Vintage Airplane - Jul 2006

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Content

VOL. 34 , No. 7

N E
2006

J

u

L
y

CONT ENTS

1

Straight & Level
by Geoff Robison

2

VAA News

5

Aeromail

6

Restoration Corner
Disassembly of an aircraft
by Stan Gomoll

9

A Place They Call Oshkosh
Poem by Bruce Reek

10

Here Come the Cubs!
Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Cub convoy
by Sparky Barnes Sargent

18

Connie's Coupe Top Waco
How a young lady's biplane survived and was revived
by Sparky Barnes Sargent

26

What Our Members Are Restoring

28

The Vintage Instructor
Airplane single-engine sea
by Doug Stewart

30

Pass It to Buck
Tool "daffynitions"
by Buck Hilbert

32

Spark Plug Rotation
A few maintenance tips
by Steve Bender

34

Mystery Plane
by H.G . Frautschy

38

Calendar

40

Classified Ads

COVERS

FRONT COVER: The one-of-a-kind Waco YPF restored by Rare Aircraft . Ltd., and owned by Jerry
Wenger, was originally ordered by a 24-year-old young lady, Constance Eugenie Johnston. She
specified the unique decorative elements added to the Jacobs powered Waco, as well as the deep
purple metallic paint job. Not much is known about her life, but her aviation legacy is reborn in the
restoration of her biplane. The airplane was selected as the Reserve Grand Champion Antique at
the 2006 Sun 'n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Florida. Photo supplied by Breezeway/ Rare Aircraft, Ltd ,
BACK COVER: Leon Basler of Bismarck, South Dakota is a regular entrant in the EM Sport Avia­
tion Art Competition , and his watercolor painting of the Beech Staggerwing above a background of
structure was selected as one of the finalists in the 2006 competition . For more information about
the competition and the award winners, please log onto www.AirVentureMuseum.org/arl/

STAFF
EAA Publisher
EAA Editor·i n·Chief
Executive Director/Editor
Administrative Assista nt
Managing Edi tor
News Editor
Photography

Tom Poberezny
Scott Spangler
H.G, Frautschy
Jennifer Lehl
Kathleen Witman
Ric Reynolds
Jim Koepnick
Bonnie Bartel Kratz
Advertising Coordinator
Sue Anderson
Classified Ad Coordinator
Louise Schoeni ke
Copy Edito r
Colleen Wa lsh
Director of Adverti sing
Katrina Bradshaw
Display Advertising Representatives:
North east: Allen Murray
Phone 609-265-1666, fA X 609-265-1661, .-Illail : [email protected]
South east: Ches ter Baumga rtner
Phone 727·573·0586, FAX 727-556-0177, e·mail: dl<llllll ll1 @'milldsprillg.com
Centra l: Todd Reese
Phone 800-444-9932, fAX 816·741-6458, e· mail: [email protected]
Mountain & Pac ific: Kei th Knowlton & Associa tes
Phone 770-516-2743, e- mail: kekI IOW/[email protected]

GEOFF ROBISON
PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

AirVenture is coming

Okay, you yardbirds, listen up.
Time's a wastin'. By now you should
have all of your plans in place to at­
tend the world's greatest aviation
event we all know as EAA AirVen­
ture Oshkosh. The lineup of activities
this year is shaping up into yet an­
other awesome event. From the excit­
ing American Barnstormers Tour (20,
that's right, 20, beautifully restored
vintage aircraft from all around the
country) to the beautiful display of
Vintage past Grand Champion air­
craft-not to mention our virtually
unmatched display of Antique, Clas­
sic, and Contemporary category air­
planes. Want to see the first Waco INF
ever made? Its restorers are planning
on bringing it here! So, dust off that
hangar queen you've been keeping to
yourself, and come share it with us at
this year's exciting event in Oshkosh.
I have mentioned only a few of the
featured activities scheduled for the
Vintage area. To see everything hap­
pening at AirVenture this year, visit
EAA's websites at www.EAA.org and
www.AirVenture.OIg for a complete and
current listing of the featured activi­
ties and aircraft at this year's event.
Remember, you gotta be there!
Speaking of AirVenture 2006, I re­
cently had a conversation with a Vin­
tage member who shared with me his
viewpoint that the VAA has not done
enough to assist the membership in
the proper preparation and planning
for a visit to EAA AirVenture. My ini­

tial reaction was to explain to the
gentleman that EAA was already fill­
ing this bill quite nicely and that we
didn't need to repeat that planning
information beyond pointing out
when it's available and the various
outlets for that data.

. we don't
do enough to

properly promote

a first visit by

our valued VAA

members to

Oshkosh.

But the more I thought about this
conversation, the more I realized a
number of us have made the trek to
Oshkosh for so many years that we
pretty much have it down to a sci­
ence. If you think about it, we don't
do enough to properly promote a
first visit by our valued VAA mem­
bers to Oshkosh.
EAA has a number of excellent pro­
grams in place to assist our members
in their planning, such as the Hous­
ing Hotline, RideShare, and flight
planning. But in addition to the new
VAA site map in the June edition of
Vintage Airplane (we'll have plenty of
copies on hand at AirVenture if you
didn't bring your copy with you), we

need to create a checklist of items
necessary to make your visit easier to
plan, which would in turn virtually
assure a more pleasurable experience
at AirVenture Oshkosh.
Although I failed to record the
name of the member who called ,
thanks for sharing your thought­
provoking concerns with us . Al­
though it's too late to get anything
together for this year's event, I think
an all -encompassing checklist could
be an invaluable planning resource
for those members who find them­
selves wondering about unanswered
questions and where to get them an­
swered. We will set our sights on re­
solving this issue for the 2007 event,
so stay tuned for future developments.
Since everyone keeps asking me,
the upgrade and now annual inspec­
tion of my Cessna 120 is a continuing
saga. Progress is being made, but the
annual ended up being the annual
from H.E. double hockey sticks, as my
mother-in-law used to say. After way
too many trips to the cylinder over­
haul shop, and a discovery that the
rudder and elevator cables are likely
original from 1947, not to mention
the excellent and extensive work of
the tin benders, we are finally getting
close to engaging the paint man and
eventually flying this beauty once
again. Boy, it's a good thing this air­
craft is a partnership, as I have no idea
where I would have found the time to
continued on page 37

HAVE YOU MADE YOUR PLANS TO ATTEND EAA A I RVENTUR E 2006 ?

EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2006 , THE WORLD ' S GREATEST AVIAT ION CELEBRAT I ON-J ULY
VAA IS ABOUT PARTICIPATION: BE A ME MBER! BE A VOLUNTEER! BE THER E!


24-30


V I N T AGE AIRPLANE

VAA AirVenture Area Map

(=:J

To help members who fly
in understand the layout of
the convention area adm inistered by VAA, we've prepared

~

West Side Vintage Aircraft
Camping

~

\. "))
~lr I

jl

Antique
Parking

(
( (

Theater
In The
Wood s

I)

r))

VAA
AREA

GENERAL

this simplified map. As you
~
~ -0
LAYOUT
can see, camping starts at
~o'"
D
.~
(O~
Type Club &
Row 74 on the east side of
oS'
Showers
Workshop Tents
VAA Special
the main north/south road
Type Club
r"\
Showplane/Camper
Parking
()
RegIStration
V V Red
Display Area
Hangar
Barn
(Wittman Road), with the ar­ ~. Starts at
- . - - - Row 74
Cafe
eas to the north of that line- - - - - - - - - " ' - - - - - - - - - == - - -- - - - - - - - '
set up to handle display-only ~. Tall Pines
Past Grand Champions - parked along road
VM
and in rows 60 & 61.
­
Operation s
vintage aircraft. That's why - . - - - Cafe
Near Ultralights
Shack
you may see open areas as
VM

you taxi south to your camp­
Large Special

Interest


ing location.
Comm Center
Aircraft /

No Camping
Once you arrive, you'll
Antique s

Row 62 through Row 77
need to register your aircraft
and / or campsite. In addi­
tion to roving registration
Rows 60
Row SO
Row 78
& 61
vehicles, there is one main ~
EAST SIDE
Anlique
-.--­
Point
aircraft registrati on building, VM CAMPING AND PARKING _ __ _--'-...c.:.:..-'-'-...L.l._ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _-'-_-'-_ __
STARTS HERE,
located j ust south of the Red
CONTINUES TO ROW 150
Barn (see map). The EAA
convention campgro unds are
be judged by VAA vol unteer judges, you free VAA Ai rVenture Oshkosh 2006 Par­
private campgrounds and are
need to be a current Vint age Aircraft tici pant Plaque, which you can pick up
not open to non-EAA mem­
Association member. VAA contributes a in the rear of the Red Barn. EAA and
significant portion of the costs related VAA membershi ps are available at both
bers. Each campsite must
be registered by a current
to the EAA awards that are presented aircraft registration and at the mem­
EAA member.
to the award winners. Another immedi­
bershi p booth located northeast of the
If you want your airc raft to
ate benefit of VAA membership is your Red Barn.

D


0('\

o

D


Flight Planning for Your
EAA AirVenture Trip
As an EAA member (an impor­
tant part of your VAA membership) ,
you can use the EAA Flight Plan­
ner to chart your trip to Wittman
Field for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
2006. Just click on the EAA Flight
Planner link on the left side of th e
home pages at www.eaa .org or www.
vintageaircra(t.org.
GRASS RUNWAYS AND FUEL
As an added bonus, we have a
handy list created by VAA member Kris
Kortokrax posted on the home page at
www.vintageaircraft·org.
Kris fli es a variety of old biplanes
that are more pleasant to fly when
they are flown from grass strips, and
2

JULY 2006

he and his buddies from Shelbyville,
Illinois, do their best to keep the
old biplanes happy (and keep tire
wear to a minimum) by flying cross­
co untry from grass strip to grass
strip. Finding fuel facilities can be
a challenge these days, and Kris has
distilled this airport information to
be useful for like-minded grass-run­
way-preferring pilots. This data was
current as of the beginn ing of the
year, and we'd suggest calling ahead
to confirm fuel availability and
hours of operation . If you have any
changes or additions, drop us an e­
mail here at vintageaircraft@eaa .org
and we'll forward it to Kris.
Our thanks to Kris for sharing his
list. Let us know if you find it useful!

Breakfast and a Briefing
The VAA Tall Pines Cafe will be
in operation again this year with
an expanded schedule prior to con­
vention, and fly-in style pancake
breakfasts during EAA AirVenture.
Start ing on Friday morning, July 21,
and continuing through Sunday,
July 23, the VAA Tall Pines Cafe will
be open for breakfast (6:30 - 9:30
a.m .) and dinner (4:30 - 7:30 p.m.) .
Starting Monday, July 24, only
breakfast will be served at the Tall
Pines Cafe (6-9:30 a.m .). As we had
last year, an FAA Flight Service Sta­
tion (FSS) trailer wi ll be located near
the cafe. At th e trailer, which will
be north of the VAA Tall Pines Cafe,
you' ll be able to check the weath er

for your flight and obtain a full
briefing from FSS specialists without
having to trek up to the FAA Build­
ing near the control tower. We'll see
you there each morning for "break­
fast and a briefing."

Are You a Friend of the VAA Red
Barn?
If so, be sure to check in at the in­
formation desk at the VAA Red Barn.
There, we'll issue you a special name
badge. We can also point out the lo­
cation for the Ford Tri-Motor rides.
If you have any questions, feel free
to ask for Jennifer Lehl, the VAA ad­
ministrative assistant. If you need to
reach her in advance of your arrival,
call her at EAA headquarters, 920­
426-6110.
Our thanks to each of you who
have contributed to the VAA Friends
of the Red Barn 2006 campaign. We'll
have the list of contributors in next
month's edition of Vintage Airplane!

VAA Message Center
If you would like to leave a mes­
sage for people you know who fre ­
quent the VAA Red Barn, stop by
the information desk. You can write
them a message in our "notebook
on a string," and we'll post th e ir
name on the marker board so they'll
know there's a message waiting for
them. Sure, cellular phones and
walkie-talkies are great, but some­
times nothing works better than a
hand-scribbled note!

VAA Picnic
Tickets for the Wednesday, July 26,
annual VAA picnic held at the Nature
Center will be available for sale at the
VAA Red Barn. Tickets must be pur­
chased in advance so we know how
much food to order. Tickets will be
on sale at the VAA Red Barn prior to
the start of EAA AirVenture. The deli­
cious home-cooked meal, including
both beef and chicken, will be served
after 5:30 p.m. Trams will begin leav­
ing the VAA Red Barn around 5 p.m.
and will make return trips after the
picnic. Type clubs may hold their an­
nual banquets during the picnic. Call
Jeannie Hill (815-943-7205), and she

will reserve seating so your type club
can sit together.

Shawano Fly-Out
The annual fly-out to Shawano is
Saturday, July 29. The sign-up sheet
will be at the desk at the VAA Red
Barn, and the briefing will be at 7 a.m.
the morning of the fly-out. The com­
munity of Shawano is a big supporter
of VAA and puts forth a lot of effort to
sponsor this event. It does a great job,
and we hope you'll help us thank Sha­
wano by joining us.

VAA Red Barn Store
The VAA Red Barn Store, chock­
full of VAA logo merchandise and
other great gear, will be open with
expanded hours all week long,
Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m.
until 6 p.m. Early bird arrivals can
shop on the previous weekend as
well, during limited hours. Show
your VAA membership card (or your
receipt showing you joined VAA at
the convention), and you'll receive
a 10 percent discount.
On Friday, July 28, from 7 p.m.
to 9 p.m. there will be a special VAA
members-only sale. Bring your VAA
card, and you'll receive an addi­
tional discount on specially priced
merchandise. See you there!

VAA Volunteer Opportunities
Are you an ace pancake flipper?
If you're not one yet, we can help!
The VAA Tall Pines Cafe is looking
for volunteers who can help provide
a hearty breakfast to all the hungry
campers on the south end of Witt­
man Field. If you could lend a hand
for a morning or two, we'd appreciate
it. If that's not your cup of tea, feel
free to check with the VAA volunteer
center, located just to the northeast of
the Red Barn. The volunteers who op­
erate the booth will be happy to tell
you when your help is needed each
day. It doesn't matter if it's just for
a few hours or for a few days-we'd
love to have your helping hands!

