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Welcome to the Fall 2006 issue of


the New Pegasus magazine. It seems only a short time since our Premier issue was sent out, but summer has come and gone and fall is upon us. The spring and summer were filled with many accomplishments for the museum, perhaps the greatest of which was the completion of several key documents for guiding our future. The board, with the help of several gracious advisors in our community, worked diligently on the museums Strategic Plan and Organizational Guide. Both of these documents are of vital importance to our organizations overall health and growth and I am pleased to say that the documents are now completed and are serving as the guiding outline for our steps forward. Planning has also been started for our eventual building near the airport and, although the particulars are not yet ready to present to the public, steps are being taken on a daily basis to secure a suitable facility to preserve all of the museums artifacts from Hagerstowns aviation past. The museums display at Discovery Station is, as we speak, undergoing a face-lift with several new exhibits under construction. One of the exhibits relates directly to an article in this issue on the dismantling of the Kreider-Reisner Little Green Shed and the exciting artifacts found in its attic. A collection of these artifacts is now on display in the

museum for your inspection. The museum has also acquired through donation a collection of WWII era airplane gauges, radios and navigation equipment and they are also being added to the overall display. A grant from the Washington County Gaming Commission has been received that provides funding for the acquisition of five

give young and old alike the thrill and skill needed to fly Fairchild airplanes. The most exciting event to date in preserving Hagerstowns aviation heritage happened in the desert of Wyoming at the end of August. Donors throughout the community of Hagerstown and across the country came together to help purchase and thus secure the last of the flying Fairchild C-82 Flying Boxcars. In this issue you will be able to ride along with John Seburn and myself in the article, Airplane Auction Anxiety-Bid for the Boxcar. You can experience the emotional roller coaster ride of the trip as well as those few nail-biting seconds before the auction hammer fell and Hagerstown had her prize. As you can tell, the Hagerstown Aviation M useums activities are expanding at a very fast rate. As we acquire more artifacts, and especially aircraft, the need for more members, volunteers and donors grows enormously. We invite you to become involved in the museums effort to preserve Hagerstowns rich aviation heritage. Kurtis M eyers, President Hagerstown Aviation M useum, Inc. Check out the new museum website at:

Hagerstown Aviation Museum officers: Left to right, John Seburn, Trea, Jack Seburn, Sec, Kurtis Meyers, Pres, Tracey Potter, VP.

televisions and DVD players. These will be strategically placed throughout the museum display. Each will be playing actual film footage from the era they are representing and adding visual motion to the static exhibits. Also, a portion of the money from the Gaming Commission will go toward an interactive Flight Simulator machine that will

www.HagerstownAviationMuseum.org

The Old & New PEGASUS


The Hagerstown Aviation Museum has titled its public informat ion publication The New Pegasus. While Bellanca, the Reisners, Kreider, Custer and others all made significant contributions to Hagerstowns aviation heritage, it was the citys long association with Sherman Fairchild and his Fairchild Aircraft Corporation that put Hagerstown on the aviation map. Since the Fairch ild Corporations public informaJuly 1945 tion publication was the Pegasus, the museum felt it appropriate to continue this tradition in the The New Pegasus. The museum dedicates The New Pegasus to the many members of our aviation community who played an active role in developing the aviation heritage we now honor. The New Pegasus is made possible through the generous support of its advertising sponsors.

Richard A. Henson
1911-2002
The N ew Pega sus magazine is in memory of Richard A. Henson. For many years it was our priv ilege to work side by side with Dick in creating the Hagerstown Aviation Museum. Even though he is no longer with us, h is dedication to the cause continues to inspire us.
Dick Henson with the KR-31 Challanger he and Charlie Shue donated to the museum.

Cover Photo:
C-82 at sunset in Greybull, WY August 24, 2006 Photo by: Steve Christiano See story on page 4

The New Pegasus


Fall 2006 - Volume 1 Number 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to The New PE GASUS... Page 2

The Hagerstown Aviation Museum, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the regions more than 90 years of extraordinary aviation history. Highlights of Hagerstowns Aviation Past
1916-1920 Giuseppi Bellanca builds the CD and CE biplanes for the M aryland Pressed Steel Company in the Pope Building located in south Hagerstown. 1921-1925 Lew & Henry Reisner operate an aircraft repair business and eventually partner with local shoe manufacturer Ammon Kreider to sell Waco Biplanes. 1926 The newly formed Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company designs and builds the KRA M idget to participate in the 1926 National Air Race in Philadelphia. 1927-1929 Kreider-Reisner develops and produces the C-2, C-4 & C-6 Challenger Biplanes that gain them much acclaim. 1929 Sherman Fairchild of Fairchild Aircraft Company, Long Island, NY purchases a majority stock interest in Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company of Hagerstown. 1930s Fairchild Aircraft Company produces the F22, F24, F45, F46 and F92 Amphibian. 1931 Richard (Dick) Henson purchases the Hagerstown Airport and founds Henson Flying Service. 1933 Richard (Dick) Henson becomes Test Pilot for Fairchild Aircraft. 1939-1943 Fairchild develops and produces over 5000 PT19 Primary trainers for the US Army and Navy as well as the AT-21 Gunnery Trainer and UC-61 Utility Cargo Aircraft. 1942-1948 Fairchild develops and produces over 200 of the first all metal cargo aircraft specifically designed for the task, the C82 Packet. 1949-1955 Fairchild develops and produces the C-119 Flying Boxcar of which over 1100 were produced. 1954-1958 Fairchild produces over 300 of the C123 Provider cargo aircraft. 1954-1966 Fairchild helps to develop the Fokker designed F-27 Friendship turbo-prop transport and produces over 200. 1962-1983 Richard (Dick) Henson begins the Hagerstown Commuter which eventually becomes the Allegheny Commuter and Piedmont Regional Airline. 1965 Fairchild purchases Republic Aviation of Farmingdale, L.I., NY. 1973-1983 Fairchild/Republic awarded A-10 Attack Aircraft contract and produces 713 for the United States Air Force. 1984 Aircraft production ends in Hagerstown.

