BUD WILLIAMS' / PLANES
BUD'S KRIEDER RIESNER KR-34C RESTING IN THE GARBER FACILITY SMITHSONIAN
Bud's N103Y 1930 Waco RNF (sold)
Bud's N13041 1932 Waco UBA (sold)
BUD'S LATEST PROJECT
WAG AERO CUBBY NOT MUCH WAG IN IT, BUT A GROWL YES !!
Alpha to Omega
1940 to 2000
By
Bud Williams
This is the tale of an 81-year-old pilot, still flying from the time of his first aeroplane ride until the present.
Bud had his first aeroplane ride in 1934, at the annual “Pumkin Show”. An old
Bi-plane of unknown origin was hopping passengers out of a hay field. He was 15 at the time. His older brother had a job delivering block ice to homes that were fortunate enough to have ice boxes, the original refrigerators. Ray was paid $1.50 per day, a very good job in the height of the “Great Depression”. That was for a 10-hour day. To put it into perspective, gasoline was 15 cents per gallon put in your tank, along with cleaning the windshield, oil check, tire check and any other check the motorist could think of with a smile and a thank you. Ray offered to finance penniless me, and himself on a hop around the field for a total of $1.00 for him and .50 cents for me. I was forever hooked on flying.
Six years later I was married to Vina. We were living in Indianapolis. And I had taken a night course in Parts Inspection, learning to use machine-measuring devices. With some “pull” from Vina’s uncle, I got a job at International Harvester Truck Engine Works. I was a final inspector on crankshafts at top pay for this job being $1.02 per hour.
Vina and I, in our $30.00 per month duplex, decided that as our 1937 Packard sedan was now paid off, we could afford for me to take flying lessons in a 1937 Aeronca Defender at the rate of $4.00 for ½ hour per week. Bob Clay was a young man from Kentucky with a sixth grade education whom I thought a top instructor. He soloed me in less than six hours. This was early 1941. After completing my second solo hop, Bob said, “How would you like to trade your Packard for an aeroplane”. I (Bud) was dumbfounded. The aeroplane was a 1929 Curtiss-Robin. After thinking about it for 39 seconds the deal was sealed with a handshake.
The power for this old brother of “Wrong Way” Douglas Corrigan’s Atlantic hopping Robin was a Curtiss Challenger. A six -cylinder radial of 185 H.P. During the depression aeroplanes were not repaired until they ceased to get off the turf. Long periods of repose left a liberal supply of rust on exposed valve stems. This in turn chewed up the bronze valve guides. Over night the two bottom cylinders would have a half pint of black 100-weight oil in each combustion chamber. The drill was to pull a spark plug from each chamber and return the oil to the oil tank. After about ten minutes in the air, the gasoline mixture would semi-clean the plugs and all six would contribute.
The old Robin had a little hand crank, 20,000 volt, and spark generator on the floor to the right of the pilots seat. I would put diminutive Vina in the pilots seat and after priming, would signal her to give me “contact”, and crank like hell. The six would backfire and spin the prop in European norm. “Lets do it again Vina”. After a few tries, the nine feet of alloy is rotating in the designed while great masses of blue smoke, liberally punctuated with gobs of grease and oil, are gestating out of the cowlings. I flew whenever I had a few extra dollars and .25 cents for gasoline, plus the necessary ration stamps.
8:00 A.M., December 8, 1941, found Bud and a younger brother Irvine in a ten block long line of gung-ho young men at the main Post-office in downtown Indianapolis. Irvine chose the Army Air Corp, and was sent to armory school and was with the 8th in England in a few months. I insisted on pilot training. I had a permanent deferment as critical to the war effort grinding crankshafts at $2.60 per hour. I also had about 200 hours of 185 H.P. pilot time. I was in a discreet drivers seat. The powers agreed to place me in a deferred pool until I met the qualifications for Aviation Cadet. These were perfect health, 18-27 years of age, 2 ½ years of college, and unmarried. I didn’t see how it could be accomplished.
In late 1942, I was given a reading, writing, and arithmetic test in which I surprised everyone with a high score, even # 1. My health was near perfect, 20-15 in my left eye, and 20-25 in my right eye. I had never seen a college, let alone attending it. I was definitely married. I was accepted and sent to Kansas State College. I studied hard and was advanced from my class to the next higher, graduated and was sent to pre-flight In California. Then to primary, Stearmans. On to basic bamboo-bombers. Now to the biggies. I had requested P-38 all the way through school so as to keep from dying of disappointment, and I was assigned B-25’s for advanced. I graduated in March of 45, was assigned to a B-25 outfit in the Pacific Theater when the Japs turned belly-up. Now to pilot pool flying T-6’s until released from active duty in September of 45 as a 2nd Lieutenant.
