Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Just saw the carnage, saw a Thorp was that David Reeds aircraft flipped

Quick blip on Fox showed one of Zenairs demonstrators on its back. Didn't see the Thorp??

Hope everyone is ok...airplanes can be replaced.

Tim A.

The last picture on this site http://www.warbirdradio.com/2011/03/bre ... sun-n-fun/ looks like David Reed's Thorp upside down. I hope it is not!

I hope everyone is OK and stays OK. It does not sound like the storms are over. Stay safe.

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Matt Smith
Des Moines, IA
55RC

http://www.warbirdradio.com/2011/03/bre ... sun-n-fun/

Last pic is a T-18..... Matt was quicker...nevermind.

What a shame.

Of the five Thorps that I know 3 were damaged, Lee Walton's and Bob Highley's newly repainted airplanes were not damaged. Les Conwell's and David Read's aircraft were flipped and suffered quite a bit of damage, Bill Williams aircraft suffered damage in the tail and is now back in his hangar at Lakeland, current theory is Les's airplane flipped over Bill's. I did not go to the flight line afterwards but David and Lee surveyed the damage and have some photos, it's not a pretty sight. There is quite a bit of damage around the Sun-n-Fun grounds, airplanes flipped, vendor tents collapsed and trees blown down not to mention lots of water and mud. My wife and I were hunkered down in one of the vendor hangars when the storm hit. Today Sun-n-Fun wasn't. Current weather forecast has a tornado watch in effect until 8PM tonight.

Here's a link to a news story http://nycaviation.com/2011/03/tornado-hits-sun-n-fun-airshow-in-florida-flipping-planes-and-damaging-hangar/

My wife and I are currently back at our motel and there is thunder, lightning and lots of rain. Good new is for sun tomorrow.

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Bruce Finney
N18JF T-18C #262
Yelm, WA USA

Thanks for the update Bruce - what a mess - that really sucks about Les', David's and Bill's planes - our thoughts are with them. I really hope no one is hurt and glad you and your wife are safe.

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

We are all OK, just in shock on the damage. Les has decided his is finished and will not rebuild. Dave wants to rebuild and is looking in that direction. I (Bill) has tail damage and can be repaired, just did not want to be building parts. Wanted to be painting instead.

Chuck and I flew around in California today and were thinking about the events in Florida.

Chuck would like the T-18ers to know that he is going to make his Thorp available exclusively to Thorp Group members. You can see a good recent picture of his plane on his Facebook page....Charles R. Borden. The plane is currently in Tenn. at 1M5. He sill has the standard gear so if you wanted to convert back to Tail Dragger, you could.

If you are interested in his plane, and the price is very fair, please contact him at T18FlyBoy@yahoo.com

Also, if you do a Google search on my N number N18XT
you will get the APRS site. Click on that and you can see the route of flight Chuck and I took today. Use the Satellite view and zoom in on the airport. YOu can read how fast we were taxing or flying at any point by putting your mouse on the red tic marks and clicking.

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Tom Hunter
805-202-4261

I've received quite a few emails from T-18 owners/sellers,the Sun n Fun storm and offers to sell their airplanes to David, Les or Bill.

To sum it up;

Bill Williams airplane took a hit to the tail, the aft fuse., both the stab and vertical fin/rudder. When I left him he had already started the repairs. Bills airplane will be back in the air shortly.

David Reads airplane took a bad hit but is repairable. David is now driving back to IL with 718DR in the back of a 26' uhaul. His airplane will be back in the air in the next 12 months.

Les Conwells airplane was hit much like Davids. I do not want to speak for Les, but the last time I spoke with him he was not interested in rebuilding. Les has just completed a GP4 so he has another airplane to fly. The Thorp served him well for 2000+ hrs and as the GP4 basically looks like a very sleek T-18 with retracts the 3 amigos from FL will continue to ride (although Les will be running in econo cruise).

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Update on N30WW. Spent yesterday removing the tail assemblies. Today drilled out the rivets on the rudder, fin, and horizontal stabilizer. I manage to save the fin ribs, the rest is toast. Salvage two ribs on the rudder. The Horizontal stabilizer needs a left skin. I made the ribs and mast for the rudder and started the skins for the fin and rudder. I'll need to re-skin the aft fuselage sides and replace one bulkhead. Got 9 weeks before Elizabeth City.!