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Antique Snow Plane-Looking for Info

KJC

FRIEND
Clear Lake, MN
CCCCB55A-743C-40EB-BA81-98CB1C3CEE08.jpgI bought this out of a junk yard in Minnesota yesterday. I know it was made in the early 50s by Trailasled which latter became Scorpian Snowmobiles. I found a couple of older pics on the Scorpian/Trailasled website but little else. Anyone have any knowledge or pictures? I think it will be a fun project and the tubing is in pretty good shape. It’s galvanized conduit which looks like it withstood the elements pretty good for sitting outside for nearly 70 years. The sheet metal looks like 3003 dead soft and will be good for patterns.

The motor mount looks looks like it came out of a J3. Definitely small Continental. From what I can gather, it came with a Banks-Maxwell pusher prop.
 

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go to youtube and type in snowplane, some stuff there, one of the neighbor kids has one with a 454 chevy in it, belt drive cog belt prop. fun to watch on the long lake here. about a dozen with continentals and lycomings in them. skis about 10-12ft long.
 
Yep. Watched the utube videos-fun stuff!!! I got one ski back and one is still frozen in. Both were rotten. The nose ski is MIA.
 
My parents had a home built one with a Kinner radial on it when they lived in a high valley. Used it to run the 28 miles to where the car lived in winter. Fun machines, and stove bolt simple. There was another in the valley with a Wright Whirlwind and another with a Ranger in line engine.

MTV
 
I would think you could stop in right at your local airport and get some info. Leaders guys should know. I've seen a few of them around over the years. Would be fun out on a lake ths time of year.
 
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2015/01/09/blizzard-sno-matter-well-take-the-snow-plane/


Growing up hunting fox and coyote in western MN I remember seeing these abandoned and sitting derelict next to barns and bins. There was a small window when they were popular and common for hunting. Another contraption killed by progress and the changing times.

Awesome link Eric. Some don't like the cold, but a long cold dark winter is the mother of some of the best inventing on the planet

Glenn
 
The local "Evening Magazine" TV show had a feature some years ago about a guy with one of these. Unfortunately, instead of providing much information, the segment was mostly showing (over and over) the owner with a goofy grin saying "it don't have no brakes!". Couldn't tell what powerplant but looked like a 4 banger Lyc or Cont.
 
Answered an ad years ago advertising an 85 continental out of a snow plane. Knowing a local mechanic built snowplanes using run-out aircraft engines I didn’t expect to find much more than a core and talked the seller down to a $250 selling price from his advertised $500. Seller indicated the engine came from a Callair snow plane using engines repurposed after the decline of aircraft sales in the late 40s. Seller indicated the snowplane had a wooden 3 blade prop with only 2 blades remaining when he purchased it. Later research revealed that Callair aircraft company out of Afton Wyoming tried to stay solvent by manufacturing snow planes using leftover aircraft engines. Upon tear down everything miked to factory new specs. Replaced the timing gears and installed in a Champ. Still flying today. Rod
 
Here are some photos from the Scorpian website from the mid 50s. 00166E8F-6A9C-4142-ADB8-420C14D41018.jpeg495D7213-2EE6-4854-88A3-394A41DF2239.jpeg3BF03E5C-AA95-4E87-972E-CCCA5247EA59.jpeg
 

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They have a snowplane ski-in near Tetonia ID, most years the WX sucks but about 5 years ago I flew over and dropped in, unannouced. Held in a big flat field, they, like my ski plane, have no brakes, so lots of room.is a given. Near the old Callair plant, several of them were there. I was treated great, landed clear out then slowly taxied nearer, they " got it," just another prop driven conveyance.
 
I bet Popular Mechanics or Science magazines helped promote these back when. Their popularity and durability pokes the eye of those that might worry about riding behind small Continentals.

Gary
 
It’s still sitting in my hanger without much progress. I found a small Continental mount for it and removed all the sheet metal for patterns but little else. It’s on my “project list”.
 
Here is a pinterest link with more pictures,
Looks like one is a Cessna fuselage.
I have seen some made with a Wisconsin air cooled 4 cylinder before.
Back in the hey day, I think a Lycoming 0-290 G (ground power) was a hot ticket as well.

https://www.pinterest.com/cbye55/snow-plane/

 
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Have a friend that just restored one of the Polaris versions. I believe it has the O-290. He is looking for a prop for one. If anyone has any info or specs on what they originally ran on these, it would be greatly appreciated.
 
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