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PUBLICATION STAFF
PUBLISHER
Tom Poberezny
VICE-PRESIDENT
MARKETING &COMMUNICAnONS
Dick Man
EDITOR
MarkPhelps
ART DIRECTOR
MikeDrucks
ADVERnSING
MaryJones
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
NormanPetersen DickCavin
FEATURE WRITERS
GeorgeAHardie,Jr. DennisParks
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
IsabelleWiske
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
JimKoepnick CarlSchuppel
JeffIsom
EAAANTIQUE/CLASSIC
DIVISION, INC.
OFFICERS
President VicePresident
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DIRECTORS
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28415SpringbroakDr. 41515thAve.. N.E.
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115CSteveCourt,R.R. 2
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DIRECTOR EMERITUS
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ADVISORS
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DECEMBER 1989. Vol. 17,No" 12
Copyright 1989 by the EAAAntiquelClassic Division,Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents
4 AntiqueClassicNews/
compiledbyMarkPhelps
6 Aerograms
8 VintageLiteraturelbyDennisParks
10 Members'ProjectslbyNormPetersen
14 ChapterCapsuleslbyBobBrauer
15 PassItToBucklbyE.E. "Buck"Hilbert
16 VintageSeaplaneslbyNormPetersen
18 FromZeroto450lbyNormPetersen
24 FamousGrouseRallylbyChrisand
MavisParker
30
WelcomeNewMembers
32 VintageTrader
35 MysteryPlanelbyGeorgeHardie,Jr.
Page24
FRONT COVER...Doug Kiel splashescoloracross thecountryside in
his rip-snorting 450 Steorman.See Norm Petersen'sstory on this re-
markableyoungmanon poge18.
(Photo byJeffIsom, Photo planeflown byNormPetersen)
REAR COVER...SkeeterCarlson'sCurtissIN-4'Canuck"infrontofthe
Red Barn at EAA Oshkosh '89.Skeete(s airplane is one of the six
Jennies that flewatOshkosh andarealso feotured in a newvideo
availablefrom EAA entitled,"Irs Gona Be AJenny:
(Photo byJim Koepnick)
Page6
Page18
TheWOlds EMULTRALIGHT.FLYWITHTHE FIRSTTEAM, SPORTAVIATION.and!helogos01 EXPERIMENTALAIRCRAFTASSOCIATION INC.,EMINTERNA
TIONAL CONVENTION,EM ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION INC,INTERNATIONAL AEROBATIC CLUB INC., WARBIRDS OF AMERICA INC.. are registered
1rOOemar1<s.THE EM SKY SHOPPE and logos of !he EM AVIATION FOUNDATION INC.and EM ULTRALIGHT CONVENTION are trademari<s of !he rJ:x:Ne
asrociationsand!heir useby ""IpersonoIher!han!heabove associations is strictly prohiJi1ed.
ElitorialPolicy:Readers are encouaged kl suIJnjt stories and pt<JIogaphs.Policy opirions expressed in mesare solely !hose of !he authors.Responsblityfor
armar:;in repo<1ir<J rests entreIy wiIh !heconIriJutor.Material should besent10:Em,The VINTAGE AIRPLANE, Willman Regional Airport. 3000 Poberezny Rd.,
Os/i<osh, Phone:414142&4800. .
TheVINTAGE AIRPLANE(ISSN0091-6943) publishedand Cl'oYI1ed byEMAnIiQueICIassicDivision,Irx:. 01 !heExpefimenlalAircraJt Association. Irx:. and
pIilIished at Writman Regional Airport. 3000 Pobefezny Rd.. 0shI<0sh,WI 54903-3086. Second Class Postage paid al Oshkosh,WI 54901 and additional
offices. t.4errbe<stip ralesfor EMAnliquelClassic Division,Inc.are$lB.OOfor cooent EMmembe<s,,,12monthperiodofwhidl $12.00 ,,,thepublicalioo
ofThe VINTAGE AIRPLANE. MerOOership openID allv.OO are inlerested in aviation.
ADVERTISING- Antique/ClassicDivisiondoesOOIguaranlee"endorseanyproductofferedthroughouradvertising.Weinviteconstructivecriticismandwelcome
any report01 irleriofrrerchandiseobtainedthrough O\X advertising so thaicorrectivemeasurescan be taken.
POSTMASTER:Send address cf1anges 10 EMAnliqueJClassic Division,Irx:., P.O.Bo,3066,Oshkosh,WI 54903-3086.
Compiled by Mark Phelps
1989 REFERENCE GUIDE
John Bergeson has really changed
the 1989 Reference Guide for the EAA
magazines . It will be much easier to
use as there is only one, covering all
EAA magazines from 1953 through
1989. Further, the Reference Guide is
much less expensive - for example,
the cost to U. S. purchasers is only $15
plus $1.50 UPS . For past purchasers
living in the U. S., the cost is only
$7.50 plus $1.50 UPS . Canadian pur-
chasers and purchasers from other
countries will receive equivalent sav-
ings.
The new Reference Guide will be
available January, 1990. Order from
John B. Bergeson, 6438 W.
Millbrook, Remus, MI 49340, 5171
561-2393. VISA/MASTERCARD ac-
cepted. Note: He has all magazines and
will make copies of any article(s) from
any issue at 25 cents per page ($3
minimum).
John Bouteller
The aviation world and our aviation
community lost a leader, a skilled and
experienced pilot, a fine technician, a
man of unusual and varied talents, but
most of all, we lost a friend in the death
of John Bouteller. John's flying career
spanned fifty years. From his small
Wiley Post biplane of 1939 to his Fal-
cons and Lears of the 1980s, there was
little sky around the world that John
had not seen from behind the wind-
screen of his airborne chariot. It would
be safe to say that few if any aviators
have ever experienced a more varied
and rewarding career. From the days
of teaching military students in Stear-
mans at Cimmaron Field to the T-6s of
the military, to the Twin Beeches and
A-26s of Service Pipe Line, to the
Lockheeds and later the Falcons,
Sabres and Lears of the corporate
world, John flew and commanded with
consummate skill and unparalleled de-
dication to safety. He totally enjoyed
his long and distinguished flying
career; it was his passion. But just
perhaps John's most prized and happy
years had been these past years, these
years earned after retirement from the
burden of the corporate jet world, these
last years when he restored and flew
his precious open cockpit N3Ns. It
was, if you will, as he came into his
aerial career so many years ago in the
little Wiley Post biplane, only this time
with the experience, skill, judgment
and knowledge that could only come
from a lifetime of flying . His Ns were
works of art, as strong as bridges and
as beautiful as the freshly scrubbed
faces of young maidens . His touch on
the controls was feather light, his head-
ing always true. John was a giant
among us; his memory is a treasure to
us . When you are up there on perfect
days, look for him; he will be waiting
for you - as he flys forever in clear
blue skies and soft smooth tailwinds!
God speed, John. - Charlie Harris,
A /C Chapter 10, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
New High Tensile Aircraft
Covering Fabric
Ceconite, Inc. and Blue River Air-
craft Supply announce the availability
of a new, lightweight, high tensile fab-
ric for aircraft use. "Ceconite" 104HT
is the most recent "Ceconite" product
development. It is a very lightweight
fabric (1.9 oz. per sq. yd.). However,
due to the fact that it is produced with
a high tenacity yarn, it offers tensile
strength equivalent to "Ceconite" 102
and greater than grade "A" cotton fab-
ric .
"Ceconite" 104HT and 7610HT will
produce a smoother surface finish and
a lighter aircraft cover than any of the
other "Ceconite" products available.
When used with the Ceconite 7600
covering process, the fabric will be
listed as 76104HT.
The Supplemental Type Certificate
for use with this new fabric is
SA4503NM . This STC number may be
used free of charge by purchasers of
the "Ceconite" fabric. For full infor-
mation on this new advanced product,
contact: Blue River Aircraft Supply,
223 N. Clay (P.O.Box 460), Harvard,
NE 68944, 4021772-3651; FAX #
4021772-2039.
Historic Jenny video available
EAA's award-winning video re-
cently put the finishing touches on a
fascinating look at the history of the
Curtiss JNA "Jenny" ... and the re-
markable impact that venerable
airplane had on aviation history.
This 30-minute video, entitled, "It's
Gotta Be A Jenny" enables viewers to
understand what it feels like to fly one
of aviation's most recognized and sig-
nificant airplanes. See rare footage
from the Jenny 's earliest days as a mil-
itary trainer , its later role as the
airplane used most often by the daring
"barnstormers," a comprehensive look
at Ken Hyde's beautiful restoration of
his 1918 IN-4D and much, much
more.
"It's Gotta Be A Jenny" is a loving
look at a very special airplane. The
tape is now available for $24.95 (plus
$3 shipping and handling; Wi sconsin
residents add five percent sales tax).
To order, call EAA's toll free video
hotline, 1-800-843-3612.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE
adds color pages
Starting with the January 1990
issue, VINTAGE AIRPLANE will add
four pages of color to the magazine on
a quarterly basis . The board of direc-
tors, at its November meeting, voted
to add the pages to amplify coverage
of the expanding, colorful world of an-
tique and classic aircraft.
4 DECEMBER 1989
HEKNOWSHOWTO TREATALADY
by Ray Hemman, Hutchinson News
Editor's note ... the following story ap-
peared on the front page of the Sunday,
October 1 edition of the Hutchinson News
in Hlllchinson, Kansas . Reporter Hemman
and photographer Chris Ochsner spent the
day with John McDonald and his Taylor-
craft, flying, talking and taking piclllres.
