Volume 20 April Issue 2 WARBIRD FLYER 2019 An apropos view of Ron Morrell’s T-28A flying away during the 2017 formation clinic. Photo: Dan Shoemaker Cascade Warbirds Squadron Newsletter CO’S COCKPIT By Ron Morrell Whether it be good or bad, change happens. All we fifteen years since I first decided to be a must do is look around us daily to see what time warbird owner and operator, and it has does to change things for us, to us, and sometimes come to an end. It could be temporary, but with us. Here in the Pacific Northwest, there have I am not going to make any predictions been great changes just with our close friends about the next couple of years. I made the among the Cascade Warbirds. decision based on many factors and, when One of our long-time members with the penchant the balance of the plusses and minuses for turning wrenches and wiping up oil has now tipped in the direction of finding a new taken the plunge and decided to play both sides of the fence. Paul caretaker for my Trojan, it happened in Youman has been the close companion of my Trojan, an occasional literally a couple of hours. I am confident Navion, an IAR, and even a flying craft of the jet persuasion. And he the “Silver Beast” has a good home in has now joined the “enlightened dark side.” Enlightened because he South Texas and will be taken care of and gets to make the operator’s decisions now in addition to the mechan- flown at least as much as she was here in ical decisions and dark because he picked a Navion as his enlight- the PNW. ened platform. Sorry, Dave! Good luck to you, Paul, tailwinds and Oh yeah, one more slight evolution. clear skies in your training and evolution to pilot status. Within two weeks of the Trojan departing On another note in the theme of changing and evolving: Our il- the pattern, my first grandchild made her lustrious Operations Officer retired from the “heavy metal” flying a grand entrance. My daughter in Michigan while back and, instead of relaxing and becoming one with the se- delivered Isabell Mackenzie Weldon on date life of retirement, he has jumped into the deep end that we all March 26th! I have not asked her mom if I should be jealous of. Smokey has had more check-outs and more can call her Izzy-Mac yet, but am sure it check rides in dissimilar aircraft in the last two years than he probably had his whole time flying rubber duckies to Hong Kong in the past 20+ years. He, obviously, now thinks that any aircraft built after 1955 is just for the kids. He will have to present the whole story to the squadron sometime soon because I can’t even list what he’s been checked out in since his retirement. I hate to admit it, but the change bug even hit me. As of the beginning of March, I am a non-owner Ron Morrell’s T-28A Trojan, with Ron not at the controls, prepares to depart Paine Field on its way to of an aircraft. It’s been Texas. Photo: Ron Morrell WARBIRD FLYER, April 2019 1 will come up when I go visit later in terest and focus to our area without com- WARBIRD FLYER Cascade Warbirds April. Change happens! peting with or diminishing any other Just so we don’t come to any conclu- warbird organization. The CAF is a very Squadron Commander Emeritus sions about change happening only to our different and highly focused unit that R.D. “Crash” Williams family and friends among the Cascade depends on volunteer pilots, sponsors, Commanding Officer Warbirds squadron, there are changes and mechanics who can commit time and Ron Morrell and challenges happening all around our money to keeping a unit airplane airwor- Executive Officer Pacific Northwest. I am sure everyone thy and enable the qualified pilots to Dave Desmon has heard all about the transition of one show the airplane and give income- Operations Officer of our favorite local airports from a GA producing rides to civilians who may nev- John “Smokey” Johnson friendly, warbird accepting, and flexible er otherwise get the chance to experience Adjutant airport to a bureaucracy run, TSA har- a World War II aircraft in such an inti- Fred C. Smyth boring stronghold that will make the mate way. Finance Officer lives of most of the pilots who frequent The airplane, an AT-19 Reliant, has a Fred C. Smyth Paine Field much more difficult. Paine is wartime history from its manufacture as Officer-at-Large all professional now with all those region- a Stinson V-77 to its re-designation as John Clark al jets transiting the runway, even the Reliant and shipment to the British