r

t

DAVE JAMISON 1971-1972

~ ~~

EE BUCK HILBERT - 1972-1975

JR NIELANDER 1976-1978

-ESPIEBUTCHN JOYCE 1988 - PRESENT

January 1996 Vol 24 No1

CONTENTS 2 Straight amp Level

Espie Butch Joyce

3 AlC News HG Frautschy

5 Aeromail Page 8

6 Type Club NoteslNorm Petersen

8 AlC 25th Anniversary Dobbie Lickte ig

10 Freedom Flight America Dick and Jeannie Hill

12 Mystery PlaneHG Frautschy

13 The First Cabin Waco HG Frautschy

17 Interstate L-6Norm Petersen

22 An Old FriendPeter Bowers Page 1024 What Our Members

are Restoring Norm Petersen

26 Pass it to Buck EE Buck Hilbert

28 Welcome New Members

29 Calendar

30 Vintage Trader Page 22

FRONT COVER This 1932 Waco QDC restored by Alan Buchner Fresno CA was picked as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique at EAA OSHKOSH 95 Alan s Waco was once owned by his father in 1938 EAA photo by Mike Steineke Shot with a Canon EOS-l n equipped with a 70-200mm lens 1250 f80n Kodak Lumiere film Cessna 210 photo plane flown by Bruce Moare

BACK COVER Edward Clay Smith of Athens AL has just completed the restoration of Ihis 1942 Interstate L-6 which happens to be the first off the production line It was selected as the Antique WW II Military TrainerLiaison Runner -up EAA photo by Jim Koepnick Shot with a Canon EOS-l n equipped with a 70-200mm lens 1250 flO on Kodak Lumiere film Cessna 210 photo plane flown by Bruce Moore

Copyright copy 1996 by the EAA AntiqueClassic Division Inc All rights reserved VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EM AntiqueClassic Division Inc of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EM Aviation Center 3000 Poberezny Rd PO Box 3086 Oshkosh Wisconsin 54903-3086 Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh Wisconsin 54901 and at addrtional mailing offices The membership rate for EM AntiqueClassic Division Inc is $2700 for current EM members for 12 month period of which $1500 is for the publication of VINTAGE AIRPLANE Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation POSTMASTER Send address changes to EM AntiqueClassic Division Inc PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 FOREIGN AND APO ADORESSES - Please aliow at least two months for delivOlY of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via surface mail ADVERTISING - AntiqueClassic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken EDITORIAL POLICY Readers are encouraged to submrt stories and photographs Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor No renumeration is made Material should be sent to Editor VINTAGE AIRPLANE PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Phone 414426-4800 The words EAA ULTRALIGHT FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM SPORT AVIATION and the logos of EAA EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION EAA ANTIQUECLASSIC DIVISION INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are reg registered trademarks THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAA AVIAnON FOUNDAnON and EAA ULTRALtGHT CONVENTION are trademar1lts of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above association is strictly prohibrted

EDITORIAL STAFF

Publisher Tom Poberezny

Vice-President Marketing amp Communications

Dick Matt

Editor-in-Chlef Jack Cox

Editor Henry G Frautschy

Managing Editor Golda Cox Art Director Mike Drucks

Assistant Art Director Sara A Otto

Computer Graphic Specialists Olivia l Phillip Jennifer Larsen

Advertising Mary Jones

Associate Editor Norm Petersen

Feature Writers George Hardie Jr Dennis Parks

Staff Photographers Jim Koepnick Mike Steineke

Carl Schuppel Donna Bushman

Editorial Assistant Isabelle Wiske

EAA ANTIQUECLASSIC DIVISION INC OFFICERS

President Vice-President Espie Butch Joyce George Doubner

PO 80x 3S584 2448 Lough Lane Greensboro NC 27425 Hartford WI 53027

910393-D344 414673-5885

Secretory Treasurer Sieve Nesse EE Buck Hilbert

2009 Highland Ave PO80x424 Albert Lea MN 56007 Union IL 60180

507373-1674 815923-4591

DIRECTORS John Berendt Robert C Bob Brauer

7645 Echo Point Rd 9345 S Hoyne Cannon Falls MN 55009 20

507263-2414 ChJ~~~79~~mGene Chase John S Copeland

2159 Carlton Rd 28-3 Williamsburg Ct Oshkosh WI 54904 Shrewsbury MA 01545

414231-5002 SOB842-7867 Phil Coulson Stan Gomoll

28415 Springbrook Dr 1042 90th Lane NE Lawton M149065 Minneapolis MN 55434

616624-6490 612784-1172

Cha~es Harris Jeannie Hill 7215 East 46th St PO80x328 Tulsa OK 74145 Harvard IL 60033

918622-8400 815943-7205

Dale A Gustafson Rober D Bob Lumley 7724 Shady Hill Dr 1265 South 124th St

Indianapolis IN 46278 Brookfield WI 53005 317293-4430 414782-2633

Robert Uckleig Gene Morris 1708 Bay Oaks Dr 115C Steve Court RR 2

Albert Lea MN 56007 Roanoke TX 76262 507373-2922 817491-9110

Geoff Robison George York 1521 E MacGregar Dr 181 Sloboda Av New Haven IN 46774 Mansfield OH 44906

219493-4724 419529-4378

SH Wesmiddot Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa WI 53213

414771-1545

DIRECTOR EMERITUS

SJ Wittman 1904-1995

ADVISORS

Joe Dickey Dean Richardson 55 Oakey Av 6701 Colony Dr

Lawrenceburg IN 47025 Madison WI 53717 812537-9354 608833-1291

STRAIGHT amp LEVEL

This past year has been a very active one for the AntiqueClassic Division We have been able to maintain a steady growth over the past 12 months gaining some 2000 new members

While our membership has surshypassed 10000 members we have tried hard to continue to serve our new and present members with a quality maga zin e VINTAGE AIRPLANE and m embership programs such as your Antique Classic insurance program We continue to receive good comshyments from the membership conshycerning the hard work tha t is put forth by the Division officers dishyrectors advisors chairmen volunshyteers and staff

For those individuals who do not know the officers and Board of Directors are almost totally reshysponsible for the operation of the Division The AntiqueClassic Dishyvision also has the added responsishybility to oversee the AntiqueClasshysic and show plane camping area before during and afte r the week of the EAA Oshkosh Convention each year From the time that one Convention is over until the nex t Convention starts req uires a good deal of work year-round

Although durin g the year th e Pioneer Airport operation is a toshytally separate operation from that of the AntiqueClassic Division a good many of the Division s memshybers volunteer their weekends to make this operation an aviation

2 JANUARY 1996

success story from both an educashytional and mu se um viewpoint With the support of the membershyship volunteers and staff Pioneer Airport will continue to honor the greats of aviation as well as the history of aviation to e ducate those who do not know and to reshymind those of us who do know how we have gotten to where we are today

Moving on here as many of you do know your AntiqueClassic Board of Directors met in Novemshyber 1995 There were a num ber of things that happe ned at this meetshying We had to do a few Articles of Incorporation changes as well as some min or changes to our Byshylaws This was done so that we could move ahead with an applicashytion to the IRS for the Divisions 50l(c3) tax exempt status as a nonshyprofit corporation Hopefully we will be awarded this status by the IRS somet ime around mid-Februshyary 1996 Should the Division have this status it will be very beneficial to all of the volunteers who help us so much eac h year The Board voted to fill the vacant seat of ViceshyPresident with Director George Daubner I am very happy to have George on board as VP and look forward to having a productive working relationship with him

The Board th e n voted to apshypoint Advisor Geoff Robison as a Director to fill Georges vacant seat Geoff is a very dedicated inshydividual to the AntiqueClassic Dishyvisions movement and has been

by Espie Butch Joyce

the Security Chairman for the Dishyvision at Oshkosh for the past sevshye ral years Geoff carries out this duty well as he has a background in sec urit y by being the Police C hi ef of New H ave n Indian a Your Board also voted to donate $20000 (pledged as $4000 per year for th e next five years) to complete the Steve Wittm a n hangar located on the Pioneer Airshyport complex Steve was always an avid supporter of the Division because of his personal ties and contributions to the history of avishyation

This month is the kickoff of the Division s 25th Anniversary T here will be a number of things happening this year that will be of great interest to you Director Rob ert Dobbie Lickteig has been appointed as the Chairman of this activity and events for your 25th Anniversary Dobbie will exshyplain some of the comi ng year s events in VINTAGE AIRPLANE this month (see pages 8 and 9)

We are on the move This year will be a good time for you to ask a fri end to join us and enjoy the golden years of aviation I have not said so in the past but the re have been severa l things come to pass in th e past several months that made me realize not only can we as a group enjoy older airshyplanes we also enjoy a great bond as individuals Lets a ll pull in the same direction for the good of avishyation Rem e mber we are better together Join us and have it all

AC NEWS

NPRM COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED

The FAA has extended the comment period for NPRM 95-11 which included changes in pilot certification and flight school regulations the NPRM also inshycludes EAAs proposal for recreational pilot self-certification (See the October issues of both Sport Aviation and Vintage Airplane for more information on the proposed rule changes) The original deadline for public comment was Decemshyber 1l Comments will now be accepted until February 12 1996

Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request to the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Public Affairs Attention Public Inshyquire Center APA-220 800 Indepenshydence Av SW Washington DC 20591 or by calling 202267-3484 Requests should be identified by the NPRM number (Noshytice NO 95-11) or docket no (Docket No 25910)

Comments on the proposals may be delivered or mailed in triplicate to Fedshyeral Aviation Administration Office of Chief Counsel Attention Rules Docket (AGC-I0) Docket 25910 800 Indepenshydence Av SW Washington DC 20591 For further information contact John Lynch Certification Branch AFS-840 phone 2021267-3844

FEBRUARY EAA ADULT ACADEMY PROGRAMS FILLING

The EAA Adult Air Academy teachshying basic aircraft maintenance building and restoration skills will be offered Febshyruary 19-23 Your $800 registration fee covers lodging food local transportation and all elements of this educational proshygram upon arrival in Oshkosh

The EAAZENAIR Aircraft Building Academy is scheduled for February 24shyMarch 3 The goal of this academy will be to construct an all metal ZENAIR Zoshydiac CH 601 The $800 registration fee provides accommodations meals local transportation necessary supplies and materials

For further information and registrashytion materials contact the EAA Educashytion Office by calling 414426-4888 or writing PO Box 3065 Oshkosh WI 54903-3065

compiled by HG Frautschy

LYCOMING AD PROPOSED

An AD has been proposed requiring inspections and possible replacement of the crankshafts of Textron Lycoming 235 series 290 series and certain 320 and 360 series engines The proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections of the crankshaft inner diameter (ID) for corrosion and cracks and replacement of cracked crankshafts with a serviceable

part This proposal permits operation of engines with crankshafts that are found to have corrosion pits but are free of cracks provided repetitive inspections are pershyformed until the next engine overhaul or 5 years after th e initial inspection whichever occurs first at which tim e crankshafts with corrosion pits but no cracks must be repl aced with serviceable cran kshafts

There is a pretty short fuse on this

YOUNG EAGLE MILESTONES

William Ammentorp one of our volunteer pilots at EAAs Pioneer airport is show with the 500th Young Eagle flown during Pioneer Airport operations in 1995 Katie Long Bloomington IN took her flight with Bill July 17 1995 Since that time nearly 1000 youngsters received Young Eagle rides with pilot volunshyteers at Pioneer Airport Over 300 of them were flown personally by Bill who along with his wife Mary spent many hours of volunteer time helping keep Pioneer open during the weekshydays in the summer

As 1996 wound down the Young Eagles program has flown nearly 180000 kids No matter how many youve flown from one to hundreds each flight is important Our thanks to all who have participated so far in the program If you need more information on how to get involved contact the EAA Young Eagles Office at 414426-4831 or you can write EAA Young Eagles Office PO Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 For a little inspiration here are the top eight pilots who have flown Young Eagles

Robert Swanson Ft Washington MD 798

Deborah Baugh Old Hickory TN 514

Thomas Snouwaert Gladstone MI 649

William Ammentorp Oshkosh WI 377

Steve Applebaum Mt Prospect IL 623

Jim Jahnke Green Bay WI 352

Michael Ferguson Helana MT 597

Richard Coffey Sandstone MN 341

As a group the Civil Air Patrol has flown 1986 Young Eagles

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

Douglas Corrigan 88 passed away December 12 1995 in southern California One of the men who built Charles Lindberghs Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis Doug Corrigan was reportedly inspired to follow in his slipstream and wished to fly the Atlantic solo Born in 1907 he was a pilot by the age of 18 and became an aircraft mechanic as well as an accomplished navigator By 1938 he had acquired a runshyout Curtiss Robin and overhauled it converting it to the - 1 configuration with a 175 hp Wright -6 Whirlwind installed in place of the original OX-5 He then flew the airplane to New York from California intending to ask the US Dept of Commerce for a permit to fly the Robin to Europe When the inspectors looked at his airplane they den ied his request The next time the Dept of Commerce heard of Doug Corrigan he was in the newsshypapers being quoted about Making a mistake and flying the wrong way home winding up in Ireland instead of California Corrigan steadfastly stuck to his story throughout his entire lifetime He also kept his Robin turning away offers to buy the historic airplane Wrong Way Corrigan became part of aviation fo lklore and history with his flight

information about the Illinois Midwest Aviation MaintenanceExhibit Seminar contact Don Cramer at 217785-5798 or Paul McLaughl in at 618337-7575 ext 364

FAIRCHILD FANS NOTICE

Vintage Video PO Box 551 Greenshycastle PA 17225 is offering a collectible gift set that starts off with a copy of the video Fairch ild PT-19 A Primary Trainer This 25 minute long color film produced by Fairchild in 1941 shows the PT-19 during production and in flight T he gift set also includes an Im a Fa irch ild Employee pin from the Fairchi ld Homecoming held Sept 8 1995 you ll also get an official commemorative Fairchild H omecoming brass coin and copies of the Poem Airplane Factory by Victor Conrad and a special edition 16 page program Pegasus - The people and the Planes The gift set cost is $29 postshypaid You can also call 800444-1942 for ordering information A video is also avai lable of the US Army Air Force training fi lm on PT-19 and PT-23 first echelon maintenance - the cost is $3999

ETBE APPROVED UNDER EAA AUTO FUEL STC

NPR M - comments must be received by January 29 1996 Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation Adminshyistration (FAA) New England Region Office of the Assistant Chief Counse l Attention Rules Docket No 94-ANEshy4412 New England Executive Park Burlington MA 01803-5299

PRECISION FUEL NOZZLE SERVICE BULLETIN

Precision Airmotive Corp 3220 100th St SW Bldg E Everett W A 98204 has issued Service Bulletin MSA-8 covshyering the installation of carburetor 10shy4439 or 10-3237 installed on Continental 0-300 or C-145 engines Precision Airshymotive has received sporadic reports from operators who are experiencing engine richness or roughness after inshystalling the one-piece venturi into their carbs If you have not experienced any of these conditions with your C-145 or 0-300 then the bulletin does not apply to your engine

Precision has determined that under certain conditions the new venturi alters the fuel atomization characteristics of the fuel nozzle Improper installation of the new venturi can also cause these sympshytoms A new main fuel nozzle kit PIN 666-946 is available Warranty considerashytion may be available to you if you can prove that a genuine Precision Airmotive one-piece venturi was installed in your carbo Contact them at 800838-8181 or 206353-8181 for warranty information

AVIATION MAINTENANCE SEMINAR AT PARKS COLLEGE

The 22nd annual Ill inois Midwest Avishyat ion Mai ntenanceEx hibit Seminar will take place March 6-7 at the campus of Parks College in Cahokia IL The MainshytenanceExh ibit Seminar is open to all AampP and IA technicians pilots and homebuilders at no charge Thi rty speakshyers from the aviation maintenance indusshytry wi ll address topics related to mainshytaining the general aviation fleet Over 90 exhibit booths are also expected

The Maintenance Seminar grows anshynually due to the support of several dedishycated aviation organizations This years sponsors include the Ill inois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronaushytics Federal Aviation Admin istration Parks College and the Professional Airshycraft Maintenance Association For more

The FAA has iss ued an approval for the use of unleaded au tomobile containshying Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) in aircraft operating under an EAA Auto Fuel STC ETBE is currently being added in some areas as an additive intended to increase the anti-knock index of the gasoshyline as well as cut down the emissions as re qu ired by the EPA ETBE is made fro m ethanol but does not exhibit its bad qualities - it does not have an affinity for water nor is it corrosive or have a tenshydency to vapor lock This approval is in addition to the one previously granted to EAA by the FAA concerning the use of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) STC users can continue to use reformushylated gasoline available in certain metroshypolitan areas The prohibition on the use of alcohol additives is still in effect

(Continued on page 29)

UNISON lASARTM IGNITION NOW FAA CERTIFIED

Unison Industries has anshynounced that their electronjc igillshytion system dubbed LASARTM and sold by Slick Aircraft Prodshyucts is now F AAPMA approved for installation on the Lycoming 0-320 series of engines with other aircraftengine approva ls due soon For more information conshytact Slick Aircraft Products 815-965-4700

4 JANUARY 1996

VINTAGE

A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE

Dear Mr Frautschy

I would like to relate a story to you about a special person in aviation My uncle Swann D Allen a young man of 80 years bought an American

Eagle (OX5) in 1936 He flew it from a hand hewn sod strip in Milford Michishygan The Eagle then languished on my grandfathers farm for many years In 1968 Swann started the restoration which is a story in itself The restoration was completed in 1989 (see VINTAGE AIRPLANE April 1990) Sadly on the second flight Joe Callahan the test pilot had a severe heart attack and crashed

I have taken over ownership of 7157 A and started the second restoration Herein lies my reason for writing While making many phone calls and running down leads on parts and information I was fortunate to connect with Doug Dullenkopf the owner of Screaming Eagle Aviation at Santa Paula airport north of Los Angeles

Doug is in the business of selling and maintaining aircraft One of the airshycraft he is currently trying to sell is American Eagle 3738 This aircraft was Anshytique Grand Champion at EAA OSHKOSH in 1976

Doug allowed me to pour over the Eagle taking pictures measurements notes and multiple details It was a tremendous boost to my restoration He also provided pictures stories and information knowing full well I wasnt buyshying anything Aircraft people are a special breed joined with a golden thread I would hope anyone looking to buy a used aircraft antique or otherwise or needing maintenance on their current airplane would look up the good people at Screaming Eagle

Sincerely David W Allen Huntington Beach CA

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

crowded skies of that era inherent stability of the Pl and coupled with the fact that there were far fewer tall towers around probably enabled you to survive your letshydown procedure back then Im sure youd agree it wouldnt be a good idea (not to mention illegal) to attempt it today Those were different times were they not - RGF

AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Dear Phil and Ruth

And you know you guys who get to go every year and can get involved up to your armpits in EAA activity may find it difficult to imagine just how imshyportant visiting OSHKOSH can be to us who live half a world away It is partly a kind of pilgrimage to Mecca-a visit to the Wailing Wall or the Vatican or kissing the Blarney Stone But it is more It is an opportunity to be reborn by having all the spent enthusiasm revishytalized and re-injected into the veins It is a chance to be surrounded for a time by thousands of positive thinking aviashytion oriented brains and being able to tap their collective ideas It is a history book-a time machine-a crystal ball in which the future may be glimpsed No matter how solitary or remote your residential location a visit to OSHKOSH demonstrates convincingly that you need never be alone again

These are some of the reasons why Australians are present in such numshybers at each years convention - we are about as remote from the centres of sport flying activity as you can get A regular visit to the Big 0 is necessary (a) to convert more of the skeptics and (b) recharge the converted

I mean - 44 Wacos on the same field I thought I was one of the luckiest guys alive back in 1981 when I flew in Harold Johnson s one of a kind WACO and Eric Heins CRG BOTH the same day But 44

King regards Margie and Brian Morayfield Queensland AUSTRALIA

MORE ON THE PARKS HAMMOND AIRPLANES

Dear Editor

As the owner of a Parks PI (NC616V) back in the mid-1930s I was interested in Mr Frautschys article on the Hammond 100 in your September issue

Apparently no two PIs were exactly alike My PI had a split gear with Russco struts 26 inch wire wheels with clincher rims tires 26 x 35 no brakes The tail skid was hinged with the upper arm secured to a fuselage tube by sevshyeral wraps of shock cord-worked great

Th e PI was a most forgiving airshyplane It was my practice on cloudy days to attempt to climb through the overcast and get out on top Since

Aero Mail the PI was not blessed with a phenomeshynal rat e of climb these efforts fr eshyquently ended in failure When I beshycame totally disori e nted I would merely move the stabilizer lever one notch forward (nose down) chop the throttle take my feet from the rudder bar turn loose the stick fold my arms and wait Eventually we would break out always in a gentle right hand turn

I had several other airplanes in this time frame but none generated the same affection I felt for the Pl

Sincerely Lee Spruill Parachute CO

Im glad to hear you never had a probshylem with the Pl - it sounds as though it was a nice flying airplane Th e less

Type Club

NOTES by Norm Petersen

Compiled from various type club publications amp newsletters

Ercoupe Wing AD

Ercoupe Owners Club Monthly Magazine

Carolyn Carden - Editor (919-477-1832)

Notes From the Swiss Wing Factory Shop - by Edd Smith Tampa FL

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) inshyvolved with installing inspection panels on the Coupe wings seems to have caused a stir among some Coupe owners prospecshytive Coupe owners and even a few wannabe Coupe owners Some disagree with the AD A few say they would rather switch than fly The truth is even Fred Weick didn t think the Coupes would be flying after forty years he said so himself So updating a 40-year-old Ercoupe wing for a thorough examination and even a newer 28-year-old Alan Coupe is certainly not an unwarranted intrusion It s already proven to be good sense

Installing the inspection holes and covshyers is not that hard even though there are 16 per wing Most of the Coupes I ve looked at seem to have them placed in logishycal order so the additional inspection holes are not really complicated

Before we started we discussed several way to get the most work done for the least amount of effort The easiest of course was to just talk about doing the work and then have someone do it - that converts to money But of course that would not be much fun either

In the end we decided to pull the wings off the two Alons The Alons have metal wings as original equipment Two people can pull the wings although three is about right

At the very start take off the cover strips on both wings and examine the area where the front main spar bolts pass through the spar attach points Then exshy

amine the rear spar attach bolts The rear bolts look a little puny compared to the front After everything is opened up careshyfully examine the area with a bright light and your friendly A amp P The reason of course is the wings may never have been off the airframe So before rushing ahead this is a good time to look examine and get familiar with the way things were put together Disconnect the wing wiring for the Nav lights or strobes It may be necesshysary to cut the wires and install connecting plugs for reassembly Plan ahead Disconshynect the static line and pitot line and mark which is which

Finally disconnect the ailerons making sure not to change the adjustments if possishyble Check and examine the aileron bolts and carefully examine the four Heim rod ball joints for wear and tear Dont fool around with old junk They are available for about $900 each The part numbers are in the book

After examining the four spar attach bolts remove the cotter keys Then take all four spar nuts off With your associate apply lifting pressure on the wing tip Careshyfully drive out the top front and the top rear spar and lower rear spar bolts with a smaller diameter drift pin Lower the wing tip slightly to allow for easier access to the front lower spar bolt Next while standing at the front leading edge by the fuel tank you can begin to drive out the lower front spar bolt slowly and carefully The wing is light enough to hold with one hand for a few seconds anyway Carry the wing and place it upside down on a pair of well layshyered sawhorses or a long table Belly butshyton height for a work level seems to be the best for most people

Armed with the updated AD complete with corrected drawings get a good chalkshyline to set out straight lines The chalk lines allow for good measurement and refshyerence points on the wings Use a tape rule to make the measurements Pay attention

to the rivet locations (use the existing rivshyets as reference points to determine where the ribs are located) With a grease pencil or felt tip pen mark the center points for the inspection holes Always measure once walk away come back and measure again and drill Youll get a warm feeling when you see the hole is where it is supshyposed to be

We found the easiest way to cut round holes with no muss or fuss was to buy a 3shy112 inch hole saw at the lumber store Get the one that lets you use the 38 inch drive drill If not available buy a 1 inch hole saw and use the 38 mandrel with the 3 12 inch hole saw Mark the center point for the inshyspection hole and use a center punch to dimple the skin This of course will keep the drill bit from wandering around when it gets started

Let the drill do the work Don t push it or force it through the skin Do try to hold the drill vertical though Once you see the hole saw cutting through the skin be preshypared to stop as soon as the drill cuts all the way through After all the holes in one wing are cut use a file or a deburring tool to blunt the interior edges of the cutouts Make sure the edges are dull Vacuum all the metal shavings and any other trash out of the bays (it wont really be that much of a mess)

When you are at this point youre at the very reason for the AD Use a good bright light and mirror and with an 01 glass eye thoroughly examine the interior of the wing We were lucky both sets of wings we did (the Star and Bar and blue and white) were clean The Star and Bar wing a full year newer and made in 1966 was unbelievably clean and preserved Youd think the set was made within the last two years

The act ual round inspection panels were bought and painted months ago Some will have to be touched up later with trim color but it sure saved time by preshy

6 JANUARY 1996

Water Flying

A Seaplane Pilots Association publication

Bob Richardson - Executive Editor (301-695-2083)

David Quam (SPA 1) writes about a special PA-18 Super Cub that attended the Minnesota Seaplane Fly-In on August 12 at Lake Vermilion

Besides the Cessna 180-185 group a P Ashyl8A Super Cub on PK 2050 floats owned by Dan Lindstrom of Hudson WI pulled up to the beach looking different The first thing I noticed was the absence of the standard air intake which caused me to start asking quesshytions It turned out that Dan has made some interesting changes when he rebuilt the plane The changes included no wiring or

switches in the wing roots a large baggage area and a Gell Cell battery up under the front (instrument) panel To charge the batshytery he has mounted a 37 lb 8 amp alternashytor in the vacuum pump drive area Without a vacuum pump there are no gyros just a good YFR plane To keep the weight down he tossed out the regular starter for a lightshyweight one On floats empty weight is 1214 Ibs on wheels it s at 10341bs Dan said to get the CG in (the proper range) he had to put a larger tail spring on

After looking the seaplane over he took me up for a local ride The lake was about 1400 MSL and with fuel tanks three-quarshyters full two 170 lb pilots a 160 hp engine and a Borer prop the takeoff was about six seconds () For more information write Dan Lindstrom at 482 Blue Bird Drive Hudson WI 54016 or call 715-549-6347

painting The IA looked at them and said the paint job glistened

Start the installation by sliding the folded Tinnerman nut over the leading edge of the inspection hole towards the leading edge of the hole not the trailing edge Place the Tinnerman mark the hole witb a felt tip pen remove the clip-on Tinshynerman and drill the hole Put the Tinnershyman back over the newly drilled hole

