February 1998 Vol 26 No2

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL STAFF

Publisher Tom Poberezny

Editor-in-Chief Jack Cox

Editor Henry G Frautschy

Manoglng Editor Golda Cox

Art Director Mike Drucks

Computer Graphic Specialists Nancy Hanson Olivia L Phillip

Pierre Kotze

ASSOCiate Editor Norm Petersen

Staff Photographers Jim Kaepnick LeeAnn Abrams

Ken Lichtenberg

AdvertisingEditorial Assistant Isabelle Wiske

EAA ANTIQUECLASSIC DIVISION INC OFFICERS

President VICe-President Espie Butch Joyce Gecrge Daubner

PO Box 35584 2448 Lough Lone Greensboro NC 27425 Hortiord WI53Cf27

910393Q344 414673-5885

Secretory Treasurer Steve Nesse Cha~es HorTis

2009 Highland Ave 7215 East 46th St Albert Lea MN 56007 Tuisa OK 74145

507373-1674 918622-8400

DIRECTORS John Berendt Gene Morris

7645 Echo Point Rd 5936 Steve Court Cannon Falls MN 55009 Roanoke TX 76262

507263-2414 817491-9110 Phil Coulson Robert C Bob Brauer

28415 Springbrook Dr 9345 S Hoyne Lawton MI 49065 Chicago IL 60620

616624-6490 312779-2105

Joe Dickey John S Copeland 55 Oakey Av 1A Deacon Street

Lawrenceburg IN 47025 Northborough MA 01 532 812537-9354 508393-4775

Dole A Gustafson StonGomoiI 7724 Shady Hill Dr 104290th Lone NE

Indianapolis IN 46278 Minneapolis MN 55434 317293-4430 61 2784-1172

Robert Ucktelg Jeannie Hili 1708 Bay Oaks Dr PO Box 328

Albert Lea MN 56007 Harvord IL 60033 507373-2922 815943-7205

Dean RIchardson Robert D Bob Lumley 6701 Colony Dr 1265 South 124th st

Madison WI 53717 Brookfield WI 53005 608833-1291 414782-2633

SH Wes Schmid GeoIf Robison 2359 Lefeber Avenue 1521 E MacGregor Dr Wauwatosa WI 53213 New Haven IN 46774

414771-1545 219493-4724

George York 181 Sloboda Av

Mansfield OH 44906 419529-4378

DIRECTORS EMERITUS Gene Chose EE Buckmiddot Hilbert

2159 Carlton Rd PO Box 424 Oshkosh WI 54904 Union lL 60180

920231-5002 815923-4591

ADVISORS Sieve Krog Roger Gomoll

1002 Heather In 321-12 S Broadway Hartiord WI 53Cf27 Apt 3

414966-7627 Rochester MN 55904 507288-2810

Dovtd Bennett 403 Tanner Ct

Roseville CA 95678 916-782-7025

1 Straight amp LevellEspie Butch Joyce

2 AlC News

3 Aeromail

4 3 On A TrimotorlPenn Storr

6 The Pride Of TatumsDavid Welch

7 Danish CubsJ0rgen Helme

10 Bald Eagle A viationlJohn Gaertner

12 Type Club NoteslNorm Peterson

13 Stinson HW-7SIHG Frautschy

18 Taylorcraft BC-12DINorm Peterson

21 WW I Night FlyingIWalt Kessler

23 Pass It To BuckBuck Hilbert

24 What Our Members Are RestoringNorm Petersen

26 Mystery PlanelHG Frautschy

29 Welcome New Members

30 Membership Information Calendar

Page 26

FRONT COVER The Stinson HW-75 was the early version of the Stinson 105 Voyshyager This stunning eample was restored over a lOmiddotyear period by Tim Talen of the Ragwood Refactorymiddot in Springfield OR Tim and his family were tickled to be awarded the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy during EAA OSHKOSH 97 for their three-place Stinson EAA photo by Ken Uchtenberg shot with a Canon EOS- 1 n equipped with an 80 -200 mm lens 1250 sec f9 on 100 ASA slide film EAA Wag Aero Spart Trainer photo plane flown by EAA volunteer pilot Ed Lachendro

BACK COVERA Sunny Daymiddot is the title of artist Lee Budahls oil and acrylic paint shying that garnered an Honorable Mention ribbon in the 1997 Spart Aviation Art Comshypetition From an unusual perspective we see the top wing of a Fokker Triplane beshyfore ~ slashes downward to ruin the day of the unsuspecting pilot of a British SE-5A For more information on this artwork please see AC News on page 2

Copyright copy 1998 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 80x 3086 Oshkosh Wosconsin 54903-3086 Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh Wosconsin 54901 and at add~iona mailing offices The membership rate for EM AntiqueClassic Division Inc is $2700 for CUfTent EM members for 12 month period of which $1800 is for the publication of VINTAGE AIRPLANE Membelship is open to all who are interested in aviation POSTMASTER Send address changes to EM AntiqueClassic Division Inc PO 80x 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES - Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPlANE to foreig1 and APO addresses via striace mail ADVERTISING - AntiqueClassic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product oftered through the advertising We ioWe constructive criticism and WilIcome any report of infelior merchandise obtained through 00 advertising so that conective measures can be taken EDITORIAl POlICY Readers are encouraged to subm~ stories and photographs Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors Responsibil~ for accuracy in reporting rests entirely ~ the contributor No rentmeralion is made Material should be sent to Ed~or VINTAGE AIRPlANE PO 80x 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Phone 9201426-4800 The words EAA UlTRAUGHT flY WITH lHE ARST TEAM SPORT AVIATION FOR lHE lOVE OF flYING and the logos of EAA EAA INTERNATIONAl CONVENTION EAA ANTIQUECLASSIC DIVISION INTERNATIONAl AEROBATlC ClUB WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are reg registered trademarks lHE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAAAVlATION FOUNDATION and EAA UlTRAUGHT CONVENTION are trademarks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above association is strictly prohi~ed

STRAIGHT amp LEVEL by ESPIE BUTCH JOYCE

I ts really funny the places that I end up writing this Straight amp Level column for VINTAGE AIRPLANE This

one is being written while sitting on a 737 that will be departing Louisville Kentucky at about 630 pm for Charshylotte North Carolina Then a lift from Charlotte to Greensboro will allow me to be home by (if all goes well) 11 30 pm Thats not too bad considering I got up this same day at 400 am to make my 630 departure for my days trip to Louisville KY where I had a lunch plus a four hour meeting with a company This is but an hour and a half trip in my Beech Baron each way but the forecast of freezing rain and the abshysolute need to be at this meeting required me to go by airline Please do not take this to mean I am upset with the system of airline travel-after all its an II hour drive each way I am grateful to be able to leave home in the morning and return the same day But it certainly highlights the remarkable abilshyity we have to control our own schedule using our own aircraft The weather does limit its utility just a bit even with an instrument rating but if the weather forecast were not for freezing rain I could have cut my trips time requireshyment by over half

On this trip I carried a publication that included a short article written by EAA Founder and Chairman of the Board Paul Poberezny In it Paul spoke about the inconveniences that we as pishylots and aircraft owners put up with in order to own or fly aircraft What Paul said is true but as a long-time aviation buff I had come to be accustomed to the inconveniences that I go through and have expected these things as the norn1

Ive been in aviation a long time and perhaps thats the secret Many of these restrictions have been put on us one at a time I have not really stood back and looked at what we have to go

through to get my aircraft into the sysshytem and fly it from here to there Thank goodness for those of you who can still keep your aircraft on a private airport

While sitting at the gate in Louisville I kept hearing different announceshyments most of them dealing with weather related delays

Because of the weather at Chicago Illinois we cannot depart this flight on time therefore we are trying to arrange a different flight for those of you who have a connection Ninety-five percent of those flying into Chicago were afshyfected On a day like this you ll probably see the same sign I saw on the ticket counter This flight is overshybooked if you volunteer for a later flight we will give you a round-trip ticket (free of charge) to any point that we fly to in the next year Thanks but no thanks I just want to get home to the couch and fire Even the pros are affected - a UPS captain was waiting for the same flight as me He was worried that he might not get on the flight because it was overbooked (he did make it I was pulling for him) Once he got to Charlotte he had to start all over with his quest to get home In Chicago it is another madhouse of canshycelled flights and people trying to make connections

You can see that weather or many of the same factors that affect us can make aviation travel an inconvenience to all who try to fly through this vast ocean of air It is not only limited to pishylots and aircraft owners but being an aircraft owner or a pilot has its own unique disadvantages and highlights

As I write this it is the second day after the 21 st of January which is the equinox and we now start gaining nearly an additional three minutes of daylight each day I can hardly wait for the Sun n Fun Fly-in in April Before I talk to you about that event I would like to pass along some exciting news about EAA AirVenture 98 One of the major themes this year at Oshkosh is a

cooperative effort between EAA the EAA AntiqueClassic Division and the NBAA We will be recognizing the role that corporate aviation has played in the history of aviation by helping creshyate the display of Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft that represent the contributions they have played in business aviation

In our workshop tent we also plan to have several of the most talented metal working individuals Each day you can see demonstrations of this skill and the proper use of metalworking tools This effort is being headed up by your AC Director Steve Nesse We will have adshyditional information about this program in future issues of VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Should you have any questions about this metal working shop contact Steve at 507373-1674 EAA AirVenture 98 is shaping up to be one of the greatest Conventions we will ever have

The AntiqueClassic 10nl campaign is still going great the report that I received just last week showed us to be on the positive side Lets keep it going and continue to recruit new members Your continued support of the AntiqueClassic Division has made this group one of the strongest groups of the EAA I again call on your supshyport to ask new people to join up with us so they too can enjoy all of the AntiqueClassic benefits as well as your great magazine

This past January we have had anshyother hand propping accident I can only say that you and I need to do whatshyever is necessary to prevent these accidents from occurring in the future We all need to look after each other and prevent these reoccurring accidents

Well we have landed in Greensshyboro we are late - it is now II 30 pm I guess Ill need to walk out to the parking lot and beat the ice off of my truck so I can go home Lets all pull in the same direction for the good of avishyation Remember we are better together Join us and have it all

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1

AC NEWS compiled by HG Frautschy

ASUNNYDAY Our back cover features another of the paintshy

ings which won an award in the annual EAA Sport Aviation Competition Lee Budahl the artist who entered the painting wrote

I have been teaching art for 30 years and have been drawing for twice 30 years Some of my earlishyest memories are ofdrawing pictures ofairplanes

A Sunny Day takes place in France Spring 1918 the last year of World War I A British SEshy5A flies over fields which have escaped bombardment and which are beginning to turn green For a precious moment or two the pilot looks out at the ground beneath him He does not see the German Fokker DR diving out of the sun toward him In seconds the Fokkers pilot will rake the SE-5A with machine gun fire The Fokkers wings are red - this may be the Barons plane We watch this frozen moment of time from somewhere outside both cockpits far from the SEshy5A and a little above the Fokker From our viewpoint the red wing makes a dramatic diagoshynal plunge into this sunny day reminding us that the war is not yet over

You can reach Lee at 300 NCountry Club Rd Cullowhee NC 28723

AERONCA SPAR AD EAA and the AntiqueClassic Division

recently commented on an ill-advised proposed Airworthiness Directive Docket No 97-CE-79-AD Affecting American Champion Corporation 7 8 and 11 Series airplanes it would require the ownshyers of Aeronca 7 AC through the 7EC and Bellancas 7ACA or the IIAC and IIBC (as well as Champion aircraft models built before the acquisition of the line by Bellanca) to add multiple inspection holes in the bottom of the wings of their airplanes and a larger plate in the top surface of the wing near the sparwing strut attact fitting The following is a synopsis of EAA comments to the FAA regarding this proposed AD

The stated purpose of this AD is to ensure the detection of spar cracks that could result in an inshyflight wing failure Therefore for aircraft that have never suffered wing damage the inspection should not be necessary The result of the aircraft modificashytions proposed in the NPRM would result in a costly change to the aircraft that would not prevent the type of failures that have occurred and actually could cause additional failures due to moisture damage

The proposed AD does little to enhance an inshyspection The proposed inspection plates leave just barely enough room to insert a mirror and not enough to do any feeling for anomalies by touch (The supposition that spar damage could be felt by fingers requires the damage be quite severe ie a spar fracture due to wing contact with the ground) These little curved holes are so small that it almost requires a borescope to see over and under the spar when looking through these holes There are also aerodynamic concerns to be considered with the addition of 22 inspection holes in the bottom surshyface of the wings

The holes proposed for the top of the wing are very well located for inducing wing rot They are

2 FEBRUARY 1998

centered over the juncture of the plywood doushyblers in the area of the wing strut attach point on the spars As currently constructed the wing is a closed structure with carefully controlled ventilashytion The addition of the rectangular panel on the top of the wing as proposed by this NPRM will result in moisture infiltration into the wing strucshyture When sitting outside moisture combined with the suns heat creates an ideal fungi incubashytor Mold and rot thrive in such a warm moist atmosphere The doublers will delaminate Rot will form unseen behind the doublers The FAA is proposing to swap the problem of a unsubstantishyated cracked spar problem with another real problem Why puncture the umbrella of the top covering to let in water

The inclusion of aircraft of the low powered Aeronca 11 and 7 series and the Bellanca 7ACA cannot be sustained by using the statistical data presented in the NPRM The ADs statistics shows that no 11 series airplane has shown any spar problems related to this type of damage The compression failure type of crack is the stated reason for the NPRM But FAA statistics quoted in the NPRM show the low powered 7 series to be comparatively free of compression cracks as well Of the eight accidents cited in the NPRM seven of the eight are high powered models

It may be appropriate to review the history of this wing design at this time The same spar cited in the proposed AD is used in the Aeronca models which type certificates are not presently owned by American Champion Aircraft Company These are the prewar Chief the Defender the K-series the CA65 and the L-3 wartime model These all have the same wood spar design and Iike their younger relatives they have not over a 60 year period shown any evidence of a structural spar problem This would seem to lend credence to the conclushysion that only the higher weight higher powered aircraft which have been overstressed at some point in the past may have structural problems It is also true that these higher horsepower higher gross weight aircraft are being flown in much difshyferent ways than the original wing design was intended to handle ie aerobatics flown by less experienced aerobatic pilots During the recent past a new higher strength STCd wing strut fitshyting for attac hing the strut to the spar has been created The revised fitting was produced after the failure of the wing strut fitting on a higher horseshypower higher gross weight Decathlon airplane

The FAA cited an 8GCBC accident after inishytial inspection several years earlier as justification for the proposed AD From the Type Certificate Data Sheets one can see the vastly different loadshying conditions of the different aircraft cited in the proposed AD The 8GC BC Scout has a gross weight of 2540 lb and a 180 HP engine The 8KCAB has a gross weight of 1800 lb and an enshygine of 150 HP The 7ECA has a gross weight of 1650 and a 150 HP engine the 7AC has a gross weight of 1120 and a 65 HP engine To compare these aircraft as having similar loading on the spars is unreasonable We also understand there are differing opinions regarding the exact nature of this wing failure between the investigating parshyties Before it can be used as justification for this proposed AD it seems appropriate to review the investigation of this particular failure

Only three of the eight airplane failures cited

by the FAA were due to undetected and uninshyspected damage to the spar or improper wood slope which would be detectable under the present facshytory inspection holes if an inspection was properly accomplished leaving only two undetectable inshyspection accidents out of5541 airplanes cited plus the 961 IIAC Chiefs covered thats 6502 planes and two out of that is a 0003075 failure rate If we are to make the FAA assumption that the failshyures are under reported we can then increase the failure rate While we don t agree that the failures are not reported routinely by mechanics for the sake of argument well assume the failures were under reported by 300 in the field requiring the failure rate to be multiplied by 3 times That gives a fai lure rate of 0009225 still less than one ten thousandth of one percent of the fleet These stashytistics would indicate that there is no real problem that requires the need for a mandatory AD on all aircraft This information does indicate that the FAA and other aviation organizations such as EAA should better educate the owners of these aircraft of the importance of a good annual inspecshytion of the spars and a detailed thorough inspection of the wing spar prior to recovering an aircraft or specifically after a wing strike

The FAA stated in the AD that The FAA beshylieves that many crackeddamaged spars are not reported because general aviation operators (opershyating in accordance with Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations [14 CFR part 91]) are not reshyquired to submit service difficulty reports EAA does not agree with this statement EAA believes that most mechanics are safety conscious and when they see something that they believe is a deshysign or service problem they submit a report because they care for the lives of the pilots who fly these aircraft As you read the service difficulty reshyports it impresses you with the small details that get reported A loose screw here an enlarged fitshyting here EAA does not believe that something as major as a wing spar with damage would go unshyder reported The FAA has cast moral and ethical clouds over the inspectors they license

Every annual inspection of a wood spar airshycraft should include a detailed inspection of the spar using the existing inspection holes This method has worked well for over 50 years If the lighter airplanes had a structural flaw related to the use of wood spars would it not be reasonable to expect the problem to exist over the service life of the aircraft The data collected over the past 31 years (the length of time used to collect the data cited in the NPRM) does not justify the inclusion of the Aeronca 7 and II series airplanes nor the Bellanca 7ACA No data at all was submitted on the 11 series aircraft and they should not be inshycluded in any proposed action The application of this NPRM to the higher horsepower higher gross weight aircraft should be carefully weighed against the possibility that the failures of the wings on these airplanes could be the result of another failure mode involving the sparwing strut fittings

In conclusion the proposed action of adding inshyspection holes on the top of the wing would cause addition corrosion and moisture problems offsetting any improved inspection abilities and insufficient support is given for the need of any additional inshyspection requirements for any of the effected aircraft This proposed AD should be withdrawn

Well keep you posted on any further developshyments regarding this proposed AD

PARKS HELP

Dear HG I am writing a book about the early

days of Parks Air College spanning from its founding in 1927 though the midshy1930s I am interested in corresponding with anyone who might allow me to phoshytocopy information they might have about Parks Im looking for photographs sales brochures correspondence anyone who flew or worked on the Parks-built P-l Pshy2 P-2A P-3 P-4 airplanes information on the 1929 Women s Air Derby Gardshyner Cup Race and Cord Cup Race copies of Parks Air News Happy Landings Skyward Ho and The Man Who Tunes The Plane I would like to speak with any former students from that era as well as any pilots or mechanics who visited Parks during that time You may write or call me collect at the following address

John L Lewis 60 Robert Leather Rd Bethlehem CT 06751 203-266-5787

BUHL AlRSEDAN NOTES

DearHG I enjoyed the article on the Buhl on the

December issue Its always good to learn more about an antique airplane However I question the identification of the person

VINTAGE

AeroMaiI named as Walter Lees in the photos on page 18 About Cap Woolson Im not sure I enclose two copies of Walter Lees both from the book Pioneer Pilot edited by Lees daughter Jo Cooper The photos are consistent with others in the book Lees was bald at an early age and he had a Charlie Chaplin mustache

You might be interested in the discusshysion of the Buh Sport Airsedan that was at Monmouth IL airport for awhile in 1935 You will find a discussion on it in Flying Field page 66 It had an engine that was once on the Spirit of St Louis No kidding

Best Regards Jim Haynes Bushnell IL AlC 12099

Jim is right and his nifty history ofthe Monmouth airport in Flying Field is a great story For more information on the book drop an SASE in the mail to Jim at Robin s Nest Co 21 Sunset Ln Bushnell IL 61422 Jims suspicion is confirmed in this next note from none other than John Underwood

YoHG The two gents in front of the

Packard Buhl are Fred Brossy (left) and

-Continued on page 27shy

The beautifully restored Fw44 Stieglitz before It was severely damaged

The sad remains of the Stieglitz in a Germany field

The talents of our members seems to have no end Jim Neushyman Hobart IN (Ale 23168) sent us this postcard regarding the Fw-44 shown in Members Projects in the November 97 issue of Vintage Airplane

~ ~~~ ITS SAD TO SEE CLASSICS e=TO KITS BlIT ytIJR CAPTION IS A LOSS nR r 81-111165 A FUSELAGE AIJD BI= ~ MAKE A STIEGU~ -Hor A STOsSIOR AI

So Norm replied Sometimes I tink I should retire Und schmoke cigars und stoke der fire Perhaps ve tink ve are so schmardt To place der horse before der cart Und name der plane vitoudt much tinking Dat Herr Newman would be tin king Mine veak brain vaves like der steeple Jias knockedfor loop like many people Yah das ist ein Steiglitz -for sure Der Stosser been ein FW-56 - so pure Yah ich been ein stupid Dane Das ist hard to live in pain

Bitte Schoen Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

THIRD ON THE TRIMOTOR

Three-engine airplanes arent all that rare today But 70 years ago when flyshying machines themselves were still a novelty the advent of a sleek silvery airliner woke the world to the potential of travel by air The Ford Trimotor with its two pilot crew 12 seats flight attendant and richly paneled interior brought the comfort of the drawing room with a magnificent view to a realm formerly dominated by risk takers The first quarter century of powered flight had indeed been sustained through the dreams and daring of pilots at war pilots carrying mail pilots storming barns and pilots perishing while they furthered aviation knowledge

What an opportunity it must have been three generations ago to board a glistening silver bird with one enorshymous wing and its nose pointed rakishly toward the sky Sitting back in a comshyfortable seat with a view of one of the huge radial engines sent a thrill of anticshyipation through many a previously earthbound traveler Fingers would clasp tightly as the roar of each of the three engines starting brought more life to the eager bird A short drive to the runway and then a few yards later airborne One wonders how many landshylubbers got their first taste of aviation on a Ford How many future engineers pilots and Yankee businessmen had their eyes opened to the potential of mass air travel while gazing at the cities and pastures below through the clear

panes of a Trimotor Now three generations have passed

since the heyday of that magnificent airliner Only a half dozen of the birds have survived the passage of time intact The proved to be workhorses even after the development of faster larger more comfortable passenger ships Trimotors labored on their huge square cabins with a low loading door ideal for carryshying high priority cargo The Trimotors short field capability made it a mainstay of the cargo fire fighting and air-delivery world ofthe developing west The mounshytain country that the Trimotor helped develop was the spawning ground of magnificent pilots too These were pilots who knew the earth as well from the air as their fathers had known it from horseshyback And these men maneuvered their steeds through the clouded snowy mountain passes as easily as if they were still on the ground

One pioneer pilot was recently inshyducted into the Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame Penn Stohr spent his life honing his flying skills navigating the mountains and valleys of the northwest and bringshying a service to the rugged region that insured its development Stohr was born in Clarence Missouri in 190 I and spent much of his career flying single engine wheel and skiplanes throughout the mountains and valleys of Montana and Idaho His exploits the reliability of his service and his intimate knowledge of the terrain helped make him a legend even before the rescue

During WW II a bomber crew crashshylanded on a frozen lake during a training mission and a great search ensued After ten days it was Penn Stohr who noticed a disturbance in the snow and discovshyered the crew still at Loon Lake Using his single-engine ski plane he lifted the crew to safety and earned a citation from the War Department

Stohr continued to fly into the pages of aviation history joining with Bob

(Above and upper right) Penn R Stohr Jr presents his twins daughter Leisel son Josh (far right) with their EAA Young Eagle certificates after their flights in the Ford

Johnson to develop Johnson Flying Service into the premier air carrier in the region It was with Johnson that Penn Stohr began flying the rugged aging Ford Trimotors The talents of the great pilot the toughness of the bird and the demands of mountain air service made the combination of the three a sure winner Johnson Flyshying Service flourished and grew with the territory

As the great silver bird entered her second generation Penn R Stohr Penns son and the second generation of western pilots took the controls Although he was but a teenager in 1957 when his father lost his life at the controls of a Trimotor on a sprayshying mission Penn had already flown many of the planes his father had inshytroduced to the area Penn the son flew easily into the contrails left by his departed father

When in 1975 Johnson Flying

4 FEBRUARY 199B

Service was bought by another great aviation pioneer Del Smith of Evershygreen Helicopters Penn joined the new endeavor Evergreen International Airshylines He became Chief Pilot and is now Senior Vice President of Flight Operashytions The airline has grown over the years as well now boasting a fleet of 38 jets including DC-9s B-727s DC-8s and B-747s And of course theres a Ford Trimotor now in her third generashytion of service and restored flawlessly to full operating condition

As the Evergreen International Trishymotor climbs gracefully away from its home at Oregons Troutdale Airport the sun flashes brilliantly from the windswept surface of the Co lumbia River Boaters and wind surfers on the river hearing the unmistakable roar of radial engines glance up to see the reshyflected sunlight beamed back from the huge span of the Fords wing Through the cockpit door the planes passengers surrounded by leather mahogany and glass can see the shoulders of the two pilots father and son as they steer the craft up the river Penn Stohr and his twin children Josh and Liesel now ten years old are establishing the third genshyeration of Trimotor drivers just as the silver airliner reaches her third generation of service

Josh and Liesel are two of over 360000 Young Eagles Sponsored by the nonprofit Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles is a project dedicated to making the experience of flight available to as many young peoshy

pie age 8 to 17 as possible with a goal of one million youngsters by the end of 2003 Penn Stohr is an EAA member whose life and experience make him a natural aviation role model But being an airline vice president is not a requireshyment More information on the program can be obtained by writing or calling the Young Eagles Office EAA A viashytion Foundation P O Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 telephone 920426-4831

The world of flying having been tamed by aviation pioneers like Penn Stohr Sr was transformed from a risky adventure into a service that helped to build a country His son Penn is chanshyneling that service into a multi-billion dollar industry that circles the globe every hour of every day Fleets of winged behemoths each carrying more technology than fictional spaceships ply the skies across the oceans and conshytinents of the planet At the helms of these craft are professionals trained for years to become a functional part of the computers pumps video screens and thrusting engines This is the latest peshyriod in the evolution of aviation the world that Penn is unveiling for his Young Eagles in the Fords cockpit

Just as the beginning and end of their grandfatherS aviation career were a stark contrast between what was only dreamed and what could actually be done so it will be again As Liesel and Josh Stohr and thousands of their young aviation pioneers move into the cockpits simulators and engineering laboratories

aviation nears the end of its frrst century What will Josh Liesel and their comshyrades conjure up over the next quarter century Look back 25 then 50 years Would you be so bold as to forecast what the future pioneers the greatshygrandchildren of Penn Stohr Sr will strap on when they strut onto the tarmac of the future

There are a few certainties worth mentioning First the generation in the seat has the stick in its hand What weve done with what we were given is exshyactly what our chi ldren have to build upon Aviation being such a young endeavor illustrates this principle so dramatically Second the legends left by the successes of each generation esshytablish challenges for the next Records

Douglas Smuln Shirley Martin and Penn R Stohr Jr pause In front of the Evergreen International Ford Trlmotor especially flying records were made

to be beaten And finally it is only through preserving the thrill of aerial mastery and accomplishment that fushyture generations will be persuaded to take up the challenge But without the opportunity to sample aviation first-hand through projects like Young Eagles our next generation may never feel that thrill

As Josh sits at the controls of the 65-year-old airliner the Columbia winds ahead to the east Filling the windscreen is the majestic snow mantled bulk of Mount Hood The wild slopes are a swirl with white just as they were when aviators were the first humans to make the mounshytains seem small Just as the efforts of todays aviation pros work tireshylessly to keep this priceless silver artifact in the air so they work to launch the careers of the next generashytion of her pilots

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

over the years about taildraggers but I had a pocket full of ratings and an attitude to boot I am a CFI We know everything and can teach it too What trouble can a small low and slow airplane be

Well everything youve read about tailshydraggers is true

I needed to top off the tanks and elected

THE PRIDE OF TATUMS by DAVID WELCH

I ve named my 1946 Cessna 140 THE PRIDE OF TATUMS I had a fancy letshytering job done that adorns each side just

behind the D window Its red white and blue with a few stars for effect

An awful lot of times someone had come up to me and asked if my name were Tatums Often the person is a Tatums himself or has a friend a cousin an in-law a neighbor etc I usually just answer nope I can be pretty reticent and Rebecca hates it when I am I just want people to ask the right question and Ill open up and tell the whole story