Newsletter Editor though they haven’t been able to get the Royal Navy in 1944. The airplane will be John Haug self-serve fuel pumps fixed in over a year! on the way soon and there is much work Progress? Not! to be done to make the Rainier Squadron This is the official publication of Another change to our warbird com- run smoothly. But I hope that, in the end, Cascade Warbirds. The views expressed in this newsletter are munity here in the PNW is one that hap- we have a small, unique unit with the those of the individual writers, and pens to be rather significant to my last potential to grow and complement all the do not constitute the official year of efforts. The experiment has offi- other great warbird organizations in the position of Cascade Warbirds. cially begun concerning establishing a Pacific Northwest. Members are encouraged to Commemorative Air Force unit in our Keep ‘em flying! contribute any matter related to warbirds, which the editor will midst. I consider the CAF Rainier Squad- gladly work with you to publish. ron a step in bringing more warbird in- It is the goal of Cascade Warbirds to promote the restoration, preservation, operation and public SQUADRON NEWS display of historically significant military aircraft; to acquire and perpetuate the living history of ton, Lukas Holloman, Jack Mangum, those who served their country on THE NEXT GENERATION Keith Steedman, and Tim Wetzel. Judah these aircraft; and to inspire will graduate high school in 2020, is a today's young people to become In a continuing quest to improve our avi- the aviation pioneers of member of the Green River CAP squad- ation scholarship program, and in an tomorrow. ron, and is planning to attend the Profes- effort to determine which of our scholars sional Pilot Degree program at Green All correspondence to the is truly interested in aviation as a career, River. Lukas is a sophomore at Auburn squadron may be submitted via we have added a wrinkle in this year’s Riverside and plans to become an airline the e-mail or mailing addresses process. We’ve chosen fewer youth to below. pilot. Jack is also a sophomore and will begin their training, but we’ve added a complete his Eagle Scout project this sizable grant for a subsequent award. Business Office summer. He is fascinated with vintage After the awardees have successfully 1066 Yates Road military aircraft and would one day like completed the ground portion and flown Oak Harbor, WA 98277 to fly at airshows. Keith is a junior and their two instructional flights, one will remembers the stories of his great- Editorial E-mail be awarded $2,500 to continue their pri- grandfather’s roles in World War II. That [email protected] vate pilot training. The money will be led him to want to become a pilot and he doled out in increments: $1,000 after the hopes he’ll be able to use his certificate initial solo is completed, another $1,000 to deliver emergency supplies and ser- Cascade Warbirds is a tax-exempt after the long solo cross-country is com- vices in the territories of the US. Tim is charitable organization as defined pleted, and a final $500 when the private enrolled at Embry-Riddle in Prescott and in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal pilot certificate is earned. The scholar hopes to become an Air Force pilot flying Revenue Code. chosen for this grant will have submitted the large cargo aircraft. an essay to the committee explaining As in years past, Galvin Flight Annual newsletter value: $6.00 why he or she wishes to complete their Training is partnering with us in this Published quarterly flight training. endeavor. We thank them for their con- This year’s scholars are Judah Brit- www.cascadewarbirds.org tribution. 2 WARBIRD FLYER MEET THE NEW FOLKS CHANGE OF COMMAND • Adjutant / Finance Officer: Fred C. Smyth It’s always a pleasure to meet new Likely, few of you even think about [email protected] friends and welcome them into our this: Our organization may fit you • At-Large: John Clark family. The most oft-heard reasons like an old shoe. You may be com- [email protected] we see on their applications is ei- fortable with what’s going on and ther, “I’m a big fan of what you’re even happy to be involved, at what- FLYING SEASON APPROACHES doing,” or “I’m impressed with your ever level you’ve chosen. But the mission.” That said, please welcome elected leadership feels a responsi- Springtime is the right time to mark Patti Payne of Spokane, Ken Olsen bility to the future.