(Below and right) Curtiss Carrier Pigeon serial num-
ber G-2,registered NC-311 N being loaded. This
photo was one of the many used as the basis for
drawings done by illustrator/author Edward Shen-
ton in the book "Couriers of the Clouds" published
in 1930 and again in 1937.
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(Below left) Pitcairn PA-5 Mailplane Serial Number 25 built in 1928, NAT Number 49. Pitcairn was one of the few commercial air-
craft companies that built aircraft specifically for air mail service. The PA-5 Mailwing was primarily for service on the New York-
Atlanta run. The Mailwing carried from 500-600 pounds of mail at a speed of 105 mph.
(Below right) Curtiss Carrier Pigeon II Mailplane, serial number G-2, with a Curtiss Conqueror engine. The first one was the Cur-
tiss entry in the 1925 Post Office competition for a single-seat mail plane to be powered by a Liberty engine. NAT purchased their
first one from the Post Office and had 10 others built. Three new ones were constructed in 1929 as the Carrier Pigeon II, and used
a geared 600 hp Conqueror engine with a useful load of over 2,000 pounds and a cruising speed of 123 mph.
6 FEBRUARY 1995
(Above)The photo shows the amazing
clear-span NAT hangar at Chicago dur-
ing 1930. Inside are three Boeing Model
95 Mailplanes, NC-425E, NC-412E, NC-
397E. Boeing constructed 25 Model 95
Mailplanes during 1929. Twenty went to
Boeing Air Transport, one to NAT, and
four to Western Air Express. With air-
mail carriers emerging as passenger op-
erations using aircraft such as the Ford
Trimotor that carried passengers plus
mail, the Boeing 95 was one of last air-
craft special-built just to carry mail. The
95 had a useful load of over 2,600 pounds
and a cruising speed of 120 mph.
(Left) This view is a good example of the
hustle and bustle that accompanies the
loading of a mailplane. The aircraft is a
Douglas M4 with a Liberty Engine. How
about the 5 cent air mail postage sign on
the mail truck!
(Below) Aerial View of Douglas M4
Mailplane, NAT No. 45. Note the covered
front cockpit, large lights under lower
wing and very tall radio antenna.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
WHAT OUR. MEMBERS ARE RESTORING
by Norm Petersen
ATHOL-ORANGE AERO CLUB
An extremely rare type of flying club
is represented by this photo of the Athol-
Orange Aero Club, Inc. of Athol, Mas-
sachusetts. Located in the northlcentral
part of the state, midway between the
communities of Athol and Orange, MA,
the 45 member flying club is most unique
in its equipment and its longevity. Pic-
tured in front of one of the club ' s
hangars are the club's three tailwheel
aircraft , a 1941 Taylorcraft BL-65,
N33999, SI N 2851 ; a 1949 Piper PA-16
Athol- Orange Aero Club
Clipper, N5972H, SIN 16-596; and a 1946
Aeronca Champ, N83563 , SI N 7AC-
2241. Not e the original paint schemes.
In addition , the club has a Cessna 150
and a 172 for those who enjoy nose-
wheels. The Athol-Orange Aero Club
was founded way back in 1937, starting
with a 40 hp 1-2 Cub and about nine
members. One of the founding mem-
bers, 85-year-old Erwin "Stocky" Stock-
well (EAA 12215) is still going great
guns today and back in 1946, flew the
club' s new Aeronca Champ home from
the factory! The Piper Clipper has been
owned by the club since 1950 and the
Taylorcraft was donated to the club by
member Charles Frenier (EAA 38673)
who had owned it for many, many years.
Two of the club members are A&P me-
chanics and another is a CFI who gives
members their BFR' s. The club has two
hangars with one heated and featuring a
second floor lounge and meeting room
overlooking the airport.
8 FEBRUARY 1995
John and Debbie Baugh's J-3 Cub
Purchased from Mike Butler (EAA
126172, A /C 9070) of Oshkosh, WI , this
19461-3 Piper Cub, N98674, SIN 18804,
was flown to its new home in Nashville,
TN, by John and Debbie Baugh (EAA
64463, A l e 1180) who wer e totally
amazed at the beautiful landscape they
observed on the way, having previously
made the trip numerous times in the
family P-51 Mustang or T-34! The Cub
has since become a family treasure and
you can see the beautiful detail in the in-
terior and on the engine as the airplane
has been steadily upgraded since pur-
chase. At present, John reports the Cub
is down for a tot al recover, so before
long, we will see a bright and shining
new 1-3 on the line. Meanwhile, John
bought Debbie a Super Cub with electric
start so she can keep up with her many,
many Young Eagle rides involving kids
in the Nashville area.
Stinson 108-1 from 45 years ago!
This handsome young man is Ralph
Mosling (EAA 192429) of Oshkosh, WI, pho-
tographed in 1949 standing by the company
owned Stinson 108-1 Voyager at the Oshkosh
Airport. Hi s father was one of the founder ' s
of Oshkosh Truck Corp. and the Stinson was
used in the business for a number of years .
Note the wooden Sensenich propeller, the mi-
carta radio mast for the low-frequency wire
antenna above the cabin and the fuel caps on
the wings with their forward facing tubul ar
vents. The original factory paint scheme was
overall red with a cream colored stripe. Ralph
says he has many fond memories of flying this
Stinson back in "the good old days." He has
been a longtime volunteer for EAA and is a
strong booster for the organization, especiall y
with hi s many business contacts around the
world.
Jerry Guyer's Luscombe 8A
A really happy and contented owner of Luscombe 8A, N77807, SIN 3534,
is Jerry Guyer (EAA 370085, A /C 20476) of Olathe, Kansas. He purchased
the airplane in June of 1993 and has flown it about 300 hours in the last year
and a half, including trips to Kitty Hawk, NC; Bar Harbor, ME, Warrenton,
VA, and EAA Oshkosh! Cruising along at 100 mph (solo), Jerry is amazed
whenever he stops for fuel - someone always comes up to relate their Lus-
combe story or experi ence. At one stop, a 76-year-old man approached with
a cane and explained how a windstorm flipped his Luscombe. Jerry took him
for a most enjoyable ride and the "oldtimer" just bubbl ed with enthusiasm.
Jerry uses a Valcom 760 for communications, however, navigation is by map
and compass. The aeri al photo was taken as the Luscombe cruised over the
level lands of Kansas. ....
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
1959
CESSNA
by Norm Petersen
1808
10 FEBRUARY 1995
(Top) Pulling in close to the photo plane, we
can see Tony Dockendorf grinning from the
right seat as Howard Bell watches (closely)
from the rear seat as Doug Weiler handles the
controls.
(Above) The 470 cubic inch Continental en-
gine drives a constant-speed Hartzell pro-
peller to provide the excellent performance of
a 180. A farmer friend in Minnesota used to
say about his 180, "When you grab a handful
of throttle, by God - somethin' happens!"
(Left) A happy Doug Weiler poses in front of
his award-winning Cessna 180B, realizing he
has come a long way since his first ride in an
Ercoupe at the tender age of five years.
Way back in 1959, the Cessna Aircraft
Company was busy building small er air-
planes (which they have not done in re-
cent years) and among their substantial
production t hat year were 306 Cessna
180B models powered with a Conti nental
0 -470K engines of 230 hp. A popular air-
plane, especially among utility type users,
the 180B has been reduced over the years
to a remaining 101 aircraft on the FAA
register. Numerous others are located
around the world doing yeoman service.
The register total lists 2933 of all the vari-
ous Cessna 180 models remaining.
