Cub waits in barn for 59 years

[BarnCub]

I'm a new member to the Taylorcraft site.

I've spent many hours in a number of 12-D's since age 4 and I've enjoyed every minute!

Some of you might find interest in a Cub I picked up in January '09. The original email I sent to friends is below.

For those of you that are in the Texas area, make plans to attend an air show I'm hosting on May 23. You'll have a great time in Ranger and your trip will be worth it.

About the Cub:The Ranger Airfield is now home to a unique piece of history. I acquired a 1946 J-3 Sunday afternoon. The plane, which was full of life for a short three years, has not flown in 59 years.

NC7057H was purchased by Charles Moseley of Coleman County in late '46. The plane, assembled in Lock Haven, PA, took a 30 minute test flight and was then flown to Fort Worth in Oct. 46. The trip to Meacham took 14.5 hours. For three years Moseley and his daughter Charlotte flew the aircraft 182 hours, bringing the total airframe time to 197 hours. In 1950, when the family sold one of their two ranch operations (seperated by a county) the plane was pushed into the hangar on their farm after a flight and would wait there not to see daylight until Jan. 18 2009. A 25 ft. Mesquite tree blocked the hangar doors.

The airplane is in remarkable condition. Minimal rust and a considerable amount of cotton fabric remain on the airframe. I would be very surprised if I have to replace any tubing. The family had done a fabulous job keeping up with and taking care of the paperwork. Though they are short, I have all of the aircraft logs and documents from the CAA. The most amazing part of what this airplane has to offer is that it has never been recovered. The details I'm finding and will duplicate should provide this airplane with the opportunity to be the lowest time, most original Cub flying.

I have all six instruments (they will be rebuilt), seat materials (they will be copied), belts, and even though they're not usable, the original tires with "Cub" inscribed in them.

Though the plane was completely assembled when I got my hands on it Sunday, I've done a good job of making it a basket case quick. I've really jumped on it and want it flying as soon as possible. I plan on utilizing the plane through my nonprofit to give rides to kids at Ranger and flying events. What better way is there to expose a young mind to aviation than through the open door of a Cub.

Take a look at the attached photos.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

SHADES OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY! Change the color a bit and you have my "41" T-craft, although it sat in a dirt floor hanger for only 33 years. But, like your Cub, the raccoons were living in the cabin and mice in the wings.
Larry

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

I know where Ranger is. Isn't it one of the oldest airports in TX? Is there a guy still there with a Stinson 108-3 with a 220 Franklin, PA-20, Husky, and maybe a couple more airplanes by now? He owns a window company as well. His named slips me at the moment.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

Some of you might find interest in a Cub I picked up in January '09. The original email I sent to friends is below.

Jack-POT !!!

Good deal! I guarantee that Cub will love you forever... it has a lot of love still to give and it had to wait 59 years... wow! Do right by it. Old C. G. is smiling down from the clouds on this one.

[flybikefarm]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

Congrats! There are still lots of these barn finds out there. I found my cub ten years ago like that. Ended up flying it forty six years to the day from its previous last flight. Join the Cub Club, lots of good info to help restore. Clyde Smith is the guru there. Unlike the tcraft, every part for a cub is still available from someone. If I had to do it again I would put in at least one wing tank to give a little extra range.

[BarnCub]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

I know where Ranger is. Isn't it one of the oldest airports in TX? Is there a guy still there with a Stinson 108-3 with a 220 Franklin, PA-20, Husky, and maybe a couple more airplanes by now? He owns a window company as well. His named slips me at the moment.

Lonnie sold his Ranger ranch a number of years ago. He still has the planes you listed plus a very nice Stearman and Luscombe. His portion of land is now part of a large ranch with an airport. 5500x85 rwy, paved, fenced, and all. The owner flies a KingAir and Falcon 50.

Ranger is the 3rd oldest, but by far the most original airport in Texas. My Tri-Pacer sits in the 1928 hangar. Fly down on 5-23. You'll have a good time.

As for the Cub. I was excited to find it. It was a beautiful site sitting in the barn. Wish I could have soaked it in longer. I plan to restore it right and hopefully everyone will see it on the 2010 airshow/fly-in circuit.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

Hey Barn Cub... how'd you like to have the restoration materials on that airplane paid for?

Cut strips of the original fabric that was on the airplane. Mount the strips onto foam board with a cleaned up and enhanced version of the story you wrote. Put the black and white photos on it too. Make it so someone could frame it with a standard size frame.

Sell the collectible item for $29.95, position it so that the folks know that THEY are now a part in the history of "The Barn Cub" and that THEY are putting an airplane back in the air. Also, you should fly the airplane in the EAA Young Eagles program, which allows you to tell the buyers that they are also bringing history to life for young people as well as getting kids more interested in flying and less interested in drugs, gangs, and video games.

You should have no trouble selling a hundred or two of these collector items locally, on eBay, Barnstormers, etc.

Go off and get barncub.com or something and put up a small website about this, with the whole story, all the photos, the restoration photos, etc. Let the buyers of your collector item know that they can watch THEIR purchase money at work. Do like EAA and post the names of the buyers on your website.

