Along The Boulevard

This aircraft is a Swallow F-28-AX/F28W, S/N 1038 (ATC 125 & 51), manufactured in November 1929 by Swallow Airplane Co., Wichita, KS. It was powered by an Axelson B 150 HP engine, S/N B7-311. As a three-place airplane, it weighed 2,497 pounds.

It sold on 11/20/29 to Bryant G. Hall of Goleta, CA. At Carpenteria, CA on 3/15/30 a windstorm caused the hangar to collapse and the aircraft was “seriously damaged.” It was sold on 4/9/30 to J.E. Granger, Inc. of Santa Monica, CA for rebuild. As an aside, Jim Granger and his wife, Clema, signed the register six times between 1930 and 1933. He was killed in 1934 during take off for the Bendix Trophy Race. They owned an aviation services company at Clover Field, Santa Monica, CA.

New fuselage, wings, struts and fuel tank were installed by the Grangers at a cost of $1,391.65 for parts. The airplane was painted orange and blue, inspected and approved for flight on 5/10/30.

It went through two more owners on the west coast, finally selling on 10/14/31 to Guy C. Cleveland of Los Angeles. Total flight time was about 300 hours. Cleveland installed a Wright J-5 engine mount and Wright J-5 engine S/N 4824 (220 HP).

We find NC8728 at Tucson on 9/5/1932 piloted solo by Guy C. Cleveland. Based at Santa Monica, he was westbound from El Paso to Santa Monica.

Mr. Cleveland owned and flew the airplane for many years when, on 6/11/39 at Santa Monica, he was, “approaching for landing, gliding in and encountered a down draft which put plane on level with trees. Pilot did not observe how close trees were. Right wing struck tallest tree, turning plane around 60 degrees and throwing it over so that it struck the ground inverted. ‘Gusty winds’, CAVU (on Centinella Blvd.). Three wings wrecked, with motor mount and front end of fuselage, all interplane struts, landing gear and rudder. $1,500 damage.” Pilot Cleveland was uninjured. The airplane had accumulated 605 flight hours. Registration was cancelled on 10/15/39.

UPLOADED: 08/08/05 REVISED: