I can't imagine anyone reading that much in one sitting but thanks that you did. I'm curious to know what the "education" was about. Early stuff or the last half? I never imagined that it was educational but I supposed that it was informative. I appreciate your comments, though. I hope that you enjoyed it.
Thanks, Taz. sales have been brisk this month. There must be a lot of doors that need stops. I say to all, I'm open to criticism regarding the book so don't be bashful.
Bob; I grew up in Lexington, Mass near Hanscom AFB. Besides the April 19th parade the big event in town in the early1960's was the airshow at the base where each year either the Blue Angles or the Thunderbirds flew the Grumman Tigers which were mighty impressive to my ten year old eyes. There were still prop jobs around then, the C-117 flying boxcars were plentiful and one year there was a C-47 set up for the top brass with 10 or 12 plush seats in which I remember climbing up the aisle at what seemed like a 45 degree angle. The seats had white doilies on the head rests, pretty fancy stuff when compared to the other more basic military upholstery. We kids had the run of the place for those airshow days and it left a lasting impression. Your book brought all that back and to learn more about the generation of aviators which preceeded that is what I meant by an education. My copy of your book is on it's way to Sarasota-Bradenton and if I get some feedback I'll let you know, Best regards, John
Thank you, John. You have educated me with your response and I should be more sensitive about what my ruminations generate. i'm pleased that it brought happy memories back to you because I tried to relate the fun that I had for most of the time. When ever I could, I took my four little boys to the air shows with me and they have some good memories of those times, too. Just ask Spasso. It would be fun to have some feed back from John Dougharty at Sarasota-Bradenton Airport. It's been 68 years since I was there and things ain't the same. Hard to believe.
My book arrived! Very happy to curl up by the fire and relax. Thank you very much. To escape in something so different than my day to day world that is so interesting is a blessing. Should we create a new thread for reviews? Cheers.
Since I just sat down and wrote about what I did over the years, I have no feeling of what it looks like to others. I know that it's going to be boring to some but there is maybe two books in there, a long trip. Anyway, fait accomplie , if that's correct. It's like doing a painting, you are so close to it you can't see if it's good or bad.
Hey Bob, I got my copy of the EAA Sport Aviation Magazine today. On the cover is a Ford Model A powered Pietenpol Air Camper. Even in my mind's eye I did not imagine that the radiator almost completely blocked the Pilot's forward view. Upon seeing the cover photo I thought of your friend Pete's landing... One of my favorite stories in the book (so far) is what happens next and how the Pietenpol is eventually repaired. Dave Image Unavailable, Please Login
That P n'P on the cover would be classified as a pseudo P n' P by Pete Bowers because it has fat tires. His was an actual 1930 P n'P that he found in a machine shop, hanging in the ceiling for 30 years uncovered. He finished it per Bernie Pietenpol's plans in the 1930 Flying and Glider manual, wire wheels and all. Flying it was a real kick and you DID have to look around the radiator when flying it. You had to to do that at the right time or you could get smacked in the face by carburetor ice if you happened to pull on carb heat. That happened to me once when we were on final. On cool days the air from the radiator kept things cozy and it was the best skid ball in the world. If you were in a right turn and got to skidding, you got a left ear full of cold air. Not so nice on hot days when you were bathed in hot air. That's what caused Charlie to pass out when he was landing at Redding, flying behind a 150 deg. radiator when the ambient air was 108 deg. It was a beautifully balanced little airplane but horizontal tail area was too small and there should have been some positive incidence in it to accommodate wing down flow. You had to fly with a bit of forward stick but it was whales of fun.
This way you can get a better view of things but I hope that photo wasn't taken from the cockpit of something that should be right side up. Great, thanks.
Well, one less present for her to worry about. Smart lady. Patience, my good man. I have had some interesting comments from readers, especially from the contemporary crowd of greyhairs ," How in heck did you remember all those things?" I guess that's where I'm a bit different, so much so that I left out so many things in my first endeavor that I'm starting another book to talk about the rest of it. I tell them that I made it all up, anyway. Seriously, I am surprised at how many identified with the passages about life on the farm during the Depression. Not many good memories from those days.
Bob- My father was the oldest of 14 kids and born on a farm in South Carolina in 1921. Only two of the kids (last born in 1946) were born in a hospital. He could have related, as well. Skipped lunch at work to pay for flying lessons in his teens.
Dagnabit! I sent it from my phone while I was sitting in a tree stand. Oops! I just looked at my attachments through the users control panel and it's right side up. Go figure.
