VA-Vol-19-No-11-Nov-1991

STRAIGHT amp LEVEL

Heres a Contemporary Class treat - the 1958 Cessna 180 on Edo 2870 floats that the Gaylord Flying Club of Elmira MI brought to Brennands Seaplane Base during EAA

by Espie Butch Joyce

AntiqueClassic Chapter 3 held its fall fly-in at Camden South Carolina this past October They had a good turnout on Friday afternoon but the weather moved in Friday night and kept a good number of people away until the following afternoon AC Chapter 3 decided to park our new AntiqueClasshysic category the Contemporary Class with the other show planes This was very well received by everyone I was surprised at the number of these aircraft that have been restored by their owners

Two examples come to mind - the first is a 1957 Piper Super Cub This restoration was outstanding and in my opinion grand champion material Also there was a 1958 PA-22 that had been converted to the tail wheel conshyfiguration This PA-22 had been rebuilt with loving care and its looks reflected this pride To me this conftrms that this era of aircraft 1956 through 1960 is also loved by aviation people and will be preserved for the future I am excited about having these new aircraft park in our show plane area during EAA Oshshy

2 NOVEMBER 1991

Oshkosh 88

kosh 92 I think you too will fmd the interest in these aircraft to be new and exciting

On October 11th after work on friend Tom Colliers invitation I flew down to Atlanta Georgia and landed at Henry County Airport (better known to some as Bear Creek Airport) Tom is a wellshyknown aerobatic pilot and now runs Eagle Aviation and is both a Pitts and Husky dealer The event was the first annual Wings and Wheels MotorshyFaire sponsored by the Atlanta Motor Speedway

Inside the speedway we found antishyque classic muscle street rods and specialty cars Also there were antique tractors one lung engines and other items of interest The airport is about a two mile walk from the speedway and along this walkway is where the aircraft were parked The turnout of antique and classic aircraft was not that great however The main reason for the low turnout was that the word had not gotten out to the aviation public

There was an air show Friday two shows on Saturday and one show on Sunday I was glad to see the aircraft receive the exposure to the general

public Quite a number of the car buffs were surprised at the workmanship disshyplayed on the restored aircraft This type of exposure can only benefit our movement This event has a lot of potential - it will be interesting to see how it develops next year

As you are aware the AntiqueClasshysic Division has taken a special interest in the Pioneer Airport located behind the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh This years operations are now over There was quite a bit of activity each weekend A special thanks needs to go out to Jeannie and Dick Hill for their untiring devotion to the operation of the Ford Tri-Motor at Pioneer Airport You cant imagine the amount of love and time these two AnshytiqueClassic devotees put in this past summer season Thanks Jeannie and Dick

I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Holiday Season Ill talk to everyone again after the first ofthe year Remember we are better together Lets all pull in the same direction for the good of aviation Join us and you have it all

PUBLISHER Tom Poberezny

VICE-PRESIDENT

PUBLICATION STAFF

MARKETING amp COMMUNICATIONS Dick MaH

EDITOR Henry G Frautschy

MANAGING EDITOR Golda Cox

ART DIRECTOR Mike Drucks

ADVERTISING Mary Jones

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Norman Petersen Dick Cavin

FEATURE WRITERS George A Hardie Jr Dennis Parks

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Isabelle Wiske

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Jim Koepnick Carl Schuppel

Mike Stelneke

EAA ANTIQUECLASSIC DIVISION INC

OFFICERS President Vice-President

Espie Butch Joyce Arthur R Morgan 604 Highway St 3744 North 51 st Blvd

Madison NC 27025 Milwaukee WI 53216 919427-0216 414442-3631

Secretary Treasurer Steven C Nesse EE Buck Hilber

2009 Highland Ave PO Box 424 Albert Lea MN 56007 Union IL 60180

507373-1674 815923-4591

DIRECTORS John Berendt Rober C Bob Brauer

7645 Echo Point Rd 9345 S Hoyne Cannon Falls MN 55009 Chicago IL 60620

507263-2414 312779-2105

Gene Chase John S Copeland 2159 Carlton Rd PO Box 1035

Oshkosh WI 54904 Westborough MA 01581 414231-5002 508836-1911

Philip Coulson George Daubner 28415 Springbrook Dr 2448 Lough Lane

Lawton MI 49065 Hartford WI 53027 616624-6490 414673-5885

Charles Harris Stan Gomoll 3933 South Peoria 1042 90th Lane NE PO Box 904038 Minneapolis MN 55434 Tulsa OK 74105 612784-1172

918742-7311

Dale A Gustafson Jeannie Hill 7724 Shady Hill Drive PO Box 328

Indianapolis IN 46278 Harvard IL 60033 317293-4430 815943-7205

Robert Lickteig Robert D Bob Lumley 1708 Bay Oaks Drive 1265 South 124th St

Albert Lea MN 56007 Brookfield WI 53005 507373-2922 414782-2633

Gene Morris George S York 115C Steve Court RR2 181 Sloboda Ave

Roanoke TX 76262 Mansfield OH 44906 817491-9ll0 419529-4378

SH Wes Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa WI 53213

41477 1-1545

DIRECTOR EMERITUS SJ WiHman

7200 SE 85th Lane Ocala FL 32672

904245-7768

ADVISORS John A Fogerty Jimmy Rollison 479 Highway 65 823 Carrion Circle

Roberts WI 54023 Winters CA 95694-1665 715425-2455 9161795-4334

Dean Richardson Geoff Robison 6701 Colony Drive 1521 E MacGregor Dr Madison WI 53717 New Haven IN 46774