On the inspection cover drill a number 40 size hole approximately 114 inch toshywards the inside edge of the inspection cover Put the inspection panel on slide it

around line up the Tinnerman and put the screw in It s that simple

Put everything back the same way it came off Check the torque values for the spar bolts use new cotter keys Before placing the covers back on test the Nav lights and aileron movements

Remember when you either start or finish working under the direction of a lishycensed airframe mechanic get him to inshyspect your work After its all done inshyspected by the Glass eye sanctified with the holy oils of the FAA sprinkled upon the logbook test fly it

New Gyros Need More Suction

The International Cessna 170 Association

Velvet Fackeldey - Flypaper Editor (417-532-4847)

Jim Yates writes r recently decided to update the gyros in my plane from the old big AN gyros to the modern small gyros They are powered by a single 9- inch venshyturi I installed two freshly rebuilt gyros and found that the suction was inadequate After some experimentation I found that the new horizon would work very well with the old DG but the new DG requires more air (suction) than the venturi can supply I would like to know if there is a modern DG that will work on a venturi system

Bob Coats answers I dont have much experience concerning the vacuum and gyshyros operation However on my airplane I have three venturies which operate three instruments So you may have to put more venturies on your airplane in order to operate the gyros you need I have had excellent service from Century Instrushyments in Wichita KS (800-733-0116) Disshycuss your problem with them and if they can t help you or refer you to someone feel free to call me and we will try to work together

Trouble in Paradise

AntiqueClassic Chapter 10 Newsletter Charlie Harris - Newsletter Editor

(918-622-8400)

And speaking of the Feds and the Deshypartment of Transportation and Secretary Pena tbe new Denver Airport had its first light blizzard (6 of snow is not very much) of the season on October 24th The wheels fell off the place The roof leaked through the tower ceiling the computer got all wet one airliner took a wrong turn and got stuck in a snowdrift and closed down the airport for nearly an hour and if this weren t enough an airport operated ground support vehicle DROVE ONTO AN ACTIVE RUNWA Y causing a loaded scheduled airshyliner to do a go around to avoid the snow removal truck (They have not decided as yet whether or not to discipline the driver) Maybe radio has not yet gotten to Denver This is all some place between the Three Stooges and The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight

All of this from our little 01 Five Billion Dollar Boondoggle that edged over budget by THREE BILLION DOLLARS three years late and still doesnt work right Reshymember this was Continental (Airlines) home base until they simply packed up and moved to Houston saying it was a JOKE and Continental isnt exactly a model of how to run a railroad How long oh how long

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

January 1996 Vol 24 No1

CONTENTS 2 Straight amp Level

Espie Butch Joyce

3 AlC News HG Frautschy

5 Aeromail Page 8

6 Type Club NoteslNorm Petersen

8 AlC 25th Anniversary Dobbie Lickte ig

10 Freedom Flight America Dick and Jeannie Hill

12 Mystery PlaneHG Frautschy

13 The First Cabin Waco HG Frautschy

17 Interstate L-6Norm Petersen

22 An Old FriendPeter Bowers Page 1024 What Our Members

are Restoring Norm Petersen

26 Pass it to Buck EE Buck Hilbert

28 Welcome New Members

29 Calendar

30 Vintage Trader Page 22

FRONT COVER This 1932 Waco QDC restored by Alan Buchner Fresno CA was picked as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique at EAA OSHKOSH 95 Alan s Waco was once owned by his father in 1938 EAA photo by Mike Steineke Shot with a Canon EOS-l n equipped with a 70-200mm lens 1250 f80n Kodak Lumiere film Cessna 210 photo plane flown by Bruce Moare

BACK COVER Edward Clay Smith of Athens AL has just completed the restoration of Ihis 1942 Interstate L-6 which happens to be the first off the production line It was selected as the Antique WW II Military TrainerLiaison Runner -up EAA photo by Jim Koepnick Shot with a Canon EOS-l n equipped with a 70-200mm lens 1250 flO on Kodak Lumiere film Cessna 210 photo plane flown by Bruce Moore

Copyright copy 1996 by the EAA AntiqueClassic Division Inc All rights reserved VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EM AntiqueClassic Division Inc of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EM Aviation Center 3000 Poberezny Rd PO Box 3086 Oshkosh Wisconsin 54903-3086 Second Class Postage paid at Oshkosh Wisconsin 54901 and at addrtional mailing offices The membership rate for EM AntiqueClassic Division Inc is $2700 for current EM members for 12 month period of which $1500 is for the publication of VINTAGE AIRPLANE Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation POSTMASTER Send address changes to EM AntiqueClassic Division Inc PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 FOREIGN AND APO ADORESSES - Please aliow at least two months for delivOlY of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via surface mail ADVERTISING - AntiqueClassic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken EDITORIAL POLICY Readers are encouraged to submrt stories and photographs Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor No renumeration is made Material should be sent to Editor VINTAGE AIRPLANE PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Phone 414426-4800 The words EAA ULTRALIGHT FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM SPORT AVIATION and the logos of EAA EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION EAA ANTIQUECLASSIC DIVISION INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are reg registered trademarks THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAA AVIAnON FOUNDAnON and EAA ULTRALtGHT CONVENTION are trademar1lts of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above association is strictly prohibrted

EDITORIAL STAFF

Publisher Tom Poberezny

Vice-President Marketing amp Communications

Dick Matt

Editor-in-Chlef Jack Cox

Editor Henry G Frautschy

Managing Editor Golda Cox Art Director Mike Drucks

Assistant Art Director Sara A Otto

Computer Graphic Specialists Olivia l Phillip Jennifer Larsen

Advertising Mary Jones

Associate Editor Norm Petersen

Feature Writers George Hardie Jr Dennis Parks

Staff Photographers Jim Koepnick Mike Steineke

Carl Schuppel Donna Bushman

Editorial Assistant Isabelle Wiske

EAA ANTIQUECLASSIC DIVISION INC OFFICERS

President Vice-President Espie Butch Joyce George Doubner

PO 80x 3S584 2448 Lough Lane Greensboro NC 27425 Hartford WI 53027

910393-D344 414673-5885

Secretory Treasurer Sieve Nesse EE Buck Hilbert

2009 Highland Ave PO80x424 Albert Lea MN 56007 Union IL 60180

507373-1674 815923-4591

DIRECTORS John Berendt Robert C Bob Brauer

7645 Echo Point Rd 9345 S Hoyne Cannon Falls MN 55009 20

507263-2414 ChJ~~~79~~mGene Chase John S Copeland

2159 Carlton Rd 28-3 Williamsburg Ct Oshkosh WI 54904 Shrewsbury MA 01545

414231-5002 SOB842-7867 Phil Coulson Stan Gomoll

28415 Springbrook Dr 1042 90th Lane NE Lawton M149065 Minneapolis MN 55434

616624-6490 612784-1172

Cha~es Harris Jeannie Hill 7215 East 46th St PO80x328 Tulsa OK 74145 Harvard IL 60033

918622-8400 815943-7205

Dale A Gustafson Rober D Bob Lumley 7724 Shady Hill Dr 1265 South 124th St

Indianapolis IN 46278 Brookfield WI 53005 317293-4430 414782-2633

Robert Uckleig Gene Morris 1708 Bay Oaks Dr 115C Steve Court RR 2

Albert Lea MN 56007 Roanoke TX 76262 507373-2922 817491-9110

Geoff Robison George York 1521 E MacGregar Dr 181 Sloboda Av New Haven IN 46774 Mansfield OH 44906

219493-4724 419529-4378

SH Wesmiddot Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa WI 53213

414771-1545

DIRECTOR EMERITUS

SJ Wittman 1904-1995

ADVISORS

Joe Dickey Dean Richardson 55 Oakey Av 6701 Colony Dr

Lawrenceburg IN 47025 Madison WI 53717 812537-9354 608833-1291

STRAIGHT amp LEVEL

This past year has been a very active one for the AntiqueClassic Division We have been able to maintain a steady growth over the past 12 months gaining some 2000 new members

While our membership has surshypassed 10000 members we have tried hard to continue to serve our new and present members with a quality maga zin e VINTAGE AIRPLANE and m embership programs such as your Antique Classic insurance program We continue to receive good comshyments from the membership conshycerning the hard work tha t is put forth by the Division officers dishyrectors advisors chairmen volunshyteers and staff

For those individuals who do not know the officers and Board of Directors are almost totally reshysponsible for the operation of the Division The AntiqueClassic Dishyvision also has the added responsishybility to oversee the AntiqueClasshysic and show plane camping area before during and afte r the week of the EAA Oshkosh Convention each year From the time that one Convention is over until the nex t Convention starts req uires a good deal of work year-round

Although durin g the year th e Pioneer Airport operation is a toshytally separate operation from that of the AntiqueClassic Division a good many of the Division s memshybers volunteer their weekends to make this operation an aviation

2 JANUARY 1996

success story from both an educashytional and mu se um viewpoint With the support of the membershyship volunteers and staff Pioneer Airport will continue to honor the greats of aviation as well as the history of aviation to e ducate those who do not know and to reshymind those of us who do know how we have gotten to where we are today

Moving on here as many of you do know your AntiqueClassic Board of Directors met in Novemshyber 1995 There were a num ber of things that happe ned at this meetshying We had to do a few Articles of Incorporation changes as well as some min or changes to our Byshylaws This was done so that we could move ahead with an applicashytion to the IRS for the Divisions 50l(c3) tax exempt status as a nonshyprofit corporation Hopefully we will be awarded this status by the IRS somet ime around mid-Februshyary 1996 Should the Division have this status it will be very beneficial to all of the volunteers who help us so much eac h year The Board voted to fill the vacant seat of ViceshyPresident with Director George Daubner I am very happy to have George on board as VP and look forward to having a productive working relationship with him

The Board th e n voted to apshypoint Advisor Geoff Robison as a Director to fill Georges vacant seat Geoff is a very dedicated inshydividual to the AntiqueClassic Dishyvisions movement and has been

by Espie Butch Joyce

the Security Chairman for the Dishyvision at Oshkosh for the past sevshye ral years Geoff carries out this duty well as he has a background in sec urit y by being the Police C hi ef of New H ave n Indian a Your Board also voted to donate $20000 (pledged as $4000 per year for th e next five years) to complete the Steve Wittm a n hangar located on the Pioneer Airshyport complex Steve was always an avid supporter of the Division because of his personal ties and contributions to the history of avishyation

This month is the kickoff of the Division s 25th Anniversary T here will be a number of things happening this year that will be of great interest to you Director Rob ert Dobbie Lickteig has been appointed as the Chairman of this activity and events for your 25th Anniversary Dobbie will exshyplain some of the comi ng year s events in VINTAGE AIRPLANE this month (see pages 8 and 9)

We are on the move This year will be a good time for you to ask a fri end to join us and enjoy the golden years of aviation I have not said so in the past but the re have been severa l things come to pass in th e past several months that made me realize not only can we as a group enjoy older airshyplanes we also enjoy a great bond as individuals Lets a ll pull in the same direction for the good of avishyation Rem e mber we are better together Join us and have it all

AC NEWS

NPRM COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED

The FAA has extended the comment period for NPRM 95-11 which included changes in pilot certification and flight school regulations the NPRM also inshycludes EAAs proposal for recreational pilot self-certification (See the October issues of both Sport Aviation and Vintage Airplane for more information on the proposed rule changes) The original deadline for public comment was Decemshyber 1l Comments will now be accepted until February 12 1996

Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request to the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Public Affairs Attention Public Inshyquire Center APA-220 800 Indepenshydence Av SW Washington DC 20591 or by calling 202267-3484 Requests should be identified by the NPRM number (Noshytice NO 95-11) or docket no (Docket No 25910)

Comments on the proposals may be delivered or mailed in triplicate to Fedshyeral Aviation Administration Office of Chief Counsel Attention Rules Docket (AGC-I0) Docket 25910 800 Indepenshydence Av SW Washington DC 20591 For further information contact John Lynch Certification Branch AFS-840 phone 2021267-3844

FEBRUARY EAA ADULT ACADEMY PROGRAMS FILLING

The EAA Adult Air Academy teachshying basic aircraft maintenance building and restoration skills will be offered Febshyruary 19-23 Your $800 registration fee covers lodging food local transportation and all elements of this educational proshygram upon arrival in Oshkosh

The EAAZENAIR Aircraft Building Academy is scheduled for February 24shyMarch 3 The goal of this academy will be to construct an all metal ZENAIR Zoshydiac CH 601 The $800 registration fee provides accommodations meals local transportation necessary supplies and materials

For further information and registrashytion materials contact the EAA Educashytion Office by calling 414426-4888 or writing PO Box 3065 Oshkosh WI 54903-3065

compiled by HG Frautschy

LYCOMING AD PROPOSED

An AD has been proposed requiring inspections and possible replacement of the crankshafts of Textron Lycoming 235 series 290 series and certain 320 and 360 series engines The proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections of the crankshaft inner diameter (ID) for corrosion and cracks and replacement of cracked crankshafts with a serviceable

part This proposal permits operation of engines with crankshafts that are found to have corrosion pits but are free of cracks provided repetitive inspections are pershyformed until the next engine overhaul or 5 years after th e initial inspection whichever occurs first at which tim e crankshafts with corrosion pits but no cracks must be repl aced with serviceable cran kshafts

There is a pretty short fuse on this

YOUNG EAGLE MILESTONES

William Ammentorp one of our volunteer pilots at EAAs Pioneer airport is show with the 500th Young Eagle flown during Pioneer Airport operations in 1995 Katie Long Bloomington IN took her flight with Bill July 17 1995 Since that time nearly 1000 youngsters received Young Eagle rides with pilot volunshyteers at Pioneer Airport Over 300 of them were flown personally by Bill who along with his wife Mary spent many hours of volunteer time helping keep Pioneer open during the weekshydays in the summer

As 1996 wound down the Young Eagles program has flown nearly 180000 kids No matter how many youve flown from one to hundreds each flight is important Our thanks to all who have participated so far in the program If you need more information on how to get involved contact the EAA Young Eagles Office at 414426-4831 or you can write EAA Young Eagles Office PO Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 For a little inspiration here are the top eight pilots who have flown Young Eagles

Robert Swanson Ft Washington MD 798

Deborah Baugh Old Hickory TN 514

Thomas Snouwaert Gladstone MI 649

William Ammentorp Oshkosh WI 377

Steve Applebaum Mt Prospect IL 623

Jim Jahnke Green Bay WI 352

Michael Ferguson Helana MT 597

Richard Coffey Sandstone MN 341

As a group the Civil Air Patrol has flown 1986 Young Eagles

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

Douglas Corrigan 88 passed away December 12 1995 in southern California One of the men who built Charles Lindberghs Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis Doug Corrigan was reportedly inspired to follow in his slipstream and wished to fly the Atlantic solo Born in 1907 he was a pilot by the age of 18 and became an aircraft mechanic as well as an accomplished navigator By 1938 he had acquired a runshyout Curtiss Robin and overhauled it converting it to the - 1 configuration with a 175 hp Wright -6 Whirlwind installed in place of the original OX-5 He then flew the airplane to New York from California intending to ask the US Dept of Commerce for a permit to fly the Robin to Europe When the inspectors looked at his airplane they den ied his request The next time the Dept of Commerce heard of Doug Corrigan he was in the newsshypapers being quoted about Making a mistake and flying the wrong way home winding up in Ireland instead of California Corrigan steadfastly stuck to his story throughout his entire lifetime He also kept his Robin turning away offers to buy the historic airplane Wrong Way Corrigan became part of aviation fo lklore and history with his flight

information about the Illinois Midwest Aviation MaintenanceExhibit Seminar contact Don Cramer at 217785-5798 or Paul McLaughl in at 618337-7575 ext 364

FAIRCHILD FANS NOTICE

Vintage Video PO Box 551 Greenshycastle PA 17225 is offering a collectible gift set that starts off with a copy of the video Fairch ild PT-19 A Primary Trainer This 25 minute long color film produced by Fairchild in 1941 shows the PT-19 during production and in flight T he gift set also includes an Im a Fa irch ild Employee pin from the Fairchi ld Homecoming held Sept 8 1995 you ll also get an official commemorative Fairchild H omecoming brass coin and copies of the Poem Airplane Factory by Victor Conrad and a special edition 16 page program Pegasus - The people and the Planes The gift set cost is $29 postshypaid You can also call 800444-1942 for ordering information A video is also avai lable of the US Army Air Force training fi lm on PT-19 and PT-23 first echelon maintenance - the cost is $3999

ETBE APPROVED UNDER EAA AUTO FUEL STC

NPR M - comments must be received by January 29 1996 Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation Adminshyistration (FAA) New England Region Office of the Assistant Chief Counse l Attention Rules Docket No 94-ANEshy4412 New England Executive Park Burlington MA 01803-5299

PRECISION FUEL NOZZLE SERVICE BULLETIN

Precision Airmotive Corp 3220 100th St SW Bldg E Everett W A 98204 has issued Service Bulletin MSA-8 covshyering the installation of carburetor 10shy4439 or 10-3237 installed on Continental 0-300 or C-145 engines Precision Airshymotive has received sporadic reports from operators who are experiencing engine richness or roughness after inshystalling the one-piece venturi into their carbs If you have not experienced any of these conditions with your C-145 or 0-300 then the bulletin does not apply to your engine

Precision has determined that under certain conditions the new venturi alters the fuel atomization characteristics of the fuel nozzle Improper installation of the new venturi can also cause these sympshytoms A new main fuel nozzle kit PIN 666-946 is available Warranty considerashytion may be available to you if you can prove that a genuine Precision Airmotive one-piece venturi was installed in your carbo Contact them at 800838-8181 or 206353-8181 for warranty information

AVIATION MAINTENANCE SEMINAR AT PARKS COLLEGE

The 22nd annual Ill inois Midwest Avishyat ion Mai ntenanceEx hibit Seminar will take place March 6-7 at the campus of Parks College in Cahokia IL The MainshytenanceExh ibit Seminar is open to all AampP and IA technicians pilots and homebuilders at no charge Thi rty speakshyers from the aviation maintenance indusshytry wi ll address topics related to mainshytaining the general aviation fleet Over 90 exhibit booths are also expected

The Maintenance Seminar grows anshynually due to the support of several dedishycated aviation organizations This years sponsors include the Ill inois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronaushytics Federal Aviation Admin istration Parks College and the Professional Airshycraft Maintenance Association For more

The FAA has iss ued an approval for the use of unleaded au tomobile containshying Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) in aircraft operating under an EAA Auto Fuel STC ETBE is currently being added in some areas as an additive intended to increase the anti-knock index of the gasoshyline as well as cut down the emissions as re qu ired by the EPA ETBE is made fro m ethanol but does not exhibit its bad qualities - it does not have an affinity for water nor is it corrosive or have a tenshydency to vapor lock This approval is in addition to the one previously granted to EAA by the FAA concerning the use of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) STC users can continue to use reformushylated gasoline available in certain metroshypolitan areas The prohibition on the use of alcohol additives is still in effect

(Continued on page 29)

UNISON lASARTM IGNITION NOW FAA CERTIFIED

Unison Industries has anshynounced that their electronjc igillshytion system dubbed LASARTM and sold by Slick Aircraft Prodshyucts is now F AAPMA approved for installation on the Lycoming 0-320 series of engines with other aircraftengine approva ls due soon For more information conshytact Slick Aircraft Products 815-965-4700

4 JANUARY 1996

VINTAGE

A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE

Dear Mr Frautschy

I would like to relate a story to you about a special person in aviation My uncle Swann D Allen a young man of 80 years bought an American

Eagle (OX5) in 1936 He flew it from a hand hewn sod strip in Milford Michishygan The Eagle then languished on my grandfathers farm for many years In 1968 Swann started the restoration which is a story in itself The restoration was completed in 1989 (see VINTAGE AIRPLANE April 1990) Sadly on the second flight Joe Callahan the test pilot had a severe heart attack and crashed

I have taken over ownership of 7157 A and started the second restoration Herein lies my reason for writing While making many phone calls and running down leads on parts and information I was fortunate to connect with Doug Dullenkopf the owner of Screaming Eagle Aviation at Santa Paula airport north of Los Angeles

Doug is in the business of selling and maintaining aircraft One of the airshycraft he is currently trying to sell is American Eagle 3738 This aircraft was Anshytique Grand Champion at EAA OSHKOSH in 1976

Doug allowed me to pour over the Eagle taking pictures measurements notes and multiple details It was a tremendous boost to my restoration He also provided pictures stories and information knowing full well I wasnt buyshying anything Aircraft people are a special breed joined with a golden thread I would hope anyone looking to buy a used aircraft antique or otherwise or needing maintenance on their current airplane would look up the good people at Screaming Eagle

Sincerely David W Allen Huntington Beach CA

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

crowded skies of that era inherent stability of the Pl and coupled with the fact that there were far fewer tall towers around probably enabled you to survive your letshydown procedure back then Im sure youd agree it wouldnt be a good idea (not to mention illegal) to attempt it today Those were different times were they not - RGF

AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Dear Phil and Ruth

And you know you guys who get to go every year and can get involved up to your armpits in EAA activity may find it difficult to imagine just how imshyportant visiting OSHKOSH can be to us who live half a world away It is partly a kind of pilgrimage to Mecca-a visit to the Wailing Wall or the Vatican or kissing the Blarney Stone But it is more It is an opportunity to be reborn by having all the spent enthusiasm revishytalized and re-injected into the veins It is a chance to be surrounded for a time by thousands of positive thinking aviashytion oriented brains and being able to tap their collective ideas It is a history book-a time machine-a crystal ball in which the future may be glimpsed No matter how solitary or remote your residential location a visit to OSHKOSH demonstrates convincingly that you need never be alone again

These are some of the reasons why Australians are present in such numshybers at each years convention - we are about as remote from the centres of sport flying activity as you can get A regular visit to the Big 0 is necessary (a) to convert more of the skeptics and (b) recharge the converted

I mean - 44 Wacos on the same field I thought I was one of the luckiest guys alive back in 1981 when I flew in Harold Johnson s one of a kind WACO and Eric Heins CRG BOTH the same day But 44

King regards Margie and Brian Morayfield Queensland AUSTRALIA

MORE ON THE PARKS HAMMOND AIRPLANES

Dear Editor

As the owner of a Parks PI (NC616V) back in the mid-1930s I was interested in Mr Frautschys article on the Hammond 100 in your September issue

Apparently no two PIs were exactly alike My PI had a split gear with Russco struts 26 inch wire wheels with clincher rims tires 26 x 35 no brakes The tail skid was hinged with the upper arm secured to a fuselage tube by sevshyeral wraps of shock cord-worked great

Th e PI was a most forgiving airshyplane It was my practice on cloudy days to attempt to climb through the overcast and get out on top Since

Aero Mail the PI was not blessed with a phenomeshynal rat e of climb these efforts fr eshyquently ended in failure When I beshycame totally disori e nted I would merely move the stabilizer lever one notch forward (nose down) chop the throttle take my feet from the rudder bar turn loose the stick fold my arms and wait Eventually we would break out always in a gentle right hand turn

I had several other airplanes in this time frame but none generated the same affection I felt for the Pl

Sincerely Lee Spruill Parachute CO

Im glad to hear you never had a probshylem with the Pl - it sounds as though it was a nice flying airplane Th e less

Type Club

NOTES by Norm Petersen

Compiled from various type club publications amp newsletters

Ercoupe Wing AD

Ercoupe Owners Club Monthly Magazine

Carolyn Carden - Editor (919-477-1832)

Notes From the Swiss Wing Factory Shop - by Edd Smith Tampa FL

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) inshyvolved with installing inspection panels on the Coupe wings seems to have caused a stir among some Coupe owners prospecshytive Coupe owners and even a few wannabe Coupe owners Some disagree with the AD A few say they would rather switch than fly The truth is even Fred Weick didn t think the Coupes would be flying after forty years he said so himself So updating a 40-year-old Ercoupe wing for a thorough examination and even a newer 28-year-old Alan Coupe is certainly not an unwarranted intrusion It s already proven to be good sense

Installing the inspection holes and covshyers is not that hard even though there are 16 per wing Most of the Coupes I ve looked at seem to have them placed in logishycal order so the additional inspection holes are not really complicated

Before we started we discussed several way to get the most work done for the least amount of effort The easiest of course was to just talk about doing the work and then have someone do it - that converts to money But of course that would not be much fun either

In the end we decided to pull the wings off the two Alons The Alons have metal wings as original equipment Two people can pull the wings although three is about right

At the very start take off the cover strips on both wings and examine the area where the front main spar bolts pass through the spar attach points Then exshy

amine the rear spar attach bolts The rear bolts look a little puny compared to the front After everything is opened up careshyfully examine the area with a bright light and your friendly A amp P The reason of course is the wings may never have been off the airframe So before rushing ahead this is a good time to look examine and get familiar with the way things were put together Disconnect the wing wiring for the Nav lights or strobes It may be necesshysary to cut the wires and install connecting plugs for reassembly Plan ahead Disconshynect the static line and pitot line and mark which is which

Finally disconnect the ailerons making sure not to change the adjustments if possishyble Check and examine the aileron bolts and carefully examine the four Heim rod ball joints for wear and tear Dont fool around with old junk They are available for about $900 each The part numbers are in the book

After examining the four spar attach bolts remove the cotter keys Then take all four spar nuts off With your associate apply lifting pressure on the wing tip Careshyfully drive out the top front and the top rear spar and lower rear spar bolts with a smaller diameter drift pin Lower the wing tip slightly to allow for easier access to the front lower spar bolt Next while standing at the front leading edge by the fuel tank you can begin to drive out the lower front spar bolt slowly and carefully The wing is light enough to hold with one hand for a few seconds anyway Carry the wing and place it upside down on a pair of well layshyered sawhorses or a long table Belly butshyton height for a work level seems to be the best for most people

Armed with the updated AD complete with corrected drawings get a good chalkshyline to set out straight lines The chalk lines allow for good measurement and refshyerence points on the wings Use a tape rule to make the measurements Pay attention

to the rivet locations (use the existing rivshyets as reference points to determine where the ribs are located) With a grease pencil or felt tip pen mark the center points for the inspection holes Always measure once walk away come back and measure again and drill Youll get a warm feeling when you see the hole is where it is supshyposed to be

We found the easiest way to cut round holes with no muss or fuss was to buy a 3shy112 inch hole saw at the lumber store Get the one that lets you use the 38 inch drive drill If not available buy a 1 inch hole saw and use the 38 mandrel with the 3 12 inch hole saw Mark the center point for the inshyspection hole and use a center punch to dimple the skin This of course will keep the drill bit from wandering around when it gets started

Let the drill do the work Don t push it or force it through the skin Do try to hold the drill vertical though Once you see the hole saw cutting through the skin be preshypared to stop as soon as the drill cuts all the way through After all the holes in one wing are cut use a file or a deburring tool to blunt the interior edges of the cutouts Make sure the edges are dull Vacuum all the metal shavings and any other trash out of the bays (it wont really be that much of a mess)

