Eagles Mere: Where the Twenties Still Roar on a Pennsylvania Mountaintop

A Tale as Old as Time

It is the oldest story in the book. Boy meets aviation. Boy falls in love with aviation. Boy builds his own airport on top of a mountain (granted, a stubby little Pennsylvania mountain). He begins to accumulate immaculate, airworthy, and in some cases rare aircraft from the 1920s. Boy decides to share his collection with the world and an aviation museum is born.

Founded by George Jenkins in 2008, the Eagles Mere Aviation Museum overlooks the surrounding Pennsylvania countryside from an elevation of 2,000 feet. Its buildings are adjacent to the parallel grass and paved runways of Jenkins' private airport, Merritt Field (4PN7). A collection of 30+ aircraft, most of them built in the 1920s with a few noteworthy exceptions, are spread throughout a handful of tidily kept hangars. These antiques frequently grace the skies over Eagles Mere, PA.

Aviators seeking to visit require prior permission to land and must sign a waiver, a six page pile of steaming legalese, promising not to sue over any mishaps. Runway 6-24 loses 80 feet in elevation across its 3,400 foot length, sloping significantly downhill to the northeast and prompting recommendations for landing to the southwest regardless of wind conditions. Warnings of gusty mountaintop winds, higher than usual density altitudes, and radio-free airborne antiques abound.

Aviators braving these things, especially the legalese, are well-rewarded. Eagles Mere Aviation Museum is a gem set on a field of dreams. 

When Getting There Is Half the Fun

Date	Aircraft	Route of Flight	Time (hrs)	Total (hrs)
27 Aug 2022	N21481	SDC (Sodus, NY) - 4PN7 (Eagles Mere, PA) - SDC	2.9	2525.1

I launched from Sodus in Warrior 481 with Dan and Jeff behind me in Eight Five X-Ray. The field was marginal VFR and I turned toward Lake Ontario in search of a large enough hole to grant VFR access above the clouds. While I could have filed IFR and blasted through them, that did not seem fair to Dan who is achingly close to being rated, but not quite there yet.

Truthfully, while I had committed to making the trip, I developed a bad attitude about Eagles Mere after completing the waiver. As a scientist, I value concise, direct, and unambiguous communication. Simultaneously pedantic and full of bluster, the repetitive and obfuscating language of the waiver was mentally chafing.

The view over the lakeshore was truly "glorious" that day.

Flying along Seneca Lake.

Ski Slope

We were fooled by a false report of clear skies from the Bradford County Airport (N27, 20 miles north). What we found instead over Bradford County was an extensive overcast creating a marginal VFR ceiling underneath. Naturally, we had a mutually agreed upon Plan B, which was to carry enough fuel to get back home if we could not get down through the clouds into Merritt Field. But we found a hole of sufficient size and descended toward the lumpy mountains of northern Pennsylvania. 

Approaching from the north at 3,500 feet (500 feet above Merritt's pattern altitude), I spotted the line of hangar buildings along the crest of a local mountain almost immediately. I entered the pattern for runway 24R on a left crosswind. The museum had already notified us that they would not be flying any of their aircraft that day, but I remained vigilant.

On short final, the upslope of the runway became very apparent. Due to gravel running along the sides of the runway, I was uncomfortable taxiing off of it without back taxiing to the exit on the 24 approach end. But Dan was not far behind me and I was unsure if I had time to back taxi. Instead, I taxied to the far end of the runway to give Dan as much room as possible, radioed my plan to him, and waited for him to land.

Dan on final in Eight Five X-Ray to the sloping runway. Note the gravel along the edges.

Staffers from the museum directed us to a small concrete pad near the 24 end of the runway that granted safe passage to the parallel grass runway. I followed Dan back downhill on the runway, then onto the grass, and back uphill to the parking area near midfield.

Eight Five X-Ray and Warrior 481 arrived safe and sound at Merritt Field.

Group photo: Jeff, me, and Dan. Gotta love those camera timers.

Field of Dreams

The line of hangars that I had observed from several miles away were all in immaculate condition. It was as though they had just sprung into existence that very morning.

Delta Hangar was the domain of the museum's beautiful Bellanca Skyrocket.

A Stearman was undergoing maintenance in Foxtrot.

Bravo hangar was devoted entirely to the museum's display of engines.

The two northernmost hangars were the main building for the Eagles Mere Aviation Museum and the Eagles Mere Auto Museum (closed that day).

It certainly felt odd to park our aircraft on the edge of such a precipice.

Life in the Sky During the Roaring Twenties

Everyone we met, from Trevor who directed us to parking to Karen, the museum curator was extremely welcoming and eager to talk with us. We paid $10 admission fees in the main building and set about exploring while chatting with various volunteers along the way.

To some, this sign might seem out of place in northern Pennsylvania, but Grand Canyon Regional Airport (previously called Wellsboro-Johnston Airport and before that, Grand Canyon State Airport) was actually a mere 43 nautical miles northwest. Considering the prices, I wondered about the vintage of the sign. Aviation Essentials currently based at the airport charges $100 per 30 minutes of sightseeing for up to 3 people.

