Vintage Airplane - May 1980
Vintage Airplane - May 1980
Vintage Airplane - May 1980
SKIDCuP
rYPICAL JOINT
fRONT VIEw DETAIL BAY 2 TAIL POST
Th e joint at the fourth verti cal bay at first glance looks as lhough lhere mighl be a ree/undanl member lhere,
bUl hundreds of hours of flying lime have proven lh e j ob enlirc/ y slrong enough. The (u sel agf> is mae/e by
placing lh e enlarged drawing of lhi.l prinl on a bench, Jnd using lhe di agram as a ji g. You wi ll al so noll' lhal
lh e molor mounl is secured solidl y. Th e joinIs are simpl y pin join15, easy 10 make.
18
hEttERS
Dear Gene,
I would like at this time to update all our readers
on the 3rd Annual Aeronca Fly-In which took place
last July 11. A total of 48 Aeroncas landed at Easton
Airport that day, ranging in age from a C-3 and pre-
war Chiefs and Defenders to post-war Champs,
Chiefs, Sedans, a Tri-Champ and a sprinkling of
Citabrias. The day was perfect weatherwise with 80
0
temperatures and sunshine all day, which accounted
for seven states being represented by Aeroncas.
Lunch started around 11:00 A.M. with beef bar-b-que
and fruit punch and lasted until the fly-in ended. It
was a good day all-around with lots of other people
flying in to see the Aeroncas bringing the total
airplane count to over 100!
Unfortunately, I could not find the time to write
another fly-in article as was in last year's Th e VINTAGE
A IR PLANE, so this letter must suffice. Also, I
apologize for its lat eness. Perhaps this noti ce will let
those peopl e who want to attend thi s year's fly-in
know a little bit more about it as well as those who
wrote to meafter reading last year ' sarticle.
The 1980 Fly-In will be on July 13 with the rain date
one week later, at Easton Airport, Easton, Pennsyl-
vania . Anyone wanting mor e information contact my-
self at th e address below, or in th e ca l endar of
eve nt s. Again, any and all Aeroncas are invit ed, along
with anyone who just wants to have a good time
watching the activity. See all you fine Aeronca people
in July!
Best regards,
Jim Polles
299 Nazareth Drive
Nazareth, PA 18064
215/759-3713 (night s)
P. S. For all you Piper People who are int erested: Eas-
ton Airport will al so be th e site of an Antique and
Cl assi c Piper Fly-In on September 7, 1980 with rain
date one week lat er. So if you are a Piper owner or
l over (or both) this will make your day. It promises to
be a great one.
Gentlemen:
The Cornelius Aircraft Company was incorporated
in the state of Nevada in 1930 or 1931 . I am looking
for information regarding the activities or products of
thi s firm. Perhaps your fil es contain some information
oryour members mightbe of help.
Sinierely,
C. W. Ridge
EAA #78133
1235 G Street
P. O. Box 1935
Fresno, CA 93706
209/ 268- 5031
Dear Gene,
My thanks to you and Cindee for the extra copies
of the February i ssue of Th e VINTAGE A IRPL ANE
which contained the story on the Lancaster being re-
built at Oshawa Ontario. I distributed these copies
among several int erested people in the Oshawa area
and theywere very well received.
I regret to have to advise you, however , that your
information on Andrew Mynarski, at least in relation
to this airplane, i s incorrect. The Oshawa Lanky ,
KB889 is to be restored in the colours of the squad-
ron under which it served, The Ghost Squadron
#428 . By the way, it turns outthat this aircraft did see
active military service in the final years of the Second
World War , with at least two missions and perhaps as
many as six. It is not to be finished in the colours of
the ship in which Mynarski lost his life and won the
Victoria Cross, as reported in the February i ss ue.
Surprising as it may seem, there are in fact two
Lan casters being restored in this area. The first is the
Oshawa Lanky on which this team has been quietly
working for almost twelve years. The second is a new
acquisition ofCanadian Warplane Heritage, which has
a very respectable fleet of reconstruct ed WW II air-
craf t at Hamilton Ontario. It is my understanding that
it i s this group which intends to make tribute to
Mynarski by fini shing that aircraft in his colours. I did
attempt to confirm this, but a local telephone
operator walkout prevented my obtaining any tele-
phone information on CWH with which to make con-
tact. I understand the designation on their ship is
FM213.