How did you come by that name for your airplane Dave

I bought my Cessna in 1988 I had looked at a few airplanes after figuring out my budshyget For a reason I dont fully understand I was pretty sure I wanted a Cessna 140 I learned to fly in 1969 in an assortment of rented 150s and I wanted something that would capture that nostalgia trip and more

The 140s were a few years older than anyshything I had eve r flown and they were taildraggers I had never been in one in fact I had never even looked closely at one but I was pretty sure I wanted one I sent for the owners manual even before I started serishyously looking

I picked out an advertisement in AeroshyTrader and made the call The seller sounded like someone whom I could trust and we set up a meeting We would get together at Mid Florida Airport in Eustis He flew the airplane down from Jacksonville and I drove up from Venice (If he was willing to fly the airplane that far it had to be in pretty good shape)

I liked it when I saw it although I couldnt tell you why It is white with red and blue stripes along the side and blue nose and wingtips It flew well and we made a deal He would take it home and annual it and wed meet the next week in St Augustine

I booked a one-way car rental and drove the four hours We agreed to exchange papers and money and then drop off the seller at a small grass strip just south of the JAX area From there Id solo in my first airplane for the two hour trip home

It is a taildragger I had read lots of stories

DIJ____ ---

6 FEBRUARY 1998

1113081

to stop just a few miles south at Keystone Airpark One of the factors in my decision was the choice of six directions in which to land Fortunately for me the wind dictated that I touch down far away from any eyes that may be watching By the time I got to the gas pumps I had had a lot of experience taxiing and making s turns

When I got out my knees were made of rubber My ankles and arms ached from all the control movements I had been making both on the ground and aloft I had been in the air less than 20 minutes

I made it home and taught myself to fly a taildragger (The mandatory sign-off had not yet been implemented) I did it with hours and hours of stop and go landings First I did them on a mile of concrete at Venice then when I felt confident I went to Englewood where we have about 2500 feet of grass and enough trees to command your attention

I got all my pictures developed took them to work and started to brag My co-workers have enough aeronautical sophistication to distinguish a light airplane from a blimp but like most everyone else they are all Piper Cubs arent they

I work for the US Postal Service as a Letshyter Carrier I deliver the mail for a living What my co-workers were able to point out to me though was that my new airplane was painted just like a mail truck It is white with red and blue stripes along the side It was obshy

David Welch and his Cessna 140 The Pride of Tatums As a US Postal Service Letter Carrier Dave had fun with his N number Read the text for the reasons behind the name of his airplane

vious as the sunrise but I had never seen it Was that why I wanted this airplane

The people at work are boat people A few of them asked if I was going to name it No I said boat people name their boats Airplane people dont name their airplanes These people watch too much TV Probably the only pilot they are able to name is Lindshybergh Just because he named his doesnt mean all these Piper Cubs have names

Now I have two significant but as yet unshyconnected things rattling around in my subconscious First it looks like a mail truck Second maybe it should have a name

During a very dull meeting at work one morning I happened to be sitting by the Zip Code book My mind unrelated to anything on the conscious level just wanted to know if anyplace had the Zip Code of my N number 73087 Well it was a small town in Oklashyhoma by the name of Tatums Its mail came out of Oklahoma City and I knew it was pretty small because one Zip covered it all

I looked it up on a road map when I got home and there it was I went to a Sectional Chart and its a real small point about 20 miles southwest of Pauls Valley Pauls Valley- isnt that where the Cessna 120140 Association is holding its miliual convention this year (1989)

At this point this is all just input going into my brain I havent mashed the sort button yet

I had a problem with my airplane and drove to the convention in Oklahoma I took a side trip to Tatums It has no airport nearby

- Continued on page 3Jshy

CubAircraft Co Ltd in Lundtofte Denmark (Part Two)

-continued from the January 1998 issue-

via NORM PETERSEN

As stated last month this story which is presented in two parts is extracted from the book entitled 75 AR TIL LANDS amp I LUFTEN (75 Years on Land and In the Air) the 75-year history ofthe auto and airplane firm ofChristian Bohnstedt-Petersen AlSfrom 1911 to 1986 The book was written by noted author JfJrgen Helme ofEsshypergaerde Denmark The translationrom Danish to English was done by Knud Thaarup (EAA 280077) 0Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) Denmark We are indebted to JfJrgen Helmeor permission to reprint this historical account othe Cub Aircraft Co Ltdfrom late 1937 to April 9 1940 when Germany occupied Denmark

Oden One day in August Hedegaard flew

n the other side of the 0resund the Cub on floats from Sweden to Denshy(between Denmark and Sweden) mark landing in the lake called Furesoen

the subsidiary in Malmo Autoropa Ltd where Bohnstedt-Petersen had a summer held the Swedish Piper Cub Agency Here cottage on Fureso road with direct access the former Swedish Air Force pilot Eric to the lake During the stay of the Cub on Bjurhovd was the leader of the companys floats over the next month Prins as well aviation activities which were operated out as Svensson and the instructor of the Flying of Bulltofta Club Active Lt K E Simonsen had the

Cub Aircraft Co Ltds Norwegian opportunity to fly the floatplane Aftershydealer was Wessels Aviation Company Ltd wards they declared unanimously that it at Fomebu Airport near Oslo This company had been a great experience However the represented Piper Cub only and had by demand for land planes was much greater mid-1938 sold eight airplanes of this manushy so when the American registered Cub facture The Norwegian aviation enterprise (NC215 l 7 SIN 2371) was returned to which simultaneously operated a flight Malmo Sweden the wheels replaced the school was a subsidiary of Witt amp Wessel floats and the Cub was accepted on the AlS-the DKW importer for Norway Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-AMP

In the spring of 1938 Autoropa Ltd had At Autoropa Ltd in Bulltofte Bohnstedt ordered a Piper Cub hydroplane ie-a 50 had an airplane of French origin It was a hp J-3S Cub on Edo 54-1140 floats The Caudron C 510 Phalene with room for four purpose was to look into the possibilities persons in a comfortable cabin The airplane of selling airplanes on floats to countries was registered SE-AGN and was flown by with many lakes such as Finland and Swe- Lieutenant Eric Bjurhoved

The old Rohrbach hangar at Kastrup Airport that was purchased by Bohnstedt-Petersen for 5000 Danish Kroner (very cheap) and rebuilt at his home estate called Hegnsholt in 1938

The Swedish Crown Prince his majesty Gustaf Adolf the VI of Sweden visits with Algot Thulin (holding his hat) of Autoropa AB Malmo Sweden at an aviashytion gathering at the Bulltofta Airport near Malmo

In the spring of 1939 Bohnstedt decided to use the Caudron airplane himself and made provisions for transferring it to Lundtofte and having it registered in Denshymark as OY-DIU The following summer the Caudron was frequently used by Bohnshystedt as a corporate aircraft with Prins as chief pilot as he had added the type to his pilots rating card During June the plane was flown to the island of Fano a couple of times where the Bohnstedt-Petersen family spent the holidays at the KUT Hotel In Aushygust Prins flew the fami ly to Hollufgaard During the stay on Fano director Oeser of Daimler-Benz came in his Mercedes 540K to visit On this occasion a speed contest between automobile and airplane took place It showed that the 540K could easily keep up with the Caudron

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark (April 9 1940) caused an abrupt end of the Lundtofte enterprises aviation activities which had presented itself as a very promising opporshytunity by the end of the 1930s The very last delivery before the occupation took place was as late as April 3 1940 when Lieushytenant Jacobsen of the Free Military Service in Norway took delivery ofLN-HAB the last airplane of an order of three of the entirely new type the Piper J-4A Cub Coupe with side-by-side seating

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

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BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

STRAIGHT amp LEVEL by ESPIE BUTCH JOYCE

I ts really funny the places that I end up writing this Straight amp Level column for VINTAGE AIRPLANE This

one is being written while sitting on a 737 that will be departing Louisville Kentucky at about 630 pm for Charshylotte North Carolina Then a lift from Charlotte to Greensboro will allow me to be home by (if all goes well) 11 30 pm Thats not too bad considering I got up this same day at 400 am to make my 630 departure for my days trip to Louisville KY where I had a lunch plus a four hour meeting with a company This is but an hour and a half trip in my Beech Baron each way but the forecast of freezing rain and the abshysolute need to be at this meeting required me to go by airline Please do not take this to mean I am upset with the system of airline travel-after all its an II hour drive each way I am grateful to be able to leave home in the morning and return the same day But it certainly highlights the remarkable abilshyity we have to control our own schedule using our own aircraft The weather does limit its utility just a bit even with an instrument rating but if the weather forecast were not for freezing rain I could have cut my trips time requireshyment by over half

On this trip I carried a publication that included a short article written by EAA Founder and Chairman of the Board Paul Poberezny In it Paul spoke about the inconveniences that we as pishylots and aircraft owners put up with in order to own or fly aircraft What Paul said is true but as a long-time aviation buff I had come to be accustomed to the inconveniences that I go through and have expected these things as the norn1

Ive been in aviation a long time and perhaps thats the secret Many of these restrictions have been put on us one at a time I have not really stood back and looked at what we have to go

through to get my aircraft into the sysshytem and fly it from here to there Thank goodness for those of you who can still keep your aircraft on a private airport

While sitting at the gate in Louisville I kept hearing different announceshyments most of them dealing with weather related delays

Because of the weather at Chicago Illinois we cannot depart this flight on time therefore we are trying to arrange a different flight for those of you who have a connection Ninety-five percent of those flying into Chicago were afshyfected On a day like this you ll probably see the same sign I saw on the ticket counter This flight is overshybooked if you volunteer for a later flight we will give you a round-trip ticket (free of charge) to any point that we fly to in the next year Thanks but no thanks I just want to get home to the couch and fire Even the pros are affected - a UPS captain was waiting for the same flight as me He was worried that he might not get on the flight because it was overbooked (he did make it I was pulling for him) Once he got to Charlotte he had to start all over with his quest to get home In Chicago it is another madhouse of canshycelled flights and people trying to make connections

You can see that weather or many of the same factors that affect us can make aviation travel an inconvenience to all who try to fly through this vast ocean of air It is not only limited to pishylots and aircraft owners but being an aircraft owner or a pilot has its own unique disadvantages and highlights

As I write this it is the second day after the 21 st of January which is the equinox and we now start gaining nearly an additional three minutes of daylight each day I can hardly wait for the Sun n Fun Fly-in in April Before I talk to you about that event I would like to pass along some exciting news about EAA AirVenture 98 One of the major themes this year at Oshkosh is a

cooperative effort between EAA the EAA AntiqueClassic Division and the NBAA We will be recognizing the role that corporate aviation has played in the history of aviation by helping creshyate the display of Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft that represent the contributions they have played in business aviation

In our workshop tent we also plan to have several of the most talented metal working individuals Each day you can see demonstrations of this skill and the proper use of metalworking tools This effort is being headed up by your AC Director Steve Nesse We will have adshyditional information about this program in future issues of VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Should you have any questions about this metal working shop contact Steve at 507373-1674 EAA AirVenture 98 is shaping up to be one of the greatest Conventions we will ever have

The AntiqueClassic 10nl campaign is still going great the report that I received just last week showed us to be on the positive side Lets keep it going and continue to recruit new members Your continued support of the AntiqueClassic Division has made this group one of the strongest groups of the EAA I again call on your supshyport to ask new people to join up with us so they too can enjoy all of the AntiqueClassic benefits as well as your great magazine

This past January we have had anshyother hand propping accident I can only say that you and I need to do whatshyever is necessary to prevent these accidents from occurring in the future We all need to look after each other and prevent these reoccurring accidents

Well we have landed in Greensshyboro we are late - it is now II 30 pm I guess Ill need to walk out to the parking lot and beat the ice off of my truck so I can go home Lets all pull in the same direction for the good of avishyation Remember we are better together Join us and have it all

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1

AC NEWS compiled by HG Frautschy

ASUNNYDAY Our back cover features another of the paintshy

ings which won an award in the annual EAA Sport Aviation Competition Lee Budahl the artist who entered the painting wrote

I have been teaching art for 30 years and have been drawing for twice 30 years Some of my earlishyest memories are ofdrawing pictures ofairplanes

A Sunny Day takes place in France Spring 1918 the last year of World War I A British SEshy5A flies over fields which have escaped bombardment and which are beginning to turn green For a precious moment or two the pilot looks out at the ground beneath him He does not see the German Fokker DR diving out of the sun toward him In seconds the Fokkers pilot will rake the SE-5A with machine gun fire The Fokkers wings are red - this may be the Barons plane We watch this frozen moment of time from somewhere outside both cockpits far from the SEshy5A and a little above the Fokker From our viewpoint the red wing makes a dramatic diagoshynal plunge into this sunny day reminding us that the war is not yet over

You can reach Lee at 300 NCountry Club Rd Cullowhee NC 28723

AERONCA SPAR AD EAA and the AntiqueClassic Division

recently commented on an ill-advised proposed Airworthiness Directive Docket No 97-CE-79-AD Affecting American Champion Corporation 7 8 and 11 Series airplanes it would require the ownshyers of Aeronca 7 AC through the 7EC and Bellancas 7ACA or the IIAC and IIBC (as well as Champion aircraft models built before the acquisition of the line by Bellanca) to add multiple inspection holes in the bottom of the wings of their airplanes and a larger plate in the top surface of the wing near the sparwing strut attact fitting The following is a synopsis of EAA comments to the FAA regarding this proposed AD

The stated purpose of this AD is to ensure the detection of spar cracks that could result in an inshyflight wing failure Therefore for aircraft that have never suffered wing damage the inspection should not be necessary The result of the aircraft modificashytions proposed in the NPRM would result in a costly change to the aircraft that would not prevent the type of failures that have occurred and actually could cause additional failures due to moisture damage

The proposed AD does little to enhance an inshyspection The proposed inspection plates leave just barely enough room to insert a mirror and not enough to do any feeling for anomalies by touch (The supposition that spar damage could be felt by fingers requires the damage be quite severe ie a spar fracture due to wing contact with the ground) These little curved holes are so small that it almost requires a borescope to see over and under the spar when looking through these holes There are also aerodynamic concerns to be considered with the addition of 22 inspection holes in the bottom surshyface of the wings

The holes proposed for the top of the wing are very well located for inducing wing rot They are

2 FEBRUARY 1998

centered over the juncture of the plywood doushyblers in the area of the wing strut attach point on the spars As currently constructed the wing is a closed structure with carefully controlled ventilashytion The addition of the rectangular panel on the top of the wing as proposed by this NPRM will result in moisture infiltration into the wing strucshyture When sitting outside moisture combined with the suns heat creates an ideal fungi incubashytor Mold and rot thrive in such a warm moist atmosphere The doublers will delaminate Rot will form unseen behind the doublers The FAA is proposing to swap the problem of a unsubstantishyated cracked spar problem with another real problem Why puncture the umbrella of the top covering to let in water

The inclusion of aircraft of the low powered Aeronca 11 and 7 series and the Bellanca 7ACA cannot be sustained by using the statistical data presented in the NPRM The ADs statistics shows that no 11 series airplane has shown any spar problems related to this type of damage The compression failure type of crack is the stated reason for the NPRM But FAA statistics quoted in the NPRM show the low powered 7 series to be comparatively free of compression cracks as well Of the eight accidents cited in the NPRM seven of the eight are high powered models

It may be appropriate to review the history of this wing design at this time The same spar cited in the proposed AD is used in the Aeronca models which type certificates are not presently owned by American Champion Aircraft Company These are the prewar Chief the Defender the K-series the CA65 and the L-3 wartime model These all have the same wood spar design and Iike their younger relatives they have not over a 60 year period shown any evidence of a structural spar problem This would seem to lend credence to the conclushysion that only the higher weight higher powered aircraft which have been overstressed at some point in the past may have structural problems It is also true that these higher horsepower higher gross weight aircraft are being flown in much difshyferent ways than the original wing design was intended to handle ie aerobatics flown by less experienced aerobatic pilots During the recent past a new higher strength STCd wing strut fitshyting for attac hing the strut to the spar has been created The revised fitting was produced after the failure of the wing strut fitting on a higher horseshypower higher gross weight Decathlon airplane

The FAA cited an 8GCBC accident after inishytial inspection several years earlier as justification for the proposed AD From the Type Certificate Data Sheets one can see the vastly different loadshying conditions of the different aircraft cited in the proposed AD The 8GC BC Scout has a gross weight of 2540 lb and a 180 HP engine The 8KCAB has a gross weight of 1800 lb and an enshygine of 150 HP The 7ECA has a gross weight of 1650 and a 150 HP engine the 7AC has a gross weight of 1120 and a 65 HP engine To compare these aircraft as having similar loading on the spars is unreasonable We also understand there are differing opinions regarding the exact nature of this wing failure between the investigating parshyties Before it can be used as justification for this proposed AD it seems appropriate to review the investigation of this particular failure

Only three of the eight airplane failures cited

by the FAA were due to undetected and uninshyspected damage to the spar or improper wood slope which would be detectable under the present facshytory inspection holes if an inspection was properly accomplished leaving only two undetectable inshyspection accidents out of5541 airplanes cited plus the 961 IIAC Chiefs covered thats 6502 planes and two out of that is a 0003075 failure rate If we are to make the FAA assumption that the failshyures are under reported we can then increase the failure rate While we don t agree that the failures are not reported routinely by mechanics for the sake of argument well assume the failures were under reported by 300 in the field requiring the failure rate to be multiplied by 3 times That gives a fai lure rate of 0009225 still less than one ten thousandth of one percent of the fleet These stashytistics would indicate that there is no real problem that requires the need for a mandatory AD on all aircraft This information does indicate that the FAA and other aviation organizations such as EAA should better educate the owners of these aircraft of the importance of a good annual inspecshytion of the spars and a detailed thorough inspection of the wing spar prior to recovering an aircraft or specifically after a wing strike

The FAA stated in the AD that The FAA beshylieves that many crackeddamaged spars are not reported because general aviation operators (opershyating in accordance with Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations [14 CFR part 91]) are not reshyquired to submit service difficulty reports EAA does not agree with this statement EAA believes that most mechanics are safety conscious and when they see something that they believe is a deshysign or service problem they submit a report because they care for the lives of the pilots who fly these aircraft As you read the service difficulty reshyports it impresses you with the small details that get reported A loose screw here an enlarged fitshyting here EAA does not believe that something as major as a wing spar with damage would go unshyder reported The FAA has cast moral and ethical clouds over the inspectors they license

Every annual inspection of a wood spar airshycraft should include a detailed inspection of the spar using the existing inspection holes This method has worked well for over 50 years If the lighter airplanes had a structural flaw related to the use of wood spars would it not be reasonable to expect the problem to exist over the service life of the aircraft The data collected over the past 31 years (the length of time used to collect the data cited in the NPRM) does not justify the inclusion of the Aeronca 7 and II series airplanes nor the Bellanca 7ACA No data at all was submitted on the 11 series aircraft and they should not be inshycluded in any proposed action The application of this NPRM to the higher horsepower higher gross weight aircraft should be carefully weighed against the possibility that the failures of the wings on these airplanes could be the result of another failure mode involving the sparwing strut fittings

In conclusion the proposed action of adding inshyspection holes on the top of the wing would cause addition corrosion and moisture problems offsetting any improved inspection abilities and insufficient support is given for the need of any additional inshyspection requirements for any of the effected aircraft This proposed AD should be withdrawn

Well keep you posted on any further developshyments regarding this proposed AD

PARKS HELP

Dear HG I am writing a book about the early

days of Parks Air College spanning from its founding in 1927 though the midshy1930s I am interested in corresponding with anyone who might allow me to phoshytocopy information they might have about Parks Im looking for photographs sales brochures correspondence anyone who flew or worked on the Parks-built P-l Pshy2 P-2A P-3 P-4 airplanes information on the 1929 Women s Air Derby Gardshyner Cup Race and Cord Cup Race copies of Parks Air News Happy Landings Skyward Ho and The Man Who Tunes The Plane I would like to speak with any former students from that era as well as any pilots or mechanics who visited Parks during that time You may write or call me collect at the following address

John L Lewis 60 Robert Leather Rd Bethlehem CT 06751 203-266-5787

BUHL AlRSEDAN NOTES

DearHG I enjoyed the article on the Buhl on the

December issue Its always good to learn more about an antique airplane However I question the identification of the person

VINTAGE

AeroMaiI named as Walter Lees in the photos on page 18 About Cap Woolson Im not sure I enclose two copies of Walter Lees both from the book Pioneer Pilot edited by Lees daughter Jo Cooper The photos are consistent with others in the book Lees was bald at an early age and he had a Charlie Chaplin mustache

You might be interested in the discusshysion of the Buh Sport Airsedan that was at Monmouth IL airport for awhile in 1935 You will find a discussion on it in Flying Field page 66 It had an engine that was once on the Spirit of St Louis No kidding

Best Regards Jim Haynes Bushnell IL AlC 12099

Jim is right and his nifty history ofthe Monmouth airport in Flying Field is a great story For more information on the book drop an SASE in the mail to Jim at Robin s Nest Co 21 Sunset Ln Bushnell IL 61422 Jims suspicion is confirmed in this next note from none other than John Underwood

YoHG The two gents in front of the

Packard Buhl are Fred Brossy (left) and

-Continued on page 27shy

The beautifully restored Fw44 Stieglitz before It was severely damaged

The sad remains of the Stieglitz in a Germany field

The talents of our members seems to have no end Jim Neushyman Hobart IN (Ale 23168) sent us this postcard regarding the Fw-44 shown in Members Projects in the November 97 issue of Vintage Airplane

~ ~~~ ITS SAD TO SEE CLASSICS e=TO KITS BlIT ytIJR CAPTION IS A LOSS nR r 81-111165 A FUSELAGE AIJD BI= ~ MAKE A STIEGU~ -Hor A STOsSIOR AI

So Norm replied Sometimes I tink I should retire Und schmoke cigars und stoke der fire Perhaps ve tink ve are so schmardt To place der horse before der cart Und name der plane vitoudt much tinking Dat Herr Newman would be tin king Mine veak brain vaves like der steeple Jias knockedfor loop like many people Yah das ist ein Steiglitz -for sure Der Stosser been ein FW-56 - so pure Yah ich been ein stupid Dane Das ist hard to live in pain

Bitte Schoen Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

THIRD ON THE TRIMOTOR

Three-engine airplanes arent all that rare today But 70 years ago when flyshying machines themselves were still a novelty the advent of a sleek silvery airliner woke the world to the potential of travel by air The Ford Trimotor with its two pilot crew 12 seats flight attendant and richly paneled interior brought the comfort of the drawing room with a magnificent view to a realm formerly dominated by risk takers The first quarter century of powered flight had indeed been sustained through the dreams and daring of pilots at war pilots carrying mail pilots storming barns and pilots perishing while they furthered aviation knowledge

What an opportunity it must have been three generations ago to board a glistening silver bird with one enorshymous wing and its nose pointed rakishly toward the sky Sitting back in a comshyfortable seat with a view of one of the huge radial engines sent a thrill of anticshyipation through many a previously earthbound traveler Fingers would clasp tightly as the roar of each of the three engines starting brought more life to the eager bird A short drive to the runway and then a few yards later airborne One wonders how many landshylubbers got their first taste of aviation on a Ford How many future engineers pilots and Yankee businessmen had their eyes opened to the potential of mass air travel while gazing at the cities and pastures below through the clear

panes of a Trimotor Now three generations have passed

since the heyday of that magnificent airliner Only a half dozen of the birds have survived the passage of time intact The proved to be workhorses even after the development of faster larger more comfortable passenger ships Trimotors labored on their huge square cabins with a low loading door ideal for carryshying high priority cargo The Trimotors short field capability made it a mainstay of the cargo fire fighting and air-delivery world ofthe developing west The mounshytain country that the Trimotor helped develop was the spawning ground of magnificent pilots too These were pilots who knew the earth as well from the air as their fathers had known it from horseshyback And these men maneuvered their steeds through the clouded snowy mountain passes as easily as if they were still on the ground

One pioneer pilot was recently inshyducted into the Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame Penn Stohr spent his life honing his flying skills navigating the mountains and valleys of the northwest and bringshying a service to the rugged region that insured its development Stohr was born in Clarence Missouri in 190 I and spent much of his career flying single engine wheel and skiplanes throughout the mountains and valleys of Montana and Idaho His exploits the reliability of his service and his intimate knowledge of the terrain helped make him a legend even before the rescue

During WW II a bomber crew crashshylanded on a frozen lake during a training mission and a great search ensued After ten days it was Penn Stohr who noticed a disturbance in the snow and discovshyered the crew still at Loon Lake Using his single-engine ski plane he lifted the crew to safety and earned a citation from the War Department

Stohr continued to fly into the pages of aviation history joining with Bob

(Above and upper right) Penn R Stohr Jr presents his twins daughter Leisel son Josh (far right) with their EAA Young Eagle certificates after their flights in the Ford

Johnson to develop Johnson Flying Service into the premier air carrier in the region It was with Johnson that Penn Stohr began flying the rugged aging Ford Trimotors The talents of the great pilot the toughness of the bird and the demands of mountain air service made the combination of the three a sure winner Johnson Flyshying Service flourished and grew with the territory

As the great silver bird entered her second generation Penn R Stohr Penns son and the second generation of western pilots took the controls Although he was but a teenager in 1957 when his father lost his life at the controls of a Trimotor on a sprayshying mission Penn had already flown many of the planes his father had inshytroduced to the area Penn the son flew easily into the contrails left by his departed father

When in 1975 Johnson Flying

4 FEBRUARY 199B

Service was bought by another great aviation pioneer Del Smith of Evershygreen Helicopters Penn joined the new endeavor Evergreen International Airshylines He became Chief Pilot and is now Senior Vice President of Flight Operashytions The airline has grown over the years as well now boasting a fleet of 38 jets including DC-9s B-727s DC-8s and B-747s And of course theres a Ford Trimotor now in her third generashytion of service and restored flawlessly to full operating condition

As the Evergreen International Trishymotor climbs gracefully away from its home at Oregons Troutdale Airport the sun flashes brilliantly from the windswept surface of the Co lumbia River Boaters and wind surfers on the river hearing the unmistakable roar of radial engines glance up to see the reshyflected sunlight beamed back from the huge span of the Fords wing Through the cockpit door the planes passengers surrounded by leather mahogany and glass can see the shoulders of the two pilots father and son as they steer the craft up the river Penn Stohr and his twin children Josh and Liesel now ten years old are establishing the third genshyeration of Trimotor drivers just as the silver airliner reaches her third generation of service

Josh and Liesel are two of over 360000 Young Eagles Sponsored by the nonprofit Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles is a project dedicated to making the experience of flight available to as many young peoshy

pie age 8 to 17 as possible with a goal of one million youngsters by the end of 2003 Penn Stohr is an EAA member whose life and experience make him a natural aviation role model But being an airline vice president is not a requireshyment More information on the program can be obtained by writing or calling the Young Eagles Office EAA A viashytion Foundation P O Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 telephone 920426-4831

The world of flying having been tamed by aviation pioneers like Penn Stohr Sr was transformed from a risky adventure into a service that helped to build a country His son Penn is chanshyneling that service into a multi-billion dollar industry that circles the globe every hour of every day Fleets of winged behemoths each carrying more technology than fictional spaceships ply the skies across the oceans and conshytinents of the planet At the helms of these craft are professionals trained for years to become a functional part of the computers pumps video screens and thrusting engines This is the latest peshyriod in the evolution of aviation the world that Penn is unveiling for his Young Eagles in the Fords cockpit

Just as the beginning and end of their grandfatherS aviation career were a stark contrast between what was only dreamed and what could actually be done so it will be again As Liesel and Josh Stohr and thousands of their young aviation pioneers move into the cockpits simulators and engineering laboratories

aviation nears the end of its frrst century What will Josh Liesel and their comshyrades conjure up over the next quarter century Look back 25 then 50 years Would you be so bold as to forecast what the future pioneers the greatshygrandchildren of Penn Stohr Sr will strap on when they strut onto the tarmac of the future

There are a few certainties worth mentioning First the generation in the seat has the stick in its hand What weve done with what we were given is exshyactly what our chi ldren have to build upon Aviation being such a young endeavor illustrates this principle so dramatically Second the legends left by the successes of each generation esshytablish challenges for the next Records

