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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Ron Whitelaw

I joined the Kansas Air National Guard on my 16th birthday. I lied about my age and got Mom to sign. We started with P-51s, B-26s and later F-84s. My unit activated in my senior year in high school. We were released from active duty after two years, and I returned to Wichita, Kansas and joined Boeing Aircraft Company as an experimental flight test aircraft mechanic. I enjoyed my three years with Boeing and attended all of the B-47 system schools. My four-year Guard commitment was completed and the draft board wrote and said my eight-year requirements wasn't satisfied and "what was my plan?"
I then joined the inactive Air Force Reserve to finish the eight years. I was told to take a USAF qualification test for reclassification. The test was B-47 systems, and I made a perfect score and was recalled to active duty and sent to Air Training Command B-25 pilot training as a mechanic. I wasn't a happy camper; I expected a B-47 unit or at least jet aircraft.
My next assignment was very unpleasant because of location, but interesting equipment. I was sent to Narsaruak, Greenland (BW-8) working with the Danish Air Force and the Canadian Royal Air Force supporting ferry service of jet fighters to Europe. Then one year later I finally got to a B-47 unit in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) that was on alert most of the time. I applied for and was accepted to flight engineer school and upon completion of training was assigned to C-124 Globemasters in the Military Air Transport Service (MATS).
While in SAC I joined the base aero club and finished pilot training and obtained my Private Pilots License. I started pilot training when I worked for Boeing, I purchased a Rearwin Skyranger that had landed in a wheat field and turned over. I overhauled the engine with an A&P friend, installed the repaired wings, completed an annual inspection and, with my flight instructor, flew it from Northern Kansas to Wichita.
Flying the Globemaster was the most challenging experience of my life. The engineer started six engines on some models and if you think starting a hot fuel injected Continental engine is difficult, try starting a Pratt and Whitney 4360 in the Arctic. We truly flew the globe in the C-124. My first engineer check ride was from Greenville, SC to the South Pacific and back, a total of 115 hours of check ride. The examiner even asked me the RPM of the cabin vent fan on the way home. We flew all over Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America, South East Pacific, Arctic and Antarctic. I logged almost 5,000 hours in "Old Shaky" and loved almost every hour.
Then came the jet transports starting with the finest aircraft ever made: the C-141, C-5 and military version of the Boeing 747 (E-4A). In the C-141 we would fly general cargo into Viet Nam, reconfigure the aircraft to air-evacuation and bring home wounded. On one trip I saw a wounded trooper with wet mud on his boots. The C-5 is a great aircraft and can haul more cargo than many ground units can process. I was instructor qualified on each aircraft I flew as a Flight Engineer. I was also Examiner qualified on the C-5 and E-4A. I completed proving flights on the C-5 Simulator and was Chief Flight Engineer simulator instructor when the simulator was installed at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
In my spare time at Dover using the GI Bill, I obtained a Commercial Pilot License and Instrument rating.
When the E-4A came to the United States Air Force I was a member of the first crew trained at United Airlines 747 training unit in Denver, Colorado. I helped write the USAF flight manual, check lit converting it from the Boeing 747 to military E-4A. My old SAC B-47 experience helped prepare the E-4A for alert status. The mission for the unit at Andrews AFB, MD was to support the President and staff in the event of a national disaster. The communication systems on theE-4A were extensive including being able to speak with submerged submarines. We could tow 30,000 feet of antenna for very low frequency use.
Retiring from the USAF in 1974, I briefly worked for Japan Airlines as an instructor Flight Engineer on their Boeing 747s. Retirement was difficult for me. In the Air Force I was senior with 22 years experience and assigned to Presidential support and then on to the "new guy" at a foreign airline. It didn't work and I returned to Wichita joining Beech Aircraft as a Tech Rep primarily assigned to the King Air PT-6 engine group. I again used the GI Bill and obtained my multi-engine rating. Beech allowed me to attend any factory school I wanted, and I received pilot training on the Duke, King Air 90 A, C, E and the King Air 200. I also attended P & W PT-6 (series --28 and --42) factory training including troubleshooting and overhaul. I was assigned to the B100 program and attended that pilot school plus Garrett TPE-E331 factory school.
One of my tech rep trips took me to Mission Beechcraft in Orange County, CA. I fell in love with the area and when I returned to Wichita I applied for a transfer to the factory owned Mission Beechcraft facility. The transfer was approved and I became service manager, a position I enjoyed for three years. I then worked for Tiger Air, parent to Flying Tigers Airlines, as service manager at their very large maintenance facility in Burbank, CA. Tiger Air was a Cessna dealership, Citation service station and a heavy maintenance group. I was the service manager of all three groups. We also maintained the corporate aircraft, a BAC-111 and converted airline aircraft to corporate use including adding long-range fuel tanks. We were one of Dunlop Aircraft's largest customers, and I was asked to become service manager for their Van Nuys shop. When Atlantic Aviation came to California, I built their 13-acre facility at Long Beach, California and established a maintenance facility. We were a Westwind and Challenger Service Center.
While at Mission Beechcraft, I met and flew with Alan Carlton, Jr., owner of Carlton Forge Works. Alan asked me to join his company and assist with his aviation department. I've been with Carlton Forge Works 16 years starting in the facilities department and working my way up to manager, maintenance operations. For many of those years I had the additional duty of providing pilot services on our company aircraft as well as maintenance support. I joined Carlton Forge Works in 1988 at the same time the other department managers joined the firm. Our team has increased sales from $35 million to $175 million per year. Our maintenance operations group has overhauled / improved each of our forging units, designed and installed the world's most powerful seamless ring rolling machines.
While at Carlton Forge Works, I have owned three Cessna Turbo 210s in three different partnerships. One of my T-210s was stolen and used in the drug trade. That aircraft had tip tanks plus Loran and GPS navigation systems.
At Beech Aircraft, I was able to train and fly all models of Beech planes and growing up in Wichita has exposed me to Cessna, Lear and Boeing types. Rebuilding my Rearwin in Wichita with dozens of surplus parts stores was a real treat. Rebuilding a P-40 at Tiger Air and later donating the aircraft to a flying museum was a lot of fun.
Being privileged to the assignment of Presidential support was the high point in my military career. I thank God for each of the experiences He as give me.
Flying Time: Flight Engineer 11,802
Pilot 4,712
Total 16,514