Possible new project??

VINMAN · 07:35 AM

Found a new project! My dream!!
Only problem is, I dont know if will fit in my driveway.
Plus I'd be living in it after my wife divorces me and throws me out.

Cheap only $95,000

http://www.protecair.com/albatross/

Eric 951 · 03-30-2006, 07:40 AM

Too cool. Looks like the plane from "Tales of the Gold Monkey".

Joeaksa · 07:47 AM

Always wanted a Grumman. Unfortunately its like a boat, a "hole in the water you shovel money into" so not going to be mine until I win the lotto...

Did you guys see the photos? Cockpit is gutted and wiring needs to be totally re-done. Lots of work here...

Joe a

VINMAN · 03-30-2006, 08:04 AM

A million dollar restoration for sure!

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

You need a smaller project, how about one of these?

I'm a big fan of pusher aircraft, and combine that with floats and I go a little nuts.

Homepage:
http://www.creativeflight.com/floats.html

Gallery:
http://www.creativeflight.com/gallery.html

AEROCAT TRX - $94,000 (US)
The Aerocat is essentially a fastbuild kit. The airframe assembly requires factory-dedicated mold and vacuum-bag layup. Wings, fuselage, power arch and all control surface areas will be factory made and shipped out as complete parts. Aerocat builders can have the essential fuselage parts shipped to their build site or may want to take advantage of a quickbuild facility right here to complete the bulk of the required bolt-on and control cable assembly.

fastpat · 03-30-2006, 08:29 AM

I think a few of those were used by Antilles Air Boats until the untimely demise of the owner, Charles Blair, the husband of Maureen O'hara.

More:
http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?airlinesearch=Antilles%20Air%20Boats&distinct_entry=true
http://www.users.qwest.net/~aknot/blair.htm

VINMAN · 03-30-2006, 08:43 AM

Pat, looks like those are Grumman Gooses. . Sweet planes anyway. I love any kind of seaplane. But the Albatross is my favorite!
Sadly, there was a crash of an Albatross down in Miami last summer. Went down in the water right after takeoff.

MichiganMat · MichiganMat's Garage

Sweet, its Baloo's plane from TaleSpin! Man I loved that show, came on right after Rescue Rangers, followed by Duck Tales. Good times.

slakjaw · 03-30-2006, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MichiganMat
Sweet, its Baloo's plane from TaleSpin! Man I loved that show, came on right after Rescue Rangers, followed by Duck Tales. Good times.

LOL

Looks like it would be a fun project.

widebody911 · widebody911's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by MichiganMat
Sweet, its Baloo's plane from TaleSpin! Man I loved that show, came on right after Rescue Rangers, followed by Duck Tales. Good times.

Good Times was in syndication by then, and didn't come on until really late.

1973911s · 03-30-2006, 03:03 PM

Is that the plan that Jimmy Buffet flies?

VINMAN · 03-30-2006, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 1973911s
Is that the plan that Jimmy Buffet flies?

Yep same plane! He retired it. Now its part of Margaritaville in Orlando

fastpat · 03-30-2006, 03:25 PM

I imagine many of them have corrosion issues in important structural components, that may have been the issue with Buffet's aircraft.

VINMAN · 03-30-2006, 05:17 PM

From what I've read, Buffets plane could be put back in the air in a matter of days. It's still very airworthy. But you're right, I bet there are some serious metalurgical issues on alot of these old aircraft!

M.D. Holloway · 03-30-2006, 06:45 PM

Do these planes (Grummans) have some sort of appeal to airbuufs? I know less than nothing about aircraft but to me it looks like an old seaplane. Am I missing something?

fastpat · 03-30-2006, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
Do these planes (Grummans) have some sort of appeal to airbuufs? I know less than nothing about aircraft but to me it looks like an old seaplane. Am I missing something?

No, you've just about got it. Just some old seaplanes, with a couple of 450 or 600 hp P & W's or Wright's on them.

And so cool!

M.D. Holloway · 03-30-2006, 07:03 PM

Like a Nash or Packard? OK, I guess... but I would think that maybe a P51 or even one of those old bi-planes would be way cool as well - what was the famous one called, Sopworth Camel?

fastpat · 03-30-2006, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
Like a Nash or Packard? OK, I guess... but I would think that maybe a P51 or even one of those old bi-planes would be way cool as well - what was the famous one called, Sopworth Camel?

I've had an interest lately in World War One aircraft, because of a novel I was reading, in particular a German model.

The Albatros D.Va It's neat because it had a plywood covered, round fuselage, inline watercooled Mercedes 180 hp six cylinder, twin Spandau machine guns, top speed was a break neck 115 mph.

I may have to build a model of one.

VINMAN · 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
Do these planes (Grummans) have some sort of appeal to airbuufs? I know less than nothing about aircraft but to me it looks like an old seaplane. Am I missing something?

Being that boats, and the ocean, are my first love,I guess that has something to do with it! I also like planes and flying.

But to me, seaplanes just have a certain "romanticism" about them, you know , flying off to distant tropical places, stuff like that...

Pat , thats a very cool plane. I built a balsa model of one a while back.

fastpat · 03-31-2006, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by VINMAN
Being that boats, and the ocean, are my first love,I guess that has something to do with it! I also like planes and flying.

But to me, seaplanes just have a certain "romanticism" about them, you know , flying off to distant tropical places, stuff like that...

Pat , thats a very cool plane. I built a balsa model of one a while back.

There's a large scale model of it complete with Enya v-twin floating on the 'Bay. http://tinyurl.com/fywkg It's a bit pricey though.