antique airways - Carolinas - Virginia Antique Airplane Foundation

ANTIQUE AIRWAYS
®
Official Newsletter
of VAA
Chapter 3
North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia Antique Airplane Foundation, Inc.
March-April 2007
Jim Wilson—Editor & Publisher
From in front of the Shop of the President
H
opefully, by
the time you
get your hands on
this
letter,
the
weather will have
moderated enough
so that you can resist the urge of using it to start a fire in your fireplace. In addition to what’s what in
the Chapter, this issue includes an exhaustive interview with one of our more interesting members.
The good part is that it wasn’t exhaustive for me as I didn’t even participate...My interviewee did both his part and mine! This was just a weak attempt for the subject to
remain below the radar. However, George Farnsworth is one of my role models…
Not only does he share my voracious appetite for old airplanes, but he is among the
best of the best of Americans born in the depression, served in WWII and then pushed
American free enterprise literally to the
skies. Why, yes, I do feel strongly about this
stuff… I just know I have to work a little
harder, so that I can have five flying antiques by the time I am 82.
Photo above is from last years’ Cross
Cotillion. You will find it listed on the calendar. Bring a dish and come on down.
You will get to meet George. Look up SC37 on Airnav.com for airfield details.
Good activity to round out May… Good place to find great food and ….fly!
Couldn’t help this updated version of the Jenny in
the Tree! Maybe the pilot was flying in to get his
first lesson. Sure hope this airplane wasn’t insured
by AUA.. I think this picture symbolizes the relationship of Government and GA…. This is a real
CFIT. Controlled Flight into Tree… Maybe he was
pre-occupied getting a quote on the user fee for the
ILS.
How
about
Norma Joyce as our new
Chapter Secretary? On
Mar 1, Norma takes the
pen and becomes our
newest Officer. Welcome
Aboard!
Hopefully, you already
know her from our Chapter events and thru AUA,
Inc.
Norma started in the
aviation insurance business in 1975 and purchased the company in 1986. She graduated from
Severna Park H.S., Md., Alabama Technical College,
and Enterprise Jr. College, Enterprise, Al. Norma
and her husband Butch are the most ardent supporters of sport aviation that can be found. Norma is on
the BOD of Chapter 3, is active in EAA Chapter 8
and has been the Sec/Teas of the NC Applicators
Assn and the Aviation Insurance Assn. She always
makes sure Larry Gardiner has a new AUA T-shirt.
How could we ask for more?
2
Thank you to: The Richard….
Richard Murdoch, our outgoing Secretary has done an outstanding job for your
Chapter! Perhaps he thinks he is heading for the roundhouse...no way… he is too
valuable to us...we will suck him into a new mission. Keep his mind off that Aeronca
Chief for a bit… Also, thanks to Susan for her contributions ...and keeping RM
straight.
Charlie Harris on the Wall in the Hall
Chapter 3 member Charlie Harris is VAA’s 2006 Hall of Fame
Honoree. The whole story is in Jan 2007 Vintage Airplane. Charlie obviously operates on your basic 32 hour day as his list of accomplishments and involvement in antique and classic aviation
just keeps going and going….. He has been doing VAA Ch 10’s
newsletter since 1985… I can’t imagine… Anyway...Thank you,
Charlie for your contributions to our sport! You join a long list of
EAA HOF members in our Chapter…(We need more like a warehouse...) Back through the years, the following Chapter members
have received similar recognition: Paul Poberezny in the Homebuilders, Vintage, and Warbird Hall; Jack Cox in Homebuilders and Vintage HoF;
Walt Ohlrich in the Warbird HoF; and Butch Joyce, Roy Wicker, and Harold Armstrong are in the Vintage Hall.
Spring Fly-In Information
Burlington!
Please make reservations early!
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•
•
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Dates: Friday 4 May thru Sunday 6 May 2007 No rain Dates.
