Antique Airfield News

David Pablo Cohn's Skyranger Restoration

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:06:52 -0800

David Pablo Cohn has updated us on the restoration of his Rearwin Skyranger NC33395:

Some of you may know that, after 3.5 years of having '395 sit down in Hollister, I turned the project over to Andrew Turpen et al at Bud Field Aviation up in Calaveras. In the two weeks they've had it, they've already made huge progress.

David flying the tailfeathers to Calaveras.

If you want to follow the project as it goes, I'm keeping a photo album (mostly of pictures Andrew's sending me) at my Picasa site.

I'm tickled pink with how it's going.
-pablo

Stinson "O" Replica Covered and Airframe Assembly

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:06:50 -0800

Progress continues on Brad Poling's Stinson "O" replica at Evergreen Aviation Services in Scappoose, OR. The aircraft is covered and is in the process of being assembled. Photos courtesy of Evergreen Aviation.

Skagit Aero's Blog: No Flight To Blakesburg – Engine Vibration Prevents Flying

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:05:44 -0800

This article is from Skagit Aero's Blog Skagit Aero Museum, who has kindly granted permission to re-publish on AntiqueAirfield.com. It is a little late but better late than never!

Well this isn’t what we were hoping for, but after working non-stop for the past few weeks, we have a vibration that looks like it’s going to prevent us from flying the Fairchild to Blakesburg. After getting the cowling on Thursday and tending to a final few details, we started up the engine and began the break in process. There wasn’t anything too noticeable at first, but during the higher rpm run-up there was a pronounced vibration.

Don’t quite yet know the exact cause, but probably is the engine mounts. Will start looking for the problem and hopefully get the F24 flying soon. Below you can see the decal we put on the airplane just as it had when it was new and part of the CAA fleet. Even though it won’t make it to the Corporate Wings event this year, it’s nice to have it dressed up.

The Fairchild and the Ford.

Pumpkin Drop at Antique Airfield

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:55:11 -0800

The Fly-in season here at Antique Airfield has come to a close for yet another year and a very successful one it was.

As in years past the last official activity of the season here at Antique Airfield is our annual "Pumpkin Drop", held the first Sat of November. Though started by accident, due to stalwart APM volunteer Les "Col. Sparky" Gaskill, this event is hosted by Brent and Marcy Taylor primarily as a "Thank You" to all the directors and volunteers whom help keep Antique Airfield the center of the old airplane world through their continued efforts.

This years "drop" was scheduled for Nov. 7th but with the miserable weather this part of the country experienced throughout the month of October (cold and rainy) we wondered if our thirteen year streak of never having the event weathered out would come to and end. However by the first of Nov. the skies began to clear, the temps warm and the grounds at Antique Airfield began to dry.

Sat November 7th dawned clear with a promise of warm temps and light winds. Over six truck loads of pumpkins ("Thanks" to the efforts of Luke Pieper) awaited in the ammo dump as airplanes began to arrive for operation s M*A*S*H (this years operational theme). Some thirty eight aircraft and one helicopter arrived by around noon when lunch was served to an estimated crowd of around one hundred pilots, bombardiers and spectators. Aircraft and AAA members were in attendance from IA, MN, WI, KS, IL and one Cub registered in CA! After lunch a thorough pilot/bombardier briefing was held, the bombing range was opened and the fun commenced. This year saw the biggest group of aircraft ever (20) take part in the bombing keeping the pattern full of aircraft throughout the afternoon. Plus a new method of delivering ordinance onto the target, in the form of our first ever UAV "Predator" ("Thanks" to APM President Mike Gretz), participated in the fun. Unfortunately the new OPLAF "Predator" had an off field landing and sustained a bit of damage but the technology involved does show promise for future events.

As for those that may be curious as to how we clean up the carnage from so many smashed pumpkins, being a "green" event (before it was fashionable) we simply let the local wildlife (deer and turkey) feast on the remnants.

In all it was another fun successful event and a fitting close to the 2009 Fly-in season here at Antique Airfield. Look for a video about the event in the near future. Photos by Chuck Doyle, Tom Gehman and Brent Taylor.