When you are at this point youre at the very reason for the AD Use a good bright light and mirror and with an 01 glass eye thoroughly examine the interior of the wing We were lucky both sets of wings we did (the Star and Bar and blue and white) were clean The Star and Bar wing a full year newer and made in 1966 was unbelievably clean and preserved Youd think the set was made within the last two years

The act ual round inspection panels were bought and painted months ago Some will have to be touched up later with trim color but it sure saved time by preshy

6 JANUARY 1996

Water Flying

A Seaplane Pilots Association publication

Bob Richardson - Executive Editor (301-695-2083)

David Quam (SPA 1) writes about a special PA-18 Super Cub that attended the Minnesota Seaplane Fly-In on August 12 at Lake Vermilion

Besides the Cessna 180-185 group a P Ashyl8A Super Cub on PK 2050 floats owned by Dan Lindstrom of Hudson WI pulled up to the beach looking different The first thing I noticed was the absence of the standard air intake which caused me to start asking quesshytions It turned out that Dan has made some interesting changes when he rebuilt the plane The changes included no wiring or

switches in the wing roots a large baggage area and a Gell Cell battery up under the front (instrument) panel To charge the batshytery he has mounted a 37 lb 8 amp alternashytor in the vacuum pump drive area Without a vacuum pump there are no gyros just a good YFR plane To keep the weight down he tossed out the regular starter for a lightshyweight one On floats empty weight is 1214 Ibs on wheels it s at 10341bs Dan said to get the CG in (the proper range) he had to put a larger tail spring on

After looking the seaplane over he took me up for a local ride The lake was about 1400 MSL and with fuel tanks three-quarshyters full two 170 lb pilots a 160 hp engine and a Borer prop the takeoff was about six seconds () For more information write Dan Lindstrom at 482 Blue Bird Drive Hudson WI 54016 or call 715-549-6347

painting The IA looked at them and said the paint job glistened

Start the installation by sliding the folded Tinnerman nut over the leading edge of the inspection hole towards the leading edge of the hole not the trailing edge Place the Tinnerman mark the hole witb a felt tip pen remove the clip-on Tinshynerman and drill the hole Put the Tinnershyman back over the newly drilled hole

On the inspection cover drill a number 40 size hole approximately 114 inch toshywards the inside edge of the inspection cover Put the inspection panel on slide it

around line up the Tinnerman and put the screw in It s that simple

Put everything back the same way it came off Check the torque values for the spar bolts use new cotter keys Before placing the covers back on test the Nav lights and aileron movements

Remember when you either start or finish working under the direction of a lishycensed airframe mechanic get him to inshyspect your work After its all done inshyspected by the Glass eye sanctified with the holy oils of the FAA sprinkled upon the logbook test fly it

New Gyros Need More Suction

The International Cessna 170 Association

Velvet Fackeldey - Flypaper Editor (417-532-4847)

Jim Yates writes r recently decided to update the gyros in my plane from the old big AN gyros to the modern small gyros They are powered by a single 9- inch venshyturi I installed two freshly rebuilt gyros and found that the suction was inadequate After some experimentation I found that the new horizon would work very well with the old DG but the new DG requires more air (suction) than the venturi can supply I would like to know if there is a modern DG that will work on a venturi system

Bob Coats answers I dont have much experience concerning the vacuum and gyshyros operation However on my airplane I have three venturies which operate three instruments So you may have to put more venturies on your airplane in order to operate the gyros you need I have had excellent service from Century Instrushyments in Wichita KS (800-733-0116) Disshycuss your problem with them and if they can t help you or refer you to someone feel free to call me and we will try to work together

Trouble in Paradise

AntiqueClassic Chapter 10 Newsletter Charlie Harris - Newsletter Editor

(918-622-8400)

And speaking of the Feds and the Deshypartment of Transportation and Secretary Pena tbe new Denver Airport had its first light blizzard (6 of snow is not very much) of the season on October 24th The wheels fell off the place The roof leaked through the tower ceiling the computer got all wet one airliner took a wrong turn and got stuck in a snowdrift and closed down the airport for nearly an hour and if this weren t enough an airport operated ground support vehicle DROVE ONTO AN ACTIVE RUNWA Y causing a loaded scheduled airshyliner to do a go around to avoid the snow removal truck (They have not decided as yet whether or not to discipline the driver) Maybe radio has not yet gotten to Denver This is all some place between the Three Stooges and The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight

All of this from our little 01 Five Billion Dollar Boondoggle that edged over budget by THREE BILLION DOLLARS three years late and still doesnt work right Reshymember this was Continental (Airlines) home base until they simply packed up and moved to Houston saying it was a JOKE and Continental isnt exactly a model of how to run a railroad How long oh how long

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

STRAIGHT amp LEVEL

This past year has been a very active one for the AntiqueClassic Division We have been able to maintain a steady growth over the past 12 months gaining some 2000 new members

While our membership has surshypassed 10000 members we have tried hard to continue to serve our new and present members with a quality maga zin e VINTAGE AIRPLANE and m embership programs such as your Antique Classic insurance program We continue to receive good comshyments from the membership conshycerning the hard work tha t is put forth by the Division officers dishyrectors advisors chairmen volunshyteers and staff

For those individuals who do not know the officers and Board of Directors are almost totally reshysponsible for the operation of the Division The AntiqueClassic Dishyvision also has the added responsishybility to oversee the AntiqueClasshysic and show plane camping area before during and afte r the week of the EAA Oshkosh Convention each year From the time that one Convention is over until the nex t Convention starts req uires a good deal of work year-round

Although durin g the year th e Pioneer Airport operation is a toshytally separate operation from that of the AntiqueClassic Division a good many of the Division s memshybers volunteer their weekends to make this operation an aviation

2 JANUARY 1996

success story from both an educashytional and mu se um viewpoint With the support of the membershyship volunteers and staff Pioneer Airport will continue to honor the greats of aviation as well as the history of aviation to e ducate those who do not know and to reshymind those of us who do know how we have gotten to where we are today

Moving on here as many of you do know your AntiqueClassic Board of Directors met in Novemshyber 1995 There were a num ber of things that happe ned at this meetshying We had to do a few Articles of Incorporation changes as well as some min or changes to our Byshylaws This was done so that we could move ahead with an applicashytion to the IRS for the Divisions 50l(c3) tax exempt status as a nonshyprofit corporation Hopefully we will be awarded this status by the IRS somet ime around mid-Februshyary 1996 Should the Division have this status it will be very beneficial to all of the volunteers who help us so much eac h year The Board voted to fill the vacant seat of ViceshyPresident with Director George Daubner I am very happy to have George on board as VP and look forward to having a productive working relationship with him

The Board th e n voted to apshypoint Advisor Geoff Robison as a Director to fill Georges vacant seat Geoff is a very dedicated inshydividual to the AntiqueClassic Dishyvisions movement and has been

by Espie Butch Joyce

the Security Chairman for the Dishyvision at Oshkosh for the past sevshye ral years Geoff carries out this duty well as he has a background in sec urit y by being the Police C hi ef of New H ave n Indian a Your Board also voted to donate $20000 (pledged as $4000 per year for th e next five years) to complete the Steve Wittm a n hangar located on the Pioneer Airshyport complex Steve was always an avid supporter of the Division because of his personal ties and contributions to the history of avishyation

This month is the kickoff of the Division s 25th Anniversary T here will be a number of things happening this year that will be of great interest to you Director Rob ert Dobbie Lickteig has been appointed as the Chairman of this activity and events for your 25th Anniversary Dobbie will exshyplain some of the comi ng year s events in VINTAGE AIRPLANE this month (see pages 8 and 9)

We are on the move This year will be a good time for you to ask a fri end to join us and enjoy the golden years of aviation I have not said so in the past but the re have been severa l things come to pass in th e past several months that made me realize not only can we as a group enjoy older airshyplanes we also enjoy a great bond as individuals Lets a ll pull in the same direction for the good of avishyation Rem e mber we are better together Join us and have it all

AC NEWS

NPRM COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED

The FAA has extended the comment period for NPRM 95-11 which included changes in pilot certification and flight school regulations the NPRM also inshycludes EAAs proposal for recreational pilot self-certification (See the October issues of both Sport Aviation and Vintage Airplane for more information on the proposed rule changes) The original deadline for public comment was Decemshyber 1l Comments will now be accepted until February 12 1996

Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request to the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Public Affairs Attention Public Inshyquire Center APA-220 800 Indepenshydence Av SW Washington DC 20591 or by calling 202267-3484 Requests should be identified by the NPRM number (Noshytice NO 95-11) or docket no (Docket No 25910)

Comments on the proposals may be delivered or mailed in triplicate to Fedshyeral Aviation Administration Office of Chief Counsel Attention Rules Docket (AGC-I0) Docket 25910 800 Indepenshydence Av SW Washington DC 20591 For further information contact John Lynch Certification Branch AFS-840 phone 2021267-3844

FEBRUARY EAA ADULT ACADEMY PROGRAMS FILLING

The EAA Adult Air Academy teachshying basic aircraft maintenance building and restoration skills will be offered Febshyruary 19-23 Your $800 registration fee covers lodging food local transportation and all elements of this educational proshygram upon arrival in Oshkosh

The EAAZENAIR Aircraft Building Academy is scheduled for February 24shyMarch 3 The goal of this academy will be to construct an all metal ZENAIR Zoshydiac CH 601 The $800 registration fee provides accommodations meals local transportation necessary supplies and materials

For further information and registrashytion materials contact the EAA Educashytion Office by calling 414426-4888 or writing PO Box 3065 Oshkosh WI 54903-3065

compiled by HG Frautschy

LYCOMING AD PROPOSED

An AD has been proposed requiring inspections and possible replacement of the crankshafts of Textron Lycoming 235 series 290 series and certain 320 and 360 series engines The proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections of the crankshaft inner diameter (ID) for corrosion and cracks and replacement of cracked crankshafts with a serviceable

part This proposal permits operation of engines with crankshafts that are found to have corrosion pits but are free of cracks provided repetitive inspections are pershyformed until the next engine overhaul or 5 years after th e initial inspection whichever occurs first at which tim e crankshafts with corrosion pits but no cracks must be repl aced with serviceable cran kshafts

There is a pretty short fuse on this

YOUNG EAGLE MILESTONES

William Ammentorp one of our volunteer pilots at EAAs Pioneer airport is show with the 500th Young Eagle flown during Pioneer Airport operations in 1995 Katie Long Bloomington IN took her flight with Bill July 17 1995 Since that time nearly 1000 youngsters received Young Eagle rides with pilot volunshyteers at Pioneer Airport Over 300 of them were flown personally by Bill who along with his wife Mary spent many hours of volunteer time helping keep Pioneer open during the weekshydays in the summer

As 1996 wound down the Young Eagles program has flown nearly 180000 kids No matter how many youve flown from one to hundreds each flight is important Our thanks to all who have participated so far in the program If you need more information on how to get involved contact the EAA Young Eagles Office at 414426-4831 or you can write EAA Young Eagles Office PO Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 For a little inspiration here are the top eight pilots who have flown Young Eagles

Robert Swanson Ft Washington MD 798

Deborah Baugh Old Hickory TN 514

Thomas Snouwaert Gladstone MI 649

William Ammentorp Oshkosh WI 377

Steve Applebaum Mt Prospect IL 623

Jim Jahnke Green Bay WI 352

Michael Ferguson Helana MT 597

Richard Coffey Sandstone MN 341

As a group the Civil Air Patrol has flown 1986 Young Eagles

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

Douglas Corrigan 88 passed away December 12 1995 in southern California One of the men who built Charles Lindberghs Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis Doug Corrigan was reportedly inspired to follow in his slipstream and wished to fly the Atlantic solo Born in 1907 he was a pilot by the age of 18 and became an aircraft mechanic as well as an accomplished navigator By 1938 he had acquired a runshyout Curtiss Robin and overhauled it converting it to the - 1 configuration with a 175 hp Wright -6 Whirlwind installed in place of the original OX-5 He then flew the airplane to New York from California intending to ask the US Dept of Commerce for a permit to fly the Robin to Europe When the inspectors looked at his airplane they den ied his request The next time the Dept of Commerce heard of Doug Corrigan he was in the newsshypapers being quoted about Making a mistake and flying the wrong way home winding up in Ireland instead of California Corrigan steadfastly stuck to his story throughout his entire lifetime He also kept his Robin turning away offers to buy the historic airplane Wrong Way Corrigan became part of aviation fo lklore and history with his flight

information about the Illinois Midwest Aviation MaintenanceExhibit Seminar contact Don Cramer at 217785-5798 or Paul McLaughl in at 618337-7575 ext 364

FAIRCHILD FANS NOTICE

Vintage Video PO Box 551 Greenshycastle PA 17225 is offering a collectible gift set that starts off with a copy of the video Fairch ild PT-19 A Primary Trainer This 25 minute long color film produced by Fairchild in 1941 shows the PT-19 during production and in flight T he gift set also includes an Im a Fa irch ild Employee pin from the Fairchi ld Homecoming held Sept 8 1995 you ll also get an official commemorative Fairchild H omecoming brass coin and copies of the Poem Airplane Factory by Victor Conrad and a special edition 16 page program Pegasus - The people and the Planes The gift set cost is $29 postshypaid You can also call 800444-1942 for ordering information A video is also avai lable of the US Army Air Force training fi lm on PT-19 and PT-23 first echelon maintenance - the cost is $3999

ETBE APPROVED UNDER EAA AUTO FUEL STC

NPR M - comments must be received by January 29 1996 Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation Adminshyistration (FAA) New England Region Office of the Assistant Chief Counse l Attention Rules Docket No 94-ANEshy4412 New England Executive Park Burlington MA 01803-5299

PRECISION FUEL NOZZLE SERVICE BULLETIN

Precision Airmotive Corp 3220 100th St SW Bldg E Everett W A 98204 has issued Service Bulletin MSA-8 covshyering the installation of carburetor 10shy4439 or 10-3237 installed on Continental 0-300 or C-145 engines Precision Airshymotive has received sporadic reports from operators who are experiencing engine richness or roughness after inshystalling the one-piece venturi into their carbs If you have not experienced any of these conditions with your C-145 or 0-300 then the bulletin does not apply to your engine

Precision has determined that under certain conditions the new venturi alters the fuel atomization characteristics of the fuel nozzle Improper installation of the new venturi can also cause these sympshytoms A new main fuel nozzle kit PIN 666-946 is available Warranty considerashytion may be available to you if you can prove that a genuine Precision Airmotive one-piece venturi was installed in your carbo Contact them at 800838-8181 or 206353-8181 for warranty information

AVIATION MAINTENANCE SEMINAR AT PARKS COLLEGE

The 22nd annual Ill inois Midwest Avishyat ion Mai ntenanceEx hibit Seminar will take place March 6-7 at the campus of Parks College in Cahokia IL The MainshytenanceExh ibit Seminar is open to all AampP and IA technicians pilots and homebuilders at no charge Thi rty speakshyers from the aviation maintenance indusshytry wi ll address topics related to mainshytaining the general aviation fleet Over 90 exhibit booths are also expected

The Maintenance Seminar grows anshynually due to the support of several dedishycated aviation organizations This years sponsors include the Ill inois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronaushytics Federal Aviation Admin istration Parks College and the Professional Airshycraft Maintenance Association For more

The FAA has iss ued an approval for the use of unleaded au tomobile containshying Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) in aircraft operating under an EAA Auto Fuel STC ETBE is currently being added in some areas as an additive intended to increase the anti-knock index of the gasoshyline as well as cut down the emissions as re qu ired by the EPA ETBE is made fro m ethanol but does not exhibit its bad qualities - it does not have an affinity for water nor is it corrosive or have a tenshydency to vapor lock This approval is in addition to the one previously granted to EAA by the FAA concerning the use of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) STC users can continue to use reformushylated gasoline available in certain metroshypolitan areas The prohibition on the use of alcohol additives is still in effect

(Continued on page 29)

UNISON lASARTM IGNITION NOW FAA CERTIFIED

Unison Industries has anshynounced that their electronjc igillshytion system dubbed LASARTM and sold by Slick Aircraft Prodshyucts is now F AAPMA approved for installation on the Lycoming 0-320 series of engines with other aircraftengine approva ls due soon For more information conshytact Slick Aircraft Products 815-965-4700

4 JANUARY 1996

VINTAGE

A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE

Dear Mr Frautschy

I would like to relate a story to you about a special person in aviation My uncle Swann D Allen a young man of 80 years bought an American

Eagle (OX5) in 1936 He flew it from a hand hewn sod strip in Milford Michishygan The Eagle then languished on my grandfathers farm for many years In 1968 Swann started the restoration which is a story in itself The restoration was completed in 1989 (see VINTAGE AIRPLANE April 1990) Sadly on the second flight Joe Callahan the test pilot had a severe heart attack and crashed

I have taken over ownership of 7157 A and started the second restoration Herein lies my reason for writing While making many phone calls and running down leads on parts and information I was fortunate to connect with Doug Dullenkopf the owner of Screaming Eagle Aviation at Santa Paula airport north of Los Angeles

Doug is in the business of selling and maintaining aircraft One of the airshycraft he is currently trying to sell is American Eagle 3738 This aircraft was Anshytique Grand Champion at EAA OSHKOSH in 1976

Doug allowed me to pour over the Eagle taking pictures measurements notes and multiple details It was a tremendous boost to my restoration He also provided pictures stories and information knowing full well I wasnt buyshying anything Aircraft people are a special breed joined with a golden thread I would hope anyone looking to buy a used aircraft antique or otherwise or needing maintenance on their current airplane would look up the good people at Screaming Eagle

Sincerely David W Allen Huntington Beach CA

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

crowded skies of that era inherent stability of the Pl and coupled with the fact that there were far fewer tall towers around probably enabled you to survive your letshydown procedure back then Im sure youd agree it wouldnt be a good idea (not to mention illegal) to attempt it today Those were different times were they not - RGF

AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Dear Phil and Ruth

And you know you guys who get to go every year and can get involved up to your armpits in EAA activity may find it difficult to imagine just how imshyportant visiting OSHKOSH can be to us who live half a world away It is partly a kind of pilgrimage to Mecca-a visit to the Wailing Wall or the Vatican or kissing the Blarney Stone But it is more It is an opportunity to be reborn by having all the spent enthusiasm revishytalized and re-injected into the veins It is a chance to be surrounded for a time by thousands of positive thinking aviashytion oriented brains and being able to tap their collective ideas It is a history book-a time machine-a crystal ball in which the future may be glimpsed No matter how solitary or remote your residential location a visit to OSHKOSH demonstrates convincingly that you need never be alone again

These are some of the reasons why Australians are present in such numshybers at each years convention - we are about as remote from the centres of sport flying activity as you can get A regular visit to the Big 0 is necessary (a) to convert more of the skeptics and (b) recharge the converted

I mean - 44 Wacos on the same field I thought I was one of the luckiest guys alive back in 1981 when I flew in Harold Johnson s one of a kind WACO and Eric Heins CRG BOTH the same day But 44

King regards Margie and Brian Morayfield Queensland AUSTRALIA

MORE ON THE PARKS HAMMOND AIRPLANES

Dear Editor

As the owner of a Parks PI (NC616V) back in the mid-1930s I was interested in Mr Frautschys article on the Hammond 100 in your September issue

Apparently no two PIs were exactly alike My PI had a split gear with Russco struts 26 inch wire wheels with clincher rims tires 26 x 35 no brakes The tail skid was hinged with the upper arm secured to a fuselage tube by sevshyeral wraps of shock cord-worked great

Th e PI was a most forgiving airshyplane It was my practice on cloudy days to attempt to climb through the overcast and get out on top Since

Aero Mail the PI was not blessed with a phenomeshynal rat e of climb these efforts fr eshyquently ended in failure When I beshycame totally disori e nted I would merely move the stabilizer lever one notch forward (nose down) chop the throttle take my feet from the rudder bar turn loose the stick fold my arms and wait Eventually we would break out always in a gentle right hand turn

I had several other airplanes in this time frame but none generated the same affection I felt for the Pl

Sincerely Lee Spruill Parachute CO

Im glad to hear you never had a probshylem with the Pl - it sounds as though it was a nice flying airplane Th e less

Type Club

NOTES by Norm Petersen

Compiled from various type club publications amp newsletters

Ercoupe Wing AD

Ercoupe Owners Club Monthly Magazine

Carolyn Carden - Editor (919-477-1832)

Notes From the Swiss Wing Factory Shop - by Edd Smith Tampa FL

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) inshyvolved with installing inspection panels on the Coupe wings seems to have caused a stir among some Coupe owners prospecshytive Coupe owners and even a few wannabe Coupe owners Some disagree with the AD A few say they would rather switch than fly The truth is even Fred Weick didn t think the Coupes would be flying after forty years he said so himself So updating a 40-year-old Ercoupe wing for a thorough examination and even a newer 28-year-old Alan Coupe is certainly not an unwarranted intrusion It s already proven to be good sense

Installing the inspection holes and covshyers is not that hard even though there are 16 per wing Most of the Coupes I ve looked at seem to have them placed in logishycal order so the additional inspection holes are not really complicated

Before we started we discussed several way to get the most work done for the least amount of effort The easiest of course was to just talk about doing the work and then have someone do it - that converts to money But of course that would not be much fun either

In the end we decided to pull the wings off the two Alons The Alons have metal wings as original equipment Two people can pull the wings although three is about right

At the very start take off the cover strips on both wings and examine the area where the front main spar bolts pass through the spar attach points Then exshy

amine the rear spar attach bolts The rear bolts look a little puny compared to the front After everything is opened up careshyfully examine the area with a bright light and your friendly A amp P The reason of course is the wings may never have been off the airframe So before rushing ahead this is a good time to look examine and get familiar with the way things were put together Disconnect the wing wiring for the Nav lights or strobes It may be necesshysary to cut the wires and install connecting plugs for reassembly Plan ahead Disconshynect the static line and pitot line and mark which is which

Finally disconnect the ailerons making sure not to change the adjustments if possishyble Check and examine the aileron bolts and carefully examine the four Heim rod ball joints for wear and tear Dont fool around with old junk They are available for about $900 each The part numbers are in the book

After examining the four spar attach bolts remove the cotter keys Then take all four spar nuts off With your associate apply lifting pressure on the wing tip Careshyfully drive out the top front and the top rear spar and lower rear spar bolts with a smaller diameter drift pin Lower the wing tip slightly to allow for easier access to the front lower spar bolt Next while standing at the front leading edge by the fuel tank you can begin to drive out the lower front spar bolt slowly and carefully The wing is light enough to hold with one hand for a few seconds anyway Carry the wing and place it upside down on a pair of well layshyered sawhorses or a long table Belly butshyton height for a work level seems to be the best for most people

Armed with the updated AD complete with corrected drawings get a good chalkshyline to set out straight lines The chalk lines allow for good measurement and refshyerence points on the wings Use a tape rule to make the measurements Pay attention

to the rivet locations (use the existing rivshyets as reference points to determine where the ribs are located) With a grease pencil or felt tip pen mark the center points for the inspection holes Always measure once walk away come back and measure again and drill Youll get a warm feeling when you see the hole is where it is supshyposed to be

We found the easiest way to cut round holes with no muss or fuss was to buy a 3shy112 inch hole saw at the lumber store Get the one that lets you use the 38 inch drive drill If not available buy a 1 inch hole saw and use the 38 mandrel with the 3 12 inch hole saw Mark the center point for the inshyspection hole and use a center punch to dimple the skin This of course will keep the drill bit from wandering around when it gets started

Let the drill do the work Don t push it or force it through the skin Do try to hold the drill vertical though Once you see the hole saw cutting through the skin be preshypared to stop as soon as the drill cuts all the way through After all the holes in one wing are cut use a file or a deburring tool to blunt the interior edges of the cutouts Make sure the edges are dull Vacuum all the metal shavings and any other trash out of the bays (it wont really be that much of a mess)

When you are at this point youre at the very reason for the AD Use a good bright light and mirror and with an 01 glass eye thoroughly examine the interior of the wing We were lucky both sets of wings we did (the Star and Bar and blue and white) were clean The Star and Bar wing a full year newer and made in 1966 was unbelievably clean and preserved Youd think the set was made within the last two years

The act ual round inspection panels were bought and painted months ago Some will have to be touched up later with trim color but it sure saved time by preshy

6 JANUARY 1996

Water Flying

A Seaplane Pilots Association publication

Bob Richardson - Executive Editor (301-695-2083)

David Quam (SPA 1) writes about a special PA-18 Super Cub that attended the Minnesota Seaplane Fly-In on August 12 at Lake Vermilion

Besides the Cessna 180-185 group a P Ashyl8A Super Cub on PK 2050 floats owned by Dan Lindstrom of Hudson WI pulled up to the beach looking different The first thing I noticed was the absence of the standard air intake which caused me to start asking quesshytions It turned out that Dan has made some interesting changes when he rebuilt the plane The changes included no wiring or

switches in the wing roots a large baggage area and a Gell Cell battery up under the front (instrument) panel To charge the batshytery he has mounted a 37 lb 8 amp alternashytor in the vacuum pump drive area Without a vacuum pump there are no gyros just a good YFR plane To keep the weight down he tossed out the regular starter for a lightshyweight one On floats empty weight is 1214 Ibs on wheels it s at 10341bs Dan said to get the CG in (the proper range) he had to put a larger tail spring on

After looking the seaplane over he took me up for a local ride The lake was about 1400 MSL and with fuel tanks three-quarshyters full two 170 lb pilots a 160 hp engine and a Borer prop the takeoff was about six seconds () For more information write Dan Lindstrom at 482 Blue Bird Drive Hudson WI 54016 or call 715-549-6347

painting The IA looked at them and said the paint job glistened

Start the installation by sliding the folded Tinnerman nut over the leading edge of the inspection hole towards the leading edge of the hole not the trailing edge Place the Tinnerman mark the hole witb a felt tip pen remove the clip-on Tinshynerman and drill the hole Put the Tinnershyman back over the newly drilled hole

On the inspection cover drill a number 40 size hole approximately 114 inch toshywards the inside edge of the inspection cover Put the inspection panel on slide it

around line up the Tinnerman and put the screw in It s that simple

Put everything back the same way it came off Check the torque values for the spar bolts use new cotter keys Before placing the covers back on test the Nav lights and aileron movements

Remember when you either start or finish working under the direction of a lishycensed airframe mechanic get him to inshyspect your work After its all done inshyspected by the Glass eye sanctified with the holy oils of the FAA sprinkled upon the logbook test fly it

New Gyros Need More Suction

The International Cessna 170 Association

Velvet Fackeldey - Flypaper Editor (417-532-4847)

Jim Yates writes r recently decided to update the gyros in my plane from the old big AN gyros to the modern small gyros They are powered by a single 9- inch venshyturi I installed two freshly rebuilt gyros and found that the suction was inadequate After some experimentation I found that the new horizon would work very well with the old DG but the new DG requires more air (suction) than the venturi can supply I would like to know if there is a modern DG that will work on a venturi system

