STRAIGHTAND LEVEL

By Brad Thomas
Any successful venture, whether it be a one per-
son business or a large corporation, depends upon its
internal leadership to succeed. A small clothing busi-
ness must bring to its customers the latest items of
interest and fashion , and they must be when
the customer enters the picture to make a purchase.
Where does the business obtain the information
needed to purchase these needed, saleable items?
Several sources are available: reputable salesmen;
trade publications; catalog sources from manufactur-
ers and suppliers; verbal requests of customers who
observed ads on TV , radio, newspapers and
magazines, etc.
The l arge corporation will have a research and de-
vel opment department. Through the leadership of
this department, intelligent planning is kept well
ahead of production scheduling to allow the corpora-
tion to manufacture a successful product that is ac-
ceptable to the customer. The demands and require-
ments of the public definitely affect the continuing
work of the research and development portion of the
large corporation. These demands and requirements
often change rapidly and unexpectedly, thus creating
tremendous stress upon the management of the cor-
poration . By and large though , the basic purchaser
controls the volume and success of any business, be
it small or large.
What has all of this to do with EAA and our
Antique/ Classic Division? Technically we are a small
business, set up to promote antiqu e and classic air-
craft , assist those restoring and maintaining their air-
craft , conduct meetings , displays and educational
programs relating to aviation, and improve aviation
safety and education. We are a division of EAA which
is a large corporation, well known and respected
throughout the aviation fi eld. So hert. Ie are , both a
small business and an active division of a large corpo-
ration. Our division must communicate with its
members and attempt to assist them with their re-
quirements and needs, frequent l y and effectively.
This method of communication is accomplished
through our publication The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. For
a publication to exist, it must have a publisher , an
editor, a staff, and articles of interest. It should also
have event calendars, chapter news , restoration arti-
cles, historical articles, fly-in coverage, and advertis-
ing. Let us cover each individual item .
Our pubrisher is Paul H. Poberezny, Founder and
President of EAA. His initiative and drive has resulted
in the high regard afforded EAA and the Antique/
Classi c Division .
Without an editor a publication cannot exist. Gene
Chase was recognized as such in our January '80 issue
of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE. His basi c duty is to or-
ganize and edit our publication each month. W e will
not go into the details of the editor's schedule to
complete an issue of The VINTAGE A IRPLA NE . The
time, effort, and expertise required is overwhelming.
The staff required to support his responsibility as
editor is basically controlled by the size and fre-
quency of the publication.
Articles of interest are classified as those of a spe-
cial nature not covered under other listed categories.
An example would be a story of a unique, antique
engine, or a one-of-a-kind aircraft.
Our Calendar of Events covers those fly-ins of
general interest to antique and classic enthusiasts. It
also includes regional fly-ins such as Chino, Sun ' N
Fun , Tullahoma , et c. We need a minimum of six
weeks notice to enter these dates into the calendar.
Your cooperation in promptly getting these dates to
the editor is very important.
Chapter news is an item that we have not covered
effectively. Even though the number of chapters is
not large, they do exist and we would like to let the
entire membership know of the various chapter ac-
tivities and projects . Some division chapters meet
only once or twice a year at their fly-ins. Others meet
more frequently. We want to pr esent chapter ac-
tivities in the magazine, whether th e meetings are
frequent or infrequent . Chapter officers should en-
courage members to us of their restoration
projects. Al so, coverage of even small impromptu fly-
ins , including picnics , breakfast or luncheon gather-
ings which could provide some interest i ng readi ng.
No one is more proud than a restorer who has
completed his project! There for all to see is the
complet ed aircraft, ready to fly .and spotless, without
hangar rash. The restorer needs to be recognized for
his efforts and what better way than an article in The
VINTAGE AIRPLANE . He doesn't have to be a " writer".
Just get as many facts as possible concerning restora-
tion and include photographs (black and white, if
possible) taken throughout the restoration . Thos e
small, interesting details of "getting a lost part " or
obtaining the antique engine or finding the original
paint scheme of a classic aircraft are the highlights to
feature in the story. These same photographs can be
used to document the authenticity of the restoration
and can be worth up to five points when the aircraft
is judged at Oshkosh or a fly-in using our standard
judgi ng procedu reo
Most of our chapters have their own fly-ins, and
unfortunately we have not had the finances available
to send a representative from Headquarters to cover
them. Our coverage has been entirely a voluntary
one by a Division member in that area or a member
of the sponsori ng chapter.
Coverage has been limited, due possibly to the
fact that many of us think we do not have the ability
to perform the job satisfactorily. If only one member
of the chapter takes the responsibility to get sharp,
black and white photos , and another member jot s
down notes concerning the various events , winners,
etc., and identifies the photos sent, then adds, in his
or her own words, the highlights of th e fly-in, we will
work the photos and words into an interesting article
for all to enjoy in The VINTAGE AIRPLANE.
We also welcome any Type Clubs to forward us
newsworthy articles and photos of their fly-ins . Many
do not have a publication of their own, so her e is the
opportunity to receive the recognition so well de-
served.
The historical articles are a must for our publi ca-
tion. The nostalgia of r eading about the past and then
picturing ourselves in th e shoes of th e aviators in the
(Continued on Page 26)
Editorial
Staff
Publisher
Paul H. Poberezny
Editor
Gene R. Chase
Harold O. Wilson ofGreensboro, GA is the proud owner
ofthissharp, 1956 Cessna 1708, N35830.
Associat e Editors: H. Gl enn Buffingt on , Edward D. Williams, Byron
(Fr ed) Fr ederi cksen, Li onel Sali sbury
Readers are encouraged to submi t stories and photographs. Associate Editorships are assi gned
to t hose writers who submit five or more arti cles which are publi shed in THE VINTAGE AIR-
PLANE duri ng the current year. Associates receive a bound volu me of THE VI NTAGE AIR-
PLANE and a free one-year membership i n th e Division f or thei r effort s. POLICY- Opi ni ons
expressed i n arti cles are solely those of the authors. Responsibil ity for accuracy in report ing
restsent i rely with the cont ri butor.
Directors
Claude l.Gray, Ir. Mort o n W. lester
9635 Sylvia Ave nue P. O. Box 3747
PRESIDENT
Northridge. CA 91324 Martinsvill e, VA 24112
W. BRAD THOMAS, JR. 21313 49 '1338 703/632-4839 Ho me
301 DODSON MILL ROAD
703/638 8783 Office
Da le A. Gustafson
PILOTMOUNTAIN, NC27041
7724 Shady Hill Dr ive Arthur R. Morgan
919/368-2875 Home Indi anapo li s, IN 46274 3744 North 51st Blvd.
317/2934430 Mil waukee, WI 53216
919/368-2291 Office
414/442363'1
Ri char d H. Wagner
VICEPRESIDENT
P.O. Box 181 John R. Tu rgyan
JACKC. WINTHROP Lyons, WI 53148 1530 Ku ser Road
ROUTE 1, BOX111
414/7632017 Home Tr enton, NJ08619
414/763-9588 Off i ce 609/58 52747
ALLEN,TX 75002
2141727-5649' AI Kel ch
66 W. 622 N. Madi son Avenue
SECRETARY Cedar burg. WI 53012
414/3775886 Home
M.C. "KELLY" VIETS
Advisors
7745 W.183RD ST.
STILWELL, KS 66085
John S. Copeland Stan Gomoll Gene Morr i s
913/681-2303Home
9 Joanne Drive 104290th Lane, NE 27 Chandell e Dri ve
91 3/782-6720Offi ce
West borough, MA 01 58'1 Minneapoli s, MN 55434 Hampshir e, I L60140
61713667245 61 217841172 312/6833 199
TREASURER
Ronald Frit z Robert E. Kesel George S. York
1989 Wil son, NW 455 Oa kridge Dri ve 181Sl oboda Ave.
E. E. "BUCK" HILBERT
P.O. BOX 145
Grand Rapids, MI 49504 Roch est er , NY 14617 Mansfi eld, OH 44906
UNION, IL 60180 616/4537525 71613423 170 Ho me Business Phone419/7551011
815/923-4205 716/325 2000, Ext. Home Pho ne 41 9/529-4378
23250/23320 Offi ce
THE VI NTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091-6943) is owned excl usively by EAA Ant ique/Classic Division. Inc..
and is publ ished monthly at Hal es Corners, Wisconsi n 53 130. Second class Postage paid at Hales
Corners Post Off ice, Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130. and additional maili ng offi ces. Membership
rat es for EAA Ant ique/Classic Division , Inc., are $14.00 per 12 month per iod of which $10.00 is for the
publi cat ion ofTHE VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Member ship is open to all whoare i nt erested in aviation.

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC
DIVISION INC.
ofTHE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 229, HalesCorners, WI53130
CopyrightO1980 EAAAntique/Classic Divi sion ,Inc., All Right s Reserved .
FEBRUARY 1980 VOLUME 8 NUMBER 2
(On TheCover ...GeneCoppock's rare Stinson A Trimotorfli es over Wisconsi n farml andnear
Oshkosh.Photo by Di ck Stouffer.!
(On The Back Cover . 1929 Buh l Sporl Sedan, CA-JE, Seri al Number 57 fill ed wilh a Packard Di esel
engine. Thi s aircrafl is a modifi ed CA-JD whi ch was originall y powered by a Wrighl /-6. Can anyone
i denlify Ihe IWO genl/emen?Pholo from Ihe Lee Worlhinglon Colleclion.)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Vi ew Po int by Gen e Chase .. ......... ..,. . . ... . .. . ... .,. ...... . ..... .. . 4
Stinson M od el A Trimot o r by Edward D. Wi lli ams.. . ....... ... . ......... . 5
ItMust Be L For Lanky by Li o nel Sali sbury . . . . . . .... .. . . .......... . ... . .. 10
EAA-USAF Museum Tour by Jim Campbell ...... .... .. ...... .. .. ........ 13
The Clancy Skybaby Bo rn 1931 by Lynett e Ann Butl er ( nee Clancy) .. ... . . . 16
A Curtiss Album byGeorge Hardi e, Jr... . .... . ... . ......... ... .. . . ... . . . 20
Bor den' s Aero plane Pos t ers From The 1930' s by Lionel Sal isbury . .. ..... . . 22
Letters.... . ... . .... .. . ... .. . . . . ... ... .... . ... . .. ..... .. ..... ... . .. . ... 24
Cal endar O f Events ... .. .... .. . .. ... .... .. ... . ... . .. . ....... . .. .. .. . . . 24
Seattl e' s New Pacifi c Museum Of Fli ghtby Po ll y Lane . .... . .. . . . ... . . . . . . 25
EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION MEMBERSHIP
oNON-EAA MEMBER - $22.00. Includes one year membership i n the EAA Antique/
Classic Di vision, 12 monthl y issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE; one year mem-
bership in the Experimental Aircraft Association and separate membership cards.