608833-1291 219493-4724

November 1991 bull VoL 19 No 11

Copyright copy 1991 by the EAA AntiqueClassic Division Inc All rights reserved

Contents

2 Straight amp Levelby Espie Butch Joyce

4 Aeromail

5 Ale Newscompiled by HG Frautschy

6 Vintage Literatureby Dennis Parks

10 Biplane Expo 91by HG Frautschy

13 EAA Oshkosh 91 - Antiquel Classic PeoplebY HG Frautschy

16 The Cessna 170 - A Family Flying Machineby HG Frautschy

Page 16 20 What Our Member s Are Restoring

by Norm Petersen

23 Pass It To Buckby EE Buck Hilbert

28 Welcome New Members

29 Vintage Trader

Page 13

Page 2032 Mystery Planeby George Hardie

FRONT COVER The classic lines of Vic and Paula Booths 1952 Cessna 170B sparkle over the phosphate mines south of Lakeland Florida during Sun n Fun 91 Photo by Jim Koepnick shot with a Canon EOS-l with a 80-200 lens 125Oth sec at f56 using Kodachrome 64 Photo plane flown by Bruce Moore

BACK COVER Warbirds Director John Ellis flies the new restorashytion by Kal-Aero the 5-AT Ford Trimotor SN-58 with markings to represent a 1929 US Army C-4A of the 60th Service Squadron Photo by Jim Koepnick shot with Canon EOS-l with 80-200 lens ISOOth sec at f56 using Kodachrome 64 Cherokee 6 photo plane flown by Buck Hilbert

The words EAA ULTRALIGHT FLY WITH THE FIRST TEAM SPORT AVIATION and the logos of EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INC EAA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION EAA ANTIQUEjCLASSIC DIVISION INC INTERNATIONALAEROBATIC CLUB INC WARBIRDSOF AMERICA INC are registered trademarks THE EAA SKY SHOPPE and logos of the EAA AVIATION FOUNDATION INC and EAA ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION are trademarks of the above associations and their use by any person other than the above associations is strictly prohibited

Editorial Policy Readers are encouraged to submit stories and phOtographs Policy opinions expressed in artides are solely those of the authors Responsibility for aocuracy in repor1ing rests entirely with the contributor Matenal should be sent to Editor The VINTAGE AIRPLANE PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 549Q33086 Phone 414426-4800

The VINTAGE AIRPLANE (SSN 0091-(943) is published and owned exdusively by EAA AntiqueClassic Division Inc of the Experimental Aircraf1 Assadation Inc and is published monthly at EAA Aviation Center PO Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Second Class Postage paid at OshkoshWI 54901 and additional mailingoffteesThe membership rate for EAA AntiqueClassic Division Inc is $2000 for current EAA members for 12 month penoo 01 which $1200 is for the publication 01 The VINTAGE AIRPLANE Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation

ADVERTISINGmiddot AntiqueClassic Division does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through our adverti~ng We invite constructive cnticism and welcome any report of interior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken

POSTMASTER Send address cnanges to EAAAntiqueClassic Division Inc po Box 3086 Oshkosh WI 54903middot3086

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

MAIL

A sister ship to the NC-4 this is the Curtiss flying boat NC-9

NC-4NOTES

Dear Editor As a PS to the excellent article on

the NC-4 in the August issue by member Edward Williams I thought that you and other members might like to know that the original NC-4 is on display here in Pensacola at the National Museum of Naval Aviation

It is quite something to stand undershyneath the huge wings of the NC-4 and look up at the open cockpit and think of crossing the Atlantic in this aircraft

Actually it is only one of about 100 aircraft on public display at the recently expanded museum for Naval Marine

4 NOVEMBER 1991

and Coast Guard aircraft Aircraft disshyplayed cover all periods from a Curtiss of 1911 vintage and all decades thru to the present with a F-14 Tomcat Many aircraft of the lOs 20s 30s and40s are represented in the collection

I am thoroughly enjoying each issue of Vintage Airplane I have been parshyticularly pleased with the series done by Dennis Parks on the National Air Races

Keep up the excellent work Sincerely Len Murnbower AlC 14597 Pensacola FL

Dear Editor My copy of VIA arrived about an

hour ago (August 1991 copy) Immedishyately started cover-to-cover When I read the Edward D Williams article on the Navy NC-4 I had to stop and write this letter

Some 10 or 12 years ago visiting the Air Museum at Pensacola NAS I saw an airplane I didnt know still existed shyGood Old NC-4 Visually at least she looks as if you could set her in the water and fly her right now

