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Restorer's Corner

fJJ1/ .J.R. NIELAI\DER,..JFI.

As your EAA Antique/Classic Divi sion grows larger and attracts more members in a particular area, these members, each having a common interest in older air­craft, naturally want to share their enthusiasm and activities. The result is that your Division Headquarters receives another inquiry regarding the possibility of forming a local or regional chapter. These inquiries vary all the way from "Is it possible to form a chapter?" and "Does the Division have chapters?" to the more positive approach of "We have X number of Division members who want to form a Chapter. Please send us the neces­sary information on how to accomplish it." In answer to the first two questions, it most certainly is possible to form an Antique/Classic Division Chapter , and we have several organized, operating and going strong at the pre­sent time. Our oldest and largest chapter is the Florida Sport Aviation Antique and Classic Association . This is a state-wide chapter which is so active that it actually at­tracts over ten percent of its membership from outside the state boundaries. I t is one of the sponsoring groups of the Sun 'n Fun (Snow 'n Frost?) Fly-In at Lakeland each January and also is the group restoring the Laird Super Solution for the EAA Museum.

The East Coast is represented by another Divi sion

Chapter, the North Carolina, South Carolin a, and Vir­ginia Antique Airplane Foundation, Inc. This is another very active chapter which is responsible for several excel­lent East Coast fly-ins each year. Incidently, both the Florida and Carolinas-Virginia Chapters put out excel­lent publications, more like small magazines than news­letters.

Down Texas way are the Houston Antiquers, Antique/Classic Chapter 2, who sponsor a very success­ful fly-in at Conroe each year in May . On the opposite side of the country, just to keep things balanced, is the Minnesota Chapter, Antique/Classic Chapter 3.

The Vintage Aircraft Section of the Sport Aircraft Association of Australia has indicated their intention of affiliating with the Division as a chapter. By th e time this is published the arrangements should be finalized, as their president, Pat Harrington, is at Oshkosh this year.

To give a better understanding of the requirements for forming a chapter, the Division By-Laws Article XIV follows:

ARTIC LE XIV CHAPTERS

Chapters may be formed as follows:

SECTION I (a) A minimum of five (5) members in good stand­

ing shall be required to form a Chapter. (b) Chapters shall have a President, Vice-Presid ent,

Secretary-Treasurer or Secretary and Treasurer. (c) Each Chapter shall have a name. In addition to

the name chosen by the Chapter members, th is Corpora­tion shall assign numbers to Chapters .

(d) The Chapters shall fol low the Constitution and By-Laws issued by the Corporation.

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1. A By-Law supplement may be adopted by Chapters to fulfill their local need, and a copy of same shall be forwarded to the Headquarters.

(e) Each Chapter shall incorporate itself in its own state under a category "Education-Not for Profit" cor­poration within six (6) months after the Chapter Charter has been issued.

(f) Any Chapter formed on a state wide, multi-state, or national level may by-pass the Chapter number assign­ment and use a designation describing its function more exactly . SECTION II.

The CORPORATION shall not be liable for any acti­vities of individual Chapters of whatsoever kind of nature, and any such activities shall be conducted solely at the risk of each Chapter.

Thus your Division very definitely encourages the formation of chapters, and Division Headquarters will be happy to assist with their formation in any way possible. Whether the chapter is formed on a local basis, or whether it is state-wide, regional, or national is strictly a matter of the desires and ambitions of the charter mem­bers of the chapter and their elected officers.

Editor's Note: Due to a technical difficulty with the mailing of your July issue, the mailing was delayed four weeks after it left the printer. The problem was not called to our attention. It is sad that you could not have had the Lindb ergh issue before Convention time.

AI Kelch

Editorial Staff

Editor Assistant Editor Paul H. Poberezny AI Kelch Lois Kelch

Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor H. Glenn Buffington Robert G. Elliott Edward D. Williams

818 W. Crockett St. No. 201 1227 Oakwood Ave. 713 Eastman Dr. Seattle, Washington 98119 Daytona Beach, Florida 32014 Mt. Prospect, Illinois 60056

Associate Editors will be identified in the table of can· tents on artic les they send in and repeated on the artic le if they have written it. Associate Editorships will be assigned to those who qualify (5 articles in any calendar year).

ANTIOUE AND CLASSIC DIVISION OFFICERS

PRESIDENT J.R. NIELANDER, JR.

P.O. BOX 2464 FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33303

VICE-PRESI DE NT JACK WINTHROP

RT. 1, BOX 111 ALLEN, TX 75002

SECRETARY RICHARD WAGNER

P.O. BOX 181 LYONS, WI 53148

TREASURER E.E. "BUCK" HILBERT

8102 LEECH RD. UNION, IL 60180

Directors

Claude L. Gray, Jr. AI Kelch 9635 Sylvia Avenue 7018 W. Bonniwell Road

Northridge, California 91324 Mequon, Wisconsin 53092

James B. Horne Evander M. Britt 3840 Coronation Road Box 1525

Eagan, Minnesota 55122 Lumberton, North Carolina 28358

George E. Stubbs M. C. "Kelly" Viets Box 113 RR 1. Box 151

Brownsburg. Indiana 46112 Stillwell, Kansas 66085

William J. Ehlen Morton Lester Route 8. Box 506 P.O. Box 3747

Tampa. Florida 33618 Martinsville, Virginia 24112

Advisors

W. Brad Thomas. Jr. 301 Dodson Mill Road

Pilot Mountain, North Carolina 27041

Robert A. White 1207 Falcon Drive

Orlando, Florida 32B03

Arthur R. Morgan 513 North 91s1 Street

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226

Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hill Drive Indianapolis, IN 46274

Roger J . Sherron 446-C Las Casitas

Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Stan Gomoll 104290th Lane, N.E.

Minneapolis, MN 55434

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

ANTIQUE / CLASSIC DIVISION

of THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 229 Hales Corners, Wis. 53130

AUGUST 1977 VOLUME 5 NUMBER 8

Restorer's Corner ..... . .... . ....... , ... .... .. . .. ..... ...... ..... . 1

Cub Coupe ...................................... , .......... .... 3 I Can Fly .. . ... , . . ...... " .. ...................................8 Angora Sweater .. . . , .................................... , ..... . . 8 Vintage Album ... ... .... .. .. .. , .................................9 Aeronca , ................. , .. , . .. ... . ..... , ... ... .............11 Retrospect . .. .... .. ..... . .. .......... ........... ........... ...16 The Restoration of the Schweizer 1- 19 .. . . .... ... .. . ..... . . .. .. .. ...17

EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION MEMBERSHIP

o NON-EAA MEMBER - $34.00. Includes one year membership in the EM Antique/Classic Division, 12 monthly issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE; one year membership in the Experimental Aircraft Associa­tion, 12 monthly issues of SPORT AVIATION and separate membership cards.

o NON-EM MEMBER - $20.00. Includes one year membership in the EM Antique/Classic Division, 12 monthly issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE; c.ne year membership in the Experimental Aircraft Associa­tion and separate membership cards. SPORT AVIATION not included.

o EAA MEMBER - $14.00. Includes one year membership in the EM Antique/Classic Division, 12 monthly issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE and membership card. (Applicant must be current EM member and must give EM membership number.