One of the 101 is N5128E, SIN 50428,
a 1959 model that is owned by Douglas
Weiler (EAA 68701) of Hudson, WI, who
flew the 180B to EAA Oshkosh '94 with
two passengers who are fellow employees
at Northwest Airlines in Minneapolis.
Neither passenger, Tony Dockendorf
(EAA 452542) nor Howard Bell, had at-
tended an Oshkosh Fly-In before. To say
they were wide-eyed would be the under-
statement of the year!
Doug's beautiful 180B caught the AlC
judges eye during its stay in Oshkosh and
when the shouting was over, the neatly
done airplane had won the Custom Class
II Award in the Contemporary category.
Exciting as it may be, it was not Doug
Weiler's first award at Oshkosh. In 1979,
his Cessna 140A, N5389C, SIN 15522, reg-
istered to Doug and his wife, Jean, ran off
+
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u
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~
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(Above) Over the fluffy clouds, the Cessna 180B comes into its own as the pas-
sengers keep a close eye on Bruce Moore's photo plane. The tires on Doug' s
plane are 7:00 X 6, 6-ply and the metal hubcaps came from Aircraft Spruce &
Specialty.
(Left) The tapered spring steel landing gear, patented by Steve Wittman, leads
down to the McCauley wheels and powerful disc brakes, a vital necessity in
handling a Cessna 180 on the ground, especially in strong winds.
with the Outs tanding In Type award for
the Cessna 120/140 class.
Doug Wei ler was smitten with the avi-
ation bug when he had his first ride in an
Ercoupe at the age of five. In 1965 he
soloed a 90 hp 7EC Champ and then went
on to earn his Commercial and CFI tick-
ets. A four-year stint in the Air Force was
followed by 12 years as a corporate pilot
in Ohio, flying a Merlin III, a King Air, a
Westwind, a King Air 100 and a Saber-
liner, plus a few more assorted types. All
of this considerable and varied back-
ground earned him a Ground Instructor's
job at Northwest Airlines. In recent
weeks, he was selected by Northwest to go
"on line" and will be flying a Boeing 727
by the time you read this (and a happier
or more excited pilot you will not find,
anywhere!).
On the personal side, Doug has owned
two Vagabonds, two Citabrias, a Cessna
170, a Cessna 140A, a Champ and the
Cessna 180B. His lovely wife, Jean, is also
a pilot and their two boys, Craig, age 12
and Dale, age 10, are showing a notice-
able "aviation bent " just like their par-
ents.
The 180B was purchased in 1985 in
Richmond, VA, where it had served for
many years as an aerial photographer ' s
platform with a special camera hole in the
belly of the aircraft. The photographer
would sit in the baggage compartment and
work the huge aerial camera mounted in
the floor in front of him while the pilot at-
tended his duties from the front seat. Be-
cause of this type of work, the Cessna had
received excellent maintenance over the
many years and had usually been
hangared.
One item the seller agreed to was to
have the Hartzell propeller yellow tagged
before delivery. Doug says this item alone
cost the seller about $2800 before the job
was completed.
A new cowling helped to clean up the
front end of the airplane while inside,
Doug built a new instrument panel to up-
grade the capabilities and also re-wire the
entire panel and electrical system. A new
interior was next on the agenda. When
the old headliner was removed, several
dead mice were found that when ex-
punged, really helped to clean up the odor
in the cabin! Extra soundproofing was
added before the new interior was in-
stalled to quiet the cabin in flight. In ad-
dition, a new back seat was installed, the
photo opening in the belly was covered
over and the interior paint was all redone.
New glass all around helped to brighten
up the cabin and improve visibility over
the old glazing.
Externally, all new bolts were in-
stalled in the tail section and a new Scott
3400 tailwheel was installed to assist the
pilot in severe crosswinds - when he needs
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
(Top) Cruising over the Wis-
consin countrysi de with the
sun illuminating the pretty paint
scheme is Doug Weiler' s award
-winning Cessna 1808, N5128E.
(Left) Custom panel built by
Doug Weiler features a shock-
mounted gyro panel on the left,
engine instruments in the cen-
ter with radios above and t o
the right. A really neat and well
thought out touch are the
small , non-skid strips fastened
on the lower rudder pedals.
+
Patiently waiti ng to go roaring off into the blue sky, the Cessna 1808 cuts a pretty
picture as it sits in the green Wisconsin grass. Many pilots enjoy the "look" of a tail-
dragger as it rests on the ground - ready to go.
12 FEBRUARY 1995
+
all t he help he can get! Shortly after this
work was completed, Doug was flying
one day when he saw t he ammeter peg
itself on the discharge side. The genera-
tor had gone to " melt down" and the
s urge of e lectricity took about $2000
wort h of e lectronics with it. Biting his
upper lip, Doug invested in a new 50-
amp a lternator and started fixing each
item in order. Thankfully, the problem
has never returned.
Eventuall y the old paint job had to go,
so the Cessna was flown to Aero Services
in Springfield, IL, where the award-win-
ning paint scheme was put on with Alumi-
gripTM paint. Doug says he sent about five
pages of instructions along to the shop,
however, the paint job came out perfect in
spite of all his "help."
With a 1035 lb. useful load, the 180B
trucks along at 131 kts. at a setting of 21
inches and 2300 rpm and burning about
11 gph. It is possible to slow down to 115
kts. and with proper leaning, cruise along
at 8 gph which puts maximum range at
nearly e ight hours with 65 gallons on
board. For a family of four, like Doug,
Jean and their two sons, the 180 is the
perfect airplane. It gets off well , hauls a
nice load and is comfortable to fly over
considerable dista nces. Throw in the op-
tions of auto fuel , skis and floats , the 180
becomes a most desirable airplane. And
then to top it off, it wi ll even bring home
a Custom Class II Award in the Contem-
porary bracket. A hearty "Congrat ula-
tions" to Doug and Jean Wei ler of Hud-
son, Wisconsin. ...
Text and photos by H.C. Frautschy
(Top) If you ever wondered what the puffs of smoke looked like as they
left the exhaust stack, here you go! Richard "Bud" Fuchs, of St. Louis,
MO, is a CFI in addition to his airshow work with his 0-175 Staggerwing.
Bud gave a special talk, "Flying the Staggerwing," in addition to his flight
and proficiency checks offered at the Convention.
(Above) An old, antique aviator (aka Bill Allen of San Diego, CAl tried to
gladhand his way into a few more airplane parts from Staggerwing Mu-
seum Foundation president John Parish.
ospitality
L e 1994 Staggerwing Convention, held in Tulla-
homa, TN, was a wonderful experience for antique
airplane folks who love the Staggerwing and its rel-
atives, the Travel Air and Twin Beech, not to men-
tion their invited guests, the Howards, Twin Bonan-
zas and Spartans. While the weather was not
cooperative during the beginning of the convention,
it cleared nicely for the weekend, and our generous
hosts, the John Parish family, made SUre that all
who were interested were made to feel welcome.
The highlight of the weekend was the dedication
of the new Beech Center, linking the Eddie Ross
Restoration Center with the Thaden Office and Li-
brary as well as the main museum building and the
Olive Ann Beech Chapel.
During the Saturday evening banquet, Margie
Lindemer and the Lindemer family accepted the
1994 Staggerwing Merit Award posthumously for
Lewis "Bud" Lindemer, who was lost to the family
and his fellow Staggerwingers on July 4,1994. Bob
Hoff, last year's recipient presented the award with
honor and kindness. While saddened by their loss,
the Lindemer family was comforted by the thoughts
expressed to them by their fellow Staggerwing en-
thusiasts. Lindy had been selected prior to his death
to receive the Merit award for his outstanding con-
tribution to the Staggerwing Cl ub and the Founda-
tion of his time, talent, resources and especially his
"let's do it" attitude.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13
(Above) The new Beech Center at
the Staggerwing Museum in Tulla-
homa, TN honors the memory and
accomplishments of both Olive and
Walter Beech, and it showcases the
restored Staggerwing SIN 1 rescued
from an upstate New York farm field
by the late Steve Pfister.