Thanks to this newspaper's positive ap-
proach to sport aviation, the citizens of
Hutchinson have a clearer view of what
personal flying is all about.
We aviators sometimes take people such
as John McDonald for granted. When a
story such as this appears in the general
press, we can beller appreciate what kind
of people share our love for flying and
classic airplanes.
As John McDonald talks about his lady ,
there is no doubt that she is not ordinary.
As he runs his hand across her back and
looks at her face-to-face , you can see the
love McDonald has. And for good reason.
"I get about the same feeling flying this
plane that I did flying when I was 17 ," the
61-year-old from Windom said last week
as he talked about his lady, a red-and-black
1946 Taylorcraft Scotsman .
McDonald, a product design consultant
in the manufactured housing industry, met
his Taylorcraft through an aviation trade
publication . He purchased the bird in 1977
from Warren Long in Thomasville, Geor-
gia. The plane was restored in 1975 to its
original condition by the owner who had
sold it to Long .
Since McDonald purchased the plane, it
has won 37 awards as a classic aircraft in
competition. This summer, the plane re-
ceived its third award at the Oshkosh, Wis-
consin show, an internationally acclaimed
fly-in that draws thousands of aircraft each
year.
McDonald slept with his plane two
weeks during the show at Oshkosh, camp-
ing out under her wing. He often sleeps
with the plane at air shows.
While the awards help justify the long
hours McDonald must devote to the plane
to keep it in peak condition, the awards are
not the reason he flies it. He flies it because
of the feeling it gives him and the memories
it evokes.
"I had one of these in the '50s," he said.
" You could buy one with 600 hours on it
for $600. I was in college at the time . It
(his original Taylorcaft) was red and
black ."
Indeed, McDonald commuted from Lit-
tle River to his job at the Cessna aircraft
plant in Wichita one summer during the
1950s for work. During the entire summer ,
he had to drive only one day because the
weather was bad .
His original Taylorcraft had a third color
- silver. The silver was from areas of bare
metal where hailstones had knocked off the
finish.
"It was parked out there with the new
Cessnas each day - red and black with
spots of silver," he said.
A flight in the plane shows another feel-
,ing McDonald gets out of his Taylorcraft
today - freedom . Unlike more modem
birds that are connected with radio-wave
umbilical cords to air traffic controllers ,
McDonald's only direct contact is between
himself and the plane - unless he has a
passenger in the two-seat plane.
McDonald's type of flying - known as
sport flying - provides a solitude si milar
to another outdoor sport in Kansas.
"I use flying like a lot of other guys use
fishing," he said.
As he prepares the plane for flight,
McDonald pushes it out onto the apron .
One person can maneuver the taildragging
plane on the ground without help because
it weighs only 724 pounds empty .
After blocking the front wheels,
McDonald opens the door to the cabin, but
does not get in . He instructs those nearby
to get behind the aircraft - away from the
propeller. He asks one bystander to hold
the plane near the tail to keep it from mov-
ing when it starts.
This is the "cheaper" version of the plane
and has only one door. Both pilot and pas-
senger contort their way into the plane
through a door that is about half the size
of a door on a subcompact car.
The pilot goes to the front of the plane,
pulls on a pair of gloves and grasps the
gleaming silver propeller. He manually
turns the engine over twice by the propeller
to prime it.
He walks back around the aircraft, flips
the magneto switch inside the cockpit and
returns to his former position in front of the
plane. Grasping the propeller once again,
he pulls down once, twice, and the engine
fires to life.
Freedom in the Taylorcraft comes with
no battery or electrical system to start the
airplane.
Freedom also comes with few instru-
ments - an oil temperature gauge, oil
pressure gauge, altimeter, compass, engine
tachometer and airspeed indicator. The
airspeed indicator, by the way, measures
speed in miles per hour; today's planes
measure speed in knots .
"A fancy lawn mower has more gauges,"
he said.
And it does haye a deluxe fuel gauge for
the tank in the bird' s nose. The gauge is a
wire that sticks through the top of the
gasoline cap. Attached to the bottom of the
wire is a cork that floats on top of the fuel.
Hence , the longer the length of wire
showing, the more fuel the tank has.
Once McDonald gets into the air, rela-
tively little engine noise is heard . The 65-
horsepower, four-cylinder, Continental en-
gine is quiet compared to the roar of larger
planes.
The horizon on the early fall day is fairly
clear; Hutchinson can be seen by the time
he reaches 1,000 feet in altitude. The air is
cool and calm; the flight takes on a dreamy
quality as the plane drifts through the sky.
McDonald trims the plane by rotating a
crank on the cabin's ceiling. He momentar-
ily takes his hands off the wheel as he
makes a notation in his black operations
notebook .
McDonald's plane was manufactured in
Alliance, Ohio, in October 1946.
As McDonald banks the plane into its
final approach, his eyes take the place of a
two-way radio . He scans the skies for any
other planes that might be landing.
"Well, I don't see my Lear," he said,
referring to a jet that is based at the airport.
When McDonald lands the plane, it
drifts in smoothly, flares and then touches
down. Keeping the bird on the ground,
however, can be a challenge. Because of
its light weight, the plane easily becomes
airborne. Little puffs of wind upon landing
bounce the plane back into the air.
McDonald won' t name a price for hi s
plane. Typically, a two-seat Taylorcraft
would sell for $6,000 to $10,000. Because
of the immaculate condition of his bird and
the attention to original detail, the plane is
worth considerably more .
But it's not for sale at any price.
"I had a man from England ask me about
the price at Oshkosh, " he said. "I didn' t
give him one, because Jwas afraid he might
take it.
"I've had the plane for 12 years. J have
no intention of changing it or selling it."
This lady is not for sale .
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5


Howaya?, howaya?
Dear friends,
I am researching a book on the life
and times and activities of Arthur God-
frey. In addition to his broadcasting ,
he was very active in other interests:
amateur radio, musical comedy, avia-
tion , military service, horsemanship,
jazz and other music, ecology, etc.
I'm certain that a number of your
readers knew Mr. Godfrey , and
worked with him. I'd like them to con-
tact me.
Any assistance you can give me by
spreading the word of my quest to
reach colleagues of Mr. Godfrey will
be appreciated - no doubt a note or
an article in your publication(s) will
help.
I may be reached at (201)386-1920.
Thank you for any ideas or reminis-
6 DECEMBER 1989
cences you or others may be able to
share with me .
Lee R. Munsick
20 Harriet Drive
Whippany, New Jersey 07981-1906
Bonanza bout
Dear Sirs:
A couple weeks ago I received your
brochure advertising "Our Organiza-
tion" - I have been a member since
1977 . When I unfolded the brochure I
was pleased to see our silver with red
trim 35 Bonanza NC3869N. You have
mislabeled it as a "D" Model, perhaps
because it resembles the show winner
early Bonanza that has been in First
Place for many years at Oshkosh.
Our pictured Bonanza received the
Lindbergh Trophy in 1977 as an out-
standing original 1947 Straight 35 . It
is Serial 1110, manufactured in
November 1947.
Mrs. Coigny and I flew it to Osh-
kosh in 1977 and again in 1987 . We
hope to fly it to Oshkosh again in 1997.
At that time I'll be 85 years old.
We flew in the Parade of Flight in
both 1977 and 1987, and hope to be
asked again in 1997. The engine is still
performing excellently with I ,800
hours' total. Total time on the airframe
is also 1,800 hrs . The engine has had
no overhaul. Our Bonanza is rated by
the State of California as a "Show Type
Classic" airplane and is exempted from
property taxes .
I enjoy being a member of EAA and
EAA's AIC group. I look forward to
the magazines each month. I would
like to build a homebuilt but would
have to sell the Bonanza at a good price
to do so.
Keep up all of the good - hope to
see you in 1997 - perhaps sooner!
Best wishes,
Gerald B. Coigny
Miramonte, California
Seabee note
Norm:
Great, great picture on page 11 of
VINTAGE AIRPLANE (October '89)!!
Kimberly and I flew the Seabee to
Geneseo, New York last weekend to
visit their museum and look at a Wid-
geon that is for sale. The Seabee-Wid-
geon combo really hit home.
Bob & Kimberly Redner
West Bloomfield, Michigan
Seabird song
Dear Norm:
Congratulations on your fine article,
"Sea Bird Sonata" (September). I found
it even more enjoyable since her de-
signer, Jim Reddig, is a dear friend.
Jim is a youthful 82-year-old who got
his degree in aeronautical engineering
from MIT circa 1930. He is a
storehouse of aviation lore and a most
delightful person. The enclosed photos
were taken at Oshkosh in 1986, when
Channing Clark flew his Sea Bird there
from California.
I have put almost 140 hours on my
Bellanca Champ (Members' Projects
July, 1989) since I got her last Feb-
ruary . For an old-timer like me she is
a real joy to fly .
I talked with Jim (he is a bit hard of
hearing) as soon as I saw your article .
Since he is not an AIC member, just
EAA, he had not seen it. With the en-
closed for postage I hope you can send
him a copy.
Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Rowland L. Hall
Northfield, IL
And so we did
My dear Mr. Petersen,
This acknowledges your favors and
kind remarks of your date of 2 October
'89, with thanks . Since first going to
Oshkosh, I have been threatened with
interviews. But the threats proved un-
founded until last year, '88, when I
was hog-tied on the lawn in front of
the antique airplane cottage for some-
thing like three hours of taping and vid-
eotape. Now: see if you can't track
down all that mess of tape. - If you
then have gaps or errors or questions,
I'll do my best to fill in. This long
recording session covered "Sea Birds,"
and way back to little airplanes that
went down, down, down in the sea in
submarines. With growing senility, my
problem is to shut up, once started!
We could have fun - we just need the
opportunity.
My grateful thanks for the mags!
Sincerely,
Jim Reddig
Webster, New York
Jim Reddig (left) and Rowland Hall.
OWN APIECE OF AVIATION HISTORY
Smithsonian aviation prints ... with original fabric from each aircraft!
Limited-edition prints
feature 7 historic aircraft in
collection of Smithsonian
Institution's National Air &
Space Museum in
Washington D.C.
Four square inches of
original fabric, removed
from the aircraft during
restoration by Smithsonian,
is affIxed to each print. Each
piece of fabric unique and
different, textured by the
passage of time and
weathered by the elements.
" ... a most interesting gift
idea for the vintage airplane
lover, or just about anyone
who wants to brighten his
den, airplane lover or not. "
The Saturday Evening Post
" ... remnants cut from the
cloth of history, Aviation
Relic Prints has grne beyond
mere paintings with its series
of duotone prints. "
AOPA Pilot magazine

WRIGHT EX "VIN FIZ"
1st trans us flight , 1911
FOKKffi T2
1st non-stop transUS, 1923
BLERIOT XI
1914 French monoplane
ALBAlROS D.VA
Gerrmn WWl fighter
DE HAVILLAND DH4
USbuilt WWl bomber
CURTISS NC4
Ist transAt1antic flight, 1919
DOUGLAS WORLD CRUISER
1st roundtheworld flight , 1924
A signed Certificate of
Authenticity from the
Smithsonian and a colorful
2-page history, portraying
the aircraft and its illustrious
past, is included with each
print.
Special duotone printing
process adds realism and
depth to the aircraft images,
reproduced from Smithsonian
archival photos.
Aviation Relic Prints...
an investment in aviation
history!
Print, framed in solid wood
(20'1, x 26'1,), with color-
coordinated matboards.
($150 each, includes shipping)
Print only (15 x 20).
($58 each, includes shipping)
Michigan deliveries add 4%
MC/VISA orders call TOLL-
FREE: 800-533-7763, or send
check to:
AVIATION RELIC PRINTS
8152 N. 32nd St. , Box 576
Richland, MI 49083
6166295858
Prices effective thru t/t5/90
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
byUennisVal"ks
IAA Lib.-aO'/ An:hives
UI.-ed().-
JANE'S COVERAGE OF THE US
AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY I 920s -
1930s
One of the recent projects of the
EAA Aviation Foundation's Boeing
Aeronautical Library has been to create
a database of information about US air-
craft manufacturers from JANE'S ALL
THE WORLDS AIRCRAFT from
1920 through 1939.
The rationalle has been two-fold.
One, to provide an index to specifica-
tions of American aircraft between the
wars that appeared in JANE'S and sec-
ond, to provide a listing of US man-
ufacturers, where they were located,
what aircraft they produced and when
they appeared in JANE'S .
Such information provides an easy-
to-use directory of the domestic air-
craft industry in two decades crucial to
the development of the aviation in the
United States.
Having the information in a com-
puter database provides a chance to
generate some interesting data , such as
which states hosted the most com-
panies in a particular year or decade,
which in tum shows the shifting geo-
graphic patterns of aircraft production.
In this article such patterns and
trends will be examined using the
statistical capabilities of the database .
THE 1920s
First, a disclaimer on the figures
given. Our data lacks the entries for
JANE'S 1921, 1923 and 1924. Vol-
umes for those years are not in our col-
lection. If anyone could help us out
with a donation of volumes for these
years, it would be most appreciated .
Although civil and commercial air-
craft production began in 1919, few
machines were sold because there were
few practical uses for the planes. New
production also had to compete with
war-surplus Jennies and Standards .
New engine development was also
hampered by the availability of war
surplus OX5 and Liberty engines.
More than 20,000 Libertys were built
and OX5 engines continued to be used
in production aircraft until the end of
the decade.
Despite the competItIOn from
surplus materials, the industry was
growing rapidly. In the introduction to
the 1920 volume, JANE'S remarked
on the growth of the industry.
"In fact, the new designs since the
autumn of 1919 are so numerous that
in order to get them all into a book of
manageable size it has been necessary
this year to pack the illustrations and
specifications of each aeroplane and
engine much more tightly into the
pages than has been customary in pre-
vious volumes." The 1920 JANE'S
lists 174 manufacturers of aircraft. The
fluid nature of the industry and its
financing are reflected in that these 174
companies' headquarters were listed in
328 locations over the decade.
Sikorsky was listed in four different
locations, all within the state of New
York.
Martin, among other companies
made larger jumps than from city to
city, first being located in Cleveland
(1920-28) and then moving to Balti-
more in 1929.
It is also interesting to see where
some centers of the aircraft industry
were in the 1920s. For example, there
were six companies listed in Buffalo
AIRPLANES
MANUFACTURED BY ADVAACE AIRCRAFT COyTR.OY,OHIO
8 DECEMBER 1989
1920 1925 1929 1935 1939
11-NY 11-NY 19-NY 13-CA 14-CA
3-0H 3-NJ 12-MI 8-NY 7-NY
2-CA 2-0H 11-CA 6-PA 5-PA
NumberofAircraftManufacturersbyState.
OnlyStates with morethan onecompanyare listed.
during the decade and some beyond:
Consolidated (1925-34), Eberhart
(1927-28) , Elias (1922-29) , Fleet
(1929-31), General (1922-30); Hall
(1928-34) .
In fact, during the 1920s the East
was the center of US aviation manufac-
turing activity. New York state topped
the list with 45 companies listed during
the decade. Next most productive state
was Michigan with 29 corporations
listed. Ohio was third with 15 listed.
The expansion of the industry is also
shown by the growth in the number of
states producing aircraft. In 1920 three
states were listed as having more than
one aircraft company each. By 1925,
five states had more than one company
and by 1929, 24 states were rep-
resented in JANE'S with 13 having
more than one manufacturer. In fact
New York, Michigan and California
had more than 10 with New York lead-
ing the list with 19 companies.
The accompanying chart lists the
number of companies per state for
selected periods from 1920 to 1939.
This figure shows the gradual migra-
tion of the center of the industry to
California.
On its way to California the aviation
industry settled some of its members
in Wichita, Kansas including Swallow
(1921), Travel Air (1926), Laird
(1928) , Cessna (1928), and Stearman
(1928) . (See "The Swallow and
Wichita Aviation" in the April 1988
VINTAGE AIRPLANE. )
There were also a wide variety of
aircraft produced during the decade.
JANE'S identifies more than 400 mod-
els from the various manufacturers ,
from the Acme Sportsman to the
Zenith Albatross.
The average aircraft of this time
period was an open-cockpit , steel-
tube-fuselage biplane. By the end of
the decade there was a 50-50 split be-
tween biplanes and monoplanes.
During the course of the decade, the
US aviation industry produced nearly
16,000 aircraft .
1930s
The post-Lindbergh era saw a great
increase in the number of aircraft com-
panies and the appearance of reliable
engines. The trend in configuration
was towards the cabin monoplane with
a radial engine. The end of the decade
saw a trend to all-metal monoplane
construction for commercial aircraft.
By the 1930s a series of aeronautical
developments from the 1920s became
common features . These included
streamlining (See: "Streamlining" in
the July 1989 VINTAGE AIRPLANE),
variable-pitch propellers , wing flaps,
and engine cowlings. These develop-
ments were reflected in such modern
aircraft as the Boeing 247 and the
Douglas DC-3. By the end of the dec-
ade such improvements even reached
the light plane market with the de-
velopment of the Luscombe Phantom.
JANE'S lists more than 180 man-
ufacturers for the decade in I 13 loca-
tions producing more than 600 differ-
ent aircraft models. It can ~ seen by
the lower number of locations that the
industry seemed more stable than in
the 1920s. Though the number of man-
ufacturers in the decade is not much
more than the previous one , the
number of new aircraft developed indi-
cates that in spite of the poor economy
of the nation, the aviation industry con-
tinued to grow.
In spite of, or maybe in response to
the Depression, names of aircraft using
derivations of the word "sport" were
common with II companies using such
names.
Variations included: Sport, Light
Sport, Senior Sportster, Sport Airse-
dan, Sport Mailwing, Sport Mono-
plane, Sport Pursuit, Sport Trainer,
Sport V-8, Sports Single, Sportsman,
Sportster, Sportwing, and Super-
Sport .
By 1935 California had become the
leading state for aircraft companies
with 13 listed. New York dropped to
second with eight companies listed.
Among the companies that moved
headquarters to California from New
York were North Am'erican and Con-
solidated. Though the industry shifted
to California, over the course of the
decade New York was the city with
the most companies with 17. Wichita
is next with 11 followed by Buffalo
with 10.
Despite the Depression and having
about the same number of companies
as the previous decade the industry was
more productive in the 1930s. During
the course of the decade the US aircraft
industry produced more than 25,000
aircraft and in only one year - 1925
- did military production exceed
civil.
LONGEVITY
It is interesting to note that though
these were two turbulent decades in the
industry, six companies that were in
business in 1920 were still around in
1939. They were Bellanca, Boeing,
Curtiss, Lockheed (Loughhead in
1920), Martin, and Vought. Of these
two, Boeing and Bellanca were still
headquartered in the same cities as in
1920.
Our nation was fortunate to have
these resources on the verge of World
War II .
