Kraemer Aviation / Flymall.org March 2025 Wheels & Wings Newsletter
Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter
You can view past newsletters here.
Interested in living at an airport? Visit our Aviation Real Estate page here. You can view price data for airport property in our Market Watch section of the Flymall. Here is the data for all airport property. You can refine the search by “state” simply by searching for the desired state under “Model”.
Want to have your business highlighted on the Flymall??? We offer inexpensive rates to have your business featured on our Wheels & Wings page. Contact us for more info.
History Trivia: On March 5 1936, the Supermarine Spitfire made its first flight.
March 10, 1930: Eighteen-year-old American Elinor Smith claims a world’s women’s altitude record of over 30,000 ft. She loses consciousness and does not regain control of her light aircraft until it falls to 24,000 ft. She makes a successful landing.
March 17 1883: John J Montgomery began the first of a series of glider flights at Otay Mesa (near El Cajon) CA. If you enjoy aviation history, we have a new aviation history fact each day at the bottom of our website pages at Flymall.org
If you enjoy history we have a new aviation history fact each day at the bottom of our webpages. Some days there may be more than one, just refresh the page. And if you like Beatles history, checkout our Events Calendar and select the Beatles category. This is a work in progress, we’re building the most comprehensive calendar of important dates in Beatle history. For those that like to stick with current news, we have an aviation news ticker on our home page. This is updated daily to show the current aviation news.
Achievements & Special Recognition: It was in this month in 1882 (March 12 1882) that Erwin Baker (known as Cannon Ball) was born. He won his first motorcycle dirt-track race around the year 1904. Baker was also famous for his record-setting point-to-point drives, in which he was paid to promote the products of various motorcycle and automobile manufacturers. In all, he made 143 cross-country motorcycle speed runs totaling about 550,000 miles. After a record-setting transcontinental drive in 1914, he received his nickname “Cannon Ball” from a New York newspaper writer who compared him to the Cannonball Express train of the Illinois Central made famous by Casey Jones. His best-remembered drive was a 1933 New York City to Los Angeles trek in a Graham-Paige model 57 Blue Streak 8, setting a 53.5 hour record that stood for nearly 40 years. In the 1970s, Car and Driver magazine reporter Brock Yates and editor Steve Smith conceived the idea of an unsanctioned, informal race across the country, replicating the 53.5-hour transcontinental drive made by Baker in 1933. The New York to Los Angeles Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, later shortened to the “Cannonball Run”, was staged in 1971, 1972, 1975, and 1979. The stunt served as the inspiration for several Hollywood movies, such as Cannonball!, The Gumball Rally, The Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run II, and Cannonball Run III. Click here for the Motorcycle Cannonball page in the Day Tripper section of the Flymall.
March 19 1910 – Orville Wright opens the first commercial flight school, Wright Flying School, at Montgomery AL. (The site later becomes Maxwell AFB.)
Instructors, want to highlight your students first solo or other achievement here? Just send us a short write-up and a picture or two and we’ll post it here for you. Click here for our contact info.
Aviation/Aviators in the news: On March 11 1967, a pressurized Comanche made it’s first flight. This Comanche was modified by Swearingen with a pressurized cabin. The prototype, powered by a 260 hp Lycoming O-540 engine and equipped with Twin Comanche landing gear, was designated the PA-33. The prototype later crashed on takeoff in May 1967 and the project was cancelled. The exterior design of the PA-33 was later used as a basis for the Piper Malibu.
March 23 1929, David Cronin was born. David Cronin was the captain on United Flight 811, a Boeing 747. Flight 811 took off from Honolulu International Airport. Climbing from 22,000 to 23,000 feet, the flight crew heard a noise. The forward cargo door blew off and 10 seats were sucked out of the plane. Engines 3 and 4 were damaged and eventually failed. Captain David Cronin turned back to Honolulu Airport and was able to land safely with just 2 engines.
The aviation section of the Flymall is full of aviation news, training info, and much more for the aviator.
Air show season is always just around the corner. Want to travel to air shows in your own aircraft? Visit our used aircraft page on the Flymall to view our inventory.
If you enjoy reading about historic vehicles, visit our Wheels & Wings section of the Flymall, we have numerous A to Z list there including; Automobiles, Aviation, Engines, Flying Cars, Motorcycles, and Nautical.
Car/Motorcycle Show News: The Laytonsville Cruise In is the place to be on a Friday night in Montgomery County. The Laytonsville Cruise In was started by Harry in 2010. It has become one of the most popular cruise ins in the area. You can follow Harry on Facebook for daily updates during the many shows and events he attends.
On March 30, Kraemer Aviation Services hosted an open house event to showcase the Chaparral. The weather was perfect. We had a lot of very cool cars show up for the event. Click here for pictures of the cars we had at the event. Click here for some drone shots and video from the event. Click here for more pictures from the event.
For all of my British Car friends/fans. To all past and future Original British Car Day participants: After 108 years Lilypons in Adamstown, Maryland will be closing at the end of March. This results in a change of plans for the Chesapeake Chapter of the New England MGT Register’s Original British Car Day (OBCD) which has been held there many years. With the recent decision to close Lilypons, coupled with the traditional June date for holding OBCD, the event in 2025 has to be regrettably cancelled. I know the British car enthusiasts look forward to this event so the 47th OBCD will return next year.
Our Events Calendar has the most current info regarding local and national car shows, air shows, and more. With nearly 30 categories, there is something for everyone. The Day Tripper section of the Flymall has dozens of day trip ideas and interesting places to visit. Check it out here. Our Day Tripper section now has different categories to choose from to make it easier to find events that interest you.
Barn Finds/Hangar Finds: Need an appraisal on your barn find? Visit our Appraisal Page for information on our appraisals.
Visit our online store to search for hard to find car parts, aircraft parts, and much more. You can pay online in our secure store, just click on the Store button on our home page.
Visit the Test Drive section of the Flymall for reviews on automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and more. Read about it before you buy it. You can also research price info on a wide variety of vehicles, collectibles, and more in the Market Watch section of the Flymall.
If you’re restoring a fabric aircraft, Ira Walker of Walker Aviation is your resource. Visit his page on the Flymall by clicking here.
CFI / DPE Notes: Visit Harry’s Practical Test page for information on his checkrides. You will also find useful information there to help you prepare for your checkride. You can also visit Harry’s Lesson Plan section of the Flymall for other flight training information. Visit our Flight Training page for information on our aviation training classes.
March 2019, Harry was at FAA headquarters for DPE training and he would give his first checkride in July 2019.
Weather in the news: On March 16, we had a storm system that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico all the way up into Canada.
Three Wheel Association (TWA) & 3-Wheelers.com: Harry started the Three Wheel Association in 2013 to promote/support the industry of three wheel vehicles of all types. Visit the Three Wheel Association page on the Flymall for more info on the association.
Want a reproduction vintage 3 wheeler. Walker Aviation can scratch build from pictures or drawings. Visit his page on the Flymall.
Animals in the headlines: Ace has been progressing very well in his agility training. Click here for a video of one of his routines. He is even getting comfortable in the sidecar of our 1969 Ural.
We close this newsletter with these words: You can improve your performance by improving your attitude.
Harry Kraemer’s Collection
Over the last 20 years or so, Harry and his wife Pat have assembled an awesome collection of just over 100 vehicles and rare engines. The collection is mostly 3 wheel vehicles, however, it includes, 2 wheel motorcycles, numerous bicycles from the 1800s, an airplane, a classic boat, a working hovercraft, a WWII radial engine, 2 tracked motorcycles by Chrysler, and much more. The current collection also includes 2 very iconic vehicles, both of which helped to kick off 2 very famous race cars.