Hagerstowns Avi ation Past.......Page 3 Museum Contact Informati on...Page 3 Bid For The B oxcar....Page 4 Engineering The Packet.Page 8 Fairchil d UC-61C Comes Home......Page 23 Whats in The Museums Future?..Page 24 Little Green Shed is Saved!......Page 25 Hel p Bring Home the C-82......Page 30 Museum Membershi p/Donati ons....Page 31

Contact Information:
Museum Display at Discovery Station: Hagerstown Aviation Museum 101 West Washington St Hagerstown MD 21740 Discovery Station phone: 301-790-0076 Mailing address: Hagerstown Aviation Museum, Inc. 14235 Oak Springs Rd Hagerstown MD 21742 Phone: 301-733-8717 please leave message if no answer Or call: 717-377-3030 Website: www.HagerstownAviationMuseum.org

Airplane Auction Anxiety


Bid for the Boxcar
By: Kurti s Meyers The hotel accommodation that first evening of our journey to Greybull, Wyoming was small and in direct contrast to the three men of slightly over-average girth that set about to occupy it for the night. On any other evening the narrow aisle of this Virgin ia hotel roo m that allowed little more than a person with sparrow legs to pass by the massive laminated particle board entertainment center on the left and the foot board of the overly puffy, engorged bed to the right would have drawn a sarcastic comment, but that evening was different. Our minds were preoccupied, and litt le concern was being placed on our own comfort. Time was, in effect, standing still as we rested in preparation for our trip to Greybull the next day where we were certain we would find a much-anticipated vintage airp lane nirvana. Morning came but unfortunately it arrived three hours after we had already risen, the product, I believe of late flight booking and cheap airplane seats. Steve Christiano, officially the museums first volunteer, had graciously agreed to go along and film the event. His flight left at the predawn hour of 6:30am enroute to Denver. John Seburn and I would catch the 8:45 to Denver, meet up with Steve there and fly on to Cody, Wyoming. Sitting in the waiting area at Dulles Airport, John and I watched Steve board the airplane, hoping the gods would look favorably upon our venture. In a fourweek campaign the museums acquisition account had gone fro m zero dollars to

$130,000, a t ruly remarkable achievement for the volunteers and donors. Still, however, we were unsure whether this would be enough to capture the high bid of what we so desperately desired - the last of four, and the only flyable Fairchild C-82 Fly ing Bo xcar. The trip to Denver on the Boeing 777 was uneventful and actually quite p leasant. Upon our arrival we met up with Steve, grabbed some quick mini vittles and got to our gate a few minutes before boarding. The de Havilland Dash 7 that was to be our transportation to Cody quickly emptied my mind of any pleasant thoughts of the former flight. Seat 13A was little more than a five person bench seat. With me being the unfortunate passenger who sat in it, I literally brought up the rear of the airplane and was privy to all the noise of the turbo-prop engines and liver rattling jolts of every conceivable meandering air pocket. Accentuating the problem were the mountains below us and that days turbulent weather patterns. The two-hour time difference fro m Dulles airport put us in Cody just after lunch on August 21. Cody, a town of around 9000 with a tiny adjo ining airport, sits on the edge of the Rocky Mountains with majestic splendor confronting the visitor in every direction. As Steve and I watched for the luggage to emerge fro m the single conveyer belt baggage claim, John was busy working out the details of our rental car. Even though our reservations had been confirmed for a mid-size GM Grand Prix or equivalent, the unforeseen demand on rental vehicles in Cody that day had already tied up all the equivalents and the rental company was forced to upgrade us.

Suddenly we found ourselves sporting about in a nearly new gray Chrysler 300. A massive looking car, it hardly fit the impression of limited-budget museum people, but it was admittedly quite co mfortable and John, the designated driver, was a quick learn behind its space-age control panel. As John turned the ignition, the engine revved as if running on nitro and we were off. As we left the airport and the home of Bu ffalo Bill behind us, our final destination was now within reach. Sixty miles was all that stood between us and Greybull, Wyo ming, the Mecca of radial engine airp lanes. With our hot rod Chrysler 300 we could cover the distance in no time! The sparse beauty of the Wyoming desert is beyond compare and our drive to Greybull gave us miles of beautiful dry riverbeds, plateaus and rock outcroppings. With a few stops along the way for Steve to capture the scenery on video, there was really nothing else between Cody and Greybull to stop for. Nearing the end of our trip, we began to watch for the scene that many had told us about, but we ourselves had never seen - row after row of massive, spire-like airp lane tails. We had been told in Cody that the former Hawkins & Po wers Aircraft co mpany was on the west side of Greybull, the very side that we would be entering. As we began to see the town come into focus in the distance, John, who should have been watching the road, suddenly proclaimed, Theres an airplane tail!, and within