(Below) SIN 1 as it now rests in the
Beech Center. The inset pictures
show an unusual feature of this Stag-
gerwing, something that production
models didn't have - a split rudder to
act as an air brake. Staggerwing
Museum Foundation president John
Pari sh shows off the rudder in the
deployed position.
14 FEBRUARY 1995
(Above) E.C. " Dub" Yarbrough' s Travel Air frames the
Staggerwing line in front of the Staggerwing Museum.
In the background you can see skydivers as they end
their jumps at the Tullahoma airport. Excellent cooper-
ation by the jumpers and the Staggerwing fly-in meant
there were no traffic conflicts, and the convention
crowd was treated to the sight of multiple jumper for-
mations above the airport as they jumped from a DC-3.
(Continued on page 23)
(Above and left) James and Shirley Bohlander of Marengo, IL flew their
E-17B, SIN 198 to the Staggerwing Convention. They're flying to the
satisfying breakfast put on by EAA Chapter 699 at Winchester, TN.
Jim, a retired airline pilot, was a smooth and attentive formation pilot.
This was the first appearance at a Staggerwing Convention by this par-
ticular Staggerwing.
(Below right) Christine and Paul St. Onge came to the convention in
her bright blue C-17B.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15
1930
THOMPSON TROPHY
by Frank Warren
The winners:
#77 Charles "Speed" Holman - Laird Solution
201.9 mph
#35 James Hazlip - Travel Air Mystery "S"
199.8 mph
#37 Ben Howard - Howard Special "Ike"
162.8 mph
Others in the race:
#83 Paul Adams - Travel Air Speedwing
#92 Bvrett Williams - Wedell Williams
#28 Frank Hawks - Travel Air Mystery "S"
#27 Capt. Arthur Page - modified Curtiss 3
16 FEBRUARY 1995
1929
THOMPSON CUP
by Frank Warren
The winners:
#31 Doug Davis - Travel Air Model R
194.90 mph
#80 Lt. R. G. Breene - Curtiss XP-3A
186.84 mph
# Roscoe Turner - Lockheed Vega 163.80
mph
Others in the race:
#210 Lt. II Clark - Curtiss F6C-3
#33 I.M. McConaughey - Travel Air
Bll-D
#71 H.S. Myhres - Simplex
#30 CD. Boyer - Cessna Airmaster
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17
LAIRD
"
18 FEBRUARY 1995
by Norm Petersen
(Top) You can almost feel the power im-
pulses of the 450 Pratt as Jimmy brings the
Laird in close to the photo plane. One has
to look close to be absolutely sure it isn' t
"Speed" Holman in the cockpit.
(Above left) This is 1929 all over again!
Note the unusual rudder pedals with the
inboard extensions for wheel brakes. The
pilot slides his foot inward when brakes
are needed and presses on the rudder bar
extension. The button on the right of the
instrument panel is the starter - real class
for 1929!
(Left) The business offices of the sleek
Laird complete with "period" instruments
in the rear cockpit and mahogany instru-
ment panels. Note the tiny door for enter-
ing the two-place front cockpit.
T
he voice on the phone was in-
quisitive, " Where could I find
a ha nga r for a month or two
during EAA Oshkosh?" It was fun
t o talk aga in with a rea l, airpl a ne-
lovin' guy from Californi a. But why
did he need a hangar for so long?
In short order, the exciting answers
came to light - Jimmy Rollison (EAA
181914, A /C 9884) of Vacaville, CA ,
was bringing hi s long awaited Lai rd
"Speedwing," NC4442, SIN 203, to the
big EAA affa ir in Oshkosh! A close
fri end of mine, with a distinct weak-
ness for biplanes, agreed to give up his
hangar for those portions of Jul y and
August necessary to house the Laird
during it s s t ay in Os hkos h , so th e
fri e nd was put in touch with Jimmy
a nd a rr angeme nts wer e comple t ed .
The wait began.
Meanwhile, the stork was making a
second delivery to the Rollison house-
hold in the form of young James Rus-
sell Rollison, named for hi s grandfa-
the r , a nd by introducing a fe w
complica ti o ns (as yo ungs t e r s are
known to do) , he managed to hold up
the Oshkosh de pa rture of the Laird
fo r sever al wee ks. Jimmy's wife,
Mary Ann, was busy with their 4-year-
old daught e r , J ane, a nd their newly
arri ved son, so Jimmy's close fri end,
Ba rry We ll s (EAA 391999, A /C
17765) was elected to the once-in-a-
lifetime treat of fl ying front seat in a
Laird Speedwing from Cali fornia to
Oshkosh.
Early in the morning of July 26, the
Laird was packed full of all the neces-
sary goodi es that two men need for a
ten day tri p a nd the bi g P&W R-985
e ngine was fir ed up. T a keoff
was at 7 a. m. and the twosome,
with Jimmy in the rear cockpi t
and Barry packed in the fr ont
cockpit , a nd every conceivable
s pace a r o und him fill ed with
a bo ut 120 lbs. of stuff, head ed
northeast along Interstate 80 at
160 mph - trul y a unique cruis-
ing speed fo r an open cock-
pit bi pla ne - but th a t 's
what Matty Laird designed into t he
Speedwing.
Most legs were about two hours in
length , as Jimmy says the wind a nd
noise get prett y severe beyond that.
Besides, the "old bod" needs a chance
to stre tch a nd r es t aft e r flying that
long. The airplane is quite stabl e but
a bit heavy on the controls, much like
a n N3N bipl a ne. The front control
stick had been re moved for the trip
(more room for stuff) so Jimmy had to
do all the fl ying from the rear cockpit.
Barry Well s expl ained, "Each stop
would r eall y bring out th e l oca ls !
They wa nt ed t o know wha t kind of
airplane it was, never having seen a
Laird before. Howe ve r , a t Ogde n,
Utah , a n e lde rl y ma n, nea rl y 80,
walked up and immedi ately identified
th e a irpl a ne a nd told a bo ut fl ying
the m many years ago! He o ffe red a
wealth of informa tion o n Laird air-
pl anes and Jimmy a nd I li st e ned in-
te ntly to hi s eve ry wo rd - afr aid we
mi ght mi ss some thing!" Ba rry said
the entire trip felt almost like a " time-
warp" - making a 1929 trip in 1994 -
a n expe ri e nce like he had neve r had
before or since.
The ove rni ght stop was made a t
Cheyenne, WY, where the two travel-
ers a nd their airpl a ne we re made t o
feel completely welcome. The service
was so exception a l, th ey s t o ppe d
overni ght o n th e r e turn tr i p a t th e
same pl ace ! The next morning, they
were off and running earl y with a stop
at Kearney, NE for fuel, foll owing the
"concrete compass" call ed Interstate
80. The next stop was at Olin ( Ol e)
Pas h's beautiful airport at Ha rl a n,
Iowa, easily located by the Re-
publi c F-84 mo unt e d o n a
conc r e t e pyl o n! Aga in ,
they we r e tr e at ed like r oyalt y a nd
made it a point to re me mbe r to stop
for fuel on the return trip.
