The Story of a Restored 1947 Stinson "Flying Station Wagon" at The Aviation Museum of Kentucky

News From The Aviation Museum of Kentucky

December 1, 2018

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1947 Stinson Model 108-2 "Flying Station Wagon."

The Aviation Museum of Kentucky

News and Updates from The Aviation Museum of Kentucky

Greetings!

AMK FLIES SOUTH

You can find AMK at 4029 Airport Road, but parts of the museum are currently being enjoyed at 4484 Peachtree Road NE in Atlanta.

The Philip Weltner Library at Oglethorpe University now has panels from Top Guns of the Great War on display. This table top exhibit previously informed museum guests in Lexington. This outreach was accomplished by board secretary Marty Schadler and his brother Dan, professor emeritus at Oglethorpe.

Other artifacts in the OU exhibit are from John Schack, grandfather to the Schadlers who served in an artillery unit in France.

Oglethorpe University Exhibit

DECEMBER AVIATION FIRSTS

It may be the last month of the calendar year, but December marked some significant aeronautical firsts.

DECEMBER 3 1945: the first jet fighters for the American military are delivered to the 412 ^th Fighter Squadron.

DECEMBER 6 1963 : The Piper Cherokee makes its very first flight.

DECEMBER 12, 1915 : Hugo Junkers puts the first all-metal plane into the sky.

DECEMBER 17 1903 : The brothers from Dayton, Ohio start it all at Kitty Hawk; powered, manned, and controlled flight is achieved by the Wrights.

DECEMBER 21 1964: The SR-71 Black Bird rolls out. 2018 KY Aviation Hall of Fame Thomas Schmittou is a recognized expert on the plane.

DECEMBER 31 1984: Helen Richey becomes the first female airline pilot in the USA.

The Stinson "Flying Station Wagon"

Restoration Project

by Don McFadden

Stinson in Welch WV 2008

The Aviation Museum of Kentucky is a multi-faceted establishment. One area of the museum that doesn’t receive a lot of attention is the General Aviation side. One of our newer exhibits is a 1947 Stinson Model 108-2 Flying Station Wagon.

The story of the Stinson began with a phone call in 2008 from one of the heirs of Charles M. Ward of Welch, WV asking if we would be interested in two airplanes that were left in a hanger for over 30 years at the old, abandoned Welch Airport. The planes were a Cessna 150 and the Stinson. We were told that both were in very bad condition.

In spite of their condition it was determined that we would accept them and they would be sold as projects or parts to raise money for the museum. We went through the process of registering the planes in the museum’s name. This took a number of months. Through the generosity of one of our board members the funds needed to bring the airplanes to Lexington was donated. In the summer of 2009 a team, consisting of Jack Baugh, Dr. George Gumbert, David Frye, Marty Schadler and myself, Don McFadden was formed to go to Welch.

Please click the video below for the restoration of the "Flying Station Wagon" and all the great volunteers that participated!

L-R Marty Schadler, David Frye. Don McFadden, Victor and George Gumbert

Photo taken by Jack Baugh

Traveling on two-lane, curvy roads in 24-ft box trucks began the adventure of rescuing the Stinson. Over the next 2 ½ days the airplanes were disassembled and loaded into the trucks for their trip back to the museum. While working we received a visit from the sheriff asking who we were and what we were doing there. After we explained who we were and our intentions he was pleased to know the planes were going to have a new home.

After returning to Lexington, the Cessna was sold and the original plan was to sell the Stinson, as well. I began tinkering with the exterior to see if the shine could be restored. After a considerable length of time the decision was made to allow me to officially begin the restoration. Through trial and error it took many attempts to find the right combination of products to bring the aluminum back to its bright shine. With help from a number of people the restoration was completed in three + years. In addition to the exterior the interior needed to be completely redone. This included new upholstery, carpeting, and refinishing of the wood paneling.

At completion, I was told I needed to give the plane a name, hence the Silver Arrow, which now has a permanent home at the museum and is being enjoyed by many of our visitors.

P lease click here for the print version of this article.

