My Uncle Web loved to fly. In 1962 he purchased this 1939 STINSON
aircraft. The photo he took of me standing under the wing was taken in February of '62. In April I left for a 3 year tour of duty in the Navy. I never saw the plane again.
Sometime in 2003, Lisa provided me an e mail address for the most recent owner. The plane had just been purchased from the previous owner who lived in Elgin. He e mailed the second two photos to me in 2004. The new owner had hauled all the parts to his home in Kansas were he restored the plane to like new condition. I am very pleased that the STINSON (Tail ID N21195) is once again in flying condition. I know that Uncle Web would want the new owner to enjoy the plane as much as he did. Bob
6 comments:
What a great post, Bob-- thanks a bundle.
These are great photos and great family memories/history. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Bob!!
OH MY GOSH!! I remember that plane and flying w Uncle Webby one time. It was an experience I will never forget. He was just the best!!
I was JUST thinking about him and that plane yesterday .. very timely for me this post. I took a friend of mine's mother to the doctor, her husband was a pilot in WWII and I was talking to her about Uncle Web.
I was trying to remember what that plane looked like .. Thank-you so much for answering my question! How did you know? You must be psychic!!
I think the plane I flew in looked like the black and white photo .. although the color one looks familiar too!
Glad to hear the new owner is still flying her - that is really beautiful - makes me smile. Thanks for this post Bob .. You are the best!
Took me about ten minutes to download the page, but well worth the wait! Thanks, Bob.
I guess this would be the same plane in which Uncle Webby took my dad for a little ride, dive-zooming them down the Cary Ski Jump very close to the ground, and then went over to the river and buzzed a guy fishing in his boat until he jumped out into the water? Was that how the story goes? (True story! True story!) Whichever plane that happened in, and whatever the true-truth was, it must have been pretty wild, as it was the only time my dad ever went up with him!
Aunt Jackie, I couldn't see if there was a way to comment on the new "Picture of the Week" feature, so I'll do it here. I believe I know when it was taken - March 26, 1944, or thereabouts. At the time, my dad was tromping through the mountain jungles of Burma, so he wasn't there. Uncle Don, who was in the Marines by then, had come home for a surprise visit on Tuesday of that week, and it happened to be just as Grandma Blazier was preparing an Open House for Sunday the 26th.
The purpose of the Open House was to bid farewell to Uncle Webby and Uncle Harry, who had both been called to duty. But then, of course, it also became a welcome home party for Don, and they decided to take a bunch of family photos, each and every one of which is a treasure. Don had to leave early that next week to get back to, I think, California -- and from there, Hawaii? On Wednesday the 29th, Webby left for an Air Corps unit at Sheppard Field, Texas. And Harry left sometime in April or May for Camp Robinson, Arkansas. Up went the third and fourth stars in the Lavoie window, indicating four family members in service. Imagine how it must have felt, wondering if everyone would ever be together again.
They were, of course! - but not until the 1946 photo that's down a little further in the "Picture Of The Week" column, the sort-of "cover picture" of this blog.
Okay, enough enjoyment for me, it's time to shovel again ... sigh.
I was running out the door (as fast as one can run in 8" of snow) this morning, so only now get to comment on your post, Bob. I love it!
I was wondering about which adventure I would read first, and am not surprised by the Cary Ski Jump story being number one. Bob, would you reiterate the "Ticket for Hitting a Stop Sign" story?
There was little I enjoyed more (well, maybe swimming!)when I was little (okay, when I was younger!) than flying with my dad. I was never afraid, even when he let me take the controls! I can't remember how many times I would ask if we could go up. Sometimes I was met with "No, ceiling's too low today". That worked until I found out what the ceiling was, and then that answer didn't work anymore for me on a sunny, cloudless day!
One last story which, albeit funny now, was not funny at the time. Somewhere near the beginning of the end for the martal bliss in our household, the story goes... Mom was on a ladder at the south side of the house changing the windows (storms to screens or vice versa), when Dad flew over and tipped his wings. Oooooh, pretty precarious move, Slick!
Nonetheless, I wouldn't have traded a moment with either of them.
And by the way, Sharry, if you don't think for a moment that narration for the pic of the week was worth every penny of your Davy Jones ticket, you are so wrong!
Thanks, Bob. Thanks, Sharry.
I have an Uncle Web flight story to tell - albeit brief. When we went up with Uncle Webby only once as I recall, I think I went up w mom and maybe my dad or perhaps even Wayne. Uncle Web stalled the engine on purpose and we fell for a bit. Exciting! I thought we were going to die, but as it was so beautiful that day. It was sunny - a vast blue sky w fluffy clouds, the people I loved with me - I was not afraid. It was comforting in an odd sort of way. I only thought to be afraid AFTER the engines started again and Uncle Web was laughing.
That experience I think has really helped me in life.
I have several very near death experiences since then, all of which I have faced with an odd sense of comfort and release. I am convinced this healthy way I see my own death has not only improved my life, but it has probably kept me from dying a few times as well by keeping a level head. Funny!!
God bless Uncle Web and his great sense of humor - zest for life. May we all be so fortunate.
Jim Warner stopped by yesterday, and I was telling him about the blog, and mentioned this thread in particular. He adds his own Uncle Webby Flying Story to the mix ... like my father, he only went up with Uncle Webby once. What happened up there is a traumatic blank, but what Jim does recall is that as soon as he "deplaned," he literally kissed the ground!
Post a Comment