The final fli ght for day No.2 was
into Madison, WI , where the duo en-
joyed a beautiful welcome and stayed
over to ent er the busy Oshkosh pat -
t e rn earl y the next morning (wi se
move). Needless to say, the arrival in
Oshkosh of the first ever Laird Speed-
wing creat ed quit e a se nsation and
Jimmy Rollison and Barry Wells were
as busy as one-armed paper hangers
trying to answer all the questions that
were offered by the multitudes. Many
inte rvie ws including some (on ca m-
e ra) in front of th.e A ntique/Classic
Red Barn were conducted to learn the
fascinating hi story of a 1929 Laird bi-
pl ane that fl ew for the ver y fi rst time
in February of 1993!
How could this be? It seems that
in the tough times of the earl y 1930's
depression, E. M " Ma tt y" Laird had
built two Speedwing airpl a nes a nd
was we ll int o the thi r d a ir fr a me
whe n the fina nci a l r o pe got too
sho rt a nd he closed hi s Chicago
+
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19
(Left) Beautiful view of the famous
"double cowl" designed by Matty
Laird. Note four flying wires and
two landing wires in wing truss, a
sign of a rugged airplane. Aluminum
"javelin" stops wires from vibrating.
(Below) In 1929, a fast airplane re-
quired a large engine and a small
airframe. Please note that the
Speedwing has plenty of both! Very
sanitary engine and prop installation
caught the judges attention.
factory. T he airframe was crated up
a nd s t o r e d fo r a spe ll before be ing
sold for $450 (plus $145 for crati ng) to
Bud Powell in 1940. It passed through
sever al hands before ending up in t he
hands of noted ant iquer J oe Erale on
Long Island, NY. It was at this junc-
ture that Jimmy Rollison's fa ther , Ji m
Rollison, learned of the Speedwi ng's
existe nce and whil e fl ying for TW A,
Jim visit ed J oe Erale a nd purchased
the cr a t es of Speedwin g pa r ts for
$1000 plus a 450 P&W engine for an-
othe r $700. Much to hi s future cha-
grin, Jim declined to purchase another
of Joe's offers: the single pl ace Laird
Solution for $750!
The crates of Speedwing parts were
deli vered to the Rollison household in
Vacav ill e, CA, whe r e the young
Jimmy Rolli son would use the m for
20 FEBRUARY 1995
playing "Jungle Jim" and other kid' s
games. Who would ever suspect that
nearly forty years later, the grown up
Jimmy Rollison would fly to the huge
EAA Oshkosh '94 ga thering in the
same Laird that was packed in the
crates. The road to Oshkosh '94
would prove to be a long one.
Numerous attempts at completing
the Speedwing were started over the
years but often the people doing the
work would run up against the lack of
factory drawings to make the neces-
sary parts to complete the airplane.
One such attempt involved a number
of years of work by noted antiquer,
Forrest Lovley (EAA 19414, A IC
3136), whose shop is located just south
of Minneapolis, near Jordan, MN. On
several occasions, this author was per-
mitted to examine the Laird closely as
it was being worked on in the shop.
The many, many clever details as de-
signed by Matty Laird were evident in
the structure as Forrest carefully ex-
plained the project. To me, it was the
treat of a lifetime that ran shiv-
ers down my spine as I stood
in total awe of Matty Laird's
if it were your own airplane," Dan be-
gan the formidable job.
Using an English wheel to form
many of the compound aluminum
panels and employing a unique grease
gun rig that forces aluminum into the
proper shape, Dan was able to pro-
duce some very nice pieces that helped
to maintain " the look " that Matty
Laird was capable of designing. Re-
me mber that this airplane is a small,
high speed, biplane with a big 450
Pratt e ngine out front to make it go.
A e rodynamic cleanliness is of the
essence.
The " doubl e cowl" was one of
Matty Laird' s ideas that really helped
in the drag department. The first cowl
handl es engine cooling air whil e the
second contains all the accessori es
and oil tank that have bl ast tubes di-
rected to them. All this "stuff" is out
of the slipstream which reduces drag.
In addition, the large, narrow Bendix
wheels with their 12-inch mechanica l
brakes inside produce minimal drag.
nal colors of black and gold (Matty
Laird 's trademark) were done in
DuPont Centari acrylic enamel with a
flex agent added. The interior of the
cockpit s was don e in black leather
sewn by Dan Murray's wife, Linda.
Again, attention to detail is evident
and one really gets a feeling of 1929
when sitting in the airplane.
By February of 1993, the long, long
process of finally completing the Laird
Speed wing had come to pass and Dan
Murray called Jimmy Rolli so n to
come to Santa Paula and get ready for
the first fli ght. As Jimmy says, " It was
quite a day. I felt like a genuine Laird
factory test pilot - which I was! There
were no r ea l probl e ms on that first
flight. The a irpl a ne was nose heavy
and there were little adjustments here
and there that would have to be made,
but they all seeme d insi gnifica nt to
me. I was flying The Laird! All those
years, all the dreams and frustrations,
the memori es of Matty ... . I'll go to
my grave with no other feeling like I
had that day. The fun meter
was really pegged that day."
Dan Murray made the sec-
brainchild . Such impressions
The Laird was started in the early 1930's by
o nd flight in the Laird and
are remembered forever.
the crew in Matty Laird's factory, but
came up with a couple of ideas
Eventually, Jim Rolli son for fine tuning the airplane.
wasn't completed until 1993 ...
decided to sell the Laird pro- Considerable weight was
j ect , and although other av- added to the t ai l to get rid of
enues were open, it was tough the nose heaviness and a llow
to see the airplane in any other
"It was quite a day. I felt like a genuine
three-point landings. Both pi-
hands. The young Jimmy Rol- lot s agreed the airplane was
lison, knowing what the Laird
Laird factory test pilot - which I was!"
blessed with excess power-
meant to his father, went all
out to acqui re the project - and
succeeded! The entire project
was trucked from Minnesota
to California and the next sce-
nario began.
Receiving a phone call one day
from Matty Laird's grandson, Jimmy
was asked if he was interested in some
old airplane blueprints that he had in-
herited. Later that same day, Jimmy
was in Carson City, NV, goi ng over
original factory blueprints that Matty
had drawn years ago, going all the
way back to Wichita. Among the huge
collection of cotton vellums were the
Speedwing drawings - the key to com-
pleting the airplane. Here was the
missing link.
Not too long after this major find,
Jimmie ran into Dan Murray (EAA
199326, AIC 9377) , aircraft rebui lder
from Santa Paula , CA. After some
negotiations, a deal was st ruck for
Dan to fin ish the Speedwing and the
project (en masse) was delivered to
his shop on November 1991. Taking
inventory, D an fo und he had the
wings, tail surfaces, a seat, two I-struts
(both for the same side!), the fuselage
and most of the landing gear. With in-
structions from Jimmy to " restore it as
just add "coal" and climb from
any attitude - it reall y moves
- Jimmy Rollison
out sma rtl y. Getting us ed to
Fort unately, the set of smoot h Uni-
versa l tires to fit the Bendix whee ls
had been purchased years ear li e r
when they were still avai lable. Al-
though the Laird would nor ma ll y
have had a tailskid installed in 1929
(all grass a nd dirt runways), a Scott
3200 tailwheel was installed for use on
hard surface runways and taxiways.
Although the BT-13 engine pur-
chased with the project many years
ago was avai labl e, it was held in re-
serve and another Pratt & Whitney R-
985 was majored and installed in the
airplane. It swings a Hamilton metal
propeller that was rescued from the
office wall of a Ford Motor Co. execu-
tive by a friend of the Rollisons. Ap-
parently it had become surplus when
it was replaced on the nose of a Ford
Tri Motor by a three-bladed prop de-
veloped by Ford under license from
Hamilton.
