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HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
the Cub
turns
75
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Vintage Oct2012.indd 2
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A I R P L A N E
Vol. 40, No. 10
2012
OCTOBER
CONTENTS
2
7 Leftovers
A Cub birthday present for EAA
by Marvin V. Hoppenworth
BRAD
Y LAN
10 Fields of Gold
Cubs 2 Oshkoshs 75th birthday bash for the J-3
by Jim Busha
14
26
30
34
Mystery Plane
by H.G. Frautschy
37
Classifieds
STAFF
EAA Publisher
Director of EAA Publications
Editor
VAA Executive Administrator
ANY COMMENTS?
Send your thoughts to the
Vintage Editor at:
jbusha@eaa.org
For missing or replacement magazines, or
any other membership-related questions, please call
EAA Member Services at 800- JOIN-EAA (564-6322).
Rod Hightower
J. Mac McClellan
Jim Busha
Theresa Books
Advertising:
Sue Anderson
Jonathan Berger
Jeff Kaufman
COVERS
FRONT COVER: Steve Krog ies with Luke Lachendro over the sea of Cubs
parked at Hartford during the Cubs2Osh get together. Photo Jim Koepnick.
BACK COVER: Hats o to the Vintage Volunteers! Without you none of this
would be possible. Steve Moyer photo.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1
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2 OCTOBER 2012
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Nominat
ions
C A L L F OR V I N TA G E A I R C R A F T A S S O C I AT ION
Nominate your favorite vintage aviator for the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame. A great honor could
be bestowed upon that man or woman working next to you
on your airplane, sitting next to you in the chapter meeting,
or walking next to you at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Think
about the people in your circle of aviation friends: the mechanic, historian, photographer, or pilot who has shared innumerable tips with you and with many others. They could
be the next VAA Hall of Fame inducteebut only if they are
nominated.
The person you nominate can be a citizen of any country and may be living or deceased; his or her involvement
To nominate someone is easy. It just takes a little time and a little reminiscing on your part.
Think of a person; think of his or her contributions to vintage aviation.
Write those contributions in the various categories of the nomination form.
Write a simple letter highlighting these attributes and contributions. Make copies of newspaper or magazine articles that
may substantiate your view.
If at all possible, have another individual (or more) complete a form or write a letter about this person, confirming why the
person is a good candidate for induction.
This years induction ceremony will be held near the end of October. Well have follow-up information once the date has been finalized.
We would like to take this opportunity to mention that if you have nominated someone for the VAA Hall of Fame; nominations
for the honor are kept on file for 3 years, after which the nomination must be resubmitted.
Mail nominating materials to: VAA Hall of Fame, c/o Charles W. Harris, Transportation Leasing Corp.
PO Box 470350
Tulsa, OK 74147
E-mail: cwh@hvsu.com
Remember, your contemporary may be a candidate; nominate someone today!
Find the nomination form at www.VintageAircraft.org, or call the VAA office for a copy
(920-426-6110), or on your own sheet of paper, simply include the following information:
Date submitted.
Name of person nominated.
Address and phone number of nominee.
E-mail address of nominee.
Date of birth of nominee. If deceased, date of death.
Name and relationship of nominees closest living relative.
Address and phone of nominees closest living relative.
VAA and EAA number, if known. (Nominee must have been or is a VAA member.)
Time span (dates) of the nominees contributions to vintage aviation.
(Must be between 1950 to present day.)
Area(s) of contributions to aviation.
Describe the event(s) or nature of activities the nominee has undertaken in aviation to
be worthy of induction into the VAA Hall of Fame.
Describe achievements the nominee has made in other related fields in aviation.
Has the nominee already been honored for his or her involvement in aviation and/or the
contribution you are stating in this petition? If yes, please explain the nature of the
honor and/or award the nominee has received.
Any additional supporting information.
Submitters address and phone number, plus e-mail address.
Include any supporting material with your petition.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3
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Vintage
Instructor
THE
4 OCTOBER 2012
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Progress for both continued, and soon we were working in the traffic pattern, learning the intricacies of making takeoffs and landings in a Piper J-3 Cub. Finally, about
one week ago the day came, but the wind was quite unpredictable during Jordans flight lesson. He learned a
lot during that flight; reading the windsock after turning
onto the final approach, adjusting power when the wind
velocity changed, and being prepared to lower a wing and
add opposite rudder when a gust would want to move the
plane off the centerline during level-off, flare, and touchdown. After the lesson was over Jordan had to leave, unfortunately. Usually he would wait and watch his dad fly.
