Joel does it again!

[Larry Lyons]

It looks like Joel Severinghaus won a Bronze Lindy in Classic for 0 to 80 hp at Airventure. Way to go Joel; like to see the Taylorcraft up there in front of the rest of aviation. He had told me he missed the first two days of the fly-in just cleaning up the bird. It takes a lot of work to succeed at that level of competition. Larry Lyons

[VictorBravo]

Re: Joel does it again!

It looks like Joel Severinghaus won a Bronze Lindy in Classic for 0 to 80 hp at Airventure. Way to go Joel; like to see the Taylorcraft up there in front of the rest of aviation.

CONGRATULATIONS Joel !!! Your airplane is a very deserving flagship for the rest of us. Like Tom Baker and a few others before, you have done us all proud !

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Joel does it again!

Steve Lowe phoned last night from Georgia with congratulations, saying he'd seen my name listed next to Bronze Lindy on the Airventure website. I said no, you're looking at the list from last year. Steve said no, it's the 2008 list. I pulled up the webpage he was looking at, and lo and behold, they did award another trophy to NC96130. I had flown home Friday afternoon, and missed the Saturday night awards ceremony at Theater in the Woods.

My wife said, "Great, you've got matching bookends for the hangar. Are you done now?"

Many thanks to everyone on this forum who have helped with information, advice, and resources during my restoration project. I told many people at Oshkosh that I couldn't have done the restoration without all the help from the Taylorcraft forum. Thanks especially this last year to Carl Carson for the ignition switch, John Hanson for the panel placards, Forrest Barber and Tom Baker Sr. for invaluable authenticity trivia, and everyone's contributions to the strut and attach fittings AD discussions/rants.

Prepping the plane for judging at Oshkosh does make for many tedious hours upon arrival. Sunday afternoon was several hours of preliminary bug-wiping, Monday afternoon was Q-tip cleaning and touch-up painting with a tiny brush, and then I just finished waxing the plane twenty minutes before all the Classics judges (15 of them) showed up at 1:00 Tuesday for my judging appointment. I was impressed that several of them really know Taylorcrafts, having owned some themselves over the years.

I don't know that I'm up to trying for the Silver or Gold next year (or that my usually tolerant wife would let me). I'd have to detail the engine compartment, painting the crankcase, cylinders, and magnetos. I'd also have to remove my new Airtex interior, pulling out the door and boot cowl upholstery panels and carpet that provide nice insulation for Iowa winter flying. I'd also need to install a trim position indicator, something I should have done while the fabric and windshield were off. Etcetera, etcetera. Maybe for 2010, after my wife has forgotten how much I've spent thus far...

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Joel does it again!

Wonderful news , great reporting on the Judging. Keep that wife she is a treasure. You go down in our archives.

[N96337]

Re: Joel does it again!

Way to go Joel!!! Just the fact that you got a Lindy is more than enough thanks for this guy!!!!!!!
John

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Joel does it again!

To elaborate further on the volunteer Vintage judges, I was pleased to hear how well some of them know and appreciate Taylorcrafts (and Cubs and Champs and Chiefs and Luscombes and Ercoupes...)

One of them said that when he saw my wooden front door posts last year, he went back and looked around at other Taylorcrafts on the field, thinking they should have been metal. (I was relieved to confirm with Tom Baker Sr. this year that door posts were made of aluminum, steel welded in, or wood, so my wood might indeed be original, not a later repair.)

One of the judges asked if I had Shinn wheels. I was glad I knew that I had Firestone wheels under the hubcaps. I don't think any of them knew that my basic model ship probably left the factory with bare wheels without hubcaps.

Another judge looked at my inspection hole covers and tried to remember what the factory originals would have been: two close rivets, two widely-spaced rivets, or the rimmed style with the four vent holes!

Several asked about my Lang tailwheel, and I was glad I could pull out a copy of Specification A-696 and point to Lang on the list of approved tailwheels.

One asked what color the plane was originally. I explained the original metallic dark blue paint we found behind the instrument panel, but that my wife nixed that color, or two-tone blue and silver or yellow, in favor of the overall Taylorcraft Ivory. That seemed to be OK, and he said, "Yeah, Taylorcraft sure used a lot of dark blue."

I'm sure some of them may have noticed my absent trim indicator. I was gratified that nobody noticed the patches in the fabric from the strut attach fitting AD.

It was a bit intimidating to have several teams of judges all studying the airplane and my restoration documentation notebook simultaneously, but some seemed genuinely affectionate toward Taylorcrafts, so there's hope for our overlooked and underappreciated brand yet.

[Bruce]

Re: Joel does it again!

Joel: met you in the south 40 on first Mon. of Airventure. I sat on your "table" by accident!!!! I didn`t know you were prepping for an award. Your plane is beatiful. but I was really impressed with your documentation.

[Carl E. Carson]

Re: Joel does it again!

Joel's Taylorcraft is still getting recognition. In the current issue of FLYING magazine, (January, 2009) p.41, Joel, flying his beautiful airplane are shown in the Sport Pilot section. The topic is "Is the T-craft an LSA?"

Congratulations again Joel, we'll look forward to Air Venture 2009 with you.

Carl

[jdoran]

Re: Joel does it again!

Hey Joel,

If you are like me, I'll bet the plane is pristine, but the old family car needs the battery cable wiggled to start, a slow leak on the right rear tire, oil leak, and you have to get in on the passenger side beacuse the drivers door is busted.

Is that about right?

[high time cub]

Re: Joel does it again!

Congrats, Joel!

T

Several asked about my Lang tailwheel, and I was glad I could pull out a copy of Specification A-696 and point to Lang on the list of approved tailwheels.

Yup... the "New Lang", formerly the venerable "Decker" of 1947......

[crispy critter]

Re: Joel does it again!

Hey Joel,

If you are like me, I'll bet the plane is pristine, but the old family car needs the battery cable wiggled to start, a slow leak on the right rear tire, oil leak, and you have to get in on the passenger side beacuse the drivers door is busted.

Is that about right?

WOW Larry!!!!! Sounds like you have a nice car,wanna sell it?