Designated Smoking Areas
Near Flightline
Smoking on the flightline at EAA

AirVenture is prohibited because it's a
hazard to all aircraft. There are several
designated smoking areas with butt
cans along the flightline, well away
from aircraft and refueling operations.
Designated smoking areas will be
south of the ultralight runway; near
the Hangar Cafe; near the Warbird
area (northeast corner of Audrey Lane
and Eide Avenue); the Wearhouse flag
pole area; the shade pavilion north of
the control tower; and near the Ultra­
light Barn. Locations will be indicated
on EAA's free convention grounds
map. The admission wristband also in­
structs visitors that smoking is allowed
only in deSignated smoking areas.

Pilots Advisory: Avoid Saturday
Afternoon Arrival
When you're making plans for your
Oshkosh flight, you should be aware
of several mass arrivals Saturday af­
ternoon, July 22. That afternoon four
large groups of aircraft plan to fly en
masse to Wittman Regional Airport,
and they will be given priority by
EAA AirVenture controllers.
At 1 p.m., as many as 100 Beech
Bonanzas will accompany the annual
Bonanzas to Oshkosh (B20sh) forma­
tion fligh t.
The first Cessnas to Oshkosh (C20sh)
flight in honor of the 50th anniversary
of the C-172/182 will begin landing
at 2 p.m. with 50 airplanes. A second
wave of mixed Cessnas is scheduled to
begin arriving at 3 p.m. (If weather or
other operational concerns get in the
way, this second group will be told to
use the Fisk arrival.)
At 4 p.m. , the annual Mooney
Caravan commences its arrival with
50 aircraft.
As always be sure you obtain the
official AirVenture notice to airmen
and become familiar with arrival
procedures. Visit www.AirVenture.
org/2006/flying/index.html for com­
plete downloading information or to
order a hard copy.

AirVenture Destination:
EAA Member Village
EAA members have it made at EAA
AirVenture Oshkosh .
Not only do they receive member
VINTAGE AIRP L ANE

3

rates on admission and special dis­
counts and perks throughout the
week, but also once inside the gate
they can take advantage of what the
EAA Member Village has to offer.
Learn about a new or established
membership program or benefit.
Or about a special members' dis ­
count during the convention. Stop
in and grab a cup of coffee in the
morning, cool off when the sun is
high, attend a members-only" Af­
ter Hours" reception, or check e­
mail anytime at the Internet Cafe.
Member Village is located just west
of AeroShell Square.
"I'm really excited about what
we have in store for EAA members
this year," said Katrina Bradshaw,
EAA membership marketing direc­
tor. "Our goal is to provide extra
service and benefits to make a visit
to AirVenture as enjoyable as possi­
ble and try to provide a true sense
of what it means to belong."
This year, the campground will
have its own mini Member Village
that wi ll offer many of these same
services before the show opens, in­
cluding Internet access. Once the
show starts (from July 24-30), mini
Member Village hours may be ad­
justed according to demand.
At Member Village proper, see
the Lucky Lease Diamond DA40,
grand prize of the EAA Great Prize
Giveaway, and informational
booths for EAA Young Eagles, EAA
AirVenture Museum, all the EAA
divisions, and NAFI. An enlarged
kids' area will also have lots of
popular flight simulators.
Four EAA "After Hours" events
include sessions with aircraft de­
Signer Burt Rutan and civilian as­
tronaut Mike Melvill, with other
guests to be named.
In the South Tent, see the EAA
Member Map, get tickets for B-17
rides, or a get a free sport pilot stu­
dent pilot certificate. A special area
also includes EAA program part­
ners Falcon Insurance Agency,
AeroPlanner, and AirF leet Capi­
tal Financing, and information on
EAA's autogas supplemental type
4

JULY 2006

certificate. And a kit p lane will be
constructed at the EAA Member
Village Workshop.
"Don't forget your EAA mem­
bership card," Bradshaw stressed.
Those who join at convention will
receive temporary membership
identification, allowing them to
take advantage of the specia l dis­
counts and perks.
Volunteer at EAA Member Village

Sound like a place where you'd
like to help during the convention?
Become a volunteer at EAA Mem­
ber Village by sending an e-mail to
Kristy Heiman, [email protected], or
call EAA Member Services at 800­
564-6322.

More on the Web
Visit www.AirVenture.org for more
information on EAA AirVenture
2006 .
- Admission and hours: www.Air­
Venture .org/2006/plann i ng/adm iss ion.
html
- Find or share a ride to Oshkosh:
www.AirVenture.olg/rideshare
- Site maps: www.airventure.org/
2006/planning/(orms_schedules.html
- Forum schedules: www.AirVenture.
org/2006/events/(orums.l1tml
- Accommodations: www.AirVen­
ture.org/2006/planning/where_to_
stay.html
- Disco u nts on airfare: www.
airventure.org/2006/f/ying/airline_
discounts.html
- Get the NOTAM: www.AirVen­
ture.org/atc/index .html
- AirVenture Planning Guide:
www.A irVenture.org/2006/planning/
06planning...guide.pd(
- Alternate airports and stops to
and from Oshkosh: www.AirVenture.
org/2006/flying/aiternate_airports.html

VAA AirVenture Notes
There's plenty to see and do during
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006, and
to help you find your way around the
VAA area, we created the VAA map in­
cluded in last month's issue of Vintage
Airplane. You don't need to tear it out
of the magazine; just stop by the VAA

Red Barn for a fresh copy. We'll have
plenty of reprints available, with a
special guide on the back to help you
find just what you're looking for in
the Vintage area of the convention.
Here are a few items to help you plan
your trip:

See Living Aviation History
during Good 01' Days
Step back in time at EAA's Pi­
oneer Airport when we celebrate
the annual Good 01' Days of avia­
tion August 19-20. Good 01' Days
activities include a children's ac­
tivity center, where kids will have
the opportunity to experience
hands-on games that were popular
during the golden age of aviation.
See a variety of vintage vehi­
cles on disp lay, or take a free ride
around the EAA grounds in a vin­
tage prewar vehicle. Visitors can
tryout telegraph equipment by
sending messages between two Pi­
oneer Airport buildings.
Airplane rides will be avail­
able thro u ghout the weekend in
the 1929 Ford Tri-Motor, Pitcairn
Mailwing, 1929 Travel Air biplane,
1927 Swallow biplane, and several
Young Eagles airplanes.
Visit www.AirVentureMuseum.
org for more information. And re­
member, admission is always free
for EAA members.

Election Correction
In order to revise the names listed
as the 2006 proxy agents, the proxy
statement for the 2006 ballot requires
the following change:
The undersigned member of
the EAA Vintage Aircraft Associa­
tion does hereby appOint Charles
Harris and George Daubner as the
undersigned's agent and proxy to
vote for him/her at the next an­
nual meeting of the association, or
at any adjournment or postpone­
ment thereof, at which member is
not present, upon all business of
the meeting, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that they may do by
virtue hereof. You may mark the
name changes on your ballot. .......

Young Eagles Flights
Enclosed is a photo and newspaper
article about our Young Eagles Rally
on July 2 and 3, 2005. We flew a
total of 207 kids in these two days.
The following aircraft gave Young
Eagles flights the first day: Aeronca
Champ, Piper Super Cub, Cessna
150, Cessna 172, Cessna 177, and
Cessna 180. Weather conditions were
a temperature of 95°F, a heat index of
110°F, and a 90-degree crosswind of
8 knots.
Flights began at 10 a.m. and
continued until each and every Young
Eagle had experienced the thrill of
flight, usually about 6 p.m. We all
agreed that flying these Young Eagles
was so rewarding that we would have
gladly done it a third day. Please
encourage everyone to fly a Young
Eagle. I know that out of 207 flights,
we have inspired quite a few to learn
to fly in the future.
Sincerely,
Roland Denison
VAA Chapter 30
New Iberia, Louisiana

Anderson-Greenwood
I would like to know what
information is available about a small
aircraft developed in the late 1950s/
early 1960s, known as the Anderson­
Greenwood. Do any still exist? Who
might have the most info about one?
Thanks for your help!
Sunny Daughdrill
5002 Lawson Av.
Gulfport, MS 39507
[email protected]
Thanks for the note. The airplane
you are referring to is the Anderson­
Greenwood AG-14 (the FAA registration
lists it as AND-51-A), an attractive
single-engine pusher design that did
make it into limited production.
The airplane was the brainchild
of Ben Anderson, a former Boeing

engineer, and his brother-in-law,
Marvin Greenwood. Its first flight was
October 1, 1947, and five aircraft
were built. All five are still registered:
N3900K (s/n 1), N3903K (s/n 4),
N3904K (s/n 5), N4254M (s/n 2), and
N314AG, the aircraft recently soLd by
EAA, which is s/n 3. We do not know
the actuaL condition of the other fOllr
registered aircraft at this time, but the
former EAA airplane is currently being

restored to flying condition.
In 1974, s/n 4 was photographed at
the EAA fly-in convention in Oshkosh.
Here's the photo, part of the Dan
Shumaker collection availabLe online
at www.1000aircraftphotos.com. If
anyone has additional information,
feel free to pass it aLong to Sunny, and
please copy us as well. You can e-mail
us at [email protected]
-H.G. Frautschy

SEND YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO:

VAA, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


P.O. Box 3086

WI 54903-3086


OSHKOSH,

OR YOU CAN E-MAIL THEM TO : [email protected]

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

5

Current Editor's Note: This issue of Vintage Airplane contains one of a series of nine articles pertaining to the res­
toration of antique and classic airplanes. Directors of the then-named Antique/Classic Division of EAA originally
wrote them in the mid-1980s, but they are still relevant for today's vintage aircraft enthusiasts. The late Art Morgan,
a longtime volunteer chairman of the A/C Parking Committee, wrote this article. Our members have years of experi­
ence and a tremendous amount of talent; however, it's likely everyone willieam something new from each article.
Please let us hear from you; write to H.G. Frautschy, Editor, Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903­
3086, or e-mail VintageA ircra([email protected]. -HGF

Disassembly of an aircraft
BY STAN GOMOLL

Plan Ahead
You ask, "Wha t 's so difficult
about taking an airplane apart? All
I need are a few wrench es, screw­
drivers, punches, and a hammer."
Not so! With the price of airplane
parts and their lack of availability,
it pays to plan ah ead .
There are many ways to dis­
assemble an aircraft. It can be
quick and dirty with all t he parts
thrown together in a cardboard
box; then at a later date you may
find yourself tryi n g to figure out
the puzzle. Or one can take a little
time now and save a lot of head­
scratching later, wondering where
all the odd parts go and looking
for the missing parts that fell out
of that cardboard box.
One can learn a lot about the
condition of the aircraft by check­
ing the condition of the bolts
during disassembly. All the parts
should be marked, such as cables,
push-pu ll tubes, pull eys, brack­
ets, etc.
With proper planning at the start,
you can save lots of work later. The
status of an aircraft at time of disas­
sembly or purchase fa ll s into three
general categories:
1. Aircraft apart and stored .
2. Aircraft assembled and stored.
3. Aircraft flying.
If the aircraft is apart, start by lay­
ing parts on the floor or ground in

order of assembly of the aircraft to
get an overview, as well as to check
for missing parts. Also, this is a good
opportunity to determine where all
the parts go . If a manua l is avail ­
able, it will really come in handy
at this time. Usually, it's easier to
obtain missing parts at the time of
purchase than at some later date.
If the aircraft is assembled, move
it out in the open; then stand back
REPRINTED FROM

6

J U LY 2006

Vintage Airplane MAY

1986

20 or 30 feet and give it a good
looking over. Check for symmetry
of the airframe, paying close atten­
tion to the tail group. I have seen
fuselages twisted up to 10 degrees
due to improper repair, wind dam­
age, or an accident. Check that the
tail wheel is not leaning to one
side or the other. Look at the air­
craft from the side to determine if
both wings have the same amount
of dihedral and/or sweepback.
Take pictures of everything.
Those items that look simple now
can become very complicated later.
Take pictures of each cable routing,
the windshield, windows, baggage
compartment, fairings, seat belt(s),
instrument panel, control wheels
or sticks, rudder pedals, etc. And
be sure to include several different
shots of the engine compartment.
The old saying "a picture is worth
a thousand words" was never more
true. And when the project is fin ­
ished you can show your friends
what you started with .
Always remember, just because
it was "that way when taken apart"
does not make it right. When avail­
able, use a manual to double-check
everything.
If the aircraft is flying, make a list
noting the following:
1. Does the aircraft taxi straight?
2. During flight, how does the
plane perform and what are its en-

gine readings? (This should
Take pictures of everything and
be noted for later compari­
keep accurate notes.
son.)
3. Are the con trois
sloppy?
4. Does the aircraft fly
straight and level, hands
off?
5. Are there vibrations
during takeoff or landing?
6. At touchdown, does
the aircraft have a ten­
dency to go left or right?
These are some of the
things to look for, as they
can provide clues about
problem areas. For exam­
for proper identification.
ple, ground-handling trouble can
The stated suggestions generally
result from a bent landing gear, pertain to all vintage aircraft; how­
loose wheel bearing, weak shock ever, certain types will require special
cords, an improperly mounted tail handling. Some taildraggers be­
wheel , etc. A defective shimmy come excessively nose-heavy when
dampener can cause problems on the wings are removed, so to pre­
tri-gear airplanes.
vent them from "standing on their
noses" the tail must be tied down
Before Disassembly
or the aft fuselage weighted with a
Things to do or have on hand be­ couple of concrete blocks. Likewise,
fore disassembly:
a tri-gear airplane will become tail­
1. Spray all visible bolts, hinge heavy when the engine is removed.
pins, and turnbuckles with light To prevent possible damage to the
penetrating oil such as WD-40.
tail and/or the aft fuselage, the nose
2. Drain gas tanks, sump, and
Now that you know what lies aheadcarburetor.
and
you've had your morning coffee and
3. Drain oil.
your
help has arrived-let's get on with
4. Remove battery.
the
job
at hand.
5. Have containers, such as cof­
fee cans with covers and Ziploc
plastic bags for loose parts.
6. Have proper tools; long brass
punches are useful.
7. Have pre-bUilt wing racks, or
tires, or cushions off an old couch
to lay the wings on.
8. Have a truck or trailer with
plenty of ropes and padding.
9. If hauling the fuselage home
on its wheels, a trailer hitch to
bolt on in place of the tail wheel
is useful. Red flags or clearance
lights to bolt on the fuselage are
important.
10. Have gust locks to secure
control surfaces while handling
and/or transporting.
11. Find boards to which flying
and landing wires can be tied so
they don't get bent. Tag each wire

must be weighted.
Always remove the pro­
peller before removing the
engine, and even though
you previously drained the
carburetor, treat the engine
with great respect. Next,
disconnect all engine con­
trols and wires. Keep in
mind when removing an
engine that an old auto
or truck tire makes a good
pad to lay it on.
If the fuselage is going
to be towed home on its
landing gear, first remove
the brake assemb lies, as
they can cause the wheel and tire
to overheat. This could cause a tire
to blowout or even start on fire, re­
sulting in the loss of what you have
worked so hard to acquire. Repack
the wheel bearings and reinstall
them whether you load the fuse­
lage on a trailer or tow it on its gear.
Be sure to hang red flags or mount
clearance lights on the fuselage be­
fore towing.
Check that the load does not
exceed the legal width for the
states you'll be traveling through.
Also check the height for suf­
ficient clearance under bridges,
overpasses, and wiring along
your route.
If you plan on working in your
garage, make sure the project will
fit through the door!
If you experience inclement
weather on moving day, wrap
the aircraft in heavy plastic,
mummy-like, starting at the rear
end of the load. This prevents
the airflow from lifting the plas­
tic. The plastic covering will also
protect your pride and joy from
road dirt that has a way of get­
ting into nooks and crannies like
you wouldn't believe!