When Ben and I got ready for our flight that evening,
the wind finally settled down to a near calm condition. I
smiled to myself as we taxied to the runway. I knew that if
Ben could demonstrate his ability to take off and land as
well today as he had done the day before, he was going to
solo today.
Our first takeoff and landing was near perfect. The second time around, the traffic pattern was even better. As
we rolled to a stop, I told him I wanted to see another
takeoff and landing as nice as the first two. The third was
even better. As we were rolling out, I asked Ben to taxi
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5
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gest grin Ive seen in a long time. A ll of the local airport folks had been alerted, so as soon as he had his feet
firmly planted on the ground, the entire airport crew
gave him a round of applause. All shook his hand, welcoming him into the exclusive club of
having flown solo in an airplane.
Photos were taken as I neatly
removed the back of his shirt with a
very dull scissors followed by a second round of applause. Refreshments
were brought out, and we all toasted
Ben on his accomplishment.
Later I told Ben that Jordan was
ready to solo, so we agreed to swap
their flight times for the next day. Jordan would fly in the evening when the
wind was calmer.
The next evening arrived, and Jordan and I taxied to the favored runway.
The flight was a repeat of the previous
day. After three near-perfect takeoffs
and landings, I had Jordan taxi to the edge of the runway.
After he stopped, I told him I was getting out, and his grin
was even wider than his fathers. Unbeknownst to Jordan,
his mother and sister had been alerted to the probable solo
flight. They all remained out of Jordans sight, but the cameras with telephoto lenses were capturing every one of his
takeoffs and landings.
6 OCTOBER 2012
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Leftovers
A Cub birthday present for EAA
by Mar vin V. Hoppenwor th
EAA 2519 Life & E AA Tech Counselor 11
n July 11,
2012, I delivered the 75th
anniversary Piper J-3
Cub to the EAA Museum. This is a unique
aircraft. It was built
u p f ro m l e f to v e r
parts. It has no pedigree, no title,
no registration, no airworthiness
certificate,
rworthiness certificate
and the engine will not run.
This has been an ongoing project. A
friend in Ohio, Don Helmick, offered
me one of two J-3 Cub fuselages that he
had hanging in the ceiling of his hangar.
I chose one, and when I got home, it
was bare-bones tubing with a gas-tank
mounting for a 9-gallon fuel tank. I sent
the fuselage number to Clyde Smith Jr.
(The Cub Doctor), and he verified it was
indeed a 40-hp J-3 built in 1937. (The
first year of the J-3 Cub.)
Sometime later, I had a 1946 J-3 Cub
fuselage in my shop. I brought in the
1937 fuselage, repaired it, and added
all the features to make it exactly like
the 1946 model, a new bird cage, cowl
formers, and all. My goal was to make
JIM BUSHA
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
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Note the Piper single squeeze on the cable. Brass safety wire was
common in 1946.
JIM BUSHA
This xture permitted me to rotate the tail surfaces all at one movement
to any angle for brushing or spraying and park vertically to save space.
The rudder was sprayed in position.
Fred Stadler moves the Cubs tail end for position in front of EAAs Pioneer Airport. Marvin borrowed the N numbers from his rst J-3 Cub.
8 OCTOBER 2012
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JIM BUSHA
JIM BUSHA
JIM BUSHA
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Fields of Gold
Cubs 2 Oshkoshs 75th birthday bash for the J-3
by Jim Busha
It was fascinating
to observe him from
a distance, roaming
between the bright
b
yyellow fabric covered flightline, the
g r illed sausa ge
haze of the food
tents , and the
buzzing activity
inside the volung
o
r
Steve K
teer
headquarters
t
located at Miles Field in Hartford, Wisconsin. As he strolled leisurely
about the airport dozens of questions
and requests were thrown at him, most
simultaneously. There were safety issues, golf cart troubles, traffic pattern
Volunteer Spirit
10 OCTOBER 2012
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BRADY LANE
JIM BUSHA
Is There a Doctor
in the House?
