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Old 12-01-2020, 03:06 PM   #1
woofa.express
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Default Goodbye my Friend

It’s goodbye to a regular contributor and cheers.

My friend Johnny was born in Tocumwal and had never travelled anywhere until Gary came along in 1978. I had taken him on several trips to the outback and to Queensland in my Cessna. In 1992 I took him and another friend, Gerry, to the USA. My friend, Bob Caldwell from Williams in California flew us around the western states. Bob was an interesting fellow, a successful cropduster and a Vietnam Vet. There’s a good story of him back in 14 June 1999, number 609. If you missed it check it out and I betcha you’ll enjoy reading it.

After we returned home I asked them what part of the trip they enjoyed most and it was Tijuana. I asked them if they lived in America where would they have chosen to live. Without hesitation the name Walla Walla was spoken.

Walla Walla. I clearly remember the beautiful deciduous trees; oaks, maples and elms. Probably more. The farming area to the east, cereal cropping as I remember and an old military airbase. A small population- for an American town that is. Once when I was working in Malaysia we had a visit from a representative of engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney. He spoke of his home town, “a little town you would never have heard of, Walla Walla” he said. He was surprised when I knew where it was, had been there and he was pleased when I said I thought it was a particularly lovely place.

So where is this story going. Well I received notice from a F.F. contributor from Walla Walla to say how he enjoyed reading my stories. This of course is most pleasing but the disappointing part was that he spoke about his leaving the F.F.

So I will conclude by saying Puck, I too have enjoyed reading your contributions. I feel sorry you are going and I wish you well.
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Last edited by woofa.express; 12-01-2020 at 03:36 PM.
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Old 12-01-2020, 03:55 PM   #2
Gary WA
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Great story! And Steve is one Great person! But he is still around!
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Old 12-01-2020, 06:33 PM   #3
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Default Re: Goodbye my Friend

Hi Gary.
I've seen the link to your club publications several times and have always enjoyed looking at it. I am envious that you have a club with so many members and Model A's. Obviously the badge of membership to your club is a red rag dangling from the back pocket of your trousers.
We too have clubs with many A's but they are all capital city based. I am a member of one (Melbourne) but it is 180 miles away and that makes it difficult to attend most of their functions. That plus the 5 million people and associated city structures makes travel there an undesirable and a difficult maze to navigate. One which I prefer to avoid.
We have a small club where I live which I enjoy but there is only one other member with an A and he is not a regular attendee and I have never met the fellow. Most members have motorcars from the 60's which do not excite me.

Yes I would like to continue to read contributions by Puck and will hopefully do so with a future address he has provided. Thanks for your comment Gary WA.
Gary from woofa.express
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Old 12-01-2020, 08:10 PM   #4
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I believe steve will continue with his research, and the technical articles he writes. He and I have crossed paths, attended the same college and this interest in the model a is a bonus.
I am hopeful that we all will have a great year.
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Old 12-01-2020, 08:48 PM   #5
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I worked in the Walla Walla and Dayton area of Washington state back in 1967 in the pea and wheat harvest.

Great country and good people out that way.
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Old 12-01-2020, 09:32 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by woofa.express View Post
Hi Gary.
I've seen the link to your club publications several times and have always enjoyed looking at it. I am envious that you have a club with so many members and Model A's. Obviously the badge of membership to your club is a red rag dangling from the back pocket of your trousers.
We too have clubs with many A's but they are all capital city based. I am a member of one (Melbourne) but it is 180 miles away and that makes it difficult to attend most of their functions. That plus the 5 million people and associated city structures makes travel there an undesirable and a difficult maze to navigate. One which I prefer to avoid.
We have a small club where I live which I enjoy but there is only one other member with an A and he is not a regular attendee and I have never met the fellow. Most members have motorcars from the 60's which do not excite me.

Yes I would like to continue to read contributions by Puck and will hopefully do so with a future address he has provided. Thanks for your comment Gary WA.
Gary from woofa.express
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Old 12-05-2020, 07:00 PM   #7
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Default Re: Goodbye my Friend

WOOFA
Are you a Cessna 180 guy? I am N3392D. 1956
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Old 12-05-2020, 08:34 PM   #8
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JR, I have about 70 hours in a 185, lots of fun. Light, you're off in 2 runway lights, and you can land about the same (or less) with 40 degrees flaps and slow over the fence. The combo of 40 degrees and the fast "emergency brake" flaps in skilled hands gives a lot of versatility. Faster than a 206 by 3 or 4 kts, but less roomy in back. Great on floats. Never gave me a hint of wanting to ground loop, but I never gave it any room to either. Old school fat spring steel gear. Bicycle chain trim. Last fastback single. Been to OK, MI and ME in one. Hard to imagine a better soft field airplane.
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Old 12-05-2020, 10:53 PM   #9
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JR, I have about 70 hours in a 185, lots of fun. Light, you're off in 2 runway lights, and you can land about the same (or less) with 40 degrees flaps and slow over the fence. The combo of 40 degrees and the fast "emergency brake" flaps in skilled hands gives a lot of versatility. Faster than a 206 by 3 or 4 kts, but less roomy in back. Great on floats. Never gave me a hint of wanting to ground loop, but I never gave it any room to either. Old school fat spring steel gear. Bicycle chain trim. Last fastback single. Been to OK, MI and ME in one. Hard to imagine a better soft field airplane.
I converted a 1958 172 to a tailwheel using the Tex Bolen kit and 8.50 tires, it has a wider stance than a 185. I flew it to work and back for 20 years on a dirt strip and a few trips to Alaska. Good airplane, lots of fun.