Get On With the Job
Now that you know what lies
ahead-and you've had your
morning coffee and your help
has arrived-let's get on with the
job at hand. A word to the wise:
Use separate containers for all
V I N T AGE AIRP LANE

7

Before disassembly,
tag all flying and land­
ing wires and struts,
identifying the exact
location of each.

the hardware you remove so you'll
have an idea of what to shop for as
replacements. If you remove bolts
that are too long and made up with
a handful of washers, be sure to re­
place them with correct sizes.
Start by removing all the fair­
ings and inspection plates, includ­
ing wheelpants if installed . Spray
all bolts, hinge pins, and turnbuck­
les again. Install gust locks on flaps
and ailerons (can be two flat boards
with a spring-loaded bolt between
them). Disconnect control cables,
fuel lin es, pitot-static lines, and
electrical wires.
Pull cotter pins and remove nuts
from all wing attach boits, jury
strut s, and lift struts at both ends,
but do not remove bolts yet. Take
extra care when removing fuel lines,
usin g two wrenches to keep from
breaking fittings in the fuel tank.
It's recommended to use a min­
imum of three people in remov­
ing a wing panel (depending on its
weight, more cou ld be needed)- two
to support it and one to knock out
the wing attach bolts. A lO-inch or
12-inch brass rod works well here ,
as it can be bent to get into tight
spots. I keep a supply of old bolts on
hand when removing wing panels,
and as each wing attach and strut
bolt is removed, I replace it with one
of one size smaller. Then if there is
a problem in removing a bolt, th e
help isn't holding up a heavy wing
panel. After all the original bolts are
out, th e wing struts are removed. Be
sure to mark the struts right, left,
and top.
Next remove the rear spar attach
8

JULY 2006

bolt, then the front spar attach bolt.
Th is will help to keep the wing from
swinging aft and bending the rear
attach fitting . Then pull the panel
straight away from the fuselage
and place it on cushions off to one
side, out of the way. If it wasn't pre­
viously removed, take care not to

Use separate
cantainers for
all the hardware
you remove so
you'll have an
idea of what to
shop for as
replacements.

damage the pitot tube.
After the wings are off, th e rud­
der, elevators, a nd stabilizer are
removed-also the fin if it's not in­
tegral with th e fuse lage.
The bigger the airplane, the more
problems will be encountered due to
size and weight-for example, with
Stinson Reliants, Fairchilds, How­
ards, Wacos, etc. The wing panel on
a Gullwing Stinson requires at least
four men to support it while a fifth
removes th e attach bolts. Again, a
factory manual will be most useful
in determinin g the proper proce­
dure in disassembly and assembly of
the plane.
Biplanes pose special problems
with their greater number of wing
panels and associated struts and
wires. Before disassembly, tag all fly­
ing and landing wires and struts,
identifying the exact location of
each, including top or bottom ends.
Remove the fairings; then discon­
nect the cables or pushrods to the
ailerons. Place gust locks on all aile­
rons. Disconnect fuel and pitot tube
lines, and electrical wiring to lights,
if installed. Remove nuts from wing
attach bolts and all struts.
Loosen the flying wires, taking
care to not gouge, scratch, or bend
these items. (They're very expensive
to replace these days.) Some wires
have provisions for using a wrench
to aid in loosening jam nuts-oth­
ers will require two blocks of hard
wood clamped around the wire.
Before removing the upper wings,
be sure to support the lower panels
(with sawhorses or people power) so
they won't drop onto the ground.
Some of the suggestions in this
article might sound like a lot of ex ­
tra work just to take an airplane
apart, but they will pay dividends
later. The extra steps outlined above
will result in less damage to the air­
frame and fewer problems in identi­
fying parts when the time comes to
reassemble the airplane.
The bottom line is to know what
happens when each bolt or pin is re­
moved . And don 't be rushed by oth­
ers. Remember, it 's you who will be
restoring the plane.
.......

ILLUSTRATION TYSON RININGER & H.G. FRAUTSCHY

A PLACE THEY CALL OSHKOSH

BY BRUCE REEK

The moon shines brightly Casting wing shaped shadows

The breeze gently creeking an unlocked rudder

The sound ofa swing band rarely heard anymore

Bringing back memories ofmy youthful flights


I look to my right

An old veteran begins to relate

The stories ofhis years ofservice

Of valiant victories won and bloody missions accomplished

The heroics and terror ofwar now recalled from his past.


I look to my left,

A cropduster no more,

He longs for the thrill ofa tightening turn

Over the green streaked fields and black plowed earth.


I start to think of the young people
Who down through the years have come with their dreams
That I would give to them their first hours of flight
I hear people say as they find out my age
Why would anyone this old fly all of this way?
Then I hear a young boy ask his father these words
"When can I learn to fly in a plane such as this?"
As he climbed into the cockpit and grabbed hold ofthe stick
Both the Stearman on my left and the B-17 on the right
In unison whispered, " It's happened again, little yellow one."
To revisit old memories
To find new hopes and dreams
It gives new lift to my wings and a surge through my cowl
To think that an old Cub can inspire the young
At this gathering ofpeople and planes, a place they call
Oshkosh

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

9

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Cub Convoy

BY SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

ub pilots from n ear
and far converged on
Sun 'n Fun at Lakeland,
Forida, this year to cel­
ebrate the 70th anni­
versary of the very first Cub Convoy.
This gregarious gaggle of contempo­
rary aviators and aviatrixes exuded a
joyful spirit-perhaps much the same
as those from yesteryear who par­
ticipated in the very first Cub Con­
voy to the Miami All-American Air
Maneuvers in December 1936. That
Convoy was sponsored by William T.
Piper Sr. , president of Piper Aircraft
Corp., and more than 80 40-hp E-2
and J-2 Cubs participated. Squadron
leaders from all over the country led
small groups of fewer than a dozen
airplanes to meet in Orlando before

O

10

JULY 2006

proceeding en masse to Miami.
The Convoy was held annually un­
til the beginning of World War II and
slipped away into a closed chapter
of aviation history until 1994, when
Ray Noll breathed new life into the
concept of a Cub Convoy and orga­
nized a flight to Alaska.
And then, in 2003, Harry P. Mutter,
historian for the Piper Aviation Mu­
seum in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania,
realized that the 70th anniversary of
the original Convoy would be a won­
derful opportunity for Cubs from all
over the country to gather together
once more. He set forth with great en­
thusiasm to organize the event, mak­
ing it known that all ragwing Pipers,
from the early E-2 Cubs to the clas­
sic PA-22 Tri-Pacers, would be heart­

ily welcomed to participate . Mutter
knew that at least 40 aircraft would
need to sign up in order to make a
noteworthy entrance and showing at
Sun 'n Fun.
Yet by spring 200S, only seven air­
craft owners expressed serious inter­
est in making the flight . Mutter, who
doesn't give up easily on a good idea,
issued another appeal at the Cub fo­
rum during Sun 'n Fun 200S and
then through the museum 's Cub Re­
porter newsletter and the Cub Clues
newsletter. Finally, real interest in a
celebratory Convoy was piqued. John
Love generously volunteered Love's
Landing in central Florida as a ren­
dezvous site for Convoy participants
on the weekend immediately prior to
Sun 'n Fun. From there, they planned

Weleomes

the

Cub Conv0l'


to depart as a group and land in trail on the grass runway
at Lakeland on Monday, April 3. However, the rendez­
vous point was changed just a couple of weeks prior to
the event due to the FAA's requirement that the Convoy
depart from Plant City Airport to make a mass arrival
to Sun 'n Fun. About 30 Pipers arrived at Plant City by
twilight on Sunday, April 2, and 21 more arrived the fol­
lowing morning.
That Sunday afternoon, Convoy participant Rusty
Studenroth was one of several pilots who helped, in his
words, "practice the takeoff and arrival sequence for
Monday's mass arrival at Lakeland by just flying around
the pattern at Plant City, using 30-second intervals. It's
elementary-just don't run into the guy in front of you,
and keep your distance just like you were in a busy traf­
fic pattern at a pancake breakfast fly-in ." Having recently
retired, Studenroth just couldn't pass up the opportunity
to participate in the Convoy and made the solo flig ht to
Florida from his home base in Hobart, Indiana, as a light­
sport pilot.
By midday Monday, the mass arrival of 51 colorful
Cubs and Super Cruisers were alighting on the emerald
green runway at Lakeland-Linder, their wings shimmer­
ing and glistening in the Florida sunshine. There were
old Cubs-dating as far back as 1939-and "new" Cubs,
too, either recently restored or newly manufactured,
such as American Legend Aircraft Co.'s Legend Cub and
Legend Cub Special, along with CubCrafters' Sport Cub.
One after another they landed, interspersed with a few
formation fly-bys from five Cubs on floats, and slowly
taxied by the spectators to their specially designated tie­
down area, where they comfortably nestled nose to tail
in several long rows.

A total of 56 Pipers, including Super Cruisers, five float
planes, an L-4, and newly minted Cubs, such as the American
Legend Aircraft Co.'s Legend Cub and CubCrafters' Sport Cub,
participated in the Cub Convoy.

Harry Mutter, Piper historian and Cub Convoy organizer,
strikes a pose with his PA-12, The City of the Angels.
V INTAGE A I RPLAN E

11

At least two aircraft in the Convoy
highlighted unique facets of aviation
history. A handsomely restored rep­
lica of the original Janey, the famous
Piper L-4B flown by Capt. "Dutch"
Schultz and used for artillery spotting
in Europe during World War II, filled
a welcome niche beside its J-3 Cub
brothers, along with a noteworthy
1947 PA-12. The City of the Angels, a
Piper Super Cruiser currently owned
by Cub Convoy organizer Mutter and
beautifully restored by Dave Liebe­
gott, was the lead aircraft of a pair of
PA-12s that completed a flight around
the world in 1947. Its soft touchdown
on the grass at Sun 'n Fun was the
culmination of the Cub Convoy's de­
lightfully lengthy mass arrival, which
endured for about an hour.

sounded like a lot of fun and encour­
aged several other pilots to partici­
pate in the event. "I have a couple of
other airplanes, but they are 'going

'The Dest thing

ohoutthis OUO

Oonvogisthe

hrigkligks

It's put in m!l

~honds

e!les:'


-Susan Davis

Cub Comrades
The Convoy's festivities continued
Tuesday afternoon, when the par­
ticipants enjoyed a delicious catered
meal and eagerly shared tales of the
adventures they'd encountered while
en route to Lakeland, Florida, from
their respective homes-as far away
as Willits, California, and as close by
as Brooksville, Florida.
Outside in the field of Cubs, Ken
Bollenback was reading a book and
relaxing beside NC28001, a Cub he's
owned for four years now. (He has an­
other one at home in nearby Brooks­
ville, Florida.) Like many other Cub
owners, he first heard about this year's
Convoy in the Cub Club's newslet­
ter, Cub Clues. Bollenback thought it
12

JULY 2006

places' airplanes, and the Cubs are
my 'I'm already there' airplanes," he
said with a candid smile, adding, lilt's
been neat seeing all the Cubs, and
I've met a lot of new folks, whose sto­
ries I enjoyed hearing at the dinner."
Ray Cook of Spring Grove, Illi­
nois, and his son Brian Cook of Co­
coa Beach, Florida, enjoyed working
together (when possible) to restore
N70971. It took two years to re­
build the 1946 Cub, after the previ­
ous owner flipped it on its back, and
those hours of labor and attention to
detail were recognized at Sun 'n Fun
when N70971 received the Outstand­
ing Classic Aircraft award. "I flew it
May 31,2005, for the first time," said

