|
Art Anderson has been flying for over 54 years. He has owned 12 different airplanes. For over 40 years he has flown professionally for four companies. His flying has ranged from a Piper J-3 Cub to a Learjet.
Background
Arthur W. Anderson was born on December 22, 1927 at Mt. Vernon in south western Wisconsin. He was born in the family homestead, the youngest of seven children. Art grew up on the farm. By the mid thirties, with the depression affecting much of the country, the Anderson's were forced off the farm. They moved to nearby Madison. He was fascinated with flight from an early age. In 1936 at the age of eight he had his first airplane ride. His first venture aloft was aboard a Curtiss Condor piloted by famed aviator Clarence Chamberlain. Art found he was mechanically inclined. By his mid teens he found work in auto garages. Art's two older brothers were drafted into the Army during World War II. His eldest brother, Jim, fought in Italy. Art's other brother, Louie served in the South Pacific, seeing action in New Guinea. Art longed to fly, but flying lessons were expensive. In late 1946 his long-time buddy Marv Bornstein talked him in to talking to a Marine recruiter. The recruiter told both young men, that if they enlisted they would be guaranteed flight training. Art and Marv eagerly signed the enlistment form.
Marine Corps
Art and Marv headed to basic training, "Boot Camp", at Paris Island. In short order Art discovered two things. His buddy Marv had a speech impediment that was unacceptable to the U.S. Marines. He was sent back home. Eventually, Marv would join the newly created Air Force. He would complete 20 years of service, much of it as a crew chief. Art also soon found out he was not on the fast track to flight school. This was early 1947, the military was busy discharging most of it's pilots. Very few new pilots were being trained, all of them officers. A buck private in the Marine Corps had no chance at all of flying. After "Boot Camp" Art was stationed in San Diego, CA. His mechanical aptitude earned him a job as a mechanic. He soon rose to the rank of sergeant. Still intent on flying, Art began taking flight lessons at the nearby Oceanside Airport.
|
|
Flying
On the 4th of July, 1947 Art completed his first solo aboard a Piper J-3 Cub. He had six hours of flight time. In short order he earned his private pilot license. In 1948 Art purchased his first airplane. It was a Boeing Stearman fitted with a 220 HP Continental. The price of the surplus trainer was five hundred dollars. Unfortunately, the Stearman crashed. Fellow Marine Martin D. Thompson of Watertown, NY was practicing aerobatics when he crashed. Thompson died of his injuries while the airplane was totaled. Art then bought a Vultee BT 13A. The purchase price of three hundred and seventy five dollars included 2 parachutes and a full tank of gas. In December of 1949 he completed his three year hitch. He chose to not re-enlist. Art flew his BT cross country back to Wisconsin. It was in this airplane he gave his father, James his first ride. Art married Edith "Pinky" Larson in August of 1950. They settled in Madison. By this time the BT was gone. He had taken the airplane into Four Lakes Aviation in Madison for it's annual inspection. Art was told the control cables would need replacing. It would be an expensive repair job. He decided to sell the airplane. Mr. Mayle of Portage, Wisconsin bought the BT for five hundred and fifty dollars.
In October of 1951 Art and Pinky had their first child, a girl they named Janice. Later that year Art entered a partnership with Russ "Tookie" Huff of Monona, WI. They bought an Aeronca Champ 7AC. The Champ was sold a year later for four hundred dollars. Huff and Anderson replaced the Champ with a Taylorcraft. The price of the T-craft was a mere two hundred seventy five dollars. They recovered the wings in a T-Hanger at Truax in Madison. In August of 1953 a second daughter was born. She was named Jill. The Taylorcraft was sold to Mr. R. Jelle for eight hundred dollars. In 1954 Art and Keith Thomas bought a Ryan PT-22 for five hundred fifty dollars. They had the PT-22 six months before trading it for a J-4 Cub Coupe. The next year Art bought a 1947 Stinson Stationwagon powered by a Franklin 165. He paid two thousand one hundred dollars for the airplane. The Anderson's used the Stinson on various family vacations.
|
|
|
