Vintage Airplane - Jan 2011

8/20/2019 Vintage Airplane - Jan 2011

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Happy New Year to each and every

member of the Vintage Aircraft Asso-

ciation. Here’s wishing you all a suc-

cessful and prosperous 2011.

What will 2011 bring to us? Time

will tell, but we can likely assume that

there will be a mixture of more at-

tempts to modify, restrict, or in some

cases, even deny us the opportunity

to further enjoy our rights to our avia-

tion-related passions.

One example of course is the FAA’s

continuing initiative to eliminate

through-the-fence (TTF) operations

at public-use airports. Where is the

common sense? Come on, the mice

running around in my hangar repre-sent a lot more risk to me than the

guy with a key to a gate he can taxi

his Cessna through. We have seen

some movement on the federal gov-

ernment’s part to continue the discus-

sions and even delay implementation

of its goals to lock out these users.

Even though these TTF arrangements

have existed for years, and to date

have yet to represent any real threat

to our security, these government of-

ficials do seem to be polite, but verymuch resolute.

Where would we be today with-

out those valued congressional mem-

bers of the aviation caucus, our vocal

EAA/VAA membership, and the EAA’s

advocacy initiatives? For certain, our

access to the general aviation (GA)

system would be much more lim-

ited today. So where is this all going?

What new initiatives will our govern-

ment propose in the next 12 months?

You have to wonder who in the worldis really driving this truck down the

left lane of GA’s highway! What will

we be talking about next January that

got pushed up the pipe during 2011?

What are the real goals of the FAA,

and the Transportation Security Ad-

ministration, regarding regulatory

issues for GA? The best we can do to-

day is to stay informed, continue to

be engaged, and reach out to local

legislators, especially when they get

it right. They need to know they are

supported in their efforts to defend

GA. Let’s all stay the course.

I recently reread a column that was

written and published in the January

issue of Vintage Airplane magazine right

after the events of 9/11. The guest col-umn was written by our own Tom Po-

berezny, and he eloquently wrote of

what the terrorists did to damage gen-

eral aviation on that fateful day. Not

to dismiss the tragic loss of the thou-

sands of American lives that occurred

on that day, but Tom did a wonderful

job of describing to the membership

what we needed to do next to counter-

act these horrific circumstances.

He said, “We need to protect, pro-

mote, preserve, and prepare. These arethe four fundamental pillars of main-

taining America’s free skies.”

I will personally never forget that

day or the nagging thoughts of “What

will become of our rights to pursue

our personal aviation interests?”Tom continued, “Protect our right

to fly, and turn these negatives into

positives by staying the course with our

existing ongoing initiatives, whether

it be through Young Eagles, advocacy

initiatives, or communications.”He also stated that we should “pro-

mote access to the dream of flight.”

This is an easy one, and can be mostly

accomplished by promoting mem-

bership in the EAA/VAA, and by sim-

ply writing that check to renew your

own membership.

To accomplish Tom’s third pillar,

“Preserve the heritage of flight,” just

visit the EAA AirVenture Museum to

see what your EAA organization rou-

tinely does to preserve our aviation

heritage. This is why we still operate

one of the few remaining B-17s, build a

Bleriot, or restore an old Waco biplane.

And finally, Tom promoted “pre-

paring for the future of flight.” Please

continue to reach out to our youth,and pave that path to a life of avia-

tion, whether it’s through the spon-

sorship of a young person to EAA’s Air

Academy at Oshkosh or your chapter

participating with a Boy Scout Troop

to accomplish their aviation merit

badge.

The interesting element here is that

Tom’s remarks of nine years ago re-

main very much relevant to the orga-

nization today. Because of the events

of 9/11, we need to continue to meetour challenges head on, challenges

that will not always come from the

FAA. We truly are an entity that makes

remarkable things happen. Let’s all

strive to help make a difference in this

ongoing debate.

Remember, it’s time to run your

checklist and buckle your seat belts,

because 2011 is shaping up to be yet

another exciting year for the Vintage

Aircraft Association.

GEOFF ROBISON

PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

STRAIGHT & LEVEL

Setting a course for 2011


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IFC Straight & Level Setting a course for 2011 by Geoff Robison

2 News

4 The May Family’s Spectacular 1936 Sportster “Rearwin popularity is proof of Rearwin superiority” by Sparky Barnes Sargent

10 Type Club Listing

14 The Antiques in Winter

If airplanes could talk . . ., Part II by Roger Thiel

16 My Friend Frank Rezich, Part IV The war years by Robert G. Lock

22 Light Plane Heritage The Longren Biplane by Jack McRae

24 2010 VAA Hall of Fame Inductee Morton W. Lester

by Jack Cox and Morton Lester

28 The Vintage Mechanic Test flights by Robert G. Lock

32 The Vintage Instructor Was that a landing? Or was it a carnival ride? by Steve Krog, CFI

34 Mystery Plane by H.G. Frautschy

37 Classified Ads

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1

A I R P L A N E j a n u a r yC O N T E N T S

S T A F FEAA Publisher Rod Hightower

Director of EAA Publications Mary JonesExecutive Director/Editor H.G. Frautschy

Production/Special Project Kathleen WitmanPhotography Jim Koepnick

Copy Editor Colleen WalshSenior Art Director Olivia P. Trabbold

EAA Chairman of the Board Tom Poberezny

Publication Advertising:Manager/Domestic, Sue Anderson

Tel: 920-426-6127 Email: [email protected]

Fax: 920-426-4828

Senior Business Relations Mgr, Trevor Janz

Tel: 920-426-6809 Email: [email protected]

Manager/European-Asian, Willi Tacke

Phone: +49(0)1716980871 Email: [email protected]

Fax: +49(0)8841 / 496012

Interim Coordinator/Classified, Alicia CanzianiTel: 920-426-6860 Email: [email protected]

C O V E R S

Vol. 39, No. 1 2011

FRONT COVER: The Reawin marque seems to be a popular subject for a few recently completed

projects in the Antique airplane community. This is the May family’s Rearwin Sportster, originally built

in the fall of 1936. Read more about it in Sparky Barnes Sargent’s article starting on page 4. Photo

by Bonnie Kratz.

BACK COVER: Continuing our salute to great aviation magazine covers of the past, Model Airplane

News has been a fixture within the modeling community for over 80 years, and is still going strong.

This great cover, from September of 1934, created by famed illustrator Jo (Josef) Kotula depicts the

Italian dual-engined seaplane racer, the Macchi-Castoldi 72 racer of 1933/34.

4

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Advance AirVentureAdmissions, Camping, FlightsNow Available Online

Advance purchase of AirVen-

ture 2011 admission and camping

is now available on the AirVenture

website, and this year you can pre-

purchase camping at AirVenture’s

Camp Scholler for all arrival dates.

With rates remaining the same

as last year, EAA members and non-

members can make prepurchasesvia a secure website, allowing ticket

holders to speed through the ad-

missions process. Both daily and

weekly admissions are available, as

is the ability to join EAA and im-

mediately receive the best possible

admission prices available only to

EAA members. Discounts are avail-

able to those who prepurchase Air-

Venture tickets online before June

15, 2011, including $2 on daily

adult admissions and $5 on weeklyadult admissions.

Camp Scholler opens on June

24, 2011, and those who make an

advance purchase for camping get

the convenience of express registra-

tion at the campground entrance,

including specially designated lines

on peak arrival dates.

Advance admission ticketing

is made possible through sup-

port from Jeppesen. To get your

advanced admission, visit www.

AirVenture.org/tickets.Also new for 2011, attendees can

pre-purchase flights on EAA’s 1929

Ford Tri-Motor, joining advance

purchase flights of EAA’s B-17 Alu-

minum Overcast .

Win a SkycatcherFrom Cessna and EAA!

Entering to win an airplane has

never been easier. We’ve made it

simple to enter the 2011 EAA Share

the Spirit Sweepstakes. You’ll find10 entry coupons bundled with this

issue of Sport Aviation. The coupons

are filled out and ready to mail in.

You can also enter online at www.

AirVenture.org/sweepstakes or during

AirVenture 2011—but why wait?

The grand prize is a Cessna 162

Skycatcher, along with fuel for a

year courtesy of Shell Aviation.

You’ll also have a chance to win

a 2011 Coleman camper—factory

new and loaded with features. Other

great prizes include a HotSeat FlightSim GTX Extreme PC Bundle, Bose

3·2·1 GSX Series III DVD home en-

tertainment system, Canon EOS

50D camera kit with lens, and Ham-

ilton Men’s Khaki Pilot watch.

EAA thanks all sweepstakes par-

ticipants for helping grow avia-

tion. Every donation to the EAA

Sweepstakes directly supports EAA

programs. These programs help

members share the spirit of aviation

among fellow enthusiasts and thenext generation of aviators.

VAA NEWS

2 JANUARY 2011

Naval Aircraft Get Extreme MakeoversHelp celebrate naval aviation centennial at Oshkosh

EAA AirVenture 2011 is a designated Tier 1 event for the Centennial of Naval Aviation celebration this year, so get ready for

a host of special appearances and activities in Oshkosh next July. While many initiatives have yet to be announced, one

special treat is confirmed and well underway: repainting several current inventory airplanes in colors from previous eras.