seconds, many airplane tails appeared. we had arrived! Oh, what to do! It was only 3:00p m and there were so many airplanes to see. The questions continued to roll. Should we check into our motel or stop first and look at airp lanes, or should we grab food first since our three micro pretzel lunch was wearing quite thin? But, like drug addicts on heroin or alcoholics on a binge, we all answered in unison, Airplanes, definitely, we need to look at airplanes. Pulling into the airport, there were four airplanes immed iately greet ing us that belonged to the Museum of Flight and Aerial Fire Fighting - t wo Fairch ild C-119s, a Neptune and a Beech 18. They were all in what appeared to be ok condi-

and pieces. There were easily one hundred and fifty or more radial engines of various sizes and designations, many still in their original cans await ing a willing buyer to use them or a smiling scrap metal dealer to cut them to pieces. I quickly got the impression that no one could look at everything that was here and not be amazed. It was truly a mind-numb ing scene as we looked around fro m the car that first day. It was T-minus one day to go before the auction and almost no one was in sight! We parked the car and began our search for Brent, asking one person who told us that his office was on the other side of the airport and that he was probably there. As we walked out onto the tarmac, we were suddenly confronted with an amazing scene. Lined up like a car dealers latest models were the crme-dela-crme o f the great vintage airplane sale in Greybull, Wyoming. Directly in front of us was a Douglas A-26, a Boeing KC-97 and a Fairch ild F-

ing still had what appeared to be the original upholstery and the entire machine was still very presentable. We had learned fro m Brent a few days earlier that no one had expressed any interest in the airp lane and that it would probably bring no more than scrap price or about eight to ten thousand dollars. This would definitely be an option if we were to fail in our bigger plans. As we emerged fro m the F-27, we looked to the left and saw the unmistakable stance of the C-82 Flying Bo xcar. Lined up fro m left to right were the three Fairch ild beauties of highest interest to us, the C-82, the Canadian C-119 and the C-119 used in the most recent Flight of

the Phoenix movie. Although I had never actually seen a real C-82, the aircraft looked much as I had imag ined, although its size seemed much larger in real life than in photographs. Fro m the outside she was a sight to behold! Her bulbous body was so amazingly ungainly but at the same time so beautifully curvaceous. Every line appeared to have a purpose and was designed with some predetermined use in mind. Hers was a body

tion and, although none of them was part of the upcoming auction, they gave us a taste of what we had co me so far to see. For the past several months leading up to the auction, John had developed a telephone relationship with Brent Hoben who works for Zen ith Aviation, the co mpany in charge of try ing to sell off the assets prior to any auction. With the auction date set, he now was assisting the Great American Auction Co. in lin ing up the lots and promoting attendance. As we pulled in to look for Brent, we drove past row after row of airp lane parts

27. All of them loo ked as if they had been tenderly cared for and, with their doors open, inviting all to hop on board. John and I had been devising our wish list for several weeks and, although there was no question that our top-pick was the C-82, the F-27 was also one of interest. Although it had not been flown for nearly fifteen years and needed some costly work done before it could fly, the F-27 looked cosmetically in very nice original condition. It had some slight paint peeling, but the interior seat-

unlike any other, both purpose-built and unarguably majestic. Fro m that first glance I was smitten! Since our time was short that first day and the one hundred degree heat was ob-

viously beginning to take its effect, we quickly walked over and looked around the C-82 and both C-119s. About another five hundred feet got us into the air conditioning of a s mall office building just in time to hydrate ourselves and to finally meet up with Brent. We introduced ourselves to Brent, who took a few minutes away fro m another auction attendee to talk with us and to introduce us to his boss, Bob Stanford, the President of Zenith Aviation. Both Brent and Bob instantly put us at ease and we got the feeling fro m the beginning that they were one hundred percent behind our attempts to secure the last C-82 Bo xcar for Hagerstown. After relaxing for about an hour in the office build ing, Brent had finished with his client and both Bob and Brent took us on a trip around the airport to look over the items of interest to us. We began with opening up the C-82, climbing all through it and photographing and videotaping every nook and cranny. I personally climbed in the cockp it, sat in the pilots seat and made every attempt not to allo w ptptptptptpt propeller noises to leave my lips, but, between you and me, I was not successful. It felt like a natural fit to a

lifelong dream, so you must forgive me for a few ch ild ish flashbacks. Although we thought of staging a couple mock parachute jumps we restrained ourselves and did not, but we did, however, manage to open the clamshell doors to let the light in. What we saw was a beautiful, seemingly original zinc-chro mate covered interior in much of the cargo area. We could only speculate that due to the airp lanes long service with TWA that it was saved fro m the harsh conditions to which most other C-82s had succumbed. Content that the C-82 was the airplane for us, we began our search for what would be our second choice. We looked over the Canadian C-119 #140 as well as the movie airplane in a similar exhaustive study as we had with the C-82. Both were quite nice, but the more original of the two was the Canadian one and that is the one that peaked our interest the most. However, as we looked over the preliminary auction list, it became evident that a second choice may be irrelevant. The auction line up listed the Fairchild F-27 sold first, the Canadian C-119 second, the C119 mov ie plane third, and, lastly, our first choice, the C-82, in that order. Since the C-82 was sold after all the other

choices, the loss of that bid would leave us no other options. Unsure how to handle the situation and exhausted beyond comprehension, we decided to head to the hotel. We made arrangements to later meet up with Brent and Bob at Lisas, the only watering hole o f note in Greybull, for much needed sustenance. Greybull was a typical small western town. Since no Wal-Mart had arrived yet, Main Street was lined on either side with a hardware store, a clothing store, a pharmacy, a caf and a Chinese Restaurant. The small mo m and pop stores of presuper center days made the downtown look more like 1956 than 2006. On the west side of town Rons farm market served as the place for local groceries and on the east side the farmers co-op sold lu mber and feed and about everything else a small to wn might need. Our acco mmodations for our five nights in Greybull were along Main Street at the Yellowstone Motel, which appeared to be well kept. As an advertising feature, the motel p ro moted itself as being the motel farthest from the rattle of the railroad yard and, accordingly, the quietest. A solid looking building built in the architectural style of the mid 1960s, it

