Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-20-2018, 11:45 PM
TreeGuy's Avatar
TreeGuy TreeGuy is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 11,576
Smile Finally Finished My Piper Cub!

For over 40 years, my 82 year old Father In Law has been building model planes. The unusual thing is, he’s not a flyer. He just simply enjoyed the building process…but NOT the finishing. Generally, he would get to that point and find an excuse to begin another project.


He has been in poor health for a while now. However, being the stubborn Brit he is, I’ve told him on his death bed (more than once! Ha) it’ll take a damn exorcism for us to be rid of him. He agrees!


He and my MIL finally made the move this spring to a senior’s friendly condo from a house. Major downsizing.

His fleet of aircraft were to be divided amongst the family. Unfortunately, as families can sometimes be, they had no interest them. So I ended up with everything.


The buggers do take up a lot of space though, and I’ve been finding creative ways to store/finish/pay tribute to these planes.


This Piper Cub he started nearly 30 years ago. It’s by far all of our favourites. I have around 100 hours into the finishing process (many, many more on his end). While fully equipped to be a flyer, I am not, nor intend to be. Today, my daughter and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and took the old girl out for her final photo shoot prior to being retired as a proper display piece. Needless to say, finding the perfect settings to send this old girl off required a bit of effort!


The tail numbers represent his initials and date of birth.


The funniest part is that the wind in the initial pictures proved a huge challenge. They in fact grabbed her at one point and lifted her about two feet off of the snow before the Shrub made a diving save. Final (and only) flight! LOL!!! Hope you enjoy the pics.


Tree
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-20-2018, 11:49 PM
TreeGuy's Avatar
TreeGuy TreeGuy is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 11,576
Default

My partner in crime and I.



Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-20-2018, 11:53 PM
TreeGuy's Avatar
TreeGuy TreeGuy is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 11,576
Default

An hour later. She lasted about 20 minutes at the end of a fishing rod before the pontoons took on enough water to sink her. Another story for another day. LOL!




















Tree
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-21-2018, 12:26 AM
Chewbacca's Avatar
Chewbacca Chewbacca is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Secret Creek. BC
Posts: 981
Default

That’s a pretty cool plane.
__________________
👀 'They are out there, they look like us, they talk like us, but they ain't us' 👀
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-21-2018, 03:17 AM
JohninAB's Avatar
JohninAB JohninAB is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: West Central Alberta
Posts: 6,668
Default

Very nice.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-21-2018, 07:23 AM
triguy triguy is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 275
Default nice

Sweet
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-21-2018, 07:42 AM
cuttincircles cuttincircles is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Cochrane, AB
Posts: 57
Default

Beautiful plane and story, well done.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:12 AM
Bigwoodsman Bigwoodsman is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 8,269
Default

That’s a beauty. Well done and very cool pictures

BW
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:20 AM
lakebesnard lakebesnard is offline
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 66
Default

Wow ... that's a beauty ... enjoy flying it.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:31 AM
fishduck's Avatar
fishduck fishduck is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 46
Default

That is amazing! Nice plane and scenery. Good story to go with it. Thanks for brightening my day after a long work week.
__________________
-------------------------------------
(Insert something witty here)
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:38 AM
bagwan bagwan is online now
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Big Valley Alta
Posts: 2,054
Default

Great pics. Amazing how your shrubs have grown since you joined.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:42 AM
Ken07AOVette's Avatar
Ken07AOVette Ken07AOVette is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Alberta
Posts: 24,072
Default

Very nice. Wonderful work
__________________
Only dead fish go with the flow. The rest use their brains in life.


Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck
I wasn't thinking far enough ahead for an outcome, I was ranting. By definition, a rant doesn't imply much forethought.....
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:45 AM
honda450's Avatar
honda450 honda450 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 6,952
Default

Nice plane tree. Holy smokes its big too.
__________________
Smoke or Fire in the Forest Dial 310-FIRE


thegungirl.ca @gmail.com
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:52 AM
Grizzly Adams's Avatar
Grizzly Adams Grizzly Adams is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 21,399
Default

The real Mac Coy. Amazing that they could put floats on that tiny plane.



Grizz
__________________
"Indeed, no human being has yet lived under conditions which, considering the prevailing climates of the past, can be regarded as normal."
John E. Pfeiffer The Emergence of Man
written in 1969
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:55 AM
owlhoot's Avatar
owlhoot owlhoot is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: southeast alberta
Posts: 1,176
Default

Very Nice, I had a bush pilot friend that restored and flew a 1950's Piper Cub,
He had a saying
"Yellow is Beautiful""
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 10-21-2018, 09:07 AM
sns2's Avatar
sns2 sns2 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,445
Default

Excellent thread. Great job guys.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 10-21-2018, 09:25 AM
58thecat's Avatar
58thecat 58thecat is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,502
Thumbs up

Beauty pics of a very nice plane.
__________________

Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent...
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 10-21-2018, 09:46 AM
stuckincity stuckincity is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,315
Default

