Airplane Trivia Question

Dave Richards

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The automotive question was fun. Try this one.

This airplane is the only example ever built although it has quite a number of tail dragging sisters. 450HP radial, light on the controls and a load of room inside. These along with airplanes like the Beech Staggerwing were replaced as executive transport by airplanes such as the Beech 33 and a bit later the Mooneys. Those planes were fast on less power and less avgas.

I flew the airplane in the picture once. What a gem. Just think about a turn and you're doing it. No need to horse the controls. I started out in the back seat with three other pilots including the owner. We played musical chairs switching around. That was the night the owner got his first chance to ride in the back seat. We were stroking along at about 160 kts and we weren't even working her hard.

So, who can come up with the name for this beauty?

6080c446.jpg
 
Cool-looking aircraft, Dave. I guess I've not been paying attention...I didn't know you are a pilot. That's something I'd like to learn some day, but can't really swing the expense.
 
Gosh, Dave, that Picture brings back a SEVERE Pang of REGRET for me. The Spartan Executive was always one of my favorites and I wanted one real bad.

About 30 years ago, I happened on one in great condition, but during a slow period for Aircraft sales and the fellow had wanted $7500 for it, but due to some health and developing financial problems, really needed to sell it. He finally offered it to me for $5000, but the flying jobs were pretty scarce at the time also, and sometimes just disappeared quickly, and mine was pretty "Iffy" at the time, so I had to Mull it over a while, also thinking, (could I really afford it AND the Divorce too as soon as the LOML found out, especially since I had already once owned an airplane for two years that she thought belonged to a friend who just let me rent it real cheap because I didn't charge him any labor to reupholster it).:eek: :dunno: After 3 weeks, I decided I just had to have it, and called the fellow up to say I would be over the next day to pick it up, and much to my horror, he told me that it had just left the "Pattern" with it's new owner at the controls heading back home, Annnnnd..... he got his full $7500 for it. I was so disheartened, I never looked for another one. (maybe because about 8 or 9 years earlier I had missed a Duesenberg almost the same way).

I can just imagine what a nice Spartan Exec is worth today.:rolleyes: (AND I don't even want to think about today's value of that Duesenberg). That is sure a beauty there.:thumb: I have never seen one with Tricycle Gear though.

Incidentally, Texaco was one of the Corporations that used them in their aviation Dept for Executive Transportation.
 
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Cool-looking aircraft, Dave. I guess I've not been paying attention...I didn't know you are a pilot. That's something I'd like to learn some day, but can't really swing the expense.

Vaughn, I probably haven't mentioned it before. I haven't flown in almost ten years.

If you can afford it, I think you should give it a go. It is an amazing thing and an excellent learning experience. Last summer I checked into getting legal again and the cost to rent a Cessna 172. Locally it was $120/hr just for the plane. Kind of hard to swallow considering the last time I rented a C172 I paid $50/hr. Then it was a stretch but I was single and had few obligations. Now, married with child, I can't justify the cost in my head.

Good on you Don.

Norman, I can imagine the disappointment you felt at losing that 7W.

The Model 12--tricycle geared Executive--was owned by the guy who owned the FBO at Lake Elmo (21D) where I learned to fly. I pumped gas evenings and weekends to pay for my flying so I was out there all the time. My regular job was managing a camera store and I did a lot of photography when I wasn't at work. I started photogrpahing the aircraft, especially the older stuff and began getting to go up in them as well. At the time Lake Elmo had the largest collection of Globe and Temco Swifts on a single field north of the Mason-Dixon line. I bet I shot over 1000 images of Swifts. There were a couple fo Beech Staggerwings, a Bamboo Bomber Cubs, and other old rag Pipers, a Taylorcraft (T-bag) and a Luscombe as well as a Bellanca Cruisemaster and a Super Viking.

I enjoyed flying in all that old stuff but the Model 12 was the smoothest flight of them all.
 
Cool plane Dave! Sounds like you got into flying the same way I
did. I was in the USAF and worked part time at the local airport, pumping gas to pay for flying time. Been about 13 years since I've flown. Sure do miss it, but can't afford that hobby right now:(
 
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