BUDD DAVISSON
Anatomy of the
Grays’ champion F- 1 Rocket
If Norman Rockwell were alive and someone commissioned him to paint a picture of the quintessential sport aviation family, he could do
no better than to use the Gray family, of Vincent,
Ohio, as models. They are what EAA is all about:
They have strong morals, function as a unit, and
have incredible tenacity, natural talent, a driving
desire to learn, and an overwhelming urge to share
what they’ve learned with others. Even better than
that, Rick and his wife, Helen, and their five kids
(three of whom share in airplane building) produce
award-winning airplanes, as evidenced by the
Grand Champion Homebuilt trophy Dad brought
back with him from Sun ’n Fun 2009. It’s not the
first Grand Champion trophy for Rick et al, but
