Frequent Flyer
Latest
| 
| Hits: 828
Precious Cargo
The only airworthy aircraft of its kind, the PB4Y-2 ‘Privateer’ will take to the skies over Casa Grande, Ariz. next month.
(Casa Grande, Ariz., Sept. 13, 2011) — At 75 feet long, 30 feet high and 110 feet wide from wingtip-to-wingtip, the Consolidated PB4Y-2 ‘Privateer’ based at the Casa Grande Municipal Airport is tough to miss. For locals and pilots, it’s a familiar sight — but also unfamiliar, even for the most seasoned aviation enthusiast.
That’s because it’s the only ‘Privateer’ still flying.
“There’s [a ‘Privateer’] in Greybull, Wyoming that’s currently parked on the ramp,” explains Bruce Brockhagen, spokesperson and volunteer. “There’s another in a Texas museum that’s capable of flight, but it’s parked for now. And, the U.S. Navy has one at its Naval Air Station museum in Pensacola,” he adds. “But, ours is the only one still actively flying, as far as we know.”
So, where did all the ‘Privateers’ go?
Although 739 were originally built as patrol bombers for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines between 1935 and 1962, most were scrapped for metal following WWII and the Korean War. According to Brockhagen, nine were sent to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1945 (including this one). Others went on to operate as fire bombers.
In its lifetime, this particular PB4Y-2 had served all three roles.
Where It Began
Introduced during WWII, Privateers are modified Army B-24 Liberators borne of the Navy’s need for land-based planes with longer ranges, particularly for Arctic and other northern wintertime operations. “The U.S. Navy had amphibious aircraft with limited missions and ranges,” explains Brockhagen. “The PB4Y filled the long-range needs of the Navy for patrol bombers and surveillance flying out of land-based naval facilities, as opposed to flying off aircraft carriers.”
Modifications included a longer nose, plus the addition of top and waist-powered turrets. “The new model was also designed with a single vertical tail in place of the B-24’s twin tails,” Brockhagen points out. “Because Navy patrol missions were flown at lower altitudes, the high-altitude capability of the B-24 wasn’t necessary.”
Additionally, the Liberator’s turbo superchargers were replaced with mechanically supercharged P&W R-1830s. As Brockhagen points out, it is also important to note that while initial PB4Y-2s had a Liberator-type nose turret, most were modified to have an Erco ball turret installed in the nose.
The Flight Path
In 1945, nine PB4Ys — including this aircraft — were transferred to the United States Coast Guard.
Fifteen years later, it was put into aerial tanker service as N2871G (the tail number it still bears today) by an aviation company based in Greybull, Wyoming. For fire-bombing purposes, its four motors were replaced with 1,700-horsepower Curtiss-Wright Cyclone engines. For the next 47 years, it flew as an aerial tanker.In August 2006, the aircraft was auctioned off to a group of private individuals, including Woody Grantham, co-founder of Chandler, Ariz.-based Arizona Air Response. “He is perhaps the greatest contributor to this ongoing project,” Brockhagen says.
Their overriding goal was to preserve the history of this venerable warbird and stop it from being turned into scrap metal. Several volunteers, including Brockhagen, committed to lending their time and expertise to “bring the aircraft back and keep it flying.”
Soon after acquisition, the ‘Privateer’ underwent a comprehensive inspection, maintenance, repair and conversion effort. The entire process was FAA-approved and conducted by B&G Industries, also based in Greybull, which has extensive experience with this aircraft, as well as a fair amount of spares. Under the supervision of Tim Mikus, B&G’s director of maintenance, the plane’s fire suppression tanks were removed to restore fuselage interior space, and its bomb bay doors were refitted for the first time in more than 50 years.
“The original bomb racks and armament were removed to make way for fire-fighting systems — slurry tanks and the plumbing necessary to ensure efficient fire-retardant distribution once released from the aircraft,” Brockhagen explains. This left a large hole, which necessitated refitting the bomb bay doors, which had the effect of “sealing up” the aircraft.
Removal of the fire systems also made it easier to conduct the FAA-mandated work necessary to return the Privateer to the skies, he points out.
Arizona or Bust!
Last October, Grantham flew the ‘Privateer’ to Casa Grande, Ariz., where it resides today. It is the only airworthy example of this Navy variant of the B-24 heavy bomber.