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sported the crimson red brick and bright white mo rtar of the time, all covered with a gray tarpaper roof. As John and I walked into the office of the hotel to check in, a very outgoing and friendly receptionist instantly welco med us to the Yellowstone. Our reservations were on file and there was no problem checking in so we retired to our min i suite. Since there were three of us we had opted for the two-bedroom suite wh ich in this case was a bit of an over statement. Yes, there were t wo roo ms and a bathroom, but the concrete block interior walls and other accoutrements put me in the state of mind of staying over night in a relatives basement. There was something about the shag carpet covering the floors, pre-Nixon Ad ministration furniture and the ever-present meandering smell o f old mildewed shoes that made me thin kI just dont want to stay here! Well, ok, first impressions arent everything and I really learned to like the place. The two air conditioners and one window kept the place cool and comfortable and, I must admit, every night I slept like a baby. Conveniently, the best food in town was directly across the street fro m the Yellowstone Motel. Lisas Restaurant must have been a star in the Greybull co mmu nity. The food was fantastic and verged closer toward gourmet than rough-andtumble Wyo ming rustic. As we were finishing up, Brent and Bob were just coming in for the evening and we joined them for some rando m airplane chatting. We asked all o f the normal paranoid questions such as what they believed our chances of win-

ning the C-82 were, how much they thought it would bring, and on and on ad nauseam. John mentioned that Dick Henson had been one of our first Board members and Bob lit up like a light bulb. It turned out that Bob had sold Mr. Henson his first Lear Jet back in the 1980s and the two had developed a close friendship. For

at least the next half hour, all of us sat and listened while Bob talked of h is memories and visits with Mr. Henson and of his enormous admirat ion for h im. Wow! What are these odds? Even though Dick Henson is no longer with us, I know that he is smiling down on us and has a guiding hand in returning his Flying Bo xcars back home. Mr. Henson, your seat on the Museum Board will always be open, feel free to drop by anytime. As the eleventh hour came, the natural need for downtime made itself ever more known. We excused ourselves and headed back to the roo m, knowing that we would have a full day for mo re talk to morro w. And, we slept! It was not the sound of birds chirping outside the window that aroused me, but instead the mechanical rattling of the Fedders window unit air conditioner. Chirping birds would have been a more pleasant arouser, but the Fedders irritating rattling was much more effective. Finally, we were all up and around and made our way to the Greybull Caf just before the breakfast cutoff time of 11:00am. The Caf became the site of our mo rning briefings where we would go over what we hoped to accomplish on each given day. On that first mo rning we planned to finalize our list and include any parts, pieces, engines, etc that we may have an interest in for future display in the museum. We had decided that a majo r emphasis of our museum would be on the design and manufacturing of airplanes. We realized fro m the very beginning that this sale offered a unique opportunity to purchase many of the materials that would be needed to help create such a museum. Breakfast was filling and we made our way to the Greybull airport and a day looking at parts in the hot desert sun. With another quick look at our dream p lanes, the C-82 and the pair of flyable C-119s, we had decided to confront Bob with our dilemma concerning the order of the sale. The reality of the situation was that if we were unable to get this changed and we lost the bid on the C-82, we would go home without any flyable airp lanes. When we exp lained our dilemma to Bob, he instantly saw the problem for us as well as the benefit for all involved if the order of sale were to be changed. He offered to bring the situation up to the Vice President of Great A merican and tell him that it was definitely in their favor to change the order since we would first be bidding on the C82 and, if unsuccessful, bidding on one or

both of the C-119s as well. We were content now to leave our problem in Bobs capable hands. We now made our way to the rows of parts in the front field that we had passed the first day. The first row we looked at had several boxes marked C-82 and TWA that immed iately caught our interest. Two other long rows had appro ximately 100 or more wing and control surfaces for the C-82 and C-119. These were obviously spares with several still in the original bo xes direct ly fro m the Fairch ild factory in Hagerstown some fifty years ago. All of this stuff would be great to have, but it would all depend on the money situation when the auction hammer fell on the flyable C-82. With the items of interest noted on our list, we met up with Bob and Brent again and made our way to the outer field where row upon row of non-flyable airplanes

rested. There were five C-119s, six or so Boeing KC-97s, a bunch of Neptunes and several others in various stages of deterioration, as well as two C-82 fuselages which were of greatest interest to us. Both had been used in the harsh conditions of Alaska and had been transported by train to Greybull about a decade ago. At least one of these would be great to have, but, once again, we would have to see how the money held out. Tuesday seemed to come and go quickly and within no time we found ourselves back at Lisas Restaurant enjoying a relaxing meal. Before we left, Bob had come over and indicated that he believed that the order of sale situation had been worked out but he would know for certain in the morning. Knowing that the next day would be a stressful one and attempting to ignore the anticipation that had been swelling up in us all day, we turned in early. Morning came at the now familiar clanging sound of the Fedders and I arose bright eyed and eagerly anticipating the