Cordially,
Lionel J. Salisbury
Seven Harper Road
Brampton, Ontario L6W 2W3
Canada
DearGene:
' Many thanks for your thoughtfulness in sending
along the copies of the March '80 issue of The VIN-
TAGE AIRPLANE, which is appreCiated notonlyfor the
nice picture of old CF-IVO in her new "old" livery,
but for the picture of the '46 T-bird on the cover. My
1941 Taylorcraft, C-GBVM finally arrived down here
from Flint , Michigan, where it had been rebuilt by Ed
Pruitt and members of EAA Chapter 77 in Flint over
thepast couple ofyears.Terry Peters, of Ottawa, who
was engineering officer on one of the CF-l00 Sqdns.
when we were both stationed in Europe with the
RCAF in 1962-63, flew itdown to Trenton, Nova Scotia
which is the nearest airport in Arisaig . The plane is
now undergoing inspection and repair to finalize the
Canadian registration. I hope to fly it out to Oshkosh
next year.
There are many things I would like to know about
the T-Bird and I have a big loose-leaf binder of zerox
copies of all the articles I could find in magazines on
the Taylorcraft , along with many photos taken at the
Fly-Ins over the years. In this aircraft there is a two
hole bracket for a strut-mounted compass in the
windshield. I would like to get one of these so ifyou
have any suggestions along this line, let me know.
George Ratray made up a set of original shape wheel
pants which look quite nice on the plane. We were
going to refinish it in brown and cub yellow as per a
magazine drawing, but when the registration BVM
was assigned (Blessed Virgin Mary!!) we decided it
should be blu e and whitein her honor!!
Life can be interesting in a littlecountry set-up with
three scattered churches to look after. The past 10
days have been the worst driving ofthe whole winter.
Since Easter is almost here, it should be improving
from nowon. I'm very happy and contented here and
the peopleare really great.
Please thank Paul for the copy of the magazine he
had hi s secretary send along. I am looking forward to
seeing all thegang again at Oshkosh.
Hal sand beinbroch!! Sincerel'y,
Fr. John MacGillivray
SI. Margaret's Church
Arisaig , Antigonish County
Nova Scotia, B2G 2L1
Canada
If any reader can assist Fr . John in locating a com-
pass, as described in his letter , for his 1941 Taylorcraft
would you please contact him at the above address.
We look forward to seeing Fr . John at Oshkosh '80,
and hopefullyhis T-Craft will be sporting an authentic
compass. Editor
19
by Lionel Salisbury
EAA # 11 4523, Ale # .U()7
BORDEN'S AEROPLANE POSTERS
Seven Harper Road
Brampton, Ontario L6W 2WJ
Article Number 16, Poster Number 4, Seri es Number 2
Canac1a
Waco Model 0 FROM THE 1930'S
f:.
,
.. . ~ ; :
,.
The Waco Military Version Model D, was the sec- craft on the front, printed i n black and white. The
ond new photo of the second series of aircraft post- posters were approximately 19" x 11", and are r e-
ers, published by the Borden Company in the late duced for reproduction here.
1930's. The back of the poster provided a line drawing of
A total' of nineteen posters were printed and distrib- the aircraft, usually a three-view, and a description of
uted. Each poster had a large photo of a current air- the machine.
NEXT MONTH - The Sparrow Hawk
20
.-..----D--.--. -.-....-; ~ ~
WACO-MILITARY VERSION-MODEL D
WACO- MILITARYVERSION -
MODEL D.
Manufactured largely for flying in military and com-
mercial service in foreign countries by the Waco Air-
craft Company, Troy, Ohio.
SPECIFICATIONS
Wing Span .. .......... . .......... 32 feet 8% inches
Length Overall .... . .. .. .. .. . . .. 25 feet 11/16 inches
Height Overall ............ . . . .... 8 feet 11'12 inches
Wing Loading ... . ... . . 14.84 pounds per square foot
Power Loading ......... 9.05 pounds per horsepower
Motor . . . . . .. ... . .... . ........... Wright Whirlwind
PERFORMANCE
High Speed (Sea Level) . . ........ 176 miles per hour
High Speed (6560 Feet) . . . .. . . ... 168 miles per hour
High Speed (16,400 Feet) ......... 147 miles per hour
Initial Rate Of Climb ...... . .... 1503 feet per minute
Rate Of Climb At 6560 Feet .. . ... 947 feet per minute
Rate Of Climb At 16,400 Feet . .. . 213 feet per minute
Service Ceiling . ... . ... ....... .. . . ....... 18,050 feet
21
by fv Cassagneres
1210 Avon Boulevard
Cheshire, CT 06410
PART I
I know only a pilot would even think of taking hi s
date to see an airport. But the attractive secretary
whom I had met at a ski club did accept my offer of
an after-hours tour of the Bridgeport Airport. Having
flown out of New Haven for ten years, I was familiar
enough with the airport in Bridgeport to find my way
around and attempt to make it interesting enough for
my date. We strolled along in the darkness as I talked
about airplanes. A thin slice of light from a nearby
hangar caught my attention. Someone had slipped
22
through one of the hangar' s sliding doors and left it
open. Knowing this particular hangar had a reputation
for boarding experimental and ant ique aircraft from
time to time, I stuck my head in through the open
space. In one corner of the hangar beneath a couple
of night lights, a man stood, busily sorting packages
for shipment the following morning on a local com-
mercial flight. Surrounded by the baggage he raised
his head to notice the two figures standing in the
twilight outside his wire cage and then went on with
his work.
