For the 13th year running, the last official activity for the season at Antique Airfield is our annual "Pumpkin Drop". Click for the video. Though started by accident, due to stalwart APM volunteer Les "Col. Sparky" Gaskill, this event is hosted by Brent and Marcy Taylor primarily as a "Thank You" to all the directors and volunteers whom help keep Antique Airfield the center of the old airplane world through their continued efforts.

This year we were blessed with perfect weather, once the morning ground fog burned off, and were rewarded with attendance of at least thirty five aircraft and one helicopter. Aircraft and AAA members arrived from, IA, NE, MN, WI, MO, IL, MI and even AK. Aircraft ranged from Cubs, Champs, T-crafts and the like to Meyers OTW, Stearman, Great Lakes, Starduster Too and a Bearhawk to more modern aircraft including the aforementioned helicopter (Robinson R44) and a Twin Comanche.

One hundred twenty hungry folks were served at lunch and after a thorough pilot briefing the bomb range was opened and the fun commenced. While we are not certain how many pumpkins were disposed of we estimate at least two to three hundred were sacrificed in the pursuit of bragging rights. For those that may be curious as to how we clean up the carnage from so many smashed pumpkins, being a "green" event (before it was fashionable) we simply let the local wildlife (deer and turkey) feast on the remnants.

In all it was another fun successful event and a fitting close to the season here at Antique Airfield. Click for the video, and please be patient while downloading (WMV format).

If you read this site you've probably noticed that it has been two months since the last update. This sad state is entirely the fault of your webmaster, not content providers, and it is being rectified starting with this update. I've got another month's worth of news ready to publish, which will happen in the next few days. Thanks for your patience.

Russell

Benjamin Redman sent us these photos:

This is a Waco EGC-8 owned by Bill McCormick of Clarkston Michigan. RARE Aircraft recently completed a complete restoration including all new wings. These are the "roll-out" and first run photos from early November. All went well with the ground runs and the Wright sounds great!

We hope to see the C-8 at Blakesburg 2009!
Benjamin Redman

Larry Tobin’s C3B Stearman that crashed in the Columbia Gorge this September is on its way back to health thanks to Matt Burrows and his magic TIG torch. The back half of the airplane is being grafted to the new front half and even the tail end fabric will likely be saved with all the Mamer graphic work.

The wings are at Big Sky now in Portland and the engine is at Holloway Engineering getting a check out with what's looking like little damage. Also new prop blades are now in hand and the prop hub looks to be OK. Strangely enough the wheels and brakes came through the incident with out damage or even scratched paint??

Addison

I have finally been able to "authenticate" the number of aircraft that attended the AAA/APM Fly-in. I have done this by cross checking Steve's registration list with all the photos I have received from various sources and can now confirm a total of... drum roll please ... 351 aircraft of which 299 were display aircraft.

There will be a further break down by type when published in the winter issue of Antique Airfield Runway. Thought you all might be interested in this tidbit, Brent

Brent Taylor has put together a second slide show of photos from Air Mail Days. If you missed the original it is here.

The slideshow is a Windows Media file that takes a while to download, so please be patient. Click the image below to get the slideshow.

The Georgia Chapter of the AAA has been reorganized. State Director John Reed tells us that the chapter now has over 100 members, and has sent us a new chapter officer's list. The Georgia Chapter held a successful fly-in last weekend at Peach State Aerodrome (GA2). We'll have a fly-in report up as soon as pictures are received. Congratulations to the Georgia Chapter members!

The annual Antique Airfield Pumpkin Drop will be this Saturday, November 1. Send Brent Taylor some mail at antiqueairfield@sirisonline.com if you'd like to attend, he'll reply with details. Hope to see you there!

Alan Lopez's M-2 "Bull" Stearman NC785H has its engine running at Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (NJ). It is looking ready to fly after a restoration by the Posey Brothers. This aircraft was discoverd by Bob Cameron in the Yukon at Teslin Lake many years ago.

The upper wing upper surface painted half orange was a standard paint scheme used by Varney Airlines in the Pacific Northwest region of the US to make their airplanes easier to locate when forced down or crashed in densely wooded and snow covered country. The engine is a P&W Hornet, R-1690.

Photo by Larry Posey

Photo by Larry Posey