Bob Coats answers I dont have much experience concerning the vacuum and gyshyros operation However on my airplane I have three venturies which operate three instruments So you may have to put more venturies on your airplane in order to operate the gyros you need I have had excellent service from Century Instrushyments in Wichita KS (800-733-0116) Disshycuss your problem with them and if they can t help you or refer you to someone feel free to call me and we will try to work together

Trouble in Paradise

AntiqueClassic Chapter 10 Newsletter Charlie Harris - Newsletter Editor

(918-622-8400)

And speaking of the Feds and the Deshypartment of Transportation and Secretary Pena tbe new Denver Airport had its first light blizzard (6 of snow is not very much) of the season on October 24th The wheels fell off the place The roof leaked through the tower ceiling the computer got all wet one airliner took a wrong turn and got stuck in a snowdrift and closed down the airport for nearly an hour and if this weren t enough an airport operated ground support vehicle DROVE ONTO AN ACTIVE RUNWA Y causing a loaded scheduled airshyliner to do a go around to avoid the snow removal truck (They have not decided as yet whether or not to discipline the driver) Maybe radio has not yet gotten to Denver This is all some place between the Three Stooges and The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight

All of this from our little 01 Five Billion Dollar Boondoggle that edged over budget by THREE BILLION DOLLARS three years late and still doesnt work right Reshymember this was Continental (Airlines) home base until they simply packed up and moved to Houston saying it was a JOKE and Continental isnt exactly a model of how to run a railroad How long oh how long

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

AC NEWS

NPRM COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED

The FAA has extended the comment period for NPRM 95-11 which included changes in pilot certification and flight school regulations the NPRM also inshycludes EAAs proposal for recreational pilot self-certification (See the October issues of both Sport Aviation and Vintage Airplane for more information on the proposed rule changes) The original deadline for public comment was Decemshyber 1l Comments will now be accepted until February 12 1996

Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request to the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Public Affairs Attention Public Inshyquire Center APA-220 800 Indepenshydence Av SW Washington DC 20591 or by calling 202267-3484 Requests should be identified by the NPRM number (Noshytice NO 95-11) or docket no (Docket No 25910)

Comments on the proposals may be delivered or mailed in triplicate to Fedshyeral Aviation Administration Office of Chief Counsel Attention Rules Docket (AGC-I0) Docket 25910 800 Indepenshydence Av SW Washington DC 20591 For further information contact John Lynch Certification Branch AFS-840 phone 2021267-3844

FEBRUARY EAA ADULT ACADEMY PROGRAMS FILLING

The EAA Adult Air Academy teachshying basic aircraft maintenance building and restoration skills will be offered Febshyruary 19-23 Your $800 registration fee covers lodging food local transportation and all elements of this educational proshygram upon arrival in Oshkosh

The EAAZENAIR Aircraft Building Academy is scheduled for February 24shyMarch 3 The goal of this academy will be to construct an all metal ZENAIR Zoshydiac CH 601 The $800 registration fee provides accommodations meals local transportation necessary supplies and materials

For further information and registrashytion materials contact the EAA Educashytion Office by calling 414426-4888 or writing PO Box 3065 Oshkosh WI 54903-3065

compiled by HG Frautschy

LYCOMING AD PROPOSED

An AD has been proposed requiring inspections and possible replacement of the crankshafts of Textron Lycoming 235 series 290 series and certain 320 and 360 series engines The proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections of the crankshaft inner diameter (ID) for corrosion and cracks and replacement of cracked crankshafts with a serviceable

part This proposal permits operation of engines with crankshafts that are found to have corrosion pits but are free of cracks provided repetitive inspections are pershyformed until the next engine overhaul or 5 years after th e initial inspection whichever occurs first at which tim e crankshafts with corrosion pits but no cracks must be repl aced with serviceable cran kshafts

There is a pretty short fuse on this

YOUNG EAGLE MILESTONES

William Ammentorp one of our volunteer pilots at EAAs Pioneer airport is show with the 500th Young Eagle flown during Pioneer Airport operations in 1995 Katie Long Bloomington IN took her flight with Bill July 17 1995 Since that time nearly 1000 youngsters received Young Eagle rides with pilot volunshyteers at Pioneer Airport Over 300 of them were flown personally by Bill who along with his wife Mary spent many hours of volunteer time helping keep Pioneer open during the weekshydays in the summer

As 1996 wound down the Young Eagles program has flown nearly 180000 kids No matter how many youve flown from one to hundreds each flight is important Our thanks to all who have participated so far in the program If you need more information on how to get involved contact the EAA Young Eagles Office at 414426-4831 or you can write EAA Young Eagles Office PO Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 For a little inspiration here are the top eight pilots who have flown Young Eagles

Robert Swanson Ft Washington MD 798

Deborah Baugh Old Hickory TN 514

Thomas Snouwaert Gladstone MI 649

William Ammentorp Oshkosh WI 377

Steve Applebaum Mt Prospect IL 623

Jim Jahnke Green Bay WI 352

Michael Ferguson Helana MT 597

Richard Coffey Sandstone MN 341

As a group the Civil Air Patrol has flown 1986 Young Eagles

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

Douglas Corrigan 88 passed away December 12 1995 in southern California One of the men who built Charles Lindberghs Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis Doug Corrigan was reportedly inspired to follow in his slipstream and wished to fly the Atlantic solo Born in 1907 he was a pilot by the age of 18 and became an aircraft mechanic as well as an accomplished navigator By 1938 he had acquired a runshyout Curtiss Robin and overhauled it converting it to the - 1 configuration with a 175 hp Wright -6 Whirlwind installed in place of the original OX-5 He then flew the airplane to New York from California intending to ask the US Dept of Commerce for a permit to fly the Robin to Europe When the inspectors looked at his airplane they den ied his request The next time the Dept of Commerce heard of Doug Corrigan he was in the newsshypapers being quoted about Making a mistake and flying the wrong way home winding up in Ireland instead of California Corrigan steadfastly stuck to his story throughout his entire lifetime He also kept his Robin turning away offers to buy the historic airplane Wrong Way Corrigan became part of aviation fo lklore and history with his flight

information about the Illinois Midwest Aviation MaintenanceExhibit Seminar contact Don Cramer at 217785-5798 or Paul McLaughl in at 618337-7575 ext 364

FAIRCHILD FANS NOTICE

Vintage Video PO Box 551 Greenshycastle PA 17225 is offering a collectible gift set that starts off with a copy of the video Fairch ild PT-19 A Primary Trainer This 25 minute long color film produced by Fairchild in 1941 shows the PT-19 during production and in flight T he gift set also includes an Im a Fa irch ild Employee pin from the Fairchi ld Homecoming held Sept 8 1995 you ll also get an official commemorative Fairchild H omecoming brass coin and copies of the Poem Airplane Factory by Victor Conrad and a special edition 16 page program Pegasus - The people and the Planes The gift set cost is $29 postshypaid You can also call 800444-1942 for ordering information A video is also avai lable of the US Army Air Force training fi lm on PT-19 and PT-23 first echelon maintenance - the cost is $3999

ETBE APPROVED UNDER EAA AUTO FUEL STC

NPR M - comments must be received by January 29 1996 Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation Adminshyistration (FAA) New England Region Office of the Assistant Chief Counse l Attention Rules Docket No 94-ANEshy4412 New England Executive Park Burlington MA 01803-5299

PRECISION FUEL NOZZLE SERVICE BULLETIN

Precision Airmotive Corp 3220 100th St SW Bldg E Everett W A 98204 has issued Service Bulletin MSA-8 covshyering the installation of carburetor 10shy4439 or 10-3237 installed on Continental 0-300 or C-145 engines Precision Airshymotive has received sporadic reports from operators who are experiencing engine richness or roughness after inshystalling the one-piece venturi into their carbs If you have not experienced any of these conditions with your C-145 or 0-300 then the bulletin does not apply to your engine

Precision has determined that under certain conditions the new venturi alters the fuel atomization characteristics of the fuel nozzle Improper installation of the new venturi can also cause these sympshytoms A new main fuel nozzle kit PIN 666-946 is available Warranty considerashytion may be available to you if you can prove that a genuine Precision Airmotive one-piece venturi was installed in your carbo Contact them at 800838-8181 or 206353-8181 for warranty information

AVIATION MAINTENANCE SEMINAR AT PARKS COLLEGE

The 22nd annual Ill inois Midwest Avishyat ion Mai ntenanceEx hibit Seminar will take place March 6-7 at the campus of Parks College in Cahokia IL The MainshytenanceExh ibit Seminar is open to all AampP and IA technicians pilots and homebuilders at no charge Thi rty speakshyers from the aviation maintenance indusshytry wi ll address topics related to mainshytaining the general aviation fleet Over 90 exhibit booths are also expected

The Maintenance Seminar grows anshynually due to the support of several dedishycated aviation organizations This years sponsors include the Ill inois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronaushytics Federal Aviation Admin istration Parks College and the Professional Airshycraft Maintenance Association For more

The FAA has iss ued an approval for the use of unleaded au tomobile containshying Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) in aircraft operating under an EAA Auto Fuel STC ETBE is currently being added in some areas as an additive intended to increase the anti-knock index of the gasoshyline as well as cut down the emissions as re qu ired by the EPA ETBE is made fro m ethanol but does not exhibit its bad qualities - it does not have an affinity for water nor is it corrosive or have a tenshydency to vapor lock This approval is in addition to the one previously granted to EAA by the FAA concerning the use of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) STC users can continue to use reformushylated gasoline available in certain metroshypolitan areas The prohibition on the use of alcohol additives is still in effect

(Continued on page 29)

UNISON lASARTM IGNITION NOW FAA CERTIFIED

Unison Industries has anshynounced that their electronjc igillshytion system dubbed LASARTM and sold by Slick Aircraft Prodshyucts is now F AAPMA approved for installation on the Lycoming 0-320 series of engines with other aircraftengine approva ls due soon For more information conshytact Slick Aircraft Products 815-965-4700

4 JANUARY 1996

VINTAGE

A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE

Dear Mr Frautschy

I would like to relate a story to you about a special person in aviation My uncle Swann D Allen a young man of 80 years bought an American

Eagle (OX5) in 1936 He flew it from a hand hewn sod strip in Milford Michishygan The Eagle then languished on my grandfathers farm for many years In 1968 Swann started the restoration which is a story in itself The restoration was completed in 1989 (see VINTAGE AIRPLANE April 1990) Sadly on the second flight Joe Callahan the test pilot had a severe heart attack and crashed

I have taken over ownership of 7157 A and started the second restoration Herein lies my reason for writing While making many phone calls and running down leads on parts and information I was fortunate to connect with Doug Dullenkopf the owner of Screaming Eagle Aviation at Santa Paula airport north of Los Angeles

Doug is in the business of selling and maintaining aircraft One of the airshycraft he is currently trying to sell is American Eagle 3738 This aircraft was Anshytique Grand Champion at EAA OSHKOSH in 1976

Doug allowed me to pour over the Eagle taking pictures measurements notes and multiple details It was a tremendous boost to my restoration He also provided pictures stories and information knowing full well I wasnt buyshying anything Aircraft people are a special breed joined with a golden thread I would hope anyone looking to buy a used aircraft antique or otherwise or needing maintenance on their current airplane would look up the good people at Screaming Eagle

Sincerely David W Allen Huntington Beach CA

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

crowded skies of that era inherent stability of the Pl and coupled with the fact that there were far fewer tall towers around probably enabled you to survive your letshydown procedure back then Im sure youd agree it wouldnt be a good idea (not to mention illegal) to attempt it today Those were different times were they not - RGF

AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Dear Phil and Ruth

And you know you guys who get to go every year and can get involved up to your armpits in EAA activity may find it difficult to imagine just how imshyportant visiting OSHKOSH can be to us who live half a world away It is partly a kind of pilgrimage to Mecca-a visit to the Wailing Wall or the Vatican or kissing the Blarney Stone But it is more It is an opportunity to be reborn by having all the spent enthusiasm revishytalized and re-injected into the veins It is a chance to be surrounded for a time by thousands of positive thinking aviashytion oriented brains and being able to tap their collective ideas It is a history book-a time machine-a crystal ball in which the future may be glimpsed No matter how solitary or remote your residential location a visit to OSHKOSH demonstrates convincingly that you need never be alone again

These are some of the reasons why Australians are present in such numshybers at each years convention - we are about as remote from the centres of sport flying activity as you can get A regular visit to the Big 0 is necessary (a) to convert more of the skeptics and (b) recharge the converted

I mean - 44 Wacos on the same field I thought I was one of the luckiest guys alive back in 1981 when I flew in Harold Johnson s one of a kind WACO and Eric Heins CRG BOTH the same day But 44

King regards Margie and Brian Morayfield Queensland AUSTRALIA

MORE ON THE PARKS HAMMOND AIRPLANES

Dear Editor

As the owner of a Parks PI (NC616V) back in the mid-1930s I was interested in Mr Frautschys article on the Hammond 100 in your September issue

Apparently no two PIs were exactly alike My PI had a split gear with Russco struts 26 inch wire wheels with clincher rims tires 26 x 35 no brakes The tail skid was hinged with the upper arm secured to a fuselage tube by sevshyeral wraps of shock cord-worked great

Th e PI was a most forgiving airshyplane It was my practice on cloudy days to attempt to climb through the overcast and get out on top Since

Aero Mail the PI was not blessed with a phenomeshynal rat e of climb these efforts fr eshyquently ended in failure When I beshycame totally disori e nted I would merely move the stabilizer lever one notch forward (nose down) chop the throttle take my feet from the rudder bar turn loose the stick fold my arms and wait Eventually we would break out always in a gentle right hand turn

I had several other airplanes in this time frame but none generated the same affection I felt for the Pl

Sincerely Lee Spruill Parachute CO

Im glad to hear you never had a probshylem with the Pl - it sounds as though it was a nice flying airplane Th e less

Type Club

NOTES by Norm Petersen

Compiled from various type club publications amp newsletters

Ercoupe Wing AD

Ercoupe Owners Club Monthly Magazine

Carolyn Carden - Editor (919-477-1832)

Notes From the Swiss Wing Factory Shop - by Edd Smith Tampa FL

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) inshyvolved with installing inspection panels on the Coupe wings seems to have caused a stir among some Coupe owners prospecshytive Coupe owners and even a few wannabe Coupe owners Some disagree with the AD A few say they would rather switch than fly The truth is even Fred Weick didn t think the Coupes would be flying after forty years he said so himself So updating a 40-year-old Ercoupe wing for a thorough examination and even a newer 28-year-old Alan Coupe is certainly not an unwarranted intrusion It s already proven to be good sense

Installing the inspection holes and covshyers is not that hard even though there are 16 per wing Most of the Coupes I ve looked at seem to have them placed in logishycal order so the additional inspection holes are not really complicated

Before we started we discussed several way to get the most work done for the least amount of effort The easiest of course was to just talk about doing the work and then have someone do it - that converts to money But of course that would not be much fun either

In the end we decided to pull the wings off the two Alons The Alons have metal wings as original equipment Two people can pull the wings although three is about right

At the very start take off the cover strips on both wings and examine the area where the front main spar bolts pass through the spar attach points Then exshy

amine the rear spar attach bolts The rear bolts look a little puny compared to the front After everything is opened up careshyfully examine the area with a bright light and your friendly A amp P The reason of course is the wings may never have been off the airframe So before rushing ahead this is a good time to look examine and get familiar with the way things were put together Disconnect the wing wiring for the Nav lights or strobes It may be necesshysary to cut the wires and install connecting plugs for reassembly Plan ahead Disconshynect the static line and pitot line and mark which is which

Finally disconnect the ailerons making sure not to change the adjustments if possishyble Check and examine the aileron bolts and carefully examine the four Heim rod ball joints for wear and tear Dont fool around with old junk They are available for about $900 each The part numbers are in the book

After examining the four spar attach bolts remove the cotter keys Then take all four spar nuts off With your associate apply lifting pressure on the wing tip Careshyfully drive out the top front and the top rear spar and lower rear spar bolts with a smaller diameter drift pin Lower the wing tip slightly to allow for easier access to the front lower spar bolt Next while standing at the front leading edge by the fuel tank you can begin to drive out the lower front spar bolt slowly and carefully The wing is light enough to hold with one hand for a few seconds anyway Carry the wing and place it upside down on a pair of well layshyered sawhorses or a long table Belly butshyton height for a work level seems to be the best for most people

Armed with the updated AD complete with corrected drawings get a good chalkshyline to set out straight lines The chalk lines allow for good measurement and refshyerence points on the wings Use a tape rule to make the measurements Pay attention

to the rivet locations (use the existing rivshyets as reference points to determine where the ribs are located) With a grease pencil or felt tip pen mark the center points for the inspection holes Always measure once walk away come back and measure again and drill Youll get a warm feeling when you see the hole is where it is supshyposed to be

We found the easiest way to cut round holes with no muss or fuss was to buy a 3shy112 inch hole saw at the lumber store Get the one that lets you use the 38 inch drive drill If not available buy a 1 inch hole saw and use the 38 mandrel with the 3 12 inch hole saw Mark the center point for the inshyspection hole and use a center punch to dimple the skin This of course will keep the drill bit from wandering around when it gets started

Let the drill do the work Don t push it or force it through the skin Do try to hold the drill vertical though Once you see the hole saw cutting through the skin be preshypared to stop as soon as the drill cuts all the way through After all the holes in one wing are cut use a file or a deburring tool to blunt the interior edges of the cutouts Make sure the edges are dull Vacuum all the metal shavings and any other trash out of the bays (it wont really be that much of a mess)

When you are at this point youre at the very reason for the AD Use a good bright light and mirror and with an 01 glass eye thoroughly examine the interior of the wing We were lucky both sets of wings we did (the Star and Bar and blue and white) were clean The Star and Bar wing a full year newer and made in 1966 was unbelievably clean and preserved Youd think the set was made within the last two years

The act ual round inspection panels were bought and painted months ago Some will have to be touched up later with trim color but it sure saved time by preshy

6 JANUARY 1996

Water Flying

A Seaplane Pilots Association publication

Bob Richardson - Executive Editor (301-695-2083)

David Quam (SPA 1) writes about a special PA-18 Super Cub that attended the Minnesota Seaplane Fly-In on August 12 at Lake Vermilion

Besides the Cessna 180-185 group a P Ashyl8A Super Cub on PK 2050 floats owned by Dan Lindstrom of Hudson WI pulled up to the beach looking different The first thing I noticed was the absence of the standard air intake which caused me to start asking quesshytions It turned out that Dan has made some interesting changes when he rebuilt the plane The changes included no wiring or

switches in the wing roots a large baggage area and a Gell Cell battery up under the front (instrument) panel To charge the batshytery he has mounted a 37 lb 8 amp alternashytor in the vacuum pump drive area Without a vacuum pump there are no gyros just a good YFR plane To keep the weight down he tossed out the regular starter for a lightshyweight one On floats empty weight is 1214 Ibs on wheels it s at 10341bs Dan said to get the CG in (the proper range) he had to put a larger tail spring on

After looking the seaplane over he took me up for a local ride The lake was about 1400 MSL and with fuel tanks three-quarshyters full two 170 lb pilots a 160 hp engine and a Borer prop the takeoff was about six seconds () For more information write Dan Lindstrom at 482 Blue Bird Drive Hudson WI 54016 or call 715-549-6347

painting The IA looked at them and said the paint job glistened

Start the installation by sliding the folded Tinnerman nut over the leading edge of the inspection hole towards the leading edge of the hole not the trailing edge Place the Tinnerman mark the hole witb a felt tip pen remove the clip-on Tinshynerman and drill the hole Put the Tinnershyman back over the newly drilled hole

On the inspection cover drill a number 40 size hole approximately 114 inch toshywards the inside edge of the inspection cover Put the inspection panel on slide it

around line up the Tinnerman and put the screw in It s that simple

Put everything back the same way it came off Check the torque values for the spar bolts use new cotter keys Before placing the covers back on test the Nav lights and aileron movements

Remember when you either start or finish working under the direction of a lishycensed airframe mechanic get him to inshyspect your work After its all done inshyspected by the Glass eye sanctified with the holy oils of the FAA sprinkled upon the logbook test fly it

New Gyros Need More Suction

The International Cessna 170 Association

Velvet Fackeldey - Flypaper Editor (417-532-4847)

Jim Yates writes r recently decided to update the gyros in my plane from the old big AN gyros to the modern small gyros They are powered by a single 9- inch venshyturi I installed two freshly rebuilt gyros and found that the suction was inadequate After some experimentation I found that the new horizon would work very well with the old DG but the new DG requires more air (suction) than the venturi can supply I would like to know if there is a modern DG that will work on a venturi system

Bob Coats answers I dont have much experience concerning the vacuum and gyshyros operation However on my airplane I have three venturies which operate three instruments So you may have to put more venturies on your airplane in order to operate the gyros you need I have had excellent service from Century Instrushyments in Wichita KS (800-733-0116) Disshycuss your problem with them and if they can t help you or refer you to someone feel free to call me and we will try to work together

Trouble in Paradise

AntiqueClassic Chapter 10 Newsletter Charlie Harris - Newsletter Editor

(918-622-8400)

And speaking of the Feds and the Deshypartment of Transportation and Secretary Pena tbe new Denver Airport had its first light blizzard (6 of snow is not very much) of the season on October 24th The wheels fell off the place The roof leaked through the tower ceiling the computer got all wet one airliner took a wrong turn and got stuck in a snowdrift and closed down the airport for nearly an hour and if this weren t enough an airport operated ground support vehicle DROVE ONTO AN ACTIVE RUNWA Y causing a loaded scheduled airshyliner to do a go around to avoid the snow removal truck (They have not decided as yet whether or not to discipline the driver) Maybe radio has not yet gotten to Denver This is all some place between the Three Stooges and The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight

All of this from our little 01 Five Billion Dollar Boondoggle that edged over budget by THREE BILLION DOLLARS three years late and still doesnt work right Reshymember this was Continental (Airlines) home base until they simply packed up and moved to Houston saying it was a JOKE and Continental isnt exactly a model of how to run a railroad How long oh how long

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

Douglas Corrigan 88 passed away December 12 1995 in southern California One of the men who built Charles Lindberghs Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis Doug Corrigan was reportedly inspired to follow in his slipstream and wished to fly the Atlantic solo Born in 1907 he was a pilot by the age of 18 and became an aircraft mechanic as well as an accomplished navigator By 1938 he had acquired a runshyout Curtiss Robin and overhauled it converting it to the - 1 configuration with a 175 hp Wright -6 Whirlwind installed in place of the original OX-5 He then flew the airplane to New York from California intending to ask the US Dept of Commerce for a permit to fly the Robin to Europe When the inspectors looked at his airplane they den ied his request The next time the Dept of Commerce heard of Doug Corrigan he was in the newsshypapers being quoted about Making a mistake and flying the wrong way home winding up in Ireland instead of California Corrigan steadfastly stuck to his story throughout his entire lifetime He also kept his Robin turning away offers to buy the historic airplane Wrong Way Corrigan became part of aviation fo lklore and history with his flight

information about the Illinois Midwest Aviation MaintenanceExhibit Seminar contact Don Cramer at 217785-5798 or Paul McLaughl in at 618337-7575 ext 364

FAIRCHILD FANS NOTICE

Vintage Video PO Box 551 Greenshycastle PA 17225 is offering a collectible gift set that starts off with a copy of the video Fairch ild PT-19 A Primary Trainer This 25 minute long color film produced by Fairchild in 1941 shows the PT-19 during production and in flight T he gift set also includes an Im a Fa irch ild Employee pin from the Fairchi ld Homecoming held Sept 8 1995 you ll also get an official commemorative Fairchild H omecoming brass coin and copies of the Poem Airplane Factory by Victor Conrad and a special edition 16 page program Pegasus - The people and the Planes The gift set cost is $29 postshypaid You can also call 800444-1942 for ordering information A video is also avai lable of the US Army Air Force training fi lm on PT-19 and PT-23 first echelon maintenance - the cost is $3999

ETBE APPROVED UNDER EAA AUTO FUEL STC

NPR M - comments must be received by January 29 1996 Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation Adminshyistration (FAA) New England Region Office of the Assistant Chief Counse l Attention Rules Docket No 94-ANEshy4412 New England Executive Park Burlington MA 01803-5299

PRECISION FUEL NOZZLE SERVICE BULLETIN

Precision Airmotive Corp 3220 100th St SW Bldg E Everett W A 98204 has issued Service Bulletin MSA-8 covshyering the installation of carburetor 10shy4439 or 10-3237 installed on Continental 0-300 or C-145 engines Precision Airshymotive has received sporadic reports from operators who are experiencing engine richness or roughness after inshystalling the one-piece venturi into their carbs If you have not experienced any of these conditions with your C-145 or 0-300 then the bulletin does not apply to your engine

Precision has determined that under certain conditions the new venturi alters the fuel atomization characteristics of the fuel nozzle Improper installation of the new venturi can also cause these sympshytoms A new main fuel nozzle kit PIN 666-946 is available Warranty considerashytion may be available to you if you can prove that a genuine Precision Airmotive one-piece venturi was installed in your carbo Contact them at 800838-8181 or 206353-8181 for warranty information

AVIATION MAINTENANCE SEMINAR AT PARKS COLLEGE

The 22nd annual Ill inois Midwest Avishyat ion Mai ntenanceEx hibit Seminar will take place March 6-7 at the campus of Parks College in Cahokia IL The MainshytenanceExh ibit Seminar is open to all AampP and IA technicians pilots and homebuilders at no charge Thi rty speakshyers from the aviation maintenance indusshytry wi ll address topics related to mainshytaining the general aviation fleet Over 90 exhibit booths are also expected

The Maintenance Seminar grows anshynually due to the support of several dedishycated aviation organizations This years sponsors include the Ill inois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronaushytics Federal Aviation Admin istration Parks College and the Professional Airshycraft Maintenance Association For more

The FAA has iss ued an approval for the use of unleaded au tomobile containshying Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE) in aircraft operating under an EAA Auto Fuel STC ETBE is currently being added in some areas as an additive intended to increase the anti-knock index of the gasoshyline as well as cut down the emissions as re qu ired by the EPA ETBE is made fro m ethanol but does not exhibit its bad qualities - it does not have an affinity for water nor is it corrosive or have a tenshydency to vapor lock This approval is in addition to the one previously granted to EAA by the FAA concerning the use of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) STC users can continue to use reformushylated gasoline available in certain metroshypolitan areas The prohibition on the use of alcohol additives is still in effect

(Continued on page 29)

UNISON lASARTM IGNITION NOW FAA CERTIFIED

Unison Industries has anshynounced that their electronjc igillshytion system dubbed LASARTM and sold by Slick Aircraft Prodshyucts is now F AAPMA approved for installation on the Lycoming 0-320 series of engines with other aircraftengine approva ls due soon For more information conshytact Slick Aircraft Products 815-965-4700

4 JANUARY 1996

VINTAGE

A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE

Dear Mr Frautschy

I would like to relate a story to you about a special person in aviation My uncle Swann D Allen a young man of 80 years bought an American

