GEOFF ROBISON

PRE SIDENT, VI NTAGE AI RCRAFT ASSOCIATION

VAA Chapters
What keeps us all inspired to stay
engaged in the Vintage Aircraft Asso
ciation (VAA) chapter network? The
social interaction among its mem
bership is a strong factor for many
of us, and this has been a real plus
in our local VAA Chapter 37. We
have such a diverse group of mem
bers, and it continuously amazes the
leadership at our chapter.
We have members who range in
age from 12 years old to some who
are well into their golden years. The
most amazing part of our member
ship is the diversity of talent and ex
pertise they bring to our group. Some
provide us with cash, and some offer
us a lot of their time and sweat, both
of which are vital elements to our
success. We have members who rou
tinely assist us with computer exper
tise and construction management.
We have cabinet builders, wood
workers, metalworkers, certificated
airframe and powerplant mechanics
and aircraft maintenance instruc
tors, flight instructors, plumbers,
electricians, an HVAC technician, a
banker, a judge, a doctor (aviation
medical examiner), teachers, a state
trooper, a couple of corporate pilots,
a retired airline pilot, a truck driver,
a tool salesman, a sign maker, a con
crete contractor, a machinist, an
undertaker, an autoworker, a gov
ernment contractor, and a fireman . I
could go on here, but I think you see
what I'm referring to when I use the
word "diverse."
We are rich with talent, as well as
energy. That's not something you
see a lot of, outside of an aviation
association like ours. We could only

hope that you have an opportunity

to engage yourself in an organiza
tion such as ours. I cannot fully
express the pride our VAA chap
ter membership gets from their in
teractions at the chapter level. We
have been so fortunate to accom
plish so much as a young chapter
(we started this chapter in 2003),

The most amazing

part of our

membership is

the diversity of

talent and

expertise they bring

to our group.

and I can assure you these are the

factors that continue to attract new
members to our chapter.
Inspiration is the primary drug for
me. Just last weekend our chapter
hosted another Young Eagles rally, and
we flew a total of 65 young people, a
lot of whom would potentially never
be offered such an opportunity at any
time in their youth. All you have to do
is watch that excitement leading up
to the flight, and immediately after,
to know that we as a group have ac
complished something very unique,
as well as "special," in this small com
munity. This is my drug of choice!
I bring this subject up to you, pri
marily because I want to challenge

each of our chapters to find your

own "drug of choice." We as a chap
ter (with the assistance of EAA Chap
ter 2 in Fort Wayne, Indiana) have
been fortunate enough to offer schol
arships to send a number of young
folks to the EAA Air Academy. Here's
a link for more information: www.

Youngag/es.org/programs/airacademy.
Talk about inspiration. Talk
about pride in our efforts to inspire.
It doesn 't get any better than this,
folks. For example, I have had the
pleasure to provide transportation
home to a few of our Air Academy
campers, and man, they just talk
all the way home . When they're
that fired up, you can't help but go
along for the ride!
Yet another critically important
component of our success as a VAA
chapter must be mentioned in this
column, because it is absolutely vi
tal. It is virtually the foundation of
our success, and that is the local
airport board, the airport manager,
and his or her staff. Some airports
still see the value of welcoming the
public to their facilities, but unfor
tunately, a lot of them just don't
get it. The leadership of the Dekalb
County Airport (GW8) in Auburn,
Indiana, truly stands out as a won
derful example of the need to keep
these "public facilities" public! They
entrusted our chapter members to
meet our pledge to them that we
would provide local events to attract
the locals to visit "their airport."
Consider also that we are not the
first aviation group to set up shop
at this airport. That is proof in the
continued on page 37

VOL. 37, NO. 6

co
IFe

2009

J U

TENTS

Straight & Level

VAA Chapters
by Geoff Robison

News

Breaking Out of Winter's Cocoon and

Celebrating Sun 'n Fun's 'Spring Break For Pilots'

from Wacos to Aeroncas!

by Sparky Barnes Sargent

14

A Bonanza Tradition:

The Fortiers' Beechcraft Dynasty

by Budd Davisson

19

Light Plane Heritage

A look at liquid cooling

by Bob Whittier

25

The Vintage Mechanic

Adhesives and bondings-Part 1

by Robert G. Lock

30

The Shawano, Wisconsin, Fly-Out

A great way to spend a Saturday
during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
by Joe Gmitter

32

How Long Is That Airstrip?

by Irven F. Palmer Jr.

34

Mystery Plane
by H.G. Frautschy

38

Mystery Plane Extra

The Bahl Lark
by Bill Hare

39

Classified Ads

COVERS
FRONT COVER: The Fortier family's 1950 B35 Bonanza was bought by the fami ly patri
arch , Stanley, when Rick Fortier was still a toddler. His early interest in aviation and in
this particular B model prompted the elder Fortier to keep the Bonanza even after he had
purchased a newer model. EAA photo by Bonnie Kratz
BACK COVER: This past March 26th was the 70th anniversary of the maiden flight of
the Cessna T-50. As shown on our back cover, the twin-engined trainer and utility airplane
was piloted that Sunday morning by Cessna 's Dwayne Wal lace. We look forward to over a
dozen Bobcats expected to attend EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 . See VAA News for more
information. Certificate courtesy Jon Larson, Cessna T-50 "The Flying Bobcats" club.

STAFF

EAA Publisher
Director of EAA Publications
Executive Director/Editor
Production/Special Project
Photography
Advertising Coordinator
Classified Ad Coord inator
Copy Editor
Director of Advertising

Tom Poberezny
Mary Jones
H.G. Frautschy
Ka thleen Witman
Jim Koepnick
Bonnie Kratz
Sue Anderson
Lesley Poberezny
Colleen Walsh
Katrina Bradshaw

Display Advertising Representatives:

Specialized Publications Co.
U.S. Eastern Time Zone-Northeast: Ken Ross
609-822-3750 Fax: 609-957-5650
kr4O@comcast.net

U.S. Eastern Time Zone-Southeast: Chester Baumgartner

727-532-4640 Fax: 727-532-4630
cballm 111@mindspring.com

U.S. Central Time Zone: Gary Worden

800-444-9932 Fax: 816-741-6458
gary. worden@Spc-mag.com

U.S. Mountain and Pacific Time Zones: John Gibson

916-784-9593 Fax: 510-21 7-3796
johngibson@spc-mag.com

Europe: Willi Tacke

Phone: +49(0)1716980871 Fax: +49(0)8841/496012
willi@(lying-pages.com
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

2 009

FAA Issues Rudder Stop AD

on Cessna 150/152
Despite comments from
the Cessna Pilots Associa
tion (CPA) and other inter
ested parties, the FAA has
issued Airworthiness Direc
tive (AD) 2009-10-09, effec
tive June 17, 2009, requiring
the installation of a new rud
der stop modification kit on
all models of the slant-tail
versions of the Cessna 1 SO
and 152, or in lieu of the
kit's installation, the aircraft
must be placarded against
intentional spins and other aero
batic maneuvers. The AD must be
complied with within 100 hours
of time in service (TIS) after June
17, 2009, or within the first 12
months, whichever occurs first.
Tom Carr of CPA, an experi
enced airframe and powerplant
mechanic with decades of experi
ence concerning Cessna aircraft
maintenance, commented that
since the two aircraft involved
in fata l spin-related accidents
cited in the proposed AD issued
in 2007 were not in compliance
with the aircraft's type design, the
issues su rrounding the proposed
AD were better served by the is
suance of a special airworthiness
inspection b u llet in (SAIB) rather
than an AD . (One aircraft, which
crashed in 2005, had the rudder
stop installed upside down, com
promising t he control system's
fu n ctiona lity; on the other ac
cident aircraft, which crashed
in Canada in 1998, the rudder
most likely was pushed over by
ou t side forces acting during the
accident sequence. On that air
craft the rudder control system
had known maintenance-related
iss u es that rendered the aircraft
unairworthy, yet the aircraft was
still fl own.)
2

J UN E 2009

/JIRVENTURE
O

HKOSH

ia\\

-~-

B CLEVIS

NOTAM

The World', Grutnt Avt.Uon Ctltbrilion TlI

While Cessna created a modi

fication kit in 2001 to enhance
the design of the rudder stop (a
kit that has subsequently been
redesigned and given a new part
number), there have been no fail
ures of the aircraft's rudder con
trol system that would lead one
to believe the aircraft's type de
sign was at fault. On the contrary,
as is true with many other sys
tems on an aircraft, if the aircraft
is maintained in compliance with
the type design standards, the
aircraft will continue to operate
as intended. But if maintenance
fails to detect a failure or induces
a failure of the system, then the
aircraft is unairworthy. An SAIB,
coupled with revised mainte
nance/inspection procedures, is
a reasonable and prudent way to
address a maintenance-related is
sue such as this.
For more information on th e is
suance of the AD, it can be viewed
on the FAA's website at www.FAA.
gov; click on the Regulations &
Policies tab, and then click on the
link for Airworthiness Directives.
Enter the AD number, AD 2009
10-09, or just click on the New
ADs link on the left side of the
page to review the list of recently
issued ADs.

Required Equipment:
EAA AirVenture NOTAM
If you're plann ing to fly in to
Oshkosh next month , it's impera
t ive that you obtain a copy of the
FAA ' s 2009 AirVenture Notice to
Airmen (NOTAM ), which contains
arrival and departure procedures
for the 57th annual fly-in conven
t ion . These procedures are in ef
fect from Friday, July 24 , through
Monday, August 3-one day earlier
than previous years. (The event is
July 27-August 2. )
Wh i le the ove rall procedures
are similar to past years, there are
some noteworthy changes-29 of
the NOTAM 's 32 pages cont ain up
dates. You can download a PDF ver
sion at www.AirVenture.orgj flyingj
notam2009.pdf, or ca ll EAA Mem
bership Services at 800-564-6322
and a printed booklet will be mailed
to you , free of charge . (Order a
booklet at https:j jSecure.EAA.orgj
AirVenturej notam_request. html.)
Add itional hints and tips for
pilo t s ar ri ving at and depart
ing fr om EAA AirVenture 2009
are also available online at www.
AirVenture.orgj atc.

Wonderiul Changes Await VAA Members in Oshkosh

hen you receive

this issue of Vintage
Airplane, there will
be about 50 days left to go
until EAA AirVenture Osh
kosh 2009. There's plenty of
work to be done, with the
VAA work parties complet
ing the new Vintage Han
gar, working on the Red
Barn, and preparing the
usual AirVenture items.
We do have a wish list,
and at the top of our "I
wonder if anyone has ... "
list is this:
To accommodate the
members who will be at
tending presentations in
front of the Vintage Hangar
(in the space formerly occu

pied by the ice cream stand), we're in need of a set of bleachers. A set of

three or four tiered units, either aluminum or wood, would be very help

ful. The type used around a ball diamond or smaller school track meet

would be perfect. (Think of the bleachers next to the cornfield in the base

ball movie Field ofDreams.) If you can help, please give us a call here at

VAA Headquarters, 920-426-6110, and let us know what you have.

For more on the ongoing construction of the Vintage Hangar

and the changes in the VAA area, be sure to visit our website at

www. VintageAircraft.org.

Type Clubs
We have a couple of type club
additions and revisions for you:
SuperCub.Org
P.O. Box 150
Waldron, MO 64092
816-359-3540
Fax: 203-413-6360
Website: www.SuperCub.org
Dues: Donations, Min $25/year
Publication: Online Discussion
Forum
Seabee Owner's Club (IRSOC)
Steve Mestler
P.O. Box 1546
Lexington, SC 29071
E-mail: smestler@pbtcomm.net
Website: www.RepublicSeabee.com

Type Club Parking

As many of you know, a portion

of the Vintage Parking area is dedi

cated to Type Club Parking, an area
where a rolling list of type clubs can
park a select group of airplanes from
their club so members and the pub
lic can enjoy seeing their unique air
planes. This year, there will be up
to 30 Short Wing Pipers, 15 Cessna
T-50 Bobcats, 8 Cessna 175s, and 17
Cessna 180 airplanes. Also included
in this year's list is the Piper Coman
che. Look for these airplanes just
south of the Emergency Aircraft Re
pair area and the Hangar Cafe. Each
of the aircraft in these groups is
parked by special arrangement with
their respective type club.

VAA Awards Ceremony

Lots of changes are in store for
members who attend EAA AirVen
ture Oshkosh 2009. This year, due to
the setup at Theater in the Woods for

the Saturday evening show by come

dian-ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, the
awards ceremony for the VAA wiil
take place in the Vintage Hangar, just
south of the VAA Red Barn. The cer
emony, which will take place starting
at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, after the
daily air show, promises to be a great
evening for winners and attendees
alike. After the ceremony, we'll host
a reception for all attendees and the
winners in the Vintage Hangar with
soft drinks and snacks. Plan on being
there to cheer on your friends and
enjoy some vintage camaraderie be
fore we all head home the next day.

VAA Judging Categories

Each year we receive inquires re
garding the effective years for VANs
judging categories. Here they are:
Antique
An aircraft constructed by the
original manufacturer, or its li
censee, on or before August 31,
1945 , with the exception of cer
tain pre-World War II aircraft mod
els that had only a small postwar
production. Examples: Beechcraft
Staggerwing, Fairchild 24, and
Monocoupe.
Classic
An aircraft constru cted by the
original manufacturer, or its li
censee, on or after September I,
1945, up to and including Decem
ber 31, 1955.
Contemporary
An aircraft constructed by the
original manufacturer, or its li
censee, on or after January I,
1956, up to and including Decem
ber 31, 1970.

Turn Your Old Parts Into New

Money at Aeromart!
Did you know that AirVenture
Oshkosh provides a fantastic oppor
tunity to sell those aircraft parts clut
tering up your hangar? Aeromart,
the world's largest aircraft parts
swap, allows you to turn old parts
into cash, with the added satisfac
tion that you have helped other EAA
VINTAGE AIRPLAN E

members complete their projects.