“It’s all part of our outreach to help celebrate the centennial of naval aviation,” said Capt. Richard Dann, director of history

and outreach for the centennial. “We’re attempting to teach about the heritage, which many people may not be aware of.”

Examples include a pair of T-45 Goshawks painted in yellow-winged, pre-World War II tactical aircraft schemes; an S-3B

Viking done up in the colors of naval airplanes that fought in the Battle of Midway; an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter painted

like those of Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron THREE (HAL-3) Seawolf fire teams from the Vietnam era; and an F/A-18F

with a truly unique scheme modeled after the current Navy Working Uniform.

These aircraft “in every manner of heritage paint” will take part in designated Tier 1 events—including AirVenture

Oshkosh 2011, Dann said. Although he could not commit

to which airplanes would be participating at Oshkosh,

he indicated that several of the approximately 26 aircraft

will appear.

To see a photo gallery of some of the airplanes you could

see at Oshkosh this summer, visit EAA’s Facebook page.

You can also learn more about Centennial of Naval Avi-

ation events, including the Curtiss-Ely Pusher replica (at

right) built for the celebration, on page 20 of the January

issue of Sport Aviation.


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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

VAA/EAA AirVenture Volunteers of the Year

Each year, near the end of the annual fly-in, the Vintage Aircraft Association honors two of its own as volun-

teers of the year. Each typifies the amazing talents and dedication exhibited by the hundreds of VAA volunteers

who contribute thousands of hours of their time so their fellow members can have an enjoyable week away from

home, immersed in the glories of recreational aviation. Here are this year’s honorees:

EAA AirVenture 2010 Art Morgan Flightline Volunteer of the Year—Bradford Payne

Bradford Payne is a longtime EAA volunteer who has been com-

ing to AirVenture since 1971. A professional pilot since 1994, and

a current United Air Lines pilot, Brad earned his pilot certificate in

1986. From the beginning it was his destiny to become the avia-

tion guru he is. He grew up in Dayton, Ohio, just three blocks from

the Wright brothers’ house, and his uncle was Orville’s paperboy!

For many years, Brad’s entire family attended EAA’s air show as

a family vacation. Each of them has volunteered at EAA at some

point. Brad and his brothers were particularly interested in the VAA,

where they could ride the scooters! Bradford has been a flight line

volunteer since 1984, and for volunteers who want to learn moreabout our aircraft, he teaches several aircraft identification classes

during the fly-in. With his experience as a member of the National

Intercollegiate Flying Association, where he competed in aircraft recognition, Bradford truly is an expert in

identifying and explaining the differences among the various aircraft, and he does an impressive job teaching

others how to learn to identify aircraft as well. Bradford also creates an information sheet each year for every

type club aircraft we will be parking in the Vintage area as well as special identification fliers to help every vol-

unteer become familiar with the aircraft in our division. Brad is one of the volunteers who can wear any hat

and work any of the positions on the flightline—and is willing to do so! He continues to add to the VAA mem-

bership. Before they married, he told Jennifer, his then future wife, “Oshkosh is a non-negotiable part of the

relationship.” Jennifer has also become a vital part of our division, and by this summer, they will have added

a total of two upcoming members to our organization, as they will welcome their second child! Brad loves air-

planes but enjoys the company of all the other volunteers in the VAA. He feels like he fits right in because it isthe one place his passion for aircraft is shared by so many others! He looks forward to attending every year. For

him, it’s Christmas in July!

Congratulations, Bradford Payne, on receiving the annual Art Morgan Flight Line Volunteer of the

Year award!

EAA AirVenture 2010 Behind-the-Scenes Volunteer of the Year—Tom Hildreth

If there ever was a volunteer who never says no to a request,

that would be Tom Hildreth. Tom has been volunteering at school

when he was a teacher, singing in his church, and “calling” square

dances, his special love.

Over several years, Tom has done everything from electricalwork (helper) to carpentry work (he recently helped put in new

flooring in the judges’ trailers) to helping install air conditioners

and many other tasks. During the most recent work parties, how-

ever, he has been proven to be the Michelangelo of VAA painters.

He has put a brush to almost every “metal color” building on the

landscape. We all wonder how he seems to get all of the paint on

the buildings and none on himself; it’s uncanny.

During AirVenture, at the Tall Pines Cafe, he is the head ca-

shier, VAA breakfast greeter, official head counter, and pancake

historian. He remembers hundreds of our guests and never fails to inquire about their families and flying buddies.

Tom also has been a frequent soloist during the religious services in the EAA Fergus Chapel during AirVenture.

If you ask Tom to do something, you had better get out of his way; before you know it, he’s already on the job.

Geoff Robison, Bradford Payne andGeorge Daubner.

Geoff Robison with Tom Hildreth.


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4 JANUARY 2011

T h e M a y F a m i l y ’s

S p e c t a c u l a r 1936 Sportster

BY SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT


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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

Dressed ina custom black-

a nd -w hi t e s c a l -

loped paint scheme,

replete with gold trim and

chrome accents, the May family’s

Rearwin Sportster conjures a spec-

tacular image of dapper 1930s black-

tie formality, from its classy cowl

right down to its wheel spats. It’s an

aeronautical treasure that just keeps

improving with age, thanks to the ef-

forts of one Nebraskan family.

Rearwin SportsterIt’s estimated that Rearwin Air-planes, which was based at the

Fairfax Airport in Kansas City,

manufactured approximately 50 of

the Model 8500s, and today, only

seven are listed on the FAA Regis-

try. The Model 8500 was similar to

the earlier Model 7000, except it was

powered by an 85-hp LeBlond 5DF

engine and was endowed with a few

extra features. Marketed primarily as

a sportsman’s airplane, the tandemdesign measured 22 feet 3 inches

from spinner to tailskid and had a

wingspan of 35 feet. The Sportster’s

gross weight was 1,460 pounds, it

had a useful load of 830 pounds,

and with its roomy tandem cabin,

its baggage compartment carried at

least 50 pounds. A 12-gallon fuel

tank was in each wing, and with a

5 gph fuel burn, the Sportster could

cruise 103 mph at 1900 rpm, thus

offering a 480-mile range.A 1936 advertisement for the

Sportster Model

7000 proudly an-

nounced: “Rearwin

popularity is truly in-

ternational. Theshipment of two

Rearwin ‘Sport-

sters’ now on

the way to Air-

taxi Company,

Lt., Cape Town,

Union of South

Africa, proves inter-

national endorsement of Rear-

win engineering skill, Rearwin

craftsmanship and Rearwin high

quality. The Modernistic lines of this

marvelous plane represent streamlin-

ing at its best.”

In 1937, Rearwin Airplanes’ mar-

keting slogan declared: “Rearwin

popularity is proof of Rearwin superi-

ority.” As touted in era advertising, a

Rearwin pilot’s letter to the company

stated: “‘Everywhere the smart ap-

pearance, efficiency and economy of

the Sportster elicited most favorable

comment.’—Capt. Wm. W. Ford,Richmond, Ky.” The company also

highlighted the Sportster’s capabili-

ties by stating that it had the “…fast-

est take-off, quickest climb, highest

ceiling, [and] slowest landing in the

$2000-$3500 class…[and a] roomy,

luxurious cabin with unexcelled visi-

bility in all directions…. And it’s easy

to own a Rearwin for you need pay

only one-third down.”

N16473The May family’s Model 8500,N16473 (serial number 502), flew

away from its birthplace in Kan-

sas City in September 1936, its Le-

Blond radial purring happily with

a Flottorp birch propeller spinning

on its nose. Landing in Hastings,

Nebraska, under the care of Frank

Cushing, its lustrous red factory

finish, highlighted by a dark blue

stripe and gold pinstriping was ad-

mired by onlookers. The Sportsterchanged hands again in July 1937,

when Dr. Otto Kostal purchased

it. Kostal kept it in good stead un-

til April 1945, when he sold it to

Ed Swan in Kearney, Nebraska.

By then, the tailskid had been re-placed with a castering tail wheel.

Swan, who was a good friend of

Jerry May, enjoyed the airp lane

until he sold it to Harold Olson of

Minden, Nebraska, in 1952.

Jer ry, who had become we ll -

acquainted with the Sportster, re-

calls, “The aileron ribs were rotted

by that point and had to be replaced.

So they decided they’d switch over

to metal Piper Cub ribs, since that

would be easier to do than making

wood ribs—but the inspector said,

‘No, you can’t change the design

of the aircraft.’ They got disgusted,

and finally they pushed the airplane

outside and tied it down, where it

sat for almost three years. Anyway,

I asked him about the Rearwin one

day, because I had known this air-

craft almost all its whole life. We

got together on a price finally, and I

went ahead and bought it in June of1954—I’ve had it ever since.”

At first, Jerry figured he might

end up using the airplane for parts,

but he was instead admonished by

his knowledgeable father to restore

it. Together, they brought it back to

flying condition. The Rearwin was,

in retrospect, the first member of

Jerry’s own family, for he wouldn’t

meet and marry his lovely bride,

Vivian, until 1963. “I rebuilt it and

flew it for 20-some years,” says Jerry, a gentle-mannered man with

a pleasant, unassuming personality.