JIM BUSHA
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
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BRADY LANE
9/28/12 9:25 AM
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Vintage Oct2012.indd 15
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Dillon Barron of Perry, Missouri, just turned 17, and among his many aviation-related accomplishments is
the restoration of this 1954 Cessna 170B. His passion, skill, and attention to detail enabled N1899C to become this
years Reserve Grand Champion Silver Lindy winner in the Classic category.
14 OCTOBER 2012
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Dennis and Susan Lyons of San Miguel, California, are Vintage members who bought their 1942 Howard DGA-15P (N67433) in 2003. Powered
by a 450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-985, this Howard is aectionately known
as Archibald B. Theres a story behind that name, and the short version is this, according to Dennis: The name comes from a little ditty that
was told by Clayton Graves, who restored the airplane in 1974. When we
bought the airplane, we were told that it wouldnt be ours until I could
tell the story about Archibald B (this ditty, like poetry, is best recited
verbally). Dennis smiles broadly, adding, Archibald introduces us to
the most interesting people everywhere we go, because they want to
come out and look at Archibald. I started coming to AirVenture in 1973,
when I got back from Vietnam. Its wonderful to come here and see
people that you only see here; its really enjoyable.
Susan enjoys coming to Oshkosh to see old friends and make new ones,
and she says their ight from California was especially nice this year.
Archibald is very comfortable for long cross-countries, and once you
get up there, you really dont want to come down to land because its usually rough and hot, she says. So if
you have smooth air and the fuel, just go for it! Thats what we did on this trip; our longest leg was Roundup,
Montana, to Siren, Wisconsin. It took us four-and-a-half to ve hours at 9,500 feet, and the air was as smooth
as glass. The airplane will go almost seven hours nonstop; we cruise around 150 mph, and if we have any tail
winds well take them! Ive seen it up to 180 and 190 mph.
Dennis learned to y in a Cessna 150 in San Luis Obispo while enrolled in college Army ROTC. Dennis says, The day
after I got my license, I grabbed my instructor and said, I want to know what this spin thing is all about. After
that, I drove up to Paso Robles and learned to y a tailwheel airplane, a Citabria 7ECA. He elaborates, Flying
tailwheel airplanes is a lot of fun, but the guy who checked me out in the Howard told me, From the moment
you sit down until the moment the propeller stops after shutdown, its trying to get youthe whole time! So pay
attention. Ive had some interesting go-arounds and a few unpleasant landings, but Ive never ground-looped
ityet. The one thing that comes to my mind on nal approach is, I am not taking this airplane home on a truck!
Ive logged close to 435 hours in Archibald now, and another 100 in a Howard we owned during the 1980s. All told,
Ive logged about 15,000 hoursin gliders, helicopters (including 600 in Vietnam), and Boeing 777 to J-3s.
Ross Warner flew N2988T, his 1966
Meyers 200D of Benton Harbor, Michigan,
to Oshkosh this year, as hes done most
every year for the last decade or so. Hes
owned the airplane since 2000, and it
was awarded the Outstanding Limited
Production Outstanding in Type at
AirVenture 2009.
I just redid the panel this spring, he
says, so I have the only Meyers 200 with
an updated glass panel! Technically speaking, its an Aero Commander 200, even
though it says Meyers 200 on the nose,
He laughs, explaining, Aero Commander
bought the type certificate from Meyers,
and its basically the same airplane. There
were a total of 134 built, and 90 are flyingor could y. I like the fact that its a
relatively rare airplane and that its fast.
It has a 285-hp Continental IO-520, and it
trues out at 175 knots, or 200 mph. It holds
80 gallons, so I can fly it for about fourand-a-half hours, which is long enough.
My son is a pilot, and we both y for the
airlines [Delta]; coming to AirVenture is the
highlight of my summer!
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19
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NC37323 is a 1941 Interstate Cadet, owned by Alan and Glenda Reber of Indianapolis, Indiana. It was likely the
only Interstate on the ightline this year.
20 OCTOBER 2012
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Terry Blaser of Menominee Falls, Wisconsin, was in the vintage eld with his 200-hp Ranger-powered
1946 Fairchild. Hes been ying since 1971 and soloed in a Stinson 108-2. He was attracted to the Fairchild
because he wanted something a little bit bigger after the Stinsonsomething with four seats, he says, and
I wanted something with a radial engine, but that didnt happen. Even though the Fairchild could go either
way, the radial engine never materialized. But its fun to y. Blaser smiles, adding, And its comfortable.