Stenciled on the fuselage is Grantham’s name, along with that of co-pilot Bob West, both certified PB4Y pilots from the fire-fighting arena. Crew Chief Robert Kropp, who has a long history in warbird maintenance, rounds out the flight crew.
For now, the Privateer retains its well-known firefighting livery, but decisions remain regarding how to restore it. “Should an effort be made to honor the Navy history?” Brockhagen poses. “Or, should it honor the fire-bomber history? Or, maybe [we should recognize] its Coast Guard history?”
Regardless of its ultimate restoration, plenty of WWII aviation veterans and firefighting pilots can identify the aircraft on sight. “I like hearing them describe their experiences flying this type of aircraft in WWII, and the stories of all who had a part of making history with the Privateer in service to our nation, whether in defense of our country at war or in fighting fires,” Brockhagen says.
In particular, he remembers an 85-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who stopped by at an air show a few years ago. He recounted his experience as a 19-year-old Privateer pilot during WWII.
Having been attacked by a Japanese Zero, they descended through the clouds. The Japanese pilot didn’t pursue, believing the aircraft was destined to crash. Instead, under cloud cover, the crew ditched everything it could out of the bomb bay doors. The aircraft made it back to base with only one of its four engines operational.
See It In Action!
The ‘Privateer’ will take to the skies Oct. 20-22, 2011 at the 39th-annual COPPERSTATE Fly-In & Aviation Expo at the CasaGrandeMunicipalAirport.
Since 1971, the COPPERSTATE Fly-In & Aviation Expo has been an excellent place to see a diverse blend of aircraft in flight, attend informative workshops and check out the latest, greatest aviation products. Complete details are available at the official COPPERSTATE website.
Media Contact:
RaeAnn Slaybaugh
COPPERSTATE News Media Chairman
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
602.427.8515
| | Hits: 720
Frequent Flyer
Weighing in at only 340 pounds — and delivering an impressive 50 mpg — the diminutive VW-powered Hummelbird is a fun, frugal way to fly.
(Casa Grande, Ariz.,Sept. 20, 2011) — To see it coming, you might think your eyes are playing tricks on you. Do they even make airplanes that small?
Well, Chandler, Ariz. resident Ted Dearing does. And, he does it well.
Weighing less than most motorcycles — and delivering up to 50 miles per gallon — his 340-pound, Volkswagen-powered Hummelbird is a “daily driver” in the aviation community.
Built in 2003, this single-seat, all-metal, low-wing experimental/homebuilt aircraft is designed to be as lightweight as possible. Dearing says he has spent about 1,000 hours customizing his aircraft to be light and fuel-efficient. For this reason, the Hummelbird has no electrical system; it is powered by a hand-propped, 100-percent solar-powered ignition — the only one of its kind that Dearing knows of. He also uses a handheld radio to communicate.
Under the hood, it’s a similar story. Although the design called for a lightweight two-cylinder VW engine, Dearing opted for a four-cylinder VW engine. “It only increased the aircraft’s weight by 20 percent, which is well within the allowable range,” he says. “Overall, it’s a light, simple engine.”
Silver Wings
Dearing’s Hummelbird features all-metal construction as opposed to fabric or wood. Not only does this make the aircraft rugged, Dearing — a retired metal shop teacher — likes the look of it. “Plus, it’s easy to maintain, especially in the desert,” he points out. This is critical because he doesn’t store the aircraft in a hangar at Stellar Airpark, where he lives; it is exposed to the elements.
“It’s not intended to be a show plane,” he clarifies. “It’s just supposed to very functional. And it is.”
Something else the Hummelbird isn’t is a “kit plane.” Rather, it is 
built according to a highly customizable scratch-build plan from the early 1980’s. “Hundreds were built,” Dearing explains. “But, because there weren’t — and still aren’t — any ‘kits,’ per se, readymade parts weren’t available.”
As a result, he has built every part of the aircraft, including the fuel-efficient engine.
For all its customization, Dearing hasn’t blown his retirement savings on his Hummelbird; he estimates he has only invested about $5,000, including avionics. “I’m a real good scrounger,” he laughs — so adept, in fact, that he has built three complete engines for the aircraft with almost no out-of-pocket expense. “VW parts are pretty inexpensive to begin with,” he explains. “And, I’m able to reuse many of the parts people give me when they dismantle their VWs, even the dune buggies.”
