Story And Photos
By Gilles Auliard

Looking for something to load up with camping gear, the grand kids and your full size friends to go places with a lot of stuff?

Well step right over here, my friend, we have the plane for your, a 1937 Waco EGC-8, a big gentle airplane that's surprisingly light on the controls at cruise speed. Or so says Jim Clark of Chapman, Kans. who just happens to own a freshly restored EGC-8 registered as N61KS (c/n 5072).

But this is no ordinary Waco, which you'll appreciate when you see the price. But first, a little background on how this marvelous airplane came to be.

In 1931, the Waco Aircraft Co. introduced its new series, the "C" (for cabin) family of airplanes. This was a departure from their long standing tradition of open cockpit biplanes, and a necessity, as the flying public was demanding it.

In 1935, the Custom Cabin series was introduced with a sesquiplane arrangement and ailerons on the top wing only. The AGC-8 and EGC-8 models, considered by many the best product of the Troy company well after its demise, appeared in 1937.

The type certificate for the AGC-8, powered by the 300 hp Jacobs J-6 engine, was issued on October 30, 1937 at the same time as its EGC-8 variation built around a 320 hp Wright R-670-E2 engine.

The Department of Commerce had been an enthusiastic user of Waco products since its creation and the newly formed CAA continued the tradition, budgeting eight model AGC-8's during the 1937 fiscal year.

Delivered in 1939, they were assigned to hack duties for field inspectors at various CAA stations. NC61 was transferred to the Civil Aeronautics Authority on August 17, 1939, and assigned to the Air Safety Board of Garden City, Long Island, NY.

In 1944, the airplane was converted to an EGC-8 by removal of the Jacobs engine and substitution with a Wright E-670-R2 engine.

"The CAA bought eight Wright engines and mounts and had them installed at different shops around the country," Clark explained.

"We can always tell because they used different size sledgehammers to modify the firewall and one can see the marks left when they had to beat the firewall into submission to install the engine."

We know what you're thinking but sledgehammers were standard equipment at most A&P and mechanics' shops in the late '30's. How do you think they repaired Harleys?

NC61 was declared surplus to CAA needs on January 8, 1946 and offered on the general aviation market where it was snatched up by Warren L. Schaper of Minneapolis and registered as NC69607.

Periodically changing hands, in 1970 the Waco became the custody of Chuck Hall of Manhattan, Kans. who initialed a restoration program and had the airplane registered as N61KS (for Kansas).
"In 2006, I was looking for this specific model," Clark said.

"Chuck, a friend of mine, had one at his private strip, and I went to talk to him about it to know if it was for me.

"I spent the following year looking for a suitable -eight example but could not find one. One day, Chuck called me asking if I was still looking, and offered to sell me his.

"He was comfortable with the idea because he knew that I would restore it, keep it and fly it in the Junction City area."

On September 9, 2007, Clark was officially the owner of the Waco. This was only half the fun:
"I sent Marvin Hornbostel of Raven Aero Service, a shop located on my home field, and his team of mechanics to Chuck's hangar to get the airplane ready for the 20 miles or so ferry flight," he said.

"After about two weeks of work, we could envision ferrying the airplane to Junction City.

"This was much preferred over dismantling and shipping, because in the process, you lose parts and the airplane gets damaged. Chuck Hall sat on the right, reading the numbers to me while I was flying.

"We took off from his private field with half tanks and flew around the Fort Riley restricted area, a 30-35 minutes flight."

Everything went fine, he said, with his first landing at Junction City, where he started taxiing to the hangar. But once on the tarmac, the engine died.

"It seemed that the flight dislodged some crud we could not flush out in the tanks, starving the engine of fuel," clark said. "It could have happened at any time.

God takes care of idiots and pilots"

A long time airplane driver, Clark has owned 28 airplanes over 40 years, including five biplanes: a Great Lakes, Starduster, Skybolt, Waco CSO and the Waco EGC-8, proving that the adage is apparently true.

Once in the shop, the Waco was stripped down, dismantled and restored to a better-than-new look in three years. It now displays its original livery with black fuselage and orange wings, with the CAA emblem, which took a great deal of research to replicate.

First post restoration flight took place on June 29, 2010 with no real issue to report. Clark showed the plane at the National Biplane Fly-in (PF, July '11) and his efforts were rewarded with the Grand Champion award. By the way, full fitted out EGC-8's cost $16,000.

A little pricey in 1937? Step over here ...

Waco EGC-8 Specifications as powered by a 320 hp Wright R-760-E2 engine

Length: 27' 4"

Height: 8' 7"

Upper Wingspan: 34' 9"

Lower Wingspan: 24' 6"

Upper Wing Chord: 72"

Lower Wing Chord: 48"

Total Wing Area: 246 sq. ft.

Empty Weight: 2,432 lbs

Useful Load: 1,368 lbs

Gross Weight: 3,800 lbs

Max Speed: 171 mph at sea level

Cruising Speed (@ 1900 rpm): 147 mph at sea level

Landing Speed (with flaps): 55 mph

Rate of Climb: 980 fpm first minute at sea level

Service Ceiling: 15,500 ft

Gas capacity: 95 gal

Oil Capacity: 6 gal

Range at Cruising speed (75 % power): 780 miles @ 17.5 gph

By Jim Clark
Owner/Pilot

If you can fly any taildragger, you can fly this big Waco cabin.

It is just a truck, tremendously stable in flight.

On take off, I accelerate and push hard to lift the tail, put a little bit of back pressure on the control wheel at 62-63 mph, and let the speed build up in the ground effect until reaching 80 mph to climb.

It is a fingertip airplane at cruising speed with elevators and ailerons. The controls are very well harmonized.

It is an honest airplane and a real pleasure to fly. You just think what you want to do with it, and it just does it, there are no surprises.

Upon landing, if you cross the fence at 80 mph with flaps, and target a point down the runway while holding a level flight attitude the airplane will just land and roll in a wheels landing attitude.

We have a clear winner in our annual Best Christmas Card Contest and once again it came from the artisans at Victory Girl, who specialize in painting leather jackets, among other things.

This one features a fetching lass on a downhill sled with the message, "Relax" on the front and inside, "it's all downhill from here." Truer words were never printed.

They create their own nose art for not only jackets but also custom aircraft decals, vintage airport signs and more. See their offerings at www.victorygirl.com or give them a call at (909) 297-6688.

First runner-up for the sheer artistry and appeal was Tom and Carol Wathen's painting of Tom's Laird-Turner LTR-14 racer. Tom, who also owns Flabob airport, actually has this plane, a replica.

The original plane was flown by Roscoe Turner who won the Thompson Trophy with it two years in a row (1938-39) with speeds around a pylon course of up to 283 mph.

The plane was called several things, depending on its sponsor; "Pesco Special," "Miss Champion" (shown here) and the "MacMillan Ring-Free Meteor," although it's generally just called the Meteor. Turner's original is housed in the National Air and Space Museum next to the stuffed remains of his lion, "Gilmore."

Tom's replica was flown at Reno and at Oshkosh by famed race pilot (and ex-Air Force test pilot) Skip Holm, who racked up 1,072 combat hours and was a test driver on the F-117 Nighthawk.

Others that were particularly artistic or noteworthy came from Walter Boyne, former head of the National Air & Space Museum and a prolific author; Lt. Col. John Coffindaffer, USAF (Ret.), stuck in the frozen wastes of Connecticut where he works for Sikorsky and a cute photo from Flabob Airport Bum Andy Andersen.

Rob and Susie Harrison's card even included a cartoon strip about Rob "The Tumbling Bear."

To all of those who took the time to actually sit down and write a personal note and sign it, seal it, stamp it and mail it, we say thank you one and all, God Bless and our wishes for a joyous new
year.

- Wayman Dunlap, Editor

The 2012 International Women in Aviation Conference is scheduled for March 8-10 in Dallas, Texas at the Hilton Anatole.