Being sold on the Blue River Ce-
conite covering process, Dan Murray
covered the e ntire airplane with this
system up through final finish. The fi-
the brakes was a bit unusual as
Matty Laird had designed rud-
der pedals with extensions inboard to
slide your toe upon and push. Once
the all-important "feel" is learned, the
brakes are quite effective. Directional
control is quite outstanding with the
rudder producing directional author-
ity right from the start. Like nearly all
biplanes, the Laird is blind in the
three-point position, but it isn't
twitchy and mean - it tracks straight!
Various trips were made in the
western part of the U.S. before the
long trip to Oshkosh. On a ll occa-
sions, the speedy biplane performed
perfectly and came home with an
award at nearly every fly-in including
Grand Champion at t he 1994 Cactus
Fly-In.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday night at
Oshkosh '94, a s light miscue on the
timing of the awards program had
both Jimmie Rolli son and Barry Wells
absent when the winner of the Out-
standing Open Cockpi t Award for the
Silver Age bracket (1928 - 1932) was
a nnounce d: 1929 Laird LC-RW300,
NC4442, Jimmy Rollison, Vacavill e,
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
CA. However, all was not lost as the
beautiful Lindy trophy was soon de-
live re d to Jimmy for it s pr esti gious
ride home in a genuine Laird Speed-
wing.
Leaving Oshkosh on Wedn esday
mo rning with a ll t he ir necess iti es
tucked int o the streamlined airframe,
the dynamic duo of Rolli son and Wells
headed the speedy biplane southwest
from Oshkosh, picked up Interst ate 80
and headed west wit h the first stop at
O le Pas h 's H a ri a n, I owa a irport.
Fr o m t he r e , the wes tbou nd fli ght
stopped at Lexington, NE for fue l be-
fore headi ng int o Cheyenne, WY for
an welcome overnight stop.
Feeling a ce rt ain kinship wit h and
reve re nce for " Speed " Holma n a nd
Jimmy Doolittl e, bot h forme r La ird
A happy f amily by their pride and joy. Jimmy and Mary Ann Roll ison with their three-
year -old daughter, Jane, pose by the family chariot, the Laird Speedwing, NC4442,
SIN 203.
22 FEBRUARY 1995
r acing pilot s, it was easy for Jimmy
and Ba rry to unde rst a nd how these
forme r gr eats could like such an air-
pl ane. Matty Laird's genius was easy
to unde rstand as they sped west t o-
wards the setting sun. By evening, the
La ird was back in its ha ngar a t Nut
Tree Airport , Vacavill e, CA, and two
ve ry tir e d ( but ha ppy) pil o t s we r e
glad to be home.
The trip to Oshkosh had taken 12
hours and thirty minutes and the trip
ho me r e quire d thirt ee n hou rs with
nary a mi ss of any kind from the Pratt
& Whitney engine. And the fa bul ous
pe opl e they ha d me t a long the way
made the e ntire t r ip a n exciting ad-
ve nture - r eserved for the ve ry, very
few who had exper ie nce d the vibra-
ti ons of a Laird Speed wing.
Jimmy Rollison has fl own the air-
pl a ne a bo ut 160 h o ur s t o da t e a nd
looks forward to many more hours of
pure j oy with the Speedwin g. Hi s
good fri end, Barry We ll s, has just fin-
is hed a 1943 Lockheed " Lodestar",
N6166, whi ch used to belong to actor
Car y Grant. With its bi g Wr ight R-
1820 engines of 1350 hp each, you will
know when it arrives at EAA Oshkosh
' 95.
Have you eve r no ti ced how this
bus in ess ge t s mo r e excit i ng every
'* year?
STAGGBKWING
(Continued from page 15)
(Above) The Travel Air Mystery Ship, NR 1313,
is currently under restoration as resources per-
mit - here, you can see the right wing and prop
prior to their restoration.
(Left) Jim Gorman and Dub Yarbrough look on
as Robert Parish accepts the 1994 Staggerwing
"Young Eagle" award from Ron Morrison, who
was last year's winner.
(Below) Among other invited guests of the
Staggerwing Museum Foundation during the
Convention are Howard aircraft. This Howard
DGA-15P is owned and flown by Clayton Graves
of Santa Paula, California.
(Above) The Staggerwing Museum in Tulla-
homa, TN is full of interesting artifacts, includ-
ing numerous t ools used to build Staggerwings.
These are some of the tools built and used by
Eldon " Bud" Penny who among other tasks,
spliced the cables on the first 10 Staggerwings.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23
(Above) Ron and Mark Morrison pilot the family's F-17D Stagger-
wing. First restored by their late father Bill, the airplane was al-
most completely destroyed in a hangar fire. The Morrisons then re-
stored the airplane in Bill 's honor.
(Left) Mary Lynn Beech Oliver, Jennifer Oliver Matson and Suzanne
Beech Warner were on hand to attend the dedication of the new
Beech Center at the Staggerwing Museum. Jennifer, one of Olive's
grandchildren, and Mattie Schultz (not shown), the Museum Foun-
dation's executive Director, cut the ribbon to formally dedicate the
Center. Mary Lynn and Suzanne are Olive Ann Beech's daughters.
The Staggen.uing Convention is open to all who enjoy the Staggerwing. To attend the Convention, Staggerwing Museum
Foundation membership is required. Dues are $30 per year, and if you are passing anywhere close by, you owe yourself a
visit to this world class facility. The mailing address is: StaggerwingMuseum Foundation, P.O. Box 550, Tullahoma, TN
37388. For directions or more information, you can call them at 615/455-1974. ....
24 FEBRUARY 1995
ysteryPane
side view of this aircraft equipped
with a tail wheel and front landing
gear. Where or when the picture was
taken we do not know."
John Underwood, Glendale, CA
adds:
"It's the Schroeder-Wentworth
Mercury SWM, built by Mercury Air-
craft at Hammonsport, NY for the
1929 Guggenheim Safe Airplane
Competition, in its original form. The
central undercarriage and outriggers
were replaced after taxi trials with a
more conventional straight-axle land-
ing gear. This was a big airplane, the
largest of all the entries, with a span of
This moth's Mystery Plane should be
a comparatively easy one. The license
number is a give away! But there must
be more interesting information on it,
such as how many were built, etc. An-
swers will be published in the May 1995
issue of VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Dead-
line for that issue is March 25, 1995.
The November Mystery Plane was a
mystery to many - only a few answers
were recieved. J.F. Mead, Jr., Chairman
of the Board, Mercury Aircraft, Inc.,
Hammondsport, NY writes:
"The airplane is the Schroeder-
Wentworth safety ship designed by
Major "Shorty" Schroeder to compete
in the Guggenheim Trophy Event in
1929 and built by the Aerial Service
Corporation of Hammondsport, New
York. Note the unusual center fuse-
lage landing wheel and large variable
wing camber in the side view picture.
"I have been told this aircraft was
successfully tested in Hammondsport;
dismantled and shipped to Roosevelt
Field, Long Island, where it was dam-
by George Hardie
aged and withdrawn from competi-
tion. I do not know what happened to
the aircraft as it was never returned to
Hammondsport. Page 8 of the Octo-
ber 1992 Vintage Airplane shows a
57 feet and 480 square feet of wing
area. It was 30 feet in length and had
a 150 hp Comet.
"Unique features were the full-
span variable camber capability, hy-
draulically articulated, and
Schroeder's automatic, two-position
propeller. Harvey Mummert had a
hand in its conception and supervised
its construction. Unfortunately, there
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25
was no time for test ing and the SWM
was trucked to Mitchel Field, Long Is-
land, to meet the deadli ne.
