vintage airplane - aug 1990

8/12/2019 Vintage Airplane - Aug 1990

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STRAIGHT ND LEVEL

by Espie "Butch" Joyce

i t h this issue of VINT GEIRPL NE EAA Oshkosh 90 will be

history. The Antique/Classic Divisionwill have hosted more than 800 classicsand 120 antiques. All of this activitywill have been administered by volunteer help. It s a monumental undertaking that gets bigger every year.

Your Division of EAA now stands atalmost 7,000 members, making us closeto being the largest organization in theworld devoted to vintage airplanes. Wehave one of the finest monthly publications covering these airplanes and thisera of aviation.We spend a good deal of our time andenergy managing the area of the EAAConvention devoted to our aircraft andthe aviation pioneers who flew them,not to mention those who restore and

maintain these fine aircraft today .Throughout the year we also handle agreat deal of correspondence relating tothese aircraft and their maintenance.People write from all over the world tome and other members of the Board ofDirectors with their needs and concerns.One example of this is a gentleman fromAustralia who was having a problemgetting his prop overhauled .Boardmember, John Berendt took care2 AUGUST 199

8 of the problem and solved the man so; dilemma.'Q I ve had calls from people on cross-co untri es who have deve lop edproblems with unusual engines such as,for instance, a Warner and asked if Imight know a mechanic in the areafamiliar with the type. Sometimes I canhelp, sometimes I can refer them toanother member who can . It s anotherexample of how we at the A/C Divisionare better off as a group rather than asindividuals.Aviation people are unique. Theytrot off to the airport at every opportunity while their friends are going tothe golf course. Aviation people wouldrather work on an airplane than mow theyard. Have you ever noticed that thesepeople also have other interes ts insimilar areas? A number of pilots Iknow, for example, are also ham radiooperators, fly model airplanes, are interested in antique autos or hot rods. Theseare the people I have come to know, andlove to be associated with.I know that the friendships I make inaviation will be enduring. I know thesepeople will work tirelessly to help witha project and contribute labor andmaterials, while never keeping score.What I mean by this is that they alsoknow the help of others is available tothem without their having to ask. Thisis what goes on all the time among aviation people.Oshkosh is a big event and we allenjoy the experience. When we return,our flying buddies who stayed homewill all want to know how it was. We

will all do our best to pass along theexcitement and satisfaction of comingto Oshkosh, helping out where we couldand learn ing the many lessons to belearned abou t peo ple as well asairplanes. They will all say how hard itis to believe everyth ing and that theysimply must get to Oshkosh next year.We need to continue to te ll everyonehow fantastic the EAA Oshkosh experience is and tell everyone to ex

perienc e it for themselves . f wecontinue to pass the word and unite ourselves, we stand a better chance ofretaining the freedoms we now enjoy inpersonal flight.Ask a friend to join the Antique/Classic Division. While we have a largeorganization with close to 7,000 members, there are 35,000 aircraft registeredthat do not have electrical systems.That represents a large number of pilotsand owners who could benefit frommembership in the Division, and couldhelp the Division to help others.As no t ed las t month, the A/CDivision voted to continue to give outparticipant plaques this year. This isnow solely an Antique/Classic Di visionactivity . We are endebted to Bob Lickteig and Jack Copeland for their effortson this project. We were also fortunateto have the Polaroid Co. donate thecameras and film to photograph our fineantique and class ic aircraft for the plaques. Thanks PolaroidAs I have said in the past, lets all pullin the same direction for the good ofaviation.Join us and have it all.


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Dear Mark,Thank you very much for the copyof the June issue of VINTAGEAIRPLANE You have a nice way ofwording things in the rear covercredit and both of us appreciate that.The story of Franny Rourke s career(Interesting Member) by CharlieHarris was very illuminating. I veknown Fran for about 10 years andlearned a lot from Charlie s story.Mr. Rourke is a super nice guy, too.Do you think we can encourageCharlie to write about some of theother good guys in the Tulsa Chapter? It s a nice picture by Ted Koston of Ed Marquart at the Jenny onpage 22.Try to take it easy during the Convention week. Say hi to Jack Coxand Mary Jones for me . Our best toall the other nice people at EAAHeadquarters.Cordially,Ted BusingerEvening Shade, Arkansas4 AUGUST 199

adiak SpeedsterDear Norm Petersen,

On page 90 of the May 1990 issue ofSPORT A VIATlON is a photograph ofEverett David s Kadiak Speedster. Ipurchased the airplane in 1942 fromsomeone in Benton Harbor, Michigan.I kept it at the old Hoosier Airport whileI was teaching flying during World WarII. As the war drew to a close in 1944,I advertised it in Trade-A-Plane andsold it to someone in Texas. He didn tpick up the plane for quite a while so Istored it in an old barn at the airport untilit was picked up, several years later. Afew years after that I saw it inHuntsville, Alabama. Several changeshad been made on the plane. Solid gearhad been replaced by a spring gear andthe Lambert engine and cowling by afour-cylinder opposed engine. Sometime later I saw an article about theplane at which time it was based inSacramento, California. I thoughtthis information might be of interest.Thank you,Robert H. YoungMartinsville, Indiana


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Stearman south o the borderear Mark,I am enclosing a picture of my StearGS, serial number 75-5729 with a300-hp engine. The project

started two years ago n three 50-gallondrums full of parts and a mover with theairframe coming from Torreon, Mexicoto Monterrey in deplorable conditions.t is flying now and exceeding all expectations. I hope that this may be interesting for your nice publication that I

always wait for at the beginning ofevery month.Truly yours,Pablo Gonzalez SadaMonterrey, Mexico

Scooter pieDear Mark,Just a note to thank you once againfor your interest and the terrific articleon the 120 (Father & Son - Cessna,June) . My Dad and I both have receivednumerous comments on the story andpictures and I ve received a couple ofout-of-state calls from members withsimilar projects underway. We ve really enjoyed the notoriety. Also, if youhave the opportunity, please thank JimKoepnick for the great job he did on thephotos. I look forward to seeing younext year.Sincerely,Leon Scooter Seale,Lakeland, Florida

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Dear Mr. Phelps,n answer to Mr. Richard Danio smystery cowl, I believe t is used onlarge round engines such as the Wright

R 3350 to direct air into the 18cylinders. This small cowl is locatedbehind the propeller spinner (thus thethree sets of clamps to surround thethree prop blades) for cooling purposes.We have four such small cowls for ourConnie s engines for cooling. Visit ourConnie at EAA Oshkosh and see themn place.