It holds 60 gallons of fuel and burns right around 10 to 11 gph. I only cruise at 105 mph, so its not a speed
demon. But I dont want to push that Ranger too hard. I re-covered the fuselage and tail with Poly-Fiber and
had some engine work done, but have left the wings alone so far. Ive been coming to AirVenture since 1972
because I enjoy looking at all the airplanes, and have been bringing this airplane for the last 10 years.
This boldly colored 1938 Stinson SR-10J was once owned by Shell Oil and own by Jimmy Doolittle. NC21104 is
powered by a 300-hp Lycoming and is currently owned by Tom and Je Ferraro of McKinney, Texas. (It was featured in this magazine in March 2006.)
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
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N5751P is a striking 1959 Piper PA-24 Comanche, registered to G.C. Spencer of Weatherford, Oklahoma. Its obviously retained its award-winning good looks since at least 1993 when it was Grand Champion Contemporary.
22 OCTOBER 2012
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This 1949 Douglas DC-3 (N734H) is registered to Good Aviation LLC of Oshkosh and was parked close to the South 40.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23
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This uniquely painted and polished 1946 Cessna 140 was simply shining in the sweltering sun, down in the
South 40. Registered to Roger Simoneau of Quebec, Canada, this Cessna is powered by a 135-hp Lycoming O-290
and has a cruising speed of 110 mph.
24 OCTOBER 2012
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25
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9/28/12 9:28 AM
26 OCTOBER 2012
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67&GIRU&HUWLILHG$LUFUDIW
6DIHIRU<RX6DIHIRUWKH:RUOG6DIHIRU<RXU$LUSODQH
Contemporary (1956-1970)
Outstanding Beech Single Engine - Outstanding in Type
John Nazarenko, Leduc, Alberta, Canada
1957 Beech Bonanza H35, CFTAA
Outstanding Cessna 170/172/175 - Outstanding in Type
Chris Demopoulos, Dyer, Indiana
1966 Cessna 172H, N3832R
Outstanding Cessna 180/182/210 - Outstanding in Type
Robert Johnson, Rochester Hills, Michigan
1966 Cessna 182J, N498EK
Outstanding Cessna 310 - Outstanding in Type
Edward Ferguson, Billings, Montana
1967 Cessna 310L, N3321X
Outstanding Mooney - Outstanding in Type
Ross Ernest, Cincinnati, Ohio
1969 Mooney M10, N9508V
Outstanding Piper PA-18 Super Cub - Outstanding in Type
Joseph Norris, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
1960 Piper PA-18, N3678Z
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27
Vintage Oct2012.indd 29
9/28/12 9:28 AM
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Vintage
Mechanic
THE
BY ROBERT G. LOCK
ILLUSTRATION 1
30 OCTOBER 2012
Vintage Oct2012.indd 32
9/28/12 9:29 AM
ILLUSTRATION 3
There were two field testers that measured the strength
of fabric; however, the most reliable is a laboratory pull
test. The oldest fabric tester was the Seyboth that punched
a hole in the fabric surface. It read in color bands of red,
orange, yellow, and three bands of green. Red band = 56
pounds or less, orange band = 56+ pounds, yellow band = 60
pounds, first green band = 68 pounds, second green band
= 72 pounds, third green band = 80+ pounds. The Seyboth
ILLUSTRATION 2
shine a bright flashlight against the top surfaces checking
for light transmitting through the UV blocking material. I
look closely at fabric attachment to structure, particularly if
there is a fairing strip installed, such as the top fuselage and
windshield junction. Based on the Stits findings regarding
Dacron deterioration, there would be no reason to pull test
the fabric if the coatings were good.
If the conclusion that UV blocking material sprayed on
a fabric surface affects the overall life of the covering, then
one can conclude proper application of silver to the surface
is critical. Illustration 3 shows spraying the first of four wet
cross coats of Poly-Spray to block UV radiation of the sun.
A most important step in aircraft fabric covering no matter
what type of process is the correct application of UV block-
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31
Vintage Oct2012.indd 33
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ILLUSTRATION 4
fabric tester was made by the Langley Corporation, San Diego, California. It was calibrated for Grade A cotton fabric
only and was not intended to be used as a universal measuring device for other fabrics or finishes. It probably would
not be used as a field-test instrument for determining fabric strength because it was replaced by the Maule tester.
