Finding a World War ONE Fabric, Wood and Piano Wires Open Cockpit Airplane
I would like to introduce an amazing, powerful “LADY” her name is Jenny. Many of the Women Airforce Service Pilots practiced these 1918 surplus planes as young girls. I was determined to find a Jenny to describe for my “She Flew Bombers” manuscript.
I drove an hour away to the Schellville Airport and with my trusty clipboard and Nikon camera I went to find Frank Shelling’s hanger hoping Jenny would be there. I smelled a whiff of shellac in an open hanger and saw a man touching up the wood parts of an airplane. Breathlessly, before me was a WW ONE 1918 Curtiss Jenny Biplane trainer! With a pounding heart, I introduced myself as an aspiring writer about the WASPs, and owner Frank was very pleased to meet me. He enthusiastically wanted to show off his proud restored “baby” and asked me if I would like to help him move it onto a nearby field so I could take a take a photograph of it. I answered eagerly, yes. But did have some anxiety about moving this large airplane.
Frank instructed me to grab the handhold under the lower wing as he did on the opposite side, and we carefully pulled the airplane out of the hanger. It was astonishingly easy it was to guide the Jenny out onto the field, and it was awesome to see the large wingspan of 43 ft. 7 inches long. I felt the fabric wings. Frank said it was 100% cotton covered with cellulose-based dope to tighten and stiffen them. After the photo was taken, we put the Jenny back in its home. Frank asked if I would like a flight in her. I agreed with astonishment to experience this rare opportunity.
We exchanged phone numbers as I profusely thanked him. On the drive home, thoughts of my frightening flight in the 1941 Stearman flew in my head, and I hoped the Jenny would not be as scary. At home, I pushed my fears aside and with a fervor of enthusiasm, I wrote about my heroine Violet flying in a Curtiss Jenny. 348
Stay tuned for my next blog: Up in a Fabric and Wood Flying Machine.