Vintage Flying

Which one!

I like to drag out my Grandfathers collection of WWII memorabilia and look over relics from his best days - flying as a Liaison Pilot. In the stack is one of the few items I remember us looking at together… a book he gave me on early aviation, I can almost recall his pointing out each plane with a little story about it. Every year the desire to own.. and build/restore grows, luckily I’ve become friends with good people, one owns a multi-generation vintage aircraft restoration business (Andersen Aviation) and the other is nationally known for manufacturing kits of WWI aircraft (Airdrome Aeroplanes) who will both help me on my journey. I purchased a rudder kit for a Fokker D.VII a couple years ago, it hangs in the barn, I’m very tempted to continue as I feel flying for me means open cockpit bi-plane would be the one. However I also love the Pietenpol, a homebuilt American 1920’s plane right out of Popular Mechanics originally powered by the Model “A” Ford. Then there’s the safe proven Aeronca, I love the pre-war Chief, and the Champ L-3 is close to Grandpa Hardwick’s ‘ol Liaison warbird. All are affordable and proven with benefits to each, I can’t wait to stat this adventure.