Aeromart is an all-volunteer op
eration now run by EAA Chap
ter 252. It has a new location this
year-right next to Camp Schol
ler-making it easier for camp
ers to transport their parts to the
tent for consignment sale. Simply
bring over the parts you wish to
sell when you arrive and register.
Aeromart receives $1 per item con
signed, plus 12 percent of the sale
price. All proceeds support EAA and
Chapter 252.
When you leave AirVenture, stop
by to pick up any unsold items, and
a check from your sale proceeds will
be mailed to you. It's that easy!
For more information about sell
ing items, visit www.Aeromart.webs.
com. If you are interested in volun
teering at Aeromart, e-mail Oshkosh
AeroMart@gmail.com.

Cessna Bobcat Anniversary

This pa st March 26 was the 70th anniversary of the maiden flight
of the Cessna T-50. As shown on our back cove r, the t win-engined
tra iner and utility airplane was piloted that Sunday morn ing by Cess
na 's Dwayne Wallace.
The Bobcat, made famous as the first airplane used in the clas
sic televis ion series Sky King, will be celebrated du ring a gathe ring
in the Type Club Parking area . Jon Larson , the longtime leader of t he
Cessna Bobcat Type Club , tells us that he has more than a dozen
confirmed Bobcats headed toward Oshkosh, with a coup le more on
the hopeful list.

New and Improved: AirVenture

Event Schedules
Online, on your phone

plete presentations schedu l e,

allowing you to peruse every
scheduled event (there are more
than 1,000), create and print your
own personal AirVenture itiner
ary, and stay abreast of schedule
changes that can occur during
the week.
If you have a web-enabled mo
bilephone0rasmartph on~,you

Each year EAA aims to provide

the most accurate, up-to-date in
formation about EAA AirVenture
forums, workshops, presentations,
and other scheduled events . . . and
well in advance of the event to al
low attendees to plan their week.
This year we think we've created
the most useful version yet.
Now available at www.AirVenture.
org/forums, you can see the com4

JUNE 2009

will have access to the complete

AirVenture schedule of events
wherever you have phone service.
"In response to member re
quests and suggestions, we've
been working hard on creating a
new way to efficiently share and
dissemina t e all t he events infor
mation t h a t AirVe n ture has to
offer/' said Mark Forss, the pre
sentations coordinator who has
shepherded the new system. "Our
new 'plan your schedule' fea ture,
coupled with the abilit y to look
up information on a web-enabled

mobile device, is what sets this

new system apart from previous
efforts. The new system also gath
ers previously disconnected infor
mation from numerous sources
and puts it into one easy-to-find
place on the Web and on your
phone. We anticipate these new
tools being very popular among
the attendees!"
Visit the AirVenture website
and start planning your Oshkosh
visit today!

New 406 ELY Rule

in Canada Put on Hold
The upcoming transition to re
quiring 406 MHz emergency loca
tor transmitters (ELTs) in nearly
all general-aviation aircraft op
erating in Canada has been put
on hold by John Baird, Canada's
Minister of Transport, according
to Kevin Psutka, president of the
Canadian Owners and Pilots As

sociation. Psutka met recently

with Transport Canada officials
arguing that the rule as written
was not workable.
liThe regulation as written was
unachievable because the allowed
alternatives do not exist," Psutka
told EAA. liMy argument that this
rule was immature was apparently

accepted, and the minister sent it

back to CARAC (Canadian Avia
tion Regulation Advisory Coun
cil) for revision.
CARAC is a joint effort of gov
ernment and the aviation com
munity including participation
from organizations representing
operators, manufacturers, and
11

Aircraft Groups to Gather for Oshkosh Journey

As aircraft from around the world make their way to EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh this summer, hundreds of aviators gather together to arrive at
Wittman Regional Airport in flocks of kindred aircraft, creating their own
communities along the flightline.
Groups scheduled to arrive en masse at Oshkosh in 2009 include
Cessna 150s and 152s, in honor of the Cessna 150's 50th anniversary;
Beechcraft Bonanzas (Bonanzas to Oshkosh); Cessnas (Cessnas 2 Osh
kosh); Mooneys (Mooney Caravan); Piper Comanches; and custom-built
Van's RV airp'lanes. In addition, warbirds such as the T-6, T-28, T-34 , and
Nanchang Red Stars will arrive as groups during the afternoon air show
on Monday, July 27.
Many people come to Oshkosh early just to see these mass arrivals,
scheduled July 24-26 and coordinated between EM, the FAA, and the indi
vidual aircraft groups. Pilots in the mass arrivals receive thorough briefings
prior to arriving at Oshkosh, and scheduled arrivals could be altered due to
weather or other factors.
Here's the current schedule of EAA AirVenture mass arrivals:
Friday, July 24, 10 a.m.-Cessna 150/152 (www.Cessna150152.com)

- Saturday, July 25, 1 p.m.-Beech Bonanzas (www.B20sh.org)

- Saturday, July 25, 2:30 p.m.-Cessnas (www.Cessnas20shkosh.com)

-Saturday, July 25,4 p.m.-Mooneys (www.MooneyCaravan.com)

- Sunday, July 26, 11:30 a.m.-Piper Comanches

- Sunday, July 26, 1:30 p.m.-Van 's RVs

-Monday, July 27,3:30 p.m.-T-6, T-28, T-34, Nanchang Red Stars

professional associations .
One of the alternatives Psutka
is pushing for is approval of 406
MHz personal locator beacons
(PLBs) or tracking devices instead
of the significantly more expen
sive installed ELTs.
Psutka was quick to say that this
development does not eliminate
the new rule. "Where it stands, the
CARAC will reconvene, and my un
derstanding is that the earliest this
will happen is the third week of
June," he said. If everything went as
swiftly as pOSSible, a new final rule
addressing the minister's concerns
would be announced no earlier
than the end of August, he added .
Meanwhile, pilots who have yet to
upgrade to the 406 MHz ELTs can
continue operating legally with the
older 121.5 MHz units, although
Psutka cautioned that search-and
rescue satellites no longer monitor
the older frequency.
Denis Browne, chairman of the
EAA Canadian Council, was glad
to learn that the public would
have more input on the rule
through the CARAC. "We would
like to see the end-users given
more opportunity for feedback
on potential alternative compli
ance, such as PLBs, and other
ways of dealing with the new
technology," he said. "There also
has not been full consideration
of the effect of this new rule on
international traffic and how to
accommodate air tourism. The
CARAC usually considers such
recommendations.
Because the FAA does not plan
to adopt the 406 MHz ICAO stan
dard in the United States , EAA
feels most American aircraft own
ers will likely choose not to spend
the estimated $1,000 (plus in
stallation) to equip their aircraft,
resulting in a sharp decline in
tourism and business flights by
U.S .-registered aircraft into Can
ada. From May 2007 to May 2008,
the Canada Border Services Agency
processed more than 63,000 for
eign private aircraft, roughly 90
percent U.S.-registered.
......
11

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

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Rrl!ilking Out of Wintl!r's

[o[oon ilnd [l!ll!brilting Sun 'n Fun's

'Spring Break For Pilots'

from Wacos to Aeroncas!

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

esilient white blos

soms burst forth
in a scattered array
amidst emerald green grass
under the sunny Florida
sky, and colorful wings
adorned the fields in cele
bration of the long-awaited
rite of spring for aviators
the annual Sun 'n Fun Fly
in at Lakeland, Florida.
The powerful prop blast of
vintage airplanes whipped
stray strands of hair and de
posited a parched, powdery
patina on everything from
human heads to cylinder
heads, as campers pitched
their tents, heartily greeted
old friends, and warmly
met new ones. It was, once
again, old home week,"
and the energizing start of
the fly-in season.

/I

JUNE 2009

Randy Van Surdam of Seneca, South Carolina, with NC14071, his Jacobs
powered 1934 Waco YKC (ambulance version).

WiI[O VI([

The early-morning sunlight

highlighted rivulets of condensa
tion trickling down the noble 1934
Waco's fuselage, as owner Randy
Van Surdam of Seneca, South Caro
lina, prepared for the day's activi
ties. "This is just the perfect time of
year," says Van Surdam. "You've just
gone through a winter up in South
Carolina, and you're ready to fly
somewhere and put your shorts on!
We have the same group that comes
down every year, and we also go to

the National Air Races in Reno

so those are the two things that we
take the time to make happen."
NC14071 is a Jacobs-powered,
1934 ambulance version Waco YKC,
and Van Surdam completed its res
toration in 1998. He acquired the
Waco, in numerous boxes, in 1995.
"A customer had originally bought
this, with the idea that he was going
to restore it, and then he decided it
was a little bit too big of a job. So
he went out and bought a finished
Waco and offered this up, and we

Tia and Ph illip Robertson of Acworth, Georgia, with N9895A, their 1950 Cessna 195.

bought it. It had been disassembled

sometime in the 1950s for restora
tion and had gone through several
owners, but nobody really did any
thing with it. Then we got it and re
stored it, and have brought it here
probably three or four times now."
Van Surdam says the biplane
"flies very nicely and is very sta
ble, and has good ground-handling
characteristics, as well. It is hot on
the inside, though, with the big
motor up front-it's got a Jacobs
275 upgrade. "
He's been fl ying since 1989 and
first soloed in an Aeronca Sedan
which he still has. "I restored it as
well; the Sedan is a neat airplane.
Nowadays, though, I don't fly
fixed-wing too much," he shares
with a grin, " because I have the
maintenance shop at Clemson
Oconee airport, and I commute
back and forth in a little helicop
ter-just me and a dog!"

[I!ssnl11QS
Tia Robertson of Acworth, Georgia,
sidled up comfortably to the Cessna
195, her sky-blue eyes peering back at
her from the polished fuselage as she

artfully applied her morning

makeup. She and her hus
band, Phillip, have owned
N9895A for 15 years now and
attend the fly-in as frequently
as their schedules permit.
"I've been coming here
since the early '80s," she
says, smiling. " I had a
Luscombe that I flew down
here when I was in my
20s, and I remember the
corn roast being served on Morning reflections: Pilot Tia Robertson ap
about five picnic tables be plies her makeup with the help of her pol
tween the buildings. I met ished Cessna 195.
my husband in 1985, and I
was flight instructing at the time. by swapping legs, and Tia explains
One of my students owned a Cub, that this method "works great! A lot
and she and her husband were driv of times one will work the rad ios
ing to the fly-in, so I sort of jokingly and the other one flies-we're both
said, 'Would you like me to fly your professional pilots, too. I'm retired
airplane for you?' And they said, from United, and my husband flies
'Yeah!' So Phillip and I came down for American, so we're used to the
in the Cub, and that was his first two-pilot crew system."
trip here. I've also got a Taylorcraft
Then, laughing softly, she elabo
that I've brought down here several rates, "When we met, we were flying
times, and it's just a lot of fun, see for a commuter, Eastern Metro Ex
ing friends and checking out other press, and we flew together as crew.
people's airplanes!"
I was captain and he was my first
Married now for nearly 21 years, officer, so we've been together and
Phillip says they share the piloting flown together for a long time."
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Ron Spence of Germantown, Tennessee, with N1947P, his 160-hp Lycom

ing-powered 1955 Piper PA-22j20.
Pip~r PiI(~r

Ron Spence of Germantown,

Tennessee, was close by his hand
some 1955 Piper PA-22/20 Pacer in
the vintage camping area as the sun
climbed high in the mid-morning
sky. He's been coming to Sun 'n
Fun for many years now and enjoys
not only flying airplanes, but also
working on them. "I used to come
here in a PT-22 that I had," he remi
nisces, "and then about 15-20 years
ago I bought a 1953 true Pacer tail
wheel up in Alberta, Canada. I liked
it so much I decided to do a little
more Pacer stuff. I was rebuilding
the engine that's in this airplane for
my other airplane. About the time I
was ready to install it, a friend came
up to me with a flier for this Pacer,
for sale, up in Pennsylvania-it had
nothing forward of the firewall.
Other than that, it was in the con
dition in which you see it."
Spence says he journeyed up to
Pennsylvania and purchased N1947P,
which had been "refurbished liter
ally from the tubes up. I trucked it
home and [continued with] the en
gine overhaul; you would've thought
that would have been a two-week
project, but that took me a couple of
years. I did all new accessories, and I
put a tuned exhaust on it-so theo
retically the 160-hp Lycoming 0-320
now has 172 hp. I felt like it gave it
considerably more performance, but
I had only had about 20 hours on the
airplane before the tuned exhaust, so
8

JUNE 2009

I can't really judge. But it does seem

to be livelier, and it climbs to altitude
very nicely."
Spence's wife, Diane, accompanied
him from Germantown as far as jack
son ville, Florida, where she stayed to
visit with family while he completed
the flight to Lakeland. "Theoreti
cally, it's two three-hour legs down
here from home," says Spence, "and
about 600 nautical miles in total."
LUS[Dmb~

jerry Cox of Mattoon, Illinois,

had a neatly painted 1948 Luscombe
8F tied down in the past-winners
line on the field; he and jerry Sha
fer are partners in the airplane.