Ive enjoyed the 90 and 91 shows as a crew member of our 1940 Continental DC-3

Keep up the good work Sincerely R S (Chic) Sale Pasadena TX

compiled by HG Frautschy

PERC IV AL MEW GULL WRECKED

The Percival Mew Gull flown by Alex Henshaw on his record-setting flight from England to South Africa and back has been destroyed for the second time The Percival was rebuilt for the second time after a 1985 crash in which the aircraft was severely damaged Acshycording to details published in the Sepshytember issue of Aeroplane Monthly this last accident occurred on July 17 with owner Desmond Penrose at the controls An engine failure in flight required a forced landing in a field of barley After brushing a hedge and passing under a telephone cable Penrose was able to make a smooth touchdown with the Mew Gull but the barley fouled the wheels in the tight wheel pants and the aircraft tumbled coming to rest inshyverted Penrose was not injured save for a few scrapes and bruises but it appears the Mew Gull is a total loss

MENASCO AEROSPACE A familiar name to antique airplane

enthusiasts Menasco the maker of the famous Buccaneer and Super Bucshycaneer inverted inline engines of the 1930s and 40s is still very much in business though it has not produced engines for decades Menasco turned to the aerospace components business and has been quite successful Recently they received a contract for the producshytion of the main landing gear for the Fokker 100 twinjet The component business is very good this contract is valued at over $50 million dollars

RAY BROOKS 1894 - 1991 A viator Ray Brooks the last remainshy

ing WWI ace has gone west to join with his long departed World War I flying buddies who did not survive the war to end all wars Ray was 97 at his passing having lived by all accounts a wonderful life full of aviation history A pilot with the Lafayette Escadrille Ray flew his Spad No 20 Smith IV with the 22nd Pursuit Squadron the Shooting Stars With six victories to his credit Ray was an ace of the first World War When orders came requirshying two airplanes be sent back to the States for a Treasury Dept bond tour Ray resisted but when told in no uncershytain terms You have your orders he complied and sent two planes from the 22nd Pursuit Squadron One of them was his own aircraft Smith IV a SP AD vrn That same aircraft has been restored by the staff at the

Smithsonians Paul Garber Facility and will be featured in the WW I gallery scheduled to be reopened this month

Aviation was a common thread throughout Rays life as he attended numerous aviation events and airshows including EAA Oshkosh He was a member of the QBs The OX-5 Pioneers the World War I Overseas Flyers American Fighter Aces Associashytion and in 1980 he was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame One of the highlights of EAA Oshkosh 89 was Rays reminiscences with the owners of the Curtiss Jennies that came to Oshkosh that year AntiqueClassic Board member Jeannie Hill a friend of Rays in his later years said of his passshying What more could you ask for To live a long wonderful full life and then to quieti y graduate What more could you ask for indeed

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

b~ ()ennis Varks~ IAA LibrarYArchives

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THE NATIONAL AIR RACES THE GOLDEN AGE (Pt 10)

1937 The 1936 races had seen record setshy

ting racing Records were broken in qualifying races and the Greve Race Also the Thompson Trophy had its best speed since 1932 However the records were set by Michael Detroyat from France The question as put on the Ocshytober 1937 cover ofFLYING ACES was Can our Speedsters Beat Detroyat

Well in 1937 the American speedsters didnt have to face Detroyat but they did provide very fast equipment and provided some of the best competition ever

CYCALDWELL In the October 1937 AERO

DIGESTs acerbic gadfly Cy Caldwell compared the National Air Races to a circus

Henderson Brothers amp Barnum amp Baileys Worlds Greatest Air Show played Cleveland over Labor Day week-end Although the Hendersons are the last surviving members of those grand old circus families the ghost of PT Barnum hovered over the stands as 6 NOVEMBER 1991

A happy Steve Wittman displays the James J Davis Cup (donated by the Loyal Order of the Moose) after winning the 397 cu in race at the 1937 National Air Races

usual while back in the treasurers ofshyfice the commercial spirit of James A Bailey watched the shekels roll in

Ringmaster Jack Story cracked his whip as the performers went through their acts while the raucous bellows of the soda-pop near beer and hot dog vendors made the welkin ring After four days the welkin over Cleveland was tattered and tom and Pop Clevelands ears had extra dents in them

Bigger better and more MONOTONOUS than ever - thats how the good old Henderson one-ring air circus looked this year It also like all circuses in or out of a tent seemed like all the other circuses Ive been watching since I was a boy The only changes are the names of some of the performers shythe acts seldom vary Same old loops rolls and spins Same old dashing around the same old pylons at very nearshyly the same old speeds same old Army and Navy maneuvers a new Army stunt trio but just about the same old stunts with an added frill here and there

PRIV ATE AVIATION On the other hand SPORTSMAN

PILOT in its September 15 1937 article

Private Aviation and the National Air Races held a more positive view of the races as they related to private aviation

The annual aerial pageantry and racing that are the National Air Races have never been considered affairs of special concern to those in private aviashytion beyond the natural interest in anyshything aeronautical from the spectators point of view In various National Air Race programs efforts have been made to include sportsman pilot competition in a special category but the idea never took hold

As an indication of the status that private flying is enjoying in the aviation picture as a whole it is to be noted that some of the most outstanding performanshyces of the 1937 classic were turned in by persons and equipment that definitely belong in the private aviation category

Contrary to the rather established idea that the National Air Races were the special domain of the military and a rather limited group of racing pilots drawn from the commercial ranks this years events demonstrated that times have changed

