Keep the Skinny Birds Flying Safely
Porterfield-Cabin-IMG_0001-small
Porterfield Cabin.
This is an old picture from my father's files.
I believe he kept this picture because it shows the original production configuration of the instrument panels, and the panels "Craquelure" paint scheme. I do not know which ship this is. The photo is glued to a piece of old cardboard and it only has his signature on the back.
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Comment by Bill Skinner on November 25, 2024 at 7:53am
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A follow up. Here is a closer view of the instrument panel that shows the Craquelure finish.
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I found a reference to this exact photo in the Antique Airplane Association July 1964 issue. The photo was sent to Chuck Lebrecht by my father, W. R. Skinner and appeared in the "Porterfield Club" news on page 18 of that issue. .. and Andy, you were correct.
Chuck states the following:
"Fort those of you who have considered the Porterfield as strictly a VFR machine, here is the interior view of one of two built for "Pancho" Barnes as IFR Trainers. This photo was sent to me by former Porterfield Corporation engineer, Mr. W. R. Skinner."
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Andy, you are probably correctly that this is set up as an instrument trainer. i had not really studied the photo, but that does look like a blackout curtain.
I have seen something about "options" somewhere in the paperwork, but I don't know if the Craquelure panel was one of those. I remember my dad mentioning it on several occasions many years ago... He had some photo equipment cases for old Bell and Howell projectors that had a very similar Craquelure finish and pointed out that those had the same style finish, "... but not exactly the same...". The conversation, if i remember, always ended up in a discussion on exactly how the finish on the instrument panel was produced and finished. I think he admired the way the production folks finished the panels and made them look so good. He thought it was a nice touch.
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Comment by Andy Gelston on August 31, 2020 at 11:38pm
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This must be an instrument trainer, Bill, with that big panel and curtain for the back seat. The safety pilot would sit up front, where he has the stock factory panel.
This is a nice view of what instruments were original to the factory panel.
I have the factory drawing for the front panel and discovered the measurements for the oil gauge locations are inaccurate, so lay everything out carefully BEFORE you cut your holes!
Paul Matts' drawing for the Collegiate states that the factory panel was painted flat black. Was the Craquelure an option?
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