Here are a few images of the recently refurbished 1931 Fairchild Pilgrim flown by Terry Holiday and refurbished by a crew of museum volunteers at the Alaska Aviation Museum.
Thanks to Terry Holliday, Chuck Miller, George Dohrman, Dick Benner, and Ed Rasmuson, EAA Chapter 42 and many others. All photos Copyright Rob Stapleton/ Alaskafoto 2013
The finished Fairchild Pilgrim
At flight over the Tanana Valley.
Flying over Two Rivers, Alaska
The hangar watch dog.
Museum refurbishing group.
George Dohrman in the refinishing hangar at the museum.
Alaska aviation history of the 1931 Fairchild Pilgrim
A brief overview of the aircraft’s uses in Alaska. This aircraft is on the National Historic Aircraft list.
The Fairchild Pilgrim was the first U.S. aircraft to have a toilet and washbasin on board in the passenger cabin.
A view inside the passenger cabin of the birch plywood interior.
The tail section of the Pilgrim without an elevator fairing.
The cockpit from above looking into the front windscreen.
The pilot cockpit is separate and above the passenger cabin.
The stick is much longer than most aircraft control sticks.
Intake for the Pratt & Whitney powerplant.
A stream lined cockpit handle with keyed lock.
Terry Holiday polishing the horizontal stabilizer.
This aircraft was used by Star Airlines a predecessor to Alaska Airlines
An early Alaska Airlines
Hamilton Standard three bladed propeller.
Chuck Miller shortly after the Pilgrim was re-declared airworthy for flight.
The mighty three bladed Hamilton Standard propeller
” A bad penny always returns” a Pratt & Whitney superstition.
The exhaust stack on the Pilgrim is huge.
The 1931 Fairchild Pilgrim flying over the Tanana Valley on July 4, 2013.