The Maule fabric tester shown in illustration 4 was designed to test in-service fabric on structures causing as little
damage to the surface as possible. When testing fabric the
tester was placed on the fabric surface and pressure slowly
applied to the tester while reading the numbers on the
scale. I used to push until I read above 46 pounds for intermediate fabric and above 56 pounds for heavier weight fabric. It would work on both Grade A and synthetic fabric, and
unless the fabric was below minimum requirement, would
not punch a hole in the surface. Unlike the Seyboth tester,
the Maule unit reads in pounds per inch along the shaft, beginning with 5 pounds and ending with 80 pounds per inch.
The most accurate method to determine aircraft fabric
strength is by a pull test under controlled laboratory conditions. Left is a very old pull test on my Aeronca 7AC done
by the Twining Lab in Fresno, California. Note how accurate the readings
are. The minimum deteriorated fabric
strength for a 7AC is 46 pounds per
inch warp and fill. When testing fabric
always test on the top surface in the
darkest color because that is where
deterioration will be the greatest. Recall Ray Stits raw fabric test; deterioration was the greatest on the top
surface and less on the bottom surface. These three samples indicate the
fabric is still airworthy.
I recall sending Twining three
samples of new raw Dacron cloth for
tensile testing. The first sample was
Ceconite 101 (3.6 ounce per square
yard), and it pull tested more than 150
pounds per inch and a notation was
made that the fabric tester read 150
pounds maximum and it failed above
that amount. The second sample was
Ceconite 103 (2.6 ounces per square
yard and a suitable replacement for
the old intermediate Grade A cotton
fabric), and it pull tested 97 pounds
per inch. The third sample was advertised as Dacron cloth for experimental
aircraft only, and it pull tested around
75 pounds per inch as I recall. However, Twining noted that the fibers
pulled apart rather than breaking. I
just removed Ceconite 101 fabric covering from my Aeronca 7AC that had
been in place since 1971. I intend to
have a couple samples pull tested just
to see what the value is after more than 38 years of service.
I expect to find it still good because it had eight cross coats
of silver dope applied over six coats of clear nitrate dope
when I covered it back in 1971. Illustration 5 details the results of a fabric pull test under laboratory conditions on my
Aeronca Champ when it was first done in 1964.
When aircraft woven fabric cloth is pull tested the sample must measure 1 inch wide and 6 inches long , and the
pull must be directly along the fibers, not across them. This
test necessitated cutting substantial openings in the fabrics
upper surfaces in the darkest colors. These openings would
generally measure 1-1/2 inches by 6-1/2 inches, giving the
laboratory some excess for trimming. The samples were
sent in with coatings intact. Repairing those holes took a
fair amount of labor; a pigmented doped surface was the
easiest, and an enamel or polyurethane surface much more
difficult depending on the synthetic fabric process.
Inspection of fabric surfaces consists of an examination
of coatings to make sure there are no cracks that expose
woven cloth fibers. Look for wrinkles, particularly at the
trailing edge of wood wings that would indicate rib dam-
32 OCTOBER 2012
Vintage Oct2012.indd 34
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and the NITE came from copying Bill Lotts Eonite process
name. Anyway, the Ceconite process using nitrate and butyrate dope is still around.
Synthetic fabric should always be repaired by following
the instructions included in the procedure manual that, in
some cases, refers back to AC43.13-1B. Of course, the mechanic making the repair will have to determine whether
the size of the damaged area is a minor or a major repair.
Therefore the repair could be a logbook entry or would require an FAA Form 337.
This will end our discussion of aircraft fabric covering.
We have traced aircraft fabric covering from the early days
of WWI to the present and in doing so have uncovered some
very interesting tidbits of forgotten data and techniques.
Hopefully there are some points made that will make life
around fabric aircraft a little easier, particularly the inspection of fabric surfaces.
May 2009 RGL
ILLUSTRATION 5
age. If the fabric must be tested, start by using a Maule tester, keeping the pull test as a last resort because of repairs
needed to patch holes.
All synthetic fabric processes carry an FAA issued supplemental type certificate (STC). However if a newly manufactured aircraft is covered with a synthetic fabric, the STC
issue does not apply because the fabric type is part of its
type certificate. If an aircraft was originally covered with
Grade A cotton fabric and is re-covered with a synthetic, it
is a major alteration to its original TC. That is where the STC
fits into the picture as the STC allows the owner/mechanic
to alter the original TC without gaining FAA field approval.