Alone in the rest of the nearly darkened hangar, we
could make out the shapes of several aircraft. Though
I was able to identify them all at the time, I can only
be sure of the details of one of them now - the one
whose memory has blurred the memory of the
others. Sitting alone in a corner, its outline stirr ed up
recollections as a young model builder back in the
1930's when I had been particularly enchanted by the
lines of the sporty " Ryan ST". I still have both models
of th e plane I had built - one of solid wood and the
other wood and paper . Could I be looking at an ST
through the dusk of the hangar ?
Pressing through t he semidarkness, I knew at once
was standing before a genu ine and well-pr eserved
edition of the now classic plane. As the "Silver Bul-
let" this plane qu ickly rose to pre-eminence among
the sports craft of the late '30's. For a generation of
pilots weaned on the bulky fabri c-covered biplane,
th e Rya n 51's single set of l ow-slung wings and sleek
metallic fuselage prefigured the revoluti on in the air-
craft design clearly seen in the military fight ers of
World War II.
My blond date must have sensed the pres ence of
an intruder on my attentions. From the shout of sur-
pris e at the moment of discovery there was littl e el se
on my mind the rest of the evening. A real l ove affair
had begun. The next day I drove the 20 miles from
New Haven , introduced myself to Don Sullivan, the
hangar's operator , and found out that th e agi ng but
still beautiful Ryan belonged to a local club of pilots
who right ly call ed themselves the " Ryanites". Now
thoroughly captivated by the possibility of even f lyi ng
the plane, I persuaded another date that evening to
visit the airport with me. The hangar door still open, I
impulsively feigned the job of discovery and shouted,
" Look, ther e's a Ryan ST! " From across the room a
voice announced, " Yeah, that's what you said last
ni ght with another gi rl. " Caught off guard, I stu mbled
for somethi ng to say, mumbling a few words of self
defense I hastily retreated in embarrassment but not
permanently.
Before a month was up I fou nd the fifty dollars for
the membership fee. I still know the day I joined -
November 11 , 1956. The Ryanites turned out to be a
poor man's club with a wealthy man' s airplane. With-
out money to pay for a mechani c's time, we spent
nearly every weekend of that winter r eadying the
plane for her annual licensing. She presided over a
Sunday court with a dozen devotees who usually
managed to sandwi ch in two or three hours of seri-
ous work along with flying stori es, food and talk of
the upcoming maneuvers i n the open cockpit plane.
When Spring came in 1957, I was caught up in the
j oy of flying a r eal airplane. Diffi cult to handl e any-
where near or on the ground, but absolute esctasy in
the air , the spirited ST poli shed thi s pilot' s sense of
feel to such a degree that even years later I was able
to quickly accustom myself t o unfamiliar high per-
formance aircraft. The following year the flying club
broke up and our 1936 "Si lver Bullet " was sold. I
, vowed at th e time that I would buy her back myself
someday and I did , after saving up $1700 in 3 years.
With the ST in my possession I became interested
in her prior hi story since leaving the Ryan plane. Be-
fore long I was badgering the company for more in-
formation. I tried to pry into the hi sto ry of every
si ng l e Ryan ST bui lt , then on t o th e ea rlier
Broughams, the M-1 mail ships, Claude Ryan , t he
Ryan Aeronauti cal Company, and of cou rse, to the
greatest plane Ryan eve r built , the "Spirit of St.
Louis". Little by little photographs, anecdotes and
technical information began to come in the mail and
pile up on my desk. By l ate 1961 I found myself being
r ecognized by others interested in aviation hi story as
the "Ryan man ". The ori ginal file - a tiny cardboard
box - eventually grew into two 5-d rawer file cabinets
with separate folders for corr espondence, clippings
and photographs of every plane assembl ed by Ryan
between 1924 and 1941, that I could get any informa-
tion on. By the end of 1978 the project had amassed
to what I understand to be the world's largest collec-
tion of memorabilia and technical data on the Ryan
Aeronautical Company and Lindbergh's "Spirit of St.
Louis" .
At first th e notion of putting this material into book
form was the farthest from my mind. But as other avia-
tion hi stor ians and old airplane enthu siasts urged
me on and as I dug into every corner of the country
for information , I finally recog nized that th e book
had in fact already started .
