~- -~~ .. ~ THE RESTORER'S CORNER by J. R. NIELANDER, JR. Many stories have been written about finding antique airplanes in barns, been available in plans form. Examples are the Great Lakes Trainer, Heath garages, on mountain sides, in jungles, and even submerged in lakes. Each Parasol and the Mooney Mite. The old familiar J-3 Cub has been brought of these stories gives us antiquers renewed hope that we, too, will some back to life in both plans and kit form as the CUBy. Besides these there are day find the antique airplane of our dreains in some extremely unlikely many more which would make beautiful and relatively easy replicas to location and will pack it up and cart it hqme to our garage to be restored build if the plans were made available. To name just a few, there are the and preserved for posterity and, incidently, to win us a few Grand Champ­ Aeromarine Klemm, Driggs Dart, American Eaglet, Aeronca C-3 and K, ionships along the way. While most of these stories which we hear and Curtiss-Wright Junior, Buhl "Bull Pup", Spartan C-2, Rearwin "Junior", read are true, these finds are really becoming more and more infrequent. Taylor Cub, and Wiley Post Model A. All of these designs have one common Let's face it. We can actually ascertain the number of aircraft built by each denominator. Their horsepower requirements are such that they can be manufacturer from the start of Type Certification in 1927 up to World War powered by an engine of the Volkswagon class. II. This was only a span of fourteen years. If we were to total up the an­ If one wants to go to the next larger size aircraft with more horsepower, tiques known to exist today (flying, in storage, or being restored) and then designs such as the Monocoupe, Savoia-Marchetti S-56B Amphibian, add a reasonable percentage factor for the aircraft totally destroyed, we Fairchild 22, Kinner Playboy, and Sportwing, Rearwin Sportster and would find that the difference, namely, those which have not as yet been Speedster, Kari-Keen, Aeronca LC Davis 0-1, Inland Sport, Crosle found, is a very small number. Moonbeam, Mohawk "Pinto", Arrow "Sport", and Culver Dart and Cadet Since we are attracting more people to our hobby all the time and want could also be very interesting replicas. to continue to do so, what is the solution? How can we come up with There are also numerouS beautiful designs from Europe. The Chilton enough old aircraft so that everyone who wants a vintage airplane can have D. W. 1, Miles Hawk, Tipsy Sportster and Junior, and Klemm KL35D one? The answer can be found in one word: REPLICAS. are just a few excellent examples. There is much to be said for the replica. First of all, it is usually a well All that is needed to give impetus to the antique replica movement is proven design. Second, it is easily recognizable as a rare bit of aviation the availability of good usable drawings. Many of us have partial or even history, and only an expert can distinguish it from an original if the builder complete sets of drawings for one or more of these old aircraft. We have sticks religiously to the plans. Third, replicas come in all sizes, shapes them stored away in a closet or in the attic or basement. Some sheets are and horsepower to fit all sizes of pocketbooks. so faded as to be almost unreadable. However, in the hands of the right Among the more exotic, and sometimes more expensive, replicas are technicians with the proper equipment, the faded lines could be brought out, the World War I fighters, especially so if the builder decides to use an and using today's techniques, these plans could be copied and reprinted in original engine. There are several organizations devoted to fostering the an exceptionally legible form. Then they could be made available to those construction of World War I replicas, and they are enjoying moderate vintage aircraft enthusiasts who are unable to find the basket case of their success at the moment. Through these organizations information is available choice to restore as well as to those who would just feel a lot better knowing to help the prospective builder obtain plans and parts. We can expect these that they, themselves, had built their own vintage airplane and that it had groups to grow to a much larger size as more interest is generated. been constructed using all new materials. It's an interesting prospect for There are several certificated aircraft of years ago which are now or have the future, isn't it? OFFICIAL MAGAZINE EDITORIAL STAFF ANTIQUE / CLASSIC DIVISION of THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAF.T ASSOCIATION AUGUST 1976 VOLUME 4 NUMBER 8 The Restorer's Corner . 1 Publisher Editor Assistant Editor Paul H. Poberezny AI Kelch Lois Kelch A Silver Eagle - Part II . ... .... ... ... .. ... ... .. ,.... 3 Watsonville .... .... ....... ..... ... .. .. ..... , .... .. ..... , .. , 7 Vintage Album ... ... ... .. ..... .. ...... .. ... ... .. .. .. 9 ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC DIVISION OFFICERS Centributing Editors H. N. " Dusty" Rh odes Gates Flying Circus .... .. ... .... .. ............... .. ... .... 