Frank W Fuller for instance a simon-pure sportsman pilot from San Francisco out-flew all comers to win the Bendix transcontinental race and set records for the hop from Los Angeles to Cleveland and to New York in this anshynual event Flying his own Twin-Wasp Seversky Executive he competed against a smart field of experienced racing pilots and one woman pilot

We are rather inclined also to inshyclude Rudy Kling winner of the Louis W Greve and the climatic Thompson Trophy race in the private aviation category While it may be said that Kling belongs in the ranks of the professhysional racing pilots we cannot overlook the fact that he does not earn his livelihood by aviation (hes in the automobile busishyness in Lemont Illinois) or that flying a Menasco-powered Folkerts racing plane rather than one of the more conventional craft does not make him a professional in the strict sense of the word Racing is his hobby a very well-paying hobby this year

BENDIX TROPHY The 1937 Bendix had its biggest field

in its six year history with 15 pilots applying to enter the event Unforshytunately foul weather across the country delayed several aircraft

Among those not able to make the start in Burbank were Capt Alexander Papana of Rumania with his trimotor Bellanca 28-92 built for a flight to his country It was powered by a V-12 Ranger in the nose and two Menasco engines in the wings

Another entry to miss the start was the old Wedell-Williams No 92 which Jimmy Haizlip had flown in victory in 1932 Owned now by Jack Wright of Utica New York it still held the Bendix record of 245 mph However the pilot Arthur Davis nosed the aircraft over at Cleveland on the way to Burbank

Roscoe Turner was again a nonshystarter in the Bendix for the second year in a row His new Meteor racer had a hole blown in its side when a gas tank exploded while being worked on in Burshybank Turners old Wedell-Williams No 57 having been rebuilt from the previous years crash was to be flown in the 1937 Bendix by Lt Joe Mackey

Besides Mackey there were six other starters for the Bendix As during the previous year most of the aircraft were factory built The only other pure racer to start was Earl Ortman in the revised Rider R-3 now known as the MarcouxshyBromberg Special For 1937 there was also a cabin monoplane known as the Sundorph Special This high-wing cabin aircraft powered by a 285 hp Wright J-5 was built by Eiler Sundorph a Cleveland auto manufacturer

Two of the aircraft were commercial versions of the Seversky P-35 fighter flown by Frank Fuller a California sportsman pilot and Frank Sinclair the Seversky factory chief test pilot Both of these aircraft were powered by the Pratt amp Whitney Twin Wasp the same engine as in Turners Meteor

The largest aircraft in the Bendix comshypetition was a twin-engine Lockheed Electra Junior flown by Milo Burcham an ex-stunt flyer who held the worlds record for flying upside down - 4 hours 5 minutes The remaining two craft were Beech Staggerwing biplanes such as had won the 1936 Bendix Jackie Cochran the sole female entrant flew a D-17W powered by a 600 hp Wasp engine She had flown it to a world speed record for women that summer at a speed of203895 mph The other Beech was flown by

Robert Perlich of Glendale California He had enough extra gasoline tanks in his plane for him to fly non-stop to Cleveland Unfortunately his overshyloaded plane collapsed the landing gear on the takeoff attempt

THOMPSON TROPHY Nine racers participated in the 1937 edishy

tion of the Thompson Trophy Race Frank

The Wedell-Williams 92 now owned by Jack Wright of Utica New York was nosed over by Art Davis on the way to the Bendix start

RM 899

Rudy Kling and the new Folkerts SK-3 was the winning combination for the Greve and Thompson Trophies

c 2 lt

--0

~~------------------------------------------------------~~ Earl Ortman flew his Keith-Rider R-3 now with a twin-row Wasp to second in the Bendix and Thompson

~

u 1

Sinclair and Ray Moore flew the civil versions of the Seversky fighters both powered by 1000 hp Wasp engines as was Roscoe Turners Laird-Turner racer the Meteor which had been repaired from its accident in Burbank

Turners old Wedell-Williams 57 was flown by Joe Mackey and Earl Ortman was in the Keith Rider R-3 rebuilt as the

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

c

Keith Rider R-4 reworked by Bill Schoenfeldt at the Firecrackshy Frank Fuller in the civilian version ofthe Seversky P-35 won the er was flown by Gus Gotch in the Greve and Thompson Bendix Trophy at 258 mph breaking the 1932 record of Jimmy

Haizlip

The Sundorph Special was built and flown by Eiler Sundorph He placed sixth in the Bendix

This Bellanca tri-motor built for Alex Pappana of Rumania was the most unusual plane intended for the Bendix but was a non-starter

The Wittman 0-12 Special Bonzo was the fastest plane at the Frank Sinclair flew the two-seat Seversky to fourth in the Bendix races and led the Thompson for 17 laps and the Thompson

Marcoux-Bromberg Racer C H Gotch flew the Keith Rider R-4

now known as the Schoenfeldt Firecracker and Rudy Kling entered his Folkerts SK-3 Both of these racers were powered by six cylinder Menasco engines Marion McKeen now the owner of the Brown B-2 was another Menasco powered entry

The remaining entry was Steve Witshytman with his Curtiss D-12 powered racer Bonzo Much to everybodys chagrin the combination set the highest speed in qualifying at 259 mph

THE RACE The 1937 race was probably the most

thrilling in the history of the National Air Races with close competitors fightshying every inch of the way for 200 miles ending with the closest finish ever S NOVEMBER 1991

