For more coverage of the 55th Annual Cactus Fly-in check out the Arizona AAA Chapter website and their Facebook page.

New Standard D-25

There was quite the variety of aircraft at the Cactus Fly-in

Well-known aviation photographer, Gilles Auliard looking over a rare North American NA-64. Nice hat Gilles!

Stearmans and Wacos glowing in the sunset

The Flabob Express, one of three DC-3's in attendance

Mark Lightsey's well traveled Hatz CB-1

This highly polished Twin Beech was one of four in attendance

There were loads of very nice neo-classics including this polished Cessna 140

The crowd gathering to see what?

Fifi, that's what!

This Grumman Albatross is a regular attendee at the Cactus Fly-in

Lockheed "Lodestar"

A nice Aeronca 15AC "Sedan"

Grand Champion at the 2013 Cactus Fly-in was Bob & Bill Juranich's 1929 Command-Aire 5C-3 from Kent, WA

And a nice Taylorcraft in the same colors

Dennis Hall's very pretty and recently finished Hatz CB –1

Mike Grimes, Lancaster, CA has recently completed an overhaul on a LeBlond 7 cylinder 7D iron cylinder 90 HP engine for Rick Livington's St. Louis Cardinal. Rick and the aircraft are at Columbia Airport in California. Folks who fly "Lil' Round Engines" in Rearwins, Porterfields, and a few other types using LeBlonds know how much work it takes to get a good engine. Here's Mike's story on the engine overhaul:

When the engine was originally torn down about six years ago it was found to have a cracked crankshaft, master rod and one piston. Not knowing how or where to get replacement parts the cleaned parts were reassembled to make a static display engine.

When the engine was placed in my hands I was able to locate the required parts through the generous help of a lot of friends and their contacts. The worst part was that the engine had been previously been worked on by a person(s) who had no business being near an airplane, much less working on one. All of the front cover studs had been stripped out of the crankcase and replaced with bolts that had about 2/3 of their heads ground off. Several of the cylinder hold down studs had been stripped also. The crankcase had to be set up in a P&W jig borer in order to recut the stud holes with an end mill so they could be helicoiled to again accept the proper studs. The accessory case studs had also been stripped out and the holes retapped to 3/8". This required making custom studs with 3/8" threads on one end and 5/16" threads on the other end. There was not enough metal left in the case casting to allow for overboring and installing thread inserts.

The replacement master rod was a late style that takes bearing inserts. It was in an unfinished condition so some machine work and polishing had to be done to complete it along with making a new pin bushing. Off the shelf bearing inserts were acquired to fit the rod and crankpin combination.

The replacement piston was +.020" oversize and had to be machined down to standard size.

The replacement crankshaft was from a 5 cylinder engine so after magnaflux, polishing and shot peening the old 7 cylinder counterweights were installed on it.

All of the valves were worn out or ground to a razor edge so new valves were made using Ford valves as blanks.

Several valve guides had to be made to replace guides that were loose in their respective heads. This engine has one piece, cast iron, cylinders with integral heads. The original paper cylinder base gaskets were discarded and the cylinder bases sealed with O-200 cylinder base O-rings. All new paper gaskets were made for the crankcase, accessory case, oil pump and magneto drive joints. Rick says it doesn't leak much oil but it certainly flings grease in every imaginable direction.

This is an old two main bearing engine so it will only be a matter of time before the crankshaft cracks or breaks from precessional loads. Hopefully the polishing and shot peening will lengthen its service life.

Rick has installed the engine on the early model St. Louis Cardinal and has run it. He's now waiting on a propeller before flying.

During my trip to AZ to attend the AZ AAA 55th annual Cactus Fly-in at Casa Grande, AZ, Fred Borns, my cousin Eric Thompson and I spent Fri. morning visiting with Rick Barter at Skywords Aviation LLC, Avra Valley Airport, Marana, AZ and looking over the progress to John Magoffin's Lockheed DL-1B Special (DL stands for Detroit-Lockheed) "Vega", NC12288.

The new boot cowl and restored dishpan.