PICTURE BOX ON THE COVER (bck Cover)

ALAN ANDERSON'S }4A winner Where? When? This }-7 Standard of the "Outstanding Workmanship" with a Hall-Scott Engine was surely award Oshkosh 7976. See story on doing something right on this day. page 3. (Photo by Author). (Photo credit by Bob McDaniels).

Copyright © 1977 Antique Classic Aircraft, Inco All Rights Reserved.

THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE is owned exclusively by Antique Classic Aircraft. Inc . and is published monthly at Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130_ Second class Postage paid at Hales Corners Post Office, Ha les Corners, Wisconsin 53130. and additional mailing offices_ Membership rates for Antique Classic Aircraft, Inc. at $14.00 per 12 month period of which $ 10.00 is for the public.ation of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation.

2

Photos furnished by Author.

By: ALAN P. ANDERSON 28488 Swan Island Drive Grosse lie, Michigan 48738

Prior to having entered my 1940 Piper )4A in the 1976 Oshkosh event, I had entertained thoughts of pre­paring an article on the trials and tribulations of a typi­cal antique re:;toration. After having the good fortune to win the Outstanding Workmanship Award and after having r'ead the exploits of other vintage restorers whose efforts were far more stringent than mine, I elected to prepare this article addressing itself primarily to recon­struction and workmanship techniques used on the Cub Coupe . Perhaps someone may acquire some useful in­formation for their project. At the outset, an apprecia­tive word must be made for those people in my past whose scrupulous attention to detail and technical gui­dance inspired and critiqued the restora tion over the ten years of part ti me effort.

Perhaps it is worthwhile to discuss briefly the Piper )4A series as I researched it. Evidently the )4 series was an ear ly, if not the first, effort on their part to develop a "Lincoln Continental" of their already successful pro­duct line. It was introduced in or about 1939 as the )4 and is best described by the accompanying photograph. In 1940, it was designated the "A" series and subse­quently the "E" in 1941 and represented a virtually all new aircraft from 1939 including such sophisticated items as pressure cooling, an optional starter, 2 cabin doors, hydraulic brakes (such as they are), oleo damp­ening, etc . The original Department of Commerce CAA specifications show exceptional variety of options that were offered in this aircraft. For purposes of con­venience, I will describe the restoration in terms of sub­

assemblies similar to the original parts manual I had the good fortune to obtain from a )4E owner. FUSELAGE:

The aircraft was pmchased in a "theoretically fly­able" condition. The owner, in fact, volunteered to fly it to an airport closer to my home, I declined. Close in­spection of the fuselage tubing after thorough sand­blasting and punch testing, revealed that the lower longerons from the number 3 bay to the tail post in­cluding half of the rudder post were corroded through. (A word to the wise on older aircraft stored for long periods of time). As any antique restorer knows, there are several techniques available for the splicing of tubing. If the intent is a restoration with a high quality finish, longerons should be repaired by the inner sleeve method: the success of any quality final finish is the heart of the construction. Spruce stringers were removed and used for patterns only. This aircraft had an excep­tional number of stringers, unique to the design, re­quir'ing the milling of special stringers for installation. Again, distorted stringers will destroy the final appear­ance of any fuselage and would be as unacceptable as crooked seams on Betty Grable's famous legs. Removal of original tubing was preceded by the following two precautions to retain proper fuselage alignment. Critical points on the fuselage such as gear points, wing root brackets, were jigged with a fixture welded and fab­ricated from electrical conduit. Additional stiffness to this fixture was accomplished by cables and turnbuckles ridgidly attached to the shop floor and ceiling. This may sound like a ludicrous amount of precautions but the reward was a final fuse lage completely rebuilt and within 3/32" of perfect alignment in all planes. The even­tual hands off flying properties are well worth this preliminary effort. In my judgment, the time consumed

in this preliminary effort is inevitably offset by the time required in trimming an airplane that insists in screwing itself through the air. The weld techniques employed wcr-e conventional gas welding except for the wrapping of all tubing adjacent to a joint with asbestos to reduce heat rejection and its accompanying problems. This was particularly true at a bay with five or more intersections, All welds were sandblasted and inspected prior to paint application . On this particular aircraft, it was apparent that little effort was put forth in proper door fit. Door gap variation as I received it ran between 3/8" to 0" clearance. Since I am particularly sensitive to the results of poor door fit (after having worked with Body Engi­neering at Ford Motor Company for some time), I elected to attack the problem in a manner familiar to the automotive industry; i.e., doors are fitted to the basic structure and not vice versa. This may sound like a casual "either/or" alternative, but experience has proven that proper door fit is best obtained by the following method: The basic structure is fabricated, in this case repaired, to near original configuration. The doors, the lower half of which had been completely corroded, were completely sandblasted and tack welded and subse­quently fitted to the door openings. Shims of the proper clearance dimensions in this case 3/16" front bottom and rear, 1/8" top were attached to the opening and the door was modified accordingly until the fit was accept­able. Then the doors were subsequently welded and the outer skin attached. The overlapping door flange techni­que was used for proper sealing. This was not employed on the original aircraft but is mandatory for proper wind noise and water leakage prevention, Corrosion im­pedance measures were accomplished as follows: A pres­sure can was fabricated capable of holding approxi­mately 1 /2 gallon of Par-al-keytone. Th is was heated on

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an electric heater and pressurized to 5 PSI. A hose was threaded into a 1/8" tapped hole in the tubing which had been previously interconnected by small drilled holes prior to welding. Pressure application of hot Par­ai-key tone seems to be the optimum application for complete distribution of anti-corrosion material. A final note on simplified working techniques, a rotating "bar­beque spit" was fabricated for sandblasting, basic weld­ing and final zinc chromating. Proper construction technique requires the best conditions possible, and welding, sandblasting or painting while standing on your head is ridiculous! WINGS:

With the exception of improper rib repairs, a dry rot­ted tip bow, cracked ribs, corroded reinforcements, a cracked ai leron false spar, dented leading edges, shorted navigational wiring, the wings appeared to be in accept­able condition. By some miracle, the spars were in ex­cellent condition, including a repair made on one main spar when the aircraft was less than a year old. Even the varnish appeared to be in good condition. Wings were dissassembled, the spars stripped and revarnished and new leading edges fabricated. The leading edge caps ap­peared to be built from dead-soft aluminum which had virtually no dent resistance. The new leading edge caps were fabricated from 2024T3. In order to achieve uni­formity in these new leading edge sections, in a material such as 2024T3 required additional effort. Three pieces of 2 inch galvinized pipe were fabricated into a set of temporarily 15' rolls. This allowed the sections to be built with uniformity (and much grunting and swearing). The ribs were originally aluminum T section fabrication and were repaired in the conventional manner of an overlapping T section employing the excellent Avdel rivet. The dry rotted tip bow was replaced by a tip bow similar section fabricated from a Tri-Pacer bow. It is interesting to note that one bow was reinforced internally on the airplane as received, while the other was not. Since the reinforcement appeared to be homemade,' it was discarded. This was a mistake in that when the wing fabric shrunk, it became apparent why the reinforce­ments were there, in that the bow collapsed. Original wing drawings revealed two reinforcements to the tip bow and these were subsequently installed, after the new tip fabric on one wing was removed and a new "mini"­envelope sewn.