Douglas Smuln Shirley Martin and Penn R Stohr Jr pause In front of the Evergreen International Ford Trlmotor especially flying records were made

to be beaten And finally it is only through preserving the thrill of aerial mastery and accomplishment that fushyture generations will be persuaded to take up the challenge But without the opportunity to sample aviation first-hand through projects like Young Eagles our next generation may never feel that thrill

As Josh sits at the controls of the 65-year-old airliner the Columbia winds ahead to the east Filling the windscreen is the majestic snow mantled bulk of Mount Hood The wild slopes are a swirl with white just as they were when aviators were the first humans to make the mounshytains seem small Just as the efforts of todays aviation pros work tireshylessly to keep this priceless silver artifact in the air so they work to launch the careers of the next generashytion of her pilots

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

over the years about taildraggers but I had a pocket full of ratings and an attitude to boot I am a CFI We know everything and can teach it too What trouble can a small low and slow airplane be

Well everything youve read about tailshydraggers is true

I needed to top off the tanks and elected

THE PRIDE OF TATUMS by DAVID WELCH

I ve named my 1946 Cessna 140 THE PRIDE OF TATUMS I had a fancy letshytering job done that adorns each side just

behind the D window Its red white and blue with a few stars for effect

An awful lot of times someone had come up to me and asked if my name were Tatums Often the person is a Tatums himself or has a friend a cousin an in-law a neighbor etc I usually just answer nope I can be pretty reticent and Rebecca hates it when I am I just want people to ask the right question and Ill open up and tell the whole story

How did you come by that name for your airplane Dave

I bought my Cessna in 1988 I had looked at a few airplanes after figuring out my budshyget For a reason I dont fully understand I was pretty sure I wanted a Cessna 140 I learned to fly in 1969 in an assortment of rented 150s and I wanted something that would capture that nostalgia trip and more

The 140s were a few years older than anyshything I had eve r flown and they were taildraggers I had never been in one in fact I had never even looked closely at one but I was pretty sure I wanted one I sent for the owners manual even before I started serishyously looking

I picked out an advertisement in AeroshyTrader and made the call The seller sounded like someone whom I could trust and we set up a meeting We would get together at Mid Florida Airport in Eustis He flew the airplane down from Jacksonville and I drove up from Venice (If he was willing to fly the airplane that far it had to be in pretty good shape)

I liked it when I saw it although I couldnt tell you why It is white with red and blue stripes along the side and blue nose and wingtips It flew well and we made a deal He would take it home and annual it and wed meet the next week in St Augustine

I booked a one-way car rental and drove the four hours We agreed to exchange papers and money and then drop off the seller at a small grass strip just south of the JAX area From there Id solo in my first airplane for the two hour trip home

It is a taildragger I had read lots of stories

DIJ____ ---

6 FEBRUARY 1998

1113081

to stop just a few miles south at Keystone Airpark One of the factors in my decision was the choice of six directions in which to land Fortunately for me the wind dictated that I touch down far away from any eyes that may be watching By the time I got to the gas pumps I had had a lot of experience taxiing and making s turns

When I got out my knees were made of rubber My ankles and arms ached from all the control movements I had been making both on the ground and aloft I had been in the air less than 20 minutes

I made it home and taught myself to fly a taildragger (The mandatory sign-off had not yet been implemented) I did it with hours and hours of stop and go landings First I did them on a mile of concrete at Venice then when I felt confident I went to Englewood where we have about 2500 feet of grass and enough trees to command your attention

I got all my pictures developed took them to work and started to brag My co-workers have enough aeronautical sophistication to distinguish a light airplane from a blimp but like most everyone else they are all Piper Cubs arent they

I work for the US Postal Service as a Letshyter Carrier I deliver the mail for a living What my co-workers were able to point out to me though was that my new airplane was painted just like a mail truck It is white with red and blue stripes along the side It was obshy

David Welch and his Cessna 140 The Pride of Tatums As a US Postal Service Letter Carrier Dave had fun with his N number Read the text for the reasons behind the name of his airplane

vious as the sunrise but I had never seen it Was that why I wanted this airplane

The people at work are boat people A few of them asked if I was going to name it No I said boat people name their boats Airplane people dont name their airplanes These people watch too much TV Probably the only pilot they are able to name is Lindshybergh Just because he named his doesnt mean all these Piper Cubs have names

Now I have two significant but as yet unshyconnected things rattling around in my subconscious First it looks like a mail truck Second maybe it should have a name

During a very dull meeting at work one morning I happened to be sitting by the Zip Code book My mind unrelated to anything on the conscious level just wanted to know if anyplace had the Zip Code of my N number 73087 Well it was a small town in Oklashyhoma by the name of Tatums Its mail came out of Oklahoma City and I knew it was pretty small because one Zip covered it all

I looked it up on a road map when I got home and there it was I went to a Sectional Chart and its a real small point about 20 miles southwest of Pauls Valley Pauls Valley- isnt that where the Cessna 120140 Association is holding its miliual convention this year (1989)

At this point this is all just input going into my brain I havent mashed the sort button yet

I had a problem with my airplane and drove to the convention in Oklahoma I took a side trip to Tatums It has no airport nearby

- Continued on page 3Jshy

CubAircraft Co Ltd in Lundtofte Denmark (Part Two)

-continued from the January 1998 issue-

via NORM PETERSEN

As stated last month this story which is presented in two parts is extracted from the book entitled 75 AR TIL LANDS amp I LUFTEN (75 Years on Land and In the Air) the 75-year history ofthe auto and airplane firm ofChristian Bohnstedt-Petersen AlSfrom 1911 to 1986 The book was written by noted author JfJrgen Helme ofEsshypergaerde Denmark The translationrom Danish to English was done by Knud Thaarup (EAA 280077) 0Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) Denmark We are indebted to JfJrgen Helmeor permission to reprint this historical account othe Cub Aircraft Co Ltdfrom late 1937 to April 9 1940 when Germany occupied Denmark

Oden One day in August Hedegaard flew

n the other side of the 0resund the Cub on floats from Sweden to Denshy(between Denmark and Sweden) mark landing in the lake called Furesoen

the subsidiary in Malmo Autoropa Ltd where Bohnstedt-Petersen had a summer held the Swedish Piper Cub Agency Here cottage on Fureso road with direct access the former Swedish Air Force pilot Eric to the lake During the stay of the Cub on Bjurhovd was the leader of the companys floats over the next month Prins as well aviation activities which were operated out as Svensson and the instructor of the Flying of Bulltofta Club Active Lt K E Simonsen had the

Cub Aircraft Co Ltds Norwegian opportunity to fly the floatplane Aftershydealer was Wessels Aviation Company Ltd wards they declared unanimously that it at Fomebu Airport near Oslo This company had been a great experience However the represented Piper Cub only and had by demand for land planes was much greater mid-1938 sold eight airplanes of this manushy so when the American registered Cub facture The Norwegian aviation enterprise (NC215 l 7 SIN 2371) was returned to which simultaneously operated a flight Malmo Sweden the wheels replaced the school was a subsidiary of Witt amp Wessel floats and the Cub was accepted on the AlS-the DKW importer for Norway Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-AMP

In the spring of 1938 Autoropa Ltd had At Autoropa Ltd in Bulltofte Bohnstedt ordered a Piper Cub hydroplane ie-a 50 had an airplane of French origin It was a hp J-3S Cub on Edo 54-1140 floats The Caudron C 510 Phalene with room for four purpose was to look into the possibilities persons in a comfortable cabin The airplane of selling airplanes on floats to countries was registered SE-AGN and was flown by with many lakes such as Finland and Swe- Lieutenant Eric Bjurhoved

The old Rohrbach hangar at Kastrup Airport that was purchased by Bohnstedt-Petersen for 5000 Danish Kroner (very cheap) and rebuilt at his home estate called Hegnsholt in 1938

The Swedish Crown Prince his majesty Gustaf Adolf the VI of Sweden visits with Algot Thulin (holding his hat) of Autoropa AB Malmo Sweden at an aviashytion gathering at the Bulltofta Airport near Malmo

In the spring of 1939 Bohnstedt decided to use the Caudron airplane himself and made provisions for transferring it to Lundtofte and having it registered in Denshymark as OY-DIU The following summer the Caudron was frequently used by Bohnshystedt as a corporate aircraft with Prins as chief pilot as he had added the type to his pilots rating card During June the plane was flown to the island of Fano a couple of times where the Bohnstedt-Petersen family spent the holidays at the KUT Hotel In Aushygust Prins flew the fami ly to Hollufgaard During the stay on Fano director Oeser of Daimler-Benz came in his Mercedes 540K to visit On this occasion a speed contest between automobile and airplane took place It showed that the 540K could easily keep up with the Caudron

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark (April 9 1940) caused an abrupt end of the Lundtofte enterprises aviation activities which had presented itself as a very promising opporshytunity by the end of the 1930s The very last delivery before the occupation took place was as late as April 3 1940 when Lieushytenant Jacobsen of the Free Military Service in Norway took delivery ofLN-HAB the last airplane of an order of three of the entirely new type the Piper J-4A Cub Coupe with side-by-side seating

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

AC NEWS compiled by HG Frautschy

ASUNNYDAY Our back cover features another of the paintshy

ings which won an award in the annual EAA Sport Aviation Competition Lee Budahl the artist who entered the painting wrote

I have been teaching art for 30 years and have been drawing for twice 30 years Some of my earlishyest memories are ofdrawing pictures ofairplanes

A Sunny Day takes place in France Spring 1918 the last year of World War I A British SEshy5A flies over fields which have escaped bombardment and which are beginning to turn green For a precious moment or two the pilot looks out at the ground beneath him He does not see the German Fokker DR diving out of the sun toward him In seconds the Fokkers pilot will rake the SE-5A with machine gun fire The Fokkers wings are red - this may be the Barons plane We watch this frozen moment of time from somewhere outside both cockpits far from the SEshy5A and a little above the Fokker From our viewpoint the red wing makes a dramatic diagoshynal plunge into this sunny day reminding us that the war is not yet over

You can reach Lee at 300 NCountry Club Rd Cullowhee NC 28723

AERONCA SPAR AD EAA and the AntiqueClassic Division

recently commented on an ill-advised proposed Airworthiness Directive Docket No 97-CE-79-AD Affecting American Champion Corporation 7 8 and 11 Series airplanes it would require the ownshyers of Aeronca 7 AC through the 7EC and Bellancas 7ACA or the IIAC and IIBC (as well as Champion aircraft models built before the acquisition of the line by Bellanca) to add multiple inspection holes in the bottom of the wings of their airplanes and a larger plate in the top surface of the wing near the sparwing strut attact fitting The following is a synopsis of EAA comments to the FAA regarding this proposed AD

The stated purpose of this AD is to ensure the detection of spar cracks that could result in an inshyflight wing failure Therefore for aircraft that have never suffered wing damage the inspection should not be necessary The result of the aircraft modificashytions proposed in the NPRM would result in a costly change to the aircraft that would not prevent the type of failures that have occurred and actually could cause additional failures due to moisture damage

The proposed AD does little to enhance an inshyspection The proposed inspection plates leave just barely enough room to insert a mirror and not enough to do any feeling for anomalies by touch (The supposition that spar damage could be felt by fingers requires the damage be quite severe ie a spar fracture due to wing contact with the ground) These little curved holes are so small that it almost requires a borescope to see over and under the spar when looking through these holes There are also aerodynamic concerns to be considered with the addition of 22 inspection holes in the bottom surshyface of the wings

The holes proposed for the top of the wing are very well located for inducing wing rot They are

2 FEBRUARY 1998

centered over the juncture of the plywood doushyblers in the area of the wing strut attach point on the spars As currently constructed the wing is a closed structure with carefully controlled ventilashytion The addition of the rectangular panel on the top of the wing as proposed by this NPRM will result in moisture infiltration into the wing strucshyture When sitting outside moisture combined with the suns heat creates an ideal fungi incubashytor Mold and rot thrive in such a warm moist atmosphere The doublers will delaminate Rot will form unseen behind the doublers The FAA is proposing to swap the problem of a unsubstantishyated cracked spar problem with another real problem Why puncture the umbrella of the top covering to let in water

The inclusion of aircraft of the low powered Aeronca 11 and 7 series and the Bellanca 7ACA cannot be sustained by using the statistical data presented in the NPRM The ADs statistics shows that no 11 series airplane has shown any spar problems related to this type of damage The compression failure type of crack is the stated reason for the NPRM But FAA statistics quoted in the NPRM show the low powered 7 series to be comparatively free of compression cracks as well Of the eight accidents cited in the NPRM seven of the eight are high powered models

It may be appropriate to review the history of this wing design at this time The same spar cited in the proposed AD is used in the Aeronca models which type certificates are not presently owned by American Champion Aircraft Company These are the prewar Chief the Defender the K-series the CA65 and the L-3 wartime model These all have the same wood spar design and Iike their younger relatives they have not over a 60 year period shown any evidence of a structural spar problem This would seem to lend credence to the conclushysion that only the higher weight higher powered aircraft which have been overstressed at some point in the past may have structural problems It is also true that these higher horsepower higher gross weight aircraft are being flown in much difshyferent ways than the original wing design was intended to handle ie aerobatics flown by less experienced aerobatic pilots During the recent past a new higher strength STCd wing strut fitshyting for attac hing the strut to the spar has been created The revised fitting was produced after the failure of the wing strut fitting on a higher horseshypower higher gross weight Decathlon airplane

The FAA cited an 8GCBC accident after inishytial inspection several years earlier as justification for the proposed AD From the Type Certificate Data Sheets one can see the vastly different loadshying conditions of the different aircraft cited in the proposed AD The 8GC BC Scout has a gross weight of 2540 lb and a 180 HP engine The 8KCAB has a gross weight of 1800 lb and an enshygine of 150 HP The 7ECA has a gross weight of 1650 and a 150 HP engine the 7AC has a gross weight of 1120 and a 65 HP engine To compare these aircraft as having similar loading on the spars is unreasonable We also understand there are differing opinions regarding the exact nature of this wing failure between the investigating parshyties Before it can be used as justification for this proposed AD it seems appropriate to review the investigation of this particular failure

Only three of the eight airplane failures cited

by the FAA were due to undetected and uninshyspected damage to the spar or improper wood slope which would be detectable under the present facshytory inspection holes if an inspection was properly accomplished leaving only two undetectable inshyspection accidents out of5541 airplanes cited plus the 961 IIAC Chiefs covered thats 6502 planes and two out of that is a 0003075 failure rate If we are to make the FAA assumption that the failshyures are under reported we can then increase the failure rate While we don t agree that the failures are not reported routinely by mechanics for the sake of argument well assume the failures were under reported by 300 in the field requiring the failure rate to be multiplied by 3 times That gives a fai lure rate of 0009225 still less than one ten thousandth of one percent of the fleet These stashytistics would indicate that there is no real problem that requires the need for a mandatory AD on all aircraft This information does indicate that the FAA and other aviation organizations such as EAA should better educate the owners of these aircraft of the importance of a good annual inspecshytion of the spars and a detailed thorough inspection of the wing spar prior to recovering an aircraft or specifically after a wing strike

The FAA stated in the AD that The FAA beshylieves that many crackeddamaged spars are not reported because general aviation operators (opershyating in accordance with Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations [14 CFR part 91]) are not reshyquired to submit service difficulty reports EAA does not agree with this statement EAA believes that most mechanics are safety conscious and when they see something that they believe is a deshysign or service problem they submit a report because they care for the lives of the pilots who fly these aircraft As you read the service difficulty reshyports it impresses you with the small details that get reported A loose screw here an enlarged fitshyting here EAA does not believe that something as major as a wing spar with damage would go unshyder reported The FAA has cast moral and ethical clouds over the inspectors they license

Every annual inspection of a wood spar airshycraft should include a detailed inspection of the spar using the existing inspection holes This method has worked well for over 50 years If the lighter airplanes had a structural flaw related to the use of wood spars would it not be reasonable to expect the problem to exist over the service life of the aircraft The data collected over the past 31 years (the length of time used to collect the data cited in the NPRM) does not justify the inclusion of the Aeronca 7 and II series airplanes nor the Bellanca 7ACA No data at all was submitted on the 11 series aircraft and they should not be inshycluded in any proposed action The application of this NPRM to the higher horsepower higher gross weight aircraft should be carefully weighed against the possibility that the failures of the wings on these airplanes could be the result of another failure mode involving the sparwing strut fittings

In conclusion the proposed action of adding inshyspection holes on the top of the wing would cause addition corrosion and moisture problems offsetting any improved inspection abilities and insufficient support is given for the need of any additional inshyspection requirements for any of the effected aircraft This proposed AD should be withdrawn

Well keep you posted on any further developshyments regarding this proposed AD

PARKS HELP

Dear HG I am writing a book about the early

days of Parks Air College spanning from its founding in 1927 though the midshy1930s I am interested in corresponding with anyone who might allow me to phoshytocopy information they might have about Parks Im looking for photographs sales brochures correspondence anyone who flew or worked on the Parks-built P-l Pshy2 P-2A P-3 P-4 airplanes information on the 1929 Women s Air Derby Gardshyner Cup Race and Cord Cup Race copies of Parks Air News Happy Landings Skyward Ho and The Man Who Tunes The Plane I would like to speak with any former students from that era as well as any pilots or mechanics who visited Parks during that time You may write or call me collect at the following address

John L Lewis 60 Robert Leather Rd Bethlehem CT 06751 203-266-5787

BUHL AlRSEDAN NOTES

DearHG I enjoyed the article on the Buhl on the

December issue Its always good to learn more about an antique airplane However I question the identification of the person

VINTAGE

AeroMaiI named as Walter Lees in the photos on page 18 About Cap Woolson Im not sure I enclose two copies of Walter Lees both from the book Pioneer Pilot edited by Lees daughter Jo Cooper The photos are consistent with others in the book Lees was bald at an early age and he had a Charlie Chaplin mustache

You might be interested in the discusshysion of the Buh Sport Airsedan that was at Monmouth IL airport for awhile in 1935 You will find a discussion on it in Flying Field page 66 It had an engine that was once on the Spirit of St Louis No kidding

Best Regards Jim Haynes Bushnell IL AlC 12099

Jim is right and his nifty history ofthe Monmouth airport in Flying Field is a great story For more information on the book drop an SASE in the mail to Jim at Robin s Nest Co 21 Sunset Ln Bushnell IL 61422 Jims suspicion is confirmed in this next note from none other than John Underwood

YoHG The two gents in front of the

Packard Buhl are Fred Brossy (left) and

-Continued on page 27shy

The beautifully restored Fw44 Stieglitz before It was severely damaged

The sad remains of the Stieglitz in a Germany field

The talents of our members seems to have no end Jim Neushyman Hobart IN (Ale 23168) sent us this postcard regarding the Fw-44 shown in Members Projects in the November 97 issue of Vintage Airplane

~ ~~~ ITS SAD TO SEE CLASSICS e=TO KITS BlIT ytIJR CAPTION IS A LOSS nR r 81-111165 A FUSELAGE AIJD BI= ~ MAKE A STIEGU~ -Hor A STOsSIOR AI

So Norm replied Sometimes I tink I should retire Und schmoke cigars und stoke der fire Perhaps ve tink ve are so schmardt To place der horse before der cart Und name der plane vitoudt much tinking Dat Herr Newman would be tin king Mine veak brain vaves like der steeple Jias knockedfor loop like many people Yah das ist ein Steiglitz -for sure Der Stosser been ein FW-56 - so pure Yah ich been ein stupid Dane Das ist hard to live in pain

Bitte Schoen Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

THIRD ON THE TRIMOTOR

Three-engine airplanes arent all that rare today But 70 years ago when flyshying machines themselves were still a novelty the advent of a sleek silvery airliner woke the world to the potential of travel by air The Ford Trimotor with its two pilot crew 12 seats flight attendant and richly paneled interior brought the comfort of the drawing room with a magnificent view to a realm formerly dominated by risk takers The first quarter century of powered flight had indeed been sustained through the dreams and daring of pilots at war pilots carrying mail pilots storming barns and pilots perishing while they furthered aviation knowledge

What an opportunity it must have been three generations ago to board a glistening silver bird with one enorshymous wing and its nose pointed rakishly toward the sky Sitting back in a comshyfortable seat with a view of one of the huge radial engines sent a thrill of anticshyipation through many a previously earthbound traveler Fingers would clasp tightly as the roar of each of the three engines starting brought more life to the eager bird A short drive to the runway and then a few yards later airborne One wonders how many landshylubbers got their first taste of aviation on a Ford How many future engineers pilots and Yankee businessmen had their eyes opened to the potential of mass air travel while gazing at the cities and pastures below through the clear

panes of a Trimotor Now three generations have passed

since the heyday of that magnificent airliner Only a half dozen of the birds have survived the passage of time intact The proved to be workhorses even after the development of faster larger more comfortable passenger ships Trimotors labored on their huge square cabins with a low loading door ideal for carryshying high priority cargo The Trimotors short field capability made it a mainstay of the cargo fire fighting and air-delivery world ofthe developing west The mounshytain country that the Trimotor helped develop was the spawning ground of magnificent pilots too These were pilots who knew the earth as well from the air as their fathers had known it from horseshyback And these men maneuvered their steeds through the clouded snowy mountain passes as easily as if they were still on the ground

One pioneer pilot was recently inshyducted into the Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame Penn Stohr spent his life honing his flying skills navigating the mountains and valleys of the northwest and bringshying a service to the rugged region that insured its development Stohr was born in Clarence Missouri in 190 I and spent much of his career flying single engine wheel and skiplanes throughout the mountains and valleys of Montana and Idaho His exploits the reliability of his service and his intimate knowledge of the terrain helped make him a legend even before the rescue

During WW II a bomber crew crashshylanded on a frozen lake during a training mission and a great search ensued After ten days it was Penn Stohr who noticed a disturbance in the snow and discovshyered the crew still at Loon Lake Using his single-engine ski plane he lifted the crew to safety and earned a citation from the War Department

Stohr continued to fly into the pages of aviation history joining with Bob

(Above and upper right) Penn R Stohr Jr presents his twins daughter Leisel son Josh (far right) with their EAA Young Eagle certificates after their flights in the Ford

Johnson to develop Johnson Flying Service into the premier air carrier in the region It was with Johnson that Penn Stohr began flying the rugged aging Ford Trimotors The talents of the great pilot the toughness of the bird and the demands of mountain air service made the combination of the three a sure winner Johnson Flyshying Service flourished and grew with the territory

As the great silver bird entered her second generation Penn R Stohr Penns son and the second generation of western pilots took the controls Although he was but a teenager in 1957 when his father lost his life at the controls of a Trimotor on a sprayshying mission Penn had already flown many of the planes his father had inshytroduced to the area Penn the son flew easily into the contrails left by his departed father

When in 1975 Johnson Flying

4 FEBRUARY 199B

Service was bought by another great aviation pioneer Del Smith of Evershygreen Helicopters Penn joined the new endeavor Evergreen International Airshylines He became Chief Pilot and is now Senior Vice President of Flight Operashytions The airline has grown over the years as well now boasting a fleet of 38 jets including DC-9s B-727s DC-8s and B-747s And of course theres a Ford Trimotor now in her third generashytion of service and restored flawlessly to full operating condition

As the Evergreen International Trishymotor climbs gracefully away from its home at Oregons Troutdale Airport the sun flashes brilliantly from the windswept surface of the Co lumbia River Boaters and wind surfers on the river hearing the unmistakable roar of radial engines glance up to see the reshyflected sunlight beamed back from the huge span of the Fords wing Through the cockpit door the planes passengers surrounded by leather mahogany and glass can see the shoulders of the two pilots father and son as they steer the craft up the river Penn Stohr and his twin children Josh and Liesel now ten years old are establishing the third genshyeration of Trimotor drivers just as the silver airliner reaches her third generation of service

Josh and Liesel are two of over 360000 Young Eagles Sponsored by the nonprofit Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles is a project dedicated to making the experience of flight available to as many young peoshy

pie age 8 to 17 as possible with a goal of one million youngsters by the end of 2003 Penn Stohr is an EAA member whose life and experience make him a natural aviation role model But being an airline vice president is not a requireshyment More information on the program can be obtained by writing or calling the Young Eagles Office EAA A viashytion Foundation P O Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 telephone 920426-4831

The world of flying having been tamed by aviation pioneers like Penn Stohr Sr was transformed from a risky adventure into a service that helped to build a country His son Penn is chanshyneling that service into a multi-billion dollar industry that circles the globe every hour of every day Fleets of winged behemoths each carrying more technology than fictional spaceships ply the skies across the oceans and conshytinents of the planet At the helms of these craft are professionals trained for years to become a functional part of the computers pumps video screens and thrusting engines This is the latest peshyriod in the evolution of aviation the world that Penn is unveiling for his Young Eagles in the Fords cockpit

Just as the beginning and end of their grandfatherS aviation career were a stark contrast between what was only dreamed and what could actually be done so it will be again As Liesel and Josh Stohr and thousands of their young aviation pioneers move into the cockpits simulators and engineering laboratories

aviation nears the end of its frrst century What will Josh Liesel and their comshyrades conjure up over the next quarter century Look back 25 then 50 years Would you be so bold as to forecast what the future pioneers the greatshygrandchildren of Penn Stohr Sr will strap on when they strut onto the tarmac of the future

There are a few certainties worth mentioning First the generation in the seat has the stick in its hand What weve done with what we were given is exshyactly what our chi ldren have to build upon Aviation being such a young endeavor illustrates this principle so dramatically Second the legends left by the successes of each generation esshytablish challenges for the next Records

Douglas Smuln Shirley Martin and Penn R Stohr Jr pause In front of the Evergreen International Ford Trlmotor especially flying records were made

to be beaten And finally it is only through preserving the thrill of aerial mastery and accomplishment that fushyture generations will be persuaded to take up the challenge But without the opportunity to sample aviation first-hand through projects like Young Eagles our next generation may never feel that thrill

As Josh sits at the controls of the 65-year-old airliner the Columbia winds ahead to the east Filling the windscreen is the majestic snow mantled bulk of Mount Hood The wild slopes are a swirl with white just as they were when aviators were the first humans to make the mounshytains seem small Just as the efforts of todays aviation pros work tireshylessly to keep this priceless silver artifact in the air so they work to launch the careers of the next generashytion of her pilots

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

over the years about taildraggers but I had a pocket full of ratings and an attitude to boot I am a CFI We know everything and can teach it too What trouble can a small low and slow airplane be

Well everything youve read about tailshydraggers is true

I needed to top off the tanks and elected

THE PRIDE OF TATUMS by DAVID WELCH

I ve named my 1946 Cessna 140 THE PRIDE OF TATUMS I had a fancy letshytering job done that adorns each side just

behind the D window Its red white and blue with a few stars for effect

An awful lot of times someone had come up to me and asked if my name were Tatums Often the person is a Tatums himself or has a friend a cousin an in-law a neighbor etc I usually just answer nope I can be pretty reticent and Rebecca hates it when I am I just want people to ask the right question and Ill open up and tell the whole story

How did you come by that name for your airplane Dave

I bought my Cessna in 1988 I had looked at a few airplanes after figuring out my budshyget For a reason I dont fully understand I was pretty sure I wanted a Cessna 140 I learned to fly in 1969 in an assortment of rented 150s and I wanted something that would capture that nostalgia trip and more

The 140s were a few years older than anyshything I had eve r flown and they were taildraggers I had never been in one in fact I had never even looked closely at one but I was pretty sure I wanted one I sent for the owners manual even before I started serishyously looking

I picked out an advertisement in AeroshyTrader and made the call The seller sounded like someone whom I could trust and we set up a meeting We would get together at Mid Florida Airport in Eustis He flew the airplane down from Jacksonville and I drove up from Venice (If he was willing to fly the airplane that far it had to be in pretty good shape)

I liked it when I saw it although I couldnt tell you why It is white with red and blue stripes along the side and blue nose and wingtips It flew well and we made a deal He would take it home and annual it and wed meet the next week in St Augustine

