Flat-Back PA-11?

Does anyone here have, or know anyone with a flat-back PA-11? Mine is the only one I've ever seen, and i was just curious if this was a factory option, or if it was done at rebuild time somewhere along the way. I can't find anything in the logs about it getting done. The plane was used for spraying back in the 50's.

In Roger Peperell's Piper Aircraft book he describes both J-3s (pp. 47 and 52) that were converted to dusters and sprayers. The pic on p. 52 shows a flat back J-3 duster NC7369H. There are PA-11 pics later from p. 81 on that show Whitaker dusters (N4999H) and sprayers (N5052H) but there's no direct view of the rear fuselage shape. I suppose having a flat deck to flow into the flat hopper bin cover would be a reasonable mod. TCDS A-691 under Items 6** lists several crop spraying and dusting alterations available. Might be part of that change.

Gary

I'll have to look through the logs again and see what sort of spray system was used, mught have been Whitaker.

Apparently there aren't too many of the flat-backs out there.

Wouldn't it just be a matter of removing the former that creates the inverted-V of the upper fuselage? Then fabric the flat top over and meld with a flat hopper topper? My PA-18A was done like that.

Gary

Yes, as far as i can tell, the turtledeck is the only difference.

j-3 A model

BC12D-4-85 said:

Wouldn't it just be a matter of removing the former that creates the inverted-V of the upper fuselage? Then fabric the flat top over and meld with a flat hopper topper? My PA-18A was done like that.

Gary

Click to expand...

Folks made their own hoppers etc for J-3's or later on used Sorenson tanks. I had a 135 HP modified J-3 that had been a "cut back" duster. No turtle deck at all, but a plywood deck on top of the longerons, behind the rear seat/baggage area to stand on while loading dust or liquid spray. There were quite a few of these around. I don't have a photo of mine, but here is one with the same mod -- Makes you think about how a J-3/PA-18 is actually constructed! Note the hinges on the hopper lid, and the step on the bottom longeron to help the loader jump up on the top of the fuselage when necessary.

Thanks for the recall of tubing on an -A model vs standard airframe.....I got it wrong and forgot there's additional upper longeron tubing added for the flatback fuselage.

Gary

WhiskeyMike said:

Makes you think about how a J-3/PA-18 is actually constructed!

Click to expand...

You Tube: "Construction of a Light Aircraft (1943)" 27:23 (Filmed at Lock Haven by the Univ of PA School of Eng..)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6q1VKsTeKQ