It is important to stress the need for properly aligned aileron pivots. This was accomplished by acquiring an 8'

7939 Piper }4 - Note cowling similar to}3 Cub and original Cub Emblem.

section of drill rod and using it as a guide for determing proper pivot alignment. Pivot alignment was considered acceptable when the rod could be easily rotated by gentle thumb and index finger movement. The pay-off came in the excellent quality and feel of the ailerons of th is aircraft. TAIL SURFACES:

The tai I surfaces on the Piper J 4A are conventional Piper but larger and with no interchangeability whatso­ever; hangar flying theories to the contrary. The hinge pivots are smaller and, of course, the trim mechanism is completely unique to the J4 series. It employs a trim tab on the left elevator half in contrast to the familiar Piper

Cub jack mechanism on the stabilizer. Aerodynamic flying wires are used on the tail surfaces and after sand­blasting, I was fortunate to find that they were in per­fect condition. Subsequent magnafluxing of these flying wires proved my eyebal.l observations to be correct and they were reused on the aircraft. CHASSIS:

Along with the many other differences between the J4 and J4A and E, the landing gear differences are signifi­cant in that the A/E series is larger. The oleo strut sys­tem required major rework of the original system in order to get them to work properly. As received, it was apparent that the previous owners had never accom­

4

plished proper operation, had given up and subsequently filled the entire oleo with axle grease! Three of the four oleo springs were broken and all seals were inoperative. New aluminum sliding components were machined em­ploying modern high pressure lip seals and stainless steel drive tubes were fabricated using the original parts for models. New springs were made with a slightly higher rate and these modifications have subsequently proven to be successful. The brakes were hydraulic expander types and appeared to be in fair condition at the drum end and completely inoperative at the master cylinder end. A previous owner had apparently combined auto­motive brake fluid and aircraft fluid resulting in the complete destruction of the master cylinder seals and pistons. 1938, 39, 40Chrysler/DeSoto automotive repair kits were found to be similar to the original master cyl­inder components. These were used in the rebuilding of the master cylinders. It then remained for a fluid to be found that was compatible with automotive master cyl­inder components and aircraft expander tubes. As is pro­bably known to the readers, automotive brake fluid is one of the most excellent paint removers available. The ultimate nightmare would be to restore a vintage aircraft and end up with a destroyed underbelly as th e result of a leaky master cylinder. The solution was found in a special silicone base Dow Corning brake fluid that is compatible with all rubber seals and components and actually harmless to painted surfaces. Let's hear it for modern technology I The tail wheel was relatively new and in good condition. The original quarter eliptic springs were magnafluxed for cracks and rei nstalled along with the entire original system. The only recurring problem on the tail wheel has been one of dirt and/or grass accumulation during use. It appears that after approximately 25 hours use, dirt and grass accumulate in the lock pin cage and stop the lock-up of th e wheel. In 1976, this resulted in an embarrasing mom ent at Osh­kosh in which I was only able to taxi in circles in front of what appeared to be half the spectators in the entire world. COCKPIT AND CONTROLS: .

The side by side seating is truly one of the best seat­ing packages of thi s type before or since the design of the J4A. Approximately dimensionally equal to the Cessna 172, it has the additional advantage of having a good "butt-to-heel" dimension. In the automotive in­dustry, this is a key dimension for passenger comfort. The dual control sticks retained their excellent nickel

chrome through the years and were reused as is. The right stick is removeable for more passenger leg room, with a lock pin located beneath the rubber floor boot. The rudder pedals were removed, inspected and cad plated to provide good wear resistance. The parking brake and all emergency components (fuel control, master switch) were painted red to color code their priority.

An attempt was made to uncover the original interior color combination on trim materials. For the sake of weight and durability, new dark brown vinyl and cloth replaced the old leatherette-mohair materials . The origi­nal trim tab mech anism operates from an overhead crank in a manner similar to that carried through to the Cherokee series; certainly a tribute to the basic concept pioneered on the J4. Operation is silky smooth; how­ever, the actuating mechanism itself, along with the posi­tion indicator, is a mechanic's nightmare. Consisting of cables, pulleys, springs, a worm gear box buried inside the elevator and a toylike miniature block and tackle, it requires extensive effort to fabricate and install pro­perly. An installation drawing is a must. It was apparent that the trim mechanism had not operated for years, which says something about the excellent flying charac­teristics of the J 4A. Prior to assembly all cockpit con­trols were Mol y-coated for smoothness and shimmed for perfect alignment. This has resulted in universall y praised control feel, by everyone who has flown 30340. Original door locks and window slides were found to be in fairly good condition and required only moderate ef­fort to rebuild. Th e door key had been lost years ago and as a result, the lock tumbler mechanism was frozen. Apprehensively , I began to investigate potential replace­ment sources. As it turned out, modern steelcase office equipment uses exactly the same part and is interchange­able. To avoid tearing out the door inner trim or lock handle by using them as a door slamming device, I de­viated from original and added a grab strap at the end of the door structure for maximum leverage. This problem is not unique to the J4A but is still common today. The last 1976 airplane I flew had door trim obviously loose and damaged for the same reason. I n some areas we haven't learned much in 36 years! Last but not least in the cockpit/controls catagory was the instrument panel. Again, a deviation from original seemed in order. The panel as originally conceived can best be described esthetically as early model "pin-ball" influence. Little or no logic was evident in instrument placement or opera­

tion. Earlier) 3 Cub des igns, Wacos, Stin so ns, "etc.", have the beauty of simplicity about th em. The ea rly )4, )4A, )4E panel abounds in chrome, gimcracks, opposite rotating instrument faces and peculiar lumps and bumps. Again, sa fety and practicability eclipsed originality and a new panel was mocked up, revised for logic and human factors and fabricated. A primary des ign constraint for the ) 4A panel is the standard 16 gallon fuel tank, mounted 5-3/4" behind the panel. This limits placement for the mod ern radio whose depth usually runs about 10" to 12". The original factory installed low frequency radio was mounted in the glove box on the right hand side of the panel and was approximately 4-1/2" deep, hence no problem. Hard ware store switches and fuse holders as originally installed are unacceptable intoday's aircraft and were replaced in a safe logical sequence by conventional aircraft equipment, using the proven "T" sequence of display. Any vintage restorer is always sensi­tive about deviation from original in reconstructing any­thing. However, I draw my personal line when it comes to safety related systems. ENGINE INSTALLATION :

Although the original Continental A-65-8 engine checked out perfectly as received (980 hours total time), any restoration worth its salt . requires major engine rehabilitation. Since the original CAA document in ­cludes the Continental C-85-12 series as an eligible re­placement, an engine removed from a Swift was ob­tained, majored and installed with no maj or difficulties, including no mount rework. Ample amounts of room ex ist between accessory bank and firewall to permit accessibility and removal of any component. I strongly recommend this swap to any would-be Cub Coupe re­storer. It brings the old girl to life with only moderate weight change. Onl y o ne drawback exists in thi s installa­tion. In 1976, the aircraft was entered in 2 shows, Osh­kosh and the EAA Midweste rn Regional Fly-I n at Marion , Ohio. In both events, point penalties were given to 30340 for the use of the C-85-12.

