Spartan Executive

L

LJS1993

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
584
Location
Riverside, California
Display Name
LJ Savala
Man for some reason this plane just appeals to me. Impossible to ever own obviously but still interesting. I'm intrigued by the fact that this guy purchased the plane with the expectation of flying it before even learning. How would a plane like this "feel" guys? Would something this antique be incredibly difficult to fly? Or did these old high end planes fly very well?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eESgjU5uNk&feature=related
 
LJS1993 said:
Man for some reason this plane just appeals to me. Impossible to ever own obviously but still interesting. I'm intrigued by the fact that this guy purchased the plane with the expectation of flying it before even learning.


How would a plane like this "feel" guys?

They are big heavy aircraft and feel just like that.



Would something this antique be incredibly difficult to fly?

No more so than any big heavy high horse power tail dragger.


Or did these old high end planes fly very well?

Yes, they were very fast for their day, as was the Beach D-17S. Fast has always had its price.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eESgjU5uNk&feature=related
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In comparison my 37 Fairchild 24 sold new for $3700.
 
SCCutler said:
I know where there is a good one for sale. Interested?

---

The Executive is a staggeringly beautiful plane.
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They should be, they were all hand built.

Do you know why so few were built?
 
Ken and Lorraine Morris can probably tell you all you want to know; they've owned and restored one, among many other classic aircraft. When they owned the Executive, they even had a matching Airstream trailer (which they also restored). Very nice and very knowledgeable folks. There's an email link on the website.

http://www.taildraggeraviation.com/index.html
 
Tom-D said:
Howard DGA is proof that horse power will over come drag.
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Although big by modern standards, Howards were very clean (for the day). Sure, it's no Mooney 252, but take a look at the the beautiful wood wings on a DGA and all the effort filleting the wing and gear struts. Its older and more famous sister, the DGA-6 (Mister Mulligan) went 250mph in 1935. I've never flown a DGA, but I'm told they'll put along at 165mph. Won both the Cleaveland and Thompson Trophy races in 1935! The DGA-15 is 50mph faster than a DHC-2 with the same engine.
 
j1b3h0 said:
Although big by modern standards, Howards were very clean (for the day). Sure, it's no Mooney 252, but take a look at the the beautiful wood wings on a DGA and all the effort filleting the wing and gear struts. Its older and more famous sister, the DGA-6 (Mister Mulligan) went 250mph in 1935. I've never flown a DGA, but I'm told they'll put along at 165mph. Won both the Cleaveland and Thompson Trophy races in 1935! The DGA-15 is 50mph faster than a DHC-2 with the same engine.
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Two different aircraft built for different purposes, let's see the DGA lift what the Beaver will.

The 985 powered the D17S, and the Spartan, both were faster.

My first comment was an old joke that was inspired by the DGA being slower than both other aircraft.

But nothing beat the Lockheed Vega for speed and usefulness. anybody that was anybody in aviation had one.

the old wooden bullet series.
 
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There was a great write up and picture layout on this plane in the AOPA mag about 20 years ago. When I win the lottery, I'll try to find one for sale.

I'm also totally smitten with this plane.
 
LJS1993 said:
Very nice resto.
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There was an incredibly well restored Stinson much like this at that Antique Airplane Association Texas Fly in last October in Gaeinesville, Tx. It was no surprise that it was the show winner and that was among some STIFF competition.

It is definitely a sight to behold.
 
rottydaddy said:
Ken and Lorraine Morris can probably tell you all you want to know; they've owned and restored one, among many other classic aircraft. When they owned the Executive, they even had a matching Airstream trailer (which they also restored). Very nice and very knowledgeable folks. There's an email link on the website.

http://www.taildraggeraviation.com/index.html
Click to expand...


Lorraine is a key player in our Cessna120-140 club. Wonderful lady!
 
The Spartan is certainly a beauty!

If I could afford something like that I would lean toward a Beech Staggerwing.

10528_1.jpg


Closer to my price range, my dream airplane is a Globe Swift.

ad11hf-a.jpg
 
I watched the video with the nice story about the kid and how touching it was to put him in the cockpit. However all I could think of is why did he not take the kid up and let him fly the real thing.

That woudl a been a life changer for him a bit more than sitting inside. Form the interview it sounded like he was dissabled, but I am sure not so much from keeping him from being in the plane while flying.

I would imagine the interviewer managed to get a ride...:mad2:

Marc
 
Addicted2climbing said:
I watched the video with the nice story about the kid and how touching it was to put him in the cockpit. However all I could think of is why did he not take the kid up and let him fly the real thing.

That woudl a been a life changer for him a bit more than sitting inside. Form the interview it sounded like he was dissabled, but I am sure not so much from keeping him from being in the plane while flying.

I would imagine the interviewer managed to get a ride...:mad2:

Marc
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Did not see it but could have been the parents' decision. I have a coworker with a severely disabled child. She said he loves airplanes so I offered to take him and the parents up in a 172. She had fear that he might lose it in the airplane in some manner and cause a hazard. I told her that was her call and we could let him sit in it on the ground.

edit: watched it; doesn't sound like this kid was so disabled that he could not have taken him up. Who knows, maybe he offered.
 
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MBDiagMan said:
Lorraine is a key player in our Cessna120-140 club. Wonderful lady!
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Yessir. And they both really do know their vintage birds. Reminds me: I was mistaken about the trailer- actually made by Spartan, not an Airstream. :D
 
Addicted2climbing said:
I watched the video with the nice story about the kid and how touching it was to put him in the cockpit. However all I could think of is why did he not take the kid up and let him fly the real thing.