Ray Cook, beaming with happiness,
"and then I was invited to the Dayton
Air Show and Aviation Heritage Invi­
tational, where [ met Harry Mutter,
who was there with his Super Cruiser.
He talked about the Cub Convoy, and
I decided to participate." Cook's solo
flight from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to
Plant City took 14 hours and 15 min­
utes, spread out over a day and a half.
Pilot Gary Austin didn't have quite
as far to go when he flew the replica
of the original Janey down from Geor­
gia for owner Mike Brady (who is affil­
iated with the Army Aviation Heritage
Foundation). Austin says this 1943
L-4 "was rebuilt in southern Tennes­
see, and Capt. Schultz was really im­
pressed with the way it looked. Schultz
wrote the book Janey: A Little Plane in
a Big War, about his experiences flying
the original plane. The owner wants
to sell it, so I flew it down from At­
lanta to Plant City by myself in about
seven hours. It was hazy, but for the
Southeast it's nice weather. The L-4
flies just about like a Cub except it's a
little lighter on the controls, and this
one has an 85-hp Continental engine
with a conversion, so it actually pro­
duces about 95 hp, and it takes off
like an ultralight. That's the one de­
viation from the original Janey, which
had the A-65, but the appearance is
exactly the same."
Sharon and Steve Krog, editor­
publishers of the Cub Club's news­
letter, Cub Clues, usually drive to Sun
'n Fun because they bring a virtual
truckload of supplies with them for

Cubs gathered at Plant City on Sunday before departing to
Lakeland the next day.

the type club tent. But this year they
cheerfully took advantage of the op­
portunity to fly south together from
Hartford , Wisconsin, in their 1945
Cub. This couple is well accustomed
to sharing flying time; Sharon wanted
to learn to fly after college, and she
ended up completing her flight in­
struction with CFI Steve Krog . The
two were married the following year.
IiThis is the way to go," said Sharon,
explaining that, liflying to Sun 'n Fun
was a first for us. It took 15 hours of
flying and two days. We landed at
sunset at Plant City on Sunday, and
it was a beautiful trip, other than
some head winds and a little bit of
fog in Tennessee. I started out with
gloves, a headband, and a couple of
layers of clothing, but of course it got
warmer as we flew further south. We
convoyed with three other airplanes.
Gerry Sheahan flew Steve's Cub, Ron
Price flew his 1946 J-3, and Charlie
Slinger flew down in his 1940 Por­
terfield. It was a very special trip, just
to look out and see the others flying
along with us. And other than Lock
Haven, you don't normally see this
many Cubs in one place. It started
out as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure
to fly the Cub down here, but now
that I've done it, it may be something
that I want to do every year."

Clyde and Susan Davis flew their Cub all the way from Cali­
fornia to Lakeland to join the Cub Convoy celebration.

Sharon Krog land husband Steve) flew their Cub from Wisconsin to Lakeland.

From the Golden Gate
to the Sunshine State
Another aviation-minded couple,

Rusty Studenroth flew his Cub from Indiana to Sun 'n Fun.
VINTA G E AIRPLANE

13

Behold-a field of yellow Cubs honors the 70th anniversary of the Cub Convoy.
Clyde and Susan Davis of Willits, Cal­
ifornia, say they typically plan one
long adventure in their faithful 1939
Cub, NC25806, every summer. This
year, their decision was made in­
stantly when they heard about the
70th anniversary of the Cub Convoy.
Flying as sport pilots, they shared
the 43-hour flight from west to east,
beginning 150 miles north of the

Hollister for lunch and to Bakersfield
for the night. The
next day, it was
on to Daggett
in the Mojave
Desert for fuel,
and an
overnight
with a
friend near
Eagle
Airpark
in Arizona.
"After that, we
had to cross all
those mountains,
and we saw 125­
mph groundspeed
on the GPS! There
were also a lot of
flat plains at 6,000
feet above sea level
along that route.
Anyway, we flew
mostly along 1-40
past Tucumcari.
When we landed at
Moriarty, New Mex­
ico, the winds were
pretty much down
the runway at 45
Ray Cook of Spring Grove, Illinois, and his son Brian Cook
mph gusting to
of Cocoa Beach, Florida, smile as they pose with Ray's
50," recalled Clyde
Cub, which was awarded Outstanding Classic Aircraft this
with
a chuckle,
year at Sun 'n Fun.
elaborating that,
Golden Gate Bridge. During their
"several people insisted on coming out
first leg to Sonoma Sky Park, their
and hanging onto the wings while we
GPS showed a groundspeed of only
taxied in. We let them!"
35 mph. From there, not daunted by
While the Davises enjoyed meet­
the head winds, they continued to
ing nice folks at most every airport
14

JULY 2006

Jim Colburn flies by in his sharp­
looking J-5.
along their flight, one place in particu­
lar stands out in their memories. "That
was the grass strip at Reynolds Airport,
just north of Mobile, Alabama. When
we landed, 1 asked him if there was
any place close by to spend the night,
and he asked me if 1 had a driver's li­
cense," said Clyde. "I said yes, and af­
ter 1 showed it to him, he said he'd
let us use his car. Then 1 asked about
getting some lOOLL, because we were
a little bit low. He said they didn't use
that stuff there, but he'd give us a cou­
ple of cans to put in the car to buy
some gasoline in town."
Susan Davis laughed with delight as
she recalled their visit, and explained
that the hospitality didn't end there.
The man's wife had a special treat in
store. "She took me to their pond to
see the alligator they've been feeding
for more than 20 years now, and 1 got
to feed it. Now that was fun!"
The Davises thoroughly enjoyed
their long cross-country together, and
Susan was eagerly anticipating her
return flight home. That's right, she
planned to fly solo back to California,

Here's an unusual combo-a Curtiss P-40 and a J-3 Cub, landing on the runways at Lakeland.

since Clyde had to return earlier to
get back to work. "I've always wanted
to fly a long solo cross-country, and
since I got my sport pilot certificate
last November in the Cub, I feel ready
to do it. It took me much longer to get
my license than I had hoped, but tail­
wheel-endorsed CFls are hard to come
by in northern California. When we
first got the Cub, my husband would
let me do air work upstairs, but not
landings or takeoffs, and when I fi­
nally got my first flight instructor, she
explained why that was. He said, 'You
don 't understand, Susan-airplanes are
like your children!"'
She intends to take her time and
visit friends and family as she wings
her way back to the Golden Gate
from the Sunshine State. "The only
thing I get nervous about is if the
wind's too high, so I plan to get up

Gary Austin taxis this Piper L-4, which has been restored as a replica of the
L-4B Janey that was flown in Europe by Capt. Alfred "Dutch" Schultz during
World War II.

This good-looking J-5 was part of the Cub Convoy.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

15

A Cub pilot makes a wheel landing on the grass at lakeland.

A distinctive Super Cruiser rolls out by the windsock on the grass runway at lakeland.

early and fly in the mornings. I want
to fly over the mountains on my way
home, but my husband doesn't want
me to, so I've agreed to go the less­
mountainous southern route over 1­
40," she said, adding with a hearty
laugh, "The odds of getting 125-mph
tail winds on the way back are astro­
nomical, but I expect it to be a great
trip anyway!"
(Follow-up note: Susan Davis com­
pleted her personal Cub Convoy ex­
perience by logging about 59 hours
on her flight home to California,
spread out over a three-week time
frame. Despite high winds, fog, low
clouds, thunderstorms, and even a
tornado sighting as she flew south of
Tucumcari, New Mexico, she insisted
with contagious exuberance, " J had
an absolute blast. The theme this year
16

JULY 2006

at Sun 'n Fun was the ' joy of flight,'
and I sure had that! I don't think my
long cross-country was a big deal; I
just thought of it as three- to four­
hour legs, one at a time. Now that
I'm home, I think the most impor­
tant thing I can do to become a bet­
ter pilot is to learn a lot more about
weather, because I sure encountered a
lot of it on my flight home.")

Convoy Success
Mutter's personal inspiration and
drive to organize the 70th anniversary
of the Cub Convoy flourished into a
wealth of treasured memories, which
have been deposited in the vintage
aviation community's collective mem­
ory bank-for those who enjoyed hav­
ing the Cubs land at their airports
across the country to those who im­

mer sed themselves in the long rows of
Cubs at Sun 'n Fun, and especially for
the participants themselves.
Perhaps Susan Davis best described
the Cub Convoy experience with an
expression that illuminates a feel­
ing that many aviators and aviatrixes
will intimately understand from their
own joyful time aloft: "The best thing
about this Cub Convoy is the bright
lights it's put in my husband's eyes,"
she declared with a passion born of
love for her husband, and her own
love of flying.
And if you're wondering if there
will be another Cub Convoy anniver­
sary celebration, well, Mutter has al­
ready issued an appeal to the younger
generation of Cub pilots, challenging
them to organize a lOath anniversary
Cub Convoy.
.......

the Calhoun Beach Club in Minne­
apolis, Minnesota. When she took
delivery of her Waco in November
1935, her address was listed as
Wings Field in Ambler, Pennsylva­
nia. By the following summer, she
had changed her address to the
prestigious Lafayette Club at Min­
netonka Beach.

Yet little else has been discov­
ered about her life, such as when
and where she learned to fly; after
all, the sporty Waco YPF, with its
narrow tread, was not a beginner's
airplane. Waco built only two YPF
models in 1935; they were the first
of the new advanced "F" models,
with an improved Clark Y airfoil, a

more sophisticated and complex fu­
selage, a new empennage design, a
bump cowl, and a coupe top for the
pilot. The front cockpit could hold
two passengers or simply have a de­
tachable metal cover placed over it.
NC15700 is the only YPF still in
existence. It measures 22 feet 10
inches from prop to rudder, stands

-

struts and stainless fl ying wires ac­
cented the wing and tail structure.
Grimes retractable landing light fit­
tings were installed in the upper
wings, and Johnston elevated her de­
sign a step beyond tradition by spe­
cifically requesting that there be no
Waco logo on the biplane.
"The way she designed the plane,
you knew it was going to be neat­
looking when it was finished. It's just
all her, and I hope I can find some of
§ her family so they can see the plane
~ and maybe. tell me more about her, "
13 said current owner Jerry Wenger of
z
~ Wyoming, who wanted the biplane
CD
::: restored very close to its original con­
e::
~ figuration. "I also know that she was
married twice. Her first husband, John
K. O'Meara, was killed in 1941 at the
age of 32 while testing a sailplane for
an aircraft company in California. In
1944, she married John E. Beach on a
ketch at the Nassau Yacht Club in the
Bahamas. She lived the good life."
Johnston flew the biplane for
about six months, until one early
spring day in April 1936 in Madi­
son, Wisconsin. "She had an inci­
dent that you can have when you're
starting a round engine, if you 're not
careful," explained Wenger, "and
she got a fire going and apparently
there was some damage to the air­
plane." That may have discouraged
her, because in August 1936, she
sold the Waco to William Shaw and
Robert Paul of Minneapolis, Minne­
sota, and they had it flying again in
just a few months.
<J)

Owner Jerry Wenger with Ben and Jeremy Redman of Rare Aircraft Co.

Note the bumps on the cowling, with Connie Johnston's distinctively designed
gold trim.

Colorful History
8 feet 5 inches tall, and has an up­
per wingspan of 30 feet with a lower
wingspan of nearly 27 feet. With its
75 gallons of fuel and the Jacobs'
maximum fuel burn of IS gph, it
has a 575-statute-mile range with a
100-mile reserve. It's easily capable
of cruising 135 mph, with 140 mph
indicated not uncommon. It made
the 1,275-statute-mile fight from
Owatonna, Minnesota, to Lake­
land , Florida, in only 9.2 hours of
flying time . With this kind of per­
formance, it's easy to see that this
Waco was truly the affluent sports­
20

JULY 2006

man pilot's flying machine in 1935.

Bold Elegance
Johnston embodied an assertive
flair for bold elegance, as evidenced
in her specifications to The Waco
Aircraft Co. regarding the finishing
touches for NC15700. She selected
a deep metallic purple and a bright
blue for its flying colors, highlighted
by a trio of thin-line gold stripes, in
which she cleverly entwined her ini­
tials. Her signature trim was desig­
nated for the fuselage, cowl bumps,
and wheelpants, while shiny chrome

NC15700 has been well known in
the Waco community for years be­
cause of its rarity, and even though
its original aircraft logs were lost,
some interesting oral history and
other aircraft records have been
preserved that illuminate the bi­
plane's colorful life during its 600
hours of flying time. Ben and Jer­
emy Redman of Rare Aircraft (the
folks who restored the plane) shared
several noteworthy stories: In the
late 1930s, Chuck Doyle Sf. (Min­
nesota Aviation Hall of Fame) made
numerous parachute jumps from

the YPF during air shows as owner
Bill Shaw flew it. Doyle couldn't
get into the front cockpit with his
parachute on, though, so he stood
out on the wing walk while the
Waco climbed to jump altitude.
About three owners later, the Waco
was in Miami, Florida, during the
early 1940s, where another woman
owned it for a few months.
Then early aviation pioneer
Clyde Ice (South Dakota Aviation
Hall of Fame), known for his record
of "safe and sane flying," traveled
to Florida in September 1942 and
purchased it for use in the World
War II Civilian Pilot Training Pro­
gram (CPTP). As he flew the
Waco away from Florida at
a low altitude, his attention
was suddenly diverted to a
German submarine that he saw
surfaced in a river inlet. Ice landed
at the nearest air base and informed
them of the intruder so appropri­
ate action could be taken. Ice con­
tinued homeward, flying NC15700
to Spearfish, South Dakota, where
he used the Waco as an instrument
trainer with the pilot's coupe top
canopy painted black, and the in­
structor in the front seat.
After the CPTP disbanded, Ice
sold the biplane in August 1944 to
a Beulah, Wyoming, rancher by the
nam e of Spencer Harper. It seems
that Harper liked to hunt deer, and
one day he landed out in a field with
the Waco, shot a deer with a nice
rack of antlers, and then loaded it
in the front cockpit. When Harper
landed back at the local airport, the
deer's head was quite visible to on­
lookers, who commented that it
looked like a deer was flying the bi­
plane from the front cockpit!
Harper's adventures with the
Waco continued until one cold
wintry day when a large snowdrift
piled up in front of the hangar.
The rancher decided that instead
of shoveling the drift away, he 'd
just blast through it with the air­
plane. So he started the Waco and
pushed the throttle to the firewall,
attempting to make tracks through
the snow-but instead the grand

"The way she designed the
plane, you knew it was
going to be neat-looking
when it was finished."
-J erry Wenger
VI NTAGE AIRPLANE

21

Connie Johnston selected the bold color combination of Berry Brothers'
Plum Bronze and bright Nassau Blue.

