[Leica] Re: IMG: Ira's PESO 2008-3: Beech Model 18

[abridge at gmail.com (Adam Bridge)]

In the mid-60s I worked as a "line boy" at the private side of
Dayton's airport (actually located in Vandalia, Ohio).

At that time the high-end aircraft was Cox Broadcasting's Gulfstream
(I). I was allowed to touch it every once in a while and just before I
left they got their GII.

The smaller companies flew Beechcraft King Airs if they were wealthy,
Queen Airs, G18's, Aero Commanders if they weren't. But there were
Lockheed Lodestars that had been converted into very high-quality
executive suites. They were at least twice the size of the Beech 18's
with fabulous paint jobs and interiors. Top drawer all the way. I
never liked the tail-draggers because cleaning inside them was such a
pain. And they were major work to refuel.

The killer job though was Fram's Convair 440 (I think) that flew into
town once a month between April and October. The things I found in
THAT plane was a real education and I'm not meaning the empty cases of
liquor I pulled off, either! Life was very different then!

When I wasn't working at the airport I was polishing a little Air
Coupe all dural-clad. It was hard work but I never noticed it. The
weekly rides were worth every moment.

Adam