I had not had nearly enough of military flying and consequently stayed in the active reserves. The base near my farm was flying C-45’s and C46’s. I got to fly these all over the country. In 1951 the 434th Troop Carrier Squadron was activated and sent to Kyushu, Japan, there to transition to C-47’s flying in and out of Korea. Then we moved out outfit to Seoul, Korea. Our primary task was to transport litter patients from M.A.S.H. back to our base on a sandbar in the middle of the Han River. From there the boys rode an ambulance or fresh-air helicopter to Seoul hospital.
I was promoted to 1st Looey and was given a temporary assignment as first pilot on Gen. James A. VanFleet’s personal super D.C.-3. The 434th was a combat cargo unit, which carried all kinds of stuff all over Korea, and Japan. Once I was directed in heavy weather by mistake over North Korea. The Big Pilot brought me out of that fiasco. My last flight was to an island in the China Sea in enemy territory. Another pilot talked the flight leader into assigning him to that mission and gave me the task of making 5 trips into M.A.S.H. The flight to the island was shot down and everyone on board, including my flight leader and a Lieutenant Colonel, who went along to qualify for his hazardous duty pay perished. I believe The Boss Pilot, had more things for me to do. The real M.A.S.H. facility bore little resemblance to the pseudo funny program on TV. The air- strip was 2200 feet of gravel inside a horseshoe bend of the Han River, with 500 feet hills on each end. The old “Gooney Birds” came out of there with four in the flight crew, two nurses, two medical technicians and twenty-two stretcher patients, some in very critical condition. I lost only one on all of my missions. Four plasma bottles could not keep up with his head wound. Some one once told me that I had a cushy role in Korea. I’ll bet that Lieutenant Colonels last thoughts wouldn’t agree.
My role was not nearly as dangerous as a lot of the others, but it was critical and I was trained for it. One of our C47’s wound-up in the Han river as a result of losing the top half of the stabilizer and rudder upon striking an enemy cable strung from mountain to mountain across the river at 400 feet. We flew low up the river to stay beneath the overcast to get to M.A.S.H. I do not want to come across as overly pious, but I am sure that it was more than skill and luck that brought me back to be assigned to C54’s operating between Massachusetts and Germany.
In 1954 Vina and I decided that it was time for me to become a permanent civilian. She had sold the farm and I became a building contractor in Madison. I still have total respect and gratitude for the C47’s, as do most others who have flown her. I hastily try to get out to see one when I hear the unique sound of the two synchronized 1200 horse power Pratt and Whitney 1830’s transiting over my turf. Now, finally on to my progression of aeroplanes. I was released as a Captain.
The building business prospered. In 1962, I bought a P.T.-22 for $1,495.00, including two spare Kinner R-56’s and prop. I flew it seven years. Next was a Fairchild “24” with a very sick Warner 145. I found another Warner 145 in parts, rebuilt it and put it in the “24”. My next find was a nice Piper P.A. 16 “Clipper” 108 H.P., just did not impress me, sayonara. The next owner re-engined with an O-320. That made it a tolerable machine.
I heard of a 1930 Waco R.N.F. on a farm near Troy, Ohio where the Waco factory was located. Waco was out of business, having completed the order of G-C1 gliders for the Army. They tried in 1946 to come back with a tri-gear cabin plane. It was a fine bird but did not survive the post-war flurry. The R.N.F. was powered with an anemic 145 Warner. A good combination after I had installed the rebuilt “24” Warner engine. The R.N.F. was the lightest of the Waco’s. It was three place and overall a very enjoyable aeroplane. I always had a flyable plane while building/rebuilding.
I had enjoyed the P.T.-22 but got tired of wiping 100 weight oil off after every flight. I do not want to come across as denigrating the Kinner; I think it is a very reliable engine if maintained properly. For those currently owning an R-55 or R-56, I found International Truck engine piston rings by Perfect Circle a perfect solution to high oil temperature.
