1947 model, serial 11AC-1657, First Flight 1-24-1947
On these pages you'll see how 3286E progressed from an abandoned project plane to our beautiful restored airplane.... and how we restored her back into a faithful replica of a working Aeronca Chief.
I've always known that an Aeronca would be the only airplane I would have a chance of ever owning or even renting. NC3286E came into my life via the NWEAA FlyIn on July 14th,1989. A friend from my EAA Chapter had just bought an old Chief and took me up to get some aerial video of the FlyIn. We had a good flight... I even flew it for a while and learned what the rudder was for! After a Piper Cherokee, the Chief really demonstrated what "adverse yaw" was all about! When we landed a gentleman came up and said that he had restored that Chief... and that he had one in even better condition in a hangar at Martha Lake airport. When he mentioned it had the original panel still on it with the original metal wheel pants I was interested.
My friend hunted down the address and after some interesting times, on December 16th,1989 we picked up the pieces for the Chief at Martha Lake Airport. With the help of Carl Helland's green Toyota pickup and the trailer/pickup of Lynn Christiansen, with Ed Murray's help too, we got my airplane home and the fuselage was stored in Carl's hangar at Arlington (AWO or S88 as we knew it then!) while one wing ended up in my shop with the RC models. EAA Chapter 84 came through and they would be an inspiration over the next six years.
Here is the chain of ownership in the log books and FAA records:
JAN. 24,1947 AERONCA,MIDDLETOWN , OHIO FIRST TEST FLIGHT, 30 MIN. JIM ROSING, Test Pilot. The airplane was involved in a taxi accident at the factory on the 27th which made them replace the prop and nosebowl. Apparently it wasn't uncommon according to factory employees at the time.
MAY 10, 1947 WESTERN SKYWAYS, TROUTDALE,OR INSTALLED WHEEL PANTS AND H-W MUFFLER The Aeronca Chief probably was boxcar'ed out to Portland, Oregon and assembled at Troutdale, or else ferried there and the parts were added at Troutdale.
MAY 10, 1947 KIRK & UHL, ASTORIA, OREGON FIRST OWNERS, ASTORIA OREGON ....I would sure love to find their old photo album... they probably have a photo of their new Chief in it! They were auto dealers in Astoria.
APR 11, 1951 E. SCHNEIDER 184.2 TT
SEPT.17, 1952 C.A. BILCHER NOW BASED AT SNOHOMISH, WASHINGTON
APR 2, 1955 STU TROMBLY NEW OWNER
DEC 21, 1957 DAVID F. BRADSHAW NEW OWNER, A&E1131252
JAN 25, 1958 LEFT WING IS REPLACED, TOP OVERHAUL AT 475.25 HOURS ON DEC. 17, 1958
1959 C. JENSEN
1962 E.W. LAMONT, GLEN GRAY ENGINE HAS MAJOR OVERHAUL AT 779 HOURS, OCTOBER 16, 1963
1964 RONALD M. ALDERDEN BASED AT ARLINGTON, WASHINGTON
JUNE 12, 1965 D.F. RATHWATER NEW OWNER, 993.5 TT
JUNE 4, 1966 BRUCE ANDERSON JR. NEW OWNER
FEB. 26, 1967 CHUCK & MARY WEBB GREEN VALLEY AIRPORT, GRANTITE FALLS, WASHINGTON
MAR 17, 1967 LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION Before Restoration
JULY 15, 1976 ROB WILL & BRIAN COSTELLO NEW OWNERS, 1067 TT, RECOVERING BEGUN, MARTHA LAKE AIRPORT
DEC. 12, 1989 MARK & ELAINE PETERSON NEW OWNERS RESTORATION RESTARTED
JULY 10, 1995 RESTORATION LARGELY COMPLETE LEFT FOR ANNUAL INSPECTION 337 FORMS SUBMITTED
NOVEMBER 3RD,1995 FIRST FLIGHT AFTER RESTORATION 1067 HOURS TT ARLINGTON, WASHINGTON
