HowardsHowardsat

AntiqueAntiqueAirfieldAirfield

It’s been almost thirty-nine years since the first airplane landed at Antique Airfield, near Blakesburg, IA, and thir-ty-eight years since the first AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in was held on this grass strip, which was built as a home for theAntique Airplane Association and the Air Power Museum. Since airport owner/founder Robert Taylor made that first land-ing in his 1939 Porterfield CP-50, a great myriad of aircraft have graced the grass throughout the succeeding decades.Among the many fine marques to have visited through the years are the aircraft built by Benny Howard.

At least some twenty-six DGA-15s, two DGA-11s, the Younkin “Mr. Mulligan” replica, and a Jim Younkin designed“Mullicoupe” (a Howard derivative) have handily operated into and out of IA27. The following is a look back at thoseHowards and their owners who have supported our efforts to make Antique Airfield the center for the owners, restorers,and pilots of antique airplanes.

The first Howard arrival at Antique Airfield occurred inconjunction with the first AAA/APM National Fly-in in 1971. Thefamiliar green and white DGA-15, N28259, which was ownedand flown for decades by Joe and Mary Hecker from the SanDiego area, was very likely the Howard to hold that distinction.But also attending that year in Howard’s were Bob Meyers inNC67425, also from the San Diego area; Ron Cook fromSergeant Bluff, IA in NC75599; and John Turgyan from Trenton,NJ in N95462. It is quite likely that John and Joe were two of themost traveled and experienced Howard “drivers” of the time, asfor years to come one or both would be seen at almost any fly-in anywhere in the country in their Howards.

Throughout the years there have always been Howardsin attendance during the annual fly-in. Regular Howard atten-dees, such as the Heckers and John Turgyan, were joined atvarious times by the likes of Don Allenbaugh from Antioch, CA inNC67771 (this aircraft is now in the USMC museum in Quantico,VA); Ted Peterson from Fullerton, CA in NC67425; and ScottPetegna from Fredricksburg, VA in NC52928.

In 1976, Clayton Graves from Santa Paula, CA attendedthe AAA/APM Fly-in in N67433. Also during this period, LesDeLine from the San Diego area arrived in NC9011H, the first ofat least three Howard’s he owned. In future years, Les wouldalso attend in NC53386 and NC9471H.

1977 saw the arrival of the first DGA-11 at AntiqueAirfield, though it was not during the AAA/APM Fly-in. Bill Wrightof Tulsa, OK arrived one sultry summer afternoon to show off hisnewly restored, award winning DGA-11, NC18211. I recall thatthis is the first Howard in which I had a ride. That memorableflight occurred during the Texas AAA chapter fly-in at Denton, TXin June 1978, with John Turgyan acting as PIC. I believe it wasshortly after that ride that John purchased NC18211 from Bill,while John’s DGA-15, N95462, passed into the hands of Chuband Bette Trainor. The Trainors continued to attend fly-ins farand wide in this well-known Howard, including trips to theAAA/APM Fly-in. As for John’s DGA-11, we understand thatafter a long hiatus, it has again returned to airworthy condition. We hope to see NC18211 and John in attendance at the2009 AAA/APM Fly-in Sep. 2-7, 2009.

In 1979, another DGA-11 arrived during the AAA/APM Fly-in. This airplane, NC18207, had just been restored andwas being flown by Bob Younkin of Fayetteville, AR. This same aircraft has been a regular visitor during the last few years,being flown by Bob’s brother Jim Younkin, or Jim Wiebe. This Howard was originally owned by the Morton Salt Co., andJim has indicated NC18207 will be in attendance at the 2009 AAA/APM Fly-in as both a representative of the Howard Club,as well as part of our “Corporate Wings” theme, celebrating those antique/classic aircraft that have been used as tools of

commerce. During the 1970s, various Howard’s attending the

AAA/APM Fly-in would prove to be consistent award winners butit wasn’t until 1978 that one would be named AAA GrandChampion. That year, Ron Rippon from Rockford, IL arrived inhis DGA-15, NC22423. It was voted to receive the top awardoffered at the AAA/APM Fly-in. NC22423 continues to be a reg-ular visitor to Antique Airfield, flown at one time by Fred Kirk, butduring the last few years by either Mike Iverson or Jim Lund.