As part of my research I interviewed former work-
ers at th e Ryan pl ant in its earl y days, air mail car riers
and commercial operators who used Ryans for flight
training and chart er use. I would talk with or write to
anyone I could find who played a part in the Ryan
st ory. I undert ook to piece together the tech ni cal de-
tails of the building of the " Spirit of St. Loui s".
While reams of material had already been written
about the plane I discovered their treatment of the
t echni cal side of the venture fell short of accuracy.
From my own initial resear ch qu estions about the
t echni cal aspects of the plane's constru ction began to
tak e shape. The answers to a number of these could
only come from th e master pilot himself.
I first met Charles Lindbergh in early 1968 at his
home in Connecticut. Through our mutual friend, the
lat e Lauren " Deak" Lyman, he l earned of my aim to
record for posterity the full and accurate story of the
Ryan company and hi s beloved "Spirit of St. Loui s".
He had called me one evening in February, 1968,
mentioning that he was impressed with my desire to
b e as accurate and complete as pOSSible, he
suggested a personal meeting to talk about the Ryan
project and invited me to come to hi s home for sup-
per. That meeting will last in my mind in detail for
many years. Lindbergh had grown older in appear-
ance, but still l ooked mu ch like the pictures of the
young aviator taken in 1927 that I had seen. I found
both he and his wife to be warm , hospitable and
humbl e individual s, genuinely interested in their
guests. H e put me at ease from the moment he
opened th e door with, " Good evening, I'm Charles
Lindbergh . Won't you pl ease come in?" Their home
was small and rather si mple by compari son with their
neighbors. A fire which he constantly kept fueled
add ed to th e feeling of cozyness of the hou se.
At the end of our visit as he helped me with my
coat at the door , he silently, without explanation,
smiling, placed in my hands a copy of h is book,
" SPIRIT OF ST. LOUI S". Only after arriving home
l ater that evening did I noti ce he had autographed
the unexpected gift. The meeti ng was successf ul and
he answered many of my technical questions with the
added bonus of finding out new facts never before
known to ei th er th e publi c or th e aviation fraternity.
Later in the sa me year of my meeting with
Lindbergh I travel ed across the country to southern
Califo rnia to interview former Ryan plant employees
who were still living in the California ar ea. The trip
was one of the most fruitful I have experienced. I
came home with a wealth of information that would
have taken years otherwise to accumulate.
But a number of key persons continued to elude
my efforts to discover their whereabouts, including
four men who were assigned the task of assisting
Lindbergh at Roosevelt Field with certain technical
problems on the "Spirit of 5t. Louis" and its engine.
As a result of the close association with these four
men - Ken Lane , Ed Mulligan, Ken Boedecker , and
Di ck Blythe, Lindbergh developed a genuine respect
for both their engineering ability and personal integ-
rity. It was important that I find them and learn first-
hand thei r specific role in the triumphant flight. I
wrot e scores of letters, made long distance phone
call s and int err ogated every poss ible source at air
sho ws, airports , mu seums, et c. After three years I
found Boedecker living nearby in New Jersey. I was
too late to catch Ed Mulligan or Dick Blythe. Both had
passed away. Ken Lane was another story.
TO 8E CONTI NUED
EDITOR'S NOTE: Ev Cassagneres ' story will be con-
cluded in the June , 1980 issue of Th e VINTAGE
AIRPLANE. At that time it will be obvious why the ar-
ticl e is titled, " Survival ".
Gene Chase
23
My earliest memories and dreams were of flying
airplanes and the feeling of complete freedom that
must surely be waiting for me in the endless skies
above the Minnesota farmland where I grew up. I was
born a little too late to be a real "Waldo Pepper", IT cqn
eE barnstorming across the country, but I was old
enough to dream about it, and spend every spare
moment at our small local airport polishing planes, or
doing absolutely anything just for the privilege of
touching those magnificent passports to the sky.
As I grew older and better known to the local " Sky
Kings", I was allowed to wipe down the airplanes,
crank the engine, grab the wing to turn it around (no
brakes), and in return was allowed to accompany
them on some of their local flights. Sometimes we
threw out gum as advertising gimmicks or sometimes
landed in hay fields to take up passengers for short
hops. My job then was usually to sell tickets and bask
in the reflected glory of my idols, the pilots. Finally I
soloed in a Travel Air .
As soon as I could, I joined th e U. S. Army Air
Corps as a mechanic, intending to make repair and
maintenance of these bi rds my life' s work. Not too
long afterward came the "big war" and with it the
opportunity to fly. In the military I was a bomber
pilot, but I never lost my love for the little ones. In
the intervening years afterward, I longed to have a
plane of my own, but family and business respon-
sibilities made it a seemingly impossible dream.