This 1929 Pitcairn PA-6 Sport "Mailwing" was a 110 mph biplane used for carrying mail. Pitcairn was one of the companies rolled up into Eastern Air Transport that became Eastern Air Lines in 1934. Eastern was liquidated in 1991. This example is believed to be one of only two aircraft of its type still flying.

The Pitcairn was built with strikingly capable landing lights for its day. There was one integrated into each wing.

The Wright J5 220 horsepower radial engine on this airplane was the same type that pulled The Spirit of St Louis across the Atlantic.

Time Capsule

This was an interesting snapshot in time, somehow managing to be both patronizing and empowering while hawking Camel cigarettes. Only in the 1940s...

This is a 1928 Kreider-Reisner Challenger (KR-31). The three place biplane cost about $3,000 new.

Didn't They See That Episode of Quincy?

Flyphoid fever? Yikes. That is some interesting marketing right there.

One of my favorite aircraft on display was this 1928 Alexander Eaglerock A-4. To my eye, it had more elegant lines than its contemporaries. Just prior to the Depression, the Alexander Aircraft Company of Colorado was the top producer of airplanes in the United States, churning out about eight planes a day. The Alexander Aircraft Company famously launched the career of aircraft designer Al Mooney. This example of an Eaglerock A-4 is the only known survivor of its type.

1928 Alexander Eaglerock A-4.

A similar aircraft took part in the 1928 National Air Tour.

1928 Alexander Eaglerock A-4.

1928 Alexander Eaglerock A-4.

A recurring theme throughout the museum was the use of tennis balls to protect patrons from sharp edges and pointy obstacles.

1928 Alexander Eaglerock A-4.

Gotta Love Those Skyhawk Wing Struts

1928 Cessna AW.

A Cessna? I had never laid eyes on a Cessna that looked anything like this before.

1928 Cessna AW.

Clyde Cessna founded his own company in 1927 after parting ways with Travel Air. Shortly thereafter, the company produced the "Model A". It was a strutless high wing monoplane with significantly less drag than its contemporaries. "Monoplanes are the only worthwhile type of aircraft," Cessna was once quoted as saying. With that context, perhaps it is unsurprising that he broke away from Stearman and Beech (his partners in Travel Air) given their predilection for biplanes at the time. The wings had a 40 foot span and were shown to hold over 15,750 pounds without damage.  An accompanying photo showed six men standing on the wing across the full span.

1928 Cessna AW.

Kneeroom did not appear to be a design requirement for the Model A. Neither Jeff, Dan, nor I would have been able to climb into this cockpit.

1928 Cessna AW.

The Model A was available with multiple engines. The "W" indicates that this version was powered by a 110 horsepower Warner Scarab engine. The Eagles Mere Cessna AW was the ninth aircraft ever produced by the Cessna Aircraft Company and is both the oldest airworthy Cessna as well as the last surviving AW in the world. Tucked away here in Eagles Mere, PA. Who knew?

Where's Gilmore?

1928 Thunderbird W-13.

This sole surviving example of a Thunderbird (W.F.W Airplane Company, Glendale, CA) was known to be a capable aerobat, though museum staff indicated that it was a bit underpowered (Curtiss OX-5) to comfortably operate from Merritt Field. This specific aircraft (serial number 12 of 18) was purchased from the factory by eccentric aviator Roscoe Turner who packed a 50 foot diameter parachute into the center section of the airplane and tested it as a recovery chute. Decades before Cirrus popularized the idea, Turner's proof of concept stunt was successful and the aircraft came back to Earth with only minimal damage to the landing gear.

1928 Thunderbird W-13.

1928 Thunderbird W-13.

Per a tag on the wing, the Thunderbird was last flown in August of 2013.

1928 Thunderbird W-13.

One of a Kind

1917 Polson Special.

This custom-designed 1917 racing plane was built by famous aerobatic pilot Earl Daugherty and Thor Polson. It is a one of a kind aircraft. After Daugherty died in an aircraft accident at age 42, the Polson Special was one of two airplanes that his wife Kay kept until her death at age 102.

1917 Polson Special.

The redwood airframe of the Polson Special is attributed to its survival over the decades.

1917 Polson Special.

The Classic WWI Trainer

The Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" was the airplane that taught American WWI pilots how to fly. This specific 1917 Jenny was one of the aircraft originally used in Howard Hughes' infamously costly 1930 film epic "Hells Angels". The film also introduced actress Jean Harlow to the movie-going public. Something tells me that Jenny probably had better longevity than Jean.

This Jenny is in need of an overhaul for its OX-5 powerplant and is currently removed from flight status.

Airspeed indicator on the 1917 Curtiss Jenny.

That'll do, pig. That'll do. Why overcomplicate things? Where, exactly, is VNE?

