"Dear Grant,

This photo ran in the editorial page of our local paper recently--in the "scenes from yesteryear" articles they run occasionally.

(Click on the image to see a larger version.)

I knew it was a Piet right away so I did a little detective work on its builder. It was built in 1939 by Stan Richards. Back then he was known as the "Fun Flying Farmer."

He was a farmer and inventor from Hoytville, Ohio.

According to my source, the Scout was nose heavy and Richards broke it up quite a lot hopping fences around northwest Ohio. He carved his own props from fence posts for the ScoutÑas well as for his homemade wind generator that supplied electricity for his farm.

Power for the Scout was a Model "T" motor assembled from junk yard parts acquired in and around Toledo.

He did his repairs on the living room floor and kept the ship in the barn. For winter storage, he'd throw some barn ropes around it and hoist it up in the loft.

He also built and flew a "Stepnic" or "Stepnich"? around 1929 - 1936. It was powered by a 28 hp Lawrence two cylinder engine and had an outside-the-fuselage brake that applied pressure to the left wheel only.

Stan's picture appeared in the old "Ohio Flyer" magazine that was popular then. He claimed to have a letter from Eddie Rickenbacker (sp?) commending him on his "experimentals."

He also owned and drove the "Driverless Car." He hid on the floor and steered with some device of his own design. It was a big hit at all the parades but he was finally told not enter it anymore.

For many years, Mr. Richards spelled out his name and address by arranging shocked wheat in his fields for flyers overhead.

His wife wrote music, even had some published, and went along with his experiments. They live a happy life.

May all Piet builders have a happy life.

Sincerely,

Daniel Boyd (8981 US 224 West, Findley OH 45840)

PS - I found another photo of Richard's plane. It's in the trailer he used to fetch the broken craft from another "fence hoppin" incident.

(Click on the image to see a larger version.)