A chance conversation with an old flying buddy
lead me to the answer to my dreams. About the only
thing recognizable about it was the bare bones of the
fuselage of an Aeronca L-3 sitting with other rusted
metal parts and rotted wood. A little bargaining and
horse trading and it was mine!
Once I had it home, a stream of flying buddies and
curious friends came by to view my treasure. Almost
to the man, they shook their heads, certain I'd taken
leave of my senses. Some of the more experienced
said "You're crazy to do this. It's too far gone and
there' s too much work to bring it back. Get a set of
plans and build a plane and you'll have something
when you finish!" Their pessimism only made me
more determined to raise my phoenix from the dust.
Now that I have set my goal and my enthusiasm is
up, where do I start? Dreaming on a tractor in the
fields of long ago, or even flying or working on
planes of more recent times, really gave me little
foundation for completely restoring the Aeronca . .The
first reasonable step seemed to be to sort out the us-
able pieces and inventory what I had to work with .
Most of the metal fittings were badly corroded but
24
This authentically res tored 1942 Aeronca L-3 is the fir st
useful as patterns. Much of the wood was gone,
though there were some large enough pieces here
and there to save for future reference.
The completion of a project of thi s size is a combi-
nation of determination, help from friends and fam-
ily, and good luck. One of my more fortunate strokes
of good fortune was the day I learned about John
Houser of Aeronca, Inc., of Middletown, Ohio. The
next five years saw a steady stream of prints, call
outs, and encouragement from my friend John. From
him I also got the original manufacturing specifica-
tions and Air Corps serial number of my plane,
N46595.
res toration proj ect (or its owner, Pa ul Shins ky.
Aircraft quality material was used and factory prints
and specs were followed wherever possible to restore
my Iittle Grasshopper to origi nal configu ration . To
comply with current saf ety rul es, a higher quality or
heavier gauge of material was substituted as requir ed.
All CAM 18 and EAA recommended practices were
followed . All new wood was used throughout con-
struction. All windows were replaced with new plexi-
glass. Metal window framing , fairing, trim, upper cowl-
ing, and the boot cowl were made of new aluminum.
Baffles and springs between the cylinders were made.
The lower half of the engine cowling almost be-
came my undoing. The original was beyond repair,
Done
usable only as a pattern. My first thought was to re-
place it with aluminum. My efforts to do it myself
made clear my need for a craftsman in this field. On
two different occasions I contacted craftsmen who
felt they could reproduce what I needed. Much time
was lost during this interval and nothing was ac-
complished. I think this was the lowest point in my
efforts. I couldn't do it and those who supposedly
were able couldn't do it either. Where do I go from
here? In my business, I did occasional touchup
fiberglass work on boats, so I approached the prob-
lem from this angle. As I experimented, I discovered
a great deal of difference in patch jobs and new con-
by Paul Shinsky
fAA #78103, Ale#1276
5123 Allum Road
Houston, TX 77045
Photos courtesy ofthe Author
Paul Shinsky is justifiably proudofhis newly restored an-
tique warbird.
struction. After a long series of dark days and futile
efforts, my fortune changed. My path happened to
cross that of an old time friend who was in the com-
mercial fiberglass construction business. He taught
me the difference in industrial fiberglass strengths .
Resin #HTA197-3 was best for my purpose. I made
the pattern and together we made the mold for the
lower cowling and eyebrows and hub caps. With
these molds I was able to make the parts I needed,
plus some for other builders..
Next came new fuel tanks, straps, lines and cradle
as well as new bolts and outer propeller flange. All
control cables were replaced, control column and
pulleys and ailerons rebushed. New swivels were in-
stalled in the actuator arms .
All new metal fittings in the wings were made, ex-
cept for the tip bow which was found usable. Wing
fittings were magna-fluxed as well as wing struts, en-
gine mount, axles and fuselage clusters. New brake
components, brake cables, wheel bearings and tires
were purchased and the brake drums turned. New
tailwheel bearings were installed as well as springs
and hardware which were rebushed or replaced. The
right entrance door and latches were repaired and
hinges bushed. New fuel lines were annealed after
flairing according to CAM 18. A new gascolator and
fuel valves were installed as well as a new throttle ca-
ble. A new instrument panel was made.
The prop was sent back to the factory to be recon-
ditioned and all instruments were overhauled profes-
sionally. The engine was zero-timed by an LA. All
upholstery was made new, to original factory specs. I
was fortunate enough to locate an Army Air Corp
Form 1 and 1A. The Stits process was used to cover. I
had heard of this type of covering for planes, but had
never seen it done until I had the privilege of attend-
ing the EAA Fly-In in Oshkosh in 1976 where it was
demonstrated. It made a formerly difficult job of cov-
ering almost a breeze. Without EAA, a project like
mine would be almost impossible for the average
man. Their manuals are extremely valuable for a res-
toration or building project.