Some of the early processes have been withdrawn: Eonex, Eonite, and Razorback come to mind. I once covered
a Beech D-17S with Eonex and covered my Fairchild PT-19
fuselage with Razorback, but have done the most work with
Ceconite and Poly-Fiber. Razorback used a treated lightweight fiberglass cloth filled by spraying butyrate dope until
the fabric tautened and was filled. It was prone to pinholes,
and in cold wet weather would loosen and wr inkle, but
tauten when the temperature warmed up.
The early Ceconite process using Dacron fabric and coating with nitrate and butyrate dope most closely resembled
the Grade A cotton process. I recall back in 1959 (give or
take a couple yearsits hard to remember exactly when
this happened!), Slim Kidwell, a Bellanca dealer at the Torrance airport, experimented with Dacron cloth and butyrate dope on a flap assembly. After a few flights the butyrate
dope peeled off the cloth, so that wasnt the answer. I dont
know exactly, but he may have been working with Col. Daniel Cooper to perfect the Ceconite process. Allegedly Ceconite stood for Cooper Engineering Company (CECO),
REFERENCES:
Poly-Fiber Procedure Manual dated April 1998 by Jon
Goldenbaum
Stearman Aircraft Division, Report No. A75N1-9000 dated
June 6, 1941
AC43.13-1B, Change 1
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 33
Vintage Oct2012.indd 35
9/28/12 9:30 AM
by H.G. FRAUTSCHY
MYSTERY PLANE
J U LY S M Y S T E R Y A N S W E R
The specic aircraft pictured as the July Mystery Plane was NC463M, serial No. 7, and it was operated by Gorst Air Transport between Seattle and Bremerton, Washington.
irst, an announcement.
As VAA moves forward
with plans to revise the
content and appearance of Vintage Airplane
magazine, the Mystery Plane column
will come to an end with the publication of the answer to Septembers Mystery Plane in the December issue. Thats
why you dont see a Mystery Plane at
the head of this months column.
This column has been a part of the
magazine since the 1970s and was
overseen for many years by the late
George Hardie, one of EAAs earliest
editorial contributors. Back in 1995,
when George could no longer write the
column, I took over, thinking it would
end shortly thereafter, simply because
34 OCTOBER 2012
Vintage Oct2012.indd 36
9/28/12 9:30 AM
Sea Rover NC463M being pulled from the water by a re boat after the
pilot named Sparky dug a wing into the water and ipped the airplane over.
two-place front cockpit. The production
planes were powered by a 185-hp sixcylinder Curtiss R-600 Challenger engine, which was a two-row radial engine
with three cylinders per row. The vibrations from the Challenger engine reportedly plagued the Sea Rover with failures
of engine mounts.
Since a few members did such a great job
researching this seaplane, I thought it fitting to use sections of each of their letters.
Heres some additional information from
member Wes Smith, Springfield, Illinois:
The July 2012 Mystery Plane is the
Eastman Aircraft Corp. E-2 Sea Rover
(NC463M, c/n 7, ATC 288) biplane flying boat, operated by Gorst Air Transport from 1929-30.
Vern C. Gorst was the founder of
Vintage Oct2012.indd 37
9/28/12 9:31 AM
From the pages of a brochure for the Eastman, we have these fanciful illustrations depicting its operations far
from where it became the most famous, the deep interior of Canada.
vertical rudder by a spring-loaded attachment. All controls were operated by
stranded steel cable.
Sixteen E-2s were built by the
Eastman Aircraft Corp. at Detroit,
Michigan, Edward S. Evans serving
as company president and James H.
Specications
Upper wingspan
36 feet 0 inches
Lower wingspan
20 feet 8 inches
Length overall
26 feet 3 inches
Height
8 feet 9 inches
Empty weight
1,745 pounds
Gross weight
2,725 pounds
Useful load
980 pounds
Two fuel tanks in the center section held 48 gallons, the oil tank held 5 gallons,
and the payload with full fuel and oil was 490 pounds.