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events of the day. It was, after all, the first auction day! After a hurried breakfast at the Caf, we set out on our two-mile car t rip to the airport. As we got to the edge of town and within two hundred feet of the forty-five mile per hour sign, the sound of a siren halted our progress and officer B. Jo lly had us in his snare. It would appear that our designated driver, lead-foot John, was going forty-two in a thirty and we were busted! Hoping for a warning, but sadly disappointed, we were eventually set free to continue our journey and within less then a minute we were at the airport. The parking lot had about fifty cars around 9:30am when we arrived and by auction time, 11:00am, about twice that many. There were several people who

web bids was positioned to the left of the auctioneer on the auctioneers stand. John and I had positioned ourselves down the middle to the right about twothirds of the way back. As we sat and waited for the 11:00am start time, Bob came over and said that everything had been worked out and the order of sale had been changed. The order would now be the F-27 first, then the C-82 and then the two flyable C-119s. Everything seemed now to be in place and in another five minutes the sale would start! The auctioneer set a pace of one lot per minute fro m the beginning and continued through the first fifty lots in what seemed a short time. That same time, however, was full of an xiety for John and me and was painstaking and taxing to sit

utes later beaming fro m ear-to-ear and p rono uncing , We h av e ano th er $10,000! Now, with just over $140,000 in the bank, lot number 79, our C-82, was about to be sold. The first co mplete airp lane of comparison was lot 73, the Douglas A-26, and it quickly reached $90,000, hung there for a little while and then proceeded to a final bid of $112,500. The Fairch ild F-27 had an opening bid of $5000 and ended up much higher than we had ever anticipated with a closing bid of $27,500. With the hammer falling on the F-27, the auctioneer made the announcement that the order of sale had been changed and that lot 79 would be the next and the two C-119s after that. As the auctioneer began the call for b ids on the C-82, the

flew in for the day and a few who stayed overnight to take in both days. The auction was to be held in an 8000 square foot metal hanger that the auction company had outfitted with large, portable air conditioning units, making it quite co mfortable. They had set up approximately 200 metal fold ing chairs with 100 in each section and an aisle running back through the middle. The auctioneers stand was directly in front with the clerks table to the right and the picture screen to the right of that. The auction was also to be web cast and available for b idders all over the world. The person in charge of taking

through. About twenty minutes before the C-82 was to be auctioned, as we sat there stone faced, not uttering a word for fear of jin xing something, John got up and walked outside for a few minutes. When he returned, his fear was evident and he informed me that he felt we did not have enough money. He also said that he had just called a friend who was to call back, hopefully, soon. As the minutes passed and the sale of the C-82 drew nearer it became obvious that John was worried that the call may not co me in time. Just then the phone rang and John quickly left the room again . He returned several min-

opening call was first for $150,000 then $100,000, then $50,000 and finally $40,000. A bidder in the room ju mped on at $40,000 and the game was started. I had been chosen as the designated bidder, but instead of jump ing on the bid at that time, I held off to see if anyone else in the room would bid. Suddenly, off to my left, another bidder ju mped on and the t wo ran

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up the bid to $65,000 with the init ial bidder eventually bowing out. With a slight lull in the bidding, I raised my hand and began the museums b id, not knowing where it would lead or where its end would be. We went back and forth in increments of $10,000 and $5000 with a final call for $90,000 at wh ich time our in-roo m co mpetitor d ropped out. For a brief few seconds it appeared that we may have won the bid, but that was not to be. Abruptly, and seemingly fro m nowhere, appeared a tiny head on the auctioneers flat panel co mputer screen and a much feared Internet bidder made himself known. Back and forth it went this time in $5000 and $2500 increments to $100,000. Then it climbed to 105, 110, 115, 117,500 and on until it reached $127,500. A lthough we had a little over $140,000 in the bank, thanks to our last minute friend donating $10,000, we had to figure another 10% on the top of any bid price due to the buyers premiu m. So me quick math meant that the very highest that we could bid was $127,500 and, indeed, thats where we were. As the auctioneer continued to call for any further bidding and waited for the Internet bidder to pop his head back on the screen and bid, the seconds seemed like minutes and the anticipation of the mo ment was unbearable. But, quickly, the last call was made, the hammer fell and the Hagerstown Aviation Museum o wned the last fly ing Fairch ild C-82! The auction for us had ended. John and I sat there in the crowd unable to fu lly grasp the monu mental event of the past few minutes. With so much emotion and effort expended for that single mo ment, it would take a few hours to reflect before the reality would begin to set in. Co mpletely exhausted, we returned to the motel for a few hours of much needed rest. In the early evening, John, Steve and I returned to the airport, climbed up into the cockp it, sat there for some time and then slowly focused on each feature of the old workhorse. For the

first time, were able to truly reflect upon what had happened. I believe for all three of us the one week we spent in Greybull, Wyoming tying to secure for Hagerstown the last available Fairch ild C-82 will forever stand out as one of the highlights of our lives. It was not until that one defining mo ment in the cockpit the evening after the sale that everything seemed to come together. In that mo ment we knew that the grand old plane would be flying home.

C-82 Contributors
The Board of Directors of the Hagerstown A viation Museum thanks each of the following donors to the Save the C-82 fundraising campaign. Without their generous support the purchase of the last flying Fairchild C-82 would not have been pos sible and Hagerstown would have lost forever this significant piece of its aviation heritage.