Relatively speaking, it doesn’t cost much to fly the Hummelbird, either; it redlines between 135 mph and 140 mph, but cruises at 115 mph, burning just 2.6 gallons of automotive gas per hour on average. And, if Dearing cruises at less than 100 mph, he can get 50 mpg. With its six-gallon tank, the aircraft is good for at least a few continual hours in the air without refueling, although its solar-powered battery delivers about 10 hours of flight time.
To date, Dearing — who’s had his private pilot’s license for more than 50 years — has logged about 800 hours in his Hummelbird. He flies it almost every day, mostly to Payson, Tucson, Gila Bend and Casa Grande for the day, or to Coolidge to have breakfast.
“What I do is mostly low-country desert flying,” he explains. “These aren’t cross-country airplanes, so you don’t see too many of them. They mostly stay at home.”
Maybe this is why people stop him so often to ask about the unusually small aircraft. “On occasion, it gets mistaken for a [Teenie Two] kit plane,” he says, referring to an aircraft introduced by Popular Mechanics in May 1971. The cover caption reads: “Build a VW-Powered Plane for $750.” Whereas both aircraft are VW-powered and feature all-metal construction, Dearing reiterates that the Hummelbird isn’t a kit plane. “It’s more reliable,” he says of his aircraft. “And, its pilots tend to be more experienced.”
Look Out Below!
Up in the air, Dearing tends to follow roads a lot. That way, if forced to land, he knows he can.
The Hummelbird lands at between 35-40 mph and glides close to 13:1. It only needs the length of a football field to touch down and can take off with about 300 feet of makeshift runway.
This low-maintenance characteristic came in handy a few years ago, when Dearing had to land his Hummelbird on the Beeline Highway, halfway to Payson. Due to mishandling of the ignition pre-flight, the engine gave out in the air. Because the aircraft doesn’t have a re-starter on board (again, an effort to keep it ultra lightweight), he had no choice but to land on the highway.
“It went OK,” he laughs. “Then, after I restarted it, I took off in the other direction.”
See It In Action
It might very well be the smallest aircraft at the 39th-annual COPPERSTATE Fly-In & Aviation Expo at the CasaGrandeMunicipalAirport next month, but the Hummelbird flies with the big boys. This diminutive plane will take to the skies Oct. 20-22, 2011, along with lumbering giants such as the B-17G Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator — both WWII bombers.
Since 1971, the COPPERSTATE Fly-In & Aviation Expo has been an excellent place to see a diverse blend of aircraft in flight, attend informative workshops and check out the latest, greatest aviation products. Complete details are available at the official COPPERSTATE website. (Photos were provided by David Kujawa.)
Media Contact:
RaeAnn Slaybaugh
COPPERSTATE News Media Chairman
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
602.427.8515
| | Hits: 265
|
Downloadable 2011 NOTAM |
 |
| | Hits: 925
Diversity Is Key At 2010 Copperstate Fly-In
By David Kujawa
Long a southwest hotbed for showing experimental aircraft, the Copperstate Fly-In, held in Casa Grande, Arizona, has become an aviation enthusiasts’ delight. The diversity of types at this year’s show, which ran October 21-23, covered the gamut from powered parachutes to heavy iron, offering something for everyone’s aeronautical tastes.
The Early Bird Award was earned by Tanker 121, a Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer. Much to the joy of the volunteer work party laboring all day under the Arizona sun, Tanker 121 arrived in Casa Grande on Saturday afternoon, October 16, the weekend before the show. N2871G is the only airworthy example of the naval version of the famous B-24 Liberator. Featuring a single, tall, vertical tail in place of the familiar twin tails and with a lengthened fuselage, Tanker 121 had just come out of a five-year rehab at Hawkins & Powers in Greybull, WY to her public debut at Copperstate. She was parked on the ramp next to the terminal, motivating site preparation activity during the week.
A much needed, dust settling rain fell in the hours before daybreak on Thursday, Day One. Volunteers hustled to put the finishing touches on the site as exhibitors began setting up. An Apache attack helicopter taxied to the helipad near show center as the Commemorative Air Force’s always gleaming B-17 Sentimental Journey and her recently restored stablemate, 18-mission World War II combat veteran B-25 Maid In The Shade arrived. Top cover was provided by Little Friends—a sleek Spitfire Mk IX replica R-ED and the stunning P-51 Mustang Red Dog.
