!” One flip of used Champs, C-140s and a Stinson. the prop and we were on our way. The airplane’s bad luck wasn’t The heel brakes were a fair amount left behind when it moved up to inboard of the rudders, which was Prescott. After Allen took it to Osh- of no consequence because they kosh ’96, it wound up on its back were only needed for tight ma- when, it is surmised, a passenger neuvering during taxi. Also, even surprised a renter pilot by inad- though we had a 20-25 knot wind vertently locking the brakes. Steffy battering us during taxi, the ten- completely rebuilt the airplane, dency to weathervane was easily correcting many of the non-original controlled with rudder only. A J-5 features it had picked up over the is at least 100 pounds heavier than years. He did not, however, rebuild a J-3, and its ability to ride out the the expander tube brakes because wind is one place the weight helps. of the expense involved, and re- The wind was varying between MARK GODFREY MARK Original J-5’s had a 75 hp Con- tained the Clevelands. 30 to 60 degrees off our nose on tinental but the J-5C had a 100 In climbing into the cockpit, I takeoff, and I expected an “interest- hp 0-235. The C’s also had a full was first struck by its size, when ing” flight. I wasn’t disappointed, cowling, the bungees up inside the compared to a Cub. Spacious would but I was surprised at how well the fuselage, a starter and aluminum, be the best adjective to apply. The airplane handled it. The takeoff run rather than wood, wing spars. rudders were still just a little closer had to be partially on one wheel to www.vintageaircraft.org 55 In profile it takes a sharp eye to tell a J-5 from a J-3. keep it straight, but the controls bined with reasonable pressures dentally, the cables in all Cruisers were absolutely up to the task. Even and responses. are internal, rather than hanging though the airplane had 90 hp, we Compared to a C-152, the pres- out in the wind à la J-3/5. were at 5,000 feet MSL (density sures would seem high while the roll Another noticeable difference altitude around 6,500 feet), so the rates and response would seem low. was that the PA-12 seat was lo- power was probably the equivalent Compared to a Citabria, however, cated 3 inches farther away from of the original 75-hp Continental. only the system friction would be the stick and the control pedals, This gave the wind plenty of time to a factor, as the airplane handles at which made for a much more com- work us over during the takeoff roll. least on a par with the Citabria. Its fortable seating position. At no time did it feel as if the wind performance in climb would com- We were climbing the J-5 at 45 was about to get the upper hand so pare favorably with a 115-hp Cita- knots and the PA-12 at 65 knots. long as I used a firm touch. At lower bria (7ECA) similarly loaded. Both gave about the same perfor- altitudes, with that engine, take- The PA-12 we flew later was a mance, even though the PA-12 offs happen instantaneously, with gorgeous specimen restored over a had 108 hp. a 150-foot takeoff roll being typical. 10-year period by Floyd Newton of In cruise, Allen’s J-5 was nearly Once off the ground, it became Phoenix, Arizona, and at that time perfectly in rig and gave a solid clear that the J-5 may have the was owned and operated by the 75-knot cruise while the PA-12 seats to carry three people, but with flight school as part of its rental showed an honest 90-95 knots. only 75 hp it definitely wouldn’t fleet. It was upholstered like a King This is where the cleaner cowl and have the power. With the Lycom- Air, and simply saying the airplane internal bungees showed their ad- ing O-145, it must be particularly was well detailed is a gross under- vantages. Also, the PA-12’s uphol- anemic. At that altitude, with the statement. The airplane is an easy stery combined with its exhaust C-90 and only two people, we were 150-200 pounds heavier than the system made the interior much getting something around 350-400 J-5, which is readily apparent in quieter and more comfortable. fpm, and it was a relatively cool everything about it. Even its ride No matter how the airplanes day. Allen’s airplane has a nice new in turbulence was a little smoother. were stalled, the stalls were non- Sensenich wood prop, which limits System friction, which was very events. With the stick against the static power to around 1950 rpm much a control factor in the J-5, stop and the nose gently bobbing, I and about 2100 rpm on takeoff. A was almost nonexistent in the PA- tried driving the ball off center with metal prop would probably increase 12. We examined the J-5’s control rudder to see the effect of yaw. The that at least 200 rpm and give a sig- system looking for the difference, ball had to be way out before the nificant performance increase. But including examining the pulleys, airplane showed any willingness to nothing looks as nice as wood. Also, and could find nothing hanging up fall off one way or the other. the wood prop protects the engine anywhere. We concluded the differ- With the tower reporting 20-25 against sloppy renter pilots. ence was simply in the cable ten- knot winds with an 8-10 knot gust The controls on the J-5 are vin- sion. The manual calls for “slight” spread at a steep angle to the run- tage Piper Cub, meaning a fair tension in the cables, which leaves way, I was hesitant to three-point amount of system friction com- a lot open to interpretation. Inci- the airplanes, but in the interest 56 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 of science was willing to try. I was openly surprised at how well they handled the wind. It was clearly a struggle to fight the tendency to balloon in the gusts, and the bank angle was constantly changing to keep from drifting, but the airplanes handled it beautifully. The PA-12 had a softer feeling gear, which was mostly noticeable during wheel landings. It was a little more forgiving and less likely to spring us back into the air. Both airplanes, however, handled far more wind than I would have thought possible. It, however, would not have been a great day for a student or low-time pilot to be out dicing around. Even though the airplanes would handle the wind, the pilot has to be very firm with them to keep them in line. Also, once on the ground, snails were racing past us, we were taxiing so gingerly to keep the wind from picking us up. In airplanes with such low wind loadings, the wind is a constant threat until the tie-down ropes are in place. Incidentally, the hydraulic drum brakes on the PA-12 were more comfortable to use than the Clevelands on the J-5 because the Clevelands could easily be used too heavily. They are actually too much brake. It was easy to see why so many J-5s, and especially PA-12s, have mi- grated north to Canada and Alaska where they are usually re-engined with 150 hp. With the airplanes’ low speed capabilities and the cabin room, all they need are more ponies to become ideal bush birds. The Cruiser series of Pipers has only recently caught on, with the J-5 still lagging far behind the J-3 Cub in price. PA-12s have definitely begun to jump into the limelight, but J-5s can still be found, which are super deals and are easy rebuild projects. Just keep your eyes open. The word hasn’t gotten out, and you never know what you’ll find. www.vintageaircraft.org 57 The Vintage Mechanic