The first iconic vehicle is a 1912 AC Delivery Trike. This is the same AC as in the AC Cobra. Before AC started making cars, they made a 3 wheeled delivery vehicle. Harry’s is one of about 4 left in the world, and it is the only known one in North America.
The second one is a very early prototype of Jim Hall’s Chaparral 2. Harry acquired this Chaparral at the end of 2024 after his good friend Larry Barker passed away suddenly. The story on how Harry became the caretaker of this historic vehicle goes back to the year 2009. And the story has a connection to Harry and his collection of 3 wheel vehicles. Click here for the full story.
How did all of this start? We need to go back to the very early 1960s for that. As a child growing up in the 1960s, Harry was around classic cars, hotrods, motorcycles, vintage boats, and airplanes/airports from a very early age. It seems that transportation history is in his blood.
By high school, Harry was looking forward to getting his first car. The Camaro was his choice back then. His father made him save his money and put a down payment on a 1972 Camaro. Harry’s father wanted him to establish credit at a very early age and this taught Harry the importance of good credit. By the time Harry was graduating high school, his 1972 Camaro had received some performance mods and Harry would often drive the car to Capital Speedway to drag race it. Life was good. And if owning a souped up Camaro was cool, then owning 2 Camaros would be cooler. So Harry added a 1968 Camaro convertible to his stable. Harry used some money he received for his high school graduation plus some money he saved, to have his 1972 Camaro painted with Motion Performance stripes (pictured below).
And then one day (sometime in the early 1980s), all of a sudden, Harry decided that it was time to sell both Camaros. Harry went back to riding his 1970s Power King 10 speed bicycle (which he still owns). But soon the need for speed grabbed Harry and he purchased a brand new 1983 Yamaha Virago 750 (pictured below). The speed of the Virago was nice, however, Harry still wanted to go faster, so he decided to start taking flying lessons. And shortly thereafter, he sold the Virago.
As Harry’s aviation career accelerated, he flew everything from piston powered, turbo props, and jets. Harry has logged flight time in airplanes, seaplanes, jets, gliders, ultralights, 4 engine WWII bombers, several WWII training aircraft, and even the Goodyear blimp.
Fast forward to the early 2000s, Harry and Pat settled in the countryside of Germantown Maryland. By now, Harry was getting his aviation services company (Kraemer Aviation) up and running and the income was good and he was flying some cool aircraft. So it was time to rekindle his passion for cars. His wife already owned a classic Buick Riviera, and soon they added a 1969 Ural sidecar rig, a 1975 Lomax 3 wheeler, a replica 1903 motorbike by Ridley, and a 1952 MG TD replica. Life was good with a few classic vehicles to drive. However, the collection did not have a theme and Harry likes themes and organization. So just like the decision to sell the Camaros, Harry decided to sell the Ridley, Buick, and MG TD. The theme of the collection was going to be European 3 wheel vehicles. So Harry started purchasing European 3 wheelers which included a 1912 AC Delivery Trike. But that soon changed as Harry was finding a lot of cool 3 wheelers from other parts of the world. It was then decided that the collection would be all 3 wheeled vehicles. And that is what Harry focused on for a while. The 3 wheeled theme did not last too long. Harry has a passion for antiques (of all types) as well as antique vehicles. By the 2020s, the collection still focused on 3 wheelers, but by now, the collection had evolved to include numerous 2 wheel motorcycles and bicycles. The collection does include a few vehicles that are the last known example or 1 of 2 left in the world.
Here are a few examples of some of the vehicles in the collection.
A 2005 Honda Solo. It only has 2.5 miles on it. The engine has never been run. These are very rare in the United States. This bike has never had oil or gas in it. It has never been registered with any motor vehicle administration. This bike came from the Honda Museum in Japan.
A 2005 Honda Postie. This also came from the Honda Museum. These bikes were made for the postal service in Australia and New Zealand. It has kickstands on both sides of the bike. This bike only has 1 mile on it.
An 1898 Rex Tandem bicycle. There are only two of these bikes known to exists. We have one in our collection and the other one is in the Henry Ford Museum. Ours is rideable, the one is the Henry Ford Museum is not functional.
To view the collection and read about each item in the collection, visit Harry’s Wheels & Wings site Flymall.org and click on the Car Show icon.
Kraemer Aviation / Flymall February 2025 Wheels and Wings Newsletter
Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter. This month we’re covering a couple of Harry’s trips. The first trip was to Port Arthur Texas to get the Chaparral and the second trip was to the Glenn H Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport NY to their WinterCycle Therapy 2025 event. For more information on places to visit in Hammondsport, we have a section in our Day Tripper pages just for Hammondsport.
You can view past newsletters here.
Interested in living at an airport? Visit our Aviation Real Estate page here. You can view price data for airport property in our Market Watch section of the Flymall. Here is the data for all airport property. You can refine the search by “state” simply by searching for the desired state under “Model”.
Want to have your business highlighted on the Flymall??? We offer inexpensive rates to have your business featured on our Wheels & Wings page. Contact us for more info.
History Trivia: February 3rd, 1995, at 05:22:04 UTC; Space Shuttle Discovery STS-63 was launched, making Col Eileen Marie Collins, former military instructor and test pilot, the first female pilot of a Space Shuttle. Collins later became the first female commander of a U.S. Spacecraft with Shuttle mission STS-93.
February 20, 1962: John H. Glenn becomes the first American astronaut to orbit the earth. His 4 hour 55 min 23 sec flight in the Mercury capsule, Friendship 7, completes three orbits before splashing down.
Did you know that the very first Corvette logo had an American flag and a checkered flag on it? However, due to restrictions on usage of the American flag on commercial products, Chevy removed the American flag.
February 26, 1952: North American test pilot George Smith becomes the first person to survive a supersonic ejection. During a test flight the controls of a production F-100A Super Sabre, the controls lock and the plane enters a near vertical dive. At an altitude of 6000 ft at Mach 1.05 (675 mph), Smith ejects. He experiences a peak 64 g from wind-drag deceleration and spends .29 sec above 20 g. Smith immediate lost consciousness and his chute deploys but with 1/3 of its panels ripped. Gravely injured he lands in the Pacific where a fishing boat finds him. Smith recovers after a long convalescence and returns to testing high performance aircraft.
If you enjoy history we have a new aviation history fact each day at the bottom of our webpages. Some days there may be more than one, just refresh the page. And if you like Beatles history, checkout our Events Calendar and select the Beatles category. This is a work in progress, we’re building the most comprehensive calendar of important dates in Beatle history. For those that like to stick with current news, we have an aviation news ticker on our home page. This is updated daily to show the current aviation news.
Achievements & Special Recognition: Instructors, want to highlight your students first solo or other achievement here? Just send us a short write-up and a picture or two and we’ll post it here for you. Click here for our contact info.
Aviation/Aviators in the news: On February 4, we celebrated the birthday of Charles Lindbergh. Lindbergh was a true pioneer of aviation.
The aviation section of the Flymall is full of aviation news, training info, and much more for the aviator.
Air show season is always just around the corner. Want to travel to air shows in your own aircraft? Visit our used aircraft page on the Flymall to view our inventory.
Our current used aircraft inventory includes a Piper Cherokee 140, A one owner Cessna 182T, and a 2006 Cessna 172S G1000.
Car/Motorcycle Show News: The Laytonsville Cruise In is the place to be on a Friday night in Montgomery County. The Laytonsville Cruise In was started by Harry in 2010. It has become one of the most popular cruise ins in the area. You can follow Harry on Facebook for daily updates during the many shows and events he attends.