Brent Taylor

New Donors for Restoration Center

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:55:08 -0800

Thanks to these new donors since October 31 to the Restoration and Maintenance Center project at Antique Airfield:

Jerry Lugten	Donald C. Pearce	Dan Kaljian
Paul C. Nelson	Tom Gehman	Ron & Carmen Huddleston
Robert & Ramona Mikesh	John & Patty Schmidt	Mark E. Robotti
Gloria R. Robotti	OPLAF	Ronald & Peggy Brown
Larry D. & Ella A. Case	Randall & Bettie Miller	Donald E. Harrell
Steve Adkisson

You too can support the Restoration Center and become an Antique Airfield Ambassador with a square foot of the center in your name. Click on the interactive map below to see unclaimed feet, and to make an online donation!

Jim Austin's Stinson 108-3 Project

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:55:06 -0800

Jim Austin of the Texas Chapter is repairing the damage to his 108-3 that occurred from a Piper mistaking his plane for an Aircraft Carrier. In May of this year the pilot of a 1980 Piper PA-28 landed on top of Jim's plane at Northwest Regional Airport, Texas!

Here Jim shows how far the repair has come to the fuselage. It is almost ready for covering.

The engine had to be overhauled due to a broken crank and awaits installation.

Don Parsons' Blog: Draining the radiators for winter.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:25:44 -0800

This article is from Don Parsons' Blog Flying Antique Airplanes, who has kindly granted permission to re-publish on AntiqueAirfield.com.

I helped Glenn pull the Canuck and the Dh-4 out Saturday morning so he could run their engines to get the radiators warm and coated on the inside with the coolant. I got to sit in the Canuck and listen to its engine idle. Then we put a big trash can underneath them and emptied the radiators of their coolant to store the airplanes for winter.

Terry Bowden's Blog: Congrats to Lynn Towns - correctly answered the #2 Mystery plane of the twenties

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:33:54 -0800

This article is from Terry Bowden's Blog Barnstmr's Random Aeronautics, who has kindly granted permission to re-publish on AntiqueAirfield.com.

Back on Sept 6, just for fun, I posted some photos of several planes with a challenge to my friends to see who might name them first.
The winner with answer to the #2 plane is Lynn Towns
Answer: Swallow C-165
Built: 1929

Click on the image below to read more information on this sleek bird.

My source for the information on this airplane came from the November 2, 1929 issue of Aviation magazine, page 902.

Terry Bowden's Blog: The 1929 Family of Curtiss Airplanes: Congrats again to Lynn Towns: Identified all six of the mystery planes in the #3 photo.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:33:54 -0800

This article is from Terry Bowden's Blog Barnstmr's Random Aeronautics, who has kindly granted permission to re-publish on AntiqueAirfield.com.

Lynn Towns again correctly ID's the airplanes in Photo #3 which contains six airplanes of the Curtiss family for 1929.

Click on the images below to enlarge and read more about these stately birds.

Left to right: Condor, Kingbird, Thrush, Robin, Carrier Pigeon, and Fledgling.

Curtiss Condor from Aviation Magazine July - Dec, 1929

Curtiss-Robertson Kingbird

Curtiss-Robertson Thrush

A Thrush at the Curtiss Wright factory 1931

Curtiss Robertson Robin

More on Robins

Carrier Pigeon

Fledgling

See more extensive information on Curtiss airplanes at aerofiles.com

Aviation Blogs Now Being Aggregated on AntiqueAirfield.com

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:42:57 -0800

AntiqueAirfield.com is now aggregating and presenting for your reading pleasure antique aviation-related blogs. Several folks have volunteered to have their blogs published, and I've selected a set of back-issues to start us out:

Terry Bowden's Barnstmr's Random Aeronautics
Don Parsons' Flying Antique Airplanes
Ryan Georgi's photostream Latest Flying Adventures
Skagit Aero Museum's (aka Jim Jenkins and Jason Paur) blog

If you're interested in having your blog articles published on AntiqueAirfield.com please email me.