“Then we decided it needed to be

re-covered, because it had cotton ‘A’

on it,” he explains, “but this time,

all kinds of projects of everybody

else’s got in the way for all these

years. I didn’t get it done as soon as

I wanted to, but about three years

ago, I said, ‘It’s got to get finished

now!’ So we started in on it and put

in actually about a year and a halfof really serious work.”

“Rearwin popularity is proof of Rearwin superiority”

B O N N I E K R

A T Z


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6 JANUARY 2011

One Generation

After Another

The May family comes by avia-

tion honestly—it’s just in theirgenes. Jerry’s father, Walter, learned

to fly in 1926 and barnstormed with

Harold Warp [of Minden, Nebras-

ka’s “Pioneer Village” fame, and

the founder of Warp Brothers Plas-

tics—Editor] in matching Swallow

biplanes. Jerry’s eldest son, Mark,

shares additional highlights of his

grandfather’s aviation career: “My

grandfather was an A&E, and was

an excellent mechanic and welder,

and also a machinist. … He was agreat pilot, and was f riends with

Amelia Earhart and Charles Lind-

bergh. He was a [welding instruc-

tor] for Swallow Aircraft. He worked

with Walter Beech, Lloyd and Wa-verly Stearman, and all the won-

derful people at Swallow Aircraft.

He also worked for my great-uncle

Glen Morton, of Morton Aircraft, in

Omaha. Later, he started May’s Air-

craft Service Inc. with my father in

Minden, Nebraska. My grandfather

was instrumental in my father buy-

ing the Rearwin, and both of them

restored it the first time.”

When Jerry and Vivian had their

own sons, Jerry happily influencedthe youngsters by taking them

down to his shop at the airport at

an early age. Vivian lent a helping

hand when needed with the air-

plane projects and laughs good-na-

turedly when she explains, “I just

go along with them, and do a lot of

cooking and praying for them! And

keep them happy—they have strong

wills, all three of them.”

Aviating and working on air-

planes naturally evolved into a wayof life for the sons. Mike, the young-

est son, reflects, “Since I grew up

with it, I thought everybody had

airplanes—then I’d go to school,

and they were like, ‘What’s an air-

plane?’” Mike works with the family

business, May’s Aircraft Services, and

is working toward his inspection

authorization (IA) rating. His son,

Josh, also does aircraft maintenance

for the family business. Mark, who

has his IA, has his own corporatemaintenance facility, AOG Aircraft

Services in Watkins, Colorado—and

shares his love for aviation with his

young daughter, Amelia.

Teamwork

The family worked together as a

team to breathe new life into their

languishing Sportster. Fortunately,

they didn’t have to do any extensive

hunting for parts, since the airframe

and engine were complete. As for pa-perwork, Jerry says, “I have all of the

JAY TOLBERT

S P A R K Y

B A R N E S

S A R G E N T

Three generations of the May family (L-R): Mark and daughter, Amelia;

Mike; Vivian; Jerry; and Mike’s son, Josh.


9/44

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

airframe and engine logs all the way

back, even the service bulletins from

the factory. I had everything for the

project, which is very rare, and the

airplane has never been wrecked in

its whole life.”

Still, wood and fabric deteriorate

over time, and various parts needed

repair. New wood ribs for the wingsand ailerons were made by using a

rib fixture based on the original rib

patterns, and the original spars were

stripped and inspected for cracks and

dry rot. Surprisingly, they were found

to be in airworthy condition and

were reused, along with the original

brackets, fittings, and drag wires. The

wood turtledeck was repaired, and

all of the wood components received

three coats of spar varnish. New

aluminum leading-edge skins were

installed, new control cables were

fabricated, and new tinted Lexan was

used for the three-piece windshield

(later models had a formed, curved

one-piece windshield). Finally, Ceco-

nite fabric was installed and finished

with Air-Tech Coatings.

“The instruments are all original,”

says Jerry, “and it doesn’t have an al-

timeter, because it has a nonsensitive

Zenith height meter—there are veryfew of them around. The compass

was missing; somebody had put a

little Airpath compass in it, so Mike

found this bubble-faced one in Cali-

fornia, which is the original type for

the aircraft.”

During the Rearwin’s previous res-

toration, it was painted green. This

time, Jerry decided upon the black-

and-white paint scheme. “I thought

it would be more attractive that

way,” he says, adding with a gentle

laugh, “and not being much for the

red paint, I figured that would be the

thing to do! That is the original kind

of stripe that was on the aircraft, and

the lettering on the fin is also in the

exact location and what was on it

from the factory. I painted it with astencil, and had a friend do the gold

pinstripe around the stripe. Then I

decided to spruce it up a little more

by adding the scalloping, which I did

on every fourth rib, and of course on

the tail section.”

Custom Touches

In addition to those scallops, an-

other detail that really dresses up

the Sportster is the chrome—which,

Mark readily admits with a big smile,

“is my fault.” He just likes chrome—

and you’ll see it on the rudder pedals,

the custom kick plates on the new

wood floorboards just below the ped-

als, the control sticks, the door han-

dle and step—even the vented fuel

caps. There are custom-made chromecowling washers, as well, which bear

the Rearwin name.

Another shiny touch is the cus-

tom gold lettering on the varnished

wood baggage compartment door

and the wing root area surrounding

the fuel gauges. Over the front seat, a

skylight lights up the plush, soft gray

leather upholstery and highlights

the first-class interior..

J A Y

T O L B E R T

The lettering on the tail is in keep-ing with the original.

The large windows, skylight, and

original-type three-piece windshieldprovide excellent visibility.

The Sportster uses easily available

800x4 tires, thanks to a special

ring that sizes the original 3-inchwheel to a 4-inch wheel.

The simple and original instrument panel includes a Zenith height meter.

S P A R K Y

B A R N E S

S A R G E N T

P H O T O S


10/44

8 JANUARY 2011

Jerry thought of a nifty way to add

corrosion protection to two specific ar-

eas of the airplane. “A friend of mine

applied a spray-on black coating—like

you put in the bed of a pickup truck—

behind the speed ring and also inside

the wheelpants. It keeps it lightweight

and stiffens that speed ring—it stays

round when you mount it and tightenthe bolts. It really makes a world of

difference, and I’d recommend that—

it’s the way to go!”

LeBlondThe Model 8500’s 85-hp LeBlond

5DF was manufactured by LeBlond

Aircraft Engine Corporation of Cin-

cinnati, Ohio. It was a five-cylinder,

air-cooled radial, and an Eclipse Type

Y-150 starter was optional, as was a

Jones Motorola fuel pump. For lu-

brication, it had a dry-sump, double-

gear-type pump with both scavenger

and pressure gears in a single unit.

It weighed 220 pounds and sold for

$1,250 at the factory.

Parts availability for such an en-

gine is a primary concern these days.

Years ago, there were a few parts still

available. “I had bought parts for a 70-

hp engine that I did for another air-

craft, and when I did that, I thought,‘They’re going to become sparse.’ So

I bought extra valve springs, bush-

ings, pins, pistons, and those types

of items,” Jerry explains, “so I had

my supply. Then when I overhauled

it this time, I had them available to

use—but now, there are no extras left!

One thing we did add this time was an

Airwolf filter, because we thought it

would be beneficial.”

Flying the SportsterTo the family’s delight, the Sport-ster returned to the Nebraska sky

again in September 2007. Describing

its flying characteristics, Jerry says,

“It has great visibility, and it’s a very

stable airplane. On takeoff, it’s pretty

docile—you just push the stick all

the way forward, and it picks the tail

up and doesn’t run very far. It will

fly off the ground, fully loaded, at 40

mph. If you really want to climb, it

will climb at about a 45-degree an-gle. During approach to landings, we

generally run about 40 to 45 mph

on final. It’s slow, and it lands at 35

mph. It’s very easy to fly, and we

make three-point landings because

we like that better anyway.”

Speaking of landings, the Model

8500 originally had Goodyear 18x8-3

tires and standard Rearwin oleo

shock absorbers. “Those balloon tiresare nonexistent now,” says Jerry, “but

Bob Lamb in California was making

rings to put over the wheels to con-

vert them to 4 inches—just like a Cub

wheel. He had the approval, and I in-

stalled the kit during the first rebuild.

So we just reused those rings and used

Cub 800x4 tires. It has multi-disc me-

chanical brakes—one disc is station-

ary, the next moves with the wheel,

and so on. When you push the heel

brakes with your feet, it pulls the arm

out and squeezes them together—it

has excellent brakes. Those pads are

nonexistent now, too, but these are

still in great shape, and I think they’lllast for many years. The aircraft was

built way ahead of its time, really;

there are a lot of things on it you see

years and years later—so Rearwin had

some really great ideas.”

Describing the landing gear, Mike

says, “There is a coil inside the shock

on the main landing gear—it’s a hy-

draulic spring shock. It has an orifice

hole, a metal plunger, and rebound

springs—and it’s the neatest, softest

gear! You can bounce it hard, and itfeels like you hardly touched.”

Warm MemoriesAsk any member of the May fam-

ily, and they’ll tell you that what

they like most about their treasured

Rearwin is that it’s a family airplane.

“Mike and I remember the fuselage

sitting in the garage on its landing

gear,” says Mark with a smile, “and

playing in it—so it’s always been partof our lives.” Josh, tickled by his un-

cle’s comment, chuckles and says, “It

was in that stage when we were little

kids, too!” To which the entire family

laughs heartily.

Reminiscing, Mark says, “Back in

the old days we used to all four go in

the airplane. Mike would sit on Mom’s

lap, and we’d trade in flight—I’d go to

the back and he’d go to the front. I

was 5 years old the last time that I flew

it—we had a Sears catalog underneath

me, and I was making landings. I’d

flare, and Dad would do the rudder

pedals. So I have a lot of good memo-

ries with the airplane. It was a big part

of my grandfather’s life, too.”

At age 73, this Sportster Model

8500 has only 575 hours’ total time,

and around 35 hours since its re-

cent restoration. Jerry has logged

100 hours on it during the years he’s

had it flying—and that number willno doubt increase as the May family

enjoys creating new memories with

their Rearwin. The well-deserved

accolades that N16473 received

contribute to those memories; it

garnered the Customized Aircraft

Champion - Bronze Lindy at Air-

Venture 2009, and the Grand Cham-

pion, Rearwin Family, and Texas

Chapter awards at Blakesburg 2008.

There’s one thing for certain—

when Jerry embraces a new memberof his family—whether human or

airplane—it’s for keeps. He’s owned

the Rearwin Sportster for 55 years

and his Luscombe 8A for 51 years.

“I do hang on to things,” he says

with a broad, contented smile, add-

ing, “My wife feels safe! We’ve been

married for 46 years.” To which Viv-

ian quickly laughs and responds,

“The older you get around him, the

safer you are!” With that said, the fu-

ture of the May family’s Rearwin iswell-secured.


11/44

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12/44

10 JANUARY 2011

Aeronca Aviators ClubRobert SzegoP.O. Box 66Coxsackie, NY [email protected], www.aeronca.org Dues: $29 1-yr, $55 2-yrs;Int’l $37 1-yr, $69 2-yrsAeronca Aviator , Qtrly

Fearless Aeronca Aviators (f-AA)John Rodkey 280 Big Sur Dr.Goleta, CA [email protected]

http://aeronca.westmont.edu Dues: None

National Aeronca AssociationJim Thompson304 Adda StreetRoberts, IL [email protected] www.aeroncapilots.com

Auster ClubStuart Bain31 Swain CourtLake RonkonkomaNew York, NY [email protected], www.austerclub.org

Beech Aero Clubwww.beechaeroclub.org

T-34 Association, Inc.880 North County Road, 900-ETuscola, IL [email protected], www.t-34.com $50/yr Paper; $25 ElectronicMentor Monitor , Qtrly

Bellanca-Champion ClubRobert SzegoP.O. Box 100Coxsackie, NY [email protected] www.bellanca-championclub.com

$38 1-yr, $72 2-yrs;Int’l $43 1-y, $81 2-yrsPublication: B-C Contact!, Qtrly

Bird Airplane ClubJeannie HillP.O. Box 328Harvard, IL 60033-0328815-943-7205Postage donation

American Bonanza Society J. Whitney Hickman Exec. Dir.Mid-Continent AirportPO Box 12888Wichita, KS 67277316-945-1700

[email protected] www.bonanza.org $55/yr. US/CanadaABS Magazine , Monthly

National Bücker Jungmiester ClubCelesta Price300 Estelle Rice Dr.Moody, TX 76557254-853-9067

Bücker ClubNewsletter EditorGordon [email protected] EditorStephen [email protected] 614-937-4189www.bucker.info

Buhl LA-1 “Bull Pup” Owners GroupWilliam R. “Bill” Goebel894 Heritage Creek Dr.Rhome, TX [email protected]

International Bird Dog Association (L-19/O-1)Dan Kelly 343 Texas Heritage Dr.LaVernia, TX [email protected] www.IBDAweb.com

$30/yr US; $50 Int’lE-newsletter Monthly

Cessna 150/152 ClubLori ParsonsP.O. Box 1917Atascadero, CA [email protected] www.cessna150152.com $35/yr Internet; $45/yr Print U.S.Int’l see websitePublication: 6/yr

Cessna Flyer AssociationJennifer Dellenbusch

[email protected], www.cessnaflyer.org $40/yr

Cessna Owner OrganizationDan Weiler, Executive DirectorN7450 Aanstad RdIola, WI 549451-888-692-3776www.cessnaowner.org $49.95/yr; or $29.95 OnlineCessna magazine: Monthly

Cessna Pilots AssociationJohn Frank, Exec. Director3940 Mitchell Rd.Santa Maria, CA 93455805-934-0493www.cessna.org $55 US, Canada, Mexico;$70 Int’lCPA Magazine , Monthly E-ATIS Electronic Wkly

Cessna T-50 “The Flying Bobcats”Jon D. LarsonP.O. Box 566Auburn, WA [email protected] www.angelfire.com.mi2/bobcat Contact club for dues infoPublication: Qtrly

Eastern Cessna 190/195 AssociationCliff Crabs25575 Butternut Ridge RoadNorth Olmsted, OH 44070440-777-4025

[email protected] $15 initial, then as requiredPublication: 4/yr

This aircraft type club information is listed on our

website, www.vintageaircraft.org , throughout the

year. We list it here for your added convenience.

These groups can be a great resource for you.

A Type Club can save you money, keep you from

making mistakes others have already made, show

you how to restore, maintain and fly your airplane

— in short, provide the equivalent of many years of

hard won experience at a very low cost.

ub .. r r , . ..

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13/44

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

International Cessna 120/140 AssociationChristian Vehrs, PresidentP.O. Box 830092Richardson, TX [email protected] www.cessna120-140.org $25/yr US,Canada; $35/yr Int’lPublication: 6/yr

International Cessna 170 Assoc.22 Vista View Ln.Cody, WY [email protected] www.cessna170.org $45/yr170 News , Qtrly

International Cessna 180/185 ClubBob WarnerP.O. Box 306Van Alstyne, TX [email protected] www.skywagons.org $25/yrPublication: 6/yr

International Cessna 195 ClubCoyle Schwab632 N. Tyler Rd.St. Charles, IL [email protected] www.cessna195.org $25/yr

Web area for Members Only

Corben ClubRobert TaylorP.O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com $18 for 3 magazines

Culver ClubBrent TaylorP.O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com

$18 for 3 issues

de Havilland Moth & Chipmunk ClubDavid M. Harris2024 75th StKenosha, WI [email protected] Paper Tiger , Electronic

Ercoupe Owners ClubCarolyn T. CardenP.O. Box 7117Ocean Isle Beach, NC [email protected] www.ercoupe.org

$25/yr Electronic$30/yr Paper US; $35 Paper Int’lCoupe Capers , Monthly

Fairchild ClubMike Kelly 92 N. Circle Dr.Coldwater, MI [email protected] www.fairchildclub.org $20/yrPublication: Qtrly

Fairchild Fan ClubRobert L. TaylorP. O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com $18 for 3 issues. Fairchild Fan

International Fleet ClubJim Catalano8 Westlin Ln.Cornwall, NY [email protected] http://web.mac.com/fleetclub ContributionsPublication: 3-4/yr

Funk Aircraft Owners Associationwww.funkflyers.org [email protected] $12/yrFunk Flyer , Monthly

Great Lakes ClubRobert L. TaylorP. O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com $18 for 3 issues

The American Yankee AssociationStewart Wilson

P.O. Box 1531Cameron Park, CA [email protected] www.aya.org $50/yr US & Int’l1st yr U.S. +$7.50; Int’l +$10American STAR , 6/yr

Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association244411 Airport RoadTillsonburg, ON N4G 3T9Canadawww.harvards.com

Hatz Biplane AssociationChuck BrownlowP.O. Box 85

Wild Rose, WI [email protected] www.hatzbiplane.com $20/yrPublication: Qtrly

Hatz ClubBarry TaylorP. O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com $18 for 3 issues, Hatz Herald

Heath Parasol ClubWilliam Schlapman

6431 Paulson RoadWinneconne, WI 54986920-582-4454

Howard Club &Howard Aircraft FoundationMichael Vaughan, President6991 N CR 1200 E.Charleston, IL [email protected] www.howardaircraft.org $30/yrPublication: Qtrly

The Arctic & Interstate LeagueSteve Dawson, 262-642-3649W626 Beech Dr.East Troy, WI [email protected] Wayne Forshey, [email protected] Newsletter Qtrly via email

Interstate ClubRobert L. TaylorP.O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com $18 for 3 issues, Interstate Intercom

Continental Luscombe AssociationMike Culver, President & Editor17514 NE 33rd Pl.Redmond, WI [email protected], www.luscombe-cla.org $25/yr US; $27.50 Canada; $30 Int’l USDThe Courant , 6/yr