Invited speakers in-clude:FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta; Z. Nagin Cox, Assistant Flight System Engineering Manager, Mars Science Laboratory, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Sherry Carbary, Vice President of Flight Services, The Boeing Company; Rod Hightower, EAA President; Sandra Magnus, Astronaut; and an all-female helicopter pilot panel.

This year's Conference includes a day-long program called "Bring Your Daughter to the Conference Day," with the mission of providing a forum to introduce girl from ages 10 to 17 to the aviation community with an emphasis on career opportunities. "Bring Your Daughter to the Conference Day" will take place on Saturday, March 10.

Both AOPA and EAA have provided local Dallas outreach to their members. Dallas-area Girl Scouts have been invited as well.

A highlight of the annual Conference is the induction of new women into WAI's Pioneer Hall of Fame in recognition of women who have made significant contributions as record setters, pioneers or innovators.

WAI members nominate women whose pioneering efforts have changed the face of some aspect of aviation.

Extensive tours of some American Airlines and Southwest Airlines facilities are offered for those members interested in seeing both maintenance and flight training facilities.

Dozens of scholarships will be awarded during the Conference to WAI members, both male and female. These scholarships total nearly $500,000.

The scholarships reflect the diversity of WAI members and provide funding for both academic study, flight training, and professional development.

Women in Aviation, International is a nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to providing networking, mentoring and scholarship opportunities for women and men who are striving for challenging and fulfilling careers in the aviation and aerospace industries.

For more information, contact WAI at 3647 State Route 503 South, West Alexandria, OH 45381, Phone (937) 839-4647; Fax (937) 839-4645 or through www.wai.org.

- advertisement -

The Lyon Air Museum played host on Dec. 1, 2011 to Prince Edward, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, who was in the country from the American Air Museum in Britain as part of a fund raising trip.

Prince Edward, 76, who carries out royal duties on behalf of his first cousin Queen Elizabeth II, flew into John Wayne Airport aboard a private charter jet and spent a few hours touring the facility as the guest of Lyon Air Museum's founder, Maj. Gen. William Lyon, USAF (Ret.), who serves as the U.S. chairman of the board of trustees of the American Air Museum in Britain.

"Through his comments, the Duke of Kent gave his hosts the impression that Lyon Air Museum was one of the highlights of his visit to the U.S. due to the facility's unmatched offerings and its uniqueness among vintage aircraft museums worldwide," a museum spokesman said.

Following the brief tour, Prince Edward and his entourage joined Gen. Lyon and his family, as well as Lyon Air Museum President Mark Foster and others, for dinner at the Lyon estate in Coto de Caza, an exclusive gated community where "The Real Housewives Of Orange County" is filmed.

Prince Edward is a patron of the American Air Museum in Britain, which stands as a memorial to the 30,000 American airmen who gave their lives flying from UK bases during the Second World War, and also honors those who fought in Korea, Vietnam, Libya, Iraq and other conflicts and battles of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Accompanying Prince Edward were Richard Ashton, director and executive vice president at the American Air Museum and Imperial War Museums (IWM) Duxford, Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, president of the American Air Museum board of trustees, and Maj. Gen. James Eugene McInerney Jr., USAF (Ret), a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and America's most highly decorated pilot.

The group is in the U.S. on behalf of the American Air Museum in Britain's "Honor & Educate Campaign." The campaign is designed to improve the physical museum, create a virtual "museum without walls" on the Web, and develop learning programs to bring stories of sacrifice and courage to current and future generations.

The 30,000 sq. ft. museum celebrated its second anniversary on Dec. 10, 2011. Lyon Air Museum is located on the west side of the runway at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

For more information see www.lyonairmuseum.org or call (714) 210-4585.

CAPTION: HRH Prince Edward, The Duke of Kent (left); Maj. Gen. William Lyon, USAF (Ret.) on the right, and Willa Dean Lyon (center).

The centennial of Orville Wright's record soaring flight of nine minutes, 45 seconds set on October 24, 1911 was celebrated at Kitty Hawk, N.C. over the weekend of Oct. 21-24.

A grass-roots partnership of the primary sporting soaring associations in the US, with the help of Kitty Hawk-based First Flight Foundation, conducted the event, called Soaring 100. It attracted more than 10,000 visitors to the Outer Banks, N.C. venues of Jockey's Ridge State Park and Wright Brothers National Memorial.

