(Photo by Ted Kaston)

THE PRESIDENT'S PAGE

ByE. E. "Buck"Hilbert
President, Antique-ClassicDivision
RESOLVE
A new year begins with new years resolutions. Our resolutions all combine to say that your
president, officers, editor and staff will continue our very best efforts in your behalf. We promise
to do our best to further improve the Division, the organization, the services, to fatten The
Vintage Airplane with items of specific and general interest, cooperate with the brother Di-
visions, fan more cow-pastures with prop wash and put more fun into our hobby.
It's not enough for us alone to make these resolutions because any same old bunch has a
way of wearing out their same old ideas until they bore people. You can write about and talk
about "your" airplane until you become repetitious. Belabor a subject until you deafen those
few listeners you have left. I've monopolized The Vintage Airplane to where people were call-
ing it Buck's Aero Digest - jokingly, of course (?). But it indicated new and different subjects
are due.
Jack Cox, your Editor, is putting more effort and doing a far better job than we have the
right to expect. It's because he is doing it virtually solo that we can't expect him to keep on for-
ever. Surely you must have a project-' or an airplane subject you can contribute for publication.
Jot down an outline, an idea, a rumor, a joke, or a clue as to the whereabouts of an old airplane,
or about a character, an operator, maintenance tip, an experience. Send it to us. We'll edit and
print it. We'll be happy to.
Get happy, too, about spreading your Division. Organize a chapter, plan a fly-in, an activity.
Involve the girls. Hangar fly if you can't get Av-gas. Swap lies over pot luck lunches. Share
your views, get your gripes out in the open. Do some wOLk to make it fun. Make us work.
Try it, you'll like it!
2
WILLARD F. SCI.:tMt
4027 ROCKY RIVER DR. NO. 2 -
.. OHIO 44135
VOLUME 2 - NUMBER 1 JANUARY 1974
TABLE OF CONTENTS
One Man's Bellanca ... Jack Cox .. .. .. ... ...... . ..... .. .. . ..... .. ... .. ...... . .......... . . . .. 4
Rebirth of a "Jenny" . . . George Hardie .. ........... ..... . ... ............. . .. . .. . .... ... .. ... 13
Golden Oldie of the Month - The Star Cavalier ... .. . .... .... . ... . . .. .. ... .. . .. '" . ' " . .. ... .. . 17
Around the Antique-Classic World ....... .. ........ .. ... .. ... . ..... ........... . ...... .... ... . .. 19
ON THE COVER .. Bellanca Cruisair BACK COVER Fairchild 24 s
Photo by Jack Cox Photo by Ted Koston
HOW TO JOIN THE ANTIQUE-CLASSIC DIVISION
Membership in the EAA Antique-Classic Division is open to all EAA members who have a special
interest in the older aircraft that are a proud part of our aviation heritage. Membership in the Antique-
Classic Division is $10.00 per year which entitles one to 12 issues of The Vintage Airplane published
monthly at EAA Headquarters. Each member will also receive a special Antique-Classic membership
card plus one additional card for one's spouse or other designated family member.
Membership in EAA is $15.00 per year which includes 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION. All mem-
bership correspondence should be addressed to: EAA, Box 229, Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Publisher - Paul H. Poberezny
Assistant Ed itor - Gene Chase
Ed itor - Jack Cox
Assistant Editor - Golda Cox
ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC DIVISION OFFICERS
PRESIDENT -
E. E HILBERT
8102 LEECH RD.
UNION. ILLINOIS 60180
SECRETARY
RICHARD WAGNER
BOX 181
LYONS. WIS. 53148
VICE PRESIDENT
J. R NIELANDER. JR.
P O. BOX 2464
FT. LAUDERDALE. FLA. 33303
TREASURER
NICK REZI CH
4213 CENTERVILLE RD.
ROCKFORD. ILL. 61102
DIVISION EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
DOROTHY CHASE , EAA HEADQUARTERS
THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE is owned exclusively by Ant ique Classic Aircraft. Inc. and is published
monthly at Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130. Second Class Permit pending at Hales Corners Post
Office. Hal es Corners. Wisconsin 53130. Membership rates for Antique Classic Aircraft, Inc. are
$10.00 per 12 month period of which $7.00 is l or the subscription to THE VIN TAGE AIRPLANE. All
Antique Classic Aircraft, Inc. members are required to be members of the parent organization, the
Experi mental Ai rcraft Association. Membership is open t o all who are i nterested in aVI.ation,
Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Antique Classic Aircraft, Inc., Box 229,
Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130
Copyright 1974 Ant ique Classic Aircraft , Inc. All Rights Reserved
(Photo by Ted Koston)
3
By Jack Cox
When I learned to fly in 1956 there were two airplanes
I had a burning desire to own ... a Luscombe 8A and a
Bellanca Cruisair. Fortunately, I was destined to own an
excellent example of each during the 1960s. Both lived up
to all my expectations and I su ppose the highest personal
compliment I could pay them is to state that out of the
seven aircraft I have owned, those two are the only ones
I would buy back if I could afford to own three airplanes
(I like my present one, also).
My love affair with the Bellanca dated back a long
time. The first Cruisair I ever saw was a brand new red
and white one that was purchased shortly after World War
II by a local aviator who based it at my hometown airport
back in Asheboro, North Carolina. What a marvel that Bel-
lanca was to my grade school eyes! The only low wing
retractable on a field otherwise populated with Cubs,
Cruisers, Champs, T-Crafts, a Stearman, a Cessna 140 and
a rag-tag BT-13, the sleek lines of the Cruisair easily made
it the prestige airplane of the lot. And fast ! . . . well,
someday I just had to have one of those' .
"Someday" turned out to be exactly 20 years later -
the fall of 1967. N-74230 became the very proud possession
of my wife and I, bu t only after the bittersweet experience
of having to trade in my beloved Luscombe in order to
afford the Bellanca.
N-74230 was a 1946 Bellanca 14-13 that had been con-
verted to the later model smaller outboard stabilizer fins
and had a couple of gyro instruments added to the panel-
wind driven - otherwise, it was just about as it had left
the factory in New Castle, Delaware two decades before.
There would be later " dash" versions - 14-13-2, 14-13-3,
etc. - that would have such refinements as outside bag-
gage doors, wider stabilizers, increased power, etc., but
little oJ' 230 was a "straight" 14-13. The baggage compart-
ment was a canvas sling accessible by pulling the back of
4
( Photo by Jack Cox)
The Bellanca 14-13 Cruisair. This aircraft is the subject of
the story below. It was owned by the author from 1967
to 1969. It is now owned by Bryan Jones and B. R.
Hyman of Greensboro, N. C.
the rear seat forward. Other than for stowing my tie downs,
it was never used the entire time I owned the plane. Being
"stock" also meant it had a hand crank gear retracting
mechanism and a free castoring tail wheel - just like a
rubber tired bed castor and about as useful in a crosswind.
Because they were "different" and fast and somewhat
rare - only about 400 Cruisairs were built - these little
speedsters have generated a lot of aviation-type folklore
down through the years, some of it without basis of fact as
anyone who has owned one can tell you. It is a great
airplane - but has its shortcomings and a liberal share of
idiosyncrasies, which seem to further endear it to the
tightly knit clan of Bellanca owners. Cruisairs are so thinly
spread around the country that a lot of pilots have never
had the opportunity to inspect one, so let's take a close look
at myoid bird - from nose to tail.
