Building and flying a three-quarter scale World War II P-51 Mustang fighter replica like the one pictured above will be the topic of a presentation at a future Sun Lakes Aero Club gathering.
Gary Vacin
Veterans of World War II and the Korean Conflict and a Sun Lakes resident who searched for Amelia Earhart’s missing aircraft highlight the slate of speakers for the Sun Lakes Aero Club’s (SLAC) first five gatherings for 2016-17.
The November 21 speaker will be Sun Lakes resident Sid Singer, who served as a top-turret gunner on B-24 bombers and painted nose art on aircraft during World War II.
On December 19, US Navy Rear Admiral (ret.) Jim Symonds, who amassed 4,000 flight hours in A-6 Intruder aircraft and more than 1,000 carrier landings during his flying career, will be guest SLAC speaker.
The January 16 speaker will be Karl Kern, who participated in a search for Amelia Earhart, whose aircraft mysteriously disappeared in the South Pacific during an attempted around-the-world flight in 1937.
Our February 20 speaker will be England native Roy Partridge, who served as an air traffic controller for the Royal Air Force on a U. S. Air Force base in Manston, England during the Korean War.
On March 20, Mike Still will relate his experiences building and flying a three-quarter scale replica P-51 Mustang fighter plane, based at Chandler Municipal Airport.
The April speaker will be announced at a later date.
Articles in the Splash will provide additional information on each future program.
Now in its 21st year, SLAC sponsors programs the third Monday of each month November through April at the Sun Lakes Country Club. The programs are open to all Sun Lakes residents and others interested in aviation. More information on the club is available from Cannon Hill at 509-539-7857, Gary Vacin at 298-7017, or at the club’s web site at www.sunlakesaeroclub.org.