This particular Vega, sn#161, one of nine metal fuselage Vega's constructed, was originally licensed under a group 2 approval (2-448) on 05/29/33. Lockheed Aircraft Corp was in receivership at that time and this aircraft was assembled from parts by the laid off chief engineer Richard Van Hake. Original owner of NC12288 was John Morrell Meat Packing Co. here in Ottumwa, Iowa. Some of the later owners included Braniff, Green Construction Co., Northern Consolidated Airlines and APM founder Jack Lowe.

Freshly overhauled P&W R-985 in original gray & black as per original.

AAA/APM Founder Robert Taylor along with Lyle & Tom Hoselton (both deceased) restored the aircraft during 1964-1968 for Jack Lowe. Upon Jack's death Robert Taylor became the owner until 1983 when the aircraft was sold to Tom Thomas in Oklahoma. The aircraft was subsequently damaged/wrecked on three separate occasions and was eventually sold to current owner John Magoffin. An extensive restoration was undertaken by Rick starting a few years ago and Rick & John are doing a magnificent job. The Vega should fly this spring.

The Vega is all assembled and all flight controls are are hooked up and rigged.

As for the military paint scheme, while this particular Vega was never a military airplane John has chosen the use the paint scheme of the Lockheed YIC-12 (also a metal fuselage DL-1 Vega) sn #158 on the Vega.

This view shows the markings the Vega will carry, that of the Lockheed YIC-12

Here's a previous report on the Vega.

My "Thanks" to owner John Magoffin for inviting us down to check on progress, to Rick Barter for taking time out from his busy day to show us the Vega and answer all our questions and especially to Fred Borns for flying Eric & me down to Avra Valley airport in his 1954 Cessna 180.

Brent Taylor

Panel & instruments installed. On left the throttle quadrant, elevator trim, fuel selectors & wobble pump.

Almost ready to hang the engine

Here are the February 2013 newsletters for the Florida Antique Biplane Association and the Florida Cub Flyers. Visits to US Sugar, the continued story of Cub flying in flying in Africa.

Please enjoy this presentation on two of the outstanding aircraft attending the 2012 AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in at Antique Airfield near Blakesburg, IA: Trevor Niemyjski in his 1935 Lambert powered Monocoupe 90a, and Walt Bowe in his 1929 Laird "Speedwing" which was awarded the "Grand Champion Antique" award for the event.

AAA National Director Gary Van Farowe and his wife Carol stopped by AAA Headquarters last week on their way to warmer climes and updated us on the progress to the APM's American Eaglet, being restored by EAA Chapter 211 (Grand Haven, MI).

It's said that pictures speak louder than words so here are a few pictures showing the progress and current status of the Eaglet.

"Thanks" to Gary and EAA Chapter 211 for their dedication and hard work on the Eaglet project.

Just a reminder as to how the Eaglet looked when Gary picked it up here at the APM in November of 2011.

The fuselage being covered. Note the new landing gear V's.

The tail surfaces through silver

Repairs to the left wing are almost complete and it will be ready for cover soon.

Luscombe flyer Deb McFarland devoted a recent column in GA News to the joys of planning out her trip to this year's AAA/APM Invitation Fly-In at Blakesburg. This will be a great year for you to come too!

Click for the GA News article.

Here's the Texas Chapter March 2013 Newsletter.

The Northwest Biplane Fly-in will be at Felts Field, Spokane, WA July 19-21. See the full fly-in schedule for 2013.

The newly-formed, 3EX-based Northwest Missouri Chapter of the Antique Airplane Association held their inaugural meeting on Saturday, February 16th with about 30 attendees present. The chapter even had a couple of airplanes from Fulton, Missouri drop in for the lunch and meeting! Thanks go to Marlyn Atkinson for providing much of the food and the grilling expertise, and to AAA Executive Director Brent Taylor for driving down from Blakesburg, Iowa for the meeting. We really appreciated his input in getting the chapter off on the right foot!

Future meetings will be held the 3rd Sunday of every month at 3pm, however it should be noted that next month's meeting will be held on Saturday, March 16th immediately following the pancake breakfast fly-in. Nominations for chapter officers will be taken until March 1st; if you are interested in running for office please email info@thenew3EX.com. The election will take place on the March 16th meeting immediately following the pancake breakfast (10am).

We hope to see all of you at the pancake breakfast fly-in as well as the AAA meeting that follows!