If you had ordered a new Cruisair from the factory, you
had a choice of two propellers - a wooden fixed pitch or
a Koppers F-200 Aeromatic. The Aeromatic was a rather
ingenious propeller that changed pitch automatically in re-
sponse to the load, angle of attack, and atmospheric var-
iables that acted upon it in different flight regimes. In
good condition and properly lubricated - and below 7,000
or 8,000 feet - it worked well, giving a snappy climb and
a smooth cruise. 230 had an Aeromatic that had just been
overhauled by Univair, the present owners of the rights to
the prop, that included two new blades. The blades, in-
cidentally, have to be bought in matched, balanced pairs
to insure a properly functioning prop . . . and they are
expensive. The nice, rounded spinner from Airtex in Morris-
ville, Pennsylvania fit perfectly and ran true ... but with-
out a front supporting plate, soon cracked out in the rear
backing plate, necessitating purchase of a new back plate
and spinner, because they, too, are a matched, balanced
set! The F-200 has an AD note which requires an inspection
of the fluid level in the prop hub every 25 hours . This,
however, is an insignificant item as it requires nothing
more than a small Allen wrench and an occasional drop
or two of Aeromatic Prop Fluid, available from Univair.
If you want to get into an all night argument on what kind
of oil to run in the Aeromatic, just get two or three old-
time owners and get them going on the subject. I used the
approved stuff and never had any problems.
Right behind the prop sat that big hunk of metal that
is one of the most controversial parts of a Cruisair -
the Franklin engine. It's either the best or the worst air-
craft engine ever, depending on which aviation "expert"
you happen to strike up a conversation with - usually
someone who has never flown behind one more than
twice. Some will tell you it is a smooth running, economical
engine and others will rave and rant about how hot it runs,
how and why it came by the reputation of being a "Leaker"
- oil, that is - and how you can't remove the plugs with-
out stripping out helicoils ... not to mention the profanity
that will result from their memories of trying to remove
and install the lower plugs. And then, there's the old
chestnut about the "light cases." Some of this is fact ,
some fiction.
It is true that the lower plugs are hard to get to and if
you allow a mechanic not familiar with Franklins to install
a set of plugs, you could be in trouble. Continentals and
Lycomings use 18mm plugs while the Franklin 6A4-150- B3
uses a smaller 14mm sparker that takes considerably less
torque ... put 'em in to the torque values normally used
on Continentals and Lycomings and you can be certain you
will have stripped helicoils at your next annual.
The older Franklin engines got their somewhat shady
reputation in the late Forties - for reasons that shouldn't
have been. The first batch of about 350 6A4-150-B3s
were sent ou t for installation on Stinsons and Bellancas -
mostly Stinsons - with defective cylinders. Franklin
offered replacement cylinders for $25 each and no further
problems were experienced once the cracked ones were
replaced - although the damage was done as far as repu-
tation was concerned. An ironic historical footnote is the
fact that the early Continental C-145s had a similar prob-
lem, but for some reason now dimmed by the passage of
time, this has long since been forgotten while Franklin
still lives with the sins of its youth.
The worst rap Franklin ever lived with was the over-
heating bit. In late 1945 and early 1946 every lightplane
manufacturer was rushing frantically into production to
cash in on the expected post war boom in general aviation.
Their biggest headache was getting parts and materials -
the result being that many substitute war surplus compon-
ents were used until the wartime economy made the trans-
ition to peacetime production. One substitute item was
a surplus oil temperature gauge installed in most early
Stinsons and Bellancas. These were calibrated in Centi-
grade increments up to only 100 degrees - O.K. for most
aircraft engines, but the close tolerance, hotter running
Franklins had an oil temp redline of 110 degrees (C). The
first long, near gross climbout on a hot day brought the
needle right up to the gauge's 100 degree limit ... or
off the gauge! This sent panicked owners to their nearest
shop to see what was wrong with their new engines ...
and brought one of the sorrier aspects of human nature
to the surface, to the everlasting sorrow of Franklin.
When World War II ended, thousands of aircraft mechanics
were abruptly plopped back into civilian life. Many ... too
many, as it turned out ... tried to set up shops at the
scores of little airports that sprang up during the heady
days of 1946 and 1947 before the lightplane bubble burst
in 1948. Some unscrupulous practices were common as
these men found their businesses folding along with the
lightplane market. In their last gasp attempts to stay sol-
vent, many saw the Franklin owners as sheep to be fleeced .
Knowing the engines were supposed to run hotter than
Continentals and Lycomings and that the gauges did not
read high enough, they nevertheless told owners that they
had fried a head (or two, or three) and that the only sol-
(Photo by Jack Cox)
N74230 in 1967.

5
utlOn was a new set! This may have kept the wolf from the
door for a few additional months for some, but it sent a
great many Franklin owners away muttering under their
breath .. . usually about how they would never own one
of those blankety-blank Franklin engines again.
The 150 horse Franklin in my Bellanca had about 80
hours since a very complete major when I bought the
plane. All six cylinders had been replaced along with fac-
tory pushrods, bearings, etc., etc. - about all that remain-
ed of the old engine was the case. All accessories had
been overhauled, also. I put some 250 hours on the air-
plane over a two year period before I sold it, and during
that time, the engine ran beautifully, it never leaked oil,
got about 6 to 7 hours on a quart, started easily hot or cold
and averaged about 10 gallons per hour at 75% power
(where I always run it). Other than oil changes ever 20
hours and annual inspections, the only maintenance the
Franklin ever needed was the replacement of one ignition
lead wire.
I don' t know what else one could ask of an engine.
The Cruisair was built using materials and methods that
Bellanca has always used - steel tube fuselage and all
wood wings. The fuselage was a perfect example of the
engineering approach of Giuseppe Bellanca . .. and I
might as well stop right here and say that one of the great
joys of owning a Bellanca product is that you become a
part of the Bellanca legend, the Bellanca mystique - which
entitles you to refer to the designer of your plane by his
first name and to unrestricted retelling of "Giuseppe
antecdotes. " Now, where was I? Oh yes, the Cruisair fuse-
lage shape. An oft-told "Giuseppe" tale is how he designed
every major airframe component so that it lifted its own
weight in flight. The huge airfoil shaped struts on the old
high wing Pacemakers and Skyrockets are presented as
evidence of this claim. The entire Cruisair fuselage is,
in profile, an airfoil. The curved, flat upper surface alleg-
edly creates quite a bit of lift. It also is a perfect example
of the Bellanca philosophy regarding streamlining. The
front of the airplane, up to the windshield, is rounded,
but from there on back to the tail, the fuselage is slab-
sided and angUlar. According to Giuseppe, you streamlined
only that part that needed it, and the remainder was built
in the simplest and lightest (and, therefore, the least ex-
pensive) method. This causes the Cruisair to look long and
sleek from some angles - in profile, for instance - and
boxy from others.
This changing from a rounded cross section at the'
windshield to a rectangular section aft also caused the for-
ward visibility to be restricted somewhat due to the pinch-
ing in of the tube structure from bottom to the top of the
forward cabin.
