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Bella Ciao!

txpacer

SPONSOR
Iowa Park, TX
My plane, she flies again.


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After 20 months work, my L-21B is back in the air. It used to be a tired, ratty old red and white Super Cub (not quite as ratty as Pierce’s, but close). This startling find:


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made me decide to tear it down for a complete rebuild. It looked like a vent hole from a weld repair a long time ago did not get sealed properly and allowed the front gear cross tube to rust out. This plane had a rough life, and a lot of steel needed to be repaired and replaced. Much welding ensued.


Upgrades/modifications:

Standard airframe safety mods and reinforcements
DC Headerless fuel system
2000 lb gross weight
Thrustline
Extended gear
Performance STOL flaps
Baggage door
Bush pod
Titanium firewall
Four piece boot cowl
Many, many others

Chris did all the fabric, paint and upholstery. She says she won’t get upset when I drag the wingtips through the trees on the Brazos River (I’ve lost nav lights there before). We’ll find out about that soon enough. She now inherits the other L-21B she made me buy last year (Chuck Boedeker’s baby). It will get a full restoration in a few years, but will be much more original (including all the Italian panel markings).

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Looks great! I helped bring a Red & White Colt up to that airport in Iowa Park earlier this year, pretty cool place.
 
Bellísima-what engine, not the original 125HP Lycoming?


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Spiffy!!

I love the paint! Mount up your BARs and you can protect your county from the Jenklahomans raiding from the north!

Love seeing pictures.
 
Looks awesome. I am in the middle of my redbuild. Took many months to find a welder and complete the repairs. Prob would have been flying already without the welding delay. Wish I would have just bought a new Arframes Alaska frame, but I have a sort of unique Tango cub and part of me wanted to keep it as original as I could. I'm hoping to do some flying with you guys on the Brazos when it is done. Congrats getting it finished! Lots of work as I have realized...
 
Looks good Tony. Maybe even too nice to fly. I think it should be left in the hangar, admired and never brought to a STOL competition.
.....I would, however, trade you a box of Keystone Light if you’d let me fly it around the patch and check out your flaps;-)
 
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Looks great. What’s it weigh?
How did you find the rotted tube that started the rebuild? Loose fabric?


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I got a text with this picture when I got back from flying the Brazos River and Tony was up on the Red River.
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And then this one.
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I kept telling him we could fix it without tearing the whole airplane apart. I didn't want to loose my Sunday morning flying partner but he made the right decision and decided it was time to rebuild.
 

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My favorite pictures are of Tony's wife Chris sand blasting the fuselage while he is babysitting the dogs in the shade. Chris is a trooper and does amazing fabric work.
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Empty weight 1160, with a lead battery and a Borer prop. Heavier than I had hoped, but we added a lot of steel to the frame. The flaps add some , as well. I decided early on that I'd accept some extra weight if it added utility (big baggage door, 3rd seat mod, float fittings, folding front seat, etc)
 
Empty weight 1160, with a lead battery and a Borer prop. Heavier than I had hoped, but we added a lot of steel to the frame. The flaps add some , as well. I decided early on that I'd accept some extra weight if it added utility (big baggage door, 3rd seat mod, float fittings, folding front seat, etc)

The more you use it the more you’ll love the giant baggage door. You put the performance airmotive door in, right? I love mine.


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Getting out and seeing the belly like that must have been a kick in the gut. But it’s a testament to mr pipers design. Wonder if a new design cub would have held up as long. Doubt it


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The more you use it the more you’ll love the giant baggage door. You put the performance airmotive door in, right? I love mine.

I bought the STC from Airframes (they have a lot of my money now) and fabbed a door. The goal of the door was for it to be big enough for the dogs to jump in.
 
Getting out and seeing the belly like that must have been a kick in the gut. But it’s a testament to mr pipers design. Wonder if a new design cub would have held up as long. Doubt it

I could tell by the metal edges that it had been broken for a long time. That day it finally moved enough to see from the outside.
 
You'll soon realize the downfall of a new airplane, youll feel a little guilty about it being dirty. Dont worry, after the first summer that will wear off


Tom
 
You know what your parents told you about hanging out with certain people. Come to think of it my left nav light lens is still in my seat back from July. :sad:
 
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