SPORT AVIATION magazinenotincluded.
oEAA MEMBER - $14.00. Includes one year membership in the EAA Antique/Classic
Divi sion, 12 monthl y issues of THE VINTAGEAIRPLANEAND MEMBERSHIPCARD.
(Appl icant must becurrent EAA memberand must give EAA membership number .)
Page 5 Page 10
Page 16
3
nical " knowledge of aircraft. I read the back sides of
Chapter 4
the posters so many times that I had memorized the
Minneapolis, Minnesota
specifications and performance data of each aircraft.
Stan Gomoll
While awaiting my orders to active duty as a Naval
1042 90th Lane, NE
Aviation Cadet in WW II , I gave away dozens of my
Blaine, MN 55434
IIIEW
model planes to kids in town (Scottsbluff, Nebraska).
TELEPHONE: (612) 784-1172
POln'T
by Gene Chase
As Senior Editor of EAA Publications, I look for-
ward to my new responsibilities, which include edit-
ing Th e VINTAGE AIRPLANE. I hope that my experi-
ence, both past and present, and my special interest
in antique and classic aircraft will be translated into
producing a magazine which will appeal to each
member of the Division.
Any and all suggestions from you, the reader, will
be welcomed and considered. Please let us know
what you would like to see in the magazine. Or bet-
ter yet, submit articles and pictures of your own pro-
ject or experiences, or those of other members or ac-
tivities in your area.
In the future we hope to tip the scales in favor of
current projects and activities rather than historical
articles in the magazine. With reader participation in
submitting material as mentioned above, we can ac-
complish this.
We will continue to publish articles of historic in-
terest, however we will endeavor to present material
not previously published, whenever possible. In this
way we can playa small part in preserving bits and
pieces of aviation history.
A certain amount of nostalgia is also in order ac-
cording to the favorable response we get from read-
ers concerning the series of Borden's Aeroplane
Posters. These bring back special and fond memories
to me as a kid growing up in the 1930's.
Before I could afford to buy aviation magazines I
could manage the few pennies needed to send off for
these posters. Her e in the U. S. they were made av-
ailable by the Thompson Malted Milk Company and I
had the complete set. To me they were veritable trea-
sures and they provided me with my very first "tech-
I also gave away all of my Thompson Posters, and
many times since have wished that I had saved them.
Needl ess to say, I was delighted when the series
started in The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, thanks to Lionel
Salisbury and the readers who have made their col-
l ections available for publication .
Som e of you may not be aware of the chapter
program in the Antique/ Classic Division. Although the
number of chapters is small at this time, the officers
and directors would like to see the number grow.
The benefits of chapter participation are numerous ,
including the opportunity to gain new members
through chapter activities. As Division President , Brad
Thomas points out in his "Straight and Level" column
this month, increased membership is the key to being
able to afford the expenses of additional pages in this
magazine.
Currently, the chapter roster looks like this :
Chapter 1
Lakeland , Florida
Paul Hopkins
1617 South Florida Avenue
Lakeland , FL 33803
TELEPHONE: (813) 646-2911
MEETING: Contact President
Chapter 2
Cypress, Texas
William F. Russell
3440 South Loop West
Houston , TX 77025
TELEPHONE: (713) 666-7441
MEETING: 4th Sunday, 2: 00 P.M.,
Dry Creek Airport
Chapter 3
Charlotte, North Carolina
Brad Thomas
Box 608
Pilot Mountain, NC 27041
TELEPHONE: (919) 368-2875
MEETING: Spring (1st Weekend in May), Bur-
lington, North Carolina and Fall (1 st Week-
end in October), Camden , South Carolina
MEETING: Quarterly, Anoka County Airport
Chapter 5
CHAPTER STATUS REPORT NOT ON FILE AT
HEADQUARTERS
Chapter 6
Rochester, New York
William F. Leonard
231 Eugene Street
Rochester , NY 14606
TELEPHONE: (716) 458-2403
MEETING: 3rd Thursday, 8:00 P.M.,
Spencerport Airpark
Chapter 7
Flanders, New Jersey
Walt Ahlers
60 Main Street
Flanders, NJ 07836
TELEPHONE: (201) 584-7983
MEETING: 4th Sunday, 10:00 A.M.,
Flanders Valley Airport
Chapter 8
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Ronald Fritz
1989 Wilson , N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
TELEPHONE: (616) 453-7525
MEETING: Quarterly, location varies
Chapter 9
Seattle, Washington
David G. Tatom
Rt. 2, Box 21 03
Flying B Airport
Yelm, WA 98526
TELEPHONE: (206) 894-2247
MEETING: Day and time varies, Auburn
The procedure for forming a chapter is quite sim-
ple. A minimum of five (5) Division members is re-
quired and other information may be obtained by
contacting Cindee at EAA Headquarters.
4
Sttnson Model vi Trilllotor
Antique aircraft enthusiasts will be happy to l earn
that a 1936 Stinson A trimotor, last r eport ed as a
weather-ravaged hulk rescued from the Alaskan wil-
derness, is "alive and well " and flying in Illinoi s.
Be ca use of th e hard work and d edi cati on of
Eugene D. Coppock , of Lake in the Hill s, Illinois, hi s
wife, Roberta , and th ei r 21-year -o ld son , Van , the
only flyable Stinson A in the world was restored just
in time to appear in l ast year ' s EAA Fly-In/ Conventi on
at Oshkosh . There, the Model A was named Champ-
ion in the transport category in th e Antiqu e/ Classi c
judging.
In a highly info rmative articl e in th e Jun e, 1978,
i ss ue of The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Associate Edit or
Byron (F red) Fredericksen t old graphi call y how th e
rar e Stinson A - NC1 5165 - had been rescued from
the f rozen Alaskan tundra by Jerome D. Berry after an
almost superhuman effort last ing more than ten years
and that it finally was being restored at Crystal Lake,
Illinoi s.
That restorati on work began in 1973 in Gene Cop-
pock's private hangar at the Crystal Lak e Airport and
was compl eted in late Jul y, 1979.
Because Fr ederi cksen's ar ticl e was so well de-
tailed , a lengthy account of the Stinson's near demi se
in Alaska more than 30 years ago won' t be repeated
her e. dedi ca ti on to the rescue of the
Stinson and hi s'interest in its restoration dates back
to 1970, and hi s account of Berry's and hi s effort s to
save the old bird from ex tin ction i s ex tr emely valu-
able from a hi sto ri cal point ofvi ew.
Thi sarticle tak es up where Fr ederi cksen' s l ef t off.
It seems only natural that Coppock , an experi -
enced restor er ofantique planes, would be int erest ed
in the three-engine Stinson since he i s a Unit ed Air-
lines Captain who flies the three-engine Boei ng 727
jetliner fora living.
In addition to being an airline pilot, Coppock is a
li ce nsed airframe and power plant mechani c. He
learned th e mechani c' s trade in a three-year hit ch in
th e Navy and afterwards in civilian lif e, and h e
learn ed to fly as a civili an under th e G. I. Bill.
by Edward D. Willi ams
Ass ociate Editor
713 Ea stman Dri ve
Mount Prosp ect, IL 60056
Coppock's interest in th e Stin son A has o th er
strong root s in hi s flying ca reer . It is th e same type of
plane flown by Ce ntral Airlines and th en by th e
merged Pennsyl vani a- Ce ntral Airlines in th e mid-
1930s. Penn- Central in 1948 became Capital Airlines,
which merged int o Unit ed Airlines in 1961. Since
Coppock was a DC-6 flight engineer with Capital at
the time, he also merged into United.
Coppock had j oined Capit al Airlines in 1957, and
he has restor ed th e Stinson in the Navy blu e and red
colo rs and markings of Pennsylvania-Central Airlines ,
it s predecessor.
It't
(Photos byAuthor)
Coppock said that hi s Stinson was being operated
by an Alaskan fl ying servi ce when it made a wheels
up forced l anding in soft snow in th e wilderness
about 90 mil es west of Nenana, Alaska in November ,
1947. Although not seri ously damaged, it was aban-
doned on th e spot. Berry, of Fairbanks , became in-
terested in NC1 5165 in 1961, got titl e to the der eli ct in
'1964 and then took ei ght winters to get it back to
civili zation.
Coppock , mea nwhil e, bought the plane from
Berry in 1969 on the basis that it be delivered to an
accessibl e spot . He finally got to see it firsthand at
5
Th e Coppock famil y of Lake in th e Hills, Illinois, worked
si x years to res lOre the Stinson A. Showing the pleasure of
their accompli shment are, left to right, Eugene D. Cop-
pock, his wife, Roberta, and th eir son, Van.
Nenana - 60 miles south of Fairbanks - in May,
1972. The fuselage, wing center section and tail were
trucked in a large van to Crystal Lake in June, 1972,
and Coppock drove up the 3,500 miles the following
September with a pickup truck and flat bed truck to
get the outer wing panels, engines, props , wheels
and ailerons .
However, if it weren't for the absolute conviction
by Berry that the Stinson could be saved , Coppock
said , the old airliner would never have reached Il-
linois. Berry had started his long trek to civilization
with the Stinson on a huge sled of skids moved along
by a Caterpillar tractor. Berry could only move the
plane in the winter months when the frozen ground
could support the weight of the Caterpillar and its
precious cargo . Once, the tractor went through thin
ice and Berry had to get it out all by himself. In
another mishap later , Berry broke a foot.
But dogged determination paid off, and the Stin-
son in May, 1972, reached Nenana and was ready for
the trip to the Lower Forty-Eight.