Propeller selec tion is pred etermined by the original CAA specifications covering C-85 use. Sensenich Cor­poration, and specifically Mr. Kern Weinhold, graciously provided the writer their expertise in the development of an excellent match of prop and plane : 97 MPH cruise and 500 FPM rate of climb has been the result. Engine cooling warrants some discussion. Prior to this installa­tion, "experts" had advised that cooling would be a significant problem . To further enforce my apprehen­

5

sions, the original A-65-8 was equipped with an oil cooler as supplied from the factory. In the interests of weight, I elected to try the C-85 engine without a cooler. To optimize cooling capability, careful attention was paid to baffle seals, baffle distribution plates and fit. In addition, an aluminum crankcase duct was fabricated similar to the Cessna 140 with its intake face fairing into the original J4 oil cooler inlet and with its outlet dumping cooling air onto the oil tank. The oil tempera­ture gauge was tested and calibrated prior to installation to guarantee good test read-out. In addition, temporary thermocouples were installed on the spark plug gaskets to verify head temperatures. As of this writing, nearly 100 hours have been put on the aircraft with no cooling problems whatsoever including flights with 97 0 ambient temperatures. The max oil temperature ever read had been 1850 . I n contrast to the early "expert advice", I

Original 7940 Piper advertising photo; used for wheel pants, rudder NC size and location and striping derivation.

am contemplating blocking off a portion of the air inlets to improve oil temperature.

Since a different engine was being installed and the fuel system is gravity feed, I felt it imperative to verify proper fuel flow in accordance with Continental engine specifications. Continental advises 1/2 to 3/4 PSI static pressure head. Since the C-85 and the A·65 centerline of the crankshaft to carburetor port dimension is virtually the same, fuel flow remained the same. This may seem like a redundant check, however peace of mind resulting from this type of ground check is well worth the effort, and is easily checked with a fuel flow meter and a cali­brated pressure gauge at the carburetor.

ELECT RI CAL: One of the inherent advantages in restoration of an

aircraft with an unusual variety of options is that con· siderable latitude is given the restorer in retaining authenticity while making the airplane a practical machine in today's aviation scene. "The original aircraft was supplied from the factory/dealer with low frequency " radio, landing light, navigation lights and wind driven generator. Both 6 and 12 volt options were available on this aircraft. All wiring was replaced with modern air­craft quality wiring since the original materials left con­siderable to be desired. The old style 12 amp gear driven generator was used on the C-85 and has performed flaw­lessly. The only compromises to authentic electrical systems has been the installation of the strobe on the fuselage turtle deck, a must for any aircraft such as "mine flown near Lake Erie and its classic year-round haze. The battery was installed in its original location, beneath the

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seat along with th e mandatory ELT. A Genave 200 NAV/COM mounted centrally' on th e instrum ent panel rounds out the el ectrical compromises. FAIRINGS/FINAL FINISH:

Nearly all of the fairings were in fair to impossibl e condition. The J4A shares no commonality with the Cub in terms of fairings nor any of the other later Piper offerings. An exceptional number are compound curve fairings and a challenge to the restorer. Simpl e curve fairings were formed by taking templates off of the original fairings and forming soft pine hammer forms . 3003H10 aluminum was then formed over these blocks. Compound curve fairings were either reformed over hammer forms or cut and brazed together sections with hand finishing. It is the writer's opinion that proper fairings are one of the most significant contributors to the final appearance of the aircraft and its eventual per· formance. Countless hours were spent fitting and refitting the fairings until the gap seals conformed per­fectly to the basic structure.

As factory equipped, the aircraft came with wheel pants. The 1939 Piper J 4 used the same wheel pants as the J3 Cub; however, the 1940, 1941 J4A and E models used a completely unique wheel pant and for this reason authenticity required a sizeable number of hours spent in researching and developing proper molds to fabricate a replica set of wheel pants. This was accomplished as follows: An original photo supplied by Piper and an original reduced scale drawing were photographically blown up and scaled using the dimensionally known 800 x 4 tires on the blowups as reference. Using the front view, side view and 3/4 view at that scale, surface lines were developed representing the most accurate approxi­mation of original configuration. This was transferred into male clay models, female molds and hence to fiber­glass. In order to properly fair in the brake drums and attaching bracketry for proper performance, the wheel pants could not be made absolutely symmetrical and therefore required 4 half molds instead of the usual two. Again, it is the individual's decision on whether this ex­tra effort is worth the time. There appears to be a 3 to 4 mile difference in aircraft performance with and without wheel pants. FINISH:

The Stits Poly Fibre Process was used throughout and has presented no problems of any kind. It appears to be exceptionally scratch and scuff resistant. In an effort to properly represent the ori ginal color, original color chips

were uncovered on cer ta in parts of the wings and fu se­lage and these were duplicated as accurately as poss ible by bl ending commercial Stits products. Striping of th e fuselage and rudder number location and size was accomplish ed by again blowing up a photo obtained from Piper and dimensionally scaling th e aircraft to proper si ze, developing templates and transferring those to a material developed by 3M Corporation which is normally used for accent striping on automotive bodies. This latter approach was used rather than masking and painting the trim in order to avoid the masking tape ridge n,)rmally associ ated with any striping. This also permitted the fuselage stripe to be slid around much like a decal until the proper position was obtained. The NC numbers on the rudder are dimensionally unique to the J4 series and in no way similar to the Cub. Again, these numbers were made into a set of pseudo-decals and applied on the rudder identical to the original 1940 photo. The famous Cub decal was appl ied to the vertical fin referencing the original photo. To the best of my knowledge, the 1'4 Cub Coupe actually pioneered this decal and not the J 3. It would be interesting to hear from readers in this regard.

In order to make rib stitching as uniform as possible with minimum protrusions, two basic steps were taken. First, all rib stitches were exactly spaced on the stretched fabric by pencil marks in order to obtain per­fect dimensional spacing, top and bottom, on all ribs. Today's popular hand calculator was an invaluable tool in this regard. Second, in order to "soften" the sharpness of the fabric surface around screws, stitches, etc., com­mercial duct tape was employed instead of masking tape. It provides an excellent abrasion resistant surface and has the added value of having excellent contact adhesive on the back side and can be built up in areas of particu­lar abrasion or where it is desired to have a "soft line" on the final finish.

In summary, it's anybody's guess whether extra effort required in restoring an antique justifies the final pro­duct. I ntangibles such as personal feelings towards vin­tage aircraft, personal standards of workmanship, time and the anxiety to make the plane airworthy all inter· face to determine the final outcome. We probably all delude ourselves during the project into thinking th at we will keep the airplane forever and therefore any expense is justified. We all realize, subconsciously, that this never happens. Someone else inevitably becomes the eventual recipient of our efforts, good or bad, therefore work­

manship must stand by it se lf, and th e pride o f knowing you did it a ce rta in way. I used to ques tio n my fa th er on wh y he would spend endless hours poli shing the insid e of some mechanism when no·one would know he had done it; hi s answer was "because I'll always know it's there". ! guess that says it all . ~

NC 30340 1940 PIPER J4A CUB COUPE

DATE OF MANUFACTURE : JULY 18, 1940

REBUIL T: 1966·1976

AI RFRAME SERIAL NUMBER: 4- 1169

ENGINE : CONT IN ENTAL C-85-12F SERIAL NUMBER: 20971-6-12

PROPELLER: SENSENICH 74FK47

ORIGINAL PAINT COLOR : TAKEN FROM COLOR CHIP

ORIGINAL TRIM SCHEME : TAKEN FROM PIPER PHOTO

REPLICA SPINNER: TAKEN FROM PIPER PHOTO

REPLICA WHEEL PANTS, UNIQUE FOR 1940J4A: FABRICATED FROM

ORIGINAL DRAWINGS

Editor's Note All fuselages seem to rust from the inside. I add

AMEN to coating of the tubes internally to complete a good restoration. An easier product to use that is comparable to the original log oil is Val-Oil, made by Valspar In corporated, Rockford, Illinois and doesn't require heating.