Maximum speed
110 mph
Cruising speed
90 mph
Landing speed
50 mph
Range at 10.6 gph
360 miles
Initial rate of climb
740 fpm
Service ceiling
9,500 feet
36 OCTOBER 2012
Vintage Oct2012.indd 38
9/28/12 9:31 AM
A Six-Cylinder Radial?
By Wes Smith
The Curtiss R-600 Challenger engine
was one of the few six-cylinder radials to be mass-produced. The nominal
horsepower rating was 170 hp at 1800
rpm.The low-compression version had
a compression ratio of 4.9:1, and the
high-compression version had a ratio
of 5.25:1. The overall length was 42-5/32
inches, with a diameter of 42.625 inches.
The bore was 5.125 inches, and the stroke
was 4.875 inchesthe total displacement
actually being 603 cubic inches. The dry
weight without starter was 420 pounds,
and the lubrication was supplied by
pressure and scavenging pumps. Two
Scintilla magnetos supplied the ignition
to two B.G. 1XA spark plugs in each cylinder. A two-barrel Stromberg NA-U4J carburetor was used, andaccessories
included an engine-driven fuel pump,
a propeller hub, starter/generator gun
synchronizer, and tool kit. The crankshaft was a two-throw balanced affair
with two master rods, each fitted with
short H-section link rods. Ribbed aluminum alloy pistons were used, and the
carburetor barrels were heated with exhaust, a valve being used to regulate the
heat ow. Cast aluminum cylinder heads
were screwed and shrunk to forged steel
cylinder barrels. The rocker boxes were
integral with each cylinder head, two
silchrome valves being used per cylinder
and seated on bronze seats, each valve
being operated by conventional pushrods. The crankcase was split on the centerline of the front cylinder row.
butter, bearing an Ozark Airlines logo.
At the time, these were being sold by
thePrairie AviationMuseum at Bloomington, Illinois. In his best Eng lish
accent, Mr. Davies stated: Apple butter? Ive never heard of such a thing! To
this day, it still gives me a chuckle.
Renald Fortier, the curator of aviation
history at the Canada Aviation and Space
Museum in Ottawa, has always been
Johnny on the spot with answers about
aircraft that flew north of the U.S. border. He didnt disappoint this time! Heres
some of what he had to say:
VINTAGE
TRADER
S o m e t h i n g t o b u y,
sell, or trade?
Classified Word Ads: $5.50 per 10 words, 180
words maximum, with boldface lead-in on first line.
Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2.167
inches) by 1, 2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch. Black
and white 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 rejec t any adver tising in conflic t 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
(920-426-4828) or e-mail (classads@eaa.org) using
credit card payment (all 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.
EMPLOYMENT
Established Midwestern company seeking
seasoned lA with leadership experience.
Candidate must have an extensive
b a c k g r o u n d i n h a n d s - o n r e s t o ra t i o n
activities, be able to manage large projects
and be skilled in business development. Our
restoration business is unique and requires
extensive experience with vintage and
Warbird type aircraft. Send resume and salary
requirements to wasiresume@gmail.com
MISCELLANEOUS
w w w. a e ro l i s t . o rg , Aviations Leading
Marketplace.
Wood and Fabric A&P TechnicianLooking
for a specialist with experience in historic
Wood and Fabric airplanes for restoration and
maintenance of existing airplanes at major
museum (www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.
org) in the resort city of Virginia Beach. Must
have experience in building replica airworthy
World War One aircraft. For information call
(757) 490-3157 or email to EPY1@aol.com
Plans for building a Luton Minor. Contact: K.
Bodenstein (252)646-5963
Early 1940-50 sectional WAC charts. Excell. cond.
shows airways beacons great for den hangar
walls. $10 ea Rich Waldren 503-538-7575
SERVICES
Always Flying Aircraft Restoration, LLC: Annual
Inspections, Airframe recovering, fabric
repairs and complete restorations. Wayne A.