These classics were complemented by contemporary turbine power—a smiling, shark-faced T-34C Turbo Mentor, a midnight black Shorts S-312 Super Tucano, a camouflaged bird dog SIAI-Marchetti SM.1019 and a pair of L-39 Albatros’.
The flying circus came to town in the form of a red and white 1930 New Standard D-25 biplane emblazoned with the word RIDES on its lower wings, the CAF’s navy blue SNJ trainer and a Teutonic-colored T-34 Mentor, all hopping rides with merry passengers and performing crowd pleasing fly-pasts.
Contrasting the heavy iron were the lite flyers—powered parachutes, trikes and ultralights who have their own parallel desert runway directly accessible from their rampside hangout. Local PPG guru Mo Sheldon entertained early morning attendees with the first showcase flight each day.
The Copperstate Fly-In is unique amongst its peers in that there is no daily airshow. There is, however, a nearly continuous parade of airplanes on display—a stream of showcase flights throughout the day are interwoven with aircraft arrivals and departures. Not having an airshow means never having to shut down the airspace, allowing fly-in guests to come and go as they please.
Friday, Day Two, featured intermittent high overcast and sunshine with highs in the mid-70s. EAA-sponsored forums and workshops and were running full tilt and the rib building Kid’s Program got underway. New this year to Copperstate was the AZ FAASTeam providing FAA safety seminars and Wings credit for participants. The weather surrounding Arizona was such that many would-be attendees from bordering states were unable to get through, although one determined Cessna 195 owner started with a Pacific Ocean-facing departure and climb to an eastward VFR-on-top flight from California. Local aircraft owners began turning out in force through the afternoon.
Saturday, Day Three, dawned bright and clear. Tower staff and aircraft parking marshals were busy from the start as arrivals began filling the ramp. The juxtaposition of a turbine powered, single seat Helicycle sitting in front of the B-17 was a small vignette of the day to come. The mid-morning arrival of a 15-ship formation of Nanchang CJ-6s and friends excited the increasingly large crowd. After a formation break the group landed and rumbled to a stop in line between rows of showplanes. A formation of Stearmans dotted the sky with smoke-on passes. By noon the ramp was covered with people and airplanes.
Experimental aircraft were represented by a tiny silver Hummelbird through a fire-breathing Lancair IV-P. Award winners ranged from a snappy white and yellow GY-20 Minicab, an amphibious Challenger in Coast Guard-livery to a custom painted Rotorway helicopter. Antique and vintage enthusiasts admired Waco biplanes, an Oshkosh award-winning Stinson Gullwing, round-motored Cessnas and a Globe Swift with all the mods. Perhaps the most unusual looking airplane in attendance was a 1962 Nardi FN-333 amphib with a single, large hull float and outriggers and a twin tail.
Afternoon flying activities amplified with the arrival of Fuelventure 400 race participants who launched and recovered at nearby Phoenix Regional Airport. After completing their final weigh-ins to determine the most fuel efficient airplane in the sky, a gaggle of racers made high speed passes down the runway. The third annual Fuelventure’s overall winner was Klaus Savier who averaged 57 mpg at 225 mph over the 400-mile course in his highly modified VariEze.
Copperstate is the largest all-volunteer run fly-in in the United States. It takes the assistance of over 250 individuals and for the first time fly-in organizers were able to say thank you in a big way Saturday afternoon to two people who had gone above and beyond the call in their efforts to ensure the success of the show. Thanks to the gracious donation of flight time from the CAF’s B-25 crew and the owner and pilot of the P-51 Red Dog, Al Lerfald and Marty Skalon received warbird rides they will long remember. Lerfald produced the event signage hanging throughout the grounds and Skalon solved numerous electrical issues at the site that greatly improved safety.
The crowd stayed late into the afternoon, lining the edge of the parallel taxiway to watch departing showplanes make demonstration passes before they headed off for home.
Fly-In Chairman Jim McChesney received many positive comments from those in attendance who appreciated the county fair-like, family fun environment at Copperstate. “We’ve created an atmosphere like the way fly-ins were in the late 1960s and early 70s. It’s a mellow, calm, enjoyable fly-in. Nobody is showing off, but the pilots are showing their airplanes well,” said McChesney. “I think we’re doing it right.”
The 2011 Copperstate Fly-In will be held October 20-22. Mark your calendar now!
