It's So Old!
But it still smells fresh.
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With all this old stuff sticking around, you have to wonder how we keep it
smelling so fresh. Ha! I've got quite the secret up my sleeve.
You see, my wonderful wife makes candles. Not just any candles, but
soy candles. Highly scented, and at a price anybody can afford.
Even me.
So, cruise on over to Skyline Candle
Company, and pick yourself up a candle or twelve. I recommend the
Waterfall Mist. Smells so good. Way better than all these moldy
old headlines.
FMI: Skyline Candle Co.
Taildraggers, Inc. Archives - May & June 2010
These are our top stories and links from May and June of 2010. They're still cool,
but we gotta keep the home page clean and quick to load! Enjoy the
Archives!
And as always, if you have a link or photo to share, we'd love to
hear about it, and hopefully add it to the site. We are also looking
for guest writers and photographers to submit content. If you would
like to write an article or a photo essay, shoot us an email. We
won't pay you (we don't even pay ourselves), but we will give you full credit for any contributions.
Drop us a line anytime:
webmaster@taildraggersinc.com
Shot
Up and Left For Dead
On a beach off the Strait of Tiran, on
the Saudi Arabia side of the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba, is a sight no
beachgoer here in the States would ever expect to see. Lying in the
sand is rare piece of America aviation history; a Consolidated PBY-5A
Catalina.
David Legg documented the story of N5593V in his 2001 book, "Consolidated
PBY Catalina: The Peacetime Record". The aircraft was purchased
by Mr. Thomas W. Kendall in 1956, and was converted to a luxury transport.
During an around the world flight with his family in 1959-60, the aircraft
and Kendall family encountered some trouble with the locals.
"On
22 March the Catalina touched down at Ras Ash Shaykh Humayd on the
headland dividing the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba facing Tyran Island.
The aircraft was anchored close to the shore and the crew slept on board
that night. The following day, the family group were attacked from the
headland by gun-toting Saudi Arabian Bedouins. Although the family and
camera crew made it back to the Catalina, the aircraft sustained damage
from several hundred bullets and had to be abandoned. The Kendalls and
party were arrested and held a few days on suspicion of being Israelis.
N5593V was too badly damaged to be salvaged and remained at the site,
where it is still a graffiti-covered desert landmark."
The Catalina still sitting, rotting away, on a beach in Saudi
Arabia today.
Here is a link to David Legg's Book on Google Books
Here is a photo of N5593V in England in 1959, sans bullet holes
Here are some more photos of N5593V enjoying it's time in the sun
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NASM
:: How Things Fly
Bernoulli's Principle may be the basic
theory of lift, but it's too hard of a word to spell and pronounce.
Lucky for us, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum had the
foresight to make a cartoon explaining the forces acting on an airplane in
flight.
All kidding aside, this is a fun little interactive demonstration of the
basics of lift, thrust, weight, and drag. Our daring pilot learns
that wings are needed to produce the lift required to overcome weight, and
that an engine is needed to overcome drag. Once he has explored the
basics, he allows us the opportunity to change wings, fuselages, engines,
and construction materials to see how changing the design of the airplane
with affect it's flight qualities.
This is a great learning tool not only for children, but also for adults
who like simple visual explanations. Share it with your kids,
grandkids, and the other "kids" at the airport. But most of all,
HAVE FUN!!!
Here's the link:
NASM Forces of Flight Interactive Activity
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Wrong
Side Up! PM June, 1928
Google Books is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Where
else would someone like me find an article about flying aerobatics from a
Popular Mechanics Magazine originally published in June of 1928? I
don't know about you, but my local library doesn't keep back issues that
long.
The article doesn't give an author, but it is a great history piece of
basic aerobatic airmanship. Some of the terms may not be quite as we
like them today, but the lore and fantasy of flight still comes through
clear as day.
Topics covered include the inside loop, outside loop, tail spin, barrel
roll, side slip, vertical figure "8", and Immelmann turn. Brief
instructions are provided on how to perform each manuever.
Of the outside loop, the article writes,
"...it has been less than a year since Lieut. James Doolittle, U.S.A.,
retired, performed the first outside loop in the history of flying, and
came down with his eyes popping out of his head as the result of the
terrific strain. Lieut. Doolittle, who can turn vertical banks
around a race pylon steeper and tighter than anyone else has been able to
turn them at high speed because his "insides" seem to be peculiarly
constituted to resist the terrible centrifugal force involved, declared
when he landed that he would never do an outside loop again."
And
on we go.
This really is a great read for those who not only enjoy aviation and
aerobatics, but who love to read history from the perspective of those who
lived it. Our perceptions today have had 82 years to evolve over
those of the author of this article. Reading these old magazines
gives us insight into the way aviation was perceived and understood in a
time before jet aircraft, ATC, and increasingly burdensome Federal
regulation.
However, some things are remarkably unchanged...
