National Buccaneers NewsletterMay, 2019

Prez Captain Stan Sez

Our May 17–18 NAL Buccaneer Con-vention in Boca Raton is less than three weeks away. As a reminder, the two-day Convention was a result of those that responded to Hart Kelley’s survey a few months ago.

More important than location or days is the opportunity to once again come together and share memories with long-time friends. Hoping you can make that extra effort to join us in Boca for our first two-day Convention. After all, coming to-gether to enjoy each other’s company and share memories with old friends is a true treasure as the clock ticks and the years quickly pass.

Officers are:President: Capt. Stan Barfield

VP/Convention Chair: Bob Pierson

Bob Pierson

Past President:Capt. John Wentworth and

Linda Wentworth

Past Treasurer:Sharron and Bob Thrasher

Temporary Treasurer:Stan Barfield

Production by Beth Mauldin

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Mystery Pilot

Does anyone know this funny looking NAL pilot who was a Reserve Deputy Sheriff, Avia-tion Unit for the Metropolitan Dade County Public Safety Department, 1970–1975 and Deputy U.S.Marshal, Depart-ment of Justice, Miami, Florida, 1975–1978?

Occasionally we are surprised when some-one unexpected joins us for lunch and conver-sation. This month Stacey Barber came all the way from the Jacksonville area to pay us a visit. It’s always fun to see him as we flew many a pleasant 727 flight together back in the “old days!” Thanks for coming, Stacey!

Also in attendance were Frank Savino, Jack and Sandi Gordon, Dan Pierce, Stan Barfield, Kay Strauss, Joe Fricks, John Barry, Dave Blessing, Bill Strelecki, John Bowling, Bill West, Jack and Gale Theisen, Bob and Faye Murrell, Penny Adams, Gwen Turso, Steve and Linda Mills, and Linda and John Wentworth.

This month’s 50/50 was changed just a little in that one winner was chosen by drawing a ticket as usual, that winner was Gwen Turso who took home $31. The second winner had to go through a grueling Q&A by answering a question put forth by moderator, Dan Pierce. The question was, “In what city was National

first Incorporated?” The answer: Tavares, Flor-ida. I can’t seem to win anything under normal drawing rules, so I was especially pleased to come away, under such enormous pressure, with the correct answer. Linda tells me that I will spend the $31 wisely, that however, re-mains to be seen.

For several years now, Dan Pierce has conducted the 50/50s for our group. He made some changes in the way the tickets are sold and added a lot of fun to the process. Because of his efforts the club has greatly increased the amount of money returned to the winners, as well as the money that finds its way into the club’s treasury. So, I would like to take a mo-ment and say, Thank You, Dan, you’ve made a difference!

May 8th will be our last get together before the normal summer hiatus. We will resume again on October 9th when the cooler climes again return our people to Florida. Until then, Be Well!

Central Florida Buccaneers April 10 Luncheonby John Wentworth

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The first Boeing 727 to be delivered to National Airlines was N4610. The ship was designated a B727-35, serial numbers 18811 and 83-4610. Like many of the airplanes that were in the National fleet, Ship 10 has a very interesting history.

The executives of the airline, including Bud Maytag, picked up the airplane at the factory and on the way to Miami, a planned stop was made at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Pictures of the airplane at Jackson Hole are included with this narrative. N4610 was deliv-ered on October 23,1964 and records show she entered the inventory of National Airlines. The plane became part of Pan Am fleet on the January 7, 1980 as part of the purchase of National by Pan Am.

During the Sun King era, N4610 displayed the name of Jane. Pan Am renamed Jane, and for four years, Jane was known as the Clipper Pathfinder. Later, as N4610 was sold, that name would be used on other Pan Am planes.

Pan Am sold N4610 on December 14, 1984 to the USAF to be used on special air missions. After the USAF sold what was N4610, there is a dark period when the air-craft passed through different hands and was flown to Africa. On March 7, 2001, Jane re-surfaced at Harare, Zimbabwe with 64 armed mercenaries on board. On that date, the 727-35 was seized by the government and the armed mercenaries were arrested.

What happened to N4610, under a new registration, is unknown. It is suspected that Jane was eventually sold and used for parts, but when and where is unknown.