Our Events Calendar has the most current info regarding local and national car shows, air shows, and more. With nearly 30 categories, there is something for everyone. The Day Tripper section of the Flymall has dozens of day trip ideas and interesting places to visit. Check it out here. Our Day Tripper section now has different categories to choose from to make it easier to find events that interest you.
On February 21, Harry headed North to Hammondsport NY to the Glenn Curtiss Museum for their 2025 Winter Cycle Therapy event. Friday included a visit to the Finger Lakes Boating Museum. And Saturday & Sunday was the big show at the Glenn Curtiss Museum. They had hundreds of bikes entered in the show. Click here for more pictures.
The Finger Lakes Beer Company is always a nice stop on the way back to the motel. They serve locally brewed beer and have live music.
Here is the legendary Curtiss V-8 motorcycle. This is a replica on display at the Glenn Curtiss Museum.
Have you ever seen a 1911 Marvel motorcycle? The Glenn Curtiss Museum has 2 on display. Do you know the connection between Glenn Curtiss and Marvel Motorcycles? Click here to find out.
Barn Finds/Hangar Finds: Need an appraisal on your barn find? Visit our Appraisal Page for information on our appraisals.
Visit our online store to search for hard to find car parts, aircraft parts, and much more. You can pay online in our secure store, just click on the Store button on our home page.
Visit the Test Drive section of the Flymall for reviews on automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and more. Read about it before you buy it. You can also research price info on a wide variety of vehicles, collectibles, and more in the Market Watch section of the Flymall.
If you’re restoring a fabric aircraft, Ira Walker of Walker Aviation is your resource. Visit his page on the Flymall by clicking here.
CFI / DPE Notes: Visit Harry’s Practical Test page for information on his checkrides. You will also find useful information there to help you prepare for your checkride. You can also visit Harry’s Lesson Plan section of the Flymall for other flight training information. Visit our Flight Training page for information on our aviation training classes.
Weather in the news: On February 6, the Mid-Atlantic had a snow and ice storm that disrupted travel.
On February 11, we had the first of several storm systems move through for this week.
Three Wheel Association (TWA) & 3-Wheelers.com: Harry started the Three Wheel Association in 2013 to promote/support the industry of three wheel vehicles of all types. Visit the Three Wheel Association page on the Flymall for more info on the association.
Want a reproduction vintage 3 wheeler. Walker Aviation can scratch build from pictures or drawings. Visit his page on the Flymall.
Prototypes: Here’s a Glenn Curtiss built Hercules V-Twin Racer on display at the Glenn Curtiss Museum. On May 30 1903 Curtiss debuts his Hercules 5 HP V-Twin. He reached a top speed of 35 MPH. This marked the first V-Twin configuration in the U.S. Other manufacturers were making “multi-engine” twins that were used in tandem racers.
Nautical Notes: The Finger Lakes region is rich with boating history and the Finger Lakes Boating Museum has it all gathered into one place. This is always an enjoyable place to visit and on Friday February 21, Harry spent a few hours in the museum enjoying the engines and boats. Click here for pictures from this visit.
Here’s a 1905 Fay and Bowen Engine on display at the museum. This is just one of the many engines on display at the museum. If you enjoy reading about historic engines, visit our Wheels & Wings section of the Flymall, we have numerous A to Z list there including; Automobiles, Aviation, Engines, Flying Cars, Motorcycles, and Nautical.
And now for the story on the Chaparral. Here’s how Harry became the caretaker of this historic race car. It all started while Harry was driving through the town of Laytonsville Maryland and he spotted a unique 3 wheeler sitting outside a repair shop called Erdle Automotive. Being the 3 wheeler enthusiast that he is, Harry stopped and started asking the shop owner about the 3 wheel car and who owned it. Click here for the full story. Fast forward to the year 2024, Larry passed away and left the 3 wheeler and the Chaparral to Harry in his will. As Harry tried to make arrangements with the museum to get the Chaparral, there was a lot of confusion as to who actually owned the car. And after a few months of emails with the Director (Tom) of the Museum of the Gulf Coast, Tom had decided that yes, Harry does indeed own the Chaparral. So, Harry left for Port Arthur on Sunday January 26 2025 to meet the transport company and bring the Chaparral home to Maryland. The trip to Port Arthur went very smoothly. Click here for the full story. The date was Tuesday, January 28 2025. The Chaparral was loaded and on it’s way to Maryland with Jay Ferraro of Ferraro Auto Transport. Houston we have a problem. Harry’s return trip to Maryland did not go too well. The return trip was just problem after problem. Click here for the full story.
The Chaparral was stored at the Montgomery County Airpark for a few weeks while Harry rearranged vehicles at his house to make room for the Chaparral. She now sits in the Harry’s garage with good company.
We close this newsletter with these words: And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make!!! Words by Paul McCartney.
Port Arthur To Maryland
The date was Tuesday, January 28 2025. The Chaparral was loaded and on it’s way to Maryland with Jay Ferraro of Ferraro Auto Transport. Harry’s flight didn’t leave Jack Brooks Regional Airport (KBPT) until the afternoon of Wednesday, January 29. Jay was estimating that he would be at the Montgomery County Airport on the afternoon of Thursday, January 30. This would give Harry plenty of time to get home and get some rest and be ready for the Chaparral’s arrival at the Montgomery County Airpark on Thursday, January 30.
Harry arrived early at the Jack Brooks Regional Airport on Wednesday. Harry’s plan was to clear the TSA check, get to his gate, and relax before the journey home. Regional airports have a general aviation feel to them and Harry felt right at home. Harry soon learned that TSA did not open until 40 minutes before the departure time and that the airport only had one airline flight per day. The airline operations for Jack Brooks Regional Airport consisted of one flight to Dallas Forth Worth and one from to Dallas Fort Worth.
Harry had a 2:30 departure out of KBPT and it was only a 45 minute flight over to Dallas Forth Worth (KDFW) with a connecting flight out of KDFW at 5:45 PM and an arrival in KDCA by 9 PM. This meant that he had plenty of time to find the gate for his connecting flight.
Shortly after clearing the TSA check, Harry received a text message from American Airlines that his flight from KBPT was delayed. The weather that day included low ceilings (near the minimums for the approach) and scattered thunderstorms. The first text said the flight was delayed until 4 PM and another text followed that said the flight was delayed until 5 PM. This meant that he would miss his connecting flight. The gate agents at KBPT were very helpful and secured Harry another flight out of KDFW at 7 PM. All of this meant that he’d miss his first connecting flight, however, he now had a later connecting flight. So far, so good. But not so fast. Once loaded on the plane, the flight out of KBPT was held on the ground until 6:20 PM. This delay meant that Harry may not make the second connecting flight (the update one). The flight finally departed KBPT and landed just at the scheduled departure time of the connecting flight. Harry rushed through the terminal to the gate for his flight to KDCA only to watch the door being closed. Harry begged the gate agent to let him on, but the gate agent said boarding has closed. This agent did find Harry a later flight out of KDFW departing at 9:15 PM. So it was off to the new gate for this later flight. Keep in mind, that with all of these flight changes, Harry had to keep updating his limousine service waiting for him at KDCA. By now, Harry was booked on his third flight out of KDFW.