How does the read go along when you're upside down? Do the words look right? What kind of deer are you waiting for? I haven't heard of any of them that can read. All kidding aside, thanks for the photo and I hope that you enjoy the book.
At the plant here in Marietta today, we had a retirement reception for a contemporary of yours, Bob. His name is Dick Stroud and he is retiring at age 88 after no less than 62 years here! He was one of the people who opened this place up after Lockheed agreed to rent it from the USAF, arriving from Burbank in September, 1952 (three months before I was born!). He has spent most of his time as an engineering checker, which he still does, and has worked on nearly every airplane built here except for F-22. He told us some pretty good stories at the reception; in Korea he flew TBM Avengers on anti-submarine duty, both off the Korean coast and off of ours. He described landing on the ship one night during a tropical storm; after six wave-offs, he finally made it on the boat on the seventh try, and the admiral was waiting, in the rain, to congratulate him! I suggested that he write a book, and I suggested that he get a copy of yours as an inspiration. Bob, I don't think that they make guys like you and Dick Stroud any more!
Bob, I took a pleasant side trip into history after reading your memories of your AAF service days. My grandfather was also AAF and reading your vivid decriptions of those days led me to do more research into my Grandfather's AAF service. I found hometown news clippings and learned he was drafted at age 21 (he was then a tool room clerk at John Deere in W'loo, IA) and after basic training went to radio technician school in South Dakota and served overseas in Europe. He is long gone but I remember him telling me he worked on radios on the ground, but would try to talk his way into a bomber ride anytime he could. Reading your stories of doing the same thing really warmed my heart. Grandpa Ed went on to serve as a machinist and toolmalker at the John Deere plant for another 40 years when he returned home and married my Grandmother. Unfortunately I don't think I'll ever know where in Europe he was stationed because as I researched I learned most of the AAF records were lost in a fire in the 70s. Among my most treasured possessions are a stack of aviation and space books that belonged to him... and your book will be right at home on the shelf next to those books my Grandmother gave him.
Chris, I had no idea that you are an aviation buff. After perusing this thread, I'll have to buy a copy. I took my first flying lesson in Dec, 1966...will catch up mid Jan over brunch. Happy holidays 😎 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My dad, who is very much alive at 95, was in the Army Signal Corps as a radar technician in radar's early days. He served some in the south Pacific, well behind the lines; I recall him mentioning New Caledonia, and it appears he got there in the back of a C-87 (the transport version of the Liberator). He later served in England, and after the war in Europe ended, he somehow managed a flight over Germany in the back of a B-17. In 1946 he was discharged and returned to NYC, and a year later, he married my mother. I think that had the war not intervened, that would have happened 4-5 years earlier, and I'd be that much older today! I'm glad that there are still some guys like Bob, and Dick Stroud, and my father, who are still around to tell us young whippersnappers "how it was". If you know a WW II veteran, pick his brain; I think you'll enjoy the result!
Bob, I finished the book. Enjoyed every minute of it. I've been telling my wife and daughter stories from it and they actually seem interested, which is a nice change from my usual ramblings. I'm surprised someone thought it was too technical. I found the technical parts very informative and interesting. I'd never thought before about what it takes to design a four engine jet airliner on drawing boards. And then the process of going from two dimensional drawings to manufacturing and assembly. The only time you lost me was a single paragraph on wing skins for the KC-135. Here, I dug up the first sentence: "The 7078 and the 7075, alloy wing skins were machined to a three way taper with machined "pad-ups"... NOTE: Anyone thinking of reading Bob's book don't worry about that last sentence. It stood out as kind of an anomaly and I am just quoting it for fun. The book is an easy and enjoyable read, not too technical or nostalgic. A good mix of history, heart, and humor. Five Stars. Dave
Thank you very much, Dave. I have been wondering about impressions. "Pad ups" used to be called "fish plates" by the British , I think . Irregular shaped plates added to a sheet to build up the thickness only where it's needed. On the 727 it was an area where the thickness of the skin was started at the maximum thickness of the pad up and the material was machined down to the nominal thickness of the skin. Early in the morning here and I really had to crank up the brain.
In the '70s and '80s, areas of aircraft skins that needed to be different thicknesses were handled by chemical milling. The stock thickness for the skin was chosen to correspond to the padded-up area, and any areas that didn't need to be that thick were thinned down by chem milling. Before then, the same could be done by spotwelding additional material in the areas that needed the additional thickness. I know that this was done on the A-4 Skyhawk, since we had a contract at Grumman to modernize some A-4s for Malaysia and we had gotten some of the Douglas drawings. Chem milling has now run afoul of environmental regulations and has largely disappeared, so the milling is now done mechanically.