Cox has been flying nearly 25 years

now, having first soloed in a Cessna
152, and he was happy to share
the story of how he came into the
world of Luscombe flying. A friend
gave him a ride in a Luscombe one
day, and that did it. "I had admired
his Luscombe before, but that was
the first opportunity I'd had to ac
tually get in it," explains Cox, smil
ing enthusiastically. "He let me take
over the controls, and I fell in love
with the darn plane!"
N1947B is powered by a 90-hp
Continental, and Cox declares that
he simply "likes everything about
the Luscombe! It handles great, yet
it has a reputation of being a ground
loop waiting to happen. I was told
that before I owned a Luscombe,
so I was a little bit concerned
but then talking to the older fel
lows who have a lot of experience
in Luscombes, I was informed that
'the plane doesn't ground loop, the
pilot ground loops.' And now, I've
got probably over 1,000 hours in
Luscombes, and I've landed in some
pretty adverse wind conditions and
have never been close to a ground
loop yet. So my feeling is that the
Luscombe has a very undeserved
reputation of ground looping."
Cox has been coming to Sun 'n
Fun for decades and recalls that his
first time was "when they were just

Jerry Cox of Mattoon, Illinois, with N1947B, his 1948 Luscombe 8F, pow

ered by a C-90.

beginning to have ultralights. It's a

nice trip, and everybody's so accom
modating, though every year seems
to be more of a challenge finan
cially. But the people are friendly,
and it's just a nice visit. I have been
down here with my experimen
tal plane and won an award with
it, and N1947B won Outstanding
Classic in 1997./1

Clobl! Swift
Jed Smith of Huntington Beach,
California, was readying his pol

Smith's solo flight from Riverside

airport in California to Lakeland was
his first visit to Sun 'n Fun. His Swift
is powered by a Continental 0-300A,
and his overall average groundspeed
for the trip was 158 mph, with
speeds of 180 to 210 mph observed
while at a cruising altitude of 17,500
feet. He admits he probably "won't
come back for a while-it's a long
way! It was real easy getting here; it
was only three easy days. But going
back, I'm probably looking at three
much harder days./1

Jed Smith of Huntington Beach, California, bases N3378K, his 1946 Globe
Swift GC-1B, at Riverside airport.

ished 1946 Globe Swift for depar

early Saturday morn ing, after
camping out for several days and
enjoying the show. He and N3378K
have been fly ing tv gether since
1992, which, he says, is not a very
long time, considering how long
many Swift owners have hung on
to their airplanes.
Thoughtfully reflecting on what
he likes best about his GC-IB, he
smiles and shares this: "It's just a
quirky, old, fun piece of machin
ery, and certainly flies very nice! It's
very pleasant and always gathers
attention at the gas pumps when
ever you 've been flying around and
landing for fuel. So that's sort of
fun, and you always meet very in
teresting people when you're flying
an old airplane around the coun
try. And it makes a fine one-person
camping machine./1

.~ .t~

Stilggl!rwing
A bright yellow 1944 Beech D17S
Staggerwing arrived by the end of the
week and was an eye-catcher on the

flightline. Owner Charlie Maples of

Culpeper, Virginia, has owned N27E
for 10 years, and he and his buddy
Tim Loehrke of Herndon, Virginia,
averaged a 170-mph cruise on their
flight to Lakeland. Maples has been
coming to Sun 'n Fun off and on for
about 20 years and enjoys it because
"it's the beginning of the flying sea
son, and it's just kind of fun to get
out and take a trip./1
He's logged about 2,000 hours in
lightplanes since he first soloed years
ago in an ultralight. "I soloed a Phan
tom-the best ultralight made-and
that was fun! I miss that, actually,/1
shares Maples. "I flew ultralights for
about four years, and then I got into
Cessna 140s and kept going up af
ter that. Now I'm rebuilding a Piper
Cub, which I've been working on
for about five years, and I haven't
even started putting it back together
yet-I'm still taking it apart!
Loehrke, who taught himself to fly
in a Weedhopper ultralight, has also
been coming to the fly-in for years,
explaining, "It's always the first ad
venture of the spring, and it's so cold
up in Virginia that it's nice to come
to sunny Florida to be warm. I have a
Cub and about 700 hours' flight time.
I just go up to look down, relax, and
fly around a little bit. I'm waiting for
Charlie to get his Cub finished , be
cause we're going to fly down here, up
to Oshkosh, and do cross-countries in
the Cubs-that'll be a lot of fun./1

Charlie Maples of Culpeper, Virginia, talks with his buddy, J-3 Cub pilot Tim
Loehrke of Herndon, Virginia. The two flew down in Maples ' 1944 Pratt &
Whitney R-985-powered Staggerwing.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Ben Troemel and Tracy Smith of Cocoa Beach, Florida, with Troemel's
1946 Cessna 140.

something big for four passengers

but really, 90 percent of your flying
is by yourself."
Pitts wanted his own affordable
airplane, as opposed to flying rental
aircraft, and found the Chief in north
Georgia. lilt's just what I want," he
proclaims with a broad smile. "I fly
around recreationally and make
small trips like coming down to
Lakeland. Basically, I just fly locally
and take a lot of people who've
never flown before-just take them
for a ride. Everybody falls in love
with the Chief, and that's just the

[QssnillllU
Ben Troemel and Tracy Smith of
Cocoa Beach, Florida, were camp
ing with Troemel's faithful 1946
Cessna 140-just as they do nearly
every year, soaking up the ambi
ence of the fly-in . Troemel, a retired
Air Force pilot who flew cargo 747s
for Atlas Air and is now a 757 first
officer for Northwest Airlines, has
owned N90174 for 15 years.
"I bought it from a gentleman
friend of mine, Reddoch Williams,
up in Fort Walton Beach," he says
with an exuberant smile. li lt was
my first taildragger airplane that I
really got to fly! It's fun, it's STOL,
and you can actually go places in
it. We just love to come here and
hang out with all the people and
see the other airplanes and wander
around." Troemel encouraged a stu
dent-pilot friend to head on over
to the fly-in. "He just got busy with
work, so I called him up and said,
'You really need to come over here;
this is really cool-you'd enjoy it!'"
Although Smith doesn't fly, she
comments with fun-loving laugh
ter, "I provide the food and beverage
service!" She sums up her attraction
to the fly-in this way: "You have
the little airplanes, you have the air
show, and ... there's something for ev
erybody, even shopping for both the
guys and girls, plus being outside!"

nQron[iI [hiQf
Colie Pitts of Douglas, Georgia,
enjoyed a bird's-eye view of the
flightline as he relaxed beneath
10 JUNE 2009

Colie Pitts of Douglas, Georgia, loves flying N85857, his 1946 Aeronca
l1AC Chief.

the wing of his loyal 1946 Aeronca

llAC Chief, amiably visiting with
those who stopped by. He's owned
N85857 for about eight years now
and generously shares that love
with others-many of whom go up
with Pitts for their first flight . It's
his third flight to Sun ' n Fun and
the first in his Chief.
Sixty-six-year-old Pitts realized
his lifelong desire to fly when he
was in his mid-50s. "I didn't have
the opportunity or the money be
fore-but once I got older, I said,
'I'm going to take the time and find
a way!' I soloed in a Cessna 152,
and a friend of mine had a Champ.
I liked the tailwheel aircraft and de
cided that was the kind of flying I
wanted to do. At one time, like ev
erybody else, I thought I wanted

kind of flying I do. I've converted a

lot of people, even some with bigger
airplanes, and a lot of first-time fli
ers and kids. I've taken Young Eagles
and Boy Scouts in it, too."
He thoroughly enjoys flying low
and slow and says, liMy friend flew
his Chief down to Georgia from
Knoxville on Saturday, and then
we flew down together on Sunday.
We're just having a ball this week!"
There was a nice variety of vintage
airplanes in attendance this year, and
we hope you've enjoyed vicariously
meeting these folks and seeing their
airplanes pictured on these pages.
And ... we must confess . .. we had
a ball meeting each of these aviators
and learning more about their fly
ing experiences during Sun 'n Fun's
"Spring Break For Pilots."

Ed and Barbara Moore relax in the shade of their How

ard DGA-15P. They work as a team at the helm of the
Jeanne and Pete Reed ' s custom 300-hp 1943 Stear Howard Aircraft Foundation, an organization of individu
man won the Outstanding Customized Aircraft - Antique als dedicated to the ownership, restoration, preserva
award. (Watch for an upcoming feature on this biplane.) tion , and flying of " Damn Good Airplanes. "

Randy Van Surdam's 1934 Waco YKC.

Randy Van Surdam and his 1934 Waco YKC are fre
quent visitors to Sun 'n Fun.

At least four Republic Seabees were noted in the sea This 1954 silver-painted Cessna 170B, registered to
plane area. N6240K was manufactured in 1947 , pow Dale Peterson of Fayetteville, Georgia, was sparkling in
ered by a Franklin engine.
the Florida sunshine.

This 1966 Aero Commander (Meyers 200D), owned by Wane

Feuerherm and Don Riggs, stopped in for a visit; a display
plaque indicated that the airplane cruises at 210 mph .

A 1956 high-cabin Beech 18ES, registered to Jack

Shepard of Columbia, Mississippi , was one of several
twin Beeches at the fly-in.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

11

This Canadian-registered 1950 Bellanca Model 14-19

was last listed as belonging to Larry Quinton of Colling
wood, Ontario, Canada.

A handsome 1944 Grumman G-44 Widgeon graced the

seaplane tie-down area. It' s registered to Jerry Gon
soulin of Pensacola , Florida.

Several Piper J-3 Cubs were on hand to celebrate this

year's "Spring Break For Pilots. "

Classic elegance: Richard Preiser's award-winning 1948

Stinson 108-3 Flying Station Wagon. (Watch for an up
coming feature on this airplane.)

Richard Preiser of Delray Beach, Florida, carefully cleans

N6364M ' s wheel pant. This Stinson received the Out
standing Classic Aircraft award.

Short-wing Pipers were popular on the flightline this

year. This nicely restored PA-22 is registered to Marcus
Waters of Warner Robins, Georgia.

The radial-engined Stinson , Fairchild, and Howard boldly

mark their territory.

This 1947 Republic Seabee (N6386K), owned by Bill

Bardin of Brockport, New York, was awarded Best Am
phibian - Metal.
......

12 JUNE 2009

Ron Shelton

Cayce, SC

_ Single engine instrument-rated pilot

with a tail wheel endorsement
_ Curator at South Carolina State
Museum for 20 years, with historic
aviation as part of responsibilities
_ 20 years of plane ownership

_ Began taking flying lessons after

college and earnea pilots license
at age 45

/II have appreciated my business relationship with AUA for

several years. I have found them to be courteous as well as
prompt and responsive to requests and inquiries./I

- Ron Shelton

AUA is Vintage Aircraft Association approved. To become a member of VAA call 8008433612.

Aviation insurance with the fAA Vintage Program GHars:

lower premiums with payment options - Additional coverages - Flexibility on the use of your aircraft - Experienced agents
On-line quote request available - AUA is licensed in all states

THE FOR
IT

'S

a well-known
f~ct that certain
airplanes have
a near narcotic
effect on given groups of people,
and this is what has given rise to
so many type clubs. Some of the
airplanes, however, Beechcraft Bo
nanzas being one of them, seem to
work their way into a person's DNA
and take up permanent residence
in that person's soul. And it must
be a DNA-level attraction for the
Fortier family of Chico, California,
whose Bonanza history started in
1947, the first year the breed was
produced , and family members
have continued to be involved un
til today. They represent three gen
erations of Bonanza ownership,
with two generations owning the
14 JUNE 2009

same airplane, a B35, for more than

38 years. In keeping with the tra
dition, N5256C is slowly working
its way to Rick Fortier and his wife,
Leslie, as the family heirloom .
If we were to present the torrid
tale of a raggedy old 1950 airplane
being stripped down to its under
wear and brought back to life one
bolt at a time, it wouldn't be the
first time we've done so on these
pages. Within the vintage airplane
community the stories of heroic
airplane restorations are becoming
cliches. This is why the Fortier Bo
nanza is unique among vintage air
planes: It has never been restored!
Nor has it ever stopped flying. For
an amazing 58 years it has been do
ing what it was designed to do: pro
vide transportation.

The Fortier family business is

producing almonds and walnuts.
The family immigrated west late in
the 1800s and took up residence
on what is still the family ranch in
Northern California. With a cen
tury on the same land behind them,
Rick, Leslie, and Rick's brother, Rus
sell, are the fourth generation to
work their family ranch and the
third to raise almonds and wal
nuts. And for well more than a half
century, there has been a Bonanza
(or two) sitting on the runway.
Rick's grandfather, Herman For
tier, owned a number of brand new
Bonanzas. Starting in 1947, Rick's
father, Stanley, grew up with his fa
ther's Bonanzas and purchased his
own, N5256C, in 1970, when the
airplane was already 20 years old.

"The airplane had been well cared

for," Rick says. "I was a toddler at
the time; I only remember being
buckled in and going somewhere."
You could say Rick and his
younger brother grew up in this
1950 B35 Bonanza.
1950 Bonanzas originally came
out of the factory with a 185
hp E-185-8 Continental and an
electric controllable-pitch pro
peller. Considering that those
original Bonanzas weren't that
much smaller than the last V-tail
Beech birds, it's almost comical to
think of them with only 185 hp.
Apparently one of N5256C's own
ers previous to the Fortiers didn't
think it was so funny.
"Sometim e during the late
1950s," Rick says, "the airplane was

upgraded to a 225-hp E-225-8 Con

tinental engine, which is common
in the straight 35 through the F35.
It still retained the Beechcraft 215
electric propeller. I have never had
the opportunity to fly an older Bo
nanza with the 185-hp engine, but
I am sure more horsepower made a
difference . The 225-hp engine and
the 215 propeller are still power
ing this airplane, and with routine
maintenance, both should last for
quite a while."
Although his parents bought
another Bonanza, an A36TC in
1980 , they kept the B model
knowing it would eventually be
handed down to Rick, who, at the
time, was 12 years old .
Rick says, "The B35 has always
been Dad's baby, and since I showed

interest in flying, he not only sup

ported that interest, but made me
an increasing part of his aviation
life as I got older."
"Sometime during the 1980s Dad
and a friend decided the airplane
needed painting. It was getting a
little shabby, so they did some re
search and decided to change it
from its G model paint scheme back
to its original scheme. So, they used
the B35 handbook cover as a guide
and repainted it just like it came
out of the factory. With this scheme
it offers the opportunity to polish
most of the fuselage and wings. I
now enjoy polishing Five-Six Char
lie because of all the compliments
we receive. There is nothing like a
polished Bonanza."
After Rick's father purchased
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

15

With its bank of original "piano key" switches across the lower portion of the instrument panel and the metal trim
around the central axis of the throw-over control yoke, the interior of the Fortiers' Bonanza is nearly original. The
addition of a set of modern radios and a Garmin GPS 396 increases the utility of this family airplane.

BONNIE KRATZ

5256C, he joined the then newly

formed American Bonanza Soci
ety (www.Bonanza.org ). Rick fol
lowed suit, after obtaining his
pilot certificate. This was a natu
ral thing to do , considering the
birds-of-a-feather aspect of air
plane ownership.
When Rick started flying, it
16 JUNE 2009

didn't take him long before he was

Bonanza-qualified.
"I received my PPL in 1990 in a
Cessna 172. I was 22 years old . Af
ter that I immediately got my com
plex airplane endorsement to fly
both of our Bonanzas. My father
could see the aviation bug had
grabbed me pretty hard, and he of-

Rick Fortier isn't deterred by all the

aluminum surfaces that need to be
kept bright and shiny. " ... 1now enjoy
polishing Five-Six Charlie because
of all the compliments we receive.
There is nothing like a polished
Bonanza," he says.