I booked a one-way car rental and drove the four hours We agreed to exchange papers and money and then drop off the seller at a small grass strip just south of the JAX area From there Id solo in my first airplane for the two hour trip home

It is a taildragger I had read lots of stories

DIJ____ ---

6 FEBRUARY 1998

1113081

to stop just a few miles south at Keystone Airpark One of the factors in my decision was the choice of six directions in which to land Fortunately for me the wind dictated that I touch down far away from any eyes that may be watching By the time I got to the gas pumps I had had a lot of experience taxiing and making s turns

When I got out my knees were made of rubber My ankles and arms ached from all the control movements I had been making both on the ground and aloft I had been in the air less than 20 minutes

I made it home and taught myself to fly a taildragger (The mandatory sign-off had not yet been implemented) I did it with hours and hours of stop and go landings First I did them on a mile of concrete at Venice then when I felt confident I went to Englewood where we have about 2500 feet of grass and enough trees to command your attention

I got all my pictures developed took them to work and started to brag My co-workers have enough aeronautical sophistication to distinguish a light airplane from a blimp but like most everyone else they are all Piper Cubs arent they

I work for the US Postal Service as a Letshyter Carrier I deliver the mail for a living What my co-workers were able to point out to me though was that my new airplane was painted just like a mail truck It is white with red and blue stripes along the side It was obshy

David Welch and his Cessna 140 The Pride of Tatums As a US Postal Service Letter Carrier Dave had fun with his N number Read the text for the reasons behind the name of his airplane

vious as the sunrise but I had never seen it Was that why I wanted this airplane

The people at work are boat people A few of them asked if I was going to name it No I said boat people name their boats Airplane people dont name their airplanes These people watch too much TV Probably the only pilot they are able to name is Lindshybergh Just because he named his doesnt mean all these Piper Cubs have names

Now I have two significant but as yet unshyconnected things rattling around in my subconscious First it looks like a mail truck Second maybe it should have a name

During a very dull meeting at work one morning I happened to be sitting by the Zip Code book My mind unrelated to anything on the conscious level just wanted to know if anyplace had the Zip Code of my N number 73087 Well it was a small town in Oklashyhoma by the name of Tatums Its mail came out of Oklahoma City and I knew it was pretty small because one Zip covered it all

I looked it up on a road map when I got home and there it was I went to a Sectional Chart and its a real small point about 20 miles southwest of Pauls Valley Pauls Valley- isnt that where the Cessna 120140 Association is holding its miliual convention this year (1989)

At this point this is all just input going into my brain I havent mashed the sort button yet

I had a problem with my airplane and drove to the convention in Oklahoma I took a side trip to Tatums It has no airport nearby

- Continued on page 3Jshy

CubAircraft Co Ltd in Lundtofte Denmark (Part Two)

-continued from the January 1998 issue-

via NORM PETERSEN

As stated last month this story which is presented in two parts is extracted from the book entitled 75 AR TIL LANDS amp I LUFTEN (75 Years on Land and In the Air) the 75-year history ofthe auto and airplane firm ofChristian Bohnstedt-Petersen AlSfrom 1911 to 1986 The book was written by noted author JfJrgen Helme ofEsshypergaerde Denmark The translationrom Danish to English was done by Knud Thaarup (EAA 280077) 0Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) Denmark We are indebted to JfJrgen Helmeor permission to reprint this historical account othe Cub Aircraft Co Ltdfrom late 1937 to April 9 1940 when Germany occupied Denmark

Oden One day in August Hedegaard flew

n the other side of the 0resund the Cub on floats from Sweden to Denshy(between Denmark and Sweden) mark landing in the lake called Furesoen

the subsidiary in Malmo Autoropa Ltd where Bohnstedt-Petersen had a summer held the Swedish Piper Cub Agency Here cottage on Fureso road with direct access the former Swedish Air Force pilot Eric to the lake During the stay of the Cub on Bjurhovd was the leader of the companys floats over the next month Prins as well aviation activities which were operated out as Svensson and the instructor of the Flying of Bulltofta Club Active Lt K E Simonsen had the

Cub Aircraft Co Ltds Norwegian opportunity to fly the floatplane Aftershydealer was Wessels Aviation Company Ltd wards they declared unanimously that it at Fomebu Airport near Oslo This company had been a great experience However the represented Piper Cub only and had by demand for land planes was much greater mid-1938 sold eight airplanes of this manushy so when the American registered Cub facture The Norwegian aviation enterprise (NC215 l 7 SIN 2371) was returned to which simultaneously operated a flight Malmo Sweden the wheels replaced the school was a subsidiary of Witt amp Wessel floats and the Cub was accepted on the AlS-the DKW importer for Norway Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-AMP

In the spring of 1938 Autoropa Ltd had At Autoropa Ltd in Bulltofte Bohnstedt ordered a Piper Cub hydroplane ie-a 50 had an airplane of French origin It was a hp J-3S Cub on Edo 54-1140 floats The Caudron C 510 Phalene with room for four purpose was to look into the possibilities persons in a comfortable cabin The airplane of selling airplanes on floats to countries was registered SE-AGN and was flown by with many lakes such as Finland and Swe- Lieutenant Eric Bjurhoved

The old Rohrbach hangar at Kastrup Airport that was purchased by Bohnstedt-Petersen for 5000 Danish Kroner (very cheap) and rebuilt at his home estate called Hegnsholt in 1938

The Swedish Crown Prince his majesty Gustaf Adolf the VI of Sweden visits with Algot Thulin (holding his hat) of Autoropa AB Malmo Sweden at an aviashytion gathering at the Bulltofta Airport near Malmo

In the spring of 1939 Bohnstedt decided to use the Caudron airplane himself and made provisions for transferring it to Lundtofte and having it registered in Denshymark as OY-DIU The following summer the Caudron was frequently used by Bohnshystedt as a corporate aircraft with Prins as chief pilot as he had added the type to his pilots rating card During June the plane was flown to the island of Fano a couple of times where the Bohnstedt-Petersen family spent the holidays at the KUT Hotel In Aushygust Prins flew the fami ly to Hollufgaard During the stay on Fano director Oeser of Daimler-Benz came in his Mercedes 540K to visit On this occasion a speed contest between automobile and airplane took place It showed that the 540K could easily keep up with the Caudron

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark (April 9 1940) caused an abrupt end of the Lundtofte enterprises aviation activities which had presented itself as a very promising opporshytunity by the end of the 1930s The very last delivery before the occupation took place was as late as April 3 1940 when Lieushytenant Jacobsen of the Free Military Service in Norway took delivery ofLN-HAB the last airplane of an order of three of the entirely new type the Piper J-4A Cub Coupe with side-by-side seating

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

I)IJllINC TT I

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Sight Lines - I I

I I I I I I I I

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

PARKS HELP

Dear HG I am writing a book about the early

days of Parks Air College spanning from its founding in 1927 though the midshy1930s I am interested in corresponding with anyone who might allow me to phoshytocopy information they might have about Parks Im looking for photographs sales brochures correspondence anyone who flew or worked on the Parks-built P-l Pshy2 P-2A P-3 P-4 airplanes information on the 1929 Women s Air Derby Gardshyner Cup Race and Cord Cup Race copies of Parks Air News Happy Landings Skyward Ho and The Man Who Tunes The Plane I would like to speak with any former students from that era as well as any pilots or mechanics who visited Parks during that time You may write or call me collect at the following address

John L Lewis 60 Robert Leather Rd Bethlehem CT 06751 203-266-5787

BUHL AlRSEDAN NOTES

DearHG I enjoyed the article on the Buhl on the

December issue Its always good to learn more about an antique airplane However I question the identification of the person

VINTAGE

AeroMaiI named as Walter Lees in the photos on page 18 About Cap Woolson Im not sure I enclose two copies of Walter Lees both from the book Pioneer Pilot edited by Lees daughter Jo Cooper The photos are consistent with others in the book Lees was bald at an early age and he had a Charlie Chaplin mustache

You might be interested in the discusshysion of the Buh Sport Airsedan that was at Monmouth IL airport for awhile in 1935 You will find a discussion on it in Flying Field page 66 It had an engine that was once on the Spirit of St Louis No kidding

Best Regards Jim Haynes Bushnell IL AlC 12099

Jim is right and his nifty history ofthe Monmouth airport in Flying Field is a great story For more information on the book drop an SASE in the mail to Jim at Robin s Nest Co 21 Sunset Ln Bushnell IL 61422 Jims suspicion is confirmed in this next note from none other than John Underwood

YoHG The two gents in front of the

Packard Buhl are Fred Brossy (left) and

-Continued on page 27shy

The beautifully restored Fw44 Stieglitz before It was severely damaged

The sad remains of the Stieglitz in a Germany field

The talents of our members seems to have no end Jim Neushyman Hobart IN (Ale 23168) sent us this postcard regarding the Fw-44 shown in Members Projects in the November 97 issue of Vintage Airplane

~ ~~~ ITS SAD TO SEE CLASSICS e=TO KITS BlIT ytIJR CAPTION IS A LOSS nR r 81-111165 A FUSELAGE AIJD BI= ~ MAKE A STIEGU~ -Hor A STOsSIOR AI

So Norm replied Sometimes I tink I should retire Und schmoke cigars und stoke der fire Perhaps ve tink ve are so schmardt To place der horse before der cart Und name der plane vitoudt much tinking Dat Herr Newman would be tin king Mine veak brain vaves like der steeple Jias knockedfor loop like many people Yah das ist ein Steiglitz -for sure Der Stosser been ein FW-56 - so pure Yah ich been ein stupid Dane Das ist hard to live in pain

Bitte Schoen Norm Petersen

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

THIRD ON THE TRIMOTOR

Three-engine airplanes arent all that rare today But 70 years ago when flyshying machines themselves were still a novelty the advent of a sleek silvery airliner woke the world to the potential of travel by air The Ford Trimotor with its two pilot crew 12 seats flight attendant and richly paneled interior brought the comfort of the drawing room with a magnificent view to a realm formerly dominated by risk takers The first quarter century of powered flight had indeed been sustained through the dreams and daring of pilots at war pilots carrying mail pilots storming barns and pilots perishing while they furthered aviation knowledge

What an opportunity it must have been three generations ago to board a glistening silver bird with one enorshymous wing and its nose pointed rakishly toward the sky Sitting back in a comshyfortable seat with a view of one of the huge radial engines sent a thrill of anticshyipation through many a previously earthbound traveler Fingers would clasp tightly as the roar of each of the three engines starting brought more life to the eager bird A short drive to the runway and then a few yards later airborne One wonders how many landshylubbers got their first taste of aviation on a Ford How many future engineers pilots and Yankee businessmen had their eyes opened to the potential of mass air travel while gazing at the cities and pastures below through the clear

panes of a Trimotor Now three generations have passed

since the heyday of that magnificent airliner Only a half dozen of the birds have survived the passage of time intact The proved to be workhorses even after the development of faster larger more comfortable passenger ships Trimotors labored on their huge square cabins with a low loading door ideal for carryshying high priority cargo The Trimotors short field capability made it a mainstay of the cargo fire fighting and air-delivery world ofthe developing west The mounshytain country that the Trimotor helped develop was the spawning ground of magnificent pilots too These were pilots who knew the earth as well from the air as their fathers had known it from horseshyback And these men maneuvered their steeds through the clouded snowy mountain passes as easily as if they were still on the ground

One pioneer pilot was recently inshyducted into the Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame Penn Stohr spent his life honing his flying skills navigating the mountains and valleys of the northwest and bringshying a service to the rugged region that insured its development Stohr was born in Clarence Missouri in 190 I and spent much of his career flying single engine wheel and skiplanes throughout the mountains and valleys of Montana and Idaho His exploits the reliability of his service and his intimate knowledge of the terrain helped make him a legend even before the rescue

During WW II a bomber crew crashshylanded on a frozen lake during a training mission and a great search ensued After ten days it was Penn Stohr who noticed a disturbance in the snow and discovshyered the crew still at Loon Lake Using his single-engine ski plane he lifted the crew to safety and earned a citation from the War Department

Stohr continued to fly into the pages of aviation history joining with Bob

(Above and upper right) Penn R Stohr Jr presents his twins daughter Leisel son Josh (far right) with their EAA Young Eagle certificates after their flights in the Ford

Johnson to develop Johnson Flying Service into the premier air carrier in the region It was with Johnson that Penn Stohr began flying the rugged aging Ford Trimotors The talents of the great pilot the toughness of the bird and the demands of mountain air service made the combination of the three a sure winner Johnson Flyshying Service flourished and grew with the territory

As the great silver bird entered her second generation Penn R Stohr Penns son and the second generation of western pilots took the controls Although he was but a teenager in 1957 when his father lost his life at the controls of a Trimotor on a sprayshying mission Penn had already flown many of the planes his father had inshytroduced to the area Penn the son flew easily into the contrails left by his departed father

When in 1975 Johnson Flying

4 FEBRUARY 199B

Service was bought by another great aviation pioneer Del Smith of Evershygreen Helicopters Penn joined the new endeavor Evergreen International Airshylines He became Chief Pilot and is now Senior Vice President of Flight Operashytions The airline has grown over the years as well now boasting a fleet of 38 jets including DC-9s B-727s DC-8s and B-747s And of course theres a Ford Trimotor now in her third generashytion of service and restored flawlessly to full operating condition

As the Evergreen International Trishymotor climbs gracefully away from its home at Oregons Troutdale Airport the sun flashes brilliantly from the windswept surface of the Co lumbia River Boaters and wind surfers on the river hearing the unmistakable roar of radial engines glance up to see the reshyflected sunlight beamed back from the huge span of the Fords wing Through the cockpit door the planes passengers surrounded by leather mahogany and glass can see the shoulders of the two pilots father and son as they steer the craft up the river Penn Stohr and his twin children Josh and Liesel now ten years old are establishing the third genshyeration of Trimotor drivers just as the silver airliner reaches her third generation of service

Josh and Liesel are two of over 360000 Young Eagles Sponsored by the nonprofit Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles is a project dedicated to making the experience of flight available to as many young peoshy

pie age 8 to 17 as possible with a goal of one million youngsters by the end of 2003 Penn Stohr is an EAA member whose life and experience make him a natural aviation role model But being an airline vice president is not a requireshyment More information on the program can be obtained by writing or calling the Young Eagles Office EAA A viashytion Foundation P O Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 telephone 920426-4831

The world of flying having been tamed by aviation pioneers like Penn Stohr Sr was transformed from a risky adventure into a service that helped to build a country His son Penn is chanshyneling that service into a multi-billion dollar industry that circles the globe every hour of every day Fleets of winged behemoths each carrying more technology than fictional spaceships ply the skies across the oceans and conshytinents of the planet At the helms of these craft are professionals trained for years to become a functional part of the computers pumps video screens and thrusting engines This is the latest peshyriod in the evolution of aviation the world that Penn is unveiling for his Young Eagles in the Fords cockpit

Just as the beginning and end of their grandfatherS aviation career were a stark contrast between what was only dreamed and what could actually be done so it will be again As Liesel and Josh Stohr and thousands of their young aviation pioneers move into the cockpits simulators and engineering laboratories

aviation nears the end of its frrst century What will Josh Liesel and their comshyrades conjure up over the next quarter century Look back 25 then 50 years Would you be so bold as to forecast what the future pioneers the greatshygrandchildren of Penn Stohr Sr will strap on when they strut onto the tarmac of the future

There are a few certainties worth mentioning First the generation in the seat has the stick in its hand What weve done with what we were given is exshyactly what our chi ldren have to build upon Aviation being such a young endeavor illustrates this principle so dramatically Second the legends left by the successes of each generation esshytablish challenges for the next Records

Douglas Smuln Shirley Martin and Penn R Stohr Jr pause In front of the Evergreen International Ford Trlmotor especially flying records were made

to be beaten And finally it is only through preserving the thrill of aerial mastery and accomplishment that fushyture generations will be persuaded to take up the challenge But without the opportunity to sample aviation first-hand through projects like Young Eagles our next generation may never feel that thrill

As Josh sits at the controls of the 65-year-old airliner the Columbia winds ahead to the east Filling the windscreen is the majestic snow mantled bulk of Mount Hood The wild slopes are a swirl with white just as they were when aviators were the first humans to make the mounshytains seem small Just as the efforts of todays aviation pros work tireshylessly to keep this priceless silver artifact in the air so they work to launch the careers of the next generashytion of her pilots

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

over the years about taildraggers but I had a pocket full of ratings and an attitude to boot I am a CFI We know everything and can teach it too What trouble can a small low and slow airplane be

Well everything youve read about tailshydraggers is true

I needed to top off the tanks and elected

THE PRIDE OF TATUMS by DAVID WELCH

I ve named my 1946 Cessna 140 THE PRIDE OF TATUMS I had a fancy letshytering job done that adorns each side just

behind the D window Its red white and blue with a few stars for effect

An awful lot of times someone had come up to me and asked if my name were Tatums Often the person is a Tatums himself or has a friend a cousin an in-law a neighbor etc I usually just answer nope I can be pretty reticent and Rebecca hates it when I am I just want people to ask the right question and Ill open up and tell the whole story

How did you come by that name for your airplane Dave

I bought my Cessna in 1988 I had looked at a few airplanes after figuring out my budshyget For a reason I dont fully understand I was pretty sure I wanted a Cessna 140 I learned to fly in 1969 in an assortment of rented 150s and I wanted something that would capture that nostalgia trip and more

The 140s were a few years older than anyshything I had eve r flown and they were taildraggers I had never been in one in fact I had never even looked closely at one but I was pretty sure I wanted one I sent for the owners manual even before I started serishyously looking

I picked out an advertisement in AeroshyTrader and made the call The seller sounded like someone whom I could trust and we set up a meeting We would get together at Mid Florida Airport in Eustis He flew the airplane down from Jacksonville and I drove up from Venice (If he was willing to fly the airplane that far it had to be in pretty good shape)

I liked it when I saw it although I couldnt tell you why It is white with red and blue stripes along the side and blue nose and wingtips It flew well and we made a deal He would take it home and annual it and wed meet the next week in St Augustine

I booked a one-way car rental and drove the four hours We agreed to exchange papers and money and then drop off the seller at a small grass strip just south of the JAX area From there Id solo in my first airplane for the two hour trip home

It is a taildragger I had read lots of stories

DIJ____ ---

6 FEBRUARY 1998

1113081

to stop just a few miles south at Keystone Airpark One of the factors in my decision was the choice of six directions in which to land Fortunately for me the wind dictated that I touch down far away from any eyes that may be watching By the time I got to the gas pumps I had had a lot of experience taxiing and making s turns

When I got out my knees were made of rubber My ankles and arms ached from all the control movements I had been making both on the ground and aloft I had been in the air less than 20 minutes

I made it home and taught myself to fly a taildragger (The mandatory sign-off had not yet been implemented) I did it with hours and hours of stop and go landings First I did them on a mile of concrete at Venice then when I felt confident I went to Englewood where we have about 2500 feet of grass and enough trees to command your attention

I got all my pictures developed took them to work and started to brag My co-workers have enough aeronautical sophistication to distinguish a light airplane from a blimp but like most everyone else they are all Piper Cubs arent they

I work for the US Postal Service as a Letshyter Carrier I deliver the mail for a living What my co-workers were able to point out to me though was that my new airplane was painted just like a mail truck It is white with red and blue stripes along the side It was obshy

David Welch and his Cessna 140 The Pride of Tatums As a US Postal Service Letter Carrier Dave had fun with his N number Read the text for the reasons behind the name of his airplane

vious as the sunrise but I had never seen it Was that why I wanted this airplane

The people at work are boat people A few of them asked if I was going to name it No I said boat people name their boats Airplane people dont name their airplanes These people watch too much TV Probably the only pilot they are able to name is Lindshybergh Just because he named his doesnt mean all these Piper Cubs have names

Now I have two significant but as yet unshyconnected things rattling around in my subconscious First it looks like a mail truck Second maybe it should have a name

During a very dull meeting at work one morning I happened to be sitting by the Zip Code book My mind unrelated to anything on the conscious level just wanted to know if anyplace had the Zip Code of my N number 73087 Well it was a small town in Oklashyhoma by the name of Tatums Its mail came out of Oklahoma City and I knew it was pretty small because one Zip covered it all

I looked it up on a road map when I got home and there it was I went to a Sectional Chart and its a real small point about 20 miles southwest of Pauls Valley Pauls Valley- isnt that where the Cessna 120140 Association is holding its miliual convention this year (1989)

At this point this is all just input going into my brain I havent mashed the sort button yet

I had a problem with my airplane and drove to the convention in Oklahoma I took a side trip to Tatums It has no airport nearby

- Continued on page 3Jshy

CubAircraft Co Ltd in Lundtofte Denmark (Part Two)

-continued from the January 1998 issue-

via NORM PETERSEN

As stated last month this story which is presented in two parts is extracted from the book entitled 75 AR TIL LANDS amp I LUFTEN (75 Years on Land and In the Air) the 75-year history ofthe auto and airplane firm ofChristian Bohnstedt-Petersen AlSfrom 1911 to 1986 The book was written by noted author JfJrgen Helme ofEsshypergaerde Denmark The translationrom Danish to English was done by Knud Thaarup (EAA 280077) 0Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) Denmark We are indebted to JfJrgen Helmeor permission to reprint this historical account othe Cub Aircraft Co Ltdfrom late 1937 to April 9 1940 when Germany occupied Denmark

Oden One day in August Hedegaard flew

n the other side of the 0resund the Cub on floats from Sweden to Denshy(between Denmark and Sweden) mark landing in the lake called Furesoen

the subsidiary in Malmo Autoropa Ltd where Bohnstedt-Petersen had a summer held the Swedish Piper Cub Agency Here cottage on Fureso road with direct access the former Swedish Air Force pilot Eric to the lake During the stay of the Cub on Bjurhovd was the leader of the companys floats over the next month Prins as well aviation activities which were operated out as Svensson and the instructor of the Flying of Bulltofta Club Active Lt K E Simonsen had the

Cub Aircraft Co Ltds Norwegian opportunity to fly the floatplane Aftershydealer was Wessels Aviation Company Ltd wards they declared unanimously that it at Fomebu Airport near Oslo This company had been a great experience However the represented Piper Cub only and had by demand for land planes was much greater mid-1938 sold eight airplanes of this manushy so when the American registered Cub facture The Norwegian aviation enterprise (NC215 l 7 SIN 2371) was returned to which simultaneously operated a flight Malmo Sweden the wheels replaced the school was a subsidiary of Witt amp Wessel floats and the Cub was accepted on the AlS-the DKW importer for Norway Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-AMP

In the spring of 1938 Autoropa Ltd had At Autoropa Ltd in Bulltofte Bohnstedt ordered a Piper Cub hydroplane ie-a 50 had an airplane of French origin It was a hp J-3S Cub on Edo 54-1140 floats The Caudron C 510 Phalene with room for four purpose was to look into the possibilities persons in a comfortable cabin The airplane of selling airplanes on floats to countries was registered SE-AGN and was flown by with many lakes such as Finland and Swe- Lieutenant Eric Bjurhoved

The old Rohrbach hangar at Kastrup Airport that was purchased by Bohnstedt-Petersen for 5000 Danish Kroner (very cheap) and rebuilt at his home estate called Hegnsholt in 1938

The Swedish Crown Prince his majesty Gustaf Adolf the VI of Sweden visits with Algot Thulin (holding his hat) of Autoropa AB Malmo Sweden at an aviashytion gathering at the Bulltofta Airport near Malmo

In the spring of 1939 Bohnstedt decided to use the Caudron airplane himself and made provisions for transferring it to Lundtofte and having it registered in Denshymark as OY-DIU The following summer the Caudron was frequently used by Bohnshystedt as a corporate aircraft with Prins as chief pilot as he had added the type to his pilots rating card During June the plane was flown to the island of Fano a couple of times where the Bohnstedt-Petersen family spent the holidays at the KUT Hotel In Aushygust Prins flew the fami ly to Hollufgaard During the stay on Fano director Oeser of Daimler-Benz came in his Mercedes 540K to visit On this occasion a speed contest between automobile and airplane took place It showed that the 540K could easily keep up with the Caudron

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark (April 9 1940) caused an abrupt end of the Lundtofte enterprises aviation activities which had presented itself as a very promising opporshytunity by the end of the 1930s The very last delivery before the occupation took place was as late as April 3 1940 when Lieushytenant Jacobsen of the Free Military Service in Norway took delivery ofLN-HAB the last airplane of an order of three of the entirely new type the Piper J-4A Cub Coupe with side-by-side seating

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

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BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

THIRD ON THE TRIMOTOR

Three-engine airplanes arent all that rare today But 70 years ago when flyshying machines themselves were still a novelty the advent of a sleek silvery airliner woke the world to the potential of travel by air The Ford Trimotor with its two pilot crew 12 seats flight attendant and richly paneled interior brought the comfort of the drawing room with a magnificent view to a realm formerly dominated by risk takers The first quarter century of powered flight had indeed been sustained through the dreams and daring of pilots at war pilots carrying mail pilots storming barns and pilots perishing while they furthered aviation knowledge

What an opportunity it must have been three generations ago to board a glistening silver bird with one enorshymous wing and its nose pointed rakishly toward the sky Sitting back in a comshyfortable seat with a view of one of the huge radial engines sent a thrill of anticshyipation through many a previously earthbound traveler Fingers would clasp tightly as the roar of each of the three engines starting brought more life to the eager bird A short drive to the runway and then a few yards later airborne One wonders how many landshylubbers got their first taste of aviation on a Ford How many future engineers pilots and Yankee businessmen had their eyes opened to the potential of mass air travel while gazing at the cities and pastures below through the clear

panes of a Trimotor Now three generations have passed

since the heyday of that magnificent airliner Only a half dozen of the birds have survived the passage of time intact The proved to be workhorses even after the development of faster larger more comfortable passenger ships Trimotors labored on their huge square cabins with a low loading door ideal for carryshying high priority cargo The Trimotors short field capability made it a mainstay of the cargo fire fighting and air-delivery world ofthe developing west The mounshytain country that the Trimotor helped develop was the spawning ground of magnificent pilots too These were pilots who knew the earth as well from the air as their fathers had known it from horseshyback And these men maneuvered their steeds through the clouded snowy mountain passes as easily as if they were still on the ground

One pioneer pilot was recently inshyducted into the Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame Penn Stohr spent his life honing his flying skills navigating the mountains and valleys of the northwest and bringshying a service to the rugged region that insured its development Stohr was born in Clarence Missouri in 190 I and spent much of his career flying single engine wheel and skiplanes throughout the mountains and valleys of Montana and Idaho His exploits the reliability of his service and his intimate knowledge of the terrain helped make him a legend even before the rescue

During WW II a bomber crew crashshylanded on a frozen lake during a training mission and a great search ensued After ten days it was Penn Stohr who noticed a disturbance in the snow and discovshyered the crew still at Loon Lake Using his single-engine ski plane he lifted the crew to safety and earned a citation from the War Department

Stohr continued to fly into the pages of aviation history joining with Bob

(Above and upper right) Penn R Stohr Jr presents his twins daughter Leisel son Josh (far right) with their EAA Young Eagle certificates after their flights in the Ford

Johnson to develop Johnson Flying Service into the premier air carrier in the region It was with Johnson that Penn Stohr began flying the rugged aging Ford Trimotors The talents of the great pilot the toughness of the bird and the demands of mountain air service made the combination of the three a sure winner Johnson Flyshying Service flourished and grew with the territory

As the great silver bird entered her second generation Penn R Stohr Penns son and the second generation of western pilots took the controls Although he was but a teenager in 1957 when his father lost his life at the controls of a Trimotor on a sprayshying mission Penn had already flown many of the planes his father had inshytroduced to the area Penn the son flew easily into the contrails left by his departed father

When in 1975 Johnson Flying

4 FEBRUARY 199B

Service was bought by another great aviation pioneer Del Smith of Evershygreen Helicopters Penn joined the new endeavor Evergreen International Airshylines He became Chief Pilot and is now Senior Vice President of Flight Operashytions The airline has grown over the years as well now boasting a fleet of 38 jets including DC-9s B-727s DC-8s and B-747s And of course theres a Ford Trimotor now in her third generashytion of service and restored flawlessly to full operating condition