Forshey A&P & I.A. 740-472-1481 Ohio and
bordering states.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 37
Vintage Oct2012.indd 39
9/28/12 9:31 AM
38 OCTOBER 2012
Vintage Oct2012.indd 40
9/28/12 9:50 AM
New VAA
Lifetime Members
Hobart Bates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dexter, Michigan
George Carney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lisle, Illinois
Daniel Cullman . . . . . . . . . . . Kent, Washington
Tim Fox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fort Wayne, Indiana
JoAnne Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fort Wayne, Indiana
Pickens Freeman . . . . Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Shane Grass. . . . . . . . . . . . . Monterey, California
Donis Hamilton . . . . . . . . . .Paragould, Arkansas
Larry Harmacinski . . . . Cornelius, North Carolina
Eric Hertz . . . . . Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand
Jerey Muhlenkort. . . . . Beresford, South Dakota
Richard Parsons . . . . . . . . . .Big Pine Key, Florida
Kevin Pullum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Goddard, Kansas
War Reese . . . . . . . . . . . Waynesboro, Tennessee
Paul Roth . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fort Wayne, Indiana
Robert Siegfried . . . . . . . .Downers Grove, Illinois
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 39
Vintage Oct2012.indd 41
9/28/12 9:34 AM
President
Geoff Robison
1521 E. MacGregor Dr.
New Haven, IN 46774
260-493-4724
chief7025@aol.com
Secretary
Steve Nesse
2009 Highland Ave.
Albert Lea, MN 56007
507-373-1674
Vice-President
George Daubner
N57W34837 Pondview Ln
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
262-560-1949
gdaubner@eaa.org
Treasurer
Dan Knutson
106 Tena Marie Circle
Lodi, WI 53555
608-592-7224
lodicub@charter.net
Ron Alexander
118 Huff Daland Circle
Griffin, GA 30223-6827
ronalexander@mindspring.com
Steve Bender
85 Brush Hill Road
Sherborn, MA 01770
508-653-7557
aaflagship@gmail.com
David Bennett
375 Killdeer Ct
Lincoln, CA 95648
916-952-9449
antiquer@inreach.com
Jerry Brown
4605 Hickory Wood Row
Greenwood, IN 46143
317-422-9366
lbrown4906@aol.com
DIRECTORS
Dave Clark
635 Vestal Lane
Plainfield, IN 46168
317-839-4500
davecpd@att.net
Steve Krog
1002 Heather Ln.
Hartford, WI 53027
262-966-7627
sskrog@gmail.com
Phil Coulson
28415 Springbrook Dr.
Lawton, MI 49065
269-624-6490
rcoulson516@cs.com
Dale A. Gustafson
7724 Shady Hills Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46278
317-293-4430
dalefaye@msn.com
Jeannie Hill
P.O. Box 328
Harvard, IL 60033-0328
920-426-6110
Gene Chase
8555 S. Lewis Ave., #32
Tulsa, OK 74137
918-298-3692
DIRECTORS EMERITUS
Joe Norris
tailwheelpilot@hughes.net
920-688-2977
S.H. Wes Schmid
2359 Lefeber Avenue
Wauwatosa, WI 53213
414-771-1545
shschmid@gmail.com
FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS
Please submit your remittance with a check or
draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United
States dollars. Add required Foreign Postage amount
for each membership.
Membership Services
MondayFriday, 8:00 AM6:00 PM CST
Join/Renew800-564-6322 membership@eaa.org
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
www.airventure.org
888-322-4636
airventure@eaa.org
920-426-4843
920-426-6880/4815
airacademy@eaa.org
stc@eaa.org
EAA Scholarships
920-426-6823
scholarships@eaa.org
Library Services/Research
920-426-4848
slurvey@eaa.org
800-654-2200
membership@eaa.org
920-426-6110
tbooks@eaa.org
Ronald C. Fritz
15401 Sparta Ave.
Kent City, MI 49330
616-678-5012
rFritz@pathwaynet.com
Charles W. Harris
PO Box 470350
Tulsa, OK 74147
918-622-8400
cwh@hvsu.com
Gene Morris
5936 Steve Court
Roanoke, TX 76262
817-491-9110
genemorris@charter.net
John Turgyan
PO Box 219
New Egypt, NJ 08533
609-752-1944
jrturgyan4@aol.com
EAA
Tim Popp
60568 Springhaven Ct.
Lawton, MI 49065
269-624-5036
tlpopp@frontier.com
Robert C. Brauer
9345 S. Hoyne
Chicago, IL 60643
773-779-2105
photopilot@aol.com
Membership Services
Directory
40 OCTOBER 2012
Vintage Oct2012.indd 42
9/28/12 9:34 AM
Vintage Oct2012.indd 43
9/28/12 9:34 AM
Vintage Oct2012.indd 44
9/28/12 9:35 AM