Houston we have a problem. While at the gate for his third flight out of KDFW, Harry received another text stating that the 9:15 flight was canceled. By now, there was talk on Facebook about the American Airlines CRJ crash in the Potomac and this was why the 9:15 flight was canceled (KDCA was closed). All passengers for the 9:15 flight were directed to another gate to be booked on another flight. Once there, Harry was told that there were no more flights until 5:30 the next morning (Thursday, January 30). With no choice, Harry took this flight. The gate agent did offer a hotel voucher. By now it was after 10 PM. It didn’t make much sense to go to a motel for a few hours, so Harry decided just to stay in the terminal. He did receive a dinner voucher which he did not use. Wanting to get a few hours sleep, Harry set off to find a quiet place to sleep. With some luck, Harry noticed a balcony that overlooked the main floor. Upstairs he found these two chairs (pictured below) which he moved together for a makeshift bed. He managed to stay there until about 3 AM. Needing to use the restroom, he was torn between being uncomfortable or loosing his bed. The restroom was just below the balcony, he could see it from his bed. So he decided to rush down and rush back to his bed. He wasn’t gone more than 3 minutes and someone took his bed. By now, it was about 3:30 AM and by 4 AM, he received a text message from American Airlines saying that the 5:30 AM flight was also canceled. This was the fourth flight out of KDFW that didn’t happen for Harry. It turns out that KDCA was still closed due to the accident the night before.
So now it is Thursday, January 30 and Jay is due at the Montgomery County Airpark with the Chaparral sometime in the late afternoon. Harry had coordinated with some folks at the airport to let him keep the Chaparral in a hangar for a few weeks while he made room at his house for the car. It was important for Harry to be at the airport to help unload the car. All of the body panels needed to be removed from the car so that the panels didn’t rub on the ground on trailer door while being loaded and unloaded. It was impossible to find a live gate agent at 4 AM to help with finding a fifth flight out of KDFW. By now, Harry was speaking with his wife back in Maryland to help with the situation. Pat did get American Airlines on the phone and was told that they did not have any flights out of KDFW until Friday afternoon. Desperate and needing to get back to Maryland, Harry had no choice but to purchase another ticket with United Airlines. This flight was to KBWI via a connecting flight in Chicago. Remember, it was connecting flights that got Harry into this predicament in the first place. But if all worked out, Harry may still be at the Montgomery County Airpark in time to meet Jay with the Chaparral. Harry was sweating bullets on his flight from KDFW to Chicago with fears of missing yet another connecting flight. United Airlines saved the day. Harry finally made it back to Maryland just a few hours before Jay was to arrive with the Chaparral.
During all of the chaos on Thursday, January 30, Harry was in a bit of a panic mode. Needing to be in touch with folks at the airport for hangar access, needing to update Jay (delivering the Chaparral), and the limousine service picking him up at the airport, Harry had no choice but to have his wife take over updating everyone since he would likely be in the air and unable to text anyone.
And now for the Chaparral’s arrival to the Montgomery County Airpark.
As you can see in the video, Jay is very excited about the car.
And here is part 2 of the Chaparral’s arrival.
Port Arthur Trip January 2025
Harry left for Port Arthur on Sunday January 26 2025 to meet the transport company and bring the Chaparral home to Maryland. The trip to Port Arthur went very smoothly.
We need to thank Jay Ferraro of Ferraro Auto Transport for getting the car from Texas to Maryland for us. Jay was excellent to deal with. He kept us updated via text messages while on his way to the museum in Port Arthur Texas as well as on his way to Maryland. Click here to download a pdf ad for his company. We highly recommend Ferraro Auto Transport for transporting your collector cars.
Here’s Harry’s YouTube video highlighting the trip to Port Arthur. Harry was flying via American Airlines from KDCA, to KBPT, and then on to KDFW.
It wasn’t until Harry arrived at the museum, that the troubles started. Harry arrived in Port Arthur on January 26 2025. This was two days before the transport company was to arrive at the Museum of the Gulf Coast to pickup the Chaparral and take it to Maryland. Harry spent the afternoon of the 26th getting settled into his motel with a nice dinner. His plans were to be at the museum mid morning on Monday January 27 to be sure that the museum was ready for the Chaparral’s exit.
Harry soon got the feeling that the museum wasn’t too happy about the Chaparral leaving. On Sunday evening, January 26, Harry sent an email to Tom (the museum director) stating that he was in town and that he was looking forward to seeing him on Monday morning. On Monday morning, Harry followed up with Tom via a text message. Both the email and text message went unanswered. As Harry was driving to the museum on Monday morning, Tom did finally call Harry. Too busy driving in a unfamiliar area, Harry did not answer Tom’s call.
When Harry arrived at the museum, Tom was at the front desk. The two spoke briefly and Tom basically said “You know where the car is”. One of Harry’s concerns was that the car may not roll since it has been sitting in the museum for over 20 years. So the first thing Harry did was to try and push the car. The Chaparral didn’t move. It seemed as if a parking brake was set or maybe a brake caliper was locked up. And after a closer examination of the car, Harry noticed that all of the tires needed air, in fact, the bead seal had been broken on all four tires. The tires were so low on air, that Harry could push the tire inward away from the rim. Not being able to roll the car was one of Harry’s biggest fears. The transport company was already enroute to the museum and Harry was obligated to pay him whether or not they picked up the car. This was the first problem.
The original plan was to roll the Chaparral down a few small steps and then up a few small steps (see picture below). And then the Chaparral would need to pass through some double doors and then out another door at the loading dock.
Knowing what the original plan was for removing the Chaparral, the first thing Harry asked Tom (the museum director) was if they had some wood to help make the steps not too large of a step since the Chaparral sits very low to the ground. His answer was that they do not have anything and he also said that the museum didn’t have anyone available to help me. Tom did direct Harry to a lumber store a few miles away from the museum. So Harry had two issues to solve and only about 5 hours to do so. First was to try and purchase some wood to soften the steps somewhat and the second issue was to try an get the Chaparral to roll. Off Harry went to the lumber store for some wood and an air pump to pump up the tires. Harry was hoping that the car wasn’t rolling just due to no air in the tires.
Harry’s first stop was the lumber store which was no help at all. The only lumber they had was 4 by 8 sheets of plywood which they would not cut for him. Still concerned that perhaps a brake caliper was locked up, Harry was trying to purchase some caster wheels to perhaps make a dolly to roll the car. The lumber store didn’t sell portable air pumps or caster wheels. No money was spent at the lumber store and no progress was made either. With the help of Google, Harry found an Advanced Auto Parts store just 5 minutes from the lumber store. So off he went.
While at Advanced Auto Parts, Harry purchased a foot operated air pump and a roller jack. The roller jack was to lift the car and roll it a short distance and repeat as needed to move the car (this was if a brake caliper was locked up). Harry also tried to purchase a wheel dolly in case the roller jack idea didn’t work. Advanced didn’t have wheel dollys, so it was just the roller jack and foot operated air pump that he purchased.
Back at the museum Harry soon discovered that there was not enough room between the wheel and the valve stem to attached the head of the air pump, just another of many issues.
It was at about this time that Tom checked in on Harry. And Harry proceeded to explain to Tom that the car wouldn’t roll and Tom said “Sure, it rolls”. Tom and another gentleman helped Harry push the car to see it it would roll, which it did. Harry was relieved that the car would actually roll. Tom also showed Harry a different, perhaps easier route to roll the car out of the museum. Click here to see the alternate route for getting the Chaparral out of the museum.
