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Taking a morning walk down in the Vintage Aircraft area at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is like walking through the pages of an aviation book, or a movie magazine.
In addition to numerous beautifully restored aircraft, there are some with a special story to tell.
Replica of Douglas World Cruiser ‘Seattle II'
One of the larger single-engine aircraft in Vintage is the replica of the Douglas World Cruiser Seattle.
Designed to fly around the world-in 1924, a time when there were few municipal airports and landing on lakes and the ocean with floats was popular-the aircraft was one of four belonging to the U.S. Army Air Service taking part in an around-the-world race. The Army, with the help of the U.S. Navy, created a vast logistical support system for the aircraft.
There were five built-one as a prototype, and the other four flew in the race. All were named for cities in the U.S.-The Seattle, The Chicago, The New Orleans, and The Boston. The one on display at AirVenture was painstakingly scratch-built by Bob and Diane Dempster of Seattle.
The project began in 2005, taking more than 20 years to complete. The aircraft was disassembled, then shipped to Oshkosh and will eventually be on display at the EAA Museum.
1937 Swallow
This airmail airplane is a 1937 Swallow designed by Marty Laird. It belongs to the EAA, serial number 899. The aircraft was purchased in 1927 by Lou Edgar for $2,495, approximately $58,054 today.
When the company delivered the airplane it was surprised to learn Lou was a woman-she purchased the airplane to learn to fly. Being from New York she gave the airplane a geographically appropriate name: The Schenectady Rambler.
After many ownership changes, the airplane belongs to the Experimental Aircraft Association. It is painted in the livery of the U.S. Postal service circa 1930, when cross-country mail delivery involved postcards and letters being carried in open cockpit airplanes. Navigation was in its infancy, and the pilots often flew in weather that would make an instrument-rated pilot in a fully equipped modern aircraft turn back.
The lifespan of the average airmail pilot was approximately 60 days as they often were killed in accidents involving controlled flight into terrain.
Waldo Pepper's Standard J-1
The Standard J-1 was a trainer during World War I often used in conjunction with Curtiss JN-4 “Jennys.” After the war they were a popular civilian trainer and used by barnstormers who flew around the country hopping rides.
This aircraft was restored in the early 1970s by Charlie Kiessig. After his death his estate donated the aircraft to the EAA.
The EAA painted it in the livery used in the 1975 movie The Great Waldo Pepper. The movie tells the story of a WWI aviator (played by Robert Redford) who missed out on combat but tries to capitalize on his time as a military pilot by barnstorming. This eventually leads to a job as a Hollywood stunt pilot where he finally gets the air-to-air duel he craved during the war.
Replica of Ryan NYP ‘Spirit of St. Louis'
One of the more recognizable aircraft in the replica row is the Ryan used by Charles Lindbergh, who became the first pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1927 when on May 20 he took off from Roosevelt Field in New York (now a shopping mall) and pointed the nose of the fuel-laden aircraft east.
The actual Spirit of St. Louis is on display in the Smithsonian. The replica was built by EAA volunteers in 1977 to mark the 50th anniversary of the famous flight.
‘Sky King' (Songbird III)
From out of the clear blue of the Western sky comes Sky King! If you recognize these words, you may have been inspired to become a pilot by the radio adventure serial and later black-and-white television show that detailed the exploits of Schuyler (Sky) King, an Arizona rancher and former WWII aviator who ran the Flying Crown Ranch with his nephew Piper and his niece Penny.
Airplanes featured prominently in the series, beginning with a Cessna T-50 Bobcat. All the aircraft were named Songbird. A Cessna 310B was used in the filming of the television series. The one on display at AirVenture is a 310D, which was not used in the filming on the show, but often for publicity photos. It is a fan favorite at airshows and fly-ins.