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
MEMBERS'
PROJECfS
by Norm Petersen
These two photos of a Champ & owner" were sent in by lyle G. Wines (EAA 300 157, NC
11904) of Cambria, California lyle, who is a young aO-year-old, taught aviation mechanics
in the 1940s before going to work with the California Dept. of Corrections. Retiring in 1971,
he once again became involved in aviation when he purchased the Aeronca Champi-
on, N1191E. SIN 7AC-4748, as a true basket case. The wings were completely demolished
from the 11ft struts outboard, necessitating complete fabrication of two new wings includ-
ing ribs, spars, leading edges and fittings. The fuselage was intact and airworthy and the
tail feathers had minor damage. The rebuild included new Stits envelopes and finishing.
lyle reports the rebuild took 22 months (not fulltime) and the Champ flew "hands off" on
its first flight. The engine has been converted to 75hp and the prop was overhauled by
a prop shop. lyle is busy flying the Champ while considering his next project - a Kilfox
- which fascinated him at EAA Oshkosh '89!
10 DECEMBER 1989
Undergoing a complete rebuild is Stinson 108-1, N8874K, SIN 108-1874, owned by Peter Brucato (EAA 224456) of
Kensington, New Hampshire. Stits HS90X is being used and from the pictures, the workmanship looks first class.
Peter overhauled the Franklin 150 engine including crankshaft replacement (the old one had a bent flange).
Hoping to be airborne by 1990, Peter and his wife will then be ready to rebuild their Piper PA-12, N7576H, SIN
12-447. Both admit to a great experience in aircraft rebuilding and have met many new friends and helpers
in the process.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
MEMBERS'PROJECTS
This pretty yellow with brown trim Stinson SM-8A NC416Y, SIN 4251. is earning its keep
taking passengers for sight-seeing rides over the Red Rock country near Sedona. Arizona
Owned by Steve Bolan (EM 58388) of Scottsdale, Arizona. the Stinson operates from a
hard surfaced airporf over 4800 fl. above sea leveL Steve reporfs the combination of
mechanical brakes and a full swiveling tailwheel gives both the pilot and the tires a
good workout! NC416Y was formerly owned by Ted Beckwith, Jr. (EM 217617, AlC 7929) of
Lebanon. Tennessee.
Standing in front of their Luscombe 8A G-AKUK (Ex-NC1166B), SIN 5793, are owners Mike
& Vicki Weatherly of 13A Clarence Rd, New Gardens, Richmond. Surrey, TW9 3NL England.
Imported from the U.S. in October, 1988, the Luscombe has been flown about 75 hours
to date, mostly around the south of England. The Luscombe is based at White Waltham
Airfield. about 35 miles west of London. and is flown off three grass runways! Stable mates
include two other Luscombes, a Waco, Stearman. Porterfield. several Cubs and Vaga-
bonds.
12 DECEMBER 1989
Standing in the bright sunlight is Taylorcraft BC-12D, NC43392, S/N7051, which has been
owned since new (1946) by the gentleman standing at the propeller, Cecil Crayton (EM
611) of Everett, Washington Finished in a dark blue and cream colored paint scheme,
the T-Craft has less than 500 hours total time since new! Note the Cessna 140 wheel pants
which have been on the T-Craft since 1946!
Presently undergoing a complete restoration is this 180hp Hisso powered Travel Air 3000 which Cecil Crayton of
Everett, Washington has owned since 1942! Cecil recently made a trip east to purchase "Buck" Hilbert's 180 Hisso
engine for the project. Cecil hopes to have the big biplane ready for flight in the summer of 1990.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13
CHAPTERCAPSULES
by Bob Brauer
TheMinnesotaAntiqueFlyers,AIC
Chapter 4, has been holding its quar-
terly meetings in President Stan
Gomoll'shangaratAnokaCountyAir-
port (James Field), north ofMinneapolis,
since 1976.Thislocationis convenient
to the membership whichresidesin the
Twin Cities and surrounding com-
munities. Most of the 60 members,
many of whom are retired airline
pilots, are active in chapter functions
and projects, including founders, Jim
Hom, Ray Redmond, and Stan
Gomoll.
Stanhas beenthechapter'spresident
si nce its founding and works closely
on a regularbasis with members want-
ing assistance on their restoration pro-
jects. However Stan has been pretty
busy himself. His 1946 J-3, which he
flew to Oshkosh, earned the "Out-
standing Cub" Award two years in a
row.
Projects of Chapter 4 members
range from custom building to restor-
ing antique and classic aircraft. Eldo
Kirchner, whocurrentlyflies aCorvair
powered Pietenpol, has restored a PA-
12 and an L2M Taylorcraft. Other re-
storations include Ray Swanson's rare
Olympian 7KC and George Quast's
Aeronca C2. George's project was
serialized in this year's February
through June issues of VINTAGE
AIRPLANE. Not to be overlooked, of
course, is Bill Halverson's EAA Osh-
kosh '89 Grand Champion Antique
Beech Staggerwing G17S. Bud Lin-
demer, also in the Beech family, re-
stored a 1944 D17S.
Chapter members also find the time
to serveourdivision. John Fogarty, an
AIC advisor, andStanGomoll, an AIC
director, provided the observation to-
werson theOshkoshflight lineandthe
cupola atop the Red Bam. Check the
January and July 1987 issues ofVIN-
TAGE AIRPLANE for details on their
efforts. Since then, Chapter 4 has
addedaweathervanetotopthecupola.
Activities that get the best turnout
are those in which all members can
14 DECEMBER 1989
Stan is performing
final adjustments on
the Red Bam weath-
er vane provided
by Antique/Classic
Chapter 4. Are you
absolutely sure about
the orientation?
Chapter 4 member
Bill Halverson's Osh-
kosh '89 Antique Grand
Champion Beech
G17S (1947).
partIcIpate. Among the favorites are
picnic fly-outs held twoorthree times
each year. Everyone who attends
bringsapicnicfood which is sharedby
all. However, the annual Christmas
party held at Stan's hangar is the
biggest social event ofthe year. Stan
says, "Oursocialeventsare low-keyed
andare madeas familyorientedaspos-
sible. Thatway the wivesofourmem-
berswilllettheboysfly wheneverthey
wantto."Stanaddedthatsinceall their
social events became family centered,
the wives attend the meetings .
Stan explained that over the years
their chapter has stayed on friendly
terms with the local General Aviation
District Office and the state's Depart-
ment of Aeronautics. These two of-
fices serveas avast libraryofinforma-
tion as well as an excellent source of
speakers for meetings. Stan considers
these contacts a great way ofkeeping
the line of communications open be-
tweenthemselvesandgovernmentreg-
ulators. "Communication is the big
thing," he commented. "For instance,
it is our goal to read as many other
chapter newsletters as possible and to
getoutnewslettersofourown toother
chapters." This aim is accomplished
through the efforts of Newsletter
Editor, Noel Allard.
In the near future Stan will also be
able to devote more time to this goal
because he is now planning his retire-
ment, effective October 28, 1989.
Now that he is no longer faced with
the obligation ofregularemployment,
the division hopes to see much more
of him and his wife, Irene. It is our
gain.!
eASS IIIQ
--lS
An information exchange column with input from readers.
Dear Mr. Hilbert,
I agree 100 percent with your prac-
tice of pulling the prop through all
compression strokes on a cold start.
Having been pushed by a 215-hp
Franklin for over 300 hours in a Re-
public Seabee I always pull the prop
through six compression strokes on
every cold start, even if it means put-
ting on the hip boots. It allows me to
feel and listen to the machinery under
the cowl. I get suspicious when some-
thing sounds or feels different.
Keep up the great column.
Bob Redner
West Bloomfield, Michigan
Open replies to:
Dario L. Toffenetti, EI Paso, Texas
Dario: Thanks for the circular finally
telling of the tethered picket balloons.
These balloons, or "aerostats" as they
are called, are drug interdiction
tethered vehicles about the size of a
747 fuselage. I see there are now four
of them tethered along the Texas-
Mexico border and I know of a couple
more in Arizona.
by Buck Hilbert
(EAA 21, Ale 5)
P.O. Box 424
Union, IL 60180
The idea of them is great. They
house electronic gear capable of spot-
ting drug running attempts via aircraft
flying at low level. The glitch is they
were cloaked in secrecy for a while
and, in the main, were unlighted. I
made inquires of the FAA and have
yet to receive an answer as to why they
weren't strobed or at least shown on
the sectionals, etc.
The circular says they are lighted,
except for the tether cable which can
be as high as 15,000 feet. This means
they have a latitude of several miles at
the top of the box and this cable could
be anywhere below the balloon and off
to the side of center. This could pose
a real problem to the uninitiated VFR
guy running along looking at the scen-
ery who comes face to face with one
of these cables.
Thanks for the info, Dario. Keep the
Amigo Airshow going!
Another call, Don Toeppen of St.
Charles, Illinois. He's worried about
the drug testing program and the fact
that all commercial pilots, mechanics,
flight attendants, in fact anyone who
makes or earns a wage at commercial
aviation must have a drug testing pro-
gram set up so that if and when the
FAA or anybody demands a drug test,
you're ready. I'm worried, too, Don.
I talked with the Great Lakes region of
the FAA and also the CAP and there
is some confusion as to how this will
be administered and enforced. The
CAP doesn't even have a plan at this
time. More on this later.
Here's a good one! A cassette tape
from Father John Mac Gillvrary up in
Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. He
reminisced about the early Rockford
days and the fact that his Moth and
Miles Hawk were such fun to fly to the
Convention each year. He would like
to see them fly, better yet he'd like to
fly them again. For those of you who
want to see them, they are in the
Pioneer Airport hangars in back of the
Museum.
