Alaskan Taylorcraft

[Dick Smith]

Tribe, It's minus 22 deg. F out side, so I'm not flying today...So will talk about this:

Some of you have seen the PBS TV special "One Man's Wilderness", which details the bush life experiences of a guy who lived alone for many years at Twin Lakes, in what is now Lake Clark National Park. The logistical support of "the one man", Dick Proenneke, was largely accomplished by Babe Alsworth, with his 85 hp Taylorcraft, using floats and skis. Recently, I received a copy of "Further Readings from One Man's Wilderness" ( See link:
<http://www.alaskanha.org/_details.cfm?ProdID=1080 > .
This editing of Proenneke's journal makes many notations of Babe and the Taylorcraft and of how the two fitted into his life style. If you enjoy reading about wilderness, aviation & Alaska, you will enjoy this. I found this picture the other day of Babe Alsworth, at Slop Bucket Lake, in Iliamna, Ak, with his Taylorcraft on floats. Some of you have landed on this same lake, I'm sure.
When we lived at Iliamna, Babe, using this plane, would bring us goat's milk for our newborn son. Babe died last year at age 95.
I've pasted a few pix of the mountain terrain and pass entrance encountered in the Lake Clark area. Dick

[Dano"T"]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Hey Dick,

Does this make sense if a guy has not read the other books or did not see the special? I suppose its a no brainer...I should buy them all. Great pictures. Its 34 degrees here and sunny.....but I'm on coffe break at work. It'll be dark before I get outa here...this weekend looks good for some ski flying though. Stay Warm.....

[N96337]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Ahhhhh the bucket...... I can remember being waist deep in there one day, putting beaching gear on an Otter, because Ray had hit a log while step taxiing... spent the night out there hammering on a new patch... lovely spot. hahhaha
Sounds like a great read...will have to try to get the whole shebang!!
John H.

[Dick Smith]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Dano, I just came in from splitting some more firewood...it really cracks when its this cold...I'm sweating like a hog sitting here in front of the computer...firewood warms you twice: once when you split it and once when you burn it; maybe 3 times...since I have to go stack it now!
I think you would enjoy the "Further Readings from One Man's Wilderness"........(ISBN: 0930931785), in and of itself. I would suggest that you look on the internet for used copies of the book, "One Man's Wilderness" (ISBN: 0882405136) and possibly for a used DVD of: (see link)

http://www.alaskanha.org/_details.cfm?ProdID=969

Here is a source of a book that I never tire of looking at:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155...85706?n=283155 Look for a good used copy. I bought one the other day for 14 bucks. Dick
Stuck in a few pix of flying "cold" and on final for home.

[Acroeric]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Dick- Thanks for posting the info on the book. I am going to get a copy as soon as I can find one.

I am here in Missoula for work (USFS Smokejumper Base for parachute rigging class) and got into the Mountain Flying Museum. Another cool book is about Johnson Flying Service titled "Fly the Biggest Piece Back". I heard of it through a friend that bought a Travel Air 6000 from them years ago. Anyway- I havent read it - I just got it today but you can bet that I will read it asap.

This is really my first time out west and this far north. I love it- the natural beauty is going to be really hard to leave. The rockies are so different than our mountains back home and the massive expanse of space truly draws you to it.

I am going to Idaho to the Johnson Creek 185 fly-in this year. I am sure this will turn into an annual trip. If I can pry my wife from NC it may very well become more permanent ;-)

[Dick Smith]

Re: Travel Air

Eric, when you get up here, you can go fly in this airplane...it's at Homer, about an hour and a half drive from here.
http://www.alaskaseaplanes.com/ Then we can fly to Lake Clark through here...

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.terragalleria.com/images/np-alaska/lacl1638.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np-image.lacl1638.html&h=391&w=576&sz=55&tbnid=qm4mJCGXqfMHLM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=132&hl=en&start=1&prev=/images%3Fq%3DLake%2BClark%2BPass%2B%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

Dick

[Acroeric]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Dick- Just got off the treadmill and saw the photos of the travel air. Sometimes airplanes are more art than machine. . . that one is a good example.

From my room I have a view of the valley and mountains here in Missoula- at sunset today the sky was clear overhead but to the south and north you could see the snow coming. The mountain tops were in the clouds and the sun was shining along the sides. Even morning fog becomes beautiful the way it hangs in the valley- Working with the smokejumpers is really fun. These guys have a truly tough job- think about it- they parachute into the wilderness to fight fire oftentimes in places where you can not use machines like chain saws. They routinely hang up in trees and have serious injury in remote areas but they see the most awesome country on the planet.

