Reclaimed treasure

[Dave_Trible]

Back in 1983 I designed an airplane I called Pillar to Post which was powered with the ST .46,  THE engine of the day.   It flew very well at its 47 ounces once finished over the winter 83’-84’.  As it happened I took a photo of it with another of my creations- Whitney my daughter who I don’t think was walking yet.  She is now 40 and mother of two boys.
During that summer 1984 my flying buddy Jim Cochran designed a great airplane,  also with a .46 he called Foxfire.  I flew his airplane and was impressed and intrigued with the quite thick airfoil.  I turned attention to that and drew up the Da Ja Vu/Dues Paid/Music design,  built the first one, and followed that path.  A friend Jim Pescetto aquired the Pillar from me.  He and others flew it some but mostly it sat in his basement....until yesterday.  After 38 years I again took possession.  The original Tigre looks in perfect condition but the airframe I’m not sure to trust to fly again although it looks amazing.  This was the first airplane we tried an Imron top coat and the finish held up remarkably well.  The exposed landing gear wire I can see is rusted so I don’t think I can trust what the controls inside might look like.  No matter.  I had never drawn plans for this.  NOW I have already started the drawings and for sure this one is Nostalgia 30 qualified.  I will build a new one and paint it to match the original.  I do think I will put a RO Jett .40 on rear exhaust muffler in for power.  I’m excited about the project.  Anyway here are some pics:

[Dave_Trible]

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[Dan McEntee]

  Nice looking airplane!! I think I see some Ed Southwick influence in there!!?? If it looks that nice, after you draw up the basics, pull test that sucker and fly it just as it sits. That will clear out any cobwebs in your memory about the airplane. You know you know more now than you did back then. A better prop may make all the difference. Maybe another .46 or even ST.51 may take it over the hump. I wouldn't let a little surface rust hold you back. It's not like it was under water all this time or anything like that!!
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Crist Rigotti]

Well done Dave!

[Ty Marcucci]

Now listed in N30, at no cost.

[Dave_Trible]

Thank you guys.  I’m remembering more about this airplane and my whole program back then.  Some things I’d forgotten totally-  like the totally squared trailing edges on the flaps and elevators (which seems in vogue now). 
Dan I don’t want to take chances on loosing the ship now after existing this long.  Besides it is set up for smooth pavement flying-  doubt I could even get it airborne on my rough grass flying field.  The fuel tank looks like it’s corroded up too.  Not going to build and install a new one for it now.  In the original photo it had a little bigger wheels.  I must have put these little ones on later.  Also it now has the modified cowling rather than the one in the photo.  The first one looked a lot like a late model P-40 with a big chin up close to the prop.  I learned a lesson about keeping the cowling back from the prop .  It blanked the prop disc enough I had to go to a RevUp 11/7 instead of the normal 11 1/2-6 to get enough forward speed.
Yes I guess it does look quite a bit like a Skylark- can’t say now how intensional that was then.  I recall the wing has two full depth web spars,  probably 3/32” wood.  A wing I had built earlier had this and I was impressed with how rigid and twist resistant the wing was built that way.  One spar is in front of the bellcrank, the second one behind and just shy of the surface so to be hidden.
Well once I get the drawing done I’ll find a spot of honor to hang it in my ‘stunt lounge’.

Dave

[Dennis Leonhardi]

Very Nice!