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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-10-14, Page 36�"'Z Q�1 1F1, ill' { 1•� �.{ :ayf-'i PAG •6-9ODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, TJ LJRSmy OC QBE1 14a la97ra;.: Panda bears ,and tigers Painting. planes a real art BY DEBBIE DIMMICK There's not much dif- fierence between painting a truck or painting an airplane, ` so when the Goderich Sky Harbour paintshop needed some artwork done a .bout four. -years ago, airport manager Doug Hunter gave his old. friend Gord Harris •of Kin cardine a call.- • Several planes later, Gord can now be proud of one 9f his latest - works as a P=40E Warhawk bearing his art- work recently won the grand championship in • Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where. one large airshow is held every year.. . On both sides of the plane a five-foot long tiger and a Panda bear about two -and - one half feet -tail were carefully drawn to scale and painted . by the Kincardine sign, painter to restore the plane to its . original ap- pearance:. The fighter- plane, .built about 1936 or_ 1937; is. -one of seven of its kind still flying. The squadron bearing the insignia painted on the plane were known as the Flying Tigers'_ and were active. in. China atthe beginning of World War IL The plane was first restored .by Don Plumb of Windsor, who owned several other war planes, but was sold to ; Max Hoffman of Colorado when Plumb .was killed while flying his" Mustang fighter. -Plumb's Spitfire • was the. first plane •Gord ever worked on as he reproduced the Royal Air , Force's Fighter _ Con- mand insignia on both sides of the plane. After Hoffman bought the Warhawk from' Plumb he continued to. restore the plane and -brought it to Sky Harbour where it spend three weeks .in the paintshop:: John Edwards •ef Goderichpainted the jaws on the front of -the aircraft •and Gord put the tiger on to finish the job: After the plane wastaken out of .the . shop, Hoffman decided to have. the panda added to', it. Gord picked up the cowlings off the front of the plane in Windsor on' a Monday and had to have_ the panda finished by Friday so the plane could appear in another show: Gord was not always a painter. He did several jobs in the Kincardine area and started sign painting as a hobby about 20 years ago. Itis now a full-time business •and since he began working on his first plaice about three years ago, -he includes his 'artwork at the .Goderich airportas part of his job. "I've alwas been crazy:" about airplanes," he said. He , said 'a lot of the planes owned by members of the club, "The American' Warbirds" are worth about $100,000. He has found that he enjoys Working with ' the owners` because of their enthusiasm. "Some of them spend more time on their planes than at their own jobs, he said. • He doesn't know of any collectors in this. area, perhaps because of the ex- pense involved. It's the quality of workmanship the plane owners get in Goderich that.. prompa_ them....to...bring their planes from as far as .d Colorado to have them painted. • "'`t'hey'revery p'articular,".he - said- "b 1f you sisfy them nobody else touches that airplane." Some of. these planes have been used in movies as the collectors 'love to show them off. • ' "I remember•Don (plumb) . flying' into Sky Harbour` and putting .on a show before he would land," Gord said. One of" the most famous Collectors • is actor Cliff Robertson, whoowns a 1.09 Messerschmitt and a Spitfire. .. • Because of his love -of airplanes, Gord was so im- pressed when he began work oft • the planes, he wasn't even concerned aboutthe bftL ' "I'd just ask therm to take ine up for a ride," he said,`but few collectors are willing to take up'passengers. "Unless you're 'Working on it, nobody lays a finger on it," • he said. • .•Since-OOrd--began,, xorking.