Vol 63, No. 3 Official SILVER WINGS FRATERNITY Newsletter Summer Issue 2020 Copyright © 2020 Silver Wings Fraternity Aviation Scholarship Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved July-Sept 2020 Summer Issue Editor’s Column The MOST Influential Aircraft Will Jensen IN AVIATION HISTORY We lived through a lot this year. Coronavirus, quarantine, rioting in the streets including business de- THE PIPER CUB struction, inability, or unwillingness of many elected officials to do their elected jobs, not to mention cancel- lation of Sun & Fun and Oshkosh. The whole of Silver Wings Fraterni- ty has been canceled this year in- cluding our membership lunches, greeting old friends and new, even our Convention. Except, perhaps, for Slipstream. We looked back through history for some subjects to hold your interest, perhaps to even do some research or reading on your own. So, hail to the Piper Cub, the most significant aircraft in aviation history according, at least to Flying Magazine. A workhorse in training pilots—over 430,000 Pilots in WWII— for anti-submarine tracking, artillery spotting, tank busting, bazooka firing, even shooting down the last Germain aircraft on Photo by D. Miller the day the war ended. So, all you Bonanza, Cessna, Mooney, Likely there is no aircraft that’s been in or Yankee American pilots, just remember your first solo and your place in history. Likely in a J-3 Cub. continual flying for some 90 years. An aircraft in use by the military of 21 differ- Then, some of our hopefully not forgotten heroes like Eddie ent countries, in general aviation and for Rickenbacker adrift on a raft, or Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, the “Babe Ruth of aero engineering and Ben Rich, his successor commercial use for everything from towing who created “Stealth” and pushed up the ceiling of aerospace advertising banners to gliders. A plane well, into space itself. And Last Flights is back with some of the comfortable on wheels, floats, or skies. most admirable people we’re going to miss. It began as a Clarence Taylor design in So I hope you made the best of your ‘quarantine’ by enjoying 1931 with an initial price of $1,300.00. the family or learning a new craft like cooking, or finding a new The purpose was to make flying affordable. author, John Gresham is my new favorite or rereading an old favorite like ‘The Sun Also Rises’ or any Dashiell Hammett But with the depression, the company soon created a rift between Taylor and Piper. mystery. went out of business. The company was Taylor left the company to form Tay- purchased by one of the investors William Or, maybe you put on your mask and went to work rehabbing lorcraft . your plane, replacing your Cub’s 65 HP engine with an 85 HP T. Piper who kept Taylor on as CEO. one. Yippee, that is going to get you into the blue skies fast. However, during a brief illness to Taylor, Piper was a military engineer in the Span- And for our seaplane fans, just don’t get wet. Piper modified the Cub to be more attrac- ish American War and with the Army tive to buyers. But on Taylor’s return that Will Continued on Page 3 July-Sept 2020 SLIPSTREAM www.silverwings.org | page 1 President’s Column Dennis Destefano By now I’m sure most of you know that Walter Baker resigned as President of The Silver Wings Fraternity. A painful fall, slow recovery, and then necessary surgery. His has been a steady hand on our controls for better that four years and helped guide us to our best financial position in some time. He plans on being a steady member of our At- lanta Chapter. And on a bright note, Walt was married to Jean Goodson on July 23. Their wedding had been held up by, what else, the Covid-19 quarantine. We wish them all the best. It was Walt’s wish that I assume the Presidency until our next conven- Walt and Jean on their Wedding Day tion. But that meeting planned for Chicago in September has been canceled in anticipation of yet a second wave of the virus that has impacted all our flying lives this year. Walt Baker was born and raised in Alabama. When he graduated from High School in 1945, he joined the Navy hoping to do his part in ending War II on The Board of Directors meeting to plan the coming year was held by a Destroyer. When the war ended without his activity, he stayed in the Navy what many of us have experienced on Zoom the new technology that tele- serving in Korea and Vietnam, a three War career. He took courses offered in vision programs now use for communication to people in separate loca- the Navy rising to Chief