Pietenpol-List: German Marked PIET in South Texas
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:28 pm
Original Posted By:> Mike King
Group,This is the response I received today from the Texas Air Museumregarding its PIETENPOL. The aircraft is currently begin used indogfights with another vintage airplane to demonstrate what isbelieved to be the first air to air combat between flying machinesat least here in Texas anyway.Web site for the Texas Air Museum:http://www.texasairmuseum.com Last week a member of our discussion group asked about thewhereabouts of a PIET that was based in Clifton, Texas. I knewthis plane was once in Clifton and eventually made its way todeep South Texas.I was sent pictures of this black German marked airplane but donot know the correct procedure to post it to this group. Once Ilearn that I will send it for all to see.Thanks.Mike KingGN-177MKDallas, TexasHello Mike,Nick forwarded me your inquiries about the Texas Air Museum Pietenpol AirCamper.First, to give you some background, I took over as director ( a volunteerposition) for the museum when John Houston died in November of 2002. I hadthe privilege of working with John for several years before his death, but Imainly handled his crop spraying and personal business interests. Myknowledge of the museum and its exhibits is rather limited. Nonetheless,here's what I know about the Pietenpol.According to the paperwork I have, N36RN (serial number RN1) was built byRobert H. Northcutt of Monterrey, California. He built the aircraft toresemble a WWI German fighter, using Jenny style fixed gear, fake machineguns, insignia, and paint scheme. The airplane is dubbed "Der Faker Fokker"for obvious reasons. The airworthiness certificate I have was issued onDecember 20, 1979.The specs and performance stats I have for the aircraft are as follows: wingspan- 29', wing cord- 5', length overall- 17' 8", height overall, 6'6",landing gear tread- 56", propeller- 6' 4" diameter, weight empty- 610 lbs.,fuel capacity- 10 gallons, climb full load- over 200' first minute, hi speed-90 mph, landing speed- 40 mph.The engine on N36RN is a 1930 Lambert model R-266 five cylinder radial,serial number 3076-TC-38. It is rated at 90 hp at 2350 rpm and weighs 214lbs. Over the years around here, I have heard it referred to as "Babe Ruth'sengine," implying that this particular engine may have been owned at one timeby the baseball legend. That may or may not be a bunch of baloney as far asI know. There seems to be a lot of that produced within aviator circles. Asof yet I haven't seen any documentation to back up this claim.In April of 1984, the aircraft was registered to Ted F. Mayo of Nemo, Texas.I have no idea where Nemo is, but I believe it's correct that the Pietenpolcame here from Clifton, Texas. I went to the airport there a few years backto look at an Agcat that was for sale there and I ran into a guy who said hewas a member of the Texas Air Museum and that he had helped get the Pietenpolto Rio Hondo some years back. A nice fellow; I think his name was Josesomething-or-other. He was restoring an L-19 Bird Dog at the time.I am assuming that the museum acquired the Pietenpol because of itsappearance as a WWI German mockup. John Houston owned a 7/8 scale SE5areplica (lost in a crash here last month) which was used to battle thePietenpol during some of the Fly-Ins here at the museum each year. It was animpressive sight, enhanced by the unique drone if the Lambert radial on thePietenpol.As far as the flight characteristics of the aircraft are concerned, Iwouldn't know as I have never flown it. I have been told it is a littlesquirrelly in the turns and that if landed on pavement, it seems to get fasterand faster after touchdown. Judging from a couple of the squirrels I've seenflying the aircraft, it can't be all that bad.That's about all I can think to tell you about our Pietenpol. I am attachinga few of the pictures I have of it. Feel free to pass this information on topeople in your group. Please keep in mind my lack of qualified knowledge ofthe information I've given you.The fellow you spoke to here the other day is Glenn Vance. He is one of thelong time volunteers here at the museum. I know he has some pretty goodphotos of the Pietenpol he intends to scan and email to you if he hasn't doneit already.I appreciate you letting your group know about our museum. Please let themknow we are in constant need of financial support (of course.) Publicitywithin aviation circles is a big help. We aren't very well known yet, butthere is a really nice collection in the making here. I hope to take theingredients that John Houston left behind and form them into a tool foreducating future generations about aviation history. Stay tuned to the TexasAir Museum website for updates on our progress.If you get the opportunity, come down and take a look for yourself.Sincerely,Lee LabarMuseum DirectorTexas Air Museum of the Rio Grande Valley1 Mile East FM 106PO Box 70Rio Hondo TX 78583-0070phone (956) 748-2112 fax (956) 748-3500email: tds2(at)att.net> Mike,> I have passed your email on to the museum's director. Thanks for emailing> this great letter. Let me know if you ever get a reply from the director.> Have a good day.> -Nick>> ----- Original Message -----