-. on the 'vintage planes, he bought himself a T-33 jet which has boon sitting at the Kincardine airport. Dnfor- ttmately the machine doesn't min and Gord says he can't afford to make it operable He recently sold the machine to a Toronto man but doesn't know. if the buyer is going to get it flying again,. His business in Kincardine keeps him busy but if he gets a call from Goderich, it's"a" 4'. ..y sure thing that Gord is going to take thetime.for work that he really enjoys. Onevisitor to Sky Harbour took one look at this insignia and asked where they had found a decal to put on Don Plumb's Spitfire. He was told to goto the other side of the plane where Gord was still painting a duplicate of his first work on an aircraft. • The panda bear *as an afterthought of Max Hoffman's.and was painted by Gord Harris from a sketch done by a Michigai artist. The post was added by„Gord so the panda. would have something to lean against. . Travelogue starts with free show The .special introductory travelogue program • being offered by the Goderich • Rotary Club, gets underway this Friday- evening at the Godes` and District. Collegiate Institute • begining at 8:00 p.m. The 'evening's entertainment is free . of charge and , all previous. subscribers should, by novw,L_ have- received their com- plimentary passes. If not, passes are still available from Campbells of Goderich. -on-The Square...._...._.. — — Friday evening's program ,will be. "Adventure Across - South America” by balloonist and travel artist Rudi Thurau. The .presentation .is in full color and is narrated in person by lylr. Thurau. The final blitz for season ticket sales Or the regular six part Rotary Travelogue' will get underway at Friday evening's show and continue up till show time on October 26. RotaryClub members are hoping for strong public support as funds raised by the annual venture will this,year. go toward . the club's corn- mitment to the arena roof October 26' Clay Francisg• will present "Israel - — Then and Now", November 16 it Will be Gary Peterson with "Scotland: Kilts P and, Castles", Jay Gierke' will •present. ._,'-`Gre.Qnland.__ Odyssey' on -December 7 and. -Bob Pitta will bring "Byways of Prance" on February 22. March 1�5' it will be Tien Wolfgang with "In Search of Singapore". and the season., will wind up March 29 with. lames Metcalf 'and ; his 'Washington: the. Magnificent Capital." Tickets, will be available kap Campbell's of Goderich, Remington's'IGA, Finchers, Ormandy's Jeweliry, the 'Clinton News -Record and from all Rotarians.' Married recently Mr. and Mrs. Norman Hamilton of Goderich are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter, Norma Joan to Rene Charles'Lafr-omboise son -of Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Lafromboise of Sault Ste. Marie. The wed- ding was celebrated on Friday; October 8, 1976 in Sud- bury. The couple is residing in Sudbury. • Harbor Report • BY RON GRAHAM October 5 the E. B. Barber arrived light from Thorold for salt. • October 5- the Soodoc cleared harbor light for Thunder Bay._ . . October 5 the E. B. Barber cleared harbor for Minstee; Michigan with salt. October 6 the Canadoc Cleared harbor for Bale Comeau with grain. • October 8 • the A1ggiail arrived light from Sault Ste. Marie for salt. October- 9 the Algorail cleared harbor for Port Huron with salt. October 10 "'the Soodoc arrived from Thunder Bay with grain. October -10 the Algorail arrived light from Port Huron for salt. October 11 the Soodoc cleared harbor light for Thunder Bay. October, 11 thelgorail cleared October, Afor Prescott • with salt. WATCH Fon OUR GRAND OPENINGSiii.inkWS-, --- . RESTAURANT KING38RIDCyE NORTH CSF GODERICH ON.HWY.•t1 • This five-foot long tiger was easily recognizable by both " to scale as they had to be duplicated on both sidesof the sides during the war as the sign- of the Flying Tigers plane. • - squadron during World War II. All of the drawings are done • • The skill • and attention'to• detail offered by Goderich Sky Harbor -paintshop, • and Kincardine "sign -painter"' Gord Harris is recognized. further' and further afield. This P -40E Warhawk, bearing the authentic paintjob'and :fine art work of Sky Harbor paintshop and Mr. Harris, recently won the grand championship in Oshkosh Wisconsin, where a large airshow is held every year. • The fighter plane, built sometime in 1936 or 1937 is one of only seven -of its kind still', flying. (staff photo) FOR DISHES - r4 oz. HUMPTY DUMPTY WHILE SUPPLY LASfS Sole Pritesiffective from Thurs., Oct..14th to Mon. Ott, _ etb • WE RESERVE THE' RIGHT TO LIMIT GUANTITI'ES OPEN SUNDAYS 11 A.M. TO O.F.M. MONDAY '1'O SATURDAY 9 A.M. TO 9 P.M. 0