The 2002 KR Gathering was held at Red Oak, Iowa, which turned out to be a pretty scenic spot! I was lucky enough to fly out with Larry Flesner in his Tripacer. Although our trip out started out in some "iffy" weather, we picked our way between the showers and made it out with only a few minutes of light rain.

Views like this were commonplace as we got closer to Red Oak.

First thing we saw when we got there was Mike Garbez's new Type 4 installation, complete with the new GPASC "rear drive", specifically engineered for the Type 4.

Since he'd only had the drive unit for a few days, it wasn't running yet, but it was still looking good!

Mike had trailered his plane to the Gathering two years ago, because he only had 8 hours on his 1835cc Type 1 VW engine. Those few hours were all it took to convince him that an 1835cc wasn't enough for him and a passenger.

Ellison EFS-3A throttlebody.

Lookin' good!

Shortly thereafter we heard Marty Roberts and passenger Dan Diehl (a pleasant surprise) call in for a weather advisory. They were "stuck on top" and couldn't find a hole, but eventually they made one and dropped in through 2000 feet of scud.

This fine looking specimen was for sale. Note how canopy hinges at the firwall!

This nicely shaped canopy was homemade!

These would appear to be the absolute ultimate wing attach fittings, and weighed enough to prove it, I'll bet.

Marty's O-200 installation.

Note nifty linkage that closes off air from the intake and opens up to recieve air from the oil tank, for carb heat. Hotter exhaust air would be better, but this apparently works for him, at least most of the time.

Akron, Ohio KR builder Ron Willett showed up at this year's Gathering too, and brought along one of many gusset clamps that he used to apply light pressure to his gussets during fuselage construction. The plunger is just a nail, and the spring is from the local spring supply house.

Here's a picture of them in action.

This is Mike and Terry Garbez's four seater airboat. If I'm not mistaken, they built it themselves.

Best of all, it's Corvair powered, and it uses the same Type 4 GPASC rear drive setup as his airplane uses.

This is one of Steve Bennett's new single seater airboats. Great Plains sells these, under the AirMaster name.

Dave Mullins trailered his KR2XL3 for 30 hours from New Hampshire.

He kept pulling stuff out of this box, as if it had no bottom on it.

Here's his Corvair engine intallation.

Note plexiglas wire retainers.

Carburetor is a Quicksilver.

This Canon plug is a quick disconnect for the entire engine.

Belly board.

Trim tab.

Controls, as they exit through the seat back.

Fuel tank.

Dan Heath questions Marty on his gullwing canopy construction.

Some of the "girls of KR" have a laugh at somebody's expense, I'm sure.

Marty's interior.

Steve Bennett's tailwheel, which is very close to "plans built".

Steve's aileron balance weight.

Combination access panel/vent.

John Backer showed off his inexpensive Corvair prop hub alternative, welded up from plate and tubing.

This is Marty flying low to get a view of the windsock, I'm sure.

We were all quite amazed to see the KR-360 that was at Oshkosh taxi in.

Ed Schuler goes over the details of his design and construction.

These gullwing doors could have come off of a factory plane, but then they wouldn't have been THIS nice!

The interior was perfect.

Aileron bellcrank.

When your flaps span the stubwing gap, the outer hinges tend to get kinda long.

Hmmmm...what's this? Well, by hooking the front edge with your fingernail and pulling...

...you get an instant tiedown!

Unique aileron counterweight.

Hinges consisted of three short lengths of piano hinge. Pull three pins and it's loose!~

Canopy latch was very nicely done.

Here's the latching pin.

An 0-360 is what makes it a KR-360.

This picture was not rotated. I think I can barely make out Linda Hopkins in there. She said she wasn't building a KR, her father was, but she sure seemed interested in the things.

Jeff Scott arrived, out of the blue, along with John Bryhan in his Grumman.

Jeff's repainted his plane, fitted wheelpants, and updated his C-85 to an 0-200 since we last saw it three years ago.

This set off another feeding frenzy on the ramp.

This is Aircraft Spruce's "homebuilder's special" tailwheel and spring.

This screw retains a long 3/16" steel pin, which makes Jeff's rudder instantly removeable.

It didn't take long for Marty and Larry, the other 0-200 guys, to scope it out.

I really like this sidewall treatment. You guys that left glue dripping everywhere need not apply.

Jeff joined up with Larry's Tripacer for a few air-to-air shots.

Looks kinda like a "Best KR", doesn't it?

Once the weather go down to merely "marginal VFR", Jim Faughn was able to escape the St. Louis terminal area.

Jim's interior was judged "best interior".

Richard Shirley made it back again in his knock-out KR1, almost 20 years old!

Another mob gathered.

Terry Chizek flew in again from Kansas.

The pilot's forum drew quite a crowd.

And the few pilots on hand seemed to enjoy it. Maybe I too can be a real pilot someday...

If Marty's plane can quit on him during 70 degree weather due to carb ice, don't think for a second that it couldn't happen to you.

This is typical. Three KRs in the foreground, while Jim Faughn and Richard Shirley buzz by.

Steve Bennett's "KR1.5".

Late Saturday, the Canadian contingent made it through the weather. Chris Gardiner and Owen McPherson made the 8 hour trip dodging the weather.

Chris's "Nemesis" wingtips include a Skyraider nav light lense.

His beautiful interior might just give Jim a run for his money next year!

Aileron balance weight.

This is Owen McPherson's KR2.

Note Revmaster vacuum pump.

This is Marty's canopy latch.

The Canadians arrived too late to be judged. Grand total KRs, despite the weather, was 9 flying, one almost flying, and two trailered in.

Larry Flesner wrote a tribute to Ken for the occaision...

... and Jim sang it for us.

The banquet was excellent.

Jeannette shared a few words.

Larry Capps anounced that he's going to give the Newsletter a try for a year. All subscriptions will start this month, and run until this time next year. If you subscribe in 6 months, you'll get 6 back issues with your first one. Contact Larry at krnews@attbi.com to subscribe.

Video Bob showed up with a stack of Lake Barkley videos, and it surely appeared as though he were working on a new one for us! Contact him at VideoBob@TDS.net to get your copy. It looked highly motivational from what I saw.

The "Girls of KR" had a special award for a triple crown winner...

and the clock was pretty nice too! I think Marty won "People's choice".

Richard Shirley took one for "Best Engine", and it was well deserved!

Jeff Scott won "Best KR".

Linda Bennett had a large part in pulling this Gathering off without a hitch.

Jim led the reluctant pilots in singing the "KR song".

Mary and Willie Wilson flew all the way from England (for the fifth time) just to be at the Gathering. Now what was your excuse again?

Here's Willie's KR2, nestled up under a British Airways Concorde. Willie is a retired 747-400 pilot for BA, hence the matching paint scheme, and access to the Concorde! These two are a hoot, and could be easily found by the laughing crowd that surrounded them most of the time.

Jeannette Rand and Frank Ross.

Jim tops off his tank for the trip home on Sunday morning.

And although he left 20 minutes after we did, it didn't take long for him to catch us in Larry's Tripacer...

... and then he was gone, until next year.

The trip home was perfect.

Thanks, Larry, for a great flight!

I'll get him a web page out there shortly...

I'm with Larry. Red Oak 2003 or BUST!

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