Note the tapered wing root where it
joins the fuselage and the art deco
style of the coupe top.

old biplane nosed over and flipped
on its back. It went back inside the
hangar, and Harper stored it until
1974, when he sold it toJim Horne of
Eagan, Minnesota. Horne intended to
restore it and carefully kept up with
its parts and pieces for 2S years before
selling the project to the Waco's cur­
rent owner, Jerry Wenger.

Intrigue and
Inspiration
Wenger has been flying since he
was a teenager, when he earned free
flying lessons in Cessna 120s and 140s
by holding flags up in the fields for
crop dusters. Today, he is no stranger
to Waco restorations, as his collec­
tion spans about a 13-year period of
Waco's early history.
"I'm intrigued by a really unique
airplane, something that can and
should be brought back to life. I
appreciate the history of it," said
Wenger enthusiastically, partially ex­
plaining his attraction to NC1S700
by adding, "I was kind of motivated
because my grandfather was a pilot
who owned a Waco 10, and he was
22

JULY 2006

Look closely at the gold trim lines and you'll notice Connie Johnston's initials (ly.
ing sideways) in the leading portion.

my inspiration . And my uncle barn­
stormed in Wacos from Iowa to Col­
orado down to Louisiana."

Rare Aircraft
Under the guidance of Wenger, the
Rare Aircraft Ltd. restoration team was
put to work bringing Connie John­
ston's Waco YPF back to life. "These
older airplanes were built at a time
where technology was really expensive
and labor was cheap. Now the roles
are reversed, and technology is cheap
but labor is expensive. And these air­
planes are still a hand-built, labor-in­
tensive project," explained 33-year-old
Jeremy Redman of Rare Aircraft, who
began learning the art of painting in
his senior year of high school.
His brother, 28-year-old Ben Red­
man, began welding taper-wing fu­
selages while still in high school and
wholeheartedly agrees. He elabo­

rated with a chuckle, "We sometimes
say that we're John Deere mechanics
working on flying tractors, just to re­
mind ourselves how important it is
to be able to step back from a project
and remember that it's a 1930s air­
plane. The airplane is wonderful be­
cause it's simple-that's its heart, its
soul. It's old and simple, and you can
lose touch with that so fast with all
the tools we have in the shop."
Rare Aircraft was established in
1991 in Owatonna, Minnesota, by
the brothers' father, Roy Redman.
And as their award-winning work is
unveiled for the public eye, it's interRight: These original Hill Aircraft
Streamliner wheelpants
were an amazing find;
they were brand new
old stock, still in their
wooden packing crate.

AERO CLASSIC
"COLLECTOR SERIES"

Vintage Tires
New USA Production

The one-of-a-kind 1935 Waco YPF, with its coupe top, was
an eye-catcher on the flightline.

Show off your pride and joy with a
fresh set of Vintage Rubber. These
newly minted tires are FAA-TSO'd
and speed rated to 120 MPH. Some
things are better left the way they
were, and in the 40's and 50's, these tires were perfectly in
tune to the exciting times in aviation.
Not only do these tires set your vintage plane apart from
the rest, but also look exceptional on all General Aviation
aircraft. Deep 8/32nd tread depth offers above average
tread life and UV treated rubber resists aging.
First impressions last a lifetime, so put these
bring back the good times.....
New General Aviation Sizes Available:

500 x 5, 600 x 6, 700 x 8

Oesser has the largest stock and
selection of Vintage and Warbird
/ires in the world. Contact us
with

original manufacturers colors are available,
liINard-wirmi'lno, Old Tune Finish with unlimHed color choices,

:-' -1:_' _mfltIJ" Is no problem with the Superfllte Butyrate Dopel

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

23

The Waco YPF has a narrow tread, making it a bit more challenging to maneuver
on the ground.

~

~
~

~

~
~

w
~
a::

~

You'll notice modern avionics in the Waco YPF's panel-a concession to safe and
practical operation of the biplane in today's airspace.

esting to see how this family business
embraces the unique challenges­
and pleasures-that go beyond the
scope of the project at hand. "The
biggest pleasure is being able to
spend time together, and when you
need the help and support, that's re­
ally good. But when you're that fa­
miliar, it can be tough because you
might not hold back with family
members the way you would with
others," explained Jeremy.
The brothers, who exude more
than just a youthful enthusiasm for
their work, are also quick to recognize
another important aspect of their air­
craft restorations, by giving credit to
24

JULY 2006

at least half a dozen other full-time
employees. "Our restorations are a
group effort," said Ben, "and I can't
state enough how fortunate we are
to have the talent that we do have
available every day. These people are
almost like extended family." All told,
the Rare Aircraft restoration team
spent about 9,000 hours during three
years to complete the detailed and
challenging restoration of NC15700.

ponents left intact, creating quite a
conundrum for those who want to
restore it. "This is the third airplane
project I've bought out of a barn,"
explained Wenger, happily adding,
"and it had at least a dozen signifi­
cant original parts. Now that's a lot!"
Even so, it took a considerable
amount of detective work to fab­
ricate and reassemble the biplane.
Rare Aircraft was able to obtain some
Waco YPF drawings from the Smith­
sonian , adding to previous owner
Jim Horne's collection of more than
a dozen sub-assembly drawings. Ex­
isting parts were used for patterns if
they were no longer considered to
be airworthy.
According to Ben and Jeremy Red­
man , the original parts and pieces
included the steel-tubular airframe,
boot cowl, oil scoop, air intake scoop,
and engine cowl. Additionally, there
were many hardware items and fit­
tings for the cockpi ts , such as the
handle for the locking tail wheel, the
throttle, foot tread, rudder pedals,
and even the knob for the front cock­
pit door. The original struts showed
signs of wear, so they decided to build
new ones and had them chromed per
Johnston's original personal specifi­
cations. One interesting note is that
the landing gear-to-fuselage attach­
ment points-new for Waco on this
model-were so well worn that it was
necessary to go through the laborious
process of fabricating and attaching
new ones.
While many of the wing fittings
survived, the wings themselves served
only as patterns, from which the Rare
Aircraft team built new wood spars
and ribs. Wood fuselage fairings, metal
wing fairings, and the fuel and oil
tanks were also valuable as patterns
for new ones, and a new engine cowl
was made by D&D Classic Restorations
of Covington, Ohio. The coupe top
structure and windshield were reman­
ufactured using some original parts, as
well as the factory drawing.

Parts and Pieces
Often if a nearly 70-year-old air­
craft project is uncovered from the
dusty corner of an old barn, there are
very few of the original airframe com­

Score!
The most significant original item
that turned up with the project was en­
continued on page 36

Steve Manchester
Raynham, MA
• Owner: 1946 Commonwealth

Skyranger 185, N73820
• Currently working toward
commercial rating
• Member: EAA and AOPA

II

My father and I both insure our vintage aircraft through AUA, Inc.

We have both found the service to be consistent, prompt, and
very courteous. It is a pleasure doing business with AUA"

- Steve Manchester

AUA is Vintage Aircraft Association approved. To become a member of VAA call 800·843·3612.

AUA's Exclusive EAA Vintage Aircraft Association Insurance Program Lower liability and hull premiums
Medical payments included - Fleet
~~p'c)(lelnr

parts

all

risk coverages

- No hand-propping exclusion

THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS

Retired Delta captain Bill Scaggs of Irving, Texas, last
flew a Stinson 108 when he was a 22-year-old with just
more than 1,200 hours in the air. Now retired with more
than 24,000 hours, he found this Franklin-powered Stin­

son 108-3 in a barn, and the restoration was completed
December 3, 2003, thanks to Don Lewis, an airframe and
powerplant mechanic with an inspection authorization.

BOB NORRIS'


FLEET

Bob Norris, a retired United cap­
tain who hails from Redwood City,
California, is an active VAA Chapter
29 member who found one of his first
loves, the Fleet 16B, NC24197, which
he used to own back in 1951. Now re­
stored and flying out of the Hayward,
California, airport, Capt. Norris has
been enjoying flying Young Eagles
in the Fleet, which is powered by a
125-hp Kinner B5 . His cross-country
flight with the airplane, along with
other adventures, are the subject of
his most recent book, Solo: To Fly­
To Climb, available from booksellers
across the country.
26

JULY 2006

CURTISS ROBIN


Brian T. Coughlin of Cazenovia,
New York, sent us these two pho­
tos of Doug Wallbridge's 1929 J-1
Curtiss Robin, NCS34N, powered
by a 17S-hp five-cylinder Wright
J6-S (RS40). Doug is shown with
the airplane during its run-up
and taxi tests, accomplished af­
ter an eight-year restoration. Last
flown in the early 19S0s, the air­
plane was part of the Clarence
Ingersoll collection in Remsen,
New York.
Mike Connor overhauled the
Wright J6-S engine, and Darren
Banfield made a new cowling
and fuel tanks before his un­
timely passing. With the excep­
tion of those two contributions,
all the remaining work was ac­
complished by Doug, including
a new set of wood wings, with
new ribs built per a supplemen­
tal type certificate supplied by
Lane Tufts. Doug Wallbridge is
no stranger to aircraft construc­
tion; he has built a Starduster
Too, Fly Baby, and Cassutt
racer and rebuilt a cabin Waco
and PT-19 . In the side photo­
graph, Doug is holding the in­
ertia starter handle, while Teddy
Coughlin, Brian's S-year-old
son, is by the wheel.

DICK BYLUND'S PIPER CUB

Built in 1941, this Cub last flew in 1948. When Dick Bylund of Minnetonka,
Minnesota, bought the project in 1972 as a basket case, he didn't feel he had the
expertise to restore the airplane, so it sat for a few years. With the help of EAA, his
local EAA chapter, and Cub club members, Dick learned as much as he could and
did most of the work himself, with the exception of the engine rebuild, welding,
instrument repair, and painting. He did the metal work, and in the process, he up­
graded the J-3 from the trainer version to the sport edition and added the wheel­
pants, more instruments, and lights. Now flying around the Gopher State, Dick's
enjoying the fruits of his labors, and he thanks the many folks who helped him
along the way.

send your photos to:
Vintage Aircraft Association

What Our Members

Are Rest oring

P. O. Box 3086

Oshkosh , WI 54903-3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

27

BY DOUG STEWART

Airplane single-engine sea

Our go-around pOint was still
about a thousand feet in front of
us, so I endeavored not to raise the
nose any higher than the ever-so­
slightly nose-high attitude I had es­
tablished at about a hundred feet
higher than I was now, and I kept
my power set to yield about a hun­
dred-foot-per-minute descent rate
while my airspeed stayed about 10
knots above the stall speed of the
Bellanca 7GCBC I was flying.
Since there was no wind, our
groundspeed was virtually the same
as our airspeed, and the hills on ei­
ther side seemed to be whizzing
by. Not only were they whizzing by
above me, they appeared to whiz
by below as well, as the calm, glassy
water of the lake underneath me re­
flected not only the hills beside me,
but the cerulean sky above. There
was no way to judge my altitude
above the water so I proceeded as
my instructor, Master Instructor
John Morrow, sitting behind me ,
vociferously encouraged me to.
I resisted the urge to pull on the
stick into more of a flare, and within
another second the floats of the
Citabria touched down on the sur­
face of the lake, well short of my
pre-chosen go-around point. Now,
as I closed the throttle and pulled
the stick all the way into my gut,
the airplane decelerated faster than
if I had been using the brakes on
land . I had just completed my first
glassy-water landing. I was well on
my way to completing my training
28

JULY 2006

for the addition of the airplane sin­
gle-engine sea (ASES) rating to my
pilot certificate.
I have to say, I have done many
things in airplanes that were totally
exciting and enthralling, but this

.. . at idle power,
there will be no
problem in
telling where the
wind is coming
from. In rather
quick fashion,
the airplane will
weathervane
into the wind!
seaplane flying was quickly floating
to the top of the list. I have wanted
to add the seaplane rating to my
certificate for many years. Last year
my best friend made it even worse
when she beat me to the punch and
got her ASES rating in a PA-12 that

was very similar to the one we flew
on wheels. So when I was invited
to present a seminar at this year's
Speculator Seaplane Fly-In, I could
procrastinate no longer. I just had
to get my rating .
The excitement for me started
with the preflight inspection. I con­
sider myself fairly nimble and agile
for my age, but it was a challenge to
walk a tightrope from one float to the
other as I worked my way around
the airplane that was moored to
a dock in the Esopus Creek in up­
state New York. Not only does one
have to inspect all the things that
are part of a land airplane, but all
the other things associated with the
airplane's operation on the water as
well. The flying wires that brace the
floats, the cables and pulleys that
connect the air rudder to the water
rudders, and the cables and pulleys
that lift the water rudders out of
the water all have to be inspected .
And then there are the floats them­
selves. It was a challenge not to fall
into the creek as I pumped water
out of each of the 10 float compart­
ments with the bilge pump.
Preflight inspection completed,
it was time to start with some of
the water work. As soon as I cast off
from the dock I rea lized that tran­
sitioning from heel brakes to toe
brakes would not be a problem at
all. Regardless of the location of the
brake pedals in the cockpit, brakes
are a nonentity in a seaplane.
Once you are adrift in a seaplane

there are so many things to be aware
of, and to pay attention to. Wind, cur­
rent, boats, Jet Skis, swimmers, logs
(some partially su bmerged), rocks
(some of these partially submerged as
well), beavers (no alligators up h ere
in New York), and more are all there
to compete for your attention.
And then there are the water rud­

"Don't flare.
don't flare ...
you're pulling
back on the stick
.. . don't flare!"
These words were
reverberating
through my head­
set loud and clear.
ders. Up or down-which way should
they be? I was told I am not alone, as
a land pilot transitioning to sea, in
forgetting to include raising or low­
ering the water rudders as n eed ed .
They need to be down for the idle
and plow taxi and up for step taxi,
as well as for takeoff an d landin g.
At least if you forget to lower them
when on the wa ter, at idl e power,
there will be no problem in telling
where the wind is coming from . In

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The excitement continued as I
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learned the three ways to taxi a float­
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continued on page 37

~

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

29

E.E. "BUCK" HILBERT

Tool "daffynitions"

I know a bunch of you are on the
Internet, since I get plenty of calls and
e-mails, so a few of you have seen these
tool "daffynitions" already. I wish I
knew whom to credit, but I've not been
able to pin down a name. Since we've
been chatting about tools for the past
few months, I thought you'd like to see
some of these. Here we go:

more dismal your future becomes.