My purpose in sharing all this with you is to thank
the host of friends who helped me achieve my goal,
and to hopefully encourage someone who has been
at a project a long time and has reached a low point,
or perhaps trying to get up the courage to start one.
It can be done.
During the time I worked on my plane I was self-
employed, working an average of 50 to 60 hours in a
5Y2 to 6 day week. After a long and sometimes frus-
trating day in business, I cou ld turn to my project and
enter an entirely new world, at a pace set to my lei-
sure. It was my salvation many a time. While my
plane was still a backyard project it was filmed for a
local television program. The narrator of the program
asked my wife what she thought of her husband's in-
terest in antique airplanes. Jane's spontaneous reply
was, "If my husband is happy, then I'm happy." To
my wife, I thank you.
25
NEBRASKAS
KEN
ESKILDSEN
by Raymond P. Hanson
EAA # 381 3
Rt. 2
Bertrand, NE 68927
Ken Eskildsen and his Lycoming 150 powered EAA Bi-
plane.
Having met a man who I believe is one of the most
dedicated and possibly the only person I know who is
truly 100 per cent aviation oriented , it seems the only
thing to do is share him with others. His name is Ken
Eskildsen, EAA #54140, of Lexington, Nebraska. His
enthusiasm and accomplishments are remarkable. He
has built and flown a Pietenpol, an EAA Biplane, a
Skybolt, and now is working on his own design.
When Ken talks about airplanes there is a twinkle
in his eye which makes you very much aware of his
love for aviation. His first project, a Pietenpol, was
covered with muslin purchased from a local dry
goods store. In 1934, money was scarce and expenses
had to be kept at a minimum. This plane was flown
with a Ford Model A engine upfront. Ken makes a
point of how smooth that Ford would turn over but
how short on power it was. The first solo flight was
made one day when his goggles slipped off and in
reaching back to recapture the lost goggles he acci-
dently pulled the stick back. Oh! Oh! You know the
rest.
In 1936, Ken owned an Arrow Sport biplane but
said the plane was a ground lover and he preferred
more "get up and go". In 1938, he bought a Curtiss
Robin and as Ken says, " when you flew it with its 40
plus feet of wing span the wing tips could be in two
different towns at once" . Ken refers to the Robin,
with a touch of nostalgia as the " rocking chair
airplane".
Ken 's next plane was a Taylorcraft followed by a
Super Cru iser and then a Piper Clipper.
Ken was also into serious homebuilding and soon
came up with an EAA Biplane with a beautiful paint
The Arrow Sport whi ch Ken owned in 1936.
job and powered by a 150 Lycoming. Ken flew this
plane to Oshkosh where he received many requests
for advice concerning the installation of the big en-
gine.
His next project was a Skybolt, which also had a
beautiful finish and a 180 Lycoming for power. Ken
likes a lot of horses up front.
Living about 12 miles by air from me, Ken passes
over our strip occasionally and does a slow roll or
maybe just a quick pass to let me know he is in the
area. He frequently stops by just to say " Hello" and
to talk airplanes. When my PA-12 is ailing or I am
feeling low, Ken is always there with a cheerful "hang
in there". He is a great inspiration and one of those
generous persons who hands you a large piece of
4130 because he knows you need it. Anything he has
is yours to use, if it's for an airplane, whether the
need be tools, materials, or assistance.
Ken's place is truly "Mecca" for a real airplane nut.
Pieces of planes are everywhere; tires, instruments,
brake parts, fuel lines, shut-offs, you name it, Ken
has it. Ken is one of those individuals who builds
airplanes while others are talking or dreaming about
them.
His latest project , which is an original design, was
started last year. It is a two-place, side-by-side, high
wing cabin job which will be flying next year at this
time! Ken works faster in his sixties than- most do in
their twenties. When I suggested writing an article
about him he tried to talk me out of it, but paying
tribute to this modest man who has done so much
for aviation .in this area, really needed to be done.
Thanks for everything, Ken!
26
contact: Jane McCracken, RR 4, Box 16B, Roanoke, TX 76262.
Telephone: 817/430-0163.
JUNE 14-15 - FREDERICKSBURG, VI RGINIA - Antique Aircraft Fly-
In Air Show, Shannon Airport. For further informati on, p lease
CALENDAR
Classicowners!
OF EVENTS
MAY 10-11 - MARTINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA - Keystone Country
Fly-In, sponsored by a Federation of Pennsylvania EAA Chapters.
Blair County Airport. For further information, please contact:
Paul Nuss, 1004 Fourth Avenue, Juniata, Altoona, PA 16601. Tele-
phone: 814/ 943-1185.
