That project is a Firebolt, N4GW. The Firebolt is
the longer, wider, and beefed-up version of the more
familiar Skybolt. The plan specifications declare, “The
cockpit seating design will accommodate a pilot and a
passenger who weigh 230 pounds each and stand 6 foot,
2 inches each with reasonable comfort.” Today, N4GW
belongs to Chris and is a tribute to a special friendship
that began long before this beautiful airplane started
to take shape. It was a friendship that began several
airplanes ago, when Chris was a 19-year-old kid wrenching on a Mitchell Wing, which he describes as a “rigid
wing with a 10-hp go-kart motor on it.” As Chris neared
completion of the airplane, he asked George to take
a look at the project. At that time Chris knew George
through his reputation as an accomplished builder, and
his father knew George had helped several people in
the area with their airplane projects. Chris admits that
he was looking forward to showing off his first airplane.
When George laid eyes on the Mitchell Wing, his comment to Chris was blunt. “You’re not going to fly this
thing, are you?” asked George.
Most builders are eager to share the photo album that records the prog-
ress of the project—the journey from an inventory of tubes and sheet
metal to a freshly painted airplane. Chris was more interested in sharing
a single photograph lovingly placed on the wing. It was a photo of Chris
and George shortly before George died of cancer, robbing him of the
opportunity to complete the project that he had been working on for 14
years and more than 7,000 hours with Chris and others.
