September1996 Vol.24,No.

9
CONTENTS
1 Straight& Levell
Espie"Butch"Joyce
2 AlCNewslH.G. Frautschy
3 Aeromail
6 Curtiss ChallengerEnginesl
HankPalmer
8 The Bugatti1001
H.G.Frautschy
10 StearmanReunionPartIII
RichardT. Hansen
15 65 YearsIs A Long
TimeToWait/EarlRoot
19 TheWittmanLegacyl
H.G. Frautschy
22 WhatOurMembersAre
Page 15
RestoringlNormPetersen
24 PassittoBuckl
E.E."Buck"Hilbert
26 MysteryPlane/H.G.Frautschy
27 Calendar
27 WelcomeNewMembers
30 VintageTrader
Page 19
PageS
FRONT COVER ..TheWittmanHangaratEAA' sPioneerAirportwasdedicatedMay
11, 1996. Steve Wittman's legacywill li ve on in a series o f displays and
photographsexhibited in the newbuilding, constructed to resemble Ihe hangar
used by Steve's 'Wittman Flying Service: the FBO he founded on the airport in
Oshkosh,WI. A pictorialessayonthenewhangarcanbefound startingonpage
19. PhotobyEAA'sChiefPhotographer,JimKoepnick.
BACKCOVER . 'SchoolsOutEarly' is artistKristin Hill'soil paintingofa barnstomer's
disruptionofIheschooldayala ruraloneroomschoolhouse.She wasawardeda
Merit ribbon in Ihe 1996 Sport Avialion Art Competition for her work, You can
reach Kristin at herstudio, 1782 Colonial Manor Dr. . Lancaster,PA 17603, phone
717/394-9419.
Copyright 1996 bytheEAAAntique/ClassicDivisionInc.All rightsreserved.
VINTAGEAIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EAA Antique/Classic Division, Inc.of the Experimental
Aircraft Association and is published monthlyat EAA Aviation Cenler, 3000 Poberezny Rd., P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086.
PeriodicalsPostage paid alOshkosh,Wisconsin54901 andataddilionalmailingoffices. The membershipratefor EAAAntiquefClassicDivision,
Inc.is$27.00forcurrent EAAmembersfor t2 monthperiodofwhich$15,00 isforthepublicalionofVINTAGEAIRPLANE. Membershipisopen
toall whoareinterestedinaviation.
POSTMASTER:Send address changes to EAA AnliquefClassic Division, Inc. P.O. Bex 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. FOREIGN AND AiPO
ADDRESSES- PleaseallowatleasttwomonthsfordeliveryofVINTAGEAIRPLANEtoforeignandAPOaddressesviasurfacemail.
ADVERTISING - Antique/Classic Division does not guarantee or endorse any producl offered through the advertising, We inv"econstructive
criticismandwelcomeanyreportofinferiormerchandiseobtainedthroughouradvertiSingsothatcorrectivemeasurescanbetaken.
EDITORIALPOUCY:Readersareencouragedtosubmitstoriesandphotographs. Policyopinions expressedin articlesare solelyIhoseofthe
authors. Responsibilnyforaccuracyinreporting restsentirelyw"hthecontributor.Norenumeration ismade.
Materialshouldbesenlto: Ed"or,VINTAGEAIRPLANE,P.O.Bex3086, Oshkosh,WI 54903-3086. Phone4141426-4800,
The words EAA,ULTRALIGHT,FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM,SPORT AVIATION and the logos of EAA,EAA INTERNATIONAL
CONVENTION,EMANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION,INTERNATIONAL AEROBATICCLUB,WARBIRDS OF AMERICA are registered
trademarks. THE EMSKY SHOPPE and logosofthe EMAVIATION FOUNDATION and EMULTRALIGHTCONVENTION are Irademarks
oftheaboveassociationsandIheirusebyanypersonotherthantheaboveassociationisslrictlyprohibited.
EDITORIALSTAFF
Publisher
TomPoberezny
Edltor inChief
JackCox
Editor
HenryG, Frautschy
ManagingEditor
GoldaCox
Art Director
MikeDrucks
ComputerGraphicSpecialists
OliviaL Phillip JenniferLarsen
MaryPremeau
AssociateEditor
NormPetersen
FeatureWriter
DennisParks
StaffPhotographers
JimKoepnick MikeSteineke
CarlSchuppel KenUchtenburg
Advertising/ EditorialAssistant
IsabelleWiske
EAAANTIQUE/ CLASSICDIVISION,INC.
OFFICERS
Presidenl Vice President
Espie "Butch"Joyce GeorgeDaubner
P,O,Box35584 2448LoughLane
Greensboro,NC27425 Hartford,WI53027
910/393-0344 414/673-5885
Secretory Treasurer
SieveNesse E.E. "Buck"Hilbert
2009HighlandAve. P.O. Box424
AlbertLea,MN56007 Union,IL60180
E1J7/373-1674 815/923-4591
DIRECTORS
JohnBerendt RobertC,"Bob"Brauer
7645EchoPointRd. 9345S. Hoyne
ConnonFalls,MN55009 Chicaw,IL60620
E1J7/263-2414 312/ 79-2105
Phil Coulson JohnS.Copeland
28415SpringbrookDr. 28-3Williamsbur8CI.
Lawton,MI 49065 Shrewsbury,MA 1545
616/624-6490 508/842-7867
CharlesHarris StanGomoll
7215 East461hSt, 104290thLone,NE
Tulsa.OK 74145 Minneamlis,MN55434
918/622-8400 61 /784-1172
DoleA,Guslolson JeannieHill
7724ShadyHill Dr, P,O.80x328
Indianapolis,IN 46278 Harvard,IL 60033
317/293-4430 815/943-7205
RobertUCkteig RobertD."Bob"Lumley
1708 Boy Oaks r. 1265South 1241hSt.
AlbertLea.MN56007 Brookfield,WI53005
E1J7/373-2922 414/782-2633
DeanRichardson GeoffRobison
6701 ColonyDr. 1521 E. MacGregarDr,
Madison,WI 53717 NewHaven.IN46774
608/833-1291 219/493-4724
GeneMorris GeorgeYork
11SCSteveCourt,R,R, 2 181 SlobodaAv.
Roanoke.TX 76262 Mansfield,OH44906
817/491-9110 419/529-4378
S.H.OWes"Schmid
2359LefeberAvenue
Wauwatosa,WI 53213
414/771-1545
DIRECTOR EMERITUS
S.J.Willmon
1904-1995
ADVISORS
JoeDickey RogerGomott
55OakeyAv. 3238VicariaSt. N
Lawrenceburg,IN 47025 SI Paul.MN55126
812/537-9354 612/484-2303
SteveKrog
930TaroHL E
Hartford,WI 53027
414/966-7627
STRAIGHT & LEVEL
Once I've returned from the EAA
Oshkosh Convention, there always
seems to be a letdown. This year's
"coasting down" period seemed all the
more acute because of all of the activi-
ties that we had in conjunction with the
Antique/Classic Division's 25th An-
niversary. We were so busy enjoying
everything that coming home to our
regular everyday work was tinged with a
bit of disappointment.
What a great time we had. Overall, it
seemed to be a very smooth running
event.
We were issued some 940 mugs to
give to people who registered their air-
craft for the show. On the next to the
last day, we ran out of the mugs and had
to start taking people's names so they
could be mailed to them at a later date!
Each day we do a "head count" of
airplanes in our area during the air
show; the numbers showed we were in
line with the aircraft attendance figures
we ' ve had in the past. It was a good
showing, considering the three or four
days of bad weather surrounding
Oshkosh just prior to the opening of the
Convention. The quality of aircraft
restorations continues to improve each
year; this keeps the judges on their toes,
and the judging system keeps the indi-
viduals who restore their aircraft on
their toes as well!
Some of the interesting highlights of
this year's event include:
Our newest Antique/Classic mem-
ber to join at Oshkosh was Torquil Nor-
man from London, England. He trav-
eled to Oshkosh by flying his 1936
DH-90 Dragonfly, G-AEDU, from Eng-
land, by way of Bowling Green. (You'll
have to wait until the article for the full
story on that one!) Although he
planned on staying the full week, he and
his copilot had to leave on Saturday be-
cause the weather picture was just right
for their return trip back to England.
Torquil remarked to me that the
weather could go sour in the North At-
lantic rapidly, and then you might be
stuck for a week or more, so they had
best be on their way. One leg that they
flew would take them over some 1500
miles of water, cold water I might add.
Torquil found when he arrived home
that the award for Bronze Age Out-
standing Closed Cockpit Biplane had
been given to his pretty DeHavilland.
In attendance this year was a 1926
Laird Commercial, NCIlO, belonging to
Doug Fuss of Arlington, Texas. This
aircraft was very well done; everyone
was wondering if Doug used up half of
his TBO flying to Oshkosh and would
use the other half returning home!
Doug's dedication to the Wright J4 en-
gine on the Laird was exemplary - he re-
ally kept a close eye on its needs.
The only OX-5 powered aircraft in
our parking area this year was the 1929
Command Aire, NC538E , owned by
Art Knowles of Jacksboro, Texas and
restored by Tom Brown of Unity, WI.
He said that this aircraft cruised at 65
mph and stalled at 65 mph. This aircraft
is also a rare unit; I was wondering how
much of his TBO he used up on his trip.
Two people who are consistent at-
tendees are the Blankenburgs, who hail
from Pine Mountain Lake in California.
Kent and Sandy are really into polished
aluminum airplanes; for a number of
years they would arrive early with their
polished Lockheed 12. Last year, they
came to the show flying their polished
Cessna 195; this year they showed up
with their polished 1939 Spartan Execu-
tive 7W. It's great seeing them each
year and we could all take a lesson from
them on how to re lax at Oshkosh.
Maybe one day Sandy will write us an
article on how to keep a fleet of pol-
ished aircraft looking so good.
Out of the 62 awards given to differ-
ent individuals for their aircraft restora-
tion, 15 awards were given to Texans
and nine were carried back to Califor-
nia. It was great to have the American
Navion Society located in our area this
year during the 50th anniversary of the
Navion.
We looked out one day and a cabin
Waco really caught our eye; the unusual
thing was that it was covered 100 per-
cent with clear Mylar. This ship was
parked out front of the Antique/Classic
Headquarters so that all could see how
a tube and fabric airplane is assembled.
I'd wager that airplane was probably the
most photographed aircraft on the air-
by Espie"Butch"Joyce
port during the Convention. The
restoration of this Waco is the effort of
Mark Grusauski, North Canaan Avia-
tion, Canaan, Connecticut. The collec-
tive work of Mark, Mayflower Moving
and Storage, and your Antique/Classic
Division made it possible for this air-
craft to be present for everyone to view.
After talking with Mark, I'd bet we' ll be
hearing again from this young man.
Joe and Julia Dickey report that we
had some 26 type clubs at the An-
tique/Classic Type Club Headquarters
(TCHQ) this year and a lot of activity
during the week.
The Antique/Classic area of the
Oshkosh Convention is run almost to-
tally by volunteers, the exception being
the year-round maintaining of the
grounds that is done by the full-time
EAA maintenance staff, plus some indi-
viduals who are your year-round volun-
teers - a few who come to Oshkosh al-
most every weekend. These people are
working on the buildings, grounds, air-
craft projects, or at the Pioneer Airport.
For those who don't live close
enough to Oshkosh to spend a weekend
or two, they turn to their local Chapters
to find out how they might help by do-
ing Chapter work and other EAA re-
lated projects. This volunteer work be-
ing done year-round all over the
country, and internationally, and it's
very important to your Antique/Classic
Division. The guys at your local airport
who help a person with their personal
project also are showing the volunteer
spirit. I have friends who have helped
me with projects; sometimes I felt they
were putting in more hours than I was,
and they never asked for anything in re-
turn. I do not know how you can put a
value on these people, except to say
they are priceless.
Your Antique/Classic Director, Gene
Chase, has chosen to step down as a Di-
rector. Gene has been a long-time sup-
porter of the Antique/Classic Division
and we: thank him for his support. Gene
will still be around to help out, but he'll
help as a member in the future. Dean
Richardson has moved up from the A/C
Advisory board to fill Gene's position.
Please join us in welcoming him to the
Board, where I'm sure his expertise will
be of great benefit.
You can help out by asking a friend
to join up with us. 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 1
A/C NEWS
compiled by H.G. Frautschy
EAA OSHKOSH '97 DATE
CHANGE
After speaking with many members
and others during the past month,
EAA President Tom Poberezny has
announced that the dates for the 1997
EAA Convention will be shifted one
day. Based on the arrival patterns of
our members, as well as other factors,
next year's event will start on Wednes-
day, July 30. The format of the activi-
ties will remain the same over the
seven day long Fly-In Convention.
The Major Aircraft Awards and An-
nual Meeting of the EAA membership
will occur on Monday, August 4. The
Convention will conclude with an air-
show on Tuesday afternoon, August 5.
WORLD WAR I AIRPLANE
ENTHUSIASTS
One of the best references for World
War I airplane enthusiasts is Leonard
Opdycke of World War I Aeroplane,
Inc., 15 Crescent Rd., Poughkeepsie,
NY 12601, phone 914/473-3679.
Leonard has two magazines that he
publishes, both known to many An-
tique/Classic members. They're World
War 1 Aero - The Journal of the Early
Aeroplane and Skyways - The Journal of
the Airplane 1920-1940. Both magazines
are excellent references, professional in
appearance and would be of great help
to anyone interested in this category of
aircraft. "LEO" is himself has exten-
sive knowledge concerning these air-
craft, and is an excellent source to net-
work with for assistance.
C-85jO-200
CONVERSION STC
Aircraft Specialties Services has
come up with an interesting STC - Con-
vert your Continental C-85 to an " 0-
200" by replacing the crankshaft, rods
and pistons . The STC comes with
FAA certification and STC paper-
work, and parts needed for the change
are available from Aircraft Specialties.
Call 1-800/826-9252 for more informa-
tion. If anyone does this conversion in
the coming months, please drop us a
line here at EAA HQ and let us know
how it went. Call 414/426-4800 and ask
for the Vintage Airplane editor.