Eagle (OX5) in 1936 He flew it from a hand hewn sod strip in Milford Michishygan The Eagle then languished on my grandfathers farm for many years In 1968 Swann started the restoration which is a story in itself The restoration was completed in 1989 (see VINTAGE AIRPLANE April 1990) Sadly on the second flight Joe Callahan the test pilot had a severe heart attack and crashed

I have taken over ownership of 7157 A and started the second restoration Herein lies my reason for writing While making many phone calls and running down leads on parts and information I was fortunate to connect with Doug Dullenkopf the owner of Screaming Eagle Aviation at Santa Paula airport north of Los Angeles

Doug is in the business of selling and maintaining aircraft One of the airshycraft he is currently trying to sell is American Eagle 3738 This aircraft was Anshytique Grand Champion at EAA OSHKOSH in 1976

Doug allowed me to pour over the Eagle taking pictures measurements notes and multiple details It was a tremendous boost to my restoration He also provided pictures stories and information knowing full well I wasnt buyshying anything Aircraft people are a special breed joined with a golden thread I would hope anyone looking to buy a used aircraft antique or otherwise or needing maintenance on their current airplane would look up the good people at Screaming Eagle

Sincerely David W Allen Huntington Beach CA

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

crowded skies of that era inherent stability of the Pl and coupled with the fact that there were far fewer tall towers around probably enabled you to survive your letshydown procedure back then Im sure youd agree it wouldnt be a good idea (not to mention illegal) to attempt it today Those were different times were they not - RGF

AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Dear Phil and Ruth

And you know you guys who get to go every year and can get involved up to your armpits in EAA activity may find it difficult to imagine just how imshyportant visiting OSHKOSH can be to us who live half a world away It is partly a kind of pilgrimage to Mecca-a visit to the Wailing Wall or the Vatican or kissing the Blarney Stone But it is more It is an opportunity to be reborn by having all the spent enthusiasm revishytalized and re-injected into the veins It is a chance to be surrounded for a time by thousands of positive thinking aviashytion oriented brains and being able to tap their collective ideas It is a history book-a time machine-a crystal ball in which the future may be glimpsed No matter how solitary or remote your residential location a visit to OSHKOSH demonstrates convincingly that you need never be alone again

These are some of the reasons why Australians are present in such numshybers at each years convention - we are about as remote from the centres of sport flying activity as you can get A regular visit to the Big 0 is necessary (a) to convert more of the skeptics and (b) recharge the converted

I mean - 44 Wacos on the same field I thought I was one of the luckiest guys alive back in 1981 when I flew in Harold Johnson s one of a kind WACO and Eric Heins CRG BOTH the same day But 44

King regards Margie and Brian Morayfield Queensland AUSTRALIA

MORE ON THE PARKS HAMMOND AIRPLANES

Dear Editor

As the owner of a Parks PI (NC616V) back in the mid-1930s I was interested in Mr Frautschys article on the Hammond 100 in your September issue

Apparently no two PIs were exactly alike My PI had a split gear with Russco struts 26 inch wire wheels with clincher rims tires 26 x 35 no brakes The tail skid was hinged with the upper arm secured to a fuselage tube by sevshyeral wraps of shock cord-worked great

Th e PI was a most forgiving airshyplane It was my practice on cloudy days to attempt to climb through the overcast and get out on top Since

Aero Mail the PI was not blessed with a phenomeshynal rat e of climb these efforts fr eshyquently ended in failure When I beshycame totally disori e nted I would merely move the stabilizer lever one notch forward (nose down) chop the throttle take my feet from the rudder bar turn loose the stick fold my arms and wait Eventually we would break out always in a gentle right hand turn

I had several other airplanes in this time frame but none generated the same affection I felt for the Pl

Sincerely Lee Spruill Parachute CO

Im glad to hear you never had a probshylem with the Pl - it sounds as though it was a nice flying airplane Th e less

Type Club

NOTES by Norm Petersen

Compiled from various type club publications amp newsletters

Ercoupe Wing AD

Ercoupe Owners Club Monthly Magazine

Carolyn Carden - Editor (919-477-1832)

Notes From the Swiss Wing Factory Shop - by Edd Smith Tampa FL

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) inshyvolved with installing inspection panels on the Coupe wings seems to have caused a stir among some Coupe owners prospecshytive Coupe owners and even a few wannabe Coupe owners Some disagree with the AD A few say they would rather switch than fly The truth is even Fred Weick didn t think the Coupes would be flying after forty years he said so himself So updating a 40-year-old Ercoupe wing for a thorough examination and even a newer 28-year-old Alan Coupe is certainly not an unwarranted intrusion It s already proven to be good sense

Installing the inspection holes and covshyers is not that hard even though there are 16 per wing Most of the Coupes I ve looked at seem to have them placed in logishycal order so the additional inspection holes are not really complicated

Before we started we discussed several way to get the most work done for the least amount of effort The easiest of course was to just talk about doing the work and then have someone do it - that converts to money But of course that would not be much fun either

In the end we decided to pull the wings off the two Alons The Alons have metal wings as original equipment Two people can pull the wings although three is about right

At the very start take off the cover strips on both wings and examine the area where the front main spar bolts pass through the spar attach points Then exshy

amine the rear spar attach bolts The rear bolts look a little puny compared to the front After everything is opened up careshyfully examine the area with a bright light and your friendly A amp P The reason of course is the wings may never have been off the airframe So before rushing ahead this is a good time to look examine and get familiar with the way things were put together Disconnect the wing wiring for the Nav lights or strobes It may be necesshysary to cut the wires and install connecting plugs for reassembly Plan ahead Disconshynect the static line and pitot line and mark which is which

Finally disconnect the ailerons making sure not to change the adjustments if possishyble Check and examine the aileron bolts and carefully examine the four Heim rod ball joints for wear and tear Dont fool around with old junk They are available for about $900 each The part numbers are in the book

After examining the four spar attach bolts remove the cotter keys Then take all four spar nuts off With your associate apply lifting pressure on the wing tip Careshyfully drive out the top front and the top rear spar and lower rear spar bolts with a smaller diameter drift pin Lower the wing tip slightly to allow for easier access to the front lower spar bolt Next while standing at the front leading edge by the fuel tank you can begin to drive out the lower front spar bolt slowly and carefully The wing is light enough to hold with one hand for a few seconds anyway Carry the wing and place it upside down on a pair of well layshyered sawhorses or a long table Belly butshyton height for a work level seems to be the best for most people

Armed with the updated AD complete with corrected drawings get a good chalkshyline to set out straight lines The chalk lines allow for good measurement and refshyerence points on the wings Use a tape rule to make the measurements Pay attention

to the rivet locations (use the existing rivshyets as reference points to determine where the ribs are located) With a grease pencil or felt tip pen mark the center points for the inspection holes Always measure once walk away come back and measure again and drill Youll get a warm feeling when you see the hole is where it is supshyposed to be

We found the easiest way to cut round holes with no muss or fuss was to buy a 3shy112 inch hole saw at the lumber store Get the one that lets you use the 38 inch drive drill If not available buy a 1 inch hole saw and use the 38 mandrel with the 3 12 inch hole saw Mark the center point for the inshyspection hole and use a center punch to dimple the skin This of course will keep the drill bit from wandering around when it gets started

Let the drill do the work Don t push it or force it through the skin Do try to hold the drill vertical though Once you see the hole saw cutting through the skin be preshypared to stop as soon as the drill cuts all the way through After all the holes in one wing are cut use a file or a deburring tool to blunt the interior edges of the cutouts Make sure the edges are dull Vacuum all the metal shavings and any other trash out of the bays (it wont really be that much of a mess)

When you are at this point youre at the very reason for the AD Use a good bright light and mirror and with an 01 glass eye thoroughly examine the interior of the wing We were lucky both sets of wings we did (the Star and Bar and blue and white) were clean The Star and Bar wing a full year newer and made in 1966 was unbelievably clean and preserved Youd think the set was made within the last two years

The act ual round inspection panels were bought and painted months ago Some will have to be touched up later with trim color but it sure saved time by preshy

6 JANUARY 1996

Water Flying

A Seaplane Pilots Association publication

Bob Richardson - Executive Editor (301-695-2083)

David Quam (SPA 1) writes about a special PA-18 Super Cub that attended the Minnesota Seaplane Fly-In on August 12 at Lake Vermilion

Besides the Cessna 180-185 group a P Ashyl8A Super Cub on PK 2050 floats owned by Dan Lindstrom of Hudson WI pulled up to the beach looking different The first thing I noticed was the absence of the standard air intake which caused me to start asking quesshytions It turned out that Dan has made some interesting changes when he rebuilt the plane The changes included no wiring or

switches in the wing roots a large baggage area and a Gell Cell battery up under the front (instrument) panel To charge the batshytery he has mounted a 37 lb 8 amp alternashytor in the vacuum pump drive area Without a vacuum pump there are no gyros just a good YFR plane To keep the weight down he tossed out the regular starter for a lightshyweight one On floats empty weight is 1214 Ibs on wheels it s at 10341bs Dan said to get the CG in (the proper range) he had to put a larger tail spring on

After looking the seaplane over he took me up for a local ride The lake was about 1400 MSL and with fuel tanks three-quarshyters full two 170 lb pilots a 160 hp engine and a Borer prop the takeoff was about six seconds () For more information write Dan Lindstrom at 482 Blue Bird Drive Hudson WI 54016 or call 715-549-6347

painting The IA looked at them and said the paint job glistened

Start the installation by sliding the folded Tinnerman nut over the leading edge of the inspection hole towards the leading edge of the hole not the trailing edge Place the Tinnerman mark the hole witb a felt tip pen remove the clip-on Tinshynerman and drill the hole Put the Tinnershyman back over the newly drilled hole

On the inspection cover drill a number 40 size hole approximately 114 inch toshywards the inside edge of the inspection cover Put the inspection panel on slide it

around line up the Tinnerman and put the screw in It s that simple

Put everything back the same way it came off Check the torque values for the spar bolts use new cotter keys Before placing the covers back on test the Nav lights and aileron movements

Remember when you either start or finish working under the direction of a lishycensed airframe mechanic get him to inshyspect your work After its all done inshyspected by the Glass eye sanctified with the holy oils of the FAA sprinkled upon the logbook test fly it

New Gyros Need More Suction

The International Cessna 170 Association

Velvet Fackeldey - Flypaper Editor (417-532-4847)

Jim Yates writes r recently decided to update the gyros in my plane from the old big AN gyros to the modern small gyros They are powered by a single 9- inch venshyturi I installed two freshly rebuilt gyros and found that the suction was inadequate After some experimentation I found that the new horizon would work very well with the old DG but the new DG requires more air (suction) than the venturi can supply I would like to know if there is a modern DG that will work on a venturi system

Bob Coats answers I dont have much experience concerning the vacuum and gyshyros operation However on my airplane I have three venturies which operate three instruments So you may have to put more venturies on your airplane in order to operate the gyros you need I have had excellent service from Century Instrushyments in Wichita KS (800-733-0116) Disshycuss your problem with them and if they can t help you or refer you to someone feel free to call me and we will try to work together

Trouble in Paradise

AntiqueClassic Chapter 10 Newsletter Charlie Harris - Newsletter Editor

(918-622-8400)

And speaking of the Feds and the Deshypartment of Transportation and Secretary Pena tbe new Denver Airport had its first light blizzard (6 of snow is not very much) of the season on October 24th The wheels fell off the place The roof leaked through the tower ceiling the computer got all wet one airliner took a wrong turn and got stuck in a snowdrift and closed down the airport for nearly an hour and if this weren t enough an airport operated ground support vehicle DROVE ONTO AN ACTIVE RUNWA Y causing a loaded scheduled airshyliner to do a go around to avoid the snow removal truck (They have not decided as yet whether or not to discipline the driver) Maybe radio has not yet gotten to Denver This is all some place between the Three Stooges and The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight

All of this from our little 01 Five Billion Dollar Boondoggle that edged over budget by THREE BILLION DOLLARS three years late and still doesnt work right Reshymember this was Continental (Airlines) home base until they simply packed up and moved to Houston saying it was a JOKE and Continental isnt exactly a model of how to run a railroad How long oh how long

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

VINTAGE

A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE

Dear Mr Frautschy

I would like to relate a story to you about a special person in aviation My uncle Swann D Allen a young man of 80 years bought an American

Eagle (OX5) in 1936 He flew it from a hand hewn sod strip in Milford Michishygan The Eagle then languished on my grandfathers farm for many years In 1968 Swann started the restoration which is a story in itself The restoration was completed in 1989 (see VINTAGE AIRPLANE April 1990) Sadly on the second flight Joe Callahan the test pilot had a severe heart attack and crashed

I have taken over ownership of 7157 A and started the second restoration Herein lies my reason for writing While making many phone calls and running down leads on parts and information I was fortunate to connect with Doug Dullenkopf the owner of Screaming Eagle Aviation at Santa Paula airport north of Los Angeles

Doug is in the business of selling and maintaining aircraft One of the airshycraft he is currently trying to sell is American Eagle 3738 This aircraft was Anshytique Grand Champion at EAA OSHKOSH in 1976

Doug allowed me to pour over the Eagle taking pictures measurements notes and multiple details It was a tremendous boost to my restoration He also provided pictures stories and information knowing full well I wasnt buyshying anything Aircraft people are a special breed joined with a golden thread I would hope anyone looking to buy a used aircraft antique or otherwise or needing maintenance on their current airplane would look up the good people at Screaming Eagle

Sincerely David W Allen Huntington Beach CA

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

crowded skies of that era inherent stability of the Pl and coupled with the fact that there were far fewer tall towers around probably enabled you to survive your letshydown procedure back then Im sure youd agree it wouldnt be a good idea (not to mention illegal) to attempt it today Those were different times were they not - RGF

AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Dear Phil and Ruth

And you know you guys who get to go every year and can get involved up to your armpits in EAA activity may find it difficult to imagine just how imshyportant visiting OSHKOSH can be to us who live half a world away It is partly a kind of pilgrimage to Mecca-a visit to the Wailing Wall or the Vatican or kissing the Blarney Stone But it is more It is an opportunity to be reborn by having all the spent enthusiasm revishytalized and re-injected into the veins It is a chance to be surrounded for a time by thousands of positive thinking aviashytion oriented brains and being able to tap their collective ideas It is a history book-a time machine-a crystal ball in which the future may be glimpsed No matter how solitary or remote your residential location a visit to OSHKOSH demonstrates convincingly that you need never be alone again

These are some of the reasons why Australians are present in such numshybers at each years convention - we are about as remote from the centres of sport flying activity as you can get A regular visit to the Big 0 is necessary (a) to convert more of the skeptics and (b) recharge the converted

I mean - 44 Wacos on the same field I thought I was one of the luckiest guys alive back in 1981 when I flew in Harold Johnson s one of a kind WACO and Eric Heins CRG BOTH the same day But 44

King regards Margie and Brian Morayfield Queensland AUSTRALIA

MORE ON THE PARKS HAMMOND AIRPLANES

Dear Editor

As the owner of a Parks PI (NC616V) back in the mid-1930s I was interested in Mr Frautschys article on the Hammond 100 in your September issue

Apparently no two PIs were exactly alike My PI had a split gear with Russco struts 26 inch wire wheels with clincher rims tires 26 x 35 no brakes The tail skid was hinged with the upper arm secured to a fuselage tube by sevshyeral wraps of shock cord-worked great

Th e PI was a most forgiving airshyplane It was my practice on cloudy days to attempt to climb through the overcast and get out on top Since

Aero Mail the PI was not blessed with a phenomeshynal rat e of climb these efforts fr eshyquently ended in failure When I beshycame totally disori e nted I would merely move the stabilizer lever one notch forward (nose down) chop the throttle take my feet from the rudder bar turn loose the stick fold my arms and wait Eventually we would break out always in a gentle right hand turn

I had several other airplanes in this time frame but none generated the same affection I felt for the Pl

Sincerely Lee Spruill Parachute CO

Im glad to hear you never had a probshylem with the Pl - it sounds as though it was a nice flying airplane Th e less

Type Club

NOTES by Norm Petersen

Compiled from various type club publications amp newsletters

Ercoupe Wing AD

Ercoupe Owners Club Monthly Magazine

Carolyn Carden - Editor (919-477-1832)

Notes From the Swiss Wing Factory Shop - by Edd Smith Tampa FL

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) inshyvolved with installing inspection panels on the Coupe wings seems to have caused a stir among some Coupe owners prospecshytive Coupe owners and even a few wannabe Coupe owners Some disagree with the AD A few say they would rather switch than fly The truth is even Fred Weick didn t think the Coupes would be flying after forty years he said so himself So updating a 40-year-old Ercoupe wing for a thorough examination and even a newer 28-year-old Alan Coupe is certainly not an unwarranted intrusion It s already proven to be good sense

Installing the inspection holes and covshyers is not that hard even though there are 16 per wing Most of the Coupes I ve looked at seem to have them placed in logishycal order so the additional inspection holes are not really complicated

Before we started we discussed several way to get the most work done for the least amount of effort The easiest of course was to just talk about doing the work and then have someone do it - that converts to money But of course that would not be much fun either

In the end we decided to pull the wings off the two Alons The Alons have metal wings as original equipment Two people can pull the wings although three is about right

At the very start take off the cover strips on both wings and examine the area where the front main spar bolts pass through the spar attach points Then exshy

amine the rear spar attach bolts The rear bolts look a little puny compared to the front After everything is opened up careshyfully examine the area with a bright light and your friendly A amp P The reason of course is the wings may never have been off the airframe So before rushing ahead this is a good time to look examine and get familiar with the way things were put together Disconnect the wing wiring for the Nav lights or strobes It may be necesshysary to cut the wires and install connecting plugs for reassembly Plan ahead Disconshynect the static line and pitot line and mark which is which

Finally disconnect the ailerons making sure not to change the adjustments if possishyble Check and examine the aileron bolts and carefully examine the four Heim rod ball joints for wear and tear Dont fool around with old junk They are available for about $900 each The part numbers are in the book

After examining the four spar attach bolts remove the cotter keys Then take all four spar nuts off With your associate apply lifting pressure on the wing tip Careshyfully drive out the top front and the top rear spar and lower rear spar bolts with a smaller diameter drift pin Lower the wing tip slightly to allow for easier access to the front lower spar bolt Next while standing at the front leading edge by the fuel tank you can begin to drive out the lower front spar bolt slowly and carefully The wing is light enough to hold with one hand for a few seconds anyway Carry the wing and place it upside down on a pair of well layshyered sawhorses or a long table Belly butshyton height for a work level seems to be the best for most people

Armed with the updated AD complete with corrected drawings get a good chalkshyline to set out straight lines The chalk lines allow for good measurement and refshyerence points on the wings Use a tape rule to make the measurements Pay attention

to the rivet locations (use the existing rivshyets as reference points to determine where the ribs are located) With a grease pencil or felt tip pen mark the center points for the inspection holes Always measure once walk away come back and measure again and drill Youll get a warm feeling when you see the hole is where it is supshyposed to be

We found the easiest way to cut round holes with no muss or fuss was to buy a 3shy112 inch hole saw at the lumber store Get the one that lets you use the 38 inch drive drill If not available buy a 1 inch hole saw and use the 38 mandrel with the 3 12 inch hole saw Mark the center point for the inshyspection hole and use a center punch to dimple the skin This of course will keep the drill bit from wandering around when it gets started

Let the drill do the work Don t push it or force it through the skin Do try to hold the drill vertical though Once you see the hole saw cutting through the skin be preshypared to stop as soon as the drill cuts all the way through After all the holes in one wing are cut use a file or a deburring tool to blunt the interior edges of the cutouts Make sure the edges are dull Vacuum all the metal shavings and any other trash out of the bays (it wont really be that much of a mess)

When you are at this point youre at the very reason for the AD Use a good bright light and mirror and with an 01 glass eye thoroughly examine the interior of the wing We were lucky both sets of wings we did (the Star and Bar and blue and white) were clean The Star and Bar wing a full year newer and made in 1966 was unbelievably clean and preserved Youd think the set was made within the last two years

The act ual round inspection panels were bought and painted months ago Some will have to be touched up later with trim color but it sure saved time by preshy

6 JANUARY 1996

Water Flying

A Seaplane Pilots Association publication

Bob Richardson - Executive Editor (301-695-2083)

David Quam (SPA 1) writes about a special PA-18 Super Cub that attended the Minnesota Seaplane Fly-In on August 12 at Lake Vermilion

Besides the Cessna 180-185 group a P Ashyl8A Super Cub on PK 2050 floats owned by Dan Lindstrom of Hudson WI pulled up to the beach looking different The first thing I noticed was the absence of the standard air intake which caused me to start asking quesshytions It turned out that Dan has made some interesting changes when he rebuilt the plane The changes included no wiring or

switches in the wing roots a large baggage area and a Gell Cell battery up under the front (instrument) panel To charge the batshytery he has mounted a 37 lb 8 amp alternashytor in the vacuum pump drive area Without a vacuum pump there are no gyros just a good YFR plane To keep the weight down he tossed out the regular starter for a lightshyweight one On floats empty weight is 1214 Ibs on wheels it s at 10341bs Dan said to get the CG in (the proper range) he had to put a larger tail spring on

After looking the seaplane over he took me up for a local ride The lake was about 1400 MSL and with fuel tanks three-quarshyters full two 170 lb pilots a 160 hp engine and a Borer prop the takeoff was about six seconds () For more information write Dan Lindstrom at 482 Blue Bird Drive Hudson WI 54016 or call 715-549-6347

painting The IA looked at them and said the paint job glistened

Start the installation by sliding the folded Tinnerman nut over the leading edge of the inspection hole towards the leading edge of the hole not the trailing edge Place the Tinnerman mark the hole witb a felt tip pen remove the clip-on Tinshynerman and drill the hole Put the Tinnershyman back over the newly drilled hole

On the inspection cover drill a number 40 size hole approximately 114 inch toshywards the inside edge of the inspection cover Put the inspection panel on slide it

around line up the Tinnerman and put the screw in It s that simple

Put everything back the same way it came off Check the torque values for the spar bolts use new cotter keys Before placing the covers back on test the Nav lights and aileron movements

Remember when you either start or finish working under the direction of a lishycensed airframe mechanic get him to inshyspect your work After its all done inshyspected by the Glass eye sanctified with the holy oils of the FAA sprinkled upon the logbook test fly it

New Gyros Need More Suction

The International Cessna 170 Association

Velvet Fackeldey - Flypaper Editor (417-532-4847)

Jim Yates writes r recently decided to update the gyros in my plane from the old big AN gyros to the modern small gyros They are powered by a single 9- inch venshyturi I installed two freshly rebuilt gyros and found that the suction was inadequate After some experimentation I found that the new horizon would work very well with the old DG but the new DG requires more air (suction) than the venturi can supply I would like to know if there is a modern DG that will work on a venturi system

Bob Coats answers I dont have much experience concerning the vacuum and gyshyros operation However on my airplane I have three venturies which operate three instruments So you may have to put more venturies on your airplane in order to operate the gyros you need I have had excellent service from Century Instrushyments in Wichita KS (800-733-0116) Disshycuss your problem with them and if they can t help you or refer you to someone feel free to call me and we will try to work together

Trouble in Paradise

AntiqueClassic Chapter 10 Newsletter Charlie Harris - Newsletter Editor

(918-622-8400)

And speaking of the Feds and the Deshypartment of Transportation and Secretary Pena tbe new Denver Airport had its first light blizzard (6 of snow is not very much) of the season on October 24th The wheels fell off the place The roof leaked through the tower ceiling the computer got all wet one airliner took a wrong turn and got stuck in a snowdrift and closed down the airport for nearly an hour and if this weren t enough an airport operated ground support vehicle DROVE ONTO AN ACTIVE RUNWA Y causing a loaded scheduled airshyliner to do a go around to avoid the snow removal truck (They have not decided as yet whether or not to discipline the driver) Maybe radio has not yet gotten to Denver This is all some place between the Three Stooges and The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight

All of this from our little 01 Five Billion Dollar Boondoggle that edged over budget by THREE BILLION DOLLARS three years late and still doesnt work right Reshymember this was Continental (Airlines) home base until they simply packed up and moved to Houston saying it was a JOKE and Continental isnt exactly a model of how to run a railroad How long oh how long

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

Type Club

NOTES by Norm Petersen

Compiled from various type club publications amp newsletters

Ercoupe Wing AD

Ercoupe Owners Club Monthly Magazine

Carolyn Carden - Editor (919-477-1832)

Notes From the Swiss Wing Factory Shop - by Edd Smith Tampa FL

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) inshyvolved with installing inspection panels on the Coupe wings seems to have caused a stir among some Coupe owners prospecshytive Coupe owners and even a few wannabe Coupe owners Some disagree with the AD A few say they would rather switch than fly The truth is even Fred Weick didn t think the Coupes would be flying after forty years he said so himself So updating a 40-year-old Ercoupe wing for a thorough examination and even a newer 28-year-old Alan Coupe is certainly not an unwarranted intrusion It s already proven to be good sense

Installing the inspection holes and covshyers is not that hard even though there are 16 per wing Most of the Coupes I ve looked at seem to have them placed in logishycal order so the additional inspection holes are not really complicated

Before we started we discussed several way to get the most work done for the least amount of effort The easiest of course was to just talk about doing the work and then have someone do it - that converts to money But of course that would not be much fun either

In the end we decided to pull the wings off the two Alons The Alons have metal wings as original equipment Two people can pull the wings although three is about right

At the very start take off the cover strips on both wings and examine the area where the front main spar bolts pass through the spar attach points Then exshy

amine the rear spar attach bolts The rear bolts look a little puny compared to the front After everything is opened up careshyfully examine the area with a bright light and your friendly A amp P The reason of course is the wings may never have been off the airframe So before rushing ahead this is a good time to look examine and get familiar with the way things were put together Disconnect the wing wiring for the Nav lights or strobes It may be necesshysary to cut the wires and install connecting plugs for reassembly Plan ahead Disconshynect the static line and pitot line and mark which is which

Finally disconnect the ailerons making sure not to change the adjustments if possishyble Check and examine the aileron bolts and carefully examine the four Heim rod ball joints for wear and tear Dont fool around with old junk They are available for about $900 each The part numbers are in the book

After examining the four spar attach bolts remove the cotter keys Then take all four spar nuts off With your associate apply lifting pressure on the wing tip Careshyfully drive out the top front and the top rear spar and lower rear spar bolts with a smaller diameter drift pin Lower the wing tip slightly to allow for easier access to the front lower spar bolt Next while standing at the front leading edge by the fuel tank you can begin to drive out the lower front spar bolt slowly and carefully The wing is light enough to hold with one hand for a few seconds anyway Carry the wing and place it upside down on a pair of well layshyered sawhorses or a long table Belly butshyton height for a work level seems to be the best for most people