Luscombe AssociationSteve Krog1002 Heather LaneHartford, WI [email protected] www.luscombeassoc.org $30 US/Canada; $35 Int’l USD

Luscombe Assoc. Newsletter : 6/yr

The Luscombe Endowment Inc.Doug Combs2487 S. Gilbert Rd Unit # 106Gilbert, AZ [email protected] www.luscombe.org Donations.Online and Print

Meyers Aircraft Owners AssociationDoug Eshelman1563 Timber Ridge Dr.Brentwood, TN [email protected], www.meyersaircraftowners.org

Postage fund donationNewsletter: 3-4/yr

Monocoupe ClubFrank & Carol Kerner1218 Kingstowne PlaceSt. Charles, MO [email protected] www.monocoupe.com Dues: 25/yr

Western Association of Mooney MitesMichael HarmsP.O. Box 391641Mountain View, CA 94039650-966-8292

[email protected] www.mooneymite.comDues: None

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14/44

12 JANUARY 2011

N3N Owners & Restorers AssociationH. Ronald Kempka2380 Country Road #217Cheyenne, WY [email protected] $15/yrNewsletter: 2/yr

American Navion Society Gary RankinPMB 335, 16420 SE McGillivray # 103Vancouver, WA 98683May - Oct: 360-833-9921Nov - April: [email protected], www.navionsociety.org $60/yr US; $64 Canada; $74 Int’l USDThe Navioneer , 6/yr

Navion Pilots AssociationJon HartmanP.O. Box 6656Ventura, CA 93006805-754-0044

[email protected], www.navionpilots.org $25/yr

Navion SkiesRaleigh MorrowP.O. Box 2678Lodi, CA 95241

209-482-7754Fax: [email protected], www.navionskies.com Email newsletter monthly

NavionX...for the Navion AficionadoChris Gardner1690 Aeronca LaneFleming Field AirportSouth St Paul, MN 55075651-306-1456www.navionx.org

Parrakeet Pilot ClubBarry TaylorBox 127Blakesburg, IA 52536641-938-2773

[email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com $18 for 3 issuesThe Parrakeet Pilot

Brodhead Pietenpol AssociationDoc MosherP.O. Box 3501Oshkosh, WI [email protected], www.pietenpols.org $16/yrPublication: Qtrly

Cub ClubSteve Krog1002 Heather LaneHartford, WI 53027262-966-7627

[email protected], www.cubclub.org $35 US/Canada; $40 Int’l USDCub Clues , 6/yr

International Comanche Society PO Box 1810Traverse City, MI [email protected], www.comancheflyer.com $69/yr US, Canada, MexicoMore options listed on websiteThe Comanche Flyer , Monthly

Piper Apache ClubJohn J. Lumley 6778 Skyline DriveDelray Beach, FL [email protected] www.piperapacheclub.com $36/yr

Piper Aviation Museum Foundation1 Piper Way Lock Haven, PA [email protected] www.pipermuseum.com $20/yrThe Cub Reporter , Qtrly

Piper Flyer AssociationJennifer Dellenbusch

[email protected] www.piperflyer.org

Piper Owner Society www.piperowner.org $49.95/yr U.S., add $20 Int’lPublication: Monthly

Shortwingpipers.orgSteve Pierce196 Hwy. 380 EastGraham, TX 76450940-549-6415www.shortwingpipers.org Donations: Min $25/yrOnline Discussion Forum

Short Wing Piper ClubEleanor MillsP.O. Box 10822Springfield, MO 65808

[email protected] www.shortwing.org Dues: $40/yr USA & Canada; $50/yr Int’lPublication: 6/yrShort Wing Piper News

Supercub.orgPO Box 150Waldron, MO 64092816-200-2827www.supercub.org Donations: Min. $25/yrOnline Discussion Forum

Porterfield Airplane ClubTom Porterfield3350 Co Rd U; Hangar A

Abernathy, TX [email protected] www.porterfieldplane.ning.com

Rearwin ClubRobert L. TaylorP. O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com $18 for 3 issues

International Ryan ClubLynne Orloff P.O. Box 990Groveland, CA 95321

[email protected] www.ryanclub.org $15/yr online community

1-26 Association (Schweizer)A Division of the Soaring Society of AmericaSusan von Hellens, Sec./[email protected] $15/yr (website has add’l options)Publication: 6/yr

Stearman Restorers Association7000 Merrill Ave., Box 90Chino AirportChino, CA [email protected] $35/yr USThe Flying Wire , Qtrly

Stinson Historical &Restoration Society Robert TaylorP.O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] www.antiqueairfield.com $24 for 3 issuesPublication: SHARS

International Stinson ClubLogan Boles210 Blackfield Dr.Tiburon, CA [email protected] www.stinsonclub.org $30/yrPublication: Monthly

National Stinson ClubAll Pre-War Models, 10,105, & V-77Charlie Gay, President25 Runway RoadTunkhannock, PA [email protected] 570-836-3473 voice$20 US & Canada; $25 Int’lStinson Plane Talk , 4/yr

Sentinel Owner & Pilots Association(Stinson L-5)James H. Gray 1951 W. Coolbrook Ave.Phoenix, AZ [email protected], www.sentinelclub.org $22 Electronic$30 US/Canada Print$40 Int’l PrintNewsletter: 2/yr

West Coast Swift WingGerry or Carol Hampton3195 Bonanza DrCameron Park, CA 95682530-676-7755 voice & [email protected]

$15/yr paper; $5/yr emailPublication: Monthly

Taylorcraft Foundation, Inc.Forrest Barber, President13820 Union Ave. NEAlliance, OH [email protected] [email protected], www.taylorcraft.org $20/yr

Taylorcraft Owners ClubSteve Krog1002 Heather LaneHartford, WI [email protected]

www.taylorcraft.org $35/yr US,Canada; $40 Int’l USDTaylorcraft News : Qtrly

Travel Air ClubRobert L. TaylorP. O. Box 127Blakesburg, IA [email protected] $18 for 3 issuesTravel Air Talks

Travel Air Restorers AssociationJerry Impellezzeri4925 Wilma Way San Jose, CA [email protected], www.travelair.org $15/yr US; $20 Int’lTravel Air Log , Qtrly

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15/44

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

American Waco Club, Inc.Phil Coulson28415 Springbrook Dr.Lawton, MI [email protected] www.americanwacoclub.com $35 US; $45 Int’lWaco World News , 6/yr

National Waco ClubAndy Heins50 La Belle St.Dayton, OH [email protected] www.nationalwacoclub.com $25/yr US; $30 Int’lWaco Pilot , 6/yr

Western Waco Associationwww.westernwaco.com $10/yr Electronic; $20 PrintPublication: Qtrly

Other Aviation Organizations

Aircraft Engine Historical Society 4608 Charles Dr. NWHuntsville, AL [email protected] www.enginehistory.org

American Aviation Historical Society 2333 Otis StreetSanta Ana, CA 92704714-549-4818;Wed.10-4www.aahs-online.org $39.50/yr USPublication: Qtrly

Beechcraft Heritage MuseumP.O. Box 550570 Old Shelbyville Hwy Tullahoma, TN [email protected]

www.beechcraftheritagemuseum.org $50/yr; $60 Int’l USD

Cross & CockadeBob Sheldon, Secretary 14329 S. Calhoun Ave.Burnham, IL 60633708-862-1014$15/yrPublication: 6/yr

Deaf Pilots AssociationP.O. Box 364Jeffersonville, IN [email protected], www.deafpilots.org

Reno Air Racing Association14501 Mt. Anderson St.

Reno, NV 89506775-972-6663www.airrace.org

Florida Antique Biplane AssociationLarry Robinson10906 Denoeu RoadBoynton Beach, FL [email protected] $48/yrThe Flying Wire , Monthly

Florida Cub Flyers, Inc.Larry Robinson10906 Denoeu RoadBoynton Beach, FL [email protected]

$48/yrCub Tales , Monthly

Glenn H. Curtiss Museum 8419 State Route 54 Hammondsport, NY 14840 www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org

International Fellowship of Flying RotariansLynn Miller, Secretary-TreasurerP.O. Box 479Seabrook, TX [email protected], www.iffr.org $40/yr US

International Flying FarmersP.O. Box 309Mansfield, IL 61854217-489-9300www.flyingfarmers.org $70/yrPublication: 6/yr

Int’l Liaison Pilot& Aircraft Association (ILPA)Bill Stratton16518 LedgestoneSan Antonio, TX 78232210-490-4572 voice & faxwww.centercomp.com/ILPA/index.html $29/yr; $35 Int’lLiaison Spoken Here

Int’l Wheelchair AviatorsP.O. Box 279

Kemah, TX [email protected], www.wheelchairaviators.org $10/yr

Lake Amphibian Flyers ClubMarc Rodstein15695 Boeing CourtWellington, FL [email protected], www.lakeflyers.com $62, $72 Int’lLake Flyer newsletter

National Air Racing GroupBetty Sherman1932 Mahan AvenueRichland, WA 99354509-946-5690

[email protected] $15 for first member in household$3 for each additionalProfessional Airracing , 4-13/yr

National Association of Priest Pilots (NAPP)Rev. Mel Hemann127 Kaspend PlCedar Falls, IA [email protected], www.priestpilots.org $25/yr