"The tail spin used to be one of the most deadly causes of flying
accidents and considerable time was spent teaching new pilots how to avoid
it, and how to get out of a spin if the plane should accidentally go into
one. The chief requisite for getting out of a spin was plenty of
altitude to maneuver in. With modern aircraft conditions have
changed. Planes are built now which can't be made to spin without
deliberate intent on the part of the pilot, and which will come out of a
spin by simply setting the controls in neutral."
Did you know that, "Col. Lindbergh's favorite stunt is a side slip when
landing."? Here and I thought ol' Lucky Lindy would be more
adventurous than that. Who knew someone who flew solo across the
Atlantic could be entertained so easily.
If you want to read the full article, surf on over to
Google Books and do some searching. Or, just click on the link
below.
"Wrong Side Up!" Popular Mechanics Magazine - June, 1928
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Free
First Flying Lessons?
AvWeb is reporting that EAA has announced a new program where Young
Eagles can earn a first free flying lesson voucher. While this is
great news, and program that I wholeheartedly support on the surface, I
have to wonder where is all the buzz?
I've read a lot of talk lately about the future of GA. Where are the
new pilots? What are the obstacles? Why don't we have
thousands of kids lining up to take flying lessons? What amazes me
is that this new program has, so far, not caught anyone's attention.
LET'S SPREAD THE WORD!!!!
Here's the scoop from the EAA:
“Last year, we were proud to offer all Young Eagles their own pilot
logbook and free access to Sporty’s Complete on line Pilot Training
Course,” said Young Eagles co-chairman Jeff Skiles. “More than 3,000 Young
Eagles have already enrolled in the course and several have taken or soon
will be ready to take their flight test and earn a pilot certificate. With
the addition of the First Flight Lesson, we continue to build on the
enthusiasm shown by these Young Eagles and help them continue their
journey toward a certificate.”
Alright, ladies and germs. Get to the airport, spread the word.
Let's get as many kids in this program as we can. EAA says they're
working on a "Flight Plan" to get more young people involved in aviation.
Let's take advantage of EAA's size and reputation, and really put this
program into high gear! Go! Now! Do it!!!
EAA Press Release
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The
Seven Minute Rule
Building an airplane takes patience,
dedication, money, and lots and lots of time. Every interruption
delays the completion of the machine. I offer you a little bit of
advice, third hand, from one of the living legends of aviation,
homebuilding, and space flight.
The following is from Jon Ross, A&P, IA, and AB DAR, about something Burt
Rutan told him a long time ago...
"What it takes to finish is doing something every day. I was told by
Burt Rutan many years ago about the 7 minute rule. When someone shows up
at the shop I take a 7 minute break; then I ask for help of some sort,
handing me tools, assisting in some way or even emptying the trash. Pretty
soon all those that visit up are people that want to help. Rutan actually
had a sign in his shop that said 7 MINUTE RULE IN EFFECT."
Do you have any rules like this for your shop? If so, share them in
the
Forum. I'd love to hear about them.
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And Now For Something Completely Different.
Rocket ships. Seriously. Sort of. Whatever, it's
freaking cool. You'll love it. Unless you don't have a soul.
So, I don't really know a whole lot about
Burning Man, I'm
not an artist, and I like to shower once a day. But that doesn't
mean I can't appreciate really cool art, sculpture, or whatever you call a
giant fake rocket ship. I am a sucker for unique stuff that people
make. Especially totally obscure and unusable stuff that does
virtually nothing but inspire us and evoke the child and dreamer in all of
us. How many of us can remember imagining that we were astronauts,
or space explorers as kids? Does anybody remember
Buck
Rogers? What about
Duck
Dodgers? This video is the story of one work of art that touched
the lives of many people. Yes, it's a fake rocket ship. But
it's so much more.
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It Must've Been the Crosswind
Reagan National Airport is at the heart of the most restricted airspace in
the U.S.A. If you're not flying a big aluminum tube full of cattle,
er, passengers, you're pretty much not getting into
DCA.
Unless you're part of a formation flight of vintage biplanes helping to
promote a new 3D IMAX movie at the NASM.
Poor Mike Treschel's luck must've run out on this trip. Upon
touching down, his Stearman nosed over and went on it's back. Now, I
wasn't there, and all I can do is look at the videos, but my guess is
either someone had their feet in the brakes, or the brakes were locked up.
But don't tell that to the
AOPA. They seem to think it was the crosswind.
Here's the view from inside the front cockpit:
Watch the videos and decide for yourself. I just feel bad for Mike.
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Q.O.T.D.
:: Hemingway Talks Aviation
I write, but just barely. I'm
not full of eloquence and wit. I get by. There are a few great
writers left, I'm sure, and I am not one of them.
I don't read too much. I have read quite a bit by Richard Bach, a
little Duane Cole, some Stephen Coonts, and even Rinker Buck.
