This Piper was originally sold to W. C. Wheatley of Clayton Mew Mexico on December 9, 1946 for $3295.00. On February 4, 1947 it was sold to Southern Air Service of Memphis Tennessee. Southern Air Service was owner by Mrs. Louise Cambell Kent, Cy Shobe, and C. W. Wood. In Febuary of 1947, it was flipped over resulting in major repairs to both wings, and required the replacement of serval ribs.
On October 17, 1947 it was sold to Waterways Aircraft Company of Vicksburg Mississippi. My father, Harry E. Shumaker (Ed) had been maintaining this Piper since it moved to Vicksburg. On December 28, 1948 it was sold to Joseph J. Richie of Vicksburg Mississippi.
On September 1, 1950 it became part of the Shumaker Family when Robert Shumaker purchased it with some financial assistance from his sister Catherine. During March 1952, my father recovered it for the first time, using Grade A fabric, five coats of clear nitrate dope and five coats of silver dope. He also repaired some bent diagonals in the fuselage and put in a new windshield.
My father looked after the PA-12 while Robert was in the Navy. He moved it to Marianna, Florida in 1953. On June 23, 1959 my father became the owner. While it was in storage in my father's hanger in the late 60s, it survived the hangar being blown over. My father recovered it again in March 1963. I soloed in it on June 19, 1963. S & S Air Service used it for flight instruction and fire patrol for several years. On the fire patrol some days it would fly eight hours per day.
After a long and hard working stay with S & S Air Service, this Piper became the property of Byron and Dana (Dan) Shumaker. On June 1, 1986 Dan became the owner and is currently restoring it.
My father and I with the PA-12 about 1949
My Uncle Robert's PA-12 N2666M & My father's Airmaster, 1952
My Father with the PA-12 during the 1963 restoration
My Mother with the PA-12 during the 1963 restoration
N2666M about 1963
Me and N2666M about 1964
Steve Simmons and I with N2666M about 1964
My father and I with the PA-12 about 1966
Dog Island, Summer 1968
1968
1968
Packing up to fly to California, Sept 1968
Doug Martin and I somewhere between Florida and California, Sept 1968
IFR (I Follow Roads) Route 66, Florida to California, Sept 1968
Grand Canyons, Florida to California, Sept 1968
Departing Folsom California, Sept 1968
Byron and I Camp on Dog Island, 1972
PA-12 loans its engine to the J3 crop duster
In storage, S & S hanger 1981
In storage, S & S hanger 1981
Undamaged by the S & S hanger fire Feb 11 1983
late 1980s
late 1980s