VISE GRIPS: Generally used af­
ter pliers to further round off bolt
heads. If nothing else is available,
they can also be used to transfer
intense welding heat to the palm
of your hand.

OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used

A Glossary of Tools
DRILL PRESS: A tall, upright ma­
chine useful for suddenly snatch­
ing flat metal bar stock out of your
hands so that it smacks you in the
chest and flings your beer across
the room, splattering it against that
freshly painted part you were drying.

WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off
bolts and then throws them some­
where under the workbench with
the speed of light. Also removes
fingerprints and hard-earned guitar
calluses from fingers in about the
time it takes you to say "ouch ... "

ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Nor­
mally used for spinning blind rivets
in their holes until you die of old age.

PLIERS: Used to round off bolt

almost entirely for lighting vari­
ous flammable objects in your
shop on fire . Also handy for ignit­
ing the grease inside the wheel
hub you want the bearing race
out of.

WHITWORTH SOCKETS: Once
used for working on older British
cars and motorcycles, they are now
used mainly for impersonating
that 9/16 or 1/2 socket you've been
searching for the last 15 minutes.

HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used
for lowering an automobile to the
ground after you have installed
your new brake shoes, trapping
the jack handle firmly under the
bumper.

8-FOOT LONG DOUGLAS FIR
4X4: Used for levering an auto­

heads. Sometimes used in the cre­
ation of blood blisters.

mobile upward off of a trapped
hydraulic jack handle.

HACKSAW: One of a family of cut­

TWEEZERS: A tool for removing

ting tools built on the Ouija board
principle. It transforms human
energy into a crooked, unpredict­
able motion, and the more you at­
tempt to influence its course, the
30

JULY 2006

that snaps off in bolt holes you
couldn't use anyway.

wood splinters and wire wheel wires.

E-Z OUT BOLT AND STUD EX­
TRACTOR: A tool 10 times
harder than any known drill bit

2-TON ENGINE HOIST: A tool
for testing the tensile strength on
everything you forgot to discon­
nect.

CRAFTSMAN 1/2 X 16-INCH
SCREWDRIVER: A large pry bar
that inexplicably has an accurately
machined screwdriver tip on the
end opposite the handle.

AVIATION METAL SNIPS: See
hacksaw.

TROUBLE LIGHT: The home
mechanic's own tanning booth.
Sometimes called a drop light,
it is a good source of vitamin D,
"the sunshine vitamin," which is
not otherwise found under cars
at night. Health benefits aside, its
main purpose is to consume 40­
watt light bulbs at about the same
rate that lOS-mm howitzer shells
might be used during, say, the
first few hours of the Battle of the
Bulge. More often dark than light,
its name is somewhat misleading.

PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Nor­
mally used to stab the vacuum
seals under lids and for opening
old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and
splashing oil on your shirt, but can
also be used, as the name implies,
to strip out Phillips screw heads.

AIR COMPRESSOR: A machine
that takes energy produced in a

coal-burning power plant 200
miles away and transforms it into
compressed air that travels by
hose to a Chicago pneumatic im­
pact wrench that grips rusty bolts
that were last overtightened SO
years ago by someone at Ford, and
neatly rounds off their heads.

PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple
the metal surrounding that clip or
bracket you needed to remove in
order to replace a SO-cent part.

HOSE CUTIER: A tool used to cut
hoses too short.

HAMMER: Originally employed
as a weapon of war, the h ammer
nowadays is used as a kind of di­
vining rod to locate the most ex­
pensive parts not far from the
object we are trying to hit.

Come or the weekend


BUILD FOR A LIF
HANDS-ON
HOMEBUILDER WORKSHOP
SCHEDULE
Aug . 12-13

Arlington, WA

MECHANIC 'S KNIFE: Used to
open and slice through the con­
tents of cardboard cartons deliv­
ered to your front door; works
particularly well on contents such
as seats, vinyl records, liquids in
plastic bottles, collector maga­
zines, refund checks, and rubber
or plastic parts. Especially useful
for sliCing work clothes, but only
while in use.

DAMMIT TOOL: Any handy tool
that you grab and throw across the
garage while yelling "DAMMIT" at
the top of your lungs. It is also the
next tool that you will need.

EXPLETIVE: A balm, also referred
to as mechanic's lube, usually ap­
plied verbally in hindsight, which
somehow eases those pains and
indignities following our every de­
ficiency in foresight.
So have you got any tools or
techniques you want to know more
about? Let's hear from you. Drop me
a note, and it's.. .
Over to you,

-:Bu.ck

IME


• Fabric Covering • Sheet Metal Basics
• Electrical Systems & Avion ics
• Introduction to Aircraft Bu ilding

Aug . 19-20

Indianapolis, IN

• Fabric Covering. Sheet Metal Basics
• Electrical Systems & Avionics
• Cas Welding • Composite Construction

Aug. 26-27

Oshkosh, WI

• RV Assembly

Sept. 8-10

Frederick, MD

• Repairman (LSA) Inspection- Airplane

Sept. 8-10

Griffin,GA

• TIC Weld ing

(Atlanta Area)

Sept. 9-10

Corona, CA

• RV Assembly

Sept. 9-10

Denver, CO






Sept. 1 5-1 7

Oshkosh, WI

• Repairman (LSA) Inspection- Airplane

Sept 29-Qct. 1
Oct 13-15

Fabric Covering • Sheet Metal Basics
Electrical Systems & Avionics
Composite Construction
Introduction to Ai rcraft Bu ilding

• Repairman (LSA) Inspection- Airplane

Griffin, GA

• TIC Welding

(Atlanta Area)

EAA SportAir
Sponsors:

KLEIN
TOOLS.
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YOU CAN BUILD IT! LET EAA TEACH YOU HOW.
VI N T AGE AIR P LANE

31

SPARK PLUG ROTATION

A few maintenance tips
BY STEVE BENDER

or years many of us have been taught to carefully more wear on the center electrode, while others have more
remove, inspect, and clean our engine's spark plugs wear on the outer electrodes. Electrical energy to fire these
before reinstalling them into the same position from plugs is provided by magnetos, and these magnetos gener­
which they were removed. The thinking behind this ate this electrical energy by rotating magnets within a multi­
was to detect potential engine problems early. While there turn wire core. To put it simply, the north and south poles
is a lot to be said for this organized approach, I believe a of the magnets induce alternating positive and negative
more methodical approach should
electrical voltage within the wire core.
be taken . By simply rotating spark
EQUALIZE ELECTRODE These charges are carried to the plugs
plugs during their reinstallation,
by ignition leads. The first lead carries
WEAR CAUSED BY TH IS
we may nearly double the plug's
a positive voltage to the first plug. The
service life. Here's why.
second
lead carries a negative voltage
CONSTANT FIRING
Spark plug wear is caused by
to the second plug.
three major factors: firing polarity,
This alternating positive and neg­
POLARITY, SIMPLY
ignition lead capacitance, and lead
ative voltage continues throughout
ROTATE THE PLUG TO A the firing order, with the same plug
salt deposits. Without getting too
deeply involved, let's take a look at
always receiving either a positive or
POSITION FIRING WITH
how each of these factors contrib­
negative voltage that causes greater
utes to spark plug wear.
THE OPPOSITE POLARITY. wear on the corresponding positive or
Spark plugs are made with one
negative electrode. To equalize elec­
center positive electrode and two or more outer negative trode wear caused by this constant firing polarity, simply ro­
electrodes. Careful inspection of these electrodes over the tate the plug to a position firing with the opposite polarity.
service life of the spark plug will show some plugs have Swapping the plugs that have worn ground electrodes with

F

To

32

J U LY 2006

the plugs that have worn center electrodes does this easily.
Of course, every rule of thumb has to have an exception,
and for firing polarity it is the Bendix 0-2000 and 0-3000
magnetos found on a few four-cylinder engines. These mag­
netos always fire with the same polarity, so plug rotation
will not even out electrode wear.
The second major cause of spark plug wear is a direct
result of using shielded spark plug leads. Using two electri­
cal conductors separated by electrical insulation within the
shielded lead reduces aircraft radio electromagnet interfer­
ence. Electrical energy is carried to the spark plug by elec­
trically pre-charging the shielded lead, which then acts as
a linear capacitor, storing almost 25 percent of the electri­
cal energy sent to the plug. When the plug fires, the energy
stored within the lead is discharged into the spark plug. This
discharge occurs across the plug's electrodes after the fuel
has been ignited, thus serving no useful function, while in­
creasing electrode wear. The rule of thumb for ignition lead
capacitance is the longer the ignition lead, the greater the
capacitance energy stored within the lead, and the greater
the residual spark plug electrode wear. Rotating the spark
plugs to cylinders with shorter lengths of ignition leads will
equalize this wear between the spark plugs.
Finally, lead salt deposits formed from the burning of
aviation gasoline containing lead additives cause corrosion
on spark plug electrodes and shorten plug life. Rotating the
plugs from the bottom cylinder position to the top cylinder
position will help equalize plug wear caused by this corro­
sion. The use of fuel additives such as tricresyl phosphate
(TCP) can also minimize both fouling due to excess lead de­
posits and the corrosion caused by the deposits.
Here is a simple, methodical procedure for spark plug
rotation that gives rotation from bottom-to-top, short-to­
long lead and ensures reverse plug polarity. This method
will work with most horizontally opposed aircraft engines.
If your engine manufacturer has a recommended plug rota­
tion schedule, it should be used.
For a six-cylinder engine:
1T to 6B
2B to 5T
3T to 4B
IB to 6T
2T to 5B
3T to 4T
For a four-cylinder engine:
1T to 4B
2B to 3T
IB to 4T
2T to 3B

Just Like in the Good Old Days
All the Randolph products, aD the Randolph
colors, aD the Randolph quality. An aviation
icon is back on the market again... to stay.

800-362-3490~
Or e-mail us at info@
randolpbaircraft.com

~~
~~

r.========================================::::;--­

hese are the first tools you need
T
to buy when you re-cover your
airplane. Anyone who has used them
will tell you they 're the next best
thing to having one of our staff right
beside you. The VHS tape and the
DVD will give you the Big Picture,
and the manual will walk you step
by step through every part of the
process. You're never on your own
when you're using Poly-Fiber.
www.polyfiber.com

Spark plugs will need to be replaced periodically, based
on the manufacturer's recommended time schedule or
based on actual plug wear. Ask yourself, "Why rotate
spark plugs?" Then ask, "Why not?"
.....

e-mail: [email protected]
Air c raft Coatings

800-362-3490
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

33

BY

H.G. FRAUTSCHY

THIS MONTH'S MYSTERY PLANE COMES TO US FROM THE COLLECTION OF

ELMER "BUCK" LEIGHTON, COURTESY OF HIS GRANDSON, CHRIS STRAUSS.

THEY SHARED A COPY OF A CD OF PHOTOS WITH THE EAA LIBRARY.


Send your answer to EAA, Vintage Airplane, P.O.
Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Your answer
needs to be in no later than August 10 for inclusion
in the October 2006 issue of Vintage Airplane.

You can also send your response via e-mail. Send
your answer to [email protected]. Be sure to include
your name, city, and state in the body of your note, and
put "(Month) Mystery Plane" in the subject line.

(Back in April, after attempting to locate a past member and having been informed he'd departed our world, I
wrote that Ted Businger of Evening Shade, Arkansas, was "the late Ted Businger. " I'm happy to report Ted in­
formed us he's still very much with us, and those of us who'd thought he'd passed away were very much in error.
Glad you're still with us, Ted!)
34

JULY 2006

APRIL . S MYSTERY

The April Mystery Plane came to
us from the collection of longtime
VAA member Ted Businger of Ash
Flat, Arkansas. The Roy Russell photo
generated exactly one response. It
came from Minneapolis, Minnesota,
member Wayne Muxlow:
liThe April 2006 Mystery Plane
would be the Santa Ana VM-l. Built

Your One

ANSWER


in 1928 by the Santa Ana Aircraft
Co., Santa Ana, California. Later
evolved into the Activian. Origi­
nally powered with an 80-hp An­
zani, it was later powered by a
100-hp Kinner."
Aerofiles.com and Ted's notes
on the back of the photo confirm
the VM-l (registered as X4564) was

STOP Quality Shop

built in Santa Ana and that the
manufacturing rights were later
sold to Grays Harbor Airways, Grays
Harbor, Washington . With a 38-foot
wingspan, a length of 25 feet, and a
750-pound useful load, it's not sur­
prising the VM-l's 80-hp Anzani
was replaced on the Activian by the
100-hp Kinner.
......