Stepping up on the right wing to enter the cabin put
another spartan Bellanca touch at hand, literally. The hand
hold is simply a section of the top fuselage longeron left
uncovered so you can grab it and swing up onto the wing!
Opening the tiny and somewhat flimsy metal door and
peering into the cabin, one is impressed with the, shall
we say COZY (?) interior. The rear seat is a bench type
and if you are about 5'6" or so, you will have just adequate
head room . . . any taller and your noggin is in the head-
liner. Leg room is not bad for average sized persons.
The front seat has a bench bottom and two quaint little
folding seat backs that are oval shaped on their top side.
The seat has two positions - adjustable by removing bolts
and moving the whole seat in line with the other set of
bolt holes. At 5'9", I needed the forward set of holes.
Getting into the pilot's seat was easy for me - reach in
and grab one of the windshield tubes, swing in and over
into the left seat. I did notice that some of my heftier
friends had a little more trouble. Once seated, the Cruisair
was quite comfortable and visibility was good except over
the middle of the quite rounded instrument panel. While
taxiing, I had to occasionally grab one of those windshield
tubes (handy jewels, they were) and hoist myself up so
as to catch a peek over the nose.
The pre-war Cruisairs, the 14-9s and 14-12s, had dual
stick controls, but the post war 14-13s had dual wheel
controls. Somewhere along the line, the old kidney shaped
pilot's wheel on my bird had been replaced with a Downer
ram's horn. The right side had the old wheel, so I had one
for authenticitY and one for comfort and flying ease -
never could locate another Downer wheel.
74230 was equipped with a Narco Mark II and a newer
Mark III, both of which worked well ... separately, but
well. In 1946, no one, not even Guiseppe, could foresee
the future demands that would be made on today's air-
craft electrical systems, so my bird was stuck with the
factory installed 12 amp generator (!). 230 had an electric
turn and bank, a Grimes retractable landing light installed
in the belly, the two radios and, of course, position lights.
I used one radio at a time ... and everything went off
when the Grimes came on!
The wheel control, rudder pedals with toe brakes,
throttle and overhead trim handle were pretty conven-
tional, but some other cabin controls were ... well,
rather eccentric. The flap . handle, for example, is mounted
on the floor so far up under the instrument panel that I
had to duck my head completely out of the line of sight of
the windshield to reach it. The handle had a small lever on
top that had to be lifted to release the handle for move-
ment and lowered again to lock it into the new position.
Until one becomes accustomed to it, this is a very awkward
series of motions, but it works. The flaps, incidentally, had
three positions - the last, a drag-only 46. When left out
exposed to the wind, the flaps must be extended to their
full 46 or else they will bang and flap in the breeze,
resulting in structural damage. They are spring loaded in
only one direction.
The fuel cut-off/tank selection system was also a dilly.
When you wanted to change tanks, you reached down be-
tween your legs, feeling along under the seat and down the
main spar carry-through until you came to the simple, two
position valve. With the valve arm in the straight up
position you were on the right wing tank (20 gallons) and
with it turned fo a left, horizontal position, you were on the
left, 20 gallon wing tank. Sounds simple enough . . . until
you learn that about an inch or so below the tank selector
was an identical valve with the identical two positions for
"fuel on" and "fuel off". It goes without saying that there
have been a few "out of fuel" forced landings with
Cruisairs that actually had lots of 80 octane left ... includ-
ing a former owner of 74230 who glided six miles and made
it safely to an airport. I was told about this before I ever
flew the bird solo and I ALWAYS felt for the first valve,
then the lower one and back up to the top one before
switching tanks. All my landings were by choice.
Just to the right of the fuel valves was the Cruisair's
foremost conversational piece, the gear retraction crank.
You've heard all the jokes about Cruisair pilots ... how
you can tell 'em by their ' heavily muscled right arm,
etc., so we'll skip that. The crank is connected by bicycle
chains to long screw jacks that slowly, tortuously pull the
gear legs straight back and upward into the wing wheel
wells. 32 turns, would you believe?? Actually, you can
crank in some 36 to 38 turns, but you are wasting time
and energy. Not tbo long after I bought 230, it had to be
jacked up for r'eplacement of the oleo retracting cables
and in running the gear up and down the mechanic and
I discovered that 32 turns brought it as far up as it would
6
go and the extra 5 or so turns merely put a lot of tension
on the system. The mechanical advantage you have in this
screw jack system is incredible. If you make up the 1116 in.
oleo retracting cables too short and attempt to retract the
gear, these steel cables are snapped like cotton twine!
I've been told that if a Cruisair is bellied in, you can actu-
ally lift the airplane by cranking the gear down. Fortunate-
ly, I never had the occasion to try that! The gear warning
system consisted of a light on the panel and, no kidding,
a door bell that were actuated anytime the bird was throt-
tled below 1700 rpms with the gear in the retracted posi-
tion. These worked off micro switches attached to the gear
legs. A mechanical back up gear warning device was a
little metal tab that was attached to the gear leg and ex-
tended out through the upper surface of the left wing.
It had two color bands painted on it - showing green
when the gear was down and extending upward to expose
red when the gear was up. Somehow, I trusted this direct
linkage, mechanical device more than I did the electrics
Moving on back to the tail section, there was nothing
unusual except, perhaps the little outboard plywood stabil-
izer fins. The story is that these assisted in spin recovery
during certification, but I think their most memorable
contribution has been to earn the Cruisair the moniker
"Cardboard Constellation." The tail wheel has a solid rub-
ber tire and the fork is the lower end of an oleo that fits
inside the tailpost of the fuselage. Cruisair pilots are very
careful where they taxi because the tailwheel fork assem-
bly is heat treated and if you drop it into a chuckhole,
you're going to hear some awfully expensive noises!
And now ... he-e-e-e-eres that famous Bellanca wing!
I don't think the wing of any lightplane in existence has
ever had as much written about it as the Bellanca wing.
I'll just add to all the good things that are said about its
flight characteristics by steadfastly maintaining their un-
varnished truth. The wing is all wood-spruce spars and ribs
and covered with mahogany plywood. The surface received
a layer of fabric to provide a base for the final rivetless,
- even though it was only telling me that the left gem
was working.
In the summer and with lots of good old clean axle
grease coating the screw jacks, the gear cranked up and
down easily enough. But the first cold day in the fall you
attempted to raise the gear .. . boy, what a chore! The
procedure then was to land, change into old clothes, get
a little can of gasoline and an old toothbrush and clean
the jack screws completely ... a horribly messy job! ...
and then recoat them with a mixture of light machine oil
and powered graphite . . . an even messier job, not
to mention the greasy black streaks that blew back on your
flaps the rest of the winter! But at least it made the gear
easy to work during cold weather ... I should say, made
it POSSIBLE to work the gear, because there was just no
turning the crank with summer grease congealed on the
jack screws by the cold to the consistency of moderately
hardened concrete!
(Photo by Jack Cox)
The Cruisair at its worst -showing the spraddle-/eg gear.
People used to ask the author if his gear was damaged!
See the text for the story on why the gear is splayed
out as it is.
seamless finish. In addition to providing magnificent flight
manners, the wooden wing provided my aviation friends
with endless opportunity for such old jokes as, "If the
termites ever stop holding hands, you'll lose a wing!"