With a little bit of cleverness you should be able to get most or all of your restoration costs covered.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

What a GREAT idea! I know lots of people who might be interested in buying pieces of that shredded fabric.
Hank

It would look great next to a framed hunk of MY shredded fabric.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

Find a cartoonist or graphic artist that can make you up a nice logo of an old Cub peeking out of the barn. That logo should be part of your website too.

Have that logo put on T-shirts... "I helped rescue the Barn Cub!".

There's another $19.95 times a few hundred, towards your engine overhaul.

You need to contact all the local newspapers, pitch them with a story. Tell them that all you need to get from them is to put your website in the article, and the article needs to mention that you are financing the restoration of the Cub with sales of T-shirts and fabric souvenirs. Make DAMN sure the newspaper knows you will use the Cub for Young Eagles, and display it as a living, flying historical relic. They should eat it up. If the local newspaper says they would run the article but they don't have the free reporter to write the story, contact me and I'll do it for them.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

If there is an aviation reporter on staff you want to cultivate a relationship with him (her). The reporter will start looking to you for a series of articles he can do that should be very popular with his editor and the subscribers. I did this with my NASA project and got good reports published at least once a month. Reporters also LOVE it when you will write a report for them and let them put it out (it ISN'T plagiarism, you are GIVING him the article, and the facts will be accurate! Don't make that widely known, editors don't always agree.).
Hank

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

Damn Bill, you may be on to something here. The local paper did a nice article on our EAA Chap. Young Eagles day last year. My old bird just might qualify as it has been in the area for over 40 years and taught a few (now) old timers around here how to fly.
Larry

PS: I seem to have a fair supply of old fabric off her too!

[crispy critter]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

I'm a new member to the Taylorcraft site.

I've spent many hours in a number of 12-D's since age 4 and I've enjoyed every minute!

Some of you might find interest in a Cub I picked up in January '09. The original email I sent to friends is below.

For those of you that are in the Texas area, make plans to attend an air show I'm hosting on May 23. You'll have a great time in Ranger and your trip will be worth it.

About the Cub:The Ranger Airfield is now home to a unique piece of history. I acquired a 1946 J-3 Sunday afternoon. The plane, which was full of life for a short three years, has not flown in 59 years.


NC7057H was purchased by Charles Moseley of Coleman County in late '46. The plane, assembled in Lock Haven, PA, took a 30 minute test flight and was then flown to Fort Worth in Oct. 46. The trip to Meacham took 14.5 hours. For three years Moseley and his daughter Charlotte flew the aircraft 182 hours, bringing the total airframe time to 197 hours. In 1950, when the family sold one of their two ranch operations (seperated by a county) the plane was pushed into the hangar on their farm after a flight and would wait there not to see daylight until Jan. 18 2009. A 25 ft. Mesquite tree blocked the hangar doors.

The airplane is in remarkable condition. Minimal rust and a considerable amount of cotton fabric remain on the airframe. I would be very surprised if I have to replace any tubing. The family had done a fabulous job keeping up with and taking care of the paperwork. Though they are short, I have all of the aircraft logs and documents from the CAA. The most amazing part of what this airplane has to offer is that it has never been recovered. The details I'm finding and will duplicate should provide this airplane with the opportunity to be the lowest time, most original Cub flying.

I have all six instruments (they will be rebuilt), seat materials (they will be copied), belts, and even though they're not usable, the original tires with "Cub" inscribed in them.

Though the plane was completely assembled when I got my hands on it Sunday, I've done a good job of making it a basket case quick. I've really jumped on it and want it flying as soon as possible. I plan on utilizing the plane through my nonprofit to give rides to kids at Ranger and flying events. What better way is there to expose a young mind to aviation than through the open door of a Cub.

Take a look at the attached photos.

That's a hell of a find and you certainly have my respect for finding and saving such a great piece of history. I don't know about the whole selling fabric and pics idea but who knows,it might work. I do think you should post a small website or some type of public access photo gallery so everyone can keep track of your progress. However I respect your decision if you decide not to post pics publicly. Wish I was closer to you because I would love to lend a hand on that project. Keep us posted on the progress.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

Yeah, Kevin... it should work. It is a LOT more legitimate than 90% of the junk collectibles out there because it is historically unique and not "manufactured" collect-ability. Whatever, I'm just tossing out ideas. Use 'em if you want, or don't use 'em

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

Lonnie Messenger is his name. Did he ever finish the Stinson? He was sparing no expense to do it right and make a very NICE cross country airplane out of it.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Cub waits in barn for 59 years

WOW , this story was the topic for Wings & Beer night here in Alliance. Get the Cub folks in on it too! I recall a Stearman back in PA about 20 yrs ago ; same story. they took the wings off , pushed her up the barn hill in 1947 and there she sat.....
I will contact the folks at www.storiesthatfly.com to get them in on the act. Go to stories that fly and Let the front page pictures load then check out the skinny kid in the CUB that was me Nov 10th, 1958 ; First solo.
N2206M