Coppock stored the Model A in his 75-foot by 75-
foot hangar at the Crystal Lake Airport, but it was a
year before he was able to get to the job of restora-
Gene Coppock, wearing
a cap with the logo of
Penns ylvan i a-Centra I
Airlines on th e fr o nl,
gets his Sti nson ready for
fli ght. Th e pl ane wa s
paint ed in the navy blue
and red col ors and mark-
ings of a Penn- Central
plane that fl ew on th e
U. S. Mail AM 14- 22
ro ut e on th e D etr o it-
Was hington, D.C. run.
tion. It then took Coppock, his wife, their son, and a
number of good friends six more years to get the
plane into the air again. This was accomplished only
with a continuous schedule of long and tedious hours
of work.
Van, who was only 12 when the Stinson arrived,
was a valuable assistant because he was small enough .
at that time to get into otherwise inaccessible places,
Coppock said. And Roberta " by herself did about
6,000 rib stitch knots on the fuselage alone", Cop-
pock added. She also worked hard with steel wool on
every wing rib, and there are 32 ribs in each wing.
The Model A today is in superb condition, but it
was a sorry sight when the restoration began in 1973.
Coppock had restored a number of other airplanes ,
going back to a Piper J-3 Cub in the early 1950' s, but
th e Stinson was an exceptional challenge because of
its size, he said .
" In those six years, I had to be a welder, a
seamstress, an upholsterer, a cabinet maker , a
glazier, an engineer, a painter, a troubleshooter and,
once, when I cut my arm, even an emergency medi-
cal corpsman , " Coppock said.
He estimated that in the six years he averaged 10
hours a day of work for the 16 days off he had every
month. Roberta recalled that many times she brought
him food to the hangar from their home in nearby
Lake in the Hills Illinois , very late at night.
Over the years, Coppock said, he got some valu-
able assistance from a number of antique-oriented
people. " Some of the hardest workers were United
pilots Chuck Weber, Jerod Brandt, Jim Gesler, Jim
Lacey, and Jim Dees and also John Schnittker of Un-
ited' s maintenance," Coppock said.
The Stinson actually did not cause too many big
problems , " just a lot of little problems", in its resto-
ration, Coppock reported. Of course, the plane
needed all new fabriC, which had suffered greatly
from the exposure to the Alaskan winters.
" Most replacement parts are standard, but I had
to make many of them by hand, " Coppock said. The
axles had to be machined, and the rotted exhaust
stacks had to be replaced . The vacuum-boosted hyd-
raulic brakes needed a lot of work , and fuel contami-
nation caused havoc with the tanks, " Coppock ad-
ded.
" My biggest problem was with the old style in-
struments ," he said . " Because exact duplications
were non-existent, I had to install newer instru-
ments." The 1936 radio, which could not be replaced
with an exact duplicate, weighed about 64 pounds,
and Coppock installed a new radio weighing only
nine pounds. " That and other work account in part
for the fact that the restored plane is lighter than
originally," he explained.
As to be expected, the original Goodyear 35 x 15-6
tires were completely shot. " I spent a lot of time try-
6
The large wing struts were
designed by Stinson 10 take
up the shock of landing
loads on the thick wing.
ing to find new tires of the same size, and I bought
- sight unseen - eight 35 x 15-6 tires that proved
worthless," Coppock said . He was able to locate sub-
stitute tires close to the original, however.
The Model A finally took final form in the summer
of 1979. It was given its FAA air worthiness certificate
on July 25,1979, and NC15165 was test flown the next
day.
The test flight was an event to remember and was
covered by the local news media. Coppock took it up
alone the first time, aided by a ground crew of an-
tique aircraft lovers . The event also drew a crowd of
interested spectators, who cheered as Coppock re-
vved up the three engines, taxied out to the runway
and then took off. The proudest person in the crowd
was Roberta Coppock, who later gave her husband a
congratulatory kiss.
As NC15165 roared down the runway for the first
time in almost 32 years, one spectator called out,
"the tail ' s off", as it reached the half-way point of the
strip. Another yelled enthusiastically, "she flies " . A
third, who liked what he saw, said of Coppock, "he's
a real artist".
Cautious on the initial flight, Coppock circled the
cheering crowd once then executed a three-point
landing. Back on the ramp with the engines shut
down Coppock said: "It works fine. It's easy to con-
trol , but not as good as a 727." He reported only one
problem in flight. He had to hand crank the landing
gear up and down because of a weak battery. Luckily
for Coppock, the Stinson ' s flaps and landing gear
were electrically operated but also had a provision for
hand operation in an emergency.
Model A, NC15165, was the twenty-fifth of 35 built
at the Stinson Aircraft Corporation plant at Wayne,
Michigan on February 28, 1936, with serial number
#9125. Its original owner was American Airlines,
which took delivery on March 2, 1936. The plane was
sold by American to Lavery Airways , at Fairbanks,
Alaska, on April 27, 1940, and to the Ray Peterson Fly-
Th e beautifull y reslored and refurbi shed int eri or o f Cop-
pock's Stinson A shows the comfort and roominess of the
cabin. The seats were originall y made of aluminum but
did not withstand the years in the Alaskan wildern ess, so
Coppock rebuilt them of steel tubing and covered them
with Na ugah yde.
7
When the Stinson A was iirst seen in 7933, it was touted as "America's Fastest Tri-Motor",
and Coppock's NC 15165 carries that boast on its vertical fin.
The biggest problem in the restoration of the Stinson A was finding instruments to replace
the original instruments that did not stand up against the Alaskan winters as the plane sat
on the frozen tundra for 70 years. Coppock was forced to equip the plane with new instru-
ments because the much-needed 30-year-old type of instruments were not available.
ing Service at Anchorage on September 14, 1942. The
plane crashed in November, 1947, and title to the
wreck was sold to Northern Consolidated Airways the
following February. But that firm never attempted to
recover the plane from its frozen resting place.
The Stinson A, the last and the best trimotor made
by Stinson was called America's "fastest and most
economical trimotor" when it made its appearance in
1933.
The configuration of the low-wing trimotor was
unmistakable. It featured a one-piece, double tapered
wing with two thick struts on each side to help take
up the shock of the landing loads.
The interior was the best of the period, with ac-
commodations for a pilot, co-pilot, stewardess and
eight passengers . The cabin was roomy and comfort-
able.
In addition to being soundproofed, the cabin was
ventilated and equipped with heaters and shatter-
S
proof windows. At the rear of the cabin, there was a
very large baggage bi n (for up to 500 pou nds of bag-
gage) and a lavatory. Coppock said the original seats
were aluminum "which didn't hold up very well" in
the Alaskan winters. So he had to make new ones of
steel tubing. They are the same size and shape of the
old seats and are covered with Naugahyde.
The first five Stinsons went into service in mid-
1934 with Delta Air Corporation and the second batch
of five planes went to Central Airlines (the predeces-
sor to Coppock's first employer, Capital) on the
Detroit-Washington run. American Airlines, also op-
erated some Stinson A trimotors, including Cop-
pock's for a few years. Four of the planes also were
operated by an airline in Australia. A few even ended
up in China. Production ended in 1937, and most
Stinson A trimotors went out of airline service within
a year afterward.
The Model A was powered by three 9-cylinder
Lycoming R-680-5 engines, with 260 horsepower each,
and Coppock's plane still has its original engines. It
also has Hamilton-Standard controllable props. It has
a wing span of 60 feet, length of 36' 10" and a height
of 11' 6". It has a cruising speed of 163 miles an hour
and a landing speed of 63 miles an hour. It has a
range of almost 600 miles. Coppock's Stinson has a
gross weight of 10,200 pounds, although it originally
had a gross weight of 11,200 pounds.
When not flying Boeing's three-engine jet, Cop-
pock plans to fly the Stinson trimotor at air shows,
and it might even become a movie star. "At the '79
Fly-In at Oshkosh, I was asked if I would let it be
used in a movie about bush flying at Manitoba,
Canada, but I'll have to think about that," Coppock
said. Coppock obviously considers that a crash in the
wilds of Canada would be no better than a crash in
the wilds of Alaska, and he would hate to go through
a long restoration project all over agai n.
Gene Coppock gives his plane a quick cleaning with a rag after giving the cent er
engine a supply of oil.
Thi s head-on picture shows the double taper of the Stin-
The thin chord of the wing at the wing root is apparent, as are the bracing wing struts.
son's large wing and the wing struts to th e top of the
fus elage.
9
It
(All Pholos by SIeve Szarvas)

By Lionel Salisbury
Seven Harper Rd.
Brampton, Ontario, Ca nada , L6W 2 W3
RorA'
"Charlie, what's that over there? Those look like the tailfeathers of a Lancaster."
We had gone to Oshawa, Ontario, my family and I for Aviation Days which are
held there annually in mid-October . We were the guests of Charlie and Marge
Burnet of that city, and we were enjoying a pleasant, but cool day. The air show
was great and featured two Harvards, a Chipmunk, and a Grumman Avenger from
the collection of the Canadian Warplane Heritage of Hamilton, Ontario. EAA Chap-
ter 364 was in charge of the event, and we really had fun at the exhibits and booths,
looking at the static displays, and watching the flying displays . The powered hang
gliders were particularly fascinating, for that has got to be the closest thing to flying
like the birds. At the far end of the ramp were two DC-3 's that are still in regular
use by Skycraft Air Transport Inc., operating out of Oshawa Municipal Airport. It
was while I was looking at these that I saw a strange but familiar tail surface poking
out from behind the DC-3 's .
"Oh yes," was the reply, " that's a Lan cas ter all right. It's owned by a local group.
They are rebuilding it. "
I couldn't believe my ears. Rebuilding a Lancaster?
When I was a youngster th ey used to build those things at Victory Aircraft in
Malton, Ontario during the second world war. Th e factory is still there, as a matter
of fact, and they use it now to build wings for the Douglas DC-10. Malton Airport
is still there too, but they call it Toronto International now. The Royal Canadian
Air Force would fly their newly completed Lancasters out of Malton Airport, off
runway 28 most of the time. That took these machines over the Town of Brampton,
where I have lived most of my life. On a clear day we would get either a Harvard,
a Westland Lysander, an Avro Anson or a Lancaster every three minutes.
Avro Lancaster KB889 is owned by the Canadian Air Squadron Society of Oshawa.
It was built in late 1944 or early 1945, the last year of the war, and was actually sent
to Britain to join 628 Squadron of the RCAF, which for some reason not known to
anybody now, was called the Ghost Squadron. This squadron and aircraft were
based at Middleton, St. George, County Durham. It is not known if KB889 ever
saw military action. When the war was over it was returned to Canada, where it
was put to peacetime work for a number of years on air-sea rescue duty. The aircraft
still bears those markings, although they are somewhat faded .
In 1965, in retirement, it went to the Age of Flight Museum in Niagara Falls,
Ontario, where it was on static display, and where, as so often happens, it suf-
fered from vandalism. In 1968 Ken Shortt of Markham, Ontario arranged to have
the machine dismantled and shipped by barge through th e Weiland Canal, across
10
Th e Lancaster 's front offi ce.
Lake Ontario to Whitby, a short distance from Oshawa. Then, in the dark of night
the fuselage of KB889 was towed on its landing gear, tail wheel first, up the high-
way to the Oshawa Airport, accompanied by police escort. As the story goes the
operator of the five wheel tractor that towed the lumbering Lanky misjudged a cor-
ner , and actually dropped one of the landing gear wheels into a ditch. I wonder
how he ever got it out.
When the group started work on the mammoth project, many of the com
ponents were damaged or missing. Much of the time has been spent in acquiring
and installing replacements for original gear . It is still possible to obtain original
equipment parts from a few industrial supply houses that have "aircraft junk" either
in the back of the shop or in the yard behind the store. Joe Corrigan and Dave Sut-
ton make trips around the country scouring these places for such parts. Other re-
placement parts have been donated.
It came as quite a surprise to me to learn that there are a total of eight Lancasters
on static display in Canada. It is doubtful that most of these machines will ever fly
Th e el ectri cal panel at the fli ght engineer 's Th e " ;ohn" needs a minimum of restoration.
station.
Gerry Garrard tri es out the pilor's seat .
again, so in some cases the owners of these aircraft have seen fit to provide items
from their Lancasters for use in the Oshawa Lanky.
Many other parts can only be obtained,by constructing them by hand and build-
ing-to-fit by carefully measuring the airframe to obtain the dimensions of the miss-
ing piece. Peter Tarazuk and Gerry Garrard can be found quite regularly, laboring
at this kind of work. The work is time consuming and made more difficult by the
fact that the group does not have a hangar. Although they have a small shack at the
airport, almost all of the work is done outside, which means that it is restricted to
those weekends when the weather will permit. The group has had as many as ten
members. Most of the financing has been through their own personal donations.
Although I had seen many of these aircraft as a youth, I never had the oppor-
tunity to see inside of one. Gerry Garrard took us inside to view the most unbe-
lievable installation of valves, relays, wires, tubing, instruments and gauges. Why,
this thing even had its own chemical john! As a matter of fact, that unit is the first
thing you encounter when you step inside the access hatch. Steve Szarvas, who
11
It takes hardy and dedicated souls to res tore a project of
this magnitude under these conditions.
Look aft, the tail gunner gains access to his compartment
through the hatch beyond the massive stabi li zer spar.
brought along his camera, had an absolute field day taking pi ct ures inside the Lank .
You have to scramble over the bomb bay to reach the forward part of the ship.
On the day we went for a look, they had a canvas over the pilots' canopy, 'so I can-
not say what it is like to see from that vantage point. With the cover on it, the inside
of the cockpit really looks more like the inside of a tank than the inside of an air-
plane. I felt the same about the forward turret.
The enormity of the job this group has taken on seems overwhelming to me.
When Victory Aircraft built the Lancaster, they employed (on a cost-plus basis)
about ten thousand people. They turned out one unit a day. In other words , it took
80,000 hours to build the airframe. Of course, it won ' t take that long to rebuild a
Lancaster , but how long will it really take? I don' t know, but there is one thing that
I feel sure of .. . that KB889 will fly again. Those four Rolls Royce Merlin engines,
each turning out about 1600 horsepower will again some day, rumble in uni son.
During the war years, I think it was on Friday evenings, th e British American
Oil Company used to sponsor a broadcast on the radio called " L for Lanky". My
friends and I used to list en to these patriotic stories every week to follow the ad-
ventures of our flying heros in the war with their Lancasters. Of course, we had
no real understanding about what war really was. To us it was like hearing reports
of some sporting event, th ere was our side and their side, and we were the good
guys. Radio was wonderful, for with a few sound effects at the studio, these sound
technicians took us on the most fantastic flights of adventure. The one thing that
impressed me most, both on the program and from the aircraft that passed over-
head, was the synchronized drone of those four engines. It is a sound like no other.
Editor's Note: When the Lancaster i s iinished it will be put back in the colors of the air-
craft on which a Canadian, Andrew Mynarski from Winnepeg, lost hi s life and was awarded
the Victoria Cross. When this fact was made public, the Captain of that aircraft paid a
visit to the group restoring th e Lanky. He has since, contacted his fellow wartime crew
members and they will be donating funds to help with the restoration project.
12
EAA-USAF
MUSEUM TOUR
New Carlisle, Ohio, Chapter 610
byJim Campbell
P. O. Box 85
Medway, OH 45341
Photos byJim Lewis, Except As Noted
During the january 1979 Chapter meeting , we
were discussing projects in which we could get in-
volved as a chapter, which would promote a better
understandingofaviation, as well as more fellowship.
The idea of hosting an all day trek to the U. S. Air
Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio and a "behind th e
scenes" look was discussed with Nelson Hall , Chi ef
of Res toration at th e Museum. He is also an avid
member of EAA Chapter 610. Nelson suggested that
we write a lett er of request to the Commander of th e
Museum. This was done post hast e by Chapter Presi-
dent , Roger james. An affirmative reply was received
from the Museum concerning th e dat e and time of
the gathering. Thi s really started the ball ro lling.
A committee, chaired by Col. Bob Taylor , com-
menced the monumental task ofsetting up aprogram.
This consisted of printing information describing th e
location of the Museum, maps showing pertinent
arteries and highways l eading there and mot el ac-
commodations in the nea r vicinity. Also included was
a description of l ocal airports and transport ati o n
arrangements to and from for those who would fly in.
The cover letter also included arrangements and
reservation t erms.
Next began the big tas k of folding, stuffing, ad-
dressing envelopes, and stamping same for a mailing
to every EAA Chapter in the United States and
Canada. That , my f ri ends, i s a lot of " Ii cki n' and sti c-
kin'."
In the meantime, itwas suggested that itwould be
nice if dinner could be held under the wing of the
B-36, and catered by the Wri ght Patt erson AFB re-
staurant people. Approximately one hundr ed people
co uld be accommodated at this location and we
thought this would be a great asset to the tour .
With all th e above information mailed out, it was
just a matt er of time awaiting responses from all EAA
Chapters .
During the Oshkosh Convention, announcements
wer e made periodi call y over the P.A. system about
Chapter 610 hosting tlieUSAF MuseumTour , October
13, 1979, at WPAFB, Ohio.
In September, we start ed to receive inquiri es and
r eservations for dinner, and Col. Bob Taylor 's and
President Roger j ames' phones were beginning to get
hot. People were starting to stir again after resting up
from Oshkosh and th e letter response was beginning
to get heavy. Consequently, the program had t o be
altered somewhat.
A special parking lot was established at the
Museum for EAA member s only. This was an area
near the North American B-70 and the Boeing B-52,
whi ch was moved further down the taxiway by
Museum perso nnel to make room for our exclusiv e
parking lot. The dinner response was so great that
the buffet styl e was changed from under th e B-36
wing to th e Museum dining hall with its greater
capacity.
On the Saturday prior to the tour , a group of
Chapter 610 " movi e criti cs" viewed and selected sev-
eral films to be featured in the evening theatr e por-
tion of the program.
Finally, th e tour day arrived with EAAers showing
up from allover. These folks were handled separat ely
from the general public visitors by having them sign
up at a regist rati on desk set up in th e Museum lobby
for thi s purpose. After signing in, everyone was per-
mitt ed to wander through the Museum at their lei-
sur e.
At4:30 P.M. when the Museum was closed to th e
public, an announcement was made for th e EAA con-
tingent to assemble at the parking area for a caravan
to th e Restorati o n Annex across Wright Fi eld, approx-
imately 1'12 mil es away. Thi s is really hall owed
ground, being the l ocati on of theacceleration runway
for th e B-19, and testing ground for th e huge Barling
Bomber. It was al so the home of many of the early
experimental fighters. Nostalgia abounds in this area.
The tour through th e Museum Annex was awe-
inspiring. Some of th e air craft have been restored
and are r espl endent in their full dress color s. Others
are still under restoration such as the cocky Boeing
P-12 and the o ld Standa rd j -l awaiting new fabric.
Some of th e lu cky folks were able to fantasize about
the days of open cockpi t s, helmets and goggles when
they got to sit in th e glori ous o ld Standard.
The restorati on shop was really someth ing to be-
hold. The machinery, tools and entir e work area was
immaculat e. The spruce , plywood , tubing and
hardware storage area was mind boggling for EAA
types who are intohomebuildingand r estoration.
Before we know it it i s 6:00 P.M. and time for th e
caravan to for m up again for th e journey back to th e
huge Museum complex. From across th e field the 30'
diameter star paint ed on the end of th e Museum
building appears to be the size of the dial face of an
altimeter.
.Upon arrival we see that the crowds have cleared .
The Museum clos es at 4:30 P.M. for the general pub-
li c and now the facility i savailable for our really close
inspection and enjoyment.
Once again a P.A. announcement proclaims that
dinner will be served at 6:30. Soon we wer e enj oying
a feast of roast beef with all th e trimmings, as well as
the opportunity t o sit down for awhile. The
camaraderi e experienced by everyone in that dining
hall will never be forgott en.
After dinner we were as ked to assemble i n the
theatre where Nelson Hall announced that th e B-29,
B-36, P-51 and P47 would be open and that "close
encounters" would be permitted.
