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A Swift reunion

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The Hangar Hotel at T82 welcomes all who attended the annual convention.

By JOE FERNANDEZ

The 55th annual Swift Museum Foundation‘s annual convention brought hundreds of delighted aircraft owners, pilots, and aviation enthusiasts to Gillespie County Airport (T82) in Fredericksburg, Texas, May 29-June 2, 2024.

The event included displays of more than 40 airplanes, formation training, clinics, giveaways, an honorary missing man flyover, and concluded with a Hawaiian-themed gala and awards ceremony.

Formation flying was a big part of the event’s activities. (Photo by Vicky Moore and Joe Fernandez)

The Swift, designed by R.S. “Pop” Johnson in 1940, is a unique general aviation sport and often aerobatic monoplane manufactured from 1946 to 1950 by Globe Manufacturing Company in Saginaw, Texas, just outside Fort Worth, and then by the Texas Engineering and Manufacturing Company (TEMCO), which eventually merged into LTV Aerospace in Arlington, Texas. The sleek design is often referred to as a “little fighter.”

A 1948 TEMCO GC-1B takes off.

A total of 1,521 Swifts were produced by both companies, in addition to 26 TEMCO tandem seat T-35 Buckaroos, intended as trainers for military aviators.

Today, about 450 of the Swifts, as well as four Buckaroos, still fly around the world.

Upgrades such as newer engines, avionics, faster canopy designs, and modifications in streamlining for additional speed and performance have extended the lives of Swifts, which have now been in existence for more than 77 years.

A welcoming sign for those attending the convention.

The Swift Museum Foundation was founded in the 1960s by Charlie Nelson with other owners banding together to share valuable information and ideas on the model.

The group got bigger through the years and eventually purchased the Type Certificate for the aircraft, giving the foundation the ability to have replacement parts made for its members and other Swift owners.

The ramp at T82 during the convention.

As a 501C-3 organization, the foundation built the museum at McMinn County Airport (KMMI) in Athens, Tennessee, which currently displays eight Swifts — including the first and last production models — and one T-35. It is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A special thanks to museum members Paul Mercandetti and Paul Barnett for introducing me to this unique group.

For more information: SwiftMuseumFoundation.org

More Photos From the Fly-In

This patriotic 1946 Globe GC-1B brings smiles to its pilot.
The patriotic Swift lit up the ramp.
Paul Mercandetti taxies his 1946 Globe GC-1B Swift at T82.
A passenger in Paul Mercandetti’s 1946 Globe GC-1B Swift waves hello.
This 1948 TEMCO GC-1B stands out for its colorful paint scheme.
Many rides were given during the four-day convention.
While many Swifts are polished silver metal, some owners have gotten creative with their paint schemes.
A 1946 Globe GC-1B arrives at T82.
Taxiing past the Airport Diner at T82.
A line of Swifts as far as the eye can see.
The front of this Swift is all smiles.
A 1948 TEMCO GC-1B graces the ramp.
A variety of Swift aircraft flew in for the annual convention.
One of the more than 40 planes that flew in for the 55th annual convention. (All Photos by Joe Fernandez unless otherwise noted)

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Comments

  1. These are some of the finest looking aircraft I have ever seen! Wonder what the pros and cons of ownership are? Don’t want to be a pessimist, but is it all fun, games, and polished metal?

    • If you don’t want to polish metal, buy a painted one. That said- it’s a light, responsive, truly fun airplane to fly. Annuals and insurance are higher- it’s a retractable and a tailwheel. It handles different than most other taildraggers. The left turning tendency must be respected. The community of Swifters is unmatched.

  3. Wonderful coverage for a truly wonderful group of folks who share a passion for their wonderful little classic airplanes!