Convairiety, Volume 13, Number 2, January 20, 1960 Page: 4 of 8
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Page 4
CONVAIRIETY
Wednesday, January 20, 1960
HOMEMADE—All these aircraft were built by owners, members of Experimental Harris, SD production plastics, built this gyrocopter from $8.50 plans; Joanne
Aircraft Association chapter in San Diego. From left: Frank Hernandez of SD Dept. Trefethern and “Playboy” she built herself with counsel from Convair associates.
188-5 and his Rapier-65; Bjorn Andreasson and his 150 mph “BA-7”; Leonard Photos by Tom Henebry.
For Under $1,000, Pilots
Build Their Own Planes
Fifteen Convair SD and Astro
persons belong to an organization
that has but one purpose—to
bring together people interested
in building their own flying ma-
chines.
During 1960, some 40 members
of the San Diego Chapter of the
Experimental Aircraft Associa-
tion will finish work on about 10
planes, and at the same time con-
tinue construction of 10 others,
Ralph Wilcox, vice president of
the local chapter, said.
Although members freely dis-
cuss their projects and seek ad-
vice, each researches, constructs
and tests his own plane. They
agree that the main satisfaction
derived is a “chance to express
my own views.”
As a general rule, a member
spends less than $1,000 to build
his plane, puts in between 800
and 1500 spare time hours of
work. Used items are usually
purchased when the opportunity
presents itself. (Convair SD
members rely heavily on surplus
items purchased at the salvage
yard.)
Nationally, the organization
numbers about 7,000 members.
But the San Diego chapter, from
Laos, “The Kingdom of a Mil-
lion Elephants,” will soon be re-
ceiving more of the big-eared
animals. They’ll be sent from
Mrs. J. Lewis Parnell, wife of
Lewis Parnell of Dept. 20-2 at
Convair Fort Worth.
And on the receiving end is
Dr. Thomas A. Dooley, world-
renowned for his medical work in
jungle areas.
The elephants actually are col-
♦ 1
"Everything seems to be going to
your stomach."
the standpoint of planes com-
pleted and being built, is by far
one of the most active. Reason
given for the building surge is
“the availability of materials and
technical advice” in the San
Diego area.
A cross-section of some of the
Convair SD members brings to
light some of the varying inter-
ests. Projects completed range
from monoplanes and helicopters
to a motorless flying “air chair”
that, like a windmill, is dependent
upon wind to spin its blade.
The air chair, conceived and
designed by Sam Urshan (Dept.
15-6), was originally intended
for use as a “rescue craft to be
put on board planes.” But the
plan to get small jets to power
the unit never materialized, so it
now hangs, almost forgotten, in
Urshan’s garage.
Urshan is now working on a
conventional helicopter and ex-
pects to finish his latest venture
some time this year. It will be of
ultra lightweight construction,
powered by a 36 hp Aeronca en-
gine.
Another interesting project,
now being remodeled, is a gyro-
copter built by Leonard Harris
or paintings of Dumbo, the fam-
ous Walt Disney flying elephant.
Mrs. Parnell is busy drawing a
multitude of Disney cartoon char-
acters for use as decorations in
Dr. Dooley’s children’s hospital
at Muong Sing, Laos.
Dr. Dooley, visiting St.
Joseph’s Hospital while in Fort
Worth in October, saw similar
paintings on the walls there—
paintings Mrs. Parnell had given
the hospital earlier this year.
The colorful cartoons caught
his eye, and Dr. Dooley later
wrote Mrs. Parnell, asking her to
do some to brighten the drab
walls of children’s wards in the
Laos hospital.
Mrs. Parnell is sending the pic-
tures in groups of five, the first
group to be sent this month. Dr.
Dooley plans to use the first ones
in his hospital. Other pictures
will be sent to other missions in
Africa, the Middle East, and
South America.
of Convair SD’s production
plastics department. Harris
bought plans for the gyrocop-
ter for $8.50 and says he spent
more for gas while hunting
parts than for the parts them-
selves.
Harris’ gyrocopter is powered
by a modified 72 hp engine taken
off an Air Force target drone.
A 20-ft. blade spins at 360 rpm
and whips the craft through the
air at speeds up to 95 mph. A
smaller blade behind the pilot’s
seat, powered by a small motor,
scoots the plane down the run-
way. It takes off while going be-
tween 18 and 20 mph. The gyro-
copter can turn in a 50-ft. circle,
has a ceiling of 16,500 feet, gives
20 miles to a gallon of gas, can
take up a load of 375 lbs., includ-
ing gas and pilot.
Bjorn Andreasson, Convair SD
assistant design group engineer,
last year completed a sleek, all
metal monoplane with a tricycle
gear. As Andreasson’s working
experience includes a stint with
light airplane manufacturing
companies in Sweden and Den?
mark before joining Convair, he
was in a good position to develop
his own ideas.
Novel features include sweep
forward wings (that can be folded
for road transportation), an all-
flying horizontal and vertical
tail, and a one-piece, jet-type
canopy. Estimated cost of An-
dreasson’s plane, powered by a
75 hp Continental C engine, is
$1,000.
Some of Andreasson’s innova-
tions, especially in wing design
and construction, have aroused
interest among light airplane
manufacturers.
Other Convair SD members,
also at work on their own planes,
are Russell Renfro (Dept. 401-4),
Barton Wallach, flight test engi-
neer, Gene Wright (Dept. 31),
Frank Hernandez (Dept. 188-5),
who is also president of the San
Diego chapter.