Th e Commander of the Air Force Museum, Col.
Richard Uppstromwas introduced and he greeted our
group with a " hearty welcome" and then offered a
fine slide pr esentat i on of th e story, scope and future
of th e Museum. Col. Uppstrom stated that th e
Museum i s constantl y changing with some displays
rotating d.ay to day.
Your writer then took over the M.e. duties and
had th e hon o r and privilege of introducing and
ack nowl edgi ng some of the special gues ts. In att en-
dance was th e group from janesvill e, Wisconsin who
helped in th e construction of th e replica Wright Flyer
whi ch is enshrin ed i n our EAA Air Museum.
A very special guest was Mr. L. E. Rausenberger
who Chapter 610 members named as the f ir st
nominee to th e EAA Antique/ Classic Aviation Hall of
Fame. Mr. Rausenberger designed and manufactured
the first V-12 aircraft engi ne (see th e August , 1979
issue of Th e VIN TAGE A IRPLAN E for th e compl et e
story). He i s 92 years young, i s still going stro ng, and
can tell many inter esting and exciting sto ri es about
the early days of aviation . Mr. Rausenberger stood
andack nowl edged the honorbestowed upon him.
Next, Roger j ames, President of Chapter 610 made
some award presentations. The award for the greatest
distance travell ed t o parti cipate in the USAF Museum
Tour went t o Ro n Dixon, EAA Chapter 367 of
Longview, Washington . EAA Chapt er 109, Versailles,
O hi o won the award for the most members in atten-
dance, and Chapter President Bill Groeneveld ac-
cepted.
13
(Air Force Museum Photo)
The U. S. Air Force Mus eum was dedicated by the Presi-
dent of the U. S. in September, 197 I. It houses over 85
aircraft, and is considered to be the world's largest and
oldest military aviation museum. About 1 mil/ion visitors
tour thi s free attraction each year.
Two "Old Timer" awards were presented, one to a
deserving gentleman from Juneau, Wisconsin, Mr.
Allen Rudolph. Mr. Rudolph holds EAA number 159
and he owns and flies a 1933 Pietenpol Aircamper
powered with a Ford Model A engine.
The second "Old Timer" award went to Mr. L. E.
Rausenberger for his many contributions to aviation.
Mr. Rausenberger resides in Springfield, Ohio. After
presenting the awards, Roger James expressed his
appreciation to Ray Watkins for providing the histori-
cal background on Mr. Rausenberger's aviation
career.
The Museum Tour Committee Chairman, Col. Bob
Taylor was introduced next and he highlighted the ef-
forts of Chapter 610 members in planning the tour.
Then Bob, on behalf of the entire group expressed
his thanks and appreciation to Col. Uppstrom and the
Museum personnel for their outstanding hospitality.
Next on the program was the viewing of 3 films,
entitled "Air Oddities", "The Barling Bomber", and
"Flyers on Parade". Following the movies, the group
moved from the theatre into the Museum for the best
part of the tour, the opportunity to actually touch,
and better yet, get some cockpit time in some of the
C etting a close look at the USAF Museum's P- 5 1 (Sharp
Shooter) .
Ron Dixon, left, from Longvi ew, Washington is handed
the "Creat e t Di stance" awa rd b y Roger Jam es .
14
World War Two birds . Until 11 : 00 P.M. the Museum
would belong to the tour group.
The guests wand ered through th e exhibits in
groups, in pairs or singularly and thoroughly enjoyed
this unique opportunity.
One of the highlights of the day was the adopting
of 20 members of the Aviation Histori cal Society of
New Zealand, who were on tour in th e U. S. from
" Down Under " and the Museum happened to be on
their itinerary that day. The New Zealanders were in-
vited to dinner and also to share in the "after hours"
privileges. This act obviously furthered international
public r elations , and some Chapter 610 member s
were made KIWI'S when th ey were pr esented with
stick pins of kiwi birds, by the grateful overseas vis-
itors.
When this long and enjoyable day drew to a close,
we reflect ed back on the hours spent with friends
and studying at close hand , the beautiful displays
portraying th e history of aviation from Leonardo de
Vinci to Apollo XV. We couldn' t help but think of the
two brothers who contributed so much with their
burning desire to fly and th eir homeuilt plane on the
sands of Kitty Hawk. We understand their feeling.
As we were walking past the B-70 on our way to
the parking lot , the P.A. system was broadcasting
one last message, " Allen Rudolph please report to
the registration desk" . It seems that Allen had lost
track of time and was still exploring the innards of
the Boeing B-29!
Mr. L. E. Rausenberger receives a Chapter 6 10 "Old
Timer" aware! from Chapter President, Roger j ames. Mr.
Rausenberger was also nominated by Chapter 610 mem-
bers for acceptance into the EAA Antique/Cl ass ic Aviati on
Hall of Fame.
In attendance at this highly successful fir st EAA-
USAF Museum Tour were 300 members and guests,
r epresenting 31 chapters from 10 states including
Washington and New York.
New Carlisle Chapter 6'10 is already planning an
even bett er excursion through the Museum in 1980.
Those who missed the first tour and those who want
to experi en ce a repeat performance should mark
th eir calendars for October 11, 1980. We, the Free-
dom Flyers , EAA Chapt er 610 will host the event
again. We will be there and we hope YOU will too.
SPORT AVIATION HALL OF FAME
The Board of Trustees of the EAA Air Museum
Foundation, I nc., have authorized the format i on of a
Sport Aviation Hall of Fame to recognize those indi-
vidual s who have made significant contributions to
specific fields of aviation. Designated areas in the
Museum will be made availabl e for the displ ay of
photos and/ or memorabi l ia pertaining to those
elected to the Hall of Fame.
Although plans for this program are sti ll in the
formulative stage, it is intended that all EAA members
can be involved in the nomination of candidates.
Nominees will have made notable contributions to
one or more of the special interest fields of sport av-
iation.
We applaud the energy of Chapter 6'10 in being
the first to nominate a candidate to the Sport Aviation
Hall of Fame.
- Editor
Roger j ames, Ray Watkins and L. E. Rausenberger di scuss
the memorabl e tour through the facility of th e USAF
Museum.
jim Campbell and Allen Rudolph discuss ing their favorite
subject, Pietenpol Aircampers. .
Some of the New Zealand contingent relaxing after dinner
in the Air Force Museum restaurant.
Mr. L. E. Rausenberger looks on as Mr. Roy Watkins re-
ceives words of appreciati on from Roger j ames on behalf
of his effort s in perpetuating avi ati on hist ory.
15
b y
Lynell e Ann Butl er(nee (Janey)
All Photos Court esy O f Th e Author
EAA # '76915, Antiq ue/Cl ass ic #4918
the
One Vi ctori a Street
Roseville, 2069. N.S.W.
Australi a Cl ancy Sk ybaby - 1931, with Jack and Allan Clan c y
(s tanding) . Th e hard tyres we re replaced soon after with
S" x 4" hub!. whi ch were the same as the tail wh eel on
"Smith y's" Altair.
elanCll Skllbabll
Born
1931
Towards the end of 1930, well into the depression
(quite some time before I was even thought of), a
happy event took place at the Sydney home of Bill,
Allan and Jack Clancy, which was to have a profound
effect on the lives of all of them, and incidentally, on
mine too, I am sure. It was the purchase of a Hen-
derson motorcycle, for the princely sum of ten Au-
stralian pounds ($40 U. S. at that time), which proved
to be one of the best deals they ever made, in spite
of the worn tyres, piston slap and all that blue
smoke.
Naturally each one of them hadto have a ride on
the motorcycle and consequently were warned by the
neighborly cop to keep the noisy monster off the
road. That was the last time the Henderson was a
road vehicle and at last the brothers had a motor for
the Clancy Skybaby.
Money was hard to come byto purchase the
necessary materials for the aircraft, so it took ten
months to complete the Skybaby, which was built in
the backyard garage of their home. The propeller was
madeby their father and the sewing of the fabric was
doneby their mother on her old treadle machine.
On February 17, 1931 the wings were loaded on to
a truck and the fuselage was tied on to the carrier of
a Harley Davidson motorcycle by the tailskid for tow-
ing, and the Skybaby was off to Mascot aerodrome,
now Sydney Airport , for the big event. Full of hope,
they saw that wonderful Henderson haul the Skybaby
into the air on its initial flight. This being a rather un-
ique event in Australia , the press made quite a big
Clancy Sk ybab y - 1931, (lying over Mascot aerodrome
right where today the Sydn ey Airport runway goes out
into Botan y Bay. (Top of photo)
16
deal of it and the news made headlines on the front
page of the Sydney papers - apparently it was a re-
freshing change from the depressing news of the era.
The first few flights were made with the Hender-
son in its original side-valve configuration running at
a maximum 3000 rpm. Overheating was a problem,
which was solved promptly by Uncle Bill by replacing
the top half of the engine with new cylinders and
alloy pistons, with the bore increased by 9/16" to
3Va". Overhead valves of increased diameter were
carried in well finned heads cast in bronze for better
heat dissipation and to avoid the need for valve seat
inserts. This was some time before the first de Havil-
land Gypsy Majors appeared with similar heads.
A full dual ignition system was installed at this
time. In this form the engine delivered 38 brake hor-
sepower at 2550 rpm. It cruised, cool and smooth, at
2200 rpm turning a 60" x 36" propeller. Compression
ratio was left at 5: 1. An extension shaft was bolted to
the crankshaft flywheel flange. This shaft was tapered
to fit the propeller hub (which was turned down from
a Model T Ford rear wheel hub), and carried a shoul-
der to accommodate a ball thrust bearing in the nose
cone, which was fabricated from mild steel sheet.
Later versions of this engine which powered other
Clancys, a Flying Flea, a Corben Baby Ace and a
Heath Parasol, had cast aluminum nose cones .
All this machining was done on a treadle-operated
lathe with Uncle Bill turning while the other shared
the pedalling. The electric motor which had been
borrowed previously for the circular saw had been
reclaimed by its owner , so it was back to the foot-
work for the boys.
In the thirties the Clancy Skybaby was flown by
several famous pilots including Sir Charles Kingsford
Smith ("Smithy") and Jim Mollison.
