SOLVED. The something-or-other Legacy from 1960s or 1970s? [s]

[Mel]

I read a book in the late 1970s called the something-or-other "Legacy". I remember there was a picture of a biplane on the cover. It was set in the rural American South, at least at the beginning. A womanizing pilot got the daylights beaten out of him when someone caught him in bed with a local fellow's wife. Someone took him in after the beating, and somehow or other he accidentally married the fellow's daughter. She was a young girl whose name was Pearl. Somehow or other they ended up rich and she changed her name to Claudia. The book was targeted to adults, but it was sort of general fiction--along the lines of Harold Robbins or that sort of thing, lots of cursing, some mildly explicit sex, and an examination of a long life, mostly wasted I think (if I remember right). I'd like to find out if it's still out there. Thanks anyone who reads this and thinks about it.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Mel, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Mel]

Lobstergirl, I think it turned out to be the Chandler Heritage by Ben Haas. Have you come across something similar?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

No, never have. But we can move this to Solved now, so thanks for your info.