Interstate Cadet Serial number 109, Registration NC37266: the surviving aircraft
Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Company manufactured aircraft in El Segundo California from 1937 to 1945. El Segundo is on the Pacific Coast of California, immediately adjacent to the south side of what is now LAX international airport.
The Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Company applied for an Airworthiness certificate on Interstate Cadet, serial number 109, on 23 June 1941. The certificate, along with the registration number of NC37266, was issued on 19 June, 1941 (See App 1). While these dates appear to be backwards, it can be concluded that 37266 was finished in the factory in June of 1941. On 30 June, 1941, the Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Company filed an Application for Airworthiness Certificate reflecting the aircraft’s original owner, Andrew Flying Service, John Rodgers Airport, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii (See App 2). On 30 July, 1941, Andrew Flying Service sold the aircraft to the Underground Flying Club, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii.
The next FAA record is almost 5 years later, several months after VJ Day, detailing major repairs including new cover on the fuselage, stabilizer, rudder and left elevator (See App 3). Since all civilian flying was grounded in the Hawaiian Islands for the duration of the war, the long hiatus between inspections is understandable for a small aircraft not deemed of value to the military effort on Hawaii. The repairs to 37266 are done by Yale E. Smith, a mechanic at the Honolulu Vocational School in Honolulu. The final inspection report signed a few days later on 24 April, 1946 notes “Aircraft has been in storage since December 1941.” (See excerpt on App 3)
It is clear from the FAA records that Interstate 37266 was based in Honolulu Hawaii before, throughout, and for a long time after, the War in the Pacific.
Interstate Cadet Serial Number 188, Registration NC37345: the logbook aircraft
Interstate Aircraft and Engineering Company applied for an initial Airworthiness Certificate on Interstate Cadet, serial number 188, on 14 October 1941. The registration number of NC37345 was issued on 17 October, 1941 (See App 4). That same day, an application for Airworthiness was filed for the original owner Judd Goodrich of North Hollywood, California (See App 5). Paperwork took some time as the registration was not issued until 27 December, 1941 to Mr. Goodrich in North Hollywood. The next event occurs on 17 October, 1942 with a Bill of Sale to P T Air Services in Hays Kansas. Throughout the war, there were multiple sales and registrations of the aircraft in Hays Kansas then in Kansas City Missouri. Mechanical inspection paperwork also place the aircraft in Kansas.
Because there is no mention of Hawaii in the FAA records of the early life cycle of N37345, and because the aircraft was sold to an owner in Kansas in October of 1942, the reasonable conclusion to draw from the FAA records is that Interstate 37345 did not ship out to Hawaii and back in the 10 month period when all civilian aircraft were grounded. It is true that it is not impossible, but it would certainly be an odd set of circumstances that had a small aircraft being bought and sold by individuals in the United States while it was based in Hawaii where all civilian flying was grounded.