"We were overwhelmed by the attendance," remarked John Harris, president of the Rogallo Foundation. "People are still enthralled by the Wright brothers story and excited about sport soaring, whether with sailplanes, hang gliders, paragliders or models."

"The goal of Soaring 100 (was to) to complete the story of the Wright's experiments on the Outer Banks and instill greater interest in the role of gliders over the last century" was well-received, added event chairman Jim Short.

Kicking off the event was the dedication of a National Landmark of Soaring, coordinated by the National Soaring Museum, at Jockey's Ridge. The Landmark plaque honors those who have flown the Outer Banks dunes, including the Wrights, Francis Rogallo (father of the modern hang glider) and modern hang glider and paraglider pilots.

just prior to the unveiling, Art Greenfield, director of Records of the NAA, introduced officers of the sport soaring divisions (all partners in organizing the event): the Soaring Society of America, United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

A historical symposium, coordinated by Dr. Tom D. Crouch of the National Air and Space Museum, focused on the role of gliders in the earliest development of the airplane, possibly the first such event. A "Legends of Hang Gliding" symposium, organized by John Harris, was another first at which hang gliding pioneers gathered to discuss the development of their sport.

Flying sailplanes at Wright Brothers National Memorial and hang gliders at Jockey's Ridge State park dominated much of the weekend program.

At the Wright Memorial a flying Showcase of Soaring History featured 15 historically significant sailplanes and motorgliders, taking off from the First Flight Airstrip and landing on the nearby historic grounds of the National Park.

After landing the Showcase pilots became docents, discussing soaring while showing their planes to the throngs of visitors.

Static displays included a just-completed replica of the Wright 1911 glider built by Rick Young of Richmond, Vir. and another, as-yet uncovered, version built by family and friends in honor of the late Jim Dayton of Mechanicsville, Md.

Other displays included significant sailplanes and hang gliders and a World War II military gliding exhibit.

A specially created video explaining the history and reasons for the Wright 1911 soaring experiments, commissioned by the First Flight Foundation and sponsored in part by a grant from the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, premiered at the Wright Brothers pavilion.

In a series of touching ceremonies reminiscent of life in this country 60 years ago, Flabob Airport in Riverside, Calif. honored America's veterans on Nov. 12.

Despite some early showers, thousands of people from the surrounding communities turned out to dine in a military mess tent complete with SOS (officially it's known as "creamed chip beef on toast," but if you don't know what SOS stands for, ask a vet.

They also wandered among military aircraft, antique cars, exhibitions, and non-stop entertainment.

A special observance just after noon featured numerous political and military speakers, patriotic songs, bagpipes, an honor guard and fly-overs by local pilots.

The event was hosted by the Wathen Foundation, which has turned the interface with the community into an annual event.

This year they were enhanced by a number of local co-sponsors who contributed to staging of the event.

A ceremony in the EAA Chapter One facility honored three men for their lifetime contributions to aviation. Wathen Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Roger Farnes, Jan Buttermore and Al Gester for their contributions to aviation activities at Flabob Airport and other organizations affiliated with flying.

"Our Veterans' Day ritual provides a fitting way of honoring those men and women who have served this country in uniform," said Jon Goldenbaum, who organizes the event every year. "It's also been a highly successful experience in reaching out to the community in the spirit of friendship and cooperation.

"People are very enthusiastic and highly supportive," he continued. "It's a time for fun, for reflection and for expressing our appreciation for those who have given so much to preserve our way of life here."

Flabob will do it again next year. To follow the activities at the historic airport visit www.Flabob.org.

Historic F-15 Eagle Fighter Plane Finds Home at Santa Rosa Air Museum. Photo by Forrest Galt.

By Heather Clay

More than 1,000 people attended the unveiling last month of the 9-11 First Responder F-15A at the Pacific Coast Air Museum (PCAM), the fighter aircraft that patrolled the skies over New York City after the attacks began.