Cy Caldwell in the October 1937 issue of AERO DIGEST gave the folshylowing report on the race

The one surprise came in the Thompson Trophy Race For 19 laps a thundering herd of powerful Clydesshydales had been galloping around the track followed by a small Shetland pony (Folkerts SK-3 Firecracker) ridshyden by Rudy Kling who passed almost unnoticed time after time

In fact as the heavily muscled Clydesdales gallumphed past the stands it was the opinion of 9944100 percent of the spectators that Kling and his little Shetland had been lapped at least once and maybe twice by the more elephantine contenders who went snorting and puffing past like steam rollers full of dynamite I think now that

it was the terrific uproar of these larger entries that made all of us but the effishycient timers overlook Kling

In the lead for 17 laps had been Steve Oshkosh Wittman in his Wittshyman Special with Vitamin D-12 oats supplied by Curtiss He almost ran out of oats and picked up an oil leak in the 17th lap which permitted Colonel Rosshycoe Turner to forge ahead of him in his Laird-Turner Meteor

That unfortunate Meteor performed the most startling maneuver Ive ever seen a meteor attempt With the race about sewed up the Great Roscoe in the 18th lap thought that he had cut inside No2 pylon though he hadnt Divertshying the surging Meteor from its wide circular sweep to victory Roscoe turned in his tracks and circled the pylon again

pennitting Earl Ortman to lead I dont know what were going to do for

Roscoe - those BENDIX pylons are too small for him He cut one at Los Angeles in an earlier Thompson Trophy Race when victory was within sight Pylons are his nemesis Hes like an old hunting dog I had when I was a boy This dog was in the habit ofpausing and circling around a certain tree - for reasons of his own One day he was chasing a rabbit and the rabbit passed that tree Well what does that dog do but charge around that tree and pause briefly Naturally the rabbit got away just as the Thompson Trophy got away from Roscoe

I think in the future well have to bring over the Eiffel Tower and put it up as No 2 pylon import the Leaning Tower ofPisa for No3 borrow the Empire State Buildshying for No 4 and have Charlie Parker standing at the finish line - Charlies got so big and fat that even Roscoe couldnt miss seeing him

Poor Roscoes ring-around-the-rosy made a gift of the Thompson Trophy to Earl Ortman in his Keith Rider with Pratt amp Whitney Twin Wasp Jr - its getting too involved to keep up that chariot race gag I started with Ortman in a generous mood apparently didnt want to be outdone in magnanimity (theres one for you) by Roscoe so he passed the Thompson Trophy along to Kling who as I mentioned before hardly anyone knew was in the race except as a rear-vision spectator in his little Kling

Racer with his fine Menasco engine Ortman came coasting down the

home stretch not even troubling to pour any extra steam into the boiler when from behind and above him came Rudy Kling suddenly surging down and ahead passing the finish line some 36 feet ahead of the generous and unshytroubled Ortman

Rudy Klings winning speed was 256910 mph and Ortmans speed 256858 mph A winning margin of 0052 mph

STEVE WITTMAN The 1937 National Air Races was an

outstanding year for Steve Wittman Piloting two aircraft the Menasco powered Chief Oshkosh and the Curtiss V -12 powered Bonzo he took four firsts one second and finished fifth in another

With Chief Oshkosh Steve took fIrsts in the 397 Cu In Qualifying Race the Louis W Greve Qualifying Race and the 397 Cu In Feature Race He also finished a very close second in the Greve Race With Bonzo he won the Thompson Qualifying Race and finished fifth in the Thompson Trophy Race

Bonzo was to astonish everybody at the races when it ran a trial lap of 275 mph in practice making it the fastest aircraft at the 1937 National Air Races During the Thompson Qualifying Race Wittmans homebuilt racer with an anshycient 12 cylinder Curtiss D-12 engine bested all the racers including Roscoe

Just prior to the start of the 1937 Bendix Roscoe Turners Laird-Turner Meteor developed a fuel leak in the fuselage mounted tank While atshytempting a repair on the tank a welders torch ignited gas fumes The resulting explosion knocked Turner out of the race when it damaged the tank and surrounding structure This photo was taken just moments atter the explosion at the Burshybank CA airport

Turners new 1200 hp Twin Wasp powered Meteor the most powerful pre-war Thompson racer Though his speed of259108 miles per hour though not as fast as Michael Detroyals record pace of 1936 it was 11 mph faster than Earl Ortmans second place finish in that year

The October 1937 issue of AERO DIGEST took notice of Wittmans fast speed in Bonzo He (Wittman) had done 275 with an old engine in a peculiar ship of his own design which apparently violates every rule for a speed design laid down by the experts

The wings are square with no more fmeness ratio than a Mack Truck But the thing goes with a fixed undercarshyriage hanging down and the external bracing wires supporting the wings and battling the air currents The fuselage is a sort of elongated box and the autumn breezes must eddy around it where the wings butt into the fuselage

But it flies and did go 275 mph Why Thats what the National Adshyvisory Committee should find out at their own expense in the wind tunnel at Langley Field Wittman has no $5000 to pay for tests - and wouldnt spend it if he had it But heres a country boy building a home-made airplane shywhich is wrong by every slide rule of the scientists - and it goes faster than any of the slicker and faster looking jobs