John B McMaster,Save-A-Connie mechanicKansas City, Missouri

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- Schenectady, New'90 Airshow,

- Brookfield, Wisconsin.by EAA Antique/Classic Chapter

II at Capitol Drive Airport. ContactN Navajo Av.

24-26 - Sussex, New Jersey.18th Annual Sussex Air Show. Sussex.mber 1-2 - Prosser, WashingAnnual Air Fair and fly-inby EAA Chapter 391. Call

.

1-3 - Blakesburg, Iowa.

- Chico, California.

port . Contact Chico Antique AirshowCommittee, 6 St. Helens Lane, Chico,California 95926. Tel 916/342-3730.September 14-16 - Tahlequah, Oklahoma (50 miles east/southeast ofTulsa). 33rd Annual Tulsa Fly-in and10th Annual Bucker Fly-in. ContactCharlie Harris, 3933 South Peoria,Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105, Tel. 918/742-7311. Bucker fans contact FrankPrice, Route I Box 419, Moody,Texas 76557, Tel. 8171772 3897 or853-2008.September 14-16 (note date corrected from last issue) - Jacksonville, Illinois. Sixth Annual ByronSmith Memorial Stinson Fly-in andReunion at the Jacksonville Airport.Contact Loran Nordgren, 4 West Nebraska, Frankfort, Illinois 60423.September 15-16 - Rock Falls, Illinois . Fourth Annual North CentralEAA Old Fashioned Fly-in. Pancakebreakfast Sunday. Contact Dave Christansen at 815/625-6556.September 23 - Rockford, Illinois.EAA Chapter 22 Annual Fly-in Steakand Brat Lunch. Cottonwood Airport11:00 am to 3:00 pm . Call TomJ anusevic at 815/397 4995.

September 29-30 - Lexington, Tennessee. Sixth annual Tennessee Taildraggers Fly-in. Call 901/968-8641days or 968-2864 eves.October 6-7 - Sussex, New JerseyAirport. Fly-In sponsored by EAA A/CChapter 7 and EAA Chapters 238, 73and 891. Info: Bill Tuchler, 20117973835; Konrad Kundig, 201/361-8789/FAX 2011361-5760; or Paul Steiger,Sussex Airport, 2011702-9719.October 13 - Dayton, Ohio. AnnualEAA Chapter 610 Wright-PattersonAFB and USAF Museum tour. ContactJim Hammond at 5131767-8751 .October 13-14 - Hickory, NorthCarolina Municipal Airport. EAAChapter 731 5th Annual Fly-In. Contact Norman Rainwater, 1415 LinwoodPlace, Lenoir, NC 28645 ; evenings704/578-1919, or Lynn Crowell, 113Auld Farm Road, Lenoir, NC 28645,7041754 2723.

October 27-28 - Winchester, Virginia. Winchester Regional Fall Fly-inat the Winchester airport . Pancakebreakfast Sunday. Call George Lutz,EAA Chapter 186, 703/256-7873.VINTAGE AIRPLANE


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THE DAYS OF FUTURE PASTAVIATION ARTICLES SIXDEC DES GONot all aviation news and speculationwas covered by the aviation magazines.The mass market magazines devoted tohome mechanics, how-to and technology also focused on aviation events.Publications such as MODERNMECH NICS and POPUL RSCIENCE paid a lot of attention to aviation and related activities. The editorofPOPULAR SCIENCE reported his feelings on covering aviation in commentsin the December 1930 issue.Aviation claws at the mainspring ofpopular interest because, to the greatestpossible degree, it combines the featuresmost stimulating to the human imagination. Deeds of daring, danger, success inthe face of apparently insuperableobstacles, hair-raising stunts, all unite ina heart throbbing appeal to people immersed in the humdrum of everydaymodern life.

by f)enni Va.. k.Lib..-al Y/An:hivesf i..-ec::tf

Though the editors did not always paycareful attention to sources of authenticity, these magazines provided someexaggerated but exciting coverage ofaviation. Some examples from 1930 follow.POPULAR MECHANICS -July 1930Zepps Defy Lightningn this article the author, Henry Hoylereports the lightning research done byArthur Austin at the outdoor high-voltage laboratory in Barberton, Ohio. Mr .Austin was studying the subject of thelightning hazard in flying. Someof thequestions he was investigating were: Isa lightning discharge likely to fire thefuel tanks in an airplane? Will the fabric

of a plane or dirigible be ignited? Will abolt of lightning damage sheetDuralumin sufficiently to cause troubleto the plane?Mr. Austin received a model of acommercial airship from the nearby

Goodyear-Zeppelin factory. The modelwas subjected to two kinds of manmadelightning. It was first bombarded witha stream of giant sparks. Then it wassubjected to single impact dischargesofgreat power. According to Dr. Arnsteinof the Goodyear-Zeppelin Company,the ship came through none the worsefor wear except for a few scars in thefabric covering where the electrical discharges had entered or left.A Barling NB-3 was also used intests. The plane had a Duraluminfuselage over which doped fabric wasplaced, very similar to the Zeppelinmodel. The Barling was struck by theartificial lightning while its engine wasrunning. The results were also good forthe airplane with neither the fabric norany other partof the ship set on fire. Thefabric would show a small hole wherethe bolt of lightning entered the plane atsome point in the metal structure.An Outboard Leaping LenaOn the how to do it side, there was an

n Outboard "Leaping Lena"

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y an outboard motor. The craft wasto give a Tingling thrill toof outboard racers. Thecalled a Pegasus consisted of

. The contraption would fly forof a flying. When driven into a fairly fresh

A series of thrills that cannot be dupli

MODERN MECHANICS- September 1930Dummy Motors Dress Up SmallIn an article on using models in

ng of the movie Hell's Angels.of the movie was a

bomber. For the scene in thewhere the Gotha was to, Fall toDoom, a flying model was madeoffrom a Jenny. The Jenny was

r. Checking in an articleof the movie, it was dis

of

he Hell's Angels Jenny hi-motor .

full-size aircraft that were launched offof rails on hillsides. The planes wereloaded with a stick of dynamite surrounded by lots of lamp black. Thismade for a spectacular crash when theplane hit the ground.

Denmark's Amazing SubmarinePlaneAmazing in the daringness of conception and expected to be far-rearchingin strategic value from a militarystandpoint, is the remarkable new submarine-amphibion airplane secretlytested by Denmark.MODERN MECHANICS reportedthat the Danish Navy recently secretlytested a successful plane which not onlyflew, but could fold its wings and travelunder the sea - a perfect submarine.

