Comments on: Driggs Skylark Biplane

By: Chris Silberschlag

Chris Silberschlag — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:53:54 +0000

Terry-
Yes please put me in touch with your Mom – you can have her email me – or we can write the old-fashoined way- whatever she might be comfortable with…. I don’t know much but I would be grateful for anything…
Best,
Chris

By: Terry Ruprecht

Terry Ruprecht — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:39:44 +0000

Hi Chris,
Carl was my uncle. I remember him but didn’t know him well since he and my dad, Fred Ruprecht, didn’t get along for many years. I can put you in touch with my mom …. She would have TONS of information about Carl … If you’re interested.
Terry

By: Rudy Adams

Rudy Adams — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:19:55 +0000

The Driggs Skylark N11301 was owned by my older brother, having purchased it from Indiana Air Service in South Bend Indiana about 1949 or 1950. At that time the aircraft had a sliding canopy, and an inverted inline ranger engine. We had it in our back yard in North Liberty Indiana for some time, and my brother and I would go to the filling station and buy 4 or 5 gallons of gasoline and set in the aircraft and run the engine with the tail tied down. engaging in “aerial combat” with scores of enemy formations !! I remember my father recovering the wings in our basement. It is great to know that the aircraft found a good home and was restored to its present condition…..Gosh where did the time go ????

By: Chris Silberschlag

Chris Silberschlag — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:13:51 +0000

I am the Grandaughter of Carl Rupert and am looking for anyone who has any information on him. I would love to find that side of my family….. Do you know what happened to him? All I gave is a grainy photo of him jumping in the Chicago Amphitheater…..

By: Joseph Spelz

Joseph Spelz — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:05:18 +0000

Dear Rupester,

I have picture of my dad, Robert Spelz, next to your Uncle’s Skylark, NC 1114, at River Road Airport in Park Ridge, Il. Bob was good friends with Ray and his brother Carl Rupert. I have FAA records for that aircraft. Also, I had a 8×10 of one of the two brothers appearing, I believe, as an instructor pilot during WWII, standing Errol Flynn-like in flight gear next to a biplane trainer that I think was a Stearman PT-17. My daugher and I traced Ray and Carl’s careers a couple of years ago to see whatever happened to them. I can still remember the Rupert Safety Belt/Parachute Co. bus parked at Palwaukee (Chicago Executive) Airport in Wheeling. My dad spoke with great fondness of the brothers, but after the war, I’m not sure they had much contact with each other. I know he saw Carl make a parachute jump inside the Chicago Amphitheater.

By: Rupester

Rupester — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:44:31 +0000

My uncle, Ray Ruprecht, was a pioneer aviator in the Chicago area in the 20′s. He bought one of the few (just 21, I believe)Skylarks ever produced and flew it in airshows in the Chicago area. I have photos of his Skylark taken at the Glenview, IL airport when it was still a grass strip, and long before it became a naval air base. Ray had a full and fantastic career in aviation, later becoming one of the first pilots Eddie Rickenbacker hired for his start-up Eastern Airlines. Ray flew as an Eastern captain for well over 20 years before retiring.

By: Murdoc

Murdoc — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:12:05 +0000

Yeah, we actually hit a dinosaur-related presentation in the planetarium. There’s a special dinosaur exhibit going on right now (sadly, geared only for younger kids) and the planetarium show was part of that. Little in the way of stars/planets/etc, but still sorta cool.

Our family has had a membership for the past few years and my wife takes the kids quite often. The membership runs out soon (today, maybe) and we won’t be able to renew it right away, but it’s a good time.

By: Flanker

Flanker — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:28:48 +0000

I always enjoyed periodic tours of the GR Museum. Kinda reminded me of how long it’s been since I was there last. Guess I should fix that when I get home next. Sigh!

Have you been to the Chaffee Planetarium lately? I always liked that too………….have they updated themselves (hopefully) any since the mid-late 80s when I was there last?