" Schroede r took it up for a test
hop on 21 November 1929 to try the
variable camber and ai leron control,
got into a spiral at 300 feet and nearly
augered into the base hospital. T he
fact t hat he was not injured spoke
we ll for the craft's struct u ra l in-
tegrity. Howeve r , the SWM was
damaged beyond repair and o ut of
the running.
" R.W. "Shorty" Schroeder was an
Early Bird (1910) and noted test pi lot,
bot h in and out of the military. He is
perhaps best remembered for his high
flying (1919) and pylon turns in the
first Ford Trimotor at t he National
Air Races. "
Other answers were received from
Charl ey Hayes, New Lenox, IL and
Robert Wynne, Mercer Island, WA.
(Above and left) These two
views of the Schroeder-Went-
worth safety ship show the full
span variable camber wing.
Unfortunately, the variable
geometry wing did not prove
to be successful in this case,
as R.W. " Shorty" Schroeder
spiraled in from 300 feet at
Mitchel Field, Long Island, NY
just before the trials were to
begin for the Guggenheim Safe
Airplane Competition.
(Right) The Schroeder -Wentworth
saf ety ship in its original configura-
t i on, including outri gger style landing
gear and 150 hp Comet engine.
26 FEBRUARY 1995
-.;." \,/u')
• . l(.,
r.,J •
•
PASS
dfo,
B UCK
by Buck Hilbert • EAA #21 • Ale #5 • P.O. Box 424 • Union, IL 60180
Dear Buck,
I'm writing to you since I often read
your column in Vintage Airplane and
know you are receptive to correspond-
ing with "wannabee" restorers like
me. I am a 400+ hour pilot, presently
grounded since I moved to Toledo and
sold my share in a P A28-R200 and
have kids in college. I want an air-
plane so bad I can taste it, but I can't
afford much right now.
I've been toying with the idea of
restoring a nice old short wing Piper
or similar, but i don't have an A&P li-
cense, and I'm befuddled by all the
FAA rules about "lay" people work-
ing on certified airplanes. I am me-
chanically inclined, love working on
machinery of all types, have an engi-
neering degree (and career), and know
I could do justice to an aircraft restora-
tion project. I just don't know how to
get around all the restrictions and road
blocks set up by the government.
I suspect that other folks have ac-
complished beautiful aircraft restora-
tions without being government certi-
fied. My question is - How? Do I
need to develop a friendship with an
AI somewhere (don't know any
around here yet) in order to do the
work myself? Do I need to hire an AI
to inspect my work at various steps in
the process? If so, how are these steps
defined?
As you can tell, I'm totally ignorant
of the requirements for a commoner
to do a restoration job. If there is a
way around all the red tape, I don ' t
know about it. Can you help me un-
derstand in plain language what I need
to do to get a legal restoration com-
pleted.
Thanks for any response. SSAE
enclosed.
Sincerely,
Daniel J. Shoop
Maumee, OH
Hi Dan,
Happy New Year! Didn't mean to de-
lay this reply, but the holidays and all ...
There is no reason you couldn't do a
restoration on an antique or classic air-
plane. Others have done it, and you can
too.
Don't be too concerned with the go v-
Dean and Jean Thomas, Liberty, SC sent along this photo and a "birth announcement" detailing the arrival of their "new" 1955
Champion 7EC, N29246, SIN 334. It has the standard Continental C-90 engine, and boasts a useful load of 570 Ibs. Congratula-
tions on your new arrival!
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27
ernment. If you are abl e to ge t ac-
quainted through your local EAA Chap-
ter or from the local scene somewhere,
with a friendly A&P or an fA, then you
can work under their supervision. Get
yourself a copy of Adv isory Circular
AC43. 13 (Acceptabl e Methods, Tech-
niques, and Practices - Aircraft Inspec-
tion and Repair) from the FAA and use
that as a guide when you have a ques-
tion. Also, many of the manufacturers
such as Poly Fiber and Cooper publish
information/how-to booklet s that are
free for the asking. And don' t forget the
excellent videos that EAA produces -
the Welding, Covering with Ray Stit s
and others are all a bonanza of informa-
tion on how all of these processes work
(See page 32 for ordering information) .
The A&P or IA need only make an occa-
sional inspection as you progress or be
there if you have a problem or question.
I know there must be some more peo-
ple in the Tol edo, OH area, I don' t have
an up-to-date Chapter Directory, but if
you call the EAA Chapter Office up in
Oshkosh, 414/ 426-4876, they'll give you
the location of the nearest EAA or A/C
Chapter, along with a local contact.
Over to you,
Buck
Certainly there must be many others
out there like Dan who want to rebuild
and airplane, and ha e the talent do so,
but lack the guidance to get started. f
sent the address of a mechanic I know
in the general region to Dan, but for
many others out there in a similar situ-
ation, you may wish to try this in addi-
tion to the EAA Chapter route. If you
know what type of airplane you're in-
terested in, ie. a fabric co ered tai/-
dragger, or if you want something co -
ered with sheet metal, ask around at
your local airport - odd are there are
one or two A &P's in your area who
ha e become known as "old airplane"
mechanics. You 'll want someone fa-
miliar with the typ e of airplane you
want to rebuild - these days, A&P's are
not taught ery much about steel tube,
fabric co ered airplanes, so there are
fe wer around who kno w the typ e.
Once you find out who they are, you
may wish to approach them about your
project. The worst they can say is no,
right?
Dear Buck,
While in the process of acquiring an
Aeronca C-3 Master, the lack of relia-
bility of the magneto on the E-113 en-
gine was mentioned.
Len Tanner mentioned that you
had an STC to modify the mag to make
it more re liable. I would most appre-
ciate any information regarding your
modification.
Thanks,
Jim McCord
Lansdale, P A
Happy New Year Jim!
I don ' t know whether to congratulate
you or ki ck you, everybody knows that
Aeronca C-3s are worthless! Hah! If we
can keep them believing that we can have
them all to ourselves!
I am enclosing the Dan Kindel Conver-
New Members
Ken Godsell Belmond, lA
Charl es Grauer Wilson, KS
Bill y Dan Greeson Winchester, TN
Larry Greiner Bell eville, IL
Judy Haight Madison, WI
George W. Hamm Jefferson, MD
Gregg Hart Eden Prairie, MN
Arthur W. Heilmer Bloomington, MN
Leroy V. Hendricks Larned. KS
William C. Hoffman Somerset, PA
Marvis T. Hogen Kadoka, SO
Harry Hough Anchorage, AK
Frank E. Howard Macon, GA
Fred Huey Tyrone, GA
John W. Hughes Houston, TX
Donald W. Hull Baton Rouge, LA
G. Roland Jenson
Outl ook, Saskatchewan, Canada
Harry W. Jones Centervill e, IN
Marvin K. J ordan Rensselaer, IN
James R. Kale Enterpri se, AL
Leroy J. Keilman Billings, MT
Duane Kennedy Vancouver, WA
J. P. King Gadsden, AL
Willi am A. Aaberg Stought on, WI Craig Craft Aberdeen, MS James R. Kn ight Bismarck, NO
Gary S. All en Las Vegas, NV Wilbur D. Crawford Kansas Cit y, MO Scott A. Liefeld Palmdale, CA
James C. Anderson Dunbar, WV Robert W. Davenport Vero Beach, FL Willi am H. Lightstone Dall as, TX
Ed Auker Hardi n, MT Irl Davis Gig Harbor, W A
W. H. Lowther Lynn, MA
Chris R. Austin Palm Coast, FL Gerard J. Dederi ch Wadsworth, I L Brooks Marqoli en Stow, MA
W. Douglas Auxi er Batavia, OH Joel Di xon Beverl y, OH Norman L. Massey Middleborough, MA
David A. Baird Salt Lake City, UT Philip M. Dodderidge Bluemont , VA Norbert Ma urer Cincinnati ,OH
P. W. Benecke Hong Kong Dal Donner Arlington, TX Ri chard McDonald Subtle, KY
Greg Bordelon Houston, TX Michael Dubin San Luis Obispo, CA Wayne McLaughlin Ft Worth, TX
Donn T. Borden Wellington, NV Eric F. Dyck Chill iwack, B.C. , Canada Ri chard McLean Canyon Lake, TX
Joseph W. Braswell Oakwood, GA Earl Eberl y Portland, OR Ri chard L. Merkley Weyauwega, WI
Gerald R. Brown Aurora, NE L. Bea r Ebert Fayetteville, GA Joseph N. Miller Pocono Pines, PA
Larry Buck Rural Retreat, V A John E. Eichman Fort Wayne, IN Michael H. Misinco Macon, GA
Phillip G. Burgess Fairfield, PA Sal Fall avollita Miami , FL Alan Douglas Moler Wichita, KS
Scott L. Burnett Wightwood, CA Randy Flagg St rong, ME Mary C. Morong Spring, TX
Carl E. Carr Rockfo rd, OH Dan K. Fl ahert y Granite City, IL Stephen M. Murphy
Heather Casey Sherwood, AR Ronald E. France Brighton, MI Tull amarine, Victori a, Australi a
Cary D. Conklin Scoti a, NY Paolo Gaggioli Grosseto, Italy Patricia A. Moyer Yamhill , OR
Dennis L. Cot a Hains City, FL Igor Gamarra Buena Park, CA
Jerry Nelson Hillsboro, OR
28 JANUARY 1995
sion that I have been running on my C-
3(s) for over thirty years. In all that time
I have never had an ignition problem nor
has anyone else that made the conversion.