I bought another P.T.-22 with a run-out Kinner. You purist may elect to skip over this modification. A freshly overhauled 10-360-A1A replaced the R-56. This gave me the opportunity to utilize a New McCauley constant speed prop. I had to craft all new sheet metal and to top it off; I covered the complete drag producing landing gear as Ryan had done to the Dutch S.T.M.-2. I was pleased with the results, now a “22” would get off in 600 feet as compared to the Kinner of 1100 feet. I had a very reliable dry engine, but it used a tad more fuel. Also, the snap roll suffered. In the original, enter the roll at 105, hold full rudder, full back stick, full aileron and get 3 ½ rolls then split-S out. I call that fun. With the mod, after 1 ½ she gave it up. This was due to the anteater nose and the stabilizing gear cover. I also built an auxiliary tank from two large military spinners. This was slung from center fitting of the gear wires. An auxiliary electric pump was used to run this tank dry. This tank held 8 gallons of fuel. This fine aeroplane is flying in California. I was disappointed in the cruise with the mod. I only picked up about 12 mph.
This next one is special to me, and my son Mike, who is caring for it now. My F.S.D.O. inspector E.L. McDaniel’s out on Indianapolis called me and put me on to a basket case Monocoupe. In a huge automobile junk yard, inside an old bread truck cargo area was a like new 90AL Monocoupe fuselage, a new set of blank spars, a full set of new ribs, drift and anti-drift wires, complete empennage and an IGO-435 Lyc. With a host of other various and sundry parts. The deceased owner was planning some kind of racing machine when a line attendant filled his Queen Air with jet fuel. I wanted to take it back to a modified 90 AC. The big Lyc. was sent packing. An 0-360C with a fresh overhaul was eventually hung up front. Engine, prop, and nose bowl was Cessna 172. I built the new wing four feet shorter than the original 32 feet, due to 145 H.P. replacing 108, this is a good match. This is a strong wing with close to 6G positive, 3G negative. In about 2 years this all came together as a serious flying machine. Painted blue and off-white, with the familiar ball and tails of the Amelia Earhart Coupe. Chas Lindberg’s coupe hangs in the St. Louis terminal. Our son Mike is enjoying, and caring for the Williams-Monocoupe now, although I am still in the picture.
By now the local flyboys have begun to take notice. I had another stroke of good fortune. One of my friends told me that there was an old aeroplane in a barn over in Kentucky, not 40 miles from Madison. I made contact with the owner and soon I bore that distinction. It turned out to be a very rare 1932 Waco R.B.A. If you know all of the Waco letter designations, you are also very rare. I certainly do not. Waco of Troy, Ohio, by the way say “wahco”, Waco is in Texas. Waco is taken from Weaver Aircraft Co. Now that we have cleared that up, on with the show. Waco in their terminology, determined that their aircraft would be assigned letters to distinguish the many models. In the three-letter designator, the first letter denotes the engine make, the second letter wing design, and the third letter fuselage type. Suffix numbers, the year of design. In the mid seventies, surplus Continental R-670-7’s were plentiful and cheap having been used extensively by the military in airplanes, tanks, portable electric generators, and various and sundry tasks not known to me. This is a very dependable radial engine of 220 HP. I flew behind and beside many of them. I purchased one from Chris Stoltzfus with 7 complete new tank cylinders. The R.B.A. became a U.B.A., certified. The “R” denotes a Warner engine, “U” Continental, “I” Kinner, “P” Jacobs, “T” Kinner, “H” Packard. I rebuilt and recovered with the Stits process, the only process I have ever used. I finished with Dupont Imron in the original factory colors, Vermillion red fuselage, silver wings with scallops, Waco fish-hook stripe in black bordered with narrow silver stripe down the fuselage and also on the antique wheel pants. Only 22 of these aeroplanes were built in 1932 and 1933. Two survive to my knowledge.