Armed with the updated AD complete with corrected drawings get a good chalkshyline to set out straight lines The chalk lines allow for good measurement and refshyerence points on the wings Use a tape rule to make the measurements Pay attention

to the rivet locations (use the existing rivshyets as reference points to determine where the ribs are located) With a grease pencil or felt tip pen mark the center points for the inspection holes Always measure once walk away come back and measure again and drill Youll get a warm feeling when you see the hole is where it is supshyposed to be

We found the easiest way to cut round holes with no muss or fuss was to buy a 3shy112 inch hole saw at the lumber store Get the one that lets you use the 38 inch drive drill If not available buy a 1 inch hole saw and use the 38 mandrel with the 3 12 inch hole saw Mark the center point for the inshyspection hole and use a center punch to dimple the skin This of course will keep the drill bit from wandering around when it gets started

Let the drill do the work Don t push it or force it through the skin Do try to hold the drill vertical though Once you see the hole saw cutting through the skin be preshypared to stop as soon as the drill cuts all the way through After all the holes in one wing are cut use a file or a deburring tool to blunt the interior edges of the cutouts Make sure the edges are dull Vacuum all the metal shavings and any other trash out of the bays (it wont really be that much of a mess)

When you are at this point youre at the very reason for the AD Use a good bright light and mirror and with an 01 glass eye thoroughly examine the interior of the wing We were lucky both sets of wings we did (the Star and Bar and blue and white) were clean The Star and Bar wing a full year newer and made in 1966 was unbelievably clean and preserved Youd think the set was made within the last two years

The act ual round inspection panels were bought and painted months ago Some will have to be touched up later with trim color but it sure saved time by preshy

6 JANUARY 1996

Water Flying

A Seaplane Pilots Association publication

Bob Richardson - Executive Editor (301-695-2083)

David Quam (SPA 1) writes about a special PA-18 Super Cub that attended the Minnesota Seaplane Fly-In on August 12 at Lake Vermilion

Besides the Cessna 180-185 group a P Ashyl8A Super Cub on PK 2050 floats owned by Dan Lindstrom of Hudson WI pulled up to the beach looking different The first thing I noticed was the absence of the standard air intake which caused me to start asking quesshytions It turned out that Dan has made some interesting changes when he rebuilt the plane The changes included no wiring or

switches in the wing roots a large baggage area and a Gell Cell battery up under the front (instrument) panel To charge the batshytery he has mounted a 37 lb 8 amp alternashytor in the vacuum pump drive area Without a vacuum pump there are no gyros just a good YFR plane To keep the weight down he tossed out the regular starter for a lightshyweight one On floats empty weight is 1214 Ibs on wheels it s at 10341bs Dan said to get the CG in (the proper range) he had to put a larger tail spring on

After looking the seaplane over he took me up for a local ride The lake was about 1400 MSL and with fuel tanks three-quarshyters full two 170 lb pilots a 160 hp engine and a Borer prop the takeoff was about six seconds () For more information write Dan Lindstrom at 482 Blue Bird Drive Hudson WI 54016 or call 715-549-6347

painting The IA looked at them and said the paint job glistened

Start the installation by sliding the folded Tinnerman nut over the leading edge of the inspection hole towards the leading edge of the hole not the trailing edge Place the Tinnerman mark the hole witb a felt tip pen remove the clip-on Tinshynerman and drill the hole Put the Tinnershyman back over the newly drilled hole

On the inspection cover drill a number 40 size hole approximately 114 inch toshywards the inside edge of the inspection cover Put the inspection panel on slide it

around line up the Tinnerman and put the screw in It s that simple

Put everything back the same way it came off Check the torque values for the spar bolts use new cotter keys Before placing the covers back on test the Nav lights and aileron movements

Remember when you either start or finish working under the direction of a lishycensed airframe mechanic get him to inshyspect your work After its all done inshyspected by the Glass eye sanctified with the holy oils of the FAA sprinkled upon the logbook test fly it

New Gyros Need More Suction

The International Cessna 170 Association

Velvet Fackeldey - Flypaper Editor (417-532-4847)

Jim Yates writes r recently decided to update the gyros in my plane from the old big AN gyros to the modern small gyros They are powered by a single 9- inch venshyturi I installed two freshly rebuilt gyros and found that the suction was inadequate After some experimentation I found that the new horizon would work very well with the old DG but the new DG requires more air (suction) than the venturi can supply I would like to know if there is a modern DG that will work on a venturi system

Bob Coats answers I dont have much experience concerning the vacuum and gyshyros operation However on my airplane I have three venturies which operate three instruments So you may have to put more venturies on your airplane in order to operate the gyros you need I have had excellent service from Century Instrushyments in Wichita KS (800-733-0116) Disshycuss your problem with them and if they can t help you or refer you to someone feel free to call me and we will try to work together

Trouble in Paradise

AntiqueClassic Chapter 10 Newsletter Charlie Harris - Newsletter Editor

(918-622-8400)

And speaking of the Feds and the Deshypartment of Transportation and Secretary Pena tbe new Denver Airport had its first light blizzard (6 of snow is not very much) of the season on October 24th The wheels fell off the place The roof leaked through the tower ceiling the computer got all wet one airliner took a wrong turn and got stuck in a snowdrift and closed down the airport for nearly an hour and if this weren t enough an airport operated ground support vehicle DROVE ONTO AN ACTIVE RUNWA Y causing a loaded scheduled airshyliner to do a go around to avoid the snow removal truck (They have not decided as yet whether or not to discipline the driver) Maybe radio has not yet gotten to Denver This is all some place between the Three Stooges and The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight

All of this from our little 01 Five Billion Dollar Boondoggle that edged over budget by THREE BILLION DOLLARS three years late and still doesnt work right Reshymember this was Continental (Airlines) home base until they simply packed up and moved to Houston saying it was a JOKE and Continental isnt exactly a model of how to run a railroad How long oh how long

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

Water Flying

A Seaplane Pilots Association publication

Bob Richardson - Executive Editor (301-695-2083)

David Quam (SPA 1) writes about a special PA-18 Super Cub that attended the Minnesota Seaplane Fly-In on August 12 at Lake Vermilion

Besides the Cessna 180-185 group a P Ashyl8A Super Cub on PK 2050 floats owned by Dan Lindstrom of Hudson WI pulled up to the beach looking different The first thing I noticed was the absence of the standard air intake which caused me to start asking quesshytions It turned out that Dan has made some interesting changes when he rebuilt the plane The changes included no wiring or

switches in the wing roots a large baggage area and a Gell Cell battery up under the front (instrument) panel To charge the batshytery he has mounted a 37 lb 8 amp alternashytor in the vacuum pump drive area Without a vacuum pump there are no gyros just a good YFR plane To keep the weight down he tossed out the regular starter for a lightshyweight one On floats empty weight is 1214 Ibs on wheels it s at 10341bs Dan said to get the CG in (the proper range) he had to put a larger tail spring on

After looking the seaplane over he took me up for a local ride The lake was about 1400 MSL and with fuel tanks three-quarshyters full two 170 lb pilots a 160 hp engine and a Borer prop the takeoff was about six seconds () For more information write Dan Lindstrom at 482 Blue Bird Drive Hudson WI 54016 or call 715-549-6347

painting The IA looked at them and said the paint job glistened

Start the installation by sliding the folded Tinnerman nut over the leading edge of the inspection hole towards the leading edge of the hole not the trailing edge Place the Tinnerman mark the hole witb a felt tip pen remove the clip-on Tinshynerman and drill the hole Put the Tinnershyman back over the newly drilled hole

On the inspection cover drill a number 40 size hole approximately 114 inch toshywards the inside edge of the inspection cover Put the inspection panel on slide it

around line up the Tinnerman and put the screw in It s that simple

Put everything back the same way it came off Check the torque values for the spar bolts use new cotter keys Before placing the covers back on test the Nav lights and aileron movements

Remember when you either start or finish working under the direction of a lishycensed airframe mechanic get him to inshyspect your work After its all done inshyspected by the Glass eye sanctified with the holy oils of the FAA sprinkled upon the logbook test fly it

New Gyros Need More Suction

The International Cessna 170 Association

Velvet Fackeldey - Flypaper Editor (417-532-4847)

Jim Yates writes r recently decided to update the gyros in my plane from the old big AN gyros to the modern small gyros They are powered by a single 9- inch venshyturi I installed two freshly rebuilt gyros and found that the suction was inadequate After some experimentation I found that the new horizon would work very well with the old DG but the new DG requires more air (suction) than the venturi can supply I would like to know if there is a modern DG that will work on a venturi system

Bob Coats answers I dont have much experience concerning the vacuum and gyshyros operation However on my airplane I have three venturies which operate three instruments So you may have to put more venturies on your airplane in order to operate the gyros you need I have had excellent service from Century Instrushyments in Wichita KS (800-733-0116) Disshycuss your problem with them and if they can t help you or refer you to someone feel free to call me and we will try to work together

Trouble in Paradise

AntiqueClassic Chapter 10 Newsletter Charlie Harris - Newsletter Editor

(918-622-8400)

And speaking of the Feds and the Deshypartment of Transportation and Secretary Pena tbe new Denver Airport had its first light blizzard (6 of snow is not very much) of the season on October 24th The wheels fell off the place The roof leaked through the tower ceiling the computer got all wet one airliner took a wrong turn and got stuck in a snowdrift and closed down the airport for nearly an hour and if this weren t enough an airport operated ground support vehicle DROVE ONTO AN ACTIVE RUNWA Y causing a loaded scheduled airshyliner to do a go around to avoid the snow removal truck (They have not decided as yet whether or not to discipline the driver) Maybe radio has not yet gotten to Denver This is all some place between the Three Stooges and The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight

All of this from our little 01 Five Billion Dollar Boondoggle that edged over budget by THREE BILLION DOLLARS three years late and still doesnt work right Reshymember this was Continental (Airlines) home base until they simply packed up and moved to Houston saying it was a JOKE and Continental isnt exactly a model of how to run a railroad How long oh how long

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

EAA AntiqueClassic Division

25th ANNIVERSARY by Robert Dobbie Lickteig NC Division Past President (1984-1988) Member NC Board of Directors

Join us in celebrating the 25th Anshyniversa ry of your EAA AntiqueClassic Division 1996 is our Silver Annive rsary and it will be an exciting year with a salute to our past recognition of the prese nt and our goals and dreams for the future

During the coming year you will read th e upda ted history of your Division in th e July VINTAGE AIRPLANE preshyp a red and written by our editor H G Frautschy Your EAA AntiqueClass ic Division is the result of a small group of EAA members who wanted to get a bit better o rga ni zed so they could park toshyge th er At the annual EAA Convention in 1969 there was a discussion about the need for a separate parking area for Anshytiqu e a ircraft Th e followin g yea r the move was made to Oshkosh and your Dishyvision was form ed in 1971

Paul Poberezny founder and chairman of EAA provided the fledgling Division with th e EAA umbrella for help and supshy

8 JANUARY 1996

port duri ng the formative years Yo ur original list of officers and directors reads like a Whos Who in the annuals of avishyation From this humbl e beginning the small group of dedicated members has grown to 10000 plus today and is the largest Division with EAA Your Divishysion has grown in stature recognition and the re sponsibility as spokesman for the largest segment of general aviation

Over the years we ve grown in scope as well First came th e addition of the Classic category (1945-1955) in the early 1970s Since then we have add ed the Contemporary class of a ircraft (those manufactured from 1956 to 1960) This alshylows your Division to represent all general aviation aircraft through ca lendar year 1960 We accept this additional responsishybility and the original purpose of our Divishysion will be applied to these aircraft

In our Division bylaws are written the purposes of the Division They are

1 To encourage aid and engage in reshysearch including that of a scientific nature for the improvement and better understandshying of aviation

2 To encourage and aid in the retention and restoration of Antique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft

3 To establish and maintain a library deshyvoted to the history of aviation and to the conshystruction repair restoration maintenance and preservation of aircraft particularly Anshytique historical Classic and Contemporary aircraft and engines

4 To hold and conduct meetings displays and educational programs relating to aviation with emphasis on restoration maintenance and care of these aircraft

5 To bond together those persons intershyested in Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft for their mutual pleasure recreation and education

6 To improve aviation safety and aviation education

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

If anyone doubts the success of our colshylective efforts just look around the annual EAA Convention Yo u wil l see the reshysults the largest the finest and the most authentic coll ection of aircraft from this exciting age of aviation Throughout our anniversary yo ur monthly magazine VINTAGE A IRPLANE will run feature articles on major events interesting memshybers and our past successes

During EAA OSHKOSH 96 we will celebrate our Si lver Anniversary with many events throughout Convention week

1 Founding members will be saluted with a press conference and a recognition program on stage at the Theater In The Woods

2 Two Parade of Flight events will be scheduled The first on Friday and the second to follow on Monday Special awards will be presented for all particishypants

3 Special parking will be reserved for returning past champion aircraft and awards will be presented to each aircraft

4 The annual fly-out will be scheduled for Saturday morning with an anniversary souvenir for all who participate

5 A special 25th Anniversary particishypant plaque will be presented to all regisshytered aircraft

6 Our newest member whose memshybership number sets a newall-time record will be honored

7 A Young Eagle flight in a past chamshypion aircraft will be scheduled with Anshytiq ueClassic member Number 1- Paul Poberezny

8 A special meet ing will also take place with the type clubs to recognize and thank them for their past and future supshyport of our Division

9 The Convention souvenir button will continue with our 25th Anniversary logo on the button

Please join us for this exciting year It is not only a tribute to our founding memshybers but to all members who made our Division what it is today Through your efforts we have attained a position of leadership with international status

We often talk about the EAA spirit and the dreams we all have Your EAA AntiqueClassic Division is an example of our spirit and dreams As the saying goes dreams come true when dreams are reaL

Your elected officers directors and apshypointed advisors are well prepared to serve you and continue our growth and progress This way we all follow our dreams

So to all our members-we salute you Stand tall and take a bow for all our past accomplishments Together we can look forward to the next 25 exciting years Come join us and have it all

(Far Left) During the EAA Convention in 1981 this is how the AlC Red Barn headquarters looked Gar Williams (left) stands next to his newly restored AlC Antique Grand Champion Cessna AW while Jim Jenkins (right) is in front of his Grand Champion Classic Piper PA-17 Vagabond This Ted Koston photo was featured on the cover of the October 1981 issue of Vintage Airplane

(Above) The Division has always run on Volshyunteer Power (not to mention a moped or two) During the 1981 Convention here are just some of the Flight Line safety volunshyteers In the back row are (L to R) Bill Hill Art Morgan Dave Long Richard Jenkins and Brian Garinger In the old AlC point building is Larry Agathen and resting on the beach is Bob Wallace The trio on the bikes are (L to R) Jeff Alexander Bill Buckles and Paul Medendorp

(Above right) The rank and file member is also part of the engine that keeps the Divshysion going In 1987 Stan Sweikar and his wife Sandy won the Silver Age runner-up trophy with their Fleet Model 2

(Below) Unusual aircraft are the norm in the AntiqueClassic parking area during the Convention Steve Pitcairn brought his restored 1931 Pitcairn PCA-2 with Autogiro veteran George Townson adding his considerable expertise to the restoration of the aircraft in 1985 It was the 1986 Grand Champion Antique

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

FREEDOM FLIGHT

AMERIO9S by Dick and Jeannie Hill

FREEDOM FLIGHT was a flight of WW II vintage aircraft made across America commemorating the 50th anniversary of V-J Day the end of WW II It originated as a salute to the veterans of WW II both civil and military

We first heard of this idea during a hangar flying session at the Phoenix 500 in 1994 Several of us were talking about future events and someone menshytioned that a group was being formed to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the end of the war The flight was to take place during the anniversary week that the atom bombs were dropped when Japan finally capitulated The plan was to start the Freedom Flight in California and gather warbirds along the way making several prescheduled stops culminating in a flyby past the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty We immediately asked for details and sent in our request for inshyformation

Several hundred aircraft participated in this event After opening ceremonies at Long Beach California Freedom Flight America flew across the nation making its scheduled stops at various airports and air bases around the counshytry At each stop we shared our airshyplanes and the message of our mission with the public as well as hundreds of veterans who turned out to see just what Freedom Flight was all about

After departing California on Ju ly 27th the group made stopovers at Phoenix Arizona EI Paso and Dall as Texas Kansas City Aurora Illi nois Wright-Patterson AFB and Andrews AFB at Washington D C T he fl ight over the Intrepid and the Statue of Libshyerty was staged from Andrews AFB

As Freedom F li gh t progressed planes joined a t the vario us stops and flew as fa r as they co uld Some fl ew

from as far as the state of Washington Othe rs joined fro m almost every state in the union Many of the planes wen t the full ro ute and stayed for the fi na l weeke nd show at McG uire AFB in New Jersey

We joined the gro up at Aurora IL after leavi ng the EAA Convention in Oshkosh Jeannie and I flew our Cessna T-50 the Bimbo Bomber along with our friend Paul Ci letti who acted as crew chief As it worked out Aurora was the stop that had the most activity The largest and most diverse group of planes participated that weekend

The original pilot of the Memphis Belle Colonel Robert Morgan particishypated in FREEDOM FLIGHT flying in several different planes along the way He and his wife Linda ran a display of Memphis Belle memorabilia at every stop Lots of happy folks returned home with Bobs autograph under their arms His presence added a touch of reality to the Flight that otherwise would have been missed by much of the general public

The Flight completed its mission by passing in review over the aircraft carshyrier Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty As a tribute and thank you to those who fought the war for us rose petals were dropped from each plane as it passed over the Intrepid This was a very touching moment for those of us who truly understand and appreciate the tremendous sacrifice those dedicated men and women made for each and everyone of us

The sad part of the who le event was the lack of participation by the heavy iron It seemed that a lmost no one with fighters or bombers had enough inshyterest to honor this event with the ir presence Two P-51s did stay rig h t through the sa lu te to the Intrepid The sponsor of Freedom Flight even had to impose on the owners of a B-17 to get it to make a flyby with Colonel Morgan as pilot T he B-1 7 was at an event in New E ngland and was going to Pennsylshyvania so the crew made a pass down the

r ive r on the way It was necessary to take Col Morgan to the plane and then p ic k h im up afterward beca use they could not afford to make a stop at Anshydrews or McGuire

T he commemoration armada was made up of aircraft that flew for the Alshylies during WW II Several WW II vetshyerans flew their own planes in this event Groups of simi lar planes were flown in formation The leader of each group had a flight number and used it for all radio contacts

When the cards were handed out at the briefing we drew number 45 and remained flight 45 for the entire trip We thought it quite coincidental since the war ended in 1945 the same year that I soloed Also coincidentally our T-50 had made its first civilian flight on August 7 1945 50 years to the day that we departed Aurora to begin our segshyment of Freedom Flight

The route of flight from Andrews proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay past Balt imore to Wilmington Delaware and along the waterway passing east of Philadelphia It passed east of Trenton and then west of Newark up to the northeast corner of New Jersey At the approximate point where the New Jershysey and New York borders meet the Hudson River the flight turned south along the river

When each flight passed over the George Washington Bridge it deshyscended to 800 feet for the pass in reshyview The course down the Hudson passed Manhattan Island and cruised along the dock area where ships have arr ived from all over the world for censhyturies One of those forgotten ships was the liner named Normandy It burned and sank in its slip while being conshyverted into a troop hauler during WW II

Those docks now host the WW II airshycraft carrier Intrepid fitted out as a memoria l to WW II and a wonderfu l aviation museum T he flight passed the carrier and made the petal drop Minshyutes later the fli ght passed Ell is Island

10 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

and the Statue of Liberty To the left after passing the length of New York

City was the Battery Coney Island and Fire Island Then we flew out over the bay for an altitude change to 1400 feet approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge

The group was in constant contact with each of the Approach Control fashycilities as they were passed Altitudes were changed to accommodate each of the flight patterns along the way The VFR corridor down the Hudson was NOTAMed closed during the hours that th e commemoration was in progress so there was little conflict with traffic

A briefing was held each morning of the trip and that final briefing was the most complex It had more radio freshyquency a nd altitude changes than would be necessary for an Atlantic crossing

The FAA made it about as complishycated as it could be My vote would have been to b lock airspace for the route and just monitor one frequency while airborne But that would be too simple for a complex mind to und ershystand

Leaving the NYC area th e flight crossed the bay and landed for a weekshyend air show at McGuire AFB in New Jersey While there we made flybys for the crowd

We flew home on Monday which turned out to be the only day of the enshytire week that would have permitted an uninterrupted one day flight Actually the weather gods were smiling on us during the entire Freedom Flight With the exception of one unplanned overnight at Clarksburg West Virginia on the way out good weather prevailed Leaving Dayton on the way to Andrews AFB the weather deteriorated and we felt it advisable to make a stop rather than push into bad weather as evening approached It turned out to be a very good decision The folks at Clarksburg were very hospitable to us and we enshyjoyed our stay

The Bimbo Bomber made the enshytire trip without complaint In fact she never flew prouder It seemed her enshygines ran a little sweeter and she had an extra buoyancy to her flights She even seemed to fly in a Hey guys get a load of this attitude And maybe this is just the pilots interpretation but whenever we flew over a military cemetery instead of seeing thousands of small white crosses each cross seemed to be a waving arm and a smilshying face that said Yo ure looking good Thanks for flying by It was the first time we ve ever been able to pass a military cemetery feeling a ny shything but extreme sadness Instead from now on we ll keep that visual imshy

age of acres of waving arms and smilshying faces with us

About a dozen landings and a littl e over 17 hours were flown Each of us spent a few hours at the wheel and we a ll had a wonderful time We came home feeling we had accomplished something truly meaningful

FREEDOM FLIGHT AMERICA was a once in a lifetime experience that allowed us to at least partially express our undyi ng gratitude to those who gave us this rare often taken for g ranted privilege of freedom It a llowed us to thank all those dedicated patriotic men and women who lost their friends their lives their limbs their peace of mind so we could without lifting a finger live in

a free country without the threat of war We hope this tribute to them helped to show just how much we care

NOTE For those who are interested Freedom Flight memorabilia is still available through the sponsor if you are interested in purchasing merchandise such as hats and shirts Contact Freedom Flight America PD Box 29253 Dallas TX 75229 Phone 7-800687-4800

The gentleman who initiated the idea sells parts for the restoration of North American A T-6s He made a huge comshymitment and has taken a substantial fishynancial loss due to the lack of interest shown by the aviation community as a whole

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

by HG Frautschy

This months Mystery Plane really is just that - Dennis Parks EAAs Librarian has been digging though books and papers left and right and hasn t been able to pin

Lt Col Boardman C Reed (USAF Ret) Brownsville CA sent in this answer

Your Mystery Plane for October is the one-only 1929 Hall-Alushyminum XFH-1 experimental Navy Fighter USN BuAer A-8009

It was all aluminum except for fabric covering and had a unique water-tight fuselage for emergency ditching at sea in lieu of convenshytional Navy flotation gear (although I wonder about waves splashshying into the single open cockpit)

Span 32 ft length 226 height 11 gross weight 2518 lbs max speed 1526 kts service ceiling 25300

Engine a very early PampW R-1340 -8 Wasp of 450 hp (Reference US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 William T Larkins) The Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corp of Bristol PA had as its presshy

ident Charles Ward Hall a hands-onworking type Hall is most reshymembered for his production of 24 biplane flying boats the XPH-1 and PH-1s for the Navy and Coast Guard (In 1939 I had a fun 245 flight in an old 1932 Navy Hall PH-1 No A-8691 over the Pacific with a crew of enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots and Chiefs out of NAS North Island San Diego)

(Continued on page 21)

Hall-Aluminum XFH-l this one down yet The print came to us as part of the Ken CookAmerican Airman Collection and was also a photo collected by the late Tex LaGrone Were wide open to documentable proof so lets see what you aviation sleuths can come up with Answers need to be in no later than February 251996 for inclusion in the April issue

For a one-of-a-kind biplane fighter that failed to make it in US Naval service during the 1930s the Hall Aluminum XFH-1 certainly didnt trip up too many of our fellow members - 20 of you sent in responses to the October Mystery Plane

A bunch of answers hit my mailbox on Octoshyber 23 - RK Alexander Clifton Park NJ Frank Hansen Llano TX Charley Hayes New Lenox IL Brain Baker Farmington NM Larry Beishydleman Granada Hills CA Herb DeBruyn Bellevue W and James Borden Menahga MN

12 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

The first

Cabin Waco Honest

I Really Did Find it in a Barn

by HG Frautschy

Alan Buchner (EAA 151755 AC 6276) Fresno CA has lived a fantasy Stories of airplanes in barns have be shycome a bit of aviation folklore a holy grail quest that more ofte n than not ends in seeing a lot more chicken feathshyers than airplane bits and pieces

He had heard about the possibility of an airplane in a barn not too far from his shop in Fresno CA Alan earns his livshying in his own shop as an AampPIA avershyaging over 50 annuals a year mostly on newer aircraft After the days work is

(Above) Back to the basics with this very original style panel Oil temp and pressure altimeter rate of climb and tachometer are all that is needed to conduct VFR flight A small elecshytrical panel has been unobtrusively added on the left side wall near the pilots seat You can see the pull shyover window shade used to keep the sun from baking the pilot and front seat passenger during flights with the sun overhead The QDC has excelshylent inflight visibility

(Above) Alan Buchner Fresno CA and his newly restored Waco QDC The only other flying QDC belonging to Tom Ahlers St Charles MO is directly above the rudder of Alans cabin Waco

(Below) The distinctive rear window shape of the early Wacos was born out a desire by the engineers at Waco to build a cabin airplane with inflight visibility as good as an open cockpit model

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

done he then takes time out to work on his own projects Thats just what he was looking for that day back in 1969

As he eased open the door of the big barn there was a sight sure to make the hea rt of a ny a irpl a ne enthu sias t jus t about leap out o f his ches t - a fu se lage resting on its nose in the corner with the ta il rest in g on th e wa ll and two wings leaned up against the wall as well What a find Wh at was it Wh o owned it A nd most importantly would they se ll it

The o ld Waco was owned by a crop duster and he kept it stored in a ba rn

also used to shelter threshing machines There wasn t enough room in the hangar to store the airplane completely assemshybled so the wings and engine came off It had been there since 1954 when it had suffered an engine failure and landed in an alfa lfa field a short way from the local ai rport

A la n kn e w th e crop du ste r who owned the airpl ane and he pursued the question of selling the project fo r three years The fellow wouldn t budge and he was doubly di sa pp ointed whe n he found out the duster had sold the Waco to another man a crop duster mechanic who worked for a di ffe rent outfit Anshyother friend of Alans a duster mechanic named Mr Rasmussen told Alan about obtaining the project and tha t he had gotten started on the rebuild You never kn ow how things will wo rk out and a yea r later Alan got a ph one ca ll The

mechanic was moving to Wisconsin and didn t rea ll y wa nt to t ake the project with him Did Alan want to buy the airshyplane You bet

