Then and now: Seaplanes make a splash
The first seaplane at Lake Tahoe. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society
The oldest-known presence of an “airship” at Tahoe was photographed at Lucky Baldwin’s estate on the South Shore in the early 1900s. Over the years, there have been various seaplanes based around Lake Tahoe.
Republic RC-3 Seabee
In the mid-1940s, Republic Aircraft Corporation built 1,060 RC-3 amphibious planes, popularly called SeaBees. They could operate on land or water. The engine was mounted above and behind the pilot and passengers, as if to have the “backward propeller” push the plane.
Wes Stetson on KTHO. Photo/Bill Kingman
At Lake Tahoe, Wes Stetson offered passenger flights on his Seabee for more than 30 years, mostly from Emerald Bay in the 1940s and 1950s.
Wes Stetson’s SeaBee at Tahoe Keys in 1969. Photo/Rich Jamieson
In 1969, Stetson perched his yellow SeaBee at the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association pier. He would broadcast on KTHO while flying until his passing in the late 1970s.
Tahoe Keys Pier in 2015. Photo/Bill Kingman
The Tahoe Keys pier was rebuilt a few years ago, but today it stands high and dry because of the drought.
— Bill Kingman
There was a seaplane I used to see regularly over by Cascade/Ebright’s place. Within the last ten or fifteen years. Pretty big one, too. Loved watching it take off and land, and always held my breath hoping no tourists on ski boats made any false moves!
My Dad and I got a ride in the yellow seaplane. many years ago . It was windy that day so the lake had some choppy waters. I held on for dear life as water was splashing onto to the windshield upon take off, as we tried to get airbourne. We were bouncing around off the lake like you would’nt believe! I was so relieved to get up off the rough lake and fly over Emerald Bay and Tallac. What a wonderful time!
A good memory. Thanks again Bill. OLS
Dog, I think that plane is the one from Carson City. That guy has a few of them down there, some of them are parked outside at the Carson airport. Love to hear those old throaty radial engines.
My family spent many summer days at Pope Beach while building our cabin during the ’50s. I recall seeing a Seabee taking off and landing from the SW corner of the Lake, probably giving tours.
I’m pretty sure it was based at a lakefront house with a wooden ramp extending into the lake to allow the Seabee to be run up onto the shore.
Ken, that’s a good description of pilot Wes Stetson’s Cascade/Ebright area lakefront residence. Thanks!
The wide ramp/ deck is still in front of the property leading down to the water at cascade properties.
Recently a small tail dragged spercub has been on and around the lake ,of course equipped with floats.
the USCG also operates a small seaplane in the area.
Jimmy Buffets Gruman also drops in on occasion with its radial engines making quite the racket, but wonderful to see these vintage aircraft still flying.
Steve.
Bill, the picture of the float plane at Baldwin’s reminds me of the old gravesite/crash site on the east side of the low moraine that parallels Fallen Leaf Lake Road. It’s been years since I’ve been on those trails so I don’t remember the names, but my recollection is that the victim couple were guests at Lucky Baldwin’s in the 30s, fatally crashed upon leaving, and were originally buried at the site of the crash. When the Forest Service took over, the remains were removed to an actual cemetery but the headstone is still there.
You probably have the full and more accurate version of the story which I and likely others would enjoy learning if the mood strikes.
For Copper and everyone:
http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/5190/8467/HTML/187039/daveborgespresentation.pdf
Wow, thanks Bill. Once I was able to access it, that’s a link just keeps on giving; I recognize so many folks on there that I’m a bit sorry that I’ve chosen to stick with a pseudonym for this site. Cowardice or good sense – take your pick.
I suppose enough time has passed that I can be at least slightly amused with the journalistic sensitivities of the day that allowed the victims to be described as “burnt to a crisp.” Even Kae probably wouldn’t publish that (on the other hand, she just did).
Also, I gather from the site and the maps that the victims were not only never buried under the memorial, the memorial is apparently some distance from the crash site – or so it appears on the drawings.
I found the memorial in the eighties after several attempts to follow the directions provided by a mutual friend of ours (I’ll get the name to you some time)who told me that he once bagged a deer using the stone as a support for his rifle.