Focus on Competition - 2003/04
Technical Director
- Steve Kaluf
- [email protected]
Recently my mother, who has been living just south of Tampa, Florida, since my father passed away two years ago, decided to move to Virginia. Mom and Dad lived in Virginia for a number of years before moving to Florida. I attended junior high school and high school in Virginia and some college as well.
Dad’s shop had not had anything done to it since he was last in it, so in early January I went to see Mom and pack up the shop. Lots of great memories in that room, one I thought I would share with you, as anyone interested in aviation will appreciate it. It was a letter Dad copied to several people (including myself) back in 1990.
"Right there in the middle of the metal floor, just aft of the two sets of rudder pedals sat three Model A Ford starter buttons. Above them were three mag switches of ancient design with all markings long since worn off. A little higher a set of three throttle levers of hand-smoothed aluminum about as long as my middle finger. Low of the left throttle was what appeared to be a fuel shut-off butterfly nut as installed under the dash of a Model A.
"The left throttle was moved slightly forward, the left starter button mashed and then the left mag switch was turned left. Instantly the left 235 hp Wright Whirlwind came to life and settled down to shaking the left wing panel to life. Next the same was applied to the middle engine and the fuselage was alive. Then the starboard engine and the right wing panel joined the rest of the aircraft in shaking out of a metal sleep.
"Advancing the throttles brought an instant movement (as advertised something like the waddle of a goose). Being necessary to make a gradual turn to the left the pilot grabbed a shaft set into the floor with a Model A gear shift lever knob and shoved hard left. This obviously steered the tail wheel around and she came in on one length and lifted up nicely with the grass runway.
"Throttles were advanced and the huge machine began roaring down the grass. Instantly the tail came up! At about 200 yards and 45 mph the main right wheel began to lift and settle gently. A moment later we were climbing. It took no time at all to reach 800 feet and going into a gentle climbing turn I noted that no rudder was being used. Realizing we had to be turning on aileron I looked to the wheel and recognized the wheel as being the same as I had on both my '28 and '30 Model As. I must admit I then looked to make sure the rudder pedals weren’t brake and clutch pedals from a Model A.
"There aren’t any flaps (that machinery would be a little sophisticated for this airplane). All the pilot had to do was crank a small crank mounted at the top of the cockpit (about 36–38 inches wide) 14 turns which set the marvelous adjustable stab for takeoff.
"Sliding the window back on the copilot’s side I watched the countryside around Sun City Center slowly unroll. In a considerable length of time and 5 miles later the small lake extending from our property came into view along with our house complete with Betty waving from the back yard.
"We passed just to the right of the house at 900 feet. Shortly in the distance was beautiful Tampa Bay, the Manatee River, a bit further south the tall chimneys of the potash plant 15 miles away. Then we were passing over the cluster of houses where Hal deBolt lives and then heading back east toward the strip at Wimauma.
"At about 1/3 mile out we were still at 800 feet and I wondered how the heck we’d bleed off enough speed and altitude to get into the tiny field. Not to worry, just chop the throttles and push the steering wheel hard forward which resulted in a gentle down attitude of the nose (really you only knew you were descending by the field becoming more into view). I now think I found the use of that petcock butterfly nut left of the throttles. The pilot opened it and I bet that richened the fuel mixture. Everything went into slow motion, there was no noticeable flare, but the throttles were blipped as we passed over the last orange grove.
"Then wonder of wonders! The huge barn-door rudder came effectively into play to adjust for a bit of a crosswind. It also served to straighten her with the grass strip just before the mains touched. I never did feel the tail wheel come down. We just went rumbling along the grass with perfect forward visibility. I guess I realized the tail was down when forward visibility became difficult. The Model A gear shift lever was hauled back. Working like an emergency brake we slowed until the same lever was hauled left and we reversed course instantly (the only fast maneuver encountered).
"Just before I left home Betty had added $10 to my $20 and told me to ride in the cockpit in the co-pilot position. I was actually 5 pounds over (190) and a little high for the 185 lb, 5 feet, 11 inches limitation for a cockpit ride. I sucked in and shrunk down a tad.
"I left the Ford Trimotor with the thought I could more easily fly her than the RC models I build. There was nothing exciting or exhilarating about the flight. Just comfortable forward movement at an altitude from which a wife could be recognized waving from a back yard accompanied by the sweet drone of three small engines. Lindbergh supposedly flew this crate. Had it been 1928 I might have been sitting with my left shoulder 6 inches from his right.
"An adventure. Yes, a quiet one I’ll never forget along with the generosity of Betty."
Neat stuff!
One bit of official business. The Contest Board has ratified the Scale Helicopter safety proposal that was previously published. This proposal will now remain in effect.
'Til next time... MA
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