What was it that A lan had seen leanshying up aga inst the wa ll of that barn A 1932 Waco QD C the first product ion model of Wacos series of cabin biplanes Th e biplane he fo und in t he barn was completed January 18 1932 and ca rries Seri al No 3579 It was fi rst delivered to H C Lippiatt Grand Central A ir Tershyminal at the Glendale CA airport

The QDC seri es o f cabin Wacos was based on the popular F-2 series of twoshyplace open cockpit biplanes The Contishyne nta l A-70 se ri es of engines with 165 hp was se lected to power the new airshyplanes A Francis Arcier chief engi neer of Waco se t out to des ign a cab in bishyplane that did not suffer from a lack of visibility out of the cockpit Good short

14 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

field performance a hallmark of ea rlier Waco biplanes was also important In every respect the new airplane was to be a Waco built with no compromises The biplane configuration was retained for a number of reasons among which were that the overall size of the airplane could be kept smaller for a given weight and the structura l configuration of the bishyplane offered great strength with a lightshyweight structure New features included a set of corrugated aluminum ai lerons replacing the built-up wood ones used on previous models The F-2 and Model C as the QDC was first named also shared a simi larly designed landing gear and tail surfaces

The cockpit glazing was quite expanshysive In addition to the full side windows (the front ones could be cranked up and down) the top of the fuselage was covshyered in clear plastic and the rear winshy

dows were also formed from flat sheet (molded Plexiglasreg windows were still a few years in the future) The windshield was built up with sheets of automotive safety glass

At the debut of the QDC during the 1931 Detroit Air Show the new cabin airplane was big news Pilots were a bit wary of the trend to enclose their cockshypits - they liked the view out of the open cockpit and were loath to change their ways Predictab ly the visibility out of the new Waco Mode l C was touted in press releases Wide angles of vision are emphasized in the new ship Vision is practically unobstructed in all directions - above to the front and sides and to the rear quarters and tail

Even th e av ia tion press was imshypressed Dwight Huntington writing for Aero Digest in April 1931 wrote The cabin is roomy and comfortable and exshycellent vision rearward has been secured by a clever and efficient arrangement of the turtle deck It may be safely said that thi s ship has better visibility than any other closed job

Oliver Pa rks of Pa rks Air College East St Louis IL was so impressed by the airplane that he placed an order for one immediately In June 1931 the colshylege took delivery of wh at must have been a sharp looking airplane The Parks QDC was painted gree n with a crea m stripe and silve r wings It takes but a few minutes to review the list of 37 Waco QDCs built during the 1931-32 produc-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

tion run to see that they were far from a drab dreary bunch Perhaps in an efshyfort to escape the disturbing news of the Depression those who were well heeled enough to order a new Waco (and dealshyers hoping to find someone willing to buy) had a little fun with the color schemes - colors like Stinson maize commandaire green drift wood smoke and vesta yellow were used on Model C Wacos ordered by the likes of Tex LashyGrone Kenny Flying Service and Midshywest Airways What fun it would be to have color pictures of so many of these airplanes from that time

For Waco NC 12438 SIN 3579 when it was first delivered it must have been beautiful parked on the ramp with the fuselage painted black and the wings and tail surfaces painted silver A polshyished aluminum ring cowl finished off the engine installation of the 165 hp Continental

Verns Wing shop in Bakersfield CA had already been tasked with reshybuilding the wings They were able to use some of the wood in the wings but new wingtip bows false spars and most of the ribs needed to be replaced

The fuselage and tail surfaces were all to be done by Alan and it was a long project in coming After he acquired the project in 1972 he didnt begin work on it in earnest until 1980 In the meantime he had joined the Waco Club and gotten a list of the airplanes previshyous owners In the list was a big surshyprise - Alans father had owned the airshyplane for a while One of the early FBOs in California Les Buchner flew this very Waco as part of his charter service at Bakersfield CA in 1938 A

16 JANUARY 1996

pilot since 1927 Les had worked for a small airline called Cardiff amp Peacock sweeping out hangars to earn twenty minutes of flight time He later built up a flight school and charter service flyshying hunters in and out of the mountains His fathers reaction at first was a bit nonchalant - since there were many he couldnt remember exactly which airshyplanes he had owned but as the airshyplane came together excitement mounted

The late Kendall Thomas was a good friend and an excellent model builder He offered to help Alan with the woodshywork on the fuselage Accustomed to working with model tolerances the woodwork was done to a 1132 inch or less One of the most difficult projects on the fuselage was the rear windows The fairing and window frames are built up out of wood Before Tim could beshygin on the new woodwork some work that had been done by a prior owner needed to be corrected In a misguided effort to make the QDC look like a later model Waco someone had used 38 inch water pipe to extend the fuseshylage line from the tail to the upper wing root The water pipe threads and all was removed and proper airworthy reshypairs were made to the fuselage using 4130 steel tubing

The front end of the fuselage also was not standard In 1946 a 220 hp Continental was installed and a long Waco bump cowl was mounted Nearly three feet long it extended aft to the windshield Alan never tried to install it but instead one of the first parts he had built up for the airplane was a new speed ring Jim Allen of Fresno did the

wheel pants The new metal aileron skins were built up by noted Waco reshystorer Tom Flock and the seats were upholstered by Terrys Upholstery Shop Alan did the rest of the interior work

When it came time to finish the airshyplane and cover up all of that beautiful woodwork Alan chose the Stits (now Poly-Fiber) process and used Aerothane as the final finish coats to duplicate the fine rubbed dope finish originally installed on the airplane

Alan came to work on airplanes natshyurally enough - as soon as his dad would let him at age 14 he went to work at his dads flying school doing whatever his was needed He started doing charter work in 1962 flying for a corporation When they didnt want to put him on salary Alan opened his own aircraft maintenance shop Throughout many of the ensuing years Alan s steadfast supporter has been his wife Connie whose care of the homefront while Alan labors on the airplanes has enabled him to create some beautiful airplanes inshycluding a Rearwin Speedster he has reshybuilt twice since he bought it in 1951 It has a special tug on his heart for it is the airplane he bought to learn to fly in After flying it for a year or so it needed to be recovered It was then flown for 15 years before it was grounded and fully restored back to original

There are only four Waco QDCs left on the FAA registration rolls and only two of them are currently flying shythe QDC restored by Tom Ahlers of St Charles MO many years ago and the newly restored Waco by Alan Two more are registered but not flying yet With just four hours entered in the logshybook of the newly restored Waco Tom and Connie headed off to EAA OSHKOSH a trip that used about 24 hours of flight time with side trips to Branson MO and Troy OH Once at EAA Oshkosh 95 Tom and Alan parked their airplanes side-by-side among the 44 other Wacos that flew in as part of the American Waco Club flyshyin within the EAA Convention Fifteen years of hard but enjoyable work paid off handsomely with the selection of Alans 1932 Waco QDC as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique of 1995 Alan says that after his return home he put on a couple dozen more hours so that he now has 72 hours on the airshyplane and he even added a few items that were not on the airplane during his trip to the Midwest - each flying wire has a neat little streamline fairing covshyering the wire terminal He says it has been fun taking it to various west coast fly-ins where it has been gathering oohs and ahs not to mention a few more troshyphies A pretty neat start to a new career for NC 12438

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

by Norm Petersen

L e glint from a rather large piece of plastic caught my eye as I looked down the long row of airp lanes at EAA Oshkosh 95 Always one to take a closer look I cautiously made my way down the row to locate the source of the brilliant reflection As I came closer to the reflected rays of the late afternoon sun I spied the culprit - it was the large upper plastic window of an Interstate Lshy6 It bore the N number of N47093 and on the tag under the tail it read Seshyrial Number 2

The owner was sitting in the shade of the wing talking with various aviation peoshyple who were asking questions as fast as he could answer them Most wanted to know what kind of airplane it was - and when would it go into production The looks soon turned to amazement when the owner explained it was a 1942 airplane and this was the first airplane off the proshyduction line - fifty-three years ago

In just a few minutes I was able to meet the owner Edward Clay Smith (EAA 284382 AIC 11322) of Athens Alabama who goes by the name Clay and is inshy

(Left) Head-on view of the L-6 reveals the large area of glass especially above the cockpit Dual brace wires are used on the tail surfaces

(Below) Clay Smiths son Tom on the left with rebuilder Robbie Vajdos on the right ready to get aboard the L-6 for an air-to-air mission with EAAs photo plane There is a great deal of aircraft restoration experience represented by this pair

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

The instrument panel was restored with only the tachometer being reshyplaced (for the 150 Lycoming) along with an hour meter The spartan interior the huge seatbelt and the old primer with a lock over it are all reminders of the L-6s military past The yoke on the floor is off center to the left so the control stick is actually bent to the right centering the grip The toe brakes are located above the rudder pedals

(Above) Office of the L-6 observer is the rear seat where the person faces backwards and does his paperwork on the small table behind the seat The small 00 pouch is the desk drawer used to hold all drafting necessities

(Left) Complete radio stack is built into the upper left cabin area where the original U S Army radios were located It includes a transponder comm Loran and intercom With the area all open the pilot can see the main wing bolts durshying his pre-flight as well as the aileron operating cables

18 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

deed a serious student of aviation Born the year Lindbergh flew the Atlantic (1927) the young Clay was eaten alive with aviation and soaked up everything he could learn about the subject He soloed in a Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser at the age of 15 (they had to fudge on his age) and WW II came along so he applied for and took the Army Air Corps examinashytion Although he scored one of the highshyest grades ever achieved his eyes didnt pass so he walked down the street and joined the Navy V-6 program and wound up as an aviation electronics technician

Separated from service Clay couldnt find a job so he went back to school and earned a degree in industrial manageshyment He then hired on with Worthington Corporation as their corporate manager of engineering From there he moved on to Alcoa Whirlpool Ohio Quaker Mathshyews Industries Air Temp Corporation and finally with Borg-Warner as Vice President of Advanced Facilities

Clay retired from Borg-Warner and soon discovered he couldnt live with himshyself He then took a job as a Construction Superintendent for a friend whose comshypany was building the new terminal buildshying at the Nashville TN airport The mans entire crew had gotten into a fight and the job was stopped - the construction

of the terminal was at a standstill As a matter of fact he told Clay All of my crew is either in jailor the hospital and some of them both Into this tenuous sitshyuation Clay introduced his highly inshygrained Lets get the job done attitude and before long the crews were back at work and the terminal building was comshypleted

Over the years Clay has accumulated over 12000 hours of flight time and adshymits that all the companies he worked for allowed him to fly his own airplane on company business - a very fortunate cirshycumstance As he says Aviation has been very kind to me

About ten years ago Clay had a basshyket-case Interstate L-6 that needed comshyplete restoration Through a friend he learned of the existence of the first proshyduction L-6 Intrigued by the thought Clay began tracking it down - like a hound dog on a fresh trail Completed at the EI Segundo CA plant in 1942 the L-6 had flown around California for a spell before being transferred to Lafayette Indiana and an Army Air Corps school at Lawrenceburg Eventually the L-6 was surplused and a Mr Donnermeyer purshychased the airplane from the Reconstrucshytion Finance Corporation in late 1944 He sold the L-6 to LeRoy Berg who was the registered owner when Clay started tracing the airplane

We chased Mr Berg all over the world At one time we were close to him at Pontiac MI but he disappeared until we just missed him in Detroit I was able to talk with him a couple of times on the phone but that was it He was a very reshyserved person

Time passed until one day on a grass strip near Athens AL a tall gentleman walked up to Clay and introduced himself as Mr LeRoy Berg Encouraged to talk about the L-6 Clay asked him if it was for sale Mr Berg clammed up and vanished again Clay later learned he lived in or near Huntsville AL but efforts to find LeRoy Berg proved fruitless

A year or so later someone told Clay about an old man who lived outside of Tanner AL on a farm who had an old airplane in a barn If I hear a rumor of an airplane in a barn Im gone What I found at this particular place 10 and beshyhold was Mr Berg again He had retired and bought a 20 acre farmette was living in a mobile home and had built a nice barn with a loft - a beautiful loft that held the L-6

Clay talked with LeRoy Berg more and he seemed a little more interested in sellshying the airplane but not quite yet A year later he called Clay and asked if he was still interested in the L-6 Clay and his son Tom drove over to the farm and were interviewed regarding the L-6 Three more trips with continuing intershyviews would be conducted before the sale

was finally consummated Mr Berg explained that he was selling

the airplane to Clay and his son Tom beshycause they got along well together He had had a terrible experience with his own son who was not into aviation and had gone off in a different direction It turned out that Berg had flown the L-6 four times and had three forced landings He found it incapable of sustained flights with the Franklin geared engine and sternly caushytioned Clay and Tom about flying the L-6

From Alabama the pieces of the Intershystate L-6 were carefully hauled to a shop in Louise Texas (southwest of Houston) where the next part of our story takes place This particular shop is the home of Robert (Robbie) Vajdos Jr (the name is of Bohemian origin) who happens to be the very same person who built up Clay Smiths Stearman A-75Nl which garnered the Champion WW II Military Trainer Award at Oshkosh 94

Robbie Vajdos (EAA 298296 A IC 22684) grew up in Louise and was inshyvolved with airplanes from the very start His father was a B-25 pilot in WW II and really moved things along regarding aviashytion At age 14 Robbies father bought him an Aeronca 7AC Champ project which he proceeded to slowly rebuild When Robbie was old enough to fly his father bought him a flying 7 AC Champ to learn in After high school Robbi e atshytended Texas State Technical Institute (TSTI) in Waco TX learning the ins and outs of an A amp P course while working part time for a crop dusting outfit As soon as he graduated from A amp P school Robbie moved back to Louise and set up shop in a 50 x 70 foot hangar The first project he finished with his new AampP was his high school project Champ

Since then Robbie has built up about 25 airplanes at his shop of which nine have been Stearmans - including the 94 awardshywinner at Oshkosh (Not too shabby for a man who has just turned thirty years of age)

Work soon began on the Interstate L-6 and several surprises were in store It had a basically good airframe except for a few pinholes on the topside of the lower longerons Both longerons were replaced from the landing gear back The tail feathshyers were OK and the wings were good Even the wing spars checked out fine The biggest job was cleaning out the huge pile of pecans and shells the squirrels had left inside the wings Much of the original fabric was on the airplane and after nearly fifty years it still tested out as serviceable (No they didnt tempt fate and keep it on the airframe)

Many of the missing parts such as door bootcowl and firewall forward were loshycated in many different places Bill Diehl of Anchorage AK who has owned the Inshyterstate Type Certificates for years under the name Arctic Aircraft was very helpful

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

in supplying parts plus drawings where the parts were not avai lable With the decishysion made to use a Lycoming 0-320 enshygine of 150 hp it was discovered that J E (Jim) Soares of Rocky Mountain Airshyframe in Belgrade MT had drawings for a 150 mount and he proceeded to bui ld one for the L-6 (Jim Soares has flown a 125 hp Interstate L-6 for over thirty years)

The McCauley propeller came from a 172 which was repitched to 52 inches so with a 76 x 52 prop the L-6 performs very well with a short takeoff run Clay still has the original wooden US Propeller that came with the airplane however it uses a four-bolt hub on the geared Franklin engine and is not compatible with the 150 Lycoming Eventually Clay wants to have a wooden prop made to use for displaying the aircraft

One lucky find was the original pair of Interstate wheel covers (Shinn) that needed a substantial amount of work to bring them up to show quality however when fastened onto the wheels with new screws they really make the 700 X 6 wheels and tires look original The brakes were changed to Bodell as the original Inshyterstate brakes were entirely inadequate

Swinging into a left turn Robbie Vajdos gives us the complete silhouette of the L-6 with its gracefully rounded wingtips The tailwheel swings with the input of left or right rudder Original wheel covshyers are chic Aileron mass balances are visible which give the controls a near velvet feel in roll

especially with the 150 hp engine Clay was unable to locate any of the

original L-6 radio packages so he built up a package that is mounted in the same loshycation as the original With no visible anshytennae outside the installation looks very chic yet serves the purpose for communishycation and navigation The large wide military seatbelts came from Banaire in California All of the neat woodwork on the door the rear table and the floorshyboards was done by Robbies father Robert Vajdos Sr He is retired from the electrical business and thoroughly enjoys woodworking (We strongly suspect he also enjoys watching Robbie work his magic on a 50-year-old airplane)

All covering on the L-6 was done in Ceconite fabric and Randolph dope using

The steerable tailwheel encomshypasses its own tailspring in comshypression A rather substantial tailskid is built into the lower rudshyder post in case the tailwheel fails Vajdos Aviation plate adds a certain amount of class to an award-winning airplane

Original brakes were replaced w ith Bodell units to handle the higher horsepower of the Lyshycoming engine You can see how nice they f it inside the wheel for a very clean appearance

about 40 coats The metal parts are finshyished in DuPont acrylic enamel The wing fabric is fastened to the metal ribs with metal fabric clips that were an original Inshyterstate patent With these clips you fasshyten the front then the rear and then the whole length of the rib snaps down It is very fast

The huge windows were all replaced with Lexantrade that Robbie made up himshyself He likes to work with Lexantrade as it forms easily and doesnt crack when you put a little pressure on it The upper winshydows (eight) were made in one piece to simplify the installation and it worked out well A close examination of the glassshywork reveals the touch of the artist

With the exception of the tachometer all instruments were overhauled and inshystalled in the panel The old tach for the geared Franklin would not work for the Lycoming engine so a new one was seshycured

As far as Clay Smith can deduce there are about 370 hours total time on the Inshyterstate with the last flight before the restoration being made in 1954 Thats when Mr Berg had his last forced landing

To run off with the Runner-Up Trophy in the WW II Military TrainerLiaison catshyegory is quite an achievement in itself For this we add our sincere congratulashytions to Clay Smith his chief rebuilder Robbie Vajdos and all the other people that had a hand in the restoration of the Interstate L-6 It is a remarkable piece of work and to save the first production model of any airplane is a rare treat Like Clay says The story of an old airplane in a barn is still true and can happen

20 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

Mystery Plane (Continued from page 72)

As a fascinating historical footnote those two dozen big Hall bishyplane flying boats were the final development of the 1914 Curtiss America built to cross the Atlantic (but the war interfered) The design developed into the British Royal navy Felixtowe F-Boats in the World War Then the design recrossed the Atlantic to become the US Navy F-5L (L for two Liberty V-12 engines) This same basic Curtiss flying boat design with constant improvements and various engines became the US Navys PN- series of patrol boats (the PN-9 made a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to fly non-stop to Hawaii in 1925) Douglas Keystone and Martin all built modificashytions of the PN-12 still using the old F-5L sponsons Last of all Hall-Aluminum built refinements of the PN-ll (without sponsons) designated PH-1 through PH-3 (some PH-3s lasted until 1944) the fina l end of the Line for the historic old original basic 1914 Curtiss design

For further detail here s Larry Beidleman s letter

f wouLd like to identiftj the Mystenj Plane shown in the Vintage AirpLane issue Vol 23 no 10 dated October 1995

Your photo is a picture of the Hall XFH-1 This was a fighter design submitted to the Namj by the Hall-Aluminum Co The model was submitted to the Navy in June of 1929 for their evaluation The Aircraft had a gross weight of 2517 lbs and was powered by a Pratt

The October Mystery Plane was the Hall-Aluminum XFH-1 shown here during 1929 after the upper wing structure was modified after a partial structural failure

Another Hall design had much better staying power - the PN series of flying boats whose ancestry could be traced back to the Curtiss series of 1914 was in production for many years In 1925 this Hall PN-9-1 commanded by John Rogers attempted to f ly from San Francisco to Hawaii but Rogers and his crew were forced down at sea 600 miles short of their goal when their fuel was exhausted An epic 10 day sailing journey to the last island in the chain Nawshyiliwili ensued after ships stationed along their route searched the wrong area and never found the airplane or its crew They were fishynally taken in tow by a Navy submarine when they were within sight of the island of Kauai and lived to tell the tale In this photo Rogers and his crew show off the barrels of the 1350 gallons of fuel they carried on their flight - it wasnt enough without a healthy tailwind which never materialized

amp Whitney R-1340B engine The aircraft was designed by Charles Ward Hall formerly with

Curtiss who designed the F-4-C-1 aircraft The Navy wanted a deshysign using an all metal fuselage design watertight to withstand a water landing The XFH-1 also featured a jettisonable Landing gear to achieve a successful emergency water landing

The prototype aircraft delivered to the Navy was assigned BuAer No 8009 Prior to its first flight inspections reveaLed some structural weaknesses The Navy began to realize the aircraft was not going to be able to meet the standards of a Navy fighter

Trial flights reveaLed serious buffeting that damaged the plane In October 1929 the aircraft was being tested in a vertical power dive when the rear spar of the top wing buckled partially jamming the aileron

The watertight fuselage was inadvertently tested when an emershygenClj landing in water had to be made due to engine failure On this occasion the landing gear was not jettisoned The aircraft settled about 40deg nose down with about 2 feet of freeboard at the cockpit The XFH-1 stayed afloat for forty minutes before it was hoisted out of the water

The Navy reported the aircraft was heavy on the controls and nose heavy with power off They concluded while a waterproof fuseshyLage was certainLy possible to achieve it was not practicaL because of construction costs and maintenance

An so the Charles Hall designed XFH-1 faded from the scene in March 1930

The information is found on pages 42 and 43 of Unit ed States Navy and Marine Corps Fighters 1918-1962 published in 1962 by Harley Ford Publications Limited Letchworth Herts EngLand LIshybrary of Congress Card no 62-19914 compiled by Paul R Matt edited by Bruce Robinson

The XFH-l had an unusual wing structure geometry The lower wing was swept forward 4 degrees with the upper wing swept aft 6 degrees (According to the book mentioned above by Larry B e idleman this was don e to give the pilot better sight lines during carrier operations) All of this aerodynamic work did littl e to give the airplane acceptable handling qualishyties - it was sluggish on the controls and when power was apshyplied it was tai l heavy and would become nose heavy with the power off

Othe r correct answers were received from Steven McNicoll D e Pe re WI Bob O Hara G eor ge town CA Wayne Van Valkenburg Jasper GA TA Watson Corona CA Rowland L H a ll Northfield IL Frank Abar Livonia MI William Rodgers Jacksonville FL Edward Wyka Clifton NJ Bob Nelshyson Bismarck NO and Ralph Nortell Spokane W A

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

AN OLD FRIEND by Peter Bowers

AI Nordgren1s Widgeon has been photographed before

I found an o ld friend on page 18 of the August 1995 issue of Vintage Airplane The N number of Al Nordgrens beautiful restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon didnt ring a bell at first but mention of Lana Kurtzers name in the text did That sent me rushing to my photo files - I couldn t check my log books they had been lost in a fire a few years ago NC69058 was the re - Lana Kurtze rs G-44 the Widshygeon in which I got my multi-engine sea rating in 1950

It still had the inverted Ranger L-440 engines then but metal Curtiss-Reed proshypellers instead of wood props My main memory of it was trying to hold a steady airspeed while trying to synchronize the two engines

The photos show me flying it during my rating check ride The photos were taken by my friend Victor Seely out of my Luscombe 8E seaplane flown by one of Kurtzers instructo rs

The color scheme of the Widgeon was all white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers You ll note that the registration is NC69058 even though it was supposed to be N-only from late 1948 People had 10 years or until the airshycraft was repain ted to keep the o ld NC prefix in the registration Ive even got pictures of an airplane with NC numbers on the wing and tail and N on the fuseshylage after the 12-inch fuselage numbers became mandatory in 1966

22 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

(Above) 1950 - Pete Bowers nattily dressed in shirt and tie for his multi-engine sea rating check ride above the waters of Seattle WA in Lana Kurtzers Grumman G-44 Widgeon

(Left and below) Steady as she goes on the approach After touchdown Pete eases the control wheel back to allow the Widgeon to settle nicely into the still harbor waters

(Left) Peter slips the Widgeon into the water at the famous Kurtzer seaplane base in Seattle Watch out for that bit of flotsam ahead off the starboard bow Captain Bowers The amphibious twin was painted overall white with dark blue trim including the registration numbers

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING _______________________________ by Norm Petersen

Bud Cooks Franklin Sport 90

These photos of a freshly rebuilt Franklin Sport 90 NC13271 SIN 106 were contributed by th e airplanes owner Cle land Bud Cook (EAA 215148 AIC 18369) of Eaton Rapids Michigan Powered with a 90 hp Lamshybert R-266 e ngi ne the a irpl a ne was ma nufactured in Franklin PA o n September 27 1933 Number 106 was the las t of 14 aircraft built by the Franklin Company Bud brought the basket case home in April 1987 from Sidney Ohio and commenced th e res toration Eight

years later the Franklin flew on June 5 1995 As of October the cute little biplane had accumulated over 30 hours The covshyering was done in Stits process with the fishynal colors of B a ha ma Blu e and Lemon Yellow done in Aerothane to match the last known color scheme Buds wife Ann made th e sea t covers from dee r hid e lea th er in a starb urst pattern a nd conshytributed a la rge supply of e ncouragemen t during the long rebuild The airplane logs go back to day o ne and of the original 14 airplanes four are still known to be flying

Ted Herlihys Cessna 180B

Sitting on the main wheel of his highly polished Cessna 180B N5077E SIN 50377 is Ted Herlihy (EAA 415506 AIC 19564) of Fallbrook CA Ted purchased the pai nted 180B in 1992 and spent the next month stripping and polishing the bird He then proceeded to put 200 hours of flight time on the airplane before taking on a load of contaminated fuel (the lOOLL plus jet fuel scenario) After a factory fresh remanufactured engine fro m TCM Continental was installed in late 1994 Ted has flown the airplane to Spokane WA three times to visit his fellow antique airplane enthusiasts Addison and Wendy Pemberton (EAA 154948 AIC 6679) The photo of the sharp looking 180 was taken at the Flying Flannigan s ranch at Chowchilla CA

Bruce Bixlers Taylorcraft DC-65

This rather ra re 1941 Taylorcraft DC-65 tandem trainer NC36263 SIN 4035 was restored by Bruce Bixler (EAA 76406 AIC 1655) and Marvin Springer of Alliance OH This particular DC-65 (o ne of200 built) featured metal spars and ribs and flew over 2000 ho urs in the CAP and CPT programs during WW II Covered with Stits P- L06 fabric the T-craft is fi nished in original metalshylic blue and yellow factory scheme The Continental A65shy8 e ngine was majored and finished off with a set of Slick mags and a stainless steel exhaust system The first test flight was done by Forrest Barber whose father the late AI Barber made the first flight on this airplane October ] 5 1941 There are 60 DC-65 Taylorcrafts remaining on the FAA register

24 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

Richard Starkes Stinson SR-SA

That s ownerlrebui lder Richard Starke (EAA 155224 AIC 10538) of Burlington ND standing in front of his pride and joy a 1934 Stinson SR-5A Nshy13872 SIN 9251-A powered with a 225 hp Lyshycoming R-680-13 Richard who has owned the Stinshyson for thirty years completely rebuilt the big cabin job in 1986 after retiring from the Air Force as a Major The rebuild took abo ut seven months of diligent work however the results are quite evident and the red and black paint scheme is most complishymentary When he flew the Stinson into Oshkosh the tower controller referred to the airplane as the big red tail dragger - not being able to identify a Stinson SR-5A Richard reports the airplane is curshyrent ly housed in the Dakota Territory Museum at the Minot ND airport and is one of only five SRshy5A Stinsons remaining on the FAA register

