Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Went to Vegas and gambled on a T-18 project. Seriously, just getting there was a gamble on survival. 115 degrees, pasted an RV (camper not an airplane. (their not that slow)) and a tractor trailer burnt up on the road nothing left but a smoldering greasy black spot.

Anyhow what modifications to the stocker T-18 airframe would be on your bucket list of the ultimate T-18 build. sign out! let the games begin >:D

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

180 horse, extra fuel (10 gal.min), and built-in lightness.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

A copilot that says nothing and obeys orders ! Plenty of cool air vents , comfortable seats .

RB

[quote="Rich Brazell"]A copilot that says nothing and obeys orders !

RB

Been working on building one of those most my life. can't seem to figure it out.

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

Was this the project listed on Barnstormers ?

RB

100% agree with Bob ... the airframe only goes so fast. Keep it clean, light and extra cubic in never hurts!

Put 3 160 hp Thorps in a line they'll do about 200 mph flat out and within 5 mph.. put a 180 in the mix .. game over. They'll do 210+ ... which if you know you're thorp numbers is too much!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

He picked up one of my projects. I'm down to 2.5 Thorps. Feeling like an empty nester.
Cubes

I suppose it is what your mission for the plane is. Lee is right. Line up a bunch of 160 horse Thorps and it will be a pretty boring drag race (unless of course it was built and piloted by one Lee Walton. I recall getting spanked pretty badly by that combo). The 180 horse rigs leave me salivating wishing for more speed. (Bob can chime in)...if I recall he blasted off for the Bahamas behind 3 160 horse rigs and landed an easy 10 minutes before the rest of us did. On the other side of that argument...I have ridden in an O-290 rig that was super light climbed like a "homesick angel" and was a complete sweet heart to fly. That's the cool thing about the Thorp, if you have a Pitts in the hangar you can build it to be one helluva a cross country machine, extra fuel, autopilot, and about anything else you think you need to fly across the country, or if you have a Bonanza you can build it light and economical to go out and do loops and rolls and burn 8 gallons an hour. I guess that was a long way of saying if you are willing to adapt a little our little airplane can be everything you need it to be within its obvious limitations. Needless to say I'm a fan!

Twenty five years ago when I started to build my S-18 my ex wife said "It has to be as fast as Bob's". I was fortunate enough to have his T18 in our hanger and used his as a pattern, I fly as his wing man on most trips. Nothing like 180 plus ponies and a costly speed prop. The real secret keep it light and sleek. Remember it you throw it up in the air and it comes back down, it's not an airplane part.

I appreciate the input guys. HP and weight are coming up often. the project comes with a fresh O-290. It may get up graded in some way.

So weight versus extra tanks, electric flaps, trim etc.

Wings have fresh skins so am not too excited about opening them back up so 10 extra gallons where?

is reducing the tunnel height worth the butt ache for saving the butt ache and the weight of motors, wire, switches etc.

moving the rudder peddles out board?

Gear extensions?

anything else?

From those that went before what mods are worth the extra work ,cost and weight and which would you not do again?

I realize opinions will differ and hopefully everyone cool with that. I will weigh everyone input.

Thanks

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

Here's my list. Its a mix in what I like in my flying T-18 and what I'm gonna put in my project T-18
Aux wing fuel
180 HP
electric roll and pitch trim
electric flaps
rounded tunnel between the seats
rudder pedals cables re-routed outboard
floor skin installed with nut plates and screws
Route the fuel line out of the fuel tank aft towards the pilot where the fuel on/off switch can be reached while in flight
Autopilot

My 160H hp flat out is about 170 mph. I would like to know what it takes to clean one up to cruise in that range. Right now doing 150 mph turning 2400 (digital tach reading pulses from the mag and confirmed with an optical tach) with ~22" manifold so I think a different prop is probably in order. So are wheel pants. But I also think my biggest gains will come from a little aerodynamic clean up of the firewall forward. I have seen pictures of cowling and baffles that my aircraft would likely benefit from but I haven't gotten around to researching where/if they can be sourced.

I already rerouted fuel lines to ensure a downhill slope to the only drain in the system and installed a shutoff valve easily controlled from the seat. I would like to finish the brake system upgrades I started and, while changing rudder cables today, I realized would also like to change the way my forward tunnel is installed. The tunnel is harder to remove and reinstall than the fuel tank. That just doesn't seem right to me.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson

What prop are you running?

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http://www.dixiefriedfabrication.com/

My S18 has 2 axis auto pilot, electric flaps, electric wing and stabilizer trim, 62 gallon fuel, Garmin 300XL, King KX97, transponder, 180 ponies and Hartzell CS prop. Goes past redline flat out. I guess my bucket list would be to fly more hours!

68x74 Sterba.

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Thorp T18
O-320-B3B (160 HP)
68x74 Sterba Propeller

"The joke in aviation is, 'If you want to make a million, you'd better start with £10m.' " -Bruce Dickinson