Most Definitely Not Made in Battle Creek, MI

This 1928 WACO GXE was famous for being the model that a 17 year old Elinor Smith flew under four New York City bridges spanning the East River. The "Flying Flapper of Freeport" had her license suspended for 15 days by the Department of Commerce and the letter of reprimand reputedly also contained a request for her autograph. Talk about a slap on the wrist! (There is probably a Martha Lunken joke in there somewhere.)

This 1933 Aeronca C3 makes subsequent Aeronca aircraft like the Champ and Chief look positively luxurious.

After perusing so many aircraft built in the 1920s, this 1944 Stearman (which is really a 1934 design) looks incredibly modern and refined by comparison. This aircraft was the primary trainer for the majority of American World War II aviators in all its top heavy, narrow geared glory.

Wanted: An Identification for This Airplane

Confession time: I have no idea what kind of airplane this is. Per one of the volunteers, this radial-engined biplane was purportedly owned by Wiley Post, the famous one-eyed aviator best known for being the first to fly solo around the world.

This 1940 de Havilland Tiger Moth was Britain's answer to the Stearman for primary training during World War II. It was reputedly easy to fly, but difficult to fly well.

Travel Air, founded by Cessna, Beech and Stearman, built 33 Travel Air 3000s with water cooled Hispano Suiza powerplants. This 1928 model is one of only two still believed to be flying. Famous aviatrix Louise Thaden set altitude and endurance records in a similarly equipped 3000 between 1928 and 1929.

Elegant Cabin Cruiser

This 1930 Bellanca CH 400 Skyrocket is equipped with a 450 horsepower Pratt & Whitney radial engine that gave it a maximum speed of 155 mph. It was the aircraft with which Alaskan Airways was founded. Until recently, it was the only flying example in the world. This aircraft occupies a place of honor in the museum and is evidently a favorite.

I was taken with several of the small details on the Bellanca such as these airfoil-like fairings on the wing struts.

Another small detail was the way that the bottom of the door was hinged to simultaneously avoid striking the wing strut while creating a way to hold the door open on the ground. Clever.

This 1929 Curtiss Fledgling is not only the sole example of its type still flying, but also possesses the only operational Curtiss Challenger engine in the United States. Reputedly easy to fly, Fledglings were used for primary training of U.S. Navy pilots.

The Ones That Go on Two Wheels

Full disclosure, I am not all that enamored with motorcycles, but there are a lot on Merritt Field. Many are labelled with first person commentary, so I assume that they were actively ridden by George Jenkins at some point.

I was amused by the "considered pure 'sex' of the time" editorial on this 1973 Norton.

Things Other Than Bill the Cat That Go "PFFFTHTHB"

Eagles Mere devotes an entire hangar to engines. It is quite a collection that runs the gamut from the expected (Curtiss OX-5, Pratt & Whitney radials) to examples that are quite unusual.

Lenape AR-3 Engine, "Papoose"

Lenape "Chief" Engine.

I had never heard of Lenape engines before. The little one was called Papoose and the larger one called Chief. Seemed fitting. The Chief on display is the only known example in existence; the NYC-based company went out of business before the Chief was certified, thus leaving a single developmental model behind.

Viele M-5

1909 Harroun 8 Engine.

The famous Curtiss OX-5 powered everything from early Curtiss designs to early Travel Air aircraft. It was an eight cylinder 90 horsepower liquid cooled powerplant built specifically for airplanes. These engines date back to 1915 with an estimated 12,600 built.

Data plate for the Curtiss OX-5. It actually says "petrol".

This Tank engine is an air-cooled conversion of a Curtiss OX-5. Dispensing with the liquid cooling system eliminated a problematic failure mode.

1914 Curtiss V2, a 200 horsepower engine that was too heavy to be successful.

Another rare one, a 1910 Wells-Adams engine built in Bath, NY. This particular engine was used in a 1911 Curtiss Pusher aircraft. Little is known about this engine type and this one is thought to be the sole remaining example of its kind.

This 1910 Detroit Aeronautic Construction Company "Aeromotor", rated for 30 horsepower and produced in limited numbers. Per the placard, it still works and the museum is unaware of other functional examples.

That is a really old Bosch spark plug!

Classic, a Gnome rotary engine!

Departure

One downside to the Eagles Mere Aviation Museum is that food options are limited. Itinerant pilots are advised to bring their own. Otherwise, we were impressed by the quality, condition, and size of the collection. I visit a lot of airplane museums and I saw things that I had never seen before. (Actually, that has been something of a theme this year.) I expected to spend an hour there; we spent three. This is a really cool place and highly recommended.

By the time we departed, the ceiling was finally breaking up. We had quite an audience of museum visitors gathered to watch us take off. We decided to take off downhill on runway 6, which also happened to be into the wind. We taxied to the end of the runway together, then departed one after the other.

Cruising home above the scattered cloud layer, I monitored the air-to-air frequency so that Dan and I could stay in contact. The frequency was dominated by a pair of banner tow pilots working somewhere in the vicinity (Watkins Glen?) and chattering away about their career aspirations. One of them got my attention when he started talking about a girl he met at a Kalamazoo dispensary.

It was certainly not the most banal chatter I have ever heard on 122.75.