Guestbook & Other Impressions
Ron Fry Aeronca 058/L3 rfry@netjets.com
Thank you for having an Aeronca. Especially an 058/L3. My uncle Maurice Fry was a test pilot for Aeronca and was killed while flying one in 43. A drunk assymbly line worker had put a strut bolt in upside down and didnt safety it.
Bob Hollenbaughs book about Aeroncas has some interesting pictures with my uncle. I always enjoy the one where he is standing by the aircraft with NO engine. He was testing a ground adjustable prop at the time and one blade let loose causing the insueing vibration to rip the entire engine off. He started to bail out but found that he could move forward far enough to balance the aircraft. The pictures show he was successful. Lets see a Piper do that!! This experince actually gave Aeronca the idea that they could produce the glider from the normal aircraft. This is why they could produce one in just 90 days, My uncle was the first pilot of it and actually went around the country showing the glider to the military. (By that time he had the most glider time.) He also flew the super chief ambulance they built around demonstrating it even in Wash. DC.
I have several original Grasshopper decals that were actually produced by Disney. BUT I think the actual name was coined when Aeronca, Piper and Taylorcraft flew in the war games in Louisianna in, I believe, 1940. Bobs books shows a line up of Defenders painted in military markings prior to those games. My uncle wrote an article about flying in the games, I think in a farm magazine and I think he wrote in there about the Army troops calling them Grasshoppers. Mainly because they would just land on a road and pull up to a gas station to get gas. Its been along time since I read it.
I even have several of the message envelopes with streamers that they would use to drop messages to fwd Army units.
Unfortunately an attic fire several years ago destroyed an original Army manual on the installation of the radios used in the L3's. It gave part numbers and very nice pictures of the installations.
Keep her flying. Shes is and will be a great flyer for many years to come. I think Aeroncas are much better flyers than Piper or Taylorcrafts. How many of those have you ever heard of taking off on their own and flying until they run out of fuel? You cannot fly them from either seat either.
Have a great day.
Thursday, September 13, 2007 at 23:48:12 (CDT)
Ruud Leeuw Aviation History and Photography
Impressions of our C-47 before it flew to Paso Robles.
AshSLO's Photos
flickr photos of several of our ewarbird planes.
Van Gilder Aviation Photography of Southern California
Photos of Estrella Warbird Museum
A C-47 with some history!
Web-Shots
mjv523 <>
A new air museum in Paso Robles, CA
Fascinating site and well worth the visit!
Betty <>
Japan - Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 11:53:12 (CDT)
Great site only due to the very hard work of our Webmaster.
George Taylor <taylors76@msn.com>
Lompoc, CA USA - Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 14:51:12 (CDT)
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