Texaco supplied free oil and the equivalent of two
dollars per week to cover the hangar rent (which only
cost one dollar). All this for the privilege of having
"TEXACO" under the wing and the Texas Star and a
few words on the fuselage. At this price the oil was
changed frequently!
At least five Clancy monoplanes were built, two of
them in New Zealand, all powered with the Clancy or
Clancy-Watt Henderson conversion.
A few pertinent details follow which I am taking
from the original blueprints:
The Skybaby was an all wood parasol, covered
with Irish linen, which really soaked up the dope.
The spars were "I" beams with 9/16" x %" flanges
and Va " ply webs. The fuselage was a Pratt truss with
3;"" x 3/4 " longerons with Va" ply gussets and weighed
Cl ancy Skybaby - 1933. Thi s picture shows the O.H.V.
conversion of the Henderson. Damage was ca used by hit-
ting a stump in l ong grass on take-off. Noti ce no damage
to stru cture (or prop) aft er one- wheel landing. It was fl y-
ing again a week l ater.
"Smithy" fl ying the "Southern Cross" arriving at Mascot
(Sydney) with the first airmail from New Zea land on
March 29, /93 4. Clancy Sk ybaby ca n be seen under ri ght
wheel.
17
only 15
1
h pounds bare. A Gottingen 426 airfoil was
used . The dihedral was Y2 degree.
Gross Weight..............................5601bs.
Empty Weight .............................3501bs.
Span ................................... 25 ft. 6in.
Length.................................. 16 ft . 2in.
WingArea .............................. "J04 sq. ft.
Wing Loading............ ........ .... 5.4 Ibs .!sq. ft.
Span Loading........................... 22.2Ibs.!ft.
Power Loading . ... . .... . .. .............14.7lbs .l hp
Cruising Speed at 2200 rpm .......' .......... 55 mph
Stalling Speed .............................30 mph
Fuel .................. 3
'
h Imp. gals. at 1Y4 Imp. gph
Differential Brakes, 5" x 4" tyres, coil springs in tele-
scopic landing gear legs
The type of wooden construction used had a lot
going for it. First, it was cheap and easy. In addition,
no major repairs were ever necessary to the primary
structure while the aircraft remained in the builder's
hands, in spite of many accidents, including going
over twice on to its back, and once with one side of
the landing gear wiped off.
The performance and aerobatics of this little air-
craft often stole the showat air pageants. Its ability to
leap into the air and land in a few feet made it a
popular attraction. One major problem was beating
off the crowds. People had a habit of supporting
themselves on an elbow while inspecting the cockpit,
which kept the turtledeck fabric in bad shape.
Although I have been hearing glowing reports of
this nimble little aircraft for most of my life from
people in the aviation world (mostly "oldies"), and
have lived with the early photographs and original
well-worn blueprints,.1had never even seen a Clancy
Skybaby until August 1979.
A few weeks after Dad and I returned home from
Oshkosh, we received an invitation from Ron Walker
(EAA #146779), to visit his wheat farm about400 miles
west of Sydney, to see his Skybaby replica. I was very
pleased when he offered me the chance tofly it.
This aircraft is powered by a Praga "B" 40 hp flat
twin which weighs only 100 pounds and the little
plane performs with all the agility I had come to ex-
pect. It is delightful to fly, with excellent control,
completely docile and almost foolproof. It had to be,
in view of the fact that Uncle Bill and Dad had to
send themselves solo in the original, being too poor
to do itany other way.
It is now my favorite (little) aeroplane and I would
love to have one, but Dad thinks it should be re-
designed as an ultralight exempt from normal regula-
tinns. The Australian regulating authority has adopted
The Ryan B-1 (cln 91) was the "Ci ty of Lismore" which together w ith aDH 80 Puss Moth start ed the first regular
service between Sydney and Brisbane. Some lime later it was wrecked. It was rebuilt in 1936 by the Clancy
brothers and was used by them for i.oyriding. Clancy Skybaby on right.
Bill Clancy, designerof Clancy Skybaby, ready for take-oft. Th is viewgivesan idea of the valve gearmodification
of the Henderson.
an enlightened approach to ultralights, the only de-
sign restrictions being a maximum gross weight of400
pounds and a maximum wing loading of four pounds
per square foot. These limitations make it possible to
have a very light aircraft as opposed to a powered
glider. Foot launching capability is not a requirement
in this country.
Because the original Clancy Skybaby had not been
built under the supervision of an engineer licensed
by the Department of Civil Aviation, it was never re-
gistered. It operated on a "Permit to Fly" within a
three mile radius of Mascot aerodrome for experi-
mental purposes. It seems that a lot of "experiment-
ing" went on over several years . However, the plans
and stress analysis were accepted for type approval,
but plans are not available in the aircraft's original
form.
The Clancy Skybaby came to a rather sad end.
After a forced landing in a street in 1937, in the
course of which it suffered only minor damage, it was
literally torn to pieces by a mob of souvenir hunters.
Itwas rebui It, but not as original; first with an
A.B.C. Scorpion, then in 1959, with the Continental
A-40 which came out of our J-2 Taylor Cub, the air-
craft that Dad flew 8,000 miles around Australia in
1937 called the "Penny a Mile"flight, to advertise the
Taylor Cub.
The rebuilt Skybaby was finally written off about
ten years ago.
I have been very fortunate in my flying career,
with Uncle Bill, who established himself as an en-
gineer genius during his lifetime, an Air Force In-
structor and Airline Captain in Uncle Allan and a ver-
satile pilot-engineer and great enthusiast in my father
(Jack), who is the only surviving brother, so it is ob-
vious that I have had a lot of help and encourage-
ment.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Jack Clancy, Lyn's father made hi s first trip to
Oshkosh in 1978. He was so enthused that he returned in
1979 bringing his daughter Lyn with him. She, too, i s a
licensed pilot in Australia.
We hope th ey can attend Oshkosh again in 1980.
18
Jack and Allan Clancy with the rebuilt Ryan 8-1 (cln 92)
waiting for customers. 1')36, Sydney, Australia.
Jack Clancy and daughter Lyn with th e only
fl ying Clan cy Skybaby. Thi s one has a Praga
"8" 40 hp engine and first fl ew in 1973.
Pi cture ' aken August 1979, in Paddock
of owner Ro n Walker (EAA #146779),
400 miles west of Sydney, NSW Australi a,
on the da y Lyn flew it.
Album
A
By George Hardie, Jr.
EAA Hi storian
Ph otos From The Author's Coll ecti on
Although produ cti on and devel opment of the f lyi ng boats beca me an impo r-
tant part of th e operati on of the Curti ss Company in the earl y days , landplane
devel opment was not negl ect ed. Curti ss had f urni shed a number of the pusher
type bi planes to the U. S. Army, but when th e tract or type came into favor , he
was ready with a new design. Dubbed the Curti ss Mili tary Scout Tracto r bipl ane,
it featured seating and a chain dri ven propell er . Modi f i cati on of th e
desi gn t o meet new speci ficati ons res ult ed i n th e Model G Scout . Th e Army
order ed two.
During thi s same peri od the Model s J and N were under devel opment. (These
will be featured in a lat er arti cle.) With the advent of th e new Model VX Curti ss
engine of 160 hp, a large bi plane designated th e Model R was built. As Model
R-2, a dozen of these machines were used by the Fi rst Aero Squadr on of th e U. S.
Army on the Mex i can border in th e summer of 1916. In October , 1916 th e New
Yor k Ti mes announ ced it was sponsoring a non-stop fli ght fr o m Chi cago t o New
Yor k by Vi ct or Carl str om i n a speci al Model R with extended win g span. The fli ght
was made on November 2 b ut Ca rl str om had to land at Eri e, Pennsylvani a. Next
day he compl eted th e f li ght by landi ng at Governo r' s Island in New York har bo r .
r'
.";,,,.;!t!I
,)""*
.... 'f,
\.:: lIii
'
- "I':
, 3
.--
Gl enn Curtiss (right) in the cockpi t of the Militar y Scout Tr actor, 1973.
Ca rl strom 's special Model R with a Curtiss /riplane Scout alongside for contrast in si ze. A Model G Scout, one of two ordered by the U. S. Army. Note the direct-drive propeller.
20
Reports from the European war front featured th e activities of the fast pursuit
types, label ed "Speed Scouts". Not one to miss an opportunit y, Curtiss brought
out a " Baby Speed Scout " in th e summer of 1916. Powered with th e Curti ss OXX-2
engine of 100 hp, wing span was 20 feet and weight loaded was 1200 pounds.
This was followed by th e Curti ss Model S-2 " Wir eless Speed Scout " a design
featuring the elimination of rigging wir es. The upper wing span was 21 feet 10
inches and th e I.ower only 11 f eet 3 inches. Empty weight was 805 pounds and
power was the Curti ss 100 hp OXX-2. A novel feature was a hollow spinner to
allow th e air to cool the circular radiator mounted behind it. Timed over a mea-
sur ed course, the average speed was a res pectable 119 mph .
An ea rl y Curti ss Model R with the "Ba by Speed Scout ", showing it s diminutive size.
-=.t \ -_\
Curtiss Model R-2 No.7 1 wit h the First Aero Squadron on the Mexican border in 191 6.
The Curtiss Model S-2 Wireless Speed Scout. Note the hollo w spinner
..o!"'"
Rear view of the Wireless Speed Scout shows the short lo wer wing and the brace strut
in place of ri gging wires.
21
by Li onel Sa lisbur y
Seven Harper Road
Brampt on, Ontario BORDEN'S AEROPLANE POSTERS
Ca nada L6W 2W3
Article Number 13, Pos ter Number 14 , Seri es Number I
FROM THE 1930'S
" Shrike"
Alas for poster number 13!
It was supposed to be the " NEW MARTIN BOMBER"
" Mystery Ship" for the Army. From our collection of
posters , published by the Borden Company, in 1936,
from their Toronto, Canada office as a sales promotion,
unlucky 13 is missing.
The company later brought out a second series
and the same aircraft was supposed to appear as poster
number 7 of that group. Its change of number did not
change its luck, and I guess that the " NEW MARTIN
BOMBER" will forever remain as originally billed -
a mystery ship.
