Antique Aeronautics On My Mind

As the day wore on I had my mind fading from the Learjets and Challengers at work and thinking about vintage Cessnas and Beechcrafts. No more thoughts spent on jets. My mind has wondered off to antique aeronautics!
I left work early to head out to the airport. Hopefully I might catch a few hangars open to see the progress on some antique airplane projects. Ah, good. As I pull into the airport I spot an open hangar. A few minutes are spent looking over a Staggerwing project before I make my way down to my hangar. Looking good. The fuselage, tail surfaces and control surfaces are up thru silver. The owner tells me of paint color options and interior materials. I can almost see the Beech Speed Bird appearing on the fuselage and the smell of leather fills my nose. Maybe she will fly next year sometime, maybe.
The sun is going down so I pull myself away from the Staggerwing and pull the 170 out of the hangar. The engine is running smoothly so we launch off to cruise over some grass strips. Is that Navion still out in the weeds by the lakeside strip? Yep... still there. Wow... look at the size of that mansion down there... it looks like it belongs in India... not North Texas! My thoughts turn towards Richard Halliburton and flying his Stearman C3B, The Flying Carpet, around the world in 1931. He must have flown over some houses like that!
As the sun sets I land and push the 170 back in the hangar. Only 20 minutes in the air but that is enough therapy for today. Well... flying therapy... I have some old magazines to sort back at the house. Wonder if I can find that article on the 1340 powered Staggerwing again?