ill
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Old 12-09-2020, 04:14 AM   #10
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I thought it was Walla Walla bing bang.....
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Old 12-10-2020, 12:19 AM   #11
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Default Re: Goodbye my Friend

and Wagga (NSW AU) is crow and Wagga Wagga is many crows.
And for those who had C180 questions, I shall respond within next 2 days. gary
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Old 12-10-2020, 03:07 PM   #12
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I thought it was Walla Walla bing bang.....
I wasn't aware but there is a Walla Walla near Wagga Wagga. Primarily a farming community. This that follows is simply a copy and paste from Wikipedia.
130 kilometres south of Wagga Wagga. Walla Walla had a population of 581 people in 2006 and has the largest Lutheran church in New South Wales. Wikipedia
Obviously German settled. They, Germans, are renowned for finding the best soil in each of the areas they chose to settle. Further research. the Aboriginal meaning of the location is- Walla means rocks and Walla Walla many rocks. The local church in a tiny town with a population of 581 in 2006 and probably fewer today.
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Last edited by woofa.express; 12-10-2020 at 08:25 PM.
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Old 12-18-2020, 11:31 AM   #13
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Cessna 180.

Yes Mr Hazard. In answer to your question on 06 Dec 2020. Yes, I had ad C180-J, VH-BBF. It was a good utility aeroplane. It was useful insofar as it would always get airborne regardless of what was loaded into it. We did many trips in it, self, wife Patsy and 4 kids. I taught my 2 sons to fly in it, all off country ag strips and roads. Not an easy aeroplane in ground handling or takeoff and landing but they weren’t to know this. They went on to tow gliders and were very popular with the towplane owners.
One son accrued nearly 5,000 and crashed it; not looking where he was going. I did not rebuild it.

It was not an aeroplane I enjoyed flying. Heavy on controls particularly elevator. The later (mine) was slightly concaved on the underside of the wing - about 10 inches aft of the leading edge. I did once get to fly an earlier model with the short cabin and original Cessna type wing. Light on controls, faster roll and it was fun to fly. Totally different aeroplane.
I much preferred to fly the Bonanza but the C180 had 1 great advantage. It was cheap to operate. I also liked the engine. A Continental o-470. Sweet running and did a lot of work on a gallon of gas. Lycomings are more popular engines but that Continental O-470 is a beaut.

To fly agriculture in Australia one is required to undergo specialized training and is then issued an “ag rating”. My training was done in a C180 spreading super phosphate. We carried either 7 or 9 cwt and spread 7 or 9 ton an hour, I don’t recall which. That was 1968. To understand my uncertainty do read my signature below this story, the third line.
For Christmas I’d take farmers and the farm community for a fly. Here is one such occasion. I had to think who they were since this shot was 35 years ago. They’ve all aged. The young one in the aeroplane is David Link who has gone on to be a hot-shot police helicopter pilot. His story is number 117 on 26 June 2018 and is well worth a read. I had the aeroplane repainted and trimmed in maroon with grey to support the maroon. It was a head turner.
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Old 12-26-2020, 09:58 PM   #14
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In 1968 I was a US Army chopper pilot in Viet Nam and took my R&R over Christmas to Sydney. My cousin Jim Haszard Epps was city engineer then. I remember his address was on "
Wangalee". The Opera house was newly completed. There were many new cars that looked exactly like 1960 Ford Falcons. I believe the molds for the body panels must have been passed along.
Two days after returning from the R&R I was hit and medivaced while trying to rescue wounded grunts in a bomb crater under fire.
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Old 12-27-2020, 06:44 AM   #15
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In 1968 I was a US Army chopper pilot in Viet Nam and took my R&R over Christmas to Sydney. My cousin Jim Haszard Epps was city engineer then. I remember his address was on "
Wangalee". The Opera house was newly completed. There were many new cars that looked exactly like 1960 Ford Falcons. I believe the molds for the body panels must have been passed along.
Two days after returning from the R&R I was hit and medivaced while trying to rescue wounded grunts in a bomb crater under fire.
Bob Caldwell was also a Viet Nam helicopter pilot, I think based in DaNanang. I've seen what I thought to be the hangers there, semi circle construction. Is this correct? He returned to his family cropdusting business in Williams California.
Bob was shot, the bullet entering the right ear piece, tracked around the back of the helmet and exited through the left ear piece. It's track clearly marked. I know this to be correct because I've held and seen the helmet.
Sadly he died of prostate cancer about 2000. A gentleman of a fellow also popular. I wrote of him in the thread 'tell a model A related story". It's worth a read.
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Old 12-27-2020, 10:59 PM   #16
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In 68 I was a Grunt.
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Old 12-28-2020, 12:50 AM   #17
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WOW, this thread has really wandered off course!
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Old 02-03-2021, 05:03 AM   #18
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Quote:
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WOOFA
Are you a Cessna 180 guy? I am N3392D. 1956
JR Haszard
There you are Mr Haszard. My C180, remember I couldn't find a picture of it. Well my son had this picture on his computer. The first owner was Bazel Bowman Forrester thus the rego VH-BBF.
I had it repainted in warm white with maroon strip and grey support, it looked pretty slick. I taught my 2 sons to fly in it. All off farm strips and mostly about 150 foot off the ground. I taught them never to look inside whilst on takeoff and landing. However the second son didn't adhere and crashed it after takeoff. He would have had nearly 5K hours at he time. Shame, immaculate condition.
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Old 02-03-2021, 04:31 PM   #19
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hahaha
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Old 02-03-2021, 05:29 PM   #20
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Here we go again!

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