Thorp T-18?

LoLPilot

LoLPilot

Line Up and Wait
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LoLPilot
What is everyone's opinion of the Thorp T-18? I see them for pretty reasonable and on paper they look like a great airplane. Not tandem seating, but oh well...

I know that they sort of fell out of favor once Vans kits became popular and I've read that they can be a bit squirrelly on the ground.
 
How DARE you use the search function, Stan. For shame. FOR SHAME!!!
 
I found some of the info I got from the search function here! Since the thread was so old that’s why I asked.
 
Okay I’m 6 feet and 210 so I definitely don’t make it into one. That’s what I worry about with RV’s as well
 
LoLPilot said:
Okay I’m 6 feet and 210 so I definitely don’t make it into one.
Click to expand...
Not buying it...
Thorp's were built to plans - they aren't assembled from prefabricated parts, so there are more variations. They are a bit tight side to side, but I'm 6 feet tall and my brother (who built it) is taller. No problem.
They are short coupled tail draggers, so you want to be on your game. In the air, my nephew started flying the T18 before he was tall enough to see over the panel, so he learned to fly it by instruments.
One issue is weight - it was originally designed as an 0290 powered, open canopy, minimalist airplane. Load it up with a big engine, constant speed prop, whore house interior, etc. and you can end up with an empty weight that exceeds John Thorp's design gross weight.
 
I am a "big fella" and I flew with my hangar neighbor in his. He is a stout muscular guy 220# or so and we fit but we were tight...I mean TIGHT.

I might be wrong in my recollection but I think I remember Gene telling me that his copy was built by Mr. Thorp.

It was a BLAST to fly...really responsive...and was quick off the ground although we were at max gross.

Gene earned his A&P and worked on his...he loved the plane and I think he still has it....did a year or so ago. He has moved from the home drome so I lost contact with him.
 
LoLPilot said:
Okay I’m 6 feet and 210 so I definitely don’t make it into one. That’s what I worry about with RV’s as well
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about fitting into a Van's...my co-pilot to Osh two years ago was 6'4" and about 250 lb. ....no problem in my -9A! Just don't fit a deeper-than-standard IP, as it cuts into leg room.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Not buying it...
Thorp's were built to plans - they aren't assembled from prefabricated parts, so there are more variations. They are a bit tight side to side, but I'm 6 feet tall and my brother (who built it) is taller. No problem.
They are short coupled tail draggers, so you want to be on your game. In the air, my nephew started flying the T18 before he was tall enough to see over the panel, so he learned to fly it by instruments.
One issue is weight - it was originally designed as an 0290 powered, open canopy, minimalist airplane. Load it up with a big engine, constant speed prop, whore house interior, etc. and you can end up with an empty weight that exceeds John Thorp's design gross weight.
Click to expand...

Yeah I read about the weight issue when I did some reading on here. The thread that I found was kind of light on information about things like how they flew, care and feeding, etc. There just doesn't seem to be as much of a community around them as there does around some other A/B's.
 
LoLPilot said:
There just doesn't seem to be as much of a cult around them as there does around some other A/B's.
Click to expand...
FTFY :)

It fliess like an airplane. :) Light on the controls. Good speed / economy, not much payload. John Thorp (with no "e") designed it to be aerobaticish, but at the more common weights, and given that it's pretty slippery, not a good choice for learning yerself aerobatics.
Care and feeding is nothing special - but, to be clear, there are huge variations in engines, propellers, cowls, along with folding wings and even a "wide body" version. Plus whatever changes an individual builder decided to make.
I assume you have found http://thorp18.com/ ?
 
The Thorp T-18 has a pretty impressive history. The EAA has Don Taylor's globe-circling T-18 in its museum at Oshkosh. Taylor also flew this airplane to the magnetic and geographic North Poles.

https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa-museum/m...ection-folder/1968-thorp-taylor-t-18---n455dt

"...EAA’s Thorp T-18 belonged to Don Taylor and has a unique place in history. Don built his T-18 for a specific purpose — to complete the first around-the-world flight in a homebuilt aircraft. Don studied several different designs and decided that the Thorp T-18 would be the most adaptable. He fitted it with a 180-hp Lycoming O-360, a full IFR instrument suite, supplemental radios and, of course, extra fuel tanks.

Don named the airplane Victoria after the only ship of the Magellan fleet to complete the first world-circling trip. After increasingly rigorous testing and continuous improvements to the airplane, Don departed from Runway 18 at what is now Wittman Regional Airport here in Oshkosh on August 1, 1976. Sixty days and 26,200 miles later, he landed back in Oshkosh on September 30 having completed the first circumnavigation in a homebuilt. In 1983, Don donated N455DT to EAA, and it’s been on display in our museum ever since."
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
FTFY :)

It fliess like an airplane. :) Light on the controls. Good speed / economy, not much payload. John Thorp (with no "e") designed it to be aerobaticish, but at the more common weights, and given that it's pretty slippery, not a good choice for learning yerself aerobatics.
Care and feeding is nothing special - but, to be clear, there are huge variations in engines, propellers, cowls, along with folding wings and even a "wide body" version. Plus whatever changes an individual builder decided to make.
I assume you have found http://thorp18.com/ ?
Click to expand...

I had NOT found that page! Thanks for that! I found a different message board that seemed inactive for some time but I can't remember the name.
 
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