As the Evergreen International Trishymotor climbs gracefully away from its home at Oregons Troutdale Airport the sun flashes brilliantly from the windswept surface of the Co lumbia River Boaters and wind surfers on the river hearing the unmistakable roar of radial engines glance up to see the reshyflected sunlight beamed back from the huge span of the Fords wing Through the cockpit door the planes passengers surrounded by leather mahogany and glass can see the shoulders of the two pilots father and son as they steer the craft up the river Penn Stohr and his twin children Josh and Liesel now ten years old are establishing the third genshyeration of Trimotor drivers just as the silver airliner reaches her third generation of service

Josh and Liesel are two of over 360000 Young Eagles Sponsored by the nonprofit Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles is a project dedicated to making the experience of flight available to as many young peoshy

pie age 8 to 17 as possible with a goal of one million youngsters by the end of 2003 Penn Stohr is an EAA member whose life and experience make him a natural aviation role model But being an airline vice president is not a requireshyment More information on the program can be obtained by writing or calling the Young Eagles Office EAA A viashytion Foundation P O Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 telephone 920426-4831

The world of flying having been tamed by aviation pioneers like Penn Stohr Sr was transformed from a risky adventure into a service that helped to build a country His son Penn is chanshyneling that service into a multi-billion dollar industry that circles the globe every hour of every day Fleets of winged behemoths each carrying more technology than fictional spaceships ply the skies across the oceans and conshytinents of the planet At the helms of these craft are professionals trained for years to become a functional part of the computers pumps video screens and thrusting engines This is the latest peshyriod in the evolution of aviation the world that Penn is unveiling for his Young Eagles in the Fords cockpit

Just as the beginning and end of their grandfatherS aviation career were a stark contrast between what was only dreamed and what could actually be done so it will be again As Liesel and Josh Stohr and thousands of their young aviation pioneers move into the cockpits simulators and engineering laboratories

aviation nears the end of its frrst century What will Josh Liesel and their comshyrades conjure up over the next quarter century Look back 25 then 50 years Would you be so bold as to forecast what the future pioneers the greatshygrandchildren of Penn Stohr Sr will strap on when they strut onto the tarmac of the future

There are a few certainties worth mentioning First the generation in the seat has the stick in its hand What weve done with what we were given is exshyactly what our chi ldren have to build upon Aviation being such a young endeavor illustrates this principle so dramatically Second the legends left by the successes of each generation esshytablish challenges for the next Records

Douglas Smuln Shirley Martin and Penn R Stohr Jr pause In front of the Evergreen International Ford Trlmotor especially flying records were made

to be beaten And finally it is only through preserving the thrill of aerial mastery and accomplishment that fushyture generations will be persuaded to take up the challenge But without the opportunity to sample aviation first-hand through projects like Young Eagles our next generation may never feel that thrill

As Josh sits at the controls of the 65-year-old airliner the Columbia winds ahead to the east Filling the windscreen is the majestic snow mantled bulk of Mount Hood The wild slopes are a swirl with white just as they were when aviators were the first humans to make the mounshytains seem small Just as the efforts of todays aviation pros work tireshylessly to keep this priceless silver artifact in the air so they work to launch the careers of the next generashytion of her pilots

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

over the years about taildraggers but I had a pocket full of ratings and an attitude to boot I am a CFI We know everything and can teach it too What trouble can a small low and slow airplane be

Well everything youve read about tailshydraggers is true

I needed to top off the tanks and elected

THE PRIDE OF TATUMS by DAVID WELCH

I ve named my 1946 Cessna 140 THE PRIDE OF TATUMS I had a fancy letshytering job done that adorns each side just

behind the D window Its red white and blue with a few stars for effect

An awful lot of times someone had come up to me and asked if my name were Tatums Often the person is a Tatums himself or has a friend a cousin an in-law a neighbor etc I usually just answer nope I can be pretty reticent and Rebecca hates it when I am I just want people to ask the right question and Ill open up and tell the whole story

How did you come by that name for your airplane Dave

I bought my Cessna in 1988 I had looked at a few airplanes after figuring out my budshyget For a reason I dont fully understand I was pretty sure I wanted a Cessna 140 I learned to fly in 1969 in an assortment of rented 150s and I wanted something that would capture that nostalgia trip and more

The 140s were a few years older than anyshything I had eve r flown and they were taildraggers I had never been in one in fact I had never even looked closely at one but I was pretty sure I wanted one I sent for the owners manual even before I started serishyously looking

I picked out an advertisement in AeroshyTrader and made the call The seller sounded like someone whom I could trust and we set up a meeting We would get together at Mid Florida Airport in Eustis He flew the airplane down from Jacksonville and I drove up from Venice (If he was willing to fly the airplane that far it had to be in pretty good shape)

I liked it when I saw it although I couldnt tell you why It is white with red and blue stripes along the side and blue nose and wingtips It flew well and we made a deal He would take it home and annual it and wed meet the next week in St Augustine

I booked a one-way car rental and drove the four hours We agreed to exchange papers and money and then drop off the seller at a small grass strip just south of the JAX area From there Id solo in my first airplane for the two hour trip home

It is a taildragger I had read lots of stories

DIJ____ ---

6 FEBRUARY 1998

1113081

to stop just a few miles south at Keystone Airpark One of the factors in my decision was the choice of six directions in which to land Fortunately for me the wind dictated that I touch down far away from any eyes that may be watching By the time I got to the gas pumps I had had a lot of experience taxiing and making s turns

When I got out my knees were made of rubber My ankles and arms ached from all the control movements I had been making both on the ground and aloft I had been in the air less than 20 minutes

I made it home and taught myself to fly a taildragger (The mandatory sign-off had not yet been implemented) I did it with hours and hours of stop and go landings First I did them on a mile of concrete at Venice then when I felt confident I went to Englewood where we have about 2500 feet of grass and enough trees to command your attention

I got all my pictures developed took them to work and started to brag My co-workers have enough aeronautical sophistication to distinguish a light airplane from a blimp but like most everyone else they are all Piper Cubs arent they

I work for the US Postal Service as a Letshyter Carrier I deliver the mail for a living What my co-workers were able to point out to me though was that my new airplane was painted just like a mail truck It is white with red and blue stripes along the side It was obshy

David Welch and his Cessna 140 The Pride of Tatums As a US Postal Service Letter Carrier Dave had fun with his N number Read the text for the reasons behind the name of his airplane

vious as the sunrise but I had never seen it Was that why I wanted this airplane

The people at work are boat people A few of them asked if I was going to name it No I said boat people name their boats Airplane people dont name their airplanes These people watch too much TV Probably the only pilot they are able to name is Lindshybergh Just because he named his doesnt mean all these Piper Cubs have names

Now I have two significant but as yet unshyconnected things rattling around in my subconscious First it looks like a mail truck Second maybe it should have a name

During a very dull meeting at work one morning I happened to be sitting by the Zip Code book My mind unrelated to anything on the conscious level just wanted to know if anyplace had the Zip Code of my N number 73087 Well it was a small town in Oklashyhoma by the name of Tatums Its mail came out of Oklahoma City and I knew it was pretty small because one Zip covered it all

I looked it up on a road map when I got home and there it was I went to a Sectional Chart and its a real small point about 20 miles southwest of Pauls Valley Pauls Valley- isnt that where the Cessna 120140 Association is holding its miliual convention this year (1989)

At this point this is all just input going into my brain I havent mashed the sort button yet

I had a problem with my airplane and drove to the convention in Oklahoma I took a side trip to Tatums It has no airport nearby

- Continued on page 3Jshy

CubAircraft Co Ltd in Lundtofte Denmark (Part Two)

-continued from the January 1998 issue-

via NORM PETERSEN

As stated last month this story which is presented in two parts is extracted from the book entitled 75 AR TIL LANDS amp I LUFTEN (75 Years on Land and In the Air) the 75-year history ofthe auto and airplane firm ofChristian Bohnstedt-Petersen AlSfrom 1911 to 1986 The book was written by noted author JfJrgen Helme ofEsshypergaerde Denmark The translationrom Danish to English was done by Knud Thaarup (EAA 280077) 0Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) Denmark We are indebted to JfJrgen Helmeor permission to reprint this historical account othe Cub Aircraft Co Ltdfrom late 1937 to April 9 1940 when Germany occupied Denmark

Oden One day in August Hedegaard flew

n the other side of the 0resund the Cub on floats from Sweden to Denshy(between Denmark and Sweden) mark landing in the lake called Furesoen

the subsidiary in Malmo Autoropa Ltd where Bohnstedt-Petersen had a summer held the Swedish Piper Cub Agency Here cottage on Fureso road with direct access the former Swedish Air Force pilot Eric to the lake During the stay of the Cub on Bjurhovd was the leader of the companys floats over the next month Prins as well aviation activities which were operated out as Svensson and the instructor of the Flying of Bulltofta Club Active Lt K E Simonsen had the

Cub Aircraft Co Ltds Norwegian opportunity to fly the floatplane Aftershydealer was Wessels Aviation Company Ltd wards they declared unanimously that it at Fomebu Airport near Oslo This company had been a great experience However the represented Piper Cub only and had by demand for land planes was much greater mid-1938 sold eight airplanes of this manushy so when the American registered Cub facture The Norwegian aviation enterprise (NC215 l 7 SIN 2371) was returned to which simultaneously operated a flight Malmo Sweden the wheels replaced the school was a subsidiary of Witt amp Wessel floats and the Cub was accepted on the AlS-the DKW importer for Norway Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-AMP

In the spring of 1938 Autoropa Ltd had At Autoropa Ltd in Bulltofte Bohnstedt ordered a Piper Cub hydroplane ie-a 50 had an airplane of French origin It was a hp J-3S Cub on Edo 54-1140 floats The Caudron C 510 Phalene with room for four purpose was to look into the possibilities persons in a comfortable cabin The airplane of selling airplanes on floats to countries was registered SE-AGN and was flown by with many lakes such as Finland and Swe- Lieutenant Eric Bjurhoved

The old Rohrbach hangar at Kastrup Airport that was purchased by Bohnstedt-Petersen for 5000 Danish Kroner (very cheap) and rebuilt at his home estate called Hegnsholt in 1938

The Swedish Crown Prince his majesty Gustaf Adolf the VI of Sweden visits with Algot Thulin (holding his hat) of Autoropa AB Malmo Sweden at an aviashytion gathering at the Bulltofta Airport near Malmo

In the spring of 1939 Bohnstedt decided to use the Caudron airplane himself and made provisions for transferring it to Lundtofte and having it registered in Denshymark as OY-DIU The following summer the Caudron was frequently used by Bohnshystedt as a corporate aircraft with Prins as chief pilot as he had added the type to his pilots rating card During June the plane was flown to the island of Fano a couple of times where the Bohnstedt-Petersen family spent the holidays at the KUT Hotel In Aushygust Prins flew the fami ly to Hollufgaard During the stay on Fano director Oeser of Daimler-Benz came in his Mercedes 540K to visit On this occasion a speed contest between automobile and airplane took place It showed that the 540K could easily keep up with the Caudron

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark (April 9 1940) caused an abrupt end of the Lundtofte enterprises aviation activities which had presented itself as a very promising opporshytunity by the end of the 1930s The very last delivery before the occupation took place was as late as April 3 1940 when Lieushytenant Jacobsen of the Free Military Service in Norway took delivery ofLN-HAB the last airplane of an order of three of the entirely new type the Piper J-4A Cub Coupe with side-by-side seating

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

I)IJllINC TT I

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Sight Lines - I I

I I I I I I I I

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

Service was bought by another great aviation pioneer Del Smith of Evershygreen Helicopters Penn joined the new endeavor Evergreen International Airshylines He became Chief Pilot and is now Senior Vice President of Flight Operashytions The airline has grown over the years as well now boasting a fleet of 38 jets including DC-9s B-727s DC-8s and B-747s And of course theres a Ford Trimotor now in her third generashytion of service and restored flawlessly to full operating condition

As the Evergreen International Trishymotor climbs gracefully away from its home at Oregons Troutdale Airport the sun flashes brilliantly from the windswept surface of the Co lumbia River Boaters and wind surfers on the river hearing the unmistakable roar of radial engines glance up to see the reshyflected sunlight beamed back from the huge span of the Fords wing Through the cockpit door the planes passengers surrounded by leather mahogany and glass can see the shoulders of the two pilots father and son as they steer the craft up the river Penn Stohr and his twin children Josh and Liesel now ten years old are establishing the third genshyeration of Trimotor drivers just as the silver airliner reaches her third generation of service

Josh and Liesel are two of over 360000 Young Eagles Sponsored by the nonprofit Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles is a project dedicated to making the experience of flight available to as many young peoshy

pie age 8 to 17 as possible with a goal of one million youngsters by the end of 2003 Penn Stohr is an EAA member whose life and experience make him a natural aviation role model But being an airline vice president is not a requireshyment More information on the program can be obtained by writing or calling the Young Eagles Office EAA A viashytion Foundation P O Box 2683 Oshkosh WI 54903-2683 telephone 920426-4831

The world of flying having been tamed by aviation pioneers like Penn Stohr Sr was transformed from a risky adventure into a service that helped to build a country His son Penn is chanshyneling that service into a multi-billion dollar industry that circles the globe every hour of every day Fleets of winged behemoths each carrying more technology than fictional spaceships ply the skies across the oceans and conshytinents of the planet At the helms of these craft are professionals trained for years to become a functional part of the computers pumps video screens and thrusting engines This is the latest peshyriod in the evolution of aviation the world that Penn is unveiling for his Young Eagles in the Fords cockpit

Just as the beginning and end of their grandfatherS aviation career were a stark contrast between what was only dreamed and what could actually be done so it will be again As Liesel and Josh Stohr and thousands of their young aviation pioneers move into the cockpits simulators and engineering laboratories

aviation nears the end of its frrst century What will Josh Liesel and their comshyrades conjure up over the next quarter century Look back 25 then 50 years Would you be so bold as to forecast what the future pioneers the greatshygrandchildren of Penn Stohr Sr will strap on when they strut onto the tarmac of the future

There are a few certainties worth mentioning First the generation in the seat has the stick in its hand What weve done with what we were given is exshyactly what our chi ldren have to build upon Aviation being such a young endeavor illustrates this principle so dramatically Second the legends left by the successes of each generation esshytablish challenges for the next Records

Douglas Smuln Shirley Martin and Penn R Stohr Jr pause In front of the Evergreen International Ford Trlmotor especially flying records were made

to be beaten And finally it is only through preserving the thrill of aerial mastery and accomplishment that fushyture generations will be persuaded to take up the challenge But without the opportunity to sample aviation first-hand through projects like Young Eagles our next generation may never feel that thrill

As Josh sits at the controls of the 65-year-old airliner the Columbia winds ahead to the east Filling the windscreen is the majestic snow mantled bulk of Mount Hood The wild slopes are a swirl with white just as they were when aviators were the first humans to make the mounshytains seem small Just as the efforts of todays aviation pros work tireshylessly to keep this priceless silver artifact in the air so they work to launch the careers of the next generashytion of her pilots

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

over the years about taildraggers but I had a pocket full of ratings and an attitude to boot I am a CFI We know everything and can teach it too What trouble can a small low and slow airplane be

Well everything youve read about tailshydraggers is true

I needed to top off the tanks and elected

THE PRIDE OF TATUMS by DAVID WELCH

I ve named my 1946 Cessna 140 THE PRIDE OF TATUMS I had a fancy letshytering job done that adorns each side just

behind the D window Its red white and blue with a few stars for effect

An awful lot of times someone had come up to me and asked if my name were Tatums Often the person is a Tatums himself or has a friend a cousin an in-law a neighbor etc I usually just answer nope I can be pretty reticent and Rebecca hates it when I am I just want people to ask the right question and Ill open up and tell the whole story

How did you come by that name for your airplane Dave

I bought my Cessna in 1988 I had looked at a few airplanes after figuring out my budshyget For a reason I dont fully understand I was pretty sure I wanted a Cessna 140 I learned to fly in 1969 in an assortment of rented 150s and I wanted something that would capture that nostalgia trip and more

The 140s were a few years older than anyshything I had eve r flown and they were taildraggers I had never been in one in fact I had never even looked closely at one but I was pretty sure I wanted one I sent for the owners manual even before I started serishyously looking

I picked out an advertisement in AeroshyTrader and made the call The seller sounded like someone whom I could trust and we set up a meeting We would get together at Mid Florida Airport in Eustis He flew the airplane down from Jacksonville and I drove up from Venice (If he was willing to fly the airplane that far it had to be in pretty good shape)

I liked it when I saw it although I couldnt tell you why It is white with red and blue stripes along the side and blue nose and wingtips It flew well and we made a deal He would take it home and annual it and wed meet the next week in St Augustine

I booked a one-way car rental and drove the four hours We agreed to exchange papers and money and then drop off the seller at a small grass strip just south of the JAX area From there Id solo in my first airplane for the two hour trip home

It is a taildragger I had read lots of stories

DIJ____ ---

6 FEBRUARY 1998

1113081

to stop just a few miles south at Keystone Airpark One of the factors in my decision was the choice of six directions in which to land Fortunately for me the wind dictated that I touch down far away from any eyes that may be watching By the time I got to the gas pumps I had had a lot of experience taxiing and making s turns

When I got out my knees were made of rubber My ankles and arms ached from all the control movements I had been making both on the ground and aloft I had been in the air less than 20 minutes

I made it home and taught myself to fly a taildragger (The mandatory sign-off had not yet been implemented) I did it with hours and hours of stop and go landings First I did them on a mile of concrete at Venice then when I felt confident I went to Englewood where we have about 2500 feet of grass and enough trees to command your attention

I got all my pictures developed took them to work and started to brag My co-workers have enough aeronautical sophistication to distinguish a light airplane from a blimp but like most everyone else they are all Piper Cubs arent they

I work for the US Postal Service as a Letshyter Carrier I deliver the mail for a living What my co-workers were able to point out to me though was that my new airplane was painted just like a mail truck It is white with red and blue stripes along the side It was obshy

David Welch and his Cessna 140 The Pride of Tatums As a US Postal Service Letter Carrier Dave had fun with his N number Read the text for the reasons behind the name of his airplane

vious as the sunrise but I had never seen it Was that why I wanted this airplane

The people at work are boat people A few of them asked if I was going to name it No I said boat people name their boats Airplane people dont name their airplanes These people watch too much TV Probably the only pilot they are able to name is Lindshybergh Just because he named his doesnt mean all these Piper Cubs have names

Now I have two significant but as yet unshyconnected things rattling around in my subconscious First it looks like a mail truck Second maybe it should have a name

During a very dull meeting at work one morning I happened to be sitting by the Zip Code book My mind unrelated to anything on the conscious level just wanted to know if anyplace had the Zip Code of my N number 73087 Well it was a small town in Oklashyhoma by the name of Tatums Its mail came out of Oklahoma City and I knew it was pretty small because one Zip covered it all

I looked it up on a road map when I got home and there it was I went to a Sectional Chart and its a real small point about 20 miles southwest of Pauls Valley Pauls Valley- isnt that where the Cessna 120140 Association is holding its miliual convention this year (1989)

At this point this is all just input going into my brain I havent mashed the sort button yet

I had a problem with my airplane and drove to the convention in Oklahoma I took a side trip to Tatums It has no airport nearby

- Continued on page 3Jshy

CubAircraft Co Ltd in Lundtofte Denmark (Part Two)

-continued from the January 1998 issue-

via NORM PETERSEN

As stated last month this story which is presented in two parts is extracted from the book entitled 75 AR TIL LANDS amp I LUFTEN (75 Years on Land and In the Air) the 75-year history ofthe auto and airplane firm ofChristian Bohnstedt-Petersen AlSfrom 1911 to 1986 The book was written by noted author JfJrgen Helme ofEsshypergaerde Denmark The translationrom Danish to English was done by Knud Thaarup (EAA 280077) 0Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) Denmark We are indebted to JfJrgen Helmeor permission to reprint this historical account othe Cub Aircraft Co Ltdfrom late 1937 to April 9 1940 when Germany occupied Denmark

Oden One day in August Hedegaard flew

n the other side of the 0resund the Cub on floats from Sweden to Denshy(between Denmark and Sweden) mark landing in the lake called Furesoen

the subsidiary in Malmo Autoropa Ltd where Bohnstedt-Petersen had a summer held the Swedish Piper Cub Agency Here cottage on Fureso road with direct access the former Swedish Air Force pilot Eric to the lake During the stay of the Cub on Bjurhovd was the leader of the companys floats over the next month Prins as well aviation activities which were operated out as Svensson and the instructor of the Flying of Bulltofta Club Active Lt K E Simonsen had the

Cub Aircraft Co Ltds Norwegian opportunity to fly the floatplane Aftershydealer was Wessels Aviation Company Ltd wards they declared unanimously that it at Fomebu Airport near Oslo This company had been a great experience However the represented Piper Cub only and had by demand for land planes was much greater mid-1938 sold eight airplanes of this manushy so when the American registered Cub facture The Norwegian aviation enterprise (NC215 l 7 SIN 2371) was returned to which simultaneously operated a flight Malmo Sweden the wheels replaced the school was a subsidiary of Witt amp Wessel floats and the Cub was accepted on the AlS-the DKW importer for Norway Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-AMP

In the spring of 1938 Autoropa Ltd had At Autoropa Ltd in Bulltofte Bohnstedt ordered a Piper Cub hydroplane ie-a 50 had an airplane of French origin It was a hp J-3S Cub on Edo 54-1140 floats The Caudron C 510 Phalene with room for four purpose was to look into the possibilities persons in a comfortable cabin The airplane of selling airplanes on floats to countries was registered SE-AGN and was flown by with many lakes such as Finland and Swe- Lieutenant Eric Bjurhoved

The old Rohrbach hangar at Kastrup Airport that was purchased by Bohnstedt-Petersen for 5000 Danish Kroner (very cheap) and rebuilt at his home estate called Hegnsholt in 1938

The Swedish Crown Prince his majesty Gustaf Adolf the VI of Sweden visits with Algot Thulin (holding his hat) of Autoropa AB Malmo Sweden at an aviashytion gathering at the Bulltofta Airport near Malmo

In the spring of 1939 Bohnstedt decided to use the Caudron airplane himself and made provisions for transferring it to Lundtofte and having it registered in Denshymark as OY-DIU The following summer the Caudron was frequently used by Bohnshystedt as a corporate aircraft with Prins as chief pilot as he had added the type to his pilots rating card During June the plane was flown to the island of Fano a couple of times where the Bohnstedt-Petersen family spent the holidays at the KUT Hotel In Aushygust Prins flew the fami ly to Hollufgaard During the stay on Fano director Oeser of Daimler-Benz came in his Mercedes 540K to visit On this occasion a speed contest between automobile and airplane took place It showed that the 540K could easily keep up with the Caudron

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark (April 9 1940) caused an abrupt end of the Lundtofte enterprises aviation activities which had presented itself as a very promising opporshytunity by the end of the 1930s The very last delivery before the occupation took place was as late as April 3 1940 when Lieushytenant Jacobsen of the Free Military Service in Norway took delivery ofLN-HAB the last airplane of an order of three of the entirely new type the Piper J-4A Cub Coupe with side-by-side seating

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

over the years about taildraggers but I had a pocket full of ratings and an attitude to boot I am a CFI We know everything and can teach it too What trouble can a small low and slow airplane be

Well everything youve read about tailshydraggers is true

I needed to top off the tanks and elected

THE PRIDE OF TATUMS by DAVID WELCH

I ve named my 1946 Cessna 140 THE PRIDE OF TATUMS I had a fancy letshytering job done that adorns each side just

behind the D window Its red white and blue with a few stars for effect

An awful lot of times someone had come up to me and asked if my name were Tatums Often the person is a Tatums himself or has a friend a cousin an in-law a neighbor etc I usually just answer nope I can be pretty reticent and Rebecca hates it when I am I just want people to ask the right question and Ill open up and tell the whole story

How did you come by that name for your airplane Dave

I bought my Cessna in 1988 I had looked at a few airplanes after figuring out my budshyget For a reason I dont fully understand I was pretty sure I wanted a Cessna 140 I learned to fly in 1969 in an assortment of rented 150s and I wanted something that would capture that nostalgia trip and more

The 140s were a few years older than anyshything I had eve r flown and they were taildraggers I had never been in one in fact I had never even looked closely at one but I was pretty sure I wanted one I sent for the owners manual even before I started serishyously looking

I picked out an advertisement in AeroshyTrader and made the call The seller sounded like someone whom I could trust and we set up a meeting We would get together at Mid Florida Airport in Eustis He flew the airplane down from Jacksonville and I drove up from Venice (If he was willing to fly the airplane that far it had to be in pretty good shape)

I liked it when I saw it although I couldnt tell you why It is white with red and blue stripes along the side and blue nose and wingtips It flew well and we made a deal He would take it home and annual it and wed meet the next week in St Augustine

I booked a one-way car rental and drove the four hours We agreed to exchange papers and money and then drop off the seller at a small grass strip just south of the JAX area From there Id solo in my first airplane for the two hour trip home

It is a taildragger I had read lots of stories

DIJ____ ---

6 FEBRUARY 1998

1113081

to stop just a few miles south at Keystone Airpark One of the factors in my decision was the choice of six directions in which to land Fortunately for me the wind dictated that I touch down far away from any eyes that may be watching By the time I got to the gas pumps I had had a lot of experience taxiing and making s turns

When I got out my knees were made of rubber My ankles and arms ached from all the control movements I had been making both on the ground and aloft I had been in the air less than 20 minutes

I made it home and taught myself to fly a taildragger (The mandatory sign-off had not yet been implemented) I did it with hours and hours of stop and go landings First I did them on a mile of concrete at Venice then when I felt confident I went to Englewood where we have about 2500 feet of grass and enough trees to command your attention

I got all my pictures developed took them to work and started to brag My co-workers have enough aeronautical sophistication to distinguish a light airplane from a blimp but like most everyone else they are all Piper Cubs arent they

I work for the US Postal Service as a Letshyter Carrier I deliver the mail for a living What my co-workers were able to point out to me though was that my new airplane was painted just like a mail truck It is white with red and blue stripes along the side It was obshy

David Welch and his Cessna 140 The Pride of Tatums As a US Postal Service Letter Carrier Dave had fun with his N number Read the text for the reasons behind the name of his airplane

vious as the sunrise but I had never seen it Was that why I wanted this airplane

The people at work are boat people A few of them asked if I was going to name it No I said boat people name their boats Airplane people dont name their airplanes These people watch too much TV Probably the only pilot they are able to name is Lindshybergh Just because he named his doesnt mean all these Piper Cubs have names

Now I have two significant but as yet unshyconnected things rattling around in my subconscious First it looks like a mail truck Second maybe it should have a name

During a very dull meeting at work one morning I happened to be sitting by the Zip Code book My mind unrelated to anything on the conscious level just wanted to know if anyplace had the Zip Code of my N number 73087 Well it was a small town in Oklashyhoma by the name of Tatums Its mail came out of Oklahoma City and I knew it was pretty small because one Zip covered it all

I looked it up on a road map when I got home and there it was I went to a Sectional Chart and its a real small point about 20 miles southwest of Pauls Valley Pauls Valley- isnt that where the Cessna 120140 Association is holding its miliual convention this year (1989)

At this point this is all just input going into my brain I havent mashed the sort button yet

I had a problem with my airplane and drove to the convention in Oklahoma I took a side trip to Tatums It has no airport nearby

- Continued on page 3Jshy

CubAircraft Co Ltd in Lundtofte Denmark (Part Two)

-continued from the January 1998 issue-

via NORM PETERSEN

As stated last month this story which is presented in two parts is extracted from the book entitled 75 AR TIL LANDS amp I LUFTEN (75 Years on Land and In the Air) the 75-year history ofthe auto and airplane firm ofChristian Bohnstedt-Petersen AlSfrom 1911 to 1986 The book was written by noted author JfJrgen Helme ofEsshypergaerde Denmark The translationrom Danish to English was done by Knud Thaarup (EAA 280077) 0Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) Denmark We are indebted to JfJrgen Helmeor permission to reprint this historical account othe Cub Aircraft Co Ltdfrom late 1937 to April 9 1940 when Germany occupied Denmark