ALTHOUGH HIS
PARENTS BOUGHT
ANOTHER BONANZA
... THEY KEPT
THE B MODEL
KNOWI NG IT WOU LD
EVENTUALLY BE
HANDED DOWN TO
RICK, WHO, AT
THE TIME, WAS 12
YEARS OLD.

The four Fortiers, Leslie and Rick with their two daughters, Hannah and
Holly. Their Bonanza has been part of the family since Rick's father
bought it in 1970.

fered me half ownership in the B35.

Who could turn something like
that down! I knew how much the
airplane meant to him. Aviation, in
so many ways, has drawn us close
together, and this was just the icing
on the cake."
Any airplane of that age at some
point needs to be upgraded for
utility and ease of maintenance, if
nothing else.
"The panel is still the original
style with the original 'piano key'

switches, which all work. The avi

onics are Narco, which my father
had installed in the mid-'70s. A
few years ago, I removed the old
Narco automatic direction finder
system and the Lear autopilot,
which was installed in the late
1950s. Removing them took a tre
mendous amount of weight out of
the airplane."
All retractable-gear airplanes at
some time need the landing gear
repainted and checked over, and
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

17

so it was with Rick's old bird. "We pulled all

three gear legs out and had them powder
coated, checked the bolts and bushings, and
installed new seals," he recalls.
Like we said, this is most definitely not your
average tale of restoration derring-do. We're so
used to hearing about re-skinning and having
to replace half the ribs and track down illusive
interior parts, but the nearly 60-year-old Fort
ier Bonanza's history reads more like the main
tenance history of a much younger airplane.
But the Fortiers aren't done.
"We have a list of things we're going to do
in time," says Rick. "Someday we will have
to tend to things like replacing the windows,
when needed, reupholstering the interior, and
updating the avionics. Recently, the control
surfaces were removed, stripped, checked for
corrosion, and repainted. They are all
magneSium, so [they] have to be watched
carefully. But restore S6C? We don't see any
reason to. Besides, if we changed it too much,
it wouldn't be perfect."
We like their attitude. The patina on this
airplane comes not from age, but from being
touched and loved by a family that truly cares
for it. This airplane is a member of the Fortier
family. Rick and Leslie are both young, and
their daughters love to take turns sitting in the
front seat with Dad, so there's yet another gen
eration coming along that will layer their own
brand of patina on top of that generated by
......
their ancestors.

18

JUNE 2009

Rick's grandfather, Herman Fortier, is leaning on the leading

edge of an early Bonanza. The fellow on the left in the photo is
an associate of the Schmizer Farm Equipment manufacturing
company. The photograph was taken in Stockton, California
around 1948 or 1949.

Rick Fortier and his brother Russell stand alongside their

father, Stanley, after the elder Fortier had purchased what
would become a family heirloom, Bonanza N5256C.

Light Plane Heritage

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN

EAA Experimenter

OCTOBER 1994

Introduction of ethylene glycol

antifreeze in late 1920s made
possible a significant reduction
in the size, weight, and air drag of
aircraft radiators. Curtiss Falcon
at left is water-cooled; one at right
is Prestone-cooled. Radiators were
mounted at an angle to minimize
their frontal area and facilitate
cleaner nose shapes.

A look at liquid cooling

BY BOB WHITIIER

EAA 1235

Some time ago we came upon a

reader letter in an aviation maga
zine not published by EAA. Its
writer expressed strong opposition
to the increasing use of liquid cool
ing in small aircraft engines. Said
he : "We've been using air-cooled
engines with good results for over
60 years now, so it's ridiculous to go
back to liquid cooling!"
That made us think. The only ex
perience most of today's pilots have
had with liquid-cooling systems is
with those in their cars. They know
that antifreeze should be replaced
at recommended intervals, and that
sometimes radiators, pumps, and
hoses require attention.
In the early days of aviation, wa-

ter cooling was more common than

air cooling. Pioneer aircraft engine
builders did not have the metal
working knowledge necessary to
cast successful air-cooled aluminum
cylinder heads.
To achieve lightness, they tediously
machined air-cooled cylinders having
integral heads out of solid billets of
steel. The resulting cylinders had very
skimpy finning on their heads, and
overheating was a common problem.
On the other hand, water cooling
was in common use in auto engines.
DeSigners knew the calculations in
volved in water-cooling systems, and
foundry men had become adept at
casting engine blocks having integral
water jackets.

Once a set of air-cooled cylinders

was made and installed on a new en
gine, all one could do to cope with
unanticipated overheating or over
cooling problems was to tinker with
cowlings, fans, and baffles. But if a
new water-cooled engine had cool
ing problems, it was usually simple
enough to tinker with radiator shut
ters, modify the fan, or install a dif
ferent radiator.
In a 1925 book we came upon a
photo of a de Havilland Dh.4 flying
over Baghdad. Clearly visible below
the engine cowling is a large auxil
iary radiator installed to cope with
desert heat. During World War II,
Spitfires operating in North Africa
had to be fitted with oversize radia

Editor's Note: The Light Plane Heritage series in EAA's Experimenter magazine often touched on aircraft and concepts
related to vintage aircraft and their history. Since many of our members have not had the opportunity to read this se
ries, we plan on publishing those LPH articles that would be of interest to VAA members. Enjoy!-HGF
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

19

Designers tried many ways to reduce the air drag of the

radiators necessary for liquid-cooled engines. World War I
Albatros, top left, had radiator mounted flat in wing center
section. Pulitzer and Schneider trophy racers such as the
Curtiss Navy Racer, top right, used surface radiators. Developed
in Europe, the Lamblin radiator, as on the DeWoitine at left,
looked like a watermelon with fins attached to it; it had good
aerodynamic shape for a radiator.

tors for the same reason .

Ear ly airp lanes h ad t heir seats
quite out in the open, so flying was
done in mild weather. When World
War I started, military expediency
required that flying be done in cold
weather. Nacelles and then cockpits
appeared on the scen e, as did con
trollable radiator shutters. By 1918
combat flying was being don e at al
titudes as high as 20,000 feet. Imag
ine yourse lf in an open cockpit at
that altitude in February of that year!
Pilots bund led th em se lves up in
whatever official or unofficial winter
clothing they could scrounge.
Mechanics had winter problems
too. For reasons we'll explain later,
alcohol and other substa n ces used
to keep car and truck radiators from

freezing ha d sh ortcomings for air

craft use. When planes eqUipped with
water-cooled en gines landed, pilots
closed the radiator shutters and cool
ing system s were drained of water
while the engines were sti ll idling.
This procedure minimized the chance
of water pockets in the cooling sys
tems freezing. In very cold weather,
crankcase oil was also drained because
there were no multi-viscosity oils in
those days. To start drained engines,
heated water and oil were poured in
to encourage cylinder firing and ad
equate initial oil pressure.
Things were that rough during the
air mail days of the 1920s. Barnstorm
ers either flew south or quit flying for
the winter. Early motorists tried ways
of preventing freezing that were some

times weird. To cooling-system water

they added such thi n gs as salt, cal
cium chloride, honey, and molasses.
Some even replaced t he water with
kerosene. We don't have to explain
what such things did to the various
parts of an engine.
More widely used were alcohol
and common glycerin. The lat
ter often clogged radiator passage
ways with a gummy deposit. Later,
both wood and grain alcohols were
used. During t he Prohibition years
between 1920 and 1933, highly
distastefu l and even poisonous ad
di t ives were put in to discourage
people from drinking this denatured
alcohol bought at service stations.
Where water at sea level boils at
212F, alcohol boils at 180F. Also, the

Left, water jackets can be cast into

engine blocks. This keeps cost down in mass
production but adds weight, and it's why auto
engines can make poor aircraft powerplants.
Center, aero engines saved weight by using
thin sheet metal jackets. Copper, pressed
steel, and Monel were used
and attached with screws,
welding, or brazing. Early
radiators of "honeycomb"
type were made of many
swaged copper tubes
soldered together. Modern
radiators are of tube type
and made of aluminum with
plastic end tanks.
20

J U NE 2009

Header Tank

Left, probably following automotive practice, early planes

had nose radiators that led to aerodynamically poor fuselage
noses. Right, relocating radiators below engines made more pointed nose cowls
possible. Pumps were usually outside engine blocks to keep water from mixing
with lube oil. Pumps pushed water into engine blocks so light pressurization
would help minimize formation of steam pockets. A cooling-system "water
pump" is really just an impeller to keep liquid circulating in a cooling system,
so the simple, reliable centrifugal type is used.

boiling point drops 2 degrees for each

1,000 feet of altitude. Recommended
coolant temperatures for the widely
used OX-5 engine was at least 140F
for takeoff, 160F in flight, and 180F
maximum. So, if alcohol was being
used, a pilot had to keep close watch
of the temperature gauge on his ship's
instrument panel. He used the radia
tor shutters often to try to keep the
temperature in the 160F to 170F
range. Shutter controls had to be de
pendable, and smooth and positive in
action. Thermostats did not begin to
appear on cars until around 1930.
The tendency of alcohol to boil
out did not matter too much to pi
lots of planes that never flew high,
but it became a major problem in the
early 1920s as new military planes
climbed ever higher. Flying out of
the Army's McCook Field in Ohio in
1920, the new Packard-LePere two
seat fighter reached an altitude of
31,000 feet. Boil-off was also a prob
lem for planes flying early north-to
south routes. Cooling systems for
planes intended for long-distance
flights had to have header tanks able
to hold enough coolant to handle
boil-off and evaporation. Part of the
preflight for all OX-5, Hispano, and
Liberty engine fliers was to check
the radiator water supply.
Everyone realized that better an
tifreeze was urgently needed by op
erators of all kinds of engines. In 1923
the research facility at McCook Field

experimented with a mixture of wa

ter and ethylene glycol. Researchers
found it possible to run a Curtiss D-12
engine with coolant temperatures ap
proaching 300F.
Ethylene is a gas widely used in the
chemical industry, glycol is an organic
compound related to the alcohols,
and ethylene glycol made from them
is a thick and initially colorless fluid
having a comparatively high boiling
point. We looked into several books
and found it quoted as being 325F,
345F, and 385F. Moral: Don't take
everything you read in a textbook as
being the gospel truth!
After undergOing a development
period, this new antifreeze was put on
the market in 1927 under the trade
name Prestone. Other permanent
type antifreezes now on the market
are also ethylene glycol. Users initially
had problems with it. Something
about its chemistry made it tend to
weep out past water pump packings,
hose connections, and gasketed part
ing surfaces that had served satisfac
torily with water and alcohol.
Manufacturers and mechanics
had to pay more attention to the
smoothness of mating surfaces, the
torquing of nuts and bolts, and the
tightening of hose clamps. Some
times two clamps had to be used to
stop weeping, and as time went on
better clamps appeared. Before Pre
stone appeared, water pumps used
packing consisting of several turns

of graphite-impregnated asbestos
cord, compressed just enough with
a packing nut to stop leaks. The very
durable water pump shaft seals we
have today are the result of years of
research. Today's ethylene glycol an
tifreezes are compounded to lubri
cate the lips of these seals, and this
is one reason why it pays to heed
engine manufacturers' recommen
dations about water-to-antifreeze
proportions and replacement peri
ods for used coolant. Fresh coolant
also contains additives to control
foaming and protect cooling-system
metal surfaces from corrosion.
We take this antifreeze so much
for granted that we seldom give it a
thought. But anyone using or plan
ning to use it in a liquid-cooled
aviation engine should learn some
thing about its quirks. As it comes
from the shipping container, it has
a freezing point of OF. But, instead
of turning into a solid at this point,
it becomes slushy. The different
books in front of us as we write this
give the freezing-solid point as be
ing 48F, 60F, and 70F below zero
F. If you're doing serious work with
engines, go by the latest and most
authoritative literature you can find.
When it freezes, unlike water, ethyl
ene glycol contracts and so will not
burst a cooling system's passageways.
When it's used in a cooling system, it
expands more than does water, and
this is why modern cooling systems
have overflow tanks. Also, when a
hot engine is shut down, coolant cir
culation ceases and heat remaining
in the cylinders' metal soaks into the
coolant. This can raise its tempera
ture as much as 20 degrees, and what
is called "afterboiling" occurs.
The 50-50 mixture commonly used
provides freezing protection to minus
34F, while a mixture containing 68
percent ethylene glycol lowers the
freezing point to minus 92F. As we
said, this stuff has quirks!
A reason why mixtures in the 50-50
range are widely used has to do with
the corrosion inhibition properties
compounded into commercial anti
freezes. Much or too little antifreeze
in the coolant mixture upsets things
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

21

Airplane designers had their

own ideas about radiator location.
Top, American Eagle had radiator
under fuselage. Center, Waco 10
had it slung under center section.
Bottom, Curtiss Robin had it in the
nose above the propeller shaft. Text
explains pros and cons of each.

in this respect. Using antifreeze un

diluted could lead to corrosion in the
radiator or cylinder head department.
Yet, we have here a good illustration
of how complicated the antifreeze
subject is. The Rotax 912 operator's
manual approves of using from 70 to
100 percent ethylene glycol to cope
with whatever steam pocket problems
might be encountered. In such cases,
adding more corrosion inhibitor is re
quired. One reason why draining old
antifreeze is done at recommended
intervals is because the anticorrosion
additive in new antifreeze does not
last indefinitely. If you're really inter
ested in this subject, get the addresses
of antifreeze manufacturers from con
tainers or your local auto supply store
and write for technical literature .
Look in encyclopedias at public librar
ies and read up on alcohol, antifreeze,
ethylene, glycol, and ethylene glycol.
While in the library, see if it has the
22 JUNE 2009

Reader's Digest Complete Car Care Man

ual. It has a good coverage of modern
auto cooling systems. Textbooks on
motorcycle and sports car engineer
ing cover both air and liquid cooling.
A History of Aircraft Piston Engine, by
Herschel Smith, Sunflower University
Press, ISBN 0 -89745-079-5, goes into
detail on the design and construction
of liqUid-cooled engines.
Designers of early aircraft, seeing
that radiators were mounted verti
cally on automobiles, mounted theirs
likewise. To them it made sense to
have the water descend vertically.
It's fascinating to leaf through pic
ture books of early aviation and see
the many pOSitions and locations
they chose for installing radiators.
The 1909 Demoiselle of France had
"radiators" mounted under its wing
roots. Multiple small-diameter cop
per tubes ran from the leading to the
training edges.
With few exceptions, the verti
cal positioning of radiators was used
up through World War I. The British
SE-5a fighters had squarish radiators
that gave them boxy-looking noses.
The reasoning was that since the 90
degree dispOSition of the right and left
cylinder banks of its V-8 engine made
it a rather wide object, there was little
point in putting a radiator of more
aerodynamic shape in front of it.
Designers of that time were, how
ever, aware of such things as fron
tal area. Two-seater observation/
bombing planes had their cockpits
in tandem and therefore had fairly
narrow fuselages . So the right and
left banks of cylinders of the 400-hp
Liberty engine were set at an angle of
45 degrees to one another. This made
for a fairly narrow engine that suited
narrow fuselages.
The Germans made much use of
the Six-cylinder, in-line Mercedes
and similar engines. This encouraged
them to favor quite well-streamlined
nose cowlings. To improve on this,
Albatros fighters had their radiators
mounted flat in the center section
of the top wing. While this reduced
frontal area, it led to some loss of lift
by reason of air flowing up through
these radiators to the wing's top side.