The only one that we so far as to sub-
mit a 337 on the installation was John
Kuranz and I have included a copy for
your perusal. John did not get an STC
but a field approval for the entire airplane
which included this modification as well
as several others such as brakes and a tail-
wheel. He has been flying the airplane for
abou t twelve years and again has had no
problems.
If you have trouble finding a magneto
and the impulse, I may be able to help
you. Meanwhile I, we, would appreciate
info and pictures of your project so that
we can maybe put you in Vintage Air-
plane. H.G. and I are always interested
and so are our Antique/Classic members
in what a guy does with his airplanes.
Over to you Jim,
------------
Fly-In
Calendar
The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of ill formation
only alld does not COllstitllle approval, sponsorship, involvemellt, cOlltrol or direction of
any evellt (/1y-in, seminars, fly market, etc.) listed Please send the information to EAA,
Att: Golda Cox, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Informatioll should be
receivedfour momhs prior to the evellt date.
FEB. 18 - MINNEAPOLIS, MN - 1995
APRIL 29 - LEVELLAND, TX - EAA
Minnesota Sport Aviation Conference.
Chapter 19 Fly-In Breakfast. 8061797-1900.
612/296-8202. APRIL 29·30 - GRIFFIN, GA - Alexan-
FEB. 25-26 - RIVERSIDE, CA - EAA
der Aeroplane ' s Builders ' Workshop. 1-
Chapter 1 Open House. 909/686-1318.
800/831-2949.
FEB. 18-19 - NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 30 - CUMBERLAND, MD -
Alexander Aeroplane's Builders' Workshop.
EAA Chapter 426 Fly-In Breakfast. 3011777-
1-800/831-2949. 2951.
FEB. 25-26 - RIVERSIDE, CA - EAA APRIL 30 - HALF MOON BAY, CA -
Chapter 1 Open House. 909/686-1318.
Pacific Coast Dream Machines Fly-In.
FEB. 26 - WARROAD , MN - Lions
415/726-2328.
Skiplane Fly-In Breakfast. 218/386-1818.
MAY 5-7 - WOODLAND , CA - First
MARCH 3·5 - CASA GRANDE, AZ-
Annual Gt. Valley Fly-In. 916/666-1751 ,
37th Annual Cactus Fly-In. 602/641-7467
FAX 916/666-7071.
MARCH 4 - ROCHESTER, WI - 3rd
MAY 6-7 - CLEVELAND, OH - 11 nd
Annual Midwest Constructors Confer-
Annual Air Racing History Symposium.
ence/Open House. American Champion
216/255-8100.
Aircraft Factory. 1-800/323-0611.
MA Y 6·7 - GEORGETOWN, TX - 9th
MARCH 3-5 - CAS A GRANDE, AZ-
Annual Fly-In/ Airshow. 512/869-1759.
37th Annual Cactus Fly- In. 602/641-7467.
MAY 7 - Rockford, IL - EAA Chapter
MARCH 11 - PUNTA GORDA, FL-
22 annual fly-in breakfast at Mark Clark's
EAA Chapter 565 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In.
Courtesy Aircraft , Greater Rockford Air-
813/575-6360.
port. Wallace Hunt 815/332-4708.
MARCH 11-12 - FT. PIERCE, FL - 7th
MA Y 13 - PUNTA GORDA, FL - EAA
Annual Delight of Flight Airshow/Fly- In .
Chapter 565 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In.
407/461-0346.
813/575-6360.
MARCH 11·12 - SAN ANTONIO, TX -
MA Y 13 - VIDALIA, LA - EAA Chap-
Alexander Aeroplane's Builders' Workshop.
ter 912 Spring Picnic/ Banquet. Rain date
1-800/831-2949.
5/20. 3181757-2103.
MARCH 16-18 - 1995 Women in Avia-
MAY 13 - TOCCOA, GA - EAA Chap-
tion Conference. 618/337-7575. ter 1011 Parade of Planes. Fax 7061779-2302.
MARCH 18·19 - DALLAS, TX -
MAY 19-21- PAULS VALLEY, OK-
Alexander Aeroplane's Builders' Workshop.
Antique Airplane Fly-in. Contact Dick
1-800/831-2949. Fournier 405/258-1129 or Bob Kruse
MARCH 21-26 - AVALON, AUS-
405/691-6940.
TRALIA - AirShow DownUnder ' 95.
MA Y 20 - DAYTON, OH - Chapter 325
602/314-0290. EAA Day/U.S. Air Force Museum. 216/382-
APRIL 1 - TUSKEGEE, AL - EAA
0781.
Chapter 998 3rd Annual Spring Fly-In.
MA Y 20 - CRESTVIEW, FL - EAA
2051749-0987.
Chapter 108 Pancake Breakfast. 904/862-
APRIL 8 - PUNTA GORDA, FL - EAA 2673.
Chapter 565 Pancake Breakfast Fly-ln.
MA Y 20 - DAYTON, OH - EAA Chap-
813/575-6360. ter 325. EAA day at the U.S. Air Force Mu-
APRIL 8 - WINNSBORO, LA - EAA
seum. 216/382-0781.
Chapter 836 Catfish Festival Fly- In . 318/435- JULY 27 - AUGUST 2 - OSHKOSH,
4711. WI - 43rd Annual EAA Fly-In and Sport
APRIL 9-15 - LAKELAND, FL - 21st Aviation Convention. Wittman Regional
Annual Sun ' n Fun EAA Fly-In and Con- Airport. Contact John Burton, EAA , P.O.
vention. 813/644-2431. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086, 414/426-
APRIL 22·23 - SPRINGFIELD, IL - 2nd
4800.
Annual Charlie Wells Memorial Fly- JULY 14-16 - RED LAKE, ONTARIO,
In/Drive-I n. 217/483-3201. CANADA - Diamond Jubilee Norseman
APRIL 29 - OPELOUSAS, LA - EAA Floatplane Festival. Events for both pilots
Chapter 529 Fly-In. Rain date 5/6. 318/942- and pedestrians. Contact the Norseman Fes-
2254. tival Committee at 8071727-2809.