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

Jim Warrens gorshygeous Beech Stagshygerwing 0- 17S N17SW from Castlerock CO taxis in as a formation of N3Ns and a Stearshyman pass overhead

By Charlie Harris Chairman National Biplane Association

Photos by Don Browning

The Fifth Annual National Biplane Association Convention and Exposition - Biplane Expo 91 - was a full blown success The annual gathering of the largest number of biplanes in the world by number and variety at Bartlesville OK on May 31-June 1 1991 was truly a most colorful sight to see When all the numshybers were in 138 biplanes and 188 nonshybiplane aircraft had flown to Bartlesville to participate in the annual tribute to the biplane and its tradition The tone of time seemed to be set a week or so before the Expo started as the airport and the NBA aircraft operations group laid out the field and cut the long lush grass down to proper parking height The spring rains had the grass deep and rich and ready to provide a proper showcase setting for the arriving biplanes And arrive they did While the show did not formally begin until Friday May 31 several machines had arrived on Wednesday May 29 many more arrived on Thursday May 30 - so many in fact that by the end of the day 41 biplanes had landed tied down and were ready to greet their first day arrival buddies The 41 early bird arrivals compared to the three lonely machines that arrived on early bird day in 1987 our flISt effort

10 NOVEMBER 1991

Meanwhile the thousand-and-one things that had been planned and replanned for a year were being done The exhibitors concessionaires transportation vehicles and drivers registration staff vehicle parking and indeed all the many support groups were ready The high profile national and internationally known air show pershyformers had arrived in their airplanes and added much to the already almost frenzied pace All seemed in readiness as Friday May 31 dawned with a high overcast but very flyable sky

Friday saw 77 additional biplanes arshyrive and even more non-biplanes of every description which of course were parked in areas quite removed from the specially manicured biplane parking area As each biplane arrived and taxied in it was met by the aircraft parkers and greeters who directed each machine to its particular parking place It was then also met by a Phillips 66 Company fuel truck that topped off its tank Fuel to fill each arriving biplane was provided and underwritten by Philshylips who also underwrote the very speshycial free Phillips enroute fuel program for all biplanes that attended the Biplane

Expo This marked the second consecushytive year Phillips has so generously recreated the free fuel programs of the late 30s in the days of the light plane cavalcades to Florida

Boy did they come The parkers had their hands full but got the job done beautifully The field filled and it was something to witness The flaming colors of scores of biplanes was truly something to see The many featured facets of the convention were functionshying the forums how to sessions type club gatherings as well as registration ground transportation tours etc were all in high gear as the activities moved on to the evening hangar flight suit party which was at least gala to say the least

Saturday morning came very early to the crews of the Dawn Patrol aircraft Arise at 400 am briefing at 5 15 first group started engines at 550 first group departure in formation at 605 Twenty-eight biplane machines lifted off and gave the photographers a field day as they relived the days in France 74 years ago Saturday had started with a flurry The Dawn Patrol pilots returned with sweeps over the city and the airport before they landed with a flair and went to breakfast

Saturday was air show day The auto parking lot was quickly filling as the public made their way into the airport area to see the biplanes tour the facilities and get ready for the highlight of the day In the meantime another 20 biplanes arrived bringing the all up count to 138 To go with the biplanes 188 non-biplanes were now on the ground giving us a total of 326 flying machines to celebrate the joy of sport aviation The morning had passed the sun had broken through the now high overcast the briefing was done Bill Hare the remarkably knowledgeable P A announcer passed the microphone to air show announcers Red Kimball and Roscoe Morton as Richard Greenwood left the Stearman high over the field to drop by parachute with the American flag unfurled and landed directly in front of the crowd thus opening the air show Vern Dahlman in the one and only 1932 Curtiss Wright B-14-B Speedwing and the original 1914 Linshycoln Beachey Little Looper Frank Price in his glistening white 300 hp polished 3-blade legendary Bucker liingmeister and Bobby Younkin in father Jims fabulous 1340 cubic inch 675 hp Goliath thrilled the crowd as they flew their air show routines as a benefit

Don Brownings Great Lakes being fueled free by Phillips as he arrived from Florida on May 30th Don is from Longwood FL

Jerry Springer Collinsville OK going out to fly in the Parade of Flight in his Championship Rag Time Rose Parakeet

Jack Roehms Grand Champion Waco UPF-7 N32039 heads for parking atter his arrival from Indiana

This beautiful cabin Waco YKS-7 is flown by Jack Greiner of Longmount CO

Personalities all (lett to right) Jim Younkin quiet genius Springdale AR his son Bobby airshow pilot deluxe Lowell AR and Frank Price airshow pilot without peer Waco TX

Pat and Danny Doyle from McKinney TX landing their N2S-3 Navy Stearman

of the Biplane Museum And fly they did with smoke and fury to leave an indelible mark in the crowds memory as they portrayed the era of the barnstormers and their biplanes It was as if the likes ofLen Povey Jess Bristow Freddie Lund et al had returned with all of their big power flashing propellers smoke and excitement of the days when biplane air shows WERE aviation to so many millions of spectators

That evening Frank Vern and Bobby were the first ever inductees into the Biplane Museum Aerobatic Hall of Honor and were presented plaques to

commemorate the occasion No finer group of gentlemen exist in the aerobatic community