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with everybody. Send your note to:
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You cane-mail your letterat this address: vintageaircraft@eaa .org
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696 E. 1700 Road
Baldwin City. KS 66006
800-544-8594
Fax 785-594-3922

www.mcfarlane-aviation.com
sales@ mcfarlane-aviation.com

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

35

Top Waco

continuedfrompage24

cased innocuously in an old wooden gine and propeller. It was originally tions to it, but in the sunset silhou­
crate. Ben Redman shared the discov­ equipped with a 225-hp Jacobs L-4 en­ ette, it's still a Waco."
ery in his own words, a touch of awe gine with a fixed-pitch Curtiss Reed
still in his voice: "Jeremy and I opened propeller, but today it has a new 275­ Keep Her Flying!
Now that Johnston's coupe top
the box and took the top off- it still hp Jacobs R75-B2 from Radial Engines
had that old-fashioned wood straw Ltd. in Guthrie, Oklahoma, with a Waco has made its public debut at
in it-and there were brand-spanking constant-speed Hamilton Standard Sun 'n Fun in Lakeland, Florida, 2006,
new, never-been-used aluminum Hill propeller to maximize its power. And where it was awarded Reserve Grand
Champion, what will
Aircraft Streamliner
be the next leg of its
wheelpants for the
journey through time?
YPF. They hadn't even
been cut yet; they were
Ben and Jeremy Red­
man are happy to be
blanks! We didn't even
optimistic about the
know what to say for a
answer to that ques­
couple of minutes. We
though t, is this real?
tion , since they "get
very attached to these
Hill was really the big
airplanes we restore,
fairing and streamline
and the fun thing is,
maker of the day, and
it was just really cool to
with Jerry, we don't
have to worry about
see them. That was the
biggest score with that
what is going to hap­
airplane. We mounted
pen to the airplane.
the original identifica­
We know it's going to
tion tag on the inside Just imagine being 24 years old and having the privilege of ordering
be loved and flown; it's
of the left wheelpant, this biplane brand new from the factory!
got a great home. And
at the lower edge of
he loves sharing them
the transition cuff between the gear one glance inside the cockpit reveals with people."
leg and wheel pant, where the owner an abundance of modern avion­
Wenger's answer corroborates the
wanted it."
ics, including a Garmin GPS/comm , brothers ' feelings . "I want my air­
transponder, encoder, intercom, and planes to fly," he said, and expressed
Modifica tions
Shadin fuel flow monitor. And lying a bit of his own personal philosophy
One of the primary principles that neatly in place atop the new cream­ when he added, "I intend to take real
Rare Aircraft advocates in its resto­ colored leather seats are Hooker five­ good care of it and take it to shows.
rations is remaining as true to the point harnesses.
As time goes on, I have to figure out
The airframe is covered in Ceconite where I want my airplanes, and that's
aircraft's original configura tion as
possible, while incorporating some 102. The solid primer coat contained not easy to do. I want a big grass field,
modern features that facilitate the an ultraviolet blocker so a silver coat where you can pick your own run­
safe and practical operation of an air­ wasn't required-nor was sanding, way. And I'd like to have a flying mu­
plane like the 1935 Waco YPF in to­ except for the cowling. The PPG color seum with historic gliders, biplanes,
day's general aviation environment, coats were matched to the original and other aircraft, where they will
thereby protecting the owner's in­ Berry Brothers' Bronze Plum and continue to tly. Even though you risk
vestment in the project.
the bright Nassau Blue. "The color is banging them up, they're still go­
For example, NC15700 doesn't the top finish coat-there is no clear ing. Otherwise, no one will remem­
have its original Hayes tires and me­ coat," said Jeremy Redman, adding, ber hearing the sound of an old radial
chanical brakes. "But boy, do I feel "What you see is what you get out of engine, or seeing and smelling its
better with those Cleveland wheels the gun, there's no buffing or rubbing smoke, and feeling it throbbing in
and brakes while landing in a cross­ to that finish."
your heart."
wind, or taxiing around on a hot
Ultimately, and partially in re­
It's just a hunch, but you can bet that
day and not having the brakes get sponse to those who are restoration if Johnston were still around, she would
grabby," explained Ben Redman .
purists, Ben Redman declares that be very pleased indeed that her biplane
There are other modifications "you could paint that airplane any has survived for 71 years and has been
for the Waco YPF, including its en­ color you want, and make modi fica­ so elegantly revived.
~
36

JULY 2006

continued from page 29

to taxi in the direction you wish.
But if the wind is blowing, the wa­
ter rudders might not have enough
force to turn the airplane from up­
wind to downwind. Then you use
the plow taxi. But now as you add
power to bring the nose up, shifting
the center of buoyancy aft so that
the wind can help in pushing the
nos e of the airplane from upwind
to downwind, you can no longer
see where you are going. Plus if you
stay in this attitude too long the en­
gine might quickly overheat. For­
tunately, it's not a maneuver that
is used too frequently, nor for very
long when you do have need to use
it.
The last type of taxi is the step
taxi. In this maneuver you add full
power after raising the water rud­
ders . After the nose does its sec­
ond rise you ease the stick forward
and the airplane comes up on the
step of the float. If the stick is too
far forward the airplane will start to
porpoise-if too far back, it won't
get up on the step. Finding the
"sweet spot" was not as difficult as I
thought it might be, and I was soon
planing along on the step. What a
rush and a hoot.
That is, until I had to turn, as one
might have to in a confined-area
takeoff. Talk about pucker factor. . .l
thought I'd have to get the seat sur­
gically removed from my posterior.
Turning during a step taxi requires a
delicate balance. To begin with, it's
a skidding turn. Thus the outside
float is pushed down into the wa­
ter by centrifugal force (while you
try to counter it with opposite ai­
leron), creating a lot of drag. You
can overcome the drag with power,
or by increasing the radius of the
turn . But too much power and the
centrifugal force might cause you
to capsize. On the other hand, not
enough power and you come off the
step. As I said ... a delicate balance.
There's more to learn on the wa­
ter as well-some of it chilling, if

not thrilling, especially when you
end up in the Hudson River's cold
water, as it was when I took my
training in the middle of May. Oohn
had warned me. The student gets
wet before the instructor.) Beach­
ing, ramping, docking, mooring ,
and sailing were all new maneuvers
that I had to learn . (The only thing
that helped me here was the time
I've spent on the water in a kayak.
Very little help, I might add.)
Of course, there's the flying to
learn as well. All the different types
of takeoffs and landings, includ­
ing normal, crosswind, rough wa­
ter, glassy water, confined area, and
landings from a simulated power
failure filled the syllabus. I espe­
cially liked being able to turn in
the midst of my takeoff, raising
one float to reduce the drag and get
in the air. I also enjoyed flying traf­
fic patterns that were rarely higher
than 500 feet above the water. But
through all this fun of takeoffs and
landings, one has to be ever vig ­
ilant in ensuring that the takeoff
and landing area is free of water
traffic, and their ensuing wakes, as
well as any flotsam and jetsam, in­
cluding swimmers who might im­
pede your progress.
Adding the airplane single-engine
sea rating to my certificate has cer­
tainly been one of the most enjoy­
able and refreshing things I've done
in an airplane in a long, long time .
I would heartily recommend that if
you seek a little more excitement in
your flying, to consider adding the
ASES to your certificate. Guaranteed,
it will add a whole new dimension
to your aeronautical ex perience! I
guess I now have to add blue seas to
blue skies and tail winds!

Doug Stewart was the 2004 Na­
tional CFI of the Yea r and is a Mas­
ter Instructor and designated pilot
examiner. He operates DSFI Inc. (www.
dsflight.com), based at the Columbia
County Airport (lBi).
......

continued from page 1

see this project through to comple­
tion. Thanks, guys! But hey, there's
more fun to be had , as the annual
on the C-170 ran out the other day.
How did this happen? Two annu­
als at the same time? What fun! As
soon as that's done, we need to get
back to work on Neuman's Mono­
coupe. Whoopee!
Also, I wanted to mention that
we continue to hear a number of
positive comments regarding the
continual efforts to improve the
quality of Vintage Airplane. Again,
many thanks for these communica­
tions, as they really drive home the
message that we are going down
the right path in our efforts to pro­
vide a valued asset to the member­
ship. In fact, in this issue of Vintage
Airplane we are rolling out a new
feature I hope will put a smile on
everyone's face each and every
month. Be sure to check out our
new Tai lwh eels cartoon featured
on page (29). Please join me in wel­
coming VAA member Dave Brown,
who is an accomplished aviation­
minded sketch artist. Dave truly is
one of us, as he is a longtime mem­
ber of the Vintage Aircraft Associa­
tion, and he's also a member of (my
hometown chapter) the Greater
Fort Wayne VAA Chapter 37. I hope
you find his sketches as humorous
and intellectual as I have. Welcome
aboard, Dave! I hope this is the be­
ginning of a long relationship with
our magazine. Again, I hope the
membership will provide us with
some feedback on what you think
of Dave's work.
See you at Oshkosh!
Let's all pull in the same direction
for the good of aviation . Remember,
we are better together. Join us and
have it all.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

37

2006

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter
of information only and does not constitute approval, sponsorship, involve­
ment, control, or direction of any event (fly-in, seminars, fly market, etc.)
listed. To submit an event, send the information via mail to: Vintage
Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Or e-mail the infor­
mation to: [email protected]. Information should be received four
months prior to the event date.
JULY 7·9-Lompoc, CA-Lompoc Airport. 22nd
Annual West Coast Piper Cub Fly-In. Flour­
bomb drop and spot landing contests ,
awards, Friday night spaghetti , Saturday night
Lompoc-Style Tri-Tip BBQ. Pancake breakfast
on Saturday and Sunday. BBQ hotdogs and
hamburgers for Lunch on Friday and Saturday.
"Secret" entertainment. Cub clothing, hats
and memorabilia will be available. Info: Bruce
Fall 805-733-1914
JULY 7·9-Alliance, OH-Barber Airport (2Dl).
36th Annual Taylorcraft Fly-In. EM # 82
Breakfast Saturday & Sunday 7am-11am.
Info: www.taylorcraft.org, www.barberaircraft.

com, Forrest Barber 330-823-1168 or 330­
495-5447
JULY IS-Zanesville, OH-Parr Airport. EM
Chapter 425 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In,
Drive-In Breakfast. 8am-2pm with lunch
items available after 11am. Info: Chuck
Bruckelmeyer 740-454-7487
JULY 19-21-Keokuk, IA-ILPA - IBDA Formatioin
School. Many activities, all Warbirds welcome.
Info: Jim Grenier 508-366-5876
JULY 22-Colusa, CA-Colusa County Airport
(008). 10th Annual Old Time Fly-In. Info: www.

airnav.com/ airport/ 008
AUGUST 12-Auburn, CA-Auburn Municipal
Airport (AUN). Thunder In The Sky. Info:

www.

thunderinthesky.org
AUGUST 18-20-McMinnville, OR-McMinnville
Airport. McMinnville Antique Fly-In. Info:

www.

nwaac.com
AUGUST 18-20-Alliance, OH-Alliance-Barber
Airport (2Dl). 8th Annual Ohio Aeronca
Aviators Fly-In. Info: Brian Matz 216-337-5643,

[email protected], www.oaaf/y-in.com
AUGUST 2O-Brookfield , WI-Capitol Drive Airport.
EM/ VAA Chapter 11 Ice Cream Social &
Lunch. Vintage Aircraft Display. Noon-5pm.
BBQ Chicken Lunch Noon-2pm
AUGUST 25·26-Long Island , NY-Bayport
Aerodome (23N). 2nd Annual Antique
Aeroplane Club Fly-In. All vintage , antique ,
classic airplanes and pilots welcome.
For "Welcome to Bayport DVD" and Info:

[email protected]. www.AACGNY.org
AUGUST 26-Niles, MI-Jerry Tyler Memorial
Airport (3TR). VAA Chapter 35 Fly-In Drive-In
Corn & Sausage Roast. 11am-3pm. Rain
Date August 27th. Info: Len Jansen 269-684­
6566
SEPTEMBER 2-Zanesville, OH-Riverside Airport.
EM Chapter 425 Pancake Breakfast Fly­
In, Drive-In Breakfast. 8am-2pm with lunch
items available after 11am. Info: Chuck
Bruckelmeyer 740-454-7487

38

JULY 2006

MAJOR

FLy-INS
For details on EAA Chapter fly-ins and
other local aviation events, visit www.eaa.orgjevents

Northwest EAA Fly·ln

SEPTEMBER 2-Prosser, WA-EM Chapter 391 's

Arlington Municipal Airport (AWO)

23rd Annual Labor Day Weekend Prosser Fly­
In. Info: R.L. Shaub 509-735-7664
SEPTEMBER 2-Marion, IN-Marion Municipal

July 5-9, 2006
www.nweaa.org

Airport (MZZ). 16th Annual Fly-In CruiseIn . Features antique, classic, homebuilt,
ultralight, & warbird aircraft as well as
vintage cars, trucks, motorcycles, & tractors.
AII-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast is served.
Proceeds benefiting the local High School
Band. Info: Ray Johnson 765-664-2588 .

www.FlylnCruiseln.com
SEPTEMBER 7·10-Greenville, ME-Greenville,

Arlington, WA

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
Wittman Regional Airport (OSH )
Oshkosh, WI

July 24-July 30, 2006
www.airventure.org

EAA Mid-Eastern Regional FIy·ln

Maine 33rd Annual International Fly-

Marion Municipal Airport (MNN)
Marion,OH

In. Contests , poker runs, cruise on

August 25-27, 2006

Moosehead Lake, cookout, buffet,
demonstrations, and more . Info: Darralyn
Gauvin, PO Box 1289, Greenville, ME
04441 or email [email protected]
SEPTEMBER 9-Blue Bell, PA-Wings Field
(LOM) . 17th Annual Vintage Aircraft
& Classic Car Show. 10am-3pm. Free
Admission. $10 Automobile Parking. Food,
Music, Entertainment, & Exhibits. All net
proceeds will go to benefit Angel Flight
East. Rain Date : September 10th . Info:
Bonni 800-383-9464 xl06
SEPTEMBER 9-Newark , OH-Newark-Heath
Airport (VTA). Annual EAA Chapter 402
Fly-In Breakfast. Breakfast: pancakes,
eggs, sausage, juice, coffee. Vintage
and homebuilt aircraft. Young Eagles
Flights. Buckeye Chapter of RVAtors fly
over. Fly-ins and drive-ins welcome. Info:
Tom McFadden 740-587-2312 or

[email protected]
SEPTEMBER 9-Maxton, NC-Laurinburg-Maxton
Airport (MEB). Region 10 Ercoupe Owners
Club North-South Carolina Members &
Guests 3rd Annual "Spectacular September
Invitational" . Hosted by John Miller & William
McNeill. 10am-l0:45am Touch-Down. 11am­
Noon RC Demonstrations. Noon-1:15pm
Lunch & Awards. 1:30pm-3pm Fly-Out to
Local Grass Strip. 3pm-3:30pm Departure .
Info: Buck 336-342-5629, 336-549-1936,

[email protected]
SEPTEMBER 22·23-Bartlesville, OK-Frank
Phillips Airfield . 50th Annual Tulsa Regional
Fly-In. Info: Charlie Harris 918-622-8400.

www.tulsaflyin.com
SEPTEMBER 24-Hinkley, IL-OC2. EM Ch. 241
Breakfast on the Grass. 7:30am-Noon. Info:
847-888-2119
SEPTEMBER 3O-Hanover, IN-Lee Bottom Flying
Field (641). 10th Annual Wood, Fabric, &
Tailwheels Fly-In. Come see what everyone

Virginia Regional EAA FIy·ln
Dinwiddie County Airport (PTB)
Petersburg, VA

September 30..0ctober 1, 2006
www.vaeaa.org

EAA Southeast Regional FIy·ln
Middleton Reid Airport (GZH)
Evergreen, AL

October 6-8, 2006
www.serfi.org

Copperstate Regional EAA Fly-In
Casa Grande (AR) Municipal Airport (CGZ)

October 26·29, 2006
www.copperstate.org
For details on EM Chapter fly-ins and other local avia­
tion events, visit www.eaa.org/events
is talking about. If you love the good old
says, then you'll love this event. Info: www.