MAY 16-19 - WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA - Eastern Cessna 190/195
Club Meeting. For further information, please contact: Cliff
Crabs, 25575 Butternut Ridge Road, North Olmsted, OH 44070.
MAY 18 - LINCOLN, CALIFORNIA - Lincoln Airport. For further
information , pl ease contact: Ken Heidger , Manager , P.O. Box
426, Lincoln, CA 95648.
MAY 31 - HOLLAND, MICHIGAN - Antique/Classic Chapter 8 is
sponsori ng a "Spring Happening" at the Park Township Airport.
For further information, please contact: Gary Van Farowe, 1460
Ottawa Beach Road, Hol land, MI 49423. Telephone: 6'16/399- 4623.
JUNE 1 - DEKALB, ILLI NOIS - DeKalb County Corn EAA Chapter
241 and MST Aviation co sponsor th e Annual EAA Fly-In , Drive-
In, Br eakfast at th e Municipal Airport, about 30 mil es SE of Rock-
ford. For further information, pl ease contact: Marlin Crown, 159
Thomas, Sycamor e, IL 60178. Telephone: 815/875-6856.
JUNE 1 - OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND - Chapter 532 is sponsoring
the annual Ocean City Fly-In and Antique Car Show. Ocean City
Airport. For further information , p l ease contact: Bill Mackey,
Chapter 532 President , 2301 Meadow Drive, Salisbury, MD 21801.
June 1- WHITE LAKE, NEW YORK - Fly-In Breakfast sponsored by
th e International Citabria Club, Ltd. , at Sullivan County Int erna-
tional Airport. For further information, please contact: Interna-
tional Citabria Club, Ltd., P.O. Box 29, White Lak e, NY 12786.
Telephone: 914/583-7030.
JUNE 6-8 - MERCED, CALIFORNIA - 23rd Annual Merced West
Coast An ti que Fly-In, sponsored by the Merced Pilot s' Associa-
tion. For further information, please contact: Merced Pilot s' As-
sociation, P.O. Box 2313, Merced, CA 95340.
JUNE 6-8 - SALEM, ILLI NOIS - l AC Contest - Sponsored by lAC
Chapter61 forth eSportsman andUnlimitedcategor i es. For further
information, pl ease contact: James Wheaton, P.O. Box 476, Fair-
fi eld, IL 62837. Telephone: 618/842-7066.
JUNE 6-8 - DALLAS, TEXAS - lAC Contest - Sponsored by lAC Chap-
ter 24 for th e Sportsman and Unlimited cat egories. For further
information, pl ease contact: Ja ck Hurst , Route 1, Rockhill Road ,
MCKinney, TX 75069. Telephone: 214/248-6410 or 370-0456.
JUNE 7-8 - FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY - 2nd Annual Anti que/Classic
Chapter 7 Fly-In. Flanders Valley Airport. For further information,
please contact: Walt Ah l ers, A/C Chapt er 7 President, 60 Main
Street, Flanders, NJ 07836. Telephone: 201 /584-7983.
JUNE 7- 14 - FORT WAYNE, I NDIANA - 3rd Annual "70 Knotters"
Fly-Out and Goodwill Tour sponsored by EAA Chapter 2. For
further informati on, please contact: Joe Di ckey , 511 Terrace Lk.
Road , Columbus, IN 47201. Telephone: 812/342-6878.
JUNE 8- TOUGHKENAMON, PENNSYLVANIA - 3rd Annual Gather-
ing of the Moths at the new Garden Flying Fiel d. For further in-
format ion , please contact: Gerry Schwam, 8116 Old York Road,
Elkins Park, PA 19117. Telephone: 215/635-7000.
JUNE 11-16 - TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE - 1980 Staggerwing/Trav el
Air International Convention. For further information, pl ease con-
tact: Staggerwing Museum Foundati on, Box 550, Tullahoma, TN
37388.
JUNE 13-15 - DENTON, TEXAS - Texas Chapter AAA Southwest
Regional Fly-In, at the Municipal Airport, 25 miles N of D/ FW Re-
gional Airport, outside the TCA. For further information, please
contact: Sidney L. Shannon, Jr., c/o Shannon Ai rport, P.O. Box
109, Fredericksburg, VA 22401.
JUNE 14-15- ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK - lAC Cont est - Spon-
sored by lAC Chapter 52 for the Sportsman and Unlimited cate-
gories. For further information, please contact: Daniel Heligoin,
MudryAviati on, Ltd., Dutchess Cou nty Airport, Wappingers Falls,
NY 12590. Telephone: 914/462-5009.
JUNE 20-22- JAFFREY, NEWHAMPSHIRE- lAC Contest - Sponsored
by lAC Chapter 35 for the Sportsman and Advanced categori es.
