My Ride in a FLYING MODEL A ROADSTER, or as there also known as a biplane

Several years ago, we were at Oshkosh WI - the EAA museum. The museum in itself is worth the trip, but also available at that time were rides in an open biplane. We did, and you're right - what a trip! WORTH EVERY PENNY (OR DOLLAR)!!! Just being behind the engine and feeling its power got the adrenaline flowing. We've also had the privilege of flying an a Beechcraft Staggerwing. If I may add to Curly Hand's very accurate comparisons, the Staggerwing must be a Rolls Royce.

 

Let's build one! Seriously.

Looks like more fun than an AV8!

 

lets build two!

 

I remember the first ride I had in an open ****pit plane, Stearman. I had flown aerobatics in Citabrias and a Swift, closed ****pits. The first time we went inverted I really learned to trust the seat belt. Nothing between me and the ground but air. Cool FUN though!!

Bill

 

Do you DID choose the Bi-plane!? So closed ****pit is next, right?

After going for a ride in "the ultimate roadster" I couldn't help but think how amazing it would be to build and fly a vintage plane...

...and then I remind myself how broke I am from just building a CAR! HAHA!

 

If something like that sprouted up next to me, I'd soon be slapped with a restraining order. I've been fortunate enough to have been in a couple of bi-planes and can't get enough of it! It's fun just listening to them.

 

I still remember my first ride in an airplane, we ,my grandfather and my cousin ,were at the owlshead transportation museum in maine , he said , have you guys ever flown in a plane? two dumbfounded kids shook there heads no and the next thing I knew we were climbing into a biplane.. what a great memory it has been 37 years or so since then...

 

Rad! My dad (a pilot) always likes to tell the story of how he and his two buddies once had an opportunity to buy a Steerman as war surplus (right after WWII) for only $300, but they were so broke *** they couldn't get the $300 together between all 3 of them combined.

Partly because they had just bought a '36 Ford for $150 (and re-painted it with house paint and a brush).

 

Looks like a great time. Funny how I saw this thread today after seeing the crash on CNN. Was that you Matt?? http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/06/08/von.antique.plane.crash.cnn

 

In 49 my cousin came back from WWII and bought a piper cub, I got to fly with him and then grabed ever chance to fly I had. In 75 I got a promotion and my new boss had a home built Star Duster Two, I got to fly it and what a great thrill. It was a bi wing two place plane with a big engine don't remember what it was. At this stage I have a hard time remembering what I did this afternoon. Makes it hard to work on the two cars.

 

This coming weekend is the annual Stearman fly-in in St. Francis KS. People fly these things from all over the country to the event. There will be 15 to 20 of them, as well as all kinds of other antique and experimental planes in rural Northwest Kansas, and they offer rides as well tandem sky diving . If you're in Denver or anywhere along the front range, it's worth the 3 to 4 hour drive for sure....

 

I cant stop thinking about it, I NEED one....my wife is going to kill me.
how hard is it to get your pilots license anyway? can you fly A biplane cross country?

 

Its ALL good,cause just when you think you've seen it all there's
water skiing with a bi-plane...

 

HAHA! I don't know. Try it and let me know! Hey wait! Didn't your wife buy you that plane ride?! Doesn't that make it NOT YOUR FAULT! HAHA!

If you're serious about this stuff, send Mark Lightsey (Aerocraftsman here on the HAMB) a message. Visiting his shop was amazing! They build just about everything for these planes. Talking to him, I found how similar old planes can be to traditional hot rodding. In fact, I saw pretty much all the same tools that a good hot rod shop would have. Just a different knowledge set.

So many cool things around the shop that reminded me of things that might be found around a hot rod shop. Just amazing! Something I could certainly get addicted to!

 

I love Bipeplanes! 2 years ago I was in Orlando and we stopped in Kississmee and I took a ride in a `47 Steerman. Stunning plane. He took off and I flew it all over Orlando for about an hour.

 

Cool stuff, there was a plane that did use a model a engine in it btw.

 

Got a couple of laps in the front ****pit of a Pitts S-2. Open ****pit really makes the flying experience special, even for those of us that spend (or, more correctly, spent) a lot of time around airplanes.

 

Man, open ****pit has to be the ride of a lifetime when i comes to flying.
I have many hours of PIC, but none of them in an open ****pit, what a rush that has to be

 

I went up in a Steerman about a year ago, it was AMAZING ! I smile every time I think about it.

 

Matt - great stuff! A number of years ago I got involved in the restoration of a couple of WWII ships here in the Bay Area (the USS Hornet and the USS Red Oak Victory). I helped organize a flyover/air show of vintage warbirds for each of the ships, and in so doing met a WWII fighter pilot who trained in and had owned a PT-17 Stearman biplane for 26 years. He also kept it at the Sonoma/Schellville airport (red - like “yours” - maybe the same one?!) He invited me to go for a flight, and when we landed he told me he was thinking of selling the plane.
<O
I asked him why he would even consider selling something that had been so much a part of his life for so long. He said, “I’m 77 years old and I don’t know how much more flying time I’ve got left in me. But before I hang up my goggles, I’d like something with more power and performance in order to be able to do more aggressive stunts and aerobatics” Ya gotta love it!! I told him that if I ever reach 77 years old, I only hope I’d be saying “more power, more performance”. Yeah, there really are a lot of similarities between vintage hot rods and vintage aircraft and the mindset of fellas who boot ‘em.<O
<O
And for anyone who’s interested, there’s a FABULOUS coffee table-sized book with wonderful paintings and great stories of WWII air battles called “Aviation Art of World War Two”. <O

 

A few years back my wife bought me a similar gift ride only mine was in a Travelaire (maybe a few years older that that Steerman) here at Watsonville Airport.

The thing that still stands out in my mind is how S-L-O-W-L-Y it could fly. I think stall speed must have been around 50mph! A model A could go faster.

 

Not all fun and games,especially with the early bi-planes. The rotary
engines must have been brutal as explained in this brief description.
http://www.fantasyofflight.com/aircraftpages/scout.htm

I recall one of Kermits stories of flying one of these early rotaries with
exposed valvetrain and using castor oil for lubrication. Seems that after
ingesting enough oil and fumes during a flight he spent the rest of the
afternoon making trips to the head...Castor oil being such a great laxative.

 

youza i just watched thatone...jeffrey

 

We did that in Hawaii. It was a blast. My wife recently went up in a glider where she got to fly it.

 

Now THAT is the perfect alternate use of a Grumman Duck!!!

 

I had the same feelings, then I found out about the WWI biplane kits and found this company not far from my house: www.airdromeairplanes.com

Build your own biplane and get a light sport Lic. for under 18k? just seemed impossible but after reading the books and talking to others yep, it's true.

I've put my Model A truck body on hold while I work toward the Fokker D-VII

 

I've always loved old planes too. Thanks for posting, sounds like a fun time!

 

That was the last thing I needed to see. I always thought these planes were way too far out of reach to even consider.

I may have found myself a new project.

 

Great... Just had to share that link, didn't you!

Maybe being an aviator isn't too far fetched after all.

Now... Building an F4U-1 corsair.... HMMM....

 

We get quite a number of vintage planes stopping by the airport that I work at on a regular basis.

This isn't vintage but I get to see it fly quite often. I haven't been brave enough yet to see about getting a ride in (on) it.

http://www.yakimaaerosport.com/aircraft/super-breezy/

My favorite plane that comes through here on a somewhat regular basis is a Beach Staggerwing.