Oden One day in August Hedegaard flew

n the other side of the 0resund the Cub on floats from Sweden to Denshy(between Denmark and Sweden) mark landing in the lake called Furesoen

the subsidiary in Malmo Autoropa Ltd where Bohnstedt-Petersen had a summer held the Swedish Piper Cub Agency Here cottage on Fureso road with direct access the former Swedish Air Force pilot Eric to the lake During the stay of the Cub on Bjurhovd was the leader of the companys floats over the next month Prins as well aviation activities which were operated out as Svensson and the instructor of the Flying of Bulltofta Club Active Lt K E Simonsen had the

Cub Aircraft Co Ltds Norwegian opportunity to fly the floatplane Aftershydealer was Wessels Aviation Company Ltd wards they declared unanimously that it at Fomebu Airport near Oslo This company had been a great experience However the represented Piper Cub only and had by demand for land planes was much greater mid-1938 sold eight airplanes of this manushy so when the American registered Cub facture The Norwegian aviation enterprise (NC215 l 7 SIN 2371) was returned to which simultaneously operated a flight Malmo Sweden the wheels replaced the school was a subsidiary of Witt amp Wessel floats and the Cub was accepted on the AlS-the DKW importer for Norway Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-AMP

In the spring of 1938 Autoropa Ltd had At Autoropa Ltd in Bulltofte Bohnstedt ordered a Piper Cub hydroplane ie-a 50 had an airplane of French origin It was a hp J-3S Cub on Edo 54-1140 floats The Caudron C 510 Phalene with room for four purpose was to look into the possibilities persons in a comfortable cabin The airplane of selling airplanes on floats to countries was registered SE-AGN and was flown by with many lakes such as Finland and Swe- Lieutenant Eric Bjurhoved

The old Rohrbach hangar at Kastrup Airport that was purchased by Bohnstedt-Petersen for 5000 Danish Kroner (very cheap) and rebuilt at his home estate called Hegnsholt in 1938

The Swedish Crown Prince his majesty Gustaf Adolf the VI of Sweden visits with Algot Thulin (holding his hat) of Autoropa AB Malmo Sweden at an aviashytion gathering at the Bulltofta Airport near Malmo

In the spring of 1939 Bohnstedt decided to use the Caudron airplane himself and made provisions for transferring it to Lundtofte and having it registered in Denshymark as OY-DIU The following summer the Caudron was frequently used by Bohnshystedt as a corporate aircraft with Prins as chief pilot as he had added the type to his pilots rating card During June the plane was flown to the island of Fano a couple of times where the Bohnstedt-Petersen family spent the holidays at the KUT Hotel In Aushygust Prins flew the fami ly to Hollufgaard During the stay on Fano director Oeser of Daimler-Benz came in his Mercedes 540K to visit On this occasion a speed contest between automobile and airplane took place It showed that the 540K could easily keep up with the Caudron

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark (April 9 1940) caused an abrupt end of the Lundtofte enterprises aviation activities which had presented itself as a very promising opporshytunity by the end of the 1930s The very last delivery before the occupation took place was as late as April 3 1940 when Lieushytenant Jacobsen of the Free Military Service in Norway took delivery ofLN-HAB the last airplane of an order of three of the entirely new type the Piper J-4A Cub Coupe with side-by-side seating

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

CubAircraft Co Ltd in Lundtofte Denmark (Part Two)

-continued from the January 1998 issue-

via NORM PETERSEN

As stated last month this story which is presented in two parts is extracted from the book entitled 75 AR TIL LANDS amp I LUFTEN (75 Years on Land and In the Air) the 75-year history ofthe auto and airplane firm ofChristian Bohnstedt-Petersen AlSfrom 1911 to 1986 The book was written by noted author JfJrgen Helme ofEsshypergaerde Denmark The translationrom Danish to English was done by Knud Thaarup (EAA 280077) 0Frederiksberg (Copenhagen) Denmark We are indebted to JfJrgen Helmeor permission to reprint this historical account othe Cub Aircraft Co Ltdfrom late 1937 to April 9 1940 when Germany occupied Denmark

Oden One day in August Hedegaard flew

n the other side of the 0resund the Cub on floats from Sweden to Denshy(between Denmark and Sweden) mark landing in the lake called Furesoen

the subsidiary in Malmo Autoropa Ltd where Bohnstedt-Petersen had a summer held the Swedish Piper Cub Agency Here cottage on Fureso road with direct access the former Swedish Air Force pilot Eric to the lake During the stay of the Cub on Bjurhovd was the leader of the companys floats over the next month Prins as well aviation activities which were operated out as Svensson and the instructor of the Flying of Bulltofta Club Active Lt K E Simonsen had the

Cub Aircraft Co Ltds Norwegian opportunity to fly the floatplane Aftershydealer was Wessels Aviation Company Ltd wards they declared unanimously that it at Fomebu Airport near Oslo This company had been a great experience However the represented Piper Cub only and had by demand for land planes was much greater mid-1938 sold eight airplanes of this manushy so when the American registered Cub facture The Norwegian aviation enterprise (NC215 l 7 SIN 2371) was returned to which simultaneously operated a flight Malmo Sweden the wheels replaced the school was a subsidiary of Witt amp Wessel floats and the Cub was accepted on the AlS-the DKW importer for Norway Swedish Aircraft Register as SE-AMP

In the spring of 1938 Autoropa Ltd had At Autoropa Ltd in Bulltofte Bohnstedt ordered a Piper Cub hydroplane ie-a 50 had an airplane of French origin It was a hp J-3S Cub on Edo 54-1140 floats The Caudron C 510 Phalene with room for four purpose was to look into the possibilities persons in a comfortable cabin The airplane of selling airplanes on floats to countries was registered SE-AGN and was flown by with many lakes such as Finland and Swe- Lieutenant Eric Bjurhoved

The old Rohrbach hangar at Kastrup Airport that was purchased by Bohnstedt-Petersen for 5000 Danish Kroner (very cheap) and rebuilt at his home estate called Hegnsholt in 1938

The Swedish Crown Prince his majesty Gustaf Adolf the VI of Sweden visits with Algot Thulin (holding his hat) of Autoropa AB Malmo Sweden at an aviashytion gathering at the Bulltofta Airport near Malmo

In the spring of 1939 Bohnstedt decided to use the Caudron airplane himself and made provisions for transferring it to Lundtofte and having it registered in Denshymark as OY-DIU The following summer the Caudron was frequently used by Bohnshystedt as a corporate aircraft with Prins as chief pilot as he had added the type to his pilots rating card During June the plane was flown to the island of Fano a couple of times where the Bohnstedt-Petersen family spent the holidays at the KUT Hotel In Aushygust Prins flew the fami ly to Hollufgaard During the stay on Fano director Oeser of Daimler-Benz came in his Mercedes 540K to visit On this occasion a speed contest between automobile and airplane took place It showed that the 540K could easily keep up with the Caudron

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation of Denmark (April 9 1940) caused an abrupt end of the Lundtofte enterprises aviation activities which had presented itself as a very promising opporshytunity by the end of the 1930s The very last delivery before the occupation took place was as late as April 3 1940 when Lieushytenant Jacobsen of the Free Military Service in Norway took delivery ofLN-HAB the last airplane of an order of three of the entirely new type the Piper J-4A Cub Coupe with side-by-side seating

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

Piper Cub Airplanes sold by Cub Aircraft Ltd during the years 1937-40

Date of Manufacture

Danish FactorySN

Type SIN Registered Customer

7-10-37 73 Taylor Cub J2C-40 339 OY-DUL Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-28-38 80 Piper Cub J3C-40 1164 OY-DOM Sportsflyveklubben Kbenhaven 5-28-38 81 Piper Cub J3C-40 1163 OY-DUM Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 6-16-38 82 Piper Cub J2C-40 1158 SE-AGZ Aeroklubben Malmo 7middot8-38 84 Piper Cub J2C-40 1161 OH-SNA OY S amp N Helsingfors 7-15-38 86 Piper Cub J2C-40 1162 OY-DEO O Poulsen De Bademaker Gent 7-25-38 88 Piper Cub J2C-40 1155 OY-DAO Flyveklubben -Activ

(anvendt af Luftwaffe u krigen) 8-10-38 89 Piper Cub J2C-40 1156 OY-DYN H_LM_ Jensen Kastrup 8-13-38 90 Piper Cub J2C-40 1160 OY-DUO Aage Heidemann Aarhus 8-24-38 91 Piper Cub J2C-40 1157 OH-SNB OY S amp N_ Helsingfors 11-29-38 97 Piper Cub J2C-40 1316 OY-DEP Cub Aircraft Coo Ltd

Piper Cub J2C-40 1159 Burned and dismantled airplanes-parts then rebuilt in 1948 and 1949 with serial numbers

SI N 2475 OY-ABT og SI N 2491 OY-FAB

Piper Cub J2C-40 1318 Piper Cub J3C-40 1996 Piper Cub J3C-50 2492 Piper Cub J3C-50 2503 Piper Cub J3C-50 2505

2-14-39 102 Piper Cub J3C-50 2532 OY-DOR skandinavisk Motor Co As Odense 2-14-39 103 Piper Cub J3C-50 2533 OY-DUR C_ Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt

Piper Cub J3C-50 5 2371 SE-AHP Autoropa Maim EX NC 21517 2-25-39 104 Piper Cub J3C-50 2534 OY-DYR Magnus Christiansen Aalborg 4-5-39 105 Piper Cub J2C-40 1317 OY-DIP Viggo Fehr amp Co Odense 4-18-39 107 Piper Cub J3C-50 2480 OY-DYT Godsejer P Darel Dueholm 4-24-39 108 Piper Cub J3C-40 1998 OY-DAT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 4-25-39 109 Piper Cub J3C-40 1995 OY-DIT Cub Aircraft Co Ltd 5-8-39 112 Piper Cub J3C-50 2535 OY-DEs P Perch amp J 0stergaard Veivad 5-12-39 113 Piper Cub J3C-50 2481 OY-DOT Skandinavisk Motor Co A S Odense 5-13-39 114 Piper Cub J3C-50 2482 SE-AIB Autoropa Malmo 5-26-39 117 Piper Cub J3C-50 2479 OY-DIS Kaptajn Viuff 6-6-39 118 Piper Cub J3C-50 2485 OY-DUT Magnus Christiansen Hobro 7-1-39 122 Piper Cub J3C-50 2486 SE-AIC Per Hallin Lund 8-29-39 124 Piper Cub J2C-40 1319 OY-DUP J Sejer Dybro Siageise 9-13-39 126 Piper Cub J3C-50 1997 SE-AIS Autoropa Maim (21549 OY-AIS) 9-13-39 127 Piper Cub J3C-50 2504 sE-AID Autoropa Maim (efter 45 OY-AID) 9-30-39 128 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-565 OY-DAV C Bohnstedt-Petersen Hegnsholt 1-23-40 130 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-600 LN-FAR Den frie Militcertjen Norge 3-27-40 131 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-568 LN-HAD Den frie Militcertjen Norge 4-3-40 133 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-567 LN-HAB Den frie Militcertjen Norge 11-17-48 297 Piper Cub J3F-50 2475 OY-ABT Bertil Kring Risskov

Genopbygget efter krigen 6-11-1957 391 Piper Cub J3C-50 2491 OY-FAB Genopb eftkrigen EX ()EHES B-P

Flyveklub-totalhav Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-566

Sabotaged and burned by the Danish underground to prevent use by Gennan Occupying Forces

Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-597 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-598 Piper Cub J4AC-65 4-599

During the summer of 1938 this U S registered Piper J3C-SOS NC21517 SI N 2371 was flown on a set of Edo 54-1140 floats from a lake called Furesllen in Denmark All the pilots who flew the Cub on floats enjoyed it but the decision was made to concentrate on land planes The Cub was then allocated the regisshytration SE-AHP in Sweden and put back on wheels The writing on the picture says With Greetings C ~~-4 Bohnstedt-Petersen (Editors Note in June 1994 while attending the Danish KZ Antique Fly-In at Stauning Denmark a gentleman told me that he had a set of Edo 1140 floats from 1938 that were still in the original factory cartons I strongiy suspect these are the very same floats pictured on NC21517)

8 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

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Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

A representative set ofpictures of Piper Cub airplanes built and sold by the Cub Aircraft Ltd in Denmark during the years 1937 to 1940 The country registrations are OY-Denmark OH-Finland SE-Sweden and LN-Norway

SIN 339 SIN 2504

SIN 1158 SIN 2479

SIN 1157 SIN 2535

SIN 2532 SIN 2481

SIN 2480 SIN 4 -568

VINTAGE AIRPlANE 9

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

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An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

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1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

Bald Eagle Aviation A Home For All Types of Aircraft

Article and photos by JOHN GAERTNER

Located only an hours drive west of the Bob Bucks pet project is a Beech formed Jim Younkin aluminum engine nations capital you will find a workshop Staggerwing F-170 he acquired abo ut cowl Pictured here is a 160 hp Gnome roshyfull of interesting aircraft under construcshy two years ago after it was involved in a tary engine above its original 1918 crate tion Bald Eagle Aviation is located on the rollover accident The aircraft was origishy the fin and rudder of the Nieuport Anshyfarm of EAA member Bob Buck outside nally purchased from Beechcraft by the drew s Ryan M-l fuselage and Bob of Lovettsville V A and is operated by Ou Pont fami ly and then later sold to the Bucks Staggerwing The massive wooden accomplished aircraft restorer Andrew Bowers Battery Co of Reading P A It spars resting on the sawhorses belong to King Inside you will find one Staggershy was utilized by the Bowers Co for several Andrews Ryan project wing Beech two Travel Airs a Ryan years until WW II when it was pressed The newest project to take form in AnshyM-I and a Nieuport 28 replica all being into military service by the US Governshy drews shop is a Nieuport 28 replica that worked on at one time Andrew King has ment Following the war it was so ld as he and his father are building in partnershybeen a long-time antique aircraft builder surplus Bob has been carefully going ship Andrew has considerable experience and restorer growing up at Cole Palen s through the entire plane replacing all of with rotary engined aircraft and has alshyOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome and havi ng the damaged components and rebuilding ways planned on building a Nieuport worked for the likes of Kermit Weeks in the wings It wi ll be powered by a 330 hp Recently a pristine 160 hp Gnome rotary Florida and Ken Hyde in Virginia Jacobs engine and will sport a beautifully became avai lable from Johrmy Thomson

In September of this year a Travel Air 4000 belonging to AI Kelch of Jim Beville Andrew King and Bob Buck pause from their restoration work for a moment near Bobs Mequon WI arri ved at Bald Eag le Staggerwing project

Aviation AI had been working on this project for a number of years and asked Andrew to assist in completing it The wings were already nearly done so Andrew has been spending hi s time worki ng on the planes fuse lage and sheet metal work This Travel Air 4000 was previously owned by the Robertshyson Aircraft Corp and operated as an airmail carrier It is believed that Charles Lindbergh flew this same aircraft prior to his famous 1927 transatlantic flight

Three years ago this April Andrew began a personal project building a Ryan M -I Borrowing an original Ryan fuselage to go by Andrew was able to weld up his fuselage as well as another example for his landlord Bob Buck Working steadily on hi s project the wings and tail feather components have all been completed and Andrew is ready to sandblast and paint the fuseshylage for final assembly Andrews Ryan M-I wi ll be powered by a Lycom ing R680 radial engine and painted in the livery of the Pacific Air Transport Airshycraft Co when it is fmished

10 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

I)IJllINC TT I

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Sight Lines - I I

I I I I I I I I

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I [Horizon Line] I 9 -----shyllz lb~d$ifi3W1~ ~ 0-__ --_--_-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ~ laquo- -- ~

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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Figure 5

by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

All aviation insurance poliCies are not created equal

Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

US and Canada call

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~

CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above and right) Its not quite as tight as the camera would lead you to believe but there Is plenty going on In Bald Eagles shop These two shots detail Andrews Ryan Mmiddot1 project including the massive wing spars Author John Gaertner EAAs Air Adventure Museum Curator is on the left

of Ellington FL Andrew convinced his father that it was time they started on his planned Nieuport Jim Beville assistant in Andrews shop has been working on welding up the necessary components and the plane has begun to take shape Once completed it is Andrews plan to display and fly his newest creation at the Golden Age Air Museum in Grimes PA

(Below) Jim Beville holds up the rudder fo r the Nieuport 24 replica being constructed by Andrew Jim and Andrews father Bill The pristine 160 hp Gnome stili in Its original packing crate is to the left

(Below) AI Kelch is having Andrew finish up the Travel Air 4000 project he has worked on for a number of years This particular Travel Air was owned by Robertson Aircraft in St louis and was most likely flown by Charles Lindbergh during his time at Robertson before heading off across the Atlantic

VINTAGE A IRPLANE 11

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

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Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

Type Club

NOTES by NORM PETERSEN

Compiled from various type club

Stinson Plane Talk published by the National Stinson Club Bill amp Debbie Snavely-editors 941-465-6101

Parts Washer- A parts washer that makes the garage or hangar-bound restoration easier

The parts washer consists of a 2-112 gallon plastic solvent tank and a 13x7x3 built in parts-washing basin a small parts dunking basket and a pump style solvent from the container There is even a 12x7 molded in section on top of the container for holding parts afshyter they have been cleaned It is shaped so solvent drains off the parts and runs back into the basin

To use simply remove a drain plug lay it horizontal and the basin fills with solvent Next spray the grungy parts with solvent brush away the grime and leave them to dry When finished tip the washer up to drain the solvent back into the tank and replace the plug This way the unit can be stored or transshyported when not in use

Two biodegradable solvents are available through Finish Line the stronger of the two is Citrus it smells great but its too strong for some rubber and plastic pieces The other EcoTech has less cleaning power but is safe to use on many plastics Both solvents can either be used maximum strength or diluted with water Citrus and EcoTech are available in 16 oz bottles for $895 and the parts washer retails for $2995

A test was run on a nasty oily engine cleaning job The Citrus was mixed as directed one pint to 2-14 gallons of water After working on the solvent

12 FEBRUARY 1998

tank for more than three hours the pile of parts was clean and grease free When the solvent turns black simply stand the parts washer back up and drain the degreaser back into the tank After the basin is clean the parts washer can be tilted back horizontally to fill the basin with fresher solution

On particularly dirty parts I used the Eco Tech degreaser mixed 1 1 with water It worked well as advertised and plastic parts were unaffected by the solvent

Other First Line products Castro Super Clean another biodegradable solvent Mixed 1 1 with water it worked about as well as EcoTech at the same strength It would burn if there was a cut on the hands

According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied by the cleaners both Citrus and EcoTech are not conshysidered a hazard under normal operating conditions for both skin contact and inhalation Goggles and gloves are the only safety equipment recommended

When used in strong enough solushytions the Finish Line degreasers will clean nearly anything The cleaning power is less than that of gasoline or acetone but the Finish Line products are much more user-friendly

The parts washer and the solvents are available from Eastwood Company PO Box 3014 Malvern PA 19355shy07141-800345-1178

International Cessna 120140 Association Box 830092 Richardson TX 75083-0092 Joy Warren editor 1009 Port Rd White Lake MI 48383

publications amp newsletters

A FAMILY TAlL DRAGGER THATISf

by John Nielsen January 1980 After 22 years of rebuilding and

restoration my grandfather Edward 1 Chermack showed me how to get into the seat ofN4159N and buckle up This was my first flight in a small aircraft With skis attached we taxied onto his private strip and took to the skies It is a day I remember like yesterday The winter sky was clear and bright Fresh snow blanketed the ground and there was not a ripple of wind or turbulence Grandpa didnt fly that often but when he did I remember he did so with care and precision His pride in his ability to own and pilot his own airplane at the age of 83 was his link to a more youthshyfullife When he lost his medical he stopped flying Not that he lost the skills but because it would be against the rules

August 1994 I earned my private pilot endorseshy

ment As I progressed through the training grandpa and I often discussed the joys of flying and learning someshything new with each flight We looked forward to the day we could hop in the 140 and take a few laps around the patch I worked towards my tail wheel endorsement so he could once again fly the 140 while I was on board We went to Oshkosh and picked up inforshymation on the 120140 Club He continued to annual the airplane and run the engine weekly even though it never left the hangar

-Continuedwpage28shy

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

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An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

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1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

TIM TALfN S STINSON NWmiddot75

by HG FRAUTSCHY

Tenacious would have to be used to describe AntiqueClassic member Tim Talen (AC 1616) His restorashytion ofa rare Stinson HW-75 took him over 10 years a decade filled with parts chasing and pinning down all the myriad details that seem to jump up and block the way as a restoration is done

At first glance the HW -75 looks just like a Stinson 10 or lOA It s close but thats not what it is The very first model of the Voyager series the HW -75 was quite a change for the Stinson Company Named the I 05 in promotional materials since that was the speed it was supposed to atshy

tain in cruise flight the HW -7 5 was a big departure for a company known for its larger cabin class products

Work started in 1938 on the proshyject and the design and layout for the airplane was not done in the Stinson factory Bill Mara now running things since Eddie Stinsons untimely passing in January of 1932 suggested the project but the actual design work was done at the University of Detroit under the guidance of Lewis E Reisner of Krieder-Reisner divishysion of Fairchild Aircraft fame Lewis worked with Prof Peter Altman of the University along with engineer Maurice A Mills on the project

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

which was wind tunnel tested at the school The new still in the developshyment stage 75 hp geared Lycoming engine was picked as the powerplant but the engineers at Lycoming still had a lot of work ahead of them and the littlest Stinsons airframe development quickly outpaced the engines proshygram In the beginning the failure of the Lycoming engine availability would put the HW-75 at a disadvantage By the time early February of 1939 rolled around Stinson had to have a 50 hp Lycoming installed just to keep the airshyframe testing program on track The lack of horsepower didnt seem to bother the airplane too much and test pilot AI Schramm took it up for the first time on February 31939 A quick takeoff in a little less than 500 feet was follow ed by a test flight that was a non-event as far as surprises were conshycerned It was a nice handling airplane with no vices and true to its design it proved to be unspinnable when loaded within the proper CG range A big help were the leading edge wing slots which helped maintain the HW-75s roll control even when the wing was stalled

In those days certification proshygrams moved ahead with amazing rapidity and a month later a decision had to be made regarding an engine for production The geared Lycoming still wasnt available (a pre-production enshygine would come apart on a Model lOB in July of 1939- it was back to the workbench and drawing board for the Lycoming folks) so the 75 hp Con-

One of the early production HW-75s with a cabin Waco and a Stearman-Hammond in the background

tinental was picked as the powerplant That decision must have stung at Lyshycoming who had long enjoyed a relationship with Stinson since EL Cord had enjoyed a controlling interest in both companies since the production of the Stinson Junior

Still the Continental made a better airplane of the HW-75 now referred to in promotional material as the Model 105 a reference to the cruising speed of the airplane Introduced at the 1939 Worlds Fair as the Stinson 105 it soon gained a legion of followers many of them rather famous - Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy had one (Edgar got the parachute Charlie had an umshybrella tucked under his wooden arm) and Major AI Williams bought one

painted in the same orange and with blue trim Grumman Gulfhawk colors He dubbed the Stinson 105 Gulfhawk Jr and used it to fly Gulf customers around Williams managed Gulf Oils Avia tion department and flew the Grumman in air shows across the counshytry Roscoe Turner had one and so did Jimmy Stewart who flew his home to Los Angeles from Kansas City in the middle of winter Howard Hughes bought one too The early HW-75s could be had for $2995 and later as the design evolved into the model lOA powshyered with the 90 hp Franklin 4AC-199 it sold for $3355

A final push was made to install the relatively bug-free Lycoming GO-145shyC but the more powerful Franklin had

The interior of Tims 1939 Stinson reflects the effort the people at Stinson put into making the airplane have a strong car-like feel The text details the problems Tim had In matching the wrinkle finish on the compass fair ing just one example of the patience he exhibited while working for 10 years to restore this particular airplane

14 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

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BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

The bright work on this model can keep you busy polishing for days Tim had to completely duplicate the carb air Inlet grill Stinson and the engineers at the University of DetroH paid considerable attention to st reamlining the first small Stinson as evidenced by the smooth contours of the tall fairing (right)

hit the nail on the head as far as the cusshytomers were concerned and the Model lOB died in the sales department never to be sold to the public It really was a case being simply too late-the geared Lycoming had a lot of promise but it just couldnt compete when it was finally ready for the Stinson product

Look closely at the humble little HW-75 and youll see a number of characteristics from later models inshycluding the Stinson L-5 Sentinel and the very popular Stinson 108 series of 4-place airplanes The little baby Stinson even went to war earning its stripes as a stateside utility airplane But its biggest contribution to the war effort would come by way of the fledgshyling Civil Air Patrol Well over half of

the missions flown by the CAP were done in the littlest Stinsons some of them even equipped with a bomb rack Overall 1020 of the HW -7 5Model 10 series were built but less than 100 remain on the regshyister One of those now flying took a while to get back in the air but now that it is flying just look at it

Tim Talen is one of the many talshyented people around the country who have taken on a project and stuck with it for years unable to

turn their backs on it because they were enjoying themselves too much Tim has actually owned the Stinson HW-75 SIN 7131 for over 18 years At the now long gone Springfield OR airport the Stinson sat in a hangar a project in waiting In a neat arrangement Tim wound up with the airframe for the Stinson by finshyishing the restoration of a Cub a net outflow of zero dollars The airframe was pretty complete and the more Tim looked at it he realized that he really liked the little Stinson and couldnt see doing anything less than a total restorashytion from the frame up If it was bolted glued or riveted it came apart and was restored Very early on in the process it became obvious that this airplane was the product of a company used to building larger airplanes - the empty weight from the factory is listed as 925 lbs with a gross weight of 1580 Why As Tim points out Stinson stayed with their big stuff and so when they got to this little light plane I dont think they really knew how to build a light airplane They really didnt have a lot of experience in that area So it was built stout good and strong Stinshyson solid stuff I have found in looking through the frame that the tabs that are

welded on this fuselage for attaching points were various items that are the same size shape thickness and hole diameter as in the Stinson SR-5 Im fashymiliar with

Inevitably the airplane grew heavy with the addition of special trim and fairings and even before it went into production you can see it went on a diet after the prototype was just too heavy to carry a reasonable payload particularly with three people Happily the aerodynamic features built into the airframe including the flaps and leadshying edge slots enhanced the handling qualities of the airplane and it was able to exhibit excellent performance considering its limited horsepower

The airframe is a true mix of old and new methods of airplane conshystruction This particular HW -75 still

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

had some areas faired with balsa wood under the fabric and the cantilever horshyizontal stabilizer and elevator are built completely out of wood The vertical fin is steel tube as is the fuselage and the ailerons and flaps The wings are also a combination of wood and alushyminum and while the tip bows did have to be rebuilt the spars were still fine and were used in the rebuilt wings The fuselage is a cabinet makers dream with many stringers and window frame piecework that had to be rebuilt

Ken Lichtenberg

As you can see in the photos there was enough bright work on the airshyframe to keep the most diligent polisher busy for days A snazzy polished alushyminum fairing is in place over the exhaust stack and each of the engine cooling air inlets is covered by a grill as is the carburetor air inlet The carb air inlet posed a special problem since the original was missing It got to the point where Tim simply had to make a decision and get to work making a new one He carved an original mold out of

balsa then made a sand casting of it and then cast a new inlet grill out of aluminum

