Remembering Paul David Hammond
On November 26, 2003 a good friend and fellow EAA member passed away. His name is Paul David Hammond. Paul was 71 years young. Most of the current members of Chapter 35 did not know Paul because he lived on the far east side of town and stopped coming to the meetings when we relocated to San Geronimo Airpark.

I first laid eyes on Paul at a small airport that used to be along side I-35 in San Marcos, Texas in 1975, I believe. It was a Saturday and Shirley, our two kids and I drove up to San Marcos to look at the damage a Tornado had caused at this airport. While we were investigating several overturned airplanes, some damaged hangars, etc. about three or four airplanes flew in. One of these was this tiny all metal airplane called a Tennie Two. It was cream colored with an orange stripe. It had a bubble canopy that fit the airframe quite well. Out of this airplane came a small stature of a man. I thought,"the airplane is perfect for him". I did not get to talk to him (or any of the other pilots) that day.

About a week or so later I had driven out to Twin Oaks airport just north of San Antonio International off of Hiemer Road to see if I could find these "EAA Guys" that I was told were there. I struck up a conversation with one guy, his name is David Beckett. He was President Elect of EAA Chapter 35. He convinced me to come to a meeting at Westside airport. I did. That was 28 years ago.

Over the next few years I got to know a lot of the members, but that one fellow, Paul Hammond, was so interesting. He loved to "tinker" with everything. He had built the Teenie. He finished restoring an Ercoupe to "mint" condition and then he designed and built several other airplanes that could perform some amazing aerial maneuvers that defied logic. Paul also built a WWI replica that is beautiful. I believe he built seven or eight planes over the years. He almost always used the VW engine in his airplanes. He could make the VW engine sound and run like a Singer Sewing machine. He even restored old single cylinder gasoline engines just to experience the joy in seeing those things run. The point is: Paul was the TRUE example of an aircraft "homebuilder". I don't believe there was a single month out of the last 28 or so years that Paul wasn't working on one or more aircraft projects. He was gifted and very talented. Paul could work with metal, tube & fabric, fiberglass and just about any other substance used in aircraft construction.

He is survived by his lovely wife, Thelma and one son, David. He was a "mainstay" at Zuehl airport and will be surely missed by a lot of us. There just aren't many "Paul types" around anymore. The type of person who used his mind, hands and soul in building airplanes. Paul was small in stature but was a GIANT of a MAN.

Dave Baker
baker.w.d@att.net
Hm. Ph.:210-688-3358