11 PRESIDENT VICE-PRESIDENT Evand er Britt J. R. NIELANDER, JR . Treasure Hunt . ............ ... ....... .. ........ .. .. .. .. ... 13 MORTON LESTER Jim Barton P. O. BO X 2464 P. O. BOX 3747 Bill Menefee . .. 13 Claude Gray FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33303 MARTINSVILLE, VA 24112 Ed Escallon Early Bird Vignette - Bobbi Trou t . .. .. ..... ..... ... ... .... , 16 Rod Spanier Whistling In The Rigging ............ ... ..... .. ... .. ..... 17 SECRETARY TREASURER Dale Gustafson National Ercoupe Fly-In .. .. .. ..... .. .. .. .. ........ ... 18 RICHARD WAGNER E. E. " BUCK" HILBERT Henry Wh eeler P. O. BO X 181 8102 LEECH RD . Morton Lester Calendar of Events ... .. .. , .. ... ... ..... ...... ..... .. ... .. 18 LYONS, WI 53148 UNION, IL 60180 Kelly Viets Directors Bob Elliot EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION MEMBERSHIP Term expires August '77 Term expires August '76 Jack Lanning Bill Thumma Claude L. Gray, Jr. AI Kelch Glenn Buffington 9635 Sylvia Avenue 7018 W. Bonniwetl Road NON-EAA MEMBER - $34.00. Includes one year membership in the EAA Antique/Classic Division, 12 ADVISORS o Northridge, Cali fornia 91 324 Mequon, Wisconsin 53092 monthly issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE; one year membership in the Experimental Aircraft Associa­ W. Brade Thomas. Jr. tion, 12 monthly issues of SPORT AVIATION and separate membership cards. James B. Horne Evander M . Britt 30 1 Dodson Mill Road 3840 Coronation Road Box 1525 o NON-EAA MEMHER - $20.00. Includes one year membership in the EAA Antique/Classic Division, 12 Pilot Mountain, North CArolina 27041 Eagan. Minnesota 55122 Lumberton, North Carolina 28358 monthly issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE; one year membership in the Experimental Aircraft Associa­ tion and separate membership cards. SPORT AVIATION not included. George E. Stubbs M . C. " Kelly" Viets Robert A. White o EAA MEMBER - $14.00. Includes one year membership in the EAA Antique/Classic Division, 12 monthly Box 113 RR 1. Box 151 1207 Falcon Drive issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE and membership card . (Applicant must be current EAA member and Brownsburg. Indiana 4611 2 Stilwell. KS 66085 Orlando. Florida 32803 must give EAA membership number. William J. Ehlen Jack C . Winthrop Route 8, Box 506 3536 Whitehall Drive Tampa. Florida 33618 Dallas. Texas 75229 THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE is owned exclusively by Antique Classic Aircraft, Inc. and is published monthly at Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130. Second class Postage paid at Hales Corners Post Office, Hales Cor­ ners, Wisconsin 53130 and Random Lake Post Office, Rand om Lake. Wisconsin 53075. Membership rates FRONT COVER PICTURE· BOX for Antique Class aircraft. Inc. at $14.00 per 12 month period of which $ 10.00 is for the publication of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE. M embership is open to all who are interested in aviation. (Back Cover) Painting of 1918Jenny by Ralph Steele. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Antique Classic Aircraft, Inc., Box 229, Jim Nissen's 1918 Jenny won Grand Curtiss Military Tractor. From Jack Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130 Champion at Watsonville see Page 7. Rose collection 1918 pictures. Copyright il 1976 Antique Classic A ircraft . Inc. All Rights Reserve:!. 2 A SILVER Eagle (~ - PART II (Highlights of 1930) A BIOGRAPHY OF E. M. "MATTY" LAIRD By Robert G. Elliott Ed Escallon 1227 Oakwood Ave. & 335 Milford Dr. Daytona Beach, FL 32014 Merritt Island, FL 32952 The highligh t of 1930 proved to be the design and construction of the "Solution" racer, which became the first and only biplane to win the coveted Thompson Trophy race for the fastest aircraft of the day. The "Solution" had been built in a record thirty days and was completed just one hour before the race. In the following year, Matty's newest racer, the "Super Solution" became the first aircraft to win the new Bendix Trophy, setting the trans-continental speed record of 11 hours, 15 minutes, under the very capable pilotage of Jimmy Doolittle. An Executive Transport biplane became the next challenge to be designed and fabricated at the Laird factory at Ashburn Field. Construction was mixed with an aluminum semi-monocoupe finely tapering fuse­ E. M. (Matty) LAI RO lage, fabric covered wood wings, and a steel tubing center section. The prototype was built to an order placed by George Horton, President of Chicago Bridge The middle thirties saw the development of a huge and Iron. Special features included an on-board la va­ airline industry in this country. Chicago became a tory and provisions for the eventual incorporation of major airline hub and drew heavily on the aviation fore the National Air Races. They were his damaged retractable gear. Performance data of the 450 hp proto­ talent in the area. Many of Mr. Laird's employees Wedell Williams, and a partially completed new racer. type included 180 mph cruise airspeed with over 200 went with the airlines during the lean year that en­ Matty's brother Harold was assigned to rebuild the mph at full power.