In a basement workroom strewn with one arm bandit parts Clyde Steagoll somehow manages to lash together these classic machines, often getting up to $1500 for a finished working model.
This West Seattle retired former Boeing aero - mechanic, now 88 years young spent most of his working years testing the innards of B-17s, B29s,and B50s until the Aero Mechanics decided in 1948 to go on strike.
So, he went to work inspecting and tweaking guided missile silos for the defense department.
His experience and training stood him in good stead and he ended up buying and rebuilding one armed bandits.
He presently has about 15 machines he is repairing and repainting.
He is looking for a good painter.
As a Boeing functional test electrician working at Boeing field on the west side that same year I too lost my job testing wing flaps and landing gear on the B50.
Jerry Robinson is the Publisher of the West Seattle Herald/White Center News and can be reached at publisher@robinsonnews.com
