Warbird Information Exchange

"I'm so confused?"

Jim had a very unusual, but very cool picnic table and bench made from a wing and a flap...You can't see from the picture, but there is a Japanese Meatball painted on the wing...nice touch, Jim!

The Lodestar is officially delivered, and I know she has a good home. From the response of the locals in town, they were happy to see "their" plane make it to Hot Springs, and think that admission should be charged for tours....Jim who??

Thanks Jim, we all will be expecting updates!

Sheriff: "Now son, are you lyin' to me about what speed yoor' doin'?"

Gary: "But Officer, why would you think I'm lying?"

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

OMG! That's the funniest thing I've heard in days!

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

Two years ago, I was picking up an ultra-light in Milwaukee to deliver to Kansas. Once again, I was in a residential area loading the aircraft from a garage. A woman walking her dog, came over to me (with that bewildered expression on her face), and asked after reading the Winona Flying Services on the trailer...less the letter "f".... "A lying service? What do you lie about?" I told her," anything that you want me to".... With that information registering on her mind, she asked ..."You mean, if I had some problems with the guttering on my house, that you'd lie to my insurance agent?" Well, I couldn't lie, so I told her, "Yes, but I promiss you, I'm not a politician."....She walked away real fast, dragging her little poodle that wasn't quite done peeing on my truck tire.....

I get comments on that trailer every day I have it out.....(no lie!)

That looks a lot like a Lodestar I used to claim. A lot of dreams and fantasies are now spread out over the country, kind of sad, but glad to see something being done with my dreamship. Please keep the updates and pictures coming and give us the whole story. Is it yard art or a guest room?
Hope any leftovers dont go to the squisher.
I noticed a canopy like structure in one picture, maybe the solution for my other aircraft, a Starship One, which was going to be in competition with the Moller Sky Car.(very much assembly required)

Bonzo

Gents,

Does anyone know the ID of this C-60?

Gary

Im pretty sure it is part of what is left over of 339.
I first saw 339 in Van Nuys in 1981, a howard 250, not all 250 s were the same, it was once owned by someone named Chris who may have owned Schaeffer ambulance, which was based at the V N airport.
Somewhere there are pictures of it at Chino, and a former freight operator with a fleet of Beech 18:s flew it to Texarkana to join another Lodestar conversion. Tommy May made the trip in about 7 hours one day when every thing felt right, and he reported that it flew beautifully.
The projects never completed, both airplanes went through a series of bank owners, then 339 was purchased by a guy in Utah, I think named Gaylen, who wanted to convert it to a fire bomber or tanker, as I think he had some fire trucks on contract to some agency, but balked and bailed when Bill Dempsay, who was contracted to help him, told him how much money it would take.
The other bird went to Tito Melendez, a super DC3 operator in Florida, who had hoped to make it into a personal family ride.
I bought 339 on Ebay, and laking any extra money, and not having much spare time to travel from the LA area, could only claim bragging rights and the chance to make many friends in the airplane world.
several people approached me in a two week period, and I wound up selling 339 to Gary Doehla {sp?} so he could get his Lodestar in Littlerock going. Aubie Pearman got the other bird, and I think the Littlerock one is now holding hands with Aubies who I think is helping with it.
Gary Hilton took over what was left of 339, and it sounds like he has tried his best to keep it out of the hands of scrappers.
It was sad to learn that main spar and other areas of corrosion would keep it from flying again. It was a high point in my life to have been a little part of its life, Lodestars just seem so "huggable".
I still hope to keep in touch with all the Lockheed people, and someday maybe I can get a ride in one.
hope this helps, it helped me
Bonzo

Thanks a million Bonzo. Thanks for helping to save the old girl.
Joe Baugher has her as "42-56055 cn 18-2548 to Great Lakes Steel Corp as N14922"
Gary

c130, and Bonzo, you both are correct in the I.D. of the Lodestar/Howard250....Fuselage now with Jim in Montana, wings and other misc. parts of this aircraft in Missouri.

The other Lodestar/Gulfstar at Texarkanna, is owned by Aubie...the tail feathers are removed, and the wings are ready to be pulled soon.

The Lodestar that WAS in Little Rock....has flown the coupe!

G.

The Lodestar is a big hit in Hot Springs Montana. the city sent me a form to apply for a permit to have the plane in my yard and a bill for $75. I am happy to pay it to keep the city government quiet and solvent. The neighbors rolled their eyes. I just got rid of a 50 foot long city bus 2 months earlier, which they applauded. Now I am back on the disreputable list. Hot Springs is a small rural town and it took me a while to acumulate the community standard of one parked van and two dogs minimum. the vans are used to store stuff that will not fit anywhere else and the dogs guard the van from predators. We have a herd of urban deer and occasional cougars (feline kind) and black bear to harrass the deer.
The odd dish shape that Rob is sitting under is a satellite dish gazeebo. the dish is what is known as a prairee sunflower and can be found near almost any ranch house. they are about 10 - 11 feet across and ar made of aluminum mesh. they make a great sun shade but can colapse under a snow load. I also have a grain silo converted into a studio and loft bedroom. I guess I am part Indian because I want to live in a round home, not a square box.
No progress on the Lodestar, except I bought a boat trailer for $450 and will blow another thousand to modify it to carry the Lodestar. Gary said the fuselage weighs 3,000 pounds so I am hoping the boat trailer can handle it.
So far I vacuumed 50 pounds of dirt and fastners out of the Lodestar and will get out the hack saw and chop saw after I finish the grain bin. some time this fall or winter. My sweetie said I have to complete the grain bin before I can start another project. bummer.
That's the news so far. more to come when something happens.

Jim, you put some oversize springs on that trailer, little bit bigger tires, and use lotsa duck tape....don't use duct tape, cause the boat is for water (like a duck) and the aircraft flys (like a duck!)...It'll work fine! Trust me!