[R-390] Fair Radio Sales New Location

[Marshall]

Hello Group,

I just returned from my 40th high school reunion in Flint, Michigan, and flew up
there in my homebuilt airplane, a Van's RV-6 kit plane.  On the way up, I
decided to stop in Dayton, Ohio, to visit the Air Force museum. 
Upon leaving there, I noticed I had to fly directly over Lima, Ohio, where Fair
Radio is located, and decided to return there after my reunion in Flint.  While
in Flint, I called Fair Radio and asked for Dave, the R-390 guy, and was told he
is no longer with Fair, but another fellow by the name of Gary Clements (or
Clemmons) was the current R-390 guru.  I asked about the possibility of getting
an R-390A bench checked on short notice and he said he might be able to help me
and invited me to stop by.  It took me a little over an hour to fly to Lima,
OH.  The airport is exactly three miles due east of Fair's new location in the
old Wolohan's Lumber facility on St. Johns rd, so I got the free loaner car and
drove over.  Gary met me and had already had a '390A on the bench, but it had an
AGC problem.  He started swapping modules until it came alive, and them he began
working on several other minor problems. He took a few minutes to give me the
nickel tour of the new facility and allowed me to take pictures with my new
digital camera, and went back to work on my radio.  This was during his lunch
hour!  I wandered around like a kid in a candy shop, taking pictures of lots of
neat stuff.  I saw at least eight pallets of R-390As with 24 radios on each
pallet, plus some more pallets that had less than 24 radios on them.  I also saw
lots of R-392s, some T-195 companion transmitters to the '392, and about 25 or
so R-648/ARR-41s. About 4 p.m. Gary had my radio ready to go, and he came out to
the airport and helped me lift it into my plane. (I had to remove the copilot's
seat and stow it in the baggage area and we put the R-390A on the seat floor
beside me and secured it down with the seat belts). I had to do this to keep the
weight and balance within reason for control and trim purposes. I took some
pictures of the radio while airborne. (It was an admirable passenger!) The
flight back to Houston, TX was, as always, very enjoyable, except for one
startling moment while encountering a B-52 eight engined bomber at 13,500 feet
over southwest Arkansas.  I managed to get to photos of him as he passed less
than a half mile and less than 1,000 feet below me.  I will try to post the
pictures of Fair Radio and the R-390A (and the B-52) on one of the Photo Sites
as soon as possible.  Will advise where and when.  This ran too long, so I'll
close and report more later.

73

Marshall M. Dues - WB5MYO
Katy, Texas