Relieved that the car would actually roll, Harry could return the roller jack and foot pump at Advanced Auto Parts. While at Advanced Auto Parts, Harry noticed a O’Reilly Auto Parts and an AutoZone just across the street, so he decided to check both for an air pump that would work on the Chaparral. AutoZone did have a small portable electric air pump that Harry purchased. He explained to the salesman at AutoZone the issue with the valve stem and the wheel on the Chaparral. The salesman was very nice and helpful and told Harry that he could return the air pump if it did not work. Harry was still concerned that pushing the Chaparral with little or no air in the tires could cause a tire to come off of the wheel which would be a big issue for getting the car out of the museum and loaded on the trailer. It turned out that the second air pump would not work for the Chaparral, so Harry returned that one as well. Back at the museum for the last time on Monday, Harry contacted Ray Ferraro and explained the issue with the tires. With luck, Ray had an air tank on his truck with an air chuck with a 90 degree head on it that would surely fit the valve stems on the Chaparral. Satisfied that he had all of the issues solved and that the Chaparral could be rolled out of the museum, Harry returned to his motel for a nice dinner and to get a good nights sleep.
Tuesday, January 28 was the big day. Jay was going to be at the museum that afternoon and with some luck, the Chaparral would make an easy exit from the museum and start it’s journey to Maryland. Once Jay arrived, getting the Chaparral out of the museum and the actual loading of the Chaparral was flawless. We did take off the body panels to make it easier for the Chaparral to maneuver through the museum. And the car did need to make some tight turns. For the tight turns, it was easier just to pick up the car to turn it. Click here for more pictures of loading the Chaparral.
Chaparral History
Here’s the background on how Harry became the caretaker of this historic car. It all started while Harry was driving through the town of Laytonsville Maryland and he spotted a unique 3 wheeler sitting outside a repair shop called Erdle Automotive. Being the 3 wheeler enthusiast that he is, Harry stopped and started asking the shop owner about the 3 wheel car and who owned it. The car was a Spi Tri (pictured below). It was owned by a gentleman named Larry Barker. Harry was able to connect with Larry and the two of them became friends. Larry soon learned about Harry’s love for 3 wheel vehicles and about Harry’s growing collection of 3 wheel cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and other 3 wheel vehicles. All of this happened around the year 2009 or 2010 at about the same time that Harry started the Laytonsville Cruise In. Larry soon became close friends with Pat and Harry and he was a regular at all of their holiday parties.
Fast forward to the year 2017. Larry asked Harry to meet him at Julliano’s Brick Oven Pizza in Laytonsville to discuss something important. Larry showed Harry a notarized letter that was leaving (as part of Larry’s Will) the Spi Tri to Harry, along with the manufacturing company that made the Spi Tri, and a few earlier prototypes, a Jaguar, and a race car known as a Mini Chaparral or Spi Race Car. It wasn’t until late 2021 that Larry shared some details with Harry on the Chaparral race car. And by the year 2023, the two of them were discussing moving the Chaparral from the Museum of the Gulf Coast to Maryland. The car had been at the Museum of the Gulf Coast since around the year 2003. Larry had plans to get the car running and perhaps race it. The car does have some racing history and was once driven by A.J. Foyt.
Larry passed away in early October of 2024 before the Chaparral was moved to Maryland. He never had a chance to drive the car. Pat & Harry Kraemer were informed of Larry’s passing by one of Larry’s neighbors that used Larry’s cell phone to contact them. The neighbor knew of Pat & Harry since Larry did talk about them a lot. Since Larry was never married and had no blood family (Larry was an orphan) or children, Larry’s neighbor and the Kraemers met to discuss plans and to try to determine if Larry had a Will. Team Barker was the name given to this group. As Team Barker discussed with to do with Larry’s assets, one of the neighbors asked “What do we do with a 3 wheel car?”. This is when Harry mentioned that he believed that Larry had left the 3 wheeler to him with some other vehicles and that all of this was in a notarized letter that Larry had tucked away.
By late October, neighbors did find the notarized letter from 2017 and Harry was contacted by an attorney saying that Larry left him the white Spi Tri 3 wheeler. Harry thought that this was odd/strange since Harry had seen the letter from 2017 and Larry reviewed the letter with him. Nevertheless, Harry was happy to care for the Spi Tri.
This is where the story gets even stranger. Larry’s funeral was planned for October 31 and after the funeral, Pat & Harry hosted a gathering for Larry’s friends and neighbors, plus Larry’s cousins from his adopted parents. One of Larry’s closest cousins, Richard was sort of taking charge of dealing with Larry’s estate. It was at this gathering that Richard told Harry that Larry left him the Spi Tri 3 wheeler and to go pick it up when you have time. Richard also told Harry that he could have the race car that was in the museum and the 3 wheelers and other items in the trailer in Oklahoma. All of this information from Richard was also a little puzzling, since Harry knew that Richard had the 2017 letter from Larry that outlined everything that was to be given to Harry. Needless to say, this was exciting, confusing, and sad at the same time for Harry.
By early November, Harry & Richard were communicating via text about the cars. And it was in these text messages in early November that Richard asked Harry to make an offer on the race car and the items in the trailer in Oklahoma. Again, this was all very confusing to Harry since he had seen the 2017 letter and at the October gathering, Harry understood that Richard gave him everything. Harry agreed to do some research on the race car and make an offer to Richard. A few days later, Harry gave an offer to Richard which Richard accepted.
By mid November (November 14 2024), Harry was in touch with Tom, the director of the museum where the race car was on display. Harry proceeded to tell Tom that he was purchasing the car from the estate of Larry Barker. Tom was very puzzled. Tom went on to say that he never heard of Larry Baker and did not know who he was. Tom also told Harry that a guy named Andy Green built the race car and gave it to the museum. Harry was shocked to hear all of this news. Harry went on to share this information with several of Larry’s neighbors and close friends. They were all puzzled and confused. They all thought that perhaps Larry was embellishing the truth.
And just when you thought this story could not get much stranger, by November 15 2024, the story takes another twist. Harry receives a package in the mail from Larry’s cousin Richard. In this package is the 2017 letter stating that Larry left everything (the race car, the white Spi Tri, and the items in the trailer in Oklahoma) to Harry. By this time, Harry was focusing on trying to find proof that Larry did own the race car in the Texas museum. Harry sorted through about a dozen boxes of Larry’s files on his cars. Slowly, Harry started to put together a timeline on the history of the race car. Harry did find some magazine articles and emails that stated that Larry owned the race car. Armed with all of this information and the 2017 notarized letter, Harry once again spoke to Tom, the museum director. By November 24 2024, Tom told Harry that the museum had no record of how the car got to the museum and Tom also told Harry that the museum does have a magazine article that states the car is owned by Larry Barker.
In early December 2024, Tom had agreed that the car now belongs to Harry and Harry had started making plans to visit the museum on December 18 2024. Harry was proceeding with the understanding that Larry left him the car and since Richard sent Harry the 2017 letter, Harry assumed that Richard was agreeing that Harry was to get the car (he did not need to purchase it from Richard). When Harry arrived at the museum in December 2024, there was a sign by the Chaparral with information about the car and who built it, etc. And on this sign it states that the car is here “courtesy of Dr. Larry Barker”. After reading this sign, Harry thought why did Tom tell Harry that he never heard of Larry Barker. It was very clear after reading the sign that someone at the museum knew that Larry Baker owned the Chaparral. Read on, there is still a few more bizarre twist in this story.
On December 17 2024, Harry receives a text message from Richard. Richard says that someone wants to buy some of the items in the trailer in Oklahoma. Richard was asking Harry if he is still interested in the items and if Harry was not interested in them, Richard was going to sell them. This text message came in while Harry was at the museum with Tom discussing the plans to get the car to Maryland. So Richard and Harry play phone tag for a few days. By December 19 2024, Richard and Harry finally talk on the phone. Very politely, Harry tells Richard that he is a little confused. Harry was proceeding with the assumption that Larry left the race car and other items to him. Harry also assumed that this was what Richard thought as well since Richard sent Harry the 2017 letter. Richard did not remember sending Harry the 2017 letter. So Harry emailed Richard a copy of the letter and by December 20 2024, Richard calls Harry and tells him that he is sorry for the confusion and that he does agree that Harry does get the race car and all of the items in the trailer in Oklahoma.