Therefore, we present in its place, poster number
14, The Curtiss A-8 " Shrike" Army Attack Monopl ane.
NEXT MONTH - The Sikorsky " Clipper Ship"
22
~ ~ ~ ~ .....
r
CURTISS A-8 "SHRIKE" ARMY ATIACK PLANE
....
00
-
DESCRIPTION OF CURTISS A-8
"SH RI KE" ARMY ATTACK
MONOPLANE
The Curtiss A-8 "Shrike" Army Attack low wing,
all metal monoplane, is powered by a 650 horsepower
prestone cooled Curtiss Conqueror engine.
The Curtiss Shrikes are equipped with 5 machine
guns, and they carry a large bomb under the fuselage.
They are often referred to as the "Terror of the Skies" .
These monoplanes, built entirely of metal, including
the covering of the wings, are equipped with slots
on the wing leading edge and flaps on the trailing
edge of the wing, in order to provide a relatively low
landing speed. This photo shows the slots on leading
edge of wing, in an open position.
This plane flies at approximately 200 miles per hour
and is reputed to be one of the most efficient offensive
weapons developed in aviation history.
The 650 horsepower Curt i ss Conqueror engine
which powers this plane, is of the same type used by
Eastern Air Transport, operating Curtiss Condor bi-
planes between New York and Miami. Twelve of the
~
engines powered the Do-X on its historic flight to the
United States. This engine only recently comp l eted a
perfect 500 hour endurance run, the most gruelling
test in aviation history.
They also power Army pursuits, observation, and
bombing planes, as well as Dornier \'Val flying boats,
and U. S. Navy Patrol flying boats.
23
LETTERS
Gentlemen:
Enclosed please find a check for the amount of
$14.00 (fourteen dollars and nol100) to cover member-
ship to the Antique/ Classic Division as well as a one
year subscription of your magazine Th e VINTAGE AIR-
PLANE. My EAA number is 138656 and is valid through
May of 1980.
My brother, Jose Ma. Davila, EAA 86251, and I are
finishing construction of a Pietenpol Aircamper which
will be ready to fly in approximately five months. We
intend to fly it to Oshkosh for the convention next
year . Any information or addresses of other Pietenpol
owners/builders will be greatly appreciated. I'll have
some photos of it for you soon .
Thank you .
Sincerely,
Marcial Davila
Aviation Insurgentes Sur 1587
Mexico 19, D. F.
Thi s proposed trip to Oshkosh '80 in a Pi etenpol by Marci al
and jose Davil a will be one of the greatest distance fli ghts
to the Conventi on in an open cockpit, vint age type air-
craft. We wish them a safe trip and l ook forwa rd to meet-
ing them at Oshkosh.
- Editor
Dear Mr. Gustafson:
When searching through my collection of Th e VI N-
TAGE AIRPLANE I realized that long ago I wanted to
write you concerning some " problem pictures" .
The first is the Boeing picture on page 19 of the
December 1977 issue. When you take Peter M. Bowers'
book, "Boeing Aircraft Since 1916" you ' ll find this one
on page 101 as Boeing photo P-1520-A, giving the planes
as 40-A's, TB-1's and PW-9C's. A complete description
of the TB-1 is on page 63, stating that there were 3
built, of which you can see one in the photograph and
the tail of a second one.
In his letter published in the June 1978 issue, Mr .
Harkcom suggests the plane in the February 1978 is-
sue to be the Ansaldo SVA-5 or SVA-9. This is only
partly true. In fact, it is one of the first examples of the
type SVA (without number) , probably even the proto-
type, originally known as Savoia-Verduzio S. V. and
after entering production with Ansaldo renamed
S. V. A.
I wonder if anybody did identify the " bowed wing
bracing" plane on the same page?
Each month I look forward with pl easure to the
new issue of Th e VINTAG E AIRPLANE.
Sincerely,
Peter Vi ctor
Dalmatic 64
Leusden 3831 EH
Holland
Edit or 's Note: Th e Boeing picture to whi ch Mr. Vi ctor
ref ers is in the lower l eft corner of page 19 of the Decem-
ber 1977 i ssue of Th e VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Th e photo
was taken in the Boeing factory and is capti oned " Boe-
ing 40 Models under construction. Strange plane in cen-
ter unidentified" . Mr. Vi ctor correctl y identifies the "strange
plane" as a Boeing TB- l .
We appreciate Mr. Vi ctor providing us with the above
informati on, and also for further identifying the S. V. A.
on pages 1 I -1 2 of the Februar y 1978 i ssue. As yet, no
one has identified th e aircraft with the bowed wing brac-
ing on page 11 of the same issue.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARCH 16-22 - LAKELAND, FLORIDA - Sun ' N Fun
1980. Note new dates. For further information,
please contact: Betty Jones, 4195 Forrest Drive,
Mulberry, FL 33860.
APRIL 25-27 - BAY CITY, TEXAS - Houston Sport
Aviation i ' Spring Fling" Fly-In, sponsored by An-
tique/ Classic Chapter 2. For further information,
please contact Rocky Howard, 5262 Huckleberry,
Houston, TX 77056. Telephone (713) 621-2510.
MAY 23-25 - COLUMBIA, CALIFORNIA - Fourth An-
nual Luscombe Fly-In. Free dinner for members,
pilot games and trophies. For further information,
please contact: Continental Luscombe Association,
5763 Esmar Road, Ceres, CA 95307.
. JUNE 1415 - FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA - Antique
Aircraft Fly-In Air Show, Shannon Airport. Air Show
attractions: Eagle's Aerobatic Flight Team, Bob &
Pat Wagner - wing rider , Bob Russell - solo and duet
Charlie Kulp. For further information, please con-
tact: Sidney L. Shannon, Jr ., do Shannon\ l\irport,
P. O. Box 509, Fredericksburg, VA 22401.
JULY 12 - TECUMSEH, MICHIGAN - Meyers OTW
Reunion - Back to Factory. OTW owners and en-
thusiasts - hangar flying, dutch treat . For further
information, please contact: Dick Martin, Rt. 3,
Aerodrome Road, Green Bay, WI 54301, or Harold
Lossner, 415 Eighth Street Place, Des Moines, IA
50313.
JULY 13 - EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA - Fourth An
nual Aeronca Fly-In at the Easton Airport. Any and
all Aeroncas invited. 10 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. Rain Date
JULY 20. Contact Jim Polles, 299 Nazareth Drive,
Nazareth, PA 18064. (215) 759-3713, nights and
weekends.
AUGUST 29 - OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN - 28th An-
nual EAA Fly-In Convention. Start making your
plans now.
AUGUST 916 - FOND DU LAC, WISCONSIN - The
International Aerobatic Championships, sponsored
by EAA's lAC Division.
AUGUST 1730 - OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN - World
Aerobatics '80. For the first time ever, the U. S.
will host the World's Aerobatic Championships.
Don't miss this historic event. For further informa-
tion, please contact: WORLD AEROBATICS ' 80,
EAA, Box 229, Hales Corners, WI 53130.
AUGUST 2224 - COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS - Funk Fly-
In. Best Antique and Best Homebuilt trophies as
well as Funk trophies. Fly-bys, spot landing, bomb
drop contests. Meet and talk with Howard and Joe
Funk, aviation pioneers. For further information,
please contact: Ray Pahls, 454 South Summitlawn,
Wichita, KS 67209, or G. Dale Beach, 1621 Dreher
Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
OCTOBER 15 - TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE - 2nd An-
nual EAA National Fall Fly-In. Don' t miss this one.
For further information, please contact: EAA Fall
Fly-In, Box 229, Hales Corners, WI 53130.
24
A VISIT WITH BILL KIMSEY
The following was extracted, by permission, from
the December, 1979 issue of "Little Round Engine
Flyer", an extremely informative newsletter edited
by Ken and Shirley Williams, 331 East Franklin Street,
Portage, Wisconsin 53901. Everyone who operates
radial engines, even the "big ones" should subscribe
to this publication, which always contains helpful tips
in keeping round engines running.
The Williams' are long time EAAers, as is the author
of the letter, Lloyd Washburn . Glenn D. Angle was
one of the pioneers in the development of radial en-
gines, and is credited with extensive documentation
of these types as well as other early day aircraft en-
gines. (See his book written in 1921 , " Airplane En-
gine Encyclopedia", as well as his contributions to
"Aerosphere - 1939" .)
- Editor
Dear Ken and Shirl ey,
The letter from Frank Luft triggered my memory
about the ear ly LeBlond days. I don' t have Gl enn
Angl e's address but I did meet a man who wo rk ed
with Glenn and with Capt. Eddi e Rickenbacker back
in the Detroit Air Cat days. He was living in Cincin-
nati at the time and we spent several enj oyabl e hour s
there over dinner and drinks and he filled me in on
a l ot of the happenings.
According to Bill Kimsey, the engine was designed
by Glenn Angle on hi s own whil e he was working at
McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio during or shortly after
WW I. About 1924, Eddie Ri ckenbacker who was th en
associated with Ri ckenbacker Motors, persuaded Angle
to join him in Detroit where th ey tried to perfect th e
engine and set up to produ ce th em. Due to a disagree-
ment with a Mr. Everett, president of Ri ckenbacker
Motors, regarding assignment of pat ent ri ghts, Angle
left the organization and with Ri ckenbacker , set up
shop in a warehouse on Warr en Avenue in Detr oi t
in October of 1925. The new ent erpri se was call ed th e
Detroit Air Cat Engine Company.
During the ei ght month period ending in May of
1926, they built 12 engines , one of which was inst all ed
on a Driggs C3 whi ch was th e flying test bed. Some
of the other engines were sold to Don Luscombe f o r
use on Monocoupes, and another was sold to a man
named Hurd.
In early 1927 th e entire operation was sold to Hugo
Black, owner of Peninsular Produ cts Company in De-
tr oit. He moved th e operati on t o a plant l ocat ed near
th e Plymouth Moto r Car Plant and renamed it th e
Detroit Aircraft Engine Corporation. But thi s too, was
destined to be short lived . By December , 1927 a deal
had been mad e with th e LeBlond Machine Tool Com-
pany, and the whole thing was moved into a secti on"
of th eir plant in Cincinnati.