At last the flying submarine hasbeen invented. This hybrid craft whichhas already undergone successful testsoff the Danish coast will travel overland, run down a beach and launch itselfinto the sea, and then it is able to turnitself into a submarine and continue totravel underwater.The craft supposedly had a taperingmetal hull resembling the well-knownDornier flying boat hull and on eachside were telescoping metal wings thatshortened when the craft was underwater. After landing in the sea and closing watertight compartments, the crewcould submerge the plane and operate itlike a submarine by flooding the tanksprovided. The reporter stated that itsounded like a Jules Verne dream, butsaid the device was a reality. A search

I ns ta l la t ion orsmoke pot to show' - - - - . . . . > < . . - - - - ' - . : : . . . . . .- - ' - - - ' - - - - ' wind di rect ion.

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of JANE'S for 1930 and 1931 showedno evidence of the craft. t was apparently a well kept secret for the reportin MODERN MECHANICS.Smoke Pots Are New Substitute forAirfield Wind SockNot all inventions reported in 1930were as high tech as the flying submarine. In the column called PlaneTalk edited by Major H H Arnold,there was a report on a new landing aidfor pilots.One of the first things a pilot doeswhen he approaches a strange field isto look for the wind indicator. This isvery important, for practically everymaneuver which he makes with hisplane from that time on until it stopsrolling on the ground hinges on thedirection of the wind.The article reported that though mostairports placed wind cones on elevatedobjects around the airport, they are difficult to see. So, to secure all the advantages of the wind cone andeliminate all of the disadvantages,some airports were installing smokepots. These pots were buried in thecenter of the landing circle which wassupposed to be the first part of the airport to attract the pilot 's eyes. The pilotwould see the circle and then the smokestreaming from the circle. The smokewould immediately tell the direction ofthe wind and its velocity. The smokepots were placed in concrete recesses inthe ground and covered by a stronggrating with the bars close enoughtogether to permit the tail skids ofplanes to pass over without damage.

NEW WORDS FOR TODAY:Landing Circle and Tail Skid.Clocks, Ash Trays, Fans Can BeMade From Old PropsFor those of you who need somehelpful hints on what to do with thoseold propellers, MODERNMECHANICS had some suggestions.On visits to aviation fields andairdromes (Another New Word forToday), one sees many odd [no doubt]and useful [doubtful] things whichhave been made from old woodenpropellers . There are many oldpropellers lying around every aviationfield which can be used to make allsorts of useful articles.

The drawing shows a woodenpropeller with cuts made to secure partsfor ash trays and a clock. The averageprop is long enough to secure sufficientslices for about a dozen ash trays and stillhave the hub remaining for a clock.

POPULAR SCIENCE - December1930New Thrills From Winged BicycleIt seems that wings were beingplaced on everything in 1930 .POPULAR MECHANICS put wingson an outboard motorboat andPOPULAR SCIENCE put them on abicycle.

Part, at least, of the thrill of gliding

Clocks, Ash Trays, FansCan Be Made From Old Props

~ ~Sl I SP RO P. M eSH ~ ' t

Two types of clock.and ash trays madefrom old propellers.

can be had by bicycle riders whosemachines are equipped with wings andtailpiece. The winged bicycle was theinvention of Harry T Nelson of Dallas,Texas, former World War flyer. Mr.Nelson reported that the wings and thetail feathers could be readily attached toany bicycle.

As the speed of the bicycle increases, the wings are elevated and thefront wheel leaves the ground. The rearwheel, remaining on the ground,provides the traction. As long as sufficient speed is maintained, the frontwheel of the bicycle remains in the air.It was not claimed that greater speedwas obtained by the device, but that itadded a thrill to the ordinary bicycleride.

How Errors Crash the StoutestPlanesn a major, four-page article on aviation, POPULAR SCIENCE reported onaircraft crashes.Aircraft built for sane flying seldomfail, but this article tells how stuntsstrain ships and cause wrecks that help[other] flyers.The article begins with a description

of the death of Capt. Arthur Page at theNational Air Races at Chicago. Onemore name has been added to the list ofthose who have 'gone west' by 'crashing in'. Why is this list so long? Whydo planes crash? The author reportedthat Department of Commerce statistics showed that in six out of 10 cases,the reason was Pilot Trouble. Thaterrors of judgment or handling theplane accounted for most bad crashes.After discussing downwind landingsand turbulence, the author coveredstunting.Stunting is part of the tests throughwhich a modem machine must passbefore it is accepted. Present-dayplanes are stronger and safer than everbefore. But all planes have limitswhich must be recognized. A pilot can'dive the wings off his ship' as surelyas an automobile driver can skin into aditch.The article concluded that in theearly days of prewar daredevils, thepilots who flew to thrill the mob tookchances without understanding thestrength or weaknesses of the planesthey piloted.From that type of reckless flying,the advance is being made to pilotingthat is based on a clear conception ofthe capabilities and limitations of thecraft being flown. The pilot of tomorrow will be trained to know his ship.Many large public libraries havethese magazines in their collections.Besides providing for fascinatingreading, these magazines provide aview of what general readers with atechnical interest were reading aboutaviation

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by orm Petersen

This month we present four photostaken during the 1989 EAA OshkoshSplash-In at Brennand s SeaplaneBase by noted photographer, Bill McCarrel(EAA 76612) of WhitePigeon, Michigan. Bill isn ardent seaplance fan andhis photograhic artistry reveals his consid

erable talent along this line. We lookforward to displaying more of BillMcCarrel s efforts in future issues.- Norm Petersen

Climbing on the step under full power P & W 450) is deHavilland Beaver DHC-2, N90YC,S N 1338, flown by George Cayness of Houston, Texas. Winner of the Best Amphibiantrophy at the EAA Oshkosh '89 Seaplane Fly-In, the Beaver is mounted on Wiplineamphibs and is in absolutely pristine condition. Carefully note how the ailerons droopwith the extended flaps for maximum lift on takeoff.

With water and spray churning from the huge propellers and Wright Cyclone engines, a Grumman HU- 16Albatross , N9722B, S N 137927, climbs on the step at the EAA Oshkosh '89 Splash-In. Flown by Dennis Buehn(EAA 168777) of Reno, Nevada, the huge amphibian is a popular favorite with its Navy paint schmeme as usedat Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.12 AUGUST 1990


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A nicely painted Piper J-3 ub mounted on Edo 1400 floats and sporting an 0-200 Continental engine is picturedat rest during the EAA Oshkosh '89 Splash-In. Registered C-FKZK the ub was flown to Oshkosh by owner JackHatkoski (EAA 158801) of Dwight, Ontario. Note how the reflection is almost complete on the water's surface.