Petty Officer on an aircraft carrier when he retired. tions. Details to come. He took flying lessons earning his private license and enjoyed flying across Alabama. Thus, we sincerely hope to put this year behind us and plan for a brighter future in 2021. Jean Goodson had a career in communications with the Management Con- sulting firm Deloitte in Atlanta. And as Walt would write, Walt and Jean were scheduled to marry early this summer but were canceled “Blue skies”, and I would add to that, “and tail winds”. by the same virus that canceled most of our summer. Dennis We wish them well. Secretary’s Column Treasurer’s Column Bill Johnston Thomas K. Menefee My telephone rang in the middle of day when I was Treasurer’s Report Sept. 1, 2020 in the office a few weeks ago. It had been a rather stressful day and week in my business as we were General Operating Acct. $25,936 trying to finish up a project that had started over a year ago. When I answered, the voice, whom I rec- Aviation Scholarship Fund $10,093 ognized, said, “ Got a minute to talk?” The caller was a good friend and Silver Wings Oshkosh Development Fund $3,785 member so I said, “Yes”(even though I really didn’t have time to chat). But, I needed a break. Total $39,814 Well, we talked for 30 to 45 minutes or so, and I didn’t keep track of time since our very casual con- versation was just what the doctor ordered. Director of Membership. We discussed a variety of topics of mutual interest with not any men- tion of business. How refreshing it was. He called at just the right time. With the passing of Steve Rausch, we need a person with ex- After we hung up, I got to thinking how important my friends are, espe- cially those that I have met being a member of Silver Wings Fraternity. perience, preferably in associations, to help The Silver Wings Good friends, with many common interests, are the catalyst that keeps us Fraternity develop programs to increase membership and de- supporting our organization. Unfortunately, the pandemic has altered our velop chapters with stimulating local programs. plans for gathering together. It will soon (I hope) pass and will make up for lost time. We have foregone Sun ‘N Fun, our annual Convention and Chapter meetings. More than ever, this a time to step up and support your Silver Wings Fraternity and fraternity members. You can do your part by FRIENDLY REMINDER attending your Chapter meetings, keeping current with your dues and right now, give a call to someone who may need a break. Your Fraternity fiends If you haven’t already done so, RENEW your will be grateful. Bill MEMBERSHIP today. July-Sept 2020 SLIPSTREAM www.silverwings.org | page 2 But frustrated because he had no armament, he decided to mount bazookas to the struts on his L- Silver Wings Fraternity 4. To be effective he had to fly within 100 yards Aviation Scholarship of his target dodging through small arms fire. But Foundation, Inc. while tanks had protective armor around their ground perimeter, their top gave Carpenter a soft target that could disable with a strike. He ulti- Board of Directors, Officers & Staff mately carried six bazookas on his L-4, named Five-Member Executive Committee “Rosy the Rocketeer” and was credited with de- stroying a Tiger One tank, six other tanks, trucks PRESIDENT Continued from Page 1 and broke up infantry advances. Carpenter ended the war as a Lt. Colonel and returned to teaching Vacent in Indiana. VICE PRESIDENT Corps of Engineers in WWI. He subsequently made millions in the oil business. He then bought (Acting President) the company for $761.00 and renamed it The Dennis C. DeStefano (2019) Piper Aircraft Company. Some 20,00 Cubs were (727)457-0754 produced. [email protected] By 1939 with war approaching, Hap Arnold, SECRETARY Chief of the Army Air Force, developed the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) to train Wilmer A. Johnston (2021) pilots even as were Germany and England. The [email protected] Cub was also used by the Civil Air Patrol during TREASURER the early war years to patrol the coasts for subma- rines. Through 1944, 435,000 pilots first soloed in Piper L-4 with wing mounted bazookas Thomas K. Menefee (2020) Cubs, some 80% of all pilots. Cubs also trained [email protected] women for the Woman’s Army Service Corps or Another L-4 pilot, Duane Frances, would often ADDITIONAL DIRECTORS Wasps who ferried all types of aircraft from P-47’s extend his time on target by landing behind our to B-17’s within the US and to England. lines to borrower fuel from the ground forces.