ROBERT G. LOCK

Inspecting aircraft systems

Previously we discussed some basic thoughts con- ing the early days of experimental aircraft, such as cerning the inspection of aircraft structures. Now it is the Bell X-1, that pushed the envelope of flight. time to tackle a few important aircraft systems. The point here is that an inspector must know how Well before computers and simulation, operating the system works and how it relates to airworthiness. an airplane was an adventure. Many times a test pi- Inspections require critical thinking on the part of lot’s first flight in an experimental ship was truly the the individual conducting such inspection. first time the plane had been in the air. There are many systems, even on small general avi- When transport aircraft are designed, the test pi- ation-type aircraft that play an important role in safe lots have flown many hours in a simulator to practice flight. Otherwise they probably would not be there. before flying the actual airplane. Early test pilots knew It is my intent here to write about a few systems and the aircraft well before climbing in for the first flight. describe the mindset into conducting an inspection Noted test pilot Chuck Yeager always credited his for airworthiness. A few we will discuss are cable con- success in the Bell XS-1 to knowing how each system trol systems, push-pull controls, braking systems, worked, and how it related to the overall success of each and landing-gear systems. flight. He often said, “If you don’t know how it works, then how can you fix it if it doesn’t work?” He is so right. Cable Control Systems: Early aircraft used a wo- I once maintained a Beech G-35 Bonanza owned by ven wire rope created by the Roebling Company. This my good friend in Reedley, California, Aram “Korky” eventually evolved into what we now call cable, and it Kevorkian. Chuck used to come to town and fly is widely used in small aircraft-control systems. Cable the Bonanza, sometimes taking long cross-country comes in diameters 1/16 inch, 3/32 inch, 1/8 inch, flights. It was equipped with a Continental E-225-8 5/32 inch and up; these diameters being common to engine with an aluminum electric constant-speed the general aviation fleet. The minimum diameter ca- propeller. The airplane, engine, and propeller had ble for primary flight control is 1/8 inch, the smaller about 1,200 hours since new, and Chuck took the Bo- diameter cables being relegated to secondary con- nanza to his hometown of Hamlin, West Virginia. trols, such as flaps and trim tabs. On the trip the propeller had a problem in the In my experience as a mechanic I have found cable constant-speed mode, and when Chuck returned to damage at a pulley, fairlead, or where the cable is ex- Reedley, I went over to visit and be briefed on the posed to the elements. Running a rag along a cable will propeller problem. Chuck opened the maintenance detect broken wires. However, the only way to inspect manual, discussed the problem, went to the sche- a cable at a pulley or fairlead is to loosen the assembly matic electrical diagrams, and told me how to repair so it can be pulled away and twisted away from where the propeller control. That is what test pilots did dur- it normally is routed. Perhaps the best reference for ca- 58 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 ble inspection is the AC43.13-1B, Section 7, Chapter 8. Of course one must ascertain if the control sur- The sketch shown in Figure 1 is taken from this faces are properly rigged, move in the correct di- publication and shows how to check a cable at a pul- rection, and have no excess wear. When inspecting ley or fairlead. Cables for use in aircraft are manu- the control system the mechanic should start at the factured from steel or stainless steel wire and are source (the control stick or yoke) and work out to the identified as 7x7 flexible (Seven wires in each strand control surface. and seven strands spiral woven) and 7x19 extra flexible (19 wires in each strand and seven strands spiral Push-Pull Control Systems: Some control sys- woven). If any broken strands are detected the cable tems use push-pull tubes for operation as shown in must be replaced or spliced. I have never spliced a Figure 3. There are several critical inspection items cable in my career! I would rather remove it and fabri- to be checked here. Bearing wear will be multiplied cate a replacement, or purchase one from a supplier. from the cockpit control to the surface if bearings are worn. Lock the cockpit control so it will not move, then go to the surface and move it up or down, left or right. If there is excess movement, then investigate. Figure 3 shows a typical installation of a bell crank and push-pull tube arrangement. Note the push-pull tube has a threaded rod end and a jam nut, and there is a small hole in the tube to check thread engagement of rod end and tube. Insert a small diameter safety wire into this hole—if it doesn’t go in, it’s okay. If it goes in, then there is not enough thread engagement and the system should be further investigated and possibly re-rigged. Figure 1