How is the intake fairing coming? started putting it on yet? The mag switch looks great- I cleaned and painted it up- just like new.

[crispy critter]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Eric,
If you think Montana is beautiful(which it truly is), just wait until you can see Alaska. WOW!

[rampeyboy]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

I just recently bought this movie. It is very interesting. I didn't know about the Taylorcraft scene when I bought the movie, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it. Is the Taylorcraft in the movie still in use?
Boyce

[Dano"T"]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

I just ordered the whole bunch (books/dvd's) for reading and viewing...thanks for the tip...I also bought Shelon's "Wager with the wind" from e-bay. Dick...those pictures you post are always spectacular.....here in the U.P. of Michigan we have woods and lakes...but no mountains....lots of woods and plenty of snow in the winter. I think this weekend should be fun...a friend is flying over to our place on the lake in his J-3 on skis and we are going walleye fishing on Lake Gogebic with the planes. I posted some new pictures HERE and HERE of flying last weekend. Dad said he may come over in his T-craft as well...I just helped him put his skis on last Saturday.

[Dick Smith]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Dano, I'm sure you'll enjoy the "trip" via reading and viewing. I love to see other places and people. The internet has made it possible to share so much good stuff...! I get carried away with Alaska's magnificent scenery and scale...After nearly 40 years up here, you find that there are sights and places and settings that just "grab" you...! I'm sure I'll never see them all, but the enormous scale of the place leaves endless possibilities. I love to be stunned into silence by the Creator's hand!
We have a lot of folks from down in Wisconsin and Minnesota who live up here...(my neighbor, with the "sauna" is from Wisconsin!). Your float and ski opportunities down there sound like a lot of fun. The shorter distances between places lets you do a lot "getting where your going" without burning so much expensive fuel. Anyway, have a great time on the new ski bottoms.
It doesn't get much better than 2 or 3 planes cruising around looking for new snow on a quiet lake. Dick

[Dano"T"]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Dick,

A friend of mine called today..he just got home from Iraq. He is coming over for a Sauna and will be coming flying with me. The Sauna is a way of life in this neck of the woods. He also mentioned a fishing trip this summer to Alaska. We talked about it before he left but instead he got a plane ride to Baghdad for 14 months. After we finalize our plans and decide where to go maybe I'll look you up....My 15 year old son has been wanting to go for years...my dad has gone several times and has some great stories and pictureS of him with 65+ POUND KINGS.Any suggestions?

[Dick Smith]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

Dano, What do you like to do? How much time would you have? What time of the year would you be in a position to come? Where did your dad fish? I would be happy to give some suggestions. Here is a link that is representative of the Lake Clark area: http://www.terragalleria.com/mountai...kpack.all.html
It would be a kick to meet up with you. A number of folks on the list have stopped by while up here. Flyer1 and I went ski flying. Dick

[crispy critter]

Re: Alaskan Taylorcraft

I just ordered the whole bunch (books/dvd's) for reading and viewing...thanks for the tip...I also bought Shelon's "Wager with the wind" from e-bay. Dick...those pictures you post are always spectacular.....here in the U.P. of Michigan we have woods and lakes...but no mountains....lots of woods and plenty of snow in the winter. I think this weekend should be fun...a friend is flying over to our place on the lake in his J-3 on skis and we are going walleye fishing on Lake Gogebic with the planes. I posted some new pictures HERE and HERE of flying last weekend. Dad said he may come over in his T-craft as well...I just helped him put his skis on last Saturday.

Dano,
Would love to see some pictures of the walleye fishing trip....fish and planes.

[Dick Smith]

Re: Operational status

Rampeyboy had asked if Babe Alsworth's old Taylorcraft N96012 was still in use. I talked with Babe's son on Sunday...he said the plane was burned up in a hangar fire at Port Alsworth a number of years ago. He indicated that he is presently working on Babe's 1933 Stinson SR (NC13459). The plan is to put it back in the air. This aircraft (the Stinson), before coming to Alaska in 1944, was used to fly patrol off the the East Coast. In 1942, the Civil Air Patrol Base 18, used it to look for German subs. Dick