HISTORY OF RESTORATION

 

History of The Quick Monoplane Restoration Work by EAA Chapter 190 by Chet Klier, EAA 4980 March 10, 1968      The Quick Monoplane was discovered on May 24, 1964 by EAA Chapter Member Rob Maulsby. A story about the airplane telling of its construction, test flight, and up to the point of restoration was written by Chet Klier and was published in Sport Aviation, June issue 1965.      A few weeks were spent by EAA Chapter 190 restoration crew members pondering how the work would be done, where will we work, what about missing or unknown parts?

At The Quick Farm, May 29, 1964      The first day out of the machine shed. We set up the airplane to see what the Quick Monoplane would look like.

Saturday, September 5, 1964, the first real work began at the Quick farm. At the suggestion of Ed Lamb, a wooden key about fourteen inches long was fitted into the broken leading edge of the left wing panel.

At The Quick Farm, May 29, 1964      Chester Klier grinds off decades of rust from metal parts of the fuselage as Joe Quick looks on.

At The Quick Farm, May 29, 1964      The left wing panel has been removed and stripped of fabric, now how to fix a broken wing leading edge. Left to right: Rob Maulsby's son, Rob Maulsby, Mike Kennedy, and Ed Lamb

In subsequent weeks and months, much was accomplished. Rusted parts were cleaned and refinished. Broken wood members were repaired or replaced. During this time Bill Wylam and the late Mike Kennedy were most active. Harry Kantzer's talent in metal working got the crew over the rough spots by fabricating many excellent metal fittings. Chet Klier covered the rudder and elevator, his wife sewing the cloth reinforcing strips and panels.

Rudder & Elevator Recovered      1908 Quick Monoplane parts in my Huntsville, Alabama work shop. On the table in foreground is a wooden bow which is the leading edge of the vertical fin. On the table also is the structure of the rudder. At right side of the table is athe masive eleven foot wide elevator. Note small C-clamps holding cover in place prior to s=ewing the cover around 1/8 inch diameter trailing edge cable. THe leading edge is clamped to the top of work table. I had to do the sewing while standing on a sic foot stepladder in rear. It was necessary to do the work in this odd position because of the flexible leading edge. When the elevator was mounted on the aircraft a cable was attached to each outside tip and to the top longeron of the fuselage

Violet Klier Sews the Panels      Mt wife Violet sewing panels for the Quick Monoplane elevator cover. She could not understand why a group of men would be excited over a 1908 airplane. She went on to say that her Singer Sewing Machine was older than that and it was still running. The sewing machine, a treadle type, was my grandmother's. In 1946 we had it converted to a table model with an electric motor. It is still being used in 1976.

July 10, 1965 and some 360 man hours latere the airplane was placed on exhibit at the Fayetteville Tennessee Airport. Some 4,000 persons viewed the machine at a one day fly-in.      The craft was returned to the Quick farm and the wing panels were taken to the work shop of Rob Maulsby. The left wing panel was covered.      The airplane was shown at an EAA Chapter Fly-in at Decatur, Alabama Airport June 24, 25, and 26, 1966. Approximately 18,000 persons saw the plane during the aviatino meet.      The work site was moved to the Huntsville Airport where restoration continued under the direction of Guenther Schmidt. The right wing panel was stripped and recovered. A new set of wire wheels was installed. Mr. Schmidt acquired and donated a 1908 Model R Ford engine which has been installed along with a fuel tank and radiator. At this writing, the aircraft is about 95% completed. Text and photographs courtesy of Chester Klier, 2-15-04

 

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