Group,This is the response I received today from the Texas Air Museumregarding its PIETENPOL. The aircraft is currently begin used indogfights with another vintage airplane to demonstrate what isbelieved to be the first air to air combat between flying machinesat least here in Texas anyway.Web site for the Texas Air Museum:http://www.texasairmuseum.com Last week a member of our discussion group asked about thewhereabouts of a PIET that was based in Clifton, Texas. I knewthis plane was once in Clifton and eventually made its way todeep South Texas.I was sent pictures of this black German marked airplane but donot know the correct procedure to post it to this group. Once Ilearn that I will send it for all to see.Thanks.Mike KingGN-177MKDallas, TexasHello Mike,Nick forwarded me your inquiries about the Texas Air Museum Pietenpol AirCamper.First, to give you some background, I took over as director ( a volunteerposition) for the museum when John Houston died in November of 2002. I hadthe privilege of working with John for several years before his death, but Imainly handled his crop spraying and personal business interests. Myknowledge of the museum and its exhibits is rather limited. Nonetheless,here's what I know about the Pietenpol.According to the paperwork I have, N36RN (serial number RN1) was built byRobert H. Northcutt of Monterrey, California. He built the aircraft toresemble a WWI German fighter, using Jenny style fixed gear, fake machineguns, insignia, and paint scheme. The airplane is dubbed "Der Faker Fokker"for obvious reasons. The airworthiness certificate I have was issued onDecember 20, 1979.The specs and performance stats I have for the aircraft are as follows: wingspan- 29', wing cord- 5', length overall- 17' 8", height overall, 6'6",landing gear tread- 56", propeller- 6' 4" diameter, weight empty- 610 lbs.,fuel capacity- 10 gallons, climb full load- over 200' first minute, hi speed-90 mph, landing speed- 40 mph.The engine on N36RN is a 1930 Lambert model R-266 five cylinder radial,serial number 3076-TC-38. It is rated at 90 hp at 2350 rpm and weighs 214lbs. Over the years around here, I have heard it referred to as "Babe Ruth'sengine," implying that this particular engine may have been owned at one timeby the baseball legend. That may or may not be a bunch of baloney as far asI know. There seems to be a lot of that produced within aviator circles. Asof yet I haven't seen any documentation to back up this claim.In April of 1984, the aircraft was registered to Ted F. Mayo of Nemo, Texas.I have no idea where Nemo is, but I believe it's correct that the Pietenpolcame here from Clifton, Texas. I went to the airport there a few years backto look at an Agcat that was for sale there and I ran into a guy who said hewas a member of the Texas Air Museum and that he had helped get the Pietenpolto Rio Hondo some years back. A nice fellow; I think his name was Josesomething-or-other. He was restoring an L-19 Bird Dog at the time.I am assuming that the museum acquired the Pietenpol because of itsappearance as a WWI German mockup. John Houston owned a 7/8 scale SE5areplica (lost in a crash here last month) which was used to battle thePietenpol during some of the Fly-Ins here at the museum each year. It was animpressive sight, enhanced by the unique drone if the Lambert radial on thePietenpol.As far as the flight characteristics of the aircraft are concerned, Iwouldn't know as I have never flown it. I have been told it is a littlesquirrelly in the turns and that if landed on pavement, it seems to get fasterand faster after touchdown. Judging from a couple of the squirrels I've seenflying the aircraft, it can't be all that bad.That's about all I can think to tell you about our Pietenpol. I am attachinga few of the pictures I have of it. Feel free to pass this information on topeople in your group. Please keep in mind my lack of qualified knowledge ofthe information I've given you.The fellow you spoke to here the other day is Glenn Vance. He is one of thelong time volunteers here at the museum. I know he has some pretty goodphotos of the Pietenpol he intends to scan and email to you if he hasn't doneit already.I appreciate you letting your group know about our museum. Please let themknow we are in constant need of financial support (of course.) Publicitywithin aviation circles is a big help. We aren't very well known yet, butthere is a really nice collection in the making here. I hope to take theingredients that John Houston left behind and form them into a tool foreducating future generations about aviation history. Stay tuned to the TexasAir Museum website for updates on our progress.If you get the opportunity, come down and take a look for yourself.Sincerely,Lee LabarMuseum DirectorTexas Air Museum of the Rio Grande Valley1 Mile East FM 106PO Box 70Rio Hondo TX 78583-0070phone (956) 748-2112 fax (956) 748-3500email: tds2(at)att.net> Mike,> I have passed your email on to the museum's director. Thanks for emailing> this great letter. Let me know if you ever get a reply from the director.> Have a good day.> -Nick>> ----- Original Message -----