I wanted to set the record straight. I didn't own that Stearman in
the photo. I just remember flying in it with O'ring. We had a buddy
who owned it. Our buddy was a great guy but a marginal pilot. O'ring
helped him come up to speed in that airplane. In fact I shot the
photo that is on the gallery while O'ring and Steve were flying it
back in about 1976 or so. Those guys sort of taught themselves
aerobatics in it. I rode in it a few times and got to fly it with
O'ring. It was not my airplane. I just got to have some fun in it at
the time it was in our lives.

I remember one day everyone thought it was about time to recover it
with new cloth. I think the fabric that was on it was cotton. When
O'ring and Steve yanked that fabric off, all the rib-stitching had
been eaten by mice and the fabric was not held tight to the ribs.
Hell, it didn't matter a bit. The thing still flew great. We all had
a ball in it. I wish we still had it now.

If you look at that photo I took you'll see the bottom has a big patch
on it. I can't remember why they did that, but I'll bet there's a
story behind it if you could get O'ring to tell it.

BWB