The biplane award winners were then announced and winners they certainly were

Grand Champion Open Cockpit Biplane - Waco UPF-7 N32039 John Roehm Clinton IN

Reserve Grand Champion Open Cockpit Biplane - Stearman PT-17 N5187N Glen Prey Broken Arrow OK

Grand Champion Cabin Biplane shyBeech D-17S Staggerwing NC230

Mike and Vanessa Berger Tucson AZ Reserve Grand Champion Cabin

Biplane - Waco ZQC-6 NC2277 John Bowden Lampassas TX

Grand Champion Experimental Biplane - Hatz Biplane N81DE Denny and Carolyn Elder Lowell AR

Reserve Grand Champion Exshyperimental Biplane - Christen Eagle N229HP Benny Davis Headrick IA

Longest Distance Flown Open Cockpit Biplane - Great Lakes N22LB Lynn Buchanan Yakima W A (1900+ statute miles)

Runner-Up Longest Distance

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

Bobby Younkin (C) being welcomed into the NBA Aerobatic Hall of Honor by Expo Director Vergil Gaede (l) while Charlie One of the fairly rare Navy N3Ns taxiing out to give a ride Harris does the honors at the microphone Dr Tom Dodson of Tulsa OK owns this example

(lett to right) NBA Director Joe Cunningham Cookson OK (who flew around the world in a Cessna 414 this past July

Frank Price (R) being welcomed into the National Biplane commemorating the Post-Gatty flight of 1931) Frank Price Associations Aerobatic Hall of Honor by Chairman Charlie Waco Texas and Charlie Harris NBA Chairman and EAA Harris AntiqueClassic Director

Virgil Gaede welcomes Vern Dallman into the NBA This biplane flying really requires skill and stamina Life Aerobatic Hall of Honor

Open Cockpit Biplane - Curtiss Wright B-14-B Speedwing NC12332 Vern Dahlman Esparta CA (1800+ statute miles)

Robert P Moore Memorial Trophy - Stearman N42DB Don R Buck Webb City MO

Chairmans Award - 1914 Lincoln Beachey Little Looper N288QB Vern Dahlman Esparta CA

The Fifth Annual was drawing to a close The next morning with goodshybyes said until next year the bipes departed and flew off to the four corners

12 NOVEMBER 1991

should always be so sweet

of the country - to Washington state California Arizona Texas Mississippi Alabama Florida Georgia South Carolina to New England to Ohio and Pennsylvania to Illinois and Minshynesota to Colorado and all the nearer states Bartlesville had once again been the biplane capital of the world during the first weekend in June Again the largest annual gathering of biplanes by number and variety had graced Frank Phillips airfield The warmth friendlishyness and genuine camaraderie of all the biplane pilots crews fans volunteers

and guests had been so sincerely felt and shared by all The convention had drawn to a close with all of the deparshytures the activities had concluded and were fmalized It had been a dandy perhaps the finest we had ever had in a word we had a ball

The Sixth Annual Biplane Expo will be held June 5 and 6 1992 at Frank Phillips Field in Bartlesville OK For more information call the National Biplane Association at 918336-EXPO or Charlie Harris 918-742-7311 See you there

At the Brennands Seaplane base Bob Ruffini of Troy MI pauses to say hello while volunteers Jay Yearwood Shawn Ziebell Gary Fitch and George louden (in the boat) look on

From the first time the AntiqueClassic division enjoyed billing as a full-fledged part of EAA during EAA OSHKOSH 73 volunteers have made each Convention a delight to visit Each member can thank those who come to erect signs construct buildings park airplanes and do many other tasks that need doing all for nothing more than a patch on their jacket and a hearty Thank You from the EAA staff During the Convention there are a lot of different areas that need attention and on the next few pages you will meet many of those who came to help Some have been with us since the beginning and some of us have recently become active It really doesnt matter when you joined though - if you enjoy older aircraft and the people who live with them youve found the right place

Many other folks come to the EAA Convention for just that - a chance to meet and talk with friends they may not have seen in a year and to meet new people with an interest in the same airplanes To all we say THANKS and we hope to see you all again next year

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Arlene Beard daughter of Aviatrix Melba Beard is interviewed by Director Charlie Director Bob Lickteig presents long-time AlC Workshop Chairman Dave BroadshyHarris for the AntiqueClassic Interview AC volunteer Marie McCarthy with an foot irons out the wrinkles Dont stop that Circle award for her service to the division iron Dave

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

c

At the past Grand Champions breakfast champion rebuilders traded restoration tips They are (left to right) Anthony Mangos Harold Armstrong Bill Turner Sue Packer Rich Packer Jr Richard Packer Sr Bill Halverson Brian and Dave Solvachek Budd Bachman Jim Thompson Charlie Bell and Buzz Kaplan with his grandson Josh McLean Not shown in the picture were Fred Nelson and Clyde Smith Jr

The prop had barely stopped turning on this Culver Cadet when ABC News took a few moments to interview Gene Hetzel and

At the Shawano Fly-Out Ms Moose (Heide Sumnicht) greets Diane Kemp from Collinsville TX Camera and soundmen stu the Miller family (Brian (6) Jennie (10) and Diana (3raquo) next to Goldstein and Ken Slattery with producer Bert Rudman the Curtiss Robin of Buzz Kaplan covered the Fly-In for ABC