THOSE TRAVEL'N DEMPTSERS
Remember Bob and Diane
Demptser, the Piper Super Cub pilots
who have been making their way
around the world (slowly) in the now
" not quite so new" Cub? Well, they
headed off to Australia to finish their
journey this past June, and did just fine
on their journey to Japan, right up to
the time they tried to get permission to
fly to the Russian Kamchatka penin-
sula. The Russians denied them a per-
mit, simply saying that there was no
avgas on the peninsula. No amount of
work on their part would convince the
GEORGE W. LEMAY
George LeMay, a Classic airplane judge at the EAA Convention for over 15
years, passed away at the age of 74 this past June in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
George will be fondly remembered by his
fellow judges and friends at Oshkosh, who
placed a plaque on the EAA Memorial Wall
in his honor during EAA OSHKOSH '96.
An officer in the Staggerwing Museum
Foundation, he was also a very active air-
plane restorer. He flew his Staggerwing
from the U.S. to England to fly in the
London - Victoria, Australia race in 1971.
Members may recall the deHaviliand
Rapide flown by George and Alf Bicknell
across the North Atlantic in 1976. Flown
all the way from Coventry, England to
Oshkosh, i t was picked the " Best
Transport" at EAA Oshkosh '82.
Pictured with George are his daughter,
Jean on the left and his wife Bonnie on the
right. Our condolences to his family and
friends.
Russians, so they had to make a deci-
sion. To their credit, they decided to
ship the Cub home, and continued
their tour of Japan. While it 's a shame
they didn' t complete their circumnavi-
gation of the globe, their personal jour-
ney, a trip taken just for personal plea-
sure as goodwill ambassdors of the
U.S., and not to set any records or gain
publicity, certainly can be labeled a
success. A tip of the 01' flying helmet
to Bob and Diane Dempster, Vashon
Island, W A for their fortitude and per-
sistence in pursuing their dream of an
around the world journey in a light
plane!
AIRCRAFT PARTS
IDENTIFICATION
As many of you know, the FAA has
been concentrating on combating the
use of unapproved parts on certified
aircraft. They have issued an Advi-
sory Circular, AC 20-62D, "Eligibility,
Quality and Identification of Aeronau-
tical Replacement Parts." Copies are
available from the FAA, AFS-340, 800
Independence Av., SW, Washington,
DC 2059l.
For those of us with older airplanes,
obtaining parts is a critical issue, espe-
cially when the holder of the Type Cer-
tificate no longer exists or supports
their product.
To assist in the verification of gen-
uine parts obtained from retired air-
craft, AC20-62D provides for their use
provided a "paper trail" can be gener-
ated. This is accomplished by tagging
the parts, identifying them and the fact
they were removed from a U.S. certi-
fied product and attested to by an ap-
propriately rated certificated person as
to their authenticity. This process, if
used when parts are removed from re-
tired for parted-out aircraft will allow
reuse as they will have a "paper trail"
of eligibility. Airworthiness or the
condition of the part is a separately
handled issue.
There is no official FAA tag de-
signed for this purpose in general avia-
tion, so any document made for this
type of parts ID is acceptable.
Using this procedure when you part
out an aircraft could prevent a lot of
headaches later on. If you have any
furt her concerns, please obtain a copy
of the Advisory Circular. ...
2 SEPTEMBER 1996
VINTAGE
AeroMail
RESTORATION CREDI T
DearMr.Joyce:
My husband and I enjoy reading
"Straight& Level"everymonthin VIN-
TAGEAIRPLANE. Wearemembers
oftheAntique/ClassicDivisionofEAA
andenjoyeverybenefitentitledto us.
Afterreadingyourarticlein theMay
1996issue,I would like topointouta
few things thatwerebroughttomy at-
tention. You notedthatboththeAn-
tiqueGrandChampionandtheReserve
GrandChampionatSun 'nFun'96were
ownedbyClaySmithin Athens,Geor-
gia. (Mr. Smithlives in Athens, Al-
abama.) My husband,RobbieVajdos,
restored bothoftheseaircraftfrom the
groundupathis business,VajdosAvia-
tion,in Louise,Texas.
TheInterstateL-6was featured in an
articleby NormPetersenin theJanuary
1996issueofVINTAGEAIRPLANE.
Robbiefinished theStearmanin March
of1994andflew ittoOshkosh'94where
itwon WW II MilitaryTrainer/Liaison
Champion. Hefinished theInterstate
L-6 in Julyof1995,justdays before
Oshkosh! We flew it thereandwon
WW II MilitaryTrainer/Liaison Run-
ner-Up. Needlesstosay,wewerevery
excited! However,towin atSun 'nFun
thisyearmadethevery longhoursof
restorationworthit!
My husbandhasrestorednineStear-
mansand 16 othervariousaircraftfrom
PiperCubstoStinsonstoAeroncas. I
am veryproudofhisaccomplishments,
especiallysincehe is only31 yearsold.
I feel thatsometimesthe restorer
whoputsmanyhoursintomakingthese
airplanesthebesttheycanbe,some-
timesgetsforgotten.
Iappreciateyourtimeandlook for-
wardtoyournextarticle!
Sincerely,
DinaM. Vajdos
CHARLES KEEN
InreferringtotheCharlesKeenairplanein theMayissueofVINTAGEAIR-
PLANE,my brotherCharlesSchrickersaysaMr.Perrywasflying theplaneand
ontakeoffclimbedtoabout100feet, turneddownwind and lostcontrolthen.
WhenEAAwasstillatHalesCornersIsentseveralpicturesandoneofthemwas
ofthatplaneviewedfrom behind. Enclosedis anotherpicturefrom my brother's
collection - itis possiblythesameplanewithadifferentcolorscheme.
JohnB. Schricker
EAA2759,A/C5663
PriorLake,MN
JOE JUPTNER
DearSir,
Whatarichlydeservedrecognition it
is for good01' JoeJuptnertobe en-
shrinedin EAA'sAntique/ClassicHall
ofFame. He'sgoodfolks. Ifirst made
hisacquaintanceby mailbackin thelate
1960'swhile hewasstill residingona
farm in Tennessee. Hishome there
burned,andlostin thatfire wasalotof
hiscollectionofoldaeronautica. Many
ofus wouldhavethrownupourhands
in despairanddisgust, butnotJoeJupt-
ner. Hejustpulled up his socksand
forged ahead.
Sincethattimeit has been hard to
keep upwith thisguy. Imethimonly
once- ata Waco fly-in atHamilton,
Ohio. Heseemedgenuinelydelighted
toseeme ,andwentoutofhis way to
visit my placea dayorsolateratthe
ruralKentuckyairstripwhere I then
livedin alogcottage.
Here came 01' Joe in a tiny little
camperperchedononeofthosediminu-
tiveJapanesepickups- huffingandpuff-
inguptomy house. Afteraneveningof
jawboningaboutoldtimeaviation,Joe
insistedonspendingthe nightin his
camperparkedsnuglyin my backyard.
ThenextmorningI whipped upsome
bacon and eggs for us, and the next
thingIknewhewasoffagaintoanother
fly-in somewhere.
Thanks,Joe,forbeingwhatyouare.
Yourbottomlessfund ofaviationlore
and quickness to helpotherswith a
photoorsomeobscurefact hasbeena
boontomanyanotherwriter. Yourse-
riesU.S. CivilAircraftwill longstandas
the"bible"onwhatwe holddear- old
airplanes!
EdwardPeck
A/C3225
Louisville,KY
Edward, you said it best, and there is
little the rest of us can add - Joe's a na-
tional aviation treasure, and certainly de-
serves our thanks. - HGF
Continued on page 25
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3
LAA O./llKO./ll '96
Antique/ClassicAwards
Antique
GrandChampion:
Alan Fresno. CA
1932VacoQDC (tiC12438)
ReserveGrandChampion:
Thomas V Vright.Russell. tV,
1944 D-17 (ti40t)
CustomizedChampion:
GerrardJ. Dederich. Vadsworth. IL.
1944 DIY (tiCI6GD)
Runner-Up:
Kent andJandy Pine MountainLake. CA
1939JpartanLxecutive7V(tiCI7667)
Outstanding:
Frank LasCruces.tiM.
1941 VacoJRt(tiCI2438)
MilitaryTrainer/LiaisonChampion:
John A. Roethlisberger. PA
1942 75.crtearman)(tiC60810)
Runner-Up:
Dennis Rockford.IL.
1943Fairchild PT-23(tiC60418)
TransportChampion:
John David Fields.Jr..JanAngelo.TX.
1937 Lockheed 12A(tiC33RA)
GoldenAgeChampion:
Doug Fuss. Arlington. TX.
1926Laird Commercial(tiCll0)
JilverAge(1928-32)Champion:
Art Knowles.Jacksboro.TX.
1929Command Aire(tiC538t)
P.>ronze Age(1933-41)Champion:
John Meyer. i=1udsonville.MI.
1938PiperJ3C-50Jport(tiC21646)
Runner-Up:
T A. Des Moines. IA
1939 Fairchild 24V-9(tiC20638)
OutstandingClosedCockpitMonoplane:
Torquil tiorman.London. tngland.
1936Di=1 90Dragonfly(G-AtDU)
OutstandingOpenCockpitMonoplane:
Rose. IL.
1938RyanJTAJpecial(tiCI728)
OutstandingClosedCockpitP.>iplane:
Larson.Janta Paula. CA
1939 Cessna C-165Airmaster(tiCI9498)
VVIIE.ra Champion:
Larry Canby. OR
946Fairchild 24V-46(tiC81369)
Runner-Up:
Layton i=1umphrey. Coppell.TX.
1943 D17:/(ti4i=1X)
OutstandingOpenCockpitP.>iplane:
KMyers. Ripon. VI.
1943Jtearman(tiC33162)
OutstandingClosedCockpitP.>iplane:
DonJaunders.Jt.Albert. Alberta Canada.
1943 (CF-GKY)
OutstandingClosedCockpitMonoplane:
Richard Kanode. Frederick. MD,
1945J3 Cub(tiC6932)
Classic
GrandChampion:
Ray andJudyJohnson. Marion. lti.
Aeronca 11AC Chief (tiC3469t)
ReserveGrandChampion:
JamesJayers. tdison.014.
Cessna 195 (ti2197C)
P.>est ClassI(0-80hp):
Ted Roman. Roswell. GA
Aeronca 7 AC(ti83460)
P.>est ClassII (81-150hp):
Goebel. i=1urst. TX.
Cessna (ti146m
P.>est ClassIII (151+ hp):
RobertJeals. Fresno. CA
Cruisemaster(ti522A)
P.>est CustomClassA(0-80hp):
PeterandMarkRowe. Midlothian.TX.
Aeronca llACChief(tiC333MR)
P.>est CustomClassP.> (81-150hp):
Don and Deb ti.LittleRock. AR
J-3 Cub(ti70631)
P.>est CustomClassC (151-225hp):
DuaneGolding. Marion.TX.
Jwift(ti3395K)
4 SEPTEMBER 1996
P.>est Custom Class D (226+ hp): Outstanding Customized:
Ron andJue French.Jan j05e. CA Charles \..J. Culwell. Dallas. TX.
/'Iavion Model A (/'I4969K) 1956 Dellavilland E)eaver (/'I5CC)
Class I (0-160 hp):
Best In Type
P.>est Aeronca Champ:
Richard F Charette. \..Jadsworth. IL. 7E)CM (/'184005)
P.>est Aeronca Chief:
Robert Ilollenbaugh. Ilarry Pratt and
David Morgan. Middletown. Oil (/'159654)
P.>est P.>eechcraft:
RandJingfriend.Jan Carlos. CA tl8/ (/'I929DV)
P.>est P.>ellanca:
Mark and judy Ohlinger. Akron. Oil.
Cruiseair (/'186957)
P.>est Cessna 120/140:
J. Craig Young. Iludson. \..JI. C140 (/'189221)
P.>est Cessna 170/180:
Thomas \..J. 11011 II. Clarkston. MI. 170E) (/'I4654C)
P.>est Cessna 190/195:
Charles t . \..Jebb. Fort \..Jorth. TX. 195 (/'I195C\..J)
Best E.rcoupe:
Jyd Cohen. \..Jausau. \..JI (/'IC94196)
P.>est Luscombe:
Rollin Ilatfield, Meridian. 1[7, 8A (/'171549)
P.>est /'Iavion:
Ron andJue French.Jan jose. CA
Model A (/'I4969K)
P.>est Piper j-3:
Don Curtes. Menominee Falls. \..JI /'187759)
P.>est Piper (others):
Thomas Lynn \..Jaters. Terrell. TX.
PA22120 (/'I2544P)
P.>estJtinson:
Andrew Ileins. Dayton. OIl.Jtinson 108 (/'IC97141)
P.>estJwift:
jon E)reese. Omaha. /'It. GC1E) (/'I2554E)
P.>est Taylorcraft:
Tim Gregory. Lakeville. M/'I. E)C12D (/'195715)
Limited Production:
Pierre Labrosse. Dorval. Canada.
Dellavilland DIlC -2 E)eaver (C-iRE)L)
Most Unique:
Richard Porter. Casper. \..JY, Ce55na 196 (/'I4585V)
Contemporary
Grand Champion:
Richard jones. E.verett. \..JA
1958 E)eechcraft j-55 E)onanza (/'I8570D)
Reserve Grand Champion:
\..Jicks AircraftJupply. Ilighland. IL.
1960 Piper PA-22 Colt (/'I4742Z)
joel Miller.JoIon. IA
1956 Ce55na 172 (/'I6910A)
Class II (161-230 hp):
Pat and E)ill Doty. \..Jinter Ilaven. FL.
1956 E)eechcraft G.35 (/'I801D)
Class III (231+ hp):
Mike Callas.Jealy. TX.
1960 E)eechcraft E)onanza (/'I552T)
Class IV (Multi engine):
Dean Callan and llowardJchenck.Jouthlake. TX.
1958 Ce55na 510E) (/'I6644E)
Outstanding In Type
P.>eechJingle engine:
Larry Van Dam. Riverside. CA
1957 E)eech 11 55 E)onanza (/'I5478D)
P.>eech Multi engine:
Alton Cianchette. Palmyra. ME..
1959 E)eech tl8/ (/'1712'0')
Cessna 170/172-175:
john Van Lieshout. Toronto. Ontario Canada.
1958 Ce55na 172 (C-FDGf)
Cessna 180/182-210:
E)obJnowden. Irving. TX.
1958 Ce55na 180 (/'17505)
Champion:
Cliff Ilarkins. Ilouston. TX.
