Update on my '41 FP-65 project

[Andy Gelston]

After tinkering for over three years on my Collegiate, the novelty finally wore off for Pokey Gordon and he asked me to remove the old girl from his shop in Helena, MT.  Club member Tim Talen, who has a hangar in Boulder, MT, about 30 miles south of Helena, came to the rescue and arranged for a Boulder friend of his to rent a truck and haul the project to his hangar. 

Tim's is a master restorer who specializes in Interstate Aircraft.  I restored an Interstate Cadet back in the 80's and worked for Interstate in 2000/2001 at its new home in New Hampshire, before the new owner ran out of money, so Tim and I have connections beyond the skinny birds.  Tim has restored his share of Porterfields as well, and I have full confidence in him to  get NC41VT flying again.

NC41VT is a 1941 FP-65 (though it's unofficially an FS-90), S/N 875, with an STC’d Franklin 90 installation, completed by Club member Angelo Forte in the mid-50’s.  She has fresh Polyfiber covering and finish with the factory red and silver color scheme (ball with 2 stripes on each side).  Medium weight fabric was used throughout, with heavy weight fabric used on the belly and lower surfaces of the horizontal stabilizers and elevators.  The panel is the deluxe version, made to factory print. All instruments have been overhauled by Keystone.  The airframe has all the floatplane mods, per ATC 720 and factory drawings, and should perform well on Edo 1320’s with 90 HP up front.  The airframe has 2257 hours and the engine is NOS with only 318 hours on it.  The carb was gone through and has the new brass float.  It has a Flottorp wood prop.  It has a new windshield from LP Aero, fresh Plexi in the skylight and side windows, new 4130 wing struts, and new ¼” ply floorboards and rear cabin bulkhead.  All wing wood is sealed with Polyfiber epoxy varnish.  All metal parts are prepped, then primed with Polyfiber epoxy, under a topcoat of Polyfiber enamel.  There is no electrical system, but it has its original Grimes nav lights wired in.  All mods, repair work, and owner manufactured parts are covered under signed and submitted 337’s.  In addition to all the logs, also have old magazine articles about NC41VT, factory drawings, manuals, a bunch of Chuck’s newsletters and other misc. documentation.

Tim has her all together now, with the exception of the line from the primer.  Spring's a busy time on Jasper Ridge, but he'll be back to Boulder in May, 2013 to get her done (knock on sitka).

Soft landings, Andy

[Andy Gelston]

Yes, I'm looking forward to Tim's next report, and hoping it's a flight evaluation.  

Some have asked me how flexible I am with the $25K price and the answer is: VERY!  I would happily take $50K and recoup all I've invested in her. 

Soft landings!

[Andy Gelston]

The EDO float installation drawing # is 60-1320, which I purchased from Kenmore Aviation, several snows ago. Most of the struts are the same as a J-3. Those that aren't can be built by Kenmore, as they have all the drawings for the struts and fittings. If you can buy a set of 1320's with rigging for a J-3, you'll have most of what you need. I would like to put her on floats, but it's the darndest thing: people want something called money for their floats...and I just don't seem to ever have enough of it to trade for a set of floats. She is all set up for floats, except for the stupid aux tail fin, which the Collegiate flew better without, but since Porterfield made one, the CAA dolt put it on the list of requirements, back in 1940. Use a J-3 aux fin and tell the DAR it's stock Porterfield and let him prove you wrong. I haven't been able to locate a drawing for the Porterfield aux tail, yet.

[fredric matt koblenzer]

Andy

I am interested in your airplane and the float conversion.  I have a cp665 serial 660 which can not be convert.  Are you planning on adding the floats, I ahve talked to edo about the rigging and they have the microfilm plans, but may not have available the extrusion to build.

matt

[Tom Porterfield]

Andy,

I'm so glad you are going to get 41VT up and going. I'm happy to see Tim lending a hand on the project. Keep us posted and send pictures.

Tom Porterfield