AI Kelch

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I GAN FltJ AS TOLD TO

MARY ANDERSON

BY PIPER J4A

NC 30340

Potential Winner for "Outstanding Patience"

at any Restorer's Convention

I have been sitting in this field for what seems like years, and each passing winter brings more drafts and more ice to this old body, and each passing summer means another nest of birds around my engine. But what is this I see, a gentleman with genuine interest in his eyes as he pokes and probes about my body.

Oh joy of joy, he is taking me to his home, this kind hearted gent leman with the concerned eyes. I t is ever so cold and I really need a place to warm myself but what is this; he is taking my fabric off and baring my soul to the world. Heavens, a ll this talk of rotting skin and rusty tubes; even my heart needs a thorough go ing over, or better yet, according to "concerned eyes", a power transplant. Oh, the indignity of it al l!

First, I'm stri pped to the bone and then various mem­bers of my skeleton are dismantled . My varnish is peeled off and I get sanded, sandblasted, new bits and pieces, welded, varnished, painted, preserved, strung up, stuck together, fondled, loved and finally put in a semblance of order.

After my fuselage was fully restored to prime condi­tion, my owner rolled me out of the garage to be painted and some wise little kid came over and wanted to play on the neat "jungle gym", imagine th at! But I got

clea ned off and painted and best of all, new ski n. Just didn't realize that it required so must sanding, painting, sand ing, painting and finally the last bright and shiny coat of Creamy Yellow (really my best color). How nice it would be if my owner could work faster so I could get back together and race about the skies, but this is not to be. It seems that my owner is a perfectionist, besides having several different interests at the same time; one of which was taking time out to drive his wife to the hospi­ta l to have their first child. You'll be surprised to know that that baby was five years old before I fina ll y got off the ground. Well, I'm all painted and now my owner wants to work on my wings so he just rolled me into the hou se. After all, just about anybody can have antique furnit ure but not everyone can have an antique airplane in the li ving room!

The work on the wings goes slowly too; but finally I am ready for recoveri ng and then the long process of rib-stitching begins; helped and hindered by the owner's wife who is pregnant agai n (has it really been four years si nce that last baby and the early labor which was in­duced by bucking rivets7 Let all wives beware). For­tunate ly, rib stitching complet ion precedes baby . More painting, sanding, painting, sanding and painting. It's amazing that my owners have any finger prints re­maining.

The Big Day arrives, my new engine is mounted, I'm all painted and the long, arduous moving procedure is over and I'm at the ai rport, and I'm actually being put together (after ten years, it sure feels great!) Wings are attached to fuselage, weight and balance completed, cabin is finished and I'm ready to go. However, I must sit and cool my wheel pants for several days because the darn Spring winds are here in fu ll force, very frustrating indeed. Good news, my owner can no longer stand it, winds or no he decides I'm go ing to fly come eve ning. I push my nose into the wind, roar my engine, lift my wings and I am off to fly and dip and dive in my true element, the air. How ex hil arating to be alive and useful again.

My new owner made countless phone calls trying to lea rn all he could about me and he wrote numerous letters. I just didn't realize that so manY ' people were ' interested in me, and they surely were a big help to my restoration. All calls were answered and were usu ally followed up with a letter. I n the ten years of my refur­bishing, many new friends were made and I am grateful to them all. ~

ANGORA SWEATER by \A.a.~J., ~~'" Angora Sweater, this is going to be a story about

airplane building in World War II. The location was Piper Aircraft Corporation in Lock Have n, Pa. Piper Aircraft offered anyone who worked in the factory the chance to fly at Club Haven Airport for a very modest fee. Welding was the only job open at the time I applied by mail, so I acce pted, and boarded a bus from New Jersy.

There, another girl and I had the job of putting to­gether fuselages. Working the graveyard shift, we spent our daylight hours flying with the doze ns of other fac­tory workers who were there to pile up hours to get into th e WASPs.

The other ga l and I selected the proper tubing, fitted it to the jig, then tacked and welded it. The other half of workers who weren't there to fly, were hillbilly types fresh from a life of hunting and fishing, who thought our $20.00 weekly salary was a princely sum. But, in order to cover a week of flying, plus our $4.00 rent for a room in a boarding house, I, like most of the others, lived entirely on cold sandwiches for many months , in order to pile up 85 flying hours during the time I was there.

Mr. Piper could frequently be seen charging about the factory, and once he chewed me out for grinding a tube without wearing my safety goggles. A girl, who wore an angora sweater on her first day in the welding school, was warned that it was unsafe - she ended up in the hospital for months with 3rd degree burns. But, another habit we all had, of wearing plaid flannel shirts, brought on another weird but not really dangerous phenomenon. A new shirt, when hit by the first spark, would burst into flames and engulf the wearer. I t seemed and looked frightening, but never burned and was over in a second. It was good for a look of terror from a new worker however.

The camaraderie among all of us led to a lot of horse­play. My favorite trick was to snatch the welding rod out of someone's hand while they welded. But, once a worker latched on tightly to the rod, instead of letting go as I expected, and burned a neat little hole down the middle of his palm. He wasn't mad - he'd do it to me when he got a chance.

Toward ' the 'erid,\veworked on a top secret proto­type of the first new Piper plane to be built after the war.

Today, I've heard, that Piper is much expanded, un­doubtedly no one wears angora sweaters to weld in. But, I'm sure it isn't half as much fun as it was for all of us pilots who worked there in the old days. ~

8

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AI, this is the picture of my Dad's ship and was taken in 7939 at Lester Field in Martinsville, Virginia.

