The TaleDragger
Welcome to our virtual hangar!
This page is dedicated to the aerial tales of our fellow aviation adventurers. In our hangar, everyone is welcome and every tale is worth telling. If you would like to share your flying adventure, just email us your story and photo.
* We may show special treatment to fellow taildraggers, but our bi-fold hangar doors are open to birds of any feather.
Summer 2010
Rod Hightower, who flies Army Stearman 817 has just been named president of EAA. Go Taildraggers! To read the story, click here.
Spring 2010
Here's a nice story from one of Paul Austin's buddies in Arizona...
Jim O'Hara is a member of EAA chapter 493 in San Angelo . He is a retired college professor (I believe in Aeronautical Engineering) who learned to fly when he was about 60 years old. He's now 81 years old. Fifteen years ago, he began construction of a 2/3 scale P-38. Using information he obtained from various sources about the P-38, he drew up a set of plans using a computer aided design program. Jim and his wife Mitzi built the entire aircraft by themselves. He first flew his plane in July of last year, and has just completed flying off the time (I believe it was 50 hours). He designed the plane to have a small jump seat behind the pilot for his wife. She's tiny, and it's a good thing; the jump seat doesn't have much room.
He made his first cross-country with Mitzi from San Angelo to Fredericksburg Saturday, accompanied by many of his friends from Chapter 493. What a fantastic achievement!
Winter 2009
Yes, it's true. Some Stearmans were used for ambulatory services. Dan found this photo and thought it may make a nice travel plane... the passenger could sleep in a full-sized bed. Now that's flying first class!
Dan Sokolowski came across this picture. It's one of his uncle's buddies standing in front of a Jug he flew in WWII. All decked out in a leather jacket, Mae West and helmet, it looks like he's getting ready for a cold-weather flight. Jugs are so cool. Hey, I meant the airplanes. Enough snickering already!
Fall 2009
It looks like Jim Pippert has his Cub well-stocked for those long trips across the Iowa countryside.
This well-behaved dog (photo taken by Jim Pippert) stayed by his master throughout the Blakesburg event - no leash needed and no worries about dangerous prop blades. Kudos to impressive training.
Summer 2009
Jim Pippert cam across an AgCat sitting in the yard of a neighboring farm. Note that this farm does NOT have a landing strip. Apparently the pilot apparently landed on the gravel road leading past the farmyard. The Cat is registered to an operator from Wisconsin. The road has powerlines along one side and is not the smoothest...a good job of aviating to get the Cat down without damage.
Here's a picture Jim Pippert took at Oshkosh this year. Now these campers know how to camp in style!
OSH Memories
Diane Sokolowski's father passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family, on Friday. Verne was a gifted RC pilot and had performed in shows, such as Sun 'n Fun. May he have beautiful blue skies and calm winds when he does his shows for the man upstairs. Our hearts and prayers go out to Diane and Dan...
Here are a few of Alan Lopez's sweet square-tail Stearmans. Brian dreams of owning one of these babies... some day.
Dan came across this picture of pure awesomeness... John Mohr at an airshow. Two words: Wo-oW!
Climbing out of their new Navy Stearman #66.
Okay, maybe the photo is a little (a lot) too old to be them, but it looks like their Stearman has aged very nicely through the years. Compare to the picture of it below.
Dan and Diane Sokolowski are the new proud owners of this pristine Navy Stearman (N222FK). It was professionally restored in 2003, and has a Lycoming 225. It looks like their hard work in finding the perfect Stearman paid off - she's a beautiful bird!
Jim Pippert snapped this picture at the recent Boone RV fly-in. We couldn't make it since it was unfortunately the same time as the Quad Cities Airshow, but it sounded like they had a great turn-out.
Here's Warren Hallstrom enjoying a nice flying day with his cool Yak-52 (N552WH)
After my post on how I'd like to paint the Stinson 108, Dan Sokolowski sent a couple photos of the original Desert Pink - Sue Parrish's P-40. Here is a photo he took at his first Air Show in Ida Grove Iowa. Susan is taking off for the air show flybys (note the Eagles in the background). Dan took this photo with a Kodak 110. He helped park airplanes to get into the show for free. This P-40 was the first Warbird he had ever seen. Sue let him climb onto the wing and look in the cockpit. Years later he saw her at Oshkosh in the T-34, where she said she remembered him.
Spring 2009
First Stearman Flight
Looks like Diane Sokolowski can check off another plane off her list... She flew the Stearman as pilot-in-command just a couple weeks back. We're hoping it was enough to convince her to add one to her & Dan's fleet.
Oshkosh Memories
Here's a fond memory Dan Sokolowki shared with us recently:
Here's a photo of a Joe, good friend of mine, attempting to hand prop the famous (in Iowa) flying jeep back in 1993. Joe first took me to Oshkosh in 1986. We crammed ourselves and a small tent into a 1978 Cessna 152II. We parked and camped on the South side of 9/27. After the show we would walk across the runway, slip through the hole in the airport fence, drink beer and eat pizza with pilots from around the world at the packers Pub. Joe passed away 8 years ago. God's Speed Joe!
Winter 2008-2009
Furst Class Security
Dan Sokolowski came across the TSA Guard Dog (aka Dumpy) as he secured an agplane last summer at Storm Lake.
Bug to the Rescue
After enjoying a flight, Dan and Diane Sokolowski snapped a photo of a guy jump-starting his straight tail 172 on a cold winter day.