Argentine Focke-Wulf 44)

This photo (below) of a bright yellow Focke-Wulf FW-44J Steishyglitz registered in Argentina LV-ZAS was sent in by its owner-reshystorer Alfred Jobke (EAA 435648 AIC 20349) of Buenos Aires Arshygentina Alfred reports he star ted with a basket case and finally finished the restoration in 1994 The Steig li tz (which means Go ld Finch in German) is powered with a Siemens amp Halske SH-14A Bramo engine of 160 hp and equipped with dual carburetors for inshyverted flight (This is the same engine as used on the Bucker Jungshymeister)

Argentina is home to a surprising number of antique airplanes and is the only country outside of the US to have its very own AntiquelClassic Chapter 12

Working on a project of your own Send your photos along with a short story

on your airplane to

Attn HG Frautschy EAA Headquarters

PO Box 3086 Oshkosh VV154903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

BUCK by EE Buck Hilbert EAA 21 NC 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Jm really happy with the filter and yes I have used the magnetic particle pick-up as well as the chip detector As a matter of fact for a while I had a homeshyrnade magnetic pickup in the drain plug of my A-65 but it gave way to an easier oiL change when I put in a quick drain

The chip detectors were standard of the L-19s as an afterthought when the CAP was using them Thanks for your Letter Captain and

Over to you

Hi

Hope all is well with you folks I sure enjoy Pass it to Buck Octoshy

ber 95 issue is right on Too often fo lks dont understand direct supervishysion The FAA reads that as not by phone not on the other side of the field etc Both the owneroperator and the AampP and IA can have real heartburn over this Your articles are a great service to all working with aeroplanes

Thanks Harold A Lossner 4115 8th Place Des Moines IA 50313-3303

Harold you dont know how

Dear Buck

I enjoyed your recent thoughts on oil filters All my mechanical life I have been heavy on lubrication and filtration It is cheaper to change oil than an enshygine

Have you ever used a magnetic drain plug You will be amazed at the amount of metal these collect particularly from fresh engines

Over the years I have used these simshyple filters in automotive aviation and marine engines with great success

Keep up the good work IW Stephenson GC Capt BA retired Box 481 Menominee MI 49858

(Below) One more look at the Sedans filshyter installation The cowling prop rod with a little rubber bumper on the end menshytioned in Charles Grauers letter is mounted on the back of the engine baffle I dont have it up in this shot because we needed to hold the cowl open so we could take photos It simply swings up and props open the cowl so you dont need three hands to add a quart of oil It was built up using a piece of aluminum tubing an a few other hardware odds and ends I had around the shop

PASS db

much your comments mean to me You my friend are one of the best When it comes to aircraft maintenance your background as an antiquer your accomplishments as an educator your willingness to help anyone and evenjone to maintshyian and fly their airplane and your support this aLL adds up to more than words can express

I enjoy and appreciate your friendship and counseL Harold What more can I say except Over to you

Dear Buck

Re Sedan oil filter I sure enjoy your articles in VINshy

TAGE AIRPLANE and this one on your oil filter installation hit home I have a 48 Sedan N1115H SIN 135 and have wanted to install an oil filter but J just havent been ready to part with the cash or hassle to get it on Do you have an oil cooler If so did you just put the oil filter between the oil cooler adapter output and the oil cooler inlet port

I just majored my 0-300A and have 12 hours on it now I had the same kind of stuff in my screen (lint gasket particles a few flecks of various metshyals etc) as you described If you would I would appreciate any help (guidance in getting the paper through FAA) you could give me Would it be possible to get a copy of your approved 337 That is what it takes here in Wishychita to get the FAA to approve a one time deal

In your picture I noticed a rod by your scat tube on the back of your baffling is this a rod to hold up the cowl half when looking in the engine compartment

If the filter does in fact make the oil run cooler did you eliminate the oil cooler

Do you have two shock cords on each main as the service letter sugshygests or do you have three as was original J have just the two 10 inch rings on but the gear stays open just a little when on the ground J noticed other Sedans seem to do this as well I plan to replace the cords this winter and havent decided whether to put on two or three cords The original complaint with three was the gear was too stiff

I sure enjoy your articles and keep up the good work If everyone can

26 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

help each other we a ll benefit We just started an EAA chapter here in our airport (Smoky Hill EAA Chapter 1127) in Ellsworth Kansas 1 have wanted to do it for years but couldnt get enough people interested This has generated more interest at our airport than anything else we have done When we were going around last sumshymer to promote our chapter forming we generated interest at two other airshyports and they are now starting chapshyters also I guess they thought if Ellsworth (small town) could do it so can we

Were happy for them and trying to help and support them even if we will lose some of our members in those arshyeas But 1 know from my experience that if the Chapter is too far away you just dont get to really be a part of it 1 hope to be able to see you at EAA OSHKOSH 96 I talked briefly with you at EAA OSHKOSH 94 but hope to get acquainted better

Sincerely yours Charles Grauer P O Box 506 Wilson KS 67490-0506

Hey Charles

Thanks for the letter and the complishyments It s great to hear from a fellow Sedan owner Ill take your questions in order

If you look at the specification sheets the oil cooler is only required for the seashyplane I took mine off It didnt seem to make any difference with the old engine which ran a little hot The newly overshyhauled C-145 D-2 was never run without the oil filter so I can only tell you that its running very cool in this fall weather The old one always peaked out at about 195degF with and without the cooler The new enshygine was well up there about 205 until we got the temperature break (break in indicashytion) and it is now running about 140 to 160degF Im sure the filter installation does help with the cooling after all there are about 60 inches of hose and the filter body is finned

Ill enclose copies of the paperwork if you intend to use them Like you I labored men tally a t spending the five-hundred bucks for the installation but when I comshypared it to the cost of overhauling the enshygine it was the deciding factor

The rod you saw is indeed a cowl hold

open device I have one on each side They sure make it easier to add oil etc but they are not restrained and occasionally the wind will upset me by picking up the cowl and depositing it on my head

I have the two shock cords and yes the airplane is a little spraddle legged and STILL stiff legged Putting on a Scott pneumatic eight inch tail wheel helped a lot but with just me in there its a real hopper

Im passing along your letter to Bob Mackey up at EAA Im sure hell be very interested in your chapter organizational efforts Im also passing the letter onto HG our editor He is a devoted and dedishycated Aeronca man He just brought 1048H back home Friday after Thanksgivshying I was going to South Africa on Nashytional Aeronautic Association business and after much cajoling I allowed him to take it He flew it about 19 hours last month (I think 1 got most of the hops out of it by now - just ask the guys hangshying on the airport fence - HGF)

Enuf for now Ill FAX your informashytion Over to you Charles

t(

Parked among a row of biplanes at the September MAAC Fly-In at Brodshyhead WI was this immaculate Waco UPF-7 N39714 SIN 5847 that has been totally restored by George Bud Hays (EAA 142642 AIC 19751) of Lowell Inshydiana and his lovely wife Mary Lou Painted in a medium light blue paint scheme with black trim the Waco features a Waco emblem carefully painted on the top side of the center section along with a full bump cowling and wheelshypants The Continental R-760 engine of 220 hp swings a ground adjustable Hamilton Standard propeller that Bud located in Florida The basket case UPF-7 was found in a swamp near Norwood MA and hauled home in bits and pieces It was restored over nine years Ed Sampson Belview MN rebuilt the wings and Bud had much help from Dan Vermuelen Jim Overland Nick Kuck and Dick Cain The covering was done in Stits with final coats in Aerothane Thats Mary Lou and Bud kneeling in front of the pretty Waco

ANew Waco Restoration by Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

Dominick J Fazio Smithtown NY Daniel F Neuman Jr Tucson AZ Salvatore Filippone Irving TX Floyd D Newton Phoenix AZ Robert C Finley Washington OK Herman Noort The Netherlands Robert D Fitts Independence OR Patrick ONeill Las Vegas NV Fred Fortin Peacham VT Leon E Olds Scarboro ME John D Fradet Sheridan WY Lee R Oliver Amarillo TX Howard J Fulton Batavia IL Lawrence G Olson Joseph D Gauvreau Glenn Dale MD Palos Verdes Penn CA John J Gifford Jr North Bellmore NY John J Palesh North Tonawanda NY Jim Griffin Lebanon OR Leonard A Palmer Port Ludlow WA C A Hair McKinney TX Robert D Patrick Coleman TX Gary L Hall Fayetteville GA Boyd T Payne Blairsville PANew James c Hamilton Orcas WA Edward L Peterson Hummelstown PA Bob Hansberger Phoenix AZ David H Pflegl Oregon City OR Todd Harders Wood River NE Paul J Phelps Fredericksburg VA Ron Harris Cedar Rapids IA James A Pittman Jr Birmingham AL Thomas Hatton Hopatcong NJ Graeme Charles Planck Ed Hemmingson Albany OR Warregul Victoria Australia Thomas T Hinshaw Tucson AZ James W Pugh Mineola NY Michael J Holm Glendale AZ Dagley M Reeves Fountain Hills AZ

Moses J Acee Westmoreland NY Ray N Hopkins Scott Depot WV Dan G Reid Klamath Falls OR Ted R Apeland Belfair WA Ronald E House Mesa AZ Lester F Reinig Sun Lakes AZ William T Arnesen Olympia WA Wayne A Huser Morton IL Christopher P Renkel Fairview Park OH Gerald F Arnold Sun City West AZ Bobby J Irby Paris TN Clark C Rice Newtown PA Janis M Babcock Walnut Creek CA William H Jacobs Boulder CO Gordon T Richardson Burns WY Frank Baccelli Elk Grove CA T E Jaggers Woodinville WA Robert W Robinson Lebanon TN John E Baker Brookings OR David C Johnson Cheyenne WY Willard Ray Rosvall Fillmore UT Walt Baldwin Brighton CO Wilbur Johnston Port Angeles WA Harley V Sargent Strong ME Walter Barke Seattle WA Herbert B Kaehler Fairfield CT LeRoy Seidenspinner Deer Park NY Harry O Barker Jr West Milford NJ Christopher J Kalishek Madison WI Steven H Shockley Marietta GA James Bartolome Albany CA Robert Katz Encino CA David B Sirota Tucson AZ Robert J Bastin Hopkinsville KY Gordon E Kaye Garrison NY Karl Smalley Dearborn MI Jim Bentley Lopez WA Dennis E Kelsey Connell WA Hugh E Smith Groveland CA

Members

L William Benton Batavia NY James Killian Lexington IL Sandy G Sowders Knoxville TN William Bihrle Jr Jericho NY Paul Kimball Exter NH Allen J Starr Erie PA Russell C Bingley Chico CA John W Knight Jackson MI Dennis J Steed Salt Lake City UT William N Blatt Sedona AZ Robert Knight Albuquerque NM John J Steele Coraopolis PA John Bonvin Vucherens Switzerland Mark Kohl Fairborn OH Tom Steers West Hills CA Richard J Bovey West Pawlet VT Richard Kornhiser Centerville MA Bobby Stender Jacksonville AR John G Braband Medford NY William P Lambing Greenwood IN C D J Strachan Waterbeach England Victor Bravo Milpitas CA Calvin Laughinghouse Columbia SC Timothy B Styles Orangevale CA R J Britton Tukwila WA Richard L Leighton Spokane WA David Swagler Aurora CO David C Brunner Colden NY Thom Leslie Unionville Ontario Canada Malcolm Sykes South Windham ME Calvin A Bugbee Issaquah WA George Levin Seattle WA Thomas T Tabar Pittsgrove NJ Gerry Bukurak Edward R Lindgren Guifford CT Dennis R Tabler Knoxville TN

Colonsay Saskatechewan Canada Gary E Livesay Lizella GA James W Tarbox Sanford ME B T Bullion Memphis TN John C Lorenz Tijeras NM Roland E Taylor Sun City AZ Robert L Burke Fontana CA William J Losey Cochranville PA Burton H Tekippe Jr Mason City IA James P Caire Hillsboro OR Raymond A Marineau Gales Ferry CT Jay H Theder Coppell TX Michael R Carpenter Desoto TX Joseph Marlo Walnut Creek CA Alan N Timmerman Tucson AZ Thomas S Carr Hillsboro OR John W Mattingly Pueblo West CO Michael E Todd Mc Kenna WA Robert D Chambers Springfield TN Tom Mayo Fredericksburg TX John S Tokar Pompton Plains NJ Thomas B Cochran Lake Worth FL Wally Menckel Sun City AZ Richard Toler Moberly MO Morton Collins Princeton NJ John H Metzger Grand Island NY A G Tomson Prescott AZ Lee A Coltrin Westminster CO William J Meyerriecks Ridge NY Keith D Trombly Plattsburgh NY Bruce L Curran Bristol CT Dr John D Miller Seattle WA Guy N Ullman Narberth PA Jack L Curtin Lewiston ID Chuck Milton Independence OR Frank Varnum Roseburg OR Don B Davidson Jr Rome NY George E Mitchell Bayport NY Lee V Way Jr Perkins GA Ricky Davidson Evergreen CO Stuart Mitzel Tyth Valley OR Wayne R Weiker Clyde OH Vernon S Davies Deerfield NH William A Monroe San Diego CA Earnest F Weiser Erie PA Kenneth Davis Flushing MI Patrick J Mooney Sr Gilbert PA Marshall Welch Williamsport PA Thomas A Decker Kirkwood NY C Wesley Moore West Chester PA James Wendt Durango CO H A Dier Poway CA Clifford Moore Dallas TX Donald A Westerberg Bellevue WA Howard A Dillon Sutherlin OR Thomas L Morris Martinez CA Kathleen A Wilson Page AZ John T Dove Missoula MT Hugh A Murray Murrysville PA Gene Wolstenholme Warminster PA James S Elder Windham ME Arthur R Myers Camp Hill PA Paul N Woodruff Salt Lake City UT Orlo Thomas Ellison Lakewood CO Morris R Nacke Louisville KY Glen Word Anthony NM Don B Erchinger Seattle WA Jim Nelson Vacaville CA Curtis Wyborny Sand Point ID Thomas F Ewing WoodridgelL Norwood Nelson New London NH Frank H Youngquist Tucson AZ

28 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

----------

AC NEWS (Continued from page 4)

MINNESOTA SPORT AVIATION CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and Flight Expo wi ll be held February 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minshyneapolis MN Dedicated to recreational flight of all sorts its motto is Flying is Fun

There will be sessions of general intershyest as well as seminars on homebuilding AntiqueClassic aerobatics hot-air balshylooning sai lplanes ultralights skydiving helicopters the 99s and aviation youth activities A three hour long Cockpit Reshysource Seminar wi ll be held as will a four hour Teledyne-Continental engine semishynar Speakers include NASA astrona ut Pamela Melroy Cirrus Design president Alan Klapmeyer original Tuskegee airshyman Col Kenneth Wofford and a host of

other regionally and nationally recognized speakers A pilot safety seminar hosted by Chas Harral will take place Saturday evening

A large display area will be set up feashyturing aircraft commercial exhibitors and other displays Open to all pilots and the public admission is $5 per day Call the Minn DOT Wayne Petersen if you need more in formation 612296-9853

MONTANA AVIATION CONFERENCE

February 28-March 2 are the dates for the Montana Aviation Conference at the Colonial Inn Helena MT There will be workshops seminars nationally recogshynized speakers and a trade show For more information contact the Montana Aeronautics Division Box 5178 Helena MT 59604 or call 406444-2506

AIR SERVICE CARAVAN

For many years a company known as Air Service Caravan of New Bedford MA supplied copies of o ld er aircraft manuals and other aircraft maintenance material that have been out of print That company had closed it doors in the recent past and a new firm Air Carashyvan of New Bedford has now acquired the company and is now open for busishyness A large library dating back to the 1920s is avai lable You can obtain a printed li st for $200 (refundable with an order over $10) by writing Air Carashyvan of New Bedford PO Box 50727 New Bedford MA 02745-0025 They are in the process of compiling their list of General Aviation manuals so if you dont see what you are looking for give them a specific request and theyll look to see what they have

Fly-In calen~a~r~~ _~Z~=~~i~~~~~~iiiiii~~~~~~~

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does

not constitute approval sponsorship involvement control or direction ofany event (fly-in seminars fly market etc) listed Please send the information to fAA Att Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Information should be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 4 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA

Chapter 889 Spot Landing Contest

975388-3397

FEBRUARY 10 1996 - MERRITT ISLAND

FL - Merritt Island airport Aviation Day

96 sponsored by Alpha Eta Rho Sigma

Alpha chapter Florida Institute of Techshy

nology Aircraft rides and tours with

FI T s NIFA precision flight team the Falshy

cons as well as landing and bomb drop

competitions Ca ll 407 242-4949 for

more info

FEBRUARY 24-25 - RIVERSIDE CA - EAA

Chapter 7 Annual Open HouseFly-In

Flabob Airport 25th Anniversary of the

Marquart Charger 909686-7378

FEBRUARY 24-25 - MINNEAPOLIS MN shy

Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference and

Flight Expo Minneapolis Convention

Center 9 a m - 70 pm Saturday 9 am

- 6 pm Sunday Aviation speakers

exhibits workshops Sponsored by the

Minn Office of Aeronautics FAA and

Minnesota pilot groups and associations

Ca ll 672296-8202

FEBRUARY 25 - WARROAD MN - 18th

Annual Ski-Plane Fly-In Breakfast

27 8386-7 8 7 8 MARCH 1-3 - CASA GRANDE AZ - 38th

Annual Cactus Fly-In sponsored by the

Arizona Antique Aircraft Association For

more information ca ll John Engle

602830-9670 for more information

MARCH 6-7 - NASHVILLE TN - Tennessee

Mid-South Aviation Maintenance Semishy

nar Contact TN Dept of Trans Office of

Aeronautics Po Box 77326 Nashville

TN 372 77 Call 675741-3208

APRIL 14-20 - LAKELAND FL - 22nd Anshy

nual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-In and Convenshy

tion 813644-2431

JUNE 12 - KINGSLAND TX - EAA Chapter

889 Spot Landing Contest 915 388shy

3397

JUNE 30-JUL Y 1 - SHERBROOKE QUE

CANADA - 2nd Conseil Reg ional RAA

Quebec Convention - Grass and Daisy

Roots aviation event

AUGUST 1-7 - OSHKOSH WI - 44th Annual fAA Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention Wittman Regional Airport Contact John Burton fAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 414426-4800

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

EAA Membership in the Experimental Airc raft Association Inc is $35 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membership is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $20 annually All major credit cards accepted for membership

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EAA Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATlON magazine not included)

lAC Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35 per year EAA Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARshyBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EAA Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magazine not included)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18 per year EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included)

_FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add $13 postage for SPORT AVIATION magazine andor $6 postage for any of the other magazines

EAA AVIATION CENTER POBOX 3086

OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 PHONE (414) 426-4800

FAX (414) 426-4873 OFFICE HOURS

815-500 MON-FRI 1-800-843-3612

MEMBERSHIP DUES TO EAA AND ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX

DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Something to buy sell or trade An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader ~~y be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 40cent per word $600 mInimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader f AA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your VISA or MasterCard number to 414 42 6-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th of the month for insertion in the issue the second month following (e g October 20th for the December issue)

AIRPLANES

1939 STINSON SR-10 (Reliant) - 10434 TT 598 SM OH 265 SPOH KX 175 B Trans KI208 OBS KT-76A Xponder ELT Call John Hopkinson 403637-2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1943 G-44 WIDGEON - 3000 TT 200 SFOH 200 SPOH Oshkosh Outstanding Achievement Award winner John Hopkinson amp Associates Ltd 403637shy2250 FAX 403637-2153 (3-3)

1938 MILES MAGISTER - Fine collection piece in perfect flying condition For sale or trade Call 5461-445089 FAX 5461-272059 or 54623-44007 or write Mario Cardama Alem 202 (5577) Rivadavia Mza Argentina (1-1)

450 STEARMAN PROJECT - Includes ribs wing and center section wood engine flying surfaces ailerons etc Add some elbow grease and few bucks and youll be flying $2450000 or trades considered on small taildragger flying or project Greg Davis 803882-5900 days or 803882-5255 evenings (1-1)

MISCELLANEOUS

Babbitt Bearing Service - Camshaft reshygrinding - cam followers reground - piston ri ngs - piston pins - valves For shipping inst ructions 1-800-233-6934 Jack H Bunton Machinist Vintage Engine Machine Works N 604 Freya Spokane WA 99202 (1alt)

Flying Field - by James Haynes can be purchased by mai ling your check to Robins Nest Company 21 Sunset Lane Bushnell IL 61422-9739 Flying FIeld is about the historic Monmouth Illinois airport the oldshyest continuously operated airport in Illinois And does it ever have good stories 250 pp - 133 photos $1900 includes tax shipping and handling An excellent gift anytime of the year (1-1 )

Plans - Ragwing Repl icas - Ultralight lega l Pietenpol Pitt s Heath Church Midwing Plans $70 Brochure $3 312 Gilstrap Drive Liberty SC 29657 (996)

Ultraflight Magazine - Hear our FAST ACTION CLASSIFI EDS Call 1-800-411 shy0042 Buy sell trade kit built fixed wing powered parachutes rotor sailplanes trikes balloons and more Stories galore Sample issue $300 Annual subscription $3600 INTRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $2400 Ultraflight Magazine 12545 70th Street Largo FL 34643-3025 813539shy0814

SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture STC-PMA-d 4130 chromoly tubing throughout also complete fuselage repair ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC (J Soares Pres) 7093 Dry Creek Road Belgrade Montana 59714 406388shy6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station No QK5R148N

(NEW) This amp That About the Ercoupe $1400 Fly-About Adventures amp the Ercoupe $1795 Both books $2500 FlyshyAbout P O Box 51144 Denton Texas 76206 (ufn)

FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843shy3612

Curtiss JN4-D Memorabilia - You can now own memorabilia from the famous Curtiss Jenny as seen on TREASURES FROM TH E PAST We have T-shirts posters postcards videos pins airmail cachets etc We also have RIC documenshytation exclusive to this historic aircraft Sale of these items supports operating expenses to keep this Jenny flying for the aviation publ ic We appreciate your help Send SASE to Virginia Aviation PO Box 3365 Warrenton VA 22186 (ufn)

WANTED

Wanted - A usabl e se rvicea bl e or rebuil dable wooden cen ter sect ion for Fairchild PT 192326 Type Aircraft Chris Polhemus 41 2966-7719 (1-1)

30 JANUARY 1996

Out of the clear blue of the western sky

tioW available through tAA-the complete collection ofJky King television dram05 contained on 16 tWo hour video cassettes tach cossette contains four uncut episodes complete With tiabisco spot Action drama suspense and high flying thrills are part of everyJky King adventure

Jingle tape price $2495 (a content summary for each volume is available upon request) Complete collection (16 tapes64 episodes) price $35595-Jave over $4000 Major credit cards accepted

Whats A Comet Made Of

DoLy-pmER plus r genius perseverence ded ication perspiration and a love ot classic aircraft

Geoffrey de Havilland designed the Comet racer in 1 Y3 4 A few years later it became the phenomenal Mosquito fighter-bomber

Tom Wathens replica chose Poly-Fiber for its

Jan 13 amp 14 Feb 10 amp 11 March 9 amp 10 March 23 amp 24 Anchorage AK Riverside CA Mesa AZ Denton TX

Customer Service 800-362-3490

Other Stuff 909-684-4280 Post Office Box 3 129

Riverside California 92519 Formerly Stits Aircraft Coatings

easy application and unrishyvaled a urability and PolyshyTone because it recreated the sat in finish of the 30s

Try it yourself at one of our Learn-to-Cover Workshyshops held nationwide Theyre hands on and just $150 a person And look for us at the Oshkosh and Lakeland fl y- ins too

Fly high with a quality Classic interior Complete interior assemblies for do-it-yourself installation

Custom quality at economical prices

bull Cushion upholstery sets bull Wall panel sets bull Headliners bull Carpet sets bull Baggage compartment sets bull Firewall covers bull Seat slings bull Recover envelopes and dopes

Free catalog of complete product line

Fabric Selection Guide showing actual sample colors and styles of materials $300

Qir~RODUCTS INC 259 Lower Morrisville Rd Dept VA Fallsington PA 19054 (215) 295-4115

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31

SECOND BEAVER CHANCE

COUNTRYADVANCED Whats invoVed in ONDERfUl SEAPLANE converting an air-An in-depth look atORlD Of flyNG the foat flying char- plane from wheels

flOATS to floats Join Norb acteristics of theThe sequel to WON- OKeefe as he Conshypopular DeHavand DERfUl WORlD Of verts a Cessna 180fUmed at Jack Beaver lhis fimflOAlS this videO to a float plane Browns seaplane incudes historiCtakes yoU to the Steps incude seecshybase in beautiful footage of thenext level of deve- ion and purchaseWinter Haven deveo~t of this oping your seaplane restoration and Conshyflorida fhis tvIIO great north WoodSflying skis lopics version to floatshour comprehensive machine pilot Norb incude salt and l60 minutes)program covers oKeefe explains

every aspect of float tidal water tech- the techniques used niques produced in plane flying from to handle the 21-36963

Cubs to a cessna 206 cooperation with Beaver in the air priCe S2995 EDO corporation atturbO Jack instructs and on the waterand Browns Winter

ncudes bealVful ave ~~-fly a air-to-air footage plane base features plane Great for the (60 minutes)Nlark futch flying a experienced float-

plane piot or the Nlau and lerry ~ohers lurbO ~

~ sel120 l80 minuteS) 21-36139 Price S2995 21-38019

Price S2995

THE HSTORY Of SEAPLANES

n the ake of ings

from the first takeshyoff by Henri fabre to todays use as a recreationa aircraft Vs video fooWS the history of one of the worlds most vershysatie means of transportation lhe History of seaplanes features rare footage of early curtiSS seashyplanes the Nlartin Mars PBt and dozensof~ tage and contemposhyrary aircraft on floats l30 minutes)

In the last ten years I have completed

two different coast-to-coast flights With

AUA I have every confidence in my

coverage whether I am taking a day

trip or a six-week journey AUA gives

me the coverage I need with a price

that I can afford I wouldnt fly with

any other agency - Jim Zazas

You can afford to have the best too

Give AUA a call - its FREE

800-727-3823 Fly with the pros fly with AUA Inc

AUAs Exclusive EAA AntiqueClassic Division Insurance Program

liability and hull premiums

payments included

discounts for multiple aircraft carrying all risk coverages

hand-propping exclusion

component parts endorsements

for claim-free renewals carrying all risk coverages

Remember Were Better Togetherl

AVIATION UNUMITED AGENCY