Aeronca Low-Wings 1935 NC14558 ser. 1000 L-W 1935 NC15292 ser. 2000 LB 1935 NC15282 ser. 2001 LA 1936 NC15294 ser. 2002 LA 1936 NC15727 ser . 2003 LA 1936 NC15728 ser. 2004 LA 1936 NC15730 ser. 2005 LB 1936 NC15735 ser. 2006 LB 1936 NC15738 ser. 2007 LA 1936 NC15741 ser. 2008 LB 1936 NC15743 ser . 2009 LA 1936 NC157 44 ser. 2010 LA 1936 NC15747 ser. 2011 LA 1936 NC16251 ser. 2012 LB 1936 NC16253 ser. 2013 LA 1936 NC16254 ser. 2014 LB 1936 NC16258 ser. 2015 LA 1936 NC16262 ser . 2016 LB 1936 NC16266 ser. 2017 LB 1936 NC16269 ser. 2018 LB 1936 NC16271 ser. 2019 LB 1936 NC16272 ser. 2020 LB 1936 NC1627 4 ser. 2021 LC 1936 NC1627 5 ser. 2022 LB 1936 NC16278 ser. 2023 LB 1936 NC16279 ser. 2024 LA 1936 NC16280 ser. 2025 LB 1936 NC16281 ser. 2026 LB 1936 NC16284 ser. 2027 LB 1936 NC16287 ser. 2028 LC 1936 NC16289 ser. 2029 LC 1936 NC16292 ser. 2030 LC 1936 NC16293 ser. 2031 LB

1936 NC16294 ser. 2032 LB 1936 NC16297 ser. 2033 LB 1936 NC16527 ser. 2034 LA 1936 NC16526 ser. 2035 LB 1936 NC16528 ser. 2036 LB 1936 NC16531 ser. 2037 LC 1936 PP-TBO ser. 2038 LB* 1936 NC16534 ser. 2039 LB 1936 NC16537 ser. 2040 LB 1936 NC16536 ser. 2041 LB 1936 NC16538 ser. 2042 LB 1936 NC16541 ser. 2043 LB 1936 NC16543 ser. 2044 LC 1936 NC16544 ser. 2045 LC 1936 NC16548 ser. 2046 LC 1936 NC16559 ser. 2047 LC 1936 NC16561 ser. 2048 LB 1936 NC16568 ser. 2049 LC 1936 NC16574 ser. 2050 LC 1936 NC17405 ser. 2051 LC 1936 NC17410 ser. 2052 LC 1936 NC17421 ser. 2053 LC 1936 NC17425 ser. 2054 LC 1937 NC17430 ser. 2055 LC 1937 NC17442 ser. 2056 LC 1936 NC17450 ser. 2057 LC 1937 NC17478 ser. 2058 LC 1937 NC17480 ser. 2059 LC 1937 NC17484 ser. 2060 LC 1937 NC17496 ser. 2061 LC 1937 NCl7787 ser. 2062 LC 1937 NC18824 ser. 2063 LC 1937 NC18880 ser. 2064 LC *Exported to Brazil LB

Mr . and Mr s. Al Kelch 7018 W. Bonniwell Road Mequon, Wisconsin 53092

Dear Al and Lois:

Many m06ns ago I promised you a story on the Low Wing Aeronca. Aft e r several faint attempts at self-di scipli ne, the job has fi nally bee n completed.

In 1937 or 1938, my Dad acquired an Aeronca LB . As a small lad, I fo und it to b e the most appealing and fasci nating airplane in the world. Do~n through the 'years it has r emai n e d as one of my warmest memories. Recently I acquired a picture of it apparently taken about 1939 and showing my Dad on the wing. (Picture at Left, Ed.)

At any rate, about 1970 I began looking for an Aeronca L to rebuild. I had no leads and even the written material that I found available on the ship was very inadequate, spotty, and conflicting with other written material. In my search, I contacted Aeronca which is now located in Middletown, Ohio and is still a vibrant firm involved in research and aerospace hardware work along with sub-contract work for other aircraft firms. Upon r eaching Mr. John Houser, he very graciously took time to talk with me on the phone and write letters along with doing research for me, all on his own time. I learned that Aeronca has extensive files in their archives on all of the Aeroncas with exception of the Low Wing. John r eadily admitted that other than some odd tracings or blueprints applying to the Model L, they did not even know what the total production had been or how many of each model built , or the serial numbers. This is understandable inasmuch as their business lies in profitably surviving in today's business market, and not in del ving into the past or what the comDany did 40 years ago.

On my own, I began a very arduous research that was to span over six years. I ultimately was abl e to search out and identify the N number, serial number and model number of every Aeronca produced. Such a great amount of work went i n to the final firming up of my list of N numbers and serial numbers that I would very much like for it to be published in the article, and I have therefore included it in my copy . Also, please excuse my making an editor's note for you, but ther e are many accomplished aviation antiquers who never knew Aeronca built a Low Wing, or they might have heard of such but hav e neve r seen a picture , or others may be familiar with the ship based upon misinfor­mation that they had heard.

I will do a later story for you concerning my quest and search for a mod e l L which ultimately led to my locating two of these ships and a part of a third. I will include in the story the rebuilding of two of these ships, and I might add, we are working on them now. One has a complete new center section and is presently on its gear. One will go into the Museum and the second I will fly. The future story will be an actual flight review of a little known antique.

Si~

MWL/bh Morton W. Lester

12

N15282 was first LA off production line. Ship had 70 h.p. LeBlond engine and was flown to Glendale, Calif. by Aeronca distributor Mr. j. B. Plosser. Note new type long landing gear as required by larger engines and propel/ers.

The Prototype NX 14558, model LW, had it structure and configuration modified to accept the 85 LeBlond and it then became licensed as NC 15292, model LB, serial No. 2000 under ATC596. This ship was then the Prototype L, the first LB produced, and the first licensed Low Wing Aeronca, and soon became the darling of the sport airplane enthusiast. Aeronca had no further interest in the designation of LW and never sought ATC approval for that model.

The second ship off the production line was serial No. 2001 and became I icensed as NC15282. Mr. J. B. Plosser, an Aeronca distributor in Glendale, California, acquired this aircraft. The ensuing flight to California along with later static displays and demonstration hops made it

possibly the most publicized and photographed of all the Aeronca L's. It also enjoyed the distinction of being the first of twelve LA's to be produced.

Upon first sight, one could not help but be favorably impressed by its handsome and noble appearance, for it was truly a package of streamlined neatness. First to catch the eye was the beautiful tapered low wing. Next was the nifty speed ring jauntily mounted upon the radial engine and effectively concealed the exhaust col­lector ring plus the offering of anti-drag benefits. One could not help but admire the artistic design of the greenhouse type cockpit canopy which hooded a com­fortable and well appointed roomy cabin with a large luggage area (114 pounds) behind the seat.

Another striking design feature was the rakishly canti­levered landing gears which were completely enclosed in full-skirted streamline fairings from wheel to wing with not a bump nor strut showing. The fuselage flowed back to blend with an aristocratic tail group. There were few planes of this era that created the attention of pomp and circu mstance as did the Low Wing Aeronca.

An interesting innovation that stirred much interest was an air brake. It consisted of a large drag flap mounted under the front spar between the landing gear farings and extended the entire width of the fuselage . This enabled the steepness of the glide to be increased without increasing forward speed thus eliminating the necessity of cross-control side sl ipping dictated by short

13

AERONCA MODEL LB SPECI FICA TIONS

Empty weight ............ ... ....... 1011 pounds Gross weight . . ..................... 1680 pound s Useful load .... . . .. .... . ..... . .. .. .. 669 pounds Engine .. .... . .... .. . . . ... . ......85 H.P. LeBlond Cruising . ........ ... .. . .......... .... . 105 mph. Top speed . . ... ....................... 120 mph. Landing speed . ... . ..... . .... . . .. .. .. 42/48 mph. Service ceiling . ................ . ... . . . 16,000 feet Climb ............. .... .... .... . 750 feet/ minute Fuel capacity ................... .. .... 28 gallons Range, maximum . . ...... . ..... . . . . . . .. 500 miles Baggage .. .. . .. ... ....... .. .. .... . .. 114 pou nds Aircraft co lor: Loening ye ll ow with black trim.

