Dan, even when there is not much response to the prewar posts, there are some of us that appreciate them. I have a personal interest in Miss Veedol since I have actually handled an original piece of the plane. 10 or 12 years ago I was offered an estate sale that had a Cruisair in it. I was only interested in the Bellanca, and not the other 3 planes in the estate. The family wanted to sell it all as a package so I didnt buy . While I was there talking about the Bellanca a tall very old Gent came in and said if I liked Bellancas , he would show me something interesting. As we walked out to his car (actually 2 identical 70s Cadillacs) which sat on flat tires in the airport parking lot, he asked me if I had heard of Miss Veedol. Since I had recently bought a copy of Delaware Aviation History I was familiar with the name.When we got to the car he pulled a small package out of the glove box and unfolded a piece of of fabric. He told me that he had been a young aircraft mechanic in Wenatche when Pangborn and Herndon landed from Japan. True to the custom of the time , the locals cut pieces of fabric from the plane as souvenirs. He managed to get his signed by Pangborn and Herndon. I held this piece up to the sun and could just make out the faded names.I thanked him for showing me the piece of history and went on my way. A few monthes later I heard about the Miss Veedol replica in Wenatche and called the museum and told them about the fabric patch. I didnt remember the fellows name, but the museum called the airport and described him and had no trouble locating him, and he donated the fabric to the museum. I suspect that the old fellow has flown west by now and the Cadillacs have long since been scrapped. Just a chance conversation saved a unique piece of history from being sent to a scrap yard. Someday I want to go to the Wenatche museum and see if it is on display._____Grant.