The U.B.A. was a two-place side-by-side open cockpit bi-plane. It sported Johnson Bar mechanical brakes. A long throttle lever that was pulled to the right, which pulled a cable to the wheel on the side that the rudder pedal was depressed, operated these. For throttle operation, the lever was moved fore and aft. This worked very well. The aeroplane was a joy to fly and the performance was average for that era. I would not think of parting with N13041 if she were mine today. I have cried a few gallon of spilt milk over that impropriety. My legs are pretzel-like and my posterior sort of favors that of a chimpanzee, figuratively. What a colossal mistake engendered by a remark of a so-called expert. Smarting from that foolishness, I resolved to re-coup. Answering an ad in Trade-a-plane, resulted in driving my El Camino pulling the lightweight aeroplane retrieval trailer that I had built to Maine. There I loaded both vehicles with the complete remains of a 1929 airliner, a Kreider-Reisner C4C, later known as a Fairchild-KR34. This was another 3 place open cockpit. The passengers sat in the commodious front hole, clad in as much leather as a small cow. The pilot was similarly covered. The noise was deafening, but you ignored that by watching the rocker arms doing the two-step through the holes that cooled the valve springs. In front of the passengers there was a cavernous baggage compartment. I spent about four years figuring out how all these hand-made pieces fit together. I rebuilt the 5 cylinder Wright J-6-5 including turning the rings, new valve guides from a piece of phosphorus bronze, and replacing the leaky leather seal on the 7 to 1 supercharger with a double layer of neoprene. I credit this ability to my work at International Harvester and also as a machinist and process engineer at the Naval Ordinance Plant in Indianapolis. Planning was the principle task at N.O.P. At the risk my resembling a steam engine with more than a full head of steam, these parts all worked well. These old planes would be dodo birds if the American boys had to rely on O.E.M. parts. Fairchild Aircraft had purchased the K.R. Company in 1929. They sent several 8”x10” glossy pictures and some history of Fairchild and K.R. The glossies depict the airline role. On the sides were large black letters “NORTH PENN AIRWAYS”, otherwise she was all white. When the Smithsonian Institute requested it as a “Unique part of American history”, I placed it there, hoping that some of my progeny can see something for them and the world in general to enjoy. The aircraft is finished exactly as in the glossies. The letters are in 1929 style.
Now comes the urge to build an aeroplane from scratch. That means the first thing was deciding “What”. Being sort of an egotistical person I wanted it to be a first. While attending the annual “Sun-n-Fun” at Lakeland, Florida, I spied a full size wing rib in the corner of the antiques headquarters. Upon inquiring it was determined it was a built-up Monk 6 for a Waco ATO “Taper wing”. The Taper wing is a highly prized antique. This was 1983. I made an accurate tracing on a length of shelf covering. I didn’t want to create a monumental project. No more than a four year job. That is why I decided to build an exact 80% replica. The Taper wing is a very stout aerobatic biplane. The replica will be the same but smaller, two place instead of three. I never did get the pilot downsized to 80%. I used this scale because 8/10ths. Is very easy to compute in your mind. The rib drawing was divided into eight stations. On a calculator each of these were reduced 20%, thus an 8/10ths. Scale rib of the same Monk 6 as the original profile. At the Hamilton, Ohio Waco fly-in I found a Taperwing manual, which was the text book for this endeavor. I also took a lot of pictures of dismantled Taperwing's at Zellwood, Florida and Hamilton, Ohio. The “Skunkworks”, my shop, is 36’x 50’ with lots of equipment. On the floor of this shop, in chalk, I drew the plan form. Remnants of this chalk drawing remained for 6 months. Of course I made smaller paper drawings and full size internal wing drawings. The four wing panels are identical and each has 13 ribs plus 9 in the center section. This means there are 13 full ribs and 4 each of 12 different profiles. Each rib has 19 different size pieces ¼” x ¼” Sitka spruce glued together, Phew! Thirteen different rib templates were required. About 500 feet of chrome-molydenum tubing of varying diameter and wall thickness was used. This was cut with a carborundum saw and gas welded to form a rigid fuselage. Now I am not trying to confuse the readers, the wing nuts understand all of this. I do want to emphasize the complexity and planning and work involved. I think this in the only small Taperwing ever built. I worked by myself in my shop, but a few times a second set of hands is very practical. I have designed several simple machines made from whatever is handy and cheap. My rotisserie is unique and tremendously useful. Made from a few pieces of lumber I can turn the wing over by myself, even with wet paint. Also the fuselage works equally as well. I can position them radially and hold them thru pre-drilled holes with a sixteen-penny scaffold nail. Other tools I built include, a five-foot break, a louver press and many smaller hand tools. The sheet metal break cost a total of $40.00.