Author's Note: Th e writer has traced the history of virtua ll y every

Low Wing Aeronca to its ultimate demise or final resting place. To the best of hi s knowledge, there are 10 Aeronca L's still ex isti ng out of a total production of 65. Of the 10 known to exist, 3 are basket cases, 1 is suffering damages of a past accident, 5 are com­plete and in var ious stages of di srepair or being re­built, and 1 is li censed and fly ing.

MORTON W. LESTER

Left: Installation of LeBlond 60 on Prototype Above: Picture taken in 7935 showing the Pro­LW, NX7458 totype Model L fuselage to which was mated

the 40 h.p. two cylinder engine.

Good picture of 78 ' center section and outer wing panels of 9' each. Center section featured box spar construction. Note void in front of right wing walk which was to receive the 79 gallon gas tank. Addi­tionally, a fuselage tank contained 9 gallons of fuel. The outer wing panels were joined to the center section by 8 tapered bolts. The struc­tual design criteria far exceeded that which was required making it one of the strongest and torsionally stiff wings of that era.

14

The L series were more expensive than other planes in her class, but featured many luxury items With Lunken Field being located on the Ohio River, Aeronca such as electric starter, opening windows on both sides, sound-proofing, rubber engine offered a seaplane version Model LCS. NC16289, serial No. 2029 mounting, leather seats, landing lights, navigation lights, and carpeting. with 90 h.p. Warner and twin Edo floats.

fields of that day. A very similar concept was later to be that the need for additional plant and production space Time was of the essence, and thus began the demise used on the Ryan SCW. began to take precedence over the L series which by of the Low Wing Aeronca through no fault of the air-

The model C- 3 was still selling well and one model L nature of its detailed wing construction consumated a plane. In retrospect, many feel that the ship was simply per week was being produced. Aeronca had the benefit slower production _schedule. ahead of its time. Others have expressed the thought of an astute management team, and their interest lay in In the spring of 1937, Lunken Airport and the that the flying public of the mid 30's was simply not aircraft that could be mass produced with greater Aeronca plant were virtually consumed by the raging ready for the concept of the low wing aircraft. This was efficiency and acceptance in order to gain more signifi- Ohio River in a disastrous and devastating rise of water soon to be changed by the advent of World War II. cant utilization of plant facilities, equipment and per- which became known as The Great Flood of 1937. A For those who actually flew and owned the Low sonne!. crippling blow had been dealt Aeronca, but the victim Wing Aeroncas, the thought of that neat little ship is

Realizing that aviation was in a period of rapid who was to suffer the greatest would be the L series. indeed cherished. Murry C. Faulkner,a former Model LB change, a decision had been reached to discontinue C- 3 The flood waters receded, clean-up was begun. Hasty owner and brother of famed author and Pulitzer prize production at year end 1936. The design of a modern plant conferences were called as new directions must be winner William Faulkner, fondly recalled his heartfelt replacement would evolve and become known as the taken. Evaluation figures were produced which revealed emotions so aptly when he said of his ship, "It was a Model K, the high-wing forerunner of the Chief and that expanded production of the high wing model K was machine of rare and distinctive charm, and a solid de­Super Chief. The K was introduced in early 1937 to most feasible and would produce the greatest profit for light to fly. Hallowed is the image and perpetual the wide acclaim and acceptance. the firm in order to effect the quickest recovery pos- memory of my Low Wing Aeronca, for it was the most

Public demand for the new high-wing was sc great sible. beautiful thing ever set to wings." ~

15

Prototype L W NX74558, serial No. 7000 as flown with Le­Blond 60 h.p. and short landing gear. Boot cowl still in na­tural silver after conversion from Aeronca engine.

Model L outer wing pane/s, center section, and fuselage to right of picture with left of picture area showing K Model fuselages and wings.

Paul Poberezny wrote in 7967 for American Airman: "So, in January 1953, the first meeting of EAA was

held here in Milwaukee attended by 32 avid enthusiasts. A discussion as to aims and policies was had, officers were elected, and an organization was founded - not realizing the impetus that was to follow. As :n any organization, a house organ was needed to keep this small group informed,"Experimenter" was born. It was a crude mimeographed sheet of paper, but it served its purpose.

"Since our beginning in 1953, we have held an annual Fly-In. Each year's event seems to out-shine the last. Our get-togethers are an affair of real grass-roots aviation activities ranging from plain old Hangar flying under the wing, to technical forums by well known and qualified aviation personnel, who deep in their hearts have faith that American ingenuity will again win out with a little encouragement and direction."

"No, these Fly-Ins are not just a men's affair. Whole families participate, having planned months in advance to attend, making this the annual family vacation."

"It's time to realize that, grass roots aviation is here. It has always been with us, if you are willing to put forth the effort to find it. We who have participated in it over

the years are thankful for the wonderful experience we have enjoyed - the closeness to others of like interests and the hours of pleasure flying together. I am pleased to see that not only is EAA providing design improve­ment; it is also bringing people together so that thoughts and information can be exchanged, for how else can we make advances in this field."

"Each year's meet has brought forth new designs, im­provements, and innovations. We have noticeably found that an unwritten law of competition has developed . Gone are the slightly modified cut-up factory aircraft and those of shoddy appearance, for unless an owner's aircraft can maintain for the builder a position of prestige, back to the workshop it goes."

"Space does not permit me to go into the many areas in which we participate, into the problems we have. But to me it is very apparent that for, as great as aviation is in this country, so little effort or support has been given to fostering grass roots aviation. Therefore, I feel proud to have been able in some small way along with George Hardie, Jr., Robert Nolinske, Ray Scholler, Val Brugger and others, who after our normal employmen t hours have been able to put forth our best efforts to bring about a renewed interest in the light plane." ~

16

tRe restoration o/IRe

scRweizer J-J9 Editor's Note The following article, submitted to our President j. R. Nielander, was a welcome surprise. What could be more fitting than to have the earliest form of flight active in the Antique/Class ic Division?

AI Kelch

Vintage Sailplane Association 6053 25th Road, North Arlington, Va. 22207 May 4, 1976

Mr. J.R. Nielander, Jr. Pres i dent EAA Antique Classic Division P.O. Box 229 Hales Corners, Wl 53130

Dear Mr. Nielander:

We recently joined the EAA as a group in hopes that we might promote some active cross fertilization of activity among our jOint memberships . As the Vintage Sailplane Associa tion, we were founded in 1973 as sort of an ad hoc group of pil ots ; ntet"es ted in fi nd; n9. acqu ; ri n9, res tori n9 and flying older gliders. both for personal use and for contribution to the new National Soaring Museum in Elmira. N.Y.

Interest in our group has grown appreciably. The original 10 pilots who indicated an interest ;n joining up have grown to more than 70 indi­vidual and family members. We now have a newsletter -- albeit quarterly ca 11 ed BUNGEE CORD (I've enclosed a copy for your i nteres t). Our members own and fly more than a score of beautifully restored and ma intained ships including 2 Baby Bowlus', a Kirby Gull, a Scheibe MU-13d, two LK-10s, a Wolf, a Grunau Baby and others.

I'm sure that a membership for us in your division of EAA would be valuable for our members as well. SPORT AVIATION, in the April issue, has already carried a story about our group that has resulted in our gaining se veral new members. I'm hopefu l that we might provide material for THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE as well in an effort to keep in touch with those of your division people who might be interested in the glider spectrum of antique operations.

