Kern Buck, First Solo: N4971H

This is a video of my brother, Kern Buck, on the day of his first solo flight in late august 1964. N4971H

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People & Blogs

Tags:

• Piper
• Cub
• J-3
• Kern
• Buck
• Kern Buck
• Basking Ridge
• New Jersey
• Thomas F. Buck
• N4971H

[andrewmcg008]

Great video! So are you Rink?

[agbtube]

@andrewmcg008 Nope! I'm Andy, the little kid in shorts who walks up behind my father.

[famat161]

Is that Macky there near the end?

[agbtube]

@famat161 Yes that is Macky; the resemblance to her son Max is incredible. It's like Max time traveled to be there at such a prime moment.

Our collective best recollection of the kids are:

Kern, soloing the day before his 16th birthday;

Macky, a few weeks before her 15th brthday;

Brian, a few weeks after his 11th birthday;

and me, Andy 3 days after my 5th birthday.

[joeu5431]

Hows Kern and Rinker doing? I think it would be kinda cool for them to "Re-fly" there path across America.

[turboeddieify]

just finished the book last week. hope to meet up with rink some day.

[nesincg]

Proud new owner of 71H. Driving her home to restoration tomorrow morning. Will be the same scheme minus the giant N numbers ;)

[jrussell4711]

In a nice bit of coinciidence as I write this 71 Hotel is on her way to a new home and should be back in the skies over America in due course. She will likely be restored to the color scheme from the 1966 flight.

[jrussell4711]

That's fantastic! I know your brother Bryan and own a PA-11 in the same paint scheme (different color, though) as 71 Hotel. Great bit of video!

[seafoodwarehouse]

I'm so glad I found this video, and the To Tell The Truth videos. I can't believe there are only 1000 views. How can that be? I had been flying for many years when I read Rinker's book. His book inspired me to get a Cub someday. I finally got one last year.

I hate to point this out, but it sure looks like N4971H is a PA-11 Cub Special, rather than a J3. It's still a Cub, but just not a J3.

Thanks for sharing this!!!!

[Zyamfier]

Andy, Got the Pleasure of spending the last few days with Rinker and Nick on their current adventure. Took some pictures tonight but I can't post a link in comments.

They are on flickr under my same screen name zyamfier the set is Go West.

[EthanFoley]

@craigseuf add my name too...

[craigseuf]

Hi Andy, say hi to Ferdinand and Rinkler for me. Love the book! Thanks for also posting the "To Tell The Truth" video.

[alltubez]

Wow, can't believe this is on Youtube! Thank you!

Flight of Passage is my favourite aviation story!