The Ninety-Nines, Inc.,Women Pilots Organization4300 Amelia Earhart Rd.Oklahoma City, OK 73159800-994-1929

[email protected], www.ninety-nines.org $65/yrPublication: 4/yr

North American Trainer Association(T6, T28, NA64, NA50, P51, B25)Kathy & Stoney Stonich25801 NE Hinness Rd.Brush Prairie, WA [email protected], www.NorthAmericanTrainer.org $50 US/Canada; $60 Int’l USDNATA Skylines , Qtrly

OX5 Aviation PioneersR.R. “Duke” Iden, Treasurer3015 Homeworth Rd.Alliance, OH [email protected] Dues: $20/yrOX5 News , Monthly

Seaplane Pilots Association3859 Laird Blvd.Lakeland, FL [email protected], www.seaplanes.org $45/yr US; $55/yr Int’lWater Flying , 6/yr

Sentimental Journey to Cub HavenKim Garlick/Carmen BanfillP.O. Box J-3Lock Haven, PA 17745-0496570-893-4200

[email protected] www.sentimentaljourneyfly-in.com $12/yr Individual, $17 Family Publication: 2/yr

Silver Wings Fraternity Jerry Riesz3288 Cherryview Ct.North Bend, OH 45052513-941-8108www.silverwings.org $25/yrSlipstream , 6/yr

Society of Air Racing HistoriansHerman Schaub168 Marion LaneBerea, OH 44017440-234-2301

www.airrace.com $20/yr US; $23 Int’lGolden Pylons , 6/yr

Swift Museum FoundationCharlie NelsonP. O. Box 644Athens, TN 37371-0644Headquarters: 423-745-9547Charlie: [email protected] Secretary: [email protected] www.swiftmuseumfoundation.org www.SaginawWings.com $35/yrPublication: Monthly

United Flying OctogenariansBart Bratko, sec’y/treas.

19 Bay State RdNatick, MA [email protected] www.unitedflyingoctogenarians.org $20yrUFO newsletter, 4/yr

Vintage Sailplane Association31757 Honey Locust RoadJonesburg, MO 63351-3195www.vintagesailplane.org $30/yr; $40 Int’lBungee Cord , Qtrly

Waco Historical Society Waco Aircraft MuseumDon Willis, Exec. Dir.1865 South County Rd. 25A

Troy, OH 45373937-335-9226; noon-5 [email protected] www.wacoairmuseum.org $30/yrWACO Word , 4/yr

Women in Aviation, International3647 State Route 503 SouthWest Alexandria, OH 45381937-839-4647www.wai.org $39/yr; $29 studentsAviation for Women , 6/yr

WWI Aeroplanes, Inc.PO Box 730Red Hook, NY [email protected], www.ww1aeroinc.org Skyways and WWI Aero

, .

ok Dr.

.com co l .


16/44

14 JANUARY 2011

This is the second installment

of a story, wherein a large commu-

nal lightplane hangar in the pres-

ent-day American Midwest during

winter, six antique airplanes come

to life and tell their tales of De-

pression-era survival to the newer

airplanes, who are worried about

recent national economic issues.

The Taylorcraft L-2’s Story

A gruff voice spoke up, as if an

older officer in well-deserved re-

tirement at a veteran’s center:

“Complain, complain, com-

plain! In a democracy, in what is a

peacetime home front, undergoing

what for most of the world would

be a routine economic adjustmentwhich they have weathered many

times before, I am dismayed with

what I hear.

“I’d rather not undergo this oc-

casional inactivity, but it’s not com-

parable to how I lived the first years

of my life—as an observer/liaison

airplane in World War II.

“Compare today’s stateside situ-

ation to being shot at—hard, fast,

early, and often! Compare it to not

having my pilot know whether he

and I would return from each of

our assigned observation missions

during the war.

“I was among the very lightest

and smallest of the warplanes, and

it was up to my pilot—and me—

to fly into combat in my fabric-

covered, unarmed frame, with extra

reserves of strength and spirit.“To kill my pilot and, not inci-

dentally, me was worth a great deal

to the enemy. In a scoring system,

they gave two points for downing

an escorted twin engine bomber,

one point for a fighter, but two

points for downing an Allied liai-

son aircraft. The rifles of ground

troops were all but useless against

a fighter or bomber, but not against

me, and I was often the only thing

for them to aim at. A German in-

fantryman who brought down an

Allied L-bird like me was rewarded

with a 15-day leave! My ‘eyes in the

sky’ were considered that valuable.

“And this happened when I was

brand new. It was the existence for

which I was made!

“Several bullets hit me, and all

but one of the strikes were quicklyidentified and repaired. The field

mechanic who fixed me in 1944 in

Part II

The Antiques in WinterIf airplanes could talk . . .

BY ROGER THIEL


17/44

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15

Italy, working on his third day with-

out sleep, saw that one hit to my

tubing was only a crease and that it

was okay. That crease has since been

regarded by 22 civilian mechanics as

a minor factory fluke. It is perfectly

safe, but only I know the truth of

that scary day when my frame de-

flected the bullet that would haveotherwise killed my pilot.

“For decades no one knew what I

had been through. It would be 30-

some years after the war that en-

thusiasts and restorers depicted the

L-bird experience and accorded us a

historic dignity.

“And so in those years right after

the war, I never complained about

hard student landings and of various

other neglects and pilot mistakes.

“But look at me now! In only

the past few years, because of my

weight, I have become eligible

for something called ‘light sport,’

which enables some pilots to fly

me all over again with a new en-

ergy. And this is yet another breath

of goodness to my life, a life that

could have ended so easily so many,

many times.

“Squeak if you must, but only

when you really, really need grease.These times, by the standards of most

of the world, are still quite grand.

“A salute to you all. And now,

I’m going to sleep.”

The Piper J-3 Cub’s Story

“My line of aircraft came from

poverty, from the low ebb of the

early 1930s and from a hard-hit ar-

ea—rural central Pennsylvania.

“Nothing from this situationsuggested success for our line, and

yet this is where we found it, when

a reluctant oil man essentially in-

herited my aircraft factory as a bad

debt. In an unlikely startup, he sim-

ply became determined that he was

going to ‘make the best’ of it all.

“The aerodynamics of the Piper

line were made as if in reaction to

poverty, with the most elemental

design possible: a slow, flat-bottom

wing that wrought every shred of

lift it could from its modest power-

plant. Lift, lift, lift—it turned any-

thing it could find into an asset,

clinging tenaciously to the winds

themselves as if to say, ‘Give me a

dime of forward , and I’ll give you

back a dollar of up.’

“Popular as I became, in the be-

ginning, times were tight. There were

days at the factory when a customer

came to pick up one of my ances-tors and it would have no engine in-

stalled. It was at the town’s railroad

depot waiting for a check. Some Piper

personnel would take the buyer to an

orchestrated lunch while others took

the payment check, presented it atthe railroad, claimed my engine, and

took it to the factory and installed

and flight-tested it—all without the

buyer even knowing!

“My Cub yellow paint was not

originally the beautiful pigment

you see now, but was colored with

a more drab, sulfur powder the fac-

tory could get for almost nothing

from the Pennsylvania hills.

“Elements of my design have

taken on a cute and emblematic

identity—my ‘clamshell’ doorsthat I am soloed from the rear

seat, and the cork-and-wire fuel

gauge from my simplistic gravity-

feed fuel tank. But all of this im-

age is incidental; these features

were each built into me for a gritty,

must-do purpose.

“My small engine was, in fact,

a bold new design, made at a time

when aircraft engines were large,

round, and expensive. It would

probably not have been a success

except for the harsh times. My en-

gine enhanced frontal view, mak-

ing my more modest cabin design

workable. All of these designs hap-

pened together, and they collected

a host of brilliant personnel—all of

whom somehow made their biggest

steps in the hardest of times.

“There are so many Ameri-

can manufacturers who started

in the early 1930s and who haveendured. From that pit, from that

low ebb, they—including my mak-

ers—found a grain of survival and

created what would become a long-

lasting success.

“By 1940, the year in which I was

made, Piper’s numbers had swelled

so large that it could advertise to

‘outsell all other light aircraft com-

bined.’ No other American factory

has been able to make that claim

before or since.“And with the decades, my name

went on to become an emblematic

name for what a lightplane is.

“I am evidence of the saying of

architect Frank Lloyd Wright that

‘humanity built most nobly in time

of scarcity, when so much more was

needed to build anything at all.’

And so, my makers, by the gritty

nature of what was thrust on them

and by ferocity of effort, proved

that the worst of times can be madeinto the best.”

“Give me a dime of forward , and I’ll

give you back a dollar of up .”


18/44

Inducted in the Army Air

Forces (AAF) and assigned

to Air Transport Command—Ferry Command, the AAF

recognized Frank’s experi-

ence, even as a young man of 20

years. For large aircraft such as

bombers and transports, radial en-

gines ruled, and Frank had plenty

of experience maintaining and

operating them. A position as a

copilot/mechanic/flight engineer

was the right place for his talents.