1957 7FC Tri-Champ (/'I7577E)
Piper PA-22:
George Gallaspy. Oklahoma City. OK.
1956 PA-22 Tri-Pacer (/'I5954P)
Piper PA-24:
Paul Fulierton.Jt. Ignace. MI.
1959 PA-24 Comanche 180 (/'I6014P)
Piper PA-23 Apache-Aztec:
Charles Gunderson. Austin. TX.
1960 PA-25 Apache (/'I4575P)
Mooney:
Roy Rhodes.Junset E)each. CA
1957 Mooney M20 (/'I5267E)
Also, special mention should be made of these Antique/Classic win-
ners judged at the VetteJeaplane Base:
P.>est fabric floatplane:
........Ric Ilenkel, \..Jinnepeg, Manitoba, Canada,
....... . .. . . .......1948Jtinson 108-5 (CF-KjV)
Jpecial Recognition:
.. . ..... .... .Larry llarmacinski.Jouth E)end, Ind.
... . . .. . .. . .. . .....1950 \..Jaco ClO (/'IC656/'1)
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5
The
Curtiss
Challenger
Engine
by Hank Palmer, Ale 12109
Ale 19619
I have read recently about
one or two airplanes being
restored with Curti ss Chal-
lenger engines. I had some
experience with Challengers
before the war, and again in
1969 through 1973. I thought
that it might be of interest to
some of the antique buffs.
In 1939, five of us, me-
chanics with National Air-
lines, read an ad in Trade-A-
Plane , offering a Curtiss
Fledgling for $250.00. The
ship was in possession of the
airport manager at Curtiss
Steinberg Airport , East St.
Louis, Illinois. Apparently it
had been taken over for lack
of payment of hangar rent. I
The 120 hp Curtiss Challenger
engine displaced 441 cu. in. and
was rated at 120 hp at 1800 rpm.
had a friend at Parks Air College, so I
wrote him and asked him to take a look
at it. He did, and wrote back that it
looked O.K. to him, just needed dusting
off, and of course it was out of license.
So we wired the manager and asked if
he would take $225.00 for it. He wired
back, "Come and get it. "
So we put Pete Hubert on the train,
dressed in white overalls, with a seat
pack chute, and his pockets full of tools
and spark plugs. Pete picked up the
Fledgling, and made it to Memphis be-
fore his first forced landing. He wired
us from there that he needed more
money for piston rings (apparently it
had some rusty cylinders). But he said
that the ship was well worth the extra
costs as it had "dual instruments and
good tires ." Well, after one or two
more forced landings and "shade tree"
repairs, he made it to St. Petersburg.
We rejuvenated the fabric as required
and got it through an annual inspection.
After wearing out more rings, I took
some used rings from a Wasp Jr. (with
118 inch larger bore) , filed the ends
down a bit and fitted them to the Chal-
lenger. These lasted longer than any of
the originals. Please understand that I
am not recommending this solution.
But you understand that we had almost
$300.00 in this ship by now, and we
were all broke. That ship was NC8698.
During the war it was donated to a me-
chanics school. I don' t recall any prob-
lems with that Challenger, except for
the rusty cylinders.
In 1968 I bought a Fledgling basket
case from Charlie Wilson who had a
strip south of Memphis. This ship had
sat outside in the weather for 24 years,
except for the wings which were stored
in a shed. The engine on the ship was
frozen up solid, but it came with a spare
engine; it turned out to have a big crack
in the rear wall of the main case which
had allowed it to suck oil into the in-
duction section, and thoroughly lubri-
cate the cylinders and valves, so that at
least it would turn over. When I bought
this ship, I thought that the engine
would be the easiest part to restore, as
I thought that I would find Challengers
and parts lying in the back of most
every hangar. Boy, was I ever wrong
there! I managed to get one incom-
plete engine from Andy Anderson. It
was lying in the dirt in back of his
hangar, and Paul Poberezny let me
take one from the EAA Museum in
Hales Corners, Wisconsin. Out of the
24 cylinders from the four engines,
there were many cracked heads, and
many rusty barrels. I rigged up a fix-
ture to hold some of the barrels while I
heated the heads with a weed burning
torch, and screwed them off, with a ten
foot lever bolted to the exhaust and in-
take st uds. Then I was able to match
6 SEPTEMBER 1996
up some of the heads that were not
cracked, with barrels that were not too
rusty, and ended up with about ten
cylinders that were serviceable except
for varying degrees of rust. I sent them
to three different shops that said that
they could chrome the barrels and bore
them back to standard size. In each
case, they studied them for a month or
more, and decided that they could not
do anything with them, so I got them
back. I selected the best six and assem-
bled the engine.
I flew it for two years, until I had
gone through all the spare "serviceable"
cylinders I had. Then I gave up on the
Challenger and replaced it with a Conti-
nental W-670. I used a Stearman mount,
and fabricated fittings to adapt it to the
Curtiss firewall. I had this part ap-
proved by a DER, and the local FAA
Inspector issued a one time field ap-
proval on the rest of it. I flew it to
Oshkosh in 1973, and sold it to Cole
Palen in '76. They flew it at Rhinebeck
for 17 years, and retired it in '94.
Back to the Challenger engine: the
early ones had some magnesium parts
that did not hold up well. The magne-
sium nose case and thrust plate just
couldn' t take the stress. There was also
a magnesium carburetor adapter , and
Shot in the mid-
1930' s by John Roby,
there Curtiss Fledg-
lings were at the Val-
ley Stream, NY air-
port.
none of the four engines I had contai ned
a serviceable one. They were all badly
corroded and not repairable. I made
one up out of automobile pipe elbows,
welding a flange on each end, and a heat
jacket around the whole thing. This was
a two barrel carburetor. The later
model Challengers had a much stronger
nose section and thrust plate of another
aluminum alloy.
The Chall enger was reputed to be
hard to start. In fact, the printed man-
ual that I had started the paragraph
on "How To Start the Chall enger En-
gine," by saying, "There is consider-
able difference of opinion among pi-
lots, as to the best procedure to be
used." To me , this translated that
"they just hadn't figured it out yet. " I
don't recall any problems in starting
the one we had in 1939-40, but I do re-
call well that the Challenger I had in
1970 with the rusty cylinders was the
easiest thing to start that I ever owned.
I include lawn mowers, cars, outboard
motors, and motorcycles. One reason
the Challenger was easy to start , as
compared with a seven or nine cylin-
der engine, is that it had a two pole
mag, which was geared to run at 1-112
times crank speed. Most seven and
nine cylinder engines use four pole
mags, which turn at 7/8 crank speed
for a seven cylinder engi ne, or 1-118
times for nine. What all this means is
that a two pole mag t urns twice as fast
as a four pole, so you are getting a hot-
ter spark at whatever speed you can
crank it.
As a matter of fact, I did not even
have to crank my Chall enger, except to
pull it through to prime it. I had a
booster mag in the cockpit, and once
primed, all you had to do was turn the
small crank on the booster one time,
and the engine was off and running. It
never failed.
I always considered the Challenger
to be a rugged and reliable engine, ex-
cept for the above mentioned early
magnesium nose section and thrust
plate. It's only fault, which is what I
think tended to make it unpopular ,
was that it was a rough running ma-
chine. I believe the designers thought
that by putting two three cylinder ra-
dials back to back on a 180 degree
crank, they would somehow balance
each other out, but this was not the
case, as anyone who has ever flown
behind one will confirm. In the later
models, they tried all kinds of tricks to
smooth them out, but as far as I know,
nothing worked. ...
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
TheBugatti 1 00Racer
A hotBugatti intendedfortheskies, notthe road
Obscure? You bet. Radical? On all
counts, especiall y for its t ime. What is
it? The Bugatti 100, designed and built
in France just prior to t he outbreak of
World War II.
Ettore Bugatti was t he son of a fa-
mous It alian silversmit h and fu rniture
buil der, Carlo Bugatti. Hi s sons inher-
ite d t he ir fa ther's a rti st ic abi liti es.
Wh i le Rembr a ndt Buggati was a
renowned se lf-ta ught schulptor, Et-
tore's mechanical skill s also incl uded a
sublime eye for beauty, and t he auto-
mobi les he is most fa mous for still turn
heads at Concours shows all over the
U.S. and t he Cont inent. For avia t ion
enthusiasts, his most intriguing project
was a futuristic looki ng airplane, which
he expected to fly very, very fast.
In te nding to wi n
the De utsc h de la
Muertbe Cup air race
schedul ed to be he ld
in Germany in 1938,
Bugatti had commis-
sioned we ll known
French aeronautical
engineer Louis D de
Monge to layout the
remarkable aircraft.
Given the dimen-
sions of a Bugatti SOB
straight-eight engine,
de Monge set out to
put the minimum
amount of airplane
around the 4.7 liter
powerplant. The engine was much
smaller than the maximum amount al-
lowed by the rules (8 liters) so drag was
to be kept as low as possible, resulting
in the buried engine concept. The
weight of the engine was pared even
further when the block was cast out of
magnesium instead of aluminum. A
Roots supercharger was also fitted to
boost the engine output.
The entire airframe was built of
wood, using a sandwich method that is
strikingly similar to the modern com-
posite structures being built today - a
lighter material being used as a core,
which is then covered with an outer sur-
face that acts as a stiffener.
With all of its technical innovation,
not all was well with the project , and
SEPTEMBER 1996
by H.G. Frautschy
deep into tbe ai rcraft's design and build-
ing program, const ruction was halt ed
while the airplane was redesigned to ac-
cept two of the engines, each one canted
t o opposit e s ides, so the dri ves ha ft s
could be run forward around the sides
of the cockpi t to a t ransmi ssion geared
to drive a pair of count er-rotating pro-
pell ers.
The engines were si tuated on either
si de of the airpl ane's CO.,wi th the pi -
lot in a semi -recli ning position well for-
ward of the wing.
Suppl ying cooling air for the water-
cooled engine radiators was solved us-
ing an ingeni ous method of induct ing
the cooling air int o a plenum chamber
in the aft fuselage. The locati on of the
int ake ducts? The leading edges of the
butterfly tai l! The cooling air was then
routed a short di stance forward in the
expa nde d pl e num unt il it passed
through the engine radiators, and then
exit ed the fuselage via a pa ir of lo u-
vered ducts set in the trai ling edges of
the wing roots.
T he t a il arr a nge me nt, whi ch was
Inthisseriesofshotstheremarkablelay-
outoftheBugatti100racerisclearly
shown. Withthewingsandtailsurfaces
coveredandfinishedinsilverdope,the
barewoodfuselageoftheBugatti100
awaitsfurtherrestoration. Thespinners
forthecounter-rotatingpropellersare
temporarilyinstalledinplace,asisthe
originalcanopy. Thedeepgracefulwing
rootfillets,completewiththeexitlouvers
fortheenginecoolingairexhaust,arein-
stalledusingalargenumberofscrews
attachingthefairingstosmallmachined
aluminumdisksthatar e setinthesur-
faceofthefuselage. Intheheadonshot,
youcanseetheintakeforthecoolingair
intheleadingedgesofthetai l. Theen-
gineexhaustfairingsareinstalledon
eachsideofthefuselageforthepairof
modified4.7literBugattiracingengines.
Onlyweeksawayfromitsf irstflight,t he
Bugatti100nevertooktot heair,another
victimofWWII. Justi magineitflashing
by,itsBugattiRacingBlueformabluras
itroarspast,thenoisefromthecounter-
rotatingpropellerscombiningwiththe
sortstacksoft hepairofstraight-ei ght
Bugattienginestosetuparacketthatis
heardformilesaround!
awarded just one of the multiple patents
received during the design of the 100,
was a butterfly arrangement (actually,
it 's technically a "Y" tail) with a sub fin
extending from the bottom part of the
fuselage. The sub fin had a shock strut
mounted tailwheel installed, along with
a rudder.
Another concept awarded a patent
was the use of automatically activated
flaps and landing gear. Using a pitot-
static sensing system, the Bugatti 100
was able to have its flaps placed in the
correct position for takeoff and landing
(flaps down) , high speed ( slightly re-
flexed camber), dive brakes (both split
flaps deployed), and after landing, as a
spoiler, with the top half of the split flap
deflected upwards, exactly as you see
today on modern airliners.
Whe n the proper airspeed was
reached with a low manifold pressure,
the landing gear was automatically de-
ployed.
As an airplane, the Bugatti 100 was
poised to break the image of the " nor-
mal" racer, and transform it into some-
thing entirely new and exciting. But it
was not to be. The start of the Second
World War in the fall of 1939 made it
unlikely that the airplane would ever be
raced, and although Ettore had been
given a contract to produce a fighter
version of the airplane, designated the
nap, it would never make it off of the
drafting table.
The German army marched through
central Europe on their way to Paris,
and as the French public struggled
against the onslaught in June 1940, the
Bugatti 100 racer was lowered to a wait-
ing truck and secreted away to a barn in
the French countryside, where it would
remain for over 30 years. Bugatti never
saw his airplane take wing, and he
passed away in 1946, at the age of 65.
In 1958, it was seen hidden in a barn
on the grounds of the Chateau d'Er-
menonville. Having passed through the
hands of a man named Pazoli and then
M. Salis, it was then purchased by an
American, Ray Jones in 1970. Jones, a
Bugatti enthusiast , had no real interest
in the airplane - what he really wanted
were the Bugatti engines, which he in-
tended to install in a pair of au tomo-
biles he was building up. Since he really
didn' t care to keep the airframe, he sold
it to Dr. Peter D. Williamson of Lyme,
NH. Dr. Williamson turned the air-
plane over to a pair of noted Bugatti au-
tomobile restorers, Les and Don Lef-
ferts of Vintage Auto Restorations in
Ridgefield, CT. Les and Don worked
on the project from 1975 until 1979,
when work stopped.
Dr. Williamson had donated the air-
plane to the Air Force Museum, who
agreed to the donation with the under-
standing that it would not likely be
placed on display, but be made available
to a suitable museum. In 1996, Dr.
Williamson, the Air Force Museum and
the EAA Aviation Foundation came to
an agreement , and the title to the one
and only Bugatti 100 racer was trans-
ferred to the EAA Aviation Founda-
tion.
Arriving just prior to EAA
OSHKOSH '96, the smooth skinned
racer was assembled and is currently on
display in the EAA Air Adventure Mu-
seum in its partially restored state.