Meet David Frye

AMK Member, Volunteer , Torpedoman's Mate

and Paula's Husband

By Ed Robie

This month’s issue of Flight Lines features two units David Frye served with during his five years in the U.S.Navy. USS Hamul and VP-40. David served as a Torpedoman’s mate from 1959-1961 after basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station.

David is a long time member of AMK and joined shortly after the museum opened in 1995. There isn’t an aircraft or exhibit in the museum David has not touched, worked with or helped restore. Somewhere along the way he assumed the duties of looking after the museum store and keeping it stocked with airplane models, clothing, toys, books and other items for kids and adults. If docents or volunteers need to find where something is stored or located in the museum, ask David. If David does not know, you ask Paula. David’s wife, Paula, is also a VIP at the museum. Paula manages the office and helps David with the gift shop and coordinates booking events. She keeps the refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, and snacks in the break room. Paula also works with caterers for Aviation Summer Camp as well as regular round table speaking engagements when food is required. David and Paula celebrated their 50 ^th wedding anniversary at the Museum on March 4, 2016.

Please click here for the print and easy read version of this article.

VP-40 is a Patrol Squadron of the U.S. Navy David was attached to VP-40 from 1961-1962. He was pulled from his current assignment to support the mission of VP-40 at NS Sangley Point in the Philippines. Basically he and four other enlisted sailors managed the torpedo repair shop without officer oversight. They had it pretty easy until it became known there was no officer in the chain of command but they did their job well and when an officer was assigned they still had it pretty good.

The squadron was established on 20 January 1951. It is the second squadron to be designated VP-40, the first VP-40 was disestablished on 25 January 1950.

1 August 1959: The squadron home port was changed from NAS San Diego to NS Sangley Point, to become the first permanently based seaplane patrol squadron in the Pacific. During the deployment the squadron adopted the motto “Laging Handa,” Tag-a-log for “always ready.”

VP-40 has a long and commendable history. On June 1, 2017 Patrol Squadron FORTY Executive Officer CDR Scott Coonan assumed command from CDR Aaron Shoemaker during a Change of Command ceremony at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Coonan became the 67 ^th commanding officer of the Fighting Marlins of VP-40.

Each of David's logos is on the Attwell Hangar doors. If you would like your unit logo or logos to join the others,

Please click here for the AMK Service Wall application.

AMK Opportunities: Sign Up Here!

Volunteer, Become a Member, Donor,

Make AMK Your Next Event Destination

Why I Volunteer at The Aviation Museum of Kentucky

by Bob Blaylock

My reasons for volunteering at AMK are a little bit selfish. When I was young I was fascinated by aircraft of all types. As I got older, I took flying lessons and got involved with an ag aviation and airshow group in North Carolina. Then I joined the Air Force. After leaving the Air Force, mine was the classic story of starting a career and family and letting the fascination with flight fade. But it never went away.

I continued to follow aviation developments, study aviation history, and look skyward when a plane flew over.

Fast forward to around 2010. My friend Vaden Cox was a volunteer at AMK and was recruiting me to volunteer at the museum. That August the Collings Foundation brought a B-17 and B-24 to AMK and my wife surprised me with a trip to see the bombers. I loved it. The smell of Jet A and old airplanes, the sounds and smells of big radial engines—I was hooked all over again. I met Rocky and he gave me the nuts and bolts of volunteering. I became a docent and joined Tuesday Night Crew. In the process I made new friends and developed relationships in and out of the museum, worked with visiting aircraft groups and, in 2014, worked with Jerry Landreth and Don McFadden planning and putting on the Aviation Education Expo.

AMK Docent Bob Blaylock

Through these experiences I realized the world had changed. When I was a kid, small airports provided “up close” access to airplanes. Washing planes and cleaning hangars could result in stick time or flying lessons. In the post-9/11 world, it was hard to get near an airplane. The museum gets kids (of all ages) and airplanes together. Visiting aircraft bring history to life and our aviation camps give access to the world of flight.

The museum provides all these experiences and gives me an opportunity to repay those who gave me my access to flight. I am able to pay it forward for the next generation. This is why I volunteer.

Best Regards,

Bob Blaylock

Volunteer Opportunities Available Here!

Please contact Hunter Moore to learn more, hmoore@aviationky.org !