I've had all kinds of calls this past
month. Some really good ones from
people who really needed to know
something. Some with sad tidings but
most of them left me with good feel-
ings. Keep 'em comin' guys & gals.
Over to you .
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15
VINTAGE SEAPLANES
by Norm Petersen
These two photos show the results of two months of repair work on the tail surfaces and hull of Grumman G-44 Widgeon, N54VT. SIN
12n. Owned by Bill Latham (EM 337242) of Manassas, Virginia, the Widgeon susfained damage while taking off across some swells
during EM Oshkosh '89. Bill was able to beach the airplane before the water got too deep inside! Repairs were made to the stabilizer,
elevator, fin and rudder along with a rebuild of the rear step area, jusf ahead of the tailwheel. Bill Brennand of Neenah, WI was in
charge of the rebuild with help from Jack Wojahn, George Rotter and others. The completed and painted Widgeon was lifted back
into the water on October 10th and flown east on October 11th by its owner, Bill Latham. This is a McKinnon conversion of the Widgeon
using Lycoming GO-480 engines.
Photos by Carl Schuppel & Norm Petersen
16 DECEMBER 1989
Climbing out of the water with authority is Stinson SR-10F, NC21111, which was delivered to Pacific Alaska Airways in 1938. Powered
with a 420-hp P & W 'Wasp" egine, the SR-10F was a great performer on Edo 59-5250 floats. Note oil cooler below engine and
seaplane ventral fin below the toil.
From the mid-1930s comes the Northrop "Gamma" mounted on Edo JO-7080 floats. This aircraft, NR 12269, S/N2, was used by
Lincoln Ellsworth on his Antarctic Flight. Although most Gammas were powered with a 710-hp Wright Cyclone, this particular one
used a 500-hp P & W Wasp engine. This was one of the very first all-metal, monocoque designs by John Northrop.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17
by NormPetersen
Photos by Jeff Isom
18 DECEMBER 1989
AnIowa trucker gets his introduction
to aviation ...in a 450Stearman.
Few pilots will argue with the fact
that a 450-hp Stearman is a handful of
airplane. Even a 220 Steannan will
keep you on your toes. However, the
addition of a P & W R-985 "Wasp"
will hold the pilot's attention through-
out takeoffs and landings! With all the
bleatin' and blattin' going on up front
along with the torque of a Ham Stan-
dard keeping your feet active on the
rudder pedals, the sound of a throbbing
nine-cylinder engin'e is augmented by
the snarl of the prop tips going super-
sonic. For airshow work, the standard
of the industry is a 450 Stearman with
all its smoke and noise.
How many pilots do you know
whose very first airplane was a 450
Stearman? And to top it off, it was
purchased with absolutely zero time in
the pilot's logbook! Unusual, yes, but
impossible? No!
Our hero in this story is a 35-year-
old truck driver from Iowa. Doug Kiel
is an enterprising person in the habit
of making logical choices - at least in
his own judgment. Others may differ,
but eventually, Doug ends up with the
correct call. Perhaps this is why we all
have a certain admiration for such a
person.
Douglas Kiel (EAA 329603, AlC
13638) grew up on a farm near Fayette,
Iowa, near the Wisconsin border. Of
necessity, he became quite mechani-
cally minded and able to fix 'most any-
thing that needed repair. When he was
a young lad of nine, he had his first
airplane ride at Prairie Du Chien, Wis-
consin in - you guessed it - a Stearman!
Perhaps this 1962 experience set the
stage for an unusual course of events
some 26 years later.
Motorcycles held Doug Kiel's in-
terest as he matured into a young man .
He presently owns five of them, in-
cluding a rather wild 1976 Kawasaki
KZ -1185 turbo-charged drag bike that
can only be described as a "crotch rock-
et. " Perhaps excitement is a common
ingredient in all this young man ' s ac-
tivities. Doug has made some 25
parachute jumps to date. Eventually,
the call of the open road reached Doug
and he found himself in the trucking
business, over the road , from coast to
coast. He enjoyed the challenges of the
job, however, he felt the correct choice
would be to own his own truck. Ap-
proaching hi s banker with the idea of
buying a new $150,000 truck caused
the banker to suspect Doug had slipped
a few notches in his timing belt! Even
Doug' s father wondered if all his ef-
forts at bringing up a smart young son
had somehow failed. The truck would
cost more than hi s father's entire farm!
Again , persistence paid off when Doug
bought the big Peterbilt and reefer
trailer and struck out on his own . In
four and a half years of hard work and
tenacity, the truck was paid for - in full!
During this time , Doug has acquired
a traveling companion, a miniature
Dachshund named "Chuck", who now
has over 600,000 miles on his tender
body! (Perhaps this explains why his
legs are so short!) Chuck rules the roost
in the big Peterbilt cab, earning his
keep when Doug leaves the truck for
any reason. Several would-be intruders
have been met at the door by the most
ferocious set of teeth and snarls you
can possibly imagine. None have suc-
ceeded and some have left a trail of
blood to show for their efforts .
Some time ago, Doug discovered
that a can of soup or stew fits perfectly
between the oil cooler and the engine
of the Peterbilt. Exactly 45 miles later,
the soup is just the right temperature!
Along with a built-in refrigerator filled
with fresh fruit, etc., Doug lives like
a king as he travels the highways . His
clothes are neatly hung in custom built
cabinets in the sleeper, a sure sign of
a fastidious owner-operator. As Doug
says, "Most people characterize a truck
driver in cowboy boots, a log chain
billfold, a Harley T-Shirt, going 2-3
weeks without a bath and standing in
front of a video game! " And he adds,
"Not all of us are like that." One nice
improvement on his Peterbilt truck is
a Doug Kiel designed hydraulically-
operated fifth wheel that can be moved
forward and back to allow the truck to
ride better, depending on the load in
the trailer. This neat system works
while the truck is underway or stationary.
Last November, Doug read an ad
about a Stearman for sale in Wiscon-
sin. Curious, he stopped in to see
Chuck Andreas at Neenah , WI, whose
shop has produced some very notable
aircraft including Stinson Trimotor,
NC I I 170, often seen at Oshkosh haul-
ing passengers and another Navy N2S-
3 Stearman, N1066N , owned by Bill
Johnson of Oak Brook , Illinois that has
garnered awards at Oshkosh for three
consecutive years . Chuck was building
up a 450 Stearman two-holer that
would have everything! Starting with
a bare airframe (from Roy Reabe' s
stable of airplanes in Waupun, WI) and
adding untold hours of craftsmanship
and materials , the Stearman was taking
shape and would be ready for delivery
20 DECEMBER 1989
DICKHILL: STEARMAN INSTRUCTOR
W hen you are discarded by the air-
lines for being "too old," it's easy to start
feeling sorry for yourself and quit fly-
ing. However, some folks are just the
opposite. They have more fun flying
than they ever did working for the air-
lines!
Such is the situation with Dick Hill
(EAA 56626, AlC 629) of Harvard,
JIIinois, affectionately known as Mr.
Jeannie Hill, due to his lovely wife
being an active pilot and a member of
the Advisory Board ofEAA's Antique!
Classic Division. Dick began his air-
line career with North Central Airlines,
which begat Republic Airlines, which
begat Northwest Airlines, from which
Dick retired after 31 years of airline
work. He was Captain on a Boeing 757
at retirement with over 30,000 hours
in his logbook.
Back in the winter of 1944, Dick
Hill made his solo flight in a J-3 Cub
on skis at the Streator, Illinois airport.
He was 16 years old. By 1945, he had
logged some 30 hours and had joined
the U.S. Marines, who promptly put
him to work as a Link Trainer Instruc-
tor and a control tower operator.
Following service duty, Dick flew
Stearman sprayers at Streator as well
as towed banners and earned his CFI
rating, instructing in Stearmans and
various other aircraft. This well-varied
background led him into airline work,
A smiling InstructOr on the right, Dick Hili,
with his new Steannan student, Doug K1e1.
but most importantly, set the stage for
later years when instructors in Stear-
mans and aircraft of similar stature
would be sorely needed.
When Doug Kiel and Chuck An-
dreas contacted Dick about starting a
student from scratch in a 450 Stearman,
Dick was ready and willing. After all,
he had nearly 40 years experience as a
CFI and Stearmans were built like
airplanes are supposed to be built -
with two sets of wings and a couple <of
open cockpits! On June 4th, Doug
began dual instruction with Dick
calmly calling the shots. As Dick says,
"Doug learns well. He has good
mechanical ability and handles the
controls smoothly, much like he drives
an IS-wheeler."
The farm strip at Dick & Jeanie
Hill's place is 1,300 feet long with 30-
foot wires on the north end! Between
clearing the wires and the barn, you
have about 1,000 feet left in which to
land! (Talk about a perfect place to
teach a farm kid how to fly a Stear-
man). To broaden the pupil's perspec-
tive, they flew to many neighboring
airports to shoot landings and take offs.
Learning to add power in slow ,
steady, increments so the torque from
the big propeller doesn't "get" you was
one of the many skills Doug had to
learn. Basic airwork in handling the
big biplane was another skill that had
to be acquired. And most of all, respect
for the "beast," because if you don't
handle her correctly, she will bite you!
Doug learned well and fast. By June
24th, he was ready for solo. Dick
helped get the Stearman ready for
flight and Doug strapped himself into
the rear cockpit. Firing up the R-9S5,
he taxied out and made one of the nicer
solo flights from the little strip that
Dick had ever seen. There was much
happiness in the air around Harvard,
Illinois that day!