Where Are They Today?N4610 – Janeby Bill Mauldin

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Airplane and Airport Mystery Winners

The following mystery airplane hunters found the AR-234-B Blitz pretty quick. It was the first Operational Jet bomber. Curt Briggs, Stan Bar-field, John Wentworth, Linda and Bob Spencer, Jim Gannon, Vince Wynne, Alan Gee, Gary Snodgrass, Jerome Kline, Bob Pierson, and Bob Thrasher.

All the regulars did really well on one of the favorite National party layover sites of Norfolk. Stan Barfield, John Wentworth, Bob Massey, Linda and Bob Spencer, Jim Gannon, Dusty Rhodes, Vince Wynne, Curt Briggs, Bob Thrasher, Alan Gee, Gary Snodgrass, and Jerome Kline.

Reunion Convention 2019by Hart Kelley

June and I sold our home on Upper Cap-tiva and are in the process of both moving to a rental home and starting to build our new home. I should have been able to squeeze in an article too, but somehow, the time slipped by and the moving trucks are literally out front as I type, sitting on the floor. My desk and fa-vorite perch for my twenty-plus-pound pussy-cat and assistant editor, has already been loaded. Moving is chaotic and stressful for all normal humans, but for us abnormal ones, who have lived on a bridgeless barrier island for over 20 years, multiply that by about two zillion.

The annual reunion, convention, get to-gether is only a couple weeks away, and though we’re being tugged in many different directions at the same time, and trying to find our cloths scattered in god knows how many different boxes, June and I will be there. Will you? All our lives seem to get more complicat-ed right when we thought we were suppose to drift quietly into the leisure, laid back years of retirement. But somehow, we all missed the memo, the one that said, “ That ain’t going to happen.” Regardless of the twists and turns, it’s time to stop the carousel for one weekend and come renew some of your life’s longest running friendships.

Nuff said. Looking forward to seeing you guys and gals!

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May’s Mystery Airplane and Airport

Ok Guys and Gals, this airplane had a multitude of variations both military and civilian. I want the military designation or designations, depending on how deep you dig.

Going forward with the Mystery Section we need to have all the

“guesses” submitted by the 25th of each month. If we receive a guess after the 25th, I’ll give a shout out

the following month.

Email me with your answers!

Hart Kelley islandhartjune@aol.com

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Sherry Louise Fassett-BradleyNAL/PAA Flight Attendant and Pass Department DOB Sept. 17, 1934 • DOH July 13, 1956 • DOD April 4, 2019

Sherry Louise Fassett-Bradley, age 84, was a native of Washington, DC and a resident of Ocala, Florida since 1997. She began her airline career in 1955 for American Airlines and then in 1956 was hired by National Airlines. She worked as a flight attendant until 1961 when she became an agent in the pass department. Sherry retired from Pan American Airways in 1991. She was responsible for National and Pan Am employee travel benefits.

Sherry lived most of her life in Miami Springs, Florida. She was a member of the University Baptist Church of Coral Gables and attended the First United Methodist Church of Ocala. She was active in the National Airlines Sundowners and the Central Florida Buccaneers. Sherry was also a member of the Pan American Retirees of North Central Florida.

Wes FarmerNAL/PAA Flight Engineer DOB Sept. 10, 1922 • DOH Feb. 21, 1966 • DOD April 23, 2019

Wendell Winston (Wes) Farmer, 96, of Abilene, Texas, died Tuesday, April 23, 2019 in a senior care center in Stephenville. A graveside service with military honors was held on April 27, 2019 at the Eula Cemetery. Wes graduated from Eula High School and attended Ranger Junior College. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He flew airplanes from the age of 18, and after the war, he became an airline pilot working for five different airlines, including as a flight engineer with National Airlines. He retired from Pan Am in

1982. Wes served on the Clyde City Council and was active in the community.

Evelyn Joy Harris Bowen NAL Flight Attendant DOB Jan. 7, 1944 • DOH Dec. 1, 1967 • DOD April 14, 2019

Joy passed away unexpectedly. A celebration of life may take place sometime in the future. Joy was a Flight At-tendant on NAL Flight 27 MIA-SFO on November 3, 1973. That DC-10 experienced an uncontained #3 engine failure that caused structural damage resulting in the loss of a passenger. The aircraft diverted into ABQ after declaring an emergency. Following the decompression and emergency descent of Flight 27, many of the passengers and crew suffered respiratory issues. Joy began seeing a local Miami area ENT, Dr. Alfred Bowen MD. They ended up marrying, with the marriage lasting nearly 40 years.

Gone but not forgotten

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