Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Barnstormers has a Thorp listed in Hastings FL that my local flying buddy just made a deal to purchase
N33TB. I will be going down with him to fly it back to NJ, and was wondering if any one knows any history on it? Can't wait to see how a 180 horse is compared to my O-290.

Lance 38DT

Lance,
I talked with your friend last weekend about that airplane. I've seen it a few times at sun n fun. It's no cream puff but at the price he's getting it there's plenty of room for improvements. I'm not sure what possesses people to give their airplanes away but o well. A 180 thorp is a different animal, my two favorite thorps are a very light 0290 I rebuilt and a 180 ... Like I said different airplanes, a light 0290 is a joy to fly where a 180 reminds me of my Lear jet days.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Picked up N33TB in Florida on Thursday for my buddy , turns out Lee is right , it needs a lot of SMALL things done not a cream puff but it is sure is a cream puff in the air, very well behaved in the air and on the ground. Flying time back to NJ was just shy of 5 hours, flys as good as my 0-290 and a bit faster, the bid difference is the climb out.A 180 out front is nice.

Lance

Lance .. Great to hear! For what he paid, it's a steal!

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

It was even less then advertised by a good bit.

Lance

Agreed but he bought a 200+ airplane for an undisclosed amount .. He has room to fix. Send me up there for a couple weeks well fix it up!

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I'll pass that along,thanks

Lance

It's been a little over a month since I flew 33TB back,it's almost ready to fly again. The vac pump had to be replaced,wrong one installed, cowling required many hours of repair adjustment and finishing. Baffling was a joke,gas collator was clogged and not accessible , spinner had no screws installed in froward bulkhead, was easily moved to some extent, hardware was best described as bargin basement , lines and hoses replaced and or shortened and rerouted. Transponder antenna found, what was left of it, removed replaced and repositioned. Wires removed from all sorts of places that went nowhere.after my buddy gets some time in it the interior and inst. panel will require some work as well as other areas for now that's enough he's getting anxious. Here are som pix's

Can't seem to get the pix's to post.

If the gas collator was "clogged" and you have a carb. I would pull the inlet finger strainer going into the carb and check that ! Something was clogging up the collator ? What does the inside of the fuel tank look like ? I would bet that most of the wiring was from Ace Hardware and not Aviation Grade ? Bargain basement hardware ? >:( I would be looking at every structural bolt to see if it was Aviation Grade . Especially on the flight controls , push/pull tube , landing gear , etc. Just my 2 cents since you have it apart .

RB

A month!? Wow! He must be retired, experienced, and an insomniac with no social life.

Rich , tank good,bolts good finger strainer good should be flying tomorrow then time for interior .


Lance

More pix

Flew it for the first time in a month after the work every thing fine except the gyro was turning like a fan will swap it out in a few days down day tomorrow, then I can finally fly my own.

Lannc