"Cox doesn't dare fly through rain, 'cause his wings will
warp" .. . ad infinitum. The best one, however, was the
day I walked up to the plane and saw a business card
stuck in the door. It belonged to the local Orkin Man
and had a note scrawled on the back saying, "I will be
available tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. to do your annual."
The only person in town with handwriting that bad was
a certain Mooney owning doctor . . . the same one who
was always offering me a tongue depressor to do a spar
splice.
7
Now that you have learned far more than you ever
wanted to know about the mechanics of a Cruisair,
let's get aboard and go out and terrorize the local Chero-
kee and Musketeer population.
A walk around inspection includes the usual check-
points to determine if everything is full, firmly attached
and/or pointing in the proper direction. I don't care
how many times you walk around a Cruisair, you never
get over noticing the spraddle-legged gear. Legend has it
that the prototype 14-9 had a perfectly straight wing and
after the initial test flight, the pilot complained to Giusep-
pe that his creation wasn't holding too much in the sta-
bility department, in fact, it would just as soon do knife
edge flight as straight and level. Giuseppe is alleged to
have pondered this for a moment, after which he decreed
that 41/2 degrees of dihedral be cranked into the wings .
The landing gear was left unchanged, resulting in the
splayed out stance the 14-9 and all its conventional geared
progeny would assume from that time onward.
Back into the left seat, you reach across and close the
cabin door, being careful to also lock the overhead latch
that holds the part of the door that extends well into the
cabin roof. The door is not too sturdy and is prone to
leaking air if not carefully sealed around the edges.
Mine required an extra latch at the bottom rear to stop an
annoying whistle while airborne.
To start the Franklin, you first reach down on the floor
and start wobbling the wobble pump ... three or four
pounds of fuel pressure is adequate. The master switch
and starter are identical toggle switches at the bottom
edge of the panel. It helps to know which is which.
Mags to "Both", master on and flip on the starter.
The Franklin roars to life and is impressive in its six cylin-
der smoothness and its throaty baritone exhaust . . . not
loud, just "meaner" sounding than 150 horsepower. Add
power and begin to taxi - steering with the toe brakes.
Remember, there is no connection whatever between the
tail wheel and the rudder pedals. The Cruisair wants to go
straight ahead and is very easy to taxi except in a gusty,
hard crosswind. Then you have to ride the brakes pretty
hard, and they soon heat up and start slipping, and . ..
it's decision time: (A) You decide the wind is simply too
strong, so you taxi back to the ramp and live to fly another
day, or (B) you bite the bullet, forge onward and hope
that the wind gods will be taking a break when its time
to land.
Your run-up to check the mags is done at 1500 rpm and
on Franklins a 200 rpm drop is O.K. - a fact that raises
a few eyebrows on pilots used to other engines. A full
power check is out ofthe question, for the Hayes expander-
tube brakes are just plain inadequate to the task. It
doesn' t matter that they are in perfect mechanical condi-
tion - they are too small for a 1250 pound (empty)
airplane.
O.K., yank on two notches of flap (20), set the trim,
check the controls for freedom, look for traffic and give
her the needle. The bird accelerates rapidly with one or
two aboard . .. and rather slowly near gross. You have
the option of making a three point take off or getting the
tail up - the Cruisair is eager to fly either way. Directional
control is easy, even in a crosswind. Once you open the
throttle, you have rudder control and that is all you need
to keep it heading straight.
Once off at about 60 mph indicated, lower the nose
slightly and let the airspeed build up to 85, then start a
climb that maintains 85 - the most efficient climb speed.
Then, take a deep breath, lean forward, firmly grasp the
gear handle and start cranking ... down, forward, up,
back and down again - just the opposite of the way you
think it ought to go!
Crank. Crank! 7, 8, 9 ... Crank! .. . 12, 13, 14 ...
Crank! Never mind the flaps and wide open throttle -
you can't hurt that Franklin. Crank! . . . 18, 19, 20 . . .
Crank! Lift that barge, tote that bale! ... 24, 25, 26 . . .
Crank. Crank! Snatch a quick look ahead and around on
the upstroke. Crank! ... 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. Home!
After sitting back for a few seconds to catch your
breath, you go back to the task of managing your machine.
Slowly retract the flaps to the first notch and bring the
power back to 2500 rpms for climb. If it is cool and you
are lightly loaded, you will be climbing at 1000 fpm or
slightly better - around 700 to 850 at gross.
When you reach your intended cruise altitude, level
off, bring the power back to 2450 (75%), clean up the flaps
and trim for about 140 indicated. 74230 would zip along
all day at this setting, consuming about 10 gallons per
hour. If you were above 3,000 feet you could start leaning
and lower the fuel consumption some, but not much unless
you really came back on the power. I like to go fast, so
I always took the higher fuel consumption along with my
top end cruise speed. The Franklin loves it.
Although I regularly humiliated the local Cherokees,
Musketeers, Stinsons, older Navions, 172s, etc., the fastest
thing about my Cruisair was the airspeed indicator. It
seemed to be quite accurate on the low end, but lied like
a dog on the top side. It indicated 140-142 at cruise power
(2450 rpm), but late evening groundspeed checks over
measured courses and formation flying with several mod-
ern aircraft proved it was actually doing around 133-135
mph. (Don;t talk to me about true airspeeds - all I'm in-
terested in are grou ndspeeds.)
On cross country flights, 1 flight planned for 120 mph
block-to-block and except in unusual wind conditions, us-
ually made it on the nose. Most of my "unusual wind con-
ditions" were headwinds, naturally, but on a couple of oc-
casions I got lucky. Once 1 had a groundspeed of 175
mph on a short cross country from Charlotte, N. C. to
Asheboro. All-in-all, not bad for 150 horsepower and a 20
year old airplane.
Once airborne, the Cruisair is truly in its element. I
have been privileged to fly over 60 different types of light
aircraft in my relatively brief flying career, and for me,
nothing touches the Cruisair for just plain all-round good
flying manners in the air. It is strictly an aileron airplane
as soon as the wheels break the surly bonds of runway
friction. Put your feet on the floor, you don't need them.
Rack the bird over and around in a very steep turn and
watch the ball move just slightly as the turn is started,
then move back to its center position as, feet on the floor,
you turn and turn. First time Bellanca pilots can't believe it.
A lot has been written about the present day Bellanca
Viking ailerons ... how light they are to the touch, how
crisp in their response. My first ride in a Viking was during
the time I owned the Cruisair and I thought its ailerons
were heavy! Heavy, that is, until as we were slowing for
landing, we went through the Cruisair's cruise speed
range where the Viking's ailerons felt just about the
same. The extra 60 Or 70 mph of speed of the Viking
firmed up the feel of its ailerons as compared to the 135
mph Cruisair. (l was still greatly impressed with the Vik-
ing, however.)
Stalls in the Cruisair are a joke. Come back on the pow-
er, slowly come back on the wheel until it is to the rear
stop ... and wait. On 74230 the speed would gradually
bleed back to 45 indicated, at which point-the nose would
sag a little, allowing the speed to build up again to 50
mph. Then the nose would rise until 45 was reached and
the same sequence would begin. As long as you kept the
8
\
baH centered, the darn thing would sit there all afternoon
just nodding up and down between 45 and 50, never drop-
ping a wing, shaking or anything else. Of course, a fairly
good sink rate would be building up while you were in-
dulging in such fun and games. Also, if it was gusty
andlor if you allowed the ball to get very far out, the bird
would gently slide off on a wing - but all you had to do was
release back pressure and it was flying again. At no time
during all this did you ever lose aileron control.