With a matching white, red & gold paint scheme on the aircraft and floats, this pretty Piper Pacer PA-22/20,NI7PC, S/N 22-5931, was flown to EAA Oshkosh '89 by Perry Clark (EAA 219474) of Crosslake, Minnesota. Rebuiltover three years by Perry and his father, Vernon (EAA 44085), the 160 hp Pacer features Edo 2000 floats, Demersdrooped wingtips and a Stits finish. Perry, who is a PanAm 727 co-pil ot, reports the Pacer will haul four peopleon floats if the breeze is right and the people are not too largeVINTAGE AIRPLANE 13


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NTIQUES NDCL SSICSHALF A WORLD

W Ydown-under tour hosted by Steve and Dorothy

y Jim HaynesSteve WiHman with a Down Under Tailwind .


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THERE ARE ANTIQUES ANDCLASSICS DOWN UNDERFor several years now, the EAA hassponsored International Tours that havebeen designed with the aviation enthusiast in mind. Aside from the usualattractions, the EAA tours include activities that involve aircraft museums,air shows, personal contact with localaviation people and actual flying inaircraft that belong to them.My wife and I, both having recentlyretired from school teaching, decided totake advantage of the Australian/NewZealand Tour offered this past April.We had always talked about going theresomeday, but had always put it off.After reading the brochure describingthe activities offered in the tour, ourplans were set.The tour was managed by PeterStrombom, EAA Tours Director, andaccompanying the group were SteveWittman and his wife, Dorothy. Undertheir leadership, the 22-day tour was afun-filled, relaxing and educational experience.I would like to stress that there wereample activities for the Antique/ClassicDivision members. Just being aroundSteve Wittman and sharing his experiences in aviation would have beenadequate, but there were surprises alongthe way.

One of the highlights was beingflown in a DC-3 from Sydney to Maitland, about a 50-minute flight andspending the day with the Australian

ew Zealand Tiger Moth

Tiger Moth Club which has its own airstrip at a place called Luskintyre. Therethe group, both husbands and wives,were treated to rides and actually flyinga Tiger Moth. Some had the added experience of being given a ride in aStampe while performing aerobatics.The group enjoyed a barbecue lunchand when the day s flying activitiesended, there was a liquid social hour inthe Tiger Moth Clubhouse. It was wellinto the evening upon returning to Sydney in the DC-3.

There was enough flying experienceon the tour. For Anne and me, includingour domestic flights to join the tour atLAX, I counted a total of 8 takeoffsand landings during the entire trip. Theaircraft - Bonanza, 737, 747-400, 767,A320 Airbus), 727, Tiger Moth,Stampe and a Cherokee 140. In mostcases, we were invited to the flight deck.

At the Sport Aviation Association ofAustralia annual fly-in, where the groupspent two days, there was much to offer.Some of our group happened to be in theright place at the right time and wereoffered a ride in an old DR Drover Trimotor. I wasn t one of them. Arrangements were made with several pilots tofly us to nearby Kyabram where theAntique Airplane Association ofAustralia was having its get-together.Several Austers, Chipmunks, Winjeels,Tiger Moths, a Stearman, StinsonReliant and a Rallye were seen. Back atMangalore we were invited to the banquet that evening where there was acombination of revelry, awards-givingand a very historic event took place. Itseems that the CAA (equivalent to ourFAA) had handed over the authority ofinspection of amateur built aircraft tothe SAAA. I tried to imagine the FAAgranting such authority to the EAA.Somehow, I couldn t. It was an almosttwo-hour bus ride back to Melbournefrom the Mangalore Aerodrome andthere were some tired pups hitting thesack well after midnight. Back to Man

L 4 galore the next day and more airplaneVINTAGE AIRPLANE 17


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looking, forums and an air show in theafternoon. The Australians put on agood fly-in and it s growing. The onething that could make it better would befor the various divisions to have theirfly-ins at the same field instead of all atnearby fields.The War Memorial Museum in Canberra contained a number of World WarI and World War II aircraft as well as anA vro 504, the first I had ever seen. Thegroup was treated to a special tour of theMuseum Annex, a place the generalpublic are not allowed. There also werea variety of warbirds, including an Me262 and Me 163. The guide told us a lotabout the history of each artifact.In New Zealand were visits toArdmore and Rotorua Aerodromes. AtArdmore, the group met with the Aukland Aero Club in its clubhouse, enjoying a light lunch prepared for theoccasion . Several of us weretransported across the field and met witha group of the New Zealand AmateurAircraft Constructors Assn. who werebusy in their own hangar working onvarious projects. Noteworthy were thesmall quonset-like hangars in whichbuilders housed their projects. Afterlooking over the page after page ofchecklists that had to be signed off bythe government officials, I developed ahealthy respect for these guys and theirwork. Before dark, one of them took tothe air and gave us a demonstration oflight aerobatics in his Starlet. (Thetower closed at 6 p.m.) There wereseveral warbirds housed in the hangars

Austerat the field - the only T-28 and P-51D

liTH FLY YWASPERFORMEDFOR OURBENEFIT

in New Zealand and three Harvards.At Rotorua we were again entertained by the Rotoiua Aero Club. Uponarrival, there were skydiving operationstaking place, a rotorcraft taking to theair, a lodel following, and a QuicksilverUltralite chasing the rotorcraft. Topping it off was a flyby of three NewZealand Air Force jets which were therefor an encampment. When I asked oneof the Club members if they did thisoften, he assured me that the flyby was

Ian Dickso President of thhipmunk18 AUGUST 1990


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deHaviliand Rallyethe spe-

of the tower. To round

hem. No one went away hungry.The next day, after a morning tour ofof the

of the Aero Club and, and com-I was especially interested in the

THE PILOTWANTEDTO SHOWUS HIS NEWHOUSE.

restoration of an Auster. t i have thefuselage of a Taylorcraft.Again, as in Australia, we weretransported to the Museum of Transpor-tat ion and Technology to look at theartifacts of New Zealand s aviationpast. Here were Richard Pearse s firstand third airplanes. For those who donot know, this contraption lays claim tothe first flight before the Wrights. Ap-parently, in the Spring of 1903, Pearsegot the thing airborne on a downhillincline, thus the substance of the claim.As mentioned previously, evenwithout all of these aviation activitiesthere were sights to see, tours to t k ~and people to meet. What made thistour special were the many wonderfulpeople who decided to go too, and the

events that were not planned pre-viously. For instance, we had the op-portunity to help Steve Wittmancelebrate his 86th birthday while cross-ing the International Dateline, and laterat Mangalore Aerodrome celebratedDorothy s as well. By chance, we spenta delightful evening with the parents ofan Australian exchange student living inour town back home. I also wassurprised by a landing on a fann air stripwhile being flown to Kyabram. Thepilot wanted to show us his new house.None of these events were on the tripitinerary, but they served to make thetour something special to usIf you have never been on an EAAInternational Tour and are consideringa trip abroad, it is well worth your con-sideration