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
in the spring of '89. Naturally the
chrome plated valve covers caught
Doug's eye along with the polished
stainless steel BT -13 "dishpan" just be-
hind the engine. Of course, the stream-
lined headrest, all the way to the fin,
and the professional covering job in
Stits Aerothane, registered on his fast-
working brain. If he could talk Chuck
into a set of wheel pants for the big BT-
13 wheels and brakes - perhaps, just
maybe, a deal could be struck!
Our hero, Doug, had obviously been
smitten with Stearmanitis, a most
often, incurable disease. After drool-
ing for several weeks and talking his
favorite banker into lending a hand
(and a foot, arm, thigh and hip), Doug
called Chuck and bought the Stearman
- complete with custom wheelpants.
Now he faced the job of learning to fly
an airplane!
In between trips, Doug managed to
take five hours of dual instruction from
CFI Vic Ahlquist in a Piper Super Cub
at Brennand's Airport near Neenah,
during the month of December. This
was a start . Next, he enrolled in a class
for private pilot ground school to bring
himself up to speed for the written
exam. By May, Doug had passed the
private written exam and the 450 Stear-
man was down to the finishing touches
and nearly ready to fly. Chuck Andreas
had done himself proud with a bright
red overall paint scheme using a black
and silver grey accent stripe. Chuck
likes to call the color, "Ferrari Red".
Now the fun began. They had to find
an instructor who was current in 450
Stearmans and had enough gumption
to start a neophyte who had never so-
loed an airplane! A quick scan of avail-
able people soon narrowed the search.
Chuck Andreas felt there was only one
person who had sufficient intestinal
fortitude (spelled G-U-T-S) for such a
task - Dick Hill (EAA 56626, AIC 629)
of Harvard, Illinois . Dick is a retired
airline pilot with way over 30,000
hours of flight time, however, he
started out as a spray pilot, which gave
him the feel for a big biplane at very
low altitudes . In addition, Dick has
been an active instructor for nearly 40
years.
On June 4, 1989, Dick Hill cranked
up the R-985 on Doug's Stearman and
flew it from Neenah, Wisconsin to his
home strip at Harvard, Illinois. In short
order, Doug showed up and the lessons
began. Dick carefully taught him how
to land on a short strip (1,200 feet) and
how to take off with enough compensa-
tion for the torque of the big 450
growling away out front. Around and
around they went, filling in new bits
of information on each circuit. Doug
proved to be a good student, absorbing
both knowledge of flight and the all-
important "feel" of a 450 Stearman.
He was making progress. "We made
many landings at different airports in
the area to sharpen his skills," says
Dick. Perhaps the mechanical aptitude
was part of it. Perhaps the years of
wrestling a huge truck over the road
helped. Or perhaps the yearning to fly
a Stearman from age nine was Doug's
motivation. In any event, he took to
the big biplane like a duck to water.
On the morning of June 24th, Doug
made his first solo flight in Stearman
N7034Y - his own 450 P & W powered
machine! Nobody, but nobody, was
happier than Doug Kiel and his instruc-
tor, Dick Hill
Besides flying the Stearman, Dick
gave Doug some hours in a Tripacer
for cross-country training and radio
Cruising along at an easy 105, Doug and his passenger in the front cockpit, Joe Rohde, make a pretty scene against the patchwork
quilt of a rural Wisconsin countryside.
22 DECEMBER 1989
When you spend most of your time on the road, you have to love the work. Both Doug and his sidekick, "Chuck" enjoy being "on the
road," however, when the trip is over, it's fun to go flying. Note spare tire with chalk marks on it. Doug has never had one stolen!
navigation . This was in preparation for
the private flight exam which Doug
flew to Peoria, Illinois to take on Au-
gust 17th. He passed with flying colors
(pun intended). Meanwhile, Doug
found a hangar for the Stearman com-
plete with cement floor and bi-fold
door for $25 a month at the Oelwein,
Iowa airport. The airport features a
nice grass runway plus a 4,000 foot
hard surface strip, just perfect for a
new Stearman pilot. And to top it off,
it 's just a short flight from Doug's
father's farm, which has a grass land-
ing strip on it. Doug's father flies a
Cessna 175 Skylark, which he has had
for quite a number of years.
By the time September rolled around
and Doug brought the Stearman to
Oshkosh for the photo session (where
these pictures were taken), he had log-
ged some 1\0 hours on the beautiful
bird and had nary a scratch to show on
the bottom of the wingtips! (Every time
he would land, some of his so-called
friends would run out and scrutinize
the underside of the wings , looking for
scrapes.) I was privileged to fly the
photo plane (90 hp J-3 on floats) for
the air-to-air photos and I can honestly
say that Doug handled the Stearman
like an old pro. He would tuck the big
red bird into position and hold it
throughout the filming sequence . The
sound of the R-985, just 50 feet away,
was much like a hibernating bear (an
old one!) with its low-pitched rumble.
When Jeff Isom , the EAA photo-
grapher, would signal for a move with
his hand, Doug would calmly adjust
his position and lock on to the new
spot. In all the photo mi ssions I have
been on, I have never seen a 110 hour
pilot with such a steady hand on the
controls as Doug Kiel. Either he learns
well or Dick Hill did a masterful job
of teaching Doug how to fly a 450
Stearman. Probably both.
Now the big question - Why did he
do it? "When you drive a big rig all
week, you don't look forward to dodg-
ing traffic on the weekends," says
Doug. He would much rather crank up
the Stearman and go flying among the
rich farm country, waving to the farm-
ers as he flies past. One day he landed
in a hayfield behind a truck stop near
Mauston, Wisconsin to check on a
business trip to the West Coast. When
he returned to the airplane, a crowd of
some 25 to 30 people had gathered to
look at the big red biplane! Doug read-
ily admit s it draws a crowd wherever
he goes. He has given any number of
rides to friends and neighbors and has
even taken hi s father for a ride. His
dad enjoyed the flight, except when
Doug did some hammerhead stalls!
After the third one, enough was
enough!
So far, Doug has not taken his little
Dachshund for a ride in the Stearman,
however, he is looking for a body har-
ness that would hold the little guy in
the cockpit! Chuck's ears are so large
that Doug is afraid they would flap in
the slipstream and beat the poor dog
about the head! If, per chance, you
should see a big red 450 Stearman taxi
up one day with a smiling pilot with
bugs on his teeth in the rear cockpit
and a funny looking pilot in the front
cockpit with a rather long , brown nose
and a small helmet holding hi s ears
down, you wiIJ have the fun of meeting
two of aviation's finest - Doug Kiel
and his sidekick, Chuck .
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23
The deHavilland Moth Club of England's
~
StrathallanMuseumairstripinScotland.
For 1989, the Moth Club' s tireless
founder (ex-editor of Popular Flying,
Stuart McKay) had arranged a combi-
nation ofboth events - running over
threedaysand includinganew Famous
Grouse Rally , again sponsored by
MatthewGloag,andendingatWoburn
Abbeyforthetraditionalannualmeeting.
Your correspondents, having been
"Mothless" at the time of the '79
Grouse were determined not to miss
out this time, and completed and sub-
mitted theirentry for the '89gathering
as soon as details were published.
Friday 18th August saw us touching
down at the home ofthe Shuttleworth
Collection at Old Warden in ourfaith-
ful 'ZFto join the growing numberof
de Havilland aeroplanes gathering
there in preparation for the rally start
the following day. Regi stration of
competing crews and scrutineering of
the aircraft took place throughout the
day, and ensured that everything was
in place for the early start ofthe com-
petition the following morning.
All competing crews were accom-
modated in the Stevenage Novotel,
from whence travelling the short dis-
tance to Knebworth Housefor theeve-
of-rally dinner was easily ac-
complished. Saiddinner, togetherwith
the appropriate speeches, took a little
longerthan planned as these occasions
areveryapttodo.
The rally briefing
which followedthe
dinner thus did
not get underway
until somewhat
after midnight -
the prospect of
the first takeoffat
09:00 local (to-
gether with the
results of liberal
applications ofthe
FamousGrouseit-
self) were already
beginningto make
someofthecrews
a little queazy!
Mavis Parker with her Tiger Moth G-BJZF proudly displaying-the
famous Grouse Rally emblem on the rudder.
Breakfast and
detail briefing got underway from a
somewhatunearthly06:30onSaturday
morning, and it is a tribute to the
strength ofthe human constitution that
the firstaircraftaway,BrianWoodford' s
Rapide G-ACZE piloted by PeterHar-
rison rolledacrosstheOldWardenturf
under the powerofher Gipsy Queens
precisely on the stroke of09:00.
The departure sequence was by
drawn position within the groups of
like machines in descending order of
speed. Yours truly's, being the first
away in the 52-strong Tiger Moth
group, thus left the grid upon the drop
ofthe starter's flag at 09:18 via Run-
The deHavilland Moth Club ofEngland
Theaccompanyingarticlewasorigi-
nally writtenfor publication in the house
journal ofthe UK Popular Flying As-
sociation. Some ofthe references may
not be familiarto non-UK readers, and
these briefnotes will helpclarifysome
points.
The UK based de Havilland Moth
Club was founded by Stuart McKay in
1975 and now has some 2,000 mem-
bersworldwide.Theclubholdsregular
flying events in the UK, the best
known ofwhich is the seriesofannual
meetings in the grounds of Woburn
Abbey in Bedfordshire.
