USA New England

Cape Cod, Mass.(2B1)- 14oct09

The Mills Air Service


Copyright Ruud Leeuw Photos © R.Leeuw

After our visit to Provincetown, we headed for one of the bridges to bring us to Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Even though my wife was driving, she spotted a taildragger in the distance, and I have her to thank for a very nice visit to Cape Cod Airport and meeting Christopher 'Chris' Siderwicz !

When I stepped into the office and introduced myself, started to explain my intentions, a gent in the office asked me to spell my name; when I did, he shook my hand, told me he regularly visited my website and we had exchanged emails before. Small world !

Chris is a true fan of radial engines. We had exchanged emails when he had purchased a DC-3! That was in Dec.2002...
"I have a Douglas C-47, msn 19560, that I just bought. The military serial number was 43-15094.
I bought it this week from Edward B. Kelser, when Allied Air Freight stopped flying. I ferried it from Concord, New Hampshire to Hyannis, Mass. a couple of weeks ago. It's in freight condition with military paint.
It was in Finland (OH-LCI) for many years. It has been flying freight in the US since 1985.
It is in good mechanical shape, but I will be working on it for most of the winter. I will be offering flight instruction on it as soon as it is ready."
Chris sold it again in 2004, but would love to buy another one!
That C-47 (registered N57NA at the time, see Photos by Friends & Guests -5-), has been reconfigured to a Basler Turbo BT-67 and now flies with Kenn Borek Air as C-FMKB in Canada!

Anyway, on with the visit here...

 

Beech 18 N408BK
Beech H18 N408BK (c/n BA-653) was registered to N408BK of Woodstone Corporation,Seguin,TX on 16Jul09.

Beech 18 N408BK
Reg'd N18RW 09Apr2018 to Richard L Ward of Griffin,GA (FAA's N-inquiry per 24Nov2019).

 

Hanagr at Cape Cod Airport
Piper Cub
Piper J3C-76 NC71064 (c/n 18088) was registered to Thomas Hale Owen from Cotuit, Barnstable, Mass. on 14Nov06. It was manufactured in 1946.
 

N526DP
Aerotek Pitts S-2A N526DP, manufactured in 1979, registered on 08Dec05 to Ernest Allaire of Groton,CT.

 

N6377M A beautiful WACO YMF N6377M, manufactured in 1988, c/n F50016 and registered to Mills Air Service.
It is fitted with a Jacobs R755B Series engine.
In 2008 I flew as a passenger in a WACO YMF, from Sedona,AZ:
At last..


In 1983 the founders of Classic Aircraft Corporation envisioned many childhood dreams coming true with the reincarnation of the WACO YMF.
In the history of aviation, no company had ever taken a fifty-year-old design and manufactured it new, under the original FAA type certificate.
To accomplish this mission, Classic hired experienced engineering talent from Piper, Taylorcraft and Ford. While maintaining the sanctity of WACO's incredible design, this team of proven professionals modernized the aircraft with over 300 engineering changes, redrew over 1400 drawings, and built new tooling for production.
The first WACO YMF Classic rolled off the assembly line and received FAA certification under the original WACO type certificate in March of 1986.
MORE....

 

The remarkable Republic SeaBee
The remarkable Republic SC-3 SeaBee.. One of the very first bushplanes after WW2. N33SC has c/n 994 and is registered to Bryce A. Bourgeois of Brewster,MA since 11Aug2009.
The unique Seabee amphibian was a product of legend aircraft designer Percival H. Spencer selling his Air Car design to Republic Aviation Corporation, to be their contribution for the expected post WW2 booming personal airplane market. Today, more than 60 years after production ended, the Seabee is still the most popular amphibian on the used-market...

N33CS


During the production of the Republic Seabee, more than 100 Seabees were delivered from manufacturer Republic Aviation Corporation (Long Island, New York) to customers outside the USA and Canada. Dealerships were established in Brazil, Cuba, Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Fiji, New Caledona, South Africa, England, Norway, Sweden.
1060 Seabees were manufactured by Republic Aviation Corporation from 1945 to 1947. An unknown number have later been built from parts.
[Source: www.seabee.info/seabee.htm]

If you go to my Main Index Page, scroll down to the Google box and insert 'SeaBee' there, you will find more SeaBees featured om my website.

 
N408BK Beech 18

Chris told me he was working on the engines of this Twin Beech for a client. Nothing he likes best than tinkering on radial engines. Chris is a retired US Air pilot and his wife flew (don't know if she still does) for Cape Air; she was also his copilot on that C-47! Upon my visit he had his son working in the office, so aviation truly is a family affair!
Interior of Beech 18 N408BK
Interior of the Beech H18 N408BK

One more backward glance before we leave here...

Last look at cape Cod Airport,MS
N9008B is a 'Baby Ace D', the manufacturer's name is listed as Darrell E. Woolums and c/n 79 is registered to Michael R Nagle of Edgartown, MA since 02Nov2009.

Thanks to Chris Siderwicz for the hospitality!!!

 

I came across Siderwicz's name again in 11-2024, offering a DC-3 for sale through Barnstormers.
DC-3 N137PB for sale (Nov.2024)

www.barnstormers.com/classified-1610965-1941-DC-3A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Reactions / comments welcomed.