"N2FC" Christen Eagle Number One donated to EAA Museum...

[wwwarbird]

 I apologize for this not being model related but it is one of the many reasons I grew up to love airplanes, and I gotta brag a little here.

 http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-10-26_christen_eagle.asp


 http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-10-27_christen_eagle.asp

 
 ...Great memories here!!!
 
 I was a 16 year old airport bum when the then-new N2FC happened by my home airport in Albert Lea Minnesota on it's last leg to Oshkosh for it's debut at the convention that year. Upon landing, N2FC taxied up to our fuel pumps with two other matching single seaters. The pilot, Frank himself as I recall, stepped out and offered another young friend and I each rides if we would give the planes a quick "debugging". Needless to say that offer was quickly snapped up! He then took us each up and gave us our first aerobatic experiences. I remember doing loops, rolls, eights, hammerheads and more. After the ride I mentioned that I was going to be in Oshkosh for my first time a few days later. He said to stop by the booth and say "Hi". I did so and he immediately walked me over to a worker at the booth and told the employee to let me pick a couple of souveniers out of the display case. After another big "Thank you" I floated away with a new Christen Eagle T-shirt, cap, hat pin, and a HUGE grin! Thanks for the memories Frank!!!

[Jim Fruit]

Wayne:

You have brought back some memories. Back in 1978 I attended the Oshkosh EAA convention. It was not called Airventure back then. I have not missed a convention since. They had the Eagle and it's kit on display in the sales hanger just below the control tower. Now they just sell clothes in that building, the facilities has grown so much. Anyway, they had five views, pictures, etc. for sale and I went nuts. Also, Poberezny, Hillard and Soucy were flying Christen Eagles in an exciting air routine during the air show. I just knew what my next scale model had to be. I took home my prizes and drew plans and constructed the model based upon 1-1/2" to the foot scale. The model was based upon N2FC. The toughest part of the build was replicating the eagle and feathers color scheme. Once I analyzed it, however, I realized it was just a series of circles and straight lines. It was the original color scheme, where the feathers were more rounded. Later models use a more angular, more modern approach to the graphics. I used all hobbypoxy and it came out beautiful. I powered with an O.S. 35. It hung in my basement for years until much later a gentleman made comment to me that he would like to buy a model of a Christen Eagle. I sold it to him, primarily to make more room. A few years later, I saw my Eagle in a Kenosha, Wisconsin hobby shop. It was hanging up side down (as any Eagle should be) and had a price tag on it, coincidentally the same price that the gentleman had paid me. I saw it hanging there for a couple of years. Then I decided that I really missed that model and I would go buy it back. In the mean time, the gentleman that had purchased my Eagle had passed away. The people administering his estate had come to the hobby shop and took it as a part of his estate. Sigh! Never to be seen again, always a day late and a dollar short.

Jim Fruit