Woburn Abbey is the ancestral
homeoftheDukesofBedford,situated
45 miles northofLondon, andmustbe
oneofthe most beautiful settings for a
flying event anywhere in the world.
The house itself dates from the 17th
centuryand is surroundedby an exten-
sivedeerparkwithmedievalforestand
ornamental lakes .
Old Warden is the home airfield of
26 DECEMBER 1989
the Shuttleworth Collection, and is
some 15 miles northeast of Woburn.
Hucknall airfield is betweenthe towns
of Nottingham and Derby, and is ap-
proximately 140 miles north of Lon-
don. Hucknall was for many years
flight testairfieldforRolls Royce, and
is now operated by the appropriately
named Merlin Flying Club.
Duxfordis famous asthelocationof
the Imperial War Museum's aircraft
collection, and is an airfield originally
commissioned during World War I.
During WorldWarII Duxfordwas the
baseofDouglas Bader's"bigwing"of
Hurricane fighters with their crucial
role in the Battle ofBritain in 1940.
The "Famous Grouse" Moth Rally
was sponsored by Matthew Gloag and
Son, the Perthshire, Scotland based
distillers. MatthewGloagandSon was
founded in 1800, and their "Famous
Grouse"ScotchWhiskyis well-known
throughout the world.
way 22 and then ontothe first leg ofa
southwesterly heading.
At this point it is appropriate to ex-
plain the natureofthe Rally itself. The
day'sflying wasdivided intotwo main
competitivestages. Thefirst, viaeight
legs, from Old Warden to Hucknall,
and the second, also with eight legs,
from Hucknall to the Imperial War
Museum airfield at Duxford. Each
stage was timed and each leg was co-
vered by a numberofquestions which
couldbecorrectlyansweredbyobserv-
ing ground features close to the tracks
to be flown.Thequestionsfor the first
stage wereonlyhanded to thecrewsas
they linedup for thetakeoff, andthose
for the second stage were available
around half an hour before the after-
noon departure.
Picturethe scenethenasyourrepor-
ters climbed out on the first leg of
Stage One, attempting to establish an
accurateheadingand track, andunfold
the four-page question sheetin the 60-
knotslipstream! As is usuallythecase,
once the initial panic had subsided a
grip was established on the problem
and a routine established. Most ques-
tions made senseand answerswerere-
corded, althoughacoupleat least were
not tied up todefiniteground features.
Two hours ofbumpy flying and con-
standheadswivellingmadetheappear-
ance of Hucknall-on-the-nose a very
welcome sight - the eagerly awaited
cold drinks afterlanding barely touch-
ing the sides!
For the next hour and a half or so
Hucknall was a melee of arriving
Moths and various PFA types winging
in to the coincident strut Fly-in. The
local PFAers are to be complimented
on feeding and watering the resultant
hordes so effectively.
On the stroke of 13:00 hrs . local the
"special visitor" which had been mys-
teriously listed on the day 's prog-
ramme materalised in the Hucknall cir-
cuit in the form of British Aerospace's
preserved DH98 Mosquito, which
gave a spirited and widely appreciated
display.
The lunch time respite was over all
too soon and the crews were to be seen
hunched over their maps flight plan-
ning Stage Two from the detail s which
were released at 13:30. Again, pre-
cisely at allotted time, on the dot of
14:00, the Rapide rolled over
Hucknall's grass - the show was back
on the road! Whereas the morning's
departure had been at one-minute inter-
vals, 30 second gaps now applied.
'ZF's throttle thus went forward at
14:07.00 and course set shortly after-
wards to the east, the Fenlands, thence
Dux(ord and tea!
The eight legs of Stage 2, again ac-
complished by numerous questions
seemed a little less taxing than the
morning's efforts (probably a matter of
familiarity with the task) although the
turbulence had worsened with some
particularly strong thermal bumps giv-
ing a ride somewhat similar to the big
dipper.
For some strange reason the skies
seemed to resemble the oft read ac-
counts of World War I dogfighting -
full of aeroplanes one minute and
empty the next. This odd phenomenon
led us to question
our track keeping
- however the
ground and map
seemed to coin-
cide at all times
so we judged all
to be well.
The majority of
clues were again
identified and
shortly after 15:30
Duxford's broad
acres hove into
view. "Famous
Grouse" hospital-
The Rally's largest entrant, Brian Woodford's immaculate DH89A
ity was soon well
Dragon Rapide G-ACZE.
underway with
crews and invited guests taking a sub-
stantial tea in the warm afternoon sun-
shine. Entertainment (apart from the
continuing arrivals in the fresh cross-
wind!) was provided firstly by a fly
past by four USAF A-lOs, then de H
Moth Club's own Diamond Nine Tiger
Moth formation display team led by
Charles Shea-Simmonss. To the basic
Diamond formation had been added,
for '89, a "feathered arrow" and a
spectacular finale "break" before
flypast and stream landing. The team
received well deserved applause.
The final flight of the day - in de-
licious calm air and with nothing to do
except admire the late summer coun-
tryside of Cambridgeshire and Bed-
fordshire roll by was across to R.A.F.
Henlow for the night-stop.
Within a space of 45 minutes or so
the entire fleet of 70-plus aircraft were
down and neatly parked in front of
Henlow's westerly hangars, with the
smoke from the barbeque already drift-
ing skywards.
After the rigours of the day, nothing
could have been more pleasant on a
perfect warm summer evening than to
enjoy the barbeque , a little liquid re-
freshment, the strains of a jazz band
and the firework display as darkness
fell.
Thoughts of a Sunday morning lie-in
had already been dispelled by the pro-
gramme which announced another
06:30 start for breakfast and briefing,
followed by a dash up the A I highway
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27
in two double-decker buses filled with
assorted Mothists.
Henlow takeoffs commenced from
09:00 and the task ahead included a
direct flight to overhead Woburn fol-
lowed by a short four-leg additional
navigation exercise around Wing, Lit-
tle Horwood , Milton Keynes, and back
to Woburn for landing. The objective
was to find some special ground mar-
kers and plot their positions on copies
of the appropriate O/S map.
Apart from an initial marker on the
Woburn strip, your intrepid scribes
could find nothing specific at all on
any of the tracks flown (we were not
alone in this deficiency).
The Woburn circuit by this time was
alive with aircraft and after three go-
arounds to avoid conflicting traffic we
were eventually safely on the ground
and marshalled to our parking space.
The Woburn scene has to be experi-
enced to be appreciated, but the combi-
nation of blue skies and cumulus
clouds (a feature of the Summer of
'89), bright sunshine, rolling parkland
with sparkling lakes, the Woburn
house itself and, of course, more than
80 vintage aeroplanes caused a few
neckprickles in all but the most unsen-
timental of aviation buffs .
A splendid lunch was enjoyed, again
courtesy of that famous game-bird, and
the afternoon's flying entertainment
commenced. This started with another
excellent show by the Diamond Nin-
ers, although they spectacularly
opened with another seven friends to
provide a memorable Diamond 16
pass; (imagine if you will the rumble
of 16 Gipsy Majors - ah! de Havil-
land, deH, deH, deH ... .. . !)
28 DECEMBER 1989
Two overseas entrants for the Rally. DH60 Gypsy Moth VH-AFN from the USA via Holland
and Tiger Moth F-8GCS from France.
Moths galore decorate the Woburn Parkland on a glorious English
summer Sunday.
Rally contestants assemble at Duxford at the end of the main competitive stages.
The David Jackson and Len Jeffries
aerobatic competitions followed with
an over subscribed entry list this year.
Standards were very high .
Next on the agenda was a Gipsy
Moth "race" - the rules for which
were totally unclear - both to com-
petitors and audience.
A deH Cavalcade followed, with a
sequential fly past by deH 60 Cirrus
Moth, 60G and 60M Gipsy Moths , 80
Puss Moth , 82 Tiger Moth , 83 Fox
Moth, 85 Leopard Moth , 87 Hornet
Moth , 89 Rapide and 90 Dragonfly -
followed by the metal DHC I Chip-
munk , DHC2 Beaver and the perfectly
timed non-landing DH 104 Dove.
The final event was a mass
parachute drop from five Tigers - all
the jumpers landing on or close to the
mark - a commendable effort in the
stiff southwesterly breeze by then
blowing.
The Woburn finale , as ever, is the
prize-giving which was in the hands of
Stuart McKay, the Marquess of Tavis-
tock's son Lord Howland, and
Matthew Gload himself of the said Fa-
mous Grouse distillers.
A little sadly, at the end of three
days of great fun in the companionship
of friendly aviators, we climbed 'ZF
clear of Woburn and pointed her north-
west for SyweJI.
Our thanks , and those of the many ,
many Moth Club members and friends
who enjoyed three marvellous days go
to Stuart and Miranda McKay for mak-
ing it all happen, and of course to
Matthew GJoag and the Tavistock fam-
ily of Woburn for their substantial con-
tribution and ongoing support .
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29
WELCOME NEWMEMBERS
The following is apartial listing of new members who have joined the EAA Antique/Classic Division (through May 3, 1989).
We are honored to welcome them into the organization whose members' common interest is vintage aircraft. Succeeding
issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE will contain additional listings of new members.
