STRAIGHT AND LEVEL By Brad Thomas President Antique/Classic Division Happy New Year! We truly hope each member of the of museum visitors. Also on display is our "Wall of Fame" Antique/Classic Division had a successful and outstanding project that is under the direction of Division Advisor, year in 1981. At the completion of a calendar year we Ed Burns. Here recognition is given to our Division always look back to see what we have accomplished; members, their restoration projects and significant and then we look forward to the new year with a set historical subjects. Past antique and classic grand ofresolutions to abide by. champions are included in this display to bring to the Scanning 1981, we had been faced with enormous attention of the visitors. increases in the costs of sport flying. Fuel costs were E. E. "Buck" Hilbert, past Division President and still rising, student pilot starts were decreasing and current Treasurer volunteered to chair the research pleasure flights were curtailed or eliminated in order to and historic committee of the Antique/Classic Division. attend a choice of fly-ins. Of utmost importance, this venture will retain for There is always a driving element that rejects the posterity the history and persons who have so dedicated computer statistics thrust at us. That element is the themselves to the advancement of our Division. desire to accomplish a goal regardless of the obstacles. Communications to our membership has been and This became evident in the spring of 1981 when EAA will be continued through The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Antique/ Classic Chapter 3 held its largest and most Reports of our Division functions, restoration articles, successful spring fly-in at Burlington, North Carolina. historical presentations, fly-in reports, articles on methods The annual EAA Sun 'N Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, and tips for restoration projects, significant current Florida, though hampered by persistent winds, was newsworthy briefs in the A/C News - all are a part of our another great success, and on through the year we outstanding monthly publication. Editor Gene Chase and witnessed or were informed of successes elsewhere. his staff are to be commended for their work and effort It is obvious that we will continue to fly and attend in bringing The VINTAGE AIRPLANE to us. The staff the events of our choice. The desire for fellowship is deserves credit for constantly striving to improve our still the driving element of what EAA and its Divisions publication for the membership. are all about as evidenced by the great success of Oshkosh '81. In 1982, we foresee some relief from the bleak The Antique/ Classic Division did accomplish many situations that were evident during the past two years. of its desired goals throughout 1981. Our membership Our country is stabilizing itself economically and the steadily increased throughout the year, though not as attitude of the general public is positive. We will, as much as desired by our Board of Directors. During the always, work toward membership expansion and will year we contacted those who had attended Oshkosh, but continue to bring to you the publication with desirable were not Division members, and the results were ac­ and informative contents. Our goal to participate in ceptable. We also requested our own active membership the EAA International Convention at Oshkosh '82 and to recruit new members interested in antiques and make your visit with us enjoyable and meaningful will be classics and the results were again positive. Personal accomplished under the guidance of the many chairmen contacts are the backbone of our membership growth and who volunteer for these Division functions. 1982 should through your efforts we again realized increases. Keep be a banner year for all in EAA. Each Division is pro­ up the good work. gressing toward similar goals, and attitude and coopera­ Division Director Al Kelch volunteered. to chair a tion are the underlying traits of EAA members which committee and pursue the theme of our Division Hall make this possible. To be a part of it all is both an of Fame. Through AI's efforts and the dedication of honor and privilege which every member should cherish. other volunteers, we have a fine display area in the No other organization in the world has a purpose which Paul H. Poberezny Air Museum at EAA Headquarters in is recognized and executed so well. Let us not forget Franklin, Wisconsin. These appropriate displays are what we have, what we desire, and what we will do for changed throughout the year to attract the interest sport aviation. PUBLICATION OF THE ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION, INC. OF THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. BOX 229, HALES CORNERS, WI 53130 COPYRIGHT © 1982 EM ANTIQUE/ CLASSIC