$5.00 Registration Fee for attending aircraft
Location: Burlington Alamance County Airport (KBUY) Burlington, NC
Primary Hotel: Ramada Inn, 2703 Ramada Rd, Burlington, NC 336-227-5541 Rate: $55+ tax
Rooms reserved under VAA Chapter 3 Shuttle Transportation between field and Hotel.
Agenda: BBQ on the Field, 6:00 PM Friday, Movies at the Ramada following
EAA judging of aircraft Sat . Acft must be on the field from 12:00– 3:00 PM
Awards Banquet Sat. Evening at Ramada Drinks 6PM, Dinner 7 PM Speaker is Jim Younkin!
Cost $25/person
Food Available on the field Sat. Noon
Camping available on the field-No Hookups
Fall Fly-In Information
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•
•
Camden!
5-7 Oct...Put it on the Calendar
Hotel has been renovated….you won’t need your shots!
The weather will be great!
Please take the insert and nail it up in your airport office!
3
Member Exposé - George Farnsworth - Fiction is Stranger than Truth
I have known George for 20 years. He goes to Ridgeland Airport, SC; flies and works on one or
more of his five antique biplanes just about every day. He is the Cool Hand Luke of old airplane
pilots. I knew he had a job with a refrigerator outfit and flew a P-38. I wanted to find out more… my
request for a personal in depth interview was countered with the following postal offering:
JW: I know that flying has been very important
in your life. When did you first realize you
wanted to fly and why?
GF: Shortly after I was born- 3 or 4 days I
think. I asked my Mother where I came from
and she said the stork had brought me to her. I
didn’t realize what a clumsy bird a stork is and
figured that if I was airmailed that early in life, I
should probably pursue it for a while.
JW: I understand you have an older brother.
Did he pursue a flying career?
GF: No. Although my parents didn’t like to talk
about it, he was apparently brought by a turtle.
I suppose that is why he ended up in the field
artillery.
JW: You once said that your Mother discouraged you from flying. Why was that?
GF: She was a very religious woman but limited in technical knowledge. She always said
that if God had wanted us to fly, he would have
filled us with helium.
JW: You joined the Army Air Corps in 1942.
Did you find your early flight experience helped
in learning to fly military airplanes?
GF: Yes and no. I felt comfortable in the air,
but always had a hard time keeping my hands
on the controls. I felt the urge to flap my arms,
which my instructor felt was inappropriate. We
solved the problem. I would handle the controls and he would flap. He became a father
figure for me.
JW: Did you progress rapidly through the training program?
GF: I had a high turnover in instructors, therefore, there were some delays in my instruction.
JW: Why the turnover?
GF: I had some very nervous instructors assigned to me. I recall in Basic, I was on my
first formation lesson in the BT-13 and my
brakes didn’t work. They were OK on the
ground, but every time I started to overtake the
lead plane (he was a very slow flyer) when I
applied the brakes, nothing happened. My in-
4
structor became very rude and kept taking the
controls from me. I finally realized his brakes
were working, so I suggested we trade places.
When I got out on the wing, he refused to get
out on the wing on the other side so we could
do that. He was a person who was easily distracted, so we bumped into the lead plane and
he bailed out. I got into the rear cockpit and
found that the brakes didn’t work there either. I
guess it was one of those intermittent things.
In any case, I lost several other instructors over
similar failures of communication. You would
think the Air Corps would weed out the
“Nervous Nellie's” wouldn’t you?
JW: I surprised you weren’t washed out.
GF: I don’t know why you would say that, but it
was discussed. A Colonel brought it up once
and said that the Air Corps was desperate for
pilots and I’d probably kill myself soon enough
and he wouldn’t be blamed for loosing another
student in training command.
JW: After you received your wings, were there
further problems?
GF: Oh, the usual difficulties we all went
through.
JW: For instance?
GF: I recall the first time I carried bombs on
my P-38. They were attached to the same
points as the drop tanks were when we carried
them and the release controls were the same.
