Champ rekindles memories
Joe Hass submitted this photo that he took during a Thursday morning flying field gathering in August 2017 of an Aeronca Champ that was built by a member of the Romeo Skyhawks. The Romeo Skyhawks is a 100-member club located in Romeo, Michigan, a northeastern suburb of Detroit. Joe wrote:
“I have a soft spot in my heart for the Aeronca Champ, as it is the aircraft that I did my first solo flight in many decades ago, and the aircraft that I took my father for a ride in. My dad was an instrument-rated private pilot and owned Wayne Hobby Center for [more than] 25 years.
“Steve Fredericks built this 108-inch beauty from a Bud Nosen kit. It weighs 14 pounds. Power is a YS 120 [engine] turning a 16 x 8 APC prop. Covering is Super Coverite fabric painted with Valspar enamel. The radio is a Spektrum DX8.
“Additional details include scale wing struts, oleo strut landing gear, [an] operational entry door to access the wing attachment and radio equipment, instrument panel, and a pilot. It also has a matching set of Balsa USA EDO floats.
“The Champ on floats won first place at the Midwest Regional Float Fly [held at Kent Lake Beach at the Island Lake Recreation Area in Brighton, Michigan]. Steve flies it in a very scalelike, impressive manner.”
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