Fast forward to January 2025, Harry makes plans to go back to Texas and meet a transport company to get the car started on it’s journey to Maryland and join Harry’s collection of rare cars and motorcycles.
Click here for the story covering Harry’s trip to Texas to get the Chaparral race car.
Flymall January 2025 Wheels & Wings Newsletter
Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter.
Kraemer Aviation hosted their annual Christmas party on Christmas day last month. We had pilots, car collectors, bicycles collectors, plus a few international flight students. Click here for more pictures.
You can view past newsletters here.
Interested in living at an airport? Visit our Aviation Real Estate page here. You can view price data for airport property in our Market Watch section of the Flymall. Here is the data for all airport property. You can refine the search by “state” simply by searching for the desired state under “Model”.
Want to have your business highlighted on the Flymall??? We offer inexpensive rates to have your business featured on our Wheels & Wings page. Contact us for more info.
History Trivia: December 29 1800, Charles Goodyear was born. Charles Goodyear was an American self-taught chemist and manufacturing engineer who developed vulcanized rubber, for which he received patent number 3633 from the United States Patent Office on June 15, 1844. Charles Goodyear didn’t found Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, however, it is named after the self taught chemist. Fast forward to 1898, 38 years after Goodyear died, Frank Seiberling founded Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, naming it in honor of Charles. The company’s new automobile tires became popular due to their durability and the simple process required to change them. Our 1898 Rex Single bicycle still has an original rear tire that is made with vulcanized rubber.
If you enjoy history we have a new aviation history fact each day at the bottom of our webpages. Some days there may be more than one, just refresh the page. And if you like Beatles history, checkout our Events Calendar and select the Beatles category. This is a work in progress, we’re building the most comprehensive calendar of important dates in Beatle history. For those that like to stick with current news, we have an aviation news ticker on our home page. This is updated daily to show the current aviation news.
Achievements & Special Recognition: We have some excellent news this month for some WIFA instructors as well as for Harry.
Earlier in January, Harry presented Ameen Bsoul with his Outstanding Aviator Award.
What is the difference between a pilot and an aviator? Here’s what I found online; An aviator is the airplane, and they move as one, while the pilot is simply manipulating the proper controls at the appropriate time and sees the airplane as a machine that he forces to do things. Pilots are just drivers. Aviators are artists of the trade. If you fly like a professional, study constantly and never push your or your aircraft’s limits unnecessarily, even if your ride is the most basic trainer, then you can call yourself an aviator.
Harry & Asaf also received awards from the FAA earlier in January. Harry earned the FAASTeam Rep of the Year and Asaf won Flight Instructor of the Year.
Instructors, what to highlight your students first solo or other achievement here? Just send us a short write-up and a picture or two and we’ll post it here for you. Click here for our contact info.
Aviation/Aviators in the news: January 4 1990 – On this day in aviation history:
Northwest Airlines Flight 5, a domestic scheduled passenger flight from Tampa International Airport (TPA/KTPA), Florida, to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP/KMSP), Minnesota, operated with a Boeing 727-251, registration N280US, experienced an engine failure and separation while flying over Madison, Florida. The airplane landed at the departure airport without incident. The six crew members and 139 passengers were not injured. (145 survivors)
Details: While cruising at FL350 the crew heard a bang and noted the loss of no 3 engine power. A safe emergency landing was carried out at Tampa International Airport, FL (TPA). It appeared that the forward lavatory external seal was missing the safety button and the internal seal was improperly installed allowing for leakage when the airplane was pressurized. Frozen chunks of lavatory fluid had been ingested by the no. 3 engine, causing it to separate from the fuselage.
Cause: “The failure of company service personnel to properly service the airplane forward lavatory.”
The aviation section of the Flymall is full of aviation news, training info, and much more for the aviator.
Air show season is always just around the corner. Want to travel to air shows in your own aircraft? Visit our used aircraft page on the Flymall to view our inventory.
Car/Motorcycle Show News: The Laytonsville Cruise In is the place to be on a Friday night in Montgomery County. The Laytonsville Cruise In was started by Harry in 2010. It has become one of the most popular cruise ins in the area. You can follow Harry on Facebook for daily updates during the many shows and events he attends.
Earlier in January, Harry traveled to Port Arthur Texas to have get the Chaparral from the museum and get the car started on it’s journey to Maryland. Click here for Harry’s video highlighting his travels to Port Arthur.
January 12 1966, the Batman TV series premiered on this date. Harry is pictured below at his friend’s Bat Cave with Batman and Robin.
Here’s the Bat Cave! Click here for Harry’s newsletter covering his visit to Bill’s Bat Cave.
Our Events Calendar has the most current info regarding local and national car shows, air shows, and more. With nearly 30 categories, there is something for everyone. The Day Tripper section of the Flymall has dozens of day trip ideas and interesting places to visit. Check it out here. Our Day Tripper section now has different categories to choose from to make it easier to find events that interest you.
Barn Finds/Hangar Finds: Need an appraisal on your barn find? Visit our Appraisal Page for information on our appraisals.
Visit our online store to search for hard to find car parts, aircraft parts, and much more. You can pay online in our secure store, just click on the Store button on our home page.
Visit the Test Drive section of the Flymall for reviews on automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and more. Read about it before you buy it. You can also research price info on a wide variety of vehicles, collectibles, and more in the Market Watch section of the Flymall.
If you’re restoring a fabric aircraft, Ira Walker of Walker Aviation is your resource. Visit his page on the Flymall by clicking here.
CFI / DPE Notes: Visit Harry’s Practical Test page for information on his checkrides. You will also find useful information there to help you prepare for your checkride. You can also visit Harry’s Lesson Plan section of the Flymall for other flight training information. Visit our Flight Training page for information on our aviation training classes.
Weather in the news: January 6 snow storm. The snow started during the evening on January 5 and continued until the early morning hours on January 7.
On January 21, we had some historic snow fall in Florida. Some areas received as much as 10 inches. January 19, 1977 was the first time in recorded history that snow fell in Miami.
Three Wheel Association (TWA) & 3-Wheelers.com: Harry started the Three Wheel Association in 2013 to promote/support the industry of three wheel vehicles of all types. Visit the Three Wheel Association page on the Flymall for more info on the association.
Want a reproduction vintage 3 wheeler. Walker Aviation can scratch built from pictures or drawings. Visit his page on the Flymall.
Prototypes: According to Andy Green, our Chaparral was the prototype for the Jim Hall Chaparral 2. Andy Green was the primary builder for the Jim Hall Chaparrals as well as one of the builders for our Chaparral pictured here.
Nautical Notes: Tristan da Cunha is a cool place to visit. The island has no airport, so the only way to reach it is by sea, which can take several days from the nearest port. This is one of the few places on earth that you cannot get to by plane.
The Tankas or boat people are a group people that live on junks along the coastal waters of Southern China. Some resources state that they have been living like this for about 1300 years and that some of the Tankas have never set foot on land. Their their traditional livelihood is fishing. they were sometimes referred to as “sea gypsies” by both Chinese and British. Their homes are floating on the sea. These boats are equipped with living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Everything starting from weddings to funerals are held on these boats. The whole life of the people of the Tanka tribe revolves around water and fish.