During and after that war, large

twin-engined planes often had no en
gine cowling at all. The reason was
that since they were basically big,
slow biplanes, fancy streamlining of
the engine installations would result
in insignificant gain in speed. But at
the same time, leaving engines, radia
tors, and piping completely exposed
greatly facilitated quick and thorough
checks by mechanics between flights.
This made good sense in a time when
powerplant reliability was a matter of
pressing concern. Before we criticize
the deSigners of those old clunkers,
we should remember that today we
run ultralight engines uncowled!
After that war, aero engineers
had time to do research work under
less pressure. Although air flowing
through a vertically mounted radia
tor did not cause as much drag as
a flat plate of the same size, it was
realized that the quite sharp edges
of radiator shells such as that on the
Jenny were aerodynamically bad.
They plowed air aside quite roughly
and sent turbulence flowing back
along fuselage surfaces.
As engine power began to leave the
400-hp figure behind, deSigners be
came concerned that ever-larger verti
cal radiators directly behind propellers
created an increasingly objectionable
"The airplane is pushing back against
itself" situation.
So radiators were moved down un
der engines and set at an angle. This
got much of their bulk usefully back
from the propeller. It also allowed large
radiators to be fitted in such a way as
not to increase fuselage frontal area.
Nose cowlings assumed better aerody
namic shapes. This process continued
until we arrived at the World War II
fighters having very long, lean noses
and radiators under their wings or well
back in fuselage bellies.
Of course, the advent of Prestone
was welcomed enthusiastically be
cause it allowed radiator size to be
significantly reduced. Mixtures of Pre
stone and water allowed coolant to be
run at temperatures 30 to 35 degrees
above that of plain water. In 1929 the
Curtiss company took a stock Mail
Falcon fitted with a 600-hp Curtiss

Conqueror engine and converted it

to use Prestone. This modified plane
weighed 125 pounds less, had signifi
cantly less frontal area, and had ap
preciably brisker performance than its
water-cooled brothers.
Because so many thousands of them
were made, we often see examples of
Curtiss OX-5 engines in museums and
on the noses of beautifully restored
antique planes.
We can learn much from them.
The IN-4 training plane made to
use it had the radiator mounted at
the forward-most part of the fuse
lage, and the OX-5 was given a long
"snout" on the front end of its crank
case. This was to carry the propeller
shaft through a round hole in the ra
diator and forward to mate with the
propeller. Making this hole added to
the time and cost involved in making
Jenny radiators.
However, as the 1920s moved
along, designers of planes intended
as replacements for the Jenny realized
the long snout of the OX-5 made it
quite easy to fashion and install nose
cowlings that were both aerodynami
cally and aesthetically superior. They
also got away from the expensive
hole in the Jenny's radiator by locat
ing simpler rectangular radiators at
various places.

Some ships, such as the Curtiss

Robin, Command-Aire, Pheasant, and
Pitcairn Speedwing, carried their radia
tors in their noses, ahead of the OX-5
and above its propeller shaft snout.
In this position the radiators did not
add to the frontal area of these planes.
Their considerable weight so far for
ward had to be taken into account
during center of gravity calculations.
You'd think that this location
would be good for cooling by reason
of the fact that the radiators were di
rectly behind the propellers . How
ever, the inner portions of propeller
blades don't throw back very much
air. Air passing through nose radia
tors picked up a lot of heat and fed it
back into the engine compartments.
Next time you see an OX-5 Curtiss
Robin, notice how many louvers the
cowling has! One has but to ride in
the front cockpit of a Model A Ford
powered Pietenpol to realize what a
great amount of quite hot air pours
out of a radiator.
Other OX-5 ships such as the Travel
Air, American Eagle, and biplanes car
ried their radiators under their fuse
lages and approximately below the
firewa lls. In this location they prob
ably got a better blast of air coming
back from portions of the propeller
blades farther out from the hub. Wa

ter that dripped from them fell to the

ground. But pilots could not see them
while in flight so as to notice begin
ning leaks. Oil dripping from an en
gine got into and deteriorated radia
tor hoses made of the natural rubber
then in use.
The popular Waco 10 biplane car
ried its radiator slung under its up
per wing's center section. This put it
in clear view of the pilot, and in this
location it got plenty of prop wash.
The shutters were located at the back
side of this plane's radiator. We can
only guess that this was done to put
them in clear view of the pilot, and
to assure that at least some air pressed
into the radiator should a pilot forget
himself and fly along with the shut
ters closed. If an OX-5 Waco's radiator
sprung a leak, front-seat passengers
got an unexpected and unwelcome
shower. The Curtiss IN-4 trainer had
no radiator shutters because it was
built to be used at military training
fields in warm southern states.
When radiators were located any
appreciable distance above or below
a plane's thrust line, deSigners had to
consider the effect of their drag on
the plane's trim while in flight.
The advent of ethylene glycol an
tifreeze made possible great advances
in power and speed during the 1930s.

Left, Model A Ford in Pietenpol. Water jacket covers

only areas of cylinder walls exposed to flame. Air flowing
past lower portions cools surfaces not so exposed. In a
car, the front (water pump) end of engine sat higher than
rear. In a Pietenpol, rear of engine faces forward and so
is higher when plane is taxiing or climbing. In this car-to-plane conversion, pump pulls water out of engine; the resuHing
slight suction could lower boiling point and encourage formation of a steam pocket in top front part of cylinder head.
Long, diagonal hose conducted steam to radiator. Later auto engines had full-length water jackets to stiffen cylinder
blocks and muffle mechanical noise. Right, modem liquid-cooled Continentals like this four-cylinder 0-200 used on the
Voyager incorporate sophisticated engineering. Liquid cooling allows them to burn lean mixture at high compression
for fuel economy and power.
VI N TAGE AI RPLA NE

23

While air-cooled engines had their

staunch supporters, we should re
member that many famous World
War II warplanes used liquid-cooled
engines. A vast amount of research
work went into improving radiators
and installing them in ducts to re
duce their drag. People cling to stories
about water-cooled engine troubles
of the early days, and it really seems
that this is why many of today's pi
lots take a dim view of liquid cooling.
Well, how often do you hear stories
about misadventures with Mustang
or Spitfire cooling systems?
There is as much difference
between a 1918 water-cooled en
gine and a 1990s liquid-cooled
one as there is between a Jenny
and a Questair.
We have assembled some interest
ing figures from a variety of publica
tions. The radiator of the 1918 de
Havilland Dh.4 warplane was 4 feet
high and 2 feet wide. Try carrying a
2-foot by 4-foot panel of plywood in
a 90-mph gale! This ship's cooling
system carried 100 pounds of water.
The Curtiss IN-4 radiator, plumb
ing, and water added up to 96
pounds. The bare radiator of the
late-1920s OX-5 Eaglerock biplane
weighed 37 pounds.
Powered by a 160-hp V-8 engine,
the Curtiss America flying boat of
1914 had a 70-pound radiator,
and the cooling system carried 80
pounds of water. A V-12 engine
built by Curtiss during World War I
needed a radiator weighing 120
pounds of water.
Cooling systems of 180-hp Mer
cedes engines of 1918 carried 55
pounds of water. Including the
mount brackets, the radiator of one
Pietenpol weighed 20 pounds dry.
In contrast, the modern CAM
100 light aircraft engine based on a
Honda block uses a radiator weigh
ing 12 pounds, and a gallon of
coolant weighing approximately 9
pounds fills its cooling system. An
8-by-ll-inch aluminum radiator
used with the two-cycle Rotax ultra
light engine weighs a mere 2 pounds
8 ounces. Radiators used with these
modern engines are so small that
24

JUNE 2009

they can be neatly tucked away in

side cowlings that have air open
ings similar in size to those used for
air-cooled engines. Sometimes they
are mounted flat under fuselages to
have minimal frontal area. Some of
today's liqUid-cooling systems have
less drag than air-cooled engines of
equivalent power.
Around 20 years ago the Conti
nental firm installed carefully de
signed liquid-cooled cylinders on a
standard 0-200 flat-four crankcase.
The resulting engine developed 10
percent more power and had sev
eral other attributes. It was possible
to use an l1.4-to-1 compression ra
tio and run this engine on a leaner
mixture for better fuel economy.
(You may recall this engine was
used as the powerplants for the re
cord-setting, globe-girdling Rutan
Voyager.-Editor)
A difficult cooling problem exists
at the bridge of metal between in
take and exhaust ports. Liquid cool
ing can often deal with such hot
spots better than can air cooling.
Some liquid-cooled auto engines
contain metal tubes that direct jets
of coolant directly at hot spots. To
achieve uniform cooling of each of
the six cylinders in each bank of
the V-112 Allison warplane engine,
different-sized metering orifices
were installed where coolant lines
fed into cooling jackets.
One reason why Volkswagen
dropped air cooling in favor of liq
uid cooling is that it realized the
greater piston-to-cycle clearances
required in hot-running air-cooled
engines would give it problems in
meeting new emissions standards.
Liquid cooling allowed it and also
Continental to use closer fits.
In the liquid-cooled Continen
tal Voyager engines, liquid cooling
also allowed the use of a new high
turbulence combustion chamber
design. This is what permitted the
use of leaner fuel mixtures for better
economy.
Claims made for its Voyager liq
uid-cooled engines include more
uniform cylinder cooling, reduced
combustion chamber metal surface

temperatures, avoidance of dif

ficult airflow problems, better cyl
inder wear characteristics, greater
time between overhauls, reduced
fuel consumption, increased power,
better detonation control, reduc
tion in cooling drag, better control
of cooling in various climates, less
rapid cooling of very hot parts upon
throttling down, and greater toler
ance to abuse by operators.
The Voyager plane's 1986 nonstop
round-the-world flight would not
have been possible without the use
of liqUid-cooled Continental power,
due to this engine's lower fuel con
sumption. The plane took off with
1,226 gallons of fuel aboard, and
upon landing 216 hours later there
were only 18.3 gallons of fuel left in
the tanks.
Persons having a serious inter
est in liquid-cooled engine design
can write to the public relations
department of Teledyne Continen
tal Motors, P.O. Box 90, Mobile,
AL 33601 about obtaining a copy
of R.E. Wilkinson's paper, "Design
and Development of the Voyager
200/300 Liquid Cooled Aircraft En
gine," 1987, ISBN 0148-719.
For reasons explained in that
paper, the cooling jackets of these
engines do not extend all the way
down the cylinder walls. Lower ar
eas of these walls are cooled by oil
sprayed at the undersides of pistons.
The flat-four model 912 Rotax
light aircraft engine follows mod
ern automotive practice by running
at high speed (80 hp at 5500 rpm)
to achieve power with light weight.
Its cylinder heads are liquid-cooled
to cope with combustion heat, but
the lower portions of the cylinder
barrels not exposed to combustion
flame are adequately cooled by con
ventional air-cooling fins.
It's worth noting that designers of
many motorcycles have seen good
reason to use liquid cooling. The small
engines we have today are the result
of a vast amount of development
work. The bottom line, therefore, is
that liquid cooling is going to play
an increasingly important role in the
field of light aircraft engines. ........

BY ROBER T G . LOCK

Adhesives and bondings

Part 1

his article will concentrate on the art of

bonding non-metallic and metallic materials.
We will explore bonding hard and soft wood
and briefly describe some techniqu es used in
bonding aluminum, although aluminum bonding is
not that widely used in antique aircraft restoration.
I hope you ' ll find it interesting, for my purpose is
to raise awareness about the importance of surface
preparation, proper mixing and application of the
adhesive, and correct use of clamps to apply pressure
during cure.
First, what is bonding? Bonding is the fabrication
of parts where attachment of sub-members is by the
use of adhesives. Assuming the adhesive is mixed and
applied properly, the strength and integrity of a bond
depends entirely on the person making it. The actual
bond cannot be inspected or tested without breaking
the part. Therefore, it is necessary to make test samples
to check bond strength. The integrity will depend on
preparation of the surface, quality of the adhesive, cor
rect mixing of adhesive, and proper cure techniques.
So, we'll begin the discussion with wood structures
and take a quick review of wood.
The shape of the leaf of the tree determines whether
a wood is classified as soft or hard. Softwoods come
from conifer trees with sharp-pointed leaves, while
hardwoods come from broad-leaf trees. Therefore
spruce and Douglas fir are softwoods, while birch,
mahogany, and oak are hardwoods. Softwood is used
for the majority of the primary structure because it
is lighter in weight. The most common of these soft
woods for aircraft structure is Sitka spruce (which is
considered the standard) or Douglas fir.
Spruce is the easiest to work because it doesn't splin
ter; it's also the best to bond. Douglas fir is slightly
denser and more easily splinters when planed. It may
also be a little more difficult to obtain a good bonded
joint with Douglas fir.
Plywood (created using woods that are members of
the hardwood family) is a veneer and is bonded into

sheets using an odd number of plies. Mahogany is the

most common, followed by birch. The core material
in plywood is most likely basswood or poplar. Aircraft
grade plywood will meet MIL-P-6070.
A note here should be made that, generally, soft
woods are less dense and lighter than hardwoods.
When bonding plywood plates to wing spars it will
be necessary to lightly sand the surface to be bonded.
This will put some sand scratches in the dense surface
and will aid in strengthening the bonded joint. Soft
wood surfaces, particularly spar splices, should not
be sanded because sanding dust will enter into the
softwood's more open wood-grain structure and may
cause a weak bond.
There are two types of adhesive resins currently in
use. One is approved by the FAA, and the other is not.
(At Least not yet. We continue to work on this issue with
the FAA .-Editor) Synthetic resin adhesive has been
around for many years. The newly revised FAA Advi
sory Circular AC 43.13-1B only approves a Resorcinol
resin glue; plastic resin glue is no longer approved for
application on FAA type certificated aircraft. The AC
is very vague about the use of the second type of ad
hesive-epoxy. There are several epoxy adhesives that
I have used for wood-structure fabrication and re
pair. I've used Forest Products Lab FPL-16A; it's white
and leaves white stains all over the wood. T-88 Struc
tural Adhesive is a clear adhesive, but it's quite vis
cous, making it difficult to spread over large areas. 3M
Scotch-Weld EC-2216 BIA, another good adhesive, is
gray in color. But it, too, is very viscous, making it
difficult to apply a thin, even coat to the parts to be
bonded. And most recently I've used the West System
epoxy adhesive. The Classic Waco factory uses this ad
hesive for its wing fabrication, but it refuses to release
the data related to its FAA approval, obviously be
cause it cost the company time and money to get that
approval. So where are we on FAA approval of epoxy
adhesives? Just try to find a new epoxy adhesive with
a military specification (MIL SPEC), aerospace mateVINTAGE AIRPLANE

25

/GRAIN

_.... _._----
e _ _ _ .""