Cable control systems are rigged to a specific tension, plus or minus a few pounds. Metal aircraft will expand with heat and contract with cold. An old FAA written question involved a metal airplane that was rigged to correct cable tension in a cold climate and taken to a hot environment. What happened to cable tension? It would increase because the entire airplane would expand causing tension to increase. Also, new cables will stretch when rigged to tension. Therefore it was not unusual for cable tension to loosen at the first 100-hour inspection. Figure 2 shows a typical cable tensiometer and its use.

Figure 3

Braking Systems: Proper operation of the aircraft’s braking system is imperative to safe operations. A typical unboosted brake system consists of a master cylinder, fluid lines and fittings, and the wheel brake assembly. Brakes may be operated as toe brakes, heel brakes, or manually with a handle on the instrument panel. Older aircraft may use automotive drum or expander tube-type brakes operated hydrau- lically or mechanical drum-type operated by cables. Disc brakes operated either mechanically or hydrau- Figure 2 lically were introduced in the early 1930s. Figure 4 www.vintageaircraft.org 59 shows a typical hydraulic brake system, components being essentially the same for drum, expander tube, or disc-type brakes. Once again, when inspecting this type system, start at one end and work to the other end. I start at the rudder pedal (or control pedal) and work my way down the system to the wheels. Care- fully inspect everything that moves and those sta- tionary parts that may chafe or wear. Where linkages are used, wear is always occurring so shake those parts to see how much clearance is involved. Exces- sive clearances will always be magnified at the brake control. Lines can chafe causing seepage so look care- fully using a flashlight and mirror.

Figure 5

Figure 4

Brake clearances are set by the manufacturer. For most drum-type brakes the clearance is 0.010 Figure 6 inch between lining and drum. I can recall watching an automobile mechanic adjust drum brakes Aircraft Landing Gears: We will discuss only back in the ’50s before disc brakes came out. He simple landing gears found on many older light would adjust the star nut until the brakes dragged general-aviation aircraft. These landing gears were and he could not spin the wheel, then he would fixed (not retractable) and used oil/spring, air/oil, loosen the nut three clicks until there was a very or bungee cord to absorb shock loads. Check tire small amount of drag between the lining and drum. wear. That will give a clue as to the proper align- That turned out to be about 0.010 inch. Excessive ment of the landing gear. Some gears can be altered brake clearance will lead to excessive pedal travel in both camber and toe-in/toe-out, but most are before brakes take effect. Expander tube brakes fixed once welded and assembled on the aircraft. If have no clearance adjustment as is true with more a landing gear was damaged during a ground loop modern disc brakes. Figures 5 and 6 show typical and not properly repaired, tire wear will be exces- simple expander tube-brake system. sive on one side or both sides. The most simple 60 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 gears were bungee shock struts, such as used on pecially if the aircraft operates from grass or other the Piper J-3 Cub. Figure 7 shows a typical Cub unimproved landing strips. The shock strut on typ- landing gear. ical Aeronca installations is an oil/spring arrangement. There is a “zerk” grease fitting on the front of the strut to periodically lubricate the strut. Fig- ure 8 shows a typical Aeronca-type strut.

