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Sun-n-Fun 2005

On Patrol

BENEFACTOR
Wentworth NH" The WAD" NH96
As promised I was waiting to meet all the Super Cubbers at the Legend both on Friday and as luck would have it I did meet Felicity (Gone Flying) Ben (Cub Crazy) was off to the cub club info speak. Steve will be happy to know it was last years Nolstein shirt that identified us both. The folks from Legend have outdone themselves. On display was their upper end cub with a set of Bauman floats off to the side that was color matched yellow and black. I got a kick out of the EFIS that was installed and when the salesman was queried about why a cub would need this his only response was it was valuable for angle of attack. The price tag of the display cub was 90k (I assume without the floats) with all the goodies. Cub Crafters had two cubs on display and had a very impressive booth. They had one Top Cub with a beautiful blue metal flake paint job that was second to none. I noticed that they have modified their panels and the radios are installed within. Only a slim breaker panel about an inch down extends from the main panel on the right side about 8". I noticed also that the cub is sporting the name LEGEND on the tailfeathers below the Cub Crafters Logo. Since the standard N numbers did not end in CC this confused me at first and only Top Cub on the cowl gave it away. I guess a little name war of sorts. The air show at Sun-n-Fun was second to none. I have never seen so many non stop peformances that had you on the edge of your seat. How about a stock 225HP Stearman flying sideways down the line tail 20 feet from the deck. Every time John Mohr inverted his Stearman too long Flames would roll out the exhaust on restart and get the crowd all excited. For three straight hours we had non stop action and the finale was 4 of the performing warbirds ( P-51,P-38 Glacier Girl, F-4 and a active duty F-16 doing a formation flyover. My hats are off to those at EAA that put this together it is by far the best fly in I have ever been to. As soon as I get my act together I will try to post pics and short clips. John PS Jeff Russell left all his fellow Super Cubbers in the Lurch at the Legend booth all for a woman. And I always thought he was crazy Ha..J
 
Sorry I missed all the fun. My folks got to meet a lot of ya'll including Ben and Felicity. My Dad was pretty happy yesterday when he found out he won Grand Champion Custom Classic with his 150 hp Piper Clipper. He is setting the bar high for my project. Hopefully I will get to join in the fun next year.

58clipper2_cropped.jpg
 
Yes, apparently, CC is now going to make three versions of the Top Cub: the Legend, in cub yellow, the Ranger in colors of your choice, and the amphib. Not sure what the point is, nor does their brochure explain it, except there appears to be different equipment lists standard on the three.

They don't have a production certificate yet, but not sure what that means, but I beleive it means they can't sell airplanes built under their TC yet, correct? It was interesting to note that the yellow cub they had there has a Cub Crafters PA-18 data plate on it, while the blue one (Ranger) has a CC-18 data plate, which is the designation on their TC. They were promoting both as having a 2300 pound GW, but if its a PA-18, that doesnt work. So, maybe they'll change the data plate (can you do that?) once they get their production certificate. THat whole deal is pretty confusing right now, and could get someone in trouble pretty easy, I'm guessing.

A couple of nice kit airplanes there, one by Dream Planes, a "Tundra". I really liked just about everything I saw on that kit and the finished product. Ought to be a very nice mid size back country plane.

The airshow last night ended in a P=51, F-86, F-4, and F-16 with multiple passes. Nice.

Charlie Clements had his black cat PBY there, and a fellow named Rod Smith showed up, who had flown PBY's during the war. He drug out his logbooks, and he and Charlie were going through them when Charlie spotted the serial number for his airplane in the logbook. Turns out Rod flew Charlies airplane in June of 1945. A really fun guy, 86 and sharp as a tack, with some great stories.

MTV
 
Steve, congrats to your dad! Great looking airplane.

I have got to make this fly in one of these years... maybe next!

Did cubcrafters say anything about a 180mph supercub? That would help...

sj
 
DaisyMan--I was off playing photographer's assistant!!

What a great time and so many great people! SNF was wonderful. And those new Cubs are pretty darn cool!
 
Sun N' Fun

I went to the show Tuesday, Thursday and Friday checking in at the Legend booth all three days. I looked for anyone with "Super Cub" aura, but was told every time I just missed them.

I did buy one of their cool hats. Looks like a busy booth. They told me they have enough orders untill next year. They'll ramp up production to double size by 2006.

Sorry I missed everyone.

:(
 
Steve, your dad's clipper looks great. Do you suppose EAA will do a write-up on it?

I know of nothing in aviation more pleasing than to see an older aircraft properly restored by people that really know what they're doing.

Congratulations.
 
SnF

I left a sign in sheet at Legend, and stopped by often, but missed everyone.
Great show, loved the P38[remarkably smooth and quiet sounding] flyby with
the P40, F4[privately owned?] and F16 [owned by us guys] in a diamond formation. We went to the splash-in and saw 3 CC Cubs on anfibs. Bucked the headwinds home on Sat.

Ron
 
mvivion said:
Charlie Clements had his black cat PBY there, and a fellow named Rod Smith showed up, who had flown PBY's during the war. He drug out his logbooks, and he and Charlie were going through them when Charlie spotted the serial number for his airplane in the logbook. Turns out Rod flew Charlies airplane in June of 1945. A really fun guy, 86 and sharp as a tack, with some great stories. MTV

MTV,

This 1943 PBY lives at TaiMiami at 'Wings Over Miami' -- just a couple miles form my home field (Richard's Field). Have a few photos of the PBY doing a very nice fly-by at our field, for the 90th birthday party of the late owner in 2003. It flies a lot. Here's a link if anyone wants a bit more information on a gorgeous, recently restored PBY.
http://www.avweb.com/news/skywrite/181798-1.html
 
I did not approach the Legend folks about a sign in sheet and I am very sorry I missed Howie and Ron. I thought the Nolstein T-shirt with the yellow PA18 ear tag would have given me away or at least the 29.00 Super Cub Sweatshirt ,cause it was cold in the morning, mounted on my wife. She has the nerve to call the plane "Miss Dollar". Jeff Russell has given me the bug to go back to New Holstein this year. I am trying to wrestle the back seat of N4711 away from his college buddy since Daisy will be back on straight floats by the end of June. If I can not find a ride I guess I can sneak in with the PA24-260 and hide on the other side of the field with the aluminum crowd and beg for SC rides. John
 
Actually, the back seat is only spoken for Sentimental Journey. It's still open for New Holstein :D . So, I guess you get first dibs. Now, if a woman gets involved.... :lol:
 
Jeff: Remember very few women will part with half the expenses and have a PPL in their pocket. Those that do usually do not want men like us from the North Woods. ...HA John
 
Mike Vivion, The Production Certificate allows CC to produce, inspect and certify their own product without the FAA having to inspect and test fly each one. There are lots of hoops to jump through to get this. I learned a lot about it when dealing with the new Taylorcraft and researching through some of the BS I was told.

There is a really good book on the Black Cats PBYs of WWII. I will post the title and author. I remeber one story about them being on night patrol when the Japaness were returning from a night bombing mission. One of the PBYs got in formation to land behind the last Japanesse A/C and a he got over the runway unloaded his bombs.

Don't know if the EAA will do an article on my Dad's Clipper. They didn't take any pictures or anything. There is supposed to be an article in Plane and Pilot sometime. They shot a lot of pictures, ground and air-to-air at Oshkosh last year. Here is a link to an article that was in Vintage Aircraft several years ago. http://www.pierceaero.net/techdata/article.pdf
 
Steve: the article was a great and interesting read. Your Dad is a man to admire.. John
 
I stopped by the Legend booth on Sunday around noon, Didn't catch any SC.ORGers. Maybe next year,

Legend have nice looking Cubs that they are building. Interesting panel with the EFIS. Nice folk to talk to also.

The Cub Crafters had nice looking planes too, the ranger (blue one) even had leather seats.

I also got to check out the Warren Cub too on the flightline, they also did a nice rebuild.

Its interesting to look at all nicley rebuilt cubs and the minor differences in styles and techniques that are used.

Steve, I think I missed your Dads plane, I didn't see it that I know of? I would have liked to seen his plane.

arecit, I see you are just south of me I keep the Supercub at FXE, Let me know if you are around one weekend and I'll have to stop by there and meet up.

David.
 
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