Category : Arizona TVOTS

The BEARS

L-R:  Billy Walker – Ed Newberg – Alan Ripa – Russ Gilmore – Jim Swanke, the original BEARS.   …at the Black Bear restaurant with Ed’s Clenet, a very nice collectors automobile. All the above were formerly members of the CAF which had once been the Confederate Air Force.  Later the.

DAVE’s YAK

DAVE’s YAK September 16, 2022   In the June 2003 issue of America’s Flyways, the cover story was “Dave’s Yak.”   Since that story included several really important people in my life, as well as a couple of terrific flying machines, I wanted to include the story on my website.

EAA CHAPTER 1619 ‘STELLAR AIRPARK’ P19
EAA CHAPTER 1619 ‘STELLAR AIRPARK’ P19

EAA IS ALL ABOUT AIRPLANES AND CAMARADERIE!    I have the assignment of “MEMBERSHIP” for our new EAA Chapter 1619 (Stellar Airpark).   If you would like more information: PRESENTLY (23 AUG 2018) . EAA is offering $10 discounts for new memberships.  Go on-line and sign up there, just attach a.

Walker Bunch – Prologue
Walker Bunch – Prologue

Writing my family’s story, from my perspective, I realized that I jumped ahead some.  For sure I should have put something about what my grandparents meant to me as well as their influence which was considerable and atavistic.  If you have already read Part One/Two/Three you know that I was.

The Adventures of the Walker Bunch:  Part Two – Arizona then and Now…
The Adventures of the Walker Bunch: Part Two – Arizona then and Now…

SARATOGA to SCOTTSDALE arriving November 5, 1958… After Jerry Donelan convinced me to move to Arizona the quid pro quo was that our move would be following the Panther’s football season.  As I mentioned in Part One, the PVHS football team went from worst to first from my freshman year to my senior year..

WALKER BUNCH – PART THREE!
WALKER BUNCH – PART THREE!

    September 1986 was the demise of our beloved Frontier Airlines.   It’s employees blown to the four winds.   It was an extremely sad time especially after all the sacrifices we employees made in trying to save a FIRST-RATE little airline. JAKE Even with all the pain and uncertainty, the.

Joe Foss – A Proud American
Joe Foss – A Proud American

Joe Foss and The Cactus Air Force  Guadalcanal Major “Smokin’Joe” Foss I met Joe Foss at Ann Faught’s funeral in 1990.  I was there with my Dad, “Pic” Walker.  I had known Ann my entire life.  She was special. Joe was there to speak about Annie and the long friendship.

Bill Cutter – A Peerless Aviator
Bill Cutter – A Peerless Aviator

All I needed to do was post the picture shown above.  That photo is the essence of my aviator pal, Bill Cutter, and the reason he is so revered in the aviation community.   His majestic D-17S Staggerwing Beech in the background and there stands Sir William surrounded by a bevy of beauties all.

General Francesco De Pinedo 1890 – 1933
General Francesco De Pinedo 1890 – 1933

Francesco De Pinedo (February 16, 1890 – September 2, 1933) was a famous Italian aviator. And the first foreign pilot to fly a foreign aircraft to the United States! Note:  See comments from a reader at the end of the De Pinedo story Pinedo, a Regia Marina (Italy’s Royal Navy) officer.

CAPTAIN JOSEPH RUTHERFORD WALKER 1798 – 1876
CAPTAIN JOSEPH RUTHERFORD WALKER 1798 – 1876

T’day, March 10th, 2018 I had a delightful phone visit with historian, Bill Horst.  Bill is 84 years young and very active with the museum in Porterville, California.  Horst has an abiding interest in Joe Walker.  Thanks to Bill Horst, I hope to soon have additional information on Joseph Rutherford.