Come and see it!
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
Stearman
Reunion
by Richard T. Hansen
Ale 19619
Part /I - Five Years Later
From a mountainside to
a hanga0 and then back
in the air!
It's 6:30 in the morning on Septem-
ber 5, 1993. I' m driving to the airport in
Selma, which is a 20 minute drive from
my home. I'm excited, anticipating the
day and what's to follow. The Stearman
is finished and I will fly it today. I am
by myself this morning, with no one to
visit with, so [ can let my mind wander.
I think about the events of the past five
years that have led to this day.
I knew when I brought the airplane
out of the mountains that it would be
my hope to restore it, and put it back
into the condition it was in when [ first
saw it. In my mind, I can see it sitting
there, ready to fly; or with me in it , fly-
ing above the clouds, with my leather
helmet and goggles, and my white scarf
around my neck, and the thrill that
would come from knowing that I had
saved it from being just some rusty old
scrap metal on the side of a mountain.
Still , reality has a way of setting in, and I
knew before I committed myself to such
a major undertaking, that there would
be many things to consider. This
wouldn ' t be just the restora tion of a
complete airplane. This would mean
starting with just the parts that the Army
had left behind, and had not destroyed.
Would I be able to find, or make, all the
parts still needed? Would I have the
knowledge? [hadn' t flown in 33 years,
could I st ill fly? Would I be able to fly
this airplane?
[ would spend three months making
10 SEPTEMBER 1996
these decisions. The first step would be
to return once again to the crash site, this
time with a metal detector to see if any-
thing had been overlooked previously.
Because the crash occurred in Octo-
ber of 1941, I had been told that the
Army, knowing we were going to war,
would be concerned about leaving any-
thing salvageable behind; that they had
probably buried the engine and some of
the larger parts nearby. This may also
account for why the Army said that they
had dynamited the airplane and that
there was nothing left. Skeptical of
what I had been told, I felt that these
stories should still be investigated.
I returned once again to the crash
site with the metal detector and scoured
the area thoroughly. Other than a few
bolts , a small cowling that had been
bent in half, and a large washer that
came from the engine, I found nothing
of importance; and I am now convinced
that the engine was disassembled and
carried out, piece by piece. Because of
the steepness of the terrain, it st ill
amazes me how many of the parts were
carried out by the men . It must have
been a monumental task. One thing
that did turn up was a broken hacksaw
blade. There was a tube on the fuselage
that had been partially cut with a hack-
saw. I am assuming that in doing so,
they had broken the blade, and with no
spare blades, this may have saved the
fuselage from being destroyed.
Richard Hansen and his project went
from this to the structure you see In the
following pages in 5 years of work and
parts scrounging!
Things sometimes have a way of
falling into place, and I was very fortu-
nate to find a project that someone had
put together, hoping to build a Stear-
man. For whatever reason, it didn ' t
work out and it was offered to me at a
very fair price. This would eventually
turn out to be the deciding factor, as this
project would include most of the major
parts which I did not have. When I was
flying before , I had owned a 1946
Aeronca Chief, and at that time, done a
two year restoration. The knowl edge
that I had gained at that time would be
helpful if I decided to restore the Stear-
man. Woodwork has always been easy
for me, and I felt that my trade as a cus-
tom furniture upholsterer would, and
indeed did, later, prove invaluable.
I mentioned Don Huston in the first
part of this story. Don and I have been
close fr iends for over 30 years, and have
shared many adventures together. Don
has a shop that is big enough to hold the
fuselage, and offered it willingly. Don, in
the beginning, was a big help in the
restoration, and shared in the excitement
with me. It turned out that there are
many people I can' t thank enough. Don
will be one of them. I guess, as the old
saying goes, if there was a straw that
broke the camel's back, mine was when I
saw a Stearman painted in Army colors,
just as I had remembered it when I was
11 years old. It was absolutely beautiful ,
and I knew (or at least thought I knew!)
what was ahead of me, t he decision was
made to restore the ai rpla ne. The
restoration was started on t he twenty-
third of September, 1988. The first step
was to strip the fuselage to the bare frame
to fi nd out how much damage was done
in the crash. There was a fuselage in the
project that I acquired, and it could have
been used, but I really wanted to use the
origi nal. After stripping the fuselage,
and examini ng it thoroughly, I was de-
lighted to find it was a good, sound fuse-
lage with on ly slight surface rust, and
damage that was easily repaired.
I woul d spend the first year combin-
ing what could be used from both the
(Above and below) The wreck is trans-
formed into this beautiful structure by
Richard. His skills learned through his
trade as a custom furniture upholsterer
proved to be very useful during the
project. The all wood wings of the
Stearman became an art form all by
themselves as they came together in
the shop.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
project and the wreck, always using the
parts from the original when possible,
even if it meant more work, repairing
and restoring them to new condition.
Every part was st ripped of paint, sanded
and then painted with a two part epoxy
paint that was near the original color.
This was a long, monotonous job, but it
was a good time to do it while the ex-
citement of getting started was still new.
I spent a lot of time the first year locat-
ing parts, trading for or making them,
and absorbing all the knowledge I could
from people who would share it.
It would be almost impossible for me
to have rebuilt an airplane, starting with
so little, without the sharing of knowl-
edge by others. One of the great things
about restoring this airplane was some
of the nice people I have met along the
way who were willing to share that
knowledge. Norris Norsegian would be
one of them. Norris has been working
on, or flying Stearmans, for over 50
years. He flew for Tex Rankin , at
Rankin Field during the war in the Civil-
ian Pilot Training Corps and has been a
recipient of the Charlie Taylor award,
an award given once a year for having
50 years of outstanding aviation mainte-
nance experience. I really got to know
Norris when we drove to Reno to pick
up the 220 Continental engine that
would go on the airplane. We spent
about 11 hours together in the car that
day. That was a very enjoyable day,
hearing all those wonderful stories, that
can only be told by someone who has
spent a lifetime in aviation. I would dis-
assemble the engine, clean and paint all
the parts, then stand back and watch as
Norris put the engine together. I have
gained a tremendous amount of knowl-
edge from Norris and I now consider
him a good friend.
Harold Kindsvater was another per-
son who was very helpful in the begin-
ning. Harold is well-known for his in-
terest in restoring German airplanes,
and his knowledge and workmanship is
outstanding. Harold became an impor-
tant part of my restoration when he pur-
chased a Stearman project that was, at
the time, in about the same stage as
mine. We would not only share knowl-
edge about the rebuilding, but in our
search for parts, which was now includ-
ing trips to both ends of the state, would
look for parts for each other. Harold
taught me how to work aluminum, and
consequently, I was able to make many
of the parts that I needed, including the
baggage compartment door and all the
top sheet metal and inspection doors.
It was a very interesting and satisfying
part of the restoration process.
As the restoration progressed, I knew
that if I was going to fly this airplane
when it was finished, I had better see if I
could still fly. All of my flying, before,
12 SEPTEMBER 1996
had been in a tail wheel airplane, and in
order to prepare myself for the Stear-
man, that is what I needed to fly. Com-
ing back from a customer's house one
day, I was near a small airport and
stopped to see if they had any rentals
that would fit my needs. I couldn't be-
lieve my luck when they had a Bellanca
Champ which they were renting and
giving instruction. I made an appoint-
ment for 8:00 the next morning.
I had learned to fly in an Aeronca
Champ, so this would be the perfect air-
plane me-tail wheel, stick and tandem.
A man named Jim Baker would give me
a check ride. He had just returned from
Alaska, where he flew as a bush pilot, so
a couple more gray hairs flying with me
probably wouldn't make any difference.
I hadn't touched the controls of an
airplane in 33 years and had no idea of
what to expect. Jim sat back and let me
go. I really over controlled the airplane
on takeoff and was all over the runway,
but I got it up with no help. As I climbed
out, it all started coming back to me. My
slow flight and stalls were surprisingly
good, and the thrill was just as strong as
it ever had been. My landings were
sloppy and I needed help with some, but
I was flying again after 33 years.
I had mixed emotions that day. The
excitement of flying again was wonder-
ful, but one of the first things I noticed
was the haze and the smog. I live near
the middle of the San Joaquin Valley
with the Coastal Range on one side and
the Sierras on the other. When I flew
before, there was never a time when
you couldn ' t see both ranges clearly;
now you can hardly see six to eight
Richard and Dana proudly display a well
deserved plague presented to the Stear-
man and the restorers at one of the many
California fly-Ins.
miles. All this brown, nasty looking
haze was a terrible disappointment to
me. We have done a lot of wonderful
things in the last 33 years, but what we
have done to the environment is not one
of them.
Jim soloed me in 4.6 hours. I think
we all remember the thrill of our first
solo, and I would have the thrill of two.
I would eventually buy the Champ, and
put over 150 hours on it, preparing to fly
the Stearman.
The fuselage was really taking shape
now. It was on the gear with the engine
on and was just about ready for cover.
It was now time to start thinking about
the wings. The wings were undoubtedly
the most extensive part of the restora-
tion and required the most worl5 and
time. I was able to use probably 70 per-
cent of the wing hardware from the
wreck, and there was some in the pro-
ject I had bought, so I was off to a pretty
good start. Having seen several Stear-
man wings in various stages of construc-
tion and one in kit form that could be
put together, I started toying with the
idea of making them myself. It was at
this time that I met Bob Lock. Bob was
in the process of building the wings for
his Stearman; I was fascinated, and en-
couraged by Bob to build my wings. I
thank him for sharing his knowledge
with me, but I also thank him for en-
Flying over the Fresno area, Richard's Stearman is hangared and flown only a few miles away from the base it was used for train-
ing pilots during WW II. The airplane was stationed at Hammer Field when it crashed in October of 1941. Hammer Field is now
called the Fresno Air Terminal, and is only three miles from Richard Hansen's current home.
couraging me. I did build my wings
from scratch. Bob gave me some origi-
nal Stearman spars for patterns. I took
the spar material to a planing mill and
had them trued on one side.
I made a jig so the spars couldn't
move while in the saw; and using a
smooth cut blade, the spars were cut out
and the wings were started. Norris gave
me some original Stearman ribs and
wing tip bows for patterns; I used the
same materials that were originally used.
The spruce spar material and domestic
mahogany plywood were obtained from
Aircraft Spruce & Specialty and all of
the materials were of excellent quality. I
used nails in the gussets as per original.
This was very easy for me because I
could put the nails in my mouth, and
then use my upholsterers' magnetic tack
hammer and use them like I would tacks.
They were put in the gussets in the same
way, which was a huge time saver. I
made the bows from the patterns, and
made, and even bent, my own wing
walks. I made my lower wings to fit the
ailerons so that everything Lined up with
a nice, even gap. It took me two years
worth of spare time, but for me, the
wings were the most enjoyable and satis-
fying part of the restoration. I have al-
ways loved woodwork, and to me, a
Stearman wing, when finished and var-
nished, is truly beautiful, and I am proud
of the wings that I made.
As the restoration progressed, I be-
came curious as to the fate of the P-40s
that Lt. Miles was searching for at the
time of his crash-landing. This is the
story that unfolded. On the 24th of Oc-
tober in 1941, a series of events began to
unfold that would eventually lead to the
story of my airplane. Nineteen P-40s,
from the 57th pursuit group, left from
March Field in Riverside, California
bound for McLellan Field in Sacra-
mento. Problems began when the flight
ran into storm clouds over the
Tehachapis at 15,000 feet. The first air-
plane to be lost from the group, was the
airplane of 2nd Lt. J. H. Pease of Boise,
Idaho. It developed engine trouble,
forcing him to bailout over the moun-
tains near Bakersfield. It was some-
where after this that the flight broke up,
with the airplanes scattering; eight land-
ing safely at Smith Valley, Nevada, one
forced down at Visalia, and five reach-
ing their destination in Sacramento.
The tragic part of the flight would
begin when Lt. W. H. Birrell, of War-
ren, Ohio, crashed and burned on Grays
Peak near Bass Lake, with his body be-
ing found nearby. There were also three
planes and pilots missing. There was a
massive air search that followed, and it
was during this time that Lt. Miles went
down in the Stearman. Two of the miss-
ing pilots, Lt. Jack C. West and Lt.
Leonard C. Lydon, were rescued after
surviving six days in the stormy Sierras
at the 8,000 foot level, on Barton' s Peak
in Kings Canyon National Park. Flying
together, they bailed out when their
planes ran low on fuel. The wreckage of
their planes was discovered later. The
other plane and pilot, Richard N. Long,
from Connellsville, Pennsylvania, were
never found.
Occasionally you will talk to some-
one who has searched for the airplane
or hear the rumors that follow a story
like this. Still, 53 years later, the fate of
Lt. Long, and the location of his air-
plane, is still unknown. This would not
be the end of the tragedy, though. The
remaining group, after reaching
McHord Field, in Tacoma, Washington,
and participating in maneuvers over the
Pacific northwest , would lose three
more planes and two more pilots on the
return flight home. Pilots R. E. Steck-
man and Thomas L. Traux were killed
when their planes crashed on a peak
near San Anselmo en route to Fresno.
Another plane was lost when Lt. Walter
Radovich parachuted to safety nearby.
The bad weather that plagued the
Sierras and central California during
this period would also cause the loss of
a B-17 flying from Reno to Fresno,
when it ran into severe turbulence over
the Sierras, causing the airplane's tail
section to crack off. Fortunately, eight
of the nine aboard parachuted to safety.
Two more lives and one more airplane
would be lost during this time when Lt.
L. Lathrop and Cadet Edward L. Riggs
were killed in a training plane accident
at Woodville, east of Tulare. In a ten
day period that started with the ill fated
flight of the P-40s from March Field,
there would be 11 airplanes and five
lives lost, and two men missing.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13
I have been working on the airplane
for four years now. The fuselage sat
idle for the two years that I had worked
on the wings, so it was good to get back
to work on the things that needed to be
finished. The fuselage was almost com-
plete with both cockpits finished. Full
panels in both cockpits were done; all
with yellow dials, genuine leather seats,
oak sticks, and matching floorboards.
As for the bird cage, I was able to use
most of the original formers and top
rails. I put on all new stringers which
worked well, because I could line every-
thing up properly. I put the lower wings
on the fuselage before putting the wing
walks on, to make sure they fit.
