After we ran a short piece on Saturday's crash of one of the most-loved and -recognized birds in all Henderson County (NC), we got a "before" photo of this bold machine, and a bit of history:

It was with great sadness that I learned of the loss of the "Big Red Stearman" this past weekend.  The loss was tempered by the good news that the pilot, passenger and the folks on the ground were not seriously injured. The Big Red Stearman has been a fixture in the Hendersonville area for many years providing fun and memories for young and old.

As manager of the airport this past four years, I have witnessed pilot Dennis Dunlap provide rides for those aged 8 to 80. Some were veterans reliving a past life, others their first venture into the air. They would roar off into the sky and return with a smile and a taste of history. They had sampled the joy of flying. The roar of that big round engine is quiet now, its future uncertain, but the thousands of memories remain.

As a side note, I am told that during recovery of the aircraft a small worn Bible, written in Spanish, was found in the cockpit. In an earlier life, "Big Red" was used as a crop duster in Mexico and the previous owner placed the Bible there, it is assumed, for God's guidance as he flew.  When Dennis restored the aircraft, it was dutifully reinstalled.

It appears to have been effective, as God was watching over everyone involved that day. --John Fadok, Manager, Hendersonville Airport 0A7

[Thank you, John, for your thoughts, and for the great photo of Dennis Dunlap's machine, in happier times --ed.]