A short time into the flight, I notice hat the drop
tank fuel gauge read zero, so not wanting any
extra drag on the plane, I flipped the release
switch. Of course, the 500 pound bomb was
released through no fault of mine and landed
on one of our field artillery units. (not my
brother’s) I never did understand why everyone was so upset…it wasn’t armed. My CO
seemed to take their side, which I didn’t think
was fair. It was finally settled although I wasn’t
allowed to carry bombs for two weeks. I didn’t
really care as I never could hit anything with
them.
Farnsworth Saga Cont.
JW: Were there any other high points in your 7
years in the Army Air Corps?
GF: One that stands out in my memory happened at a medal ceremony at our Group
base. The Commanding General of the 12th
Air Force was awarding them and before he
got to me he apparently ran out of them because he saluted us and walked away. As
anyone would have done under the circumstances, I called out “where’s mine, General?”
Well, you would have thought I had said “Go
Navy!” The Colonel was especially upset,
summoned the MP’s and had me taken away.
I later heard that he spoke to General Doolittle
and said that he would award me a spare set
of 2nd Lt. bars since I would be one for a long
time. I never understood how grownup men
could be so sensitive.
JW: You certainly had an exciting career during the war. What did you do next?
GF: I got my BSEE at Purdue University in
1948. The degree was in doubt for some time
because one of my professors had taken a dislike to me for no apparent reason. Professor
Steinmetz believed, without a shred of truth
that the only electrical engineering work I was
capable of doing was screwing light bulbs in
and out. He had the audacity to put that on my
record. I proved him wrong by getting a job at
General Electric Co. in the Test Engineering
program. I worked for the company for 38
years and my only regret is that I was never
allowed to touch anything electrical. I believe
that Professor Steinmetz’s reach was out of
bounds.
JW: Have the golden years of retirement been
as fulfilling as you had hoped?
GF: Yes, I have continued my flying in my five
antique biplanes. However, it has been quite
lonely as no one seems to want to fly with me.
JW: George, you certainly have had an interesting and fulfilling life. To what do you attribute your longevity?
GF: A martini every evening and floss every
morning.
JW: Is that it?
GF: That’s it.
JW: Thank you for spending time with me.
GF: You’re welcome.
Farnsworth
really is…
Revealed
-
what
Extensive research yielded the following:
George was born 8 Jan 1924 in Park Ridge, IL
After a year and a half at Purdue, he realized
his ROTC background in Field Artillery was
heading in a bad direction. In 1942, George
signed up in the Army Air Corp and headed to
Carlstrom Field, FL for primary in the PT-17.
On to BT-13’s in Greenwood, MS, AT-6 training at Blythville, AR; then back to Sarasota, FL
for phase training in the P-40. This qualified
him to take a boat to North Africa to fly P-38s.
Everything went fine here with the possible exception of hitting a tank with the P-38. ...hit it
with the airplane..not the guns.
George left the military in 1947, got
married and returned to Purdue to finish his
EE. After College, he embarked on a 38 year
career with General Electric retiring in 1986 as
a Sr. VP in charge of the GE Aerospace
Group. The radar, sonar, satellites, weaponry,
and software systems supplied by this company have been critical to aviation and our military capability.
After the war, George flew only intermittently until in 1970, a friend with a T-6 and a P51 got the juices flowing again. The first airplane he owned was a Stampe, followed by the
KR-21, the straight wing Waco, the Taperwing
Waco, a Stearman, and 1/2 of DH-82 Tigermoth.
John, one of George’s 3 children is a
pilot and one of his 4 grands is just starting
out...great!
You just never know where you will uncover one of the Captains of American Industry
and Technology who is out every day preserving and flying vintage airplanes and supporting
our aviation interests!
One more time..don’t forget to
check out our page on the AUA Web site.
Go to auaonline.com. Wander down the
left column and click on the Chapter
Logo.
5
New Member—Welcome!
George (Tim) Wray Madison, NC RV-6 (N8LK)
Michael Hendrick Aiken, SC
Tim& Mike : Your first mission is to come to Burlington. Do not come alone...