' " NAILING STRIPS

"
WAXED
!'?'i""'"O ITZ,..'ZCZ!,/4- PAPER

l;:~"""" _

~--

PAPER

FIGURE 1

rial specification CAMS), or technical standards order

CTSO) approval for use in a wood structure. Wood is
a material of the past. The above approvals will be
for bonding metallic or composite structures only,
not wood. Something in the near future will have to
"break loose" from the FAA regarding approval for ep
oxy adhesive use in type certificated aircraft.
Having covered all that, let's look at surface prepa
ration of wood structure . First, the most strength of
any bonded jOint is one that is placed in a shear load.
That's why spar, rib, and plywood splices are made
with such long scarf joints (10-to-1 to 12-to-1). This
places the bond line in shear. For spar splices, spruce or
Douglas fir should be planed only. For Resorcinol ad
hesive, because this type of adhesive doesn't like thick
bond lines, the joint should fit together very closely.
The thicker the bond line the weaker the bond. Also,
heavy clamping pressure should be used during the
cure. Parallel clamps used with caul blocks are best for
spar splices.
The final fit for rib cap strip splices is usually
achieved by sanding. Again, make the fit between the
surfaces close. Pressure on the bond line is achieved by
nailing through plywood gussets. The same thing is
true for plywood surfaces; sanding is a must to achieve
a close fit. Clamping is by the use of nailing strips and,
in some cases, by the use of sand bags.
Epoxy adhesives are somewhat different than Re
sorcinol adhesive. Epoxies can withstand a thicker
bond line and not lose strength. However, epoxy
resins don ' t like heavy clamping pressure. And
that is a problem when using epoxy resins for spar
splices. I still use Resorcinol adhesive for making
spar splices because I know how it works and what
kind of pressure it likes. If you clamp epoxy adhe
sive with parallel clamps, this is what will happen.
The clamp pressure will drive out excess resin, but
because epoxy resin is so viscous, the clamping
pressure will eventually be lost or diminished. And
if you apply too much pressure, much of the epoxy
resin will be driven out of the joint, resulting in a
weak bond . I urge anyone who uses epoxy adhe
sive to make some test samples; prepare the surface,
spread the resin, clamp using the same method you
will use on the actual part, allow it to cure, then
JUNE 2009

WAXED

BACKING

CSCARF

26

OVERLAP -3" MINIMUM

r-----Z-r--~l

A. MAKING SOFTWOOD TEST SAMPLE(S)

FIGURE 2
./OVERLAP - 2" MINIMUM
.....

B. MAKING HARDWOOD TEST SAMPLE(S)

test the sample to destruction. Adjust pressure on

the bonded joint so you will know in advance ex
actly how to use the adhesive.
Figure 1 and Figure 2 show how to make such test
samples.
It should be noted here that cure temperature is im
portant. Do not allow the temperature to drop below 70F
during the curing stage, especially for Resorcinol adhe
sive. Some epoxy adhesives will cure at temperatures
as low as 50F, but I'm always concerned about low
temperature cures. We call the cure of these types of
adhesives "cold setting" or "low temperature" cure.
Cold-setting or low-temperature cures generally are
from 150F and below. Cure times can be speeded up
by increasing the temperature, but I've never gone
above 125F. If you are using an elevated temperature,
be sure to monitor temperature with a thermometer
and don't allow any "spikes" in temperature.
Epoxy adhesives are "thermosetting" plastiCS. The
adhesive is composed of a resin with a catalyst or
hardener. Once mixed, the material cures by chemi
cal cross-linking of the molecules of the resin. A by
product of the curing process is "exothermic heat."

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setting for hot temperatures and

fast setting for cold temperatures.
Never adjust catalyst ratio to gain
an advantage in curing time. In
DISTILLED
WATER
other words, don't add more cat
SPRAY
alyst to make the material cure
BOTTLE
faster. If temperature control is
available, adjust the temperature.
Adding heat will cure an epoxy
adhesive
faster, and cooling will
THIN CONSTANT
LAYER OF WATER
make it cure slower.
When constructing the test sam
ples, the bonded surfaces must be
clean. Mix the adhesive and ap
ply it to both surfaces; allow it to
set for approximately one minute.
Then check for any dry areas where
AREAS WITH
FIGURE 3
adhesive may have soaked into
NO WATER
the wood. Recoat if necessary, as
semble, and clamp using the same
method as will be used in the repair
or fabrication, that is C-clamps,
parallel clamps, screws, nails, etc.
Allow samples to cure, monitor
ing curing temperature and time.
When cured, place the sample in a
FAIL
vise, attach a small parallel clamp,
PASS
DROPS AND AREAS WITH NO WATER
and begin to twist, push, and pull
CONSTANT LAYER OF WATER ON THE SURFACE
until the sample breaks. Closely
examine the broken samples. If the
To gain the best advantage of epoxy resins, accurate bond line holds, the splice is good. If the sample
mixing of resin and catalyst is reqUired. Some ad breaks down the bond line and there is no evidence
hesives have simple reSin/catalyst ratios, like one of wood fibers holding to the bond line, then the
part resin to one part catalyst. Other materials can sample fails. Figure out what happened, modify the
have ratios like 100 to 42, 10 to I, or 3 to 2. The ra procedure, and try again.
tios are given by either part or weight. The most ac
Let me just say a couple of things about the bond
curate method of mixing is by weight using a scale. ing of aluminum because it is not widely used in the
Accurate measuring and complete mixing of resin restoration area. Again, the outcome of the bonded
and catalyst is reqUired, so stir slowly for a minute joint depends on surface preparation and the skill
or more to assure the mixture is properly prepared. of the person making the bond. I have bonded alu
Don't stir too fast or you will whip air into the adhe minum using low-temperature and high-tempera
sive. We don't want porosity in the bond line caused ture cure adhesives. I have experimented on surface
by air bubbles.
preparation from just light sanding (scratching the
Some adhesives have different catalyzing agents surface) to chemical treatment, including anodizing.
based on working temperatures. There will be slow The results confirm that the best surface treatment

Incorrect

Correct

Edges

Edge faces
28 JUNE 2009

FIGURE 4

Edges

BEND 180

EPOXY ADHESIVE
FILLET

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 5

_,

~_. __~ ~INIMUM OVERLAY r

is anodizing, followed by chemical treatment, fol

lowed by scratching and wiping, followed by no sur
face preparation at aIL
As is with all types of bonding, cleanliness is very
important. Don't bond anything that has surface
contamination. Figure 3 shows a method, the "wa
ter break test," to determine surface cleanliness on
aluminum. A fine mist of distilled water is sprayed
on the surface, enough to wet the entire area. If the
water breaks or beads up, there is surface contami
nation . Do more cleaning and repeat the process
until a fine layer of water covers the entire surface.
Of course all the water must be completely removed
before bonding. Again, the bonding surfaces must
be scrupulously clean. This includes wood surfaces,
although a water break test is not recommended.
Latex or butyl gloves should always be worn when
handling aluminum surfaces to be bonded, thus
avoiding" finger fat." Finger fat is the oils that are
transferred from the hands to the clean surface to
be bonded.
Figure 4 shows a method of handling that will
keep the bonding surfaces clean.
For low-temperature bonding of aluminum I have
used 3M EC-2216 BfA Structural Adhesive. Results
were quite good, again witl) prior surface prepara
tion. I have cured the 3M adhesive to 125F in an
oven with controlled temperature. Again, I recom
mend making test samples before proceeding on
with the repair. Here is one way I have tested bonded
aluminum joints using room-temperature curing ep
oxy resin (See Figure 5.).
Figure 6 shows what are typical lap bonds of alumi
num substrates. The properly cured example shows
"squeeze-out" of the epoxy adhesive during the cure
process. One should always look for -s9ueeze-out for
a visual inspection of the joint. The only other low
tech method to test the joint would be to tap test it
using a coin or tap-testing tool and listen for a "me
tallic ring" sound indicating a sound bond. Coin tap
testing, normally done with a "coin" made of heavy
metal such as brass, is best done by someone who
has experience in this type of testing.
High-temperature bonding is accomplished with
an epoxy phenolic adhesive film that is in the "B
stage" of cure (catalyzed epoxy rolled into a thin,

uniform film, then frozen and kept frozen until

used). This type of process cures beginning with
room temperature (usually 70F), a temperature
ramp to 250F or 350F at 3 to 5 degrees per minute,
a hold for about one to one and a half hours, then a
cool down at S per minute to 140F, then final cool
ing back to room temp. As you can see this process
is not something you can do in your shop or hangar,
so it isn't in use except for large repair stations. But
it is an interesting process anyway!
I hope this theory of bonding will help mechan
ics and restorers master the art of creating airworthy
bonded joints, particularly on the primary structure
of the aircraft. Remember, given that all instruc
tions are closely followed, the final outcome of the
strength and airworthiness of the bonded joint will
depend on the person who does the job.
~

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE

29

he Shawano Fly-Out is a cher

ished tradition among the
time-tested vintage airplane
lovers who attend EAA AirVen
ture Oshkosh each year. I wish more
people would take advantage of this
opportunity for a portion of a day
away from the convention that pro
motes the goals of the Vintage Aircraft
Association and the spirit of aviation.
As I arrive at AirVenture, after trav
eling into a ferocious head wind and
drinking an inestimable number of
cups of coffee, my first mission is
clear. I must visit one of the strategi
cally placed rows of portable toilets.
After this important mission is taken
care of, I go back and tie down the
airplane. I arrived before 9 a.m. so I
am able to attend the early flightline
volunteer training. Once that's done,
I go to register my airplane and turn
in the locator card.
Next is a trip to visit Sue and Lo
raine in the Vintage Volunteer Cen
ter. No arrival is complete without the
first volunteer kitchen sandwich of
the week. With my lunch in hand, I
wander into the information side of
the Vintage Red Barn to find the Sha
wano Fly-Out signup list. As always, I
find it on the info desk, across from
the popcorn and lemonade. Putting
your name on that list guarantees you
some good memories.
I remember one time I was at the
fly-out, and I had taken a couple of
planeloads of kids for Young Eagles
rides. The grandmother of the chil
dren asked me why I would do that.
My short answer was because it's fun.
Just seeing the kids with excitement

30 JUNE 2009

in their eyes, seeing that they just

can't wait to tell their friends what
they did, and seeing that now they
want to share the wonder of aviation
with someone. It's great to know that
you are sharing the joy of aviation
with others. My longer answer was
that it gets young people interested
in aviation, we make friends for avi
ation and for the local airport, and
we are educating people about flying
and flying safety. At AirVenture, you
know a life might change because of
aviation, but at Shawano, you get to
watch it happen.
We all know how easy it is to meet
people at AirVenture. All you have to
do is sit by your plane, and people
will wander over and strike up a con
versation. I'm always willing to take
passengers along to Shawano. Over
the years I have met some fascinating
individuals. At Shawano, you get to
meet friendly people, plus as a pilot,
you get breakfast. Who doesn't want
free good food? Sometimes there are
even other nice freebies for the pilots.
But really, the feeling you experience
as the town comes out to greet you is
indescribable. The whole town gets
excited about this, and it's always
great to be a part of it-it's apprecia
tion at a whole new level. To round
out the experience for the people,
there are model airplane demonstra
tions, and in 2008 there was a small
car show. They really go all out. At
AirVenture, you are one of 2,000-plus
showplanes. Unless you happen to
be chosen for the "airplane interior
update demonstration," your airplane
probably won't be sitting in front of

the Red Barn. The likelihood of win

ning a prize is decreased significantly
simply by the number of planes par
ticipating in the show. In Oshkosh
you may feel a bit lost among all your
fellow vintage airplane enthusiasts. At
Shawano, with around 40 planes, you
are an important part of the show. Af
ter breakfast, many pilots open their
airplanes and invite people to look
around and ask questions. Some kid
usually wants to get in the airplane,
put on the headset, and have his or
her picture taken.
This is different from AirVenture
in that during the annual EAA fly-in
most people are there because they
have some knowledge of aviation
and enjoy it. At Shawano many of
the people haven't been up in a small
plane but are willing and eager to ex
perience it, usually for the first time!
You can just see the excitement on
their faces as you ask if they would
like a ride. And when you get back,
they all have smiles on their faces and
are ready to spread the joy that they
just experienced from aviation. I go to
Shawano to share that joy with peo
ple who haven't had an opportunity
like this before. When you arrive for
the convention, come sign up in the
Vintage Red Barn and prepare your
self for a great day!
Join us this year for the annual
fly-out to Shawano, early Saturday,
August 1, 2009; you'll be glad you
did-gleaning your own new batch
of memories.
Photos courtesy Patti Peterson ,
Shawano Country Tourism Council.
www.ShawanoCountry.com

......