The electrical system is a bit odd to comprehend in this day and age While it is one thing to have a handshyheld radio today that you can take home and charge with this Stinson since the A-75 Continental didnt have a generator the 6 volt battery simply drained down to nothing leaving you without lights and without a fuel gauge reading

since the fuel gauge system is electric

The interior is also a tribute to Tims patience and ingenuity When he was faced with restoring the instrument panel a big challenge was restoring the original wrinkle finish paint which was a blue color Try as he could there just was no match for the color in a wrinkle finish but he was able to get a great match of the blue in a lacshyquer But there were a lot of questions in his mind beshyfore he attempted to repaint the existing wrinkle finish which was in good shape but badly faded Would it melt the old paint and reduce the wrinshykles to a flat mess Or would the new paint build up too much and ruin the wrinkle look Tim bit his lip and closed his eyes as he lightly dusted a coat of blue lacquer over the old panel It was okay No runs no drips and the wrinkles still looked like the face of one of those Chinese Shar-Pei dogs A few more very light dusted on coats of color finished it off and another check mark was put in the completed column

Even more wood work had to be done on the interior inshycluding the door and side panels which all are finished in clear varnish just as the later Stinson 108 Station Wagon was done Its a very classy interior and certainly in keeping with the efforts of the airplane manufacturers to make their interiors as car like as possible

Weve just begun to hint at

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

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1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

Tim Talen Springfield OR and his 1939 Stinson HW-75 winner of the Antique Bronze Age Champion trophy at EAA Oshkosh 97

the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a restoration like this possible Tim Talen and his friends people like Murray Olson and Jane

Phillips contributed to the final product and Tim s wife Marian has been a supshyporter of her husbands penchant for restoring old airplanes during their marshyried life which includes living and working in the old Springfield airport hangar which they bought and moved to their property Tim and Marians daughter Ariel literally grew up with the project as anyone who looks at his restoration photo album can see Little Ariel is seen sitting in the bare bones fuselage frame and then later she appears in an occashysional photo helping out when needed even if its

just to provide a smile This was certainly not the first proshy

ject Tim has tackled since he makes his living now as a vintage airplane reshystorer Hes done three Interstate Cadets a Piper J-5 and a Fleet as well as a Piper J-2 Just as the Stinson was a

sideline personal project Tim has anshyother rare airplane being restored shya General Skyfarer another of the two-axis control airplanes built under license from Erco Fred Wiecks comshypany that held the patent rights for the Ercoupe

Tims a history major in fact his college degree is a Masters in Social Science History which he earned after returning from Vietnam But with few jobs in his field available he found he was pretty good at fabric and sheet metal work and so he hung up his own shingle after a while and has been at it ever since Were glad he did for it means that a number of neat restorashytions will be seen coming from his talented shop Are you ready for the Skyfarer How about a Porterfield Collegiate Or the last Kari Keen Coupe in the U S Whichever one gets done first you ll want to be sure and hunt it down at a fly-in Its sure to

be a gem ~ e end -

Stinson drawing above is from Airplanes of the World book

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 17

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

I)IJllINC TT I

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~ -- - --- - -

lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

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1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

Jim Zanggers

by NORM PETERSEN

Perhaps the familiar saying Like fashyther like son would apply in the case of this beautiful Taylorcraft BC-12D NC94953 SIN 9353 which ran offwith the Best Of Class award at Oshkosh 97 for its owner and restorer James Jim Zangger (EAA 476891 NC 23221) of Cedar Rapids IA Let me explain

Jims father Russell Zangger of Larchwood Iowa has run his own airport and flying service for approxishymately 50 years - with always at least one Taylorcraft on hand for instrucshytion Russell feels the Taylorcraft is a better teacher than most other airshyplanes and besides it develops better pilots

Into this environment a young Jim Zangger was born on July 18 1949 at Larchwood lA in the far northwestern corner of the state and grew up with Taylorcrafts flying over the house on an everyday basis He began taking lessons from his father at an early age and on his 16th birthday made his solo flight in a Taylorcraft BC-12D At the time he had 64 hours in his logbook and two days later because the Lyon County courthouse was open he obtained his Iowa Drivers License At the present time Jim Zangger has over 17000 hours in his logbook and is a full time corporate pilot for North American Rockwell at Cedar Rapids IA

In 1991 Jim had built a large garage with the idea of rebuilding an airplane shypreferably a Taylorcraft His father knew ofone that was sitting in a hangar near Ellsworth MN about 25 miles from Larchwood Russell had taught the owner how to fly many years ago In 1993 Jim and his father drove out to visit the owner and look at the Tayshylorcraft The tires were flat the fabric was original (from 1946) on the wings and fuselage and was cracking and

The classic lines of the BC-12D are accentuated by the original paint job in black and red The lifting handle on the rear fuselage Is handy for moving the airplane on the ground

18 FEBRUARY 1998

starting to fall off the sides The T -Craft had failed the Annual Inspection in 1972 and hadnt flown in 21 years It needed a great deal of work

The owner a very pleasant gentleshyman named Emerson Huisman was reluctant to sell the airplane which he had owned for so many many years however negotiations continued and

by 1994 a deal had been struck and Jim dismantled the BC-12D and hauled the pieces to his shop in Cedar Rapids The fun began

It was way back on August 17 1946 that 01 NC94953 made its first flight at the factory in Alliance Ohio It was sold into southeastern Minnesota to Melvin Truehouse at Spring Grove

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

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1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

as per original but the cost and availshyability puts it way out in left field The end result using Ceconite is quite outstanding and the workmanshyship caught the judges eye on the first pass Jim obviously knows how to do excellent fabric work

The Continental A65-8 engine had been topped at one time but a close inspection revealed it was time to go through the engine and bring it up to proper limits The crankshaft was sent to Aircraft Specialties where it was ground ten under and new bearings were fitted The cylinshyders cleaned up at 15 over so they were ground and then chromed back to standard size New pistons new

(Above) Jim I~ys the T-Craft over to the right in a rings new valves and all assorted sharp turn giving us a good look at the 3S-foot long NACA 23012 wing C G Taylors design parts and pIeces were Installed to bnng shows its classic lines in fine style

MN who managed to flip the T -Craft on its back when he hit a badger hole The airplane was reshybuilt by none other than Bernard Pietenpol of nearby Cherry Grove MN During the next 40+ years the Taylorcraft resided along the Minnesota-Iowa line moving west until it landed at Ellsworth MN near the South Dakota border where Jim Zangshyger caught up with it When purchased in 1994 the logs showed 1312 hours on airframe and engine

Off loaded and carefully moved into Jims shop the Taylorshycraft was taken down to bare

bones and inspected one piece at a time The fuselage was in remarkable shape and required only sandblasting and corrosion proofing The rest of the metal parts were also in fme shape with no welding required The wings needed some help in that the wood spars had to be varnished and one wing tip had to be smoothed over where the mice had been having lunch on the edges Other than that it was pretty much clean up and get ready for covering

Not only is Jim Zangger an experishyenced pilot he is al so an A amp P mechanic which he earned at Parks College in Cahokia just south of East St Louis IL

While the instruments were sent out for overhaul the airplane was covered with Ceconite 102 and finished off with Randolph butyrate dope Jim would have preferred Grade A cotton

the four-banger to near new condition In addition a new stainless steel exshyhaust system was installed Since completion the A65 hasnt missed a beat and the Taylorcraft cruises along at 95 mph with the metal prop turning at 2150 rpm

The interior was completely redone including a new headliner and replaceshyment of all glass The result is a very pleasant original looking Taylorcraft cabin that moves you back to 1946 the instant you sit in the seats

To increase their knowledge of Tayshylorcraft airplanes Jim and his wife Cecelia traveled to Dayton Ohio to visit with Bob Taylor son of C G Tayshylor designer of the Taylorcraft Bob carefully explained his extensive colshylection of memorabilia and albums to

(Below) The Iowa delegation - Russell Zangger and his wife Dolly Jims wife Cecelia and Jim Zangger line up by the award-winning BC-12D Taylorcraft This is a Taylorcraft family from t he

The empennage of NC94953 is a perfect example of Jim Zanggers beautiful workmanship including inspection covers and rudder trim tab Tail wheel is a soft rubber Maule using cont rol springs in tension

the Zanggers which left them visibly impressed In addition they stopped at Alliance OH and visited with Forrest Barber long-time Taylorcraft afishycionado and expert on the marque All in all it was quite a trip

At Oshkosh 97 the Zanggers were quite surprised at all the people who

Uke father like son Russell Zangger an instrucshytor and Taylorcraft booster for over 50 years proudly stands by his son Jim a pilot with over 17000 hours and a Taylorcraft aficionado and restorer with his award-winning BC-12D

ViNTAGE AIRPLANE 19

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Head-on view of the T-Craft shows McCauley 74x45 metal prop and spinner and neat aluminum grills on the two cowl openings Note the clean design with absence of drag producing bumps and Intershysections-the reason the T-Craft Is so fast with only 65 horsepower

admired the Taylorcraft during the conshy the entire crew was on hand for the vention and especially all the questions Monday night Awards Program at the that were asked The pretty black and Theater-in-the-woods All of the sweat red T -Craft was easy to spot in the mulshy toil tears and efforts were worth it when titude of aircraft and apparently there NC94953 was called out for the Best of are many folks who have a soft spot in Class award in the Taylorcraft section their heart for the speedy little twoshy May we add our Congratulations placer In the latter part of the week to Jim and Cecelia Zangger for an outshyJims parents Russell and Dolly Zangshy standing job of restoration We know ger of Larchwood lA joined them and that C G Taylor is smiling

(Below) Jim Zangger pulls In close with the BCmiddot12D You can clearly see the fuel gauge wire In front of the windshield Indicating a nearly full nose tank Two additional wing tanks of six gallons each give a total of 24 gallons for a range of nearly five hours

20 FEBRUARY 1998

(Above) Nicely done landing gear features 600 X 6 tires and Shinn mechanical brakes The red wheel hubcaps are original with three Indented screws holding them to the wheel and you can appreciate the clean work on the landing gear fairings

(Above) Interior photo of Jim Zanggers BC-12D reveals heel brakes on the pilots side only dual glove compartment doors on the Instrument panel and tr1m crank In the ceiling Note original Shakespeare frictlorHock throttle with Caro Heat control third knob to the left The first knob left of the throttle Is the Fuel Shutoff control-where the Carb Heat Is normally located This arrangement has caused a number of accidents and requires a red Interference clamp to restrict accidental usage

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

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by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

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Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

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CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

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lack during the Big War night flyshying was dramatically increased

ecause of several reasons Practically all offensive air work had to be done under cover of darkness Also Zeppelin raids frn-ced night airplane flying on a larger scale Public opinion demanded night airplane patrols Most seemed to think that a few aircraft in the sky would stop the Zeppelins from carrying out their work of destruction

The problems encountered were enorshymous How was the pilot to see at night How would he spot the other aircraft or fly straight and level How about landshying at night and into the wind

Most long distance bombing raids

by WALT KESSLER

were conducted at night and the antishyaircraft guns firing at them were not very effective You can t hit what you dont see With few exceptions most raids were carried out after it got dark Most airplanes could not be seen and it was most difficult for search lights to pick them up Dirigibles could be picked up with comparative ease

One night an Allied squadron started out with the intent of bombing the Turkish-German positions On arrivshying they were shocked to see the German Aerodrome all lit up The Allies took advantage of the situation and bombed the hangars and others buildings

When the Allied squadron returned to

their aerodrome they were stunned to find the Germans had bombed their fashycility Both forces had planned surprise raids on each others aerodromes at the same time The amazing thing is that they passed but didnt see each other

In each case officers in charge of the Aerodrome lit up their own fields upon hearing airplane engines thinking it was their own aircraft returning from the raid Lighting the aerodrome was the only way the returning aircraft were able to land

Back in those days each machine was fitted with an altimeter an inclinometer for indicating the airplanes inclination and position lights showing the trans-

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

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verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

_ - I I I

bull bull

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-bull

Figure 2

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Figure 3

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Figure 4

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Figure 5

by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

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28 FEBRUARY 1998

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bull bull bullbull bull bull bullbull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bull bullbull

verse position of the wings Wing tip lights were colored blue so as not to blind the pilot nor reshyveal his presence to the enemy Instrument panels were also lighted blue Some aircraft even had a search light which was primarily used for emergency landings

Lighting the aerodromes was always a probshylem Lights had to be used so as not to blind the pilot upon landing This method was used extenshysively but was dangerous and expensive

Electric lights afforded the greatest efficiency as they could be turned on and off very easily When lit some formed a wide arrow which pointed into the wind The pilots would land in the wide part of the arrow heading for the point He would know that he was also heading into the wind

The French had a unique way of landing at night Barring unfortunate contingencies French machines were not permitted to land until the got an ALL CLEAR signal from below When arriving the French aviator would circle around sending his own special letter by Morse code

British squadrons used a different method When a pilot approached an aerodrome and wished to descend he would fire one of the Very lights The predetermined signal would be answered from the ground If the signals agreed the pilot would know he was over his own field and landed accordingly If the signals did not agree he would recognize from the color of the signal the aerodrome he was over All pilots had to memorize the signals of adjacent aerodromes

Night flying was dependent largely of the weather It was broken down to several cateshygories moonlit nights and otherwise When conditions were good and the moon bright obshyservation could be taken easily up to a height of 9000 feet Landing fields and aerodromes could be spotted at this height

Some airplane searchlights mounted on early biplanes delivered 500 watts of power (about the same as a handheld halogen searchlight you might plug into your car cigarette lighter socket) They were operated by wind-wheels wind-dlishyven generators that had no connection with the engine They were used as signal lights and to aid in making a landing at night Instruments used by aviators in night flying had the indicators and dishyals painted with luminous compounds which eliminated the blinding glare offlash lamps

With no moon at 5000 feet it is not possible to see railways roads or rivers On moonlit nights unlighted objects would not be seen with any certainty on the roads below

Pilots destined for night flying duties were inshystructed to practice on the same machines with which they were to fly at night They were inshystructed to practice flying by instruments only without using the horizon as a guide Also to

22 FEBRUARY 1998

glide slowly and make small side slips and quick recoveries

They were instructed to check the speed of their machine and identifying the speed with the sound of the wires under certain conditions Turning using instruments alone and landing slowly were all part of their practice routine

A patented device by the German architect Edgar Honig was quite unique The Honig Circles consisted of two concentric circles or rings of incandescent lamps standing on edge a few feet above the ground The smaller circle was placed at a distance of several yards behind the larger one which stood back of the landing area The theory was that a circle appears as an ellipse as soon as the eye ceases to be directly opposite the center To be used as a landing aid two circles of light arranged as in Figure 1 (page 21) must be perceived as two upright or slanting ellipses which either intersect each other or have the smaller circle contained in the larger until the eye of the pilot is directly in line with the axis passing through the middle point of the two circles This occurs when the pilot is from two to three feet above the ground depending on the aircraft involved The circles stood about 13 feet above ground

Figure 2 shows how the circles appear to a pilot at a great height above the circles as he flies directly down the center axis of the circles

As he heads downward and nears the ground the rings begin to intersect as in Figure 3 The position of the light-circles tells the pilot he has approached the ground but also that he is not lined up and had diverged from the direction of the middle axis He must bank his machine to the right in order to line up again

All this time he is still descending When he sees the light signals as in Figure 4 he knows he has approached the level of the ground When the circles are centered as in Figure 5 he lands Believe it or not they used this method also for water landings

Electric lighting equipment on many British planes were powered by dry storage batteries with a life span of 4-1 2 hours Weight was about 21 pounds

Unfortunately the life span of many aviators during WW I was sholt Training accidents and being shot at and shot down took its toll Night flying still in its primitive state only added to to the dilemma

Today you depart for an evening moonlit flight without too much hassle You dial in your GPS or Loran and your trusty bird takes you where you want to go Remember those who were before you the next time you watch your moving map move It wasnt always this easy

The night hasn t changed but our knowledge and equipment sure has

_ - I I I

bull bull

-

-- -

I II I I

bullmiddot bull

-bull

Figure 2

I bullmiddot bull

bull fI bull - middot I

bull

I - bullbullbullbullbullbullbull t

I bull

II bullI I I I I

bullI IImiddotmiddot

- shy

Figure 3

bull - - - -

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Figure 4

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Figure 5

by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

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Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

US and Canada call

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CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

by EE Buck Hilbert

EM 21 Ale 5 PO Box 424 Union IL 60180

Heres a little more history to fill in the cracks on my newest little Aeronca NC13000

I read your article on 13000 I sold 13000 to Ted Kapsas and Martha Baird in 1956 It was disassembled for rebuild I knew Martha from the 40s when she dated my brother I know Ted fro the early 1950s when I was working at Austintown airport Ted and Martha were forming an air show act when they bought the C-3 The needed the engine for a C-3 they already had They also had a Meyers OTW and a [Fairchild] KR-22 Ifmy memory is correct they got the OTW and KR-22 at the Linesville PA airport I thought the Fairchild had a Cirrus engine in it I never heard ifthey got the air show off the ground or not

I li ved in Chardon OH when I purshychased 13000 from someone in Angola IN It was disassembled at the time Before I could rebuild it a job change reshyquired a move so I sold it It was complete at the time I paid $12500 for it and sold it for the same Wow

Hope this little bit of info will help Bill Trimm Cape Coral FL EAA 908 AJC24168

On Another Old Subject I just got a call that pushed my curious

button In the words of the King of Siam It is a puzzlement It goes like this

When I was a line boyapprentice meshychanic at the Harbican Air College at Elmhurst Airport here in Illinois back before the earth cooled World War II broke Restrictions on private flying imshymediately went into effect in a typical

PaSSitto Buellt

American knee jerk reaction that all but precluded any small airplane flying

Oh yeah I understand the circumshystances now but at the time they seemed ridiculous How could a Cub or Portershyfield or Aeronca be misconstrued as to be a threat to national security Well now that Ive had more than 50 years to think about it I guess it could have been

In those no RADAR days and with the populace being very naive about what airshyplane was what and how the push began to train Observers and Air Raid Wardens and volunteer sky watchers who volunteered to stand watch in defense of our country

Why I dont know I can t recall ever seeing an anti-aircraft battery emplaceshyment anywhere in Northern Illinois We were also lacking in interceptor aircraft and pilots Look at the record and rememshyber it took us a couple ofyears of intensive War effort to begin producing the airshyplanes and the pilots and the people to Keep em Flying

Harbincan Air College almost ceased to exist Our fleet of airplanes just sat We had a Travelair 4000 a Stearman C-3 a Ryan Brougham a couple of Porterfield CPs preshywar Chief and a Defender along with a J-3

The Travelair and Stearman were dusters and so was the Ryan but we had robbed the 1-5 Wright Whirlwind off of it to keep the Stearman going Now that I think of it the boss must have been deeply in debt because the P-fie lds Aeroncas and the Cub were all part of the school and I know they weren t paid for As a matter of fact he gave me the Brougham for back pay That was the highlight of my youthful dreams

The United States Navy in a rush to train mechanics and other maintenance technicians opened a school at Chicago s famous Navy Pier They drafted instructor personnel from Chicagos Vocational schools like Lane Tech and Chicago Vocashytional and staffed the pier with Navy and Civilian administrative and teaching people Now all they needed were training aids

Guess what Since they had recruited locals someone or all ofthem knew where all the corpses were hidden They knew there were airplanes stashed all around the

local area Some defunct some viable but a perfect source of training materials was out there just waiting to be utilized

Procurement was simple Its for the war effort was the buzz word and so we let them have our Travelair Stearman my (sob) Ryan Brougham sans J-5 engine with the promise that if they became surshyplus to the government need we could have first buy-back refusal We werent alone The Rezich brothers remember them They gave up a Travelair too and there were others who were patriotic and did the same thing Mr Dwyer who had been one of the aviation instructors at my high school told me there were fourteen airplanes in that fleet of training aids

Nobody complained after all we had a war to win and this was one of the many sacrifices that would be made My boss disbanded the air college The Portershyfields Aeroncas and J-3 went to people who needed them for War training schools and hired on with Chicago amp Southern Airlines as a co-pilot on DC-3s He later became part of A TC Air Transshyport Command Our chief mechanic went to work in a defense plant and our chief instructor was recalled to active duty in the Navy I enlisted in the Air Corps

WW II homogenized the world espeshycially the aviation world No way could things ever be the same The people were spread to the four corners of the globe The returning servicemen from every branch of the service came home and found their little niche in society They raised families and worked to get this nashytion back to a peace time economy and NO ONE thought too much about those fourteen airplanes They just disappeared

What became of them and were did they go after they did their part Are there any of them left Can anyone tell us what their u ltimate fate was I know Mike Rezich complained bitterly that they deepshysixed his Travelair in Lake Michigan Fact or fiction Can someone or any of our readers come up with any rumor or fact on this situation Hey its Over to you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

All aviation insurance poliCies are not created equal

Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

US and Canada call

800-276-5207 Notavallablo In Quebec

~

CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING ----------------------------- by Norm Petersen

Spotless new Scott tailwheel attached Here is John Ficklen standing by his handiworkshyto new compression springs one beautiful Champ

Starting with a rather bent up Aeronca Champ John Ficklen (EAA 512084 AIC 25525) of St George Island FL has put his best efforts into the restoration of Aeronca 7 AC NC84522 SIN 7AC-3221 After rebuilding the airframe and installing new spars in the wings the entire aircraft was readied for covering with the Poly Fiber process The final original colors of Champion Yellow and International Orange were carefully done in Polytone finish Final assembly included all new bolts nuts and screws along with many many new parts

The Continental A75-8 engine was majored to new specs and new Slick mags and harness were bolted on Once the engine was installed in the airframe new stainless exhaust stacks and mufflers were installed and the necessary hook-ups attached To add the finishing touch new cowlings along with a new wood Sensenjch W70DK-42 prop was installed with a proper crush plate and spinner

Under the tail a brand new (old stock) Scott tailwheel with a Made for Aeronca tag on it was installed with a set of compression springs for better directional control The result is an Aeronca Champ that looks for all the world like a new airplane Our congratulations to John Ficklen on a great rebuild job

This is the can be seen only at night Champ that John Ficklen had to start with It looks suspiciously like it has been on its back

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

All aviation insurance poliCies are not created equal

Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

US and Canada call

800-276-5207 Notavallablo In Quebec

~

CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

Felix Quasts Funk B85-C on skis

Here is a picture not often seen Felix Quast (EAA308779AlC 18555) of Winsted MN and his son Scott are pictured with his Funk B85-C N77740 SIN 370 mounted on a set of Federal A-1500 skis on an ice fishing expedition Felix says the Funk is IIIIbullbull--~~ a dandy two-place skiplane with its 85 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~a~~~ti~~ Continental engine - complete with elecshytric starter Felix also flies a Cessna 170 on Federal A-2500 skis

David Carlsons Aeronca Super Chief With the C-85 ticking over Dave Carlson (EAA

506518 AlC 25093) of Hay Springs NE gets ready to go flying in his newly restored 1947 Aeronca II CC Super Chief NC4245E SIN II CC-131 Purchased as a basket case in 1994 after it had resided in a garage in California for 30 years the Super Chief was reshystored in Ceconite and finished in Tennessee Red and Diana Cream a very close match for one of the fac-

lIiiIj_rII tory color schemes This is Daves first experience in

E~~~~~=~~h~=~amp==~~~~J aircraft rebuilding and the results show remarkable workmanship Dave is now learning how to fly in the

bird and reports 20 hours in the logbook to date He cant wait to take his lovely wife Phyllis for a ride in the pretty two-seater Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work

Robert Sagers G-18S Twin Beech

This photo of a very nice looking G 18S Twin Beech N9604R SIN 8A-464 was sent in by owner Robert Sagers (EAA 524974) of Toledo WA Powered with a pair of Pamp W R-985 engines of 450 hp the Twin Beech can cruise in the 200 mph range with room for the entire family and then some Built in 1959 the contemporary G model is a dandy machine with 79 of them listed on the current FAA register Capt Sagers is a 747-400 Captain for United Airshylines when he is not flying the Beechcraft

Golden Oldie-Don Macors 1940 Piper J-4A on floats

This 1963 photo of a Piper J-4A Cub Coupe N29097 mounted on a set ofEdo 1320 floats was contributed by Don Macor of Duluth MN This J-4 was one of the first seaplanes owned by the Forest Service at Ely MN They donated it to the Ely Public School System who put it up for bids in 1962 Don put in a bid of$1225 and got the

--- airplane He recovered the J-4 and installed a C-85 engine making it one of the best pershyforming two-place seaplanes in the area Don sold it into Canada and later an outfitshyter by the name of Tony Massaro was flying

~- it on wheels looking for moose when it crashed killing the three men on board

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

All aviation insurance poliCies are not created equal

Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

US and Canada call

800-276-5207 Notavallablo In Quebec

~

CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

February Mystery Plane This months Mystery Plane isnt

the best photo but it sure is intrigushy

ing Phil Michmerhuizen of Holland

MI has long been an expert on the

much maligned Szekely engine and

a friend of his Dr James Vader of Long Beach CA sent him the photo

Other than the opinion that it was

built in 1928 we have no other information on the airplane Since it

is so obscure Ive left all markings

in the picture so have at it Answers needs to be in no later than March 25

1998 for inclusion in the May issue of Vintage Airplane

by HG Frautschy

November Mystery Plane

The November Mystery Plane was no stumper - Iots of fellows were able to identify it

Phil Taylor Seattle W A wrote us with this reply

1 just opened my November 97 Vinshytage Airplane and was happy to see an old friend as your Mystery Plane

This is the LWF Model V-I of 1917 with the Sturtevant V8 engine of 140 hp It was used for military training and reconshynaissance A Model V-3 was also built with the 210 hp Sturtevant and earlier Model V used the Thomas V8 of 135 hp which according to the factory brochure was the fastest two-man plane in America in 1916 The V-I and V-3 models held several speed and endurance records in 1918 The Model V-2 had an in-line 6 Hall-Scott of 150 hp

The Model F was a special variation of this same design that was the first plane to fly with the Liberty motor This was the Liberty 8 of 235 hp and the flight ocshycurred on August 21 1917

The monocoque fuselage was several layers thick of spruce and muslin laid up to about 114 thickness and had superior strength when tested by the military

1 call this an old friend as I acquired a set of wings years ago which after a lot of digging and head scratching turned out to be for a Model V -3 or even for the Model F (As far as I can tell the wings are the same except for extra ribs in the upper wing behind the prop for the higher hp engines Close-ups of the Sturtevant models dont show these extra ribs but they could have been added later Its also possible these were part of the variation for

LWFModel V-I

26 FEBRUARY 1998

the Model F All the pictures Ive seen of the Model F are distant enough that this deshytail cant be checked) The radiator for the Model F was hung from the upper wing The V series radiators were in the nose

One of my retirement projects is to build one of these planes Right now Im working on a basket case Travel Air 6000 1 fly a Travel Air 4000 and an Aeronca 7 AC Oh to be retired with time and money on your hands

Youve picked a good Mystery Plane As you probably know the only remainshying example is a 1916 Model V in the National Technical Museum Prague Czechoslovakia How it got there is anshyother mystery

I enjoy your articles- keep em up Sincerely Phil Taylor

T Sean Tavares of Andover MA also noted in his letter the long distance flight of an LWF Model V-3 in 1917 A flight from Rantoul IL to San Antonio IX covering 1184 miles in two fuel stops and requiring 9 hours 48 minutes was made with a pilot and Army officer comprising the pilot and passenger The average speed of the trip was 1384 mph

- Continued on page 29 shy

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

All aviation insurance poliCies are not created equal

Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

US and Canada call

800-276-5207 Notavallablo In Quebec

~

CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

AeroMail - Continued From page 3shy

John Jack OBrien who took it on a 12000 mile tour just before it was sold to the Argentine buyer They are shown at BUR (Burbank CA) in early 31 Both Lees and Woolson were older bald headed guys Woolson had in fact been dead for nearly a year at that point Incidentally he was killed in the Packard Diesel-powered Verville but the exact cause was uncertain It was likely weather related

OBrien was a local character of renown having been a test pilot for Lockheed and Menasco He was someshyhow involved in smuggling Chinese and went to Mexico to fly for the Escoshybar rebels early in 29 He later flew for several short-lived airlines includshying Varney before getting on with United and led a more or less prosaic life after that

The seven Monarchs enumerated by Lennart Johnnson were no kin to the works of the brothers Schmuck Ed and Chuck They were built near Rockshyford IL by Monarch Aircraft Industries Inc whose designer was Art Rosa The missing prototype was X4987

