Volume 8 Number (Journal 668) May, 2015 in this issue

RUPA DAY AT SUN-n-FUN 
LAKELAND LINDER REGIONAL AIRPORT, FLORIDA 
The 2015 Sun-n-Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, FL this year on April 23 had a mixture of weather. The day before 
RUPA Day was hot and sunny with the usual air show activities in full swing. Vendors were in abundance 
along with static displays of Warbirds, Vintage Aircraft, homebuilts, transports, amphibians, rotorcrafts and 
Light Sport Aircraft. The Air Force Thunderbirds Flight Demonstration Team arrived and spent several days 
practicing.

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33 
May, 2015 RUPANEWS 
However, on Thursday which was RUPA Day, the morning looked very gloomy with several rain showers 
causing everyone to use ponchos and umbrellas. The RUPA turnout at 10 am was three on the sign-in sheet 
and the prospects looked grim. Within the next hour the picture changed dramatically with a flood of RUPA 
members, spouses, some other airline retirees and one active UAL pilot checking in for a total of 29 
attendees. The rain did not discourage any of them as the weather quickly cleared (mostly) by 1 pm and the 
day proceeded as if there had not been any rain, except for all the mud in the parking lots. 
Once again, thanks to the generosity of the local OX-5 Mid West Florida Wing’s President Wayne Gordon, 
we were able to enjoy the comfort of the Club’s facilities, a ribs and chili luncheon and camaraderie. 
One of the special events never done before at the Club house was the start-up and running of their 1918 OX
-5 engine which was overhauled by Dean Tilton (96 year old long time OX-5 member). The engine had not 
been run for many, many years but twice at Sun-n-Fun this year it came to life and ran for about a minute – 
quite an exciting minute for the huge crowd in 
attendance which gave a standing ovation! 
For those not familiar with the Curtiss OX-5 
engine, it was developed and manufactured by 
Glenn Curtiss in 1912 prior to the start of WW1 to 
power the JN4 “Jennies” of that era plus many 
other types of aircraft in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
The OX-5 is an eight cylinder, V-type, water 
cooled engine, and developed 90 HP at 1400 RPM 
(if you were lucky). Web site is www.ox5.org. 
In the first photo, standing in front of the OX-5 
engine outside the Club house, are (from left to 
right) Norm Clemetsen, Carl Eberle and Bob 
Helfferich. 
In the second photo with the RUPA banner (from left to right in a somewhat general order) are Ed Ripper, 
Dot Prose, Frank Harris, Ham Oldham, Ruth Oldham, Bob Van Nuise, Jack Cochran, John Stewart, Dave 
Thompson, Jim Arnold, Art Jackson, Burt Olson, Bob Helfferich (partially hidden), Jim Good, Dennis 
Didonna, Eric Hinshaw, Doug Horuczi and John Richardson, and, at the very top standing on a platform, are 
Brian Leiding, Carl Eberle and Bob Olsen.
Not in the photo but signed-in are Troy Mashburn, Dick Russell, Gary Somerton (still UAL active 737 
Captain and potential RUPA member in nine years!) and Don Iorio (US Airways retiree). 
Thanks to all who stopped by. We hope to do it again in 2016. The dates for Sun-n-Fun next year are April 
5-10, 2016.