Paul M. Jablonski
Greenwood, Indiana
Kenneth w. Jerolaman
Bernardsville, New Jersey
CliffW. Johnston
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
F. Ben Jones
Katy, Texas
Philip J. Kemp
Portland, Maine
George W. Kennedy
Decatur, Georgia
HaroldJ. Killian
Appleton, Wisconsin
Martin S. Kiripolsky
Orlando, Florida
Dennis H. Kirkwood
Fenton, Michigan
William S. Kloepfer
Fort Bidwell, California
Douglas J. Knab
Houston, Texas
Rodney P. Kroenlein
Moweaqua, Illinois
Robret F. Langham
Madison Heights, Michigan
J. Rodney Lawrence
Fort Worth, Texas
Charles F. Lewis
Meridianville, Alabama
James Link
Greenville, North Carolina
James A. Linn
Tuscon, Arizona
30 DECEMBER 1989
John W. Linse
Fairbanks, Alaska
Robert G. Lockhart
Chester, Illinois
C. F. McCall, Jr.
Fort Worth, Texas
Robert E. McKay
Iselin, New Jersey
Leslie D. Meggers
Tarpon Springs, Florida
Glendon L. Merritt
Cumberland, Maryland
H. R. Metzler
PincherCreek, Alberta, Canada
Alfred E. Meyer
Panacea, Florida
HerbertG. Miller
Ridgeley , West Virginia
Billy K. Mills
Bay Minette, Alabama
MarkMinor
Chesapeake, Virginia
JamesE. Mitchell
Safford, Arizona
Andrew C. Moffat
Grand Junction, Colorado
Francisco Corral Monsalve
Valparaiso, Chile
Robin A. Moore
Brunswick, Maine
Quentin W. Morgan
Lehigh Acres, Florida
Gail S. Needham
Knoxville, Tennessee
Carlene A. Neeley
Huntsville, Alabama
FerreiraPinto Neto
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Don Newquist
West Des Moines, Iowa
FrankNovotny
Garfield Heights, Ohio
Leo Nunnink
St. Marys, Georgia
Jeffery Oberg
Lansing, Michigan
Martin Oberkirch
Ulster Park, New York
RobertE. Osborne
Coxs Creek, Kentucky
Allan B. Paige
Weston, Ontario, Canada
Randall E. Patterson
Palm Coast, Florida
Clyde T. Peer
La Habra, California
Robert F. Pfaff
Johns Island, South Carolina
David Plata
Gaithersburg, Maryland
BarbaraP. Pobuk
Gardner, Massachusetts
JackPollack
Scottsdale, Arizona
David W. Powers
Inverness, Florida
Jeffrey Lee Pulver
Great Neck, New York
MEMBERSHIP
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
INFORMATION
Gary R. Purcell
Eldersburg, Maryland
Charles A. Quit
South Huntington, New York
Lindsay Raley
Winter Haven, Florida
Ron L. Randel
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Philip Edward Rasmussen
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Horace L. Riggs, Jr.
Mulberry, Florida
Paul G. Ritchie
Contoocook, New Hampshire
Raphael Roethle
Denmark, Wisconsin
Thomas Rowland
Combermer, Ontario, Canada
David M. Sakers
Goldsboro, Maryland
James K. Schaefer
West Palm Beach , Florida
Earl W. Schraer
Pevely, Missoui
William P. Selby
Little Rock, Arkansas
Robert C. Sellers
Penndel , Pennsylvania
Jack Singletary
Aurora, Missouri
George T. Smith, Sr.
Visalia, California
Ronald C. Smith
Solon, Ohio
Peter Stears
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire,
England
Doug Steen
Bethesda, Maryland
Vernon B. Stewart
Miami, Florida
Craig J. Stone
Renton, Washington
Bob L. Stroup
Yuma , Arizona
Gary Thomas
APO , New York, New York
Gary D. Thomson
Beoley, W orcestershire, England
Ernest Tidlund
Shutesbury, Massachusetts
Michael F. Vaisey
Hempstead, Herts , England
M. D. Waldinger
Randolph, New Jersey
Jeffrey C. Warren
Taylors, South Carolina
Charles E. Webb
Fort Worth , Texas
Elmer Weemer
Urbana, Illinois
Dwight Weiss
Grass Valley, California
Jack R. West
Beggs, Oklahoma
Richard A. White
Vero Beach, Florida
John David Whitener
Hickory , North Carolina
Jeffrey H. Whitesell
Des Moines , Washington
Jonathan Fred Williams
Jacksonville, Alabama
David E. Wirey
Findlay, Illinois
Maurice A. Yarter
San Antonio, Texas
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AIRCRAFT:
Replica213 scaleJenny- 2place,4130.Outper-
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flown to Oshkosh twice. Plans - $75.00, video -
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along with T-shirts, pins,posters,etc.Send SASE
for catalog/pricing. Virginia Aviation Co., R.D. 5,
Box 294,Warrenton,VA 22186.(c-5/90)
GipsyMajorTigerMoth- parts, aircraftand air-
boat builderssupplies.Pusherpropellers, informa-
tional brochure, $5.40 postpaid. Provairco, Honey
Harbour, Ontario, Canada POE 1EO, 7051756-
2664. (1 /1-90)
PLANS:
POBERPIXIE- VWpoweredparasol- unlimited
in low-cost pleasure flying. Big,roomy cockpit for
the over six foot pilot. VW power insures hard to
beat 3V2 gph at cruise setting. 15 large instruction
sheets.Plans- $60.00.InfoPack- $5.00.Send
check or money order to: ACRO SPORT, INC.,
Box462,HalesCorners,WI53130.414/529-2609.
ACRO SPORT- Singleplace biplanecapableof
unlimited aerobatics. 23 sheets of clear, easy to
follow plans includesnearly 100isometrical draw-
ings, photos and exploded views.Complete parts
and materials list. Full size wing drawings. Plans
plus 139 page Builder'S Manual - $60.00. Info
Pack- $5.00. SuperAero SportWing Drawing-
$15.00. The Technique of Aircraft Building -
$12.00 plus$2.50postage.Send checkormoney
order to: ACRO SPORT, INC., Box 462, Hales
Corners,WI 53130. 414/529-2609.
32 DECEMBER 1989
KEEP
YOURPROP
SHINING
witha
prop cover
Keep your propeller free
from fingerprints, dust, and
condensation as your plane
sits in your hangar-with
beautiful sleeves printed with
Hamilton Standard logo.
81/2"x 48" . Send $37.50 to
KCP Enterprises.

ENTERPRISES
7533 JULER AVE
CINCINNATI , OHIO
45243
Flyhighwitha
qualityClassicinterior
Completeinteriorassembliesfordo-ityourselfinstallation.
Custom quality at economical prices.
Cushion upholstery sets
Wall panel sets
Headliners
Carpet sets
Baggage compartment sets
Firewall covers
Seat slings
Recover envelopes and dopes
Free catalog of complete product line.
Fabric Selection Guide showing actual sample colors and
styles of materials: $3.00.
INC.
259 Lower Morrisville Rd ., Dept. VA
Fallsington, PA 19054 (215) 295-4115
UTLIT'J SEA\a
p.o. box 88
madison, north carolina 27025
(919) 427-0216

AWWA
MEMBER
MEMBER
TANK PAINIINb AND REPAIIING
SANOIlASTlNG. TANK liNERS AND COATINGS
PREVENTIVE TANI( ...AIN!ENANCE INSPiCllON
LADDtR SAfETY tOUI' ...tNT
RESElvOl1 LINERS AND ROOFS
DIS... ANIlING AND ...OVING TANKS
NEW. USED AND _ECONDITIONED TANKS
34 DECEMBER 1989
by George Hardie Jr.
In the long history of airplane de-
sign, many neat little biplanes have ap-
peared . This one was considered by
both the military and civilian markets
but was passed over. The photo is from
the EAA archives, date and location
not given. Answers will be published
in the March 1990 issue of VINTAGE
AIRPLANE. Deadline for that issue is
January 10, 1990.
Jack McRae of Huntington Station,
New York had the answer to the Mys-
tery Plane for September, 1989. He
writes:
"The September Mystery Plane is
the Mercury S-I White Racer, registra-
tion X-13223, designed by Harvey
Mummert in 1931 and built by Mer-
cury Aicraft, Inc . in Hammondsport,
New York.
" It was powered by a supercharged
Cirrus engine of 110 hp and was flown
by Mummert in the 1932 Chicago Air
Races and in numerous local air shows
in the 1930s. The airplane was unusual
for its all-steel-tube geodetic construc-
tion and fully retractable landing gear.
"In about 1956 it was sold to George
Tatich of Endicott, New York who re-
covered it and installed a Cessna land-
ing gear. It was cracked up as the result
of a ground loop, and a few years later
showed up in Mt. Clemens , Michigan.
Recently it has been reported that it
will be returned to Hammondsport to
be on exhibit in the Glenn CUI1iss
Museum there.-'
Chairman of the Board of Mercury
Aircraft, J.F. Meade, Jr. writes:
'The September Mystery Plane is
the Mercury S-\ built and owned by
Mercury Aircraft in the 1934-1935 era.
The plane was designed and flown by
Harvey Mummert in races at Chicago,
Detroit and Cleveland. The plane has
recently been returned to Ham-
mondsport from Detroit, is in mint
condition and will be on exhibit at the
Glenn H. Curtiss Aircraft Museum in
Hammondsport starting next spring.
We sold this plane in 1949 and, of
course, are very pleased to have it re-
turned after almost 40 years. The en-
closed photo was taken in September
1989." Other answers were received
from Charley Hayes,Park Forest , IL;
W. E. Doherty, Director, Glenn Cur-
tiss Museum, Hammondsport; Ed
Tice, Bedford, TX; Emil Strasser,
Hawthorne, CA; and Herbert deBruyn,
Bellevue, WA .
Mercury 5-1
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 35