DIVISION, INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED JANUARY 1982 VOLUME 10 NUMBER 1 OFFICERS President Vice-President W. Brad Thomas, Jr. Jack C. Winthrop 301 Dodson Mill Road Route 1, Box 111 Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 Allen, TX 75002 919/368-2875 Home 214/727-5649 919/368-2291 Office Secretary Treasurer M. C. " Kelly" Viets E. E. " Buck" Hilbert 7745 W. 183rd St. P.O. Box 145 Stilwell, KS 66085 Union, IL 60180 913/681-2303. Home 815/923-4591 FRONT COVER .. • Scene at the 22nd BACK COVER ... Steve Wittman makes 9131782-6720 Office Annual Waco Reunion , these 1931 Waco a longtime dream come true as he ap­ aCF-2s are owned by (I-r) Lee Parsons. proaches for his first landing in Dale DIRECTORS Joe Fichera and Marion Havelaar. See Crites' 1911 Curtiss Pusher. See page story on page 5. 5. Morton W. Lester Ronald Fritz (Ted Koston Photo) (Gene Chase Photo) 15401 Sparta Avenue P.O. Box 3747 Kent City , MI 49330 Martinsville, VA 24112 616/678-5012 703/632-4839 Claude L. Gray, Jr. Arthur R. Morgan 9635 Sylvia Avenue 3744 North 51st Blvd. Northridge, CA 91324 Milwaukee, WI 53216 TABLE OF CONTENTS 213/349-1338 414/442-3631 Straight and Level' . .. by Brad Thomas . .. 2 Dale A. Gustafson John R. Turgyan 7724 Shady Hill Drive 1530 Kuser Road AIC News . compiled by Gene Chase . .. 4 Indianapolis, IN 46274 Trenton, NJ 08619 Steve Wittman Gets to Fly a Curtiss Pusher 317/293-4430 609/58S.2747 . .. by Gene Chase . .. 5 22nd Annual Reunion - WACO ... by Ted Kaston . 6 AI Kelch S. J. Wittman 66 W. 622 N. Madison Avenue Box 2672 Pilot's Dream . by W. S cott Boyer . 8 Cedarburg , WI 53012 Oshkosh , WI 54901 50 Years Hence ....... ..... ...... .. .. .. .. .. 10 414/377-5886 414/23S.1265 Mystery Plane . .. 10 AIC Annual Picnic .. by Gene Chase . .. ........ 11 Robert E. Kesel George S. York 455 Oakridge Drive 181 Sloboda Ave . The Sky Romer ... by Randy Barnes . 12 Rochester, NY 14617 Mansfield, OH 44906 Part" - Building the Ramsey Flying Bathtub 716/342-3170 419/529-4378 ... by W. H . Ramsey ...... .. .. .. ..... .. 15 ADVISORS Members Projects .... ... .. .. 21 Calendar.of Events . ... .. .. .. ... ..... ... 21 Ed Burns Stan Gomoll Gene Morris Mt. Prospect Road 1042 90th Lane, NE 27 Chandelle Drive Des Plaines, IL 60018 Minneapolis, MN 55434 Hampshire, IL 60140 3121298-7811 6121784-1172 3121683-3199 John S. Copeland Espie M. Joyce, Jr. S. H. " Wes" Schmid 9 Joanne Drive Box 468 2359 Lefeber Road Westborough, MA 01581 Madison, NC 27025 Wauwatosa, WI 53213 617/366-7245 919/427-0216 414/771-1545 PUBLICATION STAFF PUBLISHER EDITOR Paul H. Poberezny Gene R. Chase Page 6 Page 8 Page 12 ASSOC. EDITOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS George A. Hardie, Jr. Norman Petersen Pat EHer Editorial Policy: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. Material should be sent to : Gene R. Chase, Editor, The VINTAGE AIR­ PLANE, P.O . Box 229, Hales Corners, WI 53130. Associate Editorships are assigned to those writers who submit five or more articles which are published in THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE during the current year. Associates receive a bound volume of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE and a free one-year membership in the Division for their effort. THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is owned exclusively by EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc., and is published monthly at Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130. Second Class Postage paid at Hales Corners Post Office, Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130, and additional mailing offices. Mem· bership rates for EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc., are $14.00 for current EAA members per 12 month period of which $10.00 is for the publication of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation. ADVERTISING - Antique/Classic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through our advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3 ALEXANDER BULLET RESTORATION The remains of a 1929 Alexander Bullet have been located in Colorado Springs, CO by members of the local AAA chapter who ha ve enthusiastic hopes of restoring the plane. The group has very little to go on and is seeking any and all information about the Bul­ let. Anyone who can supply any details is asked to con­ tact Wayland Eberhart (A/ C 5817), 3218 Austin Place, Colorado Springs, CO 80915. ANZANI LONGSTER Tim Talen (A/C 1616), president of the Oregon An­ tique and Classic Aircraft Club reports through that AUXILIARY FUEL SYSTEMS group's newsletter that progress is good on the con­ Wag-Aero is now offering fully FAA-PMA approved struction of this little 1931 vintage sport plane. It is auxiliary fuel systems for Piper J-3, L-4, and PA-11 being built under Tim's direction by the Wednesday aircraft.