David & Grace Andrews John & Virgin ia Barger Thomas & Sy lvia Barnhart Ted Bauer C Richard & Mary Jane Bau mbaugh J.M. Benchoff Charles & Charlotte Bert Edward S. Bishop Jr. Donald M. & Jone Bowman Caro le S. Brake Linda Reisner Bracey Lester & Betty Ann Burger David & Barbara Churchill Charles & Barbara Clopper J. Allen Clopper Arnold & Constance Cramer Catherine Crider Stan & Cecilia Crippen Joe L Denest Steve Diedrich Allen & Judith Ditto Steve & Ann Drager Mildred I Duke John W. Easton Marie & Charles Ebersole John H Fix Sr. Pauline L. Fogle Lawrence M French Charles I. Gallagher Wayne J. Gleason Eugene & M ildred Goetz John & Patricia Grat z Vincent R. Groh

William A. Guenon Jacques G. Hager Donis B Hamilton Jero me K. Harness Audrey W. Harrell Lloyd & Evelyn Hayner William D. Heckman C.F. & M.B Heefner Eugene R. Hornbaker Ricky & Debra Hose William Hubbell Shelly H. Kampe Jack King George Knode Jr. Wayne & Mary Ann Kriner Franklin & Virgin ia Leiter J. Carl Llewellyn Leroy & Sh irley Logue Donald & Virgin ia Lucas Edward & Nancy Manuel Martins Famous Pastry Shoppe Inc. Maryland Cracker Barrel James A. Matus Jaye & Linda Meyers Stanley & Velena M iller Robert & Norma Morelli Eugene & Bern ice Nabors Scott R. Paddack Do min ick & Ann Pellegreno Petes Tavern Jack M. Phillips Sr. Eleanora E. Poffenberger Creighton R. Propps Douglass C. Reed & Mary Jo Clemens Howard W. Reynolds Connie & Donald Richardson Albert A. Roberts, Jr. Steven C. Roth Nick & Susan Rotondo Dale & Caro lyn Seburn Eloise T. Shaffer Nevin A. Short Ella & James Showers Catherine A. Skaggs Samuel V. Smith Louise C. Snurr Wayne & Mary Sours Tom Stonebraker Joseph St. Georges Charlene E. Stoner Armand J. Thieb lot Jr. Robert J. Thieblot John L Taylo r Jr. F. Dean Truax John M. Waltersdorf Paul Warfield Martin & Ruth Weller Wayne & Irene Wentz William E Wright

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RARE 1939 FAIRCHILD UC-61C COMES HOME


The museums 1939 Fairch ild F-24/UC61C is ho me safe and sound. Tracey Potter, museum V.P., graciously loaned his aircraft recovery truck and trailer for the January, 2006, trip to Georg ia. The crew consisted of museum board members Joe Boyle, Jack Seburn, John Seburn & Kurt is Meyers as well as museum Vo lunteers Dean Timmons and Andy Moody. Only days before the trip, the museum had received the military h istory on this aircraft fro m Air Force records and found out this very airplane that they were soon to pick up was signed over to Howard Hughes for four months in 1942. More research is needed to determine what it was used for, but definitely its an excit ing twist to an already historically significant airplane! More news will be coming in the next New Pegasus. ( To read the previous article on this aircraft from the last New Pegasus go to www.HagerstownAviationMuseum.org)

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Whats in the Museums Future?


The Hagerstown Aviation Museums goal of preserving local aviation history is well under way. The downtown Hagerstown facility contains not only exhibits that chronicle the development of Hagerstown aviation but also serves as the collection site for research materials and local aviation memorab ilia. While museum members continue to develop exh ibits, conduct research and collect memorab ilia, they are also planning to identify and document aviation sites in and around Hagerstown. The museum will seek funding to develop and install interpret ive signs at these sites and to design and print a self-guided tour map of the sites. The museum is actively involved in locating aircraft, with the goal of acquiring at least one aircraft representative of each major development in local aviation history. This ongoing task will require much time, effort, funding and volunteer assistance.

Fairchild PT-19

is also asking for your donations of PT-19 parts that can be used to assemble a static display PT-19. So me parts have already been offered and several period vehicles are availab le to enhance a WWII era display. If you know that you can donate an aircraft, parts or funds, contact the museum. And now to the BIG p lanes! The museu m recently acquired a Fairch ild C-82 and a C-119 is being donated. The museum is currently looking for a C-123 and F-27. While a few o f these planes are still flying, many are not airworthy. An A-10 Thunderbolt II should be available when the museum has a facility large enough to house it. Donated aircraft are, of course, a major boost to the effort, but considerable cost is still involved in transporting the planes to Hagerstown. The museums goal is to have one of each of these aircraft on display at the Hagerstown Regional A irport. This is a huge undertaking, but the story of Hagerstowns aviation heritage is not co mplete without these aircraft. These aircraft will be permanent monuments to the thousands of men and women who designed, built, flew and maintained them. With your assistance the museum can bring these aircraft home to Hagerstown to be preserved for generations to come! Contact the museum for mo re informat ion on how you can help make this goal a reality.

Original Bellanca CE of 1918

Members of the museum are in contact with the o wner of a Bellanca CE replica. The building of the plane was a labor of love, and the story of its construction adds immensely to the significance of the plane. The museum owns a restored 1928 Kreider-Reisner Model

The museums 1928 KR-31 and restorer Charlie Shue.