This F-15, 77-0102 ("102") is now on permanent display in a one-of-a-kind exhibit at the museum, located at Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, Calif. During a somber ceremony under slate gray skies, museum Executive Director Dave Pinsky dedicated the aircraft and educational panel-display exhibit on the tenth anniversary of 9-11.

Col. Pinsky gave a play by play account of Lt. Col. Tim "Duff" Duffy and his wing man, Major Daniel "Nasty" Nash's response to the first report of a commercial airliner hijacking on 9-11. It is a story most have never heard.

Duffy and Nash served in the 101st fighter squadron, 102nd Fighter Wing based at the Otis Air National Guard Base (ANGB) Massachusetts near Cape Cod. On September 11th, 2001, on active alert they received orders from NORAD to respond to the hijacking.

As the leader of the flight of two F-15A Eagle fighter jets "Duff" and his aircraft were the first American airborne fighter response on that day. His mission was to clear the New York City airspace of almost 100 aircraft.
"102" and the 102nd Fighter Wing continued to protect the skies over the eastern United States for several months. By February 2002 the wing flew 2,388 combat patrols.

The historic "First Responder" aircraft "102" was retired to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Ariz. on July 31, 2006 after nearly 30 years of service. In the spring of 2009, the National Museum of the United States awarded PCAM the honor to take possession of the "102" and put it on display; its purpose to educate and serve as a reminder of all who perished that day.

Also in attendance for the exhibit dedication was former Secretary of the Air Force Tom Reed, who discussed the role of the F-15 in U.S. Air Defense. Commemorative events also included a color guard presentation, a moment of silence and a memorial fly over.

The activities culminated in the ribbon-cutting and unveiling of the F-15 aircraft. For more information go to  www.pacificcoastairmuseum.org.

Story and Photos
By Jerry Ambrose

Celebrating "70 years of air power at Nellis" the annual Aviation Nation Air Show Nov. 12-13 brought to an end 2011's major airshow year in fine style.

Some 140,000+ enthusiasts could get up close to the myriad  aircraft types with flying action kicking-off at 11 a.m. with the "Heritage Aerial Gunnery/-Bombing Demonstration" which included among others the Commemorative Air Force's (Southern California Wing) Mitsubishi A63M Zero and the privately owned 1944 vintage TB-25N Mitchell "Heavenly Body" - the aircraft thankfully being resurrected from the Davis-Monthan bone yard way back at the end of 1959.

For many the star attraction was the menacing Rockwell B-2 Spirit from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Mo. Unfortunately this was due to fly only on Sunday.

However, the Dyess AFB, Tex.-based Rockwell B-1 Lancer kicked-off the big jet action on Saturday morning with a full re-heat departure though this nearly didn't happen as the crew shut down the engines to idle just seconds before departure with a technical problem; thankfully, for the huge expectant crowd the aircraft soon repositioned and made its spectacular departure.

The crew of the March AFB 452nd AMW (Air Mobility Wing) based C-17A Globemaster lll "Spirit of Ronald Reagan" put on an impressive display with a number of passes before making a short field assault landing followed by back-tracking the runway in reverse to end a fine display.

Many were obviously here to witness Nellis AFB's own Thunderbirds display team make their last public appearance of the year but also on call were the civilian Patriots Jet Demonstration Team and their L-39 Albatross aircraft.

Backed by Fry's Electronics and Hot Line Construction, the four-ship team put on a tightly lead display with lead pilot Dean "Wilbur" Wright showing the way.

Away from the flight line the public was able to study a varied static display including two large radio controlled aircraft - the USAF's Reaper and Predator UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) aircraft and big they are too.

The Honeywell Turboprop powered Reaper has a wingspan of 66 ft. and a length of 36 ft.

Nestling in the nearby open pens, usually the shaded homes of the based F-15, F-16 and F-22 Raptors, were a good number of civilian owned aircraft. Sporting a colorful "US Navy" paint scheme was Peter Norman's immaculate Seabee Warbird amphibian.

Registered in 2008 the aircraft went on to take the Grand Champion Seaplane award at the 2011 Oshkosh show - no mean feat for the Reno-based pilot.