Folded Wings
Ed Kendall of Charlotte died last May. Sorry, for the lack of timeliness, but I
just happened to note his passing in another publication. Ed was a very active member. He will be remembered by many of us as the pilot of the Cub with the bullet hole
in the boot cowl...an under the gas tank, in front of his knees, large caliber thru hole…
Ed was a degreed Mechanical Engineer. He joined the Navy and got his wings of
gold in 1943. He flew torpedo bombers in the Pacific. Leaving the Navy in 1959, he
worked for GSA until retirement in 1978. Ed was 84.
In December, life member Hank Avery of Morganton, NC died at age 85. Hank
went through the Civilian Pilot Training program at Hickory, then also received his
wings from the Navy in WWII. He transferred to the Marine Corps and flew in the
South Pacific. After returning from the war, he and his father-n-law started a stone
and concrete company. In addition to our Chapter, Hank belonged to and supported
several other aviation focused organizations. I think I remember him coming to our
fly-ins in a PT-26.
We will miss them and remember them for their service to our country and
years of dedicated support to vintage aviation.
Also in December, Randy Williams, now of Moneta, VA lost his wife Diane.
Our deepest sympathies to the relatives and friends of these members.
We added this event to our calendar, how ‘bout add it to yours. In case you run
low on places to fly when the weather gets nice...consider Ridgeland, SC. Check out
the website at racetoridgeland.com. Event is Saturday 12 May. So maybe you don’t
want to fly the 150NM race at the √Speed of Heat...this is also gonna be a vintage
airplane gathering. All I can say is come check it out...a bunch of us had a great time
last year… You can meet the subject of this Newsletter’s bio and all of his airplanes ,
and airplane friends. That’s worth the price of admission...which is nothing anyway...
Most of George Farnsworth’s air force. UL: Waco CTO Taperwing N744H (235 HP Wright J6-7, UR: KR-21 (one on left); Waco ASO Straightwing N950E (220 Continental) and the Stearman PT-17.
The Back Cover:
6
2007 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 44- 6
May 12
May 26
Oct 55- 7
Nov 3
Burlington, NC Spring FlyFly-In
Race to Ridgeland Ridgeland, SC (3J1)
Cross Cotillion FlyFly-Out Cross, SC (SC37)
Camden, SC
Fall FlyFly-In
Fly--Out Susan Dusenbury’s Hangar
Shiloh, NC (SIF) Fly
(Chapter Event Dates are fixed - No rain dates scheduled)
Chapter Event Information: 843-753-7138 or eiwilson@homexpressway.net
CHAPTER OFFICERS
President:
V President:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Newsletter
Jim Wilson, 1862 Poplar Hill Dr. Cross, SC 29436 843-753-7138, eiwilson@homexpressway.net
Ron Normark
3508 Canter Ln, Raleigh, NC 27604, 919-876-2468
Olene Phillips 150 Nora Oaks Rd., Wilkesboro, NC 28697 336-667-2646
Norma Joyce 1004 Ayersville Rd. , Madison, NC 27025 336-427-0971
Jim Wilson, 1862 Poplar Hill Dr. Cross, SC 29436 843−753−7138, eiwilson@homexpressway.net
Disclaimer−Antique Airways® is the official publication of NC, SC,VA Antique Airplane Foundation,Inc.It is published
only as a medium of communication among our members. All material herein of a technical nature or listed events are
for reference only and are not recommended or approved by the publisher, editor, or authors. Foundation Officers,
Directors,or Members do not project or accept responsibility or liability for participation in any fly−In, function,
or event.
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
To Join − Complete this Application and Send $20.00/yr (Checks Payable to VAA Chapter 3)
to Golda Cox, 606 Shannon Rd., Asheboro, NC 27203 or
Join for a Lifetime:
Age 65/up −$150, 64−45− $350, 44−25 − $550 Under 25 − $750 What a deal!
Name ______________________________________ (Nickname)__________________
Spouse’s Name___________________________
EAA Member? EAA # __________
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VAA # __________
Telephone/Email: ________________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________
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7
ANTIQUE AIRWAYS
1862 Poplar Hill Drive
Cross, SC 29436
®