Thorp Air Command - T18.net

A long time ago I search for a fast and economic small plane!
With the familly request I buy and rebuild my Pa-20 Pacer. Before I found my Thorp treasure I found this model for sale but I dont feel the spark inside me...so the deal never happen!






After a small step with my Sonerai 2 I found my way inside this hangar when I go for a pre-buy inspection on a Continental 0-200 engine.







You know all the rest of the story....

Somebody has Quest of Speed story to share with us???

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

Thierry,
I hopped a ride to Fairbanks Alaska to buy a Mustang II, much like the one you posted. When I sat in it, the canopy closed at about ear level. The seller suggested I could remove some padding from the seat, but there wasn't enough padding to be removed!
A couple of years later, I saw the same Mustang depart from our local field outside of Seattle. I asked around and finally called the owner, who graciously showed the plane to my wife and I. He had lowered the seat, and sure enough, I still didn't fit. So he suggested I consider a T-18, which Might have more headroom. I shopped for a while, looked at several, and ended up with N883FF which was hangared near the Mustang! Yes, it does have more headroom.
As for the quest for speed...it's got a low time O-290. Now it tops out about 173 MPH at about 4000 ft.
My quest for speed on this bird will be thru refinement. I can't bring myself to remove such a sweet running low time engine.

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Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE

There is no way I would ever have flown in the white and tan Cessna in the background....not with those call letters.

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

What is the AC with the numbers C-GVXW ?

RB

In the quest for speed there is no substitute for cubic horsepower but drag reduction is cheaper.
C-GVXW looks to be a Mustang II with tip tanks.

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Bruce Finney
N18JF T-18C #262
Yelm, WA USA

Well Said Bruce, the long EZ proved that what you said is indeed Fact, slippery Airplanes go fast on little HP. The Thorp is a slippery animal, the slicker the better, they too will hold their own with 290 CI and a clean airframe, and they offer good utility. I was going to build the Dragon fly, Called to get the Plans and Viking had sold the rights the day I called, they were sold to Slipstream. I ran across Classic Sport Aircraft in a Sport aviation Magazine I believe, maybe it was kit plane cant remember. It was the edition of the Magazine that advertised home built kits and such. I called Mike Archer and met with the Archers at KPTV, Phil Key showed up in his t-18 so I could have a look and take a ride, that was about 12 years ago. I was exited!! bought plans about 2-months after that and 7 years later emerged from my Garage with a Thorp. It has been a journey, I didn't even have a pilots Ticket when I started building so I had to do all of my training during the end of my building Phase.There were times I didn't think I was going to be able to see it all through, just lifes bumps hills and Valleys can be a challenge let alone trying to pull something like this off. But through encouragement from the wife and Good friends we done it. I stepped out of a 1956 Skyhawk and into Our new Thorp, Wow!!, this aint no Skyhawk!!! was my first thought. My need for Speed was met the day I did my solo in 575DG, it took about 12 -15 hrs of tailwheel and I was signed off in this rig that consumed me for so long. It still thrills me to fly the thing, aint nothing like it and I am sure I will get an Amen on that one from the Thorp community that I have known as Family for some time now. I would do it all over again, it was worth every drop of sweat, every hour huddled in front of the heater building in the garage during the cold winter nights and the sacrifice of the years to get it done, I just don't think at this point the dragon fly would have measured up not that it is not a good airplane, its just not a Thorp.........Dan

I always like plane with small engine because the operation cost was low! My Sonerai 2 mid wing equipped with the Continental A-65 cruise between 155-160 mph after the aircraft major overhaul!
I hope I have the same result with my T-18 a fast cruising speed for and a average fuel consumption.

Next time I post picture about my "EX" S2!

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

Good one Fraser. LMAO

Yep Fraser I smile when I read you. Start a new post with US registration.
I never make attention to this small detail...Back in 1998 when I do my private licence one of the Cessna registration is C-GUCK. Almost a bad word.
One time in Mascouche I saw my favourite C-FSEX and the best is that 2 tall brown women's piloting this
plane. For a second I want to re-take flying lesson again. Or maybe just a quick refresh!

In US I just see special registration on car or truck plate.

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

Impressionnant! Or as my Cajun friends would say, awesome.... In the RV world many people install heavy, expensive, high HP engines to pursue the elusive knots-quest. It's interesting to watch a very well faired, properly propped and lightweight 0-320 powered airplane keep up with the heavier, higher HP airplanes. In my experience, the Cost per Knot factor goes up significantly above 150 KTAS.
V/R
Smokey
PS: Always loved the A-65 in my T-Craft, Your S2 goes twice as fast on the same HP! Looking forward to pics...
PSS: Best Canadian personal license plate ever seen? Going through customs near Victoria BC behind a Corvette with the 2 passengers (both girls) kissing. Tag? JOLT EH

Quick pictures about my EX sky rocket
Everything was strip, inspected, primed, painted and re-installed with new hardware. This is the secret for a real nice safe flying product.


Priming process.




First roll-out.


Fresh engine installation.


My perfect set-up!


First take-off.


He group...somebody see the remote control!!! Look like a RC plane


I keep in my mind lot of good souvenirs about My S2. I'm 100% sure my Thorp superseed this small orange plane.
Thanks for watching!

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

Good Job on the S2!! that little bugger looks real sharp!! I will just bet it would get with the program and leave a few bucks in your pocket at the Fueling station so you could go have some lunch. You sure paid some attention to detail, that's one clean little bird. I do believe that you will be impressed with your Thorp also, I do also believe that we are all impressed with the rebuild quality that you have done on it to, excellent workmanship and attention to detail..........Dan

Somebody see the remote control!!! Look like a RC plane


I keep in my mind lot of good souvenirs about My S2. I'm 100% sure my Thorp will supersede this small orange plane.


Thierry,
It will, but your cost factor will be higher. Wow! I want one! What performance numbers does the S2 with A-65 power-plant provide? Folding wings, light weight and great fuel economy, gotta like it!
Do you still have it?
Smokey

Average speed between 150-160 mph for about 4 to 4,5 GPH. I descend to 3,5 GPH with 135-140 mph.
I have wood Ed Sterba propeller but I don't remember the pitch. At Mascouche airport I burn almost 1800 feets runway before I go up in the air but after that the speed is building very fast.
This is not a plane for a nose wheel pilot. With my 1000 hrs of tail dragger experience I found this small plane tricky to land because the front visibility was not very good.
I sale the plane in 2012, after I received a really nice offer on the table. Higher than the Sonerai market.

Unfortunately the new owner suffer from a accident after his first flight. (Canopy was not latch properly so the hood open in flight and the pilot was unable to keep the plane in flight and he made a emergency landing in a field) He has no injures but the S2 was a lost.
I see the wreck for sale but at this time I buy my Thorp so I have no mo interest on my old Sonerai.

Smokyray I have a nice canadian Soneari 1 in flying condition with a new WW engine. It's not a S2 but the speed and the fuel consumption was almost the same.

Keep me posted if you need more info or pictures!!!

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091