The tail surfaces were all complete
now; repaired where needed, stripped
and painted, and they, along with all the
cowlings, were then put onto the air-
plane. With the exception of the center
section and upper wings, the airplane
was now assembled, complete and ready
for cover. It was a great feeling looking
at it and realizing that it all really was
going to happen. It was also a good
feeling to know that no
corners had been
cut, that every sin-
gle part, nut and
bolt were either
new, or just as
good as new. If
there ever was a
question, if there
was a better way,
no matter how much
longer it took, that is the
way it was done.
I have tried very hard during the
restoration to keep the airplane as orig-
inal as possible. I did, however , get
away from the original when and where
it was necessary to improve the quality
of the airplane. I put in a starter, a
complete electrical system, and a radio
panel in the back seat, which I copied
from Don Massey. Don also repaired
my fuel tank, as that was beyond my
ability. Now all the parts had been
cleaned and painted, the wings were
done, and it was time to start covering.
The covering really went along easily
for me, and here is where being an up-
holsterer was invaluable, as so many of
the ways that I work material in my
trade could be applied to the covering
of the airplane. I used the Stits (now
Poly-Fiber) process entirely, and used
Aerothane to paint it with. I have heard
a lot of people complain about the mo-
notony of rib stitching, but I enjoyed it.
I used the hidden stitch, where the knot
is pulled inside to make a neater job.
Maybe the reason I didn't mind the job
so much, was because every part that
was covered meant that I was just that
much closer to painting and putting the
airplane together.
14 SEPTEMBER 1996
I arrive at the airport at 7:00, meet
Bob Lock, as planned, and we jump into
his Stearman and head for Sequoia
Field. Sequoia Field was a training base
during the war, and has a long, wide
runway with very little traffic. I'm in
the back seat, and the plan is to let me
shoot some landings, and if every-
thing goes according to plan, I
will fly my Stearman later.
Bob has been helping me
with the airplane over the
last month; tying all the
loose ends together, do-
ing the weight and bal-
ance, rigging the air-
plane, all the paperwork,
and checking it thor-
oughly, getting it ready
for the FAA inspection.
Bob is another one who
I can't thank enough.
The airplane passed
the FAA inspection
on the 31st of Au-
gust with flying
colors. The
engine
been run for
six hours, and taxi tests
had been done. Arriv-
ing at Sequoia Field, we
made seven landings
and takeoffs, did some
air work, then headed back
to Selma for the big event.
I know there is some concern from
my wife, family, and some of my friends
about flying this airplane; I guess with
good reason when you see the pictures,
or think about the pile of junk that lay
on the side of the mountain, and realize
that that is the airplane I will fly today.
However, for me, I know that this air-
plane is as close to being new as possi-
ble, and for me, there is not the slightest
concern, only excitement.
There is a satisfaction when you
build something with your own hands,
and when it is finished, you are satisfied
with the results. I have been at the air-
port every day this past week, working
on the airplane, and at the end of the
day, I would pull up a chair, have a cup
of coffee, and just sit and stare at this
beautiful old biplane. To fly it will just
be icing on the cake. A lot of people
have tried to put into words their love
for flying. I think we all have our own
thoughts on what it means to us. In the
winter, here in the San Joaquin Valley,
for days, and sometimes weeks at a
time, we are blanketed by a high fog.
You can't see the sun, it is cold under-
neath, and depressing, with the sky a
dirty gray. Sometimes you are lucky,
though, and it will clear enough to get
on top of the fog. The sun is bright and
warm, the sky is a deep blue, and you
can see the snow covered Sierras for a
hundred miles, and your only thoughts
are of the incredible beauty laid out be-
fore you. That is a feeling that is
hard to put into words.
So here I am sitting in this air-
plane, wearing my dad's goggles, his
wings in my pocket, and Bob in the
front seat. My friends and family
are watching. This is the moment
I have waited for through the
five year restoration, and
maybe, you could say, since I
was 11 years old.
The test flight was
fun and exciting, with
everything work-
ing the way I had
hoped it would;
the airplane per-
g beautifully.
We were up for 45
minutes, staying close
to the field , just in
case. It was a wonder-
ful day, and a day I'm
sure I will relive many
times in the years to
come . At the time of
this writing, I have flown
the Stearman over 100
hours. Flying it is everything I thought
it would be. It's just a great old air-
plane, and really fun to fly.
The airplane was stationed at Ham-
mer Field when it crashed in October of
1941. The field is now called the Fresno
Air Terminal , and is only three miles
from where I live. The reunion for the
Doolittle Raiders was held there on
April 16 of this year. I was fortunate to
be asked to display my airplane and be
part of it. As I touched down it was a
good feeling knowing, although 53 years
had passed, that the airplane had finally
come home.
The restoration was finished just
three weeks short of five years. Longer
than I had anticipated, but not bad after
talking to others who have restored
Stearmans. All of my attempts to locate
Lt. Miles have hit dead ends. I do know
that he was stationed at Hammer Field
on October 24,1941, and that his family
lived in Iowa. I am assuming that if Lt.
Miles had survived the war, he would
probably now be in his mid-seventies. It
would be interesting to talk to him, fol-
low where his career had gone, hear his
side of the story, and maybe fill in some
blanks. This is not the end of the story.
It continues every day that I fly the
Stearman, and it just proves that some-
times the dreams of an ll-year-old boy
can come true. ...
IsA Long
TimeToWait
by Earl Root
Ale 921 5
While visiting the Antique/Classic area at EAA
OSHKOSH in 1987, I learned of an SM-8A Stinson Ju-
nior that might be for sale in southern Missouri.
This model of a Stinson had always been of great in-
terest to me and my wife because our neighbor , Jerry
Thuotte, flies a beautifully restored SM-8A from the resi-
dential air park we live on. To see his big "turkey" fly
has been a great inspiration for us to find and restore this
unique airplane.
Our route home from Oshkosh took us to Enid, OK
where our son was in pilot training at Vance Air Force
Base. By chance, the Stinson or what remained of it,
was located in Marshfield, MO, just seven miles off In-
terstate 44. The owners of the project were Ernie and
Elizabeth Seiler.
These delightful people had made a living restoring
antique airplanes, probably more for the love of old f1y-
Partsarewhereyoufindthem! ThiswreckedStinsonlandedona
farmineasternOregonin1943. Iliberateditin1993.
VINTAGEAIRPLANE 15
ing machines than the money. After ar-
riving at their home we asked to see the
Stinson, but first we had to sit in the
lawn swing and have some ice water to
get acquai nted - southern style. After a
couple of hours of "rock'n and talk'n,"
Ernie decided that maybe he could trust
us to properly care for the Stinson. A
price was later agreed to and in the fall
of 1987, the project was trucked to the
northwest.
What we had to work with was a
rusty bent fuselage, rotten wings, bent
wing struts and many missing parts to an
airplane that had been out of produc-
tion for nearly 60 years. Welcome to
the world of antique airplanes!
.l'l Early in 1930, Stinson Aircraft was
f purchased by E.L. Cord. Cord con-
8 trolled many ventures, including
With the wings finished, Earl Root does a little varnish t ouch up on the beautiful wing
Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg automo-
ribs and spars. bi les, Lycoming motors, American Air-
ways, and now Stinson. The SM-8A fol-
lowed a line of successful models built
by Eddie Stinson. Now with new capi-
tal, airplanes could be built on a produc-
tion line basis, thus keeping the manu-
fact uring costs lower. The advertised
pr ice in 1930 was $5,775.00. Still a
whopping amount to the average Joe in
1930, it was still a "low" price for those
who could afford to pay, particularly
since it was perceived as a much more
expensive airplane. Some 250 to 300
ships were built at Wayne, MI before
the slightly changed Model S Junior re-
placed it in 1931.
A call to the Aircraft Registration of-
fice of the FAA in Oklahoma City re-
vealed that our airplane had been built
in June of 1930 and was assigned serial
number M-4107, registered as NC-
934W. A copy of the original sales in-
voice shows that Williams Brothers
Joan Root with a trial fit of all the parts prior to covering in 1992.
It flies! Earl and the Stinson SM-SA take to the air just before Christmas 1995 from their residential airstrip near Buckley, WA.
16 SEPTEMBER 1996
EAAChiefPhot ographerJimKoepnickj oinedupwiththeRootsattheNorthwestEAA
RegionalFly-InatArlington,WA. TheirnewlyrestoredSM-SAwasjudgedtheCham-
pionAntiqueattheFly-In.
Stinsondealershipin Tulsabecamethe
first owner. Recordsalsoshowthattwo
monthslater,in August,itwas involved
in ahangarfire atthedealership. This
damageresulted in theremovalofthe
aircraft'sregistrationwith theCAA.
Theremainswerethensoldassalvage.
Theoriginal Nnumberhad beenre-
assigned toa modernaircraft,andbe-
cause theownerdid notwanttochange
his registrationandrepainthis airplane,
NC-934Mwas reservedas thenew num-
ber. Tooursurprise, titleto theaircraft
was still withthelongdefunctStinson
dealershipin Tulsa. With a littlere-
searchand a lotofluck ,I was ableto
talk toa nephewoftheWilliamsbroth-
ers. In fact, as a young boy, he had
swept hangarfloors for his unclesat
theirbusiness. Heverygraciouslypro-
~ ThecabinoftheRoots' StinsonJuniorisbeautifullydoneinfabric,andhasallofthe
~ appointmentsonewouldexpectofacabinclassairplanefromthe1930' s. Ropeas-
Ii siststrapsareattachedtothewall,andtheplatesafetyglasswindowsoneachside
t: crankClowntoallowabitmoreventilation. ThelargelaminatedwoodStinsoncontrol
~
~ wheels,coupledwitharollresponsethatcanbetermed" stately,"contributetothe
StinsonJr' sbigairplanefeel.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17
vided me with an affidavit stating that
his relatives had sold their dealership,
and as the surviving relative he was seIl-
ing the airplane to me. This gave me le-
gal ownership and I was ready to press
on with the project.
In what turned out to be a seven year
restoration, an amazing thing happened.
Some very ta lented fr iends offered to
help with various phases of the project.
Wings were built, fuselage tubing was
welded, missing parts located, and spe-
cial tools and a paint room were bor-
rowed. The necessary networking for
SM-SA information and parts led to
new friends all over the country. Parts
were found from Alaska to Florida.
The tai l gear was found in the Aero-
Below - Here' s a fitting that
does triple duty on many
antiques - first , it ' s a fuel
gauge, with a cork on a
wire floating above, and an
indicator disk attached to
the other end of the wire.
Second, it serves as a fuel
sump, catching water and
other contaminants, and fi-
nally, it has a drain at the
bottom to get rid of the junk
that settles to the bottom
of the tube.
Mart at the EAA Convention in
Oshkosh. A tip from a fellow antiquer
that "a large monoplane is sitting on a
farm in eastern Oregon" led to the dis-
covery of a wrecked SM-SA that had
come down on the farm in 1943. The
pla ne's owner had abandoned it and
there it sat for 50 years. Many usable
parts were on the wreck.
Help also came from the EAA staff
at Pioneer Airport with a suggestion to
take the toe-in of the main wheels com-
pletely out for better ground handling.
(Bauken Noack, EAA's ace shipwright
and all around mechanical geni us, pre-
cisely rebuilt the EAA Aviation Foun-
dation's SM-SA [NC-1026] landing gear,
and in doing so made a pussycat out of
what had been an ornery critter!) . If
any owners are not flying their Stinson
J unior because of "darty" ground han-
dling, I woul d strongly suggest the re-
work of the main gear so that in a three
point atti tude the wheels have no toe-in
or toe-out. You wi ll no longer be apt to
see your tail tryi ng to trade places with
the propell er upon landing.
Covering selected was the Stits (now
Poly-Fi ber) process. It was painted in
Boston Maroon with Diana Cream trim.
Poly tone gave the desired satin fi nish of
t he period. Wit h all new wings, struts,
30x5 tires, Fisher wheels and an over-
hauled 225 hp Lycoming R6S0 equipped
with a 101 inch Hamilton-Sta ndard
Ground adj ustable propell er, the air-
plane was ready to go. On December
16,1995, our Stinson flew for the first
time in 65 years. It flew great. It rides
li ke a Lincoln Town Car at 105 mph.
Maybe 65 years is not too long to
wait to get back out on t he flight line.
Bendix brakes and Fisher wheels, along with 30x5 tires
NC-934M looks as proud as it did in
really add to the ramp appeal of the Roots' Junior. 1930. It has a lot of catching up to do . ...
18 SEPTEMBER 1996
The
Wittman
Legacy
A Visitto The NewWittman Hangar
atfAA'sPioneerAirport
by H.C. Frautschy
W
eareoftenin thepresenceof
greatmen,andthereareeven
timesinourliveswhenweare
awareoftheirgreatnessevenwhile
theyaresti ll with us. SteveWittman
wasoneofthosegreatmen. Theac-
knowledgementofhisstat ure in avia-
tionwasfirmlycementedwhenhis90th
birthdaycelebrationwas heldin 1994.
Afterthatcelebration,a groupof
local Oshkosharea residentscon-
ceivedthe"FriendsofSteve"commit-
tee. Theirintentwastopreservethe
greatlegacyofSteve Wittman,by
buildinga hangarthatcouldhousea
collectionofaircraftandmemorabilia,
a display thatcouldserveas a re-
minderof Winnebagoland's rich avi-
ationhistory,while inspiringothersto
continuehis tradition.
TextcontinuedonPage21
TheWittmanHangarcollectionincludestheonlyremainingPheasantH-10,testflownbySteveafteritwasmanufacturedinFond
duLac,WI. ThisparticularairplanewasdonatedtoEAAin1971 byPhilipStier,Sussex,WI. InSeptemberof1928,Steveflewa
Pheasanttoa12thplacefinishinacoasttocoastairrace. Heowneda Pheasantuntil1934. BehinditisButtercup,Steve'sfirst
"generalaviation"typeairplanebuiltin1937toserveasasupportvehicleforSteve' sracingactivities. Itcoulddo125hpwitha50
hpLycoming.ToitsleftisWitt'sV, aformulaVeeracerStevebuilttocompeteintheclassracesforthattype. Aftershelearnedto
flyunderSteve'stutelage,hissecondwifePaulasoloedthe"V"attheirhomeinOcala,FL.
BoththeWitt'sVandButtercupweredonatedtothehangarbythefamilymembers,whoincludeHeidiBrey,LarryAndersonand
ArleneHendersonSwidler.
