Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Dad's Toys from the Attic

Recently, my wife and I pulled Dad's old toys out of storage. Saved first in the attic of our Grandparent's homestead, and later moved to the attic of Dad's hangar at Deer Pasture Airfield, these items date back to the mid and late 1930's. These toys, along with a few family photos are all we have left to remind my siblings and me of our Father's youth. My siblings and I are now deciding what to do with these interesting relics. They're possibly worth some monetary value to some folks. But this is nothing compared to the sentimental value for us. Some probably will end up on the knick-knack shelves of our homes for us to admire occasionally in memory of Dad. The Texas heat has gotten the best of some of them, broken down and so badly deteriorated that they are literally turning to dust. And so, it seemed to me that the best way to save and hold on to these simple items was to capture them in pictures.

Click on images to enlarge.
























































They give us just a glimpse into a time in our Dad's life, long before we knew him... when he was just a boy. There is no doubt that Dad's love for airplanes had started at a very young age. And one other thing is clear... Dad and his sister (our beloved Aunt Janice) were hard on their toys. Each one is broken in some way, showing they were well used. There's not much else to say about them. It's fun just to look at them and try to imagine our Dad playing and enjoying them as a little boy.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

A little help from my Texas T-craft Friends.


Deep in the Heart of Texas, there are some really fine, deep-hearted T-craft Texans who made my day this past Saturday! Thanks to Mark Julicher, Doc Hecker, and Buell Powell, the mountain of discrepancies on N95598 have now been reduced to a small molehill of squawks. So, as soon as my TAX refund comes in, I will be looking for a good metal prop and I'll be back in business.




Sometimes life circumstances tend to keep you from accomplishing some of the things you wish for. Somehow, Mark insightfully picked up on this in my regard. So he rallied the troops for this special effort and these great guys gave up their Saturday to lend me a hand to go through my airplane. I can't thank them enough. This has been needed for several years and I have just not had the time to get everything done on my own.

We were especially proud of our floor jack system.









The results are clear... We had a great time, built some great memories, and best of all... solidified friendships that I know will last for a long time. There's nothing like having three guys who love Taylorcrafts pouring out their TLC all over your airplane. Mark, Doc, Buell.... you guys ROCK!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

John Ryburn Bowden: 1929 - 2011


It is with mixed emotions that I must report the passing of my father John Ryburn Bowden. He has made is final flight toward the heavens and will be missed by all who knew him. Missed for his kind spirit, his love of aviation, and for the way he generously shared that passion with others. Yet we are relieved that he will no longer suffer through his courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease and other illnesses.

Many aviation enthusiasts have fond memories of attending one of the annual fly-ins hosted by my Dad and Mom over a span of 14 years from the late 1970's through the early 1990's. Some of those years, there were two (2) fly-ins. Attended by folks from all over the United States, these events grew to include over a hundred planes and several hundred visitors and participants. This was Dad's way of contributing and sharing in the promotion of grassroots aviation, antique airplanes, and sport flying.

We are so very proud of dad and all of the ways he taught us and cared for us. He lived life to its fullest and made every day a new adventure. His aviation accomplishments alone are marveled by many. Yet these were only small chapters in a life of countless achievements. One newspaper account of his life stated, "Many of us dream of doing things. John Bowden did them." This is an understatement.

Such a story is impossible to tell, short of a biography book. Perhaps one day this will happen. but for now, we will hold to his memory and be thankful for the time we spent with John R. Bowden.

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John Ryburn Bowden
December 19, 1929
February 19, 2011


We would love for you to share your memories and comments about dad below.


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