Bill Allen hosted the Allen Airways Stearman Fly-in at his hangar at Gillespie Field.
By John Wright
Among the aficionados of antique aircraft, the Stearman is one of the most beloved and well known. Manufactured by Boeing from 1939 until the end of WWII as the PT-17 Kaydet, the Boeing model 75 trained thousands of U.S. Army Air Corps, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots during the war. The Stearman has found a new niche as one of the most popular aircraft with collectors.
On May 2-4, a group of collectors met at Gillespie Field (SEE) in El Cajon, Calif., for Allen Airways’ third-annual Stearman Fly-in. Participants came from as far away as Casa Grande, Ariz., and as close as the same airport. Sixteen aircraft were present, including a 1985 Waco YMF belonging to Ronald Opatril of Laveen, Ariz., and San Diegan Steven Byers’ unique float-equipped 1950 Super Cub.
Participating Stearman pilots included Billy Walker of Phoenix; Michael and Charlene Walsh, from Lakewood, Calif.; Larry Dustman, of Chandler, Ariz.; Robert Mearns, who flew in from Las Vegas, Nev.; David Derby, of La Jolla, Calif.; Mike Hanson from Westminster, Calif.; and Terry Emig, from Casa Grande, Ariz.
The participants’ aircraft, neatly arranged prior to a morning flight, included, at right, Norman Erb’s banner-towing aircraft, a Grumman G-164A Ag-Cat.
Among the unique aircraft at the fly-in was a 1945 N1 belonging to host Bill Allen, previously owned by actor Steve McQueen. The plane still carries McQueen’s reform school number as its N-number. Allen also owns a 1930 Stearman C3-R Business Speedster, colloquially known as the “Squaretail.”
Activities through the weekend included numerous flights around the area. On Friday afternoon, a group of 10 aircraft lifted out of Gillespie Field for a tour of the area and a pass over San Diego Bay, including the venue of the Red Bull Air Races, held in San Diego the same weekend.
The pilots that trained in these aircraft are rapidly passing away, and without the dedication of collector/pilots such as the fly-in’s attendees, much of our aviation heritage would be lost. It’s because of events like this that we’re able to keep our aviation history intact.
For information on other Stearman fly-in events, visit [http://www.stearman.net/photo.htm].
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- Bill Allen is the owner of B75N1, once owned by actor Steve McQueen. The N-number of the 1945 aircraft is also Steve McQueen’s reform school number.
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- A late arrival on Friday was this float-equipped Piper Super Cub belonging to Steven Byers of San Diego.
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- Another participating aircraft was this 1985 Waco YMF flown in by Ronald Opatril of Laveen, Ariz.
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- Pilot Billy Walker taxis number 16 out for a morning flight.
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- The Radial Rogues aircraft lifts off for a flight to Corona Airport.
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- Larry Dustman of Chandler, Ariz., prepares to taxi his A75N1.
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- Also attending was this 1943 B75N1, owned by Radial Rogues Inc. of Chandler, Ariz.
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- Ronald Opatril climbs out after taking off from Gillespie Field in the Waco.
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- A flight of six Stearmans and one Waco make a smoke pass over Gillespie Field.
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- Terry Emig of Casa Grande, Ariz., brought this immaculate 1941 N2S-1 to California.
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- San Diego is home to a growing maritime museum, the flagship of which is the restored 1863 barque, Star of India, the world’s oldest active ship.
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- Billy Walker, in the 1943 B75N1 (closest to camera), and Michael and Charlene Walsh, in their 1943 N1, fly over San Diego’s Belmont Park Roller Coaster.
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- With Point Loma in the background, Billy Walker and Michael Walsh prepare to turn up San Diego Bay.
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- The decommissioned USS Midway, the longest serving carrier in the history of the U.S. Navy, serves as a base for the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum.
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- San Diego hosted the second stop of the Red Bull Air Races 2008 season the same weekend as the fly-in.