"OLD GOAT"
This airplane is a Stinson model W, S/N 3054. It was manufactured in 1931 under ATC# 435. NC12146 is the poster airplane for the ATC descriptive pages in Juptner (volume 5, pages 103-105). This model used to be called the "Junior", but with the 1931-32 models, Stinson did away with that potentially demeaning nomenclature, because there was nothing junior about this airplanes value, load capacity, passenger seats, or flying ability. While its early life remains a mystery to-date, we do know something about its later history.
NC12146 visited Tucson April 24, 1935. It was flown by Glover E. "Roxy" Ruckstell. He carried one passenger, identified as Allan Cray. They were southbound from Grand Canyon, AZ to Douglas, AZ. Follow the Ruckstell link to learn that he was a funding source for the Grand Canyon Airlines operation.
Below, NC12146 in the late 1930s at Boeing Field, Seattle, WA. This image, sent to us by Mr. Ziesmer (credit in right sidebar) also appears in Juptner (see reference, left sidebar).
NC12146 Late 1930s
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NC12146 is relatively rare among aircraft that landed at the Davis-Monthan Airfield, because it still exists and is owned by a gentleman in Washington State. According to the latest FAA information, it was registered with a P&W R-985 engine of 450HP. It was originally powered with a Wasp Jr. of 300HP.
Besides its Golden Age history, it had some adventures since 1950. That was the year it was purchased by Mr. Franklyn Bly of Tacoma, WA. The images on this page come from Mr. Bly's grandson (credits, right sidebar). It underwent complete restoration by Mr. Bly. Below, 22 additional images of the airplane and its owner during the period 1950-1976.
First step in the restoration was to build a hangar for the airplane. Below, Frank Bly does the work.
Hangar Construction
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Below, the robust fuselage of NC12146.
Bare Fuselage, Early 1950s
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Below, Mr. Bly and the fuselage.
Mr. Bly With Fuselage
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Below, the wing. The airfoil ribs are the "Clark Y" type. The port fuel tank is the large square object at left.
NC12146 Left Wing
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Below, NC12146 in 1957 soon after restoration with the girl who will become "Aunt Connie" in the family. Interestingly, Aunt Connie collects turtles. The airplane has a slightly different paint scheme than the original.
NC12146 With Aunt Connie in the Snow, 1957
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Below, the reconstructed instrument panel of NC12146. Aunt Connie recalls, "I remember he bought this stuff called 'crinkle paint' to spray it with (I think he even let me help!) and it gave a kind of rough texture to the surface." Note the professionally engraved placards. Crinkle paint is still available for use on surfaces where light reflection is not desirable.
NC12146 Instrument Panel
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Below, NC12146 date unknown, but probably in the 1950s-60s.
Stinson NC12146
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Mr. Bly's Medical Certificate Valid Through June 30, 1955
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Below, a news clipping from 1953 that is more than news: it captures the essence of an aviator's passion.
News Clipping, May 10, 1953
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Below, NC12146 in 1963. The paint scheme is like the one in the image just above the news clipping.
Mr. Ziesmer corroborates the news articles and states, "..it was my grandpa's life. Everyday after work and on the weekends he went to the South Tacoma Airport and worked on the Stinson or whatever else he had going. The bottom pic [below] is taken at South Tacoma Airport at the north end of the field, the hangar in the background was owned by Chuck Gross, Gross Aviation the FBO."
Stinson NC12146, ca. 1963
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Stinson NC12146, ca. 1970s
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Regarding the image above, Mr. Ziesmer says, "The guy pulling the Stinson through is Don Weakly, he was building a Great lakes in Frank's hangar but died before he could finish it...."
NC12146 was flown from Washington to the airshow at Oshkosh, WI in 1970. The news clipping below, circa September, describes the flight and cites some of the early history of the airplane.
News Clipping, ca. September 1970
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Mr. Ziesmer says of this article, "The ... newspaper clipping was in 1970 and after he returned from Oshkosh he had to top the R-985 [which may be what is going on in the image, above]. I had thought he did it in Oshkosh but I'm not sure at this point. The last sentence states that one of his daughters is married to a pilot for Pan-Am, that would be my father, now retired from United as a 747 driver."
It's interesting the article cites 5,000 airplanes attending the EAA convention. The last time I attended there were 4-5 times that many.
Below, a profile of the Pratt & Whitney R-985 engine.
Pratt & Whitney R-985 Engine
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Below, three interesting shots of NC12146 flying near the Space Needle in Seattle, WA. World's Fair, 1963.
Space Needle, 1963
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NC12146
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at the
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Below are six portraits of NC12146, some with Mr. Bly. This one shows the Bly hangar in the background.
Stinson NC12146 Portrait
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Frank Bly,
1950s or 60s
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Frank Bly,
1950s or 60s
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Owner Frank Bly With Stinson NC12146, ca. 1975
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Stinson NC12146 Portrait, Arlington, WA ca. 1988-89. Gentleman May be Current Owner
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Stinson NC12146 Portrait
With Frank Bly
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Mr. Bly passed away in 1976 and the plane remained in the family until the early 1980s when it was sold to its current owner.
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These images, sent by Mr. Ziesmer, via his Aunt Connie, are from 2004.
Stinson NC12146, 2004
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UPLOADED: 12/21/07 REVISED: 12/26/07, 01/10/08, 03/26/08, 03/27/09
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