Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Steve Hawley sent me this today, his son spotted this in GA.

Originally built by Terry Russell, finished in 1982.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

That's sad Now how will we react when they start doing that to RVs

Where is it? I have a truck.

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

Afraid that girl is committed to representing the storage business ... Plenty of sad thorps sitting in hangars out there Lou ..

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

On a positive note .. That pic (for me at least) verifies that a thorp looks best in its natural state .. The plane needs feet hanging out in the wind .. Just doesn't look right without the mains hangin out there!!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Sad to see a mans many years of hard work end up as a bird perch and will never leave that location . There are a few Navy aircraft that I've flown over the years that are now on a pole as gate guards to Military Bases ! There a lot of them are at KDMA awaiting a sadder fate !

RB

I wish I had a buck for every time I wanted to do that with mine.

Hey Rich I didn't know the navy flew biplanes

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

Haha. You know it really bums me out to see a perfectly good airplane with a pole up its butt. Although, I have never had a problem with F16s on a stick. But, then again....I did say perfectly good airplane...
Cubes

Give it time . The F-16 along with other Military AC will end up on a stick or at KDMA awaiting the "knife." Biplanes ? I got a ride in the Goodyear Blimp ! Saw my first Blimp at NAS Brunswick, GA in the early 50's . What a manly aircraft to fly ! POOF !

RB

Cubes, the F-16 had one really good attibute -- it was FUN! As to the cockpit ambiance, flying cold mike was the way flying is meant to be. Another great plus, you didn't have to share your oxygen. What's not to like?

As to the Thorp on a pole, some I've seen; this is the best use. Let's hope that the gear is flying on some other plane.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Can't be more fun than flying the Rhino or Strike on cold mike!!
Cubes

I agree. Angers me when I see planes just sitting and corroding. Ask that guy how he would like a pole
Up his butt?

Cold Mike ? How about listening to the HF radio from KNZY to PHNA with no SELCAL for 6 hours ! STATIC BOOM !

RB

Gate guards have a special place in my heart.
To me they serve as reminders of air and maintenance crews I have served with, some of which still to this day carry on the fight,...

The lucky retired military aircraft end up in museums, parks or Trg aids to go on and serve to inspire the young to take up the challenge of flight.

Some retired military aircraft end up in bone yards to be ravaged ~ to give life to others. But the worst fate a retired military aircraft can have is to be sent to a metal salvage yards to have a second life as a toasters or washing machines,….

A C-47 converted to a civil DC-3 has a special task to perform at Whitehorse Yukon Territory in Canada ~ the worlds largest weather vane.
http://www.explorenorth.com/library/avi ... f-cpy.html

The Thorp on a pole outside the storage business needs to be rescued by Lou or Thierry. I think our French Canadian builder could have this Thorp flying in a month or two, most likly in better shape when originally built.

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Victor J Thompson
C-GIRQ
In memory of Dad