Figure 8

Air/oil-type shock struts are inspected by checking for any fluid leakage around the seals and for proper inflation. If the strut is low on Figure 7 fluid and a person keeps adding air, the strut will be weak and “spongy.” Oleo-type shock struts are A bungee cord type gear is very simple. Replac- normally serviced by removing the air charge to ing the shock cords, however, is a dangerous task collapse the strut, remove the filler plug, and fill without proper tools. Shock cords are considered with hydraulic fluid to the plug opening. Gently airworthy until they begin to weaken and the land- rock the airplane from side to side to remove any ing gear begins to spread out and become soft. It entrapped air, top off with fluid, install and safety is best to replace all cord at the same time rather plug. Then air to proper extension measured on than individually. the shiny exposed piston. Check condition of A most important issue with landing gears is torque links (scissors) for excessive clearances and wear at the attach points. With the weight of the re-bush if necessary. aircraft on the gear, excessive clearances can- Perhaps the biggest problem with simple landing not be detected. It is necessary to lift the aircraft, gear systems is wear at the attaching points. Ex- one side at a time, until the landing gear is off the cessive clearances can be rectified by bushing back ground. Then shake the gear to detect excessive to standard size. The only way to find this wear is play at the attach points. If the ship has a tubular to jack or hoist the gear so it clears the floor then engine mount, it can be fitted with nylon strap- gently shake components. All attach points should ping around the upper mount attach point, then be checked for cracking. Landing gear alignment is gently hoisted to move one side of the airplane up very critical to good ground handling and tire wear. to check attach points. If this is not done at least Misaligned gears should be investigated and re- at the annual inspection, one may be surprised, es- paired if necessary. www.vintageaircraft.org 61 Sylish Classics

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Find these and many more ideal gifts at Or call 800-564-6322 *shipping and handling NOT included. www.shopeaa.net/vintage.aspx Major credit cards accepted. WI residents add 5% sales tax. Aircraft Finishing Products Straight & Level STC’d for Certified Aircraft continued from page 1 but because of the careful execution of adapting to the Safe for You, Safe for the World, Safe for Your Airplane large aerobatic box, the T-Birds performance proved to be very much worth this monstrous planning initiative. Well done, EAA! The Post War Boom venue in the Vin- tage area was by far a wonderful success! We hosted an exceptional cross section of many of the post war aircraft. Many thanks to those who responded to the call for post war aircraft parking at Oshkosh 2014. Wow! Did you see all those awesome Lockheed 12s? What an amazing display of these fine aircraft! Special thanks go out to Les Whittlesey for all his efforts in getting so For Certifi ed Aircraft, Stewart Systems is FAA many of these aircraft to Oshkosh. We also experienced approved for use with any certifi ed fabric. a very strong number of aircraft arrivals in all of the Vin- Superfl ite, Ceconite or Polyfi ber tage categories. We experienced good growth this year in Non-Flammable the number of Antiques that arrived, and the Type Club Non-Hazardous parking area was also bulging at the seams. It’s been a EPA Compliant few years since we actually needed to park aircraft on the Stewart Aircraft Finishing Systems east side of the taxiway, south of the ditch. A nice prob- 5500 Sullivan St., Cashmere, WA 98815 lem to have! All areas of operations within the VAA area 1-888-356-7659 • (1-888-EKO-POLY) proved to be quite successful as well. The Tall Pines Cafe www.stewartsystems.aero experienced a record-setting performance, and ice sales were also very strong. The newly remodeled Red Barn Store was also very successful this year! The leadership AERO CLASSIC team in the Red Barn are already planning the implemen- “COLLECTOR SERIES” tation of several new ideas gleaned from our customers during this year’s event. The AeroMart volunteer leader- Vintage Tires ship team executed on a number of excellent technical New USA Production improvements this year. This provided some real stream- Show off your pride and joy with a lined processes that greatly benefited the AeroMart cus- fresh set of Vintage Rubber. These tomers, and it also resulted in greater revenues. newly minted tires are FAA-TSO’d and speed rated to 120 MPH. Some None of this of course would be possible without things are better left the way they the dedication of our army of volunteers within the were, and in the 40’s and 50’s, these tires were perfectly in Vintage organization. You folks are nothing short of tune to the exciting times in aviation. amazing! We were blessed with more than 535 volun- Not only do these tires set your vintage plane apart from the rest, but also look exceptional on all General Aviation teers who collectively volunteered more than 26,800 aircraft. Deep 8/32nd tread depth offers above average hours of volunteer time in support of the VAA dur- tread life and UV treated rubber resists aging. ing 2014. Special thanks and congratulations go out First impressions last a lifetime, so put these jewels on and to Chris Haeffner of St. Peters, Missouri, and Mary bring back the good times..… Knutson of Lodi, Wisconsin, who were recognized as New General Aviation Sizes Available: the recipients of the VAA - Art Morgan Memorial Vol- 500 x 5, 600 x 6, 700 x 8 unteers of the Year Award for 2014. Desser has the largest stock and As always, thanks for being a member, and please selection of Vintage and Warbird do us all the favor of inviting a friend to join the VAA, tires in the world. Contact us and help keep us the strong association we have all with your requirements. enjoyed for so many years. Telephone: 800-247-8473 or 323-721-4900 FAX: 323-721-7888 6900 Acco St., Montebello, CA 90640 3400 Chelsea Ave, Memphis, TN 38106 In Support Of Aviation Since 1920…. www.desser.com