At last a mor e or less permanent home had been
found! LeBlond turned out some 1200 engines in the
period between January , 1928 and December , 1938
wh en all the desi gns, tools, fixtures and invent o ry
were sold to Rearwin for a reported $15,000.
By mid 1939, the equipment had been moved to
Kansas City and th e Ken Royce engine was in produc-
tion . Bill Kimsey was a part of all t'hi s and stayed with
Rearwin until November of 1939 when he r eturn ed to
LeBlond and th e machine tool industr y. Here he re-
mained until our meeting in 1967.
I didn' t mean to get so long-winded but guess it
will be int eres ting to someone who has never heard
the story before. By th e way, Bill also mentioned that
Warn er of Warner Engine fame, was also with th e
group for a time,
Sincerely,
Lloyd D. Washburn
3958 East Washburn Drive
Port Clinton , OH 43452
SEATTLE'S NEW PACIFIC MUSEUM OF FLIGHT
by Poll y Lan e
Seal/Ie Tim es
The long-planned $'16 million Pacific Museum of
Flight - a museum setting th e Pacific Northwes t' s
aviation history into a world context - i s about t o
come togeth er.
Member s of th e Pa cifi c Northwest Aviation Hi s-
t o ri cal Foundation are readying for a spring constru c-
ti on start on th e compl ex' s first phase and pr eparin g
to laun ch a major fund drive to finance th e remainder
of th e work.
King Count y alr eady has acquired th e 16. 5-acr e
sit e at th e southwes t corn er of th e King County Air-
po rt (Boeing Fi eld) and approved the thr ee-stage de-
velopment plans.
Initi al construction will r ehabilitat e th e old Red
Barn, the building in which The Boeing Company had
its beginnings as a commercial airplan e produ cer. Th e
two-stor y wood-framed building will be insulat ed and
get new double windows in th e same small -pane con-
figuration as it had when constru ct ed in 1910.
Th e building was moved to th e museum sit e ju st
off Eas t Marginal Way South in Decemb er, 1975, from
th e bank of th e West Waterway of th e Duwami sh River,
which th e Port of Seattle has since redevel oped.
The Red Barn will be used for exhibits depi cting
how co mmer ci al avi ati on developed ' in th e Paci f i c
Northwest , including produ ction methods and oth er
artifacts, according t o Gideon Kramer , designer for
the new museum's ex hibits.
Ri chard Bangert , president of th e foundation, said
hi s members are " very excited and enthusiast ic" about
the museum pl ans. Th e group holds pledges for up
to $3 million to finance the first-phase work .
Howard Loveri ng, fou ndation executive di r ector ,
sai d the upcoming fund drive will seek large institu-
tional grants and donati ons so work on th e $11 mil-
lion second phase - a dramatic glass-and-steel di s-
play hall and related spaces - ca n progr ess as soon
as the Red Barn rehabilitation i s completed in 1981.
A third ph ase will provide offices, support and
storage space for the mu seum, which i s to be th e
largest on the West Coast.
Work on the di splay hall will take about 18 months.
The 15-year- old foundation already has mor e than
a dozen major aircraft for di splay purposes in various
stages of restoration , plu s ot her parts and artifact s,
and promises of other planes and equipment , as well
as loans from other prominent collections such as
those in th e National Air and Space Museum and its
parent Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D. C.
The foundation has it s coll ection stored in ware-
ho uses from Everett to Tacoma . Lovering hop es to
co nso lidate ever ything in Ta co ma soon until th e
museum i s compl eted .
The group, with offi ces in th e Finan ci al Center ,
was moved out of a space in th e Seattle Center at th e
end of September, where in the past two years it had
hosted an average of 70,000 visitors annually.
Lovering pr edi cts th e new museum will attract at
least 1 million visitors annuall y, but Kramer is far mor e
optimistic, putting th e number as high as 6 million .
The National Air and Space Museum, in contras t , i s
visit ed by about 12 milli on each year. Loverin g Ihinks
25
the interest in flight is tremendously underestimated
by most people.
The Seattl e museum will be a "dest ination" trip
forvisitors, rather t.han a"drop-in" center in the heart
of a downtown, as some others are. There wil l be
parking for 500 cars on the site.
Besides the ex hibit space inside, there will be
hangars and display ar eas for large craft around the
buildings.
Unlike many other flight museums around the
country, th e Pacific Museum of Flight won ' t be de-
voted to a singl e theme - such as gliders or jets -
nor will it have to deal with every artifact to be saved
for histo ry as at the Smithsonian .
Kramer emphasizes that the museum will be his-
tory of flight from man ' s earliest fancies of flying right
intothe exploration ofthe stars.
It won't be just a Boeing Company display, nor
will it be a "war" museum devoted to fighter equip-
ment. The Northwest's con tributions to th e age of
aviation will be woven into the historical and world
context.
There will be a food concession, book store, small
display area, a large auditorium and a variety of sup-
port activities. The foundation expects the estimated
$1 million annual operating cost to be self-su staining
from entrance fees, book and food sal es and ot her
activiti es .
ATTENTION LUSCOMBE OWNERS
An Airworthiness Directive (AD) has been issued
which requires inspection of the vertical stabilizer
forward attach fitting, PIN 28444 or 28453, for cracks
on Luscombe (Larson Luscombe) Model 8 Series air-
planes. The AD is needed to prevent failure of the
vertical stabilizer forward attach fitting which could
result in loss of the verticle stabilizer from the air-
plane.
DATES: Effective December 17, 1979. Compliance
required within the next10hours time in service.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack
Bentley, Aerospace Engineer, Engineering and Manu-
facturing Branch, FAA, Southern Region, P. O. Box
20636, Atlanta, GA 30320 - telephone (404) 763-7407.
Gentlemen:
Encl osed is a photo of the Aeronca Champ we just
finished restoring. The first major fly-in we attended
with it was Tullahoma '79.
We purchased the Champ damaged in August,
1977. We then completely st ripped it down to the
tube fuselage, sandblasting it , and then rebuilding it.
Sincerely,
Jim & Lu Mahoney
703 Milton Avenue
Anderson, IN46012
WANTED:
One pair of 16" Bendix disc wheels with mechani-
cal brakes (for 24" x 4" tires) as used on light air craft
in the late 1920' sand ear ly 1930's. These were original
equipment on the Model EStar Cavalier , and I need
a pair for my Cavalier, N7239.
R. H. (Si) Meek
14614 West 90th Terr.
Lenexa, KS 662'15
(Continuedfrom Page 2)
art icl es genera tes an interest and desire that can only
be experi enced wh il e reading of these historic occa-
sions. Over the years we have published many of
these fascinat ing articles, but our suppl y is definitely
limited. Your interest and cooperation in bringing
these to us is great ly appreci ated.
To increase the quantity of pages in Th e VI NTAGE
AIRPLANE, we need two basic items. First of all , our
membership must increase (basi call y double) before
we can afford the costs of added material . Secondly,
our advertising is limited because we do not have the
minimum publication distribution necessary to make
it feasible for a company to advertise on a national
basis. So the two go hand-in-hand; when we increase
our membership, the publication can increase in size
and bring in the adverti sing to help offset the publi-
cation costs. These benefits belong to our member-
ship and on ly we can promote this good cause by as-
sisting our Division's effort to increase its member-
ship. All Type Clubsare welcome to become chapters
in the Antique/ Classic Division. With their help and
participation we can bring to all, the many assets our
Division possesses. We must set our goals to bring all
the facets of enjoyi ng antique and classic aircraft to
you, the member. With your help, we will succeed.
26
. 338
Classicowners!
dJu,
DOG
DRESS
IT UP
WITH A NEW
All Items READY-MADE for
DO-IT-YOURSELF INSTALLATION
Seat Upholstery - Wall Panels
Headliners - Carpets - etc.
Ceconite Envelopes and Dopes
Send $1.00 for Calalog and Fabrics Seleclion Guide
I

.
259-15 Lower Morrisville Rd.

Follsington, Po. 19054 r.
(215) 295- 4115
CORRECTION:
In the January, 1980 issue of The VINTAGE
AIRPLANE, the listing for THE HEATH CLUB
in the list of Airplane Type Clubs on Page 18
contained an error. Itshould have read:
The Heath Club
Robert Burge, Chairman
7612 Erie Street
Sylvania, OH 43560
NoNewsletters
Dues:
27

LAIRD SUPER SOLUTION

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RESTORATION PROJECT
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AmericanCommercialAviation
Individually Numbered
BICIiXT&lfJf14L COMMIiMORATIVS IUtlII
American Commercial
Aviation Bicentennial
___""r__,,__,_
......."... _.. ,..............._....
Commemorative Is ........... __......... -.......-
.. ....,.., -, ......,.- .... _ --.... _ _, .. _
sue Stamp (mounted),
.. .......... ..._
signed by E. M. (Mat-
-//If
ty) Laird - $5.00. (Tax
deductible portion:
$3.50)
"
LairdSuperSolutionLithograph(ShownAbove)
17"x22" - Full Color. $6.00. (Tax deductible
(Right)
Laird Jacket Patch -
portion:$5.00) Lithographautographed byE. M.
Handsomely embroid
(Matty) Laird and General James Doolittle -
ered in gold, green
$175.00 (Tax deductibleportion: $125.00)
and red- $2.00.
(Left)
Historical PhotoAlbum
- 12 8x10 Glossy
Prints from E. M. (Mat
This project being funded by the sale of mer-
ty) Laird' s Personal
Collection - $10.00.
chandise. The sales price includes a donation
(Tax deductible por totheAir MuseumFoundation,Inc.
tion:$5.00)
Send check or money order to:
EAA AIR MUSEUM FOUNDATION,INC.
P.O.Box 469 Hales Corners, WI 53130
Payable In U.S. Funds Only
AVAILABLE BACKISSUES OF
TheVINTAGEAIRPLANE
1973 - Mar ch through December
1974 - January through March,May through December
1975 - All Availabl e
1976 - February through May ,August through December
1977 - All Available
1978 - Mar ch through June, August, October,
1979 - February through December
1980 - January
The above mentioned back issues are available from Headquarters for $1.00 each, postpaid.