The engine should be about 80% of the power and size of the 220 H.P. Wright J-5. I have considerable experience with the Warner Scarab engines and a 165H.P. would meet the criteria. Locating one would be the problem. A friend tipped me off to a possibility in Chicago. It was there and could be had. This was a complete engine but was an assemblage of the new parts, except the bare cylinders, it was kind of expensive and worth the price. I used an unusual approach in rigging the wings. Being tapered presents a problem. Four yardsticks and my builders transit made it easy, accurate and quick. I used the tried and very good Stits Poly-fibre process of covering. For the non-builder, this consists of a special Dacron fabric being shrunk over all of the airframe except in proximity of the heat-producing engine. The wings were painted in cream color while the fuselage in contrasting reddish orange. Empennage cream. A medium brown accent fishhook stripe, landing gear and all lettering: From the Aeromatic propeller back to the front cockpit was compound curved aluminum alloy. This aircraft was featured in Jan. 90 Sports Aviation and April 97 Kit planes. I enjoyed flying this robust and responsive machine for seven years, along with my Monocoupe.
The year is 1996. I had a good low time O-235 C2C, pickled, in my “Skunk Works”, also considerable amounts of various and sundry aircraft parts and material. We had decided that perhaps one more aeroplane to be proud of could be created from this extensive hoard. What would it be? How about a replica, Bud style, of a Piper P.A.-11? Easy to build (not right) cheap, (sort of), will accept most of my on hand stuff; I had Cuby drawings for a base. Popular aircraft. Two place, the proper engine, as a Lycoming engineer had informed me how to get 125 H.P. out of the 235. I installed Total Seal piston rings and carefully built-up a strong engine. Some of the chrome-moly tubing is oversize. Basically it is P.A.-11. The tubing was filled with a hot linseed oil, as all junctions were pre-weld connected with one-eighth holes. After several hours in the hot summer sun, the oil was drained and filler holes sealed. The covering was finished in Nov. 99. Painted in almost Cub colors in early 2000. I have crafted a sort of fifth wheel in the space between the lower tailgate and bed of my El Camino. Lashing the tail wheel into this device, with Vina running shotgun, close behind the prop, I carefully tow it 2 miles to the airport. A couple of friends help me hang the wings on and then a month of tweaking and it is ready for the F.A.A. Certificate of Airworthiness. Mike was there for the maiden flight on 7-21-2000. The seats are in black cowhide and easy on the cheeks. All control cables are new one eight inch, custom made with none of the turnbuckles outside of the covering. All terminals are stainless steel swedged on the cables. Paint is orange yellow with insignia blue undercarriage and lighting strike on fuselage and spats. Letters and numbering are blue. The “Muscle Cub” with minimum load will levitate after a 75-foot run and climb 2000 ft/min. Easy cruise about 100 M.P.H. and 5.5 gph.
Our son Mike, now 46 started flying with me in the first P.T.-22. He was 8 years old. We had leather outfits including helmets with Gosport’s so we could communicate one way in the air, guess which way.
I am a comm. Pilot, L.+S. single, twin-engine land with instrument and instructor rating. Mike was an apt student and a great kid to travel with always. Except for a few times such as the time of our arrival at the Waco gathering at Hamilton. When I shut the R.N.F. down he helped me by shutting off fuel, which I found out about on the next takeoff at 100 feet over the departure end of the runway when the Warner complained. We slept in sleeping bags under the wing with a sheet of plastic over all. We brushed our teeth with dew off the wing. We always had a hell of a good time. Ottumwa was great but we didn’t cotton to Blakesburg. Rockford was a favorite as was Hamilton.
After college and about 15 years in the automobile business and a few hundred hours owing and flying airplanes he decided he had eagle blood. He sold his business and now owns Genesis Aviation in Columbus, Ind. – Try, mike@wingworksusa.com. This is 40 miles from where he was raised and our home. He will have among others, a beautifully restored Tiger Moth in the spring of 2001. He is now the caretaker of my Monocoupe. I had often told him that it was my “keep” aeroplane. I hope it goes on down to my grandsons Kris and Andy. With the 0-300C it performs very well and has tolerable cross country speed, I had built the wing 4 feet short which lets it roll nice and other aerobatics but we limit it to positive maneuvers.
This is a very accurate synopsis of 60 years of kinship with Wilbur and Orville’s progeny, which I am confident, had a very profound real effect upon whatever I have become and considerable effect upon Vina and our descendents.
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds, and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hovering there I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung my eager craft through footless hall of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace where never lark, or even eagle flew. And while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod the high un-trespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand and touched the face of God (poem by John Gillespie MaGee Jr.).
I included this poem because I feel that it is so near to my life and so beautiful, I want more people to enjoy it.
Bud A. Williams
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to all who have helped me in the many ways through the years and projects. Vina, Mike, Linda, three Jims, George, Roy, Billie, Steve, Gerald and all of the rest of you good friends. B.A.W.
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