Nearby was another stunning example of sport aviation, this time it was the all yellow Howard DGA-15P monoplane belonging to Roderick C. Maclennan bringing the aircraft all the way from Anchorage.

Still a rarity in the USA is the BAC Jet Provost so it was pleasing to see Western Sky Aviation Warbird Museum's ex-RAF example.

The Washington County, Utah-based concern now has it's museum located at St. Georges Municipal Airport, their facility currently housing two Mig-15's, one Mig-17 and the T3A, which had previously seen training service during the 1970's at RAF Little Rissington as XN548.

Top airshows these days seemingly like to add a few fire balls and big bangs to wake up the crowd and Nellis was no exception with based A-10's, F-15's and F-16's all mucking in for some fast and loud action before Captain Joe "Rifle" Shetterley took to the air in the Air Combat Command's West Coast Demo Team's Davis-Monthan based A-10 Warthog.

Assigned as an A-10C instructor pilot with the 354th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan, Captain Shetterly threw the beast around within the confines of the base and closely surrounding mountain ranges with awe - and a good helping of G's as well.

In all the years I have been shooting at Air shows around the world this has to have been one of the most impressive jet displays I have ever seen-simply stunning!

True military jet enthusiast and crews alike will always rank the F-4 Phantom as one of the all time greats. The sight and sound of one of Tyndal AFB's (Fla.) QF-4E's taxiing out from its flight line dispersal area for its display seemed to get everyone's tongues wagging.

This particular aircraft is one of four known F-4's to regularly fly as part of the Heritage Flight and being a "QF-4" it has been modified for use as an unmanned aerial target aircraft.

Piloted for this show by Captain Lt. Co.l Patrick "Ichi" Karg the aircraft made its way to the holding point for departure with the F-86F Sabre in the hands of Steve Hinton. Following them both was the Mig-15 flown by Chris "Zippo" Fahey ... who has more than 1,000 F-16 hours under his belt.

Both the F-86 and Mig-15 played with a little dog fighting and close formation passes while the F-4 made some passes on its own before all three joined together for some close three-ship flypasts before breaking for landing to a huge applause.

On returning "Zippo"came over to those of us who got a blast from the hot jet as he did a U-turn nearby on the taxiway and apologized for the incident with great concern; a real nice touch indeed.

To round off a great Aviation Nation show the Thunderbirds once again produced another fine and precise display to bring to a close their busy year's schedule and for them it will be back to training as per usual.

For the rest of us it will be a long few months before the major show season takes to the skies once again. Congratulations must go to the show organizers who put on an entertaining and professionally run event.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum unveiled their newly restored F4U Corsair (AU-1) Oct. 27th in conjunction with a special dedication to San Diego broadcasting legend, Lt. Col. Jerry Coleman.

The aircraft is painted in the colors of the VMA-323 "Death Rattlers" as it served in the Korean War and was flown by Coleman, the museum's 2011 Hall of Fame inductee.

(The Death Rattlers are also one of Pacific Flyer's "Heroes" squadrons.)

Lt. Col. Coleman was the only major league baseball player who as a Marine pilot saw combat in two wars, WW II and Korea. Coleman who earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses, was a second baseman and six-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees.

He's also a Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster for the San Diego Padres.

The Museum's Corsair was built as an F4U-7 specifically for the French Navy (that is the only version of the airplane to use French colors). It was involved in the Suez crisis before ultimately being traded for another airplane and returned to the U.S.

The Navy loaned it to the USS Alabama Museum in Mobile. Damaged severely by Hurricane Katrina, it was sent back to Pensacola, then ultimately to the San Diego museum. Restoration took about three years with work performed at both the Balboa Park and Gillespie Field locations, a spokeswoman said.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum is California's official air and space museum and education center. The museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and it was the first aero-themed Museum to be accredited by the American Association of Museums.

It's located at 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park in San Diego. The Museum and gift store are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with admissions until 4:00 p.m. It's closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

For more information go to their website at www.sandiegoairandspace.org.

Photo courtesy the San Diego Padres.