Guess that Plane! Resurrection!

  • Thread starter Mike Rotch
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Damn.. I used to know this one, It's got a very odd lower wing placement..

Some kind of Ruttan creation?
 
Nope! It was a popular and mass-produced design throughout the '30s and '40s.
 
This is probably uber-easy, but in the haste to post a picture I have not had enough time to come ub with somthing obscure.

79et2
 
Flame-returns
This is probably uber-easy, but in the haste to post a picture I have not had enough time to come ub with somthing obscure.

79et2
Looks like an early-'60s Piper product...
 
MinorShunt
Sorry can't think of it. oh wait. Varga katrina? I should know this! My buddy has a share in one. :dunce:
Confirmed as a Varga Kachina. The design started life as a Vorrisey Nifty. Nice job! Post one up, MS.
 
Sorry. Computer crashed. :drool:

This one is personal to me. An old friend is head mechanic for the company that owns it. A clue. This is a replica since no originals survived.


 
I'm pretty sure it was used on a exploration looking for caranuba wax for the SC Johnson company. Pretty interesting plane 👍
 
hehe. close enough. It is the Carnauba. It's a replica of a 1920's Sikorsky S-38 amphibian that H.F. Johnson of the Johnson Wax company flew to Brazil in 1935 in search of a reliable source of the Carnauba plant. This plant secured the fortunes of the company.

This replica was completed in 1998 and the late Sam Johnson used it to retrace the route of the original 1935 expedition from Racine, Wisconsin to Brazil. It took 27 days and covered 7,500 miles.

The replica uses 2 P&W radial engines, and is contructed of cedar covered with cloth just like the original. Unlike the original, the replica was outfitted with modern instrumentation though.

For what some people consider an ugly aircraft, up close it is beautiful and truly impressive IMO.
 
MinorShunt
For what some people consider an ugly aircraft, up close it is beautiful and truly impressive IMO.
It looks ungainly... until you study it a bit. Then you realize it's a highly efficient airframe for its day and purpose.
👍
Good post!
 
Duke
It looks ungainly... until you study it a bit. Then you realize it's a highly efficient airframe for its day and purpose.
👍
Good post!

Thanks Duke. I love the old birds! Cedar, canvas, no radios or nav, and a big radial engine out front. That's the way I'd like to fly. 👍
 
To be fair, i'm completely hopeless with civilian aircraft except ones with unique distinguishing features. Something most light aircraft seem to lack. :ouch:

Is it a Piper?
 
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