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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (July 10, 2019)
A16 NEWS Wallowa County Chieftain Wednesday, July 10, 2019 JOSEPH FLY-IN LANDS JULY 12 Boeing CH47 “Chinook” Army National Guard twin rotor helicopter “Bird” biplane, courtesy of Dick and Lucas Stangel (pre-WWII) LifeFlight helicopter Historic DC-3 called to duty at D-Day reenactment Curtiss P40 “War- hawk” (WWII era) Aero Vodchody L39 “Albatros” jet trainer/ fi ghter & now racer (Czech Cold War era) By Katherine Stickroth For the Chieftain As a young man, Bill Hall worked on his grandfather’s ranch which overlooks the Joseph State Airport. Hall is now a director of the upcoming 2019 Wallowa County Fly-in, which will bring an array of historic aircraft to the Joseph airport on July 12 and 13. Planes include several WWII war birds — a P-40 and a replica of a P-64. The event also helps support Joseph Charter School’s unique avia- tion program. For the past fi ve years, a big, crowd-pleas- ing DC-3 has announced the opening of the Fly-in with a low level fl ight coming up the Wallowa Valley. That plane, now more than 80 years old, was fl ying for the Army Air Corps in WWII, although it spent its wartime tour state- side. This year it will miss the Joseph Fly-in because after fl ying to England for the 75th anniversary of the Normandy inva- sion, it’s getting a well-earned rest and refurbishment in England, and a few more European engagements before heading back to the U.S. The DC-3 was built in 1937. Famous WWI fl ying ace and Medal of Honor recipient Eddie Rickenbacker, then vice-pres- ident of Eastern Airlines, pur- chased the plane as one of the airline’s original Silver Fleet. It is one of the oldest DC-3s still in fl ight and holds the world’s record for DC-3 fl ight time. The DC-3s regular appearance at the Joseph Fly-in can be credited, in a way, to local fl ying icon Ted Grote, who passed away in late in 2014, and on Bill Hall’s connec- tions among the historic aviation commu- nity. During WWII, Grote fl ew DC-3s from Texas to California as the fi rst leg of their mission in the war effort. “Knowing that Ted Grote would be really interested in seeing that plane,” Hall said, “I invited Pete Nickerson, the DC-3s present owner, to bring the DC-3 to our 2014 Fly-in.” Nickerson did. Ted Grote was delighted. Grote broke into a grin as he watched it taxi to the tarmac. “I used to fl y those,” he said. “Beautiful old bird.” Soon after this special reunion, Ted passed away. Last month, Hall accompanied ten other men in the same DC-3 on a fl ight from Aurora, Oregon, across the United States, crossing the Atlantic and arriving at Duxford, England, air- base. The aircraft joined additional DC-3s and C-47s which were gathering for a fl yover to Normandy, France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Hall describes, “We stopped in Montana, North Dakota, Michigan and Maine. We then hopped across the northern Atlantic, land- ing at former WWII landing strips — Can- ada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland- used by the United States to transport equipment to AIRCRAFT FLYING IN AND ON DISPLAY North American AT6 “Texan” (WWII era) At the 2014 fl y-in Ted Grote, 94, takes the controls of the historic DC-3 aircraft similar to those he piloted during WWII. England during the war. We arrived at Dux- ford where briefi ngs were held for pilots pre- paring for the reenactment. Many participants were dressed in WWII uniforms for the event.” The DC-3 bore its WWII Army Air Corps star and registration number assigned when requisitioned in 1943. About his time on the DC-3, in England and on the beaches of Normandy for the his- toric memorial, Navy veteran Hall com- mented, “The whole experience added up to something quite moving for me.” This year’s fl y-in — and the days before the offi cial fl y-in, will likely welcome some out- standing and historic aircraft, Bill Hall noted. About 10 or 11 a.m. on the morning of Thursday, July 11, we’ll have two outstand- ing, historic jet aircraft fl ying over Joseph,” Hall said. “Mark Peterson and Phil Fogg will fl y in for the morning of Thursday the 11th and we expect them to fl y over from Boise in forma- tion and do a missed approach pass before landing at Joseph,” he said. “They will both be fl ying jets. Mark Peterson will be piloting the Dornier Alpha Jet (a German aircraft). Phil Fogg will be fl ying the Aero L-39 “Albatros” Czech-built jet that he was in last year. Phil won grand champion at the Reno Air Races Jet Category in 2014, racing an L39.” Hall expects the L-39 to remain in Joseph North American P64 (WWII era, replica) Quest Kodiak 100 Utility Bush Plane Boeing Stearman PT-17 military train- ers (WWII era) Stinson V77 “Reli- ant” 1930’s through 1943, commercial and military 1934 Perth Amboy July 12 and 13. Various STOL (Short take-off and land- ing) aircraft will provide demonstrations and some special event at this year’s fl ying, Hall noted. “The STOL demonstrations by some of our most experienced local Wallowa County canyon pilots will be fun to watch. They’ll be fl ying in highly capable aircraft well-suited to STOL work, Piper Super Cubs and modifi ed Cessna 170s. For even more fun and a great opportunity to experience historic aircraft, the North Amer- ican AT6 will be available to take paying cus- tomers on half hour and one hour rides with aerobatic demonstrations and instruction by request. Jim Shotwell, pilot.Jim will also give some selective rides to military veterans at no charge, time permitting. Priority goes to oldest veterans interested in a ride. “We are always surprised and pleased by some of the interesting aircraft that fl y in on Friday and Saturday. We don’t always know everything that is going to show up so we may very well have additional noteworthy and his- toric aircraft on the ramp to pique the interest of aviation fans and fl y-in attendees,” he said. A P-40 Flying Tiger aircraft at the National Aircraft Museum, is similar to the plane that will be at the Joseph Fly-In on July 12. U.S.A.F. National Flight Museum Caleb Klauder Country Band Kory Quin Dom Flemons Bart Budwig 1919! Ural Thomas & The Pain Jon Cleary & the Absolute Gentlemen Party like it’s JOIN US THIS WEEKEND! OK Theatre Centennial Celebration Dinner on Main Street & How the West was Dun a western melodrama and dinner Friday July 12th Tickets $50 Tickets available at: eventbrite.com, theoldok.com or by calling 541-263-0941 Party on Main Street! $25 per person or $50 per family! 208 W. Main Street, Enterprise, Oregon Everyone on our three-person editorial staff reports, takes photos, breaks stories to the Web, and interacts with our followers on social media. Wallowa County offers exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities and boasts a thriving arts community, cattle ranches, farms, a major tourism industry and traditional small-town life where there are no traffic lights. Journalism degree and two years of experience reporting in the Northwest or a rural community preferred. This is a rare opportunity to grow with a family newspaper company that believes in the value of community journalism. Full time position offering insurances, 401(k) retirement plan and Paid Time Off (PTO). Send cover letter, resume and clips to hr@eomediagroup.com. REPORTER WANTED The Wallowa County Chieftain, an aggressive weekly in the incredible scenic northeastern corner of Oregon, has an opening for a reporter equally at home covering hard news, sports and writing features and service pieces.