For further information, please cont act: Ward Bryant , Proctor
Road, Jaffrey, NJ 03452. Telephone: 603/532-6090.
JUNE 20-22 - ATLANTA, GEORGIA - lAC Cont est - Sponsored by
lAC Chapt er 3 for th e Sportsman and Unlimited categori es. For
further information, please cont act: Collins Bomar, 105 China-
berry Court, Peachtree City, GA 30269. Tel ephone: 404/487-8393.
JUNE 21-22 - ANSONIA, CONNECTI CUT- 2nd Annual PIPER VAGA-
BOND FLY-IN. Ansonia Airport, 80 oct. fuel. For further i nforma-
tion, please contact: Jim Jenkins , 569 Moose Hill Road, Monroe,
CT 06468. Telephone: 203/261-5586.
JUNE 22 - HOMESTEAD AFB, FLORIDA - Annual general aviation
fly-in. For further information , p l ease con t act: Maj. Charles
Bukoski,31st TFW(DOAM), Homest ea d AFB, FL 33039. Tel ephone:
305/257-7752.
JUNE 27-29 - OAKDALE, CALIFORNIA - lAC Contest - Sponsored
by lAC Chapt er 38 for the Sport sman and Unlimited categories .
For furt her information, please contact: John Barnes, 24036 Sou th
Frederick, Ripon, CA 95366. Telephone: 209/599-3216.
JUNE 27-29 - HAMILTON, OHI O - 20th Annual Waco Reunion Fly-
In. For further informat i on, pleas e contact: Ray Brandly, 7000
Hill Avenue, Hamilton, OH 45015. Tel ephone: 513/868-0084.
JUNE 28-29 - ROMEOVILLE, ILLI NOIS - EAA Chapters 15 & 86 are
co-sponsoring the 20th Annual Midwest Regional Air Show at th e
Lewis University Airport. Th eme i s " The Barnstorming Days of
Aviation". Hoping to have sufficient antique aircraft to stage a
"parade of flight". For further information, please contact: Frank
Goebel, Field Director, Midwest Regional Air Show, I nc., P.O.
Box 71, Lockport , IL60441 .
JULY 3-6 - BOWLING GREEN, OHI O - Ercoupe Owners Club Na-
ti onal Fly- I n, Wood CountyAirport. For further information, please
contact: Car l Hall, Bowli ng Green Stat e University, School of Art,
Division of Design, Bowling Green, OH 43403. Tel ephone: 4191
372-2640.
JULY 4-6 - GAI NESVILLE, GEORGIA - 13th Annual "Cracker" Fl y-
In . AAA North Georgia Chapt er. For further informati on, pl ease
contact : Jim Clarkson, 1649Avon Avenue, Tucker, GA 30084.
AUGUST 2- 9 - OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN - 28 th Annual EAA Con-
vention and Sport Aviati on Exhibi ti on - the world' s largest and
most exciting aviati on event. For furth er information, pl ease con-
tact: Experiment al Aircraf t Association (EAA), P.O. Box 229, Hales
Corn ers, WI 53130. Telephone: 414/425-4860.
AUGUST 10-16 - FOND DU LAC, WISCONSIN - Th e Int ernational
Aerobatic Club's annual aerobatic competition. Bigges t fi eld any-
where for an aerobatic contest plus greatest variety of aerobatic
aircraf t. For further informa tion, pl ease contact: Herb Cox, Con-
test Chairman, 812 Tay lor Avenue, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864.
AUGUST 17-30 - OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN - World Aerobatics '80.
For th e first time ever, th e U. S. will host the World's Aerobatic
Championships. Fourt een countries wi ll participat e. Don' t miss
thi s histori c event. For further information, please cont act: Wor ld
Aerobatics '80, P. O. Box 229, Hales Corn ers, WI 53130. Tel ephone:
414/425-4860.
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'
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,
DOG
DRESS
IT UP
WITH A NEVtI
''V'
1Ii4ka INTERIOR!
All Items READY-MADE for Easy
DO-IT-YOURSELF INSTALLATION
Seat Upholstery - Wall Panels
Headl i ners - Carpets - etc.
cecoiiileEnvelopes and Dopes
Send $1 .00 for Cat al og and Fabrics Se lection Guide
,4i1dea
259- 15 Lower Morrisville Rd.
Fallsington, Pa_ 19054
( 215) 295- 4115
FLYING AND
GLIDER MANUALS
1929,1930,1931
1932,1933,1929-33 Miscellany
2_50 ea. or6 for$12.50
SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO:
EAA Air Museum Foundation,Inc.
Box 469 Hales Corners, WI 53130
Allow4-6 Weeks For Del ivery
Wisconsi n Residents Include4% Sales Tax
27