31. Th is aircraft was donated by Dick Henson, Hagerstown aviation pioneer, and Charles Shue, former o wner and restorer of the aircraft. A former Fairchild employee donated a 1939 Fairchild F-24. This aircraft was impressed by the US Army Air Corps in 1942, militarized and given the military designation UC-61C. The museum plans to restore this aircraft to its military configuration and will be looking for volunteers to assist. The museum is seeking the donation of a Fairchild PT-19 and

Fairchild Republic A10

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THE LITTLE GREEN SHED, AND WHAT IT CONTAINED, IS SAVED


The Little Green Shed article in the last issue of The New Pegasus provides the historical background of the building, describes the dismantling plan and pictures the first step removing the large metal panels that covered one side of the building. (If you did not receive the first issue of The New Pegasus you can find it on the museum website at www. HagerstownAviationMuseum.org.) The day the panels came off was cold and snowy. Since we had seen some sort of drawing or pattern on the inside of the panel, we very carefully removed each nail that fastened the panel to the wall so an engineering drawing and manufacturing pattern for the first Fairch ild C-82 Packet! The drawing was in remarkably good condition considering the use that would have been made of it in itially fo llowed by many decades of keeping the weather out of the Little Green Shed. Now that we knew what was on the back of each metal panel we were even more careful remov ing them, made all the more difficult by our ever colder and stiffening fingers. But, eventually, the top panels were removed and the last of the lower panels was dug loose from the frozen earth. As we surveyed the results of our efforts, we recognized many familiar curves and angles and shapes of an airplane so familiar to us. We moved the panels to a safe storage area and began planning our strategy for exploring the loft of the Little Green Shed. Removing a trap door in the ceiling and shining a flashlight across the loft, we saw dust and wooden airplane parts and

engines. In addition, painting the Challenger bi-planes produced much silver and blue paint dust that settled on and mingled with the railroad steam engine soot. It was not going to be a pleasant job, but what we had seen in the flashlight beam spurred us on. We photographed

as not to damage whatever was on the other side. This was made all the more difficult by the thick gloves we were wearing to protect our hands as we worked with the very cold metal. But, eventually, the first panel came down. We turned it over and the first thing that we saw was its identifying information. What we had in our hands was

and documented each artifact as we moved fro m one ceiling joist space to the next. So me items we could identify, some maybe and some not. After days of probing dust we worked fro m one end of the loft to the other and were satisfied that not one item had escaped being located and secured. After all the artifacts are cleaned and identified, we will include a sampling of them in a future New Pegasus. dust and wire control cables and dust and old newspapers and dust and large, skinny airplane tires and dust and dust and dust. This was going to be as demanding a task as getting the metal panels off. Since Doug Reed wasnt sure how structurally sound the ceiling was, we installed support posts before going up through the trap door to begin our archeological dig in the dust. Before becoming the Kreider-Reisner airplane factory, the building was a shoe shop located beside a number of railroad tracks. It had already accumulated significant railroad soot before the Reisner brothers had it moved to this site, wh ich is also beside a nu mber of railroad tracks. So, for much of its life it collected black soot fro m railroad steam

With the panels off and the art ifacts in the loft removed, we began shoring up the building and stabilizing wall and ceiling sections prior to cutting them apart. We first removed roof sections, then gables,

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Paul Warfield William E Wright

CONTRIB UTING
Thomas & Sylvia Barnhart C Richard & Mary Jane Baumbaugh Lester & Betty Ann Burger Arnold & Constance Cramer Catherine Crider Joe L Denest Frances M. Diehl Steve & Ann Drager John H Fix Sr. C.F. & M.B Heefner Alan Henninger Eugene R. Hornbaker William Hubbell Harold Martin James A. Matus Thomas A. Paradis Petes Tavern Creighton R. Propps William & Betty Rinn Nick & Susan Rotondo Louise C. Snurr Tom Stonebraker Landis Whitsel

New Members
LIFETIME
J.M. Benchoff Donald M. & Jone Bowman Linda Reisner Bracey J. Allen Clopper Pauline L. Fogle Dave Friedrich Vincent R. Groh Martins Famous Pastry Shoppe Inc. Jaye & Linda Meyers Eleanora E. Poffenberger Dale & Carolyn Seburn Eloise T . Shaffer Robert Stanford Armand J. Thieblot Jr. Robert J. Thieblot John M. Waltersdorf

followed by ceiling sections and finally wall sections. Dougs dismantling plan was a success! Hagerstown Aircraft Services donated a truck and trailer to load and transport the sections around the block for storage in the former Fairchild factory building that replaced the Little Green

PREMIER
Wayne J. Gleason David & Barbara Churchill Douglass C. Reed & Mary Jo Clemens

INDIVIDUAL
David & Grace Andrews John & Virginia Barger Norman Birzer Carl Busey Gerald E. Cohen Michael Coraggio Nedson Crawford James E. Crockett Richard W. Currie William M. Curtis III Frances R. Davies Marie & Charles Ebersole Eugene & Mildred Goetz Oliver R. Goetz John & Patricia Gratz William A. Guenon Donis B Hamilton Richard Hawley Lloyd & Evelyn Hayner William D. Heckman John R. Herrera Ricky & Debra Hose Mike Kelly Jack King Larry Knechtel George Knode Jr. James M. Landis, Jr. Franklin & Virginia Leiter Leroy & Shirley Logue Donald & Virginia Lucas Eugene & Bernice Nabors Maxine M. Palmer Dominick & Ann Pellegreno Everett Potter Louise Rider Albert A. Roberts, Jr. Nevin A. Short Catherine A. Skaggs Doris Stonebraker Robert L. Taylor F. Dean T ruax Edward C. Wegner Martin & Ruth Weller Wayne & Irene Wentz Charles Wolfe Don E. Wolford