Chester M. Owenby
Vincent Page
George Pascal
Paul J. Patterson
Auburn D. Pearman
John M. Pinson
Lynn R. Pinson
Arden, NC
Katy, TX
Louisville, KY
Pittsburgh, PA
Tupelo, MS
Harker Heights, TX
Tipton, OK
Dave Puckrin St. Albert, Alberta, Canada
Thomas Pue
Eric Rappaport
Mark Robertson
H. J. Robinson
Mark Robinson
Arnold Roosa
Edward H. Rosen
Robere Salmons
Ronald L. Sass
Craig Saxton
Marius Schreiber
E. R. Sessoms
Oscar M. Smith
Ed Snell
Richard Spiegel
George W. Sprankle
Phillip W. Stewart
Roland Stone
Harry B. Sutton
Robson Sweney
Giambattista Tarditi
Buck Taylor
Russell B. Thompson
Mike Torbett
Kent Travis
Melvin T. Treider
David Warner
Jim Wasson
Clare D. Weidman
John F. Wendel
Sammie L. White
Garry Williams
Lauren M. Williams
Marshfield, WI
Cary, NC
5eosauqua, IA
Veradale, WA
Layton, UT
West Chicago, IL
Groton, CT
Berkeley, CA
Overland, MO
Alamo, CA
Moelin, Switzerland
Hartsville, SC
Rome,GA
Tucson, AZ
Chicago, IL
Cypress, TX
Highland, CA
Silver City, NM
Brownsburg, IN
Cincinnati,OH
Genoa, Italy
Eastsound, W A
Uniontown,OH
Kingwood, TX
Portland, OR
Arlington, TX
Fort Pierce, FL
Oregon City, OR
Eagle Rock, V A
Lakeland, FL
Repton, AL
New Windsor, NY
Petaluma, CA
WELCOME!
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29
Fly high with a
quality Classic interior
Complete interior assemblies for do-it-yourself installation.
Custom quality at economical prices.
• Cushion upholstery sets
• Wall panel sets
• Headliners
• Carpet sets
• Baggage compartment sets
• Firewall covers
• Seat slings
• Recover envelopes and dopes
Free catalog of complele product line.
Fabric Selection Guide showing actual sample colors and
slyles of materials: $3.00.
INC.
259 Lower Morrisville Rd. , Dept. VA
Fallsington, PA 19054 (215) 295-4115
LEXANDER
__ EROPLANE COMPANY, INC.
"Our Main Product is Service"
• Hardware
• Airframe Parts
• Interiors & Covering Materials
• Presewn Fabric Envelopes
Call 1-800-831-2949
for a FREE Catalog and
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Ask about our Workshops!
2-Full Days of Detailed Classroom
and Hands-On Instruction
for only $15O!
Your Choice: Fabric Covering, Composite
Basics, Welding or Sheet Metal Basics!
P.O. Box 909. Griffin, Go • Fox: 404-229-2329
30 FEBRUARY 1995
When it goes on display again, the Spruce Goose
will be sporting tough new fabric control surfaces by
Poly-Fiber. The AirVenture Museum people want
them to last... and Poly-Fiber will . On the Goose,
and on your airplane, too. Watch for announcements
of future Poly-Fiber builder workshops. Find out how
easy it really is to do it yourself.
01
Aircraft Fabric
800-361-3490
Other Stuff: 909-684-4280
Post Office Box 3 129
Riverside, California 92519 Aircra.ft ....gs
-
EAAVideos in PAL European Format
-if:f 15%Discount
to ALL
EAAMembers
Enjoy all the sights and sounds
ofEAA Oshkosh '94, with the
annual Fly-in Convention video
BUYBOTH TAPES
o!\'{y £ 19 .95 >cc.-'!> Q<&Q
Experience the fun of seaplanes
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Send Cheques/Postal Orders Catalogue and
Payable to CORD AV Ltd
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HOTLINE
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'lel (0234) 840122
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or
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FAX(0234) 841076
MK42 8DN, ENGLAND
rr8FASTERBYFAX
MOVING?
IS THERE A NEW LOCATION
IN YOUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE?
Be sure that your membership ... and
Vintage Airplane ... follows you. Let us know
at least two months in advance of your move.
Send your change of address (include membership number)
to: VINTAGE AIRPLANE
P.O. Box 3086
OSHKOSH, WI 54903-3086
or call1-S00-S43-3612
EAA SCHOLARSHIPS
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
PILOT AND MECHANIC
EAA
ATT: CHUCK LARSEN
EAA AVIATION CENTER
PO BOX 3086
OSHKOSH, WI 549OJ.3086
414(426-4800
35 per word, $5,00 minimum charge. Send your ad to
The Vintage Trader, EM Aviation Center, P.O. Box 3086, Oahkoah, WI 54903-3086
Payment muat accompany ad. VISAIMaaterCard accepted.
MISCELLANEOUS:
SUPER CUB PA·18 FUSELAGES - New manufacture, STC-PMA-
d, 4130 chrome-moly tubing throughout, also complete fuselage re-
pair. ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC. (J. E. Soares, Pres.), 7093
Dry Creek Rd., Belgrade, Montana 59714. 406-388-6069. FAX 406/
388-0170. Repair station No. QK5R148N.
(NEW) This &That about the Ercoupe, $14.00. Fly-About Adven-
tures & the Ercoupe, $17.95. Both books, $25.00. Fly-About, P.O.
Box 51144, Denton, Texas 76206. (ufn)
Sitka Spruce Lumber - Oshkosh Home Bldg. Ctr, Inc. 414/235-
0990. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. (c-6/95)
CURTISS JENNY MEMORABILIA - You can now own memora-
bilia from the famous "JENNY" which has starred in TREASURES
FROM THE PAST, as well as the EAA videos, YOUNG EAGLES and
IT'S GOTTA BE A JENNY. We have posters, post card, pins, T-shirts,
airmail cachets, etc. We also have RIC documentation exclusive to
this historic aircraft. Sales of these items support operating expenses
to keep this "JENNY" flying for the aviation public. We appreciate
your help. SASE for your free price list. Ken Hyde, 7099 Glenn Curtiss
Lane, Warrenton, VA 22186. (12-2)
Rare Propeller Hub - 15 spline, 2-3/8 inch 10, 3-3/4-inch 00, 8
hole, 6-5/8 inch dia. bolt pattern, 6-inch prop. 708/985-9074. (2-4)
Ultralight Aircraft - One year old in April 1995 and our monthly
publication is still growing. Buy, sell trade, kit built, fixed wing, pow-
ered parachutes, rotor, sailplanes, trikes, balloons and more. Sto-
ries galore! Sample issue $3.00. Annual subscription $36.00. IN-
TRODUCTORY OFFER OF ONLY $24.00. Ultraflight Magazine,
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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, 1-800-843-3612.
Wheel Pants - The most accurate replica wheel pants for antique
and classics available on the market today. 100% satisfaction guar-
anteed. Available in primer gray gel coat. Harbor Ultra-Lite Products
Co. , 1326 Batey Place, Harbor City, CA 90720, phone 310/326-5609
or FAX 310/530-2124. (ufn)
WANTED:
Wanted - Tripod to stack a Cub or Champ, nose down - tail high
in hangar. Plans or pictures acceptable. 6161739-7401.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31
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Son Diego Aerospace
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Foundation, President
Trovelair DMsion
"AUA, Inc. has worked out a policy that
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AVIATION UNLlMlrED AGENCY