History of your aircraft

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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ghostflyer
Posts: 1390
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:06 am

History of your aircraft

Post by ghostflyer »

Have been asked to write a article on the history of certain aircraft that used to fly in New Guinea [ This is part of it on my 170 history] . My 170 spent several years on missionary work there. My 170A has done over 10600hrs now and is a 1949 model. It was a big job of tracking and counting all the owners . It started out as N9245A in the USA. Between 1949 and 1955 it's history is rather murky. It left the USA and via a ship it spent some time in the Indo China region . No back seat only radios. It then travelled to New Guinea and operated with Crowley Airways . [Now the freeky fact is this was part of my mothers relations side of the family company] it was then sold to 4 Square missionary fellowship. During this time in the highlands of New Guinea it had a wing torn off , ground looped many times , LH gear ripped out tipped on his nose and used up 5 engines and 2 engine frames . Skin on top of cabin replaced , skin under fuselage replaced , fuselage skins replaced ,some parts twice . Gear box replaced totally but left hand side rebuilt also. Door skins replaced . Cessna 185 legs fitted and Cessna 206 wheels and brakes fitted . Wiring replaced on as it was moded with all types of wiring . [ this included household and auto wiring ] Please do not ask me about the fuses. Lower cowl totally rebuilt and top cowl modified .[under a STC] I gave up on the number of props it had on it . It had about one or 2 windscreens in it before I fitted the one piece .
[ note... I was shown a photo of the interior with 4 adult natives sitting on the floor in the rear of the aircraft with no rear seat /seat belts or bulkhead . They looked very scared . ]
It was then shipped to Australia and sat for many years in some ones back yard . It was then sold to a gliding club committee and then 2 member pulled it further apart . I then acquired the aircraft bits and started to put it together . It was then paint stripped and believe it or not it was basically in the original colors and only had repainted in sections has the skin replacement was necessary .
Now with 180hp STC and all new wiring and instruments and interior and other add ons it now with me until some one comes along with the right amount of money .
How much has this cost me ?? Can't tell you as my wife might find out .BUT it's been fun. :D
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GAHorn
Posts: 20967
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm

Re: History of your aircraft

Post by GAHorn »

If these things could talk.....
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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