Resale value of the privately-
built planes, as a rule, is barely
enough to cover the cost of con-
struction. But members agree
that performance achieved is gen-
erally better than that of pro-
duction models.
Technical Writers
To Hear FW Speaker
“Stretching the Publication
Dollar” is the talk to be given by
Johnnie Herbert, Dept. 6-5 at
Convair Fort Worth, at the Jan.
19 meeting of the Dallas-Fort
Worth chapter of the Society of
Technical Writers and Editors.
Herbert, supervisor in engi-
neering publications, recently
spoke before a southwestern
workshop sponsored by STWE in
Albuquerque, N. M.
The meeting will be at the Wil-
liamsburg Room in Wyatt’s
Ridglea.
AF Captain at FW
Now Command Pilot
Official recognition has come
to two Air Force officers at Con-
vair Fort Worth, according to
Col. L. R. Hall, Air Force plant
representative.
Capt. Maits Le Bon, here on
training with industry program,
achieved the title of command
pilot, signifying 3,000 hours
(that’s 125 days) flying time and
15 years service with pilot rating.
Capt. E. H. Thrush, liaison of-
ficer from Warner Robbins AFB,
was promoted from lieutenant
Jan. 1.
SPEEDY — Posing with trophy-
won in recent cross-country race
is 40-mile-an-hour pigeon owned
by B. F. Horton, Dept. 32 at
Convair Fort Worth.
Pigeons Earn
New Home by
Winning $915
“I promised my pigeons I’d
build them a new house if they
won this race for me, so that’s
the first thing I’m doing with my
prize money.”
The six race-winning pigeons
belong to B. F. Horton, Dept. 32
at Convair Fort Worth. They
were good for $915 prize money
in a recent cross-country pigeon
race.
Six of seven birds Horton en-
tered in the race placed. Three
of them came in with first, sec-
ond and third best times, out of
more than 500 birds competing.
His first-place pigeon, winning
$500, flew 310 miles from Bee-
ville to Fort Worth in six hours
and 39 minutes. That’s a little
more than 40 mph.
This was the first time Horton
has ever entered his pigeons in
any “out of area” race. In fact,
he’s been raising and training
pigeons only two years.
His son bought the first bird,
and now there are more than 60.
Horton took the pigeons over
when his son left for the service.
“I’ve always had some kind
of hobby,” he explains, “and
something had to be done with
those birds.”
The $915 isn’t all profit, how-
ever, for there are expenses in-
volved in pigeon racing, such as
a timing clock (cost $85) and
travel costs while training the
birds. Also, race entry fees were
$2 a bird.
J. H. Famine Honored
For Planning Effort
J. H. Famme, Convair director
of manufacturing development,
received the “Planning for Prog-
ress” award of the Society of
Automotive Engineers at a San
Diego chapter meeting last week.
The award was made in recog-
nition of Famme’s efforts, as a
member of the SAE national
planning committee, to organize
new types of engineering cate-
gories.
Presentation was made by Vern
Albert, chairman of the SAE San
Diego chapter, and manager of
the San Diego zone for General
Electric Co.
Ex-Broadcaster
Is ’The Voice' in
Hustler Films
“The guy who broadcast a pro-
gram of Christmas carols from
the bottom of a gold mine” is
now broadcasting newest develop-
ments on the B-58 Hustler at
Convair Fort Worth.
He’s Perry King, engineering
motion picture supervisor, who is
“the voice” on progress reports
and many other productions of
the motion picture section.
The Christmas carol program?
King, while an announcer for a
California radio station in the
early ’40s, arranged for a chorus
to go to the bottom of an old
gold mine, and there re-echo their
carols over the air. He still meets
people occasionally who remem-
ber him for this novel program.
Although he played legitimate
theater for several years—includ-
ing some time on the road with
various touring companies — his
forte was radio. He spent many
years coordinating a program of
classical music on a California
BEHIND SCENES—Perry King,
FW engineering motion picture
supervisor, puts radio and theat-
rical experience to use as he
backs action in movies with run-
ning narration.
station. It was so popular and
well-received that schools began
giving scholastic credit to stu-
dents who listened to it.
Technical movies entered the
scene for King, and in 1946 he
formed his own production com-
pany.
One movie he produced was
the story of a pipe line built
from Texas to California. “Dur-
ing production of the film, I
think I actually walked or
crawled every step of that dis-
tance,” King claims.
King’s entertainment work net-
ted him another asset.
He had an extremely talented
commercial writer for his sym-
phonic music program’s spot an-
nouncements. Commercials were
written in a style that, when
read, sounded completely off the
cuff.
King liked the style. In fact,
it suited him so well that the
commercial writer is now his
wife!
Is It News?
Call Convairiety
ELEPHANTS FOR LAOS—Dumbo, Walt Disney’s flying elephant,
will soon be flying to Laos, “The Kingdom of a Million Elephants.”
Mrs. J. Lewis Parnell, above, is drawing cartoon characters to
decorate walls of Dr. Thomas Dooley’s hospital there.
Convair Wife's Elephant Paintings
Will Brighten Hospital in Laos
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General Dynamics Corporation. Convair Division. Convairiety, Volume 13, Number 2, January 20, 1960, periodical, January 20, 1960; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1117949/m1/4/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth.