Ren DiLeo and I made it up to Tehachapi this weekend on what I hope to be the first of many annual pilgrimages to the Mecca of U.S. Soaring.
The number of historical vintage and classic aircraft was staggering, making it hard to stay focused on the tasks of documenting these ships. It seemed as though every time I turned around I found a new gem being uncovered from its trailer or pushed out of a hanger. Not to mention that many of my friends and acquaintances made online throughout the past five years were in attendance.
Just some of the aircraft on the field either tied down of flying in or out were a Cessna 180, Cessna 140, Cessna 170, Piper J3 Cub, Piper Super Cub, two PA-25 235 Pawnees and several Rutan homebuilt designs; from Schweizer several 2-8 (TG-2) and one 2-12 (TG-3), plus at least one 1-19, 2-22, 1-23, 1-26B, 1-26C, 1-26D, 2-33, 1-34, and two 1-36; a Franklin PS-2, two Frankfort Cinema (TG-1), four LK-10 (TG-4A), a Briegleb BG-12, an HP 11, several Bowlus BA-100 Baby Albatross, and Dean Gradwell's Cherokee II; and from Europe the Rhon Bussard, Condor, Weihe, Standard Austria, Lunak, and countless glass ships including two of the new Sparrowhawks!
With Ren's help we managed to document fairly completely the entire airframe of one of the LK-10 including wings, tails and fuselage all in uncovered condition and even had the opportunity to view the original LK marketing brochure from 1942 as well as hold and photograph the original airframe serial number placard.
We were able to meet in person the president of the ESA Dan Armstrong, as well as the VSA's Raul Blacksten and former owner of the SGU 1-7 all of whom were extremely helpful and shared with us more than 500 historic photos, many of which have never been available to the public as was the case with Howard "Chip" Burr's father's photo collection dating to 1935 and earlier.
I now have more than twenty images of the SGS 1-24 Brigadoon, plus images of the Lawrence Tech IV Yankee Doodle. And I found one very important small contact print in the collection taken circa 1938 of the Ross Stephens RS-1 before modifications to the airframe were made. These modifications came to define largely what we know to be the "Zanonia" in the form of altered horizontal, addition of nose skid and main gear and changeover to blown canopy.
This single image which I knew must have existed shows clearly that the early aircraft consisted of a much more streamlined lower fuselage bulb at the cockpit and was flown with no paint. Speaking with the National Air and Space Museum curator Russ Lee, the VSA's Raul Blacksten, the NSMs Bill Gallagher and more I have been unable to find documentation or verbal corroboration that proved my contention that this must have been the case.
Ren and I had the opportunity to fly at Grass Mountain too...
and from Tehachapi.....
Chip Burr explains the differences between the SGU 1-7, 1-19 and later 2-22 model here.
The newly built Rhon Bussard in which the orginal 1935 parts were used for patterns.
What a weekend!
Looks like a lot of fun! Ren sent me a few pictures but I didn't realize you got some model sloping in as well!
Posted by: Fred Sanford | September 13, 2009 at 09:55 PM
Hi Fred, good to hear from you and yes, we got a hour or so in at Grass Mountain on the way up from LA to Tehachapi. I've been on the peak many times in my youth and finally got to fly a model up there. Great lift and landing zone, great view, everything one could ask for in a big lift flying site! I think it would be a excellent place to hold an annual scale woodie event like Vincent does in France each year with RetroPlane.
Posted by: Tom Martin | September 14, 2009 at 07:14 AM