As we head back toward the airport, let the nose down
and build up some speed - don't worry too much, the red
line is 216 and it takes some pretty hairy full power
dives to get near that speed. The Cruisair is not that clean.
Entering the pattern, the first item of business is to
plan your approach so as to have time to lower the gear.
In a crowded pattern, this can get exciting, but it has one
advantage - it's awfully hard to forget to put the gear
down when you are dreading all that effort! I always tried
to enter the downwind leg early enough to crank those 32
turns and slow down to the 86 mph flap speed. Even after
you' come back on the power, the Cruisair is hard to slow
down. It gets down to around 100 mph and seems to want
to just scoot along at that speed even with further power
reduction - but get the gear coming out in the breeze and
the speed starts coming down. There is an 18 to 20 mph
difference at cruise with the rather dirty gear down.
Turning base and final and slowing down to around 70
to 75, you begin to feel that fabulous Bellanca B airfoil
working for you. The Cruisair is as solid as a rock and
control is excellent. I always waited until I had the runway
made before pulling that last notch of flap - to 46.
This really puts on the brakes and steepens the glide path
somewhat - but not by Cessna standards. Then it happens.
The windshield of the Cruisair is mounted in an unusual
manner. Most airplanes have a metal lip into which the
windshield fits - both in the same geometric plane.
The bottom edge of the Cruisair windshield, however, is
bent outward so that it lies flat when in place on the air-
(Photo by Jack Cox)
This is the first Cruisair the author ever saw - as a 12
year old in 1946. Years later it taxied up and parked beside
the author's 14-13. N-74232 is owned by B. R. Yelverton
of Fremont, N. C.
plane. This results in a band of distortion about 1/2 in. wide
across the entire base of the windshield. You wouldn't
believe what it looks like the first time you flare! Sud-
denly, the runway becomes a blur - sometimes you see
four runways! All you have to do, of course, is sit up
erect and look over the distortion line - and, brother, you
do it in a ' hurry the first time. I got a chuckle out of the
advice the previous owner gave me: "The first time you
try to land it at night and see four rows of runway lights,
be sure to land between the two middle ones." He was
right.
Continuing your flare, you settle in three point at about
50 mph - maybe less. The roll out is easy with no tenden-
cy to do anything other than roll straight ahead. It is just
as easy to wheel land ... in fact the Cruisair is about the
easiest taildragger to land I ever experienced.
Now, friends, the previous paragraph applies IF winds
are calm or are straight down the runway. Crank a good
stiff crosswind into the equation, however, and you have a
Bellanca of a different stripe. The owner's manual says,
"Critical crosswind velocity beyond which take-off and
landing become dangerous is approximately 20 mph." I
can't agree fully with that. .. I never had any problem
on take off. Just open the throttle and get the prop blast
hitting the rudder and you're in full control. Landing is
something else.
The Cruisair has such good low speed control that you
can fly it down to touchdown in a pretty stiff crosswind
- considerably more than 20 mph. The problem comes
when you start slowing down and begin to lose rudder
control and have to depend solely on the brakes for di-
rectional control. They just can't hack it. The plane will
begin to weathervane into the wind and "full opposite
everything" simply won't hold it straight. Get on the pow-
er, fly it ou t and find yourself a runway into the wind.
9
Even if you get the bird down in a bad crosswind,
you may have trouble getting to the ramp. I have taxied
back down a runway making one 360
0
after another to
stay on the pavement. Exciting.
So, there you are ...myoid Bellanca, warts and all.
I have emphasized the critical aspects more than those
that are favorable, but, remember, I loved that little
bird. All its little quirks vanish like the last snowflakes of
spring when weighed against the plane's good points.
Also, bear in mind that I have been describing my exper-
iences in oneairplaneonly, N74230.This necessarily must
take into consideration my own shortcomings as a pilot
as well as those of my particular airplane. For instance,
my only real criticisms of the Cruisair are the lack of
adequate brakes, the need for a steerable tailwheel and a
generator with a greater output. There are disc brake kits,
steerable tailwheel setups and, ofcourse, a wide range of
generators thatcan be installed. I just had too much fun
flying the plane to stop long enough to have these things
done. The men who bought74230 from me, incidentally,
installeda steerabletailwheelandsayithelpstremendous-
ly in crosswind landings.
A LITTLE BELLANCA LORE
There never were many New Castle Bellancas - that
is, Bellancas built by Guiseppe Bellanca's small company
in Delaware. All the old high wing Bellancas - thePace-
makers, Skyrockets, etc. builtduring the205 and30s were
virtually handbuilt by today's production standards. The
low wing Bellanca, that through quite an evolutionary
process lives today as the Bellanca Viking, was designed
in the late 19305. It started life as a light 2-3 place job
with a radial engine (see pictures) and it is a real tribute
to the basic design that so much "stretchability" was in-
herentinits steel tube fuselage andwoodenwing.
During the Korean War period Mr. Bellanca sold the
rights to the 14-19 series. Most 14-19s and all the tri-
gear Bellancas werebuiltinMinnesotabyDownerandthe
present Bellanca company. As far as wecan tell, the fol-
(EAA Photo)
This is what the low wing Bellanca looked like in the
beginning. This isa 1940 Ken Royce powered 14-9,owned
by Val Banes of Monett, Missouri.
lowing New Castle, Delaware-built Bellancas are still ac-
tive:
14-9 ................................. 12
14-12 ................................. 1
14-12F3 ............................... 4
14-13 ...............................100
14-13-2 .............................180
14-13-3 .............................. 25
14-19 .................................5
14-19-2 ............................... 6
14-19-3 ...............................4
14-19-3A ............................. 28
TOTAL .............................365
So as you cansee, the world of Bellanca owners is a
smallone, indeed. In the beginning, Imentioned thefirst
Cruisair Ieversaw, a redand white14-13 atAsheboro in
1946-47. Thatairplanewassoonsold andInever heard of
WAltARD F. SCHMITT
':02.7 ROCKY R1VER DR. NO.
CL-EVEL.AND, OHIO 44138
it again. Twenty years later, I owned 74230 ... and one
Sunday afternoon my wife and I landed at the airport at
Chapel Hill, N. C. Just behind us landed another 14-13.
Ittaxied right up and parked beside my bird. The first
thing I noticed was that its N-number was N74232 _ just
two digits away from mine. Most amazing, however, was
the discovery that this was the same Bellanca that was at
Asheboro in 1946 - the one that had inspired my ambi-
tion to own a Cruisair in the first place! Wonder what I
would have thought, a 12 year old kid drooling over that
Bellanca, if someone had told me that years later I
would own the plane that was just two places up the
production line fronl the red and white one?
A brief on the New Castle-built low wing
Bellancas is as follows:
Mode/14-9 - Introduced in 1939. ATC No. 716. Two to
three place. Powered by a 90 hp. Ken Royce 5F radial
engine. Cruise 115. Empty weight, 943 pounds. Wing load-
ing, 10.5 pounds/sq. ft. 12 left - many converted to op-
posed engines.
