Ross told me there was a cool visitor at our local seaplane base on Ely Lake, so I stopped splitting wood and drove over there to find this ole girl:

Registry has her as a 1933 Stinson Junior SR.





This cargo door design must have been calling out to the de Havilland engineers in the mid 40s.






No sign of the owner. Maybe he was waiting for the wind to pick up before taking off. Unsure what that engine is but some googling says is may have been a 215-260hp Lyc.

We see some neat stuff here from time to time. Just a few years ago there was a freshly retired Noorduyn Norseman hanging out, prior to launching for AK. Now I see that it’s for sale.

SWEET!! I love those old classic planes.

Seriously cool, thanks for sharing the pictures Zzz

Super cool for sure!

There was one, she is in the Achorage air musium now, that old, and i mean old, alaskan pilot legand Frank Walaka woukd fly out to the bristol bay every summer.

Each year she would have another part restored or painted, dark red with blue trim…

She didnt like to sit in the rain. At some point I begain offering to let her stay in the big hangar I was leasing cause.

The last summer I saw Frank and his SR he had driven over causr he couldnt get her to start. I drove back to the planr with him, looked it over, i think i pulled the ftont plugs, tiok them back to the shop, etc. Anyway he tries to start her again but no joy. It took all the nerve to ask the gentelman, Frank do you mind if i give her a try? He was super gracius about it, i doubt he let few into the front seat of thus old lady. I thought it through, im a 985 man and never started a little round lycoming. I coukdnt smell fuel and didnt see any dripping… thought about it some more, wasnt a lot of battery left. Primec her a few times, hopped out and pulled het through a few blades, jumped back up in the cockpit… thoght about it some more letting that wet gas turn to vapor…
Left the primer out, cracked the throttle that much, you beaver pilots ejo know better then ti jack off tye throttle know what im talking about, four blades and click the mag switch click click click to the right, she puffs a couple times, quorter skwert of prime, and she poop poop poops around a few times, half a squirt, and she’s hittin on almosy all of them…

I realy dont recall exactly how I got that balky girl to fire but what I’ll treasure forever was Frank Walaka looking up at me with that big beaming smile if his.

“dont let her stop!”

Frank passed a few years later.

I reached out to the family about aquiring his SRjr but it was not to be…

Wriiten with a tear in my eye, blue skys Frank!


Rocket

What a beauty. Very cool Zane.

Zzz wrote:Ross told me there was a cool visitor at our local seaplane base on Ely Lake, so I stopped splitting wood and drove over there to find this ole girl:


No sign of the owner. Maybe he was waiting for the wind to pick up before taking off. Unsure what that engine is but some googling says is may have been a 215-260hp Lyc.

We see some neat stuff here from time to time. Just a few years ago there was a freshly retired Noorduyn Norseman hanging out, prior to launching for AK. Now I see that it’s for sale.

You're killin' me Zane! That's a Pratt R985 on the Stinson, counterweighted Hamilton Standard 2D30 hub hiding under the spinner, appear to be 6101 blades. She makes her own wind with that much power! The Norseman runs the Pratt 1340; both the best radials produced IMO. When it comes to float ops, there is no replacement for displacement. The Pratt was the best choice for upgrade.

TR

TR wrote:

Zzz wrote: may have been a 215-260hp Lyc.

You're killin' me Zane! That's a Pratt R985

When I show this kind of ignorance, I like to make sure everyone sees it.

But really, I couldn't tell a Pratt from a Jacobs, just like I have no idea which light business jet is which.

TR wrote:

Zzz wrote:Ross told me there was a cool visitor at our local seaplane base on Ely Lake, so I stopped splitting wood and drove over there to find this ole girl:


No sign of the owner. Maybe he was waiting for the wind to pick up before taking off. Unsure what that engine is but some googling says is may have been a 215-260hp Lyc.

We see some neat stuff here from time to time. Just a few years ago there was a freshly retired Noorduyn Norseman hanging out, prior to launching for AK. Now I see that it’s for sale.

You're killin' me Zane! That's a Pratt R985 on the Stinson, counterweighted Hamilton Standard 2D30 hub hiding under the spinner, appear to be 6101 blades. She makes her own wind with that much power! The Norseman runs the Pratt 1340; both the best radials produced IMO. When it comes to float ops, there is no replacement for displacement. The Pratt was the best choice for upgrade.

TR

Good eye TR. I was looking last night and said to myself, sure looks lije a 2D30 spinner. Never thought a 985 would get bolted to one of those birds… Bet she rips right off the water!

Rocket

Zzz wrote:

TR wrote:

Zzz wrote: may have been a 215-260hp Lyc.

You're killin' me Zane! That's a Pratt R985

When I show this kind of ignorance, I like to make sure everyone sees it.

But really, I couldn't tell a Pratt from a Jacobs, just like I have no idea which light business jet is which.

Dont feel bad Z, ive been staring at 985’s almost every work day for 30 years and even when part if my brain tried to tell me i missed it. Crow always tastes better with a bit of humilty: yum


Rocket

rocket wrote:Super cool for sure!

There was one, she is in the Achorage air musium now, that old, and i mean old, alaskan pilot legand Frank Walaka woukd fly out to the bristol bay every summer.

Each year she would have another part restored or painted, dark red with blue trim…

She didnt like to sit in the rain. At some point I begain offering to let her stay in the big hangar I was leasing cause.

The last summer I saw Frank and his SR he had driven over causr he couldnt get her to start. I drove back to the planr with him, looked it over, i think i pulled the ftont plugs, tiok them back to the shop, etc. Anyway he tries to start her again but no joy. It took all the nerve to ask the gentelman, Frank do you mind if i give her a try? He was super gracius about it, i doubt he let few into the front seat of thus old lady. I thought it through, im a 985 man and never started a little round lycoming. I coukdnt smell fuel and didnt see any dripping… thought about it some more, wasnt a lot of battery left. Primec her a few times, hopped out and pulled het through a few blades, jumped back up in the cockpit… thoght about it some more letting that wet gas turn to vapor…
Left the primer out, cracked the throttle that much, you beaver pilots ejo know better then ti jack off tye throttle know what im talking about, four blades and click the mag switch click click click to the right, she puffs a couple times, quorter skwert of prime, and she poop poop poops around a few times, half a squirt, and she’s hittin on almosy all of them…

I realy dont recall exactly how I got that balky girl to fire but what I’ll treasure forever was Frank Walaka looking up at me with that big beaming smile if his.

“dont let her stop!”

Frank passed a few years later.

I reached out to the family about aquiring his SRjr but it was not to be…

Wriiten with a tear in my eye, blue skys Frank!


Rocket

That’s a great story, Rocket.