Photo ID: 1041018
click image to enlarge |
Model: Howard GH-1 Nightingale, DGA-15P |
Registration: Navy 04393, N9011H |
| Year: 1941 |
Serial Number: Navy BuNo 04393, c/n 547 |
| Engine(s): P&W R985, 450-HP |
Owner: Chris D. Stoltzfus
Coatesville, PA |
Location: Stoltzfus Airport
Coatesville, PA |
Photographer: Ken Stoltzfus |
| Date: 1946-47 |
Present Registration: N5605 |
Present Owner (FAA info): James A Brennan
Redondo Beach, CA |
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Notes: 9/14/04 - My father, the late Chris D. Stoltzfus of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, in his Howard. This U.S. Navy, Howard GH-1, civilian DGA-15P, was sold by the War Assets Administration on 11/15/46 for $3,000. This is about as "stock" as it gets!
We were only kids when Father had the Howard, but I remember it well. It had a peculiar odor inside, something like formaldehyde, which was probably from its felt interior. I think that we didn't play in it much for that reason. |
Photo ID: 1041019
click image to enlarge |
Notes: That's my twin brother Karl Stoltzfus (K&K Aircraft, Dynamic Aviation, Bridgewater, VA) there on the left, my older sister Ruth Ann, and then me next to Father. The photo was taken between November 1946 and October 1947, making Karl and I six years old at the time.
Those four little round things to Father's right, just below where the star was, are emergency flares. There was a rack of four tubes, each containing an electrically operated parachute flare of 100,000+ candle power. The device was spring loaded with a piece of magnesium (I believe) that was ignited with a Zippo lighter sort of thing as it exited. The parachute opened and it drifted down to help you find a safe landing spot at night. Each flare lasted about 1 ½ minutes. If you want to know more about how they work, ask Karl. |
| Photographer: Stoltzfus, Ken |
Photo ID: 1041020
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Notes: Father was pleased with his Howard!
He had a close call in this airplane after having some work done on it in Wilmington, DE, (possibly including the paint job shown two photos down). When he raised the flaps after takeoff, one came up and the other didn't and the aircraft started to roll. He immediately put the flaps back to takeoff position, returned to the airport and had the system repaired. Father didn't frighten easily in an airplane but that one really got his attention. |
| Photographer: Stoltzfus, Ken |
Photo ID: 1041021
click image to enlarge |
Notes: Navy BuNo 04393. From other photos of surplus aircraft in this era, I'm sure that the Howard was ferried home with this number, i.e. the N-number was not applied until later. |
| Photographer: Stoltzfus, Ken |
Photo ID: 1041022
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Notes: By July, 1947 the Howard was in civilian garb and was showing NC9011H. It was not certificated until January, 1950.
The aircraft must have had the Jobmaster modifications at some point because the last bill of sale shows it as a Howard Jobmaster. See history from the FAA files, after the last photo. |
| Photographer: Stoltzfus, Ken |
Photo ID: 1041023
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Notes: I have green tags like this from other aircraft that Father bought in the 1940's. This one shows that the Howard had 802:12 hours total time and 13:36 since military overhaul. The engine was 1038:12 since new and 18:42 since overhaul. Wow - - all that for three thousand bucks! Come to think of it, that was a pile of money in those days!! |
| Photographer: Stoltzfus, Ken |
Photo ID: 1041024
click image to enlarge |
Notes: The sales receipt to US Aeroplane Carriers, Inc., of Dover, DE on October 30, 1946. I believe they were friends of Fathers who did the transaction for him. |
| Photographer: Stoltzfus, Ken |
From FAA records, with comments: 11/15/46 War Assets Administration to US Aero-Plane Carriers, Inc., Dover, DE, Howard GH-1, s/n 547, Identification No. 04393, for $3,000; 11/21/46 to Chris D. Stoltzfus, Coatesville, Penna; 11/4/49, '337 on getting aircraft ready for certification; 1/9/50, Application for Original Airworthiness, aircraft certificated, equipment list shows 143-Gal fuel.
10/7/50 to Edward Bebhard, Washington, DC, then Arlington, VA, then Scotch Plains, NJ, then LA, CA, then Miraleste, CA; 5/23/52, TT at annual, 805-hours; 6/16/52, removed 2D30-6167A-15, installed 2D30-6101A-17; 7/56 annual, 1076:17 TT; 2/1/72 to C. Leslie DeLine, San Diego, CA; 12/20/75 to Arthur G & Jean R. Thomas, Oceanside, CA. They changed it to N5605, probably in 1977-78; 5/16/84, Jean Thomas sold to Frank G. Compton, Torrance, CA for $11,000, as NC5605. Sold as s/n "Factory 547 Navy 04393"; 2/11/85 traded even up to James A. Brennan, Redondo Beach, CA as s/n "Factory 547 Navy 04393", and as model "Howard DGA-15P Jobmaster". |
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