www.vintageaircraft.org 63 Vintage Trader VAA Something to buy, sell, or trade? Directory Classified Word Ads: $5 50. per 10 words, 180 words maximum, with boldface lead-in on first line . Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2 167. inches) by 1, 2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch . Black and white only, and no frequency discounts . OFFICERS Advertising Closing Dates: 10th of second month prior to desired issue date (i e. ,. January 10 is the President Secretary closing date for the March issue) . VAA reserves the right to reject any advertising in conflict with its Geoff Robison Steve Nesse policies . Rates cover one insertion per issue . Classified ads are not accepted via phone . Payment must 1521 E. MacGregor Dr. 2009 Highland Ave. accompany order . Word ads may be sent via fax (920-426-4828) or e-mail ([email protected]) using New Haven, IN 46774 Albert Lea, MN 56007 credit card payment (all cards accepted) . Include name on card, complete address, type of card, card 260-493-4724 507-373-1674 [email protected] [email protected] number, and expiration date . Make checks payable to EAA . Address advertising correspondence to EAA Publications Classified Ad Manager, P O. . Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 . Vice-President Treasurer AIRCRAFT Dave Clark Dan Knutson 635 Vestal Lane 106 Tena Marie Circle ’37 STINSON SR9-F GULLWING PROJECT. This is S/N 5700, 1st Stinson w/factory installed Pratt Plainfield, IN 46168 Lodi, WI 53555 & Whitney R-985 . 1st owner was Texaco, 2nd Texas & Northern Airways . Alcan Hwy 317-839-4500 608-592-7224 [email protected] [email protected] project history . Stored since ‘46 . Fuselage tubing excellent, wood & upholstery good for patterns . Wing damage but two spare wings go w/project for parts . Original parts include: engine, fire suppression system, parachute flares, bump cowl & wheel pants, no prop . Located in beautiful Fairbanks, AK . Project is worth $32K, may consider partial trades . DIRECTORS Contact Michael: [email protected] Ron Alexander Robert D. “Bob” Lumley 118 Huff Daland Circle 1265 South 124th St. Griffin, GA 30223-6827 Brookfield, WI 53005 MISCELLANEOUS [email protected] 262-782-2633 Sitka Spruce (4) pieces 1 75”. x 7” x 20’ $1,000 . New STC PMA spars for 7AC - 8CCBC & 8KCAB, [email protected] J-3 & Taylorcraft also . Capstrip, Custom millwork . Rainbow Flying Service, 11905 RD 4 NE Jerry Brown Joe Norris #10, Moses Lake, WA 98837, www.rainbowflying.com 509-765-1606 4605 Hickory Wood Row 264 Old OR Rd. Greenwood, IN 46143 Oshkosh, WI 54902 317-422-9366 [email protected] REAL ESTATE [email protected] 920-688-2977 Have your plane & FLY it, too! On Cape Cod! 4 BR, CUSTOM built home in one of nicest PRIVATE air park communities in USA! Access runway from your home, w/hangar-44x36 & George Daubner Tim Popp N57W34837 Pondview Ln 60568 Springhaven Ct. 40’ bi-fold Schweiss door! See this home & others: www.ResortAndLuxuryHomes.com or Oconomowoc, WI 53066 Lawton, MI 49065 call 866-866-2684 262-560-1949 269-624-5036 [email protected] [email protected] WANTED Donate aircraft wing rib for instructional purposes . Entry-level Aerodynamic classes being taught at local high schools . Building enthusiasm for aviation at the high school level . Any ADVISOR airworthy or non-airworthy rib will be appreciated . Contact: [email protected] Susan Dusenbury 1374 Brook Cove Road 719-346-7731 Walnut Cove, NC 27052 336-591-3931 Donate your factory built plane to leave a significant legacy! A charity that provides mission/ [email protected] medical services to remote areas of the world . www.samaritanaviation.com 970-249-4341

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