-y: ~~

This year is too

big to miss. Literally_

THE MASSIVE AI~

~I

KN IGHTTWO

RYOF AIR

U.S.AIRWAYSFLIGHT1549COCKPI

BIE BROTHERS IN CONCERT

......,___./0 AIRCRAFT, 2,500 SHOWPLANES,
HIBITS, AND 500 FORUMS AND WORKSHOPS
CONCORDE COCKPIT CREWS 40TH ANNIVERSA

AN ' A
Ol AIR CAMPER 80TH ANNIVERSA
JE F DUNHAM LIV
CANADA'S IOOTH ANNIVERSARY OF POWERED FLIGH

'ORlD'S BEST AEROBATIC PERFORMERS

And that's just for starters. You just gotla be there to see it all.
The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration I July 27 - August 2 I www.airventure.org

rlSl
ARVENTUHE
OSHKOSH

How Long Is That Airstrip?

BY IRVEN

F.

PALMER JR .

Editor's Note: Irven Palmer's ar Your Judgment

ticle deals with exploiting the great
In more than 35 years of fly
capabilities of vintage aircraft as ing in the Alaskan bush, I learned
they are flown in remote areas. If early on that just guessing or try
it's of a concern, you may wish to ing to judge how long a potential
confirm you have insurance cover off-airport airstrip is from the air
age for your proposed operations, at 100 miles an hour will get you
and make a solid assessment of your in big trouble.
skills when it comes to this fun but
Your judgment is affected by
the terrain. Steep terrain with
challenging type of flying.-HGF
ravines and valleys surrounded
by hills and mountains tend to
If you fly from airport to airport, make airstrips seem smaller. Flat
a quick glance at the FAA Airport/ top mountain ridges, wide river
Facility Directory or your sectional valleys or flood plains with their
chart will tell you the length of the gravel and sand bars, and ocean
airport you are about to land on.
beaches tend to make an airstrip
However, if you use your air appear larger.
plane like I do for hunting, fish
Vegetation cover and early
ing, and camping and are used to morning and late-afternoon shad
landing out in the boondocks at a ows also tend to alter your judg
suitable off-airport location, then ment. If you make the wrong judg
the question "How long is that air ment and guess about how long
strip?" becomes very important.
an airstrip is and then land there
I know that most of us just fly only to find out that once on the
from airport to airport, but have ground the place you picked was
you ever looked down when fly too short to take off again-you
ing past some beautiful meadow are in a world of hurt.
with a lake or stream and won
dered how great it would be to The Solution
Remember when you learned
land down there and camp out or
fish or hunt or just enjoy being by to fly? The instructor told you
to always adjust your seat in the
yourself in the boondocks?
With spring and summer fast same position and to try to as
approaching and the itch to get sume the same posture each time
out there and do some flying, per you fly. This was so when you
haps you just might want to try looked outside for landing, your
sight picture would always be the
an off-airport adventure.
32

JUNE 2009

same. You would have the same

reference of the engine cowling
as you picked your spot looking
out through the windshield. Us
ing a reference point like a door
post or a pOint on the lift strut is
a key factor in making good esti
mates of the length of off-airport
landing sites while using a time/
distance chart.

The Time/Distance (hart

If by now you are interested in
attempting to use your airplane
for an off-airport camping expe
rience, then you need to make
yourself a time/distance chart. Or
use the one I have included here.
In my years of flying in Alaska
I mainly flew a Piper PA-12 or a
Cessna 170B, both using 8.50-6
tires. Both of these airplanes are
good slow-flight airplanes, and
the larger tires will handle a va
riety of surfaces. I made my time/
distance chart for both 60 mph
and 80 mph.
Determining the length of your
intended off-airport landing strip
is only half the battle. You must
also closely examine the surface
on which you will be landing.
Let's say you have decided to
go on a camping trip. You search
an interesting area and spot what
you think might be a good place
to land. Now you must go to slow
flight (you are current in that

technique, right?). Slow the plane

to exactly 60 mph and fly along
the strip low enough to be able
to examine the surface for rocks,
stumps, logs, ditches, or other ob
structions.
If the surface looks good, fly par
allel to the strip and use your stop
watch. Pick a reference point on the
door post or lift strut. When that
point passes the end of the strip,
start the watch and fly the length
of the strip. When your reference
pOint reaches the end of the strip,
stop the watch . All this time you
must keep your head in the same
position and the airspeed at exactly
60 mph. Now turn around and fly
the strip in the other direction, tim
ing your passage during that pass as
well. Use the average of these two
multiple-second readings and con
sult your time/distance chart to de
termine the length of your airstrip.
If there was no wind, then both
passes should indicate the same
reading in seconds.
Rule No . 1: Never guess the length
of an airstrip. Us e your stopwatch
and time/distance chart to calculate
the length .

Aircraft Performance Charts

Now that you know how to
calculate the length of your off
airport landing strip, you should
be aware that the landing and
takeoff distances in your aircraft
performance chart were deter
mined using a new engine and
taking off and landing from a
hard runway surface. For sand
or grassy surfaces or for gravel

or bumpy surfaces it is better to

add at least 10 or 15 percent to
your airp lane performance val
ues. Your experience may help
you ad just those va lues.

Equipment and Preparation

You have found a good place to
go camping with your airplane,

you have now flown the intended

airstrip, which looks like it has a
good surface, and you have deter
mined the length of your intended
strip using your time/distance
chart. But before you take off from
your home airport, there are some
things you must take with you .
continued on page 35

OFF

AIRPORT

AIRSTRIPS

NOWIND
CONDITION

60 MPH

80 MPH

MPH FPS
50= 73
60= 88
70= 102
80= 118

Fly airstrip
in both
directions
and divide by
2 use average

SECONDS

FEET

SECONDS

FEET

16

1408

16

1877

15

1320

15

1760

14

1232

14

1642

13

1144

13

1525

12

1056

12

1408

11

968

11

1290

10

880

10

1173

792

1056

704

938

616

821

528

704

440

586

352

469

264

352

EXAMPLE USING THE TIME/DISTANCE CHART-Say you fly your airstrip

in one direction and it takes 11 seconds at 60 mph. Then you fly it
in the opposite direction and find that it only takes 8 seconds. That
means there is little wind blowing. So using the chart, you find that
the approximate length of the strip is 836 feet long. Now land into
the wind and use enough controls to stop any side drift. Techniques
vary for short-field approaches, but I carry a little power and full
flaps at minimum airspeed.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

33

BY

H.G. FR AUTSCHY

THIS MONTH'S MYSTERY PLANE COMES TO US FROM

THE RADTKE COLLECTION OF THE EAA ARCHIVES .
Send your answer to
EAA, Vintage Airplane, P.O.
Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI
54903-3086. Your answer
needs to be in no later
than July 15 for inclusion
in the September 2009
issue of Vintage Airplane.
You can also send your
response via e-mail. Send
your answer to mystery
plane@eaa.org. Be sure to
include your name plus
your city and state in the
body of your note and put
"(Month) Mystery Plane"
in the subject line.

MARCH'S MYSTERY ANSWER

March's Mystery Plane came to

us from a collection of photos from
the late George Ishkanian of Helio
polis, Egypt. George and his family
donated the collection to the EAA
archives, and we spotted the beau
tiful low-wing monoplane among
34

JUNE 2009

the images.
Here's our first letter:
"The March 2009 Mystery Plane
appears to be the third Percival Q.6
(construction number Q22?) which
was bought by King Ghazi of Iraq
and given the registration YI-ROH

in 1938. Part of the registration can

be seen below the wing.
"The fuselage, fin, and rudder of
the aircraft were painted red and
the rest of it, yellow. The aircraft's
name, Bird of Eden, barely visible
on the photo, was inscribed in cop
perplate letters just above the yel
low flash running from nose to tail.
One of the red crowns painted on
the engine cowlings is quite visible
on the photo.
''It looks as if YI-ROH was taken
over by the Royal Air Force (RAF)
at some point during the Second
World War and given the registra
tion HK913. One source mentions
early 1943, another 1941-presum
ably after the unsuccessful coup/
rebellion/war launched against the
British by Iraqi nationalists. The
aircraft, operated by an Iraq-based

RAF conversion or communica How Long Is That Airstrip?

tion flight (?), was struck off charge continued from page 33
on February 28, 1943. It may have
been damaged beyond repair or de The photo in Figure 3 shows those
stroyed earlier in the month."
items. The bare essentials include a
Renald Fortier
machete for cutting brush, an axe
Curator, Aviation History
or hatchet and a small saw for cut
Canada Aviation Museum
ting small trees, and a small shovel
Ottawa, Canada
for filling in ruts or for digging out
Jack Erickson, of State College, rocks, etc., in the airstrip.
Pennsylvania, wrote, in part:
These items are necessary be
"The March 2009 Mystery Plane cause once you are on the ground at
is a Percival P.16 series aircraft that your off-airport landing strip, you
was also known as the Percival Q.6, may have to enlarge or lengthen
and in its RAF version as the Per the strip for taking off. Most air
cival Petrel. The photo seems to planes we fly require a longer take
have been taken at Almaza Airport off run than a landing run. Large
in Heliopolis, Egypt, where Mr. Ish flaps allow us to get in on a steep
kanian lived. Misr was a National approach for a short field. But for
Transport Company authorized by taking off, you must consider ob
and reporting to the Egyptian Min stacle clearance and the longer
ister of National Defence. Misr was takeoff run . Therefore you have to
formed in association with the Brit be prepared to remove brush and
ish aviation company Airwork Ltd., small trees if necessary in order
as indicated on the hangar sign."
to take off safely. I have had to do
And from Wes Smith in Spring that many times in Alaska.
Another consideration is that
field, Illinois, we received a longer
note, extracts of which follow:
when you pick your off-airport
"The March 2009 Mystery Plane landing site, your initial airborne
is one of two Percival Q.6s (P.16As) inspection may have missed a
that were sold to King Ghazi I of few small bushes or trees. Once
Iraq in 1939. The aircraft depicted you are down you can clean up
in the Vintage Airplane photo was your airstrip so that those small
registered as YI-ROH, aka the Bird shrubs or trees won't be banging
of Eden (the other was registered on parts of your airplane during
as YI-ROJ). The Q.4 was Percival's your takeoff.
design for a twin-engine aircraft. It
Off-airport camping can be fun,
was not built, but a six-seven place but you must be prepared.
twin, known as the Q.6, was. Built
Rule No.2: Always carry equip
to specification Q.20-24, the pro
totype Q.6, was first flown on 14 ment to lengthen your airstrip.
September 1937. The prototype
(G-AEYE) was soon followed by the Flight Plans
first production Q.6, registered as
You are probably used to flying
G-AFFD, and sold to Sir Philip Sas from airport to airport using an
soon on 2 March 1938. Sassoon's OMNI radio or nowadays the GPS
Q.6 was painted metallic blue and to fly direct. You use airport iden
silver, with a gold-plate model of a tifiers for en route checkpoints
cobra mounted in front of the cock and final destinations on your
pit windscreen.
flight plan. That makes it easy for
"In addition to the two Q.6s any search-and-rescue operation
that were sold to King Ghazi I of if needed.
Iraq , one aircraft (LY-SOA) was
But when you go to your off
sold to the Lithuanian Ministry airport camping site, there is no
of Communications (one source final-destination identifier. So you
states that that two were sold to must include on the flight plan
continued on page 36
a key geographic feature for your

destination. If there is no key geo

graphic feature nearby, then you
should include a distance and a
magnetic bearing from some key
geographic feature to your land
ing site. If you know it, a latitude/
longitude fix would be ideal.
You must also include how long
you will be at your off-airport site.
And most important of all, tell
someone where you are going.

Survival
Sometimes even the most care
ful observations of an off-airport
landing site may miss some ob
stacle, or your airplane battery
goes dead, or there is some other
reason like you have misjudged
the airstrip length and you just
cannot take off after you are on
the ground. That is when you will
need your survival kit. So be sure
to pack a good survival kit when
ever you venture out into the off
airport world.

Rule No . 3: Always file a flight

plan and carry a survival kit and tell
someone where you are going.

Final Thoughts
If you decide to venture out
there on an off-airport adventure,
there are a couple of things you
need to do. First make sure your
airplane is suitable. Boondocks
airstrips are better suited to tail
wheel aircraft for better prop clear
ance. Also small tires really can
not handle soft sand, gravel, or
bumpy surfaces. Tri-geared aircraft
can be used if the surface is fairly
hard and not too bumpy. Finally,
practice at a local airport using
the known length of the strip or
runway. Or measure a section of a
country road that you can practice
on. Practice timing the length by
picking a reference point on your
plane, like a spot on the lift strut
or door post or window frame.
This will give you confidence that
you really can estimate the length
of a remote boondocks airstrip.
Be careful and have fun out
there!
.......
VINTAGE AIRPLANE

35

AAME

OISE

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continued from page 35

the Lithuanian airline Lietuvos

Linijos), and two were sold to the
Egyptian government, delivered
in camouflage. King Ghazi I's Bird
of Eden was painted in a strik
ing red and yellow color scheme,
with yellow fuselage trim, wings,
horizontal stabilizers, and eleva
tors . The words Bird of Eden were
inscribed as copperplate under the
cockpit window.
"King Ghazi I (actually Ghazi
Bin Faisal) was as interesting as
the aircraft he flew in. Born on 12
March 1912, Ghazi was the only
son of Faisall. He was raised by his
grandfather Hussein Bin Ali, the
Grand Sharif of Mecca. He left the
Hijaz from Jordan in 1924 and was
appointed the Crown Prince of
Iraq. When his father died in 1933,
Ghazi succeeded him to the throne
and also became the head of the
Iraqi navy, army, and Royal Iraqi
Air Force . He was reputed to be a
Nazi sympathizer and was against
British interests in Iraq. The first
coup d'etat in the Arab world was
led by Iraqi Gen. Bakr Sidqi and was
supported by Ghazi. This replaced
the Iraqi civilian government
with a military dictatorship... King
Ghazi I died in a mysterious acci
dent that involved the sports car he
was driving on 9 April 1939. Ghazi
left behind a son, Faisal II, King
of Iraq, who was born on 2 May
1935, and died on 14 July 1958.
It is unclear if King Ghazi I lived
long enough to fly in either of his
Percival Q.6s."
Other correct answers were re
ceived from:
Brian Baker, Sun City, Arizona;
Lars Gleitsmann, Anchorage, Alaska
(who notes that one unairworthy
example survives on the Isle of
Man); Toby Gursanscky, Sydney,
Australia; John B. Schricker, Hay
ward, Wisconsin; and Tom Lym
bum, Princeton, Minnesota. ......