InthefarrighthandcorneristheprototypeTailwind,N5747N,thencalledthe" FlyingCarpet." Whilenotinitsexactoriginalcon-
figuration,plansarebeingmadetorestoreitstriplefinnedtail,alongwithotherchanges. ItwasdonatedbyEugeneJ.Zepp,of
Dearborn,MI.
AlsovisibleisthereplicaHardleyAbleson,aswellasanRIC modeloftheairplanebuiltbytheOshkoshRadioControlFlyers. It
took5monthstobuildand800manhourstofinish,andithasbeenflownonacoupleofoccasions.
OntheleftsideofthehangarareaseriesofphotosofSteve,andontheoppositesidearedisplaysdetailinghislife'schronology,
aswellasthehistorysurroundinghisworkwiththeCivilianPilotTrainingProgramduringWWII, andhismostfamousinvention,
thespringsteellandinggear.
VINTAGEAIRPLANE19
This plaque, donated by the EAA An-
tique/Classic Division, celebrates the life
and achievements of Steve Wittman. Cre-
ated by Oshkosh Trophy and coordinated
by AlC Director Jeannie Hill, it shows
many of the aircraft that figured so prom i-
nantly in Steve's aviation accomplish-
ments.
(Right) This replica of the "Hardly Able-
son," Steve's first homebuilt airplane,
complete with a Harley-Davidson twin-
cylinder motocycle engine, was con-
structed by retired EAA Museum Exhibits
Designer Pat Packard, based on conver-
sations he had with Steve. Pat then drew
up a series of construction drawings. A
copy of one of Pat's drawings, as well as-
details of the construction of the "Hardly"
were described in an article on Steve's
early life in the August 1995 issue of Vin-
tage Airplane.
During the dedication of the hangar on May 11, 1996, EAA Founder and Chairman of the
Board Paul Poberezny reminisces about Steve's first attendance at a very early EAA
meeting in Milwaukee. "Steve flew down and said he could stay for just a little while be-
fore he had to get back to Oshkosh. He wound up staying for the entire evening, enjoy-
ing the fellowship of aviation enthusiasts," Paul recalled of the visit by a man who be-
come a lifelong friend to Paul and EAA. Looking on as Paul speaks are (left to right) EAA
Foundation President Tom Poberezny, Heidi Brey, Steve's stepdaughter, and Larry An-
derson, Steve's nephew. The charming little lady in front is Heidi's daughter, Madeline.
(Left) After you enter the Wittman Hangar
and turn the corner, you'll first see this
replica of Steve and Dorothy's office, fur-
nished with the original desks and other
memorabilia from the days of the Wittman
Aviation Service.
Dorothy's desk is set up as though she
were busy with the books and the flight
schedule, while Steve must have just been
sitting down to pencil in a few lines on his
latest drawing.
20 SEPTEMBER 1996
Continued from page 19
After Fundraising By The #Friends OF
The hangar itself was conce ived by
Steve" committee. The Wittman Hangar
the late Tom Meiklejohn, a longti me
friend of Steve's. Retired Oshkosh
Was Formally Donated To The fAA
businessman Henry Kimberly chaired
the committee's fu ndraising efforts,
Aviation Foundation On May 11, 1996.
generating over $130,000 to build and
maintain the hangar, which was de-
signed to resemble some of the lines of
the cement block building on 20th
Street that housed Wittman Flying Ser-
vice for many years. The new hangar
was designed and constructed by Wick
Building Systems of Mazomanie, WI.
The project manager for the job, Jeff
Wick, had a special attachment for the
Wittman Hangar - his grandfather ' s
farm once occupied the site where
EAA' s Pioneer Airport now stands,
and where the new Wittman Hangar
was built.
After construction, the Friends of
Steve committee donated the hangar to
the EAA Air Adventure Museum in
ceremonies held May 11, 1996. Present 0
were Larry Anderson, Steve' s nephew, I
Heidi Brey, the daughter of Steve's wife
Paula, and many others who had their
hand in creating the displays. These in-
clude several longtime friends of Steve
from the Oshkosh area, convened by
Museum Director Tom Barrett, to pro-
vide input to Pat Packard, and the EAA
staff who created and arranged the dis-
plays within the hangar.
The next time you visit the EAA Air
Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, be
sure and take the tram over to Pioneer
Airport - in addition to seeing so many
historic aircraft, you can get a glimpse
of a remarkable man's life in aviat ion,
Steve Wittman. ....
(Right) Steve' s workbench from his hangar at his home on Wittman
Field is centered on the back wall of the hangar, along with a col-
lection of props Steve had hung on the wall of his hangar. Each
prop had a story to tell, and all you had to do was point to one and
ask " What' s that one from?" Steve would just smile and then tell
the story with a twinkle in his eye.
Above it, the rudder fabric and the propeller from the 0-0 Special
are mounted. The propeller rotates to serve as a memorial to Steve
and his wife Paula, who died April 27, 1995.
(Above) In the far right corner of the hangar is a display of some of t he various engines
used by Steve in the many airplanes he designed and flew in his lifetime, including a Cur-
t iss Conqueror and Cirrus Hermes. Just visible in the center left of this picture is a dis-
play detailing the work done by Wittman Flying Service in the Civilian Pilot Training Pro-
gram during WW II. Also included in this area is a chronology of Steve' s life, as well as a
wall size plaque honoring the " Friends of Steve" committee and its donors.
Pioneer A i rport at t he fAA A ir Ad vent ure
Museum is open 7 days a week from Memorial
day to Labor Oay, and on weekends during the
late spring and earl y fall. Call the Museum at
414/426-4818 for more information.
If you wish to fl y in, you must land at Wi ttman
Regional Airport. Park at Basler Flight Service
and ask to have the Museum shuttle called, and
we/II pick you up!
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
WHAT -OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING
----------------------------by Norm Petersen
Robert Carr's Aeronca Chief
Robert Carr's Piper J-5 Cruiser
No sooner had Robert Carr fin-
ished the above mentioned
Aeronca Chief, when he just
couldn't resist jumping into an-
other project, which happens to be
the Piper J-5 Cruiser pictured,
N38405, SIN 5-956. The project
looks fairly original and should
make a dandy three-place air-
plane. Robert has enclosed a
photo of the ale frame after it had
been sandblasted and epoxy
primed with Poly-Fiber primer.
We look forwar d to seeing this
1941 antique when it is finished
with the "Robert Carr" treatment.
22 SEPTEMBER 1996
These photos of Aeronca Chief, NC85844, SIN llAC-
251, were sent in by ownerlrestorer Robert Carr (EAA
287070, A/C 21203) of Severna Park, MD, who spent five
years restoring the pretty two-placer. A close examina-
tion of the photos reveals extreme attention to detail in-
cluding an original" Aeronca/Sensenich" wooden pro-
peIler, a newly spun prop spinner and backplate (from
original Aeronca drawings), a McDoweIl starter, and
wheelpants. Besides dual ash trays and dual glove
boxes , the Chief features an auxiliary fuel tank in the
rear fuselage and a fancy new interior in the cabin.
Robert has made up additional Aeronca Chief spinner
and backplate blanks and is definitely the man to caIl if
you are in need of a set. His phone number is 301-987-
4310 in Maryland.
RobertOhlson'sCessna170A
ThephotoofthissharplookingCessna170A,N3857V,SIN
18744,wassentin byownerlrestorer,Robert"Bob" Ohlson
(EAA39673,A /C 789) ofEdison,NJ. Hereportsthe1949
model was purchasedin 1965 byBoband his fatherandhas
beenin thefamily eversince. In thelate1980's,the 170A
was upgradedwith a newT. W. SmithchromedContinental
0-300engine, new35 ampalternatoranda newexhaust.
New tires, newglassandnewavionics (Loran,960 radioand
transponder)helpedtheoldgirl along. Finally,the170Awas
repaintedin off-whiteandmaroonwith blacktrim to bringit
uptoitspresentstate. Bobsays it is nice tostillownthesame
airplaneyou learnedtofly in overthirtyyearsago!
Dave Cheek'sCessna 140
Picturedin theearlymorningsun is a1947Cessna
140,N2581N, SIN12841,thatis theprideandjoyof
DavidL. Cheek(EAA343691,A/C 14351) ofSmith-
field, VA. Daveandhiswife,Dianne,haveownedthe
140foroverfouryearsandhaveobviouslydoneafine
jobofupgradingthebird. TheContinentalC-85-12
enginehas150hourssincemajorand runscleanas a
whistle. Daveinstalledan EI RenoSpin-Onoilfilter
which reallydoesa finejobofkeepingtheoil c1ean-
andoffthebelly. Almosteveryweekendis spentfly-
ing theneattwo-placertoeveryfly-in within range ac-
cordingtoDave- andthat'saboutasgoodasitgets!
Jim Innesand hisAeroncaChamp
FromQuebec,Canada,wehavereceivedthesetwophotos
ofan AeroncaChampiononwheelsandskisregistered CF-
JKW,in Canada,andthe proudpossessionofJimInnes
(EAA611087) ofSherbrooke,Quebec,Canada. Jimreports
hefirst sawtheChampbeingrestored in agaragein 1986. In
1988,he was offeredachanceto buythe restoredChamp
from themanwhobuiltit up,RichardTurcotte,a mechanic
with AirCanada. Withonly160hoursin nosewheel aircraft,
helocatedafriend namedElmerAndrews,whocheckedhim
outin theChampin4.5 hoursofdual. Jimhassinceflown the
prettylittletwo-placerover300(enjoyable) hoursonskisand
wheelsandsaysit is adandyflying airplane. Notethelead-
ingedgelandinglight,navigationlightsanda radioantenna,
which leadsus tosuspectan electricalsystemin theChamp.
Workingonaproject
of your own?
Sendyourphotos
alongwithashort
storyaboutyour
airplaneto:
H.G. Fraut schy
EAA,P.O. Box3086,
Oshkosh,WI
4903-3086
VINTAGEAIRPLANE23
PASSdh
BUCK
by E.E. "Buck" Hilbert
EAA#21 A/C#5
P.O. Box 424, Union, IL 60180
Hats Off To The Type Cl ubs at
Oshkosh!
I had the opportunity to escort the
FAA's Assistant Administrator, Barry
Valentine, the Deputy Associate Admin-
istrator, Peggy Gilligan, and Assistant
Adminstrator Brad Mims, along with the
FAA Public Regulations people, through
the Antique/Classic Area. We spent con-
siderable time at the Type Club tent.
Barry and his associates were as-
tounded! The Type Club people were
hospitable, informative, courteous, and
made a great impression on the FAA
(Above) The FAA's Barry Valentine
(center), visited the Antique/Classic
area, and was escorted around the
Type Club Tent during EAA OSHKOSH
'96 by Buck Hilbert.
In the antique area, standing next to
Jack Hill's Waco UEC, Mr. Valentine,
Brad Mims (left) and Peggy Gilligan,
both of them also from FAA HQ in
Washington, admire the many An-
tiques on display.
Earlier, they had been speaking with
various members of the Type Clubs,
hearing of the problems and concerns
we all have regarding the ongoing
maintenance of our older aircraft .
(Right) Here, Buzz Wagner of the In-
ternational Aeronca Association fills
them in on some of the challenges
presented to his organization.
24 SEPTEMBER 1996
people. I had already briefed them, the
FAA, on some of the problems facing the
Antiques and Classics in getting paper-
work through the "system," and when
they asked several of the Type Club gu-
rus about their problem areas, they got
an education!
Our next stop was the flight line. The
past Champions and the line up of beau-
tifully restored airplanes in the show
plane camping area certainly impressed
them.
As usual, schedule priorities short-
ened the visit and we were somewhat
rushed before they
could talk to every-
one, but guess what?
Barry took it upon
himself to come back
after his " commit-
ments " and nose
around on his own,
ta lk to people a nd
just e njoy our area.
Here is a man, (an
EAA member, by the
way) who is in a posi-
tion to get the ball
r o ll ing and maybe
sli m down the admin-
istrative process to a
manageable level. I'm keeping my fin-
gers crossed, hoping this guy will be ap-
pointed permanently after the elections.
And now the "Rest of the Story." I
was also given the opportunity to squire
Donald Spruston around our area. He's
the Director General of Canadian Civil
Aviation. You may have read in Tom
Poberezny's Sport Aviation column last
month what great things this man is doing
for Canadian airplane people. Donald
was also very impressed with the Type
Club Tent and the people, and the line up
of great looking airplanes. I found this
man a real breath of fresh air. I've had to
re-examine my list of prejudices about
Canadians after meeting this guy. I hope
he gets t hrough to our FAA with his ac-
tions on behalf of recreational type fly-
ing.
All in all, our Twenty-fifth year was a
great one. I can't begin to express my ap-
preciation and t hank all of those mem-
bers who have made the Antique/Classic
Division what it is today. Not without
getting all choked up and emotional
abo ut it so I'll close wit h an " Over to
You" - all of you, the cur rent, past and
with great hopes for the future!
Over to You, t( ~ t c k . ~
AeroMail
Continued from page 3
Ale TIDBITS RED FLAG
DearMr. Frautschy,
Withallofthesegreat"A/CTid-
bits"fromBradHindall,therearetwo
thatraisearedflag. Botharenearthe
bottomofpage 25 oftheAprilVIN-
TAGEAIRPLANE.
Firstis the"badboy"thatstates"...
todrillaclockspring...andmeltthe
holethroughwithheadandfriction."
Insomeverylimitedareathismightbe
ausableconcept. Ifitinvolvesanything
remotelyconnectedtothestructure,the
userhadbetterbepreparedfor ametal
failure, as theareaabusethisway has
beenannealed. Asthemetalflexes, it
will crack throughthishole. If anyone
hasalreadyused this approach,then
haveitheattreatedbackuptospec.
Theotheroneconcernsdrillingstain-
lesssteel. Thecoolantmethodis OK,
butfails tomentionthattheresidueEp-
somsaltsmustbecompletelyflushedoff
orthesaltwill attackthemetal,andac-
celeratedcorrosionwill follow.