I'm not much for the literary classics. I don't sit down with a
novel by Faulkner or Fitzgerald. Hell, one of the only things I
remember about "The
Great Gatsby" is that Robert Redford played the starring role in the
movie. And the only reason I even noticed that was because he's also
the star of one of my favorite movies of all time, "The
Great Waldo Pepper". If it wasn't for his role as Waldo Pepper,
I probably wouldn't even know who Robert Redford was. But I
digress...
Here's a quote, likely taken out of context, but trimmed to get your
juices flowing.
"It is appearances, characteristics and performance that make a man
love an airplane, and they, are what put emotion into one. You love a lot
of things if you live around them, but there isn't any woman and there
isn't any horse, nor any before nor any after, that is as lovely as a
great airplane, and men who love them are faithful to them even though
they leave them for others. A man has only one virginity to lose in
fighters, and if it is a lovely plane he loses it to, there his heart will
ever be."
— Ernest Hemingway, 'London Fights the Robots,' written for Collier's,
August 1944.
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Um... That's Water, Dude...
Red Bull...
What is the limit of your machine? When you pull really hard,
sometimes the wing quits flying, and the machine no longer desires to stay
aloft. This isn't much more than a thrill ride at a few thousand
feet, but when you pull too hard at a few feet over the Detroit river,
death might be riding shotgun.
So Matt Hall pulled too hard during qualifying for the Red Bull Air Race
in Windsor, Ontario (that's in Canada, in case you didn't know). I
guess even the best goof up from time to time. This is the second
time in recent memory that I've heard of a Red Bull Air Racer hitting the
water. To quote one of the greatest movies of all time...
"You see that pack of jackals out there? They don't want to see a
good pilot, they want BLOOD! Now, you bring me an act where they
think you're gonna die... No, where they KNOW you're gonna die, and
you've got yourself a deal."
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Piper
J-3P-50 :: What Is That?!
So I say's to my friend, "What should
I name my kid?". He sez, "Call him Bevo, like Bevo Howard."
"Who is Bevo Howard???" I asks myself...
I know a few things about a coupla things, and some things I know a lot
about, and then there are a lot of things I don't know nothin' about.
Bevo Howard was one thing I knew nothing about. So I
Googled him.
Bevo's son maintains a
website
with information about his father's life as an airshow performer, FBO
owner, and all-around promoter of General Aviation. He tells about
how his father "pushed hard to bring a professional business image to
aviation, not only by always flying exhibitions in a dress shirt and tie
but wearing a business suit as he would walk out to the Bücker to perform
his air shows, carefully folding the suit jacket and stowing it in the
baggage compartment so that it would not be ruined by the oil spray from
the heavily taxed radial engine."
I also learned that even though Bevo was not the first person to do the
outside loop, he was the first to do it in a light plane of that era.
Not just any light plane, mind you, but a 37 1/2hp Piper J-3 Cub.
Which brings me to the point of today's update. What in the world is
a Piper J-3P?
I've done some digging, and it looks like their are only 3 surviving
J-3P's on the
FAA registry. The only one I could find any photos of was
N21561, a 1938 variant with the Lenape AR3-160 (FAA
TC Sheet). The photo above is of Bevo Howard in a J-3P. I
have to assume this was one of the airplanes he used for his airshow work,
but I can't find any more data to back that up. I really love the
three-piece windshield, and check out that tailwheel!
If you know more about the Lenape-powered J-3, let's hear about it.
More importantly, if you have photos of one, preferably really old photos,
PLEASE post them!!!!
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Cole
William Bressler
My wife and I are proud to announce
the birth of our second and last child, our only son, Cole William
Bressler. He was born on June 2, 2010, at 8:52pm, or 0052z. He
weighs 7lb, 10oz, and is 21 inches from tip to tail.
This last month has been spent preparing our new home for his arrival, so
the website has been neglected. Sorry, but there is a priority of
duties to everything. Now that he's here, we can start to settle
back into a normal routine, and I can get back to keeping Taildraggers,
Inc. up to date. I've stashed some good stuff away for future use,
and I still have two photo articles to put together. It's all coming
along, just a whole lot slower than I had hoped.
I'm certain you'll see more of Cole in the coming months and years.
We've already planned his first airshow. If you're going to be in
the Northern Virginia area on July 18, be sure to spend your Sunday
afternoon at The
Flying Circus in Bealeton, VA. Rumor has it that Virginia
Aviation Hall of Fame member Charlie Culp with be giving his final "final"
performance as the Flying Farmer. If you've never seen Charlie
perform this act, this might be your last chance!
Cole wouldn't miss it for the world.
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Two Become One
Red Bull seems to have cornered the market on insane stunts. They
are major sponsors of all things "extreme".
This video hit the 'net in April 2010. The stunt is pretty amazing,
as a skydiver climbs out of a glider, transfers to another glider, and
then grabs the first gliders' tail as he flies inverted overhead.
Sweet.
To learn more about the stunt, or team Blanix, get the skinny from the
Red Bull website.
Now I wanna go fly a sailplane... Great...
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Looking for some more Aerotainment? Go to April 2010 :: OR :: Check out the Archives!