And that is where he went; he

eventually became one of the fa-mous AAF “Flying Sergeants.”

Frank told us, “Ford was produc-

ing a B-24 every eight hours in those

days. If it was to become a ‘Hump’

airplane, it went to Memphis. If it

was a bomber, it went to another lo-

cation to be reassigned. We picked

up all of ours at Memphis.”

Frank talked about going to

Memphis, Tennessee, to pick up

new B-24s that had been con-

verted to tanker ships by instal-lation of special fuel tanks for

long-range flights and to carry

fuel from India into China. These

aircraft were designated C-109s—they were essentially Consolidated

B-24 ships constructed under con-

tract by Ford, but stripped of all

armament, bomb racks, etc. Some

of these ships had their plastic

nose and tail gun turrets faired

in with sheet metal to make a

smooth rounded nose and tail. InMemphis these aircraft were fit-

ted with welded aluminum fuel

tanks in the nose and in the bomb

bay areas. These tanks could carryan additional 2,900 U.S. gallons

of fuel, and the aircraft’s fuel sys-

tem could be plumbed into the

tanks to provide extra-long range

to ferry them from Miami, Flor-

ida, to India. These aircraft were

developed specifically to supply

the fuel needs of the B-29s oper-

ating out of China to bomb Ja-

pan. Frank indicated that the

Laird Company manufactured the

aluminum fuel tanks, while theGlenn L. Martin Company fitted

collapsible Mareng fuel cells in

the last of the modified aircraft.

Some of the C-109s were fer-

ried directly from Memphis to

the Azores, then on to North Af-

rica, and eventually Burma/India.

Other ships were ferried to Pan

Am Field in Miami or Dinner Key

in south Florida, then across the

Atlantic to the Azores and North

Africa, landing at Libya or Trip-oli. Frank indicated he made a

16 JANUARY 2011

My Friend

Frank RezichPart IV

The war yearsBY ROBERT G. LOCK

PHOTOS COURTESY OF REZICH FAMILY COLLECTIONFrank with his trademark unlit cigar in his mouth,

standing next to a Consolidated C-109.

“I got

sent through

basic school and

wound up in theAir Transport

Command—

Ferry Division.”


19/44

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

couple of flights across the Atlan-

tic Ocean. In a telling statement

Frank said, “I made a couple of

mistakes. I should have stayedwith Pan Am.”

In the first photo in this arti-

cle you can see Pan Am Field in

Miami, Florida, as it appeared in

1945. The terminal and hangar

complex and parking ramp are to

the left of the photograph. Dinner

Key was located nearby and was

designed for amphibian and sea-

plane operation only. All Pan Am

seaplane operations began and

ended at this base. It was fromthis Pan Am Field that Frank fer-

ried British aircraft to North Af-

rica prior to his induction into the

military in 1943.

Frank recalled his induction and

service in the military. “I got sent

through basic school and wound

up in the Air Transport Command

– Ferry Division. I took two C-46s

and a C-47 to India. Whether you

flew right seat or not depended

on whom you had for a CO [com-manding officer]. They used to

take the crew chief and make him

the copilot. On the B-24s you

would have a three- or four-man

crew. A lot of the time we wouldget some of those green copilots,

and the old man would say, ‘Frank

you go.’ I can remember delivering

four or five C-46s and some Vega

Venturas, but I don’t remember

ever going to the Boeing factory.

I remember going to the Douglas

factory and to the Curtiss factory

in Buffalo and also to St. Louis. I

remember going to the Douglas

facility at Daggett, on the Mojave

Desert, to pick up some A-20s in1945 to ferry over to Europe.”

The C-109s were used to ferry

fuel to B-29 bombers stationed

in China, which were to be used

to bomb Japan. There were many

frightful moments flying a fully

loaded C-109 across the Hima-

layan Mountains, the famous

“Hump.” Frank flew as a flight en-

gineer on a fuel-laden C-109. His

rank was sergeant.

Frank was eventually based inthe Assam Valley region in India.

U.S. bases were in Shamshan Agra

and Teagon, India. Missions carry-

ing fuel to China were across the

Himalayan Mountains in the areathat featured the highest moun-

tain in the world, Mount Everest;

after cresting the mountains, the

flight path took them into Kun-

ming, China. Occasional fuel

stops had to be made in Burma on

the return trip.

There are several stories that

emanated from his time in the

service, and a couple will be docu-

mented here.

“I have some pictures some-where where we lost the entire

nose case and propeller of the out-

board engine while in flight. I re-

call the same situation when I was

a flight engineer on C-54s near

the end of the war.”

Speaking about maintenance on

the C-109s, Frank recalled, “Engine

overhauls were done by a company

in Calcutta called Indian Aviation.

We were lucky to get 500 or 600

hours out of the engines. We usedto have to take off down the As-

Pan Am base in Miami, Florida.


20/44

18 JANUARY 2011

sam Valley. One day we took of f

and about 100 feet the first engine

craps out—blows up.

It blows a piston and all the s—t

comes out. We get it feathered, but

not too far down the road,

the second engine on the

same wing fails. Both guys

[pilots] were standing on op-

posite rudder with both feet.

We went maybe 30–40 miles

down the valley and finally

got it turn ed around andlanded it. We dumped all the

fuel we could to make the

airplane lighter, but even so

the airplane was st ill very

heavy. I think I st ill have

some of the pieces at home

somewhere in a cigar box.

Everybody had failures—

that was our biggest risk, an

engine failure on takeoff.”

T h e r e w e r e h u m o r -

ous moments that Frankrecalled. “One day I was

climbing on board the

C-109, and there was a

young copilot who de-

manded I discard my ci-

gar. I told him it wasn’t

lit, but he insisted I throw

it away before the flight.”

Frank educated him im-

mediately. “Follow me,

sonny, and let me show

you something.” Franktook the young man be-

hind the flight engineer’s aft

bulkhead and pointed to a device

attached to the structure. “See

that? It’s an auxiliary hydraulic

pump. Now you stand there and

watch it carefully while I throw

the electrical switch.” When the

electrically driven motor started

there were sparks emitting from

the unit, which was located lessthan a foot from a fuel tank loaded

with 115/145 fuel. Frank came

back and said, “See that, sonny?

My unlit cigar won’t ignite that

fuel tank, but that thing sure as

hell will. Nothing more was said!”

Near the end of the war, as the

Allies continued to gain ground

moving toward Japan, the B-29s

based in China were moved to

Guam and Saipan in the Mari-

ana Islands. Long-range bombingwould dispatch from these new

bases, and the China bases were

eventually abandoned. When fly-

ing the Hump to China was no

longer required, Frank went back

to ferrying aircraft wherever they

were needed.

Frank was released from mili-

tary service after the war ended

in 1945. Frank remembered what

happened in December 1946: “I

came home. No job. Just a littlebit of discharge pay in my pocket.

t

s

[

Frank served as a crewmember on the C-109, the aerial gas truck used to supply bases in the China/

Burma/India (CBI) theater of operations. The airplane had to gain an altitude of at least 19,000 feet

to clear the mountainous terrain between India and China.

Perhaps taken when the end of the war was

in sight, a young Frank Rezich, who so honor-

ably served his country and became a mem-

ber of the “greatest generation.” No cigar,

but is that the neck of a bottle that obscureshis necktie? He sure looks happy!


21/44

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

Mike came home first. What the

heck, I find Mike is running a beer

business for the southwest side of

Chicago. Mike said come to work

for me, driving a beer truck de-

livering Blatz beer. I tried it for a

couple weeks, but things didn’twork out.”

So Frank went back to doing

what he did before the war. The

first airplane that Frank purchased

after his discharge was a Civilian

Pilot Training Program (CPTP)

Waco UPF-7 that had been ground

looped. It was disassembled andhauled on a trailer to the fam-

ily house for rebuild. The family

shop was in the house basement

and storage was in the converted

two-car garage. Frank completed

repairs to the fuselage by replac-

ing the right landing gear and the

damaged tubing structure aroundthe gear attach area. He found a

Frank’s first airplane he purchased in 1942: a CPTP Waco UPF-7.

Frank’s nicely restored Waco UPF-7, NC32087.


22/44

20 JANUARY 2011

set of good lower wings, re-covered

and assembled the airplane, test

flying it and storing it at Willie

Howell’s Airfield south of the Chi-

cago Municipal because of the mu-

nicipal airport’s expanded size and

higher traffic density.Frank’s UPF-7 was only the sec-

ond airplane owned by other than

brother Mike. Up until this time,

Mike owned all the family air-

planes. Nick bought a Culver Ca-

det new from the factory in 1942,

before Frank bought his Waco.

The Culver was the only new air-

plane the family purchased. This

same Culver has been returned to

the family, as Nick’s son Jim now

owns it. (We’ll have more on it inPart 7.)

