Stormville Airport : Stories : Charles Davis

Chuck Davis, a retired pilot in Virginia writes, "Back in the 60's used to be a hangar queen Bellanca 14-13-2 in the hangar with a bunch of j-3's stacked nose down tail up in front of it. All of the cubs had kids name on front cowl (like Rosie etc). My dad bought the Bellanca. We hauled it to Wurtsboro NY airport and rebuilt it with non-stop work in about 6 months. I got my commercial ticket in it. Great airplane and Storville along with Kobelt were some great airports. Remember airshow at Stormville when Rod Jocelyn performed in Fleet and someone did a belly landing in a t-28???"

Rod Jocelyn is an EAA/IAC Aerobatic Hall of Fame member, inducted in 1998 along with Bill Barber, Tex Rankin, Harold Neumann, and Tom Poberezny. He was a member of the first U.S. team to compete at the World Aerobatic Championships along with Duane Cole and Lindsey Parsons, in Budapest, Hungary, 1962.

Chuck continues, "Yea, the Bellanca was in the back of the hangar covered with dirt and bird poop. Hadn't flown in years, out of annual etc. This was in the spring of 1964. It had original grade A fabric so was a total project. Sent Franklin 150 engine to Matituck for major ($1500in1964!!!!), Aerobatic prop to Univaire in Denver for rebuild. My dad flew for United and had good schedule and so we had many many 14 hr days to work our ass's off and got job done in T-hangar at Wurtsboro. Dad test flew it in October of '64. N86753. We owned for couple years, took lots trips to Nantucket, Marthas Vinyard etc. Got my commercial ticket in it later, using a Narco Superhomer!!!!"

"I actually learned to fly at Wurtsboro in a Luscombe 8D, hung out with the Barone's, remember the late Tony Sr., late George, Tony Jr did painting on the Ballanca. Very great happy days during the summer at the airport with airplanes and gliders!!!!. Unfortunately Vietnam happened the next year. All our lives changed!!!!!"