t AustraliaVINTAGE AIRPLANE 9


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RAGWINGWARBIRDA veteran o the CPT program this Aeronca Chief helpedteach hundreds to fly.by erard PahlDirector of Education, Kalamazoo Air MuseumThere is a little red Aeronca Chief years, faithfully serving her country in was sold to Irving and Dorothy Woodthat keeps plugging away through the times of war and her civilian owners in hams along with at least two otherskies of southwestern Michigan and times of peace. Chiefs that still remain in southwestshe's ajoy for any vintage airplane buff Though the Chief 's history is probab Michigan. Irv is one of Michigan's realto see. When not flying, the honey of a ly not too different from that of many aviation pioneers. n fact, his pilot'sragwing shares hangar space with the other low-powered taildraggers of the license was signed by Orville Wright.big warbirds of the Kalamazoo Aviation 1940s, it has its own little twists and He holds FAA ticket number 790 and heHistory Museum, otherwise known as turns that add a lot of charisma to the old carries aircraft mechanic card numberthe Air Zoo . This dutiful bird (N gal. Aeronca NC 31948 rolled out of 654.31948, sin CA12231) has been pulling the factory at Middletown, Ohio on Irv founded Austin Lake Airport &her weight and more for almost 50 January 28, 1941 and on February it Seaplane Base on the southern edge of

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hat lake in the mid-1930s. DuringWar II the airport was utilized as

Chief to train stuBy the end of 1943 thehad logged more than 2,000

of flight time.During this time, Sue (DeLano) Parish,of the Kalamazoo A via

History Museum, developed herief. Sue later went on to become aPilot)

desert pink Curtiss P-40 WarIn order to use the Aeronca to its max

During 1943landing gear was changed at10 times according to the aircraft. While the little Chief was trainingbomber and transport

parent company, AeroncatoIt built aMidget Cargo Plane which was a Chief

packages (the maximumThe companyremoved the engine from itsChamp model and added a bird cage

The Chief will soon return t its CPT livery

nose, converting the little plane into athree-seat training glider, the TG-5. In1942, 9 Aeronca 65 CA Chiefs werecommandeered for use by the Army AirForces and designated L 3Fs.Following World War II, Chief 31948was still used to train pilots. However, theairplane was also used extensively forpleasure flying and was flown to Canadaseveral times. Some flights ended upbeing not so pleasant. In the past 49 years,the Aeronca has been damaged threetimes. In 1949 it was tumed on its backin the St. Mary's River - the left wingtipwas the only major component damaged,but both wings were re-skinned. In 1960a wing was likewise damaged and in 1961the plane again turned over in a lakesoutheast of Big Rapids, Michigan.

On August 15, 1953 Chief 31948 wasupgraded with an 85-hp Continental engine replacing the original -65. Theswitch was made to improve its performance on floats. Through the middle1970s, the little Aeronca was owned byJerry Cole of Dearborn Heights,Michigan. However, it returned to theWoodham's hangar in the spring of 1977.Irv moved to Florida in the early 1980sand the Chief was hangared at RobertCarpenter's air strip in Vicksburg whereit was flown by several local people.

In 1981, Irv sold the Chief to his son,Don who in turn sold it to the museumin 1987. Generally , the Chief is used torepresent the museum at dawn patrolsand breakfasts so it is not on display inthe main museum building. However,from May to September, the museum'stour program takes patrons through theRestoration Center where thy can see ,not only this gritty little airplane butaircraft that are in the process of beingrestored. Currently the museum isfmishing the preservation of a B-25JMitchell bomber, continuing work on aFairchild PT-23 Cornell and has a BT13 Valiant and a CG-4A Flying Jeepwaiting in the wings.

Since its acquisition by the museum,the Chief continues to do what it doesbest, adding to the 6,300 flight hours inits logs. When the little red airplaneis due for a re-covering, a new CPTpaint scheme will be applied. Thoseinterested in seeing the Chief and 25other fantastic warbirds, including sixNational Grand Champions, can visitthe Kalamazoo Air Zoo by land or byair at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. For more information, write the museum at 3101 E.Milham Road, Kalamazoo, Michigan49002 or call 616/382-6555

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 2


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COON BOTTOMMONSTERAn 82 year old Florida airstrip owner and his highlymodified Stearman

a s t year I retired and moved fromnortheast Wisconsin to TallahasseeFlorida. One of the first things I did wasjoin the local radio-control airplaneclub. I overheard the fellows talkingabout an old-timer who had an airstripy John Larson north of the city where they would oc

22 AUGUST 199


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fly their models. I thought itt. After traveling up and down the

lly located it near theI stopped at a nearby house and

ofairstrip over yonder. The fellowof the field . Therst, but near the west

offound two large rustic hangars.near a strange-looking

of beer. Are you Mr.I asked. That's what theyme, he said.I found Lou Rutten to be a living,book. In925 he paid two dollars for a LearnFly correspondence course. Hein, put it together and startedming. Neither a pilot' s licenset the time. Then he bought one

. Heto create the

Church Mid-wing racer. In 1932, hedecided to get educated and took acourse in aeronautical engineering inMarshall, Missouri. He designed andbuilt his own airplane in 1934, the Rutten Special. n 1936 he worked forEastern Airlines as a maintenance flightinspector on DC-3s. The followingyear he got his A&E license, number15619. During World War II he flewcargo planes all over the world for thegovernment as a civilian. n 1945 he gothis commercial pi lot's license and wasflight engineer on a DC-4 for a while.He also got a job flying a DC-3 forCaribbean Airlines from Miami to theCanal Zone, mostly carrying leathergoods but on his last trip he was carrying13,000 baby chicks when one of theengines ran away due the prop governorfailure. It was in 1947 he bought aStearman and started dusting in Marianna, Florida. The next year he bought 75acres where he built the Coon BottomAirport as a base for dusting tobacco.He designed and built his own dustingequipment and even holds a patent onone of his designs.I asked what kind of plane he waswashing there and he said, That's the'Coon Bottom Monster .. It was ahighly modified Stearman he had

changed into a truly one-of-a-kind funmachine. When he retired from dustinghe took one of his Stearmans and rebuiltit to eliminate all the undesireable features. He took off the heavy gear andrebuilt it lighter, moving it forward atthe same time so the aircraft was lessprone to nosing over in soft ground. Heeliminated the forward visibility problem by raising the top wing and buildingup the fuselage so the cockpit is higher.This created lots of room for storingbaggage and camping gear under theseats. He also changed the ailerons toflaperons. On final approach he cancrank the ailerons down for slower landing speeds. He added servo tabs to theailerons to lower stick forces, and toincrease range he added a streamlineddrop tank between the main wheels.For fun, he mounted some rocketlaunching tubes on the wings.Lou showed me around the hangarsand I have never seen so many parts andpieces of airplanes in my life. He musthave bought new airplanes and enginesevery year and never parted with anything. They're all still there, in pieces.Lou admits that, at 82, his flying daysare over but as I found out to mydelight, his hangar-flying days are stillgoing strong