Mode/ 14-12 - Basically same airframe as 14-9. Pow-
ered by 120 hp. Franklin 6AC-264. Empty weight 1195.
Wing loading 11.7 pounds/sq. ft. Stick control as in 14-9.
3-4 place. 5 left, several updated to 150 Franklin.
Model 14-13 - Cruisair Sr. Four place, powered with
150 hp. Franklin 6A4-15D-BC. Wheel control. Airframe still
basically same as previous models. Identifying feature is
oval shaped stabilizer fin whereas 14-9 and 14-12 had
kidney shaped fins. 14-13-2 and 14-13-3 had improvements
such as outside baggage door, wider stabilizer and small
fins. Empty weight approximately 1200 pounds. Wing load-
ing 13.00 pounds/sq. ft. ATC No. 773.
Mode/ 14-19 - The first major redesign of the 14
series. Powered by a 190 hp. Lycoming 043SA. Called the
Cruisemaster. Much faster - and heavier - than Cruis-
air. 1525 pounds empty. Change from manual flaps and
gear retraction to hydraulic system. Beefed up airframe -
redesigned wing with fewer ribs and 1/8 inch plywood
skin. Hydraulic prop. Would indicate 170 mph. The rights
to the 14-19 were sold in the middle 50s. The 14-9, 12 and
13 rights apparently still belong to the Bellanca family.
Giuseppe Bellanca died on December 26, 1960 in New
York City. His son, August, is presently involved with the
development of an all plastic, high performance personal
plane.
BELLANCA CLUB
There is a national Bellanca Club that prints a month-
ly newsletter, The Bellanca Pilot. This group welcomes
owners of all models of Bellancas and enthusuasts of
this great line of lightplanes. For further information,
contact: The Bellanca Pilot, P. O. Box 9185, Santa Rosa,
California 95405.
(Photo by Jack Cox)
A 1941 14-12F-3 now being restored by Kelly Viets of
Stilwell. Kansas. Kelly is also the leader of the Ercoupe
clan.
(Photo by Jack Cox)
Above. A 14-19 Cruisemaster owned by Richard Belush of
Holton, Indiana.
(Photo by Jack Cox)
Below. The 14-19-2 Cruisemaster owned by Big Jim Peale
of Warner Robins, Ga. , EAA Designee extraordinaire!
This is the so-called " 230 Bellanca ", the speedster that
made a shambles of the Powder Puff Derby a few years
ago. Perhaps the most desirable of all the conventional
gear Bellancas.
( Photo By Lee Fray)
The Curtiss "Jenny" project on display in the EAA Air Education Museum. Bob Ladd checks the fit of the fin.
REBIRTH OFA"JENNY"...
By George Hardie
"Jenny Was No Lady" asserts Jack Lincke, who re-
cently published a book with that titl e. According to Lincke
"she was cantankerous and unpredictabl e and, by today's
standards, a hybrid, a fr eak. But she fl ew." In spite of
thi s dubious reputation the Curtiss IN-4 "Jenny" beca me
one of the best known airplanes in Ameri ca n aviati on
history, excepting the original Wri ght " Flyer" and Lind-
bergh's " Spirit of St. Loui s."
The IN-4 model was the fourth design in the IN
seri es. The design originated when the bes t fea tures of
two earlier Curtiss models, the J and the N, were com-
bined into a new model, the IN. What was more natural
than the nickname "Jenny" for thi s new design, and the
name stuck. The geneol ogy of the early Curti ss aircraft
which evolved into the IN-4 seri es is too complicated
for explanati on here. For those who wi sh to delve fur -
ther, reference is made to Pro fil e No. 37 on the IN-4
by Peter M. Bowers, and Volume 3 of U. S. Military Air-
craft by Robert Casari .
Of aU the "Jenny" seri es - from IN to IN-6H - the
mos t numerous produced was the IN-4D model. A total of
1404 were built by the Curti ss company, and another 1260
by five other compani es under contract. An additi onal 680
were built by the Canadian Curtiss Co. - these were known
as IN-4Can - " Canuck" and differed from the America n
Curtiss IN-4D mainl y in having ail erons on both upper
and lower wings and a rudder of different shape.
The IN-4 and IN-6 series were used as primary trainers
in World War 1. Many famous pilots got their baptism
of flight in a "Jenny" , both during and after the war.
The fame of the "Jenny" may be said to be due more to
its post- war achievements than its military use. When war-
surplus stocks were made avail abl e to civilians, brand new
"Jenni es" were sold complete, s till in original cra tes, for
as littl e as $250.00. Hundreds of war-trained pilots - and
others - snapped up these bargains and set out across
the cou ntry on barnstorming tours, flying at fairs, passen-
ger hopping out of farm fi elds, and any other fl ying jobs
13
(Photo By Dick Stouffer)
The unrestored Curtiss OX -5 engine. Note the original
nameplate ahead of the right bank of cylinders.
that opportunity offered. Inevitably, these haphazard op-
erations led to disasters and finally in 1928 the " Jenny"
was outlawed as unsafe to fly. Many were stored in barns
to await the .day when the owner could modernize the
craft to meet the new standards. That's where EAA's
"Jenny" was found.
The origin of the Curtiss IN-4D "Jenny" presently being
restored by the EAA Air Education Museum is obscure.
The airplane was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Foster Hanna-
ford, Sr. of Winnetka, Ill, as a memorial to their son,
Foster Hannaford, Jr. in November, 1972. That the aircraft
had been stored for many years in a barn loft can be as-
certained by the accumulation of dust and droppings,
plus the distinctive "old barn" odor. What its previous
history is, or even where it was discovered, is not known
at thi s time.
Upon acquiring the aircraft the first step was to in-
ventory the parts to determine what was missing. Then
Bill Hodges, Assistant Director of the Museum, sent out
letters to all known sources who might supply the miss-
ing parts, or know of other sources. The result of this
effort is detailed in a separate list included with this
article. Some parts are sti ll needed, as indicated in the
list. But the fact that so much help has been offered
is a tribute to the many generous EAA members who have
cooperated to make this possible.
14
President Paul Poberezny decreed at the outset that
the airplane would be restored to an airworthy condition
in as near its original state as possible. Robert Ladd,
who has had considerable experience in resoration work,
took over the project in January, 1973. His first task
was to restore the fuselage structure. The quality of
his work is evident in the series of photos shown here.
Progress has been steady, although at times interrupted
for various reasons. Typical of the problems encountered
was the building of a new rudder and fin. This aircraft
had the wooden type of construction of the tail surfaces
and the only detai l drawings on hand show the metal
version. Using details from the draWing shown in Model
Airplane News drawn by Joe Nieto from dimensions taken
from an original in Indiana by Bergen Hardesty, Bob Ladd
was able to cons truct a duplicate structure. But the prob-
lem of fastening the fin was elusive. After much search,
a rigging drawing was loca ted from which it was possible
to deduce the probable type of fastening used. Thus a
reasonable duplication of the original method was arrived
at and work could continue.
As of thi s date much remains to be done. All wing
panels must be entirely re-worked, a tedious undertaking.