Thanks to the 50-foot gate

near the Rezich home on La-

Porte Street, Nick bought a sur-

plus Vultee BT-13 ship to use as

a “commuter” when he briefly

worked for Stinson Aircraft in De-

troit after the war. The airplane

was taxied to the family shop,

where it was converted to civil-

ian status and received a CAA li-

cense complete with registrationnumber NC9535H. Nick’s son Jim

remembered, “They tried a spe-

cial clear coat on the polished sur-

faces, but it didn’t work, so the

airplane ended up getting painted

a sand/tan topcoat color.” Frank

painted a red stripe on the fuse-

lage side and around the nose ofthe engine cowling. He would also

have to paint the civilian registra-

tion number on the rudder. The

airplane was later modified as a

skywriter, and Nick had a contract

to write “Muntz TV” over Chicago

one summer. He got some help

from one of his friends, but had

problems when he wrote the ‘Z’

in Muntz backward!” We’ve in-

cluded a shot from Frank’s col-

lection of the BT-13 behind theRezich home. Note the woo d

wings standing against the build-

ing, on the right side of photo.

Jim remembered , “The wooden

wings in the background are most

likely from Gordon Israel’s ‘Red-

head’ racer. One day Mike decided

to clean up and threw them in the

burn pile.”

Ready to proceed with his life,

it was time to move away from

home. Frank recalled, “I lookedaround the airport, but there

wasn’t much happening, so I

checked with United Air Lines.

Well, United said come work for

us as a junior flight engineer. But

that is a bus driver’s job, so you

can get laid off every six months.

I thought, ‘I can do better thanthat.’ So I stayed home and started

calling around and found a hangar

just west of Chicago, a little ways

on an airport that has a quarry on

it—Stinson Airport. Okay, I can go

over there and work as an A&E.

There were guys buying up these

surplus airplanes. Aha, we want

to convert them for civilian use.

So I opened the hangar—Rezich

Aircraft—and the first and biggest

jobs I had were Howard airplanes.So I worked that shop because it

was right up my alley. Then Nick

talked me into building a racer. I

started that in 1946.”

Next month, in Part 5, Frank de-

signs the Rezich brothers racer for

the Cleveland Air Races and is re-

quested to join the Ford Motor

Company as a technical representa-

tive on the Pratt & Whitney R-4360

radial engine, which was being built

by Ford under a licensing agreementwith Pratt & Whitney.

Mike Rezich bought this BT-13 for a commuter airplane to run back and forth from Stinson Aircraft outside of

Detroit and the south side of Chicago.


23/44


24/44

22 JANUARY 2011

Light Plane Heritage

published in EAA Experimenter December 1990

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

THE LONGREN BIPLANEBY JACK MCRAE

Albin K. Longren was a self-

taught pilot from Topeka, Kansas,

who started building and flying his

own airplanes in 1910. In 1919 he

formed the Longren Aircraft Cor-

poration of Topeka and in 1920 de-

signed and built the New Longren,

a side-by-side two-seat biplane that

featured a well-streamlined, semi-

monocoque fuselage of molded fi-

ber. The wing panels, which were

braced by a Warren truss system ofstruts, could be folded back against

the fuselage, giving an overall width

of 9 feet. The engine was originally

a three-cylinder, 60-hp Lawrance,

but later models used the six-cylin-

der Anzani engine.

The molded fiber fuselage was said

to have a strength-to-weight ratio

double that of plywood, and to be

highly resistant to splintering. The

combustion point of 650°F made it

relatively fireproof. Ash longeronsand frames were used for reinforce-

ment. The cockpit was entered

through a door that was designed to

retain the strength of the fuselage.

The wings used a modified U.S.A.

No. 2 airfoil. The spars were built

up “I” sections of spruce. The wing

ribs had a plywood web and ash cap


25/44

strips. Ailerons were used on the up-

per wing only and were interchange-

able, with control by torque tube.

Swivel fittings allowed the wings to

be folded without affecting the con-

trols. When folded, the wings were

braced to the fuselage to allow tow-

ing to the airport by car.

The tail surfaces were of a thicksection for rigidity, with rudder and

elevators operated by torque tubes.

The elevator controls were entirely

enclosed in the fuselage, and the

rudder had only a short length of

control cable exposed.

The landing gear was of the cross

axle type supported by streamlined

V-struts on each side and used rub-

ber cord for shock absorbers.

The New Longren was intended

to be a business and pleasure air-

plane of moderate price ($2,465) for

the individual owner. The low cost

of maintenance and small storage

space required were big advantages.

The U.S. Navy was experiment-

ing with small airplanes in the early

1920s and purchased three of the

New Longrens “to test the servicing

performance of molded fiber con-

struction; a potential answer to faster

and cheaper construction.” After sev-eral years of testing, the Navy decided

to buy additional airplanes from Lon-

gren, but by that time the company

was no longer in existence. It had

been unable to compete with the low

prices of the World War I surplus air-

planes that were then available.

The New Longren reportedly flew

and handled well, and at a flying

meet in Kansas City in November

1921, it won the looping contest

with 38 loops. The takeoff distancewas 125 feet, and the landing run

was 75 feet. It was reported that a

total of six were built.

Longren remained in the airplane

business, however, and in the early

1930s built a very attractive two-

place, all-metal biplane in Kansas

City, using the Martin 120-hp engine.

He subsequently worked for the Spar-

tan Aircraft Company in Tulsa and

then moved to California, where he

manufactured hydraulically operatedmetal-forming machinery.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

Specifications of New Longren Biplane

Weight Empty 550 pounds

Useful Load 500 pounds

Gross Weight 1,050 pounds

Wing Area 189 square feet

Wing Loading 5.55 pounds/square foot

Power Loading 17.5 pounds/square foot

Maximum Speed 96 mph

Range 250 miles

Reference:

Aviation magazine, September 19, 1921

Aerial Age Weekly , September 26, 1921

Flight magazine, June 8, 1922

Aircraft Yearbook , 1923


26/44

24 JANUARY 2011

B

orn into an aviation fam-

ily—his father was a pilot,

aircraft owner, and owner

of Martinsville’s first air-

port—Morton literallygrew up in and around airplanes and

was flying long before reaching the

legal age. (He soloed at age 10.) After

college and military service with the

Army Signal Corps (Korea), he em-

barked on what would become a suc-

cessful business career, which allowed

him to become the owner of a long

succession of aircraft, ranging from

modern types such as Bonanzas, Co-

manches, and Meyers 200s to vintage

Wacos, Travel Airs, Howards, Mono-coupes, and many, many more.

Of special significance were a num-

ber of prototypes and racing aircraft

that Morton searched out, restored,

and preserved for posterity by donat-

ing them to aviation museums. In-

cluded were the following:

The Crosby CR-4 that competed in

the Greve and Thompson Trophy air

races in the late 1930s. Morton dis-

covered the racer on a farm in North

Carolina just days before it was to behauled away to a dump. He had it re-

stored and donated it to the EAA Air-

Venture Museum at Oshkosh.

The Keith Rider Jackrabbit that

competed in Greve Trophy races in

the late 1930s. It ended up as a signon a California restaurant—until

Morton purchased it, had it restored,

and donated it to the EAA AirVenture

Museum in Oshkosh.

The prototype Ryan SCW was lan-

guishing somewhere in Mexico untilMorton was able to locate it, bring it

2010 VAA Hall of Fame Inductee

Morton W. LesterEAA 55178, VAA 14BY JACK COX AND MORTON LESTER

Lester Airport was a Piper dealer, and this pre-WWII photo shows their first

J-5 Cruiser. Morton and his father are standing by the ship with Morton’syounger brother perched on the engine.


27/44

Will Rogers and Morton share a similar philosophy

when Rogers said, “I never met a man I didn’t like.”

Well, Morton never met a plane he didn’t like. Whis-

tlin’ Dixie was his Twin Beech. It began life as an Navy

SNB. When people would ask what that stood for,

Morton simply replied, “Secret Navy Bomber.” Today

this ship is in Tullahoma, Tennessee, after Mortondonated it to the Beechcraft Heritage Museum.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

The Monocoupe had such a rich heritage that it is in a

class by itself. This is Morton and his clipped-wing Mono-

coupe 110 Special. He says, “It was a fun airplane, and

each flight was a thrilling and exhilarating experience.”

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back to the United States, restore it to

flying condition, and donate it to the

EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh.

Morton purchased a derelict air-

craft that at the time was believed

to be the prototype Johnson Rocket,

saving it from being junked. He sub-

sequently sold it to Leonard McGinty,

who had it restored. After Leonard’sdeath, the airplane was purchased by

the Swift Museum Foundation. Sub-

sequent research has revealed that

the airplane was initially the Swift

prototype and, later, after some mod-

ifications, was re-designated as the

Johnson Rocket prototype. It will be

displayed in the Swift Museum.

Several other vintage aircraft,

among them a Travel Air 6000 and

a Beech 18 military version, have

been placed on loan by Morton to

other aviation museums.

In addition to owning and restor-

ing vintage aircraft, Morton has been

active for decades in the activities of

various aviation organizations. He

was instrumental in the creation ofthe Virginia Aviation Museum in

Richmond. He served 10 years on

the Virginia Aviation Board, having

been appointed by three Virginia

governors. Morton served 35 years

as a board member of the Blue Ridge

Airport Authority, with 23 years as

chairman. He also served as a direc-

tor of the Sun ’n Fun Fly-In Lake-

land, Florida, for many years.

Morton was an early me

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