Isnt it the truth (The Ercoupe belonging to Syd Cohen of Wausau WI)

Bill Rose and his Grumman Goose lucy with the cast of characters known as Roses Raiders

14 NOVEMBER 1991

1991 Antique Judges were (back row left to right) Dale Gustafson (Chairman) Dave Anderson Mike Shaver Dave Morrow Don Coleman Charlie Bell Bill Johnson and in the front row Xen Motsinger Gene Morris Steve Dawson Dave Clark and Gene Chase

The Classic Judges for 1991 were (back row left to right) Bob Hilbert Chuck Johanson George LeMay Frank Moynahan Jean LeMay John Womack Mike Hammer Jerry Gipshyper and in the front row Deb Hauser Terry Ladage Dean Richardson George York (Chairshyman) and Paul Stephenson

Our thanks to the Judges for the fine job they did with such a difficult task

Past Grand Champion Richard Packer Sr enjoys the afternoon airshow from the comfort of his own Stearman wing

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

At the Airline tent the 1000th pilot to sign in was presented with a plaque Pictured here from left to right retired PAA Capt Robert Pfaff co-chairman retired PAA FIE Henry La Velie retired TWA Capt Ray Bertles retired UAL Capt Donald Toeppen retired Pan American FIE Dick Cutler of Dublin PA Butch Joyce and retired PAA FIE Robert Crouse

C~a 170

At Sun n Fun 91 the 170B shows off the attractive lines that help make it so popular

16 NOVEMBER 1991

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by HG Frautschy

Most post-war vintage airplanes were built as a personal tranportation many as family planes As time has passed those same airplanes have conshytinued to provide the comfortable cruisshying that many people on moderate budgets want The Cessna 170 certainly fits in this category and Vic and Paula Booth of Marathon New York use their four-place Cessna 170B to transport them all over the North American conshytinent N8086A is a busy plane not one that is allowed to sit for too long

Neither is the Cessna 170A that Steve Reeves and his wife Shari purchased from his cousin Bob Inscoe a few months prior to Sun n Fun 91 With a pair of young children to fill up the back seat Steve and Shari have just the right combination of speed and utility that they wanted at a price that would not eat a gaping hole in the family budget

The 170 seems to fit into a lot of families plans with docile handling characteristics and a Continental C-145 of 145 horsepower that is relati vel y easy

on gas - about 8 to 9 gallons per hour at a cruise speed of 115-118 mph Originally conceived as a growth vershysion of the two-place Cessna 140 the first 170 featured a fabric covered wing that was braced by a pair of V -struts The first 170s started coming off the production line in Wichita in the spring of 1948 The early 170 even sported a color scheme that was very similar to the 140s markings But as the four place Cessna became popular it came into its own The fabric wing gave way to a metal covered structure braced by a single strut and the flaps would grow to the same size as those used on the military Cessna the L-19 Bird Dog as well as the sweeping fin used on the L-19 and the 170s more expensive sister the 195 Balanced controls all the way around and a bit more dihedral helped out the already good handling All through its life the 170 would be refined as its popularity soared Almost 5200 examples of the 170 were manufactured by the time production

A modern set of instruments in an almost original panel complete with piano style It you have no need for the ashtray what switches in the center better way to use the space than the

installation of your transponder

ended with the 1957 model Over 3000 places in - and go they have By the International 170 Association and have examples of the design still remain in time we met at Sun n Fun 91 they had met a lot of nice people along the way service been to 41 states five provinces and one while going to their events Many of the

When Vic and Paula Booth started territory and were looking forward to places they have visited were the result flying their Cessna 170 four years ago adding more As soon as they bought of 170 Association events they wanted an airplane they could go the airplane Vic says they joined The Immediately after buying 86A Vic

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Proud owner Vic Booth of Marathon New York 2The 1954 Cessna 170B gtshy

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started working on all the little things he wanted cleaned up as well as some major items The engine was removed and majored and then a STOL kit was installed on the airframe Leading edge cuffs and stall fences were added as well as aileron gap seals Vic is very satisfied with the added stability in the low speed handling of the airplane made possible with the added sheet metal All the hardware has been replaced as items were worked on and the control cables are on Vics list of honey-do projects He has tried to keep the panel as original as he could The addition of a few

radios fills the lower left portion of the panel In a clever use of limited space Vic installed the transponder in the left side windshield sill just to the left of the pilots hand as it rests on the yoke A friend of his from Missouri mentioned it and it seemed like a good idea since they really didnt need the ashtray that was originally installed in that location Vic has been taking advantage of the parts that Cessna still offers for the 170 such as the decals used to identify the flap handle and other instrument panel markings

One incident in particular required a

very complete inspection During a return trip from Alaska the Booths 170 was struck by lightning while on the ground at Detroit City Airport After the go-ahead from the insurance adjuster the plane was brought home The close inspection revealed a damaged prop enshygine bearings tailwheel left hand main gear bearings Flying asphalt from the lightning strike also damaged the right elevator flap and the undersides of both wings All the steel parts in the airplane were magnetized Other than the engine work all the repair work was done by Vic

18 NOVEMBER 1991

an you see on sported this brown and orange configurashy