Looking forward to being with you, and to reading your magazine.

~ Geoff Steele - President Vintage Sailplane Association

Upper left: Built in june, 7946, the 7 - 79 was a wreck in a barn in Mass. by 7950. Sad . .. Upper right: After some VERY CAREFUL measuring and window chiseling, Gus and Art Zimmerman slip the fuse/age into Gus's basement workshop . .. Center left: Amazing what some tender loving care, some zinc chromate, and a new canopy can do for a lady. Gus gets the ship ready for some new clothes . .. Center right: Now ain't that simple? Anybody for a Silver C? Bottom left: Even the Schweizers would be proud of this paper job. Now, how do we get it back OUT of the basement without tearing something? VER Y CA REFULL Y!! Bottom right: With a new UN" number and a coat of white paint, ship looks as fresh as factory new. Gus did equally spiffy job with wings, which were badly damaged when he got possession of the ship. NICE JOB, Gus. . .

17

By: Gustav A. Scheurer 73C Cedar St. Cedar Glen Toms River, NJ 08753

S.G.U. 1- 19 Serial No. 14 was manufactured June 19,1946 and was assigned F .A.A. No. 91806. The ship had on ly 17 hours logged when it was damaged.

I t was bought in 1950 at the Worcester Airport by a yo ung neighbor of mine. I t was a wreck and was consid­ered a complete loss to be used only for spare parts. Therefore, a small price was paid. The young man was a student in M.I.T. and did some flying with the M.I.T. group. He felt in buying this mess he might be able to rebuild it and eventually fly his own glider.

The question was where to store it? First he stored it in a barn near the campus. Then one day the fuselage arrived in front of my house in Maplewood, N.J. It was on top of his car. Can you picture that? At that time, the Aero Club Albatross was flying with the Philadelphia Glider Council and to help him out, I asked permission to store the fuselage and wings in their hangar. When our hangar was completed at Somerset Airport and the A.C.A. was established, there the fuselage and wings were moved to our new location where they were stored on the rafters. The P.G .c. was happy to see it go. No club likes to see a wreck on its fie ld .

You wonder what happened to the poor thing? Well , it was flown into a stone wall hitting, fortunately for the pilot, just below the main horizontal fuselage members which, as you know, are very husky. The pilot's legs were above the impact point and so were safe. The lower structure was wiped out to the wheel and some of the upper structure was torn and bent which had to be sp li ced and replaced. What happened to the wings? That was quite clear. They resembled one of those forward sweep designs. Of course, the wings were in bad shape. The Schweizers no longer manufactured the glider, but did have a number of wings stored, first in the rafters of the factory and later in a small barn next to Paul Schweizer's home. This was a great help to me later.

I was in Europe in 1955 for the first time in 30 years. I spent most of my visit with my long time friend, Wolf Hirth. We went to the German Nationals in Oerling­hausen and toured various glider schools. When I return­ed home, I was told my dear young neighbor had passed away in an operation in Boston. The family wanted to

dispose of the glid er elevator, stab ili zer, rudder, fin and struts plus sma ll er parts that cluttered their attic. The fuselage and broken wings were in our hangar in Somerset. Who would buy a thing like that? The family thought it would be worth a fortune. However, they accepted my offer of the same price their so n had paid for it. So I owned the 1- 19 in 1956.

I had a workshop in my cellar big enough to work on a fuselage or on a wing but unfortunately the builder of my home did not follow the specifications regarding the size of the window opening that I wanted. So the first thing was to chi sel a groove in th e cement si ll and the window frame to make room for the strut fittings on the fuselage to pass through. Work began with the cleaning of the structure and the remova l of the damaged mem­bers. Steel tubing and part assemblies were bought from Schweizer. They also furnished all necessary drawings. While rebuilding the front end, I stream lined the fuselage a little more to accom modate an enc losure similar to the 2- 22 design. Our deceased fr iend , Art Zimmermann of "C70" fame, did all the welding. Art was an excellent welder. He grew up in his father's shop making fittings and metal parts for various sailplane manufacturers in Germany. The old paint was removed down to the bare metal. But before I had finished, the structure started a rust film aga in. A dehumidifier did the trick of drying out the cellar air. The fuselage was primed and painted. I made a new instrument panel with a winter vario, air­speed, sensitive altimeter, bank indicator and compass. All the wires, push rod and wheel were installed again. I added a wheel housing and a support platform for the thermos bottle and a barograph behind the pilot seat. The board seat and back rest were replaced with a com­fortable plastic body form seat.

Rather than repair the badly damaged wings I decided to buy a set of wings from the Schweizers in Elmira. They were sold "as is" minus leading edge and ai lerons. In order to move them from Elmira to Maplewood, I made a carr ier for the top of my car, full length . Beside the regular roof top support, I added a frame from front and rear bu mpers so as to rest the wings in a horizontal position, supporting them on the spars with necessary spacers between them. On my way home, I noticed a spinning tag attached to one of the wing roots. I stop ped and read the tag which said "Rejected." What lu ck . But upon further examination at home, I found it was only the fittings that were misdrilled and would not line up with the spar holes. So a call to Paul and a new set of

fittings took care of that. As usual , the cooperation of the Schweizer brothers was tops.

I utilized the o ld ai lerons that needed some wood­work repair. For the leading edge, I used 1/ 16 plywood instead of the usual aluminum. Th e front spars had to be built up to the rib leve l on top and bottom. Another support strip of wood was added well beyond the high arc of the airfoil. The plywood covered the leading edge from the bottom of the spar to the added support on the top of the wing. This improved the upper wing surface. Th e wood frames of the wings were varnished twice and then covered with light aircraft fabric. Four brush coats of clear and two coats of aluminum dope were applied. The dope job was done in the ce ll ar during the winter months with the gas furnace operating, of course, and with two window fans working to exhaust the fumes and still I had a close call with a fire. Som e spilled thinner ignited . Fortunately, I was able to extinguish it before it reached the newly doped wings. So this should be a warning not to do any doping in your house. One finish spray coat and the color scheme finished the job . The tail assemblies were in good shape. They were stripped, repainted and recovered.

The F.A.A. was so pleased with the workmanship that they gave me a full license despite the modifica­tions. In November 1960, the F.A.A. witnessed the test fl ight to their satisfactio n. Th e 1- 19 is a very safe and satisfying training and thermal flyer. Several "C" al­titude requirements were made in it. In 1963, Walker Trussell bought the 1-19. He mad e his com plete Silver C badge f li ghts in it.

Following is a list of some of the flights made: 27 flights over 1 hour

9 fl ights over 2 hours 10 flights over 3 hours

3 flights over 5 hours 30 flights above 5,000 ft. height 13 fl ights above 6,000 ft. height

6 flights above 7,000 ft. height 2 flights above 8,000 ft. height

Walk er became sick in 1971 and is unable to fly again. The 1- 19 had at that time, 377 flights with a total time of 290 hours. I bought the ship again in 1973, cleaned it up and made it ready for the First Vintage Meet in Elmira in 1973. The Aero Club Albatross bought it from me in 1974 and it is now being flown by the members at Blairstown Airport, the new base for the Aero Club Albatross. ~

18