I'm sorry I'm broke or I'd make ya an offer.
But from what you said in your post, its probably Priceless.
(And I wouldn't blame you for thinking that!)
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 10-21-2018, 10:13 AM
Gerry Gerry is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Onoway, Alberta Beach
Posts: 604
Default

Very nice job!!
I'm fairly certain that's the PA-18 super cub, a favorite of the old bush pilots.
If you check, I think that the wingspan on that model is 7 feet 2 inches.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 10-21-2018, 10:26 AM
Zip Zip is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: AlbertaSask
Posts: 4,179
Default

how cool is this...now im no plane lover by any means, but I think this one just changed my mind...Thanks for sharing your story and pics...very cool!
Zip
__________________
"Never be ashamed of scars it just simply means that you were stronger than what tried to hurt you"

"Good judgement comes from experience, and experience...well,That comes from poor Judgement"
"KEEP SMILING"
Zip
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 10-21-2018, 10:33 AM
TreeGuy's Avatar
TreeGuy TreeGuy is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 11,576
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerry View Post
Very nice job!!

I'm fairly certain that's the PA-18 super cub, a favorite of the old bush pilots.

If you check, I think that the wingspan on that model is 7 feet 2 inches.


Wingspan is 8’ 10” and it goes 5’ 6” nose to tail. Weighs about 15 lbs. she’s a big girl!

Tree
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 10-21-2018, 11:17 AM
58thecat's Avatar
58thecat 58thecat is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,502
Thumbs up

I was up at Jan Lake one year and this fella and his wife had a beauty like yours.
They put it in one of the 16 foot Lunds that you could rent there, took it out to the middle of the Bay Area and launched it, fly around, do some passes then land it, retrieve it into the boat then back to the dock, plane looked like it took up 2/3rds of the boat, very impressive.

Looked like the real thing flying and on the water taxiing.
__________________

Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent...
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 10-21-2018, 05:58 PM
RandyBoBandy RandyBoBandy is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: YEG
Posts: 9,981
Default

Outstanding !!
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:14 PM
Grizzly Adams's Avatar
Grizzly Adams Grizzly Adams is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Central Alberta
Posts: 21,399
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TreeGuy View Post
Wingspan is 8’ 10” and it goes 5’ 6” nose to tail. Weighs about 15 lbs. she’s a big girl!

Tree
How do you haul that ? That is a big girl, must be quite high as well.

Grizz
__________________
"Indeed, no human being has yet lived under conditions which, considering the prevailing climates of the past, can be regarded as normal."
John E. Pfeiffer The Emergence of Man
written in 1969
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 10-21-2018, 08:27 PM
Trochu's Avatar
Trochu Trochu is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 7,595
Default

I'm not really familiar with these, so excuse my ignorance, but its designed to be an RC model, but you left the hardware out, and are going to hang it from a wall/ceiling as a display piece? If that's correct, that must be a decent sized engine.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 10-21-2018, 09:00 PM
Zip-in-Z's Avatar
Zip-in-Z Zip-in-Z is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Sylvan Lake/South Calif.
Posts: 3,465
Default

Mr. Tree .... pls post a pic of your bird doing a fly-by past the Tree House.

How about a pic with your pet squirrel at the controls, that would be cool.

Very unique, like a lot!

D.
__________________
Z-z

Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 10-21-2018, 09:28 PM
TreeGuy's Avatar
TreeGuy TreeGuy is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 11,576
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams View Post
How do you haul that ? That is a big girl, must be quite high as well.

Grizz
Hey Grizz. It's pretty easy actually. She's only about 24" tall and the wing pops off in seconds. I strapped down the body in the truck and wrapped the wing at both ends and strapped also. Helps that it doesn't weigh anything.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Trochu View Post
I'm not really familiar with these, so excuse my ignorance, but its designed to be an RC model, but you left the hardware out, and are going to hang it from a wall/ceiling as a display piece? If that's correct, that must be a decent sized engine.

Pretty new to this myself to be honest. It will be hung in the house as a display piece as I have no intention (at this point) of flying it. It is however fully functional in terms of the 'guts'. I have a gas engine in it that doesn't work. I'm uncertain of displacement, etc, but it's not big at all. Smaller than a softball. It's there primarily because it's the easiest way to mount the propeller. Haha. There are five planes here that are all mostly ready to fly. If someone really knew what they were doing, it wouldn't take much to get in the air.

Three are actually outfitted with electric motors. It's a cool hobby but demands a lot of time, patience and money. I have not as of yet found a way to convince those qualities to work together for me at the same time!

Tree
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 10-21-2018, 09:39 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is online now
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 44,842
Default

Great job!
__________________
Only accurate guns are interesting.
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 10-22-2018, 08:31 AM
thumper's Avatar
thumper thumper is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Canmore
Posts: 4,740
Default

Everybody needs a hobby! Nicely done Tree!
__________________
The world is changed by your action, not by your opinion.
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 10-22-2018, 01:00 PM
Stinky Buffalo's Avatar
Stinky Buffalo Stinky Buffalo is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: A bit North o' Center...
Posts: 11,115
Default

Great job, Tree! Thanks for posting.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:38 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.