Guest post by author Graham Robson

During the 1990s and early 2000s I was a regular feature writer for the renowned aviation magazine Propliner, a UK based publication that, as the title suggests, specialised in reporting on propliner aircraft still in service, as well as historical material. To this end, many of my contributions were related to my various flying and photography adventures, several of which eventually were featured in my books Prop Perfection and, later, Propliner Renaissance.

In the mid ‘90s I had become well acquainted with both groups involved with Super Constellation restoration and operation at Camarillo airport and spent a number of years as part of the crew for airshow visits, during many vacations out to California.

Around this time, a Martin 404 had recently arrived at Camarillo, beautifully restored in classic Pacific Airlines livery and I was keen to find out more about this airplane as it would make a great story for Propliner magazine. My friends at Camarillo told me it was owned by an airline pilot and offered to make an introduction for me. So began my friendship with Jeff Whitesell.

Together, we decided a meeting at the Waypoint Café, a favourite for aviators, situated on the very edge of the busy aircraft parking ramp at Camarillo airport would be a good idea. Here, over a very extended lunch, which probably lasted over four hours, I mined Jeff’s memory for as much information I could about him, his background, the aircraft’s history and his intentions with it, the note-taking for which gave me writer’s cramp. As we chatted, I explored the possibility of me shooting air-to-air pictures of the Martin, for use in the magazine feature. As I would find out, Jeff’s network of contacts and friends made most things seem possible, where airplanes and flying were concerned and later that evening, I received a call from Jeff saying that he’d arranged for a friend with a suitable photo-plane, to meet us at Camarillo the day after next, for the photo-flight.

True to his word, on the morning of 17th October 1998, Beech Travelair N9971R rolled to a stop outside the Waypoint Café and I was introduced to owner George Hulett, who would fly me for the pictures. After briefing over a coffee, we removed the rear cabin side-windows, to make photography better, and then proceeded to enjoy almost an hour of low-level flying around the Catalina Islands, before recovering to Oxnard airport for lunch and a ‘de-brief’. Fed and re-fuelled, George set off for home in his Travelair and I had the immense pleasure of my first ever Martin 404 flight, back to Camarillo.

The photo-flight provided some stunning images to accompany the story, which was eventually published in the spring 1999 edition, covering a 5-page feature and front cover of Propliner issue number 78 and were also used to illustrate a chapter on Martin 404s in my book Propliner Renaissance.

In the years that followed, I made a point of meeting with Jeff every time I was back in California, however, due to our respective work situations, we lost touch briefly in the early 2000s. During this time I had learned to fly, which, ironically would be the catalyst for us re-connecting. In August 2012 I had been in Australia on business and decided on returning to the UK the long-way, via the USA, taking a few days off in the Los Angeles area on the way. During this break, I rented a Cessna 172 from CP Aviation at the delightful Santa Paula airport and, it being very close to Camarillo, decided that should be my first port of call, to re-acquaint myself with the place that had given me so many good aviation memories in previous years. On shutting down, it became apparent that the airport was preparing for some special event, sure enough the Caramillo Airshow was happening in a day or two and the place was a hive of activity. Walking round, I got chatting to a local pilot and asked him if he knew of a Jeff Whitesell, who used to be based here. His reply was not only did he know him, but at that very moment he was in the hangar directly behind where we were standing…

Friendship instantly re-kindled, I spent the next few days as a house guest of he and his lovely wife Ginger and we vowed to keep in closer contact from them on, which we have done…and more !

Jeff’s airline flying regularly brought him to London and on numerous occasions I met him at a small airfield close to London and we flew back north to my home in Lincolnshire, in my vintage Cessna and then had the absolute pleasure in introducing him to general-aviation flying the UK-way. Since then, many more regular visits to California made for the perfect excuses for Jeff to fire up his beautiful Twin-Bo N207AF for us to find flying adventures and fill the time, all with a very definite purpose and mostly all aviation related. In May and June 2019, I was happy to meet and spend time with Jeff when he became the un-doubted star in enabling the resurrection and subsequent transatlantic flight of C-47 Miss Montana to take part in the 75th Anniversary commemorations of D-Day, both in the UK and Normandy. Since then, his involvement with the Connie and Planes of Fame have continued to demonstrate the strange co-incidences of having many mutual friends in this small world of classic and historic aviation, to the point that I am thrilled to be part of his magnificent project to return the Martin 404 to airworthiness and enjoy it all again, a second time – though for him it’s the third or possibly fourth time !

October 2024 dinner in Sedona with Kings of aviation - John Maloney Steve Hinton and Jeff

All photos by Graham Robson

Yes, I know Jeff…..

Guest post by author Graham Robson

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