goodby Virgil

[Ron Coleman]

When I was a kid I used to wander around the hangers at Sandusky airport and sniff the dope and marvel at the drum tight fabric on the Waco N or the Porterfield or J-3 Cubs. When I heard the train whistle I would run out to the road and watch the NYC passenger rumble by at over a hundred and three miles an hour. Usually you could turn and look out over the lake past Cedar Point and see a couple of lake freighters. Then back to the hangers.

There was a lot of airplane and engine talk and the three local old timers, Harry Griffing, Oliver Weiker, and Virgil Kriem, were always part of the mutterings. Well, the NYC is gone, there are few lake freighters, Harry died a few years back, Oliver died a couple of years ago, and Virgil died a couple of days ago.

I can't explain to my kids how it was to stand under a zepplin at Akron or ride a sidewheeler party boat on the lake or take off of a muddy sod field in a PT 19 or to just listen to the old timers tell their tales of the beginning of a magic time in history. Soon, when I'm gone, no one will know how it was. A miracle in time will be lost.

Goodby Virgil

RonC
N96995
N5481M ex
N76536 ex
N9107B

[N96337]

Re: goodby Virgil

Great post Ron. I'm sorry to hear about Virgil.. kinda know what you're talking about there..... I'm a firm believer that sometimes "progress" isn't all it's cracked up to be! I also believe that one of the best things we can do for those who follow us is to record or write down our experiences, stories, and feelings... once it's gone, history is gone forever.
JH

[VictorBravo]

Re: goodby Virgil

The EAA is doing a living history project, where old-timers tell their stories about the early days of flying. Perhaps the Taylorcraft community should do this sort of a thing too... perhaps all the type clubs and aviation sub-groups should be htinking about this.

I know that several military groups and WW2 vets are doign this, as well as one or two civilian groups of WW2 survivors. We have the technology and resources (cheap video cameras!!) to do this easily.

[Len Petterson]

Re: goodby Virgil

Resently I looked at a picture of my dad in his model T.
Where is no smell of oil and gasoline what came with it, just a memory of the love he gave me.
When I was boy he had explained to me about the 3 pedals and how they worked,
but I will never be able to drive a Model T.
They are not avelable to me.
In books on old planes, I find their desingers and test pilots.
In essence the leaders what brought us forward.
Never a mention of the fellow what assambled the wings and the painter what made it look good.
Never a mention of the mechanic what had an idea for a little improvment what made things so much better or easyer. Their name is never in the history books.
It just becomes part of human teamwork.
The sad part of history is what we remember only our heros!
Becuase, without comunication up and down or left and right in the team, we, the human race, would never have flown, or even mastered the use of fire.

One time, I was, with ammasement, watching a large flock of Canada Geese take of from a small pond.
They made a racket, cackling when sitting on the water.
Cackling louder and louder, they slowly separated into two groups.
Cackling franticly, raising it self out of the water,
one bird become the leader off a group.
When the loudest group toke of first!
Now, what progress in airtrafic control.
About 50 birds doing simultanius shortfield take offs, thanks to comunication!

What did the individual bird learn from it?
Will it pass on the knowledge gained to the next generation, will it end up in the
"bird's history books?"
Will it remember the leader or the method?
Will you remember the mechanic or the airline's name or owner?
If you resived Love and/or Care from a person, only when, will you remember the what person!
Most likly you will remember what the person did for you, not the name, unless it was one of your heros, like Virgil.
Just look at life, as we, you and me, are building the Tower of Bable over again, one stone at the time.
Len

[Bobdog]

Re: goodby Virgil

Ron, you brought a tear to my eye......thanks

[flyguy]

Re: goodby Virgil

Ron, you have a fine way with words. As good as anything from career writers. Have you written anything like memoirs. I think most people would enjoy reading whatever you might write on most any subject.
Darryl

[Ron Coleman]

Re: goodby Virgil

Thank you for the kind words Darryl but I'm not a writer. I'm retired.
I plan on riding my '34 Indian Scout tomorrow, then I'm going to flyl the T-craft, then I'm going to sight in my new 22-250 Savage and see what is wrong with the 30 cal. carbine. Then we're going to take down some christmas decorations. I also have to machine some parts for another Honda motorcross bike. Later I'm going to get on the Taylorcraft forum, so you see, I don't have time to write.

Come on over and we'll have some fun!
RonC
N96995

[stormman]

Re: goodby Virgil

Ron
You got 15 years on me but i feel your pain. But

" No one is is really gone until they are forgotten"

And i for one will never forget your wit and humor.
BTW Got M/C and 22-250

Your long distance friend