Here’s a cool story since we recently celebrated the New Year. It most likely is not true (although I am not sure). The navigation we had back then was not accurate enough. Here’s the story: The passenger steamer SS Warrimoo was quietly knifing its way through the waters of the mid-Pacific on its way from Vancouver to Australia. The navigator had just finished working out a star fix and brought Captain John DS. Phillips, the result. The Warrimoo’s position was LAT 0º 31′ N and LONG 179 30′ W. The date was 31 December 1899. “Know what this means?” First Mate Payton broke in, “We’re only a few miles from the intersection of the Equator and the International Date Line”. Captain Phillips was prankish enough to take full advantage of the opportunity for achieving the navigational freak of a lifetime. He called his navigators to the bridge to check & double check the ship’s position. He changed course slightly so as to bear directly on his mark. Then he adjusted the engine speed.
The calm weather & clear night worked in his favor. At mid-night the SS Warrimoo lay on the Equator at exactly the point where it crossed the International Date Line!
The consequences of this bizarre position were many:
The forward part (bow) of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere & in the middle of summer.
The rear (stern) was in the Northern Hemisphere & in the middle of winter.
The date in the aft part of the ship was 31 December 1899.
In the bow (forward) part it was 1 January 1900.
This ship was therefore not only in: Two different days, two different months, two different years, two different seasons and in two different centuries – all at the same time!
Riding The Rails: Have you ever wondered how model trains became associated with Christmas? The Lionel Corporation was the American company that played a significant role in popularizing the Christmas train tradition. They started advertising electric model trains as gifts, often showing them encircling Christmas trees.
We close this newsletter with these words: If you’re not winning, you are losing.
The Night Before Christmas for the Flight Attendants
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the gate, many Customers were stirring, especially those who were late.
The Passengers boarded and sat in their chairs, in hopes to nap briefly, wake up, and be there.
The Flight Attendants shared their safety instructions, while parents took care to strap in their munchkins.
As the plane took off and flew through the sky, children gazed out the windows, excited to fly.
And soon they saw something – a marvelous sight,‘Twas jolly St. Nick flying off to the right!
He gave them a wave and a plump jolly smile, as he and his reindeer flew along for a while.
Then they heard him exclaim, as he flew out of sight, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good flight!”
🦌🎄🎅✈️ 🦌🎄🎅✈️
Kraemer Aviation / Flymall December 2024 Wheels & Wings Newsletter
Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter. Later this month, Kraemer Aviation will host their annual Christmas dinner. Pictures will be in our January 2025 newsletter. Here’s our collection of different versions of T’was The Night Before Christmas.
You can view past newsletters here.
Turtles Fly Too Dedicates Transport Mission to Support Stop Children’s Cancer. For the full Press Release, click here.
Interested in living at an airport? Visit our Aviation Real Estate page here. You can view price data for airport property in our Market Watch section of the Flymall. Here is the data for all airport property. You can refine the search by “state” simply by searching for the desired state under “Model”.
Want to have your business highlighted on the Flymall??? We offer inexpensive rates to have your business featured on our Wheels & Wings page. Contact us for more info.
History Trivia: This day in aviation history (December 12, 1953), The Bell X-1A achieves a speed of Mach 2.435.
If you enjoy history we have a new aviation history fact each day at the bottom of our webpages. Some days there may be more than one, just refresh the page. And if you like Beatles history, checkout our Events Calendar and select the Beatles category. This is a work in progress, we’re building the most comprehensive calendar of important dates in Beatle history. For those that like to stick with current news, we have an aviation news ticker on our home page. This is updated daily to show the current aviation news.
Achievements & Special Recognition: Stay tuned in for next month, we will be featuring a very special aviator.
Instructors, what to highlight your students first solo or other achievement here? Just send us a short write-up and a picture or two and we’ll post it here for you. Click here for our contact info.
Aviation/Aviators in the news: Every year, just before Christmas (December 17 1903), we get to celebrate the Wright Brothers first flight.
The aviation section of the Flymall is full of aviation news, training info, and much more for the aviator.
Air show season is always just around the corner. Want to travel to air shows in your own aircraft? Visit our used aircraft page on the Flymall to view our inventory.
Car/Motorcycle Show News: The Laytonsville Cruise In is the place to be on a Friday night in Montgomery County. The Laytonsville Cruise In was started by Harry in 2010. It has become one of the most popular cruise ins in the area. You can follow Harry on Facebook for daily updates during the many shows and events he attends.
Contact us if you’re interested in sponsoring awards for the 2025 award nights at the Laytonsville Cruise In.
Our Events Calendar has the most current info regarding local and national car shows, air shows, and more. With nearly 30 categories, there is something for everyone. The Day Tripper section of the Flymall has dozens of day trip ideas and interesting places to visit. Check it out here. Our Day Tripper section now has different categories to choose from to make it easier to find events that interest you.
Earlier this month, the Flymall team attended the annual Breakfast with Santa at the Laytonsville Volunteer Fire Department. Click here for more pictures.
Barn Finds/Hangar Finds: Need an appraisal on your barn find? Visit our Appraisal Page for information on our appraisals.
This month we’ll share part of the story of the Mini Chaparral that is now part of our collection. This is a museum find with a story. This car was left to Harry by the late Dr. Larry Barker who shared a passion for cars and 3 wheel vehicles much as Harry does. This car was built by William Gillespie and Andy Green, both worked on the original Jim Hall Chaparral. This car is the only remaining one left out of 13 that were built.
Visit our online store to search for hard to find car parts, aircraft parts, and much more. You can pay online in our secure store, just click on the Store button on our home page.
Visit the Test Drive section of the Flymall for reviews on automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and more. Read about it before you buy it. You can also research price info on a wide variety of vehicles, collectibles, and more in the Market Watch section of the Flymall.
If you’re restoring a fabric aircraft, Ira Walker of Walker Aviation is your resource. Visit his page on the Flymall by clicking here.
CFI / DPE Notes: Visit Harry’s Practical Test page for information on his checkrides. You will also find useful information there to help you prepare for your checkride. You can also visit Harry’s Lesson Plan section of the Flymall for other flight training information. Visit our Flight Training page for information on our aviation training classes.
Weather in the news: On December 11, we had a major storm system move through the Northeast region. This packed winds in excess of 30 knots.
Three Wheel Association (TWA) & 3-Wheelers.com: Harry started the Three Wheel Association in 2013 to promote/support the industry of three wheel vehicles of all types. Visit the Three Wheel Association page on the Flymall for more info on the association.
Earlier this fall, the 3 wheeler world lost a big supporter of 3 wheel vehicle. Dr. Larry Barker passed away. Larry owned Structural Plastics Inc., a company dedicated to producing a 3 wheel car called the Spi Tri. In November, Pat & Harry hosted a celebration of his life. Click here for pictures from the event.
Want a reproduction vintage 3 wheeler. Walker Aviation can scratch built from pictures or drawings. Visit his page on the Flymall.
Prototypes: Last month we wrote about the Spi Tri pre-production prototype. Here’s and earlier version of this vehicle. Click here for more info.
Nautical Notes: We’re counting down the days/months until we’ll be back on the water again on our classic Walker Bay 8. This boats were made in South Africa starting in 1997.
Riding The Rails: Did you know that they very first aeroplane used tracks or rails to takeoff? This is correct. The Wright Brothers aeroplane used a set of rails as the runway. Pictured below is a replica of the Wright Brother’s shop at the College Park Aviation Museum. And it was in this month in 1903 that the Wright Brothers made history.
Native American Indian Transportation: Have you ever wondered why United States Army helicopters are named after Native American Indians? The tradition of naming helicopters after Native Americans was once an official regulation. The regulation no longer stands, however the tradition continues.
Animals in the headlines: Since it is Christmas time, here’s the origins of Rudolph. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in 1939 when Montgomery Ward department store asked one of its copywriters, 34-year-old Robert L. May, to create a Christmas story the store could give away to shoppers as a promotional gimmick.