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3


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known as A&P for Airframe andPowerplant) license.Jim related that during the good olddays (the 1940s), Our winter scheduleconsisted of re-cover jobs and a busycomplement of maintenance and inspections. I liked to do repair workrather than inspections, where I specialized in woodwork - specifically wingspars. On the subject of the quality ofworkmanship, Jim said proudly, Wedid a lot of re-covering in those days

which compared favorably with today'srestoration.While at Harlem, Jim worked onsome interesting and famous aircraft.Quite an unusual one was a Laird-typedesign. Not only was it difficult to fly,it also suffered frequent taxiing accidents on the ground which kept Jimbusy in the repair shop.American Airlines nevertheless accounted for most of Jim's career. Hestarted work there n 1942 and remained

until he retired 34 years later. Duringmuch of this time he was a maintenancecrew chief in a support shop doingsheet-metal work, welding and a varietyof other kinds of repairs. He servicedDC-3s and more, up through DC-6s and-7s, Boeing 707s and even the last FordTrimotor to fly from Midway. TheConvair 240, though, was his favoritebecause he knew it so well. He hadattended a special Convair school onthis aircraft involving emergency

A Travel Air t the Toronto Flying Club 934 or 35 with the future Mrs. Jim Martin.VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25


26/36

:WLG:S

SEpTEMBi\

Jim (lett) and a friend with a J-3 Cub at B F Aviation,Oaklawn, Illinois

A brand-new Convair 240 at the Ardmore, Oklahoma training facility.26 AUGUST 1990

damage repair.Jim said that he frequently wound upwith what he termed garbage worksuch as repair of baggage pods, coffeemakers and tire and battery changes.However, much of his repair workwould require special tools. Any time aspecial tool was required, he madewhatever was necessary to do the job.Furthermore, when there was no sectionn a manual covering a particular repair,he would come up with a way to do it.Often he was called upon to do oddball jobs nobody wanted, such asremoving broken studs or screws thatwere difficult to extract.Jim recalled that there were times hehad to endure, smart-alecs who kneweverything. One of his favorite waysof dealing with them was when theycame to him to borrow a tool. Forinstance he would give the person a5Jl6-inch drill with a left-hand twistjust to see how long it would take himto figure it out. Another variation ofthis was to hand the victim a left-handtap-and-die.While still working at American, Jimopened his own shop across from Ashburn Field, a small airfield south ofMidway Airport. There he did extrawork as a mechanic which meant justabout anything. He operated this shopuntil Ashburn Field closed in the 1960s.

It was at Ashburn that Jim rebuiltmany old airplanes. Over the years hehas reworked E-2s, J-2s and J-3s on upto current Pipers, Buhl Pups and anAmerican Eaglet, a Fairchild Cabin andjust about anything that we now call anantique or classic. He also built a PittsSpecial in his shop but t was only flownonce. The owner wrecked t the firsttime out, had it rebuilt and then sold it.That was in 1969. Shortly thereafter theairport closed and Jim flew the lastaircraft out of Ashburn, a Swift.Jim has owned a Cessna 140 for thepast eight years and has been an AI forthe past 30 years. His first flying wasdual time in a deHaviliand Gypsy Mothn 1934, but he did not solo until 1943at Ashburn in a J-3 . His most recentprojects have been supervision of therebuilding of an Aeronca Chief andSedan, a Mustang II, a 2J3-scale Hawker Hurricane and a Christen Eagle.

When Jim puts his hands on anaircraft to perform maintenance or toadvise its pilot, he draws from manyyears' experience. A lot of affordableflying has resulted from Jim s dedication to the private pilot. .


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II IQ1]n information exchange column with input from readers

by Buck HilbertEAA 21, le 5P.O. Box 424Union, L 60180

Prop and CircumstanceI enjoyed your series on propping and

of those immorl words. It also brought back some

When I was growing up I thought alled. Only "real airplanes" like Johns Ford Trimotor had starters. I

Travel Air NC 606K executing them.

of theh. Another rule was to alwaysor elseeone else do it. I saw one good

of this at an AAA fly-in atwa. It seems the guy in thes seat got the mixture and throttle

reversed and the machine started on thefIrst pull, proceeded to rear up and overand made toothpicks out of Sensenichlumber.I also remember a certain airplanethat had a booster in the cockpit that hadto be cranked by hand when starting theengine. I recall how the pilot was afraidto crank the booster before the prop manwas clear, and this usually resulted inthe engine running backwards forseveral cycles before it finally gotgoing. the booster was cranked whilethe propeller was spun, it started everytime.But the most important rule was,"Never step into the prop arc." Dadconsidered it a cardinal sin and sure toresult in an injury. The most graphictale of this happened to the old man,himself at an airshow at Joe Halsmer'sairport in Lafayette, Indiana. As usual,Dad was announcing as well as flying in

the show. When his turn to performcame, he jumped off the announcer'strailer and dashed to his Travel Air.Also as usual, Dad propped the TravelAir himself. Since the Wright was stillwarm from the opening of the show, onthe fIrst pull it "sneezed" and spun backa couple of turns, ending up with theprop straight vertical. Being a littlerushed, Dad stepped into the prop arcand started to pull the prop down whenthe big Wright kicked back. The otherblade hit him on the inside of his leftknee and threw him out to the wingtip.Luckily, Mrs. Halsmer was on the spotfor fIrst aid, and quickly taped andbandaged his leg. The skin was notbroken but it did swell quite badly. Shealso applied some other "pain killer."Well, he was still able to announcethe rest of Saturday's show and got anew "kid" to fly in his place on Sunday- Gene Soucy The Travel Air restedin Lafayette for a couple weeks untilDad was able to bend his knee again .He said he knew he was in trouble assoon as he reached for the prop, but itwas too late. He was damned lucky.I had my J-3 for six years and myCulver Cadet for 12 years. Neither onehad a starter and by following theserules, I never had an incident. NowI ve got a Navion and it has a starter,but if it ever quits, I think I will be ableto start it safely using the same rules.Keep up the good work.James RezichWinnebago, Illinois

