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My old Taylorcraft Auster is for sale by the nice fellow who bought it from me. It is a project aircraft, but not a basket case at all. I bought it with the Cirrus Minor engine on it, and promptly took the Cirrus off for a better engine option. I selected the Lycoming O-290G, which was the closest equivalent of the nearly identicalO-290-III used in the last WW2 Auster variant. Thus, I had planned to convert a 1947 Auster Mk. V J-1 Autocrat backwards into a wartime AOP V replica.
Despite some people not loving the Auster, I humbly disagree... it is an incredible airplane with exceptional capabilities. Most importantly, the aircraft is easily capable of mounting the O-320 series engine, which would give you the effectiveness of a 3 seat Super Cub. I believe it still has the O-290G engine (rebuildable core) that I got from a guy in Wisconsin. It will fly fine with that (thousands of combat sorties in WW2 with a similar engine).
If you happen to have a straight mount O-320 you can have a 150HP Taylorcraft STOL monster, running car gas, and 99% legitimately camouflaged in WW2 colors for airshows. Put a power flow exhaust on it (which looks like the European muffler exhausts anyway) and you can have a 160+ HP STOL monster... CHEAP.
This one actually had a back seat for two people (small people, like 7 year olds!!!) instead of the WW2 swiveling observer seat. This aircraft with the rear seat out has more cargo room than anyone has ever seen in a Taylorcraft.
The Auster is definitely a Taylorcraft, but it is a heavy duty Taylorcraft. It is heavier empty and heavier when loaded. It has effective flaps, stick controls, far greater visibility, and flying it is far more comfortable than the front seat of a Cub. It does not float on landing like an American T-craft. With flaps, the placard stall speed is 24 knots!
I applied for an experimental airworthiness certificate when I had it. However, this aircraft CAN be converted to a standard type certificate because of the reciprocal agreements between the UK and USA. This would not be a two-day project to get a new airworthiness ticket, but it is definitely possible.
The aircraft is complete, and the basic airframe flew from Tucson to Los Angeles in 1992, per my "Auster Hassle" story in the website archives. It has been in dry Arizona storage since. A new firewall, boot cowl and engine cowling were IN PROGRESS when the aircraft was sold. A new engine mount had been welded for the O-290. The rest of the airplane was complete, flyable, and in Stits silver.I had bought an authentic AOP V rear canopy from England and converted the aircraft from the civil canopy to the military style. I bought an authentic AOP V nose bowl from Capt. Roy Homewood in England, who refurbished it for me as new. The rest of the cowl is straight flat wrap sheet metal!
If I sound like a rabid salesman for this... I am. I love this airplane and I'd buy it in a heartbeat if I could. I really want "one of us" to have it and finish getting it back in the air. Now come on, how many airplanes can you legitimately camouflage green and brown n the bottom, same as the top, put WW2 British roundels markings on, and yet operate it like a Super Cub with common engine parts?
I believe this project can be had in the $20K vicinity which is DIRT cheap for the aircraft's capability and rarity. I reall want someone in this group to have this airplane. Anyone who has trusted my opinions on other matters relating to the Taylorcraft, please trust me on this... this Auster is a strange, wonderful, funky and really good airplane that's worth owning! I would buy it myself, for the second time, in a second if I had the funds.
Contact Mike Volckmann at [email protected]
Despite some people not loving the Auster, I humbly disagree... it is an incredible airplane with exceptional capabilities. Most importantly, the aircraft is easily capable of mounting the O-320 series engine, which would give you the effectiveness of a 3 seat Super Cub. I believe it still has the O-290G engine (rebuildable core) that I got from a guy in Wisconsin. It will fly fine with that (thousands of combat sorties in WW2 with a similar engine).
If you happen to have a straight mount O-320 you can have a 150HP Taylorcraft STOL monster, running car gas, and 99% legitimately camouflaged in WW2 colors for airshows. Put a power flow exhaust on it (which looks like the European muffler exhausts anyway) and you can have a 160+ HP STOL monster... CHEAP.
This one actually had a back seat for two people (small people, like 7 year olds!!!) instead of the WW2 swiveling observer seat. This aircraft with the rear seat out has more cargo room than anyone has ever seen in a Taylorcraft.
The Auster is definitely a Taylorcraft, but it is a heavy duty Taylorcraft. It is heavier empty and heavier when loaded. It has effective flaps, stick controls, far greater visibility, and flying it is far more comfortable than the front seat of a Cub. It does not float on landing like an American T-craft. With flaps, the placard stall speed is 24 knots!
I applied for an experimental airworthiness certificate when I had it. However, this aircraft CAN be converted to a standard type certificate because of the reciprocal agreements between the UK and USA. This would not be a two-day project to get a new airworthiness ticket, but it is definitely possible.
The aircraft is complete, and the basic airframe flew from Tucson to Los Angeles in 1992, per my "Auster Hassle" story in the website archives. It has been in dry Arizona storage since. A new firewall, boot cowl and engine cowling were IN PROGRESS when the aircraft was sold. A new engine mount had been welded for the O-290. The rest of the airplane was complete, flyable, and in Stits silver.I had bought an authentic AOP V rear canopy from England and converted the aircraft from the civil canopy to the military style. I bought an authentic AOP V nose bowl from Capt. Roy Homewood in England, who refurbished it for me as new. The rest of the cowl is straight flat wrap sheet metal!
If I sound like a rabid salesman for this... I am. I love this airplane and I'd buy it in a heartbeat if I could. I really want "one of us" to have it and finish getting it back in the air. Now come on, how many airplanes can you legitimately camouflage green and brown n the bottom, same as the top, put WW2 British roundels markings on, and yet operate it like a Super Cub with common engine parts?
I believe this project can be had in the $20K vicinity which is DIRT cheap for the aircraft's capability and rarity. I reall want someone in this group to have this airplane. Anyone who has trusted my opinions on other matters relating to the Taylorcraft, please trust me on this... this Auster is a strange, wonderful, funky and really good airplane that's worth owning! I would buy it myself, for the second time, in a second if I had the funds.
Contact Mike Volckmann at [email protected]