WING TIPS SPRING 2014 HANGAR HAPPENINGS

Transcription

1 WING TIPS SPRING 2014 A Publication of the Vintage Flying Museum, Fort Worth, Texas HANGAR HAPPENINGS The Commemorative Air Force's B-24A "Diamond Lil" arrived safely at the Vintage Flying Museum on the 27 th of February. She arrived a little earlier than expected and several people, including our own chief of Maintenance, Bill Gorin missed its arrival. She spent the night on the

2 ramp and got a bath and engine run in preparation for the start of the annual inspection. It's much easier to properly inspect an airplane when it's clean. Easier to find any leaks too! Once the engine runs are done, she was moved into the hangar. The Commemorative Air Force B-29/B-24 Squadron leader asked if they could relocate the B-29 and the B-24A from the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas, to the Vintage Flying Museum here in Fort Worth! Of course we said YES! So the Vintage Flying Museum will be the home of the only flying B-29 Superfortress, "FIFI" and "Diamond Lil", one of only two flying B- 24 Liberators. The Cavanaugh Flight Museum is expanding their collection, adding a PBY Catalina and moving an HU-16 Albatross that they have owned for several years to Addison. In order to make room for these two large aircraft, they needed the space being occupied by the B-29 and B-24. We will only be providing a temporary home, approximately 3 years, for the two aircraft, as well as their Stearman PT-13, a WWII trainer. At that time, the CAF expects to be in their new headquarters at Dallas Executive Airport. Fifi, and Diamond Lil are currently on an air show tour and should arrive at the VFM sometime in mid or late August. The tour schedule can be seen on the website at Many volunteers came out to help move airplanes and clean out rooms to make room for Diamond Lil and Fifi. Actually, airplanes are moved around enough to keep volunteers busy all the time. Mike Tolfa and Leo Clevenger helped Tom Murphy with the painting of the front, (East side), of the hangar and installation of new signage. This was quite a project and involved the use of a 55 foot lift. 2

3 Tom Murphy was a happy camper when the work was finished. Of course that doesn t mean his work is done. There is always more that needs attention. Here he is shown replacing light bulbs inside the main hangar. The A-26 Invader also got new yellow paint on both engine cowlings. The CAF Invader Squadron calls the VFM its home. This Squadron was formed in 2009 to restore an A-26 Douglas Invader. The Squadron numbers over 75 members who volunteer to maintain and tour with the aircraft. The Invader is painted black and with yellow trim. It was the fastest twin engine bomber of WWII and saw action in Korea and Vietnam. This warbird honors the service of Capt. John Walmsely, Jr., an A-26 pilot who was KIA in Korea and posthumously awarded the Medal-of-Honor. The CAF Invader Squadron meets the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the VFM. Their website is and they can also be found on Facebook. 3

4 The Vintage Flying Museum s 23 rd annual hangar dance was held on the 5 th of October 2013, the week after AOPA s dance. One can just imagine the amount of work done by the museum staff, volunteers and press gang. As always, Alan Glasscock s band provided the music. In fact his band also provided the music for the AOPA s dance the following weekend. There were dancers of all ages and they were all having a wonderful time. Even Sammy, VFM s official pest control officer, got into the act while preparing for the dances. The AOPA had their convention at Meacham Field in October 2013, and even Fifi, the B-29 was flown in for the affair. 4

5 On Saturday evening, the 12th of October 2013, the Vintage Flying Museum was pleased to host the AOPA s big band dance in the hangar. Both dances were great successes, with swing dance clubs, WWII uniforms, airplanes, vehicles and weapons much in evidence. Note: Be sure to visit the museum s website at and look at the newsletter. All these pictures are in glorious living color! 5

6 Brian Gorin, at 18, is the youngest crew chief at the museum. He has volunteered at the museum since the tender age of 12 years and has worked on several aircraft. These have included the A-26, AT-6, T-33, EA-3B, F-86 and the Piasecki, (Flying Banana), helicopter. In addition, he attended school and held down a regular job. This experience has earned him the coveted designation of crew chief of the newest VFM airplane, a Culver Cadet LFA. Brian has just graduated from Lake Dallas High School in Corinth, Texas and will be enrolling in the aviation maintenance program at Tarrant County Community College in the Fall. 6