Other Howard’s that attended in the late 1970s andbeyond, include NC681199 flown by Dan Kumler; Dick Martin’sDGA-15, NC22416, which is now registered in New Zealand;Bob Richardson in NC52947, which is now on display at theSeattle Museum of Flight; James Ross in NC52986; and Georgeand Libby Hefflinger in NC9271H.

We would see George, Libby, and the Howard at Antique Airfield quite often during the years. George wasPresident of the APM Board of Trustees, and the Howard was used as his transport to and from Antique Airfield, whetherattending a board meeting, fly-in or work weekend. Years later, this Howard would show up at the AAA/APM fly-in with DaveSchober as owner/pilot.

1982 is the year that Jim and Bob Younkin completedtheir very accurate replica of “Mr. Mulligan”, and we were excit-ed to see it turn final on our then 2200’ runway (now 2350’) dur-ing the AAA/APM Fly-in. I was standing with Bob Younkin asbrother Jim made his approach, and Bob’s comments and bodyEnglish suggested he was still an old Navy LSO at heart.However, Jim’s approach, landing, and rollout looked just per-fect to my eyes. Later during the fly-in, Jim took Bud Dake for aride in “Mr. Mulligan”, demonstrating the aircraft’s awesome per-formance to all assembled. Reportedly, it was shortlybefore/after that flight that conversations took place leading theway to Jim’s design of the “Mullicoupe”, an airplane that couldbe considered a Howard derivative.

Howards continued to be part of our fly-ins and activitiesthroughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. During this period, another Howard that became a regular on the grass here atAntique Airfield was NC53386. This Howard first arrived as the charge of Howard guru Les DeLine. Sometime later JoePundzak, an APM Board Trustee, purchased this Howard to use as his corporate airplane. It was in this Howard that Ireceived my checkout as a Howard pilot on 08-19-92.

Then in 1998, Bud Dake arrived in his P&W “Mullicoupe”,NX274Y. Few will forget the absolutely incredible display of thisaircraft’s performance as well as the awesome fly-bys Bud madeon his departure from Antique Airfield. NX274Y is now in the careof Mark Holliday, and we were happy to see it once again on finalto Antique Airfield during the 2008 AAA/APM Fly-in. We certain-ly hope to see it back in 2009 to take its place with the rest of theassembled groups of Howards.

This then brings us to the current era. Included amongvarious Howards that have joined us throughout the last decadeare Ed and Barbara Moore in their award winning DGA-15,NC68431, in 1999. Then once again at the 2001 AAA/APM Fly-in a DGA-15, Ron Rippon’s NC1227, garnished a top honor, theClassic Sweepstakes award. 2002 saw Mike Vaughn’s Howard,NC22410, voted as the Grand Champion Classic. Mike’sHoward is a regular attendee and fixture here at the AAA/APMFly-in. It has been joined at times during the last several yearsby N9865H, Gary Lust’s NC5604V, Joe Dudley in N9599H, RickAtkins in NC67722, Mike Iverson and/or the Lunds in NC22423and NC22424, Paul Bjornstad in NC36259, and first timeHoward visitor Jerry Lugten with NC66294 in 2008.

So there you have a synopsis of the various Howardsthat have operated into and out of Antique Airfield throughout thelast thirty-nine years. I am certain that I may have missed someHowards and Howard owners, and I would certainly enjoy hear-

ing about any Howards I may have missed. It is hoped that a record group of Howards and Howard owners will join us for the AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in, Sep.

2-7, 2009 to help us celebrate “Corporate Wings, Featuring Howard Aircraft.”. We would like to believe Benny Howard him-self would be at this gathering, if he were still with us . After all he was AAA member M-5394 !!

For more information please contact me at 641-938-2773 or AntiqueAirfield@sirisonline.com. Watch our webpage, www.AntiqueAirfield.com for updates on activities planned for this event.

Those interested in learning more about Howard aircraft are encouraged to check out the Howard web site athttp://howardaircraft.org , contact the Howard club, phone 805-467-3148 or e-mail Archibaldb@starband.net or join thenew discussion group on Yahoo: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/howardfoundation/

Brent Taylor