36

JUNE 2009

EM Calendar of Aviation [vents Is Now Online

EAA's online Calendar of Events is the 'go-to"
spot on the Web to list and find aviation events
in your area. The userfriendly, searchable format
makes it the perfect web-based tool for planning
your local trips to aflyin.
In EAA's online Calendar of Events, you can
search for events at any given time within acertain
radius of any airport by entering the identifier or a
ZIP code, and you can further define your search to
look for just the types of events you 'd like to attend.
We invite you to access the EAA online Calendar
of Events at http//www.eaa.orgjcalendar/

Upcoming Major Fly-Ins

Golden West Regional Fly-In
Yuba County Airport (Myv), Marysville, CA
June 12-14, 2009
www.GoldenWestFlyln.org
Arlington Fly-In
Arlington Municipal Airport (AWOl. Arlington, WA
July s- 12, 2009
www.NWE4A.org
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, WI
July 27-August 2, 2009
www.AirVenture.org
Colorado Sport International Air Show
and Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-In
Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), Denver, CO
August 22-23, 2009
wwwCOSportAviation.org
Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-In
Grimes Field Airport (174), Urbana, OH
September 12-13, 2009
wwwMERFl.info
Copperstate Regional Fly-In
Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ), Casa Grande, AZ.
October 22-24,2009
www.Copperstate.org
Southeast Regional Fly-In
Middleton Field Airport (GZHl. Evergreen, AL
October 23-25, 2009
www.SERFI.org

continued from IFe

concept that these programs can
flourish, and the local tax-paying
citizens will forever have a warm
spot in their hearts for their local
airport and its leadership. With
out the county airport leadership's
work, it's unlikely we'd be on this
airport. All of us in VAA 37 clearly
understand their efforts, and they
are all sincerely appreciated by the
entire membership of this chapter.
The EAA chapter network is an awe
some opportunity to create some
thing special, and my sincere hope
is that in some small way I have in
spired you today to invest some en
ergy to inspire somebody tomorrow
with the awesome opportunities of
aviation the EAA way.

oAe

8 to '/J.

Stay tuned to this channel, as I will

talk next month about some new
member benefits that I believe you
will find useful, as well as exciting.
As always, please do us all the fa
vor of inviting a friend to join the
VAA, and help keep us the strong
association we have all enjoyed for
so many years.
VAA is about participation: Be a
member! Be a volunteer! Be there!
Let's all pull in the same direc
tion for the good of aviation. Re
member, we are better together.
Join us and have it all.

of tAe 19J9 d/"ati.ollal cfii.' dUz.ce~

The only in-depth DVD Story of the 1939 National Air Races available!
A90 min" in-depth, narrated story
Includes 45 min. of outstanding COLOR film
Also, 300 archival photos
Military aerial maneuvers
Aerobatic acts, it's all here! alta '~~od Only $28.95
www.NationaIAirRaces.net
-~
1-888 -NAR-8886
+S&8

TAiLW+-l66LS

2010 Events
U.S. Sport Aviation Expo
Sebring Regional Airport (SEF), Sebring, Florida
February 2-4, 201 0
wwwSport-Aviation-Expo.com
Aero Friedrichshafen
Messe Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen, Germany
ApriIS-11,2010
www.Aero-Friedrichshafen.comlhtmllen
Sun 'n Fun Fly-In
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL),
Lakeland, Florida
April 13-1S, 2010
www.Sun-N-Fun.org

For details on hundreds of upcoming aviation

happenings, including EM chapter fly-ins,
Young Eagles rallies, and other local aviation
events, visit the EM Calendar of Events
located at w ww. EAA.orglca/endar.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

37

BY BILL HARE

Dear H.G.,
Your article in the February Vin
tage Airplane magazine identifies
November's Mystery Plane as the
Sikorsky and Gluhareff UN-4 as de
signed in late 1926/early 1927. The
picture of this machine reminded
me of a similar photo in Aviation
History in Greater Kansas City pub
lished by the editors of the former
Historic Aviation magazine.
Although this publication must
be over 4S years old, I was able to
contact the listed associate editor,
Mr. Nat Cassingham, who gave me
permission to copy and send you
a partial version of the original ar
ticle about the Jenny modification.
Our conversation revealed that al
most all of the listed contributors
and other principals who published
this book are deceased.
Enclosed you'll find a copy of a
p icture on page 17 of an airplane
that very closely resembles the UN
4. You will also note a copy of the
historical notes on the conception
of this aircraft and the culmination
of this idea with the Inland Sport,
also manufactured in Kansas City.
If the Kansas City construction
dates of 1924 and 1926 are correct,
would the UN-4, designed in late
1926/early 1927, have influenced
the Sikorsky and Gluhareff?
Many thanks for your Mystery
Plane articles.
Bill Hare,
Mission, Kansas

Edited version of the original

article about the Jenny modifi
cation, originally published in
38

JUNE 2009

Aviation History in Greater Kan

sas City.
Between 1924 and 1926, a Kan
sas Citian named Bahl put together
a homebuilt "one-only" aircraft from
two Curtiss IN-4 Jennys, a Thomas
Morse, and some odds and ends from
various other wrecked airplanes. He
called his creation the Lark, but it
flew more like a chicken, putting its
builder no higher than the middle
wires of a fence at Richards Field.
In 1927, he disgustedly sold the
patched-up remains to Blaine Tux
horn, who made several modifications
on the parasol monoplane, but with
no more success than Bahl. He finally
got expert opinion from Dewey Bone
brake, an engineer, who advised him
to forget the Lark; he would build a
better plane.
Inspired by the mistake-ridden
Lark, Bonebrake set up shop in the
fall of 1927 at 71st and Holmes Road
and proceeded to design and build
the Bonebrake Parasol, powered with
a 40-hp Wright-Anzani. In June 1928,
the plane was test-flown by Gene

Gebhart. The rest of the summer, the

plane underwent modifications at
Tuxhorn's shop, and in the fall, Geb
hart took it to the National Air Races
in Los Angeles. There the plane caught
the attention of Art Hardgrave, a part
ner in the City Ice Company.
Hardgrave had been looking for
a plane to manufacture, and at the
end of a few weeks he came to terms
with Bonebrake, who sold his interest
in the Bonebrake Parasol and moved
to California. Thus, the Inland Avia
tion Company was born. Bonebrake's
parasol monoplane became the In
land Sport.
Milton Bauman came over from
Butler Aviation to become project en
gineer. Wilfred Moore, barnstormer
and auto racer, was hired as test pilot.
The first factory was at 14th and
Minnesota. Two welders, a motor
cycle mechanic, and an ex-cabinet
maker were hired, and the new firm
produced four copies of the first air
plane. Then they took three of the
planes on the racing circuit to test
and demonstrate their speed. .......

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only, and no frequency discounts.
Advertising Closing Dates: 10th of second month prior
to desired issue date (i.e., January 10 is the closing date
for the March issue). VAA reserves the right to reject any
advertising in conflict with its policies. Rates cover one
insertion per issue. Classified ads are not accepted via
phone. Payment must accompany order. Word ads may
be sent via fax (920-426-6845) or e-mail (c1assads@eaa.
arm using credit card payment (ali cards accepted). Include
name on card, complete address, type of card , card number,
and expiration date. Make checks payable to EAA. Address
advertising correspondence to EAA Publications Classified
Ad Manager, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.

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or R-5 series 2, R-55 and R-53 - $55.00. Service instructions for
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PROPELLERS
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for free information e-package, details, photos, overview and
ordering info

SERVICES
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fresh set of Vintage Rubber. These
newly minted tires are FAA-TSO'd
and speed rated to 120 MPH. Some
things are better left the way they
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Not only do these tires set your vintage plane apart from
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE

39

Membershi~ Services Directory

VINTAGE

ENJOY THE MANY BENEFITS OF EAA AND

AIRCRAFT
EAA's
VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

ASSOCIATION
EAA Aviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086

OFFICERS
President
Geoff Robison

Vice-Presiden t

George Daubner

1521 E. MacGregor Dr.

2448 Lough Lane

Hartford, W I 53027

2626735885

New Haven, IN 46774

2604934724
cilie(7025@aol.com

Secretary
Steve Nesse
2009 Highland Ave.
Albert Lea, MN 56007
5073731 674

stnes2009@live.com

gciaubner@eaa .org

Treasurer
Charles W. Ha rris
7215 East 46th St .

Tulsa, OK 74 14 7

9 186228400

cwh@hvstl.com

DIRECTORS
Steve Bender

Dale A. Gusta fson

85 Brush Hill Road

Sherborn, M A 01770
508 6537557
sst 10@comcast.net

7724 Shady Hills Dr.

Indianapoli s, IN 46278
3 172934430
dalefaye@msn.col1l

David Bennett

Jeanni e Hill

375 Ki lldeer Ct
Lincoln, CA 95648
9 166458370
antiqller@illreach.colll

P.O. Box 328

H arvard, IL 600330328

8 159 43 7205

John Berendt

Espie 'I Butch" Joyce

7645 Echo Point Rd.

Ca nnon Fall s, MN 55009
50726324 14
(chld@bellcomln.llet

704 N. Regional Rd.

Jerry Brown
4605 Hickory Wood Row
Greenwood, IN 46143
3174229366
Ibrow1l4906@aol.com

Dave Clark

635 Vestal Lane

Greensboro, NC 27409
336 6683650
windsock@ao/.com

Da n Kn utso n

106 Tena Marie Circle

Lod i, W I 53555
608592 7224
/odicubCdJcharter.1Iet

Steve Krog

1002 Hea t her Ln.

Phone (920) 426-4800

EAA and Division Membership Services (8:00 AM-7:00 PM

Monday-frlday CST)
membership@eaa.org
FAX 920-426-4873
www.eaa.orgjmemberbenefits
New/renew memberships Address changes Merchandise sales Gift memberships

800-5646322

EM AirVenture Oshkosh
888-322-4636
www.airventure.or
Sport PilotjLij;(htSport Aircraft Hotline 877-359-1232
www.sportpilot.org
Programs and Activities
Auto Fuel STCs
920-426-4843
Education/ Aeroscholars
920-426-6570
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920-426-6880
www.airacademY.org
EM Scholarships
920-426-6823
Right Instructor information
920-426-6801
www.eaa.orgjnafi
Library Services/ Research
920-426-4848
Benefits
AUA Vintage Insurance Plan
800-7273823
www.auaonfine.com
EM Aircraft Insurance Plan
www.eaa.org/ memberbenefits
866-6474322
EM VISA Card
800-853-5576 ext. 8884
EM Hertz RentA-Car Program
800-654-2200
www.eaa.orgjhertz
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www.eaa.orgjenterprise
877-4213722
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FAX 920-426-6579

EAA

John S. Copeland

Robert D . "Bob" Lumley

1265 South 124th St.
Brookfield, W I 53005
2627822633

Membership in the Experimental Aircraft

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

28415 Springbrook Dr.

Lawton, MI 49065
2696246490
rcolllso1l5 16@cs.com

/limper@execpc.com

S.H. "Wes" Schmi d

2359 Lefeber Avenue
Wa uwa tosa, W I 53 21 3
4 14 77 1 1545
sflsdunid@gmail .com

DIRECTORS

EMERITUS

9345 S. Hoyne
Chicago, IL 60643
8057829713

E.E. "Buck" Hilbert

8102 Leech Rd .
Union, IL 60180
8 15923459 1

pllOtopilot@ao/.com

bllck7ac@gmaii.com

Robert C. Brauer

Gene Ch ase

Gene Morr is

5936 Steve Court

2159 Ca rlt on Rd.

Os hkos h, W I 54904
92023 15002

Roano ke, TX 76262

81749 191 10

GRCHA@dwrter.lIet

gellemorris@cllarter.l1et

Ron ald C. Fritz

John Turgyan

15401 Sparta Ave.

Kent City, MI 49330
6 1667850 12

PO Box 219
New Egypt, NJ 08533
609 7582910

""".,,"'";*:~'"''""'

dwalker@eaa.or
mrobbins@eaa.org
airacademy@eaa.org
scholarships@eaa. org
tdeimer@eaa.org
slurvey@eaa.org

membership@eaa.org
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vintage@eaa.org
tbooks@eaa.org

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

sskrog@aoJ.com

Ph il Cou lson

airventure@eaa.or
sportpilot@eaa.org

EAA Members Information Une

888-EAAINFO (3224636)

Use this tollfree number for: information about AirVenture Oshkosh; aeromedical and technical aviation questions;

chapters; and Young Eagles. Please have your membership number ready when calling.

Office hours are 8:15 a.m.. 5:00 p.m. (Monday Friday, CST)

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3 I 78394500
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H artford, W I 53027
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Northborough, MA 0 1532
5083934 775
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Current EAA members may add EAA
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EAA Membership and EAA S PORT
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cluded). (Add $16 for Foreign Postage.)

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Current EAA members may join the
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lAC

Current EAA members may join the

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

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Current EAA members may join the EAA
Warbirds of America Division and receive
WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $45
per year.
EAA Membership, WARBIRDS maga
zine and one year membership in th e
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cluded). (A dd $7 for Foreign Postage.)

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Membership dues to EAA and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions
Copyright 2009 by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association, All rights reselVed.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE (USPS 062750; ISSN 0091 6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EAA
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any product offered through the advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken.
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and service marks without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohibited.

40

JUNE 2009

OFFICIAL

HI JON:

HERE I AM 50 YEARS AGO ON S~r~!JAY MORNING MARCH 26 1939

AT THE CONTROLS OF OUR -FIRST TSO NX2G784 ON ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT.

WARM REGARDS,

~~