Withoutgoingintoalengthyexpla-
nation,smallplanedesignersand me-
chanicsusuallyonlyhavetoconcern
themselveswith300and400seriesstain-
less. 300is non-magnetic,and pretty
difficult toworkwith. 400 is magnetic
and is onlyslightlymoredifficultto
workthanmildsteel. Thetoughnessof
stainlessis derived from thecontentof
nickel andchromium,plusothertrace
metals/compounds. If acuttingtoolis
allowed to "idle"themetalwill "work
harden"intoareal mess.
So havegood properlysharpened
tools,preferablywith aconstantfeed
device driving thecutter(not"Arm-
strong").
In300seriesStainless,itis recom-
mendedto usecobaltorCarbidecutters
(preferthelatter)andalways keepthe
chip formation constant. A goodflow
ofcoolantwill reducethemetaltemper-
atureatthepointofcuttingandis al-
ways preferable.
Takecareofyourself, and regards to
all oftheeditorialstaff. Congratson
thecontentof"Vintage."
Cordially,
TedBusinger
HorseshoeBend,AR
SEABEE ENGINE HElP
DearH.G.,
Firstofall, thankyou for takingthe
timetospeakwithmeon thephonethe
otherday. Ienjoyedourconversation.
Asyou know,Ihavea1946RC-3 Re-
publicSeabee. It is poweredby an old
Franklin6AS-215-BSFengine. Some
latermodelSeabeesarepoweredbythe
6AS-215-B9Fengine. (Themajordiffer-
encebeingadistributorwhichreplaces
oneofthemags. Thereareotherdiffer-
encesaswell.) SomeSeabeeshavebeen
converted to the Lycoming GO-4S0
groupofenginesrangingin horsepower
from270to350. Therearetwo multiple
STC's,themostpopularis bySimuflight
ofSeattle,WA. TheLycomingmodhas
higherhp,slowerpropRPM(largerprop,
morethrust,less noise) butthereare
CG.considerations,theenginecan'tbe
startedin reverse(constantspeedprop,
oilpressure)andhighcostoftheconver-
sion. Plus,partsarenowbecomingdiffi-
cult to find (but not as hard as the
Franklin!). Someofthemostdifficult
partsfortheFranklinarethecylinder
sleeveswhich arenolongeravailable.
Thisleadsmetomy quest. It is rumored
thatsomeonemaybeworkingonmatch-
ingLycomingcylindersto theFranklin
enginecase. Thisis believedtobe hap-
peningin CanadanearEdmonton.
Ifind this matchmostinterestingand
have thoughtaboutthee ngineering
possibilityfrom time to time. Idon't
know ifthis is workable,butIwould
liketo knowifanyoneis indeedwork-
ing to thatend. Couldanyofourfellow
EAAmembersshedsomelighton this?
I'mtryingtobuild up aspareengine
formySeabeeand Idohavemanyextra
Franklinengi neparts,butnocylinder
sleeves. Is thereanyoneouttherewho
will help me build up anice, tightspare
Franklinenginefor my Seabee? Any
helpwill beverymuchappreciated. If
needbe,I'llmakeupsleevesusingFAR
21.303. HowcanIfind Certificationin-
formationdataonFranklinengines?
K.COstronik
P.O.Box996473
Miami,FL33299
We hadn't heard ofthe Lycoming cylin-
der/Franklin case hybrid work, but that
doesn't mean some enterprisingfellow up
north ofthe border isn't hard at work with
such a project. We 'd love to hear about it.
As far as the blueprints for the Franklin are
concerned, since the company was exported
to Poland, it's doubtful that the information
is still here in the States, but perhaps one of
our Franklin aficionados can help in this
area. Your can drop K.C a note at the above
address, and send us a copy as well. - HGF
HALTERMAN AND WATSON
DearH.G.,
Aviation losta pairofgiantsthis
weekendatBartlesvillewhen Bill Wat-
son and John Halterman died in a
midaircollision. I knew Bill by reputa-
tionanda few seminarsI attended;I
knewJohn from onephoneconversa-
tionandachatwith him at Bartlesville.
Littletimetoknowsomeone,yetIknow
thefollowing tobeabsolutefact:
WhenBillandJohnbegan in avia-
tion,theyknew nothingofairplanes.
Theylearnedfrom theoldheads. They
builtandflew airplanesuntil theybe-
cameold heads. Theypassedonsome
oftheirknowledgeandloveofairplanes
totherestofus. If webuildandfly air-
planesandpassonourknowledgeand
loveofairplanestoothers,thenBilland
Johnwill liveas longaswirebraced
wings anddeepvoicedenginesrumble
throughtheskies.
Therewill beepitaphs,eulogiesand
plaqueshungin buildings. Thesethings
arerightandfittingandIapplaud them.
ButthetruemonumenttoBillandJohn
will be completewhen thesky over
Bartlesvilleis darkwith antiqueair-
planesandeveryinch ofFrankPhillips
Field is coveredwithclothwings andoil
drippingfromthehotradials.
Enoughwriting. I'mgoingtotheair-
porttoworkon my project. Callmeif
you needhelpwithyours.
Sincerely,
JohnMcMurray
Burkburnett,TX
...AND A BIT MORE
WilliamF. "Bill" Watson
Yes,IknewBill,andyes, his passing
is a tragedybeyonddescription tome
personallyand theaviationcommunity
as awhole,butpleaseallowmetotake
apositivelookatthis.
Herewasamanwhowas highly re-
spected in every phase ofaviation.
Fromflying antiquestoexecutivejetsor
rebuildingaircraftandengines,hewas
topsandallwhoknewhimadmiredand
respectedhis work.
Hisprimeexampleofhisvariedabili-
tieswas his Kreider-Reisner31. Hehad
studiedandknewtheOX-5engineuntil
he had a verydependableengine. In
fact, hewas probablyasknowledgeable
anexpertontheOX-5 as thereis today
in the UnitedStates.
Hewas alwaysavailabletohelpwhen-
everneededandfreely gaveofhis time,
skillsandexperience. Thisthen leadsus
tothink howmanypilotsareenjoying
flight, howmanyenginesarefaithfully
running,andhow manyaircraftareflying
becauseofBill. Witha legacysuch as
thishewill trulyneverleaveus.
Shouldwenot thenrealizethisman's
lifetouchedofgreatnessandwhatanex-
amplehehassetforallofus tofollow.
Incelebrationofhis life let us rededi-
cateourselvesto promotingsafetyand
pureenjoymentofflight. Bysodoing
thoseofus luckyenoughto haveknown
himandreceived his instructionand
helpcan in asmallway keep his name
andhisdreamsalive.
Thereis avastlonelinessin thesky.
Let'sfill it withcareanddedicationin
his name.
M.C "Kelly" Viets.
Lyndon,Kansas
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25
SeveraloftheJ-1's wereconvertedto a
fiveplaceversionforthejoyriders - fourin
frontandpilotin back. Theplanepictured
maybeamuch improvedLincoln Standard
AirCoach engineeredin 1924 bySwen
Swanson.
CharlesDaylaterdesignedthebeauti-
ful5-placeNewStandard(J-5powered)
which resembledtheBrunner-WinkleBird
series.
BestRegards,
CharleyHayes
EAA 5171, AIC6289
by H.G. Frautschy
September brings us thoughts of
the coming fall season, and this month' s
Mystery Plane, a shot from the EAA's
Boeing Aeronautical Library Collec-
tion, shows us another biplane, this
time a little number with a four cylinder
inline engine. I can' t make out the logo
on the tail, but perhaps it will jog some-
one's memory. I can tell you t hat we
don' t have a positive Identification on
this one, so it truly is a Mystery Plane to
us as well. See what you can come up
with in your archives!
The June Mystery Plane stumped
more than a couple of you - only
Charley Hayes, of New Lenox, IL wrote
a reply. Charley is one of our most con-
sistent enthusiasts of the Mystery Plane,
and we can always count on him to send
in a note. Here's what he found:
DearH.G.,
The aeroplaneatthe top ofpage27 of
While we can't definitively pronounce
VINTAGEAIRPLANE,June 1996 is basi- the that this particular Standard was
callythe CharlesDaydesignedJ-1 Stan- modified by so-and-so, Charley' s answer
dardofWWIprimarytrainerandbarn- is certainly right on the mark. Have fun
stormingfame. with this month's mystery! ...
ModifiedStandardJ-l
26 SEPTEMBER 1996

Fly-In Calendar

The fol/owinglistofcomingeventsis furnishedtoourreadersasamatterof
informationonlyanddoesnotconstituteapproval, sponsorship,involvement, control
ordirectionof anyevent(fly-in, seminars, fly market, etc.)listed.Pleasesendthe
informationto fAA, Att:Golda Cox, P.O. Box3086,Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Information
shouldbereceivedfour monthspriorto theeventdate.
SEPT. 2021 BARTLESVILLE, IL - Frank Phillips Field.
39th Annual Tulsa Regional Fly-In sponsored by EAA
NC Chapter 10, AAA Chapter 2, EAA Chapter 10,
EAA lAC Chapter 10 and the Green Country
Ultralight Flyers. Call Charlie Harris for info:
918/622-8400.
SEPT. 2122 - ROCK FALLS, IL - Whiteside County
Airport. (SQI). North Central EAA "Old Fashioned"
Fly-In. Fly market, camping and food on field. Call
Gregg Erikson, 708/513-0641 or Dave Christianson
at 815/625-6556. Pancake breakfast Sept. 22 - 0700
- 1100.
SEPT. 22 - WEYBRIDGE, SURRY, ENGLAND -
Brooklands Museum Fly-In. Contact: Julian C.
AntonioA. Acosta................ .. .... .. . OldTappan, NJ
Jim Block.................... .....................Evansville, IN
Frank E. Bregger..............................Manchaca,TX
Norman E. Brown...........................Grass Lake, MI
Noel C. ChristensenMatraville,NewSouthWales,
Australia
David Clark...........................................Yelm, WA
WadeJ. Cline.............. ...........................Reno, NV
Dan Cordes .......................................Boulder, CO
Kenneth E. Cull er...... ....................Henderson, NV
Frank R. Davis...........................5altLake City, UT
Dave Dawley......................... ............ . Jackson, MI
John A. Dean........ ........................San Manuel, AZ
Steve Denault......... ..............................Normal, IL
Robert Duffy......................................5cranton, PA
Michael Eggert.. .................... ......NewHaven, MO
JamesJ. Eldredge..................................McCall, ID
Richard G. Evelyn ............ .................Marietta, GA
James E. Fackler................... . ...Duarte,CA
WilliamJ. Felten......................................5agle, ID
DouglasM. Fey.......... .. ......................Oxford,OH
James L. Fisher....................................Copley, OH
Richard Francis........ .. .................N.Royalton,OH
Temple or Peter Edmunds, Brooklands Museum
Trust, 01932857381 orFAX 01932855465.
SEPT. 22 - AURORA, IL - Fox Valley EAA Chapter 579
annual Fly-In and Open House. EAA' s B-17
H Aluminum Overcast" and Ford Trimotor are sched-
uled to appear, plus other antique, classic warbird
and homebuilt aircraft. Pancake breakfast 7-noon,
lunch from noon 'til 3p.m. Pilots flying in with afull
airplane receive free breakfast, and pilots participat-
ing in the flight demos receive a fuel discount. For
info call Alan Shackleton, 708/466-4579.
SEPT. 27-28 - SANTA YNEZ, CA - 8th Annual Western
Waco Assoc. Reunion. Call Jon Aldrich, 209/962-
6121 orBarry Branin, 714/545-1476for info.
New
Members
OrvilleD. Gaither..............................Houston,TX
HenryE.Goodearle...... ... .......... .......Appleton, WI
William R.Grant......................................York, SC
Tamara G. Grobaski......................Cheboygan,MI
KerryGrunewald.................Menomonee Falls, WI
Kurt E. Gustafson..............................Janesville,WI
Jess G. Hami lton.......... ..................Patchogue,NY
MarkE. Harvey..................................Kamuela, HI
Charl es H.Heide.................................Racine, WI
MartinA. Irvine............Kingston, Ontario, Canada
JosephL. Jacobi.................................Mexico,MO
James C. Jago..... .. .... .. ........................Carolina, PR
NathalieJohnson.................................Albany, CA
Cynthia Kahn.. ... .. ...................GraniteSprings, NY
MichaelLacree.............................Hammerton, NJ
Linda L. Langenfeld Sollars........ . Waynesboro, VA
D. A. Loesing ......................................Carmel,CA
Ronald C. Maggio.. ....................... Buriingame,CA
Landon E. Mays.. ....................... .. ....Reidsville, NC
Wayne D.McLell an..............................Naples, FL
Mi chaelMcRie.......... .....................Hamonton,NJ
Thomas A. Mi ll er...................... .... VineGrove, KY
ThomasG. Minder.........................Burnsville, MN
SEPT. 28-29 - ZANESVILLE, OH - John's Landing
Airfield 5th Annual Fall Fly-In sponsored by EAA
NC Chapter 22 of Ohio, Hog roast on the 28th,
breakfast both days. Antique, classic, homebuilts,
warbirds welcome. For more info call Virginia at
614/453-6889.
SEPT. 28-29 - LEXINGTON, TN - Tennessee
Tai/draggers 12th Annual Fly-In. 901/968-2864 or
901/968-4022 for info.
OCTOBER 4-6 - REDDING, CA - Benton Field. EAA
Chaper 157 Oktoberfest. Contacts: Bruce Taylor,
916/275-6456orArmal Owens, 916/243-4382.
OCTOBER 4-6 - DARLINGTON, SC - Darlington
County Airport. EAA NC Chapter 3 Fall Fly-In.
Ifo: Ray Bottom, Jr. 804/722-5056, FAX 804/873-
3059.
OCTOBER 9 - 13- - SAN DIEGO, CA - Silver Wings
Fraternity National Convention for those who
soloed over 25 years ago. Open house and Fly-In,
San Diego Aerospace Museum Annex, Gillespie
Field. Pickup at Montgomery Field and Hanalei
Hotel . For info call Marian Banks Prophett
619/272-7914or800/554-1437.
OCTOBER 13 - TOWANDA, PA - Towanda airport
(N27) Fly-In Breakfast - all you can eat. Eggs,
sausage, pancakes, 100% pure maple syrup. 7
a.m. - I p.m.
OCT. 13- ZANESVILL E, OH - Riverside Airport. EAA
Chapter 425 and the ARTHRITIS FOUNDA TlON
Hog Roast. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Contact Don Wahl at
614/454-0003.