That woudl a been a life changer for him a bit more than sitting inside. Form the interview it sounded like he was dissabled, but I am sure not so much from keeping him from being in the plane while flying.

I would imagine the interviewer managed to get a ride...:mad2:

Marc
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I was thinking the same thing, but then I remembered his comment about letting them "behind the ropes" to see the airplane. It sounds like the plane was on static display at a show, not real feasible to just fire it up to take him for a ride.
 
Dave Theisen said:
I was thinking the same thing, but then I remembered his comment about letting them "behind the ropes" to see the airplane. It sounds like the plane was on static display at a show, not real feasible to just fire it up to take him for a ride.
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At most of the shows that isn't that hard to do. OSH yes.
 
alfadog said:
If I could afford something like that I would lean toward a Beech Staggerwing.

Closer to my price range, my dream airplane is a Globe Swift.
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I agree about the Swift. There's a local guy with a 1947 Swift at Sandia (Edgewood). The quality of workmanship is amazing on it.

However, I cannot imagine myself flying those antiques. It takes a whole lot of dedication and a big hangar to store the parts. Also, a conventional gear endorsement.

-- Pete
 
zaitcev said:
I agree about the Swift. There's a local guy with a 1947 Swift at Sandia (Edgewood). The quality of workmanship is amazing on it.

However, I cannot imagine myself flying those antiques. It takes a whole lot of dedication and a big hangar to store the parts. Also, a conventional gear endorsement.

-- Pete
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Well, I am already flying a 1946 Luscombe 8A so am partly there. At least as regards the vintage and the tailwheel. :D
 
zaitcev said:
I agree about the Swift. There's a local guy with a 1947 Swift at Sandia (Edgewood). The quality of workmanship is amazing on it.

However, I cannot imagine myself flying those antiques. It takes a whole lot of dedication and a big hangar to store the parts. Also, a conventional gear endorsement.

-- Pete
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Thanks for the quality comment! Reason? After WWII when jobs were so difficult to get, my Dad worked for a short time at the old Temco plant in Grand Prairie, Texas building the Swift. I lost him a little over 2 years ago.
 
MBDiagMan said:
Thanks for the quality comment! Reason? After WWII when jobs were so difficult to get, my Dad worked for a short time at the old Temco plant in Grand Prairie, Texas building the Swift. I lost him a little over 2 years ago.
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Neat. My dad was a tool and die maker for Republic Aviation, Fairchild Hiller, Boeing. That man could build anything with his hands. His hobbies were watch-making and building half-hulls. Taught me to fix cars, to paint them, a ton of stuff.

edit: that kinda seemed to have come out wrong. Neat that your dad worked for Temco. :yesnod:
 
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alfadog said:
Neat. My dad was a tool and die maker for Republic Aviation, Fairchild Hiller, Boeing. That man could build anything with his hands. His hobbies were watch-making and building half-hulls. Taught me to fix cars, to paint them, a ton of stuff.
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America is already starting to suffer from the loss of that generation that know how to build stuff.

Our economy and jobs loss is proof.
 
Skylane81E said:
If I had time/space/funds

http://www.aso.com/listings/spec/ViewAd.aspx?id=138238&listingType=true&IsInternal=True&dealerid=
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Unless you know how much work it is to build a wooden wing center section, I'd not touch that project, that MAY be exactly what you MIGHT be getting into.

Mike Denest is the only person I know of that has completed that job in resent years. you are talking a years work for the single man shop.
That aircraft is in T-A-P too, and there is a better one just below it.
 
If I did it it be for the fun of it, if I expected to make a profit not no, but hell no!
 
Skylane81E said:
If I did it it be for the fun of it, if I expected to make a profit not no, but hell no!
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It ceases to be fun after the bills go over $200,000.00 and 10 years getting the project back flying.
 
I came across this thread the other day regarding the Steve Marini interview and the story about the boy getting to sit in his airplane. My Spartan Executive has previously been shown at Reno and as such, I wanted to provide some clarification regarding the situation at Reno. The show is an invitational event and only aircraft that have been winners at significant shows get invited. Once an invitation is accepted, owners have to abide by a specific set of rules. One rule is that once an aircraft arrives at Reno and has been parked in the show area, it cannot be moved until the entire event is over. For that reason, it would not have been possible to take the boy for a ride, nor would it have been possible to take the gentleman conducting the interview for a ride.
 
JBSavage said:
I came across this thread the other day regarding the Steve Marini interview and the story about the boy getting to sit in his airplane. My Spartan Executive has previously been shown at Reno and as such, I wanted to provide some clarification regarding the situation at Reno. The show is an invitational event and only aircraft that have been winners at significant shows get invited. Once an invitation is accepted, owners have to abide by a specific set of rules. One rule is that once an aircraft arrives at Reno and has been parked in the show area, it cannot be moved until the entire event is over. For that reason, it would not have been possible to take the boy for a ride, nor would it have been possible to take the gentleman conducting the interview for a ride.
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Welcome to POA and thanks for posting that explanation. We'd love to hear more about you and your ship. Start a new thread about it if you'd like. No shame here in posting pics of your pride and joy.
 
zaitcev said:
I agree about the Swift. There's a local guy with a 1947 Swift at Sandia (Edgewood). The quality of workmanship is amazing on it.

However, I cannot imagine myself flying those antiques. It takes a whole lot of dedication and a big hangar to store the parts. Also, a conventional gear endorsement.

-- Pete
Click to expand...

I'd fly a Spartan without worrying much about parts and such. Most parts that will break or wear out are pretty simple to make and the 985 is the best engine put on a small plane; still fully supported by excellent shops. The Spartan Exec is definitely on my lottery list, probably the only non experimental GA single.
 
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