We close this newsletter with these words: “And, in the end The love you take is equal to the love you make.” Words by Paul McCartney.
Kraemer Aviation / Flymall.org November 2024 Wheels & Wings Newsletter
Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter. We’re a little late this month.
You can view past newsletters here. November is full of historical accomplishments in aviation as well as in the automotive world.
Interested in living at an airport? Visit our Aviation Real Estate page here. You can view price data for airport property in our Market Watch section of the Flymall. Here is the data for all airport property. You can refine the search by “state” simply by searching for the desired state under “Model”.
Want to have your business highlighted on the Flymall??? We offer inexpensive rates to have your business featured on our Wheels & Wings page. Contact us for more info.
History Trivia: On November 10 1885, the first test ride of what is often considered the first modern motorcycle, the Daimler Reitwagen (“riding car”), occurred. At the controls was 17-year-old Paul Daimler, son of the bike’s inventor, Gottlieb Daimler. This journey effectively made Paul the world’s first biker.
If you enjoy history we have a new aviation history fact each day at the bottom of our webpages. Some days there may be more than one, just refresh the page. And if you like Beatles history, checkout our Events Calendar and select the Beatles category. This is a work in progress, we’re building the most comprehensive calendar of important dates in Beatle history. For those that like to stick with current news, we have an aviation news ticker on our home page. This is updated daily to show the current aviation news.
Achievements & Special Recognition: On November 2 1947, the Spruce Goose made it’s first and last flight with Howard Hughes at the controls.
Instructors, what to highlight your students first solo or other achievement here? Just send us a short write-up and a picture or two and we’ll post it here for you. Click here for our contact info.
On November 16 1959, Capt J. W. Kittinger parachuted from an altitude of 76,400 feet. This was just one of numerous jumps he made to research into high-altitude bailouts. Pat & Harry were lucky enough to meet him years ago and get an autographed picture of him.
Aviation/Aviators in the news: November 12 1929, was the world’s first air to air refueling on an aircraft. It was accomplished by Wesley “Wes” May, Frank Hawks and Earl Daugherty whom devised a simple plan to strap a 5 gallon can around Wes’ back, who then, carefully made his way from the Curtiss Jenny to the Lincoln Standard to transfer the fuel.
Ruth Law completed her nonstop flight from Chicago to New York State on November 19, 1916, covering a distance of 590 miles. She was inspired to take up flying by her brother, parachutist and pioneer movie stuntman Rodman Law. Ruth was refused lessons by Orville Wright because, according to Law, Orville believed that women weren’t mechanically inclined, but this only made her more determined, later saying “The surest way to make me do a thing is to tell me I can’t do it.” In the spring of 1916, she took part in an altitude competition, twice narrowly coming in second to male fliers. She was furious, determined to set a record that would stand against men as well as women.
November 21 1783 First free flight by humans – in the Montgolfier Brothers balloon. This was the first time ever, that mankind left the surface of the earth.
The aviation section of the Flymall is full of aviation news, training info, and much more for the aviator.
Air show season is always just around the corner. Want to travel to air shows in your own aircraft? Visit our used aircraft page on the Flymall to view our inventory.
Car/Motorcycle Show News: The Laytonsville Cruise In is the place to be on a Friday night in Montgomery County. The Laytonsville Cruise In was started by Harry in 2010. It has become one of the most popular cruise ins in the area. You can follow Harry on Facebook for daily updates during the many shows and events he attends. We’re already working on our sponsors for the 2025 award season. If you or your company is interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Harry.
On November 15 1965, Craig Breedlove became the first person to break the 600 mph landspeed barrier.
Our Events Calendar has the most current info regarding local and national car shows, air shows, and more. With nearly 30 categories, there is something for everyone. The Day Tripper section of the Flymall has dozens of day trip ideas and interesting places to visit. Check it out here. Our Day Tripper section now has different categories to choose from to make it easier to find events that interest you.
Barn Finds/Hangar Finds: Need an appraisal on your barn find? Visit our Appraisal Page for information on our appraisals. Can you imagine being the one to find Dr. Ferdinand Porsche’s first vehicle in a barn? We believe the year was around 2013 when someone discovered the vehicle after it spent the past 112 years in a shed in Austria. It had been stored in the same shed since 1902. It was the Porsche designed Egger-Lohner C.2 Phaeton.
On November 23 1954 – The 50 millionth General Motors car rolls of the assembly line.
Visit our online store to search for hard to find car parts, aircraft parts, and much more. You can pay online in our secure store, just click on the Store button on our home page.
November 30 1960: The first International Harvester Scout left the assembly line on this day.
Visit the Test Drive section of the Flymall for reviews on automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and more. Read about it before you buy it. You can also research price info on a wide variety of vehicles, collectibles, and more in the Market Watch section of the Flymall.
If you’re restoring a fabric aircraft, Ira Walker of Walker Aviation is your resource. Visit his page on the Flymall by clicking here.
CFI / DPE Notes: Visit Harry’s Practical Test page for information on his checkrides. You will also find useful information there to help you prepare for your checkride. You can also visit Harry’s Lesson Plan section of the Flymall for other flight training information. Visit our Flight Training page for information on our aviation training classes.
Weather in the news: Have you heard the story of Hurricane Wrong Way Lenny? Lenny formed November 13 1999 and dissipated November 23 1999. It was the strongest November Atlantic hurricane since the 1932 Cuba hurricane. Lenny formed on November 13 1999 in the western Caribbean Sea and went on to form and maintain an unusual and unprecedented easterly track for its entire duration, which gave it the common nickname, “Wrong Way Lenny”.
On Thanksgiving day, the Northeast experienced a large storm system that brought heavy rain and snow to the area.
Three Wheel Association (TWA) & 3-Wheelers.com: Harry started the Three Wheel Association in 2013 to promote/support the industry of three wheel vehicles of all types. Visit the Three Wheel Association page on the Flymall for more info on the association.
In October we said goodbye to a good friend, especially in the world of three wheelers. Larry Barker passed away. Larry owned Structural Plastics Inc (SPI). SPI developed a 3 wheel vehicle called the SPI Tri.
Want a reproduction vintage 3 wheeler. Walker Aviation can scratch built from pictures or drawings. Visit his page on the Flymall.
Prototypes: The Spi-Tri Mk III is now part of the collection of Harry Kraemer’s rare and unusual vehicles. This is the pre-production prototype / test vehicle. Up until his death, Larry was trying very hard to get the vehicle mass produced. We will have more information on this vehicle and earlier prototypes in a future newsletter.
Nautical Notes: Known as the Boating Capital of The Chesapeake Bay, Deltaville VA. is an awesome place to visit. This is just one of many awesome places you can find in the Day Tripper section of the Flymall.
Riding The Rails: Roadside America is a lost gem. It was known as the greatest known miniature village. Years ago, they closed their doors and sold off the trains that were a part of the village. Click here to see their page in the Day Tripper section of the Flymall and to view a 1966 color brochure.
Native American Indian Transportation: Sacagawea was an American Indian that helped the Lewis and Clark Expedition in obtaining horses from the Indians. She was in her early teens as a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the wife of a trapper that was part of the expedition. She also had a young infant with her on the expedition. The Indians trusted her and that is how she was able to get the expedition horses from the Indians. Horses were very valuable to the Indians and they did not give them away too often.
Animals in the headlines: Here’s a flashback from a year ago with Ace & Jett.
We close this newsletter with these words: Treat your friends like they’re worth a million bucks and then all of your friends will be millionaires.