The missing right aileron must be constr ucted, using the
left one as a reverse pattern. All rigging wires must be
replaced and all wi ng fittings restored to origi nal condi-
tion or new ones made. A major task is the complete re-
building of the Curtiss OX-S engine. This is a genuine
Curtiss, not the Willys Motors version built under contract
during the war. Each step of the restoration requires care-
ful and thorough preparation if the work is to meet
the high standards demanded by President Poberezny. This
takes time and consequentl y no special schedul e has been
set. But when the project is completed, thi s Curtiss IN-4D
"Jenny" will be an authentic example of this famous
airplane.
All of thi s would not be possible withou t some very
important people. These are listed under the " List of Do-
nors" who have made financial contributions to the Cur-
tiss Jenny Fund to provide the money to carry out the
restoration work. Their generous assistance is making pos -
sible the addition of thi s very significant air plane to the
growing coll ection of hi storic aircraft in the EAA Air Edu-
cation Musuem. Young generati ons will be able to see
for themselves a full-si ze exampl e of one of America's
most famous aircraft. Continuing contri buti ons to the fund
will assure completion of the proj ect to the highest stand-
ards. Your donation will hel p.
List of Donors of Missing Parts
Vertical Fin - Built and donated by Ken Hyde, Vir-
ginia Aviation Co., Warrenton, Va .
Rudder: - Built in the EAA Air Education Museum
shops by Robert Ladd.
Landing Gear Axle: - Original axle, hub cap and wing
attach pin loaned for duplication by Robert McDaniels,
Naperville, III .
Hub Caps & Wing Attach Pins - Duplicated and do-
nated by James Green, Pensacola, Fla.
Tires and Tubes - Purchased from Universal Tire Co.,
Elizabethtown, Pa .
Center Section - Two donated by Bill Roberts and Jack
Faith, Grand Prairie, Tex.
Wing Strut - To be supplied by Marion McClure,
Bloomington, III .
Flying and Landing Wire Fittings - To be supplied by
Bill Roberts, Grand Prairie, Tex.
Radiator - To be supplied by Young Radiator Co. ,
Racine, Wis.
Airworthy Prope/ler - Built and donated by Ole Fah-
Itn, Sunnyvale, Calif.
Blueprints - Loaned by Andy Anderson, Mansfield,
Mo.: Loaned by Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio; Do-
nated by Gordon Codding, Lawndale, Calif. ; Microfilm
loaned by Robert McDaniels, Naperville, /II .
Photos - Donated by Mrs. Pat Friedman, Highland
p a ~ k III .; Donated by Museum of SCience and Industry,
Chicago , III .; Donated by Ken Hyde,- Warrenton, Va .
List of Sources - Leonard Opdyke, World War I Aero-
planes, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; Paul Knepper, Macungie, Pa .
(Photo By Lee Fray)
Bob Ladd starts the restoration of the
fuselage turtle deck.
List of Donors to
the Curtiss Jenny Fund
James Wilson, Jr. , Lake Geneva, Wis.
The Lester Corporation, Martinsville, Va .
Diane Kline, Clarendon Hills, fII.
(I n memory of Neal Kline)
Roy Lain, Wrightwood, California
Richard Wagner, Lyons, Wisconsin
Kermit Weeks, Miami, Florida
Bob Ladd (left) and Char-
lie Smith of the EAA shop'
staff plan the restoration
of the fuselage turtle deck.
CharlieworkedonJennies
early in his career.

BEFORE
and
AFTER
,
(PhotQ by Ted Kaston)
1928 Star Cavalier owned by Forrest Lovley of Apple Valley, Minnesota.
Golden Oldie Of The Month
THE STAR CAVALIER
The amazing late '20s sales success of the Velie Mon-
ocoupe spurred a great number of competing designs -
all hoping to grab off their share of the "Lindbergh
Boom" market. The fact that Lucky Lindy had made his
New York to Paris flight in a high wing, closed cabin
job broke down a great deal of the pilot prejudice of the
date for anything other than an open cockpit, tandem air-
plane. A virtual wave of little two to four place cabin planes
resulted. One was the Star Cavalier, an offering of the
Star Aircraft Company of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Most of
the officers and directors of Star were also directors of the
Phillips Petroleum Company of Bartlesville, a fact that was
subtly used to imply tinancial solvency for the new con-
cern. Unfortunately, this did not make a great deal of dif-
ference, for after the stock market crash in 1929 plunged
the country into the Great Depression, finding solvent cus-
tomers was the REAL problem.
Following is the initial nationwide publicity release on
the Star Cavalier- it appeared in the October 27, 1928
issue of Aviation magazine.
Production on the "Cavalier" cabin monoplane is to be
started in the near future by the Star Aircraft Co., Bar-
tlesville, Okla. The Cavalier is a two place, externally
braced, high wing type of conventional design and is
powered with a five cylinder Velie engine developing 45
hp at 1750 rpm. It is intended primarily to be used for
business and pleasure by private owners.
The plane was designed by E. A. Riggs, chief engineer
of the company, and"Billy" Parker, vice-president and gen-
eral manager. Successful test flights were held last August
and showed the plane to have a maximum speed of 105
mph, a cruising speed of 87 mph and a landing speed of
38 mph. the rate of climb is 800 pm., and the service
ceiling 12,000 ft. During the tests, the plane took off in
calm air in 200 ft. and landed under the same conditions
in 150 ft. It attained an altitude of 6,500 ft. in 10 mins . The
plane has a wing span of 31 ft . 6 in., and overall height
of 6 ft. 3 in. and an overall length of 19 ft. 8 in. Its
weight with engine and fully equipped, is 740 lbs. The
useful load is 575 lbs.
17
GOLDEN OLDIE OF THE MONTH
No departure from standard practice is found in the
general construction of the Cavalier. The fuselage and tail
group are welded chrome molybdenum steel tubing and
the wing structure is of wood. Both are fabric covered.
Routed one piece spruce spars are used with ample fillets
at all fitting stations and spruce truss ribs with plywood
gussets are employed in the wing construction. Round
Macwhyte tie rods are used in the internal bracing. The
wing is divided into two panels set at a slight dihedral
angle. The spars are connected by heavy gauge tubes
across the top of the fuselage. These tubes are provided
with strong lip fittings to receive the spar ends. They lie
completely above the longerons and are rigidly attached
by welding. Two 13 gal. gasoline tanks are built into the
wing roots and the drag stresses in the bays containing the
tanks are carried into the fuselage through diagonal grained
plywood panels secured to the front and rear spars and to
strong box ribs at the ends of the bays.
A heavy tubular diagonal cross truss in the upper bay
of the fuselage takes the drag stresses and at the same
time serves as one of the units of a cantilever arrange-
ment which eliminates the necessity of cross bracing in
the cabin. A similar unit is used in the lower trussing of
the fuselage . Particular attention has been given to the
design of the lower fuselage trussing, and the cross tubes
are of ample diameter and gauge. This is especially true
of the front tube, which is subjected to high compression
loads.
The wing struts are built up of a number of chrome
molybdenum steel tubes of different diameters, welded at
the ends, producing a streamline strut section. Nickel
steel screw adjustment fittings are employed at the lower
ends of the struts and the fuselage fittings are of chrome
molybdenum steel. A single bolt through the spar takes
the entire load at each fitting point and is so placed as
to eliminate eccentric loading at these points. Another
factor, which contributes to the elimination of eccentric
loading, is the position of the struts in the same vertical
plane as their respective spars. The shear bolts at both
strut ends are of government specification nickel steel and
are interchangeable.
