Vintage Aircraft Boosters Club

The "Supercruiser" The Vintage Aircraft Boosters Club Southern California Historical Aviation Foundation Western Museum of Flight Newsletter 12016 Prairie Avenue, Hawthorne, California 90250 Phone: (310) 332-6228 * * * FAX: (310) 644-6778 * * * Internet: www.wmof.com

Southern California Historical Aviation Foundation

elcome to the June 1997 issue of the "Supercruiser," the Vintage Aircraft Boosters Club, Southern California Historical Aviation Foundation, Western Museum of Flight's monthly newsletter.

red Erb, the Western Museum of Flight’s acting museum director, and Jim Johnson made a trip to the Naval Air Station in Fallon, NV, in search of missing items for the Museum’s F-14. Fred’s trip report is being included in this month’s "Supercruiser" as we thought that the membership would be interested in their escapades.

"We went by Reno Air from Los Angeles International Airport, known to most as LAX, on June 4th. Upon arriving at Reno airport we rented a car and drove about 60 miles east to NAS Fallow. It was about 10:10 a.m. when we met Commander Chuck Mosely. Chief Brown joined up and Jim presented him a list of missing parts from the Museum’s F-14. CDR Mosely and Chief Brown agreed that most of the items were available (from two different aircraft) and we could take what we needed. We were also permitted to take as many cockpit parts as needed to help make our Tomcat complete. The two aircraft that we were going to scavenge from were scheduled to be put on the range and used as targets. The four of us then went to a storage shed and found a rudder pedal assembly.

"About lunch time we were taken to the civilian bachelor quarters which were great -- living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bath -- with all the amenities: a 27" TV, VCR, stove, oven and microwave.

"After lunch Jim [Johnson of the museum] started the pulling of structural parts we wanted from the two aircraft. We quit about 4:15 as we had completed that task. The canopy was closed on aircraft 160695 (the cockpit could not be opened manually and the nitrogen tank was depleted) in which cockpit items were available. The temperature had dropped to the low 50’s and rain seemed imminent.

"The next day the canopy opening/closing system was fixed and the canopy was opened. Jim set about removing parts from both cockpits and I recorded the part numbers and descriptions of the items. At about 2:20 that afternoon it started to drizzle. By 3:30 it was raining and the paper I was writing on was getting quite wet. About an hour later it had stopped raining so we went back to the aircraft to remove the remaining parts. The last item we needed was the throttle quadrant; but it could not be removed with the pilot’s seat installed.

"A crew was assigned to remove the seat for us the next day. There was a lot of discussion about whether it was possible to remove the seat without first removing the canopy; we left them to their job. Jim went to Cdr. Mosely’s office and I sat on a chair under the wing to finish recording the parts removed when, all of a sudden, there was a loud boom and the smell of cordite wafted through the air. I looked up and out of the corner of my eye saw the canopy land just behind the aircraft -- that stopped everything. The aircraft was roped off and an incident investigation was started.

"We went to the air station’s U-Haul store while the investigation was being conducted and rented a truck. We soon had it loaded up with parts and technical orders. Cdr. Mosely will let us know when the front and rear seats, throttle quadrant, and maybe a canopy cover and F-14 tow bar, are available.

"We left Fallon NAS at about 6:30 a.m. on June 6th and arrived at the Museum at about 6:30p.m. that afternoon. The next morning we returned to the Museum and unloaded our treasures; our final act was returning the truck to U-Haul."

wenty-four second grade students from York Elementary School toured the museum on June 3. Ms. Joan Barrie, the students’ teacher, brought the group with the assistance of a teacher’s aide, Ms. Nomara Galeand, and parents Hernando Rongel, Leticia Gonzalez, Fanny Manzano, Marsha Espino, and Sandra Cifuentes. Jack Wilson of the Western Museum of Flight conducted the tour.

ooster Club member Hector Terrazas organized another successful reunion dinner dance on May 22nd at the Torrance Marriott. Our own SCHAF President Ed Levy emceed the event while the Lawrence Welk Band energized the audience as long-time Welk star Mary Lou Metzger danced, kicked, sang, and even wooed Hector. On the periphery were trustees Fred Erb and Cindy Macha-Skjonsby as they dutifully identified and recruited potential volunteers and museum enthusiasts.

as the theme for the June 1st Paso Robles Air Show. Museum trustees Ed Levy and Cindy Macha-Skjonsby were invited to attend by former Hughes Experimental Test Pilot George Marrett. Mr. Marrett is a member of the Estrella Warbird Museum/Confederate Air Force (organizer of the air faire). (More on George and his history-making flight in an F-14A in a later issue of the "Supercruiser.")

SCHAF President Ed Levy, Morgan Woodward of popular TV series "Dallas," Cindy Macha-Skjonsby, and their host -- George Marrett. Morgan brought his vintage WACO biplane and his rare 1938 Cadillac, as shown in the background.

he Western Museum of Flight’s "Volunteer of the Month" for June is Cindy Macha-Skjonsby. Cindy has been a long time supporter of aviation history and the Western Museum of Flight. In her early days with Northrop Corporation (as it was known then) she worked with Dr. Ira Chart, then the Northrop Corporation’s historian. She has been a dedicated and hard working member on SCHAF’s board of trustees. Besides representing SCHAF and the WMoF at various functions, she was instrumental in the Museum obtaining our F-14 Tomcat. She has also put in many hours beautifying the Museum ranging from helping with the interior decorating to beautifying the landscape.

im Schaffer, Director of Operational Requirements for McDonnell Douglas, will discuss the McDonnell Douglas C-17 "Globemaster III." Jim has been with the C-17 Globemaster III program for three years. Prior to that, Jim was a Colonel and pilot in the United States Air Force running the Special Operations program in the Lockheed C-141 "Starlifter." His briefing will provide a status update on the C-17 Globemaster III program, then address the operation capabilities of this very versatile airlifter. Jim will finish with some recent highlights of the C-17 aircraft in use. Following the presentation, Jim will be available for questions and answers … until his voice runs out! Again, don’t miss this one.

As usual, the Vintage Aircraft Boosters Club will meet at the Northrop Grumman Recreation Clubhouse at 5:00 p.m. Prior to the meeting, the Western Museum of Flight will remain open until 5:00 p.m. to accommodate SCHAF members, Vintage Aircraft Booster Club members and guests.