Art was an old timer who built a number of homebuilts before and after the Monarch venture I think he was an early EAAer too Anyway I met him at one of the Rockford fly-ins

The Schmuck brothers only built two biplanes at Monarch Airport which became LA Eastside 932 was 1 and 510 built late in 1928 was the other It somehow found its way to Peoria and quite possibly fraternized with Rockford Monarchs

Cheers John Underwood Glendale CA AlC 1653

The book mentioned by Jim Haynes Pioneer Pilot was published in 1993 by Converse Publishing P O Box 80766 San Marino CA 91118-8766 It is a fascinating book on the day to day life ofan early pilot and the remarkshy

able career of Walter Lees In the book Lees tells of the accident that took the life ofone ofaviations most promising engine designers on April 231930 on aflightfrom Detroit to New York City The airplane Woolson and others were flying was a Packard Diesel engine powered Verville Air Sedan Lees wrote the pilot had run into a snow squall soon after passshying Buffalo and decided to turn back He hooked the right wing on the side of a hill the plane skidded into a ditch about 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep and rolled the plane into a ball All were killed instantly

The loss ofWoolson meant the guidshying force within the Packard organization was gone and the diesel engines fate was sealed It was dropped from the company plans and only recently have serious efforts been made to produce a general aviation diesel engine - HGF

BRONZE CUB

DearHG For years I have been telling friends

about the first time I saw a Cub It was in the Spring or summer of 1936 and I was eight years old the Cub was painted bronze and trimmed in metalshylic green Imagine the joy I felt when I came to page 20 of the December Vinshytage Airplane Each time I told this story about the bronze Cub there would be a lot of skeptical looks cast in my direction but no one ever actually called me a liar

The airplane belonged to a pilot by the name of Harry Foust who lived on a farm a few miles northwest of Huntshyington IN Prior to his acquiring the Cub he had owned a Ryan Brougham of which I have several pictures According to an article printed in Air Trails magazine sometime in the late 40s Harry was visited late one sumshymer evening by a pilot who was running out of daylight who chose to land on Harrys farm They spent the evening talking about airplanes and Harry got interested and the next day he bought the airplane and thus began his aviation career

There is one little detail which is not visible in the pictures and I wonder if the Wagner boys are aware of it The skylight on Harrys Cub was made of green pryalin so it might be safe to asshysume the other two airplanes also had that feature For the sake of accuracy it might be nice to duplicate that one litshytle detail if it has not been done Regardless - the Cub looks great a thing of beauty and I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh 98 Im in hopes of being able to come up with a picture of Harrys Cub I think a friend of mine has one At least Ill be able to find out the registration number

Keep up the good work and have a great 1998

Very truly yours Edward Beatty Ruskin FL AlC 6448

CONTACT

Switch OpContact May I carry the exchange of letters

on this subject a bit farther It is diffishycult to instill this call on new pilots with their make it hot OK On or just plain OFF

In addition to a definite sound difshyferentiation with Switch Off and Contact there is an exact sequence to follow with the switch itself

When you call Switch Off you FIRST turn it off then call Switch Off and reverse the procedure on Contact You first call Contact then tum it on

As Charlie Hayes points out in his letter how this procedure was used on the old ships it is still a sequence of events to be followed even today

Sam Burgess San Antonio TX AlC 1369

Write to Vintage AeroMaii at Vintage Airplane

EAA PO Box 3086

OshkoshVVI54903-3086 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

All aviation insurance poliCies are not created equal

Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

US and Canada call

800-276-5207 Notavallablo In Quebec

~

CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

Type Club Notes - Continued from page 12shy

May 1996 I showed grandpa a 1201140 Club

newsletter He looked it over smiled and said You need to own a 140 to belong to that dont you I told him the club even welcomed those of us who even dream of owning a 140 He replied Stop on by next week and we will talk about a 140 for sale He had a value in mind for the plane and he gave me the first chance at the offer It was a very fair one I bought it

May 1997 After hours and hours of polishing

with Rolite and a buffer the 1947 Cessna 140 shined as brightly as it did 50 years earlier when it left the factory in Wichita I have now had the plane painted with the exact original Cessna green striping with which it left the plant Wheel pants are on the dash inshycludes all original instruments with the exception of a radio and transponder The upholstery has only a few hundred hours and the engine was replaced with a low time C85-12F from another 140 grandpa bought for salvage in 1960 Although a stroke has made him unable to get into the plane he still gets a chance to see it on occasion as he maintains his small runway so I can pop in for coffee every now and then There are few things in life that make me feel as good as seeing his smile reshyflecting in the polished body of his Cessna 140

About the author John Nielsen holds a private pilot lishy

cense with 250 hours of total time including 150 in N4159N since May of 1996 He lives in Bloomer WI and owns a Ford dealership there with his dad and brother

About the plane N4159N is a 1947 Cessna 140 with

3700 TTAF and 370 SMOH It is equipped with cowl flaps Ceconite covered wings original instruments wheel pants and skis Johns Grandfashyther was the fifth owner since new Original airframe logbooks trace flights from coast to coast and border to border with nearly 3300 hours flown in the plane from 49 to 58 by Donald J Burch of Denver CO (Any

VINTAGE TRADER Something to buy

sell or trade

An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part 50cent per word $800 minimum charge Send your ad and payment to Vintage Trader EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 or fax your ad and your credit card number to 920426-4828 Ads must be received by the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following (eg October 20th for the December issue)

MISCELLANEOUS

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 406388-6069 FAX 406388-0170 Repair station NoQK5R148N~27~

FREE CATALOG-Aviation books and videos How to building and restoration tips historic flying and entertainment titles Call for a free catalog EAA 1-800-843-3612

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE- rod bearings main bearings camshaft bearings master rods valves Call us Toll Free 1800233-6934 e-mail ramremfgaolcom httpmembersaolcomramremfgHomesaleshtml VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS N 604 FREYA ST SPOKANE WA 99202 (1440)

1948 C195 3845TT -275 hp 244 hrs Cleveland wheelsbrakes heavy gear new panel interior fresh prop Loran ADF NavCom ModiC encoder ELT excellent condition always hangared many extras $76000 403282-6253 (1479)

information on this owner would be welcomed by the author) The plane is hangared at a private grass strip 23 miles north of Eau Claire (EAU) WI Recently purchased by avid flying enthusiast Don Zank the airport (Gateway on the Green Bay sectional) is buzzing with acshytivity seven days a week Stop in and say hi

Courtesy car auto gas food and fun available year round Phone 715-568-2244

John A Nielsen Nielsen Ford Mercury P O Box4 Bloomer WI 54724

bull AVIATION INSURANCEmiddot

All aviation insurance poliCies are not created equal

Call AVEMCO about Direct Approachi8 2000 the new standaIli in aircraft insurance

US and Canada call

800-276-5207 Notavallablo In Quebec

~

CAViMcomiddot INSURANCE COMPANY

28 FEBRUARY 1998

Mystery Plane - Continuedfrom page 26shy

Bob Nelson Bismarck ND noted an artishycle published in the May 1968 issue of Air Progress Written by John Caler with photos by Josef Krybus it details a visit to the the Technical Museum in Prague Czechoslovashykia (now the Czech Republic) A wide variety of aircraft are displayed including an LWF the only one that remains in all the world Acshycording to the museum the LWF was built in College Point NY in 1916 and is serial No 4 The engine is a 135 hp Thomas The bishyplane was originally imported by the Czarist government prior to 1917 and then made its way to Prague Exactly how it served and its connection with the Czech government is unshyclear based on the information in the article A more recent photo of the LWF in the mushyseum was published in the November 1996 issue No 154 ofW W I Aero and it was also pictured in the Summer 1969 issue of the AAHS Journal as pointed out by Lennart Johnsson ofEldsberga Sweden

The LWF V-3 also had the distinction of being the first production airplane equipped with a Liberty engine To quote from the letter sent by Wayne Van Valkenshyburgh Jasper GA

The L WF had a 200 hp Sturtevant enshygine The company was formed in 1915 and built aircraft at least through 1918 The comshypany apparently disappeared in 1923 as that was the last year they advertised the comshypany There was a Model V-I V-2 V-3 and a special V-2 called a Model F used to test the original 8 cylinder Liberty engine I would assume the V -3 was built in 1918 possibly 1917 LWF also had a model G which used the 12 cylinder Liberty engine

There were no planes suitable for the 235 hp 8 cylinder Liberty engine and no manufacturer with the exception of L WF would guarantee a suitable plane in less than sixty days L WF agreed to adapt a plane for this engine in ten days after reshyceiving the engine They actually delivered the plane in nine days The company had a formal contract to build the plane and their compensation was $1 00 This was the Model F and it was first flown on the 21 st of August 1917

LWFs name by the way came about from the first letter ofthe frrms three founders Joseph Loewe Charles F Willard and Robert G Fowler Later Loewe forced Willard and Fowler out of the company Henceforth Loewe cleverly decided that L WF would stand for Laminated Wood Fuselage

Other correct answers were received from Ralph K Roberts Saginaw MI Herb deBruyn Bellevue W A Arnol Sellshyars Tulsa OK James Borden Menahga MN And a few more were even able to tell

Neal Anders Goshen NY Adam Keller C Kevin Baker Morgantown IN middot Hillsburgh Ontario Canada

John R Bayer Kirkland W A John A Kerr Logan UT

Larry D Belton Greenville SC Paul Kneblik W Richland W A

Fergus M Black ANACORTES W A Larry J Krutsch Tulsa OK

H E Brodnax Monroe LA Charles H Lott Bayonet Point FL

Ruel Burkholder Harrisonburg VA Todd Low Rock Hill SC

Robert C Butler Houma LA James H Malloy Jr Glassboro NJ

Ian H Byers Thad D Mancil Jr Abita Springs LA Southlakes Western Australia Richard O Martinson Mt Horeb WI Tina Cade Bryceville FL Dennis E McAlee Defiance MO Daniel O Cathey Cottage Grove OR Norman McHenry Bozeman MT Calvin W Clark Browns Summit NC John C Mercer West Milton OH Jerry R Cobb Peachtree City GA John D Mezera St Cloud MN Jeffrey M Collins Hackensack NJ Michael J Miller Tucson AZ Gene Coulter Brentwood CA Richard Neufeld Lompoc CA Tim Davis Dalzell SC Kenneth Oder Taylorsville KY Richard L DeLhomme New Iberia LA Carol Ann Paffen New Orleans LA Jose A Dominguez Greenfield IN Richard H Parshall Bloomfield NY Kenneth Domke Solotna AK Andrew W Porter Raymond E Donlon middot Spring Lake Heights NJ Washington Township NJ Michael Roberts Winston-Salem NC Myron W Eckel Eagle Bend MN Tom G Robinson Arlington TX Pawel Egorov St Petersburg Russia Bill T Salisbury Bumpass VA Barton George Mountain View OK Robert E Schrier Munford AL John R Gibbons Mark Schultze Cross Plains WI Sooke British Columbia Canada Ney Senandes Porto Alegre Brazil

Doug Gibbs Blacklick OH Michael Sheehan Riverside CA Donald W Gilbert Midland TX Carl G Smedal Ft Lauderdale FL Larry F Graham Perry GA Charles Lindberg Stanton Vernon Gregory Swansea SC middot Bennettsville SC Renato Grob Olten Switzerland John H Stone Burien W A Mike Gugeler Thornton CO Warren Stratford Carmichael CA David A Habecker Tecumseh Ml Leonard Suchock Loxahatchee FL Ken Horowitz Vashon WA David A Thompson Buchanan MI Galen W Hutcheson Harrison AR Mark E Tomes Novi Ml Joseph Hyler Los Angeles CA Steve C Turner New Smyrna Beach FL Frank A Jacob Lafayette LA Steve Verberne Bacliff TX Frank D Johnson Paso Robles CA John H Verfuerth Marshfield WI JeffR Johnson Naples FL Howard A Weimer Jr Riverside CA Billy D Johnson Montgomery AL Rudy Wohn Easley SC

me the name of the much revered journal airplane kudos to Peter Truesdall GlenshyI referred to in the column in November It wood Landing NY Ralph Nortell was National Geographic magazine - the Spokane W A Charlie Gokey Louisville LWF was the subject of a full page ad KY and Chas Smith Plainfield IL placed by the company on the inside back Send your Mystery Plane correspondence to cover of the January 1918 issue of the jourshy Vintage Mystery Plane nal and it touted the fact the biplane had EAA just set new speed and distance records For Po Box 3086 correctly identifying the magazine and the Oshkosh WI 54903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29

Membershi~ Services Directoy Enjoy the many benefits ofBAA and the

BAA AntiqueClassic Division

EAAAviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Phone (920) 426-4800 Fax (920) 426-4873

Web Site httpeaaorg and httpwwwflyinorg E-Mail Vintage eaaorg

EAA and Division Membership Services 800-843-3612 bullbullbull bull bullbullbull bull bull bull bull FAX 920-426-6761 (800 AM -700 PM Monday- Friday CST) bull Newrenew memberships EAA Divisions

(AntiqueClassic lAC Warbirds) National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI)

bull Address changes bull Merchandise sales bull Gift memberships

Programs and Activities Aircraft (General Questions) 920-426-4821 Auto Fuel STCs 920-426-4843 Buildrestore information 920-426-4821 Chapters locatingorganizing 920-426-4876 Education 920-426-6815

bull EAA Air Academy bull EAA Scholarsh ips bull EAA Young Eagles Camps

Flight Advisors information 920-426-6522 Flight Instructor information 920-426-6801 Flying Start Program bullbull bull bull bull920-426-4876 Library Services Research 920-426-4848 Medical Questions 920-426-4821

Technical Counselors 920-426-4821 Young Eagles 920-426-4831

Benefits Aircraft Financing (Green Tree) 800-851-1367 AVEMCO 800-638-8440 AUA 800-727-3823

Editorial Submitting articlephoto advertising infonnation 920-426-4825 bullbullbullbull bull bullbull bull bull bullbull FAX 920-426-4828

EAAAviation Foundation Artifact Donations 920-426-4877 Financial Suppo rt 800-236-1025

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION EAA

Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Associshyation Inc is $40 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membershyship is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Mem bership (under 19 years of age) is available at $23 annually All major cred it cards accepted for membership (Add $16 for Foreign Postage)

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Class ic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EM Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included) (Add $7 for Foreign Postage)

lAC Current EM members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $40 per year EM Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membersh ip in the lAC

Division is available for $50 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included) (Add $10 for Foreign Postage)

WARBIRDS Current EM members may join the EM Warshybirds of America Division and receive WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EM Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AEROBATICS magazine not included) (A dd $ 7 for Foreign Postage)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine fo r an additional $18 per year EM Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included) (Add $8 for Foreign Postage)

FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add requi red Foreig n Postage amount for each membership

Fly-In Calendar Th e fo llowing list ofcoming events is furshynished 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 EAA Au Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Inforshymation shou ld be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 6-8-MlNNEAPOLIS MN-MN Sport Aviation ConferenceFlight Expo 612296-9853

FEBRUARY 6-8 - NEW ZEALAND - Sport Aviation Expo Matamata Airfield 092669221

FEBRUARY 7-8 - GRIFFIN GA- EAA SportAir Workshop 800967-5746

FEBRUARY 21-22 -PUYALLU P WA - 15th Annual Aviation ConferenceTrade Show 253588-6098

FEBRUARY 21-22 - CH INO CA- EAA SportAir Workshop 800967-5746

FEBRUARY 21-22-RIVERSIDE CA- EAA Chapter I Open HouseFly-In 909686-1318

FE BRUARY 2S-26-EDWARDSVILLE IL- 24th Annual Aviation MaintenanceExhibit Seminar 618536-3371

FEBRUARY 26-28- BILLfNGS MT-Montana Avishyation Conference - Holiday Inn Workshops seminars nanonally recognized speakers trade show Info Montana Aeronautics Division PO Box 5178 Helena MY 59604 Phone 406444-2506

MARCH 6-8 - CASA GRANDE AZ- Casa Grande Airport 40th Annual Cactus F(v-In Arizona AAA Contact John Engle 602891-6012 (days only)

MARCH 2l-22 - DENTON TX - EAA Sport Air Workshop 800967-5746

APRI L 4-S- MINNEAPOLI S MN - EAA SportAir Workshop 800967-5746

APRIL 19-2S- LAKELAND FL- 24thAnnual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-Inand Convennoll 941644-2431

MAY 1-3 - CLEVELAND OH - 14th Annual Air Racing History Symposium 216255-800

MAY 3-DAYTON OH- Moraine Air Park EAA Chapter 48 35th annual Fly-In breakfast Lots of antiques on the field flea market awards disshyplays 937878-9832

JUNE 12-14- MA TTOON IL- Coles County Memoshyrial Airport (MTO) Luscombe Fly-ln For infor call 217234-7120

JUNE 20-21 - RUTLAN D VT- Rutland State Airshyport EAA Chapter 968 Taildragger Rendezvous pancake brea~fast on Fathers Day weekend For info call Tom Lloyd 802492-3647

J uly 29-August 4- 0 SHKOSH WI-46th Anllllal EAA Fly-III alld Sport Aviation COll vention Wittmall Regional Airport Contact John Burshytall EAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 9201426-4800_

Membership dues to EAA and it s divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions

30 FEBRUARY 1998

Membershi~ Services Directoy Enjoy the many benefits ofBAA and the

BAA AntiqueClassic Division

EAAAviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Phone (920) 426-4800 Fax (920) 426-4873

Web Site httpeaaorg and httpwwwflyinorg E-Mail Vintage eaaorg

EAA and Division Membership Services 800-843-3612 bullbullbull bull bullbullbull bull bull bull bull FAX 920-426-6761 (800 AM -700 PM Monday- Friday CST) bull Newrenew memberships EAA Divisions

(AntiqueClassic lAC Warbirds) National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI)

bull Address changes bull Merchandise sales bull Gift memberships

Programs and Activities Aircraft (General Questions) 920-426-4821 Auto Fuel STCs 920-426-4843 Buildrestore information 920-426-4821 Chapters locatingorganizing 920-426-4876 Education 920-426-6815

bull EAA Air Academy bull EAA Scholarsh ips bull EAA Young Eagles Camps

Flight Advisors information 920-426-6522 Flight Instructor information 920-426-6801 Flying Start Program bullbull bull bull bull920-426-4876 Library Services Research 920-426-4848 Medical Questions 920-426-4821

Technical Counselors 920-426-4821 Young Eagles 920-426-4831

Benefits Aircraft Financing (Green Tree) 800-851-1367 AVEMCO 800-638-8440 AUA 800-727-3823

Editorial Submitting articlephoto advertising infonnation 920-426-4825 bullbullbullbull bull bullbull bull bull bullbull FAX 920-426-4828

EAAAviation Foundation Artifact Donations 920-426-4877 Financial Suppo rt 800-236-1025

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION EAA

Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Associshyation Inc is $40 for one year including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION Family membershyship is available for an additional $10 annually Junior Mem bership (under 19 years of age) is available at $23 annually All major cred it cards accepted for membership (Add $16 for Foreign Postage)

ANTIQUECLASSIC Current EAA members may join the Antique Class ic Division and receive VINTAGE AIRshyPLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year EM Membership VINTAGE AIRPLANE magshyazine and one year membership in the EAA AntiqueClassic Division is available for $37 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included) (Add $7 for Foreign Postage)

lAC Current EM members may join the International Aerobatic Club Inc Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $40 per year EM Membership SPORT AEROBATICS magashyzine and one year membersh ip in the lAC

Division is available for $50 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included) (Add $10 for Foreign Postage)

WARBIRDS Current EM members may join the EM Warshybirds of America Division and receive WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $30 per year EM Membership WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $40 per year (SPORT AEROBATICS magazine not included) (A dd $ 7 for Foreign Postage)

EAA EXPERIMENTER Current EAA members may receive EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine fo r an additional $18 per year EM Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included) (Add $8 for Foreign Postage)

FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars Add requi red Foreig n Postage amount for each membership

Fly-In Calendar Th e fo llowing list ofcoming events is furshynished 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 EAA Au Golda Cox PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Inforshymation shou ld be received four months prior to the event date

FEBRUARY 6-8-MlNNEAPOLIS MN-MN Sport Aviation ConferenceFlight Expo 612296-9853

FEBRUARY 6-8 - NEW ZEALAND - Sport Aviation Expo Matamata Airfield 092669221

FEBRUARY 7-8 - GRIFFIN GA- EAA SportAir Workshop 800967-5746

FEBRUARY 21-22 -PUYALLU P WA - 15th Annual Aviation ConferenceTrade Show 253588-6098

FEBRUARY 21-22 - CH INO CA- EAA SportAir Workshop 800967-5746

FEBRUARY 21-22-RIVERSIDE CA- EAA Chapter I Open HouseFly-In 909686-1318

FE BRUARY 2S-26-EDWARDSVILLE IL- 24th Annual Aviation MaintenanceExhibit Seminar 618536-3371

FEBRUARY 26-28- BILLfNGS MT-Montana Avishyation Conference - Holiday Inn Workshops seminars nanonally recognized speakers trade show Info Montana Aeronautics Division PO Box 5178 Helena MY 59604 Phone 406444-2506

MARCH 6-8 - CASA GRANDE AZ- Casa Grande Airport 40th Annual Cactus F(v-In Arizona AAA Contact John Engle 602891-6012 (days only)

MARCH 2l-22 - DENTON TX - EAA Sport Air Workshop 800967-5746

APRI L 4-S- MINNEAPOLI S MN - EAA SportAir Workshop 800967-5746

APRIL 19-2S- LAKELAND FL- 24thAnnual Sun n Fun EAA Fly-Inand Convennoll 941644-2431

MAY 1-3 - CLEVELAND OH - 14th Annual Air Racing History Symposium 216255-800

MAY 3-DAYTON OH- Moraine Air Park EAA Chapter 48 35th annual Fly-In breakfast Lots of antiques on the field flea market awards disshyplays 937878-9832

JUNE 12-14- MA TTOON IL- Coles County Memoshyrial Airport (MTO) Luscombe Fly-ln For infor call 217234-7120

JUNE 20-21 - RUTLAN D VT- Rutland State Airshyport EAA Chapter 968 Taildragger Rendezvous pancake brea~fast on Fathers Day weekend For info call Tom Lloyd 802492-3647

J uly 29-August 4- 0 SHKOSH WI-46th Anllllal EAA Fly-III alld Sport Aviation COll vention Wittmall Regional Airport Contact John Burshytall EAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 9201426-4800_

Membership dues to EAA and it s divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions

30 FEBRUARY 1998

THE NEW CITATION HVlP COMBO SYSTEM

WAS A BIG HIT AT OSHKOSH

If you happened to stop by the AntiqueClassic Builders Workshop at the convention you probably saw our new respiratorpaint sprayer system at work Many of you stopped by the Fastech booth to get a closer look at this unique system

Because of the tremendous

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If you didnt get a chance to see it the CITATION system combines a fresh air respirator and HVLP paint sprayer in one cabinet to offer the utmost in safety convenience and spraying technology at a very competitive price

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Fabric Selection Guide showing actual sample colors and styles of materials $300

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The Pride ofTatums - Continuedfrompage 6shy

As a matter of fact I think that Pauls Valley is the closest at 20 miles as the crow or Cessna fl ies The population has to be about 100 or so The road at one time went through town but its bypassed now The one center point oftown is the combination grocery store and post office A few blocks closer to the highway is a convenience store that sells gas I fi lled up and charged it just to get Tatums on my credit card statement

It was probably here that I mashed the sort button and decided that I would name the airplane Tatums Something or Something Tatums If the Zip Code had been from downtown Hartford or a section of Staten Island it would have held no charm but a small town in the midshydle of nowhere- I like that (My serial number 10303 is a Zip Code on Staten Island)

I decided on THE PRIDE OF TATUMS I wanted something a litshytle more flashy than plain block letters on the side of the cowling I wanted it to look perhaps like something that P T Barnum would have on one of his banners at a side show With the help of a local sign shop I picked the right lettering from a computerized font We styled it in a sweeping curve that would fit nicely behind the side windows The folks there whipped up some vinyl lettering for both sides It went on easy and has made a good story ever since

I often carry around a numerical list of Zip Codes and look up numshybers for friends who havent even asked me to

I have a special feeling in my heart for the town of Tatums Oklashyhoma There is nothing that binds me except for an essentially random matching of numbers It was really a fluke that I was able to drive through the little town very close to the time that I was thinking about all of this A lot of things just fell into place for me They might fall into place for you too Give it some thought

If you have five numbers (no letters) in your N number and are inshyterested call your local Post Office and tell them you want to know the location of Zip Code XXXXX If the person who answers the phone cant figure out how to do that tell him that there is a numerical listing at the end of the directory If you want to make an interesting flight (alshymost a pilgrimage) go and visit your N number

Spiral-BolUldClassroont Our new manual isnt It ll just a reference - its a show covering course in a you book Its the clearest just most thorough and how easy it is to most fun-to-read cover an airplane step-by-step w ith Poly-Fiber book of its and how much kind It w ill fun it can be It gu ide you all includes ou r entire the way cata log of tools through the enti re products and other Po ly-Fiber process in goodies too All you plain easy language need to make it happen and w ith a delightfu l is our new manual sense of humor and a dream

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Twin Falls ID

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Single-engine and singleshyengine seaplane ratings

1624 total hours

Member Twin Falls Flyers flying club and

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Remember Were Better Together

AVIATION UNUMITED AGENCY

The EAA 4ntiquejClassic Dhlision Needs Your Help

Share the Excitement ofEANs AntiqueClassic Division with a Friend

Ifyou love the airplanes ofyesteryear chances are you know other people who love them too Help the AntiqueClassic Division grow by recruiting new members

The EAAAntiqueClassic Division is a persons best resource for information and stories about Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft and the people who fly them

As a member you already know what being an AntiqueClassic member is all about or do you As a member you receive

bull 12 color-filled issues of VINTAGE AIRPlANE the official magazine of the Antique Classic Division

bull The exclusive members only AntiqueClassic aircraft insurance program administered by AUAInc

bull During EAA OSHKOSH educational workshyshops and seminars offered by fellow memshybers who are experts in their field

bull The opportunity to network with other memshybers with similar interests through the various Type Clubs in the AntiqueClassic community

Recruit New Members andWin Some Great Prizes

bull Recruit just one new member and receive a stylish cap featuring theAntiqueClassic Division logo

bull Recruit two new members - in addition to the cap get anNC jacket patch and a free video tape

bull Sign up three new members and youll also receive a FREE one year NC Division membershyship renewal

Use the new member application form enclosed within this issue of VINTAGEAIRPIANEto sign up your new member Dont miss this chance to enroll a friend

NEW MEMBER CAMPAIGN

HELP YOUR DIVISION GROW

1)1 Sunny Day

The EAA 4ntiquejClassic Dhlision Needs Your Help

Share the Excitement ofEANs AntiqueClassic Division with a Friend

Ifyou love the airplanes ofyesteryear chances are you know other people who love them too Help the AntiqueClassic Division grow by recruiting new members

The EAAAntiqueClassic Division is a persons best resource for information and stories about Antique Classic and Contemporary aircraft and the people who fly them

As a member you already know what being an AntiqueClassic member is all about or do you As a member you receive

bull 12 color-filled issues of VINTAGE AIRPlANE the official magazine of the Antique Classic Division

bull The exclusive members only AntiqueClassic aircraft insurance program administered by AUAInc

bull During EAA OSHKOSH educational workshyshops and seminars offered by fellow memshybers who are experts in their field

bull The opportunity to network with other memshybers with similar interests through the various Type Clubs in the AntiqueClassic community

Recruit New Members andWin Some Great Prizes

bull Recruit just one new member and receive a stylish cap featuring theAntiqueClassic Division logo

bull Recruit two new members - in addition to the cap get anNC jacket patch and a free video tape

bull Sign up three new members and youll also receive a FREE one year NC Division membershyship renewal

Use the new member application form enclosed within this issue of VINTAGEAIRPIANEto sign up your new member Dont miss this chance to enroll a friend

NEW MEMBER CAMPAIGN

HELP YOUR DIVISION GROW

1)1 Sunny Day

1)1 Sunny Day