Required Equipment to Fly a Stinson Detroiter
Jim Pippert came along a Detroiter with some unique added equipment to make the ride a tad more comfortable. I wonder if an IA had to sign off on those modifications?
Delay's Falling Leaf Mobile
Just the other day Mike Delay (a coworker of mine) and I were cubicle flying, and he mentioned his 1959 Cessna 172 straight tail, a plane he had done most of his early flying in and which he finally let go this past year. It was completely original, from the paint to the T handle starter to the old Johnson bar for flaps. It even had the Mark IV radio and Nav heads. Delay said that this had to be one of the most stable airplanes around and had a low stall speed of about 46 mph. He said he could point the thing into the wind on a windy day and literally hover in a dirty configuration, playing havoc with Des Moines Approach. It's a plane. No, it's a helicopter. No, it's a plane. All that fun without having to change squawk codes once.
The Real Purpose of Smoke Systems
This photo was taken during the 2008 Fly Iowa at Storm Lake and modified by someone who obviously must know the guy on the left who “builds” wacky airplanes and then proceeds to crash them in an adjacent corn field.
In addition to flying a Citabria, our good pal Dan Sokolowski also flies RC model airplanes, and had been a member of the Storm Lake flying field back in the day. Thanks for sharing the photo, Dan (P.S. we love the plane in the background, too!).
Fall 2008
Blakesburg Annual Pumpkin Drop
We didn't make it to the pumpkin drop this year, but it looks like Bill Weyers had a good time going after the 2008 champion title.
Introducing The Sawhills
September 20 was the big day for Matt and Amy Sawhill. On Saturday, they tied the knot near Amy's family in northeast Iowa. The weather was beautiful and everything was perfect. And, it looks like they had the finest backdrop for photos... their shiny Cessna 140 frames the cute newlyweds perfectly! I wonder if they had the "Just Married" banner being towed behind.
Summer 2008
Is this Heaven?
Jim flew his Citabria down to the August EAA meeting at Ott's private airfield.
The Returning Champ
At a recent fly-in breakfast (ah, there's nothing like the taste of $50 pancakes on a Sunday morning), Jim discovered a familiar face while enjoying the scenery. This Champ was the first airplane he owned, and from the looks of things, it hasn't had a bath since... But, hey, it's still flying!
Siesta
Here's another cool photo by Christopher Austin: it's his father's Flybaby at rest after a late afternoon aerial adventure.
Tree-Top Flyer
Jim Pippert picked a fine day for a 2000' flight in his Piper J-3 Cub. With the sun shining, Jim had a smooth flight from Traer to Ames for a visit. And from the look of things, he was enjoying a gentle Cub breeze while being chased by his shadow.
Storm's a Brewin'
Christopher Austin took this amazing picture of Sentimental Journey seconds before a thunderstorm this past weekend. This historical B-17 stopped in AMW for the weekend courtesy of the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.
Aluminum Cans with Wings
Here's what fellow pilot Larry Miller had to say about his recent B-17 ride: "My seat was just behind the Co-Pilot; looking out through the bombardier's seat was totally awesome. We flew over the lake and around Boone, circled Ames, then back to Ankeny. Save up and treat yourself - these planes are all but gone. It makes you appreciate what the young pilots of WWII went through - being shot at in an aluminum can with wings."
Life's the Pitts
Paul Austin is heading out for an evening adrenalin rush in a new take on the Head Bangers Ball. With the squirrelly Pitts, chances are he'll return with a big smile on his face (or a look of sheer terror!).
Boomer's Place
Our friend Boomer does some cool things with a camera. At this year's American Barnstormer Tour, he snapped away and shared some beautiful pictures of the vintage planes online. Check his pictures out at www.stonehousetap.com.
Through that link click on Boomer's Place and then scroll down to Barnstormers Fly-In Ames IA 2008.
Barnstorming Across America
The American Barnstormers Tour brought a great performance to Ames for several days this month. During their stay, over 1000 folks enjoyed a ride in a rare piece of aviation history. With their passion for flying and meticulously restored aircraft, it was hard to see them fade into the horizon. We'll keep our fingers crossed that they stop by AMW (and our hangar) again.
Hootin' with the Owls
The Quad Cities Air Show has earned a reputation for having rare and unique planes on display, and 2008 was no different. In the midst of admiring this year's planes, Brian discovered some interesting landlocked birds.
Winter 2007-2008
The Red Baron Bids Farewell
It was hard to see the Red Baron Squadron disbanded after years of painting hearts in the sky. They have left their mark on the world as possibly the best formation aerobatic team around. Brian's brother, Travis "The King of Diamonds" Aukes, who flew slot (i.e. number 4 position) on the team for 15 years, has transitioned into a successful crop dusting career in Illinois for a slower change of pace. :)
Winter Warm-Up
Brian is getting ready to convert av-gas into smoke and noise with our North American SNJ-5 Texan on a brisk winter morning. With a 12-to-1 blower installed, he's probably heading out for some aerobatic fun by the lake and proving once again that he lives his personal motto, "fly it like you stole it."
And Before That...
Wild Horses
At the Stearman Fly-In our friend Tony Buechler stopped by in his gorgeous P-51 Petie 2nd. While catching up on aerial adventures and stories involving big guns, Tony turned to me and said, 'you wanna come along for a ride?" Before he could change his mind, I was buckled in his jumpseat in under 1.3 seconds. After the ride of a lifetime, I think the "P" in P-51 must stand for Perfect.