Defender re-benderDear Mr. Hilbert,I enjoy reading your column everymonth and see from the January issuethat you prefer letters to phone calls. Soeven though I live in the next town eastof Union, I fIgured what the heckThe reason I m writing is I m restoring an Aeronca 0 -58B to originalmilitary confIguration and want to makesome contacts in EAA as I m sure I'llbe needing a little good council fromtime to time as work progresses. I m amember ot the new EAA Chapter inGalt, Illinois. I have an A&P from 1965but little practical experience since thenso I may not know what to do but I vegot a pretty good idea what not to do.One of the fIrst things I ve got to decideis on the IA I will work with so I can gethim in on it from the beginning I justdisassembled the airplane and broughtit home on April 12.). I thought you

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27


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Data Plates: U .S. Army Air Corps Type L-3B, Ser . #92-36317 Order #24584"Aeronca Model 0-58B, Ser. #058B3432. Built 6-13-42"Engine: Continental A-65-8 #14193228

might have some suggestions on this.I'll give you a little background onthe airplane. The enclosed photo isrecent and the information from the dataplates is on the back. It was convertedto the "Defender" configuration by Bernard Pietenpol in 1945. It has a Standard Airworthiness Certificate which Inaturally want to retain. Pietenpol 'sForm 337 doesn't indicate any structural alteration so this may not be a bigproblem.The airplane is in pretty good shape.It spent most of its life in storage but wasprotected from rodents, birds and moisture. I didn't have any problem gettingit ready to ferry to Galt though it was outof license. It does have the wood ribs .The paperwork appears to be completeand there aren't any gaps in the logs. Idon't have anything on its military history from 1942 to 1945 and have writtenseveral letters trying to get some help onthat. There are no ADs on it but Isuspect that's just because nobodycares I'm wondering if old AeroncaService Bulletins could be of any help- and where to fmd them. I've beenable to turn up very little info on 0-58/L3s. The Army only bought about 1,300of them and they didn 't seem to attracta lot of attention. I've written to MrSilberman at the National Air and SpaceMuseum archive support center and amwaiting to hear from him re: availability

specs, etc. I'd like to meet you sometime and hear your thoughts on thisproject or maybe you'd like to take alook at the pieces. If so, drop a note orgive me a call and perhaps we could gettogether one day soon.Thanks for taking the time to readthis.Sincerely,Jeff HillWoodstock, Illinois

Sensenich itchHi Buck,Here is the prop hub info your friendcan use. If you know of anyone who isdoing a plane with a Tank engine, Ihave a Sensenich 96T69 prop that isgood.The best for you and yours,Ralph DriscollRural Route 2Mount Vernon, Iowa 52314

Fueling around, military styleDear Buck,Here is what the military had to sayabout "fueling around," according to theWar Department Field Manual #FM 20100, September 1947, "Army GroundForces Light Aviation.""Refueling The aircraft should beelectrically grounded in accordancewith appropriate Army Air ForcesTechnical Orders before and duringrefueling (See figure 7)."Keep 'em FlyingBill DavisMarine City, Michigan

of engineering drawings, contract Figure 7 Grollnding during re/lteiillg28 AUGUST 1990


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Sensenich Corporation August 955 No 203SENSENICH MODEL NUMBERS

AND THEIR MEANINCSIn devising a system of identification for fixed 3. t gives a complete description of the con-pitch propellers, Sensenich Corporation worked struction and dimensions of the propeller.out a code system which not only identifies the

propellers, but also describes them. The model number used as an illustration isI. t is easy to remember and understand. an example of the complete description of a2. t readily identifies the propeller from all propeller that is possible with our system andother designs. code of marking.

FOR EXAMPLE: 90CASPL86ADWIVt" BLADE DESIGNS

B c oFirst two numbers always indicate propeller9 diameter in inches. C FirBt letter alwayB indicateB the baBic blade deBign.HUI DIMINSIOHS

lOUD CI t PL fWOCO

Always indicates integral Bolid wood Bpinner un-s Ie followed by the letter P.The second letter indicates hub dimensions for Following the letter S indicates integral plywood a particular metal hub. P Bhell Bpinner.

ROTATION

Geometric pitch in inches measured at 75% ofthe radius.

I L lU ~ H T

VI[WED FROII SUP STREAM.

Preceded by two or more letters always indicatesL 86eft hand rotation.Any letter following the geometric pitch designation indicates a material modification of a standard design.

VINT GE IRPL NE 9


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Where The Sellers and Buyers Meet25 per word, $5.00 minimum charge. Send your ad toThe Vintage Trader, EAA Aviation CenterOshkosh, WI 54903-2591 .

AIRCRAFT:Yes, a 1940 Stinson 10 - This fine oldaircraft $9,500.00 (Canadian). SpringhouseAviation, Box 38, A.R. 1, Widgeon Drive,Williams Lake, B.C. V2G 2P1, 604/392-2186.(9-5)

Fairchild F24W-41 - Aircraft is complete lessFWF for Warner engine. Have engine mountand cowling for Ranger conversion, alsoRanger engine. 507/263-2414.(9-2)

ENGINES:Engine Parts - for Continental A50, 65, 75,80 and their accessories - cylinder cases,cams, rods, gears, everything butcrankshafts. Send want list to : Air Salvage ofArkansas, Rt. 1, Box 8020, Mena, Arkansas71953, call 501/394-1022 (-5/91)

Good Used Ignition Harnesses - testedokay. Fuel pumps in boxes. Rod bolts inplastic bags. All properly identified asremoved from engines going in for overhaul.Air Salvage of Arkansas, Rt. 1, Box 8020,Mena, Arkansas 71953, 501/394-1022. (5/91)

MISCELLANEOUS:NEW EAA REFERENCE GUIDE - Now inone volume! Covering all EAA journals 1953through 1989. Newly organized, easier toread. MUCH REDUCED PRICE! Past purchasers : $7.50 USD plus 1 .50UPS/postage, $3.00 Canadian, $7.00 other.new purchasers : $15 USD plus $1.50UPS/postage, $3.00 Canadian, $7.00 other.VISA/MASTERCARD accepted. John B. Bergeson, 6438 W. Millbrook Road, Remus, MI49340. 517/561-2393. Note: Have all journals. Will make copy of any article(s) from anyissue at 25 per page. ($3.00 minimum).