Standard automobile practice is employed in the in-
terior finish of the cabin, which is upholstered in velour,
and has accommodations for pilot and passenger seated
side by side. Controls are brought to the left seat, which is
intended for the use of the pilot. Good visibility is provided
in all directions. Instruments include a tachometer, oil
gauge, oil thermometer, and altimeter. A strainer and the
shut-off valves for the gasoline line are placed within
easy reach of the pilot. Dual controls may be installed
when it is desired to use the plane for instruction. All un-
necessary parts have been eliminated from the control
system. Ailerons are hinged at the top and are actuated
by a push-pull rod attached at the bottom. The rod is
operated from a bell crank just behind the rear wing spar.
18
Elevators are mounted on a single torque tube having a
crank inside the vertical fin. Conventional horns and cables
are used in the rudder control.
Landing gear is of the split axle type with a 5 ft. 6 in.
tread. The tail skid consists of a steel leaf spring secured
just below the tail post.
The Star Aircraft Co. is well financed. All but three of
the officers and directors are also directors of the Phillips
Petroleum Co. The Star Company is, however, a private
enterprise with ample funds for unlimited expansion.
Specifications of the Cavalier as submitted by the
manufacturer are as follows:
Wing Span ... . .............. 31 ft. 6 in.
Overall length ...... .. ....... 19 ft. 8 in.
Overall height .......... ... . .. 6 ft. 3 in.
Chord . .. . .. ... . .. .. .. . .. . . . .. 5 ft. 1 in.
Wing area (including ailerons) . 157 sq. ft.
Aileron area . . ........... . .. 17.85 sq. ft.
Rudder area .. .. .. . ....... .. . 6.5 sq. ft.
Fin area . . . .. ... . ... ....... .. . 3.7 sq. ft.
Stabilizer area .. .. .. . ........ 12.8 sq. ft.
Elevator area .... .. ........ . .. 8.8 sq. ft.
Weight without engine . ... . ..... 476 lbs.
Weight with engine and equipment 740 lbs.
Useful load ...... . .. . ........... 575 lbs.
Wing loading .................. 8.31 lbs.
Power plant ............ . . ... . .. . 45 h p.
(Velie M-5, 5 cylinder air cooled)
Fuel capacity ................... . 26 gal.
Oil capacity .... .. . . ....... . ...... 3 gal.
Propeller . .......... Hartzell or Hamilton
Control ... .. ............. . ......... Stick
Performance
Maximum speed ............... 105 mph
Cruising speed . . ... . ...... . . .. .. 87 mph
Landing speed ...... . ........... 38 mph
Climb (full load) . ....... 800 ft. per min.
Climb in 10 min. . .............. 6500 ft.
Service ceiling ... ... . . ... ... ... 12,000 ft.
Fuel consumption . . ..... 6 gal. per hour
Oil consumptioJl ..... 1.25 pints per hour
Take off in dea\l calm within ..... 200 ft.
Land in dead calm within .. .. .... 150 ft.
The FAA lists four Star Cavaliers on their Registry
today: Nl4860 owned by Forrest Lovley of Apple Valley,
Minnesota (pictured above); N31N, a Cavalier D, owned by
Van L. Hartman of Hayes, Kansas; N219E, a Cavalier E,
owned by H. N. "Dusty" Rhodes of Denver, Colorado;
and N350V, a Cavalier E, registered to the Greater Okla-
homa City Chapter of AAA, Mustang, Oklahoma.
N350V is a Chapter project and is slowly being restored
to flying condition. The Oklahoma City Chapter has what
was left of the old Star Aircraft Company.
Can anyone provide any more information on Cava-
liers and the Star Company?
Gentlemen:
AROUND THE ANTIQUE/
CLASSIC WORLD
Ralph Sawvell, 1846 Quail Hollow Rd., Dayton, Ohio
45459, telephone 513-434-8505, has an excellent Curtiss
Reed No. 55511 prop (165 Warner) to sell or trade for an8
8 ft., 20 spline Curtiss Reed No. 55501 (245) Jacobs,
Con.).
He is about ready to fly his cabin Waco and lacks a
propeller.
Rumor Has It, thatthere is anairplane (type unknown)on
top ofa Mobile gas station at the corner of Higgens and
Menardin Chicago
l
- TedSwigon, Chicago, Ill.
Dear PaulPoberezny andJack Cox
...Plus all the rest that are doing so well tJ:1e great
job with ourold airplane history that has to bedone.
I am very grateful and appreciate the nice article that
H. GlennBuffingtonandyou areresponsiblefor. Havehad
many letters, messages andcomplimentsofits interest.
Wishingyou all the bestfor theHolidaysand the New
Year.
Respectfully yours,
Edna Gardner Whyte, R. N.
Aero-Valley Airport, Inc.
Rt. 2, Box 15, Roanoke, Texas 76262
Hi Buck,
I am sending you a picture of my Taylorcraft for your
files. Ihavetwin boys- 15 years old. They can handle it
prettygood. I hopetheycan solothesamedaywhenthey
are sixteen.
Themagazineis very good ...amwaiting for the next
one.
Robert N. Gibson
107 ParkSt.
PointMarion, Pa. 15474
Being a proud member of EAA for the past four years
I wish to join the Antique-Classic Division and continue
to helppromotesportflying. Forthis periodoftime Ihave
beenan active pilot and have attempted to fly as many of
thegreataircraftofthe pastas possible. Recently, Iearned
my A&P license and am employed in an active mainten-
ance shop, working on everything from J-3's to DC-3's.
But, ImustadmitIenjoyworkingontheantiquesthemost,
for example, a Fairchild PT-26 or a mint J-3. In the near
future I hopetogain access toa number ofantique aircraft
whichIdiscoveredin theproverbialfarmer'schickencoop.
Numbering eleven in all and comprising such types as:
CurtissRobin, FairchildKR-34, CurtissJunior, AeroncaC-3
and7-AC, PT-19, UPF-7, Stinson10-AandJ-3- they rep-
resentsomeofthe best.
I wi ll keepyou informed ofany progress.
Thank you and keep up thegood work.
Respectfully,
Gary Lampman
100 Glebe St.
Johnstown, N. Y. 12095
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JUNE13-16- TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE - Nati onal StaggerwingClub JULY 31 - AUGUST 6 - -OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN - NEW DATES -
Fly-ln. Contact w. C. "Dub" Yarbrough, Lannom Mfg. Co., Box 500,
22nd Annual EAA International Ay-In Convention. Largest and best
Tullahoma, Tennessee37388. Antique and Classic gathering anywhere. Make your plans and res-
ervationsearly.
Back Issues OfThe Vintage Airplane
Limited numbers of back issues of THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE are available at .50c each. Copies
still on handatEAA Headquarters are:
December 1972 - SOLD OUT June1973
January 1973
July 1973
February1973 - SOLD OUT
August1973
March 1973
September 1973
April 1973 - SOLD OUT
October1973
May 1973 - SOLD OUT
November1973
December1973
19




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