PATRON
Charles & Charlotte Bert Edward S. Bishop Jr. Stan & Cecilia Crippen John W. Easton Charles I. Gallagher Shelly H. Kampe J. Carl Llewellyn Edward & Nancy Manuel Scott R. Paddack

Shed. Vincent Groh, present owner of the Fairch ild Plant One building, has generously donated secure storage space for the Little Green Shed as well as storage space for the C-82 and C-119 parts that were purchased at the Greybull, Wyoming auction. The museum greatly appreciates Vincents support in the effort to preserve Hagerstowns aviation heritage. The museum also owes many thanks to the following for their part icipation in saving the Litt le Green Shed: Dave Andrews, donor of the Little Green Shed; Richard Hughes, Maryland Historic Trust; Josh Phillips, Preservation Maryland; Mindy Marsden, Washington County Historical Society, Chris Marston, National Park Service; Doug Reed, Preservation Associates; Hagerstown Aircraft Services, Inc.; Dean Timmons fro m Hagerstown Aircraft Services, Gavin Lambert and John Thompson volunteers; and museum members Mike Coraggio, Kurt is Meyers, Tracey Potter, John Seburn and Jack Seburn. One day the Little Green Shed and the contents of its loft will become features in the indoor exhibit at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum.

SUPPORTING
Davis L. Baughman Ted Bauer Carole S. Brake Charles & Barbara Clopper Steve Diedrich Allen & Judith Ditto Exp. Air. Assn. Lawrence M French Jacques G. Hager Jerome K. Harness Audrey W. Harrell Brent Hoben Wayne & Mary Ann Kriner Maryland Cracker Barrel Stanley & Velena Miller Robert & Norma Morelli Jack M. Phillips Sr. Carol Raffaniello Howard W. Reynolds Connie & Donald Richardson Steven C. Roth Ella & James Showers Samuel V. Smith Susan Snyder Wayne & Mary Sours Alan Stonebraker Joseph St. Georges Charlene E. Stoner John L. Taylor, Jr. Nelson Tillou

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DVD 3 disk set. The documentary, a DVD collection of original Fairchild films and a Photo CD. $29.95

Companion book to the doc umentary. 164 pages. $21.95

Collectors Cap, Fairchild Airc raft logo.

$10.00

To order: Call 717-597-9695 or order online at www.vintagevideo.com 28

(A portion of the proc eeds is donated to the museum)

Hours of Operation
Tuesday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm Sunday
1:00pm - 4:00pm (except July and August) Closed: Mondays, Sundays during July and August, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Independence Day.

Admission
Individuals Children under 2 Free Ages 2-17 $6.00 Adults $7.00 Seniors (55 and over) and Military $5.00 Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card accepted. Group Tours (minimum 10) School Children and Youth group members, 17 and under (each) $2.00 Teachers and youth group leaders, no charge. Adult Group (each) $4.00

Di scovery Station at Hagerstown, Inc.


101 West Washington St. Hagerstown, MD 21740

For information: Phone: 301-790-0076 Toll Free: 877-790-0076 Fax: 301-790-0045

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Your Help is Needed to Bring Home the C-82!


The C-82 is being prepared for its flight back to Hagerstown. Engines and landing gear have been inspected and serviced and are operating well. Because it has been parked outdoors since its last flight in 2000, many of the control surfaces need to be completely recovered rather than repaired, as first thought. This is an unforeseen development and the recovering is a time consuming and costly process. This development has, of course, delayed the return of the C-82 to Hagerstown, but is critical to safely flying the aircraft. Your support is once again needed to help prepare the C-82 for its flight home. Send your contribution to: Hagerstown Aviation Museum, C-82 Fund 14235 Oak Springs Rd Hagerstown MD 21742 For more information call: 717-377-3030
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The Museum Needs Your Help!


DONATIONS
You are invited to become a supporter of the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, an IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt, non-profit organization, by making a financial donation to the museum.. Your donation directly supports the operation and continuing activities of the museum. Your financial donation will contribute to the preservation of Hagerstowns aviation heritage and ensure that future generations will learn of the men and wo men who created that heritage.

VOLUNTEERS
A small group of museum volunteers has achieved much in the past year and a half and will continue its efforts in the future. As the museum grows and activ ities expand, the museum will need to increase its volunteer staff. Whether you can donate an hour a week or can completely restore an antique aircraft, no contribution of time and effort is too small. It is the sum total of these contributions that will permit the museum to ach ieve its goals. Check the bo x on the membership form to receive volunteer information.

Museum Membership!
Support the Hagerstown Aviation Museum by becoming a me mber! Add your name to the membership list and gain the satisfaction of knowing that your commitment and support is helping to preserve Hagerstowns aviation heritage.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - cut here or make a copy of this page, fill out form and mail - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hagerstown Aviation Museum Membership Form Name:______________________ Company:_____________________ Street:______________________ City:_________________________ State:_____ Zip:________ Phone:___________________ Email:___________________________
My interest in Hagerstowns aviation history is: _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Please send me information on becoming a museum volunteer.

Membership Levels

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Student Individual Cont ributing Supporting Patron Premier Lifetime

$15.00 (per year) $30.00 (per year) $50.00 (per year) $100.00 (per year) $200.00 (per year) $500.00 (per year) $1000.00 (lifetime)

Request The New Pegasus for a friend:

Name___________________________________ Street___________________________________ City__________________ State___Zip________


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Make Check Payable to:


HA GERSTOWN A VIATION M USEUM 14235 Oak Springs Rd Hagerstown MD 21742

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