I recognize Mike Patterson (Rumson) in the orange and Larry Gosler in the middle in red. In black on one knee, that sure looks like Fred Cruess, an Air Traffic Controler from Jacksonville. He jumped at Palatka when we all wound up there after Bobby Tier had exhausted all the other options in north Florida. Do you know if this is the same guy?
I sent that photo to Larry Gossler and here's his reply: The Photo Left - Right: Ty Zellars - Navy Seal Jock Covy - One of Hoopers friends. Me Tuna - Pilot Mike Patterson Ray Secrest - Welding Engineer Larry
Any clues on the other picture? Apparently I was at the controls, the prop was spinning and only recognize Larry and I think Donna? Might be Phil Smith in the aircraft behind me but can't make him out well.
Interestingly enough, Ty Zellers was nice enough to gift me with a wrist compass which was Seal issue, I still have that....I'd forgotten about that till Larry identified him....
(This post was edited by lodestar on Oct 26, 2009, 2:16 PM)
Re: [lodestar] Cessna 196 4395N new pics
[In reply to]
Can't Post
A couple more, Hoop, if you're out there, I think the patch could be the very first one before the one with stars on the outside. I'm wondering who designed this one....
There are three new ones, two more of the 196 and one of the patch I found recently. You will still have to cut and paste this in your browser window but these are direct links.
I'm drawing a blank on who is in the second picture but all of them were together in my upload.
(This post was edited by lodestar on Oct 26, 2009, 3:56 PM)
Re: [lgossler] Cessna 196 4395N new pics
[In reply to]
Can't Post
Larry, that's what I thought but wasn't sure....I think Hoop designed the one with stars around the perimiter... I'll take credit for the "Z" though, I first had that painted on the doors of my green pickup we used at the DZ, as you may remember the "Z" is a takeoff from the ZigZag papers....might have had some significance back in those days....
Here are some pictures my wife and I took of her. They were taken at Oshkosh in 2007. It was hard to believe this was the same old girl! The owner from Florida did a beautiful job with the restoration.
Man, Oh Man, is that gorgeous, hard to believe I have about 300 hours in that sweet thing.... Must have cost him a bundle.....but is it ever worth it.... Thank you so much for finding that.....does the heart good to see it!!
Here are some pictures my wife and I took of her. They were taken at Oshkosh in 2007. It was hard to believe this was the same old girl! The owner from Florida did a beautiful job with the restoration.
Hey! I know the guy in blue. Used to catch 'gators with his bare hands and jump out of planes. Bear Grillis ain't got nuttin on him! Looks like his BOW is up a bit from those days but it's a tough life in the left seat what with all them clocks and dials (and catering) to keepa track of.
Hey Tuna, one of your pictures is not of N4395N it's Frank's from Rainbow that he used to bring down to Z-hills for the formation loads. It was wrecked and rebuilt by Frank and then sold to a guy in Wisconsin who let one of his weekend pilots total it. N4395N is now owned by a good friend of mine in Lakeland, FL. I test flew it for him after the $150K rebuild and restoration. I also own 95N's sister ship it is the last of the four 195's that Parks Aerial Survey built into 196's. It has never been a jump plane, but if you want to fly either mine or 95N sometime let me know, I live in Ocala on the Leeward Air Ranch. Would be good to see you some time.
(This post was edited by LtlRichard on Oct 27, 2009, 2:55 PM)
Wow! I'm blown away by your most generous offer Richard, although I'm not current, it would be a totally amazing thing to just take a ride! Those are the most awesome aircraft I was ever in and flew. By Frank, do you mean Frank Youngquist (sp) I remember when he flew the 95N to Florida and I believe Searles bought it at that time, somewhere I have a picture of Frank, Jeff and Bonnie standing in front of the 196. I'll have to dig that up. I was flying a 182 for Wisconsin Skydivers which burned up one Easter, I then contacted Searles and got to flying at Rainbow, in Franklin and there met Frank on occasion. Don't remember anything of the crashes or of the sister ship. That would have been in 1965-66. I then moved to Chicago and started flying at Bong AFB in 1967, left there in 69 to fly for Searles at the Hills. I'd love to take you up on your offer, let me think and figure out when would be a good time, awful busy right now but PM me with your email and we can get together for that. Wow, still spinning with the memories....thank you , thank you , thank you....I'm not far away in St. Augustine. Tuna...
I was still working at the center when the first "paint job" was done. They used a chemical to strip the current paint from the aircraft. I had never seen this done before and had no idea how effective that stuff was. They had completely stripped the paint in under an hour. Then they polished the exterior surfices. I don't know if a clear coat of some sort was applied or not, but it sure was shiny. The rainbow paint job came much later.
I remember that plane well. Here's a shot someone took of me in it climbing to altitude.
http://i35.tinypic.com/2qc1rw8.jpg
Pat, that picture was probably taken on the first weekend right after my Dad bought it back in 1967, he flew it home and I helped him remove the right side upholstery to access the door bolts to remove it, he flew that first weekend with the dual yoke still in it. It was the next week that his mechanic Jim Cooper installed a 182 front seat that faced rearward on the right side so a jumper could sit on the floor in front of the door. That was a long time ago, the airplane to date has been flown over 17,000 hours and about 12,000 of that was hauling jumpers. It has been retired from a jump plane and restored to an airshow award winning classic.
(This post was edited by LtlRichard on Oct 28, 2009, 3:50 PM)
eOSH07 025.jpg
1