OCTOBER 13 - WEYBRIDGE, SURRY, ENGLAND -
Brooklands Museum Fly-In. Contact: Julian C.
Temple or Peter Edmunds, Brooklands Museum
Trust, 01932857381 orFAX 01932 855465.
OCT. 18-20 - KERRVILLE, TX - Southwest Regional
Fly-In . For info call 800/221-7958. Vendors
should call 210/914-3746.
OCT. 18-20 - GURDON, AR - Forest Festival Air
Expo. Call Mary Burns at 501/353-2514 or FAX
353-4348 for info.
JANUARY 1,1997 - NAPPANEE, IN - EAA Chapter
938 5th annual New Years Day Hangar Over
Party/Fly-In. 11:00 a.m. - 2 p.m.. For info call
"Fast Eddie" Mil/eman, 219/546-4997.
Richard Ogg................................5an Lorenzo, CA
Paul H.Peterson......... .. .......White Bear Lake, MN
Robert W. Proulx .............. .... .......Fort Collins,CO
WarReese.......... .................. .... ... ... ... Lebanon, TN
George H. Ri chmond, Jr......... .... .........Omaha,NE
Kevin M.Rock.................................Bettendorf,IA
Dave Rosenblum.................. ...............5uffern, NY
John L. Roy..................... ............ ....Redmond, WA
John E. Salisbury... .... ................... .........Gurnee, IL
John R. Saxton ...... .. ........................Arlington,WA
Paul W. Schattauer.......................Dunwoody, GA
TimothyG. Shaw.......... ................lndianapoli s, IN
MikeShores...... .... ............................ Leucadia, CA
Ron Simmons...................... .. ...........Bountiful, UT
Richard L. Snaer... .........................LaConner, WA
William Stackhouse............................Arcadia, CA
BretJ. Sutton.......................................Seattle, WA
Dave A. Tarpley..............................5avannah, GA
DennisL. Taylor... ..........................Harwi nton,CT
WilliamTerkeurst, Jr.... ...... .... ......Hazel Green,AL
Ben Torres ...........................................Caguas,PR
DennisL. Vander Kuur.................. . Northbrook, IL
HobertC. Welch,Jr....... ....................Cordova, TN
Harold L. Frank.................. .. .. ... ...........Rockton,IL PatrickB. Mitchell...West Lorne,Ontario,Canada John W. Wiliiams ............................Arl ington, WA
RogerW. Gaebel.............................Louisville, NE Don Nelson.........................................Blaine, WA
...
VINTAGEAIRPLANE27
The BoardofDirectorsofOcean ReefClub
Key Largo, Florida
cordially invitesyou to attend
ThE 3RD ANNuALVINTAGE WEEKEND
December 6th,7th and 8th, 1996
Honoring classic conveyancesby air, land, andsea
andincluding
TheAntiqueand ClassicAirplaneFly-in
The Concourse d'Elegance ofAutomobiles
- -----%,
TheAntiqueand Classic Yacht Rendezvous
R S VP
Marcy Kilby - (305) 367-5874
by November 1Sf
Bemuse Ocean ReefClub is aprivate
club, TheVintage Weekend is open only
to membersandinvitedfltestsstaying
in the Inn orMarina.
Participation includeswelcomingL'Ocktail
partyinaprivatehomeFriday evening;
Saturdayday-longcelebration ofboats,
cars,andplanes;genuine Maine lobster-
bake Saturday eveningwithspecialfllest
Maine humorist Tim Sample; fJ1vards
andfarewellbreakfastSundaymorning.
$150perpmon
OCEAN REEF CLUB'
31 O CEAN R EEF D RIVE , S U ITE C - 300 K EY L A R GO , F LORIDA 3 303 7
Stinsons & Mallards - Grumman Mallard ":; '
ForRound EngineClassics
C-195 Cessna
.. ... /
__:0,
---44fi.t -::"'AI
AnySize Radial From PT'sto D-17 Staggerwing Beechcraft
Constellations
Over300Clean Kits on radial
Our proprietary electric oil scavenging
and shutoff system is 100% foolproof and
enginesworldwide;including
safe. This kit is cockpit-controlled, with
antiques,classics, warbirds
guarded switches and annunciation
andtransports.
lights. 12- and 24-volt systems avai lable.
EndtheOilMess
Custom engineering is our specialty.
DartonInternational,Inc.
Clean Kit is eligible for field approval
264 Trade Street, 11101
using standard 337 process for all cate-
San Marcos, CA 92069
gories of aircraft.
800-713-2786
619-471-9304 FAX
Darton International, Inc., 1996.
MEMBERSHIP
INFORMATION
EAA
Membership in the Experimental Aircraft
Association, Inc. is $35for one year, including 12
issues of SPORT AVIATION. Family membership
is available for an additional $10 annually. Junior
Membership (under 19 years of age) is available
at $20 annually. All major credit cards accepted
for membership.
ANTIQUE/CLASSIC
Current EAA members may join the Antique/
Classic Division and receive VINTAGE AIR-
PLANE magazine for an additional $27 per year.
EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE mag-
azine and one year membership in the EAA
Antique/Classic Division is available for $37per
year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included).
lAC
Current EAA members may join the Intemational
Aerobatic Club, Inc. Division and receive SPORT
AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $35
per year.
EAA Membership, SPORT AEROBATICS maga-
zine and one year membership in the lAC
Division is available for $45 per year (SPORT
AVIATION magazine not included).
WARBIRDS
Current EAA members may join the EAA
Warbirds of America Division and receive WAR-
BIRDS magazine for an additional $30per year.
EAA Membership, WARBIRDS magazine and
one year membership in the Warbirds Division is
available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIA TION
magazine not included).
EAA EXPERIMENTER
Current EAA members may receive EAA
EXPERIMENTER magazine for an additional $18
per year.
EAA Membership and EAA EXPERIMENTER
magazine is available for $28 per year (SPORT
AVIATION magazine not included).
FOREIGN
MEMBERSHIPS
Please submit your remittance with a check or
draft drawn on aUnited States bank payable in
United States dollars. Add $13 postage for
SPORT AVIATION magazine and/or $6 postage
for any of the other magazines.
EAA AVIATlON CENTER
P.O. box 3086
~ Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086
I" WEB SITE http://www.eaa.org
E-MAIL Vintage @ eaa.org
~ PHONE (414)426-4800
FAX(414)426-4873
OFFICE HOURS:
8:15-5:00 mon.-fri.
1-800-843-3612
MEMBERSHIP DUES TOEAA AND
ITS DIVISIONS ARE NOT TAX
DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS.
30 SEPTEMBER 1996
Something to buy, sell or trade? An inexpensive ad in the Vintage Trader
may be just the answer to obtaining that elusive part. .40 per word, $6.00
minimum charge. Send your ad and payment to: Vintage Trader, fAA
Aviation Center, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086, or fax your ad
and your credit card number to 414/426-4828. Ads must be received by
the 20th ofthe month for insertion in the issue the second month following
(e.g., October 20th for the December issue.)
AIRCRAFT
1950 CaliAir A.2, Rare, one of 36. STOl 150
lycoming, 620 SCMOH. 100 hrs. since com-
pleteAF rebuild. 315/677-9900. (1101)
MISCELLANEOUS
SUPER CUB PA-18 FUSELAGES - New
manufacture, STC-PMA-d, 4130 chromoly tub-
ing throughout, also complete fuselage repair.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIRFRAME INC. (J.
Soares, Pres.), 7093 Dry Creek Road, Belgrade,
Montana 59714, 406/388-6069, FAX 406/388-
0170. Repair station No. QK5R148N. (0387)
FREE CATALOG - Aviation books and videos.
How to, building and restoration tips, historic,
flying and entertainment titles. Call for a free
catalog. EAA,1-800-843-3612.
Ragwing Replicas - Ultralight legal
Aircamper, Heath, Pitts, Duster, Triplane. Plans
$52. Brochure $3. P. O. Box 39, Townville, SC
29689. (0400)
Original Brass Tip Spark Plugs C-26
Champion, new $19.00; military reconditioned
$7.50 to $12.00. Tom, 770/478-2310. (0359)
The Luscombe Foundation supports
luscombes with full service factory data. "WIN
ME" restored Luscombe tickets $40 each or
3/$100. Most parts and factory support ser-
vices available. Will meet or beat all legitimate
commercial sources in price, selection and
quality. All proceeds preserve the Luscombe
heritage through development of a museum &
archives. 602/917-0969, P. O. Box 63581 ,
Phoenix, AZ. 85082. (0657)
V-8 350 CHEVROLET CONVERSION WITH
GEAR REDUCTION DRIVE. REPLACES ANY
CURTISS V-8, OX-5. IDEAL PACKAGE FOR
EXPERMENTAl OR REPLICA AIRCRAFT.
VIDEO INFO PACK $20.00 REFUNDABLE WITH
ANY UNIT PURCHASE. BUD ROGERS
407/324-9433. (0740)
Babbit Bearing Service - Camshaft regrinding,
cam followers reground, piston rings, piston
pins, valves. For shipping instructions, call
1/800/233-6934. Jack H. Bunton, Machinist,
Vintage Engine Machine Works, N. 604 Freya,
Spokane, WA 99202. (11/96)
Freshly Minted Aeronca hubcaps and metal
placards/label plates. SASE for information:
7 AC Specialties, 835 New london Turnpike,
Stonington, CT 06378. (1004)
ATTENTION AVIATION ART COLLECTORS!
Add style, class and prestige to your collec-
tion by adding a selection from: Ferris,
Kodera, Galloway (& many more). Acquiring
prints and originals from the masters is easy
and affordable through American Aviation
Art. Call now, 1/900/950-2233 and order your
3.5" PC diskette screensaver/catalog for
$7.95, receive valuable discounts, visit us
www.amavart.com (0991)
FOR SALE: Unused Graham lee Nieuport
11/17 Plans. $125. 315/866-8629 evenings.
AVEMCO and NATIONAL
havetheBest"A+" Superiorrating.
Howdoesyouraircraftinsurance
companystackup?
USandCanadacall
800-276-5207
NotavailableinQuebec
ea
CAtiiMCO'
INSURANCE COMPANY
tlf "&NATIONAL
~ AVIATION UNDERWRfTERSsu
A division of AVEMCO InSUf3nc8 Company
A.M.Bestratesaninsureronrelativefinancialstrengthand
abilitytomeetitsobligationstopolicyholders. CN36C
Flyhighwitha
qualityClassicinterior
Complete interior assemblies for do-it-yourself installation.
Custom quality at economical prices.
Cushion upholstery sets
Wall panel sets
Headliners
Carpet sets
Baggage compartment sets
Firewall covers
Seat slings
Recover envelopes and dopes
Free catalog of complete product line.
Fabric Selection Guide showing actual sample colors and
styles of materials: $3.00.

I I
INC.
259 Lower Morrisville Rd. , Dept. VA

Fallsington, PA 19054 (215) 295-4115

What'sAComet
MadeOf?
... plus
r genius, perseverence,
dedication, perspirat ion,
and a love of classic aircraft.
Geoffrey de Havilland
designed the Comet racer
in l Y34. A few years later it
became the phenomenal
Mosquito fighter-bomber.
Tom Wathen's replica
chose Poly-Fiber for its
easy applicat ion and unri-
valed aurability, and Poly-
Tone because it recreated
the satin finish of the '30s.
Try it yourself at one of
our Learn-to-Cover Work-
shops, held nationwide.
They're hands on and just
$150 a person. And look
for LIS at the Oshkosh and
Lakeland fl y-ins, too.
August 24 & 25 Sept 21 & 22
Sacramento CA Winnipeg Canada
Oct 10 thru 13
MesaAZ
Nov 2 & 3
Chino CA
CustomerService:

Other Stuff: 909-684-4280
Post Office Box 3129

Riverside, Califo rnia 925 19
Formerly Stits Aircra.ft Coat:in.gs
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31
Gr
Richard Spiege'
Began flying December
1946 (15 years old)
in a Luscombe 8Aat
Douglas Field (O'Hare)
Flew to Cuba
before Castro's rule
in a rented Tri-Pacer
Purchased 10planes
over the last 25years
Chicago Police Officer,
34 years, retired
:(\gratu'oti
o
~ o ~ . /
FROM AUA, INC.
To become an
EAA Antique &
Classic Division
Member, call
800-843-3612
"Overthe years Ihaveexperienced
several aircraftinsurers.Inowhaveall
three ofmy planesinsured with AUA,
Inc. andthey have proven to bea very
solid companyand easyto workwith.
Mycoverage has neverbeen less than
excellentand my premiumsare always
veryreasonable." - Dick Spiegel
The best is affordable.
GiveAUAa call - it ' sFREE!
800-727-3823
Fly with the pros.. .fly with AUA Inc.
AUA's Exclusive EAA
Antique/Classic Division
Insurance Program
lowerliabilityand hull premiums
Medicalpayments included
Fie tdiscountsfor multipleaircraft
carrying all risk coverages
Nohand-propping exclusion
Noagepenalty
Nocomponentpartsendorsements
Discounts forclaim-free renewals
carryingall risk coverages
Remember,
We're Better Togetherl
AVIATION UNLIMITED AGENCY
THE OFFICIM. 1991 EAA.. CALENDAR
-- .--
..... ...
.- .... -
I) 14
21
I)
n
ZI)

-
Ib
))
)0
only $10.95
..,.. ...
10
.......-
11
2\
)1

NAME
ADDRESS
(USPO - PRIORITY MAIL)
CITY STATE ZIP
Number of Calendars,____@$10.95each
$,------
Special Offer - EAA Video "Aviation Unlimited"
VHS @$10.ooeach
$,-------
(for PAL format, add $6.00)
Add 6% sales tax/Mich. residents ........................................................... $,_______
Add Shipping & Handling (see chart) ............................................ ........... $,_______
__Check __Visa MasterCard
Credit Card #, _________________ Exp. Date: I
- Month Year
CALENDAR SHIPPING CHARGES
(video shipped free)
Quantity USA International
1 $4.00 $9.00
2
3-4
5
4.50
5.00
5.50
10.50
12.00
12.50
TOTAL ENCLOSED:$,_---,-=-:::=;::-::,---_
US FUNDS
SEND ORDER TO: Sharon Ramey & Associates,
P.O. Box 2045
Petoskey, MI 49770
FOR FASTER SERVICE CALL (616) 347-8851