7 The Culver Cadet was recently donated to the museum. The Culver first flew in December, It was an improved version of the Culver Dart, designed to provide improved performance with a smaller engine. Originally designated the Culver Model L, the aircraft was named the Culver Cadet. Although similar to the previous Dart, the Cadet had a semi-monocoque fuselage instead of welded steel tube, and a retractable tailwheel. The first variant, the Cadet LCA, was powered by a 75 hp Continental A75-8 four-cylinder horizontally opposed piston engine. The 1941 version was designated the Cadet LFA and introduced a number of refinements and more equipment, and was fitted with a 90 hp Franklin engine. In 1940, the Cadet LCA was selected by the United States Army Air Corps as being suitable for use as a radio-controlled target. It was also used by the U.S. Navy during the war years. The museum s Cadet LFA-90 is S/N 330 with a 90 H.P. Franklin engine. Its first flight was in August of 1941 and was flown by several owners for business and pleasure before being donated to the museum this year. 7

8 Another new addition to the museum s collection is an EA-3B Skywarrior Ranger 15. In spite of a downpour, the volunteers ;managed to get the Ranger into the hangar. This involved removing the stationery fence post and the gate and chain link fence, and replacing them later. 8

9 Taking a well deserved break, the volunteers relax with a beverage before the Ranger is moved into the hangar and positioned. This was an incredible amount of work, requiring moving many aircraft in order to allow space for proper maintenance and restoration of all the planes in the hangar. The EA-3B was a member of Fleet Air Reconnaissance, Squadron Two, VQ-2, Batmen. 9

10 MEMBERS IN THE NEWS Jim and Patsy Hocker celebrated their 61 st wedding anniversary on Valentine s Day, February 14, Jim says, If I see the whole world is celebrating that day, surely I won t mess up and forget my anniversary. They met in Fort Worth on their first date, June 16, Patsy was 15 years old and had just graduated from Junior High School. Jim was 18 and had also just graduated from High School. Jim and Patsy have three married children and eight grandchildren. Three generations of Hockers have been volunteers for many years at VFM. Mike Tolfa and his girlfriend, Kirsten Justesen, have tied the knot! They were married on the Tuesday, the 17 th of June and spent their honeymoon at Rosehill Manor in Stonewall, Texas And then went on to Luckenbach for some awesome country music. 10

11 IN MEMORIUM Rodolfo, (Rudy), Zepeda Rodolfo Munoz Zepeda passed from this earth on Friday, March 14, He was born to Roman and Tomasa Munoz Zepeda on Nov. 6, 1930, in Sanderson, Texas. Several months before graduation from high school, Rudy enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, 8th Radio Squadron, and spent four years, during the Korean War, training and working as a radio operator, technician, and then as instructor. He later received his diploma from Sanderson High School. He returned to Sanderson and married high school sweetheart Rita Silvas and went to work for the Texas Department of Transportation as a surveyor. Two sons were born, Rudy and Richard. Rita perished in a tragic automobile accident when the boys were very young. Rudy moved to Fort Worth to accept a job with the Fort Worth District, Army Corps of Engineers. While there he met his future wife, Eleanor and they settled in North Richland Hills. They were married almost 50 years. Rudy was a ham radio operator and fan of the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers. He collected and restored old radios, was famous for his smoked brisket and pork ribs. He built model airplanes and ships, now treasured by his grandsons. He owned several motorboats in succession, loved to take his family to Grapevine Lake. After retiring he bought an RV, and he and Eleanor traveled from the East Coast to the West Coast, sometimes taking grandkids along, other times meeting friends. He and Eleanor have been longtime members of the Vintage Flying Museum and Rudy enjoyed conducting tours of its World War II airplanes as well as volunteering for many projects, along with his wife, Eleanor, who is also accomplished at coordinating museum events. He was a great friend, a wonderful person and is sorely missed by us all. 11

12 VFM MEMBERS MAKE IT POSSIBLE VFM VOLUNTEERS MAKE IT HAPPEN! Vintage Flying Museum 505 N.W. 38 th Street Hangar 33 South Fort Worth, TX Wing Tips is a publication of the Vintage Flying Museum. A Non-Profit Corporation that Works P.O. Box Fort Worth, Texas VFM@vintageflyingmuseum.org Barry Young, editor 12