LeeBottom.com
SEPTEMBER 30-Topping, VA-Hummel Air Field.
The 11th Annual Car & Air Event. Featuring
Antique Cars & Planes. Plus Rre Apparatus,
Tractors & Engines, and Arts & Crafts
of all types. Info: 804-758-4330 or 804­

694-5995, [email protected], www.
wingsandwheels. us
OCTOBER l l·IS-Tullahoma, TN-Beech Party
2006. Staggerwing/Twin Beech 18/Bonanza/
Baron/Beech owners & enthusiasts are
welcome. Sponsored by the Staggerwing
Museum Foundation , Staggerwing Club , Twin
Beech 18 Society, Bonanza/ Baron Museum,
& Travel Air Division. Info: 931-455-1794
OCTOBER 29-Jean, NV-Jean Airport. 18th Annual
North Las Vegas International Ercoupe Fly In
and Halloween party (EOC Region 8). Info:

http://www.airnav.com/airportjOLl

VINTAGE

AIRCRAFT

ASSOCIATION

OFFICERS
President
Geoff Rohison
1521 E. MacGregor Dr.

New Haven , IN 46 774
260-493-4724
clJie{[email protected]

Secretary
Steve Nesse
2009 Highl and Ave.
Albert Lea, MN 56007
507-373- 1674
stlws@(/eskmedia.com

Vice-Presiden t
George Daubner
2448 Lough J.ane
Hartford, W I 53027
262-673-5885
vuaflyboy{!!1'11sn.com

Treas ure r
Charles W, Harris
7215 East 46th SI.
Tulsa, OK 74147
9 18-622-8400
cwh@'1hvsu.colll

DIRECTORS
Steve Bender

Jeannie Hill

85 Brush Hill Road
Sherborn, MA 01770
508-653-7557
sst IO(ii'Co mcasr.lIet

P.O. Box 328
Harvard, I L 600:n-0328
815-94 3-7205

David Bennett
375 Killdeer Ct
Lincoln, CA 95648
9 16-645-8370

Esrie "Butc h" Joyce
704 N. Reg io nal Rd.
Greensboro, NC 27·109
336-668-3650

{lrltiqllt'r@illreacil. cOI1l

WilldsockCPaul. [U III

John Berendt
7645 Echo Point Rd.
Ca nno n Falls, MN 55009
507-263-2414
Illjbfchl!i@'rcOlI"ect.cum

Dave Clark
635 Vestal Lane
Plainfi eld, IN 46 168
317-839-4500
davt'cpd@;quest.llt't

John S. Cope land
1A Deacon Street
Nortllborough, MA 01532
508-393-4775
copeland l @jlUlO,com

Phil Cou lson
28415 Springbrook Dr.
Lawton, Ml4906S
269-624-6490
rcou/son516(g)cs.(om

Dale A. Gustafson
7724 Shady Hills Dr.

Indianapolis, IN 46278
317 -293-4430
dalefaye(lilmsll. com

dil1gha()(gv wc.net

Steve Krog
1002 Heath er Ln.
Hartford, WI 53027
262-966-7627

Membershi:R Services Directory

ENJOY THE MANY BENEFITS OF EAA AND
THE EAA VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

~

EAA Aviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086
Phone (920) 426-4800

Fax (920) 426-4873

Web Site: www.vintageaircraft.org and www.airventllre.org
EAA and Division Membership Services
800-843-3612 .... .... FAX 920-426-676 1
(8:00 AM- 7:00 PM
Monday-Friday CST)
-New/ renew memberships: EAA, Divi­
sions (Vi ntage Aircraft Association, lA C,
Warbirds), Nationa l Associa ti on of Flight
Instructors (NAFI)
- Address changes
- Merchandise sales
- Gift memberships
Programs and Activities
EAA AirVentu re Fax-On-Demand Directory
........................ 732-885-671 1
Auto Fuel STCs ............ 920-426-4843
Build/restore information ... 920-426-4821
Chapters: locating/organizing920-426-4876
Educati on ...... .. ... . .... 888-322-3229
- EAA Air Academy
- EAA Scholarships

E-Mail: [email protected]

Flight Advisors information ..
Flight Instructor information
Flying Start Program ...
Library Services/Research ..
Medical Questions . . ..... .
Techn ical Coun selors ..
Young Eagles

920-426-6864
920-426-6801
920-426-6847
920-426-4848
920-426-6112
920-426-6864
877 -806-8902

Benefits
AUA Vintage Insurance Plan. 800-727-3823
EAA Aircraft Insu rance Plan . 866-647-4322
Term Life and Accidental.
800-241-6103
Death Insurance (Harvey Watt & Compa ny)
Editori al ................. 920-426-4825
Vintage .............. FAX 920-426-6865
- Submitting article/photo
- Advertising information
EAA Aviation Foundation
Artifact Donations .. .. . . . . 920-426-4877
Fina ncial Support .......... 800-236-1025

s~ krog<!!'aol. fo m

Robert D. "Bob" Lumley
1265 South 124th St.
Brookfielcl, WI 53005
262-782-2633
IUlnper@(JXl'Cpc.com

Gene Morris
5936 Steve Court
Roanoke, TX 76262
817-49 1-9 110
gellC111orris(mc/wrter.I,et

Dean Richardson
1429 Kings Lynn Rd
Stoughton , WI 53589
608-877-8485
dar(g)aprilaire.cum
S.H. "Wes" Schmid
2359 Lefeber Avenue
Wauwatosa, Wj 532 13
414-771-154 5
Sllsc/llnid@1ni/lllpc.COIIl

DIRECTORS

EMERITUS

Gene Chase
2 159 Ca rlton Rd.
Oshkosh, WJ 54904
920-231-5002

E.E. "Buck" Hilbert
P.O. Box 424
Union, IL 60 180
815-923-459 1

[email protected]

b711c@mC. llet

Ro nald C. fritz
15401 Sparta Ave.
Kent City, MI 49330
616-678-50 12
rFritz@pa ti1l11tly"et.conl

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
EAA

lAC

Membership in the Experimental Aircraft
Association, Inc. is $40 for one year, includ­
ing 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION. Family
membership is an additional $10 annually,
Junior Membership (under 19 years of age)
is available at $23 annually. All major credit
cards accepted for membership. (Add $16 for
Foreign Postage,)

C urrent EAA members may join the
International Aerobatic Club, Inc. Divi­
sion and receive SPORT AEROBATICS
magazine fo r an additional $45 per year.
EAA Membership, SPORT AEROBAT­
ICS magazine and one year membership
in the lAC Division is available for $55
per year (SPORT AVIATION magaZine
not included). (Add $18 for Foreign
Postage.)

EAA SPORT PILOT
Current EAA memb ers may add EAA
SPORT PILOT magaZine for an additional
$20 per year.
EAA Membership and EAA SPORT
PILOT magazine is available for $40 per
year (SPORT AVIATION magaZine not in­
cluded). (Add $16 for Foreign Postage.)

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION
Current EAA m embers may join the
Vintage Aircraft Association and receive
VINTAGE AIRPLANE magaZine for an ad­
ditional $36 per year.
EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE
magazine and one year membership in the EAA
Vintage Aircraft Association is available for $46
per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not in­
cluded). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage.)

WARBIRDS
Current EAA members may join the EAA
Warbirds of America Division and receive
WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $45
per year,
EAA Membership, WARBIRDS maga­
zine and one yea r membership in the
Warbirds Division is available for $50 per
year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not in­
cluded). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage.)

FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS
Please submit your remittance with a
check or draft drawn on a United States
bank payable in United States dollars. Add
required Foreign Postage amount for each
membership.

Membership dues to EAA and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions
Copyright ©2006 by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association
All rights reserved.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE (USPS 062-750; ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EAA
Avialion Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086, e-mail: [email protected]. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and at additional mailing offices. POST­
MASTER: Send address changes to Vintage Airplane, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. PM 40032445 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to World Distribution Services, Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor,
ON N9A 6.15, e-mail: [email protected]. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES - Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via suriace mail. ADVERTIS­
ING - Vintage Aircraft Association does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our
advertising so that corrective measures can be taken.
EDITORIAL POLICY: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with
the cootributor. No remuneration is made. Material should be sent to: Editor, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 920-426-4800.
EAA® and EAA SPORT AVIATION®, the EAA Logo® and Aeronautica™ are registered trademarks, trademarks, and service marks of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. The use of these trademarks and
service marks without the permiSSion of the Experimental Aircraft Association , Inc. is strictly prohibited.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

39

Something to buy , sell , or trade?
Classified Word Ads: $5.50 per 10 words, 180 words maximum, with boldface lead-in on first line.
Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2.167 inches) by 1, 2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch. Black and white
only, and no frequency discounts.
Advertising Closing Dates: 10th of second month prior to desired issue date (Le., January 10 is the closing date for the
March issue). VAA reserves the right to reject any advertising in conflict with its policies. Rates cover one insertion per issue.
Classified ads are not accepted via phone. Payment must accompany order. Word ads may be sent via fax (920-426-4828)
or e-mail ([email protected]) using credit card payment (all cards accepted). Include name on card, complete address, type of
card, card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EAA. Address advertising correspondence to EAA Publications
Classified Ad Manager, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086
Airplane T-Shirts

150 Different Airplanes Available

WE PROBABLY HAVE YOUR AIRPLANE!

www.airplanetshirts.com
1-800-645-7739
Flying wires available. 1994 pricing.
Visit www.flyingwires.com or call
800-517-9278.
THERE'S JUST NOTHING LIKE IT

ON THE WEB!!

www.aviation-giftshop.com
A Website with the Pilot in Mind
(and those who love airplanes)
Warner engines. Two 165s, one fresh
O.H. , one low time on Fairch ild 24
mount with all accessories. Also
Helton Lark and Aeronca C-3 project.
Find my name and address in the
Officers and Directors listing and call
evenings. E. E. "Buck" Hilbert.

A&P loA.: Annual, 100 hr. inspections.

Wayne Forshey 740-472-1481

Ohio - statewide.

BABBITT BEARING SERVICE
- rod bearings , main bearings ,
bush i ngs , master rods , valves,
piston rings. Call us Toll Free 1-800­
233-6934 , e-mail ramremfg @aol.
com Website www.ramengine.com
VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS,
N. 604 FREYA ST. , SPOKANE, WA 99202
KNOW ANYONE WHO'S

INTO PLANES?

Distinctive Greeting Card Sets ­
Boxed for Gifts

BIRTHDAYS - FATHER'S DAY ­
HOLIDAYS - NOTE CARDS

Artistically Rendered Antique Aircraft

12 cards per set (4 1/4" by 5 1/2" ) ­
blank inside - $15

www.ClassyWings.com

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING

LET BRENCO HELP YOU GET YOUR
IA CERTIFICATE-Brenco has a
25 year history of train ing A&P's to
obtain their Inspection Authorization.
Cou rses are offered every year in
Battle Creek MI , Columbus OH ,
Kenosha WI and Rockford IL. Call
1-800-584-1392 for additional
information

A+P Mechanic with Machining and
Fabrication experience, has t ime
and shop space available for your
project or restoration. Waukesha,
Wisconsin . Email Sportbuilder@
yahoo . com w i th details and
questions.

CUSTOM PRINTED T-SHIRTS for your
flying club, flight shop, museum. Free
samples. Call 1-800-645-7739 or 1­
828-654-9711

( SEE PAGE 26 )
For many years, we ran a regular monthly feature called "What Our Members Are Restoring". Over the past couple of
years, the number of submissions for that feature has dwindled to a trickle, and we'd like you to help us give it a boost.
In the distant past, each new and renewing member of EAA and VAA received an "activity card" that gave the member the
opportunity to tell headquarters what airplanes they were working on. Since that card is no longer part of a new-member
packet, we have no way of knowing what you're up to, so here's our request.
Are you nearing completion of a restoration? Or is it done and you're busy flying and showing it off? If so, we'd like to
hear from you. Send us a 4-by-6-inch print from a commercial source Ino home printers, please-those prints just don't
scan well) or a 4-by-6-inch, 300-dpi digital photo. A JPG from your 2.5-megapixel lor higher) digital camera is fine. You can
burn photos to a CD, or if you're on a high-speed Internet connection, you can e-mail them along with a text-only or Word
document describing your airplane. (If your e-mail program asks if you'd like to make the photos smaller, say no.) For more
tips on creating photos we can publish, visit VAA's website at www.vintageaircraft.org. Check the News page for a hyperlink
to Want To Send Us A Photograph?
For more information, you can also e-mail us at [email protected] call us at 920-426-4825.
40

JULY 200 6

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