1910-1950 Original Plane and Pilot Items- Buy - sell- trade. 44-page catalog over 35030 AUGUST 1990

items available, $5.00. Airmailed. JohnAldrich, POB-706 - Airport, Groveland, CA95321, 209/962-6121 . (9-6)

Super Cub PA18 fuselages repaired orrebuilt - in precision master fixtures. Allmakes of tube assemblies or fuselagesrepaired or fabricated new. J.E. Soares Inc.,7093 Dry Creek Road, Belgrade, Montana59714, 406/388-6069. Repair Station D6521 . (UFN)

CURTISS JN4-D MEMORABILIA - Youcan now own memorabilia from the famous"Jenny," as seen on "TREASURES FROMTHE PAST". We have posters, postcards,videos, pins, airmail cachets, etc. We alsohave R/C documentation exclusive to thishistoric aircraft. Sale of these items supportoperating expense to keep this"Jenny" flyingfor the aviation public. We appreciate yourhelp. Write for your free price list. VirginiaAviation Co., RDv-5, Box 294, Warrenton, VA22186. (c/11 -90)

NostalgiC Airline Poster Art - Colorfulpublicity of the Airlines of the World! FREEDETAILS Gerard, 3668-VA Hilaire, Seaford,NY 11783. (12-4)

HANGARSQuonset Style Steel Buildings - Ideal forairplane hangars, equipment, andworkshops. Easy to erect and disassemble.Buy factory direct and save up to 40 percent.U.S. ARCH BUILDINGS CORPORATION,National 1-800-527-4044. (-5/91)

WANTEDWanted - The Vintage Airplane Back Issue- September 1986 - No reprints. Mint condition only, $50.00. Mail to, I will accept thefirst one I receive; all others will be returned.Robert V. Beal, EAA 220499, 825 W. Broadway, Madisonville, Kentucky 42431. (8-1)

MEMBERSHIPINFORMATION

EAAMembership in the ExperimentalAircraft Association, Inc. is $35.00 forone year including 12 issues of SportA viation. Junior Membership (under19years of age) is available at $20.00 annually. Family Membership is availablefor an additional $10.00 annually. Allmajor credit cards accepted for membership. FAX (414) 426-4873.

ANTIQUE/CLASSICSEAA Member- $18.00. Includes oneyear membership in EAA Antique-Classic Division. 12 monthly issues of TheVintage Airplane and membershipcard. Applicant must be a current EAAmember and must give EAA membership number.Non-EAA Member - $28.00. Includesone year membership in the EAA Antique-Classic Division. 12 monthly issuesof The Vintage Airplane one yearmembership in the EAA and separatemembership cards. Sport Aviation QQ/included.

lACMembership in the InternationalAerobatic Club, Inc. is $30.00 annuallywhich includes 12 issues of SportAerobatics. All lAC members are required to be members of EAA.

WARBIRDSMembership in the Warbirds ofAmerica, Inc. is $30.00 per year whichincludes a subscription to Warbirds.Warbird members are required to bemembers of EAA.EAA EXPERIMENTER

EAA membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER magazine is availablefor $28.00 per year (Sport Aviation notincluded). Current EAA members mayreceive EAA EXPERIMENTER for$18.00 per year.FOREIGNMEMBERSHIPS

Please submit your remittance with acheck or draft drawn ona United Statesbank payable in United States dollars.Make checks payable to EAA or thedivision in which membershipis desired.Address all letters to EAA or the particular division at the following address:

EAA A VIA TlON CENTERP.O. BOX 3086OSHKOSH, WI 54903-3086PHONE (414) 426-4800FAX (414) 426-4828OFFICE HOURS:8:15-5:00 MON.-FRI.
http:///reader/full/9,500.00http:///reader/full/Member-$18.00http:///reader/full/Member-$18.00http:///reader/full/Member-$18.00http:///reader/full/Member-$18.00http:///reader/full/9,500.00http:///reader/full/Member-$18.00


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I Very Smooth 1.7 oz. Patented Pol\,ester Fabric Developed IiI Especially for Aircraft Covering. * PolyFlber Manual with I~ Detailed Instructions fo r Fabric Covering and Palnllng Aircraft II or Corrosion Control. * Latest Catalog and Distributor List. II ITITS POLY FIBERI AIRCRAFT COATINGS ' IIIL .O. Box 3084-V, Riverside, CA 92519Phone (714) 684-4280W IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 1p.o. box 88madison, north carolina 27025(919) 427-0216

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TANK PAINTiNb AND REPAIRINGSANOIlASTING. TANK LINERS AND COATINGSPREVENTIVE TANK MAINTENANCE INSPECTION SERVICELADDER SAfHY EQUIPMEN TRESERvOIR l iNERS AND ROOFSDISMANTlING AND MOVING TANKSNEW , USED AND lleONDIT/ONEO TANKS

VIN TAGE AIRPLANE 33


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The designer and builder of thisneat biplane was well-known at thetime it was produced. The photo isfrom the Hardie collection. Answerswill be published in the October issueof VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Deadlinefor that issue is September 10, 1990.Dick Hill identified John Denny'sSpeed Bird from the May issue. Johnhas the aircraft in the process of restoration and as you can tell by Dick'slengthy answer he has himself a rarepiece of aviation history. Dick and hiswife, Jeannie, an Antique/ClassicDivision Advisor, preside over the Birdtype club and are writing a book on thecompany, so Dick's answer carries theweight of authority.

The Mystery Plane is the 1935prototype Speed Bird A with an 85-hpLeBlond engine. Its tail number was34 AUGUST 1990

X15641 and it was serial number 1000.The design of the Speed Bird beganat the Bird Airplane Company in NewJersey. It was a scaled down, singlecockpit, side-by-side version of theBird. Before tests and paperwork forcertification could be completed on theSpeed Bird, the Bird company waswiped out by the Depression.The 'Speed Bird Co.' was formedfrom the remains of the old Bird company in 1933. t was to use up the stockof parts that were left over from production, and to supply the owners of Birdairplanes with parts. The new company was located in the factory buildings that belonged to the oldAeromarine Airplane and Motor Company located at a small New Jerseyairfield and had been used for theproduction of airplanes as early as

World War I Many of the U Navy'slarge flying boats from that era werebuilt on this site. n the mid-1920s theywere building metal-hull flying boats onthe site.The address for the Speed Bird Co.in the 1937 Federal Register wasChurch and Front Streets, Key Port,New Jersey. Another address that wefound listed the company at LocustStreet. Key Port is just a small villagelocated on the swampy shoreline ofRaritan Bay, opposite Staten Island,New York. Researcher and aircrafthistorian, John Barberry visited the sitein 1960 and found that the factorybuildings had been torn down and thearea was returning to nature.On April 20, 1937 the Speed BirdCompany was re-formed in San Jose,California. A corporation was formed


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MayI 9292Jc nts

vintage airplane - aug 1990

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